Song - Nothing Compares To Yoi
Renlin was throwing a party tonight. It could have been for his team’s win, for all the teams’ efforts, or for Thalia’s brilliance in leading them to victory. Either way, the celebration was set in Umbra, and his excitement was contagious. The boys were buzzing for it. A party was inevitable regardless of the outcome. Umbra had a reputation, after all, and Renlin wasn’t one to disappoint.
He delegated most of the set-up to the younger members, who were more than eager to please. They reminded him of puppies, wide-eyed and ready to do anything he asked with a grin. Less work for him, more fun for them. A win-win.
The morning had been spent in his room with Thalia. They’d talked endlessly, like they always did. Conversations between them never seemed to run dry, and even in the quiet moments, there was a calmness that felt just right. She was on his team for the scavenger hunt, but during the actual hunt, he’d kept his distance. Thalia had been deep in her zone, sleuthing and figuring out puzzles in a way that amazed him. He’d been more of a bystander, not paying much attention to the conversations between the other girls on the team. He contributed only when needed, content to let Thalia lead the way. He wasn’t great with puzzles, but he was happy they won. Not that he would ever take credit for it.
Now, he stood in the middle of the celebration, the party in full swing. People were laughing, drinking, some a little too much, but it was the kind of chaos he enjoyed. The music thumped around them, and Renlin, nursing his second beer, felt the glass bottle grow warm in his hand. Warm beer, disgusting. He was about to finish it when he suddenly found himself face-to-face with her.
“Told you I’d come.”
His grin grew wide, excitement lighting up his face. She actually came. Thalia kept her promises. She had come. A part of him had been bracing for her absence, for that familiar disappointment. But here she was, and the air around him shifted instantly, electrifying.
She was dressed head to toe in white, looking ethereal, like an angel descended from the sky. She wore it so effortlessly, while he, in contrast, wore golden angel wings strapped to his back. Though the myth of Icarus played on his mind, wings gilded in ambition, reaching for the sun only to fall, tonight he felt invincible. The golden wings weren’t literal, of course, but people assumed he was playing the angel, and he let them.
“Welcome to my home away from home,” he said, spreading his arms wide, the bottle dangling loosely in one hand. His eyes never left her. “What took you so long? You are the guest of honor after all.” he asked, his voice teasing, but soft.
Without thinking, he looped his free arm around her waist, pulling her in closer, just enough to feel the warmth of her body against his. He caught a few glances from his friends, but he didn’t care. Right now, it was all about her. Thalia, here with him. It was like the rest of the room dissolved, leaving only the two of them in this bubble where time felt suspended.
The party, the noise, the laughter, it all faded into the background when she was near. She looked like a dream, but the way his pulse quickened reminded him she was very real, right here in front of him.
The softness of her body under his arm, the scent of her that he could never quite place but always recognized, the way her eyes met his with that guarded playfulness, it all sent a rush through him. He didn’t know what it was about her that made him feel this way, but he craved it, craved her. Every little moment, every glance, every word she gave him felt like a gift he wasn’t sure he deserved.
“Let’s dance,” Renlin said, his voice low as he looked down at her. It wasn’t really a question, more of a statement, like it was the most obvious thing to do now that she was here. The thought of dancing with her, of holding her even closer, felt like the next natural step.
Her eyes met his, and for a second, he wasn’t sure if she’d go for it.Without waiting for an answer, he placed his bottle on the nearest table and reached for her hand, their fingers intertwining with an ease that surprised even him. He pulled her gently toward the center of the room, where people were already moving to the beatHis heart was beating faster now, anticipation bubbling up inside him as he led her into the crowd.
The music seemed to slow as he drew her in, one hand slipping around her waist, the other still holding hers. She fit against him perfectly, like they’d done this a thousand times before, though not in public like this. He felt the warmth of her body press into his, the rise and fall of her breath matching his. For a moment, he closed his eyes, letting the sensation of her in his arms sink in.
The room was still buzzing with conversation and laughter, but none of it mattered. It was just him and Thalia, moving together in sync, like they had their own private rhythm no one else could hear. His thumb traced small circles on her back, a subtle touch that spoke more than words could. He wanted her to know how much this meant, even if he couldn’t say it aloud.
“You feel perfect here,” he whispered, so quite he hoped she didn’t hear over the music, “Just so you know, I might step on your toes a bit, but that’s just my way of making sure you stay close!” leaning down just enough for his breath to brush against her ear.
@Kristi thalssss