Wary yet intrigued.

Elena's eyes narrow, flicking between Tessa's tear-streaked face and mine. She doesn't pull away, but her arms stay crossed tight over her chest, a barrier against the scene unfolding in my doorway. The hall light casts harsh shadows, making Tessa's olive skin look almost luminous, her full lips trembling as she waits for my word. I stand frozen, the symbiote humming faintly in my veins, content for now but ready to stir.

"That's... intense," Elena murmurs finally, her voice threading the line between revulsion and fascination. She shifts her weight, jeans whispering against her thighs, and glances at Tessa with those sharp green eyes. "You really see it that way? That you're his? Not just some command overriding your free will?"

Tessa nods without hesitation, her messy bun unraveling a strand that curls against her neck. "It's more than that," she says, voice gaining a quiet strength. "The weave pulled me in, but what I feel... it's mine now. I choose to stay." Her gaze lifts to me again, raw hunger edged with adoration, her thick thighs pressing together as if the ache I've woven into her demands it.

Elena's breath escapes in a slow exhale, and she uncrosses her arms, one hand rubbing her temple. "God, this is messed up. But you're not scared, not of what it'll do to you long-term?" Her tone softens, that clinical curiosity pulling her forward another step. She's defensive still, I can see it in the slight hunch of her shoulders, the way she avoids looking too long at Tessa's uniform clinging from the humidity. But there's an opening there, a crack in her skepticism, as if witnessing the devotion firsthand chips at her walls.

Tessa shakes her head, fingers twisting the strap of her bag. "Scared at first, yeah. But now, it feels right. Like I was waiting for this." Tears spill over, tracing wet paths down her cheeks, but she smiles faintly, almost serene.

Elena meets my eyes then, searching, as if deciding whether to bolt or dive deeper. "Close the door," she says abruptly, nodding toward Tessa. "Let her in. If we're doing this honestly, no more hiding behind cracks and whispers."

My pulse thuds hard. I hesitate, but the symbiote's thrum pushes gently, urging. With a nod, I swing the door wide. Tessa steps inside, her presence filling the space like a warm current, eyes locked on me with **** relief. Elena watches it all, standing near the couch. The air grows thick with unspoken questions. The wine sits forgotten, the Thai cooling on the table, but the night feels alive now, charged with possibilities I hadn't dared to weave.