The hours went by achingly slow, Calypso had finished her days work, and had an hour left before her workday ended.
She hadn't seen James yet, but she noticed two security guards make their way towards Dr. Jefferson's office. She leaned back in the uncomfortable hospital chair, scrolling through her social media and sipping on an iced coffee she bought on her lunch break. She rarely left the hospital on her breaks, but in fear of seeing James again, she quickly gathered her belongings and bolted through the door as soon as the clock hit three.
Calypso hummed an ABBA song, and after she got bored from scrolling mindlessly through her apps and answering a few comments on her posts, she stared at the clock above the counter. Her green eyes drooped slightly, and her attention was caught by a green and yellow bird sitting on the windowsill. It looked around vigorously, maybe escaping a potential mate, or running from a predator.
It then looked at her, and her and the bird joined in on a staring competition (That Calypso won.)
"I'm on my way, Caly,"
Her coworker, Mary said. Calypso stood to spare her a quick hug and a goodbye, but Mary decided to tell her a story. It involved a patient whom was known as "Willy Billy" to the staff.
His name came from the situation they had a while ago, where he was in the waiting room of his therapist, and he seemingly got bored, so he pulled his pants down and ran around the hospital half naked.
That was the first time she saw Mary tackle a half-naked man.
As James slammed the door of his therapist's office, he made his way to the front door of the hospital. Loud, rich-sounding shoes created footsteps as he walked, and his long, charcoal coat flew behind him. His face was pulled into a deep scowl, having lost it when Dr. Jefferson's mentioned his parents.
Calypso laughed loudly at something Mary said, and right at that time, James came into view. The way she threw her head back was what made James' mouth fall open a fraction, having never seen someone look like that while laughing.
Straight, white teeth flashing as she laughed, and soft bubbles fell from her lips. It was pure and innocent, James thought. So he watched her speak to her friend, his strong, hairy chin resting in the palm of his okay hand. He leaned against the counter, and just watched.
Calypso spoke softly to the black head, Her eyes crinkling in the corners as she laughed again.
"Margaret told me James Dudley was here,"
James quipped up at his name, an intrigued smirk on his face. "Oh, yeah. He was, went to see Jefferson," The black head grinned, almost mischievously, "Oh, anger issues! How hot, right?" Calypso rolled her eyes, shaking her head, "Scary, not hot. Have you seen him? He's freaking terrifying, dude,"
"Oh, come on! You know he's like, insanely hot, right?"
Calypso's lips pulled up into an unwanted smile as she shook her head at Mary. Mary wiggled her brows at the girl, and Calypso laughed softly. James was watching them, deeply amused by the way they gossiped like young schoolgirls. His eyes were on Calypso though, the way she'd frown dramatically, roll her pretty green eyes at her friend, attitude clear as day. James smirked, knowing exactly how to take care of that attitude of hers.
But, he had to be patient. He didn't want to scare the little butterfly away, so he had to be patient. Which James wasn't, his patience were as thin as string.
"How's Jacky?" Her friend asked, and Calypso's smile faltered. It was a touchy subject for her, having walked into the bathroom just as Jack was in the process of overdosing.
"He's better, I think. He took up drinking now, which was better than coke, I guess,"
So, James figured it out. He was a cocaine addict, and probably other things too. James could easily find his supplier of the coke, but he didn't want to get involved in such businesses again.
"I'm glad. Send him my love, yeah?"
Calypso nodded, a small smile on her mouth. She bid a farewell to her friend, and when she turned around, her heart fell to her feet. A deep, teasing smirk hugged James' lips gracefully.
"James-"
He interrupted her, "I'm terrifying?" Calypso clenched her jaw, looking away from him. Her cheeks turned red, and suddenly, the cold hospital heated around her. "Kinda?"
"I see-"
It was Calypso's turn to interrupt him as she saw the clock signal the end of her workday. She smiled at him, "You're nice too, though." The large man almost crumbled infront of her, his heart nearly shattering at her words. He raised a brow, "Just nice?" She nodded, still smiling.
They didn't speak after that, mainly because Dr. Jefferson came up to James to discuss a few more things, and Calypso took her things, and made her way outside.
The sun had set, but it casted the city in a deep purple and orange haze, stars were already starting to twinkle in the sky, and the moon smiled at the girl as she smiled at it. She walked to the edge of the side walk, waiting for Jack to one pick her up. It was their routine, he'd finish up work at the local bookstore, then he'd pick Calypso up.
But he was late today, which wasn't really unlike him, but Calypso sent him a quick message telling him he didn't have to pick her up today, she'd make her way to the twins.
Just as she wanted to step down from the sidewalk, the sleek, black Aston Martin came up in front of her. Without saying a word to the girl, James opened the passenger door while he sat in the drivers, having effortlessly reached over the seat.
She looked at the car, nervousness making her chew on her bottom lip. She bended down, looking inside the car at James. He looked at her, raising his brow, questioning her. She sighed, and approached the car. She slid in, looking extra tiny in the passenger.
"Hi,"
James smiled, but it quickly dropped from his face. Calypso noticed it though, and she grinned at him.
"Hello,"
Calypso's smile only widened, and she chewed on her bottom lip as she stared out of the car window. She cleared her voice softly, "You can drop me off at the market, I have to get a few things from there, so I'll just take a cab when I'm done," James swallowed, "I'll drive you, love," She shook her head, opening her mouth to protest, but the look James gave her silently told her to not argue with him. It was hard and stern, making her spine shiver.
The drive to the market was silent, the two people sat in comfortable silence, listening to the cars wheels against the road. The car wasn't the loudest she had heard, but it made it hard for her to think about anything else. It was red in the car, neat and tidy, not a single thing misplaced. She wondered if James was maybe a little bit of a neat freak by the way he dressed, and the way his car looked. His arm was long, and strong as he gripped the red steering wheel, blue eyes focused hard on the road.
She noticed he was clenching his jaw, and absentmindedly, she clenched on hers. James noticed her staring, but the feelings he felt whenever someone stared at him didn't come up. He was flustered, his mind raced in search for something to say, but everything felt odd to him. So, he looked at her, and she smiled at him. He hummed in response, deep and short. Making Calypso hum back, and she watched as James rolled his tongue against the inside of his cheek, seemingly to stop a smile from coming up.
"What happened to your arm?"
James looked at her momentarily. He didn't want to tell her what really happened, in fear it would make her run from him. So, he lied.
"Dislocated it while wresting,"
It wasn't a full lie, he did wrestle, but this time, it was in a bar with two men who was out for his blood now, taking orders from their embarrassed boss. He received a letter from his lawyer, telling him the men are pressing charges, but James just laughed, and dropped the papers in his bin.
"Ow, does it hurt?"
He couldn't help but chuckle at this, and Calypso felt humiliation seep into her bones. "I've had plenty of worse, darling," She nodded at this, looking at the road again.
They arrived at the market, and Calypso stepped out from the car. She bended down after she closed the door, looking up at James.
"I'll be quick," She smiled, and watched as James looked at her, looked at the market, then back at her. To her surprise, he unbuckled his seat belt and stepped out, his face was set. Stoic and eyebrows pinched together in a frown.
"Come on," He said as he passed her, she was surprised he would willingly come in with her, and when she saw the ghost of a smile on his face when he passed her, she felt the familiar way her chest burned with fondness for the man. She hurriedly walked next to him, thankful he wasn't walking any faster or he'd leave her behind.
He let her walk in first, and she shrugged her cardigan off and folded it around her forearm. The grocery shop they were in was large, crisp white flooring and fluorescent lights. People everywhere around them, chattering and talking and probably gossiping about the pair.
They looked odd, James stuck out like a sore thumb, and when he noticed two boys gawk at Calypso, he gave them a sharp look, and watched as they turned from the pair. Calypso never realised how beautiful she was, but she knew she stuck out too; her wardrobe making elderly women smile widely at her, and her purple hair caught attention whenever she walked into a room.
"Pass me that, will you?"
James pointed at the trolley in the butterflies hands, and she shook her head. James raised a brow at her, and watched as she crumbled. She looked away quickly, her cheeks turning a bright pink. He enjoyed having this effect on the girl, and she loved that he had this effect on her.
Begrudgingly, she stepped away from it. James pushed it with his okay arm, ignoring her face of annoyance at him. He followed behind her, paying a few glances to the way her jeans hugged her ass and thighs. She had caught him mid look a few times, turning around to put something new in her trolley.
He'd just raise a brow at her, and she'd narrow her eyes at him, almost as if to warn him.
"Blueberries or strawberries?"
James frowned at the question, "Blueberries," Calypso grinned, "Wrong, strawberries are better," James hummed, "Raspberries are better than strawberries," Calypso licked her bottom lip, still grinning, "Chocolate or vanilla?"
The large man was entranced by her, a goddess. Her purple hair lengthed down to touch her waist, large ringlets making her hair puff out, covering her whole back. Her cheeks looked pinker in the grocery store lights, and her green eyes glinted at him with momentary euphoria.
Calypso loved grocery shopping, her and her mother always went together, and they'd guess each other;s favourite fruit, ice cream flavour, whatever.
"Vanilla?"
She frowned comically, "Chocolate," James tsked, "Vanilla's better," She gasped, picking up a tub of chocolate ice-cream. "What is wrong with you, Mr. Dudley? Did you fall on your head when you were younger?"
James stared at her, then stepped out from behind the trolley. He stood infront of her, Calypso still held the tub of ice-cream in her hands, ignoring the way it froze her fingertips. She gripped it as the man stepped closer to her, towering over her.
He smirked then, loving the way she looked at his lips, and hers falling open a fraction. Her eyes were wide with curiosity, green eyes sparkling up at him.
He then reached up, took the tub from her tiny hands, and dropped it into the trolley. He leaned forward then, hearing an audible gasp from her. But he leaned forward more, reaching behind her and gripping a tub of vanilla ice-cream. He let it fall from his fingers into the trolley, and Calypso blushed. Beet red.
The man hummed, then spoke, "Where's the milk, Calypso?" She watched him lean onto the railing of the trolley, winking at her as he passed by the girl. Warmth flooded her brain, her ears rung softly, and the tips of her fingers warmed over. She turned on her heel, seeing him look back at her, his eyes trailed over her and she blushed even more, if that was possible.
"You gonna stand there forever?" She laughed softly, willing her legs to take a step towards him. She stood next to him and looked up, seeing him already looking down at her. She felt warmth tread through her body again, and so did James.
So, the two spent an hour walking through the grocery shop, Calypso laughing at the smallest things, and James just looking at her. He found his milk and Calypso found her instant ramen, much to complaints from James that she "can't eat that shit, it'll make you die prematurely,"
Somewhere in the middle of their jokes and laughs, James had put his arm over her shoulders, and Calypso had stumbled over her words, James only watched intently, his lips pulled into a smirk. The warmth that came from James warm Calypso up, his fingers brushed over her exposed arm a couple times and she'd smile at the ground.
"Hello!" The cashier chirped happily at the pair. And when she looked up at James, his oceans blue eyes burned into her. "Hi!" Calypso said back happily, and when James didn't say anything, she looked at him, disapproving of him staying quiet.
He raised a questioning brow, and she nodded at the cashier. James sighed, "Hello," He mumbled as he put their groceries on the counter, waiting for her to ring them through.
The cashier, Amy, smiled softly as she worked quick, ringing up their items. It was when Calypso shrugged her cardigan back on and slipped her hand in her pocket, pulling her baby blue wallet from it that James finally moved closer to her.
As quick as light, his credit card was in his fi gers, swiping it through the small machine. He looked at Calypso as she finally found her card, and her face fell, crashing onto the floor.
"What- James, no!"
"You paid for coffee, this is me repaying you,"
She scoffed, "The coffee was twenty-five dollars, James! This was-" She stepped forward, looking at the little screen behind James, "Three-hundred dollars!"
He just watched her, his face dripping in pure amusement for the girl. "You can't just pay for my groceries, James!" She whisper-yelled at him, and he raised his brows at her, "I can pay for whatever I want, Calypso. Now, give me the bag, honey,"
Calypso didn't even register the pet name, she was fuming. She hated being bought things, being gifted them too. She despised it, it made her feel truly horrible.
"I can pay for my own things,"
James nodded curtly, "I'm sure you can, but I wanted to. Hand me the fucking bag, baby,"
"Oh, my god. James, you're not listening," She said as she handed the bag to him, along with another. He stepped behind her, walking to the door of the shop. "You can't pay for everything, James,"
He rolled his eyes, "I can buy this entire fucking shop and it wouldn't make me sleep any less at night. Now-" She groaned softly, "Sure, but you can't- wait, did you call me baby?"
He chuckled. It was deep, like thunder. She blushed at him as he followed her out of the store, "Yeah, baby," It didn't make Calypso any less mad at him, and she rolled her eyes. "You're so full of it, James," He smirked at her, "Oh, am I now?" She nodded quickly, momentarily looking up at the sky and smiling at the moon, something she always did when she was younger.
She had a fear of the dark while she was growing up, still had it now. But her mother told her she wasn't alone, because the moon was always with her, smiling down at her. So, she greeted the moon everytime it was dark out, thanking him for being with her all the time.
"Get my keys, honey."
She frowned at James, and he nodded down to his coat's pocket. She tsked, moved her bag from one hand to the other and dug in his pocket for it. She glared up at him, and he merely just looked down at her. Noticing how she bit her lip in concentration, and smiled when the keys rattled. She pressed the button on the key, and the car made a sound. She looked up at James and he let a small smile tug at his lips.
"Need me to open your door?"
"How do you think that would look, Calypso?"
She smirked, "Like I'm the boss," James chuckled warmly at her, and shook his head. He gave her the bags in his hand, cursing his other arm for making him momentarily disabled. He opened her door for her, and she slid in. She threw the bags down at her feet and exhaled deeply.
James walked to the other side, and opened his own door. He slid in and Calypso narrowed her eyes at him.
"I will never forgive you for paying for my things," James rolled his eyes. She was unaware of the fact that James was planning on spoiling her rotten, making her body beam with silver and gold, diamonds. Having her wear the most expensive of clothes, just because he could.
It amused him that she was so upset about groceries that didn't even last long enough, having it filled up again in the seconds she argued with him.
"Where do you live, Calypso?"
She hummed, then spoke, "Why would I tell you? You could like, come and murder me in my sleep or something," He tsked at her, "Do I look like the type to murder you?" She nodded, "Kinda, yeah,"
"You look like the type to call me pretty while you skinned me,"
"What is wrong with you?" James laughed, completely unaware of how beautiful he looked while he did. White teeth flashed at her, and skin crinkling at the corners of his eyes. This was the first time James had laughed in a while, and he had to admit it felt good.
"I watch a lot of murder documentaries,"
"Yeah? Shit like NCIS?"
Calypso laughed, loudly, mockingly. She shook her head, hair falling over her shoulders in waves. Now was the time that James definitely knew she wasn't real, maybe a figment of his imagination. He wanted to her the sound every day of his life, for however long he lived. She looked at him, wiping a fake tear from under her eye.
"No, James. Stuff like the Ted Bundy tapes,"
He smiled and nodded, and drove onto the street. Calypso looked out of the window, watching the buildings and city lights fly by in a flash as James drove. She had told him where she lived, much to her protesting. He took the bags from her hands, and she rolled her eyes at him. He was injured, but adament of her not carrying anything. She pushed open the door to her apartment building, and walked up the stairs. James stopped halfway up, looking at Calypso. She grinned down at him, "Tired already?"
"Jesus Christ," He muttered under his breath. James was used to elevators, so three sets of stairs almost took him out.
When they reached her apartment, James leaned against the doorway, waiting for her to unlock it. She smiled at him, "You look like you're dying," He smirked at the girl, and she smiled back at him.
"I have dogs, and they doesn't like strangers. Especially men, so-"
"Just open the door, Calypso. I'm fucking dying,"
She laughed as she pushed open the door. A black and brown, large doberman was laying on her black couch. And as the door opened, his head snapped to Calypso.
"Hi baby!" She dropped the bags on the floor, completely forgetting about the eggs in one. Another dog came from the other room. A grey, massive pitbull walked out. And all eyes were set on James. Both the dogs stared up at him, and he merely stared down at them. Calypso frowned, being used to the dogs going mad whenever she brought someone they didn't know home.
The dogs didn't make a sound, still like two statues. If was when James said hello to them, that both dogs sat on Calypso's hardwood floor.
"Holy shit,"
James looked at Calypso, smirking. She looked between the dogs and James, "How did you do that?" James shrugged, "Do what?" She motioned to her dogs, "Dominate my dogs?" James laughed again, looking down at the two animals. They were still staring up at him, the dobermans tongue hanging from its mouth.
"I dominate a lot of things, baby,"
Calypso frowned up at him, and he basked in her confusion. He passed the bags to her and she sat them in the counter and turned on the lights to her apartment.
It was just like James had imagined. It was her, thoroughly. The wall of the living room was baby blue, and two couches sat in the middle of the room. One black, one white. In the middle was a black coffee table, littered with records, magazines and books. The kitchen walls were a pastel yellow, white counters and a white island in the middle of it. There was a large vase of flowers on the middle of the island.
James shrugged off his coat, and Calypso saw him lay it out on her couch. Her dogs immediately went for it, sniffing around it. James just watched them, and pulled his cigarette pack from one of the pockets.
Large windows on the other side of the living room was covered in white curtains, and he spotted a large fishtank in the corner. The apartment was filled with plants, green and blooming. He walked up behind her and leaned against the doorframe to the kitchen.
"Can I smoke?"
She turned around, and nodded. She walked to the cupboard under her sink and pulled a small ashtray from under it.
"You smoke?"
Calypso shook her head. "I did, when I was younger," James nodded as he lit his cigarette. He helped her unpack the bags, asking her where what went and packing them away. Calypso had put on music, an old record of ABBA. She sang along softly, and James tuned out ABBA and listened to the girl.
"James?
He hummed in response, "Do you wanna stay for dinner?" The question had been burning at the back of Calypso's head ever since he walled into her home. She watched him smile, then nod. She smiled at him, and the two people stood in her yellow kitchen, smiling at the other. Burning for the other, but they never spoke a word, up until James asked the question that was burning in his mind since he had met the girl.