Chapter 21-A: Now he knows we are siblings?
Eli opened the door to Vanessa's apartment without knocking—because, in his mind, why would he? He closed the door behind him and his tired expression instantly smoothed over, replaced by the detached easiness he reserved for the duo he knew were inside. He removed his hoodie and dropped it onto the small console table by the entrance.
He froze, expecting silence, or perhaps Vanessa adjusting her makeup. Instead, he found the two women having a perfectly normal chat. Akari was perched on the edge of the sofa, and Vanessa was leaning against the window frame. His gaze flicked between them, taking in Vanessa's barely-there bodysuit and Akari's bubbly smile. "You look like you just found out your ex got hit by a truck," he remarked flatly.
The moment Akari's head lifted and she saw him, the transformation was instantaneous. Her shoulders slumped, her chin tucked into her chest, and the small, easy smile she'd been wearing for Vanessa dissolved into a pinched expression of worry. It was too perfect—like she'd rehearsed it. Vanessa snorted, peeling herself off the window frame, her hips swaying as she crossed the room toward Eli. "You're late," she murmured, running her hands through her hair.
"Oh," Akari whispered, standing abruptly, "Eli, can we... can we go home now? I'm worried Iris might get angry. It's getting late." Akari's voice was timid, but the glance she shot Vanessa was anything but sharp and triumphant. Vanessa's fingers tightened around her phone, her lips thinning, but an almost invisible glint of recognition flickered over her face. The girl is a better actress than I thought, she mused, watching the performance unfold.
Eli noted the tension, yet he merely dismissed it with a shrug as he turned to look at Akari. He didn't know the high-stakes rivalry brewing between the two women—not yet—but the way the two were acting made him exhale sharply through his nose. Something was definitely off about this two.
"Home?" Eli repeated with a deadpan look. "You mean my home. The one you cried your way into." He tilted his head, studying her with detached curiosity.
Akari tried to talk back, but Eli cut her off. "Just shut up," he commanded, throwing himself onto the sofa. He didn't bother to sit properly and he just leaned back, tossing an arm over his face to block the light. "Act like the add-on you are," he muttered toward Akari, "and stay quiet."
Vanessa grinned, fighting hard to keep herself from laughing—something about Akari's sudden meekness set off every competitive instinct in her.
Vanessa shook her head slightly, stepping closer to Eli. "Don't be cruel," she chided, though her fingers traced his collarbone with deliberate possessiveness. Akari's eyes tracked the movement like a hawk, but she kept her voice small when she spoke.
"I just... I don't want Iris to worry," Akari murmured. Vanessa ignored her and stretched languidly, rolling her shoulders back until her spine cracked softly. The movement was deliberately slow, making the cheap fabric of her bodysuit strain against her curves. She wanted Eli to notice, to get the message that the break was over and it was time for the video. She cleared her throat, looking at Eli, who was glaring at her through his fingers, looking puzzled. She arched an eyebrow playfully.
"Eli?" she asked, acting awkwardly, "Are we doing the 'thing' today or not? Because if we're not, I'm going to change—this bodysuit's itchy as hell." She tugged at the lace clinging to her thighs for emphasis, watching his reaction closely.
Eli was genuinely confused. Was this woman deliberately trying to blow their cover with Akari, or had she gone nuts? Vanessa seemed to notice his doubt but did nothing to soothe his concern.
Eli's eye twitched, but he responded with equal audacity. "Oh, we're doing the 'thing,' of course. Just taking a short break. Ten minutes." His gaze slid meaningfully toward Akari, warning Vanessa not to mess up.
Vanessa glanced at Akari, who was looking timidly at the floor. But Vanessa caught the brief, hard glint in her eyes, a deadly chill beneath the act.
Vanessa smirked, shifting her weight. "Okay, but what about Akari? Is she going to stay or—" she paused deliberately, creating the impression of hesitation. "Or should I send her out?"
Eli's eyes snapped open, blinking as if the thought had just struck him. He couldn't send Akari back yet; Iris would definitely start asking uncomfortable questions about why he didn't come with her and might return here. But the idea of having her linger in Vanessa's apartment while he filmed content didn't sit right either. It would complicate the 'therapy-fuck' plan he had mentally laid out for his own entertainment.
His lips twitched in irritation—both women were complicating things in ways he hadn't anticipated.
He rubbed his head and sighed, the weariness genuine this time. Well, screw it. She was just a girl he wanted to screw; if he couldn't, nothing was lost. He could probably find another form of entertainment if she was being a bother. Besides, Vanessa was a way more skilled partner than any innocent girl could ever be. But let's hope this works.
With the decision made, he slapped his thigh with a sharp, loud crack, startling both women. "Alright, let's get this over with." He shifted slightly, lowering his arm just enough to pin Vanessa with a bored stare. "You," he said, pointing at her, "can lose the act. I don't care if she finds out." Then, shifting his gaze to Akari, who stiffened under the sudden attention: "And you—you're staying. Watch if you want. Help if you're feeling bold. Or sit in the corner and pretend you're furniture. Just keep quiet."
Akari gave them a confused look—an act on her part but Eli ignored it and pulled out his phone, a predatory smirk stretching his lips as he thought of something.
He fixed his gaze on Akari. "I hope your new trauma of sex doesn't mean you can't record a video of one if you are told to." Akari's lips parted with genuine shock this time as Vanessa raised an eyebrow. The two women were startled, though for very different reasons.
"What does that mean?" Akari asked, projecting utter bewilderment. Vanessa, genuinely unsettled by the sudden shift in plan, frowned. "It better not be what I'm thinking, Eli. And what trauma are you even talking about? Be normal."
Eli shrugged, his voice bored. "It's exactly what you're thinking. I want Akari to film us. That would probably give us some good angles." He glanced at Akari. "And for the trauma, don't worry. It was just her doing some non-consensual act with a stranger on the train which backfired. But she asked for it, didn't you?" His smirk widened as Akari's face drained of color.
Vanessa's fingers twitched, she hadn't expected Eli to be this blunt. She hesitated for just a second, her eyes flicking to Akari with a silent question: Are you really going to let him humiliate you like this?
Akari's eyes flashed dangerously at those words. The sheer, casual dismissal of her violation was a wound but she quickly resumed her performance, asking, "What do you mean by recording? I— I don't understand."
Eli snorted. "You can't be dumb enough to not know what porn is. Vanessa and I make content together. Today, you hold the phone." Vanessa bit her lip at his bluntness, realizing too late she'd underestimated just how far he'd push making her cut in sharply, her tone leaving no room for argument. "No, she isn't doing anything like that. Not today, not ever."
Eli was puzzled. He raised an eyebrow. "Why? Isn't Akari a female like you? And am I not supposed to be the shy one?"
Vanessa shook her head stubbornly. "I don't care. It's an age thing. She's a girl younger than me, and wasn't it you who just said Akari has a fear of it? And you want her to record it? Are you sick or something?"
"And what's wrong with that? It's just filming," Eli countered, his voice dripping with mock innocence as he rolled onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow. The predatory gleam in his eyes never wavered as he studied Vanessa's reaction. "Unless you're suddenly worried about morality?" His lips curled into a slow smirk. "Too late for that, sweetheart."
Akari seized the opportunity, her performance reaching peak hysteria. Her eyes widened in faux-revelation. She stuttered, "Are— are you two going to do that? And you want me to film it?" She shook her head frantically. "Isn't it wrong? What if someone found out? No, I can't!" Vanessa exhaled in relief—finally, someone talking sense.
Eli forced himself to smile. "No one would find out. She would cover her face with a mask, and my face wouldn't show. Besides, it's actually for your own good, Akari. It's part of the healing process. It would prepare you for the grand event of your healing process."