The preview parts have ended. Now it is time for part 1. :D
Enjoy!~ ;)
[Content Warning: strong language, implied sexual content mention, possible religious mention]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Date: Late January. The same day as in the first preview, but several hours later. Location: Can’t be revealed.]
Ryen: *speaking to Twinkle* Hey.
Twinkle: *yawns* What?
Ryen: Did he leave that room yet?
Twinkle: Who?
Ryen: *crosses arms, sighs* J___. Who did you think I meant?
Twinkle: *isn’t focusing on Ryen* Oh. Right.
Ryen: *un-crosses arms* Are you okay?
Twinkle: Yeah. *yawns* I’m just tired.
Ryen: Dawn’s sleeping, right?
Twinkle: Yeah, that’s what she told me before she went to her room. *looks at Ryen* Look, Ryen, it’s getting late.
Ryen: It’s not even midnight. What’s the rush?
Twinkle: I’m tired, that’s all. It’s been a long day.
Ryen: Yeah, I guess you’re right.
Twinkle: Now could you stop standing in front of my door?
Ryen: *face reddens in embarrassment* Oh, uh, right. *steps out of the way* Good night, Twinkle.
Twinkle: *puts hand on the doorknob, turns around to look at Ryen* Yeah. Good night. *turns back around, opens door, walks in the bedroom, closes door*
[One hour later. Nearly 1 am.]
Ryen: *puts down a book he was reading on the coffee table, turns off lamp, stands up* Let’s see what you’re up to. *walks toward the room that J___ is in*
[A few minutes later. Ryen knocks three times at the door; no response. He shrugs and enters the room. J___ is standing beside a cot, staring down at it, his fingers twitching. He doesn’t acknowledge Ryen until he says his name. Then he turns around to look at the older man wearing glasses. Ryen pushes his glasses further up his nose; he is the first to break the silence.]
Ryen: I knocked at the door, and you didn’t answer. I thought that you went to bed.
J___: No, I’m still here. What do you want?
Ryen: Aren’t you tired? You’ve been here since the early evening.
J___: I’m waiting for him to wake up. What do you think I’m doing?
Ryen: *sighs* I’ve only seen you so intensely focused on anything that has to do with him. He must mean a lot to you, huh?
J___: We mean a lot to each other.
Ryen: I would assume so. You haven’t left his side since you walked in here.
J___: *stares back at the cot, at the comatose body lying on top of it* Like I said, I love him. I’ll be here for him when he’s ready to wake up and face the world again.
Ryen: *also looks at the body on the cot* There’s a good chance he isn’t the same as he used to be.
J___: We’re all changing. Everyone is continuously evolving.
Ryen: That’s not what I really meant—
J___: *breathes in, breathes out deeply* I know. I felt like you needed to hear that, anyway.
Ryen: You act like a different person when the subject is about him. Or when he’s simply in the room.
J___: I get you. I feel like he’s the only thing I can really focus on. He clears my head, which I bet is ironic. *laughs nervously*
Ryen: Well, you’re both chaotic individuals. You make life exciting for the rest of us, and for him as well.
J___: I know, right? I thrive off of chaos. *winks at Ryen*
Ryen: *clears throat* Yeah, sure.
J___: You know I’m right.
Ryen: *laughs*
J___: I miss his voice. I miss hearing it.
Ryen: *sighs* You made me realize how much I miss hearing his voice.
J___: *focuses back on the body on the cot, his eyes staring at the man’s throat, the curve that forms his Adam’s apple, his skin dry yet appearing slightly golden in the bright lighting* After everything he went through, how is he so beautiful? If he ever wakes up, he’ll be a completely different person, but... Damn. He’s beautiful.
Ryen: *coughs intentionally* Ahem.
J___: *blushes, faces Ryen* Shit. I forgot you came in here.
Ryen: *laughs*
J___: Don’t laugh, Ryen!
Ryen: *his laughing fades away the longer he speaks* It’s okay. We all know that you two are lovers.
J___: *stares at the body on the cot* You have no idea how much we love each other. His voice can give me shivers and make me melt at the same time. He can make me soft and hard all at once. I didn’t expect his body to turn into that. God, he’s so beautiful, and I wish I could just fucking—
Ryen: *finally cuts J___ off* I would’ve stopped you after hearing you say “hard” like that, but you speak too damn fast sometimes.
J___: *sighs nostalgically* I miss us being in bed together.
Ryen: *sighs* You know I’m still in here, right? And how, well, I’m his brother. I got the innuendo from you a few minutes ago. *places hand on J___’s shoulder*
J___: *is startled* What the hell, man? I was being mesmerized by staring at Fierdan’s comatose body, but you ruined the moment. Thanks a lot.
Ryen: *rolls eyes*
J___: *finally comprehends what Ryen said a few moments before* Oh, damn it! You’re his brother!
Ryen: Yep. *takes hand off J___’s shoulder* So maybe it isn’t the best idea to start talking in a sexual manner about Fierdan since he’s my brother.
J___: *looks disgusted at Ryen* Ugh. You’re a nasty one, Ryen.
Ryen: *raises eyebrow* Oh, I’m the nasty one? You’re basically thirsting over my unconscious little brother right in front of me!
J___: You two have got the superior genes, that’s for sure.
Ryen: *glares at J___* “Superior genes” my ass! Don’t say that about either of us again, or you will regret it. *hesitates before continuing* If Fierdan hears you say that about me or himself, he’ll hit you. And not in a kinky way.
J___: *pouts* Not kinky? That’s a shame.
Ryen: *frowns* I’m serious.
J___: Chill, dude. I meant it like... well, he’s hot. His body. Damn. I had to get body modifications for me to like who I saw in the mirror. I used to be an ugly fucker.
Ryen: Uh...
J___: Now I can look at myself, not thinking I’m an ugly freak. Maybe other people see me as hot.
Ryen: That’s no surprise. Like... *clears throat* You’re a handsome guy, J___.
J___: Uh, well, thanks.
Ryen: I’m not the one to go to if you want to talk romantically. I would advise against it.
J___: *laughs* You, romantic? I can’t imagine it.
Ryen: Good. Because I’m not into romance.
J___: Got it. *yawns*
Ryen: You’re tired.
J___: I guess so.
Ryen: Then take a break. It’s not like he’s going anywhere.
J___: *sighs* I guess you’re right.
Ryen: I’m going to bed. Good night. *leaves the room*
J___: *turns away from the door once Ryen shuts it behind him, faces Fierdan’s body again* I’ll do whatever it takes to bring you back to me. I’ll be here when you’re ready. *sighs* But I’m tired of standing on this hard floor. My feet are aching. You know I have to move around, right? I have to be free. *sighs again* And so do you. Go, be free. You can free yourself of these constraints, Fierdan. Even if you wake up different, I still love you. I’ll check on you again in the morning. *reaches out his arm, gently brushes Fierdan’s limp arm closest to him with his fingertips* I have to go now. Good night, my love. *pulls his own arm away from Fierdan’s, quickly stretches, and finally leaves the room at long last*
[A half hour before sunrise on the following morning. Everyone, including J___ and Ryen, is still asleep. The focus shifts back to the room with the body on the cot. The body jerks; the person sits up on the cot. Two hands go up to his face; he rubs his eyes and slowly blinks a few times. Then he studies his hands— the backs and fronts of them. The skin is so dry. The man yawns and gently rubs his throat afterwards. His throat is dry. Everything about the body is dry and cold. The fingers on one of his hands stops at his Adam’s apple. His other hand rests on his chest; it rises and falls with his breathing. Slow and steady. The fingers on his Adam’s apple lower to his collarbone. The fingers on the hand over his chest reach up, and he feels the heart beating in his chest. The body feels foreign to him, yet it also feels like his own. He can’t tell which one it is. Maybe it’s both. The man sighs and grips the sides of the cot— to the left and right of him— and his bare feet touch the cold, hard floor. The feeling is new. He sighs again and forces himself to walk to the door. He breathes a sigh of relief that he didn’t stumble and fall. He struggles a little with the cold doorknob, but he is able to twist it and open the door. He doesn’t know where to go next, so he stands in the dark hallway. He swallows and pays attention to the feeling in his throat as he does so. He decides to test his voice.]
Fierdan: I. Hi.
[A few minutes of him testing out sounds later...]
Fierdan: *thinks* I remember who I am. I know my name. It’s... it’s...
[His thoughts cut short. One of his hands touches his head; he twists a few strands of his hair around one of his fingers. He looks at it. His hair is a dark color. It looks black. He sighs and lets it go, watching the strands of hair fall in front of his face. Suddenly, the thoughts come back.]
Fierdan: *thinks* I remember who I am. I know my name. It’s Daniel.
[Daniel.]
Fierdan: *tries speaking out loud again* I... I am Daniel.
[The man eventually gets used to the body. When the sky lights up as the sun rises, he dusts his hands on the front of his thighs. He enters the closest room.]
Fierdan: *stares at his reflection in the bathroom mirror— his hair, his jawline, his eyes* My name is Daniel, and I have finally come out of the lions’ den. *he turns on the tap, cups one of his hands to collect some of the water, brings it to his lips and drinks the water from the palm of his hand* I tamed all the beasts. They have succumbed to my authority. *turns off the faucet* I have written my own Book of Daniel, but I am no prophet. I defy God.
[He takes a few steps back from the sink and grins. The irises of his eyes look very similar to rings of fire. Maybe they were all along.]
Fierdan: I rise above it all. *takes a deep breath* I heard you. I freed myself. We’ll meet again, my love.
[When he leaves the bathroom, the room is full of flames. The man’s face is determined, rings of fire trapped in his eyes.]
Fierdan: *walks away from the bathroom without looking back*
[The smoke detectors in the building go off. A thin trail of smoke and a few dying embers follow behind the man. Noises are heard upstairs by the bedrooms.]
Fierdan: Well, I guess it’s time to say hello. *grins* This will be fun.
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