“Just…need air…” Alessio whispered, wilting again.

Nithel’s jaw set, and he nodded. He put his arm around Alessio, under the youth’s arms. He stared at the lowered head, the pain aching in this youth. He had to resist the urge to kiss him, and looked around the room. It would probably be easier to put Alessio over his back, but it would probabl…[Read more]

There wasn’t a chance of him making it through a dark, enclosed room ever again.

And he was bordering panic thinking about it, he couldn’t come up with a contingency for it. There wasn’t any controlling the situation or coming up with a plan. He just. couldn’t.

It was all just a haze of pain, numb and breaking into his marrow. It was like bo…[Read more]

Tears still slipped from Nithel’s eyes, but he felt Alessio relaxing. He gave the youth one last squeeze, Nithel’s head pushing against Alessio’s shoulder and neck, more tears falling. He pulled back, hands still on the youth’s arms, just enough to look into Alessio’s eyes. Nithel moved to where he could see them, if that means kneeling,…[Read more]

…

Heheh…

😅

Get a grip,

Alessio didn’t have any energy to react at all, but the world didn’t stop just because he had. He knew they had to get moving, he had to come up with a plan, that was the only way to survive…

It wouldn’t happen. His brain couldn’t process anything else.

He felt himself pressed tighter, enclosed in warmth li…[Read more]

Alessio clutched Nithel madly. Like his son the first time Domnik saw a man’s arm severed. Like his son would clutch him at night, when Nithel stumbled on him, weeping. He shouldn’t have had to fight. Cruel world. Nay… it was man. But my son is a man. Avigail… He burns inside, aching enough for physical pain. Alessio, what did they do to…[Read more]

“No, no…I should’ve expected it.”

Alessio squeezes his eyes shut, trying to block out the words. He’d always taken the responsibility like that, as if it was his fault whenever someone hurt him. Nithel didn’t deserve any of this. What if Alessio was just as abusive as his family, inadvertent or not?

They called people with special powers aber…[Read more]

Nithel hadn’t been expecting the punch. He’d only wanted to stop Alessio from breaking his hand on the stone, to calm him down, to make him breathe. But Nithel slung back against the wall, stars dancing in his vision, and pain cutting up his jaw. He released Alessio, one hand reaching back to steady himself against the stone, the other flying to…[Read more]

“Alessio.”

There weren’t any windows, and it was dark and trapped. He knew he recognized the voice, but he didn’t have time to think. It always smelled like urine, or something sick that you could never forget. He’d die before he let them drag him back there.

Someone grabbed his hand and Alessio jerked back against the wall.

“Let me go!” H…[Read more]

“Alessio.” Nithel’s voice was softer than he expected it to be, but steady and firm. He slipped between Alessio and the wall, catching the youth’s flying hand in both of his, squeezing, keeping it from moving. He looked into Alessio’s eyes, pain fighting fatigue in them. Fear, but a calmness that was stronger. Nithel stood there a moment longer,…[Read more]

Just kill me now…

This was a long, sick agonizing discussion that he was trying to mediate in. And any braincell not actively engaged in strategizing and debating was calculating what the chances were that someone would just stab him already. This was why he couldn’t rely on people; people argue and never get anything done if they have to wor…[Read more]

The discussion around the table turned into a debate of those present. A sometimes heated, and elongated one.

My Lord Castle was about as sick of it, as My Lord Castle could sense many of the beings were. My Lord Castle was about to do something.

—-

Nithel sat, not looking at anyone as he chewed and rubbed his chin. He had tuned most of the…[Read more]

Nithel’s first look instantly told him his friend did not want to be called on, almost as much as Alessio had not wanted to socially interact with anyone when he first arrived. He still wasn’t really comfortable with it… Alessio promptly filed that away feeling really bad for making his friend uncomfortable.

After a time, Nithel did speak, thoug…[Read more]

“What’s your opinion?”

Nithel’s blood ran cold a moment when he heard those words, upon realizing they were directed at him.

The dragon rumbled, “We should move on.”

The thing’s presence was unsettling, but Nithel thought the phrase had saved him from answering. Nithel slowly stood with his new bag, sheathing his knife.

“Noted.” Alessio looke…[Read more]

My Lord Castle is getting impatient but forces My Lord Castle to wait.

*begins coming up with mischief for if they stay, though he didn’t expect it* And ooh. Moo hoo ha-

___________

Nithel’s stomach flips when the man lifts his shirt enough to show the scars. Memories rush him, ones he’d tried desperately to forget but refused to leave.

Nithel…[Read more]

Alessio watched Nithel let the food roll back on the table, unobtrusively slipping his shirt back on. He dropped his gaze, starting to feel wretched for letting his jumpiness spread. His friend had to practically stay on pins and needles to keep him from having a meltdown. Why couldn’t he just–?
Alessio consciously halted his thoughts there. Nit…[Read more]

“Who did that?” Alessio growled and Nithel looked up. His brows furrowed, and for a moment, he had no idea what the youth meant. Then he saw where he was looking, and Nithel’s eyes turned a bit heavy.

He was about to answer, when Alessio tried to apologize, “Sorry.. sorry, I wasn’t…devils.”

Nithel’s brows furrowed a bit more, and he doesn’t k…[Read more]

Nithel pulled off his shirt which made Alessio uncomfortable, regardless of the circumstance. He was trying not to think of him. But Alessio could’ve somewhat laughed off his edginess at this point until his eyes alighted on the bruised and cut marks on his body. Everything else blacked out, his mind went blank like he’d been shot. Nithel was say…[Read more]

“It looks…safe enough.” Alessio said.

Nithel licked his lips after trying a fruit. It was… sweet. But also tart and filling. Like something his eldest daughter would bake. Nithel’s heart tugged, his eyes serious. He looked at Alessio a moment, before pulling off his shirt, and looking back at the food. Nithel’s skin was deeply tanned. There…[Read more]

Alessio had decided to leave out the part where “immune” was loosely defined as “won’t kill me” but it was a moot point now. He only caught Nithel the moment he popped some sort of nuts in his mouth. For two seconds Alessio completely panicked. But his friend grabbed another fruit and he didn’t drop dead or anything…
But Nithel’s action made Ale…[Read more]

My Lord Castle just waits.

——————-

When the table appeared, Nithel’s stomach flipped and his mouth watered. It had been two nights since he’d eaten the dried rusk. How long since he’d actually had food, though. Egad… He wanted to fall upon the fruit, the meat, the bread, and truthfully, the possibility of poison hadn’t even crossed…[Read more]