The Villainy of Espionage and Jealousy

Myth spent the next hour aimlessly walking around the manor, attempting to quell his nerves that perhaps last night had pushed Wisp too far. He lamented that he should have given her a warning, told her that the party was probably something she should avoid this once, told her it had to do with work, she would have understood. Just as she had understood in the moment, he reminded himself. He was overreacting, she had been right and he could have put her in danger had he less self control. His feet took him to the library of the manor, a place that he loved when he was younger but as he grew he spent less and less time in the library let alone the manor itself. He sighed to himself, resigned to his circling thoughts and perused the books along the shelves. He sits at the lone table in the library with a stack of books at his side. If there was one thing that he was good at, it was distracting himself.

Wisp, upon arrival back to Alkarion’s manor, would walk to the usual rooms where Myth might be found. It was well into the early evening by the time she walked the halls, finding nothing but empty rooms. Except, of course, Alkarion’s office.

She knocks, hesitantly, she doesn’t interact with Alkarion very often.

“Evening, my dear.” Alkarion doesn’t look up from the documents he is reviewing.

“Hello, I thought I’d let you know that I’ve returned.”

“That is appreciated.” Wisp opened her mouth to speak, a question dying on her lips. Her lingering is not unnoticed and Alkarion glances up, catching the unsure expression on her face.

“He is in the library.” Wisp sighs in relief. 

“Thank you.”

Wisp makes her way to the library, it’s a route she knows well as she spent many nights there over the months she’s spent here. The door is slightly ajar and as she peeks in the vision of Mythralos, leaning over a book in the low light greets her. She inhales silently, she’d always found him to be attractive but here he was breathtaking even if it was just a simple moment. She pushes the door open further, the wood sighing in the movement and Myth’s gaze raises to the sound. His eye widens at seeing who it is who’s disturbed him. The corner of his mouth twitches up, a smile threatening; seeing her was refreshing. Wisp sheepishly smiles at him, nervous energy buzzes through her, she sits across from him and he closes the cover of the book he had been reading.

“Hello.”

“Hi.” Her voice is a whisper. Myth swallows as his eye searches her face, it holds a hesitant fondness mixed with something he can’t quite place. She sighs, eyes flicking down to the table. 

“I… Would like to apologize for last night. I may have been too hasty - too… frosty in my speech.” She laughed silently at the descriptor she chose. Myth reached across the table, maybe a bit too fast, palm upward towards her as an invitation and was delighted when she accepted, joining their hands together. He placed his other hand on top of hers, enveloping it completely.

“You have nothing to apologize for. I was being… irrational. My jealousy almost ruined everything; ruined you.” The meaning was not lost on her, she was well aware of the dangers of being publicly associated with Mythralos’ dirty work. Myth’s admittance of jealousy though, that upturned emotions that were yet unnamed.Wisp tilted her head, not understanding the context of his confession of jealousy.

“Last I checked it was me who acted out of jealousy. Seeing someone else on your arm… I fear I nearly broke a bone in Ghil’s arm. I was gripping it so tightly! What could you possibly be jealous of?” Her voice held a slight tilt to it, like she wanted to joke but she was careful to not make fun - Myth talking of emotions was always a gift in her eyes and she didn’t want him to clam up. His brow twitched and he made a sound of frustration in the back of his throat. The thumb that lay atop Wisp’s hand ran along her knuckles as he prepared the words he dreaded to speak. He grimaced as he replayed the emotions he felt throughout their time in Vallden.

“Seeing you with Ghilain, so often, I…”

“He’s a friend, Myth.”

“I know, I know he is but I… saw you two arrive to the ball together, nearly matching. That’s a statement that the Valld takes seriously and I allowed myself to believe that you would no longer want anything to do with me after that… display. I’m already gone so often - back home - and here in Vallden, I’ve been gone just as often despite being in the manor at the same time as you,” He chattered on, nerves continuing to push his thoughts through his lips. “I want you to have friends, I want you to enjoy your time here and get to experience new things - find things you like… things you… you love. I wanted to be there with you when you found those things, I was being… selfish. Ghilain is just as worthy of your company as I am. Perhaps more… with my recent behavior.” His face flushed, he refused to meet her gaze, instead focusing on their hands intertwined; grasping onto her hand as if it were the only thing keeping him alive. 

A pause settles between them and Myth fears he’s just ruined everything for good, he had a habit of saying too much all at once - being too much all at once - when it came down to the wire. If he had looked up he would have seen the incredulity plastered on Wisp’s face. She pulled her hand from his and his breathing stopped, stricken by what he presumed to be rejection he continued to speak, panic in his voice.

“I’d understand if you want nothing to do with me anymore, I’ve caused enough trouble for you - I wouldn’t want you waiting around for someone who might never show up again and-” Warm fingers grip his chin, with a soft pressure they will him to turn his head towards Wisp who was now leaning against the table beside him.

“I would almost be offended if I wasn’t feeling similarly about myself.” Myth watches her closely. At this rate, he’d pass out from lack of air. She smiles as her fingers linger along his jaw when she pulls her hand away, “I am not angry, if that is what you wish to hear; you are no more trouble than you’re worth, Myth. I’d find myself bored without that, in fact.” She chuckles and he lets out a shuddering breath.

“You would not forsake me then?” Wisp does not miss the vulnerability in his voice. She chokes up a little at the thought that they had been having the same feelings about the events of the past months. How stupid they were.

“No, no I would not. Not for last night, or anything before and I very much doubt for anything after, as well.” It was as close to a confession as they had come, the three unspoken words hung in the air between them, like a cloth fluttering on a clothesline.

Something snapped in Myth then as he surged upwards, pressing his hands to the table on either side of Wisp. He towered over her and her face became hot, unable to meet his eyes once again.

“You must know,” He brought a hand up to her face now, placing it so gently, like she was glass that would break if he wasn’t careful, “You must…” He whispered, breath lightly fanning across Wisp’s burning face.

“Know what?”

“You are… the best thing that has ever happened to me. I would never, never dream of hurting you.”

“I know you would not, I trust you Myth.” She speaks mostly to his chest. Her hands tentatively come to rest just at the lapels of his vest, flattening against them and smoothing the fabric. Myth slumps closer, resting his head on her shoulder and one of her hands slides up to caress the back of his neck. A small shiver runs down his spine at the contact.

“Thank you.” He murmurs against her hair.

“Myth, you said that… you wanted me to find things I love.” Her forehead presses into his collar, he smiles, thinking of the many options she might bring up; she had liked quite a lot of the things he’d shown her - even if it was something Ghilain had shown her, he would be more than happy to procure it for her.

“What if that thing was a person.” She said it so softly he nearly missed it, his thoughts stopped in their tracks and Wisp felt the tenseness in his shoulders. It took him some moments to process what she said, he felt his brain short circuiting, running in circles of ‘me’ and ‘not me’. His instincts would deny him the relief that her words should have given him. He slowly pulled away from her, bringing his hands up to grip the sides of her arms. He feared he would be unable to speak, but he found his voice, hoarse as it was from the tightness in his throat.

“A person?” It was pathetic really, the way his world cracked along the edges at the dread he could not stop from creeping up on him. When did he become so dramatic? Ghilain was just a friend, he too could be - and probably was - just a friend. Wisp could see Myth’s mental walls start to rebuild at lightspeed, like a fire claiming a beautiful garden. She gripped his shoulders tightly, mouth open slightly as she inhaled, quickly preparing herself for the leap.

“I love you.”

Myth’s eye searched Wisp’s face, as if somehow he would unravel the words and turn them into daggers that would pierce his heart instead of the all encompassing warmth that filled his whole body. He was used to pain, used to rejection and being kept at an arm’s length. He had gotten used to the thought of never having words to share between anyone and he had counted himself lucky that Wisp had stayed by his side all this time. He blinked, unable to process a single thought running through his mind at this moment.

“Did… Did you hear me?” 

“You… Love me?”

“I love you, Myth” She confirmed and he once again surged forward, grasping her in a tight hug; one hand around her waist and the other behind her head.

“I love you… I love you too.” 

Everything caught up with him all at once and he sagged against her form, kissing prayers of love over her face. She giggled, full of mirth and her fingers found purchase at the nape of his neck again and he sighed, breath fluttering against her skin.

“If I had known this was the reaction I’d get, I would have told you weeks ago.” She smiled up at him, dazzling. He smirked, voice low.

“If you had, my uncle would have been furious with my inability to work our case.”

“Oh?” Her voice was teasing and he had every intention of sharing sweet nothings far into the night, how he would not have been able to leave her side, he would have refused the ball, the date, anything that would separate them. She laughed at all his musings, a warmth in the sound that echoed off the dark corners of Myth’s mind and lit them with her light.

“Suffocating, absolutely unbearable.” She feigned horror, a smile still playing on her face.

“And yet, you love me.”

“I do.” His heart soared once again. He brought a hand to her chin, tilting her head upwards towards him. Gliding his fingers across her cheek to cup her face once again. A gesture he thought he’d never tire of; not when she was so soft, not when she was his. 

“Can I kiss you?” The words left his mouth before the thought fully formed. Her breath hitched and her lips parted slightly, his eyes flicked to her lips and back to her eyes, her pupils blown wide.

“Yes.” She hardly had time to give an answer before the pressure of his lips were on hers. Gentle at first, as if he thought she may want to pull away but when her lips moved against his he pressed further, willing everything he wanted to say into the movement. She kissed him with equal passion, sighing into the contact as her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him close.

“When will we finally return home?” she spoke into his lips. He hummed, trying to recall the date and time.

“When do you want to leave?” He pressed kisses along her cheek between words and she huffed a breath.

“Must you answer a question with a question?”

“Is that not expected of me?” He raised an eyebrow at her, brushing stray hair from her face. She pouted up at him and he laughed, she was adorable; he committed the expression to memory, hoping his teasing would always get such a precious reaction. He played at the joke a little longer, playfully making a show of him thinking, hand to chin and all.

“Mythralos!” Wisp hissed quietly, squinting her eyes at his antics.

“Are you tired of life in the city? I thought you liked it here - loved it here?” A trap was set.

“No, I do like it here, but I like being home more.” She did not fall for it, seeing through his game - he had a selfish nature after all. In the stalemate between them Myth pondered the new meaning that the word ‘home’ had. Previously, it was a place; four walls to return to inbetween work. When Wisp showed up it was still just that but he looked forward to retiring to his four walls to have someone to talk to even if it was just briefly. Now, it was their home, the home where his love would be waiting for him, where they would share many more moments like this one.

“We can leave as soon as you want.” He decided.

“Then let’s leave now.”

“You’re sure?” He was surprised, he didn’t think she had that terrible of a time here, she said it herself she liked it in Vallden - but she liked their home more.

“Yes.” He pressed another kiss to her cheek, then one at the side of her mouth. He paused, just barely ghosting his lips over hers, humming loudly in thought.

“Only if you tell me again…” He wanted his prize. She raked her nails along the nape of his neck softly, eliciting a shiver from him and in the moment of this distraction she claimed his lips in hers. This kiss was slower, calmer; savoring the feeling of finally having each other’s hearts.

“I love you.” She whispered.

“And I you.” He answered.

The flutter of papers was all that was heard in the quiet of the library. A flash of blue light and an effect that could be described as a flurry of snow whipped the loose pages of a book left open as the two lovers disappeared into the darkness. Returning to their home with the person they loved most in this world.