The first thing Ghost noticed when he woke up was the silence.
Not the kind that meant nothing was happening.
The kind that exists just before everything starts again.
The arena outside hadn't come alive yet. No music. No announcements. No waves from the training pools. Only the faint hum of generators somewhere beyond the walls.
Gray morning light slipped through the thin curtains of the room.
And Ivy was still asleep against him.
Her head rested against his chest, one arm loosely draped across his stomach like sometime during the night she had shifted closer without realizing it.
Ghost didn't move.
For a moment he just watched her breathe.
Slow.
Steady.
Completely unaware of him studying her face like he was trying to memorize it.
Her hair was still slightly damp from the shower the night before, strands falling across her cheek. One of them moved every time she exhaled softly against his shirt.
He brushed it away before he even realized he was doing it.
She didn't wake.
His jaw tightened slightly.
She trusts you.
That realization sat heavy in his chest.
Most people around him didn't sleep like that.
Not near him.
Not relaxed.
But Ivy had fallen asleep in his arms like she had decided something important hours ago and wasn't second-guessing it anymore.
Ghost leaned his head back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling again.
The competition would start again soon.
New challenges.
New alliances shifting.
New reasons for people to betray each other.
But right now the room felt disconnected from all of it.
His hand rested lightly along her back.
Warm.
Real.
He could still feel the echo of last night in the way she leaned into him.
Ghost exhaled slowly.
Careful.
That voice again.
The one that always told him when to pull away before things mattered too much.
But another thought followed immediately.
Too late.
Ivy shifted slightly.
Her fingers moved against his shirt.
Not waking.
Just adjusting in her sleep.
Ghost looked down again.
Her eyelashes fluttered faintly.
He knew she wouldn't stay asleep much longer anyway. The camp would start waking within the hour.
Still…
He didn't want to move.
Didn't want to break whatever this quiet moment was.
His thumb traced a slow line along her arm.
That did it.
Her breathing changed.
Eyes opening slowly.
For a second she didn't move.
Then she blinked once and looked up at him.
The confusion lasted exactly half a second before recognition replaced it.
"You're staring," she murmured, voice still rough with sleep.
Ghost didn't even try to deny it.
"You drool when you sleep."
Her eyes narrowed.
"I do not."
"Little bit."
She lifted her head slightly, squinting at him.
"You've been awake long?"
"Yeah."
"Creepy."
Ghost's mouth tilted faintly.
"You were the one who said stay."
She looked around the room briefly, as if confirming where they were.
Then her gaze returned to him.
Something softer flickered across her expression.
"You didn't leave."
Ghost shrugged slightly.
"You were holding my shirt."
"That wouldn't stop you."
"No."
A small silence settled between them.
Different from the tension the night before.
Lighter.
But still charged.
Ivy shifted again, pushing herself up slightly so she could look down at him properly.
Her hair fell forward across her shoulder.
"Did you sleep at all?"
"Some."
"You look like you didn't."
"I'm fine."
She studied him for a second longer.
Then her hand slid slowly along his chest.
Not urgent.
Not demanding.
Just… curious.
Ghost felt it immediately.
His breath slowed slightly.
"You're doing that thing again," he said quietly.
"What thing?"
"Pretending you don't know exactly what you're doing."
Her mouth curved faintly.
"I have no idea what you mean."
"Right."
Her fingers traced small circles over his shirt now.
Ghost's hand moved instinctively to her waist.
"You're supposed to be tired," he muttered.
"I am."
"Then why are you smiling?"
"Because you look nervous."
He laughed once under his breath.
"I'm not nervous."
"Sure."
She leaned down slightly, her hair falling forward again as her mouth brushed lightly against his.
Not a full kiss.
Just a tease.
Ghost's hand tightened on her waist immediately.
"You're starting something early," he warned.
"You woke up early."
"That's not what I meant."
She kissed him properly this time.
Slow.
Still half-sleepy.
But deliberate.
Ghost felt the shift instantly.
The quiet room.
The early morning.
The memory of last night still lingering between them.
His hand moved up along her back.
Pulling her closer.
Ivy pressed against him again without hesitation.
Their kiss deepened slowly, the lazy calm of sleep giving way to the familiar tension that had been building between them since the arena began.
She pulled back just enough to breathe.
She smile a little and he look at her suspicious. She laugh a little and she moves down his body while kissing him. the further it goes down, the faster his breathing becomes. She slowly licks the bottom of his stomach until she reaches the line of his boxers. those eyes meet her gaze and she slowly moves them down those muscular legs until she removes them from her path. without giving him time to react she goes back to work and licks his penis. she takes one of his balls and sucks it gently. she goes up along his big hard member to his glans and she takes it entirely in her mouth. he arches his back and pushes his member even deeper into her throat. he lets her pleasure him for a moment but when her eyes meet his he strokes her cheek on both sides of her face. but instead of removing his hands afterwards he holds them more firmly and she stops moving so that he starts moving faster and faster. she chokes a little but she doesn't signal him to stop so he goes faster and faster until he is completely buried in her throat. instead of choking on his cum she swallows every last drop and he slowly withdraws. He pulls it sharply and places it beneath him. without giving her time to think, he plunges into her and it is her turn to arch her back. Kylian's hand slides along the ivy's body to place itself on her mouth, he blocks any sound that may come out of her mouth and he looks at her. Each blow gives these eyes more translucency. her gaze becomes glassy with pleasure and she joins every stroke given by him. he enters her so quickly that his body struggles to keep up with all the waves of pleasure coursing through his body. He hits her tenderly and he withdraws his hand to kiss her passionately. their bodies become one and this sensation only increases with each stroke they want more and each time they cum they ask for more. Kylian plunges very deep one last time propelling them both to orgasm.
he placed his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes.
"I will never be able to stop doing that."
"I definitely don't want you to stop doing that."
he laughs and leaves to go to the bathroom to get a cloth and wet it to clean them both.
"You know the camp's going to wake up soon," she whispered.
Ghost brushed his nose lightly against hers.
"Then we should probably get up."
She didn't move.
Neither did he.
Instead her fingers slid lightly along his jaw.
"You first."
He smirked slightly.
"Bossy."
"You like it."
"Sometimes."
Her eyes flickered with something playful.
Then she finally pushed herself up off the bed.
The room suddenly felt colder without her against him.
Ghost sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, listening.
Voices outside were getting clearer now.
Doors opening somewhere down the corridor.
Metal equipment being moved across the concrete floor of the arena.
Morning was coming whether they wanted it or not.
Ivy stood near the bed, pulling her hair back with both hands, twisting it loosely before letting it fall again across her shoulders.
Ghost watched her in silence.
There was something different now.
Not just the tension from the night before.
Something heavier.
Something that felt dangerously close to belonging.
He stood up slowly.
Ivy turned toward him, about to say something.
But before she could, Ghost stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.
Not gently.
Not roughly.
Firm.
Possessive.
Like he had made a decision and wasn't pretending otherwise anymore.
She let out a small surprised breath when his arms wrapped tightly around her back.
"Ghost—"
He didn't answer immediately.
He just held her.
One hand pressed against the back of her head, fingers sliding through her hair, keeping her close against his chest.
For a moment she could hear his heartbeat again.
Strong.
Steady.
And closer than it had ever been before.
"Ivy," he said quietly.
She lifted her head slightly to look at him.
"What?"
His eyes held hers longer than usual.
Searching.
Like he was still trying to understand how things had shifted so far, so fast.
"I'm not good at this," he admitted.
"That's reassuring."
A faint smile pulled at the corner of his mouth.
"You know what I mean."
She did.
Her expression softened slightly.
"You mean letting someone in."
Ghost nodded once.
His hand moved down along her back again, slower now, fingers pressing lightly into the fabric of her shirt.
"I've spent years making sure nobody gets close enough to matter," he said.
"And now?"
He looked at her like the answer annoyed him.
"Now you're standing in my room."
Ivy laughed softly.
"That's a terrible excuse."
"Maybe."
He stepped closer again, leaving almost no space between them.
His voice dropped slightly.
"But I meant what I said."
"What part?"
"That you're not allowed to disappear."
Something in his tone made her still.
It wasn't playful anymore.
It wasn't teasing.
It was… serious.
Possessive in a way that didn't feel controlling, but protective.
Ghost's hand moved to her jaw, his thumb brushing lightly along her cheek.
"I'm going to try," he said quietly.
"Try what?"
"This."
He gestured faintly between them.
"Whatever the hell this is."
Ivy studied his face for a second.
"You're making it sound very romantic."
"I'm making it sound honest."
That made her smile.
Ghost's hand slid back around her waist again, pulling her against him once more.
"Don't get used to me saying nice things," he muttered.
"Too late."
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
Another silence fell between them.
But it didn't feel awkward.
It felt… settled.
Ghost leaned down slightly, resting his forehead against hers.
His voice dropped again.
"You asked me to stop acting like this is doomed."
"I remember."
"So I'll try."
She blinked once.
"You're going to try?"
"That's the best deal you're getting."
Her smile widened slightly.
"I'll take it."
Ghost tightened his arms around her briefly, holding her close for a few seconds longer.
Not because he had to.
Because he wanted to.
Then he leaned back just enough to look at her again.
"But don't mistake something."
"What?"
His eyes darkened slightly.
"I'm usually good at pretending this kind of thing means nothing."
Her heart skipped.
"But not with you."
Her heart skipped.
"Good."
He brushed his thumb along her jaw again.
"Because if we're doing this…"
He paused.
His voice lowering just slightly.
"…I'm not sharing you."
The words hung in the air between them.
Possessive.
Direct.
Very Ghost.
Ivy raised an eyebrow slightly.
"You're aware we're in a competition with two hundred alliances."
"I'm aware."
"And people will talk to me."
"I know."
"And maybe flirt."
Ghost smirked faintly.
"They can try."
She laughed softly.
"You're impossible."
"Probably."
He kissed her again, slower this time.
Not rushed.
Not desperate.
Just a quiet promise.
When they pulled apart again, voices in the hallway were louder now.
Someone shouted something about the next challenge.
Ivy sighed.
"Well," she said.
"Reality."
Ghost glanced toward the door.
"Yeah."
She stepped back slightly.
"You ready?"
Ghost grabbed his shirt from the chair beside the bed and pulled it on.
His eyes returned to her immediately.
"More than yesterday."
She tilted her head.
"Why?"
His mouth curved faintly.
"Because now I have something to fight for."
Ivy stared at him for a second.
Then she shook her head, smiling.
"Careful," she said.
"You're starting to sound heroic."
Ghost opened the door.
Morning light spilled into the room.
He looked back at her once.
"Don't get used to it."
And together they stepped back into the noise of the arena.