I thought you said forever over and over
Steam filled the bathroom, warming the small space. Liam stood with his eyes closed, one hand held out in front of him, fighting the urge to crack open an eye to peek. But he was a man of his word, and even if he hadn't explicitly promised to keep his eyes shut, it still felt dishonest to try and sneak a look at whatever Maea had gotten for him. So instead he waited patiently, feeling his partner reach to brace his hand, pressing something light against his palm, something that he couldn't quite discern the shape of.
Then he felt a prick.
Jolting with surprise, the soldier instinctively moved to withdraw his hand, but the damage had been done. The violet haze that had colored his thoughts ever since that day in Stormbreak lifted, and with it, a look of dawning horror appeared on his face. He looked at his palm, at the tiny spot where blood welled up; his gaze flicked to the rose still held in Maea's hand - and then, finally, slowly, to the Ancient's face.
Everything came crashing down on him with a sudden clarity that he'd been lacking for months, and he turned abruptly from his partner, raking his hands through his hair. The bathroom suddenly felt too small, too stifling, but there was nowhere to go, not when he'd promised to stay; nowhere to run when he'd promised forever. And if it wasn't for the sudden wash of shame poisoning his thoughts, he'd never want to. But suddenly, he felt small, and weak, and stupid, and wholly undeserving of Maea's love.
"Fuck," he swore, turning back to Maea with a tortured look on his face. "Maea - I'm so sorry -" For everything he'd said and everything he'd tried to do, for trying to drag her into hell with him, stopped only because the Family had left. That he would have still been trying to convince her to join them if they were still in Caido made him feel sick, and it took all of his will to stay upright, to keep from falling to his knees to beg her forgiveness.
Then he felt a prick.
Jolting with surprise, the soldier instinctively moved to withdraw his hand, but the damage had been done. The violet haze that had colored his thoughts ever since that day in Stormbreak lifted, and with it, a look of dawning horror appeared on his face. He looked at his palm, at the tiny spot where blood welled up; his gaze flicked to the rose still held in Maea's hand - and then, finally, slowly, to the Ancient's face.
Everything came crashing down on him with a sudden clarity that he'd been lacking for months, and he turned abruptly from his partner, raking his hands through his hair. The bathroom suddenly felt too small, too stifling, but there was nowhere to go, not when he'd promised to stay; nowhere to run when he'd promised forever. And if it wasn't for the sudden wash of shame poisoning his thoughts, he'd never want to. But suddenly, he felt small, and weak, and stupid, and wholly undeserving of Maea's love.
"Fuck," he swore, turning back to Maea with a tortured look on his face. "Maea - I'm so sorry -" For everything he'd said and everything he'd tried to do, for trying to drag her into hell with him, stopped only because the Family had left. That he would have still been trying to convince her to join them if they were still in Caido made him feel sick, and it took all of his will to stay upright, to keep from falling to his knees to beg her forgiveness.
A sleepless night becomes bitter oblivion
Liam
