Daniel watched as Hadrian tried and failed to knit even with Marisa’s guidance, and he huffed.

“This is for Eddy, isn’t it?” Hadrian looked up and smiled, his fangs pocking out.

“Sure is!” Then he returned to his failed attempts, the yarn becoming ship knots under his guidance.

“You know, I tease you both quite often…”

“Every day, really,” supplied Hadrian with a frown.

“But is there any truth to my teasing? You practically dote on Eddy, Harry. You behave like he is your responsibility. And, you didn’t even bat an eye when he killed your blood brother,” Hadrian chewed at his bottom lip.

“It can’t work,” he said finally, and placed the needles down. “Eddy is a…”

“Mortal? Not anymore,” supplied Daniel. Then he sighed and ran his hands over his face. “You two are cute together, sweet, even.”

“Don’t you remember all the times he has protested that there was nothing between us?” The sad, broken tone of voice that Hadrian was using made Daniel stand up and grip the vampire’s shirt color.

“So, woe him, dumb ass. You can have an eternity together. You can watch the kids grow old together and maybe even turn them into vampires, so you won’t watch them die. Do you know why you don’t have the guts to get what you want?” Yelled Daniel, and Marisa placed a hand over her mouth.

“Daniel!” She exclaimed, but Daniel shushed her with a look.

“Because you are a coward, Hadrian. Edwin is with Sebastian Black, a man who is neither blind nor a fool. He seems the type to woe people just to sour other people’s life. Do you want to see them together?” Hadrian shook his head, horror in his eyes.

“Then, we have to send them a letter telling them to wait for us. And we have to, no, we must go to them. You have to get clean with Eddy. This back and forth newlyweds shit you have going on better become a reality because if not, I will tell Eddy how you feel,” Hadrian nodded, and then he placed the needles down.

“Let us start with the easy part, then, Dany. The letter. Before they go into Alanqian,” Daniel released Hadrian and the elder vampire went to the nearby desk. They were going to leave today anyway, their welcome in Wandermere being spent. If they rushed, or hired guides, they could make a good time.

Hadrian began to write with a heavy heart. For all he knew, Edwin was straight. He, himself, went both ways. He just hoped that Edwin waited for him.

Edwin,

Hi, Eddy, sorry for the formal start of the letter. I, sort of, am a bundle of nerves right now. You know, you are a real upstanding guy. And you put up with me and my thieving. You left me on pig sludge for only three days before giving me your blood. That was really nice of you.

What I mean to say is, well, you are nice. Have been nice from the start and I…

Hadrian stopped writing to think about his next words. What does he tell Edwin to make sure the healer doesn’t run to the hills? Or the dunes, in his case? The truth, he could always track him down with his contacts. Darn, even in his mind that sounded dark. Guess he had some vampiric traits after all.

I like you. Very much. I'm aware that when Daniel brings it up, or Sebastian for that matter, you get angry, but I am not attempting to make you angry right now. I am trying to make you understand that I cherish you and want to spend eternity with you and that I can change, if you give me the chance.

Well, that doesn’t mean an end to my thieving. I do it for a good purpose and if you don’t run away I promise to tell you all about the Thieves Guild and their mission. A little bribery, eh?

Yours, now and forever,

Hadrian.

“Marisa, could you send this over? With a bird, not a rider,” Marisa took the sheet of paper, and she scanned it.

“Hadrian, why didn’t you tell the poor man you will kidnap him if he didn’t wait for you too, huh? Bribery, by Harika!” Hadrian looked down sheepishly and considered doing just that. Eddy would forgive him…eventually.

“I don’t thing he will want you to change,” piped in Daniel. “If anything, he will give you a three-hour-long lecture about all your good points.”

“You think so?” Change was hard, and Hadrian didn’t want to undergo it. He felt it would be better not to be like Fernand or Sebastian or, worse, Paul. A schemer with no heart to speak of who was ruled by his egotism and viewed his children as tools.

“We both know so,” said Marisa reassuringly. “Now, I better get going before they close for tonight.”

With that, the only woman in the household dressed up for the outside and left, leaving two vampires, one grinning and the other looking down in embarrassment, behind.

“I knew you liked Eddy,” Daniel was having the time of his life. Just wait until he told the children. Hadrian seemed to have read his thoughts because his eyes met Daniel’s.

“You can’t tell the children. I don’t know if it will happen. We can’t raise their hopes for a traditional family only for them to be dashed,” Daniel nodded, the grin never leaving his face.

“Dany, I mean it! You can’t tell,” Daniel nodded again, and then his grin turned teasing.

“So, who do you suppose would end up on top?” Hadrian groaned and hid his face behind his hands.

“You are impossible, Dany,” he whined low in his throat. 

“It is just that, he had a wife, did he not? He may not see himself as a gentle flower. And, seeing as you are the one that is not closeted between the two of you, I think you should make concessions,” Daniel dodged the half-knitted shapeless thing Hadrian has been making and watched as the vampire stormed off. He knew Harry would forgive him by the end of the hour.