Summary: A little reimagining of the airship scene, and a moment between Kenna and Diavolos after.
Kenna doesn’t know what inspires her to ask Diavolos about wanting more for himself beyond fighting in this war. Maybe it’s the way he’s so easy to talk to and has opened up to her. Maybe it’s the laid-back, comfortable way he’s lounging on her bed. She briefly allows herself to think that maybe it’s because she finds herself undeniably attracted to and drawn to him, to his self-assured confidence, then immediately pushes that thought down.
“What about love?” she asks, suddenly curious if he’s ever loved anyone.
She guesses no, since he’s spent nearly his entire life focused on fighting this war.
Diavolos looks at her in amusement. “Do I seem like someone who spends a lot of time thinking about love?”
“No,” she admits, “But you’ve surprised me before.”
He’s silent for a long moment, studying her face. “I don’t think I know what love looks like.”
“Maybe you just need someone to show you,” she suggests.
Diavolos chuckles. “Maybe.”
He shoots her another amused look. “Do you have someone in mind?”
A smile crosses her face as she answers, “I might.”
Diavolos shakes his head, laughing as he stands up. “Well, I think that’s enough baring my soul for one night. Thanks for listening.”
“Of course,” she says easily, “I hope it wasn’t too painful for you.”
“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” he reassures her.
Kenna almost kisses him before he leaves. She wants to, but she thinks it might distract her come tomorrow, so she just tells him goodnight.
~~~~~~~~~~
A few nights after they get back to Stormholt, Kenna finds herself unable to sleep after tossing and turning for hours and wanders up to the roof. It’s nearly silent here this early in the morning, the soldiers camped in the fields all asleep. She sighs as she glances up at the clear night sky, picking out the few constellations she knows.
“Nice night,” someone says behind her, and Kenna turns and spots Diavolos.
“It is,” she agrees, leaning her back against the stone wall as he walks over to her. “What are you doing up?”
Diavolos shrugs, leaning next to her. “I’m used to sleeping with hundreds of troops nearby. My room is too quiet.”
Kenna laughs. “Well, I suppose you could always sleep in the fields.”
Diavolos smirks. “Are you kidding? I’m taking advantage of a bed while I have it.”
That sobers her a little, her smile fading at the thought of none of them needing a bed soon, depending on the outcome of this final battle.
“Hey.” Diavolos bumps her shoulder with his.
“Don’t think about it,” he advises her.
“What, possibly dying soon?”
“Yes.”
“Hard not to think about sometimes,” she answers honestly.
Diavolos steps in front of her. “Then you need to find something else to think about,” he says in a low voice.
The tone in his voice and the expression on his face makes her stomach flutter.
“Oh?” she says in what she hopes is a casual tone. “What do you suggest?”
“You asked me if I wanted more for myself on the airship. What do you want, Kenna?”
As she contemplates her answer, Kenna’s eyes meet his. They’re dark, nearly black as they reflect the faint glow of their lanterns, and she can see him watching her. Waiting for her answer.
“Well,” she begins, “the Five Kingdoms would unite, and be peaceful-“
“No,” Diavolos interrupts her, “not as Queen Kenna. What do you want? Just Kenna.”
That answer comes more easily than she thought it would.
“I want someone to share my life with,” she says. “Someone who understands ruling a kingdom, and war, and can ease those burdens, but who I don’t have to spend all my time talking about it with. Someone I can just…be me with.”
Kenna is aware of Diavolos stepping closer as she speaks, nearly brushing against her.
“Someone you’re in love with?” he asks, sounding surprisingly sincere.
“Yes, ideally,” she says softly.
Even in the near dark, she can see his eyes flicker down to his lips.
“Have you been in love, Kenna?” he murmurs.
“Once,” she says, swallowing hard as one of his hands comes up to caress her hip through her armor. “I thought…”
“Mmm,” he rumbles.
“Have you?” she can’t help but ask, resting her hands lightly on his chest.
“No,” he answers, laughing quietly. “I told you I don’t spend much time thinking about love.”
Her fingers grip the black fabric of his shirt as he wraps his other arm around her back.
“Though if we both survive this battle…”
He trails off and smiles at her. “You said you had someone in mind to show me what love looks like.”
“I did,” she agrees, her heart pounding as he lifts his hand from her hip and tucks his thumb under her chin, tilting her face up.
His lips find hers in the dark in a slow kiss. Kenna sighs, pulling him down closer.
“Do I know her?” he asks against her mouth.
“You do.”
Diavolos tightens his arm around her, his hand traveling from her face to tangle in her hair. He kisses her a little harder.
“Will she like me at first sight, or will I have to charm her?”
She groans at the thought of being charmed, seduced, by Diavolos. He tugs at her hair, and it makes her shiver and glide her hands up his chest and around his neck.
“Mmm…she’ll probably like you right away. But I don’t think she’d say no to a little charm,” she breathes.
As soon as the words are out, Diavolos pulls her in impossibly closer, his hand loosening from her hair to cup her cheek. From what she knows of him, she expects him to take control immediately, to kiss her hard and insistently. Instead, he tilts his head down, just brushing his lips against hers, and it makes her breath catch. It’s feather light, gentle, almost, and he does it again and again, his hand slipping back into her hair.
When she sighs into his mouth, he presses his lips to hers, then traces his tongue over her bottom lip until she opens up to him. She can’t remember being kissed like this before, this convincing, intense focus with the sole purpose of charming her. His tongue strokes over hers teasingly, and then he gently sucks her lower lip between his, until she quietly moans his name and closes her eyes. Kenna feels him smile against her lips, and then he’s yanking her in tight, his mouth insistent, almost bruising against hers.
“Oh!” she gasps, burying her fingers in his hair, then sliding them back down to grip his shirt as he kisses her hungrily.
His kiss consumes her, makes her desperate for more. She bites his full lower lip, relishing in the way he groans and tangles his tongue with hers again, releasing his grip on her hair to wrap both arms tightly around her back. Diavolos pulls back after a minute, his dark eyes searching hers.
“Don’t stop,” she whispers raggedly, pressing her lips to his.
His eyes stay open as he kisses her again, more slowly, and Kenna frowns slightly.
“The sun’s coming up,” he murmurs, glancing over her shoulder. “People will be awake soon.”
Sure enough, when she turns slightly in his arms, she sees a few soldiers stirring. Kenna groans as she turns back around, not missing the way Diavolos smirks. She raises an eyebrow at him, but she’s smiling, also not missing the way he keeps his arms around her, his thumbs brushing over the bare skin of her lower back where her shirt has ridden up slightly.
“Well?” he asks. “Have I charmed you, Your Majesty?”
She huffs out a laugh. “I suppose you have.”
Diavolos chuckles, yanking her in tight and kissing her once more before releasing her. “Good.”