2024 Story Collection

Her Anti-Villain II

He opens his jacket and gently reaches in to pull out the small kitten. It purrs lightly against his hand.

As he does so, her face shifts in realization.

"Oh, thank God you stopped me. I might've killed the poor thing." He smiles at the look on the girl's face. She has beautiful green eyes that sparkle when she smiles. Her black hair blew in the light spring breeze. Her face was hard and angular, but her eyes were round and soft. She was exactly what he'd been looking for.

She took the small animal from him and as their hands touched, his heart fluttered.

"You're beautiful," he tells her, meaning every word.

"Thank you, you-" she seems to actually look at him then. "You look horrible. Please come in."

He steps inside the home. He's been here.

"Wait here." She tells him as she walks off, but then quickly turns around and hands back the small kitten. "I'll get you some clothes and a towel. While you're in the shower and I'll make you some food."

"Okay, thank you." He takes the kitten back from her. It crawls up his arm. It moves across his shoulders, looking for a place to sleep for a few minutes before finally settling down in the space between the collar of his shirt and his neck.

He follows the young woman as she leads him upstairs to a large room with a bathroom attached. He watches her as she runs through the room, grabbing things and mumbling things to herself. She was hypnotizing.

"How could I forget you?" he asks himself.

"What do you mean?" her heads snaps around, their eyes meeting again.

"I was lying in the rain. I knew I had to find something-someone. I knew it was important, but I don't know why. Now I do."

Her eyes widen in concern. She walks up to him. "What are you talking about? Are you suffering from memory loss?" she asks. "Do you remember anything?"

"No," he speaks gently, stepping closer to the woman. "But I don't need to." he takes her hands in his own. "Because I love you. That's all I need to know."

She smiles wide and hugs him tightly. This time the cat was safe from her tight embrace.

"Always so romantic," she chuckles before saying the words he could've only dreamed of hearing, "I love you too."

His heart pounds and his mind goes wild with visions of a future with her, blurry and far off images but a future none the less. He pulls her into his chest tighter.

But she pulls back and they both notice that her once white shirt is now red with blood. She looks down in shock.

"Please tell me this isn't your blood," she says.

"I don't know," he thinks hard, trying to remember any injuries, but comes up with nothing. "I shot two men on the way here. It could be their blood," he says offhandedly.

"Again with the killing," she tisks. "I told you not to do that anymore."

"I won't again," he says. The promise is real and true. "If I had known it displeased you, I would never have done it."

She looks him up and down twice. "I'll let it slide this time because you lost your memory, but if it happens again, I'll turn you in."

He nods, not taking her words lightly.

"Now let's get you out of these wet clothes and check your injuries." She says as she helps him out of his jacket.

"I think my shoulder is dislocated." he says, and she looks up at him with a frown.

"Right one again?" he nods. She helps him unbutton his shirt and slip it off. "I noticed that limp too as you came in. That prosthetic damaged again?"

Is that why he limps? Is he missing a part of his leg?

She unbuttons his pants and pulls them off in one swift motion. He looks down and below his right knee is metal.

He reaches up to pet the small kitten still perched on his shoulder, its small claws lightly piercing his skin. Its fur is so soft, it purrs as he pets it.

"Your lucky I'm a doctor." She holds his arm and pushes his shoulder back into place. He doesn't wince, and she doesn't look surprised.

So she's a doctor, he thinks. The more he learned about her, the more he wanted to know.

She moves to sit on the toilet seat cover and gesture for him to follow. She pulls him close so that he stands between her legs. She begins stitching up the large gash on his stomach he hadn't noticed till a few minutes ago.

"What is your name?" he asks.

She glances up from where she sits, wrapping the wound.

"Julia," she replies and as she speaks it, his heart skips a beat.

"A beautiful name," she looks up at him. "But it does not due you justice." He reaches down and caresses her cheek with his hand, she leans into it.

After a lot more questions, some medical attention, and a few flirtatious remarks, he finally takes the shower.

The small kitten had refused to move, so as he goes under the water, so does the kitten. It faces it unafraid. He was a cute little guy.

Julia had told him his memories would likely come back slowly over the next few weeks and that he would have to stay here with her until she said otherwise.

"What a delightful remedy." He had taken her hand in his and kissed the knuckles. "Though I'm not sure if I want to get better if it means more time with you."

"Are you trying to take advantage of my hospitality?" She'd glared at him but didn't pull her hand away, so he kisses it again.

"Most definitely." She'd smiled at his words and laughed. It was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard. He wished every day was filled with it. He realized there was only one thing he wanted out of life. It was to make her happy. He wanted to be the reason she smiled and laughed every day.

The End. (For now)

February 1, 2024