𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐃𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐏𝐔𝐒𝐒𝐘

Chapter Seven: Kalopsia

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ka·​lop·​si·​a | /καλοψία/

(n.) the delusion of things being more beautiful than they really are

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My eyes fluttered open moments later. I was standing right where I had moments ago; in the middle of my apartment. Everything was exactly how it was before, except I was alone. Alone with my thoughts...but not for long.

As I looked around, observing my surroundings, a strange fog rose up from the ground around me, forming a translucent shape which grew more opaque as it took the form of a human; one who I knew far too well. I groaned in despair as I looked at her.

"You infiltrated my heart, and you found your way into my home. Now you're in my dreams as well?" I scoffed.

She tilted her head, a playful, teasing grin spreading across her face. Her magenta eyes gazed upon me with a peculiar fondness as she spoke.

"Admit it, you wanted to let me in."

"I most certainly did not!" I quickly protested, raising my hands. "I wanted absolutely nothing to do with you, and then you went and got yourself shot, and I had to save you. And here we are; you're in my home, sleeping in my bed, and now, apparently," I gestured towards her. "you're in my dreams."

"Don't lie to yourself, Wonder." Ballora told me, stepping forward. "You and I both know the real reason why you saved me."

"Ballora, I don't even know why myself." I shook my head, looking down. "There is no way you would know."

Ballora chuckled to herself, her gaze never leaving mine. "See, the trouble with talking to a projection of your psyche, is that they know everything that you know." She took another step forward, a knowing smirk on her face. "This includes the things that you're trying not to know."

"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow. "That's kinda smart, not gonna lie...but what does that mean? What am I 'trying not to know?'"

"The fact that you're in love with me." Ballora stated simply. I looked at her, startled, before sighing defeatedly. There was no point in denying it, so I wouldn't. I sat down on the end of my bed, looking at my hands.

"You don't know that." I said. "And neither do I."

"Correct." she replied.

"This isn't real."

"It is if you want it to be."

"That's not how dreams work." I told her. "I won't remember any of this when I wake. You'll be gone."

A wave of despair washed over me as I looked up again. She now stood in front of me, strange emotions swirling in her eyes that I couldn't recognize. "I need to stop letting you in like this. You said yourself that attachments make one weak. I can feel you destroying me from the inside."

Ballora reached out, taking my hands with both of her own. She gently pulled me forward, causing me to stand up in front of her, and it was then that I noticed the lack of distance between us.

"Why do you do this to me?" I asked- no, pleaded. "Every time I'm with you, I feel so many things, so many emotions that just explode in my chest, overloading my senses and eradicating all logic I formerly had. I don't know exactly what they mean, or what to do when I feel this way toward you."

Ballora tilted her head, regarding me with concerned eyes. "How do you feel right now?"

"I- I can't describe them..." I looked down at our intertwined hands, ashamed.

She took another step forward, and gently guided my hands to her waist, almost as if we were slow-dancing. A breath of shock escaped my lungs.

She feels real.

"Maybe, if you wanted, you could show me instead," she offered.

My eyes widened, and I felt my face heat up immensely.

"Wh-what do you mean?" I asked, stammering slightly. I knew what she meant, but needed to hear her say it before I did anything.

Her hands moved from mine, and she wrapped her arms around my waist, gently pulling me closer. I stared up into her beautiful fuchsia eyes; they seemed to sparkle, like priceless gemstones under the starlight, mesmerizing me to the point where I was almost hypnotized by her gaze.

"Kiss me, please." she whispered.

My heart nearly stopped, and I bit back a sharp inhale. I couldn't move, even if I wanted to.

"I- you- you want me to- what?" I stammered, completely flustered. "Are- are you sure?"

Ballora softly chuckled before raising a hand, letting it rest on the side of my face. My head involuntarily tilted, leaning into the warmth of her hand, enveloping myself in the odd security I could feel when I was in her presence.

"I am, Wonder. It's alright." she told me, leaning her forehead against mine. "Don't be shy."

Nothing more was needed to be said before I leaned forward, inclining my head, connecting our lips. She kissed me slowly, giving me every available opportunity to pull away if I wanted to stop- which I didn't. I closed my eyes, immersing myself in the feeling of her lips against mine, and the warmth emitting from her body that caused every nerve to tingle with anticipation.

She pulled away a moment later, her face mere centimeters from mine, and her eyes darted over my expression, concerned.

"Was that alright...?" she asked.

"Yes..." I breathed, barely able to speak after what had just happened. "Do it again."

She did.

The moment our lips reconnected, I felt as if I was flying, floating off the ground in ecstasy. Ballora's hand moved from the side of my face to the back of my head, her fingers gently carding through my hair. My arms slowly snake around her waist, bringing her closer, pulling her body flush against mine, feeling the heat radiating from her. She was a raging inferno, and I would gladly burn with her. My hands dug into her back, causing her to emit soft sounds that made me melt.

A wave of emotion washed over me, flooding my senses, seeping into my veins and filling me with a sort of numb tranquility. I pulled away from the kiss, regarding her closely. She wasn't real. Neither of us were. Soon, we would return to the true world, and forget that any of this had happened. But for now, she was here, truly here, in my arms, to have and to hold.

And that's what I did.

I screwed my eyes shut, pulling her forward and burying my head in her shoulder. A moment of stunned silence stretches between us, before she wraps her arms around my back and held me too. I wanted nothing more than for that moment to last forever; just me and her, enveloping ourselves in each other's presence.

We were home.

Nothing could bring us apart.

I woke up devastated.