Curious [Nancy Wheeler X Oc]

-1-

The alarm blared behind him as he ran, causing him to let out a yelp and stumble his step slightly. They ran through the hallway quickly, ignoring the yells of an obviously distressed desk worker. They burst through the doors quickly, choruses of their own panicked rush ringing out around them.

He missed a step, almost eating shit on the cold cement below him. She grabbed at his arm to steady him, and he gave a curt nod in thanks. They didn't have time for anything heart felt as they jumped into the van, slamming the door closed before peeling off. It was no time before the cops were on their tail, trailing behind closely.

He felt like his heart was going to break his ribs from how violently it beat against his ribcage. He focused on taking deep breaths, closing his eyes as the others shouted around him. He entered a void only briefly, getting the faces and names of the cops behind him.

They shouted for him to do something, for her to do something, and in no time the cars came to a screeching halt.

The police officer had slammed his breaks after seeing the highway fall in front of him. However, he fell to his knees as his lungs burst inside his chest, his brain following, until finally he combusted in himself, frantic shouts and screams behind the group as they sped off further.

They cheered, celebrating yet another victory. However, he felt that twinge in his mind again- a small voice begging for a response. He tried to hold onto it, but it was gone before he had the chance.

He jumped slightly as she placed a hand on his shoulder- her 008 tattoo showing on her wrist. He covered his own subconsciously, the 005 disappearing from view. She smiled reassuringly, wiping a line of blood from his nose as it dripped slowly.

His head buzzed with the slight pain of using his powers, but the overall rush overpowered it, making him feel high. He laughed, falling back in the van and watching the sky fly past them in the back window.

***

351 days. And still not one response.

Lydia pulled at her hair in frustration, slamming her head back against her mattress. It seemed pointless now. Maybe she had imagined the whole thing- it couldn't have truly been Levi anyways. But before she could dwell in anymore self hatred, a sharp knock rapped the door. She jumped up, dropping her hands to her lap. They shook, and she hid them before her mom could walk in.

"You gotta go, Lydia. It's almost 8," she announced. Her voice was tired, and the black circles under her eyes stood as proof. She had taken two shifts at the store now, and her uniform was wrinkled on her small frame.

"Oh shit," Lydia muttered, grabbing her bag and throwing it next to her. "I'll head out in a minute. I just gotta do one more thing." Her mom nodded and left, closing the door quietly behind her. Lydia got up once she heard the footsteps fade and locked her door slowly so that her dad couldn't hear it. Then she uncovered her wrist and looked down, her heart racing.

And sure enough, the 004 was raised in her flesh again, turning pink as she stared at it in distaste.

***

Classes with Lydia weren't something Nancy looked forward to. Yet at the same time, they were the only classes she made sure to always be in.

The girls hadn't really talked since the night in the hospital. Nancy has left then, after Lydia had called the nurse and requested her to leave and be taken off the visitors list. Nancy had left a piece of her heart there in the dingy hospital room, but she had done it to herself.

Steve's kiss still lingered on her lips, rough in the way he always seemed to be when he kissed her. Lydia wasn't exactly gentle, but her kisses seemed more thought out and meaningful. Nancy bit her lip, hard. It wasn't the thing to be thinking about now, especially with said girl sitting right in front of her. She thought of writing a note and dropping it onto Lydia's desk, but rethought the idea. If the teacher caught that and read it aloud, Nancy could almost feel the hatred that would radiate off Lydia in waves.

Lydia, on the other hand, was in agony. She couldn't stop thinking about Nancy, but at the same time she couldn't let herself focus on the girl. Nancy had made it clear how she felt. Lydia just decided it gave her more time to figure out the Levi business.

She scratched at the inside of her wrist, dozing off slightly. She stared at the clock, willing it to go faster as she did so.

The bell rang its usual shrill tone, and she stood up quickly to get out of the class. She could smell Nancy's perfume behind her, could hear the smile in her voice as she jokes with another classmate. Lydia couldn't be out of there fast enough.

She hardly looked down at the flyer shoved in her hands; she knew what it was already. The annual Halloween party. Everyone would get shit faced, and that was how they celebrated instead of the usual door to door candy rituals.

She stormed down the hall, making it to the bathroom quickly and watching herself in the mirror. Lately her face hadn't seemed like her own, small things changing without her knowledge.

She focused in on a spot that was now clear that once held a small mole, rubbing the spot and taking in the foreign feel of the smooth skin beneath the pad of her thumb. It wasn't until the voice rang out, loud and desperate in her head, that she stopped.

Lydia.

Pain shot through her head, and she cried out as she slid to the ground. It felt like someone was pushing on her brain. The voice bounced around in her head as if it were a cave.

She tasted blood, and it took only a minute for her to realize a thick stream had found its way down her nose and pooled onto her lip, dripping metallic in her mouth.

She rubbed a wrist roughly against her nose, tears prickling in her eyes that she also rubbed away.

"Levi?"