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Eli took the pen he had been keeping to hold up his long raven curls and once again and rewound the cassette. He didn’t know the words of the songs on the album, but Oskar had been able to decipher some of it from taking English in school and was able to tell Eli what the album title “Forever Young” meant. This brought out a little smile from Eli who softly whispered to Oskar “Like us?.” Oskar had nodded and then they bought a small but decent collection of music. The Forever Young album by Alphaville, a three tape collection of Arianna in Creta by George Fredric Handel that Eli had pointed out, and Peter Criss’s solo album that Oskar had hoped would be more like “Beth” and not as discordant as your typical Kiss album.
Eli had been hogging the Walkman, which Oskar didn’t mind. Unlike Eli, who said that music was his “life blood” (even though he had been a vampire for over 2 centuries and his life blood is actual blood) Oskar did not “need” music.
Eli took out his most recent puzzle, a little metal thing that was spiky enough to serve as a weapon. His dark curls bounced he started bobbing his head and drumming out a tune with the metal pieces in his pale hands, scratching the bedspread. Oskar was about to stop him, but feared that blood would be drawn if he disturbed Eli (mostly because of the puzzle being so sharp). He had also learned that you should never come between a boy and his puzzles, or a boy and his music for that matter. When Eli had headphones on, especially when there was also a puzzle in his hands, Oskar knew to stay away. So he turned on the little television in the Motel room and changed it to something that looked relatively ok. I mean it was in Danish, but still.
Eli started humming along with the music being played softly in his ears. Oskar took a moment to look at his friend, his boyfriend. Eli’s giant stormy blue eyes were transfixed on his puzzle. Actually, his eyes weren’t entirely gray-blue. In the center of Eli’s eyes there was a ring of light brown amber. Central heterochromia, a rare, but not unheard of genetic trait. Not supernatural, just natural human variation. Eli was wearing a 1984 FIFA world cup jersey that made his small frame look even more minute as it kept slumping down his shoulders. Thankfully Oskar had gotten Eli to remember that underwear was not optional and that just because you have nothing down there doesn’t mean you can go commando.
Oskar continued looking at the amber rings in the stormy sea which then shifted from the metal puzzle to Oskar. Eli put down his puzzle. He kept humming to whichever song was playing and got up placing his small hands on Oskar’s cheeks. Then Eli started to sing.
“de ringing of your laughter, it sounds like a melody”
Oskar had never once in the 4 years they had been together heard Eli actually sing. Hum? Yes. Eli often would hum.
“To once forbidden places we’ll go for a while” Eli placed a kiss on Oskar’s cheek. Did Eli really not know the lyrics? That sounded pretty freaking gay.
“It’s a deafening snow, oshadow resting in de moo night.” Ok yeah, so maybe Eli really did not know a word of what he was singing. But he sounded like an angel. Literally his voice seemed to lift Oskar in the air.
“You’re singing?! Oskar questioned why now was the time “And your really, really good”
“Huh?” Eli took the headphones off his ears and gave Oskar a quizzical look. The tiny sound of the song coming from them faded.
“You were singing, it was good. Can you do it again?” Eli looked down a little with embarrassment.
“I was singing?”
“Yes”
“I haven’t sung in ages. I guess it’s good that I haven’t lost my voice. I was a singer you know? before, and for a while after.”
“Really?”
“That’s why I’m here, Oskar. Because he liked my voice. He wanted to hear it whenever he wished. He wanted to keep me forever young.” Without even asking, Oskar knew exactly who Eli was talking about. He didn’t talk about him much, his sire. The nobleman that Oskar had seen in Eli’s memories. Oskar looked into Eli’s eyes once more and saw a sadness that he had not seen since they first met. An eerie quiet only disturbed by the static of the television and the softest echo of the music still playing swept the room.
“But not this young.”
Eli turned away and got his puzzle and Walkman, still intertwined within Oskar’s arm. The energetic synth music started playing in his ears as he once again looked intently at the little metal contraption.
“Is that why you chose the opera?” This time Eli seemed to hear Oskar’s question and he nodded.
“I practiced the part of Alceste nearly everyday for decades, that was until the Baron got bored of it and we switched to something new.”
“And you liked it?”
“Mostly. It sort of kept me…sane. But I still haven’t listened to it since we got it. I’m a little scared to, as if Baron von Rosen would be summoned or something if I did. Which of course is ridiculous. I mean why would me playing opera music summon him here?” Eli laughed at himself but his expression remained fearful.
“Is he still…you know… alive?”
“Yes. I think so. I only got out because he wanted to go to the New World in like…1912 or something? and I managed to hide in the wall and they all left without me. But I am pretty sure he is still alive. He saw Julius Caesar, you know? He’s been around that long. He did not know him or anything but told me that he had heard him give some speech sometime.” Throughout the whole explanation Eli had continued working on his puzzle. Oskar watched as Eli put the small pieces together with masterful precision. Sometimes it took him a minute to figure it out, but once he did it was like watching an artist make his magnum opus. Once Eli had completed his puzzle he placed it on the end table. It looked like a miniature mace-head with all of its sharp points. All of the songs on the second side of the album had been played and now nothing was coming from the headphones. Beside the mini-mace Eli placed the Walkman as he drew Oskar closer to him.
“We really should make sure that those windows are completely blocked. I don’t want either of us to burn up today.” Oskar said as he gently picked up his companion and placed him back down on the bed. He moved towards the window. They had been putting it off after the long night of travel from Saeby to Aarborg in Denmark, but they really needed to get it together. It had been hours since they arrived at the little motel and still hadn’t sunlight proofed the room/
At 8 in the morning the two children were soundly asleep under a mountain of blankets. Neither of the boys were breathing and their bodies matched the cold of the room. Even with them being so close together they were both almost as cold as ice. If you ever wondered if vampires dream, they do, and Eli’s dream was more of a daymare (like a nightmare but in the day) since he had been reminded of his Sire. But then, as if his companion was able to sense the fear, the blonde boy subconsciously scooped up his friend and Eli’s dream shifted to making flower crowns with his older sister.