A Glimpse of Shining Starfire Ch. 1 – The Boy with the Golden Eyes
Author's note: Well everyone, with the ending of A Boy and His Fox I decided that I'd move ahead with the sequel and the spin off right away. Both will be added in place of ABAHF in rotation and I shall now resume work on all four stories, publishing at least one chapter each day. 'Impossible!' you cry. 'Four stories?!' you exclaim! 'Every day' you ejaculate! Yes but that's to prevent prostate cancer. Gotta stay healthy somehow. At any rate I hope you guys enjoy this story. The rotation will be Smoothest of Criminals; Sound & Fury; Magic of a Young Girl's Heart; then A Glimpse of Shining Starfire. Thank you guys again for all your support and as always be sure to rate and review my work. –Kiba Elunal
When someone says that there are an infinite number of stars in the sky they are only half right. Every night we are only able to see approximately three thousand stars at any given time. Every night someone somewhere looks up into the sky and feels that somewhere something is staring back. But just what are the stars? Many scientists have many different theories. Some suggest that they're just burning balls of gas, others believe they are the souls of the dead glittering for the world to see, but one thing that almost everyone can agree upon is that looking up at them brings us a sense of amazement and wonder unlike anything else.
But none of them know the real truth, the truth that I've learned from someone who by chance and chance alone crossed paths with me on that fateful starry night. I was in my room staring up into the night sky. It had been at least a year since my adventure with Kal and every day I found myself longing more and more to have someone in my heart the way Kal was in Ahri's. I know he told me to be patient but it was so hard…why couldn't I find someone? I sat there in my room looking outside of my window over the manor. I rested my head on my arms with a soft sigh as I looked up at the moon that was big and full, illuminating the roof of the west wing of the manor. But something was odd…I could see the sillouette of something standing on roof. Looking closer I realized that it was a person. One that I'd never seen before. But what on Runeterra was he doing on our roof in the middle of the night? Thinking he was a burglar I grasped by baton and carefully climbed out on to the roof slowly making my way towards him.
With every step I made sure to check and double check my footing before moving ever closer. If I slipped and fell it was a long way down and it'd be all over for me. I chastised myself for my brashness, why the hell was I coming out here like this? This guy could be dangerous, he may even have a gun or something and yet here I was standing on top of my roof in my pajamas approaching him. But I knew the answer to that question. He had piqued my curiosity, and I had to know just what he was doing on my roof. As I finally got closer I saw that he was balanced on one of the decorative spires staring up at the night sky with a concentrated look on his face. "Hey! What are you doing up here?" I demanded of him. Hearing my voice he turned towards me and seeing me he immediately took off in the opposite direction. Damn it! "J-just wait a minute!" I called after him as I began to enter hot pursuit. This guy was fast, I could barely keep up with him as he skillfully leapt over the spires and skylights to avoid me. This was how it always was, I realized with disappointment. It was always me chasing after the man not the other way around. I leveled my baton as I began to channel my energy through it firing a light cage towards the fleeing suspect. Looking over his shoulder I gasped as he released a blight flash of light that destructed my spell. Whoever this guy was now I was even more curious.
It wasn't long until I had him cornered in a dead end. Now he only had two choices, a four hundred foot drop or through me and he wasn't getting through either. "Ha!" I panted out of breath. "Now, I'm going to find out who you are!" I leveled my baton again preparing a luminescence spell as I stepped closer. Suddenly my foot slipped on the slick metal and I found myself tumbling off the roof. This was it…this was how I was going to die? Chasing after some stupid guy who was standing on my roof for some indiscernible reason. As I started to fall I wondered what my parents would think when they found my body…would they even care? I closed my eyes desperately wishing that Kal was here to save me as tears began to flow down my cheeks. Suddenly I felt a hand wrap around my wrist stopping my descent. "Kal?" I asked in surprise as I looked up into eyes that glowed with a brilliant gold. The pupils of his eyes were astounding, instead of being round they were in the shape of five pointed stars. It was him…the one on the roof.
"Just hold on. I've got you." That was all he said to me. His voice was deep and calm, as if saving me were just a trip to the supermarket. I felt him starting to lift me back up onto the roof and when I was safely back on the surface I looked at him panting heavily.
"Who…are you?" He looked at me with those shining gold hues his lips not moving an inch. "Please…tell me…what are you doing up here? What is your name?" His eyes didn't leave mine the serious expression on his face not fading for even a moment as he stood up.
"Don't follow me." And with that he was gone…vanished into the night leaving me there on the roof to wonder of the identity of my mysterious savior. I quickly scrambled up to the top of the roof where I saw him running away.
"Wait please! Will I see you again?" I shouted after him. He turned back to me his expression as blank as it ever was. I could see him clearly now his visage illuminated by the pale full moon. "Please…I wish you would just answer that question at least." His golden eyes reflected the light back from the moon like flashlights. I watched amazed as I realized that from his body a light halo of shimmering dust was all around him. His stern expression and jagged features ever unwavering he granted me the answer to the one question.
"Yes." And with that he was gone, off into the night to do Gods know what. Crawling back to my room I climbed into bed turning the lights off and trying to sleep. All night my dreams were filled with the mysterious man my brain wracking itself trying to discern his purpose. Was he a friend? He had saved me. Yet at the same time he was cold, as though the thought of being civil didn't even occur to him. Unable to sleep I was haunted by those beautiful golden eyes with the star shaped pupils.
The next morning at breakfast I stared at my food, unable to get last night's events out of my mind. "Luxanna? Is something wrong?" I looked up to see my big brother looking at me strangely. "You're not thinking about Kal again are you? You've got to let him go Lux, this is getting unhealthy." I sighed softly shaking my head.
"No…for once this isn't about Kal. Garen, this may seem like a strange question…but have you ever seen a boy standing on our roof?" Garen raised an eyebrow at me curiously.
"No…I can't say that I have. Have you been seeing a boy standing on our roof?" I sighed softly before nodding.
"Last night. He was standing on the west wing looking at the stars. I went out to see what he was up to and he ran away. So I chased him until I caught him by the conservatory. But I ended up slipping and falling off the roof."
"You fell off the roof? I find that a little hard to believe Lux."
"He managed to catch me before I fell. It was the weirdest thing. His eyes were golden and his pupils weren't round. They were shaped like stars. He wouldn't tell me his name or anything. I asked him if I would see him again and he said yes. Then I went back to bed. It was so bizzare…" Garen laughed heartily.
"Lux, I think you may have just had a crazy dream and been a little confused when you woke up. All of that sounds too ridiculous to have actually happened."
Was it a dream? I wasn't entirely sure. It felt real enough, but then again it wouldn't be the first time I'd had a dream that felt like it was real. I finished off my breakfast before placing my dishes in the sink. If it had been a dream it was an interesting one…but if it hadn't...I let the thought hang there for a moment. The rest of the day went on like any other. For the most part I just stayed in my room reading tomes on magic and daydreaming about Kal and our adventure together. Maybe I'd go visit him later this week…but I doubted he wanted to see me, after all he had Ahri now and they were raising not one but three kids. No, I decided, it would be better for me to just leave him alone…he'd prefer it that way. However, as the sun went down once more I decided I would stay up and wait for the mysterious man who had saved me the other night. I sat there at my windowsill waiting eagerly for his return. Seconds became minutes. Minutes turned into hours and finally my eyes began to feel heavy. I closed them only for a moment and when I opened them again, there he was standing like a crane on the same spot as before. This time I swore to myself that I wouldn't startle him. Slipping my baton into my holster I slowly made my way on all fours towards him, the better the chance I wouldn't be seen or fall from the roof. Before I managed to get within ten feet of him his voice spoke out in the night.
"I told you not to follow me." I froze cursing under my breath before I stood up slowly. This time he didn't bolt from me as I came closer.
"I know…but I wanted to see you again." His eyes left the sky as he turned to face me. I sat on the edge of the parapet where he stood looking back at him.
"Why? What interest should you have in me?" I looked at him strangely. Was he serious?
"Well for one…you're a stranger…standing on my roof…in the middle of the night…staring at the stars."
"Lots of people stare at the stars. And the middle of the night is the only time you can see them clearly."
"Yes…but usually people don't do so on the roof of someone else's house."
"I see. And that is why I interest you?" I frowned softly. Clearly he was not well versed in the ways of the world.
"Well…partially. Last night, when I fell…you saved me. I never even got the chance to properly thank you."
"You're welcome." He said flatly.
"Well I…no that's not what I meant…"
"But you just said thank you." I rubbed my eyes frustrated.
"Okay…answer me this: who are you? What is your name? Can you at least tell me what I should call you?" The man looked at me curiously.
"I've heard that amongst human cultures it is often considered rude to ask for someone's name before giving theirs first. Have I heard wrong?" I blushed softly.
"Well…no, not exactly…"
"Then…you are intending to be rude?" He asked.
"No. Of course not!" I quickly answered before giving a sigh. "But you are right…it was rude of me. My name is Luxanna Crownguard. But everyone just calls me Lux…now may I ask what your name is?"
"Yes."
"…yes?"
"Yes, you may ask what my name is."
"Okay…what is your name?" He turned towards me looking me straight in the eyes as his own shimmered softly.
"Arcturus…my name is Arcturus." I scooted a little closer to him wanting to get a better look of the strange man. Small spirals of gold and blue dust were falling from him creating a beautiful pattern in the air around him. Slowly I extended my fingers smiling as the shimmering powder twirled around my fingertips.
"You are a rather curious one it would seem." I blushed pulling my hand back. I was embarrassed that he had caught me looking.
"Oh sorry…I didn't mean to…"
"Why are you sorry? You've done me no wrong."
"Huh? Well…I…"
"If you wish to examine me more closely all you have to do is say so. Or if you want me to answer a question I can do that as well." His eyes left mine looking back up to the stars. I sighed softly. He was so mysterious…it was honestly rather attractive if not for his lack of social grace.
"Well…alright…let's start with the basics. You're clearly not human."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well you referred to it as 'human culture.' If you were human you'd just refer to it as 'culture' see? So I suppose my question would be…what are you?"
He gave a soft sigh stepping down from the precipice to sit beside me. "You are correct. I am not human…I am from a race of people who live up there…in the Astral Sea." I looked at him surprised.
"Truly?"
"I've no reason to lie to you. If I remember correctly…your people have a few names for us. Amongst which are 'Celestians' and 'Deva'." I looked down at my feet gently clicking my heels together.
"I see…well…I suppose that raises my next question. What are you doing here?" He turned to me and for the first time his cheeks were tinged with a slight pink. The first sign of emotion I'd seen him show.
"I…may have not been paying attention…and I kind of…well…fell."
"Fell? How does that happen? Do you just trip out of the Astral Sea or something?"
"Don't be foolish. Of course not." I cringed softly at his harsh tone.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." He shook his head.
"It is fine. You do not understand the ways of our people…I angered my mother and father…and so they sent me down here."
"I thought you said it was because you weren't paying attention."
"It was."
"I'm afraid I still don't understand…what exactly was it that you weren't paying attention too?" He frowned softly and at first I was worried I had hurt his feelings again. But instead he simply spoke, this time his voice soft.
"The stars…I wasn't paying attention to the stars…I let one of them fall by accident…and being down here is my punishment."
"But…why are you being punished? Is letting a star fall out of the sky really such a large deal?" He looked at me his expression quizzical.
"But of course…it is a very big deal. One that could jeopardize everything."
"Is that why you're always staring up at the sky?"
"Yes, you could say that." I sighed softly smiling at him.
"You're a strange one, you know that?" He looked at me curiously.
"Am I truly that strange to you?" He asked. I giggled softly nodding as I placed my hand on his.
"Well…you do talk rather strangely…and you're very different from anyone I've met before. It's not every day that someone spawned from the stars comes down from the sky and stands on your roof." He quickly jerked away his hand angrily glaring at me.
"I am not a star spawn!" He growled. "Never ever compare me to one of those monsters again!" Woah. That was scary.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I just thought you said earlier you were from up there with the stars. I didn't realize that was an insult…please forgive me?" He sighed softly.
"No…no I'm the one who is sorry. It is so easy to forget that you humans know nothing about what goes on in the Astral Sea. Allow me to explain in a way that you can perhaps understand. When you look up at the stars…how do you feel?" I thought about the question. I looked up at the sky, pondering it for a moment before finally answering.
"I don't know…peaceful…maybe just kind of serene…like the sky is a large blanket that's keeping me warm and safe."
"Why do you suppose that is?" He asked me softly. I shrugged my shoulders. I had absolutely no idea why I felt like that. It was an odd sensation to have in the first place…but trying to explain why I had it? That was nearly impossible. "I can tell you why." He said. I looked at him surprised.
"Oh really? And how exactly do you know the reason for the way I feel." He smiled softly at me, the first time I'd ever seen him smile. It was nice to see him happy for once, as though it were a rare and joyous gift that he was giving to me.
"Well…you see it's because…" As he began I saw a shooting star falling through the sky.
"Oh wow! Look a shooting star!" I said pointing excitedly. "That means we get to make a wish!" He frowned and stood up suddenly.
"Wish that it burns up before it hits the ground…" He said softly.
"Wh-what?" Suddenly the thing changed directions, the light becoming brighter and brighter as it hurtled towards us. "How did it…how?" I stammered as the giant flaming rock rushed towards us. Before I could react Arcturus had pounced on me, pinning my body to the roof as the shooting star took off the tower we were just sitting in. It hurtled further carving a long trench through the woods before finally coming to a stop a small trail of smoke rising above the trees.
"Stay here." Arcturus instructed me as he began to skillfully climb down the gutters towards the ground. When he reached the earth he began to run down the trench towards the fallen star. Despite his warning I decided to climb down too, albeit in a safer way. I quickly crawled back to my window slipping inside before going down the stairs and out the front door. As I rounded the house I could see a faint green light glowing from the woods where the meteor had landed. I walked to the edge of the trench and saw that the thing was at least ten feet deep. Letting out a light squeal I leapt into the side of it sliding down into the ravine before pursuing my new Celestian friend. When I arrived I saw him standing with his back to me staring intently at the gigantic rock before us. It was covered with massive crystalline like stones that were the source of the eerie green light.
"Oh…wow…its beautiful!" I exclaimed walking closer towards the meteor before Arcturus stuck his arm out stopping me.
"I told you to stay away from this place. Don't you ever listen? This is not a game Luxanna do you understand me? This is very dangerous and I don't want you to get hurt."
"Hurt? What do you mean?" Just as I spoke the meteor let out a wicked hiss as it cracked open the crystals fading into dull translucent rocks as inside I laid eyes upon a creature that to this day my mind reels at the thought of. "W-what is that thing?!" I cried.
"This is…the scion of Gibbeth…" Arcturus said softly as I looked upon the form. I couldn't determine what it was, my mind was coming up with hundreds of images one after another trying to give me some sort of mental image to decipher. It was like he was a green horned giant with translucent skin while inside of him was a terrible looking spider with a child's face. And then in the next moment a giant snake was coiled around it with mouths everywhere on its body. My heart began pounding as I stepped away my eyes unable to pull away from the monstrosity. As its eyes turned towards me quickly Arcturus stepped between us. "Luxanna, do not gaze into the creature's eyes. To look upon its true form will shatter your mind into nothingness. Take off the sash of your robe and use it like a blindfold. I will let you know when it's safe." I hesitated for a moment. What the heck was he going to do? There was no way he could take on this giant beast all by himself.
Arcturus held out his hand opening his palm as if requesting me to give him something but I didn't know what he was wanting. I watched in shock and awe as a bright light extended from his hand forming into a glimmering long sword that sparkled like diamonds. But whenever I wouldn't look directly at it instead it was wrapped in shadows that sizzled and hissed like a coiled serpent. It was the most beautiful and terrifying weapon I had ever seen and as Arcturus skillfully spun it, it left beautiful trails of starbursts in the air behind it much like the sparklers given to children at festivals. I immediately did as he said and blindfolded myself as I waited patiently for him to tell me it was safe. I decided that if I called him and he didn't answer in a few moments then I'd remove my blindfold and run. I could hear the maddening beast bellowing in fear in a foreign dialect that when spoke caused my head to hurt like a bad migraine.
"You recognize this blade…don't you Scion of Gibbeth? You are correct. It is the blade of dreams and nightmares, forged in the heart of a star. The star of Delban. This is the legendary starshadow blade."
It screeched again and I clamped my hands over my ears trying to drown out the terrible painful shrieking but to no avail. My head pounded painfully but from what I could Arcturus didn't react at all.
"Very well…if you shall not surrender I have no choice but to send you back to The Void from whence you came!" He cried out as he lunged forward slicing to and fro through the fearsome beast, its body attempting to shift manifestations but with every transformation there was Arcturus another starfire infused slash cutting into his new shape causing it to screech even louder. The thing raised one of its claws towards him ready to grab the man and consume him but as he did Arcturus held up his blade. "Taste resplendence abomination!" He yelled and even through my blindfold I saw the beautiful sword ignite in dazzling rays of white light as he lanced it into the heart of the creature. I watched through the thin cloth as he ripped the sword from the shadowy figure's chest. From the wound the being bled out brilliant light that shimmered with all of the colors of the rainbow before the thing disintegrated into nothing leaving only the remnants of the bleeding light which too faded shortly after. "It is done. You can remove your blindfold Luxanna. Are you unharmed?" When I removed the fabric from my eyes the blade had vanished and Arcturus was looking over me with a worried look on his face. It was a look I had seen before in Kal's eyes…something that I desperately craved. Without a word I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck holding on to him tightly.
"I was so scared…" I whispered softly. "What was that thing?" He seemed confused as to what to do about my hug and so he gently pat my back with one hand, nervously.
"You are safe now…that…dear Lux…is the reason you feel tranquility from the starry sky. It is known as a star spawn, an avatar of a monstrous being that is sent here through the gate of a fiend the size of a planet known only by the name of Allabar." I looked at him dubiously.
"Are you serious? Or are you just messing with me." He looked at me his golden eyes unfaltering.
"Luxanna…look above you…what do you see?" I looked up at the large black ness that had thousands of tiny holes pierced in it where light shined and shimmered for all of us here below could witness.
"I see stars…beautiful shining stars." I whispered softly before looking back to him.
"I don't see beauty when I look at them Lux…I see another potential danger to you, to the world, to the universe. Each one of those stars that you see is a fiery prison containing beings so terrible that for them to even step one foot on this place unchecked could cause the destruction of hundreds of thousands of people." He sighed softly as he looked into my eyes. "That is why, Luxanna, that I was cast from my home. I failed my duty as one of the jailors of these great prisons and because of it I nearly destroyed the entire world." I looked at him sadly, I felt terrible that he had this huge burden on him and I wished there was something I could do to make him feel better.
"Listen Arcturus…I'm sure it wasn't all your fault…you're too brave and kind to do something horrible like that on purpose." Arcturus shook his head.
"You are wrong Luxanna…I did do it on purpose. Back in my home I was a promising up and coming mage amongst my people. But…it was never enough for me…I needed more power, more strength so I could continue to get stronger. That was when I met him…"
"Him who?"
"Delban." he whispered softly. "In exchange for a portion of my soul and his freedom he granted me the ability to craft this blade…the legendary starshadow blade…out of the remnants of my soul that he had not consumed. I believed that my actions would be harmless, wouldn't have hardly any consequences save that he now was in possession of part of my soul. But I was wrong…he sought out Allabar and was granted his own personal spot near the bottom of the seas, preying on the insecure by feasting on their fear. My parents sent me here to find him…but shortly after I fell, he vanished from existence."
"B-but you couldn't have known he would do that! You shouldn't beat yourself up just because you didn't know that someone you thought was your friend would betray you." I began to lecture him. "And even if it did cause bad things to happen, it caused good things too. What would have happened had you not been here when this whatchamacallit of whatshisface? I'd have come out to see it and I'd be dead…he would have killed the entire country, possibly all of Valoran. I don't care what you say, you're still a hero to me!" I cried. He, of course, had no reaction. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking as he listened to my lecture.
"Lux?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you so desperate to prove that I'm a hero?" His question managed to catch me off-guard. He had a good point, I hardly even knew him and yet here I was saying that he was a hero just because he had been there when bad things happened. My brother would say that I was trying to find a Kal buried inside of him…maybe he'd be right. No, he'd be wrong. This wasn't Kal, I mean Kal had a sweet sort of animal magnetism. But this guy…he was just…well for lack of a better word: stoic. But it would hurt his feelings…I think…if I went back on what I said now.
"Because you are a hero. You saved me on the roof that first night. And tonight you saved me again from this star spawn. That's twice you've saved me now and I'm not going to just let you discount both of those actions as happenstance."
"Heh." He gave an amused chuckle. Just one. But it was still shocking enough to me that it managed to make me take a deep look at myself and him. I'd always told Kal that good men didn't just fall out of the sky…but maybe this one had. There was only one way to find out if he and I were compatible. I walked up to him staring deep into his golden eyes, his puzzled gaze returning the favor as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Erm…Luxanna? Why are you looking at me like that?"
I didn't respond or answer his question I just leaned up slightly and pressed my lips against his. I felt the slightest little tingling down in my toes that made me know there was something I saw in him. Pulling away I smiled softly to him. "Well?" I prodded him gently.
"I…erm…don't understand…"
"Don't understand?"
"Why did you feel the need to put your mouth over mine? Is this a custom for you amongst humans?" I covered my mouth to hide a chuckle, snickering softly. He had no clue…no idea. It was so crazy to think he'd been observing us trying to fit in and he had no idea what a kiss was.
"Well…erm…kind of yes. When someone does it you're supposed to tell them how much you liked it." He seemed to ponder the thought for a moment. I nervously bit my lip waiting for his response.
"It was not unpleasurable. Rather it was soft…and your lips taste sweet, slightly like…" he paused for a moment before nodding, "watermelon." I blushed brightly as I realized I had forgotten I was wearing my favorite lip gloss.
"Well that's good, I'm glad that you enjoyed it." He looked at me expectantly. "What?"
"Are you not going to tell me what you thought as well?" He asked curiously. I blushed brightly.
"Oh, right sorry. Ummm, yeah I enjoyed it. It was nice, it told me something rather nice about you. There's a lot you can tell about a person from a kiss."
"Is that true?"
"Oh yes. You can tell if someone is gentle and kind or fierce and passionate. You can tell who'll lead and who's good at following orders. And…as you've attested…you can tell things that they enjoy…mine being watermelon." I smiled softly to him.
"Ah…I will have to remember that from now on." I smiled at him looking back at the meteor.
"So…what do we do about this?" He looked at me and just shrugged.
"Don't fret over it too much, it'll be gone by morning. The trench too."
"Wait what? How?"
"Chances are that a few of my people will come down to perform a ritual that'll reverse the time for this particular rock. Thus putting it back up in the sky and returning it to orbit." He never would cease to amaze me.
"Well…do you want to stay and see them?"
"Not particularly, no."
"Why not?"
"The last time I spoke with them in a situation like this they threw things at me." I frowned giving him another hug.
"That's terrible! Why would they do something so mean?"
"They believed it was me who summoned the meteor from the sky."
"Could you honestly do that?" I asked. He simply shook his head.
"I can only speak to them. I can't call them at whim…nor can I give them commands as my people believe me capable of." I gently laid my head against his chest as he looked down at me.
"Is this another custom?" He asked. I just nodded nuzzling into his chest.
"Yes. I'm trying to comfort you." He smiled softly.
"Thank you." I sighed softly as I let him go.
"Well…you know, if you don't have anywhere to stay…you can come inside and stay with us if you like." He nodded eagerly.
"Yes please, the roof is not a comfortable bed."
"Gods! You've been sleeping on the roof?!" I asked.
"Yes. I apologize if that is rude."
"Not rude, but now you're definitely staying inside. You poor thing." I took him by the wrist guiding him towards the house. Opening the door softly I looked around to ensure that no one was coming before creeping up the stairs with him trailing behind me. Just before I got to my room I heard a door open as Garen left the bathroom scratching his chest sleepily.
"Hey Lux…hey…other…guy?" He started to wake up a bit.
"Lux who is this guy? Why is he in our house."
"Well, I…you see he's…" I watched as Arcturus walked straight up to Garen looking him in the eyes. Garen returned the look a little confused as to why Arcturus was staring at him so intently. And then the unthinkable happened. Arcturus grabbed Garen and full on kissed him on the mouth causing Garen's eyes to go wide as he pulled away coughing.
"Lux…what in the?"
"Was it pleasurable for you?" Arcturus asked him. Garen just stood their silenced.
"I'm sorry?"
"I said was it pleasurable for you? Did my kiss provide you with pleasure? I found it rather pleasurable. Up until you pulled away that is obviously." I just kind of blushed as I covered my face with my hand embarrassed. Clearly I needed to explain the concept of a kiss a bit more clearly to Arcturus.
"I..what?! No! No I didn't enjoy it!"Garen growled.
"Apologies…I simply wish to get to know you better." Oh Gods…he was choosing to say all the wrong things. Garen growled cracking his knuckles.
"Oh…you'll get to know me real well pal."
"Excellent." He looked at Arcturus confused.
"Excellent?"
"Yes. I think it will be most beneficial for the both of us to get to know one another well." The golden-eyed man turned towards me. "What is it I do now Lux? Do I kiss him again and attempt to extract more information about him?"
"Erm…no. Arcturus…usually kissing isn't something someone does to a person they've never met before. It's really more of a…intimate…action. It means that you've become affectionate for that person."
"I see…so what of my kiss to your brother?"
"Well…usually when you kiss someone…who wasn't wanting to be kissed…it upsets them. A lot. I think perhaps you should apologize to him." He nodded before walking over to Garen and wrapping his arms around him hugging him tightly much to Garen's shock.
"Apologies. I am still learning social etiquette for when you are sleeping in someone's house. Does this comfort you from my previous mistake?" Garen looked at me.
"Lux…please…just take your friend and go." He whispered looking over his shoulder. "Please don't tell me you told him about sex…" I shook my head quickly before grabbing Arcturus by the wrist and pulling him behind me.
"C'mon starry-eyes. Let's get you to sleep."
"But I wish to comfort Garen more. He still seemed rather uncomfortable." I chuckled softly.
"Maybe…but that's because you were trying to comfort him when he didn't need comforting."
"I see…so when one hugs someone who doesn't need a hug…it makes them uncomfortable?" I smiled nodding.
"See you're starting to get it."
"Not exactly. But I do have another question…"
"Shoot."
"Beg pardon?"
"Oh right sorry. Shoot is an expression that's sometimes used to affirm that someone go ahead or proceed when they wish to ask something."
"Oh. Interesting. Well…my question is…your brother mentioned 'sex'…what is this 'sex' you speak of?" I blinked looking at him shocked.
"You've never heard of sex?" He shook his head.
"Well…erm…how is it your people…reproduce?" I asked softly. He shook his head.
"We do not."
"You don't? How are you all still alive?"
"We don't reproduce because we're all related. We all have the same mother and father."
"Really?!"
"Yes. My mother is Sehanine, The Goddess of the Moon and Love. My Father is Pelor, God of the Sun and the Harvest." My jaw dropped as I stared at him.
"That's…that's incredible!" I said shaking my head as I opened my bed room door pulling me inside. "Wow…I can't believe it…I can say I kissed the son of two Gods." I chuckled softly to myself, blushing slightly. I began to set up the window bed for him placing a pillow there before I heard him removing his shoes and setting them aside. I turned towards him watching him curiously. He had golden chains that criss-crossed over his chest holding the leather jacket and hood he wore in place. Unfastening the chains he slipped out of his coat folding it neatly and setting it over his shoes before removing his tunic and folding it as well. My eyes scanned his torso with interest. All over his chest were purple markings on his cream colored skin that formed the same intricate patterns and spirals as the stardust that had been falling off his body earlier. I walked towards him silently as I looked deep into his eyes, my fingertips resting gently on his collar bone as they trailed down his chest following the almost labyrinth like features.
"They're beautiful." I whispered to him softly and for the first time I saw his cheeks turn a bright red as he blushed.
"Well…I…umm…I don't know what to say…" I looked at him curiously, a soft smile coming to my face as I looked at him.
"Well aren't you bashful all the sudden? Normally you're so calm and collected."
"Yes well…amongst my people…that is…what some of my people do…"
"Go on." He sighed softly.
"We may not reproduce, but some of my siblings seek out intimacy none-the-less. To comment on one's markings is…well it is a sign of interest of romantic involvement."
"Oh. Oh! Oh I'm so sorry Arcturus, I had no idea. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." He smiled softly at me and shook his head.
"You did not make me uncomfortable…simply surprised me is all. It is the very first time anyone has commented on them…" I looked at him curiously.
"Really? When did you first get them?" He gave me a look as though I had just asked if the sky were blue.
"Since birth…these are birthmarks." He smiled softly at me again, I was starting to enjoy seeing him smile more and more. "And yes…no one has ever informed me that they felt my markings were beautiful. I think it was because I was one of the younger members of my people when I left. But even still…younger Deva were known to compliment one another's markings if they found interest in a classmate or a friend." I sat there for a moment, lightly tracing them as I looked deep into his eyes.
"Well…I for one still think they're absolutely beautiful…and as far as I'm concerned those girls had no taste if they didn't find them attractive." He looked at me curiously.
"Do you find me attractive Luxanna?" I blushed brightly looking up at him. I swallowed nervously gently pulling away my hand before nodding softly.
"I see…I find that you are very beautiful as well Lux. But I assume you're probably tired. I shall let you get some rest." I smiled softly at him and as he laid down I draped a comforter over him before planting a kiss on his cheek. He turned towards me confused.
"You wish to know more about me?" He asked softly.
"In due time Arcturus…but for now, I just wanted to give you that kiss…here that is a sign of romantic interest too." He looked at me nodding.
"I see…well, I've learned a lot today. Thank you Lux. I hope you sleep well." I smiled and slipped into my own bed cuddling with my pillow. It was odd having a living breathing star warrior in my bed room. Maybe this was the adventure that I've been waiting for.
To be continued in Ch. 2…