The next day, Holo entered Eleanor's cell with a sense of quiet determination. Over the past few months, he had seen her slowly unravel, her sharp words softening, her defenses crumbling bit by bit. But today, he had a feeling things would change—he could feel it in the way she had looked at him the day before, the flicker of vulnerability in her usually impenetrable green eyes.
Eleanor was sitting in her usual spot, her arms resting casually on her knees. When she looked up and saw him, her expression shifted slightly, the corners of her lips twitching upward into a faint smirk.
"You're back," she said, her voice calm but tinged with an emotion he couldn't quite place. "I was beginning to think you'd finally given up."
"You know better than that," Holo said as he sat down across from her. "I don't give up, especially not on you."
Eleanor let out a soft chuckle, though it lacked her usual sarcasm. "You really are something else, Holo."
There was a brief silence before he leaned forward slightly, his gaze steady. "Eleanor," he began, "I need to ask you something."
Her green eyes flickered with curiosity. "Go on."
"Do you want to be my girlfriend?" he asked, his tone direct but gentle.
For a moment, Eleanor didn't respond. Her smirk faded, and she stared at him with an intensity that made the air feel heavier. Then, she let out a quiet sigh, leaning back in her chair.
"Fine," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "Yes. I want to be your girlfriend. Happy now?"
Holo blinked, momentarily stunned by her admission. He hadn't expected her to admit it so readily. "I… I'm glad you're being honest," he said. "But if we're going to do this, I need you to promise me something."
Eleanor raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what's that?"
"I need you to be kind to me," Holo said. "No more insults, no more trying to tear me down. If you want this to work, you have to be willing to try."
To his surprise, Eleanor didn't mock him or dismiss his request. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, her expression thoughtful. "Kind to you?" she repeated. "That's all you want?"
Holo nodded. "That's all I'm asking."
Eleanor was silent for a long moment, her green eyes studying him intently. Then, a faint smile crossed her lips—one that sent a shiver down his spine. It wasn't her usual mocking smirk or her rare flicker of vulnerability. It was something darker, something unsettling.
"Kindness is easy," she said softly. "But you don't understand, Holo. I don't just want to be your girlfriend."
He frowned, confusion flickering across his face. "What do you mean?"
Eleanor leaned forward, her green eyes gleaming with an intensity that made his chest tighten. "I want to be yours, Holo," she said, her voice trembling with fervor. "Your everything. Your servant. Your slave. I want to live for you, to devote myself to you and you alone. Nothing else matters to me anymore."
Holo's breath caught in his throat as her words sank in. "Eleanor, I…"
"If you want me to kiss you, I'll stick out my tongue," she continued, her tone growing more impassioned. "If you want to beat me, I'll take it with a smile. If you want to have sex with me, I'll let you take me until I can't move—and even then, I'll keep going. And if you told me to die…" She paused, her lips curling into a chilling smile. "I'd do it gladly. Because your happiness is all that matters to me."
Holo stared at her, his heart racing. "Eleanor, that's… that's not what I want."
"But it's what I want," she said, her voice soft but resolute. "Your kindness has broken me, Holo. I don't care about anything else anymore. You've given me a reason to exist, and now, I just want to be whatever you need me to be."
Holo's hands clenched into fists, his mind racing. He had worked so hard to reach her, to show her that she was worth saving. But now, it seemed his efforts had taken an unexpected and terrifying turn. Eleanor wasn't just falling for him—she was spiraling into an all-consuming obsession.
"Eleanor," he said firmly, trying to steady his voice, "this isn't healthy. You don't have to live like this."
Her smile softened, but her eyes remained intense. "I don't have to," she said. "But I want to. You've already changed me, Holo. There's no going back now."
Holo felt a wave of guilt wash over him. His kindness, his persistence—it had worked, but not in the way he had intended. Instead of healing Eleanor, he had accidentally created a new kind of monster.
"I need some time to think," he said, standing up abruptly. "I'll come back tomorrow."
Eleanor's smile didn't waver. "Take all the time you need," she said. "I'll be right here, waiting for you. Always."
As Holo left her cell, his mind was a whirlwind of emotions. He had succeeded in reaching Eleanor, but at what cost? And now, more than ever, he wondered if he could handle the consequences of what he had unleashed.