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“How is the publishing of your book coming along Shelby?” Scott leans over and looks at the manuscript that seems to be sitting in front of her. They have been working on this story for the past five years and he knows how hard she works on them. Her hard work is really something that he can admire.
She straitens out the paper and they turn around to look at him. “It is done! I just need to send it over to the publishing company that Mr. M recommended!” Their voice has a melodic swing to it.
Scott pats Shelby’s head and turns around and looks out the window expecting to see a familiar face staring at him. It is odd that Abolish has been missing for the past few days. He takes out his flip phone and goes to Abolish’s contact and calls.
Normally he wouldn’t call anyone, but he has been worried about the shadow hunter’s absence. “Sorry I am unable to take your call right now. Leave me a message and I will get back to you when I am available.” His voice rang on the other side as his phone’s answering machine picks up.
“Hey I just have noticed that you weren’t around the past few days. I was thinking maybe we could go out and-” Scott was cut off by some connection snapping in place. “Sorry, just let me know when you are free next. I got to go.” Scott turns back around and sees a tear running down Shelby’s face. He places his hands on their shoulder as her red eyes lock with his.
“Why do I feel my bond with Pyro? It is the two-hundredth year of his death. Why- why do I feel him there?”
He should have transferred his own sire bond to Shelby like he did with Sausage. But Shelby seemed well situated with her surroundings and acclimated herself well even after losing her sire. He lets all emotion on what he is feeling from his face as he knows that if he shows them that he is bothered by his fledgling bond snapping in place then it could only make things worse.
Right, he has to push this down for his family’s sake. If he panics and loses control his distress on the events could make it to Drift. She would be worried and that isn’t something that he would want to do during work. “Hey, let’s go out for a while. Where would you like to go Shelby?”
“I- I don’t know. I think that I just want to go to sleep. I- I know we don’t need sleep but, I want to pass the time until Drift gets here.” Shelby slowly saunters her way up the stairs as she wipes the tears running down her face.
Scott shifts slightly on his feet as he flips his phone back open scrolling through his phone contacts as he lands on Sausage. Why his mind went to that contact instinctually is a mystery to him. Yet she shoots off a text. Saying that something came up and he won’t be able to make the reunion today.
To Scott’s surprise he got a message right away from the Author that is typically too busy for responses. “Oh i will miss u there ren was hoping 2 see u after so long”
Scott doesn’t respond and slowly walks out of the pent house. He just needs to go somewhere that isn’t here. As he walks down the street he gets another text from Sausage. “I happen 2 b in ny do u want me to come”
“Is the coffee shop by my house good?” Scott shoots off the message as he wishes instantly that he didn’t agree to meeting up with Sausage. He likes to claim that he hates him, but that is not the case in the slightest. He wouldn’t have taken over Apo’s sire bond if he hated the author.
“Sure see u there” Is all the text says in response as Scott makes his way to the shop about a block away from his current location.
As Scott places his order he finds himself a seat that is isolated in the corner of the shop as the waitress pores him some water. Not that he really wants anything. He doesn’t even know why he is meeting Sausage.
“Scotty boy!” Speaking of Sausage he shows up with the most annoying tone that Scott has ever heard. Yet he welcomes the somewhat familiar voice.
Scott motions to the seat in front of him hoping that Sausage would sit there as the author takes the seat right next to him. “That was not where I wanted you to sit Sausage.”
“What? I haven’t seen my favorite sire in thirty years and you are going to treat me this cold? You must be an ice queen or something cause wow!” Sausage teases as he clearly knows what buttons to press without going to far for Scott.
He lets out a sigh. “I could be better with keeping in touch. You’re right. Sorry Sausage.”
The waitress comes back with his tea and a slice of cheese cake drizzled in a red liquid. Scott picks up his fork and takes a bite of the human appearing food on his plate as Sausage lifts his eyebrows at Scott who is eating which he has never seen before.
Noticing the gaze of his dining partner he picks up his tea and sips it. “Drift and Shelby know the owner of the Café so they normally make me something I can eat without it tasting like ash. It is nice on occasion to remember what it was like to eat human food. It has been sixteen hundred years since I was a human, even so, the memory is nice.”
Sausage looks at the cake longingly. “Do you think I could have a bite?”
Scott rolls his eyes and flags down the waiter requesting another slice of cake for his “partner.” The cake was delivered to them rather quickly and Sausage takes a bite and he feels as if he has died once again.
“Scott! It isn’t disintegrating in my mouth!” Sausage sounding excited takes another bite as he savors the taste.
Scott gives a strained smile. “Of course, I can give you more if you want.” Scott lets out a sigh as he takes a bite from his cake himself. He feels the bond snap back in place. Yet he shouldn’t go to them. He doubts that Pyro would even want to see him. Not after everything he did.
As Sausage finishes his cake he notices how visibly upset Scott looks even though he seems to be hiding that with his sire bond. “What is going on Scott?”
“Do you think I have changed from Oakhurst? I’ve tried to be better. But when I think about how I interacted with people, I wonder if I really changed at all.” Scott holds the tea in his hands as he looks down at it. He doesn’t deserve this life. He should have been killed two-hundred years ago. Abolish could have killed him at any moment too. Yet, he isn’t watching him today like he normally does. Scott wonders if Abolish missing and Pyro’s bond snapping back into place have something to do with each other. No, he is probably just getting ready for the reunion. Right, that is all it is. It has to be.
“Well, you are still you at the end of the day, but you are better. No matter what Owen had believed, people can change.” Sausage takes a bite from Scott’s cake making eye contact with him.
“You’re the worst you know that?” Scott takes the last bite from his cake.
“Oh, but you love me.” Sausage smiles as he places his arm over Scott who feels that he has to stop himself from fleeing. “So, tell me what is bothering you?”
Scott looks at the tea as he thinks on how to put his thoughts together. “Pyro, is alive.”
Sausage shifts slightly as he thinks on a response. He wants to be able to say the right words. He normally teases Scott but it is clear to Sausage that Pyro being alive bothers him. “So you are worried that you haven’t changed enough from two-hundred years ago?”
Scott remained silence which has told him a lot. “I hurt Pyro. I know that I did.”
Sausage moves Scott’s face to look at him and into his eyes. “Scott, do you think that anyone can change if they truly try? I do.”
“Right, I do. I’ve been trying to do better. But what if, I see him and I hurt him. I can’t go to Oakhurst today. Sorry.” Scott shifts slightly in his seat as he wants to move out from under Sausage’s arm.
Sausage scoots off the chair he is on and places a tip on the table. “Well, you will be missed. I understand why you won’t be there. We should be having another at our three-hundred aniversary. You are welcome to come and see Ren and Me in LA when you want.”
“Of course, thank you Sausage.” Scott responds and remains silent as Sausage leaves the café and holds on hope that maybe someday, Pyro will seek him out. It doesn’t have to be today, Scott has an eternity. “I will apologize to your face, but I am sorry Pyro. I won’t hurt you again. I will give you time.”