We lay, the Demon Queen and I, together on her massive bed, the red moonlight streaming through the enormous windows, casting just enough glow for us to see each other.
The Demon Queen lay on the bed, her head resting on a pillow, while I lay on top of her, my head against her chest. It was soft and comforting beneath me. Her delicate hands wrapped around me in a gentle and spontaneous embrace, as if expressing her comfort and affection toward me.
Despite being practically bare, there was no activity between us—just the two of us talking and enjoying each other's company. At least, that was the truth from my perspective.
" You're thinking too much. I'm happy too," The Demon Queen spoke softly, responding to my thoughts. Her glowing eyes rested on me with a quiet warmth.
I stared at her for a long moment. Her words stirred an unfamiliar joy within me, and to express it, I found myself pressing a gentle kiss against her red lips.
She returned my kiss, deepening it with her own. But she didn't stop there—before I knew it, she flipped me over, making me land beside her, my head now resting on the pillow close to hers.
The bed sheets, which had fallen to the floor during our earlier activities, floated back into the air, covering us once again.
The Demon Queen moved closer, pressing her body against mine. She took one of my hands and placed it around her waist, letting me feel the warmth of her smooth skin against my palm.
"What are you doing?"
I didn't mind her actions—if anything, I welcomed them. But I didn't understand the reason behind them.
"This way..." She pressed another quick but warm kiss to my lips. "We can talk face-to-face!~"
I thought for a moment about her reasoning, but quickly, I let myself melt into the moment, gently running my hand up and down her back, enjoying her softness and presence.
"You said you wanted to give me a name?" The Demon Queen asked, clearly enjoying the soft strokes along her spine. "I don't see why I'd refuse... Do you have something in mind?"
Her question caught me off guard. I was glad she accepted my proposal instead of seeing it as disrespectful to her noble existence. However, I hadn't actually come up with a name for her yet, let alone one that would do her justice—one that only I would call her by.
A foolish smile spread across my face at the thought, and with it, an idea formed in my mind. I shifted my gaze to the Demon Queen, who simply watched me, waiting.
"Names are meant to reflect the identity of their owners," I spoke my thoughts aloud, not wanting to make her wait. "But since these names will be ours alone—something only we use for each other—why not make them represent what we mean to one another? And you would do the same for me. What do you think?"
The Demon Queen's eyes slowly drifted in different directions as if lost in deep thought.
I watched her, unhurried. Why would I rush when, with every passing second, she only grew more alluring in my eyes? My hand on her back had already moved lower, feeling the curve of her thighs, as I lifted one of her legs over mine.
The Demon Queen returned her gaze to me, a playful smile forming on her lips.
"I don't see myself minding~ But…" Her voice dropped to a quieter, more serious tone. "I will only accept the truth. Most humanoids tend to lie to themselves about their feelings."
I caught the warning in her tone, but I didn't think much of it. What occupied my mind more than anything was knowing how she felt about me.
As for what she meant to me? I had already known the answer for some time now.
"Oh? Since you already know, why don't you go first, Mr. Knows-It-All~?"
Her tone returned to its usual playful teasing as she pinched my cheek.
I wasn't surprised that she could read my thoughts and respond to them, but I still didn't want to go first! However, I knew this conversation wouldn't end until we both had our names. So, I reminded myself to be patient. I shouldn't get ahead of myself.
"I still want to know who I am," I began with a brief prelude to my thoughts. "You, on the other hand, already have your identity. It scared me at first, but I've come to accept and understand it. I… have nothing. Even this body doesn't truly belong to me. I am nothing."
"Or at least, I thought so—until you gave me new hope. You saved my life, and you gave me the hope that one day, I will remember who I once was. For now, you are all I have. You are my savior, and you are my hope. I want your name to reflect what you mean to me, and that is…"
Before I could finish, the Demon Queen lunged at me, pulling me into a deep, passionate kiss. And of course, I wasn't the one to refuse. My hand moved back up her spine, gripping her tightly and pulling her closer, feeling the warmth of her soft body pressing against mine.
After long seconds of shared kisses and tender touches, she finally pulled away, licking her lips.
"Sorry!~" She said, though her eyes betrayed her words. "I just couldn't help myself. You… just keep getting more attractive to my eyes with every second. And all I want is to devour you all over again!~"
I didn't know how to respond to that with words, but she would know from my thoughts that I was open to the idea. She only needed to make the move.
But the Demon Queen didn't.
"We have all the time in the world for that!~" Her tone was filled with amusement. "For now, I need your name for me!~"
I loosened my grip around her waist, giving her a bit more space to breathe and relax. But not too much—just enough so I could still feel her soft breaths against my face and the gentle touch of her legs against mine.
But she was right. I needed to think of a name for her. A beautiful name that suited her. A name that carried the meaning of what she was to me. What would that name be?
"While you think of that, I'll go second. Though, I doubt you'll be able to focus~" She said with a playful wink.
She was right—I wouldn't be able to focus. I really wanted to know what I meant to her. And her words would shape everything I thought about her moving forward. But in the end, all I could do was hope.
The Demon Queen tilted her head with a surprised smile, pride shimmering in her crimson eyes.
"So, after all… there is hope in your heart. I like that."
Her words reminded me of something she had said before—back when I was still questioning her about what she knew about me. Or, to put it better, when she was sitting on top of me, as I was buried deep inside her.
She had said, 'You don't even dare to hope.' I hadn't understood her words back then.
But now, I think I finally had an idea.
Before I could comment on any of that, however, the Demon Queen returned to our topic. And this time, I didn't mind. Because eventually, I knew—she would always make sure I learned what I needed to know.
"You are many things to me," the Demon Queen began. Her voice carried a seriousness that made her crimson eyes lock onto mine, ensuring I was paying full attention. "First and foremost, you are a surprise to me—an unexpected and interesting surprise..."
I listened intently to every word she spoke. Without realizing it, a wide smile had spread across my face. The Demon Queen herself was toying with my lips as she spoke, but I barely noticed, too focused on her words and the sincerity in her gaze.
"Because never once in my life did I think I would be loved instead of worshiped." her voice took on a slightly excited, slightly joyful tone. "You, the nameless one, loved me for who I am, without even knowing the full extent of what I truly am. It is a noble kind of love… and one that I will gladly welcome from you."
A wave of joy washed over me at her words. My smile stretched so wide that my face ached slightly from it.
The Demon Queen gave me a small smile in return, as if amused by my expression. She had that look of 'He just can't help himself!' but her smile also spoke volumes about how she truly felt.
"You've become more than just a small surprise." She continued, her words now carrying a clear direction. "To be honest with you… I still haven't decided what I want from you yet. It seems that I desire from you what you desire from me. And all I can promise you… is that I will give you the chance you deserve."
I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the new reality her words had revealed. Her words meant she loved me—or, at the very least, she was willing to try. And that was more than enough for me.
My hand, which had been resting on her back, now moved gently to her face. I carefully pulled her closer, and she did not resist me. Our lips met in perfect sync, each of us savoring the other with every taste our tongues could offer.
As we parted, a thin silver thread of mixed saliva still connected us. I watched it, hoping it would never break, but I could see it stretching downward, thinning until it was on the verge of vanishing.
Before it could fully vanish, however, the Demon Queen leaned in and kissed me again—swallowing the entire length of that delicate strand.
When we separated once more, she smiled at me.
"That's better. And we can always make a new one!~"
I smiled back at her. "To that, I accept!"
We gazed into each other's eyes for long, lingering seconds. From my end, I was entirely lost in her, my thoughts filled with nothing but her. And in my heart, I hoped she felt the same.
"Maybe~" she answered my thoughts with a teasing smile that only pulled me deeper into her presence.
But just as quickly, she snapped me out of it with her next words.
"So? What's my name?"