Chapter 1: She Tasted Like Trouble And Felt Too Familiar

Chapter 1: She Tasted Like Trouble And Felt Too Familiar

Aria had a talent for being unnoticed. Not out of fear or shyness — more like quiet resistance. The city moved fast, loud, and unforgiving, yet she had learned to slip through its cracks, like fog weaving between streetlights.

Morning arrived the same as always: too early, too gray. Weak light crept through her blinds, stretching across the linoleum floor in fractured gold, as if the day itself was tired.

Aria’s apartment smelled faintly of lavender and stale tea, with dust curling in corners no one else seemed to notice. She shuffled into her kitchen in mismatched socks, her oversized cardigan slipping off one shoulder. The kettle hissed, warming water she probably didn’t need — but for her rituals mattered.

She spooned sugar into her mug — three heaps, always — a mug with a strange, wavy rim and a pattern that didn’t quite match. She sprinkled in a few dried rose petals from the jar above the sink. Her fingers lingered on the faded label: For Mom. The petals weren’t fresh anymore, but their scent clung stubbornly, carrying memory and meaning.

Settling onto the edge of her loveseat, knees tucked to her chest, she let the steam curl around her face. Outside, the world sounded heavy — not loud, just dense. Tires hissed over wet pavement. The subway screeched two blocks away. Her neighbor’s window slammed shut, angry at the wind.

Her phone buzzed once. Then again at 7:34.

A message from Jules: Stopping by. Hope that’s okay. I have snacks.

Aria stared at it, stomach flipping. She didn’t reply. Instead, she checked her reflection in the hallway mirror, running her fingers through her hair like that would change anything — It didn’t — Still, she straightened her shoulders.

At 7:58, a soft knock echoed through the apartment.

She opened the door to find Jules standing there, hood up, cheeks flushed from the walk. One hand clutched a paper bag; the other rested casually in her pocket.

“I brought the good chips,” Jules said, holding the bag up like a peace offering. Her voice was warm, teasing. “And those tiny soda cans you weirdly like.”

Aria stepped aside, letting her in. “You mean the ones with actual sugar? Like nature intended?”

Jules grinned, kicking off her boots. “Exactly! Don’t tell anyone, but they taste like happiness in a can.”

Aria laughed softly, the sound mingling with the hiss of the kettle. “Well, you’re safe here — Happiness only costs three heaps of sugar and a hint of rose.”

Jules nudged past her into the kitchen, the bag rustling. “And I brought extra, just in case your taste buds demand more,” she said, glancing at Aria with a playful smirk.

Aria leaned against the counter, letting the warmth of her kitchen — and Jules’ presence — fill the gray morning. “You always know how to make an entrance,” she said, smiling.

Jules tilted her head. “That’s because I know exactly who I’m entering for.”

Aria’s chest thumped at that, and for the first time that morning, the apartment felt lighter.

They didn’t head at the couch. Not at first. They stood by the door like gravity was different there, and neither wanted to break it.

“You look cozy,” Jules said, tugging gently on the edge of Aria’s scarf.

“It’s my armor,” Aria replied, eyes flicking down, then back up.

Jules smiled, eyes trailing slowly over Aria. “You’re cute as always, sweetie.”

She leaned in and kissed her. Just a soft peck. No warning. No tongue. Just skin to skin, breath to breath. Aria didn’t move, didn’t pull away. Her chest rose sharply, but her lips stayed there, close, warm, still tasting the moment.

When Jules pulled back, Aria’s cheeks were already pink.

“You always tease me,” Aria muttered, voice low.

Jules tilted her head. “Do I?”

Aria huffed, rolled her eyes with playful exaggeration, and gave Jules a gentle push back onto the couch. A mischievous grin curved her lips as she straddled Jules’ lap, leaning close enough for her warm breath to brush against Jules’ neck.

She pressed soft kisses along her skin, letting her lips linger just long enough to leave a teasing trace, then sucked gently. Her voice came out as a barely - whisper.

“I’m not that innocent, you know,” Aria murmured, her lips grazing Jules’ earlobe.

Jules tilted her head back, a slow grin spreading across her face — not mocking, not teasing, just that look of pure fondness, like finding a favorite book she’d thought lost. “I could tell,” she replied, her voice low, teasing, yet full of warmth.

Aria pulled back suddenly, standing like nothing had happened, as if she hadn’t just set Jules’ pulse racing.

“You want a soda?” she asked brightly, already moving toward the kitchen, a casual mask over the lingering heat between them.

Jules chuckled softly and shook her head, following. “Yeah, sure. But don’t act all innocent now, Aria. I saw what you were doing.”

They opened the drinks, shared the chips, and talked about nothing and everything — the oddest customers at the library, the pigeon Aria swore had been following her on her morning walk, and trivial daily absurdities.

And yet, threaded beneath it all, something had tightened between them. Something quiet before, now pulsing just beneath the surface.

Later, Jules picked a horror movie, and Aria immediately regretted it. She folded her arms, feigning boredom, pretending not to flinch when the first jump scare hit. But her legs curled tighter, fingers gripping a pillow, eyes flicking to the screen and then away, betraying her pretense.

By the halfway mark, she couldn’t stand it anymore. She climbed back onto Jules’ lap, this time without teasing, without sass — just a raw, urgent need for comfort.

“I’m not scared,” Aria whispered into Jules’ neck, hiding her face.

Jules chuckled softly, wrapping an arm around her. “Right. You’re just… resting on my heartbeat.”

Aria didn’t answer. She pressed closer, her arms hugging around Jules, head tucked under her chin. She clung to her like a lifeline, flinching at loud noises, squeaking softly at sudden scares, staying entwined the whole time.

When the credits finally rolled, Aria lifted her head with a groan. “Worst movie choice ever. I hate you.”

“You picked it,” Jules said, grinning.

“Lies,” Aria muttered, cheeks burning pink as she realized she was still draped over Jules’ lap. She tried to wriggle free, embarrassed. “Uh… sorry.”

Jules caught her by the waist effortlessly, pulling her back with a soft chuckle. Their faces hovered close, warm and intimate again.

Without warning, Jules leaned down, lips brushing just under Aria’s jaw. Then another, lower this time.

Aria gasped softly, tilting her head back. “Jules… it tickles…”

Jules chuckled, sucking harder now, fingers brushing along Aria’s waist, teasing the edge of her cardigan. Heat bloomed from the tickle, morphing into desire. Aria’s breath caught; her hips shifted slightly, instinctive, needing more.

She opened her mouth to protest, but only a soft moan escaped.

Jules responded to Aria, letting her hands roam slowly, sliding beneath Aria’s fabric just enough to tease and explore, tracing along her ribs and stomach.

Her lips traveled over Aria’s collarbone, teeth brushing lightly, leaving faint marks. Aria shivered, overwhelmed, not bothering to fix her slipping cardigan that now revealed more of her shoulder.

Jules tugged the neckline of Aria’s shirt just enough to leave darker, more pronounced hickeys, claiming space with quiet authority. Her tongue circled before sucking again, each movement deliberate.

Aria’s fingers dug into Jules’ hoodie, breaths coming fast, shallow, trembling. Whispered words escaped her lips, soft and ragged: “Jules… don’t stop… please…”

Whether it was begging or permission, she didn’t know. Maybe both.

Jules continued, letting her hands linger along Aria’s sides, pressing her into the present, keeping her caught in the moment between tease and ache, between want and surrender.

She didn’t rush further — just enough to bind Aria to her, to heighten their tension, their warmth, their closeness.

By the time Jules pushed herself off the couch, the clock glared 10:42.

“I should go,” she said, her voice soft but laced with reluctance. “Early shift tomorrow.” She looked at Aria, half - apologetic, like leaving felt almost wrong.

“Right,” Aria murmured, stepping forward to guide her to the door. Her hand brushed lightly against Jules’ sleeve, hesitant, as if testing the waters.

Jules froze at the threshold. Then, almost instinctively, she reached for Aria again. Not to pull her or hold her back — just to anchor herself, to make sure she wasn’t imagining this, that Aria was really there.

She wrapped her arms around Aria in a hug that carried weight, urgency, and a quiet desperation, as if letting go would break something inside her.

Aria stiffened at first, caught off guard, but then melted into there embrace, returning her hug with a slow, measured pressure, letting herself be held, letting herself feel.

When they finally pulled apart, Jules lingered, stepping closer, her eyes searching Aria’s. “Can I…?” she whispered, though her lips already leaned in before the words could finish.

Another kiss. Gentle, deliberate. Nothing rushed, nothing clumsy. Just two people trying to memorize the other, trying to hold on.

Aria’s breath hitched sharply, but she didn’t pull back. Instead, she parted her lips just enough to let Jules in, to meet her halfway. Every second stretched, charged, delicate.

A soft moan escaped Aria’s throat, almost unconscious, like her body agreed before her mind could object. Jules’ hands lingered on her waist, steadying, grounding, matching there slow rhythm of the moment.

They stayed like that, suspended, like the room itself had paused to watch them. Every heartbeat, every exhale, a quiet testimony of connection, raw and unspoken.

Finally, Jules drew back slightly, brushing her nose against Aria’s, whispering with a tenderness that made Aria’s chest beats faster: “Night, Aria.”

And then she stepped out.

The door clicked softly behind her, leaving Aria standing there, fingers still gripping the doorknob. Her heart pounded, echoing in her chest louder than it had any right to, every beat a reminder that Jules had just been there — and that somehow, in that fleeting moment, she had never really left.

The next morning, Aria was multitasking like she always did — scrolling through her phone with one hand, sipping coffee with the other, a buttery croissant half - eaten on the table in front of her. The sunlight was weak, filtering through the blinds, painting the kitchen in pale gold.

Her phone buzzed. Jules.

Library still standing. Barely. You coming by today?

Aria didn’t even glance down at the screen. She took a deliberate bite of croissant, swallowed, and typed back without looking.

Maybe tomorrow. Dust dragons await.

A moment later, a thumbs - up emoji appeared, followed by a gif of a yawning cat. Aria felt a small smile tug at her lips. Tiny gestures. That was Jules’ way — always enough to nudge her heart without breaking it wide open.

By 7:10, she was dressed. Black hoodie, soft and worn, paired with frayed jeans. Her favorite scarf was wrapped twice around her neck, the weight of the fabric comforting even though the morning air wasn’t truly cold. Layering, she thought, was like armor — a quiet way of reminding herself she existed, that she was real.

The walk to the bookstore took exactly thirteen minutes. As usual, she counted the cracks in the sidewalk. Forty - seven. Same as yesterday. Some routines, she realized, were as comforting as breathing.

She passed the flower shop on the corner. The bell jingled as the door opened, and Mrs. Leva’s hand waved through the fogged glass.

“Morning, sweetheart,” the old woman called, pushing the door open with her elbow. “Need something bright today?”

“Maybe tomorrow,” Aria said, tugging her scarf a little higher.

“You say that every day,” Mrs. Leva teased, shaking her head.

Aria smirked. “And one day I’ll mean it.”

Mrs. Leva laughed, her breath a small cloud in the crisp air. “Be careful out there. Weird energy today.”

Aria tilted her head, the corner of her mouth lifting. “Isn’t it always?”

When she reached the bookstore, the front lights were still off. Inside, Niko crouched behind the counter, muttering under his breath.

“Forgot the freaking breaker again,” he cursed, eyes narrowed in frustration as she pushed the door open.

“You okay?” Aria asked, stepping inside.

“I’m fighting a war with old wiring. Losing,” he replied, rubbing a hand over his face.

She flicked the switch, and the overhead lights sputtered on, casting long shadows across the stacks. “Need backup?” she offered.

Niko’s eyes flicked up, measuring her. “You bring coffee?”

“Nope,” she said, leaning against the counter.

“Then no,” he said, returning to the tangled mass of cords.

Aria grinned faintly, letting the quiet of the shop settle around her. Even in small, ordinary mornings like this, there was a pulse to life that only she seemed to notice — the way Jules’ texts lingered in her chest, the way Mrs. Leva’s laughter warmed the foggy air, and the stubborn hum of an old bookstore waiting to wake.