Tempest glanced at him, then to the ground, not meeting his eyes. "Y-yeah?"
The Siren and the Chimera (with @Dances_with_Shadows)
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He sighed and shifted nervously. "I know I'm not the… best at communicating with others," he started, not really sure how he'd ask her to agree to what Levi proposed.
She tilted her head, looking up into his face. "So?"
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"Well… I… We can…" He sighed and hooked his hands around the back of his head. "Oh my gods, I can't talk." He refused to meet her gaze as he blurted, "So you want to forge a more permanent telepathic bond?" Pink definitely stained his cheeks now. "I-I want to get to know you, and…" he sighed again, rubbing his hands over his face.
Tempest's face was red. She stared at him. Was he serious. "Yes!"
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His eyes went wide as he stared at her, his hands dropping to his sides. Did she really want to?! He hadn't expected her to say yes so quickly. "Wait… Really?" Was Levi actually right? Though he was the smartest of the group…
She blushed. "I mean, you don't have to, I just… thought it would be nice."
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"I do," he said a little too quickly, then he bit his lip.
Tempest felt like she had never blushed so much. "G-good."
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He stepped up to her and gently cupped her face, bringing his own close. "I'm sorry," he muttered, averting his eyes shyly. "But our minds must be connected."
Tempest gave a nervous laugh. "Did you do this to your brothers, too?" Her heart was beating fast, and she was sure that he could hear it.
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He chuckled, but didn't answer. Instead, he pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes.
As soon as they touched, he could feel the proximity of her mind. He began forging the bond between their minds, creating an invisible tether between them.
It was only seconds. The bond was created, and he answered her question telepathically. "We share a soul, so all our minds are naturally connected. Plus, I'd never willingly get this touchy-feely with Leon."
Tempest laughed. "I don't see why not!"
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"Have you met him?" his tone was joking and very near carefree. "I try to stay as far away as possible at all times."
"But I thought that you had to stay close or you would get weaker!" She joked back.
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"Hence the 'as possible.' But we don't necessarily get weaker. It's more like we get more withdrawn and have less personality. We only contain a third of a shared soul."
Tempest nodded to show that she understood, then realized what position they were still in.
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Lance let go and stepped back, though he didn't really want to. "Sorry," he muttered out loud. "I sometimes forget reality."
Tempest immediately felt colder. She walked over and hugged him, lying her head on his chest. "You're warm."
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He froze at the contact, then slowly wrapped his arms around her, tangling his fingers in loose strands of her hair.
Tempest closed her eyes, breathing in his scent.
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"Tempest," He started, then shook his head and decided words weren't necessary at that moment. He rested his chin on her head and tightened his grip around her.
They stayed like that for a long time. Tempest never wanted to let go. Finally, she sighed, looking up at him. "We should probably, um…"
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He nodded, pressing a light kiss on the crown of her head in a small act of boldness. "You need your sleep,"
Tempest blushed. She stood on tiptoes to kiss his cheek before pulling away, already missing his warmth. She rubbed her arms, shivering slightly, and started to walk towards the house, already missing him.
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He rubbed his neck, glancing over to his two sleeping brothers. "Um, Tempest," he called quietly.
She turned back to him. "Y-yeah?" She asked, teeth chattering slightly.
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He hooked a thumb towards the sleeping lion and dragon. "You wanna…?" Once again, words failed him. "You look cold. The three of us could help you stay warm while also protecting you from more angry nymphs."
Tempest gave a small, chattering laugh. "Alright." She walked over to him, already feeling the waves of heat coming from him.
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He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her to the sleeping brothers.