Emeralds and Roses

Only One Can Remain

Lloyd couldn't deny it the nights he spent out on his balcony with Y/N had started growing on him. At first, it was more of an awkward exchange between the two, like fate had decided to taunt them both by conveniently placing them in the same place at the same time. It was all a cruel joke on him, the universe was trying to show him something whether that was the fact that he could never uphold a relationship because of his job title or maybe that she was different. Either way, he began to crave the nights they spent out in the cold burning the midnight oil and talking like they'd been friends for years.

Now he was sitting on the cold tile of his balcony, stars littered the sky but he sat in silence. There was no longer a presence beside him, no longer the sound of giggling as he told a very bad joke that only one person could have found funny. No... She wasn't there anymore how could she have been when he had condemned her to her own doom merely an hour prior?

Lloyd lifted his hand to his face at the feeling of something tickling his cheek and his vision started to grow blurry.
Dear god am I crying?
He asked himself when his hand touched liquid that was running down his cheeks and dripping onto his shirt. The irony was unbelievable, He had come here to find Zane but instead, he found the last thing he even knew he wanted
Love
Was he really willing to admit that? He'd never say it out loud but somehow Lloyd knew he loved her. He could feel a connection in some way he wasn't sure what yet but it was there. Tugging on him, telling him that if it ever came to him choosing between himself and her? He'd choose her... Every single time he'd choose her.
"oh god-" he hiccuped as another sob raked through his body while he tried to hastily wipe the tears away.

It was a sad morning, Lloyd was the first to show up at Y/N's suite and he could see her bloodshot eyes and puffy face right as she opened the door. Without even a second thought his hand reached to cup her cheek. The two were standing mere inches apart and the air around them grew sickeningly thick.

She tried her best to force a smile, for his sake, but all it did was cause another tear to slowly slip out of her eye but Lloyd was already one step ahead of her wiping it away with his thumb. Even like this, she was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. She might've been an emotional wreck but in his eyes, she'd never looked more like...
Herself
She had his heart in the palm of her hand, he wasn't sure if she knew but he did, he felt it every second he spent with her and he wanted to share it but now wasn't the time. "you ready?" he asked shakily and all she could do was muster a nod. Reaching for her hand she flinched away looking around skittishly "What if they see?" she whispered almost like she was scared. Y/N had already lost her brother she didn't want to lose Lloyd too he was all she had left aside from Tox but even her best friend had been changed by this tournament.

She'd become selfish, she was willing to do whatever it took to win which meant she'd even sacrifice Y/N if push came to shove. The two walked together, slowly, basking in the serenity that came with being in each others presence and Lloyd glanced down at her every few seconds his mind racing just like his heart.

They'd been through thick and thin together for the past few days, their bond growing stronger and Master Chen noticed. That's why when they reached the bottom of the stairs and found that they'd be competing against each other Lloyd nearly hurled.

How?

Why?

So many questions were reeling through his mind but there was no time to get answers as they were immediately escorted to the arena. Chen must have had some sick sense of humor because he didn't just pit the two against each other but set them up to fight in the same arena that Cole and Jay did. Lloyd could see Y/N slowly breaking even more on the inside and he went to reach for her but was pulled away just as quickly and pushed into his cell awaiting their inevitable doom.