Ivy's hands lifted slowly, not to push him away—just to touch his forearm, a small grounding gesture.
He flinched like it mattered.
"Don't," he warned softly.
"Ghost," she whispered, "I didn't do it to hurt you."
His eyes held hers.
"I don't think I can forgive you," he said. "Not right now."
Ivy's throat tightened.
"Then don't," she said, barely audible. "Not yet."
His breath hitched.
His hand moved—slow, deliberate—coming up to her waist, then to her jaw, tilting her face slightly toward him as if he needed to confirm she was real.
"You're here," he said, almost like an accusation.
Ivy's lips parted.
"I'm here."
He stared at her like he wanted to say something cruel but couldn't.
Instead he pressed his forehead briefly against hers—one second, just one—like he was fighting himself.
Then his mouth hovered near her ear.
His voice dropped into something rougher, more intimate.
"You make me want to break my own rules."
Ivy's pulse hammered.
She whispered back, shaky but honest, "Maybe that's why you made them."
Ghost's grip tightened for a heartbeat.
his hands moved down her body and he looked directly into her eyes. he slipped his hand inside those jeans and he slid down until he could get inside of her. without even giving her time to react he put his free hand on her mouth and penetrated her faster and faster. he remained captivated by her increasingly glassy gaze due to pleasure and he increased the pace until her body arched in his arms and she moaned in his hand. Afterwards he removed his fingers and inserted them into his mouth to clean all his juices.
For a moment, in the narrow shadow between two buildings, with the entire kingdom celebrating behind them and a world watching from cameras they'd forgotten existed—
they stood there like they might burn the wall down just by breathing too close.
Ghost's grip tightened on her waist for a second, like he was deciding whether to let go or pull her even closer.
He didn't let go.
His hand slid slowly along her side, fingers curling into the fabric of her jacket, then lower, stopping at her hip.He kiss her. The movement wasn't rushed, wasn't aggressive — but it wasn't innocent either.
Ivy's breath caught.
"Ghost…" she whispered.
He didn't answer right away.
His face stayed close to hers, his eyes searching her expression like he was trying to understand something he didn't want to feel.
"You have no idea what you did to my head," he murmured.
His hand moved again, slower this time, tracing the line of her waist, then resting there, firm, steady, like he needed to feel she was real.
Ivy's back pressed harder against the padded wall without her even realizing it.
"You followed me," he said quietly.
"You stopped," she answered.
A faint breath left his nose, almost a laugh.
"You always got an answer."
His thumb shifted slightly against her side, the small movement enough to send a shiver through her.
She hated that he could feel it.
Hated that he knew.
His eyes dropped for a second, then came back to hers.
"You should stay away from me," he said.
Her voice came out softer than she meant it to.
"You should let me."
That made something change in his expression.
His hand tightened at her waist, pulling her just a little closer, not enough to trap her, but enough that the space between them disappeared.
"You're not scared," he said.
"I should be?"
"You built this whole thing," he murmured. "And the only time you look nervous… is when it's me."
"Its not being nervous its just want to have your dick in me each time i see you"
"Maybe we can that happen"
"Just tell me where and when"
"Come in my little house after the fire"
Her heart hit hard against her ribs.
He leaned in, close enough that his lips brushed the edge of her ear when he spoke.
"You mess with my head, Ivy."
Her fingers curled into the front of his shirt without thinking.
"You think you're the only one?" she whispered.
He went still.
For a second neither of them moved, the air between them heavy, electric, like the world outside the narrow space between the buildings didn't exist anymore.
His forehead rested briefly against hers again, slower this time.
"Later you just have to gets hard," she whispered teasing despite the tension,
"I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be there and open for anything you want."
He let out a short breath, half disbelief, half something else.
"You're impossible."
"You still picked me," she said.
"That was before I knew you were running the whole damn world."
Her fingers slid slightly against his chest, then stopped, like she caught herself before going too far.
Behind them, distant voices echoed from the alliance fires.
Someone shouted.
Music started somewhere.
Reality coming back.
Ghost's hand stayed on her waist one second longer, like letting go cost something.
"You should go back," he said.
"You first."
He shook his head slightly.
"You always make me leave first."
She held his gaze.
"If I don't… I won't leave at all."
That made his expression change again, softer, more dangerous.
For a moment it looked like he might pull her back, like the argument inside him wasn't finished.
Instead, he stepped back slowly.
The space between them felt colder instantly.
He ran a hand through his hair, jaw tight again.
"This isn't over," he said.
Her heart beat faster.
"I know."
He looked at her one last time, longer than he should have, then turned and walked back toward the firelight without another word.
Ivy stayed where she was for a few seconds, back against the wall, breathing slower, trying to get control again.
From the distance, someone yelled her name.
"Ivy! They want you back!"
She closed her eyes for a second.
Then pushed herself off the wall, straightened her jacket, and walked back toward the alliance zone like nothing had happened.
But her hands were still shaking.
And somewhere ahead, Ghost didn't sit down right away when he returned to the fire.
He just stood there, staring into the flames…
like he was trying to figure out how the hell she still had that effect on him.