horny zone

Red and blue. Gervan blinked as he stared at those large red and blue eyes. He saw the shock and panic swirl in those eyes as he continued to gawk at them. Gervan knows it was rude— unbecoming to the young heir of the Gervais family, but he couldn't help himself! He didn't expect to see two colored eyes. It was uncommon, rare. He heard this genetic mutation happens rarely. So, he, just seven years old child... he couldn't help but find it... beautiful. Such pretty colors.

Gervan's awe was broken as [Name] had hastily turned his away from him, making Gervan lost sight of those eyes as the youngest child of the [Last name] family raised his hands and patted his purple hair, fixing his hair back to what Gervan had always seen from him since they were introduced months ago to be friends. Making [Name]'s bangs hide his eyes once more. Gervan couldn't help himself but a pout formed on his lips as he saw that.

"Why?" Gervan asked, pout still on his lips. [Name] stayed still. Stayed silent... stayed looking away from him. Gervan didn't like that. He didn't like staring at the other child's back when he had seen such pretty eyes from him! So, Gervan moved and leaned further to look at [Name] in the face. "Why hide?" He asked.

Gervan continued to look, still pouting. And yet, [Name] stayed silent. Gervan knew the youngest child of the [Last name] was quiet since he met and was forced to have playdates with him. [Name] seemed shy, Gervan thought at first. But as time spent with the child, Gervan finds him just quiet. Boring... and yet, [Name] was hiding such a fascinating thing from him? Unfair!

"Hey, hey, hey, answer me!" Gervan poked at [Name]'s cheek as he whined. He knew he was acting childish— but he was a child! He was only seven years old. Sure, he was seven years old and was an heir to a very wealthy and respected noble family, one where even the Royal family in Savannah has high respect for— but still, he was a child. So, it would be fine to act like one, right? He and [Name] were alone in the room anyways as the servants left to fetch them their snacks from the kitchen at this time. So no one can tell him where his parents would then scold him for his "lack of manners" and double his etiquette lessons. He doubted [Name] would tell either— he was so silent! Gervan almost thought he was mute when they first met if [Name] literally hadn't introduced himself.

"... weird..."

"Huh?" Gervan blinked as he stopped poking [Name]'s cheek. "Weird?" He parroted as he tilted his head in confusion, brows furrowed. "What is?" He asked.

"My eyes..." [Name] took a second to answer as he turned his head a bit to Gervan. His purple hair swaying yet his bangs still hid those eyes of his. [Name] played with his hands nervously. The young child of the [Last name] family was nervous... scared... [Name] wishes he was farther away from this place. His family was part of nobility but they were lower than the Gervais family. That's why his mother had explicitly told him to gain Gervan's good graces. The Gervais young heir. That he shouldn't waste this opportunity his lordship, his father, had given him as he was the youngest son of all his fourth brothers, he would stand out less. Less to be the heir of the [Last name] family. Less to survive if so...

"They're weird."

So, [Name] was terrified of this moment. He knew his eyes were weird. His brothers didn't hesitate to point it out. His own mother, the times she would look him in the face, her hand would fix his bangs, telling him to keep his eyes hidden. Because it's weird. Because an anomaly shouldn't be shown. That it should be hidden. [Name] was already learning transfiguration specifically to hide his eyes. His father had found a mage to tutor him so. Because it's weird. It's ugly. It's a mistake—

"No they aren't!" [Name]'s eyes widened behind his bangs as he heard Gervan's words. His hands stopped nervously moving. His body froze when Gervan leaned down closer to him. Seeing Gervan's raise hand, [Name] closed his eyes and braced himself for... something. A slap. A punch? It wouldn't be the first time. His third brother had punched him once for looking at him accidentally. Saying how he should stop looking at him with those disgusting eyes of his. So [Name] braced himself... and yet nothing came.

Instead, he felt soft fingers brushed against his forehead. Must be Gervan's... what is the other boy doing...? [Name] hesitantly opened an eye and he immediately let out a soft yelp as he unconsciously leaned back. Both eyes snapped open now, widened in shock when he saw how close Gervan was earlier.

"W-wh— !!!" [Name] couldn't form any sentence as his cheeks burned in embarrassment as he watched Gervan brightly smile at him, hand still raised in the same position that was pushing [Name]'s bangs away from his eyes.

"There it is!" Gervan giggled, pale blue eyes crinkling in joy as he grinned. "Your eyes are different!" He then leaned close to [Name], grabbing the purple haired boy's hands in his. "It's beautiful!"

Beautiful... that's the first time anyone had said that to [Name]. The purple haired boy couldn't help but let out an embarrassed squeak as he felt his cheeks burned hotter and his heart beating fast. This was absolutely not the reaction he expected.

Blue. [Name] pushed back his purple hair as he looked at himself in the mirror, mostly his face. Not that he is a narcissist, although he had to admit, he grew up to be handsome. His mother's genes were working wonders, honestly. But no, he was looking at himself in the mirror to check on his face, specifically his eyes. Instead of red and blue hues staring back at him, it was only blue. Two blue orbs stared back at him. Same shade. Same color. It looked normal. No discoloration on the side of the red eye should be. Just similar colors. Symmetry. Perfect.

"Just one color?" [Name] looked at the corner of the mirror to see Gervan who sat on his bed. Gervan had grown up like him, and like him, Gervan grew up handsomely. More handsome than him if [Name] had to admit. His indigo hair got longer and was in a loose pony tail, some stray strands fell on to Gervan's face as the Gervais heir would then tuck those strands behind his ear when it got annoying.

Currently, the two young men were in Gervan's bedroom. [Name] was once again in the Gervais estate. Over the years of their forced friendship by their parents, the two actually grew to be actual and real friends. Close. [Name]'s family was proud of him for that and while his younger self would have preened from them being proud of him... he was more happy to just be close to Gervan. His friend. The first person who never thought his eyes looked strange. [Name] cherishes his friendship with Gervan a lot. And Gervan feels the same way, especially with the way  [Name] gets called over at least once a week or two by Gervan despite their busy schedules for the preparation of the next chapter of their lives.

Although this time, it was him who had reached out to Gervan to be able to visit. The first as Gervan would say, because while they were friends and they do think so as well. [Name] still tries to keep some boundaries with their different status. They were nobles, yes, but Gervan's family was higher than his. But [Name] wanted to show Gervan something. And that something was transfiguration. Since young, [Name] was learning transfiguration. It was a good skill to have, especially to a young man like him that was going to Serene Lyceum real soon. Of course, learning transfiguration wasn't just preparation to be a mage but to hide his eyes—

"Why blue?" [Name] snapped out of his thoughts as he turned around to face Gervan. The indigo haired male looks at him with curious eyes. Wondering why [Name] would pick blue between his eyes. Although, aesthetically speaking, Gervan had to admit that having blue eyes would fit well with [Name]'s purple hair. Especially as the years pass, [Name]'s hair grown to have a darker shade of purple. 'Still!" Gervan's thought as he pouted. He liked [Name]'s heterochromic eyes. The red and blue made him pretty. Unique. He really liked them.

"It makes me less weird," [Name] said with a shrugged and Gervan frowned at that. Despite his childish insistence for [Name] to stop covering his eyes when he discovered [Name]'s heterochromia when they were children, [Name] still did so. Softly and quietly mumbling that his parents told him so. His little self was so flabbergasted at that revelation and only relented when he thought 'Oh, maybe his parents are telling to hide them because they are so pretty and don't want anyone to steal them like gems!', absolutely forgetting [Name] calling his eyes weird.

Gervan only realized the reason why when [Name] was once again in his estate but one of his brothers accompanying him as [Name]'s father wanted to force another connection to the Gervais heir with his other child, a more likely candidate to be an heir. Overhearing [Name]'s older brother telling [Name] so cruelly about his eyes being weird as [Name] recently started to part at least a side of his bangs to show one of his eyes when he is around Gervan due to Gervan's insistence. That no one would look at him if he showed them to anyone. Safe to say that on that fateful day, Gervan only asked to meet [Name]. It was the first time he demanded his parents for his request and it was granted.

Gervan let out a scoff as he remembered that memory. He still carries that annoyance against [Name]'s brother that day. Call him petty for holding such a grudge on a reason like that— but [Name] was his friend! How dare that guy tell his friend's pretty eyes were ugly! Doesn't matter how the two were siblings! Gervan could stare at them for hours— excuse you!

[Name] looked at Gervan, eyebrows furrowed as he mistook Gervan's annoyed scoff was from his words. Which isn't wrong as Gervan was also annoyed at him for thinking similarly to his brother. But [Name] was unaware of that. And so, [Name] let out a sigh as he rolled his eyes and walked to Gervan's bed.

"Don't give me that," [Name] huffed as he threw himself on Gervan's bed. Gervan let out a yelp as he jumped a little from [Name]'s actions. Turning to glare at [Name] who prompted himself to look at Gervan with a grin on his own. "What?" [Name] chuckled at Gervan's glare.

"You're unbelievable," Gervan huffed as he then threw himself backwards on his bed, sighing. The two stayed there for a while, silent as they basked in the calm and quietness of the room. Gervan closed his eyes as he sunk deeper into the soft sheets of his bed while [Name], who was beside Gervan, had turned his head to look at Gervan. His eyes soften as a small yet soft smile on his lips. He thought back to Gervan's question on why. Why blue?

[Name] opened his mouth, wanting to answer the question that Gervan probably had forgotten now as it was unimportant. At least, unimportant to Gervan. But to [Name]? It was more... it was everything. Yet he paused for a moment, a bit of hesitation flickered in his eyes as he frowned. Something was on his mind that he couldn't say to Gervan despite how over the years, they shared a lot of secrets between each other. This one... this one, perhaps will never be told. [Name] turned his head back as he stared at the ceiling before he closed his eyes as he finally answered the question on why blue.

"I like blue," [Name] had said as Gervan hummed beside him to show the indigo haired male heard him.

"It reminds me of you." was left unsaid...

Closed. His eyes were closed... [Name]'s eyes were closed. Silven felt his knees shake and his hands went clammy as he looked at the scene in front of him. It had been days after what happened in Serene Lyceum. After the Court Mage Selection. After the trails. After Headmaster Leymar's mysterious death. After having a new special student that turned out to be Magister Merlin themselves. After Gervan's betrayal. After him saying good bye to what once was his closest and trusted friend in Serene Lyceum...

Silven Grenvalden was not okay. Not at all. Not only did he lose his family's heirloom, the Oath of Glory, the last thing his father gave to him before his father passed away, it was broken into pieces. But not only that, Silven also lost his best friend who betrayed everyone! And now... he may be losing his other one.

His legs finally collapsed as Silven then scrambled to go to [Name]. He had gone to [Name]'s dorm room to check up on the guy. It had been days since [Name] was beside, clinging to him like he was his last lifeline after Gervan's was shipped to Savannah. After Gervan had said not so nice words about his friendship not only with Silven but [Name]'s as well... especially [Name]'s... Silven could still remember how heartbroken [Name] looked at that moment.

So Silven had let himself be [Name]'s anchor. Despite what [Name] had done for the last couple of days that had made others question his honor and himself. Silven believed [Name] was still good. That [Name] was just misguided. He put his trust and devotion to someone that had used it against him. [Name] was kind... but Silven couldn't handle [Name]'s attention. Not when after everything with Gervan, [Name] changed. He was less smiling, less comfortable and relaxed but more frazzled and anxious. Clinging to him like his life is dependent on it.

And perhaps it was... but how could Silven have known? He only wanted for [Name] to be independent. Not depend on others. To go back to his carefree and relaxed self. Back to what it once was, even if it's hard. Even if it feels so wrong because of everything that happened... Silven just wanted [Name] to be comfortable with himself.

So why?

Why were [Name]'s eyes closed. Those blue— no, those red and blue eyes that Silven looked at him with such panic and dependency for the last couple of days were closed? Before he told [Name] to give him space because he felt suffocated by the attention. Because he knew he was just replacing Gervan in [Name]'s heart and mind.

"[Name]?" Silven's voice was shaky. Breathless even. His eyes blurred as he crawled his way to [Name]. "[Name]?" He called again.

Why was [Name] not immediately giving his attention to him like a few days ago? Immediately perking up and answering his beck and call just by calling his name? Why is [Name] not answering?

By the time Silven got to [Name], he held him into his arms. His eyes got even more blurry as he felt tears fall. A sharp thud made Silven snap his head to where the noise was. Something fell when he cradled [Name]'s body to his, not minding the dampness that seeped into his clothes. What he saw made Silven's breath hitch.

Is... is that Gervan's dagger? The same dagger that day in Merlin's tower? The same dagger that Gervan almost impaled himself in an attempt to die once he realized he was no match against Merlin and everyone else? The same dagger [Name], who came out of nowhere, blasted away? How did it get here? How did it get in [Name]'s dorm? In [Name]'s hand.

Why was it covered in red?

How? How did it appear here— [Name]. Gervan snapped his head back to the male in his hold. He bit his lips harshly, holding back a sob as he desperately tried to focus. Did [Name] find the dagger and smuggled it out? Then how did [Name] hide it? Evie had detained him again momentarily for interrogation like the rest of them and Gervan but— [Name] transfigured the dagger... he transfigured it and brought it alongside him as a keepsake after everything that happened. To remember Gervan by.

So why? Why? Why? Why?

As Silven stared at [Name]'s face longer... he finally broke. A nasty and horrible sob left his lips as tears didn't stop falling. [Name]'s eyes were closed, his skin looked paler and... Silven couldn't ignore the large slash against [Name]'s throat anymore. That is why [Name] couldn't answer him when he came to visit his dorm and knocked on the door. That is why [Name]'s eyes were closed. That is why [Name] isn't alive anymore...

Silven cried as he held [Name]'s body tighter. He didn't care about the blood. He didn't care about anyone seeing him crying. What he cared about was wanting his only best friend left to come back. To be alive! Why? Why did this happen?

"[Name], come on," Silven whimpered as he buried his face on [Name]'s purple hair to avoid seeing the large, bleeding cut on his neck. "Please... don't do this to me!" He cried. "D-don't leave me— not you too!" Silven wailed. Silven was too busy letting himself finally cry as it dawned on him he not only lost Gervan but [Name] too. His two best friends in Serene Lyceum. Two of the people he trusted and cared for the most. Gone. Silven was too busy crying his heart out to hear footsteps fast approaching [Name]'s dorm.

"Silven...?" Silven heard someone call his name out from the pits of his mind breaking. He looked up and turned to the door, his lips quivering as his teary eyes looked at the figure with despair and desperation.

"Ma... Magister Merlin," Silven weakly called out to the mage that looked shocked at the scene they witnessed. Their eyes look at [Name]'s bleeding corpse in Silven's desperate hold. "Please... save him!"

Green... specifically, an electric shade of green— glowing. Looks unnatural. Eerie... yet beautiful in its supernatural own way. Magister Merlin looked at the newly brought back young man looking at them in confusion. Head tilting as dark purple hair fell. Merlin raised a hand and tucked the loose strands behind [Name]'s ear. [Name] only looked at them confusedly, silent yet almost chased Merlin's touch when Merlin brought their hand back.

"Hello, [Name]," Merlin softly greeted. "Do you remember me?" They asked, still soft. Still gentle. They smiled as they saw [Name] nodded. Merlin couldn't stop looking at [Name]'s eyes. Oh, how it changed. When Merlin first met [Name], he had blue eyes. Only blue. [Name]'s eyes would often crinkle alongside his smile, filled with amusement as he would make a sarcastic comment. Often accompanied by leaning to Gervan's wheelchair to put his weight on it to keep his balance, especially when he said a goofy joke that he couldn't help but laugh the loudest despite it being his own joke.

Then Merlin remembered that day in the tower. Where it was finally all coming to an end. Gervan was finally defeated after the young indigo male turned into a hypofiend. Gervan almost killed himself that day if not for [Name] blasting his dagger away. [Name], who appeared out of nowhere— without their confirmation to access the tower and should have the tower's defences act up, go in-between Gervan and them. He looked haggard, breathing heavily and yet his eyes... Merlin remembered how different [Name]'s eyes were. Not only were they different as they were two colors instead of one— 'Heterochromia.' they thought. But also, fear, desperation... blind devotion swirled in those red and blue eyes of [Name]'s.

And then... they never saw those eyes ever again. Not after they went to [Name]'s dorm. Silven had asked them for help earlier that day on trying to cheer [Name] out and get him out of his dorm as the young man had been coped out inside for days. Silven was worried and Merlin was no different. Because while Merlin had their suspicions of [Name]... they saw he was just a young man who was blindly devoted to someone who could have been better. Merlin almost thought he was similar to Perseus with his love for Gorgonna. Until the Halian general realized the truth, that is. Merlin had hoped [Name] could be like Perseus in the end. Realizing that despite the devotion and the ruins it can happen when that devotion is broken... Merlin hoped [Name] would bounce back like Perseus had momentarily had. Just wishing [Name] wouldn't end up like how Perseus did too...

So, arriving at [Name]'s dorm was... they already had a bad feeling when they saw the door was opened. And as each step they took to get closer and closer to the room, Merlin could hear crying. The despair and anguish of the cry made Merlin's heart ache and their entire being screaming at them that something was wrong. And once they arrived in the opened door and looked inside...

Merlin could only stand frozen as they felt an entire bucket of ice cold water was dumped onto them. There, in that room, Merlin saw the sad sight of Silven who was crying and wailing, desperately clutching onto [Name]... [Name]'s body. A puddle of blood underneath as it continued to pool, coming from the slash on [Name]'s neck... Merlin could only stand in horror and shock until Silven begged for them.

"Ma... Magister Merlin..." The desperation on Silven pleas hurts. "Please... save him!"

And so, here they were. And here [Name] was. [Name] was awake. Alive. But is he? Merlin's gaze looked at [Name]'s neck. The slash was gone but the proof of it happening was still there. Just closed up with stitches. They wondered if it would affect [Name]'s vocal cords later but Merlin then shakes their head as they remembered Igor, a Graveborn in the Duchy of Whiteridge, who literally still had a sword impaled on his throat. If Igor could still talk despite that, clearly [Name] could do so too despite how deep he cut his own throat... right, [Name].

Merlin looked at [Name] again and they felt their heart ache, their guts twist as they saw his new eye color. Green. Specifically, the kind of green Graveborns have...

Merlin didn't remember after that day when they stumbled onto that horrific scene in [Name]'s dorm as well as Silven's desperately begging. All they know is that despite everything in their mind screaming not to help in this way... they couldn't handle the look of desperation in Silven's face. They knew if they didn't do something, Silven would also do something drastic... and so, they helped. No matter how many problems they have with gravecalling magic or any sort of necromancy although seeing some goodness from it... they couldn't ignore Silven's heart wrenching sobs.

"Magister?" Merlin turned to look to their side and saw Silven. The red head wasn't looking at them but instead was looking at [Name] as Silven reached his hands and cradled [Name]'s face. Relief in his green eyes. Normal green eyes. Not eerily glowing... unlike [Name]'s now.

"It's done now, right?" Silven now finally turned to them in that question. Silven looked tired and his eyes still had lingering evidence of his cries. But it had a hopeful glint in his green eyes despite how haunted and desperate they were now.

Merlin nodded. "Yes, it's done. It'll be fine now," Merlin said as they then stepped back, knowing they needed to leave the two alone once he saw how [Name] grabbed Silven's hands and leaned in Silven's touch. They will give these two the privacy of their reunion even if [Name] won't remember some things... specifically, someone. Not when as Merlin had left, they carried with them the memory star that extracted certain memories of [Name]'s before he fully woke up as a new Graveborn. Just like Silven begging for them to take away after [Name] was revived, terrified [Name] would do something drastic if he remembers Gervan Gervais. The one that was truly in his heart... the one that drove him to his death...

Green... what a pretty yet haunting color.

He... it was there again. Outside. Just standing there, with folds on its skin that can easily be seen due to it only wearing pants. It looked unnatural. Like that thing was wearing something that doesn't fit in it. What was scarier was the fact it had a wide, unnatural and creepy grin on its pale face as it looked— looking straight to the window... looking straight to where you were peaking hesitantly behind the blinds to look at it before shutting the blinds shut. A shiver ran down your spine as for a split second, you swore that its gaze looked straight at you. And its glowing eyes filled with mirth.

Fuck. You didn't know what it wanted. It was just there, waiting...

You noticed it standing outside your home a few days ago already. It just appeared out of nowhere. Slaughtered those poor teenagers that were hanging outside the night before, you saw them just giggling and talking amicably as they cope with how the world was practically on fire in the daytime with the solar flares... it left their bodies there, for you to see. You knew it was that thing that killed them as even talking to your neighbour on the phone confirmed it.

Those poor children...

It wasn't the only slaughter it did too. No, you knew it won't stop with just one because there were already so many that had died in the news from it. But god... it slaughtered a group of armed soldiers, and the fact that it made sure you know it killed them himself... itself. Because that fucking thing had the audacity to stand outside the window where you would periodically check every night with a poor man's decapitated head in its hand. It stood there, just showing what it had done to you. Proudly... tauntingly...

With a sigh, you try to forget the looming danger outside your home. Despite how terrifying that thing was as well as the horrible stories you heard from your neighbour or the news of what that thing can do. It does follow a simple rule. Despite how it can easily slaughter a group of humans— whether it was a group of poor defenseless teens or an entire group of FEMA agents that had guns on their person, that thing will not come inside your home unless you are alone...

And the soft and hushed whispers of the few you have let into your home, claiming spare rooms to rest themselves had kept you safe. And they... you can trust... well, you trust that they weren't any of those Visitors at least because you have checked. Periodically checked each one of them for any signs— perfect white teeth, red eyes, dirt underneath their fingernails... all the signs that the news from FEMA had told to watch out for.

Hell, you even checked their damn ears like that lady had said on the television that abruptly cut the news, even though you swore that what she said was all fucking bullshit. But you can never be too careful in this life. Not now. Not when everything is too fucked and that thing keeps lurking outside.

Knock knock

You snap your head to the door as you sigh. You knew this was going to be a long night once more as you carefully walked to the door and looked at the peephole. A lot of people tend to come into your property to ask for shelter due to the damn solar flares and murderous Visitors. You had always hated the company of others but you had to suck up for this one.

It's for survival... for yours as well as for theirs... but goddammit— why?!?

"Fuck!" You cursed to yourself as you saw it standing there. Outside your goddamn door. Of course it fucking was! Just your damn fucking luck!

"Howdy!" It sweetly greeted. Voice was smooth, yet something was vividly wrong with it. Like it sounded like it wasn't human. Uncannily human but also not at all. The voice that seemed to have started becoming a damn consistent thing to pop into your nightmares along with that damn grin. That damn, wide and unnatural grin that was always plastered on its lips only grew wider as it heard you on the other side. "So, still hold up here I see..."

"Of course I am, this is my fucking house," you snapped. You felt yourself shiver as it chuckled darkly at your words. It continued to look at the small peephole of the door. You swear it was looking at you through it, watching you. Watching you squirm as you held the shotgun tightly in your hands. You started having it always be by your side after your first encounter with it. "The fuck you want? You already know I'm not alone, jackass."

"Nothing... just... visiting," It said as it smiled. "I can still hear those hushed whispering inside... still scrambling to survive in this new world, are we?" It chuckled again.

"Why?" It asked. "Why continue to persevere when you and I both know what will happen in the end..." Its smile turned darker as its gaze turned sharper. "It is only a matter of time."

"Like fuck it will, asshole," you spat as the click of the shotgun sound could be heard between you two. You had raised the shotgun in your hands to be levelled with the peephole after your words. The click was a warning. You weren't afraid to shoot. Whether it would kill it like the rest of the Visitors you had blown their heads to bits or not— like fucking hell were you going to let it spout nonsense while you were still alive, while you still were fighting to damn survive in this hellscape.

"My, still living... still persevering..." It chuckled. "Well then... until we meet again..." With those words, you felt its presence... leave. Finally. A relieved sigh left your lips as you lowered the shotgun down. Finally, this tense encounter was done... at least, for the night, as you looked into the peephole just in case it was lingering. It tends to do that sometimes. Just waiting, and as its grin grows bigger when it notices you watching it. But... no one. You saw no one. Good. You only saw your dark and empty front porch. You put a hand on your chest as you felt your heart hammering. Your fingers twitched as you tried to catch your breath and calm yourself down because of the stress and fear you felt after that encounter. Fuck... you swear you need a damn break from all this bullshit.

Knock knock knock

Fuck this entire night.