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“I don’t need an apology,” said Decker.
Zebedee looked up at him. “He was in the war, or whatever, you know?”
“Gargoyles did fight in all the wars of the twentieth century,” said Decker. “Gargoyles turned to stone in the Middle Fucking Ages to avoid mass genocide and—”
“Yeah, fuck, I’m sorry,” said Zebedee.
Decker rolled his eyes, sighing heavily.
“No, really,” said Zebedee. “I don’t, you know, like you or whatever, but I’m not prejudiced against other species. That’s not me.”
“Well,” said Decker, “if you weren’t an elf, it might make me like you a teensy bit more, so maybe I can’t say the same.”
“Seriously?” said Zebedee, appalled. “Essence, what is it about this guy?”
“I don’t know, what is it about you?” said Essence. “Maybe if you weren’t blinded by your fucking privilege—”
“Oh, please, don’t even play that card,” said Zebedee. “I have worked hard, okay? Nothing I have in my life came easily.”
“You have got to be kidding me,” she said. “What sort of person asks someone on a date by telling them it would be fun to make babies with them?”
“Wait, what?” said Decker. “He said what?”
“Hey, I get nervous around you,” said Zebedee. “You make me nervous, Essence. So, yeah, I say really cringe-worthy shit, and I can’t seem to stop, and I’m sorry about that. And—for the record—the pregnancy thing… I just got scared.”
“Whatever,” said Decker.
“I really wish you would stay out of this conversation,” said Zebedee to him.
“Everyone’s scared about the prospect of becoming a parent,” said Decker. “It’s scary. Being afraid is not an excuse to run away, though. Imagine how much scarier it would be to think a child was possibly growing inside you? She was more scared than you, and you abandoned her, and—”
“But there was no baby,” said Zebedee.
Essence swallowed hard, staring up at Decker, feeling a little lightheaded. “Let’s go,” she said softly.
Decker met her gaze, but he was still angry. He was angry, and he wasn’t going to let go of that anger for a while.
“Essence, this is between you and me,” said Zebedee.
“Well, it’s a bad time,” she said, shaking the chain between the handcuffs. “So, um, we’ll have to do this later, Zebedee.” She turned and started walking towards Decker’s car.
This didn’t really work, because Decker wasn’t moving, so she could only go so far. She yanked on the chain as hard as she could.
Decker, hand pulled backward, stood his ground. “I just want you to know that she deserves better than that. You say she makes you nervous. Maybe that’s because you realize you’re not good enough for her.”
“You know what?” said Zebedee. “Maybe I’m not. Essence, come on, why are you running away?”
“So, if you know that, what do you care?” said Decker. “Let her go.”
“I just… Essence? Look at me?”
She did not look at him. “Decker, I don’t want to talk to him, and I can’t help but feel like, if you respected my wishes, you wouldn’t force me to stay here.”
Decker immediately turned and came with her.
“I miss you!” Zebedee called after them.
“Sorry,” said Decker to her.
