The Real Villian

Year: 4055; Day: 84

{Author's song of the chapter: Cardiac Arrest - Bad Suns}

Comment your song for the chapter ;-)

<><><><>

I woke up to someone nudging me in the arm. I groaned and rolled over. Maybe it was Javi, telling me I was going to be late to BC.

"Hmm, Mr. Whatshisface won't care, let me sleep, Jav," I mumbled.

I heard a soft laugh. That doesn't sound like Javi, I thought with a small frown.

"Unfortunately, sweetheart, I think Mr. Whatshisface does care. We should get going," Lake's voice drifted to me. I groaned again and rolled onto my back, finally opening my eyes.

Lake was staring down at me with delicate concern. I squeezed my eyes shut and furrowed my eyebrows. "What time is it?"

"Not sure, I can't tell time like you do."

I mumbled a string of colorful words underneath my breath. "Isn't that something everyone should know?"

"Not really," he murmered, "Usually people don't run away from a place with available clocks, gramlets, commins."

I huffed and finally sat up. My eyes squinted against the brightness of the setting sun. "It's about 18:00:00."

He frowned a bit, but nodded. "Sorry for waking you up. I thought it was later."

I shrugged. "We should start to make a plan anyway."

A grin lit up his face as his head bobbed up and down. "I already came up with one, sweetheart."

"Really?" I eyed him wearily.

"You don't believe me." He had a teasing edge to his voice, and I rolled my eyes. "Either way, I do actually have a plan. We sneak back into The City, and disguise ourselves as a married couple. We find an abandoned suburban house and change our names or something. Then, this is the best part, we live happily together."

Before looking up at him, I murmered a few things under my breath and pursed my lips. "The disguise may work, but have you been ignoring everything I've said up to this point?" I gave him an icy glare.

He chuckled and put a hand on my shoulder. Changing the subject dramatically, he said, "Galaxies above, how did I manage to fall for such a beautifully brave girl?"

I felt a tug against my heart. "I'm not too sure," I whispered.

His head tilted to the side. Putting his left hand on my face, he leaned towards me. Our lips connected and I felt my self gravitated to him. Everything about him just felt right, and that was a terrifying thought.

I could never love him. I knew that, deep inside my brain and heart. He was meant to be another pawn, another step, just someone who can help me along the way. But being here with him right now, proved to me that things didn't always go as planned.

We were both breathing heavily once I finally broke the long kiss apart. He had a smirk ridden on his face and his electric eyes were dancing.

I choked out an exasperated laugh and said, "I could really go for some food right now."

He smiled and nodded. "Agreed."

We talked over a plan for going back into The City. He was still glued onto the idea of us being a married couple. I told him that it wouldn't work because they could recognize us, and we were clearly not twenty yet.

"No offense intended, but you look old for your age," Lake said.

I threw him a harsh glare. "And you look like a forsaken young teen."

"It'll be fine," he cooed and rubbed circles in my back.

"It feels like you're trying to distract me to get me to do what you want."

"You're quite perceptive." He removed his hand and laughed. "So what are we going to do?"

I shrugged and just leaned into him, putting my head in the crook of his neck. He gently put his arm around my shoulders and softly rubbed my arm. I wish I could just stay here forever, I thought. Would it really be that bad? I looked up at his face. His eyes were closed and his face lacked any certain expression.

I'd have to leave him at some point, and that thought was drilled into my mind. My eyes flickered to his lips. I could still feel them on mine just 100,000 seconds earlier. I closed my eyes as well. The feeling of his warm body, holding me up, was tearing me apart.

I'd have to leave him.

Or maybe I didn't. I set my jaw and sat up straight. I could do this with him at my side, not? We could be a power duo, always balancing each other out and being each other's halves.

"If I'm going to let you in," I whispered into his ear, "can you promise me you won't leave in the process?"

A look of confusion drowned his face. His eyebrows were knit together, but he still nodded. "Of course."

I gulped and put my head back on his shoulder. It still wasn't enough. I felt his pulse beating slowly and evenly. He was a living, breathing person. I had to be prepared to lose him, and then move on without him-- no strings attached.

Was that even possible anymore, though?

I thought of how old romance novels always described the emotion of love as 'falling'. I understood what they meant now. It felt as though I was falling for Lake, with no one to catch me and no way to get back to the top.

"It's dark out, should we get going?" I heard his low voice wake me out of my daze.

I opened my eyes and glanced at the sky. It was, indeed, dark. "The stars are beautiful tonight," I said in awe.

He nudged me in the stomach. "Like you."

I groaned and stood up. "Yes. We should get going."

"So, Mrs. Gitti, what's the plan?"

I shoved him lightly. "I thought we decided against that."

He shrugged with a cocky grin lighting up his face.

I glanced into the distance. We could go into neighbouring Cities, but the chances of us even making it to a house alive were unlikely. Assuming they didn't kill us on the spot for wearing opposing colors, they may not take us in after abandoning our former city. It would take us as traitors, no matter which way the scales were tipped.

"Our chances are better with our City," I told Lake.

His jaw clenched and he nodded. "I'm aware."

"Should we go?" My voice sounded uneven.

"What's the plan again?"

I told a run down of what we were going to do. We were going to sneak into one of our houses and get things like food, clothes, and necessities from there. We would most likely sleep there as well.

The next morning, we would do our best to disguise ourselves. If our plan until then had somehow succeeded, we would go to City Port and hopefully hack the computers. New orders would go out to Authorities, and we would be in charge.

It was definitely out there, but one could hope, right?

"Ready?" I asked Lake.

His expression was stony and cool, but there were flames in his eyes.

"Always."

<><><><>

In my head, around this point there should be some huge plot twist but I feel like the story isn't developed enough for that :( I really want to play around with their relationship some more & stuff hahah

Anyways, I think I'll start updating consistently. Say, every Monday? Idk. Something like that, let me know :)

Thank you for reading!! We surpassed 100 reads which definitely seems small, but to me it's an accomplishment 💓

Please vote & comment!! I'd really appreciate it 💘
-K xx