Nate had no idea where Derek was taking him but that was fine with him. He stared out his window at how the world had changed. Buildings were taller, cars were sleeker and more exotically shaped and the world had become a brighter place. Today the weather was milder and though the sky was heavy with clouds it seemed to be withholding the usual torrential deluge. Nate was thankful for it. He didn't want anything to ruin the day that he and Derek would spend together.
Their first stop was at Starbucks where Derek picked them up some fancy, as far as Nate was concerned, sandwiches and coffee that blew his mind. They then continued their little tour as Derek took him to the local malls showing him the newest in gadgetry and even picking him up a cellphone to keep in contact. Afterwards Derek took Nate for his first 3D movie. Derek laughed at the look of amazement on Nate's face and watched him reach out in attempt to touch the contents of the screen.
As morning blended into afternoon Derek took Nate towards their last stop - the Seattle Space Needle.
The Space Needle towered in the sky, looking like some forgotten extra-terrestrial device that had been left behind. After parking they snuck around the back of the building and Derek teleported them to the top of the building. Once there they sat with their legs dangling over the edge eating their sandwiches, cloaked in Derek's Indiscernibility Spell.
"So how are you enjoying Seattle in 2014?" Derek asked.
"Like I said, it's certainly different. You know, I have never left Texas before now. The world seemed so much smaller. Now I'm in a different state with a male witch," he laughed. "Something I can tell you is that, right now, there's no place I'd rather be."
"Me neither," said Derek with a slight smile on his face.
***
We watched the sun sink in the sky and the people below scurrying about on the pavement. It was nice being here with him. I had never felt it before. He was the only person I had ever felt attuned to and yet he didn't belong here. He was from a different place and time. No, I had to send him back.
"Come on, let's head back home," I said.
As I got up from the ledge I tripped over my own feet, I'm clumsy like that, and just as I was about to slip off the edge I felt a strong arm grip mine and suddenly I was pressed against his powerful chest, encased in his arms. I could hear his heart beating through his chest and I could smell him, Nate's smell, the smell of pine needles and him that made me go lightheaded. He looked down into my eyes as he held me, his arms pulling me closer to him. I could feel the rippling muscles beneath his clothes as he ran his hands over my back. He moved his head a fraction of an inch towards mine and then released me, smilingly.
And I could breathe again. I wasn't sure whether the breathlessness came from that moment of sexual tension or my nearly plunging to death from Seattle's most popular landmark.
I sat down again, as far away from the edge as I could, and took some deep breaths. Nate stood over me for a while, silently watching, and then held his hand out towards me. I took it and launched myself up, a bit more carefully this time.
"Come on, Houdini. Let's get you back on solid ground," he said.
