entanglements | d.m.

46.onlyher

January '99 | H E R

It is only the very next morning that knocks sound on the guest bedroom door.

Devyn, being submerged in cozy warmth, feels no inclination to move. Especially with the gusto in those raps, that is too much to deal with in the morning. On her own volition.

She presumes with a hundred percent certainty that-yep. He doesn't bother knocking another round.

Draco magically unlocks the door himself and strides in with no hesitation in his step.

They only falter a bit when he doesn't find her lying on the rumpled bed before they lead him through the open bathroom door.

"Really?" he says. The moment his face comes to view, she can not only hear but see that he is fed up and disappointed.

"I told you I will take advantage of the luxuries." Her hands imitate surfing waves under the water. "I've never had a bath this fancy."

She's basically swimming in lavender and petals. Who needs bubbles if you have bloody flower petals? Devyn saw the small basket by the freestanding clawfoot tub the first night she got here but saved the experience for last.

So worth the wait.

Only Draco is now ruining it by scoffing and pacing. By the looks of it, he quite literally just slipped out of bed... and found himself alone. And came to confront her that very instant.

"You sure know how to keep a man's confidence at a reasonable level," he mutters grouchily.

"Nothing about you is reasonable," she retorts lightly.

He scowls, but even then he looks unreasonably handsome. "Imagine I did that to you. Snuck off after we slept together."

Devyn stares at her knees poking out of the surface, shiny in the light casting in from the window to her right. If he puts it like that, it makes her sound incredibly awful.

Because she'd hate it if the positions where swapped. But a handful of hours ago, that was the only plausible thing to do, and this right here is confirmation enough that he has no clue what he said while drifting off.

"You'd feel used, wouldn't you?" His hands grip the edge of the tub, rings clanking the porcelain, his figure looming over her demandingly. "Like a whore."

Devyn cuts her eyes to him, drawling, "Says the idiot who fucked me like I was his personal sex doll last night."

Indignation flares in him. "You said you wanted it as much as I did."

"Nothing about it has changed."

"Yet you fucking leave," he growls angrily, pushing himself up and resuming the pacing. It's paired with a hand running through his hair.

She can see his point-it's painfully clear-but just as much she cannot understand why he'd feel that bothered if he has made up his mind already. The words from last night leave her feeling cold. Protective over herself.

"You had your whole spiel last night. The jealous bit. But now, as you can see," she gestures to the window above her, "the sun is out. The world is serious again."

Draco's hands are firmly planted at his hips, his jaw working as he pins her with his hard gaze. "It's no a bit if it's the truth."

Devyn blinks. Fury and indignation battle yet her voice comes out even. Sarcastic. "What was that with a man's confidence and reasonable level?"

"Don't tell me this is all it has ever been to you," his voice has gone eerily quiet, trembling slightly. "You said yourself that you can't do casual."

Devyn stares right back at him. "That is the very reason I left."