Dear Immortal Tyrant

When Milo saw Kaden calmly follow after Lina, he knew everything was going to turn out for the worst. Even so, Milo made eye contact with Mia who was already looking at him. He felt a jolt in his chest, the kind where two people had a conversation without words. Milo and Mia returned to the screen, just as the movie theatre went dark.

"Stop following me," Lina demanded, glancing over her shoulder. He'd get hurt. She knew what kind of person he was.

"You're limping," Kaden coldly said, gazing down at her feet. 

"It's only my heels. I've experienced much worse," Lina deadpanned. That was the truth.

Kaden's expression didn't even shift at her provocation. He placed a hand on his chest and rubbed it out of curiosity. Suddenly, his dark eyes flashed red again.

Lina was petrified. She staggered back, tripping over her own dress, but collected herself quickly. Kaden didn't even move. Instead, he eyed her like a prey. She narrowingly walked backward, maintaining eye contact with his face.

"Why are you trying to run? Have I hurt you physically?" Kaden asked in an emotionless tone.

Lina swallowed. "No."

"I know."

Kaden stared at her intently. He felt a strange tickle in his chest, but he didn't understand it. He knew he loved her. By now, it was an instinct to be near Lina. To touch her, to hold her, to cherish her. But why? Just because she was his fated lover, but she belonged to another? Just because she used to not fear him? Now, look at where they were. 

"I looked into your stalker," Kaden said. "It's one of your ex artists. He has a gun. You saw him."

"You also saw him," Lina realized.

"I saw you leaving," Kaden stated.

"Stop it," Lina suddenly said.

"Stop what?"

"The way you're talking. I don't like it."

Kaden tilted his head. "This is how I normally talk."

"People are telling me you're a heartless beast. A tyrant. What's going on?" Lina attempted, their voices echoing down the empty hallways.

Lina glanced at her surroundings and realized how dimly lit it was. The floor was lined with burgundy carpets of a beautifully aged wine color. She wondered if this was the place where celebrities did a quick hookup. She hoped not.

"I've always been a tyrant. You once called me your dear immortal tyrant," Kaden recalled.

"I did?" Lina questioned.

"Perhaps in a dream."

"You still dream of me?" Lina remarked.

"I've always dreamed of you."

It then dawned on Lina, in that moment, that he had stopped calling her 'dove'. For some reason, she missed the affectionate nickname. A pretty white bird meant for peace brought forth a war. She used to laugh at the irony. Now, it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Did you call me dove as a backhanded compliment?" Lina asked. "You nicknamed me after a symbol of peace, but started wars over me."

"I called you dove because you had the elegance and grace of one. Because you are my white bird, soaring so high in the sky, I could never reach you, but could only watch from afar, admiring your beauty and wishing to capture you," Kaden murmured. 

Lina's heart ached at his words. She frowned to the ground.

Kaden left out the part where he wanted to cut off her pretty white wings in the parking lot five years ago. He saw how high she could fly and how far she could flee from him. The thought of her departure frightened him. He'd never allow it again. 

"We've both harmed each other, why are you still here?" Lina demanded. "Why are you still chasing me, why—"

"Because you want me to chase you. There is no love without chase. There's a reason why a crush is called a crush," Kaden said.

"You harmed my family, why?"

"Why not?" Kaden asked.

Lina felt like she was talking to a robot. He didn't have an inkling of emotion on his face. No humor. No adoration. Kaden was a cold, blank surface. She didn't know what hurt more, the fact that he eyed her like food or how little he seemed to care for her feelings.

"What did Clyde do to you?" Kaden calmly asked her. 

"What did you do to him?"

"Nothing yet," Kaden easily said. "Depends on what he's done to you. Did he touch you?"

"Do you still feel anything for me?" Lina shot back.

"Have I ever not?" Kaden returned.

Lina was left speechless.

"Do you still have nightmares?" Kaden said, like it was no big deal.

Lina swallowed. Hard. She tightly clenched her dress, regretting not bringing her purse with her. Without another glance in his direction, she began to head back to the theater. By now, she had lost sight of the artist, but would need to be on high alert. He could be anywhere.

Lina heard a swoosh behind her. In an inhumane and uncatchable speed, Kaden was infront of her. She screamed, but he grabbed her mouth, and slammed her body against the wall. Her eyes grew wide. She expected pain, but there was none. 

Kaden's hand on her upper back sheltered her from any agony. But she knew his skin was red and his knuckles were hurt by the impact. 

"Where are you going? The conversation has only just started," Kaden murmured, tilting his head like the psychopath he was.

Lina's eyes watered with fear. Her heart skipped, thumping like drums in her chest. He must've heard it, for his lips twitched. 

"You're trembling. Are you scared?"

Lina rapidly nodded her head.

If possible, Kaden's eyes grew icier than the Arctic Ocean. He slowly lowered his hand from her mouth. He wasn't caging her in. She could run at any given moment. 

There was an opening. 

Instead, Lina stared up at him, wide-eyed and shaking. He could hear it, how rapid her heart was beating. At this rate, her heart was trying to jump out of her body.

To him, Lina was a fragile little lamb. She could be the most independent woman in the world, but he knew her inner child hadn't healed yet. She could be cold to anyone, but him. Around him, she didn't have to keep her guards up.

"If I could get rid of my abilities, I would, Lina." Kaden stroked her cheek with his thumb. He was in awe of how smooth and porcelain her skin was. Her lashes trembled, her lips quivering.

"If I could give away the ability to wipe your memories, I would, Lina. Not because you're scared of it, but because it has hurt you. But this is something I can't change. Don't be frightened by me. Be as bold as you were before realizing the extent of what I could do to you," Kaden whispered.

Lina's heart broke on the spot. She wondered if his yearning for her was as painful as how she felt right now. He was pouring his heart out. Electricity crackled in the air. 

"Why do I feel no love in your words? Why do I feel no love between us?" Lina asked. "What happened to you?"

Kaden slowly blinked. "Nothing happened to me, Lina."

"You're lying."

"I am not—"

"You're lying!" Lina shouted at him.

Kaden didn't even flinch. He simply stared at her like a scientist would. He reminded her of a researcher analyzing his test subjects.

Lina felt like she was losing her mind. She let out a shaky breath, pushed herself off the wall, and attempted to leave. Without warning, he grabbed her waist, leaving no opening.

"Kaden—"

"Where are you going?" Kaden asked again.

"Kaden, you're scaring me. I don't like it."

"Just be scared for the rest of your life then," Kaden deadpanned. 

Lina's head snapped up to him. He was deadly serious. She shakily touched the hand grabbing her hip tightly. His fingertips were cold. There was no warmth. What was once her home and comfort felt like a nightmare.

"This isn't the Kaden I know."

"It is."

"This isn't the Kaden I once loved."

"You still love me." Kaden lowered his head. He did it on instinct, based on muscle memory. He remembered what eased her fears. He knew what had her grabbing at him out of desperation.

"You still love me, Lina. Tell me you do." Kaden rested his forehead upon hers. Instantly, she closed her eyes. He heard her heart begin to slow back to its regular pace.

Kaden could feel his lips want to turn upwards. What was there to smile about? She only wanted to be comforted. Even so, his other hand stroked the nape of her neck. She whimpered, her hand clutching his suit tightly.

"Tell me, you love me, Lina. Because I still do, I love you so much that it hurts when you're not here. When I don't see you, when I can't touch you, when I know you're so close, but I can't have you. It hurts," Kaden emphasized.

"These words you utter are from memory. You're comforting me based on muscle memory. You feel nothing for me. You only want me to stay so that you remember how you feel."

Kaden stiffened in disbelief. For the past three weeks, he was searching for the answer to his emptiness. Now, he knew exactly what it was. She filled a hole inside of his chest, a large gaping one, in the same way that he could fill her. He let out a laugh of disbelief. The sound was foreign to his own ears.

"You love the idea of me, Kaden. You love holding me in your arms, feeling the humanity pulse through me, but you do not love me. I do not even love myself. You love the memories we've shared in the past, but not the present me because I am cruel. I am angry. I am nothing like my youth, I—"

"I'll learn to love the new you. I'll learn," Kaden shot out. "Lina, I—"

"It's dove."

Kaden froze.

Lina pulled away. "It has always been dove, not Lina. So I know the truth now.. There's no need to pretend and hide."