"Well now, I suppose with enough steel, even a rat could look formidable. But you? Just looking at you gives me chills. I picked a damn fine suit of armor."
I shifted my eyes toward him—it was a bit much to move my whole head every time with the helmet on.
"I feel pretty formidable right now, so yeah—you did." I moved slightly, feeling the heavy weight of the armor shift with me, not awkward, just present.
"So, do you think the crowd will like this?" I posed the question even though I already knew tomorrow was going to be a spectacle.
"No doubt. I almost feel bad for the poor sod they throw at you." He gave a low chuckle. "You look like you stepped out of a fairytale. Like some noble knight..." He paused, then smirked. "Too bad you're just a bastard who's going to thrash them."
After that, we joked around a bit more before he helped me de-arm and reapply the oil to the armor. I had no real way of judging time in my cell, but after we finished tending to the metal, he gave me a nod and wished me a good night before heading out.
I moved over to my cot and sat down, the weight of the day settling over me. I barely had time to breathe before my next visitor showed herself.
"Well, it's not often I catch you thinking. What's on your mind?" Heather appeared around the corner in her usual attire, arms crossed, eyebrow raised.
"Tomorrow," I admitted, still looking down at my hands. "I'm not sure if I'm ready."
"Oh, that's a surprisingly honest answer," she said, tilting her head with a smile. "I was bracing for something classic, like a 'you' or some other quip." She stepped closer, her voice softening. "But why are you nervous? You've been fighting for over a decade now. You're more than ready for tomorrow."
"I never said it was the fight I was worried about…" I said quietly. "I mean—what happens if I win? Do I just… have my life change from that moment on? What does that even mean?" I paused, my eyes drifting toward Mark's cell. "Heather… I've never known freedom. Not even a little. What do I do with it?"
She didn't answer right away. Just crossed her arms and stared at me with that look—the one that was equal parts frustration and care.
"What do you mean, what do you do? You're finally getting your dream. That's what's happening. So stop overthinking it." She lowered her voice a bit, stepping closer. "Let the version of you that wins figure that out. And if you didn't notice, you're not alone. You've got me. You've got Kushim. And your old friend over there."
"That's the thing. What do you think about leaving?" I said it quietly—I wasn't even fully sure about it myself yet.
"Okay. Let's do it." She nodded and looked me straight in the eyes. "If you want to leave, then let's do it."
"Wha… I mean, that's it? You don't need a reason? You're just ready to go like that?" I was dumbfounded.
"Well yes. I mean, there's not much here for me either. I stayed for you. And if you want to leave, then all the better for us. I hate watching the man I love go out to fight for his life just for someone else's entertainment."
"Love? I didn't know you loved me…" I was caught off guard by that. We hadn't said it before. I was in a bit of a stupor when she dragged me back to the moment.
"What's wrong? Do you not feel the same?" she asked, a hint of worry in her voice.
"No, no, that's not it. I'm just… so happy you feel the same. Yes—I love you too."
We let that sit between us for a moment, both of us soaking in the happiness of it.
"But what about Kushim? And Mark over there?" I asked. "I doubt either one of them will be fine if we just leave."
"Don't worry about that. I'll handle getting Kushim on board. I think he's ready to leave too. Other than you, he doesn't really have anything holding him here. And as for Mark—I can get the cell keys easily enough."
"Are you sure?" I looked at her directly, almost finding myself lost in the beauty of her eyes.
"I am. Now, let's move on to something else." She stepped closer, placing her hands on my chest. "I know Kushim brought you a gift, but I didn't want to be outdone."
"I hope you're okay with me…" she said with a bit of a lust in her voice.
"Always." I leaned in and kissed her, and just like that, I found myself with company for the night.