b l a c k | f o o t

“I’m not here for food,” Stella replied. “I was asking what it was- what you were looking at.” She looked at the man standing in front of her closely, searching for some sort of clue that would tell her if her were friend or foe. He was clearly on edge, and as she watched him, it became clear to her that he was just as scared of her as she was of him. Stella’s shoulder blades tingled, the reminder her hidden wings gave her when there was some kind of supernatural presence nearby. And just like that, the man’s behavior made complete sense.

Cool blues watched the ground for a moment, long enough until it was clear in his mind that his inattentiveness was not going to send her away and he brought them to meet her gaze once again. For a moment he peeked towards the window again as if waiting for someone else to walk through the door. “I don’t know.” The honest words fell from his lips as soon as he thought them, cursing himself slightly once he realized it came out aloud as well. Birch blinked as he regathered himself. “Anyway, it’s probably not a good idea for you to be here... Unless you’re going to order something.” He should leave too. Should have left over an hour ago, but it was lonely in the apartment. He wouldn’t admit he was scared.

As Stella walked down the street, she suddenly got the distinct feeling she was being watched. She stopped in her tracks and looked around, her eyes finally landing on a figure inside of Gustavo’s. It was a man, young, and he seemed to be staring at her. No, not at her, through her. Stella began to walk away, remembering a conversation she had earlier about running away from danger, not towards her. But there was something about the look in his eyes that made her turn around, throw caution to the window, and walk into the restaurant. “What is it?” she said ti the man.

The door of the restaurant opening was what finally tore his gaze from the window, catching the gaze of a young woman walking in. At first he passed her off as a customer, sure he was mistaken when he saw her eyes on him. When she stood before him and spoke however, it was clear he was wrong. “Excuse me?” He started, before his nose caught her scent. Different. Not human, but nothing he’d come across before either so he didn’t have a name for her kind. Instinctively he went stiff; weary. “I’m not on shift anymore,” he told her, eyes immediately going down, away from her. Play human. Don’t get caught. If he ignored her maybe she’d get bored and wander off.