“All done,” Rose finally said, her voice soft but steady as she finished applying the ointment and carefully securing the bandages over Lucian’s arms. She leaned back slightly, exhaling as though she had just completed a delicate and difficult task.
Lucian glanced down at his arms, raising them slightly to inspect her handiwork. “Hah, great… now I look like a cheap mummy,” he joked, twisting his arms this way and that.
“Don’t move them so much,” Rose snapped, her brows furrowing as she reached out to still his arms.
“Hey, it’s not that serious, guys,” Lucian said, laughing lightly as he pushed himself up from the couch. “And… I think I should go now, to my room.” He turned quickly, ready to escape the tension that still hung in the air, but
Rose’s hand shot out, her fingers wrapping firmly around his wrist.
Lucian froze, looking down at her hand on his arm. He felt a sharp jolt through him, not from pain, but from the unexpected weight of her touch. “What is it now?” he asked, his voice betraying a hint of frustration, but there was something softer there too something he couldn’t place.
Rose didn’t say anything at first. She just stared up at him, her eyes intense, almost searching, as though weighing the unspoken words between them. The room felt thick with the tension, and Lucian could almost hear his heart beating louder, the silence pressing in on him.
“Don’t ever do something like that again,” Rose said quietly, but there was an undeniable strength in her words. She spoke with the kind of certainty that made his chest tighten. “If you ever need anything” Her voice faltered slightly, then firmed again, “No matter what it is, I’ll get it for you. I’ll make sure you have it.”
Lucian’s brow furrowed, his breath catching in his throat. There was something different in her voice now. Something… raw. Her words hung in the air between them, heavy, like a promise or a warning he wasn’t sure which. He shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting away from her gaze as an odd chill ran down his spine.
Rose’s eyes never left his face, her expression now hardening, a dangerous glint flashing briefly in them. Lucian felt a sudden surge of unease, as though he’d stepped into a place where he didn’t belong, or worse, somewhere he couldn’t escape.
The intensity of her words, the weight of her gaze, made him feel like a stranger in his own skin. He swallowed, trying to ignore the sudden tightness in his chest. “Rose,” he started, his voice low and shaky, but she cut him off before he could finish.
“You don’t get it, Lucian.” Her voice was softer now, but there was an undercurrent of something fierce in it, something he couldn’t ignore. “I’m not saying it just to sound nice. I mean it. If you ever ” She stopped herself, her hand tightening slightly around his wrist, then let go as if she’d just realized the strength of her own grip.
Lucian stood still, unsure of how to respond. His mind was spinning, and yet, there was a part of him deep inside that felt a strange comfort in her words. A promise of protection, of care. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to lean into it or run away.
Without another word, Rose took a step back, her gaze softening just enough for him to breathe again. Lucian opened his mouth to say something anything but the words got stuck in his throat. It was all too much, too sudden.
“Just… take care of yourself,” Rose added, quieter now, as if the weight of the moment had passed. She turned away, walking to the other side of the room, leaving him standing there, feeling more lost than ever.
Lucian didn’t know what to make of it.
He didn’t know what to make of her.
Lucian blinked, a sense of unease creeping up his back. Her tone, her expression it was so unlike the Rose he knew. Even Olivia, who was watching quietly from the side, tilted her head slightly, her brows knitting in concern.
“Uh… well,” Lucian said, attempting to defuse the strange tension. He scratched the back of his neck, forcing a chuckle. “I’m fine, really. Don’t worry about it. I’m not going through anything serious right now.”
But before he could say more, the sound of a phone ringing filled the room.
Ring. Ring. Ring.
The three of them turned their attention to the small table by the couch, where Lucian’s phone sat. He had placed it there earlier when things got too chaotic with Rose.
The phone buzzed and vibrated against the surface, its screen lighting up with the incoming call. And there, clear as day, was the name displayed on the screen:
My wifey…
The room froze.
Rose’s eyes narrowed, her gaze locked on the phone like a predator stalking its prey. Her voice, low and dangerously calm, broke the silence.
“Who… is My wifey?” she asked, the faintest edge of steel in her tone.
Lucian felt a cold sweat break out on the back of his neck. His stomach churned as he stared at the screen, the word “My wifey” practically mocking him with every vibration of the phone.
“Shit,” he cursed internally, his mind racing. Celestia. Again? Seriously? He could already feel the walls closing in on him. There was no way Rose or Olivia would believe him.
“Calm down, Host. It’s not that big of a deal,” Max’s voice chimed in his head, nonchalant and completely unhelpful.
“You shut up,” Lucian shot back mentally, groaning internally. “Whenever I need you, you’re useless. And now you’re just here to watch me die.”
Rose’s voice cut through his thoughts, colder and sharper this time. “Who is it?” she asked again, her gaze not leaving the phone.
Even Olivia’s brows raised slightly, her expression a mixture of curiosity and mild surprise. “Lucian?” she asked, her tone softer than Rose’s. “Who’s calling you? Is it… Avey?”
Lucian’s heart sank further. “What? No!” he said quickly, his voice louder than intended.
Olivia frowned slightly, her guilt surfacing as she glanced between Lucian and the phone. Have I really been so out of touch? she wondered, her chest tightening. Even in my past life, I never knew he had a number saved like that. What kind of mother am I?
But then, as if forcing herself to push the guilt aside, she gave Lucian a small, encouraging smile. “It’s okay, Lucian,” she said gently. “You don’t need to hide anything from me. Just tell me… is it your girlfriend? Someone you’ve been seeing?” Her eyes softened further, though there was a faint edge of curiosity. “Or is it Avey? But you said you gave up on her, didn’t you?”
Lucian opened his mouth, then closed it, his words catching in his throat as more questions piled on. How the hell am I supposed to explain this?!
“I-it’s fake,” he stammered, his voice cracking slightly. “Believe me, Mother, Rose. I don’t have a ‘wifey.'”
Rose’s eyes narrowed further, her expression unreadable as her voice dropped. “Then why is that name saved in your phone?”
“Let me explain!” Lucian said quickly, holding up his hands. But before he could say another word, Rose leaned forward, swiping her finger across the phone screen with a precision that made Lucian’s heart sink.
And then
“Darrrrling!”
Celestia’s voice rang out from the speaker, bright and affectionate.
Lucian groaned loudly, slapping a hand over his face as if to shield himself from the impending doom.
Both Olivia and Rose stared at the phone, their expressions frozen. Rose’s eyes darkened immediately, and a tense silence filled the room.
Lucian peeked through his fingers, his heart pounding. I’m so screwed.
—