Nyctophilia

21

"There's nothing to worry about. Trust me, you guys." Nyx assured with a tired smile.

"No, seriously. Look," Jane pointed down at the tall heels she was wearing, "I can shove them up the asshole's sorry little butt, so far in that he'll be able to feel it in his throat." 

The strawberry blonde then gestured her thumb in Isaiah's direction, "He can roll his sleeves up, his muscles are big and threatening, one look at them's enough to send someone back crying."

Turning to look at Louise, she offered, "Lou, how would you like to tumble over a person and choke them into unconsciousness by sitting on them?"

When neither of the chefs declined Jane's violent suggestions - considering how they hardly ever gave in to her recklessness - Nyx knew that they cared and wouldn't hesitate to go any lengths, all for her. 

It was funny how she was unsure if she could count on her parents, her own blood, to willingly be there for her like these people, who she'd known for a little over a year, would.

"Is it that boy? Did he do something?" Isaiah inquired, calmly and carefully. 

It wasn't just him, Nyx thought.

She couldn't deny the dirty blond on time. 

Louise frowned at this, "The blueberry charm didn't work?" 

Nyx was just about to comfort her round friend, knowing that the woman put every bit of her soul into her cooking, and there was nobody in this world that deserved to make her upset like that. 

But Jane placed a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder, turning her around to face her.

"I thought you'd made friends with him and the other kid," her voice was soft as she tucked Nyx's hair behind her ear. The latter gave a slow shrug, a wavering smile, "I did too."

Before anyone could ask more questions, Nyx stepped out of Jane's grip and put on her mask of assurance that was strong enough to convince people that her world wasn't slowly falling apart. 

"Seriously, you guys. I promise you that nothing's wrong - everything's just the way it's always been." 

It wasn't a lie. The Hayden family was back at hiding from each other's existence, Azriel and Nyx were strangers once again. So really, all was fine.

Right then, with all three mouths ready to go against what Nyx had said, the chiming of the doorbell sent their words back in, the indication of a customer having walked in gathering their awareness. 

Nyx should've been relieved that the attention was taken off her, but the moment they all recognized the face that had stepped in, the air tensed.

Azriel stood there, his elemental eyes locked on the girl he was looking for, the girl he was here for. 

Nyx stiffened when she saw him heading in her direction, unsure of what he wanted. 

With the pair's gazes still trapped together in battle, the brunette took a step back and called out to her friend, "Jane, could you please take his order?" 

Nodding, Jane went to walk over to Azriel but stopped when he looked at her and shook his head gently.

"I need to talk to you," he spoke to Nyx directly, the depth of his voice tender. 

The girl couldn't help letting out a dry laugh in reply, "That's not what you were saying in the hallway in front of all those people."

A moment later, not wanting to hold a grudge or make anything harder, she let out a quiet sigh and declined, "I'm working."