All for the Game Fics:

Quarter Mile (WIP; 3/?; Explicit): Former runaway turned FBI informant, Neil Josten gets thrown back into the California street racing scene to take down the Moriyamas. Too bad he's found a family with the Fox crew and falls for the team's "monster". (AKA Fast & Furious AU)

Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken (WIP; 3/?; Explicit): Nathaniel has survived the Moriyama royal court by clinging to Jean and their promise to endure, but when Riko’s experiments begin turning him into a weapon, his only hope of escaping without destroying the country may be the mysterious blonde Druid elf imprisoned beneath Evermore.

Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken | E, 9/?

Chapter Nine

“My Lord,” the servant said breathlessly.

Nathaniel stepped back, trying to give a cordial smile to the man. “My apologies, Frank. I was preoccupied.”

“My Lord,” he repeated and now Nathaniel saw the flush of panic on the young man’s face. “His Highness- he’s been demanding your presence all afternoon.”

Nathaniel felt his heart drop so suddenly it was almost a physical sensation. Beside him, Jean went deathly still.

Frank pretended not to notice and was wise enough to keep his eyes lowered. “He is in his study, my lord.”

“Thank you, Frank,” he made himself nod.

The man bowed quickly and hurried off down the corridor, clearly glad to have delivered the message and escaped whatever might come attached to it. For a moment neither Nathaniel nor Jean moved. Then, knowing he had no choice, Nathaniel turned toward the stairs that would take him to Riko’s rooms.

He’d barely made it half a step before Jean’s hand caught his own. Steeling himself, Nathaniel looked back and saw the terrified look on his partner’s face. The sight of it struck so deep and clean that for one awful second Nathaniel could feel the same fear opening up in himself, like a knife to the chest. He knew what Jean was thinking because he was thinking it too.

It’s too soon.

Whatever little time they had thought remained between them and disaster may have just run out in the span of one message. But Nathaniel refused to give in to that thought, he refused to let it settle in his mind and take root.

“It will be alright,” he said, and he wasn’t sure whether he was trying harder to convince Jean or himself of that.

Jean’s fingers tightened around his hand. “Nathaniel…”

“I will see you soon.”

Jean’s expression twisted into something horrible for just a moment and Nathaniel stepped in before he could say anything more and kissed him. Jean kissed him back, one hand rising to the side of Nathaniel’s face while the other still held fast to his. Nathaniel could feel everything Jean was not saying in the way he leaned into him, in the way his fingers trembled against Nathaniel’s knuckles.

When they finally parted, Jean did not let go. Nathaniel brushed his thumb once along Jean’s cheek, then again when he caught a stray tear. 

“Soon,” he said.

Jean held on for as long as he could. His fingers finally sliding from Nathaniel’s only when there was nothing left to hold without physically keeping him there. Nathaniel turned away before he could lose the nerve to do it. He made himself walk toward the prince’s study with measured, even steps, shoulders straight, head high. He did not look back. He did not let himself think too hard about the way Jean had looked standing in that corridor, pale and motionless and afraid.

Most of all, he did not let himself think about how much it had felt like goodbye.