Val's Short Story
"Val, be careful!" The younger boy hissed in Valentine's ear, causing him to shoot a glare over his shoulder.
"Why don't you shut up, Kindle, I know what I'm doing!"
"Sure ya do, chief," Kindle replied sarcastically. "You know what you're doing until you get us killed."
"We're not gonna die, now shut your trap and let me work!"
Kindle rolled his eyes but fell silent, eyes flickering around worriedly as his friend worked on picking a lock. Specifically the lock on the door that led to the largest bank in the area. It was a back entrance that not many people knew about, and it was definitely trapped. That's how things worked in this town.
"Got it." Val whispered triumphantly, pushing the door open. Kindle nodded and stepped forward into the doorway, shooting one last glance to the streets before entering the unfamiliar territory. It was easy enough at first, the two creeping through what must have been the basement of the large building, searching for the money they knew was being held in the iron arms of the marble bank, but, of course, that didn't last too long.
"Valentine, I don't like this," Kindle growled into the dark, anxiety inching into his tone. "This is way different than robbing a grocery store, and I swear, my partner-"
"I'll get you back to Raven, Kindle. Just follow my lead, I haven't let you down before, have I?'
"Well, no, but-"
"Then why should I start now? Why are we doing this, Kindle? For Raven, right? They need help right now and I'm getting you the money you need for that, alright? That was the plan from the start. Now be quiet and let's get in and out, okay? No panicking."
"Yeah, yeah, okay." Kindle's face looked pale, even in the dark, and Val was fully aware that his friend was worried more about Raven than himself. Kindle was rather wreckless most of the time, he and Valentine had done some stupid shit in the past, and it'd never bothered Kindle, never caused him any anxiety, but now he'd found someone he loved. Raven, Kindle's partner of four months, had fallen ill a few days ago, and it was obvious that they weren't getting better any time soon. Now, Val wasn't jealous of the fact that his friend was anxious, or that his partner was sick, but he was, in fact, rather jealous of the relationship Kindle had found. Valentine had never seen Kindle so happy before, but since he'd met Raven, he was like a different person, calmer, happier, willing to give up all he had for the sake of one person. Val wanted that. He wanted to be able to look at someone and know that they were all he needed, he wanted someone to talk to and lay with, to hold, and to hold him. Alas, that wasn't the case at the moment. For now, he just had to help a friend.
"Okay, you stay here and watch. I'm gonna sneak back and get the money, alright? In and out."
Kindle nodded and Valentine cracked the second door open, finding himself in a new room, a more modern one, and, best of all, one that held a silver vault. "Val?" He turned back and locked eyes with Kindle. "Be careful."
Valentine smiled slightly and nodded, tip-toeing to the vault and starting to toy with it. There was a soft click and Val grinned as the heavy silver door opened with a loud creak, revealing the treasure inside. His smile fell, however, when the alarms sounded.
"Shit."
Grabbing all that he could manage and shoving it into the cloth bag they'd brought, Val, darted back to the door where Kindle was waiting and ducked back inside, wincing as he heard shouting, and then the sound of a gunshot, behind him. "Hurry, hurry." He gasped, running forward, Kindle directly behind.
As soon as they hit fresh air, Valentine felt a wave of relief. The two friends had grown up here, there was no one around here who knew the city better than them, and not one who could navigate it quite as they could. "We did it! Let's get out of here!" He turned, beaming, to Kindle, who smiled weakly and nodded.
"Yeah, we did it!" He answered, but something was off, his eyes seemed blurred, and he looked shaky on his feet.
"Hey man, what's wrong?" Val's tone changed and he dropped the money to his side, stepping towards his long-term friend.
"Just tired. Let's get to Rav."
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine, man, let's get out of here."
"Kindle-"
"Let's go, Val. No time."
Val clenched his jaw and nodded turning and making his way to the streets, weaving easily through the crowds, always keeping an eye on Kindle. He seemed to be moving okay, maybe a little shaky. Taking a deep breath, Valentine led the way into the place where the two, plus the rest of their group (six people in all), were currently staying. Raven was there, laying on an old mattress, and Mable, Raven's older sister, was at her side, brushing their bangs from their face and placing a cool washcloth on their head.
"How are they?" Kindle questioned, hurrying to Raven's side and kneeling, still seeming a little off.
"Better," Mable replied, looking over. "But not good. You got money?"
"We got it," Val replied. "You know where to get medicine?"
"Of course. I'll go now." Mable's eyes flickered back to Kindle, who had grabbed Raven's limp hand, and her brow furrowed. "What's up with you, Kin?"
"Tired."
"No, something's wrong."
Valentine's pulse sped up, and he watched as his friend shrugged.
"Just some anxiety or some shit. Head hurts a little, throat too."
"That's not anxiety, Kindle. Lay down." Mable ordered, shaking her head. "I'll get you something too, breath deep and try to stay still, okay? Val, get him some water and watch him."
"Sure."
---
Two days later, Valentine sat with his legs dangling off the edge of a bridge, smoking a cigar. Kindle was dead. Mable said it was probably a stroke of some sort, or maybe something else that they didn't know about. Raven was recovering, but they were devastated, and, though they were conscious again, they refused to leave bed for anything, and it was rare that they ate unless Mable coaxed them into it.
Valentine stayed away, guilt weighing heavy on his chest. He should have noticed something was wrong with Kindle a long time ago. Should have done something. Now his friend was dead, and Val wanted nothing to do with the remainder of the group. They didn't want him either, he'd only been able to stay because Kindle liked him, so now there was no point in going back.
Val sucked on his cigar and blew out a ring of smoke, his head turning as something, or rather, someone caught his eye. A boy, Val thought, with a rather childish, ragged appearance, but, as Valentine watched, the boy easily reached over and, with a light flick of his wrist, plucked a watch off of a woman's wrist.
Momentarily, Val's thoughts drifted from his lost friend and focused solely on this boy, he wasn't sure why, but something about him made his heart twist. As if on cue, the boy's eyes found Val's and locked on, a mixture of anxiety and curiosity rising in them. Valentine hummed softly and stood, walking over and watching as the boy shifted slightly back in a rather defensive way as he approached.
"Hey, kitten." Val greeted, tilting his head slightly. The boy was short with brown locks that fell easily into wide, brown eyes, and caramel skin that seemed to shine in the lamplight. "I'm Val, what's your name?" The boy shook his head slightly in response, his eyes holding a type of kind curious purity that Val wasn't aware a person was capable of possessing before this moment. "Mute?" A slight nod.
Valentine grinned flicking his cigar to the ground and stomping it out in a swift movement. "That's alright. Y'know morse code by chance?" The boy's eyes sparkled and he nodded. It was obvious that not many people he'd come across had offered a form of communication that he knew.
"Ethan."
"Nice to meet ya, Ethan. You're pretty." Ethan blushed a little and smiled sheepishly.
"Thanks."
"Any time. Hey, this is weird, we just met and whatever, but I kinda like you and I'm kinda struggling right now, so... You mind if I kiss you?" Ethan looked taken aback by this and blinked in confusion. "Right, sorry, silly. I just, you know, you're cute and I'm lonely. Ha. Funny, right?"
This was answered by a slightly awkward shrug and then a series of taps.
"It's okay, not many people talk to me, so this is kind of nice."
"Really?" There was genuine surprise in Val's voice. "I wonder why not."
"No easy communication."
"Yeah, I guess." Valentine hesitated, fidgeting. He couldn't really explain what was happening, but something about this boy was really drawing him in, maybe it was his eyes, the way he held Val's gaze without any expectation of pain or fear, the way he looked at him with such kindness, or maybe it was the way he was standing, willing to be open and honest. He was so... innocent. So pure, and so perfect that Val almost didn't believe he was even real.
The next minute blended together, all Val knew was that he'd kissed the boy, and then, after a moment of tense resistance, Ethan had returned the kiss, and then there was a rushed apology, some brushing it all off, and then, eventually, the question of if Val had somewhere to stay, maybe he wanted to come over, Ethan had a little makeshift tent at the moment. Val could stay if he wanted, at least for a little.
And that's how everything started.
Winter 
Day Weather: 
