The Cries of the Dead (A Moon Knight Inspired Fan-fiction)

Chapter Ten: Carved in Stone

Ophelia Peirce was certain she would be sick. How could she do this to Steven? Crossing that line with Marc - the one that had been slowly seducing her, tempting her for longer than she wanted to admit - proved that she was not a good person.

She knew how it felt to be cheated on. Promised herself that she'd never do that to someone. Yet, she'd let Marc kiss her.

There was no excuse, even as her mind continued to try and rationalise with her. All of the confusion of their months together. The fact that he looked and smelled like her boyfriend, wasn't a valid reason.

It was all Marc's fault. He'd flirted with her, held and comforted her when she was upset. Their friendship became something more...

"Lia, what happened?" Jess asked, as Ophelia burst into their flat.

She had run home. Lia hated running. Her breath was heavy and she could only guess how she looked. Having thrown one of Steven's longer coats over her, before leaving the flat. Almost forgetting her bag in the process, but swiping it up at the last second.

"Did something happen with Steven? Did you break up? Let me guess, he had a weird fetish that put you right off."

Shaking her head, Ophelia managed to calm herself. "I am okay," she assured. "Wait, why do you think he has a weird fetish?"

Jessica shrugged. "I love the guy, but sometimes he does act strange. Obviously the issue isn't a fetish. Did you get tired of having to role play with him as an abrasive American guy? I'd get bored of that too, American's are the w..."

"What!?" Lia stopped focusing on what she'd just fled from. "He doesn't...we don't role play."

"It's okay," Jess assured. "Heaps of people do it, nothing to be ashamed of."

Ophelia felt her heart continue to race, and she knew that the fresh beads of sweat weren't from the exercise she'd unwillingly done.

"I've heard Steven talking to you in an accent multiple times. He's pretty good at it."

"You listen in on us?" Lia started to feel betrayed.

"Ew, no. It's just he's not exactly quiet when he does it. And there was that time I walked in on you guys on the couch." She folded her arms. "He really likes staying in character, huh?"

There was no point denying this, because if she did, Lia would have to tell her friend the secret that even Steven didn't know.

As tempting as it was to be able to openly talk about what had just happened, Lia couldn't bring herself to tell Jess of her boyfriend's alter. Or the fact that she'd given into her sexual feelings towards said alter.

"You said you were out all night."

Lia could have kicked herself, she should have seen this coming. Jess often liked to steer the conversation like this. Trying to distract Lia's mind enough that she calmed down and was ready to talk about what happened.

"I know for a fact that you love Steven enough, that not even his creepy fetishes would scare you off. So what happened?"

Lia bit her lip. "I wasn't feeling well."

There was a moment when Jess seemed to consider Lia's words, studying her friend's face with the professional eyes of a psychologist.

"Movie marathon?" Was all she asked.

Needing to take her mind off what had occurred, Lia nodded.

It had been an old tradition of theirs back in university. That night they'd met at the party, Jess invited Lia back to her dorm, and they put on a movie. Though they didn't watch, as much as they did talk.