Chapter 17: I Love You... (R18)

Han's eyes fluttered open, and he found himself lying on the cold marble floor of the lobby. The dim glow of the torches flickered overhead, casting long shadows across the grand chamber. The oppressive pain from before? Gone. The suffocating weight of his soul being torn apart? Gone.

No... there was something left.

Strength.

A raw, undeniable force surged through his very being, coursing through his veins like liquid fire. It wasn't just physical—it was deeper, more profound. His soul itself pulsed with newfound power, as if it had been reforged into something greater.

"Han! Are you alright?!" Shay's voice broke through the haze, her hands gripping his shoulders as she peered down at him, her golden eyes full of worry.

Han's heart clenched.

"What... is this feeling?" he thought, swallowing hard. His chest tightened, a strange warmth flooding him. "Why am I feeling like this?"

Then, it hit him.

"That fucker..." Han inwardly cursed, his thoughts snapping to Han Islat. "Did my soul merging with his make me inherit his feelings for her?"

He had received all of Han Islat's memories, his experiences—but emotions, too? And what about his personality, then? Did he inherit that as well.

He barely had time to sort through his thoughts before Shay's voice rang out again, this time more desperate.

"Answer me, damn it!" Her voice cracked, her hands trembling. Tears welled in her eyes, slipping down her cheeks.

Han's chest tightened even further at the sight. Without thinking, he reached out.

"Shay..." He spoke her name softly, almost reverently. His yellow feral eyes glowed with an unfamiliar gentleness as he wiped away her tears with his thumb, his hand cupping her cheek.

She froze at his touch, her breath hitching.

"When you cry like this, it makes me remember all the times I beat you back at the village," Han murmured, his voice slow and warm.

Shay's eyes widened. "Wait...! Does that mean—?" Her face lit up with a mixture of shock and hope. "So you remember?!"

Han smiled slightly. "Yeah... I remember now."

He pushed himself up, his movements smooth, his face now just inches away from hers. Shay's breath caught in her throat at the sudden closeness, her face heating up.

"And I have to say something to you," Han continued, his voice lower, more intense.

"S-Something...?" Shay stammered, her heartbeat hammering in her chest. The proximity was overwhelming, intoxicating. "W-What is i—"

Before she could finish, Han closed the gap between them.

His lips pressed against hers.

Shay's mind blanked, her body tensing at first—before a wave of warmth melted through her. Her fingers clutched at the fabric of his shirt as she instinctively leaned into him, her heart pounding like a war drum.

For a brief, breathtaking moment, the world around them disappeared.

Just the two of them.

Locked in a kiss neither of them had seen coming—but one that had been waiting for far too long.

Her hands gripped Han's tunic tightly as she deepened the kiss, her tongue slipping into his mouth with a hunger that sent shivers down his spine. Han's breath hitched. He hadn't expected her to be so… aggressive. But damn, he wasn't complaining.

Fuck, her lips are so sweet… Han thought, savoring the intoxicating taste of her. And my heart… my heart feels like it's about to explode right now. Is this what love feels like?

His fingers found their way into her golden hair, pulling her closer, pressing their bodies together as the heat between them grew unbearable. Shay whimpered against his lips, her hands moving up to cup his face, as if she was afraid he would disappear if she let go.

Han felt it—the undeniable connection between them.

He pulled away slightly, breathing heavily, his forehead resting against hers. Their eyes met, both hazy with passion, but Han's gaze softened as he whispered, "I love you."

Shay's golden eyes widened for a brief second before they shimmered with overwhelming emotion. A blush covered her cheeks as her lips trembled, forming the words she had longed to say.

"I love you too."

Her voice was breathless, filled with the same raw sincerity that burned in his chest. Han chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from her face, his thumb lingering on her cheek. She leaned into his touch, her gaze locked onto his as if nothing else in the world mattered.

This was it. There was no turning back.

Han pulled her into another kiss. This time, he was the one taking control, his lips moving hungrily against hers. His tongue swirled with hers, exploring, savoring every inch as if he couldn't get enough of her taste. Shay moaned, her body pressing into his as his hands roamed down her back, pulling her flush against him. The heat between them was unbearable, the need for each other growing with every passing second.

Han pulled away, both of them panting heavily. His eyes darkened with desire as he gazed at her, a slow smile spreading across his lips. "Remember when you told me that you would have helped me out with my desires, Shay?"

Shay's face flushed a deep red, her eyes widening. "I-I was only teasing you back then—" she stuttered, her voice barely a whisper.

"Well, do you think that's important right now?" Han's voice was low, husky, as he started to remove the armor plating off Shay's body. Each piece fell to the floor with a soft thud, revealing more of her beauty to him. Shay's face was bright red, but she couldn't bring herself to stop him.

She was stunned. She had never imagined that Han would be so… direct. But then again, he had always been the one who spoke his mind, hadn't he?

As the last piece of armor fell away, Shay stood before him in just her clothes. Han's eyes roamed over her body, a hungry look in them. She was beautiful, every inch of her, even with her clothes on.

Shay felt exposed, vulnerable in a way she had never experienced before. But instead of fear, there was excitement coursing through her veins. She had dreamed of this moment for so long, and now that it was here, she couldn't believe it was happening.

Han's hands reached for her, pulling her close to him once again. She could feel the heat radiating off his body, the intensity of his gaze as it locked onto hers. There was no hesitation in his actions, no uncertainty.

This was Han. Her Han. The man she had loved for so long.

Without a word, Han leaned in, his lips capturing hers in a searing kiss. It was different from the one before—deeper, more passionate. Shay felt her knees go weak, her body melting into his as his tongue explored her mouth. She moaned into the kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck to pull him closer.

Han's hands slid down her back, gripping her hips tightly before sliding lower to grab her ass. Shay gasped, breaking the kiss as he lifted her off the ground. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, her heart racing as she realized what was happening.

"Shay," Han murmured, his eyes dark with desire. "I need you."

His words sent a shiver down her spine. There was a raw honesty in them, a hunger that she couldn't ignore.

"I need you too," Shay whispered back, her voice trembling.

Han carried her towards the wall of the nearby building, pressing her against it as his mouth found hers again. Shay could feel the hard length of his desire pressed against her core, and it sent a jolt of excitement through her. She had never felt this way before, never experienced this kind of passion.

One of Han's hands slid between them, fingers deftly undoing the fastenings of his pants. Shay's heart hammered in her chest as she felt him spring free, his hot length pressing against her now. She was nervous, but there was no fear—only anticipation.

Han reached down, lifting Shay slightly before slowly lowering her onto his length. Shay gasped at the sensation, her nails digging into his shoulders as she felt him stretch her. It was a strange feeling, but not unpleasant. As Han filled her completely, she felt a sense of fullness, of completion that she had never known before.

"Are you okay?" Han asked, his voice strained with the effort of holding back.

Shay nodded, her breath coming in short gasps. "Y-yes," she whispered. "Please, Han… I need you to move."

Han didn't need to be told twice. With a low groan, he started to move, thrusting into Shay with slow, deep strokes. She cried out, her head falling back against the wall as pleasure surged through her. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before—intense, overwhelming, all-consuming.

Han's mouth found her neck, kissing and nipping at the sensitive skin there. Shay arched into him, her hips moving to meet his thrusts. Each movement sent sparks of pleasure through her, building into something she couldn't contain.

"Han…" she whimpered, her fingers tangling in his hair. "Please… faster…"

Han obliged, picking up the pace as he drove into her. Shay's cries filled the atmosphere, mingling with Han's grunts of pleasure. The sound of their bodies moving together, the slap of skin on skin, was erotic in a way Shay had never imagined.

She felt herself getting closer and closer to the edge, her body tightening with each thrust. Han must have sensed it too, because he reached down between them, his fingers finding her most sensitive spot. The moment he touched her there, Shay felt herself fall apart.

"Ha-an!" she screamed, her back arching as waves of pleasure washed over her. Her inner walls clenched around him, and Han groaned, his thrusts becoming erratic as he chased his own release.

Seeing Shay lose herself like that was too much for him. With a final, deep thrust, Han found his release, spilling himself inside her. He held her there, buried deep, as they both rode out the waves of their orgasms.

As the pleasure began to fade, Han slowly lowered Shay to her feet, his arms still wrapped around her. They were both panting, their chests heaving as they tried to catch their breath.

Shay looked up at Han, her golden eyes shimmering with tears. "I love you," she whispered, her voice full of emotion.

Han smiled, brushing a stray hair from her face. "I love you too, Shay. More than anything in this world."

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, Shay knew that this was just the beginning. They still had battles to fight, challenges to overcome. But for the first time, she wasn't afraid. Because she knew that no matter what came their way, they would face it together.

And that was all that mattered.

To be continued...

***

***

How was this chapter? It's my first R18 chapter, so if there's anything I need to improve please tell me.

Also, I finally decided for the blacksmith. I won't choose Romina anymore, I'll just let Hephaestus, I'll change her name and make her younger, that should solve the problem. Also, the Ethereal Star concept and his new skill will be explained in the next chapter.

Oh, and I've started my other fic, Solo Leveling: Lust Monarch, go give it a try!