A/N: Yay, another chapter! Also, I hope you don't mind what I've written recently with Devi and Naya and this one with Rye and Milo. Hope I'm being true enough to your characters. Anyway, enjoy!
~~ Caspian ~~
Caspian wandered the streets for hours before he finally made his way back to his hotel room, after his confrontation with Aspen. He was weary and his emotions were a mess, unused to dealing with such things. Closing the door behind him, he left the keys on the table beside the door, heading further into his room. Aspen had pushed him away time and time again, but he had refused to give up on him. And now when he threatened to leave himself, Aspen finally changed his mind, calling him back.
There was a part of him that couldn't help but wonder whether Aspen wouldn't have changed his mind if he hadn't pushed him so. Perhaps he couldn't stand the loss of power or control, as he'd mentioned. His reasons were really too hard to judge at that point and after all that had happened.
Sighing, Caspian didn't turn the lights on, instead walking over to the bed. He never would have entertained the possibility of staying at such a place before meeting Aspen. But now such places held many memories that he tried not to think too hard about. After a hit of emotion – frustration or something else, he couldn't tell – he grabbed at the quilt, pulling it off the bed, before dragging the sheets and the pillow off as well, and throwing them to the ground. Breathing hard, he stared at the bare bed for a moment. If only he could pin all of his anger on it.
He did not feel like using it, and instead, he laid down on the ground on his uninjured side. He'd chosen a spot near the glass balcony door, staring out of it. It was different for his parents – they had been paired up, but they had complemented each other well, whether that be because of the amount of time they'd spend together, or their personalities which seemed to balance each other out. What he had with Aspen on the other hand was more fragile or delicate, both of them being emotionally charged, and liable to explode. They were passionate and reckless, and they collided together in the most spectacular and sometimes painful kinds of ways, but other times it just strangely worked. It was as if others would not be able to understand what they had both gone through, and the brokenness that they strived to hide. He could not imagine letting his guard down with anyone else. But at some point, Aspen had drawn away from him to a place that he couldn't reach, and he didn't know how to fix it.
Sometimes he wondered if falling in love was meant to drive you crazy.
~~ Kellan ~~
After a meeting with a couple of his advisors, Kellan was a little overwhelmed from all that he'd learnt. A young-looking guard accompanied him on his trip back to his quarters, and while he was tired, he tried to make an effort to speak to him, not wanting to seem unfriendly.
"I heard there's a Seelie festival coming up soon," Kellan remarked, glancing over at him sidelong. "Will you be attending?"
"The guards are usually waited on at such an event. I wouldn't miss it," was the guard's reply, although his manner seemed a little brusque, and Kellan tried not to read into it too much.
"That's good. I might see you there," he replied with a slight smile, although he was met with silence.
"Do you have any plans after your shift?" he asked instead, trying not to let the conversation descend into awkwardness.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" the other faerie replied, coldly, and Kellan couldn't help a slight frown.
Growing more careful, Kellan swallowed. "I'm sorry… Have I offended you in some way? If I have, it was not intentional."
The guard eyed him from the side. "Are you sure you'd like to know the answer to that?"
"Yes, it is probably best if I know," Kellan acknowledged, inclining his head.
"Your very presence here irks and offends me," he said, appearing to let his thoughts loose with little care. "You are a foreigner who thinks he should be the next to rule the Seelie? The very idea is preposterous. You have grown up with Shadowhunter mentalities and your blood is also tainted by them. You know nothing of grace or elegance, and you do not even speak like one of us."
They were hard words to swallow, but he could understand where the guard was coming from. He was a foreigner, after all, and they did not know him. "I-… I understand that this is unusual. And I never came here with the intention of-…"
He was cut off as the guard interrupted him. "And your taste leaves something to be desired," he continued, a glint in his eyes. "I'm aware of your… dalliances."
"I'm sorry?" Kellan said, staring at him for a moment. "My dalliances?"
"That half blood that you love so much," he mocked, laughing under his breath. "Someone of your standing falling for the likes of him? It's pathetic."
Coming to a stop, Kellan's heart was beating fast, and he felt a little sick, his cheeks feeling warm. How he could know, Kellan wasn't sure. But it was strange feeling the need to defend himself to someone he'd just met. "He has a name," Kellan replied, a little defensively. "And I do not have to explain myself to you. I-… cannot help who I care for. And I shouldn't have to. It is not really any of your business."
The guard laughed as if his words were wildly amusing, and Kellan worked to try and still his annoyance. His words were offensive towards Ethos, and that made him angrier than anything else he'd said.
Hearing his name being called, Kellan was startled, opening his eyes as he was pulled from his nightmare. Sitting up, he found his mouth was dry, and he swallowed when his name was called again.
"I'm coming," he called back finally, rising to his feet. He must have fallen asleep in his rest between his lessons, and he still felt a little off from the remnants of the nightmare. Raking a hand through his hair, he tried to make himself look more presentable, before slipping his gloves back on. The words stemmed from his own worries of their judgements, he knew, and he needed to get a hold of himself and his thoughts.
~~ Milo and Rye ~~
Rye was glad when his brother decided to come home for one of the longer holidays from the Academy. He was excited, as it meant his brother wanted to spend time with them. It had been his brother's idea, to sneak out one night and sleep under the stars. Rye had easily agreed, eager to spend more time with him.
Picking a clearing in amongst the trees a little way from the Institute, they unrolled their sleeping bags, laying side by side. Staring up at the stars, Rye told his brother about the different constellations and pointed them out, having read about them and their stories in his books. It was a mundane thing that Shadowhunters didn't pay much mind too, but his brother didn't seem to mind.
It was quiet and peaceful, and Rye gave a slight smile, saying part of a poem he'd read, a gentle lilt to his voice, "Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven, blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels."
Milo looked over at him with a grin, laughing. "You are such a bookworm."
"No, I'm not," Rye protested, meeting his gaze.
"You totally are."
Making a sound of disagreement, Rye moved to playfully tussle with him, to which his brother fought back. They ended up rolling along the grass in their sleeping bags, as they fought. Those were the times that he felt normal, and he loved moments like that. Finally, they rolled to a stop, his brother pinning him down. Rye let out a quick laugh, looking to the side to spit some grass out of his mouth. "Okay, okay, I get it."
Milo looked pleased with himself, letting him go and drawing back. "Good thing I'm still stronger than you. I am the oldest, after all."
"You won't be forever," Rye retorted lightly, although it wasn't true, really.
Milo merely laughed, settling back. "You better get to sleep. Can't have Mum and Dad blaming me if you're tired."
Rye was tired, so he didn't argue, instead shifting to lay closer to his brother. "Goodnight," he said, fondly.
"Mmm. Goodnight," his brother replied, reaching over to pluck some grass from Rye's hair. "Sweet dreams and all that."
It was easy to settle into a deep sleep, and he wasn't plagued by any of his nightmares, which was nice. He wasn't sure whether it was because of the change of scenery, or his brother's presence. Or both.
Rye finally started to wake when he felt the sun warming his face. Yawning, he ran a hand through his tousled hair, seeing his brother sitting beside him. After a moment, he realised how late it must be, judging by the sun and he sat up quickly. "Milo-…" He said quickly, looking a little anxious. "Why didn't you get me up earlier? I thought we were going to sneak back before Mum and Dad noticed."
"I know. But you were in such a deep sleep, that I didn't want to wake you," Milo shrugged, getting to his feet and brushing the dirt off his sleeping bag. "It's no big deal. It's not like we went far."
"Still. They're going to be so angry," Rye sighed, brushing off his own sleeping bag, before they rolled them up and started back.
"They can't control every single part of your life," Milo said, glancing over at him. "It's normal to want some space."
"They're done a lot for me," Rye pointed out. "I don't want to upset them."
Milo shook his head, and Rye knew what he was thinking. That he should have more freedom from them.
It didn't take them long to get back, and as soon as they stepped inside, their parents didn't take long to find them.
His mother scanned him, as if checking for injuries. "Where were you?"
When Rye was slow to answer, Milo spoke up. "We just camped out for the night. We weren't far or anything. You don't need to make a big deal about it."
"You should have told us. We didn't know what had happened when we woke and you weren't there," his father replied, in clear disappointment.
"I'm sorry," Rye couldn't help but say, ignoring the look his brother sent him.
"What if you hadn't taken your medication in time? You didn't take any with you, did you?" his mother questioned, looking over at Rye.
Rye hesitated, before shaking his head. "… No. I didn't think we would be out for long or anything."
"Everything's fine," Milo said, a hint of annoyance in his tone. "We had a good time, and now we're back. No one was hurt."
"Don't be flippant about it," his father replied, before nodding towards the steps. "Go and take your medication," he said to Rye.
Lowering his gaze, Rye did as he was told, heading to the steps and starting up them. His parents continued talking to Milo, but he could only make out indistinct voices as he walked down the hallway and to his room. It had been a good night, and it had been worth it, to him.
He hoped that Milo didn't regret it now.