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Erend thrums his fingers against the wooden table he’s sitting at, hoping to dispel some of his nervous energy.
He’s in Meridian, at an Oseram tavern near the edge of the mesa, on his way back from the Claim. He’s been in the city for about a week now, spending some time catching up before he heads west again. To his surprise, Aloy had called him earlier in the day to let him know she was in the area, and had asked if they could meet up.
Erend hasn’t seen Aloy in months. Sure, they’ve spoken here and there about his efforts in the Claim, but it’s never quite the same as seeing her in person. Although he’s relieved they’ve put the Zenith threat behind them, he can’t deny he misses the time he spent living at the Base with the strange group of allies Aloy had managed to gather. There had been a sense of camaraderie, of shared purpose, that Erend hadn’t been able to find since.
That’s over now though. There’s work to be done, and he’s more than happy to do what he can to help Aloy prepare for Nemesis.
A flicker of movement near the tavern’s entrance draws Erend’s attention, and when he looks up, there she is.
Aloy.
She’s practically glowing, bright hair framed by the soft firelight. She’s dressed in one of her old Carja armor sets, and Erend has to force himself not to stare at her bare midriff, so he lifts his eyes to take in her face. Her hair is a little longer and her face is flushed from the heat of the day, which is only just beginning to fade. She’s the same Aloy, but she seems different, somehow. Lighter, less burdened.
In any case, she’s as beautiful as ever. Erend was hoping that some time and space away from her would dull his feelings, but one glimpse of her and they just come roaring back. He’s truly gone for her, and at this point he doesn’t think he’ll ever get over it.
It’s obvious when Aloy notices him. Her eyes light up, the flush in her cheeks darkens, and the dazzling smile she gives him almost takes his breath away. Erend feels his heart swell in his chest, and he can’t help but smile back as he gets to his feet to greet her.
“Erend,” she breathes, coming to a halt in front of him. “It’s, um–it’s good to see you.”
Aloy’s body language is awkward and somewhat uncertain, and she looks like she might hug him for a moment, but she settles for grasping his forearms instead. Her touch is light, and Erend can barely feel it through the thick leather of his gloves, but it makes his heart warm all the same.
“It’s good to see you too, Aloy.” He finally finds his voice, and before he can think better of it, he adds, “I missed you.”
“I–I missed you too,” Aloy responds, her face somehow turning an even deeper shade of red.
She realizes then that she’s still holding his arms so she quickly lets go, but she doesn’t seem to know what to do with herself, fiddling with one of the pouches on her belt. Erend gestures for her to sit down at the table, where he has two ales waiting.
“So–” he begins, once they’re finally seated. “What have you been up to–”
“How have you been–” Aloy blurts out at the same time. They both grin at each other, and she laughs awkwardly. “You first.”
“Yeah, okay.” Erend takes a sip of his ale before continuing. “I’m good, mostly. I’ve told you about the Ealdormen, but it was nice to spend some time in the Claim again, even if it’s not really my home anymore.” He chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. “Can’t say I’m sad to leave Aunt Alga behind, though.”
Aloy huffs out another nervous laugh, and Erend starts to wonder if he’s done anything to make her uncomfortable. It has been a while since they’ve seen each other, so maybe she just needs a bit of time to adjust to his company.
“And what about you?” he asks, hoping to break some of the tension. “What have you been doing?”
“Oh, I, um…” Aloy pauses and takes a sip of ale. “Mostly helping Beta, checking out a few leads from Sylens, that kind of thing.”
Erend can’t help but think she’s being intentionally vague, but he’s not going to call her on it. The last thing he wants is to make her even more uncomfortable, so he smiles and nods along, hoping to put her at ease.
It seems to work, because after a moment, she adds, “And I spent some time in the Burning Shores.”
“Oh yeah, I think Beta mentioned something about that.” Erend has been keeping in touch with the younger girl since leaving the Base, hoping to draw her out of her shell a bit more. “How was it?”
“It was…” Aloy trails off, as if she’s searching for the right word, before settling on, “...hot.”
“Hot,” he repeats. He’s a little disappointed that she doesn’t seem willing to share more, but he’s not going to push her.
Aloy seems to sense his disappointment, so continues, “I tracked down another Zenith and took down a Horus.”
“Fire and spit, Aloy.” Erend shakes his head. “Just another day for you, huh?”
She laughs again, and this time it feels less nervous and more genuine. “Yeah, pretty much.”
Aloy seems to settle a bit more after that, and she’s more like her old self as she explains what she and Sylens found on the data files from the remaining Zenith. Still though, she’s clearly not as at ease with him as she had been when they’d shared a drink together back at the Base. Again, Erend wonders if he’s done anything to cause it, though nothing immediately springs to mind.
Soon enough, they have finished their drinks, and Erend swallows down his disappointment. He tries to limit his drinking these days, and he’s never seen Aloy have more than one, so he’s pretty sure their evening is coming to a close. Erend wishes they had more time together, but he knows he’s lucky she even made time for this.
He’s expecting Aloy to call it a night, but she surprises him by asking, “Erend, can we… take a walk?”
“Yes,” he blurts out immediately, unable to hide his enthusiasm.
Aloy smiles and leads him outside. The heat of the day has finally dissipated and the night air is cooler, more bearable. They walk in relatively comfortable silence until Aloy comes to a halt at the edge of the mesa. The bustle of the day has long died down, so it’s just the pair of them and the stunning view of the Maizelands below.
“Erend, I–” Aloy begins, placing one hand on the balustrade as she stares out at the stars. “When I was in the Burning Shores a few months ago… I–I met someone.”
Something about the way she says it has Erend’s stomach dropping like a lead weight, but he forces himself to respond in a level voice. “Oh… oh yeah?”
“Seyka. A Quen,” Aloy continues, her gaze still fixed on the night sky. “She helped me and we, um… there were feelings, I think. On both sides.”
There’s now a pit the size of an anvil in Erend’s gut, but he does his best to ignore it. He’s not surprised, not really. He’s known this day would come eventually, and deep down, he is genuinely happy for Aloy. She deserves something good in her life, after everything she’s been through. He’s very careful to keep his voice steady when he says, “That’s great, Aloy. Is she… is she gonna join us?”
Aloy finally tears her gaze away from the sky to look at him and shakes her head. “No. She’s got her own tribe to worry about.” She pauses, chewing on her lower lip for a moment. “She doesn’t even know who I am, not really. But… it was nice. To feel that way… for a little bit,” she says softly.
“I’m happy for you, Aloy,” Erend offers her a smile that’s a little strained, but genuine.
“Thanks, Erend, but that’s not…” Aloy trails off and looks away again. “That’s not why I... I, um… What happened with Seyka, it-it got me to thinking... and I wanted to–to tell you, that I–I, um… shit.” She stops, drawing in a slow breath. “Why am I still so bad at this?” she mutters to herself.
Erend’s not entirely sure what to do, so he gently asks, “Bad at what?”
Aloy glances at him and then closes her eyes, gripping the balustrade tightly. “I just–I need a minute.”
“Of course,” Erend responds quietly.
Inside though, he’s panicking. Aloy knows how he feels. She has to, with her awkward demeanor and vague words; she’s trying to find a way to let him down gently. Erend has done his best to keep his feelings for Aloy in check, but she knows and she’s obviously uncomfortable about it. Hammer to steel, he’s such a bung. He has to fix this.
“It’s okay, Aloy, you don’t need to worry about me,” Erend assures her. She opens her eyes again, regarding him with confusion, so he continues, “I know I haven’t exactly been subtle about my feelings for you, but I’ve got your back, no matter what. And if I’ve done anything to make you uncomfortable–”
Aloy huffs out a nervous laugh and shakes her head. “No, you–you haven’t. I just–” She bites her lip again, gaze flitting about, seemingly looking anywhere but at him.
“Aloy–”
Suddenly she’s right in front of him, rising up on her feet and brushing her lips against his. Her lips are dry and cracked but warm, and Erend’s heart almost stops at the sensation. All of the thoughts and feelings swirling around his mind come to a screeching halt because Aloy. Is. Kissing. Him.
It’s brief and incredibly gentle, but it absolutely devastates him.
Aloy pulls away and looks up at him shyly. Her cheeks are flushed the most delightful shade of red and her eyes are soft – softer than he’s ever seen them.
Erend can’t help but lift a hand to touch his lips. Did that really just happen?
“Was that–was that okay?” she asks hesitantly. “I don’t have much practice, but–”
He cuts her off by kissing her again. She holds herself rigid for a moment before she relaxes and her lips soften against his. She tastes like the ale they’d been drinking earlier, but sweeter, richer. Blessed forge, he’s kissing Aloy, and it’s better than he ever imagined.
This kiss lasts longer than the first, and when she pulls back, Erend lifts a hand to cup her cheek. Her eyes are shining in the moonlight, and he can’t deny the sheer affection he sees in them.
“Aloy,” he croaks. “You–what does this–”
“I like you, Erend.” Aloy offers him another shy smile. “It just… took me a while to realize it. And honestly, even if I had realized it before, I wouldn’t have been ready. My experience with Seyka taught me that.”
Erend’s mind is still struggling to catch up, but he recognizes that what she’s saying is good. “Are you… are you saying you’re ready now?”
Aloy’s smile widens. “Yeah. I think I am. Assuming you are, as well.”
He answers with another kiss. This time, there’s no hesitance from either of them. Their lips meet and Aloy leans into him, settling one hand on the curve of his neck, while he cups the back of her head. He savors the press of her lips and the heat of her skin, so soft against his. It’s perfect, and Erend can’t think of a single moment when he’s ever been this happy. He feels like he’s dreaming, but the sharp press of Aloy’s nails against his neck tells him otherwise.
He’s not sure how long it’s been when they finally part. Aloy steps back to give him the sweetest, most besotted grin he’s ever seen from her, and Erend is certain he’s wearing one to match.
“So, we’re… we’re doing this?” he asks, because he has to be sure.
Aloy nods and reaches for his hand. “Yeah, we’re doing this. If we’re facing the end of the world, I want you by my side.”
Erend smiles as he threads their fingers together. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”