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4. Game Over

I watch in fascination as the marks begin to move and form different shapes. I know that Seith is messing with me; I don't think he ever even stopped. Because each time I see Riley, it gets harder and harder not to just let the marks take over and spill his blood. I've also noticed the familiar apathy that always comes before I kill, but I can't find it within myself to worry about it.

But of course, apathy would make me unworried. That is how apathy works after all.

The small smile that slips onto my face must attract Riley's attention, as they glance my way, but they ignore it as usual. I know my behavior towards them has changed since we first met, but they seem intent on pretending that things are fine. I, however, am not.

I take a deep breath in, biting the inside of my lip as I watch Riley's gaze move back and forth over the bottles. Images come to the forefront of my mind of them grimacing in pain, holding their stomach while blood seeps between their fingers, and I feel my heartbeat accelerate with a building adrenaline.

I slowly stand up from the bed, my fingers twitching in anticipation as I try my best to hold in an excited smile. I take a step closer to Riley, then another, and another, until they finally turn their attention to me, and I feel something in me being let free - snapping almost.

The marks rush to cover my hands in anticipation of the kill, like they know what's coming and can't wait until it does. As my fingers sharpen into claws, Riley's eyes widen, but they're already too late to act.

One of my hands buries itself into their stomach, blood trickling down my arm slowly. The other moves towards their face, where I place my pointer finger on their lips and whisper with a vicious grin, "Shh...we wouldn't want anyone hearing your screams and coming to stop us, now would we? After all, the party's just started."

Riley opens their mouth slightly, as if to say something, but I quickly tear my hand out of their stomach, making them gasp in pain as I move my other hand to cover their mouth and keep them from talking. "I guess you're not too good at listening to orders. Being royalty and all, you probably only give them," I say, slowly dragging my clawed finger down their cheek and drawing blood. "How...obnoxious."

I study Riley's face for a moment, how their unshed tears make the light reflect off their eyes, the way the blood slowly drips down their face, the confusion hidden underneath the pain and the betrayal. Betrayal? This isn't me betraying you. I have nothing to betray. No, nothing.

'"Collin, are you okay?" Riley's concerned voice calls my name.'

Concerned? Why should they be concerned? I've done nothing to earn that from them. I don't deserve their worry.

'"How are you feeling?"'

Why do you care? I should mean nothing to you, so why...?

Riley blinks, bringing me out of my daze as I shove them violently away, making them hit the wall with a loud thud before sliding to the floor. I grip my bloodied wrist with the other, trying to hold myself back and control myself, but the frustration building inside me is just begging to be let out. So I crouch down and grab Riley's collar in my fist, tugging them forward harshly and making our foreheads smash together painfully.

Why? It's on the tip of my tongue, that one word, all I have to do is say it and I'll have my answer, but my lips feel frozen in place as I stare into Riley's pain-filled expression. They open their mouth slightly, their ragged breathing more apparent with our closer proximity, and just barely manage to say, "Collin."

And just like that, the spell is broken.

My grip on Riley's shirt loosens and they slump back against the wall behind them. I blink a few times to try and clear my vision as my mind comes out of its blood-thirsty fog, and only then do I realize just how much Riley's bleeding. I rush to tear strips off of my shirt, but their hands quickly cover mine, making me look up to see their reassuring smile.

"It's okay," they say weakly, and already, the tears are trickling their way down my face.

I shake my head slightly, my voice shaky as I say, "No...no, no, no, I- I hurt you, you're bleeding and- and-"

"Collin, it's fine." I shake my head again, but Riley's having none of it. "I'd be an idiot not to see that it wasn't really you."

I bite my lower lip to keep it from trembling but fail horribly. "No, but, Riley you're- you're."

Riley nods slightly, though the action seems to hurt as they wince. "I know...I know. But, Collin, I forgive you. Okay? I forgive you." Riley gives one last smile before a coughing fit racks their body, making them spit up blood and taking all their remaining strength with it.

My mind is blank as I let their hands slip away from mine, but I immediately stand up and turn around when I feel a familiar presence in the room.

~~~~~~~~~~ Seith

I can't help the vicious grin that spreads across my face as I take in Collin's blood soaked appearance, and I revel in the way he flinches back from me as I take a step closer. But the body behind him has my smile faltering slightly; except for the large stomach wound and a scratch on their cheek, the princling's body is disappointingly un-mutilated.

Still, Collin killed them, and that's all I need to play with his pitifully fragile mind.

"Nice work," I say, stepping closer to him. When he doesn't flinch again, I tilt my head curiously, noticing the slightly blank look that he seems to be giving me. I reach out, gently resting my hand on his shoulder. When he doesn't react, I lean forward, softly whispering, "How does it feel to kill someone who was only trying to help you?"

Collin takes in a short breath, almost a gasp, and my smile returns as I feel his shoulders tense. I lean back only to see his eyebrows scrunched up in confusion that quickly turns to anger. "I hate you," he says, almost a whisper, but his pitiful statement is nothing but empty words, if the tears in his eyes are anything to go by. "You made me do this. You made me kill them." I watch in fascination as the marks around Collins wrist begin to turn once more.

"And what are you going to do about it, huh? You think you can fight me? You think you can win?" I laugh lightly as his face falls. "You are nothing. Always have been, and always will be. And you will never, never, be able to beat me."

There's a pause, the tension building in the room balancing on a needle point, then he laughs. It's small, and I almost don't recognize it, but it's there nonetheless. Collin laughed.

"Maybe not," he says, "And maybe you're wrong." He looks up, staring me straight in the eyes for the first time in years. "Because I know how much you like your tricks and games. So, what if I take those away from you?" My eyes squint in confusion, trying to figure out what he's thinking, but I've never seen him so brave before.

Collin smiles and my eyes widen as his fingers sharpen into claws. I go to grab his wrist, but he's too quick.

Even though his eyes are squinted in pain, Collin's smile remains. I don't bother catching him when he stumbles back and falls to the ground, his shirt turning more and more red by the second. Between his sparse breaths, Collin manages to say, "Gotcha."

And he closes his eyes one last time.

Dun Dun Dunnnnn...

In all seriousness, this actually made me cry a bit when I first wrote it. Now (quite a few months later) I can't help but laugh cuz damn did Collin have some fight in him.