Secrets
It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power - Alan Cohen
Erik sighed when he heard a knock on his door. He knew what it meant: another pointless meal. With a slight frown he turned towards it as the person's hand collided with the door a second time, "Come in."
"Pardon?" Alex asked, creaking the door open.
"Come in," Erik repeated slowly, "are you deaf, young man, or simply daft?"
"Sorry," Alex muttered, standing in the door and looking into the dark room.
"Am I correct in assuming that you want me to come down for supper?" Erik asked.
"Yes…" he murmured, eyes scanning the room, taking in the foreign garbs that littered the floor and the numerous sketches pinned up on the walls.
"I hope I did not injure you earlier," Erik said, "I fear that I may have overreacted a bit."
"Oh no," Alex chuckled, "just a bruise…wow, these sketches are amazing. Are these all your designs?
"I design buildings," Erik pointed out, "therefore it would be pertinent for me to be able to draw them. And most of them are."
"The right answer would be 'thank you,'" Alex teased, "at least that is what most people say when they are complimented."
"Thank you," Erik sighed, "it seems that I have forgotten my manners."
"SI that the design for my father?" Alex asked, motioning to the page in front of Erik.
"Yes, and it is actually finished…perhaps I will go out tonight."
"Where would you go?"
Erik shrugged, "London, perhaps. Or maybe somewhere a bit closer, I haven't decided yet."
"London is a fair ways away," Alex pointed out.
"Well, as I said, I have not decided yet. I might just stay in," Erik murmured, "after all I have time…nothing but time. Or so it would seem."
"I wish I had time," Alex sighed, "time to travel a bit…time to see Adrienne more often."
"Adrienne?" Erik asked.
"The most beautiful woman alive," Alex said wistfully, "we were friends when I was a child living in France. But then father moved us back to England and we lost touch and I missed her terribly. But then she moved to England two years ago and…and I love her! Oh, we want to get married, but my father won't see it…"
"I see…love. Perhaps the most dangerous of all human emotions. Wars rage over it, people are killed because of it and some take their lives for it…I wish you luck young man."
Alex frowned at the sudden change in Erik's mood. The man had pulled out a ring that was on a chain around his neck and was staring at it with an odd intensity. He seemed to be close to tears as he held that ring.
"Supper," Erik said, the tears and the ring gone as quickly as they had come, "we will be late."
"You'll want to change your shirt first," Alex said, motioning to the sleeves that were covered in smudges of charcoal.
Erik gave an annoyed sigh and quickly unbuttoned his shirt, tossing it to the floor as he found another one. As he was putting the clean shirt on he could see Alex's eyes fixed on his right arm, widened slightly.
"Just ask," Erik prompted, "staring won't answered anything."
"What did you do?" Alex gasped.
Erik pulled back the sleeve to reveal the greenish mass of bruising on his forearm. He frowned slightly at it, annoyed that it hadn't gone away yet, "Morphine."
"What?" Alex asked.
"Morphine," he repeated nonchalantly, "the bruising hasn't gone away yet."
"When was the last time then?"
"Two weeks ago, perhaps a bit less," Erik shrugged, "come, or we will be late for supper and you will get in trouble. Not that it wouldn't be amusing…"
"Wait, two weeks?" Alex asked.
Erik nodded his head, "Yes. It would have been sooner if I had simply stopped, but then I would've had to deal with more than just stomach aches and insomnia. Now, supper?"
Alex didn't get a chance to say anything, for Erik quickly shoved past him, leaving the young man no choice but to follow him down to the dining room.
A/N: ...thought I'd update tonight...now I should really go to bed. Please leave me a review if you care to.
