The Woods ✔

The Brokenhearted

They really went to that autumn festival the next evening. The weather was surprisingly warm so Caden only wore a thick sweater to fend off the cold trying to nip at his skin.

Currently he was snuggled up against Ajax' side who talked with his parents and Robin while Caden let his gaze travel over the area in amazement. There were just so many people! All of them seemed to be happy, laughing and smiling at each other.

Dusk slowly settled over the town and the vendors lit up their booths with fairy lights so the passing people were still able to see the offered goods despite the dwindling sunlight.

His eyes wandered over to Pan who sat on a hay bale and stared down at the steaming cup in his hands. Ajax' mother had more or less dragged him out of his flat and although he had followed her like an obedient puppy it was obvious that he'd rather be anywhere else than here. Maybe it had been a stressful day at work or something like that.

"See anything you want?" Ajax inquired quietly and Caden shook his head with a blissful sigh. The lion wore a dark leather jacket which accentuated his fit build and made him look really bad ass. Caden constantly had to make sure he didn't drool all over the man.

"Remember the times we were like that?" Jade asked her husband who raised a brow at her.

"We're still like that," he said and this time it was Jade who looked at him questioningly. "I'll show you tonight in bed!"

Robin made a gagging noise and wrinkled his nose. "Too much information, Dad."

"Hush, you're just jealous," his father huffed and Caden had to suppress a smile at the bantering.

"I'll go over to Pan, he seems to be lonely," Caden informed Ajax who looked at the lion with furrowed brows. After a moment he nodded wordlessly and sent Caden off with a quick peck to the lips.

Pan didn't acknowledge his presence at first and proceeded to stare at his drink as if it held all answers to life.

"What's that?" Caden asked after shifting awkwardly around on the hay ball. Pan cocked his head to the side and blinked owlishly at the cup.

"Something with alcohol," he finally muttered and took a big gulp of the dark orange liquid.

Caden licked his lips, not sure what he should say in response.

Finding a suitable partner usually meant that one's whole focus shifted. Suddenly that one person was the most important thing and breathing without them was impossible. All dreams came true and happiness was everywhere. But Caden couldn't help but care about Pan. The lion carried a heavy weight on his shoulders and the cougar could imagine how it had to feel. Having to keep away from Ajax sounded like a nightmare and surely would drive him insane. He wondered if Pan was on the brink of insanity and just hid it well.

"If I can do something for you-"

"Don't," Pan took a shuddering breath and finally looked up, his pupils blown wide. "just, please, don't."

Caden shut his mouth and nodded lamely whereupon the handsome lion smiled weakly and went back to staring at the last drops of his drink. Occasionally his gaze would flit upwards to watch a group of teenagers or rather young adults just to look down again after a few seconds, clicking his tongue in irritation. Perhaps he was annoyed by their loud voices and boisterous behaviour?

Caden's breath got stuck in his throat when he realized why Pan was so absolutely devastated today.

"Who is it?" he asked boldly.

"Dark blond hair, blue eyes, about your height," Pan answered without looking up and gulped down the rest of his drink. Caden searched the group for the described person and found him. They would make a stunning pair, he thought.

"He seems to be nice," he commented and Pan chuckled dryly.

"He is, treats his girlfriend like a fucking princess."

"But you want him to be your prince."

Pan placed the empty cup on the ground between his feet and nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"Then you have to do something about it." Caden shrugged and Pan rolled his eyes at him.

"I already told you that-" he began but Caden interrupted him.

"What if he would be even more happy with you?"

"He wouldn't be. He doesn't know a thing about shifters and he's as straight as a lamp post. I would make a mess out of his life if I just barged in like that." Pan raised his hand but paused to look at it confused, having forgotten that his cup was already empty. Dejectedly, he let his hand drop back into his lap.

"Perhaps it's time to be egoistic," Caden suggested. "After all you've only got three choices in life; give up, give in or give it all you've fucking got. You have to pick the right one."

"I don't think all of me is enough to make him fall in love with me." Pan tilted his head back to look at the greying sky and chuckled humorlessly. "In the end, I'm just a pretty face."

"He has a pretty face, too."

"Thanks for pointing that out," Pan replied sarcastically.

"So, what will you do?"

"Get another cup of whatever it was. Although it isn't on your mighty list of choices."

"You're an asshole when you're drunk," Caden concluded and Pan smirked at him.

"Never claimed something else."

"And you're a coward."

"Look, Caden, I think you're cute and Ajax is head over heels for you and although he's intimidating as fuck I won't hesitate to make you shut up if you don't stop spewing all that shit. It's nice that you want to cheer me up but you're failing miserably." Pan rose from the hay ball and toyed around with the cup in his hands. "You know, not everyone can be saved."

The lion went off without glancing back at Caden. Despite his drunken state he still moved fluently and gracefully, making a few eyes stray in his direction in the process. Unfortunately not the blue eyes of the boy who unwittingly destroyed the lion's life.

Caden sighed and watched his foggy breath twist and turn in the cold air before the cloud vanished. He really had hoped he would be able to help but he was obviously mistaken. Maybe Pan was too stubborn and too proud to accept help.

He looked back over to Ajax. Kaliska had joined them and Robin fed her roasted almonds with a love sick look on his face while she giggled with every bite and made him preen happily. His father had an arm protectively around his wife's waist.

Love looked so easy, so effortless but the truth was that it was a lot of work and a lot of throwbacks.

Caden shifted his attention back over to the group of teenagers. The boy held hands with a girl - probably his girlfriend - and had a similar look on his face as Robin. Perhaps Pan had already made the right decision and decided to rather destroy himself than to destroy something as beautiful as love. Perhaps giving up had been the right thing to do this time.