"You're…you're okay with this?" Asher asked his girlfriend after he'd sprung the plan on her. "Are you sure?"
"Of course," Priya replied with a light smile. "I'm relieved, if anything."
The young man had just explained to her that they would have to separate for a few weeks and pretend that they were no longer together. While Asher entered a police witness protection program, Priya would have to keep her distance from him with the ultimate goal of getting Passion Princess to eventually leave the both of them alone. To Asher's surprise, Priya was actually taking the plan better than he expected.
"It's not like we're breaking up for real. I mean I'm going to miss you, Boo, but if it gets that psycho off our tail then I'm all for it," Priya explained.
"Oh thank God," Asher sighed with relief as he took his girlfriend's hands. "I love you, Priya. Again, I'm so sorry that I got us all into this."
"Why? As much as I tried to blame you at first, none of this is your fault," the young woman chuckled. "I mean…who would have thought that Earth's sexy savior is a total stalker. I'm just glad that we at least have a plan now. That detective is really coming through for us."
"Yeah I don't know why he doesn't trust heroes, but whatever the reason, it's given us at least one ally in all this," Asher nodded. "Anyway, we should go pack. Rand wants us to get this done and over with as soon as possible."
Looking to his phone was all the urgency that Asher needed, as several new texts from that unknown number had been received since that morning.
"Loved cuddling with you, the fact that you managed to snooze in my arms tells me that you're more comfortable with me now," the first text read, followed by many kissy and heart emojis. "Not gonna lie, I wanted to fuck you under that bed, but I was a good girl and controlled myself."
The next text was a little more unnerving.
"While I was under there, I heard you on the phone with someone. You were asking them for help. Who were you asking, and why?" it read.
"I needed advice from my friend," Asher lied in reply, trying to get the overpowered heroine to drop it. "I think Priya is about to break up with me."
He got a reply back almost immediately.
"FUCK THAT WHORE. I'LL BE A MUCH BETTER PARTNER THAN HER. SEE??? ALL SHE DOES IS BREAK YOUR HEART, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN WITH ME FROM THE BEGINNING. I'LL SKIN HER IF YOU WANT ME TO, BECAUSE NOBODY HURTS MY ASHER. YOU'LL NEVER HAVE TO LOOK AT ANOTHER WOMAN AGAIN WITH ME, I'LL BE THE ONLY ONE YOU'LL EVER NEED. I'LL FUCK YOU SO HARD THAT YOUR MIND AND BODY WILL BELONG TO ME FOREVER, AND—
Asher stopped reading the text and put his phone away, shuddering at the aggressive response. This cemented the fact that he had to flee as soon as possible.
He and his girlfriend finished their packing within the hour, where they both met at the apartment's door with their respective bags.
"The lease is paid for the next 2 months. Hopefully we'll be back by then," Priya explained. "I'm going to stay with my mom, you know she'd love that. I'll be somewhat honest and tell her about the witness protection thing with you."
"Cool, tell her that I say hey," Asher replied. "I doubt I'll be able to talk to you at all once I get to wherever I'm going, so—
Asher was cutoff when Priya wrapped her arms around him and pulled his head down to kiss him deeply. The two made out there in the doorway, expressing their love for one another and their still-burning desire.
"Just come back to me," the young woman smiled as she wiped a tear from her eye. "If that blonde bitch ever gets to you, know that I'm coming for her ass. I'll get myself superpowers or something, I don't know. But Priya Patil will not go without a fight."
"Two hotties fighting over me? Hmmm a part of me almost wants that to become reality," Asher teased, before receiving a playful punch in response. "But really, Priya. I love you, and keep safe. Hang out and relax for a bit, try to forget about me for the next few weeks."
Embracing one last time, the couple parted ways, with Priya first going to the elevator. Waving to each other from the hall, Asher sighed as the doors closed, leaving him alone. He'd miss his girlfriend, but a part of him was relieved. At least now she would be safe.
Returning to his bag, Asher grabbed a yogurt to go, before locking up the apartment and proceeding down the stairwell. Texting Detective Rand, the young man waited by the south building entrance behind the parking lot, waiting for 10 minutes or so until he could see the detective's beaten-up sedan pull into the complex.
"Fix your face, you look like a disowned puppy dog right now," Rand chuckled as the young man slid in the front seat next to him.
"I'm going to miss her," Asher said with a sniffle.
"Well we're only doing this to guarantee that there will still be a 'you' and a 'her'," the detective answered as he offered a flask to his passenger. "Drink up, son. Might shake the feel-bads away."
Not hesitating, Asher took a huge swig from the metal bottle, before recoiling at the taste.
"Is that…sour apple vodka?" the young man shuddered. "That's a total highschooler drink. I thought a grizzled old fart like you would be carrying whiskey."
"Life is full of preferences, son," Rand replied as he drove them out of there. "Now, have you ever heard of Chickpea Junction, Iowa?"
"What? Heck no,"
"Good. That's where we'll be hiding you."
As they went along, Asher's heart beat faster at getting more texts from the now-familiar unknown number.
"Where are you going? Who are you in the car with?" the first one asked.
"Fuck's sake, she's watching us now?" Rand asked as he gazed at the text, before swerving to avoid a stopping truck as he drove on carelessly.
"Yeah, ever since she got my number, the stalking has gotten really, really bad," Asher sighed. "I just have to assume that she's always watching and listening. What should I tell her about the case?"
The detective instructed that he tell little about the case, and only give small, insignificant truths. Passion Princess already seemed at ease when Asher revealed to her that it was Detective Clive Rand that he was riding with, where the heroine almost seemed to trust the veteran cop after how he'd played along with her attempt at "consensually" ravishing Asher at the park days prior.
"I think she bought it for now," Asher said as he set his phone down after giving his super powered stalker his story. "As far as she knows, I'll just be heavily working with the police."
"Perfect," Rand stated as he drove on. "Bet you can already feel a bit of relief, eh?"
Hovering high above the city, Passion Princess loomed over the policeman's car from a distance away, before holding her smart phone up to her ear as her long, blonde hair blew about.
"ANA, hack into the Graveport Police Department's case database and search for any ongoing cases that involve a paramedic named Asher Avril," the heroine asked the AI back at her base. "Check for third-party witnesses"
"Yes ma'am, I'm already inside," ANA replied over the phone. "Hmmm there seems to be zero results from such cases. There is, however, an Asher Avril about to enter the witness protection program. Their destination is classified."
"Witness protection? Does someone want my Asher dead?" Passion Princess asked as she clenched her free fist. "Better not be. I'll beat the shit out of anyone what gets between me and my Asher."