Chapter Text
Lumine wants to cry.
One after another, her attempts fail. No matter how much she tries, how long she tries for, she simply can’t reach that same high again. A flick of her thumb against her clit, a hard thrust of her fingers into her drenched slit – and yet hours later, the coil in her belly refuses to unwind.
She chokes on a sob before clamping her lips shut, acutely aware of the ache slowly but surely building inside her from the sessions of pleasuring herself that she’s endured. And yet. The heat in her stomach dissipates; cooling down as she turns in her bed, face buried deep into her pillow to stifle her sniffles.
“It’ll take you trying to imagine it’s me fucking you for you to be able to even come.”
Scaramouche’s words echo in her mind over and over again, accompanied with the infuriating memory of his sly grin. And over and over again, she growls back: liar. You’re such a liar.
Because in spite of the words he left her with, she still can’t even come close to a climax. She would try to envision his fingers inside her, curling and stroking before they angle just slightly upwards to mercilessly slam against the sensitive spot within – but it’s not enough. It’s not enough. Her fingers doesn’t reach the depth that his does, doesn’t scratch at her insides the way his would. More, more, more—the animalistic part of her would scream at her, albeit to no avail.
It's nowhere near enough. She knows what – or more specifically, who – would sate her, yet the implication strikes a knife to her chest. And for the umpteenth night that month, she cries herself to sleep.
“You feel so good,” the man on top of her groans, his chest pressed firmly against hers. His hips are incessant but tender, deep and gentle thrusts inside her as he wraps his arms almost protectively around her – holding her as if he deems her dear.
But that’s not what she wants.
Lumine smiles, her eyes dazed, but not from pleasure. She hooks both arms around his shoulders, bored out of her mind as he leans in to kiss her and she pretends to respond in kind. Her hands fly to his back, nails scraping before digging hard into supple flesh. She drags a long line across, leaving red angry marks on the skin there – and he winces from the burning pain, almost immediately stilling his hips.
“Hold on,” he stutters, breath choppy as he looks down at her, fear slightly discernible in his eyes. “That’s a bit uncomfortable. Can you not do that?”
Again, her lips tilt into a smile. Warm and apologetic, yet feigned nonetheless as she murmurs, “Sorry. I got caught in the heat of the moment.”
Or so she says. But her mind can’t help but think how Scaramouche would have handled it. He wouldn’t have let that deter him; if anything, it would’ve simply spurred him on even more, and he would reward her with a similar mark – except his would be in the form of a sharp slap across her cheek. Or an imprint of his hand on her ass. Either way, he would make sure it’d hurt, and she would be rewarded with the spasms of pain throbbing underneath her warm skin.
Just the way she likes it.
“No, no. It’s okay,” the man swiftly reassures her, and her mind drifts back to reality. There’s a small pause as he fidgets, cheeks flooding with embarrassment. And she must have let it slip somewhere that she wasn’t in the mood anymore, because the next thing she knows, he’s muttering, almost worried, “I didn’t ruin it, did I?”
“Oh, no. You didn’t,” she tells him, her tune consoling. The lie settles heavily on her tongue, but she ignores the guilt building in her throat as she pulls him in even closer. “You don’t need to be afraid to be rougher though. I would actually enjoy that a lot.”
The moment she said that, the man had quickly picked up his speed. Merciless in his brutal thrusts as he pounds into her with all his might. He buries his head into the crook of her neck, singing her praises as he trails hot, open-mouthed kisses on her sweat-beaded skin.
But it’s not enough.
The stretch isn’t good enough for her to derive any sort of pleasure from it. More precisely, any semblance of ecstasy is as miniscule as the man inside her as her eyes linger on the ceiling.
She tries to imagine it’s him; her insides full as he spreads her open to an almost painful point and kisses her cervix with the tip of his cock. His voice in her ears, like honey and poison dripping down her skin as he whispers to her the most awful, wonderful things. He takes her like he wants to snap her in half – takes her with the intent to break her apart. Angry and rough, unyielding as he fills her to the brim.
Just the way she likes it.
The man finally halts, pulling out as he spills on the smoothness of her stomach. The white is sticky and warm on her skin, and she resists a grimace at the sensation. However, she had hoped that would have been enough to push her over the edge.
At the end of it though, she doesn’t, the night leaving her with yet another painful reminder of the emptiness between her legs.
It’s never enough.
“Paimon’s been noticing,” the floating fairy starts, and Lumine feels her shoulders stiffen, almost immediately sensing the suspicion emanating from her companion, “that you’ve been sneaking in and out the teapot more frequently these days. You’re not doing anything behind Paimon’s back, are you?” comes the accusation as Paimon crosses her arms over her chest.
In spite of the indignant posture, Lumine relaxes – slackening her tense muscles. For some reason, fear had tugged at her, anxious that Paimon had somehow figured out her nightly escapades. Fortunately for her though, it doesn’t seem like her small friend succeeded in drawing on any conclusion.
“It’s nothing much,” she murmurs, a smile on her lips. Relieved. “I’ve just been going out to train, that’s all. I needed to let off some steam.”
Paimon uncrosses her arms, her brows furrowing in concern as her mouth purses into a pout. “Well, you should have told Paimon! Paimon would have been more than willing to keep you company,” she huffs, before her voice drops to a hushed octave, “Not that Paimon would have been able to help with anything though…”
“I appreciate it, Paimon. But I’d rather you stay in bed, I wouldn’t want you complaining about not getting enough rest,” Lumine laughs, and yet a snake coils around her heart. Remorse grabs her at her sides for the bluff, but it’s not like she could divulge any of the personal details to her either. “I promise nothing’s going on, so don’t worry.”
“Hey!” Paimon exclaims in anger, hands at her hips in her signature annoyed pose. “Paimon doesn’t complain that often,” she gripes, though the suspicious tune in her voice remains intact.
Although, she calms down soon after, a heave of a sigh out of her lips. “Fine. If you say so, then Paimon believes you,” she relents. After all this time, Paimon’s gotten to know Lumine all too well to expect her to be honest with her. The Traveler would much rather keep her feelings to herself, apparently. Once she’s decided not to tell anyone, absolutely nothing would make her budge.
A giggle escapes Lumine as she catches the slight grousing coming from the fairy about her being a stubborn mule. The smile on her lips waver a second after though as she notices eyes on her. Subtle, but steadfast nonetheless.
She turns to meet the owner’s gaze, pursing her lips as she locks eyes with Tighnari. There’s an all too knowing lilt in his eyes, the look mingling with just a touch of concern. She had been so nervous that she almost forgot that they were in the presence of others.
Dehya and Cyno don’t appear to catch on. And yet, Lumine’s confident if anyone in the group had the slightest inkling of her nightly activities, it would be Tighnari.
There had been a few times where he caught her walking in and out of hotel rooms with unknown men, but he had never made a move to approach her or ask her if she’s doing okay – most likely out of respect for her privacy. He has never been the type to pry into someone’s personal life, and Lumine has always been more than grateful for that.
However, the way he studies her now makes her squirm in her seat. It’s almost as if he’s trying to pick her apart, and she wonders, briefly, if she let on that something was indeed bothering her.
But then he directs his gaze elsewhere, but not before giving a mere nod at her direction as if to say: Don’t worry. I won’t probe.
He must have perceived the discomfort in her body language as she reaches a hand to her nape, fingers skittish as they scratch at her skin. Something lies heavy in her throat, but relief showers over her at the realization that he decided against poking his nose into her business. Once again, she relaxes, rigid line of a body turning slack.
But the moment doesn’t last long. There’s a shadow of a hand on her shoulder, fingers chilling on her collarbone – and she almost jumps from how familiar the touch feels.
She refuses to acknowledge him, but then he draws closer, warmth permeating the small of her back as he blows out a column of hot air against the curve of her ear. His voice as taunting as ever as he purrs, “Hey there. Missed me?”
It’s him. Scaramouche.
A shudder travels down her spine at hearing him again, her mind registering their close proximity all too well as she feels him place his other hand on her left shoulder. Thumbs soothing and sickeningly sweet as they rub circles into her flesh. Almost immediately, fire spreads in the pits of her stomach; arousal ignited the moment she sensed his presence. But confusion dwells in her head, the question lingering – how is he here?
She lifts her head to peer at the others’ reaction.
There’s none.
What? A frown comes to marr her forehead before it falters, reduced into slightly parted lips in a silent moan as his hands drift lower still to her chest. Fingers teasing at the top of her dress before slowly, teasingly but gradually snaking inside, feeling for the skin underneath.
“Don’t bother,” he murmurs as he leans in, peppering kisses up her nape. She suppresses a shiver as he opens his mouth only slightly to dart his tongue out, the wet appendage lapping at the bead of sweat trickling down her back. “They can’t see me. So unless you want to sound like a madman, or you want me to leave, then don’t say anything dumb out loud,” he mouths against her.
Lumine makes to sound a protest, but his warning hangs heavily in the air, silencing her in an instant. The understanding dawns on her quickly though, and she wastes no time in throwing out the inquiry, enunciating it in her mind, is your consciousness still connected to mine?
“Oddly enough, yes,” he husks, a trace of laughter in his tune. “It seems that despite having the gnosis so cruelly taken away from me,” he pauses, relishing in the way she bites at her lower lip to stifle a small whine as he begins to massage her supple breasts, “I at least still retain some bits of an Archon’s power, hence why I can talk to you like this. Brings back memories, doesn’t it?”
She pushes her thighs together, the gesture a futile attempt to keep her hunger at bay as she feels the pads of his fingertips grazing her nipples. They stroke until she grows taut under his touch, flicking and circling around the sensitive buds. Abruptly conscious that they might be poking through the fabric of her dress, Lumine cups her arms around herself in an effort to allow herself some semblance of dignity. It’s both good and bad, because she winds up pushing his hands harder against her breasts.
“Still so needy for me, huh,” he notes, but then draws apart. Pulling his hands out of her dress. Lumine curbs the disappointment that brews from the loss of contact, her skin now cold without his warmth. “How long has it been? A month or two since we last saw each other?” She can almost feel his lips slanting upwards into a smirk as he tucks his chin on her shoulder. “And yet, you still haven’t moved on? Was I that good to you?”
She didn’t realize how much she missed him talking to her like this until he spoke. In spite of this, however, she nips at the tip of her tongue, suppressing the insult that threatens to crawl out.
What the hell do you want? She retorts instead of paying his words any heed. Tries to appear dismissive and uncaring, but the warmth in her loins beg to differ.
“You know what I want,” he says, his hands now on her knees. They linger there only for a moment before wandering up to her thighs, deft fingers teasing as they ghost over her skin. He gives her a squeeze, and she bites back yet another shriek. “What about you? What do you want?”
I want you to leave me alone, she snipes, tone sharp and angry. Tears sting at the back of her eyes – but she blinks them away, refusing to show any indication of weakness. But her lips tremble, and that alone is enough to show that he hasn’t lost his effect on her.
“Now that’s a lie,” he scoffs, and suddenly, he’s under the table, hands still on her thighs as he places his head on her lap. Violets meet her gilded gaze, steadfast as if he’s trying to peer through her soul.
I’ve missed that face, the musing involuntarily crosses her thoughts before she swiftly tries to subdue it. Red colors her cheeks in embarrassment, and she hopes that he didn’t hear that.
But it’s obvious that he did because his mouth curves into a self-satisfied smirk, a touch of amusement in his eyes as he feigns a shake of his head in disappointment. “You’re a hopeless case, aren’t you? Even after all I’ve done to you, you still want me? How filthy must you be?”
The venom that leaves him brings forth a renewed wave of arousal as she nearly whimpers in return. She can almost feel the want and wetness gathering between her legs, her bloomers no doubt soaked with the telling sign of her desire. Frustrated and peeved at herself – and at him for suddenly appearing after such a long time, Lumine attempts to kick him off; though her efforts prove fruitless as he digs his palms into the skin of her inner thighs to keep her still.
I hate you, she snarls at him, but at this point, the vowels are nothing but empty words.
Her knees twitch as he slithers his hands upwards still to disappear into her skirt, his touch leaving warm tingles in its tracks as his nails brush against the hemline of her bloomers. He stills, and she tries not to push her hips forward to feel more of him against her.
Lumine swallows at the same time Scaramouche grins. “Come on, admit it. You still want me,” he sneers, eyes flashing at her with dangerous intent. “Don’t think I don’t know how many nights you’ve spent missing me, sweetheart,” he breathes the endearing term, his tone a faux affection. She knows this, but she can’t help the sudden tightness in her chest. “All those long nights trying to make yourself come… but nothing worked, didn’t it? You want the real thing, don’t you?”
Have you been spying on me? Lumine ignores the warmth swelling in her heart as furious shock flares through. But then he pulls apart to give her a tender kiss on the bone of her knee, chaste and sweet. Almost tender, almost loving. And she hates it, because she knows more than anyone that the bond they share is anything but loving.
And yet. She melts under his lips, anyway.
“Perhaps,” he laughs, and she resists the urge to deliver a kick to his face. His handsome face. He continues to kiss his way up her thigh, and she tries to blink the haze out of her eyes. Tries to focus as he utters, “It’s the one good thing about keeping my connecting with you, after all. What was I supposed to do? Not give in to the temptation of watching you try so pathetically to satisfy yourself?”
He says that as if it’s a good thing. And she keens at the notion as if it’s a good thing. But it’s not, and she presses her lips tight into a scowl.
I can always sleep with someone else, she quips, conflicted. It’s a foolish response, especially if he’s confirmed that he has, indeed, been watching her this entire time – but she keeps going regardless. You’re not that special.
“Like the guy from yesterday?” he snorts, baritone mocking and sarcastic. He accompanies this with the roll of his eyes as emphasis. “Oh, come on. You know he left you unsatisfied. Just like so many others.”
He shifts a little closer then, hands all of a sudden going to spread her legs wide. Panic rears its ugly head, and she almost flinches out of her seat as he feels for the waistline of her bloomers. But she lets him. She lets him as he yanks them down her slender legs.
What do you think you’re doing? She barks as if to protest, but her actions prove otherwise as she hooks her knees around his shoulders when he leans to tuck his head neatly between her inner thighs. His breath is warm as he trails soft – horrifyingly soft – kisses up her skin, slowly but surely guiding his lips to where they both know she wants them to be.
“I told you, didn’t I? Nothing – and no one is going to be able to satisfy you like I can,” he rasps, fingers inching upwards to her hips as his hands reach around to palm at her rear end. “But you waited so long for me. You tried and you failed so many times. I just figured, you know,” she feels his grin as he scrapes his teeth along her flesh, “maybe I can help you this time around.”
He pauses then. Pretends to consider. “Then again, if you’re really that opposed to this, you could always pull away. And I’ll leave you alone,” he supplies the taunt as a chuckle, low and husky, reverberates from his throat. She hates him. She hates this. She hates how he pretends to give her an out—
But again, she lets him. Lets him as his mouth skims closer to her folds. Doesn’t even try to recoil or flinch back as he motions his head forward – his lips meeting slick as his tongue reaches outwards to allow the slightest taste of her to fill his tastebuds.
He licks along her entrance a few times before swirling the tip of his tongue on her swollen clit, ministrations slow and sensual as he takes his time devouring her. Wrapping his lips around her, Scaramouche then gives a long, but steady suck, hands firm on her ass as he pulls her back down on his mouth when she tries to draw back from the pleasure. Moans threaten to break free, but Lumine clamps her lips shut, her heart hammering in her ribcage as fear dances with excitement at how risky this entire situation is.
“Lumine,” Cyno calls out to her, his voice snapping her back to reality. She expels a breath that she didn’t even realize she was holding in as she squirms under his concerned but scrutinizing stare. “Are you okay? You’re looking a little troubled.”
“Yeah,” Dehya agrees, leaning over the table to place a hand on the traveler’s forehead. “Your face is red and you’re kinda hot right now. You good?”
Lumine instinctively pulls back, and guilt tugs at her as she eyes their frowns. They’re worried about her. They’re worried about her and yet, here she is—
A swipe of Scaramouche’s tongue, firm and quick against her walls, immediately quietens her thoughts. Reasoning once again flung out the window as she melts against his mouth, a lump in her throat as he slides the wet appendage inside – the sudden pressure causing her knees to buckle.
“Yeah,” Her voice wavers and she has to clear her throat before she could speak again, “I just—I, um, I think I have a cold, that’s all. Sorry,” Her breath temporarily hitches as he starts to move, head motioning back and forth as he plunges his tongue in and out of her. Lumine shudders, her tune lower and shakier this time as she mutters, almost absent-mindedly, “don’t worry about me. I’m okay.”
None of them appear anywhere near convinced.
“Are you sure?” Tighnari prods, a frown on his forehead. She parts her lips to answer, but Scaramouche abruptly pulls out, a string of saliva connecting his tongue with her slit as he replaces it with his fingers. They delve inside, burying themselves knuckle-deep in her hole as he directs his lips to her clitoris this time.
A whine springs out of her instead of words, and Paimon is instantly in her personal space. “What? What is it? Paimon knew it! Paimon knew there was something wrong, but you wouldn’t tell Paimon! Come on, stop lying and be honest with Paimon,” the floating fairy bombards her, words quick but not as quick as Scaramouche’s fingers as they curl before stroking her insides. In and out, in and out—he angles his wrist slightly and finds the spot he’s been looking for, as confirmed by the sharp buck of her hips against his face as he begins to ruthlessly thrust against her g-spot.
“I’m fine, Paimon,” she almost snaps, irritation shining through.
Between the overwhelming pleasure and the struggle to focus on anything but, Lumine’s losing her patience. And her sanity—because he wraps his lips around her clit, sucking her in before flicking his head furiously from side to side while she’s still lodged in his mouth. He does this a few more times until her thighs are quivering around his head, knees twitching and toes curling as he gives her firm licks and hard suctions. All the while, his fingers refuse to relent, thrusting into her with breakneck speed. The ecstasy makes her vision blur, and she curbs yet another mewl from bubbling out.
“If you say so,” Tighnari mutters as he shares a look with the others at the table. Despite the obvious shared urge to probe, nobody dares to try. Lumine is just glad that they stopped asking questions.
“What’s wrong?” Scaramouche husks, his voice muffled against her as he continues to flick his tongue. He swirls it around before jerking it up and down, drawing back only slightly to kiss twice on the sensitive bundle of nerves. “You’re not going to tell them how you have the – mhm,” he purrs in approval as she bucks against his mouth, “former fake god that they’ve been looking for lapping you up from under the table? Not going to tell them how oh so wet you are for me, and how you’re squeezing my head and squirming on my tongue?”
Fuck off, she snarls, only to yield in an instant as he adds another finger, his lips giving her a particularly harsh suck at the same time.
“Talk to me like that again and I’ll make you scream even louder,” he warns her, a growl dangerous and feral as it follows suit. “You wouldn’t want to explain to your friends how you ended up bent over the table, moaning like a bitch in heat from getting your cunt filled up, now would you?”
She shouldn’t. She knows she shouldn’t. But his words cause her walls to flutter around his fingers. Squeezing around him as if to indicate that she’s not exactly against the idea.
“Unbelievable,” he laughs, the tune incredulous as he shakes his head. “You actually clenched around me when I said that. You liked that, huh? How fucking filthy, getting off on this while your friends are here.”
Lumine almost chokes on a sob, but she manages to suppress it in time as she bites hard on her lower lip. Metal fills her tastebuds, blood on the tip of her tongue as she breaks through skin.
Please, she pleads, tears in her eyes as she locks gazes with him. Hers an eager one whilst his remains amused and teasing. Please. I’ll do anything. Just—don’t stop.
“Look at you,” he sighs, almost pleased. “Begging for me to make you come even though you’re in public. Are you sure you want to make a mess all over this poor seat of yours? What if someone notices?”
And she should care. But she can’t afford to do that right now – not when she’s been longing for this for the past few months. Not when she’s tried so desperately to reach that fevered pitch again. The coil in her belly tightens, threatening to unravel as she inches closer to release. Just a little bit more, just a little bit more—
But then he stops. Pulls his fingers out of her as he draws apart. In the moment she was about to shatter, he cruelly snatches that chance out of her grasp. Leaving her feeling so empty and aching as he removes himself from his position between her thighs entirely.
You asshole. I hate you, I hate you—Her mind flings the string of insults at him as the tears nearly spring free. How could he just do that?
The laughter that erupts from his throat is almost pleasant as he helps her slide her bloomers back on. At least he has the decency to do that.
“See you, my sweet little pet,” he purrs against her lips as he leans in to give her a chaste kiss. Lingering long enough to permit her to taste herself, but not long enough for her to respond as he almost immediately breaks it off.
And with that, he disappears into a black blur. But she discerns, just out of the corner of her eye, a flash of his hat at the restaurant’s entrance. Taunting her. Almost as if baiting her.
She takes the bait.
Smoothing out her dress, Lumine resists the urge to curse at him as she makes to stand up from her seat. The dragging of her chair against the wooden floor following her actions garner the attention of her companions.
“I have to go,” she says sheepishly, mustering up the most reassuring smile she could afford. All the while trying not to collapse on the floor as her legs threaten to give out on her. “I’m sorry for being so moody. It’s been—just a tiring past couple of months,” she chokes, briefly, before she grins. “I’ll talk to you guys later?”
She dismisses Paimon who demands to go with her, and without another word, steps out to leave. She doesn’t wait for any of them to protest – because she’s sure they would, and she’s sure they wouldn’t let her go until she gives them answers. And she doesn’t think she can grant them any of those.
“That wasn’t fair,” she sounds the accusation the moment she catches up to him. He turns—and he has the nerve to feign a bewildered look.
“Whatever are you referring to?” he responds with a question, a tilt of his head to the side as he considers her. But the slight twitch of his lips upwards betray his seemingly confused façade as his eyes glint at her. Laughing at her.
Lumine should know better, and she does know better, but her mouth works faster than her brain. The needy whine crawls out her throat before she could stop it, “You can’t just suddenly appear, do that to me and just leave.”
“Why not?” he scoffs at her, arms coming to cross over his chest. She wonders how long has it been since she’s seen what lies underneath his clothes. “You seemed to be so against it, even to the point of telling me to fuck off.” He throws his head back then, chin facing upwards in an arrogant posture as he sneers, “I simply decided to respect your wishes. After all, I am a gentleman.”
The traveler bristles, livid. “You’re such a…” she has a lot to say to that, but refuses to utter any of them as she reins in her smart retorts. “Fine. I’ll be nice, I’ll be…” she swallows, “good. So good. Just please—” she doesn’t finish, but her thoughts continue the sentence for her, stop teasing me. I’ve missed you.
She hates the curl of his lips into a cocky grin. He saunters closer to her, and Lumine curbs the impulse to pounce on him as he stops just as they’re a mere hair’s breadth distance from each other. She can feel the rise and fall of his chest as he inhales.
“I’ve got a room to myself at Shapur Hotel,” he tells her before taking a deliberate pause. Leans in just a little closer to brush his lips against the side of hers. “Come alone or else I will make you regret it.”
Somewhat still angry over the circumstances, Lumine huffs, “You think I’m scared of you? If I remember correctly, last time we fought, you lost to me.”
The way his eyes flash at her in silent rage makes her knees wobble. He’s quick to cut through her as he growls, “And If I remember correctly, last time I fucked you, you were begging for me to fill you up. Or did you happen to forget that?”
When she clamps her lips shut in muted defeat, he pulls back only a little to look her in the eye, the satisfaction palpable in the way he smirks at her.
“It’s Room 201. Don’t be late, or else I won’t help you. And you need my help, don’t you?” he keens, a flirting lilt in his voice as he allows himself the slight graze of their fingers against each other before stepping back and completely drawing apart.
The words leave her before she could think, “I’ll head there straight away.”
“Still a good girl for me, huh,” he mutters, pleased, under his breath and she swears she melts. He flicks his hat down to cover his face, but she can still see the smirk lingering on his lips. “I’ll be looking forward to your visit then, oh renowned Traveler.”
And with that, he disappears for good. No doubt back into the safety of his room. Where he will wait. For her.
The realization sinks into her like boulders heavy on her shoulders. Is she really going to do this? A part of her suspects it’s a trap. No, she knows. She knows it’s a trap.
But she’s choosing to walk right into it anyway.