Faye didn't look away, and that was the first thing I noticed, because even with the heat still clinging to her cheeks and the way her fingers twisted slightly in the fabric of her skirt, she held my gaze, waiting and not backing down.
"…You're serious," I said.
"I wouldn't have come all the way here if I wasn't," she replied, her voice softer now, but steadier.
Right. Of course she was.
For a moment, I just stood there, looking at her. Not as the system framed her, not as a "heroine," but simply as Faye. The same girl who hesitated over spending money, the same girl who got flustered by a hand on her waist, the same girl who had walked into my room and said something like that without running away.
It was still hard to comprehend that someone I had once thought was fictional was now real. But, too late for that now.
"…Then don't look at me like I'm going to say no," I said quietly.
Her breath caught, a soft, broken little sound, and that was all it took, one step, that's all I needed to close the distance between us. I could feel the heat radiating off her skin now, could smell something sweet and faintly floral.
This time, I didn't hesitate, and my hand lifted, slower than before, giving her time to react, to pull away if she wanted to.
She didn't.
My fingers brushed against her chin, just enough to tilt her face up slightly, and her eyes widened for a split second at the contact before softening. Her lips parted on a silent exhale, and I watched her tongue dart out to wet them, leaving them glistening.
"…Still not used to this?" I asked, my thumb grazing the corner of her mouth.
"…Not even a little," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper, shaky and thick. "But I told you, didn't I?"
Her hips shifted almost imperceptibly, a small, unconscious roll against nothing.
"I want to try."
That was enough.
I didn't rush it or push; I leaned in slowly, watching her the entire time and giving her every chance to stop me. My lips hovered a breath away from hers, close enough that I could feel the warm gasp she let out.
She didn't.
If anything, she leaned forward just a fraction herself, barely noticeable, but it was there. Her body was already arching toward mine, her breasts brushing against my chest through the thin layers between us.
Our lips met, soft and warm and awkward at first, not because it was bad, but because it was new for both of us. But I did my best to hide it.
Faye froze for a heartbeat, her breath hitching against mine and her hands hovering like she didn't know where to put them. A small, needy sound escaped her throat, unintentional, desperate.
Then she moved.
Slowly and carefully, her hands moved to my bare chest, her fingers splaying against the muscle there, nails grazing lightly, experimentally. That was definitely a new sensation. I felt her fingertips trace down, over my ribs, her touch hesitant but hungry, like she was memorizing every contour.
The kiss deepened, not rushed, but also definitely hungry. My hand slid from her chin to the back of her neck, fingers tangling in her hair, and I pulled her closer, felt the full press of her body against mine.
When we finally pulled back, it wasn't far, just enough to breathe, and Faye's eyes stayed half-lidded, her lips parted slightly, swollen and slick, like she hadn't fully processed what just happened. A thin string of saliva still connected us for a moment before breaking.
"Let's continue this in the bedroom," I whispered in her ear, my breath hot against the shell of it, and I let my teeth graze her earlobe just once.
Her whole body shuddered.
"Y-Yeah, I'd like that," she breathed.
***
Click.
The moment my bedroom door locked, I didn't hesitate. I immediately turned and approached Faye, who was still looking around my room, and tilted her chin up.
"C-Cassian..."
I silenced her with my mouth, kissing her again, harder this time, deeper. My tongue swept past her lips as my hands moved to her dress, palms sliding over the curve of her hips, gripping the fabric.
I could feel the heat of her skin through the thin material, and she gasped into my mouth when my fingers found the zipper.
"You want to see it already?" she asked between kisses, her breath coming in short, hot pants. Her hands clutched at my shoulders, nails digging in just enough to sting.
"Yeah..."
I slid the dress off her shoulder, watching the fabric fall away like a gift being unwrapped. The white mesh bra I had picked for her was revealed inch by inch, the delicate, see-through material barely containing her, her nipples already hard, pressing visibly against the lace.
My breath caught. She was already wearing it, which meant she was also wearing the white thong.
I let my eyes roam down her body as I continued to undress her, pushing the dress past her waist, letting it pool at her feet. And there it was: the matching thong, a thin strip of white mesh disappearing between the smooth curves of her ass, the front barely covering the dark, damp shadow already visible beneath.
"Do you think it still suits me?"
"Of course."
Faye smiled at my response, lifting her hands to cup my cheeks.
"I'm happy to hear that~."