"Mother often would sing to me.
That's what I remember of her. One of the only things. My brother, the suck up he was, consistently felt like he was meant to sing along. Normally after a swift wap on the head from my loose arm (oops), he would shut up. This was always followed by a stern yet amused glare from Mother. Father would return from aiding his realm around that time, his boots would always make a loud thumping on the wood floors of the castle.
I miss those times. When I was small and nothing mattered. I could fall from a tree and face little to no consequence besides perhaps a broken limb. Now I find it hard to feel anything at all."
Lorne looked up from his daily writing and sighed. The candle light of the inn flickered softly as he slammed his book shut and rubbed his eyes. Fatigue swirled in his joints as he stood up, his black form making its way from the desk to the bed. A sleeping figure's shape rose and fell with each breath as the shadow demon slipped under the sheets. The person groaned and rolled over, flopping a thin arm over Lorne's large form.
"Finally going to bed?" He asked.
"Yes. I am." Lorne sighed, wrapping his hand around the small man's.
"Good, I missed you." The man leaned in, resting his head on Lorne's back.
"I wasn't very far, Janus." Lorne chuckled, rolling over gently pressing his partner's body against his.
Janus smiled and scooted closer, releasing a large breath.
"Yeah, I know." He whispered, "But it's nice to have you right where I need you."
Lorne scoffed.
"A little clingy don't you think?" Janus looked up, his large green eyes sparkling with a mischevous glint.
"I could be much more if you'd like, but I doubt you want to be crushed under my gargantuan body." Janus rose and eyebrow and went back to placing his head next to Lorne's chest. The demon laughed a little.
"Of course, you and your huge size." He playfully squeezed Janus' arm.
"Oh!" Janus yelped and sat up. "Okay that's where I draw the damn line." He crossed his arms trying to look as mad as he could.
"Uhhuh, sure." Lorne said, sitting up as well and caressing Janus' face, his expression softened. "Where do you draw the line on kisses?"
Janus rolled his eyes. "You know what I think about them." He scoffed before smiling. "Come here Lor."
The two engaged in a passionate kiss as the candle light from the lamp on the desk danced almost franticly. A large SLAM erupted downstairs as several footsteps were heard marching up the stairs.
Lorne's ears shot up as he pulled away. Janus blinked a couple times trying to take in the fact that instead of a shadow-black figure with white hair, eyes, and freckles was now a tan, brown haired man that only looked a small semblance like the person he was just kissing.
"Lorne wh-?" Janus questioned before Lorne put his hand over his partner's mouth, quieting him as the many footsteps grew louder.
"Shhhh." Lorne put a finger over his mouth as he cautiously reached for his dagger on the nightstand. Gripping the sheath, the demon pulled the blade out and clutched it in his left. The footsteps got louder and louder as Lorne made his way behind the door, his dagger gripped in his hand.
The door slammed open as a handful of armed gaurds flooded in. Lorne dodged getting sandwiched as he flew fowards, gripping a soldier by the neck and pulling him down. The group of men, startled, turned around, swords drawn. The demon wedged a foot on the downed gaurd's neck, twisting it. A flurry of sputters and gags sounded from the man's mouth as he struggled to breathe. Janus covered himself with his sheet as he watched the scene unfold.
"Lorne Connelly?" A deep voice asked from beyond the threshold. Armor clinked as a very large, very burly man stepped in the room, having to duck under the door frame. Lorne's face dropped a bit as he locked eyes with the large soldier. "I'll be damned."
"Ambrose." Lorne growled, his teeth grinding as he put more weight on his leg causing the man under his foot to cough and whimper, struggling to take a breath of air.
The other soldiers, swords still drawn looked to Ambrose for a command, instead they got a hard glare which was a sign to stand down. Reluctantly, they sheathed their swords.
"Now, Lorne." Ambrose said walking slowly over to where Janus was on the bed. "This doesn't have to end in bloodshed my dear boy." His smile showing an air of caution. Lorne's gaze held steady on the large man's face. In a quick flash, Janus felt cold steel pressed against his throat. Eyes widened in panic, Janus looked towards Lorne, eyes pleading. The demon tensed as he gritted his teeth.
"AMBROSE YOU MOTHERFUCKER." Lorne shifted more weight onto the gasping soldier's throat.
"Step off my soldier's throat and I'll ease up on your lover boy." Frustrated and trying to assess his options, Lorne slowly and begrugingly took his foot off of the now exhausted soldier's neck. The man gasped and scrambled back on to the wall, clutching his throat.
"Now drop your dagger and we can talk about this like reasonable human...well...beings." Ambrose chuckled, pressing his sword up next to Janus' throat, making him swallow nervously. Lorne, filled with anger and disdain threw his dagger on the floor next to him.
"There. Happy?" He fumed. Ambrose shrugged and let his sword down a little before bringing it up and plunging it into Janus' chest. The man gasped as Lorne's eyes widened to the size of dinnerplates. The familar, cold fingers of grief gripped his chest as he let out a wail loud enough for the gods residing in Orolio to hear. Diving fowards into the handful of soldiers Lorne screamed and struggled as they held him. Ambrose drew his sword from Janus' heaving chest and wiped it on the sheets. Lorne struggled with all his might to escape the grasps of the multiple soldiers trying to restrain him. Tendrils of shadows started to grow out of his body as his anger grew. Pain exploded in his chest as he let out wail after wail. Ambrose sighed, sheathing his sword and bringing out a small vial with a pin stuck in it.
"Hold him. He has no power here." Ambrose commanded as the men cautiously held the struggling demon down to the ground. "Not anymore." Taking the small pin from the lid of the vial, Ambrose stooped down, pushing Lorne's head onto it's side as he yelled out in grief. "You sound like a wounded animal, Lorne." He said. "It's pathetic, really." Lorne huffed as his throat had given out and could no longer wail for the loss of his partner. The large soldier looked at the pin, its long silver surface glinted in the low light of the lamp. "With this, you won't be able to come back. It's a shame, I'll miss our little chase." He brought the pin down to Lorne's eye. Thinking quick, Lorne used the rest of the energy in his body to change. His black, shadowy skin turned into a light chocolate hue and his irises turned to a dark green. Surprised, Ambrose hesitated before Lorne smiled, a pained smile, but a smile nonetheless.
"See you in a while, Ambrose." A single tear rolled down his cheek as he broke free from the soldier's grasp and plunged the pin that was still in Ambrose's hand into his eye and into his brain. The world for Lorne went black, and the pain of loss vanished in an instant. Even if it had remained, Lorne knew, deep down, that he would fine Janus again. And that, was a guaruntee.
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