Luc sat at his desk, busily typing. He didn't even lift his head when Dury came in. "Hmm?" he absently asked. "Oh, fine, fine."
Dury took Luc's absent-mindedness as a good sign. If Luc was regaining his ability to write, it meant that he'd managed to understand how much he loved Simon. Dury mentally thanked the Lord for that. He still needed to convince Simon to give Luc another chance. And worst of all, he didn't have much time. In a week or so, Dury's body would start to vanish, the spiritual power unable to be contained inside flesh.
Dury couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. He'd begun to like living here, in the mortal realm. He felt himself flush guiltily as he realized he wanted to be in this form, to experience the touch of a lover. Not just any lover, though. Luc's. The man awoke something inside Dury, a desire Dury had never felt before. And then there was Simon. The moment he'd first seen the other man, from up above in the heavens, he'd realized Simon and Luc were soul mates. Even then, he'd felt a peculiar pull to them. Still, he hadn't expected to be attracted to both Luc and Simon quite to this extent. Getting to know them unerringly led to Dury caring more and more about the two humans. It complicated things so much, and Dury knew he needed to hurry before he did something he'd regret.
"Dury?" Luc's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and Dury realized that, strikingly, the other man had pulled himself from his work, and was currently staring at him with concern. "Is everything all right? Did you get into a fight with your dad?"
Dury suppressed a gasp of surprise, before realizing that he'd been the one to tell Luc about visiting his father. That had been an impulsive mistake, but thankfully, Luc didn't push him, nor did he ask any other questions. He seemed to be giving Dury time to sort things out and build trust. Little did Luc know that Dury didn't have that kind of time.
At least Dury's father had been pleased with his progress, if somewhat unsettled by the close bond between him and Luc. Even if Michael had probably seen this little lapse, something inside Dury ached to share things with Luc and Simon.
In a way, he felt surprised that he'd even been accepted as a part of their lives at all. It was kind of weird that he'd ended up like this, so flighty and eccentric. It would have been better if he could've looked more inconspicuous, but Dury's clothing adapted to his spirit and his desires. He'd been shocked when he'd first seen himself in the mirror. But Luc seemed to like his looks, and Simon had been appreciative as well. Not that it mattered, of course. Dury was here to unite the two men, not to steal their affection for himself.
"It went fine," he answered Luc. "I'm glad I got to see him."
"You're very close, then?" Luc asked.
Dury nodded. "He worries about me a lot."
"And here I am, monopolizing all your time." Luc sighed. "You know that if you want, you can go do whatever you like."
Dury felt a small pang of hurt. He knew that Luc offering him this chance was a good thing. After all, he'd managed to steal a visit to Simon's today, but that wouldn't be enough. Still, Luc's reaction to the idea of him being away displeased him. "You don't need me anymore?" he asked, unable to keep the pain from his voice.
"Oh, babe," Luc said, "of course I need you." He took a step closer and wrapped Dury in a fierce embrace. "I always need you by my side. But I can't keep you here all the time. You'd hate me if I did that."
Dury laughed. "I'd never hate you."
Luc's voice took a weird tone. "Really?" he asked. "Never?"
Dury wondered what Luc was thinking. He gazed into the other man's eyes, trying to figure it out. What he saw there unsettled him. Desire, need, passion, but uncertainty as well. Luc wanted him. He wanted Dury.
When the kiss came, Dury accepted it willingly. In a way, he'd known it would happen. The bond between them seemed to be strengthening day by day, even if they didn't do anything sexual.
Of course, as it would seem, that was about to change. As their lips met, Dury found himself engulfed by sensation. Luc knew how to kiss, and he simply devoured Dury, sampling him as if he were a fine wine.
He maneuvered Dury backwards and they fell together onto to the comfortable couch. Luc's weight above him made Dury feel warm, safe, and at the same time, incredibly aroused. His cock throbbed in his tight pants, begging for release.
As the kiss broke, Luc nibbled on Dury's neck, and Dury arched against the human, aching for more. Luc's tongue explored Dury's collarbone, licking his Adam's apple. The other man's hand fumbled with Dury's pants, palming his cock through the material.
"Dury, babe… so hot. I want you so much," Luc muttered breathlessly.
Dury's only reply was a whimper. In his mind, he wondered what it all meant. Luc had admitted he loved Simon. What did he feel for Dury? Perhaps that was the reason for the uncertain question from before. Luc must be worrying that he'd use Dury, and that would cause a rift between the two of them.
In truth, a huge abyss already separated them, something that couldn't be breached no matter what. Luc was mortal, and Dury an angel. They could never be together.
That thought was like a shower of ice cold water. Dury broke away from Luc, pushing the man gently aside. "We shouldn't do this," he whispered.
Luc reached for him again, opening his mouth to protest, but Dury shook his head. "You know I'm right."
Luc's shoulders slumped. "Yeah. Okay." His eyes were full of questions, but Dury had no answers. The other man leaned against the couch pillows and patted the spot next to him. "Come on. Come here."
A bit shyly, Dury obeyed. He knew Luc would respect his decision, since it was, after all, the best thing for all of them. But when Luc gathered him close, Dury couldn't help but lean into the human's warmth. Bitterness swelled inside him. Why did he have to go back? Why couldn't he just stay here and love?
* *
The Present
Dury sighed as he remembered. He'd been so foolish and childish. Now, his two humans would pay the price. Curling into a miserable ball, Dury closed his eyes and tried to sleep. Perhaps if he got some rest, he'd be able to contact Luc and Simon on Earth. He didn't know if it would work, but he didn't have any other chance.
Chapter Nine
Dury awoke when his mother entered the room once more. He gave her a startled glance, but then he realized she carried the crystal. Something was going on, something he needed to see.
As Jezebel sat on his bed, Dury rushed to her. Together with his mother, he watched the images in the bowl in silence.
Luc and Simon seemed to be in a house. Dury recognized it as belonging to Luc's parents. He'd seen it before, when he'd been shown Luc's life, his acquaintances and family. Now, it bustled with activity, filled with people who tried to make themselves useful and avoid awkwardness at all cost. Johnnie, the eldest of the three brothers, busied himself with herding his flock of offspring. His wife, Constance, had her hands full with their newborn who seemed to feel the tension in the air. His father, Harrison Black, kept Simon and Luc company while the third son of the family, Taylor, helped their mother make the final dinner preparations.
Dury didn't know why Harrison, of all people, had been chosen for the task of making Simon and Luc comfortable. If anything, he seemed more frustrated with the entire situation than anyone else. But he did try his best, and he offered Simon and Luc drinks. The conversation then fell into mundane topics.
"So, how is your book going?" Harrison asked.
"Very well, Dad, thanks," Luc replied. "I'm practically done with it."
When Dury had left the mortal realm, Luc had not even reached halfway through his new manuscript. That book had already come out now, as well as a second one. Luc was in the process of wrapping up yet another. That really brought the point home. Time had passed him by while locked inside Michael's home. That had never seemed important before, but now, he wanted nothing more than to be with Luc and Simon, to congratulate them on their success.
"That's very good, son," Harrison offered. After a brief, awkward pause, the man turned toward Simon. "A
nd you, Mr Roth? Luc tells me you're a famous sculptor."
Simon smiled at Harrison. "Please, call me Simon. I don't know how famous I am, but I do all right." He took Luc's hand and kissed it. "Of course, I wouldn't be anything without Luc by my side."
Luc squeezed Simon's hand. "Ignore him. He's actually very talented."
Harrison's eyes went to their entwined fingers and he fidgeted uncomfortably. "Right." Clearing his throat, he got up and explained, "I better go see how dinner's coming along."
Simon and Luc both nodded and Harrison left the room.
"Do you think we pushed too hard?" Simon asked once the man was out of earshot.
Luc shook his head. "We don't have much time. I want them to understand me again before we… you know…"
Simon nodded, and a sob escaped Dury. He tried to reach out to them once more, to tell them this was not necessary. They could still build lives of their own. They had families, friends who would miss them, successful careers, and most importantly, love. Why were they willing to throw it all away?
All of a sudden, Luc held his hand to his chest, and as if on cue, Simon groaned slightly. Dury mentally cursed. His pain must be in some way connected to them. He'd wanted to contact them, of course, but not like that.
Simon reached for the glass of scotch and took a sip of liquid. His hand was trembling and he looked a bit pale.
"It's been happening a lot lately," Simon said glumly. "Do you think…?"
"It's Dury," Luc answered, certainty in his voice. "For whatever reason, we can feel him. I just know it."
"What does it mean?"
Luc clutched the arm of the couch so hard his knuckles went white. "I don't know, and that damned angel won't tell us anything."
"It'd be influencing your decision," Simon parroted, obviously a quote from Michael. "We've already made our decision. We just want to know if Dury is fine."
Dury took a deep breath and focused on calming down. At this point, he could just try to make things easier for them. He needed to have faith, to trust everything would be okay. Staring at the image in the bowl, he sent his thoughts down to Simon and Luc. "I love you. Please be okay. Please don't leave me."
Simon and Luc blinked, looked at each other, and then toward the ceiling. "Did you hear that?" Luc whispered.
Simon nodded. "It's him. It has to be him. He's watching us."
"This is very weird," Luc replied. "Ah well…" Still staring in the general direction of the chandelier, he said, "Dury, hang in there. We'll see each other soon."
"We love you," Simon continued. "Don't be afraid."
For some reason, it seemed to Dury that they were looking straight at him. Even if he knew that was actually impossible, reality often defied the rules of existence. "I don't want you to die," he struggled to send back. "I want you to be happy."
He felt a bit light headed, and he knew that trying to convey messages across the realms drained him. Thankfully, his lovers heard him. "We can only be happy with you," Simon answered. His eyes burned with determination, and Dury knew there was nothing he could do to change his humans' minds. He loved them both too much to even think about deceiving them.
"Hey, why are you talking to the ceiling?" a sudden voice said.
Dury realized Luc's brother Taylor had at some point entered the room. He wondered how much the young man heard. Not that it mattered. Taylor couldn't possibly guess what was going on.
Luc chuckled. "We're not. We're repeating a scene from my book, just to see how it sounds," he lied smoothly.
Taylor let out an "oh" sound, then plopped on the couch and slumped his head against Luc. "Cool." He looked like a younger variant of Luc, although they were different in several key points, like eye color.
Taylor licked his lips and nudged his brother's hip with his own. "Hey. Could we talk alone for a few minutes?"
Luc seemed surprised. "Sure," Simon said. "Should I—?"
Taylor shook his head, interrupting Simon. "No. My room. Don't want the 'rents to overhear."
Luc got up and followed Taylor up the stairs. Taylor's room was a mess of DVDs, notebooks, and random office miscellanea. Taylor wiped his hands against his jeans and gestured for Luc to sit. Luc silently took the one chair available, retrieving a notepad from the seat as he did so. Absently, he leafed through it, and froze after a few seconds.
"The child is very gifted," Dury's mother explained.
Confirming Jezebel's words, Luc asked his brother. "Wow, did you write this?"
Taylor's face flushed. "Yeah. What do you think? Is it any good?"
"Kiddo, it's great." Luc beamed at his brother and got up to ruffle his sibling's hair. "Did you show it to Mom and Dad?"
Taylor sighed. "Yeah. They didn't even want to read it. They said I should make my own way, not copy you."
Luc's expression darkened. "This is more than just about the poetry, right?"
Taylor nodded. "I… I have a boyfriend," he breathed out. "I really like him, but I'm afraid what the 'rents would say if they found out. They already think I'm modeling myself after you or some shit like that."
Luc passed his hand through his dark hair, obviously nervous. Dury could tell what Luc was thinking. He didn't want to leave his brother, not with this issue emerging. It would be difficult enough for Taylor to deal with it without having to handle Luc's death as well.
"Did you know about this?" Dury asked his mother.
Jezebel nodded. "I know it hurts, but it's for the best. They have to acknowledge what they'd lose if they came here."
Dury didn't know what to say to that. His mother had a point, but he still hated the whole situation.
"Luc?" Taylor asked hesitantly. "You okay?"
"Just fine, kiddo," Luc replied. "You took me by surprise. Last time I checked, you were going out with that Sarah girl."
"Sandy," Taylor corrected. "We broke up. I kind of fell for her brother."
"I assume you're using protection," Luc said seriously.
Taylor snorted. "Come on, Luc. Of course we are. That's not the problem. It's just that… I'm going to ask you something personal, okay? Don't be mad at me."
Luc blinked in confusion. "Shoot."
"Do you love Simon?" Taylor blurted out. He was probably struggling with his own feelings for his boyfriend.
A smile spread on Luc's face. "So it's like that," he replied. "I do. I love him very much. It's okay to feel like that, kiddo."
"It's just weird," Taylor answered. "I feel I can trust him. He never laughs at me, and we share things so easily. It's like we complete each other."
Luc hugged his brother, and Dury thought he could see tears in the human's eyes. "I'm so freaking happy for you." Luc broke the embrace and looked into Taylor's eyes. "Now listen to me. Don't give that up, ever. If you love a person, don't ever let him or her go."
Taylor nodded, and buried his face in Luc's shirt. "Thanks, bro," he said, his reply muffled by the material. "I'm happy for you too."
A knock sounded at the door. Luc and Taylor wiped their eyes, then bid the person on the other side to come in. Simon walked in the room and smiled at them. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah," Luc answered. "Just had a little heart to heart with the brat. What's up?"
"Dinner, apparently," Simon replied.
Taylor shot to his feet. "Oh, sweet. Food." He bounded out of the room, a spring in his step. Luc and Simon followed after him, holding hands.
The dinner was a bit awkward, but the atmosphere loosened up gradually. Everyone did their best to accept Simon into the family. Johnnie and Simon ended up talking about music, and Johnnie seemed pleasantly surprised to hear that Simon's sister played the piano. The children, very excited about meeting Uncle Simon, were having less trouble than the adults in adjusting. Apparently, they'd already met a few kids who had two daddies and no longer found it so weird. Dury couldn't help a small smile at that.
In the end, Simon offered to help Luc's mother, Jane, with the dishes. It was, of course, a pret
ext, since she obviously wanted to talk to him alone. "I don't always understand my son's lifestyle," she began.
"It's not a lifestyle," Simon interrupted her. "It's just the way we are. There's nothing wrong with that."
Jane nodded. "I get that. I know it's been hard for him to deal with things, and we haven't been very supportive, but I am trying. And above all else, I want him to be happy."
"That's what I want too," Simon answered softly.
Jane's eyes scrutinized Simon with an intensity that reminded Dury of Luc himself. "I'm glad," she said.
The conversation ended after that, but Dury could tell that Jane was satisfied with her son's choice. The two finished washing the dishes then returned to the living room. Dury felt a pang of longing and guilt as he watched his lovers spend a traditional family evening, board games, spilled drinks, and laughter included. Simon and Luc deserved that. They deserved to be happy with their loved ones.
When Simon and Luc left, just about every member of the family followed them to the door. Harrison asked them to come again, while Johnnie invited them to his house too. Taylor hugged his brother with enthusiasm and thanked him once again.
As Simon drove off, Dury wondered what his two humans would do. He felt torn. On one side, he was happy Luc's family accepted Simon. On the other, he knew it would be much harder to leave them behind. He didn't want Luc to suffer through that loss, or Luc's family to be hurt either. As a Death Angel, he'd seen a lot of that sorrow, and hated it.
"The decision is theirs, Duriel," Jezebel told him as the images in the crystal faded. "You can only love them."
* * * *
Time flew by on the mortal realm while Dury waited. He forced himself to accept what was going on, and Jezebel had told him that Luc and Simon were all right. Occasionally, Michael came to see Dury, talking to him, soothing him. Still, Dury found himself more and more restless. Jezebel no longer came with the crystal and Dury did not know what to believe. What if Simon and Luc were already dead and his parents were hiding it?
In the end, Jezebel once again started to regularly come to show him Luc and Simon's progress. The reunion with Simon's family didn't go as well as the previous one. Dury's heart hurt as he watched Susanne, Simon's sister, slap Luc and throw him out of her house. She could not accept their reconciliation, not even when Simon explained that their breakup had been a big misunderstanding.
The Plot Bunny Page 10
