I looked from the drama of him to Torin, who was visibly on edge, and bit my lip to keep from laughing at the craziness of the moment.Now Torin has seen everything.
Goth Guy was also wearing black eyeliner and his eyes were currently wide with the dawning realization that this big Scottish man was glowering at him from the porch.
Torin said under his breath, his fingers itching near his hip, but there wasn’t a sword there. “Och nae, deamhan.”
Goth Guy froze, cleared his throat, and held up the pizza box and beer. “Um, hey Lexi, pizza?”
I stepped from the porch cheerily saying, “Yes, thank you, how are you, Aaron? How’s school?”
“Fine, good, shitty grades, but...” He shrugged.
I took the pizza and beer, and passed them to Torin, whispering, “You have to hold this flat.”
Torin held it tensely, while I fished money from my pocket. I paid for the pizza and gave Goth Guy ten bucks for the trouble of having the time-traveling Scottish Highlander glower at him.
Torin watched until Goth Guy had fully driven away before he followed me into the house. “What manner of dress was it?”
“It’s called Goth. Dark and emo — emotional. I call him Goth Guy.”
“He dressed like a deamhan come tae fetch souls.”
“Well, I guess he does a little, but he’s actually a good kid. His clothes are supposed to be shocking. I think he thought you were more so.”
We entered the kitchen. He placed the pizza box on the table and I put the beer in the fridge. “What is shockin’ about me?”
I grinned. “Your size, your muscles, your shadowy vibe, your clothes, your weapons, your presence.”
He nodded. Then turned his attention to the box as I lifted the lid. The pizza was very large, dripping with grease, perfectly browned cheese, parmesan and garlic dusting the crust. I rubbed my hands together.
He literally drooled. “Och, it smells good, tis safe tae eat from a demon?”
“Yes indeed. Goth Guy delivers for the best pizza place in town.” I pulled up a slice, mozzarella stringing along, and passed it to him.
I pulled up my own slice and ate the tip first.
He followed my lead and ate half of the pizza slice in one bite. “Och, the Goth-man inna a demon, he has brought us manna in a box.” He swallowed and took another big bite.
I said, “If you think about it, this is a little like your favorite food, bannocks and cheese, you’ve got bread, melted cheese.” I tore a piece in half and spread the stringy mozzarella out.
He popped the crust in his mouth. “I may hae another.”
I said, “Torin, the thing about pizza is we’re kinda expected to eat the whole thing.”
His eyes went wide. “Och, we canna let anyone down, we must set tae work on the demon-goth-manna.”
I grinned. “Think of how much you’ve already learned!”
I placed a pizza crust in front of Dude, he licked it, meowed, then set about trying to pull a piece of cheese from it.
I took a sip of beer.
Torin said, “I am thinkin’, now that we hae a vessel, we can leave?—”
“Oh, you want to leavealready?”
“Nae, I was goin’ tae say we can leave if we hae tae — it sets my mind at ease.”
I huffed.
