Lies are petty. But I understand secrecy. Secrets are necessary. But… there are instances of life when knowing that isn't enough. Because when lies hurt you and make it all seem like a play… you need to break the fourth wall and show how you'd deal with the truth.
Toni and my fists greet each other. But the fist-bump lie was gone now. Now it meant the actual need for breaking the other's bones. The determination on her face was now clear to be one lusting for blood.
Red sparks… her whole self feels like red sparks. What could that mean? It was neither Season, nor Toni. Or anyone else I had met. She was her own definition and only example.
"So we are doing this?" Toni asks me.
I look at her… what else did she expect? Even if I weren't on a different side than hers… she was a villain.
"I only want to break your bones. Not this furniture," I say.
"Yes good, then we are on the same page. The furniture is costly."
"You should know."
"You seriously think that's what we do?"
"Oh such comradeship you show. Brilliant. This is interesting."
Toni chops at and bends my arm with her other hand and bashes into me – and I punch her upper arm to the sides. She falls towards the couch but with her balance and me grabbing her, stops her fall. Instead I throw her to the ground.
"You of all people…" I say, still not able to collect my words.
Toni moves up and jabs to my chest – flinching me backwards. She then puts her palm to my throat to choke me. As I attempt to move my arm and grab her – she pushes the choking hand's elbow to one and pushing away the other from her other arm she puts her hand behind my neck.
What the heck kind of move was this?
"The spine of you to realise who I am and know who you are, and yet wait for me here. As if you can do something! I'll rip this spine out!"
"Oh you ripped me to collect something attached to this spine. I'm sure you want to explore more."
"A penis is NOT attached to the spine!"
I hold my breath and bash my head into her – so she lets me go. But I feel a choke in my throat; she sure has a strong grip.
"You could've been a fucking teacher then!"
I kick my foot towards her stomach and she holds my leg and twists her own at the top of mine. She tries twisting her foot to press it into my gut.
"And what about you? Can't even be a fa-"
A knock resounds from the door and we both freeze to look towards it. And another knock comes. We look at each other and see the realisation in each other's eyes… if it were just knocks, no callouts or opening with keys… it was Skott. And to confirm, I hear Black-one's bark.
"I had sent Black-one away with Skott. For a walk…" I whisper.
"Because you can't fight me in front of the dog?" whispers back.
"I didn't want him to catch the whiff of human flesh."
"Oh because a dog who cannot feel pain can surely defeat someone like us," Toni says, and I glare at her. "Fine, sorry. Let's…"
And we both stand normally while adjusting ourselves. Without a word we go to the door, together, and open it.
"Hi," Love says, with a little nervous smile up her face. She looks besides me, at Toni – and tries to smile more, but fails.
"You… are you okay?"
"Yes I… feel good. Thanks to… Skott."
And Antonia had made sure about looking after Love's situation too. She looks way better now.
"Not a problem at all, Love," Skott says, then looks at us. "The real problem comes now. Scenario of debate. Menah waits."
We sit at the table while Skott holds Black-one on his lap and pets him – while Black-one happily puts his tongue out and breathes. Love looks confused of why Menah is having a serious expression up her face. Toni and I… sit next to each other, but make sure to have a wall.
"Give me the fucking dog," Menah says.
Black-one leaves Skott and climbing upon the table he goes towards Menah and sits upon her lap. She barely turns to him, but starts petting the top of his head very slowly – while staring at us all.
"My name is Love," Love says.
"I know," Menah declares… and awkward silence falls upon us again. "I hear you have a complicated life."
"I… am trying not to," Love chuckles.
"Oh you poor thing," Menah says, her expression filled with pity and softness. "How can we help you?"
"We need to find her an apartment space," Skott says.
"We have two apartments," Menah nods.
"Yeah, she can stay with us," Skott says.
"So you can put your dick in her, you perv? Not happening."
"Hey, I live with you. You're here too."
"And? Love, honey… stay aware with him. He gave Toni bhaang once and made her faint. You keep your eyes peeled with Skott."
"I'm NOT trying to… I have girlfriend!"
Menah looks at Skott… all of us do. And he just widens his eyes.
"More on that later," Menah says, and looks back at Love.
"I," Love says. "Want to stay with Toni. If that's okay."
Love looks at Toni, and Toni looks back… come to think of it, if Toni was Season… but Season… what exactly was the entire story here? Love clearly is being chased by the terrorizers – for suspicion of having killed Adleon. But Season… no. Why had she helped me back then?
"No but," Menah says.
"You take care of Black-one too," I say. "It is not just on us… we… need to stick together. It'll be fine for Love to stay with us… if Toni wishes so too."
Toni glares at me… and then looks at Menah and Skott.
"If Love feels comfortable with it… I'm okay. She and I can share the room."
"Then there's not much of a discussion," Menah nods, sighing. "Now, who is this 'girlfriend', mister?"
***
As we go back to the apartment… I feel a presence – surely someone had entered the apartment. So I take the lead and enter before Love or Varon does.
"Hello…" Antonia sings as I enter. "You left the door-"
Antonia pauses and watches as Varon just grabs my hand and takes me to his room – without even looking towards Antonia.
"Fine, I give you a chance to explain yourself," Varon says… and I only stare at him without an expression. "Just… go ahead."
"Oh no, otherwise what? You'll kill me?" I mock him. "I don't care."
"Toni…" Varon says. "Why'd Love choose to be with you?"
"Beats me. Ask her."
"You know what I mean. They are after her because Adleon missing. She shouln't be trusting someone like you – who worked for Adleon."
"She is dumb then."
"Can't you just…" Varon says, looking and sounding frustrated. "Level with me?"
"Level with you? So I have to fuck people on the street and be naked? Yeah right. Ain't going that low."
"That wasn't… how it looked like," Varon says. ""It was Blur. Since I fought Blur… I missed a part of my memory each and everytime, until… two nights ago. Though I did forget… the most part."
I see in Toni's eyes and realise that I was still at the wrong. What even was that reason?
"Yeah, Blur can do that," she says.
"What?"
"Her voice… it is mesmerizing. And controlling. She had no full control, but… yes. She basically… was threatening to even Adleon."
"Oh."
"I don't know why Love chose to be with me. It might even be to kill me. But she for one knew that I didn't want to be a mere puppet. Maybe that's why. But you can trust her. She is… okay. She has had a bad life is all."
"I see."
Awkward silence fills the air, and we just barely glance at each other.
"So… what…" I try to ask. "What are we now?"
"Under house rules," Varon says. "We can be just Varon and Toni here. But if I… when I… see you out there…"
"Sounds fair. Deal."
We just shake each other's hand, while barely looking into each other's eyes.
Adleon and Fro… that was different. But this… were the villains cursed with such roommates… oh, and Love now.
"Why did you choose me?" I ask, while laying my back on my bed… as Love, who has stopped now, unpacks.
"It feels safe with you. You never…"
"Cut the crap. Just tell me the truth."
"I will, but-"
Love speaks but she stop as my snake-like form wraps around her.
"Go o…n…" I hiss.
"Fro always doubted you. He let Mosquito do the spying and everything. But when Adleon took Mosquito randomly with him in the middle of the night…"
I relax my muscles and stand in front of her.
"It was my mistake then," I say. "But even when knowing that…"
"I told you… I hate being a slave to them. All this mess… it came out well. Now I don't… have to go back there."
"Who are you kidding? You wanted to rule them," I remind her, and widen my eyes as I realise the whole picture slowly with that. "Is that why you are here? So that you can get your chance with me around?"
Love states at me, and then looks to the floor. "I'm losing my powers."
---
(Speed) Pack fact 11:-
The suit which Einya King owns is what is keeping the story intact. In case of when Roach was in Einya's mind… she was mind-controlled back then. But here… the suit acts as an extension of Einya's powers and all this would just be happening – logically – in a fraction of a second, preventing Einya from being controlled again. But of course, in terms of a sleep, rest, and such scenarios… it is different and time would passby normally… or so we hope.
See you next chapter!