(Innocence's POV)
"What's wrong with me?! Why can't you just... be with me?" I shouted. My voice cracked from the strain. "You told me you fell in love with me at first sight. What changed since then?!"
Markis didn't answer right away. He kept moving around the room, tidying up empty bottles, beer cans, takeout boxes—the chaos we'd been living in. For once, he was cleaning. Even opened the windows. Like it was a normal day.
"Markis!" I screamed again, louder, unable to take the silence.
He spun around, eyes sharp, and yelled back, "I was lying! You're not that stupid, are you?! There's no way you haven't figured it out by now!"
I froze. His voice was so raw it cut right through me.
"Yeah, I lied to you. You got caught up in a family feud—my bad. You know how to get home. You can leave anytime you want."
His words hit me like a slap.
I stood there, trembling. Then, without thinking, I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his waist, pressing my cheek against his back. My voice came out in a whisper.
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have yelled at you... I'm so sorry..."
He sighed.
His body was warm—too warm, like I was hugging a fever. But somehow, it felt good. Like I was clinging to a person instead of a void. Markis always felt like home, even when he made me feel like a stranger.
My parents never hugged me. They weren't cruel. Just... indifferent. We never ate together. Never talked. The only time they looked at me was to scold me. And after I dropped out of school, they stopped speaking to me altogether.
Last time I came home, they told me not to come back.
Markis turned around slowly, staying in my arms. He kissed me—softly. Tenderly. Too gently for what I needed. Then he tilted my chin up with two fingers and murmured,
"If you're sorry… then do me a favor. Don't come out of your room tonight. I'm having a guest over. I don't want to be interrupted."
I should've said no.
I wanted to say no.
But I was so lost in the way he looked at me, the way he touched me… I would've done anything he asked.
That night, I locked myself in. Like he wanted.
But I peeked.
Just once.
And I saw him. On the couch. Tangled up with someone who had long, teal hair. The kind of person he cleans for. The kind he smiles for.
Even from the hallway, I could see it—the way he kissed them was different. His hands moved with more care. More affection than I'd ever gotten from him.
My heart shattered.It was enough to jolt me awake.
But it wasn't a dream.It was a memory.
I blinked up—and found a silver-eyed woman sitting by my bedside.
Aluma.
I screamed.
She startled, then jumped onto the bed and gently placed a hand on my shoulder. "What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"
I bit my lip, unsure. Then… I nodded.
She stroked my hair softly. "I know how that is. I have them almost every night. Do you want to talk about it?"
I shook my head.
She smiled gently. "Since Jey's away, I'll be the one restoring you… if that's alright."
I didn't answer. Just stared at her blankly, then slowly held out my hands.
She took them.
Her energy poured into me like sunlight through a window. It wasn't like Raijian, who felt like fire and discipline. Or like his brother, who felt like cool water in a desert. Aluma was warmth. Softness. Like she saw me. And accepted what she saw.
If their healing matched their personalities, then Aluma must be a good person.
Which was a problem.Because I wanted to hate her.
She's the reason all of this hurts.
"It feels like you'll be all better by tomorrow," she said, yawning. "We'll stop here—I'm feeling a bit tired. There's another human downstairs. She made breakfast, if you're hungry."
"...Thank you," I whispered, almost too quietly to hear.
She laughed and waved as she left.
(Lisa's POV)
"Ahh!!♥ Valin... I can't take anymore!" I gasped, clutching the sheets.
He didn't listen.
His hands pinned my thighs as his mouth drove me to another dizzying orgasm. I couldn't feel my fingers. My skin tingled. I was shaking—maybe from overstimulation, maybe from how much I didn't want him to stop.
Eventually, he paused. Lifted me gently in his arms and carried me to the bathroom like I was something fragile. He placed me in the tub, then filled it with hot water, bubbles, salt, oils—everything comforting.
He kissed my cheek, lingering just long enough to steal my breath.
"I'll return as soon as I can," he whispered.
"I'll be waiting…" I mumbled, already fading.
I slipped into sleep. Warm. Safe. Loved.
When I opened my eyes again, a woman with long black hair was helping me out of the bath. She dried me off, wrapped me in a robe, and guided me back to Valin's room.
He was gone.
But he'd changed the sheets. Left his credit card on the bedside table. A sticky note stuck to it: "For Lisa."
Even when he wasn't here, he made sure I was okay.
I curled into his blankets. They smelled like his cologne and detergent. I closed my eyes and cried softly. Only for a minute. Just enough to feel it.
Later, I went grocery shopping. I wanted to do something nice for Aluma—for helping me when I couldn't even move. I bought chocolate chip waffle mix, eggs, and bacon. Nothing fancy.
It felt like enough.
"That smells nice," Aluma said as she walked into the kitchen, dressed in a sheer white nightgown and red lingerie. Behind her came a shy girl with brown hair, dressed in an oversized T-shirt and sweatpants.
"Yeah, it's not much," I said. "I like strawberry syrup, but I got maple too."
"Strawberry? …Maple?" Aluma looked genuinely confused.
I handed her a plate.
She picked up a piece of bacon with her fingers. Took a bite. "Oh! It's salty and crispy!"
Then she picked up the eggs with her hand too.
It was strange—watching someone so elegant eat like a toddler. The brown-haired girl, Innocence, handed her a fork and demonstrated how to use it properly.
"Oh! Thank you, Innocence," Aluma beamed, copying her.
"What's this called?" she asked after tasting her waffle.
"Waffles," I replied. I poured a bit of strawberry syrup on her plate. "Try dipping it."
She did.
Her eyes widened. "Delicious! It's so sweet!"
I couldn't help but smile. She was like a child trying chocolate for the first time.
She began combining things, giggling at every new bite.
Innocence stayed quiet, but she had a soft presence. She felt... like me. Another human. Another heart trying to heal.
"Do you like it?" I asked, hoping to start a real conversation.
Aluma turned to me. "You're pretty. Are you an Afarion too?"
My face flushed. "What?! No—I'm just normal!"
"No," she insisted. "You're really cute. Like, unfairly cute. You're probably the cutest adult woman I've ever seen."
I covered my face. "I'm just... a regular girl…"
"But back to the food—do you like it?"
Aluma grinned. "Duh. If you messed up eggs and waffles, I'd ban you from the kitchen."
I laughed. That was a compliment. Sort of.
Later, I ordered pasta and breadsticks for dinner and picked out a movie. Something soft. Something that felt like comfort.
Maybe if I stay long enough, this place won't just feel like Valin's.
Maybe it could feel a little like mine, too. That way, waiting won't feel so bad.