Chapter 1
Pentellow contemplated everything, spiraling further and further into doubt; was she making the right decisions? Is she actually living the life she wants? Is my relationship with Iris even worth it? Am I really sure there’s not someone out there for me? For the real me?
“There’s someone better out there. You’re right.”
Pentellow practically jumped from where she was standing before, now completely aware there was someone intruding on her thoughts.
“Internally monologuing? In the middle of the night? Damn, I didn’t know your love life was that shit.” The seemingly-disembodied voice spoke.
“I- Our love life isn’t bad, it’s just… it just… needs some adjustments, that’s all…” Her voice trailed off, trying to think of some justification that would make this shallow façade of a relationship make sense.
“Like someone else?”
“I mean, I’m pretty sure Iris is monoamorous-”
“No no, I meant someone else instead of him. Not that I’m trying to push him away, but I happened to see your ‘lovelife’, if you can even call it that, and frankly it’s pretty bland.”
“Bland?! You… you really think it’s bland..?” Wasn’t this how it was supposed to go? Did someone really see through to her innermost thoughts and feelings and find out that she might not actually love Iris at all?
“Well duh. You really think you fell in love with Iris? Come on.”
“But who-?”
“A falsified version of yourself that you created just so that you could be loved. That’s…” The voice began to laugh to herself. “That’s cute .” The last word was dripping with mockery, practically stinging the air.
“I-!”
“Oh please. Don’t even pretend like you don’t want something else besides his straight vanilla bitch-ass.” She started to cackle. “I can see it from a mile away! You’re not fooling anyone with this. Or at least, not me.”
“I… can’t even say anything to that. You… you’re completely right. Why do you care, though? Why me?” Pentellow gave up. What was the point? Whoever this was, they were right. They knew, and there was nothing she could do to convince them of something other than the truth.
“Well, if I’m being completely honest, I was thinking it’s always better to have more allies… Plus, you’re cute. And not even in a pathetic way.”
“Wh-what? I, uh- even if I liked you back it’s not like I could!” Pentellow (very very cliché-like) shied away, trying (and failing miserably) to hide her blush.
If they knew she wasn’t being honest about the whole ‘actually, I do like Iris despite him being anything but my type’ story, she might as well play it up.
“‘Even if I liked you back it’s not like I could’? Hehe. Knew you at least had decent taste.” This time, it didn’t feel like derision, rather… flirting?
“I-” Her blush intensified, as tears started to form in her eyes. “You don’t get it. I’m supposed to love Iris. I have to.”
“Who said you had to?”
“W-well-”
“You really think this so-called ‘destiny’ of yours involves repressing your true self? And hey. If Iris wants to fight me about letting you be yourself, well, he can go right ahead.”
“I don’t want anyone getting hurt…”
“My, you really don’t know who I am, do you.” Her aura overtook the environment turning it almost pitch-black, eyes starting to glow a deep crimson.
There was no way. This had to be a dream.
Because in what world would someone like her be admired by the Darkness herself?