The Painting I Called 'You'

Ch-7: Addiction

Cw: gore, murder, violence, blood, torture, mentions of death of a loved one

Kaiser

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After what I told Astrella, I could feel the embarrassment radiating off her in waves every time we spoke. It lessened a week later, and we were texting more often too. But above all, I was glad it worked out in the end. 

"Koa! Koa, stop texting Ella and come here!" Theo's urgent voice gets me annoyed and curious at the same time. He isn't usually so loud, not when he's holed up in his room, working. I get off the couch and climb upstairs to Theo's room. 

"What?" I say snippily, leaning against the doorframe of his room.

"I found them," he says, slightly breathless.

"Found who?" my voice turns more serious as I carefully stalk towards him and lean on the back of his chair.

"Those who ran observations on Malone, they're directly linked with the scientists that currently work in the labs." I didn't miss the slight waver in his voice when he mentioned his dead boyfriend.

This meant we were going on another little mission. "When?" I prompt. 

"Tonight," he replies, voice clipped. I was a little taken aback. Theo usually liked to spend at least three days planning in advance. I don't ask questions though; I didn't mind an impromptu murder. 

"Do you want to come with?" I ask.

Theo hesitates, before shaking his head no, "This is my part in our revenge Koa," he says pointing to the entirety of the room.

"But I'll be watching, moreover, someone needs to have your back," he says, giving me a smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

"Go get changed," he says, "I'll get the rest ready." he gets up and leaves the room before I can get another word out. 

As Theo drove to, wherever, I continue my conversation with Astrella. She was painting and was sending me innumerable pictures, followed by questions. I give her my opinion with a fucking smile on my face as if I wasn't in a car to go commit murder. 

Theo pulled up in front of a surprisingly homey house, and I pocketed my phone after switching it off, clicking the door open. "Koa?" Theo calls out to me, voice rigid, I turn back to face him with one foot out of the jeep. 

"Do your worst." he tells me. 

Theo never says that. Instead, he made sure to remind me to do the opposite. He always warned me to do less than what I intend to, for my own sake.

Murder was one of the worst things to get addicted to, all it took was one slip up and the lack of a guilty conscience. Vengeance and anger always overpowered the guilt, Theo's warning made sense to me after a certain impulsive incident when we were seventeen and I trusted his words thereafter.

Theo made it his personal goal to make those to hurt Malone suffer, the fact that he was telling me this just proved how determined he was. I give him a nod, before I stalk off in the direction of the house. 

I had expected to pick the lock before I entered, but the door was unlocked. It was even slightly ajar. What the fuck? 

I didn't have time to question it, since it made my job easier. I quickly let myself into the house with quiet, calculated footsteps. Two fuckers lazed on the couch with cans of beer strewn around them. My fingers curled around my wasp knife, Theo had also given me a trench kukri, but I heavily doubted I needed it. Nonetheless, it was strapped taut to my skin.