Nightshade

uriel - save someone else

Uriel eyed the blonde young man in front of him "so what even is your plan here? Dangle the 'opportunity for community' in front of me like a carrot and hope I take the bait?" Luka sighed and sat down. "My partner is a hunter, and he's made a lot of shitty choices, but I helped him realize that it isn't ever too late. I came here hoping to do the same for you." Uriel sighed as well and lit up a cigarette. "I'm beyond saving. I'm forty Luka." "I know. Well, I know that you think that. But it isn't too late Uriel. Eternity is a long time to spend alone. I'm gonna come across that problem eventually too. But I am not gonna lock myself away from everyone. And you shouldn't eith-" a voice spoke outside the tent, sounding worried "Luka? Are you in there?" Uriel laughed. "Yeah, he's in here. Who are you?" Luka looked like he'd heard a voice of a ghost as he got up "Kelli? Is that you?" The stranger sniffled "um... yeah... can I come in?" Luka looked at Uriel, and he shrugged, gesturing openly. Kelli came in, tripping a bit and cursing a little. His face was flushed, probably from drinking, if the smell was anything to go by. His face lit up as he saw Luka, his eyes quickly widening as he took in his wings and ears. "L-luka?" Luka seemed to realize he had forgotten to hide his... otherworldly features, and smiled lopsidedly "oh crap, um... yeah, I can explain ok?" Kelli nodded, sitting down without asking. "Just invite people in why don't ya" Uriel chuckled, just watching this apparent reunion. "Where... I don't know where to start. Where did you go?" Luka bit his lip "it's a long story. I... well, I was kidnapped, just after leaving the store from our meeting." Kelli paled "gods, was that my-" "no! I never once blamed you Kelli. And as I'm sure you saw tonight, I'm doing so much better than I have in ages" Kelli nodded "I've been trying to track you down ever since you ghosted me, but I didn't know where to start, not until I happened to stumble on your channel on YouTube... I wasn't sure if it was you, I had really given up hope. But only a month after that first post, you put out your first written work in a year, and I felt... certain. I waited, trying to find clues, but you were so careful to hide who and where you were, until this concert. I saw the post about it, and I got my mom to help me get here. I saw you on that stage, and it was bizarre... I knew it had to be you, and yet.. you were so different, radiant..." Luka blushed as Uriel listened, growing increasingly invested in this odd turn of events. Kelli trailed off and Luka spoke up "the person who took me first was named Shavronne. He's a good man, who's struggled with a lot. I was spending time in his mansion, talking with him when... well..." this part seemed much harder for Luka to talk about. "A... werehyena, named Nathan, he tore into the mansion and took me from there. He... hurt me. In a lot of ways. There was another guy there, and they got into a fight over me... things were... terrifying.. just when I was giving up hope, Shavronne and the coven came to rescue me. " Kelli looked a bit confused, trying to keep up with this insane turn of events. Uriel himself felt just as confused as Kelli looked, though he masked it as he lit up a joint. Luka realized he hadn't explained the coven, and he briefly ran over the friends he'd come to know, and how they'd helped him heal so greatly. He came to talk about how he'd slowly fallen for Shavronne, how he'd discovered his love of music. He finally came to a stop after another several minutes of explanation, and everyone sat silent in the tent a moment. "Okay... I get why you disappeared now, and to be honest, in my travels I've heard tales and even met a couple people who were... not human, like you. But how did you..." Luka bit his lip a bit. "Well, there's something that I haven't really told anyone outside those who care for me now. I was born to a faerie mother and a half fae father. They loved each other dearly, and well... my mom never got better after giving birth to me. She got sicker and sicker, and when I was 4, she died. My dad..." Luka scratched at his arm a bit. "Well... he changed. He... blamed me. Thought that I'd taken her from him. And he grew increasingly abusive as I grew up. At first it started just as words, but.... it turned worse. Physical... sexual. He made me take her place, said I owed it to him. One day, he tried to kill me, so I hit him with a bat and ran away. I found out later that he was arrested, reported by a good Samaritan who saw me escape." Luka took a moment to breath, a little shakily. Uriel looked in shock at the young man in front of him as he smoked. This was a guy who'd been through just as bad as he had, hell, worse. "I went into hiding and began putting my fear and hurt into writing. I was given Jeremy as a gift from my editor, and I rescued Henry on a rainy day where he had crawled out on the sidewalk. You pretty much know things from there. " They all sat in silence again, unsure of how to continue a conversation after hearing what they had. "I... that explains a lot, and I'm sorry to hear that Luka. I'm just glad I found you again..." Luka smiled a bit and hugged Kelli, who hugged back after a moment. Uriel accidentally coughed, cursing as a huge cloud of smoke came out. The other two laughed, and Kelli offered his hand "hey, sorry I didn't introduce myself sooner, I'm Kelli, a fellow writer and friend of luka's. Uriel chuckled and shook the offered hand "uriel. But everyone calls me urie. Luka?" Luka looked over to him "yeah?" "I... think I want to come with you. But I go on my own conditions, and I am absolutely not joining any cults." Luka laughed "no cults, deal!" Kelli smiled and took the joint as it was offered "I'm hoping I can tag along?" Luka nodded "of course!" They sat in the tent, and took time getting to know each other better, Luka sending a text to shavronne, a selfie with his two new friends.