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West feels his body hit the wood before he realizes what’s happened.
Dan hit him.
Hit was a strong word for the rough shove he’d done, Doctor Hill had done worse than that, but it was still the action of it.
Something about it weighed more than the others as well.
“I’m done.” Reached his ears followed by the slamming of a door.
Leaving West alone in their solemn abode.
The house screamed around him to get up. Whispering in his ears that if he doesn’t get up Dan will be gone.
It’s clawing at his back now. Slamming down on him that Dan is walking away the longer he sits.
But what else can he do?
The argument had been horrible this time.
All he’d asked was that Dan not bring a woman over tonight.
That he not bring a Meg over tonight to be exact.
Dan had asked what he meant by that. He’d made a thinly veiled joke at Meg’s expense before Dan pressed the subject— firing him to clarify what he meant.
He was forced into a corner, so he said what he’d observed.
That every woman Dan brought back was blonde and gave off a bubble headed feeling.
“You’re always looking for Meg but can’t quite find her.” Was too far he was now aware.
Things had spiraled from there.
The yelling, Dan could be quite scary when he was angry, the accusations, always going back to the massacre, and then the shove.
Maybe he had stood his ground. Said it was a factual observation and all.
He knew he should relent. But if he did, when would Dan accept the reality of what he was doing?
He’d never be able to grow.
He wasn’t quite sure what Dan growing could look like but he knew it couldn’t involve looking for a new Meg.
The shove happened so fast though.
He was ready for it. He could be ready for the other times he was manhandled. The violent shakes and all. This was so much more though.
In the fog of wondering what he could have done differently he remembered what Dan had said.
His eyes widened with realization as his body jolted forward slamming into the door as he fumbled with the knob.
The car was still in the driveway. Which meant he was walking.
He was, obviously , not a religious man but in that moment West could swear that he was praying that Dan hadn’t gotten too far.
Gravel crunched under his feet as he gasped for breath desperately while running.
He could see Dan sitting on the side of the road though.
Slouching down next to one of the graves he began to slow down and make his way towards him.
The closer he got the more obvious it became he didn’t know what he was going to do.
Standing in front of Dan for far too long he relented and sat down next to him.
The wind roles through the night knocking around leaves as the men sit in silence.
An owl calls out into the knight making Herbert flinch from surprise.
Considering that he’d been wrong in following Dan Herbert began to rise when Dan said, “I didn’t get to say goodbye. She left me alone and didn’t let me say goodbye.”
Herbert stills knowing he can’t comfort Dan in this moment.
He’d never had a partner to love before. He’d never come close to what Dan and Meg had. Leaving him extremely inept in moments such as this.
He opened his mouth hopelessly trying to find the facsimile of what could be considered comfort.
“I hadn’t pet Rufus that day you know,” confusing Herbert further, “I may not have always liked him but he was my cat. I looked after and fed him— and I never said goodbye to him. When he came back— when they came back it wasn’t them. The bodies may have warmed but they were gone. Is that what this is Herbert? Just us bringing back the bodies without their soul?” Dan looked up at Herbert now, waiting to see what scientific mumbo jumbo he’d pull out of his ass.
“That’s not what we intend. We want to bring back their— their soul.” He cringed at the word but knew it’s what he’d had to say. “We merely can’t right now.”
“Then why did I think I could bring her back?”
“Because you're human Dan. You had the hope that this time it would turn out different with Meg, and that failed. She’s the closest we’ve ever come to a full revival…” He stopped himself while he was ahead. He watched Dan’s face begin to fall as Herbert got scientific with it, and knew he needed to real it in. “But, you’re human. It’s not foolish of you to try to bring your love back.”
Silence nessiles itself between them as Herbert watches Dan fall apart. Tears stream down his face and sobs escape his throat as he covers his face in a vain attempt to retain some of his dignity.
Herbert, trying his best, sits back next to Dan and wraps an arm around the bigger man’s shoulders.
Rocking Dan slightly, remembering back to something Doctor Grubber had once done for him, as he does the best he can.
“You’re— you’re not going to leave?” Herbert tentatively asked.
Dan’s cries pause as he looks Herbert over and begins to laugh.
Herbert blinks at him, confused. Only making Dan laugh harder.
“No, Herbert, not yet. I’d be lost without you now.”
“And I you, Daniel.”
“The great Herbert West would be lost without me? The man who acts like he’s better than the rest of humanity actually needs me?”
He didn’t mean for it to happen. With emotions running high though a tear slipped out of his eyes. Then another and another. Till Dan was watching, in shock, the water works working perfectly on Herbert.
“The fear I felt when you left— I’ve only felt it once before. Even death did not scare me as much as the thought of being without you, Daniel.”
It was Herbert's turn to laugh now as it dawned on him what he’d just said. “I didn’t mean it—“
“All we have is each other.” Dan said definitively “Even if we tried, no one will understand.”
“Yes, exactly.” He began to lean forward involuntarily. Dan followed suit.
Nothing more could be said as their lips locked.
It was a delicate soft whisper between two desperate people.
Such caring contact had been so needed yet neither had wanted to admit they wanted it from the other.
Pulling away from the other hurt more than both expected.
“That was— nice.” As the most Herbert could say as he was left a red mess.
“It was— nice.” Dan agreed as he began to grin from amusement.
And as the sun began to creep up in them they were left trying to muddle their way through these new feelings.
Because something new had begun.
Something they both were open to beginning.