“….”
“….”
Aether and Raven locked eyes in the thick silence.
Aether’s hand slid from her cheek, tracing her neck, brushing over her shoulder, and finally gliding down to her hand. His fingers danced lightly over her skin, seeking any sign of hesitation or resistance.
Yet, Raven’s face remained unreadable, hidden behind those ever-present sunglasses. Aether’s eyes flicked over to Thalia, who had her hand covering her face but was clearly peeking through the gaps in her fingers.
‘Sigh, at least she has some modesty,’ Aether thought, amused. But his focus quickly returned to Raven, “You are quite the sight,” he murmured, a teasing grin forming, “Cute bear underwear… I like it~” as he winked at her.
[+100 AP]
A faint blush spread across Raven’s cheeks, and her hands instinctively moved to cover the bear-printed fabric.
Aether couldn’t help but smirk at her subtle display of shyness, ‘So, she can feel embarrassment too…’ he mused, leaning in until their faces were only inches apart. Their breaths mingled, the air between them thick with tension. Yet, something was missing—a spark, a connection.
Aether parted his lips, inching closer, fully intending to close the gap between them.
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Raven’s body trembled slightly as if caught in the crosshairs of indecision, ‘I’m going to die soon anyway… maybe this isn’t so wrong… Might be our offspring able to regain what we lost…’ she reasoned with herself, forcing her lips to remain steady…. Yet, unconsciously, they pulled back, betraying her inner turmoil.
Thalia, eagerly anticipating a passionate kiss, watched with bated breath…
But then, Aether abruptly stopped, pulling back and sitting up with a cold, indifferent look in his eyes.
“I am disappointed, Raven Noir,” he said flatly, his voice devoid of warmth.
Raven’s eyes widened in shock, “W-What?” she stammered, startled by the sudden shift. Aether’s gaze was blank, his expression hard as if looking at something… filthy!
That made her body tremble in…. Anger!
Thalia frowned, equally confused, “Aether, what are you doing?” she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.
Aether ignored her, his eyes fixed on Raven with an intense look of disdain, “I’m truly disappointed in you, Raven Noir. I once thought highly of you. To think, I admired a woman who was willing to sleep with a man she doesn’t even love… for some hollow reason… It’s disgusting.”
Raven’s body trembled, not with fear, but with the beginnings of rage.
Her aura flared up, barely contained!
Aether continued, his voice icy, “Is this what you do with everyone? Or am I just the latest in your collection?”
“AETHER!!!” Raven roared, her fingers transforming into sharp claws as she lunged at him, grasping his neck. Her nails pierced his skin, drawing blood, but Aether’s expression remained unmoved, only deepening his look of disgust.
“O-okay, stop now!” Thalia jumped to intervene, trying to separate them, but neither Aether nor Raven seemed to hear her.
Suddenly, Aether’s expression shifted. His eyes softened, startling both women.
Raven’s claws dug deeper into his flesh, but Aether didn’t flinch. Instead, he leaned forward, pushing against her grip as more blood flowed from his neck. Raven’s eyes widened, and in that moment of shock, she released her hold.
Aether took that moment to lean in and kiss her forehead softly. He then moved lower, placing gentle kisses on her neck and travelling down to her abdomen, just below her chest.
He paused there, his hand resting lightly over her stomach… right where he had once stabbed her, countless times.
His eyes trembled as he stared at the spot, memories flooding back.
He hadn’t known her, and if he had, maybe things would’ve been different…. But none of that changed the fact that her blood was on his hands.
He had killed her before, with his own hands!!
Aether closed his eyes, his heart heavy with the weight of those memories…. He could never forget that!!
He didn’t love her… at least, not yet… but he understood her suffering.
It mirrored his own…. An emotional pain that was hidden deep inside!
She was hiding behind her stoic, unreadable mask, just like he hid behind his smiles.
Aether’s trembling hands brushed against Raven’s bare stomach, his touch cold against her skin.
Raven frowned, her mind reeling with confusion. She couldn’t grasp what Aether was doing. Glancing at Thalia for some form of understanding, she found Thalia equally puzzled, her frown mirroring Raven’s.
Suddenly,
Drip….
A tear landed on Raven’s stomach, startling both her and Thalia.
“A-Are you crying?” Raven’s voice, full of disbelief, quivered in the air.
But Aether remained silent. His lips pressed against her stomach in a long, lingering kiss that carried the weight of something deeper. After what felt like an eternity, he finally whispered, “I… I am truly sorry.”
The raw emotion in his voice made both women freeze, their hearts seeming to pause in their chests…. They didn’t understand why!
Slowly, Aether stood up, collected his clothes, and moved towards the door, “I can’t touch a woman who doesn’t love me,” he said softly,
“I’m a pathetic loser, chasing the dream of a loving family.
I thought I found someone, but… it seems it was all just a delusion. I’m sorry, Raven Noir.” With that, he left the room.
Yet, neither Raven nor Thalia could move. His words echoed, lingering like a heavy fog.
Drip…
A single tear slipped from Raven’s eye, surprising her. She blinked, her mind unable to comprehend why she was crying.
The sincerity in his apology had shaken something deep within her, something she couldn’t quite grasp. It was as if Aether’s words had reached into her very soul… as if she knew something, ‘M-My soul trembling? Why? did something happen between us?’
Thalia, too, felt the weight of his words. Her own tears rolled silently down her cheeks, her lips trembling as she tried to maintain composure, ‘I never thought he loved her this much… what a man!’ she thought.
Meanwhile,
[+200 AP]
[+200 AP]
Aether smirked as he walked down the quiet street, glancing at his internal log, ‘Not bad…’ he thought, feeling a sense of satisfaction.
His plan to break down the walls between them was working, step by step. He nodded to himself, though, in truth, the kiss on her stomach had almost made him lose control.
He could still remember her face when she died at his hands…. The pain in her eyes, the unspoken sorrow… that she could achieve something.
Slap!
He slapped his own face, snapping himself out of the flood of emotions, “Everything will be alright!” he muttered aloud, almost like a mantra.
He often found himself weighed down by memories and regret, but as someone once told him, he needed to accept the truth and embrace the present.
He had been given a second chance, and he wouldn’t waste it moping around.
He needed to have a strong heart.
[Good]
His log flashed, reassuring him as he gazed up at the dark, moonless sky. This time, this second chance…. he would mak–
“I smell something tasty here~ Hey, pretty boy~ Come here for a second~”
Suddenly, a seductive, ethereal voice interrupted his thoughts, sending a shiver down his spine.
Aether’s instincts flared, his skin prickling with an unfamiliar sensation… something other than fear.
It was… unsettling.
He turned to find the source of the voice and saw a towering feminine figure standing in the shadowed street.
‘Why the hell is no one around?’ Aether cursed inwardly, finally realizing how deserted the street was. The shops that should’ve been open were shuttered, and the usual bustling crowd had vanished.
Before he could react, the figure closed the distance with bloody red eyes that shone in the dark night, “Hey, pretty boy~” she cooed, her voice dripping with dark temptation.
!~Ding~!