#onychinus

In the meantime, he laid more of his weight on top of hers, their hips still glued together, thighs sticky and sore. He breathed her in, only to let out a heavy breath. She truly felt like heaven in his arms, even in the dead of the night. 

“Yes, sweetie,” and she would be lying if she said his husky voice didn't do things to her. 

“Don't leave yet,” came out her soft demand. 

With a specific low chuckle of his, he raised himself on his forearms, each one by the sides of her head. Carmine eyes sparkled with unspoken adoration. 

“I'll get something to clean you up.” Leaning in, he stole a kiss from her dry lips. “I'll stay until you fall asleep.” 

An adorable pout formed on her lips. 

“That busy?” 

“I'm sorry, dear,” he shook his head lightly, pressing another apologetic kiss to her forehead. 

“No need for apologies.” Stroking his cheekbones with the tips of her fingers, she smiled up at him. “I understand.” 

Another kiss, this time a little longer, as the seconds stretched with comfortable silence. Sylus tucked her in and continued to whisper sweet nothings, a small conversation with a little tickling and some giggles. The bedroom radiated pure comfort as she settled properly in his sheets, in his scent. The last thing she had felt before falling into slumber was the touch of his lips on the crown of her head. 

A child with wings and horns. Chains curled around his little body, cold metal biting at his wrists. Little by little, his shadow recreated itself, it distorted, until she distinguished the figure of Sylus, the same as she knew him, yet so different — horns, wings, eyes sparkling with vengeance and hatred. 

He looked at her. The crimson in his left eye shone brighter, bloodied. 

Devour. Destroy. Take. 

Her head throbbed, the same way it did when she first met Sylus. It hurt to keep her eyes open, but she couldn't manage to close them either. 

A cavern, somewhere deep into a mountain, high above Tarus City. Treasures, old books, gems and money, with Sylus sitting proudly atop of them. Signature smirk on his lips, she recognized him, despite the strange environment. 

No. She'd been there before, she had seen it last summer, when… when they had searched for a sword during that playful contest. When she was still reluctant regarding him, when she could barely believe herself with each act of kindness coming from him. 

Sylus was in that place again, but this time the cave seemed like more of a home. His tail around her waist, his hot, heavy presence right behind her, caging her in. Something scorched inside of her, but it was akin to the thrill of fear rather than pleasure. 

“Sylus?”

The huntress found herself singing a song, a tune she somehow recognized. This time, Sylus acted more like a cat than her (despite the very dragon-like horns that adorned his head), laying with his head in her lap, demanding her not to stop singing. But it was soft, the way he asked, the way he was rather faking annoyance. And she continued to sing, this time caressing rough horns. Love nestled in her chest for the first time during that dream. 

Nothing good lasts forever, though. Blood poured everywhere, on her, on him, out of his wounds, and— and there was that damn claymore again, the one she had dreamt of countless of times in the first week upon meeting Sylus. 

“You must press on.” It was him. It was Sylus — she'd recognize that voice anywhere, even in her sleep. 

She awoke with a scream, sitting up on the bed as soon as her eyes opened. 

Her body burnt unpleasantly. Frantic eyes scanned the room, waiting to see blood, since it had felt real, too real, too precise. Looking at her palms, she felt the warm liquid in between her fingertips, she felt it drop down to her wrists. Warm, like a heart still beating in her hands. 

“Sylus,” she mumbled his name. 

Her hands trembled. Her entire body did, as she couldn't even keep herself on her feet when she tried to jump out of the bed. Weak knees betrayed her and the huntress plopped back down on the mattress, still in shock. 

Uselessly, she had tried to even out her breathing. By sheer will she managed to stand up and grab Sylus's night robe, pulling her arms through the sleeves and tying it at the waist. She clung onto anything that could comfort her, the reality of her dream clinging to her senses still. 

It wasn't a dream. The more she focused on the world around her, the better she understood that. The scent of smoke had been as real as the scent of wood in the mansion, as real as Sylus's perfume that had sunk in his robe. 

Her instincts screamed for her to go to Sylus, but an ugly voice in her head told her otherwise. Driven by fear and worry, she walked into the library. The books and their scent reminded her of a very specific corner of that cave, one with organized books, some written in ancient languages she couldn't understand. 

Him, humming with said ancient words sitting on the tip of his tongue. Him, reading her to sleep as her head fell on his shoulder, hard scales kissing her cheek. Warm — an arm curling around her that kept the cold of the night away. 

Despite the unnatural feeling in her chest, she continued to walk until she reached the couch by the large window. 

The huntress settled there, pulling the robe better over her. Knees pulled close to her chest, arms curled around them loosely, she looked at the dark world outside of the Onychinus base. 

The reality was hard to distinguish from the dream she’s just had. The wires of her past and present twisted into strange knots, until she couldn't tell which is which, or how to get out of that prison. 

Reaching to the window, she opened it wide, taking in a deep breath. There was no warmth to keep the cold away except for Sylus's silky robe. She remembered that she had woken up abruptly — the sole reason why her lover wasn't already searching in every nook and cranny for her might be some important meeting. It's better that way, she thought. 

The contest they had gone to together had unraveled a piece of the truth. A part of her life, a part of her present, but it didn't clear her mind regarding her strange nightmares when she first met Sylus. However, that changed after she learnt about her existence. The young lady started seeing Sylus more and more in her dreams; those nightmares. 

Too bad they weren't just nightmares. Couldn't be, no, they felt like second skin, they clung to her like vines of the past. 

She was dangerous. Dangerous, unpredictable, with a power greater than she could control. There were too many cursed shards that her heart had absorbed. Not only in this reality, it seemed like, but since a long time ago.

She's killed him. Sylus. She's killed her beloved. 

Tears gathered in her eyes and before she could stop it, they slid down her cheeks. Pressing her palms over her eyes, she shook with a sob that she tried to keep at bay. It ached, chest twisting painfully, running short on air. 

The blood dripped down her wrists. She felt it get in her eyes, she felt its sticky and dry remnants. Sickness crawled up her throat. Another sob slipped past her lips. 

Outside the library, Like and Kieran passed by. A quiet sound interrupted their discussion — a prank they've been planning to pull on their dear boss. Staring at each other, Luke made the first move and opened the door. 

“Who knows what could be creaking,” Luke hummed. 

“The shelves are a little old,” Kieran nodded. 

Their words had been too silent to reach her ears and her chaotic Evol didn't sense them either; or rather, her brain didn't register their presence. However, they did. Her Evol curled in the air, almost invisible if it wasn't for the golden hues in the dim lights. While she curled around herself, face hidden in her knees, her energy tried its best to find comfort elsewhere. 

The twins froze. They didn't see her tears, but they saw her small figure on the couch. Their kindest protector was breaking, vulnerable and, most importantly, alone. 

Kieran pulled at Luke's sleeve. 

“Let's get boss,” he whispered. 

“Do you think they fought?” Luke dragged his brother away from the door that he's left ope open ajar.

Kieran shrugged. “He was in a great mood when he entered the meeting. And he was thirty minutes late.” 

“He would've come earlier if something was wrong,” Luke nodded. 

Once the state of his beloved reached Sylus's ears, he stopped the meeting and closed his tabloid. Eyebrows pulled together and tense stance — he wore the look of someone prepared to burn something or someone to the ground. 

“What are you saying?” but he was already standing from his chair. 

“I don't know,” Kieran whispered, worry slipping through. “Her Evol was chaotic too.”

Luke nodded by his side, squeezing his hands at the small of his back. Sylus looked over them quietly and clicked his tongue — he could feel it was bad from their behavior alone. And his beloved wasn't made of glass, despite how many times he treated her as such. No, she was a warrior, a determined one even, unyielding. 

Sylus walked quickly to the library, opening the door wide. Just as they've said, she was curled in a ball on the couch. He felt his right eye throb lightly. 

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm scared. 

His instincts kicked in. Sylus was at her side in no time, letting himself on one knee in front of the couch. 

“Sweetie,” he whispered. 

Against his deepest desire to touch and comfort her, he kept his hands to himself. She's been through a lot lately — he feared he might startle her. 

The huntress raised her head with a surprised gasp. She curled her arms better around her legs and gulped, watching him carefully. Fear danced in the hues of her watery eyes and each tear broke Sylus further. 

“What's wrong?” he hummed lowly, reaching a hand out to her. 

She didn't take it. No, she tried to make herself smaller. Sylus saw her fear and ugly memories came flooding back, his hand suspended in the air. 

No. No, it can't be. She— she's not scared of him, not anymore. She loves him. Right? Right? 

The man gulped. Stuck in time, almost, as he curled his fingers into a fist and let it fall on his knee. Her behavior was strange, it was even worse than when they first met and he felt a deep ache in his chest. Sylus released a heavy, panicked breath. 

Please don't do that to me. 

“I love you too much to hurt you again,” she said. 

It took several seconds until Sylus actually heard what she had said, until he understood. With a furrow, his lips parted. 

“What do you mean?” He's never been more confused his entire life. “If you're talking about that shot in the heart, I thought we were over—”

“Fuck,” she whimpered. 

Realization struck her like a light — eyes widened and breath cut short, another sob crawled up her throat. 

“That's why you— Sylus.” The way she said his name was like a scolding, like she couldn't believe herself. 

I'd rather die than hurt you again. His eye twitched twice, until he closed both his eyes. It was the only time when it hurts to listen to her deepest desires, and truth be told, he wasn't even surprised her desire lacked selfishness. 

“I'll hurt you,” she whimpered helplessly. “Again.” 

Hatred curled in waves around her. 

“My beloved,” his voice dripped like honey, sweet and tender. “Allow me.” 

This time, he managed to wrap his fingers around her knee and squeeze. He wished nothing more than to bring her back to the present. 

Little by little, he convinced her to lower her knees and make enough space for him on the couch so he could sit next to her. One leg behind him and the other in his lap, he settled between her thighs and leaned over her. He rested his weight on the forearm draped over the armrest she was leaning against. 

“You're not hurting anyone, alright?” he whispered. “I promise you that.” 

“I did,” her voice cracked with a gasp. “I killed you. And you knew, this entire time you knew, and—”

The huntress bit her lower lip, squeezing her eyes closed at the mere thought of it.

“And I chose to love you, regardless,” Sylus continued in her stead. “It was my choice. You can blame me for it, rather than yourself.”

She wouldn't — he knew that. So he watched as tears gathered on her waterline, watched as they trailed down her cheeks. Pressing closer to her, he cradled her head against his neck. The steady sound of his heart had managed to break her further. The reality of his life broke her, because merely an hour ago she had seen him vanish into a field of datura. It hurt. 

Every single flower he's brought her, she regretted not putting each one of them in between the pages of her books. Every single time he'd offered kindness, she felt guilty for not realizing it sooner. Every single time he'd looked at her like she's hung the stars in the sky, she now understood what it meant. 

She might've not recognized him, but he did. He did, and not only from this lifetime, half of which she's forgotten. Not, he knew her from long ago, and it hurt ten times as much. 

Her fingers curled in his black shirt, bringing him closer to her. Even when her mind screamed at her in betrayal, she needed to feel him next to her. 

With gentle whispers, he kissed her wet cheeks. 

“My beloved,” he whispered. “It's alright. Why don't you try to breathe with me, hm?” 

Taking one of her hands in his, he pressed her palm against his chaotic heart. A constant thump-thump-thump beneath her fingers, a sound that reverberated in her bones too. He held her hand against the place where a red gem had once sat, embedded in his chest. 

Little by little, her cries died down. Little by little, she opened her eyes and stared at their joined hands, at his large hand covering hers on top of his heart. The huntress looked at the lines of his neck, watched his pulse with fear. 

No matter how much relief washed over him, Sylus was endlessly sorry for the torment she was put through. As if one life wasn't enough to remember all of a sudden, now she had to deal with another one. 

“Sylus.”

He shifted and pressed his forehead against hers. The white strands of hair tickled her skin. Her eyes glistened with too many things she couldn't voice. 

“Take it easy,” he reassured her softly. “I'm right here. I will be for as long as you let me.” 

He didn't allow her to avert her gaze until she nodded in approval. A small “good” slipped from his lips before he moved the both of them in a tight embrace. 

The twins had grown worried, having heard nothing from their boss. Against better judgement, they appeared at the door of the library. They saw their dearest protectors comfort each other in silence and let out a sigh of relief.