FREE SHORT STORY - TALLON

TALLON was inspired by this picture.

 The challenge was to write something that was less that 1000 words.

Tallon

“Leif? Are you ready yet?”

Josh rounded the corner to the bedroom and stopped short at the sight of his boyfriend, sucking in a little breath as he came face to face with the most gorgeous creature he’d ever seen. “Wow, that’s stunning.”

Leif, dressed in a long flowing silver cape with a wide collar the color of burnt umber, frowned.

“Stunning?”

Josh grinned, stepping up close to get a better look at the costume. “Yeah. You look so… real.”

“Real?” Leif tipped his head to the side, the frown marring his perfectly made up face. Josh couldn’t quite believe the difference a few strokes of eyeliner would make.

“Did you put in contacts?” Josh looked closer, surprised to see pale blue eyes looking at him instead of the usual brown.

“Contacts?”

“Your eyes, Leif, you’ve changed their color, and why are you repeating everything I say?”

“Who’s Leif?”

Josh rolled his eyes. So Leif was going to play that game, was he? Every time Leif dressed up, his whole personality changed. It was like he wasn’t the same person anymore, which was a little disconcerting at times.

“You are,” Josh answered, not playing along.

“I’m Tallon.”

“Whatever.”

“I’m Tallon.”

Josh turned to face his very exasperating boyfriend. “Fine, you’re Tallon. I don’t really care, but if you want to make the party we have to get going.”

“Party?”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, Leif. You know I don’t like it when you do this.”

Leif tilted his head to the side again. It wasn’t a normal characteristic for him, and Josh wondered if he was using it as part of his ‘Tallon’ persona, but it was such an odd mannerism, nothing like Josh had ever seen Leif do before.

“I’m not Leif.”

Maybe it was the tone of voice, or maybe it was the shot of blue light from a long fingered hand that finally convinced Josh he wasn’t talking to Leif anymore.

“Fuck!” Scrambling backward, Josh slammed into the wall. “What have you done to Leif? Where is he?”

“Gone.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Leif can’t be gone. He’s mine!”

Tallon’s lips thinned. Josh knew Leif’s were full, and no matter how pissed off he was, Leif could never get them to thin out the way Tallon did. Somehow, Leif’s bodily form was changing the longer Tallon possessed it.

“He wasn’t yours. You never bonded.”

“Bonded?” Now it was Josh’s turn to repeat what Tallon was saying.

“You never gave him a ring.”

Josh’s stomach twisted as he remembered the look of disappointment on Leif’s face when Leif had asked him for a ring, and Josh hadn’t thought it necessary. “I don’t have one,” he whispered, feeling sick.

Holding out a hand, Tallon turned it palm up. Nestled in the middle were two rings, intricately designed, intrinsically beautiful. “Maybe you both need one,” he said.

It was more than awe that had Josh reaching out, it was the knowledge that what Tallon was offering was not just a gift of rings, but Leif. As he touched one of the platinum circles a tingle flowed into his arm causing him to almost recoil, but this was for Leif. He would do anything for Leif.

“I’m not sure this costume suits me. It’s too…, I don’t know. It feels wrong.”

Startled, Josh stared into warm brown eyes. “Leif? Is that you?”

“Of course it’s me.”

Profound relief had Josh pulling Leif into his arms and holding on to him with all the strength and love he possessed. “Oh my god, Leif! I thought you’d gone.” Leif’s beautiful eyes were back, and so were his beautiful, kissable lips. Josh smothered them with his own, tasting Leif, devouring him.

“Hey!” Leif pulled back, though by the look in his eyes he was more surprised by Josh’s enthusiasm than by the kiss itself. “Are you all right?” Concern edged his voice, one which Josh wanted to alleviate immediately.

“Leif, I love you, you know that, right?”

“Of course I know you love me. I love you too.” Leif’s concern still hadn’t abated if the frown he wore was anything to go by, but Josh felt so much better hearing those words from him.

“Well, I think it’s time I did something to prove to you how much.” Josh opened his hand and showed Leif the rings.

“Really?” Leif’s face lit up, his frown disappearing.

“Yes, and I’m so sorry I didn’t realise how important it was to you.” He moved Leif to sit down on the bed. He picked up one of the rings, feeling the tingle flare up again. Searching Leif’s face, and seeing no sign of Tallon, Josh smiled. He held onto Leif’s left hand and placed the ring on the third finger. “With this ring I bond my soul to you,” he said, not sure where the words came from, but knowing they were right.

Leif’s grin warmed Josh’s heart, but what set it on fire was when Leif picked up the other ring and slipped it onto Josh’s finger.

“With this ring I bond my soul to you,” Leif repeated.

Leif’s gaze riveted Josh, the love in them unquestionable. Josh hoped Leif was able to see the same love in his eyes, because he never wanted Leif to question it or think otherwise.

“Josh?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t think I want to go to the party now.”

“Good, because I don’t think I ever want to see a costume again either.”

The End