I Am Tired Of Being A Hero-Chapter 69: After Work

But first of all, ’Operation avoid the incarnation’.

"Officer!" The gentle voice sounded clearly in the horde of people waiting for the lights to turn green.

Ravi looked ahead as he stood behind an elderly man who was carrying a tote bag filled with vegetables.

"Officer!" This time, the voice was lower with a little confusion. Ravi looked away with practiced ease. The pedestrian light flashes green and he steps on the crosswalk with the amalgamation of different people and varying scents. He reached the other side in good time and walked forward before he paused and looked back.

The wait line was now empty except for a single person, the hat that he was wearing in the morning was missing but the blue silk was still around his eyes with that carved wooden walking stick.

He did not cross. It was none of his business, Ravi said to himself but his feet were as if rooted to the ground. Something about that sole person standing on the crosswalk, as if abandoned by the world made his heart ache.

Why? Why did he feel a hint of guilt? It was a very odd feeling, and Ravi struggled to rationalize and find the reason for it.

The man was just blind, there was no reason to warrant this aching emotion and guilt in his chest.

He blinked, could it be that he was just afraid? Thinking about it, if this person was really the First of the Ten Kings and the First Judge of the Netherworld, he could spoil Ravi’s plans for a peaceful death if he decided to be petty. The memories of an incarnation return to the original immortal after his mission is complete.

He had no intention to be subversive but ignoring him and loving him on the road did not look like it had any benefit for him. He squatted down, Alright, he would wait five minutes.

After five minutes, Malik still did not cross. He would reach out as if to touch the person next to him but he would put his hand back down.

Once the light from his side was green again, Ravi stepped on the crosswalk and walked over to the other side.

"Officer!" Malik’s voice was surprised, "You came back."

"How did you know that it is me?" Ravi asked

"Your scent." There was a clear joy in that gentle voice, "Your scent is unique. I feel like I can recognize it anywhere."

"Oh!" Ravi did not know what to say to that, "Why did you not cross on your own?"

Malik was quiet and an embarrassed expression flashed on his face, his voice grew quieter, "About that Officer. I think I got too used to the Capital. The signs are voice-controlled so I know when to cross so I could not adapt easily. Sorry for troubling you."

Ravi pursed his lips, "It is no trouble." He reached out and held Malik’s hand and they crossed the road together.

They walked down the street and Ravi moved towards the side of the road. He liked to walk down in silence so the unwelcome company next to him made him uncomfortable. Should he say something?

In the end, he did not need to. Malik was even more quiet than him, the only sound that could be heard was the clink-clank of the walking stick in his hand. He looked at him carefully.

The man was beautiful, one of the most beautiful people he has ever met with gentle features that made one feel relaxed in his presence. His beauty was the kind that never inspired wars but poems and songs to be laid at his feet.

It was not a good thing to have a walking companion because normally once he reached the street where the Vet clinic was, he would cross over, enter the alley, and teleport back to the alley at home but because of the Incarnation, he had added an extra thirty minutes on his journey back home.

They reached the alley with the restaurants and Malik sniffed, squeezing his face. It almost made Ravi laugh, he really needed to deal with this restaurant, and maybe he should set them all on fire.

They reached home and Malik finally said to him, "Thank you, Officer."

The gate that had been ripped out this morning had been repaired with a yellow gate replacing it, there was even the scent of fresh paint lingering in the air.

"It is no problem." The man did not say anything, just nodding slightly and clunking his way back home.

Ravi watched him until he entered through the gate and shut it behind it. It was not bad, his presence was actually very pleasant and calm, was it because he is one of the Immortals that cultivate the Dao of Death?

His presence reminded him of Alya for a while, not the Black Impermanence that was filled with power, the gentle scent of death when she was a grim reaper. It reminded him of the Netherworld.

He entered through his own gate when he heard a low ’Meow. The cat was outside the door.

"Hello. Asher."

"Meow." It walked in front of him and stopped. Ravi bent down to pat its head, its fur was cold.

How long has it been outside here? It was ten minutes to five o’clock.

He narrowed his eyes, "Where are you waiting for me?"

The cat nodded without any hesitation, its small black and white head moving up and down.

Rabi watched it with quiet hazel eyes. He looked up at the sky, it was clear and getting a little dark and yet he felt as if it was raining, it was as if raindrops were falling, hitting his heart with each drop, causing it to shake. Except this rain was not cold, but warm, very warm.

Nobody has ever waited outside for him before in his entire existence. It was very warm.

He loosened the collar of his shirt and squatted down to carry the cat in his arms, aside from the first day that they met in the Vet, he had not carried it since then.

"You don’t have to wait outside for me. It is cold and something might be happy and I would come in late. Did you have a good meal?"

A nod.

"Good thing, it is not raining."

A drop of cold air fell on his face, and then another and another. Soon there was a sudden pitter-patter scattering across the front yard. It was raining in March. How?

Ravi recalled that kittens were afraid of the rain, and were easily scared, although this was a young child and not a kitten. Children catch colds easily.

He played with a stone for a second and it turned into a small blanket which he wrapped around the kitten. He played with another stone and it turned into an umbrella which he raised above their heads. There was a crisp sound of the rain falling against the umbrella and he looked up at the roof of the workshop.

Whenever it rained, Ravi liked to take out a jar of wine and climb to the roof of the workshop. As the alcohol burnt his throat, the rain would wash down his entire body. Something about it was oddly therapeutic, he did it almost every time it rained, even till he caught a cold. Even now, with today he...

"Meow."

"I understand." It was cold, so he entered the living room and shut down behind him. The umbrella faded away but the blanket remained. He expected the cat to jump away from his arms the moment he entered the room but it remained in his embrace until he set it down on the table.

"I would go and change. You know the deal, if you want anything for dinner. It should be in the kitchen by 6, 6;30." He plopped one grape into his mouth and headed up the stairs.

His clothes were wet but not soaked. He took them off and put them in the washing machine before going in for a nice hot soak.

It was still raining. It was really too early for the rains in Davenport. He lifted his head and looked outside the window. For the first time in years, the darkness that met him was transformed into little bulbs of light.

He had neighbors. People living next to him.

He looked away and drew his knees closer to rest his head on them. Three people outside, one person downstairs, he touched his throat.

It felt a little suffocating!

After the water started to get cold, he stepped out and picked up the towel to dry himself, before changing into some lounge clothes.

He shook the wet strands of his hair and was about to jump into bed when he heard the bell on his door ring. Bell? His door had a bell? He checked the time on his phone, ten minutes to six o’clock.

The bell rang again and there were three knocks after it.