Jaquer didn't know the number of days passed as he woke up in a very unfamiliar yet familiar place.
He looked down upon his body and found himself half-naked, with his upper body covered by nothing but wrapped in the herb-soaked bandages.
His lids half closed, yet his other senses at full control, he sensed someone nearing him, hence he pretended to be lying unconscious to avoid conversation.
"Venor, this is not your mom's favourite place to visit as you like..." But Venor was not in the mood to argue with the apothecary.
With a sweep of his hand, he moved the apothecary aside and entered the room.
"Oih! I will disable your access to my place, I swear." The voice trailed behind Venor, hinting at the sign of closeness between the two.
"Try me," Venor didn't mind his statement and rather asked desperately, "How is he?"
"I am not sure," The apothecary replied nonchalantly and walked towards Jaquer before taking his wrist in his hand.
The apothecary gently placed his fingers on the wrist to check for pulse movement. He paused for a moment before confirming, "Mr hunter boy, welcome to the afterlife."
His playful voice made Jaquer realise that he was caught. He squeezed his eyes closed and slightly opened his right eyes.
"He is alright now, just pretending to be asleep. I got many tasks rather than taking care of some hunter boy. I am taking my leave, don't come to my chamber, EVER. Bye." The apothecary waved his hand and walked away, leaving Jaquer and Venor alone.
Jaquer gave up his act and tried to sit on the bed.
Venor went ahead and helped, but instead of 'thank you', he received a few glares from the hunter.
"How are you feeling, little thing?" He asked, sitting beside Jaquer's knees.
"Shit," He replied without batting his eyes and looked at the chamber, studying its structure,
He ignored Venor's eyes looking at his face and glanced at the golden linen drawn across the walls, with something written unreadable to his educated mind.
Something stirred his memory, but he brushed off the feeling. It was useless to try remembering something forgotten, right?
He looked at Venor and asked, "How many days have passed?"
"2 weeks," Venor's voice caught in guilt as he replied.
He pursed his lips and shifted his weight towards Jaquer.
"I... I am sorry," He replied, and with a disheartened expression, his eyes travelled towards Jaquer's chest.
Behind those bandages, he left a huge scar. His crimson eyes remained fixed on the area, and subconsciously, he extended his hand to touch it.
But before his hand could reach Jaquer's chest, a petite hand caught his wrist and halted the demon's action.
He lifted his eyes to look at Jaquer before shifting them towards his lips, which spat, "I don't like to be touched, especially by demons."
Adverting his gaze, Jaquer released Venor's hand, but before he could grasp a sigh of relief, the latter took his hand and tugged Jaquer towards his chest.
Poor Jaquer ended up trapped between Venor's chest and his arms, while his hands struck out.
"Bloody Illiterate big shits, what did I just say!" He mumbled as the chest gave him no air to breathe.
Venor, on the other hand, squeezed the hunter tighter and breathed his hair, while resting his crimson eyes after weeks of mental strain.
"Let me go, you filth." Jaquer struggled, but he was a damsel in distress with his weak body.
Finally, with no hope of winning with words, Jaquer violently struck Venor's back, a rock of a hill precisely. Even scratching with his long nails won't leave a scar on that man.
"I am sorry," Venor apologised again. His soft breath brushed against Jaquer's head, while he rested his chin on the hunter's scalp.
Jaquer involuntarily shivered, and his hand beating Venor's back froze midway as his nerve disbalanced.
"Even your angry whimpers don't make me as annoyed as your silence did through the week," Venor whispered, his voice barely audible to Jaquer's ear.
And before Jaquer could register, the huge demon dozed in his arms, snoring faintly and unable to carry his heavy body, both fell on the bed.
One was sleeping peacefully, while the other was rolling his eyes with a scowl, unable to be at peace.
****
When Zitara, the former apothecary, neared Jaquer's bed, a smile appeared on his lips as he gently shook his head while looking at both the men who slept soundly, hugging each other.
But even without wanting to disturb both, he touched Venor's back before entering his dream.
An important message has to be delivered.
It was an extremely difficult task to physically awaken a tired demon, so those who were close to each other had access to enter each other's dreams.
Zitara walked further before he found Venor sitting beside a volcanic lake, birds lying dead beside him, and a human skull protruding from the sand.
"Why do you have such depressing dreams whilst having him beside your side?"
Dream mirrored the internal health of a demon.
And looking at Venor's, Zitara mentally prepared the herb list to make a pill in order to heal Venor's demonic core.
A sudden lava spruged beside Zitara, and with a surprised yelp, he leaped beside Venor and touched his shoulder in condolence.
"You need to meditate, my friend."
"Why are you here? Get to the point and leave me alone while I am resting." Venor replied nonchalantly.
"The king's messenger wants to visit you."
"Tell her I am busy."
"Fucker, if you want to die, commit suicide, don't drag us in." Zitara violently replied with Venor's eased reaction to the horrendous situation.
Again, even in the dry sand, a lava spurted behind Zitara.
He breathed heavily, but to his relief, Venor finally stepped up and dragged Zitara towards the lava by his collar, and himself before jumping in the warm pool and opening their eyes in the real world.
One needs to die in the dream to leave the dream; if anyone has no guts but dares to enter it, he was bound to be stuck forever.
Venor let out a contagious yawn before lifting himself from the bed and leaving sleeping Jaquer on the bed and walking out of the chamber.