A Penny For My Thoughts ~ phan

XXVII

Persimmon

God, I love seeing him happy. I love that he's healthy and has a job he actually likes working at and proper clothing to keep him warm in the winter. I don't love Copper.

Every day since they connected weeks ago they've been seeing each other. It wouldn't be such a bad thing if I didn't know Phil so well. He needs his alone time and some boy isn't gonna change that.

It's obvious that the love is one sided no matter what that selfish prick claims. While Phil, my amazing Phil, would do anything for Copper all he has is an obsession. My Phil is nothing more than a brilliant trophy to him, not even a human. But I know that Phil is as human as it gets.

He's so human in fact that in this third time of the door being held open for him by roaming, lustrous eyes and licked lips his blush is shining brighter than the sun and words of thanks are protruding as if made for each moment with his love. It makes me sick. Watching from a yogurt shop across the street, I try my best not to throw up. I don't think there's any bathroom for me to run to in here.

I've been watching over him for more than an hour but the slow minutes haven't particularly phased me. Sure, their legs are much longer than mine and they can't seem to stay in one quirky shop for more than ten minutes but I've gotten used to it after being Phil's best friend for thirteen years. He's always been curious, hopeful to discover new things and unlock new mysteries. This can lead to trouble but I never let it get too far.

If anything, the only factor butchering an otherwise lovely day are the marks of desperation littering Phil's arm in the fleeting seconds that Copper pulls his hands away. I'll bet the man has never even heard of personal space. Outwardly, Phil doesn't mind one bit. He wants to be adored and nothing more. And by gosh he deserves it in every way.

What he needs, however.

He needs a man who will sit him down and tell him the truth, only to beg for the truth back. He needs someone who will fight his battles with him instead of pretending they don't exist or worse yet, pretending they're romantic. He needs someone who will respect his boundaries but still steps that much further over the line, risking everything they've built together for just a dash more of his happiness.

He needs someone who's in it for the long haul and every mistake he could ever make.

Taking a moment in their leave of absence in the shop, I bring my attention to the delectable frozen yogurt I have yet to dig into. My spoon carves through a vanilla mountain topped with mini chocolate chip and strawberry hail and peanut butter sauce snow. 'It's truly a masterpiece that should be appreciated more often,' I think to myself as I lift the peak of the heavenly mountain to my mouth. Though it doesn't hold a candle to Phil's honey, my eyes close in satisfaction as my head instinctively tilts back towards the window. The tastes sing together in perfect harmony upon my tongue as my eyelids carelessly rise. The song stops.

Dark skin, blue hair, and fidgety steps, my least favorite combination, flash out of the shop two times quicker than they went in. I lean forward until my nose is practically pressed against the window, waiting for Phil to appear behind the man who's been clinging to him for weeks. Copper dismisses my expectations with the pulling open of a door on the other end of the street.

Straight into Pandora. A jewelry store.

'What's going on? Where's Phil?'

Remaining perfectly still so as not to waste any bit of energy on distractions, I continue to stare out for only about two minutes. People nonchalantly pass by the shop's windows but it's not like I would be able to see into them anyway from so far away. Even with my loath vision on red alert.

Then, he shows himself. But it's not just himself. No, that would be too easy. The image before me is one of Copper Richardson and a small square box. Of course.

Well, now it's really time to go.