Chapter 27 – Feelings That Could No Longer Be Contained
That night, the world outside seemed to hold its breath.
The gentle chirping of crickets blended with the soft hum of night insects, creating a peaceful lullaby that wrapped the quiet inn in a cocoon of calm. The hallways were completely still; even the innkeeper's heavy footsteps were long gone. A faint breeze slipped through the wooden walls, carrying the scent of dew and pine.
Moonlight poured through the windows like liquid silver, spilling across the wooden floorboards and bathing everything in a cool, ghostly glow.
Wrapped tightly in a cloak, a small candle trembling in her hand, Astrid stood before Alex's door. The flame flickered, illuminating her anxious eyes. Her breathing was shallow.
She raised her trembling knuckles and knocked lightly.
"Alex… I'm here. Are you still awake?" she whispered, almost as if she feared waking the darkness itself.
Inside, Alex jolted upright. He had been pacing moments earlier, too excited to sit still he had been waiting specifically for this moment, eager to show her the Daedric armor he crafted through sleepless nights and countless battles.
He hurried to the door and opened it with a smile.
"Astrid yes, I've been waiting for you. Come in."
Astrid stepped in quietly, her cloak brushing softly against her legs. She kept one hand pressed tightly against it, as if protecting something underneath… something Alex didn't notice.
He motioned for her to sit on the edge of his bed. The candlelight painted warm shadows on her face, highlighting the soft pink on her cheeks.
"Alright. Are you ready?" he asked, excited and oblivious.
Astrid swallowed hard. Her fingers clenched the fabric of her cloak.
Her heartbeat pounded so loudly she wondered if Alex could hear it.
She took a deep breath
then slowly… very slowly…
she slipped the cloak off her shoulders.
At the same time when astrid loose her cloak, he had begun pulling something out from his system inventory.
"The Daedr-"
Alex froze as if struck by lightning.
Underneath, Astrid wore clothing far more revealing than he ever imagined thin, delicate, and hugging every curve, the fabric shimmering faintly in the moonlight. Her toned stomach, her graceful collarbone, the shape of her waist every detail was impossible to ignore.
Her golden hair cascaded to her back, slightly messy from nervous fingers.
Alex's brain short-circuited.
He dropped the words mid-sentence.
His face turned bright red ears, cheeks, everything.
"A-As… Astrid?! W-What are you doing!?"
Astrid yelped, her face burning bright as she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest.
"W-What? I… I thought this was what you wanted…" she whispered, voice trembling with embarrassment. "You told me to come to your room. At night. And you said it was… important…"
Alex swore his soul briefly left his body.
He looked away so fast he almost twisted his neck.
"A-Astrid… wait no, this isn't I mean, I didn't call you here for… that!"
His mind raced. He remembered how vague he'd been, how he'd simply said, "Come to my room tonight. I have something to show you."
Gods. No wonder she misunderstood.
He coughed awkwardly and raised the Daedric armor with both hands like a shield.
"I… I wanted to give you this," he said, voice cracking in panic. "This Daedric armor. I made it for you. That's why I disappeared for two weeks. I'm sorry I should've explained better."
Astrid blinked, pupils shrinking with mortification.
"Oh gods…" she whispered, her entire body glowing red from embarrassment.
Alex hurriedly bent down, picked up her cloak, and gently draped it back across her shoulders. His movements were slow, careful almost tender.
"Here," he murmured softly, avoiding eye contact. "If you stay like that, you'll catch a cold."
Astrid held the cloak tightly against her chest, her fingers trembling slightly as she gripped the fabric. Her head hung so low that her golden hair spilled like a curtain, hiding her face completely. Even so, her ears glowed a deep crimson, betraying just how flustered she truly was.
"I-I thought…" Her voice cracked, thin and fragile like glass. "I misunderstood everything…"
Alex swallowed, guilt tightening in his chest. He turned his head slightly toward her. Even though his cheeks were still bright red, his eyes softened with warmth.
"It's okay," he murmured, his tone gentle enough to wrap around her like a blanket. "Just… don't be embarrassed. Really."
The moonlight drifted into the room, silver and soft. It clung to their silhouettes, illuminating the awkward, tender silence hanging between them. Though both of them were drowning in embarrassment, there was something else in the air a warm pull, quiet but undeniable, drawing them closer in a way neither dared to acknowledge out loud.
Astrid's shoulders trembled. In that moment, everything hit her at once her misunderstanding, her boldness, her feelings. Heat surged across her entire body. She covered her burning face with both hands, peeking timidly through her fingers at the boy in front of her.
But my feelings for him aren't a misunderstanding… she thought, heart twisting.
Her voice came out as a faint tremor.
"Alex… do you… hate me?"
Alex's eyes widened immediately.
"H-hate !? No!" He let out a small, warm laugh relieved, honest, and a little helpless. "Of course not. We fought together. We survived together. There's no way ever that I could hate you."
He reached out and gently patted her head, his hand slow and careful, as if afraid she might shatter. Astrid lowered her hands slightly, her breath catching at the tender contact. But her eyes still held uncertainty.
She needed more.
Her fingers curled into the cloak, knuckles pale.
"Alex…" She bit her lip. "Do you see me… as a woman?"
His entire body locked in place.
The hand on her head froze then slowly dropped.
His face went so red it was almost painful to look at. He turned away instantly, scratching the side of his nose, struggling to keep his voice steady.
"T-To be honest… yes." His shoulders tensed. "I'm still a man, you know. Of course I see you as a woman."
Astrid's heart surged so hard she felt dizzy. The room felt warmer, the air thicker.
But then Alex spoke again, quieter… almost defeated.
"But… I don't think I'm… good enough for you."
Astrid's breath stopped.
She lifted her head slowly at first then she suddenly shot to her feet, emotion exploding through her.
"Why!?"
The cloak fluttered open from her sudden movement.
Alex let out a strangled noise and jerked his head away so violently he almost fell off the bed.
"A-Astrid ! C-close it!"
"You're the Dragonborn," he blurted out, voice cracking under pressure. "One day you'll be respected by everyone in Skyrim. People will look up to you. There will be expectations. Rumors. They'll say you deserve a prince or a king. Someone like me… doesn't fit beside you."
Astrid clenched her fists, the fabric of the cloak bunching up as anger and pain surged through her veins.
"I don't care what they say. I only want you!"
Her voice shook not with weakness, but with conviction.
Alex squeezed his eyes shut, desperately trying to calm the heat burning through his chest. He couldn't look at her not like this. If he did…
He wasn't sure he would be able to hold back anything anymore.
Astrid's gaze drifted to the Daedric armor lying on the floor its dark crimson glow reflecting in her eyes. Her voice dropped to a softer, trembling whisper.
"You brought legendary armor for me. And you still think you're not good enough?"
She stepped closer.
Too close.
Alex stiffened, every muscle in his body tightening.
Astrid's fingers loosened around her cloak as she took another step.
"Or do you want me to stop being Dragonborn?" Astrid whispered.
Her voice trembled not from fear, but from pain and longing so raw it felt like the air itself grew warmer around them.
"Is that it?"
Her eyes glistened beneath the moonlight, wide and wounded. Every breath she took shivered through her shoulders.
Alex finally opened his eyes just barely, a thin sliver of dark brown peeking out from beneath his lashes.
And for a heartbeat…
The distance between them vanished.
Their worlds collided.
Their emotions crashed.
Their hearts throbbed in sync.
"Astrid "
But Astrid wasn't done.
She stepped closer, her hands trembling as she held the cloak tighter around herself. Her voice cracked with brutal honesty.
"If you don't accept me… then I don't want to save them."
Alex's breath caught. His foot slipped back.
She took another step forward.
His heartbeat thundered.
"Do you not want me…?"
Her voice was soft, almost breaking.
It cut deeper than any blade.
Alex stumbled back again.
Another step from Astrid.
"Because of that ridiculous excuse?"
She continued toward him, eyes locked on his, refusing to look away.
Another step.
Alex kept retreating until
His back thudded against the wall.
He froze.
Astrid stood only inches away now.
Her breath ghosted over his neck, warm and uneven.
Her body was close enough that he could feel the faint heat radiating from her skin through the cloak.
Alex clenched his fists against the wall, trying to keep himself steady.
He kept his eyes stubbornly glued to the floor.
Because he knew
if he looked at her…
if he even glanced at her…
He would lose the tiny shred of control he still had.
Astrid tilted her head, her voice dipping into a teasing whisper.
"What's wrong? Do I look ugly to you?"
Alex's breath hitched.
"N-No…!" he burst out, voice trembling. "T-That's not it at all."
He swallowed hard, throat dry.
"It's the opposite. Gods, you know it is. I'm a man… you're a woman… and it's the middle of the night. Someone could easily…"
He exhaled sharply.
"…lose control."
Astrid's cheeks burned red but she didn't back down.
Instead, she leaned forward, lips nearly brushing his.
"But you invited me."
Her breath washed over his lips, warm and sweet.
"So whose fault is it…?"
"I-I'm sorry…" Alex whispered helplessly.
Astrid leaned in closer, their lips only a breath apart.
"Sorry isn't enough."
Her voice dipped lower intense, seductive, trembling with emotion.
"You should compensate me… with interest."
Alex's knees nearly gave out.
And then
Tok tok tok.
A sharp knock sliced through the tension.
"Alex! Wake Astrid up. We need to plan tomorrow's steps to learn more about Alduin!"
Esbern's old voice echoed from the hallway.
Alex sagged against the wall in sheer relief.
"O-Okay, Esbern! I'll wake her up!"
Astrid's eyes darkened instantly.
"That old man…" she growled, fury radiating off her.
Alex tried to slip past her, still avoiding eye contact.
"Umm I should go. Esbern might get worried."
He barely took a single step before
Astrid grabbed his wrist.
Her grip was firm, almost desperate.
In one swift motion
She yanked him toward her and crashed her lips into his.
Alex's mind went blank.
Her kiss was hot full of pent-up emotion, frustration, fear, and longing.
She pressed against him, pushing him back toward the bed, refusing to let him escape. Her hands slid up his neck, fingers tangling into his hair as she deepened the kiss.
Alex inhaled sharply, chest burning.
Astrid kissed him like she had waited a lifetime.
When she finally pulled back, a thin, warm thread still connected their lips.
Her eyes locked onto his bright, fierce, and shimmering.
Alex looked dazed… breathless… and absolutely not unhappy.
"Astrid… I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely. "I lied to myself. I really "
She didn't let him finish.
She kissed him again.
Shorter this time, but just as fiery.
Tok tok tok.
"Are you deaf in there!?"
Esbern's voice erupted like thunder.
Astrid froze mid-breath.
She slowly turned toward the door…
Her eye twitched.
Her jaw clenched.
"That damn old man…" she snarled.
Alex couldn't help it he laughed softly.
Warmth bloomed in his chest until it overflowed.
"Haha… let's continue this somewhere more private later," he whispered, brushing a thumb over her cheek.
Astrid's anger melted instantly.
She smiled
a real smile, soft and shining, full of relief and overflowing affection.
"Alright… my soulmate."
They didn't go any further that night.
But they had finally spoken their hearts.
Their feelings were no longer hidden.
Their souls finally aligned.
And that night became a memory neither of them would ever forget.
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