The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Deleted Scenes: Three (Draft 2.5)

Morpheus opened his eyes and looked at Julien. He was still close, and looking back. "Do Vampyres get cancer?"

Julien laughed and leaned back in the tub. "We do not."

"Neither do I." Morpheus watched his Djinn help Julien out of the tub. They offered towel and spare tunica.

"I didn't even know you had jeannies," Julien said, "though, sometimes you do show up with an entire entourage."

The floral tattoo went all the way down the left side of Julien's back: a vine sprouting deep purple and pale pink orchids.

Julien smoothed the red tunica beneath his hands; it was a little short for him. He looked very much like the next Caesar, except that he had fangs.

"Julien," Morpheus said, "I think I might be. No. I know I am crazy attracted to you right now."

"I see." Julien tipped his head towards the couch. "Would you like to sit with me?"

It sounded good to Morpheus, so he took a seat beside Julien

"Gawd, this is confusing."

"Because I'm younger me?"

"Yes. No. I mean, not only that. Not everyone has a chance like this, to go back and say the things that they wished they could have realized or said long ago. But, honestly, I'm afraid if I say the wrong thing, I'll break the time-continuum or some thing."

Morpheus laughed. "You couldn't do that." He saw Julien's confused expression. "Really. It doesn't work that way. Whatever you perceive to have happened happens. Whatever you say to me now is what I will understand you to always have said."

It took a minute for Julien to process.

"It doesn't help to try to go back in time and tell someone, 'don't play quoits with Raphael,' if you've already witnessed them die in a quoits-related accident."

"So, it's pointless to say, 'don't even try to be with me'?"

Morpheus bowed his head. "It might make me want you even more."

"I'm sorry." He paused. "That's what future me wants you to know. For everything. Being a mess. Drama. Miscommunication."

"OK."

Tears welled up in Julien's eyes; the red tears made his pupils look intensely blue.

"Julien."

He blinked rapidly to clear the tears. "I didn't know this meeting happened. I'm just realizing it means that whatever I've said, or am about to say, you've known it all this time!"

Morpheus nodded. "Yeah."

"There are things I didn't know until recently. I still don't know if there are things you know, in the future that I don't know, yet. I'm not sure if encouraging you is the right thing."

"C'mere." Morpheus lifted his arms and twisted in his seat. Julien was quick to fall into his embrace. "No one's cried for me before. If you are trying to convince me not to want you, you are doing a terrible job."

Julien cry-laughed against Morpheus' shoulder.

Gradually, Julien lifted his head. He wiped a knuckle beneath each eye.

"I should tell you something else."

"Of course," Morpheus said.

"OK. This might sound cheesy, but I mean it sincerely. I want you to remember." Julien took a deep breath before he continued: "It gets better."