The Book of Gemma -Apocalyptic Fantasy Romance-

CHAPTER 34: DEECON'S FIRST CHILL:

I watch Gem help the poor man off the ground who begged for her power to help his partner. Her sweet smile already soothed him for better days, her lip curling up as she is given another task to be worthy of her powers. She looks back to me, her smile even soothes my nerves. "Deecon, I will meet you at the house shortly.. I promise."
I want to roll my eyes at her as she orders me away again but this was not my story, it was hers. She knows I will always protest leaving her side but she knows I wouldn't dare argue with the Leader in front of a civilian, bad for business.

I nod to her, "Of course, I will see you later Ms. Knox."

Her eyebrow raises at the sudden change in my acceptance to her authority. She still wasn't used to the new Deecon, it'll change soon though, I've gotten those lips to say 'I love you' and that was good enough. A dream like her loving the hellion she once begged to end her suffering?
... I was okay with her slow steps back into my arms.

I walk through the front door to Edna and Albi watching TV, Edna has been.. Stoned-...medicated heavily.. to help her cope with the fact her best friend has been a God and her teacher since she was a child. Sometimes I wonder how no one has caught onto the ridiculous disguises Gem has been through the decades. She was her mother's sister, long lost cousin and even a baby out of wedlock to hide how old she was. Took a few months to get pictures dating back that far but I was a determined little shit to destroy her back then. The amount of times a Knox had come down with this genetic 'rare disease' that would lock them away until an untimely death, just to hide the fact they didn't look two steps from death when their friends started to look like dried up raisins baffled me.

Albi sitting upright in a tight perfect posture made me laugh under my breath, the man never relaxes. At least he doesn't pucker anymore when I walk into a room, he was always on high alert when I was that monster. He has become almost a friend, he actually asks about my day here and there, which again.. Makes me laugh.
I always reply, 'Albi, all of us are glued at the hip now.. You are having the same day as me.'

Edna goes to put the joint out seeing my arrival through the door.
"Woah, woah, woah." I throw my hand out, waiting for her to pass the joint to me.
She rolls her eyes and hands it over.

Edna was the one who would never trust me again, she barely tolerates me breathing around her. I don't blame her, she watched her best friend crumble before her everyday because of me. I bet she fucking cheered when Franco came into the picture. I can even imagine her face scrunching up as she cackles at the thought of my grip loosening on Gem. Probably sipping off her giant iced coffee, ready to defile my name if Gem gave her the go ahead.

Sometimes I missed our friendship before Gem scrambled my mind. We would go on double dates with her flavor of the week and even surprised Gem for her birthday, we decorated the whole pool room like an underwater experience. Gem always told me she wanted to visit this planet almost entirely covered in deep water, she called them oceans. I always thought she was talking about seeing it one day but knowing fully about her.. I realized she missed the ocean. The one Darus used to have, the one Fierita used to have. Now just small creaks and rough rivers is all she sees on Sky.
There are a lot of things I missed about us in the beginning, mostly the innocence.

I drag off the joint and jokingly try to pass it to Albi, I go to hand it back to Edna but feel Albi's fingers hook around the crutch. He brings it to his lips and takes a bigger drag off it than me.
Edna and I both turn to him with gasped expressions.
He shakes his head while taking another puff,

"All my life I have been raised and trained to keep Gem's secret just that.. A bloody secret. For once in my life, I have the night off."

We couldn't argue with that, the man has spent literally every second on the clock.
I smirk at him and nod.
"While Gem is out saving our universe, I believe her friends deserve a little breather right? So... I am going to get some shots poured and then I'm taking a dip in the pool... you guys down?" I throw my arms up and point to each of them on the couch.
Edna shrugs, "I mean... yeah that sounds a little fun."
I clap my hands together, "Finally, Edna agrees with me.. Albi?" I point my finger a couple inches from his face to annoy him. He slaps it away, "Nothing sweet." He orders.
I clap my hands together again, "That's what I'm talking about!"