Of Gods and Monsters

Bitter For Sweet

"In every parting there is an image of death."

- George Eliot

Elek felt the nervousness begin to bubble up in his stomach. He had found himself somehow being escorted out of the theater by Mia. He couldn't understand how he'd gotten so lucky, until he royally screwed it all to hell, with one small indiscretion.

Mia led Elek to the doors and paused, in his anxiety he opened his mouth to say an awkward goodbye, but was essentially silenced by Mia standing on the tips of her toes and kissing his face. He made a horribly embarrassing choking noise in the back of his throat once he realized what had transpired. He instinctively touched his cheek and jerked backwards.

Any physical contact was so new, so horribly foreign to Elek, even the most welcomed touch was shocking. He watched in thinly veiled horror as Mia's face contorted into confusion and hurt and then flushed over. Without so much as a goodbye, she pushed past him to retreat inside of the theater. Elek had stood there stunned and immobilized. He was unsure if he should follow and explain himself, but thought better of it. He felt like an idiot. She had kissed him and what did he do in all his brilliance? Fucking recoil from it.

He couldn't stand himself, sometimes. He decided that his best course of action was to brood on his own stupidity alone, in the confines of his private hotel room, presumably under the covers mentally kicking himself until he could properly apologize.

---

Ambrus found it hadn't been too hard to procure a place to stay. Although, it wasn't the nicest, by any stretch. He'd opted for proximity over comfort and luxury. He found a hotel close to the one he'd seen Elek disappear into with the vampire hunter. He shuddered at the mere thought of him. Confined to his hotel for the day he agonized over how Elek was fairing. He couldn't leave to check on him and it pained him to think about all the possibilities of how his current situation could sour, with him unable to lend a finger of help. It made his stomach and his fingers clench.

It was then that it was reconfirmed for Ambrus just how smitten he was with the boy. He had to fight himself not to leave despite the certain death that lay just beyond the tightly drawn curtains in his room. He would rather quite literally die before he'd let any physical pain befall his fledgling. But that was how it always had been. Even before he had taken Elek as his. He seethed behind the curtains until the day expired. He knew where Elek would go. He'd go back to that dreadful vampire hunter. That monster named Lukas. All because of that damned theater obsession he had. Twice now it had proven to nearly kill them both. He ran his hand down his face as he meditated on that thought until he caught Elek's form leaving his hotel.

He'd followed him silently, undetected, all the way to the theater. He knew he couldn't go inside. He'd have been noticed immediately. If not by Elek himself certainly by Lukas. He couldn't explain away tailing them twice in two days like he had before. And more importantly, he couldn't risk Elek being exposed. So, he waited like a fool, sitting in the bushes nearby. He felt ridiculous, but it couldn't be helped. What felt like hours (and indeed they could have been hours) passed by, he watched as the theater doors opened. He could make out with his keen vision Elek and a woman, awkwardly walking side by side, out of the theater together. He drew his eyebrows together in confusion. A girl? She hadn't been with them before.

He then watched in thinly veiled horror and jealousy as the girl stood on the tips of her toes and kissed Elek's cheek. Mouth agape, he watched as Elek became startled touching his face, and recoiling away from her advances. She must've been embarrassed as the next thing Ambrus knew, she'd ran off, back into the darkened theater. He watched as Elek kicked the ground and cursed, clearly embarrassed by his own knee-jerk reaction. A bad taste entered Ambrus's mouth as he watched the scene play out. It was obvious to him that they both fancied each other, and that made his blood boil while simultaneously making him a bit ill.

He turned away from the scene before him, feeling physically pained. Should he even be doing this? Was Elek even his business anymore? He'd effectively cut off any ties he had with him, so could he be mad that Elek had moved on so quickly? Could he blame him? He snarled in confusion and agitation. All Ambrus knew was that he was angry, and very, very hungry.

----

Mia felt like a complete fool and it irritated her. Why did she care that her first attempt at being friendly with Elek had backfired? She didn't actually like him. She just had to pretend, for the theater, for herself. Still, the look of pure shock and revulsion she'd gotten from Elek, made her heart pang painfully. She couldn't for the life of her figure out why. All she'd done is march straight to her study, plop down in the seat Elek had vacated not fifteen minutes prior, and cry silently. Her tears weren't just from hurt, but anger too. How dare he lead her on and then make her out to be a fool. It boiled her blood while simultaneously making her heart break.

She ceased her crying and shook her head rapidly, shaking herself of her sadness. This was merely a minor setback. If Elek didn't like her now, she'd make sure he would later. Besides, maybe he was just in shock at how forward she was. Or perhaps it was some misplaced sense of guilt, in regards to Lukas. Either way, she'd make sure he fell head over heels for her. She was sure of that. Not just because of Lukas anymore, either. This had become personal. No one had ever rejected her like that before. So she'd make him fall.

Even If it was the last thing she did.

On the other side of the door, Lukas stood with his ear pressed against it, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.