I'M YOUR PUPPET; invincible

chapter 3

    "I wanted...to say that I was sorry."

    He hears how her breath falters. Even from where he stands, even in his achingly human body, he hears it. How she stills; contemplates the truth of his words. If there were even true after it all.

    Finally, he turns.

    Finds her standing in something so abnormal to his eyes. Normal, civilian clothing. She had not come for a fight. Not that he had expected one, per say. But he had not expected for her to appear as she did—open. Almost as human as him.

    Her expression tightened, shoulders drawn back. Still, she said nothing.

    "I am sorry," Cecil repeated. He wished to step closer, if only to show her the truth in his words. But he did not—he knew her. Knew how she would react to the slightest movement at a time where, he knew, she would feel threatened by anything.

    "I'm sorry for placing you in the middle of something you had no bother being in. And I'm sorry for what I said."

    "You've already said all of this," Loren muttered. She crossed her arms over chest, looking around the empty park. Bare of people. "That night, you apologized."

    "And I needed to apologize again."

    "Why? Because you need something?" She shrugged. "Hm? Because you need me to kill someone again?"

    Cecil sighed. "Because I need you to know, before it all goes to shit like it always does, that I never meant for any of this. Not with you, not with Mark, not with any of the others." He took a hesitant step closer, his foot hovering over the ground for a moment. "And...you're right. I do need something from you."

    She huffed out a breath, looking away, then. Jaw clenched; wound tight.

    "I need you to act as our calvary. When the Viltrumite's return, you are our last defense." He looked closely at her. At the slight thrum of energy visible beneath her skin. "Our greatest weapon."

    Loren shakes her head, still refusing to meet his gaze.

    For so much of her life, she had heard those words. Had been told them as if they were to be her religion. Her driving force in every breath she takes. But it had never been that way—not really.

    Perhaps, in the beginning. When it was all new and amazing. But not now. Not anymore. Not when every breath she took shattered her reserve. Not when it exposed her to every near chill and bite against her skin, the thirsty mouths of others waiting to dig their teeth into her and suckle.

    She despised it. Hated that she had allowed herself to become so...available. At every beck and call of those looking for her power and violence. It was why, she knew, that she fought so hard for Oliver's youth. For his childhood. She had been so naive when she convinced her father that this life was right for her.

    Surely, she would live for centuries. But this life would be the reason she died.

    "I always am, aren't I?" She found herself saying aloud. It was hardly even a question anymore. More of a thought that she had never had the will to answer. "It's going to kill me one day, you know. All of this."

    She turns her gaze, then. Finds Cecil's.

    "Yeah," he hummed. Almost sounding sad. Or something akin to it. "Yeah, I know what you mean, kid."

    Loren nods absentmindedly. Hardly even recognizes that she does it.

    She lets loose a sigh. "Well, call me if you need help, I guess. You always do."

    She turned, then. Walked away feeling the tightness in her chest grow. An ache that had never eased. Not since her father died. Not since she truly touched the depths of her power.

    She does not know how long she walks for. Not really. Just that her feet carry an unrivaled ache and that the burn in her eyes has only grown worse.

    It is only until she spots a silhouette of a familiar figure in the distance that her pace slows, that her arms fall from where they were crossed over her chest.

    "Mark?" She echoed into the dimly lit darkness.

    His expression was set in a frown, though it was not one of frustration. Just tinged with the slight edge of concern.

    His entire body eased as she grew nearer to him, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Hey." His eyes scanned her face, taking it in. Reading her in ways that only he had ever been able to. In ways that only he would ever be able to. "What do you need?"

    "Nothing," she murmured, shaking her head. "Just you."

    Then she is in his arms, just as much as he is in hers.

    And for that moment, that small space somewhere in Chicago, their world feels quiet.

Long time no see! It's been a good minute since I last updated (clearly), but I have been enjoying my summer break and internship as much as possible. I also didn't want to put out a chapter that I wasn't confident in or happy with, so I definitely took my time with this one and made sure it was what I wanted it to be!

I think I'm happy with this chapter (?) and am mostly anxious to get into the second half of season 3, because that's where the best parts are, in my opinion! I have so many ideas for it and actually have it planned out almost completely, so I am definitely looking forward to writing more and seeing people's thoughts!

Thank you to anyone who has stuck around and been patient with me, I appreciate you so so so much! I hope you enjoyed, BYE!