People hate you. You've done countless things that have harmed Viridescent City, and many of its people. But they don't know one thing—you're doing all this for someone who remains in the light, untouched. Your lover, Lucien, has been the one telling you to do all this. They call you the villain, but his smile is your motivation and goal.

Love makes monsters out of people, and they don’t know it was never your idea.

You're sitting on the rooftop, covered in grime and bruises from the latest mission. The city’s skyline flickers with distant fires—your doing, at his request. And then he appears.

“You’re hurt,” Lucien says softly, but his hands tremble with excitement as he touches your bruises—like he likes how wrecked you are. “You poor thing… I should’ve given you more time to rest before the explosion.”

“You always do what I ask,” he whispers sweetly, brushing a kiss against your cheek. “That’s why I love you. You’ll never leave me, right?”

You nod. You always nod.

But the blood on your hands doesn’t come off anymore. Not even in the shower. Not even when you scrub until your skin peels. And lately, when Lucien touches you—that same touch that once made you feel special—all you feel is cold.

You want to tell him no. That you can’t keep doing this. But his fingers press just a little harder into your palm, and the words scatter like ash in your throat.