Tethered to You (Alastor X OC)

Ch 44 (pt. 2)

Ariel's POV

I slammed the bedroom door, furiously swiping away the tears on my cheeks and in my eyes.

How dare he.

How dare he even try to tell me he's sorry.

My back met the closed door, my body slowly sliding down.

I buried my fingers into my hair, my ears flattening against my head.

Why'd he have to say all those things.

Why.

Now he's apologizing?

And part of me wants to accept it. Part of me wanted to lean into his touch. Part of me wanted him to pull me off that couch and hug me. Part of me wanted to kiss him and make it all go away.

Then there's the much angrier part of me that wants to rip his head off his shoulders. To give him the silent treatment. To make him sit for hours, alone, just to have his own thoughts for company.

I wanted him to stop trying and leave me alone.

Yet, I also wanted him to rip this door off the hinges and refuse to accept my silent answer.

I glanced at the little bedside clock on my side of the bed. It was...I squinted...8:30 am.

It's nearly been a full 24 hours now.

I sniffed dryly, crossing my arms over my knees. I rested my cheek against my crossed arms, my frustrated expression relaxing.

I'm sure it was just replaced by the sadness now.

The helpless way he makes me feel is something I can't avoid. That's why I needed to get away from him, before I just fully submitted.

I couldn't let myself do that when I'm not done being mad at him.

Yet the more I sat in here alone, the more I wanted to go out there and apologize. Maybe I should've......

"Perhaps next time you get taken they'll just kill you and I'll be rid of this new burden you've drug into my afterlife!"

The words rang through my head, but even after they had passed through the ringing stayed.

Those are the words I can't seem to get passed.

I know he was trying, he was trying so desperately to apologize. I just don't think I'm ready to hear it yet...not while I'm still so pissed off at him for saying it in the first place.

If he wants me dead so bad, why doesn't he just do it himself...

Maybe he would.

If I pushed him far enough, would he kill me?

Since I'm such a damn burden.

I aggressively wiped away the new tears in my eyes, then jolted upright at the sound of knocking at the bedroom door.

"Dear...?" His voice sounded fragile. Nothing, and I mean nothing compared to his normal demeanor.

That confidence I love so much is gone. The loud, boisterous man seems to have been replaced by a shell.

I stood up, facing the closed door. My hand instinctively reached for the knob, but I stopped.

He's lying...

The pestering little voice in my head whispered to me. Although he's never once truly lied to me, it's moments like these I wonder if that's because the entire thing is a lie.