Pieces of potato churning in his mouth, he burst through her doorway. If she was still changing, it was her fault for being slow.
But instead, she was fully clothed and laying on her bed, tummy down and face in the pillow.
"Comfy, kid?" He asked, plopping down beside her.
She nodded, "I got tired all of a sudden." She mumbled, "My heart started to hurt."
He lay down next to her, taking her body and pulling her close so that their chests were pressed together again, "I'm sorry." He hummed, "I must've been away for too long."
He watched her face slowly change color, from a soft tan to burning pink.
"We've cuddled before." He whispered with a childish giggle, bringing her closer to him with the intent of teasing her.
But with their bodies so close and the soul caught in his heart ricocheting so wildly against his ribs, he was starting to feel dizzy again.
It was only a matter of minutes before he was acting like a handsy drunkard once more.
"Nianianiaaaa." He demanded through slurred whispers, "I feel sleepy too…cuddle meee."
He grasped one of her tiny hands, pressing it against his chest, "Can't you feel it?" The skin above his heart was so hot it almost burned her hand, it hurt to touch it but she continued, "It’s looking for you again."
"N-Nana said that most of it should be gone by tonight, since you didn't take that much blood from me." She responded, inching away.
He nodded tiredly, "I want you to be closer." He whispered, he could hear and feel her soul in his body, crying out to return home and be close, close, closer to her tiny little body.
It made his head feel so heavy, until thoughts didn't process anymore except for touching and feeling and wanting. Wanting her.
So he pushed her backwards against the bed, and this time she didn't, or possibly couldn’t fight him. When his lips found hers she accepted them and clung to him and when his hands became uncomfortable just clinging to her own she let them wander.
And when he whispered that he loved her, she whispered back an almost silent 'liar'.
And he affirmed over and over again that he was in love, each word sounding less and less like Ellis and more and more like a dream.
And her heart was broken over and over again with each syllable that left his lips in between fervent kisses.
And when he suddenly passed out, overcome by the Nia-soul inside him, feverish forehead gracefully landing against the side of her neck, she ignored the hot tears that leaked from her eyes.
She didn't know if the pain in her chest was pieces of her soul finding its home or if it was actual sorrow.
"You smell good." He suddenly whispered, ten or fifteen minutes later when he slowly began to regain consciousness, "it makes me want to eat you."
He nipped playfully at the side of her neck, until a stubborn hand pressed against his face, "No, no, it didn't end well last time, right?"
He pouted at her, then sighed, "I hope this whole thing ends soon – I keep passing out when I get close to you."
She said nothing, turning her face away so he couldn't read her.
She didn't have to worry about that though, he didn't even look at her.
She sighed, pulling herself free, "Mm... I'm going to help Nana. Her fingers don't work like they used to. I don't want her to hurt herself cooking,"
And then she escaped, only to have Ellis follow closely. It wouldn't do either of them very good to have Nia get sick again just because they were too far away from each other.
Nana looked up, ushering the pair out of her suddenly crowded little kitchen, "Why don't you to go out to the market and buy some more rabbit for me, I'm not sure I have enough, you two have wasted the entire day, get some air."
She had plenty of meat, but that was her secret to keep. The two youngsters definitely needed something to do, and the sun had just fallen.
Nia nodded, hopping out the door with Ellis still following closely.
"The market square is right down the street." She chirped, pulling his hand to keep up. She did her best to put the events in her bedroom behind her. If she acted too strangely, Ellis would question her.
They got there swiftly, and were soon behind a short a line for the butcher's vendor, though Ellis didn't release Nia's small hand.
"How big of a rabbit should we get?" Nia asked him, counting a few golden coins she whipped out of her pocket.
But Ellis didn't answer, and when Nia finally looked up from her money, she saw immediately the reason why.
A beautiful, tall blonde woman that Nia didn't recognize was just ahead of them, flirting with the young butcher, in what Nia assumed to be an attempt to get her purchase at a lower cost.
Nia huffed, squeezing onto Ellis's hand for a moment, he blinked and glanced at her, "You're right…" He muttered, "Can’t hit on one girl and hold hands with another."