The Shadow's Grip • bxb [COMPLETED]

-18-

Felix's P.O.V.

Being judged when you're just trying to be yourself is one of the worse things that can happen.

It fucking sucks that we still live in a world where people are more interested in who you love rather than what type of person you actually are.

Why should it matter so much? If it doesn't bother someone else then why are they so interested in what I do?

Why can't we just live like everyone else and be accepted? After all, we're just loving others and trying to survive, like them.

We're not so different.

"It's getting cold outside. Also late. How about we go?" Dimitri suddenly says.

I check my phone and see that it's 2 a.m. So we've talked for a full hour. About what? Honestly, I don't even remember. It started with that... About me being gay and... Well, his failed love that I don't know much about.

"Look... I'm going to be honest... If I go home now... I'll be alone. I don't want to be alone"

I'm telling the truth because I don't think there's any point in hiding. We're both enjoying each other's company, and being alone is the last thing we want. So why not hang out more?

From what has happened lately, I can tell that this is the start of an amazing friendship. With Dimitri I feel comfortable enough to open up even about the things that are hardest to talk about.

It's weird because I've never had many friends that stuck around except for Sam. I never really met someone that I could connect with, that would understand me and wouldn't judge me, that would take me for who I am.

I just thought that maybe that's how life is. You have such a strong bond with only one friend and the rest are there to keep you company. But it doesn't have to be that way.

True, I haven't known Dimitri for long, but I've already grown fond of him.

"I don't want to be alone either" he looks at me.

We both sit in silence, maintaining eye contact. I want to look away, but it feels like I'm stuck, hypnotized by his hazel eyes. So I'm waiting for him to make the first move and look somewhere else. But he doesn't.

Suddenly, I feel something brushing against my legs, making me jump in fear. I break the eye contact and look down. My eyes immediately soften at the sight and a smile appears on my lips.

It's a cat. With black fur and orange eyes. I pet it and then pick it up to put it on my lap. Its tail is wiggling around, as it's getting closer to my face. The cat then brushes it's nose against my cheek and I can feel myself melting at the cuteness.

Dimitri suddenly grabs my hand and looks me dead in the eyes with a threatening gaze.

"What if it's The Shadow?"

My eyes widen at the realization and I look at the cat like it has done the biggest crime in the world and got away with it.

I haven't thought of that. What if The Shadow can use other things to lure us in when we're also awake? We don't have to be asleep to feel it's presence so maybe this is an ambush.

But then again... Does that mean we have to be afraid of everything around us because maybe it's The Shadow's plan? It feels stupid, and there hasn't been any sign that the cat wants to hurt us.

"I think it's just a cat" I shrug and then sneeze loudly.

My eyes are starting to get itchy, and I'm trying to blink away the tears. My nose is runny and I have to try my best and not sneeze again, all over Dimitri.

It's a price I'm willing to pay because I'm still holding the cat in my lap. Even though I'm allergic to cats, I absolutely love them and would do anything to cuddle for a little longer even if it means my whole face will hurt like hell after.

"Are you alright?" Dimitri asks me while looking at my face, that probably looks constipated.

"Yeah... I'm... I'm just a bit.... Allergic"

"Allergic? To what?"

I point at the cat and he looks surprised, but then serious, like he's about to scold me. He grabs the cat from my lap, and I almost want to stop him or cry out loud that I'm not done playing with it.

"Let me" I want to pet the cat again, but he slaps my hand away and glares at me.

"Are you crazy? You're harming yourself this way"

"But..." I can't finish my sentence because I sneeze again and have to hold my nose with my hand so snot doesn't fly everywhere.

"Wait... Do you have any napkins in your backpack?"

I nod and Dimitri starts looking around, finding them rather quickly and handing one to me. After thanking him, I blow my nose and sigh in relief, but also cursing at myself because I can't even stay near a cat without feeling like shit.

"I've always wanted a cat... I love them... But Hana said we can't get one since... Well since this always happens" I lift my legs on the bench and hug them, burying my face in my knees.

There's silence, and the cat purring next to Dimitri while he pets it and doesn't even look at me for a moment.

"Want to come over?" he says after some time and I'm surprised.

"Now?"

"Yeah. Violet isn't home and we both don't want to be alone right now. So why not hang out?"

I think about it for a few seconds but then nod. I trust him. And he's already been at mine's, it might be interesting to see where he lives.

I take the empty bag of Takis and throw it into a nearby trash can, along with the empty bubble tea cups.

"Let's go" I stretch my arms in the air and Dimitri stands up too.

He puts the cat down and we start walking along the sidewalk, its orange eyes still following us carefully, analyzing our every move