Work Text:
“What the hell is this key...?” I looked at the small key that lay in the palm of my hand that was left on the pillow of my bed in my suite. I looked at the small note in my other hand that was left beside the key.
When you fall asleep with this key in hand and night falls, you and one other person will be invited to the Love Suite!
There, you will be part of that person’s fantasy.
They will see you as their “ideal”, and basically just swoon all over you~
Think of it as a kind of dream that lets you escape this cruel, dark reality.
That’s why it’s so important to play the role that person wants you to.
If you do something that breaks character, the other person will wake up in anguish.
And what happens there, stays there. Memories are wiped when you exit.
It’s like a one-night stand within a dream. Probably best that you both forget it.
Well then, that’s it! Stay safe! Enjoy!
“What kind of a joke is this...?” I tossed the note on the nightstand and flopped onto my bed, key still in hand. “Ugh, who left this...? Does this mean someone broke into my suite to leave it?” I let out a heavy sigh and combed my fingers through my hair, frustrated. “Whatever... It’s just a key.” I held the key up in front of me, looking at it. The golden skeleton key was almost twice the size of my thumb in length and the end of its handle was shaped into a heart with a red heart-shaped gem embellished into it. I flopped my hand down beside me onto the bed with a sigh. “Fall asleep with the key in hand and be taken to a love suite? Sounds made up... Why the hell would I even want to go to a love suite anyway? I’ve never even–” I sighed, closing my eyes. Not like it’s gonna work anyway, sounds made up. After a few minutes, I felt my mind drifting away, slowly losing consciousness and fell into a deep sleep.
I slowly opened my eyes to a new sight. I quickly looked around. A dimly lit hallway with no end in sight and only a single dark red wooden door in front of me. Wait... Did that key cause this...? Oh my god, I must be dreaming right now. I reached for the door’s gilded knob and grabbed it. I turned and it rotated all the way. It’s unlocked? I slowly pushed the door open, revealing a big room with dim orange tinted light and a large heart shaped bed, with what looked like red silk covers, in the middle. I could feel the blood rushing to my face. This is what a love suite looks like? The atmosphere of this room feels so... Overwhelming...
It was then I noticed a familiar person sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at the floor and twiddling her black gloved fingers. Her short blue curled hair that was always perfectly neat and shined in the light. Her almost entirely pure white suit, that contrasted with her tan skin, made her stand out against the warm colors of the room. I could recognize her anywhere at this point. Nea is here? Of all the people to be here– Actually, maybe... This is the only person I wouldn’t mind seeing– No wait, what am I thinking?! I remembered the note. So, I have to play along with Nea’s fantasy? She’ll see me as her ideal...? I gulped. I don’t know if I’m emotionally prepared for this. I don’t even know what I think of her... Well, I think of her as a friend and ally, but I’ve never been sure what she thinks of me... Well, this is just a dream... In Nea’s mind... I’ll just, see what happens and try to go along with it, I guess...
I walked into the room and slowly closed the door behind me. The door clicked into place. Nea lifted her head up and upon seeing me, she expressed a wide grin, she hopped off the bed and practically skipped over to me, stopping right in front of me. What could Nea, someone who’s always lying and happily admits it, possibly think about? It’s always so hard to tell with her...
Nea expressed the usual closed eye smile I would almost always see her with, even here in a dream. “You’re finally here!” She chuckled. “Although, I thought you would’ve come by sooner.” She pouted.
It’s going to be hard playing along with her... But, I have to or else, according to that note... “Uhh, yeah... Sorry...”
She giggled. “Don’t be sorry! You’re here now!” She grabbed my hand and dragged me to the bed. She sat at the edge of the bed and jerked me down by my arm, making me crash down beside her. She let go of my arm. “Sorry, I’ve just been wanting to talk to you all day and just got a little bit excited just from seeing you, aha~”
“About what?”
Nea pouted. “What? I just can’t talk to my boyfriend whenever I want?”
She sees us as dating each other?! I could feel my face getting a little hot. Damn it, Ion, calm down! She’s just seeing you in place of her “ideal”... It’s... It’s not you she’s seeing... It’s not like she’d ever see me like that– No I don’t want her to– I... “I... Umm...” But... But what do I want Nea to see me as?
She let out a quick chuckle. “Don’t be so flustered! You know I’m only teasing! We’ve known each other long enough that you should be able to tell!”
Not only does she see us as dating, but also having known each other for quite some time? I’m not sure I can handle this... In real life, Nea and I have only known each other for a few months now... I mean, a few months is kinda a long time...? At least, with our current situation with the tournament and all... “R-right...” I say, looking away from her. Just a dream... Just play along...
I felt a leather gloved hand touch my chin and turn me back to look at Nea who was pouting even more. “At least look at me! Jeez! What are you so flustered for?”
“Well, uh... I...” What the hell do I say? “Just... Being with you... Makes me... Feel... Like this...” What the hell am I saying?!
Nea’s eye widened. A moment later she burst into loud laughter. “Oh my! That’s adorable!” Her laughing quickly slowed down into a few chuckles. “I would hope I make you feel like that with us dating and all.”
I let out a nervous chuckle. “R-right...” It’s a dream and yet I’m feeling this embarrassed...? ...damn it, I don’t feel good... I feel like I’m burning up... My face must be bright red right now, it certainly feels like it.
“As cute as this is, you don’t need to be so embarrassed, Ion.”
My eyes widened. “Did you just say... Ion?”
Nea looked at me, confused. “Well, it is your name.”
“R-right...” She’s only ever called me by my last name, for whatever reason, ever since we first met. I could feel my heart beating faster, pounding against my chest. Why does hearing her say my first name make me feel like this? I know she’s probably saying my first name ‘cause that’s just the normal thing to do and she’s projecting her ideal onto me here but... I don’t like her like– She’s– She’s just a friend... Yeah... Just a friend...
“Ion,” Nea leaned in close, “calling you by your first name is still kinda new to you, huh?” She frowned. “Well, I have been calling you by your last name for so long, after all.”
Wait... Does she actually see me as... Me? I’m supposed to be in place of what she sees as her ideal and what she fantasizes, according to that note. Is her ideal suppose to be me? Does that mean in real life Nea likes me? She LIKES me?! That–! That can’t be...
“S-sorry, I... Well, it’s hard to get used to...” Still have to play along... I let out a cough to clear my throat, trying to break the tension. I leaned back, putting a small bit of distance between us, slightly looking off to the side. In the corner of my vision, Nea looked like she... Frowned...? “Umm... By the way, you said that you’ve, uh, been wanting to talk to me?”
“Oh.” Nea leaned back. “Well... You see...” I looked back at her. She looked like she was trying really hard to concentrate on something. She looked to the ground, beginning to twiddle her fingers. “I... Wanted to talk to you... About something really important...”
“About what?” Even in a dream like this, Nea has never looked this troubled before...
Nea looked up at me, her single visible eye wide and her eyebrow furrowed, looking worried. “What do you think of me?”
“Think of you...?” Hell, I’ve been questioning that all while this has been happening... “What do you mean?”
She looked back down again, fingers still twiddling. “Just... What do you think of me? We’ve known each other for awhile now after all.” She stopped twiddling her fingers and placed her hands in her lap, grasping at the fabric of her pants. “Be honest.”
Honest, huh...? Says the self-admitting liar... “How honest are you talking about?”
She let out a breathy chuckle. “Hah. Guess you would ask that considering I’m a liar and all.” She looked up at me, staring into my eyes. “But I’m serious. Please be honest with me.” Nea’s eye looked like it was getting glossy.
Is... She about to cry...?
“You... You found me annoying and wanted nothing to do with me after we first met!” Her voice suddenly started getting louder and she leaned closer to me, partly getting in my face. “Y-you told me so yourself!”
My eyes widened at Nea’s words. That proves it completely. Nea really is seeing me as her ideal. She really does like me, she has a crush on me, holy shit... And damn it, I did think of her like that for awhile. ...thinking about it now, I really hate that I said it right to her face... She didn’t deserve that but... She didn’t look hurt at all back then, well, she might’ve lied about how she felt. But now here I am where her true feelings and thoughts are on display to me...
I could see tears beginning to well up in the corner of her eye. “And yet we’re dating now so there must be something that you think about me that made you want to be with me!”
I quickly grasped her arms, firmly yet gently holding her, pushing her slightly back, keeping her close but at least not right in my face. “Nea! Please!” What does she want me to say...?! “Please... Calm down first...” I’m not sure what I really think of her now after hearing and seeing all this... I’m supposed to be playing along with what she says in this dream for her so she doesn’t wake up feeling terrible, according to that note. But... How am I supposed to know, for sure, the right things to say when Nea’s “ideal” is... Me... What does Nea even see in me...? I’m sure Nea could do far better than someone like me. Someone who can admire and deserves her intelligence and kindness. Someone who can admire her beau– Damn it. Nea is, really pretty, I gotta admit. So, why does she like me, someone so plain and who blends in with the crowd while she stands out and shines like the sun? ...I guess I notice a lot about Nea, a lot more than I’ve realized or can willingly admit... Nea is certainly something. I know she’s a friend to me, but...
“I...” She whimpered, looking down. Tears began to trickle down her face. “I’m sorry... I just...”
Nea, don’t... I don’t wanna see you cry... Without hesitation, I lifted a hand to her chin, lifting her head back up to look at me and gently wiping away the tears with my other hand, her tears staining my bandages. “Nea...” She wants me to be honest... Even though it’s just a dream, I need to say what I really feel... I'll be honest. For you. “I can tell you’re an interesting and amazing person...”
“Ion...”
“You’re really smart... Actually pretty nice... Honest when you want to be, despite being a liar.” And you’re much better than me... Way more mature and stable than me... “I...” I’m just someone who wants to get back at this stupid damn world for what it has done to me... “I really admire you, Nea...” I really do... You’re a friend I don’t want to lose... Maybe I’ve been wanting to see you as something more than that for awhile now, and I just didn’t want to accept and admit it... “You... You’ve become someone really special to me. Someone I don’t want to lose.”
“Ion... I...” A small smile spread across her face. “Sorry you got to see a side of me I never wanted you to see...”
No... I’m... Glad I got to see you like this. This dream is telling me how you really feel. It’s helped me understand you a little better. “Don’t be sorry for this, Nea.” And, I think this helped me figure out what I really think of you. I wiped her cheek of the tears that had fallen down her face again. “I like you, Nea. I really like you.” This is a dream I’m supposed to be in, but it feels so real? Yet, I’m feeling perfectly okay with that? Maybe cause if it wasn’t for this dream then... Then I probably wouldn’t have realized right now that... I’ve fallen for you, Nea.
She chuckled, still smiling at me. “Ion, you’ve been staring at me for a full minute now, just stroking my cheek.”
I quickly pulled my hand away. My face felt hot. “Oh! I–! Uh...”
She gently grabbed my hand and pulled it back, placing it back on her cheek. “I didn’t say it was a bad thing.” She leaned her head into my hand, looking at me with a content sigh.
Nea. I’ve never felt like this before. I need to... I need to do something else. I don’t want this dream to end yet. I need to hold on to this just a little longer. An idea suddenly popped into my mind. It’s a dream that feels real that apparently neither of us will remember at all. I hope I at least remember how I feel about her. ...and I hope I remember this too. I brought my face close to her’s, stopping just mere centimeters away from her. I could feel our lips barely touching. Why does this dream feel so real? She feels so real, I can even feel her body heat and hear her breathing. A dream isn’t supposed to feel this real, right...? I... Don’t feel like that’s a bad thing. I’m kinda wishing this was real...
“Please...” Nea whispered, her eye half closed. “Kiss me already.”
I will. I closed my eyes and pressed my lips against her’s. They felt so soft. She let out a small moan as I felt her hands sliding up my chest. I heard the zipper of my collared vest being unzipped a little. I felt her hands, her gloveless bare hands, snake around to the back of my neck. When did she take off her gloves? Her hands feel so soft, so nice, so warm. Fuck it, it’s a dream, right? I’m... Going to take part in this all the way and enjoy it. Maybe deep down I’ve been wanting exactly this... Especially with realizing how I really feel about her. I felt her hands crawl up my neck into my hair, her fingers weaving through the strands. I let out a small, content sigh. I felt her smile against my lips. I felt something poking at my lips, trying to pry them open. Is that her tongue? I parted my mouth slightly and I felt her tongue worm into my mouth, beginning to entangle with my own tongue. A quiet moan slipped out from my lips. Damn... This feels good... The weight of the bed suddenly shifted and I felt her legs brush against mine as I felt her settle down to sit on my lap. She snaked her arms around my neck, pulling me in closer and pressing our bodies together. I moved my hands down to wrap around her body. I could feel something starting to heat up down below. Shit, wait. I pulled my face away from her, looking away, and a bit out of breath. How far am I willing to go in a dream? I know I want her but... I’ve never even done anything like this, in real life or a dream.
“How far do you want to go, Ion?”
It’s like she read my mind...
Nea slowly unwrapped her arms from my neck, moved her hands to my cheeks and cups my face. She turned my head to look at her. “Whatever you want or don’t want to do, I’ll agree. I never want to hurt you.” She began slowly moving one of her thumbs, stroking my face with a small, gentle smile expressed on her own. “That’s the truth. So, be honest with me.”
Whatever I want...? Well, I want to make you happy ‘cause this dream is for you. But... Even in just a dream, I can’t do more. Not right now. I rested my head on her shoulder... I can’t look at her. I can’t bear to see how she responds... “Nea. I can’t. I–”
I felt her hand gently stroking the back of my head. “I told you. Whatever you want or don’t want to do, I’ll agree. I never want to hurt you or force you to do anything, Ion.” I felt her hands move to the side of my head, cupping my face. She lifted my head up to look at her, a gentle and loving expression on her face. “So be honest.”
I placed one of my hands on her own and gently squeezed her hand. “I can’t do more than this. I just– It just doesn’t feel right at this time...”
She looked at me with a soft look in her eye and a small smile. She gently stroked her thumb across my cheek. “And that’s perfectly alright, Ion.” She leaned forward and quickly placed a soft kiss on my lips.
Nea is so much kinder and sweeter than I’ve thought. What did I do to deserve to know someone like her ended up liking someone like me? “Thanks, Nea.”
“No need to thank me,” she smiled.
“I have an idea of what we can do instead though.”
She slightly tilted her head to the side. “Hm? And what would that be?”
I fell back on the bed, lying down. I held out a hand to her. “Let’s just lie here, holding each other. Enjoy being together right now.”
Nea expressed a small smile and lied down beside me. She snuggled her head into my chest. “I like that idea. I’ve always been a huge fan of cuddling.” She giggled. “Also you’re really comfortable.” She smiled, looking up at me, or at least trying to.
I wrapped my arms around her and rested my head on top of her’s. She’s so warm. Her body feels so comforting like this. So relaxing. “Y-you too.” I could feel the blood rushing to my face, I could only imagine how red my face must be after all of this.
Nea chuckled. “You’re so cute when you’re so flustered and embarrassed.” She let out a content sigh. “It’s one of the things I like about you.” I could feel Nea’s body relax in my arms. “It’s so easy and refreshing to be with you.” She nuzzled her her head into my chest. “It’s relaxing.”
I looked down at Nea to see her eye closed and her chest slowly rising and falling, her breathing slow and steady. Did– Did she just fall asleep?! How can someone fall asleep that fast? But, she said it’s easy to be with me. Does she like me and trust me so much that she can let her guard down around me? My eyes began to feel heavy. Why do I suddenly feel so sleepy? Does this mean the dream is close to ending? No– I don’t want this dream to end yet. I need this to last just a little longer. I began to struggle to keep my eyes open. I– I need this... To... Be... Real... I couldn’t fight it and my eyes completely closed as my mind got cloudy. My body felt heavy and I felt myself sinking away from this dream.
I slowly opened my eyes. My sight slowly adjusted and I saw the stark white ceiling of my suite.
My eyes shot wide open. I sat up quickly, breathing heavily. I felt hot all over. I clutched at my chest, my heart beating fast. What the... The dream flashed into my mind. I recollected over everything that happened. The dream... Memories are wiped it says, but then why do I remember it so vividly, dear god...
It felt so real. Nea felt so real. So close. So soft. So hot. I could feel my heart beating faster. I... Don’t want this to just be a dream... I can’t let it be just a dream.
I want it... To be real.
God damn it, it felt so good and I want it to be real.
And...
I want her.
Nea, I’ve finally realized my feelings for you and that... That I’ve fallen for you and I need to be with you.