SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Guyssssssss, RainbowCat surprised me with a fanfic chapter of ACG!!! I can't describe how much this surprise made me smile - I never thought anyone would care enough to do anything like this! They even went out of their way to research little details, to add to the piece, this is aaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAA

Unfortunately, they can't really share it anywhere, so I/we are sharing it here! Please make sure to go follow them, their link is in the episode description!

Thank you a million times, Cat, this is absolutely incredible <3

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The world felt oddly quiet. Sometimes, Milo wondered if everything had been real. Had everything really happened? How could he be so sure when he now lay so peacefully in this bed? Staying in Astrazalinor for a while had been an easy decision after he had made sure his family was safe. He needed some time away and the picturesque world of Astrazalinor was a perfect escape.

Unfortunately, it wasn't as peaceful as expected. Milo felt Ashtai poking around in his mind, trying to take control.

“Be quiet, please,” Milo asked in a whisper.

“I didn't say anything!” Ashtai replied, annoyed once again.

“Can't I simply enjoy a few moments of peace?”

“Peace? Do you even still remember what that felt like?” Silence followed until Ashtai continued, “Because I don't.”

Milo sighed. Ashtai was right, they both didn't feel peace despite the calm atmosphere. For Milo, the reason was simple: Too much had happened, too much had been lost. For Ashtai, there was no proper reason. It was everything and nothing at the same time.

Again, Milo felt Ashtai trying to take over. “What do you want?”

“You seem aggravated.”

“Really?” Milo felt the annoyance brood inside of him and took a calming breath. He couldn't be sure if the annoyance was his or Ashtai's. Maybe both.

“Let me take over and get some rest,” Ashtai offered, seeming calmer now as well.

“I can rest just fine-” Milo's words were cut off by yelling outside.

“Unknown being approaching!”

“Let me take over,” Ashtai repeated more firmly. This time, Milo gave in and nodded. Maybe it was really better this way. He could just let Ashtai take on the new troubles this time. His body would be safe.

Within seconds, Milo felt his vision fade to black while Ashtai gained control. The pain of switching places was dulled by emotional exhaustion. However, this time, it felt different. Ashtai hadn't felt this alive and real for a very long time. Flexing Milo's fingers, Ashtai felt the blood flow through the body. He took deep breaths until he heard yells coming from outside again.

Right… He had something to do before he could simply enjoy being in control for a moment.

On the way out of the room, the Nightmare Prince let Milo's hands glide over the different structures along the walls. Whoever was responsible for allowing him this moment of feeling like a true person, he didn't care, he just wanted to enjoy it.

What better way to do that than in a fight?

Seeing Milo with red eyes was enough for most people to get out of Ashtai's way. However, Lila was a different kind of person. She intentionally stepped into Ashtai's path. “Ashtai, what now?” she asked hurriedly. It usually didn't mean anything good if Milo wasn't in control.

“I don't know but I'm about to find out,” Ashtai replied sternly. He walked around her and continued his walk towards whoever or whatever was ruining this calm scene.

Lila hurriedly stepped in front of him again, stopping him in mid-stride, “Calm down, we don't even know if it's an enemy or not. Let's not cause another fight.”

Just as she finished her reasoning, another message was carried through the air, “Drow approaching!”

“Drow?” Lila asked, seeing Milo's eyes widen.

But before Ashtai could answer, the third entity in Milo's mind took over.

His eyes turned a colour that Lila defined as hazel.

“Milo?” Lila asked, confused by the new colour.

Milo smiled and shook his head, “No, I-”

“Ashtai?” Lila cut off whoever was in control of Milo's body now. Milo let out a chuckle.

“No, definitely not.” Within a second, Lila drew a dagger and held it up to Milo's throat. Milo's eyes glanced at the dagger, not scared at all. “Luckily, I know you wouldn't hurt Milo.”

“You know me?”

“Well, I'd hope so,” Milo smiled in a way that wasn't typical for him these days. “After all, I am your creator…” he mumbled softly while turning his head away in an almost shy gesture. His smile became a bit more mischievous when she saw Lila's eyes widening. The creator, she was always so fond of her creations. Meeting a few of them in this moment was special.

Lila eyed Milo for a moment, taking in every little detail that was different - the way his hands were just a slight bit more relaxed, how his head was slightly lowered as if he wasn't used to being this tall, the hazel eyes. In her guts, Lila felt a new sense of calmness around this person. She knew that there was no lie coming from Milo's lips. “I don't bow to anyone but…” Lila's head tilted down so slightly that only the participants of this conversation could see it. Then she smiled up at Milo's hazel eyes. She had many questions to ask and lots of opinions to share but there were more important matters now. “Can you tell me who that drow is who's approaching us? Is this one of your doings? Another war ahead?”

Milo smirked and the creator said, “No, none of this here is my doing but I have an idea. For once, you won't have to fear any danger coming your way.”

Lila nodded but inquired, “Then why isn't Milo in control? Why did Ashtai and you take over?”

“Milo isn't fully ready for what will happen and Ashtai misinterpreted the tension. I'll let Milo take over slowly again once he's ready.”

“Does he know you're in his mind?” Lila asked, fearing that there was another big revelation for Milo to process.

The creator chuckled and replied, “Don't worry. He knew I was in his mind just as much as he was in mine while I crafted your story. He still visits me when I draw. We're used to this. That's why he's also fully aware right now.” Lila nodded again, speechless from standing in front of the one person who had forged her world. Despite everything, Lila was grateful for the path she was guided towards. Before any more world could be shared between them, the commotion around them started to become more distracting.

“I guess I'll better get out of your… Milo's way now?” Milo nodded slightly. The creator was ready to give Milo control again. She wanted to see the joy in Milo's real eyes. Lila stepped aside but stayed close by.

From further away, a figure emerged from the forest of Astrazalinor. At first, the creator couldn't make out any details and Milo grew nervous on the inside. However, she soon recognised the curls she had given a certain character and his purple skin tone became more visible. Milo was still clueless until he saw that smile. The smile that he would recognise anywhere. The smile that haunted him in his dreams and nightmares. Those eyes… the hair…

“Mo ivarre…”

That voice that had helped him out of so many nightmares…

Slowly, the hazel-greenish hue of Milo's eyes disappeared, leaving him fully in control again. He felt the strong beat of his heart, the tremble of his hands and the disbelief in his mind.

There he was, approaching Milo in confident strides: Corym Bloom.

He saw the slowly growing smile on Milo's face and the first tears in his eyes. All the way to Astrazalinor, Corym had tried to prepare himself for coming home, for coming back to Milo. He didn't want to cry now but the look of joy and disbelief in Milo's eyes made him tear up slightly as well.

“Corym…” The name fell from Milo's lips when Corym stood right in front of him, looking up at him with love in his eyes. Slowly, Milo reached out to cup Corym's cheek as if making sure that he was real and not just an evil trick of his mind.

At this moment, even the Nightmare Prince was quiet. Everything except the two lovers faded away.

“How?” Milo whispered, looking down at Corym while trying to hold the tears back.

Corym leaned into Milo’s touch on his cheek, whispering, “You made a wish.” Milo let out a sound that was a mixture of a chuckle and sob.

“I did no such thing, not for this. I didn’t dare to hope…”

“Your heart did,” Corym stated in a tone that soothed all of Milo’s worries for this moment. Gently, the half-drow held his lover’s hand against his cheek, reassuring both of them that this was real.

For now, everything was good.

Until Lila decided to break the romantic moment, “Now, can you two kiss already?!”

Then, everything was perfect.

For now. For here.