Forever Now

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

 We sat in another booth a few seats away from our original one. Hixak had sat down, plopping into the seat I had previously occupied. He seemed overjoyed at Hadrian’s visit, confirming my suspicions about them. During the entire interrogation, I’d seen strange looks pass between them, and now I knew why.

“They’re lovers,” I said slowly. Kryzstofer looked up, his mouth curling into a smile. “What?”

“What else?” He asked me.

“What else what?”

“What else do you see?” Staring at me with narrowed eyes, almost black with something I couldn’t recognize, he repeated his question: “What do you see?”

“Hixak cares for him...” I said my eyes following the outline of Hixak’s back. I couldn’t see Hadrian but the muscles on Hixak’s neck said it wasn’t going well. “Hadrian is... introverted. He cares, I’m guessing, but something holds him back. Something big, I think, something Hixak isn’t aware of, or is and doesn’t care.”

Suddenly Hixak stands, the food we’d ordered in his hands, and walked to our booth. He smiled as he placed the food on the table, sliding my plate to me. Before leaving, Hixak slapped Kryzstofer’s arm. I couldn’t tell if it was playful or not, but it didn’t seem to hurt.

“Stop it!” Hixak hissed. “Your not making it any easier for him being here.”

“I’m not the one who he is uncomfortable with,” Kryzstofer replied without looking at Hixak. “You should be thanking me.”

“Thanking you?” Hixak asked flabbergasted. “For what?”

“For keeping him away when you did your deeds.”

“You are unbelievable, brother.” Hixak muttered.

I sat there transfixed. What the hell was happening? What were they fighting about? I looked on, their conversation, or hissing more like it, was interesting if not confusing. They quieted after a moment, their voices probably going out from all the talking, and stared at each other in a silent battle. I would’ve preferred to listen in, even if it was weird but they kept quiet. I looked behind Kryzstofer to Hadrian who was standing up from the seat, probably trying to leave while Hixak was distracted. If I had to suffer this strange thing that had just happen, then so did he.

“Hadrian is leaving,” I muttered turning to Hixak. Immediately his head snapped to Hadrian’s leaving form. Hixak turned to leave, his hand stretched out as if that would stop the angel from leaving. Hadrian, surprisingly, stopped and turned around. With a sigh, he walked towards us, his walk slow as if it pained him to be here.

“I can’t be down here any longer,” Hadrian explained his expression pained. There was sweat forming at his brow, sweat that Hixak wiped with his hand, his thumbs rubbing Hadrian’s temples. “I have to go before it crushes me.”

“Let’s go,” Hixak told him in a commanding voice. For a seconds Hadrian looked like he was going to protest, even opening his mouth to speak and closing it a minute later, but eventually he nodded and Hixak released the hold on his face. “My place?”

“If you wouldn’t mind,” Hadrian replied firmly. He turned without another word, Hixak followed suit like a lovesick puppy. I couldn’t help but crack a smile as they left. They were cute together, or as cute as they could be considering...

“They were once lovers,” Kryzstofer said snapping me out of my thoughts. “That much is true. Hadrian is introverted but to be with Hixak who wouldn’t be. Hixak knows, Hadrian told him before Hixak fell, and it changed their relationship. Even then, Hadrian comes down once in a while, within a certain time frame, and they ... spend time together.”

I got the distinct impression that Kryzstofer didn’t approve but didn’t disprove either. He was conflicted; I saw it in the way his Lifestream twitched making me worry. His decision would affect his own outcome, one way the Lifestream all but disappeared, the other it shone brightly. Hadrian and Hixak were key to Kryzstofer’s end, or beginning.

“You don’t approve?” I asked a moment later, my voice contrite. His eyes narrowed at me, searching for clues. I looked at him head on, unwilling to let him know what I suspected, instead showing interest in his brother’s love life.

“Its not that,” he finally said. “Hixak is demanding. When they first got together, Hadrian was my best friend. Eventually, Hixak drove him away from me with his jealous attitude and Hadrian took this warped view of me that I still haven’t been able to change. I don’t know what Hixak told him, I’m not interested anymore, but I do miss my friend.”

He stared down at his hands, absentmindedly picking at his nails, his eyes held a far away look to them. He took a deep breathe before looking up at me. “I hate Hixak sometimes,” he said softly. “He had what I only hope to one day have, a true love.”

He licked his lips slowly; his eyes tearing up and lips becoming ajar. This was the closest thing to crying as he could get, I supposed. Angels weren’t meant for real, strong and genuine emotions not after this long on earth. They could keep them out, use them in proportions but their emotions were like drugs, they get hooked and they never want to leave.

I didn’t think about what he’d just said, I merely concentrated on him, on his needs. Disregarding my food and drink, I slid into the seat next to him and wrapped my arm around him. He leaned into my hold and relaxed only to tense a moment later. He shook it off with a brush of his hands through his hair and clenched his jaw.

“I love you,” he told me, his eyes full of emotion, “But you are not my true love.”

Oh, Snap!

Sorry for any grammer or spelling mistakes! its 11:30pm and i'm practically asleep.