The next morning, before they left, Hawk, Hero, Jordan, and Elaine all walked back up the first trail they had taken when they had arrived the other day, and gazed out over the hidden valley below. It had only been two days, and yet so much had happened. The relationships between all of them had changed forever, their bonds strengthened, and vows made.
“And to think,” Jordan said, “we just came to watch a total solar eclipse.” He brought Elaine’s hand to his lips and held her close to him.
Hawk and Hero stood closely side by side, their fingers interlaced. Everything had changed for them in just a few short days and they still couldn’t take it all in. On top of everything that happened with Elaine and Jordan’s separate energies joining Hawk’s and bringing about a new evolution to his core, Hawk and Hero were married in the Veil, their souls no longer their own but shared in perfect union and tied to their cores. If only they knew what the runes on their marriage tattoos meant…
Life wouldn’t be the same for them once they returned to their normal lives. They may all go back to work, hang out with their separate friends, pay bills, visit family…but everything that surrounded them was different. Elaine and Jordan were more aware of a world beyond the one they could see, more aware of themselves and what was planned for them. While they may not know the specifics, none of them did, they knew they were all in it together.
Without a word, they turned and walked back down the trail to the campsite that had already been torn down and packed away. Once there, it was like a spell had been broken and they all began talking at once, making plans to meet at Hawk and Hero’s for dinner later that day. Elaine was excited to finally get to know Toji as he was, not just as a cat, and Jordan was looking forward to getting in the pool.
Since Hawk had successfully managed to keep the dinner from the night before down without any issues, confirming yet another new change he had acquired, he said he would try and make something, with Hero’s help of course.
With that, they got into their separate trucks and headed out of the woods and back to civilization.
Hero stared out the window, trying to ignore the bumps and dips he had to suffer before the road finally leveled out.
“This is what the Chevy Silverado was built for, my love,” Hawk said, proud of the truck he owned.
“That doesn’t make the road any less shitty,” Hero grumbled.
Hawk laughed as he maneuvered the large vehicle over and around, getting up onto the side of the hill at times, just to test out the suspension and for a little more fun. Hero had to admit to himself that it was exciting and he had to laugh as well.
They were still several miles from home, and on level road, when Hero voiced an idea he had been turning over for some time.
“I think we should go see my parents.”
Hawk didn’t respond for several beats, raising Hero’s anxiety levels slightly. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he finally asked.
“We’re going to have to eventually, especially since we’re married.”
“They’re not going to recognize a soul union the same way we do, babe. If anything, they may insist on an actual wedding later down the road. And that’s if they like me.”
Hero glanced at him. “You know damn well they already do. You’ve talked to them enough with me over the phone. And I’ve sent them pics so you can’t say they don’t know what you look like.”
“That’s a pic, not real life.” Another long pause. “What about Persephone?”
“What about her?”
“You realize she’s going to insist on being there and do whatever she can to make things uncomfortable for everyone. She may even try to turn your parents against me.”
“She’s tried many things to get them to see things her way on a lot of different issues, and she’s failed in nearly all of them. If Mom and Dad can see and believe that I’m happy and that you’re good for me, Persephone has already lost.”
Another idea struck Hawk and Hero sat up straighter as he caught it.
“You may actually have a point,” he said.
“Can’t hurt to ask, right?”
Hero smiled. “I’ll call them when we get home and plan something out for the next month or so. Preferably before the concert since I’m sure they’d like to go to that. But again, that’s only if—”
Hawk’s warm laughter cut him off and he took Hero’s hand to his lips. “Stop worrying about it! I’m sure that whatever you submit will be amazing enough they’ll be stupid not to not choose it.”
Hero sighed. “Just remember what you’re in for,” he said.
“Days without seeing you, I know.” He smiled and glanced over at Hero. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry. I have plenty of coffee to keep me going.”
Hero rolled his eyes. “Coffee isn’t food, Hawk.”
“Firstly, irrelevant, as I do not need human food to survive. While my system is now able to withstand it, it is still unnecessary for me to consume it. Secondly, you’re wrong. It has been proven that coffee is, indeed, a food. More specifically a soup.”
“That’s ridiculous, there is no way those two things are linked. Soup is made from broth, vegetables, and meat.”
“Coffee comes from a bean, and beans can be made into soup.”
“You need more than that to make a soup, Hawk. Coffee is a beverage that is low in nutrients and is a stimulant. Soup is high in nutrients and is used to sustain the body.”
“Are you saying caffeine doesn’t sustain a body?”
“Not for long periods of time, no. It’s a temporary energy boost. Soup and other foods give the body longer lasting effects. Hence, coffee is not a food.”
“My dear, I have been around a lot longer than you, and I can say with absolute certainty that coffee absolutely is a food, especially if you prepare the beans in a certain way.”
“At that point, then you’re just talking about the bean and not the beverage that is made from it when it’s ground up and processed with water.”
“But you agree that you can eat coffee beans, right?”
Hero sighed. “Yes, you can eat coffee beans.”
Hawk grinned, his fangs gleaming. “Therefore…”
“The bean is a food. Coffee itself is a beverage.”
“If you can eat it, it’s a food in any form,” Hawk argued. “Like beef can be eaten as a steak or in a stew.”
Hero rolled his eyes. “You can eat my ass but it’s still not considered food.” Realizing what he had just said, he blushed furiously and covered his face, bringing his feet up to the seat and sinking down as low as he could possibly go, groaning with embarrassment as Hawk burst into uproarious laughter.
“It depends on the context, but you’re right, it’s not food.” He reached over and took Hero’s hand, gently turning Hero’s head with his finger as he did so. He pulled up to a stop light at that exact moment and leaned over to kiss him. “You really are adorable when you get flustered.”
“Shut up,” Hero mumbled, trying to hide a shy smile. He turned his gaze out the window but didn’t take his hand from Hawk’s. After the light had turned and Hawk started driving again, Hero said, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I know you’re hungry.”
Hawk was silent, not wanting to admit Hero was right. It was something they had both recognized even before the trip but neither wanted to fully address. Hero’s blood could only do so much to keep his hunger at bay, and the human food really didn’t do anything at all. As much as Hawk enjoyed it, he was still craving what he normally needed to keep himself fully in control.
“Do you really still need it, though?” Hero asked quietly. “I mean, with all the changes and so much of your demon energy being removed like it was, is that really still something you need to survive?”
Hawk gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. “Yes, Hero, I do.”
Hero’s chest tightened.
“My energy has shifted, my core has evolved, and my power is in control. But that’s got nothing to do with who I am physically. You keep forgetting, I’m not human. I look human, my soul might be human, too. But I’m a demon, and I eat like a demon. My body can’t process human food the way yours does. I’m glad I can eat it now, but it still doesn’t do anything for me. I need to hunt and eat people in order to survive, in order for me not to lose control of my physical form. Your blood has helped in the short term, but if I don’t eat soon, I’m going to go feral.”
He clenched his jaw as he turned on to the road that would lead up to their mountain home.
“I know you don’t like hearing that, I get it,” he continued after a minute, his tone gentle but still firm. He wasn’t about to sugarcoat the truth when he knew Hero could see into him to find it anyway. “It’s been almost five months since I’ve eaten, Hero. This is literally the longest I’ve ever gone without feeding…the only reason why I haven’t lost control of myself is because of you. That first night together, when we drank from each other, your blood stopped my cravings. If you hadn’t let me drink from you the other night, I really don’t know how much longer it would be until they began to take over.”
“Maybe it’s enough to keep you going for another few months and—”
“Hero.”
Hero gulped and looked away, not wanting to meet Hawk’s eyes. Hawk was right, he couldn’t live on Hero’s blood alone and Hero knew that. Even as much as they talked about it like it was the most natural thing in the world, the idea of Hawk actually eating another human being bothered him. Probably not as much as it should, but the idea of it was still…
“Horrifying,” Hawk said, feeling the waves of Hero’s thoughts wash through him. Hero looked down into his lap, his fingers fidgeting. “Why do you think I was so hesitant to reveal what I really am to you?” The sadness in his voice made Hero’s chest ache. Even after all this time, after all they had been through, the reality of the situation they were in was that Hero was in love with a creature of nightmares, while he was just a normal human who had been born in a different time, in a different world than Hawk.
Hero could go some time without food and the worst he’d risk would be starving to death. His diet was varied with meat, vegetables, dairy, and beverages made from beans. He could eat whatever he wanted and he would be fine.
Hawk had to eat people. Human flesh. If he didn’t do so soon, he would lose control of his form and, as he had put it, go feral; essentially he would revert back to a demon who was driven by his baser instincts and not logic and emotion like a human.
Hawk isn’t human…why do I keep forgetting that?
As they drove silently up the mountain road home, Hawk glanced over and saw a single tear roll slowly and silently down Hero’s cheek as he stared out his window. His heart caught in his throat and he had to swallow it back down before it broke, especially as he felt Hero’s shield go up between them.
Fuck…I hurt him again…
-*-
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