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I grab his hand, squeezing as hard as I can. “Ren, listen to me. You said it with your own mouth;you weren’t yourself.Would you have done these things if you weren’t affected by starvation?”
He shakes his head, eyes pained.
“Exactly. You did what you did, but it wasn’tyou.I think no less of the man I met by the waterfall after my evening bath. You areRen, not a monster.” My gut clenches. “But all those things won’t stop the memories you claim to have. Only you can process and work through those.”
He blurs as he grasps me, his speed unrestrained. Moments later I’m wrapped in his arms, my legs spread over his lap. His head is at my chest, pressing into me as he hugs me tight. “I’m not good for you, Thea. You should leave me.” Even as he speaks the words, his hold on me tightens.
I snort. “Now you’re talking like a psycho. What sort of partner would I be if I abandoned you in your darkest days?”
“A smart one.” His reply is instant.
He’s thought about this a lot. I thought he had secrets, a darkness edging his easygoing attitude, but I never thought it was this serious.
“Hey.” I lean back, pushing his head upward. His hair is a mess, splaying all over his cheeks. I sweep it behind both his ears. “This changes nothing.”
His fingers slide up my arms until they rest over my palms. “Thank you, my light.”
At that moment, I feel compelled to kiss his lips. So I do.
After our special moment ends, and the room's heaviness dissipates, Ren finally lights the fire. I complete my side of the agreement and enter the kitchen, Ren fast on my heels.
The living area was nearly spotless, but it seems the kitchen has been overrun with vermin. Piles of shredded materials decorate the baseboards, and they’ve chewed holes into a few of the bottom cabinets beneath the sink.
Blaming the tiny creatures is futile; they’re just trying to survive like the rest of the world is.
“Well, then.” My back straightens. “I’m not really sure I want to dig around in rat droppings.”
Ren squeezes my right shoulder, stepping around me. “I’ll hunt for you. What do these cans look like?” He saunters past me, heading straight toward the pantry.
“A metal jar-like container. Most will have paper labels showing the food item inside.”I hope there are pears, here.
I’ve always wanted to taste a pear. I’m not sure why, but the fruit has always spoken to me. Maybe it’s my role in its design. I helped perfect the curving shape, and it turned out perfectly, if I say so myself.
He glides toward the fridge, opening it before I can warn him of what's probably decaying inside.
Ren’s near-gag causes me to shudder. A glimpse of mold-covered mush flashes behind the fridge door before he slams it shut again. I wince. “Maybe try the cabinet, instead.”
His nose remains wrinkled as he side-steps a pile of rubbish to reach the cabinet doors above the stove. He finds two cans there, and another three in the cabinet beside it. None of the labels read pear.
In the end, I choose the sweetest can in the meager selection provided. Beets.
Ren shreds the lid with his fingertips, denting it inward with a strength that almost appears like an illusion. Then he ushers me into the living room and back to the fire.
I was able to find a suitable metal trash can for him to set his wood aflame in. The can is aluminum, but the bottom has plastic wheels, and they’re already melting.
Aware of the black tar spreading from its base, I sit on the ground a few feet away from Ren.
He’s staring at the can’s contents, as if wonder-struck. “Would you like to give these a try too?” I smile at him, already knowing his answer.
His responding glare makes me chuckle.
“No, I don’t think I’ll be tasting any more human food.” he replies, nose wrinkled in distaste. “But,” he scoots closer. “I want to feed these to you. Did you know they’re dark red? Like the berries from this morning?”
My smile grows. Of course I do. “Is that so?”
His stare rotates from the beets to my lips. “Let me feed them to you.”
The suggestion, paired with the heat growing in his eyes, causes my thighs to clench. “Okay,” I reply, breathless.
