DECADENT

❝ Do you know what it is like to never be able to make mistakes? To feel like a million eyes are always watching you. Just waiting for you to screw something up so that they can tell the whole country about it. ❞ When the stress gets too much for him, Fletcher tends to find himself venting to her. || @decadentscribe ||

IT‘S CLEAR THAT HE‘S PENT-UP. She could already tell just by his body language—it‘s clear on the tightness of his shoulders and tension on his jaw. Vanna couldn‘t care less about people, but somehow, she had Fletcher familiarized. As he voices out his frustration, she‘s all ears, listening to him intently. ❝Why does it matter? You‘re only choosing what to show. The way they view you shouldn‘t hold any weight.❞ Maybe it‘s easier than done for someone like her, but all she can say is a little encouragement for him. ❝Only you can live your life in your own terms. If not, you‘ll end up miserable.❞

❝ I don't remember the last time she slept through the night. ❞ It had definitely been awhile since the two had actually been able to have some them time without their daughter waking in the middle of the night. || @decadentscribe ||

EDWIN ISN‘T ENTIRELY INEXPERIENCED WHEN it comes to taking care of a baby. In his first marriage, he had helped out Fleur with her child from time to time. He hadn‘t been completely hands-on, but he had done his best to be present whenever he could. But now, he‘s dealing with their daughter—their own flesh and blood—and he feels a mixture of exhilaration and anxiety. He‘s determined to do things right. He doesn‘t want to screw it up for them. ❝So do I,❞ he says, checking the baby in her crib one last time. He walks over to Kimberly and joins her in bed. ❝But I also can‘t remember the last time we‘ve slept properly.❞

❝ When have you ever known for me to not be truthful, Alice? ❞ It is wrong to be questioning her possibly trust in believing his words when in fact he is lying to her about what had happened between the two. It is pretty obvious that she doesn't remember his confession of being in love with her. Something that he had been holding onto for some time, -- and why he decided to tell Alice when she had been very intoxicated? Nicholas isn't exactly sure. ❝ Was it seeing him in general, or seeing the life that you thought you were going to have with him playing out with another woman? ❞ It is both cruel and harsh of him to ask her such a question, but he had grown tired of tiptoeing around the facts. Around the reality that the other male had picked another woman.

❝YOU‘RE RIGHT. THERE‘S NO REASON for you to lie to me.❞ Alice knows that she could trust Nicholas with her life. He wouldn‘t lie to her. If there‘s someone who could tell her the truth and make her see things from a different perspective, it would be him. She had gone through many life changes, but he had remained a constant. To say that she appreciates and treasures him would be an understatement. Deciding to let go of the subject, she moves on from the conversation, focusing on her woes about her ex-fiancé. The question Nicholas poses is harsh, but it prompts her to think deeply. She‘d done her best to move forward, but seeing Lucien with Josephine had made her feel some type of way. ❝Maybe both? I‘m over it but there‘s a part of me that‘s. . . that‘s bitter. Like she took away something that‘s supposed to be mine.❞

The 'marriage' is more of a nuisance than anything, a mistake committed during a drunken stupor. In the light of day and sober as stone, Minki can't begin to understand what his inebriated self might have been thinking. But he knows what he thinks now. Sia is someone that he wishes would go away, yet simultaneously he is compelled to keep close. Only because then he could keep an eye on her. Of course that's the only reason, an annoyed gleam clear in his eyes. "I miss you like I would similarly miss a wart I'd had removed from my skin," he quips back, not bothering to play pretend, underhandedly calling her ugly though the gorgeous woman is nothing of the sort. "How have you been occupying your time, since you have oddly ceased bothering me at every turn?" Something they both had done at the beginning, as if one of them would give in if the other's presence was suffocating enough.

FROM AN OUTSIDER‘S POINT OF view, this would be a bizarre situation. They‘re notorious criminal in their fields. Matriomonial ties can become a vulnerability, after all. If anyone heard about what occurred, they probably wouldn‘t believe it. Anyone would think that the two getting married signifies the end of the world. What‘s stopping her from filing a divorce? It‘ll solve all their problems easily, but somehow, she doesn‘t want to. Making decisions for the sake of self-preservation had always come naturally to her. Being too entangled with Minki would put her in jeopardy, but she‘s already knee-deep in this web, and she finds it difficult to pull away from him. She‘s drawn to him like a moth to a flame. ❝Aw, how touching to hear from my darling husband,❞ she ripostes, purposely drawling on the title. ❝Why do you ask? Are you worried that I‘d get into trouble?❞ A playful lilt in her voice, blue eyes glaming with mischief. Daring to close the distance between them, she places her hand on his chest, and leans to whisper in his ear. ❝I‘ll be the honest one here. I‘ve missed you. I‘ve missed seeing you miserable. And you‘re going to be seeing a lot of me from this day onwards.❞

❝ You really want to marry him? ❞ Fredrik has no right to be asking her such a question, -- but their connection had been real to him. Not caring what sort of reaction he'd get out of Victor for loving his sister. || @decadentscribe ||

❝HE‘S A GREAT PERSON, AND he‘s good for me. It‘s also the right thing to do.❞ Victoria genuinely adores her fiancé, but there‘s also a part of her that yearns for the man in front of her. The only way to deal with her conflicting feelings is to choose the sure and stable option, and Frederik is far from it. ❝Why does it matter to you anyway?❞

The softness, the goodness, that Fleur exudes is something that always leaves Jason in awe. That such a person could exist amidst the chaos of the world is a wonder to him, and she is a treasure to behold. A piece of gold that he does not feel worthy of. The love and affection she offers him in spades leaves him breathless, her touch a balm to his rough edges, bringing to the surface his soft heart that he attempts to mask and keep hidden in his line of work. He is helpless to her, craving her every touch, leaning his cheek into her hand. Any affection he receives from her feels unearned, even if it heals him effortlessly. The rational side of him knows that he has to keep pushing her away. It's the sentimental side of him that screams and roars, wanting nothing more to seize what she is freely offering. He wants to be worthy of her faith. He blinks away the tears that gather in his eyes, fingers grasping Fleur's tightly. "I want you, too," he admits, voice cracking. "But I want more than anything is for you to be safe." Dark eyes are swimming with turmoil, torn between reason and emotion. What he has learned in his time in Panacea is that he has to let reason rule. Yet..."I love you," he admits openly. "But I want you to have everything you deserve. I can't guarantee you that this path will be smooth. Obstacles stand between us. Do you understand that?"

IT‘S CLEAR THAT JASON DOESN‘T have high opinions of himself, but Fleur thinks otherwise. She sees all of him. The good and the bad. And regardless of everything she‘d discovered, the fact that she deeply loves him remains. To truly love someone means to accept everything about them, and while it is daunting, it‘s one that‘s worth braving through. Her hands linger on his cheeks, tenderly stroking and tracing every outline of his face, completely in awe of this man in front of her. He leans into her touch, finding his response encouraging. He reciprocates her affection, and it brings a lot of hope. She meets his gaze and sees the tears in his eyes, deeply moved by the sight of it. It must not have been easy for him to display such vulnerability and bare his heart out like this. She smiles at his admittance, and then comes a renegade tear in her eyes, completely overwhelmed by the emotions that engulf her whole being. Even though he had never said it, she‘d always known that he loves her back, but hearing it directly from him hits differently. ❝You can‘t shield me from all the dangers in this world, and so does my family. No one can. I‘m only human, and I‘m bound to get hurt. But I‘m also strong enough to be able to take everything.❞ His words don‘t scare her. She genuinely believes in herself, and the inner strength she possesses. She closes her eyes and leans to press her forehead to his, taking his hands in hers. ❝I understand that.❞

“… it’s just been a while, that’s all.” heejin shrugs, deciding not to make a huge deal out of this when she knows that despite the proceeding divorce, there’s still a part of them that cares deeply for each other and she’d do the same for him if the roles were reversed. “thanks,” she takes the cup of coffee offered with a smile, feeling a sort of bittersweetness settle within her, appreciating his gesture. ironic how the thing that’s gotten them back to conversing somewhat peacefully would be an accident that could’ve risked her life had luck not been on her side.

❝IT REALLY HAS,❞ FLYNN AGREES with a nod. They had grown apart, but despite everything, his concern for Heejin had always remained. With how estranged they had become, he hadn‘t been expressive with his affections, not knowing where their relationship stood anymore. He had looked out for her covertly, in his own way. Even though he doesn‘t show it, he‘ll always care for her, regardless of them being in the middle of a divorce. The news of her accident had shaken him. She had ended up with a minor injury, but it had prompted him to take care of her. He could‘ve asked anyone else to do it for him, but he wants to be present this time. Somehow, he gets the feeling she‘ll do the same for him. The finalization of their divorce is near, and he wants to make the most of their time together. ❝How are you feeling now?❞ he asks softly, turning to face her.

"is that what they say?" she questioned, her tone a little mocking, but she was always like that. she would hope michael (that was his name, right?) could see that she definitely wanted him. enough that she didn't wake his roommate up with her lips wrapped around his dick, because they was a way better option. "guess what else i want? to get really fucked. are you able to do that?" she questioned, hand moving to their chest as she gently rubbed it. hart knew it was a bitch move, but she hadn't expected to see either of them after she snuck off during the night.

IT‘S CLEAR THAT THE gorgeous blonde is used to getting what she wants. Her coming here to seek him has certainly proven that. Michael‘s amused, finding her boldness sexy. It rouses his urge to fuck her hard right then and there, his cock throbbing in his pants from arousal. ❝Hm, is that a challenge?❞ they quip playfully, a teasing simper curling their lips. Her hand moves to rub their chest, heat rising all over their body from the contact. They don‘t say anything else as they completely close the distance between them, pressing her against the wall. His hands reach for her breasts, pinching and tweaking her nipples, while he leans down to plant his lips on hers.

"did you find any candles in your search?" youngjo questions ae-ri, hands tucked into his hoodie. this was intended to be his last day as ae-ri's bodyguard and her fake boyfriend, yet here they remain, stranded in a cabin due to the heavily falling snow outside. "i couldn't find anything of use in the garage. other than these." he holds up a pack of beer. "some alcohol will definitely warm us up in lieu of the fireplace." this isn't the worst of circumstances, though he had been hoping for a clean goodbye with ae-ri. there's been that temptation to hold onto her, and he has to continually remind himself that they come from too different worlds for anything to work in the long run.

IT‘S SUPPOSED TO BE THE last day of their fake relationship. Truthfully, Ae-ri just wants to get it over with. Not because she doesn‘t like being with Youngjo, but rather, the opposite. She likes being with him too much, and she finds the thought of ending their contract and cutting ties dreadful. Distance would certainly help her move forward and shake off whatever growing feelings she had towards him. Hopefully. She doesn‘t believe in destiny, but it had a funny way of prolonging her agony, throwing her in this situation. The two of them had encountered a heavy snow and ended up stranded in a cabin. Right now, she‘s currently looking for candles they could use to warm them up and bring some light into the room. ❝I found two,❞ she announces, holding up the two thick candles she had found in an old chest. ❝I‘m not a beer person,❞ she admits, ❝but I guess there‘s no harm in trying something new.❞

❝ So, my family kind of does this Sunday family dinner, and I thought that maybe you'd like to come? I mean if not I won't hold it against. I promise. ❞ || @decadentscribe ||

❝A FAMILY DINNER? ARE YOU sure about that? I‘m honored to get an invite, but that‘s kinda big.❞ Ryle isn‘t opposed to the idea, but the thought of meeting her family is daunting, especially after the things he had heard about them.