Villain Retirement

She knew it was wrong. The history they shared, the morality of all of it—everything is wrong, and it will always be. One could even say it was ethically wrong, which it truly is.

And she didn't want this, she truly didn't want this.

…So why were her lips very slowly moving closer to Riley's?

Is this truly the effect of the kahn mollusc? Or was there actually this deep, dark desire inside her that wanted this…that needed this? She is made of flesh and blood, her body has needs and that is normal.

And perhaps in the most fucked up twist of fate, Riley was the only one here. This is something out of her control—if she had the choice, it wouldn't be Riley. It wouldn't be the man that killed and tortured millions of children and laughed while doing so. It wouldn't be the man who vowed to kill everything in the universe.

But if not him, then who?

Would it be with a stranger? Anyone would have actually been better than Riley, even a man he doesn't know—that should be the case.

So why, why couldn't she imagine someone else? Is it because the warmth of Riley's chest is the only thing wrapping her right now?

Is that it? No, that should be the only reason. The aphrodisiac's effect is so strong that not even the mightiest of themarians could handle it…

…that was the only reason. And sadly for Aerith, that was the only reason her body needed as her lips still made their way to Riley's.

So close. Their lips were now so close to each other that Aerith could feel the warmth of Riley's breaths touching upon them—she still had enough distance to leave, to just lean her head away…

…but she doesn't want to. She knew she was going to regret this, but so what?

Hasn't she suffered enough? Hasn't she given enough already? She wasn't Megawoman anymore, she was just a woman that didn't belong anywhere else…

…she was just a woman being cradled by a man that confessed his love for her.

That was it. Riley told her that he loved her.

No matter how wrong, no matter how fucked up the scenario is now—there was no one else but Riley. He knew her—out of all the trillions of people in the universe, he was the only one that truly knows her, in more ways than one.

And so, with all of her doubts completely gone; she let go of the heavy breaths inside of her and leaned closer for the final time as she placed her lips on Riley's…cheek.

"...Hm?" Aerith could really only blink as she felt Riley's cheek on her lips. She stayed like this for a couple of seconds, before retracting her head and looking at Riley.

"I heard of the effects of the aphrodisiac, Aerith," Riley said; his eyes, turned away from Aerith as he continued to fly beneath the ceiling of the Subtheran,

"You will lose yourself into a frenzy and will want to have sexual intercourse with the first man you see. This… isn't you, Aerith."

And with those words, Riley suddenly dived down, descending onto the cold waters of the Subtheran.

"..." Aerith immediately closed her eyes as the heat wrapping her body was enough to almost cause the water around her to boil. Riley was probably thinking that this would dissipate the effects of the kahn mollusc, but no—the only thing it did was make the feeling of his chest warmer, causing Aerith to wrap her arms around him.

The two of them, just floating in the endless water; the beating of their heart and the bubbles that formed around them, almost like a marching band that heightened their senses even more.

And with Riley lifting them up from the water, the warmth of his breath once again wrapped her entire body; her arms, more so not wanting to let Riley go.

"Aerith, look."

"..."

"..."

Aerith stared at Riley's face for a few seconds instead of looking where Riley was looking. But as she saw the view reflected in his eyes, she very slowly turned her head away.

It was the view of the mountains—a view similar to the alps where she and Riley first had a real conversation.

"You…" Aerith's breaths became stuttered as tears suddenly trailed from her eyes, "You… you shouldn't have done this."

Emotions are heightened dramatically while in the effects of the kahn mollusc—and now, as the view of the mountains caused her to feel all sorts of emotions, her heart became even more confused.

Riley was showing and making her feel everything that she ever wanted. It made her body need him even more.

"Riley…" Aerith then took in a small gulp as she once again looked at Riley; the two of them, just sitting on the cliff with the soft grass as their bed; the skin of her bare arms, still touching Riley's chest,

"...No one has to know of this."

And with those words, Aerith suddenly leaned closer to Riley… finally placing her lips upon his.

"..." Riley was about to lean away, but before he could do so, Aerith wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing his hair as she grabbed the back of his head.

"Hn…n," Aerith could not help but release her stuttered breaths as she felt the inside of Riley's mouth as she stuck out her tongue; the strings of their saliva, still bridging the two of them as she leaned her head away to look at Riley's face.

"This… is wrong," she then said as she very slowly leaned her body back; her hands, holding Riley's arms as she let her back fall onto the soft grass. And with a slight tug, she pulled Riley closer to her; his entire body, now on top of her.

"..." Riley could really only stare at Aerith's wet face; her teeth which were slowly exposed as she lightly bit her lower lip, causing her to look even more vulnerable than when her organs were exposed back in Riley's closet.

"I've… I've made many mistakes in my life," Aerith then whispered as she once again wrapped her arms around Riley's neck, "I… want this to be one of them."

"Aerith," Riley lightly brushed Aerith's cheek with her fingers,

"I want it to not be a mistake."

"..." Aerith's hands that were slowly caressing Riley's hair abruptly stopped as she heard his words; her eyes, widening as a gasp escaped her lips. And soon, she tightened her embrace and once again pulled Riley even closer to hers; his body, now directly touching Aerith's, pinning down her breasts as Riley's breaths trickled down her neck.

"I'm tired, Riley…" And then, Aerith's whimpers soon became whimpers as her tears gushed out like a dam finally allowed to rest, "I am so, so tired of just everything."

"I know, Aerith."

"Why… why do I even need to help people? Why does it matter?"

"Because that is who you are, Aerith—that is what you are, a beacon of hope in the midst of all trash in the universe."

"But I don't want to be that. I just want to leave and go away."

"You can't do that, Aerith."

"I know, but this…" Aerith then very slowly wrapped her legs around Riley's, "...But this, I can do. So…

…I want to."

"..."

"Please, even if it's not my will…" Aerith's breaths once again became heavier as she started caressing Riley's back; her mind, getting hazier and fading by the second,

"...even if it's a mistake, I don't care anymore."

"Aerith."

"...Riley."

"Sleep."