Baby, We Have Eternity

I quietly shut the front door behind me as I exited the manor.

I wasn’t sure exactly why I left; I just needed to get out for a while.
Brendon kept trying to talk to me, but I had been doing my best to avoid him, and all the others by association.

Before I knew it, I was halfway across the city, unsure what to do with myself. I thought for a moment.

I was at my destination a few seconds after I decided where I wanted to go.

The door swung open as I reached out to knock, and Pete was in the doorway.

I blinked. He looked vaguely surprised, but expectant as well.

“I sensed you coming,” he explained, as I opened my mouth. “But I wasn’t expecting you.”

“I wasn’t so sure myself,” I informed him, shrugging a little as he stepped aside.

“Where is everyone?” I asked, as I sat on the couch. Usually, the warehouse would be buzzing alive with the guys’ noise. He sighed, dropping onto the couch beside me.

“Andy and Patrick went for supplies, Sisky, Butcher, and Joe went to eat. And seeing as I don’t eat…” he trailed off, giving a humorless laugh.

“You didn’t go anyways?” I asked quizzically.

“Patrick thought it would be best if I…stay in tonight,” he finished harshly, a bitterness dripping from each syllable.

“I’m sorry,” I said, knowing how he felt.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” he said, bitterness evaporated. “Just a pain sometimes, you know?” I nodded.

He laughed suddenly.

“Do you realize that this is the longest we’ve gone without making at least one snide comment to each other? I’m not sure I remember the last time I insulted you or you told me to leave you alone.”

I smiled slightly, shaking my head.

“Before, you were the enemy,” I pointed out. He laughed a short laugh.

“Who’s more threatening now, me or William?” he joked.

“Hm…” I said, putting a finger to my chin and pretending to think. “I don’t know, Pete. Chizzy kind of intimidates me, too. I mean, fangs and an accent? There’s no competition!”

He grinned, and I realized that it was the first time I had seen him with a genuine smile on his face.

I grinned back, and we locked eyes for a few seconds.

We fell silent, suddenly looking away awkwardly.

“So, the other week, when I was leaving…” I began, trailing off carefully.

“You mean when I kissed you?” he asked bluntly, shoving his hands in his hoodie pockets.

“Yes,” I replied quietly. “Why did you?”

“Spur of the moment, I guess,” he said, laughing uneasily, running a hand through his hair. I nodded.

“I understand.” We fell silent again, another uncomfortable one. It was driving me a little crazy.

“Maybe I should go,” I stated uncertainly, but it came out sounding more like a question than anything. I stood up suddenly, deciding that it would probably be best if I did.

“No!” he exclaimed, abruptly standing up as well. I stopped, a little startled. “I mean, you don’t have to, I just-” He paused, looking embarrassed. “You’re the only one that knows what I’m going through. The guys- they’re great, and they try, but…they’re not vampires, they don’t know how I feel.”

I sat back down, and he followed suit.

“It’s just…nice to have someone to talk to,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

I realized that I had instinctively leaned closer, and he had shifted towards me as well.

“Hanna!” I heard Sisky, Butcher, and Joe shout simultaneously, and I quickly backed away from Pete.

“You haven’t come in a loooong time!” Butcher pouted. I smiled, still feeling Pete’s eyes on me as I stood up to hug each of them.

“I know, I know. I can’t come all the time, William would be suspicious, and-” I froze, realizing that the room had gone quiet. Sisky and Butcher glanced at each other and then looked off into space as Pete tensed up, clenching and unclenching his fists, a frown becoming apparent on his face.

I should have known better than to bring up William, even if it had been on accident. They didn’t like to talk about their old friend. We sat in awkward silence before Joe interrupted.

“I was born in Florida, you know,” he blurted out, causing us all to stare strangely before bursting out in relieved laughter.