“I’m not used to people touching me. Well, in a non-threatening way, I mean. Try to punch me, and I’m in my comfort zone, but hugs and cuddles aren’t exactly in my wheelhouse," I blurt awkwardly. His joking smile disappears.
“Sorry," he offers.
“No, I like it," I rush and then realize how that sounds. “I mean, the sisters have been hugging me a lot, being affectionate to help me get used to it. So it would probably help if you touch me, too," I stop, repeating my words in my head, and I cringe.
Knox gets a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“This is not coming out right," I groan and cover my face with my hands. Man, I am so glad I’m not a blusher. Easy laughter makes its way around the group, and I find I’m laughing awkwardly with them.
“What I mean is, be who you are. If you do anything that I am uncomfortable with I’ll tell you," I finally manage to clarify.
“So, what are the runes for, do you know?” Ryker asks, thankfully bringing everyone’s attention back to the previous subject.
“They all do different things. Some create weapons or enhance skills that I have.” I let my voice trail off not sure if I should get more specific than that.
“Is that how you know how to fight?” Bastien asks.
“Yes and no. I’ve trained and worked hard, so that’s part of it. I’ve been fighting for a living for years now, so that’s another part, but I think something about my magic definitely helps me. Fighting seems to come naturally to me. If I see something, somehow I’m able to do it, and my runes all seem to exist to help protect me in some way.”
“What did Lachlan say about them? Does he recognize anything?” Valen inquires.
“He just said I shouldn’t have them. I think he still thinks they’re tattoos even though I explained they’re not. None of his coven know what to make of them, or me for that matter.” I circle a finger over my head. “Like I said, I’m a big mystery.”
The doorbell rings and Knox heads off to answer it.
“Well at least you can feel a little better about Vinna kicking your ass," Valen offers his brother.
Bastien snorts and runs a hand over his formerly broken cheek and then winks at me. Knox returns with a stack of pizza boxes and each of us grab one to help lighten the load. Valen waves us downstairs, and I follow the boys to the theater room, pizza box and drink in hand. I create a little nest for myself in the corner of the gigantic bed-like sofa that takes up most of the room.
Bastien and Valen sit on either side of me, and Ryker and Knox take up space on the other side of the couch. After a heated debate, we all finally agree to watchThe Rock. The consensus is that Nicolas Cageis annoying, but Sean Connery’s awesomeness cancels it out.
I’ve never seen it before, but twenty minutes in, I have to agree with their opinions about the actors. The guys laugh and heckle when I started rooting for the soldiers who are technically the bad guys in the movie.
“What?” I protest, throwing crumpled napkins at all of them. “They’re pissed that the government screwed them and their friends over. I’m with them," I explain, booing loudly as each of the soldiers are bested and killed off. The movie ends, and before number two can get started, I run out for a quick pee break.
When I get back,World War Zis queued up to play, and I crawl back towards my nest to find that Valen is laying in my spot. I catch Ryker and Knox watching me out of the corner of their eyes, clearly waiting to see what I’m going to do about it. I grab a slice of pizza and then plop my butt heavily on top of Valen’s chest. I hear him grunt and then feel his chest vibrating with laughter.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I say innocently “I didn’t see you there inmyspot.”
“Technically, it’s my spot. I always sit here when we watch movies. I just let you borrow it for the first movie because I’m a nice guy," Valen baits me.
“Well, keep that nice guy shit up and give memyspot back, I had a sweet pillow nest going.”
Valen stretches out and snuggles deeper into said pillow nest. “I know, thank you for gettingmy spotnice and comfy for me.”
I look around to the others and judging by their amused smiles they’re not going to be any help. I’m growing more aware that I’ve put myself in a bit of a precarious situation. I don’t know Valen, and now I’ve gone and sat on him which is probably crossing some kind of normal social boundary.
I’m perched on him awkwardly, now debating what to do. Valen laughs again like he can sense my internal dilemma and I bristle. Well, here’s to being a stubborn bitch, I muse as I wiggle around. I try to be as annoying as possible and wedge myself half on top of Valen and half against the back cushions of the sofa.
He doesn’t seem to object to my purposefully making things as uncomfortable as I can for him and adds further insult to injury by grabbing my hand and taking a bite of the pizza slice I’m holding.
“What kind of man-animal…first my spot, then my fucking pizza?”
I feel him laughing, the vibration and movement warm against my back. It feels nice, and I’m so focused on that, I forget to be incredulous. Someone presses play, and the movie starts, but I’m wrapped up in my head and can’t pay attention. Is it normal for things to feel this easy and comfortable with people I just met? Do I really even care if this is not normal if it involves cuddling that doesn’t freak me out?
I’ve never had many friends. I’m not socially awkward by any means, but as much as Beth moved us around, it was hard to make and keep friends. It feels nice joking around and sharing the same space.They’re the ones who keep initiating thingsI tell myself, getting a little more comfortable when Valen wraps an arm around my waist.
Now, If I can just get my attraction and my body’s reactions under control. Screaming draws my attention back to the screen, and I check back in to the movie, where people are scrambling to get away from the fastest zombies I’ve ever seen.
