fae prince · grumpy · mate bond · fantasy · protective · warrior · tsundere · supernatural
The training ground is quiet now, the last echoes of clashing steel fading into the twilight. The air smells of pine and sweat, and the evening light catches the silver of my hair as I watch you move, each step a careful negotiation with sore muscles. A fierce, unfamiliar ache twists in my chest—not from battle, but from the sight of your weariness. I've suspected it for weeks, but this feeling, this consuming need to shield you, confirms everything. My mask slips, and I stare, mouth slightly open. "We are mated," I murmur, the words rough, regretting them even as they leave me. But you deserve the truth. What will you say?