Remember me (Devan)

Devan didn't stir so much as his chest falling and rising deeply. Per usual he slept as hard as a rock, and far better than he had the first few days he'd had to deal with his injuries. He was almost entirely healed up after spending most his days in bed, or lazing around. There were still bruises left on his torso and parts of his legs, but they had very much diminished over the span of week. This allowed him better sleep, that was as well far less painful.

As Caelan got up, he heard nothing, nor did he feel him as he pressed his lips gently to his features. How shocked he would have been if he had been aware. However he was already in a dream that was slowly turning unpleasant. It wasn't often when Devan dreamed, and even less often when he actually remembered them after waking, but this felt real. He felt as though he were awake.

They were walking down the street towards that neighborhood. Devan locked his car and jogged until he caught up to Caelan. They were relaxed, calm. They were both smiling, ironically with weapons in their hands, but it was nothing out of the ordinary. They were used to hunting creatures in the night, at least most recently with their mentors urging them to take light missions on their own. They were getting to that age and Devan didn't mind it so much. Caelan didn't seem to be bothered by this either.

Though the sun set far quicker than normal. It was eerie, and haunting. The air was somewhat thick with fog that was accumulating quicker by the second. Though before it became too difficult to see, Devan spotted one of the vampires at the end of the road. His heart thudded, his movement instantly in gear as he ran forward -unintentionally disregarding Caelan. He had to catch that monster, before he harmed anyone. It was his job, his duty. The fog grew thicker, making it difficult to see, but Devan fired his guns in the direction of the Level E with half confidence. Though he hear nothing in response.

It became silent. A dead silence that crept under his skin and made him feel flush and light headed. Then he remembered Caelan. His eyes grew wide as Devan quickly turned around to see that his friend was no where in sight. "Caelan?!" He called out to him, stepping forward -heading back in hopes of finding him. "Caelan!" Dread and fear trickled into him. The notion that he was entirely alone in this dark night made him feel sick, trapped, and isolated.

"Cally!!" He shouted once more but his voice was only met with echoes. He set his pace to a run, until he felt his shoe snag into something that wouldn't allow him to move. He stumbled, dropping his weapons so he would stop himself from falling into the ground. His elbows met with the earth, the street turning into woods. He dug his nails into the dirt as he attempted to push himself up, but it was no use. When he glanced down at his shoe to see what was keeping him there roots from the earth slithered out from the ground and wrapped around his legs. It felt so familiar, the sight of it even was familiar and he felt terrified as if he were expected what would come next.

Devan muttered his friends name in his sleep, faint and airy but audible still, and while the latter of his dream played out he groaned, stifling the memory of pain he'd felt at that time. "Kuh..Nng" He groaned, his breath picking up suddenly as he swallowed hard.

Devan groaned in his sleep while his horrors came to life in his dream. The sound of Caelan screaming amongst the fog made him shudder, but no matter how much he struggled the roots from the tree beside him grew tighter and tighter as he tried. Caelan, what had happened to him? Where was he? Another vampire appeared, different from the other. Blonde and proper, he was wearing a suite and had a formal way about him as he walked slowly towards Devan. Though the human boy already had a sense of what was to come. He was going to die. This vampire was going to kill him.

Devan gasped in his sleep, before he truly began to shout. "Ah!..Aaagh!" He growled, his hands lifted in the blanket, trying to push himself up, and push that vile creature away from him. Though in his sleep he didn't realize at all that Caelan was the one trying to wake him up. He wasn't being attacked, but dreaming. However the reality within Devan's mental theater was too real. It felt real.

He was breathing heavily, feeling constricted. He was being suffocated, and even worse, that vampire wouldn't stop. As he got closer Devan could see fangs extend. Those sharp canines were horrifying. "No!" He cried out, regardless of the fact that there was no one in sight that would hear, or that could help him. He was going to die. That vampire was going to kill him.

Seconds before the vampire could sink his teeth into Devan's neck he opened his eyes and sat up, gasping for air and feeling unable to breath. Initially the figure in front of him scared him, as he wasn't sure who it was. Only until his fear stricken eyes met with Caelan's did he register that it was his friend, and instead of pushing him away he pulled him closer. His arms wrapped around the boy quickly, as Devan panted heavily and stifled a groan from the anxiety that he felt and the sheer panic he'd expressed. Caelan was alive...It was just a dream...

It was just a dream.

He was shaking. His hands were shaking even, as he hold onto Caelan tightly. He was talking, and he heard his friend speak but he couldn't, at least not right away. This person was tangible in front of him, for Devan could actually feel him. He was warm, comforting. Even the sound of his voice made Devan feel more at ease, but in truth he was simply relieved that Caelan was here and breathing.

When was the last time he'd had a dream, ever? Perhaps when he was five or six, where he'd had the habit of sleep walking for a short time. Though this felt so much different. He was glad he hadn't walked around in this. He could have killed someone. "Caelan...You were...and I was..." He couldn't even bring himself to say it, even if Caelan did want to know what the dream was about. Devan didn't want either of them to relive it.

He lowered his eyes to the bed just past Caelan's shoulder, before he buried his features against the nape of the boy's neck and shuddered an uneven sigh. He could feel the lump in his throat build, and his heart tighten in his chest. His breathing had stabilized for the most part, but he still felt so terrified. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry." Devan may not have had a real reason to apologize, but he felt that he had. He'd left him alone, told him not to follow closely. He could have protected him. If he failed like this again...

He felt as though he'd been goofing off too much. This latest slip up wasn't something to be joked about. They could have died. How on earth could he take the thought of losing his friend so lightly. Before it hadn't seemed as real, but after a vision like that. It had changed his perspective. Devan wouldn't ever do anything like that without Caelan close by again. Never again.

Devan accepted the hand running through his hair and down his back, though it confused him as all of his senses returned to the reality around him. Why was Caelan being so kind to him in this way? Perhaps Devan thought that his frustration and silence was making manipulating Caelan's feelings towards him, but that obviously couldn't be true. They'd been friends forever, and he beat himself up for thinking that his own friend wouldn't be worried about him at a time like this. Devan was acting strange after all, that was for certain.

As he felt Caelan lean on him, he knew what he was trying to do and he leaned back on the boy so he would be prevented from trying to make him lay back against the bed. "No. I can't!" He insisted, refusing to try and go back to sleep after what he'd just seen, though he was just being irrational. It had just been a dream, but Devan was not used to having them period. He didn't want it to happen again, and certainly not like the one he'd just had.

"I can't." He repeated, to himself this time as he closed his eyes and tightened his grip on his friend. When Caelan spoke against his apology, Devan considered that maybe he shouldn't have said those words as well. It didn't really make sense, when his friend put it the way he had, but in the moment it just felt right to say. Not only because Devan had a nightmare involving Caelan being harmed, but because it was his fault that they'd gotten in that mess with the noble. Though, he was far too embarrassed, anxious, and upset to bring that up to justify his apology.

"Are you fine?" It didn't seem like a general question in the moment, but as he'd said it he meant it to be. Devan wasn't sure if Cael really was alright or not. His moods were..unpredictable. Devan wondered if Caelan had nightmares too, and if he simply hid his own fears so well that even Devan couldn't see through him. In that case his apology truly was justified. Though it was selfish of him, he just wanted Caelan to say that he was okay even if he wasn't. He just wanted the both of them to be okay.

He said that he was okay, so Devan would accept his words as truth for now. At any rate the feeling of his friend close to him was comforting, and as time ticked on he didn't feel as horrified as he had a moment ago. Reluctantly his arms released Caelan from his hold, letting him go so he could get up if he wanted -though Devan secretly didn't want him to and would likely stop him if he tried.

"Did I wake you up?" He muttered, avoiding eye contact as he propped an arm behind himself and ran another hand through his hair. He felt awful. To have woken him up over something like this. He must have really freaked Caelan out. "I didn't mean...It won't happen again." Caelan needed his sleep, they both did, but Devan wasn't so comfortable trying again after a nightmare like that. He swallowed hard again, internally shaking off that wretched feeling in his chest that was causing his heart to twist and thud.

Devan lifted his eyes, turning his cheek to look at Caelan as he sat down on his bed. So he hadn't been asleep, that was good -or so he thought in the moment. However, he quickly began to wonder why? Wasn't it late? It was fairly dark within their own room, and even with the window slightly covered Devan knew that it must be sometime in the middle of the night.

He glanced over at the clock on his nightstand, the numbers a bright red as they reflected their light onto the counter surface. 2:21am. This only made him wonder more fervently why Caelan had been awake. What could he have been doing up this late. School work? Cael did have a tendency to be a workaholic at times but he was usually always on top of his school stuff.

Devan returned his eyes to his friend, expression softening until the mention of them watching a movie arose. He wouldn't have minded if neither of them had to get up, but he didn't want Caelan to go anywhere -even if it were just for a second. He raised his hand to Cae's wrist as the boy petted him, his eyes lowering unable to make contact with him as he was truly embarrassed. "...Don't leave." He muttered, somewhat gruffly, as he tried to play it off though it was all too obvious that he was being too clingy. He couldn't help himself, he needed Caelan.

If he could get Caelan to stay by doing what he said, than Devan would lay down just so he wouldn't go, and so he did. He let go of Caelan and scooted back down under the covers. He turned onto his side, back facing the rest of the room as he stared at the wall and the space between it -waiting for Caelan to meet him in the middle. A small sigh escaped him, somewhat sad and dismal. He hadn't meant to cause so much trouble, and make things difficult for the both of them, but something like this had never happened to him before. He wasn't sure what it meant or why it was happening, but he hoped this was some sort of freak occurrence.

"What were you doing up?"

Just as he'd suspected, homework. Devan wished he could be as good at school as Caelan was, or rather, he wished he was much more like Caelan in general. He was good at school, far more skilled at hunting. Nothing ever seemed to bother his friend, and even though the both of them were a bit shaken up over their last incident, Cael seemed to be handling it better than he was -obviously, while his nightmares were a clear sign that he wasn't okay as he claimed.

As Caelan rested across from him, Devan lifted his eyes to set on his blue hues. "You shouldn't overwork yourself ya know. You're supposed to be relaxing." Devan tried to always remind the boy whenever possible, but there was little he could do if Caelan woke up while he was asleep. Though he'd talked to the headmaster a few days ago, and had gotten him permission to stay in and rest -at least giving Cael a break from the usual prefect duties they shared, but here he was ignoring the warnings and doing school work instead.

Cae may have worried about Devan, but he was just as worried about him as well. When Caelan scooted closer to him Devan did the same, welcoming his friends comforting arms with surprising acceptance. He needed this, it made him feel less alone though he wouldn't admit such things aloud. It was amusing though, as he pressed his forehead to Caelan's, that he was reminded of their childhood and the many sleepovers they'd had between their homes. They'd almost always shared the same bed. It was more comfortable that way, and Caelan had to keep an eye on him too because of his sleepwalking.

Thinking of this brought a small smile to his features, an airy smirk escaping his lips as well. "It's like we're kids again." He said, closing his eyes and breathing in and out deeply. "We would always share a bed like this back then....I think it was cause you were scared of the dark, huh." Devan per usual couldn't resist his teasing. It made him feel less scared, to laugh and smile, and to even pick on Caelan a little. It brought him back to the real world rather than the one in his head.