Home Sweet Home (mxm)

Chapter 11: Take the Time

(Dang the lyrics on this song. /cry. This was actually supposed to be a different chapter, but I felt like this one needed to happen first.) 

The eyes were gone after a single blink, but he wasn't going to take the situation lightly any longer. 

"Caleb?" 

The wraith didn't respond for what felt like forever, but finally, he retracted his claws and brought his hands around to grasp the front of Taylor's shirt. Nikolai's growl behind him was ignored as he met Caleb's blank stare. 

It seemed like he wanted to do something, but either the thought process was no longer there, or he was hesitating. 

Taylor was just about to speak when Caleb suddenly vanished. He quickly looked around the dark area, but the wraith had truly disappeared. 

Turning his attention to his friends by the stairs, he realized that Nikolai was also no longer trying to control Adon. He had withdrawn back into his body. 

"Well... that was fun," he mumbled as he hurried toward the stairs. 

Sasha was thankfully coming around as Martin and Adon helped her up the steps. Taylor followed behind them, but paused a few steps up to look back toward the skeletons. Their outline was barely visible in the darkness. 

"Taylor." 

The scratchy voice that said his name was new to his ears, but as he looked around, there was no one to attach it to. 

"Caleb?" 

He carefully turned in a circle, trying to locate the owner of the voice. When he returned to facing the remaining stairs, Caleb was suddenly there, sitting a few steps above the one he was standing on, leaning forward with his arms resting on his knees. The added height put their eyes level with each others'. 

"Was that you who said my name, Caleb? Can you talk?" 

There hadn't been any information online on whether wraiths could actually talk, but that was no surprise. There was barely any information on them at all. 

He focused as Caleb started moving his lips, but after several long moments, he relented. It didn't make much sense for a wraith to talk. 

But he had screamed earlier...

"Taylor! Are you okay?" Adon yelled from the landing above him, clearly worried that Caleb was intentionally blocking his way. 

Nodding up at him, Taylor replied, "I'm fine. I think he actually just said my name, but I don't think he can do it again yet." 

Adon gave him a look, but Taylor just shrugged and stepped up a few stairs before sitting down next to Caleb. The wraith turned his body slightly, along with his head, to stare at him. His lips moved again, but no sound came out. 

"Hmm, I wonder what made you talk a few minutes ago." 

Martin appeared on the landing as he spoke, casting a shadow down toward them. 

"You're losing your marbles, boy. Best get away from that thing before he tries to possess you like his brother got your friend." 

Tilting his head, Taylor looked at Caleb's face, taking advantage of their closeness. 

"You really do look alive in so many ways... but also not," he whispered as he lifted his hand toward the wraith's face. 

Caleb let him run his fingers through his stiff hair. It felt dry; Dead. 

No surprise there. 

"Maybe there was a reason that you had to say my name? Maybe that's what let you do it?"