Bird of a Nest (bow 3)

Chapter 15

"Keep looking at me," Nel'os murmured, as Ryraso started to look away, his golden eyes pinning Ryraso's. The look echoing through Ryraso's being to primal instincts lost forgotten apart from in those moments of gut reactions. 

A dangerous creature looking at him ready to strike. Waiting for a moment of weakness. Talons already pinning him in place and stopping him from fleeing. If he gave an inch, his neck would be ripped out. Only that wasn't true, was it? This wasn't an enemy or a monster. This was someone far more dangerous than either of those things. This was someone who had claimed him as their own. This was this friend. This was someone who had slept with him and beside him. This was someone he was meant to trust, not feel like that could rip his throat out. 

Ryraso tried to look away on purpose but as he shifted, pain shot up his arm and he yelped, closing his eyes from the pain rather than rebellion. He trembled, trying not to scream. He couldn't scream. Not now. He felt blood roll drop his chin as he bit his lip, the pain dimmed in comparison to his arm. 

"Ryraso," Nel'os said in concern. "You really did a number on yourself, didn't you?" he said half chuckling but the look on his face was desperate. A part of Ryraso, buried by the sudden rush of anger and pain, whispered the truth of that. Nel'os was trying to break through. Trying to joke and calm him. Only, it wasn't working. 

"Fuck off," Ryraso growled, glaring at Nel'os best he could through the pain. "Let go of me," he demanded. He sent a pulse of healing energy through his hand and whimpered. The bones weren't right. He was going to need someone to reset it before he could heal it probably. 

"I can't. I'm sorry. I know you want me too but I can't just now. Not while you're like this," Nel'os almost seemed to ramble, a look of panic on his face. "Just, keep breathing and looking at me. Please darling," he pleaded softly, his eyes catching Ryraso's again and holding them. "You're safe. We're in your room. Do you know where you are?" he asked, taking a step closer to Ryraso, freezing as Ryraso flinched and hunched in on himself. 

"We're..." Ryraso furrowed his eyebrows. "We're in the palace," he said slowly, almost visibly putting the pieces of the sentence together. The words were hard for him to find. 

"Where is the palace?" Nel'os prodded, giving him a meaningful look. Ryraso growled, but looked down. Ryraso was panting heavily. He felt his knees give way. Before he could hit the ground, arms wrapped around him and supported him. Nel'os holding him close, the k'nairi breathing heavily himself. "Ryraso," he breathed. 

Ryraso rested his head against Nel'os shoulder, closed his eyes and just breathed. The world was spinning. Nel'os was warm, almost hot against him. The man's wings were trembling. He was scared. Why was Nel'os scared? He was not the one backed into a corner and failing at even that. He pressed against Nel'os, trying to push away. He moved, only for strong arms to wrap around him and pull him up into the air. He yelled in pain as pressure was applied to his arm. Next thing he knew he was sitting on the floor between legs with arms around him.

"Tantrum over with, sweetheart?" Dyn'ad's voice murmured into his ear. It was dark and sank into Ryraso's awareness painfully. 

This time fear shot through Ryraso. The sound he was something no adult should make. The arms tightened around him as he began to flail madly. Desperate to get out of the hold. He wasn't safe. Not here. Not now. Even the pain from his broken arm and wrist wasn't enough to stop his mad struggling. Dyn'ad was. The man held him tight, murmuring gentle words as Ryraso yelled and sobbed. The man kept him from moving too much and Ryraso slowly calmed, the noises turning to choked sobs and he slumped in Dyn'ad's hold.