The chill wind of the late moonless night breezed through the dark forest, causing me to bring my jacket a little closer to my body. I longed for the warmth of yours; why did it always feel like you were taking forever to come? Perhaps always arriving to our secret meeting spots thirty minutes earlier had something to do with that, but I could not help myself. Ever since that day we first talked, I sought for chances to talk with you again. I was surprised that you not just noticed it, but went along with it as well. You could have thought "what does this annoying girl want with me?", and I would not blame you if you did. After all, I was nothing like what you stood for, or that you thought was good and correct. I longed more and more to meet you again after each of our encounters, I was so happy that every single time I targeted you and then ran, you came after me. I would wait, and soon you would be there.
You have always made me count the hours to be with you again, and now I was the one who soon would be making you wait for me.
What started as a simple deviation from the norm soon became much more than I was ready for or expected. Sure I always wanted to be in a relationship, but I never thought that I would have had it so soon, and with someone on a complete opposite side to mine, as well. Still, every time we fought we would talk about several things, even things which had nothing to do with fighting in general, but personal things. We started sharing that kind of information with each other about ourselves, and little after, I do not think I could have seen you as my enemy or even a rival anymore. It was not the plan at first or something we meant to do at those times we managed to get away from the rest of our teams, but I remember how once we were completely out of breath, and instead of keeping our guard against me, you decided to lower your spear and suggest we both got some rest. I promptly did it too, almost not believing what I was seeing, but it looked like I was not the only one who did not see the other as an enemy anymore.
It turns out it is a lot easier to have a conversation when you are not sprinting and jumping to try and land a hit on your opponent, and we made sure to use that to the fullest. We started praising each other for our skills, reflecting about the fight we kept having, before we started talking about the people in our team. We both were sitting down, and as soon as that topic came and we gave explanation about the abilities of our friends, there was a bit of a hiccup in the flow of our conversation. One could already question how loyal to our teams we really were if we were having those kinds of encounters, but after having given critical information about our tactics, we both knew it was a point of no return. We felt a little uncomfortable at first, but as we expanded to talking about more things, that feeling on our hearts gradually subdued. We clearly were not enemies anymore, so would we still hate the rest of each other's teams? Sure we would not use that info against the other, would we?
As the time went on, so did the rivalry between our teams seem to increase, except for between the two of us, that was. Between us, something else was increasing, and that was how close we were getting. It started a little rough and rigid at first, but we gradually warmed to the other to the point we could be considered friends. We even proposed the idea of holding hands as a proof of that friendship; it worked, but we forgot to stop doing so once enough proof was given. I suppose then was the end of our rivalry, but also the beginning of not just our friendship, but of something more. We started holding hands, which soon became more physical contact, happening relatively fast-paced as we saw it as way to keep proving our friendship. If that was all that existed between us though, we must have been really good friends, for whenever we met each other after escaping the heat of the battle for a bit, we had the great idea of hugging each other. Now, everytime we met we would do so, and as time passed, those seemed to be lasting longer and longer as neither of us wanted to let go.
Lasting longer and longer, as we kept meeting more and more, but soon our conversations seemed to lessen a bit.
I am sure that you had those thoughts as well, about us being friends when our teams hated each other, and with good reason, for we stole jewelry for a living, and you all fought against that kind of thing. I did not know about you, but my thoughts were always about how terrible it was for someone like you to even be friends with someone like me. I know what I used to do, and yet I was here with you, having such a good friendship with you. It felt illegal, more so than stealing jewelry, and that I needed to put an end to all of this. But I did not want to; something inside me screamed loudly against it, and I could feel the pain in my chest increase whenever that thought came to me. Did you think the same way as I did? Should we stop being friends, and go back to what we were before, and forget that any of this even happened? I was thinking so much, I barely could keep my head in place, so I decided to lean it towards yours. Even if I was not supposed to have this friendship, I was having it right now. I wanted the comfort that could come from it.
When you did lean yours against mine, though, something changed within me.
We kept booking more of those challenges with each other, and I did not mind it a single bit: I could not wait for the time we would be fighting again, for this meant I would see you. I had to do my best to keep up the act that it was simply for challenging you and defeating you, and it seemed to work. We met, fought a bit, then ran away to be together at some place we would not be seen or detected. The ruins of that abandoned building were not so great for turning our suits off, though, so our time together there was not of good quality - of the quality I wanted. The forest, though huge and pitch black even at full moon nights, was far much better for that, and after a good while we decided to challenge each other there. Having to pretend nothing was going in front of my team and celebrating victory ahead with them and even toasting to it, while at the same time knowing fully well I was going just to be able to meet with you, those two feelings were fighting inside me, like two wolves. When we started the battle, I could not help but attack with a lot more speed and force than before, and though we had not agreed to it beforehand, we used what we knew of the tactics of the other team to keep them away from each of us, so we were free to target each other as much as we wanted - and hurry out of the battle as soon as we could, disappearing into the darkness.
We flew away, dodging trees as we attacked the other just for the sake of pretending and not making it too suspicious, until we were both gone. I had flied ahead, and I made sure to leave an obvious trail of pink light as I went behind a tree, so you knew were I had gone to. I turned off my suit as soon as I landed, and you came right after and landed in front of me. On that day, I was more than glad to see you, and I could not help but to smile brightly, and rush for your arms. I jumped on you, and you hugged me, and it felt almost as if you would turn around holding me, as a boyfriend would do to his girlfriend. I could not stop holding you, as even though I had just smiled from ear to ear as I saw you, the same rush of emotions made me feel scared to let go. You stroked my back several times, before pulling away slightly. I smiled slightly as I looked to you, trying my best to say hello. The orange glow from your suit illuminated us as you smiled, saying hello to me, before you led the way to another tree below which we sat down, and you turned it off. Just like this, we were there in the dark, holding hands, with all those thoughts running into my mind.
I was nothing more than a criminal, I was not supposed to be happy as I was. Yet, I had your friendship and your care, for numerous times you comforted me when the battle before we managed to get away had been a little too fierce. I grew accustomed to hugging you from since then, but we now sat close, holding hands. My mind kept accusing me of how I was just betraying my friends for a friendship I knew I could not possibly have, and worse, that if anything was ever discovered I would not be only ruining my life but also yours. Yet, whenever we met we would hug each other, and you would not pull away at all. Was I imagining things, or those times we would be close and we would laugh, and you would caress my hair and we would have a good talk, had they meant nothing? Did they mean to you what I was sure they meant to me? The silence between us was deafening, and I felt my hand becoming sweaty, even though it was even a little chilly that day. I turned to you in the dark, and used my hand to find where your face was, since I could not see anything. I took all the courage that I have, maybe even some stupid courage because I was about to do something which could not be reversed, but I needed to know the answers to my questions. I approached you, gracing you in the lips tenderly, before I parted, barely feeling my heart beating inside my chest as I waited for your reaction.
You then placed your hand on my face, and brought my lips once again closer to yours.
It was not just about the physical sensation of touch, it was not because we were enemies and we could be found out, it was not because I lived wrongly and you lived correctly either. No, not any of that. It was because, despite whom I was, you had not rejected me. Even if I had found anyone on my side of things that was willing to be in a relationship with me, nothing that we could do would come in comparison to that moment we were sharing just then. Not only you accepted me, but did it so boldly, I could not help but to reply accordingly to every bit of it. It was not just enough to press our lips against each other, feeling them tenderly as we did so with force, proving to each other we were farm more than just friends, but we sealed it when we parted our lips to embrace each other with even more love. We did not seem to care if we had no more air, we would faint right then and there for all we cared. I suddenly began to feel my heart and how fast it was ramming against my chest. I knew that I deeply meant the only three words that were on my mind: I love you.
The rush of energy, it was better than any successful heist, it was better than winning any battle, it was better than anything I have experienced, and had been allowed to experience despite how wrong and crooked I was. I wanted to scream it for the world to hear, that despite the fact I was in error, I had finally found the 'something more important' I was looking for: love.
We returned to the battle scene to our already tired teams, and we fought each other not because we were mad at the other, but with the power of love instead of hatred. The insane amount of speed kept them from trying to interrupt us as we gave a bit of a display of our skills in front of them, before we eventually were so tired we arrived into a tie. I fell to the floor, tired like the rest, hiding my smile and my tears that had started falling because of how happy I was. When I got back up, I saw your friends helping you back on your feet. We then all left silently, knowing everyone was at their limits, but I was beaming.
I did not give you the chance to reply back, but after that day, we had way more encounters than just the ones at the battles, meeting at the dead of the night were you made sure to express all the love you had for me. I did not hold back to being with you, paying it back to you in kisses the amount of time you made me wait for you to arrive to our meeting point - it did not matter if I was here early, you were supposed to be here waiting for me already. You would smile and agree to that without protest, and any complaints we had towards each other would be solved by seeing who could keep going the longest after they lost their breath. Whoever lost would get punished in more affection, starting the competition all over again. We would then rest, laugh, and enjoy the other's company.
However, there was still one thing that, I needed to set right.
I never really thought living the way I did was correct, and it always bothered me a bit. Now, I had found something - or rather, someone - who gave me exactly what I needed to have the courage to turn around. We talked about the consequences of doing so, and I was completely aware of that, but I could not possibly in the face of such a big gift I had received from the heavens, continue to live like I did. My wrongs works were simply incompatible with the love I had been given, and I wanted to make things right, and set my records straight.
I then saw you arrive at the place we had agreed to meet, to plan how I would be leaving this wicked life, and let myself be caught. Of the many more nights we have had, we had arrived out our last one, and after we finished laying down every step of my surrender, we kissed once again. You held me strongly on the back of my head, as I wrapped my arms around your torso. When you parted, I could see the tears streaming from your eyes. I inevitably began crying as well, as we hugged strongly for comfort. When we managed to calm down, you pulled away, kissing me on the forehead. You praised me for doing the right thing, though I wanted to apologize because this meant we would be apart for a long while - your offenses were not enough to keep you in jail for any length of time. You stopped me before I could, and reassured me instead, on a way which left me speechless.
"It does not matter how long it takes for them to let you leave. After you are out, we will continue our lives together, this time both of us being on the clear."
I could not keep my tears in anymore, and I sobbed loudly. "Are you really willing to wait all that long just for me?"
"It is no longer just you or me, but us. I am waiting for us. I cannot see myself with anyone else, Amy. I love you."
I could not say anything coherently, keep crying or start to smile. Before I knew it we were on the floor, and I was panting really hard as I opened my eyes again. It seemed we had just regained our consciousness, after losing our breath to the point of fainting. That or the emotions were simply too much for both of us. I am much more fond of the first idea, though. It explained much better all the sweet taste I had on my mouth, and all of the saliva drenching our faces.
We waited until we recovered, cleansed our faces, and just hugged each other for the rest of the night. When it looked like it was beginning to get brighter, we knew it was time to part ways. We kissed again, as much as we wanted. We would be seeing each other for a brief time again, before the results or our plan took place, and we made sure to make the most of it. I got a bit adventurous, saying I would follow him home to make sure he made it safe, but he refused saying he would be the one to do it instead. In the end, we both knew it was not possible, and had to make do with just hugging for a little longer, as strong as we possibly could, and flying as fast as possible back to our bases.
This was our last night together, your last night with this Amy. When I return, I promise you, my love, I will never be like this, ever again.