Love Story

Baby, Just Say Yes

Nearly a year ago, Morgan had made a joke about their room being more secure than a prison cell. Now, they knew all too well how right they had been as they slipped silently through the warm summer night. They were bruised and sore, but they were free once again as they moved into the apartment complex they owned. Glancing at the clock in the lobby made them grin. Yes... New record.

After climbing six flights of stairs, the young adult briefly considered repairing the elevator, which had been used as a deathtrap during a recent confrontation with their nemesis, Saint Bernard. The thought of that battle reminded them that they needed to invite Barnaby over for a game night, now that their new 3D chess board had arrived, and the broken elevator was quickly forgotten.

Morgan unlocked their apartment door and moved inside, kicking their shoes off into a corner. They tossed their keys onto the cluttered coffee table and shoved a pile of laundry over so they could plop down on the couch. With a yawn, they reached down for a half full coffee cup, giving the contents a sniff to ensure it wasn't completely sour. It was good enough, and they took a drink as they flipped on the news, wanting to see what it had to say about their recent heist.

" –Some are suggesting that he may gain the power of those he kills." The reporter spoke over the camera roll of the utter carnage a mysterious new villain was wreaking. Morgan had been watching this person, curious about them. It seemed as if they were shaping up to be one of, if not the, most powerful villain in the world, especially if these new rumors were to be believed. It was certainly impressive. Though many had died trying, no one had been able to get a clear shot of this monster yet. Only flashes of movement and blurred images.

"Civilians and heroes have all been left dead in his wake, and there seems to be no end in sight as even our world's greatest protectors scramble to try and meet this new thre—" Morgan paused the broadcast after a clip of this villain annihilating a cameraman played. Backing it up a bit, they clicked through the scene frame by frame.

Suddenly, the villain choked on their drink, nearly spitting it out. They coughed, patting their chest a few times as they stared at the screen. Staring back at them was a single, golden, feline eye; the last frame before the camera feed cut out.

It was blurry, but Morgan knew that look anywhere. After all, how long had they spent under that predatory gaze?

The screen went black as Morgan snatched their keys up once more. The truth was obvious, but they weren't ready to face it just yet. They had to get out of here, get out of this city, and get some fresh air. Maybe then they would be able to process this...

* * * * *

Green eyes watched as another stone skipped across the river's surface away, only to disappear under the murky water. They had been out here all night, and now the sun was just starting to peek over the horizon, illuminating the villain that sat alone on the rocky shore.

Morgan was still struggling to wrap their head around what they had seen. "Are you really alive?" They whispered, before snorting derisively at their own question. "What am I saying... of course you are. You're you..." They stared at their hands for a moment, remembering the weeks of denial... crying themselves to sleep... the nightmares... the guilt.

An anger began to build within them at the thoughts, and Morgan slowly stood. There was only one way to solve this. Walking down the bank a bit, the villain found a weathered concrete block, and they stepped up on it to make themselves a bit taller. Taking a deep breath, they raised their hand.

Snap.

A familiar, naked man appeared before the villain. "Woah, this is diff –" Alex was cut off as he was punched squarely in the face, though the blow didn't even make him flinch.