Chapter Text
Black Swan had interpreted Constance’s betrayals as a threat to her own relationship. If Constance wasn’t even a little trustworthy and could turn her back on any kind of faction, then how could she sustain a relationship? On top of that, Black Swan was tired of Constance’s personality, which was sometimes too extreme for her. Constance liked to try to manipulate and bewitch Black Swan, and she embraced sadism more strongly than most people.
That was why Black Swan decided to ask for some time apart. It was almost a breakup, but Constance didn’t allow it to truly be one. They drifted away, ready to think about their own lives without each other, and Black Swan felt somewhat relieved by it, feeling less chained to Constance. She wanted to enjoy her own freedom away from the woman she once thought she loved, but in truth that kind of love was nothing more than emotional manipulation and something unhealthy coming from Constance. Or at least, that was what Black Swan believed.
But deep down, she couldn’t lie and say she didn’t miss the other woman. The truth was that she had grown attached to Constance and to their relationship, but she imagined it might be some kind of brainwashing thanks to her ex-girlfriend’s many lies and tried to rid herself of it. Black Swan firmly believed that Constance wasn’t a good person and was only there to toy with her, but her heart betrayed her most of the time. She herself wasn’t an exemplary person, after all. Black Swan had her own peculiarities and admitted that, but admitting that she missed Constance? Never.
She constantly received messages from her, asking to meet up or simply being incredibly inconvenient and clingy. She tried to show Black Swan how much she missed her and flirted with her, but Black Swan ignored her most of the time. Her heart fluttered when she read the messages and the dramatic emojis Constance used, but she didn’t want to give in again, so she decided to pretend the other woman didn’t exist in her world and began going out more to meet other people.
She went to bars, parties, and particularly liked lively places where she could find a dance partner. Black Swan loved to dance, and she thought that by finding someone new who also liked it and was truly interesting, she could get rid of those pangs in her heart whenever she thought of Constance. And Black Swan even found one or two interesting women. She flirted with them and thought something might come of it, but it backfired. None of them made Black Swan’s heart race or her eyes light up, and just one night of fun wasn’t enough for her.
Black Swan found herself thinking about Constance more and more. The woman’s name constantly echoed in her mind, giving her sleepless nights and nightmares. It was as if she were truly bewitched and couldn’t rid herself of that feeling. She felt empty, and that was extremely inconvenient. That time apart was supposed to help Black Swan confirm that she didn’t need Constance in her life, but that wasn’t what was happening.
Once again, Black Swan tried to pull herself together to go out and have fun. She decided to go to a famous sapphic bar in the city, and she was sure that this time she’d leave happier than she arrived. Black Swan reached the place and took a good look inside, scanning the people and the interesting faces she could find. What she didn’t expect, among all the possibilities, was to see Constance there.
Sitting at the bar counter, Constance was talking to another woman while a bright smile shone on her face. Even with the loud music and colorful lights flashing over them, that Constance seemed immersed in her own world as she talked to the stranger, looking so happy and seductive that, as she watched, Black Swan felt her heart sink.
She watched the scene, frozen from head to toe for a moment, unable to even mutter anything to herself. The tightness in her chest was so strong it felt as though real hands were suffocating her heart. But deep down, Black Swan knew that was pure cowardice. She herself had flirted with a few women during their time apart, so why should she be bothered by Constance doing the same?
Her eyes didn’t leave the scene. She stared at Constance, who raised her hand to touch the other woman’s face and tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Constance’s eyes sparkled at that moment, and Black Swan, more than anyone, knew how much she was enjoying herself.
She knew she should just turn around and leave things as they were, but when she remembered Constance’s constant messages, she couldn’t help feeling offended. Was that the same woman who begged to get back together with her? She was flirting with someone else and still thinking about Black Swan?
Black Swan clenched her fists and pressed her lips together. She finally found the courage to move and approach. She went straight for Constance’s hand that was so delicately touching the other woman’s face and grabbed her by the wrist. Her eyes burned toward both of them, and especially the unknown girl was startled by the sudden approach.
When Constance lifted her head and saw Black Swan, she arched an eyebrow, not understanding what it meant and judging the other’s behavior. Just as quickly, a smile bloomed at the corner of her lips, and she was ready to make her own assumptions and provoke her.
“Well, if it isn’t my dear swan…” She smiled a little more and tilted her head, analyzing and admiring Black Swan. The gleam in her eyes grew stronger and more predatory.
“What are you doing here?” Black Swan asked, forcing a smile and furrowing her brows, making it clear she wasn’t in the mood for jokes or flirting.
But Constance didn’t answer immediately. She looked at Black Swan in a judgmental way, letting her gaze roam over her entire appearance. Her wrist was still being held in the air, and the woman she’d been flirting with looked at the two of them in complete confusion.
“The same as you, I presume,” she said, which only served to irritate Black Swan even more.
“You keep sending me messages, but this is what you do at the first chance you get to go out?” A bitter smile appeared on Black Swan’s face as she tightened her grip on Constance’s wrist. The latter glanced indifferently at her own arm when she felt the pain, then returned her attention to Black Swan’s eyes. “You’ll play with anyone while talking about taking a break?”
A dry laugh escaped Constance’s throat, and Black Swan’s fingers tightened so much around her wrist that blood stopped circulating to her hand. Her fingers were starting to tingle.
“Darling, before that, could you let me go, please?”
Seeing the indifference on her face made Black Swan feel infinitely more irritated. She didn’t know why, and she wasn’t acting like her usual self, but that pain in her heart was driving her mad, and she wanted with all her might to believe it was some kind of hypnosis from Constance.
She released her wrist and shot a look at the unknown woman who was still there. No words were needed; she quickly moved away and made room for Black Swan to sit where she’d been. Black Swan lifted her eyes to Constance, who was looking at her own wrist with the red mark of Black Swan’s fingers.
“Wouldn’t it be easier to just end this once and for all? You say you want me back, but you’re blatantly flirting with other people?” she insisted, making Constance look up at her.
“None of them compare to you, dear swan. All of this is nothing more than a pastime while I wait for you to come back to me…” she flirted shamelessly, putting on her seductive smile to enchant Black Swan, who took a small step back.
“I’m not going back to you,” she said resolutely.
“Then why are you so irritated just by seeing me flirt with someone else? Shouldn’t this be perfectly normal, if to you we have nothing?”
Black Swan didn’t like the way Constance handled things. Her words seemed to hold some logic, but what truly irritated Black Swan was precisely that behavior. Constance thought it was fine to do everything she did as long as it was just fleeting entertainment. She wanted Black Swan back but flirted with others for fun, thinking there was nothing wrong with it.
“Then let’s end it, definitively this time,” she tried again.
Constance’s smile grew colder. Her eyes began to convey a frightening aura, and even so, Black Swan didn’t look away, completely used to it.
“No, we won’t.”
She pressed her lips together, out of patience to deal with Constance. It was too childish for her.
“I want you, darling. Haven’t you understood yet?” Constance raised one hand to touch Black Swan’s face, sliding her fingers along her cheek. It was such a sincere caress that Black Swan couldn’t help but feel conflicted. “All the women I flirt with… they’re just to distract me while I don’t have you by my side. I’ll go insane if I’m not with you, so I need this kind of distraction while I imagine they could be you…”
A shiver ran through Black Swan’s body. She fixed her eyes on Constance, completely lost, not knowing whether she’d heard right or if it was a joke. That hand on her cheek felt so warm that for a moment she wanted to think Constance was being sincere. But in the end, she didn’t believe it.
“Then go insane on your own,” she said, removing the other’s hand from her cheek. “Don’t project my image onto other people as if that’s going to give you some kind of hope. I’m not going back to you, Constance.”
There was no immediate reply. Constance looked into Black Swan’s eyes, and the latter couldn’t quite read what feeling was there. It seemed a little uncomfortable, but she didn’t retreat, letting Constance analyze her and draw her own conclusions.
“Why don’t you just admit you miss me?” she finally said, sending an inconvenient wave of shivers through Black Swan’s body.
“I don’t miss you.” Black Swan rolled her eyes, letting out a dry laugh.
Constance stepped a little closer, making Black Swan curious about her next move. Once again, Constance lifted her hand to Black Swan’s face, touching it gently. She leaned toward Black Swan’s ear, so close that she could feel her breath against the skin of her neck.
“Are you sure?”
Constance whispered, and her drawn-out voice sent another shiver through Black Swan. She felt her heart skip a beat, and when Constance pulled back just enough to see Black Swan’s eyes, they were breathing the same air. They held each other’s gaze as if playing a silent game, exchanging unspoken words and weighing what was best at that moment. The seconds stretched so long that Black Swan forgot, for a moment, her own resistance.
She hated that kind of situation because, no matter how much she tried to argue, she knew she wasn’t truly bewitched by Constance, but rather falling into the bonds of her own heart.
Constance lowered her gaze to Black Swan’s lips, watching them for a while as Black Swan kept staring into her eyes. Their hearts seemed to beat at the same rhythm now, and the warm air they shared began to intoxicate their minds.
Constance moved closer, fitting her hand at the nape of Black Swan’s neck. She lifted her attention from the lips to the eyes, which remained as fixed as ever. A smile appeared on her face, and only then did Black Swan realize she’d lost the chance to step back. That smile was enough to dismantle all her armor.
Constance closed the distance between them by joining their mouths. An involuntary sigh escaped Black Swan, and when that familiar, nostalgic taste flooded her senses, she found herself completely under Constance’s control and whims, kissing her as if their mouths had never been meant to live apart. She wasted no time invading Black Swan’s mouth with her tongue and exploring the space she’d missed so much.
Black Swan couldn’t help but return the kiss, which quickly grew intense. She tilted her head to taste and suck on Constance’s lips, which carried a slight bitter taste of alcohol, but it was so familiar that Black Swan could swear time hadn’t passed and she was still months in the past. It was hard to admit how good she felt and how good that taste was.
Constance brought her free hand to Black Swan’s waist and pulled their bodies closer. They shared the same warmth and didn’t seem to want to pull away to anyone watching. Constance kissed Black Swan with all the fervor and desire inside her, tormenting her poor ex by stealing her breath. She took pleasure in it, seeing Black Swan’s flushed face and her ineffective attempts to breathe as she kissed her. Constance smiled into the kiss, completely satisfied with what she was seeing and receiving.
She bit Black Swan’s lower lip and heard a hoarse moan escape her throat. The taste of blood flooded both their mouths, and Constance couldn’t feel more pleasure. She was so immersed in the kiss that she could have stayed there forever, but it was Black Swan who pulled away first.
When she regained her senses from the burning on her lip, she used both hands to push against Constance’s chest. They stepped apart and looked into each other’s eyes while breathing unevenly. Both their faces were red, but Black Swan’s situation was especially chaotic. Constance wore an enchanted smile as she looked at her, her purple irises shining intensely, hypnotic.
“That doesn’t look like the reaction of someone who doesn’t miss me, darling,” she said, greatly amused by the situation.
Black Swan took a while to steady her breathing and didn’t answer immediately. She stared at Constance while dealing internally with those words and that smile, pressing her lips together.
“Don’t be foolish,” she retorted.
She stepped away and stood up, fixing her appearance and posture. She cast one last look at Constance before turning her back and walking a few steps away.
“That was a mistake,” she added, before leaving completely and disappearing from Constance’s sight.
However, those harsh words weren’t enough to diminish what Constance felt. She watched Black Swan walk away with a smile on her face and licked her own lips, savoring what remained of the previous moment, looking incredibly perverse as she did so, but in truth, she was simply extremely happy.
[...]
Black Swan spent so much time thinking about what had happened that perhaps she was the one on the verge of going insane. Constance was invading her thoughts once again, and she hated how everything seemed to flow in her favor. If Constance wanted something, it was as if the universe itself took offense at not giving it to her. Black Swan constantly felt manipulated because of that as well.
She wasn’t the easiest person to fall under her ex’s spells, but it was obvious she had fallen a few times already and knew how uncomfortable it was. That was why Black Swan truly didn’t understand why her heart was still so attached. She was supposed to feel free and better now, but instead she was getting worse.
She left the house a week after the unfortunate encounter with Constance at the bar. She thought she’d spent enough time at home and could try living her life again, desperately wishing she could erase those images from her mind, especially the kiss.
This time, Black Swan found herself at a nightclub. She’d received an invitation from a friend and didn’t think it was a bad idea, but she was abandoned by Stelle in the middle of the party when a romantic interest appeared for her. Black Swan sighed, letting Stelle enjoy the night with Firefly while she herself explored the place in search of her own entertainment.
On the dance floor, many couples were dancing and flirting, so Black Swan wasn’t particularly interested in it. She was more interested in looking for women who were alone, but it was only because her eyes caught something they couldn’t look away from that Black Swan moved closer to the floor. Once again, her heart weighed heavily in her chest, and once again the situation was incredibly inconvenient.
She saw Constance dancing cheerfully with another unknown woman. After the past week, Constance had still sent her one or two messages asking to meet, yet there she was again with someone else. Once more, Black Swan didn’t feel like anything more than a disposable piece in her ex’s game. Her stomach churned, and she didn’t restrain her nerves as she approached.
She abruptly interrupted Constance’s dance with her partner and pushed the unknown woman away. The woman cursed and snapped back at her, but Black Swan didn’t care, and neither did Constance, who kept her eyes fixed solely on the woman she knew so well. She smiled with satisfaction and surprise, her purple eyes speckled with malice as they locked onto Black Swan.
“You know it’s rude to interrupt other people’s dance, right?” Constance said, placing one hand on Black Swan’s waist and the other on her shoulder, already starting to dance with her.
“You’ve danced enough already, don’t you think?” Black Swan replied, leaning into Constance and following the rhythm as if it were perfectly normal between them.
Constance narrowed her gaze, never looking away from Black Swan. Her smile was as dazzling as it was venomous, and Black Swan knew exactly what kind of danger lived there.
“Jealous, darling?” she asked, tilting her head innocently, even though her purple irises were silently devouring her ex.
Black Swan looked at her with a hint of disgust, but it was obvious her heart fluttered at the question. She looked away and spun Constance as part of the choreography, pulling her back and holding her from behind. Black Swan rested her chin on Constance’s shoulder while wrapping her arms around her waist.
“I just wanted to dance a little, and unfortunately there weren’t many good options on the floor,” she said softly near the other’s ear.
Constance’s smile widened, and even though she couldn’t see Black Swan’s expression from that angle, feeling her breath against her ear was already more than satisfying. She shifted with another dance move and turned back to face her.
“So I’m a good option, then?”
“Reasonable,” Black Swan answered without hesitation.
They danced together while Constance reveled in the experience. She didn’t allow herself to move more than a few centimeters away from Black Swan the entire time, falling back into old habits as their steps seemed perfectly synchronized.
Black Swan, on the other hand, was fighting an internal battle between stepping on Constance’s foot or simply abandoning her there with every new glimpse of that smile, as if it carried victory in its curve. If Constance thought Black Swan would go back to her because of a simple dance, she was mistaken.
“As I imagined, no one compares to you as my dance partner…” Constance said, focused on admiring — almost devouring — Black Swan with her eyes.
“It’s a shame it won’t happen as often as you’d like,” Black Swan shot back coldly.
“Oh, darling, but isn’t it already happening?” The provocation made Constance’s eyes shine brighter, and Black Swan furrowed her brow.
“Just a coincidence.”
A laugh escaped Constance, inevitably drawing all of Black Swan’s attention. Just seeing her laugh made her feel strange. It felt like nausea, revulsion, and hatred, but it could just as easily have been a kind of unusual attraction.
Constance wrapped both arms around Black Swan’s neck and stepped closer, shifting into a slower dance.
“I love our coincidences, you know?”
Up close, Black Swan could see the sincere sparkle in the other woman’s eyes. Constance was genuinely delighted and pleased by the moment, and the closeness between them was so dangerous that Black Swan felt herself tense. Constance, however, was so light, with such a genuine smile, that the sight felt like a curse.
“Don’t dream too much. It won’t happen again.”
Despite being unable to look away, Black Swan managed to stay firm and say it. She swayed Constance by the waist while leading the steps, but when the song ended, she seized the opportunity to pull away.
“You’re stopping already…?” Constance made a dramatic, needy expression to provoke her. “We usually dance much longer than that.”
“It’s enough for me, thank you.”
The truth was that Black Swan didn’t even know why she’d approached in the first place. The idea of jealousy crept into her mind, and she tried to convince herself that wasn’t the reason. Constance was just the most suitable dance partner, nothing more, but she regretted approaching almost immediately.
Black Swan turned her back to leave, and once again Constance watched her walk away. The same satisfied smile lingered on her lips, though it was a little weaker this time.
“Don’t you want company for a drink?” she dared to ask.
“Don’t worry, I’m already accompanied,” Black Swan replied, never slowing her steps or looking back.
Constance frowned slightly at that, but when she saw Black Swan approach the bar and noticed Stelle and Firefly, she raised an eyebrow. A strange feeling of relief and curiosity washed over her, but she decided not to get any closer. Black Swan could do that on her own, if she wanted.
Constance disappeared into the crowd, and when Black Swan looked back toward the dance floor, she was no longer there.