brotherhood is perhaps not strong enough a word for the bond forged between them. liam mairi loves xaden riorson, different entirely from the way he loves his little sister, consuming in its loyalty - but he isn’t blind to the darkness that lingers in his friends mind. xaden has hardly changed in liam’s absence, he’s harder perhaps - shadows quite literally seem to flock to him, and of course he’s got a giant terrifying dragon.
but he’d still gathered them. given them instructions. kept the marked ones safe by his very existence. the marks on his backs burned into liam’s mind. he knew what they represented. he knew it was his life scarred on his best friends back.
so it had been after that gathering of the marked ones that liam had sought him out. he also had his first letter for sloane, but it was tucked safe in his new bedroom. not quite ready to ask xaden for yet another favour. they’d drank, eaten, talked — until they’d both finally fallen asleep. memories of their youth when they’d grown up together and impromptu sleepovers were a constant had been on his mind. but the nightmares that wake xaden?
not entirely new — but the anguish in his friends voice. that was new. a hand gentle as he shakes him to waking, his voice soft, pitched to the level he uses on his sister, or a wild animal he’s attempting to soothe.
‘ xaden — it’s me. it’s liam. you’re not alone. you’re not alone xaden. you hear me? ‘
and maybe his voice breaks a little as he promises him he isn’t alone. because the truth of the matter is, even if the marked ones - xaden is held apart. responsible for them all. isolated by his nature, his gifts, and the wretched system they’ve been forced to inherit. a small price to pay for living perhaps —… but xaden paid it first.
‘ take all the time you need. im right here. ‘
i need a minute // liam & xaden // @darkrelic
