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The parties his father made him attend got boring faster and faster each time he went. Strato knew the benefits of socializing and making connections with these rather dull business people, but during events like the annual New Year’s Party, he almost envied Lucious. He could be wherever he wanted right now and do whatever it was he did on his own. He mentioned some girl? Strato should ask next time he sees him.
Every year it’s the same people and every year it’s the same conversation and every year Strato wished he could just leave, even if he didn’t have anything better to do. He could call for some entertainment— it’s not like this night is any different from all the other nights— what does a New Year matter? Perhaps Valentine would be somewhere, but whatever his older brother was up to would be more stressful than entertaining.
Valeria, he could go look for her. She’d make her own fun, wrapping people around her finger and learning various dirt on them; he could even make sure she’d slip nothing too valuable into her possession. Considering her family, Valeria might be with her little friend. A little warm feeling bloomed inside Strato but he quickly shook it off. Weird. Well, that’s decided, he’ll find the two of them, for no particular reason. None at all. At least that’s what he told himself.
With a Champagne glass in hand, his eyes glanced around the room looking for his sister. He did find her, and her friend laughing in some corner. Anika was so cute, her face already a little flush from alcohol. she never could hold her liquor and he never could look away from her. His eyes ran up and down her figure; she wore a dress with two slits on either side. He downed the champagne in one go, his eyes immediately shooting back up before walking up to the two. His hand brushed through his hair on the way too. It's slicked back for events like this, not his favorite look but it looked professional and from the looks he received he knew he was handsome, though one strand always annoyingly fell out.
“Enjoying yourself, Annie?” He approached her from behind and leaned down to her ear, speaking playfully to give her a little spook. Valeria across from them scoffed, rolled her eyes and left the two, already unwilling to deal with her brother. Perhaps the rest of the night wouldn’t have happened if she decided to stay and laugh at his plight.
Anika did in fact flinch in surprise at the sound of his voice, needing a few moments until she recognized it, upon which she happily exclaimed “Strato!” She whipped around quickly to hug him and he froze up, she continued to speak. “I didn’t know I’d get to see you tonight” She pulled away from the hug and he got to calm down from the contact again, mentally reprimanding himself that it affected him so much.
The conversation that followed was just as easy as the alcohol that flowed between them. She was so easy to tease and her pout was a source of pride for him. He didn’t notice how close he started to stand, his hand twitching to wrap around her waist.
“Dammit, stupid shoes,” she hissed in pain, raising a leg to rub her Achilles Heel as they started hurting her feet. Strato huffed rather amused and held Anika by her shoulders to keep her steady, leading her out of the festivities without drawing attention to their departure. She continued grumbling in a drunken manner how unfair it was that Strato didn’t have any issues with his own heels.
He brought her to a staircase, the sound of the rest of the people dulled beyond a closed door giving them a little privacy. She sat down and before she could do anything herself, he kneeled before her so they would be on eye level. His hands, ever so gently, helped her out of her heels and the sigh of relief that followed warmed his chest. He liked making her feel comfortable.
When he looked back up from her feet, her eyes were already focused on him. Eyes, not glossy or unfocused but looking right into his soul, he felt stripped raw. There was cheering outside the door as the countdown started going down. His face was leaning forward and he didn’t even notice.
3… 2… 1…
Fireworks.
There was a ringing in his ears and while there were the tell tale explosions muffled outside, all he knew were the lips pressed against his. The arms slung across his neck, clinging to his shoulders, the feeling of thin fabric underneath his fingers, barely separating them from her skin was all he knew in that moment. The movement of their lips against each other was clumsy but he just pressed on for more and more and more. Greedy for this, so desperate even for it to never end. His heart was trying to beat straight out of his chest into her hands.
His hands were on her thighs, the slits of her dress revealing her legs to him so deliciously. Unconsciously they kept riding further up and up as the kiss went on, trying to find where the fabric stopped to touch skin. The second they reached the skin, it was like an electric shock went through him and he instinctively pulled away from the kiss. Strato was left panting, his lips tingling as he looked into Anika’s dazed eyes and it dawned upon him what just happened.
Fuck.
People were cheering for the new year outside and Strato started his own in the stairwell making out with his little sister’s best friend. The worst part is his entire body was screaming at him to continue, to kiss her again, to touch her more, but he couldn’t get himself to. Years now he ignored the way his heartbeat sped up around her, how his smile was softer toward her and in this moment he couldn’t do it anymore. He couldn’t lie to himself any longer.
Strato Butcher was deeply and irrevocably in love with Anika Lesser and nothing could ever change that.
He took a deep, shaky breath. Anika was drunk and he couldn’t take advantage of that. He was a mess, all his feelings all over the place and he needed to get himself in order if he ever wanted more. She deserved that much. What he wouldn’t admit is that, selfishly, he wanted her to know everything that happened too. Drunk as she was, she would probably forget, for now that was good enough.
“Let’s get you home, Annie.” He picked up her shoes and gently pulled her to her feet by her arms. Anika was in a vulnerable state right now. He’d make sure she’d get home safe. He’d make sure the rest of her year would be too, the rest of her life even.
As long as she was by his side and safe, he’d be content.