"Not anymore," I said.
His shoulders sagged.
"Thank God," he said."That's such a hard bit to pull off.I feel like I'm gonna crap myself and without underwear I'm not sure I can duck walk without looking like an idiot.I thought I saw a bathroom at the Penny's at the far end of this wing.Can you just, walk behind me?I feel really exposed."
"Seriously?"I asked.
"What?That obnoxious windbag bit?You really thought that was me being me?"
"Who the fuck are you?"I asked.
"I'm an Actor," Nagi said."The guys hear my battle bit and know I'm being serious at least."
"They all seem to think you're really dramatic and obnoxious."
He looked into my eyes.
"All life is drama, sweetie, and I'd rather be obnoxious and dramatic than be seen as weak," he said."Let's hurry.I don't need any extra weight during this next battle.That was my problem last time."
He started running, and I tried to keep up.
Chapter9
Atoilet flushed, and Nagi walked out, hands dripping wet.He dried them off on a cashmere sweater.He held a sleeve up with his fingernailed hands.
"Look at this fabric," he said."By the way.You could market that stuff like an undead colonic."
"I don't know how or why, but that feels really disrespectful," I said.
"It wasn't meant to be.I feel like a brand new person, to be honest.Like I flushed all the toxins out of my system.Like I drank jet fuel or something.I could punch a brick across the city if I tried.Maybe."
"What's your plan here?"I asked.
He looked up from the clothes and turned to face me.The rest of him flopped, again, against his leg.I could not help but stare.
"I'm going to kill the Bruiser," he said."And we're going to do our best to protect the survivors here.That thing's going to pay for what it did to the witches.And to me.I don't take bowel penetration without consent very gracefully.The last man that did that to me wound up with his head up his own ass.Literally."
"Do I want to know?"
"It is a pretty great story, but I have to set it up first, and we probably don't have the time for that," he said.He nodded at me and then down at his dangling member."You like?"
"I'm just impressed," I said."I mean.There's just so much of it.How can you not look at it?"
"I know, right.I was blessed."
"I don't know why but the cockiness seems to work for you," I said."You're like a cartoon character.I hate that it works.On any other guy I would be repelled, instantly."
"Yeah, I know, right."He sauntered up to me, placing a hand on a rack behind me.I could feel the heat of his body against my own."You want to fuck?We could both die in a bit."
I pushed him away.
"Come on," I said."You were just talking about bowel penetration.Aren't you a little.You know."I waved my hand."Dramatic?"
"Honey, gender's a Living construct, and the Living are all hands at it," he said."I can do things to you that'll leave you a gasping pile of boneless flesh."
"Literally or metaphorically?"
"Depends on what you're into."He smirked at me.
