A/N: After the last chapter, I felt like they would need a chapter to figure out where they wanted to go after the kiss/kisses…and they both so stubborn ;) This kinda covers one of my 30 OTP prompts too! So yay! Enjoy guys!

Title: Vanilla Salt

Flavor: Vanilla (in each chapter I will state whether it will be Vanilla or Salt - considering Vanilla being fluff and Salt being really passionate/emotional/or smut; smut will always have a warning and the rating will always be posted)

Rating: T (for language)

Length: 4,944 words

Prompt: "The group shares a house and Talia and Mephisto are always finding random reasons to send their friends out so that they can have some alone time!" (for stolennstars)

Summary: Its been a week since they've had the house to themselves, and with Mephisto not sticking to his word, Talia is getting an uneasy feeling in her stomach…

It was an unusually quiet day in the villa. Iris and Auriana had gone shopping and Praxina was off doing God knows what. The boys had been out at the beach, throwing around the ball and chilling with her pup Amaru. Talia had managed to get the house clean and quiet, needing to concentrate on writing a new song, but so far, not a single line had been written.

Sighing, she threw her head back in annoyance, but a shifting in her stomach and the throbbing in her skull made her lay over her desk instead. It had been a whole week since they were home alone that night. A week since he kissed her. A week since he confessed to liking her. Really liking her. A week since he has admitted he found their rivalry enjoyable. Special. Cringing, she flushed and pulled her body up straight. She can't believe she was getting so flustered, and of all the things, over a boy! Not just any boy! It was Mephisto...

She growled and tapped at her notebook with the eraser of her pencil. The man in question was acting like it didn't even happen. He was so smooth and relaxed, she sometimes imagined it hadn't happened. The caramelizing taste of buttery, rich vanilla and swirling salty spice sent chills through her body, and she shook with the memory, pressing her eyes shut, daring to suppress the craving. She felt hot and dizzy.

She jumped as her door swung open, with Auriana nearly flinging it off it's hinges.

"Auriana!" Talia gasped, golden orbs wide and tired.

"Sorry! Geez, it's quiet in here! Guess who won free tickets to the movies tonight! Come on, guess!" The spunky redhead grinned gleefully as she practically bounced in place.

"You did?" Talia winced at her high pitched tone, rubbing at her temples.

"Nope! Iris did! And we're going tonight! Mephisto said if we hurry, he can bust out the van and we can all go together! It'll be like a party! A LoliRock movie party!" Auriana grinned, "We're leaving in twenty! Iris went to get the guys! I gotta find a really cute outfit for the occasion! Let Praxi know! Okay, thanks, bye!"

"Auri-!" Talia sighed as the green eyed genki made her way to her room. The last thing she wanted to do was be in a loud environment with kissy faced teens and overpriced, cheaply made food. She blushed at the idea of kissing. All she could focus on was the way Mephisto's lips moved against her and how warm his body had felt against her. Her stomach lurched and she let out a shaky breath. Groaning, she slipped on a teal blue hooded vest over her ruby tank and yanked on her black cowboy styled boots. She laid back with a sigh, struggling to gather the energy to stand.

The thought of kissing him again kept her up at night. The haunting touch of his calloused fingers grazing her mocha skin and the sweet scent that flowed from his body with the inescapable ability to cloud her senses and judgement made her body tense and ache. She was beginning to understand his desire to be around her more, as the thought had crossed her mind more often than it should. His room was only few feet away. Mocking her as she had stood in front of it in contemplation when others weren't watching. Maybe he knew. Could it be he was just dragging her along?

She bit back the stinging in her eyes and nose and stood quickly. Big mistake. Her head twisted and rambled, and she stumbled towards the door in an awkward dance in an attempt to regain control. Throwing open the door, she knocked on Praxina's door.

Each resident agreed to decorate their door according to their personality, likes, and preference. Praxina's was black, with intricate designs of blood red and purple butterflies, white blossoming lilies, and silver adornments swirling across it like wind. It was dramatic but graceful, unlike her brother's.

His was a loud yellow green with yellow tape with "DO NOT CROSS" printed in black and a large red sign that said "STOP: HAMMER TIME" at the center. The rest was covered in silly signs and a carving of his name. Paint was splattered across it in many colors. It had been his request that each of them make their mark on his door. There was a purple butterfly by a picture of Praxina and Mephisto, smiling into his camera. Iris had painted a pink heart and Nat had thrown in a red arrow through it. Mephisto had used a picture he captured after Nat's proposal. Auriana had a large orange star with a gold one in the center. She was pictured dancing at one of their concerts. Matt and Mephisto had painted on two stick figures fighting in pine green and white, with a picture of them and Kyle at Nat's shop. She eyed her signature. A crystal blue diamond surrounded by blue and gold diamonds forming a floral pattern. The picture of her had annoyed her at first, but now it seemed to make sense.

They had been out for holiday last winter and they had taken a selfie after they had defeated Matt, Praxina, Iris, and Kyle in a snowball fight. Nat was on his knees giving an exhausted thumbs up, and Auriana stood proudly, holding the rival team's flag above her head making whale calls. Mephisto had lifted her up for the pic, so she was by the flag but not blocking it. It seemed practical at the time, but she realized she has practically hugging him, with her arm draped over his shoulders in security. He was laughing, a fist thrown into the air as she threw up her own peace sign. Maybe...he just wanted an excuse to hold her.

She cleared her throat, swallowing in an attempt to push down the throbbing burn that crawled its way up. Knocking a couple times, the violet haired beauty opened her door, a black butterfly headband in her hair. She wore a dark crimson dress with black, torn thigh high socks, a leather studded jacket, and black boots. She eyed Talia curiously before smirking, "Are you really going looking like that?"

"Yes, Praxina. I'm going just like this." Talia scowled, attempting to ignore the amusement on the dark pop diva's face.

"Looking to impress?" She chuckled, closing her door.

"Not even. There's no one to impress." Talia rolled her eyes, but winced at the feeling of continuing rolling in her head. She needed more sleep.

Praxina cocked her head to the side, "Are you sure you're good to go? You look like shit."

"Praxina..." Talia frowned, walking up front to join the others.

"Who looks like shit?"

"Talia." Praxina grinned as her brother threw open his door, kicking it shut. Talia blushed at his appearance. He wasn't dressed unusually, just simple dark jeans and a deep evergreen v-neck sweater with an open black vest. His messy, old black converse squeaking against the hardwood floors. She mustered her most pleasant expression, and he cocked his head before laughing, walking passed them.

"I think you're sick, dude!" he wiped his eye dramatically.

"Who's sick?" Iris frowned, her pink sundress flowing as she turned to them at the front door.

"Talia." Praxina smirked, eying the brunette.

"I'm fine." Talia bit back, hoping to end the conversation as they piled out.

"You don't have to go if you don't feel well." Matt frowned, smoothing out his bangs.

Talia growled, swinging the van's door open and slamming it shut, ignoring the laughter of their wine locked driver.

The teasing buttery flakes, pouncing about the clear glass box made her stomach sink, and she wondered if he had noticed. She had done her best to ignore him, but he was keeping a sure eye on her. She frowned as the scents of salty snacks mingled with fruity frozen treats and chocolatey boxed candies. It was overwhelming, and the roar of the crowd gave her a migraine. Auriana had bought a full load of sour and sweets, handing the huge bowl of golden, warm popped kernels to her in an attempt to lighten her load. The smell was both intoxicating and left her lightheaded. As they found their seats, they chatted in excitement over the film, but she was just thankful they could finally sit down. She cursed silently as Mephisto sat next to her, with Auriana, who quickly reclaimed her box of popcorn, on her other side. A part of her knew he planned this, but he nonchalantly slipped at his drink. The lights dimmed and she looked over in his direction. How could he act like it didn't bother him? She had been thinking about it constantly, waiting to see if her invitation was truly accepted and if his answer was more than witty banter. She had dared to hope and he crushed it with every exit he made, leaving her home alone in exile. She despised him for it. She desired him for it. Her face burned and she barely noticed the previews, her focus escaping her grasp. Her head spun, and the air became less available. He was staring at her. Her head pounded, and her shoulders shook as she quickly turned from him.

The next memory that dawned on her was Mephisto snatching away Auriana's tub of goodies and tossing the treats across the floor before thrusting it into her face before she emptied the contents of her stomach. She couldn't stop it, and the attention she was drawing was embarrassing enough. The bucket was getting too full. She wasn't sure what progressed. All she remembered was ending up in the ladies room with her head in the toilet, and Iris holding back her hair.

Auriana made her way out with Praxina, who was struggling to handle the stench.

"I told you not to go in there, you know how you are about that kind of thing." Mephisto smirked as Praxina glared.

"Shut up. I just have a sensitive nose is all."

"More like a weak stomach." Her twin chuckled, relishing in her discomfort.

"Guys, there's like, no way she's gonna make it through the movie. She gone full blown exorcist in there. What do we do if her head starts spinning?" Auriana frowned, a worried look on her face.

"Take pictures?" Mephisto offered with a smirk, "Look, since Praxi here can't stand to be near anyone puking up their guts and y'all can't bail on your lady friends, I'll take her home and be back in time to get you guys."

"Oh, sure, make me the fifth wheel." Praxina pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Do you wanna be the one she pukes on? Green's more my color, though by all means, it'd definitely be Twitter worthy." Mephisto rubbed his hands together maniacally.

"Ew. Whatever, keep her away from me!" The violet haired woman gagged, waving him away.

"Praxina, always there when you need her." Nat laughed, shoving his fists in his pockets.

"Unless someone's throwing up." Auriana smirked, earning a grin from the boys and a growl from her cousin.

"I'll, uh, go let Iris know!" The redhead ran off to the bathroom, barely managing to dodge her relative's fury.

Getting to the villa had been less than pleasant. Between Talia vomiting and Iris constantly texting to see if they made it, he was sure something in him would snap. Talia was exhausted, and her usual trained and poised self was replaced with a shivering, sloppy mess. She kept mumbling how she hated throwing up; how she hated being sick. Apparently, she really hated being sick and throwing up in front of him, especially after throwing up all over his shirt. Hopefully she wouldn't make the news. The theater had been dark, so maybe her reputation had been spared. He had managed to get her to the closest couch before he retrieved a bucket. He mentioned going upstairs, but she was knocked out. Sighing, he opted to shower before he cleaned her up. It'd be pointless if he was still covered in the spew. Cringing, he began to undress, tossing the ruined goods to the trash. Better yet, he should probably burn them. He sighed in relief as the nauseating smells melted away and were replaced by fresh pine and evergreens. Running his fingers to push back his hair, his face flushed and his eyes went wide.

Talia was in no condition to shower alone. The girl could barely stand, and he couldn't risk her passing out in there. She'd need...assistance. He gulped. He had not thought this through. He rinsed his body quickly, turning off the shower head. He nearly slipped in his race for his phone, the thought of calling one of the girls his main train of thought. Grasping it in his hands, he pause. He couldn't leave Talia here alone either. He'd have to go get one of the girls, and he was not keen on the idea of the brunette dirtying his wardrobe once more. Gross.

He threw on his robe and all but sprinted to his room. He patted himself on the back as he recovered old swim trunks in the drawer and pulled them on. As for Talia, he refused to invade her privacy. Breaking into Praxina's room was one thing, but going into Talia's without permission was a death sentence. Then her head would really unhinge. He rumaged through his drawer before coming across a pair of boxers, sweatpants, and an old tshirt. He'd just have to deal with her complaints later.

"No."

"Talia…"

"I said 'No way.'"

"You're not making this easy…"

"And I'm not going to be! Pervert!"

"Are you really in the position to insult me when you need my help?" He watched her with an unimpressed stare as she laid on the floor in the hallway. She had been less than thrilled with the idea of accepting his help to bathe and being the gentleman that he was, he laughed when she face planted down the hall. She groaned as he stood by the bathroom door, arms cross over his chest.

"Your shorts are stupid." She muttered, rolling onto her back and offering up her hand.

"Good, follow me." He smirked, entering the bathroom as her arm fell limp and she growled in response. It took her a good five minutes, but when she finally made it into the room she shooting daggers. Stifling laughter, he turned the shower head on before moving to give her privacy. She winced as she felt the cool temperature, "Why'd you make it so cold?"

"You have a fever, moron. Too hot, and it'll make it worse, too cold and I risk sending you into shock; but by all means Miss Perfect, have at it."

Talia rolled her eyes, and waved for him to turn around. He tossed her his robe, and turned around awkwardly, "I'll just...yep."

She shook her head as he slammed the door, opting to stand in the hall. Sighing, she began to undress. She took a look in the mirror and was disgusted by her appearance; pieces of popcorn and her own fluids stuck to her hair and her lips were dry under her smeared lipstick. Her eyeliner was beginning to run and her skin was a pale, sickly yellow; damp and sweaty. Her clothes were a disaster, and she was glad to have not taken Praxina's advice to change into something nicer. She had been so out of it she hadn't registered that she smelled of vomit, or how unkepmt she appeared. And all in front of the one person she wanted to appear perfect in front of.

She gaped at her reflection; startled by the admission. She had always attempted to present herself at her best in front of those important to her; her parents, teachers, fans, friends; her sister had primed her that a positive and proud appearance was a good confidence builder. It made sure you were to be taken seriously. Maybe it was because Mephisto never took her seriously that she wanted to prove that she was worthy of his praise. But when did it become his praise that she wanted?

"Uh, Talia? You okay in there?" Mephisto's concerned tone snapped her out of her daze quickly, "If you're dead, can I have your guitar?"

"Just a minute!" She undressed quickly, shrugging on the soft and clean robe. She grimaced as she picked up her clothing. Eyeing a pile by the trash, she laid the ruined clothing over Mephisto's discarded pile. He'd probably blow them up or something, but with that smell, she would definitely help him, "Okay, come in!"

He threw the door open, and she jumped as it hit the wall, "Okay! Let's get this over with!"

She smirked as his vibrato fell into an awkward squeak and she followed him under the running water.

He sat down, and she followed suit, sitting in front of him as he began to remove the pieces of partially digested food from her hair. He swallowed hard, "We'll work on your hair for now, since you might throw up again later on so...don't like, get naked or anything."

"Trust me, I wouldn't dream of it." She smirked, her grip on the front of the robe tightening.

"Not yet." He grinned, and if she had the strength, she would turn around and slap the cocky smile off his smug face.

"Idiot…" She whispered, the cool water drenching the now heavy robe. She was thankful her back was to him, because now she was thinking of it.

"Last I checked," he lathered up his shampoo in his hands, "you were the one who asked to be pursued. I'm just following orders. Your orders, boss lady."

"Well…" she blushed, biting her lower lip, "Now I know you don't go through with you threats. What's in the past is in the past."

"That's cute," he chuckled, stroking her spiced tresses at the nape of her neck, "that you don't think I was serious…"

She shivered, "It's getting really cold in here."

"I'll do my best to warm you up later."

Her body tensed at his smooth, daring tone, and she struggled to keep from turning to him. She let out a wavering breath, "You know a lot about helping people for someone so heartless. And here I thought you didn't care." Her voice was raspy and worn, but it held enough bite to earn a laugh.

"You finally stop spewing crap and you choose to insult me? You're definitely getting better. Its definitely because of my special love and care." He gloated, running his soapy fingers through the thick locks, noting on the way the tips curled from the moisture into sweet dark chocolate swirls. Silence filled the air as he pulled back her bangs, scrubbing at her temples. Her honey colored eyes fluttering shut under his touch. He tensed as she fell back into him, her head resting against his chest as she changed her position. His eyes shifted to the fit of the damp robe, hugging her figure and accepting the beads of waters that rolled from her smooth shoulders. He let of out shaking breath before working towards rinsing her hair. The outdoorsy scent erupted as the suds bubbled over her luscious locks, mixing with a light and airy jasmine. His heart throbbed as she let out sighs of relief at the cleansing, sweet and gentle moans escaping her lips as his fingers roamed over her scalp. The cooling rinse was welcoming for both of them, but in very different ways. Olive eyes traced the neckline of the soft, dark fabric, sticking to her bosom and plunging behind the sacred knot that protected her from his growing hunger. Tawny skin teased him at every inch of her flawless legs, and he quickly double checked for any left over soap in an attempt to avoid roaming over the rest of her.

"Uh, Talia…"

"Hmm?"

"While I'm sure you're having loads of fun, I need to turn off the water."

He cursed himself, the words a low, tight tone, rather than the arrogant aire he had trained himself on using. Her lips parted, and she quickly leaned forward in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry..." It was choked and embarrassed, and he frowned as she shielded her eyes with her hands. He turned off the water before turning to her, pulling her hand away and brushing his lips against her bare forehead.

"If you start crying I'm totally gonna leave. That freaks me out." He gave her a genuine smile, and she all but stared in wonder.

"Quit being weird." He muttered, stepping out of the shower, "Dry off and come to my room, okay."

She merely nodded, opting to stare at her feet as he left the room. It wasn't until the door closed that she realized it wasn't her fever that had made her cheeks burn, and her eyes stung in remembrance of her actions. She wasn't just weird, she was stupid.

The warmth of his clothing, of his scent was overwhelming to Talia. She had never worn another man's clothing, well, unless you counted her dad's old shirts she sometimes practiced or slept in growing up. She tucked her nose into the collar, inhaling it. His smell surrounded her, enveloping around her well-defense walls of atmosphere. Her hair, his clothes, the whole room was him. And now she had to go into his room. Her throat tightened as she wiped away her makeup and attempted to brush her hair out. She felt much better now that her stomach was on empty, lacking the fuel to ruin her further. There was an uneasiness to her step, but she managed to find that bright green door. She knocked on it softly, her heart beating rapidly. He swung the door open, and she was certain he did it just to scare her.

She could feel her cheeks turning a deep scarlet at his appearance. He had opted for a pair of jeans she hadn't decided to decorate with projectile, and looked to be half way into getting ready to pick up the crew as his top half was bare aside from a cotton towel hanging from his neck. His bangs were damp and messy, and she clenched her fist to stop from fixing them, reminding herself that her updo was currently wrapped in a towel upon her head.

He cocked his head at her, "What the hell?"

"What?" Her eyebrows furrowed as he stared at her body. Gasping, she covered her chest, "What's your problem?!"

"Why are you...so tiny? Like I figured you'd be bigger."

"Mephisto, what the literal fuck?!" She glared, and his eyes went wide in realization. He threw his head back, roaring in laughter. She scowled as he waved for her to follow him in, but she stood her ground.

"T-talia," he grinned, struggling to stop laughing, "I meant your overall body size, my clothes huge on you!"

Her mouth popped open and formed an 'o' as it registered, and she slapped her forehead, groaning. Grinning, he picked her up, ignoring her squeaks and protests, dropping into the bed to hover over her.

"But those are perfect, in case you were wondering."

"If you do that again, I swear, I will throw up all over this place." She glared, but there was a tugging on her nude lips that suggested she was toying with him.

"Fair enough. By the way, I think your fever's dropped." He grinned, "Probably 'cause I'm a pro."

"How do you know?" She rolled her eye, pulling the fallen towel from under her head. He tapped at her forehead and she blushed, "Oh...how do you know all this stuff anyways?"

"Praxina had to be taken care of by somebody. We didn't have the most loving guardian, and despite her maturity, Praxina is needy as hell when she gets sick. Always has been. Not to mention her immune system bites. Haha, get it?" He grinned, laying on his side beside her.

"You're a riot." She responded dryly. He shrugged, but the smirk that played on his lips fell into a calming smile.

She sighed, and finally turned to look at him, "I'm sorry…"

"What? Why? Am I supposed to apologize next" His eyes went wide, and she let out a drained chuckle.

"No, its just...I've been mad because I thought you were toying with me. You never made a move and I expected you to make one. But, you didn't. I lost my train of thought. And then it took me a bucket full to realize I was in the wrong. In all that time I spent getting angry and attacking you, I could've done it myself. But I didn't. And then I gave you a hard time for trying to help me out of spite. I...was wrong. And don't take this lightly, I'm usually not wrong, but...I guess, I do like you. A lot more than I realized. I suppose this was my own personal lesson: this needs to be mutual. Are...do you you want that?" She fiddled with the hem of his shirt, pulling it a bit over her face for comfort as he looked thoughtfully at her.

"Yeah, sure, why not." He muttered, leaning over and kissing her. She tensed at the intensity of it, but welcomed it all the same. He pulled away, pushing her dampened bangs from her head, "I really like you, Talia. And yeah, you're sometimes uptight, irrational, and stubborn as hell, but I still like you a lot. That's part of the fun. I...I just didn't want to fuck everything up with you. I was reckless with you that first time. That, and I didn't want to give us away. I don't know if I'm ready to face Auriana's matchmaking and prodding questions about our relationship just yet."

"Or Iris's 'tell-me-when-you-first-knew' cliche convo?" Talia smiled weakly as he cringed.

"Or Praxina. She'd never let either of us live it down…"

She nodded in agreement, "We'll just have to have the house to ourselves more often."

"Is your fever back or are you finally talking my language?" He grinned, playing with her cinnamon strands between his fingers.

"I think I'm exhausted and you're being sleazy." She yawned, stretching on his bed.

"Oh, come on, all you probably have is a 24 hour bug...Or food poisoning." He shrugged, laying on his back.

"Oh, God, Mephisto, did you poison me just to get me into your bed?"

"If I did, you wouldn't be in my bed and it would be coming from the opposite direction." He smirked, a devious glint passing through his emerald orbs.

"That's twisted and disgusting." She gagged, turning away from him.

"You like it."

"Not really."

"It thrills you." His arms wrap around her waist.

"Not in the slightest."

"I turn you on." Kisses fall behind her ear.

"No you don't."

"You're turned on right now." He bites at the crook in her neck, and she trembles.

"I hope you get sick."

"It'll be worth it…"

"Mephisto…" Its barely a whisper, a mew of arousal, and his hold on her tightens. Delicate fingers graze against his hands that have managed to slip past the hem of her shirt and to her stomach, her bare flesh hot against his touch.

His phone goes off.

"Please tell me you're joking…" He sits up, and the loss of his presence against her leaves her cold and empty, "Ugh, I gotta go pick them up now?!"

"That's okay, I need to rest anyways…" She blushed, pulling her shirt straight.

"Sorry, you can stay here if you want. Your fever's down and you're walking and mentally sound. I think you'll live, on the downside, you're kinda my bae now." He grinned, slipping on a shirt.

"Oh, no, that's terrible." She smiled, "But please, call me anything other than 'bae'."

"If I feel like it. I like getting on your nerves." He grinned, saluting her before making his exit.

The morning left her refreshed and energetic. Stretching, she noted she had fallen asleep in Mephisto's room, but he was nowhere to be seen. She noted on the bottle of ginger ale and saltines on the crowded nightstand and the bucket by the bedside.

She startled at a knock on the door, smiling as Iris popped her head in, "Hey, Talia. How're you feeling?"

"Better. This is...weird…" She feigned ignorance as to her location, acknowledging the look of sympathy the freckled blonde gave her.

"Mephisto didn't want to invade your privacy so he brought you here last night. You were pretty out of it. He said he gave you some nausea medicine and you clocked out. He crashed on the couch. Its good to see you looking like your normal self, which is more than we can say for Mephisto…" Iris giggled, shaking her head.

"What's wrong this time?" Talia rolled her eyes, but her grip on the sheets tightened.

"Poor guys been throwing up all morning. Whatever you had, he caught it."

"Wow, that really does bite…" The brunette muttered, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.

"Yeah, though for some reason, he kept going on about how it was 'totally worth it'..." Iris frowned, tapping at her chin in concern, "His fevers making him a bit...you know…"

Talia smile, laying her head and arms against her knees, a playful glimmer in her eyes.

"Yeah. I know."

And so it begins...

How will are princess and her dark prince find ways to be alone this time? And what flavor will it be?

See ya soon!

-KT