Just like in good times...

A mild, cool night breeze blew through the open windows and doors in the small deputy department. Most of the colleagues were on patrol or already home in dreamland.

Sera had excused herself; she had to step out for a moment. Trevelyan got up and stretched. It had been a long day, but soon his shift would end. He listened to the silence, how pleasant, how contemplative, how innocent the world could seem in such minutes.

He leaned against a free wall and pondered.

Suddenly Pavus came out of the coffee kitchen.

"There's the esteemed colleague. Taking a break. Aha, so so! You look tired, Trevelyan. I think your bed is calling. Listen."

With these words, the slightly younger man strutted down the path toward his colleague, stopped to the side of him, grinned, and propped himself up from the wall beside David with one hand. He stretched a bit and came closer, but kept a certain "respect distance".

They both looked at each other in silence. A sly smile played around both of their lips. They did not dare to say more. Sera was still here, after all, and someone could come in at any time, even if it was the middle of the night, or rather early morning.

"And you're doing well, Dorian? You're going to be okay?" A wink followed.

"You're asking me how I'm doing? Look at you! What do you think you're doing? Laying down here!" Dorian's words sounded almost harsh.

The undersheriff widened his eyes and joked, "I'm standing next to you, you goofball. Who's lying here?"

...

"Oh what are you doing? Just tell me, David!"

Pavus' voice was pure velvet again.

David tried to speak, but his voice failed him. His throat was so damn dry, he swallowed hard.

"Are you thirsty? I'll give you some."

Wasn't this Cassandra's voice?

A delicate hand, placed under David's head and gently lifted him, the other hand brought a drinking cup of water to his lips.

He drank. It did him good.

Suddenly he knew where he was.

"I have to go soon, just wanted to see how you were doing, David my dear." Hushed Dorian. He looked so terribly tired and unbearably sad, it almost broke David's heart.

His heart.

Suddenly the medical equipments beeped louder.

"Oh my God!" Cassandra exclaimed.

"Shh...it's okay, it's okay. This is normal. The devices are set up just fine. Everything's in the green." Dorian stroked David's cheek.

His hand was so soft and warm.

So familiar was the touch and yet so surreal.

"Don't go, Dori. Please, don't go." Pleaded the patient softly.

"I snuck in here. Once you're out of the ICU, I can stay longer."

Pavus stood up and kissed David on the forehead.

Then he left the room.

Cassandra sat down in the chair where Dorian had just been sitting and carefully put a hand on David's arm.

"You're, one, Dave! Ugh..."

"Cass, what's going on? Where's Chris?"

David was unable to think clearly. Everything was spinning in his head.

"Chris is outside with Uncle Eric. He's not allowed to be here. But we're all doing great. You need to get better fast, too. Promise me! David? Do you hear me?"

Cassandra seemed so sad and yet she didn't allow herself to cry.

"Why is Dorian here?"

Had he actually asked that question?

Everything seemed so surreal.

Cassandra remained silent.

"Cass, please."

"He came to check on you."

David didn't know where front and back were.

He had a thousand questions.

He finally wanted to know what was going on.

He wanted Dorian with him.

Then suddenly there was a very short knock and already doctors came into the room and asked the pretty lady to go outside.

"Mr. Trevelyan, how are you feeling? Better?"

David nodded.

"My name is doctor Halford. I'm in charge of cardiology here. From the looks of it, your heart is somewhat compromised. But I can report up front that it is basically perfectly healthy. Mr. Trevelyan, as soon as you feel better, I have some questions for you. Please, try to recover completely here. As soon as you come out of the ICU, your fiancé and your child can join you in the room. That's something to look forward to. Isn't it? But for now, you need to get some sleep and take it easy. See you soon, Mr. Trevelyan."

Apparently David was being administered something through the IV.

He could not keep his eyes open at all.

He fell into a dreamless sleep.

Changes have advantages AND disadvantages…

"Greetings and all my love, Dorian. See you then."

David ended the call and grinned over at Cassandra and Chris, who were also smiling.

It was a beautiful, mild Sunday morning and up here in the penthouse it was quiet and comfortable. 

"I hope you don't mind too much, but my cousin is visiting soon and may be staying a few days." Trevelyan opined, taking a sip of orange juice. 

"Always the man speaks in riddles, Chris. I'm telling you, he's a walking mystery... hahahaha" The pretty woman giggled and winked. 

"You do have some relatives around the globe, most of whom we only know by hearsay. Do we get to know the name too?" Cassandra asked, amused. 

David loved to see her laugh. His beloved friend was doing so much better, and the nightly sleeping problem with cuddly bear Chris had also been wonderfully solved, as no one was disturbed by their nightly arrangement in David's bedroom. 

Although he had told his therapist he wanted to ask Cassandra to marry him as soon as possible, David had not yet found the courage. But perhaps now was the time!

Eric Trevelyan was a quiet but active man. He had founded a small company. They helped people to help themselves. Eric was mostly on the road and you didn't really know where his actual residence was, because he was just often everywhere and nowhere. So he had announced on short notice that he would like to stop by while he was passing through. 

David was happy, he had not seen his cousin for ages. If he thought about it correctly... yes, the last time was at his mother's funeral....

His cousin was a little younger than himself, about Cassandra's age, so they would definitely get along great, they had met briefly back then, though the occasion wasn't the nicest. 

Cassandra smelled so good this morning. 

She was a beautiful and lovely person, she was smart, fair, romantic, well-read, a swell mom, a top cop... and of course a woman.

David wondered if he should just "give her a try"? Would she even want to sleep with him? If not, the second question would probably be answered as well... or maybe not... David would marry her anyway, even if he didn't get intimate with her. 

It was hard, so damn hard. They had been close friends for so many years, she had always accepted him for who he was: moody, gay, secretive, drunk... he always remained her buddy David. But still, they had never talked about sex. He'd never asked about Chris' father, and she'd never asked about all the guys he'd slept with. And Dorian? They talked about him often, but their secret love affair was never an issue. David never brought it up again and Cassandra didn't ask.

So, should he ask her to marry him first or to have sex with him? 

David chuckled out of embarrassment and shook his head. 

"A million dollars, which of course I don't have, for your thoughts, Trevelyan. Hehehe..." Grinned Pentaghast. 

David blushed, "Better not, pahaha!"

"Men! You can't with them and you can't without them! Haha...!" 

Cassandra was such a trooper. David loved her more than anything. But would that be enough? Would that be enough for her? Would that be enough for HIM? Sleeping next to her and Chris didn't bother him. But sometimes there was a feeling, a desire... he didn't want to think about it. 

And how might Cassandra feel about it?

"Cass, darling? What is your type of man, anyway? I know I asked you that question eons ago and we found out then, we have the same tastes...I know I know...but...preferences change sometimes. Life shapes you, doesn't it?" David burst out. He didn't know how he felt about bringing up such a topic at breakfast.

Cassandra looked openly into his purple-blue eyes and studied him for quite a while without answering. 

Uh-oh!

Chris squealed happily in his chair and ate his cereal. Cassandra was still gazing silently into Trevelyan's face. 

Suddenly she broke the silence, "Hmm... good question, indeed! Men. Me and men. Tall, short, blonde, brunette, stupid, smart, thin, fat..." Cassandra started to laugh. 

"I'm serious, Cass." David asked meekly. 

"I haven't been in love much in my life. But when I have been, it hasn't worked out every time. That's all I'll say about that."

Trevelyan nodded in agreement but remained silent. He understood that it was as difficult for her to talk about this subject as it was for him. 

So it would remain difficult to ask her to marry him....

▪︎▪︎▪︎

"Super cool to see you again Cassandra. David told me a lot of information about you. I guess I know more than you'd like, a bummer to have a cop for a buddy?! Hahaha, I'm just kidding." 

Eric had shown up after breakfast, or rather, it was just before noon. He had just come from Thailand and had umpteen bags with him, but everything was quickly stowed in the guest room.

David was cooking so he let Cass, Chris and Eric have fun together. With one ear he listened to the conversation.

"I know a few things about you too, don't forget I'm a deputy as well and of course I am a mom - Exhibit A is sitting over there in the corner, playing!" Triumphantly,  Cassandra looked proudly in her son's direction. 

"Kids are wonderful. I haven't managed to settle down enough to procreate. Women don't go for globetrotters. Maybe it's the Trevelyan gene though? Hahaha..." 

Eric laughed heartily, then glanced briefly over at his cousin at the stove.

"I see. And I guess it's true, you Trevelyan's are tough nuts. You're hard to get a hold of. Pretty but nimble as fish in water, but whoever catches you won't let you go again! Hihihihi!" Pentaghast's voice was like velvet, heavy and soft at the same time. 

Had David heard correctly? "...pretty" and "...won't let go"???

Oh well, Cassandra was surely in a good mood and just charming as ever!

"Oh thank you! Nobody has called me pretty for a long time. I can only return that compliment!" 

Eric was such a charmer!

David had to grin. He was so glad that Cassandra and Eric hit it off right away. It was so darn good to have people around. To see smiling, friendly faces. 

David couldn't help but think of Dorian and how they still kept in touch. Dorian had a few days off and had gone to a ski lodge with colleagues and as always, the first or last calls applied to him. David knew their friendship would last for the rest of their lives. What more does a person need?

Had David possibly finally come to terms with it, or was he about to accept that Dorian would never return? 

David had given Dorian a small package as a farewell present, with the request to open it only if he definitely wanted to come back. Dorian apparently had not opened it, or rather, had never felt the urge to return to him. Which answered quite a lot of questions and dashed hopes. It had been ages since they had seen each other, Dorian had been so busy with his PhD and this project. But he had done it, he had his title, a solid secure place where he could thrive and grow, he had decoded the human genome with his team, he had accomplished just about all of life's goals. What did he need now Texas and the old noses from his past? 

Dorian had told David there was a young doctor on the team, a real bright guy, charming and good-looking. Dorian didn't sound enamored, but intrigued when he spoke of this colleague. David always listened silently and revelling when Dorian told.

Suddenly David shook, somehow his chest tightened. 

Blood rushed to his head, rushing in his ears.

Wait a minute wait a minute!!!

What did he really want now?

David wanted to be happy in life, his best years were spent with.... 

David wanted to start a family and he had already proposed to one person, namely....

David wanted to live lustfully again and become sensual, he dreamed almost daily of...

Like a flash of lightning, it hissed behind his eyes.

He dropped the wooden spoon and then everything went black....

I was lucky enough to grab this absolutely wonderful fanart commission of my OTP, Carver Hawke and Merrill, from the amazingly talented and lovely @pookydraws​! ❤️  Pooky is so fast and friendly (seriously, all the hold-up was on my end and not hers LMAO) and well worth every single penny I spent and more! 

Just look at them! They’re so beautiful and I love them so much! 😍  Thank you so much Pooky, you were a delight to work with and I recommend everyone commission her! ❤️

(Posting the “no clothes at all” version under the cut) 

But I wanted to shoutout a beautiful artist tonight. I'm not a Cullenmancer, but if YOU are you should be following @pookydraws because her art is so calming and beautiful. The amount of love, devotion, and care she puts into her characters is beyond believe. Between her soft, sweet art and the piece I commissioned from her for me...

A very happy birthday to the amazing @pookydraws

You're one of the first few people I spoke to on tumblr and I consider myself very lucky to have you as a friend.

I hope you have a wonderful day. You deserve all the love and happiness in the world.