The Rise Of CuteGuy

Free

Scar pov

When we landed, I was reluctant to let him put me down, but he gave me a look that was both firm and gentle, and I knew I couldn’t keep holding on. I hated the thought of letting go, of him disappearing again. But I had no choice.

When I woke up the next day, I was back home. Alone. No sign of him, no trace he had even been there. It was as if the entire night had been a dream. The ache in my chest was worse than any bruise from the fight. I hated it. I hated how he always managed to slip away without a word, leaving me behind like a forgotten fragment of his chaos.

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the sunlight filtering through the blackout curtains. My vex features tingled faintly, a reminder of how intertwined they were with who I’d become, but it didn’t help. What was the point if he wasn’t here?

I wanted him here. Not just for one night or one rescue—I wanted him to stay. To know he’d be there tomorrow. To feel that chaotic, unpredictable presence grounding me again. But that wasn’t how he worked, was it? Cute Guy always flew in and out like a storm, leaving nothing but memories in his wake.

I sighed heavily, rubbing my face. There was no time to dwell on it. I had a meeting to get to as Hot Guy, another day of playing the role, saving people, and pretending I wasn’t falling apart inside.

Pulling myself together, I dressed quickly, strapping on my gear and grabbing my bow. The mask felt heavier today, like it was mocking me for the lies it helped me tell. Still, I wore it because that’s who I had to be. Hot Guy. The hero. The one everyone relied on.

But deep down, all I wanted was for him to be there. For him to step out of the shadows and tell me he wasn’t leaving again. For him to remind me I wasn’t alone.

I didn’t want to admit how much I missed him, but it was written in every move I made, every thought that clouded my mind. The meeting felt like an inconvenience compared to the ache in my chest.

"One day," I muttered under my breath as I stepped out the door. "One day, he’ll stay." But for now, all I could do was keep moving forward and hope that day would come sooner rather than later.

I was already dreading this meeting—not just because of last night’s ordeal, but because I wasn’t in the mood to be around people. Everyone was already seated when I arrived, and to my surprise, there was an empty seat next to me. It threw me off for a moment, but I didn’t dwell on it.

Xisuma was waiting for someone else to arrive, and no one seemed to know how long it would take. So, I tuned everything out, pulling out my phone to scroll through news feeds and distract myself. The articles were boring, as usual, but at least they kept my mind busy.

That’s when the room went quiet. The chatter stopped so abruptly it was almost eerie. I furrowed my brow, still focused on my phone, until I felt a pair of gloved hands gently cover my eyes.

"Guess who?" came the familiar, mischievous voice I hadn’t realized how much I missed.

I froze for a split second, my heart skipping a beat before I managed to find my words. "There’s no way—" I started, only for the voice to cut me off with a soft laugh.

"Oh, there’s definitely a way," Cute Guy teased, his tone light and playful as ever.

I reached up to grab his wrists, pulling his hands away just enough to glance back at him. He was grinning like he didn’t just leave me hanging for what felt like forever. The sight of him—chaotic, confident, and completely unbothered—was enough to make my annoyance melt into something warmer.

"You’ve got some nerve," I said, trying to sound stern but failing miserably as my lips twitched into a smile.

"Miss me?" he asked with a dramatic tilt of his head, plopping into the empty seat next to me without waiting for an invitation.