by Cas (aka Ryan)
Click. Click. Click. Ryan couldn’t help himself as he pressed on his pen, the little plastic bit going up and down in sort of a rhythm as Ryan stared at the candle sitting on his desk. It spewed off a bright orange flame, flickering light across the pages of the book he was reading. His free hand went to one of the pages, his index finger lingering on a certain word: forever. In these last few months, the word took on an entirely different meaning to Ryan. A more….sinister meaning. Even something that was meant to be timeless lost its charm eventually, or so he thought.
Call it depression, newfound vampirism, or both, but Ryan was just kinda stuck. He was playing for both teams, hiding from one, and selling off their secrets to another. He knew he couldn’t lead this life forever, but the thought of revealing his immortality to his family was something he couldn’t see himself doing tomorrow or the next day.
Hearing a slight rapping on the door, Ryan marked the book page he was on and then got up to answer the door. He opened it slightly and was rather lightened by the presence on the other side of the door. It was a smiling face belonging only to Daniel, a person he’s come to trust immensely these few days. One of the few humans who he didn’t feel divorced from.
“So..what brings you here?” Ryan asked, arms folded, “I thought you told me you were doing some research.” He then stepped aside to allow the other to enter.
Daniel shrugged, entering the room after Ryan allowed him to. He immediately took a seat on top of his bed that was made and adorned with a couple of pillows at the top of the mattress head. He seemed rather comfortable in Ryan’s room, it was a thing that he’s begun to notice and it certainly wasn’t something that Ryan disliked either.
“Research is fun and all, but there’s only so much to be learned through books. The best experience is learning directly in front of you, so that’s why I came here.”
His gaze fled over to the desk with the book and the candle flame, providing a generous amount of light in the room at the dark outside. There was also a lamp on the other side of the bed, pouring gentle warm light with the candle.
Ryan chuckled, fondly. Maybe it’s just his presence, it’s so innocent and soothing to me. It makes me feel…like maybe I never turned. Clearing his throat, he began to organize the notes that laid across his desk.
“So I’m your test subject, that’s what you’re saying is it not?”
“Well.” Daniel said, leaning back against the bed frame, “That’s not the only reason I’m here of course.”
“And…that is?”
Daniel reached out to nudge him and it caused Ryan to flinch a little, but it did eventually elicit a warm smile from him.
“To spend time with you? Besides, I can tell that you’re stressed, you haven’t been talking to anyone in the last few days. Care to tell me?”
An open invitation? Ryan…actually needed some of that right now. Letting out a sigh, he then took his own seat on the bed, sitting across from Daniel and licking his dry lips. It’s not like he really wanted to talk about it, but…it was slowly eating him up inside.
“I met with my parents the other night and told me some, as they called, top secret intel, that they were planning on going after a group of vampires…Sunday night. And…a couple of them are from the Brood. I want to tell them obviously, but I also don’t want my parents to get even more suspicious as they are of me..”
As Ryan spoke, Daniel continued to look on, patiently waiting and listening.
“And…yes, I know at some point they’re going to figure it out and I’ll have to come clean,” He gulped, “But I’ve seen people in my family who get turned. They do the clan’s honorable thing, they commit suicide…or else be taken down by the family. And I don’t want that and I love my parents…it’s just..”
Daniel frowned, reaching out to gently put a hand on Ryan’s shoulder.
“I know you do. I love my sister. I’m sure as much as you love your own family, but don’t you think you’re holding on so tightly..that it’s hurting you?”
Ryan looked down at the bedsheets, trying his best not to visualize how the conversation with his parents would go. Whether or not he would live to tell the tale.
“I know, but this was never a part of my plan,” He shook his head, “My parents always told me that if I turned, I would basically lose myself. That I would become a monster, that vampires can’t possibly feel empathy. That we’re doing them a favor, by killing him. I believed them, well, up until I got turned myself and I…I still feel like a person, like someone worth saving. I don’t…I don’t want to die yet.”
“Hey.” Daniel said in a calming tone, reaching out to latch onto the other to give him a hug, “You know people here care about you right? They all knew you were…well, are a hunter, but they still accepted you all the same. And maybe you don’t have to burn your bridges right now to your family, but I still think that if they reject you, you still have a family here.” He then cleared his throat, bright eyes beaming up at him. “And you have me.”
Ryan finally returned the hug that the other offered, brushing away the sudden tears that were forming in his eyes. Vampires can’t cry, they can’t feel any emotion. Or well, that’s what his father used to always say.
“Aww man.” Daniel said, once they parted from the hug, “I didn’t want you to cry, I wanted to make you happy.”
He then reached out, gently whacking Ryan’s shoulder.
“No. More. Crying.” Ryan then let out a chuckle and Daniel hastily reached up with the end of his sleeve to wipe away the tears for him.
“No it’s not sad crying, it’s happy crying. I just don’t quite understand why everyone here would like me….afterall, I may have killed their friends or tried to kill them.” He sniffled, “I’m not deserving of such forgiveness.”
“Oh knock it off. I already said that they accepted you knowing that and I’ll be super upset if I’m wrong, besides,” He huffed, “I know at least Celeste doesn’t have a choice since she wants me to be happy and I’m happy here with you!”
Ryan’s teary expression suddenly softened as he reached out to hold the other’s hand, bringing it up to his cheek and leaning into his warm touch.
“Alright, fine, you got me, just for now I’ll stop with the dark thoughts.”
“Good.” Daniel replied aptly, “Because what I really came here for is attention, now I politely request that you give it to me.”
God. Daniel was too precious for such a dark and fucked up world. Ryan himself wasn’t sure what the other had seen, good or bad, but either way, he wanted to be here with him…to protect him when the time came. To finally use his hunting skills for something, or rather, someone that meant the world to him, that was truly his calling. It was nice to forgo his eternal struggle whenever Daniel looked at him, eyes full of love.
“Alright, fine, I oblige.” Ryan said, laying down on his back and immediately snuggling up to Daniel’s side. He was so warm…full of life. He could even hear his heart beating. It was cute to sometimes hear it spike during an episode of nervousness. Daniel, of course, immediately warmed up to the cuddle, resting himself up against Ryan with a soft exhale.
Times like these really made him feel as if they were the only two people on earth. No vampires, no worries about immortality, just him and Daniel…the time on the clock no longer ticking away. They were in their own little world, where they could remain safe and happy forever. That’s exactly what Ryan needed, a safe place, a caring person.
Forever. Maybe the word wasn’t as rotten as he had come to think it was. Maybe, this was their tiny forever, their forever in this moment.
Daniel leaned over to press a kiss to Ryan’s lips, which he returned only moments later. His lips were soft, likely with…some kind of chapstick. He couldn’t detect the exact flavor, but his best guess had to be strawberry or something to that effect. Once Daniel pulled away, Ryan grabbed his arm and pulled him close again, giving him another kiss. Both boys flushed before laying right now next to each other, eye to eye and heart to heart.
He wouldn’t mind forever if he got to spend it with Daniel.
Their hands found each other, weaving their fingers in together and both giving a gentle, but reassuring squeeze. If only life could have the pleasure of being this blissful all the time.
“You have something on your face.” Daniel said, wagging a finger in front of Ryan’s eyes.
“Ah! Really? I mean I did drink some blood earlier, is it on my face??” Ryan immediately sat up, rubbing his cheeks in an attempt to get whatever it was off of his face. Daniel only reacted by tugging him back down again and kissing his cheek.
“Hmm, nope, nevermind. Sorry! I think I got it though.” He said with a rather devious smirk that quickly faded into a loving nuzzle into Ryan’s neck.
And the two just sat there like that for a bit, exchanging soft hums and words, hands together and affection in their eyes for one another. Eventually, their eyes both wound up on the ceiling, fixated on a certain piece of mismatched tile.
“Ryan?”
“Hmm?”
“I have something to say.”
“So, say it.”
“You should probably tell the others.”
“Aww, I love you too, wait- I didn’t hear that correctly.” Flushed and embarrassed he looked away, “Oh about the upcoming attack.”
“Yes.” A moment of silence followed before Daniel turned to Ryan, nuzzling his nose into the other’s cheek. “But I do love you.”