He's a Shark (Alternate Ending) - Cronus x Reader

You stretched your legs as you got out of the car. Yet another day started and ended on the road. Tomorrow you would make it to California. Tomorrow you and Cronus could start your life together. He took your hand and the brunt of the luggage as he returned from the motel lobby, getting a room for the night. You walked under the neon lighting, up concrete stairs to a door that faced the oblong pool. Inside your bags were dropped and you sat down on the edge of the bed, the mattress sinking in slightly from your weight.
“Tomorrowv, wve’ll be there doll face.” Cronus murmured as he crouched in front of you, taking your hands into his before leaning in, kissing you firmly. Any thoughts you had of your family, how concerned they might have been, were washed away in his embrace. His hand traced circles on your hip as you closed your eyes. When he backed away just enough so your lips were freed he grinned. “Hey, I got an idea.”
“Hrm?” Slowly you opened your eyes back up, focusing on his own plum ones that sparkled, absolutely beamed.
“Let’s check out the pool outside.”

You approached the water without much intention to swim. You just wanted to admire how the neon lighting looked on the surface, maybe sit on the side and dip your legs while you marveled at how good at swimming your boyfriend seemed to be. The moment you two were by the water he took a breath and dove in, staying under just long enough to worry you. You could see him swim near the bottom, swimming through as though it were second nature to walking.
You couldn’t help but chuckle as his hair flopped into his face, freed from it’s gelled confines by the chlorine. He slicked it back with the water before pulling you in. Immediately you grew stiff and held onto him tightly. “Watch it Cronus, I can’t swim very well.”
“Don’t wvorry, I got ya.” He said with a grin and a wink, treading water and being careful to keep you mostly above the surface until you decided you wanted sit back up on the side so he could swim to his heart’s content. From the way he was able to hold his breath to how he could glide through the water, you couldn’t help but wonder if in a past life he was a fish, and the thought of a trout with a pompadour made you chuckle.
He stood by you as he caught his breath and you took a moment to admire the muscle that lay beneath his skin. Before you could stop yourself you reached out a finger and traced along his bicep, all the way down his arm to his wrist. He said nothing, simply let you drag your fingertips over his skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. When you were finished you held onto his hand, fingers entwined with his, and looked up at him, a bit startled to see him watching you. When your eyes met he grinned and kissed your forehead. “You’re adorable, you knowv that?”
“Oh shut up.”
“It’s true.” He said with a grin before kissing you once, twice, his hands on the skin that your swim suit left uncovered before getting out, wrapping one of the motel towels around his waist and taking your hand. The moon grew higher in the sky and you two had an early morning. Tomorrow was the beginning of your forever.

You sat on the bed, flipping through the few television channels your abode offered, as Cronus showered. You didn’t know what he did in there to make him take so long, but you knew it was best to get comfortable because he wouldn’t be out for quite a while. You weren’t aware that you were being watched, that an entire team of officers waited out in the parking lot. It had been nearly a week since you went missing, and the perpetrator had been found.
Dead or alive was how the police wanted him. He was a killer, everyone knew that when the red gang had been slain in a mass killing he was behind it. Who knew just what he wanted with you, if he had offed you yet. The scope was focused on the form that slumped on the bed. The lense itself was fuzzy, through the thin curtain over the window it was even worse.
“I think I have him sir.” One of the deputies said quietly. With a nod from the commander, the trigger was pulled.
The sound of shattering glass startled Cronus as he stood before the mirror, combing his hair back. Even worse was the soft thud of weight hitting the carpet. He wrenched the door open and hurried out to see you curled up, a hand over your chest. You lifted your arm at just the wrong time, the bullet between your ribs and in your lung. “K-Kitten?” He asked you, cradling your face. You looked up at him and forced a grin, as though trying to pretend everything was okay.
His heart thudded in his chest. You two were so close, so close to happiness that was meant for no one but you and him to revel in.
He didn’t let you talk, didn’t want you to put yourself in any unnecessary pain. Deep within your mind, you found it ironic. It wasn’t the shark’s bite that killed you. Instead you had begun to drown.
Your eyes were blank as he set your stiffened body down on the bed, away from the puddle of red that stained the carpet. You couldn’t watch as he wiped his eyes, doused his face with cold water and put his jacket over your body like a makeshift blanket. You couldn’t watch as he took his knife out from his pocket and approached the door. And you couldn’t watch as he walked outside, the blade catching the light and bullets piercing his form until he fell to his knees, head making a sick thud against the concrete.



You stood beneath the shelter of the bus stop, waiting for the rain to pour itself out. You had been caught in the downfall on your way back to your dorm and hurried toward the nearest shelter. You took your phone from your pocket and looked it over, making sure it hadn’t been saturated like the rest of you had. The screen illuminated and you sighed in content. All was well.
In your haste you didn’t even notice another being occupying the space. He stood by the other entrance of the stop, a cigarette between his fingers. You weren’t even sure if he saw you, and you took advantage of the moment to look him over. He wore a leather jacket and his hair was gelled back. His entire aura screamed retro but you couldn’t help but dig it. Just looking at him made your heart throb, you weren’t quite sure why.
He only turned to look at you when he heard the click of a lighter, you groaned as you tried to light the end of the cigarette between your lips, your lighter giving off nothing but sporadic sparks. “Shit…” You groaned, tossing it into the small waste bin attached to the bench.
“Need a light, doll?” His words sent shivers up your spine and you turned towards him. You recognized him, though you had no idea from where. Maybe you had seen him around campus. You could even share a class with him.
“Yeah, you mind?”
He shook his head and approached you, hands in his pockets. You were surprised as he leaned close, pressing the burning end of his cigarette against your own until smoke began to curl from the tip and the cool tang of menthol spread over your tongue. “Thanks.” You said a little sheepishly as he stepped out of your personal space but stayed close.
“Can I get your name, dolly?” He asked, sitting down on the bench beside you.
Your name tumbled from your mouth without a second thought. This man was a stranger, but you couldn’t help but trust him. “What about you?”
“Cronus.” His mouth quirked into a smile. “Y’knowv, you seem real familiar.”
“I was just thinking that.” You were happy he felt the same way, you felt less crazy that way. Both of you spouted your class schedules and any out of school hobbies and hangouts, each word you said different to his own. Yet you both agreed that something about the other person just seemed so close, so cozy. Like home.
He tasted like tobacco, and you did too. You only focused on each other, on hands that traced down arms and backs and through hair. Neither of you noticed as the rain finally lightened up before stopping completely, clouds rolling away to reveal a sky full of stars and a plump half moon. You never before thought you were missing something until you were here with him and the sense of overwhelming fullness overtook you. Texts went ignored for the moment because you had him and, right then, that was all you needed.
He held your hand tight in his own as he walked you, with achingly slow footsteps, to your dorm. He spoke of himself, and you described your own life, and something deep within the both of you knew all of this information already, rediscovering it as the words were spoken aloud.
“Can I see ya tomorrowv?” He asked as you leaned against the wall by your door. You wasted no time in nodding.
“I’d love that.”
He simply grinned and kissed you once more and you felt your chest swell. You bid him farewell and closed your door before slinking down to the floor, burying your face in your hands to hide your vivid blush, your thousand watt smile. Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.