Free Will (Boyxboy)

Act 4: The Midnight Hour

February

"You're not a monster."

"They got it wrong."

"You help!"

"Don't do this."

"Don't shut me out."

"Okay..."

I watched from the willow trees outside the cafeteria. I watched Finn mope as Penelope and Quinn avidly try to bring him out of his funk.

I still replay his last conversation with me. When I tried to make sure he wasn't anywhere near whenever I finally snap. He believed that what I did was out of the goodness of my heart. The reaction to being threatened. That the power I possess was a blessing to the city when it was a curse to my very subconscious.

I came back to earth when I noticed his eyes locked on me through the windows. His eyes were puffy, his cheeks flushed, and his pink lips permanently in a frown.

He wasn't disappointed. Only hopeful of my "true purpose." The one that existed in his pure mind, where I was a peaceful Killgrave and I did what he couldn't. Save lives and not fall into the soul sucking feeling that is rage.

Well, he was a year too late. Rage was my partner in crime.

April

Day 43 of the self-destruction sequence.

Every day, I slowly feel my emotions drain from me. The numb left behind relaxes the tension in my shoulders as my ability to care dwindles.

Finn was losing hope like a hardboiled egg loses its shell. Slowly, messy, but surely.

His hair returned to its original chocolate brown color. His fingernails were bare, his smile was missing, and the spark in his eye snuffed out, the constant blush on his face replaced with his alabaster complexion. Never in these 5 years have I ever seen his appearance so barren, so colorless.

I kept watch from a distance. Make sure he was safe in school and walking to and from home. Things were quiet since the suicides 3 months ago. As if every criminal on the street was too scared to commit a crime, thinking this mysterious devil will appear and give them Hell, or worse.

I didn't feel proud of getting such a response from the community. Parents were on patrol, officers walked the streets in bigger numbers. If anything, I put myself at bigger risk if anyone caught me off guard before I could stop an attack.

"What are you doing, Eoin?"

I stopped walking to look down and see Finn's tired expression. I must have zoned out to the point where I didn't even try to conceal myself walking behind him.

"I said, what are you doing, Eoin?" Finn repeated.

"Uh, making sure you're safe. It's dangerous this late at night," I responded, pointing to the darkening sky.

Finn rolled his eyes. "These streets haven't been much of a danger since the day after your birthday, and you know it."

I shrugged my shoulders and he furrowed his brow, and then continued to walk home.

"Why are you really here?" Finn rephrased.

I wrapped my arm around his shoulder as the spring chill made him shiver. "To watch after you. I'm not totally heartless. Just--"

"Solitary."

I nodded and he giggled. The first giggle that fell on my ears since February.

"Like Bruce Wayne," he concluded.