Summary: Being friends with two people pining over each other but too stubborn to admit it will be quite a challenge for Lily.
Lily opens the door to her old apartment and scans the living room. She’s one hour late and Samantha, who used to be punctual, still didn’t arrive from her dinner with Adrian. She rolls eyes and shuts the door, tossing the keys on the kitchen counter like she always did. She turns on the tv and her PlayStation. She’s happy living at Shadow Den, but it’s good to still have some of her things are at her best friend’s apartment. She likes coming back once in a while to check on her best friend and the apartment was so full of nice memories. It feels good to still have this connection with her human life.
About half-hour later, Samantha walks in with a tired smile on her face and two packages from an Asian restaurant, probably Filipino, since it is her comfort food and Adrian certainly would want to spoil her. She knows Lily doesn’t need human food anymore, but it doesn’t matter. Whenever she ate something good, she would bring some of it to her best friend. She puts one of the packages on the counter, the smaller one in the fridge and takes a seat beside Lily on the couch, wrapping her best friend in a tight hug.
Lily pauses the game to return the hug, but her enhanced senses make her wish her friend wasn’t a hugger. Chicken, sweat, fancy male cologne, and cum. Again. Wow, Sam… Lily caresses her best friend’s hair and pulls away.
“Sorry I’m late…” Samantha smiles sheepishly.
“No problem, I was just killing some zombies here. If I don’t play anything dark from time to time, the amount of cute family-friendly games I’ve been playing with Lula will make me burp rainbows at some point.”
Samantha giggles. “We can’t have that. It’ll ruin your badass vampire reputation.”
“I know, right? So, what am I having for dinner?”
“Chicken Teriyaki with brown rice and no salad. You never ate them while you were human, so what’s the point?” Samantha affirms. “And ube ice cream for dessert. ”
“That purple ice cream you like? Cool!” Lily goes to the kitchen, takes a seat by the counter and opens the package. “God bless human food…” she smiles inhaling the smell teriyaki sauce. “Change to Quickflix and choose the movies for our marathon.”
Lily eats her chicken, eventually glancing at her friend from the corner of an eye. Samantha flips through the movie options on the streaming service absentmindedly, simply pressing her manicured fingers on the buttons of remote control.
“I’m fully aware of your habits of never knowing what to watch, but this is a whole new level of indecision, Sam.”
“Huh?”
Lily stands up, walks across the room and sits next to her. “Sam, are you okay?”
Samantha shrugs, avoiding eye contact.
“You don’t have to tell me anything now, but I’m here for you whenever you need me, okay?” Lily rests a hand on her best friend’s shoulder.
Samantha frowns and she bites her bottom lip as it starts to quiver.
Lily pulls her friend into a hug.
Samantha finally sobs. “He hates me, Lil. He got these gifts from Kamilah and Adrian and he thanked Kamilah’s assistant, but he ignored me. I spent days searching for an artist so they could make the shīsā statues for his office and he just ignored me. It was as if I wasn’t even there.”
Lily tightens the embrace. “He doesn’t. It’s just his defense mechanism to deal with these awkward situations.”
“Why did he have to be so cruel?”
“Sam, both of you have your own ways to cope with the breakup. His way is a bit harsh than yours, but hey, it’s Jax we’re talking about.”
“I know, but I didn’t expect this.” She looks down at her hands. “He must be over me, right?”
Lily scratches her head and glances away, unsure if she should say what she knows.
…
Ten hours ago
“Yeah!” Lula jumps and makes a happy dance while Lily turns off the videogame.
“All right, I have to admit you’ve got pretty good at Mario Cart. But I want a rematch,” Lily affirms.
“Kay… But we can do it later. I want to play Go Fish.”
“Go Fish? Really?” Lily makes a face.
“It’s my favorite game. Jax taught me how to play it and I want to play with him.”
“Lula, he must be busy with the renovations right now.”
“He’s always busy now. And sad. I think his heart broke,” Lula pouts.
“He’s just a bit stressed out with everything. We’re having some big changes here.”
“I know, but it’s not just that. He doesn’t smile and doesn’t have fun anymore.”
She isn’t wrong. Jax isn’t quite the same since the night he ended things with Samantha. He spends most of the time on his own, at combat training or working. He doesn’t join any other activities from the Clanless, he goes out every night and most of the time, he’s lost in his own thoughts.
“True…” Lily agrees.
“It’s not right. He needs laughs. I’ll look for him to play Go Fish so he can smile again.”
“He could be anywhere at Shadow Den at this hour, Lula.”
“And I will find him.” Lula stands up and leaves the game room.
“Ah, what the hell…” Lily shrugs and follows the little vampire around the Den. The two of them go to several rooms and ask people about Jax, yet he’s nowhere to be seen. “Okay, this is getting boring…”
“We didn’t go to his room yet. He’s there.”
“Lula, I’m sure if he’s there, he doesn’t want to be disturbed. Besides, this is way too much trouble for a simple game.”
“But his heart is broken, Lily. We have to help him fix it,” the little girl frowns.
“I know, kiddo, but Jax isn’t the kind of guy who asks for help.”
“Lily, we help anyone who needs help. Jax taught me that. And he needs us. We have to go.” Lula turns away and marches down the hall leading to Jax’s room.
“Ugh… Kids,” Lily purses her lips and follows the child vampire once again. After a couple of steps towards Jax’s bedroom, she hears sex grunts and moans. Her eyes go wide and she hurries to catch up with Lula. “Hey, kiddo! I think I heard someone saying Jax is out, so we probably should go.”
“No one said that.”
“Lula, come on. We looked everywhere for him. Let’s go back to the game room and play something else.”
“We have to look into his room first.”
“Oh, that’s so good…” Jax’s hoarse voice echoes through the walls.
“He’s here!” Lula beams.
“He must be busy. Come on,” Lily reaches for her, but the vampire child runs for the door.
“No, he’s here.” Lula turns the doorknob grinning. “Jaaaaax!”
“Oh, shi–” As the door opens, Lily gasps, covers Lula’s eyes and looks away.
Jax has his pants undone while Liv is on her knees, wearing only an embroidered retro lingerie and stilettos. She has one hand between her legs and her breasts are coming out of her corset. He turns away to adjust his clothes whilst Liv picks up her coat from the floor and stands up with a smirk, brushing her manicured middle finger along the corners of her mouth as if to fix a smudge from her lipstick or clean something. She puts her coat back on, whispers something in Jax’s ear then leaves waving to Lily.
“What are you both doing here?” Jax says, faking a smile as Lily uncovers the vampire child’s eyes.
“We’re here so you can play with us,” Lula replies.
“I told Lula you were busy, but she insisted,” Lily explains, still avoiding eye contact with Jax.
“Lily is right. I was busy. When I’m busy, you can’t come in here without knocking,” Jax affirms.
“Or maybe you could lock the door and not make so much noise, boss,” Lily says under her breath.
Jax closes his eyes and shakes his head as his cheeks turn bright red.
“But you’re sad. You’re always sad and busy now. You have to play with us so you can smile again,” Lula says.
Jax scratches the back of his head.
“Now that you’re no longer busy with whatever you were doing earlier, you could play Go Fish with us,” Lily suggests.
Lula nods with a smile and pleading eyes.
“All right, let me look for a deck of cards,” Jax turns around looking for the cards in a drawer.
A few hours later, Lula is lied down on the carpet, watching an animation movie and eating popcorn while Lily and Jax chat in the back of the room in hushed tones.
“I swear I tried to keep her away as soon as I heard you in here, but that kid is really fast,” Lily utters.
“Yeah, she’s a handful. But she’s also quite perceptive,” he grimaces.
“You’re not exactly hiding your feelings well, Jax,” Lily gives him a knowing look.
He sighs.
“Are you okay? I mean, truly okay?”
He shakes his head.
“I have my first Council meeting tonight. She’s going to be there, all poised and professional in one of those sexy assistant outfits and I don’t know how to face her. The minute I walk in, her perfume is going to cloud all my thoughts. It already does and I’m haven’t seen her up close since that night,” he rubs the nape of his neck.
“I’m so sorry, Jax.”
“It’s not your fault. If anyone is to blame here, it’s me. I’m an effing moron.”
“Effing moron?”
He points his head towards Lula.
“Ah, yes…” Lily heaves a sigh. “But did you change your mind about the exclusive relationship thing?”
“Maybe? I don’t know… I just know that I miss her in a way that I’ve never missed anyone before. But I think I blew all my chances.”
“Why don’t you call her? She must be awake now, getting ready for her shift.”
“No.” His features slowly harden. “She’s probably with Raines now.”
Lily nods, then furrows her brows. “Wait, how do you know that?”
Jax looks away.
“Dude, you said you were going to stop! It’s creepy!” Lily swats his arms.
He barely flinches. “I just need to see if she’s okay. We all got our enemies and you know how reckless she is.”
She glares at him.
“What? She is.”
“It doesn’t justify the fact that you watch her sleep, you weirdo.”
“I may be a weirdo, but for the record, I just look after her when she’s alone. I do not try to get into her house, stalk her online, hack her phone or anything like that.”
“You wouldn’t have to do this if you just talked to her.”
“What if she blows me off? What if she wants to humiliate me for crawling back to her?”
“You don’t know that. Why don’t you call her? Don’t you want to know how she feels about you now?”
“I’m not begging to come back, Lily. I do not beg.” Jax hisses.
“Dude, come on…”
“No,” he fumed.“We’re done with this discussion.” He stands up and saunters over to Lula. “Hey, are you hungry?”
Lula nods.
“I’ll fetch something for us,” he says with a small smile and leaves the door, shutting the door on his way out.
…
“Ugh, don’t answer… I shouldn’t be bothering you with this,” Samantha picks up a tissue to wipe her tears. “I don’t want to put you in an awkward situation.”
“You’re not. I suggested coming here so we could talk about this, remember?”
“Yeah, but you’re his friend and part of his clan. I can’t do this. Let’s just watch the movie.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah…”
Lily chooses the first movie while Samantha goes to the kitchen and comes back with the box of ice cream and two spoons. By the end of the first movie, Lily’s phone buzzes with texts from her girlfriend. She answers them discreetly and turns to her friend.
“Sam, can Gabs joins us? She loves Nightcrawler.”
Samantha hesitates, her spoon mixing the last of the ice cream melting on the box.
“She’s so much fun. You’re gonna love her.”
“Sure,” Samantha replies absentmindedly.
Lily gapes at her best friend for a moment. “You don’t want her here, do you?”
She nibbles her bottom lip nervously. “I’m not sure I can handle being next to a couple. I believe you, she must be great, but… I don’t know if I’ll be okay with you all cute and funny around her… It’s just…” Samantha takes a deep breath, her voice croaking slightly. “I miss him so much, Lil. And it really hurts. Seeing you all happy with Gabrielle won’t be easy.”
Lily glances at the window, sensing a pair of red eyes watching them. “You know what? I’m tired of this shit.”
“Excuse me?”
“This sad mutual pining thing between you and Jax, asking me stuff about each other and then pretending you don’t want to know but you do. I’m done with this. It’s stupid! So here’s the deal: he misses you. You’re all he can think about. And the shīsās you gave him? He’s probably staring at them right now, just like you’re here obsessively fiddling with this goddamn pendant!”
“I–”
“I’m not finished!”
Samantha’s eyes go wide.
“He has been watching you again.”
“What?”
“Yeah, he stays at the fire escape and on the roof of the building nearby until it’s almost sunrise. He says he wants to make sure you’re okay, but I know he wants to see you. I told him it’s the sort of creepy thing people go to jail for and it didn’t stop him.”
“Is he watching us now?”
“No. Because I’m here and I said he doesn’t get to stalk you when I’m around. But he’s most likely developing some sort of nervous tick because he can’t see you tonight.”
“What am I supposed to do? Go after him?”
“Yes!”
“Did you forget what I told you about meeting him tonight?”
“About how he ignored you in your workplace, the place where you have quickies with your boss? Yeah, I remember.”
“Hey!”
“Am I wrong?” Lily raises an eyebrow.
Samantha rolls her eyes.
“You both want to be together and you should. But I can’t do that for you. Trust me, I’ve tried. But you can. You’re the only one who can get through him and fix this. Do your thing to bring him closer again.”
Samantha furrows her brows.
“You go on and think about it while I wait for Gabs out front. I’m thirsty because I miss feeding to be here and my girlfriend asked a volunteer to drop by and let me feed on her.”
“I’m sorry you missed feeding,” she looks down at her hands. “I could’ve let you feed on me.”
“I know you could, but I was looking for any excuse to see Gabrielle,” she smiles. “I’ll be back later, okay?”
Samantha nods.
“Sam?”
“Yeah?”
“Think about it. You have to talk to him and sort it out.” Lily kisses her friend’s temple and leaves, hoping for the best outcome for both of her friends.
