Hallows: Duets

Let You Go?

Bad Omens- Just Pretend

Ashley:

David and Dante are sitting across from one another without saying a single word. It's oddly erotic to see them both staring at one another the way they are. I'm chewing on my thumbnail nervously just enjoying the growing tension between the two of them. I open my mouth to say something and then shut it with a clack of my teeth when they both glare at me.

"Are we just going to sit here, David?" Dante finally loses his patience.

"Was there any way I could have told you without you blowing up in my face?" he asks.

"We'll never know," Dante shrugs.

"See, that right there is why I f*****g hate talking to you about personal s**t,"

"You have known about this since before I started working in the Summer, David. You could have f*****g texted it to me or something. Written me one of your f*****g love letters and explained it to me rationally but instead, you dragged Ash into this and lied to both of us about it. You're not even here to apologize. You're here because I called you and asked you to come for Ashley's sake,"

"Wait, really? Why me?" I ask. I actually want to know more about the love letters. How cute. That's something I'd expect from Dante but not David.

"He said you weren't feeling well," David says. I laugh looking over at Dante.

"Knock on wood, d**k," I shake my head making him smile. "Okay, so you're both liars. Granted, Dante only lied to get your stubborn ass over here. This is the argument out in the hallway all over again. How many times have you guys had this fight?"

"Too many," Dante sighs.

"Do you think that maybe he reacts to this s**t the way he does because every time it happens one of you threatens to walk away? I know you f*****g feel what he does too. I feel it. I felt it on Sunday. It felt like I was f*****g suffocating, David. Right now, his emotions are all heightened because he's got both of us rattling inside of him. Chill the f**k out and just say what you need to say. That's all he's asking you to do,"

"I'm going to marry Eliza," he states clearly. The ache returns and mine is added to it this time because despite my knowing this was coming, that s**t hurts. "There is no way around it. I can't run away from this s**t and it's going to happen in November,"

"Oh, s**t," I fall back into the armchair.

"David-" Dante shakes his head and sits up to bury his hands in his hair.

"I don't want you to do anything about it," David continues. "I agreed to this. It's the only way he was letting me come back. Eliza doesn't want this any more than I do but us doing this gives us the freedom to do whatever we want without having our parents breathing down our backs all the f*****g time,"

"f**k," Dante roars making me jump. He stands up and starts to pace behind my desk. "So where does that leave us?"

"Things don't have to change,"

"This changes everything," Dante shouts. "Everything. Every f*****g single thing. You're going to be excepted to be an actual family, David. You're going to have to put out and do s**t for her. How f*****g dare you say that? Like we're going to be okay with being your f*****g side pieces. I'm not okay with that and I'm sure as f**k not okay with you even suggesting it,"

"How is this any different from how we're treated?" David meets his challenge.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Danny, you've had eighteen girlfriends since we've been together. You're fighting it right now just like you did when we first started four years ago but you will eventually give into what you are. I understand that you can't help it because of whatever you are, but it's the only reason why I tolerate it.

"Yeah, I love Ash just as much as you do but it f*****g killed me to see how hard you had to fight it. How much you wanted her. How far you were willing to go to obtain her. I had to put aside who I was to accommodate you. How is this any different from what I'm asking,"

"You're making that choice," Dante shouts. He has tears streaming down his face. "It's not the same. You're choosing. I don't get a say in any of this. I never have. Do you think I like this s**t? Do you think I see them? They're just f*****g bodies. I can't even begin to describe how f*****g disgusted I feel after touching one of them. How much it f*****g burns me up inside to know that even if I tried to keep this locked away, I'd still run the chance of killing you.

"I've never put any of them above you. Not even Ashley. I fought it because of you. Do you think that I do anything without thinking of how it's going to affect you? Do you think I have this much security because of me? I. Can't. f*****g. Die. David. But you can. She can. I hold back everything that I am for you. The killing, the girls, the f*****g drugs. All of it. Because you have a f*****g problem with everything that I am.

"I will not have you this way. If you want to marry that girl. I'm not going to stop you but we're done. I'm not going to keep you inside of me while you fall in love with this f*****g girl,"

"No one is talking about love," David shouts back at him.

"I know you," Dante shakes his head. "I know everything about you. You're just like her," he points at me. "You find all the pretty things in the ugliest s**t. You can't stand there and tell me that you're not going to learn to care for this girl. To love her. You fell in love with Ash while you f*****g hated her because I cared about her. Even if you didn't. How f****d up are you to drag her into all of this? She could die and it would be my fault and yours. You seem to have made up your mind and you're not going to change mine so, just go,"

"This is it then? You f****d my life up with all your s**t and this is what I get in return?" David shouts.

"I guess so," Dante meets his glare. "My essence should be out of your system by Friday,"

"Anything you want to add?" David asks me. I wipe the tears from my eyes and stand up. I go over to him taking his hands in mine.

"You don't have to do this," I shake my head. "We can figure something out. You can't just leave like this," I look back at Dante. "You can't let him leave like this,"

"I'm not going to change my mind, baby," David makes me look back at him. "I love you both but I have a responsibility to my family. One I've put off for a long time now. I bought myself a lot of time and that time is up. I have to get back to reality. He and I both knew this day would come. It doesn't make it easier but this is who we are. I can't change who I am any more than he can change what he is,"

"That's f*****g bullshit," Dante growls. "You're choosing to walk away,"

"If my dad ever found out the truth, he'd kill me," David looks over at him. "He'd try to come after you,"

"I can protect myself,"

"He's my father. Yeah, he's a massive piece of s**t but not all of us are like you, Danny. I can't just f*****g mount his head on my study wall and call it a day. That's not how the world outside of Hellbourne works. Even if he were dead, nothing would change for me. I'm sorry," he pulls away from me. "That's all came to say. Avery and I are moving into the dorms at H.U. You can call your dogs off,"

"I'm not going to leave you unprotected in New City," Dante scoffs.

"Arturo is setting up shop. I'm not unprotected. You should probably pull Beli and Teeg back to the Southside. They don't need them to be watching me anymore. The last thing I want is for you to keep tabs on me,"

"David," I reach for him again but he steps away.

"Either of you. We're done. I'm no longer your concern,"

I didn't even see him move, but as David reaches the door, Dante comes up behind him and shoves him against it. I let out a sigh of relief. I thought he was really going to let him just go like that.

"You think that after all this time, I'm just going to let you walk away from me?" he growls in his ear. "Are you out of your f*****g mind?"

"Let me go," David tries to push back against him.

"Let you go?" Dante laughs maniacally. "Where are you going to f*****g go where I wouldn't find you, you f*****g asshole?" he growls. "Baby, give me your belt. We're going to play a game. I think baby boy here has forgotten who the f**k he's dealing with,"