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2344.
Venus was done.
She was tired. Tired of living in Byzantium. Tired of having the same argument with her parents, over and over again. Tired of never living up to the expectations they had set up for her. Who were they to dictate what she did with her life, anyhow? Last she checked, that decision fell to her, and her alone.
Well, tonight, she's made her choice.
From here on out, there would be no more of this. No more flying around in a gilded cage wondering if this was all life was cut out to be. Venus knows it's not. Byzantium was small compared to the rest of Halcyon-- how could her parents be certain she had all she could ever want here, when she sees so much more in the stars?
No, enough was enough. And so, a plan clear in her mind, Venus sneaks out. She walks as fast as her feet could take her, carrying nothing but a few sets of clothes that would last a little wear and tear out in the colony, and a generous amount of bits that she may or may not have swiped from her parents. They were filthy rich, anyway-- whatever money she took was most likely just pocket change to them. She'd head straight down to the freight docks and hop on the first ship that leaves this city behind.
Venus isn't sure where she wants to go yet-- maybe mercenary work on the Groundbreaker? She's decent with a gun, and an even better negotiator. Whatever helps her scrounge up enough bits to maybe get a ship of her own and go where her heart desires.
It's an ambitious goal, she admits, but baby steps. First, she'll get out of Byzantium, and the rest should all fall into place. And getting out was easy when you knew the right people.
Although, carrying a fair amount of bits wouldn't hurt her chances, either.
Venus is halfway across the estates when she hears it. It's faint, barely audible, but it was definitely there. Someone's footsteps. Immediately, she knew it wasn't either of her parents. Chances were, they'd only find out she was missing after she was already long gone.
No, only one other person knew of her plans to leave-- because he'd been the only person she trusted not to tell anyone. Of course, Venus hadn't thought of the odds of him trying to stop her, instead. It still doesn't change a thing, however, and she doesn't stop walking.
"Don't try and change my mind, James," Venus says, and she keeps her eyes ahead. "It won't work. I've made my decision, and I'm leaving Byzantium."
Before she knows it, the man in question is standing right in front of her, hands braced against her shoulders to steady her.
"I know," Rockwell says, and he's grinning at her as if he had merely caught her taking a stroll around the city and not just about to make the biggest decision of her life. "I'm not here to stop you. I wanted to walk with you."
Venus looks unimpressed. "Really?"
Rockwell snorts, offering his hand. "C'mon, V. You really think I'd let you go that easy without even saying goodbye? If your parents ask, I'll tell them I haven't seen you."
Venus rolls her eyes, but she nonetheless grabs onto his hand, letting Rockwell pull her to his side. "Please. Chances are, you'll be clinging to my leg, begging me not to go."
Rockwell laughs, but the humor's not all there, as if she had guessed correctly. "Close enough," he says, swinging their hands. How juvenile , he notes. Like teenagers fooling around. "I was actually going to ask you to let me come with you. I can be pretty handy with a gun, you know."
She'll say no. She always had. They'd been through this countless times-- the Board would never stop hunting them when they learn the Chairman's son was missing. He was needed here, and here was where he'd stay.
Rockwell holds back a scoff. Like Byzantium's ever done him any favors.
Just as he surmised, Venus shakes her head. "You know you can't," she says, laughing when she notices the sour look on his face. "And judging by your expression, I think you already know why." She reaches up, gently patting his cheek. "Chin up, James. I'll be sure to send you a postcard if you end up missing me too much."
"You know it's not the same," Rockwell tells her, squeezing her hand. He opens his mouth, but the words don't leave him. He shakes his head and laughs again. "Nevermind, it's rather silly, don't you think?" He continues when Venus raises an eyebrow in question. "I mean... what are we, V?"
Venus hums, as if she wasn't entirely sure herself. She looks up at the night sky, then at him. She looks... serene, all things considered. "Well, anything you want us to be, James."
"Do you love me, Venus?"
Venus looks surprised, but she ultimately nods, squeezing his hand in return. "I do. I honestly do." She doesn't know she's crying until Rockwell's reaching over to wipe her face. She lets out a watery laugh. "Now, look what you did. You're making a big deal out of all of this."
"Me? All I did was ask a question," Rockwell teases, gently caressing her cheek. "You ever think you'll come back?" To me , he mentally tacks on, but he doesn't say it. He clears his throat. "To Byzantium, I mean."
"Do I need a reason to?"
Rockwell actually does scoff this time. Infuriating to the end, she was, and he doesn't think he wants that to change. "What, I'm not reason enough?"
Venus hums. "Maybe," she replies, looking down at their hands. "Why, you'll promise me you'll take me away from all of this?"
"You're doing all that on your own," Rockwell points out. "No, I just want you." He pulls her closer by the waist. "Make life in Byzantium a little more tolerable."
"Ah, yes, the future Chairman of the Board has come to rescue me." Venus snorts. "And you said you weren't going to try and convince me to stay."
He wants to. By the Architect, he wants to. But Venus would never agree to it, and the last thing Rockwell would ever want was to tie her down. In all the years he's known Venus, he's since learned that she's always been a free spirit, never to be confined in one place. To one person, maybe? But never one place.
He shakes his head. "I wasn't. I'm just saying that if you ever decide to come back..." He grins at her again. "You know where to find me."
"Goodness," Venus remarks, wiping a stray tear from her eye. "You really are going to miss me, aren't you?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"Maybe I'll come back," Venus replies, and before she knows it, they've arrived at the elevator to the freighter docks. She almost doesn't want to step in, but she does so before she has a chance to change her mind. Rockwell enters after her, holding his hands up when she gives him another look.
"I'm just going to walk you to whatever ship you decide to stowaway on."
Venus shakes her head. "Sure," she says, and to both their surprises, she finds herself nestling in between his arms. "If I ever come back, I'd like you to know that it'd be for you."
Rockwell hums, resting a hand against the small of her back. "Nice to know you think so highly of me, V."
Venus laughs, smacking his chest. "I'm being serious. Would you wait for me?" She looks up at him, then, expression expectant.
"I'll wait," Rockwell replies, and there's something unreadable in his expression that Venus can't quite place. It looked like remorse-- or perhaps a longing for something they never quite had. "For as long as you want. Halcyon could collapse for all I care, but I'll be here waiting."
Venus steps away from him when the elevator reaches their stop. "You ought to write poetry, Mr. Chairman," she teases, linking their arms. "But if you'll wait, then... I see no reason not to come back," she tells him, casually leaning against him.
They're getting closer to the end now, Venus thinks. Eventually he'll let go and walk away, and... well, who knows if that'll be the end of it. For a moment, she ponders. Would things have turned out differently if they had just... pursued whatever this was? Or would it have made no difference, besides making this moment hurt all the more.
"We're here," Rockwell suddenly says, effectively pulling Venus away from her thoughts. "You sure about this, V? You're a lot safer here in Byzantium, you know." A pause. "None of that waiting business, too."
Venus swallows hard. "I'm sure," she says, looking back at him. She gives Rockwell a soft look. "Consider it a test. If you're still waiting for me by the time I return, then I'd say you've more than earned my affection."
Chuckling, Rockwell reaches up to caress her cheek. "I'm a patient man. Be careful out there, alright? I'd hate for anything to happen to you."
"I will," Venus says, looking between him and the nearest ship. She clears her throat. "Well, um... I guess this is it," she says, taking a step away. "It's been…" she trails off, unsure of what to say. Good? What part of this whole thing was good? Though, she figures it was the right thing to say. "It's been--"
"It's been good," Rockwell says for her, taking both her hands. "You know, I really am going to miss you, Venus."
"I'll miss you too, but--" Venus sighs, pulling him back into her arms. "I think this is what I need. Just... some time away."
"I believe you," Rockwell says, and he seems almost hesitant to let go. "Don't forget about me when you're out travelling around the colony."
"I don't think I could if I tried," Venus says, beaming up at him. "Don't worry, I was being serious about the postcards. That way, you'll always know where I am." She reaches up, then, gently patting his cheek. "Alright, well, we've wasted enough time. I should go." She reaches for his hand and gives him one last squeeze. "I'll be seeing you, James," Venus says-- no, promises, and she starts to head off.
She doesn't get very far, however, when Rockwell calls after her. "Hey, V!" He says, and he tries not to let too much of his emotions show. "What, no kiss goodbye?"
For the longest moment, Venus merely stares at him. If Rockwell looked hard enough, he might've seen the gears turning in her head, pondering what to do, and if really should do it. Before he can even begin to play it off as a bad joke, she's running towards him. He just about catches her when she leaps into his arms, all-but smashing her lips against his.
It was funny, Rockwell thinks, that their first kiss might also be their last. It would've been funny, at least, if it hadn't also been macabre and just a little bit tragic. He kisses her back just as fervently as she did, a hand resting at the back of her head. When he pulls away, he's still mere inches away from her, lips still lingering close.
"I love you, V. Come back, alright?"
Venus grins. "I could promise you that, but wouldn't it be more fun to keep you in suspense?"
Rockwell rolls his eyes. "You're insufferable."
Venus gently pats his cheek. "I love you too, James. Don't miss me too much now," she teases before finally, finally pulls away from him. "I'll keep in touch, don't worry," she tells him, and with that she finally heads off.
Rockwell watches her walk off, before clearly bargaining her way onto a ship. He doesn't leave just yet, instead watching until the ship takes off and disappears out of sight. He can't help but just feel a small tinge of disappointment-- he'd been hoping she'd change her mind at the last minute, maybe jump back into his arms and realize he'd been all she needed all this time.
It was foolish to think so, of course, but he'd been hoping all the same.
He went home miserable that day. How could he have been anything but? Venus wasn't coming back-- she most likely only said she would because it'd make him feel better. Technically she didn't say anything like that, but he figured she implied it. And it did-- for about five minutes until the realization hit him. He'd lost her.
That is, until, something addressed to him shows up in the mail a few weeks later, with the scent of her perfume somehow still on it.
A postcard from Monarch, with writing carefully scribbled onto the back in what was clearly her handwriting.
'Miss me?'
Rockwell snorts. Typical Venus to make a game out of all of this, but he wastes no time in replying.
Isn't it obvious?