𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒

000. illias interlude

ILLIAS REMINDED HIMSELF THAT HE COULDN'T GET EMOTIONAL. After all, if he broke down into a nervous mess right now, he'd never get her number. And wasn't that the whole point of all of this? If he got no results, his anxiety would be for nothing, and that wasted energy was a much worse outcome than failing in the first place.

Illias tried to slouch in the hard cafeteria chair, but his shoulders were far too rigid. His heart was racing like it was trying to win a marathon, and he couldn't stop bolting straight up every time he saw a flash of strawberry pink.

What was he doing? He didn't rightly know. All he knew was that his friends were flashing him a thumbs up from across the way, huddled behind a pillar, phones whipped out. Illias sweated a little harder.

The glass doors blew open, and in Naoki Mae stormed, lips screwed up in a furious glare.

"Illias Cross, you filthy bastard," she screamed, making a straight beeline for him, slamming her hand so the back of his chair tipped, and her face was right up against his.

"I--"

"Don't even think about defending yourself," she seethed. "What have you been doing all the time? Sitting around with your goonish friends and playing who can flunk out of school first?"

Illias had no clue what he'd done. "I'm sorry?"

She glared at him, brown eyes narrowed. "You know what you did."

He still had no idea what he'd done.

"Huh?" 

She was breathing in his face, the smell of strawberry scented gum wafting over him, her two hands shoving the back of the chair, trapping him between her body and his seat. Her hair --it was black then-- fell in thick waves, tickling his cheek. Her cheeks were red, flushed with agitation, her eyes sparking like headlights in a dark night, her lips curved and screaming. "DON'T YOU 'HUH' ME YOU FREAKING SON OF A MOTHER--" 

"I want to kiss you so badly right now," he breathed. 

She faltered. "What?" 

"I--" 

"Never mind," she cut him off, leaned forward, and kissed him hard. 

Illias felt the breath leave his chest. He gasped as her cold hand cupped the back of his neck, tugging him closer to her, her left hand fingers curling around his collar at his neck. His fingers found her cheek, her jaw, still red hot against his skin, and pulled her in, because they weren't close enough, because he needed to breathe in her soul and devour her laughter and consume her hatred.

Naoki broke away, gasping for air, cheeks redder than before, her chest heaving.

Illias touched his bruised lips wonderingly. "You--"

She ran before he could even finish, or begin. 

"Naoki, wait!" 

Too late. Illias still felt the phantom of her lips on his, her body between his hands, her breath mingling with his. His heart was still pulsing with a near violence, blood pumping so quickly beneath his veins that his eyesight felt a little fuzzy. His head hurt, was that normal? Maybe he was having a heart attack. 

If he was, it was worth it. He'd suffer a thousand heart attacks for Naoki Mae and her hands threading through his hair.

author's note!

hey guys, long time no update! here's a lil short scene from back in the day. naoki and illias' first meeting story is really cute, and the way he asks her out is really cute too. it'll probably be a flashback in a later chapter. 

school has been a bitch, so updates for any of my applyfics are looking to be slow. normally i write chapters in 2-3 days, edit them, then publish them. but recently i've been so busy, and i haven't had time to just sit and write, that any real chapters aren't realistic. but this was a little pre-written scene, so i thought it would do well for a prologue. 

welcome to chapter four! i hope my schedule clears so i can update chapter 4.1 soon, but that's doubtful :( 

<3 see you guys around! and go check out my PJO applyfic, i'll need lots of side characters <3