“Let’s just say, there is a family album that has one very questionable picture in it.”
“THEY DID NOT!”
“What are you two talking so loudly about over here?” Severo asked with a happy smile as he walked into the office. The man…looked more at ease than when he left.
“About you de-pantsing yourself in the middle of a giant joint gathering with yours and Cyrus’ family,” Killian drawled somewhat evilly.
Severo gasped in horror, his eyes widening. “YOU DIDN’T?!”
Killian smirked. “Oh, I did. I was having so much fun getting to know Seri here, that the story just slipped out.”
“You!”
“You should show Seri the picture, then he can tell your family if it’s grown any!”
Seri snickered. “I mean, I’m sure it has.”
Severo started to pout. Stomping towards the desk, he tugged Skya from Killian and turned with a huff, tossing his head back and walking out.
“I think that is my cue to leave,” Seri said with a smirk. “It was lovely talking to you, Killian.”
“Likewise. We should do lunch soon.” The man sent him a wink.
Giggling again, he stood and walked out, leaving the wheelchair behind.
The mall…was busy. And he had to say, it was odd being out, so openly in public. He felt nervous, just as he had the first time Severo was pushing him around the CEB. It didn’t help that his slight limp was drawing people's eyes. Or maybe it was just him, considering they’d been on the news.
Seri found he couldn’t stop himself from peeking around each corner, looking for danger. There was of course none… Preston was in jail.
And the man wouldn’t do anything to him while all the public was looking, would he? Now that Seri thought about it, perhaps he might try…
Shaking the thoughts away, Seri forced himself to focus on what Severo was telling him.
Setting the pair of pants he’d been staring at down, he looked back at Severo. The man was a few racks over, looking at tops. “So, instead of quitting, you are transferring to the social services department?”
“Yeah…apparently, on top of apologizing, Cyrus found a job within the agency that would keep me from being bored out of my mind, while letting me stay in the area with you.”
The Dweller smiled softly at the last part before continuing. “I’ll be one of the instructors in charge of training new agents for the field. On top of that, I’ll be teaching, off and on, the free self-defense classes the CEB offers. I do have to brush up on some things myself before I start either. There are some classes and all that, but… The pay will be slightly less than before, yet the benefits will be the same. Like with most jobs at the CEB, the pay will increase the longer I’m in the position.”
“They are…helpful. Those classes. It’s how I fended you off.”
Severo’s smile widened. “You must have had an expert teacher, as you definitely threw me around a time or two.”
Seri chuckled and sighed. “That feels like such a long time ago.”
“A lifetime. The more distance the better, I think. You were… I scared you, didn’t I?”
“You stressed me out, and…at times, yes, I was scared. But that was more aboutwhatyou were, rather than what you did. I’m not dumb. I could tell you weren’t trying to hurt me. Even if I was terrified at times.”
The man grimaced. “I’m sorry.”
Seri smiled. “I’m not afraid of what you are anymore. To me, you are just you. Shadows and all.”
Severo smiled back.
He flinched at a flash of bright light. And just like that, he was surrounded—reporters everywhere.
Seri backed up, eyes wide as his heart started to race. But they closed the distance each time he moved back, until he was pinned to a shelf, their hovering cameras flashing away. Skya on his chest began to scream. He wasn’t sure if it was due to the lights or the sheer number of them yelling at once.
