Full Disclosure
"Is it true you only flirt with me?"
Erend flushed, eyes wide. "What do you mean?" he stammered.
"Talanah mentioned it. She said you used to flirt with everyone, but now you only do it with me."
With each passing second, Erend looked more and more like a rabbit confronted by a fox. "I, well, that is . . . she's just misremembering." Aloy raised an eyebrow and Erend turned scarlet. "I should probably get going," he said, standing abruptly and nearly falling over the bench. "Got a lot of Vanguard business and training and . . . business."
Aloy watched with amusement as he practically ran out of the building, face still bright red.
He did a decent job of avoiding her most of the day, but she finally caught up to him at the palace, standing on his favorite balcony. She joined him at the railing with an apologetic smile.
"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable earlier."
"You didn't." She raised her eyebrows and he sighed. "Okay, maybe a little, but it's fine. It's . . ."
"Something we should talk about," Aloy finished.
"Should we?"
"Erend."
He frowned unhappily down at his hands. "Look, I flirt and I make jokes, it's just how I am. I'll stop if you want. I know you don't feel the same way."
Aloy sighed. "You're an idiot."
He looked at her, startled. "What?"
She rose up on her toes, grabbed his scarf, and kissed him.
"I said, you're an idiot."
Erend stared at her, mouth slightly open, completely dumbfounded.