Misa smiled as she scented the salty air, the breeze was warm and not a cloud was to be seen. She closed her sapphire eyes and enjoyed the warm air breezing through her hair. "Where is this?"
She watched several small tropical looking islands pass by as the behemoth cruise liner slowly coasted into a smaller channel. Misa shifted her excited gaze towards Beyond who was watching outward, leaning on the railing, resting his chin on his hands. He shrugged carelessly, "If I had to guess. The amount of time we were out, the smell and the giant sign on the port that reads, 'Puerto Galera.' I could guess the Philippine islands."
Her bright eyes lit up, "Really?! I've always wanted to come here!"
The raven haired man shifted an amused smirk towards her from behind his ebony bangs, "Oh, really? Where else have you wanted to go?" He stood up straight and stretched as smaller tug boats pulled up to the sides of the ship and led it into the dock.
Misa tapped her chin with a thoughtful expression on her face. Her resplendent eyes lit up as a smile spread across her full lips. She sidestepped closer to Beyond and kissed his cheek, "Anywhere you go! This is the most fun I've had in my life!"
Beyond's vermilion eyes flitted to her, "Seriously? I'm bored. So. From what I'm understanding of all the pamphlets floating around the ship, the Philippines are known for their clear waters and white sandy beaches."
The blonde's eyes lit up, "Can we go?!" She tugged on his arm slightly in her elation.
A dark laugh came from the obsidian haired male, "I'm not stopping you." Beyond felt his breath hitch slightly when Misa hugged his arm and nuzzled his shoulder with a picture perfect pout, her lower lip sticking out just slightly and even had a tiny quiver. The raven hung his head and slumped his shoulders, "But, I burn… Really easily."
"All the more reason you should get out!" She chirped happily as she watched the port draw closer. She glanced back to the man, who had hung his head in slight defeat, and gave a small smile. "Don't worry, I'll buy some sun block for you."
His eyes gleamed slightly with mischievousness, "Misa. You're a bully."
She gasped throwing her head in his direction, her eyes wide with shock and her mouth left agape before responding. "Me?! A bully?!" Huffing in frustration Misa crossed her arms, shifted her weight to her right hip and blew the bangs out of her face, while narrowing her brilliant eyes in frustration. She internally giggled when she watched exasperation flood the male. 'He's fun to tease… Full of responses.'
The massive ship came to a stop and lines were tossed to the docks. People began to congratulate around the spot that would become the exit. Beyond shifted a skeptical glance over the crowd and ducked behind a small group when he made eye contact with the cook who was eyeing him up with squinted eyes. "Shit." The raven muttered quietly.
Misa grinned brightly when she saw his pale hand reach out behind him in search for her. Quickly clasping their hands together, she braced for another quick take off, like in Japan. As she assumed, his pace jetted through the crowd nearly dragging her behind him. Her eyes shifted around on her surroundings quickly, before settling on the enigmatic man. 'He's holding my hand tight enough to keep his pace, but not so tight it hurts.'
After weaving in and out of crowds, Misa found herself in the center of a small town. She glanced around excitedly at all the small shops selling handmade goods. Glancing her eyes over to the young man as he spoke fluent Filipino. She blinked her baby blue eyes rapidly in disbelief. She found an unrestrained smirk forming. The sun reflected a warm chocolate off of his ebony locks, the way the sun danced through the shade of the trees seemed to refract from his eyes casting deep crimson and hues of amber.
She blushed brightly when he looked over to her and gave a disarmingly careless smile. Silently admire it his features she traced them with her eyes, as if trying to record them to memory. His high cheekbones, but soft jaw. His angelic pale complexion, but devilish eyes that held a certain secretive danger behind them. 'The perfect contradictions.' She shook her head rapidly when he raised an eyebrow. 'Crap… He said something didn't he?' "I'm sorry. I was very distracted. What did you say?"
A devious crooked smirk ghosted his supple lips, just barely revealing his pearly incisor, "Distracted, huh? I said, we'll be staying south of town tonight."
Misa released a nervous giggle, "Oh! Alright. I'm sorry. I'll try not to let that happen again, can we go to the beach now?"
Beyond rolled his eyes and huffed in frustration. "Fine!"
Releasing an elated squeal Misa instantly ran towards a small stall filled with clothing. Beyond shifted his eyes around the crowd scanning it quickly before sulking behind her, keeping one eye on the crowd, the other on the immediate people around her. She turned around quickly with a brilliant turquoise bikini and a matching shawl. "I'm ready!"
Misa stared slack jawed at the pristine white sand. "Wow! It almost looks like clouds!" The bright blue, crystal clear water gently caressed the beach with a soothing rushing sound. "Alright… Following you through the sketchy jungle was worth it."
The raven gave a triumphant head nod, "Of course, locals always know the best places to go. Especially if you can butter them up by using the local language." Cocking his head to the side watching Misa strip down behind a thick bush, "What are you doing? It's not like it's anything I haven't seen before."
Scoffing loudly Misa snarked out, "It's a little thing called modesty! Look it up!" She stepped out from behind the shrub and did a small spin in her new swimsuit with the matching shawl loosely tied around her hips. "Well?" When her eyes met his she giggled out at his speechless expression. "I'll take your silence as a compliment!" She winked and trotted to the water.
Plopping himself in the sand under a palm tree, Beyond hugged his knees and watched Misa tiptoe into the water and start clapping excitedly because of the water temperature, all while concealing an amused smirk. The breeze gently pushed her long golden locks over her shoulder while carrying a sweet and salty scent.
"Beyond! Come out with me!" Misa shouted playfully. "Pleeeease?!"
Letting a quiet huff of laughter escape, he slipped his converse tennis shoes off as he pulled his black shirt over his head. "Alright, alright!" He called back to her. He shifted a glance over his shoulder and spoke to himself. "I suppose it seems safe enough…" He dropped his pants and scoffed at her cackling.
"You can't swim in boxers!" She chided.
He chuckled before playfully arguing with her. "Well, why the hell not?! It's not like I bought anything!" He darted towards her at an alarming pace, kicking sand up behind him. Causing Misa to playfully shriek and wade out knee deep into the water, before he caught up with her and lifted her out of the water bridal style.
Misa stared wordlessly into his deep red, mysterious eyes. She leaned in towards him and felt her breath hitch when he did the same. Only to squeal in surprise and annoyance when she was quickly dropped into the water completely soaking her. "You jerk! That was almost so romantic!"
He laughed loudly holding his sides, "But it was so perfect!"
She stood up quickly, "Oh! You're going to get it now!" She leaped forward tackling him into the water, both laughing.
Sitting on the beach watching the sun began to cast memorizing oranges and reds into the sky as it began to sink beyond the horizon. Misa let out a happy sigh and leaned against Beyond. "I'll admit it. Life is worth living… As long as you're in the right company." She looked up to him and realized he wasn't watching the sun. Instead, he was staring directly at her. His gaze seemed to be confused yet endearing. Still keeping eye contact, "Beyond?" She smiled slightly when his eyebrows raised. "What's your real name? No one names their kid Beyond."
He sighed and shifted his eyes away from her. "I never had a real name. I've never had an identity of my own. I was always known as Back Up or Plan B. Which eventually got shortened to B… But, then I realized I was beyond nicknames and code names… So, I became Beyond."
Misa stared at him with pity and then amazement. "That would have driven me mad."
Watching the sun make its final descent he breathed out, "Never said it didn't…" Quickly snapping his gaze back to Misa, "Let's head back. We should get back to town before it gets too dark for us to find our way." Beyond put forth a well practiced smile and stood brushing the sand off of himself before holding his hand out.
The blonde sighed then took his hand, being yanked up and into a quick hug and a deep kiss. Misa could feel her knees go slightly limp and her grip loosen. 'He's distracting me… He doesn't want me that close to his past.'
The embrace parted and the raven gave a famous crooked grin before tugging her hand to head back. Swatting leaves and bugs away from her face they headed back towards town. It wasn't a far walk but it seemed to be longer going back than leaving. Maybe it was the excitement of going to the beach.
Misa jumped slightly when Beyond abruptly stopped and held a finger over his lips before ducking down into the brush pulling her with him. In a slight panic Misa whispered towards the man. "What's going on?" Beyond only looked back at her holding a finger over his lips.
Misa timidly looked around trying to move as little as possible. The dismissed light making it very hard to make anything out aside from shadowy silhouettes of trees and other shrubbery. Then she heard them. It sounded like two men walking directly towards them speaking hushed but loud enough to be heard in the local language. Misa could feel fear building in the back of her throats as the sun further dipped completely shrouding the area in darkness.
Beyond looked back towards Misa and shushed her before whispering. "Stay down and stay quiet. Do. Not. Scream. They aren't getting what they came for… They're on my terms now." Misa gave a quizzical stare before he slinked away towards them rounding around the oncoming men. 'Like a predator… Am I really all that safe with him?'
She flinched when he heard one of them yell to the other two, "Found her!" Misa let out a muffled cry as a hand clamped over her mouth. She could hear one of the other men screaming in agony as the other shouted, firing shots into the darkness wildly.
Misa struggled as she was being pulled from the ground, "You're safe! Quit squirming, will ya!" Her eyes darted around when the gunshots silenced. 'Oh please tell me they didn't…' She heard loud footfalls coming towards them. "Uy, ang lahat ng tama?" (Hey, is everything alright?) She closed her eyes tightly and shuddered in defeat. "Ang alaga niya ng?" (Is he taken care of?)
The footsteps came closer and louder in a determined pace. "Answer me, dammit!" The man's voice began to teeter on panic.
The footsteps stopped and the clicking of a sound of a gun cocking was directly next to the man and Misa as a familiar voice snarled out, "No… I think that they ran into technical difficulties." A loud bang resounded throughout the forest followed by a deafening ringing in Misa's ears. As she fell to the ground with the lifeless body of her once captor her eyes made contact with a familiar yet unfamiliar scarlet glow in the moonlight.
Eyes that once captivated her and nearly enslaved her mind, now left cold and calculating, hollow and seemingly devoid of all emotion. An echo of what Beyond said earlier raced through her mind, "Never said it didn't…"
As her body connected with the ground, she stared up at the ridged form that snapped a dark gaze in her direction. 'Could that truly be the same man? Could that really be Beyond? Or has that been the edge of danger I've felt like I could feel this whole time?' Misa felt herself get heavy as the ringing persisted in her ears. Though she desperately wanted to confront him, she couldn't will herself to remain in the waking world.
A/N: Got you a long one for your patience with my disappearing act! More to come!