Neria felt him shift beneath her hand, suddenly closer. His grip tightened, released, and then she felt his hands on her hips. He tugged her in tighter, pressed in until their hips met. It coaxed a gasp from her lungs, her lips hovering against his, her eyes wide. Her thoughts caught up with her body, realized the sharpness and uncertainty that slammed into her like a blow to the head.

Her fingers stilled. Her heart thundered painfully in her chest for just those spare seconds.

It hadn't been so long since the dungeons. And it had taken effort to feel...anything about her body. To feel she was a person once more and not some kind of animal. Archer had helped, but even he had shied away, treated her like something fragile. Something that could break.

She was tired of feeling afraid. She looked into Kell's eyes and found she wasn't terrified at all, even knowing the consequences.

Neria took a breath. Breathed him in, the smell of lilies, and the smell of Kell - magic and rain and fresh air - and she closed her eyes again. Kissed him, harder this time, and pressed into him. Her hand fell from his face to slip beneath his coat so she could touch his shirt, grip it tightly, feel the warmth of his skin beneath. She made a sound against his lips, lost in his mouth.