A week had passed, and there was no sign of Dynos. She had been to the company for work purposes but hadn't bumped into him once. Devin wasn't waiting for him. She just happened to notice that the bane of her existence was failing to show face.
Good,She thought.
She was delusional. Clearly she wanted him to show up. She just couldn't bring herself to admit that she actually wanted to see him.
A few days ago she came up with a plan. Dynos claimed that all this torture on her life was simply for the fact that he needed to return home. So, she would sent him home. By asking for all her wishes at once. She wrote them all down in her journal. Next time she sees him, would have to be the last.
Without waiting around a minute longer, she headed for the dessert place. She needed to get out of the house and her mind off the problem.
As she waited in line for her ice cream she a familiar scent suddenly engulfed her. Devin clenched her purse. She refused to turn around and check for him.
She reached for her order and bolted after several painful seconds. It couldn't have been him. There were people that smelt like wood. He wasn't an exception.
Idiot. She scolded herself.
She was being stupid. If anything she was meant to embrace this opportunity to get rid of him. Taking a deep breath, she excepted her sorry fate. She spun and returned back to the store. She was glad her nose didn't lie.
Dynos looked back at her with his dessert in hand. He stood for moment before flashing her a faint smile. " Hello Devin.
" Hi." she replied back. " Can we talk?"
They walked and spoke as much as their dessert allowed them to.
" So... You own a business." There was a question in her tone.
" Is that really so hard to wrap your head around?"
She shook her head. " It's just that you're powerful. You can do anything but you decide to open a fashion empire and torture me."
He chuckled. " Being powerful is not an excuse to be lazy. I can't spend a century playing like with humans like child."
She stuck a spoon of ice cream in her mouth. " That's not what I meant..." She muttered.
He glanced at her for a moment. She was sulking, and she was doing a poor job of hiding it. With that he smirked and both their desserts vanished into the air.
Devin glanced around the side walk, and then looked up at him with a frown. " I was enjoying that."
He held her hand. " Let's have something real to eat."
And just like that. They appear in what looks to be a fancy diner.
No one seemed to notice that they had just appeared in the middle of the restaurant. Devin felt disheveled by the sudden change in environment. He could have given her some kind of warning.
" Are you well?" He asked her with concern in his voice.
She shook her head. " I'm fine." She replied, trying to look as fine as she possibly could.
He gave her look that proved to be disbelief but he didn't inquire any further. He pulled her to free table, making her realize that he was still holding her hand.
She tried hard not to read too much into it. Especially when he could he read her thoughts.
They ordered their food and waited. Devin tried to distract herself with her phone. Anything to get her mind off the man in front of her. It was not like they were on a date or even friends. Surely, it wouldn't be rude if she was paying attention to something else.
Their food arrives and she glance up at him. He was looking right back at her. She dropped her head back down and thanked the server.
Anxiously she gulped down at her food. She feel his eyes on he now. Of course he was watching her, she was acting like a complete weirdo. This was embarrassing, she whispered to herself, before slowly looking up at him. She flashed him an awkward smile. " Hi..."
" Hi yourself," he replied softly. " Are sure you're alright? You seem weirder than usual today. Did you not want to eat out?" His eyes held concern. Something that Devin wasn't quite used to.
She shook her head. " I'm fine. It's just... You make me nervous."
He watched her shrivel with embarrassment, unable to reply. She lowered her head again hoping that the ground would swallow her whole.
A grin formed at the corner of his mouth. " At least you're comfortable enough to tell me things like that."
He was still grinning. She glowered her gaze at him. " Would you stop?"
" I just find you to be very oddly amusing that's all." He said and laughed. " I'm glad I chose you."
Devin's stomach fluttered. She wanted to beat herself for allowing this man to give her fireworks, over small meaningless words and gestures. Her feelings for this strange creature, from the place of hatred to something else.
" I'm not glad." She curtly responded as she crossed her arms. " Here's what's going to happen. I'll continue to work with your company because it has nothing to with you. You won't talk to me, look at me or even think about me when I'm there."
" Is that a wish?" He quirked his brow.
She leaned forward, feeling brave. " No, it's a requirement. I'm trying to be professional. What would people think if they found out I know their boss personally?"
He leaned forward himself, as if they were in some sort of competition. " Well, I own the place Devin, and they don't pay attention to even me. Trust me when I say no one's thinking about you."
His words felt like a pinch to the heart. " Good," she replied with a fake smile.
After their meal, they had a long conversation as they walked around the park about the rules. Things he could and couldn't do. The list went on and on. He gave his rules and she set hers.
" So, if I wish for a million dollars...? Someone is going to lose a million dollars?" She questions.
" Basically. I can't give you something from nothing. It's the law of nature I'm afraid."
She thought for a moment. " Can I be specific who I take money from?"
" Sure... Whatever you want."
She then jumped in front of him and grabbed his hand. " Can I make a wish now?"
He looked hesitant and she couldn't figure out why. The fact that they were in public came to mind. He obviously read her mind, because his expression changed. He reached to brush her hair behind her ear. " Anything you want Devin. Or do I call you master now? Mistress maybe?"
Devin stood frozen and fumble with the right words in her mind. She still hadn't gotten over that fact that he had just touched her. He had done it countless times, going over the personal barricade that she had set up just for him. So why was she so moved by a little friction.
" Don't be weird." she finally uttered. " Just call me what you usually call me."
He linked their finger together. " Make your wish, Devin."
Δ
Not long after she had returned home. Dynos had supposedly granted her wish of ten million dollars. She had also wished for good luck in her career, which he had thought was stupid. He claimed that was a guarantee if she worked with his brand.
" Are you really going to use your wish for something stupid like that?" His tone was almost harsh, but quiet.
" It's mine, isn't it?" She replied. " I have eight left."
" Seven." he corrected.
" How?"
" You already used one to save your life remember? So that makes it seven left."
He didn't seem to mind mentioning the incident again. She pulled her hand away from his and turned away. She heard a chuckle from him, and anger stirred up in her even more.
They walked all the way to her apartment, in silence.
" Are you perhaps...upset?" He asks her before she walks into the apartment. " Was it something I said?" There was concern in his voice.
She turns to him. Hoping to see the concern in his voice match his expression. To her expectation, it didn't. She shook her head. " I still hadn't forgotten the day I almost died. It took you no longer than a second after I recovered to me through it again." Her voice was strained. She told herself that she was not going to cry because of this. " I had barely forgiven you, but somehow, I found it easy to act like myself with you. You never even apologized!"
He attempted to explain. "Devin I-"
" NO!" She cut him off. " You don't to casually mention the day you nearly killed me and then get to smugly apologize, with your STUPID ACCENT!" She continued. " The least could do is show me some basic empathy!"
At this point they had managed to garner the attention of passersby. Neither of them seemed to care though. They were too focused on each other. For all the wrong reasons.
Dynos just stared at her with the most nonchalant stare and his hands through his wavy hair. " Do you feel better now?'
" I'll feel better after I see my money!" She told him before leaving and slamming the entrance door at him.
She stormed in to her room and crashed onto her bed, face first.
She heard footsteps around the house, and realized her sister was still around.
" What are you still doing here? I thought you made with Sam already." She had hoped that would be the case. There was only so many days of her sister's presence she could actually handle.
"I obviously didn't. He's still really mad at me." She replied in a soft voice.
Devin sat up and sighed. This was one of those moments she needed to actually be comforting her sister. She patted the bed, urging Maggie to sit. " Sam is a man... by biology."
Maggie stopped and glared at her sister. " Devin..."
" Sorry. It's just that men don't do well when you bruise their egoe, and you do that to him everytime you defy his one wish."
She groaned." I know, but It wasn't like I was completely wasted though."
Devin gave her a look. " Maggie..."
" Okay fine. I'll try to respect his wishes."
" No, you will respect his wishes, and you will apologize sincerely. Think about he does everything for you and is an awesome dad to your kid. Are you gonna let something as trivial as drinking take all that away from you?'
After a few seconds, a loud groan escaped her. She looked at Devin with a frown and stood up from the bed. " Sam will glad to hear that you're on his side for once."
Devin smiled and curled up under the covers. " I'm always on his side. I just make fun of him because he's a puss-"
" I actually hate you." She says before storming off and slamming her door closed.
Devin laughs before crawling out of bed. She crawled into bed with her outside clothes and her subconscious was screaming. She got up from bed took a quick shower and slipped on her night dress. After her night routine, she recalled the wish she had made with Dynos and the money.
She checked her phone, but there was no indication that money had been sent. Then she remembered Dynos was old-fashioned in a sort of way and decided to check her room for cash. She checked her closet and drawers. Nothing. The only place left to check was under the bed.
There were three suitcases under the bed, each lying beside the other. She dragged one out and knelt beside it. She carefully opened it and gaped as she saw the bills stacked upon one another. Surprise wasn't really what would describe her feelings, because she expected nothing less from a being that could teleport as he pleased. With all that she had gone through with him. This should have been the least surprising event. Yet she couldn't help but be astonished.
Just what else could the man do, Devin wondered. She tried not to think about him, especially not after their fight. Devin got mad just by thinking about it. Especially knowing that it meant nothing to him. Of course she could tell, he looked at her like she was a human child throwing a tantrum.
She quickly pushed the money filled suitcases back under the bed. Maggie had the habit of coming in unannounced. The last thing she wanted to do was explain where she had gotten ten million dollars from.
There was nothing to think about now. Her feelings for him were just mere attraction caused by forced proximity. She had to be insane to believe that she actually liked him. She mumbled to herself over and over as if it would help.
The truth was, she was absolutely screwed.