Before Dallon could react, Brendon's other hand shot to hold his waist and the hand holding his wrist yanked down. Dallon was forced forward with the motion, bending down and giving Brendon access to his ear.

"Time to wake up, Dallon." Brendon spoke quickly, "Remember who you are and remember who I am. You can't remember, but you can't forget. It's part of the arrangement you thought up."

Brendon suddenly released Dallon as he fought to stand upright. Dallon stumbled back, falling to the floor. Brendon loomed over him, continuing to speak rapidly.

"Look at me, watch me." Brendon grinned, holding his hand up above his head. "Do you remember the trigger?" He pulled his pinky and ring finger down while bringing his middle and index finger together. They still aimed at the sky, at least, for the moment.

"Brendon..." Dallon scooted back, feeling a slight dizziness. "Please..."

"Remember the trigger. Remember the gun. I'm aiming for that wall in your mind..." He brought his arm down, aiming the gun he made with his fingers at Dallon. He closed one eye and narrowed the other, "When I pull down my thumb, I fire and let you out."

"STOP!" Dallon yelled. He felt weird; his head was spinning, yet he was somehow able to focus on Brendon's fingers.

"THREE, TWO, ONE!" Brendon counted down, rapidly, bringing his thumb down. As he did, everything went black for Dallon.

Flashes were the next thing that Dallon saw. Images of time spent with Brendon. What he remembered... Then what actually happened.

The first night he had woken up with no memory of the previous few hours was revealed to him in vivid detail, ending in that devilish, blood covered smirk.

"Taught them a lesson or two..." Dallon laughed as fog from the shower's heat blurred out the image.

The next when he woke up to the text from Brendon.

He saw himself riding in the passenger seat while Brendon drove. Dallon looked down at his stained shirt in distaste.

"That one was so messy, babe." He said, looking over at Brendon. "We should of upped the dosage."

Brendon peaked over at him. "But it was so fun." He grinned, "It's been ages since we've had so much fun."

Dallon smiled at Brendon. "I know, babe." He leaned over and kissed Brendon's cheek. "You'll get rid of the clothes though, right?"

Brendon flashed a grin. "Always. Along with other things, as long as you want me too."

Dallon reached out to let the back of his hand trail down Brendon's jawline. "I can always count on you..."

Then, just minutes before the car ride began, when they seemingly shared their first kiss.

The paint that they had smeared on each other's faces revealed itself to Dallon during the replay of images. The thick scent of blood filled the room, as well as, their now covered faces. It still held body heat, and it was so slippery...

"You can't make me cover up this detail..." Brendon muttered against Dallon's lips as he pulled the taller man closer, "I need you to remember..."

Dallon pulled away, angling his head so that he could look into Brendon's eyes without the unwanted interruption of Brendon trying to reconnect lips.

"Then alter the detail." Dallon panted, reaching up to swipe some dripping blood from Brendon's cheek. "It's near the same color and texture as paint, make me remember that." He brought his hand up to push through Brendon's hair, "You need to be close to me, so keep the image with an altered detail."

Brendon smirked. "My love for detail lives on in you." He spoke before Dallon allowed their lips to reconnect.

The buried moments kept uncovering themselves, until a fully detailed one made itself the main focus above the rest.

Dallon sat on a couch, Brendon's head in his lap, as the television in front of them spewed out information. Dallon massaged Brendon's scalp, slowly pushing the darker haired boy towards sleep.

"Brendon, hey." Dallon pulled his hand away from the darker haired boy's scalp to tap his cheek.

Brendon's blank expression scrunched into a tired annoyance. "Dallon, I'm so tired..." He mumbled, sleepily. "You almost had me..."

"The news, Brendon." Dallon spoke in a tone that encouraged Brendon to sit up. He didn't bother to attempt combing down his lap hair as he and Dallon watched a news story unfold.

"Yet another dismembered corpse has been found along the beach, uncovered by a dog earlier in the evening..."

"They're going to call in the feds soon." Dallon said as Brendon blinked rapidly at the television before him. "We need to lay low, babe."

Brendon's hands shot up, pushing themselves through his hair as he let out a burst of air. His usual calm demeanor was rattled as he turned to Dallon. "What'll we do? If they get even a trace to lead it back to us..."

Dallon reached out and put a hand on Brendon's shoulder. "Do you remember how we met?" He asked, making Brendon's expression contort into confusion.

"At the pier." Brendon recounted, "You stayed and watched my hypnotist act. You were so shy coming up after." A laugh escaped Brendon's lips, "Wanted to know so many things..."

"You first taught me about the smaller details that day." Dallon nodded, feeling a fond smile grow on his lips at the memory. It quickly faded, however. "I need you to bring out your old act."

"Dallon?"

"If we truely don't know each other, they can't connect us." Dallon reasoned, watching Brendon already devising arguments in his head. "I need you to make it so I can't remember, but I can't forget either."

"Dallon, hypnosis is all based around suggestion! I can't just..." Brendon looked down, trying to devise a full rebuttal.

Dallon shook his head. "I need to go back to that shy college boy that you met. I've kept up the act around my friends and family so they wouldn't see a difference. I need to be especially convincing to authorities if they get closer, and I'm not the suave conman you are, babe." He smiled as Brendon looked up.

"Not a conman, an artist." Brendon argued.

"An artist in your own right." Dallon agreed.

"You-you help me, though." Brendon said, scooting closer to Dallon and leaning against his chest, "You inspire me, you help when I can't sleep..."

"What about Ross?" Dallon suggested, "He can become part of the bigger detail, much like he was when he helped run your con. Just take away that bit of suggestion to avoid you."

Brendon sat up, looking Dallon in the eye. "Can I at least have glimpses of the real you?" He asked with a crack in his voice. He was vulnerable to Dallon, and Dallon knew that.

After so long alone, the affection from the fresh college student had broken him in a way that he would never admit, but Dallon saw it. Dallon could use it. The conman's walls had Been broken down, for the first time, and he didn't know what to do without them. That's where he grew dependant on Dallon. Someone he could be safe and secure with.

"Yes, babe." Dallon smiled as he brought his hand up to caress Brendon's cheek, "After we build up the full details, and a short time under the suggestion, we can remeet. We can have our own moments together before you must hide me away again. To keep us safe."

Brendon nodded, bringing his hand up to hold against Dallon's. "The trigger effect?" He whispered.

"Whatever you'd like to use." Dallon responded, "Just as long as you wait about a year until you bring me back; our trail must go cold. Helpful distractions like Ryan to keep you company... But if he discovers anything-"

"He won't." Brendon spoke firmly. Determination covered his expression as Dallon looked into his coffee brown eyes.

"Give me a pen, so we can organize the details before you send me under." Dallon instructed, happy to see Brendon smile and nod in response.

Dallon's eyes opened, slowly. He was looking up at a ceiling painted like the night sky. All black with specks of stars and planets. He shifted his gaze to his sides. On his left, there was only artwork and supplies. On his right, the familiar dark haired boy sat with his knees to his chest, looking off into the distance.

"You brought the real me back?" Dallon asked in a soft voice.

Brendon's head shot up. He looked at Dallon with wide eyes. "Do you remember?.."

Dallon grinned, "I can't forget."

Brendon hurriedly crawled over and practically dove on top of Dallon. He pressed his lips against Dallon's while wrapping his arms around the taller man.

"I missed you, I missed you..." Brendon muttered against Dallon's lips, "Don't make me do that again..."

Dallon smiled against Brendon's lips. His memories were unburied now. He could vividly see all he had done with Brendon. All the throat slicing, all the limb hacking, all the art... Dallon was ready to live in the moment again.

He brought his hands up to push against Brendon's chest, causing Brendon to pull out of the kiss. "I have a new target." Dallon told him, feeling the corner of his lip twitch up.

"So soon?" Brendon asked, "Shouldn't you settle back in?.."

Dallon shook his head. "No, this needs to be dealt with. He's become more of a detriment to our lives..." He slid his hands along Brendon's chest until they slid along his sides. Dallon pulled Brendon's body back against his, making the darker haired boys eyes grow wide. "Do you really want to lose me?" Dallon asked with a whisper, brushing his lips along Brendon's cheek.

"N-no!" Brendon responded before turning his head to connect their lips once again, "Who?.."

Dallon let the response remain a mystery as he simply enjoyed the taste of Brendon's lips. It added so much detail to his newly uncovered memories. He didn't need the cover up anymore. He could act well enough to evade police, but now he knew exactly how devoted Brendon was after a year of playing the game.

He missed this mindset of control. He had only began to acquire it after first meeting the conartist at the pier all while a still fresh and vulnerable heartbreak still loomed over him. Both factors helped build what Dallon now was.

He sucked in air as Brendon's lips slid from his own and down to his neck. He grinned as Brendon hummed against his skin.

"My father is our next target." Dallon grinned wickedly with a low tone to his voice, "It's time to stop this where it started..."