“Coming right up.” His arms slid out from underneath his head.
“No!” I pushed them back down to the pillow. “Ten more minutes. I’m so comfy.”
“As long as you need, Little Goddess."
The bedding was covered in crumbs. I didn’t care.
I’d only requested bread and jam for my recovery breakfast, but Theo had returned with a mouth-watering spread: nuts, wild berries, jam, bread, and our home-grown root plants sliced and dusted with Trebiannan cheese. Plus, of course, a full jar of Trebiannan coffee. The variety was appreciated; I was hungrier than I’d thought.
“You have a tattoo,” Theo remarked as he made himself comfortable on the foot of the bed—legs crossed and chin rested in his palm.
“Oh, you saw that?” I laughed self-consciously. It was an impulse stick and poke I’d received behind the high school on my fifteenth birthday.
“While you were sleeping. Eight is my lucky number too. My last name is Octavian.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell him it was a sideways infinity symbol in the shell of my ear. Besides, I’d never see it that way again. Now it was an eight. For Theo.
“I wish I had better tattoos,” I confessed. “I always wanted lots. But when I was struggling to afford food, body art wasn’t a priority.”
“Your dad didn’t feed you?” His brow lowered.
“I ran away when I was twelve. I was homeless for most of my life after that. Well, I guessall of my life after thattechnically, since nowhere was evermine. I was always waiting for somebody to show up and rip whatever home I’d built away. That’s why the field is such a big deal for me. It’s the first time I’ve had guaranteed housing.”
He nodded as he listened, piecing together my story. “Why would they rip it away from you?”
“Restaurant work doesn’t pay the rent where I’m from. I had to make do with anything abandoned and roofed. Places don’t tend to stay empty long. All it took was some dickhead in a suit with a pen and paper to turn the abandoned warehouse I live in into…a factory…” The blood rushed out of my face, leaving my skin cold. My situation hadn’t changed as much as I liked to believe.
“Hey, hey,” Theo cooed, moving across the bed to me and grabbing my face in his hands. “That won’t happen here. You’re safe. It’s going to be okay.”
“Right… of course.” Was I shaking? I felt like I was shaking.
Did I get myself zapped to another fucking planet only to be faced with the same fucking problem? Rich people with more power and resources than I had feeling entitled to my home?
“Vivian. I won’tletthat happen.”
But he couldn’t promise that. Theo had a whole life that didn’t involve me. We’d never put a name to what was happening between us and that was likely for the best. We’d always had a ticking clock. Until the end of summer. That time was quickly approaching and, then, I’d be on my own.
“I’m sure it’s fine, Theo.” I lied to calm him down. There were veins becoming visible around his darkening eyes.
“Ask me not to leave, and I won’t.” His voice was serious, his stare intense.
Fuck, did I want to. It would be so easy to tell him to stay… but was it fair of me to ask him to abandon everything for me, knowing he couldn’t say no? He thought he owed me his life. I was a symbol of redemption for his biggest regret.
I forced a brave smile and leaned forward, kissing between his horns. “You’re welcome here anytime, baby.”
Vivian
Ida stared into the chaos of her new home with a finger over her lips. All around us, her possessions were strewn about, yet to find their place. “Theo, dear, can you move the sewing machine by the window? I prefer the natural light.”
“Of course,” Theo said, picking up the heavy desk and moving it to the far-left side of the room.
The last six days had been lonely. Theo was away mostly, carrying Ida’s belongings down the mountain to her new apartment. It left me plenty of time—alone, in my newly completed cabin—to garden and mourn our time together as it slipped away.Curse my short legs for not being able to keep up. I hadreallywanted to go with him on these trips, but I didn’t want to be selfish and slow down Ida’s transition.
Better to ween off his company now, anyways; it would be entirely gone soon.Thatthought didn’t help. It just made my chest ache. In the name of not coercing him to give up his entire life—friends, house, his own business—I’d been avoiding the topic of “the end” as much as possible. And now, here we were.
I’d tagged along on the last trip of getting Ida settled. After this, Theo would be escorting me back to my field… and it would be over. My heart shattered every time I imaginedwatching him disappear through the feathery, pale green border of wheat.
Not only would he be gone, but Ida would be in Drifael. I’d truly be alone. The thought never bothered me before; people had never been my priority; I was too busy taking care of myself. But Theo wasn’t justany personto me. Not anymore. His company had grown to represent security just as much as the roof over my head and the food in my stomach.
