Skyler slammed the door of his room shut behind him, the sound echoing like thunder.
He quickly strode to the bed and sank onto its edge, burying his face in his hands as a low groan escaped his throat.
Riruru left his arm and watched him silently from the side, her eyes sparkling with a hint of amusement. Was he embarrassed?
Yes, he certainly seemed to be.
She had learned about humans when he was inside the tomb—and a human calling a snake—a beast—his wife was anything but normal, especially when no one knew the snake could transform into a woman.
She giggled again, this time to herself.
A familiar bright light flashed in the room, revealing her figure hovering over Skyler.
"Are you okay? Sky... Skyler."
He lifted his face from his hands when she called his name—sweetly, slowly, and very carefully, as if savoring the taste of it—only to meet her deep crimson eyes. They were so close, it felt as if the world had paused just for them. She hovered before him, her soft, pretty lips mere inches from him.
His heart skipped a beat, as if caught in a spell. No matter how many times he had seen her in her human form, it always left him breathless. Yet, he narrowed his eyes, meeting hers with an unwavering look—though his gaze carried no real weight.
"Everyone can laugh at me—but not you. I don't care what others think, but with you… everything feels different. You're different."
Riruru blinked, momentarily confused.
Then, suddenly, understanding dawned, filling her with joy. Her hands rose to wrap around his neck as she started peppering his face with kisses, making him go still.
"You're special too... to me."
Skyler let out a long, weary sigh.
"Really, what did you even watch to learn how to butter someone up like this?"
Riruru immediately pointed to his pocket, her crimson eyes brimming with pride.
"Star Net. Inside the phone. I'm trying to make you happy. You were upset… right?"
Her voice was soft, laced with a charming innocence that tugged at his heart. His lips curved into a smirk as he raised a brow.
"But I taught you a better way to kiss. Did you forget? How about we do that instead? That would make me even more happier."
Riruru pulled back immediately, her eyes widening as the meaning of Skyler's words sank in—the kiss they shared on the lips. A flicker of hesitation crossed her face as she furrowed her brows cutely; their first kiss had taken her completely by surprise. However, in truth, it wasn't such a big deal—just two skins gently brushing against each other.
Humans seemed to like that moment, so she felt confident she could do it. Still, she knew she had to keep his lips sealed.
So he wouldn't lick her lips again.
Skyler watched her every expression, amusement sparkling in his eyes. After a long moment, she finally closed her eyes and leaned in, her lips barely brushing his. His smirk deepened as his hand traced a slow path down her back, sending a shiver through her. Then, abruptly, he pulled her hovering form to settle over his body.
Riruru let out a faint, alluring sound of surprise, making him hiss. When his hand suddenly found her neck and he deepened the kiss, her eyes flew open in shock—but this time, she didn't pull away. Instead, her crimson eyes, glowing with a hazy, intense light, locked onto his face. So captivated, her heart raced, and she simply forgot her earlier resolve to keep his lips sealed.
He opened his mouth, his tongue reaching out to tease her cold lips. The moment she parted her lips, he quickly slipped his tongue inside, exploring the intoxicating sensation.
Riruru's eyes glazed over, her hands tightly gripping his shoulders as waves of warmth and confusion mingled inside her.
Sensing her gaze, Skyler opened his eyes, a mischievous gleam shining within them as he reached out to close her hazy eyes while pushing deeper, savoring the moment. His other hand held her body securely in place.
She was unprepared, caught off guard, and unsure how to respond—only able to let him continue what he was doing. Her body grew warm with rising heat. Yet, she could tell he reveled in it, enchanted by how she tried her best to follow his lead, making soft, sweet sounds between quick, ragged breaths.
That made her wonder: why was he so skilled at this? Had he done it before?
A sudden surge of anger flared within her, and Riruru bit his tongue, making him hiss again—this time clearly in pain.
Then, something unexpected happened.
Something surged inside her—something familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. A wave of pure shock rippled through her, yet she knew it wasn't her own. She could feel it; the emotion didn't originate from her.
Yet, it was there.
Then, the shock melted into confusion, which quickly shifted into surprise… and finally, a sense of embarrassment.
Riruru's eyes, hidden beneath his hand, flickered with confusion when her body suddenly began moving on its own.
Skyler, who was finally about to pull back after being bitten, blinked in surprise when she suddenly reached up to run her fingers through his hair, as if trying to know who he was—the feeling making his heart leap.
She pulled back, gasping for breath, her chest rising and falling rapidly. His own breath mirrored hers—charged with tension. Before he could react or find why she had bitten him, she abruptly slapped his hand away from her eyes, her cheeks flushed.
Her gaze narrowed before she tilted her head, a look of understanding dawning.
"It's you again."
Skyler raised a confused brow, trying his best to focus on what she was saying.
"Yes, it's me."
She hummed softly, licking her lips and whispering something he could barely catch, his eyes fixed on her lips.
"A dream... again."
She looked around.
"Where are we? Not my chamber?"
He finally tore his gaze away from her lips, still glistening faintly from their earlier kiss.
"My room?"
She frowned, her slender fingers threading through his soft hair, tightening their grip.
"This is the second time. Stop this. Stop ruining my plans. Don't come into my dreams. Truly, we cannot be together."
Skyler finally snapped out of his daze, her words only deepening his confusion.
"What are you talking about, Riruru? We're already together—we're a couple. Lovers."
His grip on her tightened. Had she seen something strange in her dream? And what did she mean by saying that they couldn't be together? They were already a couple.
She pressed her lips into a thin line, then slowly looked around the room, taking in the dim light and unfamiliar walls. A sigh slipped from her lips—soft but heavy, as if burdened with something unspoken.
"Should I really be enjoying this?"
She murmured, her voice conflicted.
"We've only met once, and yet… I'm having dreams like this. What's wrong with me?"
Skyler wanted to know what she meant, but his mind went blank the instant she roughly pushed him down onto the bed with a lot of strength, his body landing with a soft noise.
Then she straddled him, her expression calm and composed—completely unfazed by the fact that she was pressing down on the part of him that had stirred due to her. Her breath ghosted over his lips, and her faint words barely registered in his mind.
"Well… it's only a dream, after all."
Then, she crashed her lips onto his with force. This time, there was no hesitation—she took the lead, catching him off guard. Her cold hand slid down his neck, igniting sparks across his warm skin.
He finally regained his composure and slipped his hand beneath her robe, thrilled by the sudden shift in control. His mind was too occupied to recall her earlier words.
Yet before things could escalate further, a familiar light flashed in the room, and Riruru transformed back into her small snake form, her sharp eyes closing in peaceful sleep.
Skyler lay there, stunned, the space above him empty—the slightly cold body gone. His gaze drifted to the sleeping snake, and he let out a low, wry chuckle, licking his lips. Her soft, intoxicating taste still lingered.
"You're really going to be the death of me someday. Who the hell sleeps right after starting something like this? Seriously?"
He rolled his eyes and pushed himself up, sighing as he noticed the bulge in his pants. It was to be expected. It was Riruru, after all. And what they had done was a first for him.
"Well, I did better than I expected."
A hint of regret flashed in his eyes when he noticed that the bite mark on his tongue had vanished—his self-healing skill had kicked in automatically the moment he was injured.
He hurriedly covered Riruru with a blanket before hurrying to the washroom for a cold shower, hoping to calm himself down. Just as he stepped out, a knock sounded at the door. When he opened it, he found Charles standing there, expression unreadable. He had finally managed to shake off Monica and Jenny and had come to check on Skyler. His solemn gaze scanned him from head to toe.
"Do you really have a thing for—"
Skyler cut him off, his face calm.
"That's my choice."
Then he shut the door on Charles's face.