Claws in the Dark | ✔

XII

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Antonio was inside the laboratory, running the tests necessary for the determination of what kind of creature the Clawden really was.

He stood in front of the silver examination table after strapping the dead beast down with duct tape and handcuffs. Although the monster was dead, he still got jitters just by being next to it. His hands shook like tremors and his fingertips were as cold as ice. He tried to calm his breathing by taking deep breaths, but it wasn't working. He needed something to distract him from his nervousness and cowardliness.

"You okay there, buddy?" a voice travelled through the air and caught in his ears.

Antonio's body tensed, and he turned around, ready to attack with a small scalpel in his hand; however, he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw who it was. "Oh, it's just you." He smiled. "You don't just sneak up on people like that, Landon. You could get hurt."

"Already have been."

"Don't really care to talk about it," Antonio said.

"Mm, if you say so." Landon came closer to the table, next to Antonio. "So, any update on the case, or were you just admiring this beast?"

"Will you shut up? I've...made some progress," he said, unconvincingly, with a weak smile.

"Really? Do tell. I'm all ears."

Antonio sighed and glared at Landon. "No, you're all mouth, and you really are a pest, you know that?" When Landon winked and gave him a smug grin, he growled and continued, "Don't you have somewhere else you need to be?"

"Nope," he replied cheerily. "Boss lady wants me down here to take reports, since the new guy, Miles, isn't in right now."

Antonio scoffed as an answer, before trying to focus, once again, on the task at hand. He needed to carve out some teeth, shave off some of the monster's hair, and remove a few of its claws to analyze them. But it was hard to concentrate with Landon just hanging over his shoulder.

"Could you move from behind me? You're breathing down my neck and it's uncomfortable," he said, looking over his shoulder at the staring detective.

"Yeah...whatever," Landon teased as he winked yet again.

There was no ease with Landon's presence. Antonio shuddered when the detective's face appeared directly in front of his. This was a total distraction. He couldn't help but sigh and smile at Landon, whose attention was focused on the beast. His hair was hanging loosely from behind his ear, and the slight stubble that he carried made Antonio lick his lips.

Seriously, the man was beautiful, and apparently, one of his weaknesses.

A few moments passed when Landon decided to look up. Antonio's eyes widened when he realized he'd been caught staring. He cleared his throat and chuckled.

"Well, let's get started," he mumbled to himself and began extracting what he needed from the Clawden's body. He wasn't nervous about being around the Clawden anymore, so...maybe his ex-boyfriend, Landon, was just the distraction he needed.

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◀ MARDAIS ▶