ι'м ησт qυιтє нυмαη, вυт ι'м ησт qυιтє α мα¢нιηє {Rue}

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

After checking in and putting his luggage in his room, Aron left the motel and went to the unfinished skyscraper where Valerie and him had first kissed. Like he had so many times before, he scaled the skeleton of a building to the very top and sat on the beam looking out at the city. He shivered, only partly from the cold. As a werewolf, he was more resilient to things like that, but the lack of a warm body beside him created the illusion of cold. He could go to some bar and pick up a random bar, spend a meaningless night wrapped in warmth. He couldn't, though. He hadn't been with anyone in months, not since Val, and at this point he couldn't even imagine being with someone else.

[assassinrue]

(lol pick up a random bar)

Valerie awoke with a start, sitting up slightly and glancing around. Isaiah was bent over the bed, a tray in hand. He smiled shyly at her. "Sorry I didn't mean to wake you, just thought I'd bring you breakfast in bed." Valerie sat up all the way and smiled. "Thank you."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Hmph. I was angry at my internet and wasn't really paying attention)

Time passed strangely for Aron throughout the night. Sometimes it would seem like it was slugging along, and others hours passed without him realizing it. Regardless, he stayed up there until sunrise, and by then his fingers had gone numb and most of his face as well. He slowly worked his way down from the top, his unfeeling hands making it difficult. He'd done this enough times that he made it down safely, though, and headed back to the motel.

[assassinrue]

They ate, murmuring quietly to each other. Today felt different.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Lalala. They need to run into each other lol)

[assassinrue]

"What do you say we go to the farmer's market today?" Isaiah asked. "I need a break from my books. Valerie nodded enthusiastically and then got up and got ready.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Aron only stopped by the room long enough to take a shower and change his clothes. The same man as the night before sat at the front desk, and he watched him with suspicious eyes as Aron crossed the lobby on his way in and then out. Aron ignored the man. He wouldn't be staying here long. He'd probably jump around from motel to motel, but he'd need to do something to get some more cash. He had credit cards, but even magical beings know how to trace credit cards. No, he'd have to figure something else out. He just didn't know what yet.

He ended up wandering along the city streets, passing bars that he'd once occupied, but now he didn't give them a second glance. None of them were open anyway, this early in the morning. He knew he should be figuring out where to go from here, but as he walked he let his mind slip away and thought about nothing at all. It was a certain kind of freedom, not thinking. He'd had too many worries for too long.

[assassinrue]

Valerie and Isaiah held hands as they walked through the street. Isaiah knew it made her uncomfortable, but he had insisted they do it every once and a while, and today Valerie was in the right mood.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Aron paused in front of a store, one of those touristy places that sell t-shirts and hats and shot glasses that say "I <3 NYC" on them. He smiled faintly to himself and shook his head at the group of girls excitedly discussing the shot glasses. He was still standing there when they came out, and when they realized he was watching them, they all started giggling. In the past, he would have given them a little grin, but right then he just moved on without a second glance. The giggling died down and he left the memory behind at the tourist shop.

[assassinrue]

"It's a possibility that the publisher will take my book to print next month." Isaiah said quietly. Valerie reacted with a squeel and jumped up to hug Isaiah.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

The sound of a high-pitched squeal coming from down the street made Aron pause. He was pretty sure he'd never heard her make that sound before, but it sounded just like her. His breath caught and he stepped under the awning over a building to peer down the street.

[assassinrue]

"Oh my god, Isaiah!" Her reaction couldn't have been faked. She had been through Isaiah's entire torturous process, even if he didn't know it. "That's amazing!" She grabbed him for a hug again and she was shocked when he stopped her halfway to take her face in his hands and kiss her.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

His eyes searched the street, and despite the bustling New York crowd he found her immediately. And she was kissing someone else. He drew back behind the corner, blocking off his view of the scene. Had she moved on that easily? He didn't deserve to, but he felt a pang of disappointment at that.

[assassinrue]

Valerie laughed as Isaiah spun her in a circle. "So, we are celebrating today!" Isaiah said and began leading her down the street again.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Aron closed his eyes for a moment. He knew he should turn and walk away, leave her alone. She could spend the rest of her life without him. If she'd gotten over it, it was better that way. But the weak, selfish part of him couldn't allow that. He'd tried to let her walk away, he'd almost succeeded, but he'd failed. So he stepped out back onto the street and followed them.

[assassinrue]

"What is this?" Isaiah asked chuckling.
"That is the best peach ice cream this city has to offer." Valerie said with a chipper tone, bouncing up on her the balls of her feet.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Mmm. Peach ice cream)

Aron stayed back a ways, but his feet kept drawing him closer. He could see her smiling face, hear her laugh, and with every step he knew he should turn around. She was happy, and that was what was important. Wasn't it?

[assassinrue]

Valerie felt something different in the air around her but she was too excited for Isaiah to care. She watched as he happily ate his ice cream and she gnawed on a heath bar.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Aron pulled his head up over his face and went to sit down on a bench just a few yards away from them. He peered over at her, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. God, she looked so beautiful. Even more than when he'd left her the first time, if that was even possible.

[assassinrue]

"I am going to take a break." Isaiah said, handing Valerie his few things. "I'll be right back."

Valerie took his things with a smile, watching him go and when she was pretty sure he was out of ear shot, she laughed. Those were the exact same words he had said to her as a dog whenever he had to use the bathroom during a writing session. She moved towards the nearest park bench and sat down, rubbing her fingers over palm of her hand.