Splatter

10. The Fighter 2540

"So just you and me, sitting in the dark." Dean rubbed his hands together.

Novak was leaning against the cave wall, playing with his blade. It was beautiful to see at close range, balanced and polished. It looked more stainless steel than silver, with a long thick handle, tapering where Novak's hand grasped it. Novak alternated between different holds as his eyes drooped meditatively, he was a little lost in his thoughts. Dean wondered if the metal would be warm to the touch.

After a long internal struggle, Dean gave in to his impulses.

"Can I hold it?" He asked softly, ducking his head in embarrassment.

Novak looked up with a start, the spinning blade stilling in his hand.

"Hold out your hand and do not be surprised."

Dean wondered why Novak would issue such a caution. He had picked up Balthazar's blade in the middle of a fight and not taken much notice. Though the way in which Novak toyed with the weapon intrigued Dean. He took hold of it carefully.

"Why would I ... oh it's warm," Dean gasped. The blade was almost hot to the touch, the heat pulsing beneath the surface, undulating from tip to pommel. "It feels like a heartbeat. How is that possible?"

"This is precious to me, Dean," Novak said in a low murmur. "I would not entrust it to anyone but you."

Dean ran his finger along the side of the pommel, his hand shaking a little as he gingerly kissed the tip of it with the pad of an index finger. The metal felt rounded and not at all sharp.

"It likes you," Novak commented at Dean's puzzled look. "But enough of that, I'm beginning to get jealous."

Dean watched the blade disappear up Novak's trench coat sleeve. There was no fire so Novak was still damp from the sea. Though it seemed illogical, Dean thought Novak looked cold, there was a pale lilac sheen to Novak's lips and his eyes were fever bright and sunken by the light of the luminescent lichen on the cave walls.

"What are we gonna do?" Dean asked again after a few moments of awkward silence.

"Do we have to DO something?" Novak raised an eloquent eyebrow as if daring Dean to say more.

"We could uh talk or something," Dean suggested. "Get to know each other a little more ... Jimmy."

Novak smirked at the use of the first name. "Please Dean, you can stick with Novak."

"Did you like the dried meat?" Dean cast around for a topic of conversation, it was difficult to talk to Novak in such close quarters when he was sitting so near and smelt so good. Like salt and vanilla mixed through with rain.

"Rabbit was it? The wild peppermint was a nice accompaniment."

"And how was the abalone?"

"Deliciously smoked, thank you Dean."

"Would you want to marry me?"

Novak laughed as Dean blurted out the words. "What, because you can make a decent meal out of meagre ingredients?"

"If you weren't chasing after some Mer royal, would you want to marry someone like me?"