Reaction Time- A Tal Fishman Fanfic

"That was weird..."

As soon as everything had started, the darkness had subsided and was lost to the rays of sunlight that danced through the windows and shone on to the two of you, still encased in the security of the other. The monsters were dragged back into the shadows with no trace of how their claws dug into the ground and almost made it into the day. "What. The. Fuck? Are you okay?" Tal must have noticed you slightly quaking in his arms because he held you tighter. "Yeah, I'm... chill??" He nervously laughed at your feeble attempt at playing down the immense fear that was creeping up inside you like the very blackness that the two of you had just seen. "Are you good?" You asked him, not noticing how your voice shook when reciting the monosyllabic sentence- it was all you could muster. "Uh huh, I think so. Seriously, what the fuck. Maybe it was an eclipse or something?" You had a feeling that this definitely wasn't an eclipse- surely there would be some form of story on the news?- but you smiled sweetly and nodded your head slowly. Suddenly feeling the coldness of the shadows that danced before you just a moment ago, you searched frantically for your clothes. Tal did the same, throwing off the duvet that clung to his body and started stepping into the jeans that he clutched in his hands. "Um.., Tal? I think those are mine" you spoke softly until your voice trailed off and was replaced by the sound of ringing laughter. He looked down, not noticing the dark colouring of your jeans as opposed to the sandy brown of his. His head looked back up at you and he smiled playfully, winking at you before he continued to pull them up. "I could totally work this though, babe. Look!!" You suddenly charged at him, your words flowing like a rapid because you were afraid that he would rip them. "Don't!! You'll ruin them! Stop- let me have them!" You managed to get the words out in between your gasps for air as you laughed. You ran to him, trying to tear them from his hold but he wrapped his arms around you and placed a kiss on your lips. In this time, you managed to wriggle your jeans from his shins, leaving him to step out of them. He wrapped his fingers around the hem of your shirt and began lifting it again but you broke from the kiss, smiling triumphantly. "Not fair, Rob. So not fair!" You returned the wink and stepped into the material, pulling them up and tugging at the zip so as to do them up. Soon, you were both dressed and ready to see if the darkness had spread to downstairs or whether you both had been imagining it. 

Taking his outstretched hand, you saw how your small one became swallowed in the safety of his and smiled because you didn't have to let go. Hearing the small creak of the door as it swung slowly open, your brought your other hand up to Tal's forearm and closed it around it. You watched as your fingers curled around his skin, taking their time to savour the sensation. Noticing that Tal shivered at the cold sting of your skin against his, your lips parted and a small giggle rang throughout the still eerie atmosphere. Leading you from the door, Tal took you downstairs and into the living room where his mother was sat silently, looking about her with a look of pure confusion plastered upon her face. "Mum?? Are you good? Did you see that?" He said the words almost hesitantly, almost as if he was afraid of tipping the world over the edge. Looking up from her position on the floor, she looked at the two of you, somewhat dazed and startled. At this point, you let go of her son's hand and watched as he ran to her, wrapping his muscular arms around her quaking body. "Are you okay? Here, sit down. Rob, can you get her a glass of water?" As she perched down on the edge of their leather sofa, you nodded your head and ran to the kitchen, pulling a glass from the cupboard when you got their and filling it to the brim. You ran back to where the two sat but was careful not to spill any on the wooden floor beneath your sock-covered feet. You handed it to her and you both noticed that your hand was shaking as well as hers. Giving you a slight smile, all she could muster, she thanked you and took the glass in both of her hands as she raised it to her trembling lips and took a sip. "I saw something. I'm sure I saw something. It was just standing outside of the window. I don't think it had eyes, but it was somehow looking at me. Adi checked to see if anything was there but he said that it must have been the bushes or something." Her eyebrows furrowed together as she tried to remember how the thing was standing, almost lopsided as if one side was heavier than the other, but then she shook her head as she dismissed her thoughts and banished them to darkness from which they were born. She handed you the glass back and stood up, brushing her palms against her jeans as she did so. "Maybe it was just some clouds blocking the sun? Are you sure you're okay though mum? I think we were about to do something but we could put it off for sure if you want someone to stay with you." Flashing a smile at you both, she shook her head sternly and brushed you out of the door. "No, no. Don't be silly. I'm sure I can manage on my own. You two go and enjoy yourselves. Rob, have him back by 10!" She laughed as she walked you to the door and softly but quickly shut it behind you. You laughed as your fingers intertwined once more and you started to walk.

 "So... Where are we going?" Tal asked innocently, genuinely not knowing where you were headed after about a 15 minute stroll. You looked up at him and smiled sweetly- you didn't want to give it away because you knew how much he was going to love it. "Never you mind. We'll be there really soon though" You tugged at his hand and began running, dragging him behind you. He groaned loudly but allowed you to literally pull him to the destination. After about another five minutes of walking, you stopped just ahead of some bushes and you told him to close his eyes. "Babe. What is this? What's the sound?" The soft sound of water caressing some rocks began the soundtrack to your surprise date but this was unknown to Tal, who was so caught up on trying to figure out where he was that he didn't place the sound of waves crashing against a beach. He wasn't going to relent so you stood on your toes behind him and put your hands over his eyes, telling him to crouch as you pushed him into the bushes. Once you were sure that you could both stand without feeling the scratch of leaves and protruding twigs, you stood and admired the scene that you had one day accidentally found with your hands still over Tal's eyes. "Okay. You can look now" Your voice ran with the gentle kiss of the California wind as you let your hands fall to your side. Making no sound, you focused on Tal as he looked about your private kingdom; you watched as he inhaled the crisp salty air and you gazed as his eyes found the light pink sun that was beginning to set behind the waves. You stared as his eyes wandered over the soft horizon of amber sand and the slightly jagged rocks that fenced the water. "Oh my fucking God. This is beautiful. How the fuck did I not know that this was here?" He looked back at you, your backdrop the overhanging leaves of the verdant palm trees and the glowing green of the bushes- he saw you as he had never seen you before. Smiling and light with the feeling of freedom and salvation, he remembered that he loved you. Walking over to you but saying nothing, he swung you over his arms and carried you towards the sunset, forgetting the events of only a few moments ago.