[CHAPTER 40]

───🦋･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.🦋───

───🦋･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.🦋───

TITLE   : LOSING OURSELVES AGAIN

THE CASTLE WAS QUIET at this hour, the corridors bathed in dim golden light from the torches flickering along the stone walls.

Most students had already retired to their dorms, leaving the air thick with silence and shadows.

Ellie wasn't sure how they ended up here.

Well, she knew. But she wasn't ready to admit it yet.

The second Mattheo had pulled her into the abandoned classroom, his grip firm but desperate, she knew exactly what was going to happen. Again.

The door slammed shut behind them, the faint glow of moonlight spilling through the cracked window, illuminating just enough to make out the hunger in Mattheo's gaze.

Neither of them spoke.

They didn't need to.

Ellie barely had a second to breathe before Mattheo's hands were on her, gripping her waist, pulling her flush against him. His lips found hers in a kiss so deep, so desperate, that it sent a shiver down her spine.

She gasped against his mouth as he lifted her onto the old wooden desk behind her, the edges digging slightly into her thighs—not that she cared.

Not when his fingers were already tracing up the bare skin beneath her sweater, igniting a fire that burned through every inch of her.

Her hands tangled into his hair, pulling him closer, her legs instinctively wrapping around his waist. He groaned softly against her lips, his grip tightening.

"Ellie," he murmured, his voice thick with something raw, something almost pleading.

She knew what this was.

What it wasn't.

They hadn't talked about it. Hadn't dared to put words to whatever was happening between them. And maybe that was for the best.

Because right now, words didn't matter.

Only this mattered.

His lips trailed down her neck, leaving a path of heat and electricity in their wake. She arched into him, hands roaming, needing more.

She felt his breath hitch when she whispered his name, her fingers tugging at the hem of his shirt.

This was reckless.

This was messy.

And Merlin, it felt so damn good.

By the time he finally—finally—pressed her back against the desk, her mind was already lost to the fire consuming them both.

The Astronomy Tower was quiet, save for the soft rustling of the night breeze. The sky stretched endlessly above them, dotted with twinkling stars, casting a soft glow over the castle grounds.

Ellie leaned against the cold stone railing, hugging her arms around herself as she gazed up at the constellations.

She hadn't expected Mattheo to follow her when she snuck out of the common room for some air, but she should have known better.

"You're impossible to find when you don't want to be," Mattheo said as he approached, his voice warm and teasing.

Ellie smirked, but she didn't turn around. "Maybe I just wanted some time alone."

"Too bad," he murmured, stepping behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. "You're stuck with me."

She sighed dramatically but melted into his hold anyway. "Guess I don't have a choice, do I?"

"Nope," he said smugly, resting his chin on her shoulder.

They stood like that for a while, just breathing in the quiet magic of the night. The moonlight made everything feel softer, more intimate, like the whole world had faded away until it was just the two of them.

Mattheo sighed, tightening his arms around her. "You should've told me you were leaving the common room. I would've come with you."

Ellie smirked, tilting her head slightly. "Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of sneaking out?"

He huffed. "I just don't like not knowing where you are."

Ellie turned in his arms to face him, her hands resting on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her fingers. "You worry too much," she murmured.

"I just—" Mattheo hesitated, then sighed, looking down at her with something unreadable in his eyes. "I don't like the thought of you wandering around alone."

Ellie softened. "I'm fine, theo."

"I know," he admitted. "But I sleep better when I know you're safe."

Something about the way he said it, so simply, like it was the most natural thing in the world, made her chest tighten. No one had ever cared about her like this before.

Ellie reached up, brushing a lock of his messy hair back. "You're a sap."

Mattheo rolled his eyes but didn't protest when she tiptoed and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

He smirked. "If I'm a sap, then you like saps."

Ellie huffed a laugh. "Maybe."

Mattheo grinned before suddenly lifting her off the ground and spinning her in a slow, playful circle. Ellie let out a surprised laugh, clutching onto his shoulders.

"Mattheo! Put me down!"

"Not a chance."

When he finally did set her down, she was breathless from laughter, her forehead resting against his.

They stood there, just existing in each other's space, breathing in the closeness. Mattheo's hands stayed firm on her waist, and Ellie's fingers curled around the fabric of his sweater.

He looked down at her, something soft and unguarded in his expression. "I like this."

Ellie nodded. "Me too."

Mattheo leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead before whispering, "Let's stay here a little longer."

Ellie smiled, squeezing his hand. "Yeah. Let's."

───🦋･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.🦋───