I met you on the corner of the street
I smiled before I even heard you speak
I can accept we're growing older but I guess that's just the way it has to be
I wondered how you still remembered me
I heard you settled down and that you married happily
Do you remember when I told you that I'd loved you to the bottom of the sea?
Yeah I know I know it's over but I guess that's just the way it has to be
Denahi could remember the day they met so clearly. They had stood under a blooming dogwood tree. Sitka had taken him over to meet his new friend, a hunter just like them. But Denahi hadn't been so interested in Dylan and his guns as he was with the boys brother. Bane had been standing behind Dylan and, the he'd blushed when he was introduced. Even more when he'd caught Denahi staring at him.
He never had to open his mouth to speak, or even smile. Denahi was already hooked, dazed by the sight of the bright blue eyes against the scarlet tint of his cheeks. The young native had spent the entire day watching Bane and working himself up to make a move. Eventually he had wound up giving up on finding a way to look badass in front of the boy and instead he had taken a clue from Kenai. Together they gathered a large bouquet of bright blue flowers to present Bane with, but that's not what Denahi remembers when he thinks back to that day. Instead he only thinks of how Bane smiled at him, the very first smile, so radiant and lovely...
He wondered how Bane remembered him now, or if the boy even thought of him at all anymore.
Breccan had turned out to be his son. Denahi had been relived to find that Bane had grown into a happy life, with a sweet and cozy little family. He couldn't lie though, it struck him to learn that the hunter had settled with a werewolf. In is dreams, Bane had always quit his profession to find him and continue their love. The reality wasn't too far from this, except it had been another werewolf to capture the boys heart. Some blind man with a sweet soul.
Denahi was proud that his first love was happy.
But it still hurt to think that Bane was loving someone else, when he himself was so close. He wondered if the hunter remembered their love, how fierce it had been.
They had almost gotten to touch....fully and unrestricted....
Denahi had ruined his chances for that, but he swore he had told Bane of his love still. They didn't have to physically connected for their souls to meet. He could clearly remember how he had kissed, the soft curve of the boys cheek, and the way Bane's skin had felt beneath his fingertips. On a star kissed night, the hunter seemed to glow brighter than the moon itself. Denahi had loved him deeply, and even to this day that love was still hidden away somewhere inside of him, meant for Bane and Bane alone.
Sometime in the future maybe we can get together, maybe share a drink and talk awhile
And reminisce about the days when we were still together
Maybe someday further down the line
And I will meet you there
Sometime in the future we can share our stories
When we won't care about all of our mistakes, our failures, and our glories
But until that day comes along I'll keep on moving on. I'll keep on moving on
Breccan still wanted to be friends even though their relationship had failed. He'd even invited Denahi over to a pack get together. Originally the native had thought that any sort of friendship between them would be impossible with how hurt he was to lose the boy, but he had been wrong. With Beau now in his life, Denahi felt as though he could do anything. His past was behind him, finally. He was able to move forward without feeling completely consumed by guilt. He accepted the invitation.
With Beau, he could live with the fact that Bane and Breccan had not chosen him. It was okay, because Beauregard did choose him.
Denahi still ached to lay eyes on his first love though. They had never really gotten a chance to break up, so all the native could remember were the good times. That's what they had, never a shortage of happiness. And no one else but Bane knew of these feelings.
When they were together, they days were warm and they never seemed to last long enough. They were hiding from Sitka and Shiloh to escape having to do drills, and instead spent long hours roaming the blackberry fields with a giggling Kenai circling their legs. Bane had loved flowers crowns. Denahi learned to make them if only to see that bright smile each time he settle a sweet smelling crown atop the boys head. Blue was his favorite.
That had made it Denahi's favorite, too.
This was why he had to accept that invitation. He had to go and see Bane again.
The boy was the only other person in the world who knew who he used to be, before everything became so hard and complicated.
Bane would remember the sound of the birds singing, and how they had sat together in Kenai's willow tree to watch the sun rise over the morning horizon. Bane would know what it felt like when he had taken the boys hands into his and pressing them against his lips, swearing promises of a future that was never to be.
Denahi missed those times.
But he was grateful to be moving on. With Beau, even though he did occasionally miss his first love, he was content and wildly happy. His mate had turned out to be a prissy millionaire and Denahi wouldn't trade him in for anything in the word, even that future with Bane that he had once dreamed of. There was no thrill like the one he got from watching Beau slide out of his suits.
So Denahi could go, and he could reminiscence and see that Bane was happy without him.
It would still be okay.
It's funny why but it still bothers me
I know it's been so long but I did not expect to see oh how beautiful you are
I guess that all that time apart has done you well
But hey I wish you all the best and maybe someday we might even meet again
Denahi had somehow convinced himself that seeing Bane again after all these years wouldn't have such an astounding affect on him. He had been moving on. He had Beau now and he was happy.
But oh man, the moment his eyes finally fell over Bane his breath was lost completely. The former hunter was still the same bright blue eyed boy he knew, but more now. Bane was a man with children and a husband. He was sharp cheeks and pink lips. He was who Denahi had dreamed about for the better part of his life. He had sworn it wouldn't bother him, but that had been foolish.
It bothered him.
He had wanted that life with Bane. They were supposed to grow up and carry on the family names, together. Always together. They should have learned and loved...They should be married with a family of their own.
They had kissed under the willow tree and promised.
But Breccan was beautiful, Denahi knew that from experience. And his brother seemed just as nice. They were good kids and despite how Denahi felt Danny was too sweet for Bane, the boy seemed happy so dammit, he was going to try and be happy too. Even if it meant letting go of that image he had summoned as a love struck teenager planning their lives together, the picture of dark skinned children with Bane's blue eyes and sharp cheeks. Their home would have been somewhere between Dylan and Sitka.
They would be happy together.
But that was only Denahi's imagination.
In reality Bane was still beautiful as always, and glowing with motherhood. He was still happy, but the circumstances were different and Denahi was struggling to accept it.
At least he had found happiness, too. It was the only thing that made seeing and speaking to Bane bearable. He knew that Beauregard had his back. The millionaire wasn't going anywhere and he'd been more than willing to wash away the stress of the day once they were home.
But for now, Denahi was going to speak with Bane, for the first time since his being turned.
Sometime in the future maybe we can get together, maybe share a drink and talk awhile
And reminisce about the days when we were still together
Maybe someday further down the line
And I will meet you there
Sometime in the future we can share our stories
When we won't care about all of our mistakes, our failures, and our glories
But until that day comes along
Until that day comes along
Until that day comes along
I'll keep on moving on. I'll keep on moving on. I'll keep on moving on
"Hey, you look good." Bane was smiling at him, his eyes holding the same blue shine they always had, but it used to be brighter, Denahi was certain. Maybe he was still happy but he was no longer the same innocent boy who had blushed beneath him and swore they'd make love. He was a man now, handsome as they came with an entire family to love and dote on.
But when Denahi looked into his eyes, for a moment he could swear it was still his Helaku.
"The crocodile has always turned heads. But you....Oh my sunny day, you are even more stunning than the day the crocodile lost you." They were to be friends now, nothing more. But everything the native said held indication to his love.
"How is my Helaku doing?" he meant - The crocodile still love you.
"Oh i'm great! Bellamy just came home for a while and Breccan will be back from his fathers soon. Danny is spending time with Bell right now, they're pretty adorable together." A nervous chuckle, as though he had only just realized he was making the native's chest ache. Denahi wasn't giving himself away though. Bane was happy and so dammit, he was going to be happy,too.
"It is good that Helaku has found joy." This is what Denahi said, but he meant -
The crocodile misses you.
He meant-
When is the crocodile seeing you next? Will we never be as close as we were before?
He meant - The crocodile hopes you’re happy with him. The crocodile hopes he kisses you until you're wearing the silly grin he used to love. The crocodile hopes your mate makes you laugh and remembers that you love to be outside. The crocodile hopes he gives you everything.
He meant-
Can we try again?
The crocodile knows things got messed up but Its different now and he could love you, if you'd let him.
He meant-
The crocodile wishes he hadn’t left. He missed his chance.
He means "I love you"
He means "I love you"
But Denahi was biting his tongue.
Bane was happy.
He had to move on.
