pairing: fem!reader x theo x jane x gregory
tags/warnings: dark academia, black ravens induction, reader insert, fem!reader, jealousy, possessive behavior, power dynamics, tension, eventual smut
The car dropped you at the bottom of the hill.
By the time its headlights disappeared back down the winding road, snow was already gathering on the shoulders of your coat, thick flakes drifting through the dark like ash. Ahead of you, The Black Ravens Mansion loomed through the storm; enormous, silent, and wrong somehow, its gothic towers cutting into the white sky.
You stared at it for a second too long. The invitation folded in your pocket suddenly felt heavier than paper should.
Two black iron gates stood open at the top of the steps, ravens carved into the metal with their wings spread wide. Candlelight flickered beyond them, bleeding gold against the snow-covered stone.
You adjusted your gloves and forced yourself forward anyway. The moment you stepped through the gates, the music became clearer — slow strings echoing somewhere deep inside the manor. Not cheerful. Ceremonial.
Your boots clicked against wet marble as the doors opened before you. Warmth hit your face instantly, carrying the scent of smoke, wine, and old books.
The conversations inside stopped so abruptly it made your stomach tighten. Every Raven in the entrance hall turned to look at you.
Velvet banners hung from the ceiling between towering black columns, embroidered with silver ravens and symbols you didn’t recognise. Candles burned low along the walls, their flames reflected in polished marble floors. Somewhere upstairs, someone laughed softly before being shushed immediately. You resisted the urge to turn around and leave.
So this was The Black Ravens.
The elders stood above the crowd on a balcony overlooking the hall, dressed entirely in black. You couldn’t properly see their faces beneath the low candlelight, but you could feel them watching you.
“Well,” a voice said beside you smoothly, “you look like you’re considering escape.”
You startled slightly, turning to find a woman leaning against the archway beside you with a glass of wine balanced delicately between her fingers. Beautiful was the first word your brain supplied.
The second was dangerous.
Dark hair framed sharp cheekbones, her expression amused but not cruel. Unlike everyone else in the room, she looked genuinely relaxed.
“I’m not,” you said quickly.
Her smile widened immediately.
“Awful liar too,” she said. “That’s unfortunate.”
Despite yourself, you laughed quietly.
Of course she was. You’d heard the name before arriving tonight. Everyone had. Jane Warfield — one of the Black Ravens’ favourites.
“Come on,” Jane said gently, stepping closer before you could awkwardly stand there any longer. “Ignore them. They stare at everyone dramatic enough to arrive during a blizzard.”
As she guided you further into the hall, whispers followed behind you like shadows.
He stood near the fireplace at the far end of the room, one hand resting lazily in the pocket of his dark coat. Tall. Lean. Sharp eyes already fixed directly on you.
He looked intimidating enough to stop your breathing for a second. Not because he seemed cruel; because he looked like the kind of person who noticed everything.
His gaze flicked briefly to Jane’s hand brushing your arm before returning to your face. Something unreadable crossed his expression.
Before you could think too hard about it, another figure appeared beside you.
“Well,” he said flatly, looking you up and down with open disapproval, “you’re smaller than I expected.”
You blinked, the man smirked faintly at your expression.
“You always stare at new inductees like they’re livestock?” you asked before you could stop yourself.
“Yes,” he replied immediately. “Makes it easier to tell which ones are going to cry before midnight.”
“What?” He looked at her innocently. “If she survives the evening, I’ll apologise.”
“That’s comforting,” you muttered.
He stepped closer — deliberately invasive, deliberately rude.
“You look nervous,” he said. “And underdressed. Dangerous combination here.”
His eyes flicked over your face slowly, assessing. Then casually, “Pretty, though. That’ll keep the elders entertained.”
Jane’s expression sharpened immediately. “Ignore him.”
“I wasn’t talking to you.”
Gregory’s attention shifted briefly past you toward Theo, who was still watching from across the room. Gregory noticed and smiled slowly.
Oh, he was doing this on purpose. Before you could respond, Jane leaned closer to you conspiratorially.
“Don’t worry,” she murmured. “He’s unbearable to everyone.”
“I’m selectively unbearable,” Gregory corrected.
Across the room, Theo finally approached. Up close, somehow, he felt less frightening. Still intense, but warmer than you expected.
“Sweetheart,” he said smoothly, eyes flicking briefly toward Gregory before settling back on you, “if Gregory’s already started tormenting you, I’d recommend alcohol.”
Gregory scoffed. “You say that like she looks capable of handling Raven parties.”
Theo ignored him completely, his mouth curved slightly as he looked at you.
“Welcome to The Black Ravens, darling.”
Heat crept embarrassingly fast into your face. You cleared your throat slightly. “Thank you.”
Theo’s gaze lingered on you for half a second too long before Jane smoothly hooked her arm through his.
“There,” she said lightly. “See? She survived introductions.”
“Barely,” Gregory muttered.
Theo shot him a look sharp enough to cut glass.
The tension between them was immediate and strange — not outright hostility, but something far more familiar. Like this argument had existed a hundred times before and would exist a hundred more after tonight.
Jane seemed entirely unbothered by it.
“Come on,” she told you. “Before the elders decide you’re unsociable.”
The deeper you moved into the manor, the worse the staring became.
Clusters of Ravens filled the enormous main hall beneath glittering chandeliers, dressed entirely in dark colours and silver jewellery that flashed under candlelight. Music drifted through the room from somewhere unseen — slow violin layered over the low hum of conversation.
You noticed quickly that nobody here interacted normally.
Every conversation felt calculated.
Every glance lasted a second too long.
People smiled without warmth. Compliments sounded like threats. Even laughter carried an edge sharp enough to make your shoulders tense.
“This place is insane,” you murmured quietly.
Jane laughed softly beside you. “That’s the spirit.”
“The induction nights are always dramatic,” she continued, guiding you toward a long table lined with black candles and silver goblets. “The elders like making people uncomfortable. They think panic reveals character.”
“That’s mildly terrifying.”
“Mildly?” Gregory appeared beside you again like a curse. “They once locked two inductees in the catacombs because one of them lied during introductions.”
Jane sighed. “He’s exaggerating.”
You suddenly weren’t sure if he was joking.
Theo reached past you to pick up a glass from the table, his sleeve brushing your hand in the process. The contact was brief. Still, you felt it immediately.
“Don’t listen to Gregory,” Theo said calmly. “He enjoys upsetting people.”
Gregory looked offended. “Only people who deserve it.”
“You decided she deserved it within thirty seconds.”
Theo ignored him again, attention returning to you instead.
“You’ll be alright here,” he said quietly.
The reassurance surprised you. So did the way Gregory visibly disliked it.
Jane leaned closer to you while the two men glared at each other over your shoulder.
“For future reference,” she murmured conspiratorially, “Theo acts terrifying, but he’s actually manageable once he likes you.”
Theo raised an eyebrow. “Manageable?”
“Mm. Like a large guard dog with expensive taste.”
Gregory snorted into his drink.
Theo looked unimpressed. “And Gregory?”
“I’m standing right here.”
You laughed before you could stop yourself, and Theo’s eyes flicked toward you immediately at the sound. Again, that heavy feeling settled in your chest; like his attention physically weighed something.
A bell rang suddenly from somewhere above the hall. The room fell silent instantly.
At the far end of the room, the elders appeared along the balcony overlooking the gathering, black robes trailing behind them like shadows. Every Raven in the room straightened subtly.
You copied them a second later.
One elder stepped forward.
“Tonight,” he announced smoothly, his voice carrying effortlessly through the hall, “we welcome our newest inductees.”
Several heads turned toward you at once.
“The Winter Solstice reminds us that devotion is not proven through comfort,” the elder continued. “It is proven through pressure. Through temptation.”
Well. That sounded healthy.
Beside you, Gregory smiled slowly, clearly entertained by your expression.
“The trials this evening,” the elder said, “will reveal loyalty, restraint, and desire.”
The word desire settled strangely across the room. You felt the shift in atmosphere immediately.
The Black Ravens didn’t just enjoy manipulation. They worshipped it.
As conversation slowly resumed around the hall, Jane picked up a silver goblet and handed it to you.
“First rule of Ravens,” she said lightly.
You eyed the dark wine suspiciously. “Which is?”
“Never let them see you nervous.”
Gregory leaned down beside your ear before you could respond.
“A little difficult for you, unfortunately.”
Gregory’s breath ghosted against your ear for only a second before he stepped back again, looking entirely too pleased with himself.
You opened your mouth to respond, but the sound of another bell cut through the hall before you could.
Every Raven in the room turned toward the balcony above.
The elders stood motionless beneath the candlelight, dark robes spilling over the marble steps behind them. One of them raised a silver goblet slowly into the air.
“The Solstice Ritual,” he announced, “will now begin.”
A murmur swept through the hall immediately. Not nervous. Excited.
You glanced at Jane quietly. “That sounds concerning.”
“It usually is,” she admitted.
Servants dressed in black began weaving through the crowd carrying trays of dark red wine in silver cups. The second one was offered to you, you noticed the liquid shimmer strangely beneath the candlelight.
You hesitated and Gregory noticed instantly.
“Oh, don’t look so frightened,” he said lazily. “Nobody’s poisoned the inductees in years.”
“In years?” you repeated.
Jane elbowed him sharply in the ribs.
Theo took the goblet gently from your hand before you could decide whether or not to drink it.
“It’s enchanted,” he explained, calmer than the others. “Not dangerous.”
“That depends on your definition of dangerous,” Gregory muttered.
“It lowers restraint,” he continued, eyes still on yours. “Makes emotions more difficult to hide.”
You blinked once. “That feels incredibly unethical.”
“Welcome to The Black Ravens,” Jane said dryly.
Around you, Ravens were already drinking.
The atmosphere in the room had shifted entirely now — softer somehow, heavier. Conversations blurred together beneath the music, touches lingering longer than before, laughter becoming warmer, crueler.
You watched one Raven grip another’s jaw while whispering something into their ear. Nobody looked surprised by it.
“The elders enjoy this sort of thing,” Jane said quietly beside you. “Watching people unravel.”
Gregory smirked over the rim of his glass. “Especially Theo.”
Theo looked unimpressed. “You’re obsessed with me.”
Their eyes locked for a second too long. Something tense passed silently between them. You felt it immediately. Jane clearly did too.
Reluctantly, you lifted the goblet and took a careful sip. Warmth spread through you almost instantly. Not enough to make you dizzy, just enough to make everything feel sharper.
Theo’s hand brushing briefly against yours as he took his glass back. Your pulse skipped annoyingly fast at the contact.
Across the room, one of the elders smiled knowingly.
Oh, you hated this place already.
“Now,” the elder announced, voice echoing through the hall once more, “the Ravens and inductees will divide into groups.”
The room immediately erupted into whispers.
Groups shifted around the hall accordingly, Ravens moving together with amused expressions while newer inductees looked increasingly alarmed.
You were still trying to understand what exactly the groups were for when the elder spoke again.
Jane straightened slightly beside you.
Theo sighed immediately, like he already disliked wherever this was going.
Gregory actually laughed.
Every eye in the room landed on you again causing your stomach to drop. The hall erupted into whispers so quickly it sounded almost violent.
“Oh, this is cruel,” someone muttered nearby.
“You’ve got to be joking.”
Gregory looked delighted. Theo looked irritated instantly. Jane looked suspicious.
You looked between the three of them feeling suddenly, overwhelmingly trapped.
“Well,” he drawled, swirling the wine lazily in his glass, “this should end horribly.”
Theo shot him a cold look. “Try behaving for once.”
Gregory smiled slowly. “No.”
Jane glanced toward the balcony where the elders watched all four of you with visible interest.
“That’s not random,” she said quietly.
“No,” Theo agreed grimly.
Something uncomfortable twisted low in your stomach. The elders had chosen this intentionally.
You didn’t know why yet, but judging by the reactions around the room, everyone else thought they knew exactly what kind of disaster was about to happen.
The four of you were led away from the main crowd toward a smaller chamber branching off from the hall.
The room was circular, lined floor to ceiling with candles that flickered gold against black stone walls. Strange symbols had been carved directly into the floor beneath a long table set with silver goblets and dark velvet cards.
You immediately disliked it.
“This feels cultish,” you muttered.
“Because it is cultish,” Jane replied lightly.
Gregory pulled out the chair beside him and looked directly at you.
You frowned. “Was that a request?”
Jane laughed quietly under her breath as you sat anyway, mostly because Gregory looked irritatingly pleased with himself.
Theo took the seat across from you, his gaze landed on Gregory immediately. Already annoyed.
An elder entered the room a moment later, placing a silver bowl in the centre of the table.
“The Solstice Trial rewards honesty,” she said calmly. “Each group will answer truths, complete dares and participate in magical rites intended to reveal hidden instincts.”
The elder’s eyes flicked between the four of you with obvious amusement before she continued.
“Lying during the ritual will result in consequences.”
“What kind of consequences?” you asked carefully.
Gregory answered before the elder could.
“Embarrassing ones, usually.”
Theo leaned back slightly in his chair. “You would know.”
Gregory smirked. “You still thinking about last year?”
Jane visibly perked up at that.
“Oh, now I want details.”
“You’re not getting them,” Theo replied immediately.
The elder placed a velvet card down in front of Jane first.
Jane picked it up lazily.
“Who in this room do you trust most?”
Jane barely hesitated before gesturing toward Theo with her wine glass.
Theo’s expression softened almost imperceptibly. You noticed it immediately.
Another card slid toward Gregory.
His grin widened instantly.
“Maintain eye contact with another participant for one uninterrupted minute.”
Gregory’s eyes moved directly to you.
“Oh, absolutely not,” you muttered.
The elder flipped an hourglass on the table before you could protest.
Gregory leaned forward slightly, resting one arm lazily against the back of your chair. Far too close.
At first, you tried not to react. Then you realised Gregory was doing this intentionally badly. He wasn’t just maintaining eye contact, he was studying you. Watching every nervous movement, every shift in your breathing.
“You fidget when you’re uncomfortable,” he said softly.
“That’s because you’re making me uncomfortable.”
Across the table, Theo’s jaw tightened.
Jane saw it immediately — her mouth curved slowly into a smile.
“You’re enjoying this far too much,” Theo said coldly.
Gregory didn’t even look away from you. “She’s entertaining.”
Theo scoffed quietly. “You treat everything like a game.”
The minute finally ended. You looked away first, exhaling slightly in relief.
Gregory leaned back in his chair looking unbearably smug whilst Theo looked irritated enough to kill him.
Another card was drawn. This time, it slid toward Theo.
Theo picked it up without enthusiasm.
“What is your first impression of the inductee?”
You immediately regretted existing as Theo’s eyes flicked toward you. For a second, he didn’t answer. Then–
“Nervous,” he said finally.
“But trying very hard not to appear that way.”
Heat crept into your face. Theo continued before you could respond.
“She notices more than she says. Which is probably smart in this room.”
You blinked at him. The honesty in his voice caught you off guard. Then his expression shifted slightly as his gaze flicked briefly toward Gregory beside you.
“And she encourages attention she probably shouldn’t.”
The tension around the table changed instantly.
Theo looked unimpressed. “Don’t start.”
“You’re jealous already?” Gregory asked mockingly. “That’s embarrassing.”
Jane laughed softly into her drink.
“Oh, sweetheart,” she said to Theo, sounding delighted. “You absolutely are.”
Theo shot her a look that should’ve ended the conversation. Jane ignored it completely. If anything, she looked more entertained now.
“You’re glaring at Gregory like he insulted your bloodline,” she continued. “All because he looked at her for sixty seconds.”
Gregory leaned closer to you again deliberately.
“Maybe he just likes you.”
Theo’s eyes darkened immediately.
“You enjoy attention too much,” he said quietly to you.
The words shouldn’t have affected you as much as they did. Especially because beneath the irritation, something else lingered there too.
Jane noticed that as well. Of course she did. And instead of stopping the situation from spiralling further, she smiled over the rim of her wine glass and asked sweetly:
“So,” she said to you, “which one of them do you think is worse?”
The question hung in the air between the four of you.
Gregory looked amused while Jane looked genuinely curious. Theo looked like he already regretted this entire evening.
You stared down at your wine for a second, trying to ignore the warmth spreading steadily through your chest from the enchanted drink.
“I think,” you said carefully, “Gregory is obviously worse.”
Gregory placed a hand dramatically against his chest. “Cruel.”
“But,” you continued before he could interrupt, glancing toward Theo, “Theo’s just better at hiding it.”
Jane laughed immediately. A proper laugh this time — bright and surprised.
Theo looked at you for a long second. Then, slowly, the corner of his mouth lifted.
Gregory still looked deeply offended.
“Oh, no,” he muttered. “Now he likes you. That’s unfortunate for everyone involved.”
“You called her sweetheart within five minutes.”
Jane raised an eyebrow. “Darling too, actually.”
Theo looked mildly horrified now. You tried not to smile into your wine glass.
The elder overseeing the trial finally dismissed the group after another round of pointless truths and increasingly invasive dares, but the atmosphere never settled afterward.
If anything, it became worse.
Every time Gregory leaned too close, Theo noticed. Every time Theo touched your wrist or shoulder guiding you through the crowd, Gregory noticed. And Jane noticed absolutely everything.
The enchanted wine didn’t help either. Not enough to make you drunk — just warm and dizzy enough that every glance suddenly felt significant. Every accidental touch lingered too long.
The manor itself seemed hotter now despite the storm raging outside. By the time you returned to the main hall, the Ravens had abandoned any pretence of behaving normally.
People were pressed close together beneath candlelight, laughter echoed through the room alongside the orchestra somewhere above the ballroom balcony.
The elders watched all of it with visible satisfaction. Psychological warfare, you thought.
“You’re quiet,” Theo said beside you suddenly.
You startled slightly, not realising he’d moved closer again.
“I’m just trying to process whatever this place is.”
His voice was softer now than before. Warmer.
Gregory appeared at your other side before the moment could settle.
“She’s overwhelmed,” he announced lazily.
You frowned. “I’m not overwhelmed.”
“You keep twisting that ring whenever you’re anxious.”
Your stomach dropped slightly. You hadn’t even realised you’d been doing it.
Theo noticed your expression immediately.
“Gregory,” he said warningly.
“What?” Gregory shrugged. “I pay attention.”
Jane looked entirely too entertained by the exchange.
The music swelled louder through the hall. Too loud suddenly.
Gregory’s voice in your ear.
Jane smirking every time tension shifted between the three of you.
It became too much all at once.
“I need air,” you blurted suddenly.
Jane’s expression softened slightly. “Hey–”
“I’ll be back,” you promised quickly, already stepping away before anyone could stop you.
You could feel them watching you leave. Especially Theo.
The corridor outside the ballroom was blissfully quiet in comparison, your footsteps echoing softly against polished stone floors as you moved deeper into the manor.
The further you walked, the colder the halls became. Distant music faded behind you, replaced instead by silence and the crackling of fireplaces hidden somewhere behind dark wooden doors.
You passed endless portraits, velvet curtains, candlelit alcoves.
Then finally reached the library. The enormous oak doors stood slightly open, warm golden light spilling through the gap.
You slipped inside immediately.
The library door creaked shut behind you with a heavy thud.
Silence settled instantly. Not true silence, the manor itself never seemed completely quiet, but compared to the chaos downstairs, the room felt almost unreal.
You exhaled slowly for what felt like the first time all evening.
The library stretched endlessly around you, towering shelves disappearing upward into shadow so high you couldn’t see the ceiling properly. Ancient books filled every inch of dark wood, their worn leather spines gleaming softly beneath low golden light.
A fire burned steadily in the enormous stone fireplace across the room, filling the space with warmth that loosened the tension stiffening your shoulders.
Snow drifted gently against the stained-glass windows overlooking the grounds outside, soft white illuminated by moonlight and storm clouds. The coloured glass cast fractured shades of crimson and gold across the floorboards whenever lightning flashed in the distance.
The room smelled like smoke, old paper, and something faintly metallic beneath it all.
You could feel it here more strongly than anywhere else in the manor.
Not dramatic or violent — quieter than that. Like the walls themselves were alive.
The shelves hummed softly with old enchantments, low enough that you almost thought you imagined it at first. Some of the books glowed faintly between the gaps in the shelves, silver symbols flickering briefly across cracked bindings before disappearing again.
Normal people would absolutely leave immediately, you thought. Instead, you found yourself wandering further inside.
A velvet sofa sat near the fireplace beside a low table cluttered with scattered papers and half-melted candles. One corner of the room held an enormous ladder attached to the shelves, its wheels resting silently against polished rails.
You reached out absentmindedly, brushing your fingertips against the spine of one of the books nearest to you.
The symbol burned briefly gold beneath your touch.
You pulled your hand back instantly.
“Right,” you muttered softly to yourself. “Of course the books are haunted.”
Somewhere deeper in the library, the fire crackled quietly.
Downstairs, the distant sound of music barely reached this far anymore — muted violins and soft laughter swallowed by thick walls and endless corridors.
For the first time since arriving at Black Ravens House, nobody was staring at you.
Nobody was analysing you.
No Gregory leaning too close.
No Theo watching every interaction like he was trying to solve you.
No Jane smiling knowingly every time tension shifted between the three of you.
Your chest loosened slightly at the thought. Though honestly, thinking about them wasn’t helping nearly as much as it should have.
Which was deeply irritating.
You moved toward the fireplace slowly, holding your hands out toward the warmth. The enchanted wine still lingered unpleasantly beneath your skin, making everything feel heavier somehow. Warmer. More noticeable.
Gregory’s hands brushing your chair.
Jane’s amused expression whenever Theo lost his composure.
You groaned quietly, dropping your head into your hands for a second.
“This place is going to kill me.”
“You’re adjusting surprisingly well, actually.”
You froze. The voice came from directly behind you.
Jane stood just inside the doorway, candlelight flickering softly across the sharp lines of her face. The heavy library door clicked shut behind her, muffling the distant music from downstairs almost completely.
For a moment, neither of you spoke.
Then Jane smiled slightly.
“You disappeared dramatically,” she said.
You let out a breath somewhere between a laugh and a groan. “I was overwhelmed dramatically.”
She crossed the room slowly, dark heels clicking softly against the wooden floorboards. Unlike downstairs, she seemed calmer here somehow — less performative. More real.
Or maybe the library simply suited her.
Warm firelight painted gold across the edges of her black dress as she stopped beside you near the fireplace.
“You’re handling tonight better than most inductees do,” she said.
“That’s difficult to believe.”
“It shouldn’t be.” Jane tilted her head slightly. “Most people cry at least once during solstice.”
Something in your expression made her laugh quietly again. It was strange how quickly her presence settled your nerves. Maybe because she was the only person tonight who hadn’t made you feel hunted.
“You looked like you needed rescuing downstairs,” Jane admitted after a moment.
“I think your friends are trying to psychologically destroy me.”
“My friends?” she repeated innocently.
“Alright,” she said. “Gregory is absolutely trying to destroy you.”
“He does that when he’s interested in someone.”
You blinked once. “That’s his version of flirting?”
Jane laughed softly under her breath before her attention shifted suddenly toward your shoulder.
You froze slightly as she stepped closer.
Her fingers brushed lightly against the sleeve of your coat, sweeping away melted snow you hadn’t even realised was still there. The touch was casual enough to be harmless.
Except it didn’t feel harmless.
The enchanted wine still lingered warm beneath your skin, making every point of contact feel sharper than it should.
Jane noticed the way you stilled immediately.
“You’re tense,” she murmured.
“You people are terrifying.”
Her hand moved higher, gently fixing the slightly crooked collar of your shirt.
The touch lingered. Not long enough to mean something obvious. Just long enough to make your heartbeat stumble annoyingly fast.
The fire crackled softly behind you.
Jane’s eyes lifted back to yours slowly.
“The Ravens can be cruel,” she admitted quietly. “Especially during induction.”
The teasing tone had faded from her voice now.
You frowned slightly. “Then why stay?”
Something unreadable crossed her expression briefly.
“Because once they choose you,” she said softly, “they become difficult to leave.”
The answer should probably have concerned you more than it did. Instead, you found yourself watching the flickering firelight reflected in her eyes.
“You’re staring,” Jane observed gently.
Heat crept immediately into your face. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologise.” Her mouth curved slightly. “It’s flattering.”
Your stomach flipped embarrassingly fast. This place really was going to kill you.
Jane seemed to notice your spiralling thoughts immediately because her expression softened again.
“You’re alright,” she said quietly. “I promise.”
The reassurance settled strangely in your chest.
And for one brief moment in the middle of The Black Ravens Manor, surrounded by ancient magic, storms, and manipulative strangers, you actually relaxed.
Then the library door opened again.
Cold air drifted briefly into the room alongside the distant sound of music from downstairs before the door clicked shut.
Gregory leaned against it casually, one hand still resting on the handle as his eyes moved lazily across the room.
Then stopped on Jane’s hand still resting against your collar.
A slow smile spread across his face immediately.
“Well,” he drawled. “This looks intimate.”
Jane didn’t move away from you.
“I follow interesting things.”
His gaze shifted toward you then — sharp, assessing, impossible to ignore.
You felt it instantly. That same uncomfortable awareness from earlier.
Like Gregory wasn’t simply looking at you. Like he was studying you. Taking you apart piece by piece just to see what happened.
Jane finally stepped back slightly, though amusement still lingered in her expression.
“You’re lurking again,” she said.
“You disappeared with the new inductee into a secluded library.” Gregory shrugged lazily as he crossed the room toward the fire. “You can hardly blame me for being curious.”
“You’re never curious,” Jane replied. “You’re intrusive.”
His attention returned to you immediately.
You folded your arms defensively. “I came here voluntarily.”
“Mm.” Gregory tilted his head slightly. “That’s not really the part I’m interested in.”
The warmth from the enchanted wine curled low in your stomach unpleasantly. Or maybe not unpleasantly. You still hadn’t decided.
Gregory stopped beside one of the armchairs near the fireplace, though somehow the distance between you still felt too small.
“Do you always get overwhelmed that easily?” he asked.
“What?” His eyes never left yours. “I’m learning about her.”
“You’re interrogating her.”
“She survived induction. That’s basically consent to interrogation.”
“That is deeply concerning.”
“There’s the personality.”
You frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I thought you’d either cry or become unbearable.” His gaze flicked deliberately over your face again. “Pleasant surprise.”
Jane laughed quietly beside you, clearly entertained despite herself.
Gregory’s attention shifted toward her then.
“You like her already,” he observed.
Jane raised an eyebrow. “Maybe.”
“She’s smarter than most of the Ravens.”
Gregory hummed thoughtfully, though his eyes slid back to you almost immediately afterward. Again. Always back to you.
It made your pulse feel uneven. Like standing too close to the edge of something dangerous.
“You know,” Gregory said conversationally, “Theo’s downstairs sulking.”
Jane looked delighted by that information.
“He watched you leave like someone had personally insulted him.”
Your stomach tightened slightly before you could stop it. Gregory noticed. A sharp smile appeared slowly on his face.
You immediately looked away from him. Bad decision.
Not enough to touch you, just enough that you became hyperaware of him again.
“You get nervous very easily,” he murmured.
“You enjoy making people uncomfortable far too much.”
Jane crossed her arms, watching the two of you with visible amusement now.
“You’re staring at her again,” she pointed out casually.
Gregory glanced toward her briefly.
The word settled strangely heavy in the room.
The fire throwing warm shadows across the sharp angles of his face. You suddenly understood why people hated Gregory.
Not because he was cruel. Because he paid attention with terrifying intensity once he became interested in something. Or someone.
And right now, all of that attention was fixed entirely on you.
“You look overwhelmed again,” Gregory observed softly.
“Maybe I enjoy watching it happen.”
Jane shook her head lightly. “You’re awful.”
His eyes lifted toward yours once more.
And for one dizzy second beneath the firelight and warm shadows of the library, you felt something sharp twist low in your stomach at the way he looked at you.
The library door opened for the third time this evening.
This time, the atmosphere changed instantly.
Theo stopped just inside the doorway, his eyes moved across the room in one smooth sweep before settling on the scene in front of him.
Gregory standing far too close to you.
Jane beside you near the fire.
All three of you looking entirely too comfortable.
Something unreadable flickered across Theo’s expression. Then vanished just as quickly.
“Well,” Gregory said lazily, not moving away from you in the slightest. “Look who finally tracked us down.”
Theo shut the door quietly behind him.
“You disappeared,” he said, though his eyes remained fixed on Gregory.
Jane watched Theo carefully now, amusement lingering in the corners of her mouth.
“You look irritated,” she noted.
Theo ignored that completely and crossed the room toward the fireplace, stopping beside Jane. Even standing there calmly, his presence shifted the balance of the room immediately.
“You alright, sweetheart?”
The concern in his voice caught you off guard.
“So he gets worried,” Gregory mused quietly.
Theo didn’t even glance at him. “Unlike you, some of us know how to behave around new inductees.”
“Oh, come on. She likes me.”
You opened your mouth to deny it.
Unfortunately, Gregory noticed the hesitation immediately.
“There it is,” he said smugly.
Theo’s jaw tightened visibly.
Jane noticed. Again. Of course she did.
“You’re both being strange,” she observed lightly.
Gregory looked delighted. “He started it.”
Theo finally looked at him then. “You’ve been hovering around her all evening.”
The silence that followed was immediate.
You suddenly became very aware of the fire crackling behind you. The snow tapping softly against the stained-glass windows.
Theo’s attention fixed entirely on Gregory now. Then on you. Then back again. Like he couldn’t decide what exactly was irritating him more.
Gregory, meanwhile, looked like he was having the time of his life.
“You know,” he said thoughtfully, stepping even closer to you just to be difficult, “I think she’s starting to understand Raven policies already.”
Theo’s expression darkened slightly.
“What?” Gregory looked innocent. “I’m helping.”
“You’re antagonising everyone in the room.”
“Only because it’s easy.”
Theo exhaled sharply through his nose. That tiny loss of composure shouldn’t have felt significant.
Because suddenly you understood what Jane had meant earlier.
Theo acted controlled until he didn’t. And Gregory knew exactly how to push him toward that edge. Jane leaned casually against Theo’s side, clearly entertained now by the tension building between the two men.
“You’re glaring again,” she murmured to him.
“The way people look at things they’d like to stab.”
Gregory smirked immediately. “See? She notices it too.”
Theo looked at you then. Not Gregory.
And for the first time all evening, his composure cracked just enough for you to see something raw beneath it.
“You encourage him too much,” Theo said quietly.
Gregory laughed under his breath.
“Oh, that’s bad,” he said. “He’s using the serious voice now.”
Theo ignored him entirely.
“You let him provoke you because you think it’s funny,” Theo continued, eyes still fixed on yours. “And Gregory treats everything like a game.”
The words weren’t harsh exactly, but the intensity behind them made warmth spread instantly through your chest.
Jane looked genuinely delighted now.
“You’re jealous,” she informed Theo softly.
“Sweetheart,” Jane said fondly, “you followed us into a secluded library because Gregory was standing too close to her.”
Gregory burst into laughter.
“There it is,” he said triumphantly. “Knew it.”
Theo shot him a look so sharp it should’ve physically injured him.
Gregory only leaned closer toward you again in response, clearly unable to resist making the situation worse.
“You know what the funniest part is?” he asked conversationally, eyes still locked on Theo. “She looks nervous every time you pay attention to her.”
Theo’s gaze snapped back toward you immediately.
And somehow that was worse. Because now all of his attention was focused entirely on you again.
The silence stretched for a second too long.
Gregory was still standing close enough that you could feel warmth rolling off him beneath the firelight, but all of his attention had shifted fully toward Theo now.
Theo, meanwhile, looked moments away from either leaving the room or strangling him. Possibly both.
“You’re staring. Again,” Gregory said lightly.
Theo’s expression remained perfectly controlled. “You’re insufferable.”
“And yet you keep following me around.”
Jane made a quiet sound into her wine glass that suspiciously resembled laughter.
“You enjoy pushing people,” he said coldly to Gregory.
“Only interesting people.”
“You treat everything like entertainment.”
Gregory tilted his head slightly. “And you take everything too seriously.”
The words landed harder than they should have. Because suddenly it didn’t feel like they were talking about tonight anymore. Or even about you.
It felt older than that. Familiar. Practiced.
You looked between them carefully.
Theo stood rigid near the fireplace, tension visible in the sharp set of his shoulders despite how calm his expression remained. Gregory looked relaxed in comparison, but there was something deliberate underneath his casual posture too.
Something intentional. Like he enjoyed pulling reactions out of Theo specifically.
Theo reacted every single time.
“You think this is funny?” Theo asked quietly.
Gregory’s eyes flicked toward you briefly before returning to him.
“There’s always someone,” Gregory continued conversationally. “Every solstice. Every induction. You decide someone needs protecting and suddenly become unbearable for the next month.”
“That’s not what this is.”
“No?” Gregory smiled slowly. “Then why do you look ready to kill me every time I talk to her?”
Theo’s gaze snapped toward you instinctively before he caught himself. Too late. Gregory noticed immediately. So did Jane.
“Oh,” Jane murmured softly, sounding fascinated now. “This is worse than I thought.”
Theo shot her a look. “You’re encouraging him.”
“Because it’s entertaining.”
“You’re both impossible.”
Gregory laughed quietly. “You like us impossible.”
Something changed in the room at that. Theo’s eyes narrowed slightly. Gregory’s expression sharpened with amusement. And suddenly you realised this wasn’t entirely hostility between them. Not pure hatred, anyway.
There was too much attention in it.
Every glance between them lingered too long. Every insult sounded rehearsed, familiar, almost intimate in the strangest possible way.
Jane noticed your expression immediately.
“You’re figuring it out,” she said softly.
Neither of them answered. Which honestly answered enough.
Gregory stepped closer toward Theo now instead of you, stopping just inside his space on purpose.
“You hate when I touch things you like,” Gregory said quietly.
Theo’s composure cracked visibly this time.
“There’s the warning voice again.”
“You push until people snap.”
The tension between them felt almost unbearable suddenly. Not violent. Worse.
The kind that made the air itself feel overheated.
Jane watched both of them carefully before finally sighing softly and stepping between them. Instantly, the entire room shifted around her.
“Alright,” she said calmly, placing one hand flat against Theo’s chest before looking back at Gregory. “You’re both becoming embarrassing.”
Gregory looked delighted rather than insulted.
Theo exhaled sharply, gaze dropping briefly to Jane’s hand before lifting toward you again.
Still intense. Still possessive. Still impossible to ignore.
Jane’s mouth curved slightly.
“You,” she said softly to you, “look overwhelmed again.”
“I think your friends are insane.”
“My boyfriend is insane,” Jane corrected lightly, patting Theo’s chest once before stepping away from him. “Gregory is simply a problem humanity hasn’t solved yet.”
“That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said about me.”
But some of the sharpness in the room had eased now. Not disappeared, just transformed into something quieter. Something warmer. More dangerous.
Because now all four of you were aware of the tension. The attraction. The way every glance had started lingering too long.
And beneath the firelight of the library, with snow falling softly outside and ancient magic humming through the walls, you realised with sudden dizzy certainty that this had stopped being a normal conversation a long time ago.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Everything in the room had narrowed down to this. Theo standing tense beside the fireplace. Gregory watching him with open amusement. Jane standing between them like she was the only thing keeping the situation from completely collapsing.
caught directly in the middle of it.
“You’re staring again,” Gregory said softly.
This time, he wasn’t talking to Theo. He was talking to you.
Heat crawled immediately up your neck.
“And yet,” Gregory murmured, stepping closer again, “you haven’t left.”
The words settled low in your stomach, because he was right. You should have left ages ago.
Instead, you were still here in the middle of a cursed library while three dangerously attractive Ravens stared at you like you were becoming some kind of shared problem.
Jane noticed the spiral of panic and tension crossing your face immediately.
Her expression softened slightly.
“Oh, sweetheart,” she said gently, “you do look overwhelmed.”
“I think this place is trying to psychologically destroy me.”
Gregory laughed quietly under his breath.
Theo, meanwhile, was still watching you with that same unbearable intensity that made your pulse stumble every time it landed on you.
“You should stop looking at her like that,” Gregory said conversationally.
Theo’s gaze flicked toward him sharply. “Like what?”
“Like you’re thinking too much.”
Jane smiled faintly. “That’s exactly what he’s doing.”
Theo rolled his eyes, though tension still lingered visibly beneath the movement.
“You’re both irritating.”
“And you’re jealous,” Gregory replied immediately.
“You followed us into the library.”
“I wanted to make sure she was alright.”
Gregory’s smile widened slowly.
Theo looked moments away from losing what remained of his patience.
And somehow that tension, sharp and volatile and half-hidden beneath every word, felt hotter than it should have.
You realised suddenly that all three of them were watching you now. Waiting for your reaction.
That awareness sent warmth spiralling through your chest so quickly it made your head spin slightly.
The enchanted wine wasn’t helping. Neither was the firelight.
Or the fact that Gregory was still standing too close.
Or the way Theo’s eyes kept dropping to your mouth before flicking away again.
Jane noticed that too. Of course she did. A slow, knowing smile crossed her face.
Then, before you could overthink anything further, she stepped toward you. Close enough that you caught the scent of smoke and dark perfume.
Close enough that your breath caught slightly.
“You think too loudly,” Jane murmured softly.
“You’re trying to figure everything out.” Her fingers brushed lightly against your jaw. “Stop.”
The touch froze you instantly.
Warm. Gentle. Commanding in a way that made your stomach tighten.
Somewhere behind Jane, Gregory went very still. Theo looked like he’d stopped breathing entirely.
Jane’s thumb brushed softly across your cheek once. Then she kissed you.
Like she had decided something and expected the rest of the world to catch up afterward.
Your brain went completely blank as her mouth crashed into yours. Your lips parted for her before you could even think to stop yourself
The kiss deepened as her tongue delve deep into your mouth. Not to taste. But to show her dominance. Her control. Her possessiveness.
Warmth flooded through you immediately as her hand slid to the back of your neck, keeping you steady while the room seemed to tilt dangerously sideways around you.
Behind her, someone exhaled sharply.
When Jane finally pulled back, the silence in the library felt deafening. You stared at her.
Jane looked entirely unbothered.
“There,” she said calmly. “That’s better.”
Gregory let out a quiet laugh that sounded almost disbelieving.
“Oh,” he murmured. “Now we’re all in trouble.”
His eyes were fixed entirely on you now — darker than before, composure hanging by an increasingly fragile thread.
Then Gregory, because apparently self-preservation meant nothing to him, stepped forward and rested a hand briefly against Theo’s chest while still looking directly at you.
The reaction was immediate. Theo grabbed your wrist. Not rough, just sudden. Like instinct had taken over before thought could catch up.
The entire room went still again.
Your pulse jumped violently beneath his fingers.
Theo looked down at where he was holding you like he hadn’t realised he’d done it either. Then slowly, his gaze lifted back to yours. Dangerous. Wanting. Completely ruined now.
And suddenly you understood with terrifying clarity that one line had just been crossed.
There was absolutely no going back from it.
pixelskylines
jacobvanloon
snowghoul
yousharknotpass
germansingergirl
dededos
janainaart
titsay