The dining hall bursted with the same litter patter and chatting that Soren had remembered. The kids don't fear him anymore.
"Big bro, Soren!" Maelis says as she climbs onto Soren's lap.
"Hey there Mae Mae." Soren smiled. He made sure not to show his new sharp teeth as he held Maelis firmly in his arms.
Maelis leaned into Soren's touch more.
Marryanne sneaked up behind Soren. Bringing her lips closer to his ear as she blew in his ear.
Soren almost jumped up, "you little–" but he still held Maelis.
Marryanne giggled, "hah! Got you again." She placed her tray on the table beside Soren and sat down, "even with your new look, you still get so jumpy from one blow to the ear."
Maelis in Soren's arms giggled.
Soren sighed, "you are never gonna change are you?"
"Nope." Marryanne declared proudly, puffing up her chest as she looked at Soren again.
Soren smiled, "very well then…" Soren picked up a piece of chicken, "you want chicken?"
Marryanne nodded excitedly, "yes please, I would love chicken"
"Open your mouth." Soren ordered gently.
Marryanne opened her mouth.
Soren quickly let go of the chicken and picked up a piece of broccoli instead. He hurriedly placed the broccoli in Marryanne's mouth.
The twelve year old girl's eyes widened in horror as the disgusting taste of the green vegetable filled her entire mouth, "mmm!!!" She tried to protest and spit it out. But Soren pinched her lips together.
He smiled devilishly sweet as he said, "no, no, no, no. You must swallow it. I made it with love." His grin got wider, "yeah I made the entire soup with love. So you better finish it, Marry."
Marryanne looked at Soren with betrayal in her eyes. All the while Maelis was giggling and crackling on Soren's lap. Seeing the situation with Marryanne, she laughed more.
Marryanne very painfully chewed the broccoli then swallowed it. She made a disgusted expression as Soren let go of her lips. She gagged, "ew what did you feed me, ewwwww."
Marryanne complained but Soren just calmly smiled as he watched the little girl panic and gag as if he had fed her poison. Marryanne kept gagging and slurping the soup as if it would get that awful taste off her tongue, "brother tried to poison me with broccoli!!!"
Soren didn't say anything, he just kept sweetly eating his meal as if Marryanne's tantrums didn't affect him. But he did not lie. He really did make all these with love. He made it with Cyrus. Cyrus and him. Their relationship even to him has become more complicated. They just had their first intimate night. Both inexperienced guys, experiencing together. Soren shook his head as an image had popped into his head. He got rid of that image just as quickly as it came.
He glanced at Cyrus. He was sitting down beside Fallon, eating his breakfast sandwich. Soren had already made him a sandwich before he had started cooking. He knows what Cyrus likes. He smiled watching Cyrus's lips move as he bit into the sandwich chewing it. He watched as Cyrus's Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed.
Hopeless. Soren smirked. His sunshine is really a hopeless romantic.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the back yard. Cyrus sat under a tree. A gentle blow of the wind fluttered his hair a bit. He had been looking at the kids playing in the yard. Mostly, he watched Soren. He was laughing again.
A few days ago. Cyrus had found him in a cave. He looked so injured, so broken. He had used all his energy to save Cyrus from getting assaulted.
But now Soren was laughing with the kids. Teaching them how to use their abilities. Playing tags with them. He looked happier now.
"Ohh" Fallon said beside Cyrus's ear making him jump, "what are you looking at~"
Cyrus huffed, turning to him, "get lost!"
"Mnm" Fallon teased, "spying on big brother, Soren. Huh?"
"Fuck off."
Fallon held up his hands in surrender, "don't get angry with me." He grinned, "Aaron thinks the same thing."
Cyrus rolled his eyes, "you two need to stop meddling in my business"
Fallon sat back with his hands behind his head, closing his eyes, "big brother, Cyrus…."
"What?" Cyrus didn't look at the annoying red headed junior.
"Say…" Fallon opened his eyes but slightly. His eyes were still hooded as he gazed at the blonde senior. His hazel eyes met Cyrus's mismatched ones as he asked something that Cyrus didn't expect, "do you and big bro, Soren… have a special relationship?"
Cyrus's eyes widened as he thought on how he should answer that. His face turned a bit red as he searched for words to lie. Fallon was still looking at him.
"I–" before Cyrus could lie, a cry was heard from the yard.
Both of their heads snapped to the direction. It was Yvonne crying from the yard. And beside her. What Cyrus saw bit at his soul
Fear gripped him. Soren was on the ground, unconscious.
"Soren!!" Cyrus was the first one to run to Soren's side.
"Big bro!" Fallon ran after Cyrus to Soren.
Cyrus sat next to him pulling his head onto his lap. He gently tapped Soren on the cheek, "Soren?"
Fallon had gotten there holding Soren's hands as his Hazel eyes turned yellowish from the use of magic. He tried to heal Soren. He couldn't talk this time he had to stay focused.
"Soren…" Cyrus kept calling his name.
Soren stirred as he opened his eyes. He rubbed his eyes, "Sunshine…"
"Soren!!"
Only then Fallon stopped, his eyes returned to their original colour, "big brother!"
"Brother!!" the kids around Soren exhaled in relief.
"What just happened?" Cyrus asked as Soren sat up.
Fallon sighed, "I think you need to rest." He then whispered to Cyrus, "he might still be weak from whatever he had gone through in the cave."
"Rest?" Soren repeated Fallon's words, "I don't need it. I feel more energetic than before."
"Shut up." Cyrus scolded, "you NEED rest." He helped Soren up.
Soren looked at Cyrus and smiled, "you worry too much, Sunshine." He cracked his neck from side to side, "fine, I will humour you two."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the infirmary.
Aaron coughed, "you are probably tired from what happened in the cave."
Fallon sighed, "other than that," he smiled, "you seem fine as i haven't detected any abnormalities from you."
"I see…" Soren still had a smile on his face.
Cyrus was leaning on the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes never left Soren's face.
Soren noticed and grinned, he glanced at the two juniors and said, "would you two leave me and Cyrus alone for a bit?"
Aaron and Fallon looked at each other then at Cyrus. Cyrus had no reaction on his face. He just stood there–leaned against a wall, arms crossed on his chest.
Both of them agreed and left the room.
After Aaron and Fallon left there was a silence in the room for quite a while and it only broke when Soren said,
"You won't even come near me, Sunshine?"
Cyrus rolled his eyes but he came to Soren's side anyway, "why did you tell them to leave?" he looked at Soren's eyes. Mostly at the blackened scalara.
Soren chuckled as he placed a blackened palm against Cyrus's cheek, "I wouldn't be able to kiss you, in front of them." he stood up from the bed.
Cyrus's eyes widened, "what–" Cyrus didn't get to finish his sentence when Soren's lips were pressed against his in a searing kiss. Soren's kisses had always been gentle since yesterday night when they had their first intimate moment.
Soren never fought for dominance with his tongue. He never needed to as Cyrus would freeze and forget that he has a tongue of his own. But right now, he let Soren's tongue enter his mouth. Their tongues collided. He blushed. Cyrus didn't know when the kiss had ended. He was left breathless.
"Maybe I should start calling you, red-face from now on, how about that, Sunshine?"
Cyrus's blush darkened, "fuck off, Soren!"
THIS HORNY ASS BASTARD!!!!!