79 Stories under the stars (1/2)
Jos finished long shower in the hall bathroom and emerged still towel drying her hair. If it hadn't been bad enough he'd showered before her leaving the entire room to smell of the all-male musk of his soap, she'd been stuck wearing one of his enormous tee shirts that hung loosely around her neck. The sleeves covered her elbows and the hem came down to her knees. They had gotten caught in water sprinklers on their way back from the bayside walkways and it had soaked them both completely through. Frustrating as it was to walk then ride in soaking wet shorts, it was a relief from the awkwardness she had been feeling after their kiss. Her emotions tangled deep in the pit of her stomach as she finally accepting there'd been an obvious difference between Orion and Arei from the beginning… and deep down she'd known it. There had been a warmth with both men that had been completely different than anything she'd ever experienced. A caring compassion that was devoid of her world and still lacking in the many people around her in today. {…but was that love? Is it love?} Jos scrunched up her nose tossing the towel into the small hamper on the washer in the hidden hallway closet. She checked the timer on the dryer. ”Still twenty minutes.” She sighed not wanting to wear his clothes around the house any longer than she had too. Unfortunately, she'd only packed for a short two-day trip… a business trip with a crazy man she'd considered fucking. Jos shook her head in irritation. ”What was I thinking??” She grumbled.
She glanced around the dark apartment the only lights on, other than that of the bathroom, was the microwave light over the stove and the string of lights that hung from the ceiling and down the chain of the swing. Arei was nowhere to be seen. He'd been quieter than usual since they'd gotten back and she felt more than a little responsible. She couldn't help the confusion she felt… about him… about Russ… Arei had offered to let her talk to Russ over the phone on one of the several calls he'd had with Orion in the past week, but she couldn't bring herself to talk to him. Not over the phone… What she had to say had to be face to face, there was no other way.
Jos saw a slight flicker in the string of lights strung around the balcony. ”Ah found ya.” She whispered. She sucked in a heavy breath then slowly released it as she walked to the door. Her breath caught when she opened the door.
Arei was sprawled out across the tiny patio sofa, a book spread open across his bare tattooed chest, his head leaned back over the pillows, his damp hair falling loosely around him, and a pair of baggy pajama bottoms rode low on his hips reveling even more tattooed flesh. Jos considered turning away and heading back into the apartment, but he stopped her with his quiet words not taking his eyes off the sky above. ”It's a perfect night, not a cloud in the sky. Why don't you come enjoy it with me.” Without looking at her he arched his brows and forged a frown. ”You do still like that don't you?” He asked.
Jos cleared her throat and tried to advert her gaze, but her eyes kept going back to his half naked body and the many dark patterns etched into it. Her hands tingled with the thoughts of running her fingers across the slightly raised markings causing her to clasp her hands into tight fists. After several minutes of silence, he lifted his head and sent her a questioning look. One corner of his lips turned up as he watched her force her gaze away from him. He sat the book on the table, his hair fell in waves over one shoulder, his eyes slowly studying her as she watched his every move from veiled eyes. He pushed himself up off the chair and walked over toward her. Her head was now turned slightly away from him and only the tops of her red ears could be seen as he stood towering over her. He ran his hands up her arms, pushing the sleeves of his oversized shirt she wore up with them.
”I'm not mad at you, kitten, and I'm not going to force myself on you.” He brushed a wet strand of hair out of her face once she finally looked up at him with nervous eyes. He let the hand on her arm slide down to her hand and took it gently. He then turned and guided her over to the tiny sofa and flopped down. Gazing up into her eyes her hand still resting in his hand he said, ”For just one night sit with me, enjoy the stars, laugh, joke, talk... be my kitten again.” He lifted a large hand and stroked her cheek stopping her from turning away. ”The way it was before you came to me that night, nothing sexual... Just you and me and the stars.”
Jos let out a troubled sigh, ”But is it really that easy? To just pretend things are the same now as they were then?”
”It could be, if you wanted it to be.” He smiled up at her, ”If there's one thing I've learned over the 40,000 plus years I've been alive-” He tugged her down onto his lap and wrapped his large arms around her pressing his head to her forehead, ”is if you happen to find someone that you can connect with the way we connected- connect then you don't turn your back on it. Instead you try to get what enjoyment you can out of it, because at the end of the day true joy... true happiness is fleeting. It's only found in the tiniest of moments, flickers of absolute peace and tranquility... You learn to treasure those flickers, let their memories no matter how tiny get you through the long stretches of darkness.” He cupped half her face in his massive palm. ”You and this place has been two of the only things that's brought me any kind of joy over the past 2000 years.” He sat back against the pillows his hands trailing down her slender form to rest on her hips. ”What do you say, give an old man this one tiny favor?”
Jos couldn't suppress the laugh that burst from her lips. ”Old man? Well if you put it that way...” She pushed his hands away from her hips and crawled onto the fraction of a space beside of him. ”I'm sure not going to be setting on any old men's lap in the middle of summer, though!” She teased. ”I only do that between the months of November and December.”
”I'll have to remember that… and invest in a red suit. Grow out a beard, maybe.” He laughed and pulled her against his side in a playful hug but didn't release her completely his arm rested around her. A satisfied smile spread across his lips as he went back to watching the sky. ”You know, I think this is what I miss out on the most as an immortal.”
Jos glanced up at him the best she could from her smooshed position. ”What do you mean?” She asked.
He patted her hip not taking his eyes off the sky. ”Companionship.” He said simply.
She furrowed her brows, ”I don't get it, wouldn't that give you the opportunity for a longer lasting 'companionship'? I mean infinitely so, I'd think.”
He smiled looking down into her curious eyes. ”Only if I found another immortal to spend my time with.” His smile morphed into something sad and a bit darker. ”There are plenty of creatures on this planet that claim immortality, kitten, but only a select few truly are and even so can still be killed. We are a dying bread.” He looked back toward the stars not wanting to see the effects his next words would have on her. ”Humans for instance have such short lives in the grand scheme of things, barely a flicker... werewolves have a lifespan between 300 and 600 years, if they aren't killed. Vampires can live longer but typically don't. Fae can live several thousands of years; your friend Raven is well over 4000 if I'm not mistaking.” He risked a glance at her and saw irritation and hurt combined.
”And what is your point? Love is love.” She replied. ”Sometimes it's a great affair and other times it's, as you said, a flicker. It doesn't matter what someone is or how long you have with them as long as you get that tiny piece of happiness to hold on to 'in those dark places'.” She tossed his own words back at him.