Into deception

Headache

📚

I hold onto my head for a little while longer, just enough for it to stop pounding and for it to stop yelling at how stupid I am.

"That bad huh?"

I look up fast meeting Max's swollen face.

"Did a hive of wasps attack you whilst I was gone or something?"

"Trust me I feel as shit as I look" he groans grabbing hold of his own head. His hair is completely all over the place. Some strands stand so tall and straight that I think someone might've stuck it there with glue while I was away.

"Are you okay?"

"Max, my head feels like it's genuinely about to explode of my shoulders so no. Absolutely not"

"Okay yeah same but that's not what I meant" he looks at me for a beat too long and I catch onto what he's going on about. Damn him and that stupid alcohol that's making my cover all sluggish and slow, I can't even pretend to be caught off guard.

"Oh yeah of course-"

"Liar"

He's not wrong, not even by a long shot.

"Have you really not spoken to him for all these years?" he asks completely curious.

"Nope" I shake my heavy head as I set it back on the door. My head feels too heavy for my shoulders to carry upright at the moment so I take this time to thank whoever made doors, worship them actually.

"You know Himiko?" He randomly says.

"Who fucking doesn't" I contain a laugh mainly because I know that if I make any sudden movements I'll most likely explode.

"I heard them arguing you know"

"Happy couple not so happy? shocker"

He grins at me "They were arguing because of you"

Well then. How does one recover from two malfunctions in a span of five minutes? anyone?

"Himiko does love him I think-"

Even though Bane isn't mine anymore hearing someone else tell you that a whole other human being loves the man you once would've done anything for hurts.

No matter who you are, that will hurt like a bitch.

"But Bane doesn't love her, I know he doesn't so why keep her around is beyond me"

"How do you know he doesn't love her" I ask meeting his eyes, he give me this look that speaks volumes, it says you're the dumbest bitch I have ever met.

"If you need me to say it out loud, then I will," he says, "but I think I won't for now, because I don't think you wanna hear it just yet."

I look away.

"And instead I'll just tell you that he shot her when she questioned you."

My head snaps back toward him.

"He what?"

"Bane isn't a man you play with. In the long run, he might seem patient, but he's not. Never was."

He pauses.

"Except..."

His eyes settle on me, and his smile softens.

"Well. Except when he was with you."

Something inside me goes painfully still.

"He always, no matter what, took his time with you. Made every detail perfect for you."

"Yeah." I pull my eyes away from his burning gaze. "And in the end, look where that got everyone."

I hate the way he's looking at me.

Mostly because he's making me feel things.

Things I've spent years teaching myself not to feel.

"I know everything went to shit, Mia," he says quietly. "But things will always go to shit one way or another. That's just the life we live."

I don't answer.

"But I also know that no matter what, no matter where, if you called him asking for help, he would drop everything and everyone just to get to you."

I don't want to believe him.

I don't want to listen.

Because somewhere beneath all the years and all the anger, some old, stupid part of me has begun to spark.

Hope.

Memories.

Both feel equally dangerous.

"So, what are we going to do all day? Because I sure as hell can't go home right now."

I change the subject with a smile, looking out at the window across from me.

"Well first I'm gonna go shower and then, food. I could eat you and everyone else in this damn house right now" he says this while walking- actually more like dragging himself to the bathroom "after foods ready wanna watch a movie and chill?"

I look up to where he's peeking halfway through the bathroom door "yeah I'm down, what movie you thinking?" this time he disappears completely and I hear the shower turn on.

"I want something with guns but also a good story, like maybe divergent?" the water drowns out his voice but I hear just enough to piece it all together.

"Sounds great now hurry up"

"On it princess"

I stay sat on the floor still unable to move or get the annoying pounding completely out of my skull. It's insatiable this headache, how much did I drink exactly? because this feels like I might've drunk every alcohol on the planet.

What I can't process the most is that just like that me and Max are back to being friends.

So much time has passed and yet it feels like he never left. Like I've always had him in my life, I missed him more than I would ever admit.

"So what we thinking? pancakes? eggs?-" he asks as we head downstairs, together this time and I would be lying if I said I was looking forward to this, to seeing him all over again but I told myself I would just ignore him till the sun sets and after that I would erase everything out of my mind.

Especially everything Max said to me, especially that.

"Actually, I was thinking pizza. Remember that one time after we came back from that shoot out at the airport and you made that pizza?" I'm only a couple of steps behind him as we step off the staircase, I follow closely by turning the corner when he does and into a bright collider till finally, the kitchen.

The kitchen that has both Bane and Himiko in, they're both sitting on the kitchens island, drinking coffee together.

"Aww princess you're telling me you actually remember my cooking from that long ago?"

"Well your food is the best I've ever eaten-"

Bane lets out a deep scoff interrupting me. I was about to turn around and say something when I reminded myself I don't talk to him and I'm sure as hell not going to start now.

"As I was saying, your food is the best so please?" I smile at him, Max turns around smiling back.

"Okay okay pizza it is" he turns away from me looking at Bane "Morning"

"Morning" Bane replies short and simple not sparing a single glance at Max. His eyes are fixed on some papers he's reading. I'll definitely be having a look at those later.

"What, no good morning to me?" Himiko bites at Max "everyone seems to have gotten one besides me what's up with that hmm? Mia?"

Everyone in the kitchen freezes at the sound of my name. I turn around meeting her very specific gaze, it says so much that I even smile a little. She's jealous.