𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟. 𝐈𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧.
Humans reveled in the idea of immortality, but those who possessed it wer...
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Manosque, France
"What are you working on?" Elijah had taken a break for lunch to join Astra at her table in the back where she had become a near-permanent fixture.
"Just a quick brief," she replied but did not drag her eyes away from the screen. "It just needs a few more hours and I should be good to go."
"You still need to make time to eat," Elijah began to shut her laptop while Astra attempted to get some final thoughts on the document.
"I'm not hungry," she narrowed her eyes at the plate of food he was already holding out for her. "I don't need a mother. I do have one. Or like thirty."
"Yes, and each one of them has done a terrible job making sure you stay fed." He swiftly removed her laptop from the table and replaced it with the plate of food. Astra hadn't realized how hungry she was until she smelled the steak and frites Elijah had set down. She ignored the smug smile he made as her stomach growled, instead, she dug into the food.
Elijah ate his food quietly, content to watch as the bar patrons talked and jested with one another. But Astra set her fork down quietly waiting for him to look back at her. Something in the way he was carrying himself was off.
"When are you leaving?" He finally met her eyes. His words didn't surprise her truly. He had always had a way of knowing her next steps.
"Not anytime soon," she replied noncommittally, but he raised an eyebrow at her telling her he wasn't convinced. "I haven't made any plans."
"But you're ready to leave." It wasn't a question, more of an observation. "You've been ready to leave for a while now."
"That's not true," she tried to argue. "I'm happy here."
"No, you're not." She attempted to argue against him but he cut her off before she could begin. "You don't like the quiet life. You're ready to be back in New York."
"I'm enjoying the break from the city." She wasn't going to admit it. He would tell her to leave. Elijah never wanted anyone to do anything for him. "I need the break."
"You need to be working." He gestured to his laptop. "You'd rather spend hours a day in this tiny bar corner working than simply being here."
Astra shook her head in denial. She wouldn't give him the option to push her away. Elijah was still in a fragile position and she could only imagine what he would do if he was left to his own devices.
"You cannot babysit me forever," he replied as if he had read her mind. "I will eventually have to learn to cope on my own. I cannot replace my toxic dependence on my family with a toxic dependence on you."
"I'm a little offended that you don't think you're already toxically dependent on me," she gave a small smile which he returned at her joke. "I'll just go back for a week and then I'll be back. I just need to wrap a few things up at the office."
