Nights Out (Parrish&Darius #1)

Night 4

Parrish took me out on yet another karaoke night. This time he was the one who suggested it. I'm not sure what triggered this meltdown but when I asked about it he said that he was fine. He saw that the bar he usually goes to, had an open mic night and decided that he wanted to use his beautiful songbird voice to pick up omegas there. I didn't buy that crap. Parrish hates singing and he hates it even more when people compliment him on it.

To Parrish, his singing wasn't a talent, it was a survival skill he acquired through trial by fire. He would never use it as a tactic to get laid.

And yet here we are. Listening to people's screeches in a bar. He requested a song a while ago but it still hasn't come up yet. The bar was full to the brim and the waiting on the mic was a reflection of that. Parrish and I were sitting at the bar waiting for his song to play. He was jittery, biting his nails and bouncing his leg. He ordered a bitter drink that smelled strongly of tequila but he hadn't really drank any of it.

"Parrish, are you feeling okay?" I wanted to pat his shoulder but I don't think he would appreciate the touch. I opted for slightly leaning into his space.

"Huh?" Even with how subtle my movement was he still jumped back a little. "Yeah, yeah I'm fi- peachy." He composed himself, taking a hold of his glass to drink half of its contents in one go.

He's not peachy. He's not peachy at all.

He wasn't, he smelled rotten and distressed. I don't think he wants to be here or sing in front of all these people. I wanted to suggest ditching the whole singing idea and going home but I didn't get a chance to because his song came up.

"The next song is 505, is the person who requested it still here?"

"Fucking finally." Parrish muttered under his breath, getting off the stool to make his way to the microphone with his drink on hand.

We should take him home now. Before he does any damage.

"Maybe we should go home." I got up quick to grab his arm and maybe change his mind but he was not having it.

"Let go. Or did you forget what happened last time you tried touching me?" Parrish flashed his eyes at me. The berries on his scent went from rotten to spicy in a second.

"Sorry." I let go of him, looking down at my feet. "But we should... go home. You're not feeling well."

"I hate people like you." He sounded pissed.

What did I do?

I looked up to find him glaring at me with his red eyes fixated on me.

"Like me?" I stupidly asked and he growled. I couldn't help the whine leaving my mouth. I wanted to crawl into my skin.

"Do you think you're some kind of savior? Or do I just look like a bird with broken wings to you?" He stepped closer. I stepped back.

"No, I don't..." I shook my head and looked down again. "I'm sorry." I apologized again not knowing what else to do. I heard him sigh and some of the spiciness in his scent faded.

"Listen, I'm just going to sing, let out some steam. I don't need you breathing on my neck. I have enough people doing that already..." He muttered that last part and gulped down the rest of his drink.

"Sorry."

"Shit man, stop apologizing! You're making me feel like an asshole." He hit my shoulder lightly, making me stumble back.

"So-" I bit my tongue before that third apology could leave my mouth.

"I'm sorry, I was being a dick but I need to do this okay? You can go home, nothing's gonna happen to me." Parrish messed with my hair and then patted my shoulder before pushing his empty glass onto my hands. "Leave that at the bar for me will you?"