Deviant: No Longer Human

Jospehine, "Doesn't that mean, Wang Xiao, you'd have to marry me...?"

"..."

Wang Xiao, initially speechless, gazed at Josephine, a whirlwind of emotions flickering across his face. After a moment, he gave a small nod, surprising even her, as she had half-jokingly teased him. Then, with a swift movement, he caught her shoulders and turned her around.

"Let's start with the first rite of marriage then!" he declared, his voice resonating with a mix of playfulness and seriousness.

Josephine's eyes widened in shock and a hint of amusement. "No! We still haven't eaten any—"

Her protest was abruptly cut short, her words trailing off into the air. A realization dawned on her – the night ahead promised to be long and eventful, possibly leaving them with empty stomachs but filled with other indulgences, as Wang Xiao 'devoured' her in a different manner.

________

9th May, 2026!

The minty freshness of toothpaste lingered in Josephine's mouth – a bizarre reminder of her second dental routine of the day, all thanks to Wang Xiao.

"It's the second time I'm brushing my teeth today, Wang Xiao, all because of you!" Josephine exclaimed, stepping out of the bathroom, her bare feet padding softly on the cool floor.

She was draped in a loose, azure top that fluttered gently with her movements, contrasting with her crisply white short skirt. Her gaze, a mix of annoyance and amusement, landed squarely on Wang Xiao, who had nonchalantly made himself at home in her bed.

Wang Xiao spared her a brief, mocking glance. "Blame your own inability to grasp it the first time around," he retorted with a smirk.

"Huh?" Josephine's brow furrowed in confusion, her eyes twitching slightly. How was she supposed to know men could be so... vigorous during the day?

And how on earth did Wang Xiao still have the energy after the marathon they had embarked on over the last 24 hours?

Her own legs felt like jelly... She half-wondered if she might need a soothing massage just to walk straight again.

With a resigned sigh, she slid under the quilt, her eyes curiously darting to the textbook in Wang Xiao's hands. "Why are you reading my science books?" she asked, a hint of bewilderment in her voice.

Wang Xiao shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing better to do," he replied, his voice betraying a hint of boredom.

Josephine fell silent, pondering. A school textbook seemed like an odd choice for leisure reading. Wouldn't it be more likely to bore him further?

Finding no answers, she snuggled closer to him, her gaze lingering on his face. Time seemed to drift lazily by until Wang Xiao, placing the book aside, turned to her with a curious expression. "Hey, Josephine, Marcus warned me to stay away from you yesterday. Do you know anything about that?"

??

Josephine's initial confusion swiftly morphed into indignation as Wang Xiao's words sank in. Her eyebrows arched in a mix of surprise and anger. "That old bastard really had the nerve to say that? I need to have a serious talk with him!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief and a hint of fury.

Wang Xiao, reopening the book, added nonchalantly, "He mentioned something about 'cursed women'..."

At that, Josephine's anger dissipated as quickly as it had flared, replaced by a somber, pensive expression. This shift didn't escape Wang Xiao's keen observation. He probed further, "Do you know anything about it?"

Josephine fell into a troubled silence, her thoughts racing. Wang Xiao, noticing her withdrawal, called out to her gently, "Josephine?"

She snapped back to the present, her eyes meeting his with a mix of apology and unease. "Uh, yes..." she began hesitantly, a faint sense of apprehension clouding her voice. "It's just... We don't talk about it here," she said, her words trailing off as she attempted to sidestep the conversation.

Wang Xiao, however, wasn't satisfied with her vague response. He nodded, understanding her reluctance yet curious still. "So, what is it? What's this curse they talk about?" His tone was gentle yet persistent, sensing that behind her reluctance lay a story – a significant part of her past or perhaps a hidden truth about their community.

Josephine bit her lip, a storm of emotions playing across her face. She knew that opening up about this could change everything, yet Wang Xiao's eyes made it hard for her to keep hiding her secrets.

Josephine, after a brief moment of silence, exhaled a deep, resigned sigh. "It's exactly as it sounds... Cursed women... Any man who marries into Sylvergard royalty is cursed to die," she explained, her voice tinged with a mixture of sadness and disbelief.

She cautiously observed Wang Xiao's reaction, and as his expression turned contemplative, she quickly placed her hands on his face. "Xiao, I swear I didn't remember this earlier, or I would have told you. It's just an ancient myth, nothing more," she added hurriedly, trying to reassure both him and herself.

Wang Xiao looked into her slightly panicked eyes, searching for more than just the words she spoke. "Your father? Where is he?" he asked, his voice steady but revealing a hint of concern.

!!

Josephine visibly flinched at the question, falling into a pained silence.

Wang Xiao murmured under his breath, piecing together the unsaid words, "So it's true... He died..."

Josephine stuttered, struggling to explain, "I-It's not like that, he had a stroke when I was five..."

Wang Xiao gently responded, his voice soft yet firm, "Yes, but he died nonetheless."

"..."

Josephine, her gaze fixed on a distant point, spoke with a hint of guilt coloring her voice. "It's not like I didn't ask... But mom always insisted there was no such curse..." Her words were barely more than a whisper, revealing the inner conflict she felt between family lore and her own desires.

Wang Xiao shrugged, displaying a pragmatic approach. "I wasn't too concerned about it, since the legend specifically mentions marriage. We could just avoid that part. By the way, are there any male members alive in your royal family?" His curiosity was piqued, wondering about the scope of this curse.

Josephine glanced at him, her heart not entirely on board with the idea of never marrying him. She was already thinking of other ways to circumvent the curse. "My brother," she finally said, "he should be in school right now."

Wang Xiao nodded in acknowledgment. Then, seemingly shifting gears, Josephine suggested, "Do you want to go with me to pick him up from school today?"

His response was laced with skepticism. "Would your mother even allow you to go outside now?"

Her face twitched slightly at the reminder of her mother's protectiveness, but then she smiled faintly, a rebellious glint in her eyes. "We could sneak out!" she proposed boldly.