NEW GODS: The Awakening

Trust

“Why do you have to be so stubborn?” Doll complained.

After what had felt like a century and more, she had convinced him to let her care for his injury. They were sitting down beneath a tree, the chirping of the birds beneath them.

I take after those in my Care.

“Since when do you even sass?” she widened her eyes at him.

Havel shook his head and chuckled at that, his lips tugging up and forming a small smile. Havel did not smile too often, but he had a nice mouth. Full, pale lips that he lightly bit into. When she remembered to look up from said lips, he was blinking at her.

Is everything alright?

Her face flushed red at his question and she worried she might actually erupt when he leaned even closer, carefully inspecting her face.

“Pff, yeah, everything great!” she did not sound incredibly convincing when she struggled to talk in comprehensible sentences.

But you are red and making no sense.

“Just sit back and let me do my thing!” she flared up.

Havel listened to her and leaned back against the tree. She ought to be happy because at least now her heart did not feel like it was about to combust.

Instead, she only started missing their previous closeness, the warmth shared between the two of them. She almost did not bother fighting off the temptation to scoot over closer to him.

Trying to appear unbothered, she turned her attention to his wound. It was nearly fascinating to look at. It had never completely registered that Havel could bleed.

She moved her wrist in a circular motion and felt time reversing on the area of the wound. The blood withdrew, the skin connected once again and his shirt stitched itself on its own.

Havel let out a pleased noise and Doll had to try very hard to seem unaffected. She did not move further away even after she was finished, liking the proximity.

“Done!” she announced happily.

Havel caught a glimpse of the spot like he was not entirely sure and then he looked up at her, green eyes bright like emeralds.

Thank you.

“It is nothing,” she shrugged, hating how she had to resist squealing “About time I actually do something. Aside from standing around and torturing Quaboth.”

She tried to hide the bitterness behind a small chuckle. Havel observed her closely.

You do a lot more than that. You are like a breath of fresh air to all of us. Especially me.

He got up slightly and kissed her forehead. His lips were cold against her blazing skin and much softer than she had imagined. He stayed there for a while but it felt nowhere near enough.

She was having a bit of a trouble keeping her breathing steady by the time he pulled back.

And I thank you for that.

Before she could respond- or more likely mindlessly gape at him-, Quaboth called out to them.

“Hey, lovebirds, you seen Thalla around?” he asked.

Havel turned to Quaboth, sadly pulling away from her.

No, why? Where is she?

Quaboth smirked at her knowingly. And like that, Doll decided she needed to figure out a revenge plan as soon as possible.