Fascinating Villains

{55} - Fashion

My boyfriend removes my coat from my hands and hangs it in the closet of his apartment's lobby.

"How are you feeling?"

I smile at him, watching the warm shadows of his residence's indoor lighting glide across his face as he secures the top lock on his door.

"A lot better now."

The paramedic grins uncontrollably at my remark, his thoughts beaming with relief and happiness. I find that my lips are splitting into a wider smile as well, merely because of his own. I walk past him, heading for his living room.

"Really? That's great! And..!" Colin's hands land tenderly on either side of my hips and his muscular chest grazes my shoulder blades as he inches me in the direction of his kitchen.

My cheeks and the tips of my ears are blushing so intensely that I barely register what he enthusiastically declares.

"I made dinner for us!"

Stepping with me to the table, he rubs his palm up the outer side of my left arm before pulling out my chair. The slight scratching of the seat's legs against the floor is drowned by the voice of a woman screeching inhumanly loud, crying inside my mind. I should be grateful that there are not any images this time. My partner does not react to the fact that I twitched at his touch, and we settle down to nourish ourselves.

I am chewing on a bite of brown bread, listening to the blonde's playful question.

"Do you know what you wanna wear to Scott and Mi-Young's party?"

He seems more confused and good-heartedly concerned about what attire one is expected to acquire for this type of event than actually interested in my fashion choices. The couple's engagement party is planned to take place on March 2nd, less than a week from now. I tell him I have not decided on any clothes yet, or even begun browsing for this.

My boyfriend drinks a hearty sip of stew.

"Ah, I see..! I was wondering y'know, if that's what you were doing this afternoon."

I do not mind the subtlety, however I cannot ignore the insistence that is seeping from his thoughts and betrays just how important it is to him that I share where I went with him. If I did not have unlimited, unwilling access to every fluctuation of his brain, would I even perceive such a nuance? Would I be less accepting of his circumvention and frozen by doubt? Or blissfully unaware and caught up in romance?

"No." I smile brightly, resting my spoon on the rim of my bowl. "I was meeting a friend."

"Huh, I see. That's cool. Is that the same friend you were hanging out with on Valentine's Day?"

"Yeah, actually."

"Okay, nice."

My boyfriend is glaring at his meal, tearing a mouthful of bread away from a slice.

"Cole? What are you wearing for the party?"

/Just a friend? What if they're cooler than me and..? Hot? Dang it, they probably are. Why else wouldn't Tanza tell me? They probably like them, too, if they're hot and queer. Who does Tanza even know? I should ask... /

I clear my throat, repeating his nickname, "Cole?"

His smile immediately softens, but there is something hard that remains in his gaze, inscrutable. His eyes are twin anthracite rings, and I feel as though I am staring down the barrels of two guns.

~

Emerging from a sparkly balloon arch, Mi-Young rushes towards us with a giddy squeal.