A Castle Of Crystal

28. Catcall

The sun had long set outside but we stayed cozied up at Kane's, the sounds of Scylla gurgling angrily at the TV echoing while she slapped Jude's arm for beating her in a round. They were both on the floor while Asher sat not far off from them to watch and I'd snuggled into the corner of the couch with a blanket while I used Kane's lap as a leg rest. He didn't seem to mind as he and Jules spoke about one thing or another having to do with work and I was too busy with my nose in my new phone to necessarily pay attention.

I was still in utter shock that he'd actually gone out of his way to get this— and yes I was absolutely pissed at him for doing so— but at the same time I'd always wondered what it would be like to have my own. He'd gotten me brand new earbuds as well and the sound quality was so much better compared to the ones I had. My favorite song echoing in my ears after I'd gone straight to the music app and put in the gift cards he'd stashed at the bottom of the box; my cheeks burned at the thought of the cost of all this but I knew he'd never let me even attempt to return it, and I couldn't say I wasn't thrilled. All the pictures from last night were saved to my gallery and I went about changing my background to a photo of the five of us that made my heart squeeze with joy.

Jules made me create one of those social media accounts she always lurked on and I laughed as I scrolled through our photos, finding the one of her and I from Kane's birthday and shaking my head even I saw myself. I can never smile right for photos, I thought with a warm tone and went back to my gallery. By far my favorite photo from the night had been the one of Kane and I, a mercilessly cheeky smile on his face while I did my best not to look like a fool. Instead I looked just about as Terran as I could and it made me indescribably happy to not have to hide away those pieces of myself anymore.

"I tell you, I'm not ready to go back to work Monday," Jules groaned and caught my attention between songs, "this is by far the most exciting Christmas I've ever had."

"God you're telling me? Anderson can bite my ass," Kane snorted, his hand absentmindedly squeezing my knee while he spoke and sending butterflies through my whole system, "at least it's another short week then New Years. Got any plans?"

"Well now that I've got the big guy to keep me company while you two are on your date I was thinking of dragging him to O'mara's for the usual Ball Drop party," she explained and Asher turned his head to peer at her.

"Ball Drop?"

"It's an event they do every New Years Eve, there's another holiday next Thursday."

Kane let a smile cross his face and I knew just by the look in his eyes he wasn't really thinking about the holiday.

"AKA I'm taking you to get Terran-wasted," Jules grinned devilishly and he didn't at all look like he was complaining. Say there's alcohol and that's all he needs to go. There was a tug on my blanket and Scylla waited patiently for me to notice her, raising my arms and letting her curl up between the cushions and my side.

"Natales, I'm tired..."

"I know," I sighed quietly, acknowledging my own ache in my bones; I was still recovering from the fight and I'd chosen leggings today over jeans to hopefully ease my sore, injured leg.

It wasn't long before Scylla fell asleep, her chest gently rising and falling while she slipped the tip of her thumb between her lips. A lot of the time I forgot that she wasn't just connected to my soul, but that she had her own as well, lingering memories of a long-dead girl that really wasn't gone. My eyes flicked up and I watched as Kane reached out to run his hand over her head, tucking messy white hair from her face behind her long, fin-like ears.

"You're good with children, aren't you?" I asked softly and he chuckled to himself as he pulled his hand away.

"I uh, I feel like I lost a lot of my childhood so sometimes I click a little easier with kids," he admitted, the slightest hint of red filling his cheeks, "we had to do community service in order to graduate and I chose to volunteer as a camp counselor during the summers. I only needed a certain amount of hours but I did it every year until I graduated."