S U N S H I N E - Demetri Volturi

Chapter 42

The comparison of love and a rose has always been one of Demetri's favourite because just like the flower, love needs to be sowed before it can blossom. For Kyra and Demetri the seed was sowed when he first laid eyes on her, when he first saw her cowering in the cold alley. It was just a tiny, unimportant seed that started to grow into a small, delicate sprout and only with lots of care and adoration it was able to form its petals, leaves and thorns.

And just like a rose, love has its highs and lows; beautiful and ugly sides. The beauty represents itself in the petals, blossoming in the brightest of colours; may it be red, pink, purple, white or even blue and black. But the dark side of loves shows itself in the thorns adorning the stalk, the base of their love. They are deadly and can mean the end of one's love. If people aren't strong enough to stand the fights, the negative feelings or even love itself they use those thorns as an excuse to get out of the relationship.

But Demetri has made sure to pay more attention to the petals than the thorns, he made sure to paint the colour new whenever they fell into a new low, he made sure to slowly but surely turn them into class; keeping them from falling off, keeping them from drying out, keeping them from dying. And while doing so, he became more resistant to the thorns; he doesn't cut them off because as much as he'd love a peaceful relationship with Kyra, one that doesn't have any more lows, he knows how important those fights are. How important those downs are. Because those are the moments one can proof just how strong their love is, those are the moments that proof one isn't only in love when it's going great, those are the moments that proof they stick together no matter what.

And yet, having your beloved lying in your arms, her hand clinging to the phone as she listens to her uncle's sobs; various thoughts of self-blame and guilt swirling in her head makes Demetri wish he could cut off this thorn this instant. He feels as helpless as never before and boy is this a terrible feeling; but it's a feeling that isn't important right now, she is important right now, hell even Charlie is more important right now.

Pressing a soft kiss to the back of her head as her hand reaches up to grab a hold of his. Letting his fingers lace through hers, he lets her hold onto him, frowning as she flinches every time Charlie's sobs get louder, every time he mumbles to himself how he could have done more, every time he blames himself for not being there, every time he reminds her and himself that he has nobody anymore. Using his thumb to draw patterns on the back of her hand, he pulls her even closer to him; the smallest sigh of relief leaving his lips as Kyra's uncle sobs a silent goodbye; a broken goodbye.

And yet Kyra doesn't seem to notice, the phone still pressed against her ear and the tears pooling in her eyes, tears that would never fall.

"Hey."
he whispers gently; an unusual quietness in his voice.

Feeling her head turn the tiniest bit against his chest, he takes his free hand to pull hers down; taking the phone out of her deadly grip, cringing at the cracks all over the screen before taking her other hand as well; placing them both on her stomach as he hugs her closely against his chest.

"Do you want me to fetch one of the girls?"
Demetri offers.

"Can you just hold me for a moment?"
Kyra whispers.

"Okay."
he agrees, nestling his face into her hair to kiss it gently before simply keeping it there for more comfort.

"I love you."

Demetri lets the words hang in the air for a second. They aren't ones to say those words very often so hearing them is like feeling yet another part of his grey soul getting paint in the brightest of colours.

Hearing those words feels like home.

She feels like home.

"I love you."
he finally replies; smiling as she starts to relax in his arms.

The two of them keep silent, their eyes watching the barely noticeable sunset behind the trees in front of them, their ears listening in to each other's steady and highly unnecessary breathing. It's a calming sound, one that makes them feel at ease, one that makes life a little more bearable.

"You think he's going to be alright?"
Kyra asks him after a few minutes, her fingers playing with one of Demetri's hand as she sinks deeper into his chest.

At this point the only thing keeping her from sliding to the ground is his arm holding her up.

"I don't think he is going to be alright. There will always be a part of him that's missing, but with time he will get better. The wound will probably never heal completely, leaving a nasty scar that can get ripped open at some opportunities but Charlie is strong. He will find a way to stitch himself back together, if only for the sake of those around him."
Demetri replies honestly.

"And I think this Sue woman..."
he adds, remembering the voice of the woman in the background during the call.

"... she's going to help him. "
Demetri finishes.

"Hey lovebugs."
Felix's booming voice sounds from where the others have ignited a campfire.

Turning their heads in his direction, they can see his impatient expression as he waves them over.

"Do the majesties feel like joining us peasants today?"
he questions them sarcastically and Kyra chuckles to herself.

"If the peasants carry us."
Demetri joins Felix's bickering and the ginger raises a brow as the tall guy speeds over to them.

"It would be my pleasure, you majesty."
Felix grins with a bow before holding a hand out for Kyra.

"If I may?"
he offers and she once again shakes her head with a chuckle before placing her hand in his.

Widening her eyes as he pulls her up with enough force to crash into his chest; just to throw her over his shoulder shortly after. Smirking down at Demetri, Felix places his hand on her upper thigh, not high enough to make her uncomfortable but high enough to make his brother glare at him.

"Felix."
Kyra screeches, using her hands to catch herself before her face hits his back.

"Yes, princess?"
Felix grins amused, starting to make his way over to the rest of them.

"You're an idiot."
she states flatly.

"Ouch.That hurt."
he huffs out; his free hand getting placed on his heart to make his totally notdramatic huff even more dramatic.