Entity's Realm

Boon Totem: Love

"Check over there, dove, might be somethin' t'tell us what the bloody hell is going on 'round here."

David wasn't the nicest of men, Dillon came to learn. He always spat his words out like they actually meant something of importance but nonetheless, Dillon followed in order, exactly like a tame hound scared of his owner. There wasn't a better idea in that whole realm that would keep them safe, the other options were tedious and the threat that lingered over them was greater than walking two feet from each other to search within the grasses. The chill and blackness of the night kept him wanting to stay at David's side but, with a heavy sigh, he detached himself from the shorter man's hip and wandered through the woods aimlessly, hesitant and alert for anything that might charge at him. The Fog between the trees was thick enough to cut through with a blade but made it harder to see where each foot fell. Pros always had their cons... Dillon could hear the faint ticks and thumps of far generators that were previously fixed being looked at but considering the grasses grabbed at his feet like they wanted to drag him into the muddy dirt, it wasn't the main thing he was focused on.

Though, stopping, he sunk into the depths and something beyond that grabbed his attention.

It looked to be... Some sort of skull on legs. Dread fell upon him the longer he looked and he could feel his heartbeat kick it up a notch in his throat but something compelled him to approach it, and he did, ever so tentatively. It was lit up underneath, the candles smelling strongly and distinctly of the iron blood that ran through his veins, and the bones themselves looked cracked and old, like they'd been decaying there for a long while. It wasn't that they were old that scared him, but the fact that someone, or something, took the time to lit up the wicks, charring the underneath of the bones a coal black. He didn't want to touch it, let alone be near it, but his hands acted on their own, like something was using his body as a puppet, especially when he saw the piece of paper that hid behind the flames like it had a reason to hide. Picking it up, he stared, quiet in his thoughts, before a loud noise startled him, causing him to almost drop the one thing that kept him from running.

Snapping his head up, he looked around like a deer in headlights before he saw the heavy silhouette of David turn into the broken face he came to love the closer he got. He watched as David looked him over with a double glance before halting in the mud, his hands going to fix the trousers he wore and cleared his throat to avoid the silence between them.

"Whatcha' got there, love?"

Dillon shrugged carelessly at his questioning, and looked back down at the yellowed paper, one that felt like leather and smelled like dust, and had sloppy writing all over it. "Note." He simply said, before he glanced back up at David, who'd grown closer in those few short seconds.

"Come on then, let's 'ave it. Anything good?" David prodded, reaching Dillon's side and placing a hand upon his shoulder to get a better view of what he'd been holding. Dillon gingerly looked at those bloodied and scarred fingers, longing in a world where their only chance at survival was to either be alone or suffer together, and huffed out a breath. There was something David didn't know, something embarrassing but nonetheless important to him, and he lifted his hand to meet David's, slipping the note beneath the warmth of his hold.

"Can't read. You'll have to for me-." A sharp laugh cut him off mid sentence and he looked up at David with the slightest hint of anger. Though the snort that came from David's mouth could always put a smile on his face, this was something that dug a little deep and hit him in the heart, causing him to catch his stinging breath before his anger fronted heavily.

"You can't be serious, a grown man that can't read?! What, can you not write as well? Fuckin' fantastic, tell another one, dove-".

This time it was Dillon's turn to cut him off as his stood, the sound of twigs snapping underneath his sudden weight change as he grabbed the note from David's hand and ripped it in half, throwing it to the barrel fire that raged besides them, the crackling of the flames growing as the paper burned inside.

"Pa' never taught me nothin' further than talkin', and he wishes he didn't now. Nothin' but a failure to both of you, aren't I?" He retorted, his anger flushing from his body in a cold wind that blew both of their hair between the eyes they held, before he turned his back to David and once again crouched on his haunches, his fingers gently touching the candle of the totem to burn it out as he ignored the result of his sudden outburst. He could feel the hesitant presence of David behind him before a footfall came forward and David was beside him, crouched down and their hands then entwined.

He was quiet for a moment, thinking of the next thing to say. Dillon wished it was the right thing but it seemed the words wouldn't come immediately. It was a few heartbeats more before David sucked in a breath and released the tension they both held before his gravelly accent graced his ears.

"Sorry, love, I didn't know..." He coddled, and Dillon stared directly at the warm hands that held his, conflicted if he wanted to keep them there or slash a hole through them to keep them from touching him. He didn't have time to make the decision before David let go of him and pressed a sloppy kiss to his cheek and stood on his own, glancing down at him with that crooked smile of his and a chuckle to himself.

"Get me out of here alive and maybe I'll just teach 'ya to read. Promise."