Day 7: Movie Marathon
I Could 1v1 Dracula If We Weren't Embracing
They were sprawled across Raz using him as their personal bed. Lili leaned into his right shoulder. Dogen was like a cat in his lap. Raz, unable to move, sat with his arms draped behind the couch, eyes fixed on the television.
It had been a long day at work, exhausting each of them. Raz didn't want to think about the trails he had followed, stuck in his office trying to decipher clues and codes, busting his chops with hardly a break. (He could have taken a break; his pride disallowed it when he was so close to uncovering the mastermind's hiding spot, and he had achieved it just before clocking out.) Lili and Dogen had their individual assignments, drained by the time Raz dragged himself out to the Quarry to meet them.
But at night, the only sources of illumination were the moonlight bleeding through the window and the ever-changing monochromatic colors on the television giving them much-needed respite. Raz felt Lili's cheek rubbing on him, stifling a yawn against her fist. Dogen hadn't moved an inch. Raz wondered if he had fallen asleep, but glancing down, he found Dogen's attention transfixed on the movie, almost unblinking.
It was the third film in their monster movie marathon befitting the season. Count Dracula whisked himself toward the slumbering Mina. He hovered over her, her pale neck just waiting to be bitten. Dogen tensed, rubbing his throat, and Raz gently threaded his fingers through his hair. Peering up at him, Dogen smiled.
"Seriously, she would have woken up," Lili muttered, her tongue poking the inside of her cheek.
"You think so? It makes sense why she hasn't," Raz replied.
"Yeah, to move the plot along. Lucy already died, so any rational person would've been on high alert. It makes zero sense for her character to stay asleep."
Dogen chuckled as Dracula's squinting, creased countenance appeared in the frame. "He's way too close to the camera. This isn't that scary at all."
Lili stuck out her tongue. "Ew. What kind of acting is that? It's like he's regretting that he has to drink her blood. This part needed a reshoot."
As the screen darkened, Dracula leaning in for the fateful bite, Raz agreed. It wasn't intimidating. Rather, it killed the tension. "Y'know, if Mina woke up and saw that face, she'd start swinging."
"Oh, her pillow alone could take him out. One swat to his face, and he's done for." Lili slapped out her hand. "Just like that! Dead! Back to your coffin, old man!"
Dogen jumped slightly, eyes widening. But he quickly relaxed and slowly imitated Lili's gesture. He mumbled that his blastokinesis would have prevented the entire movie.
"Oh, yeah, you're way stronger than garlic and crosses," Raz said, slinging his arm around Dogen's stomach. He held him closer, letting Dogen nestle against his chest. It was like embracing the physical manifestation of warmth.
But as Dogen readjusted, Lili seized the opportunity to flop onto Raz's lap. She pulled her legs inward, snickering. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she drummed her fingers on Raz's knee, continuing her beratement of the movie. There wasn't anything that Lili ignored. Whether it was the line delivery or how inept everyone seemed to not realize how obvious Dracula was the culprit, Dogen and Raz snickering all the while.
Dracula's film had been the third in their televised marathon. Frankenstein and the Wolfman had already graced the screen, bringing the dusk hours closer to midnight. As Dracula continued prowling, Raz noticed the moon vanishing from the window, rising higher into the clouds. Only the television light filled the room, flashing swathes of gray and white hues across the carpet and their bodies.
A yawn ghosted past Dogen's lips. Like Lili, he curled inward, knees to his chest. Lili tossed out her arms, resting sideways on Raz's thighs. Even though parts of his body had gone numb, Raz still smiled. He kept his arms around them, one hand on Dogen's shoulder, his other fingers idly running through Lili's hair. As they continued making themselves cozy, Raz arched his back, letting it crack and slumping into the couch cushion, only for it to slip out and land behind Dogen.
Tucking it behind Raz's head, Dogen mumbled, "There you go. You look stiff."
"Thanks. Probably because I haven't moved in, maybe, an hour and a half." He grinned at Dogen. "And don't worry, that wasn't sarcasm."
Glancing at him as Dogen nodded, Lili smirked. "You should've spoken up sooner, Raz, 'cause I'm not moving a muscle."
Raz tried shifting his knees, playfully trying to roll her off. Lili pounced, coiling her arms around his thinner legs. She cackled and pulled them toward her, slightly twisting his hips. Again, she made herself comfortable, refusing to give Raz an inch when he hadn't asked for a mile.
Rolling his eyes, Raz said, "Well, I know Dogen would-"
Dogen proceeded to hold onto Raz's arm. He looked down at Lili, an idea crossing his face with twinkles in his eyes. He positioned himself like Lili, but instead, he placed his cheek on top of her head. Raz peered at them, bending his upper body to examine Lili's face and laughed as he found her lips puckered, her cheeks squished as if cupped. She winced, much like Dracula when he dove for Mina's throat, but when Dogen sighed, one of pure contentment, Lili managed a nonchalant smile.
She reached up and flicked his round button nose. "Dogen, if this was anyone else, I'd be tossing them to the floor."
"Glad to know you care that much," he muttered, pressing a kiss to her brow.
She chuckled. "Right. If you were Raz, we wouldn't be having this conversation. He'd already be thrown."
"Hey!" Raz cried, clapping down on their shoulders.
"Honesty is the best policy," she snorted, the corner of her mouth lifting.
But he couldn't feign anger. Having Dogen and Lili resting on him, their body heat spreading through him, Raz was at ease. Any stress had long melted away. What mattered now was them, their words, their touch. As the movie played, he enveloped them in his long arms, keeping them as close as they could tangibly be, not wanting a second to go by without them near him.
"You're so sappy, Raz," Lili teased, and Dogen giggled.
Raz kissed their faces. "And you two love me for it."
