"All personality traits have their good side and their bad side. But for a long time, we've seen introversion only through its negative side and extroversion mostly through its positive side."
- Susan Cain
A/N: This chapter may be confusing for some. Please read to the end for better understanding.
"From what I read, this thing is quite dangerous if you don't kill it, " Theo spoke in all seriousness.
"W-What?" Athena blinked, head inclining to the side.
"That spider," Theo told her, leaning an arm onto the tempered glass of the car window while he rested his head on his fist— his hair causing the opulent watch on his wrist to get wet.
Athena tossed her head around, eyes hunting for the frightening creature. "Where the fuck is it?! Get it away from me!"
Sure enough— she caught sight of it— dead, all eight legs ripped apart, a black spot visible on her bright yellow shirt, and its body layed flat in an unnatural angle— right above her right breast, nipple to be exact.
Theo reached into one of the ebony drawers that were fixed just below the AC and pulled out several small burgundy silks before handing it over to her. "Use this, love, I'm afraid it might be poisonous if you touch it with your hands."
Athena slapped his hand away, making the silks fall from his grip, reprising this similar script back when they were both younger.
Of course, Theo didn't know that though.
This audacious, brazen traits that was oozing out of her hadn't come to an end yet as she shrieked childishly. "Why would you ask this princess to wipe a dead body off of her? You come do it!"
Theo had to give full attentiveness to both avoiding cars on the road and his date, which was quite a tough job, though being an expert in multi-tasking.
Moreover, it had been a long period of time since he'd last driven a car.
When Theo bent forward to collect the scattered silks, Athena added unmannerly, "Since you were the one that dirtied my gym shirt in the first place."
It was probably Athena's extraordinary luck that she had only been in this uncouth form in the presence of Theo. If it was any of the other Thieves, or even a person of the elites, she would have surely been decapitated, but she shouldn't forget Theo is still one of the most powerful man in the universe nonetheless.
Theo merely nodded, having nothing to retort or oppose. Whatever Athena— his current girl said was right, and that was that. "You're completely right. I should have gotten rid of it through the windows. I was worried it'd harm you and acted without thinking." He made a scan of his thumbprint near the car door as it popped up a little navy blue button and he pressed it gingerly, proving Athena— the real Athena inside, just how much of a boyfriend material he was.
Everything he handled, no matter alive or not, was with forbearance and very reposeful.
Her body unfortunately had a mind of its own ever since she had set foot into this limo as she crossed her arms and exhaled loudly, lips protruding. "What is that suppose to do? It's not like it will help my shirt become spotless you know."
Theo was known to always delay his responses for a second or two but he dragged this one for nearly ten while he adjusted the driver seat backwards with another press of a sparkly button.
With so much grace, he rose from his seat, leaving the wheel to fend for itself. "It won't, but it will help me while I tend to your needs, love."
The wheel continued to rotate of its own accord whenever there was a junction, giving Theo one less thing to worry about.
He took two pieces of silk and lightly grazed at where the dead spider was before pulling away a little, looking up at her with his eyebrows furrowed in concern as he
asked for permission. "Can I?"
The guilt that formed in his chest from recollecting how he had touched her inappropriately a while ago crescendoed. His hands couldn't help but went panicky and reacted on its own when he saw the potentially lethal spider, and for that, an apology was necessary. "I'm sorry if I had frightened you. I didn't mean it."
Athena's eyes were set entirely downwards, so low that her eyelashes were having contact with her skin every time she blinked. She was hardly even hearing Theo's apology as she was busy being too satisfied at his big figure squeezing in the centre of the vehicle.
It made her feel powerful— especially when the one who was at her feet was an influential man himself.
Yet, the voiceless, helpless Athena who was confined deep in the body that wasn't even hers anymore, wanted nothing but to pull Theo off of his position.
All of her negative reckons of Theo, being a sex predator seemed entirely miscalculated. He looked more innocent than a saint— than herself actually, though it wasn't really her who was acting like this, but she wasn't completely clueless of this personality that was taking over as well.
It was her past form— the repugnant side of her— the brutal, mischievous, fearless Athena Rose.
She was definite she had changed for the better, and she had proven herself right over and over throughout the years, so why was it reappearing again?
She wanted to ask Theo if he had any idea of what was happening but her lips were tightly sealed and wasn't hers to control.
Theo's knees were bent very weirdly just to fit there, his white pants might get dirty from being down there for too long, but he didn't bother as he meticulously wipe the unpleasant sight off of her.
He wasn't unfamiliar at all with removing dirt off of an object, thanks to his boundless benignity. He would help ease his servants, butlers' work by taking their job upon his shoulders whenever he could. "There it's done. As for the small stain, Joline and Veronica, my maids, can help with that. But, if you'd like, I can buy you new clothes when we arrive at our destination. They have some quite exquisite and superlative ones that I'm certain would suit your taste. "
Athena wasn't even acknowledging Theo's presence, let alone answer him as she stared out the tremendously tinted window, giving a flip to her hair.
A legion of water droplets flew out of her hair, clouting Theo's unblemished face in which he wanted to wipe them off with his sleeves but didn't. Surely, it was accidental and he didn't want her knowing he was bothered by it. He wanted her with him feeling as comfortable as possible, and that was already ruined by his improper behaviour.
All his perfect plans had went down the drain, all because of one spider— curse that spider!
Athena tightened her crossed arms, wanting Theo to leave her be but the solicitous man only took it as a sign of her suffering from the coldness. "This is way too high." He reduced the AC to a zero through a glass screen, tapping on it rapidly, afraid she would need to bear with the cold much longer if he'd wasted another second. "Do you feel better now?"
Athena again refused to answer. She had purposefully tossed her hair so that it fall and covered her face from him.
Athena— the amiable one—was still figuring out what magic or spell she was under, and while she was solving the puzzle, she much preferred this silence over her barbaric past character to snob about everything she saw.
Theo was the one who could do that. He had wealth, bewitching looks, good traits and everything else she didn't, so who was she to do that?
Silence is key, and she never appreciated that phrase so much until that moment.
Theo— the walking definition of tranquil, pacific, imperturble, unflappable— was facing awkwardness for the first time, since he believed he was usually the one who made others feel that way.
Being an extreme introvert surely didn't help at a situation like this when he wanted, needed a conversation to spark. Credits had to be bestowed to him for trying, despite it not being a good one. "Love, are you feeling alright? You can tell me if there's something bothering you. You worry me."
Of course, he wouldn't say that she had been acting...
Weirdly— was never a term he would use to describe a lover, so— different, was the more suitable one. Regardless, he would eagerly help her if she'd let him.
These few words hoisted Athena's lengths of attempts to break free.
Her lips were quivering, her body slowly turning to face Theo, her hands and legs didn't move an inch though, still fiercely crossed. Her very slanted, upset eyebrows told Theo she wasn't satisfied with him being here with her at all but he wasn't fazed, he saw through that forbidding look and knew she had something to say, no matter how unlikely it may sound.
"Theo, help me. Something is wrong." Her voice died in the end; it was breathless, desperate and it also was the only sentence the horrid Athena allowed her to slip before taking over again. "You've done your job cleaning. You can get the hell away from me now. You're way too close for my liking."
Her immature reprimands didn't reach Theo's ears as his eyes broadened. As fast as a speeding bullet, he clambered up to wind down all twenty windows of the limo— seeming to realize very quickly what was wrong with his girl.
Tatiana— his fiancé's creation from a load of special essential oils that could bring out unusual, animalistic, or even former habits to rise.
The aroma was only meant for Theo and the people who was immune to the scent, for it gives many benefits to them, and if someone who wasn't used to it inhaled them— like Athena, it would have a reverse effect.
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To those of you who are confused. Athena DO NOT have a split personality.
This 2 chapters are mainly to give an insight of how Athena's character is like back in her days.
Which character of her do you like best?
Thank you for reading ❤️