WHITE

"I thought I already told you to stop touching me, dammit."

"You have no idea how fascinating this is for me right now." Asher grins as he lightly pokes Morning in the forehead, squeaking when she presses the knife harder into his neck.

"Okay— okay!"

With a icy glance in his direction, Morning releases him. Then she turns to walk away, leaving her plate untouched.

"You know, I can explain." Asher begins, blinking his silver eyes at her back. "I haven't touched anyone since I accidentally poisoned—"

The door slams close, and he looks down at the floor. With a depressed look on his face.

He shoots a malicious glare in Jungkook's direction, who's trying to quiet his laughter by eating his hand.

"And who let this kindergartener in my House?"

And I keep watching the door.

"Is V still not here?!" I shout, surprising Jungkook. My hands slam angrily on the table, and I kick the chair for good measure.

I've finally come up with an apology. And now that I was, he wasn't even showing up to dinner that they all had together for what— once a month?

"He usually doesn't show up." Asher laughs, and I grind my teeth together in annoyance. Of course he doesn't— what would have changed?

Crashing up from my seat, I storm out the door. If he was really not coming so he didn't have to see me, I was going to honestly throw him out the window.

When I fling the door open to his room, I stop.

My God.

V's bent over his desk, so low that his dark hair is hanging over his eyes. He's so focused that he doesn't even hear me open the door that loudly.

I freeze, just gaping at him as he struggles over putting together the shattered swan.

I can't even swallow, my throat being all clumped together.

Heart lips squeezed in concentration, he grips another minuscule piece with his slender fingers. The swan is almost completed— and done so well.

And then the piece slips out of place, and a frustrated growl escapes his lips. It hurts more than his Blessing to watch V like this.

Who could anyone love if they couldn't love someone like him?

"Tae."

At the sound of his name, his head snaps up. His deep green eyes blink slowly once— widening with surprise when he sees me.

He gets to his feet so quickly he almost hits the desk.

"White." He breathes, and I close our distance until he's looking right down at me. There's exhaustion everywhere on his face— and I squeeze my fists behind my back.

V avoids my gaze.

"I couldn't find some pieces." He murmurs, looking uncertain. I don't move as he hesitantly brushes a strand of hair over my shoulder. "But—"

"I love you."

"But I don't know if I did it right." He continues, and I almost laugh when I realize he didn't hear me. I could see his heart racing from here.

I don't deserve him.

Then I see him holding gloves, and I wrap my hand around his wrist. He looks at me in surprise, eyes wide then softening.

"I can't control my Blessing with you, demoiselle." He whispers, his eyes telling me to let go. "You know this."

I know. I could get hurt.

"Whatever."

Tugging them away, I stand on my toes and wrap my arms around his neck. He feels warm when I kiss him, a quiet breath escaping his lips when I do.

His hands tighten against my shoulder, one on my back. There's still hesitation, like he's afraid of touching me.

I kiss harder, tugging at his collar. My lips find his neck and jaw, and shift down across the smooth, perfect lines of his body.

"Stop." He gasps, his hand tightening against my waist. "We shouldn't. Don't you know—"

"I know." I say soothingly as I pull his hand, towards the bed. When he almost gets a scared look in his eyes, I laugh.

"You look exhausted, Tae. I just want you to get some sleep."

It isn't hard getting him to lie down, with his eyes practically half-closed. He blinks at me warningly when I snuggle next to him, burying my face into his chest.

"You didn't hear me earlier, right?" I mumble, and I can feel him shift to hear me better. "When I—"

Then I tense.

A streak of pain slices me from my head to heel, and I struggle to keep my Blessing from flashing up in response. I don't scream, but he still notices.

And I notice that he notices.

Before he can push me away, I latch on tighter.

"I don't care." I say, my face still buried in his chest. "I honestly don't give a damn, and it actually doesn't even hurt that much anymore—"

"No."

But when his efforts get stronger, I wrap my leg around his and press myself firmer to him. He makes a sound low in his throat.

"White."

"Yeah?"

"I can't let you do that."

"Fine— I'll put on my Blessing!" The silver outlines my body, but V still doesn't seem satisfied. He knows that it won't be long until it runs out.

"We can't."

"Yes, we can." I huff, and slightly loosen my death grip on him so he can breathe. "Go to sleep."

"Not like this."

"Go to sleep, Tae Winter."

His voice has risen a bit when he suddenly wraps a lean arm around my shoulders. My eyes twitch in surprise when he pulls me closer than we already are.

"Fine." He hisses deeply into my ear, sounding slightly mad now. "Remember I warned you, stubborn demoiselle."

_________________________

ASHER

"Hey— open up." I say, knocking at the door. "You didn't eat earlier."

There's no reply from the inside, and I tilt my head in curiosity. Was she sleeping?

A devilish smile splits my face, and I start banging on the door. I'd used to do this all the time to Tae and Jimin, and it had always worked.

"Happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday to—"

Then the door crashes open, and I smile innocently into a pair of steel white eyes.

"Are you mad?"

"You didn't open the door." I say innocently as I show her the food I'd brought. "And you didn't eat earlier."

Without a word, she starts to swing the door back close. Before it can completely close, I wedge my foot between there.

"What do you want."

"Aren't you going to eat?" Holding out the small tray at her, I smile wider when she gives it a cold look.

"Don't tell me you're not."

She looks really annoyed when she kicks open the door to let me in. There's been a smile on my face for the last minute, and Morning hisses.

"Stop smiling or I'm going to stitch your mouth together."

Somehow, her threats don't sound scary. Of course they do— but being this close to someone that I can touch makes me too happy to feel anything else.

"What are you doing? Leave." She says once I put the tray down, and I give her a teasing look.

"What are you doing? Come on. Let's eat."

Her eyes slash over to me, clearly not wanting to do that. Every word she says is hissed out between her lips. "I'm not going to eat with the brother of my sister's murderer, so I suggest you leave."

Pointing my eyes to the ground, I make the saddest face I can.

"Why does everyone always want me to leave...."

When I mutter that under my breath, I can feel her gaze flicker over to me. Come on. Come on, Morning. Just say the words.

"Fine."

Yes!

"You can stay a minute. And then you're leaving."