Eyes of Scarlet (Dolan Twins)

VI

Their father is dead. Their mother is dead, and Ethan can only guess that Uncle Jack is too. Grayson killed them. Grayson has drained them of blood. There's only him and Grayson now.

Although it has always been just them, really.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Grayson says, and is reaching out to touch him. Ethan watches his hand, the crusted blood under the nail beds, the wet, warm blood in between the creases of the palm, fresh.

"How do I know that, Gray?" He says and a flash of hurt crosses Grayson's face.

"Because, I'm not," he replies, simply. I would never hurt you, E-Tee-Wee-Tee.

He steps back to Grayson's advancement, eyes locked on his. He feels his back hit the glass of the wide window outside of their bedroom door. It's cold and he thinks a little wet, as though some of the liquid has leaked out to come into the house.

Drip, drip, drip. The night rain hits against it and the silence of the house. There's his breathing now and the rain. Maybe this is peace, maybe this is freedom. He doesn't know. He can't tell anymore. Torn, he stares at him. He stares because he is picturing another world, a world in which they were lucky, a world in which they were born to a kind family, a world in which none of this happened, or had to happen.

That world doesn't exist, though. This is the real world.

"How did you get out?" He starts and Gray stops moving, his hand going down to his side again, but he doesn't say anything. He wants nothing more to pull Ethan towards him, but he knows that Ethan is scared of him now. Instead, he gives a small step to the left, watching his chest rise and fall, and it echoes in his mind. Thump, thump, thump.

Ethan doesn't register the tears that are trickling down his cheeks as they fall onto the hardwood floor, hitting his bare foot.

"He let me out," he finally says, and eyes Ethan's face for a reaction. Ethan takes a small step towards him.

This is Grayson. His eyes may be red, he may have fangs, and he may be undead, but he's still Grayson. This is his Grayson. Ethan is shaking, and Grayson eyes meet his as though every moment is lasting for an eternity.

He feels Uncle Jack grab at his neck harshly, yanking him. It hurts so bad that he has no choice but to let go of his twin. Their father is pulling at him, Gray's back at his chest, and their eyes meet. Grayson and Ethan look into each other's eyes, each caught in unadulterated despair, and it feels like a hundred years, even if it just a few seconds. Their father is dragging him down the steps and Grayson is kicking, and trying to get out of his grasp, but to no avail.

The same look is crossing his eyes, both of their eyes. Ethan takes another step, and Grayson doesn't hesitate to break the distance.

Ethan is wrapping his arms around his shoulders as Grayson wraps his cold arms around his midsection. Ethan is sobbing, and he can feel it break in his chest, and he gasps lightly, burying his face into his neck. All the emotions of the past month have come flooding back like a dam being broken.

Shit, he wants to be strong. He doesn't have to be, though. He knows he doesn't have to pretend now. The fear melts like an ice cream cone under the sun, leaving a kind of mix of sadness and realization.

Grayson's a vampire, but he's still Grayson.

"I missed you so much. You were there but, not there. Shit, Gray, I thought you were-" he can't finish because he's sobbing so hard. Grayson tightens his grip on him, rocking to the side slightly, and then back again. I thought you were dead. I thought I was going to be left alone. I couldn't have handled it. I would've killed myself, Gray.