The scent of campfire smoke filled the air as they approached the house. It had grown chillier as the night had progressed, despite all of the walking keeping them warm, and they were glad to be back inside.
"We're home!" Ruby called out, but there was no response. She hummed in puzzlement, and Arvan followed her through the house. They both snagged a piece of fruit salad from the kitchen on their way to the back door. They found Bevrian and Rovan seated around the flickering fire pit.
"Hey, Dad, we're back!"
Bevrian turned and greeted them with a smile. Rovan barely moved, but Arvan could see his head tilt toward them. "Hey, kids, how was it?"
"A total success!" Ruby gave him an exaggerated thumbs up.
"Glad to hear it!"
"We'll be inside," Ruby continued. "Time to see what we got!"
With that, she hurried back in, Arvan not far behind.
In need of sustenance after their expedition, they each equipped themselves with a glass of punch and some chips and dip, and soon after, they were seated comfortably on the floor of the living room, dumping their abundance of loot onto the carpet before them.
Ruby resisted the urge to open the first piece that she could lay her hands on, and got to work sorting everything into categories. Arvan followed her example, and in a few minutes, they both had neat little piles of shiny, colorful wrappers. Their chips had hardly been touched.
Arvan leaned back against the front of the armchair and took a drink of his punch while Ruby scanned her piles.
"Oooh!" she cried. "I love these! Look!" She held up a tiny candy bar in a dark-brown wrapper. "It glows in the dark!" She then enclosed it in her palms, creating a tiny cave, which she peered into.
Intrigued, Arvan looked for his pile of the same kind, found one of the candies in question, and inspected it. The wrapper was Halloween-themed, and thin, pale lines formed the shape of what appeared to be a cartoony witch. He copied Ruby, using her technique to create a cavern of darkness, and was happy to see the lines glow a spooky greenish-yellow. He would have to look at all of them sometime when the lights were out, he mused.
"Cool, huh?"
He looked up to find Ruby grinning at him. "Yeah, super cool," he grinned back.
They both tallied up their candy, and when Ruby found, glumly, that she was two pieces shy of Arvan's total, he didn't hesitate to pick out one of her favorites and drop it into its respective pile in front of her. Her shocked and touched expression warmed his heart—then she threw her arms around him, and he had to concentrate on not toppling to the side.
At last, after all was said and done, Ruby selected her first piece of Halloween candy of the year, opened it almost ceremoniously, and popped it into her mouth, humming happily as she chewed. Arvan watched her contented reaction until he began to feel awkward for staring. He turned to his own haul and chose something for himself, joining her in chocolaty bliss.
Once they had each accumulated a few empty wrappers and were sated for now, Arvan thought that it was the perfect time to broach the question.
"Hey . . . I know it would be kind of late afterward, but . . . do you want to watch a movie?"
Ruby stared at him for a moment, as if processing his suggestion, then broke into a bright smile. "Yeah! That sounds great! And don't worry about the time, I don't mind."
"But, there's school tomorrow; won't your dad mind?"
"Oh! Great idea!" Ruby gasped, scrambling onto her knees.
"Huh? What—?" Arvan stared at her in bewilderment as she hopped excitedly in place.
"You can spend the night!"
Arvan's eyes widened this time.
"It's perfect! We can hang out longer, and we can go to school together in the morning!"
He opened his mouth to respond, to voice his concern that Bevrian probably wouldn't say yes to something like that, but she was already on her feet before he could speak.
"I'll go ask my dad!"
With that, she dashed out of the room, and seconds later, Arvan heard the back door open and close. He waited in the silence, prepared for bad news, but unable to help getting his hopes up a bit.
Bevrian turned at the sound of the back door closing. Ruby popped into view, all but her blonde hair practically invisible in the dark.
"Hey, Dad, can Arvan spend the night? We want to watch a movie, and we can go to school together tomorrow!"
Bevrian frowned at the unexpected request, and was about to turn her down when he had second thoughts. He supposed that it wouldn't actually do any harm. It's not like they had to sleep together. He looked to Rovan for his opinion, and his friend raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Sure, Honey, it's fine," he called back to his daughter, and even in the darkness he could see that he had just made her night.
"Thanks, Dad!" She started to leave, then turned back. "Oh, and can we order pizza?"
"Sure, go ahead," he replied, and she spun around and hurried back into the house, almost slamming the door behind her.
Bevrian faced forward. "Looks like you get the house to yourself tonight," he said in jest.
"Peace and quiet," Rovan concurred. He took another drag on his most-recent cigarette.
Bevrian said nothing more, but his heart ached for the man.
Ruby came sailing back into the living room with the shocking news that Bevrian had approved their plan. She then asked what kind of pizza Arvan wanted, which threw him for another loop, and they both agreed on one large pepperoni pizza, which Ruby immediately ordered over the phone. Arvan, in the meantime, perused the movie collection, looking for the best option for a Halloween evening.
Ruby appeared at his shoulder. "How about this one?"
He pulled out the case to which she was pointing. The cover displayed three eccentric-looking women. Hocus Pocus? He had never seen it, but it did seem appropriate for Halloween.
"Okay, sounds good."
They put all of the candy back into their buckets, then Ruby hurried upstairs to change. There wasn't much that Arvan could do about his own look, but at least the clothing was somewhat normal, aside from the slightly zombified nature of the garments. At least he didn't mind sleeping in them. He settled for washing the makeup from his face in the downstairs bathroom.
A short while later, the pizza arrived, and with plates laden with cheesy slices and Bevrian's party food, Ruby and Arvan settled in to watch the movie. They sat shoulder to shoulder on the couch in the darkened living room, and Arvan tried to focus on the story on the screen instead of how cute Ruby looked in her pink pajama pants and T-shirt.
When they had eaten their fill, Arvan found the opportunity to implement the plan that had formed in his mind after their run-in with Dune and his girlfriend. Very carefully, and with only a small amount of hesitation, he raised his arm and slid it behind Ruby. At the moment, she seemed to be distracted by the movie, but as soon as his arm was around her, her attention was on him. She stared up at him with those wide doe eyes, and for a second, he contemplated withdrawing his arm. But then she smiled and settled against him, and he spent the next several minutes trying to calm his heart and wondering if it had been the right move. He soon determined that it had been.
A short while later, the back door opened. Arvan and Ruby had gotten so comfortable that it took them almost a whole minute to realize that it would be unbelievably embarrassing if Bevrian caught them in their current position. They scrambled out of it, their shoulders now a few inches apart, both already missing the comfort and warmth.
Low voices exchanged quiet words in the kitchen, then Rovan came down the hallway. He glanced into the living room, and Arvan smiled and waved to him. Ruby gave him a somewhat tight smile of her own, but she was in too good of a mood to be stingy in that regard. Rovan returned their gestures with a barely perceptible nod and an unexpected "V" sign that made them both stifle a laugh, before leaving out the front door.
Ruby and Arvan went back to watching the movie, while quiet sounds of organization emanated from the kitchen. It might have been due to all of the food, but soon, Arvan felt his eyelids getting heavy. He tried to fight the fatigue, not wanting to miss the climax of the movie, but before he knew it, his eyes fell shut, and he slumped against Ruby. He was asleep before he had the chance to feel embarrassed. Ruby, however, was startled by his sudden contact, but when she realized that he had dozed off, she smiled to herself. At least if her father came in now, he couldn't be upset. She would just have to show Arvan the rest of the movie some other time.
She was beginning to feel sleepy herself when the front door opened. She turned to look automatically, a fresh smile spreading across her face. After removing her shoes, the woman quietly entered the living room.
"Hi, Mom," Ruby whispered, surprised and happy that she had finished her shift at the hospital already. Then, she remembered Arvan's current position, and a tinge of embarrassment colored her cheeks.
"Hi, Sweetie." Her mother smiled warmly, also keeping her voice down. "Don't let me interrupt."
"Oh, it's okay. How was work?" She was relieved that her mother hadn't pointed out Arvan.
"It went well. How was your night?"
"That's good." Ruby knew that there must be so much more to it than that, but now wasn't the time to ask. Instead, she answered her question. "It was great! We got lots of candy!"
"I'm glad to hear it." Her mother looked at Arvan, then back at Ruby. "It's getting late. Maybe it's time for bed?"
Ruby considered this for a moment, then agreed. She had seen the movie before, and with Arvan already asleep, there didn't seem to be much of a point to forcing herself to stay awake.
Her mother went back into the hallway, and returned shortly with a couple of blankets. With careful maneuvering and some help from her mother, Ruby managed to stand and lay Arvan down on the couch. For a moment, he seemed like he might wake up, but when all was said and done, he was fast asleep, lying comfortably on his side with a soft throw pillow to cushion his head and a warm blanket laid over him. The TV was then turned off, casting the room into silent near-darkness. The only light was that of the kitchen a couple of rooms away.
"Goodnight," her mother murmured, giving her a gentle hug. "Sweet dreams."
"Thanks, Mom. You, too."
Ruby waited for her mother to leave the room before she turned back to Arvan. He looked so relaxed and . . . innocent in his sleep. Of course, there was an innocence about him normally as well, she thought, smiling to herself. Almost without thinking, she leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his hair. He smelled nice.
She straightened, suddenly embarrassed, and whispered "Goodnight" before hurrying up the stairs. She was definitely tired, but she wasn't sure if she would be able to fall asleep nearly as easily as Arvan.
Bevrian was just putting the last of the leftovers into the fridge when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned, expecting to see Ruby or Arvan, as the living room had gone quiet, but found Melanie entering the kitchen. The sight of her warmed his heart. She looked tired, but her smile was bright. She and Ruby were so alike.
"Hi," she said, her tone hushed.
He smiled back and followed her example, keeping his voice down. "Hey, Honey. Welcome home. I didn't expect you this early. I just put away the leftovers, but I can get them back out if you're hungry."
She circled the island as he spoke, gently shaking her head. "I'm fine, I got something at work not too long ago." Without any fanfare, she wrapped her arms around him, sinking into his chest with a contented sigh.
He held her gently, kissing the top of her head. "Did something happen at work?"
She shook her head against him. "No. I just missed you."
He chuckled. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours this time."
"And I'm so glad."
They were silent for a while, just standing there, holding each other, Bevrian slowly stroking Melanie's back. Until she spoke. "Arvan's asleep, and Ruby went up to bed."
Bevrian's hand stilled. He wasn't sure if she was implying something or simply stating the facts. "You seem like you could use some sleep as well," he replied, testing the waters.
She groaned softly—a tired groan with, perhaps, something more behind it. Maybe it was Bevrian's imagination. She pushed back a few inches, looking up at him with those crystal-clear eyes. "Come with me?"
Not his imagination.
He smiled softly and leaned down to press a gentle but firm kiss to her lips.
The house was dark. He had forgotten to leave the light on in the entryway. He needed to get better about that. He unlocked the door and flicked the light on so that he wouldn't close himself into pitch darkness. Everything was quiet. Quieter than he was used to now. But good for sleeping. He hadn't had an unreasonable amount to drink, but the drowsiness was beginning to set in. And anyway, sleeping would mean that his brain could shut off for a while, and that sounded like just what the doctor ordered.
He hung his coat on the rack, kicked off his shoes, and made his way upstairs, removing his sunglasses on the way.
It wasn't until he had almost reached the top that he noticed the thin crack of light at the bottom of his closed bedroom door. He froze, frowned in confusion and suspicion, quickly contemplated his options, then proceeded, taking each step with caution.
When he laid his hand on the doorknob, he paused, readying himself for an altercation. Anyone could be behind that door, but his lack of a weapon shouldn't be a problem. There was a gun in the nightstand. He could reach it quickly. Steeling himself, he turned the knob and opened the door swiftly.
And again, he froze.
The figure standing across the room made him realize that there could have really been only one person on the other side of the door.
And she was there. Beside the bed. Wearing a tight, revealing black number that made him want to gouge the eyes out of anyone else who might have seen her in it.
Lisa was looking at him with eyes that said far too many things. She was trying to appear strong, sound, as if the last few weeks hadn't happened, almost challenging him to say otherwise. But underneath that—regret, loneliness, guilt. She couldn't hide those from him. He knew her too well.
"Where have you been?" she asked. A false challenge. Disguising a delicate emotional state.
Rovan closed the door behind him. "At Bevrian's." He was almost surprised that his voice was so steady.
"Where's Arvan?"
"At Bevrian's." Less steady now.
He crossed the room to her at a measured pace, tossing his glasses onto his dresser as he passed. Her steadfast gaze wavered, softening completely at the last moment as he closed the gap between them. His final thought before his hungry lips crashed desperately into hers was the smug realization that he wouldn't have to call her after all.
