Inspire: Book One (bxb) ✔️

13. Wanna walk with me?

Sage Monroe

The cloudy morning after the heart of a storm the previous night was the moment I found out how true Cyrus Pierce's words held true to his touch-affection ways. Somewhere, during the dead of night, this little vine attached to the tree, and it didn't let go.

He didn't let go.

Cyrus held onto me like he needed me as a life preserver while lost at sea. I was one hundred percent positive he had no conscious thought that he'd done this, and I didn't mind even a little bit. Not when I was rubbing my hand down the length of his spine as if I were soothing his dreams to be sure they stayed dreams.

Even half-awake, I was still making sure the vine attached to me was kept comfortable until he realized what he'd done. I didn't know if he'd feel embarrassed because Cyrus seemed to feel that way over even the smallest things. I found it cute. The way his cheeks would pinken and his nose would scrunch while he planned a way to escape the madness of embarrassment.

There was never a reason for him to feel that way with me, but he couldn't possibly comprehend that just yet. Not when he was still learning me as a person this close to me, and while I learned him as a person the same way. Even in the month and some time we've spent together, there were still levels, and we approached what I'd call my favorite level.

Affection in the form of physical touch. The warm kind. The gentle kind.

However, I wanted to swear and dismember the person who created the doorbell and had them installed on every house, apartment, and other buildings to alert others of human arrival. Cyrus only startled because I moved, and those blue eyes opened. I tried to think of who'd be here at all, but Cyrus distracted me from it. He didn't pull away like his ass was on fire, but instead, he stared at me with contentment.

The doorbell rang again, and I groaned before saying, "Doorbell." Then I had to roll out of bed and away from the boy who was happily in my arms while he adjusted to life again. I, on the other hand, was about to become an annoyed monster for the human on the other side of my door. Cyrus was reaching for his hearing devices by the time I left the room.

Except, when I opened it, I didn't expect the person who stood there to be standing there. The hurt in his eyes was new and unlike him. Like he was on the verge of tears when I was certain he didn't shed those. Someone hurt the lively boy. "Salem."

Salem cleared his throat, wiping at his cheeks where tears weren't even present as he said. "Yeah, hey. Listen, I needed a place to hide from my family for a minute or three hours. Do you mind?"

No, I didn't mind, but. "Uh, no, I don't mind, but--"

"Salem, what the hell happened?"

"--I kind of have a member of your family over here."

Salem groaned as he pushed past me into the house, and I closed the door as he said. "Listen, I'm sorry to interrupt your sleepover, but I'm not feeling like myself at the moment."

Cyrus always deemed August to be the most protective, however, I wasn't sure if he realized the deadly look in his eyes that matched the way his fist was clenching and unclenching. "What happened?"

"Oh, you know," He tried to laugh, but it came out broken and lacking its usual life. "Never tell a boy your feelings because it ends in disaster. Wait, hold on, lemme rephrase that. Never tell the seemingly emotionally unavailable boy your feelings because you were a touch too lost in a moment you thought was there."

Cyrus and I exchanged a look before Cyrus said. "Raven? The one you bully playfully?"

"See, you should know how greatly I feel for him because I gave him all my best insults, Cy."