Dating a Half-Demon

Anticipation

They end up just walking and talking until the sun begins to set, turning the sky a beautiful ombre of blue, orange and pink. Bree would turn this sky into a painting if she could, capture the richness of the colours, the deepness of her feelings and the way, for once things feel perfect.

Of course, she had texted Alice that she was busy, and Alice just replied with a winking emoji, erupting laughs of embarrassment from her stomach. Sel quirks up an eyebrow in confusion, and Bree shakes her head dismissively. They walk around for a bit longer in comfortable silence until they find a bench. Sel's jaw tenses as if he's trying to say something, not quite sure how to phrase it. God, Bree can't take her eyes off his jawline, her heart beating faster until she remembers Sel can definitely hear it. Which does not help. Her heart only pounds harder.

'That wasn't the only reason you broke up with Nick, was it?' He asks.

This question had clearly been on his mind for a while. There was a glint of hope in his eyes, and Bree realised she could finally get what she had been fantasising about. There it was again, that twinge of guilt for leading Nick along. That wasn't exactly fair, to say she led him on. She ended things as soon as she was sure of her feelings for Sel.

'No.'

Her heart hammered even harder, her whole body burning as he looked into her eyes and a beautiful smirk pulled at his lips. A gust of wind rushed past, blowing his black waves into his eyes. He pushed it behind his ears as he took a deep breath.

'Has this...' He grabbed Bree's hand, wrapping his long, bony fingers around hers, and even he began to look nervous. Sel? Nervous? Bree wondered how long he had felt for her. '...Got anything to do with why you ended things?'

She nodded her head slowly, not sure of what would come out of her mouth if she started speaking. The burning turned into butterflies that filled her stomach, her throat and she had to share them somehow, so Bree cupped his face, drew him closer and kissed him.

He kissed her back hard. Like he had been anticipating this for so long. She felt the butterflies flutter out of her, dissipating any doubt of her feelings. While things with Nick felt right and good and nice, this was what was missing. It felt like a spark had gone off, a flame consuming her heart in the best way possible. Fireworks erupted as he pulled away, his eyes still lingering on her lips. Bree tried to suppress a smile as his hands stayed around her waist- she didn't remember when they got there, but she wasn't complaining.

'I see.' He said mirroring the smile on her own face, and blush creeped onto his cheeks and nose, turning him an adorable shade of pink.

'Tell that to us a few months ago. We would be appalled at each other' Bree replied, trying to lighten the mood. He snorted and Bree added that to the list of things she had found out he did, that she also loved. She loved the fact she had got to meet this side of Sel, the total opposite to the one she saw in the quarry just months ago. She felt this part of him was just hers and she didn't want to share it with anyone else.

'So uh, how long have you wanted to do that , then?' She asked, half teasing him, but she genuinely wanted to know.

Sel pursed his lips in thoughts. Another thing to add to the list. 'I couldn't tell you exactly when, but I think I realised when you came to my room that night and we got the documents about your mum.' he reminisced, smiling. Sel was smiling! Because of her!

'Your turn.'

Bree wasn't sure what to say, she had been with Nick, and she didn't want Sel to think she would do the same to him.

'I don't know.' Sel gave her an unconvinced look. 'You can tell me, you're not with Nick anymore.'

Bree thought back, and she really wasn't sure herself.

'I guess that night during the trial with the hellfoxes. I don't know, I feel like something changed that night, we understood each other. But I didn't fully realise until the ball when I picked my Kingsmage. When I went to see you, I guess that was me trying to confirm it, and I figured out pretty quickly I had to break up with Nick.' she explained, purposely leaving out those times she had seen him shirtless covered in tattoos. She wanted to discover every single one of them and Sel to tell her what they mean, if they even have a meaning. They look cool as fuck.

'And I wanted to stay that night. I was just scared of what I would realise.' Sel nodded, getting the closure he needed from that conversation.

Bree checked the time on her phone- she needed to get back soon. She stood up from the bench, Sel following suit.

'Let me walk you home.' he offered while linking his arm through Bree's. God this felt so right. Sorry Vera.

'You two really both have the same chivalry!' she shook her head laughing.

'Hey! We were just brought up to be honourable gentlemen I'll have you know!' he said, pretending to be hurt.

He walked her up to her door and let her go. He looked around for other Chapter members, and when the coast was clear he kissed her goodbye. Much more gently this time.

'Goodnight, Sel.' she whispered.

She opened the door to find Alice sitting expectantly on her bed.

'So??' she asked, waggling her eyebrows.

Bree grinned in reply and explained everything. When she was done, Alice's only response was a squeal.

'I'm so glad this is working out for you Bree!!' she hugged, and they spent the rest of the evening gossiping about people in their classes, forgetting about the Chapter, and acting like Sel was just any other guy.

Even when Alice was fast asleep, she was still texting Sel, agreeing to keep it quiet for a few weeks so as not to hurt Nick and let the news of her and Nick's breakup completely settle among the Chapter.

She fell asleep to thoughts of Sel, smiling gently, and for the first time in a while slept without dreaming. She finally felt peaceful.