Chapter Text
Kieran woke up in a daze, trying to recall what happened to him. His body felt limp and he sensed excruciating pain throughout his body, especially in the extremities of his arms. He tried to recall what had happened but his mind was utterly blank. It hurt just to think. He tried to move his arms without fruition. Biting his lip, he tried not to scream from the throbbing ache he felt whenever he tried to open his eyes.
Oddly, he could feel someone gently caressing his hand to comfort him. He was not sure if it was real. If it was, he did not know who it could be, the last time he was touched that way was by Mark. There was a sudden pang in his chest. He quickly shook away his thoughts, questioning that the touch was real. He was on the verge of death anyways. Perhaps it was better this way.
“It hurts.” He whispered although hoarsely. Kieran was not sure how he even managed to whisper, that itself drained all his energy. He could barely feel his faerie powers, something was terribly wrong. It only made it worse that he was in this helpless position. He could not hear well but there was a lot of murmuring. However, he gradually felt himself become revitalized. He could discern magic in his presence, it must be a warlock’s doing.
Afterwards, He felt a warm sensation spread throughout his body, the pain less than it had been before. Kieran felt a warm cloth dab at his forehead, and a familiar voice uttering soothing words into his ears. He knew that voice. He would be able to recognize it anywhere. Mark.
“ Mark……” Kieran attempted to sit up but Mark reached out a hand to stop him.
“ Kier, you need to stay still, you were badly injured.” Kieran felt Mark gripping his hand desperately now. Af if he feared Kieran would die right now.
Kieran slipped into a long sleep after that, the exhaustion automatically took over him.
Mark woke up in a daze, trying to recall what happened. Instantly, images started pouring in on what occurred yesterday. Kieran . He wanted to forgive Kieran for what he did but he still could not bring himself to. He wanted to hate Kieran for scarring Emma’s back but he could not do it.
Maybe this was karma for Emma getting whipped because of Kieran’s own shrouded jealousy.
He deserved it . He deserved it . He deserved it .
He tried to repeat it but the more he declared it to himself, the more the words lost their meaning. Do I really mean that? He was not sure what to think anymore, but he vividly remembered the panic and ache he felt when Magnus warned him there’s a chance Kieran could die. Mark knew he still cared for the blue-haired prince, but he did not realize how much Kieran meant to him until that moment. He felt helpless, hopeless.
Mark slipped out of bed, his bare feet making little noise as he quietly opened the door to his room and tiptoed down the hallway. He could feel his heart hammering inside his chest, his feet moving of their own accord, without his permission, stopping in front of the door to the room where Kieran was sleeping. He felt a force of some kind pulling him to towards Kieran, like gravity. He stood just outside the door, for what felt like forever, his heart aching to see Kieran, but his mind screaming at him to turn around and go back to bed.
He reached out a hand, his trembling fingers grasping at the doorknob, his palm slippery with sweat. Why was this so difficult? It was just Kieran. But Mark knew it wasn't just Kieran, he meant so much more than that to Mark. He always would. Mark took a deep breath and forced his screaming thoughts to become quiet and calm. He steeled his resolve and turned the doorknob, unprepared for the sight that met his eyes, his breath catching in his chest. Any thoughts of remaining calm flew out the window as his eyes came to rest on Kieran, his pulse speeding up and his heart pounding loudly in his ears. Kieran was sitting up in bed, with no clothes on. He has seen Kieran shirtless before plenty of times, but he didn’t think he would see him so unexposed. All angles and bone. He looked as inhumanely beautiful as before, almost like a statue.
“Wh-what are you doing? Put your shirt on.”
Mark exclaimed, trying to hide the heat rushing to his cheeks, he was so flustered and it didn’t help that he stuttered. Kieran definitely knew how to work up his emotions. He’s been trying to suppress his lingering feelings from Kieran after Emma was whipped. But all of that went out the window and his heart was pounding so loudly, he was sure even Kieran could hear it.
“Mark.….I missed you.”
Kieran responded straightforwardly, seemingly ignoring Mark’s red- faced dilemma. The prince’s hair quickly transformed from black to a gorgeous sea blue within the second Mark walked in. There was such sincerity in Kieran’s seductive voice that Mark felt certain that he was back in the Wild Hunt. He imagined the thrill and comfort of Kieran while they rode out on Windspear. Kieran pointing and showing him wonders that only the Fair Folk knew about. It was all too painful.
“Kier, you need to put your shirt on.”
He repeated, avoiding Kieran’s statements. It’d only made his heart ache more. He longed for him.
Kieran seemed hurt that Mark didn’t reply to his genuine affirmation of yearning for the blonde-haired boy albeit he didn’t seem too surprised by the closed response. Mark didn’t forgive Kieran, after all.
“These mundane clothes are so…...constricting. I hate them. Anyhow, how come I am allowed in the Institute?”
Kieran asked casually, without a care for his own life.
“We were able to smuggle you into the Institute without arousing any suspicions. You can physically walk inside the Los Angeles Institute. It doesn’t hold any magical protection barriers against faeries. Magnus Bane healed you.”
Kieran winced as the memories of being bound to a tree, his father, the king, his inhuman face staring down at him. He could remember the whip, as it cut deep into the skin on his back, slicing through his flesh. He remembers biting his lip, trying to hold back the screams of pain, but failing. The warlock Magnus Bane had used his magic to heal Kieran's wounds, but the pain would stay with him forever.
Mark looked at Kieran and noticed that his feet were caked with mud and his hair was covered with flecks of dirt. He averted his eyes, avoiding letting his eyes wander over Kieran's body for too long.
“Kier, you need a shower, you're covered in dirt and blood.”
If Kieran was bothered by Mark staring at him, he did not show it, instead he said,
“Mark, what is a shower?”
He felt out of his element here around all this mundane technology. It made him nervous and if it were not for Mark, he would have already left the institute. Already being inside for as long as he had, was making him feel claustrophobic. He was itching to be back outdoors, in the wide open spaces of nature.
Mark forgot that faeries weren’t used to the mundane culture. Being in the Wild Hunt has already become a distant memory to him, since Mark had repressed the days of the hunt except when he was with Kieran. Living with the Blackthorns has become such a vital and vivid part of his life that he failed to recall that Kieran has never taken a shower in a house. In the Hunt, they would take baths in the springs of Faireland. “They are like springs except inside a house, I’ll teach you how to use it. Come.” Mark responded as he helped Kieran out of the bed and held onto his hand. The touch sent electric jolts throughout his body. If Kieran felt the same, he showed no signs of it.
“No I can not do it. I already feel constrained in this mundane structure.”
Kieran hated the indoors, the last time he was inside a structure, he was with his ‘family’, those only held bad memories. But he was glad Mark was with him, the signals that was sent throughout his body after the simple contact was electrifying.
“You have to, there is no place for you outside the institute, you are not safe.”
Mark tried to reply nonchalantly but ended up exhibiting more worry than he intended.
Mark guided Kieran, taking his hand and leading him down the institutes hallway, Kieran's hand warm and familiar in his grasp. He could feel the heat spreading throughout his body, just from the simple touch of their intertwined fingers. He wanted to pull Kieran towards himself, get lost in his touch, in his kiss but, instead he fought against those feelings, refusing to give in to his desires.
Kieran followed Mark out of the small confined room, feeling very uncomfortable in the enclosed hallway of the institute. He allowed Mark to lead him towards a small room. There was cramped area with a strange thing attached to the top of the wall with holes.
“Here, this is a shower. First you get inside the space. Then you turn on the shower like this-”
Mark explained while imitating the notion on how to turn on the shower.
“Move the handle up and you will get cold water. Move it all the way to the top, it will be hot. It’s best to have the handle somewhere in the middle for warm water. Do you understand?”
Mark questioned. He could see the confusion in Kieran’s eyes. Mark couldn’t blame him. Kieran was not used to this environment.
“Mark, this is no spring. It is not even similar.”
Mark couldn’t help but stifle a laugh at that. He missed Kieran but he definitely wasn’t going to admit that to him out loud.
“The thing on the wall is called a shower, stand under it.” Mark motioned.
Kieran did as instructed and quickly took off all his clothes without warning. Mark was taken aback by the swiftness of Kieran among other things. Kieran was naked. Mark had forgotten, faeries don’t wear underwear after all. He didn’t know why he felt so nervous by the entire situation. He suddenly felt hot, very very, hot. He recognized it wasn’t just because Kieran’s scrumptious ass was in front of him, but because Kieran turned on the shower all the way high.
“Kieran!”
Mark yelled and without thinking, he jumped into the shower with his clothes on and adjusted the temperature of the water before it seared through Kieran’s skin. Kieran didn’t seem to mind the heat. Unfortunately, it registered only a few seconds later that he was soaked fully clothed in the shower with a naked Kieran who was staring at him with an unreadable expression. Mark felt his cheeks burning. They were facing each other.
“You should not turn the shower handle up so high. Do you not realize you could have burned your skin?”
Mark tried to ask in anger but it came out as worry.
“I know not of mundane temperatures. I did not understand your instructions on operating this…..equipment well either.”
Kieran explained in guilt, his body was soaked. He looked like an ethereal being from a different planet. He was so beautiful, the way his silver and black eyes radiated in the water sent shivers down Mark’s spine. Mark was trying to listen to his logic, but the temptation was too strong and he couldn’t help when he decided to look down at Kieran's body. It was as if it was saying ‘look at what you’re missing, Mark’.
What was worse is that Mark did not notice that Kieran was watching Mark’s every eye movement. Kieran noticed that Mark was checking him out.
“Do you like the view?”
Kieran asked in amusement but there was also a passionate longing and hunger behind his eyes.
Mark felt himself blushing ferociously, he hoped the water hid his embarrassment. When Mark didn’t reply, Kieran sauntered closer to Mark until Mark was pinned against the wall of the shower.
“May I?”
Kieran whispered so seductively that Mark was beginning to feel uncomfortably hot. He didn’t forgive Kieran. This is wrong. He kept reminding himself but the words held no meaning. Kieran, who he hasn’t seen in months, who helped him in the Wild Hunt, who was on the verge of death not too long ago, his Kieran.
Kieran pressed his body against Mark’s, his mouth hovering just beyond Mark’s, his lips curled in an impish smirk. He was teasing Mark, his mouth moving to Mark's ear, whispering seductively, his breath hot against Mark’s skin.
Mark felt a delicious shiver travel throughout his body. He clenched his fists, attempting to regain some form of control over the dangerously tempting situation Kieran was putting him in. “Kier, please-” Mark gasped, trying to clear the fog of lust from overwhelming him. He knew he should push Kieran away and leave, but the feeling of Kieran's body pressed tightly against his, was beginning to have an effect on Mark that it was getting difficult to hide.
Kieran moved his mouth from Mark’s ear, trailing a line of kisses and heat along Mark’s jaw line, inching closer towards his lips. Kieran smiled against Mark’s skin, enjoying the effect he was having on Mark, he wanted Mark to want him, to need him, to love him again.
Mark could feel his resolve slipping away, his desire for Kieran, driving any thoughts of this being wrong out of his mind.
“Kieran, you have to stop before…”
But Mark’s words were cut off by a groan that escaped his lips, as Kieran mouth continued kissing its way towards Mark’s own mouth.
Kieran grinned at Mark,
“Before what Mark? You want me, I can tell you do, whatever else you may say, you can not lie about that.”
Mark looked at Kieran and before he could stop himself, he lifted his hands up to tangle in Kieran’s dark blue locks, and collided his lips with Kieran's. He felt Kieran's mouth move against his, kissing him back.
The kiss was hot, there was so much desperation behind it. The desperation for Mark to touch Kieran, to kiss him, to be with him again. Mark knew he should stop but he kissed back fiercer after catching his breath from the intensity.
Kieran wrapped his arms around Mark, straddling him as he kissed Mark with desire. There was so much emotion behind every kiss: anger, sadness, regret, longing, and love. Mark couldn’t think, he just allowed himself to be engrossed in the kisses. Kieran was whispering such seductive proclamations in his beautiful voice; it was getting Mark flustered.
Something within Mark just snapped, he realized what he was doing with Kieran was wrong. He stopped the kisses, the sadness behind Kieran’s body language was apparent when they had stopped. Mark hated himself for leading Kieran on this way.
“Kier….. I’m sorry. Here’s the change of clothes.”
Mark looked away tense in shame, not being able to look into Kieran’s eyes after the incident.
Kieran wanted to say something, anything, to keep Mark from leaving but nothing came out; instead, he watched as the blonde haired half-faerie walked away, leaving him alone in the shower with his thoughts.