Boundaries

When the Darkness Comes.

"We're going out." I inform Jo after prancing up the stairs like an excited schoolboy.

She looks up at me from her French textbook, her brow raised. "Out?"

I roll my eyes and laugh slightly. "Yes, out."

It's understandable that my suggestion was quite surprising, given that Jo and I had barely gone out in the past few months. Even if we did, we tried our best to stay out of London or within the crowds.

Things had seemed to calm down, the gang making less and less headlines and Seb's shadow seemingly disappearing from over our heads.

Our safety wasn't going unnoticed, but I wanted Jo to feel as normal as possible with me.

I could tell she was going crazy from only going to work and school majority of the time.

We were like broken records, and I knew Jo hated it.

I on the other hand, couldn't care less really. I've spent most of my life secluded from the outside world, but when you're in love you have to do what's right for the both of you.

"Where are we going?" Jo asks, a small smile spreading across her lips.

"I'm not telling you." I hum in amusement.

Jo's features fall. "Oh Hero, nothing crazy please."

I abruptly shake my head. "Nonsense, Jo. I just got paid today. And it was a mighty fine paycheck if I do say so myself."

When Jo seems unphased by my attempt at persuasion, I move around the coffee table to sit next to her on the couch. "Come on, Jo. I'm finally making money that I rightfully earned. I want to treat my girl to a night out. Please?"

Jo lets out a heavy sigh. "Aren't you worried?"

I shake my head truthfully. "I don't think it's fair to live the rest of our lives in fear. Not when we've worked so hard for our happiness. And your happiness is the most important thing to me."

With a soft smile and a heavy sigh, she leans in and presses her lips to mine in a quick kiss. "I'll be ready in twenty."

I jump up off the couch in excitement and race up the steps to the loft to get ready.

***

I try not to overthink tonight too much as I finish with my hair.

Where were we going?

What if we got caught?

Why did Hero tell me to dress up?

Why isn't this one section of hair curling?

After placing the curling iron down on top of the sink, I gently run my hairs through the tight curls to loosen them up. Then I braid back a section of my hair before slipping into the hunter green dress I chose. It was very similar to the one I wore to my first art show, but much simpler and less revealing.

"Can you grab my black strapped heels?" I call to Hero from the bathroom.

"Which ones?" He calls back to me.

I laugh slightly and open the door. "The black strapped ones."

"They all look the same to me." Hero huffs after a few moments of what I could assume were him looking for the heels I was asking for.

"They're the only black strapped heels I have." I inform him.

After a few more moments, my heels are suddenly dropped in front of me from the loft above. I glare up at Hero who had an amused expression on his face. "You break them, you buy them."