When The Darkness Comes

See You Again

Simon jumped up immediately when he noticed the unconscious vampire's eyelashes move.

"Raphael?" Simon asked, more like a plea than a question, a glimmer of hope, a one word prayer.

Simon gave a relieved sigh when he saw Raphael's eyes open fully.

Slowly, Raphael pushed himself up and sat up, groaning slightly in pain although it was nothing like before. If anything, he more so just felt sore and weak.

Quickly, Simon sat down next to Raphael.

"Oh thank God!" he exclaimed.

Raphael turned toward Simon and raised an eyebrow.

"What did you just say?" Raphael asked.

Simon looked down at his hands before looking at the other again.

"Oh, I️ just meant like thank God that you're alive and okay because the burns were pretty bad and I️ was getting really worried that you wouldn't-"

Raphael rolled his eyes at the other's rambling as he cut him off.

"No, you idiot, I️ mean you just said God," Raphael pointed.

Simon blinked and nodded. He still seemed a bit jumpy and on edge. Perhaps the clan leader should've been a bit more patient with the fledgling as it was clear that he was sleep deprived.

"Oh, oh, oh, that! Yeah, I️ uh- I️ sorta spent a lot of time praying while you were out. I️ mean like I️ hope that's okay and doesn't offend you or anything because I️ was just really afraid and-"

"No," Raphael interrupted. "I️ actually appreciate it. It means a lot."

Simon nodded, making eye contact with Raphael for a split second before looking away and jumping up from the couch.

"Right then, so I️'ll go let Magnus know that you're awake and then don't worry I'll be out of your way," Simon said.

"Simon, wait. You don't have to. Go, I️ mean. You can stay if you want," Raphael said.

Simon was taken aback slightly, eyes widening. If it wasn't for his supernatural hearing, he would have assumed that he had misheard the other. After everything he assumed that Raphael wouldn't want anything to do with him and understandably so. He didn't know what to say, so he simply nodded before going toward the bedroom.

He knocked furiously and after a little while Magnus opened the door.

"Simon? You're still here? What time is it?" Magnus asked rubbing his eyes.

"He's awake," Simon simply stated.

Magnus didn't even say anything else. He simply pushed past Simon, not believing his eyes as he rushed to Raphael's side.

He sat down on the couch next to the other and wrapped his arms around him.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Magnus whispered, squeezing the vampire tighter, holding on to him as if he were afraid to let go.

After finally letting go, he took a moment to just look at the other.

"I'm sorry, Magnus. I️ didn't mean to scare you like that," Raphael said.

Magnus shook his head, touching a hand to Raphael's face.

"My sweet boy, you have nothing to apologize for. I'm just so thankful that you're safe," Magnus replied.

Before the two had even noticed that Simon left in the first place, he returned with a glass of blood and offered it to Raphael. Carefully, Raphael took the glass in his hand, looking up at 

Simon during the split second that their hands touched. In that moment, he thought about what Ragnor had said before shaking it off and thanking Simon before taking a sip of the blood.

Raphael then scooted over a bit toward Magnus and gestured for Simon to sit down next to him. He and Simon still had a lot of things they needed to work out, but, just for that moment, he was willing to set it aside. Just for that one moment, he could feel Ragnor smiling at him. Just for that moment, everything felt okay.