// comments and CWs: Mention of minor character death, short fight scene
Happy Late Valentine's Day!!
So, if you guys hate miscommunication OR self-sabotaging behaviors... oh boy. This is not the story for you. Ira and Elijah are the slowest of burns. And, they need to break the cycle they've gotten themselves into before they can finally love
Ira stilled. That sounded like a confession. A moldering sensation blossomed in her stomach. Suddenly, she felt sick. She felt her eye go wide with shock. She scanned his face for any sign of sarcasm, but she only found mild amusement hidden underneath. He looked genuinely sincere, and it almost gutted her. Unfortunately, the hope of rekindled friendship withered and died as doubt took root in Ira's mind again.
Her face crumpled, slightly. Did she like him, or did she like the idea of them being friends again? She furrowed her brow in consideration. More than anything, Ira wanted her close friend back. Except, the man in front of her wasn't the same friend she met all those years ago. They both changed, and yet they fell back into old habits so easily. Now, Ira's mind was filled with uncertainty. Did he want the same thing as she did?
"It's rude to stare you know." Elijah called out, raising an eyebrow.
"Sorry, let me just--" Ira covered her only eye with her hand, "better?"
"Worse." He clicked his tongue, disapprovingly. "Did you see something you liked?"
"You're insufferable." Ira rolled her eye underneath the palm of her hand.
"Is that so? I guess I'll stick to being insufferable for a bit."
"A bit? I think your sense of time is wrong."
"Is that so?" Elijah mocked. "Do correct me then, detective."
"You're insufferable all the time."
Elijah looked at himself in the mirror, guiding his hands to his chest, and then his waist. He smoothed out the purple button up, which was quite a tight fit. He found it appealing, though. It made him look lean. He never felt more like himself than he did now. Mentally, he thanked Ira.
"I'm ready for our date." Elijah announced.
"It's not a date." Ira's hand fell to her side.
"We're two people, dressed nicely, I might add, who are going to share a meal together, are we not?"
"So... by your definition, having dinner with your brother would be considered a date?" Ira smugly cocked an eyebrow.
"Gross! First of all, I haven't seen that bastard in years. Second of all, how dare you use my words against me?" Elijah gave Ira a withering look.
"How dare I, indeed." Ira rolled her eye. "We can just call it dinner between colleagues, since we have a lot of catching up to do."
Ira's body felt heavy with anticipation, as Elijah looked toward her, questioningly.
"Have you gone on any dates since the last time I saw you?" Elijah asked, guiding Ira out of the locker room.
Ira's eyes widened.
"Why are you interested in knowing?"
Elijah didn't respond right away and instead looked ahead, searching for the breakroom.
"Well, I always imagined you'd be popular once we got out of the academy. Most people like scars. Scars carry stories, they can be sexy." Elijah said, not quite making eye contact.
"You think I'm sexy?" She blurted.
"I didn't say that!" Elijah squeaked before folding his arms over his chest.
YOU ARE READING
The Case of Monachopsis
FantasyMonachopsis n. The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place ~~ The stakes are high for Ira Lagear. Having lost more than just her eye in a tragic event from her past, she must learn to adapt to the cruel world. She's not alone, though. El...
