Without thinking, she flipped their positions, her reflexes taking over. She pinned Julian beneath her, her arms supporting her weight as she stared down at him, her white hair falling around them like a curtain.
"What are you trying to do?"
Ruby whispered near his ear, her voice sharp yet low. But before she could pull away, Julian did something that made her freeze.
He hugged her neck again, pulling her closer. His lips hovered dangerously close to her ear, and to her utter shock, she felt his tongue gently brush against her earlobe.
"Julian!" she shouted, pushing herself back in disbelief. Her red eyes widened as she stared at him, utterly baffled.
At her shout, Julian seemed to snap out of a trance. He blinked rapidly, shaking his head as if waking from a dream. His green eyes looked confused, panicked even. "W-wife, I... I’m so sorry!" he stammered, sitting up abruptly. "I don’t know what happened... I didn’t mean to do that!" His face was pale, his expression one of guilt.
Ruby rolled off him, putting distance between them. She stared at him, her red eyes narrowed. "What were you doing in my bed in the first place?" she demanded, still trying to process what had just happened.
Julian looked down, his hands gripping the edge of the bed. "Actually..." he began hesitantly, his voice trembling. "I... I have this sleepwalking habit. Sometimes, I don’t even know what I’m doing while I’m asleep," he explained, his words rushed. He paused for a moment, then added in a softer voice, "I can... even kiss someone without realizing it."
Ruby’s brows furrowed as she stared at him. She couldn’t tell if he was being truthful or just making excuses. But his flushed cheeks and nervous fidgeting made it hard for her to call him out.
"You kissed me because of sleepwalking?" she asked, her tone laced with skepticism.
Julian nodded quickly, avoiding her gaze. "I swear, wife, I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry... it won’t happen again," he muttered, his voice full of regret.
Ruby sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. "If this is true, Julian, you need to control it. I’m serious. You can’t just invade someone’s space like that, even in your sleep. Next time, stay in your room," she warned.
Julian nodded again, his head lowered. "Yes, wife. I’ll be careful," he said softly.
Ruby stood up, brushing herself off. "Good," she muttered. She turned away, still trying to process what had just happened. Her ears felt warm where his lips had been, and she shook her head to shake off the thought.
Julian quietly left the room, closing the door behind him. As he stepped into the hallway, his head lowered, a faint, almost imperceptible smirk played on his lips.
Inside her room, Ruby leaned against the wall, staring at her bed. Her heart was still pounding, but she wasn’t sure why. She touched her ear absentmindedly, frowning as the memory of his touch.
"What’s wrong with him... and why can’t I shake this feeling?" she muttered under her breath, unaware of the darker emotions brewing within Julian as he walked away.
Julian thought to himself as he walked toward the living room, "My wife is so anti-romantic! She didn’t even understand my gestures. What do I need to do to make her notice me?" He sighed, running a hand through his hair, his mossy green eyes filled with mild frustration.
As he entered the living room, his eyes landed on a surprising sight.
Karl standing behind Adrian, massaging his shoulders. Adrian sat stiffly on the chair, his usual blank expression in place, while Karl looked oddly focused.
Julian’s brow shot up in suspicion. "Brother Adi!" he called out, crossing his arms. "What did you do to make Karl agree to massage your shoulders? This is... strange."
Adrian didn’t even flinch. He simply glanced at Julian and replied, "I didn’t do anything. He volunteered."
Julian tilted his head, unconvinced. "Volunteered? Karl? The same Karl who can’t even be bothered to fold his own clothes or carry his own plate to the sink?" His voice was filled with mock disbelief as he looked directly at Karl.
Karl scowled, his baby blue eyes narrowing. "Don’t doubt me, Little Julian!" he snapped. "I’m not lazy! I just... choose not to do unnecessary work most of the time." He said proudly.
Julian sighed deeply and shook his head.
"By the way, where’s Milo?" he asked.
Adrian glanced at him as he replied, "He’s in the kitchen."
Julian nodded and walked toward the kitchen. As he stepped inside, he immediately noticed Milo standing near the counter, his back slightly hunched as if lost in thought.
"Milo?" Julian called softly, stepping closer.
Milo turned sharply at the sound of his voice, his blank brown eyes meeting Julian’s. For a moment, they just stared at each other.
Then Milo spoke, his voice low but steady. "Why did you do that?" he asked, his expression unreadable.
Julian stiffened. "What... what do you mean?" he asked cautiously, his voice faltering slightly.
Milo straightened up and crossed his arms. "I saw that!" he said, his tone firmer now. "Why did you lie to wife?"
Julian froze, his mossy green eyes widening slightly. "You... you saw?" he stammered, his mind racing. He quickly regained his composure and frowned. "Milo, it’s not what you think."
"Not what I think?" Milo snapped, his usually playful tone replaced with a rare seriousness. "Julian, you told her you have a sleepwalking habit! You don’t have that habit, and you know it!"
Julian avoided Milo’s piercing gaze, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "I just... I didn’t know what else to say," he admitted quietly. "It was an accident, okay? I didn’t plan it."
Milo stepped closer, his brown eyes narrowing. "Accident or not, you lied to Wife, Julian. Do you even realize how wrong that is?" His voice was tinged with disappointment. "Do you think tricking her will make her care about you?"
—To be continued...🪄