#hatexlove

It was the kind of day that made you want to strangle Ethan Nakamura. You weren’t sure if it was the heat, the constant taunts, or just the fact that he was being more insufferable than usual, but everything about him made your blood boil. The smirk that never seemed to leave his lips, the cocky swagger in the way he walked—he was infuriating in the worst possible way.

You had been training all morning, swords clashing against each other in the arena. You could feel sweat dripping down your back as you tried to focus on your form, but it was impossible with Ethan constantly throwing insults your way.

“Nice try, princess,” he sneered, dodging your strike with that infuriating grace of his. “Maybe try swinging harder next time, or you know... put some effort into it.”

Your teeth ground together. Princess. He had the nerve to call you that every damn time he wanted to get under your skin.

“I’ll show you ‘princess,’” you muttered, tightening your grip on your sword.

“Oh, I’m sure you will,” he taunted, barely dodging as you lunged for him again, your sword slashing through the air. He smirked, effortlessly sidestepping. “If you ever get a clue.”

You were so sick of his smug attitude. You wanted to wipe that smile off his face. And you were done holding back.

With a growl, you charged at him—harder this time. The clash of your swords echoed in the arena as you both fought for dominance, each movement more aggressive than the last. Every parry and strike felt like a challenge, and with every move, the heat between you grew. The hate was thick, the air almost electric with tension. Neither of you was willing to back down.

“You think you’re better than me?” Ethan scoffed, his voice dripping with mockery. “You’re pathetic.”

“Shut up, Nakamura!” Your voice was strained, frustrated.

But he was relentless, his smirk growing wider with every angry move you made. You were practically seething now, every ounce of restraint slipping away with every jab. The more he taunted you, the more the words stung. Pathetic.

“You can barely hold your own,” he continued, dodging your strikes with ease. “Maybe you should go home.”

You swung harder, your chest tightening and your arm burning from the effort. “Maybe you should just—” You cut yourself off as your sword slipped from your grip, the hilt twisting in your sweaty hands, and for a brief moment, you were off balance.

In the blink of an eye, Ethan was on you—his chest colliding with yours as he grabbed your wrist, the force sending you both tumbling towards the ground. You didn’t know what happened, but suddenly you were on top of him, pinned beneath his weight, your face inches from his. His breath was coming in sharp, heated bursts, and his hands were still gripping your wrist with an intensity that made your heart race in a way you couldn’t ignore.

For a moment, there was silence. Your chest was pressed against his, your faces so close that you could see the frustration in his eyes, the same fury you were feeling mirrored in his gaze. You were both so close now; you could hear his heartbeat, fast and erratic, just like yours.

And then, without warning, you both moved at the same time. You didn’t plan it, didn’t mean for it to happen—but your lips brushed his in a strange, fleeting contact, the briefest touch of skin against skin.

It was enough.

Your breath hitched in your throat, and his eyes widened in surprise. But there was no time to pull away, no time to think. The space between you seemed to shrink even more, and before either of you could react, you both leant in again. This time, it wasn’t an accident.

The kiss was clumsy at first, teeth knocking against each other, lips not quite aligning—but it was raw, driven by something neither of you could put into words. All that rage, all that irritation, everything that had been building up between you two—suddenly, it was all there in this kiss.

For a second, you forgot you were supposed to hate him. The world outside of this small moment faded, and all that existed was the feeling of his lips on yours, the tension that had been suffocating you both, breaking apart just for a moment. His grip on your wrist loosened, his fingers brushing your skin like a spark of electricity. You felt that same fire in his touch, something that made your pulse race in a way you couldn't deny.

And then, as quickly as it started, you both pulled away.

Your heart was pounding, your breath ragged, but neither of you moved. You both just stared at each other in shock, the realisation of what had just happened hanging in the air like a question neither of you wanted to ask.