The stranger

Two weeks notice

Eddie: Damn.

That morning, he awoke to the sound of wood chopping. His eyes were drawn to his new favorite sight: John in a black tank top, swinging an axe. Sweat glistened on his skin, emphasizing the muscles that flexed with each powerful chop. Eddie couldn't help but shiver as he watched, impressed by John's unexpected strength and the size of his arms, which seemed twice as large and defined than usual.

Eddie: He's hot.

Lauri: I didn’t know you liked boys! It’s always Andrea here, Layla there! Oh, Bethany!

Eddie: What? Have you seen him? I’ve never dated a guy, but him? I like him.

Lauri: Good luck trying.

Eddie: Oh, come on, he likes me too, I can tell.

Lauri: He likes me as a person, but I don’t think I can get any closer than an arm’s distance.

Eddie: Don’t crush my dreams.

John finally noticed the tall man laughing with Laurie. “She seem happy.” Maybe it would be a better idea for her to live with the Alvarez instead. “I am a stranger” He put his hand on his heart. “He’s… so…” It was pumping a bit harder than usual. That sound echoed in his ears like hollow drums.

Ba-dum Ba-dum Ba-dum

“I’m tired”

Lauri: John!

He let his hand down and gave her his attention. She signed “You ok?”. He nodded softly, perusing his task.

——————————————————

At 3AM Eddie was wide awake. He looked at Lauri, sound asleep and wondered what was that noise. It sounded like a thud. He went to investigate and found John unconscious on the porch.

Eddie: John?

At first, he didn’t dare to touch him, but he wanted to know if he was breathing and his hair was covering his face. He only wanted to move them away.

Woof! Woof!

Billy lay his heavy body down on John, and barked once at Eddie. He then let his big head fall right over John’s head. “Oh no, he’s going to drool on his hair.” not long after, both of them emmited a loud snore that kept Eddie wide awake.

——————————————————————

“What’s that sound?”

Ba-dum Ba-dum Ba-dum

“Why are you doing this?”

Ba-dum Ba-dum Ba-dum

Lauri: Doing what?

He woke up suddenly, drenched in sweat, his breaths coming fast and shallow, and he appeared disoriented right on the porch. Without a word, he rose, cracked his neck, lit a joint, and headed for the shower.

Lauri: Is he okay?

Eddie: I don’t know. He’s more damaged that I thought.

Lauri: Meaning?

Eddie: Maybe something traumatized him.

Lauri: Like in this book?

Eddie: No, I mean… he’s a sin soldier. He must have seen some horrible things you know. Monsters hurting people... Last week there was a mini-rift that opened in the city you remember? We haven’t seen him all day.

Lauri: Yeah… maybe.

Woof Woof Woof!

The front door closed on its own and opened right away to reveal a six foot five colossal, built like a wardrobe, sturdy and imposing, with broad shoulders and a solid frame that commanded attention. His skin was dark and the long dreads adorn with jewels made him look majestic. Eddie backed out before being pushed aside by the man.

Eddie: Hey!

He turned sharply to face him, sending a shiver down Eddie’s spine. Smiling, he playfully pushed his face away with his large paw and quickly made his way to the bathroom.

John: DON’T TOUCH ME! I’LL FOLLOW YOU! DON’T!

A loud thud was followed by a groan that soon morphed into laughter. The tall man returned to the kitchen, bleeding a little from the nose and chuckling as he settled into John’s chair. He reached out to retrieve a drawing, only to reveal a hole in the wall containing secret cookies.

Lauri: Hey! He hides them for a reason, Sir! Put it back!

Sir: Oh, you give me orders now?

His voice carried a smug vibrato, each syllable tinged with subtle arrogance that seemed to reverberate through the air, accompanied by a faint accent. He attempted to adopt an imposing posture that made Eddie feel uneasy, but Lauri was not letting him eat John’s cookies. John always seemed so happy whenever he ate those, and this man's intrusive behavior was irritating her. Anger bubbled up inside her, making the man smile grew wider.

Lauri: Put those back, Sir!

Sir: No.

His deep voice resounded in her ears and his annoying playful and arrogant gaze was making her heart squint. Eddie pulled her away from him and he decided to eat one of the cookies, looking at her right in the eye.

Lauri: Put those BACK!

John took no time to dry his hair, he took the man with him through the door and vanished.

Eddie: What the hell was that?

John came back two hours later with a black eye and disappeared in his room only to get out of there five minutes later, all fixed. He explained that it was his friend from ten years ago and that he was also one of the sin soldier, but he didn’t say more.

————————————————————————————————

Eddie: You’re still awake?

John lifted his head to meet Eddie in the night. The dim light made the room feel calm and natural, it was beautiful on them. The tall young man sat down right in front of him, losing himself in those black pearl. John’s heart began to pound in his chest, noticing Eddie’s hands approaching his.

Eddie: You are so secretive. Yet look at you, exposing yourself like this.

He turned over the drawing John had been working on, studying it closely. It was like looking into a mirror. Every detail of Eddie's face was meticulously captured: his dimple, the faint scar on his chin from when he fell off the swing, even the beauty mark on his neck was present. Gently, he pushed the drawing back into place, his hand briefly brushing against John’s, who surprisingly didn’t recoil. Sensing an opportunity, Eddie reached out and took John's hand in his own, giving it a soft, reassuring squeeze. His skin was smooth and the contac sent all sorts of sensation coursing Eddie's veins. John took a deep breath, his heart rate increasing in response to his touch. He played a little with Eddies long fingers, his eyes fixed on their hands.

Ba-dum Ba-dum Ba-dum

“You disgusting f…”

John: No!

He withdrew his hand, his gaze flickering to the drawing. Eddie nodded, feeling a bit of disappointment, but he couldn't help noticing the tenderness with which John regarded the sketch.

John: I just... like your eyes...

With wooden crayons, he carefully filled in the green of Eddie’s eyes, ensuring not to overlook the small yellow spot near the pupil. They continued to study each other's features, a sense of distance and proximity lingering in the silence.

——————————————————————————————

Eddie: I'm all packed. Don't forget, tomorrow it's dinner at our house! You're coming too, John.

He raised a skeptical red eyebrow and attempted to shake his head, but Eddie nodded insistently, urging him to accept the invitation.

Eddie: Come on, my mom and friends are dying to meet you. And it's couscous! The best in town, you'll see. I'll make it just for you John.

With a wink, John's expression shifted into a portrait of a red beet, but he still felt tempted to not go. He took a deep breath and left the house to join the chickens.

Lauri and Billy bid Eddie farewell with hugs, and just like that, the charming neighbor went back home.

———————————————————————————————

As John wandered into the dirt path, a knot of anxiety coiled in his stomach at the thought of the upcoming dinner at Eddie's house. Despite Lauri's insistence and Eddie's warm invitation, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at him. The idea of meeting Eddie's family and friends filled him with a sense of dread, stirring up memories of past social encounters gone awry.

Lost in his thoughts, John's footsteps faltered as he approach the end of the forest. He paused, a wave of apprehension washing over him.

Ba-dum Ba-dum

Lauri: What’s wrong?

John took a moment to collect himself, shaking his head slightly to clear his thoughts. Billy nudged his big head against John's leg, a comforting gesture that offered some comfort in the sea of his anxiety. John gave the dog's head a gentle pat before forcing himself to continue walking toward the source of his apprehension.