Anniversary

H: No!

(a dark figure was over him)

DF: What did you say to me;!!

H: I said no! I am not doing it!

DF: You.....INSOLENT FOOL!

(takes out a whip and starts hitting him)

DF: YOU ARE NOTHING! YOU UNDERSTAND ME;! NOTHING!! A PIECE OF TRASH I GAVE VALUE TO! USELESS! INCOMPETENT! STUPID!YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL ME NO BECAUSE YOU DONT MEAN ENOUGH TO HAVE AN OPINION! EVERYONE HATES YOU! EVERYONE HAS ABANDONED YOU!

(haures cries waiting for the torture to end when he suddenly hears a voice)

V: Haures!Baby! Wake up! Its a nightmare! Its not real,not anymore!

(haures doesn't understand but feels himself drifting off to a blissful pain free abyss. When he opens his eyes, the first thing he comprehends is the sensation of a soft mattress under his body. Next,he looks up and sees a familiar worried face.Adam,his husband)

H: Adam....

A: Thank the Spirits you are awake! When I came back you where tossing and screaming and you wouldn't wake up! I was scared!

(Haures kisses him)

H: Sorry for making you worry. I am okay now.

A: Was it...the same dream?

H: I dont want to talk about it Adam.

A: But....

(haures puts his two fingers on Adam's lips)

H: Not here.Not now.I didnt come here to dig up the past. I have already given it too much worth already. I came here to build new memories with my husband.

A: To be fair, you are here because you lost a bet and you were forced to take a vacation.

H: You are spoiling the mood,baby.

A: No. I just want to build a different mood.

(they start kissing passionately)

H: Do you....smell that? Is something burning?

A: It probably is....SHIT!!!

(Adam let's go of Haures and runs to the kitchen)

(Haures stands up and follows him)

H: What happened to the kitchen? Did we gave sex in here last night and I dont remember?

A(sad): I wanted to.....surprise you with breakfast in bed but....

H: You burned the pancakes.

A:....Yeah. Sorry.

H: Dont worry about it.

(Starts examining the pan and the burned pancakes.)

H: You put too little oil to the pan,thats why they got burned. Do you have any more dough left?

A: No....

H: Its for the better. I will cook you some pancakes to show how its done.

A: Showoff.

H: What? I am the best cook in all the multiverse.You cant deny that.

A: No one can(laughs)

H: Why are you laughing?

A: Because I have connected your unmatchable cooking with your undying pride

H: How come?

(as they talk Haures prepares the dough and Adam leans on the door with his arms crossed to his chest and an ironic smile on his face)

A: Remind me again why you started cooking in the first place? The all mighty High Prince of the Shadow Kingdom. What business did you have in the kitchen?

(Haures checks the pan and looks away)

H: I cant say I remember. Must have started out as a hobby.

A: Oh....because Paimon has specifically told me that you started cooking when Thanos was little. Funny coincidence isnt it?

H: What is?

A: That you wake up every morning to cook breakfast for your little brother,who you claim is a responsibility that has been forced upon you.

H:.....He is.

(starts cooking the pancakes on the pan)

A: Then you didnt take up cooking for him? To make sure he eats the best.

H: No. That would implicate emotional bonding.

A(smile): Indeed it would.

(Haures puts the pancakes on a plate)

H(irritated): Why did we start this conversation anyway?

(Adam approaches amd kisses him)

A: I love your little irritated face when I open up this subject.

(A few moments later,they are on the bed hugging and eating from a tray)

A: Exquisite!

H: Of course! I made them. So what do you want to do today?

A: I don't know. Haven't you thought of something, especially for today?

H: No....why? What is today?

(Adam frowns and looks away)

H: What? What did I forget?

A:...

H: Dont play these games on me(kisses Adam's neck). You are not the type to get angry because of a day I forgot. You are not really angry. You just act displeased to get attention.

A: Today is our anniversary Haures!

H:.....Which one?

A: Our marriage anniversary! Thats why I wanted us to get away this weekend! Just the two of us!

H: Thats not what you said in the palace. You used my work as an excuse for our trip.

(Haures kisses Adam's cheekbones)

H: Come on.You know you cant stay mad at me. Especially today.

A: Oh so now today is special? Why didnt you remember it then?

H: Why didnt you tell me since you were planning the trip for that reason? And dont tell me you wanted it to be a surprise. You dont like surprises.

(Adam sighs and lays back to Haures's arms while bitting another piece of pancake and pretending to be angry when in fact he is smiling)

A: Okay. I was planning to but then I realized it would be more fun if I showed you how much you work by convincing you that you are neglecting Thanos.

H: How exactly does that qualify as fun? And you were right. I was starting to neglect him.

A: First of all,if you were the one to define the meaning of the word "neglect" all people would be in jail for criminal neglect. Second...(looks at Haures's face)....most people are most beautiful when they are sad or happy.But you....your most beautiful face is when you are in denial.

H: I am not in denial. I know who I am and how I feel about everything and everyone.

A: Sure you do. You just wont admit it to yourself. Now that I think of it.....maybe it was your face of denial that made me fall in love with you.

H: I wasnt in denial when I met you.

A: Sure you were.

H: In denial of what?

A: Loving me.(laughs)

H: Yeah right. You fell in love first.

A: Keep telling yourself that sweetheart

(They finished breakfast and started making out)

(Somewhere in the Palace of Light two female figures are watching the scene from a crystal ball)

Erika: They are so sweet! Such a happy couple!

Andromeda: Yeah Erica and if anything happens to Thanos while he "exercises" they wont be so cute then!

E: Cut it down,Andromeda! I know brotherly bonds are your jurisdiction and that Haures's bond with Thanos is the best of them all but it will do all of

them some good to relax!

A: Of course you would think that way Erica! They are in love and that is your jurisdiction but it took eons,blood,sweat and tears to build that bond and I dont trust the influence of that human!

E: Ok.You mean to tell me that because Adam took Haures on a weekend trip the brotherly bonds between the Princes of the Shadows will break.....you understand how absurd that sounds? And you believe Adam has the intention of excluding Haures from his brothers? From what I have seen he acts as their personal counselor simply because he recognises the importance and significance of Haures's family in his husband's life! Come on Andromeda! I am the Spirit of Romance! You should be telling me that not the other way around! Relax!

A: What if something happens to Thanos while Haures is away?

E: Now you offend Paimon.He knows how to protect his little brother. Face it.You are just mad because Haures sill be spending a weekend in my influence and not yours!

A: In your dreams