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Derek stared out to the once alien terrain he’d begun to so fondly call ‘home’. The golden light pulling away as the distant star fell to hide behind the horizon, he sighed contently at the cool breeze blowing into the room.
”It’s a lovely view, is it not?” The rustle of fabric entered the room. Derek gave a faint nod, though he did not turn. ”And to think you had such an aversion to it.” A clawed hand rested against his forearm, he leaned back against the cloaked figure, warmth irradiating from it. He set his hand over the black limb, rubbing his thumb against the back of His hand.
“That was a long time ago..” A long time, indeed. His memories of his first few months trapped within this domain had started to become nothing more than a blur, he wasn’t sure how many years it’d been by now, or if “time” was even a thing in this place, the only proof of time he had was himself. Each time he looked into the mirror he would find a few more gray hairs sprouting from the roots, or the creases on his face becoming more defined.
At first, getting older was something he couldn’t stop thinking about. It meant he was closer to death, something he craved so dearly. Derek wasn’t sure when that suddenly changed...
That’s a lie, he knew exactly when things changed. Derek lifted the hand to his lips, planting a chaste kiss against the sharp, inhuman knuckle.
“I think it’s time to check in for the night..” Derek groaned when he tried to get up, a dull ache in his body,
”So early?”
“Yes, I’m exhausted. Could I get a little help?” He grabbed onto the sleeved forearm held out to him, using it to stabilize himself and stand. He took a moment to stretch, chuckling at the faint creaking his bones gave.
”You should not exert yourself so much.” The King spoke slowly as they walked to their chambers, Derek watched the ornate golden pilasters come and go before reaching the tall doors.
“I haven’t been. Nothing I haven’t been doing for years now..” The room’s hearth was already ablaze, filling the room with a comforting glow. He fell onto the bed, melting into the plush sheets “I’m just getting too old, I guess..” the King quietly growled as he crawled into the bed next to Derek, the bed dipping under His weight. He didn’t need to sleep, at least not as much as Derek did, but He’d always lay with him. Derek rolled onto his side and looked into the dark shadow beneath the hood. “What?”
”I dislike how naturally you talk this way.”
“Well, it’s true, isn’t it?” Derek took the King’s hand again, after all this time the sheer difference between their hands still took him by surprise. His brown, calloused fingers completely encased by His smooth, void-like hand. “It’s better to accept it, y'know? It makes it easier when..” Derek knew the exact day of his death, they both did. It was something he’d begun to dread recently, no matter how far away it was.
”Nonsense.” The King pulled him closer, His grip tightening as though putting space between them would make the inevitable come faster. Derek couldn’t help the smile that crept onto his face as he buried his face into the golden robes, ”You’re a fool if you believe I won’t find a way to stop this…”
”You’ve hardly eaten.” Derek turned to the food before him, the plate was pushed closer to him. ”It's been weeks, what's the matter?”
“Guess I just haven't been hungry..”
”If it's some kind of sickness, or strange parasite I'll-”
“Stop..” He couldn't take it anymore, hearing Him try and rationalize and bury Himself deeper into this denial. “..You and I both know what this is..” He looked down to the edges of the mantle, how it pooled against the ground.
”Derek..” Those dark hands wrapped around Derek’s.
“Hastur. I’m dying..” He looked up at Him weakly.
”I can stop this, you know I can keep you alive. This.. acceptance to an end you have is asinine.”
“How long have we been..” Derek hesitated, struggling to find the right word, “..involved?”
”72 years.. By human standards..”
“A lifetime..” He gripped onto the King’s hands tighter, “I’ve almost never asked anything of you. And now I’m asking you.. I’m asking you to accept that my time’s coming, and I’m ready.. There’s nothing you’re going to do to change that..” Derek couldn’t explain the shift, there was no physical indication, no expression to change, or movement. The King stared at him as if a statue and spoke.
”What can I do?”
“I don’t need this grand thing..” He somberly shook his head, trying to fight the stray tears welling in his sunken eyes. “..I just want to spend the day.. with you..” And He did. He kept Derek by his side the whole day. It hurt seeing the man once so curious and strong willed so.. empty. He clung to those faint moments of lucidity as if they were His own lifeline. By the time dusk had fallen over the land, neither could barely hold themselves together.
”..Derek..” The King whispered to the man sprawled out atop Him, he stirred and looked out at the sunset. He shakily ran His clawed hand down Derek’s arm as he stared.
“..It’s still beautiful..” He spoke with a smile.
”In.. Indeed..” The King could barely compose Himself, it was unlike him to get.. emotional. Though many things had changed since he’d first met Derek. He knew this would happen, somewhere down the line. Such folly for Him to grow so attached, foolhardy to.. fall for a mere mortal. Though Derek was far from just a ‘mere mortal’.
“..Thank you..” Derek looked up at Him, “..I.. know how we were.. at first..”
“..But these years with you.. Have been some of the best..” He choked back a sob, tears starting to stain his cheeks. “..Despite everything I.. don’t think I have any regrets..”
”..Nor do I..” The King lifted the man closer, he practically melted into the warm embrace.
“..I love you.. So much..” Derek reached up and pulled the King into a kiss, after all this time he wasn’t sure if he could ever call them that. “I hope I find you in the next life..”
”..I will make sure of it, my love..”
The bar’s speakers crackled with old rock music, the system so old it made the music sound unsettlingly distorted. Hastur grimaced at the foul tasting wine sitting before Him on the counter. Behind Him somebody howled in laughter, clearly one too many drinks in. He shifted in his stool, looking back at the sudden commotion. The man continued to laugh, every few seconds his fiery red hair fell into his face and he’d quiet down to swat it away.
“It’s really not that funny..” The man next to him spoke, his face flushed in embarrassment while nursing a drink in hand. He shook the man next to him into silence. “..C’mon, Ryan..” He quieted down and suddenly made eye contact with Hastur from across the bar.
“Ooh.. Ooh, Danny..” The man, Ryan, nudged his boothmate, who turned to fully face Hastur. If this facade truly made Him human his heart would’ve skipped a beat at the sight, He was quick to turn back to the bartender. “..C’mon go..”
“No.. No I’m not going to..”
“Oh, don’t be a pussy! I believe in you, dude.” Hastur sipped the wine, his face scrunching at the taste yet again.
“Uh..” A familiar voice chimed up as a man took a seat next to Him. “..Is there.. Any way I can buy you a drink?” Hastur turned back, letting out a shuddering breath at the sight. It was him, there wasn’t any doubt in His mind. So much similar yet so different, untarnished.
Hastur was no fool, it wasn’t exactly a secret that their time together, happy or not, had ruined Derek. The man before him was taller, fuller. The long, unkempt hair Hastur had spent nights running His monstrous hands through was now pulled into neat dreads. The heavily scarred skin that He’d had committed to memory had washed clean, now replaced with healing acne scars of adolescence. Even with the physical changes, his eyes were the same, those beautiful dirt brown eyes that He’d longed to see full of life for so long. They still held that curiosity they had before.
“..A drink?” Hastur struggled to get the words out. “..I’d.. love nothing more..” He pushed the wine glass away from himself, turning to the man. “..Between you and me, this place’s choice in wine is.. sub-par..”
“Ha! Tell me about it..” Oh, that laugh.. He leaned against the bar and smiled. “..The good stuff’s the whiskey, though it packs a bit more of a punch.”
“Sounds ambrosial.” Derek smiled at him and got the bartender’s attention.
“Two old fashioneds. Rye, please.” He slid cash over the counter, turning back to Hastur. “So I uh.. Don’t think I’ve seen you around before, just passing through?”
“I’m here on behalf of.. Family.. A relative passed, and I’m here to pick up the pieces.“ His mind drifted back to the elderly woman found in her attic, no friends, family. It had been the perfect cover.
“Oh.. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Don’t. We weren’t very close..” The bartender placed two orange drinks between them, Hastur pulled one of the “I don’t believe I ever got your name..”
“Oh, I’m Daniel. Most people just call me Danny, though.”
“..Hastur.” Dere- Daniel’s paused for a moment at hearing the name.
“Well.. Hastur. It’s nice to meet you.” He lifted his drink between them, letting it hover as Hastur lifted his own, letting the two sides clink together.
“Likewise.”
He sipped slowly, his eyes continuously hovering on Daniel. It may be wishful thinking, His besotted brain trying to create details that weren’t truly there. But He swore He saw a flash of remembrance on his face at the utterance of His name. But all logic said that couldn’t be possible.
Then again.. When was anything about them ever logical?
Hastur wasn’t sure how much time had passed. It could’ve been seconds, it could’ve been eons, it didn’t matter. The haze He’d been in only faded when He watched Daniel check his phone “Oh, god we’ve to go.. My friend, Ryan..” They both turned to the empty booth behind them “..is gone..” the phone buzzed, a horrendously spelled text appearing on the screen. “..and home, watching cartoons.”
“It was nice to speak with you, Daniel.” The name felt foreign on Hastur’s tongue, yet saying it filled Him with that familiar lingering warmth. He pulled some money from His breast pocket, and passed the bills to him.“Please. Let me pay you for the drinks.”
“Oh I couldn’t..” The money got passed back over, Daniel turned to the door before turning back, red dusting his cheeks. “..Do you think I could uh.. see you again?” Hastur tilted his head slightly, trying to memorize the breathtaking view before him.
“..I’ll make sure of it..”