Chapter Text
The fortune cookie’s words are simple, if not a little ominous. But Marius knows enough about marketing tactics to know that this is just blatant romanticism played up. Not that he doesn’t enjoy it though.
‘You will be killed by the person you love most.’
He smooths out the small strip of paper and turns towards Rosa with a teasing smile. He holds it up and nudges her with his foot, watching as she looks up and quickly reads over the words with a furrow between her brows. “Miss, are you planning a murder right under my nose?”
Rosa narrows her eyes at him. “You’re asking me, a defense attorney, whether or not I’m planning a murder to my face?”
Marius chuckles, winking at her. “I can never be too sure.”
Rosa deadpans at him.
And Marius thinks that’ll be the last of those grim but insignificant line of words.
Until he’s staring down the barrel of a gun in the cold and relentless rain, slitted coral eyes piercing his own resigned ones, a soft and forlorn smile tugging wearily at his lips. Luke looks absolutely wrecked, his hands visibly shaking and his chest heaving with heavy breaths, but not from the cold or exertion.
Marius can run. He should run. He thinks the only reason why he’s still alive is because Luke is hesitating, giving him the opportunity to run. Hoping—praying that he’ll take it.
But Marius is a fool.
And so is Luke.
They’re both fools.
Luke’s eyes glow in the dim limelight, and Marius can’t seem to look away. Not even when he slowly lifts a bruised hand to place it over Luke’s, sliding his thumb over Luke’s index finger until he can properly put pressure on the trigger, because Luke couldn’t seem to do that on his own. Luke’s hands tremble even harder, until he’s choking back strangled cries, close to hyperventilating.
“You won’t be able to pull the trigger like that.” Marius smiles wider in reassurance, letting his hand fall limply back to his aching side. “Not really acting as detective right now, are you? I’ll just call you Agent Raven then.”
‘You will be killed by the person you love most.’
Marius thought it was stupid at the time.
But this—
Luke screams, hoarse and guttural, pain drawn from within, and Marius slips his eyes shut, letting out one final breath.
Before there’s the resounding ‘bang’ of a trigger going off.
—makes so much more sense.