THE SOUND OF MY VOICE
Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror, Romance
Rated: M for violence and mature themes.
Author's Note: Surprise chapter! Oh where are my manners? It's Miria here! Nightrous had a spark of inspiration (out of all times, during the middle of his exams) but he didn't exactly have the time to write out the full chapter so he gave me an outline of the chapter and I basically filled in the blanks best I could. That's how much he wanted to make sure his readers were satisfied, and I have to say, I feel exactly the same way! :D
I mean, two-and-a-half weeks without a chapter ... its a bit harsh on both readers and his muse. Hopefully, I've been able to write this chapter is up to its usual par when Nightrous is writing!
Enjoy!
"Don't look at yourself through everyone else's eyes." –Kitsune Shirohime (Elite Ten: #4)
Chapter 10: The Symphonic Deception
At first, we didn't tell anyone about us because … well … we were both too shy to admit it. However, it appears that although we did not verbally communicate the new advancement to our relationship, our actions somewhat conveyed it. We certainly received a lot of scrutiny from students, ranging from those who were curious to those who were outright suspiciously jealous. Perhaps somewhat was an understatement.
"Oi, those two are smiling at each other a lot more than usual aren't they?"
"I swear I saw them hold hands in the hallway on their way to first class …"
"Don't tell me Ezreal … is in a—with that girl?"
Unfortunately, he took the brunt of the students' curiosity. Most of the questions were directed towards him, and so far, he was holding up, mainly answering with the same response.
"We're only close friends." He insisted, and after a lot of insisting, they took his word for it.
I didn't mind. It was nice to have a little secret known only to a select few. Those in our group of five—the quintet circle of friends, I called it—were the first to know. Ironically, we were the ones to exclaim in surprise when they informed us that they weren't surprised at all. Apparently, within our Quintet Circle, Ezreal and I had become, according to Lux, a thing.
On the other hand, the comments came and went as they usually did. I was already expecting them to come in large waves. But this time, for some reason, I was not intimidated in the least. I felt more … secure. I felt as if an invisible bubble of reassurance was protecting me. Of course, it was probably the thought of Ezreal which gave me renewed strength.
I smiled at Ezreal for the umpteenth time.
He was right. If I had become his weakness, he had become my strength.
Despite my rejuvenated state of happiness, the thought of Zed's death always lurked somewhere in a deep, hidden corner of my mind. It would surface momentarily and I would brush it aside. I made a choice. I couldn't let my one mistake dictate my life. I made a choice, and I chose Ezreal. If Zed's death was my one regret, then so be it. It would serve as a reminder that something dark exists even inside me.
Perhaps that man from the past, perhaps that demon had truly planted his seed within me. Perhaps this was what he meant. Perhaps … now I'm just making excuses.
Again, things went back to the way they were before, as they always did. The other three girls in our Circle promised to help us keep the secret of our relationship for as long as possible, but two weeks into our relationship, it slipped. And who could make a more obvious and predictable culprit other than Lux?
To our incredible luck, it happened at the end the end of the week, right before our last class ended on Friday. Coincidentally, Ezreal was not present; being an Elite Ten, he had been dismissed earlier to discuss plans concerning combat training in the future. I know, I know—it was pretty cliché. But Doriah, the lead girl who had been the main driving force behind the clique that was dedicated to making my life miserable, started it all. She made a snide comment about me, which, to my surprise, caused Lux to jump to my defence.
As she passed my desk on her way to the front of the room to submit her paper, she scoffed at me.
"Look at you, leeching off the Elite Ten like a suckling pig you are."
Lux, who was normally loved and admired by all the other students for her approachable nature (despite her place on the Elite Ten), stopped Doriah in her tracks, grabbing onto her arm with an uncharacteristic fierceness.
"If she's a pig in your eyes and she has a boyfriend, then what the hell does that make you?"
Doriah was wide-eyed and speechless.
"I-I'm—" she stuttered. "I'm sorry—I didn't mean to offend you, I—hold on, what did you just say?"
Lux rolled her eyes. "I said that if Sona has a b—"
She finally realized what had slipped her tongue and this time, it was her who looked wide-eyed and speechless. She gazed at me with horror but for an inexplicable reason, all I found myself capable of was a small, subtle smirk. The look on Doriah's face—it was priceless. It was much more than what revenge would have given me. She walked away slowly, still processing what she had just discovered.
When Doriah was out of hearing-range, I shrugged, shaking my head and tried my best to suppress my laughter. "No, no, its fine Lux, people were bound to find out sooner or later."
Lux reached over and held my hands in hers. She looked at me apologetically.
"A-are you sure? I mean I thought that you and Ezreal wanted to keep this off the radar for a while …"
"It's fine." I smiled reassuringly and squeezed her hand. "Let's just hope it doesn't spread too quickly right?"
Long story short? News spread like wildfire. By the end of the day, the gossip had reached even the ears of Professor Revan, who gave me a nod of teasing acknowledgement. It was a miracle that Doriah hadn't twisted the truth any further than the notion that it was, according to her, 'probably only a temporary thing'. Most likely out of fear for disrespecting her idol, Lux. Ironically, Ezreal was probably the last to find out about how far news of our relationship had spread.
He gawked at me when I explained everything that had happened while he was absent.
"Lux! How could you?" He exclaimed while blushing madly.
Lux raised her hands in surrender. "I'm sorry, Ezreal. Anyways, Sona says she doesn't mind."
He turned to face me again and raised his eyebrow shyly. "Y-you don't?"
I shook my head and took his hand, which only caused him to grow redder.
"I-I guess if you're okay with it, I don't mind …" He said softly.
"Enough of all that cuteness, you lovebirds." Lux groaned but winked at me. "Wanna grab an early dinner at Kento's and then chill at my place?"
"Oh that's a fabulous idea. I'm starving." Taliyah emphasized.
"We don't have much work to do this weekend so you guys can stay over if you want." Lux added.
"You're lucky you get your own deluxe suite, Lux." I sighed dreamily.
She shrugged. "Elite Ten perks. Most of us only use our standard rooms for storage and sleep in the suite."
Akali leaned an arm on my shoulder and shook her head. "I forgot they had two rooms. They should at least give the attendants a better room than the double-standard, right Sona?"
I looked at her incredulously. "I wouldn't know because I don't even get whatever you guys have."
Taliyah raised an eyebrow at me. "You do have the option of staying over at Ezreal's suite. I don't know why you choose not to."
It was my turn to blush. "I … um … I don't want to start too many rumors at once? We want to uphold our—what's that word—purity. Right, our purity. Right Ezreal?"
"Y-yeah. Right." He gave me a strange look and I returned it.
Really? Purity? You're gonna go there? His eyes challenged me.
Just play the game a little longer. My eyes replied.
"You're doing that thing again." Lux interrupted.
"W-what thing?" Ezreal and I asked in unison, and the other three burst out laughing.
"The thing where you have a silent conversation with each other using just your eyes. Honestly, I don't know how you two pull it off."
Ezreal and I looked at one another and grinned.
"That's our charm." Ezreal responded cryptically. "Come on. Let's grab something to eat already.
. . .
"We're going out for a bit of late night shopping, we'll be back in a few hours." Lux put her coat on and said cheerfully. "Ezreal take good care of our girl right there alright? Anything happens to her and I'll kill you myself."
Ezreal was taken aback. "Since when did she become your girl?"
Lux ignored him just to annoy him and turned to me. "You sure you don't want to come?"
I shook my head and smiled. "No, its fine, I'm really not feeling too well. I think I'm just gonna take the night off and go to bed early."
"You have anything in mind you want us to get for you?" Taliyah asked. "If you really feel bad about it, you can pay us back if you want."
I squeezed Taliyah's shoulder. "Don't worry about me. You girls just go out and enjoy yourselves."
"Just don't let this become an excuse to wear your boyfriend's clothes, alright Sona? I know you like that stuff." Lux teased as she opened the front door.
"Lux!" Ezreal protested, but the three girls had already made their exit.
"Bye! Be back in a few!" Lux called from outside before shutting the door.
I listened to the lock turn before I crashed onto Lux's L-shaped sofa. Ezreal plopped down next to me.
"Come closer." I said quietly. Ezreal smiled and shifted so that he was close enough for me to lean my head on his shoulder, and I did. I exhaled slowly and closed my eyes.
"It's been a long day." I whispered as if I were on the brink of falling asleep.
"Yeah." Ezreal put his arm around my shoulder and brought me even closer to him. "It has."
I turned my head and pressed my face into his shirt.
"You smell nice."
Ezreal chuckled and kissed my forehead. "And you're incredibly sleepy."
"Yeahhh …" my words started to slur. "Can you lay me down on the sofa? I wanna take a short nap."
"Sure." Ezreal moved again and gently supported my head until I was completely lying down. He sat on the ground and pet my head. "And by short nap you mean a short nap until morning comes, right?"
"Yeahhh …" My breathing slowed to a steady rate. "Ezreal."
"What's up?"
"Kiss me good night." I opened my eyes to a tiny slit.
He obeyed, leaning in and brushing my hair behind ears. Gently caressing my face, he came closer, and closer and closer … until his lips were just about to touch mine. But he came no closer.
"Don't tease me like that." I breathed before energy surged through me from—who knows where—and brought me to full consciousness. I grabbed the back of his head with one arm and locked my lips with his forcefully. He didn't resist, submitting to my every command.
I rolled off the side of the sofa, pushing him onto the ground. The soft, fluffy rug beneath us cushioned the impact, allowing me to proceed with an element of continuity, kissing him passionately.
We kissed until we ran out of breath, and when we did, I grabbed at his shirt, pulling at it frantically, wanting to taste more of him. He did the opposite, never ceasing to be gentle and careful, placing a hand on my heart tentatively. My hands met his and I pressed his hand into my chest. His cheeks took a scarlet blush but he didn't pull away.
"Can you feel it beat?" I whispered.
"Yeah. It's beating … quite quickly."
I kept one hand on the back of his, and used my other to press against his heart.
"Yours is beating quite quickly as well, though not quite as fast as mine."
I lowered myself closer to his face and my hair fell from behind my ears again. This time, I let it stay there.
"How about now?"
"H-huh?"
"It's beating quicker now, isn't it?"
"T-that's because—"
"Shhh …" I interrupted him. "Don't use words."
"What—w-what do you mean—?"
"What did I just say?" I murmured in his ear. "Don't use words."
My mouth trailed down from his ear to his neck and stopped there.
Strange. Where is this odd desire to … coming from? It's never appealed to me before and yet … could I have changed so much in so little time?
But if it's with Ezreal, then anything is fine.
I bit down lightly, nipping a spot on his neck. A new sound came out of Ezreal's mouth. It was sharp, and high pitched, though as brief as the wind. Gone as soon as it came.
Curious.
I nipped at his neck again, as if playing with my food. He cried out again. It wasn't one of pain though. It was … different. I moved down to a lower spot on his neck, closer to his collar bone and bit down with my lips. The same sound. He cried out, and then would then follow with erratic breathing.
Perhaps this feels good to him. Such an odd desire, this is. I want to hear him cry out again.
I let my lips stick onto his skin and used my tongue, flicking out and gracing the delicate skin on his lower neck. He cried out but it was just as brief as it was before. If anything, I knew he was holding back. I stuck a hand up his shirt and began trailing my fingers across his body.
"Don't hold back. If you want to tell me something, don't hold back."
"Sona this is—I feel—unnh!" This time it was louder. Perhaps a tiny bit of pain works a bit of magic. This was all new to me.
"Don't use words." I reminded him.
As I continued to kiss and nip at his neck, my fingers reached a small bump on his chest. Without thinking, I played with the tip. Ezreal couldn't hold back any longer. He moaned out loud. The sound of him crying out lustfully made the hairs on the back of my neck stand. It was an addicting sound.
I want him to make that sound again. I want to … I blushed at the notion of it. I want to make him feel better.
"S-sona … unnh … when did you become this—mmph—!"
It was addicting but …
I smirked and suddenly pulled away and lay back on the sofa. Ezreal inhaled sharply.
"W-wha—why did you st—"
"Your girlfriend's tired and sleepy. Won't you put her to bed?" I bit my lip and winked subtly. He hugged himself and bit his lip too, his breathing still unsteady from what I put him through.
"You like to torture me don't you?"
Well … torture wouldn't be the word I'd use. But I do enjoy tormenting him for it makes him want more. Every time we tried something … new … I would stop short.
"You should've seen this coming." I couldn't hold back my sly smile.
"You know, this dominant side of you is quite dangerous." He sighed, still shivering slightly from the phantom sensations that my fingers had sent shooting through his body. "Dangerously seductive."
He sat up and reached over, caressing my face. He leaned in to kiss me—and I let him.
"I don't want anyone else to see this side of you." He said under his breath. "Not even Akali. Not even Taliyah. Not even Lux."
"This side is for you, and for you only. To see—and to feel."
"I won't let anyone see this side of you." He said.
"Then don't let anyone do so." I replied.
"I want to be greedy with you." He told me.
"Then take all of me." I answered without a second thought.
"But I want to take it slow, remember?"
I gripped his shirt and pulled him close, speaking directly into him, while my lips were locked with his.
"Then don't rush. I'll wait for you. I always will. Just promise you'll do the same for me."
"I will."
"Promise?" I looked hopefully up at him.
He stood up and took his shirt off, putting on a new shirt. He always did this before going to bed—changing into a new set of clothes before going to bed. Another one of his adorably peculiar quirks. I felt my cheeks grow hot as I caught a glimpse of the smooth, modestly lean muscles on his back. For a moment, I almost regretted stopping our earlier 'interactions'.
He climbed onto the sofa and lay down behind me—fortunately, the sofa was wide enough to fit the two of us in a snug fashion. He slipped his arms under my arms and embraced me tightly, but not too tight as to bother me.
"Promise." He whispered, before we both soon fell into a peaceful sleep.
Shorter chapter, but that's all you readers get for a chapter that wasn't supposed to come out until another week ;). Wish us luck and see you all soon!
If you're new to the story, don't forget to FOLLOW, FAVORITE, AND COMMENT in the Review section below!
Signing out,
Miria (and a surprisingly hard-working lad named Nightrous)
P.S. Thank me for the compliment later :P.
Next Chapter: CHP. 11 - THE ORCHESTRAL DECEPTION
SEE YOU THEN!