(Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3)
(*my love, gender neutral (I hope), French)
It had been a few days. A few days since you’d known for certain you were being stalked. It was just a feeling at first, of someone watching you, then it turned into the feeling of many following you, you were never out of eyesight for someone who just seemed a little too interested in watching you.
You had of course told your partner, Natemare, about all this but then you got a note, stuck inside a long black box bedded with beautiful red roses at work that read “No need to tell him now. He’ll find out soon enough the extent of our relationship.” Along with a “For you, ~P x”
Then when you went to the refurbished coffee shop on your way home that had always been crappy but now was at Starbucks standard, instead of your name written on the cup it was “I don’t mean to creep you out. You have no reason to be afraid, not for yourself” The barista looked embarrassed but you imagined his wallet looked much fatter as you stood outside the coffee shop and noticed the red logo you’d seen on many buildings and construction sites since that damned video was released.
From then on you always went out with Natemare by your side, it was an idea you both came up with because you weren’t sure when Phantom was going to act. Natemare took you out to the restaurant you’d been going to since your first date to cheer the two of you up, but even the company didn’t need to bear the logo, just the waiter bearing her new tattoo who you’d seen busking on the streets where on the back of the bill it was written “You won’t see me just yet, I can’t bear it at this moment. But it won’t be long *mon amour.”
And then when you opened your mail you immediately put the letter, expensive envelope, all of it except the needed stamp that wasn’t there, meaning someone placed it through your letter box, into the shredder that only contained one word.
But this was all better than you thought. Better than the only three lettered word that was shoved on a scrap of paper into your hands by a flustered person who collided into you before hasting off down the street as you were going to collect lunch for you and Mare.
You rushed back into your home, throat dry so you had to scream the name multiple times to know you were even speaking it. “Mare?.. NATEMARE?!”
You ran around, you though you were having a heart attack, losing vision as it seemed blurry, that was until you realised, you were crying.
You quickly wiped those tears away till you noticed on your bed a book, one you were certain wasn’t there before and as a bookmark sticking out was a business card with golden edges. It contained an address and nothing more.
Not wanting to mess with that book you’d seen in the video you took a taxi to the address marked immediately and stopped outside an abandoned warehouse. The cabbie looked concerned as he took the money you spilt into his hands. “Hey, you need me to wait for ya? It doesn’t look like a place ya wanna go inside.”
You composed yourself, turning back to him with a smile “I’ll be fine, thank you. And keep the change!” You were already sprinting into the building as you said that last part and heard the car rev and speed off.
As soon as you entered through the rusted door you heard a pained cry, the sound of something swooping through the air and colliding with skin. “Natemare!” You called out, running into the empty centre of the floor where you saw Natemare in a lump on the floor and Phantom standing tall above him, forehead with a bead of sweat and holding his cane on his shoulders behind his neck.
The two identical faces except one with an elated expression and the other defeated turned towards you as soon as you ran into view.
“No...” Natemare croaked out, trying to stand up now as blood trickled down his lip “Y/N GO!” He grunted as his stomach was struck by the top of the cane again, falling to the floor winded.
Phantom looked disgruntled, taking steps towards you as you had your feet firmly planted in the ground, determined to let him know his pity filled face for you wouldn’t deter you.
“I’m sorry you had to see that.” He sounded and looked genuine, sorry you saw it, but you knew he wasn’t sorry that he was doing it. Before he could get past Mare the singer grabbed out and latched onto Phantoms feet, almost toppling him over but you knew, from experience, Natemare would be difficult to make let go. “RUN Y/-“ He was kicked in the face, whining lowly but still trying to grasp onto the other.
Phantom stepped out of his grip, raising his cane high and about to bring it down...
“NO!!!” He stopped, keeping it in its position high above Natemare’s head. You were shaking, hand reaching out as if to grab the cane from this distance. “No. Please don’t hurt him. You’ve got what you wanted, he’s hurt! Please stop now.” You begged him to listen. Your eyes pleading and you nor Phantom broke eye contact for a while after until you whispered again. “Please.”
Phantom lowered his cane, using it to walk closer to you now, in equidistance between you and Natemare.
“What do I get, out of not beating my enemy?” He asked, it was an actual question, he wasn’t undermining you, wanting your counsel, as if he held you equal to him. He leant forward, hands clasped over the top of his cane. You gulped, wiping your hands on your jeans before taking a breath and saying very seriously. “Anything.”
“Nooooo Y/N!...” Natemare rolled over, looking to you now, black tears rolling down his cheeks. “He’ll trick you! Don-“ Phantom ran back and whacked his hip, using the cane like a golf club and your scream matched Natemare’s. “STOP! Please, just take my deal!”
Phantom sighed, flicking the hair out of his face before walking back to his previous position, if not a little closer to you now. He paused.
“I’ve never liked the ‘anything’ bargain. I have something better in mind, at least a tad more specific.” He tilted his head to the side but didn’t pull out a scroll. He walked up to you, cane held sideways like an umbrella on a dry day as he walked till he was at arms length. “One night with you.”
“NO Y/N!” Natemare cried, begging for you to listen to him, trying to convince you he was lying and was going to steal your soul, but neither of you paid attention to him. Too busy scanning each other’s eyes, yours actually more menacing than his, but he didn’t seem to be trying to be menacing, just... searching, yet again. You nodded sternly. “Deal.”
Natemare cried out, sounding more pained than he had when he was being beaten but before you could go to comfort him Phantom sidestepped to block you, not grabbing you or anything, as he waved his index finger in your face and clicked his tongue. “That’s not good enough, even for you. I need something better to seal it, to make sure you keep your promise as will I.” You sighed, checking you pockets for a pen as Phantom leaned closer. “A kiss to seal it.” You stopped checking, looking up at him with concern and alarm clear in your eyes, something he could see too, but all you saw in his was collected excitement. “Just a kiss!” He promised calmly.
Your nostrils flared with anger, quickly moving your head forward and pecking his lips faster than he could react, his laugh chiming on the end of the smacking sound from when your lips collided for less than a second.
“Aw he wasn’t even looking!” You looked to the side to see Natemare staring at the ground, hurt, annoyed he couldn’t step in, only looking up with anger at Phantom just to get this over with. Phantom turned back to you, a playful tone. “I’m afraid I’ll need more than that my dear.”
He leaned in slowly, you met him in the middle, slightly faster to get it over and done with, especially if Natemare had to watch this to make it official in the dealers eyes. You hadn’t noticed till now just how close yours and Phantom’s bodies had got. When he breathed into your warm lips he felt his waistcoat press against your chest. He made certain his lips were soft on yours. The kiss slow, confident for both of you, no tongue or anything too invasive, his lips brushed against yours for a few sweet strokes, as did yours, but with less force, less motivation behind them, and how his hands desperately wanted to hold your face in his and watch you lean back with a smile on your face and ‘yours’ in your eyes.
But when he finally pulled back from the kiss that was still a little shorter than something consisting of a make out session, you not wanting to be the first to move back incase he made you start all over again, he only saw defiance in your eyes. You were not happy, and you still believed you didn’t want him.
He let you pass and you immediately ran to crouch beside Mare, smoothing back his hair as his hand rested on your arm, kissing all over his face and apologising very quietly over and over. It killed Phantom to say he could still hear it though.
Phantom sighed, wanting your attention just a little longer. “Shame you go for the obvious choice of the singer, not someone smarter, like a manger.” You ignored him as Natemare stared him down, being helped onto his feet by you. Phantom wasn’t looking at mare though. “Such a waste, of those” his fingers danced against his lips, reminiscing of moments ago “talents...”
Phantom shook himself out of it, putting his hands behind his back and almost sitting on his cane as you put your arm around Mares shoulders and helped him out if that dingy place. “Oh, and Natemare?” Natemare hobbled around to look at him, even though you were whispering in his ear for him to “leave it!” Phantom smirked “You’re not in need of a manager are you?”
“Fuck off.” Natemare growled. You helped him into the Uber you’d pre ordered and just as you were about to get into your side of the vehicle you felt your pocket grow warm, not a burn though.
You turned it inside out to discover the business card, it’s address changed, to your home, and now another line on it. “I’ll see you there. ~P x”
