“Don’t make this a big deal, Aarin,” Raury said, as he got his clothes on, “You’re the one who said you didn’t want any strings, remember?”
“These are fucking strings, you fucker, and now I’m in the fucking middle of it. You could have at least fucking told me that I’m the fuckbuddy in this situation. Does he even know about me?”
Raury laughed, and shook his head.
“Oh that’s real fucking sweet of you. Turn me into a fucking homewrecker. Do you know, what this sort of shit does to people’s spiritual health?”
Raury just rolled his eyes and got dressed a bit quicker. Aarin was sexy–lithe, dark Mediterranean complexion, that fabulous hair rolling past his shoulder is waves, and that black beard set against his blue eyes, but as soon as he started in on his druidic, gypsy, paganistic bullshit, he did his best to exit the conversation, and the room, as quickly as possible.
“You have to tell him–I’m not going to have my balance fucked with just because you’re too chickenshit to ask someone for an open relationship. No fucking wonder I haven’t felt like myself lately, this is all fucking you!”
“Would you fucking calm down with your fucking magic mumbo-jumbo? It’s fucking fine,” he grabbed his bag, and headed for the door. “I’ll text you, alright?”
“If you don’t fucking tell him in two fucking days, I’ll know, Raury.” Aarin said, following him to the door, “If you don’t, then I’ll take matters into my own fucking hands.”
Raury whirled around, “You stay the fuck away from him–and like he’d believe you anyway, if you tried and tell him. You know what? Fuck this–I’m sick of your fucking magic shit anyway. I’ll go find someone else to fuck around with, since you can’t fucking be cool.”
With that, Raury pulled open the door and left Aarin’s apartment, leaving him fuming inside. He should have known this would happen with someone like Raury, but the energy he put out was so damn useful. Still, Aarin knew he couldn’t simply let this stand. He’d give him two days–48 hours-and if he hadn’t done anything to right this, then Aarin would be forced to balance the scales some other way instead–and Raury would have to deal with the consequences in…other ways.
A forest. Deep forest. He never remembers how he got there, or why he entered, and while he knows he should be trying to find his way out, he can sense that, instead, his path is taking him deeper still. The air is still and muffled, but on occasion, he can hear the sound of…animals in the distance. Goats bleating, donkeys braying, cows mooing.
It was now two weeks since Raury had fought with Aarin at his apartment. True to his word, Raury had ghosted him, even when he’d sent him some cryptic text a few days later–he didn’t even remember what it had said, he’d just deleted it and blocked the contact. But starting that night, he’d had a recurring dream, or nightmare…he wasn’t quite sure how to classify it. What he did know, was that each time it occurred, it was so vivid–every detail remaining with him when he awoke. He’d wanted to tell Jared, his boyfriend, about it when he woke up…but each time he’d hesitated, feeling like it would be wrong to mention it to anyone for some reason.
He was getting closer to the sounds now. Where before there was only a hint of sound in the stillness, it was becoming a rather raucous noise. Other sounds were coming through as well–the clink of metal and glass, stomping and clapping, flutes and drums and strings playing odd, discordant tunes.
Each night, the dream had grown longer. The first few nights, he’d only been lost in the forest, certain that someone–or something–was watching him, but nothing ever made itself known to him. Now, he’d begun hearing the sounds of some strange celebration deep among the trees, but the closest he’d gotten was the glint of a torch between two trunks. Tonight, however, felt different. He was deeper in the wood, but also deeper in his sleep, deeper in his mind. He was so…desperately curious, as to what was in the woods. He felt that if he could just find whatever event was occurring, that then, perhaps, the dreams would stop.
He saw the glint of light, in the distance, and realized then, how dark the forest had become. Whether it was because twilight had arrived, or because the forest overhead had become so dense as to block the sky, he didn’t know. He could barely see his hand in front of his face, and he crept closer, drawn to the light, drawn to the sound of laughter, following the odd, muddled scents of musk and manure and wine. He drew closer, so he could see who was there, and found himself confronted by the strangest sight–the creatures weren’t animals at all–or rather, they weren’t…entirely animals. He recognized the forms of some from myth–satyrs and centaurs, though their forms were uglier, more bestial than what he might have imagined. There was no clear distinction between the human and the animal in their bodies–everything seemed to have grown together into a jumble. But the faces, at least, if slightly warped, were human. That seemed, easier, somehow. It wasn’t until he’d overcome the shock that he realized how quiet things had grown, and that the beasts had turned towards him at the edge of the clearing, staring at him. They didn’t seem surprised–they seemed to have been expecting him, and from the glint in their eyes, he was no longer certain he should have found this place at all.
He tried to run back into the wood, but he got only a few yards before two satyrs rushed after him and tackled him, driving him face first into a mass of loam. “There’s our new Bacchus! Just like he promised.”
“Then we keep the deal. Come, little Bacchus! Come with us and be merry.”


