Love, Lust, and The Assassin

40| His Oblivious Vengence

Violet and Archer exchanged quick looks, but looked back at the old man.

"Y-you two- met when Archer first came into my c-care. I took A-arch to th-th-this park, every Friday, and you....V-Violet, were there every time. The first time I took him, I had to p-practically drag him out of the house to g-get him to go." He shook slightly, "but after that first time, he bumped into you, and I couldn't get him to stop going." The weak old man managed a wheezy laugh.

Archer raked his brain for these forgotten memories. A lot, if not all, or his childhood was surprised behind dark doors that held back even darker demons. He didn't remember much after all his years of blood.

He held Donavan close, trying to stop the reservoir of blood, while Violet held his hands.

"Arch was drawn to y-you the moment he saw you. Every Friday, when he knew you'd be there, s-scribbling in your books, he went. It was the first time since the accident I saw l-life in his eyes."

Tears built up in Donny eyes as his voice grew softer and farther away, even though archer was holding him so close, he could feel him slipping away like rushing water through his finger tips.

"One day when we w-went to the park, you weren't there. And you were never there again." His body shook, "Archer were devastated."

"I...I think I remember that. Frontier Park? My parent moved me from that area, that was probably why...." She said through sobs.

Donny shook his head, "anyways, my point is, after that m-moment, I knew you were the only one who could save him..."

"Many years later, you were getting worse, Archer, and I happened to find o-out Violet was in the area for an event."

"So I was the one that c-called in the job for Archer to assassinate you, Violet." Donny said with a flat chuckle.

Archer choked on his next breath and looked at Violet who seemed just as pale and shocked as him.

"W-what?" Archer mumbled

"I knew he wouldn't a-actually go through with it, and I need a reason to get you two together again. I knew that he would be d-drawn to you the same way he was all those years ago. And this old g-goat was right." Donny smiled weakly.

"But, what my husband-"

"I'm not sure why that s-stupid man covered it up, probably to save his r-reputation or because of fear people would blame him." Donny dismissed it.

There was a silence that washed over them, it was warm, and sad, but serene in its own odd way.

Archer couldn't believe what he heard, through his anger and tears, he was processing it slowly, wrapped in denial and confusion.

But it made sense to him, he could never really explain just what made him desire Violet so aggressively that night. She became his oxygen, simply impossible to live without her from that moment.

It was more deeply rooted in him than he thought.

Violet was his person, she was his life's mission.

Not John.

Archer couldn't control the hot tears silently spilling down his face. He pulled Donavan in so close, listening to his faint heart beat against his chest.

"You know...you're wrong about just one thing Donavan."

"O-oh yeah?"

"You saved me. Without you. I would've had nothing, my sanity would have slipped long ago, along with any good in me, and I wouldn't have met her," He held him close. "You saved me."

A light chuckled sounded deep in Donavan's throat, and he managed to lift his weak shaky hand onto Archer back. "I love you." He gave him a good pat, and mumbled, "My boy."

They held each other, Archer desperately trying to memorize his warmth, his smell, his pulse, the small tremor in his hand, everything.

"I love you too, Donavan."

The room fell chillingly silent, and very slowly, Donavan's hand slumped limp from his back.

"Donavan." Archer said softly.

There was no reply, and Violet looked up from her tears, her eyes wide.

"Donavan." He said again, startling back to look at him.

His eyes were faded a dull gray, and his skin was pale. Archer put a hand to his cheek, and the cold sent a chill ringing all throughout his body.

"Donny!" He yelled and shook him lightly, his body moved limply. Archer could feel his heart pulling apart as tears rushed down his face.

He wasn't blind to death, death was something he knew very well. This time, he just didn't want to accept it.

"Donny please get up! I don't have time for this!" His fronted anger fueled his voice, and he hugged the older man close to him. Sobbing his pain into his cashmere fabric.

Violet was crying hard beside him, empathetic to the pain he was feeling, but knowing she could never understand how bad this hurt for him.

She simply wrapped her arm around the both of them and sobbed with archer.

The world was a little colder.

~•~