Chapter 31: Breathe
I drift slowly into consciousness, my mind still hazy with sleep. The first thing I become aware of is a warm, soft sensation on my neck. As I gradually wake up, I realize it's Skye's lips, trailing gentle kisses up and down my sensitive skin. A contented sigh escapes me as I bask in the tender affection.
I blink my eyes open, squinting slightly in the soft morning light filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Inside the penthouse, everything feels hushed and intimate, as if the world beyond our bedroom doesn't exist.
Turning my head slightly, I meet Skye's emerald gaze. Her eyes are warm and filled with love, crinkling at the corners as she smiles at me. Her long brown hair falls in tousled waves around her face, framing it like a halo. She looks breathtakingly beautiful, and my heart swells with affection.
"Good morning," I speak, my voice still rough with sleep. A tired but happy smile spreads across my face.
"Good morning," Skye replies softly, her voice like velvet.
Before I can say anything else, she leans in and captures my lips in a searing kiss. It's not gentle but deep and passionate from the start. Her tongue sweeps into my mouth, exploring and claiming. I respond eagerly, my own tongue dancing with hers as heat builds between us.
Skye's hand comes up to cup my face, holding me steady as she deepens the kiss even further. I feel like I'm drowning in sensation, overwhelmed by her taste, her scent, the feel of her body pressed against mine. Time seems to stand still as we lose ourselves in each other.
When we finally break apart, I'm panting heavily, struggling to catch my breath. My lips feel sensitive, tingling from the intensity of the kiss.
I gaze up at Skye, taking in the sight of her. Her cheeks are flushed. But it's her eyes that capture my attention most. They're dark with desire, glistening with a predatory hunger that sends a shiver down my spine. Yet behind that primal need, I catch a fleeting glimpse of something else, a flash of what almost looks like pity.
Before I can ponder that strange expression, Skye pulls back slightly. "Ahh," she says, her voice a mix of reluctance and practicality, "we can't right now."
As Skye helps me up, her grip on me is incredibly possessive, her fingers digging into my skin with an intensity that's both comforting and slightly alarming. She keeps me close, her body shielding mine as if to protect me from some unseen threat.
"Don't be surprised, but your mother and sister are here," Skye says, her voice low and cautious.
Confusion washes over me, my brow furrowing as I try to process this unexpected information. "Why are they here?" I ask.
Skye's frown deepens, her emerald eyes clouding with a mixture of concern and reluctance. "I think it'll be easier to break the bad news as a group," she says softly, her words sending a jolt of anxiety through my body.
We walk to the living room, Skye's arm wrapped firmly around my waist, guiding me as if she's afraid I might stumble or try to run away.
As we enter, I see Mom and Lucy sitting at the kitchen table.
Mom's silver hair is pulled back in a neat bun, her posture rigid and military-straight even as she sits. Lucy, beside her, fidgets nervously with the hem of her shirt, her brown eyes darting between me and Skye. Both of them wear expressions of sadness that make my heart clench with worry.
"What's going on?" I ask.
Lucy and Mom exchange a glance, their faces etched with a sorrow that only deepens my unease. The silence stretches on for what feels like an eternity.
Suddenly, a thought strikes me. "Is Dad okay?" I blurt out.
To my immense relief, Mom nods quickly. "Yes, your father is fine," she assures me, her voice steady despite the sadness in her eyes.
Skye sits me down and pulls her chair close to me, her grip on me firm and loving.
Skye's emerald eyes search my face. She takes a deep breath, her chest rising and falling beneath her casual t-shirt. "Luke," she begins, her voice gentle but serious, "in your old world, was social media a big deal?"
I nod, my brow furrowing slightly at the unexpected question. "Yeah, a huge deal," I reply, memories of endless scrolling and viral trends flashing through my mind. "Celebrities, influencers, stuff like that."
Skye nods slowly, her fingers intertwining with mine on the table. "Well, in our world, it's also a big deal."
"Okay," I respond, confusion evident in my voice.
Lucy leans forward, her brown eyes filled with concern. "Luke, we're worried because you've been receiving a lot of negative attention online after yesterday's interview."
I look at Skye, feeling my heart sink. "Are you upset because this reflects poorly on you?" I ask Skye hesitantly.
Skye's eyes widen, her expression morphing into one of utter disbelief.
"What? No! I couldn't care less how people see me right now." she exclaims, her voice filled with a mixture of shock and hurt. Her grip on my hand tightens.
Lucy and Mom exchange surprised glances, their eyebrows raised in unison. Mom leans forward, her silver hair catching the light. Her eyes, usually so stern and unreadable, now shine with surprise.
"Super Star," she says slowly, her voice filled with wonder, "did I just see you set aside your ego for my son?"
"The limelight feels boring lately," Skye says, her words hanging in the air like a revelation. "I have a fiancé to take care of now."
Lucy lets out a soft chuckle. "Really?" she says, her brown eyes dancing with amusement. "Feels like hell's freezing over for you to say that."
As soon as the words leave Lucy's mouth, the atmosphere in the room shifts dramatically. Skye's expression darkens, her features transforming into something dangerous and predatory.
"I feel you both are underestimating my intentions with Luke," Skye says, her voice low and filled with a quiet intensity that's more frightening than any shout could be. "He is my life, my joy, my everything."
The words wash over me like a warm wave, filling me with a sense of love and belonging so intense it's almost overwhelming. I feel heat rising to my cheeks, a deep blush spreading across my face and down my neck. Without even realizing it, I find myself melting into Skye, my body instinctively seeking hers.
Mom's expression softens as she watches us, a genuine smile spreading across her face.
"Anyways," Lucy says, her voice cutting through the tender moment like a knife, "Luke, everyone online hates you right now."
The words hang in the air, heavy and oppressive. The warmth that had been building in the room seems to evaporate instantly, replaced by a chill that makes me shiver despite Skye's closeness.
Skye's head whips around to face Lucy, her emerald eyes wide with shock. "You're just ripping the band-aid right off?" she exclaims, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Lucy shrugs her expression a mixture of resignation and defiance. "What choice do we have?" she asks, her tone challenging. "Sugarcoating it won't change the reality of the situation."
"What?" I manage to sputter out, my mind reeling from the sudden onslaught of information.
"People online, sometimes when they see normal people dating a celebrity, they feel a bit frustrated," Mom explains, her voice soft and measured. "It's probably all jealousy, dear."
Lucy nods vigorously, her ponytail bobbing with the motion. "And you're dating the most famous person on earth," she adds, her words tumbling out in a rush. "The backlash was bound to happen eventually."
I sit there in stunned silence for a moment, trying to process everything they've said. The idea that millions of people I've never met could hate me is overwhelming. A deep sense of inadequacy washes over me.
"But I do have a power. I'm not normal." I blurt out suddenly, desperate to prove my worth.
Without thinking, I point my index finger at the kitchen table, and I start blasting a stream of steaming ramen noodles.
Mom is the first to recover. She clears her throat. "I think the public would find fault with any lover Super Star took. You could shoot gold from your fingertips, and they'd still complain."
Skye's frown deepens, her emerald eyes darkening dangerously. "Maybe it's time I scared the cattle straight," she says, her voice low and menacing.
Lucy visibly tenses at Skye's words, her eyes widening in alarm. She exchanges a worried glance with Mom, who also looks distinctly nervous.
"Perhaps there is an alternative way," Mom suggests carefully. "One that doesn't involve... drastic measures."
Skye turns to me, her emerald eyes searching my face intently. When she speaks, her voice is soft but serious. "Luke, would you be okay with me wiping out the human race?"
I shrug and say, "I don't really care."
Mom and Lucy's jaws drop in perfect synchronization, their eyes widening to comical proportions.
Skye bursts into laughter, the sound rich and musical yet tinged with a hint of disbelief. "What the fuck, Luke?"
Lucy's expression morphs from shock to deep concern. Her brow furrows, creating little valleys of worry on her forehead. She turns to Skye, her voice low and urgent. "There really might be something wrong with him."
I feel a flicker of annoyance at their reactions.
"It's not like I want her to do it," I say, my voice calm and measured. "I'm just saying if she came home one day and said, 'Oh Luke, I accidentally killed everyone, are you mad at me?' I'd say no and then comfort her in any way I could."
As I speak, I can see the horror dawning on their faces, like storm clouds gathering on a sunny day. Mom's silver hair seems to lose some of its luster, and Lucy's fingers clutch the edge of the table so tightly her knuckles turn white.
Skye's green eyes lock onto mine, a mixture of fascination and concern swirling in their depths. She reaches out, her strong arms encircling me and pulling me closer until I'm practically in her lap.
Her fingers trace gentle patterns on my arm as she leans in, her breath tickling my ear. "Would you miss anything if I did that?"
I pause, truly considering her question. My mind wanders, imagining a world devoid of humanity. No bustling cities, no crowded streets, no laughter of children in parks. Just Skye and me, alone in a vast, empty world.
"Yeah," I finally say, my voice thoughtful. "Life would be so boring for us."
I start ticking off items on my fingers, each one a small but significant piece of the life we've built together. "No more TV," I begin, thinking of our cozy movie nights curled up on the couch. "Probably no air conditioning."
My eyes drift to the gaming console nestled beneath the large flat-screen TV. "No video games," I add.
Finally, my gaze settles on the ramen I'd conjured earlier. "And no good restaurants," I conclude, thinking of all the delicious meals I haven't gotten to eat yet.
Skye's emerald eyes sparkle with amusement as she turns to Mom and Lucy, a smug smile playing across her lips.
"Well, it's settled then," she declares, her voice rich with satisfaction. "I can't do it." She pauses for dramatic effect, her smile widening. "I guess I just saved the world."
The tension in the room seems to deflate like a punctured balloon, replaced by a mixture of relief and exasperation. Mom's shoulders visibly relax, the rigid set of her posture softening ever so slightly. Lucy, on the other hand, looks torn between laughter and frustration.
Her brown eyes dart between Skye and me, her expression a kaleidoscope of emotions. Finally, she throws her hands up in a gesture of defeat. "I literally don't know which one of you is more annoying right now."
Lucy's gaze settles on me, her brow furrowing in confusion. "How did air conditioning make the list?" she asks, genuinely perplexed. "Out of all the things in the world, that's what you'd miss?"
I lean back in my chair, feeling the soft fabric against my skin, and shrug nonchalantly. "If you put a gun to my head and tell me to choose between air conditioning and ending poverty..." I trail off.
I let the silence speak for itself for a moment. "Well, it's not really a hard decision, to be honest," I say, my voice calm and matter-of-fact.
Lucy's reaction is immediate and explosive. She throws her hands up in exasperation, her chair scraping loudly against the floor as she pushes back from the table. Her brown eyes flash with a mixture of disbelief and annoyance.
"You didn't even need to say that!" she exclaims, her voice rising with each word. "You could have just said you really love air conditioning!"
I can't help but grin sheepishly, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and defiance. "I do really love air conditioning. That's exactly what I'm trying to illustrate."