Another minute passes. Another raindrop falls on the window. Another cloudy rainy day. No sun. But none of this matters anymore. No letter. No Nero. No word. Nothing.

'Has he truly forgotten me?'

…

It's been three days since Lucian left Aaron, son of Trinity and current wielder of the Solar Gun, in a small town's inn. His last instructions were to wait for his return. After the latest vampire attack, he needed to dig up some information from a few "reliable" sources. It would be a risk to bring a fresh human in, so it was best to leave the boy behind. And after a journey's worth of protests and reassurances of his return, he left the young gunslinger behind with Toastee and set off.

And after three agonizing days of perpetual rain, there were no words from Lucian to comfort the boy.

"Heh," the boy whispered bitterly in the darkness, "It seems he took the sunshine and light with him."

Toastee, the light Terrennial and current "guardian" of Aaron, sighed as he tried to think of some comforting words for the boy. He looked at the boy sadly. Aaron, who usually had a grin and radiated warmth, was laid on the bed. Dark circled gathered under his eyes and his blank eyes continued to stare out the moist, cold window. He had never seen the youth so…so dead.

After a few moments, he tried to cheer up the boy.

"Do not worry, Aaron," Toastee said brightly. "I'm sure Lucian is on his way. He's probably just…just held up in the storm! That's it! Held up in the storm."

Aaron turned his face in the Terrennial's direction and gave a sad smile. A smile that tore at his dear companion's heart.

"Thanks, Toastee. Thanks for trying."

The smile soon disappeared as he looked towards the window once more.

"I'm sorry Toastee, but you can't cheer me up this time," he whispered in the darkness.

'Where are you Lucian…? Are you hurt or lost? Did something happen to you? You promised you wouldn't abandon me. Yet….'

He closed his eyes quickly to repress past memories. Painful, yet oh so similar promises he had heard from someone also dear to his heart. Yet, those promises also went unfulfilled.

'No…Lucian is strong. He is smart. He will return….he will….'

…….

Night soon went unnoticed, as the darkness appeared the same. Only the clock on the bedside table marked that it was midnight. Another day had passed and no word from his dark companion. Toastee had long fallen into a deep slumber on a small table. Aaron looked at his dear friend and guardian with a small smile. The boy himself was curled up in a sitting position on the bed. He had long given up sleep in wait for Lucian's arrival. The skies had finally cleared. Stars glittered and twinkled in clusters while a sliver of a crescent moon glowed in the heavens.

"At least you have the moon to light your path tonight, Lucian," Aaron whispered to himself. It was mostly to comfort and break the dead silence around him.

But the words had no true comfort. Worry over Lucian's state still clouded his mind. But something far darker lurked. At least in the presence of the light Terrennial during the day, he was able to repress this fear. But once the darkness surrounded him and cornered him, the dark thoughts awoke.

'...Lucian wouldn't abandon me, would he? I do help. Sure, sometimes I get into danger and lead to trouble, but…he wouldn't just leave me here. Would he? He wouldn't…'

Silent tears soon welled and riveted down his cheeks. No comfort or warmth from friends to chase the fears away. No distractions to repress the fears into the back of his mind again. He held himself as his soft sobs echoed in the darkness. He laid himself onto his side and continued to sob. The noise only stopped after the son of Trinity collapsed from exhaustion.

……

The first rays of light awoke Aaron. He wiped the remaining tears from his cheeks and arose. Suddenly alert, he felt something. Something. After three days of being dead, he felt a sudden, inexplicable fear. He turned his head quickly and suddenly, his eyes alert with fear. Toastee arose from his slumber happily. Before he could greet Aaron, the boy was rushing out the room. Only the echoes of his surprises chased the boy as he ran out of the inn. He continued to run until he reached the main road of the town. The sunlight blinded him but he soon caught a figure in the distance.

Struggling along the main path, a dark figure slowly dragged his feet through the path. His hand clutching his right shoulder. His other arm was cradling a small black creature, Nero. And as he slowly looked up, dark circles and a black eye patch could be seen before he missed his step.

"LUCIAN!!"

Tears burst forth and the echoes of the boy's cry rang through the morning as he tried to catch his dark companion. His dear friend, Lucian, had fallen to the ground. As soon as Aaron had reached him, he cradled the long awaited arrival in his arms. A few gushes and bruises were visible; the direst was the one he had cradled on his shoulder.

"Lucian…"

…..

Sunlight now poured through the inn room. Nero was curled on the small table, bandaged and recovering. Toastee had gone into town to fetch some more bandages and other necessities. On the bed and covered in blankets laid Lucian, who had not awoken in days. In a close wooded chair sat Aaron, who was resting his head on the bed while holding his companion's hand. His vigil and care over Lucian had tired the boy.

But slowly, Lucian turned his head and carefully opened his eyes. He examined the room and soon his glaze fell on the sleeping youth.

"Aaron…" he whispered dryly.

And as if on command, the boy slowly opened his eyes and sat up.

"Lucian," he whispered tenderly as a gentle smile appeared on his face. The familiar light danced in his eyes as he awoke to his friend. "Are you all right? Do you need water? Do you need your pillow fluffed? How about a-"

Lucian placed a finger on the boy's lips and gently quieted him. After the boy understood, he pulled the finger away and cupped the boy's cheek. His fingers caressed his face and his lips lightly.

"You have dark circles under your eyes…"

"Of course! I was worried about you. No word or letters for three days…."

"And…?"

"And…I was afraid you had forgotten me. Abandoned me here…"

Lucian's hand fell from the boy's face before placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"Don't…" he said with a quiet fierceness in his voice. "Don't ever think that again. I will never abandon you. Understood?"

Aaron gave a small nod before Lucian placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. He gave a small giggle in response, which earned a gentle smile from Lucian. Lucian pulled the covers away and Aaron happily accepted the invitation. He laid his head against Lucian's chest and wrapped his arms around him as Lucian covered the two again.

As Lucian laid his head against the pillow, he heard a soft whisper from the drifting Aaron. With a gentle smile, he placed a kiss on Aaron's forehead. Before he too drifted off to sleep, he responded in a tender whisper, "I love you too, Aaron."