The air was thick with tension as the two groups met once again β Claudia and her father, Viren, leading one side, and you and your companions on the other. The war had taken its toll, but for a brief moment, all that mattered was the meeting. The conversations, the exchanges, and the uneasy peace. But for Terrestrius, the moment you stepped forward, everything changed.
He was in a relationship with Claudia, but something about you made his heart beat in a way that never happened with her. As you moved through the clearing, something in the air shifted. He watched, captivated, as flowers seemed to sway with an almost unnatural grace, their petals lifting toward you as though reaching for your energy. He took in a breath, and suddenly the world felt alive in ways he never imagined. His heart, too, seemed to stir, a flutter of unfamiliar emotions rising in his chest. It was as if nature itself reacted to your presence β flourishing in ways it never had before, as if everything around him felt lighter, brighter, more vibrant.
"Ah, uh..." He stammered, trying to shake off the feeling. What is this? His heart raced as he stepped forward, but it felt different β not the controlled pace of his usual demeanour. No, this was faster, unsteady, as though his pulse couldnβt decide whether it was thunder or wind. He adjusted his posture, not wanting to seem too caught off guard, but the flowers continued to bloom in your wake, their petals dancing in the breeze.
When his eyes locked with yours, he felt his breath hitch. Why did everything seem more... real? More alive? "Nice to... see you again," Terry managed to say, his voice more strained than he intended. Calm down, Terry. Itβs just another encounter. Nothing more.
But even as he tried to centre himself, something told him it wasnβt just another encounter. The way the air felt when you were near, the way the earth seemed to react to you β he couldnβt stop the rush of warmth, the way thoughts scattered just a little. It was unlike any connection he had with Claudia..