OOC Note:
Trapped. Unable to escape. I don't know where I am. Everything's dark. I can't breathe.
Did I die again?
Why can't I escape this darkness? I have to run. But where? There's nowhere else to go. I have to go to him. He has to be here somewhere. I've been alone for too long now.
The darkness around the elf contorted, shadows twisting into trees as the ground below him became visible. He looked about the slowly forming woods that reminded him so much of the Blackened Woods he had been staying in recently. All around he could hear the gentle notes of a harp being strummed away with great skill. The song was one he knew all too well. It was the only one he knew how to play. It was the other's favorite, after all. But who was the other? He couldn't seem to remember no matter how hard he thought.
All that there was for him was to find the other. He looked around the woods, scanning the trees that surrounded him as he tried to pinpoint the source of the music. He pushed forward with no sense of direction, mindlessly making his way through the dark woods. "He has to be here," he thought as he picked up the pace, "I can feel him." He raced through the trees with grace, almost as if his feet didn't have to touch the ground. As the path bent onwards the trees grew more and more in number and density. He continued through the forest, eventually making his way into the light. He sound himself in an open field surrounded by the dark trees, above him a clear blue sky. The light of the sky seemed to only touch the high green grass of the fields. In the center of the field sat an elf with long black hair playing a large silver harp.
He approached the harpist curiously and carefully. He looked the other elf over silently, his form oddly familiar to him. The harpist's hands moved out of sync with the notes heard around him.
"Is that you?" he asked the harpist. He moved a hand to the other elf's shoulder slowly.
The harpist didn't respond. Once touched, the other elf froze. The air suddenly went cold as the skies turned dark. He looked up to the sky littered with stars, seemingly fixed by the shadows above him. The lights strewn above him seemed to distort the longer he stared at the moonless sky. He did all he could to tear his eyes from the sky only to look to the harpist once again. Though the harpist was gone. An all to familiar laughter broke the silence.
"Why can't you just stay with me?"
He stood in a fog. Staring into the grey cool air. The trees were but distorted shadows now. He walked through the grassy fields for what felt like an eternity. He held a hand forward and tried to conjure a simple flame to illuminate his path, though nothing came to him. He frowned as he failed to light his path, "Where did he go?"
Doran walked through the fields quietly, picking the various marigolds he came across. The two days of the Day of the Dead, and he spent the first scouring the fields for the golden flowers. "Why is Ralerian having me pick flowers for him? Today of all days? I've got more important things to try and do," he mumbled to himself as he carefully plucked another marigold from the grass. He raised the flower up to the cloudy sky, twirling it gently between his index finger and thumb. He watched the brightly colored petals with a faint frown, "This should be plenty... Right?"
In his arms he carried well over a dozen of the flowers. A whole day of gathering the spread out marigolds and he finally grew tired of it. He walked through the fields with a quiet hum as he made his way back to the house he had been staying in with Ralerian, Zalyen, and Therai. He kept his eyes down on the grass in case he happened across another marigold. In time the grass became the cobblestone path that winded up to the brick house. He looked up to the red haired elf that awaited him with a sigh. Once close enough, he offered the flowers out, "This good?" he asked as he looked up to the older elf. Ralerian used to terrify Doran beyond all reason, though lately he had began to see him more and more like a father.
Ralerian held up a hand, "They're not for me." For a very faint second, a grin spread across his face. Doran knit his brow together in confusion, "Then why'd you have me get these?" he lowered the flowers faintly. He blinked as Ralerian placed his hands on the younger elf's shoulders and turned him around, "They're for him."
Doran stared down the path, a familiar form making its way up the path. Long black hair. Pale skin. That faint smile. He knew him all too well. He brought a hand to his eyes and rubbed them before looking forward again. It wasn't an illusion or a dream. It was him. It was Larenir. The dark haired elf smiled, "Hello, beautiful."
"You're here."
"Mmhm."
The young elf ran toward the dark haired one, arms still full of flowers, "You!" Once close enough, he held the marigolds out to the other. Larenir gathers them in his arms, and they begin to glow a brighter orange, blossoming buds and flourishing blooms sparkling with otherworldly energies, "Me." Doran quickly moved his arms around the other elf, pulling him close and nestling his face into the dark haired elf's neck. He was solid, but cold. He was still dead, but not undead. Just a spirit that could manifest on this Day of the Dead. "I missed you so much," Doran said, his words muffled by Larenir's neck. The dark haired elf rested his chin on Doran's shoulder, "Really? You shouldn't. I'm with you all the time."
"But..."
Larenir let out a pained sigh, as if struggling with something internally.
Doran moved his face from Larenir's neck. His face was slightly red, obviously trying not to cry, "Why didn't you come back? Urameil and I did." "It's not always that simple," Larenir said as he let his eyes fall shut. Doran frowned faintly as he moved his hands to Larenir's face and squished his cheeks together, "Why not?"
"I didn't want to return to a world where I had failed you."
"You didn't fail me...I failed you! I wasn't strong enough!"
"Don't talk like that. It was
my duty to keep you safe."
Doran pulled Larenir back into his arms and pressed a kiss to the other's cheek, "It wasn't your fault. You didn't know... You weren't there. If I was stronger, I wouldn't have died and you and Urameil wouldn't've either." Larenir states rather plainly, "But.. you're strong now, aren't you." The younger elf looked down faintly, "I... I don't know, really."
Larenir snickered, "The Doran I knew before certainly didn't have the courage to show that much leg." The statement made Doran's face go red as he pulled himself away from the spirit, "Ah... You like it?" The dark haired elf looked the other over with a grin, "I love it." Doran gave one of his big, dorky grins as he was pulled into Larenir's arms. The grin was quickly covered with a kiss from Larenir, the feeling of urgency behind it. As soon as he could speak, all Doran could say was, "Don't leave."
Larenir slipped from Doran's grasp and reality all at once. "I could never." His voice whispered along the winds as the light fades along with him. Doran's arms slip, moving to hug himself as snow began to fall. He stood in silence as his gaze slowly moved down to the ground. At his feet sat a lone marigold on the slightly snow covered stones of the path, a faint glow emanating from the flower. He bent over, carefully pulling the flower from the ground between his thumb and index finger. He held it up to the sky again with a faint smile.
I've never been so happy to look at a marigold before. I've always been a fan of white lilies. Though this marigold makes me so very happy. It's almost like Larenir's right here with me when I have it. I think I'll wear it in my hair, that way no matter what, he'll be there. I bet that sounds silly, though. I guess I'll hold onto it as long as I can. Aydendril's set on looking for Keyus, though I know Keyus will only show up when he wants to. I'm happy Ayden's back and feeling better, though I know he's going to want to be with Keyus. Do I really want to get back in between them? I don't know.
Larenir always got so angry at me since I still had feelings for Keyus. I still have feelings for him too and I don't think they'll ever go away. Maybe I'm just too young for this. Every relationship I've had or thought I had has been ruined in one way or another. Keyus has Ayden, I pushed Aenin away, and Larenir--
I don't know what to do anymore. Life's changed way too much for me. I'm still trying to process it all.