Oasis: Zarah and Royalty

9: Gifts of friends

Raymond is understanding when I tell him that I needed some of his clothes for Vixan and though a little uneasy, he helps me with them. I set the clothes down on the bed just like I promised Vixan before walking out of the room.

Raymond walks out of the with two ceramic plates of spaghetti, boiled eggs and sausage and sets the first plate down before saying, "I hope you will like it."

He proceeds and drop the second plate down on the table in front of an empty seat. "This will be for Vixan." He says before going back to the kitchen to bring his own plate.

I sit down to eat when I see Vixan standing in the parlor. His sudden appearance startles me and I'm curious of how he manages to sneak around without me noticing and taking me by surprise everytime. How long did it take him to shower? Did he even shower at all? Why am I so bothered anyway?

He is wearing the red t-shirt and the black jeans trouser I kept on the bed for him. The shirt is a little tight for him because he's obviously bigger than it. Raymond, the owner is 6 feet tall and weighs around 150 pound while Vixan is around 180 pound and 6ft4, but nevertheless the shirt isn't so out of shape on him.

His hair unlike before is now in a very neat bun, which is a remarkable change I didn't think he'd want to make but the mixture of the both colours makes his hair look so beautiful to look at it hurts. His hair denotes that he took much time to style it because of how perfect his white hair follows the black one round and round, but he being here now shows that he didn't take much time to make it that perfect which is even more fascinating.

"Not your size is see." I point out, carefully eyeing the outline of his pecs and visible toned body.

He takes a moment to study me before dimming his eyes, "There are not close to my size, but I see you would rather have me in them." He blurts out immediately.

My cheeks burn because obviously my eyes has once again betrayed me, "I never said anything."

"You don't have to, I can tell." His eyes darkens as it remain on me.

He walks up to the dining table but doesn't take a sit, instead he stares weirdly at the food sitting in front of him as if it is the very poison meant to kill him, "Don't worry Vixan, you're not going to die after eating it." I point out to him. "Your hair look great by the way." I complement his hair more than his clothes.

His eyes radiates with the red shade once again, "Thank you, but I am not eating," He bluntly points out.

I am too hungry and tired to argue with him on food and whatnot, "Fine, just sit please." I plead with him instead. There's good food in front of me and I'm not leaving here until I'm done and satisfied and the only way to do that is if Vixan decides to stop acting like a weirdo and sit down.

Ray arrives with a plate of his own spaghetti and a can of juice and places it at the centre of the table. He sits down at my left hand side on the table and he smiles charmingly at me before proceeding to eat. Vixan sits down but doesn't move to pick the fork up to eat. I don't pay much mind to him because I am already stuffing my face up with food.

"You must be really hungry!" Ray speaks up slowly after a while of silently eating and I look up to see him staring at me intently. "If I'd known you were going to drop by I would have made more." He confesses, sounding a little remorseful.

"It's fine Ray, you didn't know. I've been on the run since yesterday, haven't found the time or place to eat. so it kinda sucks." I take the last spaghetti left on the fork into my mouth and drop the fork in the now empty plate, before glancing up at Vixan who I see is also looking at me and I realise that he still hasn't touched his food. "Are you going to eat that?" I ask him and I don't know if he read my thought, but he shakes his head and hands over his plate to me.

Without hesitation I collect the plate of food from him and dive in to eat, still paying no attention to the men on the dining room and in just matter of minutes, I'm done with the second plate and I begin to fill my glass cup with juice.

This time when I look back up to drink my juice, I see Ray's mouth hanging open and his jaw almost hitting the floor.

"Do you need mine?" He asks in an astounded tone already lifting up his now half filled plate.

I hiccup and shake my head, "I think this is okay," I say, dropping the glass of orange juice after finishing it. "Thank you so much Ray, the food was delicious."

He gives me a little smile, "Thank you Zarah, I'm glad you liked it."

After dinner, Ray takes the plates to the kitchen to have them washed and I get up and followed him, to offer a hand and carrying the glass cups in my own hands.

He turns on the water in the sink and as soon as I drop the glass cup in the sink he takes my hand captive.

I look up a little surprise and worried by his sudden reaction, his eyes says it all. He's scared and terrified and unable to hide it anymore and I know that that has never ended well before.

"I'm worried about you Zarah, who's that man really and what has he done to you? For the past one hour you have been acting fishy with him and you can't tell me that he's not a threat to you in anyway. And for the love of God do not tell me he's your friend, because I know you well to know that's a lie"

I sigh deeply, trying to mentally come up with a believable explanation that I can give him "You're right and it's a long story Ray, but I wish I could tell you, but I can't."

His hands tightens around my wrist, causing me to wince in pain and discomfort. "Why not? Is he threatening to harm you? Has he been hurting you? Tell me Zarah?" He demands, his eyes possessive and searching out mine.

I hiss out at his stubbornness, "No he isnt. Let go Ray you're the only one hurting me here," I tell him, trying to set my hand free from him hold.

He reluctantly let go and he's about to take hold of my shoulder when he's is lifted up from the ground and held up in the air. My heart skips a beat, I'm confused and scared of what is happening before my eyes again and the look on his face is also that of confusion and terror, a look I've never seen on him before and my brain stops functioning and for a moment I forget what to do next.

I turn around and see Vixan at the kitchen door with his arms folded across his chest and looking at us with a murderous look, and by us, I specifically mean Raymond.

I storm over to him, "Put him down Vixan!" I snap at him, which is unintentional because my fear is what's acting up.

He glared at me, before looking away at Raymond held up in the air and panicking, "He was hurting you." He points out, sounding a little angry and that's when I notice his eyes are completely black.

He's going to kill Raymond, oh god no.

I gingerly take my next few steps over to him because suddenly I realise this is exactly what he did to the detective in the interrogation room yesterday and he ended up killing him. Shouting would just make him more furious and do his worse to Raymond and I do not want that.

There's a way I could talk to him, I've been around him the whole day and I've been able to talk him out of killing me... At least I get to tell myself that.

"Raymond is my good friend Vixan, if you hurt him, you'll be hurting me too and he doesn't deserve to get hurt for looking out for his friend and you are the reason he's so afraid and worried. I get that you are also trying to keep me safe, but killing him will only hurt me, now please put him down." The last part comes out a little commanding and I pray I didn't just step on a wrong wire.

"As you wish," he clench and unclean he's his teeth and Ray crashes down to the floor and hits his arm on his landing and I hear a c***k of bone making Ray cry out painfully.

I turn to Raymond on the floor, and quickly move to him, but he draws away from me in fear when I try to touch him, his eyes displaying such amount of dread I've never seen him show before.

I withdraw my hand from wanting to touch him and begins to speak to him, "I'm so sorry Raymond I never intended for you to be caught in the midst of it, I had no one else to go to." I try to touch him again, but he still pulls away quickly.

I cover my mouth and turn to Vixan "Can you do anything here?" I really do not want to make it so obvious that I'm asking Vixan if he can help take away the memory of my good friend without saying a word, he had talked about being able to manipulate people's mind today and I'm asking if he can do that now. I feel terrible, but having no other choice and I pray that he knows what I'm silently trying to say.

"You said to stay out of his head!" He says, pointing out to the instructions I had given him earlier.

"That was before you tried to kill him for hurting me." I counter, through gritted teeth and I hold myself from yelling out which takes a lot of effort. "Please Vixan, I need your help."

Vixan doesn't reply instead he walks over to us and when he gets to where we are, he takes hold more of Raymond's shoulder and even though Raymond struggles to gets his hand off, he can't and after a brief moment he stops struggling and Vixan gets up and moved away from him and I move back to Raymond on the floor.

"I don't know what I was thinking," Ray begins to speak, laughing a little and rubbing the arm that just cracked due to his fall. "I should always clean the kitchen floor when I'm done cooking to avoid slipping and falling I guess."

A tear run down my face and I wipe it off before getting up, "Common, let's put ice on that then." I say sharply, offering him a hand.

He takes the hand and I help him onto his feet, he touches his arm tenderly before looking up at me with the most incredible face. "My hand is surprisingly okay, it's like I never cracked it," he squeals, laughing out in relief.

I turn to vixan and he is no longer in the kitchen. Raymond and I proceed to washing the plates and while he washed, I rinse and set them in the plate cabinet. We are done in a few minutes into it and I pick the towel and wipe my hand.

"I don't like him," Ray speaks up as I turn to leave, "your friend, and I don't know what the deal is with you and him, but every fibre in my body says it's not good and it's going to end bad. I'm worried for you Zarah, I don't want you getting hurt and I see how you looked at him, it's obvious you like him."

I give him an absurd look and a ridiculous laugh, ready to deny, deny and deny. "I don't look at him anyway Raymond" I shouldn't have tried denying though, he reads me like a book.

"Tell that to your students but we both know you're a terrible liar." He walks towards me, "Look, I care about you a lot, you're my friend, and the last thing I want is you hurting again. Be careful with him he may be good looking, but something tells me he brings trouble. You went through hell with Michael, I wouldn't want to see history repeat itself, that jerk should be your first and last heartbreak."

I hug him tightly, "Thanks for looking out for me Raymond, it means a lot to me."

He respond to the hug and wraps his own arms around me, "You're welcome Zarah, you should get rest."

I nod, "Yes," and pull away, "tomorrow is another day."

We both say our goodnights, before I walk out of the kitchen and make my way to the bedroom all the while not finding any trace of Vixan around.

I am curious of where he may have taken himself to, but not worried regardless. He's strong and capable of taking care of himself besides if I remember correctly, I am his vulnerability and that means if he's not around me he's not exposed to danger right? Yeah, something like that. I don't remember much of what was told me today, I just know I need rest.