Impress Me Not: Neon Underground

Chapter 37

"Will," Benny looked over to him. "I honestly think you've got some sort of super power or something."

"How the hell did you do that?" Cameron asked, walking into the little office. It was large in comparison to most, but there were so many things in it that it made it feel small. "That was awesome!"

"Nice to see you again," Will smiled. The cupid looked a little worn, their clothes a bit crumpled, but otherwise they were fine. Those light red eyes looked calmer too.

Will had a feeling it would be best to not ask about that.

"Aren't you still supposed to be working?" Velvet asked. She hadn't been paying attention to Cameron's work down below, but she was pretty sure that Melvin was too occupied to take on any rooms in his night club right then.

"I was given a schedule," Cameron chuckled. "Melvin doesn't know that I don't get tired. He told me that if I stayed after my schedule, he would physically drag me out."

"Probably can't afford the overtime," Sarah said. "A lot of bosses get pretty angry about overtime."

"I don't think it's that," Cameron shook their head. "Besides, the money he pays me doesn't actually go anywhere. I usually find a way to return the checks without him noticing."

"He almost caught you the last time," Velvet said. "I'm pretty sure he actually found you in a crowd and grabbed you to discuss it."

"He scared me to death that time," the said, reminiscing. "He wouldn't let me leave without the cash of my checks."

"I wish more employers were like that," Benny said. "But we're all getting distracted from the real point here!"

"Right!" Cameron smiled. "Who actually got Melvin up and to the beach?" They had found out on their way back. Cameron flew over to check on Mateo when he found the two of them sitting and talking on the beach near his house.

Melvin might enjoy the early mornings, but he always slept around noon, and he rarely got out of his house when the sun was high in the sky. The man really could burn easily. That was another thing that he had gotten bullied for when he was younger.

"I don't even know," Benny put his hands up, his cotton candy eyes wide with excitement. "All I know is that Will was talking about strengthening their friendship before this, then suddenly they're doing this." He motioned towards the screen. It was showing the both of them talking calmly, laughing a little at the other's jokes.

It was so refreshing to see them like this, considering most of their interactions were always tense. There was something about their last night together that seemed to change their dynamic. The two of them calmed each other now. They still knew how to anger the other, and Melvin loved to tease Mateo still, but it was different now.

Benny would put money on it being because Mateo made amends with Lucas and Anton.

"I didn't do much," Will shrugged. "I just got some sleeping sand and used it on him."

"I can't believe you still had it," Obasi said. "I thought you would have used it by now. Or that it got taken away from you."

"Sleeping sand?" Benny asked. "Is that like the stuff that gets stuck in your eyes when you're sleeping?"

"The kind that sandmen use," Will said. "I had gotten it as a gift a long time ago. This kind, though, was to keep someone from going into a deep sleep. It only works for a few hours before the person eventually falls into more dreams."

This sand was used for most to have vivid dreams. Most believed that it would help give them visions. But, in reality, it just let your mind wander. Whether that meant premonitions or just floating on clouds was all up to the person who had the sand on their eyes.

"Isn't that extremely rare?" Cameron asked, looking curiously at the brunette. They had barely heard much of sleeping sand, but they were so curious about it now.

"Yup," Will said. "Don't worry, though. I didn't use all of it. You usually only need a pinch of that stuff anyway."

Will really just wanted to give Mateo more of a chance to hang out. The poor man was on the road to recovery, but he was lonely. And it didn't seem like he had anyone to confide in other than Melvin. He was glad that Melvin was awake enough to answer his phone. He felt a little bad about him not sleeping enough, but he knew the man would handle it.

"I wonder what he was dreaming about," Sarah put a hand on her chin. "Do you think it was about Mateo?"

"Definitely," Benny said. "There's no way he would say yes to going to a beach if it was anyone else. I bet he was thinking he was in a dream while still on the phone with him."

"That would be a completely new building if we even tried to figure out what he was dreaming about," Obasi said. "And I am not going to go to that place, either."

"Hypnos' building?" Velvet asked. When Obasi nodded, she laughed. "Oh, I love going there. You have no idea how many interesting dreams they come across. The human mind is really an amazing thing."

"Going to a building that centers around dreams seems a little creepy," Benny said, looking a bit uncomfortable.

"Especially if they're nightmares," Sarah agreed. "I'm definitely not going over there. I've had enough nightmares in my mortal life."

"You would need a reason to go anyway," Obasi said, looking over to Will. "And trying to figure out what our case was dreaming about doesn't count."

"Curiosity is only fun when you can actually explore it," Will frowned. "But I guess we'll have to just wait it out. At least they're hanging out."

The same wasn't meant to help mind read or control him in anyway. They weren't that powerful. Will did have some tricks up his sleeves though. He didn't know if Mateo was going to call, let alone if Melvin would answer it. In the end, mortals had their own choice. That was why there were people that could start out good and then move towards violence. No cupid could predict or stop something like that.

It would be nice, but it wasn't possible. All they could do was continue to spread love to those that were willing to accept it.

"You really want to see me shirtless that bad?" Melvin's low voice chuckled on the other side of the screen. He actually smiled with his teeth. Will could probably just ask Cameron, but he had a feeling that was his true smile, when he was happy. It would make sense at least.

"Why not?" Mateo was shameless with his requests, shrugging it off like it was nothing. "You look good shirtless. We can wait until night time, if you want."

"You act like I have a six pack."

"You don't have to be toned to look good shirtless."

"You know, Will, Benny," Cameron smiled as they looked at the screen. "I'm so glad you pinned them together."

"Is this showing you something about Melvin that we should know about?" Benny asked, looking at the screen with him.

"He has a lot of insecurities," Cameron explained. "One of them is how pale his skin is in general. He stopped trying to tan just because it only led to him getting burnt. And most people would tease him." He paused to watch the couple laugh and shove each other playfully. "But I honestly think that Mateo is good for him. No one has ever given him such a specific compliment, especially not about his stomach."

"Maybe when the sun sets," Melvin told him.

"Does that mean that you're going to stay the rest of the day?"

"Aww," Velvet put a hand to her heart. "He's so cute! I love just how excited he gets at the thought of someone wanted to stay with him."

"Considering that Melvin helped bring that back out of him," Will put an arm around Cameron's shoulders. "I'd say they're both perfect for each other."

He truly believed that too, even with their flaws.

Now they just had to convince them that.