I could have asked to stay with Erik. I almost had after that initial loss of my business, my life, everything. It would have been easier that way perhaps, to lean on someone else, but I had been overwhelmed. Erik had looked at me with a hunger in his eyes that had nothing to do with the blood in me, though I suppose there was a level of heat for that too. It had been easy to trust him. He had shown me kindness and Adele had as well. So I had asked Erik for some time to get my life back together when I left his house, Darwin tucked in my arms purring happily.
I never thought it would have taken me this long to get back to where I was or even that I would have to work so tirelessly to achieve it. The benefactor's money had been the break I needed, the small fortune my parents having given me squandered on the last shop prior to the sacking. The truth was that despite how successful I was becoming I was lonely. For too long I have been focused on caging the darkness within me and using my potions as an outlet. Time might crawl for a vampire, but it flew for a witch. My thirtieth birthday was just around the corner and I itched to call someone... to do something... but I wasn't sure what. How did one just POP back into the life of another?
Apparently, pretty easily.
I order my food, smoothing one hand down my belly in a subconscious revelation of my hunger. I yearn for some soda to ease the slight headache brewing behind my eyes. The worker slides my food over with a friendly smile and when I turn around to look for a seat my green eyes slide across the booths, skipping back after the initially pass Erik before widening in surprise. A delighted surprise. Erik had been gracious to me despite my asking for space, despite my complete silence, despite my complete absorption in fixing myself and my mess of a life.
Even as I lock eyes with him now though I know what he is waiting for. Acknowledgement. That I hadn't forgotten him. So I smile brightly at him and approach his table, sliding into the seat opposite of him. "I hope this seat wasn't reserved for anyone else," I say blithely, still smiling as I bite down on a fry before pushing the tray slightly towards him in an offering, bypassing any sort of awkwardness. I sigh happily after a sip of my drink, easing back into my seat to get a better eyeful of Erik. He was always handsome, stuck as he was in his prime, and I wondered vaguely what he thought of me now. I had aged a little, a slight wrinkle between my brows from my constant concentration. Did I look older because of it?
"So I'm guessing you smelled the delicious grease of this place and just had to have a bite, am I right?" I grin at him playfully, knowing full well why he was seated in a burger joint that just happened to be where I was, waiting to see what he might have to say for himself, but the twinkle in my eye reveals my pleasure at his surprise visit.
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