There'd been eyes on her all night.
That was a normal occasion, what with the concert and all of Lolirock's adoring fans. Talia Hellenez was used to those eyes, shining ones in the dark of the stadium, lighters and glitter and sequins all catching her gaze. This, now this was different.
He's schmoozing over in the corner, a cup of something in one hand and bright eyes cutting through the gloom. He's always at their concerts, always infected with the excitement and cheering just as loud as everyone else.
Tonight he just looks patient. He knew as well as she did what she'd done.
They'd performed Party Talking last, so she was still in the shiny blue tights and slinky dress, but she'd tossed a cropped blue hoodie over it when her arms got cold. Iris said the winter was coming, and she had a feeling that the chill within the club would get worse.
And the club, also Iris' idea. She realized that fans were having parties after their concerts, and got the idea to host an official Afterparty. Talia could tell between the light in the blonde's eyes and the drinks she was slamming that there'd be a song coming soon that shared the title.
She decides to say fuck it. Talia slams a drink down, the bassy beat pounding through her bones, and slides through the crowd.
He's still there. He can see her coming, but he doesn't move out of the way. Maybe they both know it'd be worse if they didn't talk this over now.
He takes a long sip of his drink, and her fingers itch. To slap him, to grab the back of his head and kiss him, to scream into, she's not sure.
"Heartbreaker, huh?" She snaps as soon as she's close. She hadn't meant to, but she's angry. Talia had never been one for whispers. When she was younger she was haunted by "Spookalia", and she wouldn't let this planet get on her bad side. "Ruthless?"
"Uh huh." Nathaniel drawls it out, and she thinks he might be drunk. He cracks a half smile. "And that you're rude to fans, a total Ice Queen."
Talia fights the urge to snap that she's no Queen, but instead she narrows her eyes and bares her teeth.
Nathaniel holds his hands up placatingly. "C'mon, what did you expect? After the way you broke it off?"
Images snap through her mind. Them cuddling in his basement on a pullout couch, bare skin under giant comforters. His fingers tracing over her hip and diving lower. His disbelieving face when she told him they weren't going to be dating anymore.
The exact moment his eyes caught her sipping on the drink Kyle bought for her, leaning against the wall in the smoothie shop.
"I expected you to be mature about it."
Nathaniel snorted, leaning against the wall here.
They were lucky to not be near the speakers. She had a feeling he'd camped out here for that exact reason. And it was just tucked far enough into the corner not to be noticable, just enough to be a bit darker than the rest of the room.
His lashes are thick as they flutter in the gloom. Her breath hitches.
"I thought you hated liars." Talia forces herself to raise her voice, hating how weak she felt around the human. That's why she'd broken it off, after all. They couldn't be together, couldn't stay together.
She wouldn't stay on this planet forever.
"I do."
"Then why lie?"
"You did break my heart." Nathaniel reaches forward and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "You were ruthless about it. And you've got this chill under your skin, you're trying to keep everyone out all the time."
Talia wonders if this is what Iris feels like around that boy of hers. Alan or whatever.
"You're trying to hide the fire inside, but I know there's something there."
"You don't know anything about me." Now she can break through it, a cruel smile. Not aimed at him, but at herself for being stupid.
"I know what I can, and what I don't, you're hiding behind some wall of ice."
"There's no wall of ice, Nathaniel. Just a lot of skin and bone."
He shrugs.
She stares at him.
The lights pulse and the song fades into the next.
Talia was dimly aware of his drink hitting the floor as she leaned up and grabbed him, diving into a kiss.
She shouldn't, by the melzors. She just really wanted to.
She licks her way into his mouth and digs her nails into the nape of his neck, making him gasp and bend just the way she wanted. His back is arching towards her, his arms wrapping around her middle.
His blunt nails scrape over the bare skin at her back, and she merely nips him back.
Her thoughts aren't on the war back on Ephedia, her sister or Gramorr or the terror twins or the band's success. They weren't even on Iris, working on the song while she lounged at a table, or Auriana, dancing out on the floor with anyone who would scoop her in and dip her. They weren't in any far off place.
They were right here.
She tugs on his short locks and some of his fingers catch her hair as well, their lips wrapped in a completely separate embrace from their bodies. He manages to twist her so that he can push her against the wall- and she's glad for that, because otherwise they'd fall.
Nathaniel hikes her leg up over his hip, and she doesn't worry about who sees, about getting kicked out, about the band's image.
All she can think about is the sparks as their hips rock together, as their mouths mash.
His tooth nicks her tongue and she gasps as the sweet taste of blood melts into both their mouths. He chases her as she rolls her head back, moving his mouth to kiss down her jaw and suck on the neck showing over the hood of the hoodie.
If they weren't in this club, the burning, burning hot club, she'd tear the hoodie off.
But all she does is moan brokenly, holding his arms to keep herself stable, her world whole.
His nips might bruise, but it's not like Talia can bring herself to care. She'd just pull a scarf around her neck or tuck her hair into her collar, and it'd be their little secret. And when she went to the smoothie bar for a drink run during the day, he'd be able to take an impromptu break and she'd eat him out in the back room.
And if she didn't melt into a puddle with his tongue laving over her jugular, she was sure she'd do anything to keep this feeling forever.
He's panting and hard against her, pulling back to meet eyes again. The room flashes around them for a moment again, the song changing. Both their lips are plump and swollen.
"Stay with me." He croons. She can smell the alcohol still on his breath, tasting it on the back of her tongue.
"I won't." She whispers. "The rest of it wasn't true- but I will break your heart."
"Don't, just stay. Please."
She kisses him to shut him up, lapping her way back into his mouth.
Despite everything, he melts back into her.