Sorry this is a couple days late- I wanted to finish chapter 8 before I posted this. I didn't quite make it, but I'm getting close! Also, I gave this chapter's title to the last chapter and didn't notice until I went to post this one. Oops!

Chapter 7

Milk

On a sea of dark matter
Every minute matters
Living while other lives shatter

Seeing ghosts scatter
As they pour out

We can handle them!

It's the tar taking over that came unexpected
Hard to accept it
Getting marked for death

Seeing friends snatched and darkly possessed

Walking through the Commercial District was slightly embarrassing- the bright lights of the stores illuminated her wet, muddy attire. She left black footprints in her wake on the pavement, only to be washed away seconds later. By the time she reached her destination her feet were clean, but she was soaked.

She saw Frye through the window- drunk and happy. She smiled. She'd have to join him again soon. But not tonight.

The cashier visibly cringed when she walked in, dripping on the floor. "You have shoes?"

"Yeah?"

"Then wear them."

It took her a few seconds to realize; "I think I dropped them."

"I can still serve you on the patio. You'll be out of the rain, at least. Sorry, but rules are rules."

"It's okay." She hadn't wanted to run into Frye anyway.

Cross sat at one of the outdoor tables, under an umbrella. She felt sorry for her waiter- just because she was crazy enough to enjoy taking a walk in a thunderstorm didn't mean she didn't realize other people liked staying dry. She looked in the window- Frye was laughing, and… was that Doug?

It shouldn't have hurt, but it did. Everyone else was moving on. Lin had said goodbye, she'd known that, but Doug still was raw, the last time they'd talked.

But he'd gone to the funeral. He was healing.

And her wounds were just... festering.

Cross felt her hands curl into fists. How could they do that? Her other half had been ripped away- was she just supposed to be okay with being alone? How could Doug of all people fill in the gaping hole he'd left? It was wrong! When he'd left, Doug was the one he'd hurt the worst!

("How could you!? How could you betray humanity!? How could you hurt Lin and Doug like that!? You asshole! You're the worst! I HATE YOU!" Her last thought was accompanied by a wordless scream. Her fists were seeping from repeatedly hitting the wall, and she wasn't stopping even though it made her feel no better.

He couldn't even hear her, probably. The wall he'd built between them was incredibly strong- Two days of screaming and scratching and pounding and she hadn't made even a slight dent. She had no idea what he was thinking, and while she wanted him to know how badly he'd hurt everyone, she doubted he was any more aware of her thoughts than vice versa. Maybe he was so out of his mind that he didn't even realize he'd upset them. She wouldn't doubt it.

Elma had taken Lin away from her- Cross knew she was upsetting her, but couldn't calm herself. It made her feel terrible, making Lin cry. "No, actually, YOU made Lin cry! You see that!? How can you live with yourself!?" Cross sent him memories of Lin's crying face, but was met only with the expected silence.

Hours of death threats and guilt trips and angry yelling later, she was exhausted. She wasn't even mad anymore. She just wanted him to talk to her. Maybe he had his reasons. Maybe they were even good ones? Maybe this was a trick to infiltrate the Ganglion, or some horrible prank, or- Something! Anything! She had no idea, because he wouldn't! Fucking! Talk to her!

Cross sank into the sofa. She rubbed her stomach- she hadn't eaten in… she wasn't sure exactly how long, but quite a while.

She looked up, saw the door to the hallway. It had been half a lifetime ago, that she'd seen him standing in that doorway, blushing red with a towel around his waist. He'd offered her coffee. He drank his black- She never understood how anyone could enjoy something so bitter.

She rose up and walked to the kitchen. A few minutes later she returned, steaming black sludge in hand. She inhaled the rich aroma- these were real Earth coffee beans, not the similar beans found in Noctilum. She'd been the one to bring the first crop of those back- she'd brought them through a tropical storm alongside her poisoned partner.

She raised the cup to her lips. The dark liquid was not quite hot enough to burn, but the flavor was overpowering. It was disgusting, but she held it in her mouth before swallowing, letting the experience sink in.

"Gross."

He agreed.

Then why did he drink it?

("I can't believe this! False labor- of all the stupid things! We wasted a whole night in the hospital, and nothing!"

He laughed-Charmaine's flushed face was incredible. "You're due in a week, I'm sure it won't be much longer."

"Lao." Her face was dead serious.

He felt a spark of worry- she almost never called him by name. "What is it?"

"You have no idea how much I want a cup of coffee right now." He burst out laughing. "I'm serious! It's been nine months! Nine! And it's not like it'll be over in a week- I can't have any coffee until after I'm done breastfeeding, apparently!" The last word was directed at him.

"It's-"

"Bad for the baby, yes, yes, I know. You've told me a million times." Her pouting face morphed into a teasing smile, and Lao felt a chill. "Hey, Handsome? You wanna do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Go make me a pot of coffee. Wait! I just want to smell it. I promise." Her smile was impossible to refuse.

Lao sighed. "You're the worst caffeine addict I've ever met," he joked as he walked towards the kitchen.

She spent a good five minutes sniffing the pot. He watched her bend over the counter- listened to the small sounds she made. After a particularly loud moan, he joked; "Are you leaving me for the coffee machine?"

"This is the most sexual gratification I've gotten in months. Maybe."

"That's not my fault!"

"Yeah, it kind of is!" She turned to face him, laughing.

"Ah, so it's a blooming romance, then? I don't have to worry about the baby not being mine?"

"Nope! She's your beautiful redheaded daughter."

"I thought we weren't going to find out? Also, the chances of the baby having your hair color are… slim."

"I didn't- but it's a girl, and she has red hair. I just know."

He got up from the table and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You're wrong, but I love you anyway." And then he kissed her.

"Mmm. How about you drink a cup of coffee and do that again?"

He smiled. "You're obsessed."

He poured himself a cup, and reached for the fridge-

"What are you doing?"

"...Making it drinkable?"

"No you're not. Sit down." He sat across from her, pouting. "You're going to drink that coffee that way I drink my coffee, and you're going to enjoy it for me. Every. Last. Drop."

And he did so, complete with exaggerated moans and dramatic pauses. She smiled- he didn't think he was imagining sweat on her brow. "Was that good for you?"

"That was awful.")

Cross smiled. She went back to the kitchen, then came back with a refilled cup- sweetened with milk and honey. She sat and drank it, and enjoyed it more than she probably should have. He was there with her, the sweet tincture on his lips. She felt him moan, and his voice reassured her, made her feel whole.

They didn't talk, but the wall was gone, and that was enough.)

Cross' nails were biting into her palms. That was the most private thing he'd ever shown her, and he'd done so of his own free will.

Her sweet, creamy coffee arrived, and she enjoyed it now as much as before. His silence was filled with her moans this time- no one could hear above the wind. As she sat down her cup, she looked back through the window. Doug was smiling, his arm around Frye's shoulder.

Maybe someday somebody would sit and drink coffee with sugar, no cream, and think of her. She'd like that. But that day would never come if she didn't create those bonds first.

She left the diner with new conviction. It was time to say goodbye.

Need you right now
It seems we're over...

Next time: Plasma, or "You're making me fEEL tHINGS AND i don't LIKE THAT"

"You thought your heart was lost. You wanted me to find it for you. That was your last request. I've been looking, since that day, and… I think I know where it is now."