Blessed by Night - C.89 Why Are All Of You Here?Mar 07, 2024

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Malachi emerged from the shadows in the alley behind Anna's workplace.

Night appeared to have just fallen as the world still showed some traces of life, and there was still an energy in the air. Mal casually looked up into the dark sky and smiled as if he was appreciating fine art. 'You've outdone yourself again, mother. It's as beautiful as always.'

He stood there motionlessly for a minute to appreciate the scenery when he suddenly heard two voices coming from the street. "How long do we have to sit out here like this, Unc? We look like we live in a trailer park."

"Who cares about that?? You said he had to come back to get his car, right? We can wait for him until then!"

"I'm supposed to be seeing him again tomorrow, so can't we just do this then? You're going to make me seem like some clingy stalker girl."

"Aren't you? You've texted him like three times over the past six hours."

"I-I just wanted to know if he was okay, alright?!"

Malachi suddenly felt a buzzing in his pocket, and his phone was flooded with messages from multiple people. 'Damn... this feels kinda nice.'

Mal tucked his phone back into his pocket and followed the sound of the voices. Emerging in the street, he saw Annalise and an unknown man sitting in lawn chairs right in front of his car. They appeared to have been waiting for a long time, as there was a small table between them that was covered in playing cards. "This is an odd little set up you got here."

Anna's blood suddenly ran cold and she turned around to see Mal approaching from the alley, his hands in his pockets and wearing a small smile. Her face became slightly red with embarrassment and she wished that she could disappear. "Mal, I swear this was not my ide-"

"Malachi Saint??"

The man sitting opposite Anna suddenly bolted from his chair and appeared in front of Malachi with his hand outstretched and a charismatic smile on his face.

Anna's uncle was a skinny man in his 40s with long greasy black hair and neatly trimmed stubble around his mouth.

Like Anna his arms appeared to be covered in tattoos and the quality varied between breathtakingly artistic and others that looked like they were done in a basement. He shared her bright purple eyes that were currently sitting behind a pair of circular glasses and sparkling with disbelief.

"I-I can't believe it's really you! I-I mean Anna told me that the two of you were friends but I honestly couldn't fathom why someone like you would be friends with my little AG! I mean her personality is shit and she only-"

"I cannot wait for you to become old and senile, I'm sticking you in the worst retirement home I can find." Anna growled.

"See what I mean? She's a little tyrant!" freew(e)bnovel.com

Mal's emotions had been dulled to an extent, but even he found this man to be extremely likeable and amusing. "Anna's been pretty kind to me so far, or maybe I just haven't done anything that would make her grab her bat yet." Mal said as he shook his hand.

"You're heading in that direction." Anna said with her arms folded. Why were they picking on her??

The two men promptly ignored her and continued their conversation like they hadn't heard anything strange. "I-I'm sorry, I know this must be strange but I promise that I did not wait for you to ask for anything, I'm just a really big fan and I wanted to meet you. I'm Anna's uncle Pete but everyone just calls me PG."

The two men exchanged lighthearted pleasantries, but Anna was still giving Malachi a lighthearted scowl.

'Bastard... you had me worried for nothing... WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!'

Anna rubbed her fingers through her short hair just in time to hear something absurd fly out of Malachi's mouth. Mal: "I actually like her quite a bit. This project is really giving us a chance to get to know each other better."

PG: "... Annalise? Grey? You're getting to know her...? ...And you like what you've learned?"

Mal: "Hahaha! So far, yea!"

PG: "Wow... okay then, I'll make you a deal. If you take a picture in my store for advertising then I'll let her have the day off tomorrow and the two of you can go on a little date."

Mal: "Deal."

"W-Wait a damn minute!"

Both men turned around and looked at Annalise like they had forgotten she was there. ""Yes?""

"H-How are you guys going to sit here and barter over me like I'm the last wing on a tray? A-And what is this about a date?!"

"Don't worry kiddo, I'll pay you for the day." PG said as he waived away her concerns. "Or do you not want to go on a date with me? Not gonna lie, that kinda hurts my feelings, you know?" Mal playfully wiped away a tear and pretended like he was truly heartbroken.

"I-It's not that! W-Well it is, but-"

"Aww damn, that's cold." PG muttered.

"I forgot how it felt to be rejected by pretty girls. Almost makes me feel normal again." Mal muttered as he stared up into the sky. "Uncle Pete, can you just go inside for one second!" Anna yelled with a red face.

"No? I'm kind of entertained by-"

"Swear to god if you don't I'll tell the brunette at footlocker that you're plowing her sister!"

"You kids have a good night."

Pete picked up the lawn chairs and went back into the store in a hurry, but he still pressed his face up against the window to watch them with bated breath. Anna suddenly looked like she was very uncomfortable, and she began playing with the silver rings on her fingers to ease her nerves.

"Mal... You already have a girlfriend." she said sadly. "And no doubt you'll have more and I don't know if I can... share you like that."

Mal wasn't really expecting for the conversation to turn this way, but he realized that it was only natural. Even though it was legal now, there were still a lot of people who had issues with blessed having multiple partners. After all, greed is instinctual to humanity, and such an emotion is usually only amplified when it comes to things that you love.

Mal hesitantly reached out to take Anna's hand, and she flinched and pulled away as if she was scared to get closer to him.

"Anna... I don't want you to think that I'm just some womanizer who wants to collect as many girls as I can. I only care about you, Sei, Bianca, and Luna.

I don't have much experience with relationships, and the only one I've ever been in was a real shitshow.

But I will do my best to make sure that none of you girls ever feel left out or uncared for."

"Mal, how can you possibly promise something like that...?"

This time, when Malachi reached for Anna's hand she did not pull away.

"Because if you girls are okay with me practically two timing you, then something like this is the least I can do."

Anna looked down at their hands that were interlocked and weighed the felt a dangerously warm feeling spread.

It was almost addictive, and she already felt like she was reaching the point of no return. "Mal, I-"

*Muffled* "Just say yes!!"

Malachi and Anna turned around to find Uncle Pete still in the window, desperately trying to ship these two together.

Would they not make the cutest couple!?

He was seriously questioning Malachi's taste but ultimately he wanted his niece to be happy!

...He also wanted the influx of clientele that came from a blessed endorsement but that was besides the point!

Malachi chuckled while Anna's face turned beet red from embarrassment. She quickly released Mal's hand and reflexively stepped backward. "I-I get it so... just meet me tomorrow and I guess we'll talk more then... without an audience!" She said pointedly at PG. However, he seemed largely unbothered and simply shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'So? I'm an adult and I do what I want.' Malachi seemed to recognize the fact that he was starting to convince her since he was not immediately rejected like before. "Tomorrow it is then." He said as he turned back to the store. "Where are you going? Your car is right here!" "I'm freeing up your schedule!" Anna watched her uncle smile giddily as Mal walked back into the store and began taking pictures of him like he was some kind of model. "Seriously... I think something is wrong with that guy." She muttered. But despite her words, a smile of true happiness was on her lips. -

Malachi stepped out of the elevator to his apartment and headed towards his front door. For some reason today felt longer than normal and if he was honest, he was slightly tired. But based on the numerous text messages he'd received ever since earlier, he knew that he wouldn't get to sleep for a while. Opening the door to his apartment, he was assailed with the smell of Sei's cooking and the gap band's 'Outstanding' playing loudly on a speaker. "He's back!" "Brother!" "Damn brat, didn't anyone ever teach you how to respond to a text?"

The sight of all of his favorite people in his apartment nearly brought a tear to his eye. For starters, Sei and Luna were in the kitchen cooking together and seeming very close, with Serana a few feet away taking pictures. Aisha and Aubrey were hand in hand, with Bianca sitting on the couch alongside them. Old man Rowan was standing in the corner next to both of Aisha's parents, and all three of them seemed to be drinking merrily.

"This is certainly a sight worth coming home to."