I really like this one, you guys! The ending kind of isn't to my satisfaction, but I do like the rest of it. I hope you do too!

For some reason, I had "Guilty Beauty Love" (Tamaki from Ouran HSHC's character song) stuck in my head the whole time I wrote this, which was annoying, because it doesn't fit the mood at all, and it made it hard for me to keep the tone. Anyway, enjoy!

7. Crime and Punishment

It wasn't truly a crime, as far as legality went, but it still felt that way to her.

Because, after all, weren't crimes all sneaking and hiding and stealing, in some way or another? That's what this was- sneaking glances, hiding feelings, stealing precious minutes together. Everything was done in secret, whether it be quiet moments behind closed doors or double meanings in statements spoken in broad daylight- the thief's mask was always there, hiding true intentions from the world.

And as with any crime, there was the matter of the risk involved. In any crime you committed, you risked something- freedom, happiness, friendship. In this case, they risked life- more his than hers, although he always tried to pretend it was the other way around. His efforts were wasted; she had watched him long enough to know that if any risk came to her, he would sacrifice his own life above hers- no matter how much he would try to claim otherwise, no matter how much more important his life was than hers. So her life was never in any real risk, but at the same time it was, because she'd always told him she'd follow him into Hell, and she meant it literally as well as figuratively. Crimes were complicated like that.

And so their punishment, as agreed upon by both of them, was to distance themselves. It was the perfect solution- eliminating the risk alongside the temptation. Names were replaced with ranks, soft words with cold commands, gentle touches with stiff salutes. If anyone asked, they were Colonel and Lieutenant, or Strong Leader and Loyal Follower, or something else that implied her utmost faith in his actions, because those were the explanations that seemed most plausible to the public eye. They remained professional, no closer than one would expect of two who had served together without truly getting to know each other, and the outside world believed it, and she did her best not to wallow in misery. It was her punishment, and she deserved it, and the least she could do was take it on with her shoulders back and her best foot forward and her face at least somewhat composed.

But sometimes, they would slip into criminal habits again, and the whole cycle would continue.

So there it is! I've been doing the 100 Themes Challenge for a week now. That's actually pretty impressive to me, even. Review, please?

VVVVV