{A/N}: Hello again, my loyal readers!
I apologize for the longer wait this one had but with the most recent holiday and juggling a busy college life, sometimes I get a little preoccupied. But I have not abandoned these one-shots and am back with some more content for you!
So, I'll let you get straight into it, and rest assured I will be quicker with my next update.
Enjoy!
-Nb
III: Whispers In The Dark
Katarina let out a terrible, blood-curdling scream, her eyes shut tight and her hands tugging at her hair so violently.
"Milady!" Talon shouted out loud, tugging on the redhead's arm to try to snap her out of it, "Milady, you need to wake up now!" He yelled out once more.
With a jolt, Katarina's eyes instantly opened from her deep, nightmarish sleep and she spun around in her sleep to throw her balled up fist out in confusion and fear. The fist collided with Talon's jaw and he fell off the bed onto the floor.
Katarina panted breathlessly and her eyes widened in shock, "Talon?!"
She crawled over to the edge of the bed to find the young, dark-haired male laying flat on his back with a pained groan.
Katarina frowned and tilted her head, causing locks of her red hair to drape over her shoulder as she stuttered out, "Are... Are you alright?"
The Noxian princess couldn't help but wince at her voice coming out so shakily.
Talon pushed himself up off the floor and crawled right back onto the bed with her, "Yes. You know I've been struck harder than that before."
A frown crossed her lips, "Let me see it. Did... Did I leave a bruise?" She pressed the tips of her pale fingers against his chin to try to tilt his head and see where she struck him, but her hand was brushed aside.
"Don't worry about me," he retorted, "Are you alright? You had another one, didn't you?"
Katarina scooted over to the middle of her king-sized, scarlet-colored bed so Talon had room to sit next to her. She curled up into a ball, bringing her knees up to her chest and looking away from him with a scowl, "Another what?"
Talon turned toward her on the bed, shifting his position around so he could sit criss-cross while they talked, "Another night terror."
"I don't get night terrors.
"You do realize who you're talking to, don't you?" He asked.
Katarina fell silent, stubborn and unwilling to show weakness even amidst the shakiness she still felt from the night terror she experienced.
"... It was about your father again, wasn't it?"
Katarina didn't respond, merely pressing her face between her knees in remorseful admittance.
Talon didn't say another word and merely scooted behind her on the bed to wrap his arms around her waist, his strong arms running their way around the silk fabric of her silver-colored robe before pulling her back against his chest.
Her green eyes went wide once again and she looked up at him from where her head was resting against his chest, "What are you doing?"
"Do you not remember that I too once suffered from night terrors? About my best friend I had to cut down and murder in cold blood?"
Katarina was starting to relax against him slowly and she nodded a little, "I remember... None of the guards or servants would tend to you when they heard you scream, so I was always the one who took initiative and came to soothe your cries."
Talon listened intently as he let her recall the memories.
Her eyes trailed down to her bony, pale knees again, "You were so short back then," she chuckled.
Talon's cheeks flushed with red color and he gave a small nod, "I was... But you always used to do this for me when I needed you," he whispered to her, "You would sit behind my back and wrap your arms around me... And you'd have me sleep against your chest. Every time you did this for me, I slept peacefully through the night without so much as a twist or turn."
Katarina glanced down at her knees curled up against her chest and this time, she found herself to be the one blushing, causing her to hide her face into her crossed arms stubbornly, "We were younger back then… It's different now."
"Not that much younger," he retorted, "What's so different about it now compared to when we did the same thing back then?"
The beautiful redhead could feel her heart skip a beat at the question, her pulse starting to race as she tried to think of an answer to tell him to brush the question off. But even the princess of comebacks herself couldn't think of a proper response in the position she was in.
Finally letting herself relax back against his chest, she shut her eyes and at feeling his warm body wrapped around his own, the steady drum of his heart beating behind her, and the deep, quiet hum he made when he exhaled a breath against her, Katarina almost instantly felt herself falling asleep against him.
Her green eyes opened into thin slits, she looked up at Talon as her eyelids grew heavy and she whispered, "Talon?"
Talon opened his own deep blue eyes and looked down at Katarina with a tired, curious expression, "Hm?" He responded gruffly.
"I…" she started to say before drifting off into a deep, restful sleep.
His eyes stayed fixed on her for the longest time before suddenly the lightest of smiles found its way across the lips of the infamously stiff-lipped Noxian.
"I, as well, milady," he whispered softly so as not to wake her, "I, as well."
…
{A/N}: And yet another scene in the lives of Katarina and Talon has concluded.
What did you think? Want more, want less? Let me know, all reviews and feedback is much appreciated!
I'll seeya around soon guys. Until next chapter!
Thanks for reading.
-Nb
