Chapter Text
“Ugh, finally!” Vodyanitsa dropped backwards into the carpet, spreading out her arms in exhaustion. “I thought we’d die here from old age.”
Alyosha would’ve smiled at the siren’s dramatics if his headache wasn’t threatening to make him pass out. He stared blankly at the stacks of paper between them like they personally offended him, countless calculations and crossed out plans mocking his lack of formal education.
“Well, what matters is we figured something out. All that’s left is spreading the news,” he closed his eyes, letting his head rest against the bed behind him. They were alone in his cabin and planning a way to get the citizens of Snezhnaya to aid in the fight against the heavenly principles, and after excruciating research, had a functional plan.
He groaned as he sat back up, starting to collect the papers and store them away. Vodyanitsa watched him as he walked around the room; they’d been sitting by the fire for so long that he actually felt warm enough to remove both his jackets, leaving him in a sleeveless turtleneck.
“I should head back…” Vodynatisa moped.
“I could walk you to the station,” he volunteered, smiling despite himself when she lit up like a puppy. After gathering his things, he opened the front door to see the sky covered in stars– it was nighttime and they hadn't even noticed.
“Trains don’t run this late,” Alyosha stated factually, already dreading Vodyanitsa’s response to that information.
“Sleepover!!” She hugged him from behind with so much force he nearly toppled over. He chuckled at her antics and locked the door, walking towards the small kitchen.
“I’ll make something to eat, you can heat up water for a shower on the stove.”
“Nah, no need. Cold water suits me fine!” she giggled, running to the bathroom. Right, water imp.
It wasn't long until he set out two plates and one dog bowl of food; he’d had potato and carrot soup for four nights now, but Vodyanitsa didn’t need to know that.
He heard the bathroom door creak open and looked up to see the vocalist– hair still slightly wet and one of his old (but clean, he checked) shirts hanging loosely around her shoulders. She looked so cozy by the warm light of the fire.
He felt his cheeks warm up and he quickly looked back down, placing cutlery by both of their dishes.
“Smells good~” she leaned over his shoulder, and he had to take a deep breath. This was his friend, who trusted him enough to spend the night with him. They’d done this dozens of times, it was perfectly casual.
“It’s nothing fancy,” he forced his voice to steady, “but if you like it I can give you the recipe. You definitely could benefit from some new ones…” he smiled slightly.
“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?!” she poked his cheek, and he couldn’t help the giggle that escaped him. He covered his mouth and looked away, clearly smiling.
She stared in awe, her heart stuttering a bit. He looks so cute when he laughs.
“Are you saying you don’t like my cooking?” she forced his hand away from his face, pretending to be offended just to see him smile again. “Alyosha, how could you!” She dramatized, voice exaggerating how hurt she was. Alyosha caught on and rolled his eyes, still grinning as he sat down across from her.
“My bad, my bad. Your raw seagrass pasta wasn’t a crime on the culinary arts at all,” he teased, and if those golden eyes weren’t so pretty and innocent-looking, she might’ve gotten legitimately mad.
“You’re acting like you can afford good pasta,” she fought back, and he kicked her gently under the table.
“That’s dangerous territory, Vodya. Don’t make me cover your gills while you sleep.”
“I have lungs, dumbass,” she smiled, kicking him slightly harder, which did little damage. “I wish Mitya could’ve helped us crunch those numbers,” she switched topics mindlessly, and Alyosha nodded, already used to how she jumped from theme to theme.
“He would’ve glanced at the problem and told us the final answer immediately,” he lamented, and Vodyanitsa sighed.
They continued their back and forth, Alyosha eventually showering and leaving the bathroom freezing cold just to see Vodyanitsa on the bed, leaving a clear space for him to lay. He was too exhausted to think too much about crawling in next to her and burrowing himself in the covers.
“Cold?”
“Freezing,” he mumbled under the blankets. “The water cools so quickly, if I don’t rush I’m basically in an ice bath.”
“Aw, poor thing,” she lifted the blanket, the cold air making him cringe, just for her body to immediately press against his back. He stopped audibly breathing as she nuzzled his nape, hyperaware of every point of contact between them.
“Your freckles are so cute,” she commented casually, tracing circles along his shoulders. “They suit you, I don’t know how to explain it.”
“Vodya,” he whispered, “you’re too close.”
Vodyanitsa hummed and separated. “Sorry, I forgot you don’t like it when I’m touchy. I’m so used to squeezing the life out of Odette,” she giggled. “You two remind me of each other.”
Alyosha turned around, emerging from the blankets.
“It’s not that I don’t like it,” he sighed, picking up on the slight sadness in her tone. “I just need a warning.”
“Then, can I hug you?” she leaned in closer. “I love how you get all red when people touch you, it’s adorable,” she smiled, leaning in close enough for him to feel her breathing. Alyosha had no idea if he was delusional or if she was actually being chummier than usual.
He figured if she wanted something, she’d tell him, so he laid down and spread his arms, nodding at her. She made a giddy little noise and wrapped her arms around him, melting against the hunter. Carefully, he did the same, rubbing circles into her back and earning a content hum.
“Vodya,” he whispered a few minutes later. He didn’t get a reply besides steady breathing.
“I think I like you,” he heard himself sigh into her shoulder, immediately regretting the choice of words and hiding in the crook of her neck. He didn’t get a response besides soft snoring, and that was probably for the best. He’d seen how she looked at Mitya.
The researcher tinkered with Alyosha’s rifle, polishing the new handguard he’d insisted on, mostly as an excuse to spend time with the hunter. But strangely, for the last twenty minutes, Mitya had been ranting about a certain Prima Donna nonstop. His love for her performances, her voice, her eyes, her personality; he kept asking Alyosha if he agreed, if he saw what the scientist saw in her, if he also felt giddy when she’d tease them and press herself against them—
“Mitya, you’re getting really obnoxious,” the mint-haired boy murmured, finally cracking after blushing and nodding along for so long. A strange mix of jealousy and amusement at Mitya’s infatuation swirled around uncomfortably within him.
Mitya stopped his movements and looked up, trying to contain the triumphant feeling flooding through his veins. “Was that meant to be an inside thought?” he smiled, shooting him a teasing look. Alyosha shook his head.
“No, I just— I don’t know how to handle you praising her so openly and making me agree,” he was red in the face, intentionally avoiding eye contact. “This feels like a conversation you should have with her, not me.”
“I’d be too embarrassed to tell her directly! And Odette would probably threaten me for trying to steal Vodyanitsa from her,” he joked.
The obvious mischaracterization caught Alyosha off guard enough to pull a laugh from him. He was standing by Mitya, who was sitting at his workbench. He let his hip rest against the desk, smiling down at the scientist. “You think Vodya’s into Odette?”
“I have a strong hunch. I have an even stronger hunch that Odette likes Vodyanitsa, though~” he shot him a look, as if implying something.
“Has she told you?” he couldn’t hide the shock in his voice. He’d also had a strong suspicion, but he preferred to not be on the business end of Odette’s cold, impartial eyes.
“Not quite. I’m still wondering how to let her know she has competition,” he said casually, and it took a minute for Alyosha to process what that meant.
“Wait, you’ve got a thing for Vodya too?” He slapped his hand over his mouth, fuck. Why did he say it like that?!
“Looks like all three of us do,” Mitya joked lightly, squinting at him teasingly. Gotcha. “I wonder what we should do about that…”
Alyosha furrowed his eyebrows, as if it would help him read between the lines.
“Mitya,” he said cautiously, “you’re planning something. Is this why you wanted to hang out?”
“I’m going to convince Odette to give Vodya a rainbow rose after her performance this Friday. I myself will be handing her a bouquet with one among them.”
Alyosha hummed. “I’m sure that’ll make her really happy,” he smiled. Mitya suddenly stood, and he was quickly reminded the guy had a good few inches on him.
“And you? What do you plan to do?”
“Me?” he asked, genuinely confused. “There’s no way she’d pick me over either of you. There’s no point in me–”
Just then, he felt his hand be grabbed and something placed in it. He looked down to see a pink and yellow flower tucked in his hand, and he immediately looked back up in confusion.
“Give it to her alongside us,” said Mitya.
“Why are you trying so hard to get us to confess?” Alyosha eyed him suspiciously. “Seems a bit counterintuitive, don’t you think?”
Mitya just hummed, taking the rose and tucking it behind Alyosha’s ear. He hated how the action made his breath hitch.
“Maybe. But I think she’d be really happy that you gathered the courage to tell her. And there’s few things that delight me as much as seeing her happy. Consider this just me being selfish.”
Just those words made Alyosha blush a little. The guy had a way with words, it almost made him want to confess.
“What if it makes things awkward between the four of us?”
“I wouldn’t worry about that,” he winked, and Alyosha didn’t push it.
Odette walked through the streets of Snezhnograd, slowly making her way to a restaurant to meet with yet another Fatuui messenger. She was so busy remembering the talking points she’d prepared that she almost didn’t notice a certain energy scientist booking it towards her. Regardless, she managed to swiftly dodge his hold when he reached for her arm to try and hide behind her.
“Odette!” Mitya called out, opting to simply use her as a human shield. “Hide me, please please please–”
“You’re a grown man,” she deadpanned. “Stop trying to skip work.”
“No, you don’t understand, he’s threatening to lock me in my office until I solve Snezhnaya’s energy crisis! If it were that easy, doesn’t he think I would’ve done it by now?! Please, help me–”
Odette saw Valeriy in her periphery and sighed, grabbing him by the wrist and taking off at speeds only someone with indefinite stamina and years of dance practice could achieve. Mitya fought for his life as she practically dragged him into a small bar, sneaking into a cubicle.
“I’m meeting here with someone later, you have ten minutes to think of a way to confront him.”
“You’re an angel,” he took her hands and bowed in gratitude. She managed to escape his hold and poke his forehead, forcing him to look up.
“What’s going on? It must be important if you're trying this hard to talk to me.”
“Nothing escapes you, does it?” He sighed dramatically and sat up. “I have a confession to make.”
She raised an eyebrow but didn’t offer much else.
Mitya coughed into his fist awkwardly before looking away.
“Are you blushing?” She asked in the most unamused tone she could muster, “Mitya.”
“I know, I know! I just–” he played with his scarf, which clearly didn’t appreciate the prodding. “I need to ask you something. About the Prima Donna.”
“Vodyanitsa? What about her?” she stared at him patiently, confused as to where this could possibly be going.
“Well, you like her, don’t you?” His voice got quieter around the word ‘like,’ making it impossible to miss the implication.
That was not where she thought this was going.
“Excuse me?” Shit, too defensive. She forced her shoulders to relax, voice dropping in volume. “What gave you that impression?”
“The way you look at her makes it obvious. You’re usually cold and sharp, but around her, you become so much warmer, you know? Playful, less uptight. It’s clear she makes you really happy,” he smiled dreamily as he talked about…Vodyanitsa? Her?
Odette stared at him like she was about to serve him to Valeriy on a silver platter and wrapped in red ribbon. “Don’t tell her.”
“I wouldn't dream of it! I’d hate it if she knew about your feelings before mine,” he said simply, and she had to do a double take.
“Your feelings?”
“I’m sure she gets love confessions on the daily,” he started, as if talking about the weather. “But from you, she’d immediately know it was real. You know her better than anyone.”
She furrowed her brow. “What’s your point?”
“Hypothetically, how would you confess to her?”
She wanted to laugh. What in the world was wrong with this guy.
“You’re asking me how to confess to Vodyanitsa because I know her better? Do you really think that will increase your odds of her reciprocating?”
“Don’t misunderstand! I have my own idea,” he winked at her. “I was thinking of getting her a bouquet, with a rainbow rose in the middle.”
“Is that so?” She couldn’t help but smile; Vodyanitsa would probably eat that up.
“Yep. Maybe we could each give one to her simultaneously?”
“And let her choose between the two of us? Is that your idea? You should know I have no intention of revealing my feelings.”
Mitya tilted his head. “How come? She clearly loves you too. She’d easily pick you over me.”
“What are you on about,” she argued. “She clearly sees me as a sister—“ she paused at Mitya’s unimpressed stare. Had she actually missed something? She could’ve sworn the constant affection, doting, and begging for attention were all completely platonic. The insistence on cuddling up against her and planting kisses on her cheek had confused her, sure, but she’d been doing that for months— oh.
“Oh.”
“Yeah, ‘oh!’ You should go for it!” He held her hands in his, squeezing them enthusiastically. “She’d love to know how you feel about her.”
Odette felt her face warm up ever so slightly, but couldn’t tell if it was from Mitya holding her hands or their topic of conversation. She was only used to physical contact from Vodyanitsa herself, after all.
“She talks about you a lot, you know,” Odette confessed, making no effort to move away from his gentle grasp. Instead, she leaned forward, lowering her voice. “She always notices when you’re in the audience. Always wants your eyes to be on her, no one else.”
Mitya’s cheeks visibly reddened, and he held her hands a bit tighter to ground himself. “She’s like that with everyone.”
Odette scoffed. “If only. It’s always ‘Mr. Mitya was looking down at his notepad again!’ or ‘Mitya failed my pop quiz, I’ll have to sing even louder next time–’”
“Okay okay, I get it,” he laughed at her poker-faced impression of Vodyanitsa. “Just me?” his voice dwindled, “no one else?”
“She cares about all her fans, but the way she wants your attention is special,” she smiled, relaxing into his hold. “If you like her singing so much, why don’t you just pay attention while she performs?”
Mitya groaned and covered his face, separating their hands. “It’s a mix of things. Sometimes I can’t focus because I just can’t stop looking at her. Other times I’m so captivated by her singing that my mind just clears, and that’s when my best ideas come to me,” he put his hands down, blushing as he looked off to the side. “She has no idea how much she’s helped me, and I really want to express that.”
Odette nodded, finally understanding his thought process. “She means the world to me too,” she smiled, letting her guard down for a brief moment. “You really think…” she looked away, tensing slightly when she felt Mitya gently taking her hands in his, squeezing reassuringly. His hands were warm and uncalloused, a noticeable contrast to her own.
“You mean the world to her as well,” Mitya told her. “I have no doubts in my mind. She might want my eyes on her while she performs, but she wants your attention at all times. That girl is enamoured, and who can blame her?” He held her hands a little tighter. “You’re not only beautiful, but selfless, and uncompromisingly true to yourself.”
She went slightly redder, unused to the closeness and genuine praise from someone she considered a friend.
“I’ll consider it,” she finally spoke, gently rubbing her thumb against the top of his hand as she smiled. She felt strangely thankful to have Mitya in her life just then; crazy to think just a while ago she’d broken into his apartment to threaten him. He had such a kind soul, and it was fittingly framed by a warm pair of violet eyes and fluffy hair.
“She’d be lucky to have you,” she gently separated their hands, already missing his warmth. “You’ve got a good heart, Mitya. If she picks you, I know you’d make her unbelievably happy.” Mitya blushed and shook his head.
“I’d certainly want to. But you know what would make her even happier?”
Odette tilted her head, smiling slightly.
“If two other wonderful people shared that desire,” he hinted, and she shot him a questioning look.
“There’s someone else?”
“You get one guess."
“Alyosha…” she whispered to herself, earning a nod of approval from Mitya. “But won’t we overwhelm her?”
The scientist giggled. “I have a feeling she’ll be fine. What matters is that we don’t pressure her into a decision.”
Odette furrowed her brow and sighed, nodding.
Perfect, now for phase three.
Vodyanitsa’s voice rang throughout the theatre, high and melodic and perfect as always. After she’d gone through three-fourths of the pieces, Odette had walked behind Mitya and whispered to meet her in the green room. He stood up a few minutes after she left, hearing the applause explode behind him as he snuck in with Alyosha’s help.
“This is ridiculous,” Odette sighed.
“What? Don’t tell me you’re getting shy,” Mitya challenged, as if he wasn’t talking to Odette of all people.
“Are you twelve?” Alyosha called out from the doorway, clearly teasing him.
“It’s a valid question! Don’t start things you can’t finish and all that,” he insisted. He heard one of the doors in the hallway open and panicked, running to hide in a corner of the room.
“He knows this was his idea, right?” Alyosha whispered as he walked up to Odette, and all she could do was sigh. She held a single rose in her hands, as did Alyosha.
The door slammed open, a very excited Vodyanitsa running to hug her two co-workers. “Did you guys hear me? I nailed that last part! I feel like I did even better than during practices,” she rambled, twirling around the room like an excited kid. “What did you think, Odette?” She asked, her eyes bright as stars.
“Beautiful, as always,” she said in her usual tone, tucking a flower behind her little fin. Odettle smiled warmly, and Vodyanita’s eyes widened.
“Was that–”
“A rainbow rose,” she stated calmly. Her eyes stayed locked on her, as if waiting for the punch line. None came.
“Odette–” her cheeks felt warm, but she was cut off by Alyosha, who was hiding his face with his hood, gently lifting a bit of her hair and placing a second rose on her opposite fin.
“Where did you even get one of those–”
“Stunning performance, as always,” a third voice called out from behind her. She spun around to see none other than Mitya, holding a bouquet with about a dozen different flowers and, in the middle, a single rainbow rose. She grabbed it with shaky hands and just stared.
“Guys, what is all this?” She flushed a deep red, looking blankly at the flowers in her hands.
Alyosha spoke up first. “Sorry if it’s too much, it’s just…”
“We wanted to lay all our cards on the table,” Odette finished gently, taking the bouquet from her hands and placing it in a vase. “You don’t have to reciprocate any of our feelings, but,” she turned around, a rare smile on her face, “you deserve to know how much you mean to us.”
“Your… feelings?” the siren asked, still not sure if she was awake.
“There’s one more thing,” Mitya called out. She turned to see him standing next to Alyosha, both of them flushed a deep red. In Alyosha’s hand was a small ram of flowers, and among them, yet another rainbow rose. He stared at it in shock and confusion, as if waiting for it to spontaneously combust.
The room was dead silent as he walked up to Odette and handed her a bouquet. She inspected it quizzically and her eyes widened. Another rose.
“Mitya? But—”
“Please, none of you take this the wrong way. This isn’t me just shoving as many eggs as I can into different baskets—” the adjusted proverb felt idiotic as it left his tongue, “It’s me being as honest as I can. All three of you, you’re just…” he sighed, looking up at Vodyanitsa.
“You get what I mean, don’t you?”
“Mitya!” The singer’s hands flew to her face, trying to hide how embarrassed she felt. “You swore you wouldn’t—“
“Please? I can’t do this without you.”
She looked up at Mitya, then at Alyosha, and finally at Odette. All three of their eyes were fixed on her, silent and unsure. She settled for looking at the ground.
“This is so embarrassing,” she groaned, taking a deep breath and looking up determinedly. “Fine! I have… a thing for both of you. Mitya knew, I let it slip by accident, but I never thought he’d…”
The two extroverts looked back and forth between Odette and Alyosha, waiting for a reaction. This had to be a lot on the two of them especially.
Odette was the first to make a move, walking around them to stand next to Alyosha. His eyes were fixed on the ground, brow furrowed in thought.
“What do you think?” she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder to ground him. He looked at her like a kicked puppy.
It had taken everything in him to confess his love for just one person, but to admit he not only had a thing for the troupe’s Prima Donna, but also how the Prima Ballerina made his heart skip a couple beats every time their eyes met— he shook his head to disperse his thoughts.
No, these weren’t stage performers in front of him. They were two of, if not his closest friends. Odette, Vodyanitsa, and himself cherished each other deeply, enough for the first two to constantly go out of their way to include him. He was safe here.
Alyosha looked up at Mitya, finally getting the bravery to ask.
“Why me?” he held the rose in his hands a little tighter.
Since their deaths in the theatre a few weeks ago, Mitya had insisted on getting to know Alyosha. The real Alyosha; over time, visions of his cold, impartial eyes being possessed by death itself were replaced with displays of ruthless determination, generosity, selflessness, kindness, warmth— the guy’s heart was so unbelievably large. Yet to Alyosha, it was a simple matter of right and wrong.
Mitya chuckled at the hunter’s confusion. “I’ve known you the least amount of time, yet even I can attest to your character,” he walked up to him slowly, as if approaching a stray cat. “You’re remarkable. You don’t have to accept the rose, but I'd be honored if you did,” he smiled bashfully. Alyosha didn’t move.
“If you don’t, I’ll still gladly modify your rifle whenever you want. Free of charge, as an apology for putting you through this,” the scientist joked. He could’ve bounced with joy when he saw Alyosha’s lips twitch into a small smile.
“You’ve never charged me before,” he spoke quietly. “I never even had to ask.”
“If we left the asking to you, not much would get done, would it?” Odette teased from next to him. His heart felt like it stopped when he felt her gently hold his hand. Only then did he realize it had been shaking.
“That’s rich coming from you, Odette!” Vodyanitsa called out from behind him, though Alyosha had no idea when she’d gotten there. Odette rolled her eyes and smiled, holding the hunter’s hand a little tighter.
He felt himself go completely red, putting up his hood back up in exhaustion. “I’m sorry, Vodya. This evening was supposed to be about you,” he mumbled into the warm fabric.
“Not anymore. The second Mitya decided to pull his little stunt, it became about the four of us,” she reassured him.
Mitya chuckled, cheeks going slightly pink. “Apologies. I didn’t know when I’d get another chance to—“
Just then, his scarf decided it was the perfect time to wrap around the four of them and push them together.
“Um. Mitya?” the ballerina asked, flush against Alyosha. He’d been standing in the middle and seemed to be visibly suffocating.
“Sorry, sorry!!” He apologized, tugging on the scarf desperately. “Behave yourself, for the love of—”
He felt Alyosha’s head slump against his chest, submitting to the warmth. Mitya looked down in awe, then up at Vodyanitsa, whose eyes were wide and bright.
“He has his guard down, get him!” She yelled, throwing her hands around Alyosha’s neck and squeezing him.
Alyosha let out a choked sound before he felt a second pair of arms wrap around his waist and pull him even closer to Mitya.
The scarf around them finally let go, giving the researcher the room he needed to reach for Odette and drag her in.
She chuckled quietly and rested her head against the crook of Alyosha’s shoulder, one arm wrapping around Vodyanitsa as Mitya tucked a strand of hair behind the ballerina’s ear.
“God, I‘ve wanted to kiss you three for so long,” the scientist whispered.
“Slow down there, charmer~ none of us have agreed to anything,” Vodyanitsa giggled. Mitya blushed and pulled away, which they all took that as their cue to separate, opting to sit on the greenroom’s couch and talk.
“Odette,” Vodyanitsa called out first. “You’ve been awfully quiet, don’t think I didn’t notice!”
She bit the inside of her cheek, staring at the singer unamusedly. “This is just… unexpected, that’s all.”
“As in uncomfortable?” Mitya asked, the concern in his voice evident.
Odette took a second to assess her own feelings before shaking her head. “Overwhelming. But not in a bad way.”
“Pretty much,” Alyosha agreed. He was between Odette and Mitya, while Vodyanitsa herself was cuddling into Odette’s back.
“How do you feel about us then?” Mitya asked.
“I’d only ever considered my feelings for Vodyanitsa, but…” She stared at the hunter, someone she’d easily trust with her life. And that’s not something she’d ever say lightly. “Mind if I try something?” she asked, tilting Alyosha gaze towards her by his chin. His cheeks were warm and she was so close.
“As in..?”
“May I kiss you?”
His breath caught in his throat, eyes flicking between her eyes and her lips. He swallowed and nodded, closing his eyes and bracing himself.
Odette was gentle. She tilted her head, and Alyosha quickly realized he was supposed to do the same. She leaned forward slightly, fingers trailing from his chin down to his turtleneck, hooking around the neckline and pulling him forward.
He melted, and despite years of training, forgot to remember his surroundings. Fear left his body as her soft lips parted to breathe before pushing into him again, slightly rougher, slightly hungrier. He hummed into it and let his hands settle on her cheek, leaning into her as if asking for more.
“Alyosha—“ she whispered against his lips, and the taste of his name on her tongue sent a shockwave through him. He was gonna say her name back before Odette was suddenly pulled from him, her breathing heavy as she stared at the girl who’d just ripped them apart.
“Got your answer, I presume?” Vodyanitsa teased. They both went bright red and looked away from each other.
“Not that I mind a show, but it feels a bit unfair,” she continued, standing up and leaning over Odette, something only possible because the dancer was currently sitting.
“How so?” Odette pried, her composure returning immediately as she held one of Vodyanitsa’s hands in her own. The singer rolled her eyes and straddled her thighs, plopping herself on her lap. Odette watched her in amusement, tilting her head.
“You confessed to me first. How come Alyosha gets a kiss and I don’t?”
“I’m sorry,” she tucked one of dozens of strands of soft hair out of the vocalist’s face. “You’re right, you’re much needier than Alyosha is.”
“I’m not needy! I’m …”
“Mhm,” Odette encouraged her, leaning forward and kissing her cheek. “Is that what you wanted?”
“Odette,” she whined. “You know it—“
She was cut off as Odette pulled her into a proper kiss. She relaxed instantly and sighed against the other girl’s lips.
“Better?” Odette teased, parting away slightly. Vodyanitsa had none of it, pushing her against the back of the couch and tilting her head to kiss her deeper.
The dancer let out a small groan and used her hand to trace the siren’s spine, eventually letting it rest on the crook of her waist. With her other, she tugged on her hair and forced Vodyanitsa closer to herself, keeping them pressed flush against each other. The movement pulled a satisfied moan out of Vodyanitsa.
“Didn’t know you were so handsy,” Vodya giggled against the other’s lips. Odette hummed to announce she’d heard her before diving back in, seemingly trying to breathe the water imp in like air.
The fatuu’s hand wandered from the back of her head to her nape, tracing her clavicle and sliding down to the opposite side of her waist. Every touch pulled another small sound from the vocalist, until Odette eventually squeezed each side of her waist, making her partner whine into her mouth.
“Fuck,” Odette groaned, face visibly redder than usual.
“Do I taste that good?” she teased as Odette rested her head on the other.
“Yes. Archons, yes, you do,” she whispered against her neck, sucking small kisses against it. Vodya smiled and winked at Mitya and Alyosha, who’d been staring for what she suspected was the whole time.
“I’m her favorite, suck it!”
Odette pinched her side again, earning a yelp. “None of that,” she scolded, making Vodya pout slightly.
“You confessed to me first,” she argued.
“We all did,” came the stern reply. Vodya sighed and crawled off her, switching to Mitya’s lap and resting her legs on Alyosha’s.
“What about this guy?” She tilted Mitya’s chin towards herself, their breath intermingling as Mitya’s pupils visibly dilated. The attention was gone just as quickly, and he was forced to look at Odette.
“Feel anything for him?” Vodyanitsa finished asking.
Mitya turned crimson, staring at Odette like cornered prey.
“Depends,” the ballerina sauntered towards him, putting one arm against the back of the couch, between Mitya and Alyosha. She leaned over Mitya, as if waiting.
“You’re the boldest out of all of us, right?”
Mitya’s breath caught in his throat. He hadn’t been expecting this! How was he supposed to answer anything with Vodyanitsa on his lap and Odette whispering in his ear?!
He opted to nod his head dumbly.
“Then act like it,” she challenged, and it flipped a switch in him.
His hands reached for the arm currently cornering him, taking it swiftly and intertwining their fingers. As soon as he felt Vodyanitsa give them room, he grabbed Odette by the small of her back and pulled her into his lap.
He kissed her, hungry and desperate and a little annoyed he’d had to be last to taste her. He channeled that small bit of frustration into biting her lip and slipping his tongue in when she tried to breathe.
“Mitya—,” She was cut off, the researcher too focused on how content little moans would slip past her lips. If she was enjoying it, he’d continue, oxygen be dammed. He hummed as he kissed her deeper, sliding his hands up to her increasingly messy hair and detaching the pin on it.
Multiple strands fell loose and framed her pretty features. When he looked at her as they fought to catch their breath, all he could do was curse under his breath and switch his attention to her neck, licking a small stripe along her jugular and feeling the blood pump against his tongue. He sucked, already addicted to the taste, and this time it was Alyosha who pulled him off.
“Calm down there,” he chuckled. “If you bite down too hard you’ll kill her.”
His senses returned to him and he looked up, flustered at his own outburst. This was the woman who’d been trained and molded for most of her life to inherit a harbinger’s position. He was about to apologize when—
“I don’t mind,” she whispered in his ear in a sultry tone he was not expecting, only to crawl off him and sit between Alyosha and Vodyanitsa.
“So? Experiment over?” Vodyanitsa teased her. Odette nodded, face once again completely neutral. It really made the moments she lost her composure all the more remarkable.
Somewhere along the line, the lingering doubts they’d had about whether this was the right move banished, and the question had become how do we make it work. The idea of getting more of these evenings together was too tempting to resist.
“I like the three of you,” Odette finally confessed. “Enough to give this a real chance. As long as we’re open about how we feel, I don’t see why it can’t work.”
“I feel the same,” Alyosha finally settled. “You’re all really different people but…” he turned slightly red. “There’s plenty I… really like about each of you,” he went to pull up his hood once more, only to have it pulled off by a certain faerie.
“No need to be so formal,” Vodyanitsa giggled, grabbing his arm and settling on the crook of his neck. “It’s great that you’re all so different. It gives me more to love,” she spoke, tone light and warm. He melted against her, still not used to his newly acquired privileges.
“Maybe it goes without saying for me, but I still feel really lucky. I can’t believe you’re all okay with this,” Mitya chuckled, putting his hand next to Alyosha’s and faltering before the other boy grabbed it and held it in his.
“It is a little unbelievable. I mean, what are the chances…”
“It’s not worth questioning it. What matters is how we proceed,” said the dancer, direct as always. Alyosha smiled at her then nodded in agreement.
“If we were to date, it might be best to keep it secret.”
Vodyanitsa let out a sigh at the scientist’s suggestion. “Nothing I’m not used to hearing. Doesn’t make it suck any less though...”
She felt a kiss on her cheek and smiled brightly when she turned to see Odette. “Think of it this way, now you get to keep us all to yourself,” she joked. “I thought you’d be the type to enjoy that.”
Vodyanitsa rolled her eyes. “Well! You thought wrong. I’d actually love to see the shocked looks on people’s faces if I kissed any of you in public.”
“Speaking of,” a voice behind her spoke. She turned to see Mitya kissing Alyosha’s knuckles, staring at him through lidded eyes.
“Jealous of Odette?” the hunter teased, though his ears were turning slightly pink.
“A bit. Only if you’re comfortable, of course. Dating doesn’t have to mean kissing right away,” he smiled at the other, and Alyosha nodded. Vodyanitsa let go of his arm just in case, watching in amusement as the two of them waited for the other to make the first move.
“I’ve never,” Alyosha swallowed. “I didn’t even think I could like guys,” he looked off to the side to avoid eye contact. Mitya hummed in understanding.
“In that case,” he played with the fur on his hood. “Let’s take it slow?”
Alyosha’s heart skipped a beat and he looked behind him for reassurance. The two girls smiled warmly at him, nodding.
“There’s no pressure, Alyosha,” Vodyanitsa called out. “Remember, there’s no rules. Nothing will happen if you don’t like it,” she pecked his cheek.
He nodded and looked back at Mitya. He was stupidly attractive; his hair always looked soft to the touch and his eyes were warm and inviting. He had a way of pulling the people around him together like no one else, so despite being the newest among them, his presence felt as natural and necessary as breathing.
Alyosha reached for one of the loose strands of hair, playing with it gently. “Do you even brush this,” he said under his breath.
Mitya chuckled. “Is it that bad?”
He ran his fingers through it, expecting it to get stuck on a knot; to his shock, that never happened. But Mitya did hum as Alyosha played with his hair, letting himself enjoy the careful contact.
“For a hunter, you’re quite gentle,” Mitya noted, grabbing his wrist and slowly pulling Alyosha closer.
He had to force his breathing to steady. “I can adjust to what the situation requires. Wouldn’t be much of a hunter if I couldn’t adapt, would I?” He leaned slightly forward.
“Ah, of course,” he softly kissed under Alyosha’s eye, pecking at the freckles. “You’re the best at what you do, how could I forget,” he praised.
Alyosha couldn’t help but smile and close the gap between them. He remembered what Odette had done and tilted his head, pushing into the scientist and humming.
He got rewarded with a groan and Mitya sliding a hand up his neck, eventually reaching his jaw as his thumb softly caressed his cheek. The shorter boy felt giddy at how soft the other’s lips were, giving in to temptation and sucking gently on his bottom one before positioning himself closer to Mitya. He moved his arms around his neck, locking their lips once more.
Mitya hummed happily at the other finally relaxing, placing a steady hand on his knee and squeezing gently.
“Not too bad, huh?” he whispered when they separated. Alyosha scoffed and pushed him away, a small smile on his face.
“It was alright,” he joked back.
“If that’s settled,” Odette called out from behind them, walking towards the exit. “I have to go practice, so update me on anything I need to know.”
“Oh no you don’t!” Vodyanitsa caught her by the hand, pulling her away from the door. “This is cause for celebration, let’s all do something together!”
“You know I can’t just—”
She was cut off with a chaste kiss on the lips. She already had a hard time refusing the shorter woman, now she had to refuse her while getting kissed breathless? Maybe this was a miscalculation on her part.
“Vodya—“ she sighed when they separated, ready to talk her way out of the other’s whims.
“Please?” the woman spoke into her ear, low and quiet, and the dancer froze. That tone was new. “Let’s all go back to your place. Spend the night, talk, just be together?”
It wasn’t the first time she’d suggested the four of them have a sleepover, but it was the first time she’d asked while placing soft kisses against her jaw. She felt herself looking to Mitya and Alyosha for help.
“I really can’t—” she insisted, watching in horror as the two men walked towards her. Alyosha reciprocated her earlier gesture and held her hand, kissing the knuckles delicately, while Mitya opted to hug her from behind.
“You three cannot be serious,” she finally faltered.
“I like her idea. Let’s spend the night together, get used to each other. Plus, when’s the next time all of our schedules will align this closely?” The scientist appealed to reason, much to Odette’s chagrin.
“You work all day and night, nonstop and without complaint,” Alyosha added. “Just once, treat yourself. This might be presumptuous but… I wanna spend more time with you before I head back home. All of you.”
Odette had walked into this room expecting a warm but stern apology from Vodyanitsa as she walked off hand-in-hand with Mitya. Then she’d go train and things would go back to normal.
She didn’t expect the afternoon to end with the three of them draped over her, begging for her to spend the night with them.
Against all reason, she let the warmth consume her.
“Fine,” she surrendered. “Vodya and I keep spare clothes here, and Alyosha brings a packed bag everywhere. Let’s go to Mitya’s, that way he’ll have something to sleep in.”
“Fine by me,” Alyosha nodded, looking over at Mitya.
“Great! It’s a bit of a walk, just follow me.”
“Go with Alyosha,” Odette called out. “I know where you live, I'll take Vodya through a different route. We have to avoid raising suspicion.”
“Booo,” Vodya whined, hugging her tightly from behind.
“Be glad I agreed,” Odette replied coldly, but the smile in her tone was evident.
Mitya chuckled, albeit slightly worried for his safety, and beckoned Alyosha towards the door.
“Got it. We’ll see you later, then!”
“See ya!” Vodyanitsa waved goodbye enthusiastically.
Odette nodded.
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