Simmering Thoughts

Wind, work, and the loud vibrations of power tools drowned out Zephyr's thoughts. One by one he went down the line, busying himself and doing his best to not get swept up in memories brought up by their earlier conversation.

His 'clean' slate still felt heavy all these years later.

He sighed and steadied himself. His drill pressed into the wall once again, lining up the bolt with the tab then pulling the trigger with force. It whirred until a secure click and jolt shook his wrist.

There, the last conduit was secure.

He pressed on the remote to test it out. Shutters slid down in unison with a resounding clank, covering the windows with half-inch thick plating.

He stood back and admired his handiwork as droplets repelled from its metal. It'd taken just an hour to save countless more in the future.

He had to admit, despite his procrastination, it felt nice to help Minerva out like this. Her windows would be protected from any debris the storm could muster up. Heck, it'd probably be useful as a security measure, though he doubted she needed it. Especially with what she'd done for him in the early days.

As if on cue, a rogue gust blasted the house. Zeph braced himself as the shudders trembled.

He'd just finished a servicing job that night when he'd gotten jumped by three guys looking for money and a fight. He'd managed to knock one of them out, but the other two pinned him after and beat him pretty badly.

That was until Minerva ran up like a pro wrestler. She dropkicked one then elbow-slammed the other into the pavement. He still remembered the way she'd picked him up after like some sort of damsel in distress and ferried him to the closest clinic.

At the time that'd happened, he was already indebted to her from the month prior. She'd allowed him to grab some stuff from her scrapyard at no charge.

Even now it seemed like he was always thanking her, and yet despite his efforts, he could never repay her enough.

He would never be able to, just like with he'd never be able to atone for being stupid. Not to his wife, nor to their—

A blinding flash of light lit the sky, accompanied a second later by the rumble of thunder.

Two specters echoed in his vision, as if wanting him to finish his thought. Instead, he shook them from his head.

It'd probably be best to go inside before anything else popped up. Retrospection and what-ifs were the last thing he needed on his mind now.

He shivered and stepped back toward the entrance, opening the door with a click.

"Hey, girls, I'm done—"

He paused mid-sentence as a sight overwhelmed him. Audra and Minerva were lounging on the couch, laughing loudly. His heart clenched as he stopped himself again from making a comparison.

"…Pft, really?! That's what—Ah, Zephyr… you are back!"

Minerva pivoted to face him.

"Apologies for the loudness. I was just telling Audra… about some of the things… you have done."

Warmth returned as he shut the door to the weather.

"You were telling her stories? Like what?"

"Oh, nothing really. Just uh, girl talk."

He raised his brow at the glint in Audra's eyes.

"Definitely doesn't sound like 'nothing'. Go on. Spill the beans."

Both of them made knowing eye contact with each other.

"Remember when you tried to make… a jet-powered skateboard? And how it just… flew itself out to sea? I did… an impression of you, screaming for it to… 'turn around and come back.'"

Oh, that. A twinge of heat crept up Zeph's neck.

"Yeah, yeah, I forgot to add some foot straps. In all fairness, it was probably for the best. Might've ended up as a wall pancake with all the thrust it had."

"Or lost at sea," Minerva added.

"I am well aware."

"Regardless, I hope you have… the sense not to make another… deathtrap like that one."

"Don't worry. I learned my lesson." He took a seat in the armchair across from the two of them.

"But enough about me, it seems you two've become fast friends."

"You could say that. Audra's a sweet girl. We had a wonderful time… talking. Didn't we?"

"Yeah. Stuff like fashion, mechanics, and boys. See, Minerva's got a crush on this one guy, but she's too scared to tell—"

Minerva clamped a hand over her mouth, her face flushed red.

"Audra! Shush!"

"Whoops," Audra mumbled through closed fingers. "I uh, didn't say anything."

Zephyr awkwardly coughed, trying to smooth any potential discussion over.

"Really? You've got a crush? Must be a great man. Anyone would have to be for someone like you."

Minerva removed her hand from Audra's sheepish grin with a sigh.

"He's just someone… I've known for a while. He is also very stubborn. But I'm not… giving up on him."

The comment smacked him in the heart, though he did his best not to show it.

"W-well, whoever it is, I'm sure they appreciate your persistence, even if they may not deserve it."

Minerva gazed intently at him before getting up.

"Well, thank you for… wiring the shutters, Zephyr. I owe you big. If you need anything… let me know. You too, Audra. If you ever need help… just come by and ask. I am happy to provide assistance."

The girl flashed a smile. "Thanks, Minerva. I'll keep that in mind."

"I guess that means we'll be off, then." Zephyr stretched his limbs and popped his back to get circulation going. "It was nice to see you again. I promise I'll try not to be such a stranger in the future."

"You better not." She gave him a tight hug. "Take care. And remember… to bring Audra too. We need to have… another tea session. I have some new blends that I would… love for you all to try."

"Will do, Min."

He savored her warmth before stepping back. Too long and he risked being reminded of an older warmth.

They waved goodbye as they stepped out into the cold.

***

It was just a little past 1 PM and still drizzling, although the wind had calmed down considerably. Zephyr took in the sights of the town as they rolled along the asphalt. Despite the dreary atmosphere, there were more people than earlier, huddled beneath the awnings of stores to escape the rain.

That spurred a stray thought.

"…Say, Audra? Before we head back, how about grabbing something to eat? There's a place that serves some good soup on the way home."

"Is the place busy?"

"Right now? Probably not."

"Maybe. Although didn't you say you weren't doing so hot financially?"

"Well, yeah, but the place is also super cheap. And I feel bad about making things weird before."

"Weird? Oh, you mean—"

He coughed, trying not to drudge up feelings of regret again.

"Yeah. That. You um, up for soup?"

"…I guess I am a little hungry."

"Soup it is. I hope you're ready, Cal—Crap, Audra."

Ears perked. She definitely noticed. For a second, she looked ready to ask. At the last minute though, she looked away.

Damn it, what was wrong with him today?

He distracted himself with the road.

They drove until they reached a strip mall with a tiny restaurant nestled in the corner. A large sign blazed above it declaring, 'The Serving Spoon.'

Audra awkwardly whistled and popped her lips as they disembarked.

"That thing is huge."

Zephyr glanced at it, leading the way toward the entrance.

"Certainly is. Was a lot of work to make. About two dozen man hours."

"I can imagine—Wait, why are you talking like you made the thing?"

"Cause I did. Took an entire day just to make the backlight not look awful. That thing can get hyper bright if you turn it all the way up."

The smell of fresh bread and soup broth greeted both of them once inside. The decor was simple yet elegant with a long counter running down one side and a row of booths lining the wall. A middle-aged Asian woman stood behind it, perking up as she spotted him.

"Hello, Zeph! How've you been?" she said in a slight accent. "Getting something to eat before the storm worsens?"

"Hey, Lieu. Good to see you. Just ran an errand and grabbing something on the way back. How's the wife? Enjoying those dramas?"

"She's as good as she gets. And while the dramas help, do you know what would make her even happier~?"

He rolled his eyes at the hint.

"Yeah, yeah, I get the message. 'Less talk more order.' I'll uh, have the usual then."

"Thank you~ And ah, who's the young lady here?"

Audra took the initiative, carefully extending her non-bionic hand.

"Just someone tagging along. It's uh, nice to meet you, Mrs. Lieu."

"My, so polite. About time the respectable Mr. Lee got a shop helper—only took what, a few decades?"

Zephyr rolled his eyes again at the quip, though this time to shoo away any thoughts affiliated with that formal address.

"That's rich coming from you. Remind me, how many years were you engaged? Fifteen, twenty?"

"Hush, Amara was fine with it—waiting made things sweeter." She cleared her throat bashfully with a hmph. "A-anyways, what will you have, my dear?"

Audra's eyes hovered over the colorful options.

"I'll have the… uh…"

As she continued to debate between chowder and sumashijiru, Zephyr remembered something rather important. Didn't Audra have a shellfish allergy?

He shuddered and tapped her shoulder, not wanting her to join a cursed statistic.

"I'd go with the chicken noodle. It's a favorite of mine. Plus, those other ones have shellfish in the broth."

Her eyes widened like saucers.

"O-oh, uh, thanks."

"Anytime. Now go ahead, pick something that won't kill you, please."

Her face reddened, and she deliberated a moment longer.

"T-then I guess I'll go with the… tomato bisque?"

"Good choice!" Lieu energetically jotted down the order. "What about your drink, little miss? Got juice, milk, soda, coffee—."

"Juice is okay, thanks."

"And for you, Mr. Lee?"

"Add a black coffee too." Zephyr handed the woman a few slips of paper. "And uh, keep the change, Lieu."

"Oh, thank you~ Feel free to sit wherever you'd like. Your food will be out shortly."

Her lungs inhaled sharply before hurling a slew of Vietnamese backward at the kitchen. A few muffled syllables echoed back annoyed.

Zephyr's lips quirked. They were the same as always. It almost reminded him of—

Damn it. There he was again. He just needed to find something else to fixate on besides his past.

"…Did you just give her cash?" Audra asked once they settled on a table.

Thank goodness, a distraction.

"Yeah I did. Why?"

"Isn't everything electronic nowadays?"

"Trust me, if I'd tried to use my credit balance, you'll be wishing it went as fast. Cash also uh, speeds up a few things."

"Like what?"

Their food and drinks clanked beside them in answer. The smell alone was enough to make their mouths water.

"Oh, that's what you mean."

"Enjoy your meal, you two~" Lieu flashed a smile before zipping off to another customer.

Zephyr waved her off then lifted the coffee to his lips. It was fine—a smooth, bitter taste that flowed across his tongue. There'd been a point where he'd used sugar, but he'd long since stopped.

"Alright, dig in, Audra. Let me know what you think of the…"

His thoughts flatlined as he noticed Audra. The way she stirred her soup to cool it off… it reminded him of—

"Zeph? You okay?"

With a frantic blink, he snapped out of his stupor.

"Y-yeah. Sorry, just… the flavor was a bit strong."

She eyed him with concern for a moment, before scooping some tomato bisque to her lips. In an instant, amber eyes lit like beacons. Only enjoyment was left as she greedily went back for more.

He took another sip, hoping the coffee's warmth would drown his feelings. Ever since he'd met Audra, these thoughts have been getting worse.

*crash*

Thunder suddenly shook the room, startling both of them. Coffee spilled. Metal clattered against porcelain. Audra froze in shock.

"Audra?! You okay?" Zephyr reached out instinctually to help.

She slowly nodded.

"Y-yeah. I'll get over it. Don't get worked up over me. The thunder just… caught me off guard."

Despite her claim, she was clearly shaken. Way more than that, actually. There was pain in those amber eyes.

"…I'm sorry, Audra." His hand reached out to hers and gently patted it.

Her trembling lessened slightly.

"L-like I said, it's fine. It's… not like—"

Lightning struck again, this time further away. She flinched again, but Zeph was there to calm her.

The rain pattered against the glass as a minute passed in silence.

"…Erm, thanks, old man," she eventually muttered. "I uh, should be okay now."

"You sure?"

"Y-yeah. Now eat your soup already. You bugged me about it, but you haven't even touched yours yet."

He looked down at his bowl awkwardly and sighed.

"Fair enough."

After wiping the table, he exchanged his mug for a soup spoon.

It was a welcome reprieve from the lingering bitter taste in his mouth.