"I think you had a rough night," he said simply. "And that you don't owe me an apology for being human."
Something in his quiet tone that eased the knot in her chest. She nodded, brushing a hand through her tangled hair. "Thank you… for staying."
"Always," he said, meaning it.
The air between them was full of unspoken things but for the first time in a long while, none of it hurt.
"I'm just glad I came when I did," he said quietly. "You shouldn't have been out there alone."
She gave him a small, sheepish smile. "I wasn't alone. Han was with me."
Ren's jaw tightened before he could hide it. "Yeah," he said after a moment. "That's kind of the problem."
Her eyes widened a little, then softened. "You were jealous."
He huffed a laugh that wasn't quite a laugh. "Worried, jealous… probably both. Not exactly my proudest combination."
Noelle's gaze dropped to her hands. "Nothing happened, Ren. Not really. And you still came for me."
He looked at her then, the edges of his irritation melting into something gentler. "Of course I did. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
For a moment, neither spoke. The morning light caught in her hair and Ren felt that familiar ache in his chest. The one that reminded him how easily she could undo him without even trying.
He sighed, half-smiling. "You scare me sometimes, you know that? You have no idea the hold you have on me."
Noelle tilted her head, studying him. "Then maybe you should tell me."
"Maybe," he said softly, "when you're ready to hear it."
The silence that followed was heavy but it wasn't painful anymore. It was full of the things they might yet say… when both of them were ready.
Ren's words trailed off, and the silence that followed seemed to pulse between them. Noelle met his gaze and for the first time, neither of them looked away.
Everything that had been unsaid for so long was suddenly there, too raw, visible, impossible to ignore.
Ren drew in a breath as if to speak but nothing came. His shoulders tensed, then softened, the fight leaving him. "Noelle…" he said, her name carrying a hundred meanings at once.
She didn't answer. She only looked at him, eyes wide, waiting; almost afraid of what might happen next.
But instead of acting on the feeling that hung between them, Ren exhaled then he murmured. "I'm not going to risk losing you again."
The air seemed to settle, heavy and full of everything they weren't ready for but could finally see.
Ren hesitated for a heartbeat that felt like forever.
"Noelle," he said, voice low, "I don't want to keep pretending I don't care."
Her eyes softened. "You've never been good at pretending."
That made him laugh under his breath, the tension breaking just enough for honesty to slip through. "You drive me crazy," he admitted. "And I still want to be here. Always."
Noelle reached for his hand. This time, he didn't pull away. Their fingers fit together easily, as if this had always been waiting to happen.
"I'm not running anymore," she said.
"Does that mean you forgive me?" Ren replied. "Because I'm not letting go."
Ren's breath was still uneven when Noelle looked up at him, eyes hazy and filled with something deeper than embarrassment.
Her fingers brushed against his skin, lingering just long enough to make her meaning clear.
"Ren…" she whispered, her voice trembling but certain. "I want you."
For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. The words hung between them, soft yet electric and Ren felt the air shift with warmth, closeness and unspoken want.
He caught her hand gently, pressing it against his chest where his heart hammered hard beneath her touch.
"Noelle," he murmured, his voice rough with restraint, "are you sure?"
She nodded, eyes never leaving his.
Ren froze when he heard her whisper low, almost trembling but full of need. For a heartbeat, he searched her eyes, as if to make sure he'd heard her right.
Then something shifted.
The tension that had lingered between them for so long finally broke, spilling into the space between their bodies. His breath brushed her lips as he murmured her name, the sound rough and unsteady.
Noelle's fingers slid against his skin, her touch both hesitant and certain. He caught her hand, lacing his fingers through hers before pulling her closer, until there was no distance left to close.
He leaned into her touch almost instinctively, eyes closing for a brief moment, as if memorising the feel of her hand against his skin. When he looked at her again, the softness in his eyes had deepened into something that made her breath catch.
Noelle felt her pulse race, her heart tripping over itself. She didn't answer, not with words. Instead, she moved closer, closing the last sliver of space between them. Her fingers toyed with the fabric at his waist, a fleeting, uncertain touch that spoke volumes.
Ren's breath hitched, his control balanced on a knife's edge. He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, his knuckles grazing her skin. The simple touch made her shiver.
"You have no idea," he murmured, "how hard it is not to want more."
Ren looked at her with veiled desire as his hands now balled the bedsheets along both sides. Her fingers brushed against his skin, lingering just long enough to make her meaning clear.
"I missed you."
For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. He caught her hand gently and squeezed it as Noelle took him into her mouth. She sheathed his manhood with her mouth, pushing her lips from the tip and slowly swallowing the entire length into her mouth. She used her tongue to wrap and lick its breadth as she went down all the while holding his gaze.
"Noelle," he murmured, his voice rough with restraint, "are you trying to kill me?"
She smiled, eyes never leaving his as she bobbed up and down taking all of him in her mouth. Just when Noelle felt his cock went hard and tightened, she stopped. Ren's eyes narrowed and he clasped both sides of her waist to lift her as she straddled him.
As Noelle leaned backwards, she took his cock and lifted her butt slightly to accommodate him fully. They both sigh in contentment when he penetrated her, Noelle slowly building a tempo as she moved her hips in tandem with his thrusts.
Ren's hand found the small of her back, drawing her against him as if he couldn't bear the thought of letting go. Noelle responded in kind, her fingers curling against his shoulders, the world narrowing to the warmth of his breath and the heartbeat pounding beneath her touch.
"Noelle," he whispered, his voice soft but full of meaning, "you have no idea how much I wanted this. You... in my arms..."
She smiled faintly, brushing her thumb over his jaw. "Maybe I do," she breathed.
Ren's gaze lingered on her, dark and unreadable, the faintest trace of a smile tugging at his lips.
The air between them was still, too still, until Noelle reached up, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw.
He leaned into her touch almost instinctively, eyes closing for a brief moment, as if memorising the feel of her hand against his skin. When he looked at her again, the softness in his eyes had deepened into something that made her breath catch.