Stockholm Syndrome? - Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Felix's POV
Vanilla
It was all because of him. I opted for scents that didn't draw much attention, be it my cologne or my shower gel. They were subtle and allowed me to drift through without people noticing much of me. It was the art of being invisible, something I was good at.
It was of course only when I donned my camouflage, because how else would I have descriptions such as tall, dark, handsome and mysterious and some detailed ones such as having the right amount of devil in my smooth grin?
Even as myself I tried not to draw attention. I kept my look simple and my scents simpler. Vanilla was slightly sweet, something I would never have gone for. Then Archer came into my life. I could remember the first time I'd held him in my arms. He'd been unconscious; something not even remotely romantic, yet his scent had stayed with me. It was alluring, and lately I'd found it arousing.
I'd been skeptical about adding it to my shopping cart when I decided to buy scented candles instead of normal candles, but I hadn't regretted it one bit. The scent was calming just as it was arousing. A lot of that had to do with the person who'd unknowingly introduced me to it. As I smelled the combination of scents I'd smelled on him, it made me remember him.
Sometimes I liked to light the candles and just reminisce. It was beyond my mind's comprehension but it seemed to enjoy it nonetheless. Being able to do that was what stopped me from seeking the boy. It wasn't enough, but it also reminded me why I couldn't be in his life.
I'd lit the candles that night to calm myself down. I doubt he'd seen, but I had been getting a little agitated. I was worried about him being there with me. I loved having him there, but being with me wasn't safe at that moment. What if the Vasiliev brothers decided to pay me a little visit?
It was unfounded fear but I couldn't help wondering. What if I couldn't protect him? My safety didn't matter, his was top priority.
I was saddened he was leaving the next day more than I was glad. But I couldn't make him stay, not that he'd want to anyway. He acted a little strange, suddenly announcing that he wanted to go to bed. I hoped he didn't think I was trying to seduce him with the candles, even though admittedly they turned the room into a romantic setting.
Had he rejected the romantic setting? Because even that stung too. Sure it hadn't been what I was going for, but the thought of him rejecting me left me disappointed. I didn't get why since I hadn't made any advances and didn't think of making any. Or did I want to?
I loved Archer's company. He was feisty with a little bit of dorkiness. He blushed easily. I could tell he was strong and stubborn. He still had a little bit of naivety to him, awaking my desire to protect him. I was drawn to his feistiness and his ability to make me laugh. His good looks were a bonus. He was overall a great package and Damian or whoever would be lucky to have him.
I thought back to our talk about chemistry. We had it. It wasn't something I could explain, but there was this ease about being with him, holding him and teasing him. It was just so natural, and having spent a great deal of years shunning human relationships, it was surreal. He wasn't the first guy to talk to me and some like Ricky had spent time at the house.
There was just something with Archer. He had something on me. He just didn't know. I didn't know what it was.
==
The next morning I woke up later than usual. Archer was lying next to me on the bed. He was still asleep, facing me after turning the previous night. His mouth was curled in a cute pink pout. His skin looked so soft, and glowed a little with the sun's rays as they entered the room. He was still in my embrace.
I thought back to what had led to that. He was scared for me, which had taken me a bit by surprise. It meant he cared, and that gave me a feeling I couldn't quite give a name. I joined him on the bed after his request with my body celebrating. I'd wanted to lie with him ever since he'd mentioned going to bed but had respected his boundaries.
I made him a promise. I didn't think about it. I didn't intend on dying. The promise was more for his sake than mine. I didn't like making him scared. I wasn't scared for my life but I had to assure him I would be careful.
I removed my hand from around his waist slowly and got out of bed. Sitting up, I stretched my arms and looked for my clothes. Archer didn't move an inch. I left sleeping beauty on the bed and went to the drawer, removing one of my guns. It was a Beretta 92FS. Looking at sleeping beauty, I removed a silencer too. It wouldn't entirely eliminate the noise, but it would reduce it.
I went to the bathroom to freshen up, wore my clothes and grabbed a crate of beer bottles before going outside. The sun was shining brightly, illuminating the red and orange leaves on the trees surrounding the cabin. I set a bottle on the tree stump I was using the previous day and counted footsteps back. I was significantly further than I was the previous day.
I fixed the silencer on the gun before aiming at the bottle. I didn't waste time taking a shot, shattering the bottle and scaring a few birds. I practiced with more bottles, missing a few as some thoughts crept into my mind. Archer was leaving that day. After that, who knew when I'd see him again?
Did it make me a bad person to hope his gastritis hadn't resolved and he was too weak to travel? He was leaving, and going on a bloody stupid date that Saturday. Surprisingly, anger didn't always make me miss. I hit my target in the centre, shattering it. A part of me wondered if I hadn't shattered it with my eyes. My anger was ridiculous.
"Gosh, do you have to do this so early?" I heard Archer's voice.
"Do you have to say gosh every time?" I asked, grinning as I turned. He was leaning on the doorframe, hands crossed.
"Yes, yes I do", he said.
"I do too", I said. I gave him a sheepish grin. "I'm sorry I woke you up".
"You didn't. I just woke up. Guess I'm excited about going to my apartment", he said.
I felt a stab of pain somewhere I couldn't quite locate. "How are you feeling?"
"A bit nauseous, but I'm okay", he said. He walked up to me. "Please don't shoot me", he said playfully as I removed the magazine and replaced it.
I smirked.
"So, if the police come here for some reason, how do you explain having a gun?" he asked.
"Hunting", I said.
"Yeah...like people hunt with guns like that. And what are you hunting? Beer?" he said.
I chuckled. "I have a license for this thing".
"I'm pretty much sure you don't have a license for that extra accessory. It's illegal", he said pointing at the silencer.
"This was for you, so don't get too knowledgeable with me", I said. "And Pancakes, I have ways of getting out of trouble".
"I don't doubt you do", he said drawing a meaningless line on the ground with his shoe. "So, how many have you missed?"
"Zero", I lied.
"It must be easy then", he said teasing.
"Want to try?" I asked.
"Um...I don't think so", he said.
"Chicken", I taunted.
He furrowed his brow, suggesting he was thinking about it.
"Okay. Give me the damn thing", he said.
I chuckled and handed him the gun, engaging the safety pin just in case he accidentally shot at his feet. I'd never hear the end of it.
I watched as he aimed at the tree stump.
"Whoa, there's no target yet", I said as I walked over to place a bottle on the stump.
I returned to him and noticed how close the gun was to his face.
"You don't want it that close to you face, trust me. The backward momentum will make you hit your face", I advised.
"Shut up", he said, though he moved it slightly.
"You are not even holding it right. You can't shoot with one hand. You have zero experience. Again, you'll hit yourself", I said walking over to him.
He initially resisted, but I stood behind him and helped him hold the gun properly. My arms went around him and I noticed how close we were. It wasn't the closest we'd been, but being close to him was always exhilarating. It sent my heart on a high-speed chase.
"Just imagine someone who suddenly disconnected your Wi-Fi", I whispered, leaning in slightly towards his ear. "And oh, just so you know, spent cartridges fly in all sorts of directions".
I wanted to be close to him but I forced myself to walk away so I could watch his shot after disengaging the safety. He took some time aiming before he decided he was ready. The bullet left the gun and ended up somewhere in the trees surrounding the cabin. He'd missed the bottle entirely.
"For a guy named Archer, you are terrible at aiming", I couldn't resist saying.
"You are annoying", he said as he took another shot. That one was worse than the first.
"Don't shoot me", I mimicked him as I went over to him. He was preparing to take another shot. I stood behind him and relaxed his taut shoulders, bringing his arms down. I wrapped my arms around his waist, snuggling my head in his neck.
"Is this supposed to help me aim?" he asked. I couldn't see his eyes but I was sure he was rolling them.
"Is it?" I asked, moving my hands slowly along his abdomen. I had no idea what I was doing and I was too focused on it to question myself.
"No!" he said bluntly.
"Getting you flustered?" I teased.
"N-No", he stammered and took a deep breath.
I chuckled and moved in front of him, lifting his chin slightly. His lips looked so soft in the light of the sun. I leaned in and placed a light kiss there. I moved mine slowly and felt his respond against me. It was a feather light kiss, ensuring we felt every movement. I grabbed the gun from his hands, careful not to pull the trigger. The gun just fell into my hand, indicating that he wasn't holding much onto it.
He pulled back suddenly. I opened my eyes to look at him.
"I ...uh...I have to go", he said.
I gave him a brief nod. I didn't watch him leave. I turned back and aimed at the bottle on the tree stump, hitting it on the neck and shattering it a second later. I sighed, I pretty much felt like that bottle. I felt gutted and I didn't know why.
I shot randomly at a tree and walked back into the house. Archer was in the bathroom. I sat in the living area. He peeked into the room.
"Hey um, do you have a toothbrush I can use?" he asked.
"Sure", I said walking to the bedroom. I picked out a new toothbrush for him.
I handed it to him at the bathroom door, still in its wrapping.
"For your hookers, huh?" he said giving me a cheeky grin. I was glad he wasn't suddenly being awkward. It wasn't the first time I'd kissed him, although it was the first he'd suddenly decided to leave.
Was I paranoid in thinking something had changed? I may have not been paranoid but I was delusional. Archer and I were not together.
"Well, that depends. Are you my hooker?"
"You wish", he said, disappearing into the bathroom.
You wish...
I had to stop myself from thinking too much about what he said, but I couldn't quite get there. I had no doubt having him in my bed would be exhilarating. I'd gotten to experience it and it had been nothing short of breathtaking.
The thought of him gracing my bed again... I stopped my thoughts at that point. I couldn't go that far or I probably would not drive him to his apartment.
It didn't take him long before he returned to the living area, looking refreshed. He was wearing the clothes he'd worn on the night I'd helped him out.
"Should I make breakfast?" he asked.
"I won't say no to my last pancakes", I said.
"You do know they sell pancakes, right?" he said as he walked to the kitchen.
"I know, but no one makes them as good as you", I said.
For a few seconds I watched him locate the ingredients. He focused on what he was doing before he said, "Clark called. Had to make sure I'm coming back today. I'm certain he has a list of questions to ask me".
"What are you going to say?" I asked.
"I don't know. I'll make a lie on the spot. I don't want to overthink it", he replied.
"You could tell him the truth", I said.
"I was with the guy who kidnapped me that other time. He saved me from a guy who tried to rape me that night we went out", he said mockingly. "Do you think he'll believe me?"
"Not when you put it like that", I said.
"Is there any way to put it?" he asked.
"I suppose not", I said.
"Do you have friends?" he caught me off guard.
"No", I said clearly.
He turned and looked at me softly.
"I don't need friends", I said and shrugged.
"So...what do you do for fun?" he asked. "Don't tell me, I've heard enough about your hookers".
I rolled my eyes. He seemed to be obsessed about me doing hookers. I couldn't even remember the last time that happened.
"I don't have fun", I replied.
"I get that you were busy killing people, but...you must do something for fun", he said.
I shrugged.
"I have a game on Saturday. I'm not even sure if I'll be playing, but...would you like to come? I can buy the ticket for you", he said.
He wanted to see me again. I had thought this was the last time. A new feeling grabbed me. It was akin to happiness, but not quite as profound. I smiled and had no doubt my dimple was showing.
"I'd love to", I said.
He turned back to his pancakes.
A few minutes later we were eating breakfast in the kitchen. I devoured his fresh pancakes. They tasted better than the last time, or maybe it was the feeling in my body that latched on when he asked me to attend his game. I couldn't quite get why he'd asked. I didn't ask him for fear I'd annoy him and he'd change his mind.
We didn't talk much as we ate. We were done in a couple of minutes and the time I dreaded came. Archer stood up and announced that he was ready to go. He obviously had to go. Besides having classes the next day he had a life. I couldn't keep him there like a hostage.
Admittedly he'd brightened up my boring routine. The place was going to be dead without him, and thought it hadn't bothered me before, I knew it was going to after his unplanned visit. He'd shown me what I was missing and only he could give me that.
I walked him to the Jeep and locked the cabin. We got in and I began the ride to his apartment. It was an 8-minute drive, but it felt very short. I drove slowly at times and he didn't seem to notice. He was eager to get back to his friends. He was like a little kid bouncing on the seat, although the bouncing could be credited to the dirt-road that we'd gone through before joining the asphalt road that would lead us to the city.
We talked about soccer and his upcoming game. He was excited about it. I didn't know much about the game and had never watched the full 90 minutes of a game but I was a bit excited too. Stalking him wasn't as nice as interacting with him.
I parked the Jeep on the parking space on the side of the road opposite his apartment building entrance.
"The game is at 4 pm on our home stadium. At least be here 30 minutes earlier so I can see you", he said. "We can hang afterwards before I go on my date".
With his last words he crushed the smile that was busy forming on my face.
"I will", I said quietly.
"And oh um...thanks for what you did; from saving me to taking care of me. I don't remember the former but I'm really grateful to have a stalker like you", he said.
I grinned. "I don't stalk you".
"Of course you don't", he said rolling his eyes. "And instead of slipping notes under my door, maybe you can call me? I can give you my number", he suggested.
"I already have your number", I said.
"Right. I'd forgotten how creepy you are. Bye Felix", he said and gave me a quick peck on the cheek.
I forced myself to unlock the door. "Enjoy your week Pancakes".
He got out of the car and closed the door. He gave me a little wave and crossed the street to the entrance of the building. I sighed and started on the short journey to the cabin.