Lethal Love. ((S/F))

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Arietta Lee

'Painted over in black....'

Ari didn't respond to Rian, just let her wings burst from her back and leapt into the air. She flew all over town, looking frantically for Ash. "Ash... Please be okay..."

Lizzy reassured Erin mentally. 'I have a feeling that these visions are just something that might happen... Or they might just be nightmares. We're not clairvoyant, Erin. I'm sure Ash is fine.'

Ari spotted Ash and landed on a nearby building, crouching so she wouldn't be seen. The sight of Ash was enough to set her heart fluttering... How had she not noticed this before? "She's alright... Ash is okay," whispered Ari to herself, feeling almost giddy with relief. She debated whether or not she should approach Ash.

'No, Erin... Let her make the first move. Maybe we should just follow at a distance for now... Keep her safe without pressuring her to forgive you.'

'Sounds good to me,' replied Erin mentally, flitting from building to building behind Ash, keeping an eye out for Tsubatsu, also being careful to not let Ash see her.

'.... An incomplete love.'

 

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Arietta Lee

'Painted over in black....'

Ari tensed and prepared to spring when she saw a man leap off a motorcycle and creep up behind Ash. But one thing made her pause; the pink helmet. There was no way that was Tsubatsu. But who, then? She flew as close as she dared, ready to spring to Ash's defense, but not blowing her cover.

'.... An incomplete love.'

 

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Arietta Lee

'Painted over in black....'

Ari watched as Ash tickled the man and he fell to the sidewalk. She smiled slightly. 'Ah, that must be her dad... Good. She'll be safe with him nearby.' She hesitated a moment and touched her locket, remembering her uncle's comment. 'Your parents would be horrified by what you've become... Una lesbica sporca...' A filthy lesbian... Would her parents really hate her for loving Ash if they were here? She opened her locket and looked at the pictures. Her mother, so beautiful and kind; her father, so strong and confident... She couldn't bring herself to believe that those smiling faces could hate her. Still... Ari shook herself and closed the locket. Time to focus on the living, not the dead.

'.... An incomplete love.'

 

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Arietta Lee

'Painted over in black....'

Ari gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth when she heard Ash's dad speak. 'She still loves me?' Ari felt her heart skip a beat and Erin was euphoric. 'Lizzy, did you hear that? She doesn't hate me after all!'

Lizzy laughed mentally. 'I heard, I heard. Calm down; they might hear you if you celebrate too loudly.'

'.... An incomplete love.'

 

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Arietta Lee

'Painted over in black....'

Ari winced at the reminder of just how much Erin had hurt Ash. She stood, trembling, every atom of her being longing to run to Ash and beg for forgiveness, tell her that she loved her too...

Lizzy had to forcibly take control of the body from Erin to keep her from dashing out into plain sight. 'No, Erin! This isn't the right time. Give her space. She's not ready to see you yet, so don't push her.'

Tears of frustration stung Ari's eyes, but she nodded as Lizzy carefully transferred control back to Erin. 'You're right. Rushing her isn't a good idea at this point... I've hurt her enough. I'll be there for her when she's ready.'

'.... An incomplete love.'

 

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Arietta Lee

'Painted over in black....'

Ari gasped when the man slammed into her, but relaxed when he helped her up and apologized. She blushed and felt her heart race when she heard him say he was a friend of Ash's. 'This must be the friend she mentioned in the note...'

"Yes, she's safe. Don't worry, she's on the sidewalk out there, with her father. Please, speak quietly... I don't want her to know I'm here." Ari sighed and leaned against the wall, looking at the man with a slightly shamed expression. "I'm Erin... Or... at least, she's part of me. It's complicated. If you'll give me a few minutes, I can tell you everything."

'.... An incomplete love.'

 

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Arietta Lee

'Painted over in black....'

Ari looked at him unflinchingly, her green eyes sad but not denying what he said. She half-expected the man to hit her, but he didn't. She nodded gratefully and took his wrist, leading him further from where Ash and her father stood. When they were at the other end of the alley, she let go and sighed. "I'm not proud of what I did. I'm sure she's told you that I... I..." The words stuck in Ari's throat, and a shiver went down her spine. Every time she reminded herself of what she did, she felt physically ill... But this was Ash's friend. He had a right to know.

"I was wrong. I was so wrong to do what I did." Ari turned and faced him, letting him see her regret, not hiding her tears. "I regret what I did. I'm sickened by it. I regret that she'll always remember that night with pain, not happiness. I... I want to apologize to her. I want to tell her how much I love her. But she's not ready to hear it yet. And I can't force it on her. I've hurt her enough. Whatever pain I feel doesn't matter. I can deal with it. Ash is all that matters to me now."

Lizzy poked at Erin's mind and Ari checked herself. "Well, that's not entirely true... It's true for Erin. Not my other half." She chuckled weakly. "You might not even care to know what happened after she threw me out..." She looked at the man questioningly. At the moment, he could ask anything and she'd answer him honestly.

'.... An incomplete love.'

 

[Dreaming_Drifter]

Arietta Lee

'Painted over in black....'

Ari brushed away her tears a bit impatiently, looking at the man with surprise. "You knew about her two sides? So... She'd been like that for awhile?" She sighed and sat down on a stoop nearby. "You should sit... It's gonna take awhile to explain everything." Ari folded her hands and set them on her knees, giving a small chuckle. "I'm so sorry... I didn't even think to ask your name."

'.... An incomplete love.'