enemies to lovers oneshots

eight

"do it." she hissed, a stupid grin plastered across her face. she leaned forward so her forehead rested against the gun i was pointing at her. "you won't. i know your moral code. you don't kill."

i took a breath, steadying my nerves.

"morals can change." i said shortly. "that doesn't belong to you." i gestured to the necklace she was wearing.

"so who does it belong to? your girlfriend?" she teased cruelly, tracing her finger along the chain.

"it belonged to my mother." i corrected sharply.

"the woman who abandoned you?"

"she didn't abandon me, you insufferable bitch. she was killed."

she laughed dryly. "abandoned you?" she scoffed. she fumbled in her pockets for something and produced a folded piece of paper. "nice try. look for yourself."

i kept the gun in place against her head and struggled to unfold the paper with my free hand, trying not to shake.

it was a mugshot. of my mother.

"you'll want to check the date on that." she said casually.

sure enough, this picture had been taken-

"-last month?" my voice was strained and i loosened my grip on my gun. i barely heard it clatter to the floor. "that's...that's not possible."

"you didn't know?" she asked, and i noticed that her tone had softened. "and here i thought it was a cheap trick to try to rob me."

i wiped my sweating palms on my jeans, staring at the picture. the world was spinning. my legs gave beneath me and i sat on the filthy ground, unable to tear my eyes from my mother's blank ones. she looked almost exactly how i'd remembered her. but...aged. more wrinkles. tiredness in her eyes. but that smile was the same.

she squatted to my level, and a reassuring hand rested on my wrist.

"i thought you knew. i'm so sorry."

"shut the fuck up." i snapped, and she went silent.

hot tears pricked my eyes, threatening to fall. i blinked them back in vain and finally looked up. her brow was furrowed and she was biting her lip in concern, a tell i'd noticed meant that she was trying to fix a problem.

"i don't need your sympathy." i choked out.

"i know." she removed the necklace and gave it to me. the chain was warm from resting against her skin and i dropped it as if it had burned me. the glass charm shattered on the ground as i let go.

i lost it. sobbing and screaming, i just completely lost it. she would probably make fun of me for breaking down like this but i didn't care. i wasn't upset about breaking the necklace. i didn't give a fuck about that anymore. i was grieving my mother for the second time. every mental scar i'd thought i'd healed when i'd come to terms with my mother felt like they were torn anew. large, open wounds pulsed in my mind and heart.

i felt arms wrap themselves around me and i didn't even fight it. i rested my head on my rival's chest and continued to cry. i blubbered out every stupid thing that came to mind. about my mother, my attempts to avenge her, how i felt orphaned all over again. the girl didn't say anything. she just held me. listened.

"i hate her." i said finally, my voice raspy from crying. but i don't think i meant it. i took some deep breaths, trying to calm myself as best i could. i got to my feet after a few minutes. a calm anger had washed over me. i cleared my throat. "i need answers."

"okay. let's go." she said simply. i blinked in surprise, looking down at her.

"what?"

"you want answers. you deserve them. let's go get some fucking answers."

"i don't need help."

"i know."

i smiled slightly and extended my hand to her, helping her up.

"sorry i threatened to kill you." i apologized, and tried to let go of her hand.

she tightened her grip and squeezed my hand. "bygones." she shrugged. "wasn't the first time. probably won't be the last."

i scoffed. "whatever. ready?"

"always."