Interesting (AfterDeath)

Chapter 22

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Geno P.O.V

I sighed softly after Reaper left, waiting for a couple of minutes, then walking out of the cell, heading straight to Ink's office, letting down the act that I had been keeping up for years, allowing my tears to fall down my face freely.

I hesitated, then knocked on the door to Ink's office, and was answered quickly with a slightly door-muffled 'come in'. I pushed the door open hesitantly, greeted with the sight of Ink working on a small stack of paperwork. I stepped into the room cautiously, hands deep in my pockets as the door swung shut behind me.

Ink glanced up at me, and his eyes widened.

"Geno! What happened?" He yelled out, jumping to his feet.

"I dunno," I mumbled sarcastically, staring at the ground, tears dripping down my cheeks. "You tell me.  It's not like I was pressured into breaking up with my boyfriend or anything.  That couldn't be it." I couldn't be bothered trying to hide the fact that we were dating, if only for less than an hour.

Besides, more guilt points.

Ink gaped at me. "This is because of Reaper?!" He shouted incredulously. I looked away, shoving my hands deeper into my pockets.

Ink crossed the room, and attempted to hug me, only to have his attempt dodged.

I couldn't trust him anymore.

He used to be like a brother.  Actually, he might have been, too, if only Error hadn't made an appearance near the top of the list of the country's most wanted criminals, and Ink had decided to say no to the proposal, 'because of his job'.  Because a cop and a criminal couldn't be together, no matter how strong the bond, no matter how much they loved each other - that theory had been denounced.  A cop and a criminal could be together, they just had to be either very, very secrete, or the cop could run off with the criminal, essentially becoming a criminal themselves in the process - and so, they had broken up. 

Ink had still continued to be like a sibling, but not anymore.

I couldn't trust him.

I felt like I couldn't trust anyone anymore.  Ink, someone I was so close to I had almost considered family, had betrayed me, and Stretch, my closest friend had left me with my abusive ex to go to a supposed meeting.  Supposed. 

If the people closest to me would do that, what could everyone else do?

So yeah, I wasn't in the right headspace to trust anyone.

Well.

Anyone but Reaper.

Ink took on a hurt look, then sighed, looking away.

"I guess you're right not to trust me," he said quietly, "I did just blackmail you into breaking up with your boyfriend."  His mismatched eyes widened at what he had just said, as if he had only just realized it's truth.

"Oh shit, I blackmailed you into breaking up with someone less than an hour after you got together with them... Shit-" Ink dumped himself in his chair, burying his face in his hands, looking so despondent that I felt sorry for him.

I opened my mouth to say something, then realized that I had nothing to say, and closed my mouth again, fiddling with my scarf slightly.  I coughed softly, and Ink's gaze snapped towards me, a cold expression settling on his face.

"No matter," he said, almost emotionlessly, the tiniest bit of regret showing through his voice.  My heart dropped, and I fixed my gaze on the ground, knowing that it would be pointless trying to guilt trip him now.

"I believe your needed at your post in the southern cell block," he stated coldly, still with the tiniest little bit of regret in his voice.  My heart dropped further.  He had changed my post.  I was previously patrolling the northern cell block, where Reaper's cell was situated.

This would make it just that much harder to escape.

I gave a stiff nod, turning away from Ink without another word, moving to the door swiftly.

I sighed heavily when I opened the door, wiping away my tears hastily as I exited Ink's office, forcing my act back up, a slight seemingly genuine smile appearing on my face, as if by magic.

'Just keep smiling.'

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Ink P.O.V

I sighed heavily as I watched Geno leave, internally cursing myself for being such a dick, but knowing that it had to be done. I groaned, banging my head on my desk repeatedly.

I just didn't want Geno to have his heart broken, then stepped on, then thrown away. I didn't want him to have to do that to Reaper, either. 

I didn't want him to have to make the same choice that I did.

He had already been scarred by love. Physically and mentally. Having to break Reaper's heart further on into a relationship would probably kill him.

A criminal can't date a cop.  Simple rule of society.  A harsh rule, but a rule nonetheless.

I had learnt it the hard way.

Falling in love with Error was painful, to say the least.  I loved him, more than anything in the world, but I had to keep putting my job before our relationship, and Error, after a long while, had started to do the same.

When he had proposed to me six years into our relationship, he was one of the most wanted criminals in the country, and I had just got a position as chief of police. 

I loved him so much, but in the end, love is trivial. I had had to say no.  I had to put work first. I had to put my life first.

I'll never forget the way that Error's bright, hopeful eyes dulled, his smile dropping, expression turning scarily neutral, then his slight, pained nod as he turned and walked away from me, leaving the small velvet box at my feet.

I didn't want Geno to have to make that decision, so I had made it for him.

Maybe I had made the wrong decision, maybe I had made things a thousand times worse, but hey, when you make a choice, you have to commit, you have to follow through. 

Because maybe you don't get the chance to make another, better decision.

Because maybe you don't get another choice.

Because maybe there are no second chances. 

Because life is no video game.  There is no reset button.

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Soorrryyy guuuyyyss--

At least this one didn't take two entire weeks, I guess .-.