I can't feed his ego. If I tell him I'd fuck him next to the peonies he'd probably drag me over there. "You look very nice Athy, that's all."
Oh god, there he goes again. He already walks with his back straight and head tall, but he makes his pectorals jump (yes, I can see beneath his shirt and Lord I wish I couldn't) while turning to show himself off. "I am a Primordial, trapped in this stupid human form. Even when I can let my arms free, it is not my true manifestation. You would be in awe of me, rabbit."
Why does he always ruin it? "Get in the car."
"Oh hello, Ione, how are you liking your new home?" My other neighbor, Mrs. Maple and her husband, Jim, live across the street.
"Hello!" Standing near my car, because this woman can talk your ear off, I wave and smile. "I love it. How's your day going?"
"We do not have time for you to talk to the elderly, rabbit." Athanasius sneers. "We are leaving."
"Shut up," I hiss under my breath as Mrs. Maple walks over. "Do not be rude, I have to live here."
"I also live here," He whispers back. "You are my avatar! I command you."
"The day is young and in my heart so am I," She chuckles, reaching to pat my hand. "Who is this strapping young man with you?"
"Her master," Athanasius replies. "We must be on our way, I have to commune with my siblings."
Mrs. Maple's eyes go wide. "What did he say?"
"He's joking!" I nearly scream, wanting to leap over this car and strangle him. "He's such a jerk sometimes. Mrs. Maple this is my friend—"
"We are not friends," Athanasius replies dryly. "Do not lie, rabbit."
I'm going to melt into the ground. I am going to die right now. No, I can't even do that, he'd probably resurrect me. "This is Athanasius." I reply through gritted teeth.
Mrs. Maple smirks and winks at me. "When I was young I didn't want anyone to know my lovers either, have to make distinctions."
"She has not allowed me to fuck her, all she has to do is ask." He replies.
Kill me now. Someone. Anyone. "Can you shut the hell up! You can't just talk like that!" Turning to my neighbor, I want to shake her and tell her what actually happened, but I can't. "I am so sorry Mrs. Maple, he has no home training, he's foreign, and blunt. He's not my boyfriend—"
"I am not her boyfriend, she is my avatar and earthly companion." Athanasius sighs. "It is good to meet you, now we must go."
Mrs. Maple laughs at him. She shakes her head, and pats my arm. "A European, oh I used to have one of those." She smiles and waves at Athanasius. "Ione and Athanasius, I love the names. Have fun you two."
As she walks away, I turn around slowly, my hands clenching the top of my car. "If you ever, in your damn life, embarrass me like that again, I will beat your ass Ike Turner style and I am not playing."
As he smiles, he leans across the car, flicking his tongue at me. The left side, then the right. "I'll welcome your challenge, rabbit."
I can't. I just can't.
As he enters, the car moves under his weight, and my hormones think about being under him. What is wrong with me? I'll tell you what's wrong with me, that Beauty and the Beast show that aired in the late 80's, I used to watch old re-runs when I was a kid in the late nineties. I was in love with Vincent, like down bad for him. Goliath from Gargoyles? Him too. I'd hate to say it, but Athanasius is right up my territory. I do love a monster romance, the amount of times I think about running away with werewolf is too damn high.
"I feel as though I could break this thing." He grunts.
"You'll materialize me a new one. A beamer." I chuckle, turning on the car. "Now, tell me where we're supposed to be going."
"East, I will tell you when to turn and go straight. Listen to my words, rabbit, and you'll be fine." He sits back in the seat. "This is comfortable."
Grunting, I make a U-turn out of my neighborhood. "It's a Volkswagen, put your seatbelt on."
It takes five minutes of conversation to explain what it does and why it operates the way it does. Then another three to convince him to put it on because I don't want to hear the beeping the entire time. He's so damn difficult. As we head out onto the highway, Athy is fascinated by the cars around him.
"Humans are creative creatures, that's what separates you from other species. Your ability to create and innovate. When you are together, you fashion marvels that others dream of." He watches a street car race past. "The horse did not suffice, so you made something better."
"I live in the US, there's a lot of land to cover and it would take many days on a horse." It's too quiet in here, so I turn on a little background music.
