I only just realized I'd used a totally different spelling for "Paolo" than in the first chapter I'd introduced him! So now I've gone back and changed the spelling to "Paulo," as that is the spelling used in Spanish.
Much of this was written last year, while I was still planning the story. Much of it I came up with last week.
Theme songs for this chapter:
"I Won't Say I'm in Love" from "Hercules"
"A Story Told" from "The Count of Monte Cristo" musical
There was no getting him out of her mind. When she woke up that morning from another particularly steamy dream, she was greeted by his grinning painted face on the wall. When she went to the kitchen for breakfast, awaiting her was a plate off eggs benedict prepared by him. While watching Lil' Jack rip her breakfast apart, all Lita could think about was how he had ripped apart those men who had hurt her.
While conducting her morning chores, she tried drowning out her thoughts in music, but that only made things worse. Ninety percent of her playlist was comprised of love songs. Heavy metal reminded her of bad boys. Rock and roll reminded her of Dementia, and who she often sang about. And the classical tracks reminded her of the massive organ in the basement, and who played it.
Ripping her earbuds out, Lita dragged the cleaning cart down the hallway. With his portraits. With his symbol on the wallpaper.
This was insane. This was her boss! Her boss who was a two-thousand-year-old demon! Being over eighteen herself, she could very well ignore the age gap. And him being a demon wasn't so problematic, as he had once been human, and was humanoid in appearance. Most of the time.
But he was her boss! In every other workplace, lusting after your boss was completely inappropriate! Love, in general, was forbidden in this place alone!
That wasn't even half of what was wrong with this situation! The man was guilty of every crime in the book! Except rape, apparently. Which proved that even evil had standards. And wasn't she always saying that no one was one hundred percent evil or good?
But he was a murderer. A cannibal. A swindler. He abused his coworkers with no remorse. But not her though. No, he acted amicably around her. And if Flug was right about…
Shaking her head, she tried focusing on dusting the picture frames, as there were hundreds of them!
See? The guy has an ego the size of Jupiter! How can you be attracted to a guy like that?! Lita thought as she glanced up at the tallest portrait there.
He looked so elegant in that fur-lined cape. Admittedly, Lita had always admired his style of dress, giving off the air of a Victorian gentleman. One would never believe he was once a child of the streets.
It was no wonder other villains looked up to him. He had villainy down to an art, which was apparent in the way he carried himself. Always poised, so confident, wearing that eerie, yet charming grin that indicated his knowledge that he could overpower you easily. Just by looking at him, one could tell he was not a being to mess with. It was a powerful, endearing quality she wished she could possess.
Dropping the feather duster, she cradled her head in her hands. What is wrong with you?! The last guy you were sexually attracted to turned out to be a pushy, self-absorbed, manipulative jerk! And Black Hat is… Oh, would you look at that? You have a type!
No good could come from this. Even on the off-chance that Black Hat was infatuated with Lita like Flug had theorized, a relationship like this wouldn't end well. She had thought Paulo was controlling. Black Hat didn't even trust her to go outside unsupervised! Although she wasn't afraid of him anymore, there was still that nagging concern at the back of her mind that one day he might lose his patience, and she would be on the receiving end of his wrath. It was sure to be worse if they were dating!
Dating Black Hat. She shivered at the thought. How would that even work? I mean would he even want to…? Did he even have a…? He was human once, so maybe it's… Well, I suppose he can shapeshift…
Lita blushed hard. Why the hell was she thinking about that?!
She was sick. Really sick! She'd been spending too much time in this nuthouse full of whack jobs! This was Stockholm Syndrome on a whole other level!
Professional help was needed. But who could she talk to? Certainly not Dementia! Oh shit, Dementia would kill me! 5.0.5. wouldn't be able to give advice, and Flug's response would be, "I told you so!" Even if she had the guts to talk to someone, there was no way she could get it out without Black Hat overhearing! Never mind the cameras, he could pop out of the shadows at any moment! He is really clever at that.
This was probably just a phase. A fluke. A hormonal imbalance from ovulating or something scientific like that. She could've eaten some bad shrimp last night. Anything could've explained this!
But she didn't usually have erotic dreams like this, or even erotic thoughts. Certainly not towards someone she knew. Maybe she'd find the occasional movie star attractive, but sexual thoughts wouldn't normally stir until after she'd gotten to know a person and they'd made an emotional connection…
Oh god, she thought as she looked back up at the tall portrait. She had made an emotional connection with him! All those personal things they'd shared with each other, all those lunches of meaningful conversation, all those moments of sitting down and enjoying each other's company. They were…they were practically…
Flug had been right to worry.
But no, she would not entertain these fantasies! Because that's all they were. Fantasies. Everyone had them. A few days, and they would go away.
But how could she do that when the subject of her thoughts was everywhere?!
Most people would've been thrilled to receive a text from their former foster brother, but Magnus Newton wasn't one of those people. The twenty-eight-year-old black man was fuming as he stomped up the stairs to Apartment 6C. He refused to take the elevator, as he had to stay in shape for his night job. He was thin, of average height, yet the muscles in his arms proved that he was no weakling. They stuck out as he bundled his hands in the pockets of his dark blue trench coat.
He knocked hard on the door, not even bothering to put up a fake smile as it was opened.
"Newt, mi hermano!" Paulo said warmly. "So glad you got my text!"
Refusing Paulo's open arms, Newton pushed past him. "What do you want this time, Paulo?"
"Come in, why don't ya?" Paulo said, shutting the door. "Sit down, have a cookie."
As Newton stepped into the living room, he saw that he hadn't been the only one invited. In an armchair was a six-foot-tall, muscular, twenty-four-year-old blonde man with spectacles over his blue eyes. He wore a hardhat and orange safety vest, indicating he'd only just come back from his shift at the power plant. He had a large oatmeal cookie in his mouth, which he had taken from the plate on the coffee table. A twenty-one-year-old Japanese girl with pixie-cut black hair was curled up on the couch, a Psychology textbook open in her lap. Despite the fact that it was autumn, she wore a dark green crop top and ripped up jeans, along with neon yellow cowboy boots she wasn't afraid to get on the furniture.
Their eyes raised towards Newton with apprehension. It had been a long time since the four of them were in the same room together.
Newton turned to Paulo. "What's so urgent that you had to call Sir Macho-lot and Little Miss Katana here too?"
"Ray of sunshine as always, eh, Newton?" the muscular man said, chomping on his cookie.
"Ignore him, Lance," the girl said, turning back to her textbook. "Newt's just still sore about the last time we were all together."
"Oh, I don't mind that you're here, Jun," Newton said, pointing to their host. "But last time Clark Kent here invited us all together, we nearly got obliterated by Dr. Isotope!"
"Hey, I just told you his secret identity," Paulo said, holding up his hands. "I didn't say anything about the three of you rushing in there without a plan."
"Is this gonna take a while?" Jun asked, her eyes still glued to her book. "I have a Psych test tomorrow."
"Yeah," Lance said, grabbing another cookie. "And I gotta pick up my suit from the dry-cleaners."
"And if I'm not back at the lab by the end of my lunchbreak," Newton said, "my boss is gonna…" He turned to Lance. "You let other people dry-clean your suit?"
Lance shrugged. "I get the hero's discount."
"Idiot," Jun murmured.
"I heard that, brat! You try running chainmail through the washing machine!"
"Why don't we all get down to business?" Paulo said calmly. "You see, I need a favor from all of you."
"Oh no, not another one of your favors!" Newton said, pointing a warning finger. "Just because we all grew up in the same foster home, and you give us info on our enemies, does not mean our friendship doesn't have its limits!"
"Newt, just hear me out—"
"No way! Our jobs are risky enough! We don't need you making messes for us to clean up!"
"You have been pissing off a lot of crooks lately," Lance said with a nod.
"Exactly! We can't keep babysitting you all the time, making sure no one kills you over those tell-all articles you print! Junebug's busy with college, Lance and I have to pay our bills, and don't forget the thousands of other people we have to protect on this island!"
"Unfortunately," Paulo said, clenching his fists to prevent himself from shouting, "I am not as…gifted, as the rest of you."
"Have you considered writing something a little less dangerous?" Lance suggested. "Like an advice column?"
Paulo shook his head. "This is the only way I can help you guys bring criminals to justice. Don't forget how many villain identities I've uncovered for you."
"And we're grateful for that," Newton said. "But that doesn't make us your personal bodyguards! And if the Hero Organization knew we were getting a civilian involved in our work—"
"What if I told you I knew of a way to make all your jobs a hundred times easier?"
Newton rolled his eyes. "And how do you propose we do that?"
Paulo smirked. "By taking down Black Hat once and for all."
That got everyone's attention. Newton sat beside Jun, who had finally looked up from her book.
Lance snorted. "Good one, dude. That guy's unbeatable. And that's coming from the strongest…" He cast a sideways glance at Jun. "Strongest man here."
"But he's not unbeatable," Paulo said. "Isn't that right, Jun? Your ancestor took out his eye with a divine sword."
He looked at her briefly, but turned away once her dark eyes tried to lock onto his.
"That's just a legend," Newton said. "A bedtime story her mom told her. We don't know if it's true."
"You calling my mom a liar?" Jun said, slamming her book closed.
"Just saying," Newton said, holding up a hand, "that was ages ago. Even if it was true, no one knows where the freaking sword is!"
"But Black Hat might know," Paulo said. "You said the sword couldn't be destroyed, right, Jun?" She nodded slowly. "So Black Hat might've hidden it somewhere. Now, it'd be impossible to get the information from him, but what about someone who works closely with him?"
"You mean that nerd in the bag?" Lance said. "That wimp's sure to squeal!"
Newton shook his head. "That dude's smarter than he looks. I faced him last month, and he reversed the polarity on my magnetic powers! If that dingbat lizard hadn't distracted him, I wouldn't have gotten out of there alive. I say we try interrogating her."
"She's too much of a fangirl to betray Black Hat," Jun pointed out. "The bear isn't violent."
"Yeah," Lance said, "but no one's gonna freaking understand him!" He cowered under her glare. "Right. Forgot who I was talking to."
"None of those henchmen will be easy to reach," Paulo said, sitting in the remaining armchair. "Black Hat keeps a close eye on all of them, as long as he owns their souls." He leaned forward. "But one of their contracts is impermanent. You guys remember Lita Gris?"
"That ex-con you used to date?" Newton said, scrunching his nose.
"Oh, yeah," Lance said. "You brought her for drinks once. Cute girl."
"You wouldn't stop talking about her," Jun mumbled.
"Well…" Paulo lowered his gaze regretfully. "She…got into some trouble with Black Hat. Now…now they're calling her Lita Ladrona."
"Hold on." Jun sprang up into a sitting position. "Black Hat's latest henchgirl, is your ex-girlfriend?!"
"Damn," Lance said. "You sure know how to pick 'em, Paulie."
"She's not there by choice!" Paulo shouted, finding it hard to hold onto his frustration. "Her father owed him money, so she sold her soul to save him."
Jun whistled. "Girl's got guts."
"So that's it then? You want us to get your girlfriend back?" Newton shook his head. "Sorry man, but breaking into Black Hat's place is suicide!"
"Ditto," Lance said. "Didn't you hear what happened to Sunblast? He broke in there, and was never heard from again."
"We may not have to," Paulo said. "Don't you see? Unlike the others, Lita's soul contract doesn't last for all eternity. Once it's up, Black Hat won't care about her anymore. We can see what she knows." He glanced at Jun without meeting her eyes. "Maybe even see where he hid the one thing that's ever been known to hurt him."
Jun leaned forward with interest.
"What makes you think she knows, hmm?" Newton said. "Or that she'll even help us?"
"Lita's a good girl," Paulo said. "She's just had a tough life, like the rest of us. She did what she had to in order to survive, but it's not like she wants to be a villain. We can save her from Black Hat, without having to break into his lair."
"So, what would we have to do then?" Lance asked, shaking in his chair excitedly. "Lure them all outside, force them to hand the girl over?"
"No, no, nothing like that! I'm suggesting we…end Lita's contract early."
"How?" Newton asked. "What are the terms of her contract?"
"She gave her soul in exchange for her father's life." Paulo clasped his hands together. "Ricardo confirmed it. Lita's contract is only valid as long as he is alive. But the moment Rick dies…"
Horror struck everyone's faces as the implication set in.
"Whoa now, Paulo," Lance said. "You're not suggesting we…?"
"I don't like the idea either," Paulo said. "But it's the only way to free Lita."
"Look, man." Newton stood up. "You've had us do some pretty shady things, but murdering a civilian?"
"He's a thief. A criminal. A bum. No one's gonna miss him. Well, except maybe Lita, but he's also old."
This time, he made sure Jun was looking into his eyes, to know he was serious.
"Paulo," she whispered. "Your girlfriend's dad?"
"You can hardly call him a dad," Paulo said. "He's been holding Lita back all her life. He's the reason she's in this whole mess. With him gone, Lita will be free to be whatever she wants. She won't have to steal anymore. She can think for herself."
"We won't do it," Newton said firmly.
"It goes against my family's code of honor," Jun said.
"Not to mention if the Hero Organization found out…" Lance looked fearful.
"You needn't worry about the old man!" Paulo stood up. "Leave him to me! All I'm asking is that once Lita is free, that you all help me in protecting her. I have a suspicion that Black Hat may try and go back on his word. Then she won't be scared about betraying his secrets."
"You don't know if she'll cooperate," Jun murmured.
"But that won't be a problem for you, will it?"
She shook her head. "I still don't like it."
"Neither do I," Lance said.
"And if you even think about murdering an innocent man," Newton said, "we'd have no choice but to turn you in."
"He's not an innocent man," Paulo said. "And you do have a choice. Don't forget." He stepped up to Newton defiantly. "I know all your secret identities."
The three of them tensed.
"You wouldn't," Newton said.
"You're all like siblings to me," Paulo said. "But if you turn me in, I'm afraid I'd have no choice but to show them all the dirt I have on you guys. Let's not forget, not everything you've done adheres to the rules of the Hero Organization." He turned to Lance. "Like certain pickpockets you electrocuted?"
Lance clutched the armrests. "That was an accident!"
"Or the girls you smooched behind the bleachers?"
Jun looked about ready to kill.
"Or the time you mistook a civilian for a bank robber?"
Newton scowled. "This is blackmail."
"Oh, nothing of the sort." Paulo paced around the room, his hands behind his back. "I'm just reminding all of you of our shared interests, of the common enemy that has kept our little family together all these years. Or have you all forgotten why we all ended up in the foster system in the first place?"
He stopped in front of Newton. "Your parents, held hostage in a bank, shot when they tried calling for help. By goons following Black Hat's orders."
Newton hung his head while Paulo walked towards Lance.
"A whole family of heroes. Your mom, your dad, your older brother and sister, all picked off one-by-one. Who was the one behind it all?"
Lance growled. "Black Hat."
Nodding, Paulo turned to Jun. "And it wasn't enough that he slaughtered half your ancestors, was it, Junebug? He had to kill the one who supported you, the one who trained you, the one who wanted you to succeed where she and the rest of your ancestors failed. And all he left to remember your mother by," he leaned forward to whisper, "was her eye."
"Stop it!" Jun screamed, shutting her eyes and covering her ears.
Newton and Lance went over to comfort her.
"You've made your point, Paulo!" Newton exclaimed.
"Then you understand why we need to do this," Paulo said. "Black Hat has terrorized this world for far too long. He must be stopped. Don't you see? If we destroy Black Hat once and for all, all the other villains will be left vulnerable! Good will finally triumph over evil! No longer will the people of Hat Island live in fear! Our families' lives will be avenged!
"After all," his voice lowered, "what's one man's life, if it means saving countless others in the future?"
When Jun opened her eyes, Paulo made sure she could see his. After a minute of silence, she stood up.
"I'm in," she whispered.
"Me too," Lance said, joining her. "If it means taking out that monster."
Hesitantly, Newton stood up as well. "On one condition. We will have no part in murdering a civilian. Not even in covering your tracks. We'll only help you in protecting the girl."
"Don't worry, mi familia," Paulo said with a grin. "I'll make it so no evidence is tied to either of us. After all, who's going to suspect three heroes and an upstanding citizen of the law of foul play?"
Throwing herself into work proved to be a lost cause. Lita found it difficult to concentrate on her assigned paperwork when her desk was right across from that of the person she was trying to forget about! She found herself glancing up at him every few minutes, trying to appear busy every time he looked her way.
"Aren't you finished with those shipping forms yet?" Black Hat demanded, materializing in front of her.
Yelping, Lita nearly knocked over the stack of papers on her desk, out of which she'd barely made a dent.
"S-Sorry, boss," she said, scrambling to keep her work together. "I-I was, um…distracted by…" Her eyes fell upon the phonograph playing classical music. "Music! Yeah! That, uh, Vivaldi is just not putting me in a working mood!"
Black Hat glanced at the phonograph curiously. She'd never complained about his working to music before.
"Well, hurry up, will you?" he said gruffly. "I want those forms ready by lunch."
"Lunch." Lita tensed at the thought of spending another hour alone with him. "Uh…why don't I skip out on lunch today, sir? A-After all, I-I've got all this w-work to catch up on! In fact!" She began scooping the papers into her arms. "W-Why don't I just take these to my room and, uh, give you some privacy? I'm sure I'm really distracting! Much more distracting than Vivaldi!"
Before she could make it to the doors, he teleported in her path with his arms crossed.
"You're not trying to get out of work, are you, Miss Ladrona?"
"What?" She forced a laugh. "Don't be silly, boss! I just…think I'd be able to concentrate better within the, uh, quiet of my own room! I-If you don't believe me, just check the cameras and you'll see me work a whole lot faster!" Running past him, she kicked the door open. "I'll have these on your desk by the end of lunch, I promise!"
That hadn't wouldn't be the first close call over the next two weeks. Black Hat had a new heist planned for the crew. This time, they were to break into a top-secret military base and steal a prototype for a nuclear battery, so that Flug could replicate it for his new inventions. Lita would've been thrilled with the idea, were Black Hat not hovering over her shoulder, pointing out possible entry routes on the army base's blueprints.
Her nose used to wrinkle from the putrid scent of his breath. But for some reason, it was much more pleasing now. Her eyes unwittingly rolled back as she inhaled the smoky, brimstone smell.
"Is something on your mind, Miss Ladrona?"
"Huh?" Lita snapped out of her thoughts. "N-No, just…there are gonna be a lot of guards with g-guns at this base, boss! Just a little, uh…nervous, you know?"
Chuckling, Black Hat placed a claw on her shoulder, causing her to stiffen. "You're a capable thief, my dear. You have nothing to worry about, as long as you don't get caught."
She knew he was talking about the heist, but in that growly, seductive voice of his…
Lita shrugged his hands off, causing Black Hat to frown in confusion. It'd been so long since she'd flinched away from his touch. In fact, her recent, peculiar behavior over the past two weeks had not gone unnoticed by him.
She'd practically taken up residence in her room, where she'd complete all her paperwork. Every one of his invitations to lunch, she had turned down with excuse after excuse. She was feeling nauseated, she had a migraine and needed to lie down, it was Dementia's turn to cook. That last one was valid, but even so, he could've had something else prepared for her. In whatever few moments they did interact, she would hardly speak unless spoken to, and she'd stammer like an idiot.
Every time he passed her by, he'd catch a whiff of fear. Unusual, coming from her. Had witnessing him maul three men in front of her made her anxious of him after all? That had to be it. She certainly hadn't acted this way before that incident. For this reason, he had her stop supervising Lil' Jack's feeding time, thinking it was making her squeamish. But that didn't seem to make a difference. She was still a nervous wreck in his presence, much like Flug.
He didn't like it. Not from her. He missed her casual behavior, her witty banter, her fearless attitude. Whatever had changed her, he wanted to change her back.
For the fifteenth night in a row, Lita sat up in bed, hot and sweaty. Throwing back the curtains, trying so hard not to look at his portrait, she rushed to the bathroom for a much-needed cold shower.
This was getting out of hand. The direction of her dreams had gone way beyond kissing! If they were films, they'd most definitely be rated X! She had no idea what to do! She wasn't used to urges of this intensity! It had been easy to fulfill them while dating Paulo, but…there was no way in hell she could bring this up with Black Hat!
After drying off and changing into a clean pair of pajamas, Lita went down to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of milk. She knew it was supposed to be warm milk that helped people sleep, but she'd never liked it warm. Sitting at the table, she slowly sipped her milk, hoping it would calm her nerves.
She couldn't avoid Black Hat forever. They worked together, lived together! So then, how was she to make these dreams stop? Never sleep again? That wouldn't help the dreams she had while awake!
"You're up late."
Lita spat out her milk as she turned towards the voice. Her heart pounded as her eyes fell upon the object of her distress standing in the darkened doorway. Inconspicuously, she kicked herself beneath her chair to make sure she wasn't dreaming again. But no, he was really there, staring down at her and grinning in amusement at her little spit take.
Wiping her chin, Lita composed herself. "One of these days I'm going to put a bell on you."
He stepped towards her. "I may not need sleep, but you have work in the morning."
"Can't sleep," she said, sipping her milk and hoping this would be enough to make him leave.
He chuckled throatily. "Bad dreams?"
Gulping, she resisted the urge to glance back at him. "Something like that."
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she suddenly felt his cold breath there. His face was just an inch from hers.
"Do tell," he said lowly, eager to hear what had haunted her nightmares.
Lita gripped her mug tightly. There was no way she could tell him! A number of things could happen! He could one, tease her about it; two, go back to that old mock-flirting thing of his as a way to get on her nerves; or three, make her re-watch that stupid Mojo Jojo tape over and over again while harshly reminding her of Rule 10V3!
But she couldn't just stay silent. Otherwise, he'd get suspicious. Heck, he probably already was. Then he might find some other way of coaxing it out of her. In fact, his very position reminded her of how, in her dream, his tongue had run along her neck. The chilling feel of his breath didn't help!
She'd have to fib.
"W-Well," Lita said, forcing a laugh, "you were in it."
"Ah," Black Hat hissed, his hand gripping her shoulder. "So you do find me frightening."
Yeah, just not in the way you think, Lita thought as she glanced at his hand on her shoulder. She then realized he wasn't wearing his gloves again. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Maybe he just doesn't wear them at night?
Ironically, his cold touch was making her feel hot. Her heart was accelerating by the millisecond. Híjole, I need help!
"Tell me exactly what I did in your nightmare," he said, whispering in her ear, "and I might just fulfill it."
Lita crossed her legs, as if that would stop the pounding between them. She knew he was probably alluding to torture, but damn did it bring back those erotic images that had snuck their way into her subconscious!
Black Hat mistook her shivering for terror and grinned in satisfaction. "That must have been some nightmare! So, then," he said, grasping her other shoulder, making her squeak, "was I terrifying?"
Holy Hell, why is this turning me on?!
Lita shut her eyes, quietly reminding herself that he couldn't see her like this. This went beyond being perceived as a coward or a weakling. This was utter helplessness! He was pushing her buttons and he had no idea! That was the danger of him finding out what she'd really dreamt about!
He would have complete control over her.
Shaking her head, Lita decided to do what she normally did when uncomfortable. Not mimicking Black Hat's moves, as that was obviously out of the question.
Deflecting with humor.
"Well," Lita said, putting on a smirk, "you were also in my first-grade class and I showed up in my underwear and Dementia brought in these oatmeal cookies, so…yeah, sure. Terrifying."
Frowning, he released her shoulders. Lita tried so hard to mask her relief.
"Doesn't seem like something worth staying up about," he said, cocking an eyebrow.
"Whatever," she said with a shrug. "Just came for some milk."
He watched her return to her drink. "Milk is hardly a worthy nightcap."
Lita stiffened as she felt his bare claw on her chin. Her face was turned so she could meet his gaze. The minute she saw his toothy, mischievous grin, her hands went down to her lap, hoping that would shield the desire pulsing through there.
"Come to the den," he said. "I'll get you a real drink."
Her legs tightened. She did not need this right now.
"N-Not sure that's a good—"
She yelped as she was suddenly hoisted to her feet. Somehow his hand had found its way into the crook of her arm and he was now at her side.
"That wasn't a request," he said, snapping his fingers.
In an instant, they were in the den. That fireplace resembling a monster's mouth was glowing green. Black Hat's velvet easy chair sat at an angle towards it. With a wave of his hand, an identical chair appeared across from it.
Grunting, Lita sent him an annoyed sideways glance. "You're really that bored, huh?"
"Immensely," Black Hat said, his one eye rolling towards her. "Unless you wish to return to your…pleasant dreams…"
Quickly deciding she was better off dealing with the real thing than the dream version, Lita broke away from him and sat in the new chair. She watched him cautiously as he slinked over to the wine cabinet.
It was then Lita realized that she had nothing to worry about. After all, the real Black Hat would never try and seduce her. He'd made it clear on several occasions that he wasn't into that sort of thing. If he was, he probably would've had his way with Dementia ages ago, as she was all too willing.
Still didn't explain why he wanted to have a drink with her. Maybe the sleepless demon really was just starving for entertainment.
Black Hat returned with two wine glasses, holding the one that wasn't fizzing out to her. "Hope you like arsenic."
Knowing he was teasing, Lita rolled her eyes. "Only on nights like this."
She took the glass without resistance and immediately sipped it, surprising Black Hat. This was contrary to her behavior the first time they'd shared a drink. She hadn't even bothered to ask if it was really poisoned. It seemed she'd come to trust him.
And she had. Strange as it was. With all the time they'd spent alone together, Lita had come to the conclusion that as evil as Black Hat was, he had no desire to harm her. She couldn't for the life of her figure out why though.
Black Hat sat across from her, observing her for a moment. Her gaze was on the green fire as she downed her drink. She wore her usual white pajamas. They were thick enough not to be see-through, but he could tell she wasn't wearing a bra by the way her breasts sagged.
He shook his head. That shouldn't be a detail worth noting! He tried to steer himself away from this thought by burning his tongue with the sulfuric acid in his drink.
At one point, Lita brought her legs up onto the seat and moved into a crisscrossed position. He had no idea this was to keep the throbbing between them under control.
"You seem…comfortable," he said in bewilderment.
Lita looked over at him, catching his intense gaze. Biting her lip, she shifted in her seat.
"It's a, um," she said, patting the armrest, "comfy chair."
There was a small stench of fear emitting from her. He could tell from the way she was admiring the carpet pattern that she was trying to avoid eye contact. He had a feeling that whatever was keeping her awake had to be from more than a clichéd show-up-at-school-in-underwear dream. She was hiding something.
Lita was well aware of how awkward she must've looked, but she couldn't think of a thing to say! She tried sipping her glass again, only to realize it was empty. Before she could move a single inch towards the wine cabinet, Black Hat was in front of her, bottle in hand. They locked gaze as he slowly topped off her glass.
His expression was unreadable. He was neither smiling nor frowning. It was just…blank. But his one eye was burning into hers, searching.
"You've been avoiding me, Lita," he whispered.
"What?" Lita blinked several times. "N-No, I…I've just, uh—"
"Don't think I haven't noticed." Finally breaking eye contact, he set the bottle down on the side table behind him. "Your pathetic excuses? Your uneasiness in my presence?" He paused. "How the room suddenly reeks of your fear?"
A hand went to her cheek, as if that would hide her fear.
"Oh, come now, Miss Gris," he said with a tsk. "You have confided in me about your insecurities several times," he placed a hand over his chest, "and have I been anything but understanding?"
It was strange how silent she was being. He truly thought she'd gotten past this point after revealing her most embarrassing secrets. After all, he'd revealed much more about himself to her than anyone he'd ever known.
"Have I," Black Hat said, masking his disappointment, "done something to upset you, Miss Gris?"
"No!" she said quickly.
"Then why have you been acting like a scared rabbit as of late?"
"It's not…you didn't…why do you even care? Don't you want me to be scared?"
The lid drooped over Black Hat's eye as he stared at her.
"It seems we both have questions for each other. So," he said, sitting back down and pressing his fingertips together, "while we have the time on our hands, what say we put some of our curiosities to rest, and play our usual game?"
Lita blinked. "Chess?"
He gave an unamused snort. "I am referring to our usual trade. A question for a question."
It was the only way he could think to get her to talk.
"O-Oh. Okay." She took a big sip, not caring what he'd just poured her. "You, um…wanna go first?"
Grinning slightly, Black Hat gestured towards her. "As the old saying goes, ladies first."
"Right." She squeezed her ankle with her free hand. "I, uh…need a minute to think, so…why don't you go first?"
"Very well then," he said, crossing one leg over the other. "Why are you really up at this late hour?"
She tried so hard not to do another spit take that she choked on her drink. Deciding she'd had enough, Lita moved to set it on the floor. Then the side table walked up to her. Ignoring the fact that its legs were moving, she set her glass down on the table and didn't bat an eye as it crawled back to Black Hat's chair.
"I happen to be in a rather dull mood this evening," he said nonchalantly, "so anything you have to say to me will be welcome."
What he meant to say was, if she didn't say what was on her mind, he'd go mad!
She turned away from him, gazing into the glowing fireplace. "You'd, um…have a hard time understanding this one, sir. It's…pretty personal."
He took his glass from the table. "Try me."
She shook her head. "Trust me, boss. You're better off not knowing. It, uh…" She shut her eyes. "Breaks your rules. But don't worry! I'll, uh…find a way to deal with it."
His smile dropped as his curiosity slowly transformed into concern. Was she afraid of angering him? No, that would be ridiculous! She'd had no problem riling him up before! It couldn't be about another injury, for she wasn't insecure about that anymore. It couldn't be about that night in the alley. That was hardly personal,as he had been there. Breaking his rules? Now what could she mean by…?
Then it hit him. If this was indeed a personal matter, it could only be one rule. And that led him to think of a certain incident from a couple weeks ago.
"Is it about that boy?"
She looked at him in confusion. "What?"
"That Paulo boy who called you the other day," he said. "Your aggression towards him was…passionate."
Her cheeks turned pink. "I…don't still love him, if that's what you think."
"Oh, I don't. But his call certainly had an effect on you."
Well, he is kind of right about that.
Setting down his drink, Black Hat laced his fingers together and leaned his chin onto them. "Tell me about him."
Lita hadn't been expecting him to come to this conclusion. And the mention of Paulo opened up a whole other can of worms. Still, it was better that Black Hat believe that Paulo was the man troubling her dreams than the alternative.
"There's," she said, lowering her head, "not much to tell." She fingered her ponytail. "And I doubt you'd even be interested in—"
"Humor me," he said flatly.
Lita sighed. There was no reasoning with this guy sometimes.
"He's a reporter," she said, absentmindedly twirling the end of her ponytail around her finger. "Writes for Hatsville News."
"Ah, yes," Black Hat said. "I read that paper daily. Paulo…Blanco, is it? I get plenty of complaints about him from my clients. He often writes criminal exposés." He saw the flash of pain in her eyes, and realization sunk in. "Oh."
"Yeah." Propping her elbow up on the armrest, she leaned onto her palm. "Of course, I didn't know about that when he came up to my register—I was working at a coffee shop at the time—and started chatting me up. I'd noticed him before. He'd always order a tall espresso with exactly one tablespoon of whipped cream and exactly two teaspoons of caramel."
Black Hat snorted. "And they say I'm picky."
This made Lita smile a little. "He was cute, so I tried not to show my annoyance. Then one day he started asking me questions, like how long I'd worked there and what was my job before and all that. Guess I should've seen it coming, huh? I told him if he wanted to know so much about me, he'd have to take me to dinner first. I was joking, but he took it seriously and asked me when I was off."
He couldn't help but chuckle. "You certain he wasn't a conman?"
She groaned. "At least a conman knows he's a conman. Anyway, no one had ever asked me out before. All my other dates had been blind. And with times so tough, I couldn't say no to a free dinner. So I went, we talked…I was actually having fun, for once. By the time dessert rolled round, he admitted who he was and that he knew about my criminal history. He'd been planning to do a whole story about this ex-thief and was hoping to dig up some dirt suggesting that I hadn't turned over a new leaf after all.
"Of course, I was about ready to leave the table, but he insisted he wanted to get my side of the story first. So, I told him. I told him everything. The stealing, why I did it in the first place, how I wasn't planning to get into trouble with the law again…and he listened. Really listened."
Her voice choked for a moment. Black Hat leaned in further as he listened.
"When I didn't see his planned exposé in the paper the next morning, I really thought…maybe he did like me. Maybe he didn't care about my criminal past. So, I called him with the number he gave me and asked him why he hadn't published the article. He said because he believed I could do better, and that I probably didn't need the press hounding me down.
"We went out for almost a year. He took me to restaurants, nightclubs—we never danced, of course—bowling, he even got me a secretary job at the newspaper. Said if I was going to be on the straight and narrow path now, I was going to need a real job."
She imagined Black Hat was rolling his eye at this, but in reality, it was too focused on her.
"What happened?" he asked, his voice unexpectedly quiet.
Her head lowered. "He…wanted me to move in with him. I asked if Papi could come with us, but…he said I should…'let the old man take care of himself.' I told him I couldn't leave Papi. Then he said stuff like, 'You're an adult, you've gotta think for yourself now, don't worry about your old man!' We had a lot of fights like this. I had finally had enough when he said… 'Come on, Lita, your dad's holding you back, and you know you're never gonna find anyone else with your…history.'"
She paused a moment, covering her eyes with her hand. Black Hat said nothing, only waited patiently for her to gather her strength to continue.
"He…wouldn't stop bothering me. I couldn't work at the newspaper anymore with him pestering me about why I wasn't returning his calls. A few days after I quit, I…read the article. Only…it wasn't the whole truth."
She sniffed. "It talked about…everything I'd done and…how even as an upstanding citizen I was still…manipulative and cunning and…how a leopard never changes her spots and…"
Trailing off, Lita ran her hand through her hair. "I know why he did it. He wanted to make me look like a bad guy. I mean really bad, so that no one would trust me. If people recognized me from the article, they wouldn't hire me or think to ask me out. He even had the gall to call me a few days later apologizing for the article. But I knew better than to fall for it. It'd only confirmed my theory."
She really should stop. Black Hat was probably even more bored than he'd been before this whole conversation had started. But now that'd she'd gotten into the story, she found she couldn't stop. After all, she'd never really talked about this, not even with her father. She hadn't wanted him to worry.
"I…really liked him, you know? It'd been so long since I'd had a connection with anyone other than Papi. Even when he…belittled me…said I could…never escape my past…that I was…incapable of…certain things that…I was too scared to try and take care of myself and…too dependent on my father and…that no one else could love someone as…as emotional and…pathetic…"
Finding she could no longer continue, Lita buried her face in her hands. Great. As if crying in front of Black Hat is any better than having an orgasm in front of him! She tried to hold back the tears, but the dam had already broken. Her sobs were inaudible as the tears streamed down her face.
"I-I'm sorry, I…" She wiped her face. "I didn't mean to…"
Then she felt it. That cold, rough touch on her chin. Lowering her hands, she allowed Black Hat to raise her face towards his. He stood there, bent down to her eyelevel, his other hand behind his back. The look he gave her was not one of mockery, or disapproval, or anger, or even amusement.
It was…empathy?
Not believing what she was seeing, Lita blinked through her tears. Black Hat's hand moved to cup her face, using his thumb to catch one tear. It didn't feel so cold anymore.
For a long moment, they were silent, as his eye stared unblinking into hers.
"If you tell anyone," he said with a slight growl, "anyone, I said this, I'll…I'll deny everything."
Then he leaned forward, his face only a breath away as he whispered, "You…are a remarkable being, Adelita Gris. Never, in my eons of living, have I met a mortal with such talent, such ingenuity, such…determination. It is true, there is nothing superhuman about you, but that does not stop you from stretching your skills past their limit in order to accomplish your goals. That Paulo was a fool not to see that. You deserve much, much more, my dear, than a man who can't appreciate what he has in his grasp."
There was silence once more as the two of them simultaneously came up with their own stunning realizations.
Never in a million years had Lita thought she'd hear these words from Black Hat. Black Hat! Demon, murderer, thief, cannibal, former dictator, corrupt businessman! The man about whom she'd been having intense, erotic fantasies; had said words of sincerity that would never have entered such fantasies!
And she believed him. There was no trace of mockery in his voice. It even sounded less growly than usual. He actually thought…she was a remarkable person. Well, yes, he'd praised her on several occasions for her work, but she'd figured it was just to psyche her up to be a villain like he wanted. No, he had actually meant all of that! More than just what a boss would appreciate from a good employee, from the ordering of his words. Unlike Paulo, he saw the potential in her to be more than just a common thief like everyone thought.
Paulo had always dismissed her past, Black Hat praised it. And it wasn't just her talents in thievery. Lita had expected Black Hat to mock or scold her for her breakdown. She cursed herself for ever thinking that, as she'd broken down in front of him several times, and each time he'd been understanding. He didn't berate her insecurities, and it didn't feel like he was using them to his advantage either. She didn't feel insecure around Black Hat, not like with Paulo. She felt…exactly like Black Hat had described her just now.
Then it clicked. Like a switch in her brain. What she was feeling…was more than a lusty fantasy. Oh, no. This was much, much worse.
Against all odds, against all sanity, Lita had fallen in love with her boss.
Meanwhile, Black Hat was processing his recent words, unbelieving that they had come from his lips. His anger towards Paulo had grown with each passing minute while listening to Lita's story. To think that sniveling worm had had the gall to play with Lita's emotions, make her dependent on him by getting her a job, use her insecurities against her, and then, when she retaliated, hit her with the worst kind of betrayal!
Then again…wasn't Black Hat no different? After all, he himself wasn't innocent of emotional manipulation. He'd even planned to manipulate Lita in a similar fashion. His initially insincere politeness, advancing her in villainy, imprisoning her, threatening her, forcing her into embarrassing situations for his own amusement…while he'd never physically hurt her—aside from that one time—he was no better than Paulo.
So then…why had it angered him to hear how Paulo had hurt her? Why did Black Hat care that she'd been hurt? He'd never cared if Flug or Dementia or 5.0.5. had had emotional breakdowns. He'd just shrugged them off or barked at them to get back to work.
But this was Lita. He'd been sincere when he had said she was the most remarkable being he'd ever met. He just couldn't believe that someone could make her feel any less. Ever since she'd walked into his mansion, Black Hat had believed Lita could do more than her current state of being. No, she deserved more.
Her talents aside, she was the only being who treated him as an equal. While she respected him as an employer, whenever they were alone, it was never as if she were conversing with evil incarnate. And…he liked it. He didn't feel like he had to keep up his villainous façade when around her, for she didn't care about evil or good. That was a trait so rare that it would truly be a crime to harm such a precious…
Oh, no. By the nine circles of Hell, no!
For the first time in nearly two thousand years, Black Hat cared for someone.
Deeply.
They were so close now. And they were both well aware of it. Black Hat's focused gaze fell upon Lita's luscious little lips. It'd been so long since he'd tasted someone's lips, and he wondered how hers would taste.
The few kisses he'd stolen in his lifetime had been experimental, and after the fifth kiss or so, he'd concluded there was not much to be excited about. Perhaps…the experience was different when shared with someone of importance? And she was important.
Was that why he had the urge to close the distance between them? The very idea seemed natural. They were alone, in front of a warm fire, he was holding her soft face, and she wasn't protesting.
One peck. One taste. That would be enough to satiate his newfound desire. If she asked, he'd brush it off as mere curiosity, nothing more.
When he started leaning forward, Lita thought for a moment that he was going to kiss her. But no, he wouldn't. The real Black Hat was nothing like the one in her dreams. But he was getting closer. Her breathing became shallow as she waited in anticipation.
She wanted him to kiss her. Oh híjole, did she ever!
But he was her boss. If she crossed this line, there'd be no going back. And what if she was wrong and was misreading the situation entirely? Her punishments for breaking rules hadn't been bad so far, but this was the big one!
But…the way he'd spoken of her just now…was it possible that maybe…just maybe…he cared for her? Even a little?
What was she thinking? This was Black Hat she was talking about! He never cared for anyone! Except his mother, and even now, Lita was still uncertain whether or not that story was true. But he'd made it abundantly clear he wanted nothing to do with love of any sort!
So…what was this? What did he want from her? Did he even care about her?
Her mind was in too much of a muddle to find out.
His lips were about to brush hers when she drew back. This small movement snapped Black Hat back to his senses.
What was he doing?
Clearing his throat, Black Hat released Lita's face and straightened up. "Yes, well…err…I believe it's time for your question?"
She had a million of them. It took a few seconds to run through them all and choose one.
"Have you…ever been in love?"
He tensed. "W-What?"
He didn't sound angry, more like a mixture of confused and…embarrassed. In reality, Black Hat was terrified. Does she know what I'd been trying to do?!
"I-I know you have your rule and all," Lita said, rubbing the back of her neck. "I just…I know f-feelings can't be…helped. S-So I was just wondering if at one point…maybe, uh…before you came up with that rule, that…you may have…"
She trailed off once she realized she was blathering. Black Hat watched her, utterly disgusted for two reasons. The very idea that she could suggest that he, Black Hat, had the capacity for love.
And that seeing her sitting in that cross-legged position, in those simple pajamas, rubbing the back of her neck like that, he couldn't help but find her…cute.
A full minute had passed before Black Hat realized he hadn't answered her question yet.
"I…"
Upon hearing him speak again, Lita looked up at him, her wide, blue eyes locking with his. This made him pause.
"I…" His voice grew softer. "I…don't…" And so did his expression. "I…don't even know…what it feels like."
As if her eyes couldn't get any bigger, Lita's pupils dilated. Black Hat stiffened as he felt something. Something he hadn't felt in a long time.
A thump in his chest.
"I do," she whispered, not taking his gaze off him.
He assumed she was referring to Paulo. "And…how does it feel?"
He was genuinely curious.
"Absolute torture," she said with conviction.
Huh. Black Hat had never considered that. He laughed at the very thought.
"To think, I may have been going about my torture methods the wrong way all this time! If I had known love could be so…painful, I wouldn't have banned it!"
Lita chuckled along with him. "Told you things aren't as black and white as they seem. Even love isn't all that good."
"Perhaps," Black Hat said, sitting back down. "But don't think this means you've changed my mind or anything." He crossed one leg over the other. "You've simply given me something to think about."
"Yeah, well," she said with a shrug, "I can tell you for sure Paulo was an ass. But…he did get me out more, and I had some fun."
"In the sheets, I'll bet," Black Hat murmured teasingly.
Gawking, Lita grabbed the pillow behind her and threw it at Black Hat. Cackling, he grew his hand large enough to catch the pillow as if it were a baseball in a mitt.
"You, on the other hand," she said with a smile, "are the biggest ass of them all!"
"At least I don't deny it," Black Hat said, tossing the pillow back so that it hit her face. "I may lie, but I don't lie about being a villain."
"You're more honest than Paulo, anyway." Tearing the pillow from her face, she placed it on her lap. "No offense."
He shrugged. "I'm well aware of who I am and don't pretend to be otherwise."
"That was another thing." Lita sighed, leaning onto the pillow. "I always had to pretend with Paulo. Like I pretended with everyone. That I was this…well-behaved, rule-following, innocent little girl."
"When you'd like to be," Black Hat said with a scoff.
"Exactly!" She held an arm out to him, the other hugging the pillow to her chest. "With you, I don't have to pretend! Because you don't fucking care!"
"That is one of the things I admire about you, Lita. You don't even pretend not to be afraid, most of the time, because I can very well tell you're not." His expression became serious. "Why aren't you afraid of me? I've never quite figured that out."
Taking a moment to think, Lita leaned her chin onto her fist. "I don't know. I guess it's because…you don't judge me. About my past, about my insecurities. You just…get me."
No matter how tense things would get, they always somehow managed to fall back into this state of casualness. But there was still that lingering thought in the back of both their minds.
Holy crap, I am in love with him!
Holy Hell, I do care about her!
"You, um…" Lita had to change the subject before her feelings started to show. "You just asked two questions! That means I get two!"
"Right," Black Hat said, uncrossing his legs. "Proceed."
"Okay, let's see." She put a finger to her chin. "Oh, yeah. What's the real reason you offered me a drink? I mean other than being bored because you don't sleep."
He shrugged. "Of all the idiots in this house, I find your company the least excruciating. And…" He cleared his throat. "It has been a while since we have…conversed like this."
"Aw," Lita said, putting her hand over her heart. "I am your favorite."
"Don't get cocky." His tone was annoyed, but his smirk suggested otherwise. "I believe I owe you one more question. Better make it count."
Her face became serious. "How come…you never hurt me?"
His smile also dropped. Once again, there was a long, tense period of silence.
"I mean…" She began playing with her ponytail, a habit which Black Hat had come to find mildly adorable. "You yell at me, sure. You keep me locked up in here, of course. Not to mention you kidnapped and tortured my father and persuaded me into selling my soul. But…you've never physically hurt me. Except in sparring, but hey, that's to be expected. And I was trying to hurt you too, so…yeah. But really, I've gotten more bruises from Dementia than from you, and only half of hers had been intentional! And of course there was that one time with the, uh," she clutched her arm, "blood-drinking, but…that actually wasn't so bad and I did disintegrate you, but I could tell you were gonna do a lot worse and you…didn't. And I know it isn't beneath you, as I've seen you do…stuff to the others when they disobey you, but…not to me? I mean there are times when I think you're gonna hurt me but…you don't. So…call me crazy, but…I'm starting to think…you don't wanna hurt me."
She looked at him hesitantly, trying to read his expression. Was he mad? Was he insulted? All she got was a blank stare.
After a while, Black Hat pressed his fingertips together and simply stated, "I believe…you've just answered your own question."
So, he doesn't wanna hurt me.
The realization left Lita even more perplexed than before. Before she could ask anything further, Black Hat spoke.
"You should return to bed. We have to prepare for tomorrow night's heist."
Lita shook her head. She'd nearly forgotten about the army base job, even though they'd been briefing it all week.
"I'm…not quite tired anymore," she murmured.
At least she wasn't in the heat anymore. That was something to celebrate.
Standing from his seat, Black Hat waved his hand. Out of his shadow, a Stradivarius appeared in his left hand, a bow in his right.
"As I can't have you groaning and groggy in the morning," he said, placing the violin between his shoulder and chin, "I shall speed this along."
Closing his eye, Black Hat began to play a slow, sleepy tune. She recognized it as "The Devil's Trill." Lita had heard his violin playing through the walls before, but had never actually watched him.
His hand was steady as he gently sliced the bow across the strings. His eye remained closed, so he must've known the notes by heart. She wondered what he pictured as he played, if not looking at his instrument.
As the song went on, Lita's gaze never left the man playing it. He really wasn't as evil as he made himself appear. Alright, he did some pretty evil things. But he was also a good listener, and honest about who he was, at least where his darker side was concerned. He didn't judge her, and he never hurt her. Now she was certain he never could hurt her. She remembered the day of her orientation when he'd said he liked her. She had no doubt of that now.
Oh hell, she was doomed. Of all the beings she had to fall for, it had to be the most dangerous of them all. Yet somehow, the idea didn't seem to scare her anymore. Sure, Black Hat would most likely never return her feelings, but that was fine. Unlike Dementia, Lita wasn't desperate for attention. Just knowing that he liked her in some way was enough, though he wouldn't like them to be called friends aloud. And that was okay too. She knew he wasn't the type to make his more…positive feelings known.
Even as her vision became blurry, she felt assured by this newfound clarity. So, she'd fallen in love with evil incarnate, so what? It wasn't going to go anywhere, and as long as nobody found out—especially Dementia—she was safe.
Like a hypnotic spell, the music washed over Lita and lulled her to sleep. Black Hat opened his eye to see that hers were closed as her head lay contently on the pillow in her lap.
Ceasing his playing, he returned the violin to his shadow. Then he bent over and carefully scooped the sleeping woman into his arms. As he did so, the pillow dropped to the floor. He steadied her, his right arm supporting her knees and the other her shoulders. Her head lolled onto his chest, and Black Hat could've sworn the corners of her lips turned up further.
He just stood there for a moment, holding her. This wasn't his first time holding her, but at this moment it felt…different somehow. She weighed next to nothing, though with his supernatural strength, that was nothing new. Her body was the perfect shape for his arms, and he hadn't even made an effort to change in size. Then he realized something alarming.
He was holding her as one would a new bride.
Black Hat shook his head, shocked that he would think such a thing! As he'd told his cult worshippers, he had no need for eternal companionship!
Though he supposed if ever he were to take a wife—if for nothing else but want of entertainment—Lita would be the ideal candidate. What, with her intelligence and wit, and the fact that she could keep up a conversation with him without enraging him, she met the standards for a suitable mate. Indeed, he didn't think he could grow tired of her company and could spend many years with…
What has happened to me?!
Kissing? Marriage? What had caused him to even consider any of this?! Nothing like this had ever crossed his mind before! What had changed?
A moan from Lita snapped him out of his thoughts. She shifted in his hold, snuggling her head into his chest. Black Hat stared at her, watching her steady breathing. He recalled how she had looked the night of the ball, all dolled up and dressed in that elegant gown. But now, dressed only in plain pajamas, her features illuminated by the green fire, she looked ten times more beautiful than she had that night. Leaning his face against the top of her head, he inhaled deeply, finding her natural scent much more pleasing without the perfume and hairspray.
Pleasing. Natural. Beautiful.
"God, I'm in trouble," he whispered, flinching upon uttering that name.
There was no denying it to himself. In fact, he had a feeling it'd always been this way. Ever since she'd first walked through his door, Black Hat had felt…partial to her. I think I might like you, Miss Gris. Those had been his words. He was only just now realizing this went beyond simply liking someone. He'd liked beings before. Flug, for instance, though to an extent. But Black Hat had never had thoughts like this towards anyone.
On one hand, it was…sort of pleasing. On the other, it was…absolute torture.
Panic arose at remembering Lita's words from not a few minutes ago.
"Have you…ever been in love?"
"I…I don't even know what it feels like."
"I do."
"And…how does it feel?"
"Absolute torture."
No. He wouldn't. He couldn't! After millennia of meeting countless different beings, how could he possibly be feeling that now?! It was beyond comprehension!
It was this woman's fault. She was to blame for this! She was secretly a witch and had cast a spell on him! She had to be! No, he would've sensed it! But what other logical explanation could there be?!
Lita moaned again and Black Hat glanced down to see her eyes fluttering under their lids as she dreamed. He should probably get her to bed, otherwise her back was going to be sore if he kept holding her like this, and she wouldn't be able to break into the army base tomorrow. He could tell her body was still recovering from the remainder of her injuries, even though she kept her pain quiet.
As he carried her through the halls, his gaze remained on her. He worried teleporting might stir her awake. Yes, he was actually worried about someone else!
Have I really become this…soft?
Lita had been correct. He didn't want to harm her. Even when she angered him, he'd never had the inclination to exact physical punishment, save for that one time. But even when she'd submitted to him completely, he'd found himself unwilling to do something so brutal. Now, as to why he didn't want to harm her, the answer was simple.
She was too precious to break.
It wasn't as if she were helpless. Oh no, he'd seen her hold her own several times. But she also wasn't indestructible. After all, she'd been injured several times since she started working here, as had been expected. He himself had injured her during their sparring sessions, though he'd taken great care not to inflict anything serious, despite her insistence that he not hold back.
But how could he not hold himself back? If he ever used his full strength against her, she'd be crushed like an insect. Even now, as she lay oh so innocently in his arms, it would be so easy to kill her. All it would take was one swift movement and she'd snap in two.
But he didn't want to. He couldn't remember a time he didn't want to hurt someone. He knew hurting her meant no more successful heists, no more intense sparring sessions, no more late-night conversations, no more of her snide remarks, or friendly smirks, or charming laughs…
He didn't want her to hate him.
Black Hat sighed in exasperation. What am I going to do now?
If word got out that he actually cared about one of his employees, his reputation would be tarnished. Other villains would think he had gone soft and would refuse his services. Or worse, his enemies could try and attack him using Lita.
His grip on her tightened, but not enough to stir her. If anyone dared touch his Lita…well, he'd do what he did with those gang rapists in the alley. Lita was his property, his and his alone. He would not let his prized possession be damaged!
Yes, that was the excuse he'd use, if anyone asked. Territory. Lita had contracted her soul to him, giving him the divine right to do whatever he liked with her. And he would not allow that exclusive right to anyone else!
After what seemed like hours, he at last reached Lita's room. He hadn't realized how slowly he'd been walking. Using his magic to open the door, he carried her inside. Approaching the bed, he telepathically pulled back the gossamer curtains, threw back the comforter, and carefully lay her down. Then, using his own hands, he pulled the comforter over her body.
Black Hat was surprised at how gentle he was being. But he didn't want to wake her. If he did, he was afraid of what she might say, or what he might say. She slept so peacefully, a content smile on her face. He still couldn't understand how calm she could be around him, trust him enough to fall asleep in front of him. He wondered…would she have even allowed him to carry her to bed if she'd been awake?
As his eyes fell upon her lips, his thoughts from earlier returned. Tracing his fingers along her jawline, he wondered if it would wake her. Perhaps, if he made it quick, she wouldn't even feel it. The idea was tempting. His curiosity would be appeased and there would be no consequences. It would be so easy for him to bend over and brush his lips against hers. He was already leaning towards her.
Then he paused.
This felt…cheap, somehow.
If he kissed her while she slept, how would he know if she enjoyed it or not? Would the absence of a response make it less…exciting? After all, he never tortured his victims while unconscious, otherwise he'd never hear their screams. Would it be the same for a kiss?
Sighing, Black Hat pulled back, but kept his fingers on her face.
"Congratulations, Miss Gris," he said, moving his fingers into her hair. "You've accomplished the impossible." He bent over to whisper in her ear. "You've made me care."
When Paulo arrived at his door with two steaming paper cups, Ricardo welcomed him with open arms.
"Hey, Rick!" Paulo said cheerfully. "I was in the neighborhood and thought we could share a cup of coffee." He held up a paper bag. "And a couple of Danishes."
"Oh, that sounds delicious! They'll go perfectly with the scrambled eggs I just made!" Ricardo hastened the young man into the kitchen. "Sit down, I'll get you a plate."
Paulo set the cups and bag down. "Um, I brought some sugars and creams. Didn't know how you liked your coffee."
"Just stir in a little half-and-half if you half it," Ricardo said, chuckling at his little pun.
Forcing a smile, Paulo opened the bag and took out a small container of half-and-half and then removed the lid from Ricardo's cup. He glanced up at the old man, watching as he turned his back to him to scrape the eggs from the skillet to the plate.
Reaching into his coat pocket, Paulo pulled out a small, white pill bottle. It hadn't been easy obtaining these. He'd had to make several calls, until he'd found a particular villain who didn't want his identity revealed, and was willing to make the expensive purchase for him. All it had cost Paulo was a file of negatives and a few hundred pesos for good measure.
As he twisted the tiny cap open, Ricardo spoke. "It's good to have you here, my boy. It's been so lonely here without Lita."
This caused Paulo to hesitate.
It wasn't that he didn't like the old man. As weak and lazy as Ricardo was, he had good intentions. And he'd always been kind to Paulo.
But Ricardo was also the reason Lita was in this mess in the first place. The reason she wasn't safe with Paulo now. If they had still been together, Paulo would have certainly never let Lita go into that mansion alone.
There was also the matter of Black Hat. This was Paulo's one chance to take that monster down. His foster siblings may have their superpowers, but Paulo would be able to do this using his own wits. Millions of lives would be saved, all thanks to him.
As he had said before, the life of one old man was a small price to pay.
Before Ricardo could turn around, Paulo dropped three pills into the coffee and shoved the bottle back into his pocket. Wearing a wide grin, Paulo stirred in the cream, acting like that was all he had put in.
"I don't know why you're bothering with me, though," Ricardo said as he set the two plates of eggs down. "Don't you have a family of your own?"
"Of sorts," Paulo said, taking a seat. "Lita…never did tell you about my father, did she?"
Shaking his head, Ricardo sat beside him.
"Well," the younger man said, taking a sip of his espresso, "he was a criminal. Kind of like you, except…he wasn't as…good to me, as you were to Lita."
Silently, Ricardo grabbed his coffee and set it down beside his plate.
"He never told me exactly what he did," Paulo explained, taking a bite of his eggs. "But…I'd see him come home late at night covered in blood. And…we'd get mysterious envelopes in the mail, with…" He glanced around. "Well, you can guess whose symbol."
Nodding, the older man began eating his eggs.
"But that wasn't even the worst of it. He…didn't exactly approve of me. How I spent most of my time reading and writing. So he'd try to…toughen me up." He caught Ricardo's horrified look. "Oh, it wasn't so bad, compared to…how he treated my mom."
Paulo turned his cup in his hands. "I, uh…don't wanna get into the details, but…let's just say one morning I found her in the bathroom with…an empty pill bottle in her hand."
"Oh, Paulito," Ricardo said sympathetically.
"I was only twelve. When the police came round to investigate, they ruled it as a suicide, but…they also saw my bruises. And mom's. They arrested my father and had social services take me away." He looked up at the old man. "I got lucky. My foster mom was great, and…I got to know some kids who are like family to me. But…I guess I've never really had a father figure to look up to, you know? And…you were always nice to me every time I came over. And it was a relief to hear that you never treated Lita…in the way my father…"
Smiling softly, Ricardo laid a hand on Paulo's. "I'm glad you told me this."
As Ricardo raised his cup to his lips, Paulo's face grew much paler. "Hey, Rick?"
He lowered the cup slightly. "Yes?"
The young man's blue eyes flitted between the old man and the cup. "You…you would do anything for Lita, wouldn't you?"
"Of course, I would." Ricardo sighed. "I even…I even considered…taking my own life just to set her free. But I know…I know Lita wouldn't want me to do that."
Paulo nodded. "But still, if…if there was no other way, you'd…you'd do whatever it took, right?"
Ricardo chuckled slightly. "If I had the strength in me, I'd go in there and save her myself. That might as well be suicide."
He went to sip the coffee.
"Rick?"
"Yes?"
Paulo paused. "Nothing."
And he did nothing, but watch as Ricardo drank.