*author's note* i hereby dedicate this (too)short story to Enchantix6789, who can tell you that this took me way too long to upload. but here ya go

peace out, E x


We were good. Really good. People couldn't see, didn't choose to see the goodness. But that didn't matter, because we saw it. We saw goodness in each other; in us. We knew how to bring the goodness out in each other. We saw it in the glimmer of a smile, a stolen glance across a room, a squeeze of interlocking fingers.

I wish I could say I knew when it all changed, define the exact moment we stopped working as a couple, working as anything. I feel guilty about it all. I knew her best and I let her world come crashing down around her, knowing what it would do. I should've fought harder. Well, fighting is what got us into this mess. I knew how to provoke her, knew exactly how to push her buttons. What I didn't know was where to draw the line.

I made excuses, told myself I couldn't help it, that I was only giving as good as I was getting. But I figure there was no point in lying to myself anymore.

The truth? I enjoyed it, revelled in the knowledge that I could make her feel things that no one else could. It was comforting, in a way. Back when we were good, that comfort came from the way her face would light up when I recognised the talent in her, the talent that everyone else failed to see, or the way she would sink into my embrace, as if it was the best place she could possibly be.

But when things turned sour, my comfort became warped, distorted, no longer resembling what it used to be. I got off on making her blood boil, seeing the rage sparkle in her eyes.

Maybe I'm not good at relationships.