merciless

PURINESIO

25

There is silence.

An image in Andrea's brain of Petra wearing her crown of dusty black roses. Hands crawling up her body, begging for forgiveness, for their eternal pain to end and Petra, her eyes cold and unforgiving.

How can that be the person before her, sitting next to her bed in ill-fitting clothes and biting her lip worriedly? It seems like day and night; but, then again, day and night are only two sides of the same coin.

"I-I don't understand," Andy croaks. She doesn't know what to do with her hands so she starts to pick at her sheets.

"I don't expect you to," Petra says. She is eerily calm, but inside she's shaking intensely, calling for her sisters in her mind.

"You're...a goddess? What bullshit is this?"

Petra clenches her fist, taking a deep breath. She doesn't know why she expected a better response from Andy. She is only a plebeian, after all. How could she possibly understand anything that reaches beyond the realm of her one-room apartment?

"Yes, I am. And it's not bullshit."

"Prove it."

Petra grinds her teeth.

"You'd think the body count I've left on your miserable dirt would be enough; but no. Nothing is ever good enough for you filthy, disgusting animals! Well, you know what? I'm fucking done. I don't want to fucking be here, but I got kicked out and I can't go back because apparently my father-Hades? You may have heard of him? He wants my head on a fucking stick. You don't believe me? Fine. I'll find somewhere else to stay. But I'm done with people underestimating me."

Petra turns for the door, fire licking at her fingertips. If Andrea only know the blazes she could start with her tongue, maybe she wouldn't be so unwilling to believe her. Maybe she wouldn't still be in love with that goddamn Pearl.

A warm hand on her shoulder causes her to turn on her heel, eyes and fingertips still blazing and teeth grinding themselves to a powder.

Andy's sweet eyes immediately calm her, a sort of tranquilizer. She hates it-she wants to be angry at everything.

"Look, I understand," Andrea says in her goddamn silky voice. Petra clenches her fist, averting her eyes. This won't happen. Not now, not here.

"Petra?"

"Yes?" Petra croaks out, scraping dirt from under her fingernails.

"Please stay with me. I like having you here! Truth is, I always used to have the worst nightmares before you showed up-but now that you're here, you make me feel safe and they've gone away. So please stay, if only for me."

Petra blinks, her heart beating fast and her eyes blinking rapidly. Everything is fast but it feels slower than the River Styx and maybe that's why it takes her so long to realize;

She's falling in love.

"Shit," she whispers. Andrea smiles, her teeth glittering in the fluorescent hospital lights as she yanks on her hospital gown, giving Petra a glimpse of the scars covering her body. The scars she now wants to trace for hours.
Before she can breathe, her lips are touching Andrea's and she's wrapped her arms around her waist like she's a doll, a toy. Andy doesn't push away, both of them slowly catching fire.

Petra feels a heat by her shoulder and looks down, only to find a tiny flame where her fingers once were. Andy notices, giggling as Petra blushes.

"S-sorry."

"You're adorable," Andy mumbles, kissing Petra's cheek.

Petra falls in love like dying- she's there, and then she's gone. And right now, she's so far gone.

I couldn't wait any longer. Yeah it fuckin happened it was fast-paced and awkward so ya better deal w it and let my kiddos live!!!! love u bye bye also one-shot winners anounced on day of the dead bc it's my fave fuckin day