(Antagonist's P.O.V.)

I eyed everyone suspiciously at dinner, realizing more and more that they all had something to hide. Narrator sat by my side for the first time, chair pressed conspicuously close to mine. Protagonist nibbled at his food but didn't really eat. An awkward silence fell heavily over the dinner table and no one was making a move to end it.

I cleared my throat. "How is your nose doing?" I asked Protagonist across the table. Love Interest nodded and took note along with the other characters. Protagonist looked up from his plate and glared at me before putting on a killer smile. He was obviously still hurt about the "relationship" I had with Narrator.

"It's actually doing better, thank you for asking Antagonist." The way he said my name made me bristle. What did he expect me to do, ignore him? This fake relationship was his fault. Narrator glanced down at me with his dead eyes and placed an alarmingly cold hand on mine. I tried to seem like I didn't care. I was done with all of them. With all their secrets that got into my head, it felt like everyone was messing with me.

I could see Love Interest out of the corner of my eye, giving me these sad, doe-eyed looks like I might be dying and she was the only one who knew. She was bothering me with her sympathy. I didn't need her of all people to feel bad for me.

"If your nose is feeling better, we could continue the story soon." Heroine said, catching our attention. SC 1 nodded loyally at her side. Protagonist swallowed and put on that sickly sweet smile again.

"Maybe. That is if everyone has their focus on completing their roles. We can't have any slackers bringing us down with...distractions." Protagonist looked in disgust at Narrator's pale hand over mine. I scoffed defensively and Narrator looked bored.

"If you'd been focused on your role to begin with, the story would still be happening." Narrator said in his light monotone, shocking us with what was obviously a pointed remark at Protagonist. Protagonist seethed hatred in his eyes at Narrator while keeping that pleasant smile on his face. Again, Narrator seemed not to notice.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Protagonist frowned from across the table like he couldn't believe Narrator would say such an accusatory thing about him. But his blue eyes held death under his black bangs. Narrator was resting his head in one hand and tracing a scar on my thumb with the other in casual fascination. His light grey eyes looked sleepy under his thick white eyelashes and he looked even taller and thinner than usual. I looked at him expectantly along with Protagonist, but Narrator just kept on tracing my hand with his cold finger, seeming to be bored out of his mind. Protagonist cleared his throat sharply, starting to sound the lightest bit agitated.

"Hm?" Narrator looked up at the sound with half-lidded eyes, elegant and unamused, like a mysterious white elk that was regarding the changing of the leaves in fall. Protagonist clenched his fist in a barely noticeable way.

"I said. What's that supposed to mean?" Protagonist rephrased in a voice that was straining to remain kind. I caught the flicker of a smile on Narrator's lips before it disappeared. He was baiting Protagonist.

"What's what supposed to mean?" Narrator asked in feigned confusion. Protagonist's jugular pulsed. By this time the other characters had stopped clinking their silverware to watch the exchange that was happening between the two characters, apparently starting to feel the building tension.

Protagonist exhaled, "What you said to me before. What do you mean?" Narrator had moved from my thumb to rubbing his own thumb along the serrated edge of his butter knife. His white eyebrows scrunched together in thought, like he was struggling to recall the conversation of only minutes previous.

"Oh that." Narrator said finally and I felt my eyebrows raise a little at the balls he had. Narrator finally looked up at Protagonist, focusing on the spot in the middle of his burning blue eyes. "I simply meant that you could have avoided injury and inconveniencing everyone else, if you'd just done what you were supposed to in the first place." Narrator said with a soft smile like he'd given him friendly advice instead of a biting comment. Protagonist clenched his jaw.

"Oh but you see, keeping characters in line is what I'm supposed to do Narrator. Perhaps you'd like to be an example?" Protagonist threatened.

"Why did Antagonist punch you anyway?" Heroine chimed in, wanting to be a part of the action.

"He was out of line and I was just trying to clarify something for him." Protagonist snarled defensively.

"So he punched you?" Heroine asked in disbelief.

"Antagonist couldn't handle the truth, sometimes people don't like to be told they're in denial." Protagonist said while looking at me this time.

"Like hell." I shot back. How dare he try and make himself look like a saint in front of everyone. He'd practically forced himself on me in a dark hallway like a classic pedophile.

"It needed to be said." Protagonist said firmly across the table at me.

I balled my hands up into fists. "The only thing that needed to happen was my punch to your arrogant face." I said, feeling my words get hotter as he made me feel picked on.

Protagonist smirked and leaned forward across the table so he could look me in the eyes. "I think you punched me cuz you were enjoying it." He breathed dangerously, referring to the noises I'd made when he touched me. I felt my cheeks go pink despite myself.

"You ass hole." I hissed to cover how much he was making me feel humiliated. He didn't see that I was hurt though, he was so focused on trying to cover for himself in front of everyone else.

"You weren't fooling me then and you're not fooling me now" Protagonist said with a triumphant smile.

"What are you talking about?" Sidekick asked tentatively at Protagonist's side, looking as confused and uncomfortable as the others. Protagonist ignored him and I stood up, with my palms on the table so I could look down at Protagonist.

"There's nothing to be fooled about." I said coldly. Protagonist glared at my sudden denial.

"Don't even try. I know how you feel about me. How you've always felt about me." Protagonist growled, also rising slowly to his feet. 

"I've never felt anything for you." I said firmly. Protagonist looked dangerously at me, but i didn't back down, I'd had enough of his hot and cold personality.

Love Interest looked confused, starting to see where our conversation was going. "What are you guys talking about?" She asked anxiously, afraid of what I meant by feeling for Protagonist. We both ignored her, carried away by the heat of the moment.

"The hell you haven't. Don't lie!" Protagonist finally yelled, slamming his palm on the dinner table at the word lie. Everyone jumped including me. Love Interest even yelped as we became momentarily unsure of what Protagonist would do next. Narrator finally saw this as his cue and rose silently at my side like a platinum beacon.

"Thank you for being concerned for us Protagonist. I know our happiness is in your best interest." Narrator suddenly wrapped a chilly arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to him. Instantly my anger dissipated and I stood dumbly at his side. Protagonist looked confused and eyed Narrator suspiciously. The other characters looked lost as well. Narrator sighed like we should understand his vague statement.

"Antagonist and I are dating." He said with finality.

There were quite a few gasps at the announcement, none as loud as Love Interest though. I let a gasp of my own slip out and Narrator dug his long fingers into my shoulder. I quickly closed my mouth. "Protagonist was looking out for us by challenging Antagonist on whether or not our characters are right for each other." Narrator said with a soothing smile.

"Yes," Protagonist agreed as he began to catch on, "I wanted to make sure they kept focused on the story and chose paths that were good for them and the greater good of their roles. Naturally, I came on a little too strong and Antagonist got defensive, isn't that right?" He said looking expectantly at me. I wanted to tell everyone what a bully he was and how he didn't care about our greater good, but Narrator was gripping my shoulder again so I nodded. "You see? Just a misunderstanding of duties." Protagonist covered easily for himself. I held my tongue.

Everyone suddenly relaxed and smiled like it made sense. We sat back down and began to make up stories about our relationship as they looked at Protagonist as a caring leader. No one even knew. All seemed to ease back into a relatively normal scene, except I seemed to be the only one who noticed Love Interest's chair was empty.

"It's your turn to do dishes Antagonist" Heroine said when we'd finished eating.

"No way, it's definitely your turn." I cried. She smiled mischievously and gave me a suggestive wink.

"Narrator, It's your turn too isn't it?" She asked and I saw what she was trying to do. Narrator stopped as though he were pondering it seriously and she rolled her eyes, making me laugh. "I believe it is," he finally answered.

"Don't have too much fun," she called over her shoulder as she filed off to bed with the others. I shook my head at how easily she believed Narrator and I were a couple as I gathered an armful of dishes and put them in the sink. I stared at my reflection as I filled it with water. How had my life gotten so messed up?

"The hell?" I jumped as Narrator's hand suddenly came into contact with my arm. He was so quiet I hadn't even heard him come in. He was standing behind me and wrapped his hand around my wrist when Id jumped. "What are you doing?" I grumbled trying to cover how much he'd scared me. He lifted my arm up so it was raised in front of me and began messing with my shirt.

"I'm rolling up your sleeves so they don't get wet." He answered me finally as he finished rolling my sleeve into a neat, even roll. He tapped my shoulder and I obediently lifted my other arm, feeling embarrassed.

"You don't need to do that, I could do it myself." I said trying to seem casual about it.

"But I'm your boyfriend, so I want to do it for you." Even though it wasn't true, I felt my stomach flip. "Thanks" I mumbled when he finished the other sleeve and took his place next to me to dry the dishes.

"You're not really my boyfriend though." I said, probably to cover up how shy he'd made me. He paused for a moment and suddenly I wondered if Id hurt him. I guess there had been that look at breakfast two days ago..like he loved me.

"You're right." He finally answered and went back to drying. I nodded and we remained in awkward silence for the rest of the dishes. I wondered what he was thinking. Really, what kind of thoughts did Narrator have anyway? He was so cool and aloof, it had to be important. Which reminded me of dinner.

"Why did you save Protagonist like that?" I asked suddenly. He didn't even look over at me as he put the plates back in the cupboard.

"Like what?" He asked.

"You know, at dinner when we were getting angry at each other, you could have let me tell him I hated him in front of everyone, or that I'd never loved him or something like that. I know you don't like him, so why didn't you?" He put the last plate away and turned to look at me right in the eyes. I stood paralyzed by their unnatural power over me. How incredibly intense they were.

"Because I knew you'd like me more if I didn't." He said simply. I stared at him. Dumbfounded by his unabashed feelings for me. Suddenly he took my hand in his and I remained utterly frozen in place. "You said before that I'm not really your boyfriend, but I want you to know I plan to make you fall in love with me." My cheeks went hot and I could feel butterflies in my stomach again, making it so I couldn't speak.

"Just know I'm used to getting what I want" he said seriously and then let go of my hand and turned for the entrance to the hallway. "Make sure you turn the lights out." He called over his shoulder like the conversation had never happened.

I knew it had though as I stood alone in the kitchen with my heart pounding. Too afraid to move. Not afraid of the fact Narrator loved me, but afraid because I think he could make me love him too.