𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐦 | 𝐜.𝐝 𝐟𝐟

𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚.

It was silent for a while. Even the birds stopped chirping and the river stopped flowing. If it were possible, it felt like my heart had stopped beating, too.

"What," he began but hesitated. I knew he was unsure of how to phrase his question.

"What do I mean? I wish I could show you. Words cannot describe what we used to be."

I could still see the confusion swirling behind those butterscotch eyes.

"Please. Try to. For me?" He finally pleaded.

I was stunned. How could I belittle such experiences into words. Useless alphabets and words.

"I've loved you then. And I love you now. Human or vampire." I admitted after thinking for a long while.

"I'm not used to feeling so human. Is it always like this?"

"For me?" I paused. "Yes, always. Always with you, no one else."

He held my hands between his. They felt so feeble in his iron strength.

"I don't remember how to be close to you," he admitted. "I don't know if I can anymore."

I leaned forward very slowly, cautioning him with my eyes. I placed my cheek against his stone chest. I could hear his breath, and nothing else.

"This is enough," I sighed, closing my eyes.

In a very human gesture, he put his arms around me and pressed his face against my hair.

"You're better at this than you give yourself credit for," I noted.

"I have human instincts — they may be buried deep, but they're there."

We sat like that for another immeasurable moment; I wondered if he could be as unwilling to move as I was. But I could see the light was fading, the shadows of the forest beginning to touch us, and I sighed.

"You have to go."

"I thought you couldn't read my mind."

"It's getting clearer." I could hear a smile in his voice.

He took my shoulders and I looked into his face.

"Can I show you something?" he asked, sudden excitement flaring in his eyes.

"Show me what?"

"I'll show you how I travel in the forest." He saw my expression. "Don't worry, you'll be very safe, and we'll get to your truck much faster." His mouth twitched up into that crooked smile so beautiful my heart nearly stopped.

"Will you turn into a bat?" I asked warily. I know he already debunked the myths but I couldn't be so sure.

He laughed, louder than I'd ever heard. "Like I haven't heard that one before!"

"Right, I'm sure you get that all the time."

"Come on, little coward, climb on my back."

I waited to see if he was kidding, but, apparently, he meant it. He smiled as he read my hesitation, and reached for me. My heart reacted; even though he couldn't hear my thoughts, my pulse always gave me away. He then proceeded to sling me onto his back, with very little effort on my part, besides, when in place, clamping my legs and arms so tightly around him that it would choke a normal person. It was like clinging to a stone.

"I'm a bit heavier than your average backpack," I warned.

"Hah!" he snorted. I could almost hear his eyes rolling. I'd never seen him in such high spirits before.