Chapter 2| To Fall

"The height for a distance is tempting, don't you agree?" the man started, with a grin playing on his lips as he neared the banister across from where I was, his long coat flowing as he strode with grace and elegance.

My brow raised at his remark, as I assessed his words that resembled offensive. For I could only think of one possibility from what he said, but the grin that shone as he set his eyes below got me thinking otherwise.

He was tall, between five foot eleven and six, with a slender but strong build. The banister could barely reach his abdomen, that he later frowned upon.

"Why don't you come see, star?" once again he spoke. And this time, he turned his face to me, that now I got the perfect view of his face.

But then I frowned. Not because he was unattractive, but because of the fact that such a gorgeous man was attempting to commit of taking his own life.

The man was fair, and he had sharp features. His perfectly thick slightly arched eyebrows matched his slender and straight nose. His almond-shaped russet eyes like the rest, are sharp, making his stare dreadful, yet it carries a hint of mischief behind it. His lashes despite the distance, were long and curved that brushed his cheek everytime he closes his eyes. Then there was his lips, subtly full that were reddish and inviting. He had high cheekbones, and his jaw was well-structured that added to his mysterious charm.

As I kept my gaze longer, the breeze soon ruffled his unruly medium-length chocolate hair, that brought me my attention back.

"Sorry, I prefer proximity." I responded, bringing my attention back on the book that laid on my lap, attempting to read it for another go.

My mind however, seemed to not like the idea for my thoughts immediately went back on the man before the rails.

I mentally hissed at the view of the various bandages around him that reached even up to his neck underneath his collars, as I recalled his appearance which I basically drank in earlier.

'How many attempts have he even done it?' my mind went on, unable to tolerate to such behavior of pessimism.

"Dare ask, curious are we?" he clicked his tongue. And this time, his voice sounded much closer than before.

That was when I realized that the man, previously who were before the rails, now stood beside me in my own circle.

'How rude.' I thought, partially because it was the only word I could describe it with the way he knew the words that went on my mind.

To veil my shock, I then pretended to sigh devastatingly, as I went to close my book and gently smack him with it on his left cheek.

"I need not to, just like those bandages you put on you. There's nothing to trace when there is no origin, afterall." I replied, as I schooled my expression with nonchalance.

He grinned at my words, as if what I told him was funny.

Well of course it would. He knew I was curious but then later, I already knew the answer. How so? Simple, his behaviors gave it away.

"Oh dear, you're quicker than I thought." he commented, making me raise an eyebrow at him in complexity as his grin only deepened.

A second later, he was once again trotting near the rails, ending our conversation.

'What an odd man,' I noted, as I have never met someone like him before.

But now that he has decided to I guess mind his own business, I sat and went back to open my book, on the same page I was about to read earlier and to finally have a peaceful time of mine.

Gracing myself with the words presented to me, I was finally about to immerse myself in reading when I heard the slightest sound that made me stop.

This time, my heart pumped in haste, as if I had just ran a mile.

The man, who were supposed to keep his feet before the banister, now proudly presented himself to death as his height now increased with the rails underneath him.

"How is it that someone who is inhuman, dares to commit an act of killing oneself?" I promptly remarked that caused the man to halt immediately.

I stood up, practically alarmed by his actions that now I shut my book with a loud thud, as I approached him.

"Who told you to interfere with someone else's business, darling?" the man spoke, but not with a glint of amusement in his eyes as he returned my solid stare.

I set my lips tight. But unfortunately, I couldn't control my expressions of displeasure of his actions.

"A suicidal maniac did." I replied, making him raise his eyebrows as mischief clang to him unstoppably.

"Oh, I did? Well you should've told me sooner, I wasn't aware that I did." he stated, clearly being sarcastic in such a way.

But in truth, we both knew that he did in a way. Why else would he burst my bubble and put himself in it if he didn't? Man was bored so he decided to play a little game, that now I am involved in.

"You have the littlest idea of what comes after it. You should try it, dear. With me of course." he uttered, making me confused in his way of thinking.

'What has this man got in his head?' He was both a mystery and an open book for me. It was ironic, but the more I read his inviting pages, the more it created a mystery in him.

Truly he is an odd man.

"Are you asking me to commit double suicide with you?" I asked, probing whether he was serious or not. Though the latter had the most sense, my mind deducted how serious this man was.

His smirk was the only reply I get.

So without further ado, I then climb the banisters to match his height, only for me to realize that the man was indeed tall, which I understimated when I assessed him from a distance.

Without a word, he later kneeled infront of me that for another time, shook me to the very best.

I wouldn't assume he'd do anything, until I felt the hem of my dress which were three inches below my knee, being secured by something the man owned.

'Oh.' I thought, as I understood the purpose of him doing it.

"We wouldn't want eyes to see what's under it, yes?" He remarked, finally offering me his left hand.

He was by far serious. But at the very least, he knew some ethics.

For the next seconds, I knew what would become of us. The man practically invited me to commit double suicide with him. And here I was, being with him on the endline between the two opposing forces.

I then gripped the hand he offered, as I willfully fulfilled him the one thing he asked of me.

No, I wasn't agreeing with this double suicide thing. For I know what laid beneath the plan he laid for the both of us.

The moment I reached for his hand, I felt him place his other hand to grip me by my waist, as the air surged through us, finally after he jumped from the tall building.

My heart dropped, it was beating frantically as the floor was yet to consume our corpses. There was no escaping this now.

But then again, I was absolute that nothing will happen to me that would bring me pain.

That was when I heard the man chuckle, literally while we fall. Hence, despite the hard pumping of my fragile heart, I tossed the nerve where fear crept within me to have a look of this mischievous man.

"Hey lady, what is your name?" he asked, as my eyes locked with him as we remained in the air.

My brows furrowed at his question. Of all the things he should be asking now, why my name?

"Why?" I voiced out, utterly vexed by his random behavior.

But then his next action completely astonished me.

The man smiled. This time sincere, as his eyes squinted in delight. It was as if he only felt ecstasy now after such a long time. His lips were curved, not an ounce of sarcasm was etched that scarred his charm.

"Why, it would be a shame to not know you in this situation, don't you think?" he finally answered, making me doubt his intentions nevertheless.

After a few seconds however, I finally decided to give him my name having contemplated it. Trusting him to not bring me into further trouble.

"Ares. It is Nych Ares. " I answered him, as my eyes finally dropped the suspicion regarding all the aspects that included him.

The man then grinned for the nth time, showcasing me another view of his perfect pearly white teeth.

"And I am Odysseus Dimitrius. The one who shall bring you to the pavements of Aeiro." He replied, further making me furrow my brows at his perplexing answer.

"The one who shall bring me to the pavements of Aeiro?" I repeated, asking what he meant by that.

In a second, I felt him grip my waist tighter as though he doesn't want me to fall. That was when he made an unexpected move, as he carried both our strengths to deviate from our falling course.

My eyes widened, impressed as to how he had managed to do it. Because physically, one wouldn't be able to do such a thing, opposing the gravity that tugged us down.

The reality however dawned on me, as I felt my feet back on the ground, and my sight was met with the familiar streets of Aeiro.

That was when I realized where we both were. Because true to his word, we trully are in one of the pavements of Aeiro. The sidewalk near a massive orange building.

I turned around, meaning to inquire about the things I had just witnessed. Only that I immediately halted as I saw him already looking intensely at me, his eyes bore to the depths of my being.

"You were aware, weren't you?" he asked me instead, which later calmed my beating heart.

If he asked if I were aware that he were actually not planning to put both of us in such a state, then yes, I was aware.

"If I did, should it matter?" I replied back, layering another question with his previous question that made him smirk.

It was uncertain to me if my awareness was good or bad. I basically just trusted him that he weren't actually going to make us fall from my father's hard-worked building.

Odysseus then neared me, making me watch his steps out of curiosity and not suspicion. And when he finally did so, I had to crane my neck as my breath hitched at our proximity.

Then, I felt him lock a lose strand of my hair behind my ear, as he knelt a bit to match my gaze. And with his gentle voice, he finally said,

"No, Ares. Afterall, your awareness made you trust me, yes?"

Yes.

It did.