Moonlight

8

With my fingers curled in my lap, I watched as the man put two tea bags into two different mugs.

He turned to me, his blue eyes meeting mine again. I immediately averted eye contact, but I could still see him smiling warmly at me. "I hope you like Earl Grey." He said, filling the two mugs with hot water. 

At this, my ears perked. I've had Earl Grey before. After a whole day of ignorance and anxiety it was a relief to finally recognize something.

The man walked up to me and offered one of the mugs. Slowly, I took it from him and held the mug in my hands. It warmed my palms to the touch.

The man pulled up another stool in front of me and took a seat, drinking from his mug. After a little bit, he set it down and straightened his posture. "I don't think I've seen you around before," His tone was calm and he took time to enunciate every word. "Are you new in town?"

"Yes." I replied quietly. I don't know what I was thinking revealing myself to this man. But now that I'm here, I can't just leave. Not after he offered me tea and welcomed me into his place. 

Stick to yes or no answers and you won't need to worry about revealing too much. 

"I thought so," The man said. "In that case, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Xavier. I tend to this shop 24/7 so if you need something repaired, I am always open."

I nodded silently in response. I wondered if when he said "something", he meant anything. Maybe he could repair my memory. I seemed to remember bits and pieces of my past, but not much other than that. Or maybe he meant my power. Maybe he could get rid of my ability altogether.

I glanced at the tools hanging from the counters and tables and knew the answer to my questions almost instantly. He was a blacksmith. He could repair industrial and everyday items. Not my problems. Still, it was fun to think that he could.

I looked down at the mug in my hands. The liquid in the cup was just boiled water, yet the scent of the tea began to fill my senses with delight. Xavier seemed to notice my tranquility because he smiled and took a sip. I looked at my mug again before copying him.

Instantly, I tensed up. I had literally just admitted to myself that it was boiled water, but for some reason it didn't occur to me that I should proceed with caution.

Xavier chuckled to himself. "Careful. I am used to the temperature but it takes a while before others are comfortable with it."

I smiled, a soft exhale escaping from my nose that sounded like a laugh. "I should have expected that..."

Xavier took another sip, his eyes closing briefly as he swallowed. I held back, letting the familiar taste of Earl Grey dance along my tongue. I enjoyed having a sense of safety. I enjoyed knowing what to expect, and I wanted to savour that moment as long as the taste would linger.

"Now..." Xavier let out, causing me to look back up at him. "What story does a charming girl like you have for wandering around at this hour?"

The adjective caught me by surprise. Out of all the words he could have used to describe me, "charming" was not the one I anticipated. 

"I'm... waiting for a friend." I responded carefully, my breath warm from the tea.

"Ah," Xavier let out. "They must be someone very important if they have you out and about this late."

I nodded again, feeling a bit more at ease. "Yes, he's very important to me. He's my first friend."

Xavier smiled warmly. "I see. I like to think that friends make life a little brighter. Especially if they happen to be your first friend. Close friendship like that is special."