I'm sorry that this chapter is so short. It's a shameless filler, through and through, but I've had this little scene in my head for a long time.
Chapter Twenty Four
Kevin groaned with annoyance as the first claws of consciousness began to drag him from sleep. Trapped between dreams and awakening, he reached out for Dynasty but his hands clutched only air.
Slowly, Kevin blinked open bleary eyes and rolled over sleepily.
"Dyn?"
The pale streams of moonlight protruding from either side of his curtains cast eerie shadows on his surrounding.
Kevin searched the bed for a moment longer before fumbling for his bedside lamp.
As the glow from the lamp illuminated his room with yellow light, Kevin felt his senses becoming abruptly alert. He picked up his watch from the bedside table and attempted to focus his eyes. Three o'clock. The middle of the night.
Forcing himself out of bed, Kevin scanned the room again quickly before yanking open the door and stepping out onto the landing.
He squinted into the darkness. Crossing the landing quietly, Kevin leaned briefly into the dark bathroom.
"Dynasty?" he whispered loudly as his hand searched uselessly for the light switch.
He shook his head in disbelief to rid himself of his own foolishness until he realized he was alone and his embarrassment faded.
Nevertheless, when he received no reply he abandoned the light.
Satisfied that Dynasty was not within earshot, Kevin began to make his way down the stairs slowly, listening for any signs of movement downstairs. As he stepped into the hall he was bathed in the silvery moonlight that flooded through the ground floor.
Thankful for the light, Kevin sighed as he walked softly towards the crack of bright artificial light spilling from beneath the kitchen door.
Light of my life; Lolita, Kevin thought whimsically as he imagined what could only wait for him as he pushed open the door.
Dynasty stretched her legs out in front of her on the floor and leaned back against the fridge. Having heard his hesitant footsteps on the stairs overhead, she was far from startled by Kevin's lazy smile as he stepped into the kitchen.
Kevin closed the door firmly behind him and walked towards Dynasty, silently easing himself down beside her until they sat shoulder to shoulder.
Dynasty smiled coyly and held her spoon out towards him, dropping the jar of peanut butter she held into his lap. She slid the jar of chocolate spread at her feet towards Kevin also.
Without a word, Kevin accepted the spoon from her and dipped it into the spread, licking it slowly.
Dynasty dropped her head onto Kevin's shoulder, sliding her arms around his waist.
The silence thickened around them as Kevin shifted slightly, freeing his arm from beneath Dynasty's body and wrapping it around her shoulders.
Dynasty squirmed uncomfortably, her body protesting against the cool, hard wood floor and the itching bandages that wound around her waist more tightly than she would have liked. She wriggled closer to Kevin before relaxing against him. The scent that made her feel distinctly at home filled her nose, overwhelming her with an almost dreamlike peacefulness. She dipped a finger into the peanut butter resting on Kevin's legs and sucked it away thoughtfully.
"Rough night then?" Kevin asked, laying his head against Dynasty's untamed locks.
Dynasty ignored his question, unwilling to divulge the murky, twisted events of her nightmares.
"When me and Barry were little, my uncle bought us both some peanut butter cups from this American style shop in Manchester. Barry didn't tell me though and ate them himself. When I found out, he felt so guilty that he tried to make me some at home. Well, that was a disaster, wasn't it? He nearly burnt half his arm off!" Dynasty laughed into Kevin's side. "To make it up to me he got Mum to buy peanut butter and chocolate spread, and he said this way the chocolate wouldn't melt all over your fingers."
Dynasty smiled fondly as she recounted the memory. However soon her smile faded and her breath came in small gasps.
"Why isn't he here, Kevin?" Dynasty choked breathlessly. "He's my brother; why isn't he here?"
Kevin set down the spoon and shoved the peanut butter off his lap.
"I don't know," Kevin lied smoothly, encircling Dynasty in his arms as her tears began to soak through his T-shirt.
Kevin had several ideas about Barry's absence, the most prominent being guilt. He found it impossible to imagine telling Dynasty that Barry had been the one who supplied the gun that could have killed them both. Despite Kevin's own animosity towards him, he assumed that Barry would at least be remorseful for participating in Dynasty's suffering. As for Dynasty's mother and sister; Kevin couldn't fathom.
Just incase: If you haven't seen the Jeremy Irons version of Lolita then that reference won't mean much to you. Just thought I'd say that obviously Kevasty's relationship is nothing like that, Kevin is just referring to a scene in the movie where Humbert finds Lolita eating out of the fridge in the middle of the night.
