Over the next several days, it is a personal goal of mine to see Mak smile.
This task is most de1nitely not for the faint of heart. But it’s rewarding in a way that keeps me searching for any sign of even the slightest smile.
And that is what has led us to tonight’s activity. ‘This is bullshit.’
And someone is not very enthusiastic about it.
‘Wow, you were not kidding.’ I smother my laugh with a hand before forcing enough composure to continue. ‘You really can’t skip.’
‘I’m done,’ he huIs, heading for his door to abandon the alley we are practicing in. ‘I’ve lived this long without being able to do it.’
‘Come on!’ I chase after him, grabbing an arm to slow him. ‘Just a little more practice and you’ll have it. This will take your mind oI things.’
He spins, his face accusing. ‘Did you need to practice?’ ‘Well… No, but—’
‘See, you’re a natural at this happy, girly shit.’ He shakes his head. ‘I – as shocking as it may seem – am not.’
‘Right,’ I lower my voice, forcing it to sound gruI, ‘you’re all brooding and rough with your sharp knives and lack of smiles.’
He crosses his arms over his chest. ‘Oh, is that what I’m like?’ ‘And what you sound like.’ I smile. ‘Sort of.’
‘Fine.’ He gives me that sarcastic smile, though his eyes are still clouded with the sorrow of losing Hera. ‘Well, you are all giggles and perpetual happiness with your bows and other frilly… things.’
I nod slowly, stepping towards him. ‘And do you like that about me?’ He doesn’t need a moment to ponder. ‘Among several other things.’
‘Good,’ I say simply, placing a hand on my hip. ‘Because I’m not changing. I like my frilly, girly things.’
‘Oh, I know.’
‘See, I’m a—’
‘Lover not a 1ghter,’ he 1nishes for me.
I beam. ‘Exactly. Which is why punching that guy in the face a while ago was the absolute last thing I wished to be doing.’
Mak shrugs. ‘He deserved it. And you needed the practice.’
That moment comes rushing back to me after being buried by the shock of everything that came after. The man’s black eye and visible fear at the sight of Mak. The pain shooting down my arm when my 1st connected with his face – a feeling I never wish to experience again.
But when I’m suddenly reminded of Mak’s words to the man, my curiosity has me asking once again, ‘Speaking of that day, how did you know that man was lying when he said he didn’t recognize me?’
‘Dena, we’ve been over this,’ he exhales. ‘I just know.’ ‘How?’ I urge.
‘This is ridiculous.’
‘Don’t make me scold you, Makoto Khitan,’ I warn with a wag of my 1nger. ‘Fine.’ He closes the distance between us easily. ‘I know because I ensured he
would never forget what you looked like. Ensured that he would know exactly who you are and never take a step towards you.’ He takes a breath, his face close. ‘Except that he did. And I failed.’
I shake my head, mouth hanging ridiculously open. ‘W-What? What do you mean you ensured he would never forget what I looked like?’
He’s silent for a long moment before murmuring a string of words that have me further gawking. ‘I made him, and every other man I found, memorize every one of your features. I described the color of your eyes and the length of the lashes lining them. The warmth of your skin, and the speci1c curl of your hair. Your nose, your lips, your smile. Down to the very scar on your palm from one of my daggers, I made them memorize you. So, yes, he knew exactly who you were and still decided to ignore my threats.’
Silence stretches between us as I stare up at him.
His expression warms at the sight of mine, though I don’t miss the sadness behind his gaze. Even in the midst of mourning, he manages to muster the
beginning of a smile. ‘I didn’t know it was possible to render you speechless.’
‘I just…’ I shake my head, trying to 1nd the words. ‘I just can’t believe you would do all that for me.’ He smiles slightly as I continue, ‘And yet, you refuse to learn how to skip.’
With that, he’s pushing me away with a palm to the forehead. I beam, happy to be his distraction. His bright spot within the bleak.
‘I would argue that nothing I could do for you would top this humiliation,’ he says dryly.
My giggle follows him to the end of the alley.
And I clap when he resumes his attempted skipping.
