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

Chapter Eleven: Old Habits

The atmosphere was surprisingly hot, considering it was night-time. One moment he'd been in his office, and the next he'd found himself waking up in the middle of a field. Flowers stretched on for miles, and the stench of ash made him gag.

Something terrible had happened, but he couldn't quite remember what it was. His name was also lost, as if something was blocking his brain.

A small flicker of light suddenly appeared, and the only thing that made sense was to run for it. Somehow he knew that's where he'd be safe. Where he'd be happy forever.

"Halt," a booming voice echoed, only making him run faster.

He felt presence behind him, but he was determined to reach the end. All the while, as he ran, memories started to fall into place. Of his life, everything he had done.

It was a life he'd been proud of. Spending his time trying to protect the world any way that he could. He wasn't superpowered, but he'd made a small difference.

"STOP!" The voice was louder now, but he refused to listen.

Calming warmth embraced him as the light became blinding, a contentment washed over him and he laughed.

~ ~ ~

It had been a relief to see Marc again, until all those feelings surged once more. Lia had gone through so many in the past few months, yet the feeling that was most prominent, was that lingering abandonment.

She'd been so scared when Marc kissed her, and so guilty for kissing him back. That she had pushed him away. Blamed him for the entire incident. However, she hadn't thought their fight would cause him to actually leave her.

As the weeks drawled past, Lia had let her anger take over; it festered and turned acidic. Eventually, that softened and she just found that she missed her friend.

Lia knew that she'd have to set clear boundaries with Marc this time. Only one other time had she done this, and that was when they'd awkwardly, and briefly, discussed what would happen if Marc were to switch with Steven during 'intimate events'.

Marc assured her that it had never happened before, and that Lia shouldn't worry about it. And that was all he wanted to say on the topic. She'd almost forgotten they'd discussed it.

Now she'd have to tell Marc that she wanted him in her life once more, but strictly as friends - even if part of her did want more.

That knowledge made Lia's heart ache. Already racked with so much guilt for what happened, she'd been trying to make it up to Steven; without alerting him to the issue.

Lia knew that she was a bad person, and didn't need Steven to discover that too. He was the person that she loved.

Steven Grant was a burst of light in her dull life. Helping her to trust and open up her heart again. She'd always love him because of that.

Steven provided her with a temporary escape while Marc was gone. Lia found that when they were having sex or doing something else that Steven loved, it was easy to get lost in the moment, to forget all her troubles. Prove that she could survive without Marc.

However, when Lia was alone at night, her thoughts drifted to the friend she'd lost. The person who had managed to make her feel almost every emotion under the sun. The person who had abandoned her, after promising that he'd never do that.

Admittedly, when Lia had seen Marc again, all she'd wanted to do was embrace him. Feel the hardness of his body against hers. Until the memory of him leaving her surfaced, and the anger returned.