~Friday 20th July 2018~
"Honestly, Zaith, it's fine. A few hours won't make much of a difference," Alwynn assured his maker, waving briefly at a familiar face as he strolled down through the streets of his new home town. Italy certainly was beautiful in the summer, as Vant had mentioned before they moved out there months before.
"I just hate to alter your plans, Ali."
"You're gonna be delayed by five hours, Zaith, it's not like Vant and I planned on anything big for tonight anyway. We thought you might want to just settle in and relax, please stop worrying," Alwynn slowed to a stop, his eyes flickering over the bouquets of flowers laid carefully over the little stall.
"OK, if you're sure it's not too much of an inconvenience."
"Even if it was, what could I do about it? I can't commandeer a plane and fly you myself," Alwynn chuckled, taking out some spare change from his back pocket and placing it in the outstretched palm of the stall attendant, collecting a bouquet of pale blue orchids and continuing down the street along his journey home.
"I suppose you're right," Zaith murmured, his voice suddenly getting distant when he relayed the information to his husband, who probably had just returned from pestering someone. Impatience was something the two certainly shared.
"Look, I'll see you later, OK? Have a safe flight," Alwynn knew although Zaith had far too much money than he needed, a lengthy bill from an overseas call wasn't really necessary.
"OK, we will do, I'll call you when we land," Alwynn slipped his phone back into his pocket when Zaith hung up, taking a moment to stop and admire the tide whilst it was in, lapping at the sea wall.
The sun was just setting, creating a beautiful contrast between the red tones staining the sky and the dark blue rolling through the waves below. Alwynn adored the little town he and Vant had moved to, he had loved it right from the second he stepped off the plane. He had expected to miss the town he had grown up in yet never felt any shade of regret for the decisions he had made.
He felt safe in his new home with Vant and their family, he couldn't ever dream of going back to his roots. Not that he had the option to anyway, he was dead to the world around him, or missing at the very least. It was a little disheartening to not be walked down the aisle by his father on his wedding day, or hear a toast from his mother that would have brought tears to his eyes. Then again, he had been surrounded by family that day, just not the ones he had grown up with for seventeen years. And the decision to never be found was one he would make a thousand times over, the benefits far outweighing any hindrances.
Zaith had given him away, and Syed had taken no time at all to think of a beautiful speech that Alwynn would never forget. They had truly made Alwynn's wedding day perfect, so much so that the boy hadn't had time to wonder what it would have been like with his real parents there, he was too busy enjoying himself. As he should have been.
Alwynn had never understood the bond between sire and child before he had been blessed with his own, it really was indescribable. Alwynn had only known Zaith a little over six months and, yet, he loved him like the father who had raised him all his life. If not even more.
Alwynn: Zaith and Syed's flight is delayed, they won't be in until late. Maybe we could take that walk by ourselves ;) x. Alwynn rested the bouquet of flowers on the wall he was leaning against whilst he texted his husband, a subtle smile curving his lips.
Daddy: I like the idea, sweet boy. When are you gonna be home? Marabella isn't keeping you late again, is she? X.
Alwynn: I'm on my way now, Mara wanted me to stay a little later but I said I couldn't because Zaith and Syed would be here soon x. Alwynn never minded staying later at work, even though Vant did sometimes speculate that his boss, Marabella, took advantage of him. Alwynn didn't believe that, Marabella merely wanted to help him get his qualifications as quickly as possible, which he couldn't be more grateful for.
Daddy: OK, don't be too long x. Just as Alwynn was putting his phone back into his pocket, it vibrated once again. He collected the bouquet of flowers from the wall, trying his best to check his phone and walk in a straight line. He didn't need to fall on his ass, even if it would have been less embarrassing alone rather than with Vant. No one would laugh then.
Wisteria: Reef Kalloway Klyne, a healthy 8.8 pounds. Alwynn's jaw dropped open as he stared at the adorable newborn baby cradled in Wisteria's arms in the picture attached. She wasn't due for another two weeks but, boy, was that baby cute. Immediately, Alwynn dialled Wisteria's number, barely paying attention to the corners he was turning, really he should have known his way back home from work by then.
Alwynn gasped when he was wrenched backwards by the collar of his shirt with such force that his head crunched against the brickwork of the building on the left of the street he was walking down. Both his phone and the bouquet of flowers slipped from his hands, strewn across the cobblestone at his feet.
It took only a few seconds for Alwynn's vision to snap back into place, thanks to his accelerated healing, although a part of him wished it didn't. He didn't want to see who was stood in front of him, who was holding the knife to his throat and restraining his wrists with his other hand. Honestly, Alwynn would have preferred to have been knocked out than feel that previously dormant terror stirring within him, spreading out over his figure and infecting his mind.
"Did you really think I wouldn't find you, baby? Did you really think I believed you were dead?" Alwynn flinched at the harsh growl that was Brodie's voice, his lip catching between his teeth when their eyes met, "you just couldn't wait to get away from me, could you? Couldn't wait to get back to that fucker, could you?!" Alwynn whimpered at the abrupt change in Brodie's volume, his body paralysed, instincts numbed and reactions slowed. Even as a vampire, Alwynn became near defenceless in the presence of his tormentor.
"Brodie, please, put the knife down," Alwynn whispered, feeling the serrated steel bite into his skin with every word or breath, "if you put the knife down, we can talk about this," Alwynn knew his suggestion wouldn't go down well but didn't know what else he could do. He felt the tear stain his cheek before he even realised he was crying, suppressing his natural instinct to wipe it away.
"Oh, no, no, no, baby," Brodie grinned, the expression looking almost manic, as he pushed a stray hair out of Alwynn's face, "you're not gonna talk, you don't want to do that, I know your little tricks now. You don't mean anything you say, you're a liar and whore," Brodie paused for a long moment, the grin on his face contorting into an almost snarl, "you said you loved me," he whispered, with the audacity to sound sorrowful.
"Brodie, please, please, stop this. You don't need to do this. Please, I have a family," Alwynn begged, knowing if he acted like he had that night Brodie had taken him he would only agitate the man.
"We could have had a family," Brodie murmured wistfully, "I would have given you everything," Brodie shook his head, sighing heavily, "you deserve thi-"
"Get your fucking hands off my husband," Alwynn's eyes shot to the origin of the gruff voice that was so melodic in his ears. He had never been so happy to hear Vant so furious.
"Can't you ever just leave us alone?!" Brodie roared, not even turning to look at Vant, keeping his eyes on Alwynn the entire time, "you're the fucking bane of my life, all I wanted was to-" Alwynn, bizarrely, didn't even react at the sound of bone crunching and snapping, nor did he even bat an eyelid when Brodie's body crumpled to the ground beneath him. His gaze simply remained locked on Vant, who was abruptly so much closer.
"Oh, would you shut up?" Vant muttered, shifting Brodie's body to the side with his foot, holding out his arms to Alwynn, "come here, sweet boy," Alwynn stepped forward, clutching onto Vant, neither speaking for a moment whilst the boy focused on stopping his body trembling.
"He's gone, it's finally over," Alwynn breathed, trying to avoid looking toward the corpse at his feet.
"Well, it'll be over when I've gotten rid of the body," Alwynn actually laughed at Vant's comment, rather depraved in the context. Alwynn leant up, sharing a gentle kiss with Vant, only for it to be interrupted by the pitter patter of two very familiar feet.
"Papa?" a soft, sheepish voice echoed through the empty street. Alwynn hit Vant's shoulder lightly, scolding him under his breath for bringing the little girl with her and exposing her to the situation.
"Hey, angel, I'm OK," Alwynn walked over to his daughter, scooping the little girl into his arms, "we're both OK," Ginerva's bottom lip didn't stop quivering, her teary eyes flickering from Alwynn to something behind him, which the boy could only hope was Vant and not Brodie.
"Who's that, papa?" Ginvera asked, her voice wavering with every word.
"No one, angel, just a bad man. Don't you worry about him," Alwynn forced a half-smile, carrying his daughter out of the street and standing her on the wall so she could look out to the sea. Within a few minutes, she was back to her regular self, likely already forgetting about the corpse she had witnessed. Oh, the advantages of a young mind.
"Did you get me flowers?" Alwynn smiled when he felt Vant's hands snake around his waist and the man's chest pressed against his back, never taking his eyes off Ginerva as she pranced carelessly on the wall.
"Yes, I got you a bouquet of flowers, you got me a dead body, our marriage is just wonderful," Alwynn spoke quietly, although he couldn't suppress the smile that Vant always managed to cause.
"How lucky you are, I don't kill for just anybody, y'know," Alwynn chuckled when Vant peppered a few tender kisses to the crook of his neck. Shaking his head, Alwynn linked his fingers in with his husband's, feeling their respective wedding bands clink quietly against one another.
"Lucky isn't exactly the word I would use," once a liar, always a liar. Old habits die hard, Alwynn thought, leaning back against his husband, his soulmate, and watching the sunset. The first of many in an eternity Alwynn would have never expected to live through, yet could have never wished for anything better.
Fin.