afflicted

20: 14 months before

Callie tossed and turned in her sheets, unable to shake the nervous feeling radiating through her body when she thought about only being separated from the handsome stranger by a wall. He had some kind of magnetism, pulling her closer and closer. It was something Callie had never felt before, and it was making her stomach flip with anxiety.

Growling and finally giving up, she yanked the blankets off her body and set her feet on the cold floor. She yanked on a bathing suit, grabbed a fluffy white towel from the basket in the linen closet, and stomped her way down to the water. She'd just swim until she exhausted herself enough to sleep.

She kicked off her shoes, stood at the wall, and took a deep breath before diving beneath the night-chilled waves. The familiar feeling enveloped her body and made her skin sing. Callie loved the ocean. She had since she was little.

She floated on her back, staring up at the night sky. Something about the starry scene above her head had always calmed her nerves. Sometimes, she'd lay back and count as many as she could before her eyes began to cross with exhaustion.

"Couldn't sleep either?" The dark voice startled Callie so badly that she flipped herself in the water, accidentally taking in a mouthful of salty sea and sending the liquid shooting up her nose, making her nasal passages burn. She treaded water to the wall, holding onto it as she coughed up the water, eyes blurry with tears.

She blinked away the blur enough to see Azriel knelt down before her, amusement sparkling in his hazel eyes as he twisted his mouth to the side to hide a smile. She panted. She knew she looked like hell and was anything but elegant in that moment.

"You scared the shit out of me, asshole," Callie griped, splashing seawater up at him, but not enough to actually get him wet. He chuckled, holding out a hand to pull her up to sit on the wall. He sat down beside her, knees to his chest to avoid soaking the legs of his sweatpants.

"I noticed," he said, sly smirk on his face. She rolled her eyes, murmuring curses at him under her breath, still having to cough every now and then. Her hair was wet and matted to her head, but at least she'd picked a flattering swimsuit.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked, using the towel next to her to pat her face dry. Goosebumps covered her flesh, and she wasn't sure if it was from the wind or his proximity.

"Couldn't sleep," he shrugged. "Certain busybodies alerted me that you couldn't either. I was curious." Callie gasped as she saw a shadow crawl up his shoulder like a plume of smoke to perch by his head. It had no face, but it looked at her. She could feel its sentience, its impossible awareness that she was there.

"Holy shit," she said, breathless.

"My shadows are unfortunately of the nosy variety," he laughed. "They seem to have taken a liking to you." Another shadow peeked from behind his back to assess her before swirling up and around its master's ear. Azriel tilted his head as if listening to the shadow, fighting back the grin that threatened to bloom at whatever he heard. He shooed them away, shaking his head affectionately as they dissolved.

"Do they... do they talk to you?" Callie asked, moving to mock Azriel's position and pulling her knees into herself, wrapping both arms around herself. She shivered slightly, teeth clacking. He reached behind her to grab the towel, settling it over Callie's shoulders to block her from the wind.

She watched him closely, noticing how he moved without even thinking. He seemed so sure of himself while she suddenly felt so out of place. She wanted to push him out of his element, maybe see how he liked being the embarrassing one. Not that she was sure it was even possible for someone that pretty to be embarrassed.