Moonlight Sonata (Nyx and Erebus)

[Erebus]

A cascade of flashes illuminate the room just enough to see that piercing gaze. Holding steady from the middle of the chaotic wave of bodies gyrating around her. The smell of rain filled his lungs but didn’t do what it should've done; traumatizing him awake with a desperate gasp. The bottle lost in his duvet went flying as he tossed the covers off of him. The clattering sound of the glass rattling against his floor rang in his ears. It took minutes longer than it should've for his mind to realize he wasn't drowning and catch up with his body to register he was home. The rhythm of his heart racing replaced the sound of the music from his dream and before he knew it that tune was forgotten. Erebus checked his phone as he did every morning “Nothing.” but Hades and the Graeae had gone radio silent.

A sharp inhale whistled through his clenched teeth and his arm rose with the intent to hurl his phone across his apartment, but he couldn't afford a new phone. “Why the fuck would he tell me the truth!?” Erebus hadn't been here long. Spending his first six months in the hospital and the next six… lost. Hades checked him out of the hospital with the guise of being his older brother and set him up here until he found his footing. Waiting only a day or two before telling Erebus who and what he was. The hard pill to swallow still felt stuck in his throat which brought attention to the dryness of it and the itch he was suddenly hyper-aware of as he smacked his lips and stared down at the empty bottle still spinning on his floor. What he was told about himself felt right and with all these months of grappling with that information alone, he figured out how to remember things. Sharp flashes in his mind with no context but somehow they confirm to Erebus he was told the truth. “No, I'm definitely going crazy!” He forced this idea of being the lord of darkness from his mind as he shot a breath from his nose and tossed his phone on his bed, missing the buzz from a text.

The night was young as Erebus had the habit of sleeping through the day. Causing that small pestering voice in the back of his mind to try and convince him Hades was right. His thoughts tangent as his phone blinks and he finally sees he's got a message. The Graeae were three… interesting… women to say the least and Erebus was already exhausted by their riddles and now here was another. The text had only an address and time and after looking at the current time he realized he was already late. “Well, I'm not going!” He plugged the address into Google and found out it belonged to a nightclub so his lateness was irrelevant. “I'm still not going!” He glared and tossed his phone on his bed again.

The heady music heavily pulsed in his chest and replaced the tempo of his heartbeat. Erebus hated people and this club? Peopley. He gravitated towards the bar out of habit, being so near the glass bottles gave him a comfort they shouldn't have. He spun on the stool he managed to get so his back was to the bar. He clenched his eyes as if they were dry to try and fight the itch creeping up his throat and drying it out as his knees bounced to help him focus on something else. He blinked to clear his sight when her gaze caught him and made his entire body clutch like she'd just trapped him in a web. A new lump in his throat formed just like it did when he learned the truth of who he was.

It was her! The woman whose gaze haunted his dreams. Who smelled of rain. A revelation so harsh and hefty hit him you could see it physically weigh him down. The flashing lights suddenly began to dim slightly as they stared at each other. All of this could only mean one thing…it was time to go. Yup; it meant nothing else but leave, mmhmm too much peopleing for his taste. With all his strength he pulled his gaze from hers. Feeling like he was pulling two magnets apart. He hurried to the exit, aptly slipping through the dense crowd without issues only to be stopped by who he could only assume was one of her men. His eyes slowly drift down to the man's hand on his shoulder before meeting his eyes. The man said nothing and yet his message was still understood. Erebus didn't like being touched but he knew better than to make a scene. “You're one of her security I'm guessing?” his rhetorical question came as he removed the man's hand. “If you really want to protect her you'd keep her away from me.” He looked back at Nyx then, wondering if her calming and therapeutic gaze was still on him. Questioning if someone had ever walked away from her before, the security guard seemed inexperienced and unsure of what to really do now that he'd managed to stop him but that was hardly anything to go by.

Just one drink. It was all he kept in his home as of late unless he finessed a bottle from someone and came home drunk with it. He was striving to be better. Desperate to be clean; he convinced himself he could do this. The one beer in his fridge was just enough to help him get past the PTSD-induced thoughts as he fell asleep which in turn meant no nightmares but now she was on his mind. Poisoning his thoughts as he tried to figure out how everything connected because nothing that happened was an accident or coincidence. He was sent there to meet her but why? He snapped the beer bottle open and peeled back a slither of his blackout curtains to watch the sunrise for a second. After fixing the curtain he re-encased his home with darkness before finally drinking. The cold liquid suddenly soothed his soul and insatiable itch while the bubbles fuzzed up his brain to eventually pop memories free as he slept.

Just one drink, something light to simply get the bartender off his back. He clasped the bottle and took a cautious breath as he leaned on the bar. If he could steady himself through this bottle for his time here he would be alright. He spun in his seat to face the wave of people rhythmically drowning under the intoxicating music. “Sorry love, I can't accept.” whether someone was trying to buy him a drink or get him to dance they were met with those five words. From his seat, he could see the moment she arrived on the dance floor. The people seemed to bend to her and fawn after her. Grateful his thoughts and perspective were his own he took a sip of his drink and once again broke her powerful gaze as he spun back towards the bar and was immediately forced to turn another drink down as graciously as he could. 

[Nyx]

Darkness surrounded her, deafening her senses. She couldn’t see anything besides the twinkling of the stars that peaked through the black abyss. Anyone else would have panicked in this stare of total darkness. But panic did not strike her even though she couldn’t see her own hands in front of her. Instead, she felt comfort as the darkness engulfed her taking away her view of the starry sky. She could feel the shadows wrapping around her slim frame holding her in a tight warm hug. She felt at home and at ease as if there wasn’t any other place in the world that she wanted to be. She could feel a smile crawl to her lips as she felt the rumble of a chuckle vibrate against her back as the shadows pulled her tighter against what felt like a wall but she knew without even looking that it was a chest. She didn’t feel trapped, she felt safe… she felt loved. “I missed you.” the words fell from her lips. Just as quick as she spoke the words she felt as if her soul had been ripped out of the space she was in and then thrown into another.

A gasp left her just like it did every morning when she was brought out of her dream reality so suddenly. She laid still in her bed while she blinked slowly washing away the drunkenness that sleep gave her. For only a moment she felt whole. It was only in her dreams that she felt like she knew who she was and what her purpose was. The moment she woke all of those feelings vanished. She wasn’t even able to recall her dream after she was awake- just the feeling. She pressed her lips together while her bright blue orbs stared out the darkened window across from her bed. The sun was just now kissing the horizon. She always woke at the exact same time every single night- when the sun decided to make its disappearance. The cold chill of loneliness crept over her body as the warmth that resided from her dream started to fade. Rolling over she was greeted with the ruffled sheets and covers reminding her that she had another meaningless connection early into the morning that left before she woke. She was thankful that he spared them both the awkward exchange that was bound to happen if he had stayed. She couldn’t even remember the face of the worshiper that she had brought home, let alone his name. He was the same as all the others. Forgettable and replaceable. 

Throughout the years she walked through this life with amnesia, she felt as if she was missing several pieces to her puzzle and every night she tried to force pieces into spots that they weren’t meant for.” I really need to stop bringing strangers home.”She said out loud. But she knew that was a lie. She craved something that she couldn’t even name. It wasn’t every morning that she allowed someone to enter her home but it was frequent enough to where she could admit that she needed to take a break. A few months of celibacy should do the trick. The world had changed so much during the three decades that she spent in this city- all but her. Sitting up and stretching out her legs she looked back to her window noticing that the sun was already disappearing underneath the horizon. Forcing herself out of her bed she found her way to her bathroom to go on with her mundane routine of getting ready for work.

As of late being in the company of those who chose to spend their nights drunken with ecstasy was the only time she felt real. Any other time she felt lost as if she was a puppet with no strings. She had no idea what she should be doing or if there was anything to be done. But all of that faded when she stood on the balcony of her office that overlooked the dance floor. She scanned the floor below her watching the people below her enjoying themselves, dancing their worries away under the moon painted ceiling. The Moonlit Kiss Nightclub was a work of art that catered to everyone's needs for a quick getaway from reality. Nyx had put so much of herself into every inch of the building that it felt more like home than her actual residence did. She had decorated it in what she felt the most safe in the Dark and the Night. Black covered each wall with lights that sparkled just like the stars. This nightclub was in fact her happy place and there wasn't any other place she felt more powerful than here. A slow smile came to her as she watched the dancers reach up to the ceiling letting go of whatever baggage they came in here with. She closed her eyes, her heart quickening beating in rhythm to the bass of the music. She could never explain the surge she felt at the peak of the night.

Was this her purpose? Was this what she was truly missing? Was this all she needed?

Soft smiles is what she gave the people who reach for her but they respected her enough to not actually touch. "Enjoy the night" She would say to them as if they could hear her over the booming music. The bass rattling her body as she walked towards the center of the room. She stopped in her tracks as a sense of deja vu flowed through her. For a brief moment no longer than a heartbeat long she recalled a sensation from her dream. The rumbling she was feeling was so familiar but yet felt so distant. "Ms. Stellato?" She heard the voice of one of her security guards say to her from behind. She wanted to lean back into him. Why? She didn't know other than her body craved it- though she fought against the urge too.

The hairs on her skin all stood warning her that she was being watched. That wasn't uncommon to her, she was used to being watched in her club. But the way her body was reacting to this set of eyes was different from anything she had ever felt before. Nyx straightened her shoulders and let her eyes scan the crowd meeting each gaze that was on her. She sucked in a breath when she finally met the pastel blue eyes that were causing the reaction. She studied him noticing how he too seemed affected by her gaze. She was in a trace as she felt a physical pull towards the man that was sitting at the bar. She wasn't the only one who could feel the tension in the air as if there was a visible line that was drawn between the two "Interesting..." She said to herself. When he ended their stare off, their line ending with it. She cleared her throat and looked over her shoulder to her guard. She turned on her heel to head back in the direction she came from. "Bring him to my office." She said to the muscular man. 

Disappointment came to her when her guard came back empty handed. She wasn't used to being turned down and she surely didn't expect to be. Especially not after their very public exchange. It should have made her move on to the next dark haired beauty that caught her eye but instead, she was even more interested in this new stranger. The corner of her lip turning into a smirk as she played with the obsidian tower on her desk. She loved a challenge and as of late no one she came across wasn't even coming close to a challenge. They were all too willing to please her, to be anything that she needed. She would be lying to herself if she said she hadn't hoped that the addictive aura of her club would bring him back. In all her years of living in this city with no memory of the person she was before she wasn't really close with anyone. She knew and cared for her staff but other than that she didn't have anyone to confide in. Many knew of her memory loss but that was all she let anyone know. Surely they would think she was insane if she told them about her frequent prayers to the night sky. There was something hidden in this man's eyes that made her believe she could talk to him- or maybe that was her wishful thinking and loneliness taking a hold of her.

Right on time just like every night, she made her way to the dance for her hour shift at the bar. When she finally started to find her footing in this city she started out as a bartender and every night she paid homage to where she started. The crowd parted for her, reaching out to the dark hair woman, dressed in black, in awe of her. "Enjoy the night" She said to the with a smile. Her body reacted the same way as it did the night before and immediately she knew it was the same man who was staring at her. This time she continued on her path before he could have the opportunity to slip away again. "Fuck being celibate." She said under her breath as she grew closer to him. Once she was behind the bar she immediately was greeted by one of the tenders, giving her the rundown of all the tabs that were open, pointing out the faces to the names on the screen. She ignored the man sitting with his lone beer at first. She knew how to play this game and she knew how to play it well. Almost half an hour had gone by before she knew it. She had been sneaking glances at him while she floated behind the bar; pouring shot after shot, shaking drink after drink before she finally decided she should speak to him while she had the chance. Her curiosity of why he he was still still sitting there with his same beer turning down every woman got the best of her. "Are you just going to babysit that bottle all night?" She finally said to him. Her red painted lips pulled into a genuine smile at him. "I could get you a fresh one" She continued whipping her hands with a towel before she walked over to stand in front of him"- On the house of course." She added. Her crystal eyes searching his. "Or are you going to turn me down too?"

[Erebus]

Who is she?

The unanswered text to Hades and the Graeae angered him. Their cryptic silence as a whole made no sense to him since they'd sent him here. There was no doubt it was she who was why they sent him here because every fiber of his being reacted to her. His senses were decidedly normal; he couldn't see from great depths, couldn't hear a pin drop a mile away, and couldn't smell extraordinarily well. Except he could smell her unique scent and pick it out from the dense crowd. He knew she was drawing closer by that alone since his back was still to her and his heart went into a panic. Erebus's breath quickened and suddenly he was grappling with the idea of running. Returning to his dark home to never be seen again but how long would that really last? Now that he'd found her… whoever she was. 

Run! He should've run when she stepped behind the bar. Instead, he sat there almost statuesque in his uncertainty about what to do. A civil war raged beneath his surface well hidden from his deamour and eyes but well obvious within his raving heartbeat. He tried to ignore her while she was so close. Watching his drink, the people dancing or flirting nearby, acknowledging but still denying those who came to buy him a drink or get him to dance. Nonetheless, his ignoring didn't matter with his whole system going haywire. Even his memory was recalling his dream from the morning. Making it the clearest memory he's regained thus far. He lay below her as she lay below the starry night. Her dark hair blended into the night sky above as her striking gaze looked down at him. The heat from her body protects him from the cool night’s breeze as his heat does the same for her. 

Once again he's grateful that his very private thoughts are his own as a faint rouge touched his cheeks. Vividly spreading across his face as a highlight in the dark club. Which caused him to suddenly realize he was staring at her and it was then that he caught her glance his way. Without the realization she'd been doing that he thought she'd caught him. Immediately he glanced away and up towards the ceiling which he hadn't noticed the night prior but now that he was looking he studied it. This wasn't the sky from his dream, but a painting of it or close to it. It was as if everywhere he looked he couldn't escape his thoughts and memories suddenly whereas previously they were so hard to come by and too blurry to make clear.

Her voice cut towards him through the heavy bass of the music blaring at his back. Complimenting her well as he returned his attention to her with a thankful excuse to look at her again. “Well this is my emotional support bottle of beer so…” his eyes met hers and suddenly the lights dimmed as they had last night.  However, he couldn't look away. The tempting offer gripped his throat with a force that made him want to tell her yes. Oh, but no one would like him drunk he convinced himself of this for now. He swallowed just enough to moisten his suddenly dry throat as the impending itch returned as it always did. “Sorry to disappoint, love.” more was to be said but before he could a woman fell into his lap. 

Erebus pursed his lips as he was now forced to give his attention to someone else. He sucked in a sharp breath to still his temper and forced a quite charming smile. “Alright there?” He knew she'd “fallen” into his lap on purpose as she was one of the people who kept trying to get him in some way all night. The look in Erebus's gaze darkened as she giggled out her reply and before she knew it he was lifting her effortlessly. Again he didn't like being touched or having his personal space so abruptly invaded. He stood with her in his hands and plopped her on the seat almost as one would a child. “Why don't you take a minute to be sure you're fine.” He took his beer and met Nyx's eyes again but she seemed busy now and their moment was ruined. He moved a few seats down the bar and huffed in frustration still feeling the other woman's touch on him because when she fell she wasn't subtle about how and where her hands roamed. He allowed himself to be distracted from the unpleasant thoughts when Nyx ended up on the other end of the bar again. Watching her hands as she prepared a few drinks for the group beside him. 

Out of nowhere, he was so tempted to reach out and touch her. Feel her soft and petite hand in his; heating them after the cold bottle had made them cold. His eyes followed her hands as she brought them up to shake yet another drink. Examining her features on the way up to her eyes and instantly thinking how her lips would feel against his or what her kiss would taste like, would she taste like rain? He caught his thoughts and that he was staring again. He quickly looked away as he took another small sip of his drink. “My emotional support beer and I are offended.” He decided it was his turn to initiate the conversation while she had a moment. “You let that woman take my attention off you.” A coy smirk appeared on the edges of his mouth but he was still panicking beneath his surface. So unsure of what to do or say he was sure this all sounded stupid or like a sad feeble attempt at something…what? Why would he know this is was all still very new to him and he was five seconds away from running away.

[Nyx]

Nyx stood there patiently waiting for his answer. Her mind already trying to anticipate what he would tell her. She came up with a least a dozen variations of 'yes' before he actually spoke to her. Her blue gaze meeting his- truly looking into his baby blue hues for the first time. There was a vastness that hid in his eyes, she knew she could get lost in them but she also had an inkling that she wouldn't be lost for long. The smile she held on her face seemed to brighten when he finally spoke. Her eyes squinting for a brief moment as the smile reached her eyes. His voice was lovely and deep. It wasn’t at all what she was expecting but somehow it was better than what she could have imagined. The sound checked an imaginary box on the list she had made in her head. It was an unspoken rule that she would entertain the idea of taking an individual home if they met at least five qualities on her list. He had already checked off two boxes by the time he spoke his first word to her.

She raised one of her dark arched brows at his words. She wasn’t judging him or even questioning him. She saw into those blue hues so easily. She flicked her gaze to his shoulders noticing how uptight he seemed then to his hands that were gripping the bottle. If he squeezed any harder it looked like he would shatter the bottle in his grasp. She returned to look at his face once more. He was uncomfortable in her environment- then why was he torturing himself by staying? His mouth may have turned her down but Nyx could see clear as the night that his heart said yes. The corner of her lips pulled into a smirk as she heard him give her the same excuse she had been overhearing him say to everyone else. “Really?” She questioned, her tone playful.

She had just placed her hands on the bar top, she was about to lean in towards him as if she had to get closer to him to look into that captivating stare of his when she saw a woman fall into his lap. Suddenly it made sense why he had been turning everyone down, including her. He came here with someone else... A sense of jealousy slowly started to spread through her veins as she watched the woman paw at the man that she had unofficially claimed as hers. The smirk that had just appeared was being overthrown as her red lips formed a line. “Excuse me.” She said before she made herself move away from the uncomfortable display of affection from the woman. Her mind pondering on why she felt such jealousy all of a sudden. She was usually so level headed and hardly ever let anything affect her. Especially something as trivial as a man- a stranger at that. She added to herself. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that the woman had touched something that wasn't hers to touch. She glanced over to him, lifting the woman with such ease it made her heart sink. She swallowed the tough pill that was stuck in her throat. “What came I get you?” Nyx said, welcoming the distraction that came along with the lengthy order. 

Her shoulders shuddered as if she had caught a violent chill, her body letting her know that the same pair of eyes were on her once again- or it’s from the ice. She told herself as she filled the shaker with cubes before pouring the liquor and mixers into the metal container. She placed the lid on and then lifted it to shake yet another drink before pouring it. Her abdomen tightened as she felt like she had taken the full blown hit to the gut. A soft gasp left her lips when her mind recalled the sensation from a previous dream: Her mouth drying as desire filled her body at the soft caress of someone's hand on her body. She shut her eyes as she tried to put a body or even a face to what her mind had just brought to the forefront. But all she saw was darkness; just like she always did when she tried to recall what her mind imagined when she was asleep. Her need to be tangled in someone's arms dancing under the night sky getting the best of her. "It's just the music." She mumbled under her breath. In any other moment, she would have raised a glass to her DJ for his choice of song. He always knew how to read the room but now was not one of those moments. Nyx shook the thoughts out of her head focusing on the shots that she was about to pour. "Mmm." She hummed as a delicious tingle ran down her spine. Her heart pounding in her chest to the bass of the music that filled the air. Heat spread across her skin making her tongue graze her bottom lip. Finally when she felt like she was going to snap she allowed her eyes to see what or who was causing this reaction out of her. To her surprise, she was met with the heated stare of her stranger. 

Surely a man who came here with someone else wouldn’t be staring at her quite like that. Had she put the same spell on him that she seemed to do with anyone that she set her eyes on? Was that the only reason why he was looking at her with such longing? No, by the way he ran last night and turned her down this was something different… Something that was completely out of her control. She may have been enticed by him but maybe he was equally enticed by her. Not just because of something as superficial as appearance but because of a deep physical attraction. A scoff came past her lips when she looked down at the bottle that he was still shamelessly holding. Without asking she opened the cooler in front of her and pulled out the same bottle of beer he was drinking then popped the lid. 

She lifted her brow once again hearing him make the first move this time. She was intrigued by how she could have possibly offended him and couldn’t wait for his answer. She grabbed a glass, poured almost half of the liquid from the bottle into the glass then sat it aside. That same shudder came over her when she saw the smile that he gave her. She fought to keep her shoulders from showing any movement. "Maybe don't turn me down next time then." She responded instantly. “If I knew she wasn’t your other half, I wouldn’t have let that happen.” She spared no truth when she spoke to him. Usually, she would have used a certain tone that she only brought out when she was feeling flirty but she didn’t this time. She could tell he wasn't a man who would be flattered with cheap flirting.

Nyx didn’t break their eye contact as she reached out, gently prying his fingers from his now warm bottle and replacing it with the fresh bottle that she had made for him. She took note of how warm and large his hand was compared to his. She didn’t do any other unnecessary touching other than to release his grip on the bottle. “I hate warm beer. I wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight knowing I let you drink from a warm bottle in front of me.” She told him as she discarded the bottle. He was painfully beautiful to her. From what she could see there wasn’t any part of him that she didn’t approve of- yet another box checked. “Now that I know your attention shouldn’t be anywhere else I can promise that it won’t be.” She told him confidently. Though she knew that he could get up and walk away from her whenever he pleased. She looked over her shoulder to the bartenders that were working alongside her and lifted her chin at one letting them know that she would no longer be serving drinks. By now she would be on her way back to the office to survey the enjoyment that her guests were having but at this moment he was the only guest she cared about."I'll have her thrown out for touching you like that." She said with a smile, lifting the glass of beer to her lips and taking a sip. She was kidding but the intent in her eyes said otherwise. "What brings you to Moonlit Kiss? Other than to break hearts- mine included."She teased, giving him her full undivided attention. 

[Erebus]

If he ever learned that she smiled like that to more than just him he would grow to be uncharacteristically jealous. He would do anything just to see that smile with all its purity and sincerity again. So it clearly hurt when it dropped because of him, because of the woman who'd thrown herself on him. Why did she respond that way? Was it because she felt that whoosh go through her every time he looked at her the way he felt it when she looked at him? He didn't have the time to ponder the thought when he was so desperate just to make things okay and see her smile once more. He had wracked his brain endlessly just to come up with that and though she obliged him she didn't smile. Not fully, but he was happy with her smirk. He would never complain about anything she gave him. He had fixed it whatever it was that made her avoid him and made her smile disappear and he felt better now for it. 

“Offer me anything else next time and I probably won't turn you down.” He leaned a little closer without leaning on the bar. Trying to catch her scent and get a better look at her though he could see her clearly already. “Other half… mmm well the position for that title is still available.” He took one last sip from his bottle before she reached for his hand and he stilled. His eyes remained on hers since that's where she held his attention and for the first time, he didn't flinch or pull away. In fact, just moments ago he was wondering what her touch felt like. All she did was touch his fingers but all at once a euphoric wave crashed over him and washed through him. The feeling of the other woman's touch which still lingered on his skin swept away. The tension in his muscles. The panicked rhythm of his heart. Even that insidious itch that had engraved itself in his throat… all gone. A calming heavy sigh exits his body to release it all and he couldn't stop himself but he had no shame it had happened. When her touch was gone he hadn't yet registered what exactly she had done. His eyes wandered over to the other woman as Nyx spoke and rather than look at her with disgust or speak of her with disrespect a soft smile appeared at the edges of his lips.

He shook his head no. “She's okay, just maybe a little lost but then again who isn’t?” He returned to look at Nyx and his smile grew. “Plus we'd be getting in Fates way it seems if we did.” He gestured his head towards the woman who now had one of Nyx's bartender's attention who was longingly trying to sober her up and keep her safe from the men now floating around her. “You'll be invited to their wedding at some point and I wouldn't want to get in the way of that.” He went to lift the beer to his lips but he paused. Staring down at it he now registered what she had done. He choked up for a second as he struggled to swallow suddenly when he realized that she could read him and like an open book at that. This wasn't the first club or bar he'd been to but everywhere he went, every person he met they just enabled his drinking and the behaviour surrounding that. She split their drink though. It was probably such a little thing to her but for him that was huge… why would she do that? He somehow managed to swallow but before his thanks could come her question did. “Moonlight Kiss?! You mean this isn't the Roxbury?” 

A cheeky smirk formed as he finally took that sip as she took hers. “I needed to get out and break up my mundane routine a little bit and wanted to try someplace new as opposed to my more local bars and clubs.” His gentle touch fell on her hand then in a respectful manner because he saw how the crowd reached but never touched her and how even her staff kept their hands to themselves when it came to her. Even this small gesture of touching the top of her hand as it rested on top of the bar seemed to surprise and horrify onlookers. “Thank you.” He set the empty bottle down to show that was what he spoke of. “For sharing the drink with me. That's… you don't know how much I value that gesture. Even if it was a small one to you.” This was it. He was going to leave. The goodbye was evident in his voice though the words had yet to be spoken and the look he gave said it too but when his hand landed on hers his intentions changed. He looked back at the dancefloor as the DJ spun his next song and gathered up all his bravery as he brought his gaze back to hers again. “Do ever bless someone with a dance? Would you do me the honour if you do?” His hand moved from hers only so he could hold it up in a gentlemanly offer to guide her to the dance floor if she didn't turn him down.

[Nyx]

Her act of jealousy was unwarranted it seemed. Embarrassment tried to come to her but she didn’t regret how she acted. She only regretted how publicly she showed it. The silver-lining was that he was single! Just like she wanted him to be. Nyx couldn’t explain the sense of pride that flowed through her when she heard his sigh in her presence. It wasn’t out of boredom but out of relief. She could see that his shoulders slowly start to relax, matching the slope of hers. A small smile came to her seeing him finally comfortable in her space. Nyx nodded at his words. She was lost more than he could have ever guessed. She couldn’t help but to wonder if he was lost too. Most of the souls that ventured out to her club were lost ones looking for something within the night walls. Did he fall into the same category as that? She broke her studying gaze to turn and look at her favorite bartender being friendly to the woman. Her eyes narrowed at her for a brief moment then she let the resentment go. “I suppose you’re right… Who am I to get in the way of Fate?” She said, tearing her gaze away from them and back on her stranger. Her own smile grew seeing the one he was giving her. She loved the look of it on his face. She wanted to grab his chin in her hand; have her hand roam through his beard. “Unless their wedding is during the day, Roman knows better than to invite me to something while the sun is up.” She admitted a truth to him.

A gentle laugh flew past her lips, her heading shaking her ink colored locks. “The Roxbury isn’t as nice as this and their owner isn’t as nice as me.” She told him, flashing him a bright toothy smile. She was attentive to every word he spoke to her. Subconsciously she leaned towards him- hanging on every syllable that came out of his mouth. His cadence was so oddly familiar to her. She just couldn’t place it to anything that she had heard before. As if his voice was a song she couldn’t remember the lyrics too. “Out of all your options, I’m glad you chose to spend your night here.” The hair on her skin rose making another chill invade her, she couldn’t stop her shoulders from doing a slight shimmy this time. Suddenly she felt as if it was just the two of them in the room, the deafening music seemed to lower and the warm room turned cool as everything else faded to black. 

The protective glares that came from her other two bartenders brought her out of the trance that her stranger surely put her in. She could sense their stilled bodies as they watched the interaction between the two unfold. It was almost as if they had let out a verbal gasp at the boldness that the man apparently had. Nyx turned her hand over under his touch, revealing her palm to him and also signaling to her workers that she was fine; that she was willing letting the man touch her. Her eyes darted down to their hands, her fingertips brushing along his wrist while he spoke to her. She could hear the sincerity that wrapped around his words. He was right- that was a small gesture for her. Something that she didn’t even think twice about and didn’t realize that it would mean so much to him. But she was glad that it did. “You’re very welcome.” She said to him, her tone matching the seriousness he gave her.

 She looked back into his eyes, hearing the goodbye that hung on his words. No not yet, stay with me! The words rang through her head like a bell, her heart picking up in pace once again. The voice that she heard was not her own- It was his! She pulled her hand back from him as if his touch was too hot and it burned her. Why would his voice be in her head? Who exactly was this man?

Confusion had just started to crept to her face when that same smile won and graced her face instead. The action reached her eyes as her lips pulled wide at his request. Many men, and women asked her to share a dance with them on a nightly basis. She was always quick to graciously turn them down. The only time she actually chose to dance with someone was if she had planned to take them home. It was the last box she needed to check before she welcomed them into her bed. A test of chemistry. She was the one who always asked first- Always. “I usually don’t...” She told him. She stared at his hand for a moment debating on what answer to give him. She thought of telling him no- turning him down just like he had done to her. "Hmm..." The noise slipped out. 'No' on the tip of her tongue.

“But... one dance wouldn’t ruin my reputation…” She said to him. Her red lips still holding her smile. She placed her hand in his fully, squeezing it tight for support as she stepped up onto the cooler behind the bar in one step and in the next she was standing on top of the black granite bartop. She ignored the whistles and cheers that went off when her heels met the stone top. Though the surge of confidence that surged through her was hard to ignore, her whole body buzzing as if she just sipped a strong drink rather than the beer she shared with him. By no means was her first time to stand on the bar and it surely wouldn’t be her last. She was thankful that she decided to wear suit pants in her signature color rather than a dress tonight. She reached for him with her other hand to help guide her down to the floor. Once on the ground, she laced her fingers through his leading him to her preferred spot on the floor. The crowd parted like the sea for her. Revealing a clear path to the center of the floor. The bass shook the floor beneath them making even shouting hard to hear. She turned to face him, leaning forward placing her lips close to his ears. Making it impossible for her natural perfume of, petrichor, the scent of rain on a cool night to not consume his senses. “This is my favorite spot! Look up!” She said to him, giving his hand a quick squeeze. Nyx pulled back just enough to see his face when he saw the beautifully painted night sky; the angle making the lights appear to look more like stars. Her body slowly started to sway to the beat of the music. She let go of his hand watching his reaction of being fully engulfed in her environment.

[Erebus]

There! There it was! Her smile! Seeing her happy did something to him he didn't yet understand. He did however understand it was somehow something important to him. After all, it was a mix of her unhappiness and his kind nature that caused the reveal of his face. This was a small smile but that was all he needed to go on with his life. Happy to know she had shone her light on him. Light… he normally hated it. He leaned when she looked away saddened the moment her gaze wasn't on him even just for a second. What was happening to him? He didn't like attention. He despised people in his space. He purposely lived his life trying to go unnoticed as the introvert he was. Unless he was drunk but even then he always scurried home to be thrust into the safety of the darkness of it. A puzzle piece seemed to fall right back into place the moment she looked at him again and once again he eased. Less visibly this time. He couldn't say he was here for her. He was still learning every day but he was wise enough to know that was a red flag but he didn't want to lie either. So he told the truth without mentioning how he'd found her club though he would say some of his family members recommended it if she asked. Which wasn't a lie still. 

“The day doesn't bring anything good like most say it does. The night and the dark it brings are where I belong.” His words just came without a second thought and they baffled even him. Once again causing him to question the truth about who he was. He could now die a happy man because he had done one good thing in this world; he made her laugh. He chuckled faintly at her reply as pride settled in his chest as a result of his feat. “I'll take your word for it.” Her touch, like the drink he'd normally need, soothed him. Told him everything was okay now. It tore through his abhorration for being touched. Obliviated his instinctual need to shy away from attention. Only her touch seemed to be able to do that, a touch he wasn't expecting her to reciprocate. His reactions to her scared him because they came so naturally when even his memories didn't. Instead, he was left to force them out and that didn't often work. He scared himself again when he asked for that dance suddenly realizing that by turning her down earlier he'd set himself up for her to do it back to him. He would accept if she did but he wouldn't run, he'd keep coming back until he figured out this connection he felt; unless she told him to stop. Jealousy pecked his neck and crawled across his skin when the crowd whistled and cheered as a needed reminder that they weren't alone. At her signal he helped her down, grateful for yet another excuse to touch her more.

His eyes drift to their hands as she leads the way through the crowd like Orpheus leading Eurydice from the Underworld. He recognized how her hand felt in his with their fingers tangled together except he'd never held her hand before. Actually, he never held anyone's hand like this before…that he could remember but this felt like second nature. Holding her hand and letting her lead him out of the dark corner he tried to hide in. The loud music and thickness of people would have normally sent him into a panic but again her touch was there like a safety blanket. The scent of rain filled his lungs but it didn't do what it had in the past. He felt like he could breathe and it was just what his lungs needed after the stress they'd been through. His shoulders shimmied in response to the chill he felt with her lips so close to his skin. Slowly his head tipped to examine the ceiling and that whoosh waved its way through one more time. He swallowed hard as he recognized the ceiling again as being a painting of the sky in his dreams. What's more, he saw her. He saw her face in the stars, her eyes in the moon and her hair as the night sky. His breath left with that whoosh again but he snapped out of his revelation when he felt her let him go. Her world was filled with stars, galaxies, and planets all loved by the people on her dance floor. His world was just the dark where everyone was too afraid to go, leaving him alone there. They parted for her and by association, him, but the moment their hands touched no more the crowd swarmed around him and separated them entirely. Mist filled his gaze as he admired the beautiful ceiling and protected him from the gyrating world around him. Nyx was the only one on the dance floor that he could see. His potent gaze singled her out from what now seemed opposite ends of the dance floor. 

Men, women, theys, and thems danced against him. Tried to grab him to implore him to dance with them but they didn't exist with her mist in his eyes. The sparkling lights began to darken as they tended to do when their staring contests began but this time he wouldn't run. He couldn't run. He had to get to her, he wouldn't lose her again! He nimbly danced through the crowd until he reached her again. Taking the initiative to interlock their fingers and pull her into his arms as he continued to rock to the rhythm, draping her arms over his shoulder… “You're not just a simple star. You're the whole night sky, my darling.” The words which he knew he'd said before came from the deepest part of his soul without a second thought but hearing himself speak without thought made that mist disperse. Except she was all he could still see with how close they were now as they danced and suddenly his fear returned because he thought it stupid to say something so intimate to a stranger… his stranger.

[Nyx]

Who was this man truly? How was it possible that he preferred the night and the dark just like she did? Why was he causing such reaction out of her? This was much more than her usual game of cat and mouse. He was a far better contender than anyone she had chosen to play this game with. The best part of the chase, to find the love she dreamt of every night, was the thrill that she would never actually find it. It was becoming too easy for her to play with her mouse night after night. Because she never thought past what she would do if she found the one her soul craved to be with. She couldn't imagine what she would do if she did take her stranger home and he decided to leave her before she was ready for him too.  All the others were told to leave or they left her. They were all so forgettable. But him, he was too real- too perfect. Irreplaceable.  Nyx could no longer deny her physical pull towards him and that was starting to scare the hell out of her. Yes, surely she would end hurt if she continued to play this game with him.

 As quick as the song change, panic entered her body the moment she let him go. This was all becoming too much for her. At the bar she feared that he would run away from again but this time she was the one to run away from him. Slowly she started to back away from him. Keeping her crystal gaze on him, watching as he became lost in the sea of dancers. She tilted her to the side a smile naturally coming to her face while he admired her painting. She was truly in awe of him as he took in favorite scenery. She had told several individuals to look up at the night sky over the years but he was the first to actually look upon it the same way she did. Checking the last box off her list. A sigh came from her knowing what her usual next step was. Her body continued to slip further away from him, the crowd hiding her perfectly as she stalked him like a cat hunting their prey. Her lips pressed into a line as her body craved to be next to him once more. "No." She said to herself, fighting the urge to run back to him. "I can't." She finally said, her first instinct was to run to her office was getting the best of her. She needed to put some distance between them while he wasn’t looking. She needed a moment to gather herself before she put her heart on the line for a man she didn’t even know. Her feet responded to her thoughts, carrying her to the outskirts of the dance floor. She had just taken a single step off the floor when heat grabbed her by the back of her neck, goosebumps covering her body, her nerves flooded with the same fiery sensation she felt earlier. "Don't look." She told her self but she she knew she would. She turned on her heel to see that her strangers eyes had found her. Her mouth dried as she locked onto his stare. Her window for escape was over and along with all thoughts of wanting to escape him. The people that separated them faded away, the music silencing, making her beating heat ring in her ears. It was just him and her under the Night Sky. "As it should be." She could hear the words over anything else. Yet another voice that she had never heard before. She took a step back onto the dance floor towards him but her legs wouldn’t allow her to go much further. The back of her mind was still planning for an escape if she chose it. She walked the outer edge of the floor, curiously watching his pastel blue eyes shine when the lights hit them just right. No matter the distance that she seemed to maintained between the two of them his eyes found their way to her.

Every morning she woke up with the longing to be loved by someone, the same way she felt in her dreams. No one ever came close to quenching that thirst and desire she had. But within one night with him she couldn't ignore how the stars aligned. Her body craved to be touched again but not just any touch, his touch. A sigh of relief came out of her when she saw him make his way to her. Finally she would be put out of her misery.

Red lips pulled into a smile as she looked up at him. Her hands melting into his as his touch extinguishing the flames that he set to her.. Her body naturally moved in sync with his movements. Nyx stared up into the eyes of her stranger- though her body was telling her that he was anything but a that to her. She welcomed his touch putting the growing ache she felt in her chest at ease. Loosely resting her arms on his shoulders, her fingertips found their way to the back of his neck. Mindlessly stroking the hair at the nape of his neck. Giving her another example that her body was not new to being around him. Her heart squeezed in her chest as she sucked in a sharp breath hearing his words. She closed her eyes, an image coming to the forefront of her mind.

Those beautiful words struck a chord in her: Standing under the newly covered Night Sky she stood there admiring the blue and purple hues that were painted in the sky. A smile came to her face as a cloud of darkness surrounded her before she felt arms swallow her up. “There you are, my darling.” The voice said to her. The longing in his voice making her heart swell. “Did you expect me to be anywhere else?” She replied. Her smile deepened when the arms around her pulled her into his chest. She could feel her body tremble as he chuckled in response. She felt safe- she felt loved.-

“I missed you.” She whispered out the words before she even realized that she had said them. Her first true and complete memory permanently stayed in her mind. "I- I..." She stumbled as the image became painfully clear. His voice... His arms... Tears rushed to fill her waterlines but they didn’t dare fall. It was just one single flash but it was still more than she ever had before. For decades she walked around without a single glimpse of the life she used to have. Always wondering what her life was like before it all got taken away from her. Her senses were completely overwhelmed but yet she still felt safe in his arms. “Who are you- to me?” She asked him. It was a stupid question that her heart could have easily answered. Every fiber of her being knew he was for her. Her perfect beautiful stranger. “Did you know me before my accident?” She asked without giving him time to answer the first one. Her eyes searched for the answer in his eyes.”Do you feel the same as I do?” She asked. Her hand palmed the back of his neck before she slid it down to the top of his shoulder and then to his chest resting it right above his heart. She hoped that she was causing the same blazing hot flames on his skin where her touch lingered on him. “Tell me I’m not crazy.” This wasn’t an ask but a plea.

[Erebus]

Oh, gods not again! 

Again. That word held so much meaning but he was clueless; he only understood what he felt and that was that invisible line that tied them together pulling as she backed away. She was running and was starting to panic even through this mist in his mind. It was possibly even intensifying the pull to her which also meant it hurt more now that she was on the run. He didn't understand. Was this some sort of payback for running the night before? Confusion settled on top of the confusion that was already there but this time it also hurt. The further she got the more the line pulled and the more pain it caused.

A pain he didn't understand; he was becoming frustrated by his lack of understanding and confusion when it dawned on him she may have felt the same way. That made him more desperate to reach her as if he had some way of reassuring her it would be alright when in truth he didn't. At least as far as he knew. Nyx was right in wondering if he was lost, he was probably lost more than anyone here tonight because at least they'd had years in comparison to his one. Far more time to soul search and come up empty than to wake one day in the hospital to a man claiming to be your brother only for him to tell you "You're a god by the way congrats.” Maybe in hindsight lost wasn't a good enough word. 

Erebus was still oblivious to a lot of the ways of this world and its people. He didn't understand every social cue or all the societal norms and even though he was learning them quickly he was still naive. He knew nothing of her intentions with him at the beginning of their conversation or the list she'd made. How could he? If tonight had gone in a very different direction and asked as she led him to her home if he had protection he would reply “Why, what's up there?” Before realizing what she meant. So as she ran now after everything seemed to be going well from his perspective he truly didn't understand. Wracking his mist-filled mind which could still only see her over what he had done wrong. Entirely blaming himself first and then considering that she was playing a game with him second. At the moment it didn't matter either way as flashes of memories began to blur his mind. Not again! Please just not again! Again. That word kept coming up but this time it came with a flash of her tear-stained face and a heavy ache in his heart. “I'll fight until I can hold you in my arms again.” The distant memory of his voice holds nothing but pain, as only their hands can touch. 

Nothing made sense to him except holding her close but once he got her and he saw those tears brim in her eyes he felt useless. Her “I missed you” holds the same meaning as his “Again”. In this moment he would give everything and anything to answer her every question. He'd give up the opportunity for his own answers if it meant she got them instead. Yet all he had was a name, his, and he couldn't tell her that. He couldn't risk telling anyone the name Erebus; he was explicitly told to find a Moniker to hide his identity to avoid being hunted, stalked, or carted away never to be seen again. In thinking long term if he couldn't tell her his name if she asked which he knew would end badly when she found out he lied about. Which brought right back to the present moment with her as his already aching heart twisted in his chest to her plea.

“How do I prove I feel the same without it seeming like I'm just saying it?” His eyes searched hers but his question was more to himself. His head jerks back slightly as his brow pinches before he's overtaken with concern. “Accident?” His mumble is barely noticeable above the music as he recalls the harsh wave keeping him trapped right beneath the surface of the ocean.”I… were we in the same accident?” He was louder this time wanting her to be able to hear although he wasn't expecting an answer. His lips purse as he continues to study her gaze. “I think we should talk.” He says after a moment of silence completely unaware of the negative connotation that phrase often holds. “Please, we should find somewhere to try and understand.” He raises his hand to gently brush her face with the back of his knuckle, eventually catching himself. He turns his palm to her cheek and cups it before pulling away.

[Nyx]

For the first time she was hopeful. She could easily see the worry in his eyes, making her hopeful that he did know her before. Hopeful that she would finally get the truth about her before she had amnesia. Her fingers gripped onto the fabric of his shirt as he spoke. Were they in the same accident? She didn't remember anyone else with her when she was found. But a lot of that day still didn't make sense to her and it all was a blur. She took a single step back at his words. Raising her brows questioning her statement. What had she done to earn a statement like that out of him? Was she being too forward with him? Had she crossed a boundary that she wasn't aware of? She had used the phrase many times to gently explain to others that she didn't experience the spark that she was wanting. It felt odd for her to be on the other side of those words. She immediately felt on edge. Anticipating what he would tell her next. He had just said such beautiful words to her and now she was questioning how she had read the moment. Maybe she should have run away like her mind wanted to. Maybe she was wrong about her feelings- It wouldn't have been the first time that she thought she had a connection with someone. Though no person she had ever encountered had made her feel the way that he had.  "Maybe he wasn't who I saw in my memory" She said to herself. But when he spoke again his voice resonated so deep within her that she knew with every fiber in her being that he was the man in the memory; at least in that part.

Without thought Nyx leaned her head in towards his hand. Despite her sudden doubt her body still reacted in such a way that it truly scared her. She closed her eyes, savoring the warmth of his touch before it was gone. Her disappointment was evident in the frown that formed on her face. She opened her eyes to look up in those vast blue eyes once more. She dropped her hand from his chest, making them two strangers standing in front of one another. Suddenly the loudness of the music came back, the brightness of the lights and the crowd- it was all suffocating compared to the little bliss they seemed to create when they truly locked on each other. If he wanted to escape somewhere to talk then she would give him just that. She took his hand hers, leading the way to her previous route of escape. Nyx meant to grab in hand in a friendly way- a 'we only meant a few hours' type of way but her body betrayed her once again by interlocking her fingers through his. She even kept him close on her heel as she weaved through the drunken dancers who didn't part for her like everyone else. His closeness to her back brought back that memory once more and she forcefully pushed it aside. She couldn't let herself get her hopes up in fear that he would crush them or even worse lie to her. She took him all the way across the club floor until they met the back dark hallway and were greeted with one of her guards standing outside of black painted door with silver accents. He raised a single brow at her. "We're just going to talk." She told him, knowing that she had shared her vow of celibacy with him the night prior. She ignored the small smile he held on his face while he opened the door for the both of them.

She walked through the doorway pulling Erebus along with her into the dark room. Her ears started to ring once the door was closed, making the booming music turn into a muffled thud while inside the four walls. She let go of his hand to walk over to of her desk, turning on the lamps on either side of the dark oak desk. Her skin already missing the feeling of his touch. "Hopeless" She teased herself. Nyx took in a deep calming breath, her mind becoming at ease knowing that she was in her safe place. She was surrounded by things that made her comfortable; Black and silver decor, Moonstone and Obsidian crystals and, finally her favorite of all, her black velvet couch that she spent more mornings than she could count on. She turned around and smiled seeing his face in proper lighting. Her finger tips touched his hand when she walked past him as she made her way over to the oversized couch, "Make yourself comfortable." Nyx said pointing to the edge of the couch when she passed it to sit at the opposite end of it. Once she was sitting at the other end, she crossed her legs, propped her arm on top of the back of the couch. Her hand holding her head while she looked up at him.."I hate to tell you this, but we weren't in the same accident." She started first. "I don't recall anyone anyone else being found with me." She told him truthfully.

That night may have been jumbled up in her mind but she could clearly remember the hikers faces when they found her partially clothed wandering around in the forest by herself. She could only imagine how lost and out of her mind she must have looked to the couple; tear stained face, mumbling a language that she now couldn't even remember how to speak. They questioned her health and her sanity before they brought her to the police. Who then opened an investigation because of her, looking for other women or bodies. As if she had escaped a serial killer. 'The one who survived' is what the news said when they got wind of her story. They tried to make her out as the long lost daughter of a local mother. Yet another puzzle piece that didn't fit. Life would have made more sense if there was a killer or even if she was someone's lost daughter. She would have had cause for how little she remembered but she wasn't that lucky. The police clothed her, ran her prints, tested her DNA, looked through every database they could but everything came out inconclusive. They set her up in a small apartment and forced her to undergo countless hours of therapy to try to regain what she had obviously lost but yet again nothing came from it. She was nameless, alone and not real by government standards. She lived many years of this life without a real name. Even if they did assign her one. She never did like the name Jane. It seemed too plain... too small for her personality even when she didn't know what traits she had. "I have a lot of questions for you... but you're the one who wanted to talk..." She trailed off, motioning her hand towards him, letting him know that he could speak freely here. She returned her hand back to supporting her head, forcing herself to keep her hands to herself.

"I guess we could start with names." She told him, letting out a breath. "I've been going by Nisha Stellato for a while now." She said, "I don't remember what I was named before. When I was found they gave me the name Jane until I changed it." She reached her free hand out to him, her subconscious getting the best of her. Immediately she forced her hand down to her lap. "Can I have a name to put to that handsome face of yours, Stranger?" She asked him.

[Erebus]

The Hope in her gaze and the way she gripped his shirt caused her nails to lightly graze his chest. His heart flutters out of his control when she is receptive to his touch and something deep in his gut said it was only her who liked his touch which made him want to push into her more. Instead, he snapped out of it and into his harsh reality when she took that step back. The blatant space she forced between was a cold reminder that this was her world and he suddenly felt unwelcomed in it. From the blaring music to the flashing lights, or the people admiring her but glaring at him. The intensity of it all made him tense right back up until her hand slipped into his again. A thankful sigh for the contact left him and loosened the knot forming in his chest. Nyx was his tether to this world she created, the catalyst that helped him feel like he belonged here and he didn't have to hide. He followed her like a lost puppy and remained close knowing the crowd liked them better apart. The guard at the silver-accented door he recognized from the night before as the man who was sent to bring him to her. He watched the small interaction in silence where his reflexes weren't fast enough to catch what had just transpired between the two; flying right over his head. 

Behind closed doors finally alone his senses tuned to everything about her. Making him suddenly hyper-aware of how strong her scent was or how soft her hand felt in his. A pulsing wave rippled over him and into his vision which wasn't helped by the lights she'd just turned on. His eyes shut and hissed quietly at the burn of light. Blinking to force them to adjust while still having his senses beat up by being alone and so close to her. As if closing the door caused everything to ricochet around the room before flying right at him in full force. He focused again when she brushed his hand, alleviating him for a second. Just enough for him to collect himself and look around, allowing him to take in the dark aesthetic he felt extremely at home in, eventually finding the crystals on her desk that he began to play with like a child. Ungracefully, he accidentally sent the crystals tumbling down like dominoes; the force of them falling hit her moonstone and sent it hurtling off her desk. With a sudden deftness and quick reflexes, he caught the precious stone and quickly returned it to where she had it where he also fixed each crystal.

Erebus scurried to the couch at her offer to escape the scene of the crime. His rigid muscles ripple as he sits and fights the urge to move closer and touch her. For the first time, he looked at her, actually looked at her in the clearer lighting. His eyes had adjusted as much as they could and the ripples his vision was doing had settled some. It was obvious she was gorgeous back in the main part of the Moonlit Kiss but seeing her fully now he suddenly feared she was too good for him. Her words didn't help but he other than a humm loaded with mixed emotions over the fact she'd just stated he said nothing. Looking away from her to envisage her words; he wasn't happy nor was he upset. He was somewhere in between the two strong emotions, relieved she didn't end up almost drowning with him but distressed that she had gone through an accident similar to him. 

“I was found floating in the water a year ago.” He says truthfully sparing her the gory details and it's the first time he's sharing it so he avoids looking at her. There were people who knew his story either because they worked at the hospital or they'd heard the story somehow of the mysterious man found off the coast. Everyone thought he would die but when he didn't the headlines saw a story and all he saw were the blur of violent flashes from the cameras as they broke into his hospital room just to capture the first image of the drowned man. They all looked at him the same with pity and greed bristling beneath their concern if they could get him to tell them his story because it was worth something. Until they learned he couldn't remember and he was left with just looks of pity. A look he didn't want to her give him so he never looked her way in this moment.

The burn of them flushing the water from his system simmered in his chest and made him remember why he turned to drinking in the first place. He swallows the groan building in him and shifts to become more comfortable on the couch. He couldn't say he didn't see the request for a name coming he'd just hoped it wouldn't. Listening to her explain her name he looked at her once more and a small smile of understanding found its way to his face. He felt better sharing the name he'd chosen for himself disregarding the fact that he knew what he was called before; he still just didn't believe it. “You picked a beautiful name that matches the beauty of its owner.” He couldn't read her and yet he somehow knew she could likely read him. Did that come with experience or was he just always an open book? He noticed earlier how she relaxed once they got into the room but also how she kept her distance. Recalling how her hand recoiled when he touched her back at the bar or the purposeful space she placed between them on the dancefloor, the closed-off way she seemed to be sitting on the couch. She didn't want him close and since it was his request to talk he figured she didn't really want to do that either but was for some reason entertaining him. “Erus Skiá (Air-Roos) it's a…” 

Pausing he looked at her hand but hid his disbelief from his face. Was he wrong? Was it okay to reach out and touch or move a little closer? He took the chance while there was one and gently picked up the hand she'd stretched to him. He played with her fingers before interlocking them with his like that's where they belonged… because it was and that burn in his chest dissipates. For someone who had asked to talk, he was very quiet. “I've seen that night sky on your ceiling in my dreams because I have more memories with you in them than I do alone.” Again he naivety showed in his admittance to dreaming of her. “I asked to talk but I didn't really think through what I would say. What I will say is that I don't think it's a coincidence that we both can't remember who we are. Nor is this a coincidence. “ He moved a little closer and guided her hand down his arm causing his arm hairs to stand and a shiver to run through which showed itself in his voice for a moment when he spoke again. “It doesn't make sense if it's not all related somehow.”

[Nyx]

Her heart sank for him. It wasn't out of pity. She would never pity him but her empathy did go out to him. "I'm sorry you went through that alone." She told him. He hadn't told her that he was alone but somehow she already knew. Again she fought herself from touching him. All she wanted to do was sooth whatever demons she was sure he had. Their stories were almost mirror images of each other. She had wished that he was found the same year as she. In hope that they wouldn't have had to suffer for so long alone. But maybe her experience could help him if he allowed it. She knew what it was like to be alone while going through something as traumatic as that. She could remember how tough her first year was. Lost in the life she had been thrown in. How hard it was to adjust when she had no knowledge of the world. She hated to think that he was experiencing even a fraction of what she did. If she hadn't found her way to this club and didn't get hired she was sure it would have taken her longer to find her footing.

Nyx couldn't help but to study him in the dim light of her office. She had seen him in the flashing lights of the dance floor, even the colored lights that hung by the bar but see him in the soft yellow light in her office was different. He was truly beautiful. He had to have been created for her; there wasn't a single part on him that she didn't approve. His dark features being her favorite aspect. She could stare at him all night if she had to. She wanted to speak on how perfect she thought he was but she bit her tongue choosing to save that for a later time. She didn't want to interrupt during his talk that he wanted to have.

"Thank you," She said to him, her smile returning to her face. She liked that he approved of the name she had chosen but the mention of her beauty is what sent her pulse to sky rocket. Nyx remained poised while he continued to speak. Her heart squeezed in her chest when she heard him explain how he was found. She had to stop herself from inching closer to him to comfort the stranger that was sitting on her couch. She could easily see how much pain and trauma were hidden in his eyes. All she wanted to do was to make it better- Make him feel better. Another emotion coming out that she wasn't familiar with. "Erus..." The word that fell off her tongue somehow felt wrong. It wasn't what she had expected his name to be but it was still nice to finally have a name for him. Goosebumps took to her skin the second he touched her. She didn't pull back from him this time instead her hand fully relaxed in his. That quiet "Mm." Came from her. The sound was more noticeable now that they were protected for the loudness of the speakers. 

Just like before when they were at the bar she hung onto every single word that came out of his mouth. Her eyes were glued to him, noticing how tense he was. How uncomfortable he felt. She couldn't help but wonder if she was the cause for his discomfort. Maybe he didn't feel the same as her... Instinctively Nyx moved a tad bit closer to him as if to help ease some of the tension he was having. "You-" She started but choked on it. Her nose twitched and she swallowed the lump that started to grow, signaling her that tears were on the way. Her heart thudding loud in her chest. Someone actually remembered her. After all these years she finally knew that she belonged to someone. That someone did miss her. But in the same moment her heart broke for him knowing that he too didn't have any memories. He was right it couldn't be a coincidence that he couldn't remember anything about his past either. She knew she would have to limit her questions for him. She didn't want to overwhelm him with questions he couldn't answer and she surely didn't want to cause him to run from her. For now it was enough that she knew that he was the man in her first memory and apparently she was in his. In awe she watched the hairs rise on his skin at her touch.

"You do feel the same way..." She whispered to him. Her blue eyes flicking back up to his eyes. She nodded her head at him. It did all have to be related. If it wasn't then she would lie to herself til the day she took her last breath. "I've spent-" She started but stopped. She didn't know how he would react to knowing that he wasn't the first person she had touched. She thought about keeping that secret to herself but then decided against it. Something about his presence made her feel as though she could trust him with her most sacred secret. Nyx sat facing him her hand still in his. She took in a deep breath then let it out slowly. For the first time since she had been found in the woods she fully let her guard down in front of him. Her shoulders relaxing when she exhaled"I've been around all types of people." She told admitted to him. "None of them have ever made me feel the way you do." Her words were meant to reassure him. To applaud him for being so open with her. "I can hear your voice in my head... Feel your hands on my skin. See your arms around me." Her words were so honest that she even surprised herself with how transparent she was being. "I haven't had a single memory in over three decades. But tonight... In your arms I had one. I'll forever be grateful to you for that." She finished. Reluctantly she pulled her hand from his. She sat up just enough to close the large gap between them but she still left a small amount of breathing room. She matched his smile and reached her hands up to cup his cheek in one hand, just like he had done to her on the dance floor while the other settled above his heart. She stared into his gaze picking out the pain, loneliness, and confusion that made up his eyes. "Let me be your star in the night, so you'll never be lost again, my love" She whispered the phrase that slipped out her mouth with permission. The cadence felt natural to her as if she could be his star for the rest of their lives. Or even that she had been his star for a lifetime before this night.    

[Erebus]

Fear is always such a bold and evident emotion as it boastfully told people of its presence when you looked at whoever was afraid. Erebus shouldn't have been but it was clear in his muscles that fear sat proudly on his shoulders and in his tightened jaw as it tauntingly brushed his face. He couldn't look at her because of this flaunting fear, all just because he simply knew he couldn't handle her looking at him with pity. He couldn't handle that look in people's eyes that made him feel helpless in his situation. Finding his solace at the bottom of a bottle in a desperate attempt to remember.

Instead, he developed a gluttonous problem full of nights alone in his home he couldn't even remember. Achieving nothing he had hoped until he went to sleep where violent flashes of Nyx mixed with the memories of him drowning. Aided and abetted by her strong watery scent. Which was doing something new and completely different to him now. Experiencing her scent in person was much more soothing than in his drunken memories. Drunken; a word he redacted when he explained he dreamed of her more than he did himself. Through fleeting glances he refused to hold her gaze longer than a minute, revealing that fear was still his marionette, even with her hand securely in his. Until she encroached upon him ever so slightly and his eyes shot to hers then because he wasn't expecting it. Some people have a natural charm and magnetism to them and everyone is drawn to those people. Creating a sudden need to be around them and in their presence like a moth to a flame. Erebus didn't have that aura, no instead people avoided him until he went out to a club. Then there was sure to be some other drunk willing to throw themselves at him only for him to turn them down anyway. On any given night however, no one noticed him and if they did they went out of their way to make it seem like they didn't. The world kept away from the dark by nature and like creatures of habit that hadn't changed. 

Except now here was Nyx moving close to him, giving him her undivided attention, and most of all looking at him with empathy and understanding. He blinked as an expression to show his confusion. No one had ever looked at him like that before and suddenly fear lost its balance. Falling off his shoulders and allowing him to straighten up. It was now he whose eyes were glued to her as that pulse that overwhelmed his senses because she was close intensified. Creating a tunnel vision where all he could see, smell, hear, and feel was her. His heart somersaulted as he watched her completely relax in front of him and he felt as though he had watched her remove a mask she’d been wearing for the world and she was for the first time revealing the real her beneath. He studies her as one would a masterpiece, telling himself he could never be happy again if she never unmasked in front of him again. He knew by now she'd been here longer by how well-established she was but he wondered now just how long had it been. Deciding the more he took her in with a warm and softened gaze the less it mattered. He only cared that she went through everything without him there to care for her. That was his job and it was built into his instincts and engraved into his soul. They took care of each other. “Three decades.” He repeats with an unearthly tiredness lodged in his voice as it cracks because while she was here he was fighting through Tartarus just to get here. His soul remembered what his mind couldn't as he astutely collected every word she gave. 

It was such a simple touch, a mimicry of movements even but for him, it was why he was still alive. It was what he fought so hard to get back to and he didn't even know. The heat from her hand rained across his face and dripped to the hand she lay on his chest. His entire system relaxes as though she had just initiated for him to hard reboot. His eyes flutter closed and as she speaks and he rests his hands on top of hers to press them into him a little more. A long hard deep breath exhales from his lungs; he's home. Rogue tears escape down his cheek without his awareness. "You've always been my catalyst and I will always be lost without you.” He turns and kisses her palm as he opens his eyes to find hers. “How lucky are we to get to know ourselves through the other's eyes.”