Leanne gazed out at the sunset, her legs swinging slowly as they dangled from the pier. "Lysander," she started. "If you could know when you'd meet your soulmate, would you want to?" She was referring to the new invention, HART, a machine that counted down until the time you met your soulmate.
I stared out over the ocean. The breeze teased my messy black hair and played with Leanne's fiery locks. I said nothing.
She gazed at me with the fierce expression I knew so well. "Is that a question too difficult for a genius mastermind? The would-be savior of this war-torn world?" The wind caught her hair and threw it in her face. I reached out to a stray lock and tucked it behind her ear.
"No, it's not a difficult question," I replied, lacing my fingers together. The sun shone orange, contrasting with Leanne's storm-grey eyes. "I'm certain I wouldn't want to know."
Leanne chuckled at that. "Tell me why."
I raised an eyebrow. "Is this a time to be spilling secrets to my enemies?" I teased. At that, Leanne turned her head away.
"This conversation is neutral. A truce period in a time of war. Feel free to say anything." She didn't say what this really was. A conversation in No-Man's-Land, that we weren't enemies before, that we shouldn't be enemies now. But things had changed from when we were little. She was in the army, and I was the one that opposed her.
I sighed. "I know my faults," I said. Leanne glanced at me quickly, but the question was clear in her eyes. "Yes, I know my faults, many which you're not happy with. I would name them, but that would take too long."
I looked out over the ocean, listening to the sounds of gulls and waves as I gathered my thoughts. "If I had a soulmate, that person would be enough like me to know exactly what kind of character I have. They'd know how I talk, how I think, how I strategize, how I win the games I play with people. I can't risk that," I said. I didn't say I knew of one person who fit the description. Nor that I had met HART only weeks ago, and that it had told me I had already met my soulmate years ago.
Leanne frowned. "Ever the dictator, aren't you, Lysander Holmes." Not a question. A statement. She sighed and brought her legs up to sit criss-crossed. "Do you think of anything else besides how this will all end?"
Yes. Of course. Because I knew that in the end, I'd be dead. But I never wanted to distract myself from my goal.
"Are you so focused on playing the bad guy in such a way that people will never know that you're really trying to save them?"
I grabbed her hand, and she stared back at me, eyes wide. "I will finish this," I stated, my voice stronger than usual.
"Stop," Leanne whispered. "Forget the war. Let it go for once. Be the real you. Not the evil terrorist leader. Be Lysander Holmes."
I took her face in my hands. "Leanne Simmons," I uttered. "The army's beloved genius pet. You really know how to rub a guy the wrong way."
She grinned. "I'm 'Lemons', aren't I? And you're 'Lymes'." Code names we'd made up for ourselves as kids, when we'd first undertaken this twisted journey. Secret allies, on opposite sides of the war. Double-agents working to create a peaceful end, even if it cost us our lives. "We're sour to others but sweet to each other."
"You know, you're the only one who knows the real me," I said, a smile curling my lip. I leaned in closer.
"What are you gonna do about it?" She taunted, her voice low.
"This, my dear soulmate." I brought her lips to mine and we kissed until the sun sank below the ocean.
~
A/N: Sorry, I realize this is not quite addressing the prompt, but I came up with this idea and wrote it on the spot. :S
In addition, the two characters here are actually part of another story I'm cooking up. I hope this interests you. 887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIIuvc2ij7
Thank you, readers!
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