[Third Person’s PoV]

Today marked the long-awaited debut of the school play, featuring Lucian and his classmates. Excitement buzzed through the halls as students and staff alike made their way toward the auditorium, their voices echoing off the walls as they settled into their seats.

Meanwhile, away from the commotion, Lucian was alone in a quiet, empty classroom, getting dressed into his costume. His expression remained blank—deadpan and nearly bored—as he buttoned up his attire with practiced efficiency.

Just as he finished adjusting his collar, the classroom door creaked open. Lucian turned toward the sound, only to find Atropos standing at the entrance. She was holding up the front of her elegant black dress, visibly flustered and hesitant.

“Lucian, are you busy by any chance?” she asked, her voice carrying a rare hint of nervousness.

Lucian raised an eyebrow and shook his head. “No, I just finished changing. What’s wrong?”

Atropos stepped inside and quietly closed the door behind her. She clutched her dress a little tighter and walked over with careful steps. “I need help zipping this thing up,” she admitted, avoiding eye contact. “I can’t do it by myself.”

Lucian tilted his head slightly. “Where are your sisters?”

“They already got dressed and left for the auditorium. I had more makeup to do, so I stayed behind a little longer,” she explained, motioning to the elaborate goth-style makeup accenting her pale features.

Lucian sighed and gestured for her to come closer. “Alright, come here.”

“Thanks,” she said, cheeks flushed as she approached him. Turning her back to him, she lifted her hair away to reveal the open zipper running down the length of her spine, exposing the smooth skin of her back and shoulders.

Lucian stepped forward, and Atropos shivered faintly as she felt the warm breath from his nose ghost across her skin. His hand moved gently to her back, pulling the zipper upward in one slow, deliberate motion. The silence between them was charged—not uncomfortable, but undeniably tense.

“Thank you,” she said again, voice softer now. She released her hair and turned around, but as she shifted on her feet, the hem of her long dress betrayed her. She tripped forward with a surprised gasp.

“Wah—! Sorry…” she mumbled, mortified as she stumbled into him.

Her hands landed flat against his chest as she looked up at him. They were standing barely inches apart. Her cheeks glowed pink as she murmured, “I’m not used to wearing these types of mortal dresses…”

Lucian stared at her for a beat before speaking with a teasing glint in his eyes. “You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think this was a seduction technique.”

Atropos sighed, a little dramatically, clearly frustrated. “I’m really not great at this… I’ve never tried to seduce someone before.”

Lucian blinked. “Wait, seriously? This is a seduction technique?” he asked, his lips twitching as he tried—and failed—to suppress a grin. “Why the hell are you trying to seduce me?”

Atropos looked away, biting her lip in embarrassment. For a long moment, she didn’t respond, but Lucian gave her a look—one that clearly demanded an answer. With a deep breath, she finally spoke.

“I mean… you’ve already kissed Chloe. Even if it was just for that stupid school play, you’re going to kiss her again in front of everyone… I guess I’m kinda jealous,” she admitted, voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve never had the chance to experience my first kiss before…”

Her face turned an even deeper shade of red, and she looked like she wanted to vanish into the floor for admitting something so personal.

‘Okay… this is strangely adorable,’ Lucian thought to himself, mildly entertained by her bashfulness—something he didn’t get to see often from her.

He reached up and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “I think you’re putting too much importance on this kiss. The one with Chloe is all for the play. It’s scripted. There’s no actual feeling behind it.”

“That might be true…” Atropos muttered, “but it still doesn’t change the fact that she was kissed, and I wasn’t…”

Lucian smiled, tilting his head. He gently placed a hand on her cheek and asked, “Would it make you feel better if I gave you a kiss now?”

Atropos blinked, then looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. “Would you really?” she asked quietly, her voice filled with vulnerable sincerity.

Lucian rested his other hand on her waist, drawing her a little closer. “I don’t mind.”

Their breaths mingled as their faces neared. Atropos stared at his lips, then met his eyes again. Her voice was a breathy whisper. “Then… yes. It would make me feel better.”

Lucian leaned in, and Atropos closed her eyes. A moment later, she felt the warmth of his lips pressing softly against hers.

It was slow, gentle—more curious than passionate. Her fingers tightened around the fabric of his coat.

As their lips parted, Atropos’ breath came in short, haggard gasps. Her eyes fluttered open, dazed and flushed as she muttered breathlessly, “Woah…”

Lucian gazed at her with that charmingly casual smirk that always seemed to carry just the right amount of mischief. “Did you enjoy it?” he asked in a velvety tone, soft but teasing.

Atropos’ cheeks were glowing now, pink spreading across her pale complexion. She gave a shy nod, eyes still slightly wide. “It felt… very nice,” she admitted softly. “Warm too.”

She looked up into his eyes, vulnerable and hesitant. Her voice was almost a whisper as she asked, “Can I have another?”

How adorable. Lucian chuckled inwardly. He leaned closer, letting his voice drop to a whisper as well. “Sure,” he breathed, and gently pressed his lips to hers once more.

He held her close, arms wrapped around her waist as their bodies pressed together. One kiss turned into two… then three. Each time their lips met, it deepened, both in pressure and emotion. Their restraint faded quickly as they leaned into each other, letting instinct take over.

Atropos let her hands trail upward, from Lucian’s chest to his shoulders, and then to his jaw. Her fingers curled gently along his face as their kisses grew more heated. The soft sound of lips smacking together echoed throughout the otherwise silent classroom, growing louder, bolder, more desperate.

They stumbled slightly, laughter lost between their breaths, and crashed gently against a desk. Atropos let out a small gasp as her back hit the edge, but didn’t pull away. Lucian, with surprising ease, lifted her and sat her on the desk. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist as their mouths met again with even more fervor.

Their kiss had become hungry, passionate—wild. It was the kind of moment that consumed everything else around them, pulling them into their own world of heat and softness.

That is, until the door opened.

“Lucian, the teacher is looking for you— Woah…” Bianca’s voice cut through the haze like a splash of cold water.

The two froze instantly.

Atropos sat wide-eyed on the desk, her legs still around Lucian, whose arms were braced at either side of her. Both of them were flushed, breathing heavily. They scrambled away from each other in panic, practically springing apart.

“I-It’s not what it looks like—I can explain!” Lucian stammered, his voice cracking slightly as his face went bright red.

Bianca blinked a few times, her face expressionless as she took in the sight. “…I don’t even want to know what this is. Just letting you know, Mr. Matthews is looking for you. The play is about to start.” She turned on her heel, muttering something under her breath and walking off, shaking her head.

Atropos, mortified, covered her mouth with her hand, dabbing at her smeared lipstick with her fingertips. The icy aura she usually carried was nowhere to be seen—replaced now with a completely flustered and human expression.

“I—I’ll fix my makeup,” she mumbled, barely able to meet Lucian’s gaze. “Just go.”

Before he could leave, she reached out and gently wiped the smudge of black lipstick from the corner of his mouth.

Lucian quickly grabbed his masquerade mask and power-walked out of the classroom, catching up to Bianca in the hallway. As they walked, he was still rubbing at his lips, checking for any remaining evidence.

“You see, I was changing, right? And she came in needing help with the back of her dress and—well, one thing led to another and—”

“Lucian…” Bianca cut in, expression flat as she looked at him from the corner of her eye. “Why are you trying to explain this to me? I’m your sister, not your girlfriend. Whatever kind of degenerate choices you make with your lips are not my concern.”

Lucian gave her a sheepish look, scratching the back of his head. “Still, you kinda walked in on a compromising position… I felt like I should explain myself.”

“Please, just drop it,” Bianca said with an amused scoff. “I don’t care that you got seduced by one of your fiancé. But you better not let Annabeth find out. She will actually kill you.”

“Nah, don’t worry. I’m gonna tell her,” Lucian replied with a confident wave of his hand.

Bianca blinked. “Are you trying to die an early death?”

“I’m not gonna lie to Annabeth,” Lucian said with a disdainful scoff. “Trust is the most important part of our relationship. We’re always honest with each other—that’s what makes it work. It i lie or omit this from her it would hurt her, so I rather be honest”

Bianca stared at him for a beat before letting out a dry laugh. “Wow… would you look at that. A respectable scumbag.”

Lucian clutched his chest dramatically. “Ouch. That one wounded me.”

They both chuckled softly as they walked down the hallway toward the auditorium, the buzz of the awaiting audience growing louder with every step.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep