The Hunter and the Hunted ✔️

~•EPILOGUE •~

I wasn't sure how to compose myself. I was a little bit of everything on the inside. I was confused, hurt, still angry. Tired, more then anything.

One look at Colin made me want to cry, scream, laugh. Maybe that's just how our love was.

Love.

We've tried to kill each other how many times now? Two? Three?

They felt like simple things compared to what we've gone through. From our siblings being taken, to us being ambushed, to us running and hiding from every bump in the night.

It seemed like the world was against us.

And maybe it was.

But as long as we're fighting... as long as we stay rested against each other. Maybe we can fix what we broke.

Colin shuffled his feet. "I'm sorry, I—"

"Don't." I cut him off, not wanting to hear an apology. "You don't have anything to apologize for. If anyone does, it's me."

He sighed, tilting his head at me. I missed his hair. I missed his smell, I missed him. I hated how I sounded like a damsel instead of a hero. But the war was over. I could be weak, I could show weakness. And I think that made me stronger.

The Dawns praised strength. They praised pride, dignity. We should also praise the strength in being weak.

I wasn't the type to cry. But seeing Colin brought up things I hadn't thought about.

Our attack at Leslie's, how he was there after and during my father's death. How we held each other after the small battles spread throughout the past months.

"You don't understand, Eve." Colin put a hand on my cheek, wiping away a tear. I didn't want to say I was balling my eyes out, but tears fell. "I didn't believe you about my mom."

"And yet you showed me your neck. Because you still loved me. You wouldn't, couldn't, kill me." I put my hand over his, bringing it down from my face. "You were protecting your family."

Colin kissed my hand. "We're pretty fucked up aren't we?"

"Is that not okay? Because I can leave?" I started to turn but Colin grabbed my arm.

"No!" He smirked. "I love it. I love us. Even if others don't."

I wrapped my arms around his neck, standing on my tippy toes. "That's all that matters. We'll figure it out, Colin, together."

His shoulders shook as he collapsed us onto the ground. "I love you." He cried.

"I love you too." I sniffled.

We both needed a shower.

I looked up at the ceiling, the glass domed ceiling. Thank you, Polyphema. She gave me a second chance, a chance to redeem myself. And she gave her own up. For me.

Colin kissed my cheek. "I thought I lost you. I thought the last thing I would've said to you was, "Get the hell out of here. Don't come back."" He pulled a box out of his pocket. "My ash rose burned up when you... died. I kept its remains." He was so soft. I don't think he understood how the small things he did sent me wild.