At The End Of Their Tunnel Vision

Chapter III

Narelle woke up and noticed the room went dark. But her eyes noticed an illumination at top of her head. Changing her position, she saw Elliot busy looking at the screen of his phone. Her head was lying on top of Elliot's lap. The dark angel was surprisingly comfortable. Even though his outward appearance heavily resembled a marble statue. His body was firm, yet yielding under the touch, just like how muscles works under the skin. Though it was apparent Elliot doesn’t have a skin. She would never get how the corruption worked in his case.

She had fallen asleep again. Narelle loved sleeping, so she didn’t mind. Except today, of course, she enjoyed spending time with her roommate. Too bad she slept a lot today.

“If you are awake, please get off from my lap.”

Narelle stretched a smile on her lips and peered between the space of his arms to stare at him.

“I’m hungry, Elliot.”

The smile on her face went even wider when she heard the dark angel's exasperated sigh. His eyes finally pulled away from the screen and looked down at her.

“Get off so I could cook some dinner.”

“But you're comfy!”

“Then f*****g decide what you want, woman!”

“Carry me!”

Elliot turned his phone off, making the room darker. Saved by the dim light illuminated from the window. Narelle began sitting up while Elliot placed the device on top of the coffee table. He grumbled when she pushed his back lower so she could slink her body behind him. When she was positioned, leaning on his back and clung to his neck. Elliot carefully stood up.

“Why do I have to put up with this?” he asked. Yet his voice doesn’t harbor any merit in it.

Narelle giggled, locking her legs on his torso. “I’m your pet, remember? So be a responsible owner and fed me.”

He scoffed. “You are the most pathetic pet I ever have. You can’t even cook a decent meal. If it was not under my supervision, you will die without a doubt,” he complained as he strode through the apartment halls and entered the kitchen. “Is stir-fry vegetables good for now?” While staring at the content of the half empty refrigerator.

A suppressed giggle burst out from her mouth. It always got her every time Elliot got so worked up and complained all of the time, yet he would always proceed being polite. She hugged him even tighter, giddy from being close to him.

Recently, she noticed her bouts of clinginess towards her roommate. It started last two weeks when they were lazing on the couch. He had a blanket around him since for some reason his tolerance for cold was much lower than her. It just started that time of the year again. So, Narelle did what naturally came inside her head. Being a total air head and impulsive. She hugged him.

The initial contact startled Elliot. Shoving her away. Based on what she saw in his expression, he didn’t expect the hug. He looked so confused.

“What was that, Narelle?” he asked, as if she did something beyond comprehension.

She tilted her head, staring at her completely bewildered roommate.

“A hug?”

Then the confusion washed away with irritation that smothered his cyan orbs with a darker tone. He was glaring at her. “I know what you did. But–why?”

Was that the issue? On why does he have a look that he wasn’t expecting it? Did he never experienced being hugged before or having someone embracing him?

“You looked uncomfortable from the cold. So I hugged you. Without thinking again. Sorry about that," she said sheepishly.

Narelle looked away and rubbed her left arms. She admitted she was touch starved. After all, her parents gave her their whole affection. Missing the attention and physical touch of her parents, she began seeking for it. It hurts how missing something she knew she would never had again changed her perception. That she would gladly take anything just to appease the longing, even if it's only temporary. That was how desperate she was to feel even just the semblance of the affection.

Now she felt guilty for thinking she could have it from her roommate. The only person she trusted. Without considering if it’s ok or not.

He heaved a sigh, loud enough to pull her out of her own thoughts. “Very typical of you doing something without thinking.” He grabbed one of her hands, pulling her closer to him. “Do not startle me. You should know by now I do not appreciate surprises. Warn me next time.” He encircled his arms around her shoulder and back. Engulfing her with his embrace and the blanket that covered him.

She reciprocated the hug after her mind processed what just happened. The giddiness swarmed on her belly made her let out a shaky breath. Elliot's body was unexpectedly warm. Well, she always envisioned him as one of the marble statues, so she always thought of his body being cold.

But the continuous nagging in her mind soon blurted out when the commercial played on the tv screen.

“Why did you look so confused before, fruit loops? Haven’t you received hugged before?”

It became obvious how conflicted he was about answering her question. Whenever she asked about his past, he always had this conflicted look. An inner turmoil that visibly strung him. She assumed she wouldn’t get her answers, just like before. But does her question had any personal relation to his past he didn't want to talk about? But this appeared to be the last straw with his patience.

“Narelle, since you are the longest creature, I’ve been tolerated from annihilating. I will give you a hint about my past.” He looked at her, but the light from his iris were extinguished. His eyes were pure black. And it made her feel like staring directly at the void. “In rebirth memories were wiped.” he said with a voice that sounded like an amalgamation reverb into a deep pitch that uttered underwater.

She trembled, understanding that it was a warning. Elliot’s hate from being asked about his past came from alienation. The pure detachment he got whenever he reminiscing his past beyond his execution. Was that the same reason why he never asked her about her past?

So, nobody hugged him when he turned into Corrupted. If his mind even began recollecting beyond the time of his past life.

Narelle hugged him tighter. It pained her after discovering how touch deprived the dark angel might be after his rebirth. He looked so different, so no wonder he retorted into a reclusive lifestyle.

“I’m sorry. Elliot. I promise I won’t ask about the past, anymore.” Her words were kinda muffled since she decided to squished herself on Elliot’s chest. When the embarrassment finally got into her.

Elliot pet her head. “Do not even start on making a promise you can not keep, Narelle. Instead, use that organ inside your skull sometimes.” But she continued hiding her face, pressing her face even further through the fabric of his knitted sweater. Elliot sighed, making sure to put as much emphasis as possible on just how exasperated he was from her act. “Narelle, I swear if you do not stop that infuriating crying and left a snot on my clothes. I will never cook for you again.”

Her head instantly crane up and looked at her roommate. “Noooo! Please, anything but that!” she continued begging until Elliot finally shut her up by pushing her head back again where her recent spot. “I’m really sorry, Elliot. From now on I’ll give you an unlimited amount of hugs.”

“Fine.” he grunted.

From the entirety of the day, both of them cuddled. And whenever Elliot got home early in the afternoon, she would hug, sometimes cuddled with him, before she went for her work at night.

Another thing she noticed in their recent interactions was it always had to be her initiating the hug or asking it for him. It really warmed her heart. He wasn’t pushy except for the leash incident. Oh, she almost forgot about it.

Elliot just finished cooking, and they were now at the dinner table, eating.

“Elliot, about earlier.”

He stopped. The spoon hovering on top of the plate. Then he placed the spoon on the side and looked at her. “What do you wanna know?”

“Do you intend to put either of the two I chose if I gave you a proper answer?” She bowed her head down. The intensity of his stare became unbearable for her, that she couldn’t keep her eyes straight on him.

“Not gonna lie. I am tempted to just give you the latter option. But after your collapse, I do not desire to put you in any of the situations that might be the trigger your of attack. So cues are necessary from now on.”

Narelle expected him to ask about what happened to her earlier. But it seemed Elliot already knew.

“How?”

“Be specific, Narelle. I do not know what are you referring to.”

Weird did he also stopped from calling her pet because of the incident? Her gut began churning. Scared of him delving deeper about the trigger he just mentioned. She doesn’t want to talk about it.

“What kind of cues?” she asked.

“Easy. You know about the traffic lights, right?”

Her head craned up, staring at the dark angel in front of her. “Yes?” her voice filled with hesitation, yet she held back the urge to ran in her room and hide. “What does the connection between traffic lights from the cues you need?”

“The traffic lights were signals for the flow of the street traffic. And I thought about using it as a cue. And I pick the color yellow to indicate if what I am asking was too much and reminded you of your past.”

Her fear dissipated after hearing his explanation. But she still had her doubts. She spoke with an obvious concern about the brewing question inside her head. Before she resumed on eating. “Aren’t you curious about my past?” she asked. Her eyes still trained on him with visible caution.

Elliot turned his head from his left. Eyes focused on that part of the kitchen. While contemplating for an answer. “I am. But I will not induce you into another attack like that. I am not brutal nor shallow, Narelle.”

The clutter of metal hitting the plate became a loud chime from the deafening silence that Elliot left. After she finally absorbs his statement. “You cared about me?” she asked with teary eyes.

Elliot held a restrained grin from how tight his jaw clench. Upon seeing the reaction on her face. “Yes. But let us not dwell on my personal feelings.” He rolled his eyes when she gasped in a comical way. “I am a sentient being. Of course I have emotions, you imbecile!” he struggled to maintain his aloof, grumpy exterior whenever she was beaming with happiness.

Then he grabbed his spoon again to finish the remaining serving on his plate with a narrowed eyebrow. He abruptly stood up after finishing his food. But she noticed the absence of the footsteps. Narelle crane her head again only to be met with a glowing blue orb.

“This is my only request. So, please keep it in mind. I do not wish to witness that–again,” his voice held such pure sentiment, concern and hurt. That it made her held the breath she was supposed to exhale. “Finished your food. So we can watch the show you are pestering me about.” And just like that, he reverted back to his aloof demeanor. As if he doesn’t just showed how concerned he was.

Elliot left her alone in the kitchen. She finished her food as fast as she could. While pondering about specifying what she did earlier, that made him worried at her all of the sudden. But in the end she stayed silent about her own concern. She stuck to the notion of him being an anxious friend. After all, he occasionally battled with his inner demons. Now that he found out, she was also battling her own versions of devils. He might see her now as someone to relate. Realizing he sheltered a broken creature just like him.

The next day, she still clung to him just to pester the dark angel. But their usual Monday morning cut short when his phone uncharacteristically blared like a siren across the room. And when he checked him from the entryway of the living room, finding him gone, she pouted. Breakfast pancake was officially cancelled. Since she couldn’t cook, she changed her pj into a sweater, thick leggings and a knitted cyan scarf warped around her neck. She shoved the grocery list Elliot prepared for yesterday in the left pocket of her sweater. After tapping the front tip of her worn boots she walked out of the apartment.

Winter season always remained her of warmth in her childhood. This where the season when her parents got together the most. Now that she’s here with her roommate to relay on. Spending holidays won’t be too lonely for her.

Chilly breeze drifted pass her, making her quiver. Changing the pace of her steps, she power walked straight to the long street until she saw the familiar cafe.

The chime of multiple metal resonated within the small cozy cafe. The smell of coffee and pastry danced through her nose, making her stomach grumbled. Yet, she was having a second thought about buying her breakfast when she saw who was at the counter at the moment.

Being a succubus suck especially when every woman creature dislikes her species. It doesn’t matter if she was one of those who rarely abstain. She always had to deal with the blind hate directed to her species.

When she walked closer to the counter and the attendant noticed her, the elf immediately frown at her. Of course, even though she was ridiculously layered by her choice of clothes to appear modes and conservative. Women still gave her a stinky eye.

“Can I have three strawberry muffins and–”

“Get out.” The elf interjected her with a stern command.

Her head turned towards the elf, taking a peek at the elf’s nameplate attached to their chest. The elf’s name was Sherrill. Why does this Monday morning get worse and worse? Sherrill continued glaring at her as if she just touched her pointy ears.

“Look, I always buy here. Ron knew me.”

But the elf looked at her with disgust, crossing their arms. “Yeah, of course you are, succubus.” Emphasizing her species name with contempt. “You even knew a loser like him. Too bad his shift will be later afternoon. So scram. I don’t want your disgusting stink staining this place.” The elf sneered.

Rapid blinked overtook her lids for stopping her eyes from shedding some tears. Narelle turned around to run away from the sudden onslaught of degradation from the woman she just met.

She walked out of the cafe with a heavy heart and disappointment at not getting one of her staple food. The overwhelming feeling of wanting to cry from the unjust system of the world. She halted when remembering she was in the middle of the sidewalk.

Narelle began walking towards the path leading to the grocery store. The walk would take 20 minutes. Pulling out her earpiece, she stuffed the small device in her ears and played the playlist on her phone.

The entirety of her walked she ignored few male creatures leering at her. Some even catcalled her, even though she had music blaring in her ears, muffling the offending words. She could discern it by the body language.

Living as a succubus got harder in this era of toxicity. Where material things overvalued and people became the tool. And that was how her species viewed nowadays; a tool for s****l satisfaction.

These days, everybody seems to be ruthlessly greedy. Younger generation enjoyed connection through technology. In front of their screen that slowly formed as their cage. A mere puppet controlled by the trend.

Genuine affair became rare, a scarce type of authenticity that always ended up being defiled. So, even the kindest creature changed, ruined, or consumed. Becoming the by-product of heinous acts. Creating damage people in a suffocating, corrupted society.

But Narelle wasn’t alone in this world anymore. Elliot continued accepting her even though she was equally damaged good just like the rest. And she was satisfied with even if it was just him being around. Quality over quantity based on what she heard before.

Narelle reached the grocery store. Ignoring the glare of few woman staff and customers, she proceeded her stroll among the aisle of shelves with an empty cart in tow.

She was in the cleaning material aisle when someone tapped her shoulder. Twisting around, a tall buffed and tanned under the black and maroon parka and jeans. A familiar figure of Amazonian co-worker startled her.

“Fancy seeing you around beside our workplace, Narelle.”

Narelle took a step back while the side of her lips twitched into an awkward smile. She doesn’t have any bad blood between her co-worker but for some reason this Amazonian liked bullying her.

“Ah, yeah. Just doing some grocery.” Grabbing the bleach and placed the item in the cart with a visibly hurried manner, she told her co-worker a curt goodbye.

“Whoa, wait. What’s the rush?”

She reluctantly stopped turning her body. “Why? Is there something I can help you with?” Gulping the growing nervousness leaping up her throat, she waited for the Amazonian’s response.

The Amazonian scratched the side of her face, looking conflicted and indecisive. “Do you have time after your grocery shopping to–have a brunch with me?” Her co-worker asked. Almost looking uncharacteristically shy.

Ah, hell nah! Not a chance. Nope. And so her brain went into a panic mode. Alarmed and all that s**t.

“I’m sorry, but I got to go home straight after this?” she winced when she realized she outright rejected the woman.

For a moment Roan, her co-worker, looked displeased and disappointed at her answer. But she looked at her again with a twinkle of hope. “Er–maybe next time?”

“No, I’m so sorry. I’m not really interested.” she began stepping back when the woman took a step in an attempt to get closer to her.

Roan’s expression evoked into confounded. “Not even a try?”

Feeling cornered, a risky idea formed at the back of her head. “I can’t, actually.” Roan clearly wasn’t satisfied with her answer. And she felt under the pressure already. So, she resorted to the most effective concept of turning down people. “I have a boyfriend. I’m sorry.” And she zoomed out of that aisle, leaving her co-worker flabbergasted and hurt.