"I find the combination of a fragile heart and those dark eyes so beautiful" I whispered, tracing my fingernails down his cheek to his jawline. "Right now, I find you beautiful."
[Flashback continues]
I was not sure what possessed me to say utter those words, to tell Barry directly that I found him beautiful, but in that moment, I couldn't think of anyone more attractive.
Describing guys like Barry as beautiful isn't just about their handsome faces or hot bodies, and definitely not because of their bad boy personalities. It's about their emotions, what goes on in their minds when they're alone or with someone they can trust. The external beauty people see, like the hot body, is a bonus.
"Beautiful" I whispered subconsciously, still gazing into Barry's eyes.
"And bar says he's not fucking her" Don commented under his breath, rolling his eyes.
[Back to present]
"So, wait, hold on a sec...." Pete interrupted me, tapping my arm gently. I noticed Barry's eyes flick to the action before quickly looking away, brushing back his hair with his palm.
"So Don concluded Barry slept with you because you said you find him beautiful?" Pete sounded amused and irritated at the same time. I don't know how someone can feel both at once, but Pete did.
My cheeks heated up, regretting ever sharing that part of the story Pete questioned. "I...yeah...I guess he did, umm...he concluded" I stuttered, still blushing.
"How can you even find a guy beautiful?" my blonde cousin asked, tilting her lips upwards. "Aren't words like handsome, hot, cute supposed to be used for guys?"
I smiled shyly and replied, "You won't understand, Becky."
"Is that how you use the 'beautiful' quality for other guys instead of the 'handsome' quality?" Tina questioned amusingly.
I glanced at Pete. He's a guy I can describe as 'beautiful' apart from Barry, but thinking about it, I don't think I ever called him that.
"Oh, no" Tina muttered dramatically when she noticed the quick look I gave Pete. "You called Pete beautiful too?"
"Oh, I wish she did" Pete mumbled under his breath, picking up a grape to eat while I watched him with studying eyes.
"Don't look at me like that, Pixie. You never called me 'beautiful,' not even once" Pete said with a playful tone, but his expression as he looked at me told me he wasn't entirely joking "I wonder if that's because I'm not beautiful enough for you."
My cousins laughed, thinking he was joking around, but I knew there was some truth in what he said. I turned my head towards him to face him squarely, staring at him intently and speechlessly, temporarily forgetting Barry was beside me.
"So, let's not get distracted here, what happened after you called my nephew 'beautiful'?" Pete asked, his voice and expression slightly mocking Barry, who simply sighed and stared into space. I resumed the story, my voice clear in the silent dining room.
[Flashback]
I watched as Barry downed almost a whole bottle of his drink mixed with that Moonshadow Root, wondering how he could handle it so easily when I've heard it burns the throat and can later gives a feeling of discomfort when one takes excess of it.
Barry had said it would make me feel amazing. That is a lie. But I'm curious about how it really makes one feel, how it can make me feel. I wanna taste it too, I wanna know how bad it tastes.
"Why are you taking this thing when you know its got a lot of disadvantages?" I questioned curiously.
"I'm drinking it because of its disadvantages" He answered.
I frowned. That is weird.
"You know it cause you bodily suffering while getting your tattoo" I told him.
"I know" He replied, taking a sip of the drink.
I chewed my lips softly my eyes followed his actions. The way he drank from the bottle, the way he ran his tongue over his lips, and then stares at the bottle of moonshadow like he was studying it.
"Hey, can I get some of that?" I suddenly requested, pointing a finger at the bottle in his hand.
His eyes were moist, and his lips were wet and red from the drink. He raised the bottle slightly in a way to speechlessly ask 'This?'
"Yeah" I replied.
He quickly assessed me before asking, "Are you sure? I mean, you didn't even wanna try it before."
"Of course I'm sure" I said confidently, grabbing the bottle from him and quickly opening the cap. I brought the bottle close to my nose and subconsciously sniffed the scent. It hit my nostrils like heavy smoke, making me cough instantly. I quickly lowered the bottle from my nose.
"How..." I coughed "How do you even..." Another cough "How do you drink this?" I managed to ask, despite the loud cough threatening to escape.
"It's not that bad" I heard the slow tone in his voice.
I threw him a stern look.
His curved up his lips in a familiar mischievous smile. "It's a nice drink, really."
Still curious to know what it smells like before drinking, I sniffed again. I'm stupidly stubborn, I know.
This time it made me cough even louder and harder than before.
Barry smirked at me and snatched the bottle from my hand, sealing it shut. But the cough won't stop, rattling my lungs with such force that I feared they might shatter.
Barry's smirk melted into a worried frown, and he swiftly dropped the bottle to the ground, drawing closer to my face.
"Hey, hey, hey, P...." his voice transformed into a kind and concerned one but my coughing still continued.
Barry firmly grasped my face in his large hands "Hey, Pixie..."
Even though I was coughing all over Barry's face and spewing saliva all over him, he didn't seem to mind. He was concerned about how he could stop the cough.
He glanced around, desperately searching for something, and cursed under his breath. "Don!" he called out, still looking around. "Don, I need some water, please!"
When no response came from Don, Barry turned back to me, his face filled with worry. The pain spread throughout my body, the cough growing more intense, causing my eyes to redden and water. It felt as if I was being strangled, my breaths coming in shallow gasps.
"Hey" he cradled my face in his rough, yet comforting hands, and he looked unsure of what to do. "P, calm down, okay?" His gaze locked onto mine, his touch very mild on my skin. "Shhh, shh" he whispered softly, his eyes beginning to sparkle with a light green hue.
The moment his eyes changed colour, I felt warmth radiating from his palms, a clear sign that his werewolf abilities were at work.
I felt this strange power surge through me as his face got closer to mine, his eyes still in that changed color.
"I....I read somewhere that this helps one to feel better" He said in a whispery voice I'd find really seductive if the situation wasn't so serious. He was staring intensely into my eyes, looking unsure for a second before he held the back of my head with a hand and brought his lips closer to touch mine.