Chapter Text
The man she'd given up her life for—a life of lies, whispers the bitter little voice at the back of her brain—was talking, and Selene only barely listening.
"...rt, you need to take a break."
"Michael, I—wait." There had been something odd in what he'd just said, something different. "What was that?"
"Selene, you need to take a break," he obediently repeated.
But that didn't sound right. She could have sworn she heard him say... Never mind. No time for that. "I'm fine. Besides, we do not have time. Someone may still be monitoring the use of the safehouses and we need to go, soon."
"But they're not going to catch us right this minute, are they? C'mon, Selene. Immortal or not, you're going to wear yourself out if you don't unwind every once in a while. Please, for five minutes, just sit down and breathe. No thinking, no worrying, just letting go. I was a doctor, remember? I know about these things."
Now he's giving her that smile, the one that's all soft and hopeful and understanding... and completely unfair. She's christened it the puppy smile, because she always feels like the kind of person who would kick puppies whenever she says no to that look. And really, Selene should say no now. They need as much of a lead on the vampires as possible, and even five minutes can be the difference between getting caught and going free. She can always relax later, just as she will deal with Viktor's treachery later and how she killed fellow Death Dealers later and how her comrades will be trying to kill her now. Later.
But right now she's taken too long thinking about it—and Michael is already turning away, with a look on his face that is less than disappointment but more than acceptance. It stings a little to know that Michael assumes she will say no even in the absence of response.
Selene is tired of being hurt.
She's tired of hurting Michael, tired of Michael being hurt, and for a moment sitting down seems like the best idea she's heard in days. So Selene does something that's been happening more and more ever since Michael came into her life: she acts on impulse.
"Fine. But no more than five minutes." She's curious to know what it's like to not kick puppies. So, for five minutes precisely, Selene sits and Michael holds her hand.
(It's nice.)