Chapter Text
1.
Runaan Moonshadow had everything. Everything in theory, that is. He was the CEO of a large multi-million dollar corporation, lived in a spacious luxury apartment, and was extremely handsome. At least, according to the several magazine articles done on him, some of which called him a “real-life Christian Grey”. It was insulting, to say the least, but the press was good for his company, so he dealt with it. Runaan had everything he could ever want in life; stability, comfort, and access to life’s little pleasures.
Everything except someone to share it with.
It was unknown to many except his closest confidants, but Runaan was growing tired of his solitary lifestyle. He yearned for a lover to spend his days, his nights, and the rest of his life with. Someone that would love him for him. However, due to his rather...cold personality, many of his previous consorts had left him after barely a month. Others, the ones who could brave the chill, left because of his exhausting work schedule. Some were nice about it. ‘It’s not you, it’s me’, they would say. The rest weren’t as kind. It wouldn’t do any good to get into details, as Runaan found rehashing the past an entirely pointless endeavor. All that mattered was that they weren’t the one for him.
But although he would never admit it to himself or anyone else, Runaan never made much of an effort with his past partners. Although he would never be outright rude or act in other horrific ways, never had he ever found the spark he had been looking for. Most of the time, he had only been courting them because they were tolerable people he happened to meet and he was sick and tired of seeing his youth waste away. Call him old-fashioned, but he was waiting for a soulmate.
However, after exactly thirteen failed relationships, he had resigned himself to never finding The One that would set his heart alight. He’d probably marry someone his parents picked out for him, have a couple kids he’d never pay attention to, run the company for a few more decades, and then hand it over to his oldest. That would be his entire existence and he had just accepted that it would be when someone came into his life that turned all that on its head.
Ethari came into the office as a whirlwind; a slightly crooked scarf, a box full of homemade baked goods, and a smile was all it took to win over the majority of the office. Even Viren, his rather bristly Head of Sales, warmed up a bit after seeing his dazzling smile. Runaan remembered it well.
It was the day he was due to get a new assistant. About time too, his previous four had all quit for various reasons. It was quite a hassle, if Runaan did say so himself.
He had been working on a report when Ethari came barging into his office without so much as a knock. Looking back, he had been quite annoyed, but all that had changed when he glanced up. To think, he had been ready to fire whoever had dared disturb him. But Ethari...Ethari was beautiful. He had slightly messy oak-colored hair that flopped over his eyes, chocolate-colored skin that seemed to glow, and an infectious grin that made Runaan’s heart flutter.
“What is it?” he had asked rather breathlessly, still enraptured by the mesmerizing creature in front of him.
Ethari hadn’t seemed to notice his completely out-of-character demeanor. Of course, he was new.
“Hello!” he had said brightly, flipping his unruly out of his eye, “You’re Mr. Moonshadow, right? The CEO?”
Runaan immediately switched over to business-mode. “Yes, that is correct. What is it you need?”
Ethari didn’t seem flummoxed by Runaan’s rather icy behavior. He almost seemed encouraged by it. “Oh, I don’t need anything! I’m Ethari Bereti-Sira, your new personal assistant. I just thought I’d stop by and give you one of my homemade moonberry surprises! Need to make a good first impression on my boss, right?” He opened up the pastry box he had been carrying(which Runaan hadn’t noticed in favor of staring openly at Ethari’s face) and a wonderful smell assaulted Runaan’s nose. Oh, so this boy could bake. Runaan was ready to propose right then and there.
The treats looked great and Runaan realized how long it had been since he had eaten sweets for pleasure. Of course, he had ordered desserts at business dinners out of necessity, but other than that, he found no reason to knowingly ingest overly sugary things. However, Ethari looked so earnest that Runaan found himself thinking he’d just have to start eating dessert every day. If only they could be Ethari’s desserts.
“Is everything okay?”
Ethari’s voice jolted him out of his lovesick reverie and he realized much too late he had probably been staring too long at the moonberry surprises. Like an idiot.
Runaan quickly looked up at Ethari’s face and was horrified to see that his smile had faltered a little bit. And he had been the cause of it. Dear god, he was stupid. The worst human being on the face of the planet.
“I also made vegan and gluten-free ones if that’s what you’re worried about,” Ethari continued, reaching to close the box, “I can go get--”
“No, no!” Runaan found himself interrupting, “No, that’s quite alright.” Desperately hoping to remedy the situation, he reached into the box and took a moonberry surprise. It appeared to be some sort of pastry, with a flaky and buttery crust and a dollop of fluffy, white whipped cream dolloped on top. He quickly bit into it and was pleasantly surprised by the rich, fruity flavor. It had a moonberry and cream filling that went excellently with the savory buttery flavor of the crust. It tasted like a little slice of heaven and Runaan had to stop himself from groaning at the amazing taste.
“Good, right?” Ethari said with a little bit of teasing in his voice. The smile had returned to his face in full and Runaan knew that all was right with the world once again.“Nobody can resist my moonberry surprise! It’s made with a secret ingredient, that’s what makes the flavor so rich and creamy.”
Runaan nodded and swallowed the bite, resisting the urge to devour the whole thing. He couldn’t be so callous in front of his future husband. What would his in-laws think? But he was getting ahead of himself. First, he had to confess his feelings and then shower Ethari with lavish gifts and then maybe, just maybe, he’d be worthy of his affection.
“It’s quite good, as a matter of fact,” he commented in an offhand way, setting the treat down on one of his decorative hankies, “Do you bake often?”
Ethari flushed red and Runaan felt his heart skip several beats. “Yeah, when I have time. I also like to...uh, do metalworking.”
Runaan raised an eyebrow. So his love was multi-talented. “Metalworking?”
Ethari’s head dropped and he nodded once more. He seemed to be...almost embarrassed of his surely wondrous talent.“Right. I like to make jewelry and things like that. I’m not very good.”
Runaan felt his heart lurch. How could he say that about himself? He wouldn’t stand for it. There would be no self-deprecation while he was alive.
“Don’t say that,” Runaan murmured, his voice uncharacteristically soft and gentle, “I’m sure you’re incredible. I’d love to see your work sometime.”
Ethari’s head raised, his doe-like eyes wide and shining. “Oh…” he breathed out, causing Runaan to (almost) go into cardiac arrest, “Thank you very much, sir.”
Runaan was transfixed by Ethari’s beauty. In that moment, Ethari could’ve asked him to jump out of a window and Runaan would’ve gladly done it. “Might I ask you a question?” he asked in a low voice, intending to ask Ethari to marry him right then and there.
Ethari brought his hands up to his heart. “Of course, sir. Anything.”
It was what came out of his mouth next that made Runaan want to quit his job and move to Serbia to live as a hermit. “Would you mind fetching me a glass of water? My throat is rather parched.”
Ethari didn’t answer for a solid five seconds. Then, he blinked once and shook his head slightly, seemingly startled out of the state he had been in. The dreamy, shining look in his gorgeous eyes disappeared and he stepped back. He almost looked disappointed at the question. “Y-Yes, Mr. Moonshadow. Right away.”
And with that, he swept out of the office in order to do what his job required.
Runaan stared at the space that Ethari had once occupied for several moments. Then, the crash happened. God, he had been so stupid. That wasn’t his intention, to ask for water. He didn’t need water. He needed Ethari to be his husband, that was what he needed. Slumping down in his seat, he rubbed his temple with his hand, feeling a headache coming on.
“I need to call Rayla.”