The Object of My Unholy Desire (Xiaoaether)

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Third Person Pov
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A girl with long black hair leans against a stone wall in a barely moonlit alley. She looks to be bored, but mostly like she is waiting for someone.

A short figure approaches her, holding something.

She glances at him.

"Remind me of the plan again, Balladeer." She says.

The Balladeer sighs.

"We get Xiao for you. Duh!" He says, obviously with no shits left to give.

"I know that. I meant- ugh, nevermind. I wanted to ask you, why are you helping me? What's in it for you?" She asks.

The Balladeer sighs again, and then smiles.

"He has something I need. You get Xiao, I get what Xiao has that's mine. It's a fair trade." He says plainly.

The black haired girl raises an eyebrow.

"And what exactly does he have that's yours?" She asks.

"That's not important to you. The important thing is that I get what I want. If I fail this, I'm dead." The Balladeer says coldly.

The girl shivers dramatically.

"Ooh Balladeer, why so cold,~?" She asks teasingly.

"Because I've been stuck in Snezhnaya for literally forever." The Balladeer says.

"And why exactly are you dead if you fail? Did he take your insulin or something?" She asks.

The Balladeer shakes his head.

"It has more to do with if I fail then someone will kill me." He says.

The black haired girl nods.

"I don't know, I'm still pretty unsure about this myself." She says.

"Look, Alesandra. We have a deal. No backing out now." The Balladeer says.

The girl snaps her head up.

"I never told you my name." She says.

The Balladeer smiles.

"Does it matter to you what I know, Ally?" He says.

"I mean, all you gave me was Balladeer. That can't be your real name. It's not fair!" Ally cries dramatically.

The Balladeer smiles again.

"I kind of like you. Shame we can't know each other for that long. I wonder how you'd do as-" The Balladeer stops himself.

"As what?" Ally asks.

"Never mind." The Balladeer says, shaking his head. He beckons to Ally "Come on. Let's begin."

Ally gives a small cheer and follows The Balladeer out of the alleyway.

They stop in front of Xiao's darkened apartment.

Ally folds her arms across her chest.

"I want to know who that blond boy is." She says quietly.

"Aether Daiichi. He goes to the same school as Xiao. He's from Opal City originally, but he ended up transferring here after he was framed for something awful in his last school. It was on the news for two days before getting completely deleted." The Balladeer says nonchalantly.

"Ooh I wonder what he did." Ally asks.

"I heard that someone caused a school shooting and set Aether up by putting the evidence in his backpack and locker and his room at home. No one believed him because it was too well set up. Well, no one but his twin sister." The Balladeer replies.