Nightmares | Sethos x Fem!Reader [DISCONTINUED!]

Chapter 22

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This is bad. This is really bad.

I'm not a terrible swimmer, but I'm definitely not fast enough to outmatch my best friend, Sethos, who is currently chasing me through the entire hot pool. His sole goal? To toss me into the freezing cold one. I can feel the heat of adrenaline coursing through me as I kick off the side of the pool, narrowly dodging his outstretched hand yet again.

"Sethos, please!" I shout, twisting my body in the water to face him, my voice laced with slight desperation. "Can't you just throw Nari into the cold pool??"

Tighnari, who's lazily floating in the warm water a few feet away, raises his hands in surrender. "Hey, leave me out of this!" he says with a grin, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

"But it's more fun when it's you!" Sethos calls back, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he swiftly dodges the other park visitors with ease. His grin only widens as he gets closer. "Besides, you're easier to lift up!"

Groaning in mild annoyance, I dive underwater, hoping to lose him in the sea of bodies and bubbles. My heart races as I swim through the warm water, trying to make my escape as inconspicuous as possible. I quickly resurface for air and glance behind me, my eyes scanning the surface. No sign of him. Did he give up?

Before I can fully form a thought, I feel a pair of strong arms snake around my waist, pulling me down. The world tilts as I'm yanked back underwater, a small yelp of surprise escaping me in the form of a stream of bubbles. Sethos. Of course.

We resurface together, and I gasp for breath, laughing despite myself. His grip remains firm around my waist as he chuckles. "Thought you could hide from me, huh?"

"Seth, let go!" I protest, trying to wiggle free, but his grip only tightens playfully. I know he's not going to give up that easily. "This is unfair!"

"Life's not fair," he teases, his breath warm against my ear as he holds me securely. "And besides, this is way too much fun to stop now."

I roll my eyes, feeling both exasperated and amused. "You're such a pain," I mutter, though there's no real heat behind my words.

Sethos just grins wider, clearly enjoying the banter as much as the chase. "You wouldn't want me any other way," he quips, and for a brief moment, the playful teasing shifts into something softer, more intimate. His eyes lock with mine, and I feel that familiar flutter in my chest, the one I've been trying so hard to ignore.

The moment stretches on longer than it should, and I feel my heart beating faster for reasons that have nothing to do with the chase anymore. But before I can dwell on it, he's moving again, dragging me through the water toward the cold pool.

"No! Wait- Sethos!" I squeal, trying to break free as I realize where he's taking me.

His laughter fills the air, but he doesn't relent. "Sorry, [name], but this is happening."

With one final effort, I kick my legs and squirm in his grasp, but it's no use. In one swift motion, he scoops me up and tosses me into the icy water. The shock of the cold pool is instant, sending a jolt through my entire body as I plunge beneath the surface. I resurface quickly, shivering as I splash water in Sethos' direction, my teeth chattering.

"You are the worst!" I yell, but I can't help the laughter bubbling up with the words.

Sethos grins, clearly proud of himself. "Worth it!" he calls out, floating casually in the warm pool again, completely unbothered by my suffering.

Tighnari watches the scene unfold from his cozy spot in the hot pool, shaking his head in amusement. "I told you to stay with me," he says with a smirk, his voice teasing but gentle.