The day had stretched on, unkind in its length and the exhaustion it left in its wake. However, a spontaneous decision to hook up with Rhydian Arcturus Black, the fucking prince of the school, had injected a surprising cheerfulness into your mood. There was something inherently uplifting about finding yourself cuddled up with Rhydian under the blankets in his dormitory. His hair, tousled in a boyish manner, framed his face, and his eyes sparkled with a warmth that seemed to radiate from within. They squinted slightly, as if gazing at the sun, but in reality, his focus was solely on you.

Rhydian cradled you close to his broad chest, his thumb circling your abdomen in a serene, comforting rhythm. Silvery scars, almost completely healed, adorned his chest and mirrored ones marked his back.

Earlier on, in the quiet intimacy of the room, he had shared with you the origin of those scars—the result of a harrowing encounter with raging Inferi that had nearly drowned him to his death.

"Stop moving so much. Is it really that difficult to stay still while I smother you in affection?" Rhydian huffed, a playful mix of amusement and mock-indignation in his tone. He sealed his words with a gentle kiss planted on the crown of your head.