#patroclusindeath

Chris rubbed his forehead. None of this made any sense. "So you're telling me you've bagged a ten out of ten hottie, with a degree in forensic science, who knows about your... activities and she still stays with you? Completely her choice?"

Adrian nodded, a grin on his face. "Yeah!"

Chris laughed, even throwing his head back to highlight the absurdity of all this. "Get outta here, man."

Adrian's smile faltered, and his expression was replaced with a much more stern one. "She'll be here any minute. You can see for yourself."

"She'll be what?" Chris mirrored Adrian's sternness.

"I invited her over. I wanted her to meet my best friend."

Chris was about to lecture Adrian on how this was a top secret mission in a top secret base. That if any of this information got out to the public, they would all for sure be killed, but also that there would be outrage and chaos. Adrian was really testing his patience recently. Not that Chris had much to begin with anyway.

But, upon hearing a knock at the door, Adrian bounced on his feet and rushed over to it. "That'll be her."

"Don't you dare answer that," Harcourt stormed over, firmly placing her arm across the door. "Who's out there?"

Adrian looked Harcourt up and down. "My girlfriend. Chill out."

Economos spun in his chair. "You invited your girlfriend over whilst we're prepping for a special-ops mission?"

"You've got a girlfriend?" Harcourt raised an eyebrow.

Adrian waved his hands around, theatrically. "Yes! I do. And she's standing right out there. So if you don't mind--"

"I do mind actually," Harcourt attempted to block more of the door but Adrian was already pulling it open.

"We all mind!" Chris stepped in and raised his hand. "This is so--" Chris cut himself off, as his eyes landed on you. Adrian really wasn't lying about you being a ten. "Oh, hey. How are you doing?" He ran a hand through his hair.

Adrian beamed, standing beside you. He only ever looked this happy when he was brutally butchering someone. The realization made Chris scratch his head. Here you were, one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, next to Adrian Chase, some busboy who kills criminals in his spare time. And enjoyed it. A sociopath. He was a sociopath. Yet, he was a dating Aphrodite herself.

There could've only been one reason.

"How much is his mom paying you?"

Your brows furrowed. "Paying me? Like money?"

"Yeah." Everyone in the room looked at you, eager to know the answer.

You just laughed, an enchanting sound. "Nothing. Why would she be paying me?"

Leota stepped forward with her arms outstretched. "Let the girl introduce herself first. Damn!" She eyed Chris, and then turned to you, a massive smile lighting up her face. "Hey, I'm Lee! It's so lovely to meet you. Adrian talks about you all the time."

"No, I don't," he replied quickly. "I mean, I talk about her sometimes but, like, not all the time, Ads. Come on," Adrian forced a laugh. "I talk about her as much as I talk about you guys."

"It's all the time," Economos confirmed, deadpan.

"Well, it's nice to see you all," you gave an awkward wave. "Sorry for interrupting your world saving mission."

"Don't worry about it," Leota dismissively waved a hand.

"No, let's worry about it," Harcourt spoke up. "Adrian, what were you thinking?"

Chris shook his head. "He wasn't thinking at all. He never is."

"I'll take her for a moment, whilst you guys figure this out," Leota grabbed your arm and began to pull you to the other side of the room. "I heard you like ABBA!"

Chris watched as you went past. He noted your body shape and wondered if you and Adrian needed a third. After ogling at his colleague's girlfriend, Chris turned back to Adrian. "So how did you two meet?"

His eyes lit up and his grin widened. "I'm so glad you asked. She was a regular at my work, but I didn't really notice her at first. Then, one day, she smiled at me and, like, my whole world changed. We got talking, and yeah. Turns out she only ever showed up when I was working. She knew my entire schedule. She even knew where I lived."

Harcourt choked. "She stalked you?"

"Yeah!" Adrian nodded, and judging by the expression plastered on his face, he didn't mind being stalked at all.

"Dude, what the fuck?" Chris blurted out. "I thought you killed criminals."

At this, he looked wounded. "I'm not gonna kill her! She even once broke into my house and took some items as mementos. How cute is that?"

"Y'know what, maybe you're made for each other."

Adrian smiled, placing a hand over his heart. "Thanks, man. That really means a lot."

Chris turned away from Adrian. He observed you for a moment, at the opposite end of the room, deep in conversation with Leota. God, you were fine, Chris thought. But a stalker? Could he handle that? Maybe it'd be worth it.

"You know what really bothers me though," Adrian droned on. "I wasn't even her first. Her ex-boyfriend, who wasn't actually her boyfriend - she was just convinced he was, when he didn't even know she existed - well, he sort of ended up having a girlfriend that wasn't her. She still gets upset about it sometimes. And so do I! Like, the audacity of him to hurt my girlfriend! I've been trying to find a reason to kill him for weeks."

Silence.

"So she stalks a man who doesn't know she exists," Harcourt began. "creates some fantasy about dating him, and when she finds out that he's got a life that doesn't involve her - because he doesn't know she exists - it's his fault?"

"Yeah," Adrian nodded, his expression completely deadpan. Of course he thought this was normal.

Chris raised an eyebrow. "No offense, dude, but your girlfriend's delusional."

When you revealed to your friends that you were dating the peculiar busboy from the restaurant you frequented, they were rather unhappy, to say the least.

"The one that always stares at you?"

Yes, that one.

"The creepy one with the Dahmer glasses?"

Yep, that's him.

"Didn't you say you thought he followed you home?"

You had just giggled.

Every piece of criticism someone had about Adrian, you had heard it at least three times. The problem was, you didn't care. His strangeness was endearing to you and, if he wanted to stare at you for half of his shift, you would gladly welcome it.

In fact, the entire reason you frequented Fennel Fields was because of Adrian Chase. You had your eyes on him longer than he had his on you.

It started out as just a casual meal. You had finished your shifts for the week, though, being a forensic scientist, you could've been called in over the weekend. As usual, you planned to head home with your work friend. He was driving. You couldn't be bothered to make yourself some food, especially after such a long day, and the restaurant was right there.

As soon as you suggested it, your friend parked up. He must've been thinking the same.

Adrian was on shift, of course. You barely even acknowledged him, and he didn't notice you either. Your friend had asked for some water. However, you both ended up waiting five minutes, asked again, and were left confused as Adrian repeatedly passed your table without a jug of water. It took one more ask before he finally came over and completed his task.

His manager, supervisor, or what you assumed was some superior shouted him over, a few minutes later. You guessed he was unhappy with the busboy, with the way he was pointing his finger and flailing his arms about. Adrian barely looked fazed.

Once your food arrived and you had a forkful in your mouth, Adrian appeared at the side of your table.

"How's your food?" he asked, his voice and face lacking any emotion.

"It's really nice, thank you," your friend mumbled, halfway through swallowing.

"I didn't make it so you don't need to thank me," Adrian shook his head and held out a laminated sheet. "This is a QR code you can scan to leave a review and tip. It's all digital now. My manager's sort of on my dick at the moment. Obviously not literally. He keeps telling me 'you need to get people to scan the QR code', so if you could do that to help me that'd be great. I really don't care what you say on there."

You couldn't help but release a disbelieving laugh at his unprofessionalism. How he was still employed you had no idea. When you glanced over at you friend opposite you, he appeared completely confused.

Should you laugh or file a complaint?

Instead, you just looked back at Adrian, who waited there expectedly. He still had the sheet with the QR code on. In fact, you were sure he had held it out closer to you both.

"You do know how to scan QR codes, right?" he asked without any hint of amusement.

"Of course," you solemnly nodded, though the tone of your voice didn't match. Adrian watched as you pulled out your phone. His gaze was intense, a little creepy, and, despite his eyes being a light shade, they were shrouded in darkness. You couldn't exactly see it, but you knew it was there. Like if you disobeyed him, even jokingly, he'd take it to heart. If he even had one.

He watched every character you typed (and mistyped), and when you submitted the review saying the service was excellent, Adrian smiled. It was as if it was all an act. If you could've taken back everything you just thought about him, you would've, for his smile was so pure and eyes so kind.

When you and your friend left the restaurant, you both silently sat in his car for a moment.

"What a strange guy," your friend had said, finally turning on the engine.

You turned back to the restaurant, hoping to see Adrian in the window, but he wasn't there. "Yeah," you whispered, the image of the busboy's dimples still in your mind.

Three months later, you were dating.

You had fallen more and more in love with him with every passing day. You knew it wasn't healthy but you just didn't care. You couldn't care. Not around Adrian. It was as if every worry, every thought, dissipated as soon as you saw him.

It was only Adrian, Adrian, Adrian.

You would do anything for him, and he'd do the same for you.

The day you found out he was a vigilante, the Vigilante, you should've run far away. Any sane person would've.

That was the day you knew you were in it for the long run. Your boyfriend admitted to murdering people and enjoying it. Huge red flags, you were very aware of it.

Yet, you stayed.

Yet, it only made you love him more.

He had asked you to marry him two months into the relationship. It was all impulsive. He didn't even have a ring. You would've said yes if it weren't for the intrusive reminder of your friend's comments. So you told him to ask again in six months, and noticed how he put a date in his calendar exactly six months on.

Over those six months, you had grown, what could only be described as, smitten. You had visited his house when he wasn't home, explored it for yourself as he never invited you over, and helped yourself to any of his belongings. Laying in his bed and imagining him there with you was a common activity. When you told Adrian, he only encouraged it, also admitting to doing the same to you (which explains why your underwear had gone missing, and your bedsheets more crumpled than when you left for work.)

And when he asked to marry you again, as soon as midnight hit, you said yes.

Of course you did. You couldn't imagine giving any other answer.

Your friends had given up on you. Getting involved with a potential stalker! What were you thinking?

If only they knew the half of it, you often laughed to yourself.

Adrian wanted to invite his entire workplace to the wedding. You had never met them, so denied his idea. It turned out he had already done it.

But the two of you got eloped.

You had no friends to join you. No family either.

You wouldn't have had it any other way. It was perfect. You and Adrian. Together forever.

Though, it didn't appear as if Adrian felt the same. Every new location he would discover, he'd groan and sulk. "Aw, babe, this would've been such a sick place to get married."

Then his eyes would light up, the way they did in Fennel Fields, and he'd grin whilst saying, "Let's do it again!" And you'd stand there, reciting your vows, Adrian changing his every single time.

In your first month of being an official married couple, you had been eloped seven times.

When Adrian asked you to join him whilst he cleaned up a body, you did. Not because he needed help - he knew exactly how to cleanse a scene, and you found it very attractive - but because, in his words, it was "a good bonding experience."

And you did have fun.

He didn't usually clean up after himself. He always wore his Vigilante armor. But, this time, his helmet was almost ripped off and Adrian feared they may have been some of his DNA laying around.

At the end of it all, you were both covered in blood. Luckily, you wore an apron and gloves. You weren't stupid.

Adrian looked beautiful, his goggles too tight around his face and his gloves almost reaching up to his shoulders. You had just stared at him, whilst your heart swelled with adoration.

The best thing about it?

Adrian was looking at you the exact same way.