The Lone Wolf | Corpse Husband

Chapter Fourteen: Personal Space

About a week later, I woke up to a text message from Corpse asking to get lunch today together. "As friends" He said. I furrowed my eyebrows at the message, was he reassuring me of this or himself? Because as far as I knew, nothing had happened between us to make me think otherwise. I got up from my bed, getting ready for the day.

I walked out the building quick before anybody could catch up with me, question me then make me wear a wire to lunch or something. A suggestion by Scarra after Poki had reported to him that she had been checking up on my mission, but couldn't 100% confirm anything I was telling her. Snitch, much. But after all it was her job, so I couldn't really be mad. I hadn't gotten the chance to use the wire anyway, because I hadn't seen Corpse since I told him my name that night and I wasn't planning to use it any time soon. 

It'd been about two weeks since Sykkuno, Rae and Scarra had left for their "business trip." Since they left, it got quiet around the cartel, and Poki was left with all of their tasks. I wondered if Jeremy, or Toast, whatever he prefers to be called, was with them. 

I met Corpse at a restaurant outside of Los Angeles, at his request. Because he'd be eating and you know, the mask thing. I was a bit late, cause I had gotten lost but when I walked in, I immediately spotted him waving me over to our table. 

"Hello Angelica!" He smiled as I took my seat. "Long time no see."

"It's only been a week, miss me that much?" 

He chuckled, "Maybe, maybe not."

We ate lunch and he insisted on paying instead of splitting the bill. I was happy to be with Corpse again, and I realized I was the one who missed him. Afterwards, I still was not satisfied with the short time I had with him. 

"Have any plans?" I asked. 

"Not really, I was going to go back to my apartment and just...I don't know, relax." He replied, getting out his car keys.

"Great! I'm free too!" I said. "I'll meet you there, race you?" I didn't even wait for a reply, I just got in my car and started it. Another day with Corpse? Yes please. 

I arrived at his apartment first, with him closely behind. Though he was competitive, he laughed it off instead of being a sore loser. I liked that about him, he was just happy to be there.

❀

We spent the day like we had the other few times we'd been together, video games, music, talking. I'd actually grown quite close to him in the few short weeks I'd known him, and he felt more like a friend than a target. 

It was heading around late afternoon when I got a call from Poki. I declined, because well, I was with Corpse, but the more I declined, the more she called and eventually I had to excuse myself. 

I went into Corpse's room, because the bathroom would echo and although I trusted him enough not to eavesdrop, I couldn't take the chance. 

"Yes?" I answered. 

"Where are you?" Poki asked, "Rae is back, and she was expecting you to be in your dorm considering you didn't brief me- or anyone for that matter- that you were leaving?"

"Oh shit." I sighed. "I didn't know she was returning today..."

"I told you three days ago!" 

I rubbed my temples, "I just forgot, I'm sorry. I'm just visiting a friend outside of LA, I didn't think I needed to brief anyone about that."

"Just tell me next time, okay?" Then she hung up. 

Shit, what excuse could I make to Corpse? I told him I was free all day, that I had nothing planned. I sat there pondering a bit, then I realized I couldn't. Poki and Rae, well they could wait just an hour more. I walked out and Corpse was drinking pills in his kitchen. 

"What's that for?" I asked, pointing to the medication bottles. 

He gulped down the last pill, "Remember I told you I have health issues?"

I nodded. He was finally going to open up to me about them. 

"That's what they're for." He sounded raspier than usual, and he cleared his throat after he spoke. I could tell he was losing his voice. He noticed and said, "My voice, it gets like this because of my condition." He went on, "That last hit we did, I couldn't do it because of my arm. My brain...well, it's fucked, sometimes it just messes things up, it messes me up." There was a pause. "I take these pills to help, but sometimes it just doesn't...sometimes, it just feels like it'll be like this forever. But what the hell can I do?"

For some reason, I felt compelled to get closer to him. I didn't pity him, because I knew how it felt to be pitted, and it sucked. Instead, I sympathized with him. I cupped his face in my hands, "It doesn't mess you up, and it won't be like this forever. Somehow, you'll get through this. You're strong." I said quietly, I meant it. Just like everything else I'd told him since meeting him. Then I realized that the look on his face was one of shock. Right...what the fuck am I doing cupping his face? I took my hands away, immediately embarrassed. His face was turning a bright red, and he picked up his glass of water again to drink in order to ignore what just happened. 

"Um, well, I should get going." I went to grab my car keys which were on the table near the door. Corpse was still in the kitchen, putting his glass down now. "Forget that." 

I was about to open my mouth to say goodbye for the night (and probably for a while, considering how awkward that was.) when Corpse started walking toward me. I assumed it was just to close the door behind me when I leave, but right as I opened it, he closed it over my shoulder. I turned around, extremely close to his face. 

"Personal space, maybe?" I said. He smirked, and his smile turned into a chuckle. The space between us was small, and it took every nerve in my body to not throw myself at him like the fantasies in my head I'd been trying hard to push down.

"Really?" He raised his eyebrows. "Where was my personal space just a few minutes ago, Angelica?"

 "You're right." I trying to avoid his eyes, which were trying to find mine whichever direction I tried to turn. "And I said forget about it, I don't know what I was thinking."

"Your hands are soft." He disregarded my sentence, and found my eyes. I felt myself blush, which was also very embarrassing for me.

"Good to know!" I said, fighting my urge to gulp. "I'll make sure to keep using that lotion, thanks for letting me know that it-" 

works. I couldn't get the last of my stalling out before his lips found mine. I stopped trying to fight this, as I had been doing for the past few minutes...and also ever since I met him, and let myself sink into his embrace. His lips were as soft as I imagined them to be, maybe even softer.  The second I realized what was happening- that our relationship will be changed forever, I realized how much I've fucked up. Not only did I fuck up with the cartel, I fucked up with Corpse. I'm lying to him no matter how truthful my words had been. I was supposed to be ratting him out, I was supposed to be wearing a wire right now- and certainly not making out. 

What the hell am I thinking about this for? I could deal with it later.  

It was clear that neither I or Corpse wanted me to leave now, or ever.  We stopped for a moment to breathe, to make sure we both wanted this even though we knew this was going already. 

// 🤍 //

hi hope u enjoyed this chapter owo

kissing corpse...naughty naughty

happy 1 year to miss you! and omg that billboard in nyc CRAAAAAAZY and I love karl hehe