Past Lives (Dark/Damien x Reader)

sɪxᴛᴇᴇɴ: ᴀ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴡᴀʟᴋ

"So, why did Los Angeles put you up to the case?" Celine asked, looking around the neighborhood with alertness and intensity. Not the type of ferociousness that would put someone on edge, but more like it was one of curiosity and wonder. Had she ever walked this way to her home? As a matter of fact, had she ever walked to her home? She seemed far too entitled to walk down the street, but she was doing so without complaint.

"Why do you ask?"

"I'm trying to make small-talk. Walking down the street to my house takes forever, so I figured that you'd like to have a conversation."

'Huh. That's why then.'

"Do you walk down the street often? You know, to get to your house?" (Y/n) voiced her thoughts. Celine shrugged.

"I used to. For the most part, I just spend my days indoors and keep myself cooped up in my house. Everyone thinks I'm a nutcase, so I don't really do the whole 'friends' thing." She explained, earning a nod from the woman walking beside her.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I don't have a whole bunch of friends."

"At least you have some."

"Well, it wasn't always like that."

Celine glanced over at (Y/n) who was now looking down at the ground. She seemed to be lost in thought for a moment.

"What do you mean? You have Tyler, don't you?"

"And I have Ethan, my partner at the firm." She added, receiving a scoff from the short-haired girl.

"Two is better than none, (Y/n). Trust me." She reiterated, running a hand through her black hair to get it out of her eyes.

"I'm just telling you that I've been in your position before. Not now. Luckily, I've found some people that genuinely care about me, but it took a long time for me to realize that I needed people that surrounded me with positivity."

(Y/n) lifted her head back up, now making wavering eye contact with a curious and slightly frustrated Celine.

"You know, distancing yourself from others won't change your loneliness. Pets won't fill the hole either." She added, causing Celine's neutral face to scrunch up slightly, "You need to get out more and let loose. It's not healthy for you to be alone. Isolation will drive anyone mad."

Celine scoffed as she proceeded to adjust her t-shirt out of her sweaty pits. California days were never merciful, especially when someone decided wearing a black shirt.

"I've tried that." Celine replied, losing the rebellious tinge in her voice as it melted into something of sadness or regret. Upon hearing her own voice, the petite girl seemed to snap herself out of the funk she was evidently forcing herself into. She didn't want a simple attorney to be the person that ended up getting to her. How ridiculous would it be if (Y/n) was the one who ended up helping her— the one that took away her inheritance; the one who helped her remember how much of a disappointment she was to herself and her family. She wouldn't let the girl win, if that was the case.

She coughed a bit, trying to erase the tone that she had before from her own voice and (Y/n)'s observant mind, "Nevermind what I said. I'll get over it."

(Y/n) let out a heavy breath, trying to process Celine's words through her head to make sense of it all. From what Celine had went through within the past couple of days, it was only understandable for the onyx-haired woman to be a bit apprehensive of her. Technically, she was the one who was taking away her home. As convoluted as the situation was, (Y/n) could sense the obvious distaste that Celine had for her. She would have to give her time to warm up to her presence. She didn't want to be too overwhelming, but she'd have to see if Celine would come forward at her own pace.