Naomi muttered under her breath, "That's one way to say it."
Mira's gaze never left him.
"You don't ask for help lightly," she said quietly.
He didn't.
That was what made it real.
Lullaby's small hand slowly slid up his chest, resting lightly against his collarbone. Not gripping. Not claiming.
Just there.
"I can try," she said softly.
His lips curved faintly.
"Thank you."
Ely tilted her head slightly. "You trust her that much."
"Yes."
Simple.
No hesitation.
Lullaby's cheeks ward, but she didn't look away.
Sira scoffed softly. "You're turning this into a ritual."
Lux glanced at her.
"It is."
He didn't smile.
The words weren't playful anymore.
"When pressure builds," he continued calmly, "instinct overrides logic."
His thumb pressed slightly firr into Lullaby's waist.
"I don't want my instinct to hurt anyone here."
That softened sothing in the room.
Naomi's expression shifted.
"You think that little of yourself?"
"I think that highly of my power."
Honest.
Rava laughed softly. "That's the most Greed answer you could give."
He raised his glass slightly in acknowledgnt.
Mira leaned forward a little.
"And what exactly are you planning tonight?"
Lux's gaze moved between them slowly.
"I plan to indulge."
There was no sha in it.
No apology.
Pressure into pleasure.
Instinct into strength.
Sira crossed her arms. "And you think that will stabilize you."
"It will focus ."
Naomi exhaled slowly. "You really are different when you decide sothing."
He looked at her.
"I don't hesitate."
That wasn't arrogance.
It was survival.
Lullaby's fingers curled slightly into his shirt now. "You won't scare ," she said softly.
He looked down at her.
A faint shadow passed through his eyes.
"I don't want to."
"That's not what I said."
The room stilled again.
She lifted her chin slightly.
"I said you won't."
The confidence in her voice was quiet. Not Pride's sharp edge. Not Mira's dragon fire. Not Rava's ocean depth.
Just steady.
Lux held that gaze for one more second. Then he finished the last sip of wine, placed the glass down with deliberate calm, and stood.
"I will prepare myself," he said smoothly. "And maybe so toys for us."
Naomi nearly choked again.
"This will be a long night for ."
He didn't wink.
He didn't grin.
He just turned and walked out like a man heading into a board eting instead of his own bedroom.
The doors closed behind him.
Silence lingered for two seconds.
Then…
Rava leaned back and burst into low laughter. "He says that like he's scheduling an audit."
Mira exhaled slowly. "He is."
Naomi stared at the closed door.
"I'm worried about him."
The humor thinned.
Not gone. Just softer.
Sira swirled her wine slowly in the glass. "He's always like this."
"That's not comforting," Naomi said quietly.
Sira's jaw flexed slightly.
"I'm worried about him too."
The admission ca easily. No pride blocking it. No defensive edge.
Rava raised a brow.
"Really?"
Sira gave her a look. "I'm not blind."
The candlelight caught the tension in her shoulders.
"He acts calm. He jokes. He turns everything into strategy." She took a slow sip. "But he's cornered."
Mira's tail flicked once. "He thrives under pressure."
"Pressure cracks things," Naomi murmured.
Sira's lips curved faintly.
"Yes."
A beat.
"But it also makes diamonds sharper."
Naomi glanced at her.
"You don't think this is too much?"
Sira leaned back, crossing one leg over the other with deliberate grace.
"He was born into war."
"Not like this," Naomi whispered.
Sira's gaze sharpened slightly.
"No. Not like this."
She looked toward the door he had disappeared through.
"He's not just fighting enemies."
Rava leaned forward slightly. "You looked… interested."
Sira's smirk returned slowly.
"Oh, I am."
Naomi blinked. "Excuse ?"
Sira licked her lips unconsciously, catching herself half a second later.
"That side of him," she said quietly, voice lowering, "the one that loses control…"
Her fingers tightened slightly around the stem of her glass.
"It makes want to ta him."
The room went still.
Not shocked.
But aware.
Naomi stared at her. "You're serious."
"Yes."
Sira's gaze darkened.
"I want to see him struggle."
Rava chuckled softly. "Lust and Greed."
Sira ignored her.
"I want him to beg."
The word lingered.
Not cruel.
Not malicious.
Intimate.
"And," she continued more quietly, "make him lean on ."
There it was.
The truth beneath the hunger.
"Make him surrender."
Her voice softened at the last word.
The idea wasn't about domination.
It was about closeness.
Control offered and taken back.
Naomi's expression shifted from surprise to understanding.
"You want him to trust you that much."
Sira's blush was faint but real.
Mira smiled slightly. "You want to be the one he can't overpower."
The honesty was almost disarming.
Rava leaned back with a grin. "You're more sentintal than you pretend."
Sira shot her a glare. "Don't push it."
But she didn't deny it.
Naomi exhaled slowly.
"I just don't want him to burn himself out."
"He won't," Sira said.
"How can you be sure?"
Sira's gaze flickered toward Lullaby, who was now quietly sipping tea at the edge of the table.
"Because he asked for an anchor."
Lullaby's fingers wrapped gently around her cup.
"He won't lose himself," she said softly.
Naomi tilted her head. "You sound confident."
"I am."
Mira leaned forward slightly. "You really can pull him back?"
Lullaby smiled faintly.
"He listens to when I speak quietly."
The room softened.
Rava tapped her fingers lightly against the table.
"And what about the rest of us?"
Sira's smirk returned slowly.
"We don't let him get bored."
That earned a small laugh from Mira.
Naomi rolled her eyes. "You're all insane."
"Yes," Sira replied smoothly. "And he likes it."
The tension wasn't gone.
It was transforming.
From fear.
To heat.
From worry.
To anticipation.
Sira finished her wine and stood.
"Well."
She adjusted her dress casually.
"If he's preparing…"
Her eyes glead faintly.
"…we shouldn't make him wait too long. But… he isn't the only one who's preparing."
Naomi stood slowly.
"You're really excited."
Sira glanced at her, cheeks still faintly flushed.
"I want to see him try to act dominant while he's overwheld."
Rava laughed. "You're cruel."
"Strategic."
Mira stood as well, tail swaying.
"You're enjoying this too much."
Sira smiled without apology.
User Comments
0 comments from readers