How to Save a Hero [ManxMan]

Chapter Five: It's a Date

~Chapter Five: It's a Date~

"So it's official, then?" I ask, not even bothering to open my eyes.

Due to where we are parked and the current position of the sun, the sun-blocking flap-thing does not cover my face in enough shade, so closing my eyes is the only way to avoid being temporarily blinded. Besides, I am not the one in the driver's seat, so my eyes do not need to be on the uneventful street in front of us; it is not like anyone is stupid enough to speed in a school zone right now. All those idiots are usually still at work or have no reason to be in the area at three in the afternoon. The only reason we are here is because it is the center of our patrol sector and, rather than wasting gas by constantly moving, we will wait here for twenty or so minutes before going to a new location.

"We're monogamous now," Dave confirms happily. "We talked about it over breakfast this morning."

"I'm still running a background check on her," I inform him. I had planned to do it earlier, but after I returned to the department, I spent a week basically confined to my desk, doing nothing but paperwork. Much to my amusement, Dave had to do it with me.

My partner sighs, but makes no attempt to belittle my concern; he knows that finding a good woman is not exactly his specialty. Though, admittedly, I have met Lucy a couple of times and she does not seem like a bad person. In fact, she seems like a friendly, grounded woman. If I was into the opposite sex and she was not dating Dave, I would have considered asking her out myself. I am secretly hoping she turns out to be a good woman, if for nothing more than the sake of Dave's heart. He is almost thirty-two; if he wants to settle down, now is one of the best times to do it.

In fact, perhaps I should start considering settling down, too. Or, at least, start looking for something serious. My twenty-seventh birthday was just yesterday and I spent it with my elderly neighbor, and that was only because she took pity on me when she saw me come home alone with a mini cake and no birthday plans. I would have spent the day with Dave, but he has been fighting off a nasty cold for the past two days so he thankfully refrained from visiting. The cold remains even now, but he sounds much better than he had over the phone a couple of days ago. Nevertheless, my window will stay open to decrease the germ-to-fresh-air ratio.

Usually my dad would visit for my birthday, but he was only just here a few weeks ago and visiting again so soon would throw off his work schedule. I am under no delusion that my birthday should be celebrated like a family-friend holiday at my age, but I still enjoy the company. I might not always like social outings, but it does not mean I am against having friendships or other close relationships.

Though, perhaps it is not wise to start a romantic relationship while this war is still going on.

The only way I would be able to find a good, safe boyfriend is if he is human and has no connection to any non-humans, which is incredibly unlikely. Best case scenario, I find a human boyfriend who knows someone that knows about or is involved with the war, which leads to eventual trouble. Worst case scenario, I find a non-human boyfriend who refuses to stay neutral in the war and ended up killed in a battle that few will ever remember twenty years from now. Neither option, nor anything in-between, is really the ideal relationship I am looking for.

I just want someone I can grow old with, without the war getting in the way.

And yet...being alone for the next who-knows-how-long is even less ideal. I am not going to just lower my standards so I can find a date that is closer to the best case scenario, but I can still keep an eye out for anyone that might be worth pursuing. It could be a year before I find that person, at which point the war could be over, or it could be within the next twenty-four hours.