I Became the Villain Alpha's Omega (BL)

The liquid hit the bottom of the glass with a sharp, heavy slosh.

It was dawn, but sleep was a distant, impossible concept. Every time she dared to close her eyes, her mind instantly served up the same image on a silver platter, Princess Iryna’s sharp eyes, that infuriatingly composed smile, and the absurd, world-shaking proposal she had laid out so casually during their walk in the palace gardens.

Marielle raised the glass and threw the shot back in one fluid motion.

Gulp

The harsh, burning heat slid down her throat like liquid fire, blooming heavy in her chest. Marielle let out a long, ragged exhale, slamming the glass onto her wooden nightstand with a solid thud.

"Gods above..." she muttered under her breath, pressing the back of her wrist against her mouth as her eyes watered slightly. "How am I even losing sleep over this? It’s completely ridiculous."

She leaned back against the headboard of her bed, staring blankly up at the dark timber beams of her ceiling. The idea of it was insane. A royal marriage between the Solaric and the Auzelian? Between two women who were built entirely out of pride, teeth, and sharp edges?

If we ever actually got married, Marielle thought, a sudden chuckle bubbling up in her throat before she could stop it, how many places would we tear apart the first time we had a disagreement? We’d probably end up reducing half an estate just over dinner plans.

She paused, her fingers tracing the rim of her empty glass in the dim candlelight.

...Though, honestly... the fighting would probably be the fun part.

Marielle caught her own thought and instantly winced, shaking her head violently. "Stop it. You’re losing your mind."

Knock knock

The sudden, faint knock against her bedroom door made Marielle jump slightly, her hand darting instinctively toward the hilt of her dagger resting on the bedside table.

"Marielle?" a low, familiar voice called out through the heavy wood. "You awake?"

Marielle relaxed her grip, letting out a long, exhausted sigh as she swung her legs off the mattress. "Elios?"

She crossed the room, her bare feet making almost no sound against the rug, and unlatched the heavy brass lock. She pulled the door open a few inches, leaning her shoulder against the frame.

Elios was standing out in the hallway, leaning lazily against the wall. He had discarded his uniform and leather straps, wearing only an unbuttoned linen tunic and dark trousers. He looked entirely relaxed, holding a half-empty bottle of dark liquor by its neck.

He looked her up and down, offering a slow, crooked grin. "The moon is pretty nice tonight. Feel like accompanying me for a drink?"

Marielle stared at him for a beat, her eyebrows twitching upward. Before she could utter a single word of refusal, Elios leaned his head slightly to the side, peering past her shoulder into the warm glow of her room. His eyes locked straight onto the half-empty amber bottle and the glass sitting on her nightstand.

"Oh, wow," Elios chuckled, leaning back with a sharp whistle under his breath. "Look at you. You started the party without me?"

"I wasn’t starting a party," Marielle muttered, though a faint, reluctant twitch touched the corner of her lips. She stepped back, opening the door wider. "Come in before you wake up the entire floor with your loud mouth."

Elios didn’t need to be told twice. He slipped inside, his soft boots padding quietly across the floor, and pulled out one of the heavy cushioned chairs by the small fireplace. He made himself right at home, kicking his feet up onto the low footstool.

Marielle closed and relatched the door before walking back to her bed. She grabbed her bottle and her glass, sitting down on the rug opposite him, leaning her back against the side of her bed frame.

For a long while, neither of them said anything. The quiet inside the room was heavy, filled only with the crackle of the dying hearth embers and the occasional, rhythmic sound of liquid pouring into glass.

Elios took a long, slow swig straight from his bottle, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He looked down at her, his bright eyes catching the dim amber firelight.

"So," Elios began smoothly, his tone remarkably casual, "are you going to tell me what’s actually got you staring holes through the walls, or do I have to keep guessing?"

Marielle raised her glass to her lips, taking a slow sip this time instead of shooting it down. She gave him a flat look. "What do you think it is?"

Elios tilted his head back, letting out a soft, amused hum. "Well, I don’t know the exact details. But I’m pretty sure it has something to do with Princess Iryna. You’ve been walking around in a complete daze ever since you came back from that little stroll in the palace garden with her."

Marielle went still for a second, her glass pausing halfway down. She didn’t look up at him, keeping her eyes fixed squarely on the amber liquid in her hand. "Is that your deduction... or did Flio whisper that into your ear?"

Elios let out a soft snort, shaking his head. "Does it matter whose idea it was? Point is, we have eyes, Marielle. You look like a knight who just got served a formal challenge and doesn’t know whether to draw her sword or run away." He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. "So... ready to indulge my curiosity?"

A quiet, breathless chuckle escaped Marielle’s lips. She shook her head softly, her shoulders dropping an inch as some of the tightly coiled tension finally bled out of her frame.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Elios," Marielle said, turning her head to give him a sharp, teasing smirk. "But even my brother doesn’t know what’s going on yet. If Zarius hasn’t heard it, you definitely have to wait your turn in line."

Elios stared at her for a moment before letting out a loud, dramatic sigh, falling back against the cushions of his chair. "Ah, cold. Brutal as ever. And here I thought we were close."

"We are close," Marielle replied lightly, swirling the liquor in her glass. "Which is why you are permitted to sit here and watch me drink until I can no longer feel my own toes instead of getting kicked out the door."

"Fair enough," Elios grinned, lifting his bottle toward her in a silent salute. "I suppose I can live with being the quiet drinking buddy for the night."

"Well..." Marielle murmured, her voice softening as she reached out, tapping the edge of her glass against the glass of his bottle with a delicate, ringing clink. "...it’s always better to have good company than to drink alone."

Elios smiled, taking a deep drink alongside her as the quiet night rolled on, leaving tomorrow’s problems to wait for tomorrow.

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