After dating Phobos for a while, she realized two things. One, you can't turn a psychopathic prince of darkness into a semi-caring human being. No matter how much he says he loves you and will change, you can't shake probably centuries of acting on his bloodthirsty tendencies. The second thing she learned was to stop trying to change him and hope he doesn't go on a murdering spree. She figured these points out early on in their relationship.
A few weeks after the battle, their relationship became strained. They didn't argue as much, which really set off her alarms. She worried herself to borderline insomnia wondering if he finally grew bored of her, but she soon found out the real problem. The more she tried to change him, the more distant and secretive he became. Only a day after the war, the council came and arrested him. Many days and trials passed before they allowed him to stay on Earth. Already became heavily restricted from many of his former activities by the council, her constant nagging was taking its toll on him. It got to the point where he would leave in the middle of the night, coming back with mysterious red stains on his shirt, and he wouldn't tell her anything about where he was and what he was doing. She could only take so many nights before the fire guardian finally grew tired and confronted him.
That's how they set up the only ground rule in their relationship: Open communication. No matter how crazy, sadistic, or just plain weird Phobos did or said, Taranee had to be the least judgemental as possible. Was it hard for her at first? Yes, trying to talk down an angry Phobos from maiming children who decided to play with his hair gets to be challenging. Fortunately, he's being watched heavily by the council and couldn't do anything too inhumane.
Moving on from her relationship, she noticed a change in the air. Everyone started to find boyfriends. The obvious pairs were Matt and Will, Caleb and Cornelia(but that's questionable), and Hay Lin and Eric. Taranee met all of them and liked them a lot, but when it came to Irma, Taranee wasn't so sure. Thornby started to pay more attention towards Irma. She saw the two greeting each other, maybe the occasional small talk in the hallway. Not to say she eavesdrops or likes to be nosy, but the cooing and sighing everytime Irma catched even a glimpse of Andrew kinda became annoying. Then one day, things changed.
"Phobos, not in front of Agatha Christie," Taranee gasped while her neck was being savaged by the prince.
"Then tell her to stop watching," he growled, his tongue and teeth leaving harsh marks on her skin. She never knew why anything book related made Phobos so aroused, but she certainly didn't complain. After a relatively nice day at school, she prepared herself for a nice evening with her family, but she found herself being dragged from the building and pinned against one of the bookstore's many couches.
Phobos slipped his hands in between whatever deemed appropriate, which was close to touching everything. From slipping his hands under her shirt to feel the type of bra she was wearing to the type of underwear she picked out, he did everything with the subtle undertone that he was analyzing her. Getting a feel of how his girlfriend was as a person. He grinded his thumb over her clit, reveling in the incoherent mumbles and gasps that poured out of her mouth.
While her glasses were crooked and dark skin blotched with the amount of heat that came forth, he had the cool countenance of someone who wasn't in the process of getting laid. The only thing that showed his arousal was the bulge currently poking Taranee's pelvis. He grabbed her thighs and pulled her closer than what she thought possible, seemingly melding together with him. Words failed her when teeth scraped her exposed neck and sucked on the tender flesh there until it bruised. She clutched onto his shirt and buried her head into his shoulder, so her voice wouldn't give her location away.
His mission seemed to be to cover every exposed part of her skin with lip shaped bruises. No amount of makeup could fully hide the amount of marks he left on her. She loved it when he got rough like this. The pleasure felt so different from the gentle sex they had. It would roll down down her body in sheets instead of the burning she would feel at the pit of her stomach. He would play with her until she cried and screamed for release.
While there may be social etiquette on how couples should act in public, Phobos didn't get the memo. He left one last kiss on the middle of her throat before he popped the buttons off her blouse, exposing her black bra underneath. He greedily took in the sight, sucking on one of the clothed nipple and arching her back to release her from the confinements of her underwear.
"As much as I don't mind your rendevous, my lord. I honestly don't think the place where we work from is hardly appropriate," Cedric remarked, slight disgust apparent on his man stood over them and dressed rather smartly for the evening. He had a cart of books that he looked to be in the process of shelving but stumbled upon the scene in front of him.
Taranee almost shrieked and hastily got dressed. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, and the urge to go find a hole to die in rose ten-fold. How can I be so careless, she berated. On the other hand, Phobos glared back at Cedric whilst holding the poor girl, preventing her from moving.
"I was currently in the middle of teaching Taranee the principles of Meridian biology," he smirked at the other man. "And she would've gotten a rather thoroughlesson if you hadn't interrupted."
"Oh, I sincerely apologize, my leigh." His voice hardly reflected any of that "sorrow" he felt. "If only your methods were a bit more conventional, then my customers would not leave when they see you teaching."
"Such a pity," Phobos sighed. "that the people on this world are much too dimwitted to understand the value of a proper education. Nevertheless, I can render any wandering eye incapacitated if they happen to venture to these parts."
"How about we don't," Taranee interjected. Fully clothed and quite ashamed, she mustered up the rest of the little pride she had and nudged Phobos off of her, so she could properly sit up. "I have to go home anyway. I do apologize for making a scene in your store, Cedric, beyond other things."
"No, you don't." the prince held her back. "It's Friday. Say you're going to stay the night over one of your friend's house and come home with me." Her face flared. Everytime she was invited to Cedric and his house, they usually went straight to the room and did whatever. During that time, Taranee got closer to Cedric, a little unwilling, and they reached some sort of uneasy agreement. She would keep Phobos happy after getting his kingdom taken from him again, and he would turn a blind eye if Phobos wanted to make his expressions of affection to Taranee public. Within reasons.
"And what are we going to do if I stay over? Last time I checked, we're not going to braid each other's hair and gossip."
"What we usually do. We lock ourselves in our room and I fuck you into the mattress for hours only to resurface for food, but I'm always open to suggestions. Oh wait, the last time you suggested anything it ended up with you crying in the bathroom complaining how you didn't expect it to 'feel that way.'"
She needed to stop trying to mess with him. She usually lost and ended up looking like a fool. And by the look of Cedric trying to contain his laughter, people noticed. "As appealing as that sounds, I have a family outing to attend. We're going to celebrate my grandmother's 75th birthday."
"That's fine. I'll just attend this birthday No need to rearrange an entire schedule over it." Taranee looked at him incredulously. She glanced over to Cedric who mysteriously disappeared.
"Yes, I'll just storm in the party with my boyfriend, whom my parents never met, and we'll dance the night away under a moonlit sky."
"Maybe with a little less sarcasm but yes. I don't see the problem with me attending. Am I not a part of your family?"
"Phobos, I-" Before she could answer that question, it seemed that the gods shined down on her because she spotted Irma from the corner of her eye. "Irma, what brings you here?"
"Oh!" Irma jumped. "I didn't see you there. I'm just here to get help with my English finals. But I can see why you're here." She gestured to her neck.
"Yeah, that was spur of the moment." Taranee lifted her collar to hide the marks from the public eye. She really needed to talk to Phobos about acceptable PDA. "But are you getting a book? We can go home together."
"Oh no, I'm getting tutoring. Cedric says he's 'quite the poet,' so he's going to help me read all those old people's confusing words." Taranee hid the amount of surprise on her face. Cedric and Irma, she thought. Sure, they're only tutoring, but since when did Cedric help anyone, much less a guardian? Seems a little suspicious.
"Are you ready, Irma," Cedric said, popping out of nowhere.
"Yes, I'm ready to try not to go to sleep," she replied. He ushered her out of the room, and Taranee couldn't help but take note of the way he held the small of Irma's back when he walked her over to an empty table. Her relationship alarm started tingling.
"Are you sure you have to go home?" Phobos whispered in her ear, breaking her thoughts. She leaned back in her arms and sighed.
"You know I have to. Don't make it harder than usual." She hummed as he nuzzled her neck. She hated when he got all cutesy and gentle on her. It made her feel bad. "I'm only leaving for one night, and it's not like I can bring this absolutely charming prince from another world to a family event when I haven't even introduced you to my parents yet."
By the looks of his frown, Phobos didn't care for the flattery. "Then let's introduce me to them. I want to be beside you, and I can't do that if I'm tip-toeing around your family like a common thief. I'm a man, and I want to do more than sleep around with you, no matter how enjoyable that my be."
"You don't need to create an entire speech just to make me take you to a family dinner. It's at this Italian Restaurant called Marco's. It starts at eight. Wear something casual. Not Meridian casual. We're not a fancy family. Oh, and you want to be surgeon when you graduate high school. They'll like a boy with ambitions."
"Sure dear, do they also want to see me juggle and wear colorful suit. I'll try, my dear, but I won't pretend to be someone I'm not."
"That's all I ask, my Prince." She sighed. She wasn't about to argue with him. "But please don't hurt anyone. I really want my family to like you, not to be perpetually scarred by you."
"Of course, dear. Now, let's walk you home. I want to finally meet your family." He was practically beaming at the fact he won the argument.
"Oh, I just forgot," Taranee stopped just before they walked out of the door. "I think I left my backpack by the couch. Can you go get that for me."
"Yes, dear. I'll be back before you knew I was gone." Apparently, he overexaggerated because the second he went out of sight, she bolted out of the door. Guilt gnawed her stomach for leaving him at the bookstore, but not as much as the fear she would've felt taking him home to her family.
That didn't mean she didn't try to communicate with him. Since she arrived at her house, she reached out in her mind for Phobos. When she does this with her friends, it's very weak long distance unless she's in distress or in guardian form. Overexerting herself like that is comparable to straining a muscle, but the second she reached out to him, his energy snatched her up before she could blink.
"Phobos," she greeted solemnly. Her guilt gnawing at her. "I'm-"
"Save your excuses." His voice sent tingles down her spine. He didn't sound happy. Nor mad. He had that regal tone used for criminals or people who just really fucked u. The emotionless yet menacing tone.
"I still want you to come. Just not to my house right now. I'll still tell them you want to come. If you still want to, that is."
"Oh, I'm definitely attending. You don't have to worry about that. And trust me, when I arrive, you won't be leaving unpunished." The word punish the highlight of the sentence. Taranee felt like she shouldn't have even brought it up. "In fact. I'm outside your house as we speak, and I suggest you hurry and answer the door, or you'll miss your chance yo introduce me to your family."
"At first she thought he was fooling around, but when she heard that doorbell ring, her blood ran cold. She jumped from her bed and ran down the stairs. She saw her mother walking from the kitchen, and she practically screamed. "I'll get it!"
"Oh!" her mother jumped, seeing her daughter barreling down the stairs. Taranee looked through the distorted glass and recognized the familiar figure. She took in a deep breath and swung open the door.
"Hello Phobos." She greeted.
Author's Note
Hello everyone! Sorry for the long wait, but the sequel for Fed Up has arrived. I'm looking for a Beta Writer to help me with my procrastination and improving my writing, so if anyone is interested please PM me. Thank you for reading.