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winterNote: this is an epilogue/bonus to The End of Summer, written for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
lgbtfest 2009.
Von Krolock was holding vigil.
It was not a wake only by virtue of the breath that still lifted his son's chest. Yet it was a time for him to recall all memories of Herbert, from that cheerful blue-eyed baby, through first adventures and arguments, through the painful absence of the boy's student years, to this night and what came before.
There was little that von Krolock understood about the events that brought him here, to his son's deathbed. Herbert had neither asked nor pleaded, but simply left his father to find the bottle of poison. Von Krolock had revised his concepts of sin and damnation over the years, but even if he discarded suicide as a sin, this was the one way his son made completely clear what he wanted, and how much.
The trickle of blood on the young man's throat was drying. Von Krolock could feel the cold creeping into Herbert's limbs. He knew what it heralded.
He stepped back from the bed, turning to the window as he felt Death arrive. It was better to watch the moon rise.
Then he heard Herbert's unmistakable, high-pitched gasp.
"Vati! You didn't tell me that Death's so pretty!"
"You did not ask," von Krolock said.
He turned on his heel. Herbert was beaming up at Death, frantically trying to put his hair in order. Death wore a slight smile as he looked at von Krolock. It made it clear that Death was aware of Herbert's very loud, very defined preferences.
Then again, as if von Krolock needed further proof, Death wore a courtier's lace and velvet of a cut that Herbert had killed for.
"I remember a previous conversation," Death said. "About raising your son."
"True to himself," von Krolock said. "Herbert."
His son beamed, demonstrating new fangs.
"Why?"
Herbert laughed. "Because you need me," he said. "I can't die and leave as long as my Vati needs me."
"Admirable," Death said.
Herbert looked up at him with an adoring expression. "Are you dead? Because you don't smell dead. You smell delicious."
"Herbert," von Krolock cautioned.
"What? I'm making our guest feel welcome."
Von Krolock shook his head and bowed to Death. "Can you stay a while?"
"To counsel your child?" Death had a rare, low laugh. "I fear that may be beyond my abilities."
"To grant us your company. And to see what you have wrought."
Death smiled. "You have come a long way since I first met you."
Von Krolock bowed again. "You made me see the virtue of being true."
-FIN-
lgbtfest 2009.Von Krolock was holding vigil.
It was not a wake only by virtue of the breath that still lifted his son's chest. Yet it was a time for him to recall all memories of Herbert, from that cheerful blue-eyed baby, through first adventures and arguments, through the painful absence of the boy's student years, to this night and what came before.
There was little that von Krolock understood about the events that brought him here, to his son's deathbed. Herbert had neither asked nor pleaded, but simply left his father to find the bottle of poison. Von Krolock had revised his concepts of sin and damnation over the years, but even if he discarded suicide as a sin, this was the one way his son made completely clear what he wanted, and how much.
The trickle of blood on the young man's throat was drying. Von Krolock could feel the cold creeping into Herbert's limbs. He knew what it heralded.
He stepped back from the bed, turning to the window as he felt Death arrive. It was better to watch the moon rise.
Then he heard Herbert's unmistakable, high-pitched gasp.
"Vati! You didn't tell me that Death's so pretty!"
"You did not ask," von Krolock said.
He turned on his heel. Herbert was beaming up at Death, frantically trying to put his hair in order. Death wore a slight smile as he looked at von Krolock. It made it clear that Death was aware of Herbert's very loud, very defined preferences.
Then again, as if von Krolock needed further proof, Death wore a courtier's lace and velvet of a cut that Herbert had killed for.
"I remember a previous conversation," Death said. "About raising your son."
"True to himself," von Krolock said. "Herbert."
His son beamed, demonstrating new fangs.
"Why?"
Herbert laughed. "Because you need me," he said. "I can't die and leave as long as my Vati needs me."
"Admirable," Death said.
Herbert looked up at him with an adoring expression. "Are you dead? Because you don't smell dead. You smell delicious."
"Herbert," von Krolock cautioned.
"What? I'm making our guest feel welcome."
Von Krolock shook his head and bowed to Death. "Can you stay a while?"
"To counsel your child?" Death had a rare, low laugh. "I fear that may be beyond my abilities."
"To grant us your company. And to see what you have wrought."
Death smiled. "You have come a long way since I first met you."
Von Krolock bowed again. "You made me see the virtue of being true."
-FIN-
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