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Story
+ Angel Hunt ~ Streifen +
Future Effects
Twenty Years brings many changes...
A story collaboration between Angel Hunt and Streifen
Twightlight
[Book 02 : 07]
Frowning, the Dark blindly brings the cigarette to his lips and inhales deeply. Zeph had been right about one thing—his home is currently too crowded, the quiet, peaceful days he and Lan had spent together just last week feeling like they’d happened so long ago. He wants it all back, and soon, sick of playing the median, of trying not to step on toes, sick of making the people he cares about feel terrible because he hadn’t been up front with them and having to backtrack now and try to iron everything out. The Bright still feels entirely responsible for the attack on the afternoon of his brother and Jun’s arrival, going out every day and desperately attempting to control the fire that rages inside of him. He’s so exhausted when he returns that all he can do is fall into bed, smelling of smoke and often marked with fresh burns and blistered skin.
Then there’s Zeph. Each chance the younger Selestarri gets to question the reasons behind allowing Lan to stay is thoroughly exhausted and his disapproval of the white-haired man has been stated several times. The blonde is just looking out for him, Sashi knows this, but it’s too much all at once, agitating and frustrating the feelings and issues that already swirl through his head until he can feel himself just shutting down. That’s when he generally had snapped at his brother, but Zeph always takes it in stride, more than used to dealing with him after all of these years. Today though, he’d been unable to stop himself from digging hard at the other Dark when he’d felt it all rising up again, and he’d seen the hurt in his brother’s eyes. Fierce loyalty and protectiveness are deeply bound into who Zephyr is and he takes it very seriously. The telepath has always secretly been grateful for those two qualities and knows that they are directly responsible for why the blonde has never given up on him, why he’s put up with so much, and why he asks for so little in return.
So why can’t his brother understand that Lan has given him so many things that Sashi has never felt before? The gentleness and care, kindness and patience that he’s been wishing for, why can’t Zeph see that? The Bright treats him as no one ever has and can relate to so many of the events of his life in ways that make him want to open up, to fight against the walls surrounding him and finally let someone in. Doesn’t the other Dark understand how immense that is and how much effort it all takes out of him? He should be happy that Sashi can finally feel comfortable enough to even attempt this, but instead he fires his own set of endless questions and suspicions of Lan’s motivations or constantly warns of the dangers in allowing someone so unstable to have a lasting place here.
Smoke streams from his mouth as the raven-haired Selestarri exhales, a shiver running through his body despite the heat of the water and Kiri’s furry side. It’s so damn cold and the air is heavy with moisture, meaning it will definitely snow again tonight. Almost automatically he reaches out for Lan, as if the Bright can warm him even from up near the shrine… Sashi sits quickly up; ripples spreading out from his body in all directions and Kiri turns his head as well. The telepath tries again, scanning quickly over the side of the mountain, but failing to detect the distinctive mesh of magic that makes up the other man’s unique signature. Lan hadn’t passed through the perimeter barriers because that would have tripped several different wards and immediately alerted him, so where…? Dropping the cigarette on the rocks, Sashi pulls himself from the water and begins to summon several articles of clothing as he continues to search. The Hound moves easily to his feet, ears alert and flat metallic eyes staring out into the gardens. Finally the Dark detects the one he seeks, the usual distinction of his Bright magic overwhelmingly shadowed by the elemental fire. Something is wrong, Lan seems very weak, his thoughts so muffled that it’s hard to exactly pinpoint his location. Sashi wraps an oversized and heavily quilted and tattered cloak around his shoulders before easing his feet into a scuffed pair of boots and turning to Kiri. [Find Lan,] he directs the Hound, and the blue-coated animal immediately blinks out of sight to reappear near one of the trees further into the garden. Following with his own teleport, the two of them move through the surrounding mountainside, closer and closer to the crow shrine where the Bright likes to practice the control over his magic. The bite of the cold at damp clothing and hair drags at his body, but he ignores it, everything he has bent on finding his guest. With each passing moment the feeling that something has happened to Lan grows more persistent, an urgent need to find the other Selestarri speeding the teleports until both he and Kiri are mere flashes against the sun glazed snow. Lan’s presence grows steadily clearer, but it still takes several minutes of following the large animal’s sharp senses before Sashi can locate him precisely. Slipping his hand down to rest on Kiri’s head, he pulls them on a longer jump then the Hound can complete, taking them just beyond the ascending stone stairway.
Heat hits in a rolling wave as they materialize, streaming out from the figure laying crumpled at the base of a large, bare-limbed tree. The bark is scorched and blackened, as is the grass at its base, all burned away by the intensity of the magic emanating from the unconscious Bright. The Hound takes a step backward, flat golden eyes staring up for a moment and then moving behind a nearby trunk to sit out of the direct path of the heat. Symbols flash through the air, the storm-tinted gaze never leaving Lan’s form as he weaves a spell that has the reverse effect of the one he uses to keep himself warm. It’s followed by strong barriers to protect him from flame, all tightening over his body with practiced ease.
Quickly crossing the space between them, Sashi drops to his knees beside Lan, the air so thick that it’s difficult to breathe, his eyes stinging as he reaches out a hand to brush strands of white from flushed features. The Bright’s skin is hot to the touch, even through the spell, as if he runs some kind of fever. He traces his fingers over a heated cheek and calls Lan’s name, but the other man doesn’t stir. Hesitating for only a second, he slides his arms around the narrow chest, pulling the Bright against him, cradling his frame and lightly stroking his tangled hair. He can feel the elemental magic rush toward him, seeking to consume, but he’s able to bring the considerable strength of his own energy against it, keeping himself from anything beyond an unpleasant tingle whenever his skin meets Lan’s. Each time previously that the magic has built up like this, the other Selestarri has been able to dissipate it before any real damage could be done and while Sashi is sure he can forcibly lock it away or discharge it himself, he’s not sure what that will do to the Bright internally, and he’s not willing to harm him. At the same time he can’t take him home with the fire shifting like this, it’s likely he’ll burn down the house or injure someone and he knows how much it would hurt Lan when he woke to discover what had happened.
[Hey,] the telepath’s fingers move from white locks down to the structured jaw line before repeating the gentle motion, hoping that the action is in some way comforting, even if the person held against him can’t feel it. [I found you, I’m here... and I won’t let you be alone.] The Bright had taken care of him when he’d broken his wrist all those weeks ago, not to mention the times he’d simply been there when the pain was bad or when he’d been hurting, always so patient and kind. There’s no thought given to leaving him out here, even if he gets burned in the process. None of that matters as long as Lan knows he’s at his side. Holding the Bright carefully, Sashi repeats his words and settles in to do the only thing he can at the moment… wait…
Lan: flawless pale fingers trace along golden hued closed lids, traveling with a feather light touch through the very tips of long green lashes before slipping further down to trace along the delicate features of his partner’s face. The Bright smiles, pulling his hand away long enough to push short messy strands of black from dark brown eyes before his fingers travel back down to tangle lightly in a lock of the thick green ringlets that rest fanned out over the light colored bedding beneath them.
[Stop it, Key…] Halacie says without opening her eyes while the slightest hint of a smile cracks at the corners of her mouth. [You’re pulling and it hurts.]
“Liar” Lan smirks as he continues twisting the other Bright’s hair in his fingers, suddenly gripping down and yanking her head back enough to rip a loud, slightly surprised sound from her lips. “Now, I’m pulling” he teases.
Orange eyes snap open just as he lets go, an amused laugh spilling free of full lips as the woman twists her lithe form around in the bed, sitting up enough to slam her hands down against Lan’s side. The action only gains her a louder laugh and just as she’s pulling back to hit him again, he reaches swiftly up and wraps his hand around the nearest pillow before swinging it out to knock the woman just hard enough to send her flying back down against the bed. Forest green strands spill across the bedding, stark in contrast as long legs are revealed when the fabric of the nightgown she wears slips down in the movement, distracting his attention momentarily and allowing her to pull back and kick him playfully in the stomach. Just as his back has even hit the sheets, she’s on top of him with her own pillow raised seconds before hard blows begin raining down at his head.
“Stop, Hail, stop!” Lan laughs as he does his best to block one playful hit after another, his words stopping the other Bright’s movements in mid swing. “Are you trying to kill me? I give up already…”
[Damn straight you give up.] she breathes a little heavily while slowly lowering the pillow in her hands and a victorious smile spans her lips. [Next time, maybe you’ll think twice before you pull my hair-]
A wide grin suddenly forms on the dark haired Selestarri’s mouth just as her grip on the pillow eases, long fingers reaching quickly down to wrap around slim ankles soon after. Lan yanks her legs out from underneath her and sits up in the process, one fluid movement as she lands in between his own out stretched legs reverses their positions and he pins her quickly down. Messy brown locks fall into his eyes as he bends in slightly to meet her annoyed gaze with a very pleased one of his own. “And maybe next time you’ll think twice before you let your guard down so easily.”
[That-] she starts, swinging the pillow she holds up in an attempt to strike him once again, but before it can contact, he slips a hand away from one of her ankles and slides it up to block. Pulling his second hand away from her other ankle as the pillow flies out of her grip, he catches both of her wrists in his fingers and slams them back against the soft bedding beneath them, lowering his body even closer to hers during the movement [-wasn’t fair at all…]
The defeated, playful pout that forms on her mouth causes him to laugh. “Life rarely is, Hail…” his teasing words pull a smirk to her lips before both Selestarri’s expressions begin to straighten, sunset colored eyes soon locking with brown.
[I love you, Key… ] She whispers.
“And I…” Lan starts only to have the words die in his throat before he can finish.
A sudden, unsettling feeling begins to wash over him while he continues to stare down at the woman beneath him, finding himself quickly wondering why. This… wasn’t right was it? All he has to do is say the same thing he’s said to her a thousand times before… to tell this person that he loves her just as he’s always has… but for the first time ever, it didn’t feel right and the words don’t seem to want to form in his mouth.
Why…?
[You’re so stupid.]
Halacie’s voice pulls him from his thoughts and the Bright blinks, finding himself standing alone; the room, the bed, and his partner completely gone. He turns around to find nothing surrounding him but emptiness before a glimpsed of his own body catches the corner of his eye. Lan’s gaze travels down to his hands to find that the flawless, pale skin he’d had only moments before has been replaced with an increasingly all too familiar set of burns and an age old set of varying degrees of scars.
[Why him, Key? Of all people, why him?]
The white haired Selestarri turns back towards the source of the voice to find the transparent figure of his partner standing behind him and he remains silent as he regards her for many long moments before he finally whispers her name.
“Hail…”
[You didn’t answer me, Key. Why him?]
“…I don’t understand…”
[Of course you don’t…] the green haired Bright says with a sigh, shaking her head in the slightest. [I told you that they wired you wrong when they had you, didn’t I?]
“They did a lot of things to me, Hail, but-”
[Tell me that you love me.] she interrupts.
Lan stares at her for a moment longer, meeting her demanding orange gaze with a steady, but slightly confused one of his own. “…You know I do.”
[If you do, then tell me that you do.]
Tell her… of course he’ll tell her, he always has in the past so why would it be any different now? But as he opens his mouth to say what she’s asking him to say, he finds again that the words don’t want to form and he’s unable to quite figure out why. He does love her, he’s always loved her - with all of his heart and so much more so why is there this hesitation? Why are the words so slow to come to his lips?
“I…” he starts.
[… I’m here... and I won’t let you be alone.]
The Dark’s voice suddenly filters into the silence and Lan pulls his sun colored eyes away from the woman to his front and turns around, his gaze rising up to search for the source. Sashi’s words repeat, each new one that echoes around him begins to warm him like nothing ever has, filling a hole inside of him that’s suddenly so pronounced.
[Why him Key…?] Halacie says from behind, a notable shift of sadness seeping into her fading tone.
“…Because he needs me…” Lan says quietly without hesitation. “And I need him just as much.”
[…You’re just… so stupid…]
Milky eyes slowly open as the Bright wakes to find everything inside of him burning. His skin, his hair, his eyes, every single nerve burns with an intensity that he can barely withstand. Disorientated and weak, Lan quickly shuts his eyes as he attempts once again to quell the fire raging so fiercely inside. For many long minutes it continues to fight him, responding to his internal commands with waves of heat that are screaming to be let free of his slender frame and consume everything around him. But he refuses to let it, pushing against it with all of his might and asserting the control he knows he can regain to finally force it back down into silence. He’s so focused in on his task while he does this however, that he doesn’t even realize that he’s being held. By the time he manages to get his body under some form of control, he finds himself breathless and feeling more drained than he’s ever felt before. A soft touch and the gentle stroking at his hair work to pull him back and the Bright’s filmed gaze slides back open to find the Dark’s body close to his own, for the first time realizing that he’s being cradled so very carefully in the other man’s arms.
[Sashi…] The white haired Selestarri whispers as he attempts to sit up only to find that his body is far heavier than he’s ever remembered it to be. Giving up a moment later, faded yellow eyes travel up to meet thunder cloud grey. [I couldn’t get it under control… so please… tell me that I didn’t hurt you with it…]
Sashi: Tattooed fingers sift through messy strands of white hair, tracing along the fringe and then along the curve of the Bright’s jaw before repeating the action. His free arm is wrapped carefully around Lan’s narrow chest, holding him close despite the ravenous heat that continually tests the strength of his spells. He’s not sure how much time has passed since he found the man lying unconscious near the stairs to the shrine, the sun blocked by the dense canopy of trees. The other Selestarri hadn’t moved at all up until a few minutes ago, when his telepathic senses began to detect that Lan had shifted out of whatever darkness held him trapped and the Bright’s face had twisted in pain. The fire raging beneath pale skin had blazed for long minutes afterward before finally subsiding. He can feel Lan’s heart racing in his chest and the slender body hadn’t returned to quite its normal warmth, but it also no longer felt as though he were running a fever.
Milky eyes slowly open, staring up blindly for a moment as Sashi’s hand instantly stills against the Bright’s cheek. The gentle pressure where the weight presses against him feels oddly comforting and the pathway his fingers had created through silky locks and over soft skin make each nerve in his hand tingle just slightly. His position suddenly becomes acutely obvious, the way he’s so intimately cradling Lan, touching his face and hair as though he’d been invited to. Maybe he shouldn’t be holding him like this. Maybe it’s wrong or not desired. He’d just done what he would want someone to do for him, and hadn’t stopped to consider if there’s some kind of comfort boundaries that he’s breaking. He doesn’t really know what other people like or need when it comes to these kinds of things. When he saw Lan just lying here, though…
The sound of his name pulls the Dark’s attention back, focusing him on eyes that have already begun to clear. The white-haired Selestarri attempts to shift upward to a sitting position, muscles straining before he gives up and leans back into Sashi. The raven-haired telepath shakes his head at the urgent, slightly desperate words that rush out of the other man. [You didn’t hurt me,] he promises, calling the patterns that surround and protect his body into view, the gold and purple weaves glowing for a minute before falling to the ground in fragments. Thundercloud pools slip down to the skin exposed beneath the singed edge of the kimono sleeve, the bandages destroyed and fresh, angry red burns adding a new layer of damage to the scarred surface. Gingerly he rests the tips of his fingers on the ruined silk. [You should take more care with yourself, though.] Because if something really had happened…
A gentle nudge pushes at his shoulder and Kiri steps around him, the silent Hound finally reappearing now that the heat had subsided. Sliding his head down to lay his nose against Lan’s shoulder for a moment, he slowly sinks to the ground and curls up against the two of them. It’s surprising how quickly Kiri has taken to the Bright, the large animal usually very reserved in the presence of anyone besides the telepath. Flat, metallic eyes regard gray for a moment and then slide shut, the large ears pivoting just slightly to take in the sounds of the surrounding forest. [He tracked you when I couldn’t sense your Selestarri magic anymore. One minute you were there as always and the next so faint I couldn’t accurately tell where you’d gone. I didn’t know what had happened, so… we came to find you.]
He hadn’t even thought twice about it, hadn’t hesitated, just threw things on and charged out here. Why? A few weeks ago only Zeph or Aki could have drawn him out like this, but here he is, so concerned that all he could think of was to protect, to comfort, to watch over this person who had changed so much. He isn’t lonely anymore and he now knows what gentleness and kindness feel like, how a simply touch can mean everything, and what it is to fall asleep and wake up beside someone in his own bed. He can’t expect Lan to understand any of it, to know how deeply it’s impacted him, or what all of these emotions he’s feeling mean. Which is what, exactly? He’d told his brother that he cares for the white-haired Selestarri, but how deep does that run and what if all it means is that he’s going to get hurt again in the end?
Sashi blinks, surprised to find that once again his fingers are stroking Lan’s hair. He curls them back, but the Bright reaches up to grip his wrist, holding him in place. Storm gray meet sun-warmed yellow and he whispers, [Sorry, I…] The words trail off, choked out by thick walls and all he can do is stare into eyes that remind him of summer afternoons. The Bright has done so much for him, more than he’ll probably ever know and all Sashi had been able to do when he was lying unconscious was to hold him, something the other man may not even have wanted, even if he’s still cradled in the Dark’s arms.
[So…] he falters, looking for a way to focus his thoughts on something besides feelings he can’t decipher. [You said you lost control, what happened?]
Lan: scarred fingers remain wrapped around the other Selestarri’s wrist, slowly lowering his hand closer to his own chest without completely letting him go. He knows that he should probably allow Sashi to pull away like he’d wanted to a moment before, but he doesn’t… he still feels weak and spent, and the comfort the other man is bringing him from the closeness of his body and the gentle way he’d been stroking his hair is something he’s not quite ready to give up just yet. [I’m… not sure what happened exactly,] the white haired Bright says quietly with a sigh, turning his head towards the telepath’s chest and allowing his eyes to slip closed. [I was up at the shrine and… I pushed too hard perhaps…] he had been pushing himself very hard, that much he knows, wearing himself down for the last few days with his attempts to get his body under control. His conversation with Sashi’s brother had only fueled the desire within him to master it all, his accusations of his instability and the thoughts of hurting this person that now holds him because of it had stricken a little deeper than he’d have liked. It appears Zephyr had been right though… he hadn’t been able to control it despite his best efforts and it’d quickly taken him over; the fire raging inside of him jumping at the opportunity to set itself free.
How long had he been out? He vaguely remembers being back home while he was under, sharing his bed with Halacie and the things between them being as it always had been in the past. But something had changed and through it, he’d heard the telepath’s voice and known that very instant that he’d rather be here with him again than remain where he’d been. So what would he have done had he woken to find everything burning like he’d done so many times before? If Sashi wasn’t so adept at magic, he could have seriously injured him… he would have most likely and he’d never have even known he was doing it. And what if he’d made it back to the raven haired Selestarri’s home like he’d been attempting to reach in the first place? Far worse than singed grass and blackened trees would have happened he’s sure and he’d have been unable to stop any of it. He’d never be able to forgive himself for that. He shouldn’t forgive even the chance he’d taken to begin with. What right does he have to lay here in the Dark’s arms and take the comfort and care he gives him when he could have easily hurt the other man in the exact same way his brother was so convinced he’ll eventually do?
None… he has none at all. Sashi’s done everything for him, become everything to him in such a short amount of time and all he can do is repay him for that with his inability to keep his body under control.
Damaged fingers finally loosen their grip of the Dark’s wrist, yellow eyes reopening and sliding back up to meet the gray gaze above him. [Forgive me, for the trouble you and Kiri had to go to in order to find me…] it’s more than just that he wants to be forgiven for really, but he has no right to ask for it any more than he has a right to remain cradled so close. Zephyr had told him that he was undeserving and Halacie had called him stupid. As it stands now, they were both right in the end…
Slipping his hand down, Lan drags it momentarily against the ground before bracing in order to push himself up. Sashi’s arms slide free of his slim form as he manages to right himself, the telepath sitting back on his legs while the Bright slumps forward a little heavily, messy strands of white falling into his line of vision while he spends a moment working to gather himself from the effort of rising itself. Sun colored eyes shift over to the Hound that rests so comfortably at both their sides before he lifts his head and returns his yellow gaze to the storm cloud colored one of the man sitting so near. [I think I just need more rest but,] but his body still felt overly warm and even the effort of sitting up was already pushing against him to stir it all back up inside. Sliding his gaze back down to his lap, Lan stares for another moment at the singed edges lining his once crisp kimono sleeves before traveling to the fresh burns just barely visible beneath, a frown forming on full lips soon after […it would probably be best if I found it away from the house until I’m sure I can get this under control. I don’t ever… want to hurt you with it…]
Sashi: Gray eyes watch carefully as the Bright struggles to sit, the narrow frame barely able to hold Lan’s weight as he fights not to slip back down. The white haired man seems so weak, as if that last surge of elemental energy had taken so much out of him and the telepath has to resist the urge to reach out and wrap his arms around him again. Quiet words slip out of the Dark’s guest, the tone matching the frown that spreads across his lips a moment later. Lan continues to stare at the edge of the damaged kimono, still slightly slumped and looking as though he wished he could sink into himself and disappear.
A package of cigarettes appears in Sashi’s hand as he regards the other Selestarri, fingers automatically cracking the seal and slipping a slender stick free. Something is… wrong. He has no idea what it could be beyond the magic control issues, but there’s a definite hint of reservation and maybe sadness in the sun-glazed eyes and it echoes in his voice. Over the past few weeks of being here and making these trips onto the grounds to dump his magic, Lan had never passed out from the strain or failed to return to the house. So what had he done differently today that caused all this? The thundercloud gaze studies the Bright carefully, but Sashi doesn’t ask the question. He remembers quite clearly how frustrating it is to lose control of an energy that is housed within your own body, how embarrassing it can be for others to see you like that and so he doesn’t press the issue.
Instead, he places the small box on the scorched grass beside the white-haired Selestarri and sparks the flame to light the end of his cigarette. A deep breath pulls the familiar smoke inside and he holds it for a long moment before exhaling. Lan continues to stare down at his ruined garment and the Dark has to again fight the urge to comfort whatever is hurting him. He really has no right in spite of everything they’ve shared since the Bright’s arrival, and he needs to remember that. Still, whether he’s interfering or not, he won’t let his guest stay out here when it’s obvious that something is wrong. Taking another drag from the cigarette, Sashi reaches down to thread tattooed fingers into the silkiness of Kiri’s blue coat. [In the summer, Kiri roams all over my property on this mountain and he stops in only a few times a week to visit with me. In the winter though, he stays much closer to the house since Hounds don’t have the thick type fur needed to combat the mountain cold and he likes the heat at night.]
The telepath’s tone is soft, and it’s not only Kiri he speaks of, but Lan remains silent and so Sashi continues. [He came out here with me to find you even though he didn’t need to; I guess because he’s… taken to you, which is unusual since he’s standoffish with people.] The thin stick smolders in his hand and the Dark raises it to full lips. [In his own way he’s loyal to those he’s accepted and if you stayed out here, he would be concerned…as would I. So if you wish to rest then come back to the house and I’ll stay with you to make sure the magic doesn’t cause any damage.]
Hesitating as his words trail off, Sashi waits a moment before finally allowing his hand to stretch out and gently graze the tips of his fingers against the heated skin of Lan’s cheek. [You don’t need to worry about hurting me,] he whispers. [If I had thought you were dangerous I wouldn’t have ever let you into my home.] Sun warmed eyes finally lift to meet his and he lets his touch trace down to carefully outline the Bright’s jaw before pushing strands of white from his face. Even he can clearly see the doubt in the yellow depths, but Lan hadn’t left him alone when he was hurting and so he won’t do it either. [I can’t let you stay out here alone when something isn’t right…]
Lan: Yellow eyes lift to meet storm colored grey as gentle fingers push messy strands of white away from his face and he says nothing at first, simply staring into the other man’s gaze as he works to gather the many thoughts, fears and doubts that shift throughout his head. Sashi is saying he won’t leave him -that he can’t… but he could at any given time and the fact that he’s choosing not to means more to the Bright than he could ever relay. Dragging a hand away from his lap, the Selestarri does everything in his power to hide just how much he struggles to raise it up and wrap marked fingers around the tattooed ones that hold him. [I’ve… grown rather fond of him as well…] he starts with a soft smile, not only speaking of Kiri alone while he continues. [Taken… in more ways than one.] Finding himself unable to keep his arm suspended for very long, he grasps onto the Dark’s fingers and slowly lowers both their hands towards the ground.
[So how can I not worry about hurting him… or you when I can’t seem to even avoid hurting myself as of late?] Dropping his gaze to stare down at the hand he holds, the white haired Bright falls silent for a moment while sun colored eyes move over the intricate lines that peek out at the sides of caramel colored skin. The question wasn’t really meant to be answered, he knows there’s no possible way for him not to worry about doing harm to this man with the turmoil raging inside of him, and that’s entirely the problem. He’s unstable; he can feel it inside – shifting around and crying out to be let free. His skin is overly hot, both inside of him and out, and he feels weak and spent as if any moment it will take him over again. It’s taking so much just keep himself upright because of this… It almost feels like it did a little under a year ago – back when he’d first made the decision to pull himself together – to do away with his vow of death he’d given when he’d broken free and try to regain a resemblance of the man he used to be before it all happened twenty years prior. It fought him then as well, nearly destroyed him on so many occasions because for the first time since they’d gotten the fire inside of him; he was asserting his own wishes upon it instead of allowing it to assert its own upon him. It had taken him many long and painful months to get it to even begin listening to him and his body bore so many scars from that alone. But in the end, it had begun to concede and he’d started to win it over… not completely and never consistently, but he’d gotten it under enough control to where he could at least reinsert himself back in the every day world then.
There were still times that it decided to take control – usually when he was sleeping and when it did, he’d wake to find everything around him burning. But those times had begun to become lesser with every passing day and he’d found himself hoping it’d finally seen that he was its master and not the other way around. So why now? Why is it doing this again now? Is it because he’s been pushing so hard these last few days? Was it the blonde haired Dark’s words? Was it Halacie’s? Or perhaps it was a combination of all three… No matter the reason, and despite the confidence Sashi seems to put in his overall state – he doesn’t feel that himself and all he has at the moment is doubt. Doubt in his ability to keep his body under control and doubt in his ability to keep his promise and never harm this person he refuses to hurt. Squeezing Sashi’s hand in the slightest, a soft sigh passes from in between full lips before he finally lets the other man’s fingers go. Clenching his teeth and taking a silent breath in, Lan reaches over to pull the box of cigarettes towards him and slide a slim stick free. Softly shaking fingers get it to his mouth, a small slip of flame that he nearly loses control of lighting it a moment later. Inhaling the smoke deeply, the Selestarri’s head falls back a little heavily to blow it into the heated surrounding air, sun warmed eyes narrowing as he stares up into the thick canopy of trees covering them from above.
[Before I collapsed in front of you all those weeks ago, I’d been staying in the city… I can’t remember its name, but it wasn’t too far from the village down at the bottom of the hill.] Pulling the cigarette back up to his lips again without pulling his eyes away from the trees, he cups it in-between full lips in order to shift the grip so he can slip his newly freed hand back down and reach over to blindly thread his fingers into the fur of the Hound resting besides them. [I remember renting a small room with the money that I’d manage to take with me when I fled the States,] Money he’d stolen from the Organization members he’d burned alive back when he was still hooked on the medication he thought he needed to keep his body under control to be exact. [I don’t even remember how long I’d been living there. I barely slept because it likes to come at me when I’m out as you know, but I remember this one night I fell under after managing to stay up for a few days before that and I when I woke up… everyone was screaming...] Flattening his palm against blue strands, he slides it over until the very tips touch the Dark’s hand, his voice dropping rather low.
[I never want to hear your voice like that Sashi. I never want to hear you screaming in pain because of me.] Finally pulling his eyes away from the trees above, Lan drops his head down and stares ahead as he reaches further over to grasp onto the other man’s hand while pulling the smoldering cigarette up to his lips to take another slow drag. [I can’t… bear the thought of it, not…] sliding his gaze over to meet thundercloud grey just as they are rising away from their hands, he smiles softly. [Not when you’ve come to mean as much to me as you do now…]
Sashi: Everything stops as the Bright’s words echo through his mind. No forest, no smell of burnt foliage, no cigarettes, no outside world at all aside from the warmth rising from the place where their hands are joined and the repetition of those words that kick his heart up to a faster pace. He must have heard wrong or misunderstood because there is no way… no way that Lan means what the Dark so desperately wishes for. It has to be simple affection that he’s talking about, all these gentle, intimate touches that they share probably add up to nothing more than that to the white-haired Selestarri. There’s no need to get his hopes up because it can’t be anything beyond than that. Lan so clearly still loves his partner and he’s never given Sashi the impression that he’s the type to care for more than one person at a time. It just confirms the fact that he’s apparently destined only to find the ones that can’t return his feelings… Of course he doesn’t even know what those feelings are other then to recognize that he has them. It’s not the same as when he was in love with Aki, but if all of this confusion and whatever means he’s in love with Lan, why isn’t it? Shouldn’t love always feel similar? Maybe it’s his inexperience since he’s only ever truly loved one person before and so it’s not like he has some kind of long list for comparison. But there is something, he does care about the Bright, even if it’s all too jumbled for him to tell how deep it runs.
Scarred fingers lightly squeeze his, bringing the world crashing in and drawing the telepath from confused thoughts, Embarrassed, Sashi realizes he’s been staring and he pulls his gaze away, forcing himself to say something, anything, which will give him a few moments to think things through. [The house has magical barriers to keep it from burning, and I can shift them to protect the furnishings as well.] He’s taking a simple sentence much too seriously and he needs to stop or he really will get hurt. Lan may have only been referring to the home, food, and warm bed that the Dark is supplying him with, not Sashi himself… [You don’t need to worry about me either, because as soon as you draw that much energy, I’ll knock you out like I did when you and Zeph were fighting. If I’m asleep, the increase of your magic will wake me. I’m… pretty sensitive to those kinds of things…] It hurts to think that the other man might be that shallow, since he’s only ever given the impression of speaking truthfully. If he really is only using him, then why bother saying anything at all?
The mostly spent cigarette moves again toward the raven-haired Selestarri’s mouth, smoke easing deep into his lungs. He chances another look at the Bright, Lan seeming even more slumped over and barely holding himself upright then he had moments before. The doubt in his eyes is even more pronounced, although like everything else, he tries to hide it. [I know what it’s like to hear screams of agony and to know that you’re the cause. I promise though, that you won’t ever hear me scream because of the fire.] The Dark is stricken again with the need to comfort, to help in some way, and it distracts his mind from running in circles over what the earlier words may or may not have meant. He shifts his hand so that long fingers intertwine with Lan’s, locking their palms together within the thickness of Kiri’s fur. Another moment passes as he studies his guest and then storm-tinted eyes slide back down to their joined hands. One caramel brown and the other milky white, one patterned with tattoos and the other littered with scars, both showing the burdens that are carried, but able to look so natural folded around one another. He enjoys the gentle way that he’s touched by this hand, so careful and kind, never hurting him, just as he so much enjoys the person attached to it…
With each passing day he realizes more and more how much he likes having Lan here, the times that they talk or just sit in comfortable silence, waking up surrounded by the security of his arms or being held when he’s hurt, it’s all a luxury that he hadn’t known since he and Aki were partners, but had so quickly become accustomed to again. He’d spent years alone, thinking he was undeserving of having anything like this with someone else, and he doesn’t want to go back to that solitary life, to that loneliness… From almost the first day, the Bright had promised that he’d show him what it is to love, that he would stay with him and ease the pain of being alone. He’d kept his word, taken away the sharpest of the hurt and replaced it with warmth that Sashi had never felt before. Recently it’s like he’s unraveling, the walls falling back just a little as they become more familiar with one another, and his trust slowly extending. It’s so hard for him to give that much of himself, to expose so much, but Lan has been nothing but kind and patient, and he needs to focus on that now and not his insecurities.
Coarse black strands slide forward to obscure the telepath’s line of vision as whispered words finally give voice to the question he needs an answer for. [When you say that I mean something, what...] He trails off, so quiet that he’s not even sure that Lan can hear him. If he doesn’t say it though, then it’ll always be a regret, and he’s had too many of those in his life already… [What are you saying exactly…?] He feels like such a fool for asking, because really, who can’t comprehend these things at his age? He must seem like some kind of pathetic mess…
Lan: Grey eyes slip away from his, the deliberate avoidance by the Dark in the way that he so quickly steers his words towards the barriers on the house and everything contained within strike the white haired Selestarri a little deep. It seems that again he’s overstepped his bounds and again he’s said something that has made the other man more than a little uncomfortable. He knows that it is more than likely too much to ask for to have Sashi understand the depth of the feelings he’s developed for him in such a short amount of time, but even still… he, himself can’t deny them anymore than he can deny every single scar that riddles his body.
Yellow eyes remain fixed on the telepath’s slender form even as his head dips forward and layered strands of back fall into his heavy storm tinted eyes. Those quiet words end, the question asked so hesitant and careful, carrying within its whispered tone so much uncertainty and doubt that he suddenly wants nothing more than to wrap his arms around the Dark just so he can reassure him in any way. And he would… if he could get his body to do more than remain slumped over while he struggles so hard to keep it upright. So instead, he simply pulls his gaze away, the white haired Bright’s eyes traveling down towards the cigarette still burning in between scarred fingers as he works to answer the question the other man has asked. [The first time I saw Hail…] he can feel the telepath’s grip on his hand stiffen, tensing against him the moment his dead partner’s name leaves his mind, but he continues anyway […I knew that I wanted to love her…]
Lan’s gaze slides over to once again come to rest on the other man despite Sashi’s seeming refusal to look up. [She had this light to her that I just couldn’t resist, one that sucked you in and warmed you up from the inside.] Pulling his eyes away from the one he still holds, the white haired Selestarri’s voice takes on a slightly distant tone. [She was my everything for as long as I can remember. I never even bothered to look at anyone else; I couldn’t… because she’d blinded me to the rest with her smile and her laugh and her presence. I loved everything about her; I even loved it when we fought over the stupidest things or when she would scold me for whatever it was I’d do to piss her off. I’d sworn when we became partners that I’d protect her at any cost, give my life for her, that I’d love her forever…]
Trailing, Lan narrows his eyes as he stares ahead. He’d promised her so many things… but in the end- [-I was useless to her.] He whispers sadly before he even has time to realize he’d said his thoughts out loud. Tattooed fingers entwined within his own tighten slightly and he blinks, quickly pulling himself back so that he can continue. [All those promises I made ended up being nothing more than fancy words because I couldn’t protect her in the end, could I? She was the one who ended up giving her life for me and all I could do at the time is watch. So you would think that the least I could do for her after all that was keep one of the promises I’d made to her all those years ago… wouldn’t you?] The Bright drags his hand up, managing to get the remainder of the cigarette resting in between long fingers to his lips in order to take a slow, labored drag. His hand falls back down, coming to rest a bit heavily into his lap and he closes his eyes for the space of a few heartbeats, a quiet sigh slipping free of his mouth as he works to do away with the remnant of the smoldering stick he holds.
Yellow eyes slowly reopen to once again stare ahead as the cigarette finally combusts and his voice dips a little low. [She asked me to tell her… the same thing I’ve told her a million times before. She asked me to tell her that I loved her and I just… couldn’t. I couldn’t say it; I couldn’t tell her that I loved her, Sashi. I tried so hard but the words just wouldn’t come out… she called me stupid for it, asked me ‘why him’…and the answer came to me with no thought lent to it at all…] the Selestarri glances over towards the Dark and he squeezes his hand, pulling grey eyes free of light blue fur and up to finally meet his own. [‘Because he needs me and I need him just as much’] dragging his free hand back up, Lan wraps his fingers around the kimono hanging so loosely across his marked chest. [I couldn’t tell her that I loved her because this hole in me that she’d left when she died has been filled with somebody new... It’s been filled with you… and I know that it’s more than what you asked for… more than what your brother says I deserve, more than what Hail ever wanted from me but…it’s here inside of me and I can’t deny it. I remember this feeling so clearly, Sashi… that light fluttering inside of my chest that I’ve only ever felt for one other person before I met you.] scarred fingers clench a little tighter around the fabric draping his form as storm cloud colored eyes shift away and even though the effort of his words and the effort of keeping himself up is steadily weighing him further down with every passing moment, he pushes on anyway, determined to give the other man the answers he’d just asked for. [I knew from the first moment I saw her that I wanted to love her just as I know now how much I want to love you and that’s what I mean when I say that you’ve come to mean so much to me…]
Sashi: Thundercloud eyes drop down to stare at the scorched ground beneath his feet as the last of quiet words spill from the man whose hand he holds tightly. The one word he’d so longed to hear in conjunction with himself, spoken truthfully and seriously, hits him so hard that for a moment he’s completely stunned. Lan is saying… saying that… His head cannot seem to work around it, cannot confirm that this is real and that he’s hearing things correctly before emotion crashes into him with the force of a tidal wave. Confusion, disbelief, amazement, joy, relief, fear, and a million other feelings shatter the Dark into pieces and he’s not sure how to even begin picking himself back up. He wants to cry, to laugh, to smile, to run like hell all at the same time, everything pulling in a different direction all at once. To know that Lan not only cares about him, but wants to love him—that he even can love him in spite of his heart still belonging to Halacie, is just… overwhelming…
But… it’s also terrifying. All those years ago when Aki said that he loved him he was able to push him away because he’d convinced himself that he didn’t deserve it and wasn’t capable of having the kinds of relationships that others had. This is different, he’s different, and he knows now that he’s just as deserving as anyone else, but it doesn’t make him any less afraid. What if the Bright manages to break through all the walls, to see the real person that Sashi had locked away years ago, only to hate what he sees? What if Lan decides it’s just not worth dealing with all of his issues and emotional damage? It’s been such a short time, so how can the white-haired man really know anything at all? How could he risk so much when there was the chance that Sashi would reject him? Maybe it takes a courage that he doesn’t understand, one that he can’t see beyond the fear that grips him just as tight as Lan’s hand.
Eyes the color of summer are staring at him expectedly, and the raven-haired Selestarri pulls his gaze upward just as the Bright sways dangerously, the effort of keeping himself upright finally too much for the slender frame to bear. Sashi automatically reaches out to wrap his free arm around his guest, drawing him close so that he can lean against him. Chaos continues to swirl through his mind, thoughts surfacing and disappearing before he can even register what they are. He doesn’t know what to do or say, and he’s scared of fucking things up, of pushing Lan away when he’s only just found him. Long strands of black fall all around them as the Dark drops his head down, his face turned into the place where shoulder and neck meet. [I do need you,] he whispers finally, gray eyes sliding closed. He needs Lan so much that it would probably send the other man running if he knew the extent. The depth of his loneliness hadn’t been apparent until the Bright had arrived, until he knew what it was to have someone near him all the time. When he’d told Zeph that the calls and visits weren’t enough anymore, he hadn’t been lying. Sharing his home, his bed, his life for the last few weeks had shown him just how much he’d been missing out on. Hearing that he’s needed too, that it’s not all just one sided, but more of a mutual reliance on one another is comforting.
[You’ve taken away the loneliness that hurt so much and given me warmth.] Sashi tightens his arm around the slender frame, pulling them even closer together. [You’ve listened and you’ve been patient with me, and I know I can be difficult and pathetic, but…] He falters, stumbling over all of the emotion rioting in his mind, unable to get his thoughts properly connected long enough to make any sense. Lan tenses up at the trailing word and deep inside something tears at the telepath, something that wants desperately to explain everything so that he doesn’t get the wrong idea, so that he doesn’t think he’s being rejected. That’s not what the issue is at all, he’s just so confused and surprised and none of it is the Bright’s fault, only his, and he wants Lan to know that more than anything, but the walls are closing down around him as he feels more unsure and exposed. [Please give me some time,] Sashi manages, hating that he can’t explain things. [I have… to sort a few things out…] It sounds so pathetic and he’s ashamed that he can’t break through these barriers in order to reassure someone that he cares about. The words are locked away and all he can do is hope that the other Selestarri understands in some way.
Silence falls between them for a few minutes, the weight of the Bright pressing against him steadily increasing as Lan continues to grow weaker. Lifting his head, the Dark gently squeezes the fingers that are still entwined with his, gray eyes finally lifting to sun-warmed yellow, forcing himself to face any hurt that he’s caused. [I think you need to rest now, so the choice is yours whether to do it here or at home.] Either way, even with all the damage he’s undoubtedly done, Sashi had promised not to leave Lan alone…
Lan: the silence stretches on after the raven haired telepath’s words trail, the moments turning to seconds before shifting into minutes as the white haired Bright finds his own body growing steadily heavier. Every part of his slender frame weighs on him like lead and the heat that continues to shift inside of him only works to strip away what little energy he has left while he fights against it and its incessant need to consume him from within.
But Sashi’s words are weighing on him nearly as much as his limbs currently are, striking him a little deeper than they probably should. He honestly didn’t expect the Dark to return what he feels towards him this soon, he truly didn’t… he knows that what he’s said was more than likely more than Sashi wished to hear from him, he can tell by the uncomfortable shift in his tone. He thought he was prepared for this… when he’d told Zephyr that it would not change where he wished to be, that he would still be standing by this man’s side regardless of how Sashi might truly feel, he’d spoken only the truth. But he can’t deny that actually hearing the hesitation and the fear in the telepath’s voice… hurts. It won’t change how he feels; it doesn’t change where he will remain but had once again pushed his limits just a bit too far? Would the other man be unable to deal with it… would he decide to simply cast him out because of that…? By saying what he’s said, is he only hurting Sashi in the end by burdening him with feelings and a need he’s unprepared for? It wasn’t as if the raven haired Selestarri had outright rejected him but that means very little in the end. While he may have said that he needed him, it could be nothing more than a need that doesn’t go beyond the bed they share at night and the general presence he’s become in the Dark’s home. He’s only known him for a little over three weeks when all is said and done, so what more does he expect from the other man, what more could he expect?
Eyes the color of a heavy storm finally lift free of the scorched ground beneath them, breaking Lan away from the chaotic thoughts now swirling inside of his head and he manages the slightest of smiles when their gazes meet. [Rest…] his voice leaves him more strained than he’s comfortable with, his tone quiet in the surrounding winter air. He feels so tired now, more so than he’s felt in a very long time and as much as he hates the thought of sleep for all that awaits him there, it seems it plans to claim him whether he likes it or not. Sun tinted eyes slowly slide shut when his lids become too heavy for him to uphold, the white haired Selestarri sinking further against the Dark’s body despite his best efforts to stay afloat. […sounds good right now.] Which was a complete and total lie; he doesn’t want to sleep at all. He’s finding himself a little fearful that once he falls under he’ll lose control of the fire again, or worse yet… he’ll wake to find himself back with her, utterly unable to tell her words she wants to hear. But despite his fears he wasn’t getting a choice and with every passing second, it was working to overtake him rather quickly.
Lan attempts to reopen his eyes in a last ditch effort to fight what his body was demanding from him, but his eyelids are too heavy for him to manage it and he soon gives up to simply whisper instead. [It… doesn’t matter to me where…] which was another lie, it did matter because- [Sashi… take all the time you need… just don’t… don’t let me hurt you with it…] please. And just as the last thought leaves his mind, the blackness consumes the Bright and he falls quickly under, sinking completely against the one that holds him as his grip on the telepath’s hand finally goes slack.
Sashi: The forest sinks into an almost unnatural silence around them as Lan’s words fall off, the slender man slumping into the Dark as he loses the struggle against consciousness. Coarse strands of raven-hued hair slide forward to partially blanket them both as his head drops down and he cradles the Bright so carefully. Storm colored eyes slip closed and Sashi sighs. He knows that he’s hurt the other man with his hesitation and uncertainty; he could see it in the depths of sun-warmed eyes. It’s the last thing he wanted to do, but so typical of him to achieve the opposite of what’s desired. Why couldn’t he just explain that his head is all over the place at the moment? Why must everything be so complicated and difficult, even the simple things like this? When he does get his feelings straightened out, how is he ever going to tell Lan anything without truly fucking things up?
This is what he’s wanted for a long time now, to hear that someone wants to love him, to have an actual relationship and maybe have a chance to find the same kind of happiness that Aki and Zeph have. But… although he cares for the white-haired Selestarri, something that’s rare for him in and of itself, he’s not sure that he’s in love with him. He knows he’d easily lie and convince himself that there are feelings even if there’s not, and that’s unfair to both of them. He won’t put someone else through that, even if it means he’s alone for the rest of his life. Gray eyes reopen to trace over every feature of the one he holds and he gently brushes strands of white from pale cheeks. Lan had said not to allow him to hurt Sashi with “it.” He’s not sure if that refers to the fire magic or the words the Bright had said, but he hates that he even put the other man in the position to worry about anything in the first place. [I won’t and I’m sorry,] Sashi whispers, slowly trailing over the curve of Lan’s jaw before pulling his hand away. [I didn’t mean to cause you any pain...]
Kiri shifts at his side, the big Hound raising his head to look back at the telepath. Sliding his fingers down to stroke blue-colored fur reassuringly, Sashi tightens his grip on Lan as the void of the teleport opens beneath the three of them, the main house and the comfort of the room they share waiting on the other side of blackness…
Zephyr: The overcast sky barely illuminates the windows of the entranceway in shades of gray despite the fact that it’s late into the morning. Through the open doors of the dining room behind them, he can hear Yamashita-san removing the remains of the breakfast they’d finally all gathered to eat. Outside, the sound of a running motor breaks the normal quiet of the mountains; the car that the housekeeper had arranged to take them back down to the village waiting patiently for them to emerge. They’d be teleporting instead of taking the connecting transportation to the nearest city, but it was sometimes best to keep up appearances for the sake of the humans, and too much arriving and leaving without being seen raised suspicions that Sashi did not appreciate.
Jun stands beside him, attempting to draw as little attention as possible to his physical discomfort even though he’s obviously having difficulty standing still. The Angel shifts just a little every few moments or so and the blonde feels more than a little guilty about getting carried away yesterday. Seeing his boyfriend wearing the marks is just as hot as always, but he knows better then to get so wrapped up in things that he forgets its Jun who will pay the price, and that’s not fair. He’d have to make it up to him with healing ointment and some very specialized care once they’d returned home… probably several times… The midnight gaze sweeps from the slender Angel to the older Dark who leans against the doorframe of the hallway that leads toward the south side of the house. Sashi’s messily tied black hair highlights the fresh circles beneath the thundercloud colored eyes and the slight paleness to his caramel-tinted skin. His brother hadn’t spoken all that much while they’d eaten, just mentioning that his guest was still asleep in between cups of strong coffee. What he wasn’t saying was more interesting, of course, although Zeph knows that asking him would be a waste of breath. He and Jun had both intermittently sensed the elemental magic of the Bright, flaring up every so often before being quickly stifled behind the barrier that Sashi had put up around his room. Just what is going on he has no idea, but between the telepath looking like he hasn’t slept and the constant presence of the Hound in the south side corridors, it can’t be good. There’s something else in Sashi’s eyes, but he can’t tell exactly what it is… worry perhaps, if the other Selestarri were given to it, which he’s not, but something else that Zephyr can’t exactly place.
The sound of Jun’s voice thanking his brother drags the blonde out of his thoughts and he smiles at the shorter man before reaching out to hug him. “I’ll call you,” he promises.
“Yeah, next time a call ahead would be really appreciated,” the dry sarcasm in Sashi’s tone thinly veils the care beneath.
The younger Selestarri laughs as he pulls away, swatting at the tattooed fingers that dart out to teasingly ruffle through his white gold hair. It’s an old form of the brotherly affection between them, one of the first and one that will probably never get old. “I’ll make sure to do that if you actually bother to pick up your phone every once and a while so that I don’t have to get concerned.” Their gazes meet and he adds, [be careful around him, okay?]
A slightly strained look flashes over Sashi’s face. [You don’t understand, Zeph, I…] There’s a moment where he’s sure that his brother’s going to admit to loving the Bright, but instead he just shakes his head. [I really care about him.]
The taller Dark sighs and bends over to pick up his bag. “I figured as much, otherwise I doubt that you’d let him stay here. Still… just take care, Sash.”
The telepath nods, more gray light spills into the foyer as Jun opens the door and cold winter air immediately begins to seep into the house. Following the pink and white haired Angel across the threshold, Zephyr glances over his shoulder just as his brother turns and disappears in the direction of his room, his lithe form quickly encompassed by gray-hued shadows. Shifting the weight of the bag in his hand, he sighs again and softly closes the door behind them…
Jun: Early dawn tinted eyes meet midnight just as the door slides shut and the Dark turns towards him. Pulling his hand out of the heavy quilted pocket of his jacket, Jun holds it out for the other man to take. “Don’t think on it too much, Zeph…” he smiles in the slightest, wrapping his fingers around his boyfriend’s and turning towards the sound of the car waiting for them beyond. “It’ll be fine.” Well, at least he hopes it will be, but the best they can do is just wait and see like he’d said. A soft sigh leaves full lips and he begins pulling the blonde down the steps, boots crunching in the new layer of snow that riddles the grounds as they go. “Besides… right now you have more important things to think about.” Glancing back over his shoulder, the pink and white haired Angel flashes Zephyr a slight sly smile. “Like taking care of me until I heal up properly…”
Laughing at his own teasing words, Jun turns his attention back to the car they are approaching before his gaze shifts over to the mountains at their sides and he frowns in the slightest. “You never did get up there did you…?” turning back, he smiles again. “Guess that’s kinda my fault, sorry.” Letting the Dark’s hand go as they move past the threshold of the entranceway, long fingers move up to scratch idly in snow colored strands. “Well, we’ll figure out who owes who what when we get home, I guess. I’m pretty sure you still owe me pancakes…”
Zephyr: Despite the worry that forms an uneasy knot in the pit of his stomach, the blonde can’t help but to return his boyfriend’s smile. Jun always knows what to say and how to distract him when he’s too caught up in something. The Angel is right and it’s not like he can do anything about his brother and Lan because Sashi isn’t a child and can’t be told who he can or cannot have a relationship with. Even if he was, their culture does not allow for anyone to forbid any type of relationship unless it involved the very young or the crossing of faction lines. Both Sashi and Lan fall a bit outside the jurisdiction of Nova or the Eyrie, so the only thing left to do is hope for the best and failing that, to make good on his threats from yesterday morning.
Wrapped in a heavy jacket, one of the villagers opens the door of the car before taking their bags and turning for the trunk. Zeph slides into the heated compartment just after Jun gingerly seats himself, a wince flickering momentarily over pale features. The Selestarri’s hand immediately reaches over to once again to wrap around the one he loves, threading their fingers tightly together. “You know I always take care of you no matter what.” A wicked smile crosses his mouth and midnight eyes meet deep pink. “If that means pancakes, then how can I deny you?” His free hand slips up under the layers of the other man’s jacket and clothing to just barely graze bare skin. Dawn-tinted depths turn momentarily toward the front as the driver gets in and Zephyr drops his voice to a whisper. “Although you’ll have to be very, very good to get all the pancakes that you want…”
The pink and white haired Angel laughs and shakes his head, squeezing the Dark’s hand affectionately as the car pulls out onto the dirt road. Glancing over his shoulder just once as Sashi’s house disappears from sight, he turns back and pulls Jun close. “Let’s go home, okay?”