can you love me again? (an aslaz season 2 story)

chapter 1

so for every chapter i post, i plan on listing a song that reminds me of aslaz :) today's song choice is obviously john newman's "love me again." 

Alaz was dreaming of her again. At one point, when the dreams had first begun, they had felt so real that he would awaken from them with a start and her name on his lips, so sure that she had been there. He knew the truth by now, but he still welcomed the delusions.

That night, his dream had been particularly intoxicating. She was lying in bed beside him, still asleep. He turned over to slip his arms around her and draw her closer. He kissed the back of her neck, which caused her to stir and make a satisfied sound. She turned to him to kiss him lightly and he eagerly deepened the kiss. She broke away to smile at him and that was the moment he was shaken awake.

It took Alaz a moment to process what he was seeing. His vision was blurred and the pounding in his head was almost unbearable. He could just make out a dilapidated ceiling and his brother's face. There was also a terrible smell that made him gag.

"What you're smelling there is your own stink, brother," Yaman said. "I really thought I'd smelled the worst of the worst, but you managed to prove me wrong."

"I'm glad I can impress you still after all this time," Alaz said. "Now kindly piss off and leave me to my stink and my drink."

With that, he took a long swig from the liquor bottle already nuzzled in his arms. Yaman snatched it from his hands easily.

"I'm not doing this with you today. I promised our mother I'd get you home, cleaned up, and sitting upright by dinner. I won't let you make a liar out of me, Alaz."

Alaz turned over on the couch so he was facing away from Yaman. It was childish, he knew. "Tell our mother I've already got plans."

"With who? The bottle? Your own misery?"

"Both actually, and we don't have room for any more guests."

"That's enough."

Alaz felt himself being yanked from the couch by his collar and unceremoniously dumped on the floor. Yaman kept a grip on his shirt and got in his face.

"It's Mom's birthday today and she wants the whole family together. Now get your ass up, we're leaving."

Alaz laughed. He knew exactly what to say to get Yaman to leave him alone. "But the whole family won't be there, will they?"

Alaz watched Yaman's face contort with anger before quickly melting into dejection and pity.

"No, they won't. We'll have two empty seats at the table tonight."

Alaz let his forced smile fall. Yaman had matched him blow for blow.

"It's enough now. Please, brother, please just come with me. Don't make this a fight."

He let out a sigh. "Fine. I'll come. But I'm not staying for long."

Alaz made his way to the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. He looked at his reflection in the mirror—something he hadn't done in days—and was met with horrible sunken eyes, hollow cheeks, and an overgrown, unkempt beard. There was a knock on the door.

"And don't forget to shave. Mom wants photos."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Their mother had tripped over herself on her way to hug him. Her arms wrapped around Alaz easily after all the weight he had lost in the last year and a half. When she pulled back to look up at him, he could see the worry in her eyes, but she said nothing and cupped his face to kiss him on both cheeks instead.