He was nothing more than a fling to her, a one-night stand between good friends. That was what they’d agreed to, what it was supposed to be; a shared night to lick each other’s emotional wounds and bond over the fact that both their lives had been screwed over past the point of no return. That’s all it was.
But she was fiery and brazen in the most interesting ways and he couldn’t keep himself away. Though she’d been de-clawed and de-fanged, she was still very much a lioness.
He, on the other hand, despite all his delinquent fronting and pretend play-boy attitude, was soft and sweet. That night she’d seen remnants of the boy he’d been before he lost everything, his family, his home, his city. And she found his secret innocence exhilarating.
So they met again and again. With their friends and former companions at their new kingdom in Psirena, it gave the two a lot of time to think and do without worrying about distractions. So a one-night stand turned into friends with benefits, compatriots with extras and it stayed that way for months.
Until Shiela got glanced at by a passing man on the street and Bane‘s response was to glare him down like the man was the one who’d possessed him and made him kill everyone he’d ever cared about. Shiela noticed. She noticed everything. That was part of what he liked about her; she could always see past his stubborn front. Not even Kayla had been able to do that. So when they got back to their dwelling, she asked.
“Bane, say it straight; are ya in love wit me?”
He froze. He wasn’t sure about the answer. He liked her, that was for certain, but love? No no no. Love was scary to him. Even the silly torch he’d held for Kayla wasn’t love.
“Bane Vanguard, answer me.”
“I don’t know, alright?! I like sleeping with you, I like being with you, I definitely did not like that man looking at you, but I don’t know if any of that is love. Everything I love gets torn to pieces, Shiela, you know that.”
“Oh quit being such walking pity party! Either ya love me or ya don’t, but don’t expect me ta make it easier on ya and ask again when you’ve got it all figured out. This thing we’ve been doing, I really don’t mind continuin’ it, even if its under a differnt label. So figure it out. I’m sleepin’ in mah room tonight.”
Bane grumbled at that like the child he was. Seventeen and he still acted like he was ten.
He spent the night stroking his solitary Seraph, as if the feathers would give him an answer simply because it too was alone. Eventually he came to a conclusion.
He wasn’t sure if he loved her, but he sure as hell didn’t want to lose her.
