#winkwrites

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The door falls shut behind the pair that just left the building. Exchanging a quiet glance with each other they make their way back to an antique looking van which is situated on the other side of the parking lot. The vehicle’s obvious age alone is enough to draw attention, but what makes it stand out even more is the fact that it’s covered in gruesome, macabre paintings depicting mostly teeth, claws, organs and torn skin. In fact, some passersby may even have considered it a relatively on-the-nose art piece belonging to the gallery which the couple just left. 

Wren, the blond shorter one of the pair, pulls out their set of keys and unlocks the vehicle manually, waiting for the familiar click of the little door guys jumping up. A happy sound. It means home, warmth and peace for the two of them. 

Both doors swing open and Wren climbs in to nestle down in their seat, yet their partner Reese - the taller one of the pair - hesitates, glancing at the gallery they left once more, then takes off the long coat he was wearing up until now. He takes a deep, contemplating breath before climbing in, situating first his previously hidden tail on the seat, then his long legs in the narrow space before pulling the door shut and dropping heavily against the backrest.

His gaze is fixated on the dashboard for a few moments, then moves to rest on Wren. A near unblinking, certainly unbroken stare. 

Wren already busies himself with picking out music to drive to, attaching his phone via cassette tape adapter to yet another antique part of the car. A tape player. Wren is tapping away on his phone’s screen and keeps swiping through songs. Unbothered for a while - that is until he feels the eyes gazing upon him, which compels them to do a double take towards their partner. For a moment they're unsure what to say or do. 

Wren and Reese have been dating for a while now and they've been traveling through the country, using their old, trusty van as both a method of transport and living space. They spend basically every day with each other, nearly 24/7. And yet this is a new expression on Reese’s face. One that Wren doesn't recognise.

It catches them a bit off guard as they shift in their seat, trying to play it off and stay cool by going back to scrolling and avoiding Reese's gaze. 

"What's up, babe?" 

Wren tries to sound unbothered.

Silence. 

Just the sound of Wren's nail tapping the screen in a hollow manner. 

They look up again. A bit more concerned. Reese is frowning. Not much, just a slight scowl. But it’s still a serious, deep expression which Wren again attempts to assign familiarity to, but fails to do so. 

Trying to lighten the mood they tilt their head just ever so slightly. Maybe playing coy would coax the words out if their partner? 

"Nothing." 

Reese finally breaks his silence and thus, brushes the tension off Wren's shoulders. 

"It's just-" There's a pause. And it stiffens the shoulders right back up. 

"You..." 

Wren's finger hovers over a song they could play just in time to feign overhearing what Reese would say next. The words seem to have a hard time leaving their boyfriend, so how good could they be to hear? 

Of course he would be upset. They had feared that the meeting they had just attended very much overstepped a hard boundary. And Reese's voice seems more nervous than usual. It's far from the normal soft, gentle, teasing or... Well, growling tones they've become so acquainted with. 

Though he doesn't sound angry. He just sounds... They wish they knew. This is a new Reese. And it makes them nervous. 

Their finger and the song are ready. They just gotta time it right. 

"You're amazing." 

... Wait.

 Wren furrows their brows at their phone, then looks up to meet Reese's eyes.

"... Huh?", is all they manage to squeeze out as a reply.

Reese looks just as surprised now.

"Do I … really have to explain that?”

Wren answers with a thoroughly befuddled stare at their partner. 

A voiceless chuckle escapes Reese before he continues.

"Well. Okay. Let's go through what just happened." 

He’s slouching deeper into his seat. His body turns towards Wren, his hands gesture along to his words as he speaks.

"So. You just dragged me to this gallery." 

"Mhm?"

"After suiting me up."

"Uh-huh?" 

"And making yourself look like some sort of... professional manager type."

"Yeah?"

"To pretend to be an 'expert of the arts'.”

"I am an expert of your art. In a way. I’ve been watching you draw and paint a lot after all. Plus, art appreciation is based on subjective tastes. And since everyone's a critic, I-

"All this after you called up someone you happened to know from this city, demanding in a favor to set up a meeting."

"Johnny is an old buddy of mine who moved here, and this time he couldn't wriggle out of paying me back, I kept promising him that the day would come when-"

"A meeting which led to the appointment we had today.”

A dramatic pause.

“With a gallerist." 

Reese takes a deep breath.

Wren suddenly is quiet. He slowly looks up, finally lowering the huge, rectangular shades he's been wearing since entering the gallery. Supposedly to make him look ‘professional and cold’. 

"Just to help me sell my art to a gallerist that appreciates my style. Which... Was a success by the way."

Reese looks at his partner with a sort of challenging disbelief. Like he wants to see them try to talk down their actions again when faced with the facts of today’s events.

"Well…”, Wren shifts in their seat, attempting to find a way to wiggle himself out of the chain of compliments. “Not quite a success yet, Reese. We didn't quite 'sell' any art yet, but they're going to display your pieces! Which helps get the eyes of potential buyers on your art. There's a difference.”

Reese arches a single brow.

"Is there?"

"Yes." 

Wren grimaces displeased. 

“One is a guarantee and I couldn't get you that guarantee. Only a vague promise, which is bullshit, to be honest.”

"Wren."

Reese sounds serious. Serious enough to draw Wren’s eyes upon their partner again. Reese sighs and then leans his shoulder deeper into the seat. Facing Wren fully, who subconsciously imitates the pose. Showing Reese he has their full attention as well.

Then Reese continues:

"I didn't want to do shit to get my art sold. Or even displayed. You know that I never really cared for that part, nor did I want to go out of my way to build any connections. It's because of your faith in me and the ties to people you happen to know that I just walked out of there being offered a deal. A deal to  potentially make money with my art, Wren."

Reese emphasizes the last sentence, stressing the meaningfulness of it.  

A pause lingers between the couple. 

Then Reese’s brows knit tighter. A growly huff escapes his throat as he turns towards the wind shield and continues:

"Besides, it’s not just that you got me that deal that makes you so amazing. It's because of you that I'm even here at all. Without you, I would still be stuck in that disgusting tiny basement.”

Reese growls at the mention of that room and the memories connected to it. A grimdark sound that makes the hairs on Wren’s arm stand.

"If you hadn’t been there, who knows what else she would’ve done to me? I don’t want to think about the stuff she had prepared ‘just in case’ I ‘went berserk’ or other bullshit like that. I probably would’ve just died someday. Not ever seeing anything else but this horrific little place that was assigned ‘safe’ for me to be around. 

To be quite honest, it’s not so out of the world to think that potentially one day she would’ve deemed me too big of a burden to deal with and–”

Wren reaches out to their boyfriend at that. Their palm gently touches the back of Reese’s hand, who first hesitates, his jaw tense and his eyes glaring at nothing in particular. 

But after a couple moments his face relaxes, his body loses its tension and he embraces the touch. Long fingers entangling with Wren’s, welcoming the warmth and softness of their palm.

His other hand reaches up and Reese wipes his face, resetting his thoughts. Resetting the mood. Calming down. 

“... fact is.”

Reese sighs, his body relaxing into the seat once more. His thumb gently brushes over the side of Wren’s hand, a repetitive and calming motion. 

“I have no idea what it is that compels you to do all these things for me. You knew me for a couple moments at most before you quite literally jumped in front of a gun for me. 

You broke me out of that basement and stuck out your neck to protect me. Based on what? A hunch you had about me?

Then you took me out and away from Scarlet Hollow on this road trip, spending time with me, letting me see the world? I would’ve never expected to see the sea, hear the waves! Or watch a meteor shower in the middle of the night!”

The previous bitterness in Reese’s voice gets replaced by excitement.

Wren appreciates watching their partner’s face slowly light up. They adore when he begins to ramble, and they’re happy to listen.

“I’ve seen so many places now. We’ve camped out in the middle of nature, stayed at really nice hotels and crappy ass motels. I’ve seen woods so different from those back in Scarlet Hollow, and never have I expected to ever see landscapes that have no mountains at all.

I’ve gotten to know sides of me that I had no idea existed before knowing you. Allowed myself to learn who I am and what things I can do with this weird body of mine.

It’s because you allow me to explore myself. You never demand anything from me, you’re not scared of me when I get emotional, you don’t hold your breath when I ramble and get riled up. It’s so liberating to just stretch out and be whatever I want to be, whenever.

I hunted, I fished, Stella taught me how to make soup from mushrooms and roots I can find in the forest. Oh, that one soup I made for you when you were really sick that one time? Do you remember that?”

Wren nods with the hint of a smile but doesn’t interrupt with an answer.

“I was so worried, it was the first time in my life I had to take care of someone else and wasn’t the one being fussed over. But it’s alright, I figured out a way to help you get better. And you said that it was really tasty, too!” 

The corners of Reese’s mouth twitch upwards.

“I even learned how to drive the van! And I took us to the place up on the cliff near that beach town, where we saw fireworks.”

“Oh yeah, we made out really hard after that. Isn’t that how we broke the wiggle-head zombie I had glued to the dashboard? I sorta miss him.”

“Wren. Don’t interrupt.”

“Hehe, sorry.”

“But now that you remind me, Rest in Pieces Zomb-Chomp.”

“Rest in Pieces indeed.That time he didn’t come back to life.”

The interior of the van turns silent again. This time it’s a more comfortable silence, the two of them lingering in the echo of more pleasant memories than before.

“My point is”, Reese eventually speaks up again, facing Wren with a gentle expression. “You have done so much for me. And I have no idea why. You had no reason to trust me. No reason to want me. I was but a nobody in a basement trapped in a tiny mining town. But ever since we left Scarlet Hollow and went on our trip out here… I feel like I’m starting to actually become somebody.

Despite whatever you saw back then in that clinic, you still chose me. You make me believe that whatever happens, you’ll always see me for me. That’s what I’m grateful for. 

You’re my pillar that I can always return to and lean on. And…"

Reese’s eyes meet Wren’s. And Wren recognizes this expression. It makes him melt already before their partner says the words.

“I love you, Wren.”

A moment passes.

“And I know these words can only sound hollow in comparison to your actions so far. But I promise to you that no matter what it is that you need, you can always come to me.

I want to be your pillar. Like you’ve been mine. And I can only aspire to be as much of a good influence in your life as you’ve been vice versa.”

Wren squeezes Reese’s hand with his in response. 

Then Wren reaches out and brushes his other hand’s palm against the side of their partner’s face, leading him down to their own so their lips could meet for a sweet kiss. It’s chaste and soft, and full of the sweet, gushy emotions they’re mutually feeling for each other. 

Once Wren pulls away they keep Reese close, affectionately combing some strands of the other’s brown hair out of his face and behind one of his pointy ears.

“I love you too, Reese. And aside from the fact that there is no ‘debt of actions’ between us, let me tell you that you obviously have no idea how much you’ve already done for me.”

The words take some time to settle between them as Reese slowly slides back to his seat and Wren shifts to finally place his phone away on the dashboard.

“But Wren”, Reese then begins after licking his bottom lip, a last taste of the sweet kiss just shared between them. “You surely agree that it’s crazy, right? How everything went down so far between us.”

“Oh, I am.If anyone is aware of how crazy all of this is, it’s me!” 

Wren laughs. 

“After all, I am dating a horror artist who can turn into a monster. Together we live in a van that my boyfriend painted with art that can come to life at his will. Sometimes he leaves to hunt in the woods, taking his Smears with him. And when he returns he always smells like moss and dry leaves and fresh air, and then the living art returns to the same spots right where it was before while we cuddle up inside the van and watch movies and listen to podcasts and music.

I’ve been living with this weird monster guy for months now, and all I ask of him is to thrive and be successful and do what makes him happy.

And it’s thanks to our magical friend that we now know how to make sure your art doesn’t just suddenly spring up to life. Which means finally you can make money with the thing you like doing the most, so… isn’t that awesome?”

“...”

“Don’t dare to make a joke now about ‘me’ being the thing you like doing the most, Reese.” 

Reese shrugs. “Don’t have to, you said it already.”

Wren pouts and huffs, while Reese looks at his partner with a rather smug expression. Then suddenly, they snort in unison, then chuckle and soon they are laughing. 

Still holding hands. 

Wren sighs, then slides his sunglasses back on.

“You’re a sappy mongrel, Reese Kelly.”

“And you’re a cold bastard, Wren Scarlet.”

“Good. Business as usual then. Now, should we head out of here? You mentioned you needed to pick up a couple new paints, right? I overheard you talking to the gallerist dude about painting something new.”

Reese nods. 

“Yeah. I’ll be busy making a few other pieces that suit the current theme displayed at the gallery. He said that it would draw more attention if I did something thematically fitting. But it’s still awesome that he’s going to display the pieces we brought. It’s crazy to think my art is going to be in a gallery now.”

“It’s what you deserve, babe. Your art is great.”

“Thank you, Wren.”

The two fasten their seatbelts, and now Reese is the person grabbing Wren’s phone to flip through songs to play. Wren turns the key in the ignition, listening to the familiar sputtering noises of the van coming to life.

“Got any ideas already? For the art I mean?” “Not really. But I’ll think about it once I’m done with you.”

Wren is in the middle of loosening the handbrake when he suddenly interrupts himself, then looks up at their boyfriend with a questioning blink.

“Uh… pardon me? I take it we’re not heading to the art store for some new paints then?”

“Oh no, we still can go and do that. But after that we go back to our place.”

‘Our Place.’ Not a house or a hotel. Just the spot they chose to park their van at for the time being. Far away from other people, outside the city. 

A song begins to play. 

Reese glances to Wren as the low bass and noisy guitars of their favorite HEALTH song begins to play. His expression is hungry. His teeth a little pointier than before, his jaw bigger. His eyes sharper.

Reese’s voice sounds deeper now as he speaks, and his breath is accompanied with the kind of growl that makes Wren’s skin crawl in all the good ways.

“I get that you don’t want to talk about ‘sappy shit’. It’s not your style. But don’t think you can escape my gratitude. I will show you how much I appreciate you the way you like it the most. And I won’t stop until I’m done with you. Got it?”

Wren is still frozen in their movements. Staring at their partner with big eyes and a flush on their cheeks. They sputter the same way the engine did before, then push the shades back up on their nose, sitting up stiffly. Trying to suppress the smile that wants to erupt on their face. 

They loosen the handbrake finally, push down the clutch and change into first gear. 

“I’d like to see you try.”

“Focus on the road first. Challenge me later.”

Wren fails at holding back the smile any longer and the van heads out of the parking lot.

“Oh, I will.”