Damian and Mar'i Demonfire

First Kiss (Part 2) - in Damian's POV

I know, I should've done this First Kiss story earlier.  I forgot about it, sorry!  😅

"I know," Mar'i says sadly. "But I feel like we should."

As do I, I think to myself, but I do not say this aloud.  I let go of her hand and leave the room to inform the doctor and the bat family that Mar'i is awake now, partly in denial on what had just happened.

I turn down the left corridor, and see Grayson, father, and Dr. Woodhouse in the hallway. Dr. Woodhouse and father are conversing with each other.  Their conversation is not a pleasant one, judging by their grim expressions.  Father's face betrays no emotion. However, Grayson is leaning against the wall, nervously fiddling with one of his eskrima sticks.  From the worried look on Grayson's face, he is obviously worrying about Mar'i.

Grayson sees me coming down the hallway first.  He immediately stops twirling his eskrima.  The worried look on his face doesn't go away as he walks towards me.  I turn my head away, looking down at the floor. I cannot bring myself to look at his face.  I feel too guilty about kissing his daughter only moments ago. Father and Dr. Woodhouse have stopped talking, and look in my direction.

Grayson speaks first. "How's Nightstar?" he asks urgently. But I am not hearing what he is saying. All I can think about, is the warmth of Mar'i's lips against mine.

I look up from the floor, and see Grayson's face full of anxiety. A wave of guilt washes over.  You just kissed his daughter, you fool.  Immediately, I snap out of my thoughts of Mar'i.

"She has woken up, but still rather weak."

Grayson's face fills with relief. All of the concern leaves his face. Dr. Woodhouse and a nurse go to check on Mar'i. Father's grim expression becomes a small smile.

I feel relieved about Mar'i as well, but I feel more confused than relieved.

No one is allowed to visit Mar'i, except for Dr. Woodhouse and the nurses, despite Grayson's protests. Visitors will have to wait until tomorrow morning. Grayson reluctantly agrees, and he and father leave. I however, leave a bit after them, but not before I take a glance at Mar'i through the glass window of her room.

Mar'i is still lying on the hospital bed, with a nurse checking her medications.  When the nurse's back is turned away from us, Mar'i looks at me, meeting my gaze.  Her eyes are still bright, despite the wounds.

Immediately, my face goes hot, and I turn away, thinking about the kiss we had only a few minutes ago.  As much as I long to become lost in her emerald eyes, I cannot look at her without being reminded of our kiss.

And I cannot think about our kiss, without feeling confused and a twinge of guilt, as well as another feeling, but I just can't place that emotion.

For the next few weeks, I avoid Mar'i. I occasionally visit her in the hospital to see how her recovery was doing, but then I would always leave quickly.

And now, even though she has been out of the hospital for the past two weeks, I still cannot look at her. Especially when the bat family and Grayson are there. Occasionally, I'd catch glances from her, but I would always turn away, before Mar'i could talk to me.

Coward, I think to myself. I should be talking to her, not holed up in my apartment. For the past twenty minutes, I have been trying to read The Great Gatsby, but all I can think about is the kiss.

The kiss. Tt.

It was merely an accident. Mar'i was most likely delirious from her wounds, and I had gotten caught up in the moment, too relieved to care of sense or logic. My worry for her had gotten the better of me. I had not been thinking of the consequences to come when I had decided to kiss Mar'i.

Her father would feel betrayed, my mother would try to target her to get to me, and Mar'i herself would be angry at me for kissing her. I must talk to her. She needs to know that my actions in the hospital were unintentional.

It is rather late to visit Mar'i.  The time is nearly 9 o'clock, and five weeks have passed since our kiss. But better late than never.  I get out of my armchair, and grab my jacket before heading out of my apartment.

Five minutes later, I am walking through the front doors of Mar'i's apartment building. Mar'i and I do not live that far away from each other. Our apartments are only three blocks away from each others. After walking up the stairs to the seventh floor, I finally reach her door.  I'm about to knock, until I stop myself.

My small friendship with Mar'i could be ruined forever. I could be ruined forever. But then I realize, that this is what has been holding me back from facing Mar'i. The other emotion I couldn't place.

Fear.

I have been too scared to face Mar'i. I have been too scared of her rejecting me.  Shunning me in disgust.

But I have to face her. I cannot carry around this burden of fear forever. I take a breath and steel myself, willing to take the risk of rejection.

And so I knock.

- I made the doctor's name Woodhouse after the heroin-addicted valet Woodhouse from the show Archer.  God I love that show.