Nyctophilia

16

He was seated on one of the barstools on the other side of the table, having arrived only a couple of minutes ago.

Nyx's gaze swept over the diner as she examined it for something particular to answer with.

Isaiah and Louise were in the kitchen having another one of their usual banters, Jane was noting down a couple's order when she sent her younger friend a wink upon meeting her eyes, making her smile back. The hypnotizing aroma of coffee beans hung in the air like a drug she'd willingly take. Occasional whiffs of bread and the tastiest of handmade sauces could also be tasted from where she was standing. Soft music chimed in the background for everyone to either sing along to or silently enjoy. The skilfully chosen interior of the place made everyone wish to stay in it longer.

Overall, it was ideal.

Nyx's answer was short and simple when she replied, "I like it here,"

Rolling his eyes at this, Azriel explained his question better, "Obviously you do. Why is what I'm asking."

The girl didn't work at the diner because her family needed any kind of financial support, no. Both her parents had perfectly stable jobs that paid them well - so this reason wasn't qualified for consideration.

She did, however, look at it as an opportunity to earn for herself. No matter how little or lot she made, she felt an independent sort of comfort in not having to go to her parents for the smallest of things - especially when the Hayden family was bad at communicating with each other.

I like it because its an escape from the walls where my mother's breathing corpse lays and my father's absence echoes.

Gulping down these words that flawlessly framed her reason, Nyx reminded herself that this was the majority of why she chose to spend her evenings distracting herself by being around strangers.

Azriel recognized the dull gleam in the girl's eyes when she locked gazes with him. "I don't know, I just do," she concluded with a small shrug. These people - Isaiah, Jane, and Louise, felt more involved in her life, more like family than her own blood did.

Instead of replying, Azriel stayed quiet with his sight pinned onto the soul in front of him.

His hazel eyes swirled dangerously, the bit of blue in his irises appeared to be burning their way into her deepest, darkest, most hidden possessions - her messy thoughts, her shrieking secrets.

But, the boy didn't act on it.

He simply sat straighter in his seat and tore his eyes from her, lazily pulling the menu closer to him with his left hand.

As he debated on what to get, Nyx admired the raven monster's beauty with a hint of a smile on her peach lips. The untamed waves of his silky hair, the well-groomed thickness of his brows, his long lashes that kissed his eye bags every time he blinked, the pained gleam of his eyes that had always been lost, the slight dip in his cheeks, the fullness of his flushed lips, the way viridian looked like a gorgeous shade on him.

"So, what are you in the mood for today?" she asked him, raising her brow. "A cheeseburger," he answered without missing a beat.

He'd ordered the same last time as well, Nyx wondered if it was his favorite.

"And to drink?" she questioned, earning a grunt of 'I can't fucking pick' from the boy.

Chuckling at his indecisiveness, Nyx suggested, "You should try the blueberry milkshake. It's one of GrubHub and Lou's specialties."

Azriel's features scrunched in confusion, "What the hell's a Lou?"

A captivating laugh escaped the brunette's lips when she noticed how puzzled Azriel looked and sounded. Inside the kitchen, Isaiah glanced at Louise to ask if she'd heard the rare sound of Nyx's genuine laugh but ended up rolling his eyes when the golden-haired woman prepared her dish while humming rather loudly, having turned a deaf ear to everything else.