Lizzy, but Yuamu for fanfic purposes| She/Her | 29 | INFJ-T | Space cadet that loves a lot of things and will write about whatever I want | Anime, Art, Fanfiction, books, games and anime music | Current main hyperfixation: Genshin Impact
Tags for the whole fic: soulmates, canon divergence, reincarnation, M/M, fluff, smut, angst, romance, drama, tragedy (but they get better), initial top!Sylus/bottom Zayne but later they become a switch
Tags for this chapter: references to SnowCrow myths, canon divergence, kidnapping, Sylus has dragon anatomy through and through
ENJOY!
CHAPTER 1 - I have not foreseen you coming for me
The cold... Zayne was accustomed to it all too well.
As his eyelids flickered open for a single moment, he couldnât be sure how much time had passed since he was last conscious. It couldâve a few minutes; it couldâve been days, months even⌠or maybe years. He was never really sureâŚ
Zayne inhaled slowly, the sharp and cold air filling his lungs as the ice surrounding him crackled at even a minor movement.
To a bystander, he mightâve appeared stuck in the clutches of merciless ice, but if he had to be honest⌠he could raise from his chair at any given moment.
He just didnât want to. There was no use, as he already knew when the royal envoy will soon pay him a visit, asking about the destiny of the kingdom, and all of its individuals.
Zayne could see it all so clearly, his mind never quiet or at ease, the rest of his already long life playing before his eyes in sequence of hundred visions.
He could feel his eyebrows twitch as he adjusted his sitting position, the marble throne under him enclosed in ice, like everything in his surroundings.
This was the fate of Foreseer of Astra, who only existed to bring news and hope to the people of Philos.
From the moment he was chosen to be the Almighty Astraâs voice, Zayne knew his fate was never to live a normal life⌠or to live at all.
He had already seen it all, clearly, as if it was set in stone.
And thus, there was no use in remaining conscious, at least for the next year or so.
Zayne closed his eyes again, the ice enclosing its chilly grip on his entire body.
The visions of the future started playing in his mind again, showing him many lives which he could only observe and foretell, without ever getting a chance to live through these moments himself.
Such was a life⌠of a ForeseerâŚ
⌠. ăâş ă . ⌠. ăâş ă . âŚ
Dragons were always thought to wreak havoc upon humanity wherever they lived⌠at least, thatâs what the people of Philos believed.
With them gone for more than five hundred years, citizens of this prosperous kingdom believed there to be no threat that they have posed so many years ago. And yet, most of them were blissfully unaware of the beast that was trapped in the deepest parts of the royal dungeon.
The dragon hissed quietly through his teeth, his hearing being the only sense with which he experienced the world around him.
Every other part of his body was bound, his long tail nailed down to the stone floor, thick chains with boulders on their end holding his arms spread out and tense. The massive boulder was strapped on the beastsâ back, forcing him to remain in a perpetual kneeling posture, his massive wings nailed and chained around the same block of stone that held him down. His eyes were covered with blindfold made of coldest iron, the piece connected to a muzzle that kept his mouth shut at all times.
All the dragon could do was breathe and absorb nutrition via a thick needle someone would always stab him with, every now and thenâŚ
But people of Philos, and its royal family grew arrogant.
Theyâve destroyed, slaughtered his kind so many years ago⌠they didnât even remember dragonâs true nature.
The wounded and trapped dragon was the most dangerous kind⌠especially when it had the time to harness its own, always-growing power.
As he took another breath, the dragon listened.
The guards have changed recently⌠and judging by their distant footsteps, they were on one of their many patrols.
With the biggest amount of effort, the dragon moved his head to the side, a small hole in his blindfold being more than enough for him to notice a dim light of torches in the distance.
Soon enough, two guards appeared in his limited field of vision.
The dragon smiled.
As one of the guards gave him a single glance whilst holding a torch, the beast focused all of his energy into a single, hypnotic gaze.
Expectedly, the guard stopped, dead in his tracks, as if frozen solid in place.
Someone didnât listen to his teacher, the dragon thought, his smile widening.
In a matter of moments, the torch the young guard was holding was thrown across the circular chamber, landing directly behind the dragonâs bound tail.
He could hear the other guard yelling and scolding his entranced comrade, but there was nothing he could do at that point.
Using the very tip of his tail, the dragon connected with the small flame, the fiery power immediately coursing through his body.
The energy shifted inside him, making fireâs energy even more intense as it melted away the binds on his tail, the long appendage swaying left and right before being used to cut open the very chains that held his wings in place.
The dragon continued to smile as the panicked footsteps and yells echoed above him, thankful for the fact that his guards employed enough reckless people for this to succeed.
They really became an arrogant raceâŚ
With his wings free, the dragon was easily able to get rid of the boulder that sat on top of his back, every bone and joint in his body cracking once he stood back on his feet.
He let out a loud groan, the relief so intense it made the beast laugh as loudly as his muzzle allowed him.
All of a sudden, the entire tower lit up with the power of thousand torches, the humans attempting to use every trick in the book in order to distract him and hold him in place.
But⌠this iron blindfold and a muzzle were the only tools he needed⌠and they were the ones who gave him these tools freely.
The dragon spread his large wings as much as he could, causing him to promptly ascend into the air while still being chained up to two huge boulders.
Flipping both of his wrists, the beast harnessed the fiery power he had absorbed moments ago and channeled it into his binds, the cuffs coming off in the next moment and clanking on the floor.
With his arms finally free, the dragon reached up for the muzzle and loosened it up ever so slightly, never taking it completely off as his wings carried him up the tower.
He could hear hundreds of panicked guards yelling and running in formation on every level of the tower, the sound of their weapons, arrows and explosives being so clear the dragon didnât even need to see them to know their location.
And even though his flying skills became slightly rusty in the past five hundred years, he was still able to withstand the occasional hit or two.
But what the guards didnât expect was him to absorb the energy of the firearms and weapons that had hit him⌠and shoot that same energy right back at them, but tenfold.
When left to their own devices, even when immobile, dragons are always able to increase their level of power just by channeling it from within, from their own hatred, anger, and wish for vengeance.
And this dragon had plenty of it to go aroundâŚ
As he continued to ascend, the ancient beast used up all of the power he had harnessed, making the very space around him feel heavy and suffocating.
He then removed the muzzle, letting out the loudest, earth-shattering yell any of those humans have ever witnessed.
The mere vibration of his cry made the whole structure shake, floors and levels crumbling under the force of his power and pulled down by the gravity.
As the light slowly dimmed out, the dragon was finally able to remove his eye covering, revealing a pair of deeply crimson, glowing eyes.
Harnessing his power once again, the beast directed both of his hands towards the metal ceiling, not even multiple layers of glass able to contain him in this prison any longer.
Another explosion echoed through the night, horrified and pained screams of his guards and torturers becoming music to his ears.
And now, after more than five hundred years, the dragon was finally able to breathe in the fresh, night air.
As his menacing figure floated over the capital city of Philos, he knew there was no time for sentimentality or staying around for too long.
These humans maybe relaxed with his imprisonment for the past centuries, but one thing the dragon knew about their species was that they were adaptable.
They will promptly find a way to hunt him down and bring him back to the dungeon⌠and that was something he wasnât willing to experience ever again.
Thus⌠he needed a strategy, a way to evade all of their future capturing attempts.
The dragon landed on the top of the tower he had just fled from, observing humans beneath running around and regrouping, each house in the capital coming alive after the intense commotion.
Thatâs when the dragonâs eyes caught a glimpse of something.
High up on the mountain with a snowy peak, stood breathtakingly white tower, as tall as the one he stood on.
Recalling many conversations he had heard over the centuries, the dragon smirked once again, the perfect plan forming in his mind.
With his wings spread and ready for flight, the beast took off, leaving behind the panicked little ants that will do anything to keep him confided for their own benefit.
But now, he will take something they consider importantâŚ
His flight was short, cloudy skies hiding his figure from most of the onlookers. And as he approached the massive tower on the snowy mountain, he realized it had no windows⌠aside from a massive, glassy dome at the very top of it.
Balling his hand into a fist, the dragon channeled his power, causing the dome to promptly explode and gain him access to the inside of the ominous yet beautiful structure.
The dragon landed inside, every inch of the main chamber covered in massive structures of sharp ice. He frowned, looking around at the empty space, not believing a human was actually able to live there, at least from what he had remembered.
But then he saw him.
At the far end of the chamber, on top of a set of marble stairs, sat a throne completely enclosed in ice.
On top of the throne, merged with the ice from head to toe, sat a human figure; his hair dark and seemingly short, dressed in gray robes and with a massive staff gripped in his right hand.
The dragon made his way up the stairs, soon stopping right before the legendary figure he only heard about.
The Foreseer of Astra, the one who could accurately predict oneâs destiny, even the future of an entire nation.
Royal family always turned to him for guidance and received messages from their beloved god through the Foreseer⌠so; it was only an appropriate punishment for them to be stripped of that luxury.
With a widening smirk, the dragon reached down, his clawed hand about to grip the humanâs neck⌠only for his eyes to suddenly open and look up at him.
Taken aback slightly, the dragon still closed his palm around his neck, the Foreseer only closing his eyes as if accepting his fate.
âInterestingâŚâ the dragon purred, putting a slight pressure on the manâs neck âHumans usually scream and beg for mercy when they merely lay their eyes on me. And yet⌠youâre willing to die by my hand, just like thatâŚâ
The human took a deep breath, his voice as calm and cold as the ice he was surrounded with:
âI have not foreseen you coming for me⌠but if thatâs how itâs supposed to be⌠do it quicklyâ
Dragonâs eyebrow twitched, the man relaxing under his grip as he released the staff from his hand, allowing it to fall to the floor with a loud clank.
Interesting, he thought, deciding to retrieve his arm.
A Foreseer willing to die because he believed it was his destiny⌠allowing himself to be enclosed in ice, until the next time someone dares to pay him a visit?
The dragon sighed, clicking his tongue in annoyance.
âItâs not entertaining to kill someone who seems to yearn for deathâŚâ he growled, prompting the Foreseer to look up at him again with confusion.
The reaction made the dragon laugh as he lowered himself to look the human directly in the eyes.
âInstead⌠Iâll make you my captiveâ
The Foreseer gasped and frowned, but before he could utter another word, the dragon stung him in the thigh with the tip of his tail, injecting him with a small amount of poison to put him to sleep.
The ice around the throne suddenly retreated, making the Foreseerâs body slump forward, right into dragonâs arms.
Chuckling, the beast picked the human up like a ragdoll before throwing him on his back, holding both of his hands around his own neck as he got ready for flight again.
As the capital of Philos continued to fall into panic and uproar, the lone dragon flew above the clouds, the unconscious Foreseer slumbering peacefully on his backâŚ
⌠. ăâş ă . ⌠. ăâş ă . âŚ
THANK YOU ALL AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEKEND!
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Being out of the loop with LADs fandom and game only to see the mess that happened in the previous weeks
I even considered going back to playing, but after what happened to Valko... yeah, not happening.
I'm actually so sad and disappointed with the situation, and the fact that he seemed to have lively and hyper personality was exactly what the current roster needed to make the game feel fresh again (not saying other boys are boring, they all have their own quirks and reasons why they're beloved, but variety makes many people happy)
HOWEVER... this situation will not prevent me from writing more BL fics about the boys, in fact I now have more material than ever.
And that's the part that's making me lose my fucking mind.
We lost an entire section of the MAIN STORY.
The livestream literally told us Valko's release was going to reveal more about the Aethercoreâone of the biggest mysteries in Love and Deepspace and something that's been central to the plot from the very beginning.
So now what?
You think they can just delete him and nothing changes?
Do people genuinely think you can rip out an entire story arc without consequences?
Everything that was supposed to be revealed through Valko now has to be rewritten, redistributed, or outright cut. The main story is going to have to be retconned. Future updates are going to have to be reworked. Characters may have to be rewritten just to fill the gap he leaves.
If you're celebrating this because you "won," I sincerely hope you understand what you've actually cheered for.
I'm having a couple of ideas for some more LADs ship fanfics and some undeveloped concepts, so I'd like to get an opinion of y'all on what I should focus on in case I want to post more fics here!
More SnowCrow (concept is a surprise tehe)
CrowFish (Shape of Water meets mafia)
StarFish (cozy shapeshifter romance)
Voting ended onOct 28, 2025
Note: I dunno when I'll post any of these, but with everyone's help I can focus on developing one of the fic ideas so I'm more efficient :D
Considering the result, looks like my new project for LADs will be SnowCrow hehehe
I'll start working on it as soon as possible, could be longer or shorter than the Dragon x Foreseer I wrote previously, I'll know more details once I'm finished with the outline. For now, I only know the AU and you'll know about it soon enough :D
You can expect it sometime after New Year! I have some IRL stuff I need to work on, but I'll keep everyone updated :D THANK YOU FOR VOTING!
Back in my nostalgia and Yu-Gi-Oh alongside it, which means re-watching my faves (that being DM, GX and 5Ds). Ofc, "Bonds Beyond Time" is among the re-watches and...
Well, long story short: I would legit pay to have full-on series with Yugi, Judai and Yusei as protagonists, no joke.
five seasons, 200 episodes of pure badassery. How would that work? In which timeline? Would it make sense?
No idea, but I know I'd love to see it. YGO franchise already showed us they can make multiverse stories in Arc V, so it isn't farfetched to daydream of BBT series
(It's just my delusional ass talking, but if I ever get a hold of a lot of money, you'll know where it's going)
I'm having a couple of ideas for some more LADs ship fanfics and some undeveloped concepts, so I'd like to get an opinion of y'all on what I should focus on in case I want to post more fics here!
More SnowCrow (concept is a surprise tehe)
CrowFish (Shape of Water meets mafia)
StarFish (cozy shapeshifter romance)
Voting ended onOct 28, 2025
Note: I dunno when I'll post any of these, but with everyone's help I can focus on developing one of the fic ideas so I'm more efficient :D
I know it's late, but I recently finished reading your story. I loved it. You're one of the few people who writes Snowcrow stories, and to be honest, it seems that you put a lot of love into writing it. Keep writing stories (not exactly about Snowcrow or LADS), I really like the way you write and how you put emotions into the stories.
Btw, English is not my first language, so I know there will be some mistakes in grammar or something like that.
The point of sending the message is to tell you that I loved your work đ¸đ¸
Thank you for your kind words! I'm still very active on my AO3 when it comes to things unrelated to LADs so if you find anything interesting there, you're free to read :D
I'm hoping to write more about LADs in the future tho! I have some ideas but I have yet to develop them.
P.S. No worries about English, it's not my first language either :D
The Dragon & the Foreseer who loved him - FINAL PART
Pairing: Sylus x Zayne & Zayne x Sylus / SnowCrow
Chp word count: 2749
MINORS DNI/ EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT AHEAD!
Chapter tags: Zayne POV; slow mornings; explicit sexual content, riding, love-making, kisses, fluff, LOTS OF FLUFF, deja vu and lots of it, DESERVED HAPPY ENDING
The first thing Zayne felt as he opened his eyes was familiar, sweet warmth against his bare back.
With his eyes still adjusting to the early morning light, the doctor slowly moved his sore body, making sure to feel every single sensation: a slight tingle on his back left by deep scratches, a dull yet familiar pain in his lower back and abdomen, overall tiredness and tenderness of his every muscle⌠and a pair of large, strong arms wrapped around him like a comforting shield.
Zayne sighed in bliss, turning around to look at his lover. The dim light shone upon his large shoulders from the large windows of their shared bedroom, Zayne unable to resist the urge to kiss him on the lips.
The man beside him murmured, his eyes still closed, and yet, his arms only wrapped tighter around Zayne, forcing the doctor to lean onto his chest, right above his heart.
So fast, Zayne thought, listening to the intense beating within the otherâs chest.
And his body⌠it was always so warm, making Zayne want to stay in his embrace forever.
âGood morningâŚâ the other said suddenly, his voice raspy and deep.
Zayne looked up at him, mischievous chuckle escaping his throat along with a seductive purr: âAnd you seem to be rather comfortableâ
The doctor gasped silently, propping himself on his elbow ever so slightly, now hovering over his sleepy lover.
âAnd why are you surprised by that?â Zayne whispered, his own amused chuckle escaping him âI feel sore from last night⌠and your warmth helps a lotâ
A guttural chuckle escaped the other man, raising one of his hands to caress Zayneâs cheek, the doctor leaning into it instinctively.
âThen⌠stay in bed with me for todayâŚâ the man demanded, a tender look making it very hard for Zayne to keep his resolve.
âI canât, SylusâŚâ he mumbled, planting yet another kiss on the otherâs lips, âIâm on call for the entire day⌠and itâs the festival season, there will probably be a lot more interventions than usualâŚâ
Sylus huffed, but didnât move from under Zayne.
The tension in the air shifted quickly, silver-headâs intense gaze slowly softening as Zayne looked down at him, their faces slowly closing the distance once again.
The kiss was much more intense than before, desire and hunger present in every movement of the pairâs lips.
It didnât matter that theyâve already made love so many times last night, Zayne couldnât help itâŚ
Sylus allowed the doctor to lead, Zayneâs free hand roaming the otherâs wide chest as the intensity of their kisses increased with every passing moment.
Zayne could feel it, his loverâs manhood stiffening under his body as he caught Sylusâ lip between his teeth before continuing to kiss him, the silver-head not even trying to resist in any given moment.
âStarved for more, sweetheart?â Sylus whispered into kisses, prompting Zayne to shut him up instantly before straddling him completely.
In the corner of his mind, Zayne could feel a familiar tingle of shame, something he had carried ever since he was aware of himself. Shame that told him he had to be proper, polite and reserved, a shame that that never allowed him to have anything he desiredâŚ
But the doctor wasnât about to allow that same shame to overtake him again, not after he had a taste of what true ecstasy, true adoration and true desire felt like.
It was all within his hands, his grasp⌠and Zayne would rather die than let that goâŚ
Once on top of him, Zayne had finally broken the kiss and looked down at the rather amused mob boss. His prideful expression had certain sweetness to it, his eyes shining in the way Zayne had never seen before.
He leaned forward, one of his hands above Sylusâ quickly beating heart while his other hand inspected his backside. Still soft enoughâŚ
âYou know itâs dangerous to call me that?...â Zayne mumbled in daze, his words slowly becoming a needy, desperate whisper.Â
He could feel Sylusâ nails digging into the skin of his waist, but the light pain only amplified the sensations that were slowly nearing their peak. His other hand, however, was nothing short of gentle as he raised it up to caress the doctorâs lips.
âCall you what?â Sylus teased him, a familiar and daring purr causing a wave of shivers to run down Zayneâs spine.
With his impatience getting the better of him, Zayne found his loverâs manhood rather quickly, slowly guiding it towards his most throbbing spot as he slowly lowered his body onto it.
Like every single time before, their bodies connected instantly, Sylusâ shaft disappearing in the warmth of Zayneâs inner walls.
The doctor let out a loud, desperate moan, the sensation so intense and sweet he had completely discarded his own shame, modesty and morals.
This man, whom he had met by accident a whole year ago, had a complete grip and power over him⌠and Zayne didnât want it to end.
Any of this⌠he didnât want it to endâŚ
The doctor arched his back before looking down, Sylusâ eyes seemingly glowing with gentle red as he murmured âSweetheart... that word- nghh~â
Zayneâs hips started to rock and move on their own, chasing a well-known pleasure whilst his hands gripped and dug into the soft skin of Sylusâ chest and stomach. His breaths grew labored and deep, the sweat instantly coating every inch of his body as a familiar and tingly sensation overtook his lower abdomen.
âDo you like it when I call you that?...â Sylus asked, his question barely audible from his own muffled moans, his perfect lips parting slowly.
Zayne allowed his own body to lead, one of his hands reaching down to caress the otherâs cheek, only for a thumb to cross over Sylusâ lower lip, the silver-head gently sucking the tip of it into his mouth as the doctor continued to move in a steady and intense rhythm.
A tinge of sweet pain jolted through Zayneâs finger and hand, Sylus now holding him in place in more ways than one.
Barely remembering the question he was asked in his delirium, Zayne nodded, his hips starting to pick up the pace, completely unashamed of his following answer: âYes⌠I do! Sylus- ahhh!â
Once that needy moan escaped him, Sylusâ body moved swiftly and strongly.
The silver-head had promptly sat up and captured Zayneâs lips once more, their hips starting to move in perfect unison.
Every breath, every moan, every needy yelp was swallowed by Sylusâ lips, Zayne clinging onto him as if his very sanity depended on it.
His thoughts, his feelings, everything started to melt away as their bodies continued to move, the doctor soon being unable to think or realize anything beyond the ecstasy and sinful paradise he was plunged into in that moment in time, in that early morningâŚ.
The climax came quickly and strongly for both of them, Zayne completely unaware of anything else as his body convulsed, tensed up and then relaxed, soon making the space for the merciful yet sweet exhaustion.
His legs were shaking, his breath was shallow, and his entire body had refused to do what it was supposed to, only his hands clinging around his loverâs broad shoulders.
He could hear Sylus whisper sweet nothings to him, every word hazy and inaudible between the gentle kisses and nibbles around his earlobe.
And yet, only one word seemed to break through Zayneâs ecstatic fog, echoing in the very core of his being.
âSweetheart⌠My sweet ZayneâŚâ
The doctor blinked, but still allowed Sylus to put him back down on the bed, his large body now hovering over him, the afterglow almost making Zayne believe that theyâre floating above the clouds.
As his rationality slowly returned, Zayne raised his hand and caressed his loverâs cheek again, his fingers soon burying themselves within that luscious silver hair.
âSylus?â
âHm?â the other murmured, kissing the inner side of Zayneâs wrist.
âDo you⌠ever get a feeling of dĂŠjĂ vu when weâre together?â
The silver-head frowned, but Zayne didnât miss a slight glint of recognition in the otherâs eyes, âWhy?...â
The doctor hesitated, raising his head to kiss the corner of Sylusâ lips to gather his courage.
âI⌠I canât really explain itâŚâ he admitted, his voice almost breaking, âItâs as if⌠weâve done all of this before⌠long, long time agoâŚâ
Sylus chuckled, âWell, in the last year or so, we did make love a lot of times, and not just in this bed-â
A light tap on the shoulder caused the mob boss to giggle like a mischievous boy, his smile tender and endearing.
âYou know I donât mean it like thatâŚâ Zayne scolded him, but still continued to comb through the otherâs hair.
For a moment, Sylusâ gaze seemed to lose itself; as if he was trying to visit some distant part of his mind he wasnât even sure existed.
âIâve⌠had that feeling ever since weâve metâŚâ he eventually admitted, his eyebrow twitching, âOur meeting itself seemed like it was destined to me⌠and to think that if I wasnât the one to bring Livia for her heart check-up, I probably wouldnât have met youâŚâ
Zayne blinked slowly, biting on his lower lip.
âI⌠wasnât supposed to examine her that day either, it wouldâve been unethical since I know her⌠but Dr. Wang was out due to a sudden emergency⌠now that I think about it, a lot of things needed to happen for us to meet⌠and yet look at usâŚâ
Sylus chuckled, planting yet another yearning kiss on the doctorâs lips.
âIâve always been a lucky personâŚâ he mumbled in Zayneâs lips before kissing him again, âBut I think Iâve really been heavenâs favorite when theyâve allowed me to meet you and love you like thisâ
Zayne smiled at his words, deciding to ignore a sudden pang of pain that appeared in his chest.
Every now and then, Sylus would say something similar to this⌠and every single time, this sensation would hit Zayne out of nowhere, almost causing him to tear up.
But⌠Zayne never wanted to acknowledge that sensation out loud.
Be it a coincidence, destiny, will of the gods, or whatever else, he had met Sylus at one of the lowest points of his life, when his work was so stressful he believed heâd quit⌠and he hadnât regretted a second of it.
Their magical bubble had finally burst as the sound of an alarm started ringing through the bedroom, both men groaning in disappointment.
âHow are you feeling?â Sylus asked as the doctor slowly got out of bed, his backside still somewhat sore from their impromptu morning exercise⌠and all other activities theyâve been up to last night.
âA little soreâŚâ he admitted, âNothing a bit of warm water and ibuprofen wonât fix-â
Sylus gently grabbed him by the hand, still lying on his side in bed while holding Zayne firmly in place.
âCall in sick today, thenâ he asked again, âYouâve been working too much these past two weeksâ
Zayne chuckled, but still pulled his hand away, planting another kiss on Sylusâ lips.
âI could say the same for youâ he reminded, âN109 zone seems to be very active as of lateâ
âIâll handle that in just a little whileâ Sylus reassured, his eyelids visibly getting heavier, âItâs just a couple of hard-to-crack nuts who dislike the fact a woman inherited the main position in Onychinus⌠well, unofficially, but still, some just canât let it goâŚâ
âBetter handle it quicklyâ Zayne said through a giggle, giving Sylus a full view of his naked body as he walked towards the bathroom, âLivia doesnât like you meddling in her workâ
The silver-head chuckled in the same sultry voice the other man adored more than anything, that very sound following him as he closed the door behind him.
The rest of Zayneâs morning routine went as usual, shower and shaving taking most of his time. When he exited back into the bedroom, Sylus wasnât in bed anymore, but a familiar sweet scent lingering in the air made the doctor chuckle.
His outfit for the day was simple, consisting of plain black pants, black turtleneck and simple leather shoes, Zayne once again checking his work bag for all things he might need for a very long shift ahead of him.
As he exited into the main living area, he saw what he had expected: Sylus, dressed only in his underwear and a cooking apron, standing next to the waffle machine, berries, whipped cream and maple syrup beside him on the counter.
âWhy arenât you sleeping?â Zayne asked as he approached him and kissed his shoulder, already knowing the answer.
âI canât allow my favorite doctor to go back to work on an empty stomach and with low sugar in his bloodâ
Zayne couldnât contain his own chuckle, the smell of yogurt waffles only causing his stomach to growl.
With just an amused look, Sylus pointed towards the small dining table, the plate and cutlery already waiting for Zayne.
In some things, the doctor knew there was no arguing with Sylus.
Even early on, before they were even official, this intimidating mob boss insisted on showing his adoration for Zayne with various small and grand gestures, from sending macaroons to him during long shifts at the hospital, all the way to taking care of him when he had caught a flu very early on in their relationship.
And he never, ever missed the opportunity to tell Zayne how much he adores him, making the doctor only become greedier for his attention and affection.
But there were also things Zayne was absolutely adamant about, and even though he initially tried to object, Sylus obliged to the doctorâs wishes.
Always making sure to share his location when in N109 Zone in case of a sudden medical emergency, be it for him or anyone from Onychinus Sylus trusted.
Readjusting his sleep schedule to a healthier one when he wasnât working actively.
Teaching Zayne how to properly handle various weapons and fight in case he needed it.
Everything else in this relationship? Functioned as if they have already done this beforeâŚ
Zayne gulped as that same, heavy sensation overtook his chest for only a moment, his eyes losing focus for a moment.
He couldnât be happier with his current life⌠and that is precisely why he sometimes felt so guilty. As if he didnât deserve to be treated with so much gentleness and kindness⌠but, he also knew Sylus shared his sentiment.
Very early on, both men had expressed this strange feeling, as if they were simply meant to be⌠even though there was no basis for them to feel that way aside from their own lovey-dovey phase.
But, the more time theyâve spent together, the more in tune with each other the two of them seemed.
As if theyâve already known each other for a very long time. What angers them, what worries them, how they functionâŚ. As if all of it was written deep within their very beings.
The sensation⌠was unnerving, but also very welcome, sometimes feeling like a test, and sometimes like a reward from heavens, at least in Zayneâs own mind.
He was sure these feelings will continue to plague him for a little while longerâŚ. But if this truly was some kind of divine reward for something he had done before⌠he will gladly accept it and live the rest of his life bathing in the tenderness of Sylusâ arms while also showering him with his own love and gentleness.
âBreakfastâs ready~â Sylus chirped, bringing Zayne back to the present time.
The plate was beautifully arranged as always, a small snow-flake shaped chocolate nestled into a small mountain of whipped cream being the first thing the doctor had eaten. A fresh cup of coffee was soon placed beside him, Sylus only then sitting across from him.
âBe sure to sleep when I leave, alright?â Zayne said while slowly eating the sweet breakfast.
Sylus chuckled, âDoctorâs orders?â
Zayne smiled as he looked up at him, âDoctorâs ordersâ
âAlright thenâ his laugh once again turned sultry, causing Zayneâ heart to skip a beat, âBut Iâll be sure to drop by and bring you a proper lunch today. Just state your wishes and Iâll bring it as soon as itâs readyâ
The doctor snickered, his lips widening into a bigger smile.
WE'RE FINALLY DONE, EVERYONE! (Sorry it took me a moment, I had Covid so yeah... it was a ride)
Have you noticed something in the way this chapter was written? How do you like it? Was it a good conclusion after the whole story? Do tell me in the comments!
Thank you everyone so SO much for giving this story this much love, I had a lot of fun writing it and I'm glad someone enjoyed their stay!
I don't know if I'll post any more LADs fics, but if I do, keep your eyes peeled on my page!
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Chapter 17 - We cannot pass this trial without heartbreak...
The trip to Akso was tense and somewhat blurry for Sylus, his own injuries not even concerning him as he held Zayne in his arms at the back of the car. Livia and Luke were the ones sitting in the front, the woman continuing to extinguish the fire caused by sudden arrests of the members of the Star Cult.
Sylus himself knew there are many logistical things that needed to be handled as well as many lawsuits against Linkon city police and other organizations⌠but none of those mattered until Zayne was properly examined and treated for his injuries.
Even though the young doctor insisted he probably had broken ribs, Sylus couldnât just accept it as a matter of fact. He needed to make sure nothing else was wrong with Zayne, especially after receiving a blow from a shotgunâŚ
Once at their destination, the resident doctors and nurses didnât even ask questions, rolling Zayne away on a gurney into a separate room before coming back for Sylus in order to patch him up as well.
He needed many cold compresses for his arms and legs to soothe the bruising caused by the chains, a couple of stitches on his face, head and upper arms, but nothing he wasnât used to already. He had worse injuries than theseâŚ
But even when he needed to answer doctorsâ questions, Sylus couldnât help himself but look at the direction where Zayne was taken, hoping to at least see a glimpse of himâŚ
He was patched up rather quickly, nurses even offering to take him to the lounge area to rest, but Sylus refused, Livia taking him to the waiting area so they could wait for Zayne together.
Even more waiting ensued, Sylus clenching his jaw whilst his left leg hopped in place, his red eyes only focused on the examination room Zayne was in. The twins arrived shortly after, bringing both him and Livia some food and refreshments.
The last thing on Sylusâ mind was eating⌠but he also knew heâd be scolded by multiple people if he acted like a brat in that moment⌠so he just swallowed his pride and allowed Livia to partially feed him as he still had bandaged arms.
Finally, after who knows how long, the resident doctor exited the examination room, looking for someone to convey the information to.
Sylus and Livia got up at the same time, grabbing the doctorâs attention, âAh, you two must be with Dr. Zayne Li, correct?â
âWe are indeedâ Livia said politely before bowing to the doctor, âWill he be alright?â
The doctor smiled politely, âGood news is he has only three broken ribs. We made sure to check for any other injuries, especially rupture of the lungs when it comes to shotgun strike, but there was nothing wrong with his internal organs aside from some hematoma around the area of the blowâ
Sylus and Livia sighed with relief, the man being the one questioning the doctor in a much deeper tone of voice, âWhen can we see him?â
âSoonâ the doctor reassured, âNurses are currently putting him on some IV fluids and we will soon transfer him to the second floor for recovery. Weâll give you a special permit to stay with him for the night if you so wish-â
âDo soâ Sylus said immediately, aware that his tone mightâve come off as aggressive in that moment, âWhat do we need to sign? Can we do anything to make this process faster?â
The doctor was speechless for a moment, but eventually decided to shrug it off with yet another polite smile, âIâll send the nurse to handle the paperwork. Since itâs Dr. Li weâre talking about, everything will go much fasterâ
The doctor soon left to tend to other patients, Sylus noticing a nurse coming their way in the very next moment.
âLet me handle this, Sylusâ Livia suggested, taking him by the arm and towards the seats in the waiting area, âIf they start rolling him out, go up without me. Iâll join you as soon as I handle all of the logistics⌠I think theyâll also ask me about how Zayne got shotâ
Sylus opened his mouth to protest, but stopped himself at the very last moment. With a defeated nod, he mumbled, âThank you, Livia⌠youâve done a lot for us in the past 24 hoursâŚâ
Livia chuckled, patting him on the shoulder, âIt sounds so weird when you donât use my nickname. This really scared you, didnât it?â
The silver-head chuckled, seeing no use in lying to her, âIt did⌠but not because of what happened to meâŚâ
âI knowâŚâ Livia squeezed his shoulder, still making sure to avoid any place he might be injured, âBut⌠both Zayne and I are fine⌠Zayne is fine, SylusâŚâ
He nodded, leaning against the wall with a deep sigh, âI knowâŚ.â
They remained quiet for a couple of moments, Sylus taking a couple of deep breaths to regain his composure.
âIâll go handle the paperwork nowâ Livia announced quietly, âWait until Iâm done if you want, but take following Zayne to the upper floor as your priorityâ
âGot itâ the silver-head chuckled, amused by Livia ordering him around all of a sudden.
Even more time had passed once Sylus was left alone, impossible number of scenarios playing through his head, all of them fueled by his sense of anxiety.
They may have been out of the water with the Star Cult, but whoâs to say some nutjob wonât try to resurrect Astra again? Their curse was still active as far as he knew⌠and now they were back at square one with their search for an alternative way to combat it.
Sylus must have dozed off in his seat, a light tap on the shoulder making him reach under his coat and onto the hilt of a gun.
But it was just a nurse, looking at him with surprised expression.
âYouâre Mr. Sylus, correct?â
âYesâ he said as he stood up, towering over the woman whose eyebrows rose even more, âIs something the matter with Dr. Zayne?â
âN-noâŚâ she stuttered, Sylus noticing a slight tint of blush on the womanâs cheeks, âHeâs ready for your visit and asked if we could bring you in. Heâs conscious and stableâ
Sylus sighed with relief, closing his eyes to put his usual composure back in its place.
âLead the way thenâ he said in a slightly more relaxed tone, not wanting to give the nurse more attention than she had already gotten. He needed to see Zayne as soon as possibleâŚ
One short elevator ride later, Sylus was on the third floor of the Akso hospital, room 303 being only a few steps away from the place where nurse and he had gotten off the elevator. The entire floor was sterile and simple, the scent of rubbing alcohol lingering in the air.
âThrough this door pleaseâ the nurse said, obviously trying to keep it professional before leaving him to continue her work.
Sylus wouldâve chuckled in any other occasion⌠but the moment those doors opened, his eyes were focused on one person only.
âSylus?â Zayne called out to him, a faint smile spreading on his lips as soon as their eyes locked together.
The silver-head didnât care about anything else in that moment, leaping into the room only to reach the bed in just two steps.
Zayne immediately tilted his head upwards, Sylus accepting the invitation and gently cupping his face so he could kiss him, the touch short yet filled with yearning.
âHowâre you feeling, sweetheart?â he mumbled, rubbing one of his thumbs against Zayneâs cheek.
The doctor snickered, his green eyes glistening in the dim lighting of the room, âIâm just very sleepy⌠painkillers helped a lot with everything elseâ
Sylus was the one to chuckle this time, âGoodâŚâ he murmured, planting a gentle kiss on his loverâs forehead, âIf you need anything, say so. Iâll fetch it for you even if I have to go outside of Linkonâ
Zayne shook his head, the smile spreading on his features, âI donât need anything right now⌠Iâm just glad you and Livia are alrightâŚâ
The silver-head frowned as he noticed Zayneâs focus on his own bandages, instinctively covering them up with his jacket just so he wouldnât upset him any further.
âThese are nothing in comparison to some injuries Iâve gotten on the jobâ Sylus proclaimed, cheekily raising his shirt to display a scar from a certain bullet wound, âThis one almost sent me to hell that dayâ
Zayne chuckled before hissing in pain, instinctively putting his hand over his ribs, âIâm glad it didnât⌠Livia brought you here just in timeâ
âAnd a certain doctor with hands of gold saved me in more ways than oneâŚâ Sylus could feel his own lips spread into a tender smile, his fingers intertwining with Zayneâs other hand.
The doctor chuckled again, closing his eyes as he tried to adjust his position on the bed. Sylus sprang into action immediately, helping him to change his position, eventually dragging a chair closer to Zayneâs bed.
The time seemed to have stopped after that point, not even the words necessary as they continued to hold each otherâs hand, Sylus leaning on his own hand so heâd be in the same eye level as his lover.
Zayne chuckled as he noticed the otherâs gentle gaze, âYouâre watching me very intently⌠do I have something on my face?â
âNoâŚâ the silver-head replied, not even trying to hide his smile, âIâm just⌠thankful for the outcome of this predicament⌠although, weâre back at where we beganâ
Zayne closed his eyes again, his jaw clenching as he uttered, âIt seems so⌠but weâll talk about it once we both recoverâŚ. We have plenty of time, now that⌠weâve both survivedâŚâ
A loud gulp made Sylus raise his head and look at the other more intently, only then realizing Zayne had turned away from him.
âSweetheart?â he called out quietly, but the doctor remained in the same position as if he didnât hear him call, âZayne?â
The manâs head turned slowly, Sylus only then noticing two tiny tears roll down his cheeks, Zayne trying so hard not to lose his cool in that moment.
But Sylus wasnât about to let him hold it all in.
âHey, nowâŚâ he mumbled, hovering over the doctor as he kissed both tears away, âWhatâs the matter?â
âI donât knowâŚâ Zayne mumbled, his breath getting hitched as he grimaced in pain, âJust the realization that⌠I couldâve lost you again, after all this time and after weâve managed to find each other, I-â
The doctor closed his eyes as even more tears continued to pour out, his lips turning into a single line as he still tried his hardest not to cry.
Sylus could only kiss every inch of his face, his voice resolute yet gentle, âYouâll never lose me, sweetheart. After everything weâve done, I have no intention of giving up on us any time soon. Once you recover, weâll start again⌠and weâll be alrightâŚâ
Zayne nodded, finally allowing barely audible sobs to escape him as he leaned in to touch Sylusâ forehead with his.
The silver-head continued to listen to his sobs in the quietness of the room, his own heart breaking as he could only soothe his lover in that moment.
He wonât be able to take away what had happened to them, neither of them will forget itâŚ. But now, Zayne had finally let all of his guard down, his true feelings, his fears and his primal wishes bare before Sylusâ eyes.
In that moment, they were truly connected like never before, seeing a side of each other theyâve never gotten to see, in all of their previous incarnationsâŚ
Neither of them knew how much time had passed once Zayne finally managed to calm down, Sylus not leaving his side for even a moment. The painkillers started affecting him eventually, Sylus kissing the other on the cheek and lips before he closed his eyes to sleep.
Only a couple of moments later, Sylusâ head turned as he heard someone enter the room, his body promptly relaxing as he saw Livia.
âHowâs he?â she asked, coming closer from the other side of the bed, âHis cheeks seem puffy, is he alright?â
âJust very tiredâ Sylus locked his eyes with Livia, his gaze intense but pleading, âYou two can talk as soon as he wakes up-â
Another knock at the door seemed to startle them both, Sylus ready to send away whoever decided to bother them.
Livia was the one to reach the door and open them gently, a quiet gasp making Sylus curious about the newcomer.
Getting up from the chair and looking from behind his assistant, he saw a short woman dressed in elegant black attire, simple high heels and with her dark hair falling down her back. She was definitely what an average person would consider gorgeous in terms of looks, but Sylus couldnât shake off the strange feeling he had about her.
That opinion only solidified once he noticed a large bouquet in her hands, one consisting only white jasmines and pink daturas.
âOh, itâs you!â Livia exclaimed, allowing the woman to enter.
âWho is this?â Sylus demanded, not taking his eyes off the woman for even a second.
âSheâs the one who warned me about the Cult before I was abducted, and the one who helped us locate youâ Livia elaborated, the woman seemingly hiding behind the bouquet.
âHahâŚâ the silver-head chuckled, the smile never appearing on his lips, âAnd what was your reason for that, young lady? There mustâve been something youâd wish to gain from involving yourself in this situationâ
The woman hesitated, but once her dark eyes locked with Sylusâ, all he could see was sincerity and determination.
âI simply didnât want to see you become victims of my fatherâs cult, thatâs allâ she said as she handed him the bouquet, âIâve brought this for both you and Dr. Li, to express my gratitudeâ
Sylus could feel his eyebrows rise, but he still accepted the flowers and turned away from her. There was an empty vase on the small table beside Zayneâs bed, the silver-head deciding to fill it up for the flowers.
âWeâre the ones who should show you gratitude, correct?â he asked, not even looking behind him as he carefully lowered the bouquet into the water, âName anything you want and if itâs within my capabilities, Iâll get it for you-â
âThereâs really no need for that, Mr. Sylus⌠the fact that Iâm now free to do what I want is enough. I just wanted to make sure you and⌠Dr. Li are fine after all this timeâŚâ
Sylus frowned at the sudden change of the womanâs tone, but didnât fully turn to face her. He could still see Livia shift in her spot, their eyes intertwining for a moment.
âHeâll be fineâ the silver-head reassured after a pause in their conversation, âAnd so will I⌠I assume weâll see each other at the trial of your father?â
âProbablyâŚâ the woman sighed, rubbing her forehead as if she suddenly got a headache, âBut considering all the evidence police had managed to find in the mansion, I donât think the trial will last long. My own statement will also cement his sentenceâ
Sylus had to chuckle, finally turning to face the woman from across the room, âYou seem to harbor a lot of resentment for your fatherâŚâ
The woman snickered, shaking her head, âI have my reasons, ones that you neednât concern yourselves with. Iâm just happy everything is overâ
With those words, the woman checked her outfit and adjusted the bag on her shoulder, one of her feet already facing the door as she turned.
âAlright, Iâll be leaving you to rest, itâs already late. Give Dr. Li my warmest regards once he wakes up-â
âMay I ask you a question, miss?â Livia suddenly spoke, her voice resolute and serious.
The woman promptly frowned, nodding in approval.
âThat day youâve warned me about the abduction⌠how did you know it was going to happen in that very moment?â
âW-well, I was looking for you, I saw the record with your name in the house and-â
âYou bumped into me, remember?â Livia reminded, Sylus feeling a sudden and tense shift in the air, âUnless you did that on purpose and only pretended to be surprised, you seemed just as surprised as I was when it happened. So⌠you werenât really looking for me, were you?â
The woman opened her mouth to speak, but only frustrated moan escaped her until she closed them again. She looked to the side, her bag now in between her hands as she clutched onto it.
âAnd we touched hands briefly⌠and you probably noticed it, right?â Livia continued to probe at her, slowly closing the gap between them in somewhat of a threatening manner.
The woman could only nod, her expression going completely blank yet showcasing an obvious prideful demeanor.
âNo need to beat around the bush anymore, Ms. Livia. Just say itâ
Livia chuckled, tossing a brief look to Sylus before the words crossed her lips.
âYouâre Astra, right?â
Sylus could feel his entire body become cold in an instant, only for the rage to explode in the middle of his chest.
He couldnât stop his body from reacting in time, his vision narrowing towards the woman as he reached for her.
In an instant, silver-head grabbed the back of the womanâs head and pulled it hard, her yelp short but loud as she looked up at him with a terrified expression.
âSylus!â Livia exclaimed, immediately jumping on his back in an attempt to restrain him, âLet her go!â
âYou came here to relish in your own success?...â he hissed in her face, only tightening the grip on her hair, âYou happy now? That weâre still affected by that curse of yours? And for what? Because your little human refused to listen to you?â
âRelease me!â she demanded, earning yet another tug from Sylus.
âNoâ he barked, âI can make the earth swallow you this very moment, just for what you did to Zayne back then⌠I could make you suffer-â
âThat WONâT break your curse, you stupid beast!â she exclaimed, once again attempting to release herself.
Sylus could feel his face twitch, Liviaâs silent plea making him loosen the grip ever so slightly.
âRemove it yourself, thenâ he demanded, âThatâs the least you can do-â
âI canât-â
âI meant what I said about killing-â
âI said I cannot, damn it!â she screamed in his face, Sylus needing every ounce of composure in order to not throw her into the nearest wall, âIâm a human now, just like you and Zayne⌠a weak, pathetic and filthy humanâŚâ
Sylus chuckled, finally releasing her from his grip and allowing Livia to drag him back, âThat is what you call retribution⌠it comes for the gods as wellâŚâ
Rubbing at the back of her head, Astra looked at both of them with pure resentment, her eyes eventually stopping on Livia.
âThe first version of you⌠was the one to kill me the first timeâ she said, her lower lip quivering, âTo think even my godly power wouldnât be able to affect you⌠itâs as if the Heavens sent you as my punishmentâ
âMaybe they didâ Livia retorted, still holding onto Sylus, âAnd maybe thatâs why Iâm a temporary antidote to the very curse youâve set on the two lovers you didnât approve ofâ
Astra huffed, fixing her outfit and hair as quickly as her shaky hands would allow her.
âSo itâs trueâŚâ
Everyone in the room froze for a moment, Zayneâs voice lacking any semblance of weakness or pain it had before he fell asleep.
Sylus looked at him, but the doctorâs gaze was only focused on the very person who tortured him for centuries before he got released by Sylusâ mark.
The way his eyes widened, the way he clutched the covers on the bed, the way his complexion was even paler compared to when they came to Akso for treatmentâŚ
He was still terrified of the god he once served⌠even though she was now but a regular human.
âHow did you guess?â Astra asked him, their eyes locking together.
âI didnâtâŚâ Zayne mumbled, âI could recognize your energy anywhere⌠even though I donât have my powers anymore⌠That chill down my spine⌠only one person can still evoke itâ
The woman chuckled bitterly, looking to the side, âThen, you must be glad that Iâm just a regular human nowâ
Zayne didnât respond, lowering his head and clenching his jaw.
Sylus was right there beside him, kissing the top of his head in reassurance.
âI think itâs the best that you leave nowâŚâ he said, his voice low and threatening.
âI willâŚâ Astra mumbled, putting the bag back onto her shoulder, âBut⌠I still needed to rely one final piece of information to your little friendâ she said as she looked at Livia.
âIâll only listen if it has to do with the curseâ the woman said as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, making Astra snicker.
âIt does, in fact⌠but most of this youâve heard before if you were raised in a shamanic householdâ
âOut with it alreadyâ Sylus prompted, his voice raising.
He could see the woman frown and give him a dirty look, but aside from that, she finally went on her tangent:
âHave you heard of the red and silver strings of fate?â
Livia frowned, âYes I have⌠red one connects two people who are destined to be together in any way, shape or form⌠while the silver one showcases peopleâs connection to their past incarnationsâ
Astra nodded at the explanation, like a teacher satisfied with the studentâs result, âYou see⌠because Iâve lost all of my divinity over the course of a millennia and countless incarnations Iâve been through, I cannot remove the curse anymore⌠but if you sever any of those strings that tie them together, they will be free of this curseâ
âWait a momentâŚâ Zayne was the one to say as he raised his head, âWhat would all of that mean? What would be the consequences?â
Astraâs expression shifted ever so slightly as she looked at him, but she still responded with a heavy sigh:
âItâs hard to say⌠but my assumption would be something like this: in case you choose to sever the red string, youâd lose all affection for one another, which would automatically make the curse null and voidâŚ. Or, in case you choose to sever your silver strings, youâd lose all memories youâve shared in the past and even everything youâve been through together in the present lifeâŚâ
Sylus felt his heart drop in his stomach, the choice seeming almost impossible for either of them⌠but, at least now, they had time to think about it for a whileâŚ
âHow exactly do I sever those strings?â Livia asked, wonder very clear in her tone.
âYou need to enter the trance-like state while these two are sleeping in the same room or close to one another. Youâll gain the ability to see what is not in the real world, which will also manifest their red and silver strings. Then, you use your hand to sever itâŚâ
Livia scratched her chin, but Sylus could see the confidence oozing from her every pore.
âIâll need more detailed notes for the ritual⌠but I think it can be doneâ
Astra snickered, partially amused by her answer, âIâll deliver all of the notes to you as soon as I write them down⌠and that will be the last time you hear or see from meâ
âSounds good to meâ Sylus interjected whilst straightening his posture.
He could feel Zayneâs hand squeezing his, but he didnât waver in his next sentence, âIf I ever see you near me or Zayne again, Iâll make sure you end up six feet underâ
Astra chuckled and turned on her heel, âYou might not remember me anymore if we see each other⌠but I cannot do anything to you two anymore nor do I want to⌠Iâve had enough of this resentment, it had brought me nothing but misery and this sorrowful life as the creatures Iâve detested. But at least now, knowing both of you will finally live in the same time together, maybe means my own existence will become a little less miserableâŚâ
âI hope it does for your sakeâ Livia noted somewhat gently, only for her tone to deepen, âBut even if they end up forgetting you⌠I will be the one to remember⌠and if you try anything again, Iâll be the one to stop youâŚâ
Astra remained silent for a moment, only turning her head to the side to lock eyes with Livia.
âIâll keep that in mindâŚ.â
With those words, Astra walked out of the hospital room, leaving the feeling of dread and tension in her wake.
But, at least, all three could take a deep breath of relief.
âZayne, are you alright?â Sylus asked immediately, the doctor only being able to lie back down on the pillows.
âIâll beâŚâ he mumbled, âI donât think Iâll fall asleep any time soon after this encounterâŚâ
âDo you want me to call the nurse? Are you hungry?â Livia asked, concern completely overtaking her face.
The doctor chuckled silently, âIâm not⌠but you can go and get some hot chocolate from the cafeteria. I think theyâre still open at this hourâ
âIâll go immediately!â she said before dashing to the door, âSylus, do you want anything? You havenât eaten a lot after your checkupâŚâ
âBring whatever you can find⌠some cup noodles are maybe the best choiceâŚâ he mumbled, not taking his eyes of Zayne.
âIâll bring you three packs!â Livia announced before going through the door, leaving the two alone for a little while longer.
The silence that ensued was deafening, million thoughts running through Sylusâ head.
Who wouldâve thought even gods could face a punishment for their mishaps? He wasnât mourning Astra by any means, but seeing the god so miserable in a human body, it gave him a certain sense of wonder and thrill.
But the fact that same god didnât have their powers anymore posed yet another obstacle in front of Zayne and him⌠the one theyâll have to make a choice on how to finally get through.
âEven with Astra still in this world⌠we cannot pass this trial without heartbreakâŚâ Zayne said eventually, the hurt returning to his voice.
Sylus reached down to kiss his lips, hoping to relinquish him of at least some pain he was feeling, be it physical or mental.
âWe donât have to make a decision right awayâŚâ he reassured, âWe have our cards to play⌠and weâll make the best decision possibleâ
Zayne nodded, but Sylus didnât miss the discreet quiver of his lower lip.
âIf only⌠Iâve never started loving you this muchâŚâ he eventually blurted out, another warm tear running down his temple, âYou would live a long life, wouldnât suffer so many deaths over the course of a millennia⌠your soul wouldâve been freeâŚâ
Sylus could feel his own heart ache from every single word, but he refused to crumble, especially now when Zayne needed him.
With another kiss, the silver-head whispered, âI could have lived much longer in my first life⌠but that life wouldâve been meaningless without you⌠and now that we are together, I donât regret a single thing that happened to me⌠So, donât say such things anymoreâŚâ
âIâm sorryâŚâ Zayne mumbled, his calm demeanor completely crumbling, âEverything that had happened⌠I hate seeing you suffer⌠Iâm so sorry for saying that-â
Sylus shushed him and kissed his forehead, allowing his beloved to let all of those feelings out.
He was aware that Zayne probably wasnât himself due to painkillers, but even though his words stung deeply, Sylus couldnât bring himself to be angry with him.
Their punishment was unfair, their suffering was unjustified, all because one god couldnât accept their defeat and loss of a devout believer theyâve had for centuries.
Their suffering wasnât their fault⌠but now, they had the tools to finally overrule it, to finally be free from the grasp of their cruel destiny.
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Chapter 16 - You wonât be leaving this place alive, little dragon
Zayne was trained to remain calm in stressful situations, especially the ones where he had to anticipate a certain outcome in his field of work while everything seemed to work against him.
But this was no operation room nor was he wearing protective scrubs in order to do what he knew the best⌠this situation was slowly gnawing away at his sanity.
Trying to steady his bouncing foot, Zayne looked at the clock in Onychinusâ branch office in the middle of Linkon city, distant footsteps of organizationâs members outside in the hallway only making his anxiety even worse.
Itâs been almost three hours since Sylus had disappeared after his arrest⌠and not even Mephisto was able to find him.
Despite her own brush with death, Livia got down to business as soon as she pieced the situation together, and once Kieran was bailed out of jail with no particular charges attached; he could join in alongside Tara and Luke in order to find their boss.
Theyâve been locked up in the main office for almost an hour by that point, Zayne feeling hopeless in his inability to help them in any way.
Minutes continued to drag along, the doctor unable to sit for any longer, his stomach practically being in his throat. His footsteps echoed the mostly empty waiting room in front of the office, his heart pounding so hard it was the only sound he could hear in his ears.
How did it come to this? Why did it come to this?
Star Cult didnât seem like organization that would have any interest in either of them⌠at least, if one looked at the whole matter at the surface level.
For whatever reason, Zayne had a feeling their agenda was far more sinister than his initial idea, especially due to a fact that Livia was one of their targets.
Could Star Cult leaders⌠know about his and Sylusâ curse? Why would they be interested in it-
The clicking of the lock made Zayne jump and turn on his heel, Livia looking up at him with disgruntled expression and holographic notes floating above her wristwatch.
âAny luck?â he asked, his heart practically jumping out through his mouth.
Livia shook her head, eyebrows curling inwards, âWeâre not even close to finding himâŚâ a prolonged pause ensued, followed by a sigh before she walked up to Zayne, âBut I think we found the reason why they want both Sylus and youâŚâ
Zayne frowned, accepting Liviaâs wrist in his hand before looking at the notes written out before him.
As he skimmed through the text, he could feel his breath catching in his throat, a familiar sense of panic settling deep within his gut and making his blood run cold.
âA resurrection⌠of a god?â he mumbled, gulping loudly whilst trying to keep his composure.
He could see Livia nod in the corner of his eye as he scrolled further down, the tension only increasing as he looked for one specific name.
âLooks like they wish to resurrect-â
âAstraâ
The mere mention of that name caused Zayneâs entire body to erupt in chills, the images he didnât want to see ever again playing before his eyes like a long-forgotten movie.
Was this just another case of humans not knowing what theyâre truly dealing with? Why would anyone wish to resurrect an ancient god who has long since disappeared from this world?
And why did they have to get Sylus of all peopleâŚ
Trying to contain his anger, Zayne turned away from Livia, sharp breath escaping him as he barely held onto the last pieces of his sanity.
âWeâll keep searching for him, ZayneâŚâ the woman said softly, her hand on the doctorâs upper arm, âAnd if anything happens, Onychinus will make the whole cult payâ
âI knowâŚâ Zayne mumbled, the intense buzzing sound intense in his ears as his vision went in and out of focus, âI knowâŚâ
The silence prolonged, even the tweens poking their heads out of the office to check on the two of them.
But the moment of silence got interrupted by a familiar buzzing sound, Livia reaching down into her pocket to fetch her phone.
Her eyebrows lowered at the very next moment, Zayne noticing the callerâs ID was hidden.
A single look from Livia was all it took for Luke and Kieran to rush back to the computer stationed at the desk, Zayne presuming theyâll try to identify or locate the caller if they turn out to be Sylusâ kidnappers.
Only a few moments later, Livia picked up, giving a silent nod to the twins.
âWhoâs this?â her voice was resolute and clear, with no space for misunderstandings as she put the phone on the speaker.
There was a momentary pause on the other end, only for a female voice to rely a simple question: âAm I speaking to Miss Livia of Onychinus?â
Liviaâs eyes widened promptly, clearly recognizing the womanâs voice.
âYouâre⌠from the bakery this morning-â
âNo time for explanationsâ the woman had cut her off, her voice quiet yet determined, âDo you wish to help your boss or not?â
âYes, yes we do!â Livia insisted, both her and Zayne exchanging looks with the same train of thought coursing through their minds. Theyâll get their explanations once all of this was overâŚ
âWhere is he?â Zayne prompted the woman on the other line, a light gasp following suit.
âYouâreâŚâ the woman mumbled into the phone, but soon cleared her throat, âHead back south, away from N109 Zone. Youâll run into a massive property guarded by security. Heâs been held there. Just in case, Iâll leave my phone on the open call to make your search easierâ
âThank youâŚâ Livia mumbled, gesturing to Luke and Kieran to get ready for action, âYouâre aware youâll have to answer a couple of questions later, right?â
âIâm awareâ the woman said without any hesitation, âBut save those for later. Iâll come and find you when the time comesââŚ
The first thing Sylus became aware of as his consciousness started coming back was the immense headache that pounded in his head⌠and the fact he couldnât move too much at all.
His eyes shot open, heart pounding against his chest as he tried to raise his head, but to no avail. Something heavy was holding onto him, the clanking echoing through his head as he attempted to make any sort of movement, all in desperate and semi-delirious efforts to release himself.
But nothing worked, his hands suspended in the air with what seemed like a thick pair of chains. He could feel each link dig deep into the skin of his arms, the coldness and stench of metal only making him angrier the more his consciousness started returning.
He could feel the cold air brush up against his torso, only then realizing he was only wearing pants whilst the rest of his clothes have been discarded who knows where.
The last thing Sylus remembered was being apprehended by the police and very long waiting hours at the station⌠but everything beyond that point was a complete blur. What the hell happened?...
âAha, looks like the dragon is awake!â
Sylus stilled himself, listening carefully towards the source of the sound in the dimly-lit room.
It was a voice he didnât recognize, but the confidence in the tone only made his blood boil more.
Also⌠dragon? How in the-
âWho are you?...â Sylus demanded quietly, threatening aura radiating from him despite his constrained predicament.Â
A quiet giggle came from his right, prompting the man to slowly turn his head as much as he could⌠only to see a middle-aged man he had seen only a couple of times in the media.
He was a well-known preacher and leader of the Star Cult, their spokesperson and one of the most influential religious leaders in the current world. He was always wearing all-white suit with small golden details on usually shaped like stars, his ashy and short hair combed back in an n immaculate manner.
âI suppose my face now looks familiar to youâ he said, a perpetual polite smile constantly plastered over his face, âBut, do not fret. We wonât keep you in this position much longer, I promiseâ
Sylus had to chuckle, âYouâre right⌠mostly because youâre now on Onychinusâ shit listâ
The man chuckled at that sentence, slowly coming closer to the bound man only to bend ever so slightly in his waist. Despite his appearance, his movements were fast and snappy, grabbing onto Sylusâ chin and pulling his head up until their eyes intertwined.
âNot even your precious organization will be able to help you todayâ the manâs voice sounded more threatening as his smile widened, causing him to close his eyes almost completely, âYouâ wonât be leaving this place alive, little dragonâ
Sylus chuckled, trying to ignore a slight tinge of panic that had stabbed him in the chest whenever that man would call him by his previous title.
âI donât have to be alive for the entire N109 Zone to be breathing on your neckâ he mumbled, the grip on his chin only getting stronger, âDo you know how valuable your head will be to other organizations when they find out youâve put out a boss of Onychinus? None of your little followers will be safeâŚâ
The man remained speechless for a moment or two, only to start giggling in the very next moment.
The chuckle soon transformed into a deranged, loud laughter, causing the man to fall back and throw his head towards the ceiling.
âYou criminals wonât even exist anymore, you fool!â the older man exclaimed, giggles still prevalent as he tried to regain his composure, âOnce his Mighty Holiness Astra raises again, none of you scumbags will be allowed to live!â
A chill ran down Sylusâ spine at the mere mention of that name, his body moving quicker than he was able to process the motion.
He launched forward, the chains clanking above him as he growled, one of his old habits seemingly scaring the older man silly.
âYou will not utter that name in my presence, you deranged buffoonâŚâ Sylus threatened, for the first time in a while regretting not having his old wings and tail just to slap that man into next week.
The preacher, however, really seemed to enjoy the whole ordeal, slowly getting himself back on his feet and dusting himself off whilst still chuckling and giggling.
âNow, now, no need to be so angryâ he said, getting closer to Sylus once more, âOnce we find that Foreseer of yours, your days in his world will be outnumberedâ
Sylusâ heart dropped deeper into his stomach, only for his body to lunge forward in yet another attempt to grab his captor. The chains continued to squeeze and hold him in place, but not even intense pain and pressure could diminish his anger.
âIf you even lay a hand on him, I swear I will destroy youâŚâ he threatened, his tone dark with a growl in his undertone.
The man scoffed in response, bending down to grab Sylusâ face by the chin once again, âYouâre not in a position to make any threats, bastardâŚâ he hissed, his grin widening once more, âBut youâre in luck, heâd already left the hospital he works in. Looks like he was smart enough to flee when he had caught the wind of the situationâŚâ
Sylus closed his eyes, a momentary wave of relief washing over him. Thank goodness⌠mustâve been Luke or Livia who warned him-
âHow very sad for youâ the preacher continued to taunt him, squeezing Sylusâ face in his hand even more, âTo think your beloved would abandon you after waiting for you for so many years⌠looks like your love wasnât as strong as you thought, after allâŚâ
Sylusâ mind went blank, his instincts hijacking his consciousness for only a brief moment.
His head twitched whilst his neck moved slightly to the left, his mouth promptly slipping onto the preacherâs hand.
In the next moment, he sunk teeth into the manâs palm, hard enough to hear the tearing of flesh echo in his ear, the old man screaming in agony.
âLet go!â he demanded, trying to tear away his hand, but Sylus would rather lose his teeth than allow him to get away so easily.
He held onto the manâs hand, sinking his teeth deeper and deeper, his only regret in that moment being that he didnât have his dragonic fangs.
The preacher continued to scream loudly enough that two of his followers soon rushed into the room, having to physically pry Sylusâ mouth open in order to release him.
It was now silver-headâs turn to grin widely, the metallic taste of blood overtaking his mouth as he spat, the preacherâs entire palm bleeding profusely.
âMy love for him is none of your business, humanâ Sylus hissed at the man once again, clearly relishing in the asserted control of the situation, âAnd even if you proceed to do whatever you intended⌠I promise to find you in my next life. You and all of your associatesâŚâ
The preacher went pale for a moment, but promptly regained composure, the sweat breaking on the sides of his face as he tried to mask the tremendous pain he was in.
âOnce your heart is taken out and offered to the Almighty Astra, your spirit will never again be rebornâŚâ he said in one final moment before turning around and walking out of the mostly empty room Sylus was held in.
Once alone, the silver-head allowed himself to slump over and sigh deeply, million thoughts and scenarios running through his head.
How did he even allow something like this to happen? Was he too dazed by the bliss Zayne had given him? Now he had jeopardized not only Onychinus, but Zayneâs very existence in this world.
How could you be so stupid, Syl-
The sudden loud howling echoed the entire building, reminding the silver-head of alarm sirens.
He looked up, noticing the red lights flickering outside of his prison. Now what?...
âDo you have a gun?â Livia asked as the car pulled up to the massive driveway covered in gravel, many units of Onychinus already infiltrating the villa they have managed to find thanks to that mysterious womanâs help.
Zayne reached under his coat and felt the small gun in the holster, only giving the woman beside him a small nod in response.
Livia smiled briefly before turning her head towards tinted window.
Commotion outside was chaotic, men covered from head to toe in protective clothing and with masks and helmets on their heads wielding long barrels as they entered through every entrance imaginable, distant shouts of shock and echoes of gunshots reverberating all around them.
Zayne looked outside from behind Livia, knowing that even with this much manpower; itâll be a grueling task to look for Sylus in such a huge property.
Considering Star Cultâs influence and the amount of money they had, he wouldnât be surprised if they even had secret passages under the mansion. They needed to act as quickly as possibleâŚ. But until his whereabouts were at least guesstimated, Livia and Zayne were not to leave the car.
The radio in Liviaâs hand suddenly made a noise, making the duo look down.
âWhatâs the situation?â the woman spoke into the device, Lukeâs voice promptly answering from the other side:
âWeâre having visual on every single room on both floors, but heâs nowhere to be foundâ more crinkling interrupted his report, but once the signal cleared up, he continued, âKieran is taking the squad to the underground level. Itâs most likely heâs thereâ
âIâll contact him. Thanks, Lukeâ Livia said briefly before looking for Kieranâs channel, Zayne having to exhale slowly so his heart wouldnât burst.
âI hate thisâŚâ he mumbled eventually, the woman raising her head to look at him.
âI knowâŚâ she mumbled, patting him on the shoulder, âBut weâre so close. Thereâs no chance theyâll slip away that easily.â
Zayne had to snicker, bitterness impossible to conceal, âTheyâve managed to snatch him in a blink of an eye⌠from a police station. Iâm convinced they could do even worse if we miss the timingâŚâ
A long pause ensued between the duo, Zayne biting down on his lip as a last ditch effort to keep his composure.
âYou knowâŚâ Livia eventually said, a small smile dancing on her lips, âThey may have snatched him right before policeâs nose⌠but do you really think Linkon police will look past this embarrassment? The Star Cult made fools out of them by infiltrating their own ranksâŚâ
Zayne frowned, looking down at her. He knew what she was implying⌠but how could she be so sure police would be of any help?
UnlessâŚâHas Tara spoken to Captain Jenna? â the doctor asked, the corners of his lips twitching.
Liviaâs own smile widened, mischief and purpose clear in every part of her expression, âThis was exactly what they needed in order to step on the cultâs tail, a breakthrough in the caseâŚ. So yes, I do believe their days are numbered⌠we just need to make sure Sylus comes out of this unharmedâ
Zayne could feel a small tinge of relief blooming in his chest, his body now burning with anticipation and need for movement.
In that very moment the radio made a sound again, Kieranâs voice coming through loudly and frantically,
âLiv, weâve gone through every damn nook and cranny of the basement areaâŚ. But heâs not hereâŚâ
Both Zayne and Livia froze for a moment, the womanâs voice more commanding than usual:
âDid you find any possible exit point? Any leads as to where they couldâve gone?â
âWeâre searching right now⌠but we did find a room where he was probably held⌠there are chains hanging from the ceilingâ
Zayne could feel his chest tighten, the man having to grit his teeth in order not to shout into the device.
âOh, helloâŚâ Kieranâs voice sounded triumphant all of a sudden, putting the pair in the car on edge.
âWhat did you find, Kieran!?â Livia demanded, her hand resting on her own gun that was strapped to her side.
âThere is, in fact a secret tunnel right at the other side of this room⌠looks like they left in a rush and didnât close it properlyâ
âWhatâs the direction of the hole?â Zayne was the one to ask, already undoing his seatbelt.
âIâd sayâŚ. North-east, other direction as to where we enteredâ
âHead down the tunnel with your boys, Kieran, Iâll have someone meet you on the other sideâ Livia commanded, âIf the police shows up, donât come to the surfaceâ
âGotcha!â Kieran answered briefly before the line went dead.
Zayne didnât even allow Livia to react, already stepping into the driverâs seat. The keys were still in the ignition, the doctor using the moment of surprise to start the car and drive down the gravel path.
âWhat are you doing, Zayne!?â Livia asked in a panicky, voice, but didnât try to stop him, Zayneâs voice shaky and tense as he said:
âIâll be the bait for them if we find them; theyâve already looked for me at Akso so itâs obvious Iâm their second sacrificeâŚâ
The woman was silent for a moment, her voice quieter as she said, âZayne, I canât allow you to get hurt, this is dangerous-â
âAs long as youâre near us⌠nothing will happenâ Zayne reminded her, the two sharing a brief but knowing glances in the rear-view mirror.
Hesitantly, Livia nodded and fastened her seatbelt tighter, allowing Zayne to drive them into the forest, in the direction of north-east.
The drive was bumpy and quick, but the doctor felt as if the time went on painfully slow, every movement in the bushes or behind trees potentially being what he was looking for.
âZayne, look!â Livia suddenly exclaimed, pointing at something up ahead.
The doctor had to focus his vision, only noticing a small black creature floating in the air amongst the trees a few moments later.
âMephistoâŚâ he mumbled, fishing the phone out of his coatâs pocket and tossing it to Livia in the back, âGive him the order. It says âFind Sylusââ
The woman didnât waste any time, using already unlocked phone to program the mechanical bird to perform its order.
Even through closed car windows, both of them could hear loud cawing, Mephisto soon flying further into the tree line and prompting the car to follow.
Zayne could feel his heart pounding as the sweat broke onto his skin, his hands gripping the wheel so tightly he was convinced heâll break his fingers in the process.
But after what seemed like an eternity, a massive white car came into view⌠and so did four tall figures standing beside it.
âHideâ Zayne commanded Livia, the woman ducking behind the seat in the very next moment.
Their car came to a stop suddenly, tossing dirt and pebbles all around and alerting the group.
Only then did Zayne finally see Sylusâ form, his blood freezing over in his veins at the sight.
He was wearing nothing but dirty black pants that were thorn in places, his body filled with scratches and bruises all over. His hair was disheveled, mouth dirtied with dried blood and his hands suspended behind his back.
Zayneâs eyebrow twitched because of one particular detail, taking everything in him not to jump out of the car and kill all of those men: there was a marker trail in the middle of his chest, similar one heâd draw before his surgeries.
That was the place theyâd probably make an incision for the ritualâŚ
His eyes, however, were still focused, looking directly into the car that had just arrived.
Even if he had recognized it, he hadnât let it be known.
âWho goes there!?â one of the men exclaimed, aiming a shotgun at the car.
Itâs now or neverâŚ
Zayne slowly unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door of the car, both of his hands high up in the air as he slowly exited the vehicle. His eyes locked with Sylusâ immediately, the doctor clearly seeing his loverâs eyes widening for only a moment.
But it was not Sylus who had spoken first; it was the middle-aged man behind him, the figure exiting the white car as he clasped his two hands in front of his chest. Zayne could see his left hand was wrapped in bandages, fresh blood still breaking throughâŚ
âFor the love of Mighty Astra, I didnât believe Iâd have this much luckâ he said, the name causing yet another wave of chills to run down Zayneâs spine.
The doctor then snickered, trying to remain as calm as possible. âIâve heard youâre looking for me⌠so I have saved you the troubleâŚâ
The middle-aged man started laughing, the sound resonating through the trees as his followers did the same, their long barrels still directed at Zayneâs chest.
âAs much as I appreciate your generous offerâŚâ the man eventually said, delight very clear in his voice, âI hope you donât think weâd fall for your bluff, right?â
Zayne gulped, trying to appear nonchalant by tilting his head slightly to the right, âWhat bluff?â
âDonât play with meâŚâ the preacher growled back at him, pulling onto Sylusâ restraints and putting a knife against his neck.
The silver-head didnât even react, but it did cause Zayne to wince and make one step forward, this small movement only making other cult members more anxious.
âI know you have someone in that car and that youâre being followed by Onychinusâ dogsâŚâ the man mumbled, his face distorting in the deranged grin, âBut Iâm sure we could strike a deal that would benefit all of usâŚâ
Zayne bit his lip, âWhat are you suggesting?â
The preacher chuckled, pressing the knife into the skin of Sylusâ neck just enough to let a single droplet of blood to slither down.
âGet rid of all devices you have on hand⌠and kill the person in the car with youâ the man demanded, âYouâll then head back with us, and weâll conduct a proper ritual for our godâs resurrectionâ
Zayne closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths⌠but he wasnât scared.
It was finally time to end all of this⌠but he needed to buy just a little more time.
âBefore I fulfill your request⌠may I ask you something?â
The older man frowned, ââŚGo aheadâ
âWhy do you want to resurrect Astra so badly?â
The preacher chuckled once again, all of his followers doing the same right after, the manâs voice even more resolute as he answered:
âWhy, you ask!? Because this world has fallen into ruin and debauchery! It is the collapse of our society that is causing all environmental mishaps that have occurred in the past century, and on top of it all, humans have forgotten the power of a true faith! And if we resurrect the Mighty Astra⌠heâll take care of the new world order, putting all of humanity in itsâ place-â
âHe wonâtâ Zayne blurted out, his tone loud and determined.
âWhat did you say!? How do you know-â
âI was a Foreseer chosen by Astra, remember?â the doctor reminded, âOr has that information escaped your little research when you were looking for the two of us?â
The preacherâ frowned, his expression growing angrier as he yanked onto Sylusâ restraints, a few more droplets of blood dripping down his neck.
âZayne, donâtâŚâ the silver-head pleaded, the doctor almost losing his composure in that very moment.
But he couldnât stop now⌠âAstra doesnât care about humanity or fixing it. His only concern have always been the worshipping gifts he was receiving in exchange for his favor, and humans who were born with exceptional gifts he could claim as his own property. Iâve been shackled by him for centuries, and believe me⌠he will not help youâŚâ
The clicking of guns made Zayne tense up, the preacherâs eyes so wide his irises were completely surrounded by whiteness.
âThis is a new era, a new world⌠and you will just be another discarded human needed to resurrect his Holiness-â
A loud cawing suddenly interrupted his speech, causing everyone to look up⌠only for Sylus to snatch himself away from his captorâs grasp and use both of his legs to wrap himself around the preacherâs neck.
Zayne gasped, his hands instantly grabbing his concealed gun, the first gunshot echoing the quiet woods.
One of the cult members fell down, half of his head gone, causing the other three to momentarily fall into disarray.
Yet another gunshot echoed, the sound coming from the direction of the black car, but Zayneâs vision was too focused on Sylus and how to keep him from getting shot in order to see anything else⌠including the guy that pointed a shotgun at him.
As a louder shot reverberated in the air, Zayne was thrown away by the sheer force of the impact, landing directly onto the cold ground with a thud.
His head was spinning and pulsing with immense pain, the sound of many more gunshots and yelling soon filling up his ears. He heard myriad of heavy footsteps and threatening orders as well as police sirens in the distance, clearly recognizing voices of the twins a little further away.
But thatâs when the pain had hit him, his hand instinctively covering the left side of his torso, right under the ribs-
Where⌠was Sylus? Was he safe-
âZayne!â finally, a familiar voice echoed in the doctorâs ear, causing him to smile faintly as he turned his head to the left. His vision blurred in that very moment, two warm tears rolling down his temples.
âSylusâŚâ he mumbled as the silver-head ran up to him and kneeled down, his strong hands slowly scooping him up into his embrace.
âWhere were you shot!? Tell me!â Sylus demanded; panic so clear on his face and in the desperate glint of those familiar red eyes.
But all Zayne could do was chuckle, raising his other hand to caress his loverâs dirtied face.
âLeft side⌠where my hand isâŚâ he directed, Sylus immediately removing his coat and looking at the hole made by a bullet.
âYou⌠whereâs the blood?...â he mumbled, raising Zayneâs shirt to have a better look⌠only to sigh with relief at a sight of a shotgun bulletproof vest.
Zayne chuckled faintly, every little movement causing him pain.
But⌠he was alive⌠and so was SylusâŚ
âYou really think⌠Livia would let me come with her⌠without proper protection?â
It was Sylus who started giggling this time around, his expression relaxing in relief as he lowered his head down to kiss every inch of Zayneâs face.
âThank goodnessâŚ. Thank to whoever is above in heavensâŚâ he mumbled, his voice breaking in a way Zayne had never heard before.
His other hand embraced Sylus tighter, even more tears rolling down his temples as they both allowed their feelings to overflow them.
Their ordeal maybe wasnât overâŚ. But they managed to survive.
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Chapter 15 - He's in danger!
âDr. Zayne, call for youâ the lead nurse on cardiology ward called out, the doctor frowning while still wearing his surgery scrubs.
âAbout a patient from the ER?â he asked, accepting the phone over the counter.
Nurse shook her head, her tone calm but cautious, âItâs private. Apparently itâs an emergency. Has any of your family been in town?â
âNoâŚâ Zayne mumbled before bringing the phone to his ear, his heart jumping to his throat, âDr. Zayne Li speaking, how may I help you?â
âDoc! Thank fuck you picked up! Been calling for ages!â a familiar male voice responded from the other line, Zayne immediately recognizing him as one of the twins.
âLuke?â he called, turning away from the nurseâs counter, âWhatâs the matter? Is Sylus okay? Livia?â
A long pause on the other end didnât give Zayne any reassurance, but before he could prompt Luke any further, the man sighed:
âWell⌠some shit had hit the fan about two hours agoâ he explained, âBoss has been arrested under the charges of smuggling weapons and gadgets into the country, but thatâs not our main concern. Livia has been kidnappedâ
Zayne was rendered speechless for a moment, squeezing the phone so strongly the plastic started cracking in his hand.
âIâll call you in a minute, I canât speak nowâ
âGot itâ Luke said briefly, âGot your burner phone close?â
âYeahâ Zayne mumbled before hanging up, handing the phone back to the nurse.
âEverything alright, Dr. Zayne?â
âNoâŚâ he answered honestly, his heart pounding against his ribs, âBut Iâll get more information stat. If I have to leave, Iâll page youâ
With the message conveyed, Zayne practically ran back to his office, going straight for his desk and fishing out another phone he got from Sylus a while back.
In it, he had numbers of all important people in Onychinus, specifically the ones Sylus trusted the most or had a long time of working together.
He found Lukeâs number and dialed him immediately, his body slowly getting colder despite sweat breaking on the surface of his skin.
âWhat happened to Livia?â was the first thing he asked, not even allowing Luke to greet him.
âShe was taken from a bakery in her block this morning, little Tara was with her. Sheâs fine, but from what she said, these people apparently came for Livia specifically. They were wielding shotguns and wore masks to conceal their identityâ
âDamn itâŚâ Zayne cursed, âI know itâs a stupid question, but does Sylus have enemies as of recently?â
âMany of themâ Luke immediately answered, âBut many thugs and groups in N109 zone already know itâs not a smart thing to abduct someone close to Sylus. Weâve been through this a few years back, and boss-man literally made it rain blood in the zoneâ
âInterestingâŚâ the doctor mumbled, looking through a window of his office, âYou think these are outsiders? From Linkon City or somewhere further?â
âCould be, but thatâs not why I called you, docâ Luke relied, his voice getting quieter and more serious, âSince we have no idea what weâre dealing with just yet, I want you to lay low for a few days, just in case these bastards come for you as wellâ
Zayne gripped the phone, his voice coming out low and threatening, âWas that one of directives Sylus gave you?â
Luke hesitated with his answer for a moment, his voice stuttering, âY-yes, but itâs the best course of action! We have no idea how dangerous these bastards are!â
âI understandâŚâ the doctor sighed, countless scenarios coursing through his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose, âIâll take your advice, but⌠do you have any clues on where Livia could be? She mentioned once that she has a tracker on her necklaceâŚâ
âUh, about thatâŚâ Luke stuttered out again, âTara started following the signal pretty much immediately after the abduction, but⌠she had completely lost the signal about twenty minutes agoâŚâ
ââŚ.Damn itâ Zayne muttered, trying not to resort to profanity even though he really wanted to, âWhere did she lose the signal?â
âNortheast from the city, towards the-â
âMountainsâŚâ the doctor finished Lukeâs sentence, remembering the path they took whilst going to their weekend vacation three months ago.
The area was vast and filled with dense forests, only a single road paved in the middle of it. If they wanted to find Livia, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
But⌠they still had options.
âLuke, do you know where Mephisto is?â
âBoss-manâs crow?â the man on the other line asked as if in disbelief, âNot a clue, that thing is always flying around and only the boss has a code for its OS. No one can really make it do errands like boss can, but⌠ya know, boss-man is currently in police custodyâ
Zayne snickered in spite of anxiety, âIâll call for Mephisto in a moment. Do you know what heâs capable of?â
Luke paused on the other line, âYouâve got the code!?â
âSylus gave it to me in case of an emergency. He said Mephisto is very hard to get noticed when itâs on a spy missionâ
âUh⌠w-wellâ the man stuttered again, âAside from showing the image of what it sees, I think it can also track signal, but more efficiently because it can fly around⌠wait, are you planning to use it to find Livia!?â
âItâs worth the tryâ Zayne retorted, looking out the window, âIâll reprogram Mephisto but Iâm not the type of person who knows a lot about hacking and operative systems. Someone needs to help me navigate itâ
âIâll come pick you up right away! Iâll take little Tara with me, sheâs our main tech genius when boss-man is not aroundâ
âDo soâ the doctor said briefly, âIâll see you in half an hour in front of Aksoâ
âRoger!â
Once he hung up, Zayne promptly changed out of his scrubs into his regular outfit, letting the head nurse know that heâll be out for the day due to a family emergency. After arranging his future shifts, the doctor took off, only taking his laptop, burner phone and a gun Sylus gave him months ago.
Million thoughts rushed through his head as he walked the hallways of the hospital, so many things happening at once couldnât have been a coincidence.
Zayne didnât want to draw any conclusions just yet, but he had a sneaking suspicion of who couldâve been behind it all.
He will think about it once Livia was safe and sound and Sylus was bailed out. They have no evidence against him, after allâŚ
The moment he stepped out of the hospital, a familiar black car with tinted windows pulled up in front of him, the door opening for him on their own.
âGet in, doc! We got a job to do!â
â â˘â â°âââ˝ŕźâžâââąâ â˘â
From the moment she was taken, Livia couldnât see anything in front of her, her captors blindfolding her the second she was pulled out of the bakery at gunpoint.
She implemented every single lesson Sylus and twins had given her when she joined Onychinus, counting every turn the car made and taking in every noise and smell around her.
Still, it seemed they had guessed that sheâd have some sort of tracker on her, considering who her boss was.
Thus, preemptively, they checked every piece of clothing she wore, eventually discarding the necklace she was wearing, presumably tossing it through a car window.
But not even that made Livia scared for her life. Sylus had his ways and had found people who were in an even worse predicament than her.
Additionally, she had one more glimmer of hope in the whole situation: it was most likely that these people werenât meant to kill her.
The fact that they were protecting their identities from her, and that they didnât speak much to her, it seemed like a paid job, something Livia had seen countless times in her line of work.
However, that didnât mean that she was completely out of dangerâŚ
Livia took a deep breath, the smell of mold and wet metal still very present in the air. She moved her feet slightly, the echo her tiny steps created telling her she was in a mostly empty, but small room. The edges of her blindfold were dark, leading her to the realization that she was probably in a very dark place.
Her hands were bound behind her back and against the metal chair, her feet had very little wiggle room and her mouth was sealed with a duct tape, barely leaving her any room to breathe properly.
But the worst part about it all was the fact that she didnât know where any of her captors were. She didnât even know how many of them were outside of that room⌠or inside with her.
Still, Livia refused to panic.
She didnât stop counting minutes, allowing her brain to focus on something else aside from fear and anxiety.
Exactly two hours has elapsed.
They mustâve really hidden her well, giving even Sylus a bit of a hard time while finding her.
Donât panic⌠you will be fine, like all other times. Sylus wonât leave you to rot in here-
But⌠why was she abducted in the first place?
Everyone in N109 Zone knew that Sylus had a particular liking for torturing anyone who even dared to touch people important to him, soâŚ. These guys mustâve been outsiders.
And why her?
Did they mistake her for Sylusâ lover?... or was this about something else entirelyâŚ
Livia took another deep breath, slowly trying to wiggle her hands from the zip tie, the plastic cutting into the skin of her wrist.
If someone was in the room with her, they wouldâve noticed. She must be completely alone-
âHow long will we have to keep her here?â a voice came loud and clear from her left, the echo making it seem as if the sound was carried through the ventilation system.
Livia slowed down her breathing, making sure not to make a single sound as she tried to listen in.
Another voice soon said, âNo idea. We wait for a callâ
âCanât we just kill her? It would be easier-â
âHis Excellency said absolutely notâ the other voice sounded stern, yet somewhat jittery, âOnly two sacrifices are needed for the Great Oneâs awakening, we will not be killing innocent people if not necessary. And this time, we just need to keep the girl away for a whileâ
Livia frowned under the blindfold.
Keep her away? Who is âHis Excellencyâ? Sacrifice!?
What in the world was-
âIâve heard theyâve already apprehended one of the sacrificesâ the first voice sounded fainter, but still somewhat intelligible, âTheyâre looking for the second one, it seems like heâs dropped off the face of the Earth about an hour agoâ
Uh oh, Livia thought, a sense of terror dawning on her mind.Â
It was about Zayne and Sylus.
She had no idea how she came to that conclusion⌠but it had to be that, she could feel it in her gut.
And her gut was never wrong beforeâŚ
With a new sense of panic settling inside her, Livia tried to think of a way to release herself.
She had no idea to whom of the two those guards were referring to, but no matter who was captured it could end badly⌠especially because she wasnât around.
A second realization hit Livia like a tidal wave.
Theyâve captured her⌠so they could put Sylus and Zayne in the close proximity to one another, so that the curse would ensure their deathsâŚ.
But⌠how did they know she was the factor that prevented the curse? Was this even about the curse? Why would they be interested in âsacrificesâ?...
Liviaâs thoughts were running rampant, her hands pulling on the zip tie as if she could break it with the sheer strength of her will.
She needed to get to the bottom of this, because if this is what she thinks it is, there is much more at stake than her own life-
Livia stopped moving for a moment; her ears picking up on a strange sound of something small and hard hitting the metal roof.
Initially she thought she had imagined it, but the sound repeated itself, now sounding even closer to her left.
Soon then after, a familiar caw traveled through the air.
Mephisto!
âMmmmbgh!!â she tried to say, her lips still closed shut by the tape. Another caw followed, alongside with flapping of the wings.
They found her. Onlychinus will be there any minute now-
Without even being able to finish that thought, the array of shouting and gunshots started echoing outside the room she was held in.
Livia fully leaned into her attempt to get at least some of her restraints off while also making all sorts of faces just so the blindfold or tape would finally loosen up enough for her to speak or see where she was.
The commotion was getting closer; the sounds of an automatic rifle reverberating off the walls and ceiling even though she was secure behind the closed doors.
Livia heard many screams and cries for help, but at least not a single one sounded familiar.
âGet the girl!â the first voice from before shouted, âIf they want to get rid of us, sheâs going down to-â
His command was promptly interrupted with a loud shot and a gurgling sound, Livia assuming someone managed to shoot him.
For a brief moment, all Livia could feel was primal, uncovered fear, her entire body trembling as she was trying to find the strength to release herself.
But the moment those doors opened with a bang, Livia believed sheâll actually pass out from panic.
âLivia!â Lukeâs voice almost made her cry, her head instinctively turning towards the source of the sound.
The man quickly undid all of her restraints, Livia leaping to hug him the moment she was able to see him.
âWhoa, girl, are you okay?â he asked, returning the gesture and helping her back on her feet.
âIâm fineâŚâ Livia barely uttered, her breath shallow and her eyes watering, relief washing all over her, âI got a little banged up, but they didnât touch meâŚâ
âThatâs goodâŚâ Luke mumbled, still not convinced she wasnât injured, âWe donât have time to get you to the hospital, but doc is with us so he can take a quick look at you-â
âD-doc?â Livia stuttered, her vision slowly coming back to normal, âYou mean, Zayneâs with you!?â
âYeah, him!â Luke announced, helping Livia to get stable on her feet, âBoss was arrested about two hours ago and we all suspect your kidnapping is also tied to that. Weâre heading back to Linkon to bail him out nowâ
Liviaâs blood ran cold the moment Luke said those words.
âWe need to get him out now!â she exclaimed, pulling Luke towards the exit.
âI just said weâll do that-â
âYou donât understand, Luke!â Livia yelled back, her voice shaky and hoarse, âHeâs in danger! These people⌠theyâre the Star Cult!â
â â˘â â°âââ˝ŕźâžâââąâ â˘â
This was getting ridiculous.
When he was taken into police custody in the past, Sylus never had to wait as long as now to get the permission to speak to his lawyer. It was always a standard procedure during his arrest, and on a good day, heâd be out of the station in two hours tops.
Today, he was alone in the interrogation room for two hours.
Sylus had to chuckle at the whole situation, police probably scrambling to build any type of case against him.
If it was any other circumstance, heâd implement one of his tactics to intimidate people who were to interrogate him, but for the sake of Onychinus, he didnât want to give police anything to work with. Not even a parking ticket or a small misdemeanor of any kind.
Are they trying to make me crack in isolation?, Sylus thought, snickering at the mere idea of it.
Heâd been through worse. Being isolated for hours is hardly something that would make him crack-
The doors to the interrogation room finally opened with a loud band, Sylus not even budging as he leaned even more back on his chair.
âYou finally decided to grace me with your presence, detective?â he said in a mocking tone, the gruff-looking middle-aged man not even raising his eyes from the files he was holding.
He didnât speak for a while, occasionally letting out a low hum before sitting across from Sylus, âThis is your thirteenth visit from what I can seeâ
Sylus snickered, âIndeed. But I bet you can also see that all charges against me have been dropped. The same will happen this time if you allow me to call my attorneyâ
âDonât count on thatâ the man finally looked up, throwing a stack of papers on the table, âMay I ask you a few questions?â
Sylus didnât respond, his signature smirk very obvious on his lips before he briefly stated, âNot without my attorneyâ
The detective stared at him for an uncomfortable amount of time, but the silver-head didnât even acknowledge him.
Lawfully, the guy couldnât get a single answer from him, especially after not allowing him to phone his lawyer in more than two hours. Sylus could stay quiet; it will be nice to spare his own voice-
âDo you know anything about the whereabouts of Dr. Zayne Li?â
Sylus froze for a moment, his eyes widening.
He looked at the detective, but didnât open his mouth. What⌠does Zayne got to do with this?
Has⌠has he been taken, too!?
The detective chuckled, smirk filled with malice, âAh, so you do know who Iâm talking aboutâ
Sylus tried to bite his tongue, knowing that saying anything in that moment could serve the police as evidence for whatever kind of case they were trying to build, but he couldnât hold out.
âWhat do you know about him?â Sylus questioned, his voice low and threatening.
The detective seemed stunned for a moment, but soon started chuckling then full-on laughing to his face, getting back on his feet as he covered his eyes in his fit.
âLooks like that girl truly was the remedy for your curse, after allâ
Sylus could feel his vision go blank for a moment, knowing exactly what the bastard was talking about.
How in the hell did a police officer know about him and Zayne-
âŚOh shit-
Sylus jumped up from his seat, but the moment the chair he was sitting on hit the floor, an intense and stinging pain hit the back of his neck. Instinctively, Sylus reached behind himself⌠only to pull out a tranquilizing dart.
His vision went blurry immediately, his knees weakening so quickly he tumbled onto the table. Not even his hands were able to keep him steady, his body eventually giving up completely as he slid off the table and onto the floor.
Vision became blurry in the next few moments, the light in the room so bright it irritated him. He could see a few people new people approach him from the corner of his eyes, but his consciousness was slipping quickly.
Zayne⌠I hope youâre safeâŚ
â â˘â â°âââ˝ŕźâžâââąâ â˘â
I'm very late but this time it's a medical reason! While on the beach during weekend, I somehow busted my left shoulder. I'm fine, nothing's broken but I was in pain for a day or two so writing was a bit difficult lol
If you wish to become a part of the tag list, refer here!
Click HERE to read on AO3!
ENJOY!
Chapter 14 - Both of you need to leave this place. Now.
Zayne held his hand up firm, ready for Sylus' punch to land on one of sparring mitts.
He didnât have to wait long, Sylusâ movements fluid and quick Zayne was barely able to see them. His hands delivered strong punches, all increasing in force as he continued, finishing off with a final and high kick of his foot.
Both men stepped away from one another, their breaths shallow and beads of sweat rolling down the sides of their faces.
âAnd that is 200 punches in less than five minutesâ Zayne announced as he took the mitts off, âA new recordâ
Sylus raised his eyebrow playfully, also removing his gloves and throwing them on the tatami mat under them, âYou were counting without a timer?â
It was Zayneâs time to show a mischievous smile, âImpressed?â
The silver-head chuckled, approaching Zayne silently before embracing him around the waist and pulling him in for a kiss. The doctor complied, his heart immediately flipping inside his chest.
âIâm always impressed by youâ Sylus mumbled before kissing Zayne in the corner of his mouth, a gesture that promised even more touches and embraces later on.
It was a very early morning in Linkon City, the two lovers finally finding some time to work out together while their schedules intertwined. Zayne was just about to head home after his overnight shift at Akso while Sylus had some business to attend to in the city before also going home.
And yet, these early hours of the morning, when no one was around even when they were in a public place, and they could spend as much time as they want near each other, Zayne believed he could truly work this into his regular routine.
He knew Sylus would readjust his schedule for him, but that was something he tried to avoid at any cost. Theyâve been through that conversation many times in the past couple of months, and if Zayne hated anything, it was to be in the way of Sylusâ work.
Even if that work involved some shady deals and late night business meetingsâŚ
âWill you be doing your pull-ups now?â Sylus questioned, finally letting go of Zayne, âOr are you too tired?â
The doctor shook his head, already leading the way towards the pull-up bar at the other end of the gym, âThatâs something I have to do. Would you count for me?â
Sylus snickered, following him closely behind, âYou donât even need to askâ
The two soon reached their destination, Zayne grabbing the bar and stretching before pulling up the whole weight of his body. Sylus started counting slowly, the doctor very aware of the otherâs hands hovering on the sides of his body.
As he continued with his exercise, Zayneâs brain suddenly decided to reminisce about the past couple of months theyâve spent together.
Aside from some outlandish and ridiculously expensive trips, Sylus and he still had those quiet moments together, particularly when theyâd meet up without a plan.
Having coffee after Zayneâs long shift at work, Sylus bringing him macarons or cookies whenever he had work to do close to Akso, the two of them going on a night ride⌠but, of course, these quiet date had one major setback.
If Zayne hated one thing, it was inconveniencing Livia.
Each and every time Sylus and he met up, be it a planned date or a spur of a moment thing, Livia was always right behind her boss, no matter the time of the day.
She never complained or interrupted their time together, but Zayne could clearly see that at times, she wanted to be anywhere else but following the two of them around.
Even now, while they were working out, she was in the lobby on the same floor, doing work even though Sylus had promised to give her two days off after this workout session.
To top that off, Sylus and Livia have constantly been researching ways for them to finally break Astraâs curse, but to no avail. All records of Astra have disappeared more than three centuries ago, and a lot of written words, rituals and spells used in his worship have been lost or disappeared without a trace, making their search that much more difficult. Not even Sylusâ connections could help themâŚ
They did find out about one thing though: apparently, in the past decade or so, there is an occasional resurgence of so called âStar Cultâ which is said to worship a powerful ancient god.
Zayne didnât know the details, but from what he heard from both Sylus and Livia, they could be referring to Astra, at least from what Liviaâs web research showed.
Livia insisted that sheâll dig even deeper to find more answers, but for whatever reason, Zayne had a bad feeling about the whole situation, especially if the said cult was as secretive as she statedâŚ
âYouâre almost at a hundred pull-upsâ Sylus reminded, the doctor only then becoming aware of immense pressure and exhaustion that started coursing through his body.
With his arms heavy and breath shallow, Zayne pulled through hid final pull-ups, barely managing to hold himself up as he slowly lowered his feet to the ground.
He was sweaty all over, his heart pounding like crazy and his lungs burning, but it all seemed to evaporate as familiar arms wrapped around his waist.
âGood jobâ Sylus whispered in his ear from behind, kissing him on the cheek with vigor.
All Zayne could do was smile and lean into the otherâs embrace, still unable to get his breathing under control.
In the corner of his eye, the doctor noticed the light coming through the side windows, announcing the arrival of a new day. It meant that people will soon start pouring in; especially those who wanted to complete their workout before heading to their 9 to 5.
It was time for the two of them to leave.
After a brief chatter and a quick kiss on the lips, the couple picked up their belongings and headed towards the changing rooms, Zayneâs workout clothes soaked in sweat and sticking to his abdomen.
He could hear Sylus chuckle beside him, âThat white shirt leaves very little to imaginationâ
As the heat overtook his face, Zayne had the urge to cover himself, but had instead chuckled back, trying to sound as casual as possible, âItâs not like you havenât seen my bare chest beforeâ
âI didâ Sylus purred, the two of them stopping at the changing roomâs doorway as the silver-head locked their eyes together, âThat doesnât mean Iâm tired of looking at them⌠or touching themâŚâ
Zayne had to gulp, allowing his lover to raise his chin and plant yet another soft kiss on his yearning lips. There was no force behind that brief contact, but the doctor could still feel the tremble in Sylusâ touch, pining and desire practically radiating from him.
He had to give inâŚ
âHow aboutâŚâ Zayne mumbled into his belovedâs lips, ââŚwe take a shower together?â
Sylusâ eyes widened for only a moment, a seductive smile spreading across his lips, âI thought youâd never askâŚâ
It didnât take long for the two of them to deepen their kiss, Sylus being the one to pull them inside the changing room while Zayne slammed the door behind them.
This wasnât their first time to do this and it certainly wonât be the last.
And even though Zayne liked to think of himself as a polite and decent person, the fact that someone could walk into the changing room whilst they shared the shower elicited a strange sting of thrill in him.
Thus, he gave up on his modesty, allowing Sylus to slowly peel off his workout clothes as they slowly walked towards the showering area.
Because what was the better end of a stressful shift then being loved so intensely by a man he would give his life for?...
âHere you go, loveâ Tara mumbled as she brought two sets of plates onto the table, Livia barely able to keep her head up despite already drinking most of her latte.
She blinked and looked up at her girlfriend, not understanding how someone could look so cute and radiant that early in the morning.
After handling everything she had with Zayne and Sylus, Livia was finally able to go home for her two days off from work. Coincidentally, Tara also got two days off, Livia only imagining it was Sylusâ way of apologizing for making her stay about an hour longer than she should have.
And she knew exactly why she stayed that long.
But, at least, sheâll be able to sleep off most of the day, but not before she paid an obligatory visit to a small bakery and pastry shop in their neighborhood. It was only a couple of steps away from their apartment building, and their coffee and sweets were usually what kept both girls going, especially on mornings like this one.
Even though they both had a proper accommodation in N109 zone, especially when they were working long hours or overtime, Livia and Tara were still able to purchase a small apartment in the middle of Linkon City. Sylus was paying them good money and after only a year of working for him, they managed to afford something they themselves were able to own.
Sylus, of course, did offer them to buy an apartment for them, but it was something Livia couldnât ask of him, not when he had already done so much for an orphan like her.
That didnât mean, though, that she wonât put all of her effort in dealing with his and Zayneâs predicamentâŚ
âYou look so tired, Livâ Tara mumbled as she sat across from her, a huge bowl of strawberry ice cream with chocolate drizzle in front of her alongside a cup of Irish coffee.
Livia could only chuckle, breaking a piece of her blueberry waffle with a fork, âIâm yearning for bed⌠but ice cream for breakfast?â
Tara giggled, picking up a huge spoonful, âYou know I can eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, right?â
Both women chuckled at that, Tara proceeding to stuff her face with one of her favorite foods in the world.
Expectedly, she somehow managed to smear some ice cream on the corner of her lips, and Livia wouldâve been damned if she didnât reach over the table to wipe it off for her.
The moment Livia licked her finger, she could see clear blush bloom over Taraâs entire face, making the other woman smirk cheekily.
Maybe I wonât need to sleep immediately when we get homeâŚ
The two women spent some time in a casual chatter, finishing their desserts and coffees, but Liviaâs eyelids seemed to get heavier as the minutes passed.
Her phone vibrated suddenly, signaling that she had a new mail in her inbox⌠and it was just the one she was expecting.
âIs it from that shaman?â Tara asked, her face tensing up with concern.
âYepâŚâ Livia mumbled as she glanced at the mail. It was too short for comfort⌠ah, damn it, she probably didnât find anything-
âAre you sure⌠this investigation is safe?â
Livia paused, hesitant tone of Taraâs voice making her look up at her, âWhy that question all of a sudden?â
The other hesitated, looking to the side and biting her lower lip, âI donât know⌠call me paranoid, but the fact you canât find anything about that cult anywhere on the internet, even the dark web⌠itâs concerning. Like itâs something youâre not supposed to findâŚâ
Livia wanted to comfort her, to tell her everything would be alright, but not even she was so sure about it at that point.
Usually, in shamanistic and occult circles, everybody knew each other or were acquainted with someone in connection to a certain organization.
The Star cultâs presence was eminent and talked about in mainstream media, but no one Livia or her shaman acquaintances knew anyone who was a member of that cult. The only thing she was able to find about them is that theyâre secretly praying and worshipping a long-lost god, but that was about it.
No one knew their purpose, agenda or number of followers⌠but if they were able to hide so well, some members were clearly influential in not just one sector.
They were giving people and public what they wanted to be seen⌠so, Tara and Zayne being concerned about her wasnât entirely farfetched.
But⌠Livia couldnât shake off the feeling that the secret of the Star cult could also unravel the solution to the curse that is still plaguing Zayne and Sylus.
And if her powers could be used to help them or save them, she was more than willing to-
âWhoa!â Livia exclaimed s someone bumped into her shoulder even though she was seated, the woman promptly starting to apologize.
âIâm really sorry!â she bowed to Livia while picking up the belongings that spilled out of her purse, âI was deep in thought, I wasnât looking. Are you alright?â
âIâm fine, yeahâŚâ Livia said in a half-dazed state, tiny white dots flashing before her eyes. OhâŚ
Tara was the one to get up and help the woman put away all of her things, the stranger finally raising her head to look at them.
In Liviaâs opinion she was nothing short of beautiful and poised: petite, pale skin, blood-red lipstick adorning perfect pair of lips, dressed in a simple white shirt with puffed sleeves, black pants and high heels, dark hair falling down her shoulders and back in waves.
But⌠there was something about her, presence that made all hair on the back of Liviaâs neck stand up.
Livia couldnât exactly hear what she and Tara were talking about even though they were standing right in front of her, but the moment the stranger looked at her, something clicked.
âOh⌠I think I know youâŚâ the woman said, reaching down to grab Liviaâs hand.
Her grip was strong, but not painful, her dark eyes widening as she mumbled: âBoth of you need to leave this place. Nowâ
âWha-â Livia wasnât even able to complete a sentence before the woman released her wrist, that brief contact causing a surge of memories to course through Liviaâs brain.
Before she could stop her, the stranger disappeared in the crowded bakery and out the door, leaving both women flabbergasted and paralyzed for a couple of moments.
Livia finally got up, her eyes wide as saucers as she absorbed the memories of that stranger, Tara clearly knowing whatâs up.
âWho is she?â she asked, concern dripping from every word, âDo you know her?â
Livia shook her head, unable to speak due to shock, âI donât but⌠sheâs-â
The cacophony of screams suddenly woke Livia up completely, her eyes turning towards the source of the sound.
In a matter of moments, the entire bakery was in disarray, people ducking under tables and counters, bullets flying into the air as the people continued to panic and cry in fear and shock.
A group of three people, their faces concealed with masks and hats ran into the establishment carrying long-barreled guns, ones that are usually carried by special force policemen.
Their yelling was unintelligible, but Livia had no time to decipher their message. She needed to protect Tara.
The moment the commotion occurred, Livia pushed Tara down and deep under the table, following closely behind her. They needed to be invisible and as calm as possible, praying that the attackers wonât notice them at all.
She could hear Taraâs shaky breathing, but aside from that, she didnât even make a single sound, making herself as small as she could get. Livia reached for her necklace, a small pendant hiding an emergency button and a small locator.
No matter what was happening, Sylus or someone from his group will be there to fetch them-
Another array of gunshots echoed the bakery, making people scream once more. Thatâs when Livia noticed a set of boots walking next to the table they were hiding under, the person stopping right next to her legs.
Feeling her blood run cold, Livia lowered her hand and covered Tara with her entire body, just in the moment when the person ducked to look under the table.
âWe found her!â the man announced, not wasting any time in yanking Livia out of her hiding spot.
She could feel Tara reach for her, grabbing her hand, but Livia looked back at her and shook her head, a simple grimace telling the other woman to stay put.
âReady to go home, boss-man?â Kieran asked as they drove down the main road that lead out of Linkon City.
âYesâ Sylus said briefly, tapping away on his phone, âDid you arrange for macarons to be delivered to Zayneâs apartment later today?â
âSure didâ the man at the wheel said cheerfully, âEven said Luke to put a small red rose on the packetâ
âGood boyâ Sylus mumbled, checking whether Zayne had responded to any of his recent messages.
He had to chuckle at himself and his own inability to not hear from his lover for more than a few hours, remembering Zayne was probably sleeping after a long shift and⌠other straining activities.
At least, he managed to finalize plans for yet another auction that will take place in about one monthsâ time, even more gadgets coming their way from black market.
Luckily, Livia and Tara have already taken care of all the paperwork, none of his activities or ties to black market visible to anyone he didnât know.
His construction business was prospering, but he was too deep in his old ways to just bail outâŚ
Besides, if he remained the most dangerous man in N109 zone and Linkon City, no one would dare to touch Zayne-
His phone suddenly started buzzing while in his hand, Sylus frowning as he looked at the caller ID.
What the-
âLittle bird?â he said into the phone, voice calm.
On the other end, Tara was barely able to breathe, her voice contorted from crying, âMr. Sylus- SirâŚâ
Sylus straightened up in his seat, âWhat happened?â
âLiviaâŚâ Tara barely uttered, âSome masked men⌠they took her away in a black van⌠we were at the bakery before going homeâŚâ
Sylus could feel his jaw clenching, silent rage simmering slowly within his gut.
âCome to the HQ as soon as possible. Iâll send Luke over to pick you upâ he ordered, âAre you hurt?â
âN-noâŚâ Tara sobbed, âLivia protected me, not a scratch on me⌠Mr. Sylus, she turned on her tracker, Iâll bring my laptopâŚâ
âDo soâ he retorted, trying not to sound too harsh, âIâll see you soonâ
The moment the line cut off, Sylus squeezed the phone in his hand, anger spilling out of his every pore.
Who even dared to do this? Are there still the ones who think they can fuck around with people close to him?
Kieran didnât need to be told twice to speed up, the two of them rushing down the road as Sylus mobilized every single personnel member in N109 zone.
But little did he know that this was only the beginning of a rather wretched dayâŚ
âUh, boss-man?â Kieran suddenly called out for him, his tone making Sylus frown.
But before he could ask him anything, he noticed familiar blue lights flashing behind and beside them.
âThis is Linkon City Police Department! Pull over! Itâs an order!â
Sylus chuckled bitterly, sinking into the leathery sheets. This is not a coincidenceâŚ
âWhat should I do, boss-man!?â Kieran sounded panicky, âShould I floor it?â
âNoâ Sylus said nonchalantly, âYouâll pull over when you see the opportunity. Weâve done nothing wrong, after allâ
Kieran nodded and started slowing down, the more police sirens blaring behind them.
Sylus could guess that the PD probably found a new shred of evidence which theyâll try to use to put him behind bars. It wouldnât be their first time.
But no matter how many times they tried, the outcome was and always will be the same: Sylus will walk free with nothing to prove his guilt.
Still, despite already dancing to this tune with police many times before, Sylus couldnât shake off the gnawing feeling that this was definitely not an accidental occurrence.
You lot won't have to wait long for the next chapter, in fact, it's coming out this Saturday, August 9th! And I have a very special surprise for all of you tehehe
If you wish to become a part of the tag list, refer here!
Click HERE to read on AO3!
ENJOY!
(Pic is cropped out for a reason *ahem*)
Chapter 13 - You can ruin me, sweetheart...
Even though the official date was Zayne's idea, he didn't expect for Sylus to go to such lengths just to make it perfect.
But then again⌠considering how he was all those centuries ago, Zayne shouldnât be surprised with his dragonic urge to use all of his possessions to make his beloved happy.
âAre you comfortable, Zayne?â Livia asked from the front seat, dressed in an elegant black dress and with bold makeup on.
âYes, but⌠did we really have to drive all the way to this resort just to have dinner?â he asked, his palms gradually becoming sweatier.
Livia chuckled, her tone rather relaxed: âYou know Sylus very well. This wonât just be a dinner date, but a full weekend holiday. He didnât ask you to take two days off from the hospital for nothingâ
Zayne blinked. âWait⌠weâre staying in the resort for two days?â
âYep!â Livia said proudly, âI hated the idea of being the third wheel for the whole weekend, but then again⌠Sylus promised I could have an apartment for just Tara and myself. It had to be close to yours, but a gift is a giftâ
The doctor didnât know how to respond, his heart starting to ram against his chest.
Even if he used his monthly paycheck from Akso, Zayne still wouldnât be able to afford the night in this resort, yet here Sylus was, paying for both him and the girls as if it was nothing.
I will have a word with him about this, itâs way too much money, Zayne thought to himself, trying to ignore the sudden heat that had invaded his face.
The rest of the ride didnât last long, the car entering the large property filled with symmetrical gardens and fountains. Despite it being winter, trees were luscious and green, the largest fountain at the entrance seemingly glowing under artificial lights.
There were many people at that resort as it seemed, their luxurious cars and expensive clothes out on display for everyone to see and get envious. And even though he knew he had put on the most expensive suit he owned and looked his best, Zayne still felt somewhat intimidated by it all.
But, this very sensation seemed to fade once he noticed two familiar faces waiting for them by the main entrance.
Tara was the first one to notice them, waving at the car as it approached. She wore a red top and white skirt with simple high heels, an expensive-looking cardigan draped over her shoulders, making her look right at home at that place.
But what really took Zayneâs breath away was his own date.
Sylus looked as handsome as ever, his silver hair perfectly styled and his face exuding confidence. He was dressed in a black suit, the only color present being the jacket that seemed to glow crimson in the night lights. The look was completed with many silver accessories, from cuffs, chest brooch and a simple silver necklace over the black turtleneck.
Zayne gulped, for the first time in forever being at the loss for words.
The car soon stopped, Luke greeting Livia before unlocking the door for both her and Zayne. Livia was the first one to exit, immediately rushing to hug her girlfriend and compliment her outfit, Tara more than excited as she twirled around so Livia could get a better look at her.
Once outside, Zayne straightened his black coat, taking a deep breath before looking at Sylus. The man already walked up to him, an endearing smile on his face as he took Zayneâs hand into his and pulled him closer.
His movements were slow, measured, his lips planting a soft kiss high up on Zayneâs cheek, making the doctorâs heart flip inside his ribcage.
âYou look handsome tonightâ the silver-head murmured, his hand very discretely slipping under Zayneâs coat and around his waist.
The doctor had to chuckle, allowing the man to pull him in, âI could say the same for you⌠red really is your colorâ
Sylus was the one to giggle this time around; pressing his lips on Zayneâs other cheek.
âOh wowâŚâ the doctor heard Tara comment, âI get what you mean, Liv, it really feels like weâre third-wheelingâ
âWell, weâll have to be more romantic than themâ Livia announced, Zayne observing as his date raised an eyebrow.
âIs that a challenge, kitten?â he asked, mischief clear in his voice.
âYou bet it is!â Livia retorted, playfulness and competitiveness very clear in her expression and voice.
âLet the games begin thenâ Sylus challenged, taking Zayneâs hand into his, âShall we?â
The two couples then finally entered the restaurant, the staff taking their coats and showing them to their tables. The dining room was filled with people, but the murmur of their conversations was barely audible due to the sheer size of the dining area. The smell of delicious food flew through the air whilst soft jazz played at the stage in the corner of the room, each table set to a symmetric perfection.
The girls were sat far away from the entrance, close to the private rooms for VIP guests. They still had plenty of privacy and their server started animating them right away, so Zayne wasnât worried about them being left out of this luxurious experience.
What he didnât expect, however, was for the head waiter to take Sylus and him right through the door, towards the private rooms.
Zayne squeezed Sylusâ hand, âWeâre having a private room?â
âWhy, of courseâ Sylus noted nonchalantly, âI want to have alone time with you, without any major interruptions. And donât worry; we wonât be too far from Liviaâ
The doctor gulped, his chest suddenly feeling tight as the heat slowly started to spread across his abdomen.
This could definitely be considered a perfect date, but Zayne believed they couldâve had this experience even if they decided for a less expensive option. But⌠he was here, in this beautiful place, with the man he loved more than the world, and heâll make the best out of every single second.
The pair was soon seated into the second private room to the left, the color palette of the table setup and furniture in the room being a perfect combination of velvet red and royal blue.
Sylus pulled the chair out for Zayne, the doctor accepting his gesture without hesitation. And only a few moments later, the waiter took their drinking orders as the two looked over the menu.
âI wasnât sure what youâre in the mood for today, so I said to give us optionsâ Sylus commented, already putting his own menu down, âI also reminded them to not use any alcohol for cooking, so I donât think there will be an issue no matter what you orderâ
Zayne chuckled, looking up at his date, âThatâs very considerate of you, but I think alcohol in the cooking process doesnât pose any threat to me. It all evaporates during the food preparation, anywaysâ
âBetter be safe than sorryâ Sylus said, casually reaching out to take Zayneâs hand, âAlthough⌠I wouldnât mind you losing a bit of your control with me, even without alcoholâ
Zayne sighed, the heat once again overtaking his cheeks as the memory of their recent car ride sprung into his mind.
âSylus, I told you alreadyâŚâ he mumbled, putting the menu down, âI hate not being in control of myself⌠even with youâ
Sylus only nodded, obviously reluctant to press the issue further, and Zayne couldnât have been more thankful.
Despite them finally being able to see each other after such a long time, Zayne still had to adjust to the fact that their circumstances were not the same as when they have met back in Philos.
Back then, Sylus was a powerful dragon, his body size much bigger compared to Zayne even when he would shrink himself to accommodate him. Physically, there was very little Zayne could do to him, no matter how much strength he put in his grip, punches or powers.
And yet, even with restraining his icy powers, the Foreseer was still terrified of hurting Sylus if he allowed himself to just let loose.
Now, however, the situation was drastically different: they were just regular humans, their heights and body sizes similar to each other. If Zayne allowed his restraint to slip, he would absolutely despise himself, even if just a scratch was left on Sylus.
And Sylus was no weak man by any means; Zayne caught a glimpse of his strength when he grabbed his arm back when they reunited in the hospital.
His train of thought was promptly interrupted by the waiter who came in to take their order and bring their drinks, Sylus opting for red wine while Zayne ordered regular sparkling water. For their appetizers, they agreed to have a cold asparagus salad, a creamy mushroom soup following right after.
âHow many courses did you even order?â Zayne asked jokingly as they finished their second appetizer, his dateâs lips spreading into a smile.
âI thought that a four-course meal was the most ideal⌠and I made sure to bring you here when they have the widest variety of cakes and pastries to tryâ
The doctor froze and blinked at him, the napkin hovering over his mouth.
Sylus only raised one eyebrow, his expression and voice playful and mischievous, âWhat? You enjoy sweet things, donât you?â
âYes, I do⌠but now I feel embarrassed for not doing more for the dateâŚ. I have just arrived, didnât even bring you anything-â
Sylus leaned on the table, his red eyes suddenly glowing with intensity. He offered his hand to Zayne, the doctor immediately taking it.
âYou arrived. Thatâs the best gift I could be given⌠and spending the weekend here with you is worth more than any money I currently possessâ
Zayne closed his eyes, once again at a complete loss for words.
What had he done to deserve to be treated this kindly? Is this happiness going to be snatched away from him, like all other times? He didnât want to think like that, butâŚ. Sylus being in front of him, in all his glory and undying devotion was something Zayne never wanted to let go off.
Eventually, the doctor chuckled, his thumb gently rubbing against the top of Sylusâ palm.
âIâll then call you for another dateâŚâ he mumbled, âBut this time, in my apartmentâ
Sylus was the one to chuckle this time around, âI cannot wait for thatâ
The rest of their time in the restaurant was spent in an enjoyable chatter and secretive caresses under and over the table. For their main course, the pair was served beef wellington with roasted vegetables and creamy mashed potatoes, and for dessert, they decided to become a little extravagant, ordering orange, chocolate and a tiramisu to try.
Zayne could see Sylusâ face when he placed the order for tiramisu, both of them knowing that a bit of rum was added to the cream to make it⌠but Zayne still wanted to try it.
They ended up sharing the slice, Zayne barely able to taste the rum despite being aware of its presence in the cake, his limbs promptly getting warmer as he finished his meal.
The couple decided to leave the restaurant a little before midnight, hand in hand and with the two giggling girls walking in front of them.
Once outside, however, Zayne could smell a familiar scent in the air, the fragrance reminding him of simpler times in the cave beneath the ruined cathedralâŚ
âOh gosh, it snowed so much!â Tara exclaimed, practically running out of the restaurant and into a small pavilion right across the building.
âTara, youâre in heels! Donât run!â Livia warned her, but still decided to run after her, laughter filling out the cold, winter night.
âWould you look at thatâŚâ Sylus commented, his eyes scanning their surroundings, âAre you sure you donât have any remnants of your power left?â
âAbsolutely sureâ Zayne confirmed, using his hand to scoop some snow from the railing of the staircase, the familiar cold strangely comforting, âBut letâs try any enjoy it, I donât think this snow will last until morningâ
The night had soon filled with the sounds of even more laughter, Tara and Livia throwing snow all around them like children at play, and all the two men could do was to watch them with absolute amusement.
What they didnât notice initially, though, was that they have stepped right under a large pine tree, its branches a little too weak to hold such large amount of snow.
In a matter of moments, a big lump of snow fell off one of the branches, falling right on top of Sylus and Zayne.
The men exclaimed, the snow messing up their hair and falling down their coats, the coldness of it making them jump slightly. Both Tara and Livia started laughing at the sight, even throwing two small snowballs their way to add to their sweet misery.
And yet, Zayne couldnât stop smiling as he reached for Sylusâ hair, his loverâs eyes following his hand like a falcon.
âYouâre soakedâ the doctor commented, feeling his own suit and shirt getting drenched underneath his coat, âWe should get to our room to get you dried up and warmedâ
âSame for youâ Sylus reminded, taking his hand determinately.
Finally deciding to call it a night after this little incident, the two couples were escorted by the staff only a few feet away from the pavilion where they had their little snow encounter, their âroomâ actually being a luxurious, one-story villa that had two separate apartments.
Livia and Sylus were handed key cards by the attending staff, the couples only giving each other very brief greetings before retiring into their quarters for the night.
The moment their entered their rented apartment, Zayne couldnât help but gasp: the place was wide and had a lot of space, red and black being dominant colors with only small touches of silver. They had a proper lounge, dining area, a kitchen, large living room with windows reaching from floor to ceiling and overlooking the beautiful, snow-covered mountain range.
âSylusâŚâ he mumbled, âAll this for just a weekend?â
He could hear the other chuckle, the sound of a jacket hitting the floor prompting Zayne to turn around.
âWe both deserve this type of privacyâ he murmured, leaning against the sofa, âSo, just relax, and enjoy your stay here with meâ
Zayne let out a sigh of relief, very aware of the way his heart had flipped in his chest once he noticed Sylus was unbuttoning his shirt. Help dry him and yourself firstâŚ, he scolded himself.
The bedroom and the large bathroom were in the other part of the apartment, separated by a sturdy marble wall. Zayne immediately discarded his own jacket and a blazer he wore, fetching a couple of towels before returning to the living room.
Once there, he realized Sylus had already discarded all garments that covered his upper abdomen, only his suit pants being still on.
âYouâre drenchedâ Zayne stated the obvious, making the man turn his back to him so he could be wiped down properly, âAre you cold? Iâm sure they have a hair dryer somewhere in the bathroom-â
âGet out of those wet clothes first, Zayneâ Sylus said in an almost commanding tone, turning his head sideways to look at his lover, âI can see you shiveringâ
The absence of his pet name made the doctor comply immediately, sighing before getting out of the button-up shirt. He could see the amusement in Sylusâ face, the man very obviously eyeing him from head to toe, his steps slow and measured as he approached the doctor.
âYouâve been working out?â he asked, using the towel to dry his hair.
âAs much as I canâ the doctor mumbled, suddenly unable to look at the other man.
The silence stretched out for a while, only the sound of soft fabric being rubbed against their skin filling the void. Zayne could feel and hear his heart pounding in his temples and against his chest, the sudden feeling of dizziness and heat overtaking him.
He then winced, feeling Sylusâ cool hand on his chest.
The silver-haired man smirked, looking down âYouâre absolutely stunningâŚ.â
Zayne gulped, his hand instinctively reaching up to clasp around Sylusâ palm. Without any words, the doctor pulled him towards himself, their bare chests lightly touching.
Sylus didnât complain or try to stop him, accepting the passionate kiss as it came like a tidal wave. From that single contact, Zayne suddenly felt ravenous, his hands embracing the other as if he was about to run away.
âThe bedroomâŚâ he mumbled into the kiss before closing the gap again, Sylus allowing him to pull him towards the other side of the apartment.
Their walk was frantic, sloppy and filled with hungry moans, the door slamming shut behind them once they entered the privacy of the dimly lit room.
Sylus was the one pushed onto the bed first, Zayne caging him under his body as he went down on his jaw and neck. He could hear his lover chuckling, the sultry sound interrupted every now and then by a hungry gasp or a suppressed moan.
He could feel the otherâs legs hooking around his waist, pulling him in just like that night in the car.
The mere memory of that event was enough to cause a crack in Zayneâs composure, the heat and frenzy only increased by the small amount of alcohol in his system.
The doctor grumbled, putting all of his weight on top of Sylus before continuing a barrage of kisses across the manâs neck, a guttural chuckle escaping his loverâs throat as he caressed him and nudged him to continue what he was doing.
He could feel the otherâs hands on his hips, his long fingers managing to unbuckle Zayneâs pants and lower them slightly alongside his underwear, the light squeeze on his cheeks causing the doctor to gasp into the crook of Sylusâ neck.
He could feel his loverâs lips against his ear, every word warm and tender, âGet us out of these clothes⌠and do whatever you want with me, sweetheartâŚ.â
Zayne tensed up on top of him, raising his head to let their gazes intertwine.
Aside from his own fogginess, Zayne could see the light shimmer on the otherâs skin, his chest falling and raising in a rapid fashion whilst his eyes clouded over, passion and hunger so clear in those crimson depths.
There was no coming back from that moment in time.
Swiftly, Zayne raised himself on his knees whilst still in between Sylusâ legs, discarding his own clothing until he was completely exposed before his loverâs eyes. His hands seemed strangely quick and calm as he was undressing Sylus, their two bodies completely bare and against each other.
His ears were buzzing, his eyes focused on every small detail of Sylusâ toned body, and yet even while in that frenzy, Zayne knew he wanted to give his beloved the best time of his life.
The doctor promptly lowered himself, his lips going straight for one of Sylusâ nipples whilst both of his hands hungrily grabbed onto the manâs waist. He could hear a surprised gasp which was only followed by sultry, deep moans and light squirms under his hands, the silver-head arching his back to give his lover more access.
Zayneâs tongue worked its way around the hardened bud, giving Sylus time to get used to the sensation whilst slowly inching one of his hands downward only to bury it between the manâs legs.
Yet another gasp escaped Sylusâ mouth, the doctorâs hand promptly drenched in the slick precum that continued to flow from his loverâs hardened member, the silver-head arching his back even more before burying both of his hands in Zayneâs hair.
âMore, ZayneâŚâ he demanded without a stutter, his whisper sounding desperate as his legs pulled the doctor even more in.
Zayne obliged, the blood rushing both to his head and his own manhood, his body threatening to boil over as he tried to get his beloved prepared for what was to come.
With a slow but intense motion, Zayne stroke the otherâs shaft, his lips still busy with Sylusâ chest. He could feel him tense up under him, but aside from a few raspy gasps and cut-off moans, the silver-head managed to remain somewhat in control of himself.
Only a few moments later, Zayneâs hand was completely wet and slick with more precum, his head rising ever so slightly so he can look up at his lover. Beads of sweat were coming down the sides of his face, his crimson eyes barely open as he continued to pant through his mouth.
In a brief moment, both of them had the time to brace themselves for the complete loss of their sanity. Â
Gently but decisively, Zayneâs hand slid lower, already feeling Sylusâ clenching entrance. Instead of hesitating, he pushed in two of his fingers at once.
âHaah~â Sylus moaned, his voice cutting off as he pushed his head into the mattress.
The grip around his fingers was immediate, Zayne convinced heâd lose both digits if he didnât start moving⌠but he didnât mind any of it.
Instead, his mouth returned to action, now planting passionate kisses on Sylusâ ribs and the top of his muscular stomach, the silver-head trembling violently under his touches.
The preparation didnât take long, Zayne able to loosen his lover up just enough for four of his fingers to enter, but even if he wanted to ensure Sylusâ safety, he didnât get the chance to continue.
Desperate, the silver-head grabbed him by the upper arms and pulled him upwards, Zayne hovering over him as he demanded:
âYou can put it inâŚâ his voice was barely above the whisper, raspy and breathless, âYou can ruin me, sweetheartâŚâ
The last bit of Zayneâs composure crumbled at the sight and words his lover bestowed upon him, his entire body tensing up for a brief moment.
His body moved without his command, one of his hands raising Sylusâ hips only slightly to get a better access.
Zayne entered quickly and intensely, causing both of them to moan desperately at the sudden sensations and heat exploding in both of their bodies. The doctor needed a moment or two to catch his breath, the feeling of Sylusâs walls squeezing him tightly threatening to make him go completely mad.
But he started moving, steadily, with no rush and with all ravishing thirst he had concealed for a month. Sylus had completely given up on staying quiet, every moan echoing in Zayneâs ear like the sweetest and most ecstatic melody he had ever heard.
He could feel his loverâs legs squeeze around him even more, his hands reaching under his shoulders only to pin him down against his body. Zayne was still determined to move in the steady pace, using his hands as an anchor as he slowly started picking up the pace.
They have lost the track of time, closed in the large bedroom and with their bodies moving in complete unison. Their skin, growing damper by a minute, rubbed against each other and thus creating more of that sinful fraction, neither of them coherent to even form a proper sentence at that point.
And yet, in the midst of carnal pleasure and their bodies chasing an explosive climax, Zayne was tipped over the edge by three gentle words, interrupted with each thrust of his own hips:
âLove⌠you⌠ZayneâŚâ
Sylusâ voice was warm, quiet, exhausted from the rapture of their new union.
The doctor couldnât take it anymore, not even able to form a coherent sentence before he released inside his lover.
He could feel the otherâs body tensing up and twitching under him, digging his nails deep into Zayneâs back as they rode the wave of orgasm they have reached at the same time.
The silence that followed was tender, warm, void of any negative thoughts or fears Zayne might have harbored beforehand. It was just their bodies, connected in more ways than one and their eyes gazing upon the beauty of the other.
âAre you alright?â Zayne asked through shallow breaths, leaning his forehead to meet Sylusâ.
The silver-head only chuckled; reaching up with one of his hands to caress the doctorâs flushed cheeks.
âIâve never felt betterâŚâ he purred, blissful smile spreading on his lips.
Zayne sighed with relief, barely finding the strength to push himself up to give Sylus some proper space to breathe and move. His manhood, still partially hard, slipped out of the other, leaving a rather big mess in its wake as the white fluid spilled onto the sheets underneath them.
But Zayne still hovered above the other, unable to look away from Sylusâ dreamy eyes as their breathing slowly came under control.
For a long while, they didnât speak, enjoying gentle caresses and occasional kisses as the desire turned into an elated exhaustion. Zayne laid against the otherâs chest, listening to his quickened heartbeat like a sweet lullaby, calmness slowly overtaking him.
âIâve told you nothing will happen if you let looseâ Sylus suddenly said, caressing the doctorâs back, âEven while you were preparing me, you still restrained yourselfâ
Zayne shifted, looking up at his beloved, âI had to make sure youâre not in pain-â
âI can handle a little bit of painâ the silver-head reassured, âI may not be a dragon anymore, but there is nothing in the world you can do that would hurt meâ
âHow can you be sure?â Zayneâs voice trembled, a lump suddenly appearing in his throat, âNot being in control, I⌠I despise it. I know Iâm physically strong, and if Iâm not mindful, I-â
Sylus cupped his face and lowered his head, planting a gentle kiss on doctorâs lips.
âI understandâŚâ he mumbled against the otherâs lips before kissing him again, âBut even if you do use too much force with me, I can stop youâ
Zayne could feel his eyebrows curling upwards âAre you certain?â
âAbsolutelyâ the silver-head reassured, âBut⌠when you finally did let go of your restraints during sex⌠nothing you did was undesirable or uncomfortable for me. So, do not worry. You donât have to restrain yourself when with me because I have the means and power to help you regain your composure backâ
Zayne clenched his jaw, barely able to keep his eyes from watering. The sense of joy was simply too overwhelming in that moment, the doctor slowly pulled up to initiate yet another passionate kiss.
âMy dearestâŚâ he mumbled, taking Sylusâ lip between his teeth for only a moment, âThank you⌠thank youâŚâ
Sylus was the one to break the contact first, his expression tensing up in the very next moment.
Zayne frowned in confusion, but the moment he leaned onto the otherâs body, he could feel a familiar hardness against his stomach.
â⌠Youâre hard again?â
Sylus chuckled, his cheeks flushed as he looked to the side, âItâs your fault⌠you havenât used that nickname in so long, I couldnât help itâŚâ
Zayne was now the one to giggle, raising himself from the bed only to straddle Sylusâ hips. His manhood nestled right in between Zayneâs cheeks, his own shaft twitching with a newly-found desire.
âThen Iâll take the responsibilityâŚâ he mumbled, a seductive smile gracing his lips.
He used some of the remnants of their previous orgasm, quickly preparing himself whilst giving Sylus the full view of the whole process.
The silver-head squirmed under him, both of his hands grabbing onto Zayneâs hips as the doctor rubbed himself against the otherâs hardened stomach.
Only moments later, Zayne was ready, his lower stomach and body aching to be filled with familiar thickness as various images of their erotic encounters from centuries ago sprung into his mind.
He only needed to raise his hips once, Sylusâ length entering him in one smooth motion.
Zayne threw his head back, a hungry moan escaping him as the familiar fullness pulsed through his body.
He started moving immediately, initially only rubbing his own insides against his loverâs shaft, but soon starting to bounce on top of Sylus, their hips meeting half-way as the other also started thrusting upwards.
The time was lost to them once again as their bodies synchronized, Sylus sitting up at one point just to embrace his beloved doctor tightly whilst giving him hungriest kisses he could muster.
With their hips moving together in the intense motion, Zayne allowed his consciousness to slip once again, giving himself to the familiar pleasure and feeling of blessed loveâŚ.
I've dropped off the face of the Earth for a week because... well, the word starts with D and ends in "epression". BUT I'M BACK! Took me 4 days to write this, but as I promise, THIS IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER IN THIS FIC! (For now) And, ofc, I had to honor my 28th bday with a very long smut scene hehehehe
I'll update again (I hope) on August 2nd! Only 5 more chapters to go, baby!
Thank you everyone for waiting and I hope you enjoyed what you read here today!
If you wish to become a part of the tag list, refer here!
Click HERE to read on AO3!
ENJOY!
Chapter 12 - So well put together... so poised...
Zayne rubbed his eyes under the glasses, the monitor being pretty much the only solid source of light that late in the evening.
His eyes were stinging and probably very red, but he couldnât head home just yet. There were reports he needed to finish before his day off, and leave instructions about certain patientsâ care.
His hands returned to typing away on the keyboard, the sound of rain tapping against the window rather soothing for his ears and stressed mind.
Suddenly, light tapping against the window caused the doctor to turn his head, his lips curling up into a smile ever so slightly.
He got up, ignoring the immediate sting of pain in his lower back as he approached the window, a silhouette of a black bird moving from side to side.
âGood evening, Mephistoâ Zayne mumbled, offering his hand to the mechanical crow.
The bird cawed back quietly, spreading his metallic wings. Only then did Zayne notice something tucked in-between feathers.
He slowly reached towards Mephisto, the bird allowing him to take the small flower before closing his wings again.
Despite carrying only a small blood, Zayneâs office already started smelling of jasmines, the feeling of that small flower between his fingers causing the doctorâs smile to widen.
âYouâre still working, doc?â
Zayneâs heart skipped a beat as he looked back at the bird that stood on his hand.
This wasnât the first time Sylus communicated with him through Mephisto, but the fact heâd so often send out this mechanical crow to check in on him made the warmth in his chest swell up.
Zayne snickered, âItâs my day off tomorrow. I canât leave any work unfinishedâ
There was a pause, Mephisto tilting his head as if confused by his ownerâs sudden lack of words.
âAre you finished soon?â
Sylusâ voice was lower now, every word prolonged and dripping with anticipation. Zayne had to gulp.
âJust one more report to finishâŚâ he admitted, taking off his glasses, âWhy are you asking? Are you in the area?â
A sly laughter could be heard from the other line, âVery observant of you, sweetheartâ Sylusâs voice was laced with amusement, âEven though youâve rejected me so many times before, Iâm still here if you need a ride home. Just say a wordâ
Zayneâs jaw clenched, the man having to clear his throat as the thoughts started jumbling in his head.
For the past month or so, ever since their fated reunion, there hasnât been a day where Zayne hasnât felt Sylusâ presence in his life.
Early morning messages and sweet âgood nightâ phone calls, bouquets of white roses and jasmines addressed for Zayne being delivered to Akso, loving cards with thoughtful messages alongside snacks and energy drinks brought to him my Mephisto⌠and yet, the doctor had never felt overwhelmed by any of it.
The month has been hard, both in the ER department and the operating room. Many long surgeries, losing patients to causes that couldâve been handled if him and his staff were quick enough⌠and so many more seminars he wanted to attend in order to broaden his knowledge even more.
There were periods where heâd barely get any hours of sleep for days, all of this causing him many issues not just with his health, but with his mood as well.
But⌠no matter how stressed he was, whenever Sylus would make his presence known, an instant wave of relief would wash over the doctor.
Zayne was aware that Mephisto was probably always observing him, hence why he would always appear when the doctor needed distractions the most. It was Sylusâ way of showing his affection; even when he was far from Zayne, back in N109 ZoneâŚ
The doctor sighed, a resolution forming in his mind.
âActuallyâŚâ he mumbled, âA ride home sounds like a great ideaâ
He could hear Sylus gasp almost silently on the other end, the prolonged pause and shuffling causing Zayneâs lips to once again stretch out in a mischievous smile.
âIâll be there in twenty minutesâ the man on the other end finally said, âIf youâre not ready by then, Iâll come up and fetch youâ
âAlrightâ Zayne said, almost giddily, âIâll see you soonâŚâ
As the line got cut, the doctor had let out a shaky breath, his heart already ramming against his ribcage. Mephisto cawed at him once again before taking a short flight from Zayneâs hand to his working chair, as if nudging him to complete his tasks before his master arrives.
Zayne complied with a chuckle, getting back into his chair and quickly typing away at the keyboard, all his previous tiredness disappearing in a blink of an eye.
He had lost the sense of time, doing his best to make all documents concise but to-the-point, his focus so strong that he initially didnât notice a large figure appearing in the doorway to his office.
âYouâre very quick at typingâ the deep voice purred, startling Zayne.
âSylus!?â the doctor whisper-yelled, shooting up from his chair, âWhy did you come all the way here? Where is Livia?â
The silver-haired manâs smirk widened, gesturing with his head towards the hallway, âSheâs waiting here, donât worryâ he reassured, closing the office door. He was dressed rather casually by his standards, black suit pants, designer shoes, a button-up shirt with crimson red details and sleeves pulled up to his elbows. The suit jacket was loosely draped over his wide shoulders, gun holsters and belts barely visible in that lighting.
He was as handsome as ever.
Zayne exhaled with relief, giving one last look to the documents before scheduling them for a send-off early in the morning. He quickly turned his computer off and started picking up his things, very aware of the other manâs silhouette slowly approaching him and rounding the table.
âYou look exhaustedâ Sylus mumbled, only inches away from the doctor.
âI amâ Zayne admitted, not moving away when Sylus leaned in to rest on his shoulder. He could feel their skin touching, the silver-head gently nuzzling at Zayneâs cheek before leaving a light peck right under doctorâs glasses.
âThen letâs get you home quicklyâ Sylus whispered, the sound and feeling of his voice against his skin being enough to send shivers down Zayneâs spine.
The man then moved away, gesturing with his hand towards the door like a proper gentleman.
Zayne had to snicker, re-adjusting his glasses before heading towards the door.
He greeted Livia once in the hallway, her and Sylus waiting for him until he changed out of his scrubs and into his regular outfit: black pants, black button-up and a long gray coat. Zayne would usually remove the glasses once he would get up from the computer, but that night it seemed as if them staying on was the only thing keeping him awake.
Their way down with the elevator was mostly silent, Zayne mostly chatting with Livia while Sylus followed them, his gaze scanning their surrounding with occasional long stare directed at Zayne.
The rain was pouring outside even more than before, but Zayne was still able to spot a fancy black car parked a little further away from the main entrance to the hospital. The stop lights were on, three doors suddenly opening whilst waiting on their arrival.
Livia was the first to take off, pulling out a small umbrella and running to sit in the front, Zayne only then remembering he had forgotten to take his own umbrella-
âShall we?â Sylusâ voice snapped him out of his thoughts, a large black umbrella already covering them both.
Zayne looked up at the other, noticing the manâs elbow protruding outwards. He could feel the heat building up in his head, the doctor rather thankful that during the night, his blush probably wasnât as visible.
Wordlessly, Zayne tucked his hand under Sylusâ, the man slowly but surely leading him towards the car. The silver-head made sure to keep the umbrella completely over Zayne, not allowing a single drop of rain to fall on his coat.
Once at the car, Sylus insisted on Zayne entering first, holding the umbrella fully open until the doctor settled into his seat.
The inside of the car was spacious and dark, leather seats looking as if they belonged to a brand new car. The windows were darkened, even the night lights of Linkon City being dimmed through them. There was a barrier between the front seats and the back, like inside a limo, but was barely noticeable with all dark colors of the interior.Â
âDrive, Lukeâ Sylus commanded once in his seat, the umbrella he had used until that point nowhere to be seen.
The car started moving immediately, driving through the empty city streets at a cruising speed.
âDonât worry Zayne, I told Luke where you liveâ Livia was the one to say while locking her eyes with the doctor through a rearview mirror.
âItâs quite the distance from here, I knowâŚâ Zayne mumbled, suddenly feeling somewhat bad for making both Livia and Luke work so late into the night, all because he couldnât drive his own car home-
âThe longer the ride, the betterâ Sylus was the one to comment, his red eyes focused on Zayne, âAnd donât think that youâre a burden because of this. We work at nightâ
Zayne had to chuckle again, not in the least bit surprised by that information, âAnd what if I said that I wanted to see you during the day? I assume thatâs when you sleep?â
Sylus chuckled, amusement dripping from his every movement, âIâd make sure to come even if I didnât sleep a winkâ
âThatâs not very healthy for you, Mr. Sylusâ the doctor played along, his stomach fluttery at the sudden shift in the atmosphere.
âAlright, Iâm closing the frontâ Livia suddenly mumbled as the small doors started sliding upwards, separating the car cabin into the front and the back.
Her voice then came through the speakers, âLuke and I are not interested in your flirting, so do it at your own convenience now. The cabin is soundproofâ
Zayne was stunned for a moment, but started giggling the very next, realizing the possible implications of Liviaâs words, but also becoming even more aware of Sylusâ presence beside him.
âSheâs really getting sick of meâ Sylus was the one to comment through a chuckle, his body sinking into the seat even more, âSheâs always on stand-by in case you decided to call me⌠and on top of that sheâs always listening to me talking about youâ
Zayne shook his head, amused, âGive her a proper raise and a very long vacation when the circumstances allow itâ
âI was planning toâŚâ the silver-head mumbled, Zayne suddenly feeling his hand being squeezed. He looked to the side and locked eyes with Sylus, intertwining their fingers, âBut until we find a way to see each other without her having to be close⌠sheâll have to endure itâ
Sylus got slightly closer to the doctor, raising his hand to his lips to kiss the top of it.
That very brush of the otherâs lips against his skin sent intense shivers down Zayneâs spine, his mind slowly getting fogged up with Sylusâ closeness and scent.
Even though the two of them managed to find a temporary solution to their curse, this way of meeting was definitely not sustainable, especially because it had wrapped another person into their messy situation.
Zayne may have been busy with work in the past month or so, but he never gave up on trying to find a different solution with Liviaâs help, sometimes spending hours in talks with her while they looked over notes her mother had left her or internet forums that discussed ancient curses and forgotten gods.
So much work⌠but to no avail. Neither of them were nowhere near close to a perfect solution, and that angered Zayne so much he believed he would be able to kill Astra if he had suddenly materialized in front of him.
In this life, where he had finally gotten the opportunity to love Sylus again, he had to rely on a third party to be able to see him⌠but he also couldnât be more thankful for her help.
And even though he tried to put off this first meeting after their reunion for as long as he could, Zayne couldnât contain his longing anymore.
He just wanted to be with Sylus⌠even if only for a little while.Â
As the ride continued, the atmosphere in the back of the car started turning heavy with each passing moment, Zayne being the one to close the gap between them on the seat.
Initially, Sylus was the first to lean in, hovering over the doctorâs face while their breaths intertwined, a sly smile once again appearing on his face.
âYou look very handsome with glassesâ he whispered, leaning in so their noses would touch, âSo well put together, so poisedâŚâ
Zayne had to chuckle, âAnd you still insist on nuzzling meâ his voice nearly broke as he reached for the man with his other hand, putting his hand on Sylusâ cheek, âOnce a dragon, always a dragonâ
A low growl came from somewhere deep in Sylusâ throat, his smile widening as he hovered only an inch away from Zayneâs lips.
âAnd you loved every part of that dragon, sweetheartâ
Zayne didnât need the words to confirm this statement, he just had to lean in and connect their lips.
Sylus didnât pose almost any resistance to his advances, allowing Zayneâs tongue past his lips while putting one of his strong hands on the nape of doctorâs neck. Zayne was pulled on top of the other, the pair soon kissing against the darkened window.
For this moment in time, Zayne allowed his feelings and desire to completely take over his body, his hands grabbing and sliding over Sylusâ torso as his tongue slid over the other manâs warmth. He could feel Sylusâ quiet growls as he advanced, the silver-head taking a deep breath as he brought Zayne even closer to him.
Their bodies started moving in unison, Zayne very quickly splitting Sylusâ legs with his own body while also feeling his manhood slowly harden within his pants.
All of a sudden, it became harder to breathe his own resolve and need for dominance dwindling under the former dragonâs intense touch and light nibbles on Zayneâs lower lip.
The doctor was the one to briefly break the contact, his lungs unable to expend, âWeâre in the carâŚâ he noted, very aware that his glasses slid down his nose and were barely hanging on.
Sylus, lips swollen and with a blissful smile on his lips, murmured, âYes, we are⌠but you can continue to do whatever you want with meâŚâ
Zayne had to hold in a gasp, his entire body tensing up as his breaths became shallow and quick.
Suddenly, a large yet gentle hand climbed up to the doctorâs face, his vision focusing on his loverâs soft expression and purring voice:
âYou can lose your cool with me, sweetheartâŚâ he leaned in, capturing Zayneâs lower lip before whispering, âEvery version of you⌠I want it allâ
Zayne was the one to initiate another kiss again, this time far more intense and passionate.
He didnât ask for permission to enter Sylusâ mouth with his tongue, he simply did it, grabbing the very hand that caressed him on the cheek a moment earlier only to slam it against the now steamed window.
He could hear and feel Sylus chuckling whilst being kissed so desperately, his long legs spreading out even more before one hooked around Zayneâs back. He nudged at the doctor, their bodies finally leaning on each other.
Zayne gasped, barely able to contain a yelp that escaped his throat once their erections touched, the pieces of fabric they were covered with suddenly feeling too tight to stay onâŚ
Not now, damn it, he thought to himself, still unable to stop kissing Sylus.
This was not the place where he wanted to make love with Sylus for the first time in this life, even though he knew his beloved would have nothing against it.
They were crammed inside the car, despite the cabin being spacious, Sylus soaked in rain and his hands colder than they should be, with two people in the front seat.
Zayne wanted to be alone with Sylus, somewhere they could just forget about the curse, the past and the fact they have almost lost each other again a month ago.
But⌠that didnât mean they couldnât indulge a little in this very moment.
With a new onslaught on Sylusâ lips and his hands bringing the silver-head even closer to him, Zayne allowed his hips to start moving.
Theyâve both moaned in unison, finally breaking the kiss, Sylusâ hands cupping the doctorâs face before pulling steamed glasses up into his hair. Zayne was the one to keep kissing the other, his mouth applying the pressure with each move of his hips against his loverâs erection, kisses slowly planted in the corner of Sylusâ mouth, his chin, jaw and neck.
The more Zayne moved, the more his mind became mushy, disconnected, his body only able to chase the pleasure both of them seemed to be on the verge of.
âYes⌠yes, you can⌠you can go faster-â Sylusâ nudging got interrupted by yet another blissful moan, both of his legs now hooked around Zayneâs hips.
The delirium quickly overtook both of them, their bodies sweating up under all layers of their clothes as they chased an explosive release.
Zayne could feel his stomach tense up, the familiar and potent warmth pulsating from the bottom of his stomach down to his legs, his hips moving in a desperate, intense rhythm.
âSy~lusâŚâ the doctor moaned pleadingly into the otherâs neck, feeling his loverâs strong hands grab a fistful of his hair as he matched the movement of Zayneâs hips.
They both climaxed at the same time, Zayneâs vision blurring for a moment as he slumped against Sylusâ body, completely shaken, breathless and soaked in sweat.
He could hear his loverâs heart beating against his ear, the beats so quick anyone else would get worried about the stability of Sylusâ heart. The hand that was grabbing him only a moment earlier was now stroking his hair, the silver-head planting a gentle kiss on Zayneâs scalp.
âWeâll both need a shower after thisâŚâ Sylus commented through a chuckle.
âIâd offer you to have one butâŚâ Zayne mumbled, his eyelids suddenly feeling extremely heavy, âI think Iâll barely be able to reach my apartmentâŚâ
The silver-head giggled before kissing Zayneâs head again, his other hand lying flat on doctorâs back.
âItâs alright, sweetheart, I can deal with being dirty for a little while⌠but I can carry you up to your apartment if you wantâ
âNo needâŚâ the doctor mumbled, looking up at Sylus, âBut I do have a request for youâ
âIâm all earsâ
Zayne braced himself, taking a deep breath before asking:
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CHAPTER 11 - Please don't call me that...
These past three weeks have been the longest Sylus has ever had to go through, not even waiting multiple lifetimes could compare to the yearning he was feeling whilst laying in Akso Hospital.
Every day, he was tended to by the best of the best doctors and nurses he could afford, Livia and the twins bringing him anything he needed or wanted while also putting up with his moodiness.
But Zayne⌠he never came to check up on him, despite being the one who had patched him up in the first place.
Sylus asked, multiple times, about him, but he always got a similar answer. âDr. Zayne is on shift in cardiology todayâ; âDr. Zayne worked a night shift at the ER and is resting todayâ; âDr. Zayne is in surgeryâ.
Excuse upon excuse⌠but no matter his frustration, Sylus couldnât stay mad at him for long.
In the meantime, Livia had made sure to test out her theory, even managing to have a cup of coffee with her old friend. She was still uncertain if her âshielding-them-from-destinyâs-gazeâ theory was correct, but she was absolutely convinced that, yes, Zayne does remember Sylus⌠and very well.
At least, thatâs what his mind had shown her.
But now, when he was finally discharged and instructed to remain on strict bed rest, the leader of Onychinus had one final thing to do before leaving Akso Hospital.
âYouâve really outdone yourself with this bouquet Livia commented, her head barely visible behind the flowers, "Is there a reason why you chose white roses and white jasmines?"
Sylus chuckled, clicking the elevator button once they boarded, âItâs a secret between me and the good doctorâ
Livia pouted and turned her head away, causing the man to chuckle.
The elevator ride continued in silence, Sylus taking a deep breath before leaning against the wall.
His heart, although usually beating very fast, was unstoppable at that moment, a strange sensation building up in his stomach.
He wasnât feeling like this when he had reunited with his beloved Foreseer, it was a sudden and a miraculous encounter.
But now, when Sylus knew where his office was, and that he will definitely see him face to face⌠he couldnât calm down.
âAre you nervous?â Liviaâs voice suddenly broke the silence, her tone somewhat cheerful but mostly surprised.
Sylus looked at her, making sure to steady his bouncy leg, âWhat gave you that idea?â he asked, attempting to mask the trembling in his voice though his usual purr.
âI can literally cut the air with a knife, youâre about to burstâ she said nonchalantly, Sylus only chuckling at her assessment.
âMaybe youâre correctâ he eventually responded, his vision unfocused, âIâm just regretting not dressing into something fancierâ
Livia eyed him up and down, in utter disbelief âWhat are you saying? You look very handsome in a biker outfit!â
Another chuckle escaped the silver-haired man, his posture finally relaxing, âWhen I have such a cheerleader, there is no chance I will fail in this endeavorâ
âYou bet!â Livia chirped, a tender smile spreading across her lips.
The elevator soon dinged, opening the door so the duo can finally get off on the 10th floor.
Not many people were around aside doctors and designated nurses, all of them eyeing the duo with surprise and the expected interest when it came to Sylus.
But nobody stopped them; nobody even asked them where they were going, Sylus making sure to look as casual as possible. When a certain nurse or a doctor seemed a little too suspicious of them, heâd give them his signature smirk, promptly immobilizing them.
Zayneâs office was at the other side of the building, Livia leading the way with confidence.
Once there, however, Sylus suddenly became unable to take a deep breath, his hand balling in the middle of his chest, where the crystal once used to be.
âAre you okay?â Livia asked with concern, âAre you in pain?â
âIâm fineâŚâ he reassured, taking the bouquet away from the womanâs hands, âI suppose you were correct⌠I am rather nervous nowâ
Livia smiled, reaching up to caress his cheek. Her cold palms managed to somewhat ground Sylus, the tone of her voice being nothing but gentle:
âTake as much time as you need in there. Iâll wait here, making sure you two can have a proper conversation, without the need to hide your memoriesâ
The two then parted, Livia quietly nudging and cheering for him before sitting down in the waiting room, determined to act as a shield against the fate itself if it meant Sylus and Zayne could have a proper conversation.
Sylus took a deep, heavy breath, gently squeezing the bouquet in his hand before relaxing, knocking thrice on the plain white door.
âWho is it?â a stern voice came from the other side, Sylusâ heart immediately skipping a beat.
But, instead of announcing himself, the silver-haired man pushed the handle, opening the door quietly.
âWhy knock if youâll enter anyway-â Zayne had gone silent as he turned from his desk, a silent gasp escaping his lips as he gripped onto the files he held, âMr. SylusâŚâ
Sylus had to snicker, closing the door, âNo need to be alarmed doc, I just came to pay you a quick visit andâŚâ he produced a bouquet of white roses and jasmines from behind his back, holding it with his right hand whilst trying to appear nonchalant, âExpress my sincerest gratitudeâ
Zayne remained silent for a while, his expression as blank as he could muster. And yet, the moment he laid his eyes on the jasmines that had made up majority of the bouquet, their gentle scent filling up his office, he gulped, closing his eyes.
âThis is not an appropriate behavior, Mr. Sylusâ the doctor stated calmly, putting down the documents on his table before making a few steps towards him, âIf anyone had seen you bring this to me, they might think Iâm taking a bribeâ
Sylus chuckled with amusement, âSurely a single bouquet wouldnât spark that much suspicion?â
The doctorâs lips curled into a barely noticeable smile, âYou would be surprised⌠this is a competitive fieldâ
The two remained silent for a moment, Zayne observing the flowers as he adjusted the glasses that rested on the bridge of his nose.
And Sylus had to use every ounce of composure just to not close the distance between them and embrace him.
Despite all those centuries of being apart, his Foreseer was as beautiful as Sylus had remembered him, his robes now changed with black hospital scrubs while his once long, jet-black hair was now cut shorter for convenience.
But those eyes⌠those beautiful, green eyes that reminded the dragon of the first days of spring, still remained cautious, curious⌠and so lovely.
Zayne was the one to reach for the flowers first, Sylus giving them up without hesitation.
âWhat a wasteâ the doctor commented before turning around, âTheyâll wither in this office; Iâm not here oftenâŚâ
âDonât worry, I can always bring you a new one, doc. If the flowers are to your liking, of courseâ Sylus assured, his voice much quieter than before.
Zayne didnât respond as he turned away from him, heading back towards his desk. He handled the flowers with utmost care, moving piles of paperwork and medical equipment to the side just so he could lay them on the flat surface.
âIâm glad you came to see meâ the doctor sounded very professional, polite, âBut I assume that you already have all instructions needed to continue your recovery at home?â
âOf courseâ Sylus confirmed, barely able to keep the flirty smile on his face, âThe team you have assigned to my care are truly knowledgeable. But I will still need to come to Akso every week for a checkupâ
Zayne nodded, still turned away from Sylus, âI suspected as much⌠But if you want a reassurance that Iâll be the one handling the check up, I cannot promise you that. Iâm currently working on several different stations-â
âI donât expect you to give me reassurance, doc. I know youâre very busyâŚâ Sylusâ voice suddenly broke, the man needing to take a deep breath to continue, âAll I wanted to do was see whether youâre alright⌠To finally have a chance to have a proper chat with youâ
âMr. Sylus-â
âPlease donât call me thatâŚâ Sylus had to close his eyes, aware his voice was trembling.
This sudden change in his voice, however, seemingly did something to Zayne, the doctor turning around as if he had just heard the most shocking news.
Sylus couldnât let this opportunity slip away, completely ditching any sense of composure he had tried to keep up.
âI know⌠you remember meâŚâ he mumbled, taking a heavy gulp as his eyes locked with Zayneâs, âEven while I was in the ICU⌠I saw recognition in your eyesâ
The doctor started shaking his head in the very next moment, backing into a table, but Sylus didnât have any intention of leaving that office without speaking his mind first.
With a single step forward, the silver-haired man relayed: âI know why you wanted to avoid me⌠and why youâre still trying to deny it⌠but please, have mercy on me. Use the name you gave me properlyâŚâ
Sylus was very aware of how shaky his voice was as he took yet another deep breath, frustration and sadness that had accumulated during all of those days almost threatening to drown him.
But then⌠Zayne closed his eyes, his mask of professionalism cracking in half as he removed his glasses.
âSylus, IâŚâ he murmured, voice barely above the whisper as he intertwined his own fingers, squeezing them tight above his stomach, âI cannot⌠So many times before, you-â
âIt wonât happen againâ Sylus suddenly raised his voice, doctor looking up at him as if he had lost his mind.
âSylus, you have no idea how many times Iâve seen you hurt-â
âI saidâŚâ the silver-head made additional few steps, the two men now only inches apart as he mumbled, âI promise⌠it wonât happen again. Nothing will happen to me, even if weâre in a close proximityâ
Zayne frowned, his lips turning into a thin line as the anger started consuming him, âHow can you be so sure? How can you know-â
âI doâ Sylusâ voice was gentle, quiet, the purr in his undertone.
Despite his better judgment and without a clear permission, the former dragon gently picked up the doctorâs hand, raising it to his lips only to plant a single, gentle kiss on his knuckles.
He could hear Zayne gasp for air and then gulping, the doctor looking away from him before pulling away his hand.
Sylus could see something shift in Zayneâs eyes⌠but whatever it was, he doubted the doctor would acknowledge it in that moment. It was obviously too much for himâŚ
With a sigh of defeat, the silver-haired man slipped a hand in the pocket of his leather jacket, pulling out a black business card which he gently placed on the doctorâs table.
âIf you so wish, we can speak on a later date, I promise Iâll explain everythingâ he said reassuringly, squeezing his fists in agony of not being able to embrace the man in front of him.
Sylus then stepped back, straightening his posture. He could clearly see surprise on Zayneâs face, but he had to remain resolute in his own restraint.
This was a brand new situation for his beloved, something he doesnât fully understand nor believe in yet⌠and it has been so long since theyâve last seen each other. It wouldâve been foolish from Sylus to expect any sort of affection on Zayneâs end.
He just⌠needed to take it slowly. Not expect anything in return, now or ever.
They both have lived such different lives at the momentâŚ
As a sharp breath escaped him, Sylus offered his hand to the doctor, Zayne automatically accepting it and shaking it.
âThank you, doctor Zayne, for saving my life three weeks agoâ the silver-head said in the gentlest tone possible, âOnly fate couldâve placed me into your capable handsâ
Zayne bit down on his lip, looking up at Sylus with glistening eyes, âDestiny was the one⌠that did this to usâŚâ
Sylus had to chuckle, âTrue⌠but at least now, we might have a slight chance of fighting itâ
They retracted their hands at the same time, the air between them heavy with all emotions they were feeling. But it was Zayne who broke the silence first:
âHow are you so sure that now⌠itâs going to be different?â
Sylus had to snicker again, âLetâs just say⌠both you and I have a little divine force looking after usâ
The doctor frowned, but a sudden realization in his gaze told Sylus everything he needed to know⌠and had allowed him to muster up the courage to say one final thing before leaving the office.
âDoc, IâŚ. donât expect you to reciprocate my feelingsâ he muttered, his jaw clenching as Zayne adorned an even deeper frown.
But even that change in expression didnât deter Sylus from saying whatâs on his heart, âItâs⌠been centuries, two millennia⌠since we last saw each other. Of course I donât expect you to just run into my arms like nothing happened⌠especially due to your own circumstancesâ
âSylus, I-â
The silver-haired man shook his head, pleading only with his gaze to continue, âYou donât need to say anything⌠because the last thing I would want to do is upset you, or make you feel like you owe me somethingâ, Sylus took another deep breath, âBut⌠at least allow me to check up on you every now and then, to make sure youâre alright⌠and live a good lifeâ
A long pause ensued, Zayneâs expression completely empty as he observed the other man. But, eventually he nodded, his voice gentle:
âAlrightâŚâ
Sylus smiled, nodding along before turning his heel to leave, âWhenever youâre ready to talk, for an explanation, contact me. Iâll make time for you, docâ
As he turned, Sylus could hear a sharp breath escape Zayneâs mouth, his voice deeper and shakier than before.
âSo⌠after all these years⌠you were still looking for me? You still yearnedâŚâ
The silver-haired man smiled to himself, feeling a familiar tingle in the corners of his eyes.
âIâve never stopped yearningâŚâ
Mustering up the strength to move, Sylus headed towards the door of the office, opening his mouth to say his final goodbye to the man behind him⌠only to hear two words that made his heart soar.
âSylus, wait-â
Without hesitation, the man turned on his heel, Zayne only inches away from him⌠and in the very next moment, his strong, yearning arms wrapped around him.
Sylus reciprocated, capturing the doctor into an embrace so tight he believed theyâll melt into each other.
Zayneâs face was now buried in the otherâs shoulder, only quiet sobs and his body shaking showcasing the extent of his own longing.
âZayneâŚâ Sylus mouthed, planting a gentle kiss on the doctorâs neck.
âCall me how you used toâŚâ Zayne demanded, his voice shaky, âPleaseâŚâ
A smile, wider than any other, sprung on Sylusâ lips as he mumbled, âSweetheart⌠my belovedâŚâ
Zayne took several deep breaths as he broke their embrace, his cheeks wet as he looked up at Sylus.
He was the one to close the gap between their faces; he was the one to cup the manâs face in need and urgency, their lips melting into each other as if they have never even been separated.
Sylus himself couldnât believe that what was happening in that moment was their true reality⌠but the moment their lips connected, his body and soul remembered.
He remembered the way Zayneâs body squirmed in his embrace, how his Foreseer loved to bury his long fingers in his silver hair, the suppressed and labored breaths his beloved would let out whenever his yearning became too much.
Out of old habit, Sylus gently raised the doctor by the waist, slowly carrying him towards the table, their lips never once separating.
âNot⌠nowâŚâ Zayne mumbled into the otherâs lips, never making a real effort to break the contact-
A knock at the door was something neither of them heard, but the subsequent words made them freeze up:
âSylus, the twins have called; we need to- OH GOD!â Livia exclaimed before slamming the door shut, her voice high-pitched as she yelled from the hallway, âI DIDNâT SEE ANYTHING! IâM SO SORRY!â
The two men remained baffled for a moment or two, only to start chuckling and wheezing at the sudden interruption.
âIf she hadnât come inâŚâ Sylus eventually purred, looking deep into Zayneâs eyes, âI wouldâve probably ravaged you right here on this tableâ
âDonât say such thingsâŚâ Zayne scolded him, his voice tender as a mischievous smile spread on his lips, âBut⌠you better leave⌠someone we donât want might actually walk inâ
Sylus sighed, lowering his head on the doctorâs shoulder. He didnât want to leave⌠but he knew he had toâŚ
âCall me as soon as you can, alright?â he eventually said upon rising his gaze, planting a gentle peck on the doctorâs lips and cheek, âI know youâre busy saving lives, but-â
Zayne shushed him; one long finger lay across Sylusâ lips âI wonât keep you waiting for centuries this time⌠I promiseâ
Sylus couldnât help but smile back at Zayne, planting a small kiss on the very finger that managed to silence him.
The two soon parted, barely able to keep their composure⌠but one thing neither of them wanted to hide was the new glint that had appeared in both of their eyes.
After centuries upon centuries of waiting⌠they were finally reunited.
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Chapter 10 - You still look the same...
Zayne had quietly entered the ICU unit, the beeping of monitors and wheezing of the oxygen tank filling up the tense silence.
Finding something to do, the doctor checked the patientâs vitals. Blood pressure stable, good levels of oxygen in his blood, steady breathing although with the help of a mask⌠but his heartbeat, even though he was laying down unconscious, was very high⌠136 beats per second.
Howâs that possible, Zayne thought, making sure all equipment was working properly.
He finally dared to look down at the patient, his heart pounding as if he had just run a marathon.
This man⌠he knew him. From somewhere, long, long ago.
The same image kept showing up before Zayneâs eyes, the swaying of a massive black tail, long horns on top of silky silver hair, and wide wings still so vivid in his mindâs eye.
And yet, even though the man before him was missing all of those appendages, Zayne knew the dragon from his memories had finally come back into his life.
The shiver ran down the doctorâs spine, another memory hijacking his mind like a dreaded shadow.
If Zayne was to remember who this man was and acknowledged their connection⌠the man before him would die. The curse was clear on that conditionâŚ.
It had happened before, many, many times. Zayne was always too late to help him, to save him, no matter how hard he had tried. And in their later encounters, the dragon would already be deceased by the time Zayne would finally be able to remember himâŚ
He couldnât risk it, not now.
His mind was still a mess of memories, all of his current life almost seeming meaningless upon realization that he had been bound to this man for more than two thousand years.
And yet, they couldnât stay together, couldnât be near each other⌠they couldnât exist in the same place at the same time.
Zayne balled both of his hands into fists, stuffing them into pockets of his black scrubs. He tried to steady his breathing, observing the patient more closely to make sure nothing was visibly wrong with him.
Sylus had lost a lot of blood from the gunshot wound⌠but luckily, the bullet didnât hit anything vital. They had to sew up his intestine, but his spine remained untouched. They were mostly focusing on replenishing his blood supply, Zayne guessing heâll be unconscious for at least one day before the anesthetic and all pain medications started to wear off.
You still look the same, the doctor thought; looking at the manâs peaceful expression as his eyes remained shut.
One of his hands relaxed, reaching for the railing of the bed.
Zayne had to immediately seize any contact with this man, even before he had woken up. Heâll request for another doctor to take care of him for the rest of his stay, he had a lot of work anywayâŚ
A single strand of the manâs hair slipped onto his forehead after a deep and exhausted exhale, making Zayne tense up.
Without thinking, the doctor reached down, gently moving silver strands to the side.
He could feel his breath hitch in his throat, the doctor having to bite down on his lip to prevent himself from breaking the character.
In a blink of an eye, his hand retracted, Zayne stuffing it back inside the pocket. What the hell are you doing, Zayne? He canât know you remember him⌠itâs the best course of action for both of us-
âOh?â
A familiar feminine voice made Zayne wince slightly, his head turning towards the room door.
âGood evening, Liviaâ Zayne said, trying to remain as professional as possible, âI see you went home for a little whileâ he commented, gesturing towards the womanâs casual attire consisting of a denim overall skirt, a cozy sweater underneath and a pair of ankle-high sneakers.
Livia chuckled, raising a large paper bag she had brought before leaving it at the door, âI needed to take a shower and get out of the suit. It was all bloodyâ she explained before putting on a face mask and covers for her feet, âAnd I needed to bring some more things for Sylus, I assume heâll stay here for a while?â
âGood guessâ Zayne said, an amused smile slowly creeping on his lips, âIâm optimistic about his recovery. Heâs responding well to treatment, and if everything goes smoothly, heâll be out of the ICU in a matter of a day or twoâ
Livia sighed with relief âThatâs good⌠also, when the time comes, weâll pay for the best room in Akso. The money isnât a problem for him-â
âI know, Liviaâ Zayne interjected, his tone becoming more serious as he completely turned towards the woman, âBe honest with me now, alright?â
The woman frowned, âHonest about what?â
âYouâre working for Onychinus, arenât you?â
Livia froze for a moment, her expression filled with panic, only to blink once or twice and clear her throat before speaking, âWeâre only working on engineering projects, and Iâm just Sylusâ personal assistant. Nothing shady is going onâ
Zayne had to chuckle, amused by her sudden business tone, âYou donât need to worry, Iâm not here to interrogate you⌠but Iâd suggest you to lawyer up in case police comes snooping. The hospital needs to report every gunshot wound and there are many doctors and nurses who had witnessed your arrival at the hospitalâ
Liviaâs posture relaxed slightly before she slowly approached Zayne, her eyes fixated on the man lying on the bed.
âThey wonât be able to question him while unconscious⌠but heâll be fine even if they decide to visit him in the hospitalâ
Zayne looked at her, then at Sylus, âYou sure have a lot of faith in himâŚâ
âWhy, of course!â she chuckled, âHe managed to get out of even worse situations. This is just a minor inconvenience for himâ
Zayne noticed Liviaâs face softening, his own heart dropping for a moment as an idea sprung into his mind. Iâm glad⌠Sylus has someone like her by his sideâŚ
The doctor let out a sigh before looking up at the clock. He tried to sound urgent, âAlright, Iâll leave you to be with him for a couple of minutes. Just make sure not to touch him. A nurse will come and get you once your time is upâ
âThank you, Zayneâ
A sudden movement coming from the bed made both Zayne and Livia wince, the doctor suddenly feeling a strong grip on his wrist.
He looked down⌠only for a shiver to run down his spine.
Sylus was looking at him, those crimson eyes barely able to stay open while still adorning the most intense gaze of recognition Zayne had ever seen.
The doctor panicked, trying to remove his hand, but Sylus wouldnât budge.
âSylus!â Livia exclaimed, remembering the rule to keep her hands off him, but had grabbed onto Zayne instead, âLet him go! He was here to help you!â
But the man still refused, his head slowly shaking from left to right as his eyes grew wider.
In the very next moment, every single monitor and a machine started blaring, the sound of multiple footsteps coming down the hallway.
Sylus looked towards the door, and then back at Zayne, his eyes almost pleading as his breath became shallower and quicker.
Zayne could feel the grip on his wrist getting stronger, but so did Livia try her best to make her boss release him.
For a split second, Zayneâs and Liviaâs eyes locked, a certain realization dawning on the woman as Zayne finally managed to break free.
Two nurses and another resident doctor entered the ICU unit, ready to spring into action at a momentâs notice.
âGive the patient 100 more milligrams of lorazepam, he had woken up extremely distressed and is hyperventilatingâ Zayne relayed as he slowly inched further away from the hospital bed, âTake him off the oxygen as soon as he calms down. Make sure to put him on a breathing trial as soon as the sedation kicks inâ
With those instructions, Zayne finally managed to slip out of the room, using the commotion to walk out of the ICU.
âZayne, wait!â a familiar voice called out, Zayne barely managing to compose himself to stop and turn around.
âI think itâs the best you leave for the night, Liviaâ he said, ready to continue walking.
She nodded, but something about her expression, a realization in her eyes and a clear attempt for her to put all the pieces together⌠it made him panic even more.
âAlright, but ZayneâŚâ she said, trying to get closer to him, âYou and Sylus-â
âI have to goâ the doctor had cut her off, his legs hurriedly carrying him towards elevators, âIâll see you tomorrow, Livia!â
The woman didnât even manage to say anything, elevator doors closing shut as she managed to catch up with him.
With a deep sigh and his entire body aching, Zayne leaned against the elevator wall, closing his eyes.
He could still feel his wrist pulsating from the sudden pressure that was inflicted on it, the doctor absolutely sure itâll be bruised the next day. Iâll have to wear my white coat to workâŚ
But, no matter how much he tried to empty his head of any thoughts of Sylus, the memory of those eyes, those beautiful crimson eyes looking up at him so pleadingly⌠Zayne felt as if his heart was going to burst.
Thatâs why he couldnât be near Sylus anymore, he couldnât give him any hope.
With some luck, Sylus wonât even remember this encounter⌠and everything will be back to normal, the silver-haired man finally getting a chance to live a life he never couldâŚ
âHe doesnât remember me, LivâŚâ Sylus mumbled, leaning against the pillow in his hospital suite.
The woman sitting next to him stopped peeling the apple she was holding, looking up at him while the pause prolonged.
âYou mean Zayne?â she asked, putting down the knife and the apple on the bedside table.
Sylus nodded, closing his eyes. He instinctively put a hand over his lower stomach, a place where heâd been shot only a week ago.
He knew that heâd be moved from the ICU very quickly, given the speed at which his body healed. Aside from his unusually fast heartbeat, intense healing ability was the only remnant of his long-lost dragonic power. And yet, he wouldâve definitely died if he didnât receive medical attention.
He sighed, turning his head to look at Livia, âWhy didnât you tell me sooner that you know him? It wouldâve made my search much easierâŚâ
âIt had slipped my mind, Iâm so sorryâ, she mumbled with her eyebrows curling up, âI havenât seen him in so long, I had no idea whether he had any intention of coming back to Linkon⌠who wouldâve thought he is the one youâve been looking for all this timeâŚâ
Sylus chuckled, turning his palm up before nudging Livia to intertwine her fingers with his, âUniverse has a way of surprising usâŚâ he mumbled, his vision becoming unfocused, âAnd donât beat yourself over it⌠if I havenât forgotten his name in the first place, all of this would be over much soonerâ
Livia let out a sharp sigh, squeezing the manâs hand, âNothing will be done if we continue with these âwhat ifâ scenarios. Whatâs important is that he works here! At Akso! And you can probably go and see him once youâre discharged!â
Sylus chuckled again, his smirk being everything but amused and joyful, âWhatâs the point, Liv? Iâve only seen him that one time, after I was committed to the ICU⌠He doesnât remember me. My mind was only showing me what I wanted to see in my deliriumâŚâ
âWhy are you so sure of it?â Livia challenged, getting up on her feet to hover over him, âIn fact, I know he remembers youâ
Sylus sat up straight on the bed, ignoring the tinge of pain in his lower abdomen, âWhat do you mean?â
Livia just had to gesture down at their connected hands, Sylusâ breath trapped in his throat as he closed his eyes.
âWhat did you see?â he asked, his voice barely above the whisper.
âJumbled memories, many of themâŚâ Livia regaled, squeezing his hand again, âAnd not just of your time as a dragon, but of all other instances he had seen you, when you had already passed during your previous incarnations. But, unlike your memories, his were crystal clear, not a blur in sightâ
Sylus looked to the side, feeling his forehead wrinkling as he tried to process this information.
So⌠Zayne remembered him after all? But⌠why would he not acknowledge him? Why would he just blatantly ignore him?
Sylus didnât expect him to leap into his arms the moment they recognized each other. But⌠a knowing look, squeeze of his hand, anything that would relay the message of âI know who you areââŚ
Why⌠did his beloved brush him aside? Did Sylus do something to him? Has his beloved Foreseer started to hate him?...
âSylus!â Liviaâs voice caused the silver-head to gasp, only then realizing his thoughts started spiraling, âAre you with me now? Donât fall into your gloomy thoughts just yetâ
Sylus had to chuckle again, allowing the woman to push him back down onto the pillows.
âCan you blame me?â, he asked, his voice bitter, âAlmost two millennia of searching for him, longing⌠yearning⌠and now, I find out he doesnât want to see meâŚâ
Livia remained silent for a moment, adjusting his pillows before sitting back down onto a stool next to the bed. Her expression seemed troubled, but somehow determined, her tone resolute as she said:
âI donât think he doesnât want to see you⌠I just think he canâtâŚâ
Sylus had to chuckle again, turning away from her âWhat are you even saying? Now you can read his thoughts, too?â
âThat I canât doâ she said huffily, only to clear her throat, âBut⌠when I recalled his memories, there was one sentence that kept repeating itself over and over, louder than anything else Iâve seen or heard in his mind: âI canât go near him⌠or else, the curse will kill him againââ
Sylus could feel his heart fall into his stomach, his jaw clenching as he turned to look at the woman.
There was no hint of false comfort or deceit, her eyes sharp and determined.
The man had no idea what to say, his own thoughts becoming a jumbled mess from all the new information⌠and probably pain medications he was given on the daily basis.
But⌠Liviaâs words and the fact that Zayne also probably had a curse attached to him⌠it all made sense.
He was saved by Zayne once before⌠and now, he was trying to do the same thing.
Sylus grimaced, biting down on his lip, âKnowing that god⌠I know he had to curse us bothâŚâ he mumbled, closing his eyes, âEven though I was finally able to find him, the fact Iâm still alive⌠I still canât see him⌠or do anything else. He wouldnât let me⌠because heâd fear of what would happen to meâŚâ
The tone of manâs voice was defeated, shaky, his eyes becoming watery despite his lids being closed.
Liviaâs voice barely reached his ears âSylus⌠do you know why I didnât come to visit in the last two days?â
The man took a deep breath, wiping tears from his eyes before mumbling, âProbably an emergency at the HQ⌠You couldâve let Luke and Kieran handle it-â
âI went to visit my childhood home with Tara. The apartment will soon be sold, but I still have some notes on my abilities in there, left by my motherâ, she explained, Sylus only slightly turning his head to look at her, âAnd while we were cleaning⌠Tara found something interesting. Iâm not telling you all this for no reasonâ
Sylus had to chuckle, âGet over with it then, kittenâ
With swift movements, Livia reached down into her bag, pulling out a faded blue notebook with yellowish pages. There were many bookmarks attached to various pages, but she had turned the page with a red one sticking out.
âHereâs what it says: âThis child is very special, even for a shamanistic family. Not only is she able to see all past memories of people, from this life or lives beyond, she had also proven to annul curses, at least while she is present near the cursed person. This has helped my work of exorcising evil energies.ââ
Sylus frowned, opening his mouth to speak, but no words came out even as he desperately tried to piece all of his thoughts together.
At first, those notes seemed farfetched, even though he was aware of how special Liviaâs powers were and how big of a help they posed for his business⌠but he then remembered that her biological mother was indeed a shaman, and a very powerful one. There was no doubt that there was at least a bit of truth in what she was saying.
But⌠if she was relaying this information to him all of a sudden, then-
Sylus chuckled, his eyes widening slightly in disbelief, âAre you suggesting that-â
âI can be close to you when you speak to Zayneâ Livia finished his sentence, a smug smirk slowly springing on her lips, âYou said to me multiple times this week that you shouldâve died from that gunshot wound, even with your quicker healing process⌠but youâre still here, your gut feeling was wrongâ
Sylus chuckled, the sound soon turning into a joyous laughter, causing his wound to ache once again.
âI have to be a fool for even hoping for this to workâŚâ he said as the laughter slowly subsided, âBut Iâve ran out of options⌠itâs worth the tryâ
âMake sure you recover first, alright?â Livia noted, grabbing the apple and a knife to finish peeling it, the notebook still on her lap, âIâll go through all of my momâs notes, extensively, Tara is already looking into the notes I left at home. And by the time youâre discharged, weâll know how to go about thisâ
Sylusâ smile widened, his body relaxing for the first time in a while, âIâm counting on the two of youâŚâ
He didnât believe there was actually a silver lining in this situation, and just when he had thought he had truly lost a chance to speak with Zayne forever.
His hopes mightâve been naive, ridiculous even, but they were the only ones he had⌠and heâll be damned if he missed the very last opportunity to hold his belovedâs hands, just onceâŚ
Chapter tags: reincarnation, no powers of Evol, Sylus is still a mafia boss, Zayne is still a doctor, MC makes her debut, MC is sapphic, personal name usage for MC, injury, yearning, Zayne & Sylus POVs
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Chapter 9 - No one?
Linkon City, 2055
N109 ZoneâŚ
âBoss-man, all preparations for tonightâs meeting have been completedâ the man clad in mostly black clothes and with a beaked mask on said in a serious tone, his business persona so different compared to his usual mischievous one.
Sylus hummed in response, never once raising his gaze from the floating monitor in front of him.
âHave any of the interested parties made any moves yet?â he asked nonchalantly, continuing to inspect the list of items from tonightâs oncoming auction.
âNo moves at allâ the other man dressed in the same fashion as the one who spoke first suddenly appeared behind Sylus, his tone a bit more playful compared to his twin, âWhich doesnât mean tonightâs event wonât end in an explosive finaleâ
âGlad youâve finally learnedâ Sylus chuckled, his finger sliding across the screen once more.
There were many valuable items that will be presented at the auction, from unique and expensive jewelry, antique paintings, newly modified gadgets, weapons all the way to modified protocores meant to be used on high-tech electronic devices and in robotics field.
Satisfied with the quality of the stock, Sylus closed the window and whistled, shortly but sharply.
In an instant, the cawing could be heard from the open window of the high rise, a crow dawning two mechanical wings landing on Sylusâ broad shoulders.
Tapping on his watch, the animalâs eyes glowed bright red, all the data it had collected in its patrol in N109 zone very soon being transferred to Sylusâ watch.
Watching at the footage with a frown, the leader of Onychinus couldnât help but feel this deep pit in his stomach. Something he had felt many times before⌠specifically, before he died in whichever life he was living.
âBe prepared to act at the momentâs noticeâ he eventually said, giving a knowing look to both Luke and Kieran, âWhen N109 zone is this quiet before a big event, it usually doesnât end goodâ
âYes, boss-man!â the twins said in unison only for Kieran to remind: âPlease donât forget to bring your weapons today, sir. We know you like to spar with your impromptu enemies, but today is-â
Sylus had just directed a sharp look towards him, instantly making Kieran silent.
âYou know I donât play with important mattersâ he mumbled, the crow on his shoulder cawing in a sign of warning, âBut, you two will have a special mission tonight?â
âYes, boss-man! Whatever it is!â the twins once again said in unison, making Sylus chuckle once he had turned away from them.
Leaning in his chair, the silver-haired man purred âMake sure kitten is well taken care of. This event wouldnât be possible without her, and with her connections, sheâd be a very sought after, especially by⌠certain peopleâ
âYes, boss-man!â the twins repeated for the third time, Sylus only waving for them to leave.
âWas someone mentioning me?â
A female voice coming from the door made the whole office lose its tense atmosphere, all three men instantly relaxing upon finally noticing a familiar figure.
âYouâre getting better at sneaking around, kittenâ Sylus said with a voice full of amusement, a sly smile immediately adorning his lips.
The woman at the door smiled before entering the office, âIâve learn from the best in the sneaking game. But, what were you saying about me?â
âOh, nothingâ Sylus reassured, leaning even more in his chair, âI was just making sure your bodyguards for tonight were ready to defend you at any given momentâ
The dark-haired woman tilted her head, her expression growing serious âShouldnât they be more concerned about protecting you?â
âI can fend for myselfâ Sylus reminded as his hand slid under the hem of an elegant jacket that hung from his wide shoulders, an unmistakable click of the gunâs safety lever making everyone in the room tense up.
The woman didnât look amused in the slightest, her step becoming wider as she approached Sylusâ table.
âFocus on your safety and donât try to show off like you sometimes do. Tonight has a potential to cause a lot of chaos in this already derailed zoneâ she scolded, Sylusâ smile widening even more.
âGlad weâre on the same pageâ Sylus purred again before directing his eyes at the twins, noticing their gawking and fidgeting behind him.
Luke and Kieran had immediately gotten a hint, leaving the two alone to check on the final details of tonightâs auction.
Once alone, the woman sighed, leaning against the table
âYou should really stop calling me that while Iâm at workâ she scolded, Sylus tilting his head.
âYouâre afraid little Tara will hear me?â he teased, crossing his legs.
âThat tooâ the woman chuckled, âBut itâs also unprofessional. Iâm your personal assistant; we donât want some outsider to think I mean something to you-â
âBut you do mean something to me, Liviaâ Sylus mumbled, completely serious, âYou are irreplaceable to me, someone I wish to protect⌠and same goes for your little girlfriendâŚ. Although, you are my favoriteâ
Livia chuckled, amusement clear in her voice, âAgain, donât let her hear you... but you know what I mean-â
âI do, yesâ Sylus confirmed, leaning forward in his chair, âAnd donât worry, I know how to pretend. You will never become my leverageâ
Satisfied with the answer, dark-haired woman nodded, her eyes lowering to look at her watch, âNow that this conversation is over, I have some newsâ
Sylusâ heart skipped for a moment, his attention completely shifting towards the notes displayed on the small screen, âWhat do you have for me?â
Only a moment later, all Sylusâ hopes would be crushed, again.
Livia just had to frown and shake her head in an apologetic manner.
âIâve looked through all of the data Linkon City and N109 Zone had on their residents⌠and I havenât found a single person who matches the description you gave meâ
Sylusâ jaw clenched, âNo one?â
âNo oneâ Livia confirmed, âTall male of muscular physique, black hair, striking green eyes, in his early twenties, conventionally attractive⌠and even with the sketch you have provided, I couldnât find anyone who matchedâ
Sylus took a couple of moments to collect his thoughts, the sensation just as soul-crushing as the first time he wasnât able to find his beloved on timeâŚ
âAlright, thenâŚâ he tried to sound nonchalant, but Livia wasnât an idiot.
âIâm really sorryâ she mumbled, reaching out to take his hand and squeeze it, âMaybe, I could start looking further out? In neighboring cities? Other countries-â
âNo need, Livâ Sylus mumbled, squeezing her hand back, âI donât think youâll find him in timeâŚâ
âDonât say that!â she scolded him, her voice almost breaking, âIâll get to work right now! Iâll try!â
Sylus could only chuckle at her promise, but deep in his soul he knew her good will wouldnât be enough, not even this time around.
Sylus has been through this countless times already.
From the time when he still had all his memories intact, the remnants of his powers still serving in his desperate search.
And yet, as the centuries went on, and his life repeated itself over and over again, his effort became all but futile.
His dragon powers have disappeared long time ago, leaving him in the useless husk of a mortal and fragile human body that could only live less than one century⌠but, he was never that lucky.
He still remembered every little detail of his belovedâs face; how his features changed when he smiled, when he felt pleasure, when he was in pain⌠everything was still so vivid in his mind.
But not even his memory could escape erosion of so many centuriesâŚ.
He had completely forgotten his belovedâs voice, the way his own name sounded when crossing those beautiful lips⌠and of all things, Sylus had forgotten his nameâŚ
And Livia had known all of this, from the very first day they have met.
She had a very special ability to see the past lives of others just by one touch, a fact that had scared Sylus the first time they have met.
He was rough when dealing with her initially, anger consuming him upon the realization that the sacred memory of his beloved Foreseer was seen by someone else other than him.
But⌠Livia was patient, calm, spiteful but also, very understanding.
She understood his pain and had truly done everything in her power to help him, especially in these last few months.
And yet, even her valiant efforts didnât bear any fruitâŚ
Sylus could feel his heart clenching in his chest, the morose feeling in the pit of his stomach foretelling what was about to go down that very eveningâŚ
He was about to die once again, only this time, without any luck in finding his beloved Foreseer.
âWe should go get readyâ he finally said, raising from his chair, âPick whichever dress or suit youâd like. They have all been paid forâ
With that, Sylus headed towards the exit of his office, his throat squeezing as he tried to swallow.
âSylus!â Livia suddenly called out for him, making him stop.
A brief moment of silence arose between them, the womanâs expression still so stubbornly determined: âBe very careful tonight⌠and I promise, Iâll find your ForeseerâŚâ
Sylus chuckled, leaving the office without another wordâŚ
ââ ⢠ăťâ¸â¸
Zayne had moved his head from left to right, the stiffness that had settled in becoming more uncomfortable as the time went on.
It has only been a couple of days since he had returned to the Linkon City, but he was already buried in work, Akso Hospital almost becoming his primary home for the time-being.
He had worked in many hospitals around the world, and despite being a prodigy in his field and the youngest doctor to ever win a Starsnatcher Award for his research on heart regeneration.
But, once he had returned to his hometown, he knew his job would become more difficult, primarily because he was a returning doctor into a system that needed a lot of improvements.
He was still working as a heart surgeon primarily, but on nights such as this one, he had to be on-call for the Emergency room as well. It was a festival season in Linkon City, a time when many people get injured or feel sick due to various reasons, mostly due to alcohol consumption.
But it was something that had to be done, especially if he wanted for Akso Hospital to return its former reputation.
Zayne rubbed his eyes, glasses feeling rather uncomfortable on the bridge of his nose.
There were still so many notes he had to finish, preparing for tomorrowâs morning council where his weekly surgery schedule would be determined. There was no way heâll head home any time soonâŚ
With a deep sigh, Zayne had prepared to get back to work, only for his eyes to fall on the phone that was resting at the far end of the table.
He hasnât really spoken to anyone of his old friends since he had returned, only his parents aware of his sudden return. He simply had no time to meet up with anyone with his hectic schedule⌠but there was one person he really wanted to hear from.
Deciding to take a short break, Zayne picked up his phone and unlocked it, going into messages and clicking on the caller ID his mother had forwarded to him a day earlier.
Slightly reluctant and aware that it was probably somewhat late, Zayneâs finger hovered over the call button⌠but he still decided to press it.
He hasnât heard from his childhood friend in more than ten years, the ringing on the other line causing his heart to pound as if he was doing something he wasnât supposed to.
How will she react? Will she be angry with him for not contacting her sooner? They have lost contact after a year or two of being separated, it was no oneâs fault-
âHello?â the deeper feminine voice picked up, Zayne recognizing her immediately.
âLivia?â he asked, trying to sound calm, âWe havenât spoken in a long timeâŚâ
A pause ensued on the other line, ââŚWhoâs this? You sound familiarâŚâ
The young doctor chuckled, âItâs Zayne, Livia.â
A muffled gasp and hurried footsteps came from the other line, many other voices in the background, âOh my god, hi! Where have you been all these years!?â
âMostly studyingâŚâ he answered earnestly, leaning in his chair in order to soothe his painful neck, âBut, Iâve returned to Linkon a couple of days ago⌠Iâm sorry for not calling you soonerâ
âYou know, I wouldâve chewed you out for that if I wasnât working right nowâŚâ Liviaâs voice was a whisper, as if she was in the middle of some important event.
âYouâre working this late?â Zayne frowned, âWhere?â
âIâll tell you about it in person, nowâs not the a time-â
A loud bang, similar to a gunshot echoed on the other line, making Zayne wince and straighten in his chair.
A series of screams and shuffling ensued, the doctor completely unable to distinguish which voice belonged to his friend.
âLivia!?â he called out before putting the phone on speaker. He had opened the keyboard, ready to dial emergency services, âLivia!? What is going on!?â
âOh my god, ZayneâŚâ Liviaâs voice finally came through, her tone shaky and barely able to speak, âMy boss⌠heâs⌠heâsâŚâ
âWhat, Livia!? Are you hurt!?â Zayne promptly ejected himself from his chair, picking up the land phone that was on his desk.
âN-no, Iâm fineâ she cried, âHe was shot at point-blank range by one of attendees⌠heâs bleeding from his stomach!â
Zayneâs professional side had taken over instantly: âMake sure to apply pressure to the wound with any piece of cloth. Is he conscious?â
âBarely!â she exclaimed, âHeâs been carried into his car, weâll head straight to the nearest hospital-â
âWhere in the city are you?â he demanded, a momentary silence overtaking the other line for a moment, âLivia?â
âWeâre on the southern outskirts of Linkon, weâre driving into the city-â
âCome to Aksoâ he ordered before she could even interrupt him, âMe and my team will wait for you. Until you arrive, just make sure to keep him conscious and continue applying pressure to the affected areaâ
The pause on the other line prolonged, but Liviaâs final words were full of determination âAlright⌠see you in a few minutesâŚâ
Zayne promptly hung up the phone and dialed the emergency department that was on the floor underneath his office, his feet soon swiftly carrying him out of the office and towards the elevators.
He was in the ER in a matter of minutes, hands already washed as he noticed a shiny black car pulling up at one of back entrances.
âMedics!â he called out, âThere is a man injured in that car! Room 4!â
Everyone worked swiftly, nurses and other practicing doctors following Zayne into the designated emergency room. He had quickly disclosed the type of injury he was told the patient had, the head nurse already preparing the kit needed to patch him up.
Only a minute later, a familiar woman appeared at the entrance of the room, followed by two men dressed in black and two medics that had pushed the gurney.
âA 29 year old male, injured by a gunshot to the stomach at a point-blank range. No exit woundsâ the medic disclosed before rolling the tall man in, Zayne already fully gloved and with a mask covering his face.
But, the moment he looked at the unconscious man, Zayneâs knees felt as if they were going to give out.
In a flash, his mind was flooded by countless memories that didnât seem to belong to him⌠and were yet somwhat familiar.
So familiar it made his chest acheâŚ
As the images continued to play in his head, Zayneâs body seemed to be on autopilot, ordering nurses and medics what to do as he ripped the manâs shirt to take a look at the gushing wound.
Why⌠is this happening to me, why now!?, he wondered, his mind so loud he could barely hear his own voice.
But, once the calm took over his mind, Zayneâs eyes focused on a familiar, sharp features.
HELLO, HI! We've entered modern timeline, baby! You're all in for more pining, more yearning, more angst and SO MUCH MORE FLUFF AND OTHER ADULT ACTIVITIES!
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and make sure to stay healthy, everyone! New update is coming on June 14th! Another long wait, I know, but I hope this one will keep you satiated until then!
