Page 164 of Eternal
“Come on.” He moves, pulling off his bloodied jacket like it’s nothing. “We’re going to eat.”
I glance at the jacket, then at him. “Sorry about that.”
He looks at me, his thumb brushing my cheek, but this time it’s a little firmer, like he's trying to ground me. Then, he smiles a little, and gently taps my forehead. “Stop, it's nothing. Everyone is going to be dressed up in blood tonight.” He doesn’t say anything else, but I follow him out the door when he starts moving.
43
AZRA
“All I Need” by Radiohead
Present
We stand in line at the burrito stand, and people are so loud around us… they’re all dressed up in so many things. One has wings, the other is dressed as a potato. A lot of vampires too.
I really do hate waiting when people are around. I hate how ordinary it feels, and tonight it’s too... crowded, too loud.
But when we arrived, his hand brushed mine, and I froze. Then he simply…heldit, like it was the most natural thing in the world, and I didn't pull away, I didn’t want to. So now, here we are, standing in line, hand in hand, dressed up casually with everyone around having some type of costume, like it’s the most normal thing to be doing on a night like this.
He tricked me with a grabby hand,literally. He reached out, and I grabbed it without thinking.
The line shuffles forward, and I can’t help but notice a family in front of us.
A mom, a dad, their little girl holding onto the dad’s hand, her pretty innocent eyes wide with excitement as they order their food. She’s wearing a princess costume, with a crown, and even some purple makeup on her eyelids. She’s giggling, and her mom’s smiling down at her like she’s everything to everything to her.
I bet we did that before. I know she made me get out, bought me food, and smiled at me like she loved me so much it could’ve killed her.
Do I remember it clearly?No.
I was really young. I only remember clearly the last years, the ones where she lost it all.
I hope this little girl will never have to live in a house without love, without protection. I hope she’ll keep that smileforever.
But then, I can feel him, his hand in mine. He leans down and presses a soft kiss to my jaw, barely there, but it feels like everything. “You're okay,partner.”
I can feel the blush creeping up my neck, and when our eyes meet, he chuckles. It’s soft, like he’s amused by me. “Cute.”
I blush even harder, and it makes my brow furrow. “I stabbed an already dead man a few hours ago, and you’re still calling me cute?”
He laughs again, low and quiet, and moves us forward in the line, pulling me with him. “Maybe don't say that out loud,” he says with a grin. “People might hear you.”
Before I can come up with a response, we’re at the counter, and he starts ordering our food, every detail like he knows exactly how I like it. He pays without letting go of my hand, his thumb brushing over mine in that small, familiar motion he always does.
Up and down, up and down.
I focus on that, the simplicity of it, grounding myself in the rhythm.
We stand there for a moment, waiting. I glance around, watching everyone in their little worlds. Couples. Friends. Families. People alone. They’re all so normal, all probably dealing with their own shit, things they won’t ever show.
Are they sad? Maybe grieving? Or maybe some are in love?
And then I feel it. His eyes. They're on me, watching every shift of my expression, my neck, my mouth, my breathing, like he’s studying me. It's almost too much, and I don't even know why it’s affecting me this way.
Then the lady calls us, handing over the bag.
On top of it was a tiny pair of black cat ears on a headband.
He lets go of my hand long enough to take it, but then he’s right back there, and long fingers are still tightening around mine. Without saying anything, he slips the ears onto my head, carefully. With so much tenderness.
