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Musa grunted as her sword clashed against Riven’s dual swords. It was Alfea’s Annual Halloween Ball in two days, and normally, Musa didn’t enjoy Halloween. When she’d still been living in Melody, she had avoided Halloween parties at all costs, instead opting for a night in with her comfy sweats, chocolate, and a good book. She’d dress up for school, but that was a nightmare in itself. As she got older, it became an unbearable, repetitive stream of emotions from the girls in her class as they wondered if their chosen costumes had caught their crush’s attention, and strong feelings of jealousy and disappointment when they didn’t.
This year, Musa was excited about Halloween. After a night of binging the Disney films with her suitemates and Kat, Bloom had come up with the idea that each of them dress up as characters from different movies, and they had all chosen their costumes the month before. Musa’s Belle costume was hanging in her closet at this moment, and call her hypocritical, but she couldn’t wait to see Riven’s reaction to her in a ballgown.
“Pixie, where did you go?” Riven asked as he lunged forward. Musa came back to herself with a start, barely deflecting the attack. Riven gave her a chastising look as they both lowered their swords. “Never let your guard down, Musa! In a real fight an enemy would seize the opportunity to attack,” he scolded. Musa blushed as the two of them made their way off the platform, done for the day. She knew Riven was right, and it was unusual for her to be distracted during training.
“Sorry Riven, I guess I’m still adjusting to not having the limiters,” she admitted, which wasn’t a lie. Headmistress Dowling had called her into her office a week ago and suggested that Musa stop using the limiters. She would still allow her to train with the Specialists, but Musa needed to learn how to control her powers, not the other way around.
Riven’s expression softened. He knew better than anyone Musa’s complicated relationship with her powers, and he knew it hadn’t been easy for her to relinquish the bracelets that cut into her skin. Even now, he could see the barely noticeable scars from both the limiters and the scraper bites.
“You’ll get there, Muse. You’ve got this,” he reassured her. Musa gave him a shy smile before looking down at her feet. Riven rubbed the back of his neck as he took in the empath before him. What would she do if he tilted her head up to kiss her, like he’d been wanting to do for ages? Riven could feel his self-control starting to wane, and he knew if he didn’t say or do something fast, he would act on instinct.
“You got your costume figured out for the ball?” he asked as he started to pack away his weapons. Musa nodded as she picked up her bag.
“Yeah, we’re all dressing up as Disney characters,” she said. Riven nodded, his lips turning up into a smirk as his green eyes ran over Musa’s body.
“Well, that tiny dancer’s body is good for combat and dance, so I’m sure it’s good for other things too,” he said, before realizing what he had just said and to whom and mentally smacking himself upside the head. He may not have been the empath, but he could read the shock and hurt on Musa’s face as she registered his words.
“Nice to know you only think about me for my body and what it's good for. I’ll see you later,” she said coldly before turning on her heel and stalking away, feeling the regret and self-loathing behind her. Riven shook his head in disgust at himself, he had been trying to be better, and that slip-up had just set him back. Hoisting his bag onto his shoulder, he began walking to the dorms.
Musa stormed about halfway through the hallways before noticing that people were leaping out of her way. After that, she slowed her hot-angered walk to a brisk trot, eager to get back to her suite as quickly as possible. As she walked, she thought about what Riven had said. He hadn’t made a lewd comment like that towards her for a long time, but he hadn’t been shy about concealing his feelings either. Musa knew he felt something more than friendship at this point, and she’d thought that her costume reveal at the ball would be the perfect time to tell him how she felt.
Without her noticing, Musa’s pace slowed as she walked along, lost in thought. She knew that Riven had been trying to change, to be better, and for the most part he was succeeding.
Yes, she was angry and hurt at what Riven had said, but she also knew in his way, he’d been trying to compliment her. Musa didn’t notice she’d arrived at her suite until Terra said, “Well, are you going to open the door or are you just going to stand out here all night?” Musa jumped; she hadn’t even felt her suitemate come up beside her. Giving an embarrassed laugh, she pulled out her keys and unlocked the door to the suite before walking inside.
“What’s with you? You seem distracted,” Terra said, following her into their room and setting her bag down on her desk chair.
“Just tired, that’s all. Training kicked my ass today,” Musa said. Terra gave her a look.
“By training, you mean Riven, right? I saw you guys when I was walking back from the greenhouse and you were both going at it pretty hard,” she said.
“Yes, I mean Riven, and there’s also all the excitement, lust and hope going around in preparation for the Halloween Ball in a couple of days,” Musa admitted, shuddering at some of the more shameless feelings she’d felt that day. Terra grimaced at the picture Musa was painting as she pulled her costume out of the wardrobe. After a lot of deliberation, Terra had decided she wanted to go as Anna from Frozen, while Kat would be dressing up as Elsa. Terra set her costume on the bed and pondered it. Musa’s eyes flashed purple as she caught her roommate’s conflicting emotions.
“You’re not having second thoughts, are you?” she asked, walking over to stand next to her roommate and joining her in looking at the costume.
“No! Well, maybe. I know that I don’t exactly fit the “princess” image, and I’m wondering if this was the right choice. Maybe I should have chosen something that would hide more of . . . this,” Terra rambled as she ran her fingers gently along the fabric of the skirt before looking down at her body. Musa frowned and placed a hand on Terra’s shoulder.
“Hey, none of that. Terra, there is nothing wrong with the way you look. You looked amazing when you put the costume on the other day, and if other people don’t think that and they’re more focused on your appearance, then fuck them,” she said fiercely.
“You think so?” Terra asked hopefully. Musa nodded as she sat down on Terra’s bed.
“Take it from someone who grew up dancing and had to feel it every time a dance instructor or classmate didn’t think my body was good enough the way it was,” Musa admitted one of her long-hidden secrets.
“What? People thought that about you? But you have a great body!” Terra exclaimed as she joined her suitemate on the bed.
“And so do you. And yes, people did pass judgment on the way I looked, and it took me a long time to realize that they were wrong. It’s better to think that you look like you’ve gained a few pounds than it is to look unwell,” Musa said. She hesitated a moment and then pulled her phone out of her pocket and opened her photo file. Terra watched as her roommate scrolled through her library, searching until she found what she was looking for.
Musa paused before she turned the phone around and held it out to Terra. Terra took the phone and couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped her lips as her wide eyes took in the picture. A man and a woman, clearly Musa’s parents, were standing on either side of their daughter, who stood between them. Only it didn’t look like the Musa Terra knew. The girl in the photo was as pale as a ghost, and instead of fitting her like a glove, her costume hung loosely in some areas. Terra looked up at Musa, who was watching her sadly.
“That was after the dance performance where I nearly collapsed just before going on stage. I made it through my performance, but my parents saw that something was wrong,” she said. Terra nodded as her shock-fogged brain tried to figure out how to ask the questions she wanted to without hurting or offending Musa. Musa’s eyes shone purple as she felt her curiosity and hesitancy.
“I exercised constantly, but I wasn’t eating properly to support that. After that performance, my parents sat me down and told me if I didn’t start taking better care of myself, they wouldn’t allow me to go to dance class until I did,” Musa explained. Terra nodded as she returned Musa’s phone.
“What did you say?” she asked. Musa swallowed, she’d never talked about this with anyone because it was too painful, but she didn’t want to see her friend and roommate go down the same road she had.
“I cried, begged them not to make me stop dancing. Then I told them what I’d felt from my dance teacher and classmates. They were furious, and my mum promised that we would find a different studio for me to go to. She kept her word and went to the dance studio the next day and asked for her money back. When they asked why, she said she was withdrawing me because of all the body-shaming I had been subjected to. I didn’t go to the studio with her but when she came home it was like a forest fire was burning inside and around her. I’d never seen my mom that angry before,” Musa finished.
Terra reached over and put a hand on Musa’s knee. “Thanks for telling me that,” she said. Musa nodded and squeezed Terra’s hand.
“No problem. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Ter, there’s nothing wrong with your body. So, in two days, put on that costume and wow the students and staff here,” Musa said. Terra grinned and nodded, wiping her eyes as she did so. Squeezing Musa’s hand, she stood up.
“I’m going to shower and then Kat and I are meeting up for dinner, do you want to join us?” she asked. Musa nodded.
“Sure, I have some stuff I need to do, and then I’ll meet you there,” she said. Terra nodded as she gathered her clothes and walked towards the door. She paused just before she left the room and turned to face her roommate, who had moved over to her bed and pulled her laptop onto her lap.
“Hey, Musa?” Musa looked up just before she put her headphones on.
“Yeah?”
“I may be stepping out of turn here, but I just wanted you to know if there’s ever a day where you feel you might be heading down that path again, you can talk to me. Okay?” Terra said nervously. She wasn’t quite sure if Musa would welcome that offer, her friend was a very private person. But she felt as though she owed Musa something after the emotional story she’d just shared. How long had she been keeping that inside? Terra wondered.
She was relieved to see the empath open a warm smile and she felt the gratitude Musa projected towards her.
“Thanks, Terra. I appreciate that, and I will come to talk to you if I feel like I’m heading into that dark place again,” she said. Terra nodded and smiled back at her before she made her way to the bathroom.
The moment she was alone, Musa stood up and made her way to the wardrobe where her costume was hanging. Opening the doors, she ran a finger over the yellow material before taking the dress out and laying it on the bed. She didn’t feel as excited about this costume now, but maybe that was because of her conversation with Terra. Musa suddenly felt like she would be hiding her body just as she had at home after coming back from dance class.
She wasn’t that person anymore; she was someone who had learned to love and accept her body for what it was. As she thought back to what Riven had said, a smirk began to spread over Musa’s lips. “I’ll show him what a tiny body can do!” she said aloud. She sat down on her bed, booted up her laptop, typed in “Halloween costumes for women,” and selected the first link that appeared. She scrolled down the page and stopped as her smirk widened even more. She grinned to herself as she selected her size and proceeded to the checkout. She knew there was a possibility that the costume wouldn’t arrive in time, the ball was in two days, and if it didn’t come, she would wear the Belle costume as planned. But if it did, well, she could always save the Belle costume for next year.
Musa closed her laptop and pulled her feet up onto her bed before selecting Taylor Swift’s reputation album and settling back against her pillows. She’d forgiven Riven on her walk back to her suite, but she was going to make him sweat a little.
Riven shut off the shower before wrapping a towel around his waist and walking out of the bathroom. Sky was out with Bloom, which Riven was grateful for because he didn’t feel like company. He needed to think of a way to apologize to Musa for his, admittedly, dick move and convince her that he didn’t think only of her body.
Did he think she was gorgeous? Of course, he did, even when he’d avoided the mind fairy because of her powers he would catch himself thinking about how hot she was, and how she didn’t use that beauty as a weapon as Beatrix did. He liked her for her sass and witty comebacks, and her kindness too. He liked that she was able to keep up with him on and off the sparring mats, returning his quips with one of her own. Christ, he sounded like a lovesick fool, but Riven didn’t care.
All he cared about was redemption and finally telling Musa how he felt.
“Has anyone seen the hairspray?” Bloom called as she stepped out of the bedroom, dressed in a silk dressing gown and holding an unplugged curling wand in one hand with a package of bobby pins in the other. Stella had gifted each of the girls of the Winx suite and Kat a dressing gown to get ready for the ball, saying, “What good is getting ready for a party if you don’t start feeling fabulous until after you’re ready?”
It was the night of the Halloween ball, and the Winx suite was a flurry of activity as the girls dashed between their bedrooms, the living room and the bathroom. Musa, wrapped in a red silk dressing gown, picked up the hairspray from the coffee table and walked over to hand it to Bloom.
“Let me know when you’re ready for me to do your hair,” she said. Musa and Stella, because they were both talented at hair and makeup, had unofficially been elected as the beauticians for that evening. Bloom grinned at Musa and scrambled into the bathroom to shower. Musa moved back towards the coffee table where Kat was waiting for her and sat down on one of the cushions. The Irish girl held out her hands to Musa and grinned.
“Work your magic!” she said. Musa grinned and uncapped the silver nail polish Kat had selected for her nails, while Stella worked on straightening Kat’s hair so that she would have an easier time putting on the blonde wig. Terra, Aisha, and Flora had been given the task of steaming the girls’ costumes while they waited their turn. Flora finished steaming Bloom’s Merida costume as the redhead came out of the bathroom wrapped in a dressing gown similar to Musa’s and her fiery red hair enfolded in a towel.
“I still can’t believe you changed your costume at the last moment, Muse. I thought you were excited about being Belle,” Flora commented off-handedly. Terra’s head snapped up and she glanced over at her cousin before turning to look at the empath, who fumbled as she capped the nail polish bottle. After their talk two days previously, the two girls had been getting ready to climb into bed when Musa told Terra that she was changing her costume and why she’d changed her mind.
Musa hadn’t told the other girls the story she’d told her roommate, and Terra knew that it wasn’t something for her to tell. Seeing how uncomfortable Musa looked, though, the earth fairy knew she had to say something.
“People change their minds all the time, Flora. Have you seen Musa’s new costume? I think she’s going to look great!” Terra said as she winked at the empath, who smiled gratefully at her before turning her attention to the other earth fairy in the suite.
“Look at it this way, Flora. I don’t have to think of a costume for next year. Who’s my next victim?” she asked as she raised her arms in an overhead stretch.
“Me!” Bloom squealed excitedly as she unravelled the towel holding her long locks and rubbed it through her hair. The fire fairy looked around before jumping up and running back into the bathroom with the wet towel, re-emerging a second later with the hairdryer, curling iron and bobby pins. “Okay, now I’m ready!” she said, plopping down again. Musa grinned and gestured for the fire fairy to sit in front of her. Plugging in the hairdryer, Musa expertly dried Bloom’s hair, working section by section.
“Now that everyone’s showered, what do we want for music?” the empath asked, who had also been assigned DJ duties while everyone got ready. “I was thinking either Taylor Swift’s Reputation album or Midnights,” Musa continued as she plugged her phone into the docking station.
” Reputation!” the girls all yelled. “And Midnights after,” Flora added. Musa nodded and clicked play, the heavy opening beats of Ready for It? coming through the speakers. The girls all sang along, yelling “Baby let the games begin!” as they continued to get ready.
Forty-five minutes later, Musa had finished arranging Bloom’s fiery red hair into curls that rivalled Merida’s. Aisha, who had gotten changed into Tiana’s infamous green ballgown, rolled her gloves up her arms before examining herself in the mirror.
“Does this look okay?” she asked nervously. Stella, in the middle of donning her Cinderella costume, walked over and wrapped her arms around the water fairy from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder.
“You look stunning,” she said warmly, squeezing her friend before releasing her. “I have something for you, wait here!” she exclaimed before hurrying into her and Flora’s bedroom and coming back out with a box in her hands, which she offered to Aisha.
Aisha took the box and lifted the lid to peer inside. She gasped and opened the box fully. There, nestled on a bed of velvet, was a matching jewelry set. A necklace, earrings and bracelet with green peridot stones in the shape of teardrops blinked up at Aisha.
“Stella, I can’t accept these. You already gave us all a dressing gown, this is too much!” she protested, trying to hand the box back to the Solarian princess, who gently pushed the box back towards her.
“Yes, you can. Aisha, these will look perfect with your costume. Please take them,” Stella said as she lifted the necklace out of the box. Aisha, knowing that the light fairy wouldn’t relent, yielded and turned around at a gesture from Stella, who carefully placed the jewelry around Aisha’s neck before clasping the chain. She then helped Aisha with the bracelet and held the box open as Aisha put on the earrings. The girls all clapped as Aisha turned to face them.
“Gorgeous, Aisha!” Flora exclaimed as she slipped into her Isabella costume and Terra, who was already dressed in her Anna costume, zipped her up. Flora’s eyes turned green as she activated her powers, flowers appearing in her hair. Aisha curtsied before turning her attention to Musa.
“Musa, do you need any help with your costume?” she asked. The empath finished applying her red lipstick and screwed the lid back on before looking up at her suitemates.
“No, I should be good. Thanks!” she said before turning her attention to Stella. “Speaking of zipping up, you might cause quite a stir at the ball if you go with your dress like that, Stell.” The light fairy chuckled and turned so Bloom, who was standing nearest to her, could zip her up. Musa was the only one not in her costume. As soon as the other girls had started getting dressed, she’d begun her hair and makeup. Her fingernails were painted red and black, while her long hair had been curled into loose waves and was now hanging over one shoulder.
“What is your costume, anyways? You’ve been very secretive,” Bloom pouted. Musa winked at her suitemates and stood up.
“Give me five minutes and you’ll see,” she said. With one more wink, Musa turned on her heel and went into her and Terra’s room, closing the door behind her. As she stepped over to her bed, where her costume was lying, the door opened and Terra came in, pushing the door shut after her.
“I’m sorry about Flora earlier,” she said as Musa slipped off her dressing gown, revealing her black lace strapless bra and panties underneath. The empath shook her head.
“Don’t be sorry. I could have told the girls that story but I didn’t want to be a buzzkill,” she explained as she unzipped her costume and stepped into it. Once she’d pulled it up her body and slipped her arms into the sleeves, she pulled the front zipper up before adjusting the attached skirt. Sitting down on her bed, she pulled on her boots and zipped them up before adding her jewelry, a pair of silver hoops and a ring that had belonged to her mom.
Terra grinned as Musa stood and carefully stepped down the one step that led to her bed before turning in a circle and placing her hands dramatically on her hips.
“What do you think?” she asked. Terra’s grin turned into a full-blown smirk.
“Oh, I think you’re going to wow a lot of people tonight. Are you dressing for someone?” she asked. Musa gave a non-committal shrug. She had chosen this costume with the intent of making Riven jealous and catching his eye.
“Maybe, maybe not. Maybe I just felt like wearing a costume that no one would expect,” she said.
“Well, no one would expect you to wear that! You look fantastic!” Terra said, just as there was a knock on the door.
“Are you guys coming out soon? It’s party time!” Stella hollered in a very unladylike way. Musa and Terra looked at each other and giggled. Terra offered a hand to Musa, who took it and the two of them made their way to the door. Terra squeezed Musa’s hand excitedly, who squeezed back just as hard, and opened the door.
“About time! I thought we were going to have to . . .” Bloom trailed off as Terra and Musa walked through the door. Musa and Terra shared an amused look as the jaws of the five other girls dropped instantaneously. Flora was the first to speak.
“MUSA! Why didn’t you tell us this was your costume?!?” She exclaimed, walking closer to examine the skirt.
“A lady never reveals all of her secrets, especially a lady of the night,” Musa said mysteriously in a low voice. Stella adjusted her headband before she spoke.
“I, for one, am glad you didn’t tell us. It would have taken all the fun out of it. You look fabulous, Muse!” The other girls nodded in agreement.
“Let’s get one more picture before we go!” Kat said excitedly. The other girls nodded eagerly and grouped themselves around Kat as she held her phone above her head to take a selfie. She snapped a few pictures before placing her phone on the coffee table.
After locking the door, the girls made their way down the hall, bubbling with excitement at what was sure to be a memorable evening.
Riven stood with Sky, Dane, Luke, and a few other Specialists. They’d arrived at the party only ten minutes ago, and Riven had yet to see the empath that had been occupying his thoughts the past few days. He listened to the conversation with half an ear as his green eyes continuously swept the room. She wasn’t there yet, what could be taking her so long? What was her costume? Riven sighed and tuned back into the conversation in time to hear Dane say to Sky, “I’m surprised you and Bloom didn’t get ready for tonight’s party together.” Sky adjusted his collar, because of course he was dressed as Prince Charming, and shrugged.
“I asked if she wanted to but she said that she and the girls already had plans to do that. Something about their first Halloween roommate bonding experience. All I know is that she’s dressing up as a Disney character,” Sky said. Dane raised an eyebrow.
“Ah, so she’s keeping you in suspense. Well, you won’t have to wait too long. I think I just saw Stella and Aisha arrive, so the rest of them can’t be far behind,” he said, as he lifted his glass to his lips and took a drink. A second later, his eyes bulged and he started to cough and splutter as he swallowed the liquid, his eyes widening comically. Luke thumped him on the back.
“What’s wrong, Dane? I know the punch isn’t improved until someone spikes it but I didn’t think it was so bad you’d choke on it,” Riven said, amused. Dane massaged his throat before speaking.
“Turn around and see for yourself, arsehole!” he gasped out. Still chuckling, Riven and the other Specialists turned to see what Dane meant. There were sharp intakes of breath and it was Riven’s turn to choke on his drink, inhaling half of it up his nose the moment he saw her.
All that speculation about Musa’s costume? Never did Riven imagine, well, this. This woman in front of him was a Musa he’d never seen before. Her costume clung to her like a second skin, with the open skirt swirling around her as she moved, the high-heeled boots she was wearing adding at least four inches of height.
The specialist’s green eyes widened as they travelled up her torso and locked on the criss-cross straps just above her breasts, which were pushed up by the tightness of the top of her costume.
“Damn, Musa’s sure getting a lot of attention,” Sky observed, finally picking his jaw up off the ground. Riven started and looked around. There were a lot of open mouths, both male and female, as Musa followed a little way behind her friends, her boot heels clicking ominously in the sudden quiet of the room. As Riven watched, Stella turned and walked back to Musa, linking arms with the empath before bending to whisper something in her ear that made her smile.
The moment Musa entered the party behind her suitemates, you could have heard a pin drop. Musa immediately felt the emotions of her classmates as she drifted gracefully behind her friends. Glancing to her left, she spotted Headmistress Dowling, Professor Harvey and Silva standing together, and smiled to herself at the shocked surprise she felt emanating from them. She continued walking as her powers sought out the one person she was thinking of and grinned as she caught hold of his emotions. A strong storm of shock, desire, lust and regret crested over her, and she didn’t have to look at Riven to know his eyes were on her.
Stella, who had been a few steps ahead of her, turned and walked towards Musa, breaking the spell as everyone, dazed by what they’d just seen, resumed what they’d been doing before the Winx suite girls and Kat had entered. Stella linked her arm with Musa’s and walked with her as they followed their friends.
“So, what’s everyone feeling right now?” the princess bent to whisper in Musa’s ear, her voice vibrating with excitement and glee. Musa grinned and turned her head so only Stella could hear.
“Let’s just say I consider this payback for all those emotions I’ve felt floating around the school in anticipation for tonight,” she said with a saucy wink. The two girls giggled as they came to a stop in front of their friends.
Bloom adjusted the soft leather belt at her waist before she spoke. “Okay, I know we all want to have fun tonight, but let’s remember our agreement. We came together, we leave together,” she said. After the girls had lost track of Aisha that afternoon at the pub when Rosalind was still in charge, they’d sat down a few days later and had a conversation about the safety of being in a group, agreeing to employ the buddy system from then on. Her friends all nodded seriously.
“Well, now that that’s all settled, shall we mingle? I spy a certain blond-haired, blue-eyed specialist coming towards you,” Flora said as she gave Bloom a playful nudge. Bloom grinned as they all turned to see Sky stop in front of them.
“You know, you could have told me you were dressing up as Merida from Brave, I could have been one of the suitors from the three clans,” Sky said to Bloom. Bloom smiled and stepped over to him, running a hand over the sash of his costume.
“I like this look. It just means that you might have to dance with Stella, seeing as how she’s Cinderella,” she said. Stella grinned and dropped into a perfect curtsy.
“There’s no might about it. We have to maintain some traditions after all,” she said seriously, though her blue eyes were dancing with humour and delight. Sky chuckled before he bowed. Straightening back up again, he wrapped his fingers in the curls adorning Bloom’s head before he looked around at the rest of the girls.
“You all look fantastic by the way. Musa, I think you might have sent Riven into cardiac arrest. Shortly after you came in, he made a beeline for the door to “get some air,”" Sky said. Musa and the girls tittered.
“I’ll go check on him. I can’t have my instructor out of commission for a while, can I?” she said jokingly. The girls and Sky laughed as Musa walked away.
“How much do you guys want to bet they leave the party together?” Flora asked mischievously.
“Fifty bucks, and I bet you ten dollars that they kiss before midnight,” Bloom said, her tone matching Flora’s. The other girls and Sky joined in, placing their bets in time for Dane and Luke to join them.
“What are we betting on?” Dane asked. Aisha told him. Dane and Luke looked at each other and grinned, they were both tired of watching Musa and Riven dance around each other. “Count us in!” they said together.
Musa was well aware of the looks she was getting as she made her way through the crowd to the doors that led outside. She was within ten feet of them when one of the Specialists, a girl whose name she thought was Bella, stepped in front of her.
“Hey Musa,” she greeted her. Musa smiled at the girl and stopped walking.
“Hey, it’s Bella, right? I love your costume, that’s cute!” she said. Bella was dressed as a bumblebee, her yellow and black-striped shirt tucked into a twirly black lace skirt paired with black stockings and low-heeled buckled shoes. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun with two curled strands framing her face, and a black antennae headband rested on her head.
“Thanks, I like yours too! Those boots are fabulous!” Bella exclaimed, pointing to the lace-up knee-high boots Musa was wearing.
“Thanks, they’re probably going to crucify me by the end of the night, but I thought they fit the look,” Musa said.
“They do! Have you had a drink yet?” Bella asked. At Musa’s shake of the head, Bella continued, “Want to come and get a drink with me? I’d love to hear about where you got your costume.” Musa nodded and turned back the way she had come as she fell into step with Bella, who chatted her ear off. As they approached the drinks table, Musa caught the familiar storm of emotions and glanced over her shoulder to see Riven come back inside, his eyes focused on her. Turning her attention back to what Bella was saying, the empath resolved to talk to Riven as soon as she could.
Riven swirled the drink around that he had been nursing for the past hour, his jealousy growing stronger. For the past hour, he’d been forced to watch as countless members of Alfea’s male population approached Musa. He hated every single one of them, but more than that, he hated himself. Hated that he’d made that stupid comment the other day, hated that he hadn’t seen Musa since they didn’t train every day, and hated that it was his fault. If he hadn’t said what he did, maybe he could have been the one to walk in with Musa tonight.
“Are you going to stare at her all night, or are you going to ask her to dance?” Sky asked. Riven’s gaze snapped to his best friend and roommate, who was accompanied by Bloom. The two of them looked highly amused, which made Riven’s dark mood grow even more. He opened his mouth to respond before a movement caught his eye. Musa was standing talking to Terra, and she seemed to be unaware that Harvey Jr. was making his way towards them. Riven’s eyes narrowed as he watched Sam join the two girls and gesture towards Musa, who said something Riven couldn’t hear but made Sam shake his head.
Sky and Bloom followed Riven’s line of sight and frowned too. Whatever was happening, it didn’t look good.
“What could they be-OH!” Bloom gasped as Musa shoved Sam away from her while Terra looked at her brother with a disgusted look. Riven pushed himself off the pillar he’d been leaning against and watched as Musa hurried away as fast as her heels would allow. His eyes followed her as she darted through the crowd before disappearing through the double doors. Now was his chance. Riven tossed back the contents of his cup in one go before setting the empty glass down on the table and following after Musa.
“You know, as much as I love this costume, I didn’t stop to consider the fact I would have to unzip and pull everything down every time I went to the loo,” Musa said as she and Terra stood at one of the many refreshment tables dotted throughout the hall. Her roommate, who’d had a couple of glasses of punch, giggled.
“Hiking your skirt up around your waist isn’t exactly a walk in the park either,” she pointed out, causing Musa to throw back her head and laugh, conceding Terra’s point.
“So next year, I guess no poofy skirts and no jumpsuits. Let’s save the trials of having to use the bathroom in long skirts for our weddings, yeah?” she suggested. Terra giggled and clinked her glass against Musa’s in a toast. She opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted as Sam joined the two girls.
“You two having fun?” he asked his gaze briefly pausing on Terra before turning his attention to his ex-girlfriend.
“Yeah, it’s a good night. It’s a party, everyone’s happy for the most part, and there’s quite a bit of desire floating around,” Musa responded, before focusing on Sam’s emotions. She was taken aback by the judgment and jealousy she felt radiating from him.
“Well, what do you expect when there are costumes like yours?” Sam asked as he gestured to Musa’s costume, leaving her and Terra stunned.
“What?” Musa asked, flabbergasted.
“Sam, what the hell? Musa’s costume is amazing and she looks phenomenal!” Terra protested. She was ignored by her brother as his attention remained on Musa.
“Come on Musa, don’t you think that that costume sends a message?” he asked. Musa had no idea where his jealousy was coming from, she knew he’d wanted to get back together when he and his father had returned to Alfea, but she’d turned him down as she was trying to sort out just what she felt for a certain green-eyed specialist. Determined to not let Sam’s words get to her, Musa straightened her back and lifted her chin.
“Maybe I want it to. We’re not together anymore so why do you care?” she asked.
“I care that that costume makes you look easy and desperate for attention. You look like a slut,” Sam said, making Terra, Musa and the few people within earshot gasp.
“Sam!” Terra exclaimed, shocked and appalled that her brother would say such a thing. Musa didn’t stop to think, her sense of judgment clouded by her emotions. She felt the same fire her mother felt all those years ago fuelling her anger and hurt as she reached out her hands and shoved Sam away from her. Hard. He stumbled back a few steps before righting himself, but Musa didn’t stay to listen to anything else he might say.
Without looking at anyone, Musa turned sharply and fled. Terra looked at her brother in disgust. “What the hell were you thinking, saying that to her? You have no idea what she’s been through, and your insult might have just sent her back to that dark place. I swear, Sam, if she goes back there, there is nothing in the Otherworld that will spare you from my anger. What you’re seeing right now is child’s play!” Terra hissed angrily before walking away. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her father approaching, but she was more concerned with finding Musa.
Before she could go any further, she felt a hand on her arm. Yanking it back, she whirled around, preparing to strike until she saw Dane and Luke.
“Terra- “Dane began, but Terra shook her head.
“Not right now, guys, I need to find Musa,” she said.
“No need, Riven’s already gone after her,” Sky said as he, Bloom, Kat and the rest of the suite joined them. “What happened anyway? We saw everything.” Terra swallowed hard as her eyes glowed green, her anger rising as she told them what had just occurred. When she was finished, there were matching angry expressions on the faces of her companions.
Riven dashed out of the hall and looked around wildly for Musa. He’d seen her come this way but maybe she had gone somewhere else on the grounds? He was about to head in the other direction when he heard a muffled sound, like someone who was trying not to cry. He followed the sound to the bench underneath the willow tree that he had found Musa under a few times when she’d needed quiet.
Pushing aside the canopy of leaves and vines, he carefully stepped through before letting the vines fall again, giving them some privacy. Musa was sitting on the bench with her hands clasped in her lap and her head bowed, her shoulders trembling with the effort not to cry.
“Musa?” Riven said softly, taking a step towards her. Her head snapped up, anger written all over her face and her eyes shining with unshed tears.
“Oh, great! Are you here to deliver round two? Or, if we’re keeping track, I guess it would be round three! If you came out here to twist the knife deeper, Riven, I don’t have the energy to deal with you and Sam in one night, since both of you seem to share the opinion that my body is an object for you and all the other fucking douchebags in the world to use and dispose at your leisure!” she snarled.
Riven felt shame wash over him once again before his mind registered Musa’s other words and wondered what exactly had happened between her and Sam. What had the earth fairy said that would make her react the way she did? Riven shook his head to clear his thoughts, he needed to apologize to Musa.
“I didn’t come out here for that, Muse,” he said softly. Musa ticked an eyebrow at him. He gestured to the space beside her on the bench. “You mind if I sit?” he asked. Musa, whose anger had deflated somewhat at the emotions she felt from Riven, shook her head and moved over. Riven took a seat next to her and they sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the party through the glass doors.
“So why did you come out here?” Musa broke the quiet. Riven sighed and turned to face her.
“To apologize for what I said the other day. Musa, I’m so sorry. I was out of line and I don’t think about you just for your body. Yeah, you have an amazing figure, but you’re so much more than just a pretty face, Muse. You’re kind, intelligent, a kickass fighter, and a great friend. You’re always there for the people you love and care about,” Riven said honestly. Musa, who had let his words wash over her like a summer rainfall while the sun shone, felt the sincerity in his words before she looked up and saw it shining in his eyes.
“Thanks, Riv,” she said quietly. Riven nodded and nervously rubbed a hand over his neck with one hand. Mustering his courage, he lifted his other hand and gently brushed Musa’s entwined fingers with his own. Musa understood what he was trying to do and let her hands part so that Riven could slip his larger hand into her smaller one and interlace their fingers.
“There’s something else I need to tell you,” he said, swallowing hard. At Musa’s nod, he continued, “I’m sure you can feel it already, but I like you, Musa. I – I’m falling in love with you, and I’ve been falling for you for a while. I know I’m not the easiest person to be around, but – “he was stopped by Musa gently laying a finger over his lips.
“Can I tell you a secret?” she whispered. Riven nodded, his eyes taking in her face. Noticing the details he hadn’t been able to see from far away. The shimmering silver hoops in her ears, the bold red lips that he was dying to kiss, the smoky eyeshadow outlined with a cat eye in black eyeliner that looked sharp enough to kill a man. And with her next words, Riven thought he’d died.
“I’m in love with you, Riven,” Musa whispered, tears leaking from her eyes as she finally said the words she’d been carrying in her heart for so long. With a sharp intake of breath, Riven drew them both up and drew Musa into his arms and finally, finally¸ covered her mouth with his own. Musa whimpered happily and clutched him tighter as he rocked them back and forth, one hand cupping her cheek as the other slid up her back and buried itself in her hair.
When they finally came up for air, Riven rested his forehead against hers and gazed into the eyes that were ringed with purple.
“Why the fuck didn’t we do that sooner?” he asked, nuzzling her nose with his. Musa giggled, drunk on the bliss and happiness that surrounded them like a bubble, shielding them from the real world.
“I don’t know, but I’m really glad we did it now,” she said as she rested her head on his chest. Riven tightened his arms around her and they stood there in happy silence for a few minutes before he remembered the other reason he’d come after Musa.
“Hey, what did Harvey Jr. say to you that made you so upset?” he asked as he pulled away to look at her. Musa sighed as the moment was broken.
“It’s not important, let’s go back inside,” she deflected as she tried to pull back. Riven wasn’t having that though. Keeping one hand on her back, he gently cupped her chin with the other, stroking the skin there with his thumb.
“Musa. I saw you shove him and run away. I know it wasn’t nothing, because if it was you wouldn’t have left,” he said. Musa looked down at her feet, feeling the shame, embarrassment and anger bubble back up to the surface. In a quiet voice, she told him and felt Riven’s body tense with anger.
Riven swallowed hard against the rising anger in his chest. He’d berated himself countless times over the last two days for what he’d said to Musa, but this? This was crossing the line big time. Jesus, who the hell did Harvey Jr. think he was, saying that to Musa? He had seen the significant change in Musa’s posture and mood from across the room. When Musa had entered the party, she’d held her head high, moving with all the grace of a dancer, holding herself confidently for the whole school to see. When Sam had insulted her, and he had been lucky Riven wasn’t close enough because the green-eyed specialist might have punched Wall Guy, he hadn’t completely ruled that out yet, Musa had visibly deflated, like the air going out of a tire that had been popped. Her shoulders went from being held back to hunching forward as she curled in on herself as she fled.
“Riv, please just leave it. Please,” Musa pleaded as her powers linked to the storm of emotions she had become so accustomed to. Riven shook his head.
“I don’t know if I can,” he said honestly. “I want to punch him for calling you that. You’re not a slut, Musa. This costume looks amazing on you, and any man in his right mind would be proud to have you on his arm for the rest of the evening. I definitely would, if you’ll have me,” Riven finished.
“Well, why are we still standing out here then? Let’s go back in,” Musa said, grinning up at him.
“Are you sure?” Riven asked. Musa nodded.
“We can stay for a couple more dances and then head out? These boots are starting to hurt my feet,” she confessed. Riven nodded and released her, keeping a hold on one hand.
“Ah, well, in that case, I guess I might be chucking you over my shoulder again. Or if you ask me nicely, I’ll piggyback you,” he said with a wink.
“Oh, so no bridal carries then? I am dressed as a princess of darkness after all, and even ladies of the night like a little romance,” Musa flirted as they made their way to the doors. Riven grinned at her as he opened the doors.
“I guess we’ll see, but I’m sure we can work something out since I’m also dressed as a creature of the night,” he said with a devilish smirk. Musa took in his all-black attire before looking up at him.
“No cape or fangs? I thought vampires wore those?” she said, tilting her head. Riven shook his head and bent to kiss her again as the doors swung shut behind them.
“I hate the way the capes’ ties felt around my neck, it was itchy. As for the fangs, well, let’s just say I had an unfortunate mishap earlier this evening, and I decided not to wear them. Plus, they make it a pain in the arse to eat or drink anything.” Musa nodded before her eyes flashed purple and she felt her friends’ emotions.
“Get ready, here comes the mob,” she said teasingly as their friends approached them. Riven grinned and tightened his hold on her hand before he turned to face the group of excited faces.