bickering kids {edited}

"Is that something you're interested in?" Vesna murmured softly, her eyes flickering toward his lips before returning to meet his gaze. "Spending time with me?"

Ziyan's heart thudded in his chest as he struggled to maintain his composure. The space between them seemed to shrink even further, and the tension in the room became almost palpable. He could feel the warmth of Vesna's breath against his lips.

He reached out a hesitant hand, his fingers brushing against her cheek. Her skin was soft, warm, and inviting. 

"I would like that," Ziyan's voice was barely a whisper.

He leaned in closer, closing the small gap between them, and for a brief, electrifying moment, his lips brushed against hers. The kiss was feather-light, a mere whisper of contact, but it sent a jolt of electricity through both of them.

Vesna pulled back slightly, her eyes searching his face.

"But remember, Ziyan," she said softly, her voice barely audible, "I can give you my loyalty. I can give you my respect. I can even give you my body, but I can never love you."

"I know," he whispered, his voice hoarse.

His hand, which had been resting gently on her cheek, slid around the back of her neck, fingers tangling in her hair. Without another word, he pulled her lips back to his. This time, the kiss was not gentle; it was fierce. 

Vesna responded with equal intensity, her arms snaking around his neck, pulling him closer still. Their kiss deepened, a desperate exploration of each other's mouths.

Ziyan's hands roamed over Vesna's back, his touch exploring the contours of her body above her clothes. Vesna responded to his touch with an involuntary moan, her own hands moving across his torso, feeling the taut muscles beneath his shirt. 

Lost in the moment, Vesna didn't realize when she had shifted her position, ending up on his lap. Their kiss was broken only by the desperate need for air. Ziyan moved his lips down her jawline, trailing kisses along her neck. His kisses became more insistent, his tongue darting out to taste her skin.

Desire, raw and primal, consumed them.

But just as the heat between them reached its peak, a loud knock on the door shattered the intimacy.

Vesna quickly pulled back, creating some distance between them on the bed. She straightened her clothes and looked around the room, searching for some semblance of composure. Ziyan cleared his throat, his expression returning to its usual composed state.

"Enter," Ziyan called out.

The door creaked open slightly, and a man's face appeared in the gap. His hand was dramatically splayed across his eyes, peeking through the gaps between his fingers.

"I hope I'm not disturbing anything," Elion said, his voice tinged with mischief. He peeked through the gaps between his fingers, scanning the room dramatically before lowering his hand entirely. 

"What are you doing here?" Ziyan asked, already thinking of ways to murder his brother. 

"Of course, I'm here to meet my sister-in..." He trailed off as his eyes flickered back to Vesna, the familiar face beside Ziyan. The smile vanished from his face, replaced by a glare. 

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

Vesna met his gaze with a teasing grin. "If it wasn't me, should it have been you?" 

"I see you two are already acquainted," Ziyan stated, slightly curious. 

Elion's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "Unfortunately," he spat out. "Brother, what is she doing here? Don't tell me she's..."

"His wife," Vesna finished for him, her smile growing wider. "Surprise, brother-in-law."

"How do you two know each other?" Ziyan asked.

"Yes, Elion," she said, her voice syrupy sweet, "how do we know each other?"

Elion opened his mouth to answer, but stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowing at Vesna.

Seeing his reluctance, Vesna decided to step in. "It's nothing serious. He's just upset because the girl he liked dumped him for me a while back. Isn't that right, Elion?"

"What?" Elion sputtered, his face reddening. "That's not—"

Vesna leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's okay, Elion. There's no need to be embarrassed. It's not your fault if I'm more charming than you."

 "You..." Elion exclaimed, unable to form a coherent sentence.

Vesna chuckled, waving her hand dismissively. "Relax, kiddo. I was just teasing you. No need to get so worked up."

She then leaned close to Ziyan, her lips nearly brushing his ear as she whispered, "The truth is, she left him because she couldn't cater to his enormous ego." Her voice was low, but still loud enough for Elion to hear every word.

Elion's eyes widened, and his face flushed an even deeper shade of red. "That's not true!" he sputtered, taking a step forward. "And stop calling me a kid!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Vesna said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Would you prefer 'Your Royal Highness' instead? Or perhaps 'Elion the Great'?"

Elion's nostrils flared. "You know what? I think I preferred it when you weren't around."

"Aw, did I hurt your feelings?" Vesna cooed, placing a hand over her heart in mock concern. "I didn't realize you were so sensitive."

"I am not sensitive!" Elion protested, his voice rising. "You're just impossibly irritating!"

Ziyan watched silently as Vesna and Elion continued their bickering, their words flying back and forth like arrows in a childish battle.

"I can't believe my brother married someone like you," Elion grumbled, crossing his arms.

Vesna raised an eyebrow. "Someone charming, witty, and devastatingly beautiful? I'd say he lucked out."

"More like infuriating, arrogant, and—" Elion's mouth snapped shut as Ziyan abruptly stood up. 

They both stared at Ziyan who put on his glasses and made his way towards the door. 

"Where are you going?" Elion questioned. 

"Don't mind me," Ziyan replied casually, waving a hand dismissively. "Continue with whatever it was you two were doing."

Before either of them could respond, Ziyan turned and walked out of the room, leaving the door slightly ajar behind him.

Elion and Vesna stared at the door in silence before they looked back at one another.

"This is your fault," he snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at her.

"My fault?" Vesna echoed, pointing at herself incredulously. " Ziyan and I were having a perfectly good time before you barged in between us."

Outside, Ziyan shook his head as he heard the two start again. 

"This is going to be a headache," he muttered to himself as he made his way downstairs. There was however a small smile playing on his lips.