"I know, I'm just too handsome, but you shouldn't stare so intensively at a sleeping person. It's kinda creepy."
I cracked one eye open, smirking as I caught Synthia's stunned expression. My head was comfortably resting on her lap—warm, soft, safe. Her hand had been gently brushing through my hair. The way she jolted and tried to act unaffected made it all the more obvious.
"I-I wasn't staring," she said quickly, her voice betraying the calm she tried to maintain.
"Right," I said, letting the smirk linger. "You were just admiring my handsome face, right?"
(Host, you need to keep your narcissism in check or it'll be the end of you one day.)
"You're just jealous that she gets to touch me and you don't," I mentally replied.
(Please. If I had a physical form, I'd be running in the opposite direction. That level of narcissism might be contagious.)
I chuckled to myself, which earned me a curious look from Synthia.
"You okay?" she asked, her brows slightly furrowed.
"Yeah," I nodded, sitting up slowly. "Just talking to myself."
She narrowed her eyes. "...You sure you didn't hit your head too hard?"
(Oh, the irony.)
I ignored her.
Synthia helped me sit up properly, her hands lingering on my shoulder longer than necessary. There was something different in the air now—charged. Tender.
"You scared me, Ravin," she said softly, not meeting my eyes. "That skill you used... You weren't in control. I could feel it."
"You don't have to worry about me," I said, placing my hand over hers. "I'm not going anywhere."
(Except straight to hell if you keep using all the elements without proper control or practice. But hey, ride the high while it lasts.)
"So, why were you staring at me while I was sleeping?" I asked, tilting my head.
She just glared at me, her eye twitching. "Do you want to spar with me again?"
She smiled, and not the comforting kind.
"Ahem. I'm still injured, so no. But how long was I out?" I asked, playing the 'poor me' card.
(False, Host. You are perfectly fine. If only I could materialize and tell her about it.)
I ignored Pixia like I usually do, but there was a tinge of disappointment in her voice.
Sigh… I'll need to console her later. How tough is it being me?
(Hey! I can hear your thoughts. And what do you mean 'console' me? I'm just a system designed for your use. It's not like I care about you or anything… Baka!)
"..."
Why do I feel like she's pouting? Her voice carried a mix of regret and sadness. I made a mental note: a heart-to-mind conversation with Pixia was due soon. For now, my focus stayed on Synthia, who was looking at me with an expression I hadn't seen before—vulnerability.
"You're acting way too smug for someone who nearly died," she muttered.
"But I didn't die," I said with a wink. "Thanks to my beautiful sword empress."
She flushed faintly, looked away, and muttered, "I didn't save you. You handled it yourself."
"But you stayed beside me while I slept. That's at least a hundred affection points."
She huffed. "This isn't some dating game."
"It kinda is. And I think I just cleared your route."
(Please stop. I'm begging you. My non-existent circuits are overheating from the cringe. Also… her affection points did increase by 5.)
I leaned in, brushing a strand of red hair behind Synthia's ear, ignoring everything else but her. She didn't pull back. Her breath hitched, but she held my gaze like the proud empress she was—just with slightly trembling lips.
"You really don't know when to shut up," she whispered.
"Then shut me up. I'm still sad I got blue-balled before. I was really enjoying you—"
She silenced me the best way possible: her lips crashed into mine, a fiery kiss that knocked the air out of my lungs.
Her face flushed, clearly remembering what we were doing before the attack. She pushed me down gently, climbing onto my lap as our mouths moved together—hungry, desperate, alive. Her hands gripped my collar, pulling me closer, like she was done pretending she didn't want this.
One of my hands found her waist and slipped under the loose robe she'd changed into after the battle.
(Oh great. Now we're getting handsy. Didn't you just say you were injured two seconds ago?)
"You're the one who said I was fine. Now deal with it," I replied mentally.
Synthia gasped as my fingers traced the warm curve of her back, my other hand grazing her side. I could feel every breath she took, every tiny shiver when I brushed past the edge of her chest.
"S-Stop doing whatever you want," she said, breaking the kiss, her glare flustered and fierce.
"But I can," I said, resting my forehead against hers. "Unless… you want me to stop~"
My hand slid further upward, teasing her neckline. She moaned softly, biting her lip.
"Ahnn~"
Gods, that sound should be illegal.
She didn't resist. Her blush deepened, her body trembling in my arms.
I shifted, carefully guiding her down beneath me, my lips grazing her neck. The scent of lavender wrapped around me, intoxicating and warm.
"R-Ravin... I'm not used to this kind of thing..." she whispered, her voice shaky but honest.
"I know," I said, my tone gentler now. "We'll take it slow."
Her eyes fluttered closed as I kissed her shoulder, fingers trailing carefully down her arm. She arched slightly beneath me, her body instinctively responding.
(This is getting dangerously wholesome. Who knew you had it in you.)
"I'll stop if you say so," I murmured into her ear. "But until then... I'm going to treasure every inch of you."
Her only reply was a soft whimper as she clung to me tighter.
----
(A/N: Let me remind y'all that everyone turns into an adult when they get 16 in Nelixes. You can take it as A 16 year old person in Nelixes is the same as a 21 year old adult on Earth. Also tell me if you want multiple chapters of intercourse or only one? And give me your views about the novel and what can be improved.)