The smell of him lingers as his face fades into the crowd. This time I give chase, this time I won't let him leave me. My pulse hammers as I search, all these faceless heads block my view and I can't find him.
This time I don't let him leave, but he's gone nonetheless.
"Rome..... don't leave me" I plead reaching out, grasping at nothing.
"Shhh" he whispers back and I smile.
In my never ending darkness I can't see him, but I know he's with me, I feel his energy and his stubble.
"Roman" I breathe more at peace than I have been since he left me.
"Open" he tells me with emotion thickening his voice.
The command breaks the fog crippling my mind, the now familiar order reminds me where I am.
My eyes snap open to see my fingers on his face, holding him as gently and intimately as I would a loved one.
Once again the room is dark, too dark to see him clearly but I know my touch has pissed him off.
I snatch back my hand causing the chains to rattle and bite at my wrists.
"Open" he repeats so I do.
I swallow the pill that hasn't killed me yet, I take the mouthful of yoghurt and tinned peaches he offers.
"How are you feeling today?" He asks quietly.
"Hmmm....." I pretend to check myself over. "Yep, definitely still kidnapped" I mumble without energy for anything more.
"Sense of humour is returning" I think he smiles.
He feeds me another mouthful.
While I chew and swallow his hand reaches out and takes the cross at my neck in his thick fingers.
I panic.
"No! Don't take it, please!"'I beg with more passion than I intended, I didn't want to reveal how important it is to me.
"Religious?" He turns it over in the low light coming from the television.
"Not really" I snort.
"Then why do you wear it?" He asks curiously
"To remind me of someone" I answer as honestly as I can.
"A lover?" He checks.
"Probably a great one" I smile and close my eyes.
"Probably?"
"I wouldn't know" I let my head lull to the side so he can't see my face.
"He's special to you?" He grumbles like the thought displeases him.
"He's my soulmate" I shrug like it's no big deal.
"How do you know that?" He places one finger under my chin and turns my face back to look at him.
"You wouldn't understand" I try and pull away but he holds me still.
"So tell me anyway" he growls.
"He's everything, every emotion. He's more" I mumble.
"Explain" he orders slightly more politely. "You have a boyfriend, wasn't he the love of your life?"
"Myles...? Myles is mundane, the feelings I have.... the love? It's a mortal love with an ending. Rome.....? Rome was extra. Intense...... immortal. I think he rose from hell to show me everything I ever needed only to leave me. One simple touch and I was his, eternally I think" I start to cry with the thought.
"Hm" he snorts like he's thinking.
"He promised me he'd come back for it" I scoff knowing I sound gullible. "I wish he would. He promised a superhero whenever I needed him, I thought Rome would be the type to bust down doors, you know?"
"You think he'd save you from me?" He grumbles.
"Don't worry, I waited with my suitcase under my bed ready to pack at moments notice until Saint Patrick's day. He's not coming"
"You did?" He rubs a hand over his face like the thought pisses him off. "Why didn't you just go to him?"
"We had a moment, it was real I know it was. I've replayed it in my head over and over. Maybe everytime I did it got bigger than it was? Maybe he left the Christmas party with someone else and forgot me altogether? I told Myles I found this chain on the floor, maybe I did? I was drunk, maybe I just dreamt whe whole thing, Roman Knight was more of a man than I know exists in real life"
