Once Bitten, Forever Intertwined | Man x Boy | Ⅰ

𓊈𒆜 ＦФＵＲ 𒆜𓊉

𝐼 𝐿 𝒮 𝒜
 •❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅• 

Walking down the stone sidewalk of Ilyenasera, the main city in Tenebris Regni, was brand new and exciting. Cassian had woken up after Ilsa helped him sleep and suggested that they have Gerald take them to town, and he was more than just a little enthusiastic about it. The moonlight lit up the city beautifully, the sparkling blue water that flowed in little streams and pooled throughout the city along the edges of the streets. The streets were full of carriages and people walking around--Elves stood out the most because their eyes were all black, their ears were pointed, and they wore their hair in a way that displayed them proudly. Vampires also stood out a fair bit--they had bright colorful hair and strange eyes. It seemed, however, that the royals and the royal guards were the ones with the most interesting colors. The normal vampires had normal colors--red, blue, green, yellow, pink, purple--but it seemed like the more unique the color and variations the more unique the abilities were.

Sera had the ability to see compatibility, and he supposed she was somewhat like a succubus--she had the ability to 'persuade' men into trusting her. It was interesting, and he'd wondered immediately how Cassian managed to contain that ability. He didn't want to pry, though, or come across as rude and distrustful. In Caelestes, abilities like that were deemed 'unsafe' and thus, the users of those abilities were always imprisoned or kept very far away from the royal family. Helix and Felix had an interesting ability. Helix could read thoughts and Felix could manipulate thoughts--and when combined they could straight up communicate through telepathy. It seemed as though Felix and Helix talked to each other that way often. They were nearly always together. It was interesting.

He was curious about Cassian's strength--he said he had multiple abilities and Ilsa couldn't help but be curious about it. How could one person manage so many abilities? Did he just 'know' how to use the abilities right out of the gate or did it take work? If so, how much work? And if it didn't, how did he just know how to use them? It had taken Ilsa years to learn the magic he was allowed to learn from his tutors, so the idea of someone just knowing how to do something was foreign to him.

Cassian was gentle and admirable as a leader in Ilsa's eyes. He valued the businesses in the main city and the residents as well. It was different to see a king he didn't think was undeserving of his title. His words were polite and warm, but the power that emanated around him made Ilsa's knees weak. His beautiful orchid eyes were somehow intimidating, swirling and beautiful. He had a very strong presence, dominating in a way. There was something about the cool sophistication he carried himself with that made Ilsa feel odd.

That seemed like the right word for his reactions to Cassian. Odd. It wasn't normal for him to feel flustered, for him to feel his heart lurch in his chest when he met someone's eyes, or to have to try not to shiver when someone speaks to him. He wasn't the type that typically entertained thoughts of lust... but everything that Cassian did made his insides coil up in a knot and his cheeks flush.

Cassian was walking beside him with his arms behind his back, excellent posture, with his eyes scanning over the shops and businesses as they walked by. People passing by looked at Cassian, so many different looks--interest, appreciation, admiration, lust... Ilsa was surprised by the shock of jealousy that shot through him when he saw the looks of lust on peoples faces. He flushed a little and stepped a bit closer to Cassian. Cassian glanced down at him and smiled, it was brilliant, beautiful, and it made his heart thump in his chest uncomfortably. Cassian wrapped one of his gloved hands around Ilsa's gloved hands. Ilsa bit his lip and blushed more, holding onto his hand tightly.

Ilsa knew that Cassian was attractive, it wasn't that he hadn't noticed it--he definitely had. He just tried to force the thoughts away, because he didn't really understand why he felt so attracted to him. It was just easier not to think about it. It wasn't until they stopped in front of a little shop, a business called Beautiful Salvage--an antique tableware shop from what he could tell by peeking in the window. The ding of a bell sounded as Cassian pulled open the door and Ilsa noticed Cassian's ears twitch a little in annoyance. I don't mind not having that issue, Ilsa thought to himself as he followed behind him.