1

Alex Parker couldn't sleep.

Not like it was the first time that this was happening. She barely ever was able to sleep at night, and when she eventually did, she found herself awake in the early hours of the day.

Her head would pound like hell, and she knew she could stop it. Could make the pain go away.

All she had to do, was finish the book she was reading.

It sounded so easy, didn't it? Except it really wasn't. What she had to read were unnecessary because she had read them time and time again. She could barely take anymore.

Yet her anxiety kicked in. Telling her 'just one more page. It'd be fine. Everything would be fine.'

But she knew giving into that voice was pointless. She'd never feel safe, and everything wouldn't be fine, so Alex did what she always did every night when this happened. She took her pills and sat beside her bed, head buried into her hands while she waited for her alarm clock to ring.

As she did so, her eyes stayed lm the book on the table that seemed to be taunting her, because it sat right there, looking so fucking harmless, and yet—

Yet, she felt like if she didn't read it, she would lose her mind.

Slowly, she developed a staring contest with it, her nerves wrecking as she tried her best to stay put and not give into the power of the book which paid off immediately her alarm went off.

In a rush, she was off to her bathroom, brushing and showering before heading out in an extra large red and black checkered T shirt that seemed to hide her body frame and jeans that were also loose but not too much with her round glasses on before she hurriedly shoved all her books into her backpack and headed outside the room.

At first, she always walked quietly down the stairs, but she noticed the light in the sitting room was still on and knew there was no need being quiet. "You can't stop me."

Adriana Parker, who looked like she hadn't slept in days with her curly hair in a rough bun stared back at her daughter with a look of worry. "I'm not planning to, Sweetheart."

Alex nodded, beaming a smile at her Mother. "Good. If you'd excuse me." She headed to the door now, glad she didn't decide to push the subject any further.

But that was too good to be true. "Your Father wants you to visit him tomorrow."

She paused now, the hairs on her neck and hand standing as Adriana continued, "I know— I know that things have been a bit difficult—."

Alex heard herself scoff. "A bit?"

Adriana didn't stop. "But I need you to go see them, please. He won't— He won't let me Alexandra—."

She snapped. "Alex."

"Alex. I'm sorry, I—" Alex didn't need to turn to know her Mother was crying now, even though the woman was trying her possible best to not be so loud. "I just need you to go see them. See how they're doing. Tell them that I love them."

Alex closed her eyes, reigning the anger starting to grow. "Is that all?"

"Yes."

She opened them again and set her hand on the door handle. "Alright." 

Alex walked out the door, slamming it shut before heading to her bike parked on the front yard. As soon as she was on it, she took out her phone and placed it in the basket bolted to the bike's handles then made a video call before driving off into the road.

The whole place was still dark and quiet, save for the light bulbs around that gave light to the road itself, but Alex didn't mind because she had done this same thing a lot of times and she had on her headphones so she wouldn't feel too lonely.

She whistled along to the song playing before the music was cut short and the video call finally went through causing her to pause. 

She heard the sound of her boyfriend groaning in the background, then a switched being press before she spotted his face. "A?"

"Rise and shine, Eros!" She made sure the happiness in her voice matched the look on her face which screamed loud and ready to make sure you don't go back to sleep! and made Marcos groan again.

"Why are you calling me?" 

The sleepy boy now stared at the camera with his honey coloured eyes, his blue hair falling down to his shoulders while his lean and birthmark spotted showed on the screen.

Alex liked him the most like this.

So vulnerable. "'Cause I'm coming to spend the morning over."

"But you don't have to call though." He still sounded extremely sleepy, his hand rubbing his eye before he yawned. "You could have just walked in. You know Abuela is always up by this time praying and making breakfast."

"I know. It's a saddening thing you don't help her."

"It's five am, A. Do you expect me to be cooking at that time? And you know I can't cook to save a life." Then he laid back on the bed and stared back at her, a small smile on his face. "Pedal faster. The bed's getting cold."

She smiled and pressed her foot to the floor as she looked up at his house. "Already am, baby boy. Hold on, Mommy's coming, okay?"

He smiled and nodded, saying in a small whisper. "Okay."

Alex hung up the call and took out her ear pods, throwing it back into it's pack then into her pocket before heading to the door and knocked twice.

The door opened immediately after, a grey haired old looking woman standing behind it holding a white candle in her hand and wearing a soft pink dress smiled at her. "Alex."

Alex smiled at her. "Abuela."

The woman moved the candle around the girl's face, saying a small silent prayer before placing a kiss on her cheek and moving out the door. "Enter, amor."

She did with a thank you, her eyes falling on the Virgin Mary statue placed in the center of the room. Usually, she never took religion seriously, but she knew she couldn't avoid this ritual.

Abuela went first, walking to the fireplace and going on her knees bent in prayer before Alex joined her, head bowed down as she said, "Dear Virgin Mary, I ask that you keep putting my family under your loving arms as you have done for years. I pray that you see our hearts desire, and grant it for all of us."

It was the same prayer that they had been given for the past three years, and as far as Alex had no believe in the fact a Mary, or even a Virgin for that matter was listening, there was always something soothing in hearing Abuela pray in that soft voice of hers. It calmed her down more than anything else.

"Amen." Abuela completed, standing as Alex followed suit before smiling at the child. "Your cookies are on the table."

She gave a bow. "Thank you, Senìorita." Then hurried off to the table, packing as much as she could before waving at the woman and running up the stairs. "See you in two hours."

When she got to the hall, she stuck a cookie in her mouth and pushed open the door to the room with her foot, startling a Marcos into sitting up with another groan leaving his lips. "A."

Alex who had her mouth full shrugged and entered, slamming it back close with her feet before going to his chair and sitting. "Soru." Then she swallowed the bits in her mouth. "Cookies were in my hands."

The boy stared at the girl who now placed them on his keyboard, something he used to be upset with but didn't exactly mind anymore and watched her wipe her hand on her trousers. "Now, I'd like my Eros in my hands as well, please."

Marcos heard himself laugh, but he did as she asked, making a show of crawling out of the bed slowly before heading to her lap and sitting.

Immediately, she buried her face in his neck and let out a sigh. "Don't know what I prefer, you, who smell like cookies or actual cookies."

Marcos moved his hands and played with the box lines on them. She had called it box braids and he knew him playing with them always made her relax. "Well, you can bite an actual cookie and lose it forever but you can't lose me if you bite me right now."

She looked up at him. "Can we make a bet?"

He nodded. "Mhm."

Alex used her hand to adjust his butt on her lap before using the other hand to wrap the back of his neck and whispering, "Ready baby?"

He nodded, the familiar feeling of excitement crawling through his body again. "Yeah."

She sunk her teeth into his neck and he gasped, gripping her shoulder as pleasure moved through his body before she began to lick at it like a cat.

A moan left his lips now before she pulled away and it turned to a whine. A laugh leaving her lips. "I guess you don't disappear after all."

He placed his forehead on hers. "I hate you."

"Your boner says otherwise." Then she reached out and placed a kiss on his lips, "Come, let's go to bed."

He nodded, "Okay." Standing up, Marcos moved to the bed and sat, staring at her like a puppy waiting for his Master before she took off her shirt, revealing another ash polo shirt under and joined him on the bed.

As soon as she was laying next to him, he wrapped his arms around her waist, his head placing itself on her breasts while he snuggled closer.

Alex chuckled. "You trying to kill me, Eros?"

"I'd never disappear." His voice was so low. "But you might."

"What?" Alex, disappear from him? How could she? She saw him as the god of desire himself. She desired him, her whole existence did. She had never felt as relaxed as she did when she was with him, with anyone else.

"I could never leave you." She placed her hand in his hair, playing with it. She liked the blueness of it. It was a pale blue type, just like the moon, and there was a slight pine colour on the tips. It fit his brown skin quite well. "No one could take me from you."

"Not someone." He looked up at her now. "Something."

She stopped the movements of her hand in his hair, his words sinking in. Alex could understand what he was saying loud and clear but it was a topic she never tried to discuss with him.

As much as she could easily lie, like the devil in a female form, lying to Eros was so fucking hard. Probably it was the way he bore out his soul to her. Or the way he made the whole world looked like it was black and white and he just wanted his own side to be white.

Whatever it was, she just couldn't lie. It was why she couldn't tell me that nothing could take her from him.

Because she would be lying.

Marcos realizing what he had done, reached out to her face and tried to brush out the wrinkle that had formed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—."

"It's okay." She nodded, taking her hand to his mouth and kissing it. "It's okay. Come here."

She pulled him into her again and placed her face into his hair, inhaling his natural scent before giving it a kiss and resting her chin on his head. "When we're together, we don't have to worry about anything, because Mommy is here, and Mommy would always protect her baby."

And baby didn't need to protect Mommy.

But Alex didn't say that. Instead, she continued brushing his hair till he fell asleep, and she joined in a minute after.