.Acheron

After dinner, I'm helping Rei clean up, after much insisting on my end, when I hear Dre in my head. "Come to the garden please." That was going to take some getting used to. I start drying my hands, "If you'll excuse me Rei, I'll be back." Rei smiles at me, "Of course, my lady." I grimace, "You don't have to be so formal with me, think of me as a friend and not a guest." Rei's smile grew, "In that case then, Emmi. I can see why Adriel likes you. You are quite similar." I smile back, "Who knew, huh?" He returns to his task, humming to himself. I meet Dre by the pond. His pond was small, tying in with the rest of the garden, little balls of moss float around on its surface, I can see little fish zigzagging around their habitat, red rocks lining the outside, the soft hum of the filter felt soothing. Nothing in this place lacked beauty, everything was so meticulously decorated. "You rang sir?" He taps me on the head, "Ha-ha. You got dad jokes now?" We try not to laugh, but watching the other struggle to hold it in was too much. Feeling better after a good laugh, Dre speaks up, hand over his mouth. I guess he's nervous. "I wanted to ask you something, and it's understandable if you say no. No pressure or anything, you know, but, uh, would you like to stay here tonight? Just, it's already late and it's been a seriously long day and you're already here..." he trails off, tugging on a strand of his hair, not looking at me. He wants me to stay the night? Like a sleepover? "Alright!" I flash him a genuine smile, his face slightly scrunched up, "What?" He takes a deep breath, "I didn't think you'd agree." I smack his arm and start for the house, "It's only natural. Now I have get back to Rei."

After we take our showers, I sprawl across Dre's bed. He said he would take another bedroom tonight, I don't want to inconvenience him, but this bed is like sleeping on cotton from a teddy bear. I roll around, enjoying myself for awhile, before telling Dre goodnight. I close the door and turn the lights off. I lay there for must have been a decent two hours, tossing and turning, tiered, but unable to sleep. Frustrated, I get up and swing the door open. I nearly die of fear when I see Dre leaning against the wall, his arms folded over his chest, half shadowed by the dim hall lights. Holding my hand to my chest, I scold him, "Damnit Dre, some warning. Still getting used to it being Halloween twenty-four-seven now." He made a bemused face, "I couldn't sleep." Groaning I lean on the doorway. "I figured as much, that's why I'm here, to quell all your qualms." His face lights up as he pulls two spoons seemingly from thin air, "Ice cream?"

We sit in the garden eating our ice cream, Dre had gotten my favorite, cookie dough. Adriel was thoughtful and sweet. He was always doing something for me, even if I didn't ask. I think back to the time the element in my stove broke and he had personally cooked and brought me meals for the whole week, while we waited for the part to come in the mail. It was a kindness I wasn't used to. I was never treated poorly growing up, but no one had given me this much thought and attention since Mrs. Markey, the nice women who raised me after my parents died, died two years ago, It was refreshing to be thought of. Clearing this throat Dre spoke up, "Hey, Emmi, would you like to go my home?" I give him a puzzled look, "We are at your home." He let out a soft laugh, "No, my, our, real home. Where we come from." My eye grow wide, "Did you just ask if you could take me to hell? Because I'll go." He gave me a cautious look and sat his bowl down, "How are so calm about this? You were just freaking out on us not too long ago." I think before I answer, while I was still scared, things were starting to make some sort of sense. "I only have you now. I don't have friends, or family, you've seen how I live, a boring, quiet life, and I hate it! You're all that's in it, so I lose you, I really will have nothing left. There's no denying what I saw either, no matter how I try to rationalize it, so what choice do I have but to accept things." Yes, if I lose him, what's the point anymore? Dre just stares at me as if I had said something shocking, but quickly looks away before standing up, "Well then, lets not keep your adventure waiting! Get changed and ill meet you back here."

Meeting him back in garden, he explains, "Ok, ill explain so you don't freak out on me. Some of us can teleport, myself included, it kind of tingles, sort of like someone pulling you really fast, then its over. It's quick, easy, painless. One day, I'll teach you." Teleportation? I really am in a freaking movie. Nodding my head, Dre steps closer and grabs my hand, "Ready? Close your eyes." I look up at him, a gentle smile on his face, reassuring me. I close my eyes, "Let's go to hell." I hear a light whoosh, he was right about the tingles, it gave me goosebumps all over, Eyes shut tight, I suddenly feel an unfamiliar ground, He gives my hand a squeeze, and I open my eyes and my mouth hangs open at the magnificent sights before me. Dre had brought us to lush, blossoming forest, with a wide river running through it, it's trees so tall their tops seemed disappeared into the sky, I could hear birds singing, and the soft sounds of the river flowing. I was dazed by the stunning world around me.

"Where are we?" Picking blades of grass, I rub it between my hands, it was softer than human world grass. His world almost looked like the human world, but everything was saturated in vibrant colors and hues. Shades of color no human could possibly see. "We," he walked over a big rock by the river bed and jumped on it, looking at me, "are at my private oasis. This whole forest, the river, every inch of this place is mine. I found it during a hunting trip, and made it mine, I put up a veil to keep it hidden from others. It's where I would come when I wanted to be alone. Here, we're hidden from the world, No one can enter unless I allow it. Not even Rei. Now," He pushed off of the rock, landing in front of me effortlessly, "it's yours too. You can come here whenever you want. The veil will alert me of your presence, so if something were to ever happen, I will know exactly where you are here and come to your aid."

Whenever I want?! Again, he is too kind to me. "What can I even say about this place? It's amazing!" Finally leaving the spot I landed in, I run over to the river, you could see everything, fish, algae, even little pebbles, thanks to the crystal clear water, it was like looking into a fish tank. Unable to help myself, I start exploring everything, smelling flowers, picking up rocks, touching and looking at everything I possibly could, while Dre sat in the grass as he watched me enthusiastically run around like a child, his smile never waning. It feels like hours go by before I run out of stamina and collapse in the grass by Dre. "Hey, isn't hell, I don't know, supposed to be fire and endless torture?" Dre bellowed out a laugh, it's sweet sound ringing in my ears. "Hardly. It was at first, a place for all the shameless souls to spend eternity getting tortured. But thousands and thousands of years ago, the third king, King Namtar, made the choice against it," I listen intently to every word he spoke, wanting to hear more about his, our, home. "He spent his rein making the world like the human world, he took sympathy on them and despite their evil doings, decided they had suffered enough. We are at our essence, still evil, we can not escape that, I have yet to meet a demon who hasn't killed hundreds, after a few thousand years of that, eventually, most lost interest and stopped going to the human world."

"So they just stopped being evil because they were bored?" The surprise evident on my face, he scoffs, "It sounds completely asinine, I know." Sitting up I stretch my limbs, the sun starting to set, casting breath-taking shades of yellows and reds across the oasis. "Thank you for telling me about everything. I don't feel so lost now." So this is like an upside down earth? It does have a striking familiarity, but everything looks a hundred times more lush here. Dre puts his hand on mine, "Emmi, I will tell you anything you wish to know. This is your home too, and you have every right to know about every last inch of this place." He jumps to his feet and in one swift motion pulls his shirt off tossing it to the ground, I quickly look away, unsure of what's happening, when I hear a big splash and Dre laughing, "What in the world are you doing?" He splashes me with water, "Hey! Asshole!" I laugh, wiping the water from my face. It was almost majestic, the way he moved through the water, his long hair floating around him.

"Come in with me!" He called out me still splashing around. I hesitated at the edge of the riverbed, it was dark now, the moon rising in the sky. "Fine, but I'm leaving my clothes on!" He gives me a little smirk, "Fair enough." He swims over to me, "let me help!" Before I could protest, he jumps up, grabbing me by the waist, tossing me behind him into the cool water, like he was throwing a stick. Coming up for air, Dre is already in front of me, "DRE!" I punch his arm, scolding him, all the while he stands waist deep in the water laughing, "Look up." I do as he says, and am bewildered by the sight, "Wow! I've never seen stars like that before!" The night sky was alight with little, bright dots, streaks of purple and indigo stained the sky, almost like stained glass, the moon shedding its light across the forest, I gaze over at Dre, he was astoundingly gorgeous, the water running down his tan frame sent a hunger through me I had never felt. I wanted to touch him, wanted him to hold me. My happiness in this moment was overwhelming, I never wanted to leave this place. For the first time since I lost my parents, I felt at home. He made this happen, he enriched me in ways I couldn't fathom. I knew with everything I had that I was in love with Adriel. I had kept pushing it down and ignoring my feelings, not wanting to lose anyone else in my life. My body moving on its own, I close the distance between us, I place my hand on his chest, he tenses but quickly relaxes, the feeling of his cool skin sent another shock through me. "Emmi?" Dre reached up, snaking his right arm around my back holding me delicately, as if I'd flow away with the current of the river, his other hand tangles in my hair, "Adriel, I-" He cuts me off, taking me by surprise, pressing his full lips to mine, water dripping down our faces, his grip tightening. He pulls back, breathless, his green eyes almost looked teary as he held me. "Me too." Pulling him to me, I wrap my arms around his neck as I plant kisses all over his face, running my hands over his chest, giving him goosebumps.

I wanted all of him, he let out a soft groan as I kissed his neck, pulling away from me, I pout at him dejected, he cups my face in his hands, smiling at me, "If I let you continue, you really will drive me mad." He kissed my forehead, holding my head to his broad chest, "Believe me, I want nothing more right now than you, you have no idea how beautiful you are in this moment, so much so, that it's almost painful." Hot tears stung my eyes, I bury my face in his chest to keep him from seeing. I was filled so many emotions it made me exhausted. My heart felt like it could jump out of my chest. It was a comfortable silence as we stood holding each other, Dre broke the silence, "Should we head back? Rei's probably already up. It's still only midnight here." He bent down picking me up effortlessly, "Dre!" I protest, he just laughs, he was always laughing around me. He looks down at me with a kind expression, and before in an instant were back in the garden.

Rei appears by the back doors. "Should I even ask why you're both smiling AND wet?" Giving us a reproachful look, he shook his head, "I'll go get towels." We smile at each other, snickering at Rei's confused face, Dre sits me down on a lawn chair, wringing out his raven hair. Reality hit, snapping me out my post-makeout haze, realizing I had just went to another realm, Dre's confession, the sheer thrill of everything I've ever known turning out to be a complete farce, made my head spin. Finally fizzling out, we cleaned ourselves up, I needed sleep. Dre said he had some work to do and suggested I sleep. Seeing me to his room, he stopped in the doorway, tracing my cheek with his finger, before he places a soft kiss on my forehead, his face lit up with happiness. "Sleep well, my lady." I get snuggled under his scent covered blanket and stare at the ceiling. We really confessed. How did I not notice sooner? I just didn't want to accept it. Where do we go now? My head filled with thoughts of Dre, I'm quick to fall asleep. Ending a perfect day.