Page 65 of Between Brothers

“Me? I thought I was a saint.”

She laughed and laughed at that, finally calming down enough to say, “Compared to Cell, you are.”

“He still scare you?” I asked her.

“I think I would be a little crazy or have no sense of self-preservation if he didn’t.”

“I think you’re right.” Silence stretched between us, the only sounds filling the night the crackle of the fire and the emerging insect life and frogs. Occasionally the chains holding the bench would rattle when her legs twitched and that made me smile.

“I do, you know…” she said suddenly, and I looked back down at her, taking a drink of my warming beer.

“Hm?” I asked as I swallowed the mouthful and took another.

“Love him. I mean, not like I love you… I feel like I have more of a connection with you, but I do love him… I don’t really know how to explain it, or why.”

“You don’t have to explain it,” I said. “I know exactly what you mean.”

We stared into the fire for ages, just comfortably soaking up each other’s company as I teased her lightly and rocked us back and forth lightly on the swing. I finished my beer and set the dead soldier aside as the stars lazed their way across the sky above us.

Hayley sucked in a deep breath and shuddered as if coming awake and said, “I can’t handle you teasing me like this anymore. I need you.”

“Just me, or do you need us?” I asked, curious. She didn’t answer right away and when she did, it held falsehood.

“I need both of you.”

“Then to Cell’s room we go.”

She sat up and I sucked her essence off my fingers. Her lips parted, and her eyes grew wide and I winked at her.

“Think we could stop at yours first and have a moment?”

I smiled wide and said, “Whatever you want; whatever you need.”

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