Page 18 of Dance with Me
He wove through the woods, the glowing orbs of mushrooms lighting his way until he found the first spread of strawberryvines and their bright green leaves with sprouting red fruit. His heart flipped over at the stretch of the growth spreading across a small area and up over the sides of a cave that loomed dark like the abyss. It was the first time that he’d truly realized the connection to Yuri also meant a connection to Star, their soul split, but pieces of one beautiful being made two.
Lucian could imagine a thousand terrifying things lurking inside that cave, but when he approached he had to kneel and crawl to get inside, the space narrow and tight. He lit a small orb of dim brightness and let it float in front of him as he followed the vines to the back of the cave and found Star curled up in the corner.
Lucian opened his pack and took out a couple fluffy blankets, and a container of the shortbread cookies he’d mastered. They were a little on the dry side, but with a handful of sweet berries, he knew they’d keep the two of them fed.
Star breathed, the only movement coming from the small shadow in the corner, but he didn’t wave off the darkness or respond. The size of him, closer to Yuri’s mid-range height, lean and lanky, wasn’t something he normally let Lucian see. But in the dark, not even the orb allowed to pierce the vail of blackness shrouding him, he couldn’t see Star anyway.
Lucian set one blanket at Star’s knee and took the other for himself, curling up in a comfortable spot against the wall. He opened the book, starting at chapter one, and began to read.
The day stretched, chapters fading but Lucian read, pausing for a few minutes between each to gather up berries and set a stack of cookies on a cloth napkin between them. Lucian nibbled a few here and there, adding a flask of water to the mix after Star snatched the first cookie.
“I’m sorry if they aren’t as good as Yuri’s,” Lucian said, placing the flask in the dark void of space created by Star’s unwillingness to be seen.
“You’ve never tried them?” Star asked softly. It was the first words he’d uttered in their hours of time together in the tiny cave.
“He didn’t have the ingredients for them when we were imprisoned at my sire’s castle. I made them according to the book. He had this recipe highlighted, but I think it was meant to go in other things…” Like the custard he’d been trying to make.
“You don’t have to read to me,” Star said.
“I don’t,” Lucian agreed.
“You’re no longer some kid in a cage.”
“I’m not.”
“Then why stay? Why sit in the dark tasting my depression?”
“Because depression is always worse when we are left alone with our thoughts. No one hates us more than ourselves. Why listen to the voices in your head, when I can read you a pretty story instead?”
Star said nothing for a while and Lucian picked up the book again. He read through another chapter, the shadows beginning to creep away as Star reached for a berry or a cookie.
Lucian relaxed against the wall and arranged the blanket in his lap, reading and waiting. It took two more chapters before Star curled himself up to put his head in Lucian’s lap. Lucian set a gentle hand in his hair, the clammy chill of sweat on the back of Star’s head. Fear? He didn’t pry, and as he’d been well-fed by his pretty seraph this morning before attempting to cook, he didn’t sip at the angel’s emotions.
He continued to read, and Star relaxed to doze in his lap, the shadows slinking away, nothing more than a willingness for him to hide rather than the living dark itself. Without them, the inside of the cave glowed with vibrant plant life, mushrooms, twisting vines filled with sweet berries, and soft flowers of teal and gold.
Lucian sensed someone else approach and glanced toward the opening of the cave. His uncle peered inside, curious, and with a slightly worried expression. Lucian put his finger to his lips and shook his head. Star slept, and as it was rare for him to rest without nightmares, it was best to let him sleep.
Radu nodded and shoved a wrapped basket into the hole. “From the seraph. I can’t promise to keep him away as it’s getting dark. But he packed fruit and wine for you.” Radu kept his voice barely above a whisper. “Barney’s outside the door too.”
Lucian nodded and reached out to carefully snag the basket without disturbing Star. Theo had given them a dozen sweet stone fruits and two bottles of sweet wine. Lucian enjoyed the flavor, though Raphael created it and claimed it needed more work. He popped open the first bottle and took a swig. Sweet with a bit of bubbly kick. He sighed and drank more, needing to relax himself.
He and Theo had been traveling a lot. Searching out leads for Yuri and they felt close. Like it would happen any day, and yet each day they returned home empty-handed, all of them died a little more inside.
Lucian drank and studied Star’s face. The man was pretty. Not like Theo with his ethereal androgynous beauty, or Yuri with his modern boy next door perfection. But Star’s features would make anyone do a double take.
He ran careful fingers through Star’s thick hair, not long like the rest of theirs, as Star once told Radu that he kept it short to remind himself he was in mourning.
“I like it,” Lucian said, more to himself than anyone else. “Short like this. Maybe I should cut mine short.”
“No,” Star said.
“Hmm?” Lucian asked, taking another swig of the wine straight from the bottle only to find it empty. He reached for the second one. “No, what?”
“Don’t cut your hair.”
Lucian opened the second bottle and took a long swallow, his gaze on Star, who sat up to stare at him, his eyes focused not on Lucian’s face, but his swallowing throat. “See something you like, angel?”
“As if,” Star grumbled.
