Help! My Moms Are Overpowered Tyrants, and I'm Stuck as Their Baby!-Chapter 190: First Kiss

I stared glumly at the ceiling of my dormitory, arms stretched out dramatically at my sides, as if by lying perfectly still I could somehow vanish from existence or at least from the day’s scheduled classes. Outside my window, the sun was irritatingly cheerful, its rays slicing through the curtains to poke at my closed eyelids like an annoying sibling.

Everything felt harder since Aria’s betrayal. Even simple things like breathing or pretending to enjoy oatmeal at breakfast had become exhausting feats. But classes? Classes felt impossibly, unmanageably heavy.

"I don’t think I can do it," I muttered mournfully to the empty room. "If I hear one more lecture on magical herbology or how ’friends are the greatest magic of all,’ I might explode."

"That’d be impressive," said a bright voice from the doorway, and I lifted my head slightly to see Riven leaning casually against the doorframe, a mischievous smile dancing on his lips. "Messy, but impressive."

"Go away," I groaned, flopping back down. "Can’t you see I’m busy wallowing?"

"Oh, I see that," Riven said cheerfully, strolling inside and flopping onto the foot of my bed with exaggerated comfort. "But I’m here to offer moral support."

I peeked at him suspiciously. "Moral support?"

"Yep!" Riven nodded vigorously, pulling a slightly crumpled muffin from his pocket and tossing it onto my stomach. "In pastry form."

I squinted at the muffin, which looked suspiciously like it had seen better days. "This isn’t moral support. This is a pastry crime scene."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Morality is relative, Elyzara. Besides, it’s blueberry."

I sighed, nudging the muffin with one finger. "Thanks, I think."

"You’re welcome," he said grandly. "Now, as your officially unofficial best friend, it’s my job to drag you kicking and screaming into the daylight. Or at least to class."

"I don’t want to go," I admitted quietly, trying and failing to keep the sulk from my voice. "Not today."

Riven’s expression softened just enough to betray genuine sympathy. "Look, I know it sucks. What Aria did… it sucks. But hiding under your blankets all day won’t change that. Trust me I’ve tried."

I groaned again, burying my face in a pillow. "This would all be easier if I was actually evil. Real villains don’t have to go to school when they’re sad."

"I’m pretty sure even villains need an education," Riven argued. "How else would they learn to dramatically monologue or build volcano lairs?"

A soft knock on the door interrupted our debate. We both glanced up to see Velka standing hesitantly in the doorway, looking uncharacteristically uncertain. Her usually sleek hair was mussed, as if she’d spent the morning arguing with her comb and lost.

"Hey," Velka said quietly, eyes flicking between me and Riven. "Am I interrupting?"

"Yes," Riven said cheerfully, sliding off the bed. "But feel free to replace me. I have my own existential crisis scheduled before potion class."

He gave Velka a quick pat on the shoulder as she breezed past, whispering theatrically, "She’s extra mopey today. Proceed with caution."

Velka rolled her eyes slightly, but a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she approached, sitting carefully on the edge of my bed. I peeked at her from beneath my pillow, trying and failing to hide my embarrassment.

"I’m not mopey," I muttered. "I’m just…strategically miserable."

Velka’s lips twitched. "Oh? Is this some cunning new villain strategy?"

I shrugged half-heartedly. "Maybe. Villains brood, right? This is practice."

She sighed, leaning back slightly. Her presence was comforting, somehow like a cool breeze on an overheated day. "You don’t have to pretend with me, Elyzara. Aria hurt you. It’s okay to be upset."

I lowered the pillow just enough to properly meet her gaze. Her eyes were earnest, steady familiar enough to make my chest ache. "But I trusted her. How am I supposed to trust anyone again after this?"

Velka hesitated, her usually composed face softening with vulnerability. "I trusted her too. And look how that turned out I ended up locked in a broom closet for days."

"It was technically a magic cell," I corrected automatically. "Much fancier than a closet."

She smirked lightly. "Fine. A magically warded broom closet."

I laughed softly, the tension easing slightly from my shoulders. "Fair enough."

Her gaze grew serious again. "But the point is we got through it. Together. Mara and Elira helped me, you helped me. You don’t have to face this alone. Not now, not ever."

Her words settled over me gently, soothing the raw edges of my worry. "You make it sound easy."

"It’s not easy," she admitted honestly, eyes dropping briefly to the rumpled blanket between us. "But it’s worth it. You’re worth it."

My cheeks warmed, and I pretended suddenly intense fascination with a loose thread on my sleeve. "You really think so?"

She nudged my shoulder lightly. "Don’t let it go to your head."

We sat quietly for a moment, the comfortable silence stretching between us. Finally, she cleared her throat softly, glancing sideways at me. "You know, Elyzara, if you really don’t want to go to class today… maybe we could just stay here?"

I tilted my head, surprised and hopeful. "And do what?"

Velka shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "I don’t know. Talk? Play chess? Plot world domination?"

I laughed softly, nudging her back. "You hate chess."

"True," she admitted. "But I like playing with you."

The honesty in her voice made my heart flutter strangely. I bit my lip, trying and failing to suppress my smile. "You’re a terrible villain, Velka."

She arched an eyebrow playfully. "Oh? Why’s that?"

"Because villains aren’t supposed to be nice," I said lightly, bumping my shoulder gently against hers. "Especially not to princesses."

"Ah," she said seriously, though her eyes sparkled with quiet amusement. "But you’re not just any princess. You’re Elyzara. You make the rules."

My breath caught softly. Her eyes met mine, earnest and sincere, and suddenly the room felt warmer, brighter less like a fortress of solitude and more like a cozy sanctuary. Tentatively, I reached out, letting my fingers brush lightly against hers.

She stilled, her cheeks flushing faintly. For a moment, we just sat there two awkward, hopeful children caught in a moment of surprising sweetness.

"You know," I whispered shyly, "you’re much better company than Riven’s muffins."

Velka smiled softly, gently threading her fingers with mine. "High praise indeed."

I laughed quietly, leaning my head against her shoulder. "Thank you, Velka."

"For what?" she asked softly, her thumb lightly tracing small circles over the back of my hand.

"For being here," I murmured. "For…everything."

She squeezed my hand gently, her voice just barely a whisper. "Always, Elyzara."

We sat quietly like that, the warmth of our hands intertwined, the soft hush of our breathing blending in peaceful harmony. For the first time since Aria’s betrayal, I felt genuinely safe, genuinely hopeful.

After a long moment, Velka glanced down, her expression turning playful again. "So, about that world domination?"

I smiled mischievously, pulling away just enough to meet her gaze. "You know, we should probably start small. Maybe just conquering herbology class first?"

She groaned theatrically. "That might be harder than overthrowing a kingdom."

I giggled, nudging her playfully. "Well, if anyone can help me survive it, it’s you."

Velka’s hand lingered in mine. For a moment, our laughter faded, leaving a warm, expectant hush behind. Sunlight slid through the dormitory window, spilling across Velka’s dark hair and turning her eyes usually sharp and unreadable soft and almost golden at the edges. She looked at me, really looked, and suddenly it felt as if the entire world had narrowed to just the two of us perched on the edge of my unmade bed.

There was something brave in Velka’s gaze that hadn’t been there before something trembling, nervous, but determined. I wondered, wildly, if she could hear my heart thumping, loud and startled in my chest.

She glanced down at our joined hands, cheeks flushed. "You know… sometimes, I’m glad we’re not normal."

"Me too," I breathed, voice barely louder than the quiet between us.

Her thumb traced a slow, deliberate circle over my knuckles. "Because if we were, I wouldn’t get to have you as my favorite partner in crime."

That, of all things, made me blush harder. I tried to look away, but she gently tugged my hand so I faced her again. There was something steady and kind in her expression, the playful mask dropped, leaving only truth.

"Elyzara?"

"Yes?" My voice was shaky and full of hope.

She hesitated, the world pausing with her. Then, with a breathless little laugh at her own boldness, she leaned in. I saw the decision in her eyes a split second before it happened she pressed her lips softly, tentatively, to mine.

The kiss was warm and feather-light, nothing like the dramatic declarations in romance novels but infinitely more magical. It tasted of trust and sunlight, of quiet promises and shared secrets. My eyes fluttered shut. I kissed her back, letting the world fall away.