𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐃𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐘

𝐗𝐗𝐈 ━ 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔟𝔦𝔫𝔡𝔦𝔫𝔤

chapter twenty one
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(Y/N) felt grateful to be back at Devon's apartment—a place that was now starting to feel like home after living within the space for so long—that she promptly collapsed onto her bed as soon as she walked into her room. Not only was the wedding itself tiring, but the drive back was tiring too, along with how her mother seemed to act so strangely and sickly sweet with Devon, at least more so than before.

Cue the honeymoon stage.

Which makes sense, since, in a week they're going to be going on their honeymoon.

Dragging herself off of her bed, (Y/N) then set to work on unpacking her clothes and everything else she had brought to lodge. Just as she was throwing her last piece of dirty laundry into the hamper, she cringed when her stomach began to growl—loudly, at that. Thankfully, considering she was in her own room, no one was present to have witnessed such an embarrassment. Walking out of her room and down the stairs, she entered the kitchen before opening the pantry door to see what delicious snacks awaited for her inside.

Hm...

She tapped a finger against her chin.

What will tickle the pickle this afternoon?

She blinked.

That's such a weird saying.

Maybe I should stop watching Venom.

Shaking her head, she glanced around for a moment longer before her eyes caught on something way up on the top shelf. There, practically haloed in the lone light in the pantry, sat a bag of her favorite chips. Feeling herself already beginning to drool, she swallowed back said drool so she could press her body against the shelves and reach up towards the chips stretching her body to the max only to have her finger barely brush against the corner of the bag.

As frustrating an endeavor as it was, she didn't want to give up.

More so, she was allowed to give up.

Her breath hitched when she suddenly felt someone's chest brush lightly against her back, a large hand pressing against the shelf whilst another reached above her to easily snatch up the bag of chips she was reaching for. Whirling around, she spotted Devon standing merely inches away from her, holding up the bag with a smile.

"Is this what you were trying to reach?" He chuckled as he stepped out of the pantry, allowing her to exit and put distance between them.

"Um... yeah," she nodded.

"You should have called me," he mused as he opened the bag and poured the contents in a bowl before sliding it over to her, then closing the bag with a chip clip to place it back up on the high shelf. "I have no qualms about helping you with this sort of thing. We are family now, (Y/N)."

"Right..." (Y/N) cleared her throat, glancing away from him as she nervously fiddled with the bowl. "Um, thanks... Devon."

"You're welcome."

(Y/N) was quick to walk briskly out of the kitchen, something Devon noticed and smirked at. He knew he couldn't act on the vile things in his mind, nor would he allow himself to, but what stopped him from teasing with the thought? Physical proximity wasn't overstepping any bounds by any means, so he knew there was no harm.

No harm at all.

Leaning against the countertop, he let out a small sigh, craning his neck back.

Closing his eyes, he allowed his mind to wander onwards about (Y/N). He would give himself this week until his honeymoon with Katherine, and after that, when he returned, he would cast aside these thoughts to the dark creases of his unconscious, never to be revealed to the front of his mind again. He would see (Y/N) as his daughter, and nothing more than that.

Nothing more.

He snapped his eyes back open.

Yeah..

Nothing more.

Rubbing his hand against the back of his neck, Devon pushed himself off of the counter and walked out of the kitchen.

The week went by in a blur, and each moment he was in (Y/N)'s presence was a moment he allowed himself to indulge in. Her eyes, her lips, her hair—every feature she owned was like a godsend in and of itself, his gaze following the curvature of her body like a starved man. These little instances weren't uncommon, as he knew he had a time limit. His days of appraising (Y/N) only in his thoughts were quite numbered. If he were being honest, he wasn't sure if he was dreading the finality, or was relieved by it.

A strange mix of both, he knew.

After all, there was only so much he could hide before everything burst.

"Are you alright, honey?" Katherine asked, her soft voice shaking him from his thoughts so he was forced to look up at her.

Currently, he was in their shared room, lounging on the bed with his packed suitcase beside him while Katherine finished packing her own. The book he had been trying to read was gripped lazily in his hands, propped forgetfully on his lap. He let out a slow sigh, closing his book as he rubbed the bridge of his nose before sliding up to rub his eyelids. He couldn't understand how he could become so distracted—distracted to the point where he allowed his mask to dip in front of the very person he knew he couldn't allow to see past.

"Sorry, Katherine," he chuckled softly as he glanced back up at her. "Just lost in thought?"

"Oh?" She smiled. "About what?"

"About... how great this trip to Japan will be," he mused, watching as she continued to fold up her clothes neatly before stacking them in a pile in her suitcase. "I mean, that is where you've been wanting to visit, correct?"

"Yes," Katherine grinned excitedly. "The food, the culture, the sights... everything about Japan has always been so fascinating to me."

"And this is why we are going."

"A perfect honeymoon," Katherine continued as she zipped up her suitcase and collapsed next to him, cuddling into his shoulder.

"Yeah..." Devon mumbled, glancing aside.

A perfect honeymoon...

And, a perfect way to get rid of these thoughts about (Y/N), so finally...

Finally I can have my family.

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To be continued...