IncuBUST

Finally

"You're still here," I said coming back into the living room and finding Barapha perched on the arm of the couch. He looked at me and smiled saying, "You were sexy as hell in those skinny jeans, but I'll be damned if you're not just as fine in baggy sweats covered with bees and sunflowers." I glanced down at my 'save the bees' sweatpants and felt my insides grow warm and fuzzy.

"I...I was going to make tea. Do you want some?" I asked and he nodded saying, "Sure, and then we'll head down to the police station." I blinked at him and then looked down at my feet mumbled, "I really don't think--"

"Bro, it was a crime. Vandalism at the very least," Sissy said looking up from her phone.

"Assault, Cecilia. It was assault," Barapha said standing up. She raised an eyebrow at him and asked, "How long have you lived in this city again?" His brow creased and he replied, "A couple decades, why?" She nodded and continued, "Have you ever even spoken to a police officer during your time here?" He was silent for a moment before saying, "Once. When I got my ID renewed."

"So, you've never actually walked into a police station and reported a crime?" she asked, and he shrugged mumbling, "I've never had cause to." She stood up and said, "Right. Well, no policeman is going to believe that three human children assaulted a powerful, two-hundred-year-old Mythic. But they might buy vandalism."

"That's bullshit!" Barapha exclaimed and Sissy grimaced retorting, "That's life." She then turned to me and asked, "You didn't happen to get any pics of the car after the incident, did you?"

"It didn't exactly occur to me," I mumbled, and she shook her head saying, "No big. I'm gonna call Tam-Tam. Her friend Dyson works at an auto-shop not too far from the ice rink. He'll take pics and fix the car cheap." She whipped out her phone muttering, "Maybe for free if I promise to go on a date with him." She looked back at me and said, "He'll send me the pics and we'll show them to the police, okay?" I stared at her for a moment before saying, "Yeah, okay." She nodded once more before dialing Thomasina's number and drifting down the hallway towards her room.

I hesitated for several seconds before going to the kitchen and grabbing the kettle filling it with water. Barapha followed me and sat down at the counter murmuring, "Sorry our date was so sucky." I set the kettle on the stove and turned on the heat replying, "Only the ending was sucky. The rest..." I turned to look at him with a shy smile, "The rest was really nice."

Barapha smiled back and said, "The next one will be even better." Despite the dark tone the day had taken, I still experienced a pleasant swooping sensation at the way he said, 'next one.' I cleared my throat awkwardly and went to retrieve a couple mugs.

"But perhaps you should choose the venue," Barapha continued watching me open the pantry. I pulled down a box of tea and tried to think of potential date venues, however my mind was curiously blank.

"Yeah, I'll think about it. Is Darjeeling good for you?" I asked glancing at him. He smiled softly and replied, "Darjeeling is perfect." I closed the pantry and opened the box plopping a bag in each cup just as the water came to a boil. I lifted the kettle off the stove, waited for the water to stop boiling and poured it over the tea bags.

"Do you take sugar?" I asked setting a mug in front of him. He shook his head and curled his hands around the cup absorbing the warmth. I sat down next to him with my own mug and stared down at the countertop. We were silent for a long time, before his hand moved across the table to take mine. I looked at him. He took a sip of tea. I continued looking at him.

"Thank you...for stopping me from killing those kids," he finally said, and I blinked. He glanced at me and continued, "You're right, I would've gotten in trouble." I blinked several times more before looking down at my tea and replying, "You're welcome."

"I try, you know," he said, and my brow furrowed. "People don't think I do, but I try sometimes to not meet my allowance every month." I watched him carefully as he continued, "I don't really have an excuse, you know, with Quetz and you and all the other Mythics willing to lend me their heat. But I..." His grip on my hand tightened, "I get so-"

"Okay, Tam-Tam got ahold of her friend and he's on his way to the ice rink. I should have pics in a few minutes, then we can head to the..." Sissy trailed off as she approached the counter and asked, "Am I interrupting something?" Barapha let go of my hand and grabbed his mug with both hands, raising it to take a long drink.

Sissy raised an eyebrow at me, and I scowled into my own tea.