Dark Blood

Chapter three: Mahogany

"What the heck, man?" Julian Albert, a young, tall, broad shouldered,  , dark haired man ---who looked to be in his mid twenties--- walked into the silent maroon coloured bedroom, his brown eyes blazed with annoyance and disappointment as he scanned the dark room. It was actually nothing far from what he was expecting, knowing the taste his friend had. 
The curtains were cream coloured, so where the bed sheets, which blended with the brown wooden floor, giving the room a cool but dull look. The room smelt like newly painted walls and faintly, of alcohol, causing him to cringe his nose - Then his blue eyes settled on the tall man, standing by the window, whose back was turned to him.

"I've been calling your phone, for hours Luca, and you ignored all of them. Not even calling back, I know this technology kind of seem weird but you need it to survive in this century, Luca."
While Julian actually seemed serious ---contrasting his words ---Luca paid him no attention. In fact, his mind was set in a totally far different place, a place that he himself didn't understand.
He stared at the picture in his hand ---at the emerald green eyes that smiled brightly at him, that seemed to stare directly at him and made his static heart, beat. He lifted the bottle of liquor to his lips, welcoming the light burn in his throat. Though, the alcohol really didn't do anything to him but it was nice to think that it could have just a small effect on him , it was nice to  think that he could  subject himself to alcohol and loose himself in it. It was nice to think that he won't be totally consumed by the pain. 
There were  times he wished he was human. When he could abandon himself to the burning pain of having your heart ripped out by the truths. When he could allow himself to be drained of any emotions until he falls on his knees and beg to be free. Because that's what he need, what he wants. That way, everything might seem real, that way he won't have a hard time believing the unbelievable.
But there were times, he was thankful that he wasn't human. He could pull and hold himself together ---something humans seemed to lack. He could actually accept but choose to ignore.
And there were times when he actually didn't know what to feel or how to feel. That day ---a day after his shocking encounter ---felt like one of days.

Julian stared at his friend when he saw he wasn't moving nor responding, not that it was anything new. But there was something that seemed off, he couldn't actually put his finger on it but he did notice the change in his physical features. His shoulders seemed tense and he looked down, really down. He knew how he was when Laura died, how it tore him apart. He had watched his friend grieve on his own, in the most painful way possible. 
He had watched him shut the world out and abandon himself to nothing that he almost felt his pain, which was close to impossible. And he had watched him fight when he asked him to leave Georgia because he didn't want to be far from the one he loved. Looking at Luca whose back was still turned to him ---made him remember those times. It made him to remember his pain and how it had worn him out, tearing him to pieces until he looked almost human.

Julian walked closer to him, making sure his footsteps are low and quiet against the ground and that's when he noticed the liquor on his hand and the picture which he held in a tight grip. He looked down, opening, his mouth to say something but his words got caught in his throat. That wasn't the first time he had caught him with something that belongs to Rachel or with a bottle of liquor but this wasn't right, he promised him. He had given him his words to move on so why was he doing this? to him ---Julian ---and himself?
Why had he let himself to be brought down by his emotions again?

Julian rubbed his temples like he was getting an headache and eyed at his friend, consciously " What are you doing, Luca?"
Luca's eyes were still fixed outside the window, a hundred thoughts running in his head. He glanced at Julian from the corner of his eyes, which was the only acknowledgement he gave him since he entered the room.
When he didn't say anything, he continued. "Luca, this won't work if you continue to --"