(davin)

[jamesthorn]

 The night James is taken, it's raining. Thundering spring showers despite the lingering snow still hanging around town. But it's enough distraction that he doesn't see the looming figure roaming around the corner of his house as he hurriedly tries to get his key into the lock and inside to dry off and warm himself. It's dark, late, when he's making his way home from a day of meetings with his family's lawyers. For once, he's come home optimistic, hopeful that negotiations are coming to an end. That all his father's remaining holdings will be amicably split between his siblings and himself while the company will be left in responsible hands. 

 

So he doesn't expect the attack. He doesn't expect to need the weapon he's left in his bedroom since the day he took leave from the police department. Perhaps that was naive of him especially after finding out from Davin that someone, something was out to get him. Whatever the case, the witch blindsides him hitting him over the head with a hard blunt object that sends a shooting pain down his entire skull and spine. It knocks him unconscious, and the witch has gotten what they came for tonight...revenge. 

 

He wakes up strapped to a flat cement table, hands and feet tied down making it impossible to move. His mouth is bound so he can't even scream for help. Though he wonders if it would do any good. He's somewhere dark. Somewhere he can hear the lapping of waves in the distance, and he hopes that whoever did this was dumb enough to keep him in town. He'll have a chance that way. 

 

Because he has to believe his family, his siblings, someone will come looking for him. 

Comments

[davin]

Davin tries to get in contact with James for two days before he really starts to worry. He had found this book on woodworking and for some reason, it's something that he could see James doing. He sent him a few texts that went unanswered, but Davin tried not to think about it too hard. They aren't dating anymore; James isn't required to respond to his texts.

But then he starts to get this anxious feeling in his gut, like maybe something is wrong. He avoids trying to contact any of James' friends or family at first because he's pretty sure that they all hate him, but eventually he hears from June that no one has heard from James in days.

He goes out to James' house and it reeks of dark, unfriendly magic. Edan lets out an angry bark of a sound and hot tears spring to Davin's eyes. He's back home without even really remembering getting there, and he's on the phone with his grandmother as he puts together a location spell. They need something of James for it to work, and Davin's glad that he never got around to throwing away James' toothbrush.

It's enough to locate him, and Davin's eyes narrow when he realizes that he's being kept in some remote building on the outskirts of town. He and Edan take off immediately, and Davin's tattoo glows a solid blue.

He busts inside with a shout of James' name, eyes and fingertips sparking. Edan is on high alert, lips curled back to reveal sharp teeth. The place is an old cabin, empty and mildewing, and Davin wrinkles his nose. "James! Are you here?"

[jamesthorn]

It's days later when Davin shows up in the dark secluded cabin, and just the sound of his voice is close to a miracle. James had been starting to wonder if anyone would ever come looking, but when it's Davin he hears he realizes he expected him to come. Not merely hoped, he knew deep down Davin would find him.

The thing is he isn't hurt. He's so hungry, tired, scared, still tied up, but all together he's fine. It's not from a lack of trying though. His captor seemed to be perplexed by him, by the fact that the magic she tried to use to hurt him didn't seem to be working. It had taken James a while to work out how exactly he seemed to be immune, but then he remembered Davin's protection spells. So for the past few days she's been threatening him with curses and afflictions and all sorts of spells, his worst fears about magic all rolled together in seemingly never ending nightmare. Eventually the witch, who called herself Morrigan, figured out James had another witch helping him. And yet, still, she couldn't touch him.

So when Davin shows up, Morrigan looks plum pleased by this development, and James is scared that she's going to do something bad. Her cabin is filled with horrible experiments and dark magic, and he's afraid for Davin to walk into this place. Even for him. Morrigan disappears into the shadows, leaving James for Davin to find.

His mouth is still bound with a cloth tied around his head, and he's trying to yell a warning as Davin approaches, but it mostly comes out muffled and incomprehensible.

[davin]

Edan takes off for the basement stairs and Davin follows, tossing a blue orb of light above his head as he goes. It glows softly and makes the place look even eerier than it already does. He has such a bad feeling about it all, and his skin crawls with every step lower into the place he takes, but none of that matters when he sees James bound to a chair in the middle of the room.

"James!" Davin runs up to him and cups his cheeks, pulling the gag down with his thumbs, and he doesn't think. He leans in and kisses him out of sheer relief, letting his mouth linger against James' dry lips for a moment before pulling back to look at him. "What happened, babe? Who did this t'ya?"

[jamesthorn]

After days alone, suddenly Davin is there close enough to touch, and he's leaning in, kissing James on the lips. He doesn't stop him. The reunion overwhelms him for a moment, because he was trapped alone, wondering if and when someone would show up to save him. Now Davin is here; he came for him. Part of James is relieved because he's not alone anymore, but then in the back of his head there's the danger of Morrigan.

He keeps his hands on Davin's shoulders looking at him, seriously. "Davin," he utters, but his throat is dry so it comes out hoarse. He swallows a little, shaking his head. "It's not safe. Hurry!" There's still his legs and hands. "Untie me. She'll be back...hurry."

[davin]

Davin nods frantically and drops to his knees to pick at the knots, angry at the binds for not having the decency to be made of metal. His grandma worked with him to try and expand his telekinesis beyond just metallic elements, and he did have some success. For now, it still requires intense focus and he doesn't have the time for that right now.

"I've got ya," Davin assures him. Soon enough both of James' hands are fee and he leans down to untie his legs as well. "Who's she? Who did this? I swear, I'll make her regret it. Ya hear me?"

[jamesthorn]

"Morrigan," James says, glancing around them as though just uttering her name will make her appear from nowhere, but she doesn't. This gives Davin enough time to free his arms and legs from the chair. When he is able to stand, he reaches out for Davin holding him closer, hugging him tightly. Despite the imminent danger he is relieved and just grateful Davin came for him. After a moment he pulls away though. "I don't want you to get hurt. She's after me. My family," he explains as he looks back towards where Davin entered the room.

That's the way out. Maybe they can escape.

"We need to go---" But then, Morrigan crosses out of the darkness over to the staircase blocking their means of escape. His body tenses in fear. He grips Davin's arm tightly wanting to pull him back.

"I'll stay. Just let him go," James offers immediately. This is about his father, not Davin. He won't see anyone get hurt because of him. Morrigan smiles, sinister and wide, shaking her head mockingly. "I can't let him go. Not when I've just met the reason you can't be harmed." Her eyes flick to Davin now. "I'm impressed. Your magic is good. He's well-protected, couldn't even put the simplest of curses on him. A curse he deserves. Why are you helping this tyrant? His family has spent a century hurting our kind."

[davin]

Davin frowns at the name, but he doesn't have much time to think on it before James is suddenly tugging him backwards. His heart leaps when James offers to stay in place of Davin. It's a noble gesture that means the world to him, but there's no way that Davin would let that happen.

They're leaving together, or they aren't leaving at all.

He stands tall and meets the witch's gaze with a cool one of his own, putting on a brave face. She's no scarier than anything else he's had to face in his short life.

"I know a thing or two. Comes with bein' a Kavanagh," Davin tells her, letting his accent come out thick. He wants to see if she recognizes the name, if it gets a reaction out of her at all. If nothing else, she'll know that he's part of a coven big and powerful enough worth mentioning. "James has done nothin' t' harm any witches. Your fight died with his father. Let it end."

[jamesthorn]

There's no doubt in James mind that Davin is just as much of a threat as Morrigan. He's seen him take care of a giant, very real, fire-breathing dragon. He's saved James' life more than once. It's not that he doubts that Davin can take care of himself. It's just that if something happened to Davin because of James or his family, he doesn't know if he could live with himself.

"Just don't hurt him," James pleads to Morrigan, trying to appeal to whatever sympathy she may still have. Davin is innocent here. "Whatever you'd like I'll give it to you. Money, anything..." In reply what comes out is a cackling villainous laugh and Morrigan is creeping towards them, her long black robes swishing around her feet. Her hair is dark, her skin is pale and smooth. She'd be beautiful if she weren't evil.

She holds out her hand, pointing at Davin, pacing in front of them as she speaks, "Awful human, your money is no good here! To think I've spent all this time debating the perfect curse. The perfect revenge." She glares at James, eyes nearly black. "All I had to do was get rid of him. The one you love, and you will know misery forever. I'm not one to go against my own kind, but I'm willing to make an exception for you. First you, then the others."

James takes a breath because she hasn't mentioned his siblings until now. It's not so much what she says, it's how she says it. She sounds so sure that she can beat Davin, and he's afraid. More afraid than he's ever been in his life.

[davin]

"Wow, you are just really off the reservation, aren't ya?" Davin says with a roll of his eyes. He's scared, but he won't let her see that. He can practically hear James' heart pounding and as touching as what he's saying is, all he's doing is throwing fuel on her fire.

"If ya couldn't bust through the simple protection spells on James," Davin says idly, though the lines of his tattoo are glowing bright blue, "what makes ya think you would have any hope of gettin' through the ones on me?"

While he's distracting her with his words, Davin uses his thoughts to lift a long coil of rusted chain. In a move as quick as a flash of lightning, blue sparks explode from his fingertips and the chain wraps around her like a snake, pinning her arms to the side. Edan is at Davin's side, lips curled back over his teeth and fur standing on edge. His eyes, like Davin's, are glowing an electric blue. "What makes ya so sure you can beat me, aye? 'Cause I gotta say, I'm lovin' my odds here."

[jamesthorn]

The truth is Morrigan didn't want it to be this way. All she wanted was vengence. Easy peasy. There didn't have to be any bloodshed here. Sure, she wanted to curse Thornton and his family from now to eternity, but that didn't mean blood. In and out, and done. That was her plan. She didn't know there was going to be another witch involved, because you go after a family that hates witches, you don't expect them to have a witch on their side. A powerful one at that. So when Davin uses his protection spells and then uses his powers to trap her, she knows she isn't dealing with an ordinary foe. This will take more magic than she has at the moment, and she is certainly not going to overpower him.

So the easiest move is to go to Plan B. She hadn't wanted to go to Plan B. It was strictly a last resort. Plan B was more likely to get her arrested than a curse. But hey, she's gone this far with the kidnapping and everything, she might as well take it all the way home. Using a counterspell, she manages to free her arms from the chain, snapping it with the force of her powers. It's probably the only thing she'll be able to do, magic-wise against Davin. She can tell he's more powerful than her.

That's why in the next split second she whips out a black pistol that she's kept hidden beneath her jacket. Plan B. She points it right at James. "What about your odds now?" she asks smirking, but the question is only for show. She is not going to hesitate, and her finger is already locked on the trigger. She's going to shoot before Davin can do anything to stop her.

James, for his part, sees the gun coming out of her pocket, his eye trained for this type of situation. However, instead of the eerie calm he normally gets in high-stress situations during his time as a cop, the world slows down completely and all he feels is panic, not knowing at first if she's pointing the gun at him or Davin.

[davin]

It's Davin's fault.

He isn't expecting the gun, and when she pulls it out and points it at them, he freezes. He thinks of Roman and how he kept Davin sitting in cold water for days, how he pointed that gun in his face and hit him with it so many times. He freezes for just a moment before he throws his hand out.

With a burst of bright light, the gun goes flying out of her hand. But it's too late. It isn't the gun that he should have focused on. He should have used his powers to stop the bullet heading right for James.

But he doesn't make it in time, and the bullet sinks into James' chest. Davin lets out a shout and lunges forward to catch James before he hits the ground. Morrigan laughs, and Davin feels white hot rage.

"Ya shouldn't have done that," he grits out, whipping his hand out and sending a burst of power at the witch. It hits her hard and sends her flying across the room, and Davin clenches his jaw when she hits wooden support beam and falls to the ground, unconscious.

"Jamesy," Davin says, turning his attention back to James, who he holds cradled in his lap. He reaches up and touches James' cheek, eyes full of tears. "It's okay, Jamesy. It's not that bad, aye? It's not that bad."

[jamesthorn]

The gunfire rings out in the small room, echoing in his head, as everything happens in slow-motion. He shouts trying to tell Davin to duck before the gun goes off but it's a useless effort. James is hit in the shoulder, right beneath his collarbone, before all the words make it out. It literally freezes him, then his legs buckle as he's crumpling onto the floor in pain and shock.

He's breathing hard in panic because he's never been shot before and his body is screaming with pain. His heart is racing, and the gunshot wound throbs with blood. He manages to gather his wits enough to use his other hand to cover the pooling blood trying to manage the bleeding. His hand is smeared thickly with red, so much that he's shaking a little at the sight.

Then Davin is there, and James just tries to concentrate on what he's saying which is hard to do without the way his mind is reeling. He grunts with effort trying to lean up a little. "Check..." He breathes hard making an effort to speak. "See if the bullet came out....Davin....you gotta stop the bleeding."

In his head he is running through procedures. They are probably far outside of town. Who knows when the ambulance will make it. James knows he's bleeding too much, but he doesn't say that. He swallows closing his eyes for a second. "I'm glad you're here..."

[davin]

There are tears in Davin's eyes and blood on his eyes, and he bites back a sob as he clutches James to his chest. He allows himself that one moment of panic and then takes a breath and steadies himself. Edan is chittering worriedly and sniffing at James, ears pinned back against his head.

James' last words are what really snap Davin out of his panic and he shakes his head, looking into James' eyes. "Hey, stop it with that shit. Do not start sayin' goodbye, or I'll kick your ass."

He sits James up and holds his hand over the wound, fingers glowing blue. "I'm gonna-- this is gonna hurt but I'm gonna take the bullet out, okay? Edan, go out t'the car and kit me kit, aye? Hurry."

The fox yips and tears up the basement stairs in a burst of speed, and Davin turns his attention back to James. He's already pale from blood loss, and Davin leans in to kiss his clammy forehead. "Hey, I know ya don't like 'em, but you've got a witch on your side, aye? I'm gonna fix ya up right as rain."

He keeps staring at James' face and suddenly calls on the bullet, drawing it out in the same path it went in. Davin knows that it has to hurt, but he's still relieved when the flattened slug lands in Davin's palm. James' blood is so warm, and Davin hates the feeling of it on his hands.

"Sorry, babe. Edan's gonna bring me some potions and I'm gonna fix ya right up, okay?" Davin says again, rocking James a little as he waits. "You're gonna walk right outta here."

[jamesthorn]

James' throat is thick but even swallowing takes an effort as his breath turns shallow and wheezy. He could die right here, today, his life finished, but he doesn't care when Davin says what he does. Everything is terrible in that moment, hearing Davin say James hates witches. Even when he has come to rescue him, as he's trying to save his life, as he's ripping the bullet from his flesh. The pain of the gunshot is nothing to the cut of the words. Maybe there's a kernel of truth to it, but mostly he knows it's not true. It's what he's supposed to think, yes, that's true. Because he's a Thornton, and his family has a reputation.

But he doesn't really believe it. Not anymore. Probably not for awhile. And it's because of Davin. He's just been too stubborn to admit it. He should have admitted that he doesn't care about any of it. He should've been smart enough to admit that when Davin came back, but even then he just stayed silent. And now he could die and Davin wouldn't know how much James really cares.

He is shaking from the trauma his body has suffered from the bullet wound, from the loss of blood, but with effort he reaches out for Davin, looking blearily up at him. It feels like the worst most cliche moment but he really can't hold it in. "Listen to me, I'm sorry. It was my fault what happened with us..." He has to pause to take in air, his breath rapid and shaky, a mixture of nerves and fear and exhaustion. "I'm sorry. I pushed you away and I shouldn't have. I don't care what you are, okay? I just...I love you. I don't want you to be different. I love you now."

When he finishes he squeezes Davin's fingers, but his hands, his entire body is shaking. His body is already cold like he's sitting in a meat closet, and even if he wanted to he doesn't think he could move. It's getting harder to concentrate on Davin's face, his eyes blurry and heavy. Until eventually he closes them again knowing he is losing consciousness.

[davin]

Davin is pressing his hand to the wound, doing his best to keep the blood inside. He's murmuring in Gaelic, soft spells and prayers that don't seem to do any good, but his gaze snaps up to James' face when he starts to speak. His words make Davin's chest tighten and then all the air leaves his lungs. He's wanted to hear those words for so long, for James to just accept him as he is, and he can't believe that it's happening now.

"I love you too, James," he gasps out, eyes widening as James' eyes close. "Hey, no, no. James! Stay with me, okay? Ya can't leave me."

Edan comes bounding down the steps with a small brown leather satchel clutched in his jaws, and Davin heaves out a sob as it's set at his feet. Edan chirps and presses himself against Davin's side with a whine, and Davin rips open the bag to find his bottle of healing potion. His eyes are glowing blue, fingertips sparking, and he unscrews the cap before tearing open James' shirt and pouring the entire contents onto the bullet wound.

"There we go, come on James." Davin presses his hands over the wound, watching as the liquid glows a bright purple, and he says the spell to activate it even further. Davin can feel James' skin knitting back together under his fingers and he lets out a shuddering breath as he looks back at James' face again.

"C'mon Jamesy," he pleads. "Wake up, James. Please."

[jamesthorn]

For a moment everything is good, just overwhelming happiness. He hears what Davin says. Before he drifts away, he hears Davin say it back. He loves him, and he wishes he could say more, that he didn't feel so close to the darkness threatening to take over. Was he going to die now? After everything? Buy maybe it wouldn't be so horrible. The last thing will be this moment with Davin.

He doesn't actually get a choice. Blackness envelopes him, taking him under into a void for a few minutes. While Davin works desperately to pull him back to life, literally stitch him back together, for James, there's nothing. Just suspension. Between life and death. Miraculously though he is yanked back to the surface and Davin's voice calls at him, urging him to wake up. Wake up now. It sounds far away like James is listening through a door.

Softly he opens his eyes, unconvinced he actually is. That this isn't some weird after-death dream. "Davin?" he croaks out still feeling like, well, like he just got shot.

[davin]

Davin lifts his bloody hands away from James' chest to see that the wound is almost fully closed, but James himself is still pale and unnaturally still. Davin holds his breath, heart suspended somewhere in his belly, and waits.

Finally James opens his eyes and Davin lets out a relieved gasp, laughing in pure jubilation when James says his name. "Aye, ya gave me a scare. Welcome back."

He pulls another vial out of the bag and uncorks it, cradling the back of James' neck with one hand while bringing the bottle to his lips. "Here babe, drink this. Make sure everything's healed from the inside out."

[jamesthorn]

James allows Davin to help him drink the rest of the potion, savoring the warm feeling as it goes down his throat. Eventually he glances down at himself seeing the red mess covering his shirt and his hands, and Davin's covered in his blood too. The bullet hole may be closed, but for a minute there it was very real.

She had a gun the whole time. If she'd used it and Davin hadn't been here to heal him he would have died. He should have died frankly.

Still a bit shaken he manages to scoot up some. He knows when the authorities finally show up they will ask a bunch of questions, and they will have to explain about everything that happened. But all of that seems less important. "You saved me. You do that a lot," he says reaching out for Davin's cheek. He nearly just died but he feels lighter somehow. "No wonder I'm in love with you."

[davin]

"Of course I saved ya. What else am I gonna do?" Davin asks, letting out a wet chuckle as James cups his cheek. His heart stutters at the words and Davin's expression goes a bit more serious. He wants to believe it so, so badly. But-- "Ya don't have t'say it 'cause I saved your life, James."

He swallows hard and turns to press a kiss to James' palm, shutting his eyes tight as they well up with a fresh set of tears.

[jamesthorn]

"I'm not," James says with an air of confidence in his tone. These past few weeks with Davin have often left him confused and even upset, but all of the turmoil has disappeared. He knows what he is saying is true, and it's been true. There's no doubt in his mind. Davin kisses his hand, and James doesn't let go of his face. He needs Davin to believe him.

"I know everything was a mess before between us. But more than anything I want to be with you Davin. I love you. I'll say it as many times as you want to hear." He's afraid after everything he put Davin through he might not want this anymore. Maybe he just wants to move on, but they love each other. That has to mean something, right? Gently pulling Davin towards him for a tight hug he also presses his lips to his cheek, savoring the feeling of being close, and most importantly alive and safe again.

"I've never felt this way about anyone else," he says.

[davin]

"I-- I love you too," Davin breathes out, blinking when James pulls him in close. He sags in James' arms, twisting his shirt up in his fingers. "But nothing's changed. I'm still a witch an' I can't change that. Not even for you."

He pulls back just enough to look at James, eyes shining with tears. "I'm maybe even more of a witch than I was before, an' I can't-- I can't do this again if you're jus' gonna decide ya can't deal with it."

[jamesthorn]

James runs his fingers along Davin's face, seeing the glassy look in his eyes, regretting the time they lost and the confusion remaining between them. He blames himself for not seeing just how little all of his worry and maybe even fear matters. What matters is how much he cares about Davin, how much they care about each other.

"I promise," he says after a moment. "I just...after everything...not just what happened today. I realized what's important to me. I realized what makes me happiest. And it's not being a cop or following in my father's footsteps, it's you. I was happy with you. And I'm asking for another chance."

Considering his track record with Davin he isn't sure he deserves another chance. He's had plenty. "No matter what I just need you to know I don't want you to change, okay?"

[davin]

"Okay, yes, ya dumb idiot," Davin says fondly, leaning in to give him him a kiss. He smiles into it and pulls back with a sniffle. There's joy surging through him, and Edan bounces around them letting out happy yips. "I'll give ya another chance, but we gotta get out of here first."

He turns to look at the witch still laying unconscious on the ground. "What are we gonna do about her, aye? Call some cops in the know about witches?"

[jamesthorn]

His heart soars when Davin kisses him, and he is overwhelmed with a flood of emotion - relief and happiness and love. This is all he's wanted for so long, and he's finally smart enough to fight for it. He wants to be with Davin and nothing is going to change his mind now.

When Davin points out the witch, James remembers how much danger they were in just minutes ago, and he manages to pull himself together long enough for them to head back out to Davin's vehicle where they call for the police and an ambulance. The medic on call is baffled by the sight of their bloodied clothes even though neither of them are injured enough to require a trip to the hospital. James still feels the effects of his blood loss and there's a heavy tightness in his ahoulder where the bullet hit him. After an hour of questioning - it helps that James was reported missing and he knows most of the officers so his story is credible - they are allowed to leave.

They end up at Davin's place. It close, and by then James just wants to be somewhere comfortable and safe. He is obscenely dirty from being locked away for so long, and on the drive his brain keeps focusing on the moment where the bullet hot him. He's thinking about how close he was to dying, how scared he was. "I think I need a shower," James says coming back to himself. He doesn't have fresh clothes but it suddenly seems very important they get all this blood off.

[davin]

Davin is so relieved to be away from all off the activity. He answers all of the questions, gives all the statements, and then finally drives James home. They get into the apartment and Edan runs off to curl up in his bed and give Davin and James some time alone. He doesn't really know what to say, but then James speaks first.

"Aye, right. Of course," Davin says, nodding and leading James to the bathroom. "Everything's in the same place. I'll find ya somethin' t'wear. Oh, an' food! I'll order ya some food. Ya must be starvin'."

Davin stands there in the bathroom door, looking at James with bright eyes, and he leans in to give him a soft kiss. "Shower, food, an' then we talk?"