Pretty Boy: The Lost Chapters

Brad's Survival Arc: Part 13

Soft jazz music played from a Bluetooth speaker sitting on top of a short wooden dresser. Beside it, several white tealights surrounded a ceramic wax warmer. An orange-colored cube was half melted and emitted a cozy scent of vanilla, pumpkin, and cinnamon. Its aroma muted that of fresh, somewhat muggy air coming in through a cracked window.

Moonlight bathed the room in a pale, whitish-blue tint. Said color gave a spotlight to the bed sitting directly beneath a pair of long windows.

A wooden frame had multiple scratch marks embedded into the headboard. A few pillows were toppled over, lying on a fluffy mattress in random spots. Silky bed linens were ruffled in multiple areas. A thin blanket partially pooled over the edge of the bed with a majority covering bare body parts from the waist down.

Paul slept on his stomach. Both arms kept warm beneath his pillow, adding extra height for his head to rest in a more comfortable spot. One leg was bent at the knee, and the other was straight. His torso barely moved in accordance with deep, steady breathing.

An eventful dream pulled a delicate sigh out of him. The noise was followed by a soft hum. 

A gentle, unconscious smile came to life when receiving a loving kiss on the forehead.

Marshall watched his husband's sleeping form with a frown. Red eyes were full of tears. Stubborn trembling from his chin shed further light on his growing emotional distress.

He'd do everything in his power to force it all down for now.

Moving back into his own space, the vampire turned his attention onto the dresser by the door. A short, handwritten note was left face up. His perfectly executed script was beautiful to look at. The message, however, would only bring about a sense of longing when it was finally read the following morning.

I love you, and I'm sorry.

Clenching his teeth, Marshall gave himself a moment to confess how much he was going to miss this: his home, his belongings, his friends, Paul.

But tonight's recent developments acted as a brutal reminder on why Marshall couldn't stay.

The Forever Bond. A connection forged in times of hardship to allow those involved a great chance to flourish. It was a promise of eternal companionship for the remainder of one's current life, along with every single one to follow. The pain of separation was something they'd never have to experience since, with this new bond, they would always find their way back to each other again. There would always be someone in the world, waiting, watching, and yearning with every fiber of their being.

And, honestly, Marshall felt he was undeserving of such a magical connection. He thought he was too broken—too damaged—to be the recipient of everlasting love in such a high degree. It wasn't just pessimism getting in his way either; Edward and Rosalie's parting words, coupled with Alice, Jasper, and Emmett's last decision to try and kill their brother simply because Edward wanted it, played a substantial part in Marshall's need to leave.

He needed time to figure himself out. To figure out how to put certain things behind him before truly pursuing a new life where everything was different yet still the same. To come to grips with being tethered to Paul, legitimately, forever—and how this new development in their relationship was something Marshall could be worthy of.

He just...couldn't find the answers he was looking for where he currently was.

So, while donning a full backpack and having both hands tremble against thick shoulder straps, Marshall gave his husband one last glance before quietly shutting the bedroom door.

He maneuvered around certain stairs to keep any from creaking beneath his socked feet. Upon getting to the first floor, he was quick in scooping up his house keys and wallet. An old picture of Marshall, Brad, and Paul at the Tacoma lake house was plucked off of its perch on their retro refrigerator. Smiling faces were burned into the vampire's memory. The keepsake was pocketed, feeling heavy and urging him to stay home where his loved ones remained.