Description
Renata’s conversation with Theo begins slowly. She finds other things to talk about first. Work. The weather. Local news.
Then she reiterates her reason for coming to him. He listens patiently as she begins with what he already knows. Their two-person raid on Maddox’s trafficking ring. Their capture. Her torture.
Then she tells him what he doesn’t know. The pain as Maddox electrocuted her. The horror as he molested her. The humiliation and confusion as her body welcomed his touch.
Tears fall as she continues. She hurt him for touching her, stopping him from continuing. In turn, he tried to kill her quicker. Theo arrived just before he could do so. She feels a sick irony that defending herself nearly hastened her death.
She tells Theo of her therapy afterward. How helpless she had felt. Worthless. A failure. She doesn’t look at him as she confesses that part of her blamed him for a time.
Renata explains that she’s never fully healed, even after her return as Fantasma. Sometimes she thinks she sees Maddox in a crowd. Sometimes she hears him. Sometimes she even smells him.
She tells him everything of her dreams. The rape. The vengeance. All of it.
Theo listens quietly through her explanation, speaking only to affirm something she says or ask a clarifying question.
She weeps openly. What kind of superheroine can’t save herself? Is she a psychopath for her fantasies? Will she ever heal? “Sometimes,” she says, “I don’t feel worthy of my mask.”
Theo weeps with her. He cannot solve her problems. Nothing he says can take the pain or past away. Instead, he holds her close. He thanks her for trusting him. He promises to do whatever he can to help. He confesses how much she inspires him and how much he relies on her. He tells her he loves her.
Renata blinks her eyes open, surprised she had fallen asleep. She feels dried tears on her cheek. Beneath her head, Theo breathes rhythmically and deeply. He has one arm draped lazily over her. He’s adorable when he’s asleep.
She smiles softly and nestles in closer to him. The pain and trauma feel far away. They’ll return, she’s certain, but she can worry about it then. Right now, she’s happy.
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I'm in love with how the lighting turned out on this.
Part 2:
Mature Content
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