The ride to Bull’s passed too quickly.
Riding was one thing that hadn’t yet been tainted. How long would it be able to give me peace before it too was contaminated by whatever now lived within my skin?
There was a truck in the driveway I didn’t recognize, along with two bikes I did, and after a long moment of contemplation, I decided I’d proceed anyway.
The front door opened to green eyes and pink hair, then a wide grin that showcased white teeth with a gap between the front two.
“Snakey.” Cupid beamed. I didn’t know why he always seemed so genuinely pleased to see me. It wasn’t like we were friends.
“I’m here to see Coyote.”
“It’s Devil now.”
“Right.” I huffed.
“I think he might be sleeping again, but come in. I made tea.”
“I can come back lat—”
Slender fingers with pink polish wrapped around my arm as Cupid pulled me inside. “He’ll be up again soon, I’m sure. Now come, sit.”
Raven was seated at the kitchen table. She offered me a nod in greeting as she blew a pink bubble with her gum. Fox sat beside her. In all the times I’d seen him before, he’d been energetic, bouncing around and talking faster than he was capable of thinking. He’d worn bright colors and had his hair spiked up into a ridiculous blue mullet mohawk. That wasn’t who sat here now, though. His skin was pale, his eyes dark and shadowed in a way I recognized all too well. His hair was flat and dull, and he wore a dark plaid flannel far too big for his slight frame.
“Raven. Fox,” I greeted.
“It’s Bryce,” he said as he snapped his head up to look at me, a fire sparking in his eyes and dying before it took hold. “It’s just Bryce. I’m not a Stray anymore. Sodon’tcall me that.”
My eyes flicked to Raven, who shook her head softly.Okay then.
On the table in front of them both were delicate pink teacups with gold handles. Soft wisps of steam danced from the spout of a matching pink teapot.
“Sit, sit.” Cupid all but shoved me down into a seat at the table as he got another cup and put it in front of me. “Luckily this is a four-cup set.” He smiled.
I looked at the cups, at Cupid, at Raven, and I wondered how the fuck we’d ended up in a situation whereBrycehad the most logical response to it.
“What the fuck is the matter with all of you?” My words were quiet, but they heard me. A chill seeped into the air, the sickness inside me oozing out to contaminate them. “Archer ismissing. Reaper and Jackal aremissing. Dex almost died. Henrik, the fucking bastard, won’t answer anyone’s calls… and you’re having a fucking tea party, are you serious?” My volume increased with every word.
Cupid slowly sank down into the chair beside me.
Bryce’s chair scraped against the floor as he stood up and stormed away, almost running as heavy footfalls thumped up the stairs.
Raven was the only one who could meet my eyes. She sat forward in her chair, blowing another bubble. The sound of it popping almost echoed in the sudden silence.
“Shit’s fucked,” she said, her voice calm but stern. “People are missing. People are hurt. And that sucks, Snake. It’s fucking tragic. It’s frustrating. It’s not okay. But yelling isn’t going to change it. Turning on each other isn’t going to change it. What’s happened has happened. So yes, we’re having afuckingteaparty.” Her eyes glassed over and her voice broke as her façade cracked. “Because the only way we stop ourselves from losing more is to stay together. It’scomfortingandsupportingeach other. Because we’re all that’s left.”
Raven sniffed, and I blinked away the heat that spilled from my eyes without my consent.
“So,” she continued. “You’re going to sit there, and Matty is going to pour you a cup of tea, and you’re going to fucking drink it.” More tears filled her eyes until she blinked them away, droplets tinted with purple eyeshadow leaving their mark across her cheeks. “Because it tastes really good. And tea parties are dope.” She nodded at me firmly, once, and then grabbed her cup, holding it out to Cupid for a refill.
He was quiet and somber beside me, but as Raven held the cup out to him, I watched as he pulled on the happy demeanor he always had.
I saw it now. I understood it. They weren’t unaffected. They were pretending. Pretending that they were okay, because it was better than living in the truth.
I wiped the dampness from my cheeks, picked up my cup, and held it out to Cupid.
“And when Bryce comes back, you’re going to apologize to him,” Raven added, and I nodded.
The tea smelled like strawberries. It was warm and sweet, and Raven was right, it tasted good.
