Author's Note: Another one-shot from me… finally. This one took a while to come to me in its entirety, but I was sitting here after putting this… thing *points at desk* together with my parents, and listening to some Gary Jules songs, and BOOM, it hit me. At last… voila. The final part (unless I get huge complaint/encouragement) of the Mad World/Crimson Kiss/Tom & Mina trilogy. The artwork/mini poster should be up on my LXG site pretty soon. If you don't know the song (No Poetry by Gary Jules), then I highly recommend you nip off and download it pronto, because it is beautiful. Whether or not the lyrics fit… *shrug* *points at face* Do I really look bothered? I'm just here to try after all… tell me what you think.
The cold air on the conning tower was the best thing he had felt nearly all week, having spent two out of the six days of incapacitation in unconsciousness from the blood loss, and the other four, simply healing. The time had dragged, each second ticking away with great delay as he had lain in the less than comfortable bed in the infirmary. He hadn't been permitted to leave, and had not had the strength – at the time – to argue about leaving. Of course, one of his first urges upon gaining permission to leave was to see her… the reason for the weeklong visit to the infirmary. But he had a feeling she wouldn't want to see him; that she would turn him away or try to act as though nothing happened… which was what he wanted anyway. He just wanted to move on and forget the horrible mistake… that was all it was… a mistake.
"There's no poetry between us"
Said the paper to the pen
Special Agent Tom Sawyer of the American Secret service did not wholly blame Wilhelmina 'Mina' Harker for the vampiric attack on him. Accidents happened. It was nothing but an unfortunate accident; one that he hoped would blow over. But yet again, there was something like an instinct that told him it wasn't going to be that easy… it was never that easy… especially not in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Tom knew that… it didn't mean he had to be happy about it.
Turning his face to the wind, he let his tousled blonde locks blow about in disarray with the cool, refreshing breeze, as it played over his slightly pale skin, and tickled at the bandage still on part of his neck, wound all down his shoulder, covering the large bite mark that Mina had inflicted upon him. His hands were – as ever – buried in his pockets, the only reason being he never knew what to do with them otherwise.
Something's burning in the attic
That her tongue will not defend
Closing his green eyes, he drew in as deep a breath as he could manage, taking in a great lungful of the salty sea air, letting it free him of the troubles and musty interior of the Nautilus, before he gazed out to the horizon again, frowning once more, reminded of Mina Harker as the setting sun hugged all light to it, sinking slowly into the waves it seemed, taking all daylight and warmth away. A slight shiver touched Tom's arms, and he blinked slowly.
I just want to see her… that's all. Why am I finding that so hard all of a sudden? Two weeks ago, it wouldn't have been a problem, and I could have marched right into her cabin and had a perfectly calm and normal conversation. But now… Another sigh escaped him at length, and it dragged out for a moment, before a creaking was heard behind him, and the solid confirming clang of the door to the conning tower opening and closing around a figure.
Through the arc of conversation
Past the teeth behind the smile
Without even turning, he had a fair idea of who it was… her. It had to be. Anyone else would have spoken by now, wouldn't they? They wouldn't have just let him hang in silence, uncomfortably. His suspicions were confirmed as a person approached and came up beside him at a distance of about three feet, as if hesitant and… perhaps frightened.
"Agent Sawyer…"
Back to that again, he thought dejectedly, his head hanging a little as he drew in another deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. All of a sudden, he was apprehensive when so close to her. She had been the only one not to visit him in the infirmary, and he had understood that entirely. After all, she must have felt – he supposed – awful after she had bitten him.
Down the miracle mile
To the bottom of the ladder
Slowly but surely, despite his inner hesitation, his eyes turned to glance at her flawless, beautiful features; the features he had seen to be so dark not a week ago, and a chill ran along his spine… he hated it. "Mrs. Harker," he returned.
A tense silence passed between them, ice blue and olive green staring out at the wan horizon as the atmosphere grew unbearably uncomfortable. Finally, the vampire spoke, saying, "I came to speak with you… to apologise. I could not bear simply sitting with the memory of knowing what I did to you, with the knowledge that I had not yet tried to…"
Paint your eyes and hide the tatters
What's the matter baby?
Tom glanced to Mina again, slightly less hesitant this time, noticing the difficult she seemed to have in speaking with him. It made him feel less awkward all of a sudden, though he did not know why. Nevertheless, the lingering discomfort remained. "For a minute there," he began, quietly, but safe in the knowledge she would hear regardless, "… I thought you were avoiding contact with me."
"I was."
Tom's eyes dropped for a moment, staring down at the decking between his feet. "Oh."
Mina turned to him quickly, guilt flashing in her eyes, as she swiftly interjected, "Oh, no, I did not mean it in that way. I'm sorry… I mean to say… that I was afraid of what would happen." Her gaze drifted to his bandaged and concealed wound, and he swallowed dryly all of a sudden, subconsciously drawing back a step as if she would lunge at any moment, attempting a second, final attack.
Could we go downtown
To the middle of the world?
"… You are afraid of me." The hurt in her voice was something he hadn't been expecting, and had not prepared himself for, leading to an inner curse of his own stupidity. Of course, she had nearly drained him entirely of his blood, and a week in the infirmary had only just managed to return him to any semblance of health.
"I didn't mean to…" Then he stopped, locking gazes with her firmly, before he drew in a quiet, long breath and nodded, saying calmly, "Yes… I am. I'm afraid of you."
Her blue, clear gaze fell for a moment, hovering off to the side at something only she could apparently see, and for a brief second… Tom thought he saw a tear threaten to fall. "I do not blame you for that," she told him in a whisper, her voice nearly stolen by the wind. "I understand your fear… and personally, I expected you to leave as soon as you saw it was me coming. But you didn't leave." Her eyes lifted to meet his, and he frowned at her sincerity.
You were always such a pretty girl
And you told me I was beautiful
Despite his inner resistance, his feet took a step closer to her, and he said softly, "That wouldn't have been fair." Before she could resist his claim, he continued, "Because… I know that what happened… wasn't entirely your fault. It was my fault as well. I should have at least expected that something like that could happen… and it did. Now there's nothing we can do about it, and despite all fears… I'm still alive."
Mina shook her head vehemently, an insistent action that soon slowed, even as her soft hand rose to brush against his bandaged neck, sending a shock through him, not too unpleasant but unexpected all the same. "Nevertheless, Tom," she started quietly, and her eyes were filled with fear, "I could not stop myself… and it took a bullet to do so."
"There's no poetry between us"
Said the paper to the pen
Without even realising, he had gently leaned into her touch, trying to prolong the contact that he suddenly found so oddly comforting. "I knew you couldn't stop yourself," he said gently, "but that doesn't mean I hate you for it. You are a…"
"You can say it, Tom… it is what I am. Vampire."
"I…" His words failed him, even as her lips leaned in to brush against his in a soft, enticing kiss that only lasted for a few seconds, leaving him hungry for more, yearning but refusing to admit it… even to himself.
"It was an accident," he continued, breathlessly, trying to convince himself almost as much as he was trying to persuade the woman opposite him, her feminine fingers stroking his cheek affectionately, but almost sadly. He shook his head gently, not wishing to disrupt her touch, inching closer to her. "I don't blame you."
"And I get nothing for my trouble
But the ink beneath my skin"
"But," she sighed, "I blame myself. Never before have I lost control so horribly… and I cannot allow it to happen again. The danger is too great… it is a terrible thought to come to terms with… one I cannot bear." She blinked swiftly, her eyes shining with slight tears.
Tom's frown deepened at her hidden meaning, his head hung a little lower, with his bangs dropped like a shroud and he sighed regretfully. He knew what she intended by her words, and he lifted his head again as her fingers cupped his chin to assist him in doing so, their eyes meeting for a tender moment.
If your clothes are getting weary
And your soul's gone out of style
"I am sorry, Tom… so sorry," she breathed sorrowfully, their lips meeting for one last, brief kiss before she had to turn away, retreating from the tower entirely as quickly as she could, her skirts flowing behind her like an extended, living shadow. The door clanged behind her, deafening in the hanging silence, and Tom stared after her, disbelieving as to what had just happened.
Blame the miracle mile
And the bottom of the ladder
She had basically turned him away, and even as his gaze returned to the horizon, he found it had almost swallowed the setting sun now, and the last rays of daylight brushed his face almost in a teasing yet soothing manner, before fading away altogether, leaving him in the gloomy evening aboard the Nautilus' tower.
Paint your eyes and hide the tatters
What's the matter baby?
Alone.
...I'm coming too