A/N: Last chapter! Can't believe it, oh, my God. Again, it's not edited or proofread so if you see any mistakes, just bear with me! 

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Kidnap My Heart

Chapter 41: Will

Rage asked me to give her two weeks, and that was exactly what I did. I gave her some space for two weeks. I didn’t get to see her for two entire weeks.

I mean, we talked on the phone and texted and all, but it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t like when we’d lived together and spent every waking hour together and every night together. Falling asleep without her was basically impossible the first week.

I guess I kind of understood why she was putting distance between us for a couple of weeks. There was too much media hype over the kidnapping. She was just watching out for me. I just kind of wished I could be the one looking out for her, but instead, I was the one who got her in this mess in the first place.

But like I’d said earlier, I didn’t regret a thing. Even if I could go back and reject my dad’s proposition, I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t trade what I had with Rage for anything.

Day 11 of my exile. Willpower weakening. Sleep-deprivation awakening the monster inside. I need a shot.

Every day, I sent Emma a similar text, just with a different day at the beginning, obviously. And every day, she told me to quit whining and be patient.

My notification ringtone blared from my phone not long after I sent Emma that text, and I opened her reply. The first part was the lyrics to the song “Shots” in all caps—of course. She’d hung out with me way too much—and the second part read: There should be a package coming soon that will curb the monster inside. Watch out for it and tell me when you get it!

What the hell was she planning? She’d said she was going to prove she was in this for the long run, same as me, but I wasn’t sure what a package was going to prove. Sending something to my apartment didn’t say much. She still wasn’t going public with this. I wasn’t sure she actually would.

I didn’t blame her. There was a reason the whole cat onesie metaphor had come up in the first place. We were polar opposites, at least on the outside, and now we were back in the real world. Emma was back at home with her parents, going to a private high school with her fellow ridiculously-privileged classmates and friends, and I was back at my apartment with Eric, working a temporary job until I finished college in the fall. What if we were being shoved back into reality? I didn’t want to go back.

“I’m off to work,” Eric called out from somewhere outside my room. I looked up even though I couldn’t see him. “You better hurry or you’ll be late.”

“Yeah, I’m off, too,” I called out, pocketing my phone. Yup. Back to reality it was.

***

I came home that afternoon to a package, just as Emma had said I would. I still didn’t understand how this was going to help, but her last present had been the best one I’d ever gotten, so I didn’t hesitate to give her the benefit of the doubt.

I grabbed the cardboard box and carried it over to the couch. It was rectangular and about the size of two shoe boxes stacked together. I was tempted to shake it, as I usually was, but I resisted the urge.

“What do you have up your sleeve, Rage?” I muttered, sitting down with the package on my lap. I ripped off the tape with ease and threw it aside, pulling the cardboard flaps aside so I could see the contents. Inside was…

A cat’s face in space? What?

“What in the actual hell?” I pulled it out and couldn’t help but chuckle. Oh, my God. She sent me space cat onesie pajamas. Where the hell did she find these? What kind of store actually carried something like this? I’d thought this was just a product of her overactive imagination. After the pranks she’d pulled on me, I’d learned just how overactive her imagination was.

There was a note for me at the bottom of the box.

Will,

Right now, you’re probably thinking something along the lines of, “What the fuck?” I can’t explain much without giving the entire plan away, so you’ll have to continue thinking, “What the fuck?” because this doesn’t get any less weird. Sorry.

One thing I can clear up: getting my hands on this was nearly impossible. It turns out space cat pajama onesies don’t actually exist—shocker, right?

So I had to make one myself.

One problem: I can’t sew or create things, so I had to recruit the help of someone who was willing to help me make this onesie.

Another problem: it turns out that there aren’t many designers willing to risk their reputation to help me make this thing, but I did end up finding one, and thus the space cat pajama onesie was born…

I’d say this was 65% professional designer/clothes maker and 35% me. It’s the thought that counts.

Hold onto this and bring it with you to the mall on the upper-end side of town this Saturday at two o’clock. You can leave it in your car if that’s easier for you. Just make sure you have it with you. I can’t answer any questions. Just trust me on this.

   —Rage

I stared at the paper with a blank face. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to think. What was this supposed to be, a public love declaration, or a public humiliation? If she wanted me to wear the fucking cat onesie, I was guessing it was more of a public humiliation sort of thing. Then again, she hadn’t told me to wear it. She’d only told me to bring it. What was she planning?

The door opened and closed as I was staring a hole into the paper, and I heard Eric’s footsteps approaching me. His voice rang out in the utter silence. “Do I even want to know?” he asked.

I looked over and noticed his raised eyebrow. “It’s a space cat pajama onesie.”

He didn’t look any less weirded out. “And why do you have it?”

“Rage sent it over. Did we never tell you about her metaphor?”

“Something about a designer dress and a cat onesie. I’m kind of fuzzy on the details. It was a pretty weird metaphor…”

I shrugged. It was pretty weird, I’d give him that. “Alright, so Rage came up with this metaphor to explain why we don’t work together. On one side, there was the Dolce and Gabbana dress—”

Eric’s sudden snapping of his fingers interrupted me. “Versace. That was it. Taylor said it was a Versace dress.”

I shot him a look. “You know, I didn’t appreciate Taylor’s interruption, and I don’t appreciate yours.” Why the hell did it matter what kind of dress it was, anyway?

“Sorry, Princess, I didn’t realize you were menstruating.” Eric rolled his eyes.

“Shut the fuck up and let me finish.” I half-assedly threw a couch cushion over at him before continuing with my story. “Anyways, on one side, there was a Versace dress, a pair of nice shoes, and a diamond necklace. Not comfortable, but the necklace was shiny and enchanting or something like that. Girls like jewelry. You know. Whatever. Anyways, her parents gave her this outfit, and it’s what she’s expected to wear to play the role of good little rich girl.”

Eric plopped down on the table in front of me and motioned for me to go on.

“On the other side was the space cat pajama onesie. It was comfortable, funny, and weird, and above all, freeing. But only behind closed doors. It’s not the kind of outfit she would wear anywhere but in private, and she basically told me if it came down to it, she’d go with the dress, not the onesie. But that was before.”

Eric nodded slowly. “So the rich guy Emma’s parents want her to date and then marry is the Versace dress, and you’re the cat onesie. That explains so much…”

I wasn’t sure if that was sarcasm or not, but I didn’t bother asking. “Exactly. I know she loves me. That’s the one thing I’m sure of. She doesn’t want to be with the perfect dress dude. But she doesn’t want to stand up to her parents, either.”

“Well, it looks to me like Emma’s trying to tell you something by sending you this thing,” he said, slowly lifting the onesie and waving it around.

“She told me to bring it to the mall this Saturday at two,” I said, lifting the note up.

Eric’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Taylor told me to make sure you went to the mall with us this Saturday. She’s in on something.”

“Did you see her today or what?”

“No, I haven’t seen her since Saturday.”

Rage “introduced” Eric to Taylor on Saturday after Taylor begged her to help her adjust Eric into her life without giving her parents a heart attack. Rage had them “meet” at a coffee shop in the same mall she’d told me to meet her at. I didn’t know why we couldn’t just do the same thing; maybe because Taylor was willing to adjust Eric into his life right off the bat and Rage wasn’t willing to do the same with me.

“She has a plan. I just don’t know whether or not I’ll like it.”

“If she’s going to this much trouble to keep this metaphor going, I don’t see why it would be a bad thing,” Eric said.

“What if this is just a diabolical plan to humiliate me? Or what if this is just her way of saying goodbye or something?” So maybe I was paranoid. Sue me. Rage was confusing enough to merit a bit of paranoia.

“Why would it be either of those two things?”

“I don’t know,” I spluttered. I couldn’t explain why the thoughts had appeared, at least not without confusing myself and Eric even further.

“You’re an idiot.” Eric shook his head and walked out.

“Well, fuck you, too.”

***

“Why am I here again? Rage isn’t even here yet,” I said as I casually leaned against the wall. I didn’t even bother looking over at Sniffles and Eric. It was Saturday, and they’d decided to come to the mall early so Sniffles could go look at something “real quick,” and I had been dragged along.

You know what that actually meant? That meant I got to sit there while Taylor shopped and ate my brother’s face off and basically dry-humped him. You know what that also meant? It also meant I was turning borderline suicidal.

Apparently, I didn’t get a say in the matter of getting to the mall early because I couldn’t be trusted to get there on my own. That was just stupid. I was paranoid, but I wasn’t going to stand Rage up. She’d asked me to come. Well, here I was, and she was the one who was nowhere in sight.

“It’s two-o-five. She’ll be here any minute,” Eric said. I was surprised he’d managed to wrench himself away from Taylor long enough to talk. They hadn’t seen each other in a week and hadn’t separated once. “Speak of the devil and—holy shit.”

“What?” I asked. I finally looked up and followed his train of sight.

Holy shit was right. Was I seeing things right? Had someone thrown acid in my eyes? Had I accidentally inhaled some bath salts during my morning shower? Was Rage—my high-class, image conscious Rage—actually walking towards us, wearing a space cat pajama onesie in public, or had I finally lost it?

“Oh. My. God,” Taylor said. Her mouth dropped open. I guess she wasn’t in on the whole plan, or maybe she thought Emma wouldn’t go through with this part of it.

Eric looked as shocked as I probably did until he burst out laughing. First a loud snicker, and then full-blown laughter. “What the hell are you wearing, Emma? Am I really seeing this? Is this real life? Do you need to be hospitalized again?”

My mind barely registered his words. All I could do was stare at Emma in absolute shock. “You’re wearing the onesie.”

Way to state the obvious, Will.

“I’m wearing the onesie,” she said, stopping when she was right in front of me.

I tried to remain hard. This was supposed to be a make-or-break moment, and if I immediately lost my cool and proclaimed my undying love for her, I wouldn’t get to hear what else she had to say and what all of this really meant. “Aren’t you embarrassed?” I asked. It was the only thing I could think to ask.

She shrugged. “I’m embracing the onesie and all of its traits and qualities—both good and bad. Sure, it’s slightly dorky and embarrassing and cheesy, but it’s also hilarious, adorable, soft, and warm, so it’s kind of worth it. And just look at this fine craftsmanship.” She pinched some of the fabric near her stomach and held it out. It was a little baggy, like most pajamas of that kind, and it hid the amazing body I knew she had underneath all of that. Yet she still managed to look breathtakingly beautiful in it, like always.

My lips quirked upwards as I replied. “Only kind of?”

A smile crossed her face. It was the kind of smile that could win over any guy on the spot, but it was a smile that was reserved for me. “I take it back. It’s worth it.”

“What would you say if I told you I actually did what you said for once and brought my onesie?” I asked. Actually, that was kind of a lie. I did what she said a lot…

“I would say I’m surprised.” No, she wasn’t. Not really. “Where is it?”

“It’s in my car. I was kinda convinced this was a public humiliation stunt for a while. I even considered getting rid of the onesie, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

“I would never do that to you,” she said, her mouth dropping open a little. “Not when it comes to something as important as this. But hey, the allure of the cat onesie is hard to resist.”

Eric’s loud snickering cut through our conversation and he took the opportunity to interrupt. “I’m sorry, this is a nice moment and all, but Jesus Christ, I cannot take you seriously in that onesie. I can’t do it.”

Emma laughed. God, I’d missed that sound. Damn. When had I turned into such a mushy, embarrassing cheese-head? I was absolutely screwed.

She turned to me and reached out, poking me in the shoulder. “Hey, if you go put on your onesie, you know what we’d be?”

“Social piranhas?”

“Close. The most socially awkward couple that ever existed.”

“You know your parents could find out about this, right? We’re on the upper side of town. Your friends shop here. Your parents’ friends probably shop here, too. Anyone here could recognize you and go running to your parents.”

“Why do you think I asked you to come here?” she asked. Oh. I hadn’t even thought about that before she’d mentioned it. This was her proof: not just the fact that she was wearing the onesie, but the fact that she was wearing it out in the open among people she actually knew. “Besides, it’s like I said. The allure of the cat onesie is hard to resist. They’ll get used to it. They’ll get used to you.”

I couldn’t help but grin. Maybe I could have some fun with this myself. “Well, let’s see how serious you are about this.”

Her mouth dropped open, and her green eyes lit up with anger. “Will, I’m wearing a fucking space cat onesie. What do you want from me?!”

I was starting to think I was a bad influence on her. She’d told me she didn’t used to be that much of a cusser, and look at her now. It didn’t help that I liked riling her up and giving her a reason to use that kind of language.

“Just come on.” I grabbed her by the hand and intertwined our fingers. “We’ll be right back, guys,” I called out to Eric and Sniffles as I dragged Rage away, leading her to my car in the parking lot. We got a lot of stares as we walked out, but when I glanced over at Emma to see how she was dealing with it, she wasn’t even looking at them. She was just looking at me.

We got to my car and I let go of her hand to grab the cat onesie from the back seat. When I found it, I put it on the edge of the seat and started stripping in the middle of the parking lot.

As soon as my shirt came off, Emma started laughing and covered her mouth. “People are staring!” she said as my pants followed.

“That’s because they want some of this,” I said, gesturing towards my naked upper-body and boxer-clad bottom half.

“They won’t when you put that onesie on.”

“I know.”

I almost toppled over as I quickly shoved my feet through the holes at the bottom—not holes, exactly, I guess, since they were basically footie pajamas. I felt like a fucking toddler again—and pulled the onesie up over my body. I had to bend down so Emma could button the clasp, and then I was good to go.

I grabbed her by the hand again, squeezing once. “You sure about this?”

“Do I need to repeat that I’m wearing a space cat onesie?”

“You just did.”

“Shut up and walk.”

I grinned and saluted her with my free hand. We walked back inside, hand-in-hand, and Taylor and Eric actually cringed when they saw us. I mean, they laughed, too, but it was a cringey-laugh.

Between her laughter, Taylor managed to choke out, “Emmy, I think you just replaced Eric and became my onesie.”

“Ditto to you,” Eric said to me, his shoulders shaking from laughter.

“That sounds a little incestuous,” I said. “I don’t think you really understood the metaphor after all. It’s pretty simple, actually.”

Eric’s laughter didn’t fade, not even a little. “You want to talk to me about not understanding simple concepts?”

“Yeah, don’t go there, Will,” Emma said, leaning over to whisper to me. She purposely whispered loudly so everyone could hear, though, so I didn’t know why she even bothered.

“Did your parents see you in that, Emmy?” Taylor asked once she’d calmed down.

Emma snickered and nodded. “My mom did. My dad was already at work. I thought she was going to have a panic attack.”

Holy shit. “How did you explain the onesie?”

“I said it served as a physical and symbolic embodiment of my decision to choose a deep, romantic and sexual attachment to someone over a materialistic view of what makes a person valuable. She had no idea what I was saying.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Sexual attachment?”

“That’s seriously all you got from that?”

“I got romantic and physical, too,” I said with a smirk.

 She rolled her eyes. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I know.”

I took a step closer to Emma and asked, “So are we the most socially awkward couple you’ve ever seen or what?”

A smile slowly spread across her face. “So we’re a couple now. Does that mean I’m forgiven?”

“You wore a space cat onesie for me. In front of your mom and in a crowded mall. Of course you’re forgiven.”

She laughed, and it was one of those pure, happy laughs that either just come naturally or don’t come at all. That was all I really wanted. I just wanted to make her happy. I was just glad making her happy meant staying, not letting her walk away.

She threw her arms around my neck, pulling me down to her level and kissing me. This was all the proof I needed to fight for this until the very end. No, it wouldn’t be easy, but what we had was strong enough to make it through. If she could go against the principles that had been ingrained in her mind since she was a kid—wealth, power, class—I could do whatever it took to make this work.

She pulled away, and I was about to protest and go in for another kiss, but then she said, “You know, my parents warned me about guys like you.”

“What do you mean? Broke guys with big di—”

She smacked me in the gut and I chuckled. “No! Guys who are intense and passionate and make you forget what you were taught. Guys you know they wouldn’t approve of and would call a mistake.”

“And what would you call me?”

She smiled. “I’d call you my favorite mistake.”

I brushed my lips against hers, and memories of the time she’d nearly brought me to my knees in the bathroom by doing just that floored me all of a sudden. “I’d call you my favorite crime.”

“I hope I’m your only crime,” she said with a breathy laugh. I loved the effect my proximity had on her.

“I don’t think I would survive another one,” I said. “I hope I’m your only mistake.”

“You are. That’s why you’re my favorite.”

I rolled my eyes. I needed to stop walking into these jokes at my expense.

She laughed at the look on my face and closed the distance between our lips so she could kiss me. “You make it so easy for me. I love you, Squilliam.”

My lips twitched upwards even though I’d basically just been insulted twice. “I love you, too, Rage.”

***

Note: This is the last chapter, but there will be a special bonus chapter and an epilogue.

But the bonus chapter is nothing like what you would expect. Seriously, it's not even a page long and it's just- I can't explain it without giving too much away, but just keep in mind that I have been laughing at this since I thought of it yesterday, and I mean sitting on the floor in my room laughing and clapping like a retarded seal because I'm an idiot. 

I just wrote it out and am still sitting her chortling at it because I have a stupid sense of humor. Anyone who has my same sense of humor will likely laugh as hard as I've laughed at this ridiculous bonus chapter. It's so great. 

Anyways, the bonus chapter will be up tomorrow and the epilogue will be up sometime in the next  two weeks probably. I'm swamped with work and I'm not entirely sure what the epilogue will be yet, so that's going to be interesting and delayed....

Anways, hope you guys enjoyed this last chapter! :')