Swan Song || The Lost Boys - & The One Who Found Them...

Chapter XV ~ ᛉ (Algiz) Part II - ...To Reach Unknown Shores

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Deeping silence had befallen the living room & despite this being my house I entered with hesitant, nearly devout steps, like I was afraid of disturbing it.
Most of the candles on the table had already faced their inevitable end, the few remaining ones offering just enough light to illuminate Paul's silhouette on top of the couch where he sat like an owl on a tree branch, not even removing his eyes from his slumbering friend when one of the floor tiles softly screamed under my feet.

A throaty chuckle ensued in the dark, followed by a whisper.
" Sneakin' up on a vampire? In the dark? While wearing a perfume sweeter than cotton candy & a dress the colour of blood? You might as well dress up as a raw steak & walk among lions in the middle of mating season, little flower. "

I couldn't help but smile at his dry sense of humour.
" Who said I'm wearing perfume, Sherlock? "

" Damn... That makes it even worse. Ya know, I love me some nicely drenched steak, but you smell far more delicious than all the steaks in the world combined ~ "

" You are unbelievable, Paul. "

" I know ~ "
A faint smile bloomed on his features; I couldn't actually see it due to the darkness, but I could hear it in his voice.
" Being unbelievable is what I do best. "

I finally reached the couch & lowered myself onto the floor right next to where Marko rested his head, with his biker jacket underneath as a pillow.
The twitching flames from the candles revealed several layers of mull & bandages all around the young vampire's naked torso & arms, covering almost every second inch of his skin, much to my horror. His sallow face, although finally in painless peace, seemed fully drained of all energy & spirit; of pretty much everything that defined the carefree yet undoubtedly sweeping personality that he was.

Seeing him this lifeless & vulnerable broke my heart, & I could only imagine how devastated Paul was...

" I didn't want this to happen... "

" I know you didn't, little flower. We all know that. "

" But the only reason any of this happened is because of---"

" I also know what you want to say next & I'm tellin' ya - get that nasty stupid thought out of your head right now! It's fiddle-faddle, it's rubbish, & most importantly, it's garbage. Complete & utter flapdoodle! None of this is your fault, capeesh? "

We locked eyes in the dark, his slender frame slightly bending forward as if to accentuate his statement.
" Ca-peachy?? "

" Paul, you & I both know that the only re---"

" Last warning! If you don't shut up about this I swear, I'll jump over that table, kiss you & make you shut up ~ "

He was merely whispering yet I automatically glanced out the door to make sure that Dwayne hadn't heard him. Paul really had to speak every single thought that crossed his mind into existence...
" ...You do that & I will dislocate your jaw like last time. "

" Anything to shut you up, little flower! "

" I'm serious, I'll do it! Come at me, see what happens! "

" Oooh, look at this! The walking talking steak is growing a backbone! "
Paul's distinctive juvenile chuckle echoed across the room, somehow managing to infect me until we were both giggling like two teenagers who had just heard the cheapest joke in existence.

" You are---  "

" ---unbelievable? As previously advertised... by the steak that smells like cotton candy ~ "
He finger-gunned me & clicked his tongue, getting nothing but a loud eye roll in return.