Page 118 of Eternal
I can feel his eyes on me, but I don’t look up, not when everything in me is screaming that this,he, is still dangerous.
I shift to sit on my knees, tugging Damir’s hand gently as I pull it toward my hair. “Here, let me show you now with your hands,” I say, my voice lighter than I intend.
It’s odd, this sudden need to teach him something as simple as this, but it feels...easy. Natural, even. He watches, his gaze intent, his fingers brushing through the strands in a way that makes me want to bite back a smile.
“Hold it like this,” I say softly, guiding his fingers to the right spot at the crown of my head, “and cross them over like this, one by one.” My hands move through my hair with ease, showing him the slow movements, and he’s watching me like he’s studying a map he needs to memorize.
His hands move awkwardly at first, fumbling with the strands, and I can’t help but laugh softly. “You’re supposed to pull gently, not like you’re trying to tear the hair out of my skull.”
“Hey, I’m trying,” he says, his tone teasing but with that edge of concentration. “I don’t pull hair like that... not unless the situation calls for it.”
“Gross!” I yell almost mimicking a throwing up face as I swat his hand away, but he laughs. He continues trying, taking his time, getting the feel of it, though it’s still clumsy. I let him work, guiding him when he falters, watching his brows furrowed in concentration.
Finally, after a few tries, he pulls back with a satisfied grunt. “There,” he says, inspecting his handiwork. It’s not perfect, loose and a little messy, but it’s better than I expected.
I turn to face him, my lips curving into a small smile. “It’s… not terrible. I guess you can have a passing grade.”
He looks at me, his eyes softening, and for a moment, I think I see something deeper there. “You always made it look effortless, doing that so quickly before training,” he says, his voice low, his gaze shifting from the braid to my face. “But, yeah… it's always pretty on you.”
I feel warmth flood my cheeks, more from his words than the heat around us. “Cut the crap,” I mutter, trying to downplay it. “You’ve got no chance.”
Damir’s lips curve into a smirk, his tone low and confident. “A man can dream, right?”
He’s too close, and for a second, I forget what we’re supposed to be doing, lost in this stupid activity at 4 in the morning. He picks up the braid, inspecting it again with that intense look of concentration.
“I’ll get it right next time,” he says, more to himself than to me. Then, he shifts, his tone turning teasing again. “If you teach me too much, I might start trying to braid your hair every night.”
“Try it and see what happens,” I reply, my voice still playful but with an undertone of warning. I muse stabbing someone’s neck with my hands.
He laughs a bit and replies. “Oh? I thought you liked the attention.”
“Not really,” I say, taking another bite of my ice cream.
We talk a bit more, and for a moment I feel sleepy. I pull the blanket up over my shoulders, wrapping it around me, my skin tingling as I shift closer into the couch. Damir is still sitting next to me, his eyes on something distant, but I feel his attention drift toward me, as if he’s noticed my change in energy.
I blink, the world starting to blur a little. I try to focus, but my mind is floating, like a cloud drifting away from my body.
When I glance at him, his face is a little too close, his gaze warm but curious. And I reply with a smile before looking up. I lie there, eyes tracing the ceiling, as I feel the exhaustion creeping in heavily this time, and the warmth of the blanket is starting to feel too soft on my body.
“Why are you staring at me?” I ask, not bothering to look at him. My voice is thick, tired, but the words still come out cold in a way.
He’s there, though, watching me. I can feel it.
Damir’s voice is calm, but there’s something different about it tonight. Something more... delicate. “You look tired.”
I hum softly in response. “What, you’re a doctor now?”
“Not a doctor, simply noticing you’re not acting like a little brat for once.”
I shake my head, but the movement is slow, sluggish. “You sure know how to make a girl feel special,” I murmur, half-laughing but already feeling my eyelids drop.
Damir’s gaze softens a little. He leans closer, his voice lowering, like he's trying to be gentle with me. “Everything’s okay, partner?” he asks, his words brushing against the haze clouding my mind. His hand shifts, hovering for a second before he slowly caresses my cheek.
The proximity of him is too much for my exhausted brain, and I find myself leaning into his presence, my head resting between his shoulder and neck.
I can feel the heat of his skin, the comfort. For a second, everything feels too close, too warm. Too...real.
I mumble, voice thick with sleep. “You really know how to ruin a girl’s need to nap with all this... flirty eyes.”
