But you are shocked. Just a little. After all, the dude was locked in a book for a stupid number of years. That doesn’t really sound super conducive to maintaining friendships.
Not that it seemed to have stopped Vincentius from remembering who he was. You shiver at the memory of the big blue guy, and you reach up subconsciously to touch your neck where he choked you.
Maybe you should have got checked out by a doctor, but you feel fine.
Just a little traumatized is all.
“You sure you’re alright?” Ziros asks, laying the back of his hand on your forehead as he leans in, studying your face.
You blush. “What—what are you doing?”
“Checking if you have a fever,” he says like it’s obvious.
“Hey. We have thermometers for that these days, you know.”
“You humans and your unnecessary technology.” He shakes his head, pulling away—apparently satisfied that you’re not about to keel over and die. “What’s next? The moon?”
“Um.”
Should you tell him?
“What?”
You shake your head. “Nevermind, let’s go. I’m starving.”
Maybe you’ll tell him about the moon landings later.
But for now, your first priority is your stomach. Yourvery emptystomach. You decided not to make the one-ingredient pancakes after all, and instead you head downstairs with Ziros to grab a couple premade lunches at the convenience store beneath your building on the way out.
Unfortunately, the cashier today is the last person you hoped to see.
He’s around your age, give or take a year or two, and every time you’re in, he always asks way too many personal questions.
He pauses before ringing you up. With a frown at Ziros, he asks, “And this is…?”
You glance up at your magical hot book boyfriend. What should you call him? You could just say his name is ‘Z’, but you’re pretty sure that’s not what the cashier is asking.
Maybe you should just say he’s a friend.
But before you can say anything, Ziros answers for you.
“Her boyfriend,” he says, slinging an arm protectively—and maybe slightly possessively—around your shoulders.
Wait.
Boyfriend!?
You shoot him a look, but he’s too busy glaring at the cashier to notice.
“Boyfriend?” the cashier repeats, frowning at Ziros’ arm around your shoulders. And if you’re not mistaken, he looks a little envious. Like maybehewants to be the one with his arm around your shoulders. “June never told me she has a boyfriend.”
You wince and cringe at the same time. First of all, you never told the cashier your name, so he must have picked it up off your credit card.
It’s…a little weird.
To say the least.
“He’s just my roommate,” you say reflexively, trying to shrug out from under Ziros’ arm before this gets any more awkward. But Ziros is too strong, pinning you in place.
