WARNING: MINOR GORE AND IMPLIED SEXUAL CONTENT IN THIS CHAPTER, BUT NOTHING EXPLICIT!
Oh boy. I was eager to get this chapter up before my trip to California. I'd list the songs that inspired this chapter but...it would give too much away (see end notes).
Even though Lita had been given a clean bill of health, Black Hat wasn't any less concerned. A few days after Andi's departure, he was passing by the gymnasium when he saw Lita dangling from the rings. She appeared to be struggling to lift herself up.
"What's the matter, kid?" Dementia called from below. "Don't tell me you're scared of heights all of a sudden!"
"No!" Lita exclaimed, grunting as she shakily bent her arms. "I just…I'm a little…out of practice! Probably from laying down so—AH!"
Her left arm gave out beneath her and she was dangling by her right hand. Without even thinking, Black Hat dashed into the gym, his arms out to catch her, only for her to swing back up and regrasp the ring with her left hand.
"Got it!"
Dementia shook her head. "Maybe you should take a load off, kid. Usually takes me a day or two to get back in the—"
"Get her down!" Black Hat shouted, coming up behind the mutant. "Now!"
As Lita let go of the rings, Black Hat swooped in and caught her before she could hit the mat.
"Do you want a broken neck?!"
Lita blinked up at him. "Boss, I was only like a meter high."
Ignoring this fact, Black Hat carefully set her onto her feet. "That's enough training for you today!"
"But we only just start—"
"That's an order! Go feed the…" He paused, thinking of what would happen if she got too close to any of his pets. "No, no. I need you to dust the port—" She might fall off the ladder. "No. Go assist Flug in the…" Flug's inventions were extremely volatile. "No. Clean the…toilets? Yes, the toilets! That's perfectly…"
He was about to say "safe," but then realized she might slip on the potentially wet bathroom floor.
"On second thought," he said, coming around to push her towards the door, "the carpets could use some vacuuming!"
There was no way she could harm herself while vacuuming!
"But 5.0.5. already did that this morn—" Lita started to say.
Black Hat snapped his fingers discreetly and by the time they exited the gymnasium, the carpeting in the hallway was covered in dirt.
"Oh, would you look at that?" he said innocently. "He missed a spot!"
"What the…?" Lita looked at the floor in bewilderment. "This wasn't—"
A vacuum materialized in her hands.
"Well, don't just stand there!" Black Hat waved his claw. "Get to it!"
Seeing that he was clearly in a mood, Lita rolled her eyes. "Okay, boss."
Black Hat turned to leave while she looked for a place to plug the vacuum in.
"Oh, boss?" she called.
Freezing in his tracks, he growled. "What?"
"I was just wondering," Lita said, pressing the vacuum handle to her chest. "When could we move my desk back into our office?"
Black Hat stiffened. After his experience with the Spurn Datura Flower, he didn't think he could stand being alone with her for half the day. Just being alone with her right now stirred too many emotions within him.
"I-I believe," he said, clearing his throat to hide his nervousness, "it would be more convenient if your desk remained in your room for the time being. Didn't you say you wanted peace and quiet while you worked?"
Lita bit her lip, remembering why she had said that. "Y-Yes, but that was—"
"Well, there you are then!"
He continued onward, but she spoke again. "Boss?"
Sighing, he craned his head around. "Yes?!"
"Now that I'm all better and not staying in my room anymore," she said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "can we start having lunch together again?"
Lunch was worse. Then he'd have to be forced to converse with her! He had to bring his claws to his chest so that she wouldn't see how they were trembling.
"I…have some papers to go over," he quickly lied, "and will be working through lunch."
"Need any help?" she offered.
"I can manage just fine on my own!" Black Hat shouted suddenly, stomping away like a temperamental child. "I don't need you hovering over my shoulder!"
"Okay." Lita held up a hand as she turned her attention towards the vacuum. "Sorry I asked."
She would have let the situation go if it had just been that one instance. But his cold and distant behavior continued for weeks. She rarely saw him alone anymore and when she did, he would bark some blunt command before quickly excusing himself from her presence. Thinking he probably needed space to work out whatever was bothering him, Lita decided not to press him.
But then there were the peculiar changes in her daily schedule. Her physical training periods no longer appeared, leaving only the usual chores and paperwork. The latter task came with the note: to be completed IN YOUR ROOM. She noticed most of the chores involved cleaning and none of the more dangerous ones like feeding the man-eating plants. She wasn't even assigned to assist Flug in the lab anymore. The weirdest thing about her schedule was lunch, and how every day it was accompanied with a note reading, w/Flug, Dementia & 5.0.5. IN THE KITCHEN. Even stranger, she'd been taken off meal preparation, which didn't seem fair since the others had served her while she'd been bedridden.
Now, Lita was aware her muscles still needed time to adjust after the physical trauma of her injuries. Even push-ups had become taxing. But this was just getting ridiculous!
Black Hat also wasn't letting her go out. One day, Flug had invited Lita to run errands with him, only for the boss to appear and insist Flug was perfectly capable of running them on his own. Initially, she had figured Black Hat had merely had something else for her to do, but it had just turned out to be more paperwork.
The fact that no one had mentioned any upcoming heists to her didn't add to her suspicion at first. She'd just assumed there was nothing for her to steal. Until one morning when Dementia started bragging about a jeweled necklace they'd stolen the night before, despite Flug's attempts to shush her. That's when Lita had realized she'd been purposely excluded from the heist. Flug had insisted that Lita needed to get back into shape before getting out there again, and they hadn't told her so her feelings wouldn't get hurt. She understood this, if only she were allowed the time to train.
The straw that broke the camel's back occurred on the last night of the year. No one had brought up any plans for New Year's Eve, and Lita didn't have any assignments for after dinner, so she was just going to relax and watch some television until midnight. Then around six pm, she was strolling through the ground floor hallway when she caught Black Hat, Flug and Dementia slipping into the garage.
The men were dressed in fancy suits. Dementia wore a short, black, spaghetti-strapped dress. Not the typical attire for a late-night heist.
"Where are you all going?" Lita asked, picking up the pace to catch them before they disappeared.
The three villains paused, Flug looking especially guilty. Black Hat was about to speak, but Dementia beat him to it.
"To this villains' New Year's party across town! Metauro throws it every—"
"Dementia!" Flug cried, smacking his paper bag.
"Oh, yeah." She looked down at her high heels awkwardly. "We, uh, weren't supposed to tell ya."
Lita looked at them all in disbelief. "You're all going to a party? Without me?"
Flug raised a finger to speak, only for Black Hat to step in front of him.
"Considering what occurred at the last soiree," the demon said calmly, "I thought it best you remain here for the night."
"But Dementia gets to go?!" She gestured to the mutant. "She's the one who started that fight!"
"You know?" Dementia started to say. "She has a p—"
"Someone needs to watch the manor," Black Hat said quickly.
"Can't 5.0.5. do that?" Lita demanded.
"It's, uh, past his bedtime," Flug said, tapping his fingers together.
She glanced between the scientist and lizard-girl. "You were all in on this?!"
They both avoided her gaze.
"All you need to concern herself with," Black Hat said, stepping towards Lita, "is ensuring that the house remains in one piece when we get back." He glanced back at his other two minions. "I trust you to do that better than these imbeciles." He placed a hand on her shoulder, ignoring the warm feeling coursing through it. "So relax, watch the Times Square Ball drop on the telly, make your resolutions."
He retracted his claw before he could think to do anything else with her. "And don't burn the house down."
As he walked towards the door to the garage, Lita glared at his retreating back. "We're seriously not gonna talk about this?!"
"We will," he said with a smirk. "Next year." He stepped into the garage. "Come, you two."
Dementia followed after her boss before she could feel more awkward. Flug looked apologetically at Lita.
"It wasn't my id—"
"Just shut up and go, okay?!" Lita barked angrily.
Squeaking, Flug darted into the garage, shutting the door behind him. Lita stared at the door for several minutes, her nostrils flaring as she clenched her fists.
She'd had just about enough of this! This was just like when she'd first started working here, only worse! Black Hat was excluding her from everything and she didn't know why! She'd tried asking him about it before, but he refused to talk to her like a normal person! Instead, he was acting detached, cruel, and uncaring. Acting like…well, a villain!
Which meant she would have to approach him in a way that a villain would most definitely respond.
It was two hours into the new year when the trio returned to the mansion. While Flug carried a drunken Dementia off to her enclosure, Black Hat slunk into his office, thinking he would entertain himself with all the political turmoil America would inevitably experience this year. He was just three steps into his office when he caught a whiff of two things: champagne, and another scent he knew all too well.
"Lita?" he said.
In a dramatic fashion, his chair turned, revealing Lita in her full villainess getup, one leg crossed over the other, a glass of champagne in her hand.
"Happy New Year, boss," she said, leaning back as she propped her feet onto his desk.
He stared at her in bewilderment. "What are you doing here?"
"It's next year," she said bluntly, bringing the glass to her lips. "So let's talk."
He eyed the glass in her hand. "Isn't that my best champagne?"
"Yup. And it's delicious." She swirled the drink beneath her nostrils as she inhaled it. "Can see why you keep it locked up."
Black Hat watched in annoyance as she downed the rest of the champagne. "You have precisely three seconds to remove your feet from my desk, and your arse from my seat, and get out of my office—"
"Our office," she said, slamming the glass down onto the desk, "if you'll recall." Dropping her feet to the floor, she sat up. "At least it was ours, before you moved my desk."
"For your convenience," he reminded her, "as you were unable to walk that far."
"As you can see," she said as she stood, "I can walk just fine now. So," she crossed her arms as she glared at him, "what's your excuse for demoting me?"
"I have done no such thing." Placing his hands behind his back, he calmly approached her. "You are still my Head of Sales."
Putting her hands on his desk, she leaned forward. "Then why haven't you let me go on any heists?"
Placing his hands in the same manner, he also leaned forward, until their faces were but a centimeter away from each other. "I thought the answer was fairly obvious. If that is all you came for," he said, stepping back as he gestured to the door, "I bid you good evening."
Lita gave an exasperated sigh. "I thought you'd say something like that." She reached into her coat pocket. "That's why I came prepared."
Black Hat's eye widened as she whipped out the Disintegration Ray and aimed it at his chest.
"You can't be serious," he said, half-amused and half-annoyed.
"Have you made your New Year's resolution, boss?" There was an audible click as she switched the safety off. "I have." She kept the gun pointed at Black Hat as she walked around the desk, dragging the chair along with her. "This year, I've decided I'm not gonna let anyone push me around anymore. Not even you."
Black Hat opened his mouth to speak.
"Yes!" she exclaimed, stretching her arm out further. "I'm aware this won't kill you, but you also told me being disintegrated was very, very uncomfortable." She gave a twisted, almost sadistic smile. "And any punishment you give me after the fact will totally be worth whatever pain I can inflict upon you."
Black Hat backed away as she wheeled the chair in front of his desk.
"Now," she said in a light, yet controlling tone, "you are going to sit in this chair and answer my questions like a good boy, or else I'm going to separate your body into a million eensy, weensy, little particles of dust. And thanks to our training sessions, I won't miss." She turned the chair so that its back was against the desk. "Now sit down."
The demon scoffed. "Have you lost your mind, woman?"
"SIT!" she shouted at a volume that caused him to jump. "DOWN!" She jerked the ray towards him, her finger pressed firmly against the trigger. "NOW!"
He could tell she wasn't playing around. While Black Hat could've easily swiped the gun out of her hand, he was curious to see where this little stunt of hers was going. So, raising his claws in surrender, he calmly sat down in the chair.
In truth, he wasn't certain whether to be enraged…or proud. The last time Lita had threatened him like this, she'd armed herself with a measly little switchblade. She'd chosen her weapon more carefully this time. Her tone was also much more confident and domineering, demanding that she be taken seriously. If he wasn't already the strongest being the room, he'd almost believe she was.
Gone was the scared, reckless little girl who'd foolishly wandered into his mansion. Before him was a determined young woman who gave off the commanding air of a proper villainess. He noted how she'd released her hair from its usual ponytail, cascading from beneath her wide-brimmed hat like a magnificent black waterfall. Her long gray coat hugged her figure, calling attention away from her stature, which had been elevated by her sleek black boots. Her arm was steady yet relaxed as it held out the Disintegration Ray. Her eyes, ablaze with fury, were focused on him, watching for any sudden moves.
Black Hat couldn't remember a time she looked more desirable.
"You've been treating me like shit lately," Lita said, leaning her free hand onto his armrest so that they were at the same eyelevel. "I wanna know why."
Doing his best to ignore the short distance between them, Black Hat slowly lowered his hands onto his lap. "I haven't the foggiest idea what you mean, my dear. I like to think I've been treating you well, all things considered."
She straightened up, the gun not moving from its target. "You haven't had me steal anything in almost two months now!"
"I was giving you ample time to recover from your injuries." He crossed one leg over the other. "Surely you've noticed you've been having trouble with your physical training."
She narrowed her gaze. "You've had Dementia go on the job just days after breaking her bones!"
He shrugged. "Her mutation allows her to heal faster."
"You've had Flug build your machines with a broken arm!"
"He's not swinging on wires or crawling on ledges."
"Still doesn't explain why you won't let me go anywhere!" Lita held her free arm out to the side. "Not even on errands or social events!"
Clutching his claws together, Black Hat uncrossed his legs and said firmly, "Need I remind you that the last time you attended a social event, you needed stitches?" His eye flicked towards the hand holding the gun, noting the faint scar along her wrist. "Last time you were out on the streets, you were nearly raped by three hooligans." He focused on her cheek, remembering where that bastard had cut her. "Last time I had you steal something, you were shot three times."
His eye moved all around her, going from her left shoulder, to her right hip, then to her left leg. This did not escape Lita's notice.
"That's what this is about?" she said. "That I got hurt a few times?" She flicked the gun towards him. "You told me it was inevitable in this line of work and that scars are something to be proud of!"
"You are not immortal like I am, Lita," Black Hat said, gritting his teeth to hide his anguish. "Those bullets were but a few millimeters away from being fatal!"
"Then make me a bulletproof suit! Give me more training or something! You can't stop me from getting hurt!"
"I can if you aren't in any immediate danger."
Lita blinked slowly as she processed this sentence. "Is that…is that why you've been giving me the more menial chores lately? No feeding the plants or polishing the weaponry?"
"I was under the impression you disliked those chores," he said nonchalantly.
"That's not the point!" She was growing extremely impatient. "You hired me to be a villain! How am I supposed to do that when I'm just sitting on my butt doing paperwork?!"
"Evil paperwork," he said pointedly.
Ignoring this comment, she continued her rant. "And why are you suddenly being so overprotective anyway? Don't want your property getting damaged?" She started to choke on her words as she felt the tears pushing against her eyeballs. "Is that…is that all I am to you? Some toy you can mess around with and then…throw away once it's broken? Am I useless now? Are you punishing me for it?"
Black Hat dug his claws into his armrests. It was becoming harder and harder to hold himself back.
"Or…are you bored of me?" Her eyes became watery, but she kept up her glare. "Is that it? You tired of my company? Is that why you stopped inviting me to lunch?"
The armrests were cracking. "Most employees would be elated to have the paid time off."
"But I'm fine now!" she screamed, gesturing to herself. "And none of what you said explains why you won't see me anymore! Is it because I messed up? Have I disappointed you? Is it because I talk too much? Do I annoy you? Don't I matter to you any—?"
"Don't," Black Hat snapped, knocking over the now armless chair as he stood, "for one second," he grabbed the gun from her hand before she could pull the trigger, "think," he held the ray up to her as he crushed it with ease and then tossed it aside, "that you don't matter to me!"
Lita's anger fell away in an instant, self-preservation taking over as she backed away.
"You think I give this kind of attention to just anyone?" he said, advancing towards her. "If you had been anyone else pointing that gun at me, you'd be dead by now." He spoke lowly, his demonic voice threatening to come through. "I could've let you die from those bullets, but no," he held up his finger, "I rushed you to the hospital, got you your own personal doctor," he emphasized each point by poking her in the chest, pushing her further back, "went out of my way to ensure no further harm came to you, and this is how you repay me?!"
Her back hit the door. "But why do you even—?"
"You nearly died!" Grabbing her shoulders, he gave her a hard shake. "Do you not understand that?! Your soul would've been reduced to nothing but a shell of what you once were! Do you think I want that?! DO YOU THINK I'D BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH MYSELF IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO…?"
He trailed off as he finally started to hear his own words. Lita stared up at him wide-eyed, her heart pounding at his passionate declaration, and what it implied. His face softened, noting how close the two of them now were. His grip loosened a bit, though he hadn't pierced her skin, thankfully.
Once again, she looked upon him without fear. Confusion, perhaps, but no fear. With those same brilliant blue eyes that had dared to defy him from the very beginning. But that defiance was gone too. Her body was still in his grasp, making no effort to break free.
The foolish, trusting human. Didn't she realize he could kill her this very instant? Dig his claws into her shoulders, bring his mouth upon her throat and…and…caress it with his lips, run his hands along her curves, ravish her throat before reaching the ultimate destination of her lips…?
He wondered, from the way she was looking at him, if she would welcome such an act. After all, she wasn't struggling against him. And they were alone. The others had gone to bed. There would be nothing to stop them.
Just one little taste, he thought as he inched his face closer. Just one…little…
Before he could lose himself completely, Black Hat pushed himself away from Lita and turned his back towards her. He would not allow her to see the horrified look on his face.
"Leave," he whispered, pulling his coat around his body, despite how incredibly heated he was. "Now."
Lita should have heeded his warning. After all, she'd pushed her luck enough already by threatening him with the Disintegration Ray. She hadn't really intended to disintegrate him. She'd just wanted answers. And she had them.
She was beginning to understand. The reason he'd been keeping her from dangerous situations was because he didn't want to see her hurt. Her being shot had scared him more than it had her, and he didn't want a repeat. He was starting to realize he cared about her, and that scared him even more.
Was that why he'd been avoiding her? He didn't want to face his feelings? Did he…was it possible he…?
"Are you deaf?" he said gruffly. "I said leave."
Determined, Lita straightened up and firmly said, "No."
He turned his head slightly, refusing to make eye contact. "I'm in no mood to play games, Lita."
"Neither am I," she said, taking a cautious step forward.
"Leave!" he said a little more loudly. "Leave now before I…before I hurt you."
That last part had sounded almost broken. It only convinced Lita to keep moving toward him.
"There you go again," she said. "Putting up your walls. Pushing me away like you push everyone away. And you wonder why people are afraid of you. You push them, scare them, never let anyone close enough to get to know you." She slowly raised her hand to touch his shoulder. "But I do."
Upon feeling her fingertips, Black Hat flinched away with a huff. "You think you know me? Why? Because I tell you a few stories you don't even know are true? Because I…pretend to tolerate your company?"
She could tell by his tone that he didn't mean it. Still, the words stung.
"If…that was all pretend," she said anxiously, "then tell me. Tell me I don't matter to you and I'll…I'll leave you alone. I'd rather hear the truth than wear rose-colored glasses."
But he couldn't do it. He couldn't tell the truth. He couldn't lie either.
Feeling like he was about to explode, Black Hat buried his head in his claws.
"Boss?" She reached for his shoulder again. "Are you…?"
Before she could touch him, Black Hat released an unearthly cry. Lita fell backwards as the room erupted into flames all around them, her hat blown right off her head.
"Boss!" Lita cried as she stood back up. "Calm down!"
He only continued to scream, his body flaring up as his frustration grew. The exit was blocked, so Lita could not escape the raging inferno.
Of all the men she could've fallen in love with, why did it have to be someone so difficult?
But she did love him. Despite how stubborn and pushy he could be, she cared about him like she'd never cared about anyone. Even if he didn't feel the same way, she wanted him to know that she was here for him no matter what.
Not caring about third-degree burns, Lita rushed in behind the demon and threw her arms around his middle, catching him in a desperate embrace. The fire extinguished almost immediately.
"Maybe you don't care," she whispered, pressing her face into his back, "but I do." She tightened her grip on him to prove her point. "I'm not afraid of you."
Black Hat was completely frozen as he stared down at the arms ensnaring him. She was touching him. Willingly. Affectionately. Her touch burned more than the fire, burning through his clothes, burning into his skin, burning the chill in his heart away.
He'd always hated hugs. He'd always hated any sort of affectionate gesture. But now that someone was hugging him, now that someone was touching him, he couldn't bring himself to stop it. Her intoxicating scent surrounded him, her warmth spreading all throughout his body. It took everything in him to resist the urge to spin around, return her embrace, press her flush against him and bring that tempting mouth of hers to his!
More, more, more, he thought. Want more of her scent, more of her warmth, more of…more of…her.
He wanted their clothes to disappear. He wanted to feel her warm skin against his. He wanted to touch every part of her body, to make her moan in pleasure, to make her want him as much as he wanted…
Before he could give into these desires, Black Hat poofed away in a cloud of dust. Lita was left holding the empty air. She dropped her arms and hung her head in guilt, knowing she had pushed him too far.
Black Hat teleported straight into his shower. Not even bothering to undress, he turned the blue knob as far to the right as possible and allowed himself to be drenched in the freezing water. Anything to cancel out the unbearable heat coursing through his veins!
He rarely had fevers. He'd had the evil flu once, but if that's what this was, why wasn't he congested? And why did his loins feel like they were about to burst out of his trousers?
Flug's little doctor had misdiagnosed him. He was ill! Even if he didn't know from what exactly, he couldn't keep going on like this.
Once he was soaked to the bone, Black Hat switched off the shower and stepped out of the bathroom into his bedroom. It was very dark, the most prominent piece of furniture being a king-sized canopy bed with black curtains, a red velvet comforter, and black satin sheets.
In a flash, his drenched suit and top hat were replaced with a silk red nightshirt and black nightcap. A black eyepatch now covered his empty eye socket, as it was more comfortable for sleep than a monocle. Exhausted from all that had transpired tonight, Black Hat collapsed into bed.
For the first few hours, he tossed and turned. As much as he tried to bring on sleep, his mind was consumed with thoughts of Lita. Her words, her face, how much he'd like to hold her right now, right here, in the softness of his bed…
He didn't realize he was bundling up his comforter, taking it into his arms and stuffing it between his legs.
Deciding that enough was enough, Black Hat rolled onto his back. Pressing his claw to his forehead, he used his powers of manipulation to magically knock himself into unconsciousness.
Lita stood outside the doors to Black Hat's bedchamber, staring at the sign hanging from the knobs: Napping. Do Not Disturb Under ANY Circumstances.
"I wouldn't worry about him," she heard Flug say behind her.
"It's been five days," she said, not taking her gaze off the door.
The scientist shrugged. "His record's two weeks."
"I thought he didn't sleep."
It was strange to think him to be in such a vulnerable state as sleep. Did he wear pajamas? Was his bed normal, or did he sleep on hot coals or spikes or something crazy like that?
"Not usually. Sometimes, he needs rest after overexerting himself." Flug snickered. "Or if he's extra cranky. Not sure which one it is this time."
Lita hung her head. "I think…I may have upset him."
Flug cocked his head. "Why would you think that?"
She slowly turned to him, not lifting her gaze. "I…kind of told him that…I care about him?"
His eyebrows shot up. "You told him what?!"
"I don't know! It all happened so fast! We were arguing, he set his office on fire, I hugged him—"
"You hugged him?!"
"Yes! I know I shouldn't have, but I…he was…I thought…ugh!"
Groaning in exasperation, Lita slumped herself forward. Flug allowed her head to fall onto his shoulder. He wasn't going to press her any further on the subject. Whatever had happened between her and Black Hat, it had clearly taken a lot out of both of them. Perhaps, when the boss awoke, they would be able to put it all behind them. For now, Lita needed a friend to console her.
"There, there," Flug said, gently patting her on the back. "You want to go out and get some ice cream, even though it's winter?"
Without lifting her head, she said, "Shouldn't we ask the boss first?"
"You want to ask him now?" He pointed to the sign. "You just let me deal with him when he wakes up."
Lita smiled. "I love you, Flug."
Knowing she meant it in a familial sense, Flug led her down the hall and said, "Love you too, sis."
The city was in flames. Buildings crumbled around him, burning planes fell from the sky, and human bodies rotted in the streets. Black Hat stepped on them nonchalantly, their bones crunching like cockroaches beneath his feet. He grinned approvingly at the glorious chaos surrounding him.
Hearing a bloodcurdling scream, Black Hat turned to see Lita standing in the middle of the street. She was splattered with blood, holding up the dripping, severed, masked head of a hero. A sinister smile graced her lips, the fire giving her face a gentle red glow.
"If I had known casual murder could be so fun," she said, looking down at the headless, caped body at her feet, "I would've tried it sooner."
Black Hat chuckled as he approached her. "Told you you'd like it."
She held the severed head out towards him. "Hungry, boss?"
He began salivating as he eyed the head. "Oh, yes."
Before he could reach for it, Lita tossed the head aside. "So am I."
Grasping his shirt, she pulled him down and kissed him. Black Hat's eye widened as she bit down on his bottom lip in a way that it hurt. He tried pulling away, only for her to ensnare his neck in her arms and pull harder, bringing them both to the ground.
The kiss broke upon impact, allowing Black Hat to push himself up. "What the hell do you think you're…?"
They had landed inside a pentagram. Not just any pentagram, but his. Lita lay beneath him, suddenly clad in a clean white gown. Her bright blue eyes batted up at him innocently.
He couldn't bring himself to move.
"What's the matter, boss?" she said, tracing his arms with her soft, warm hands. "Don't you want me?"
Black Hat inhaled sharply as he felt her legs wrap around his hips. "I…I don't…I don't want…"
"Because I'm ready for you to take me." She pulled him down further so that their faces were but a breath away. "Are you ready?"
He gulped. "I…I don't…know?"
"What's stopping you?" She whispered in his ear, "What's stopping you from taking what you want?"
This time, when their lips met, he didn't resist.
Black Hat sat up in bed and was met with two more surprises. For one, he was sweating. He never sweated! It was nearly as cold as his skin, and it was only a few beads on his forehead, but it was sweat, nonetheless!
Looking under the covers, he found that his forehead wasn't the only part of his body that was wet!
Screaming in horror, he scrambled out of bed and to his feet. He gripped the sides of his head as he began pacing the floor.
This couldn't be happening. Never, never, never had he had a dream like this! Since his transformation, his dreams had been fewer with less need for sleep. In his early teenage years, he'd been visited by erotic visions as was expected at such an age, but never about anyone in particular!
And never, after such a vision, had he wanted it to come true!
Of all the seven deadly sins, lust was the only one of which he'd been innocent, at least in the sexual sense. He'd been sincere when he'd told Lita rape was beneath him, but there was more to it than that. Even before he'd become a demon, the idea of sex hadn't held much appeal to him. He had thought it was simply disgust for his mother's occupation. Even so, very few women had attracted him. He'd experimented with a few, thinking perhaps his feelings would change after the deed was done, but the results had been…unsatisfactory.
Especially the first time.
At one point, he'd considered the possibility that it had been men he was attracted to. So, he had experimented with them as well. That had been even less pleasant.
He had told the other villains that love was a distraction and that sex served no purpose other than procreation. To dispel those rumors that he was simply "unable," Black Hat had simply blamed his lack of sexual impulses on him being a demon.
But here he was. Lusting. For a woman.
Was it lust, though? After all, this wasn't just any woman. This was Adelita Gris. A mortal woman who had no supernatural abilities whatsoever, who was as stubborn as an ox, who could beat him at chess, who didn't know when to keep quiet, who was stupid enough to stand up to him even though he could kill her in an instant, who played the organ like a five-year-old, who had the appetite of a whale, who snored in her sleep, who despised shaving, who couldn't cook for her life, who was afraid of needles, who had the annoying habit of poking her nose into his personal business, who had this delusion that evil did not exist…who had the wit of a philosophe, who could fight like a beast, who could charm her way into even the most dangerous of villains' hearts, who had charmed her way into his.
She who was his equal in every way.
Black Hat had to grip his bedpost to steady himself from this overwhelming flood of emotion.
There was no use pointing out her faults, for he adored them. He adored everything about her. She was imperfect, but that's what made her Lita. Just as he was imperfect. His hand covered his eyepatch.
Flug's little doctor had been right. There was no cure for this disease! He would carry this to term.
When had this happened? When had all these feelings begun? The ball? Paris? Their first chess match? The moment she'd rung his doorbell?
No. He hadn't fallen for her immediately. There'd been no one defining moment. It had happened gradually over time, now to a point where the only thing he could think about, the only person he desired to be around, was her.
His grip on the bedpost tightened, splintering the wood as he replayed the dream in his head. The imaginary feeling of her lips on his, his skin caressing hers, their legs entwining in heated union. There was no denying it any longer. He wanted her. By the nine circles of Hell, he wanted her badly! He'd never wanted anyone like this before! Was this what it felt like to love someone? To desire one person's eternal embrace and no other's? He hadn't taken any pleasure in his other sexual encounters, but he wondered…would it be different with her?
"Lita," Black Hat whispered, clutching his chest, amazed to actually find a very rapid heartbeat underneath.
He couldn't do it. He couldn't just simply take her! It would go against everything he'd ever believed in! Everything he'd ever worked for! Love was a weakness, a distraction, a trick to turn villains to the good side! He was not good, he never was good, he would never be good! Not even for her!
Then he remembered something Lita had once said: Things aren't as black and white as they seem. Even love isn't all that good.
It left him pondering for several minutes. Had that woman really influenced him that much? After all, he was gentler with her than with any other member of the household, he'd given her milder punishments, he'd granted her favors he didn't do for the others, not to mention he'd saved her life more than once.
But did any of this make him good? After all, he was still pushing her to become a villain, and those favors had been in an effort to keep her satisfied and under his control, and in saving her life, he had also killed for her, even threatened to blow up a hospital. Oh no, despite how much he cared for Lita, he hadn't lost his villainous qualities at all!
Love hadn't turned him good. But a part of him wasn't necessarily evil anymore either. Lita had been right all along. Everything wasn't all black and white. Everything, love especially, came in various shades of gray. But that didn't make him any less of a villain. Right now, he was a villain who wanted someone.
And when a villain wanted something, when Black Hat wanted something, he took it.
He wasn't sure when he had teleported. Or if he had even teleported at all. But somehow, he'd ended up at Lita's bedroom door. It seemed his desire had taken control of his body. Without even realizing it, his hand was slowly rising to knock.
He was really doing this. He was knocking at her bedroom door. He could hear her stirring within. He could hear her switch on her bedside lamp. He could hear her slow, tired footsteps. He could hear the knob turning in her hand.
The door opened, and there she was. Black Hat hadn't been aware of the extremely late hour until now. Her hair was an absolute mess, as her ponytail had come slightly undone in her sleep. Her white pajama top was sagging over her shoulder. The lids drooped over her sapphire-like eyes, her hands rubbing at the dark circles beneath.
Even in her groggy state, the very sight of her brought warmth to his chest.
"Boss?" she groaned, blinking up at him. "W-What is it? Did you need something?"
Black Hat's mouth opened, but he found himself unable to speak as the reality of the situation came crashing down on him.
What was he doing?! This wasn't a dream! Lita was actually here! If he were to attempt to fulfill his fantasies now, there'd be consequences! If he were to steal one small kiss, or utter one single word of affection, there'd be no going back from it! His feelings would be revealed, and she'd know of his hypocrisy.
And what if she didn't feel the same way? Who was he kidding? Of course she didn't feel the same way! She wasn't like Dementia. She was smart enough not to fall for a monster like him! And besides that, the woman had too much self-respect!
But…what if she did? Surely, in all their meaningful conversations, in all their time spent together, she had felt a connection as well. They were kindred spirits, born of the same mind. She'd dared to hug him, touch him, say that she cared about him. Was it possible that care went beyond the bond between boss and employee? And if this was the case, what then? That question seemed to scare him even more.
She cocked her head, her eyes scrutinizing him. He must've looked like a complete idiot, standing frozen with his mouth half open! But it was all he could do to keep himself from moving, from doing what he yearned to do.
Sweet Satan, why does she have to look so adorable in that nightwear?!
The heat was spreading all throughout his body. Any minute now, she was going to say something annoyingly snarky yet disgustingly cute. He didn't think he'd be able to control himself if she did.
"You do wear pajamas!" she exclaimed, squinting. "And is that a nightca—?"
That did it.
He lunged forward, practically tackling Lita as his mouth crashed into hers. A surprised squeak emitted from her throat as she was forced to step back into the room. Not caring about rejection anymore, Black Hat threw his arms around her, pulling her firmly against him. Stretching his leg back, he kicked the door closed. He bent her slightly backward as he leaned forward to accommodate for their difference in height, and so he could deepen the long-awaited kiss.
Her lips were even better than he had imagined, much better than the others he had tasted. They were sweet, moist, and sent an electrified tingle down his spine. They awakened a thirst unlike any he had ever known. Much more intoxicating than bloodlust!
She was sure to overcome her shock soon, and rejection was inevitable. He had pounced on her without asking, after all. But he didn't care if this would end soon, as long as he got to enjoy this small taste of her.
Still half-awake, Lita was slow to process what was happening. This couldn't be real. There was no way Black Hat was kissing her right now and holding her so firmly but tenderly, like she could disappear at any moment. This was another one of her dreams, albeit a very lucid one. It had to be. This would never happen in reality!
Oh, well, she thought. If it's a dream, might as well play along.
After all, if she couldn't have Black Hat in real life, she could at least have this dream version.
Closing her eyes, she snaked her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer. Black Hat's eye popped open in surprise. He had expected her to push him away, or at least resist. He hadn't expected her to actually reciprocate his kiss!
But she was. She was moaning hungrily against his lips, her tongue begging entrance. Her left leg hooked around his right, urging that he be as close to her as possible.
He really thought she'd be smarter than this. But who was he to look a gift horse in the mouth?
Her eager response fanned the flames of his desire. With a greedy growl, Black Hat opened his mouth, retracting his fangs in order to not risk piercing her succulent tongue. His forked tongue instantly entangled around hers. The content whimper told him that she liked it.
All the emotions that had been bottling up inside him came rushing forth. He couldn't stop. This was a pleasure far greater than anything he'd ever known! He needed more. He needed to indulge. He needed her.
Yes, yes, YES, MY LOVE! Take me, devour me, make me your slave! Just be MINE, and I'll be YOURS forever!
"Lita," he whispered against her lips, his claw moving to the thigh wrapped around his leg. "My Lita."
Meanwhile, Lita's mind was still in a haze. She didn't remember her other dreams feelings this good. Or so…real. She felt everything. The cold but pleasant feeling of his skin, the rough wetness of his slithery tongue, the silkiness of his nightshirt, his left claw digging into her shoulder…
Hold on. That actually HURT!
She opened her eyes as alarming realization washed over her.
Holy fuck, THIS IS REAL!
Screaming, Lita used all her strength to push against Black Hat's chest. He was so caught off-guard by her scream that he released her. She saw the confusion in his face, and he saw the horror in hers.
Had she come to her senses then? Had she realized she'd been making out with a demon? He felt a twinge of hurt in his chest at the thought that she might indeed reject him. As much as he wanted her, he didn't think he could continue if she didn't want him. What had just occurred, the two of them locked in each other's embrace, pulling at each other eagerly, had been pure ecstasy. It wouldn't feel the same if she weren't willing.
"Oh god," she finally said, completely ignoring his rules on the G-word as her hand flew to her mouth. "Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god!"
"I, um…" Black Hat gulped, unsure of how to explain this. "I was, err…"
"I'm not dreaming," she murmured, moving her hand away to stare at it. "I'm not dreaming, I'm not dreaming…"
Now he was even more confused. "Wait. You thought this was a…?"
His eye widened as he put the pieces together. Her inability to sleep, her complaining of nightmares, her acting nervous around him for seemingly no reason, her being upset for having ignored her, her embracing him when he'd lost his temper. Everything made sense now.
His villainous side took over as his mouth formed a toothy grin. Chuckling mischievously, Black Hat stuck one hand behind his back. With a wave of his finger, he quietly turned the lock of the door.
"Tell me, Miss Gris," Black Hat said, stepping slowly towards the hyperventilating woman. "These, err, so-called nightmares you've been having, they wouldn't happen to have been about…me, would they?"
Looking up at him, Lita felt her nerves increase as he drifted closer. "I-I…um…"
"Because if you thought this was a dream," he said, leaning slightly forward, "you didn't seem…bothered by it."
He was moving quicker now. Lita backed away, not watching where she was going, and had to grip the edge of her bed to keep herself from toppling backward.
"So tell me," he said, placing his hands on either side of her, "what exactly I did in these dreams," he whispered in her ear, "and I just might fulfill them."
She was shivering from both fear and desire. Her brain was still attempting to comprehend that Black Hat was actually here. In her bedroom. Right in front of her bed.
And he had just kissed her.
She gasped as his hand cupped her face. Her breath staggered as his fingers traced her jawline, his thumb brushing over her lips. These claws had killed people. Hurt people. Hurt her. Yet now, they were gentle, smooth, tender. And…not as cold as they usually were. Still below a human's average body temperature, but not freezing to a point where she could get frostbite. Did this mean he was running a fever or something? Was that why he'd been resting?
He was smiling, though his teeth were no longer showing. The smile looked docile, yet joyful. His one, predatory eye moved all around her face, taking in every detail.
"There's no need to be embarrassed, my dear Adelita," he said, her name dripping from his tongue like honey as he drew her face nearer, his eye closing. "I, too, have dreamed of this moment."
Lita almost let him kiss her again. Almost let her fantasies take wing. But everything was happening so fast and she still couldn't believe it was happening!
"No!" she cried, slapping his hand away.
Black Hat's eye opened. "No?"
He didn't sound angry. Just confused.
"No!" she said again, slipping away from him and heading for the door. "No, no, no, no! ¡Porque no! You can't…this can't be…you don't even like me!"
Black Hat laughed as he took her hand, turning her back to face him. "Oh, but Lita, didn't I tell you from the beginning that I liked you?"
"I didn't think you meant—"
"Well, it's true." He pulled her closer. "I like you very much."
"B-But…" Lita wrenched her hand out of his hold. "Y-Your rules! You can't invol—"
"Funny thing about rules, my dear," he said, his smile not dropping as he stepped towards her. "They can be easily broken."
She shook her head. "N-No, this is crazy! You're…toying with me! Yes!" She pointed at him accusingly. "This is a joke, isn't it? Well, ha-ha, you got me good, boss!" Once she'd made it to the door, she fumbled for the knob. "W-Well, joke's over! N-Now if you'd kindly leave, I've got to get up in…"
The knob wouldn't turn. Panicked, she spun around and jerked the knob with both hands. She heard Black Hat chuckling behind her.
"T-This isn't funny, boss!" she hollered. "Unlock the door, or poof out of here right now, or I'll—"
His hand slammed beside her head. She whipped around to see him grinning down at her, his eye staring hungrily at her.
"Oh, but I can't leave now, dear." Before she could slip away, he thrust his other hand forward, trapping her between his arms. "We were just getting started."
Her panic was quickly turning into annoyance as she scowled hard at him. "This is borderline coercion, here!"
He only moved closer. "It's not coercion, if you willingly say yes."
She pushed against his chest. "I haven't said yes."
"Oh, but you will. You've made it quite obvious that you want this as much as I do."
Her face reddened as her mind replayed the last few minutes. Black Hat chuckled as he moved his left hand towards her face.
"You really are adorable, sweetheart, when you're flustered like that."
"Now hold on a moment!" She snatched his wrist before he could touch her. "We're not doing anything until you explain yourself!"
His teeth glinted in excitement. "So we will be doing something?"
"Down, boy," she said firmly, pushing him an inch away. "W-Where's this even coming from?"
"Come now, Lita, is my affection for you really that hard to believe?"
"Uh…yeah! I mean you're always saying no love, no sex, no affection of any kind! And now you're out of the blue trying to seduce me?! What are you trying to pull here?"
"Well," he murmured, his fingers flicking the end of her ponytail, "there are a few things I'd like to pull…"
Gasping, she slapped him hard in the face. This only widened his grin.
"Oh, ho, ho!" He laughed as he leaned closer. "I do love it when you're fiery!"
"Be serious!" She stomped her foot angrily. "What possible reason could you have for doing all this?! I mean it's not like you…I mean you've never…you've never even said I was—"
"Beautiful?"
Her scowl disappeared. "W-What?"
"I know I never said it." His hand moved to her face again and she did not stop him this time. "And I will admit, I've been impartial to human beauty. Even when I was human myself." He took a few strands of hair between his talons. "But you…my darling Lita…I find you…every part of you," he whispered, "to be most appealing."
His words sounded sincere, leaving Lita speechless. She wanted to believe him.
"But it's not your beauty that draws me to you." He smirked. "Though I've yet to see a creature as alluring. What I truly admire about you is your spirit, your wit, your strength, the way you look upon me without fear. You are an amazing woman, Lita. I've never wanted anyone more than I want you."
As he drew closer, she turned her face away. "How…how do I know you're not lying?"
His smiled dropped, genuinely hurt by this question. "What reason would I have to lie about something like this?"
"I-I don't know!" She threw her hands in the air. "To…to control me, or something?! To make me l-love you so that I never leave?! To turn me into a nutcase like Dementia?!"
Grabbing her shoulders, he looked her sternly in the eye. "I've told you countless times, I've never cared for Dementia!"
"But she cares for you!" A new fear arose within her. "Holy shit, if she finds out about this—"
"She won't! No one has to know about this! This is no one's business but ours! Oh, Lita, can't you see how much I need…?"
A familiar scent caused him to pause. He was really looking at Lita now, looking at the wide terror in her gorgeous, blue eyes. Those eyes that were directed at him. And she was trembling. Trembling in his grasp.
"You're…you're afraid," he said, unbelieving.
Raising her arms, she pushed his aside. "No shit, Sherlock."
She was actually afraid of him right now. It was what he'd wanted from the very beginning. But it wasn't supposed to happen now, not while he was pouring his heart out to her! He glanced down at his hands in shock. He had taken this too far.
"I-I…I'm sorry," he choked, stepping away from her. "I…don't know what…I was…"
This behavior from him was even more puzzling. He looked like he was genuinely disgusted with himself. Lita could see it in his face.
"I…I shouldn't have…I'll just…"
He reached for the doorknob, but her hand grabbed it first. He looked at her in confusion and saw sympathy in her eyes.
"Do…do you really want to?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Leaning toward her, he said in a low, pleading voice, "Yes."
His answer sent a chill up her spine.
"I-I…" Her cheeks blushed as she looked down. "I-I do…too."
Smiling in triumph, Black Hat moved closer.
"But we shouldn't!" Without raising her eyes, she moved a hand between them. "I mean…you being a demon aside, you're also my boss! I-It would be inappropriate! Not to mention y-you're way older than me though I guess you're immortal so it doesn't matter and I'm an adult anyway but still don't you think we should think about this before we do…any…thing…?"
She trailed off as she felt his hand on her cheek once again. Slowly, he lifted her face towards his. His smile was small, but sincere, and his half-lidded gaze was filled with desire and care.
"The way I see it, my darling," he said softly, "I'm a man, you're a woman, both well past the age of consent. You want it. I want it." His thumb traced her lips. "What's holding us back?"
Black Hat could hear her heart thumping wildly, keeping time with his. She was still trembling, though it was not from fear, for that scent had faded away.
This was really happening. Black Hat was in her bedroom. Touching her. Caressing her. Asking her to come lay with him.
And she wanted to. She loved him and, even though he hadn't said the L-word, it seemed like the feeling was mutual. She'd already shared so much with him, but there was one last thing she still hadn't shared. He wouldn't hurt her. She trusted him not to hurt her.
Cautiously, she closed the distance between them. Her kiss started off softer than his, but Black Hat found he liked this one better. Because this time, he was certain that she felt as he did.
She noted how his fangs seemed to be missing. He had gotten them out of the way just for her. This confirmed that as hungry as he was for her, he had no desire to harm her. He tasted like barbecue. She didn't know if it was due to his diet, his flaming tantrums, or both. Either way, it was a taste she found delectable.
Before he could deepen the kiss, she broke away. For a moment, he thought she was hesitating, until she took his hands and led him towards the bed.
They were doing this. They were really doing this! They were going to engage in that age-old dance that had enticed the first man and woman, and all the lovers to follow. Black Hat's heart thumped in anticipation as Lita sat down on the bed.
Hooking her arm around his neck, she pulled him in for another kiss. His claws caressed her forearms as he slowly bent her backwards. Once he was on top of her, one claw wandered down her front, sliding beneath her shirt.
Suddenly, she flinched. Black Hat pulled away and saw that her eyes were wide in astonishment.
"What's the matter?" he asked in concern.
"N-Nothing." She shook her head. "It's just that…for the first time, I feel…I finally feel…"
Her lips curled into a smirk. What she whispered next sealed both their fates.
"Villainous."
"The Point of No Return" from "The Phantom of the Opera" (if the title hadn't already implied that)
"A Dangerous Game" from "Jekyll and Hyde"
"Beneath a Moonless Sky" from "Love Never Dies"
"As Long As You're Mine" from "Wicked"
I had written this chapter ages ago and was SO impatient to get to this part! Hard to believe I've been working on this story for over a year now and it took forty chapters to get here!
But the story isn't finished yet...