Moon of Misfortunes

24

I was jolted awake by the door being flung open, slamming against the stone wall and creating an echo that reverberated through the room. I shot upright, clutching the crimson comforter to my chest as I tried to make sense of who had so boldly barged in. Rubio stirred slightly at the noise but remained in his slumber. My eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden flood of daylight.

Rosia stood in the doorway, her arms folded over her chest, a cream colored dress in her hand. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the flurry of clothes scattered across the hardwood floor. Her gaze shifted between Rubio's sleeping form and me, a smirk forming as she pieced together the events that had transpired in her absence. She took a few steps forward to toss the dress on the foot of the bed. She smirk, leaning down to pick up the shirt I had been wearing the night prior with her index finger.

"Wow, you guys have been," she paused, locking eyes with me as she dropped the shirt back onto the floor, "busy."

"I thought you'd be gone for a while," I breathed out, trying to compose myself. She rolled her eyes.

"Turns out tracking down the rest of the Council was easy. Boring, actually. They didn't put up much of a fight," she said, inspecting her nails with disinterest.

Rubio began to awaken at the sound of our conversation. He rolled off his stomach onto his toned back. The sunlight streaming through the windows highlighted each notch of his abs, causing his melanated skin to glisten. The sheets were bunched around his hips. He propped himself up on his elbows, squinting as he tried to focus on Rosia's silhouette. Once he realized who it was, he huffed and let himself fall back onto the bed. Rosia's smirk widened as she took in the scene before her.

"So, are you guys going to get up or keep fucking all day," she questioned, amusement dancing in her eyes.

My eyes nearly popped out of my skull when I registered her crude comment. Rubio rubbed his face with one hand before finally sitting up fully.

"We have business to discuss, so I suggest y'all wake up now and meet me outside in twenty minutes," Rosia announced, her voice sharp and commanding.

With that, she twirled on her heels and promptly exited the room, shutting the door behind her. Rubio turned over to face me, his hand gently caressing my face before sliding around to the nape of my neck. He leaned in, placing a delicate kiss on my lips. When he pulled away, his eyes searched mine anxiously, looking for reassurance. I flashed him a genuine smile, hoping to alleviate his hurricane of inner doubts.

"Come on, let's get up," I whispered.

He groaned, snaking his arm around my waist and pulling me closer into his chest. My head rested on his shoulder for a moment, savoring the warmth and comfort of his embrace. But my impatience got the best of me, and I slightly pulled back, placing a soft kiss on the crook of his neck. He hummed in approval, a low, contented sound.

"You know, Rosia is right. We could keep fucking all day," he called out from behind me, causing me to dramatically roll my eyes.

"As much as I'd love to stay like this, we need to get up and hear whatever Rosia has to say," I said, reluctantly pulling away from Rubio.

I picked up the dress Rosia had left for me. It was a delicate beige, an antique by all appearances, yet not as bulky as the typical dresses I was often forced to wear. Most of the clothes they allowed me to wear seemed from a different century, but they were undeniably stunning. However, this dress was my favorite by far. Intricate lace designs accented the bodice, especially around the neckline and sleeves. The outer material was transparent, giving the dress a flowy, ethereal quality.

I slid the dress over my head, adjusting it to fit snugly. Walking towards the mirror in the bathroom, I grabbed a ribbon on my way in. I began to pull my hair back from my face, watching as Rubio appeared behind me. He wore his dark denim jeans from the previous day but had no shirt on. His presence made my heart race, and I couldn't help but marvel at his chiseled form.