Garlic Is For Vampires (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 10: "You Did What?!?!"

"You did what?!?!" Angie screeched. She screamed in Bennett's ear, so imagine when he winced and rubbed his ear that she didn't care. She was staring at me in complete shock, her mouth dropped open and her eyes wide. I let her absorb the news, and both of my friends sucked it up like sponges. Sure, I was at work and supposed to be organizing the thread and needles in front of the store, but who didn't love a gossip?

"So just like that, you guys are together," Angie said. She leaned back and looked on in amazement, resting her elbow on Bennett's shoulder. He rolled his eyes towards the ceiling and then looked back at me.

"I'm not supposed to say anything about your sex life, but why are you trying to bang the fashion designer? Do you honestly need professional help choosing jeans with a handbag? You have Angie for that." He gestured towards her with both hands.

She glared at him and stood a few feet back. "Excuse me? I am professional help."

"He doesn't act like he has a soft spot for fashion," I admitted, stapling a price tag to a ball of yarn. "He just acts like a normal guy. Or whatever comes close to a normal guy since those don't really exist anymore."

"They never existed," Angie said, and that was a clear wound to Bennett's manly ego. He looked down at Angie with a wounded expression and crossed his arms over his chest, his different-colored eyes reminding me of a lost puppy's.

"But he's still talking to you after what happened?" Bennett asked. Angie looked at me for an answer as well. I rearranged the pairs of knitting needles and leaned back on my heels. Yes, we were still talking after last week's attack. He still thought I was worth it, and he wasn't devastated like we'd both been after the attack. Actually, we weren't really like that either, even when it happened. Well, I kind of was, but he just seemed to accept it. He was pretty strong and invincible when it came to traumatizing events.

During our week of being a couple-officially-we spent time talking long hours into the night over the phone, and at work we played a friendly game of texting the other person when they were busy. Sure, the flirting was fun, and so was the making out-don't get me started on that-but it seemed that something else was missing. No, it wasn't commitment. We practically agreed to never but hands on anyone else. It was the way Dylan acted about our relationship.

He was too confident.

Some days I'd tell him something big-like how I didn't believe he didn't see me as a one-night-stand-and he simply shrugged it off and said, "You're too beautiful for that." He hadn't been angry about that, and I liked a guy who could keep his cool, but was too much of it too bad? I couldn't explain it-everything seemed organized and timed to him. Like he was experiencing a sense of déjà vu and he was cool with it.

I sounded paranoid that he wasn't really into me. We were barely getting into a new relationship, and my last one sucked. I didn't know if Dylan was being honest with his feelings. But I'd be okay.

"I'm glad you guys care," I said. "But I'm probably just over-exaggerating. Besides, it's almost lunch and I'm starving."

"Sorry, didn't bring you any food this time," Angie said, raising her hands in surrender. Bennett grinned, the grin saying something along the lines of I'd eat your lunch. I shrugged and tossed the remaining items to their rightful shelves and walked over to the counter, where I pressed my cheek against the cool counter. Angie and Bennett had to run, so I was left alone. Rosemary was running another class right now, and I heard my stomach growl. I groaned and straightened up, reaching into my back pocket for the money I had. A sandwich from the deli sounded tempting right now.

Someone set a greasy bag of food down in front of me. I was greeted with Brendon's big, puppy brown eyes. They were warm in this lighting, and I noticed the way his skin hung tight around the corners of his eyes. But here he was, my detective friend, bringing me lunch like I brought him.

"You look like crap," I said.

"Thanks," he replied with a grumble, reaching into the bag to pull out food wrapped in greasy plastic.

"Someone had to say it," I admitted. "Don't be butt hurt, Brendon. How much sleep are you getting?"

"Can't remember."I ate a chicken sandwich and let him tell me about his day. He got a lead with the female since Dylan gave a good description of her, and he discovered that the last two victims were both into bad stuff. The one Dylan tried saving was a pimp. He was also arrested before for the use of a lethal narcotic, and jaywalking, of all things. The man was killed for jaywalking.

"So...how's that fashion boyfriend of yours?" he asked, leaning forward to take a big bite out of my sandwich. I pulled it away from him and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

"He's okay. Still doing his thing."

"You."

"What?"

"You said he was still doing his thing, and you're his thing." Brendon grinned and dodged my blow. We were quiet for a few more minutes until I finally said, "how about you? How are you holding up?"

Brendon shook his head. "I see bloody day and night. When I'm not working I see blood in my dreams. I see the people I care about get hurt, and I'm honestly tired of it. I'm tired of everything. I just want to lie down, close my eyes, and never open them again until this sick son a bitch is dead."

I saw the ache and hatred in his eyes. The ache to sleep and rest and for once, not see death. The hatred for the vampires who were killing people. Sure, not all of them were innocent but what were you going to do about it?

So I gave Brendon a hug, and he hugged back because I needed him like he needed me.

A/N: A moment to appreciate this Bree and Brendon moment.

                                    -Redbird