Void

Ch. 20- Emotions

"You of all people, the void communicated.  Out of everyone, it is you I love the most."  ~Phillip K. Dick

Chapter Twenty- Emotions

August 8th 3012, 8:18pm

His smile.  His eyes.  Lips, skin, hair.  His laugh, his voice.  The way he walks and talks.  The way he...exists.  Everything is so amazing, so perfect.  I was beginning to lose hope that I would see him again.  I thought that the things that made him...him, would just decompose in an empty alleyway somewhere.  To think that his eyes would never have that familiar gleam--that those lips would never again tug up into the mischievous smirk.  To have him disappear.  My heart ached at the mere thought of it.  He was so different from everyone else.  He was genuine and honest.  He was everything I could have ever wanted.

His laugh echoed off the walls along with everyone else in the resistance.  I found myself staring at him more than I probably should have.  Everyone was gathered around the table that Jaxon and Jaxon's family was seated.  We all sat and listened to Jaxon tell his story about the days that he was alone.  I found myself being dragged into his voice as he spoke.  Everything else just seemed to fade away as I watched his lips move.  His hair sweeping into his eyes only to have him brush it away.  His tongue sweep across his lips as he took a breath.  We were all entranced by his words.  When he told us about when he was running from the voids we all sat at the edge of our seats.  When he made a joke we all laughed.  When he smiled we smiled.  When he had to stop and take a moment, when he described Josh's death, we all stopped and waited with him.  He had us all captivated.

Rebecca and Daniel sat at their own table and listened as Jaxon spoke.  Neither looked as though they were getting any better.  Rebecca was a hollow shell of who she used to be.  Given, before she hadn't exactly been the cheeriest person.  She used to have this spark though--this air around her that asserted her dominance, that showed she wasn't one to be messed with.  Now she was empty.  She was a void, just like me.  Even Audrey and Elizabeth noticed it and stopped hanging around her.  Daniel just looked mad.  No, he looked beyond mad.  I watched as he glared at everyone with a look on his face that held no hesitation to show just how completely and utterly pissed off he really was.

Claire was staring at Chase.  Their eyes connected several times and just held the gaze.  Eventually Claire got up from beside me and took a seat beside Chase.  I watched for a while as they held their own private conversation.  Claire was smiling and laughing with Chase.  He leaned into her and brushed her fingertips on occasion.  I couldn't help but give a small laugh at the blush that rose to Claire's cheeks every time he touched her.

My eyes scanned the crowd to see Leon and Kelsey holding hands.  Kelsey had her head rested on Leon's chest while his hand rubbed up and down her back.   Both of them looked happy to finally be together.  A small smile found its way onto my lips as Leon craned his head down to kiss Kelsey on the top of her head.

I jumped slightly when I felt a pair of arms snake around my waist.  I quickly relaxed once I felt Jaxon's cologne numb my senses.  His mouth nuzzled against my neck.

"You know," his voice filled my ears and caused my heart to speed up, "it's not polite to stare."  A smile spread unwillingly across my face.

"It's not polite to sneak up behind people, and grab them, and then make yourself comfortable in their personal space with a room full of people."  I scolded him.  He gave a small chuckle at my words before he planted a small kiss on my neck.  I shuttered against him which just caused him to tighten his grip on my small frame.

"No one is paying any attention to us."  Jaxon pointed out.

I glanced around to see that he was right.  Almost everyone had cleared out the kitchen.  Even Kelsey and Leon had left.  Chase and Claire were still sitting a few tables away.  Both were looking at the two of us.  Chase's jaw was clenched and his eyes were dark.  Claire however had a proud look on her face.  She gave me a small thumbs up.  Chase wrapped his arms around her, causing her to lower her hand.  Claire blushed and scooted into his hold while Chase just glared at Jaxon and me.