#julenath

“Hey, Jule, you look fantastic!” While many things about theyoung woman might have changed over their years in school together, her habitof being easily flustered certainly hadn’t. Cheeks turning adorably pink, shelooked down at the ground and rubbed her arm nervously.

“Thanks,” she mumbled, voice barely audible behind the curtainof purple and black hair that fell in her face. He also thought he heard a ‘youtoo’ on the end of that, but he couldn’t be sure.

“Is that skirt new?” he asked, hoping to make her feelcomfortable enough to look him in the eye again. He had been friends with hersince middle school, and they had always shared a special bond as the classhipsters, but getting her to warm up in any conversation was always a bit of aprocess. Not that he minded—her company once he cracked the shell was wellworth the wait.

“Oh, not exactly…” She glanced down at her outfit as shespoke. She looked absolutely perfect for the occasion, sporting black combatboots that had silver studs on them, black lace stockings that went up to herthighs, a frayed black skirt with some purple layers underneath poking through,a front-laced black corset top, and her signature black lace arm socks. And totop it all off (literally), she had a mini purple and black top hat pinned perfectlycrooked atop her head. “I’ve had a lot of this for years, I just…only take itout for special occasions.” She glanced up at him and he met her eyes with whathe hoped was an easy smile.

“Well you look perfect. And we match! Well, color schemes atleast.” While he hadn’t adorned himself so formally, their outfits definitelycomplimented each other what with his black converse, black ripped skinnyjeans, black tank top, and purple and black plaid flannel. He had even switchedout his earrings, snake bites, and eyebrow piercing for black studs rather thanthe gold he usually wore. Together they looked like the perfect hipster couple.

Juleka appraised him then, and subtly frowned. There it is, he thought, recognizing thewheels turning in her head. “Hold on,” she said, reaching up to slip her handsunder the shoulders of his flannel. Her hands were cold on his skin as she slidthe article down his arms, removing it completely. He swallowed back a suddenlump in his throat and told himself that the goose bumps on his arms were fromthe cold and definitely not her touch.

Then he stiffened up as she stepped closer to him to reacharound his waist. “It’ll look better like this,” she said, tying the sleeves ofthe flannel around his hips. He was thankful for her intense focus in that momentallowing his nervousness at her proximity to slip by. She took a step back andlooked him over and he hoped he didn’t look too obviously into her.

Because truth be told, he was really into her. And had beenfor a very long time, but just couldn’t express it. He’d all but danced withjoy when he’d find out he’d be taking yearbook photos with her, excited tospend even those fifteen minutes posing with her.

“Alright, Most likelyto be featured on a Hot Topic ad, two minutes!” Alya called, looking overthe Adrinette pictures with Nino. Nathanaël watched as the beautifulgothic girl before him visibly paled—which was really saying something honestlybecause her skin was insanely pale to start off with.

“Jule? What’s wrong?”

“Pictures,” she mumbled, looking down at the ground again. Shecontinued to mumble something that sounded worried, but he couldn’t quite makeit out, until suddenly she said, “I can’t do this,” and turned to leave. Beforehe could even think about it, he had snatched her hand, holding her back.

“Wait, Juleka! Don’t leave!” She didn’t make to pull herhand away, but she also didn’t look convinced, so he didn’t let go. “I knowphotos have had a tendency to wrong you in the past, but these pictures areyour turn to shine! You can bet that Alya sure as hell won’t let us leave untilshe has perfect photos of us for the yearbook. And besides, I wouldn’t dare letyou look bad in a picture with me—one of us has to look pretty.” He wasdelighted to see her giggle at that. Only a little bit, but it was therenonetheless. “Please stay? I’ll be right here with you the whole time.”

She looked up at him, big bright amber eyes searching him. “I’mreally nervous, Nath.”

He gave her hand a comforting squeeze. “Don’t be. If needbe, I’ll distract you.” Her lips—flawless and sharp under black lipstick—curledup in a small smile then.

“You will?”

He grinned. “Absolutely. I’ll whisper dumb things in yourear the whole time so you forget we’re even here.”

“Nath! Jule!” Alya called.

He squeezed her hand again. “What do you say?” She lookedinsanely nervous, but at least she was holding eye contact. She nodded.

He smiled and, still holding her hand, led her over to standin front of the cameras.

“Damn, you two look perfect,” Alya remarked.

“Seriously, Jule, you look like a gothic queen,” Nino added.Said queen bowed her head with a mumbled ‘thank you’ and hid behind her hair.

“Okay first off,” Alya called, “classic yearbook photo,smile for the picture!”

Nathanaël was amazed then as Juleka naturally slid in next to himwith an arm around his waist so he could drape his arm over her shoulder,smiling at the camera. His thumb mindlessly stroked the smooth, cool skin ofher shoulder—a habit he’d carried for years—and he noticed her fingers closearound the fabric of his tank top, the sensation doing way more to him than itshould have.

“Distract me,” she whispered.

He leaned his head down the slightest bit so his mouth wasnear her ear. “Want to know a secret?”

“What?”

“I’ve never stepped foot in a Hot Topic.”

And there it was. Juleka whole-heartedly laughed, elicitinga series of furious camera clicks. “You’re kidding,” she chuckled, trying tohold still.

“Nope. Do you think I’ll lose my hipster license if I tellanyone?”

“Nath, you just told me.”

“Are you going to take away my hipster license?”

“Your secret is safe with me,” she said, glancing up at himat just the right moment for him to catch her gaze. They shared a smile thenand he tried not to let it go to his head. More camera clicks. That image musthave looked as good as it felt.

“Okay, let’s get some dramatic poses,” Alya directed. Shecame forward then, not hesitating to grab their limbs and pose them like livingmannequins. Next thing he knew, Nathanaël had his arms around Juleka’s waist,standing right behind her with his chin resting on her left shoulder.

He tried not to get too excited holding her like that. Itwas like a classic prom photo, and her figure was so soft and perfect in how itfit smoothly against him. Alya moved Juleka’s arms to rest comfortably on topof his own and again he shivered at the touch of her cold hands—but not in abad way.

“Great,” Alya said, “now don’t smile. Try to look edgy, likean actual Hot Topic ad.”

“How do I look edgy?”Juleka whispered.

“Think of murdering Nino,” he replied, but that only madeher look up at him in concern. “Okay, strike that. Think of something thatwould actually make you commit murder.”

“What makes you think I would ever want to commit murder??”she vehemently whispered.

“Oh come on, everyone’s got something.” She whined, at aloss. “Oh, I know. Remember when Chloé tore up Rose’s letter to Prince Ali?” Hecouldn’t see her then, but based off the sudden surge of camera clicks, he knewit had worked. He could barely make out her words as she angrily mumbled underher breath and he had to remember to keep looking edgy rather than laughing.

“Perfect, perfect, now we’re going to take advantage of yourroyal look a bit here,” Alya said as she repositioned their arms. “Channel thesultry queen inside you, Juleka.”

He could feel her heart rate pick up through her back pressedagainst his chest. “W-What?” she asked as Alya experimented with arm positions.“S-Sultry?”

The director took a step back, appraising their pose.Nathanaël’sright arm remained coiled around Juleka’s waist, her own right arm drapedcomfortably over it. Her left arm, on the other hand, reached up so that herhand rested on the side of his face, and his own left hand was wrapped gentlyaround her wrist. It was…well it was quite a pose, that was for sure. “Don’teven worry, girl, you look sexy as hell.”

“B-But—,”

“Perfect!” she interrupted, walking away.

“Nath, what do I do? I don’t know what she wants.” But hedid. He had seen plenty of the kind of ads Alya was going for. She wanted himto be absolutely enthralled in Juleka—not that he really had to try—and for herto own it. That would take a bit morework.

“Think of it this way,” he said, keeping his voice low. Hetilted his head then and forgot about the camera, speaking directly into herear. “You are my queen.” He heard her breath hitch in her throat. “I live toserve you.” Her palm rested down flat against his cheek, the tips of herfingers just barely reaching up into his hair. “I am one hundred percentcompletely at your mercy.” He felt her sink into him, their bodies almostseeming to meld together. “Now look at the camera,” he whispered, his voicecoming out thick, “and let the whole world know that you own me.”

She drew in a deep breath, and as she let it out slowly, hecould feel her sudden shift indisposition. It was more than just the way the fingers of her right hand tightenedtheir grip on his arm or the way her left hand moved up further into his hairto take a slightly possessive grip at the back of his neck or even the way shetilted her own head back just the slightest bit to lean into him. It was in theair surrounding her. The way she breathed, the way she stood, the way she existed screamed control, power, andabove all—he had to force out a shuddering breath at this—seduction.

He didn’t have to act in that moment like he wanted toabsolutely ravage her. Despite his better judgment, his grip on her waisttightened just the slightest bit and he found himself somehow gravitating evenfurther into her, as if that was possible. She didn’t move away though. Quitethe opposite, she seemed to sink even more into him, drawing in a deep breaththat had her breasts swelling underneath her, perfectly perked up under hercorset.

“Alright, that’s great you two!” Alya’s voice called,snapping him back to reality. He felt Juleka’s demeanor shatter along with his.

…Oh he was so screwed.