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Eden finally remembered to breathe, and although her heart was still beating at what seemed like a hundred miles an hour, she could still try to stay somewhat calm, and seriously think about his proposal.
It really was... tempting. This life, with Dante, forever. Locked up in this tower, with nothing but warm baths, silk sheets, and bubbly wine forever. Nothing else to worry about, just... living with him. She could see it. She’d simply wake up in his bed, fall asleep in his arms. Perhaps she would help him with his Zodiac affairs too as his hacker, just like he had wanted... She could forget all about problems with money and the Core. Perhaps she’d disappear from the Dark Reality for real, never stepping foot in the digital world again. She would have been lying if she said she wasn’t tempted. That path was so easy and open, she almost already had a toe on it, but...
“...I can’t,” she finally muttered.
“Why not?”
“Because that’d be... doing the same thing I hate about those people. Doing nothing and turning... a blind eye.”
She sighed and took Dante’s hand off her eyes, blinking a couple of times until her eyes adjusted to the light again. She glanced to the side, where the window showed them the view of Chicago’s buildings, somewhere farther east. Eden stared at those buildings for a while.
“I can’t. I’ve already done too much, and if I don’t finish this, I would... hate myself for it, Dante. Even if I’m fine, from now on, many people won’t be. I’ve seen way too much of what they do to us, I’ve heard too many of their most... horrible secrets. ...You know, in my building, there’s that couple. They were both born and raised in the Suburbs, like their parents, and they have survived this far being good people. But there aren’t any jobs where we live, so the husband had to get a SIN implanted. With it, he can find a job, but the jobs you can get with a SIN... He’s probably going to work in one of those horrible green energy factories. They get people like him to run or bike every day, for so many hours, to produce that green energy, and then, they sell it to the people in the Core, calling it green energy... The most organic electricity there is. Made of desperate people’s sweat...”
Eden took a deep breath. She hoped that the family was alright. She felt sorry for those normal people, who had a hard time every day and had to think twice about absolutely everything they did. That husband would probably get into countless fights with his wife about it, and work himself to death trying to make enough money for them to survive. Eden knew she was lucky that Dive jobs paid so well, for the most part. Still, it was never enough. Not when the Core always played horrible tricks like what they had done with her mother...
“I want to get to the bottom of this,” she finally declared. “For my mom. I want to know what really happened to my father too and why I had to run to the Suburbs that night. Something definitely happened, I was just too young. I can’t pretend to only be a victim or an innocent anymore; I’ve already come this far. They’ll never leave me alone, anyway. Living with you wouldn’t be enough.”
She turned to face him this time, putting her arms around his neck. Dante was always so calm, it was hard to even guess what he was thinking. Right now, he was simply staring back at her, ready to listen to every one of her words.
“...Are you upset?” she asked.
“No. I’ll do what you decide to do.”
“Why? I don’t understand why you’re always so... indulgent to me. Aren’t you supposed to be some cold-blooded bastard?”
“I am.”
“Your body doesn’t seem cold-blooded right now.”
He smirked, and his hand gently caressed her back.
“I don’t really know,” he muttered. “It’s just how it is. I’ll follow what you say. I don’t really care if I die, as long as I get to stay with you.”
Eden frowned. That was perhaps the biggest mystery of all... Why Dante De Luca, such a powerful man, the Italian Zodiac, was so obsessed with her. She never found herself more outstanding than any other woman, and in fact, she knew many prettier, smarter girls. However, Dante’s golden eyes were clearly set on her, and her alone. Eden let out a faint sigh, and rather than trying to get more answers, she leaned forward to kiss him.
He’d never resist her. As soon as their lips met, he opened his for their tongues to touch and mingle, letting that delicious spark bloom into a vivid fire between them. It was impossible to ignore his hands all over her, just like it was impossible to ignore the heat between them. They were both naked, excited, and although neither would say it out loud, in love.
“Um... excuse me...”
Eden groaned and pulled away, with real murderous intent at that moment.
“Loir, what the hell is wrong with you?”
“Alright, for once, I’m very sorry to interrupt the Kitties doing nasties in the bath, but, uh... something pretty big just, uh... kind of popped up on my radar. I don’t think you got time to play the yadada right now...”
“What?”
“You know, the old Dragon Zodiac big boss...?”
“Is he dead?” asked Eden, panicking.
“Uh... Not quite. I think the old guy decided to pull a Darth Sidious on us.”
“What is that supposed to mean?!”
“The old Dragon doesn’t seem to be dying at all, he’s alive and kicking! Like, as in... really kicking butts, right now. He’s on TV, and not too happy about what we did. He’s not the nice old grandpa I thought... Oh, he’s inviting all the Zodiacs to meet him at his palace. That’s nice of him! ...Do you think we’re invited? ‘Cause I’m very bad with chopsticks. Just saying.”
“...Are you sure it’s real?” Eden asked again, frowning at the screen.
