Death's Exception

Chapter Nineteen

"We don't happen to have food, do we?" I say, struggling to sit up against the wall. Titus tosses me an apple, and as I try to catch it it slips out of my hands.

"In order to eat you need to catch it first." Titus remarks jokingly. I laugh, and rub the dust now on my apple onto my sleeve. I bite into it, and the juice bursts in my mouth, and a drop runs down my chin. I close my eyes and take another bite. It feels nice to eat. Titus has started a fire that warms the house magnificently, and he has started sweeping (and doing a terrible job of it) the dust from the floor. The light from the fire casts dancing shadows onto the walls that catch my fancy, and suddenly all I want is to join them in their weightless dancing.

"Where are we?" Titus stops sweeping and leans on the broom.

"Right at the feet of the mountains. Beautiful scenery, and plenty of villages that have no idea what is going on around them. We can stay here until this whole thing blows over." I reposition my hair to lay on my right shoulder.

"Do you think it will? Blow over, I mean." He sits down beside me and puts his long arm over my shoulder.

"Of course it will. We will give it a week or two, and then all of this will be ancient history."

"Ancient history." I repeat, letting the words roll off my tongue. Trying to believe what he is saying. Forcing myself to hold his words to heart. Ancient history. I cross  my legs and fiddle with the zipper on my jacket. He searches for my gaze, but I refuse to look at him. Yesterday still stood raw in my mind. The fear that one woman held for me, especially set aside for me. It hurts. Seeing someone look at you as a monster, and I want it to blow over. I am ready for it to be ancient history, because if this is my destiny, I don't know how I could handle it. I think I would rather stay away from everyone than see a face like that again.

"Everything is going to be okay." I stand, brushing my hand through my hair. I stumble backwards with a renewed pain in my back, but I stable myself using the wall. Titus stands up beside me and holds me steady.

"I know. I do." Titus smiles.

"Want to play a game?" I close my eyes and smile. I let him sit me down, and pull me closer to him. I am instantly warmer, but I struggle to focus on anything besides his body touching mine.

"Sure."

"It is called the favorites game. I ask a question, you answer. You ask a question, I answer. Easy." I look him in the eye raise an eyebrow. His dimples appear, following his perfect teethed grin. 

"Okay, you start." I try my best to sound exasperated.

"What is your favorite color?" I furrow my brow, this game is harder than I thought. I have never thought about my favorites before. I start to sift through the colors I do not like. The  sky in Lilly's painting comes to mind. The dark blue mixed with streaks of lighter blue.

"Blue. What about you?"

"Purple. Always has been. Now, it is your turn." I struggle to come up with a question.

"What is your favorite place in the universe?" He laughs.

"Easy. Here." I look around at the the house, falling apart and broken. Frail, and ancient.

"Why?" He pulls up his long legs to his chest. I can't help but notice his hand fiddle next to mine.

"Because this, Rory Destiel, is the place time rests." I look up into his eyes, clearly confused. "Have you ever thought about the phrase 'Time Flies'?" I shake my head. "Well, if time flies, where does it rest? The answer, of course, is that it rests in the moments that are worth standing still." He grabs my hand, and rests his forehead on mine. "Here, time can rest. Time can rest because this moment could last forever and never would I complain."

This is the interesting thing. Never did I think that I would find myself here. Never did I think that I would have something so abruptly change my view of life, and what I need. The Universe seems to reposition itself from revolving around my timeline and my needs, to Titus'. Suddenly there is no future without Titus Crilley. Funny, isn't it? When you love someone, how quickly your view on your future changes. It changes to what is best for you, to how you can live the rest of your life with this person.

I brush my hand through his soft hair, and it rests on his cheek. "I have no idea what to say to you."

"Don't say a word. Just sit here beside me. That is all the affirmation I need." So I do. I sit there, and I don't move. I just rest my head on his shoulder, and hold his hand tightly.

"Are you hungry?" Titus whispers, his thumb tracing the back of my hand gently. I nod. "Well, there is a bakery in town. Let's go." I nod again, when in truth, I do not want to move. I don't want this moment to pass. He rests his head on the wall. "I suppose we have to get up to do that."

"Yep." I laugh, and let him stand me up. I wince. "Ouch." He frowns, and rubs my back. We both get in the car and drive about five minutes to a tiny broken down village. The bakery is small, the walls grown over with vines. Snow slides off of the roof, and ice cicles hang from the ledge of the door. Smoke billows from a chimney, and a sign, almost covered completely with snow, blinks the words "Growing Vine Bakery." Titus bursts through the door, his goofy grin standing out against his dimpled cheeks.

"HEY, HILDA," An old lady who must have been Hilda hurries out of the back of the Bakery and grabs TItus' arm.

"Titus Crilley, I thought you would never come back. Come, sit. Oh, who is this- girl." Her eyes grow wide with excitement as she sees me holding tightly to Titus' hand. I smile bashfully and stare down at the ground. Titus pulls me up beside him, and lays his long arm over my shoulders.

"This is my-" He struggles with his words.

"Girlfriend." I interject. He looks at me with wide-eyes as if to ask if he could call me that from now on. I smile warmly at him, and his toothy grin appears.

"OH! Titus! Oh, please. Sit. I must hear all about you, dear. See, I have known Titus since he was a little squirt. He used to come here every day and bake the bread." I laugh, and sit beside her, and she grabs my hand.

"What is your name, honey?"

"Rory."

"Interesting name. Can I get you some tea? Coffee?" She hurries off into the back, still talking loudly. "WE HAVE THE WORLD'S BEST TEA. I GROW IT MYSELF, YOU SEE. YOU SIMPLY MUST TRY IT."

"Tea would be lovely, thanks." Titus seems to have been smiling at me this whole time. I meet eyes with him, and I blush. Suddenly very self-concious about the ugly scar weaving itself through my face.

"You are my first girlfriend." I raise my eyebrows.

"Really? Why me?" He laughs.

"Why you? I know you didn't just ask that." I press my lips together. "What? Isn't it clear?" I shake my head. "Because, well, you are the most beautiful human being I have ever seen. Not to mention you are like the coolest thing that has ever happened to me."