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i.
the full moon hung high in the sky devoid of stars. its silver flow illuminated the canopy of trees and the body of water underneath it. lucien stood on the balcony outside his chambers that overlooked the lake in his backyard, where the moon mirrored itself on the tranquil water.
for centuries, lucien had walked the earth, haunted by a love lost to violence. plagued by immortality, it had cursed him with the burden of memories of soft laughter on moonlit nights and whispered promises beneath oak canopies. his love had died long ago, but his heart had never let go.
it was one of those nights when he stood outside his chambers lost in thought, reminiscing the moments he once held dear, which had now faded into the depths of his mind, nothing more but a mere memory he fought so hard not to forget. he closed his eyes momentarily as he remembered the last time he had seen his love—lying in his arms, stained red with his hand reaching up to cradle his cheek with all his strength one last time. the weight of that memory was too much to bear. unbeknownst to him, a drop of tear rolled down his cheek, just like that one fateful day. he quickly wiped the tear away before more could follow.
he missed him so much.
how dare they kill the love of his life? for the many years lucien lived, he was bound with so much resentment. but throughout the years, the vampire had found the heart to forgive, slowly letting go of the weight in his once heavy heart. his love would not have wanted him to harbor such strong feeling of hatred for so long. in the end, it would only swallow him further into the abyss.
lucien gazed up toward the moon and whispered something to himself before entering his chambers to escape the chilly night. he blew on the only candle lighting up his room before the space plunged into complete darkness.
ii.
sunlight filtered through the lush canopy above, casting a shadow on the forest floor. birds chirping and leaves rustling accompanied the serene stillness of the forest. lucien moved among the trees, the path he was so familiar with as he occasionally brushed aside the twigs that fell too low for his liking.
amidst the busy chirps and gentle leaves crunching beneath his heels, a gentle humming reached his ears. his lips curved into a smile as he slowly made his way toward the source. he knew that voice.
he followed the sound to a clearing tucked at the forest’s edge. a small garden lay there, hidden from the outside world. plant pots of various shapes and sizes were placed with careful precision, making the space look more put together. red blossoms painted the garden, a stark contrast to the green enveloping them. fruits and vegetables were also present, very neatly organized on one end of the space.
a lone figure moved, an elf draped in flowing white robes and white hair that flowed down to his waist. the elf was busy tending to the mass of red roses with such care and focus, that he did not notice the figure approaching behind him.
the vampire stealthily walked closer toward him before quickly wrapping his arms around the other’s waist, earning a startled yelp from him. he instantly recognized the culprit behind this, and his body relaxed in his grip.
“what brings a vampire here at this time of day?” the elf asked, his voice carrying a light tone.
lucien rested his chin on the elf’s shoulder. “can’t i surprise my favorite elf with a visit?”
“you’re lucky i instantly recognized you.” he huffed. “i was so close to turning you into a pile of compost.”
“i’d make excellent fertilizer.” lucien murmured into his hair. “aged to perfection.”
the elf rolled his eyes, but his body betrayed him as it leaned back into the embrace. “i hate you, you know that?”
“and yet, you grow roses for me.” the vampire said, hinting about the abundance of red roses he was tending to.
the elf did not answer. instead, he let the silence settle, a comfortable one accompanied by the whispers of trees and birds humming.
“cass.” lucien softly called out to his lover.
“hm?”
“i love you.”
cassian let out a soft chuckle. “what’s gotten into you?”
“hey, it’s not like i have never said that to you before.” lucien huffed.
he only got a laugh in response, the elf’s hand found itself tangled in his silky black hair.
how he missed his touch.
in a world grounded in reality, a single tear rolled down the vampire’s cheek and onto the pillow beneath his head. lucien slowly opened his eyes, only to focus on the empty space beside him where the sheets were neat and tidy. whereas the scent that was once stuck on it slowly fading away through time. his left hand curled tightly into the empty sheets beside him, the once warm sheets now left cold.
iii.
the ballroom glittered under thousands of crystal lights, casting reflections across the polished marble floors. an enormous chandelier hung in the center of the room and royalty from all around the world, mortals and immortals, clad in silk and lace floated across the floor. music floated in the air—elegant and gentle.
this was the first event the vampire had attended in decades.the grand ballroom was not unfamiliar to lucien, yet it felt distant. somewhere like the place he had been in another life. or perhaps with someone dear to him. holding hands and soft whispers among themselves.
he moved through the crowd among the many sauntering across the dance floor, the air thick with laughter and whispered chattering. the vampire glanced at the vast room and his eyes automatically latched onto those with pointy ears, but none were the ones he loved.
lucien had only attended the ball since his fellow human friend had begged him to. he was only going to be there for a while, showing up as a form of formality. he had downed his third flute of champagne and politely declined dances, the vampire was ready to leave, back to the darkness of his chambers.
he was about to turn away when a familiar scent made its way up his nose. soft, like freshly bloomed roses and spring leaves. his heart skipped a beat, his head turning toward the source so fast he almost lost balance of himself.
there, across the room, standing by a tall column, was a figure he thought he would never see again. those pointy ears, and pale skin. however, he now had shorter hair that was braided off to one side. lucien’s breath caught in his chest as recognition hit him like a wave.
lucien’s feet began to carry him toward the figure, his heart drumming loudly against his ears. is that really him? every step felt like eternity, all he wanted to do was to wrap his arms around the other and to never let go.
as he approached the other, he took a moment to gaze at the elf in front of him who looked exactly like his deceased lover.
“cass?”