Golden Hour (GarouxReader lemon)

Part 13

The old man looks from me to her but his lined face doesn't betray anything.
He must be wondering who this woman with me is. He fucking must be. But he says nothing, as if this is the most normal thing in the world.
"Would you like to see inside?" He asks her, smiling politely.
No. Fuck no. If there's kids there's about to be parents and I don't want to fucking be here for that.
I think she can sense my growing, savage wariness.
"Thank you," she declines just as politely. "But we were just about to get dinner."
We were?
"I'd love to next time," she adds with her beautiful smile.
"Please, any time," he nods.
"It was very nice to see you Tareo," she says as the kid grins up at her, the sleeves of his uniform hanging over his hands. "See you around," she says.
"Bye! Bye Uncle!" He waves at us as we turn to go, crisis averted.

"Can I ask?" She says carefully as we sit in the corner of some tiny noodle joint and swirls her chopsticks in her bowl. I can tell she's measuring out her words, her tone carefully. Cautious of my newfound ability to divulge personal information.
"Yeah," I shrug, not wanting to make any more of a bigger deal.
"How long did you do it for?" She asks, making a point to not look right at me.
"Five years? Six?" I say, trying to concentrate more on the food. In a way I'm lying because I know exactly to the day how long I'd been there. I know the exact date of my arrival and the exact date of my departure.
"So you were only a kid yourself when you joined?" She clarifies.
"I guess," I say.
"Then why," she looks confused now, the caution forgotten, "do you not like kids being there?"
I don't fucking know. I don't know what to say. I don't even know myself what the fuck is going on in my head right now.
"I was the youngest," I reply. It's not a lie. The old man made an exception for me. I don't know why. Partly I think he felt sorry for me and that pisses me right off. One more reason to hate the bastard.
"He must've seen something particular in you," she says, this nodding smile in my direction, "I mean if he let you join despite your age."
"I highly fuckin' doubt that," I say, looking outside, avoiding her gaze.
"I don't," she says. "You were the best student, after all," she adds with this smug pride on my behalf and then drops the subject.

I don't mind the questions too much. I realise she just wants to know more about me. It's not an interrogation but I ain't used to talkin' about these things either. I'll have to be on my best behaviour, try to answer without getting so goddamn worked up.
"Oh, by the way," she says, noodles half-way to her mouth, "I thought we could try letting Delilah outside tomorrow if the weather holds."
"It's about damn time," I say. She's starting to go crazy inside. "She better earn her place and start hunting them mice."
"You don't have mice," she says, puzzled.
"You know what I mean," I say and get back to my food.

"Your yard is a jungle," she says as we stand by the backdoor, me, her, Tareo holding the cat.
"What are ya gonna do?" I say. I don't really give any fucks about this pace. What's the point? I see everyone else mowing their lawns week after week and shit, and what for? Grass just grows right back every time.
"Uncle," Tareo says. "You could get a pet goat. Or sheep. They'll just eat the grass."
"What do you think this is? A petting zoo?" I say.
"That would actually be really cute!" She agrees. "Let's put two fluffy little sheep in here, like the ones we saw yesterday. They'll just walk around and mow the lawn for you."
"No," I say. "Are you gonna let the cat out or what?" I ask, reminding them of their original goal before they get any more wild ideas.
Delilah's getting mighty restless in Tareo's arms. So excited she doesn't know what way to look.
"Ok," she says, "let her go carefully and let's just all make sure she doesn't bolt. We don't want her getting out on the road."
Tareo places the cat down and she's jumping out of his hold before he's anywhere near the ground.
She stands there for a moment, observing, ears pricked up and almost invisible in the tall grass, so much wild excitement.
There's something satisfying about seeing her finally outside, more like in her element. I was starting to feel fucking sorry for her stuck inside all the time. She's an animal, in the end and that's where she wants to be.
She sniffs the air one more time, catching the direction of the wind and then starts running. First in this direction, then that, having the fucking time of her little life.
"You love her," I suddenly feel this poke in my ribs, this affectionate taunting.
"Eh?" I wipe the grin off my face.
"I can see how you look at her," she purrs
"You told me to watch her so I'm watching," I explain, frowning.
"Sure, sure," she says, "play dumb," seeing right through me.
"No idea what you're on about," I mutter as I turn back to watch Tareo run around after the cat. She runs along the fence and Tareo chases after her.
Suddenly she starts climbing and is too fast for him.
But no matter, she can keep explorin'.
"By the way," she says, changing the subject as I turn back to her. "On Thursday-"
"Uncle!" Tareo calls out, breaking into our conversation.
"What-?" I say but can see the issue myself.
The cat's taken the opportunity of the fence to climb the tree growing against it in the neighbour's yard. And now she sits there, out of reach, not knowing what to do,
"Uncle! She's gonna fall!" Tareo says, suddenly full of trepidation.
"She ain't gonna fall," I say. "And anyway, cats always land on their feet. Oi, get back down," I warn Delilah but she just looks at me with this puzzled look. Like she has no idea how she got up there in the first place or how the fuck to get back down.
"You better go get her," she says, nudging me towards Tareo.
"She got up there herself, she can figure out how to climb back down," I say, not budging. "That's how they learn."
We wait. But she just settles down on the branch and stares at me and starts meowing.
Oh for fuck's sake. You're supposed to fucking be a smart animal.
I go there finally and stand just under the branch. I can't reach her like this but I'll catch her if she jumps.
"Oi, com 'ere," I say, holding out my hand.
But she just keeps meowing.
"Don't give me that," I warn again. "Hurry up and jump."
"Uncle," Tareo says, way too concerned, "I think she's scared."
"She ain't scared," I say. She's just being fucking dramatic.
"Garou, just go up there and get her," I hear her voice behind me.
"Why me?" I ask. It's always fucking me.
"Does it look like Tareo or I know how to climb trees?" She says.
"Yeah."
She stares at me for a moment, not expecting me to be a smartass now.
"Just go do it!" She pushes me towards the fence.
Fuck, fine.
I jump the fence and grab the nearest branch swinging myself up. Luckily this tree is old and thick, can easily hold me.
"Wow, you're a cat yourself," she says, looking up. "How do you do that?" She asks with genuine awe and I don't understand. Do what? It's not that hard.
"Come 'ere," I say, none too pleased as I get nearer to the cat.
She sees me on the same branch as her and gets up, takes a cautious step towards me and then trots over like it's nothing.
"So now you can walk?" I narrow my eyes at her as I scoop her up before she decides to go on any more adventures, hold her against my chest as I jump down straight from where I'm standing.
"Uncle," Tareo says, all wide-eyed. "You're really cool."
I don't know what makes him say that but I'm fucking glad to hear it. Especially after all his babbling about the asshole with the baseball bat.
"Well, I think that's enough excitement for one day," she says, taking Delilah from me and holding her close, petting her, scratching her under the chin. "We'll take her out more and more until she gets used to being outside by herself."
"What time is it?" Tareo suddenly worries.
"Just after two o'clock," she says, fishing her phone out of her pocket with one hand before putting it back.
"Oh! I have to go. I'm meeting Zenko at the park!" he says, half-buzzing and half-terrified.
"The park just down by the school?" She asks.
"Yeah," he says, blushing ever deeper.
"Aw, that's really nice!" She gives him an encouraging smile. "Have fun!"
And we watch him run off before going back inside ourselves.
"What were you gonna say?" I ask, intrigued what's going on on Thursday.
"Oh! Right!" She says, almost forgetting herself. Must not be anything big then. "I'll be out on Thursday night. Just thought I'd let you know in advance."
"What, another hot date?" I ask, opening the fridge, glad to not be looking at her.
"Yeah, a hot date with Tama," she says, setting the cat down on the floor.
"Eh?"
"Nothing," she laughs. "I told her about how we went to the museum the other week and she wanted to know why I didn't ask her. And when I said I didn't think she'd want to go she got pretty upset and demanded that she take me somewhere too. I mean, I can understand. I feel kind of bad. She is my best friend and I shouldn't assume she'd be bored with the things I want to do. I just don't want to...you know, bother people..." she trails off for a moment there. I don't particularly care. I'll bother anyone about fucking anything. Or else where's the fun? But she looks sad, just a flash, just in passing. And I want to tell her that she can bother me any time she wants. The more often the better.
"Anyway," she continues, "she wanted to prove how not bored she would be so she's taking me to the symphony, to a Mozart concert," she smiles.