11. The Last Will and Testament of the Eclaines #3
She looked at me and Naoma, eyes shifting as if picking up on what I thought might be happening.
She grinned and with tension in her cheeks, I could tell she was doing her best to control her glee.
“Nah, Pet and I are connected in the core and we probably will be for a while, light lines no longer needed. You know, it might be a good idea to split us up so our split groups know what is happening as soon as we eject from the core, if that is any time soon.”
“I… thought so, too.”
“I’m sure you did, babe. Let me see, Boyband could help me out, keeping an eye here and hiding himself from Reef in case we need to try entering another way without exposing his connection to you.”
“Right.” Naoma’s voice was unsteady with a nervous joy.
Ralia raised her eyes and shot right for the target. “You just want some alone time with Petya, don’t you?”
I had never seen Naoma so nervous. Her cheeks were red and she let out a nervous laugh. “I mean–”
“It is the most practical pairing,“ I said, feeling warmth rise in my cheeks as well.
“Right,” Naoma said as if it was the most obvious fact in the world.
“Love it. No need to justify it with any more logic. Let’s bring you two back together after we so rudely split up your sweet time a couple days ago.“ Ralia said. “I won’t make you kiss in front of us, though I would love to see it.”
I couldn’t look at Naoma. Of course I would have welcomed any sign of affection, but I didn’t want her to feel any more uncomfortable than we already were.
I didn’t even know if she would want it.
Self-doubt came at me with its familiar barrage, but her desire to spend time with me was enough to hold them back.
Rather than dwell on it and overthink the entire situation, I let my mind rest. Whatever would come, would come.. Hell and pain would accompany us as long as Gongtide continued to fight, but with Naoma, I could endure it all.
“Zeg,” Boyband groaned. “I’m gonna be sick with this lovey guk.”
Akna glared. Was that jealousy? She scoffed. “Says the kid rubbing his meat.”
“Think before you talk next time, hun,” Ralia said.
“Oh, don’t worry, Ral, I thought it through.”
Boyband flipped her off and continued to pet David, whispering words of affirmation to combat his pleading for death
“What about me?” Kuni asked.
Naoma ruffled his hair. I had seen Boyband do the same thing and earn a smack. Kuni looked up at her and smiled. “You’ll stay and take care of Boyband.”
“What?” Boyband scoffed.
“Think you can do that?” Naoma asked.
Kuni giggled, then nodded.
Boyband groaned and rolled his eyes. “I guess I’ll watch the kid.”
“Kun,” Ralia said, “I’ll make sure you keep BB in line. I think you can handle him.”
Boyband glared at everyone, earning only laughs where he sought respect.
“Are you done with David for the night?” Denji asked.
“No,” Boyband said, while everyone pleaded the opposite.
“Do you want to help me put him away?” Denji asked. “I’ll show you how to relax him.”
“Sure!” He perked up.
“Come on, David,” Denji bid. “Time for your heroin.”
No one breathed for a second.
“The zeg did you say?” Boyband asked.
“Oh yeah.” Denji laughed, scratching his head. “David, as you know, is struggling with his existential dread and physical pain, though I doubt the validity of most of it, seeing that he’s pretty much just an and,“ he whispered and checked to see that David did not hear him.
The meat pillar had waddled back down the hall without any reaction to Denji.
“Good,” Denji sighed. “Like I was saying, he needs something to keep him going. We’ve tried just about everything, including fixes–”
“So you went to heroin?“ Boyband’s voice was stern.
“Souteern Indigo light-infusen heroin, yeah. It’s the only thing that’ll keep him going.”
“Zeg, du. You’re supposed to be the moral monk and all.” He looked at us over his shoulder, glaring then sighed. “Good thing I’m hanging back here while you go to work. Sure, I’ll help you, Ral, but I need to make sure David is no longer abused.”
Denji’s shoulders were tense as Boyband marched him back down the hall towards David.
Naoma stepped closer to me while the others engaged in their own conversation. “Can’t say I expected him to go all dad on David.”
I stood with my left shoulder touching hers and eyed her, but only long enough for her to acknowledge it. I couldn’t keep my smile down. “He’s maturing, at least it looks like it.”
“A lot of thanks to you, right?”
I shrugged. “The world kinda forced him into maturation. I’m just trying my best to be the brother he wants me to be.”
“I think you’re doing a pretty good job.”
“Thanks.”
Silence hung between us for a moment, but it was far from uncomfortable.
“I’m excited for some time together,” I said. No need to hide anymore. We had met in heated attraction, realized that we were rushing, grew distant when we each feared the weight of the world against Gongtide, but now… Now, we could be sincere. Now, we could like each other and see what came of it.
She looked at me, keeping her eyes on me and waiting for me to lock mine with hers. She rubbed the back of her hand against mine and I felt the soft touch of her polished nail rub across. “Me, too. Last week was nice.”
“I thought so, too.”
The next silence wasn’t as comfortable. She cut it short. “Is there something that’s bothering you?”
I shrugged as if I needed her permission to continue.
“Come on, Petya, I feel like we know each other enough to be candid. I mean, there isn’t anything else hiding between us, is there?”
I smirked. “No, and I guess that is the problem. You’ve seen what I do. What I am.”
“This again?”
“What again?”
“The whole ‘I’m a bad person and no one should love me,’ act?”
“It’s not an act.”
“Well, I’ve already told you that I understand what you have to do. It was like the first thing we went over when we met.”
“But that was just after you woke up to your real life.”
“Doesn’t mean you weren’t speaking to me. I’m not blind. I think we both needed some distance after I was pulled out of the Neon Idol mindset. Your passion wasn’t your fault. I was still fueled by the more promiscuous side of the Idol. Now we’re both soberly aware of what this is between us.”
“And that is?”
“A start. Infatuation. You like me, don’t you? That’s not just another act?”
I smiled and shook my head. “No.
“No what?”
“I like you.”
“Good, because I like you, too.” She held my hand and squeezed it, then let go before the others could bother us about it. “We both have our baggage, but we’ll carry it together. The world might be in chaos, but that doesn’t mean there’s no room for this.”
“And this is?”
She laughed. “Me seeing if you’re the type of person I could spend more time with.” She sighed. I’m glad we had this conversation, it’ll make it easier to get you in to meet 3Rochi.”
“Why?”
“Because it’ll be easier to pass you off as my boyfriend than some executive when you don’t know anything about the music industry.”
I smirked. I couldn’t argue with that.
“Maybe after more time together we can decide if the boyfriend thing is more than an act.”