Lover, You Should’ve Come Over

Emerald Isle, NC

Dorcas sat and watched her sleep. She looked like an angel that had fallen from the heavens above. The moonlight glowed on her skin, and her freckles looked like the stars.

“Are you going to come on or just stand there watching me?” Lily said, opening her eyes.

Dorcas smiled, exposing her sharp teeth; she walked over to Lily’s bed and touched her hand. Lily reached for the lamp and sat up, her eyes adjusting.

“Why don’t you ever just knock on the door?” Lily asked.

She played with Dorcas’s hair, the braids smooth but slightly worn. Dorcas’s eyes were bloody red; she had fed. Lily found it concerning about where she went and whom she may have fed on. Sometimes she stole from the hospital, but old blood can only go so far. She liked it fresh and warm. Lily had offered for her to feed on her, but Dorcas refused to hurt her.

“Why don’t you ever sleep while I’m gone?” Dorcas questioned.

Lily sighed and smiled; she worried a lot, but it wasn’t fair to question when she was no better herself. It was dreadful.

“Why don’t we do something tomorrow? Maybe we can ride up and go see my parents; they would love to meet you. I told them about the trip we took to California, and they were impressed we made it there and back and— Lily stopped seeing Dorcas’s expression.

“You aren’t staying.” She knew the time would come but didn’t expect it to be this soon.

“I have business to go handle; I promise I won’t be long.” Dorcas said slowly she hated to leave her, but it was the only way to keep her safe.

“Then let me come with you. I can get leave from work, and we can leave tonight.” Lily pleaded.

“You know you can’t come.” Dorcas rubbed her arm.

“You always say that! You always come back fine; why is it any different for me?” Lily’s voice began to rise.

“You’re human; you can die!” Dorcas stood up.

Lily scoffed, “Well, if you would turn me already, it wouldn’t be like this.” She leaned back in the bed and crossed her arms.

Dorcas sighed; she hated her life. Having to constantly move, always hurting innocent lives to eat. Lying because she couldn’t be herself, it was exhausting.

“Fine, we leave tonight.” Dorcas gave in.

She didn’t want that; she wanted Lily to live a normal life. Get married, have kids, retire. She wanted her to be boring and live her life. Lily didn’t want that; she wanted the adventure, the stories, to stay with Dorcas forever. Three years of arguing is pointless when you’re with someone as stubborn as Lily Evans.

Lily immediately got up and began packing, grabbing any necessities as Dorcas didn’t move from her spot. Just thinking about how easy her life would be if she died.

1:43 AM

“Done.” Lily shut her suitcase and panted.

Dorcas finally blinked and looked at her. “Okay.”

Lily smiled and grabbed her keys before Dorcas took them from her. She didn’t like Lily driving, didn’t trust her since she swerved to dodge a squirrel in the road. That may have been the first time Dorcas was scared in a long time, but that was what Lily did for her. She made her feel human.

“I’m driving.” Dorcas grabbed her suitcase, carrying it almost as if it weighed nothing.

***

The car ride from Emerald Isle to South Haven was already going to be hell. Why did the boy always have to pick the worst places to be? Dorcas drove as she said she would; Lily had promised to stay up, but once they hit the interstate, she fell into a deep sleep.

Fourteen hours—that isn’t including stops or traffic.

Oh, Sirius… This better be worth it.

***

He is real.

Walking through campus was always delightful, especially on the weekends since no one took classes. The campus was nearly empty except for a few overachievers and students looking to find time to study.

Remus walked into the campus shop and immediately walked to the music department. Looking for new vinyls to add to his father’s dust pile of records. Pop, folk, rock, country, and nothing new of what he was looking for. He sighed and continued flipping anyway, hearing the bell ring to the entrance.

“I knew I would find you here.” James said as he approached Remus.

“Where else would I rather be?” Remus said sarcastically.

“You know everyone on this campus, yeah?” James leaned on the records, which made Remus flinch as he thought of the warping damage he could be doing to them.

“Why? Who are you looking for?” Remus questioned.

“I don’t know his name; he was in the library last week, very beautiful, words like poison.”

“Wow, just your type.” Remus rolled his eyes.

James hit his arm. “Come on, can you find him or not? Do your magic with your computer.” James whined.

Remus sighed and realised he wasn’t going to find anything in here anyway. “Magic isn’t real.”

“It is when you do it; you are magic, Remus.” James nodded, proud of his words.

“Yeah, whatever. Let’s go.” Remus pulled his bag from the floor and over his shoulder. Crossing it over his body.

James drove them both to his house. “Wow, it really never changed.”

Remus and James attended the same schools all their lives. Their fathers were business partners and dedicated their lives to helping the less fortunate. Remus’s mother started the Howell Foundation, while Euphemia, James’s mother, started the Potter Foundation after her father.

“There wasn’t anything to change.” Remus said.

James knew how hard his parent’s death was on him. Getting out of the car, James followed Remus inside, occasionally putting his hands behind his back in case his hip gave out. Remus hated when James did that. Severus already got on him for using his cane excessively.

Walking in was like a wave of nostalgia for James. He remembers chipping his tooth on the kitchen door frame before the Lupins added doors. Remus tossed his jacket on the floor along with his backpack, which was a shock for James.

“You know your mother would yell at you for that.” James pointed to the items on the floor.

Remus ignored him.

Pulling out his computer and tossing himself on the sofa, Remus’s search for this mysterious person began.

“What did he look like?” Remus asked.

“Perfect.” James said with stars in his eyes.

“Wow, so descriptive.” Remus typed it into his software and was welcomed with zero results.

James sighed, “Black hair, soft curls, grey eyes, kind of dead… He had moles on his arm and a couple on his face.” James tapped on the armrest where Remus’s head was.

“Wait…did he have long hair?” Remus looked up at James.

“No, it was just below his ears. Why?” James asked.

Remus paused for a minute before just typing in the description. The software he used was a hacked version, similar to the original, infamous ‘Facemash.’ He created it in the back of his calculus class, comparing the girls and guys to see what were the chances of them winning prom court based on looks.

“No one by that description; maybe he wasn’t a student.” Remus said.

“Who would go to a library on their own time?” James said in disbelief.

“Anyone with a brain who wants to pass their class or with spare time on their hands. I do both.” Remus typed some more to try and get a new result.

“Did he give you a name?” Remus asked.

“No?” James never thought to ask his name.

“You didn’t get a name, you didn’t see if he was a student, and you didn’t bother to get anything of his.” Remus slammed the computer shut. “James Potter, you wasted my time.”

“I didn’t waste your time; we haven’t hung out in months, maybe years. You even threw a party and didn’t tell me.” James said.

“I didn’t want to host a party, but Severus suggested that it was good to socialise.”

“When did Snape major in psychology and counselling?” James rolled his eyes.

Remus hated their rivalry but found it amusing that they were ever friends based on how much they hated each other. In their younger days, when they were all friends, they would steal bubble gum from the shop.

Remus could shake the thought that James might’ve run into Sirius, unless he had a clone walking around. At least he was real, unlike James’s mysterious person.

***

“We should really take more road trips like this.” Lily said, head perched on her arm in the car window.

“Why would we need to do that?” Do you want me to fill it up?Dorcas asked as she attached the gas nozzle to the car.

“We can go south and visit my parents.” Lily suggested.

Dorcas froze for a bit and continued on with her thoughts. She never thought of meeting her parents. She always thought that Lily was a stupid girl that allowed Dorcas to have fun. That was a year ago; times change.

“Your parents? You don’t talk about them much.” Dorcas removed the nozzle and placed it back on the pump. Walking around the car and sitting back in the driver's seat, Dorcas looked at Lily.

“You never ask about them; they know all about you and would love to meet you…Dorcas.” Lily latched her seatbelt.

Dorcas didn’t drive with a seatbelt. It didn’t make her feel anything but uncomfortable, restricted even. Lily offered to drive the other half, but Dorcas refused, “I don’t get tired.”

Argument lost.

When Dorcas pulled into the hotel parking lot, Lily woke up from her second slumber.

“Here already?” Lily said.

“Yeah, I’m going to grab the bags; why don’t you go check in? Here, use my card.” Dorcas said, reaching into their pockets for his wallet.

Only con to being a vampire for Dorcas was her family coming from a long line of wealth. Luckily for Dorcas, she managed to keep that wealth alive, no thanks to her living relatives. Keeping her identity secret and “alive” was much harder.

Dorcas pulled her bags over her shoulder along with Lily’s. Light as a feather, hard as stone. Lily liked shoes; she brought so many shoes. Dorcas shook her head and walked through the sliding doors.

“This isn’t bad.” Lily said, sitting on the bed.

“It’s decent.” Dorcas said.

“Oh yes, because the girl who grew up in the most extravagant castles in Scotland and travelled all of Western Europe is not impressed by a five-star hotel.” Lily teased.

Dorcas looked back and smiled, “I am not impressed by the five-star hotel, but I am impressed how you fit all of these shoes into this bag; they’re practically begging to be let out. Free me, Dorcas. Free me.” Dorcas teased as she passed the bag to Lily.

Taking it from her hand and being almost pulled to the ground. She had forgotten that Dorcas was much stronger than she was. Not very human.

Dorcas covered her laugh and pulled the bag onto the bed for Lily.

Dorcas and Lily never shared the same style. While Lily liked lighter colours, loose clothes, and even pretty shoes, usually with flowers on them. Dorcas likes darker colours, beautiful complex patterns, and expensive taste. Her shoes were her life, but her coats. She still had some of the items she inherited from her mother many centuries ago, unsure how they didn’t decay, but she liked to think they aged with her.

“I’m going to meet a friend, and you will stay here, and please, Lily, be safe. I don’t know what I’m getting myself into, and I don’t want you to get hurt.” Dorcas said worriedly.

“I can handle myself; if I get hungry, I’ll order in.” She stood up and kissed Dorcas’s cheek.

Dorcas sighed and grabbed her purse. Leaving out the door and praying to every and any god that would listen to her.

***

The hotel was in a city further than the address Sirius had given her. She didn’t trust him to not be reckless, and seeing how he acted the first time he lost Remus, he was unpredictable.

Pulling into the park, the sun was out but was setting. Sirius sat on a bench, feeding the ducks in the pond bread. “I thought you would take longer.”

“Well, you said it was urgent.” Dorcas responded.

Sirius turned to her and smiled, “Look, they like the bread.”

Dorcas sat next to him on the bench; she grabbed a piece of bread and tossed it to the ducks. Adoring how they devoured the soggy food.

“Are you sure that you want to do this? Remember last time when you scared him and we found him dead?” Dorcas looked at Sirius.

Sirius stopped throwing the bread and looked at her. He sighed and nodded.

“‘Yes, that you want to do this or ‘Yes, you want to finally let him go, Sirius.” Dorcas’s frustration goes back centuries.

“O, but my delicate lover, is she not as fair as the moonlight? Is she not supple and strong for hurried passion?” Sirius stared at the moon, hidden away behind the sun that was soon to disappear.

“[Oh, but my delicate lover]? Sappho…” Dorcas sighed.

Sirius always liked to play games; it was his thing. Especially in moments that he was scared. She’s seen his heart break too many times to not be against this plan.

“I will support whatever decision you make, but I will also do whatever is necessary if this gets out of hand again.” Dorcas threw another piece.

“I know.” Sirius sighed.

“Did you bring Regulus?” She asked.

Sirius’s eyes widened, and he immediately got up and started gathering his things.

“I forgot to pick him up from the motel.” Sirius said.

Dorcas sighed and got up as well, walking fast, almost into a run, to the truck. Sirius opened the door for her and closed it when she slipped in.

When they got to the motel—after Regulus had cursed him every way possible and hit him over the head—Sirius explained his plan to Dorcas.

“And you think that will work?” Dorcas crossed her arms.

“If it doesn’t, then nothing changes.”

“It’s stupid.” Regulus said.

“It’s life; if I stay here with him and things happen, they happen. If he doesn’t want anything to do with me, then I leave, and there’s no harm done.”

“You’re going to get him killed. I thought you said you would talk to him.” Regulus said to Dorcas.

“I know…” Dorcas sighed.

“Talk to me? About what?” Sirius, said confused.

“Sirius, maybe this time it’s not meant to be. Maybe it’s time to let him go. You need to let him go.” Dorcas explained.

Sirius didn’t even get a chance to rest anything before Regulus cut him off.

“You don’t need to let him go. You have to. He’s just going to get killed again, and again, and again, and—“

“We get it.” Dorcas glared at Regulus.

“Sirius?” Regulus said.

Sirius wasn’t listening; he knew what he wanted. He didn’t care what either of them had to say. Stupid. That’s what everyone and everything was. Stupid. He didn’t want to get rid of Remus. Stupid. He knew that if he let him go, he would never be happy. Stupid. He knew it was selfish, but he wanted…he needed to do something for himself. Stupid. Though this wasn’t the first time he was selfish, it was to be forgiven. Stupid.

“Yeah, whatever you guys think is right.” Sirius said, grabbing his eyes and heading to the door.

“Sirius, we don’t mean to be rude, but it’s not fair for him. Think of Remus.” Dorcas knew he wouldn’t listen; Sirius Black has never been a reasonable person.

He was gone.

Dorcas and Regulus just looked at each other and headed out the door with him.

“Don’t follow me.” Sirius said, opening the car door.

“If you’re going to be stupid, then we are coming to make sure you’re at least safe.” Dorcas said.

“I can’t die,” Sirius reminded her.

Regulus looked between them both, seeing where this was going.

“None of us can; you aren’t special. Humans aren’t like us; what happens if they come looking for him again?” Dorcas said.

“When did you care about the well-being of humans?” Sirius questioned, still holding onto the car door.

“I don’t.” Dorcas said defensively.

Sirius squinted. “Who made you grow a heart?”

“Nobody!” Dorcas scoffed.

“Right…” Sirius got in the car.

Dorcas and Regulus are following in. Squished into the three seats, both looking at Sirius. He ignored them the entire ride into town.