Afterlight (Fanfiction) ✓

chapter twenty

Chloe

MY mind was a storm, fragmented pieces of thought spinning in every direction as I tried to figure out the next move. The morning had been heavy, the kind of weight that presses against your chest and doesn't let up. Cleaning the wreckage in Justin's house helped a little, like piecing together a puzzle I wished I didn't have to solve.

After most of the chaos was dealt with, Justin insisted I shower and rest. I had no fight left in me to argue, and he eventually joined me for a nap. His steady presence was grounding, but when sleep finally came, it was shallow and fleeting.

When I gave up trying to sleep, I slipped quietly downstairs. The living room and kitchen still looked like a crime scene, and the weight of it pulled at me. Justin didn't want me touching it—he made that clear with every kiss he planted on my temple whenever I tried to tidy something or with the way he'd pluck items right out of my hands, insisting he'd handle it.

"Rest," he'd say, his tone firm but soft. "Just leave it."

But how could I? This was his home, his sanctuary, and now it was reduced to this. The chaos felt personal, like a message aimed directly at me for daring to still breathe, for daring to stand beside Justin. Or maybe it was because of us.

I wandered into the kitchen, gripping the back of a chair as I set it upright and slid it under the table. I'd just moved onto the next one when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Hey." Justin's rasp cut through the quiet, his voice heavy with the remnants of sleep. He rubbed one eye lazily with his finger, his hair messy and his features softer than usual. For a moment, he looked so young, almost untouched by the weight of the world.

"I told you, we'll clean this later," he said, stepping in front of me. His lips brushed my cheek in a kiss, soft and deliberate. "I want to take you out for lunch."

"Are you sure?" I asked, hesitant, my fingers lingering on the chair. "Wouldn't it be better to just finish this now?"

He shook his head, sliding his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. "I'm hungry, and I know you must be, too."

His reasoning was hard to argue with, especially when my stomach gave a soft grumble in agreement. "Okay," I relented, tucking the last chair neatly into place.

Justin smiled, his tiredness melting away for a brief second as he grabbed his keys from the counter. "It won't take long. Just the diner, then back here."

His smile was contagious, and I couldn't help but match it as he disappeared upstairs to grab his wallet. I turned toward the bathroom to brush my hair, catching my reflection in the mirror. For a moment, I allowed myself a small, amused smile, biting my lip as I thought of him.

But the moment didn't last. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him descending the stairs, rubbing his temples. Something about the way his shoulders sagged made my stomach clench.

"What's wrong?" I asked, stepping closer.

"My wallet's gone," he said flatly, his tone a mix of frustration and resignation. "Someone from Venom must've taken it."

I frowned, the words sinking in. He wasn't just frustrated; he was calculating. Before I could ask what he planned to do, he grabbed the car keys and opened the front door.

"Are you going to get it?" I asked, my voice wavering slightly.

He paused, glancing back at me. "I don't have a choice," he said, his tone softening. "But you'll have to come with me. I can't leave you here—not after what they did." His gaze swept over the broken furniture, the mess that still lingered like a shadow.