The day was meant to turn out entirely different for Lyza. She felt good. Great even, now that she was no longer burdened with having to hide her status as a beta away. It was meant to be an edge over her sister, the younger Vermont having held that truth over their head for far too long. For a beta as volatile as Lyza, who needed to consume Antilirin, the powder meant to prevent shrinking, once a day, having that truth come out in the open would have been destructive to her reputation. To have hidden it for as long as she did, after having lied about being an alpha, one immune to the shrinking 'virus', there'd be few ways in which she could salvage her image. But willingly becoming a beta? From seemingly nowhere in the eyes of the public? That, Lyza could work with. 

She could shape the story, make it seem that those with the status of alpha ran the risk of shrinking when the truth couldn't get any further from the lie. Perhaps the plan was faulty. Perhaps it was poorly thought out. But Lyza had stood in the sidelines long enough and wished to contribute in her own manner, even if the route she had taken may have raised more eyebrows than necessary. 

Her shift towards a true beta, though brief, was rather intense. Just as expected, a day without her medication and the change took hold. First came the muscle cramps and heat, as though her entire body was being compressed from all sides in some hot space. Not entirely unpleasant but not too comfortable. Something she’d avoid if able. Afterwards came the bleaching of her shoulder length, finely cut hair and reddening of her eyes. It was quick and hardly noticeable until she looked in the mirror. Not the sort of look she'd go for herself, but not one she was opposed to. It was strange to think that every beta went through this, with some shrinking to smaller, more vulnerable sizes then she. 

Remarkably, much of her previous flaws vanished with her alteration. Her crow eyes and bags had all been remedied, leaving behind pale skin that couldn't have grown any whiter than it had already been before. Flawless and alluring, Lyza made her new look work. She made it work veeery well. Though vain of her to say now, she quite liked the changes brought up. If anything they shaved a few years off of her, giving a more youthful appearance. No longer did she seem overworked and tired. She felt young, youthful, though she was never really that old to begin with. Only just in her thirties, her constant duties towards maintaining her company had taken their toll time and time again. Now, it was as if the clock had been put in reverse. 

Oh yes, she very much liked this change of pace. But not nearly as much as how she liked her new size. Lyza knew she would shrink, every beta did. What she wasn't aware of was by how much. With a condition as extreme as hers, she always assumed she'd shrink down to a bug's height, like Six. Instead, here she was, only an inch or two shorter than she had been before. 

It was wonderful. Amazing even. And while she got the occasional wandering eyes from those who saw her out in public, people who had believed she was an alpha, it was hardly a bother. If anything, those very people are now terrified that the 'immune' can become a beta too. Likely, they're spreading rumors at this very moment. 

Simply incredible!

Had Lyza known she had nothing to be afraid of then she'd have allowed the change to take hold a long time ago! Maybe then her sister wouldn't be such a bother. But that was the past, and Lyza needed to look towards a possible future. This was her first step towards… something. She wasn't exactly certain over how to proceed. Six was still stuck at Lynette's for all she knew, and Roxanne had managed to keep herself busy with some experiment or another. Lyza wasn't really sure what they were up to if she were to be honest.

That left only Maya. Lyza wanted to show them personally the change they went through. It was cause for celebration in the designer's eyes, and throughout the week they had spent a small fortune on reservations, dates, to enjoy some short reprieve from the insanity that had become their life as of late. For the entire duration of seven days, she had kept busy. Exhausting herself but given substantial reason to do so. All the while, she gained quite the little following of onlookers intrigued by her change. Social media was in an uproar as one of the most influential fashion designers, someone who the world believed was safe from shrinking, was now walking about with the trademark red eyes and white hairs of a beta. It was fun to see the worried comments of people believing that now there was nothing stopping the entire population of the planet from shrinking, with others arguing and denying the possibility. It was clear in some comments, however, that they were deluding themselves. 

A fun, tiring, yet eventful week. The whole time though, Lyza was completely unaware of what Maya had been up to. Up until the end of the week when the designer finally decided to give her dear girlfriend a visit, driving to their apartment and letting themselves in as soon as she left her office, not even taking the time to change out of her clothes, keeping on a White sweater for work, jeans for the cold weather, and a pair of black heels. 

Imagine Lyza's surprise then when she found that Maya had redecorated her home to possess a more 'romantic' feel. At first, she was thrown back by it, fully believing the setup was meant for them. But the more Lyza took in the scene the more out of order things became. Food eaten, wine bottles emptied. A portable home for betas in the living room. Confusion settled in first, before moaning was heard from the bedroom. Not the first time it's been heard in their relationship. Usually such sounds came as a result of the psychopath finding themselves a new 'toy'. But, given the situation Lyza found herself in, it warranted a quick investigation.

Now, here she was, regretting her decision but also glad she had come over, as a moment too late would have resulted in the death of someone close to her. There, Maya was grinding against her bed with two betas underneath her, one of which had been crushed to death by the ordeal. The other, which Lyza quickly realized was Six, was alive. Though barely, and seemed but seconds away from sharing the faye of the other. Instinct took over as Maya realized she had been caught red handed. Falling onto her back in shock the, now red headed, near murderer fell onto her back. The beta beneath her used this chance to pull free, but his well being fell out of Lyza's concern. At this moment, at this time, her eyes fell only upon Maya. 

Instinct took over. Lyza removed the rings from her fingers, and struck Maya across their cheek. It seemed to echo across the apartment, ringing in both women's ears as time seemed to freeze after the slap. 

Maya was shocked. Devastated from being struck. Lyza on the other hand could only look down at her girlfriend in disgust. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

Slowly, painfully, though not from any true physical trauma, Maya raised her hand to her cheek. It was warm, slightly. A result of the passing, brief, friction. Even if it didn't hurt all that much she still flinched at its touch. Caught between what seemed real and what seemed fake, Maya tried to grasp what was happening. Her mind was swirling; her thoughts a mess. In these passing moments nothing made sense. She couldn't comprehend anything. 

"I… I didn't… I did…" no matter how hard she tried to speak, the words would not form the way she wished. Every sentence, when started, would quickly be dashed underneath Lyza's imperial gaze. As though the entire world was watching her, passing judgment, Maya felt herself breaking. Like a hammer to glass, she was cracking. Her breathing sped up in pace, her vision dulled and grew clear. Nothing was as it should be. 

"Mean to… I didn't… want… I'm…" 

Lyza raised her hand again, and Maya cowered in response. Her entire body tensed up in preparation. She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth. 

"I'm sorry!"

But the strike never came. Lyza instead grabbed a hold of Maya's hair, pulling the barely clothed woman closer. "Oh cut the shit!" No room would be given for apologies. No mercy would be shown. It was by pure strength of will that Lyza kept her hands from Maya's through. Even then, she wasn't sure how long that restraint could be kept. "You're sorry? Sorry!? Well fan-fucking-tactic then, that just solves everything!" Lyza saw Maya's eyes. The trails of makeup and eyeliner. It was clear they had been crying. 

She didn't care.

"You don't fucking GET to be sorry! After what I just saw! After what…you nearly… after you almost killed Six! Again!? What the hell's gotten into you!?"

"I did… didn't… I didn't mean to… I just…" stammering. Afraid. Nothing Maya said would be enough to save her. Everything she wanted, everything she needed, was crashing down before her eyes. "I just… we…"

"We WHAT? Hmm!? What, Maya!? Say it already!"

Nothing. There was absolutely nothing Maya could say that could justify, or even explain, her actions. As with all past mistakes, only now was clarity washing over her again. It was too much. The tears began to flow on their own, renewed and with ten times the strength as before. Maya bawled like some child, profusely apologizing. Not to Maya or Aiden specifically, just in general. 

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

Eventually, Lyza released her painful grip on Maya's hair, letting them fall onto the bed like some broken mess. They hiccuped, they choked on their own tears and mucus, and not once did Lyza show any sort of empathy. She was void of any sort of pity. Never had she been so mad at Maya, so furious, that she saw it fit to leave them to suffer.

Not until now anyway.

"Lyza, that's enough!" A voice from below reached out. The designer's anger was such that she nearly missed it, almost letting it pass over her. As she looked down though, towards where the voice originated, she saw him. 

Aiden, standing despite the pain he was in. Clutching his sides and likely to fall over at the slightest step forward, he still stood up. And in Maya's defense of no less. Did she deserve to be chewed out? Did she deserve to cry? Yes. A hundred times yes. But regardless of how deserved it was, the sight of Maya crying, a woman so desperate for affection that she was willing to inflict harm on others to maintain it, was depressing. Horrible. Disgusting. Anything that happened to her was well deserved, and yet Aiden wanted nothing more than their crying to end. 

Why? He couldn't say for sure. Perhaps he was the only one present who pitied her. He saw a glimpse, brief though it was, of the lost, depressed, and positively broken soul that she was. 

There would be no point in breaking Maya further. 

At first, Lyza was surprised. Seeing Aiden stand up despite the pain he had endured? It was shocking. He was pushing himself as though he were still some indestructible lab experiment. Surprise quickly gave way to renewed anger as she saw who he was standing up for exactly. 

"You can't be serious?" Lyza pinched the bridge of her nose in rising frustration. "Really? I mean… really!? You're defending HER, Six!? After what you just went through!? REALLY!?"

There was that name again. Six. Demeaning. Pathetic. A pet's name. But now was no time to correct the angered designer.

"I'm not defending her…" Aiden replied. He looked over towards Maya, gesturing towards her shivering form.  Not once did she look up, even when her one and only came to her defense. "But just… just look at her! This isn't helping!"

On both of his sides, Lyza's hands came down on the bed with a crash. Nowhere near crushing his small body, but the shadow which now loomed over the beta gave off an overpowering sense of dread. As though, were he to say something wrong, she would crush him flat. 

"In case you haven't realized, I'm not trying to help her." Lyza's red eyes shone brightly, like twin bloody moons. He never thought about it before, but aside from Roxanne, Lyza was the only other 'normal' sized beta Aiden had been before. The shades of eyes which were known for their red coloration, or anything along that spectrum, was a rather intimidating sight. 

Gently, though with enough speed to show that she was still mighty pissed, Lyza wrapped her fingers around the beta’s body, carrying him upward until he was just below her chin. 

"What? Something you wanna share? Got a little secret you wanna spill?" Lyza inquired, her tone mocking. Her domineering glare never softened. In fact, it seemed to grow ever sharper. "Don't tell me, you actually like being hurt? Do you!?"

Absurd. Positively ludicrous. No, of course Aiden didn't. As far as his interests go, he had no desire to be hurt for any sort of sexual gratification. Especially when such gratification could end in his death. 

He couldn't voice that, however, as before Lyza allowed him the chance to answer she tore him away from her gaze and turned towards Maya once again.

"You… I'll deal with you later" 

Maya didn't respond. She just wallowed in her own despair. There was no fight left in her.

"As for you…" Lyza's grip on Aiden tightened, though thankfully not to a point where he was in danger.

Lyza said nothing as she stormed out of the bedroom, slamming the door as she did before making her way towards the living room. She stopped in front of the portable home, Maya's first 'gift' for Aiden in her attempt to win him over. A fruitless effort now, and the mere sight of it was enough to make the designer’s blood boil. She set Aiden down in front of the home and before her eager feet, letting him compose himself before anything. Within her heels, Lyza scrunched her toes in anticipation, wanting nothing more than to get rid of this blight on her eyes. While Aiden remained unaware of what was happening, the towering couturier ground the heel of her footwear against the floor. 

She really should just get this over with. 

Understandably confused, the beta looked up at the god-like figure that was Lyza. Though now a beta, she was still a towering individual and had retained much of her old height. Only an inch was lost it would seem, and with the height she had before, just over six feet tall, Lyza lorded over her fellow beta. 

She raised her heel covered foot high, above Aiden and the portable house. The smaller human moved to run, but Lyza was quick to stop him. The sole crashed right in front of his small and fragile body, inches from crushing him and trapping them in between the shank of the high heel. "Don't you dare move!" She was pitiless. Lyza raised her foot above Aiden before having it come to rest on top of the portable home, her slowly applied weight causing the structure to break and bend. They were built to shelter betas, made by Rosen Accessories to give a sense of normality to people who were essentially the size of bugs and toys. A purchasable illusion meant to make them feel as though they mattered. That they were, in fact, people. At the end of the day, however, they were nothing more than glorified doll houses. 

Lyza shifted her weight even more, placing her hands upon her knee, building more and more pressure as she pushed her leg down. "How's this, Six? This doing anything for you?" A window up above broke. Shattering into hundreds of pieces, shards of glass fell around the beta but still he didn’t move. The look in Lyza’s eyes showed that her anger right now should not be tested, even if it meant the most minor of movements on Aiden’s part. "Feel like your life's in danger? Got a fucking hard-on for this!?"

A crash on the second floor signaled that something else had given to the ever increasing build-up of pressure. Of course, it was minimal effort on Lyza’s part. The portable home was big. Nothing fancy or overly expensive, but big. Advertised to withstand an assault from bugs, pets, or even regular sized people. Another falsehood. Aiden could count the number of times Roxanne had accidentally broken a piece off of the one provided to him by Lynette, when he worked undercover for her. Though they looked the part, sturdy just could not be in the realm of possibility for something meant to be comfortable. Here Lyza was, treating the entire structure like garbage. A portable abode meant to house someone of Aiden’s diminutive size, and perhaps even a few others with room to spare. And she was breaking it all down. With a single foot, Lyza was testing the limits of just how well the home could hold out. And by extension, just how long Aiden could remain obedient and be still.  

This was, after all, meant to be a lesson. Lyza testing out, believing, and quite likely knowing the falsehood of, Aiden growing aroused to the thought of his life being in danger. Again, absurd. He cared for the preservation of his life. He suffered to have it after all. But in defending Maya, in standing up to Lyza, he showed a very real lack of concern for his well-being. What was done to him in both the past and present. He should have been furious at Maya for all she's done. The fact that he wasn't was cause enough for Lyza to lash out in this manner. All this was, was the designer venting out her anger. 

Eventually, the building's roof caved in and Lyza's foot fell through. The structure didn't cave in on itself, they were at least built to some degree of acceptability. But as Lyza twisted her foot left and right, Aiden was sure that she was taking every measure to ensure it was no longer livable. 

When finally she was finished, Lyza peered down towards Aiden, the beta only able to meet her gaze with frightful, cautious eyes. "Why on Earth would you defend Maya?" the designer asked like some doting mother. "After all she's done to you? I gave her chances, made her believe that you would be better off living without her. She fucked that up spectacularly. So why?"

Reaching down into the house, Lyza did away with her high heel, raising her barefoot overhead and above Aiden. As Though she was threatening to bring it down. It's shadow cast over him, covering the giantesses face and forcing the smaller beta to take in every detail. Though reddened from walking and her recent tantrum, Lyza’s foot seemed nearly without flaw. A callus her and there thanks to her choice in footwear, but aside from that they were well maintained. That was hardly the focus though, as its size was easily more than enough to crush a bus! Red Lyza flexed her toes as she lowered her foot slowly. 

"Don't tell me you're some little masochist…" the designer’s scowl deepens as the shadow of her foot continues to grow. There was an odor to it. Nothing unbearable, but certainly noticeable when this close. "Because if you are, and you think that's reason enough to risk your life, then I'll gladly finish what Maya started…"

It was inches away now, so close to snuffing out everything. The light. Aiden's life. 

Everything. 

Yet just before it could, Lyza planted it at the smaller beta's side, inches away from crushing his frail body. So close that he could feel the warmth radiating off of each individual toe. She’d been busy today. Hell, probably the entire week given her new look. 

"So, what is it?" Lyza asked again. "And it better be a daaamn good reason."

Aiden's heart was beating as though he had just run a marathon. He had danced with death before, more times than he cared to count, but this? Lyza's fury truly was terrifying! A spectacle that he was amazed to have missed during the period of time when the two of them were on less than agreeable terms. It was abundantly clear to him that, had he really pushed her too far, she could have done much worse than she did. 

The look in her eyes said that Aiden wouldn't have much time to answer before finding out if her threat prior was actually real. So he answered as truthfully as possible. "I… I don't know, okay?" He really didn't. By all sense and reason, he should despise Maya. Hate the very ground she walked on. Yet, after having seen her open up briefly, witnessing Maya's desperation for himself. He could only pity her. That alone took up any space hate might occupy. 

Of course, that was far from the answer Lyza wanted. She wasn't really sure what sort of response to expect honestly, judging by the previous look of concern the smaller beta was sporting. Certainly wasn’t the answer she received though.

"Yeah, she almost killed me. But that wouldn't be the first time." Aiden explained. "You didn't see her before that, Lyza. You didn't see the look in her eyes. She was broken. Depressed. Desperate to make me and her work."

"And did it?" The designer asked in a condescending tone. "Did you guys 'make up' and her almost crushing you to death under her damn snatch was just a fun little game for the two of you?" Even Aiden realized how bad that all sounded. 

"Wake up, Six! You almost died! Again! Get that through your tiny, thick head!"

"But I didn't!" Aiden shot back.

"Yes! Because of me!" Lyza was fuming again. She lowered herself down into a kneeling position, her hands resting upon her thighs as she looked down at the wobbling beta. Even now, he was in so much pain no doubt. "You could have died, Six, what part of that aren't you getting?"

No matter how he may weave the story, or how much he may cast a rose colored light over it, Lyza was right. He almost died again. And there'd be no coming back for him this time. Even then, idiotically, he pressed back.

"My name, Lyza. She actually used my name again." Pressing his fists against his chest, Aiden felt his heart beat faster and faster. Though it had been said plenty of times before, only now did it feel true. "Aiden… not Six. She said that to me. My name, after years of being called a fucking number. That… felt… different. Better?” He wasn't really sure how to explain it.

“ Yeah, Maya's still… Maya. But I saw her break away, even if it was brief. I saw her. I mean I really saw her, Lyza. Not the monster. Not the murderer. I saw the lost, scared, woman that she is. Yes, she deserves my hate. But for the life of me I  just can't bring myself to do it."

Lyza looked at Aiden, astonished. He was telling the truth. He was genuine. And what's more, he was almost moved… to tears? She was confused. This was ridiculous. Aiden was insane. Lyza should just step on him and call it a day. And had it been a year prior, she might’ve. Now though, things were different. She was different, and seemed as though she weren’t the only one.

There was no straight answer to be given here. All Lyza knew was that she nearly lost someone she cared about at the hands, or womanhood, of someone she loved. It was all too much.

"Dammit…" Lyza stood up, unsure of what to say. She stomped her foot down in frustration, the shockwave sending Aiden painfully onto his ass. "DAMMIT!" This was not how she wanted this day to go.

Lyza massaged her temples, a headache forming. "I'm glad you're safe, Si…Aiden" she corrected. "Really, I am. But… I need time to think. We'll talk more about this later. I just need to rest…" she didn't even want to learn about whatever Aiden may have learned at her sister's. "I… I'm tired…"

Lyza made her way towards the couch, falling face first into it as she kicked off her remaining heel. She didn't know what exactly she was meant to do now. She didn't want to see Maya, and she couldn't bring herself to look at Aiden. Pathetic, the both of them. 

And her as well, as even now she couldn't help but care for the two flawed individuals. 

As for Aiden, he just sat there. Amidst the debris of the portable home, he waited. Eyes open, time ticking on by. On the living room floor, wide awake and in pain, though now he felt rather numb to it. So much had happened in such a short amount of time that any pain was the last thing he could possibly focus on. Even as the soft sound of Lyza's snoring became audible, Aiden just sat there in silence, weighing on things racing across his mind. Many thoughts revolved around Lyza. Many more around Maya. But the vast majority was dedicated to him, and his shifting views of his tormentor, his life, and just about everything that had led to this moment. 

It wasn't until he heard the manic foot falls of bare feet against a cold floor did his attention turn away. Turning away from Lyza's sleeping form, Aiden saw that the apartment's bathroom light was on, and was followed by the stomach churning sounds of someone losing the last thing they ate. Of course, this could only mean that Maya was finally feeling the effects of all she had ingested. Roxanne's medication, the wine, and her sushi dinner. It all came back up with painful consequences. 

The question now was if Aiden should leave her be. Lyza was right, he should be mad. What Maya got was well deserved. Even now, with her vomiting up the contents of her stomach, that was deserved as well. And yet, before he knew it, Aiden was making his way towards the restroom light. One painful step in front of the other, the grueling sounds growing worse the closer he got. Until he could smell and practically taste the bile for himself. 

There, he saw her. Maya, hunched over the toilet and quite possibly regretting every decision she's ever made. She was still dressed in her undergarments, though now was also wearing a barely buttoned white shirt. Perhaps she was cold?

Rightfully cautious, Aiden had little reason to step in and check on his tormentor. As far as he knew, Maya would try and finish what Lyza had stopped. Killing him. Finishing what she had started so long ago. Aiden should be afraid. Maya was a mess and there was no telling how she'd act. Would she lash out in one last attempt to snuff the beta's life? Or would she ignore him, not wishing to invoke anymore of Lyza's anger. She had risked so much and gained terribly little. It would be foolish for Maya to risk anything else. Wouldn't it?

Aiden took a cautious step forward, the light blinding him momentarily as, finally, the vomiting ceased. All that remained was pained coughs and pitiable sobs. 

Maya hadn't noticed him yet. Even as Aiden got nearer and nearer, she only looked inside the toilet. At the very least she could have flushed it…

What thoughts were going through her head? What regrets were playing out again and again? Maya had said so much during their 'date'. To think, she actually regretted killing Aiden. It hadn't really occurred to him until now. How long has she felt that way? How long had it been eating at her? Ever since she started dating Lyza, or before? 

Lost in his own thoughts, Aiden didn't even realize he was standing right in front of Maya's tight covered legs. Still crying, the towering woman was completely unaware of his presence. How does someone even approach a situation like this? Consoling your hundred foot tall killer? The very source of Aiden's suffering for several years? What on earth could even be said? 

Clearly, Aiden needed to say something. Anything really. Just so long as it wasn't anything which may set Maya off. So, clearing his throat, the beta attempted the simplest ice breaker he could.

"You good?"

As lame as words went, Maya's reaction was fast and startling. Aiden's voice, so close now when she was certain he was with Lyza. She turned to look at him, her eyes wide. As though she were anticipating something else. Eventually, her expression grew grim once more. 

She chuckled sadly, coldly, as she gripped her head. "This is just a dream, right…" Maya asked. More towards herself than Aiden. "I'm just imagining this, aren't I? Wanting to see you close to me without being scared. My mind's just messing with me again, isn't it. Because you hate me…. Lyza hates me. And I deserve it…"

Maya's grip grew tighter, her nails digging into her skull. "I deserve this. All of this."

She was close to crying again, the simple sight of Aiden, even if she believed it to be a trick of the mind, was enough to push her over the edge again. Rambling, Maya brought her knees to her chest, burying her face in between them as she shut herself off from the world. Has she always been this broken? Aiden knew Maya to be insane. A complete sadist as well. But how often had she fallen into despair such as this? 

"It's not a dream," Aiden informed her. "You're not imagining this, I am very much real."

"Then you're an idiot for coming here" Maya coldly snapped. Her head remained buried, but at the very least she was listening. "Or did nothing Lyza say get through to you?" Maya's legs shifted, her knees parting slightly so that she could faintly see the brave, or foolish, beta. "I almost killed you again. I even enjoyed the idea of doing it. I could even do it now if you weren’t careful…” she warned. 

“You shouldn't be near me, Aiden. For your own good."

A valid point. But self preservation wasn't on the beta's mind at the moment. He had taken so many risks as of late, what was one more? There were still other matters in mind. "Maybe… but I wanted to talk."  To anyone else, this might seem strange considering the individual involved. But Aiden had things that needed to be said. "And if you ask me, I think we need this more than most."

"We shouldn't" Maya was quick to shoot the idea down. She shifted uncomfortably, wanting nothing more than to hide away from everything. "There's no reason we should. It's like you said, what we had is gone. I ruined it. Just like I always do."

Sitting for himself, the pain throughout his body growing to be too much, Aiden looked up at Maya. Despite all she's done to him, at this very moment, he didn't feel as though he were in any danger. Maya could easily kill him right here, right now. A quick flick from her foot would be enough at this point. Yet she didn't. As good a sign as any that she was holding herself back. 

Besides, she had the wrong idea. 

"I'm not here to discuss our relationship. Or I guess the lack of one, now that I think about it." 

Maya peered further past her legs, intrigued. Faintly, oh so very faintly, she felt a smidgen of hope. She dashed that as fast as possible, knowing better than to fall back into such things.

As much as he pitied her, and as much as she needed to hear something comforting, Aiden could only think of Maya's last spoken word. "You're right. You did ruin it. What we had, the time we spent together. You cut it all away like how you cut my throat. You ruined my life just as it was starting to have some meaning again."

Maya sulked, depression washing over her once more. She had no more tears to spare. "Yeah… I know…"

"I loved you. I really did. And you just… just… killed me. As if I never even mattered to you. And you say you've regretted it, but I remember clearly that smile you had. You enjoyed it just as much as you hated it."

There was nothing Maya could deny. Aiden was right. She loved it. As much as she hated herself for committing the heinous act, Maya couldn't deny her love for the sight of the remaining life leaving her beloved's eyes, his last breath being drawn. It was like watching a mastercrafted painting being completed. "I did…"

"And you came back!" Aiden chucked. He remembered it clearly, how after his death he was brought back and experimented on. One terrible test after another, his only grace being he was away from his murderer. Inevitably, Maya found him again. After a long, bloody search. "Against every damn odd you came back JUST so you could torment me again. You and Lyza, working to make my life a living hell. That's… fucked. Really, really fucked. And after all that, when I stand up to you and manage to make a life for myself, what happens? What do you do?"

Maya bit her lower lip and clenched her hands into fists. This torment of hers was deserved. "I ruined it again…"

"You did…" Aiden sighed, as though he had been holding in a deep breath this entire time. Bringing up all of Maya's mistakes, it was cathartic. But there was a read on behind this beyond tormenting her. "And still, that's not even the worst part. No, not even close. The worst part, Maya, the absolute dogshit thing is…"

"You were right" Aiden hung his head, now feeling as though he finally understood why he suffered so much. "Everything that's happened to me… gave me purpose. Because what sort of life would I have lived if you weren't in it?" Looking back on it all now, it actually seemed pretty obvious. 

Maya didn't seem to share the beta's opinion, however. For the first time since Aiden began talking, she looked up completely, unamused. Hurt. "Don't you ever say that again."

"Why not?" Aiden saw no reason to lie. "It's true isn't it? Take a look at my life before all of this and tell me what I had? My mom and dad, dead. Caught in a crash because of some drunk driver. Or maybe all my wonderful friends who thought it was an amazing idea to leave me high and dry when they saw I had nothing left in life? Face it… everything now… it's a damn improvement."

They were horrible memories to recount, but necessary for the moment. No family or friends as Aiden began his last year in college, he doubted if he would even complete his final semester. An abrupt end through a noose around his neck, or walking into oncoming traffic? At the time it didn't matter to him. He had nothing to live for until Maya came into his life, as screwed up as that may sound. 

"That's not true!" Maya's voice rose, not enough to wake up Lyza but enough to make it known that she wasn't accepting of Aiden's words. She leaned forward, hanging on hands and knees as she looked over Aiden. "You would have found a way! Maybe you would have found someone else, someone better! All I've ever done was hurt you!"

"And I'm not denying that." The beta responded calmly. "Lord knows, if there's anyone to blame for hurting me you'd be at the top of that list. But…" the more Aiden talked the more he realized. "If you never did, I wouldn't have anything. Certainly not the luxuries Lyza can provide. Or a friendship with someone like Roxanne. And let's be honest, back in college I wasn't really the most sociable of people. If you never talked to me then I'm certain no other woman would have." 

"S-so what!? You're grateful!?" Maya refused to believe anything of what Aiden was saying. "You want to say thank you or something!?"

The beta laughed. "Hah, no. Nothing like that… I'm not grateful. And I'm not resentful either. I'm just…" it was hard to describe. "Caught in the middle of those two things somewhere." 

No matter how hard Aiden looked for a possible alternative path his life could have taken, he couldn't think of one. This life, the terrifying one he lived, was the best he was going to get. 

"No" Maya's body fell flat on the floor. At least she managed to aim for the toilet when she threw up. The bathroom floor was still rather spotless. Her body encompassed all of Aiden's vision, with her red hair being the most of what he could see as he sat in front of Maya quietly. Patiently. Waiting for whatever was going through her head to pass. 

"Nononono, you shouldn't think like this!" Even for her, this was all wrong. Aiden wasn't supposed to be like this. He should hate her. She hated her. Maya loathed herself. So why didn’t the beta she tormented for so long? "Why are you acting like this!?" 

Aiden thought about it for a moment before coming to his conclusion. "Tired, I guess. Of trying to deny it… everything. Better to be content with my lot in life as it is rather than wish for what might have been. This is the best things’ll probably get, I feel. So might as well accept that."

"That isn't true though!" Maya shot back. "You could have so much more! Living a life without me…"

"I'd have nothing then." Aiden cut her off. "Just like you said. High time I accepted that."

Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. "So what? You're just gonna roll with what's happened to you. Repress it, leave it all in the past!"

"That's the general idea, yes"

Maya grit her teeth. "And what about us? Huh? Don't suppose you think we have a chance again?"

Of all the things Aiden did accept, their relationship returning to what it once used to be was not one of them. "No. We both know that the bridge is completely burnt up. But maybe something else? Not the love life you want, but something good enough" 

Maya fell silent, Aiden's offer having caught her off guard. Her expression was blank as her mind processed what he had said. It wasn't long until her blank state shifted, and her lips curled upward into a coy, condescending smirk.

"As if that'll happen. You'd be better off with Roxy than with me." She would humor the beta though, resting her head upon her arm as she waited for Aiden's reply. "But do tell, what exactly do you have in mind, hmm? A walk in the park? Sightsee by the ocean? What exactly does good enough mean here, Aiden?"

Aiden thought over his options. "Nah, I wouldn't wanna be near the beach. Even if it's nighttime, I'd still be scared of some seagull thinking I was food." On the other hand, a jaunt through the park sounded appealing. Maybe some fresh air was in order for the two of them? "A walk does sound nice though, won't lie."

Maya watched, and waited, her smile slowly fading as she came to realize. "Wait… hold up." She sat upright, Aiden's request now actually dawning on her. "You’re actually serious, aren’t you? After everything that’s happened?" 

Not a good idea. The furthest thing from one actually. Any sane person would have seen the possible deathwish that this request really was. Hell, even Maya saw it. But Aiden was persistent. 

Not only would Lyza be furious should she wake up and find that the two were gone, but Maya wasn't even certain if she could trust herself around her obsession, out in the open and with no one to stop her if things were to go south again. 

Aiden saw this and sighed. "You're having doubts, aren't you?"

"Well can you blame me? Who knows what might happen?" Maya no longer trusted herself to keep calm when around her one and only for too long. Even now, during this exchange of words, she felt her mind slipping. "It's safer if we stayed here."

Aiden stood up, dusting himself off of any sort, and looked directly into Maya's eyes. "Can you at least throw me a bone here?" Standing up, the pain of nearly having his body completely broken returned. Maya saw this and extended her hand to offer aid. She stopped when Aiden raised his own in defiance, showing that he was fine as is. 

"Maya, just this once, I want you to go along with what I want. After everything I've put up with, the abuse, the ridicule, the deaths? You owe me that much, right? So that way, perhaps, we can start something new. Something that's, at the very least, better than where we are right now. Could you humor at least that much for me?"

Maya wanted to deny the request. Hell, she should deny it. It was absurd. After everything, Aiden wants to go out for… a walk? And with the last person he should ever be around. Does he have no sense of self preservation? Was Lyza right on the money, and the beta was some closeted masochist? Or did he actually think this would help the two of them. Have them begin again?

Start over. 

Maya should just say no, it would be so simple. She should've, and yet she didn't. For what felt like the first time, Maya caved in to Aiden's request. 

"Okay Aiden. You win. We'll go, just you and me."

That's all he wanted to hear. "Thank you"

Though this was stupid beyond all sense and reason, Maya felt her heart flutter once more. Even if the bridge between the two of them was burnt nothing was said about something new being built in its place. She hoped, even prayed, that Aiden was on to something. Deep down, Maya knew she still craved the beta's affection. Just as she did Lyza's. If this was the best way to build something, then who was she to undermine that. Maya would have to change, of course, though at this point she may as well roll along with ever shifting events just as Aiden was. 

Unbeknownst to her, such thoughts were enough to bring a shade of red over her cheeks. A blush that humbled the make-up she wore. 

Aidem, on the other hand, saw this and smiled. Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for the two of them. 

Not love. Not obsession. Something that was just good enough. In this life that continuously brought them forcefully together.