Explanations for shortcuts:
Y/N- Your name
H/N- Horse's name
Author's note: A one-shot dedicated to @nanaliema. Happy birthday ♥
Enjoy!
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The last vestiges of summer light cast shadows of tangerine and red among the hills. The breeze hummed in quiet harmony bringing with it the damp scent of oncoming night. Birds flicked across the tops of the canopy, silhouettes of trees stretched on the ground.
Ydris is usually tired after performing. He doesn't admit it, because he's the irreplaceable, undying Ydris who won't let such thing as stamina stop him.
But there's a kind of tired that needs a good night's sleep, and another that needs so much more.
For him, one became the other, starting out as the "one-night kind" until one day it was ever present like it once was a heavy jacket but became heavy bones.
And you saw.
His movements in his shows were as thrilling and smile as heart-stopping, yet when he turned from the crowd, his face remained emotionless, without a flick of light.
You were aware that you weren't exactly the right person to comfort him, but no one in the audience knew him as you did. They weren't there during his revenge-seeking outbursts, they weren't there when he poured his Pandorian self out in the heat of the moment, they weren't there when he, against his will (not really), helped to take Fripp out of his deep slumber.
So, you took all courage you had to go speak to him.
You watched silently from one of the last and highest benches, where lights don't reach. You usually went to his shows in secret, if the Druids knew you were supporting him in any way, they would disown you.
When the spotlights went dim and applause was heard miles from the tent, you knew it was time.
People started to leave and Ydris went backstage, with you pushing yourself through the crowd with many "Excuse me"s.
Suddenly, the curtains to where he went were in front of you.
You got this.
You fought questionable creatures, you found against Dark Core. This is nothing.
Except for the fact that you had a massive crush on the charming magician.
Of course, the first time you felt butterflies flutter in your tummy and chest when he simply looked at you, you denied it.
But, over time, you just accepted it.
Have you ever been this in love before?
Horrible, wasn't it?
It made you so vulnerable. It opened your chest and your heart and meant that someone could get inside and mess you up completely.
But, with the Druids, you never knew whether you were running away from something or running to something, yet you knew that deep inside you simply wanted to run to him.
Nervously, you pushed the curtains away slightly and peeked inside.
"Ydris?" You called out.
You didn't get an answer.
However, when you listened more intensely, what you heard made your heart tremble.
Quiet sobs and shaky breaths echo from the corner of the room.
Painful, pitiful, choked cries.
You stepped inside, trying to be as quiet as you possibly could.
Going in further, you followed the sounds, scared of what you could find.
Behind a box in the very corner, Ydris sat with his head leaning against a wall. Down his cheeks ran tears, and he let them flow as he stared into the air.
"Ydris," You whispered with a lump in your throat.
His whole body flinched and he turned to you. As he saw you, he immediately stood up and wiped his tears with his sleeve.
"Y/N!" Ydris breathed out, his tone not pleased to see you, "This is no place for you to be in, I would appreciate if you made your way out,"
You did not say anything.
You only made a step toward him, and without thinking twice, you threw your arms around him.
For him, it was like a pair of wings that surrounded him unexpectedly. It was warmth as a pair of your hands enfolded you like a favourite blanket.
Ydris tensed.
He didn't return the hug. His arms stayed by his sides, yet, you held him. You didn't rub his back, or murmur soothing words. You weren't the best at soothing words, and you didn't even think Ydris would be listening to anything, except maybe his own staccato gasps.
You held Ydris firmly. Implacably.
"What are you doing?" He almost whispered, his voice sounding on edge of breaking.
"Comforting you," You said, your head still on his shoulder.
He stuttered, "Me?"
You shrugged your shoulders, "Ydris, I just found you bawling your eyes out whilst sitting on the ground, I could almost see a cloud raining above you. I would never leave you like that,"
He took in deep breaths, and he gently pushed you away from him.
"You shouldn't see me like this,"
"Everyone has bad days sometimes," You said.
Suddenly, his expression changed into pure hatred. It took you by surprise, and you feared what he was going to say next.
"My bad day has been going ever since Pandoria fell. When all that I treasured turned into dust. But you didn't care back then, did you?" He pointed his finger at your chest, "You didn't care one damn bit, Y/N!"
"Ydris-"
"What do you want from me?!" His voice cracked.
"Ydris!"
"If you're here to ask for my help again, you can just go straight to Pandoria, there are many other monsters than myself,"
After that, he walked past you, but it felt like all light faded out, inside and out.
You turned and grabbed his hand, but he tore it away from you forcefully.
"Why are you trying so hard to be nice to me? To be the hero who magically saves the day?!" He shouted.
"Because I love you!"
He froze.
You put your hand over your mouth as you realized your words.
His mouth hung slightly open, and he started at you with wide eyes.
Everything went silent.
All that was heard was your breath and the pounding of your heart against your chest.
You were having a hard time trying to stop your eyes from filling with tears.
"Oh,"
Oh.
You swallowed.
"Do you," You started, looking at the ground, "Do you love me back?"
He stayed silent.
And in his hesitation, you found your answer.
You started to tremble. The world came crashing down, and there was nothing left to do about it.
"Right," You let out a shaky breath, "I shouldn't have come here. Sorry to bother you,"
You slipped past him and ran from the tent, mourning your broken heart taking over you.
Ydris kept looking at the ground, without a word.
"Because I love you!"
The words kept replaying in his head, over and over again on repeat. Each time, they hit him with their meaning and worth.
He closed his eyes, and he broke.
He fell to his knees, face hidden in his palms.
"I love you too," He whispered.
It was too late.
Ps: I am sorry