12 years ago

Asher was amazed.

Now that Luci was so close, he could see him better—his smooth, flawless skin, his bright red eyes, his pretty blue hair. Everything about him seemed perfect, untouched by the roughness of the world. It was nothing like the calloused hands of his father, hardened by labor.

And then there was the light. That strange glow Luci had wielded before, bright and pure, like the celestial beings from the Bible.

Is he an angel?

Asher swallowed hard, his small claws tightening against his knees. If he’s an angel, then… he must be precious, right? Someone like me shouldn’t touch someone like him.

His tail curled closer to his body. Should he even be looking at Luci? Let alone sitting this close?

Meanwhile, Luci, oblivious to Asher’s internal turmoil, placed the last flower onto his crown. A satisfied smile spread across his lips.

“I’m trully the prince of camellias now, haha! Camellia Luci! Hah, it suits me, right? Thanks, Asher! They’re really pretty!”

Asher’s throat went dry.

“Y-you’re welco—ahh… arh…”

A sharp pulse of pain shot up his leg. He instinctively curled his wings around himself, shielding his injury from view.

Luci’s expression shifted.

“… Can I see?” he asked, moving slightly closer.

Asher flinched. “N-no… It’s okay… I’m… arh…”

Luci hesitated. He wasn’t used to asking permission for things. He was a prince—he didn’t have to. But Asher’s reaction made him pause.

“… Let me see if I can do something to fix my mistakes,” he muttered. Then, as if the words felt unnatural in his mouth, he added, “… Please?”

Asher’s wings tightened around his leg.

Luci sighed. Impatient, he reached out and placed a hand on Asher’s wing.

The texture was… odd. Not quite like human skin. Maybe like a bat? No, a lizard? It was softer than he had expected, but still firm. His fingers traced the thin membrane instinctively, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

Asher turned bright red.

That warmth—so gentle, so unfamiliar—made his whole body tense.

Luci wasn’t even paying attention to his reaction.

“Al-alright…” Asher stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. “B-but… no white light. I don’t like it… It makes me feel… weird…”

Luci raised an eyebrow but nodded.

Asher reluctantly allowed his wings to loosen, revealing the injury.

Luci’s stomach twisted.

Blood covered Asher’s leg, staining the grass beneath him. The wound was deep—messy. The rusty wolf trap had done more damage than he had expected.

“… Well,” Luci said slowly, “… that’s kinda ugly.”

Asher’s ears flattened.

“… I know I’m ugly,” he muttered. “Unlike you. I’m sorry…”

Luci blinked. “Not you, idiot. The wound.”

Asher froze.

Luci leaned in, inspecting the injury. “It’s serious… but I’ll see what I can do.”

A long pause.

“… So you don’t think I’m ugly?”

Luci looked at him properly this time. Now that he was closer, he could take in the strange details of Asher’s body—his dark, scaled skin, his sharp claws, his long tail curled tightly against himself.

His mind searched for the right words.

“… You’re…” He hesitated. “Special.”

Asher’s eyes widened.

“I-I’m special?”

Luci scratched the back of his neck. I’m not even sure that was a compliment… But seeing Asher’s tail flick with excitement, he decided not to correct himself.

His gaze returned to the wound.

He considered using his magic—his light—but then he remembered Asher’s words. That power came from his father. The power of the Star family bloodline. The power meant to banish demons.

He had already hurt Asher once with it.

What if trying to heal him with it made things worse?

Luci clenched his jaw. Better not risk it.

“I don’t know any healing magic for demons,” he admitted. “But… the bleeding is slowing. That’s good. We should clean it and wrap it up. Hopefully, it’ll heal on its own.”

Asher nodded hesitantly. “O-okay… but… how?”

Luci glanced down at his own attire.

“… I don’t have any bandages,” he muttered. “But this should work.”

Before Asher could react, Luci grabbed his royal cape and sliced through it with his knife.

Asher’s eyes widened in horror.

“NOOOO! WAIT! YOU SHOULDN’T! THAT’S—THAT’S YOUR PRINCE CAPE! IT LOOKS TOO PRECIOUS! DON’T DESTROY IT!”

Luci barely looked up.

“That stuff? Precious?” He scoffed, ripping another piece. “It’s just a stupid royal cape for the king ascension ceremony. Their damn idiot traditions.”

Asher gasped. “But—But isn’t that important?! Does that mean Luci is… k-king?”

Luci tensed. His grip on the fabric tightened.

“I’m not a king,” he muttered.

Asher blinked. “But—”

Luci shot him a sharp glare. “You better not say another stupid word or I’ll use the rest of this cape to shut you up.”

Asher immediately shut his mouth.

“Good,” Luci huffed.

He focused back on the wound, using a torn piece of the cape to gently wipe away the blood.

Asher sucked in a sharp breath.

“… Arhh… mmh…”

Luci frowned.

The bleeding had slowed, but the wound was still raw. Hopefully, it would heal completely over time.

He wrapped the fabric around Asher’s leg, tying a firm knot to keep it in place.

“There.” He sat back slightly, observing his work. “A bit better, no?”

He smiled—not the forced, princely smile he gave to nobles, but a small, genuine one.

Asher’s heart skipped a beat.

“… Y-yeah…” he mumbled. “Thank… you…”

Luci dusted off his hands. “You think you can stand up?”

Asher hesitated.

He glanced at his leg, then at Luci.

The prince was watching him closely, as if waiting for him to try.

He took a slow, deep breath.

And then, with careful effort, he placed his hands on the ground and tried to push himself up.

( Thank you Eth (@ethoomwx) for this beautiful art of Asher <3 )