#thread:eden

Oliver paused in his stride, glancing over his shoulder at Eden. “Sorry, am I walking too fast?” He was a fast walker by nature, likely born out of the cities he had lived in. However, when he stayed in smaller towns, he always just got an eyebrow raise with mutters of ‘where’s the fire’. It didn’t help that usually, when he went on hikes, he tended to go alone. It wasn’t often that he had to worry about someone else keeping up with him. That hadn’t stopped Oliver from practically jumping at the chance to invite Eden out for one when the other had mentioned that he had been interested in enjoying the nice weather they were having. It was the least Oliver could do after Eden had spent hours patiently teaching him Mandarin. So it wasn’t as much of a hike as a stroll, but Oliver would take it. 

“Remind me, how long have you been in Wicked’s Rest for?” Oliver knew exactly 3 things about the other: He had a pig named Moo Deng, he knew Mandarin, and he used to live in China. Really, it was more like 2.5, since knowing the native language of where you grew up wasn’t exactly a fun fact, but 3 sounded better. Oliver had liked getting to know Eden, though, so he was absolutely going to use this expedition as a way to learn more about the other.

—

Eden knew he was trailing behind, but he couldn’t help it when the view was this beautiful. If it weren’t for Harborside’s proximity to the ocean, he probably would’ve settled down in The Pines instead. The hiking trail that he and Oliver were currently on reminded him of this one stretch of towering trees back home, because although his colony was nestled in the mountains, they were well hidden by a lush forest. Eden didn’t long for home often, but it was peaceful moments like this that sent a small pang through his heart. 

“Oh no, you’re fine,” Eden said as he took one more picture of the scenery, jogging back up to meet Oliver’s pace. Hiking on terrain like this was not his forte, but between being in the running club and being gifted with long legs (the only gift from his mother that he ever appreciated), it still wasn’t too much of a challenge. Of course, he’d probably have a different opinion by the end of their journey.

Eden had been surprised when Oliver invited him out. Not that he hadn’t been enjoying the other man’s company during their lessons, but that was as far as he thought their relationship would go. Perhaps all of the PR friendships he had with money leeching B-listers growing up had done a number on him, the concept of a genuine friendship almost foreign to him now. “It’s been about a year now I want to say?” The fact still shocked Eden every time he recounted his time in town so far. “A whole year and I never had the chance to get out here and see the views. You said you hike out here often? To think you’ve been hiding this place from me this whole time,” he said, falling into the friendly banter that frequented itself during their lessons.

—

Oliver grinned at the sight of Eden taking photos. He loved it when he could show others the beauty that was Wicked’s Rest. Sure, most people tended to come because the rumors of the supernatural caused them to be interested, but the real hidden secret was the views you could catch if you knew where to look. He held a hand to his chest, taking mock offense in the situation, “Now, I don’t think you can say I was the one hiding anything when you’ve been here for a year  and never went exploring.” Oliver joked before shaking his head. “Nah, but a year! Now maybe people will believe you when you say you're sticking around.” He said with a wink. It was a bit of a litmus test; if you could survive the weirdness that was the town for a full year and decide you wanted to stay, you were probably a little bit nuts. Then again, so was most of the town, so you fit right in. 

Oliver opened his mouth to say something else when he heard a faint buzz nearby. Turning, he was caught by surprise when a bee flew past his face. Blinking, he was about to make a joke about the wildlife wanting in on the good views too when he heard another buzz; though it was louder, and something about it made Oliver feel on edge. It was technically bee season, so it wasn’t as if seeing them was out of place. Still, the buzzing was growing louder, and it was becoming more and more obvious that it wasn’t just a lone bee. 

He glanced around the branches for a hive, but his search came up empty. “Hey, we should probably head back. They won’t bug us if we don’t bother them, but I’d rather not risk it. You know?” Oliver asked, already starting back down the path.

—

“I’ve done plenty of exploring, thank you very much,” Eden rolled his eyes, his amusement evident with the quirk of his lip. “How many times have you been to that cafe where guinea pigs run rampant? Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Even just a few weeks ago, the thought of making it one year in town was something that didn’t seem likely. Yet here Eden was, somewhat comfortable with his life with no intentions of moving. Not that he had the slightest clue where he would even go from here, especially now with Wren in tow. Perhaps it would be good for both of them — two souls running from their problems — to finally experience some sort of stability. 

“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. How could I leave in good conscience knowing the state I’ve left your Mandarin in?” Eden joked, another quip on the tip of his tongue. However, the drone of a buzzing bee caught his attention, and he swatted at a flying speck that zoomed past his face. “Bugs, ew,” he instinctively said, his nose wrinkling in distaste. It was probably ironic coming from a siren like him, but the sheer amount of time he had spent in human society left him less than fond of some other flying creatures. 

At Oliver’s suggestion that they turn around, Eden nodded enthusiastically in agreement. “I’m with you there. I mean, I know bees are incredibly important for plants, which you’re all about. But I’d prefer to respect their work from…a distance.” Turning on his heel, he started down the familiar path — only, it didn’t feel quite as familiar anymore. Something white loomed in the nearby trees, bees appearing to swarm the human-shaped object. “Is that…a mummy? Do mummies come to life in this town too?”

—

Oliver laughed at the comment about the guinea pig cafe, “I’ve been! Though I do have to say, I think I prefer cat cafes.” Being around a lot of cats made him feel relaxed; being around a lot of guinea pigs made him feel like he was in a pet store. “You think that even if you left, you would be free from having to teach me?” Oliver asked with a grin. He didn’t even want to think about how hard it would be to find someone else who spoke Mandarin in town. Based on Oliver being Eden’s only student, it was likely impossible, and Oliver wasn’t all that interested in finding someone else online or having to go elsewhere. He also wasn’t very interested in stopping his progress, so Eden not having plans to leave any time soon was definitely a win for him. 

“Don’t ew them, it’s just a bee.” Oliver said with a small eye roll, though he gave a small nod at the other's explanation. “Well, I’m just glad that you understand their importance. A lot of people don’t and are dicks about it.” He said, his eyebrows furrowing at the other’s questions about Mummy’s. When he caught sight of what Eden was talking about, his eyebrows shot up. A Beeserker? “Oh shit- We gotta get out of here.” Oliver wasn’t too concerned about himself, yeah, it might sting like a bitch if he was stung, but he was immune to the bees' venom. Ede,n though, would be screwed. 

“It’s not a Mummy, it’s…something else.” Oliver said, quickening his pace down the hill. “Whatever you do, don’t let them sting you!”

—

Eden couldn’t help but laugh at Oliver’s bluntness, though the thought of being irreplaceable in some way was nice to consider. “I guess you would be hard pressed to find a better teacher than me, in this town or online,” he said with confidence, a smirk tugging at his lips that quickly dissipated once he spotted the white object in the distance. While Oliver was still relatively calm, Eden noticed the air of recognition in his tone, and the way the other man quickened his pace was enough to tell him that this couldn’t be anything good. 

“Don’t worry, I wasn’t planning on it,” he said as he followed Oliver down the path. Just imagining the pricks on his skin caused him to wince, and he didn’t even want to begin to think about the damage they would do to his face. The quiet but consistent buzzing was starting to get louder, and as they neared the area where the bees seemed to be congregating, there was a slight hesitation in Eden’s steps. “What…is that?” He asked the other man, his feet seemingly frozen in place as he observed the object. It wasn’t just human-sized — it was human-shaped, and the bees seemed to be going in and out of it. “Is that their hive? I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

The sudden buzz that whirled past his ear shook Eden out of his thoughts. They were about to hit the part of the trail that inevitably passed by the swam and their supposed hive, and he wasn’t quite sure what the best approach would be. “Going slow would maximize our exposure time, but going too quickly past it would probably draw their attention…” he asked, hoping that Oliver had a better idea of bee etiquette than he did. But as he spoke, a brief but sharp pain pricked his ankle, and Eden instinctively brought a hand down on it. “Cào dàn,” he hissed, wrinkling his nose in disgust at the flattened bee that fell out of his hand.

—

Oliver glances behind him and frowns at the other’s hesitation. “It’s called a Beeserker-we can talk about it later. Right now, we have to get out of here.” He held his hand out to the other, hoping that perhaps if they were actively connected, then he could just pull the other down the hill. The Beeserker itself was less of a concern; Oliver knew that as long as they didn’t bother it; it wouldn’t get aggressive. However, the real concern was the bees already floating around. Their venom could cause a lot of issues after all. 

“We don’t have to worry about its main body; it’s not going to bother us. We just have to get away from the bees” Oliver said quickly, trying to explain enough to get Eden moving. The worst thing that could happen would be for them to end up stuck here, surrounded by bees. At the sight of him reaching down to his ankle, Oliver sucked in a breath. “Did you get stung?” He whispered, almost afraid of the answer, keeping his hand out towards the other but dropping it ever so slightly. “Are you ok?” How many stings did it take for things to happen? How long did it take for the effects to take hold? He’d never seen Eden in any negative mood other than vaguely annoyed; he wasn’t sure what aggression looked like for the other. 

—

Though disgust was the primary emotion running through him at the moment, Eden couldn’t help but feel a pit in his stomach form at the sight of the squashed bee. Animals or insects — or any living creature for that matter — didn’t usually take well to one of their own being harmed. His thoughts were confirmed in the way the buzzing noise got louder, angrier, and Eden wiped his palm on his pants before finally taking Oliver’s outstretched hand. “Yes, but I’m fine. It’s just one,” he said, ignoring the slight tingle in his ankle. 

He allowed Oliver to pull him along the path, hoping that the other man didn’t notice the way he flinched at another prick on his arm. The last thing Eden wanted was to come off as weak and defenseless. They picked up their pace as they passed the densest part of the swarm, but it became obvious that they weren’t going to escape without at least a few more stings. “They’re following us,” Eden said in a low voice as he used his free hand to swat at the bees away from his face. Besides the angry swarm that was already trailing behind them, a few more bees had flown over from the direction of the hive. At this point, he was starting to feel sharp stings all over his body, and he was sure Oliver wasn’t going unscathed either. 

Pain was something that Eden could handle fairly well, but it wasn’t until the tingle in his cheek that caused genuine panic. He would take however many stings in his body as long as his face could remain unscathed. “Wǒ de tiān na,” he said as he jerked his hand out of Oliver’s grasp, now using both to swat at the insects that nearly obstructed his vision. Funnily enough, despite seeing the bees on the back of his hands and his forearm, Eden wasn’t feeling their stings anymore. Instead a wave of lightheadedness washed over him, and he bent over to catch his breath. “You keep going. I’ll catch up,” he called out to Oliver, making a weak attempt at shaking the insects off of his arm as his heart started to skip a beat. 

—

Oliver let out a breath at the others' insistence that it was just the one sting. That was probably fine, right? However, the relief was short-lived. As they moved through the area, Oliver could feel the pinpricks of pain on his own body, making him more and more concerned about Eden. “It’s just mad that we got close to its main body; we just need to put more distance between us.” Oliver explained, holding the other's hand as he moved quickly down the stretch of dirt. Really, it needed to find a new target, but Oliver kept that thought to himself. That didn’t stop him from hoping that something else would catch the Beeserker’s attention and allow them to get away. Turn this whole adventure into a funny story. 

He stumbled when Eden pulled his hand away, turning quickly. They were close, he could see up ahead where the swarm seemed to thin out. Oliver's eyebrows shot up at the others' insistence that he be left behind. “Are you insane?” Oliver asked, eyes darting between Eden and the area around them. The effects must be starting to impact him then. “We are in this together. Which means we don’t leave each other behind.” He ignored the bees buzzing around them, kneeling down to get a better look at Eden. He wasn’t sure how long it would be until the aggression started, but the more stings that he got, the higher the amount of poison entered the other’s body. There was only so much adrenaline one’s heart could take. 

Throwing caution to the wind, Oliver pushed the other softly on the shoulder. Just enough to cause him to go off balance, before picking him up bridal style once he was in an easier position. Huh. Eden was lighter than he had been expecting. “Sorry, but I think this will be quicker.” He said with a tight smile as he ran through the bees, only slowing as they reached a clear area. 

“How are you feeling?” Oliver asked, kneeling to set Eden down. He wasn’t sure if he should explain what was going to happen. Would it cause more anxiety? It wasn’t as if it would stop anything from happening. It was just something they would have to ride out, because it wasn’t as if Oliver was going to allow Eden to be alone for it. 

—

When Eden had thought about his death in the past, he had always imagined a rather dramatic scenario. Perhaps his drink would get poisoned by one of the rich assholes he was forced to be around, or an overzealous fan would corner him off the edge of a balcony. Maybe his blackmailer would finally get to carve his beating heart out of his chest — or maybe he would die at the hands of his mother and the colony, getting torturously torn apart as he’d seen them do with their victims in the past. 

Compared to all of those imaginary scenarios, dying on the forest floor because of one too many bee stings seemed pathetic. Yet as hard as Eden tried to push himself off of the ground, a heaviness coursed through him that kept him knelt over. He could feel Oliver hovering nearby, eyeing his every movement, or lack thereof. For some reason, it made him uneasy. Annoyance? No, why would he be annoyed at a friend trying to help him? Embarrassment, surely. 

The feeling only intensified when Eden was knocked off balance, suddenly finding himself in Oliver’s arms. On any other day, a flirty quip would’ve rolled off of the tongue as if it was second nature. Right now, though, he could only dangle helplessly as the other man carried him away, his skin numb to the stings now. Eden’s eyebrows furrowed in frustration as he tried to concentrate, but it was as if a fog had settled over his brain. As hard as he tried to focus on something else, there was only one angry thought screaming in his mind — do not let him take you away from the hive.

Whatever Oliver was saying to him upon entering the clearing fell on deaf ears. Eden clenched his jaw as his gaze darted between the other man and the hive now in the distance. “The hive…” he mumbled as he wiped the sweat from his brow, the bright red stings on the back of his hand barely bothering him anymore. The hive. Oliver was trying to take him away from the hive — no, Oliver wanted to hurt the hive. 

Slowly stumbling to his feet, Eden felt a jolt of energy run through him. It was as if his body was being controlled by an outside force the way he strode towards Oliver and pushed him back, pinning the other man against a nearby tree. An unexplainable rage started to build in his gut, and although Eden couldn’t quite form the words to explain why he was doing this, his body reacted mindlessly as if only one thing mattered.

Protect the hive.

—

Whatever Oliver had expected to happen when he had left Eden down, getting pushed up against a tree was not one of them. He had been hoping he would have more time before the poison overtook Eden, even if it was just enough for Oliver to let him know that he was going to be ok. It was scary to feel yourself losing control over your body, getting brainwashed was something that always fucked you up. He had just been formulating how he was going to explain it all when, eyes focused on the path they had just come from, watching for any bees to come barreling down the path, when his ears caught the sound of Eden coming closer. 

“Hey-” Oliver was cut off by the push; eyebrows furrowed, he backed up until he felt the tree behind him. He was kicking himself for letting his guard down when he knew that this was likely going to happen. “Fuck.” He mumbled at the feeling of his hands being pinned, though he didn’t immediately move to break the hold. Technically, he wasn’t in all that much danger yet, after all.  “Eden?” He said softly, gaze searching the other for any sort of recognition, but finding none. Damn.  

At the very least, Oliver could tell that his friend was not the one driving the car anymore. The mumbles of the hive that flowed from the other’s mouth were enough proof of that. Oliver bit the inside of his cheek as he noted the others' harried breathing, the sweating, and the inflamed stings that littered his body. The last thing he wanted to do was cause any more stress to his body. “I’m not going to hurt the hive.” 

—

Something wasn’t right. His brain was telling him that Oliver had hostile intentions, yet why was he looking at him with such concern? Eden stared blankly back at the other man. He tried to collect himself just enough to make sense of anything, yet the raw energy that hummed through him was doing its best to prevent a clear mind. 

With his hands still pinned firmly against Oliver’s wrists, Eden briefly glanced back in the direction that they had come from. The hive was still some ways away, but close enough that Oliver could make a charge for it if he wanted to. “If you really weren’t going to hurt the hive, you’d stand down immediately,” he said, feeling the tension in the body flush against his. It wasn’t that Oliver was putting up a fight against his hold, but his friend clearly had his guard up for some reason. It had to be because of the hive. Eden couldn’t think about anything but the hive. The hive, the hive, the hive. 

A bead of sweat dripped down his temple. No, this wasn’t right either. Why would his friend want to hurt something he cared about? Why did he even care about the hive in the first place? Eden’s grasp faltered for a brief moment, but he then shook his head at the silly thought. Of course he cared about the hive! It was what the voice in his head was telling him. Now do anything to protect the hive. Anything.

Anything? Even if it was in his head, Eden could tell that the voice was getting impatient. He had to eradicate the threat – Oliver – before things got out of hand. “Leave. Now. Leave us alone and you won’t get hurt,” Eden said stoically as his hold on Oliver’s wrists tightened, not noticing how laboured his own breathing had become.

—

Oliver blinked at the other. “I-what? I am standing down.” Oliver asked, shaking his wrists that Eden was still gripping as if to show that he wasn’t exactly a threat right this second. From how out of breath and sweaty Eden was, Oliver didn’t doubt that he could easily break out of the hold, but he wasn’t going to just give that information out for free. He cast a careful look at his friend, and was almost surprised to see how conflicted he was. While it was clear that Eden was not currently in control of his body, it appeared like he was potentially trying to at least claw part of the way back. His face wouldn’t look so conflicted if he were just standing by the wayside. 

At the request to leave, Oliver shook his head. That was the last thing he was going to do. Eden was in a fragile space right now, and Oliver wasn’t going to just leave him to succumb to the adrenaline and poison that was being pumped through his veins right now. “I can’t do that.” He bit his lip at Eden’s breathing. It sounded like it was getting worse. He wet his lips, glancing back towards the area they had come from. It didn’t seem like the bees were getting closer, but Oliver could still see them, hovering down the path.

“We could leave together? So you can be sure I won’t hurt the hive?” Oliver offered, grasping at any straws to potentially get Eden as far away from the area as possible. 

—

As Oliver spoke, Eden watched his lips closely. There was a ringing in his head that was starting to take over, and it made every word that was coming out of his friend’s mouth more and more unclear. He just knew the other was shaking his wrists, then shaking his head, and Eden frowned. Why couldn’t Oliver see he was trying to make this easier for him?

Cocking his head to the side, he continued to examine Oliver, hoping that he could match up the other’s facial expressions with his words. He was refusing to leave — that much was clear to Eden, yet the concern was evident again. “Leave together?” He mumbled, which were some of the few words he could barely make out despite his pounding head. Leaving together…didn’t sound like a bad idea. Eden was so, so tired. The adrenaline of the venom was starting to wear off, and he was starting to feel what felt like every inch of his body swelling from the stings. 

No, he was supposed to protect the hive, and he couldn’t do that if he was gone. He couldn’t leave. “Just go. Before I change my mind,” Eden finally said through gritted teeth, releasing Oliver’s wrists and taking a small step back. He had a job to do, and it would be so much easier if Oliver would just leave him to do it. But the other man didn’t move, and the voice in Eden’s head was screaming at him over the dull, throbbing pain. Do whatever it takes.

Ever since the first few stings, it was as if the venom had seized control of his actions. His heart was telling him to leave. His heart was telling him that Oliver meant no harm. But it was as if Eden’s body was acting with a mind of its own, and he didn’t even realize he had begun singing until the melody of an old sailor’s song filled the woods. “Go. Leave. Before I eliminate you as a threat.”

—

“Yes! Leave together.” Oliver repeats, eyes searching Eden’s for any sort of recognition. His hopes are dashed as the other drops his hold on Oliver’s wrists and tells him to leave. “I’m not leaving without you!” Oliver’s fingers curl into fists down at his side. He’s sure that if anyone saw him in this moment, they would think he was acting quite toddler-like. The only thing that was missing was a stomp of his foot. However, the fact that Eden had stepped away from him told him that he likely wasn’t totally under the venom’s hold, at least not yet. Though between Eden’s labored breathing and the swelling of the stings, Oliver wasn’t even sure how much longer he would still be on his own two feet.

Oliver's eyes darted over to where the hive was, still further down the path, hovering as if just waiting for an opening. What else could Oliver do to get them both out of here? He could carry Eden, but if Eden was fighting him the whole time, it would slow them down. Would the hive come at them again if he did that? He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he considered his options. Any plans he was formulating were immediately dropped as Eden’s singing entered his ears. The world around him started to fade, losing its color and becoming fuzzy. Eden’s voice cuts through the haze. ‘Leave, leave, leave’ repeated in Oliver’s mind, body turning and starting to walk under a power that wasn’t his own. ‘Fuck’ Oliver couldn’t help but think, having been enthralled a few times prior. (Eden could command people? What was he?) He knew he only had a few moments before his brain shut off until the command wore off or he got far enough away for it to dissipate. Pain could cut the connection, right? Hadn’t he learned that one of the times? He didn’t have time to overthink it. 

With the last few seconds of consciousness, Oliver reached into his pocket and pulled out a pocket knife. Eyes still focused on the path ahead of him, Oliver flipped it open and brought it down forcibly into his thigh. A gasp escaped his lips, the pain a sharp shock to his system. The enthrallment fell by the wayside. Oliver could feel it, hanging around the edges of his mind, waiting for a chance to take over. Right now, though, his mind was focused on the radiating heat coming from his thigh. Oliver, going against all the medical knowledge he knew, pulled the knife out of his leg; and felt the blood flow down his leg. Turning, Oliver sprinted towards Eden, gritting his teeth at the pain that erupted from his leg as he put weight on it. Arriving in front of his friend, Oliver reached out and slapped a hand over Eden’s mouth. It wouldn’t quite the singing completely, but it would muffle it. “Sorry about this,” Oliver added quietly before he put his other hand on Eden’s chest and pushed him into the tree. Eyes glowing golden, the bark of the tree wrapped around Eden’s wrists and ankles. Once the other was essentially secured, Oliver re-adjusted, pressing his forearm into Eden’s throat. 

Adding pressure, Oliver watched as Eden’s face changed from the pale complexion of someone who was sickly to a deep red as he fought for oxygen that would not come. It didn’t take long for Eden’s eyes to shut; body going limp. Oliver immediately retracted his arm, and the tree released its prisoner as the bark handcuffs retreated into the trunk. As Oliver caught Eden on the shoulder, he could hear the buzzing get closer. The hive was not happy that its soldier had been taken out. They had to get away, and quickly. Oliver wasn’t sure if Eden’s body could withstand even one more sting, and he wasn’t sure how quickly he could run with his leg the way it was. 

Oliver threw Eden over his shoulder in a fireman carry before glancing upward. His eyes glowed gold as a branch came down for them. Using his free arm, he secured himself to the branch before it rose back up to its typical height. A headache bloomed in the back of his head, but Oliver ignored it for now. He looked at a neighboring tree; a vine was swinging over to them. Oliver gripped onto Eden to keep him attached as he swung between trees, alternating between branches and vines depending on which tree was ahead of him. By the time they had gotten far enough that Oliver felt the hive would not be able to follow, his headache had shifted from a nuisance to almost blinding. Dropping down to a clearing, Oliver slowly placed Eden down on the forest floor. He made it about five steps away from Eden before his leg went out from under him, and he was throwing up just about everything he had ever eaten. Groaning, he crinkled his nose as a wave of dizziness washed over him. His leg had mostly stopped bleeding; only a light trickle still flowed, though he was suddenly aware that his nose had started bleeding at some point. Wiping it with the back of his hand, he tried to stand, but immediately faltered and ended up back on all fours. Oliver’s body trembled as he slowly but surely crawled back over to where Eden lay. He watched as Eden’s chest rose and fell, unconsciously matching his breathing rate with hers. The adrenaline of the interaction was dissipating, and Oliver could feel his eyes get heavy as the soreness of his injury radiated through his body. He blinked several times, attempting to ward off the tiredness that was trying to drag him down, but it was quickly becoming apparent that it was a losing battle. Oliver reached into his pocket and fumbled, squinting as the world blurred around him until he was able to set an alarm for an hour. That would be enough time to rest, right? Unable to hold his body up any longer, Oliver turned onto his back, eyes flickering over to Eden one last time before his eyes shut against his will and he was pulled into the inky darkness. 

—

One second his siren song was working, the next, it wasn’t. He had watched Oliver successfully turn away from him, Eden’s shoulders relaxing with the hive’s safety finally being secured. Then the moment that he had let his guard down, his friend was suddenly barreling towards him. His voice wavered as Oliver got closer, then the melody was cut off altogether with the hand slapped over his mouth. Eden let out a muffled groan as he was slammed against the tree. screams of ‘get back to the hive’ ringing in his ears. But then branches were moving and he was gasping for air, then he was staring into Oliver’s glowing eyes before everything went dark.

When he opened his eyes, he was staring at treetops. The setting sun peaked through a crack in the dense branches, and Eden’s head pounded as the light hit his face. “Wǒ de mā ya,” he mumbled as he brought a swollen hand up to shield his eyes, only to wince at the hot discomfort that rushed through his body. It felt like almost every inch of his skin was on fire. Still, he forced himself to sit up so that he could better take in his surroundings. How long had it been? His memory of everything that had happened leading up to this moment was foggy, and all his brain could focus on was a constant ringing. 

The ringing…the ringing…no, the ringing wasn’t just in his head.The noise was coming from the phone on the ground, just mere inches from an unconscious Oliver’s grasp. Eden gasped, ignoring the pain to crawl over to his friend. “Hey! Hey, Oliver!” His words only came out as a weak croak, his throat still aching from the previous scuffle. Eden pressed two fingers to the man’s neck and sighed in relief when he felt a pulse, though Oliver’s breathing was still more shallow than normal. The next thing he noticed was the smeared, crusted blood near his nose, then he scanned the rest of Oliver’s body for any more injuries. Eden gently brushed the tear in his friend’s pants, swearing under his breath when he saw the wound in all its glory. So that was how he had fought off the enthrallment. 

The details were starting to come back now, which was why a sudden wave of sheer panic washed over him. Not only had he put his friend’s life at risk, but he had openly enthralled him. Foolish, foolish, foolish, Eden thought to himself, the swollenness of his hands the only thing stopping him from reaching up and pulling his own hair out. There was no time to wallow anyways — it was starting to get dark, and he had no clue just how much blood Oliver had lost. As much as Eden tried to avoid the human hospital, it seemed like the only option. But then again was it possible that the other man wasn’t quite human himself? The memory of the moving branches and glowing eyes was as good of a reason as any to be suspicious. 

Allowing himself only a few more seconds to mope about, Eden then sprung into action. He finally silenced that damn alarm, shoving Oliver’s phone into his own pocket then stumbling to his feet. His body felt so heavy, but he grimaced through the tight pull of his skin as he leaned over to pick up the other man. There was a bit of a struggle, both because of Eden’s weakened state and his friend being more muscular than he’d expected. Perhaps he would’ve had the capacity to admire Oliver’s physique if he wasn’t currently trudging through the woods with an unconscious person in his arms.

Seemingly thanks to Oliver’s efforts, they hadn’t been too far from the parking lot. Eden strapped his friend into his backseat, then clumsily maneuvered himself into the driver’s seat. His brain was screaming at him to floor it, but he gritted his teeth through every traffic light. The last thing he needed was an officer to stop him. A body with a stab wound in his backseat didn’t seem like a good look.

After what felt like an eternity, Eden haphazardly pulled into his driveway. He couldn’t think of anywhere else to bring Oliver, and the extent of his first aid supplies was a drugstore kit. But it would have to do — at least they would be safe. He ungracefully dragged Oliver out of the backseat and it was once again a struggle, but he finally managed to get his friend into the house and onto the couch. Eden then hastily grabbed the first aid kit from the kitchen along with a wet cloth. However, as if the universe could sense his lack of first aid knowledge, he returned to a mostly healed wound on Oliver’s thigh. “What the…” he muttered, brows furrowing as he inspected the injury. He could not make sense of it, nor did he really want to. Instead, he busied himself with wiping the dry blood from Oliver’s face with the cloth. When his friend was suddenly blinking back at him though, Eden couldn’t help but yelp. “Fuck! You scared me. Wait, oh my god. You’re alive.”

—

One of the first things Oliver realizes, even before he’s opened his eyes, is that he is no longer where he closed his eyes. He’s lying on something soft, and the scent that comes off nature is absent. There’s a flicker of fear that runs along his shoulder blades. Where is he? Is Eden with him? Who else is around? Did anything else happen after he passed out? Oliver only hears the movements of one person, and after a moment, he can smell Eden’s cologne mixing with the scent around him. Ok. So at least he can assume the mind control has broken. That’s good.  The initial fear fades, though it is quickly replaced by a new level of concern. He had choked out his friend, and Eden will have questions about how he went about it. Oliver had his own questions about the enthrallment that the other had attempted. 

His body feels drained, a deep sense of exhaustion that makes even the idea of sitting up seem like a battle that is unwinnable. Oliver almost wants to allow his body to retreat into its unconscious state. If he doesn’t open his eyes, he can push any possible conversations further down the road. It’s a cowardly thought process, but Oliver wouldn’t be able to say he wasn’t afraid without making his stomach hurt. 

He can feel Eden’s faintest touch on his leg, a murmur of confusion as the other takes in the wound. It still hurt, but the bright burn of pain had faded to a dull ache while Oliver was taking his unexpected nap. It’s not until Oliver feels the cold touch of the wet cloth that Oliver forces his eyes open, not wanting to be a complete invalid. His eyes are open barely a crack before he shuts them again, the light overwhelming his senses after who knows how many hours in darkness. Oliver opened them again after a moment and couldn’t help but just watch Eden’s face as the other works without noticing the new set of eyes. He looks…concerned. Oliver doesn’t like how furrowed his eyebrows are, how there’s tension clinging to the other’s frame. It only takes a moment before Eden’s eyes catch Oliver’s, and Oliver can’t help but smile softly when Eden jumps. “Sorry-” Oliver’s voice is a whisper, and he clears his throat. 

“I fear for your first aid skills if you didn’t already know that.” Oliver jokes weakly, slowly sitting up. His vision blurred, causing him to pivot ideas; instead shifting so that he leaned up against Eden’s couch cushions. There’s a beat of silence that falls between the two of them, as Oliver attempts to think through the next steps. “So…I can only assume you have questions.” His gaze shifts from a piece of art on Eden’s wall back to Eden’s face. “I have a few of my own. You can enthrall people?”

—

Not only was Oliver alive, but he was immediately cracking jokes too. Good, that was good. Eden calmed his racing heart from the sudden shock of blinking eyes, unable to hold back his own tiny smile. “Yes, well, you’re in good hands with me and my first aid skills considering the state of your wound,” he returned the joking tone, though worry washed over him again when Oliver wavered in his seat. He held out a hand in case the other needed it, watching quietly as his friend steadied himself against the cushions. 

There was an elephant in the room, or however that English saying went. Eden knew what was coming after the silence, yet he couldn't bring himself to be the one to break it. He didn’t even have the energy to pull himself onto the other chair from where he was hovering over Oliver’s face. Instead, he allowed his exhausted body to settle on the ground, leaning his back against the coffee table as Oliver finally spoke. Eden pursued his lips, his mouth suddenly feeling extremely dry. 

It was unlike Eden to not have prepared for this conversation, but he hadn’t had time to overthink things like he usually did when the only thing he’d been focused on was ensuring that Oliver didn’t die. There had been no time to analyze the numerous outcomes that came with different explanations; he didn’t get the chance to think about Oliver’s possible reactions and the subsequent aftermath. Eden did not do well without a plan, but there couldn’t be a plan for a situation like this. He just had to trust that Oliver would understand — after all, his friend was hiding secrets of his own.

“Yes, I can,” he finally said after some hesitation, meeting Oliver’s gaze from the floor. “I can enthrall people through song. It was an ability I was born with, because I am a siren.” His confession hung heavy in the air, yet Eden somehow felt a tinge of relief run through his body. Saying the words out loud was terrifying, yet the honesty of it all was freeing at the same time. He didn’t know where he stood with Oliver, but he’d always respected him. Surely that respect bleeded into trust. “I don’t enthrall often. I’m not…” I’m not like them, he wanted to say as the thought of his mother popped into his head, but he was already sharing more than he ever expected. He did not need to dive into the wrongdoings of his former colony too. “I don’t like controlling people. At least, not unless they’re in danger…which I guess you sort of were. Still, I apologize for that mess back there. You got hurt because of it.” Eden’s gaze trailed back down to where the wound on Oliver’s thigh had been, his fingers absentmindedly pulling at the strands of carpet as guilt bubbled within him. “But you’re not human either, are you? I don’t really remember everything clearly, but…your eyes. They were glowing. And the branches were moving. Was that…because of you?”

—

Oliver hummed quietly at the other’s banter, his lips quirked upwards, a ghost of a smile. It wavered, for a moment, as Eden rested against the table. The silence between them wasn’t awkward, but it was heavy. Both of them had exposed a secret that they had been hiding. It wasn’t fair to be upset, but that didn’t do much to ease the hurt the knowledge left behind. 

For a moment, Oliver half expected Eden to turn away from the question; to change the subject; to ask Oliver to leave, and for this interaction to become a defining moment for their relationship. One they would look back at as the moment something shifted. When it was decided that this wasn’t the way it was going to develop, that they would fall back to the student-teacher dynamic, and that it wouldn’t be allowed to deviate from it. But then Eden explained what he was, and Oliver couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Right..that makes sense.” He’d run into one before, been enthralled a handful of times between them and the abilities of spellcasters. You didn’t just forget that. His eyes shifted to take in the Eden sitting in front of him. How did he look in his true form? Oliver supposed that it wasn’t exactly polite to ask what color his wings were. 

“That’s..good to hear.” Oliver had never gotten the sense that Eden was someone he had to worry about. He wouldn’t have jumped at the chance to form a friendship if there was even an inkling that there was anything he needed to worry about when it came to Eden’s true character. He shook his head at the other’s apology. “No, it’s ok. You weren’t yourself. The toxins made everything a little crazy.” He countered, running a hand through his hair. If anything, Oliver was just thankful that Eden’s heart hadn’t given out from all the adrenaline that had surely been pumped through it. 

Oliver bit the inside of his cheek when Eden brought up his scattered memories of what had happened. It was only fair that he be honest and level the playing field between them about what they knew about each other. “I’m a Nymph.” Oliver stated, running his fingers across a seam in the couch. “Specifically, a tree nymph. So, I can, you know, control nature and all that. Sorry for…knocking you out the way I did. I just didn’t feel like I had another option.” His cheeks heat up, leaving a faint blush. 

—

Eden tilted his head back, briefly staring at the ceiling as he let himself just feel for a moment. He rarely had guests over, which was a purposeful choice on his part. His home was the one place where he didn’t have to hide. There was no need to constantly be looking over his shoulder. Having someone – a friend – sitting in his living room was perhaps something that he could get used to, but he feared he’d just thrown that all away with his secret hanging in the air. Eden couldn’t even imagine Oliver angry, and the other man was seemingly good under pressure considering how calmly he handled things earlier, yet his mind couldn’t help but jump to the worst conclusion. 

His eyes widened as he heard Oliver’s non-chalant response. Well, maybe not completely non-chalant, but there was no hostility — more like understanding, and Eden let out a breath that he didn’t realize he was holding. “Crazy, definitely crazy. I cannot believe that I let a bunch of bees take me out like that,” he grumbled quietly. Embarrassment started to wash over him now that the guilt was ever so slightly subsiding, but those were wounds that he could lick later. 

Eden kept his face still as Oliver answered his questions, holding back any big expressions despite how intrigued he was by this new information. Admittedly, his knowledge of fae was surface level, and the only time he’d heard of nymphs was from the children’s books in the library. Of course the nymphs that existed in real life weren’t going to fit that caricature, but Eden still cocked his head to the side as he tried to imagine Oliver as some sort of little fairy in the woods. Was that offensive? “Nature is a powerful thing to have control over,” he said, shaking the silly imagery from his head. 

He had so many additional questions on the tip of his tongue, but now didn’t seem like the right time to pry. Instead, Eden focused on the flush of the other man’s cheeks, his mouth quirking upwards in amusement. “Well, if you wanted to get up close and personal with me, all you had to do was ask.” He was trying to lighten the mood, though Eden couldn’t help the heat creeping up his own neck. “Thank you for saving me, seriously. And for trusting me with this information. I imagine this isn’t something you share with just anyone.” It felt brazen of him to assume that he held some sort of importance in Oliver’s life, but the secrets shared today felt like a step forward in their friendship, and Eden was weirdly okay with it.

—

Oliver waved off Eden’s embarrassment. “The only reason the same thing didn’t happen to me was that I’m immune to the poison. We got caught in a shitty situation, but we made it through.” He offers a small smile. They had been lucky, that much was certain. There had been several instances where things could have taken a turn, but they’d caught mostly lucky breaks in the end.