The Criminal's Eyes - Daniel Howell

Chapter 2

It took her a few minutes to register what was going on before she turned to look back at the boy who had now slid his back down the wall to sit on the gravel, and was rummaging through the tatty rucksack.

She had recognised he was from the poster, that much was true, but the longer she knew this the more panic (A/N: -At The Disco-) began to slowly rise in her chest - because that meant, along with those beautiful eyes, was a criminal.

Half of her was influenced by her conscience, telling her to run (and possibly go to find those police officers again), whereas the other half was coaxing her to advance further down to the end of the alley and sit with the boy.

Eventually her curiosity got the best of her, and she found herself subconsciously making her way down further to where the brunette was sat, the dark swallowing her more as she went.
Hearing her footsteps get closer, the boy lifted his head up from his rucksack, and she could see the shock registered on his face when he found her with him. "Oh... you're still here? Sorry, I forgot to tell you that you can go now... I just needed to know where those cops were... but thanks" he says, surprised she was even there.

Despite the faltering lantern being their only source of light, he could still see she possessed a kind face, and long hair that kept falling in front of her face. "...and what makes you think I wouldn't have gone running to the police so I could get the reward for capturing a notorious criminal?" she says back to him, a smirk playing on her lips. He could see she had thought about what she was going to say from her thinking expression before she said it, but he didn't have time to analyse her features after, as he was too busy being shocked that she knew about him.

"You know I'm a so-called criminal?" He asks hastily, becoming worried about how many people may know about him, and how hard it was becoming to be unrecognised amongst people.

"Well, for one, you're hiding from the cops. Two, you're all alone in a dark alleyway... and I may have kinda seen your face on a poster. And why 'so called'?" She answers, ignoring the voices at the back of her mind telling her to run, or wondering why she's even giving this person her time.

"Well done, Einstein... and the answer to why it's 'so called' is a long story that I won't bother stressing a pretty girl such as yourself with. and how come you're still here?" the boy asks, one eyebrow raised and his back now slumped in a perfect arch against the back of the wall, a slight drizzle beginning to fall from the sky, which brings to her attention the little curls beginning to form at the ends of his hair, caused by the water.

'Wait, did he just call you pretty? Don't be stupid, Kira, it's called sarcasm' she begins to debate silently in her mind, before brushing the thought away.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean?" She replies.
"Well, c'mon, you've figured out I'm a criminal, this is normally the part where people run, call the police and I have to figure out a whole new hiding spot." He says with a hollow chuckle, sighing and rubbing the back of his neck.

"Would you like me to do that?" She quips, earning a warmer laugh from the boy, followed by a "No, thanks".
"It's not as if I have anywhere to be. So hey, why not sit in a dark alleyway in the rain with a dangerous boy I don't know?" She mutters under her breath, beginning to wonder why she was actually there... and why there was something inside of her that wasn't planning to move for a long time.

Although she had been quiet, he had still heard, and he turned around to face her properly, a real smile playing on his lips, taking her by surprise when he puts his index finger under her chin and whispers in her ear "hey, hey... just because I may be famous for the wrong reasons, doesn't mean I'm dangerous". The sudden feeling of warm breath against her ear startles her, and she finds herself stuttering her reply, any sense of confidence gone.

"Oh. I-I didn't m-mean it like th-that. I mean... Like... I don't know you." she elaborates, before quietly cutting off what she says.

The boy begins to enjoy the fact that he is the cause of her sudden change in personality, and continues to talk quietly into her ear with his lips slightly brushing against it, his finger now tilting her face slightly upwards and closer to his.

"Calm down and ease up, the way you're stuttering you'd think I'm making you nervous. And, as for not knowing me, I'm sure we can fix that... I mean, if you weren't interested in getting to know me, why are you here, right? And I think you need to remember that being on the run results in me having a very... Lonely life. I could use some company. Thanks, sweetness." he says slowly and seductively, taking advantage of how his behaviour alters hers and enjoying every second of it. She has no idea of why this boy, of all people has sparked her curiosity, or why this boy has the power over her to be able to make her nervous, or self-conscious.

She tries to focus on the tiny constellation of water droplets forming on her lashes, instead of his voice that was smooth... indulgent... beautiful to listen to... intoxicating her like nicotine when her problems were too much, making her forget about the bigger picture...

After about a minute of just battling with her initiative and wondering whether to stand up and walk off, she ends up saying something without barely comprehending it.

"...Kira. I'm Kira" she says, unaware of what it is that's making her brave and curious for the first time In her life. The boy sits up straight, baring a real smile this time, clearly happy she was willing to continue the acquaintanceship.

"Kira. That's nice... Real nice... I'm Dan"

A/N: Longer chapter yayy. Sorry for the slow update and shitty content, barely anyone's reading this anyway 😂 but if you are then THANK YOU❤️