[HEY IF DEATH EJACULATES IS IT CALLED THE 'SWEET RELEASE OF DEATH'???

THANK YOU THIS IS THE QUALITY CONTENT Y'ALL SIGNED UP FOR I'LL BE HERE ALL WEEK.]

Stay Creepy, My Friends!~

Chapter 29

Reese's POV

Angel rushed at me too fast for me to comprehend how to counter her move, but luckily my body did all the comprehending for me. A split second before her fist made contact with my face, I ducked out of the way toward the right. I stumbled for a moment, dazed at what just happened. "J-Jesus," I started, "you're fast--."

I was interrupted by another speedy advance, and I caught wind of it this time. Instead of ducking out of the way, I shoved her arm aside with the bo staff, giving her a good smack in the process. Her face contorted into one of pain for a second, and I was about to apologize, when she kicked at my hip when my right side was open for attack. My legs buckled and I fell down onto one knee.

To my dread, Angel shoved her leg out for a front kick and I dodged it just in time. Quickly, I took this opportunity and hooked my bo staff behind her leg as she brought it back down. Just as she was going to stand, I switched hands and levered the staff behind her other foot, throwing her off balance. Now that she was on the floor, I raised my staff up and brought it down swiftly. Unfortunately, it didn't hit her since she rolled out of the way in time. Angel took a moment to get to her feet and so did I. There we were, standing, eyeballing each other to predict what we'd do next.

Rather than waiting for her to attack first, I took the offensive move and parried my bo staff toward her body. Angel kept backing away, just barely dodging my jabs with milliseconds to spare. She had enough of my rapid attacks and tried grabbing for the staff in mid air. Before she could latch onto anything, I spun my staff, then struck towards her lower back. Angel cried out in pain and surprise, and I almost felt bad for her.

"Told you it would hur--."

She suddenly charged forward and I barely had time to block her attack. Sadly, holding the staff horizontally against her didn't prevent her from slipping an undercut underneath. Her fist rammed into my jaw and I felt my teeth grit together tighter than ever. My head rattled and I was dazed for a second. My heart was pounding, and I wasn't sure what my body was doing. Before I knew it, I had landed another hit to Angel's shoulder, then against her hip, and her grunts echoed throughout the room.

Just as I was about to jab the staff into her, Angel countered it and batted it aside with one hand. When she came lunging at me again, I tossed the staff up into the air and quickly foiled her attack by landing a kick to her shoulder. While she stumbled back, I caught the staff and swung it into her side. She staggered to the left, and I flipped my weapon and hit her towards the right. Now that she had her front open, I lunged forward and landed a kick to her stomach, finishing my sequence of attacks.

Angel fell backwards, but swiftly leaped up to her feet and kicked up toward my side. I blocked her move using the staff, then blocked an incoming jab after that, then another and another. Rapidly, she shot kicks and punches at me and I barely kept up with her speed and grace. We traveled across the mat, sometimes stepping off it and stepping back on. It was a dangerous dance between us, and it was almost overwhelming. Only Artem has ever been able to fight me at this level, and he never intends to actually harm me. Angel, though... Whenever I can catch a glimpse of her face, I see the determination in her eye. It's like she's not even fighting me for the practice. The fire in her eye is nearly barbaric, and it was a different sight, and, surprisingly, I enjoyed it way too much.

Stepping up my game, I took the offensive lead again and parried at Angel's torso. She learned her lesson from earlier, so instead of continuously dodging my attacks, she rushed at me head on--something I didn't expect. Instinctively, I spun out of the way of her direction and got up behind her. I hooked my staff against the dark-haired girl's neck and held her against me. Anytime she struggled, I applied more pressure to her neck. All she could do was stand there and growl irritably.

"Do I suck now?" I grumbled, panting.

"I've yet to decide," Angel huffed before twisting her leg around mine and throwing off my footing. In that instant, she held onto my wrists, hunched over, and tossed me forward with minimal effort. I fell onto my back on the floor in front of her and she was able to yank my staff away. High above me, Angel raised up the sleek, black weapon to slam it into my body, but I caught it between my palms just in time, and I winced from the sting.

Turning the situation around, I took my staff back and smacked the end of it up against Angel's chin. She staggered back, groaning in pain, whilst I got to my feet and charged toward her. Making sure she couldn't get a hit, I twirled the staff in my hands and it became nothing but a blur in between us. Angel could only shift impatiently in her spot, analyzing me, trying to figure out a plan of attack. Now was a chance for me to catch a breather and assess her as well.

There's no doubt that Angel could win this fight. She's incredibly strong, quick-witted, and scarily determined. Her skill lies in her ability to take the offensive and plow through an opponent, but that doesn't mean she's blind to a situation. And considering her eye-patch, her sight is keen and her aim is accurate every time. Artem sometimes played the aggressor to let me get a taste at what it felt like to have to be defensive, but this was something else. Angel is a force of her own, surely capable of single-handedly fighting against multiple enemies, and bent on defeating me in this match. What I saw at the EDM festival seemed to barely scratch the surface of Angel's skills. But just because someone is offensive, doesn't mean I have to be defensive.

Faster than I even registered, I struck my bo staff down towards Angel's shoulder, but she blocked it with her forearm just in time. The pain was apparent on her face, but that didn't stop her from blocking the rest of my attacks with gritted teeth. To think she's still going strong when a bo staff hit has the potential to break bones. She's taking every hit like a champ.

Taking it up a notch, I spun and hit in intervals, mixing up the pattern so she wouldn't predict it. My plan worked since she was forced to only block and dodge to her best ability. In mere seconds, I reduced Angel from her offensive position to a defensive. Slowly, I was pushing her off the mat towards the back wall, and I knew she'd be forced to give up at that point. But, I underestimated the eye-patched girl.

Angel finally had enough and suddenly caught the end of the staff mid air, with one hand. I went slack-jawed knowing she had been able to acutely catch the staff while it had been spinning. She noticed my expression and grinned wildly at me as she yanked the weapon toward her, bring me along with. Her boot rammed into my chest as she kicked me away and pried me off the staff. I stumbled back onto the mat and watched her sweep the staff at my legs. At the last second, I leaped over it and missed a possibly match-ending hit. Unbeknownst to me, that had only been a distraction.

Suddenly, my body felt like jello as Angel tackled into my torso, wrapping her arms around my waist. Before I knew it, I couldn't feel the floor at my feet and was draped over Angel's shoulder like I was just a rag doll.

"F-Fuck!" I shouted. "Hey, wait--!"

Angel released a fearsome growl as she tilted her body down. All of the air in my lungs felt as if it had been sucked out of me the second my back hit the mat with a loud bang. My head was spinning and my stomach was in knots. The ceiling above me blurred in and out as I struggled to breathe. Angel's shadow crossed over me and I spotted her intimidating gaze out of the corner of my eye.

Before I knew it, she had gotten on top of me, raising her arm for what would be her last hit. As I prepared myself for another hit, I watched her gaze dart up and her expression went blank. I was confused as to why she paused in the middle of the fight. Nonetheless, this was an opportunity...!

Though my breath was still short, my senses kicked in and I managed to buck her off of me before she struck. She didn't fall over as easily as I wanted her to, but that was okay. I gave myself enough room to lift up one leg from beneath her and lock it just under her right armpit. To make sure she couldn't slip away, I gripped her right arm and tugged it tight. Quickly, I brought my other leg and hooked it onto her left shoulder. Then, using my legs and ab strength, I swung her down towards the mat and forced her into a triangle hold.

No matter how much she struggled, punched, or tugged, I wasn't letting her out of my grasp. I kept pulling on her arm, holding her thumb back so she couldn't use it. While I did that, I squeezed my legs around her head more and more, but not too much. I could easily knock her unconscious, though that's not the point of this match. I just need to let her know how serious I can get.

As the seconds wore on, Angel's struggling gradually decreased. Her face was pink from slowly choking, but I still didn't let up. Finally, she tapped on my hip and croaked, "A...A...App..les..."

Overjoyed, I let go of her and spread my limbs out onto the mat with a victorious howl. "Yes..! Hahaha!!"

Meanwhile, Angel rolled over onto her side, coughing and massaging her strained arm. Both of us just laid on the floor, staring up at the ceiling, panting from exhaustion. In a raspy voice, she commented, "Y...You could've easily...knocked me out there..."

"I wasn't going to," I said.

"I know," she murmured, "but still, you could've. That's good. If this were a real fight, you would've won. You don't suck after all."

"Did I suck to begin with?" I chuckled. She did too. After that, we shared a moment of silence as we finally caught our breaths.

"Hey, Reese," Angel started quietly. "If you do decide to join the army...I think you'd do just fine. This fight was enough proof."

"Thanks," I replied, not sure whether to feel proud of her compliment, or dread knowing she thought I was good enough.

"God damn," the dark-haired girl muttered, "I honestly wasn't expecting you to beat me, let alone so aggressively."

"I'm aggressive? What the hell was with you? It felt like I was up against a barbarian. Chill out," I remarked dramatically.

She laughed. "Alright, I guess I get too hardcore. Sorry."

"I mean, it was cool and all, but I'm surprised I didn't shit my pants, like--what the fuck."

Again, she cackled, holding her stomach.

"Hey," I began, "sorry about your inevitable soreness and pain."

"Yeah, sorry about your...everything, too."

I held out my hand. "No hard feelings, right?"

She smiled. "Of course not," she chimed. Gently, she took my hand and we shook on it. Suddenly, she twisted my wrist and I yelped in pain. Still grinning, she added, "At least not outside of this training room, that is."

"So that's how it's gonna be," I groaned, my arm trembling.

"Yup. Anyway..." She let go of me and sat up from the mat. While she got up, I cradled my hand and muttered a few curses under my breath.

Angel's hand appeared in front of me and I grabbed on. She helped me up from the floor, looking unfazed by the fight we had. I was already feeling the soreness, but made it a point to not let it show.

After I made sure everything was as it had been when we got here, I grabbed my jacket again and walked with Angel out of the room. After turning out all he lights and locking all the doors I had unlocked earlier, I headed for the front. Once the front door was locked again, Angel and I met up by the Chevelle, cloaked in darkness again.

"Need a lift home?" I offered.

She shook her head and said, "I'll be fine, thank you."

"It's not a bother..."

"I know, but I'm alright to walk. My apartment's not too far..."

Although I really wanted to give her a ride home, I didn't want to force my opinion. So I just shrugged and replied, "If you say so."

She smiled and adjusted her glasses. "Have a good night, Reese. I'll see you next week."

"See you, Ang." With that, we waved goodbye at each other and parted ways. I unlocked the Chevelle and hopped into the driver's seat; she walked away toward the street to get to the sidewalk.

As I started up the engine, I stared at her, still wanting to take her home. My better judgement got the better of me and I ended up driving the Chevelle over to a corner she had passed. But when I got there, I saw no one in sight. I clutched the steering wheel, confused on where Angel went and worried that she would be in danger. Then, I thought about the number she put on me in the training room. She should be okay in a hostile situation, right?

Sighing, I turned back towards the direction of my apartment and drove home, ready to return to the comfy embrace of my bed and crash out.

...

Elizabeth's POV

The cabin was quiet when I came back using the black, web-like substance. My body felt sore from the fighting match Reese and I had, but I could feel the bruises fading away already. The perks of being a demon girl, I guess...

Tiredly, I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. There was barely anything in it except fruits, water bottles, and milk for cereal, which I'm running out of. With my diet, I'm surprised I was able to fight Reese so head-on. He used a bo staff, for crying out loud.

I grabbed a water bottle and as I turned around I was greeted by Zalgo leaning against the kitchen counter.

Still don't want to think about my suggestion?

His grin was mischievous and, once again, I was too tired to want to bother with him.

"Not in the mood," I murmured as I drank some water.

Come now, my darling. Even you must want to discuss Reese's abilities. To think he beat you in a fight--without you using your magic, of course.

I glared at him. "He was only able to defeat me because you distracted me."

It isn't my fault you looked away from the skirmish. I merely showed up to observe. Besides, did you really want to win?

I shrugged. "Well, no, not really..."

Then? Admire the boy's intelligence to take that chance to smack you into the floor.

"Oh whatever," I grumbled, walking out of the kitchen. Although coming from Zalgo, the subject of Reese's skill in combat is something I didn't want to muddle over. But, truth be told, he amazed me. Seeing him get so fired up and maneuvering the bo staff with little hesitation had impressed me. It was funny seeing him so taken off guard at the beginning of our fight, but he adapted to me and ended up winning. Myself alone should've been enough to take him down (there's no way I'd ever use my magic on him). He beat me in a fair fight. He fought a Corrupted, I recall, and killed it. He killed it. The only human I've ever seen persevere so much would be Jeff... But Reese has persevered, and he knows so little about all the horrible things that lie underneath the surface of his reality.

Don't you find it a convenience that he wishes to go to the army?

Zalgo appeared by my side, walking with me, his hands behind his back.

"He said he was thinking about it," I corrected him.

But the idea is on his mind.

"He'll do whatever he wants to do," I said. "It shouldn't be my business to dottle in his affairs."

Hmmm... Yes, you are right...

Puzzled, I glanced at him with wide eyes. Just when I was about to reply, he continued on.

It would make a horrible impression if you were a nosy influence on him. Better to be humble and gradually persuade him--.

"My god, shut up," I hissed.

Annoyed, I stormed down the hall to my room. When I entered, I sat down on my bed, chugged half of the water, then put the bottle aside so I could fall across my bed. Staring up at the ceiling, I tried to empty my mind of everything that happened today. Usually, I have to do this in order to fall asleep, otherwise I end up having nightmares. Sometimes it doesn't matter, but it helps to calm me down. In these moments, my bed is one of the safest places I know.

As I laid in bed, trying to think of nothing, a thought popped into my mind that made me sit up. "Where's Caedis..?" I murmured.

With a groan, I got out of bed and left my room. I searched in the extra bedroom, then in the bathroom, then in the kitchen, and then in the living room. It took me five minutes of snooping around to figure out that the front door was slightly ajar. Panicked, I wondered if some hikers or campers found the cabin and tried to have a look, and then they found Caedis and he reacted how he's supposed to.

Hurriedly, I threw open the door and raced out, only to trip over Caedis' sitting figure on the front porch. With a huff, I fell onto the wooden floor and rubbed the knee that I landed on. Sitting up straight, I looked at him through the dark and muttered, "What the hell are you doing out here?"

I was able to make out the redness of his irises as he looked up at me. Sighing, I stood up and went to turn on the lantern that was set up beside the front door. When I turned around, I yelped at the sight of a dead rabbit in the mute soldier's lap.

Upon further inspection when I stepped closer, I saw that its neck was twisted--strangled. Caedis' hands lay limp on either side of the dead creature, almost cradling it. I could only deduce that he had heard the rabbit scampering around outside and...well... I can't tell how long it's been dead, from the way it looks. Fairly recent, is all I can guess.

"Did you kill it?" I asked him anyway. He nodded obediently.

Crouching down next to him, I added, "Do you have a reason why?"

He didn't respond at all.

Staring at the rabbit, I couldn't help but feel unnerved at its lifeless, black orbs. Even with the lantern emitting light on it, there was little-to-no gleam in its eyes. Dead. Strangled by someone who's just as lifeless only because he's mindless. Dead.

Though it wouldn't make a difference to the world, I got up and walked to the shed that was right next to the cabin. Inside were tools, such as a shovel, which I grabbed. When I came back, I unhooked the porch lantern from its hook and ordered Caedis, "Follow me. Bring the animal with you."

He and I trekked a few meters out from the cabin. After surveying the area, I found a suitable patch of dirt to start digging. Meanwhile, Caedis stood idly, holding the dead rabbit in his hands. For about ten minutes, I made sure I dug a hole deep enough for the rabbit, then stuck the blade of the shovel into the dirt beside it.

Pointing to the small grave, I said, "Put the rabbit into the hole."

Abiding to my orders, Caedis kneeled down and placed the rabbit into the grave. It lay limp in the dirt, its body suddenly creepy now that it wasn't alive--it's as if it's become alien.

While I shifted the dirt I had collected back into the hole, I explained, "You must not know what I'm doing, I'm sure. This is what we do when we bury something dead."

Caedis just stood there, watching as I heaved and patted down dirt.

"It doesn't make much of a difference, really. Burying the dead. But people don't like watching things decompose. They don't like watching something they once interacted with and loved and cherished becoming dust. So they bury them. Hide them away in the dirt they'll eventually become a part of. They don't like seeing them decompose, but they also don't like being reminded of what they'll become.

"You won't ever understand it, really, but everyone dies. All of humanity is equal in that they live and die. But they don't seem to want to feel equal, so they deny it. Everyone dies. Everything dies."

After I filled in the hole and patted down the grave into a faint mound, I turned to Caedis and continued, "This rabbit was just a rabbit. They don't have the same experiences as humans...but it had been alive. It was alive the same as I'm alive right now. And you're alive, too. You have blood pumping through your veins, and a beating heart, and a working mind. It isn't a conscientious mind,  but it is still alive."

When I walked up to him, his eyes held my gaze, so red and blank. Quietly, I said, "I wonder if maybe someday you can understand that. If you have a mind, you should be capable of using it, right? Although I know you'll never talk to me, I'll keep talking to you like this. It helps me. It feels like I'm doing something, rather than hiding away and pretending to be someone I'm not... You help me, even if you have fucked up a lot of things for me in the past."

The white haired man blinked once and that's all I waited around for. With the shovel and lantern in hand, I went back towards the cabin and listened for Caedis' footsteps behind me.

We reached the front porch and I returned the lantern to its hook. Too tired to go back to the shed, I left the shovel outside and entered the cabin. Caedis came in not long after and closed the door.

As I headed for my bedroom, I realized Caedis wasn't following, then stopped. Curious, I turned back and spotted him standing in the living room, staring at the bookshelves against the wall.

"What is it?" I asked, coming to stand next to him. His eyes kept gazing at a shelf in particular, so I skimmed my eyes over the book spines. There's no way he can read what they say, so why is he so transfixed?

"Which one are you looking at? Point," I commanded.

Caedis lifted his hand and pointed to a thin book spine. When I pulled it out, it was a children's book. At first, I wasn't sure what the significance of it was, but then I noticed it. The cover of the book had a child, a little boy, holding a stuffed rabbit. The title read: The Velveteen Rabbit.

Looking at Caedis I suddenly understood the reason for that rabbit being in his hold. But he didn't hug it like the boy is hugging the rabbit doll on the book cover. He couldn't have known he wasn't hugging.

I realized how he knew what the book was. A few days ago, I had him help me rearrange the books on the shelf with books that I actually kept. The Velveteen Rabbit is the only children's book I have with a picture on the cover, meanwhile all the other books just have titles. Pictures stick with him more, it seems.

Instead of putting the book back on the shelf, I took it with me to the couch and sat down. Patting the space beside me, I ordered, "Sit."

Caedis listened to my command and took a seat next to me. He still sat to attention, which bothered me, so I pushed him back so he looked relaxed. With the book on my lap, I told him, "I'm going to read you a story. You'll sit there until I tell you otherwise."

He nodded with basic understanding and stared down at my hands.

To my right, sitting on the arm of the couch, was Zalgo. Peering down at me, he grinned, bemused.

Reading the tool a bedtime story?

"Who said I was reading you a bedtime story?" I quipped with a scowl.

Zalgo rolled his eyes.

Clever.

"Leave me alone and let me read," I muttered.

There's no point to reading him anything. He won't understand. I don't know why you keep bothering.

Clutching the book tight, I argued, "You say that, but have you ever tried teaching him anything?"

No, because he was made incapable.

"He can learn," I stated. "He knows my full first name in sign language. I never taught him that."

Oh, he can learn practicalities, like cleaning, first aid, and, of course, killing. Physical activities. But he will never learn to truly think for himself, or build his own morals.

"But..."

His body is meant to be used by others, never to become its own user. His mind has no free will. He is a thing, a monster, and that's all he ever will be.

"Being human can be learned...," I protested.

Zalgo chuckled deeply as he pushed off of the couch's arm.

You are to be Queen of Chaos, yet you still praise the humans when they are nothing but disgusting, idiotic, bipedal monkeys with nothing to show for their supposed 'intelligence'. Just face it--they aren't as strong as you once preached. Not a single one of them. They don't deserve a pedestal; they deserve annihilation.

My nerves were thrumming with rage that I was afraid I'd tear the book right in two. Glaring at the former Lord of Chaos, I growled, "This isn't about the humans."

Then why are you so upset for no reason--?

"I'm upset because even when you're dead you still think you can dictate the fate of everyone!" I snapped. Shoving the book into Caedis' lap, I got up and stepped up to Zalgo.

"Who are you to decide that Reese should join my supposed army? Who are you to decide that Caedis is incapable of learning to be human? Who are you to tell me that I will be Queen?!"

Well, you are--.

"Do not speak when I am talking!" I roared. The demonic man shut his mouth.

"I'm tired of having to listen to your incessant chatter about what should be done, or how I should be doing things! You were never one to decide who I'm meant to be! No one is! Not those bullies I had, not those goons you sent after me, and not you! You have no more power, so you have no right to remain high and mighty and rule over me! I'm not a play thing; I am myself! And as myself, I decide my own fate and existence, and there is nothing you can do about it--!"

A searing hot, excruciating pain racked my body and I doubled over onto the couch. I clutched my chest, growling into the cushions to alleviate my stress. Caedis, after sitting still for so long, scooted closer and placed a hand on my shoulder. With gritted teeth, I managed to turn over and lift up my shirt to see what the problem was. I felt all the blood drain from my face as dread set in.

The mouth tattoo on my chest was writhing and snapping, glowing an angry, fiery red. Its voice began to hiss at me in my mind, demanding to be fed. I shook my head, distraught knowing what the only solution was. It seemed to sense my denial and sent another surge of overwhelming pain through me again. Rolling over, I screamed into the couch cushion, trying to overpower the voice screaming back at me.

Elizabeth, you forget that it isn't I that urges you to become Queen. You have no choice, my dear...

"Aaaaggghh! Make it stop!" I yelled, trembling.

You must feed to appease the mouths' hunger.

"I...can't..." I whimpered, tugging at my own hair now.

You must. And be quick, too. The pain is worse the more you prolong the food that they've already had a taste of...

And just like that, Zalgo had vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving me to my pain. That bastard...

Although it took a lot of effort, I managed to sit up. The mouth on my chest kept moving across my skin, a painful sensation that shouldn't have ever existed. It's as if a thousand needles are moving under my skin, boiling my blood, slowly paralyzing me.

Caedis just stared at me, awaiting a command. Feebly, I told him, "I'm fine... Sit there, like I told you..."

With shaking hands, I grabbed the book and held it close to me. Clearing my throat, I opened the book to the first page and began reading aloud in a strained, small voice.

After a few minutes, I began to cry, yet I kept reading aloud. Though I writhed and twitched, and whimpered and sniveled, I kept on going. Caedis sat silently at my side, watching me intently.

In my warbling voice, I narrated, "'Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. 'It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.'"

"'Does it hurt?' asked the Rabbit."

"'Sometimes,' said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. 'When you are Real you don't mind being hurt'--."

My body quaked with pain again, and I hunched over and wailed. On the pages of the book, droplets of my tears stained the paper and I weakly wiped them away with my sleeve. Continuing on, I read, "'Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,' he asked, 'or bit by bit?'"

"'It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand.'"

By now, the mouths on my right arm began to act up too, following the one on my chest. I grit my teeth and threw my head back, trying to resist the pain. The past several weeks that I've been without the mouths nagging me feel so distant now. I've forgotten how horrendous their torture is. Why do they need to be fed now? Why so soon?? I don't want to kill more people. I can't...

Utterly miserable, I set the book aside and leaned against Caedis to cry into his shirt. His body was too rigid to comfort me, but I didn't care. I clutched at his shirt and hugged him as I wailed against his chest, begging for the mouths to spare me for just this one night.

Glancing down at his hands, I got a desperate idea. Lifting my head to look at Caedis, I whimpered, "Listen...I-I need you...to do s-s-something for me... It goes against...your protocol...but p...please obey...."

He merely blinked his red eyes as he focused on me.

I gulped before mustering up the strength to command, "Knock m...me unconscious... F-Find a way--any way--but please...put me out of my misery..."

With trembling fingers, I grabbed his hands and placed them against my neck. "Strangle me...like you did the rabbit.... Please.... Caedis..."

Instead of enacting my demand immediately, he just stared at me and remained motionless. 

More tears welled in my eyes and I hit my head against his shoulder. "Caedis, please... Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please...! I'm too weak to do anything myself... I can't take the pain... Please, just listen to me...."

Still no response. My heart dropped and my chest ached with despair, then with the mouth tattoo's punishment. All I want is to not feel anything for this one night. That's all I want...!

Suddenly, I felt myself being lifted up as Caedis laid me across his lap. Gently, he held me close, cradling me. With a placid air, he touched his hand to my chest where the mouth was writhing. His eyes flicked up to meet mine for only an instant, and I could've sworn I saw a spark of understanding. His eyes were the last things I looked at before he gripped tightly onto my neck and squeezed.

Taken off guard, I fought it at first. My body tensed up as I pawed at his hand, and my feet kicked at the couch cushions. Staring up at the ceiling, I eventually learned to cease my resistance and lay in his embrace. My fingers and toes still twitched as the blood flow to my head gradually slowed. My tears slid down the sides of my face and into my hair, until I stopped crying altogether. Faintly, I heard the sounds of my own pathetic breaths and whimpers. Out of the corner of my vision, I saw Caedis staring down at me with that same emotionless expression on his face. For the first time in a long time, I was intimidated by him, but I silently thanked him for following my desperate command.

As Caedis squeezed my throat tighter and tighter, my breaths became shorter and shorter. Black spots developed in my vision, consuming the sight of the ceiling above. My fingers and toes twitched no more, and soon enough I couldn't feel a thing. The mouths went silent, the pain went numb, and my mind became completely blank. The only thing I could think of was being satisfied with this outcome.

Before everything faded away, I choked out in a quiet voice, "Tha-ank...you...Cae...dis..."

Finally, my mind slipped into the blackness and all I truly felt was security and relief.

...

Reese's POV

Again, another week passed by and Ben and I still haven't hung out. He still texts and calls me, but that's starting to not be enough. I keep asking him when he'll be available, but the answer is always the same: "I don't know".

As I expected, Mom and Hunter had wondered why I was moving around like an old person, all slow and careful. My body has been sore as hell since that fight Angel and I had. Artem never found out we had snuck in (thankfully), and Angel and I have gone about the week as if it never happened. For her though, it really does feel as if it never happened, because she doesn't walk around all awkward and stiff like me (though she's been more quiet and reserved lately...). From what I can see, she doesn't have any bruises on her wrists or face, which I would expect there to be. I wonder why... Meanwhile I'm still struggling to hide mine from my family.

It's another Friday. Mom closes at the jewelry store, so she won't be back until late. Hunter is working at the bar again, and won't be back until much later. For tonight, I'm home alone, in solitude, bored out of my mind.

It's been a long day, so I decide to take a shower to feel refreshed. Just in case Mom or Hunter try to contact me, I left my phone on the sink counter before changing out and hopping behind the shower curtains.

When I got out, I yanked a towel off the towel rack and dried off. As I shook out the water from my hair, I grabbed my phone and checked for messages. There was one. From Ben.

-Hey, are you at the apt??

Hanging the towel at my shoulders, I texted back: Yeah. Why?

-Alone?

I cocked an eyebrow, puzzled.

-Uh, yeah. Mom and Hunter work tonight.

A second later, the wraith responds with...

-Okay, cool...! I'm coming over.

I smiled, feeling eager. That is, until another text bubble showed up.

-Right now.

I froze. Right now??

Suddenly, the phone screen went white and I panicked.

Right now!!!

Without any regard to my phone's well-being, I dropped it on the floor and quickly wrapped my towel around my waist. To my luck, my timing was perfect as I secured the towel just as Ben's figure flickered into the space in front of me.

"Oh, my peanut butter cup!" he exclaimed joyfully, arms and head raised in excitement. When he looked at me, his wide smile faltered and he and I screamed in unison.

A wild, red blush slapped itself onto his cheeks and elfin ears as he covered his face and stammered, "Oh fuck, I'm so sorry!"

"You couldn't have waited?!" I yelped.

"I just really wanted to see you! But not like this!" he whined.

"A second sooner and you would've seen me naked, god dammit!" I chided.

"You shouldn't be ashamed of your body, Reese. Love yourself--."

"That's not the problem!"

"Thank god..."

"Ben!!"

"Reese??"

Face palming, I groaned, "Can I change??"

"You're perfect the way you are--."

"Ben."

"Sorry--I'm really nervous right now," he whined, still covering his face. Trying his best to leave the bathroom without removing his hands, he backed up into the door and said, "I'll wait outside."

Awkwardly, he fumbled with the doorknob with one hand and slipped out into the hallway, tripping and falling on his way out. I watched as his foot slowly inched its way out of the doorway, then the door finally closed. Sighing, I rolled my eyes and relaxed. Geez, that was a close one...

After I changed into clothes, I walked out of the bathroom with my towel around my shoulders. In the living room, I found Ben waiting on the couch. When he saw me, he stood up and said, "Hey! You're not naked!"

"Yes, and you're not a tomato anymore," I joked. Soft pink tinged his cheeks and he simply chuckled.

Smiling, I walked up to him and he didn't hesitate to hug onto me. With one hand on his back and the other on his head, I hugged him too and said, "I'm happy to see you again."

"Me too. Well, ya know, maybe we can not include what happened in the bathroom, but whatever!"

After I let go of him, I asked, "So, I take it you're free tonight?"

He nodded happily. "As soon as I knew I was on break, I got ready to come here."

Looking around, I said, "Where's the junk food?"

He paused. "Umm..."

"We were gonna hang out and eat a bunch of pizza and junk food, remember? You promised me."

His smile was giddy as he placed his hands at his hips. "Right, right, I did...!"

I smirked and cocked an eyebrow. "Are you breaking the promise, perv?"

"N-No! I'll go get stuff! You wait here and look pretty!"

Before I added a remark, he flashed away in an instant. Chuckling, I rolled my eyes and took a seat on the couch, waiting patiently for the wraith's arrival.

A few minutes later, he popped up in the kitchen and practically fell across the table with food in tow. As I got up, he scrambled toward me and said, "Reese, we have to eat quick!"

"Why?" I mumbled.

"Because I robbed a bank."

I stared at him. "You're joking, right?"

A smile cracked on his lips as he added, "Haha, yeah."

Just as I was about to reply and call him a dork, he interjected, "No, but I'm serious." Out of nowhere, he took out wads of cash from his pockets and I reeled back.

"Ben, why?? All you had to do was get snacks!"

"I got carried away."

"It's been five minutes!"

"It was five minutes too long. Now we're gonna have to run away together and live on a tropical beach somewhere, change our names to Pedro and Josh--I want to be Pedro--and then work at a night club where you'll be the handsome waiter and I'll probably be a stripper. Pack your things and let's go."

"First of all, why are you going to be a stripper?"

He looked offended. "Why not?"

"Second, we're not running away to anywhere."

"We're criminals, peanut butter cup. We have to."

"You stole the money," I countered.

He pressed the wads of money against my face and said, "It has your face oils now. It's evidence. You're a criminal."

"Ben."

"C'mon, we have to run away together!"

"Ben."

With a sigh, he slumped and said, "Okay fine. Next time."

"Return the money, you dork," I laughed.

After he had disappeared to bring the money back to whatever bank he had actually robbed (what a great way to start the night), he came back and motioned to the table, where he had put the food he bought.

"So on today's five star menu," he began with a fancy tone of voice, "we have pizza--extra cheesy, cheetos of the puff variety and hot variety, chips topped off with barbecue seasoning, ingredients to make decadent s'mores, because why not? For drinks we have our finest soda, soda, and more soda. And, to top it all off, for desert we have the world famous tres leches cake and..."

He yanked up a bag of candy and chimed, "Reese's peanut butter cups! Look, they're mini! It's like a bunch of tiny you's!"

"Wow."

"I know right?! It's adorable...!"

Smiling, I looked at the table and commented, "In hindsight, this is a lot of junk food."

"I promised you, didn't I?" he retorted.

"You did," I replied.

Looking at the table, he scratched his head and said, "Shit, it actually is a lot... No matter! Your brother will probably eat whatever's left."

"You're right," I agreed.

Clapping his hands together, he chirped, "Well, let's get ourselves into a food coma! Tonight, it's just you and me!~"

"I'm not sure if the both of us plus junk food is a good idea."

"Who said anything about being good?? This is you and me you're talking about here. Now let's go and play video games and watch movies and steal a car, or something."

Ben sauntered into the living room and crouched next to the game consoles. I leaned against the kitchen table and grabbed a pizza slice. As he kept waving around games, asking what to play, I couldn't help but keep a smile on my face.

It's good to have him back.