I’m picking out a phone for Raven, and you’re not helping, and you went out in your jammies, and that’s very weird, even for you.
And he was wearing your sweater.Don’t think I didn’t see that.
I loaned him the clothes because he had a need of them and I didn’t.I had those lovely pajamas you gifted me.
Sure.Still watching you.You gave me that sugar coffee intentionally, didn’t you?
You took it, darling.But I think I hear something.
Huh?
I hear you calling for my attention.Shall I come visit you, sing you to sleep with dulcet tones?
HEADACHE
Don’t text me again
I’m busy now
“Really?Come on, I thought you weren’t drunk anymore,” Raven said downstairs.
Maxim put his phone away.He was tempted to sneak over to the stairs so as to catch a glimpse of Raven, but it wouldn’t be right.I’m meant to watch over him, not watch him.I’m meant to help him and guide him.I am his maker, even though he didn’t choose me or the gift of blood I gave him.
So Maxim just listened to the grumbling from downstairs, glad that Jason and the strange Shiba were doing what he himself could not.
Chapter 18
“Jason,comeon.”
In his attempt to extricate himself from being Jason’s pillow without disturbing the dog, Raven had only succeeded in getting Jason to slide down on the couch and use his arm as a pillow instead of his shoulder.The result was that Jason and the dog were now snoozing nose to nose.
“Hmm.”
“You have to wake up.Get up.Go back home.”
“Awake.Eyes resting.Just a sec.”
“If you can hear me, you can get up.”
“Nggh.No.My head’s sort of…meh.”
“That’s not my fault, okay?”
Jason moved his head, just brushing it against Raven’s arm.That was enough to push Raven away, out of his body.He wasn’t sure why it was happening, but there was a moment of un-syncing, of shifting away; seeing, but not feeling.
It scared him.The dog looked up.He had the cutest black eyes.He looked like he understood.He didn’t look away.
Raven put his free hand on the warm fur.“It’s okay.It’s okay.”
“Yeah, I know, but being hungover still sucks.Plus, this way, I get to make sure you’re still here.”
“Huh?”
Jason turned on his back and opened his eyes.He had big black circles under them.“You fucking scared me, Rave.No.I was super fucking scared for you, okay?”He reached up and gave Raven an uncoordinated pat on the shoulder.“Don’t fucking do scary shit again, okay?Do boring shit.Super boring stuff.Write dictionaries.Never leave the house.Always answer your phone.That kind of thing.”
“I don’t have a phone right now.”
“So get one.”
