PROLOGUE

Rain fell over Lockstep Dread Avenue. Despite the bustling streets, the downpour muffled the city’s noise, leaving only distant jazz echoing through the night. Silver walked, with her bruised up cheek, some scratches of her face, as small tinges of blood ran down to her chin from the rain that seemed to accompany her. She came recently from a fight, origins of unknown, as she placed her hands inside her jacket, kicking pebbles around so.

Her destination is one of the things she never knew exactly how to deal with. Short of cash, fists hungry for a punch, pockets filled with nothing but chewed gum. She clicked her tongue as she sighed, raising her head to fill the rain dropped on her face.

Another night.

Another fight.

Another place that didn’t want her around.

At the corner of her eye was a bright light coming from a billboard, being the only light that shone brighter than the moon and the busy streets of Lockstep Dread.

Silver stared at the sight before her, a blocked out sound of jazz music, chatters of the people surrounding her, a splash from a car passing by and the comforting drops of rain.

All those noises, once deafening her from the outside world, didn’t really linger as she laid her eyes on the display of a woman.

All be damned, Silver may have seen a lot of women, who she slept with, fought with, shared words with, but never could even rival the beauty right in front of her.

Her hair carried the color of morning skies that Lockstep never deserved, making envy an understatement to nature. A sparkle that steals the stars twinkling by. Skin so  heavenly divine.

And that damned smile.

She smiled like she had never known the city could hurt people.

Women like her smiled beneath spotlights.

Women like Silver wiped blood from their mouths beneath streetlights.

“Beautiful…”

“…”

“Fuck.” She scratched her head, sighing at this, “Oogling some woman on display, what on earth am I even doing? As if I could even meet a woman like her—“

“Hand off me!”

A voice came from a valley, as Silver peaked at the side, seeing a lady being grabbed by a man, who obviously looked like up to no good, handling her rather harshly, “Come on, cupcake, ya look like a snack—“

There went the hungry fist of Silver, whose fists have a mind of their own and been itching for that sweet cheek. Silver blinked, seeing that one punch was actually enough?

“For a man with ill-intent,” goddamn that was the sweetest voice Silver could ever hear. Silver slowly looked at the lady in front of her.

“…he sure fell after a punch, hm?” The lady laughed.

‘A the face of danger really?’ Silver had to think that, really finding the lady a little weird before her eye adjusted at the sight before her.

Wait…

Blue celestial hair.

Those eyes.

“You…”

Silver looked up, checking the billboard across the street. A silent realization rose up as Silver opened her mouth to say something to the woman before her.

“I’m beautiful, I know,’ Celeste swooned, tilting her head, “What, never seen a beautiful woman before?” She teased. Celeste noticed on her savior’s face. A dripped stain of blood, a busted lip and a bruised cheek. She tilted her head even more, “You’re bleeding.”

Silver shrugged at this, “Been worse.”

From the small bag hanging by her shoulder, she took out a neatly folded handkerchief. White silk, embroidered with tiny blue blossoms along the corners. The rain had already dampened its edges, yet she didn’t seem to mind.

She stepped closer.

Close enough for Silver to catch the faint scent of lavender mingled with expensive perfume, a fragrance so foreign amidst the damp concrete and cigarette smoke that it almost didn’t belong in Lockstep Dread.

For a brief moment, the city disappeared.

The jazz faded into the distance.

The passing cars became nothing more than blurred lights.

Even the rain seemed to hush itself.

Silver didn’t move.

Couldn’t.

Her fists, so eager to throw punches moments ago, suddenly forgot what they were made for.

Carefully…far more carefully than anyone had ever handled her—Celeste lifted the handkerchief to the corner of Silver’s split lip, dabbing away the thin trail of blood. Her touch was featherlight, almost hesitant, as though afraid she’d hurt her further.

“…There.”

Celeste pulled back just enough to admire her work before a smile slowly spread across her lips.

“Much better.”

She swooned before giving Silver a kiss to her cheek as thanks, “That’s for saving me I must go~” Celeste took a pen and wrote something before kissing the handkerchief, “Here you’re drenched hella badly, darling, dry yourself up somewhere, hm? I have a show to attend to~”

Before Silver could even process, Celeste placed her handkerchief on her chest pocket and hurried along, blowing a kiss before trotting away, humming.

Silver’s gaze drifted to the lipstick mark.

Then to the scribbled number beneath it.

Call me.

Her head slowly turned. The billboard still stood across the street, glowing against the rain.

That same smile.

That same impossibly blue hair.

That same pair of eyes that had just looked into hers.

Silver looked back at the handkerchief.

“…No.”

“…Absolutely not.”

Silver looked back at the billboard.

“…There’s no fucking way.”

“What on earth just happened…?” Silver scoffed with a bewildered smile, kicking the guy she punched when she heard him groan. Before she even realized what she was doing, she’d tucked it safely beneath her jacket.

The rain continued to fall over Lockstep Dread Avenue. Yet somehow…

The city didn’t feel quite as cold anymore.

To be continued.

Side Note: This piece is for TRAVELERS’ EYES ONLY temporarily. This is patreon exclusive. Reposts are not allowed ^^

This will be posted publicly after a week!