An Expected Visitor

A bored princess was a dangerous princess, truth be told.

Kinuthia sighed as she reclined against the windowsill, her eyes scanning the beautiful landscape before her. She had dressed rather casually for her position, but it wasn’t as though she were planning on meeting anyone today, so what was the harm in comfort? A simple dress, even if it reached past her toes, foregoing all finery or trinkets, was all she needed on this easy-going day. Her turquoise gaze lifted to the skies in wonder before the subject of her curiosity finally deigned to show himself, causing a smile to spread across her lips.

“I was wondering if you were going to show up,” she teased as Fez dropped down onto her balcony, his wings withdrawing into his shoulders as soon as his foot met the marbled flooring. “Come to try and kill me again today?”

A discomforted look overtook Fez’s expression at the question, his crown drooping slightly in response. Of course, he wasn’t going to… even if that were his job, the opportunity had long been passed once he grew to know her.

A laugh left the woman as she took his hand, leading him to her bed… drawing a blush to his cheeks, even if that wasn’t her intention. She sat him at the edge and unceremoniously plopped herself onto the cushiony surface with a bounce. Rolling over to face him, she beamed, holding onto a pillow as though it were a plush toy, hugged close to her chest.

Meanwhile, Fez sat as stiff and alert as ever, his hands on his knees politely and properly. He couldn’t bring himself to relax – not in enemy territory, not near her… as much as the latter, he wished for so terribly.

“So… I heard you guys breathe fire.”

The Red Angel quirked a brow, an almost confused grunt leaving him. Blue eyes peered into hers in bewilderment, though his curiosity was only met with the brightest and most amused of grins. Rather than answer in words, he simply shook his head before gazing down at his hands, clenched tightly in his lap.

“Oh, come on… my kingdom only hears rumors of your kind, thanks to the loose lips of travelers. I want to know more about you! Handsome, mysterious… and you intending to kill me – though surprising – admittedly is kind of attractive.” There was a teasing lilt in her voice with the last sentence, but it still caused the man to flush and glance away. With that, Kinuthia huffed, and like the princess she was, reached over sans consent to collect his chin and have him face her.

This caused him to tense further, eyes narrowing while a hand instinctively reached for a familiar dagger at his side, but after realization dawned on him, Fez eased. He released the hilt of his blade and simply let her guide his face, embarrassed as he was.

“…There’s nothing to know.”

Scoffing, Kinuthia shook her head. “That’s not true! There must be more to you… I know you have a daughter, whom I’m dying to meet, by the way… but that can come later. I want to know you, Fez…” Her eyes softened as she peered into his, her gaze holding that usual, hidden forlorn pool deep down. One that had caught the man’s attention since the beginning. Since he was shown his quarry. Her finger lightly, mindlessly, caressed his jaw as her lashes fluttered. A silence fell between them in the moment, and both could have sworn they heard the other’s heart beating.

“…Nothing…” he uttered softly, withholding a shiver from her soft touch.

The princess’s lips pulled into a pout briefly as she continued to hold his face, commanding his attention – it was rare for her to do so, but he had her interest, and deep down inside, she hoped that she held his, as well. After a moment, she let her eyes flutter into a slow blink, before she scooted closer and pressed her lips to his in a gentle and all too chaste kiss.

Again, Fez tensed, but he didn’t pull back. His eyes flew open as he stared at her face, serene and beautiful, for a moment wondering if perhaps she’d done this by accident… but clearly, there was no accident here. His expression eventually softened, and he hesitantly pulled her in, his arm winding around her torso to pull her into his lap rather than the awkward position she had set herself in before. Her death had been his priority before, but now, he just wanted her to be comfortable. Safe.

…His.

As he pulled her closer, he returned the kiss, easing into the sensation with a soft sigh. Even back ‘home,’ this wasn’t considered normal. As a Red Angel, he was not meant to have relationships, be they platonic or romantic. No companions, no one to talk to at the end of the night when things were weighing heavy on one’s heart, nothing. Red Angels were harbingers of death and that alone, leaving no time to do anything but fight and, body willing, breed by the will of the Light Angels. They were subhuman, not meant for greatness or glory.

Or the soft touch of another.

A light scent that brought wonderful memories.

Love.

Simultaneously, their eyes fluttered open, allowing them to peer into one another’s gaze, and the two couldn’t help but smile. This was new for both of them, but deep down, they both desired it more than anything.