Penny Picker

Two a Penny.

I woke to the familiar bustling of the city and an unfamiliar scent of food cooking in my apartment. As I stirred from my deep sleep my eyes struggled to open and focus.

Had I been dreaming the whole thing?

My heavy hand came up to rub my closed lids and with it, a sharp pain in my side. That was enough to get my eyes popping open and taking in the fact it hadn't been a dream. The pain was real and it was vibrating through my body. "Uuughh…" I looked around the room and it was hardly believable that I'd made it back at all. Feeling around I grabbed my glasses from the side table.

As I struggled to pull myself up from my bed I could hear the sizzle of food being thrown into a hot pan. I hesitated to call out, but did out of stupid instinct. "Hello…?" A clatter of pans and hurried foot steps came in response. I regretted opening my mouth at all before investigating and sat frozen under the covers. A wave of fear started to consume me.

"Hi!" A chipper young man jumped through the open door and he lept onto the bed causing me to cringe in a jolt of pain. "Oh s**t! Sorry, sorry! Completely forgot you got hurt. Some-fucken-times I can be such a dunce." His bright copper eyes made my breath hitch and my heart race with a flutter of joy?

Was this the guy that saved me? I was sure I'd seen the same gleaming eyes right before I'd passed out.

"I was going to make us some deeelicious stuffed chicken but, you got s**t-all in your fridge. So. I made us some breakfast for dinner!" His eyes had me entranced unable to answer anything of formulate any questions. They were like little copper pennies and it was just like I was finding those hidden gems every time I looked into his eyes. It was making my heart thunder uncontrollably and I felt light headed. "Ooookay. Well I am just going to assume you're still in shock from that little brawl you were in. So I'm just going to grab the food and bring it in." He gave a awkward smile and patted the blanket by my legs before he took off.

"What the hell…" I mumbled.

"What was that?" The young man called from the kitchen. I didn't think he could've heard me since I'd only mumbled the words.

"N-nothing." I called back.

It wasn't a moment later that he was coming back into the bedroom with a plate full of food. A lot of it I hadn't even remembered I had.

"Alrighty Avi. Time for you to eat up and get some meat on them bones." He was smiling wide as he placed the plate on my lap. And for the life of me, I couldn't stop staring at this new stranger in my home. I was dumbfounded as I watched this young man play housewife in my apartment. It made me... giddy? "You know, cuz you're skinny as f**k…" He stood back scratching his head. "Hmm, you sure a quiet one, hey? No wonder they tried to f**k you up." That little insult was enough to snap me from the entrancing copper eyes.

"H-hey." I started to find my voice. "N-now who the heck do you think you are. To just-just come in here a-and start insulting me and-and cooking my f-fuckin' food." I felt like putting my hands on my hips just to make my point but honestly, I didn't want to move and didn't think the pose would do anything for the situation. Nothing would help if I didn't get my thundering heart under control.

He stood looking at me in shock before a wide grin broke out over his face. "Awe, you're so f*****g cute! Glad you still have your voice. Now eat up dip-shit." He pranced his way back out of the bedroom and I could hear a clatter of dishes and running water.

I sat once more stunned by the copper eyed man. My eyes fell down to the large plate of food, eggs, bacon, sausages, hash browns and some sliced apples sat on top my lap. It looked amazing and better than anything that I would've tried to cook myself.

My mouth started to water from the warm scent of the food wafting to my nostrils. I hesitated before scooping the first bite of eggs into my mouth and it was heavenly. Like nothing I've ever tasted and I was soon shoveling the rest of the food into my mouth.

With my belly filling my mind started to think clearly and ask questions. Like, how did he get me to my place? How did he know my name… and why is it dinner time?

I looked to my bedside table and the green numbers read five seventeen pm. "That can't be right…" I mumbled out loud. If that was the right time, we either went back in time… or… "I slept for a whole day!?"

The copper eyed man poked his head in again. "Yes, yes you did. And I was almost gonna pronounce yeah dead, but turns out you just really needed a f*****g nap." How the hell did he hear me every time? "Look, I'm just going to finish up cleaning your pig sty of an apartment and then we can sit down n' talk. So hurry up twig."

"S-stop calling me names." I huffed out my protest.

"Ahaha, awe f**k. When you say it like that... I just want to keep doing it." He had a wide toothy grin, but his eyes had a dark smile to them. The man was gone before I could get another word in and once more I was left in the bedroom alone with a growing annoyance for the copper eyed stranger.

Who the f**k is this guy?

As much as the whole situation was… well odd. I couldn't help but be a little grateful for the help he'd given me. "If only he wasn't so… annoying." I whispered before taking another mouthful of food. I took a good look around my bedroom as I continued to eat the delicious meal the unknown man placed before me and it seemed like he'd already cleaned it.

The pile old of dirty clothes had been picked up and from the sounds of it was already being washed, while the larger pile of clean clothes had disappeared. Then dawned on me. "Oh jeez he went through my…" I could feel my face flush with heat as I thought about the young man going through my briefs. Then I was hit with another wave of deep heat when I thought about how silly I was being. Like a girl fussing over a boy seeing her panties. "Oh geez… what the hell am I thinking?"

"Penny for your thoughts pumpkin?" The voice came from directly beside me and my eyes snapped to make sure I wasn't hearing things. And without a mistake I was met with bright copper eyes, like a newly cleaned penny.

I jumped at the sudden appearance of the man and found myself losing balance as I scrambled backwards in fear and off the bed. "Shhii-" But I didn't hit the ground. Instead I was locked into a falling position just off the edge of my bed. I was floating. Floating in the f*****g air and I couldn't move a muscle.

"So, I know you have no idea about what the f***s going on. Like who the f**k is this guy cooking my food and calling me names?" The young man walked around my struggling, unmoving body. I wanted to call out for help. To hit the ground like any other normal person would, but something about the man here was obviously not normal. "But there is one little thing you should know about me if you want us to get along." My eyes followed the strides of the man until he disappeared from view. "Don't ever f*****g call me annoying." His voice rumbled low in my ear and it sent a rippling fear throughout my body.

I couldn't open my mouth and apologize a million times over like I wanted to. Whatever he'd done, kept me from doing just that and I was stricken with the fear of what he would do next.

"I know. I know, you're sorry right?" I was looking at him upside down now and I wanted to do nothing but agree with him so he'd let me go, but he just continued on. "I can forgive you this time, because honestly... How would you've known that I didn't like that. Really, this is just a warning." He grabbed my face as he spoke. "f*****g hell Avi… don't give me those eyes." Somehow I was being turned and the familiar lip of my headboard came into view.

I was released and hit the bed with a shrill of pain vibrating from my sides flushed through my body as I hit the bed. I grabbed my sides in pain and rolled around in hopes it would make the pain lessen. "F-for f**k saakes…" But it did nothing to help me.

"Want me to fix that pain Avi?" The copper eyed man grabbed my knees holding them steady while he started to climb on top of me. "Just lay still and let me help." He said those words with a devious smile upon his lips.

"W-wait! N-no!" Even with the immensely growing pain I continued my struggle under the young man. His wide shoulders made him look like a giant above me and I was starting to lose my breath. My throat becoming tight.

"Heh, don't worry I'll be gentle." That smug smile was back and cool finger tips tickled my flesh just under the hem of my shirt. I was frozen from his touch. I thought I would feel that pang of fear lumping in my stomach, or find myself losing all oxygen. Instead I was feeling a rush of heat flooding through my body. It was the same feeling, the one I would get after finding that new little gem lost in the jungle of streets.

I was locked in a dead silent stare off with copper eyes. My hands loose around his wrists as he took his time sliding up my sides to grab at my ribs. I was hit with a jolt of pain that made me cry out, followed by a flush of heat radiating from the man's hands.

"Hnn… w-who… what… are you?" He didn't answer me. The heat was becoming unbearable almost like it was burning my flesh. "P-please… it's too hot. S-stop plea-" It was scorching now and I was screaming in pain before I gave one last look at those copped eyes and blacked out.

The memorable chant of work calling had my eyes popping open and my body flying from the bed scrambling to find it. Rummaging through my coat that was thrown on the old chair in the room, I'd found the small cell phone and swiped to answer the call. "H-hello?" My heart was racing and my breath heaving from the sudden change from slumber to wide eyed and awake.

"Avi?" The familiar voice of Arron was on the end of the line.

"Oh hey Arr-" I was cut off quickly.

"Avi, we need you to come in and help Clinton with Mr. Sondoma's file." She gave a short pause before continuing. "He's coming in today and Clinton is being a blubbering fool scared shitless of the guy. So we'll see you in an hour?"

"Umm… yea-"

"Great!" Arron was hanging up not a second after. Leaving me to sit on the edge of my bed and wonder what the hell was going on. I looked down at my shirt, the same one I'd been wearing yesterday and lifted it up to inspect my chest and ribs. I saw nothing, no bruising and no pain when I moved from side to side. It was like nothing happened… I gave a sigh before stripping my shirt off and working at my pants.

"So does this mean I have to buy you dinner after?"

I literally jumped out of my pants and spun around to see the copper eyed man laying in my bed, head in hand. Shirtless. "W-what the hell!" I was scrambling to cover myself.

"You sure are a pushover dude." He stretched out his arms hitting a few cradles of pennies I had set up and knocking them over. "Oops."

"What the hell you bastard!" I was flying onto the bed, pushing the man out of the way not a care in the world that I was practically naked. "Watch what you're doing for f**k sakes!" I picked each one up like a little gem. He'd knocked three over and I squinted to look at the years so I could place them back in the proper order. Each one I rubbed gently before putting them in their own cushioned cradle.

"Holy they're just pennies?" The man chuckled and that was enough to make me snap.

"They may be just pennies to you, but they are my treasures. You're in my f*****g house you asshole and you-you can't. You can't simplify the f*****g things I love just because you can't see the beauty in them!" I was trying to push him away from my collection before he stood up and I went flying to the ground.

"Whatever, they all get thrown out in the end." His tone wasn't as playful as before.

"Yeah well haven't you ever heard the whole saying. 'One man's trash is another man's treasure'." I picked myself up from the floor. "I'm not going to justify the love for my treasures to you. Whoever the f**k you are." I started to push him again, this time out of the room. Or trying too.

"So, it takes teasing you about your penny obsession to get you to grow some balls." He was leaning back and making it harder for me to move him. I was almost holding him up now.

"F-f**k you. N-now get the hell out of my room. I-I need to get ready." I slipped under him and was hitting the floor again, but this time with the heavy weight of the copper eyed asshole on top of me. "GET OFF OF MEE!"

"Hahahaha."