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You had been at the School for Good and Evil for nearly three years now. It was a decidedly odd experience, teaching the school as a collective rather than the separate courses you were used to before the Readers came. It certainly was a learning curve.
What you could say for it was the unavoidable mingling between members of the Ever staff and Never staff. Where before, you had only ever had interactions with the teachers at the School for Good, now you enjoyed socializing with members of both schools. One in particular.
You had not attended school the same time Lady Lesso had. She was just a few years older than you and had left just as you had arrived. Your first ever encounter with the Dean of Evil had been during your hiring interview. She had remained stoic throughout the process, only speaking up to ask a few procedural questions. Professor Dovey had taken the lead in lieu of the School Master, and now knowing what you know, that was probably for the best. After you were hired, you had practically no interactions with the red-haired woman. That was fine enough... To be honest, she intimidated you.
Her booming voice in the halls as she addressed the students startled you every time. And the cold glare that often adorned her sharp features gave you chills. And that’s not even to mention the way she manhandled those in her path with her cane…
Evers and Nevers avoided each other like the plague. And then there was unification.
Forced together for staff meetings, shared classes, social events…suddenly everywhere you went, she was there too. And you found, now, you didn’t mind.
The first time she spoke to you outside of a strictly professional manner, you thought you would drop dead from shock. Or embarrassment. Or both. She was curt but…pleasant? You were never the most eloquent Ever, but you were mortified to find yourself stumbling over your words. It was only made worse by the knowing glint in her eye.
After that, encounters with Lady Lesso became more frequent. She started sitting across from you in staff meetings and seemed to thoroughly enjoy making you blush with her very direct eye contact. She also became a casual patron of the library, and you often found her reading in your preferred alcove. She had even taken to joining you in your nightly walks around the garden. She claimed to have been doing it for years but you couldn’t recall ever seeing her on this side of the bridge prior to unification. Truth be told, you looked forward to those moments the most. And yet, you weren’t entirely certain of her motives. Not that you were complaining! Her presence was intoxicating, and now that you had grown accustomed to her invading your space, you found you didn’t want her to leave. You just weren’t sure how to ask if she was as interested in exploring something more as you were. You weren’t sure how to navigate any aspect of romance, actually.
Let’s just say you were frighteningly close to becoming a wish fish during your tutelage.
Friendship…romance…sex… none of it exactly came naturally to you. Oh, you were very interested. You just were hopeless when it came to reading subtle cues. Or making the first move. Put simply, you were inexperienced. And when comparing yourself to someone that absolutely oozed sex appeal and confidence, it left you feeling lacking. What could you possibly have to offer? It made you hesitate. Even when you were almost certain the former Dean of Evil was sending some rather obvious signals.
It’s how you found yourself in your current predicament.
It was the first annual unity ball. Students of heroism and villainy alike covered the entirety of the dance floor. A few odd ones here and there clung to the outskirts, much like you did. A bolder few kept eyeballing you as they, not-so-secretively, attempted to spike the punch. Chaperoning these events was the absolute bane of teaching here. The music was too loud, the clashing scent of all the perfume made your head spin, and there wasn’t enough room to move without feeling like you were stepping on somebody else’s toes. You had felt distinctly out of place until she settled next to you.
“You look about as happy to be here as I am.” Lady Lesso snorted, reclining into the wall next to you, allowing your shoulders to brush.
You inclined your head to acknowledge her while maintaining hard eye contact with the teenagers with the flask. Lady Lesso followed your line of sight and a broad grin split across her face.
“Oh! How I absolutely adore the dumb ones!” She laughed with glee. “Hold my coat!”
You did a double take as the former Dean of Evil shucked her woolen gray coat and tossed it in your face. Underneath, she wore a silken, white, button-down shirt accented by a black, pin-striped waistcoat. The cut of the vest came up under her breasts, rather than over, and accented beautifully the lovely shape of her figure. Even more so was the distinct lack of a tie. Her legs were clad in tight pin-striped pants that seemed to cling to her impossibly long legs. Tall, stiletto heels gave her added height and a sultry feminine flare to her sharp outfit. Your eyes couldn’t help but follow the sway of her hips as she sauntered over to the pair of students.
You couldn’t hear what was said over the music, but you could make a few guesses based on the comically wide eyes and facial grimacing. Lady Lesso leaned in between the two to whisper something, probably violent, into their ears and their faces paled dramatically. With a harsh glare, she held out her palm and two flasks were deposited promptly into her waiting hand before the students practically sprinted away.
Lesso resumed her place beside you and handed you one of the confiscated flasks. You watched incredulously as she popped open the cap of the other and downed a mouthful of the contraband. She gave a brief cringe and then shrugged, taking another swig.
“What are you doing?” You hissed in disbelief, eyeing the flask in your own hand.
Lesso smirked and rose a perfectly sculpted brow. “Listen, kitten…you’ll learn that sometimes the only way to make it through the torture they put us through is to be a little buzzed and roll with the punches.”
You could feel your cheeks burning under her stare and so naturally, you toss back a gulp of the repulsive liquor. The cheap booze burned your throat and you coughed and spluttered. Lesso clapped a slender hand against your back and threw you a salacious wink, doing nothing to curb the heat blazing in your chest, cheeks, and throat.
Lesso reached over and snatched the flask out of your hands and stashed it in the back pocket of her pants. You didn’t think it was possible to be envious of a piece of metal. She tilted her head and studied you critically before coming to some sort of conclusion with a decisive nod of her head.
“Let’s go, princess.” Lesso grasped your elbow and started leading you out of the hall.
The contact at your arm was warm and left you tingling. You uncertainly followed her lead, curious, but incomprehensibly trusting. Where were you going?
“Somewhere quiet.” She answered.
You startled. You didn’t realize you had said that aloud. Lesso pivoted quickly and shoved open a door with her cane, steering you inside. With a glowing finger, the door slammed shut and bolted. Slowly, your eyes dragged up her lithe form before settling on her eyes. Her emerald gaze held a distinctly predatory gleam. The heat you’ve been feeling sank to your core.
She leaned with both hands into the head of her cane and gave your body an appreciative look. You followed her gaze to your gown. The simplicity of the violet-colored dress suddenly felt inadequate. Embarrassment once again colored your cheeks. The cool tip of Lesso’s cane found purchase under your chin as she gently lifted your face to look at her.
“None of that, kitten.” She purred. “You look absolutely ravishing. Good enough to eat.”
Lesso let the cane drop and she closed the space between you.
“Uh…I uh…” You stammered nervously.
“Now correct me if I’m wrong, which I never am…” She hushed, placing a long finger against your lips. “You’ve been having rather unprofessional thoughts about us.”
Panic hit you like a horse’s hoof to the chest. Was this really happening?
Her cool finger moved down the column of your throat and her palm flattened against your racing heart.
“Was I right?” Lesso asked with a mischievous smile.
Your tongue felt like lead in your mouth as any and all words failed you when all you wanted to do was shout, YES!
Your hesitation gave her pause. Lesso’s brows furrowed into a concerned pinch between her eyes and she took a significant step back. And while you could now breathe a little easier, you missed the warmth.
“I’m sorry if I misunderstood.” She said roughly, clearly caught off guard.
Your hands shot out without your permission and found purchase against her forearms, halting her retreat. You stared at them dumbly for a moment before her softened voice cut through your thoughts.
“Y/N?”
You swallowed thickly against the sudden dryness of your mouth and your eyes pleaded with her to have some patience with you.
“I uh…” you cleared your throat. “I’m not very good at…this.”
A confused frown joined her worried expression as she struggled to follow your point.
“This?” Lesso prompted.
“Uh…” You gestured vaguely between you, hoping she would understand.
Comprehensión started to dawn in her eyes and she raked her gaze over you once more.
“Have you never had sex?” She asked you plainly.
Shame washed over you in agonizing waves and you wanted nothing more than the floor to swallow you whole in that moment.
The back of her hand caressed your cheek in an uncharacteristically soft gesture before tucking an errant strand of hair behind your ear.
“Y/N, you have to know that I would never force you to do something you didn’t want to do. I might be evil, but I’m not a monster.”
Your hands reached out once more of their own accord and fiddled with a button of her vest.
“It’s not that I don’t want to!” You assured emphatically. “I just don’t know how.”
Lesso’s hand stilled yours against her abdomen and the other lifted your chin as she ducked to meet your gaze. It was a sea of green you wanted to drown in.
“Just being with you has been a breath of fresh air, Y/N. I have rather…enjoyed getting to know you. And if you’d allow me to, I’d like to get to know you a little bit better.”
“What if I’m not any good at it?” You asked worriedly.
Lesso chuckled softly and shook her head. “You Evers and your inescapable need to be perfect.”
She grabbed you by the waist and pulled you firmly against her chest, her other hand coming to rest behind your neck. She brushed her nose tenderly against your own, giving you time to pull away if you wished. Feeling emboldened, you closed the distance and captured her painted lips with your own. She let you take control of the kiss, granting you access as your tongue slid along the seam of her lips. Your kiss was tentative…exploratory. Lesso’s fingers dug into your waist and pulled you impossibly closer as you moaned into her mouth. With a quick swipe of her tongue to your palate, she pulled back.
“You see, the thing about sex is that it can be quite instinctual.” Lesso rasped into your ear. “But, oh… the things I could teach you.”
You felt the tip of her tongue swirl against the shell of your ear and sharp teeth nip at the lobe. Her breath against the sensitive skin sent shivers down your spine and wetness to pool in your center.
“Will you let me show you just how much I want you?” She asked you softly, searching your eyes.
Feeling your confidence soar, you let a salacious smile stretch across your face.
“Lead the way, Professor Lesso. I would enjoy some hands-on experience.”