no man's land || kgf (slow updates)

eighteen

SOUTH AFRICA
1971

Kill him. 

Don't kill him. 

It was an easy choice. She didn't even know why she was considering killing him in the first place. But there was something at the back of her brain. Nagging her to kill him. As though keeping him alive could get in the way of her plans. 

In fact, killing him, could push her several steps backward. So the option was obvious. Don't kill him. Ao then, why was she considering killing him? 

She huffed in annoyance. 

"Don't like it?" Jabari asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. 

She stiffened when she realized how close he'd come to stand behind her. So close that she could feel the gentle caress of his breath on her shoulder. 

"It was a wedding gift. Our wedding gift. An original painting by Raphael- " 

"Titian." She interrupted. Jabari paused, confused. 

"That's a painting by Titian." She clarified. 

"You like it then?" 

"I didn't say that." 

She did in fact like it. And that was another reason to kill him. 

"So you don't like it?" 

"Didn't say that either." She said simply, stepping away from the painting and turning away, she neatly dodged him and walked onto the other side of the room, stopping in front of another painting of tulips. 

It looked enchanting under the dim yellow lights. She couldn't help but marvel at the gold rays of the sun that almost effortlessly blended with the soft pink and white of the tulip's petals. 

"This?" she asked. 

"We found it on one of my expeditions." He answered, his voice sounded close, but not in an uncomfortable way. 

"What do you do? In your expeditions?" She asked, tilting her head as she continued to scrutinize the painting. 

"Everything." She rolled her eyes. 

So that's how it's going to be. 

"Everything as in?" 

"Trading." Plundering. 

"Alliances." Forced submission. 

"Acquiring rarities such as that." 

"Acquiring?" She raised an eyebrow. 

"Buying." He replied. 

"Did you really?" She asked. He stayed silent. 

"Is he dead?" 

"Maybe." She pursed her lips in disapproval. 

"Does it matter? If he's alive?" 

"Yes." She admitted, "pure talent wasted away." 

"That was the only painting of his. Did it for his wife he said." 

She scoffed, "that's a lie." 

"Why so?" he asked, and she thought she heard a bit of interest in his otherwise monotoned voice. 

"Has man ever been truthful?" 

"Can't say that for all men though." 

"Are you sure about that?" She asked, turning around to meet his gaze. 

He stood quietly, his grey eyes watching her as she walked towards him slowly. 

The calculated yet casual way in which she was looking at him and her slow steady pace at which she moved resembled a predator stalking its prey. 

"Yes." She cocked her head as though asking, really? 

"So i can expect you to be honest?" 

"Yes." He answered before she even finished it. And she almost smiled at how desperate he looked, despite putting on a facade of false boredom.

"Can i expect the same from you?" 

"No."

Ah, the irony.

author's note
 chapter because HELLO????
16K????
Y'ALL ARE CRAZY I LOVE Y'ALL
also, i swear these two are driving me mad with their one word conversations.
(not me saying that like i didn't write it- )
anywaysss
ellarum happy alle?
vote and comment karo <33