Two

Driving for four hours has Cobie Alexander Deckard feeling like one of the zombies from The Walking Dead and he doesn't like the feeling. He lets out a loud yawn as he pulls into the driveway of the two storey building he just recently bought. He let out another yawn as he shuts off his engine, he leans back against his seat and stared up at the pure white building in front of him which will double as his veterinary clinic at the bottom and his home on the top.

The bottom floor had floor length windows and he could see the huge desk sitting at the centre from where he was parked outside the building while the top floor was designed with Victorian windows with empty flower pots hanging on one of the window sill.

Moving to Astir, the home of the Silver Moon was not a decision made on a whim. It was done after carefully a lot consideration. He had been staying in New York and had been staying there for three years when he mistakenly slipped up and someone saw. It didn't take long for the news to spread thanks to the internet and mostly twitter.

Cobie got out of his car and made his way to the trunk of his car to pull out his box. He always packs light just in case something like the New York Incident happens again. He pulls the keys to the building from his pocket and makes his way to the door, cool breeze playing with and ruffling up his fringe much to his irritation. Inside the building was dusty and he's partially scared to see what the top floor looks like but all in all, it's something a couple hours of cleaning can't solve but first things first.

He spins around to check for a paper or cardboard of some kind, letting out an aha! when he finds a white cardboard on the ground, he taps his pockets until he remembered the sharpie he kept at his back pocket and with the black sharpie, he preceded to write. Help Needed!  and underneath it he writes, Now Hiring! and crosses out the help needed and gently hangs it next to one of the floor length windows.

"Home sweet home." Cobie whispers to himself, receiving no reply in return. He wrestles his bag upstairs whilst trying his best not to stir up and dust. The top floor was in a better condition than the bottom, the floors were cleaner but it wouldn't hurt to open the windows and that was the first thing he did.

The entire flat was an open floor plan with the sitting room at the middle, his bedroom to the right along with two locked doors, kitchen to the left and with a small door leading to the balcony.  Simple yet lovely. Cobie finds his closet behind one of the closed doors but couldn't start hanging up his clothes yet due to the dust so he decides to get help instead.

He placed his box next to the mattress and makes is way out of the apartment, down the stairs and out of the building. He locks it and takes a cab to the nearest coffee shop. If he was going to survive the next week, he was going to need a lot of caffeine.

"You are new here?" the cabbie asks and Cobie finds himself nodding in reply.

"Do you need anything?"

Astir, population sixty thousand and counting, its popular tourist attraction was the Silver Moon which happens every third month of every year. Its Mayor was Erik Tomlinson, a man in his late twenties. Cobie had read up important things about the fact and had also found out the town was friendly and treated each other like they were family. He hadn't believed that but right now, sitting at the back of the cab with Bruno Mars singing about finesse floating through the speaker and a cabbie smiling at him through the rear view mirror, he was starting to believe it.

"There's an insane amount of dust everywhere and I need help cleaning it." Cobie tells the older gentleman.

"There a cleaning service a few blocks from here, should I take you there instead?" The Cabbie asks and Cobie lights up in excitement. He reaches forward to touch the older man's shoulder and smiled brightly at him.

"Thank you so much, sir."

"You're welcome."

Meeting with the cleaning crew was short and straight to the point, they also seemed to notice he was new in town and promised him they would be in front of his building in thirty minutes. He makes his way outside and finds his cab idling in the corner and with a spring in his step he makes his way to the car.

"To the coffee shop?"

"Yes please."

Astir was a rather big town, clean roads, recycle bins beside same clean roads and close to Cobie's place was a park complete with a swing set, slides and other things and it brought a smile to Cobie's face. He could see himself staying here for a while.  

True to their words the cleaning crew show up thirty minutes later in a big white van with the logo ACS on it. It took them an hour and thirty minutes as well as twenty workers to clean up both floors of the building and they left immediately they were paid their money, leaving Cobie to his privacy. Cobie pulls off his button up shirt and his jeans, leaving him in a thin white shirt and baby blue boxers with smiley faces on it. He grabs his bag and dumps it on the bed, opening it and reaching for his phone and speaker, immediately he connects the Bluetooth, Beautiful Trauma by Pink comes on. He spins around and sings along as he pulls out cloth after cloth and arranges it in his closer, hanging his shirts  and blazers up and folding his pants down, pushing his shoes into the lower level, all the while humming after each and every song playing through his speakers.

He was almost done a few hours later but his wet fringe sticking to his forehead was irritating him. He grabs a band and pulls his fringe up into a tiny bun on his head and continued his work.  By nine-thirty, his bedroom was done, well half done, tomorrow the movers were bringing his belongings. The entire building was empty and as he walks down the stairs after shrugging on a black shirt, black jeans and a denim jacket, the smile that he's had on since the moment he got into the cab this afternoon.

He triple checks the doors to make sure it was locked before continuing on his walk, his wallet and phone in his pocket and his fringe free from the band, the wind ruffling his hair. He runs his fingers through it as he walked, trying to find the nearest restaurant or diner. His steps were sure, his eyes dark and lips pulled into a straight line. This town was going to be just like any other place he's been to, Cobie thinks as he walks. The cold wind blows and Cobie is nowhere near a restaurant yet. It took him a few more minutes and two more streets before he finds a diner and he goes in.

The place was packed full and it fell quiet immediately Cobie put a foot through the door. He ducked his head and tried to avoid eye contact as he swept round the building to find an empty seat. He found one at the back with one person sitting on it. Cobie wants to turn back around and go back home but it was only going to bring more attention to him, so he takes a deep breath instead and lets his lips spread into a smile as he began to walk towards the table, his hands in his pockets.

When he sits, the person across him jumps and raised up their head and Cobie stared wide eyed at the person. It was a chestnut haired boy with make up on. His eyeshadow and liner were impeccable and his lips were so red, Cobie almost reached a finger forward to swipe his lips so he could know if it was lipstick or lip-gloss or something.  Is this why the boy was sitting alone?

"You're staring." A soft voice calls from across the table, startling Cobie out of his staring stupor.

"I'm sorry, you just surprised me." Cobie replies, reaching for the menu with steady fingers. "You are quite stunning."

The boy in front of him cocks his head to the side and stared at Cobie for one, two, three seconds before smiling brightly at him. He lifts one of his perfectly manicured hand from his lap and stretches it towards Cobie for a handshake and without hesitating, Cobie shook it.

"You're new."

"How does everyone know? This town has a big population, so someone like me should just be...invisible." Cobie drawls as he looks through the menu.

The boy across his runs his fingers through his hair and nods, he quickly taps the screen of his phone and the light on his face dims a little and it alarmed Cobie a little.

"We are a big family here, of course we'd notice you." The boy replies, waving his fingers in the air. "I'm Gabriel."

"Cobie."

"So what are you ordering?" the boy asks Cobie who just flips through the menu one more time before dropping it.

"I'm thinking strawberry pancakes and a tall glass of milk." Cobie says, earning a giggle from Gabriel. "What about you?"

"I ordered the same a few seconds before you came in." Gabriel replies.

Cobie waves a waiter over and placed his order and focuses back on Gabriel who double taps the screen of his phone, his smile dimming when he sees something on the screen. Cobie doesn't say anything when he sees that and just looks around the small restaurant and finds that almost all eyes were on them and it was starting to make him nervous. He grabs two paper towels and folded each one into a small ball with his closed fists. His heart pounding in his chest as he wonders if they know.

"Is everything okay?" Gabriel asks, his eyes wide in concern,

Cobie gives him a shaky smile and a nod in reply.

"So what do you do?"

Cobie takes a deep breath and tries to ignore the peeping eyes. "I am a vet."

"You?" Gabriel asks in wonder. "Aren't you a little too young?"

"I am twenty four." Cobie pouts, earning another giggle from Gabriel. "It's not like I want to be seventeen or eighteen like you, I hated those years to be honest with you."

"Sorry to burst your bubble but I'm twenty four too. A graduate from a community college close here." Gabriel replies, giving Cobie a playful look, a soft giggle coming from him. They take a brief pause as their orders are placed on the table between them. Cobie goes for his glass of warm milk first, taking quite a huge gulp before placing his cup back on the table. He finds Gabriel staring at his phone, his lips turned down by the side.

"Something wrong?"

Gabriel shakes his head and picks up his fork and knife, cutting into his pancakes. "Nothing really." Gabriel tells him and pushes a forkful of food into his mouth. Cobie nods and goes back to his food.

Truthfully, making conversations was something Cobie wasn't good at but something he had to do to fit in wherever he moved to because apparently some people liked to talk. Talking was the last thing Cobie wanted to do this night, talking to someone was not in his plans for the evening yet here he was.

"it's just this guy."

Gabriel's soft voice snapped Cobie out of his thoughts. He swallows his food and then replies. "And he...?"

"I might have asked him out to dinner tonight."

Cobie stared at Gabriel in awe. "Am I intruding on your date then?" he asks and then he remembers finding Gabriel sitting by himself and continuously checking his phone and it dawned on him, actually it felt like someone doused him with ice cold water. "He didn't show."

"He was meant to meet me an hour and half ago but he texted me a few minutes ago saying he didn't want to come to dinner with me, something about not wanting people to associate him with a man wearing make-up."

"Are you serious?" Cobie asks, his vision tinged with red. "Are people in this town the same?"

"Not really. Majority of them have no problem with it but a few people still don't understand that I sometimes like to feel like a queen. They don't understand that i-"

"You are a queen in the skin of a king?"

"Yes! You phrased it perfectly." Gabriel exclaims, his face brightening up again, much to Cobie's delight.

"Glad to be of help." Cobie tells the man across him. "You should not waste your time or spit or breath on people like him. You deserve better, so don't settle for less just because the one for you isnt here yet."

Those were the last words Cobie spoke to Gabriel that night. He had reached his limit for the day and he just couldn't find it in himself to continue talking, he just wasn't comfortable and even though he knows Gabriel's name and the fact he was twenty-three and a graduate from a community college close by, Gabriel was still a threat and a stranger. He finished his food in record time and dumps his money on his table, he waves at Gabriel who looked confused at his change of behaviour but waved back nonetheless.  

The walk back home was slower due to him being full. He pulls out his wireless earphones as well as his phone and scrolled through his music library until he settled on a playlist and then pushed his phone back into his pocket.  Lady Gaga's Diamond Heart comes on and Cobie hums in tune. He stays on the side walk, cars passing him by and pushing heavy gusts of wind towards him. The one thing he likes about Astir, is that fact that it was practically surrounded by huge trees, a huge forest looming around the time, making Cobie feel like he was stuck in one of those mystical towns he reads about in books and he loves it.

He hums as he walks, breathing in the fresh air. When he was almost home, he pulls his earphones out and tucks them back into the pocket. He stealthily looks around to make sure he wasn't followed, a habit he picked up after many years of moving. His dark eyes sweeps around the area, taking in every stone, the cars parked and a group of friends walking by. He was snapped out of it when he hears a loud howl, it was so loud and it echoed, the loud sound sending shills down Cobie's spine. The howl held him in place, it sent tingles shooting up his veins and he feels drawn to it.   

Just as fast as it came, it was gone, bathing Astir in silence for a few seconds. Cobie feels his heart pick up and he stumbles backwards, the door holding him up. Confusion flows through his veins and bloomed in his mind, his body jerked into action. His fingers pushed the key into the lock and turned, after entering and triple checking the locked door before making his way up the stairs to his apartment. He sets up the Bluetooth and Over the Love by Florence + the Machine came on.  He shoves off his shoes and denim jacket then made his way to his balcony.

Above him, the moon was bright and half covered by clouds, stars twinkling and the cold wind blowing. He could see the stretch of forest beyond some of the houses, loved how bright the entire town was. The air smelt fresh and Cobie looks towards the direction the howl had appeared to be coming from but he couldn't see anything except for fresh lawns and huge houses with the forest looming behind. He lets out a sigh and leans against the railing, ignoring the itch in his eyes.

Tomorrow was going to be a long and excruciating day. He silently hopes someone would apply for the job opening he was offering. He also wondered how Gabriel was feeling and if the man was okay. Just as fast as the thought about Gabriel had come, it disappeared. He doesn't need friends, friends always have a way of stabbing you in the back, front, in the side and everywhere in general. He doesn't need a friend, just a place to stay, a place to set up his clinic and make a steady income. He doesn't need too much people around him because lying and hiding things from them would lead to trouble and he doesn't want trouble but sometimes trouble comes even though you try run and hide from it.

The growing itch in his eyes was starting to irate him, with a whine Cobie turns away from the window, easily missing the red eyes watching him from a distance. Cobie makes his way to his bathroom and turns on the lights, he pulls out a white container and set it in the sink and then finally stares at his reflection in the mirror. His raven hair was a bit stiff, his dark eyes stared blankly at him, his skin pale and lips a bright pink. He hopes he stays here, in this town for a year or two, he'd be really grateful if he stays for three years.

As he silently hopes and prays, he raises his hands to his eyes and with expertise, he pulls of his contact lens and placed them in their container. He stares at the container for one, two, three, four seconds and then he looks up, his eyes flashing yellow with hope.