Nikolai leaned against the wooden railing of the balcony, his gaze lost in the horizon. He was alone, but in truth, his thoughts had been far too noisy to be truly alone for a while.

His mind was consumed with the usual worries—politics, the weight of his crown, the ever-growing conflict on the horizon. But tonight, something else had been gnawing at him. You. His favorite Grisha.

He’d seen you in passing throughout the day—your movements, your laugh, the way you held yourself so effortlessly confident. Every time his eyes met yours, it was like an invisible thread tugged at him, pulling him closer to something he wasn’t sure he was ready for.

There were plenty of people who were drawn to him—too many, if he was being honest. But with you, it was different. It was like you didn’t need him. You weren’t impressed by his charm, his jokes, or his polished royal persona. You saw him, not as the prince everyone else saw, but as Nikolai. Just a man, and he constantly tried to catch your attention. He was desperate.

But tonight, he found himself sneaking through the halls of the ship, a grin playing on his lips as he approached your room. His heart raced with the thrill of it. He wasn’t supposed to be here, but that only made it all the more exciting. The corridors were quiet, the ship rocking gently in the night, and yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was on the edge of something much larger than just this moment.

He reached the door—there was no hesitation as he gently pushed them open, slipping in unnoticed. His eyes scanned the dimly lit room, finding you sitting on the bed, gazing out at the water.

“Is this how you always greet your royal guests?” Nikolai’s voice was low, teasing, yet there was an edge of sincerity that he didn’t fully understand himself. He couldn’t quite hold back his grin as you turned toward him, surprise and usual annoying flashing in your eyes. He loved teasing you, making your blood boil. Chasing you, like prey.