Starlight › Marvel [1] ✓

021. together

› CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE ‹

It was the night of the homecoming and Raleigh's face was coated in a light layer of sweat and his body was shaking from the excited nerves. Michelle Jones was going to be at his apartment in less than twenty minutes depending on the traffic. Her playful warning about being ready when she arrived played in the back of his mind as he raced around the apartment searching for his tie. 

Odin was standing quietly in the kitchen watching Trystan set up his camera. Both adults were ignoring the cries of help from Raleigh—that was until there was a loud bang, followed by a cry of pain. Trystan handed Odin the camera and rushed into the living room, finding Raleigh laying on the ground clutching his shin and the fabric of a tie. The couch, which he had undoubtedly run into, had moved a few inches.

"You need to calm down, Raleigh," Trystan told the boy, helping him back to his feet and over to the couch. He took the tie from Raleigh's hand and helped him out some by fixing it around his neck. "Do you really like this girl?"

"Yes," Raleigh moved his hand, "no, well, maybe. I don't know. I just don't want to make her hate me. She can be scary sometimes."

"A woman who can make you feel fear can be a good thing."

Trystan and Raleigh turned to Odin, who had the camera strapped around his neck. Neither human agreed with them, but Trystan was the one to shake his head. He didn't want the teenager he was caring for to think that was relationship goals. "That—God no. That's not a healthy thing."

Odin wasn't bothered that neither of them agreed with him as his attention had now moved to the camera around his neck. He held it up for the two to see. "How does this contraption work?"

Trystan, in exasperation, ran a hand down his nose as he forced his care on Raleigh. "Everything's going to be okay. Now go fix your hair."

Raleigh nodded and left Trystan to explain the use of a camera to Odin. He closed the bathroom door behind him and leaned his back against it as he let out deep breaths. Once he controlled his nerves, he pushed off the door and moved to the mirror above the sink. His hand instantly flew to his hair as he realized Trystan was right about his hair. Despite getting his hair cut to a shorter length, he's always had a hard time controlling the mess since his hair does as it wants. Yet, he tried his best as he grabbed his comb and flattened it back to his head. 

A few pieces flew back up, but Raleigh ignored them as he went through his internal checklist. He couldn't risk forgetting something. He wanted everything to go perfectly.

"Raleigh!" Trystan's voice sung through the small apartment. "Your date's here!"

Eyes widening, Raleigh quickly wiped the light sweat from his face with a towel, before rushing out of the front door. Trystan and Odin were standing inside the kitchen, closely watching the boy and the front door. He was about to tell the two to leave, but when the sound of a knock filled his ears again, he knew he was out of time. He anxiously straightened his suit and fixed his stance before he opened the door.