Reluctant Hero
Chapter Wordcount: 1076
The next day Andy slipped in after close and headed over to the end of the bar where Piper was hunched over her sketchbook.
“Hey you.”
“Hey!” Piper smiled, looking up from her drawing. “What’s up?”
“Nothing, just thought I’d grab Priestly before I headed over to Zo’s.”
Piper grinned.
“What?”
“Nothing,” she smiled. “Priestly!”
“What?!” he yelled, coming in through the back door. “Oh, hey.”
“Hey, thought you might wanna come with me to Zo’s and then we could hit a late movie or something.”
“Yea…umm sure,” he smiled, “just gimme a minute.”
“Okay,” she grinned, making small talk with Piper until he was ready to go.
***
“There you are child,” Zo crooned before Andy could even come fully through the door, let alone Priestly who was tagging along behind her.
“Hey,” Andy smiled, meeting the woman halfway into the store with a hug like she had known her her whole life instead of just meeting her earlier that week.
“Come,” Zo smiled, taking her hands, “I have something for you.”
Andy shot a look over her shoulder at Priestly who just shrugged his shoulders before Zo pulled her into the back of her small store.
Andy was busy trying to take everything in while she followed her to the private area of the store.
“God, everything here is so beautiful,” she whispered, eyes dancing across the wind chimes made from different kinds of stones. Geodes glittering in groups on scattered shelves. Necklaces made from crystals and gems handing from pegs on small displays. Silver twisted rings lain lovingly on black velvet under the countertops.
“Do you make all of this yourself?” she asked, sidestepping her way through a curtain of beads into what looked to be Zo’s office.
“Oh no,” she chuckled, “I do make a few things here and there, but not all that you see. It is all handmade though, from different people. I believe that machines making jewelry disrupts the powers of the stones and metals.”
Andy grinned as Zo walked over to her desk.
“But I did make you this,” she said, turning around and showing off a beautiful purple crystal hanging from a leather cord.
“Oh my god, Zo, that’s beautiful.”
“I found this stone in Brazil during a trip I took. When we spoke the other day I knew I had to make it for you.”
“God, you shouldn’t have,” Andy choked with emotion, cradling the small stone in her palm.
“It’s an amethyst,” Zo said as Priestly eased his way through the beaded doorway. “It will not only protect you and help you heal,” she said softly, catching Andy’s eye to make sure she knew she was referring to her past, “but it will lend you courage, and help guide you into peace.”
“As well as helping you find true love,” she added, eyes glancing to the side to smile at Priestly, who proceeded to turn beet red and shift nervously on his feet.
“Amethysts are known to have many powers,” she smiled as Andy fought back emotion wrought tears. “It will help you disperse with your stresses of the day, calm your fears and protect you from harm,” she smiled, cupping her cheek. “But above all else the amethyst is a stone of love, I hope it will help you dear,” she smiled, pulling Andy into another hug.
“The Goddess is with you child and she will help you whenever you need her,” she whispered before letting her go.
“Thank you Zo, I can’t even…”
“No thanks is needed,” she smiled. “Now you two go have fun.”
Andy smiled, slipping the cord over her head, letting the stone rest in the hollow of her throat, and hugged Zo again before her and Priestly headed out.
***
They picked some random movie that neither of them had ever heard of. Priestly insisted on buying the tickets, even after Andy had tried hip-checking him out of the way of the ticket booth, causing the cashier to laugh as he went flailing before coming back to tackle her and slide his credit card under the glass in one smooth move.
“Get off me!” she laughed, kicking the air as he hefted her and took the tickets from the guy grinning behind the glass. “Thanks man,” he smiled, carrying her in the theatre.
“You want popcorn?” he asked, finally setting her down.
“No!” she laughed, smacking him on the arm and snatching her ticket.
***
About a half hour in there was a definite shift between them. It took a couple heart stopping minutes of nerves and jitteriness on both their parts but Andy ended up curled in the crook of his arm.
Which is where she stayed for the rest of the movie.
And maybe, if Priestly took her hand as he led them back outside, it was only because it was dark and he didn’t want her to trip.
***
He walked her back to her apartment, mumbling something about not wanting her to get mugged in the dark, disregarding the fact that she was in the safest part of town and her apartment was all of a couple hundred feet from the parking lot.
They stood awkwardly at the door for a moment.
“I have ice cream,” Andy finally offered, “If you want a late night snack.”
Priestly stared at her for a moment.
“Sure.”
***
An hour later and he was still making his way out the door.
“So I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said softly, “or later today,” she chuckled, catching sight of the clock.
“Yea,” he mumbled, hearing something in the tone of her voice that he couldn’t quite pin down.
“Look…”
Whatever she was about to say was silenced as Priestly pulled her into a kiss, cradling her head in his hands.
Her hands hesitantly found their way to his shoulders and she curled her fingers into the fabric of his shirt to stop their shaking.
He finally broke, leaning his forehead against her, his hold still tight on her.
“You sure?” she whispered.
“Yea,” he whispered back, eyes falling to her parted lips before he leaned in and kissed her again.
Her hands made their way into hair at the nape of his neck and she sighed against him, hiding her face against his cheek.
“Stay,” she whispered.
He pulled back just enough to meet her eyes, his arms wrapped around her waist.
“Andy…”
“Not to….just…just stay,” she said softly.
He couldn’t do anything but nod.
***
Chapter Notes:
ok, so this chapters a lil choppy *beh*
here is the necklace Zo gives to Andy....and yes amethysts are known for those things, I'm into magicks and witchcraft and stuff and busted out my gem book for this
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