"What do you mean our baby?" Eugene asked Damon. Dumb founded.
Eventhough Damon is aware that everyone already knew, he still whispered his answer. "Because of what happened to us. You could be pregnant."
"I'm not pregnant. That's impossible. I am a man. I can't be pregnant." Eugene still confused because of how serious Damon is.
"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Liam bursted out laughing. "I knew you were a virgin but I didn't think you' re this innocent. Do you..... hahaha..... seriously thought Eugene's pregnant? "
Liam can't contain his laughter and made Damon embarrased. Damon's face became clearly red. Even the tip of his ears are bright. Due to his embarassment, Damon stormed into his bedroom, slamming the door. Leaving the confusion still unsolved.
Eugene is still very confused. He knew everyone saw it as a misunderstanding but something heavy stirs in his chest. He stood up, clutching the hem of his shirt. "I think I need to take a rest too." He went back to his room. Closing the door even before TanTan could come in.
Minutes after, Eugene heard noises in the bathroom. He decided to enter so he could talk with Damon. Damon is washing his hot red face as he still looked embarassed. Even more so upon seeing Eugene. He was about to walk out.
"Can we have a talk. " Eugene stopped him. Damon wiped his face dry and they decide to talk at Eugene's room.
There were minutes of silent. No one knew how to begin their conversation.
"Did you really think I'm pregnant?" Finally, it was Eugene who broke the silence.
"I believe it's possible."
"How? How is it possible?"
"I mean ... we both took our first times... and .... I... uhmm... released inside you."
Upon hearing Damon's thoughts Eugene blinked in disbelief. He still thinks it's ridiculous. Damon is being ridiculous.
"Be honest with me Damon? What am I?"
"What does that question mean?"
Eugene swallowed and asked, "Do you think ... I'm a woman?" He hesitated asking this as he is not ready at what Damon will answer. After ther journey together, Eugene thought he got his chance to live as himself. Freed from the life where others perceived him as a woman. "That's the only explanation."
"It's not like that at all."
"Are you sure? Because you're acting like that. Like them. " Eugene's voice is trembling. "My father, my step mother... they all didn't want me as me. They want the woman version of me."
Damon doesn't how to comfort Eugene. He remained silent but it only worsened Eugene's frustration. He started tearing up and reached for Damon's hands.
"I am not a woman Damon." He put one of Damon's hand on his chest and the other one between his legs. He pressed Damon's hands hard enough to make sure. "Can you feel that?"
Damon got caught off guard. He felt a chill run down his spine. He tried to remove his hand but Eugene just pressed it harder. Damon then felt something warm building up in his abdomen. And the longer it takes, it became painful causing him to jolt. Eugene noticed and his gaze landed on Damon's. Eugene let go of him. They both got embarassed realizing what just happened.
Damon cleared his throat. "I never saw you as anything else but you, Eugene. It's just a simple, we had sex and get pregnant."
Eugene started to realize how innocent Damon is. He felt sorry for breaking down and feeling frustated with Damon.
"But it's still impossible. Even we do it multiple times, I could never get pregnant." Eugene realized what's wrong with what he said. He sounds like he is implying that they will have sex again. "Well, I think that's enough talk for now. We need to get to sleep."
Damon stood up. "Still, take care of your body. Get some rest." He closed the bathroom door.
...
Even after the conversation of Eugene not being pregnant, Gael stayed as the register at the cafe. Leaving Eugene with nothing to do.
Eugene keeps making himself busy. He wandered back and forth to the kitchen and back to the counter. He couldn't help Johan with serving the customer as he is forbidden to carry heavy things. So he found himself wiping and arranging the countertop for the n-th time.
He caught Damon sneaking glances at him. Damon would avert his gaze as soon as Eugene finds out. So he decided to approach Damon.
"Could I help you with anything?"
Damon didn't expect Eugene to approach him. He got flustered, pouring cups of coffee and making drinks no one even ordered.
Eugene pouted and raised his brow. "I believe no one ordered those drinks."
"It's... uh.... I'm making ... new sample drinks.... experimenting.."
"I see." Instead of getting annoyed, Eugene found it amusing. Who knew the intimidating Leader of the Angels of Death could be this flustered. A first sight for everyone.
The cafe is not particularly busy today but enough to occupy the 4 employees.
Damon still kept himself busy as Eugene hovered near him. He's grinding beans, cheking his inventory, and started to make real sample drinks and taste them.
"You don't have to help. " Damon muttered without looking at Eugene.
"I don't like to sit around and do nothing while the four of you are working."
"It's because you do need to rest. The reason why we hired Gael."
"This again. I told you, I'm not pregnant."
"It's just..... to be sure... "
* ding - a -ling ~
Just right on time to save Damon from prolonging their conversation, another customer arrived. All eyes on the door. Like a celebritt entdred. Heels clicking on the floor. Long blonde hair swaying. And a big black sun hat.
You can hear the customers whispering. They recognize the strong presence coming in.
"She's home?"
"Good thing I visited the cafe today or I could've miss the chance to see her."
"Lady Gumi?"
Upon hearing her name, she elegantly waves at the souls looking at her. The souls are clearly admirers and glad they saw Gumi, who rarely comes home from tbe human world. Everyone seems happy except for one. Eugene is looking at her with furrowed brows.
She approached the counter and ordered. "My favorite please."
Gael's eyes widened. He doesn't know what Gumi's order is. He looked at Eugene for help but Eugene also doesn't know what that is. Gumi just smiled.
"The co-owner doesn't have to pay right."
She walked away and sat at an empty table. Damon then quietly started making a drink. He took a scoop of coffee beans and placed it in a shallow onyx bowl. He then reached for a vase inside one of his cabinet. Planted in it were black roses.
He touched one of the flowers and trimmed it. He put the flower on the bowl with the coffee beans. He struck a single match and dropped the flame into the bowl. A sudden burst of fire was formed engulfing the beans and flower until they are charcoaled black.
Everyone can smell the sweet fragrant yet smoky aroma it produced. Damon also whiffed the smell, fanning it into his nose. It's like he is judging by the scent on how it will taste like.
When the fire finally died, he grinded the black remains and let it drip with hot water. The stream of hot water curved like a clear thread, spiraling down in steady circles. His wrist moved with grace. He pours the water slowly as he lets the brew drip into the cup. The black mixture dripping from the filter looks like ink.
When he got the right amount, he transferred it to the rose like glass with ice. He then put cold foamy whipped milk on top of it until it reaches the brim. He then trimmed another rose and put it on top of the milk to finish the drink.
And just like a script after putting a performance, "This is Gumi's favorite drink, Black Rose Latte." Damon stated. He handed the drink to Eugene and asked him to serve it.
Eugene delivered the drink to Gumi's table. Gumi rest her chin on her hand and mischievously smiled at Eugene.
"If I ordered another drink, will you keep this lonely lady company?"
Eugene rolled his eyes at her.
"This isn't that kind of establishment, dear customer."
Gumi crossed her arms and leaned back.
"Like you have anything to do." She pushed the chair out across her using her foot.
Eugene sighed but took the offer.
"Do you know why this is my favorite? Other than it being the most expensive drink in the menu. Black Rose or commonly known as the Reaper's Bloom. It's a flower born from the soil of Limbus.
A flower blooms everytime a soul is sent to the purgatory. The Reaper's Bloom represents Death."
She touched the black rose on top of her drink with her finger. The rose crumpled and turned into a bloody like syrup.
"As the Grim Reaper, I have seen all kinds of death and this drink can show that to the drinker."
She sucked the syrup at her fingertip and slowly pushed the glass nearer to Eugene.
"Have a taste? Wouldn't you like to see death?"
Eugene can smell the sweetness of the drink. As a sweets lover and also out of curiosity, Eugene had a little sip. And in an instant he's back to the human world. It's like he travelled back to the time when he was looking for the elevator to the top floor.
He was walking backward to the middle of the road to see the top of the building. If he can catch a glimpse of the cafe at the top level. But..... something feels different from what he remembers.
*Thud!
Instead of the car braking just inches from him. The car run him over. People were screaming and he could feel pain all over his body. The sounds became muffled and turned into a ringing sound. His vision is starting to get blurry and he lost conciousness.