I Am (Not) Your Hero

26

Starlette stared at the plate. She was covered head to toe, a scarf around her hair, sunglasses and a long dress. Misael was incognito too, white plants and a button down shirt with his own glasses.

Misael shifted uncomfortably in the too small chair with an awkward smile that'd flattened into a grimace. He'd gotten everything he wanted.

He'd never been more miserable.

It was because of her. That's what he kept concluding despite himself. It was because of her. Because she'd changed. Because she was better. Because she was more.

His eyes burned softly behind his lids as he took a deep breath.

"You okay?"

His eyes snapped open. She was perfect. Her hair, freshly done from the interview, down her back, framing her face perfectly. Her button nose wrinkled as she looked over the menu, her full lips somewhat pulled into her mouth, as she chewed on her lip pensively.

He forced a smile. "Of course I am."

She smiled back, and nodded looking back down at the menu.

She was a criminal. A thief. Someone who had nothing. Not even her own freedom. She didn't even have autonomy anymore, he controlled everything she did, and yet...

"What will you have?" He asked lowly.

She shrugged. "It's a steakhouse. I guess I'll have steak," she said softly. "Would you...want to share a tomahawk," she asked nodding to the open page on his menu featuring the expensive cut.

He glanced down at. "I can eat 6 of these. I'd have to eat 3 just to maintain my muscle,"

She raised her brow. "Of course. No wonder you eat so much."

He clenched his jaw. His muscles tensed. He closed his eyes again, feeling that all too familiar heat. Calm down, Smite, He admonished himself.

"I'm sure you knew that though. You're a martial artist right? A gymnast. You know all about calorie intake." He mused.

His lavender eyes set on her fingers, curled around the stem of her glass as she raised it to her lips and took a sip.

She was so calm. So peaceful.

"Well it's better to have a streamlined form for the things I do. But the kind of fitness you'd need to do to earn that physic? I don't know much about it."

He smiled tightly.

"How is it? The wine?" He asks softly.

She shrugged. "I'm no wine connoisseur either. It's nice,"

Smite stared it. "I can't really get drunk."

Her eyes widened. "Seriously?"

He nodded. "Nothing strong enough. I was...once poisoned. Belladonna. Felt like being drunk, I think."

Starlette widened her eyes. "Who poisoned you?"

Smite went silent. Why had he said that? The more she knew about him the weaker he was. She was intelligent, coiled her hands around the softest parts of him and squeezed. Whether she knew it or not. He had a sneaking suspicion she did.

But he would fight it back. The delusion she was struggling to uphold. That she liked him.

He reached out. And put his hand over hers. She glanced down at it and smiled before looking up at him. Her heart beat didn't rise.

"A friend," he mused. "But enough about me. Everyone knows about me—"

"I didn't know that," she said quietly.