Prince ⦽f Madness

Chapter_12://Human

Once we got to Oregon, Elyan was more than happy with how beautiful the city is. What he loved the most was the view of the ocean. He dropped his duffle bag and ran up the hill to see the rush of the waves. I sigh and follow him.

“Josiah!” He turned towards me with a bright grin. “Let's camp here!” We ran out of motel funds and camped out till we made enough to rent out a flat, to then own a house. In the meantime, we are camping out in the wilderness. This lifestyle is soothing for the both of us, Elyan is free to kick of his shoes feel the textures underneath. And for me, while it was very difference from my old life it wasn’t as stressful as I feared it would be. I set down the bags and sit on the bench where he admired the waves and smelled the saline. “We can sneak in the lighthouse if it rains,” I said.

“In deed!” Elyan giggled and sat beside me.

“Hmm… Elyan.”

“Yes?”

“Why do you enjoy the ocean so much?” I asked. He took my hand and leaned his head over my shoulder. “The best moments of my childhood happened there,” he said. “Mother birthed me in a body of water and my father washed me in the natural basin, it was also where I played and bathed with my sister Andromeda. And… where I met my first love.” Elyan said with a sappy grin on his face. “Not to mention, we met our nieces there… Where we first kissed…”

“Who was your first love?”

“She was a wayward fire dragon with no name. They stripped her wings from her back, and her arms as well due to the war. I fell in love with her but she did not feel the same for me.”

“Was she the one who taught you to breathe fire?”

“Yes, she was… After her death it devastated me…”

“How did she die?”

“...My-...grandfather slew her.”

“What the hell, why?” Elyan was hesitating. His entire body tensed at the question and his hand squeezed mine a little too hard. I let it drop since he refused to answer. When I glanced at him, his eyes were closed and Elyan wasn’t smiling anymore. I felt bad I touched a delicate subject, I didn't know how delicate it was…

“I rather not speak about the details…” Elyan pleaded. I retract my hand from his mighty grip and held him close. “Do you want to set up camp?” He didn’t speak, he nodded and kept that stern face.

“Elyan…” He hummed in response. “If you need to speak and let out some steam, my ears are always open, but only if you feel comfortable about it.”

“Can I ask you something?” Elyan whispered.

“Yeah, shoot.” He stared at the waves crash on the rocks on shore, putting together his words before saying them. “Are you afraid of me?”

“What do you mean?” I looked at him curiously. “Because… Because you know what makes me unique.” Elyan placed a hand under his jaw and gripped it tightly. “Maybe that’s why your hysteria triggered…”

“Huh?”

“The doctor said it could have been because of extreme stress and fear…”

“...Oh. About that...” I caught on. “... To be honest, yeah it's fucking scary, but you always had an appetite,” I joked.

“Josiah…” he breathed and pulled himself up from the bench. He didn't take it too well.

“Elyan…” I sighed in frustration and threw my head back on the bench. “I can understand why you kept it from me and for obvious reasons I know why you sealed it, whether you told me or not it won't change anything. Honestly that was the last thing on my mind…” I explained. “When I saw the video of how you reacted I know why you did so, under extreme fear you acted on survival instincts.” I craned my head towards him. “But that didn't stay in my mind. What did bother me was how little you were and how they took advantage of you.” Elyan turned to me with a surprised look on his face. “Your second mouth is the least of my worries…” I added.

“And if I become a monster, what would you do?” That was a heavy question charged with urgency. “I find it difficult for you to become one, you are the type to think of people before you. A monster forgets their morals and are selfish… You are not selfish, you are sweet and kind and back in Prism you were a hero to many and I admire you for many things that I could go on an endless list mentioning a few…”

“...What have I done to deserve you?” he asked with a sheepish smile.

“The stars aligned for us, I guess…”

“I didn’t expect a romantic tongue to grace my heart…” my husband teased.

“Then shut up!”

Elyan giggled and sat beside me. I sighed when the thought crossed my mind. “Well, we need to get a job to start our life…”

“Then let’s go and search,” Elyan said.

A week in, we found an ad in a hotel where they needed various staff members. We decided to go for it since we could work together, or they could hire at least one of us.

We dressed semi formal to give a great impression, Elyan was the center of the attention. I bet it was because of his slick back red hair. “The woman at the front desk smiled brightly with another woman beside her. “Welcome to Hotel Lett, do you have a reservation?”

“We came to apply for the job,” I said.

“Oh! Perfect.” The blond woman chimed. “Follow me.”

We sat there in the office with the Hotel manager, Lizzy Clementine, who asked us general questions.

“Have you had any experience in the service industry?”

“I have. I worked in a supermarket for several months before moving cross the country,” Elyan answered.

“And I worked in a hospital for six years. I am not sure if that is what you mean, but I thought you should know.” I said.

“Do you have any experience with cleaning, laundry or even cooking? You are men and I know you had a lady do it all for you in your life.” That was rather sexist, no surprise considering what decade it was.

“We both have a ton of experience, him most of all,” I said. “We served the military thus training us for any sort of situation, including domestic work.” I kind of lied. It would be weird if two men were living together for no reason. Fagots were not taken lightly in that time.

“Military?” Her interest peaked. “You are both from the military? Which one?”

“We served Prism, Not too long ago the base in Jupiter suffered a catastrophic attack that forced us to move.”

“Oh dear… I heard the attack on the radio. That must have been horrifying.”

“It was, but thanks to our military training, we survived,” Elyan said as he handed our ‘old military profiles’ to the manager. (Forging documents is easier than it sounds.) She read through them, making humming sounds of curiosity and approval. “I must say, I never expected two military men to walk in my hotel. I have two job openings for both of you. Do you have a driver's license and a voided check at the moment?”

“It is all in the file,” we said at the same time. The bank accounts and licenses were forged too.

“All right! Before I assign your uniform and job, I must inform the hotel policy. We provide complimentary meals to our employees during their break hours. We also provide specific uniforms to go with our hotel colors. We just ask that you do your job, you will keep a clean shaved beard, short kept hair, no visible tattoos or piercings, and will ingest any illegal substances in the premises,” she said. “Fuck,” we thought at the same time. “You will start tomorrow morning with training week.” She stood over and shook our hands. “I am happy to know we have military men in the building. Lately, we have been seeing monsters, while it doesn’t scare off the guest, the monsters like to eat them and my employees. I hope you will do great both inside the building and outside.” The atmosphere was heavy at the mention of monsters. Elyan and I haven’t seen or sense them so it was rather strange to say.

“Have they been inside the hotel?” Elyan asked softly.

“Thankfully, no. But we can’t be too careful. Gentlemen, I must assign you your roles, you will arrive tomorrow morning at six-thirty to retrieve the keys to your room where your uniforms will be waiting. Mr. Starr, you will work in housekeeping as a room and laundry attendant. Housekeeping usually rotate in roles and cover the laundry, room inspector, runner, room service, and of course, room attendant. I fear I only have one uniform that will probably fit you.”

“I won’t mind.” Elyan smiled warmly.

“Mr. Farnsworth, you will be in the kitchen as a steward. Your job is fairly simple, you will clean the dishes, make sure our buffet has enough plates, food and silverware, and follow chef instructions. We have two buffet hours, one in the morning and one in the evening.”

“Got it,” I said with a blank expression.

“One last thing, Elyan is that your natural hair color?”

“Y-Yes, It is my hair color.”

“Wow! Your parents must have a lovely color too!”

“T-they don't…” Elyan chuckled nervously.

“Oh, I see. Well, I ask because I can't accept employees dying their hair into unacceptable colors.”

“Is-... is red hair that bad…?”

“Of course not! Don't be silly. Lucille Ball spent so much on henna rinse just to get it a mediocre red! But if it is truly your hair color, then no need to worry. Now, Any questions?” she asked. Elyan and I were competent enough to understand her instructions. “Good, now you may sign the contract.”

After clearing more technical things of the contract, Elyan and I got take out and ate it on the shore. Not one word was said during our walk back. I had to start conversations with him.

“...This is really worrying me.” I asked, taking into account that the clouds were dark and dangerously low.

“What is?” Elyan asked, even though he didn’t really seem interested in the topic. “The monster sightings… Maybe that explains how the beaches are desolate,” I theorized. Elyan just hummed as he stared at the water. That ticked me off. Normally the bastard would be up and down in a nervous jitter convincing me these hunters needed to die, but he had something far greater and scary plaguing him and it didn’t make him flinch at the topic... “You haven’t heard anything at all? I remember you darting from the bathtub to the next galaxy if a monster even moved,” I added.

“I have, but I only attack if they pose a threat, not when they are not harming anyone…”

“Bullshit, you made me attack something back then--”

“No, I used the opportunity. While my methods were flawed and used it to help you grow, I used it to set the soul free… The moment you were stuck in your hysteria, I thought you were becoming a monster…” After he said that, he looked at me. His broken soul eyes said more than his words. That slapped me in the face too hard. I killed a child thinking its a monster and that it deserved to die, but I acted like one when I lost my fucking mind. Elyan was conflicted on how he handled the hunters. To be honest, I was too.

“What was going through your mind when that was happening…?”

“I renounced my title as king,” Elyan said firmly.

“Huh? Why the hell would you do that? You were so into that shit.”

“I will go for a swim.” Elyan stood up and undressed to his underwear. I didn't know what came over him, he always told me everything that bothered him but he needs space to think.

I watched His Holiness King of Earth, or now mortal citizen, Elyan walk towards the water singing quietly. The sea foam caressed his toes as he tested the temperature. He crossed the frontier between earth and water and settled between the waves’ embrace. The God of Stars and Dreams sunk into the water as his shoulders trembled.

I felt a drop of rain land on my face, as I look up the cloud cave in and rain down, progressively getting stronger. I groaned and gathered my husband to take refuge in the lighthouse so we can rest and start our new lives in a new day. Something startled me as I went through the water, something pulled me under so fast I didn't even feel it till I choke on salt water.

Then I was face to face with a hunter. It was the strangest motherfucker I ever seen, it was a mutated jellyfish with a television set as a core. I swing my hammer at it breaking the core. Soon after, a comet burst through, grabbing me in the process and brought us to safety on the shore. I gasp for air as my husband held me up. “What the actual fuck!?” I yelled.

“C-clandestine h-hunters…” Elyan utters.

“A fucking what?!”

“They a-are trash hunters, discarded and l-left somewhere to die, only to re-amp and resurface.” Elyan looked towards me with concerned. “Are you wounded, my prince?”

“I’m fine!” I groaned and grabbed my hammer. “Are-- ELYAN!” I never noticed the massive gash from his shoulder down to his stomach. I dropped my hammer and focused on his wound. “Oh my fucking God! Elyan!”

“M-m-my love, I-I am fine. It’s j-just a mediocre scrat-tch,” Elyan jittered with a bright smile.

“A scratch-- Elyan--” the hunter cut me off as they dragged themselves from the water. Elyan readied his ring blade and I held my hammer steadily. “Be cautious, my love.” Elyan threw his ring slashing several into piles of electrical goo. The moment Elyan caught the ring, the electrical current shock through his body. He fell onto one knee struggling to contain the electricity. I shoot to his side, “Jesus fucking Christ, Elyan…!”

“I-I...mngh..!” Elyan pulled himself up ready to strike the next wave of hunters. “W-we nee-ed to…” Of course my husband needed to sacrifice himself for a world that is willing to fuck him over. Instead of insisting, I helped him so I can treat him quickly. I rushed like a mad man to smash the hunters’ cores. Elyan threw his ring, this time he made sure to never physically touch the ring. When Elyan used his gravity powers, sometimes the raindrops were pinned in mid air and sometimes it rained backwards. It was really cool to see.

After Elyan slayed the last one, did his body collapsed onto his hands and knees. “Elyan!” I tossed my hammer over my shoulder for it to sink back into my exposed cavity and ran like the wind. “Elyan! Are you okay?” I helped him up to his feet. “I-I’m fine, I just need to sleep it off…” He raised his arm for his ring to spin back to a bracelet. “Specially since we work tomorrow…” he added.

“Elyan, please let me patch you up…” I begged him, It was pretty bad and I know if he kept that open it would be an obstacle in his job.

“Please, do,” he chuckles and suddenly the rain pinned in place above our heads, like a thousand chandeliers. If it were in a different scenario, I would admit that was pretty romantic. “You did magnificently, Josiah…” My cheeks flushed a tinge of pink. “I just try to keep up with you…” I answered.

Elyan made a shortcut to the lighthouse, he created a stairway using the very drops he froze in place, it’s like stepping on warm ice, its slippery and king of scary if we fall off.

I carried Elyan into the safety of the lighthouse and quickly began to work on the wound. It was deeper than I anticipated, Elyan is very careful when he is fighting, to have such a deep gash is unsettling. I made sure he didn’t have any internal damages to vital organs or bones I sutured him up. Elyan was trembling, I suspected it was from the shock, or because he was cold. “I am almost done,” I assured him. “Please, do what you must, my prince...” Elyan hissed.

After the last thread, I wrapped him in gauze and dried him carefully. “I was so careless…” he confessed. “It doesn’t matter now. Just be more careful. You don’t need to hear this from me,” I scold him. “Let’s get you dressed.” I grabbed his night set and helped him put them on. “Will you be okay with work tomorrow?” I asked as I made a pile of blankets and wool clothes into a comfortable mattress. Elyan just smiled and laid back slowly. “After I rested, I will be back to normal,” he promised.

“Never forget to lean on me when you feel like the world is too heavy, Elyan…” I said. His eyes almost fell out of his skull and they glazed with an iridescent layer. Elyan chuckled nervously and said, “you are my world, Josiah. You were never heavy to begin with…”