Darkness Falls

[Kinley Sima]

"Oh." Kinley looked down at the card before stuffing it back where he'd found it. "I didn't know."

There were like a thousand things that Kinley didn't know. He didn't know what fought Dragon or why. He didn't know why it left him like this or how he bled ink instead of blood. Was he special type of dragon? Who created him? Was he created... or born? How did somebody like Dragon come into existence? Those were questions he'd had since he met him (minus the blood and ink part) but now they were less concerning than: Is he going to survive? and How do I save him? Worse still, Kinley's chest felt stuffy with unexpressed emotion as he lowered his head.

I should have stayed with him. Why didn't I just...

Why did he have to be a boring, useless human with no skills to aid him whatsoever?! It made Kinley feel useless; normally in life, Kinley worked hard enough to keep any feeling like that at bay. He was good at the things he chose to do and it wasn't just talent. It was that stubborn streak, the same one that might have gotten both him and Dragon killed earlier.

But maybe it would keep Dragon alive now.

"A potion?" Kinley drew his brows together. His heart began to beat faster as he sat up a little straighter. His fingers drifted over Dragon's wrist, longing to take his hand. "I..." Was he up for it? How could he not be? "Yeah. But where?"

[Tim Zhong]

"There's a guy who brews potions that my mom knows. He might be able to help. It's just... he lives way out in the suburbs so..." Tim trailed off. The suburbs weren't within walking distance and that meant either taking the bus or taking a joyride in Tim's dad's car. He sighed. This Dragon guy was nothing but trouble! But Tim wasn't the type of guy who would leave somebody to DIE right there on his couch.

Briefly, he looked upstairs, just to make sure that Evie wasn't coming out of her room. To get her to stay there, where it was safe, Tim had to--ugh--promise to take her out to the movies. Well, at least it worked! (But he wasn't so happy about having to take her out...)

"Can I come?!" Kero piped up suddenly, leaping forward. "I wanna see the guy who makes potions!"

Tim turned and fixed him with a severe Look. Kero wasn't his little brother, but this wasn't the time to be gawking at witches while somebody was dying! "No. Stay here with Andy. C'mon Kin, we'll take my dad's car." And if they totaled it, well. Tim didn't want to live to be 80 anyway! He turned to grab the keys that hung up on the wall near the door.

"Andy, if anything happens, call me. I have my phone with me."

[Kinley Sima]

"Yeah... Okay. Got it. I'll call you if anything happens." Andy was back in that weird mode that he'd been in earlier, when Kinley first arrived. Only now instead of sitting on the couch, he was perched on the arm of it, looking down at Dragon with that weird expression. Maybe this was all too much for him, too. Kinley knew it was starting to implode his own mind. To think, not long ago, he didn't actually believe magic worked and that there were no such things as dragons. Now he had to wonder just what else was out there waiting to be discovered.

Not that he cared right now. Kinley was naturally curious but in this instance, he was too worried about the state of Dragon to think about much else. He fidgeted with his hands as he stood, staring down at Dragon. It seemed he'd stopped murmuring that stuff about danger, at least. But maybe the reason was bad. Maybe he lost his voice. Maybe he was... Kinley leaned forward to make sure that he was still breathing. His hand rested atop Dragon's chest. He still felt a beat there, even if he wasn't made of all the same parts.

"We'll save you," he whispered into his ear before giving his chest a little pat. He wanted to do something more--like kiss him--but the stuff was everywhere and he doubted that Dragon wanted that right now. Stepping back, he nodded at Tim.

"Okay, let's go."

[Tim Zhong]

"Hey! What's with you?!" Tim heard Kero pestering Andy as he and Kinley left. He looked back at Andy, wishing that he could do more to reassure his little brother than smile at him, but... dying Dragon and all. Still, Tim squeezed Andy's wrist gently before he took Kinley into the garage, where his dad's car was parked.

"Here's to hoping he doesn't find out I drove it tonight," Tim smiled nervously over at Kinley, after buckling up. He stuck the key into the ignition and turned it, then lifted the garage door and slowly backed out. Tim knew how to drive--he didn't know how to drive in dense fog. So he sorta inched down the street like an old lady out for a Sunday drive, head constantly on a swivel, left and right, to make sure he wasn't going to run anybody over.

"This guy we're seeing. He'll have the right stuff to help Dragon," Tim said reassuringly--he hoped--to Kinley as they made their way towards the suburbs. "And. You know, even if something happens... he'll come back. Cause that's what we are. Andy and me. We're... dragons that died, and came back! So." He wasn't sure if any of this was exactly reassuring, but it was better than nothing!

[Kinley Sima]

"I didn't even know you could drive," Kinley said nervously. He made sure he slid his seatbelt on, despite the fact that they were driving at a granny's pace. Personally, he wanted to go faster but he also understood exactly why Tim wasn't zooming along. The fog made it near impossible to see through and if they were careless, more people would end up hurt. Sliding his hands over his legs, he sat up and strained to see through the wall of grey fog.

Kinley only nodded at Tim's words. He knew they were for his benefit but they really just brought up more questions. As they took a turn--slowly--Kinley reached out and held onto the door. He stared through the window. This guy could help Dragon. That was good. But... Kinley bit his lower lip. He stared into the window, no longer at the fog outside but rather, at Tim in the reflection.

"You and Andy... you died?" He wondered if that had anything to do with Andy's weird mood.

[Tim Zhong]

"We died as dragons, in our past life."

Boy, he sounded like a crazy asshole right now, spewing shit about dragons and rebirth and dying. Tim wanted to facepalm, but his hands were curled too tightly and nervously around the wheel to do that. Where was that handy manual when he needed it? "How to explain to humans what celestials are without sounding like a crackpot." He'd have to write one, if they got out of this alive.

"The point is! Death isn't the last stop, you know? And if you and Dragon are meant to be together, then... he'll come back." Tim thought that fate had bound Kinley and Dragon together for a reason. Why was Kinley the one who found the card? Why did Dragon pop out of the card to get to Kinley? And why did Dragon show up now, when Kinley was in danger, to try and save him?

It had to be fate! It was meant to be!

[Kinley Sima]

They died as dragons? And came back? Kinley didn't know what to make of it. Sure, it sounded crazy. It sounded like something some junkie on the street might mutter to himself. But Kinley had known Andy how long? Like most of his life? He knew he was being sincere. Kinley lowered his gaze, fiddling with the door. Death might not be the last stop for dragons and if Dragon and Kinley were meant to be, then Dragon would come back but... but...

"Wouldn't he... have to be reborn? He'd be like... years and years younger than me."

Even as he said it, he was slightly grossed out. At the same time, he was troubled by what it meant for Tim. So he was reborn? Did that mean he was meant for somebody here now? Somebody a lot older than him? Or was he reborn for something else? Kinley could hardly wrap his head around it.

[Tim Zhong]

"I... dunno." Well, Tim wasn't an expert on rebirth! He only knew what his parents told him and so far, he hadn't asked too many questions. Being a teenager was rough enough, without being a reborn dragon on top of everything!

"Just. You know. If anything happens, you'll see him again!" He said it with finality, and because he had no more answers for Kinley beyond what he had been told. Again—where was that manual when he needed it?! Thankfully, they were close to the suburbs now, even with Tim's grandma-speed crawling through the streets. He pulled up in front of a neat house and cut the engine.

"When we get there, just let me do the talking, okay? And you... you just look really sad." Not that that would be hard... Tim reached across and patted Kinley on the side of the arm before sliding out of the car. He marched up to the door and knocked and after a few moments, a man came to the door that Tim didn't recognize. "Uh... hi," he said lamely, peering around the man. "Is... Is Ivy home?"

[Kinley Sima]

Being reborn meant starting all the way from the start, didn't it? When he thought about it that way, no matter how destined he and Dragon felt, it seemed weird to fall for somebody who was like just turning eighteen as Kinley was in his mid-thirties. Now that he thought of it, though, he had no idea how old Dragon even was. He could be a newborn for all he knew. Or he could be centuries old. Nah, not with the way he talked and misunderstood the world. Unless he spent those centuries away from this world. Kinley kept forgetting he came and went from another place.

"Deal."

Kinley didn't know what he'd say to some potion maker, anyway. Jamming his hands into his sweater pockets, Kinley followed Tim to a nice looking house and stood slightly off to the side. While they waited, he idly looked around at the garden planted outside. There was even a stray cat lying in a patch of flowers. The cat stared at them but didn't move. Kinley looked away.

The door opened to a tired looking man and Kinley assumed that was the person they'd come for but Tim asked for somebody else. Kinley scuffed his shoe on the ground as another man joined the first one and opened the door wider.

"I'm home." This man looked even more tired than the other one as he pushed his hair from his eyes. Maybe they woke them up.

[Tim Zhong]

Ivy looked like death warmed over, and so did the man with him. Tim stared at them both; he couldn't remember ever seeing Ivy look that pale. He looked half-dead, and Tim felt a little bad for waking him up in the middle of the night, until he remembered Dragon. Dragon had all but given his own life to save them; they couldn't just leave him there to die.

"Hi Ivy," Tim said quietly, shuffling his feet a little. "Um. We really need your help. We need a potion to heal this... dragon guy. He's hurt pretty bad."

The man with Ivy had a hand on Ivy's back the entire time that Tim spoke, his eyes on Tim and then flickering to Kinley. He didn't speak but he was watchful in a way that made Tim feel antsy, like he could see right through them and into their thoughts or something.

Vampire. Tim felt the overwhelming aura. He shifted to get slightly in front of Kinley, and the man smiled. 

"Do you want to come in? I can make some tea."

"I... we're in kind of a hurry. Dragon's in pretty bad shape."

[Jude Iverson]

Ivy expected them to come inside as well and stepped aside but apparently they were in a hurry. It was just as well, since Ivy was currently dealing with something troublesome. Deep down inside, the repercussions of his actions out there were starting to reverberate. He was nervous, afraid for his future. He looked from one boy to the next. They looked so healthy and whole. And he could feel it--the rhythm of their hearts. The rush of their blood. He could hear it, almost drowning out thought. He lowered his head and clasped his hands around the collar of his shirt before clearing his throat.

Actually, he was relieved they couldn't come inside. He was afraid of what might happen if they did. Never in his life had steadfast Ivy felt so... unstable.

"I'll get you that potion right now." He smiled reassuringly at the boys, glanced at Adrian. He won't do anything to them. Slowly, he stepped back and away from the door and padded over to the cupboards in the green room off the kitchen, where he kept his potions and ingredients. Luckily for the boys, Ivy kept many potions for emergencies just like this. That was how the boy knew about him, after all! Boy. He thought of the boys at the door and a pang throbbed in his chest.

Would he ever be able to go back to work again? There was no such thing as a night preschool teacher. Trying not to dwell on it, he trailed his fingers over the tops of the bottles in front of him, reading the carefully written labels until he found the right one. Plucking it off the shelf, he brought it out and cradled it. Would something like this work on a vampiric bite, he wondered. No time for that. Somebody else needed it at the moment and he had time to experiment later.

When he came back, the boys' faces were still etched in concern for their friend. With another attempt at a smile to soothe their frayed nerves, Ivy handed the bottle over to Tim.

"This should do the trick."

[Tim Zhong]

Tim felt his nervousness sharpen into jagged edges when Ivy left them alone with the man--the vampire. Were they dating? The vampire was standing awfully close to Ivy earlier. It was kind of funny because Tim also felt a little something off about Ivy, but he imagined that it was because he was overwhelmed by the vampire's aura. No way Ivy was a vampire--he was a witch, and witches were supposed to have charms to ward off creatures like that. Ivy was gentle, but he wasn't weak.

With everything going on, Tim didn't have the attention span to really think about what he was seeing at the moment. He was worried about Dragon. About his own brother acting like a zombie. About Kero's big blabbermouth, now that he knew that Tim's family were celestials. And lastly, about Kinley, and how he would process all of this craziness going on. Kinley seemed okay now, but Tim was willing to bet that once everything sank in, he was going to have some real problems.

Hopefully dealing with Dragon's death wouldn't be one of those problems.

He gratefully accepted the bottle that Ivy handed him. "Thank you! We'll let you know if it works out!" Tim smiled back--a little tightly--and grabbed Kinley's hand so that they could leave.

"Be careful driving," the man called out after them. When Tim looked back, he had his hand on Ivy's back again, and was speaking into his ear. He looked concerned. That sort of expression didn't seem like the kind of look an evil vampire might have; if anything it was kind of tender. Tim frowned. No way Ivy was a vampire.

[Kinley Sima]

Inside, Kinley could just see beyond the man in front of the door. He couldn't see where the one called Ivy went but he could see that the place was decorated by flourishing plant life. A pleasant smell wafted out, fresh and green and flowery. Earthy. Kinley had never seen so many plants in one place before. Not unless it was a botanical garden or something. Definitely not a residential place. It was hard to imagine that this guy was some kind of potion maker. Or was he? While Ivy went to presumably get the potion Tim asked for, the other guy guarded the door. He had soft features but there was something edgy about him.

When Ivy came back with the potion, Kinley gave it a critical stare. If he was imagining something boiling and disgusting, he would have been sorely disappointed. Like the plants, the liquid inside the transparent glass container looked pleasant. It was a calming light purple color and it looked like it probably tasted... delicate. Weird. Everything about the world as he knew it was turning out completely against what he'd imagined.

Kinley also thanked Ivy and left as Tim took his hand. He stared at the bottle in Tim's hand as they left, heedless of the fact that Tim looked back.

"Will it really work?" Kinley asked. Then, "How'd you know to come here?"

[Tim Zhong]

"I hope it'll work," Tim muttered as he finally stopped looking over his shoulder--only because he stumbled on an uneven bit of sidewalk. He looked at the glass bottle in his hand and turned it around and around, watching the liquid inside flow from side to side. It looked airy and fluid and had a pretty color.

"My parents know him. He makes potions for us sometimes, for the cafe." Tim paused. "Not to spike drinks or food! Just to help people relax when they come in." They weren't out to kill anybody!

He unlocked the car door after dropping Kinley's hand, and slipped the potion into his pocket. "Hey the fog's thinning!" It was dissipating rapidly now, to Tim's unending relief. That meant he could drive a little faster back to his house, and not be so afraid of killing a random pedestrian.

Sliding into the driver's seat, he started up the engine again and soon they were on their way back to his house. Tim didn't speak much; he was still focused on the road. The drive was shorter going back and when they got out of the car again, he handed the potion to Kinley. "Here. You should give it to him." Dragon trusted Kinley. Plus, it was only fitting for Kinley to save Dragon, after Dragon saved him.

[Kinley Sima]

Well all right then! They didn't poison people. That... that was good to know. Kinley half smiled, although his heart wasn't in it. As much as he wanted to joke and say something light-hearted, he was still worried about Dragon. They left him in quite the state back there. Black ink-blood covered most of his body. He seemed delirious, too, since he kept saying something about Kinley over and over again.

He tried not to jiggle his knee too much on the way back but the nervous energy was almost suffocating. This time, his hand remained on the door the entire trip. Every tree and sign they passed, he was counting the seconds. Kinley was out of the car almost the second it stopped. He was lucky he didn't end up getting a foot run over in the process.

"Oh."

He looked down at the potion as Tim handed it to him. Biting his lower lip, he looked back up at Tim, meeting his gaze for a moment. His hands curled around the bottle.

"Thanks, Tim." Abruptly, he hugged Tim. Relief warred with anxiety in those few seconds. This bottle could save Dragon. If he was still alive. Taking in a deep breath, he stepped back and thanked Tim again before half sprinting into the house to find Dragon.

"Is he all right?" he asked, the second he entered the living room.