Rosanna's P. O. V:
"Which talent did you unlock?" Kairos asked, his chin atop my head while I tried not to pinch his firm toned thighs.
They looked so good with those black pants hugging them. That obvious strain while he flexed his long model legs and when he stretched them out.
I never knew thighs could be so attractive.
And oh boy, his chest-- although poor quality for a head rest, it was very firm and I could feel rocky defined abdomens through his blue t-shirt.
I wanna exploreeee! But no. I'm not a pervert nor is it mine to touch- note the sadness.
Or glee.
Is having Kairos as a companion a good thing? Except for his looks, what does he have? Oh yes; title, power and so forth. But when lost Kairos' quality becomes... Becomes different.
His personality might not do the trick. Won't attract as much women or make his actions valid without his background. But isn't his actions propelled by his background?
"What are you thinking?" Yeah, the f*ck am I thinking?
My point is-- looks, finances, power and all what we call materialistic in the realm of love, isn't that genuinely what makes people attracted? Isn't it all just apart?
Personality does not always fill in all the gaps, does it? As sad as it may-- to the people whose circumstances were not defined by their hands.
Just, one cannot live with personality alone.
But it doesn't stop me from judging that the things that lead to things could have just not lead to things.
I-it's complicated. And I'm doing it again.
When I see someone attractive, someone likeable, someone special, I just wonder that if they'd lost a certain quality-- would they ever be as valuable?
People do not fall in love because they wish to, not under some omnipotent life long spell. They fall in love because they choose to.
But what if the things they choose to love fades away, will the love also fade? Then they stop loving that particular human.
This is why loving another is an individual risk we should all be aware of. It's not all fairy tales to hand your heart down in a golden platter for someone whose feelings are ever prone to change.
"Rosanna?"
I'm not hopelessly romantic to believe a person would love a soul. They could love everything that makes a person who they are. An individual can love me for being me.
But if all that makes me, me gets taken away, do I still get that 'pure, true love'? Is there a love directed at a person's existence before quality?
Here comes my trust issues. Humans, intelligent creatures alike, are ever changing and adapting. Love for today is not love forever. And I don't live for the present.
The things I might hold as secure realities are soon becoming past events and the future is prone to changes. Would I have it all now and have it all then?
"Rosanna."
I don't find security in a one moment bliss all for me to be left with memories to seek solace from. I can't taste Heaven and be expected to live casually after.
Ah, Kairos... I tried taking away what made you, you to know if you'd still be... You. Ah, f*ck, merlin! I'm confusing myself! What am I thinking?!
But back to my main point, away from my confusing world of thoughts, I admit that Kairos would still make a good companion without his external value.
I remember his and Naiyah's little scenes-- ah, and there goes it, my mood; sour, for reasons I choose not to address.
A painful tug on my cheek dragged me out of my thoughts.
"Oww!" I scowled in annoyance, swatting the big hand away. And the naughty hand was then placed on my torso, pulling me up against the man's chest.
Shite. I'm being seduced. And I can't- no, I don't want to resist at all. The tingles, cool and comforting embrace perfectly fitted my mood.
It catered to help me think relatively calmly and peacefully amidst the incredulous incidents happening in quick succession.
I needed this comfort.
"You weren't listening, were you? I said, which talent did you awaken?" Kairos' voice close to my ear did wonders, feeling his warm breath that made me think he was about to bite my ear. But my slight irritation made me less enchanted.
Hey! Don't touch my face casually! The pimples were not easy to remove!
"I don't know yet." I responded, mind mulling our earlier conversations and head resuming it's job on properly processing all that Kairos had told me.
Aether poisoning, check. Multiple triggered awakenings? Check. That should be my third or fourth afterlife visit. Or perhaps, fifth?
"It's the same as absorbing your other talents. Try to identify the Mana in the air and get familiar with the newfound element. The color you can see and absorb would be your talents."
"I... I'll try," Even though I don't exactly understand what he's saying.
I was a bit nervous. Trials and probabilities were not my thing. Rather, set facts and guaranteed or at least, almost guaranteed success. I think a lot and believe a lot but my fear of failure overcomes my desire to try like the average person.
Infinite possibilities includes infinite negatives and positives.
"I can lead you. If you'd open yourself up and let me direct your senses."
What is wrong with Kairos? He'd interlocked our fingers and I'm feeling extremely worried by his soft tone.
"When did our relationship progress to this extent?"
Tell me, what does this guy think?
"I'm keeping you," He muttered.
"Am I a pet?"
"An asset, yes. The talent you gained would be a big boast to my future plans."
Good thing or bad thing? A tool, aye? Interesting upgrade.
"It's a good thing."
I jolted in surprise at his words. I guess I must've spoke out my inner thoughts. But I don't think I did. He must've guessed.
"Relax," Kairos leaned his head to the side of my face and I did relax. Slightly tilting my head as his boiled egg smooth face pressed on mine.
'Clean shave. Or no shave?'
I'd mock his facial hairs for being extinct and his skin smoother than mine, telling him he's a greenhouse princess. Not because I saw it as bad but because I aim to irk Kairos
But I could feel the outline of a well endowed body part.
Everything that was happening with me and Kairos was odd but I couldn't care less.
I turned my head towards him when a low soft purr arose from his chest.
Then I saw red irises with black slits.
Ah?
"The f-..." I, what?
Amusement flashed in his eyes and as Kairos grinned, the purring stopped making me wonder if I heard things.
That imaginary purr was cute!
I saw some locks of his hair begin to change to black. It wasn't creepy, merely fascinating and I felt like tugging at his hair.
Before I could utter another word, Kairos' whole hair turned into obsidian, glowing and seeming 'alive' with untold energies.
I could feel the atmosphere change in a blink of an eye. The room temperature dropping by an alarming rate.
Kairos suddenly did not seem like Kairos. His entire being became more... Desolate, dark like an abyss was surrounding him. That's how I felt looking into his eyes.
Watching him up close with parted lips, I felt like a prey engraving the image of it's predator in it's head just as it was about to be killed.
"What- ah!"
Like a ragdoll, I was hoisted up in the air by strong hands and before I could process what was happening, I found myself facing Kairos, my knees awkwardly bent in between his legs.
The same hand gripped mine as I tried to scramble away. Another wrapping my waist and pushing me against his chest.
"F*cking sh!thead! What-!"
"Hush now, Rosa." A finger pressed on my lips with force and I watched Kairos' eyes hold mischief. Lips pulled slightly in a half smile as his eyes flitted to my mashed lips.
I licked his finger and he flicked my forehead in an instant. My pout faded when I heard his next words.
"Call me Rael." He said with a seductive tone, my breath in a hitch at his words.
"R-Rael?" Rael took over?
"Now is not the time for a joke, Kai-"
A black long claw was placed a few inches near my neck and I stilled entirely.
That same claw- no, claws, wrapped around and gripped my exposed fragile neck in a light hold.
Rael- in all his eerie beauty, moved his face closer to me and extended a long dark red pointy tongue to lick at my cheek.
I dared not flick his forehead.
"Soriat. Eth'r tex vascille." He whispered with a strange glee that raised the hairs of my skin. Speaking in a language I could assume was Igalius. With fluent wordings and a slightly deeper accent that made the language feel 'intimate'.
'Enchanting. You're so sweet.' Somehow those words were profound in my mind amidst it's chaotic stillness.
"H-how?" I stuttered.
How and why did Rael takeover?!
"We agreed to help you figure your talent. Well I agreed we agree. He didn't but it doesn't matter. Now dearie, open up your mouth and heart."
I was confused. But the worst part? I felt the area in-between heat up. Why, I didn't know. And it was directed at Rael.
"I can smell your arousal," Rael stated, a smirk forming on his features as he eyed me with a hungry look.
"My counterpart might be stupidly indifferent but if it was in my power, I'd have mated you long ago."
"..." I'm sorry my words and head aren't in synch and my brain can't comprehend Rael's foreign language.
"Open up, Rosa." He tapped my butt.
"This will be beneficial to us. And I don't have the time to waste." His words contained a little warning tone as he stared at me.
I wiped the almost dried saliva off my cheeks and said, "Open what, Rael?"
"Your mouth and mind. Let me help you touch the elements of your awakened talent."
"Another kiss?" I raised a brow, taking the rebellious hand off my neck. Which he obliged, letting me pull his hand. But I held his wrist not letting go and he didn't mind.
I held it not entirely because I liked the feeling of his skin on mine but because it was a futile attempt to protect wandering hands off my skin.
"If you put it that way." Rael grabbed my curly hair with his other hand, twisted it and stretched it around his elongated black claw.
"No, I refuse. Is it some sort of hobby to kiss every situation solved?"
"If it works for you, our tongues could stay interlocked till daybreak. But sadly, you don't want it."
"Good." I crossed my arms in defiance, eyes leveled at Rael who had a teasing glint in his red orbs.
My legs were folded under my butt as I sat on them. Awaiting Rael's next step who stared at me silently.
This is a staring contest. And I'm winning.
"Then I'll give you a choice. Risk exposing a high grade talent, get killed off in a secret scheme or have me help you?"
"What do you mean?" I asked in confusion.
"Based on the little chaos you created earlier, I'm sure some Authorities have been informed of your situation. They would come find you, check your talents and if they find a highly rated affinity beyond SSS-- you're either forced to become a complete slave to their cause or die a gruesome death.
While I will make you my asset, I won't turn you into a slave. If you'd let me help you access your powers right now and seal them, that'd be your best bet. Untill I've found a suitable growth schedule for you."
"You're so sure I have a talent higher than SSS?" I said softly, finding little strength in voicing my thoughts.
There is political intrigue in [Hibiscus Wisps]. And a nasty one.
"I'm not sure which talent you awakened, but I am sure of the level. I have an X grade talent and the only thing that rivals and nullifies one is that of equal grade. As I told you earlier what I discovered when helping you."
If that's true...
The system can help me hide my talents, yes? But did the 'original' Rosanna of this world really go through a test or I just appeared out of nowhere with genuine powers and faked documents? Truthfully, I know the answer. No need deceiving myself.
Rosanna never existed before I came.
Which means if I get tested... Even Mana Manipulation would be discovered. Also, one can only get tested in the official presence of a professional. Who can I trust?
"Help me." I frowned as I said those words.
I didn't like needing something from someone when it isn't an exchange or equivalent one.
But it would be foolish to refuse his help based on personal feelings when it concerned my life or death.
Rael didn't bother with words, he leaned forward and used his hand to cup the back of my head, and I obliged bringing my head closer.
Gently tilting his face, cold lips pressed on mine and I felt a clown show lit up in my stomach.
Second kiss: fully sober.