Backstory: In this world, you age until you are 21. When you find your soulmate, you start aging again so you can grow old with them. Unless you can cheat the system...

Also if you aren't good with topics considering murder or abuse then I wouldn't suggest reading this. Just a heads up. Also probably some grammar mistakes.

Martha's POV
I wipe off the blood from my hands. That's another one down out of many. The world won't let me stay young any longer. So, I'll do it a favor and reduce its population by one every time it tries. I don't care if it's brutally or peacefully. As long as I stay for as long as I want, I'll be fine. No one will let me age.

I pull the body and knife into the garbage bag and dump it in the incinerator. Yes, I have an incinerator in my basement don't judge me. The gloves are thrown in there as well. I start it and let it burn. My clothes aren't as bad, but I'll wash them and take a bath for now.

Once I wash my clothes and take my bath, I sit on the couch. Now that he's gone, what to do in life? I could always run off to another country again. I need to soon in case anyone catches me. There's always money kept to the side for this reason. Better start planning.

I take out a giant map and look at the areas I've been around. Currently, I'm out in Japan. I've covered most of America, some of South America, Africa hasn't been the my greatest friend. Hmm... I haven't been to England in a long time. That should do. First, I need to change looks, again, and find new information to cover me.

I think. What haven't I done in a long while? Purple. That hasn't been involved in forever. Dyeing my hair won't be too bad. I can just do that later. My information has been figured out and now I'm ready to go.

A week later I'm ready to go. I have gone back to a look I haven't in forever. Wavy purple hair that goes far down my back, silver colored contact lens, a long sleeve a gray-purple t-shirt, black leggings, combat books, and a dark black jacket around my waist. I carry two bags along with me. One full of clothes, the other full of personal things I need. Once I board the plane, I look out the window next to me. Freedom, here I come.

I take a sigh and the guy next to me looks at me and smiles. "Hey there beautiful." I look over at him. Australian, blonde hair, light gray button up, jeans, boots, and a cowboy hat. Odd that he is in Japan.

I smirk at him. "Don't try anything, but hello. And who might you be?" He tips his hat.

"Steve and you?"

"Martha." He smiles and offers his hand to shake. I accept his offer and shake it. His hand is a lot bigger then my small, gentle hands. We talk for the rest of the plane. Turns out he moves around the country for work. He was from Australia originally first. Really nice guy. He gave me his number if I ever need him. I thanked him and called for a taxi.

Once the taxi arrived, I told him the address for my new apartment. Didn't take the guy that long to get there surprisingly. I gave him the money and went inside the building. It's actually a pretty nice place. Not too shabby compared to where I have been before. The key is at the desk in the front. I receive the key and head up. It's on the fifth floor. I take the elevator up and find the door. Apartment 513. I turn next to me to see a guy around 'my age'. Tall, light brown bangs that covered his forehead, light eyes, not much of a beard, and a really deep voice. He was saying goodbye to someone. Must had been a girl. I start to look for my keys instead of being kinda creepy.

He turned around and saw me. "Oh hello! You must be the new neighbor. I'm James." I stopped and turned to him. He had his arms crossed and is towering over me. Probably because I am so short.

I looked over him again and reluctantly responded, "Martha. And yes I just moved here." He gave me a suspicious look. What does he have to judge.

"You seem like you aren't from here Miss Martha." He looked at me with a tilted head. "It's hard to figure out where though." I laughed nervously. Thank god it wasn't for anything else.

"I was born in America, but I travel for work. I enjoy photography." It's true. I have always enjoyed photography. James nodded and smiled.

"Interesting. Well, I should be cleaning up the apartment because of my friend. He seems to always leave things lying around," James laughed. "It was nice meeting you Martha."

"You too James."

"If you ever need me, I will be right next door always. Bye!" He waved and went into his apartment. So that's who he was talking to before I came, his friend.

I step inside my own apartment. It's actually really nice. Well furnished and nice interior decorating. All that I need is within these bags I carry with me. So, I guess I will be able to sleep now. Get this jet lag away. I find where my room is, and the world turns black as soon as I lay down.

><><><><

It's been a few months since I have arrived in London. I actually started dating Steve, and he seems really nice so far. A bit pushy on occasions but it's not bad. James though has become my closest friends, along with some people he knows that I've befriended. Mainly a guy named Tom. He isn't around at the moment, but we still talk on occasion.

I sit on my couch looking at my phone. I decided to take a few photos around town the other day. James suggested trying to make money off of it, and that doesn't sound too bad of an idea. Silently, I continue looking through pictures until it goes black. There are two hands over my eyes.

"Guess who!" I hear. It's obvious who it is.

"Hi shaggy hair." I remove the hands from over my eyes and look up. And as I expected, there stands James, towering me as always. His hands lay on my forehead with mine on top of his soon. We just stare at each other smiling until we just start laughing. I hear someone clear his throat. There stands Steve, looking a bit pissed off. We take our hands off my head, and I sit up.

"Hey babe." I see James and Steve glaring intensely at each other. They never have had the greatest past together, so the two seem to hate each other and have sworn to keep me away from the other. I find it stupid that they do that, but there's nothing I can do to help. The only thing I do is say that the other isn't so bad.

James rolls his eyes. "Well, I'm going to go. I'll talk to you later, Martha." He smiles at me then walks out the door. Steve smirks, and I frown.

"Finally he's gone," he mutters. I look over at Steve, arms crossed and eyebrow raised.

"I swear I just need you two to get along. It would make it easier for me. If my best friend and boyfriend actually agreed on something." He rolls his eyes and walks over to me. His arms lock around my waist snugly.

"Well I try dear, but sometimes people don't get along." He kisses my forehead. "I will keep trying for you though. Now, do you mind getting me something to drink?"

"You can get it yourself ya weirdo," I jokingly comment. His arms wrap around me tighter, but in a way where it's hard to breathe.

"Go get me something to drink." His voice is more stern and commanding. I step back in fear. What has gotten into him? Silently, I go to the kitchen and get him a soda. He takes it from me and rolls his eyes. Something is wrong with him, definitely. He's been like this for a while actually. We sit and talk for a while until he gets a text on his phone.

"Sorry babe, need to go into work for an emergency meeting. I'll text you later?"

"Yeah. I'll text you later." He grabs me by the waist and kisses me. I too kiss back. He gets up and leaves. I wait a while in case he returns. Since he hasn't come back, I take out my key for
James' house and let myself in. I can hear him talking. Maybe he is recording a video?

"Goodbye everybody!" I heard James say as he ends his video. I walk into his recording room which is wide open. He is sitting in his chair finishing the recording and going through it. Haven't seeing me yet, I walk behind him and cover his eyes with my hands.

"Hi Martha." He takes my hands off his eyes and holds it in his. "You're shaking. Are you ok?" I look down at my hands. My hands have been shaking this whole time and I haven't realized. I take a deep breath.

"It's nothing really. Steve just gave me a scare." He turns his chair around and stands up, hugging me.

"Want to talk about it?" I shake my head.  "Well, it's going to ok Martha. Whatever happened will be ok." He gives me a quick squeeze. I hope he is ok.

><><><

One am. Door slammed open.

I feel asleep on the couch watching Netflix. I see Steve standing there. He is radiating with the smell of alcohol, and there is a knife in his hand. Is he doing what I think he is doing...

"You know I've been wanting to do this for a while babe," he slurs. I stand up and slowly back away from him.

"Don't you dare do what I think you are doing." He smirks and starts twirling his knife.

"Oh don't worry. I've only killed about a few... ton of people doing this." He smirks and laughs. Steve lungs towards me with a knife. I step away before he can do anything. Catching himself before falling or hitting a wall, he turns back towards me. "Now let's see how that pretty little face of yours looks with blood." His face is closer up and from his eyes, you can tell he is crazy, literally.

I run to my room and find a baseball bat a client left with me for his pictures we need to resume tomorrow. His father didn't trust him to remember it, but oddly enough trusts me. I am so sorry Laurance. I grab the bat and use it to attempt to protect my body. He lunges at me a few times. Then I realize what to do.

James' wall is right behind me.

I scream.

"Screaming won't help you today pretty face." The bat gets knocked over across the room. I'm stuck sitting down against a wall. He cuts my face from the corner of my eye to my jawline and from the right corner of my mouth over a few inches. He presses it lightly against my neck, but not enough to hurt me, yet.

"You were nice for a while. Then you just got plain annoying."

"Why are you doing this to me?" I squeak out. He laughs, almost sounding insane.

"It's what I do. Kill one and move on. Sounds familiar?" I look at him in shock. How did he... "I've seen your bags. They are packed in case you need to move. Looks like you've lost your touch little lady." The knife against my neck is pressed harder and harder, but still unable to hurt me. "Goodnight forever." The hand with the knife is raised into the air.

I close my eyes and prepare for the impact. What they say is true: your life does flash before your eyes before you die. I wait there, but only Steve screaming and a hitting bat sound appears. The only thing I notice is a small cut across my shoulder, but not that deep. I can already feel the blood on my face dripping down.

I slowly open my eyes. Steve lays in front of me, knocked out on the ground. I'm unsure if he is still breathing or not. Then I look above him and see James standing there. I stand up, shaking in every inch of my body.

"S-Someone could have f-felt like me when I d-did that to t-them. O-Oh my g-god I-I'm so m-mean. W-Why did I e-ever that was a g-good idea," I mumble to myself walking back and forth. James looks at me with shock.

"Wait you once did things like that? Why in the- don't hurt me please. I beg you," James yells. I giggle a bit.

"I-Im not going to h-hurt you. O-Or anyone." The realization of what just happened hits me, and I fall to the ground sobbing. James holds me and rubs my back. I see another person walk in and scream. "Please don't hurt me!" I start to tremble and hide my face in James' shoulders.

"Don't worry ma'am. We are the police, and we came for him. He's been running around doing this for too long. You should go to the hospital when you can though. Make sure you are completely safe." I nod. "Sir, thanks for calling and protect her." James smiles and nods.

The police ends up leaving and I go to the hospital to get checked out about an hour later. They say I'm fine and nothing is needed. By that night, I'm sitting on my couch in sweatpants and a t-shirt. James is hugging me on my request. It's the only time I feel safe.

"Martha? May I ask you something?" I nod. "Who really are you." I stand up and sigh.

"I'm actually named Martha. But Martha Kikoku." I look down embarrassed.

"Wait so you are from the legendary Kikoku family? With Lady Ianite and King Spark and King Helgrind and Princess Martha? Oh my god my l-"

"Don't start with the 'm'lady!' crap. That was long in the past. But yes my mother is Ianite." I take out a picture (as well as magic can create a picture) and show it to him. It's faded out in some area but you can see little me, standing tall and proud with my mother. I miss her dearly. "People say that I went missing and dead. In reality I ran from an arranged marriage and made it act like I killed myself." He slowly nods, but still shocked. I laugh. I lay back down on top of him. His arms wrap around me like a blanket.

"James? Promise me you won't tell anyone and please keep protecting me. I actually like you a lot more than him."

"As long as you don't kill me then sure." I smile and fall asleep. And as I'm almost completely asleep I can hear a faint sound. "I hope you can actually love me back one day Martha." He kisses my forehead and I'm taken by the darkness of sleep.

~~~~~~~

Ok it's taken me a couple of months of unexpected business to complete this wow. So things that have happened: I started school, the world around me decided to flood, grandparents moved in for a couple of days bc of flooding, their dog got sick, I went back to school, I went to see 5SOS last night and IT WAS AMAZING!!! I cried so much.

Ok I promise I'll try to get back on track soon with these one shots

But anyway, I hoped you guys enjoyed! If you have any comments, questions, ships, and/or prompt ideas, then make sure to let me know! Byeeeeee!