Forced Love

•number three•

On her walk, Athena was able to regroup. maybe it's for the best she told herself. Even though the thought of being only available to Octavius King made her coil in disgust, her Mafia was her home and she was willing to do anything for her family.

3 hours later, just before midnight, Athena returned home and headed upstairs. she was walking to her bedroom, she noticed the door to her library was open and her light was on, she recalls back to locking it before she left and her eyebrow furrowed in confusion. curiosity struck her and she pushed the door opened to find Octavius leaning against the wall, all his focus glued onto the warm pages of one of her books.

"how'd you get into this room" Athena asked, letting the wall support her back as she leaned against it.

Octavius didn't bother looking up, he just pulled out lock picking tools out of his pocket and showed them to her.

Athena rolled her eyes and looked at what book he was reading. little red riding hood.

"wow" was Athena's deadpanned response. Octavius ignored her and continued to read.

"well then, to give you a spoiler, the wolf is the bad guy" Athena stated before walking away.

"actually..." Octavia said shutting the book as Athena turned around, "we're taught the distinction between a hero and a villain, good and evil, a saviour and a lost cause. but, realistically, the only difference is who's telling the story" Octavius proudly stated before walking past Athena.

"actually, it doesn't matter who's telling the story. there's always a good guy and a bad guy" she says.

"not entirely, they can both be bad" Octavius says.

"correct but just because people do bad things doesn't make them bad, sometimes people do the wrong things for the right reasons. good intentions. therefore, that makes them, not entirely, a good guy" Athena said closing the door the library and walking off.

"goodnight Octavius" she called out before shutting her bedroom door.

Octavius held the smallest, ever so tiny smile on his face. "goodnight Athena" he whispered quietly to himself.

they may not be so fond of each other but even a blind person could spot out their chemistry. it was like fire and ice.
their relationship was of that of a setting sun.
the sky showed endless colours of possibilities, stretching and displayed everywhere. and then they go away, the dark, grey and loomy night with the fate of the stars dimly lighting their way, only leaving the working out for them.

if only it wasn't forced. if only they had time to get used to each other that things would be alright, that things would move slowly.

if only.

that night, the two had trouble sleeping. both of them faced the wall that separated each other. tomorrow they'd be announcing that they'd officially and legally be bound together.

with the traumatising thoughts of that, and the betraying, untruthful words from her father lingering in her mind, Athena finally fell asleep.

"Daddy, will mommy ever come back" little Athena didn't understand what her father meant when he said that her mother was gone.