━━ CHAPTER TWELVE / who are you?

Kaylea's jaw was on the floor as Ronny recounted her night with Steven. The blonde had not expected Ronny's date with Steven to go anywhere and yet she had been proven wrong, once more. The two had been gossiping while Kaylea was stacking shelves. The manager at the bookstore was pretty lax about Ronny hanging around and trusted them both enough to keep working while they chattered about their day.

"When I come over later, I need to hear every dirty detail," Kaylea said as she pushed another stack of horror books onto the shelf. Ronny rolled her eyes, smiling to cover up the guilt churning in her stomach. It had been over seven years, it had been so long since he died and yet she still felt so guilty about it. He had been her one true love, they were soulmates. Ronny couldn't stand the idea of betraying him.

"Nothing happened," Ronny clarified as she passed over another stack of books from the trolley. Kaylea scoffed and placed them onto the shelf, being meticulous even in her carelessness.

"He slept in your bed! He tucked your hair behind your ear, you would be stupid not to do anything with him. He clearly cares about you!" Kaylea ranted as she held her hand out for another pile. Ronny scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"He should have made a move if he did." Ronny tried to find an excuse. Kaylea didn't know about her past, her husband, the heartbreak and death. She had no idea. This was just a romance after years of casual flings and hookups for Ronny in Kaylea's eyes. Nobody knew the turmoil brewing below the surface of Ronny's fragile mind and frankly, she didn't want anyone to know. It would jeopardise everything.

"He's a man. They don't know what they want and they love when a woman is confident. Make your move." Kaylea said as she stood up and put her hands firmly on the brunette's shoulders. She was looking into her eyes with complete seriousness and Ronny sighed but kept up a brave face. Kaylea didn't need to know.

"I'll think about it."

-

The Scarab had been just between her fingers once again but it had slipped away. That had been a day ago and every part of her still ached and bruised from the fight. The Followers of Ammitt had gotten the scarab. Well, that's what she thought anyway. It had been sold to someone and it seemed that they would be selling it onto Harrow and his deluded fanatics.

Ronny didn't have the energy to try and fight it anymore. Marc had been there, fighting alongside her but they had both failed. Marc was - at least - healed while Ronny was stuck with injuries. It only served to make her sleep lighter over the next few days.

Which made it only that bit more surprising when she woke up with a gun to her head and Marc's hand on her throat. She hadn't heard him come in. She hadn't even heard the door open. He had been completely silent and she was still half-asleep when her eyes blinked open to look up at him. His face was partially lit by the moonlight and he looked angry. He wanted her to wake up.

"You nearly got us killed and I'm not in the mood for your games." He was speaking Spanish which only confused Ronny until the adrenaline of the situation hit. She lifted her hands up to shove him off but he was quicker. He dropped the gun and pinned her hands down at the wrists.

"You usually love my games," Ronny bit back. Marc scowled and Ronny smirked, trying to replace the uneasiness with hubristic confidence.

"I could kill you," The Spanish somehow made Ronny feel more unsettled. Marc never spoke Spanish, she had only ever heard him speak it once and that's when Thoth had told her that something was wrong.

"You would have done that weeks ago if you wanted to. I've got too much of a pretty face for that." Ronny wanted to see how he responded and it was a typical non-response. This had to be Marc, surely, but Thoth was never wrong. If Thoth had a concern, he was usually correct in his assertion. "Who are you?" Ronny asked. She spoke in Spanish back to him. Part of her knew it was a stupid question. It was Marc, who else would it be? But he looked different to Marc, more confident and angry. Erratic and unpredictable. It was unsettling and Thoth's words still rang through her head over and over. Don't go with him, it's not who you think. But it was Marc, surely.

"Don't play dumb with me, Cariño."

"If you want to kill me, Marc. Just do it."

"I don't want to kill you." Ronny stared at him as she said nothing. There was no way of grabbing the knife and he had used her own gun on her. Her options of escaping and threatening him were quickly becoming limited, "Where is the scarab?" He asked, still in Spanish.

"Gone." Marc scowled and sat up, letting go of her wrists. Ronny moved her right hand down the side of her mattress to grab the knife she had stuffed there but before she could pull it out, a hand was on hers and Marc plucked the knife right from between her fingertips.

"Don't even try it." It was back to English now and the American accent. His smooth dulcet tones. Ronny met his gaze and her other hand went for the gun but he had grabbed it first. The knife was thrown across the room, skidding before it hit the bookshelf. The gun was now in his hand again and Ronny quickly moved to bash her forehead against his nose. It weakened his position enough that she could flip him over onto the other side of the bed and she snatched the gun, pointing it at him now she was knelt up. The covers shoved back off her legs so she wouldn't become tangled.

Half of her face was now visible in the moonlight and her bruises were dark brown and exposed to Marc completely. He seemed to hesitate as he put his hands up for a second but then Ronny realised the gun was empty. It was too light. She threw it across the room and then lunged at Marc.

They tumbled off the bed and she managed to sit on him to keep him in place but he was stronger than she was and he threw her off. Ronny scrambled to her feet, grabbing onto the side table to help her before she turned.

Marc rushed at her and trapped her against the side table and she stared up at him. Her back pressed against the edge as he moved closer.

"I need the scarab back, Ronny," He said. The brunette scoffed.

"It's gone. Harrow probably has it by now," She spat. Marc narrowed his eyes. The two held each other's gaze for what felt like minutes, surveying each other's faces for any sign of weaknesses. And then Marc stepped back, "Where do you think I got the bruises from? I didn't just wake up with a sprained wrist and ankle." Her wrist had been in a supportive brace as had her ankle since the fight. Marc never had to deal with those consequences.

"You should be more careful who you bring back to your apartment," Marc said as he went to the door. But Ronny rushed over and grabbed his arm before he could open it. She slammed his back against the door.

"Did I bring you back to my apartment?" She asked, leaning over and locking the door again which made it slightly harder for him to leave.

"It's complicated."

"Who are you? Is your name even Marc?" They were questions that Ronny had been dying to ask and considering he had just threatened to kill her in her own home, she deserved the answers.

"My name is Marc, yes. Steven is part of me." He sounded like he didn't even know what he was talking about. Or maybe he'd never explained it to someone else, Ronny couldn't tell, "He's his own person but another part of me."

"What the hell does that mean, Marc?" Ronny didn't let him go even when he seemed to wince at her aggressive tone, "Who are you?" She hadn't intended to become angry but she had and then everything changed and Marc wasn't there anymore.

"Woah, woah, woah," Steven's British accent was back and he spoke quickly again. The nervous Londoner was back, "Hey, you're alright, yeah? What happened to your face? Did you hurt yourself in the ring again?" Ronny was exasperated but gave herself a minute to calm down. Her hands still held him against the door, not wanting him to escape, "Ronny?" His hand was on her cheek and she snapped back to reality.

She recoiled almost instantly from his touch, taking several steps back. Steven's face fell at her reaction and she turned around, not wanting to look at him. She cared for Steven and it made her feel so guilty.

"Did I do something wrong? Did we come back here together?" Steven asked. He genuinely sounded so confused. Did he not remember anything that had just happened? Really? Ronny didn't understand. She glanced over at the wall beside the door and rushed to conceal the gun before she placed it back in the drawer, hoping Steven hadn't spotted it. She then picked up the knife and Steven came up behind her. He gently touched her shoulder.

"You haven't done anything wrong, Steven. You're perfect, completely perfect," Ronny mumbled as she hid the knife up her sleeve away from the moonlight that would give it away. He stared down at her, she hadn't even met his gaze.

"I'm still not sure how I ended up here, love," He chuckled softly. Ronny nodded and tucked her hair behind her ear, "I'm really sorry if we had a lovely evening and I-"

"We didn't spend the evening together, Steven. It's okay. You just came around, you seemed confused and upset and a bit angry." Ronny lied through her teeth but her face was blank. Her body was fighting between crying, throwing up and spiralling into a full-blown panic attack. She could feel her heart thumping against her chest. Everything about this was so confusing and terrifying. Marc wasn't who he said he was. He had threatened her and now... Steven was here.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry. I must... I must have fallen asleep and sleep-walked here or summit. I'm sorry. I'm gonna go, yeah?" At his words, Ronny turned to look at him. Every part of her told her to let him go but her heart was screaming to stop him, to bring him close and never let him go. Even if there was something not right, he was kind.

"Please, stay." Her words were quiet, a mumble barely distinguishable but Steven stopped halfway to the door, "I just want to go to bed. Lie with me?" She asked. Steven stared at her for a moment before he nodded. He took his shoes off as Ronny dropped the knife into the kitchen drawer before she pulled the cover back and laid back in bed. Her head hit the pillow and her whole body ached. The soles of her feet throbbed. Her ankle and wrist were sending tingles of pain up her body. Her cheeks hurt the most.

Steven tentatively got into bed next to her and Ronny shuffled up to him. She didn't say anything except seeking consent as she looked up. He nodded his head and she cuddled up to him, curling into a ball. Steven wasn't quite sure what had happened and he was nervous but he tried to get comfortable beside her and help her the best he could.

-

NOTE
okay so this chapter brings us to the end of act one/start of act two and the tv show is beginning!! it's gonna be a little bit canon-divergence-esque and the timeline for the show will be dubious but yeah, i've gotta plan the next act first but as soon as that's done, more regular updates, again, i also have exams starting on monday (ahhhh) so slow updates but there should be some dotted about but once exams are over and summer has started, we are gonna be getting so many updates y'all have no idea!!