The icy-cold liquid slowly sliding down into the fleshy red yet tenebrous oesophagus of a certain scarlet haired youth. A moan of absolute contentment broke free from the damp lips of none other than Jude.
"It definitely hits the spot." A grin so wide and dazzling you could see his sharp canines, something Silas noticed some time ago and still finding it quite captivating as it wasn't common at all.
Out of the blue he suddenly thought of a certain lad they talked to not too long ago and the uniqueness of said male. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he stirred something deep within him. Whatever it is, he wasn't- no, he didn't want to be sure.
He was certain that he buried that specific part of himself behind locks and hid all the keys well enough. However that small encounter dared to unearth the little keys to his secrets he so desperately barricaded in his mind, not letting even sunlight shine upon it. Simply letting it rot away.
What if his secret spilled out? What would happen? Could he even continue pretending to be indifferent? Would they still see him with the same eyes? Will Jude still be his brother? Is he really worth being liked even? Why can't he be normal like the others? Why?
Terrified would be an understatement to describe how he felt right now. Petrified, horrified even. His breath slowly becoming uneven, ragged. He felt like he couldn't get enough air anymore, his eyes losing focus and moving back and forth, his heart thudding hard against his ribcage. It all happened so fast, too fast to recognize he was slipping into a panic attack much to his dismay.
Yet a strong sandalwood scent wrapped around him like a cosy blanket. Strong arms catching him before he slipped any further into the tenebrous darkness he would have difficulties getting out from by himself. Absent-mindedly, he buried his face into his brother's neck as Jude rubbed soothing circles on his back, something he always did to calm him down. And each time it worked.
His erratic breath settling down as his thumping heart regained the slow rhythmic beat it usually had. With one hand he still held onto the untouched bubble tea however that didn't stop him from embracing Jude back and mumbling a small 'thank you'.
He let go of him as he didn't want to bother him more than he already did. Jude seemingly noticing the train of thought, decided to intervene.
"You know Sil, I can read you like the back of my hand. So I know for a fact that you are thinking you are a bother to me. But what kind of a brother would I be if I let you think like that? We have known each other for a few years already and even though I told you a hundred times by now, I will always be there for you, always. So please let me take care of you." Silas' eyes became glossy and a lump formed in his throat. He was so very close to tears but a small pat on Silas' head and a small smile was all it took for him to hug this person again like there is no tomorrow.
Chuckles escaped from Jude's throat as Silas bathed in his scent that has this calming effect on him if that was even possible. Just how? He always asked himself, yet he failed to find the right answer.
After a comfortable silence, he loosened up his grip on the elder youth.
"Hey, uhm- what is your family like?" A sudden question and he didn't dare to look up but he was curious to know more about Jude's family. Yes, he heard stuff here and there but never even visited his friend's home saying something along the lines of 'They are busy.' or 'My parents are pretty severe.' So Silas usually avoided asking too much.
But after meeting Leonardo he couldn't help his curiosity and he already knew that his family must be rich given his whole appearance and manne- No, never mind. What manners if he always kicked or threw punches at Sil?
Sigh.
"Oh, my family? Well, we are in fact a pretty big family and, as you probably already noticed, pretty rich." A joyous laugh erupted out of him earning a few chuckles from Silas. Jude led them towards a bench in a pretty empty park then sat down.
"And yeah, I have brothers, some more cousins and childhood friends who grow up in the same neighbourhood. Leo, the one you already met is four years older than us and is something like a young master as he will inherit his father's... ehm company business." Silas' eyes grew in size as he digested the information given to him although he noticed the weird hesitation with the word company.
"And what about you? Are you also a young master?" Curiosity embedded deeply inside of him.
"In some kind of way I am? My old man and his older brother, Leonardo's dad, work together. His dad is the CEO and my dad is something like his right hand. So alongside Leo, I will be next in line to take care of the company with him. " Jude shrugged with his shoulders nonchalantly as he stared into the distance or rather at the swing squeaking, the wind pushing it back and forth. He looked to be deep in thoughts and if you looked closely you could noticed a slight sombreness.
Memories from long ago resurfacing of this park. It was their treasured, even sacred place when they were younger playing around like there was no world to worry about, no expectation of them to take responsibility for anything. The simpler times, no worries, no secrets, no responsibilities. Just living.
The silence graced them once again with its presence as the orange reddish sky indicating a sunset caught their attention.
"Damn, didn't know it was already getting late. Well, we should go back home, shall we?" Jude said while stretching his back.
"Yeah, or else our parents will be worried." The two brothers, not tied by blood but by choice, took unhurried strides for as long as they shared their way home to spend as much time together as possible talking about cherished memories.
Then at a certain crossover separation was unpreventable as their home lay on different locations. A haste goodbye and Silas was companionless once more just like this morning.
Honestly, for some reason the day felt far too long for his liking. But Silas couldn't shake the feeling that the day was not over yet. Far from it.
And he was not wrong.
Ring.
His phone suddenly rang, showing 'Mum' on the screen, he hastily answered the call.
"Hey, darling. Are you still out with Jude? Are you coming home soon?" The soft voice of his mum spoke directly in his ear.
'Hey, mum. Jude and I hung out after school and drank boba. I am already on my way home. I should be there soon."
"Okay, sweetie. Just hurry, I am almost finished with cooking dinner."
"Will do. See you, mum."
"See you, Sil."
The beeping sound that followed afterwards lingered in the air a little while before he hung up.
He checked the time as he had been out for a while now.
05:50 p.m
It was already getting dark earlier as it was mid October with the coldness slowly creeping in and nestling around like a thin blanket. He put away his phone in his back pocket, cuddled up in his hoodie and continued to walk towards his home nearing the forest close to his house.
The towering trees swinging their branches with the fresh breeze as if dancing to a slow-paced imaginary song, rustling loudly with the remaining leaves as the fauna adding their own tune like an orchestra.
The bubbling emotions in Silas couldn't help but well up inside his chest. Rather than listening to music and cancelling out everything around him, he loved to listen to mother nature herself. One of the few things besides Jude's smell that calmed him down instantly as he listened carefully not wanting to miss out on anything.
The sudden crunching of leaves underneath his feet signalised him that he absent-mindedly walked into the forest, not that he minded. Rather than walking out he continued to walk towards a specific location in his mind. The lake.
Usually normal brained people would be shitting their pan- Excuse my language- would be terrified to stroll into an unending forest precisely after seeing how dimly lit it really was.
Yet Silas had no such fear rather he enjoyed the absolute solitude, secluded in this safe space and letting his thoughts run wild and free. How truly soothing.
However he wasn't as alone as he originally thought.
Howl.
Abruptly snapping his head towards the booming, unusual noise. Wide eyes and a fast beating heart restricting any kind of peaceful thought.
He couldn't believe it.
Since when have wolves lived in their forest? That was the only question that swirled in his head and he sadly didn't have an answer to that. More than sadly, he was afraid.
Afraid of what would await him if he continued walking down the way. So, he did the only logical thing a main character should do and walked towar- Just kidding.
With careful steps he made his way out of the forest. At least tried to before he was paralysed as he heard soft steps yet causing a paranormal amount of fear to course through his body.
By the second it came closer. The once serene, calming forest would be his graveyard if he didn't think of something, anything to help him out of this situation.
Because if not, he was even terrified to think what could possibly happen to him. Probably minced meat.
It didn't help either that the sun set a few minutes ago and left a dimly lit shadow behind, adding much to the terrifying mood.
He closed his eyes and pleaded, begged for his legs to move, to not leave him now. Now when he really really needed them, the abnormal amount of fear just intensified even more. It felt like he was suffocating, drowning underwater, albeit he doesn't know how it really felt and he didn't want to find out.
Just when he had regained control over his body and tried to run, something spoke.
Someone.
"Human boy, don't dare to run away!" In his panic earlier he failed to realise that he turned his back to whatever was coming at him, making him with no doubt vulnerable. So he did the obvious thing anyone would have done.
He turned around.
And boy, did he freeze.
Like fireflies of different colours or maybe polar light swirling around, playing with each other anyone would have fallen just right in love with the sight in front of them. However, Silas? Utterly stunned, dumbfounded, flabbergasted, bewildered and the list goes on. He couldn't understand, couldn't differentiate between realism and imagination anymore, couldn't or didn't want to believe anyone or anything.
The memory of him thinking a wolf might have entered the forest came in his mind but without hesitation he dismissed that thought immediately. Burning the record of it ever existing. Not because he didn't think of it being possible but rather the so-called wolf he thought he heard, was anything but that.
Anything but a mere wolf.
What graced his eyes was in fact almost as tall as the trees he admired so much. Its fur shining in an almost blinding silver, the lights embracing it didn't help much to decrease its beauty, not that Silas had the right mindset now to acknowledge how magnificent the beast was.
The beast's vibrant silver eyes staring into his soul reading him like an open book from beginning till the end. He felt naked, so naked even though he was in fact clothed.
A few seconds passed.
Yet staring into the beast's eyes, a whole galaxy filled with gorgeous stars evident, called upon an unfathomable tranquillity into his raging soul. Of course, the fear didn't evanesce into thin air, nonetheless studying the gigantic wolf's eyes, trying to figure him out helped calm Silas a little just enough to not flip and faint.
Immediately he remembered an important detail he didn't quite register but he was sure. That beast talked to him, right?
As if he could read his mind, which was a scary thought in itself, the beast suddenly lays down on the floor, the fire flies following his every move. The sudden movement shook the ground.
Still intensely staring into each other's eyes, Silas studies his every move. As irrational as it sounds, he had the slight belief that the beast wouldn't do any harm to him judging by the way he acted around him so far and this unexplainable tranquillity.
So he himself also sat down on the floor not that he could escape anyway. He sucked in a couple of breaths of cold air nurturing his body with oxygen, then talked.
"You- You can t--alk, r-right?" Even though he wasn't terrified anymore, his body was embedded with fear and he hated himself a little for how weak he must appear. But who could blame him? It's not everyday you talk to an extraordinary, fantastical being. Of course, his body couldn't keep up with the stress but his mind already accepted it as reality. Or whatever was happening.
"Fear not, young boy. And yes, I can." His deep voice was anything but soothing, anything but tranquillizing yet the young boy carefully listened trying to figure how it was possible for a beast to talk as he didn't even see him noticeably move his mouth. He was becoming intrigued to say the least and the fear slowly being replaced by curiosity.
His constant companion.
"What are you? I have never seen anything like you except in books or movies." His curiosity getting the better of him as he couldn't imagine that the being in front was real even though his young brain accepted it to be true.
"Fenrir is what you can call me, as I am the son of Loki and Angrboda resulting in me being a Demi-God and as you can see an abnormally giant wolf." He scrunched his snout mimicking a proud expression as he talked about himself and let out a warm breeze that blew Silas' dark hair in the air. Imagine a breath as strong as the highest level of a blow dryer times ten.
Silas thought about his answer intensively and his ears perked up when Fenrir said `a God' and 'Loki' as he wasn't an uncommon figure to him. If you are into fantasy movies then you pretty much have heard or even seen him.
But what he couldn't believe was that Loki's son was directly in front of him… Talking with him…Existing just right in front of him… Casually laying in front of him.
What the fuck?
His mind just logged off for a few seconds desperately trying to digest this piece of information but utterly failing as it didn't want to enter his mind. He didn't have enough brain cells capable of processing, understanding anything, even a headache thumping against his skull indicating to stop thinking too much about it.
It would have been one thing if this wolf was just a random creature but instead it was a freaking god and the real Loki's kid. So all the mythology is real then? All the fantasy lore is real too? What is fantasy then? How come humans do know them?
How? How? How?
He took a deep, very deep breath to calm himself down.
Instead of trying to figure out the answers himself, he should and could only ask the being in front of him that most likely had the answers.
"I have a question. How come you are here? In this forest right in front of me?"
"As you have probably noticed it doesn't make sense for me to be here, in your world in general. And that is right, I am originally from the realm Asgard and should have been dead as I was killed during Ragnarök. Yet I survived thanks to my spell." He lifted himself from the ground and what happened next stunned Silas to no end.
'H-he is shrinking.' Was all Silas could think right now as he stared wide-eyed at the unbelievable scene in front of him.
A gruesome sight to behold as the huge beast suddenly shrunk, massive chunks of mass simply crazily moving under his skin and compressing in this now smaller being and leaving behind a two and a half metres tall wolf.
Now that he has shrunken, you could truly and fully admire his beauty even Silas could, now that he had a clearer mind.
His silver fur was pretty thick, additionally the fur around his tail was extraordinarily long, almost reminiscent of a horse's tail but even longer and puffier.
The light around him never left his side and if you look closely you could see his body was slightly transparent as if he was a ghost.
Aside from that, those eyes were of an astounding nature, unbelievably sensational. Silver eyes were already unheard of but a galaxy in them? That was literally out of this world.
Not that it was a surprise anymore as Fenrir was in fact from outside this world, maybe even outside this galaxy or realm of comprehension.
"Due to me using my spell right before I died, it allowed me to survive but I have no physical body anymore and not long then I will be ejected out of this planet as this world does not recognize me as its creator's creation." The stare we still held intensified as he looked once again into my soul.
"What I need is a soul strong enough to merge with mine and I got sent to you, young boy."
"Wait, what?" Silas continued to stare blankly into the being's eyes, his brain shutting down lang ago as he received this revelation.
A revelation that would change more than he could even fathom to think.