'Noted Thanks' -[ONESHOT]
Characters: Evra Von, Darren Shan.
Summary: Lina's Quote Contest Entry. [To thank: 1. to express gratitude, appreciation, or acknowledgment to. 2. thank God, (used interjectionally to express relief, thankfulness, etc.) Also, thank goodness, thank heaven. 3. Usually, 'thanks' is a grateful feeling or acknowledgment of a benefit, favor, or the like, expressed by words or otherwise: to return a borrowed book with thanks.] A little thanks goes a long way. Darren/Evra. NOT Yaoi.
Additional information: This is based of the books. I hate the CDF movie with a passion, and always will. To anyone who has only watched the movie, Evra is around fourteen, with long, green blonde hair. He's also supposed to be shy and kind. Darren is supposedly around 12-13 and is pretty naive and innocent.
A/N: It took me a while, but, enjoy~!
DISCLAIMER:
Kurda: YukiHimeChaan does not own The Darren Shan Saga, and never will. Face it girl!
YUKIHIMECHAAN': *sniffle*
'Once in a while,
You are in my dreams…'
Evra sighed and drew his rough blanket closer to his body in order to keep out the cool night air. His breath created little white clouds in front of him, and he tried imagining shapes inside their ghostly forms, like he and Darren had once done whilst lying on a patch of grass outside the Cirque. After a few minutes of unsuccessful staring, he sighed once more. It was no use. Darren had always been the imaginative one, dreaming up ridiculous images that he himself would never have considered to look for inside those fluffy, white clouds.
Darren was like that with people, too. He was able to gaze past their outer shell, and almost inside their soul. Was he like that with me? He mused. Did he see a normal- if not slightly shy-human boy behind his green scales and golden eyes? Did he ignore his appearance, and instead focus on the real Evra Von? Not 'Evra the snake-boy', 'Evra the monster', 'Evra the freak'. Did Darren see his traits and talents beyond his looks?
He smiled bitterly. Of course he didn't. To everyone else he was an abomination, a freak of nature; something disgusting to laugh at. And as if to prove his point, the cruel taunts of the children at the orphanage began to fill his head.
"Ewww, look at it! It's so ugly!"
"Ha! No-one's going to adopt you, you freak!"
"Go away! We don't wanna catch any germs by playing with filthy animals!"
He glanced over towards the empty hammock in the corner of the tent. Would Darren say those things? Were they his thoughts also? The more he thought about it, the more it hurt.
'I can feel the warmth of your embrace,
And I pray that one day you'll come back to me.'
It had been two years since Darren had left the Cirque. The half-vampire had taken off in the middle of the night with Mr Crepsley, Lefty and another Little Person to seek out the Vampire Council. He remembered discovering his absence the next morning, panicking, and confronting Mr Tall.
Yawning, Evra stretched his arms above him and rolled out of his hammock, crashing to the floor in a sleepy bundle of blankets and scaly limbs. He groaned and lay there a moment, admiring the familiar sounds of hustle and bustle outside of the tent. Pots and pans clattered together as the culinary staff prepared breakfast, hammers smacking against wood as caravans and tents alike were repaired, yells and shouts of shock and panic…wait, what?
The snake-boy leapt to his feet, untangling himself from the clutches of his bedding and hastily pulling on a pair of fresh shorts, before rushing outside to find out what was wrong. Approaching the fire pit, he noticed Truska, Cormac and Rhamus in a heated debate.
"But why would he leave!" Cormac exclaimed, throwing his arms upwards in exasperation. Evra noticed a slip of paper clutched in his hand flapping about in the morning breeze as he did so. Truska looked anxious, her lovely face crumpled in worry, as Rhamus began attempting to reason with Cormac once more.
"Perhaps it is a joke set up by the little rascal! Surely the council do not need him this soon?"
"I hardly see Crepsley going along with a' joke'!" The contortionist growled. Truska noticed Evra standing a little ways off, and tapped Rhamus on the shoulder, gesturing at him. The two-bellied man glanced his way, and whispered something to Cormac. Evra saw his head nod slightly, and then all three walked towards the boy.
"Master Von…" Rhamus muttered darkly, his high voice unusually low. "Do you know about this?" He asked, snatching the paper from Cormac's hand and shoving it into his face. Evra stepped back slightly, and began to read the sloppy, childish handwriting.
Dear everyone,
I'm sorry, but me and Mr Crepsley have to leave for Vampire Mountain tonight. I would have told you all in person, but it was a last minute decision and you all need your energy for tomorrows show, right? I'll miss you all…
Mr Tall-
Thanks for letting me stay at the Cirque! I've had so much fun, and met a load of people I can safely consider my best friends! If you ever need a favour, you know where to come!
Cormac-
The first time I met you, you gave me the scare of my life! I never expected to bite off your whole finger! Honestly! Anyway, your great, and I'll miss you, Mister Limbs!
Alexander-
Keep on rockin' dude! Your music could beat Beethoven any day! If we ever meet again, I look forward to hearing some more tunes from those ribs of yours!
Rhamus-
I hope your diet goes well! Maybe next time we meet, you'll save me the waffles for breakfast? It's not fair that you use your act as an excuse to hog them! :)
Madame Truska-
You're the most beautiful woman I've ever met, and probably always will be! Please save my pirate costume, it'll probably be a while before I outgrow it anyway. Thank you so much for all your help!
Hans-
We didn't speak much, but you're one of the funniest people I've ever met! Thanks for the laughs! Keep them hands of yours in good condition!
Wolf man-
Erm, bye I guess! I hope you err….keep on eating meat?
Gertha-
Keep on chompin'! I didn't know you that well, but I hope you lead a brill life and put your teeth to good use!
Jekkus-
I hope you show Mr Tall your talent! I really think you should have a chance at performing; your knife throwing skills are the best I've ever seen!
Sive and Seersa:
I think I should address you as one person, instead of two, considering how much time you spend wrapped around each other! Don't let Cormac force himself on to you, yeah? He has such a crush on one of you, but I don't think he remembers which!
~Anyway, bye! I love you all lots and lots and am very sorry if I've missed someone out (I have a sneaking suspicion I have!). I hope to see you soon, take care of yourselves!
Love,
Darren! :)
Evra let his eyes glaze over, and scan the words once more. And again. One more time. Dropping the paper, he slowly walked away, heading towards Mr Tall's caravan. He blatantly ignored the shouts coming from behind him. Once he reached it, he raised a shaking hand and knocked softly. Almost instantaneously, the door opened and he heard the words 'come in'.
"Where's Darren?" He whispered. Mr Tall's head bowed slightly, and he spoke quickly and quietly, leaving no room for discussion.
"I'm sorry, Evra."
"He didn't leave me a note."
"Whatever do you mean?" The man asked, blinking his milky black eyes once, twice. It was a rare sight to see him so confused.
"Darren left a letter, there were notes addressed to everyone apart from me."
"Are you sure, Evra? Did you read all-"
"Yes, I read it!" He screamed, losing his temper at the man. "Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think simple reptiles like me can't think for themselves?"
"Evra, calm down. You know I did not mean it like that-"
"Oh, whatever." He hissed at him. "Everyone thinks that, don't they? I'm just a stupid snake-boy, who can't do anything else other than put on a pretty show for paying customers. I bet Darren thought that too! And Mr Crepsley, and Debbie and my…my p-parents…" A sob caught in his throat as he thought of them all, laughing and jeering at his ignorance; the Cirque du Freak performers crowding round and throwing dirt at him, Mr Crepsley and Gavner roaring with laughter, Darren smirking cruelly in the dark. His mother retching at the sight of him. His father, holding the hand of a perfect, normal little boy, who gazed upon him with disgust.
A hand touched his shoulder comfortingly, and he spun round, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Don't touch me!" He screamed, batting off the hand and running out of the tent. He ran past the tents and caravans, past the trees at the edge of the campsite. He ran until his feet were sore and bloody, until his breath constricted painfully in his chest, until his body was laced with tiny gashes from sharp branches. He ran until he could not run anymore, and collapsed onto a small bank next to the river, shivering and sobbing into the cold, damp grass.
He had been stupid, yelling at Mr Tall like that. What on earth had he been thinking?
'If only you knew every moment in time,
Nothing goes on in my heart,
Just like your memories.'
He dragged himself out of his hammock. Stumbling towards the mirror in the far corner, he took a deep breath and turned to look at his reflection. First, he took in the background, studying the messy tent that lay behind the in the mirror. Rumpled clothes were strewn about the floor, a huge green snake curled up in a tangled pile of them. He saw a hammock swaying slightly in the corner of the tent, and Darren's old one a few feet away. Assortments of boxes were propped up against the left side, along with a rubbish bag and washing basket.
Slowly, he looked at the feet of the fourteen-year-old boy standing in the middle of the room. They were small, no more than a size five, and the toes were slightly webbed, with thin sheets of skin joining them at the bottom. The skin was covered in green and gold scales, with a few flecks of blue dotting the surface. They joined onto a pair of ankles, which led onto a pair of long, slender legs which were also scaled. His eyes drew upwards again; skimming past a pair of baggy shorts that barely reached mid-thigh. The hips were slightly girlish and the stomach was flat and lightly toned, although muscle definition was miniscule. A pair of shoulders joined onto the chest, small and scaled with and arm on either end. Each one joined onto a bony wrist, and hands which had long, artistic fingers. A slim neck followed on from the shoulders, leading onto an exotic looking face. The mouth was heart-shaped with pink lips pulled into a frown. The cheeks were round and child-like, despite the high cheekbones on top of them, and the nose was small and straight. A pair of glittering golden eyes met his, narrow and slanted, with a serpentine quality to them. The scales were much lighter on the face, pale greens and yellows and baby blues, almost unnoticeable, yet it would defiantly not pass as human. Two delicate eyebrows were drawn together, the skin in-between furrowed as the boy frowned further. Greenish blonde bangs covered the forehead and eyebrows, and the rest of the hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail atop his head, apart from two long, silken strands that framed his face.
He really was a freak, wasn't he?
'How I long here to be with you once more, yeah…'
Crack.
The whip connected with his flesh again. Little white dots floated across the child's vision as a searing pain shot across his back. Familiar sounds of laughing and jeering spun around him as he grimaced and began to slither weakly around the confines of the glass cage.
A young girl screamed when he got closer to the glass, and hid behind the legs of her mother.
"What is it?" She asked the woman, staring up at her with big, frightened eyes and pointing at the snake-boy with a trembling finger. Her mother looked upon him with disgust, and answered simply:
"A demon." Turning away, she dragged the little girl with her and began walking towards the nearest door.
The whip dug into his flesh once more, and he hissed, from both pain and in order to please the crowd. They cheered loudly. Slowly, he dragged himself onto his tiny hands and knees and began to crawl away from the greasy man with the whip. Said man grinned and shouted to the crowd:
"Looks like he still has some spirit left in him, eh! What would you have me do?"
A few onlookers screeched insults at the 'freak' while one hollered out:
"Get him to say stuff again!" Evra shakily dragged himself further away from the man, but the whip connected with his scaled back once more. He collapsed on the dirty ground, ribs bruising painfully at the impact.
"Hear that, snakey? They want you to speak again!"
He opened his mouth to say something, but his throat was so dry; it hurt too much to make the sounds necessary. He shook his head viciously. The man growled and swung his whip down onto his shoulder blade. He felt a trickle of blood run down the middle of his back. Again, the six year old shook his head from side to side, long green hair sticking to his face as he did so. Someone shouted in the background, and then suddenly they were all at it, pointing and laughing as he struggled to sit. He felt a jolt of pain run through his left leg, and then his right, as the whip struck at the flesh there.
More hot blood flowed from the cuts on his back, and tears began to prickle at his eyes as he tried to ignore the pain in his throat. The laughter and shouts of 'freak!' resonated around the small, glass room, and the tears flowed freely down his face, making tracks in the blood and dirt that caked it.
A strong hand snagged in his hair, wrapping it around grimy fingers and pulling on it sharply. The snake-boy's head snapped backwards and the man with the whip pulled even harder. A small clump was ripped from his scalp, and he cried out in pain as the male continued to tug on it mercilessly.
"Speak, you pathetic animal!" He growled dangerously, making sure the crowd could get a good view of Evra's face. He let a feeble whimper escape his throat; shaking his head once more at him. He roared and managed to rip free another chunk of long, blonde green hair, blood matting the ends.
"H-hello…" Evra choked out, the scalding sensation in his throat almost unbearable. The man with the whip grinned and continued to tug at Evra's hair.
"What's your name, snakey?"
"M-my name… is E-evra. Evra…Von." The audience howled with laughter, the very notion of a freak like him having a name was ludicrous. The man's grin intensified.
"And why are you here?"
The small boy sighed.
"B-because…" He whispered, voice hoarse. "I'm a… freak." It was too much for the crowd. They exploded into fits of giggles, pointing and shouting how right the he was.
Evra felt a small tear trickle down his cheek at the painful memory, and quickly wiped it away with the back of his hand. That was eight years ago, he shouldn't let him affect him now.
'You will always be inside my heart,
And you should know…'
A small puff of air escaped his lips, and he smiled shakily, imagining what Darren would say if he could see him now. Darren…
Darren was his best friend, so of course it had hurt terribly when he left. At first, he had felt betrayed and angry that the half-vampire hadn't said goodbye, he felt he had abandoned him. But with time, he had come to realise that it wasn't fair of him to accuse Darren of these things, and forgiven his friends actions. After all, there was probably a lot of stuff he didn't know about the circumstances Darren had left under.
That didn't mean to say that he didn't still blame himself, though.
'How I wish I could have never let you go…'
The snake-boy caught a glimpse of an old photo album next to the mirror, and went to retrieve it. No point sleeping now, anyway.
Picking it up, he flipped open the front cover and began to skim through the first half. There were a few pictures of his first shows, various group photos of him and the other performers at famous landmarks(he laughed lightly after finding one of him and Rhamus eating numerous hot dogs in America) , but they mostly consisted of a young Evra grinning happily at the camera at different points in time.
After ten minutes, he found one of him and another boy around the same age, with dark brown hair and deep blue eyes. The boys arm was slung casually round his shoulder, and they were both smiling at the camera with the cheesiest smiles Evra had ever seen. Darren.
Next, there was a picture of Darren, Truska, Alexander and himself eating ice creams in what he assumed to be Italy, and a few pictures of them playing football. He skipped the next few, as most of them were just random tourist pictures. He then came across some photos of them in Mr Crepsley's hometown, and he touched his shoulder unconsciously.
"Let's have some fun shall we snakey, hmmmmmm?" Memories of Murlough and his knife seeped into his mind. Memories of the Vampaneze hacking scales off of his right arm, cackling madly as he sung about how Mr Crepsley and Darren weren't coming for him, about how he was stuck there, hanging upside down and 'squealing like a piggy'. How he planned to roast and butcher him for his Christmas dinner, and all the while the man would slash at his flesh with a rusty butcher's knife, until he was satisfied that the boy had bled enough. Memories of the nightmares that would jerk him awake, sobbing and screaming into the night.
'Come into my life again…'
A scrap of paper sticking out of the book caught his attention, snapping him out of his past. Rubbing away the tears that threatened to drip from his eyes, he tugged it free of the pages, and saw that it was another picture of him and Darren. They were locked in an arm wrestle, Darren obviously having the upper hand, but grinning at each other nonetheless, eyes alight with laughter. Turning it over to check the date, he found hastily scribbled words in what he instantly recognised as Darren's handwriting.
Evra,
You will always be my best friend. And for that, I'm grateful. Thank you.
~Darren.
A small, happy smile stretched his lips.
'Please don't say no.'