#thread: matthew

They had spent the last week packing and moving things out in anticipation of today. He knew the whole process was going to be a lot to deal with emotionally, but it was the final part that was going to be the most difficult, so they had purposefully saved it for after Arjun had dulled out their emotions. It was an odd feeling, a true calm they had never experienced before. Even so, they were very conscious of what they should have been feeling, and was still thinking about it all the while.

They had made sure to finish fixing anything he had been working on and do a proper clean up and make things organized, wanting to show the utmost respect and appreciation. The Hereafter had been the home they'd always hoped for, once dreaming of being able to belong to a place like it. It had been a safe haven, an art studio, and a purpose. Now, there was a sour hint to it all, and a bittersweetness to leaving.

When they knocked on the office door, they held two sets of keys, a small keyring with his unit key, and a larger one, the set for the building manager. Once he was welcomed inside, both were set onto the desk. When Judas lifted their eyes to look at him, they were grateful for the numbing, aware of how sharp the pain in their chest would have been without it.

"You were right. It's time I leave."

Matthew sat across his partner at the dinner table, food he made with blood, sweat, and tears laid all across the wood. "How, exactly, did you think that having an affair would help our marriage?"

They thought over the message for a few minutes, hesitating to respond but eventually, they did.

~~~~~

Just like last year, Earth day was the day they had been looking forward to the most. He loved seeing the magical creatures, even if he didn't get to meet them. He'd made plans to meet in the picnic area with Naz, but Judas was making a point to try to see the creatures. A lot of things had changed in the last year and after living through several endless decades of monotony, they were enjoying it.

They were making their way over to the magical space when they saw a familiar face. He and Matthew hadn't really talked since the gallery's opening night, just short conversations about work and who to watch out for in the Hereafter. They knew why, they'd heard about the argument the demon had gotten into with the elder vampire outside the gallery. They didn't want to cause any more problems for him, keeping to himself instead. Now seemed like a safe time for a short chat, right?

Last year had been a hectic one, with the death of a prominent vampire. Judas had been working all of the last several years of events. The fact that they were able to enjoy the activities meant they were extra excited, taking in every area they could. It didn't feel right to be doing it by himself when he could be enjoying it with a friend. As they were making their way toward the mirror maze they saw a familiar demon.

They just kept running, sure that if he slowed down for even a second, whatever was chasing him would catch up and kill him if he did. Their legs ached but they kept going. Despite the voice being familiar, as well as his beautiful face, Matthew's sudden appearance startled him and they let out a yelp, falling to the ground with a thud.

As the event started to draw to a close, Judas began making rounds to see which VIP rooms were already empty and to find out if there were any that were disasters. Thankfully, they weren't completely bloody, something he considered a win. He knew all the names of people who had rented VIP rooms, but clearly didn't remember who had which one, finding himself surprised to come face to face with Matthew. The vampire had been quietly hoping the elder would come find them at some point in the night, but that was wishful thinking after the way they blew up at him.

"Matthew," he greeted with a nod of his head. His eyes flickered around the room, surprised to find it empty. "Are you alright? You're looking a bit pale. Here." He pulled a potion out of his pocket and held it out to him. It wasn't the first one he'd handed out tonight.

with: @matthew-alexander location: frozen lake

As soon as they're heard about ice hockey going on, he had been quick to sign up. There was always a part of him that had enjoyed sports, and it sounded more fun to be a part of than to watch. He felt like the goalie role suited him and they figured it would be fun even if their team lost.

What they also liked was that it drew a crowd, one that had the fallen deity who had been giving him the silent treatment. It was probably more for the fact that Judas couldn't talk to him while he was playing, but also the entertainment factor. The vampire couldn't help it, trying to catch Matthew's gaze when he could and shoot him a wink.

When the game was over, they did they best to get off the ice quickly so they could catch him before he scurried off. "I didn't take you for a hockey fan," they said, trying to be lighthearted.