Ch. 17: Elena and Mateo

                                    

                                          
Needed to put in another romantic song so...I chose a song from Journey to Bethlehem. Honestly, this movie was amazing and the songs- I can't stop listening to them! Milo Manheim though... aaaagh. He's amazing and I feel a bit weird that I find him good-looking when he plays Joseph in the movie...
Anyways, enjoy the story! This chapter may have a bit smooching :)
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Mateo headed down the hallway to his bedroom- Elena and his bedroom. The past three days, he's offered to sleep in his mother's house because Elena didn't exactly feel well. She's been blaming herself for the capture of Hugo and Sofia, so Mateo just decided to leave her alone.
Even though she's his wife, Mateo knew that either way, she would be stubborn and blame him. Or, she would blame herself and push everyone she's close to away.
Mateo sighed and knocked on the Queen's bedchamber doors. He heard rustles in the room and the door opened to reveal his goddess, Elena herself. Of course, her hair wasn't in the best state and her face seemed extremely dry from tears.
"Hey," Mateo squeaked, clearing his throat. No matter how many times he sees her, she's still glowing. No matter her mood, she's still beautiful.
Elena sighed and closed her eyes. "I thought you were staying away from me."
Mateo shook his head and entered the room, not bothering to let her invite him in. "You need someone to tell you about Sofia and Hugo."
Elena's eyes met his and she beckoned for him to sit on the bed beside him. "Yeah?"
"We found them," Mateo said after a long deep breath.
Elena's eyes immediately lit up and she gasped. Then she lunged at me and tackled me in a tight hug on the bed. "What happened?" she squealed, her body on top of his. Mateo laughed and wrapped his arms around his wife's waist, tucking his nose into her neck. He was glad she was back to her normal self.
"Gabe found them in a secret bunker, somewhere in the forests of Avalor," Mateo said, his voice muffled. "Don't worry. They're healing in the workshop."
Elena sighed and sniffled, her breathing shaky. "I-I am so sorry, Mateo," she said, her voice choked up.
Mateo sat up and Elena was sitting in his lap. "Don't be sorry about anything, my Queen. They're absolutely fine and the terrorists are gone." Hopefully, he thought. But Elena shouldn't know about this. Otherwise, she'll drive herself insane.
"If it wasn't for me, then they wouldn't have been-"
"Don't blame yourself," Mateo said firmly, wiping a tear off Elena's cheek. "After all, Gabe saved them and now they're fine so you don't need to blame yourself for any of this."
Elena shook her head, leaning her head against his shoulder. Mateo knew he was now married to her, but her comfort around him made him blush. Ever since she encouraged him to be the royal wizard a few years ago, he would always look at her with stars in his eyes. He always thought she didn't think of him the same way. 
"I'm so sorry, Mateo," she whimpered, wrapping her arms slowly around his neck. 
His cheeks turned red and asked, "Why?"
"For pushing you away. We both needed to help each other, yet I was stubborn and-"
"Don't blame yourself," Mateo repeated, this time holding his queen's head in his hands. "Sofia and Hugo don't blame anyone and this was all written in the stars to happen. However, I don't recall ever seeing bunkers in Avalor before."
Elena sighed and closed her eyes, leaning back against his shoulder again. "Let's just relax for a little bit. Everything should be going back to normal now."
Mateo slightly frowned. Back to normal? Elena and him didn't even share a bed yet since their wedding, and the closest they've ever gotten to being intimate, is when they were hugging. Sure, small kisses happened every now and then, but since the capture...it was like he was sent back to the friend zone.
He tried to brighten up. And being in the friend zone is no defeat! He's still liked by Elena, right?
...
Right?
Mateo closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he slowly shifted Elena so she was sitting by herself and got up, ready to leave the room.
"Where are you going?" Elena asked, confused eyes following his every movement. "Don't you want to stay?"
Mateo looked back at her, hand on the door handle. "Only if you wish, Your Majesty." His heart panged at how he called her by her title, not her name. It just came automatically.
Elena frowned and narrowed her eyes at Mateo, as if trying to decide what he was thinking. "You're hurt, aren't you?"
Mateo shook his head and forced on a smile. The guilt was killing him. "Not at all."
He was about to open the door when his wrist was pulled back by the queen's hand and spun so he was facing her. She was about a hair's breadth away from touching their noses together.
"Whoa," he squeaked. Elena looked at him with wide eyes and Mateo could see every detail in her irises. "Elena?"
"Mateo," she nodded, slowly backing him toward the wall. He was trapped, his back fully against the wall. "I'm sorry. I am inviting you to my room, and now you have to stay."
"Stay?" Mateo asked, as if it was an odd word on his tongue.
"Please," Elena added.
That did it. Mateo's heart nearly exploded with eagerness. His eyes couldn't help but linger on his wife's lips, wishing that he could taste them. This time, he wanted to explore her. He wanted to know her body like he knows her mind. He wanted to touch her (with her permission of course) and feel her like her mind is his own.
Mateo's heart beat rapidly and he wondered if Elena could feel it.
Elena tilted her head slightly and clenched Mateo's collar, pulling his head down so he was her height. Her eyes closed and her lips parted.
Do it, Mateo's mind chanted.
Their lips collided and Mateo has never felt any more alive. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach and his heart felt like it was going too fast. Their lips fit together like puzzle pieces, moving together just like ocean waves.
Mateo's hand swept Elena's hair to the side and tangled his fingers into it, running down her back and holding her waist firmly. Elena pressed him farther into the wall and soon broke the kiss so she could trail her lips down Mateo's jaw and neck.
Mateo felt like electricity was running through his veins. Magical sparks flew into the air- literally. Sparks erupted from his and Elena's hands, and Mateo figured it was from their strong emotions. Their powers twisted together in a dance, until they exploded with love, the shimmering specks raining down onto their faces.
Mateo looked at Elena, the look of adventure and curiosity filling his expression. Once again, he captured her lips in his once more, wishing he could have all of her. They could be one, their hearts merged together, their wings no longer tied by friend-zones.
Elena sighed and put her forehead on Mateo's shoulder. They sank to the ground together, holding each other tight, never wanting to let go.
"You're beautiful," Mateo murmured into her thick black hair, blushing when he realized he said that out loud.
Elena chuckled and looked up with her big eyes again. "You too, King Mateo."
They hugged for what seemed like forever. Nightfall came and they slept together, on the same bed. Mateo's heart grew that night, as he slept with his wife for eternity. Nothing could be more perfect than his life right now. Everything will be going back to how it should be within the next few days, and that made Mateo relax his arms that wrapped around Elena.
"I love you," he whispered in her ear. If Elena was awake, he didn't know, but the Queen opened her eye slightly and whispered it back while Mateo's brain slept off.
"I love you too."