sentence meme | accepting
@gentlebcnes asked: “ stay with me tonight. ” ( nik @ zoya )
his words stop her before she reaches the door, keeping zoya in place for a moment. she should leave. the rumors about their closeness late at night spread more and more each day; and though zoya’s not one to care for gossip, she knows how it’ll reflect on nikolai. how is he to find himself a proper bride if there’s talks of him and his general?
still, zoya cannot find it in her to deny his request. there are so few people who know of nikolai’s secret, so few who can look at him without fear despite the monster. the squaller knows how lonely keeping secrets can be; she doesn’t wish that bone-deep ache on nikolai.
“ alright.” she pretends to sigh in exasperation, but the quickness with which zoya returns to his side betrays her front. “but only until you fall asleep,” zoya warns as she takes a seat on the edge of his bed. it’s not like he’ll know if she decides to stay a little longer, anyway... the only time when nikolai managed to stay perfectly still, unbothered by his thoughts, was in deep slumber; zoya liked seeing him like that peaceful.
“no shackles tonight?” she poses it like she’s asking if he wants an extra pillow, the most mundane of things. after so many nights spent next to her king and his shadow demon, zoya had grown used to their new reality; after all, she, too, had a beast sleeping deep within her. no one else understood that weight but them.
