Fen felt his shoulders shift apart. It was a fraction of an inch, but felt like a mile, and forced a scream of agony from him.

His magic had turned his bones to magma and his muscles and tendons to razor wire, it seemed.

The fey king felt his body stretching as he contorted, sobbing and begging for help.

Finally, a small hand touched his skin, and a surge of gentle warmth crashed over him, lessening the agony of the sudden growth-spurt to a dull, uncomfortable throb.

“I-it hurts!” he gasped in Faerie, dazed and frightened.

“What’d he say?” Mercy’s voice asked, sounding deeply worried.

“It’s going to be okay, honey, alright? Amilee is on the way.” Rosie’s voice told him.

“I-I’m scared ma!” Fen whispered, unable to process speaking in any language other than his first one, at the moment. “I-it hurts!”

“I know, baby, I know.” Rose brushed his hair back. She wasn’t his mother, but she was the closest thing he had to one, these days.

“I-I don’t want to die!” he whispered.

“You’re not going to die, Fen.” Axl’s voice said firmly.

“Promise?!”

“I promise. Mercy’s far too strong for that.”

“Mercy.” he muttered, shifting weakly and pulling her hand, which still held his, to his chest. Another surge of pain fought Mercy’s soothing magic, and he struggled weakly as his bones stretched once more, though it didn’t hurt as badly as it did before Mercy had started to use her magic.

“Sorry!” she whispered.

“S’ alright.” he mumbled. “Not your fault.”

“What’d he say?”

“He said it’s alright and it’s not your fault.” Axl translated.

“I-it is though!” Mercy squeaked, then burst into tears.

Her tears dismayed him, but his mind was swiftly passing into darkness, and unconsciousness soon overtook him.

When Fen finally came to again, he was still dazed, but his head was a little clearer.

His body did hurt though. The fey man shifted uncomfortably.

“Careful!” Mercy’s voice murmured.

“Ah!” he forced his eyes open. The room was dark, lit only by the warm glow of his bedside table. “What time is it?”

“Three in the morning.” Mercy told him, her voice thick with tears. He saw that her eyes were red-stained and puffy as well.

“You’ve been crying?” Fen shifted, sitting slowly. His body protested slightly, but he ignored the pain.

“D-don’t worry about me!” she said, shaking her head, as she helped prop him up with pillows. “Y-you’ve b-been growing and i-in so much p-pain, d-don’t worry about me!” Tears came to her eyes, again. “I-it’s my f-fault you’re h-hurting! S-so j-just focus on feeling better!”

“S’ okay, I-I’ll be alright.” he muttered, hoping that wasn’t a lie. He really didn't feel alright.

“Don’t try to comfort me! Y-you’re the one in pain!” Mercy sobbed, resuming her seat.

Fen reached out, wanting to take her hand, but misjudged the distance and accidentally whacked her arm. “Sorry.”

Mercy blinked through her tears. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to comfort you, but I’m uncoordinated right now and missed your hand.” he mumbled tiredly.

“Just relax. I’m fine.” Mercy sighed, wiping her eyes. “I’m just upset for you, that’s all. You grew like four inches in thirty minutes, Fen.”

Fen stared, “What?!” he heard himself ask in a strangled voice. If it were true, that would put him at five foot eight, now.

“That’s insanely fast.”

“I-I mean, I knew I was growing, but I didn’t realize just how much.” he muttered, looking down at his hands. Now that he took a moment and studied them more closely, he could see they were different. The digits themselves were certainly a little longer, and the palms perhaps a little larger, to stay within perfect fey proportions. “Gods. That’ll take some getting used to."

“I-I…I don’t think it’s o-over, either!” she whispered, tears filling her eyes again. But she took a deep breath. “I-I’ll do what I can to help. I-I’m…I’m so, so sorry, Fen!”

He sighed, shaking his head, “Mercy, I’m not mad or upset. I mean, it’s upsetting, but I don’t blame you. You were trying to help. Stop blaming yourself.”

“B-but i-it is m-my fault!” she squeaked. “I-I’m entirely to blame!”

“Mercy, it was an accident! You had no way of knowing this would happen. No one had any idea this would happen. You did it out of kindness, trying to help me, and for that I’m very grateful.”

“B-but if I’d a-asked-” she began to protest.

Fen cut her off, “I’d have told you to do it. I wouldn't have thought it was possible, but I’d have told you to give it your best shot. And then you’d have healed me and this would have happened anyways. It’s okay. I’ll survive, especially with your help, which I’m assuming you’ll be willing to give?”

“Of course!” she choked out.

“Here.” he fished a handkerchief from his pocket, holding it out to her.

“Th-thanks.” Mercy mumbled, taking it and wiping her face.

“I’d have wiped your face myself, but I’d probably have smacked you by accident.” he told her.

She managed a weak, watery laugh. “Probably.”

Fen reached out, concentrating hard to keep his wobbly hand on-target. He was able to carefully put his hand over one of hers, which rested on the bed. “There.” he smirked, feeling triumphant. “How’s that for coordination?” Then he grimaced, “Pitiful really, I know.”

Mercy snorted, wiping her face with her free hand. “You’ll get used to it. I’ll help you. I don’t know how, but I will.”

“We’ll figure it out. Amilee will have some exercises or something that’ll help.”

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“Good point.” she murmured. “She was here earlier. I think she’s staying in a guest room tonight so she can be on-site if you need her again.”

“Makes sense, I’m glad she came.”

“We hated to call her out so late, but we didn’t know what else to do. I-I may be inclined towards healing magic, but I don’t know anything that a doctor would…and I don't really know anything about fey bodies.”

Fen idly thought he wanted her to know more about his fey body, but knew to keep that thought to himself. She wasn’t interested in that kind of stuff, anyways. Something about that fact made him glad, actually. He supposed that women most often worried about men just wanting to woo them to try to convince them into bed, but for him, a king, powerful CEO, he had to be very careful with the person he picked as a romantic partner as well. Mercy didn’t know he was a king, constantly fretted when he did anything for her involving money because she didn’t want to take advantage of him, and she wasn’t interested in s*x. She was safe. She wasn’t really interested in him for his money, status, or body, though he could tell she did find him physically attractive.

“She’s usually glad to help.” Fen said.

“Well, she was very interested too.”

“She would be. No one has ever healed dragon fire burns before.” he told her, idly rubbing his shoulder with his free hand, as it had once bore those very burns. “Someday I want to look into why you could do it when no one else could, if you wouldn't mind?”

“I don’t know how that would work.” Mercy frowned, tilting her head to the side.

“We’d have to study your magic extensively. But it can wait. There’s no rush. I’m not going anywhere. And even though you’ll be able to move into your new home, I still intend to kidnap you and bring you here every so often.”

“Kidnapping is very traditionally fey, isn’t it?”

“Yes. But I’m hoping you’ll be a willing kidnap-ee.”

“I think then it’s just an overnight visit, and not a kidnapping.” Mercy managed a weak smile.

“Let me have my fun.” he muttered, rolling his eyes.

Mercy burst into giggles. “Pouting is a new look for you!”

Fen let himself smile slightly. “I guess.”

“It’s cute!” she laughed, then sighed, “Thank you for helping me feel better.”

“Any time.” he squeezed her hand gently, then moved his own away, not wanting to make her uncomfortable by unnecessarily long contact.

“You should lay back down and get some more rest.”

“I’ll only lay back down if you go and sleep.”

“I don’t want to leave here, what if you have another growth spurt?” Mercy shook her head vehemently.

“It’s not far between our rooms, you’ll hear if I scream and run down here, I’m sure.” Fen shrugged.

She chewed her lip anxiously. “Still, I suggest a compromise: I’ll sleep on the couch.” The couch in his room was very comfortable, and on nights when he couldn't manage to fall asleep in his bed, he often found himself able to sleep there instead.

“Alright. There are spare blankets and pillows in there.” he motioned at the linen closet.

Mercy hopped up from the seat that had been drawn up to the bedside, and went to the linen closet. The blankets were low enough for her to reach, but the pillows were above her head, and barely out of reach of her short arms. “Oh poo…” she muttered, staring up at them.

“Use magic.”

“I’m bad at levitating though…But I only need to move it a little, I guess.” she frowned. Fen felt her magic surging, and she was able to get one of the pillows to shift just enough that the pillow fell off, and landed on her head, as she’d lowered her hands in order to concentrate on using the magic. “Oop!” she uttered in surprise.

Fen snorted.

“Don’t laugh at me!” she pouted at him.

Gods, she was adorable. The fey king let himself smile a little at her, “Can’t help it. Your sound effects are too funny.”

“Nyeh!” she stuck her tongue out at him, then went and started to make her bed on the couch. “Lay down, Fen.” she said softly, her dark eyes flickering up in concern at him.

“Alright, alright.” he pushed the extra pillows from behind him, and lay down, but shifted so he could keep an eye on her as she settled down onto the sofa.

“Goodnight.” She yawned, pulling the blankets up.

“Goodnight.” he murmured.

-

Fen woke to a burst of pain sliding down his spine. “Oh gods!” he gasped, trying not to spasm as he screamed, “MERCY!” The pain swelled again, coursing through him, ripping his limbs from his control as he writhed

Two white-hot points of agony burst to life in his spine, staying his movements slightly, and he felt a small, cold hand catch his, and Mercy’s gentle magic pushed into him, lessening the pain.

The fey king gasped, trying to catch his breath, but the pain rose once more, though was far less intense than it had been, thanks to Mercy’s magic.

“Shh, it’s alright.” Mercy’s hand gently brushed his hair back. “Just breathe.”

“M-my back!” he croaked, shuddering awkwardly as he felt his bone shifting. His fingers shifted in Mercy’s hand as they stretched, drawing another hoarse sob from his lips.

“Can you flip him, Axl?” It was Amilee’s voice.

“Yes.” Axl’s voice replied.

“Keep hold of him, Mercy.” His cousin directed.

“Yes ma’am.” Mercy said softly.

Fen was vaguely aware of being rolled onto his stomach.

“Oh…oh my!” Amilee muttered.

“Wh-what is it?” he gasped.

“Just a moment.” Amilee said, tone now light. He felt her hand on his shoulder, and her magic probing his back, around where the worst of the pain was. “Fen, your wings are growing back.”

“Wh-what?!” he gasped, then struggled against another surge of pain.

“I have to help them out, or it’ll rip the skin.” Amilee now spoke in Faerie. “Axl, hold him.” she switched to Mercy’s language, “Mercy, don’t look, but listen for my instructions.”

“O-okay!” Mercy whimpered, though she couldn't know what was going on.

“Push as much numbing magic into him as you can without hurting yourself.” his cousin’s voice told Mercy. “Target his back.”

Fen felt Mercy’s magic well in his back, and the worst of the pain decreased.

“Keep him as still as possible, Axl.” Amilee said.

Two trails of pain, one after the other, cut down his back on either side, where the worst of the pain had been, but it wasn’t as bad as the initial pain had been.

“There.” Amilee sighed. Fen felt Mercy’s magic healing the cuts Amilee had made. “Now they won’t break inside his back or tear his skin. You can look, Mercy.”

“O-oh! Th-they’re very small.” She sounded confused.

“They’ll keep growing.” Amilee said softly.

Then as if to prove her point, Fen felt his own magic surging again, and felt the new wings pulling themselves further from his back. He sobbed, his fingers scrabbling against the bed as he convulsed slightly. Mercy’s magic rose in response, and he was able to relax again, though it still hurt.

Patches of his skin burned, and he weakly tried to scratch at them, only for Amilee to catch his hands. “Don’t. It’s just more scales.”

“I…m-more?”

“They probably couldn't grow properly wherever the burns were.” Amilee said.

“I-I guess.” Fen’s brain was too foggy with pain to properly process that, at the moment.

“Here.” Mercy’s small fingers gently rubbed at the burning portion of skin on his shoulders, trailing more soothing magic across it. “Any better?”

“Yeah.” he mumbled.

Mercy leaned into his field of vision, “Are you going to be okay?” she asked softly.

“Probably.” he groaned. The growth spurt was starting to die down. “I think it’s starting to end.”

“Yeah. Not too soon, either. I’m tired.” Mercy scaled back her magic appropriately.

“Don’t exhaust yourself.” Axl’s voice warned.

“I didn’t. But I can tell I need to rest.” she said quietly, perching on the bed beside Fen and keeping hold of his hand.

“I’m alright. Go and sleep again.”

“Not until this is over.”

“Mercy...” he shifted, trying to push himself up, but found it difficult to move. “I-I…it’s hard to move.”

“Fen, you just had wings fuse themselves to your spine.” Amilee said gently, “Take it easy, alright? I think you’ll be alright, but you have to rest until your back is more stable. Don’t try and move.”

“What?!” Panic flooded. “Will I be able to walk?!”

“Yes, but only if you don’t push yourself. You might need some help, but I’ll stick around, and so will Mercy.”

“Of course!” Mercy said firmly.

“Do as she says, Fen.” Axl’s voice was stern. He rarely used that tone. It was the tone he used when he meant business, and Axl rarely meant business.

“Fine.” the fey king muttered.

“Don’t act like that, you want to be able to walk again, right?” Axl sighed.

“I said fine! I’ll take it easy!” Fen snapped. “I-I…just…this…is…I don’t know. I’m scared, alright? Scared and hurting and…” He felt tears trickling down his face.

“We know.” Mercy murmured, expression pained, but gentle. She wiped his face gently with a handkerchief. “Just rest. Want me to help you sleep?”

“Gods, yes.” he mumbled.

“Here we go.” she said softly.

Fen felt her magic surging into his head, and sleep overtook him almost immediately.