- Does it hurt? - Haru asked, rubbing both Loi's bandaged nose ridge and Lucious' swollen face.
- Hurt… - The tanned boy hung his head, nodding limply next to Lucious as they sat on the staircases just outside of the house.
- It's nothing, lord. - The larger male replied, though he tried not to show his emotions, his black tail waving behind him like an excited dog.
- How did you two ended mauling each others, anyway? - Mitsuki questioned as she walked by, handing each of them a cup of warm tea.
- You know, you didn't have to do it yourself. - Lucious smiled at the girl. - We have servants for trivial tasks like this, no need to…
- I just don't want to. - The girl shook her head as she sat down next to Haru, before handing him a mug. - It's just that…I don't feel so good ordering people around.
Lucious snorted, his mouth opened, just about to justify their way of life and correct the girl, but a sideway glance from Quetz made him shut his mouth. The man turned away, avoiding his father's furious eyes as Haru tried to comfort both him and the adolescent human boy. He didn't expect the boy, Loi, to react so fiercely after he said what he said, the moment Lucious turned his back to the boy, he was pounced upon by what could only be described as an angry weasel. Before Quetz managed to separate them, the tanned boy has already punched Lucious in the eye while the older male has managed to cut a long gash across Loi's face with one of his claws.
- Well, look on the bright side. - Haru smiled awkwardly, trying to defuse the tension as he rubbed the bandage on his brother's face. - You said you've always wanted a nice scar.
Lucious turned away, hand covering his mouth to muffle the gagged laughter, which only made Loi sulk more. The tanned boy rubbed the layer of bandage covering the wound on his face, feeling the tingling sensation that ran from his left eyebrow across the ridge of his nose, down to his right cheek. He shivered as he recalled how close he was of having his entire face ripped clean, Lucious' claws were just as sharp as his father's. Yet he didn't know why he did it, why he jumped at the man after he said it, maybe it's because it's because Lucious was preferring to the idea that Haru has never been "theirs", especially "his", to begin with? No. It couldn't be, the way Lucious said it, the way his body reacted, it suggested something else deeper. What did he mean by saying he can't risk losing Haru again?
- Lushi-san, are you feeling better? - The white haired boy asked, rubbing the massive bruise left on his neck, where Quetz's tail has whipped into.
- It's ok, lord. - The older male smiled, patting the boy's hand to reassure him.
- Does he…always hit you like that? - Haru lowered his head as he asked, still shocked by the imagery of Quetz wrestling Lucious to the ground, before bringing his tail down onto his son's neck.
- No, it's fine. - The older male replied softly, pressing his head into the boy's palm, letting him caressing his raven black hair.
It was so weird, seeing one of them acting like this, Haru thought to himself, smiling as he scratched the larger male's head, watching his tail wagged excitedly. But at the same time, he supposed it wasn't, though it's true that Quetz, Lucious and their kind are much more…"advanced", they also more primal, more animalistic. Almost to the point of inhuman. The thought made Haru flinch, clenching his fingers in the tangled mess that was Lucious' hair, making the man look up with his concerned golden eyes.
- My lord, is something wrong? - Lucious asked, slightly leaning forward toward the boy.
- It-it's nothing. - Haru forced a smile onto his lips and shook his head.
- Lord, - A mischievous, yet worried smile bloomed on the older male's face. - we can sense emotion. You're thinking about…the villagers and the chief, aren't you?
- I-I… - Haru was taken aback, didn't know how to reply as he involuntarily leaned back.
- Don't press him. - The tanned boy quietly said, turning his face away, before continuing with a sarcastic tone. - You don't want to risk losing him again, do you?
- Now that's just uncalled for. - Lucious replied sharply, tail coiled up in distastefulness.
- The boy's right, Lucious. - Quetz walked up to them, his amber eyes still sizzling with a deep anger, somehow, has Lucious and Loi told him everything, Haru wondered.
- Yes Father. - The black haired Anacondrai nodded and stood up.
- You should return to your residence, my son. - The older male said quietly, eyeing the bruise on his son's neck. - Return to your residence and rest.
Despite his desire to stay with Haru, Lucious knew better than to defy his father. He lowered his head as an acknowledgement, before slowly walking away and disappearing behind the doors leading outside, glancing back just for a split second, then he was gone. The white haired boy shivered, feeling Quetz's presence brushed passed him as the man tiredly dragged his feet toward the bed chamber, before collapsing onto the bed with a loud thud, making the piece of furniture creaked in protest to the sudden forceful intrusion. Haru curled his legs back, head rested on the folded arms on his knees as he tried to make sense of all that have transpired. Only days ago, he was the outcast of his village, shunned by everyone but his adoptive family, forced to fine solace in solitude in the dead of night, where only the stars would listen to his sobbing and only the wave would converse with him.
But now, everything have changed, for the longest of times, he's desired nothing more than to escape that horrid place, to escape the mocking, the insults and the cold, uncaring looks. He's wanted nothing more than to meet others like him, people that don't look at his hair and eyes and scoff in disgust, but treat him as their own, sharing the same odd features. But now, as he sat there, amongst those of his kind, their kind as Quetz's put it, Haru felt…lacking. He felt sad, abandoned, despite being surrounded by others like him and his adoptive siblings, as if a piece of his very being was torn from him. In a sense, it was, Loi told him the chief has left, along side with all of the other villagers, none were left to see him being accepted by his own kind, none were left to see his triumph. A hollow victory. Did they hate him so much that they didn't want to stay to see him happy? Did the chief hate him too?
- Haru! Look!
The white haired boy looked at where his sister's finger was pointing at, to the sky, where winding ribbons of light illuminated the night sky of the highland, so clear, so bright and so close that it'd seem that one could reach for them and touch them. Haru stood up slowly, marveling the light show as the ribbons twisted, shifted their movements like elegant, ghostly serpents. He's heard tales about them before, the northern lights, Mitsuki's mother knew all about the world outside of their valleys, far beyond the Forbidden Forests and the great river that made up the boundaries of their tribes. Sometime, when the boy was upset, ridiculed by his peers in the village for his interests in the old ruins, she'd gather them around the fireplace, Haru, Mitsuki, Loi and Mitsuki's father, and she'd tell them about the wonders of her homeland.
- It's…just like mom's told us. - The girl remarked quietly, smiling as she found her mother's tales fell short of the actual spectacle.
- But I thought they only appear in the far north? - Loi chimed in, narrowing his eyes suspiciously of the ghostly displays.
- Or… - Haru lowered his head, recalling his adoptive mother's words. - places…filled with magic.
- Maybe this is one of those places then? - His sister suggested, gently rubbing the boy's snowy white hair. - You've found the magic.
Magic. Loi scoffed quietly at the word, leaning against the supporting column with his arms crossed, his eyes turned away from the sky, before slowly returning to his seat at the table to contemplate Lucious' words.
***
Haru waved his sister and brother goodbye as they disappeared behind the closing door, Lucious was out there, readied to take them both to their own residence, so there's no need to worry for their safety. Or so the white haired boy thought, as he stood there, twisting his fingers nervously. He's never felt so…lonely, not in the usual sense, where he felt like everyone and everything was against him. This was deeper, calmed and stilled, it made him feel emptied somehow, for the first time, the white haired boy didn't feel the urge to grip at his hair or dib his face into the sea, a vain attempt to wash away the odd features. Now, surrounded by people like him, he felt lost, even amongst "his kind", he still felt left out, despite everyone here was better to him than anyone at the village was. What's wrong with him? Haru wondered, clutching at his silk shirt, squeezing his eyes shut and clenching his teeth, fighting the urge to scream out in frustration. Why? Why didn't he feel at home? Wasn't this all he wanted? To be with people like him? What else could he possibly want? Such a selfish brat.
- Haru? - Quetz's voice tore him out of the self pitying, the boy almost leapt as he spun around, an involuntarily reflex that he's picked up through years of being stalked and jumped on. The man walked out of the house slowly, his untied silvery hair swayed as he rubbed his sleepy eyes, long, light metallic-colored locks partially reflected the dancing aurora borealis above, made him look almost dreamingly ghostly.
- Ke-Keto…-san. - The boy stuttered with his words, not sure if it was the sudden appearance of the older male, or because he was bedazzled by his shimmering light reflecting, nay, cascading from his hair.
- Why are ou…shdill uop? - Quetz asked, his words warped by a big yawned that made him open his mouth fully, revealing all of his fearsome fangs and long forked tongue, before retracting back into his usual face.
The white haired boy shivered at the sight, sometime he forgot that the man he loved could easily bit a small animal in half. Yet he didn't feel scare, if anything, he felt…ashamed, for dragging the man down with him. Haru glanced at Quetz's shoulder, where his wound was hidden by the silk shirt, before looking away, wondering to himself if it wasn't for him, how many wound could his beloved have avoided.
- Is something wrong?
Before Haru realized it, Quetz was already at his side, hunkered down with his tail coiling around them both. Wet, hot tears rolled down the boy's face as he looked deep into the older male's caring amber ones. Concerned for him and him only and no one else.
He wrapped arms around the older male's neck, pulling him into his chest, so he could bury his face into Quetz's hair. It smelled so good, he smelled so good, the smell of fresh herbs and cold spring water, so contract to the sense of blood emanating from the man's wound. Slowly, Haru moved his face down, trailing his nose and lips down the white haired man's head, then face, then neck, making him shiver, before stopping, just as he touched the silk tunic's collar. The white haired boy pushed his face against Quetz's shoulder blade, feeling the layers of herb-soaked cottons and bandage covering the impaling wound that woman's dealt, then torn open by his effort to fight the horde. Why? Why risk so much? Why try so hard? For him?
- Does it hurt? - Haru asked, pressing his lips gently onto the older male's wounded shoulder blade, his eyes watered up as he smelled the bitter smell of blood mixed with herbs.
- Not much. - Quetz replied softly, brushing his tail against the boy, pushing him closer to himself.
Calloused hands scooped the white haired boy up, causing him to whimper in embarrassment, burying his face into the beloved's wounded shoulder as the older male carried them back toward the stairs. Quetz sat them both down onto the lowest step of the stair, letting Haru rested against his chest and shoulder, his head still pressed against the man's wound. It was weird, days ago he didn't even know about this boy's existence, yet now, he seemed to be unable to tear himself away from Haru, so small, so fragile, yet so important to him. Shimmering, magical light cascaded from his snowy white hair, flickering in those amethyst colored eyes under his elegant eyelashes as they gazed at the sky, drinking in deeply the ghostly light above with childlike wonder.
Beautifully.
Gods, how could Quetz have not realized how beautiful Haru was? For the longest of time, he was captured, mesmerized by the boy his heart pounded wildly as Haru moved, so elegant, so…familiar. Light, space and indeed reality itself seemed to warp as the boy leaned forward, swirls upon swirls of mystical energy seemed be surrounding him, making him glow with a ghostly halo. Like a nymph, the white haired boy shone in Quetz's amber eyes, dancing fey fire cascaded from his lithe form, ribbons of phantom silk wrapped around him, lifting his body as he reached out to the dancing light, like a spirit of the sky and stars, longing to return to his home. The sight was so beautiful, dreamingly so, yet it filled the white haired man with dread, primal and unknowable, his heart pounded like drums, his mind screaming for him to stop Haru. Slipping. Haru was slipping away from him. No, please no. He begged, his mind begged, his entire body begged as visions overwhelming him, of the white haired boy's slowly fading away in that halo, leaving him alone, forever. Again.
The white haired man found himself holding Haru's outstretched hand, seizing it between calloused, claw-tipped fingers. Relief set in, hot, shallow breaths escaped his parted mouth as his eyes dashed from one corner of the dark courtyard to another, before settling onto Haru's concerned face, slightly contorted from the man's hand holding his. The white haired man let go of the boy's hand, instead, wrapping his arms around the boy's thin frame, pulling him into a nervous embrace. His amber eyes darted back and fort, flinching each time he thought he saw fading visions of ghostly butterflies at the corners of his visions. No. They won't have him. Quetz thought to himself, holding a quivering Haru against his chest, his entire body quietly shivered, tail wagging nervously before slowly calming down, but still he held the boy tightly.
- Keto-san? - Haru quietly called out, voice shaking with concerned and confusion. - Is something wr…
- Don't leave!
- E-eh? - The man's reply was harsh, desperate, filled with a sense of terror that the boy didn't know Quetz possessed.
- Please. Don't leave. - The white haired man's tensed muscles slowly relaxed, his voice seemed fearful, sorrowful even, exhausted and distressed. - Don't leave me.
- I won't. - Haru smiled, turning his body to face Quetz, his delicate hands gently stroking the man���s face, playing with the draping locks of silvery white hair, before nudging his face against the older male. - I won't leave you, I promise. Promise you won't leave me too?
- I promise. - Quetz nodded, his tail wagged furiously, making Haru giggled.
The boy run his fingers through the older male's hair, somehow, instinctively, he knew just where and how to scratch his head, how to stroke his hair and scratch his long ears to comfort him, to calm him down. As he scratched Quetz's nape, the white haired boy gently pulled them closer together, letting their foreheads touched, before brushing their lips against one another's, nervously. Haru pulled out, cheeks blushing adorably from embarrassment but…in a good way. Kind of. He smiled, averting his gaze as Quetz nudged his blushed cheek with his lips, his tail beating the floor as if begging for more.
- Keto-san…it's tickles. - The smaller male giggle, feeling the man's lips brushing against his ear, slowly moving down his neck. His heart jolted, the sensation of hair tickling his neck and shoulder brought…unpleasant memories. Unwillingly, the white haired boy jerked backward, his hand gripped at the man's shoulder and pushed. - Keto-san! - He squeaked as he realized what he's done, violet eyes widened in terror, staring at the small patches of blood that have soaked through the bandages and silk. - I'm sorry! Does it hurt! Let me go get help!
- Did it hurt? - Quetz didn't seem to care for his worsening wound, he held the boy tightly in his arms, sad amber eyes watched the boy's expression shifting from panic to confusion.
- Wh-what? - Haru blinked, eyes shifting from Quetz's eyes to his wound and back. - What did?
- Lucious he… - The older male almost couldn't finished his sentence, he bit his lower lip, gulping down the urge to scream, to roar out in rage before continuing, his voice shook with tempered rage. - …he told me…they…
- No, it's fine… - Haru leaned forward, putting his fingers onto Quetz's quivering lips, his other hand gently stroked the man's hair as he hushed and whispers words of comfort. - It's fine. It's fine. I don't mind.
- N-no! - The white haired man shook his head. - It's not fine! They violated you! In the forest! I could have been there! I could have stopped them! I could… I… I could have…
Once again, delicate fingers gently covered his mouth and caressed his face, the sweet, soothing smell and the gentle movements gave him pause. His amber eyes twitches, hands and tail twitched in midair, the only sounds escaping his parted lips were those of short, shallow gasping. He felt Haru tucked at the back of his head, slowly, gently bringing it down to rest on his small shoulder, delicate slender fingers soothingly combed his silvery white hair, mouth humming the same lullaby that he's sung to the boy. A warm sensation greeted his forehead, of warm, shaky lips pressing against his hair and head, then tears, warm, salty droplets fell down his head, slowly rolling down, mixed with his own.
- It's…fine… - Haru tried to speak through trembling lips. - N-not…your fault…
- Forgive me… - Quetz shrieked quietly, arms wrapped around the white haired boy tightly, gently, lovingly.
- It's fine…it's fine… - The boy whispered, sniffling and wiping his tears, somehow finding the strength to comfort his beloved. He placed a kiss onto the man's white haired, feeling his tears soaking through the silk shirt. - It's fine.
The pair continued to comfort each others, long after their tears have ran dry and their pain subsided. Quetz lifted his head from Haru's shoulder, hand still gently stroking the boy's snowy white hair. He watched his boy, his beloved, drinking in the sight of his handsome face with his amber eyes, his supple, milky pale skin, along with his beautiful watery violet eyes, gleaming under a thin shroud of his snowy white hair bang draping down. The boy reached out with his arms, resting them onto the man's shoulders and wrapping them around his neck, pulling him closer, beckoning him, and Quetz applied. Rough, dried lips pressed against pink, soft ones, filling both of them with a strange yet somehow familiar warmth and comfort, echoing from a times neither of them could remember bur somehow understood fully its true nature.
- Keto. - Haru quietly called as he pulled out from the kiss, the word was sweet, like finely aged wines pouring into Quetz's ears.
- Hm? - The older male lowered his head, pressing his forehead against the boy's, lovingly.
- Sleep? - The white haired boy smiled as he inquired, letting out a quiet yawn before putting his face against the man's shoulder. - Sleep with me.
The older male nodded, gently, he pulled himself up, still holding the boy in his arms as he walked toward the bed chamber. He gently laid themselves onto the bed, letting their arms wrapping around one another, before slowly drifting to sleep. Outside, the ghostly dance of the aurora continued, their shimmering reflection ease theirs way into their dreams.