Prompt 11: "I need to tell you something." (Boop)
This was it. The morning before the final battle. Any moment now, the tense silence in the air would be broken by the sound of a thousand creatures of grimm charging towards them, along with their master. Ren felt Nora's hand on his shoulder.
"You okay?" she asked.
He looked into her eyes, those beautiful turquoise eyes, bright with concern for him, fear for the battle ahead, exhilaration for the fight to come, and so many emotions he knew reflected his own. He put his hand over hers and, with an effort, smiled.
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." he said. "You?"
She grinned and his spirits rose. If Nora could smile, if she could walk into battle with that expression of hope and confidence, it felt like everything would be okay.
"You're here. And so long as both of us are still kicking, I'm great."
Ren nodded, but his smile dropped as Nora pulled away to gather her ammunition. This was going to be the biggest battle they had ever fought, and it had only now occurred to him what that could mean. If they succeeded, if they won this fight, Remnant would be safe. But if they lost…Nora said that they would be okay as long as they were together. And Ren felt the exact same. If he had Nora, it didn't matter what life threw at him, because she was there, by his side. But what if that wouldn't be true anymore after this battle? What if, unthinkable as it was…what if he lost her? The thought made his blood go cold. He couldn't bear it. Not when they'd been through so much. Not when there was so much left for them to experience, to experience together! He'd never even told her how he felt…How he truly felt about her…And suddenly that thought became more unbearable than anything else. The thought that they might die before he got to say it. He had to say it now, he had to.
"Nora, wait!" he cried.
She turned around, startled by his tone. Never before had he spoken so hurriedly, sounded so desperate.
"What is it?" she rushed to him, dropping her weapon. "Ren, what's wrong?"
"I…"
Ren tried to calm himself, taking deep breaths and using Nora's worried gaze as an anchor for his thoughts.
"Nora…" he clasped her hands in his. "I need to tell you something."
She looked at their joined hands to him and sudden understanding dawned on her face. Ren exhaled and closed his eyes.
"I lo-"
She stopped him with a finger to his lips.
"I know."
Ren stared at her, at the smile on her face and at the glistening of tears in her eyes.
"I already know, Ren." she said, wiping her tears away. "You don't have to tell me."
"But I do." he whispered, crying freely. "I have to tell you now…because…what if I never…?"
He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence, but the question still hung in the air between them.
'What if I never get to tell you again?'
But Nora's smile never wavered. Gently, she wiped away his tears and he leaned into her hand.
"Promise you won't tell me, Ren. Not until this is over."
"Why?" he asked.
She smiled still, and now there was that steely light of certain victory in her eyes.
"Because if you promise, then I'm going to destroy every grimm I see just so I can hear you say it."
Ren smiled.
"Alright, I promise."
She grinned, then stood on her tiptoes. At the same time, he cupped her face between his hands. Their lips met. The kiss was long and deep, and simultaneously made Ren's heart race like it had been shocked with electricity and relax into a state of pure bliss. His fear melted away. He wouldn't tell her. Not until this was over. But when it was, he resolved, he would make sure to tell her over and over again:
'I love you, Nora Valkyrie.'