Chapter 159 Chapter 159

Chapter 159 Chapter 159
Talon

When I walked inside, the house was mostly dark except for one downstairs light still on. I already knew before stepping further inside, Aurelia, I found her asleep on the couch with her laptop half open beside her and notes spread everywhere. The image stopped me briefly. Not because it surprised me Because it looked natural Like she belonged there completely No tension, no awkwardness. No sense of temporary presence Just familiarity.

When she woke up and immediately started defending herself by claiming she “accidentally died” studying, I almost smiled. I sat beside her afterward, letting the silence settle naturally between us, and again I felt that same reaction internally: relief. Not dramatic and not emotional in an overwhelming way, just release.
The house changed when she was in it. Softer somehow, less cold, and more importantly, I changed inside it too. I relaxed faster around her now. Without effort, without conscious decision That level of comfort is rare. Especially for someone like me.

As she leaned against my shoulder half asleep, I looked around the quiet room briefly, and I realized something fully for the first time. Nobody here viewed Aurelia as temporary anymore. Not the staff Not my family Not me. She had become part of the structure itself. And judging by how naturally it all happened, I think she was only just starting to realize it too.

Aurelia

I think the scariest thing about Talon wasn’t his last name. Or the money or the way entire rooms shifted when he walked into them. It was how controlled he always was. Not cold exactly Just contained, like every emotion passed through five security checks before it reached the surface.
Except with me. And even then, the changes were small enough most people probably wouldn’t notice them. But I noticed because I knew him now. The first time it really hit me was during a random Tuesday night in Silverridge.

I’d come over after classes because I had a long weekend, and honestly, the Blackwell house had started feeling more restful than campus lately. Talon got home late again. Shocking absolutely nobody, I was downstairs on the couch half studying and half watching some terrible reality show Amy forced me into when I heard the front door open.

A few seconds later he walked in, his suit slightly wrinkled, tie loose, and phone still in one hand, and immediately his eyes found me. Every single time It didn’t matter who else was in the room. His attention always landed on me first. Amy noticed it too.
She looked between us dramatically. “You two are actually disgusting," she said, but neither of us answered her. He crossed the room slowly while still listening to somebody talking through his phone.

Then he stopped beside the couch and rested one hand briefly against the back of my neck. Just for a second, tiny automatic comfort without thought, and somehow that small movement affected me more than huge gestures ever could.
Because Talon Blackwell was not casually touchy with people ever, “You ate?” he asked quietly while still half focused on the call.
“Yeah.”

He nodded once before finally ending the call. Amy stared at him suspiciously. “You literally became human around her," she said.
“I was already human," he replied.
"Debatable," she said. I laughed while Talon sat beside me. Close enough that our legs touched automatically Like his body just looked for me instinctively now. That part still got me every time.

The old Talon felt untouchable sometimes. This version felt… safe. Not softer with the world. Just with me Later that night after Amy disappeared upstairs, we ended up alone in the downstairs sitting room.

I was stretched out sideways against the couch reading through notes while he worked beside me on his laptop. The room stayed quiet except for typing sounds and soft music somewhere in the background. At some point I looked over at him.
“You’ve barely spoken in like twenty minutes.” I said,
“I’m working," he said.

“You can work and talk.”
"No," he said. 
I smiled. “You’re in a mood.”

“I’m tired," he replied. That answer came more honestly than usual. I noticed that too; lately he had started admitting exhaustion around me instead of pretending it didn’t exist. Small thing, but big difference.

I closed my notebook and shifted closer until my head rested lightly against his shoulder. “You should sleep earlier.”
“You say that constantly," he said.
“Because you ignore basic human needs.”
“I sleep," he said.

“You pass out for four hours and call it recovery.” I said, and that got the faintest breath of amusement from him. Then, without looking away from the laptop, he moved one arm automatically around my waist. Like instinct, I realized something quietly.

He relaxed physically around me completely. The version of him the world saw always looked controlled down to the smallest movement. Around me, he leaned into things. Rested against me Reached for me automatically Slept deeper, spoke quieter. Like his body understood before his brain did that he was safe here. That realization almost made my chest ache.

A few days later we were driving back from dinner late at night. Rain hit softly against the windows while the city lights blurred outside. He drove with one hand resting loosely on the steering wheel while the other stayed on my thigh casually. Again, natural.
Like he didn’t even think about touching me anymore; he just did. I looked over at him quietly. "What?" he asked.

“You’re clingier now," I said. That made him glance at me briefly. “I’m not clingy," he said.
“You literally touch me every five seconds.”
“That’s inaccurate," he replied.

“It’s absolutely accurate," I said. He looked back at the road calmly. “You complain about strange things; I have to when you're not here I can't," he said.
“I’m not complaining.” I said. Then, quieter, I admitted, “I like it. Something shifted slightly in his expression after that, subtle but there. His thumb brushed once against my leg before he spoke again. "Good," he said.

God, the simple things destroyed me way more than romance speeches ever could. When we got back to the house later, I followed him upstairs while he loosened his tie again. At this point I think I associated that motion with relief. Like he only fully relaxed after getting home.

He disappeared into his office for maybe twenty minutes while I changed into sleep clothes and got into bed. When he finally walked into the room afterward, he looked exhausted enough that even he couldn’t hide it. I lifted the blanket slightly. “Come here.”

He stared at me for a second. Then immediately did no argument. No pretending he still needed to work He just got into bed beside me and exhaled slowly. Once his head hit the pillow, I turned slightly toward him in the dim lighting.
“You okay?” I asked.
"Yeah," he said.

“Tired?”
"Yes," he said. That honesty again. I reached up and brushed my fingers lightly through his hair. The reaction was immediate. His entire body relaxed further.