Sign of Life / MIW Adoption

.twenty-eight.

I could see a mix of concern and sadness flash in Toby's eyes for a brief second. Toby raised one eyebrow, "Why don't you tell me what it's like?"

"I've never had a best friend." I said quietly, feeling embarrassment as I said it out loud and relaxed my mouth and nose again. I felt Chris stiffen before his hand squeezed mine comfortingly.

"That's impossible." Toby said quickly, sounding like he didn't believe me. Chris cleared his throat, which caused Toby to glance up at Chris then back down to me, "Andy and I are two of your best friends. Andy said he was your first friend, so he thinks you like him the best."

"But brothers?"

Toby chuckled and an amused smile spread across his face, "Yeah. You can be best friends with your siblings if you want to."

"And you can be besties with your dad, too." Chris said, followed by a long yawn.

I felt butterflies erupt in my chest as my heart skipped a beat. It was insane to me to think about how all of these vampires actually cared about me. If the rest of the guys care enough to be my dads, then they want to be my best friends, too, right? That would mean I have a lot of best friends now. Toby is the only one who is similar in age to me. I don't even know how old we are but Chris said we're both teenagers. I also remember hearing fifteen.

"What do best friends do together?" I asked as I looked up at Chris. Chris was leaning his head on the top of the couch in my direction with his eyes closed, so I looked back at Toby.

Toby looked to the ceiling as he thought for a moment, "Uhh, everything, really. Hang out, talk, do things together like play video games or watch movies. What we're doing is what best friends do."

Best friends snuggle and watch movies together? That's even better than what I thought. Chris' hand tightened around mine, "I started a band with my best friends."

"Yeah, see what I mean by everything?" Toby said.

A loud vibration sound cut through the short silence, startling me enough to make a little frightened squeal leave my throat as it felt like I jolted from my body. Chris pulled me closer to him, tightening his arm around me. I leaned back into Chris, letting my back melt against his chest. Toby let out a dramatic sigh as he lifted up his phone, "Fifteen minutes down to the second."

I could feel irritation at myself for getting scared every time Toby's phone rings. I need to be normal so I won't be made fun of for being scared. I moved my eyes down to Chris' hands. I stared at the orange pumpkin with a face on the back of Chris' hand. I loved the pumpkin face and started to trace the outline on the back of Chris' hand with my right pointer finger. I had let Bash slide down so he was hanging in the crook of my elbow.

"You're okay, little kitten." Chris said to me softly as his thumb caressed the back of left my hand.

Toby held his phone out in front of him, "I'm trying to get sorted."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't forget to tell me when you're close so we can arrive at the estate around the same time. My cousin is making this trip unbearable with his pompous ass."

Chris stiffened and held onto me tighter. I could hear a low growl coming from Chris' throat and I made a whine. I don't want to meet Kaden anytime soon, so I don't care about Chris trying to keep me to himself, but the growling he does gives me chills and goosebumps. Chris stopped his growl and leaned his head back down against mine, "Do you want to start another movie, little kitten? We can watch The Nightmare Before Christmas."