𝑫evotion | Identity V Oneshots 2

♤ Eli Clark

𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙

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Love was like a curse, and in this tale you were bound to him by fate. You were intrigued by him the first moment the hues of your iris locked with the blue navy of his blindfold. His eyes were not seen, but you felt that he stared right back. A curl of his lips ignited a flowing curse that surged through your body, the image of the man's smile took your breath away instantly. It was as if he casted a spell, a love spell that worked effectively on you. The feeling felt so warm and light, the butterflies in your stomach appearing everytime the Seer came into mind. But such spell only came temporarily, as the aftertaste became bitter.

Especially when you found out Eli was already engaged...

Your own paradise crumbled as the thought of him being someone else's gnawed your insides. The twisting gut feeling submerged as guilt taunted your fondness of him. If only you knew better, you would've tried avoiding such forbidden feelings. He was to be married soon, and yet here you were, drowning in every kind and affectionate words with him. He wasn't yours to begin with, but you still let yourself drown in his paradise..

The palm of your hand felt empty and cold, the sheer thought of his own lifting from his side to entangle his fingers with yours brought a distant warmth. Your memories with him felt solid, almost a perfect match— some would say. Everyone in the Manor knew of your fondness with the Seer, and to them you both would end up with one another. It wasn't until Eli removed a glove did he reveal that he was already in a relationship, one which forced your stomach to yield. Drowsy in love, it became clear that his affections and endearment were not from loving you the way he loved his fiancé. Blinded, the low Iloveyous became meaningless as you almost let yourself drown in the daydreams of "what if he was yours?"

Selfish desires fought back morals, a stinging tear made your body yearn.
.

.

.

Mornings became your excuse to see Eli. Once more indulging in his life, you felt the need to forget the truth. He was like a drug, and to you he was the exlir to blurring a rapid heart. You needed him, you wanted him, and even if it looked as if you became the wall between him and his true love- you didn't care. It didn't matter if such feelings were selfish, you thought that if he was here, then suffering through thorns of red roses was worth it.

Fiona saw through your happy demeanor, watching as you crumbled to the stress of not letting go. She compared such obsession to Vera and her perfume, in ways where her Euphoria allowed to forget regrets. In your case, the feelings between guilt and pleasure resided in the space you took comfort in — with him.

"Fiona,," you whispered next to her. Her attention drifted to your voice, lips thinned as she waited in silence. The wrinkle of her ombre dress suggested her fists were clenched, almost saying that she was nervous to hear anything. Her body language screamed of stillness, driven with the thought of hearing a worse scenario in her head.

"Is it a sin to chase someone you like? To want to seek your own happiness?" You continued, although you murmured a few more questions that were left unnoticed. Of course in a way it wasn't a sin at all, there wasn't anything wrong with reaching for your own happiness. But in this case, if you did try to claim it with your fingers, it would've harmed another. Although at arms reach, the damage itself would leave nothing but guilt and wrath. This infidelity isn't something you want to push onto the Seer.

Sighing in a way it didn't mean of harm, Fiona tangled her hands with yours, sending a tiny comfort for a friend. "Of course it's no sin.. but you know better than I do. Trust me, everyone even rooted for you both that it was bound to happen.." she whisperer countless of soft gestures, one that was supposed to comfort you. But it didn't affect you in any way. You knew what came next, her words almost like scolds as you felt feverish in guilt.

Curling yourself on the mattress, the days of end crawled closer, matches became scarce as survivors and hunters alike prepared for a ceremony for the final game — to which ended in all freedom from this manor. Although the thought of coming home felt wonderful, you were no doubt weeping as it also meant the end of your euphoria. The lovely days where your head was on his lap, the smiles he gave you that was sure filled with affection and love — they were all left here just to replace new and better memories with someone he truly loved. You couldn't handle that, no matter how selfish you've become.

Not when you still had a chance to drown in it some more.

Throwing yourself on your feet, the sound of leaning wood echoed in your room as you let yourself out the door, leaving but a worried priestess behind.

The narrow hallway has always felt empty no matter how many times you trotted through it, no matter how many people decide to pass it together. It always followed the chill of the wind from outside, the cold brushing against your shoulders as your mind danced around the thought of a Seer. Your arms swayed with the pace of your legs, drawing closer to a polished oak door leading towards the man's room. By now, you hadn't realised what you wanted to say to him, but your body needed to be near his, to be trapped between his warm arms and be showered with affection. Even if those affections didn't belong to you.

You were hungry with love, starved with care. Every day the spell grew, and every day you craved to satisfy the obsession manifesting from his simple worries for you. And like before, he let you drown in his paradise..

"What brings you here?" Eli asks, his normal wear off to the side as his brunette locks entangled with your delicate fingers. He invited you over as usual, the meeting between you both was never corroded in hate, but for longing. His voice was smooth, deep and gentle at the same time. Like a symphony in your ears, the sound of him rolling your name off his tongue ignited your love for him more.

You grew hesitant, anxiety building up from your stomach it almost hurted. A lump formed in your throat, hard to swallow and hard to confess. Eli was always patient with you, his hand patting the sheet beside him and pulling you closer for a hug. Even if you knew you truly weren't his, the sight and feel of his comfort was a blessing.

"We can't keep doing this.." you whispered, diverting your mind relentlessly from the warmth. This act like a play continued until your chest swelled and struck. It was bad enough he submitted to letting himself fall with another woman, and yet here you were letting him. Just how selfish were you? Just how desperate were you? All this time, the act of truly being his was a false, and even if your mind swayed from obsession and guilt, in the end there was only one happily ever after-

And you knew it wasn't for your story.

"We only have a day left no?" Eli whispered back, his hand felt like silk on your back, embracing you as he always did. This paradise you both built for each other blocked out reality — which you weren't invited.

Mustering up the courage, you wanted to end this quick, no matter how painful it was, no matter if your obsession screamed back. This paradise has always been steps away from crumbling, the facade of a happily ever after only came with the price of deception and infidelity. You grew accustomed to worried faces your fellow survivors threw at you, asking questions of your well being as the thought of having to return home with money, but no purpose took a toll. With the final act of the play, you both let yourselves drown in a varnishing paradise, needing to complete this story.

"Let us relive this feeling one last time," Eli said, removing his blindfold. The crystal hues were like galaxies, a marvel of a whole new world just inches away yet still so far.

There, the look in his eyes vanquished your doubts and worries from previous days. What he held for you truly was love, a genuine one. Salty tears rained on the palm of your hand, the spell vanishing as you both live the last moments of your fairy tale...