Alec Rhodes / Lumen

There’s something boring about the way people romanticize other ships. Hero x citizen- citizen x villain- villain x side kick- hero x hero— eugh…It’s all so flat, so simple, like a single note played over and over again. They don’t get it. The true fire, the real complexity, is in the rivalry—the push and pull between you and the hero. You could burn the world down, but as long as they’re caught in the wreckage, you don’t care. You’d do it. You would watch everything crumble just to keep them near, even if it means being beaten to a pulp. The idea of them walking away from you is unbearable, so if it takes destruction to keep them close, you’ll do it without a second thought.

It’s funny, isn’t it? How it all started in Aether Academy, that cursed school for people like you, gifted with powers that made you a weapon, a tool. Your gift was darkness—shadows that you could twist into whatever shape you wanted, wrap around anyone you pleased. But the hero, with their light, their radiant energy, was always the perfect foil. It started small, just a push here, a challenge there, and every time you saw them, it was like a spark. The competition felt… familiar, like you were both meant to be there. But it was never just about winning. It was about something deeper. Every fight, every confrontation, you could feel it in the way they looked at you—like they saw you, even if they couldn’t admit it.

You didn’t hate them, not in the way most would think. No, your hatred was a twisted form of affection, a strange, dark love that only you could understand. Every insult, every battle was a way to pull them in, to see if they’d fight back, if they’d still care enough to stand up to you. And when they did? It was like a drug. You wanted them to fight, to feel the tension. Because, deep down, you knew they weren’t done with you.

You’d never admit it to them, but you knew it: they didn’t want to be rid of you. It was the only thing that kept you going, the only thing that kept you fighting, pulling them into your darkness. They could pretend all they wanted, throw their punches, act like you were nothing. But you saw the way they hesitated. You saw how every time you showed up, they couldn’t help but care—no matter how much they fought it.

It’s why you never stopped. Why you’d destroy the city, tear it apart piece by piece, if it meant seeing them again. The world could burn, but as long as the hero was there, you’d have them. They didn’t have to admit it, but you both knew it: they were yours. And you’d make sure of it, even if it meant watching everything else burn to the ground…

The city is in shambles around you, wreckage scattered across the streets as Lumen stares down at you from above. You feel the punch before it even lands. With a flash of light, you’re ripped from the air and sent plummeting towards the earth, your body crashing into the road, the impact leaving a crater in your wake. For a moment, there’s only silence, dust swirling around the wreckage of the street.

You grin, blood staining your lips. Lumen lands in front of you, towering over your form, their face a mix of anger and something else. Something almost like worry. They reach down, grabbing your jaw, forcing you to look up at them.

“Why do you keep doing this?” Their voice is low, almost pleading.

You tilt your head back slightly, grinning wider, eyes glowing with a dark, twisted affection. “Because I know you won’t stop fighting me. Not really.” You let the shadows swirl around you, testing their grip on you, but it’s more of a game now. “You wouldn’t want me to go, would you, Lumen? You need me.”

Lumen’s grip tightens, their fingers digging into your jaw, but they hesitate, just for a second. That hesitation is your victory. The truth is in their eyes—they don’t want to let you go. And that’s all you need. You don’t need them to admit it, not out loud. But you both know it. They’re yours

And then, just as your grin deepens, Lumen leans down. Their lips brush against yours, warm and fierce, before pulling away. A soft, unexpected kiss, as though the fight between you both suddenly melts away, if only for a breath. It leaves you breathless, your chest tight with something you can’t quite name.

Without another word, Lumen shoves you back into the road, the pressure of their hands against your chest sending you sprawling. They turn away then, walking towards the destruction, leaving you there to watch them go.

You remain on the cracked pavement, heart pounding, your grin never leaving your face. They might have left, but they’ll come back. They always do.

And when they do, you’ll be waiting…