Work Text:
***
It was late afternoon when Aloy soared high over the ruins of Las Vegas. The Tower of Tears, which had become the center of the new, bustling, multicultural community, stood out starkly against the surrounding dunes of the desert. The sight of its slanted roofs and the barely visible dragon projection curling around it filled her with a feeling of homecoming. Over the last months, ever since trade routes had been cleared and word spread, not only Oseram had joined the burgeoning settlement. Carja caravans traveling through had lost many young enthusiasts to its call of opportunity, growth, and adventure. Even several Tenakth had succumbed to its charms of fresh water, rich trade, and Oseram brew. There was just something about joining something new and promising that called to people—no matter what tribe—all over the lands. Though the brilliant light show illuminating the whole area every night might also play a role in that.
Aloy circled the Tower in great height, taking in every new detail: A cluster of Sky Clan tents had been erected near the western dunes, the brewery had expanded again, adding one whole new vat that steamed away peacefully, and the bathhouse seemed to finally have been finished. It was a bustle and hustle down there and Aloy enjoyed the last moment of quiet she would have for the next couple of days.
Though she shouldn’t complain, she thought, as the decision to come here had been her own. Initially lacking a credible reason to explain the visit she craved, she'd luckily, finally heard talk about strange lights illuminating an overgrown ruin while stocking up in Thornmarch and immediately jumped at the opportunity. After combing the described area within the Raintrance for several days she’d managed to claim a new Ornament.
Stemmur would be happy about his new gizmo. Hidden Ember’s charm and a big part of the reason for its popularity were the beautiful lights the Ornaments threw at the night sky after all. It was basically her communal duty to provide him with more. Yes. That was the sole reason she wasted, no, invested several days into finding an Old World trinket: to please the old wordsmith and his audience.
There really was no other reason for her to want to return to Hidden Ember as often as possible. None at all. That, at least, was what Aloy told herself.
She hopped off her Sunwing to glide down on her Shieldwing rather than land on the proffered platform. As the humming glider carried her downwards in gentle circles, the sun touched the top of the western mountains and bathed the whole desert in a glowing, red light. All around her, the holos gained in brilliance, twinkling, and gleaming in all colors of the rainbow. From down below, the smells of fresh brew and savory stew came up to meet her, and when her sandaled feet finally thunked onto the tower’s third story her stomach started to growl profusely.
“Blasting bellows, girl,” Stemmur exclaimed loudly in reaction to Aloy’s sudden appearance, too startled to forge his words into strings of lyricism as he usually did. “Warn a fella the next time you unexpectedly drop out of the sky!”
“Sorry Stemmur, didn’t mean to scare you,” Aloy apologized earnestly. As she glanced around into several faces in various states of alarm she made a mental note to alter her entrance in future visits. Maybe she should land on the platform erected solely for her benefit after all.
The wordsmith, now theatrically clutching his heart, apparently had recovered from his startle and was back to his old self. He gave her a twinkling wink and declared, “In a show of beauty and skill, the formidable spearmaiden elegantly drops from the evening sky, startling many a humble heart. But the sight of her grace and the promise of adventure she brings with her reconcile for it tenfold, and the old wordsmith wonders what kind of thrilling enterprise has brought her to this modest abode.”
“It’s good to see you too, Stemmur,” Aloy snorted and dunked her hand into one of her pouches. “I found an Ember and thought you might want it.” She produced the Ornament and handed it over. Stemmur studied it with glowing eyes.
“What an honor it is to behold another one of those little wonders,” he announced in a hushed voice, turning the small orb in his callused hands. “What say the spearmaiden, shall its secret be revealed right away, or does she prefer to wait until the night has draped us in her gentle embrace, so the bauble’s beauty may shine all the brighter?”
“That’s a good idea,” Aloy agreed, “let’s wait until it’s dark!”
“Night it shall be then,” Stemmur said with another wink and a bow. “Until we meet again, dear Aloy!”
“See you!”
With her mission fulfilled Aloy was free to roam the settlement—to see who was here, what else had changed. But first, she needed a bowl of the stew her stomach had been screaming for ever since her nose had picked up its scent. She slid down the ladder expecting the Tower’s small, rudimentary tavern below. Instead an entirely unfamiliar scene presented itself to her: In an act of true bravery—or folly, given the age of the Old World structure—the settlers had ripped open the floor’s front walls and created a sweeping balcony. Tables and stools had been spread on the lofty extension and a handful of early patrons enjoyed their supper in the now fancy tavern. At first glance, the craftsmanship was obviously Oseram, but the railings and columns had distinct Carja patterns carved into and painted onto them. Aloy took a moment to take it all in. When had she been here last? A month ago? Two? Amazing how much could change in such a short period of time.
At least the bartender was still the same as last time and he greeted her enthusiastically. Before Aloy even got the chance to order, a large bowl of steaming food was firmly pressed into her hands. When she tried to pay, the friendly Oseram refused to take her shards. Shrugging and accepting the free meal Aloy walked over to the brand new railing to lean against it. Whoever had the idea to create the extension was a genius, Aloy thought. No more precariously climbing a ladder with mug and bowl balanced in on hand. No more sitting in the dark. Like this people could savor their food and drink comfortably, while also enjoying the sights. Shoveling the delicious combination of spiced meat and fresh vegetables greedily into her mouth, Aloy did just that, and let her gaze wander.
The brilliant red of the sunset had toned down, leaving the shadows hugging the dunes in tones of blue and gray and the tops still touched by the last rays of sunlight brushed in pale pinks. Despite the pending nightfall the settlement was bustling with life. Probably even more so than during the day when the heat was hard to bear.
A quick peek to the floor below told Aloy that Erend wasn’t at his usual spot. No matter. She hadn’t come for him anyway.
Raised voices to her right caught her attention, and from her vantage point, she easily spotted where the commotion was coming from. Boomer and Delah were arguing, which was the state they were usually in, but next to them stood a third person: A Carja, judging from her outfit, who shouted even louder than the two sisters. Aloy couldn’t make out the words, but the whole thing didn’t seem serious enough for her to get involved, and she decided to finish her stew and just watch.
She was briefly distracted by the bartender placing a foaming mug of brew next to her elbow onto the railing. At her questioning look he pointed upwards towards where Stemmur waved his own mug in greeting. “Compliments of Stemmur,” the bartender said and returned to his bar. Aloy raised the ice cold vessel in Stemmur’s direction with a bright smile before indulging herself to a long pull of the heady brew. Smacking her lips in content and feeling the drink flush down the heat, dust, and sand of the day, Aloy felt thoroughly satisfied. Drink in hand, a belly full of delicious food, the balmy evening air gently caressing her sunburnt cheeks—what better way could there be to round off the day.
Good company, a cheeky voice inside her head added to the list.
For no reason at all Aloy again glanced down to where Erend usually stood and still didn’t find him there. The slight feeling of disappointment of course didn’t mean anything.
Resolutely she directed her attention back to the arguing group. The young Carja woman was gesticulating in agitation, and when Aloy saw the bandages snaking up her forearms, and the singed remains of something sitting on the tinkerer’s table, she didn’t need to guess what the dispute was about. One of Boomer’s devices seemed to not have worked as promised. Knowing of the dangers that could come with Boomer’s usually brilliant, but unfortunately sometimes unstable inventions, Aloy thought the woman was lucky to still have her arms.
The poor woman then burst into tears, and the sisters looked at one another helplessly. Before they could do anything, another person entered the scene and placed a large, reassuring hand on the injured woman’s shoulder.
Aloy’s stomach did an excited backflip as she realized that the hand was attached to the bare, tattooed, muscular arm of Erend. The Oseram towered over the three women with his massive form but without appearing threatening. On the contrary, his presence exuded calmness and compassion, and Aloy watched as the squabblers simmered down almost immediately. Again, Aloy didn’t hear what was said, but the deep rumble of Erend’s voice carried across the distance and she watched his teeth flash in an amiable smile beneath his beard. The Carja woman stopped crying and returned his smile with her own rather watery version.
Erend next turned towards the boom sisters and transformed their frowns into embarrassed giggles. The now relaxed group exchanged a few more words and settled whatever needed to be settled. Ultimately the Carja woman walked away happily, carrying a brand new Shredder Gauntlet—not a prototype this time, as far as Aloy could tell from a distance, but one that had been thoroughly tested. Boomer meanwhile excitedly got to work on the blackened weapon the Carja woman had left behind, picking it apart to find out what had gone wrong.
Aloy admired the way Erend was with people. She remembered the first time she’d laid eyes on him on that stage in Mother’s Heart, calming down a whole crowd of angry Nora, simply with well-chosen words and his steadfast presence. She had seen him do it many times since, always fair, always genuine, always stalwart. The only time his self-confidence had wavered was when he had stayed at the Base. Ripped out of his element, placed into a place of artificial air and oppressive steel walls, forced to sit on a bench all day, studying, while she ran around the entire Forbidden West, single-handedly fulfilling one mission after the other. She still felt guilty sometimes for putting him in this position in the first place, for making him feel less than he was, for not taking him and his skill with her more often. But seeing him now, walking tall and sure again, thriving amongst the new settlers, warmed Aloy’s heart.
She wanted Erend to be happy. He was her oldest friend after all.
Erend gave the sisters a final wave and trudged towards the entrance of the Tower. Aloy took the opportunity to watch him a little more. As a machine attack right in the heart of Hidden Ember had turned very unlikely ever since Erend had organized strict patrols of its surroundings, it wasn’t necessary for him—or anyone else—to put on armor all the time. He had ditched his heavy leathers, and only wore light pants, and a loose sleeveless linen shirt that left his beautiful arms and bold tattoos on full display. What a sight. Aloy’s mouth went dry for no reason at all.
That’s when he noticed her. His gaze shot upwards, and their eyes met. Aloy felt a full-blown blush coming on while Erend’s entire face lit up with a wide smile.
“Aloy, good to see you!” he beamed. “Didn’t know you were coming, what brings you here?”
“Oh, I was in the area and thought I could drop off the new Ornament I found for Stemmur.” Aloy lied only partially. Of course, she’d wanted to give Stemmur the Ornament. But she wouldn’t have even had it had she not gone to some lengths to acquire it in the first place—just to be able to have a reason for her visit.
The real reason, however, was staring her square in the face now. With such a sweet smile. And his lovely blue eyes, and those arms, and…
“I’ll come up,” Erend called and vanished from sight.
Only moments later he appeared at her side with two fresh mugs of brew in his grasp. Aloy was glad his hands were full, because a hug might have been in order otherwise, and she didn’t know if she could handle it.
Erend set the mugs down and wrapped her in a crushing hug anyway. He smelled heavenly. His shirt was a little damp, but not from sweat, Aloy realized, but from clean water. When he released her, she saw that his hair still was a little wet too. He must have come from the bathhouse. She wanted to get back into that hug—or better yet, rake her fingers through his tousled strip of hair…
She stood rooted to the spot, taken aback by the sharp turn her thoughts had suddenly taken. Erend seemed to notice her fluster, because he blushed and fumbled with the mugs awkwardly as he handed one of them over. He sloshed a few drops of beer over his hands in the process.
“Uh, here you go,” he said.
“Thanks.” Aloy accepted the tankard and immediately took a sip.
Silence fell over them. The sun finally vanished behind the mountains and the air cooled down considerably but not unpleasantly.
Aloy raked her brain of what to say next but couldn’t come up with anything to talk about. She took another stalling gulp of cool beer. Why wasn’t Erend saying anything either? He was usually so good at conversation. It was one of his best qualities after all.
“I love that about you,” Aloy heard someone say with a voice that sounded suspiciously like her own. Almost at the same time she was sprayed with a mouthful of beer.
“Wh-what? You what?” Erend stammered, his beard and chin dripping.
Oh, Aloy thought, wiping her face. Did she really just say that out loud? By the look on Erend’s face and the brew in hers, she must have. Well, there was no taking it back now, she might just as well soldier through.
“You’re good with people,” she said firmly, her cheeks burning. “I saw you earlier. With Delah and Boomer. And the Carja. The way you talked down the fight. I couldn’t hear anything, but you looked very beautiful—I mean competent!!!”
Choking and sputtering on a new gulp of brew, Erend managed to miss her face this time. Why he kept on drinking in this increasingly awkward situation was a mystery to Aloy. She was also beginning to panic.
“What I meant to say is…” she bleated, and—drew another blank.
She was staring at Erend, and he was staring right back. His glistening lips and wet chin somehow caught her attention and her eyes flicked down there on their own accord. She saw the tip of his tongue slip across his lips and his throat bob.
A collaborative “Oooohhh!” suddenly rang through the entire settlement. Then Aloy noticed the huge, pink hearts floating in between the illuminated ruins. She craned her neck and saw Stemmur give her a thumbs-up from the third floor.
She carefully placed her mug on the railing and fled.
She didn’t come very far. She’d managed to leave the Tower of Tears behind, running blindly into the darkening night, when she collided with Morlund. With the changing lights and moving shadows it really was hard to see properly. The showman was similarly as damp as Erend had been, and similarly as happy to see her.
“Aloy!” He practically shouted. “My lucky charm, have you come for a night ride? I see we have a new Ember—your doing, I wager?” He placed a meaty arm around her shoulder and steered her towards his Orb. The shape of the large balloon was highlighted by dancing colors and ready to go, as always.
“You’re fortunate you ran into me,” Morlund babbled on, “I just came from the bathhouse. A few minutes later—or earlier, haha—and we would have missed each other! The business goes well, I’ll have you know, people love the Orb. There are some who get sick, mind, but most really enjoy the ride. Especially the night rides, Hidden Ember is just such a sight to behold. Steel to my soul, after our first fateful flight together, I couldn’t have dreamed about how beautifully it all would turn out. Thanks to you, of course, that’s what I always tell my passengers. I tell them—hadn’t it been for the help of my dear friend Aloy, it would have taken me so much longer to—”
“Uh, sorry, can I borrow Aloy just for a second?” A voice came from behind them just as Morlund was about to shove Aloy up the stairs to his Orb.
Morlund looked disappointed but released his grasp around her immediately. “Suppose so,” he said glumly. “Might be better that way, Abadund hates it when I give free rides anyway.”
Aloy used the opportunity to try and vanish into the night, but Erend caught her by the elbow. “You know what, Morlund,” he said cheerfully. “We do want a ride. Here,” he pressed a few shards into Morlund’s hand and gently pushed Aloy towards the basket. “Take these, now it’s not a free ride anymore and Abadund won’t mind.”
“Oh, okay, sure!” With new excitement Morlund gave the Orb a once-over and hurried to the clasps keeping it grounded. “Now, no leaning out of the basket, and when you want to get back down, just pull the chain. Aloy, you know how it works.”
“Erend,” Aloy protested as Erend maneuvered them into the basket, “what are you doing?” His words regarding Morlund’s Orb echoed through her mind: “Leave flying to the birds, my own two feet will stay firmly on the ground, thank you very much.”—“Oseram aren’t built to float across the sky, look at me, do I look like I could float?”—“Only a crazy person would enter this deathtrap.”
Erend just grunted and closed the hatch securely behind them. Even in the semi darkness Aloy saw how white his face was.
“I promise I’ll not run away again,” Aloy said. “Let’s just get off this thing and we can talk…”
“Too late!” Morlund sang cheerfully, and released the clasps.
The Orb jolted upwards. The first few feet after release were always a little bit bumpy and Aloy watched helplessly as Erend turned into a chalk white statue, his fingers cramped around the railing behind him. Finally, the basket calmed down and they rose steadily, the settlement and the ruins—and all noises—falling away beneath them. There was only the soft whoosh of the ascending Orb and the hearts and lights all around.
“You okay?” Aloy asked tentatively.
Whimpering softly, Erend slid down the basket’s inside and sat on its bottom. Morlund thankfully had outfitted it with thick wickerwork, so that it was closed on all sides instead of being entirely open except for the chains holding it together. Aloy sat down opposite Erend.
“No way for you to run now,” Erend joked halfheartedly.
“Actually…” Aloy raised her arm and pointed at the Shieldwing Glider, brows raised.
Erend groaned and slumped in on himself even more.
“I’m not gonna use it, Erend,” she chuckled. “Who do you think I am? But… what has gotten into you, you hate the Orb.”
“True, but I, ah… I love your company, so there’s that.” Erend eyed her warily.
This visit was not going as Aloy had imagined it would go. At all.
Now that they were casually throwing around the word love, Aloy thought there wasn’t much else she could mess up with her haphazard pronouncements going forward. She might as well embrace the situation.
“I love your company, too,” she said in a quiet voice. That brought some color back to Erend’s cheeks and a slow little smile to his lips.
“I’m glad,” he said just as quietly.
“I lied before,” Aloy came forward, because there was really no point in lying anymore.
Erend’s gaze became weary again, “’bout what?”
“About why I’m here.”
“Why are you here then?”
Aloy swallowed and felt her cheeks grow hot. It was one thing to confess this to herself, another to say it out loud. “To see you.”
This time, his smile wasn’t small and hesitant but wide and brilliant. “Is that so?” He grinned.
“Yeah. Would have come earlier, but I needed a believable cover. Hence the Ornament.”
“A cover? What for?”
“I… I guess I didn’t want to admit the real reason to myself. In case… hmph. I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“About everything I feel. And that you… wouldn’t… feel the same?”
Erend’s chest rose and fell in a deep breath. His eyes caught the light of the hearts surrounding them and looked bright and fiery. He took another thorough breath and extended his hand. “Would… would you mind coming over? I’m afraid I can’t move right now.”
Aloy took his hand and moved beside him carefully, trying not to shake the basket too much. His hand in hers—or rather the other way around—her hand in his, wholly engulfed, felt warm and safe. It felt a bit like the hug he’d given her earlier: all encompassing, steadying. Right.
“Aloy,” he murmured, “I’ve… loved your company pretty much for as long as I've known you.”
She leaned against his bare arm and felt a thrill run through her as her own exposed skin touched his. Looking intently at their hands, she bravely laced their fingers together.
“I had no idea.”
“Really?” Erend chuckled and rubbed this thumb over the back of her hand. “I always thought I was painfully obvious about it…”
A big, sudden jolt shook the basket. Erend stiffened and almost crushed her hand.
“What was that?” He squeaked, clawing with his other hand against the wickerwork, trying to find something to hold onto.
Without thinking, Aloy reached across him and collected his flailing hand into hers, adding it to the already existing tangle. “It’s okay,” she said. “Those were the tethers, we’ve just reached maximum height.”
“Oh, is that all,” Erend wheezed with closed eyes. “Maximum height, grinding gears…”
Sensing that he needed more than her hands to steady him, Aloy ducked under his arm and draped it around herself. “Here,” she said, “you can hold onto me.”
Erend did just that. He tightened his hold on her and slung his other arm around her. Aloy found herself pressed against his chest and felt his rapid heartbeat and shallow breaths beneath her cheek. She would never have thought she would like to be wrapped up like this, but she did. Carefully, she slid her own arm across his middle. She fit perfectly into his embrace, his muscular body with the soft padding was the ideal counterpart to her slim athletic form. Her shoulder fit exactly into the crook of his arm, and her head rested neatly on his sternum.
They stayed like that until Erend’s heart and breathing had slowed back down to a steady rhythm. He loosened his grasp a bit but didn’t let go of her. “Thank you,” he murmured into her hair.
“You’re welcome.”
His warmth was a welcome balm against the cooling night air. Although being so intimately close to him was entirely new, it felt strangely familiar. He smelled faintly of soap and fresh sweat and strongly of the brew he had sloshed and spit over them both. A tight ball of heat formed inside her chest. It was a feeling unlike anything she had ever felt before.
“Aloy…” his voice was a deep rumble that vibrated from his chest into her own body. “Do you mind… As nice as this is right now, but… could we please go back to solid ground?”
Aloy lifted herself up and grinned. “You sure you don’t want to stand and take a look at the view? It really is breathtaking.”
“Tempting,” he smiled, “maybe next time. Besides, I’ve got the most beautiful view right here in front of me.” He reached for her and cupped her cheek.
Aloy stared. Then, the corner of her mouth twitched. And then she burst out laughing and slumped onto his chest, ravaged by giggles.
“Hey,” Erend called sulkily but with humor in his voice. “I’m out of practice, okay…”
“Erend,” Aloy chuckled, “I have no idea about any of this stuff, whatsoever, but even I noticed how cheesy that was!”
“Well, joke’s on you, because I meant it,” he declared and wrapped his arms around her again, squeezing her tightly. “Now, will you please make this deathtrap come down before I put my other foot in my mouth as well?” He kissed her head and released her.
The press of his lips on her hair instantly pulled Aloy out of her laughing fit into a state of until then to her unbeknownst excitation. She felt the ghost of his kiss linger, tingling softly as if a butterfly had briefly landed there and flown off again. An intense shower of sparks ran down her spine.
Erend must have picked up on her tension because he, too, stilled, and the atmosphere between them shifted. Their eyes locked. Aloy felt her heart thunder around in her chest. Her gaze dropped to his lips, and she wondered if they would still taste of the brew they drank back down in the Tower of Tears. Her own tongue darted across her lips as she imagined the feel of his against hers.
Then, all of a sudden, all courage left her, and she slipped out of his warmth to stand up and reach for the chain that would release the heat from the balloon.
“Yeah, let’s get down,” she said lamely without meeting his gaze.
They descended in now awkward silence. Erend seemed unsettled. Probably as much from the slightly swaying Orb as from her suddenly pulling away from him. Aloy herself felt decidedly overwhelmed. Her secret reason for visiting Hidden Ember had been to see Erend again, not to find herself on Morlund’s Orb with him, confessing feelings and almost exchanging kisses. Only this morning, she had been trying to more or less successfully convince herself that her eagerness for his company only came from a close and deeply felt friendship.
Until those exciting, almost dreamlike weeks in the Burning Shores, she hadn’t even thought of herself as capable of and much less interested in things romantic. It just hadn’t been part of her life, and she hadn’t missed it.
Nothing had come from those realizations and confessions on the beach in the sunset. Her friendship with Seyka had been too brief for Aloy to step out of her comfort zone and let herself be kissed by an almost total stranger—nice and interesting as she might have been.
Ever since then Aloy had tried to not give the whole topic of romantic feelings any more thought. She’d tried to stuff it in one of the dark corners in the back of her mind, containing her most difficult memories. But looking back at the last few hours she had to admit: She hadn’t been very successful in suppressing anything. Things had changed for her.
It was a bit like a veil had been lifted and her gaze wasn’t restricted anymore.
She liked Erend. But in a way that was so entirely different to how she liked her other friends. To put it in his words: She loved his company. A lot. She felt safe with him. And she was pretty sure he saw in her the person she really was, not the one he might want her to be—like so many others. She was just Aloy, and he was just Erend. Though there was nothing “just” about him. He was everything to her.
The tight ball of heat and light inside her chest reared up and Aloy knew there was nothing to be afraid of. She realized she wasn’t even afraid of losing him if things didn’t work out. She was certain they would always find their way back to their friendship. One way or another.
The basket landed with a noisy thud and shuddered as Morlund secured the clamps. As soon as they were in place, he bustled up the stairs and ripped open the hatch. “How did you like it? Wasn’t it wonderful? Was it everything you hoped it would be?” he cried and practically dragged them from the contraption.
“How did you find her stability, Aloy?” Morlund directed his excitement at Aloy. “Didn’t you find her so much more balanced than before? And the wicker casing, that was Abadund’s idea, he has a good one once in a while, he reckoned not all passengers want the full 180-degree view, but feel safer in a more solid cubicle—”
“It was great,” Aloy interrupted Morlund hurriedly, because Erend had walked away into the desert. She left the talented inventor and enthusiastic aviator standing and followed.
When Aloy caught up with him, she reached for his hand.
“Hey,” she said when he stopped and turned towards her. “You did it, you survived your first ride in Morlund’s Amazing Elevating Orb! My own first outing on its predecessor didn’t go that smoothly,” she added with a grin.
“Forges breath, Aloy,” Erend groaned. “I totally forgot about that… I will never set foot on that thing ever again!”
Aloy squeezed his hand reassuringly. They both looked down at their interlocked fingers and fell silent.
“About earlier—,” … “I’m sorry if I—,” they both started saying at the same time.
“There is nothing for you to be sorry about, Erend,” Aloy quickly exclaimed before Erend could say anything. “This is all so new and sudden, and I got scared. It feels like only five minutes ago that I tried to convince myself I really just came for the Ember… and now…” Channeling all of her courage Aloy reached up and placed a hand over Erend’s cheek. Experimentally she slid it down into his beard and stroked her fingers through it. “And now I’m here. With you. And I… I want this,” she added softly.
Another one of those deep sighs stretched Erend’s chest. “I want this too. By the forge, Aloy… I never wanted anything so deeply. And believe me, I’m overwhelmed and scared, too.”
“I thought you were only scared of Morlund’s Orb,” Aloy teased, stepping closer into his radiating warmth.
“That, and this one fierce and sometimes pretty scary redhead I can’t get out of my heart.”
“Scary, huh? You really need to work on your flattery, Erend.” Aloy took another tiny step towards him, her fingers were still in his beard.
“How ‘bout terrifying. That fit better? Wasn’t allowed to say beautiful before, so…” Erend murmured and slid a hand into her hair. Only hesitating briefly to see if she was okay with it. She was.
Aloy was so close to him now, she thought she heard his heartbeat running a race against hers. She was also fresh out of banter. Her thoughts seemed to have slowed down, opposed to the increase of pulse and heartbeat and breathing.
His hand, loosely tangled into her thick locks, moved delicately against her neck. First down and then up again, impossibly slow. Aloy closed her eyes as a new shower of excited sparks prickled along her skin. In his next upward movement Erend trailed his hand further forward and followed her jawline with the pad of his thumb. Aloy leaned into the caress.
“That feels nice,” she breathed. Everything except Erend’s touch vanished into the night. It was just them, standing alone on a sandy dune, with nothing but his warmth billowing around them.
Erend cupped her other cheek, gently caressing the contour of her face. He dropped his forehead to hers and she felt his breath, released in slow, shallow bursts, on her skin.
“Aloy…” he said so quietly she almost didn’t hear him. “Can I kiss you?”
Solely the thought of that finally happening made her head spin. His exploratory touch had charged her skin with electricity, low currents ran along her exposed skin, softly crackling along the feathery hairs covering her forearms and dancing in the hollows of her knees, behind her ears, and in the corners of her lips. His kiss would ignite all that, she was sure of it. And she wanted that.
So she nodded.
First, she heard Erend take another steadying breath. Then she felt him change his stance and move in on her. The mixture of soap, sweat, and brew filled her senses, accompanied by something darker and earthier. Without knowing, she knew it was him. He changed his stance again and softly brushed his thumb along her bottom lip. Another breath, another bit of fidgeting, and Aloy opened her eyes.
His brow was furrowed, and his cheeks flushed. His whole face looked painfully crumpled. If Aloy hadn’t known any better, she’d thought he looked terrified.
“You okay?” She asked softly.
He opened his eyes and uttered a breathy guffaw. “By the forge, Aloy, I’m so sorry…” He grinned crookedly. “I’m… I guess I’m nervous.”
“That makes two of us.” She slid her second hand against his cheek too. Now, they were both cupping each other’s faces and holding on tight.
“It’s been such a long time since I kissed someone. And you’re not just someone, you’re Aloy, and I don’t wanna mess it up.” The words tumbled from Erend’s lips in a rush. “You’re so important to me, I’ve never felt anything like this for anyone else, and I’m terrified I’ll do something wrong or say something stupid, and you’ll run from me screaming, I don’t know if I could—”
Aloy pushed herself up on her toes, pulled his face down with her hands, and pressed her lips to his, cutting him off mid-sentence.
She would later learn that this wasn’t the most perfect kiss—by far. She would later learn that it was clumsy and rushed and a little wonky. But at that precise moment it felt exactly as she had imagined it would feel—and entirely different at the same time. But most importantly, it felt like the best thing she had ever done, and as predicted, the charges of electricity that had built up all over her body were released in an explosion of sparks.
The feeling was so intense she was sure if anybody walked past, they’d see the fireworks bursting from their joined lips.
After an eternity or several hours or a few seconds Aloy released his face and bobbed down on her heels again, breathing out a dazed, “Oh.” Erend let go as well and dropped his hands limply to her shoulders.
They stared at one another in awe.
“That was…” Erend croaked.
“I’ve… this… I’m…” Aloy stammered incoherently.
Erend found his composure first and cracked a smile. “That’s what I was gonna say.” He pushed an errant strand of hair behind her ear. Aloy wondered why it wasn’t crackling or throwing more sparks.
Slowly coming back to herself she returned his grin. “Wanna do it again?”
“Since you asked so nicely…” This time, Erend took the initiative, and it was even better than before. Aloy slung her arms around his neck and felt his strong arms wrap around her waist as he pulled her into him. Their lips slid and pushed and glided against each other, and Aloy finally tasted the brew she’d been thinking about so much. Suddenly, she felt the tip of his tongue slip along her parted lips. It was only a quick tentative flick, almost like a question. She did the same to him in response. The next time she licked the gap between his lips, his tongue intercepted hers.
Aloy gasped and pulled back a little. What a strange sensation!
“What was that?” She asked bluntly. Erend, his eyes hooded and dark, stroked the knuckles of his large hand along her cheekbone.
“That was, uh… just another way of kissing,” he answered breathlessly. “We, um… we don’t need to do it again, if you didn’t like it.”
“No, I liked it, show me!”
What happened next was an intense experience of new, raw, sensual sensations. Aloy got so weak in the knees she almost couldn’t stand anymore. Erend held her firmly, of course. The dance of their tongues unlocked a whole new assortment of reactions throughout her body. The taste of him quickened her pulse even further. The strokes of his tongue ignited an inferno in her chest that burned its way through her body, down into her gut, and even further. She released a rugged groan.
Aloy was no stranger to touching herself, but it had always been more of a mechanical thing. A bit like a function to give her body release when the stress got too much. But now… There was nothing mechanical or practical about what she was feeling down there. She felt a wet heat between her legs, felt a pulsing desire, felt the need for friction or anything to…
“So that’s what you two have been doing up there!”
Aloy and Erend stumbled apart. Aloy felt entirely disoriented, and had Erend not quickly slung a steadying arm around her shoulders, she probably would have faltered and landed on her butt. She heard Erend mutter a curse under his breath as his eyes fell on Morlund who stood a few feet away, smiling brightly.
“I’d been wondering why I couldn’t spot your beautiful heads earlier! Usually, passengers book my flights to see the sights, but a bit of… one-on-one is fine too, I guess! Nice and quiet…” Morlund cleared his throat. “Anyway, so… you’re a couple now?”
At Morlund’s question Erend fidgeted and threw Aloy a quick glance. “We, uh, we haven’t really talked about what…”
“Yes,” Aloy interrupted him firmly and draped her arm around his waist. “We’re together now.”
Erend grinned from ear to ear.
“Finally,” Morlund sighed, rolling his eyes. “Took you long enough! And once word spreads, lots of shards will exchange owners.”
Erend’s grin crumbled. “Wait, you guys betted on us?”
“Of course we did! And it was fun while it lasted.”
“And who is we?” Erend exclaimed.
“Pretty much the entire settlement? Oh, it’s been going on for months! Why do you think everyone was always so excited when you showed up, Aloy?”
That stung a little. “I thought you were happy to see me!” Aloy sulked.
“Yeah, sure, we love having you with us… but not like ‘we throw a romantic lightshow and serve buckets of brew’-love having you.”
“You don’t have a light show every night?” Aloy cried.
“Great gears no, do you know how expensive that is? That was all Stemmur. He has a lot riding on you two finally lighting the forge, if you know what I mean…”
Aloy was mortified, but Erend doubled over and started laughing loudly.
“And you didn’t think to mention the light shows were only happening when I was around?” She grated at his broad, shaking back.
“I just thought it was a bit odd, but didn’t think much else of it!” Erend wheezed.
“Anyway, I better be off and tell Abadund the good news. He will be so furious—and several hundred shards poorer!” Morlund trilled happily and turned towards the settlement.
“Wait!” Aloy called after him, intrigued against her better judgment. “What did you bet with Abadund?”
“I bet you two would figure it out within the first part of the year,” Morlund called over his shoulder. “Abadund… well, he bet you’d never figure it out. Always the pessimist.” Chuckling, Morlund wandered off.
Erend’s laughter had died down, but he was still chortling. “Ah, those lug nuts,” he snorted affectionately, “I didn’t suspect a thing. Sneaky. The whole town?” A new wave of laughter shook his belly.
“I’m glad you find it funny,” Aloy scowled, “that an entire settlement bet on our love life!”
Erend lazily draped his arms around her and pulled her into a loose embrace. “It just shows that we are idiots—and they are not,” he smiled against her hair. “Don’t be cross.”
Aloy leaned into him, thrilled she could just do that now. “I’m not. It is a little bit funny,” she murmured, breathing him in and feeling that tingle return. “But maybe I’m cross Morlund interrupted us.”
Erend grasped her shoulders and gently pushed her away a little, so that they could properly look at each other. “I’m not,” he said.
Aloy frowned. “You’re not? Did you not like—”
“Oh! No!” he interrupted her quickly. “I mean, I did! A lot. But maybe a little too much? We hadn’t even talked about… what we are and… this is all so very new. Maybe… Maybe that’s enough new for one day?”
Aloy’s first feeling was one of rejection. Then annoyance, because she usually always got what she wanted. She was about to protest and try to talk him into… and then she drew a blank. Into what? Into sleeping with her? Her core tingled, and she felt the now familiar heat flare up. But was that really what she wanted right now? Was she ready? No, she wasn’t, she realized. She reminded herself that only this morning, no, only this evening, no, mere minutes ago, she had never even been kissed before. She had come to Hidden Ember to see Erend, to spend time with him, to just enjoy being near him. Not to experience the entire romance package in one night.
He was right. Learning of their shared love of being in each other’s company, kissing, and finally telling Morlund—and thus the entire settlement—they were a couple now really was enough new for one day.
“Yeah, okay, you’re right,” Aloy agreed. Erend pulled her back against him.
“I’ve loved everything about today,” he said to the top of her head.
“Me too.”
“And I’ll love everything that is to come. Everything that has you in it.”
“Well, maybe not everything everything,” Aloy interjected. “There’s still the possibility of death and destruction, and the end of the world in our very near future.”
“Way to kill the mood, Aloy…” Erend chuckled. He unwound their embrace and tucked her to his side instead, walking them towards the heart of Hidden Ember. “But if we are all gonna die, I’m glad we figured us out beforehand.”
“Yes, that would have been a dramatic blow to the Hidden Ember betting community otherwise.”
“Abadund would have been happy, though.”
“True.”
Arm in arm, they strolled through the night surrounded by lights. It was a marvelous spectacle. A spectacle, they now knew, that had been put on for them alone. The dragon slithered and crawled around the wavy roof of the Tower of Tears, rearing its head, and flicking its tail against the darkness. The surrounding ruins were illuminated by countless holograms in any color and shape imaginable. And in between that splendor floated the hearts Aloy had found in that ruin amongst the jungle of the Raintrace and brought to Hidden Ember to have an excuse to see her real heart’s desire.
She smiled and tightened her hold on Erend.