Alive

14

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~~~~~~⚫️Chapter 14⚫️~~~~~~
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Koda strolled through the decaying city as if he were out for a pleasant evening walk, hands casually tucked into his pockets, his gaze drifting over the destruction around us like he was admiring the view. I tried to keep up with him, biting down my frustration as he seemed to bask in the chaos like it was paradise. Every so often, he'd glance over his shoulder, smirking as he caught my expression, a spark of amusement lighting up his dark eyes.

"So, what do you think of the new neighborhood?" he asked, waving a hand toward a shattered building, the walls streaked with black ooze. "Bit of a fixer-upper, but it's got charm, don't you think?"

I shot him a look, my hands clenched into fists. "Charm? It looks like something out of a nightmare, Koda."

He shrugged, unfazed. "You always were a bit of a pessimist. Gotta appreciate the little things in life, you know?" He kicked a piece of rubble with a casual flick of his foot, sending it skittering across the ground. "Maybe a touch of goo here and there, but hey, no place is perfect."

I could feel my patience slipping with every step, his nonchalance grating against my nerves. He wasn't taking any of this seriously, and it only infuriated me more. As we passed a pile of twisted metal, he looked over, raising an eyebrow with that ever-present smirk. "You've got that look again, doll face. The one that says you're plotting my demise."

"Maybe I am," I muttered, glaring at him. "I just... I need answers, Koda. Not... whatever this is."

"Oh, this is just a nice evening stroll with an old friend," he said, giving me an exaggerated wink. "C'mon, admit it—you missed me. Bet you couldn't resist the chance to get all cozy with me again, could you?"

I rolled my eyes, feeling my frustration boil over. Before I could stop myself, I reached out, grabbing the collar of his surprisingly clean shirt and yanking him down so we were face to face. His smirk only deepened as I glared into his eyes, refusing to let go.

"Listen to me, Koda," I hissed. "I don't know what happened to me, to this place, to anything. So if you're done with the jokes, maybe you could actually help for once?"

He didn't look the least bit intimidated. Instead, his gaze sparkled with amusement, his mouth twitching with the urge to laugh. "Feisty as ever," he murmured, leaning in closer until his lips brushed my ear. "But if you wanted me this close, doll face, all you had to do was ask."

A blush crept up my cheeks, but I shoved it down, refusing to let him get to me. "Koda, I'm serious. Just tell me—"

"Now, now," he whispered, his voice dripping with mock sympathy, "patience is a virtue, doll face. Let's savor the moment, take in the sights. Who knows, maybe you'll grow to like the ambiance." He pulled back with an infuriating grin, and I had half a mind to slap it off his face. But before I could respond, he slipped out of my grip, straightening his shirt with a casual flick, his smirk never faltering.

"I swear, Koda, if you don't start giving me straight answers, I'm going to—"

"What, doll face?" he cut in, chuckling as he continued down the street at a leisurely pace. "Rip my shirt? Shout at me? You wouldn't be the first." He winked over his shoulder, and I felt my fists clench again, the urge to throttle him growing stronger with each step.