Page 82 of Demons Treasure Warlocks

“They have, and it went okay? Darius hasn’t said so much to Trey. They can be in the same room together at least. Trey and I have bonded. He’s ‘forgiven’ me for nearly killing him. I’m not sure how to respond?” Bale groaned. He dropped his head back and dramatically shuddered. “Until Trey learns to be more circumspect around Dare, he’s only allowed supervised visits with Adam in tow.”

“I wish I’d seen Darius scold Trey.” Caspian sighed. “Other than that, it’s been good?”

“I think so. I worried that Darius would stop using magic, but he does it more unconsciously now, and it helps. He’s having fun sometimes.” Bale scratched the back of his head as he thought back. “He’s so beautiful when he’s relaxed.”

“I’m really glad for you. I worried, you know? I didn’t think Dare would recover from the battle and he’d carry this with him forever. Like you said, time.” Caspian smiled brightly at him. “And friends. He would never have gotten this far without my Eye.”

“Right. It’s all Isaac’s doing.” Bale rolled his eyes, but Caspian’s words had a ring of truth to them. Darius’s friends had rallied to him and made this battle a victory and Darius’s recovery so much better.

Summer

Darius sat on the deck with his sunglasses on and a fruity drink in hand. The party was a swinging success for everyone on the grass. He was glad to see his friends having a good time.

He had spent the spring and summer recovering from the stab wound and helping Bale find balance with one eye. If anyone could out-stubborn Darius, it was Bale. He had been determined to fly no matter what. And his first few flights ended in disaster as he adjusted to monocular vision. Hakko had become his flight instructor when Darius lost all patience with Bale.

Bale came bounding up to the deck with a plate full of snacks in hand. His scar looked dashing on his face as he smiled. He hadn’t minded the slice, as it was what had saved Darius from Hastur. At night in bed, Darius would trace the wound with a gentle finger and lament Bale’s loss. If he had been faster or been a little bit more on the ball, Bale would still have his eye.

“You going to join us?” Bale stole Darius’s drink and sipped it while he waited for an answer.

Darius glanced at the crowd and shuddered. Too many guests in one space. He imagined the questions and the stares if he decided to participate. “Not now. I’ll watch from here.”

“You can’t avoid them forever, you know. One day, you’re gonna get sick of my company and need to talk to strangers.” Bale leaned over and dotted a kiss on the tip of Darius’s nose. “Someone like Hawk.”

“He can go fuck a duck.” Darius’s animosity toward Hawk had just started to lessen since the winter. He was still salty that Hawk chose complacency. Darius didn’t want to understand Hawk’s reasoning, but he was starting to accept the broader picture. However, he still burned with emotions every time he spotted the antennae.

“Come on, Dare. Live a little, find a new friend. Caden’s been asking for you,” Bale wheedled as he held out a hand. “He needs some of your help. Or something. He seemed quite flustered.”

Darius searched his yard for his high school friend and found him deep in a conversation with Hakko. His attention drifted between Hakko and someone else that Darius didn’t recognize. “Not today, please?”

“No worries. Whenever you can.” Bale kissed him once more and smiled sweetly. “Love you.”

“I know.” Darius ducked his head, hiding his blushing cheeks. How did he manage to win the day and the guy? It seemed surreal and absolutely perfect.

A cacophony of angry mews distracted Darius from Bale’s invitation. Standing up, he went to the kitchen window and peered in. Master and Bossy were sitting on the windowsill, glaring at the ground.

Three kittens peered up at Darius, their fur fuzzy and their eyes big and wide. All three had two tails each and stripy fur of different colours. They had arrived two weeks ago and had been a big change to their household. Darius and Bale were in awe of them while Master and Bossy only tolerated them at times. Darius adored them and doted on them whenever he could. They, while noisy and needy, had been a part of his healing process. They chased after him and refused to leave him alone even when his thoughts grew dark and terrifying. They didn’t care. They wanted their human.

Surviving the aftermath of Hastur was a lot more of a challenge than most people suspected. Darius constantly looked up at rooftops, expecting to see the muddy yellow cape. It would take time for him to find peace in Granite. Hakko warned him about that, and Poe suggested ways to help soothe the urges.

Seeing Bale thriving was the best medicine. He didn’t have burdens placed on him anymore and it showed. He was lighter and more content. He whistled while he baked, and he smiled so much more frequently, which in turn soothed some of Darius’s worries about their future.

Darius sparked up a bit of lightning fire and sent it flying to the sky, creating a shimmery firework. It was the shape of a mushroom. Trey shot Darius a startled look that softened to joy.

Everything was going to be okay.

***

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