True to his word Seth was on my doorstep the next day.
Only this time not as early.
Much to my enjoyment he even came baring gifts, a large cup of hot coffee with a side of cream buns.
It was like yesterday never even happened.
All’s well in whoville as luck would have it.
“So what’s the plan?”
“With what?”
“Der the cold case. What else.”
Seth dumping his things in the corner grabbed the mail from my desk and started to sift through it’s contents.
He answered my question without even looking up.
“For you nothing. For me that’s none of your business.”
Ignoring my scoffed out, “Really Seth.” He entered his office and closed the door without another word.
Ok.
So there was a little bit of tension.
Not to be brought down by mister broodster with the moodster I settled behind my desk ready to start anew.
Putting the events of the last few days behind me I took a deep breath.
Firing up the computer I’d just begun checking emails when the bells chimed above the door.
Looking up as my custumer service with a smile mode activated I started to greet the client when I realised who it was.
“Back so soon?”
Zare’s smile matched my own as he sauntered towards my desk.
Mentally I pictured a red carpet moment with each step he made.
His piercing green eyes staring down at me like he was about to ask me to kneel before him while he guided me towards the bulge that I assumed had started stretching inside his pants.
“You’re not surprised?”
“Should I be?”
Speachless, all I could do was stare as Zare placed his hands on the desk leaning forwards with slow exagerated movements to finally whisper.
“When the desk clerk looks like you. I should say not.”
The blush reached my cheeks before my pen hit the desk.
Having dropped it the second after his words left his mouth.
My mind was busy doing flip flops inside my brain at the six foot five hunk of a roman god with powers of sexual heat that surround you with a lust that has your knickers melting in seconds.
The sound of someone clearing thier throat made me jump on the spot as Zare’s side smirk coupled with a wink removed himself from my desk top to face Seth who stood with his arms crossed glaring towards us.
“If you’re going to harass my staff you can take your business elsewhere.”
Not even bothering to hide his obvious flirtaious energy Zare placed one hand in his pocket in a you don’t scare me kind of way.
At the same time his words were all said with an air of innocence like Seth was reading too much into things.
“Just being friendly. Won’t happen again. Scouts honour.” His free hand making the scouts sign with three fingers raised in mid air.
“See that it doesn’t.”
Spining around Seth walked back into his office as Zare followed close behind.
What was with those two.
Seth was usually an expert at hiding is true feelings about clients but with Zare it was like his testosterone was in full bloom whenever the guy got within two feet.
Maybe it’s a snake vs wolf thing.
Try as we might our shifted couterparts have more of an effect on us then we care to admit.
Not that I would know considering I don’t seem to get any of the side effects of inbuilt animal instincts that all too often rule the lives of shifters.
I’m actually lucky in that sense.
~
An hour later Zare left without a word, merely signaling with one of his well placed winks before he disappeared out the door.
Thus leaving Seth standing in the doorway to my right who I was actively ingoring with all my inbuilt ability to block out the wolf who still held an aura of foreboding around him.
“Do you have to flirt with him?”
Wait what.
Spining in my chair my eyes meet his.
My resolve to block out the preverbal shadow in the room disappearing in an instant.
“We were just talking Seth.”
“No you were talking he was flirting.”
“If you know that then why am I in trouble?”
His forehead creased in realisation of what he had just said before he snapped out with a, “Just forget about it.”
Locking himself in his office of despair.
I swear these past few weeks have really taken thier toll on him.
Nope not today.
Getting up from my desk I made my way to his office slamming the door open.
“Rexy! What the fuck!”
“Come on. We’re going out.”
Taken back Seth just stared at me like he’d misheard.
“What?” A clear deer caught in headlights moment.
“Get your things and let’s go. I am sick of us fighting. We both need a break from this place.” I turned to leave only to spin my head back around adding.
“Or I’ll put thumb tacks in your shoes.”
For the first time all day he cracked a smile.
Not a big one, let’s not get ahead of ourselves but it was a start.
“Fine. I’ll be ready in a minute.” Said with steel but softened with a spring already forming in his step.
“You get thirty seconds.”
That one earned me a chuckle.
I left to close up the computer and grab my things while I waited.
Thirty seconds later Seth appeared with an almost sheepish grin.
“Stop it. We’re friends. Friends fight all the time. We fight, we fix, we move on. Got it?”
I didn’t expect an answer.
I lead the way as Seth strolled beside me always careful not to walk too close.
The slums were actually not that bad during the day.
You could almost forget that everyone who lived here was just barely scrapping by as far as having enough money to keep food on the table.
When you have so little in life you learned to appreciate more then the materialistic items that were becoming increasingly disposable.
Take for instance that café over there.
I mean sure the walls were calapsed on one side and yeah maybe the awnings were none existant.
Dispite all that.
It was thriving.
The people seated in the court yard of overgrown weeds that were slowly taking over the whole building actually made it look rather picturesque.
I would of loved to take Seth there but the risk of being touched was far to great.
It would just take one nudge in the wrong direction and poof.
A slaughter house for the slums of an epic proportion.
“Where’re you taking me?”
“You’ll see.”
Honestly I had no idea where I was taking him.
It’s not like I’d planned this imprompt due outing.
However as a firm believer of let’s see where this takes us I just kept walking with a hope that it’ll come to me when I see it.
We walked in silence.
The only sound was our footsteps on the pavement with the occasional murmur of passersby.
I was starting to think my brilliant plan had been a bust when Seth cut through the silence with a well placed.
“I just don’t like the guy that’s all.”
Stunned, I looked up at him with confusion.
“Who are you talking about?”
He sighed seemly reluctant to continue but knowing he couldn’t leave it at that.
“Zarethan.”
Oh so that’s what’s playing on his mind.
“Well you’re not wrong.”
Surprised by my statement Seth stopped walking to face me.
“Wait what?”
I laughed at the face he was making.
It was somewhere between, “Is she pulling my leg.” and “Did I hear that right.” Making me wonder if he really knows who I am at all.
“You thought I liked him in that way?”
He didn’t answer.
Whether it was out of concern for my feelings or embarassment, who could say.
“Seth I’m not as niave as you think I am. Just because I appreciate his body.” A rather impressive one at that.
“Doesn’t mean I want to persue something with the guy.”
“But you were-”
I scoffed at the already refuted fact that it was not me flirting but Zare.
“I can’t control what others do or how they act Seth. All I can do is react according to how I feel. I had the guy pegged at first glance. Even if I could persue anything with anyone, I’m not into the whole gods gift to women kind.”
We started walking again giving Seth a moment to disgest what I’d just revealed to him.
Rounding the corner we were met with a quiet food stall selling hotdogs on the side walk.
“That’s it!”
Rushing forward I skidded to a halt before the metal stand.
The man behind the counter asking for our order upon my arrival.
“Hotdogs?”
“Not just hotdogs. Hotdogs with a surprise.”
“What’s the surprise?”
“You’ll see.”
It didn’t take long for our order to be ready.
Snatching up both hotdogs I paid the guy before Seth even had a chance to reach into his pocket.
Rushing towards the end of the street waving both hotdogs in the air.
“Rexy slow down.”
“Nope we’re going to miss it.”
“Miss what?”
“You’ll see.”
“I wish you’d stop saying that.”
Turning back for just a second I threw back a “I wish you’d stop saying that?” My voice a teasing childish lint paired with a laugh that put hyenas to shame.
Quickly reaching a building that towered above our heads.
It was easily fifteen stories high.
Foregoing the entrance I rounded the corner where the fire escape spiraled above us.
“Rexy, what are we doing?”
Already tackling the stairs I smiled down at him through the grates
“Come on slow poke you’re going to miss it.”
I paused just long enough for him to catch up then sprinted ahead once more.
By the time we reached the roof both of us were panting from the exertion of the arberous climb.
“Are you trying to kill me?”
I laughed at his remark knowing he was far fitter then me and his panting unlike my own was an exageration.
“Here.”
Passing him his hotdog I lead us to some chairs that’d been placed here years ago.
A little on the worn down side but at least they were comfortable.
“Sit. Watch.”
Suspicious he slowly sank into the chair hotdog in hand.
“Watch what?”
Pointing towards the east.
Seth’s eyes followed my finger to see what I was talking about.
Through the gaps in the buildings you could see a small bright light that was increasingly getting brighter.
“What. What is that?”
As the sun’s shine moved into position a blinding rainbow started to form between the buildings.
It was so bright that it looked like the rainbow itself was flowing towards us in a wave of colours.
“Rexy,”
“I know. Pretty right?”
Seth eyes met mine as the rainbows light shined on our faces.
“It’s beautiful.”
“See I told you. Aren’t you glad I make us take the day off?”
His lips parted slightly.
His smile not quite reaching his eyes.
Was he not having fun?
“What’s wrong?”
Taking a slow deep breath he turned back towards the colourful lights.
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”