Page 13 of To Fall for a Dragon

Pausing at the entrance to his mausoleum, Poe ducked into the cold interior. Snow had crept in since he'd pried the door open. Shoving it closed as best he could, Poe sat close to his hiding spot and glared at the space. These letters weren’t worth the headache forming. He should never have come home.

He swore viciously and creaked into a standing position. Poe didn’t know what the fuck he was doing as he grabbed his book and his bundle of letters. Hell, he hadn’t even given them a second glance since he'd first hidden them. He tucked them under his shirt and left the decrepit space. Maybe he’d tell Hakko who was buried in here. Maybe Hakko would be able to give these bodies a voice.

Poe trudged up the hill until his ankles froze and glared at the backdoor to Hakko’s home, cursing himself every minute. Hakko was going to think he was nuts. This was the dumbest idea, but it was one where Poe had a chance at something better. A tiny flicker of hope burned in his heart. Maybe someone wanted him. Or maybe Poe was reading too much into Hakko’s courteous demeanor, and Hakko was laughing his ass off at Poe’s naivete.

Hakko opened the door and smiled widely at him. He was wearing a big cardigan and fuzzy pants. He should have looked out of place and old-fashioned, but to Poe, he was home and warmth. “Poe, you’re back!”

Poe gasped, stunned by the joy in Hakko's words. Befuddled, he shoved the small bundle in Hakko’s arms and moved to retreat into the cold, but Hakko’s swift reflexes stopped him.

“This is only to give you those and then…”

“You don’t have to do that, Poe. Just come in.” Hakko stepped aside, and Poe was blasted with heat as it poured out of the small exit. Swallowing his doubts, Poe went back inside the den and accepted defeat.

ChapterEight

Hakko followed Poe as he sat on the same stool as earlier. Poe had set his bundle of musty papers on the kitchen island before pushing them far from himself.

It was obvious from his posture this was very uncomfortable for him, so Hakko was going to do his best to not be overbearing. He loved that Poe had returned, and he was desperately curious to know why. He clenched his fists tight against the urge to open the papers to see what Poe brought.

“I may sound repetitive, but it’s the host in me. Hot drink again? You're shivering.” Hakko stood by the kitchen sink in an attempt to not pester Poe as he investigated.

He looked so pixieish in Hakko’s sweater and so frail. Despite getting two regular meals, his waifish appearance hadn’t disappeared, but the scowl on his face stopped Hakko from coddling him. Poe never spoke. He gave a halfhearted shrug before resting his elbows on the granite surface.

“The whole point of me coming back was for my letters and then I was going to leave forever. I had no plans of meeting with residents because there was no point. I didn't know anyone,” Poe said abruptly. Hakko busied himself with tea and cocked his ear, listening hard to Poe's every word. “This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. I liked my space. It suited me.”

“Life never works out the way you imagine it,” Hakko murmured. He sighed and shuffled closer to Poe. Hakko wished he could offer support. Gingerly, he took a chance and wrapped himself around Poe. Hakko held his breath waiting for Poe to break free and yell, but it never came. Instead, Poe sank into Hakko’s embrace in one slow motion. His head rested on Hakko’s chest, and he looped his hands around Hakko’s waist. Scaring off Poe was the last thing on his agenda. This moment was for Poe.

“I will do my best to give you anything that makes you feel safe. If you think a witch is what the museum needs, I’ll contact my source in the morning. You deserve to be happy, Poe.”

“If you believe that,” Poe said before glancing at the bundle on the counter and then at Hakko. “You’re not going to ask?”

“I didn’t wish to presume. I figured you’d tell me, and I can wait. I—”I’ll always wait for you. You’re it for me. You’re my other half, my shiniest shard. Everything I created was for you. Hakko didn’t say the words that lived in his heart.

“They’re the response to the letters that I wrote,” Poe said as he returned to his pacing. Hakko fussed with the tea and poured hot water into two mugs. Poe was in an explanatory mode. “And… some more words. I thought—I thought they might be good for your thing. And I don’t want them. My memories are okay.”

“Poe, don’t give me these because you believe it's what's best. Offer them to me if it’s something you truly desire. Your happiness and well-being are more than enough for me.” Hakko struggled with keeping his voice even and calm.

“You'd like them,” Poe said as he took the mug between his hands. He sniffed the hot tea and gazed at Hakko with an irritated scowl. “Seriously? When? How?”

“I'm not that oblivious, Poe,” Hakko stated. He wasn’t going to budge on feeding Poe. He would get all the blood into Poe for as long as they were together in the same room.

“I won’t be beholden to you. If you have this idea that me only taking your blood means that I can’t drink others, it doesn’t work like that,” Poe said. He left the kitchen and went to the smaller lounge off to the side. Hakko smiled, content that Poe was getting comfortable enough in Hakko’s space to lay claim.

“I’m okay with that,” Hakko responded. He sat on his recliner as Poe had taken up the whole couch. For a small man, he had the ability to spread himself out. “I know you plan on leaving this town in the dirt, but did you have any questions?”

Poe slid him a pensive look. “Never considered the idea of learning what happened to my family. Too dangerous to dwell on one’s future, right?”

“What about now? I can tell you about the Night of the Red Storm. You might like that. Or about how there are other cryptids living here in town. You don’t have to keep to yourself,” Hakko offered. He cringed as he spoke. Poe had made it clear that he wasn’t going to stay.

Poe shook his head. He was right. Hakko was doing too much too fast. “Honestly, Hakko, I’m done.”

Hakko nodded. Of course, he was tired. He was living a hand-to-mouth existence. Trying to survive in their world was impossible. “What do you want from me?”

Poe startled and gaped at Hakko. His gobsmacked expression made Hakko glad he asked the question. “Nothing. It's not necessary for you to continue to take care of me. I’m fine on my own. I’m good.”

Hakko nodded before coming over to where Poe was sitting. Every move he made was methodical and easily interpreted so Poe would know. He closed his eyes and kissed the top of Poe’s silky hair. “I’m going to my bed. I have an early day tomorrow, and I must rest.”

Poe shot a terror-filled glance Hakko’s way before leaping up. “I can leave. Shit, I hadn’t realized the time. Dammit. I?—”

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