It Never Had To Get So Dark - Father Paul Hill x Reader

Thirteen

Kura ran from side to side, sniffing at everything he crossed and tugging at the lead every now and then, each time earning a laugh from me as the larger man on the other end would lurch forward before gaining control once again.

I also noticed that when this happened, Father Paul would give me a sidewards glance and an uncertain, perhaps even sheepish, smile and a huffed laugh.

I'd never seen anyone look so awkward walking a dog before, but I could understand the uncertainty of the customs someone else had towards their dog and how you, as the new walker, should act. Especially with them walking right beside you, hands in their pockets and giving no reaction beyond a returned smile or a chuckle.

My hands were in my pockets in an attempt to keep them warm, the nights still proving to be chilly despite the days becoming warmer the further we got into the month.

While Kura seemed unphased about the events of our last walk together, I found myself looking over my shoulder repeatedly and trying to ignore an impending feeling of being watched.

If Father Paul noticed then he didn't make comment, though I would catch him watching me from the corner of his eye as I turned back from looking behind us.

"I know it's easier said than done," he started after the fourth time, "but you don't need to fret, we are safe from the angel."

I glanced up at him then huffed through my nose, pulling a face with something that wasn't quite a full playful eyeroll.

"No kidding, if you're its master, Father."

"I wouldn't be so prideful as to say that."

"Guess it wouldn't exactly be Godly to, hm? Sin of pride and all that."

He merely nodded, his gaze trailing after Kura as he veered off to sniff at some discarded wood that was rotting at the edge of the path, the darkness of the night almost turning his already dark coloured eyes completely black and bringing to mind the demons of various media, the ones who would lose all detail to their eyes as they were taken over by a black void.

That image mixing with the priest collar sent my mind reeling into places it shouldn't have gone, but one that I would project onto someone else and delightfully indulge in during some private time.

Shaking my head clear of those thoughts, I chose to focus on Kura's ventures of the outside world, a comfortable silence sitting between us for a couple of minutes, only interrupted by our footsteps scuffing the loose stones of the road.

From there my brain defaulted back to the fateful night that led to this moment and I found myself looking over my shoulder again, fingers tensing around the fabric on the inside of my pockets.

"How are you feeling?"

I flinched, shoulders hunching up instinctively as his voice broke my train of thought before it could get too deep.

"Honestly?" I said with a few nods, "Pretty good, I felt weird when I first woke up but now I'm feeling better than I have in a long time."

He smiled and nodded along with me, his slower and more methodical than I would have thought a mere nod could be.

"Good, I'm really happy to hear that."

I looked away with a soft, half-hearted laugh.

"Me too, honestly with how I felt when I first woke up I thought I was on the brink of death again but it faded quickly, thankfully."

"I was worried about that, you were touch and go for a long time until your wounds healed."

"Did anyone else find out? Sarah? Hassan? I can imagine he might be worried about me."