Itās a little clichĆ©, the sense of ease that washes over him at the sight of Teagan. Perhaps he was just relieved to see her okay and in one piece. When you lived in Olympus, it was easy to become desensitized by the tragic nature this town holds. Sometimes, itās like a hurricane. It can take and take without much of a warning. It can sweep through the lives of people, the lives of the unexpectant. Though, this time, it feels like a tornado. It sweeps through the town in search for fear and sorrow and it gets just that. Itās thick, the atmosphere, and it vaguely reminds John of the evening Taylor died. He could almost smell the salt and sand. He has to swallow hard to rid of the taste and the feeling it brings. Thankfully, Teaganās voice slices through the atmosphere like a blade. Clean.
āNow youāre just trying to flatter me,ā John says teasingly, shaking his head. He moves from where he was leaning against his bike, shoving his hands into his pockets as the helmet is taken from his grasp. His own was propped up on the seat behind him. The tightness within his chest seems to finally subside, newfound nervousness from Teaganās compliment replacing that feeling. He was thankful for it, that much was true, though he might not admit to it in the moment. Maybe later, when the world was less made up of eerie silence.
At her request, John almost thinks to decline. Was she ready for that? Was the wound still too fresh? It had only been a few days, Suttonās presence still looming like a cloud. His lips soon purse in thought, looking to the ground and then to his shoes. His green eyes trace the area where a crack resides in the concrete, a weed was growing from the ground. It seemed fitting, maybe even a tad poetic. So, he sighs a little, a gentle smile gracing his expression.Ā āOf course.ā Is what he decides on, turning around to grab his helmet.Ā āJust tell me if it gets too much, okay? We can go right home.ā Home. Teaganās home. He shouldāve clarified. Really, it just slipped out without a second thought.Ā
Thatās when he turns, helmet still in hand. He approaches her with care, his free hand reaching up to brush Teaganās hair behind her ear. The pad of his thumb gently grazes the smooth skin of her cheek,Ā āItās gonna be okay.ā He says, tone quiet, though an easy quiet. It doesnāt harbor the same darkness that envelops the town.Ā āYouāre gonna be okay.ā With a hitched breath, he motions towards his bike, now sending a blade through the unspoken tension that always seemed to be brewing between them. They had kissed, John thought that would have vanished by now. Yet, it was still present. Prominent. Stirring.
āHop on, Ariel.ā John says then, still hoping to lighten the mood with whatever humor he could get his hands on. Once heās straddling the seat, he revs the engine, the noise blaring through the air.Ā For once, the sound is somewhat comforting. To natives, it might seem more alarming, though, which earns a pang of guilt to move through John. But, just as that thought arrives, his eyes drift to Teagan once more and all he wants to do is protect her. Fuck the rest.
The ride is quick. They soar through their haunted town and the broken mess itās become. He avoids the street where it happened, taking an alternate route. Once the soon-to-be community garden comes into view, he parks out front. Before getting off, he reaches back to rest a hand on Teaganās thigh,Ā āHold on, let me check around. Just to be sure.ā This might have been for his own sanity. His own paranoia that plagues his every endeavor. In truth, buried beneath it all, he canāt quite fathom what heād do if Suttonās fate was Teaganās too. Taylor was enough to send him reeling, but Teaganās might be his actual demise.
āAlright, weāre all good.ā He says after circling the grounds and peeking inside other businesses and buildings surrounding the area. John plucks the loaded gun from the back of his pants and settles it carefully into the side pouch hanging from his bike. This will never be normal, his thoughts remind him. Despite this, he reaches his hand out for her to take.
Her head tilts to the side, observing the breathtaking sight of the male with both chartreuse hues as the dim streetlight in the distance causes him to stand out. It leaves her breathless amidst the cloud of loss that sheās battling with. Death feels too familiar. Not because of her job, which is an unfortunate circumstance, and the feeling of having to tell a loved one the surgery didnāt work out was still complicated over the years. However, it seems like everyone who has made an impact in Teaganās life vanishes. Like they finished their task and deserved to rest elsewhere ā unsure considering her own belief in religion faltered over the years. But, theyāre somewhere, and she knows that.Ā
āMaybe a little,ā the saccharine, silk-like laced falsetto, informs him. She finds herself beaming further since he texted her and told her heās outside. It was like heās a disease injected into her veins, and she has no desire to remove it because the feeling welcomes her like a blanket after a long day. Like heās the blanket. After all, he has made himself at home in the last few days. It doesnāt even bother her. If anything, she adores the sight of a wakey sight of John in the morning as Trixie lays between them ā like a barrier. āMy words always come from a good place. You should know that,ā she reassures him. Ā Thereās never a moment where Teagan says something for effect without there being the meaning behind her. Sheās always been the kind to lift others up, especially in her suffering.
We can go right home. Home, he thinks of home with her in it. The auburn-haired woman doesnāt miss those words for the life of her. However, the serenity from her behalf is occupied at one task at a time due to her heart fluttering out of control. Jesus Christ, she thinks to herself on in such a short time, John is drilled back into her mind ā which is amusing coming from a neurosurgeon ā but itās hard not to be swept in by him. He knows her so well. He takes care of her, which Teagan does in return because she wouldnāt have it any other way. And she never fears like heād judge her. After all, he encouraged her about her fellowship in Los Angeles, even if it came between them. Itās all too good. After a nod, she nibbles on her plump lower petal, āYes, if it gets too much, weāll go home. Trixie will probably be excited to see us.ā Thereās no point in correcting him because it makes her feel whole and alive. He has to know that.
Putting her helmet on, hearing more of his reassurance now, the Ariel tressed woman chuckles softly as the bridge of her nose scrunches. āAt your request, Eric,ā she hits him right back with the humor, shooting him a wink while swinging her leg over the motorcycle. Both arms slither around his tone waist in an effortless motion, tightening her grip to indicate that she has no desire to be elsewhere or with anyone else. Even though Teagan has never flat out said she needed protection, aware of her upbringing and the abuse she has dealt with, it feels nice to have someone willing to look out for you without asking. Itās like his soul knew long before she felt the need to tell him how scared she would get when allowing new people in her life. Then John waltzed into her life and began to smash those barriers down one after another.
The sight of the work-in-progress community garden causes her breath to hitch, but the way her mouth is somewhat near Johnās ear causes her to bury that noise any further. She knows itās too soon to be here. But, every part of her feels like itās necessary to come to visit. It had only been a few days, and the workers have begun to hit up Teaganās phone on what to do next as she avoided their calls. So if she came here, see all of the work Sutton and her up until this moment, it would further motivate her to finish this and go through with their planting party right before Thanksgiving. āOkay,ā she softly utters, watching as John gets off the motorcycle. Before entirely vanishing into the surrounding, his touch on her thigh sends a jolt through her body.Ā
Goddamit, John. Heās been driving her crazy for a while, but tonight these things interlaced with the loss that sheās suffering yearns and tugs at her. Almost like she needs to lock and secure his importance in her life before he also vanishes into thin air like her loved ones.Ā
With the sight of the extended hand guiding her off the motorcycle, the auburn-haired woman doesnāt let her grip pull away from his large palm. Instead, her fingers miraculously intertwine with his. Thereās a gentle pull from her petite behalf for him to follow. As she trails them a short distance, roughly around the area where the shopās front door laid, is the archway that leads into the eventual wonder of green. āAll of this happened because of Sutton. She saw that I didnāt want to let this land go, and she gave me this idea,ā she explains softly. A freehand motion to the arch with metal butterflies sitting there would eventually be veins from rose bushes drowning out the frame and illuminating the butterflies. āFirst, my grandmotherās shop, now the only person that I trusted with bringing this vision to life. I feel like I lose everyone.ā Not him, but she clenches her jaw not to frighten him.