As a mortal, Solis watched the days go by with a lingering feeling of loss. Everything the humans built was so fleeting, and yet, he had found a reason to stay, to make every moment matter. Like that, eight months had passed by, spring turning to summer, then summer to fall.

In the cooler seasons, Cyndras was much more of a homebody, reading or playing games with Solis as they huddled near the fireplace or shared meals in private. Solis was discovering, slowly, the way the young Prince thought and felt. Solis believed him to be the most interesting, complicated, wonderful human he had ever met.

He also believed that the Prince was very lonely. That was okay, Solis thought, as long as he was able to relive a small percentage of that loneliness, he was doing right by his friend. The young god wanted nothing more than to see Cyndras’ eyes light up and his smile appear. Nothing made Solis happier. That was why, when the god went to the Prince’s door that evening to see if he wanted to take a stroll before dinner, the echo of silence from the room, when he knocked, worried him immensely.

Cyndras always answered right away…

“Cyn?” He called. Nothing.

Solis paced back and forth and wrung his hands, not wanting to intrude but concerned about his friend. Cyndras had seemed so reserved recently, always something on his mind. He assumed the Prince would feel relieved with his father away for the last two weeks, but it seemed to only make everything worse.

Eventually, Solis couldn’t wait any longer, he apologized in his head to the Prince for invading his privacy, as he carefully opened the door and peeked inside.

“Cyn? Is everything-“

The Prince was standing there by the window, leaning over his desk with his head bowed. Solis noticed his heaving breaths and the scattered mess of paper, pens, and ink that had obviously been swept off the desk in a fit.

Solis knew Cyndras was sometimes quick to anger, but it burned out so fast and always meant something else. He’d learned to be patient with him, and loved seeing the effects of that in the trust Cyn placed in him. However, the god had never seen him in a moment like this.

Deciding whether or not he should even come in, Solis frowned, saying softly;

“Are you hurt? Can I help you?”

“No. Get-“

The fury in Cyndras’ voice was cut short as he inhaled, a sob dying in his throat as he clenched his fists and hissed-

“There’s nothing you can do…”

Solis knew that was probably true. Nevertheless, Cyn would often say that just his company made difficult things easier. Solis wanted to be there for his friend, even if all he did was sit in silence and listen.

Solis walked into the room; opulent and tidy to the extreme, save the papers scattered on the floor. Solis saw an open envelope with the royal seal, but turned his gaze away and focused instead on his friend.

Cyndras was still shaking slightly, but when Solis came closer and hesitantly placed a hand on his shoulder, the Prince let out a shaky exhale and grew very still.

Solis was prepared for Cyn to complain at length, or even just stand there and fume over whatever was wrong. He didn’t expect the Prince to suddenly stand up straight, then look at him out of the corner of his eye and say;

“Actually-”

Solis was about to smile and ask with relief what he could do, when he felt Cyndras’ hands on his chest, clutching the front of his robes. There wasn’t even a pause before he was spun around and pushed roughly onto the empty desk, the Prince yanking him closer and bending to press his lips to the stunned god’s wide-open mouth.

“Mph?!”

Solis was very confused, and he blinked a few times in surprise as Cyndras laced his fingers behind the god’s head and forced his tongue into the wet cavern of Solis’ mouth.

There were several sensations he found pleasant; Cyndras’ warm breath on his face, the racing of his own heart and the desperate way the Prince held him. But, Solis felt something unsure and uncomfortable slither up his spine, and he winced, feeling Cyn’s fingers tugging on the long strands of his hair, his teeth biting down on the god’s tender, swollen lips.

Between them were the combined sounds of heavy breathing; of Cyndras panting, and Solis making urgent, questioning little hums and murmurs that never quite left his mouth before the Prince would swallow them up.

It felt strange. It felt good. It felt like he was having something stolen from him in a very deliberate, exposing way, and he realized the longer it went on that if Cyndras had only asked, the god would have been happy to give him this, just maybe without the sting of teeth and nails that made him flinch, but still not want to stop.

Solis was very, very confused.

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Deep in his heart he still held a delicate want, a desire of softness, of care and concern. The young god wished to feel connection, and belonging. Understanding. The only thing he felt he understood about the Prince at that moment was that his anger over whatever had made him so upset was being taken out on Solis.

The god’s hands fluttered skittishly to take hold of the Prince. He held his waist and gripped his arm and very slowly but firmly pulled him away.

Solis felt like his lungs had shrunk several sizes, and at the corners of his eyes there were unshed tears, but he held tight to Cyndras and caught his breath, willing the Prince to look at him and speak to him in a way that helped him understand.

It seemed like Cyn was having a hard time opening his eyes, a grimace on his face and a pulled-tight frown as he seemed to hold his breath and wait for something… was Solis supposed to speak?

He cleared his throat, and then said;

“What’s wrong?”

Solis felt cold and unmoored as Cyndras ripped himself away, stumbling across the room as he shouted-

“Nothing! Why can’t you stop?! Why can’t you just… everything, stop!”

Solis sat there on the edge of the desk and watched Cyndras pace around the room, stopping and starting and sometimes shouting with outbursts of anger. Cyn took a pillow from the bed and threw it against the floor a couple times, then screamed at it-

“Useless! Worthless existence! My best is never good enough! My best days don’t even measure up to their worst! I do everything they tell me to; classes, and lectures, and being perfect! And yet it’s still never enough!”

Solis watches, and listens, and then when Cyndras throws the pillow one last time and then crumples to the floor in a fit of violent sobbing, the god is there, picking him up and pulling him into his arms before even a single tear has fallen.

“This is ridiculous- I am ridiculous! How can you even stand to be around me?!”

Cyndras cries, crumpling like a leaf in Solis’ arms as the god rocks him gently and pats his back. Never before have they hugged like this, and Solis closes his eyes and leans his cheek against the Prince’s head as he lingers for a long moment in the warmth and the feel of it.

“It will be okay,” Solis says softly.

He doesn’t know if it will be, but Cyn doesn’t need him to be honest right now.

“How?!” The Prince chokes, shaking.

“My father, he’s going to send me away. Marry me off to that swine in Xesith as a way to keep the peace treaty alive. And that’s all I’ll ever be! A pawn, a plaything for that self-righteous Prince! They’re just waiting for a chance to get rid of me… father wants me to go there next month to start the courting process, but I would rather die!”

Solis hugs Cyn tighter and reaches up a hand to stroke his hair. It is as soft as he imagined. He wishes Cyndras was still kissing him violently. That, at least, was better than hearing him cry…

“You won’t have to go,” the god promises. “I will make sure you are safe.”

Cyndras pulls away, sobs wracking his small form as he stares up at Solis and blinks, dazedly. The young god sees the redness around his eyes and nose, and makes another promise that he will never let Cyndras cry alone again.

The Prince sniffles miserably, “H-How?”

Solis doesn’t know.

He takes Cyndras by the hand and carefully lays him down in bed, tucks him under the covers. Warm and safe, Solis breathes a sigh of relief as he sits by his friend’s side and squeezes his hand.

“I am a magical being from a far away land, and you are the person I have chosen to protect.”

Solis watches the Prince blink. Once, twice, then again. Then Cyndras begins to laugh. It starts as such a quiet sound, then he covers his mouth and wheezes-

“That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard! Ah, why do I like you so much?”

Solis has no room left in him to be unsure. After seeing Cyndras’ smile back on his face where it belongs, even blurred by tears, the god slides easily into the bed beside him when the Prince beckons. When Cyn pushes him back and moves to rest his head on Solis’ chest, the god lays there and wonders what might have happened to this little human if he hadn’t come to The Mortal Realm all those months ago.

Luckily, Cyndras will never have to be alone again.

The Prince tucks his head under Solis’ chin and reaches across to rest his hand on his shoulder. It is… warm. Solis never thought he would have this. He never thought he would get a chance to be warm for someone.

From here he can’t see the Prince’s face, but he can feel and hear his breathing. Gentle, even, steady. He thought he’d fallen asleep, but then Solis heard the Prince mumble tiredly;

“Where are you from?”

Solis hummed, wondering how to answer.

“A place that seems far, but is actually quite near. Different, but the same in many ways. I have no parents, no siblings, but many… peers. I am still very young, and have not seen much of the world, but I have made many friends and am very content with my life. It will be a shame when I have to return home, but I will visit this place as often as I can-”

Solis was going to go on, to talk about his happiness in finding Cyndras that day in the Aer Ari Forest, but before he could utter another word the Prince’s hand on his shoulder squeezed, and the boy whispered softly;

“Stay.”

Solis closed his eyes and let dreams take him. When he woke, it was with the Prince still in his arms. The young god wished more than anything to make Cyn’s request a promise.

There was no reason to return to The Heavenly Realm just yet. Someday he would but for now, Solis held Cyndras tighter, smiled, and stayed.