12-08-2018, 09:07 PM
The Opening Act
His fire vanished, leaving thick wisps of smoke in its wake to drift up to his face, curl around his neck and beside his ear, through his dark hair. She watched, cautiously curious as she reached out to touch his forearm, her eyes on his stern face. He was here but he was gone.
Her gaze shifted to follow his, to watch Kirby and her sweet boy walk away, thinking she was about to follow them shortly after. She felt a little stupid for how confused she was at the whole thing. She knew what it looked like, but it was so impossible that Kirby would have any problem with her being this way with someone else when he had no interest in her. He'd made that clear.
He didn't want her, but she wasn't allowed to want anyone else? That didn't sound like him. He wasn't possessive that way.
"No," Woolf said firmly, rounding on her and ignoring his jacket in her hand. She pulled it back to her chest, brows furrowing softly in a reflexive scowl because no was obviously a fighting word. "I'm not leaving, Wallace." Oh. Her brows lifted and when he took her chin in his careful hand her eyes widened a little. A stubborn tilt held to her mouth, though, brown eyes naturally defiant.
"And you aren't either." The hell she wasn't. If she wanted to, she'd damn well leave. But then he said that next part, the part that gripped her heart dangerously in its claws. "You don't get to disappear on me." He wouldn't let her run. She was so good at it, just as good at convincing herself she wasn't worth staying for, with the evidence held in her arsenal.
She felt a thrill of fear. He could make her stay if he wanted to. Like Kirby had so long ago. She couldn't help it, and even as it laced its chilling way through her veins, she felt the guilt from it. Even as she swallowed a gasp and tensed up, prepared to jerk away. But she was so locked in place, and not by his magic. By that look in his eyes as he searched hers.
He pet her hair back, sweeping so gently over her face and looking very much like he still wanted to kiss her. Her mouth dried and her gaze fell to his lips. "I see you, Wallace. I have always seen you—from the very first moment.” Her brown eyes flew back up to his, wanting to pull back, feeling the shame and embarrassment again. Unworthy. Broken.
"And I've wanted you since then. Every piece of you."
Why? Why was he doing this to her? It was impossible. This was a game. An entertainment. But, god, these were beautiful lies she wanted so badly to believe. How on earth could someone like her be worth anything to someone like him? He could have anyone he wanted. He probably did regularly, even. He probably had a whole gaggle of women at his disposal and she was just another to add to the list when he was bored enough.
It wasn't fair to think it, but it made her stronger and she gripped so damn tight to it. She could hold this bit of strength. She would. Her jaw tense, and eyes hard, she stared up at him, defiant again. She was worthless but still deserved something real.
"Haven't you seen enough of who I am?" she asked sharply, her voice cutting. And this time she didn't mean the bad parts. "I won't settle for only being wanted, that would never be enough for me." Otherwise, she could've just been with Kirby this whole time, letting him have whatever he wanted whenever he decided to want it. Never being anything more than a body to enjoy, a mother to his kids. A vessel to birth more of them. That would never be enough for her. She was foolish and childish, maybe, but she wanted the real thing. She wanted love and devotion and promises fulfilled, not empty.
She wanted to be enough to deserve that someday. Somehow.