Chapter 4: She Woke Up Needing Her, Nothing Else Mattered

Chapter 4: She Woke Up Needing Her, Nothing Else Mattered

Aria woke with a gasp like she’d been drowning.

Her sheets were tangled around her legs. Sweat stuck her shirt to her skin. Her chest rose and fell so hard it felt like someone had slammed something heavy into her while she slept. Her hands clawed at the pillow as her eyes tried to adjust to the dim light bleeding through the blinds.

She couldn’t remember the nightmare, only that it had swallowed her whole.

A phantom weight still pressed on her chest. Her head buzzed. Not from noise, not from exhaustion, but from something deeper. Like her soul had been screaming while her body lay frozen. She stared at the ceiling, her skin crawling like it knew something she didn’t.

She dragged herself out of bed, legs shaky, and turned on the bathroom light. She looked wrecked. Her eyes were rimmed red like she hadn’t slept in days. Her lips were pale. Her neck was tense like she’d been holding her breath through the entire dream.

She splashed water on her face. It didn’t help.

She stood there for a while, gripping the sink. Her reflection almost shimmered for a second. Not in a dramatic way, but just enough to make her blink. Like a glitch. Like bad pixels on a screen, just for a moment. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head.

Aria dressed in silence, brushed her hair quickly, pulled on a hoodie. She picked up her keys, paused at the door, then dropped them back in the bowl.

She wasn’t going to work. She didn’t even want to text anyone.

She left the apartment like she was chasing something — or running from it. She didn’t care which. Her heart was already ahead of her body, sprinting across the street to Jules’s place.

She didn’t even check if Jules would be awake. She didn’t care. Her hand slammed into the door once, twice. She was breathless by the time it opened.

Jules stood there, sleepy - eyed in nothing but a soft black tee and boxer briefs, her auburn hair a chaotic mess.

Aria didn’t say anything. She lunged forward and kissed her. Hard.

Jules didn’t resist. She barely had time to gasp before Aria’s arms were around her neck, their lips colliding like magnets yanked together by raw hunger. The door swung inward, but Jules never broke the kiss.

Her hands fumbled behind her, found the handle, slammed it shut.

The lock clicked.

Aria pressed her body flush against Jules, kissing her deeper but still tongue - less, just the pull and push of lips like she’d missed the taste of her more than she’d missed her own skin.

Jules leaned her body forward, slowly pressing Aria into the door.

The thud was soft, more of a claim than a collision.

Jules grinned against her mouth, her voice low and teasing. “It’s early in the morning, sweetie. You show up unannounced just to kiss me like that?”

Aria’s lips pulled back just slightly, breath brushing against Jules’s cheek. “I needed you,” she whispered, voice syrupy - sweet. “I’ll leave if this is inconvenient.”

Jules shook her head slowly, letting out a breath like a growl. “You’re a troublemaker,” she murmured, her mouth already dragging to Aria’s neck. “But god, I love when you’re greedy for my attention.”

She started kissing down Aria’s throat, soft at first, then harder, letting her mouth bruise. Her lips sucked just below Aria’s ear until her skin turned flushed and warm.

Aria moaned, head tilting back.

“This is bad,” she whispered, her voice shaky through the heat. “We promised. Remember?”

Jules didn’t stop.

Her hands cupped Aria’s fullness through her hoodie, thumbs brushing over where she knew her rosebuds had already hardened.

Jules’s voice dropped into something thick and wild. “You’re not dating anyone anymore, Aria. I can do whatever I want.”

Aria didn’t answer with words — just another quiet moan. Jules pulled the hoodie up, lifted her shirt underneath, and finally took Aria’s soft crown into her mouth like she was starving for it.

Aria’s knees weakened instantly.

Her back arched into the sensation. Her fingers threaded through Jules’s messy hair. “We should — your room,” she managed between gasps. “Jules… I - I can’t take it anymore.”

Jules paused just long enough to look at her.

Aria’s face was flushed, lips parted, her pupils blown wide.

“God, you’re so freakishly beautiful,” Jules said, as if she hadn’t meant to say it out loud.

She grabbed Aria’s hand and pulled her down the hallway.

Clothes disappeared with each step. A hoodie tossed against the wall. A tee flung over the railing. A trail of lace and denim until Aria collapsed onto the bed, legs still weakening.

Jules didn’t waste any second.

She dropped to her knees at the edge of the bed and buried her face between Aria’s thighs like she belonged there.

Aria’s breath hitched hard. “Wait — Jules — I—”

But Jules’s tongue was already moving. Slow, then faster, licking through the slick heat like she knew every angle of her, every sweet spot and pleasure point.

Aria’s thighs shook as her head fell back. “Ahh — Jules…”

She came fast, too fast, breath exploding from her lungs, body pulsing under Jules’s mouth.

But Jules didn’t stop.

She grabbed Aria’s legs, hoisted them onto her shoulders, and lifted her hips slightly, holding her in place.

Aria tried to speak but couldn’t form words.

“I’m just giving you one of your favorite positions,” Jules whispered before diving back in, tongue deep inside her, lips curling around her pearl like she wanted to drown in her.

Aria lost in lust.

Her hands clawed at the sheets. She moaned Jules’s name louder now, voice raw and breathless.

Jules devoured her with wild hunger, like she wasn’t just doing it for Aria — like she was feeding on her. She licked through her second release, then her third, and when Aria finally splashed, Jules didn’t flinch.

She drank every drop.

Aria cried out, hips thrusting, fingers tangled in the blankets. “Jules — please — I — I can’t—”

But Jules didn’t stop until Aria was shaking, until her voice broke into soft whimpers and her body went limp across the bed.

Only then did she crawl up, kiss her forehead, and lay beside her, pulling her close with one arm, like she was never going to let her go again.

Aria was dazed, drunk on her afterglow.

Her voice was a whisper. “You really didn’t hold back.”

Jules leaned in and kissed her again, slower this time, softer, the kind of kiss that lingered in her chest as much as on her mouth. She pulled back just enough to breathe the words against Aria’s lips, her voice hushed but steady.

“You came to me,” Jules murmured, as though reminding her. “You said you needed me.”

Aria’s lashes fluttered. Her voice was quiet, almost fragile. “I did.”

Jules searched her face, her hand brushing along Aria’s jaw, thumb resting at her chin like she was holding her steady. “You still do.”

Aria gave in to the closeness, curling into Jules as if the smallest distance might undo her. “I don’t want to think about anything else,” she confessed, her words carrying both exhaustion and hunger.

Jules pressed her forehead to hers, her breath warm, her tone a vow as much as comfort. “You don’t have to,” she whispered.

For a moment, the city outside didn’t exist. The strange dreams. The glitch in the mirror. The petals leaning toward the glass. None of it mattered.

Only this did. Only this moment. This heat. This connection that made everything else disappear.

Jules didn’t move right away. She kept her mouth on Aria like it was the only place she wanted to live. Aria’s hands fisted on the sheets, gripping them like they were her last anchor.

She was flushed all over, legs rippling against Jules’ shoulders. Her eyes were heavy, mouth parted, a soft whimper falling out every time Jules flicked her tongue in slow, teasing circles.

“Jules…” Aria gasped, barely able to speak, “you’re… you’re gonna kill me.”

Jules looked up, breathless but smiling. Her lips were wet, her cheeks flushed. “I told you I wasn’t done,” she murmured, dragging her tongue slowly back over Aria’s slick heat. “You came too fast, sweetie. I didn’t even get to enjoy you properly yet.”

Aria shook her head, her hair a dark mess around her face, wild and beautiful. “That was… that was more than properly.”

Jules pressed her lips to the soft skin of Aria’s inner thigh, leaving a slow kiss before drawing her tongue in a delicate trail upward. The sensation made Aria’s whole body tense and then jolt, a sharp sound slipping from her throat — half whimper, half plea.

Jules pulled back just enough to let Aria breathe, her mouth glistening faintly in the low light. She stayed close, her hands sliding upward with deliberate care, tracing the gentle line of Aria’s hips before resting at her waist. Her palms were warm, open, and steady, grounding Aria as her body trembled under her touch.

Aria’s fingers curled tight into the sheets, and she managed a shaky whisper, her voice breaking through the haze. “Jules…”

Jules lifted her eyes, holding Aria’s gaze as though to steady her. “I know,” she murmured softly. “I’ve got you.”

“I love how you taste in the morning,” Jules said lowly. “I think I’m addicted.”

Aria reached for her, still panting. “Then get up here. I wanna kiss you.”

Jules leaned forward, letting their mouths meet again. This time, Aria didn’t hesitate with her tongue. She pulled Jules into her mouth like she needed her to breathe, licking her own taste off Jules lips, moaning into it like it was everything.

The heat between them never faded. Jules’ hand slid back to Aria’s chest, fingers brushing her points again and watching Aria arch into her with a soft, needy sound. Jules kissed down her neck, slow and lingering.

“You’re already this sensitive?” Jules teased.

Aria whimper softly, breathless. “I haven’t touched anyone since you. My body… remembers you.”

That made something in Jules snap. She moved down again, dragging her mouth across Aria’s stomach, teeth grazing over skin. Aria’s fingers threaded in her hair like instinct, thighs parting on their own.

“God,” Aria whispered, “you make me feel everything.”

“You make me forget I should stop,” Jules murmured against her skin.

She slid two fingers inside without warning, and Aria gasped — not in pain, but in desperate surprise, like her body had been begging for it.

Jules kissed her again as she moved her fingers slow and deep. “I just wanna feel you for a little longer.”

Aria’s breath hitched. “Don’t stop.”

Their mouths found each other again as Jules continued moving, her rhythm patient but unrelenting, her thumb sliding over Aria’s pleasure point until she was arching off the bed again, breath catching with every pump of Jules’ wrist.

And when Aria came again, it was messier. Louder. Her body jerked beneath her, her legs tightening, her voice breaking open.

“Jules — Jules — Jules —” she cried out.

Jules moaned softly into her neck, loving how Aria clung to her.

Aria’s body still buzzing beneath her, chest heaving, flushed from the high and the crash. She turned her head and looked at Jules with this dizzy smile, eyes glassy and soft. “That was… definitely not a dream.”

Jules laughed gently and kissed her forehead. “You okay?”

“I’m spent,” Aria whispered, cheeks red. “And I don’t even care.”

They stayed pressed together for a long moment, skin against skin, breaths mingling, hearts thudding in unison.

Jules reached up and brushed damp strands of Aria’s hair from her face, her fingers lingering just a little longer than necessary. Then she kissed her again — softer, slower, deliberate, letting every second stretch between them.

“I missed you,” Aria whispered, voice catching slightly.

Jules held her gaze, eyes dark and steady. “You didn’t say anything.”

“I didn’t know how to ask,” Aria admitted, cheeks warming.

“You don’t need to ask,” Jules murmured, her thumb brushing along Aria’s jaw. “Just show up like today. Knock. I’ll always open the door for you.”

Aria reached up, cupping Jules’ cheek, thumb brushing against her temple. “Even if it’s stupid early?”

“Especially then,” Jules said with a small, reassuring smile.

They kissed again, warm and close. Aria’s hand dragged along Jules’ arm, nails grazing her skin lightly. She leaned back against the pillow, exhaling deeply. For the first time in days, she felt less hollow.

“You looked like hell when you came in,” Jules murmured. “You okay now?”

Aria’s smile wavered, the corners of her mouth trembling before falling away completely. She stared up at the ceiling, fingers twisting in the sheet. “I had a nightmare…” Her voice was soft, almost guilty. “But I don’t remember it. Just the feeling.”

Jules tilted her head, watching her closely. “What kind of feeling?” Her thumb continued tracing light patterns against Aria’s skin, small soothing loops meant to keep her anchored.

“Like… something inside me was trying to wake up.” Aria’s brows knitted, and she pressed her palm flat to her sternum. “It was so strong I thought I’d split apart.”

“That sounds intense,” Jules murmured. Her touch followed the shape of Aria’s hip, slow and deliberate, before gliding up to draw faint circles along her ribs.

“It was,” Aria said quietly. She tapped her chest again, a little harder. “I felt it here. Like something cracked open and didn’t close.”

Without hesitation, Jules leaned over and pressed a slow kiss to the spot Aria had touched, her lips warm and steady. “Well, if anything tries to break you,” she said against Aria’s skin, “they gotta go through me first.”

Aria let out a soft sigh that was half a laugh. “You always say that like you’re a knight or something.”

“I might be.” Jules’ eyes flickered with a playful glint. She brushed a lock of hair away from Aria’s temple and tucked it behind her ear.

Aria rolled onto her side to face her, the corner of her mouth tugging up. “If you’re the knight… what does that make me?”

Jules smirked, low and teasing, but her eyes stayed warm. “The queen. The sorceress. The reason the kingdom exists.”

Aria groaned and snatched a pillow, tossing it at her chest. “Shut up, that’s cheesy.”

“You love it,” Jules countered easily, catching the pillow before it slipped from her hands.

Aria grinned despite herself, leaning closer until their foreheads almost touched. “I really do.”

They stayed curled up in bed for a while, letting the world outside fade away. Aria didn’t want to check the time. She didn’t want to think about the shop or the strange feeling still lodged somewhere under her chest.

But eventually, reality started seeping in.

“Can I borrow your hoodie?” Aria asked.

Jules kissed her temple. “Take whatever you want. The gray one’s on the chair.”

Aria got up slowly, legs still weak. Her body buzzed with aftershocks, but it was good. Clean. Needed.

She pulled on Jules’ oversized hoodie and slipped her underwear back on. Standing in front of the mirror, she noticed something strange — a shimmer at the edge of the room, near the window.

It didn’t look like light. More like a ripple. Like static.

Her brows furrowed. She blinked, rubbed her eyes.

The shimmer was still there, flickering faintly, like the edges of something trying to take shape.

“Jules?” she called, voice tight.

Jules sat up in bed, watching her. “What is it?”

Aria didn’t look away from the shimmer. “Do you see that? Over there?”

Jules stood and walked over, standing behind her. “See what?”

Aria pointed. “By the window. It’s like the air’s… broken.”

Jules squinted. “I just see light.”

Aria stared harder. For a second, the shimmer shifted — like a figure behind glass, thin and too tall. It blinked, then disappeared.

Aria staggered back a step.

Jules caught her by the arm. “Hey. What did you see?”

Aria shook her head. “I… I don’t know.”

Jules watched her carefully, concerned. “Are you okay?”

“No.” Aria swallowed. “Something’s wrong with me.”

Jules brushed her thumb over Aria’s cheek. “You’re not broken.”

Aria looked at her reflection again. Her eyes were the same. Her mouth. Her skin. But something inside her felt… cracked. Not in a way that hurt — more like something new was pushing through.

“You said you felt like something was waking up in your dream,” Jules said softly. “Maybe it wasn’t just a dream.”

Aria blinked, remembering the child from the day before. The voice. They’re waking up.

She whispered the words aloud without meaning to.

Jules looked at her. “What?”

“Nothing,” Aria said quickly, forcing a smile. “I’m just tired.”

Jules didn’t push. She just wrapped her arms around her and held her again.

And even though the shimmer was gone, Aria knew deep down — something had changed.

And it wasn’t going away.