The Shadow's Grip • bxb [COMPLETED]

-28-

Dimitri's P.O.V.

Felix's birthday is coming soon, and I still haven't came up with a good enough idea for a gift.

I'm not the best at seletcing gifts and Violet said that I should choose whatever I think he'd like most. The only problem is, I have no idea what he'd like most.

So I'm sitting on the couch, slipping through the channels on the TV, almost throwing the remote at the wall a few times. Of course, out of frustration because it works like a piece of shit and because my brain just isn't helping.

If it's bugging me that much, I'll just buy one year worth of energy drinks. A gift that would be useful giving the current situation and easy to get, with a walk down the street at that store.

But then it hits me. I remember that Felix said he doesn't like sweets that much, when Violet suggested a cake.

However, he said he loves lemons. It's almost as if a switch goes on in my mind and I jump up from the couch almost electorcuted.

That's it. I'll cook something for him. Something that he'll enjoy. So delicious that he'll ask for more and I'll do it in a heartbeat because it's his birthday and he deserves everything in this world.

Maybe I'm a bit too confident, but if theres one thing I know I'm good at, it's cooking.

It helps me relax, and the excitement I get from trying out new recipes always makes me feel amazing.

I search some recipes online and choose those that seem most fitting. However, they're all new. I should at least try and cook one today, see how it turns out.

I take out all the ingredients I need from the fridge and get started. While mixing everything together in a bowl I fall deep in thought, my mind going in the most random directions.

I took a week off from work using the lame excuse that I'm sick. Maybe I'm the worse at trying to act like I have a sore throat or a runny nose, but Eddie, my boss, wasn't having it.

However, he knows how much of a mess I am right now so he didn't ask any further questions. Luckily, somebody managed to cover my shifts but I still feel bad.

Tonight I'll go back to work, like the good employee that I am. Even though the gas station is where all my problems started, I'm sure everything will be fine.

I hear my phone ringing from the couch and I almost trip down on my way towards it, before I answer it. It's Felix. Did something happen? Is he alright?

"Yeah?" I answer and only hear silence from the other line.

It's just making me more anxious.

"Dimitri? Sorry... Did I disturb you? I just wanted to ask how you're doing"

It's like a rock has been lifted off my shoulders and I exhale in relief.

"No it's fine. I've just woke up and decided to cook something for myself"

"Just woke up? It's afternoon" Felix laughs and a smile appears on my face.

"Yeah. Tonight I'm working. I can't stay at home pretending to be sick forever"

"At the gas station? Wow... I wouldn't be able to do it"

"Yeah well you can say that I'm extremely brave and adventurous"

"Hmmm brave? I like that in a man"

My mouth is open wide in shock. Where did this boldness come from? I can't help but turn into a tomato, blushing out of embarrassment. I can't even tell what Felix is thinking right now because he's quiet.

"You still there?" I ask quietly.

"Holy shit! I'm sorry! That was so cringy! Oh god..." He stumbles over his words and I can tell he's embarrassed too.

"Cringy? I like that in a man" I laugh and he groans.

"Are you going to make fun of me because of that?"

"Hmmm maybe" I'm smilling like an idiot and I can't even tell why.

"Great. Embarrassing myself is like my hobby"

"It's okay. What are you doing right now?"

"Sam came over. She's doing my makeup. I look pretty badass in eyeliner and glitter eyeshadow"

"You in makeup? I'd pay to see that"

He doesn't say anything back and just abruptly ends the call. It confuses me but I just shrug it off since he said it himself that Sam is over at his house. Plus, the last few days he's been with me all the time.

Right, he also needs to spend time with his other friends, not with just me. I'm not the only person that he cares about. Wait, he cares about me right?

Why am I overthinking everything now like we weren't together 24/7 last week? What more do I need? To keep him next to me all night and day?

I hear my phone buzz and take a look at it. Felix sent me a photo of him and Sam, makeup scattered all over his bed. They're both smiling at the camera and I have to take a moment and process everything.

Holy shit, he's ethereal. Ever since I met him I noticed that he's beautiful, but now I'm in shock at how somebody can look this good in a photo.

It's like he came out of a painting, with perfect features. Beautiful dark brown eyes with a perfect nose and perfect lips and a perfect fucking face.

And I'm blushing like a stupid teenager looking at his photo, being mesmerized and a bit jealous at the same time.

I would have expected somebody as attractive as him to be a lot more popular. Especially in high school.

Maybe it's because he was too busy trying to stay alive? Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I'm an idiot.

I look at the bowl in front of me and then at the photo of Felix again, a familiar feeling rising in me.

This feeling of deja vu, almost as if I've been here in this exact same situation before, takes over me.

Maybe it was with Harper? I can't remember, and I don't even care.

Because I'm smiling like an idiot, not even being able to tell myself why.