Those moments between seconds

Mario Kart

We ate together in relative silence, with my constant amusement at getting Kevin to eat soup causing me to break out into the occasional fit of giggles. He was so grumpy as he all but downed his bowl, obviously I'd broken a key emotional rule of his. Once he was finished he paused looking up at me.

"Do you mind if I take a photo of this? I don't think my fans will believe this has happened."

He smiled to himself, obviously a joke I wasn't in on, yet. He had told me of his online persona while we were cooking, but had still yet to explain his issues of soup to me.

"I once said I don't like wet food, and soup is the wettest of foods. This, this is my one exception."

He said it so seriously, I couldn't help but snort.

"Go ahead and tell people all it took was three ingredients to make you take back one of your defining characteristics."

His horror at this realisation was hilarious, and he decided after much deliberation that he would tell nobody of this, and that I couldn't either. I motioned that my lips were sealed, through fits of giggles. Eventually we fell back into a comfortable silence.

"So, would you like to try and contact your friend? It's probably best to do that while it's still light outside."

He broke the silence by offering his phone to me, smiling.

"I-I don't know her phone number. I was hoping to look her up in a library when I got here, to try and make contact with her."

I sighed quietly, this was the hardest part of my whole escape plan, finding someone out here to help me get settled, maybe loan me a spot on their sofa for a few nights while I get set up here. He looked at me for a moment before unlocking his phone and opening safari.

"What's her name then? I can't make any promises but I can see if she has an instagram or something else to contact her by."

I paused for a moment, in disbelief of how accepting he was. There was no judgement over my lack of plan, no criticizing me or anything. It was the complete opposite of what I was used to, and it threw me for a moment. Collecting my composure I tell him her name, fidgeting nervously with my hands. She was my lifeline here, and I was terrified she would turn me away. Kevin noticed my fidgeting and offered me a warm smile.

"It's okay, what's the worst that could happen? Ye safe here, I promise."

I nodded at him, starting to fall into my own panic. A part of me knew that what he said was true, but my mind felt like it was going through a shredder, and it hurt just to think. I didn't notice Kevin move until he was besides me, placing a hand on my shoulder and kneeling to my eye level. Gently he pulled my chin up so my face was pointed at his, I still couldn't meet his eyes.

"Breathe okay? Follow me, in n' out now."

He exaggerated his breathing to make it easier and I focused on matching them, Slowly calming down. It wasn't the first time that had happened, but it was the first I had someone calm me down from it. Eventually I was able to look up and meet his eyes, as they were full of worry. The only words I could produce were stupid ones, but I said them before thinking.

"You have pretty eyes."

It was so senseless, and I hated myself right after saying it, but apparently it was the right thing to say, as Kevin fell back and laughed, almost bringing himself to tears.

"You come down from a panic attack and that is ye first thought? Im flattered really."

And in that moment with all the emotions of the day, I broke down laughing too.

After our laughing fit Kevin finally looked up my friend and sent her a message, after creating a new account for me, to avoid the people who knew my old one. He gave it some silly name, and we had a good laugh as it was created. Once everything was done, there was nothing we could do but wait.

"If she turns you down there's always a spot here for ya. I've enough space for the two of us, and I think ye've proven not to be some form of murderer."

I smiled at him, there really was no better garden to accidentally wander into.

"Thank you Kevin, you may be tall and fairly intimidating, but I see the big softie under that."

Sticking my tongue out at him I grinned back, as he feigned hurt.

"I am the manliest man out there I'll have ye know!"

We both laughed, settling into our own brand of humor. Eventually we moved from the table back to the sofa, and Kevin challenged me to a game of mario kart.

"I've never actually played mario kart before..."

I spoke gently, I'd learnt he was very into gaming, but I was never allowed, it was deemed not girly enough for me to take part in by both my mother and boyfriend, and I had never questioned it.

"Don't worry, once you see turg you'll know there's not much to fear."

He chuckled to himself, and turned on the switch, showing me the atrocity that was Turg. We played for hours, until the sun was setting outside the windows and Kevin's stomach interrupted us.

"Well m'lady, would you care for pizza for dinner? The local store does delivery, its traditional gamer food after all."

Giggling at his antics as he tipped an invisible fedora, I decided to play along.

"Why I would love that my good sir, we must uphold tradition after all."

While pizza was being ordered I started rummaging through my bags, hoping some of the money I had stashed away would help pay for my portion.

"Ye better not be tryin to pay me back for this, you made lunch its only fair I get to do dinner."

Damn, he caught onto me. I was also out of cash once again, and couldn't pay him even if I wanted too. Still, I refused to let anyone pay for me, and instead handed him my final chocolate bar.

"I cant have people pay for me anymore Kevin, at least take something so I don't feel like I owe you?"

He sighed and nodded, taking the chocolate bar from me and placing it on the kitchen side.

"Alright then, but no putting yourself out of pocket for it okay? I won't have ye hurtin when ye didnt need to."

I nod to him, it was a reasonable deal. Hopefully I would have a job and an apartment by the end of the week, and although a friend was not part of that plan, I certainly wasn't going to turn it down.