#so i borrowed some cute shit weve done for the writing. thats as far as the comparison goes

[dragons-and-yellow-roses]

"Anna, my love, I have to tell you something. I don't know how you'll feel about me when I do though, so before I say anything I want to tell you how much I love you. How much you mean to me."

"Wait. You sound like you're trying to say goodbye."

"No, no. I'm planning to stick around. But I don't know if you are."

"What, did you cheat on me? What happened?"

"It's not that, nothing like that. It's... Sit down."

My wife, the love of my life, sat, and I studied her. We'd been together for five years at this point, married for three. And I had still never told her. I feared that the betrayal of keeping this secret would hurt her more than the secret itself, but after so long it had just gotten harder and harder.

"Do you remember about two years ago, when you came home all bruised and cut? You looked like you'd been in a fight, but you refused to tell me what happened."

"I do. It was just an accident, it was nothing-"

"I did that to you."

"What? That's impossible, what are you..."

"I'm Nightstalker. And I know that you're Daylight."

"That's... What are you talking about, that's ridiculous!"

"It's not. After that fight, I snuck behind you. I was planning on finishing you off, but I noticed you had taken your mask off. I saw you. The woman I will always love. And I didn't know what to do."

"You could have told me! You could have stopped being a fucking villain! What is wrong with you?"

"You don't understand! I know you have to keep being a hero, but other villains will try to hurt you if they think that we're not rivals anymore-"

"So every time. Every fucking time I've come home bruised and bleeding, and you cleaned it up and reassured me, you did that to me? You've nearly killed me!"

"And you've nearly killed me! But I have to, to keep you safe. I want you to continue being a hero, because the world needs you, but I'm trying to protect you-"

"Clearly I don't need protection if I've nearly killed you." Her eyes began to glow. "How dare you live in this home, kiss me good morning, how dare you touch me when you have known for years and never told me!" She began to levitate a few inches off the floor. Energy gathered in her hands, and I knew what was coming. But she was right. And this time, I wouldn't fight back.

Just before the energy hit me, my mind went elsewhere. Memories of her, of us, flickered through my mind. I remembered meeting her, in the back of a packed classroom. Meeting up with her to study, talking about horror movies, texting late into the night and into early morning. I remembered telling her I had feelings for her, and our first time kissing. Before everything was complicated, before I became Nightstalker.

A memory of going down a zip line with her. She convinced me, even though I'm afraid of heights. Another of going to the Renaissance Faire together. Of me braiding her hair, of her excitedly telling me about podcasts and movies I didn't know, but it was worth it to hear her talk.

Then I remembered her coming home with unexplained bruises. I remembered her getting defensive when I asked what happened, and not understanding what was happening to the woman I loved. I remembered becoming Nightstalker. The original died, and their power chose me. A bit of a wrong place, wrong time situation. But I took up the mantle of Nightstalker, and I knew it was wrong. Unfortunately, Daylight and the original Nightstalker had had their rivalry since long before me. She sought me out, and our rivalry began. I just thought it would be best to fight, so that Daylight didn't try to find me, and by extension, Anna. If only I had known then.

I remembered our worst fight. I nearly killed her. And afterwards, I tried again. But she had hidden to nurse her wounds, and took off her mask. I saw Anna, the love of my life. Hurt nearly beyond recognition. And I had done that to her.

I tried to stop, but after I stopped being Nightstalker she was targeted by others. People had respect for the original Nightstalker, and would leave their rivalries alone. Unless they thought Nightstalker was gone. Then she wasn't safe.

I remembered her coming home sore and cut up, and running a bath instead of asking questions. Bandaging her wounds, and kissing her forehead when I was done. I tried to protect her.

The energy from her hands, stronger than I'd ever seen, hit me in the chest and it all went black.

Writing Prompt #2723

"Wait. You sound like you're trying to say goodbye."

"No, no. I'm planning to stick around. But I don't know if you are."