The sensation of his warm feet sticking to the slick surface of the floor underneath him was something he’d grown accustomed to. The familiar sounds of his skin peeling off of the tiled floor again and again echoed back to him as he continued his impossibly slow march down an unfamiliar hallway. Or, at least, what he hoped was an unfamiliar hallway. In truth he couldn’t tell what had been home versus what was now new. The sterile nature of the walls that guided him was all too familiar. Nary a crack or a divot was found as he guided his hands gently across its face. The frigid air that bit at his skin was just as strong as ever. The eerie silence that plagued him hung steadfastly over his head. And still, that feeling of being watched never left him.
Everything was still too familiar, and he hated it.
Suddenly, he heard something. It was only for a moment and was swiftly drowned out by his languid foot slapping back onto the tiled floor. What was that? Is there someone else here? Where? Who?
“Hello?”
He called out just barely above a whisper. He strained his ears, refusing to move from his spot at risk of drowning out the noise.
And then, there it was again!
The sound was deeply muffled by the twisting walls that surrounded him, but still, it was a voice. Someone else is here! Perhaps they could tell him where he is! Perhaps they could let him into this new world with all these new people and a guaranteed new life ahead of him.
“Hello!”
He shouted down the hall, but just as his word echoed back to him, he froze. What if this wasn’t a new place? What if he was still stuck back home? What if that voice was just Sir, waiting for him?
A ring of warmth pooled around his feet as sweat dripped down his brow. The world around him was freezing. Every possibility of what this world could be fell deftly on his chest. His breaths came out in short sporadic bursts, surely forming smoke clouds in the cool air.
With a sudden stinging sensation and a slight buzzing in his ears, he felt the steady drip of blood roll down his cheek and land unceremoniously on the floor.
----------
Daemon knew she had been walking into unfamiliar territory when she first decided to head to The Infinity; and yet, she couldn’t have imagined the tension that blossomed in the air anytime Dinn and Fallen were around each other.
It’s not like she wasn’t accustomed to hostile creatures. Living near humans for most of her life showed her how to deal with such hostilities, but still. The tension that grew whenever the three Dinn’s found themselves in a room together was undoubtedly fierce.
It wasn’t like they were yelling and screaming at each other day in and out, but rather they just wouldn’t acknowledge that the other one existed. They wouldn’t look at each other. They wouldn’t speak to each other. They’d speak to Daemon at different intervals, ignoring the others conversation, but always making it a point to not step on each-others toes as if that would mean they’d have to acknowledge the others presence.
There was one odd thing about their interactions though. Whenever Creed would enter the room, it’s as if the tension would dissipate. Dinn and Fallen still refused to acknowledge each other, but their tempers settled for a moment as Creed would greet all three of them whenever he would come around. Daemon wasn’t sure where this sudden change of attitude came from. Did they not want to upset Creed with their fighting? Had Creed done something to imply such tension in his presence was unacceptable? Did he have some mystical power that caused any hot head within a five-mile radius to cool down?
With the way Creed kept his abilities close to his chest, Daemon wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest.
But, from where she sat now, it was just her, Dinn, and Fallen currently occupying the same air. That same air that was thick and heavy with words unspoken between the trio. Daemon knew she was going to have to do something soon, or else risk going stir crazy. So, she took a deep breath, and spoke up for the first time in three days.
“I need to ask you both something?”
With a sudden jump at the noise Dinn and Fallen turned towards Daemon, eyes wide with confusion at the sudden intrusion to their thoughts.
“Yes?”
Fallen spoke up.
“What is it like for the two of you to have alternate versions of yourself here?”
Daemon had been growing rather restless the past few days as no one seemed to want to acknowledge how awkward their current situation was. Was she just supposed to accept these two other “hers” like it was nothing?
“Well…”
Fallen stuttered out, finally taking a moment to look over at Dinn as both men seemed equally confused by her query.
“Why do you ask?”
He continued. Daemon sighed. She hadn’t really wanted to go into herself at that moment, but if it would get these two talking again, she’d be grateful for the distraction.
“How do you think I feel about it? I mean, there’s no denying that I’m the odd one out here, right?”
She said opening up her arms as if gesturing to her whole body.
“What makes you say that?”
Dinn slightly chuckled, as if the idea that she was the strangest one of the group was funny to him.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m the only woman here.”
Daemon continued a bit perplexed as to why Dinn asked. Surely, they noticed.
“Not only among us three, but Creed is also a man. So far, it seems like I would be the obvious pick for odd-one-out, right?”
Dinn and Fallen paused at Daemon’s words, looking towards each other once again. That once angry tension now shifting to an air of confusion among all three. Daemon looked between the two men, frustrated that neither of them chose to speak up again.
“Well?”
She said grabbing their attention.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
“Truthfully…”
Fallen cleared his throat looking back towards Daemon to speak.
“Coming here I believed I was the odd-one-out.”
Daemon looked puzzled.
“You? What’s so odd about you?”
Fallen grimaced at her question.
“Well, when ‘The Being’ came to me, it told me that I needed to find my partner. The person that I was truly meant to be with from the beginning…But…”
He paused.
“The partner I had, the one I lost, my Creed was all I ever wanted.”
He continued a lot quieter than before.
“I loved him more than anything, but the way that ‘Being’ spoke of our partners and our correct worlds made it seem like our hatred for our current partners and worlds was justified. But I don’t hate my world, I never hated my Creed. So, sometimes I wonder if I should even be here.”
Dinn and Daemon sat mouth agape. Neither of them had known a thing about Fallen’s past or his world, so to hear that he once had a happy life was something so foreign to them.
“Funny…”
Dinn chuckled bitterly, grabbing the other two’s attention.
“All this time I felt like I was the odd-one-out.”
He said.
“You?”
Fallen spoke confused.
“Aren’t you and Creed the original pair?”
He pressed further.
“Not necessarily.”
Dinn shrugged.
“We’re just the two that ‘The Being’ knew for sure were in our correct spots. Truth be told if that thing hadn’t told us that…”
Dinn stopped, suddenly somber, but it didn’t take much for the other two to understand him.
“Do you believe if you hadn’t been told you were in your correct spots, that you’d both be looking for new partners?”
Daemon questioned. The thought was sobering. To think, the only reason Dinn and Creed were so keen to be connected to one another was because of their mission, not because they have any leftover feelings for one another.
Dinn chuckled.
“I know Creed would, but I could never. At least…not again.”
Fallen stood up straight, a stormy look coming over his face.
“What do you mean again?”
His tone was terse as if he dared Dinn to lie to him. Dinn sighed heavily and moved to sit on one of the small couches opposite of Daemon.
“Please understand, Creed and I have been separated for years. A lot more years than you probably think. Some days I just want to feel like someone cared about me. Mostly physically, but sometimes emotionally too.”
Dinn didn’t look up either of them as he spoke, ashamed of what he’d been admitting.
“You searched for other partners after the war?”
Daemon asked.
“Wouldn’t you?”
Dinn challenged. He hadn’t cheated, he would never, but the weight of loneliness was often too heavy to carry. If he could go back and change how many years he wasted jumping from person to person, he would. More for himself than anyone. Daemon looked down at her hands, fiddling with her thumbs.
“Truth be told, I never even searched for a partner in my own world.”
Fallen’s gaze shifted from Dinn to Daemon, his once stormy look now sobered.
“You don’t know a thing about your worlds Creed?”
He asked. Daemon shook her head.
“Not a thing. I feared persecution for leaving my home, so I just never did.”
An uneasy silence followed her words. The boys went back to looking away from her, feeling a hot creep of shame slowly working its way up their body. Everything still felt so off which was angering Daemon. She didn’t start this conversation to be put right back where she’d begun. What were the other two even thinking?
Fallen scoffed.
“I suppose that’s better than just abandoning your Creed.”
Fallen’s voice was rough, and his words were pointed directly at Dinn.
Oh no.
“Excuse me?”
Dinn shot back.
Not again.
“Didn’t you just admit to us that you left your Creed for the prospect of someone else?”
“The break-up was mutual thank you very much!”
Dinn stood from his spot, standing as straight as a tree.
“We chose that because neither of us were happy at that time. Would you have preferred us to just be miserable forever?”
He challenged.
“Oh, like Creed is going to be happy now that we’re all stuck here? You just said if it wasn’t for that ‘Being’ you’d both be looking for something else!”
“Why you—”
“Enough!”
Daemon shouted rising from her seat like a firework ready to explode. The empty picture frames on the wall came tumbling to the floor in a mess of white scrap.
“I thought finally getting you two to talk would stop this obsessive fighting!”
The ground shook with tremors that echoed from her voice.
“I was hoping we could all see how similar we are! We’ve all faced hardships! We’ve all lost so much! But you two keep insisting on fighting over someone who will never love either of you!”
Daemon’s voice threatened to cause the whole house to crumble all around them. It echoed through the halls and shook the plains that went on forever outside their home. Her breath was hard, and she wheezed through clenched teeth, balling up her fists hard enough it threatened to break her fingers.
Dinn and Fallen stared back at her, a mix of shock and fear etched across their faces. Their eyes were blown out staring up at her as she easily loomed over them. A rush of shame overcame Daemon as she saw how she managed to scare both men into submission. She didn’t want to act like this. She wasn’t a monster! With her breath picking up speed she turned deftly on her heel and exited the room.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
-----------
The noise was back. What was once muffled now hit him like a tidal wave, rushing full force to greet him on his march. The way the house shook around him was enough to convince him that this had to be someplace knew. There was no way his old home ever held such noise. Not even the machines that were constantly running, and left the air electrified at any moment could match the sheer magnitude of that voice.
A voice he was certain he needed to know.
-----------
Dinn and Fallen sat there long after Daemon had left the room. A part of them was waiting for Daemon to return, another part was waiting for Creed to inevitably come find them and ask about that noise. A question neither of them would be able to answer in their current state. And yet, there they were, left alone with their thoughts. And each other.
Still, they didn’t look up at the man who sat just across from them. Stuck in their own little words. Desperate to let it all out, but still wanting the other to speak up first. As if the shame they felt would be any different if the other man spoke first.
“Do you want to know how long it lasted?”
Dinn asked leaning back on the couch till his back hit the plain white pillows roughly. Fallen looked up at him grateful that he didn’t have to break the tension this time.
“How long what lasted?”
He asked back.
“The war.”
Fallen chuckled. Talking about something so vile was right up their alley, wasn’t it?
“I don’t know. Three? Four years?”
“Nine.”
Dinn responded staring at the ceiling as he laid back on the small couch.
“Pardon?”
Fallen asked slightly bewildered.
“Nine. Nine years. That bullshit war lasted nine long years.”
Dinn reiterated, seemingly not all there. Fallen shook his head.
“What the fuck were you even fighting about?”
Fallen couldn’t imagine, not even in his most wretched nightmares, what conflict would take nine years to settle.
“Land…sort of.”
Dinn paused, searching his mind for the correct answer.
“Land?”
Fallen pressed.
“No, but also, yes? It’s hard to explain without going into every little detail.”
Dinn sighed. For once Fallen stayed mercifully quiet. He didn’t know if he should keep pressing or give the other man some time to come up with an appropriate answer.
Dinn closed his eyes.
“The other people…our enemy…the other country…they felt entitled to rule over us. They wanted our land, our people, our culture all for themselves.”
Fallen rubbed his hands together, suddenly uncomfortable. Why? Why did they feel entitled to own them? Should he ask? Was it worth going deeper down this rabbit hole? Is this what Daemon had wanted?
“Somedays I wonder…”
Dinn paused, pulling his head back down but still not looking over at Fallen.
“Somedays I wonder how different things would be if we had surrendered. Would they be worse? Better? Not a day goes by that I don’t think about it. That I wonder why it all had to happen.”
A heavy silence fell over the duo. Fallen didn’t know how to react. His world had been merciful to him in a sense that he never had to fight a war. He couldn’t fathom what it was like. What types of hardships it caused? But still, that didn’t mean he didn’t have hardships of his own.
“The plague lasted about three years.”
He said finally. Dinn lifted his head slightly to look over at Fallen.
“Hm?”
Oh right, he didn’t know. Fallen had only told Creed about his home life.
“My home was ravaged by a plague.”
He continued.
“It would enter a person’s system and slowly petrify their body bit by bit. Sometimes they ended up as wood totems, sometimes stone statues, and other times clay pillars. Either way, it was a slow and painful process.”
Fallen had let his head fall back down to his lap. Why was he talking about this now? Why here? With this Dinn? Why did they suddenly feel the need to discuss such travesties?
“What the fuck?”
Dinn spoke up, shocked and a bit horrified of the implication of what this plague had done to people. Something that heinous? To destroy people so slowly and painfully was a fate he considered worse than death.
“Yeah, fucked up, I know.”
Fallen chuckled.
“It killed so many people. Granted it didn’t last nine years, but still. It destroyed so many lives.”
Fallen pondered for a moment. Thinking back to that time, during those desperate three years, it was enough to drive him mad.
“Was that…?”
Fallen grimaced, closing his eyes tightly at Dinn’s words. He could hear it. He knew what question was coming, and by all the worlds in every alternate universe he did not want to speak about it. He prayed this Dinn would stop. Would take notice of his pain. Just like Creed had done. This Creed who read him like an open book at any given opportunity. That’s all he wanted in this moment.
“Was that how he died?”
Sadly, it was not to be. Dinn was incapable of noticing the heavy tension that rolled off Fallen at the mere prospect of his question. In that moment he was forced to think about his Creed. But not just the love they shared, but how he died. Having to sit there and watch as his life escaped him. Not being able to do a thing to help him as he struggled with the pain. Every aspect of his failure was served up to him on a silver platter.
Fallen nodded.
“Oh, my Lord.”
Dinn rocked back and forth uncomfortably in his seat. Death was not a topic he enjoyed, especially not after having lost so many people during the war. Even then, losing the person you loved the most. Dinn cringed at the thought.
“Perhaps I should consider myself lucky then.”
Dinn laughed.
“At least Creed and I are still alive, right?”
Fallen shook his head. That wasn’t what he wanted it to seem like to Dinn. Dinn wasn’t in an any better situation because Creed is alive. How could he say that after nine years of war? Is he delusional?
Fallen sighed heavily. Surely, he couldn’t ask all of this at once, especially not ask someone like Dinn. A man who he’s fought since he first got here. Him and Creed have been through a lot more than he originally thought.
“What was it like? After the war? Did you…?”
Fallen paused.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about him.”
Dinn spoke up chuckling. Fallen looked up at him.
“You’re talking about Creed?”
Dinn nodded.
“It’d been years and I still had him on my mind.”
Fallen sighed.
“But during that time, you sought out others?”
It was almost like he couldn’t get over the thought that Dinn found someone else to love besides Creed. As miserable as Fallen had been alone, it only made sense to be miserable if you truly loved someone. Right?
“Yeah, all for naught.”
Dinn laughed.
“No one ever lived up to him. Everything we did together. Every memory we shared. Everything we went through together. In the end everyone else just paled in comparison.”
Dinn fell back onto the couch an odd smile gracing his lips. Was he happy? About what exactly? Going through war with someone for that long can’t be enjoyable. Are those the memories he was talking about?
“So, you never had another partner?”
Fallen pressed.
“Not really.”
Dinn shook his head.
“I mean, I had encounters with other people. Mostly sexual, but I just…never really wanted to be with anyone else.”
“Did you ever tell Creed about all of these ‘partners’ you had?”
Dinn paused.
“No…I know I should, but I just think it would upset him.”
Fallen looked confused for a moment.
“Why? I thought you said you guys broke up. Why would he be upset that you tried to move on?”
Fallen himself had never really moved on from his late partner, but with the way Dinn and Creed fought, he couldn’t imagine them being so hung up on an old relationship.
“It’s not that.”
Dinn sighed. He was again struggling to explain what he meant.
“I had a lot of sexual partners, and if Creed found out about that…”
He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully.
“I think he’d think he isn’t enough…”
“Why would he think that?”
Fallen pressed. Was there something wrong with the way these two perceived sex? Surely, they must’ve done…something together.
“He…doesn’t like sex.”
Dinn said quickly as if he just needed to get it out there. Fallen choked.
“Pardon?”
Dinn shrugged.
“He doesn’t like sex.”
He said a bit more pointedly.
“We…tried before…but he was just so uncomfortable. He said he liked me, but he had no sexual desires. It was so odd.”
Fallen eyed Dinn as if he was looking for some indication that he was lying to him. A part of him didn’t want to believe what he was hearing. Creed is a very handsome person, surely anyone would love to be with him, and yet, he had no interest in such love? Had he experienced something in the past that caused this? Was this because of the war? Had he always been like that? Dinn scoffed.
“Surprised your crush will never be interested in you like that?”
He teased.
“Took me a while to come to terms with it as well. But that’s just who he is. In the end, it doesn’t change how I feel about him.”
Dinn’s voice became softer as he continued. He was lost in thought about Creed. Everything they had been through together. The first time they tried to see if they were compatible. The awkward tension upon finding out that they weren’t.
And then, the inevitable separation. The first time Dinn had left Creed.
“Excuse me?”
Dinn and Fallen sat up quickly, hearing a small voice call towards them from the archway to their room. Standing there was a rather small person compared to the two of them. Thin and frail, his hair was cut up in several different ways. Uneven layers and small shaved spots framed his scarred face. He stepped gingerly on bare feet as he stood near the entryway. His clothes hung limply from his body with what appeared to be half a jacket swinging from his arm, but most importantly, his eyes were completely covered by a large bandage that wrapped around his head.
“Can you tell me where I am?”
---------------
Daemon had stomped her way out of the small makeshift home the four of them shared. Out into the eerie expanse of The Infinity. She just needed to get away from everything and everyone. Being around so many people for so long was starting to become suffocating.
Back home she was always alone.
She always used to think it was so unfortunate to be alone, but now? Surrounded by these conflicting personalities is enough to drive anyone mad. She doesn’t know what’s worse; the constant arguing over who must be the better person, or the heavy silence whenever they toe too far out of line. Where was Creed when she needed him?
“Daemon?”
Pausing Daemon jerked her head up. She hadn’t realized she’d been stomping with her eyes glued to the floor for much longer than she had anticipated. She was surrounded by nothing but a forever expanding field of white, and one lone Creed that stood before her.
“Creed? What are you doing all the way out here?”
Creed shuffled in place, suddenly looking very uncomfortable with himself. He chuckled nervously.
“Back home I tended to just lose myself in the forest surrounding my home whenever I got tense. Thought it might work out here too.”
He said scratching the back of his neck. Daemon’s eyes narrowed.
“You would just run off and get yourself lost in the woods with no way home?”
At this Creed laughed.
“No, not necessarily. I’d always leave myself markers so that when I felt prepared, I could find my way back home easily.”
Creed gestured just beyond Daemon’s shoulder. Turning around Daemon finally noticed the very small steps jutting out from the ground just a few feet from where they stood. Had she been following this line of steps unknowingly as she trudged through the never-ending expanse of the abyss?
“I guess ‘get lost’ in this scenario is just a figure of speech. I would never be that reckless.”
Creed laughed again. Daemon eyed him curiously. His laugh was odd. Too small and yet too loud at the same time. It felt heavy and out of place to her ears. Despite her initial desire to talk with Creed about what happened she found herself suddenly quieted by his presence. Sure, she wanted to speak with Creed. She wanted to tell all about her fears and apprehensions with living in The Infinity. She wanted him to give her that understanding gaze and nod of approval she remembered from their time near the portal. And yet, the Creed that stood in front of her was not the one she wanted to talk to.
That was ridiculous. He is the only Creed that she ever knew! But, flipping back through her memories she realized she had been envisioning someone entirely different. She couldn’t figure out how it was possible, but it was. Now standing here, with this man named Creed, she felt tight lipped and unsure of herself. He wasn’t making her feel secure.
“Is something wrong?”
Creed asked dipping his head low to catch her eyes from where they were again planted to the floor. There was that knowing gaze again, but instead of comfort it felt as if he was daring her to lie to him. Where had that comfort gone?
“Why do you look different?”
Daemon blurted out, quickly slapping her hand over her mouth as she realized what she said.
“I’m sorry, that was a weird thing to ask. Of course, you’re not different!”
Creed merely looked at her with confusion, his body not tense or lax, but a little unsure. His eyes are large and his expression a tad bit worried.
“I look different?”
“No! No, it’s nothing like that! Just forget I said anything, please!”
Daemon pleaded, her voice raising high enough that Creed seemed to have some complications standing so close to her. His hands hovered over his ears and his expression turned a bit sour for a fleeting moment.
“Sorry! Are your ears hurting?! Sorry, I’ll try to stop, I—”
“Daemon!”
Creed shouted out over Daemon’s words. Despite his often-quiet voice he was still able to be heard over her apologetic cries. Daemon stood there; her head lowered down to meet Creed’s gaze.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to apologize so much.”
Reaching outwards cautiously, Creed took one of Daemon’s hands in his own.
“And you don’t have to tell me what you’re thinking. I just want to make sure you’re alright.”
He said, now back to his normal soft speaking voice. His right hand stroked one of Daemon’s knuckles gingerly, while his left came around to cup her palm.
The touch was so small and barely there, but to Daemon it felt like all too much. The sudden feeling of being touched by someone else, something she had never experienced with anyone outside of her family, was enough to make her dizzy. Creed’s hands barely moved, and they weren’t even grabbing at her, just placed cautiously atop her own. It felt so unique and warm. Creed was so warm and soft, like she’d always imagined any human to be. It was like she could suddenly feel his heart beating with hers, small, firm, and gentle. Looking into his eyes she saw that concern once again, but this time that uneasy feeling of being watched was overshadowed by the enveloping touch that he brought.
Suddenly stiff Creed brought his hands back to his chest as if they had been slapped away. Daemon almost immediately missing that feeling of warmth unknowingly followed him, until he cleared his throat.
“How are the others? Did something happen back at the house?”
Jerking backwards Daemon quickly snapped out of her reverie to stare wide-eyed at Creed. What was she doing?
“We should probably head back.”
She snapped quickly turning on her heel and heading back the way she came. A few quick steps were enough to have Creed chasing after her just to catch up, though he stayed mercifully quiet.
What was going on with her? Why had Creed suddenly invoked this push and pull within her? She felt safe with him when she first arrived, but now it was like some part of her mind was rejecting that feeling. But as soon as he touched her, she felt calm again. Was Creed safe to be around, or wasn’t he? She’d never felt this way before. Back home she always knew by instinct who was friendly and who wasn’t. Nine times out of ten humans weren’t friendly, so they were easy to avoid. It was always easy to tell when an animal was being territorial, so they were also easy to avoid. But here? This wasn’t anyone’s territory. No one had claim to this land or the people in it. Was that why she was feeling so uneasy? Could it be that being on the same playing field as everyone else was making her vulnerable?
She couldn’t have that.
Creed sharply cleared his throat quickly grabbing Daemon’s attention.
“You’re shuffling.”
Creed stated somewhat confused. Daemon looked down at her own feet as if she didn’t realize they were even there, and sure enough she was shuffling along. Not bothering to lift her feet as she walked back to their makeshift home.
She smiled awkwardly.
“Yeah, it’s just that…one of my steps is equal to like, five of yours, so…I didn’t want to leave you behind.”
She said scratching at the back of her head. She may not be the stealthiest person of the bunch, but she was able to escape dangerous situations quickly by just taking a few long strides away from the problem. She had never really had to walk slowly to cater to someone much smaller than her.
Creed nodded looking away as if deep in thought about something. Maybe he just wanted to get back to the house faster? Daemon made a small scooping motion with her arms, pulling them towards her chest.
“If you want to get back faster, I could carry y—”
“No!”
Creed snapped taking one large step back from Daemon. His body had become rigid again, with his arms tampered down to his sides, but his eyes were large and worried.
“N-no, that’s fine! I’ll just move faster.”
With that Creed took off at a faster walking pace. Not really jogging, but more walking with a wide gait. His steps had purpose, and that purpose was to get ahead as fast as he could.
Daemon caught up rather quickly, choosing not to comment on Creed’s sudden shift in mood, but she couldn’t help but have it bother her. Wasn’t Creed just holding her hand a moment ago? But now he too feels uncomfortable with the idea of touch? What was that suddenly scared and apprehensive look he gave her? It bothered her. What purpose does he have being so frightened by her?
Daemon paused a moment. Was Creed feeling it too? That sudden unease growing between them. Did he too not feel safe in her presence? Perhaps it wasn’t just her who felt their relationship changing. But why here? Why now? She’d been so desperate to see him not moments ago, and now the sight of him was frustrating her. His hair was so long that it completely covered his back. His hands were held tightly to his sides where his awkward nails dug deep into his palms. His voice was soft and heavy, and not at all what she wanted to hear. And his eyes, oh his eyes. There were so many things wrong with them.
Catching his eye a few times, Daemon couldn’t help but wonder if he was thinking the same things about her. What is it about her that he can see just isn’t right? Not bad, just not correct. They weren’t correct.
This wasn’t her Creed.
-----------
By the time they made it back to the house both Daemon and Creed had calmed down. They still did not speak to one another, but the air around them was less tense. Creed slowly shuffled up the porch steps and Daemon merely stepped over taking them all at once. Creed laughed inwardly at the idea that many others had considered him tall. Perhaps he too had thought that about himself at one point, but having met both Fallen and Daemon, that thought had quickly flown out the window.
Taking a step outside of their makeshift home had been beneficial Creed found. Even though he had a few tense moments with Daemon, he still felt relaxed and refreshed enough to come back. Back home he could spend days out in the wilderness with no desire to return to his small abode. He’d built his little cabin from the ground up. He knows every inch of its interior and exterior. He’s morphed it to be his own little safe haven that he can escape the world in. And yet, somedays he dreaded seeing it when he returned.
But now, stuck in a place he was unfamiliar with he found that it was much easier to come back to. Despite the talk Creed and Dinn had had a few nights prior, Creed didn’t feel the all-encompassing weight of their mission barreling down on him. The idea of spending an eternity in these walls wasn’t even on his mind. Despite himself, and despite everything they had been through, Creed couldn’t help but feel a growing warmth in his head as he stepped closer to the house.
He just knew one thing was for certain, he wanted to see Dinn.
As if answering his call Dinn quickly popped up from around the corner, seemingly winded and frazzled.
“There you two are.”
He said as he doubled over out of breath.
“Something wrong?”
Creed asked. He’d never really seen Dinn winded like this. He spoke through large gulps of air and had a bewildered expression on his face. Looking in between Creed and Daemon he took a few sharp breaths.
“I think there’s someone you need to meet.”