10) Countdown

,,So, that's why,'' Nite concluded, as Seymore hang the clothes up for drying.

,,Then, wouldn't it had been a lot easier for her to have a small house, instead of a giant castle?'' he said. Seymore had often wondered why the Madam didn't use the self-cleaning bubbles all over the castle, even if she had to reactivate the magic every so often, but Nite had explained that even very powerful sorcerers had limited magic energy. And besides that, it didn't make much sense for him to have such a giant place for only one person, anyway.

,,Well, she wanted a castle,'' he shrugged. ,,It took her years to fully build it. That's why some parts look so old and wonky. Like where I live,'' he said.

,,That makes sense…'' he said. ,,Magic is really complicated. I mean… It can do almost anything, right? Why isn't there a spell that defies the 'rule of reactivating'?'' he asked.

,,Because of over-exhaustion. Think of it as a pitcher: When it's full, you can have a cup of water. But then, you use that pitcher to water the crops. You can build something that'll keep watering the crops, with the water from the pitcher, but even if you put water back in the pitcher every once in a while, there's a risk of emptying the pitcher completely. That'll mess up the crops, and you can't have a cup of water, either,'' he said calmly.

,, There are still so many things I don't understand,'' he admitted. ,,You said it was an easy spell, right? But does that mean it takes less magic?'' he asked.

,,Well, that depends. For this specific spell, then no. Spell's we learn takes more magic than magic we're born with,'' he said.

,,You talked about that before,'' he noted, finishing up his chores. ,,You're natural abilities, right?''

,,Yerh. It differs from race to race what that would cover. And sometimes from region to region. Like, elves, as an example. Born with great magic, but Northern elves are born with far more magic abilities than the ones from the Center Isles. It also depends on your parents. My powers can, potentially, be greater than my mother's, because I'm born with magic, and because parents pass down essence and abilities from generation to generation,'' he said, following the troll as he went into the hallway, ready to prepare lunch for them.

,,It sounds simple,'' he sighed, ,,but the concept is just… abstract, in a way. I mean… why don't people just summon gold or food for people around the world? Why don't people in need try to learn magic? Or find people with magic?''

,,Because of the rules,'' he said. ,,If you study magic, you'll know the rules, at some point. But if you just play around with magic, you'll probably first learn about it when you break them. No one will punish a kid that summons gold if it's their first time. But if they keep doing it? Then they'll be in trouble,'' he shrugged.

,,Is that because the magic is tracked? In that book, with everyone in it?'' he asked.

,,No, this is another 'book', so to speak. It's more like a machine, that detects the kind of magic that has been deemed unlawful. And then people get reported to the Protectors,'' he said, sitting down on the kitchen counter as Seymore began to cut potatoes and carrots. ,,But the Protectors would have access to the book. As far as I know, Ebneus doesn't have it, but I'm pretty sure he's working with the different rulers of the realms.'' Seymore stopped cutting for a moment before he looked back at Nite.

,,Ebneus… I think I've heard that name before…'' he said slowly.

,,Well, you should have. He is the founder of the Protectors of Aenamo. I think he's still working at the Academy?'' he said unsurely. ,,He's a very powerful sorcerer. Maybe the strongest in the entire realm? Or maybe he was, at some point,'' he shrugged. ,,He's like, the symbol of peace throughout Aenamo.''

,,Yerh, I've heard about him before!'' he said, almost excitedly. ,,Just before I got here. What was it? A woman I met, the one who told me about the Greenlight castle… She described your mother as 'almost as powerful as Rufus Ebneus','' he said hastily. Nite laughed but stopped when he noticed how down Seymore seemed to be by this.

,,I didn't laugh at you,'' he said apologetically. ,,I laugh because that's insane. I know my mother… or… Well, I know of her magic. But more importantly, I know about her upbringing. Ebneus was born from a powerful line of sorcerers, having elf-blood in his line, but also ancestors of merfolk, dwarfs, and it's even rumored that his great, great grandfather was a part dragon. My mother can in no way be a match for him,'' he scoffed. ,,… Unless she fiddled with black magic, of course…'' he suddenly said, seemingly wondering if this could be the case.

,,What is Ebneus? What species, I mean?'' Seymore asked, not interested in thinking about black magic. Everyone feared black magic, not only trolls. It was hard enough for him to focus on regular magic at this point. The less he thought about black, destructive magic, the better.

,,… He's mostly human, I think. It's hard to say because he has altered his appearance so much, and we only have pictures of his father,'' he said slowly.

,,Altering his appearance? Is that common?'' Seymore asked, returning to chopping the vegetables, but Nite caught the interested tone in his voice.

,,No, not really. It can be complicated and easily go wrong if you're not careful. But in theory, you can change just about anything; your species, your age, your gender…'' he shrugged. ,,… I could cover up your scars, but I wouldn't be able to keep it up for days. That's as far as my abilities go,'' he said, trying to catch the troll's gaze.

,,Oh, I'm not concerned about my scars,'' he chuckled.

,,Then what?'' he asked curiously.

,,… Well, you know how I feel about magic. I wouldn't want to go through with it, but I… I sometimes miss the way I looked when I was in my twenties,'' he shrugged. ,,I don't hate the way I look, but I'm… Well, I might be a little superficial. I don't look anything like I would want to, if I could, without consequences, choose for myself,'' he said, feeling his cheeks heat up. Nite was quiet for a while, just looking at the troll before he smiled.

,,I like the way you look. I wouldn't change anything,'' he smiled, fiddling nervously with his hands. ,,You're very curious today. You ask a lot of questions, I mean,'' he said.

,,I'm sorry. I know it must all seem so simple and banal for you, but I really want to understand it,'' he said gently.

,,What? No don't apologize for that, silly!'' he chuckled. ,,… My mother always scolds me if I ask too many questions. 'I should read about it', she says. I can't say the same to you, because many books a written in elvish, on matters like these,'' he said. ,,Besides… I want to tell you about everything. But magic is like science. It's big and complicated, and I don't want to scare or bore you or overwhelm you with too much information at once,'' he said enthusiastically. ,,I'm so happy that you ask about it,'' he smiled.

Seymore smiled back before he continued with lunch. He liked the way the mahogany eyes sparkled every time he taught him like this. It had been a simple question, he thought; Why would Willa even have staff, if she could take care of the castle herself? But like with everything else involving magic, it wasn't as cut-and-dry for him, as he had expected.

,,So, what are we having?'' Nite asked, a little nervous as he looked at the boiling pot.

,,Just some vegetables with some fish. We got some pretty exciting things, considering the time of year, so there are some root vegetables I haven't seen since I was a kid,'' he chuckled, as he began to plate the fish up.

,,Great…'' he said slowly. Nite still wasn't a big fan of most of their meals, but he was polite enough to at least try to eat them. As an exchange, Seymore ate with him at every meal now, besides breakfast, as they still didn't wake up at the same time.

,,It's okay, you tend to like potatoes, so I made that too,'' he smiled gently. ,,Have you always felt like this, with your food?'' he asked. He nodded apologetically.

,,Well, I don't hate your cooking. I just don't… I don't like to eat, I guess. There's a lot of smells and textures that set me off, more than flavors, I think. I'm not starving, I can't remember I've ever really felt hungry,'' he shrugged. ,,I've eaten more in these past months you've been here, than I ever did before, and I still don't gain any weight. So, I guess I'm just… thin?'' he said slowly, lifting his sweater to look at his flat stomach.

Seymore often wondered if Nite had been malnourished before, but as the months had passed, and he hadn't gained any weight, he guessed that wasn't the case. But the sorcerer's relationship with food piqued the troll's interest, as it didn't seem to strike him as normal. He had often heard the Madam talk about how hungry she was, and for all that he knew, most species had growth-spurts where they experienced great hunger. He couldn't imagine that humans didn't, in some way or another.

,,But you like baked goods,'' Seymore concluded, and Nite nodded ecstatically again. ,,And I like to bake. I'll keep that in mind when your mother arrives home,'' he smiled.

,,Don't remind me,'' he scoffed. ,,She didn't write for Winter Solstice. She rarely writes at all, now. I wouldn't be surprised if she forgot my birthday altogether,'' he said irritated. The troll gently leaned against the small man, caressing his back and keeping him close to his embrace.

,,I'm here. And I remember,'' he promised, feeling the sorcerer's arms around him. ,,It's your 16 birthday, Nite. What do you want to do? I want to make it special,'' he smiled gently, as he took the plates to the dining area.

,,I don't know,'' he shrugged, sitting down to eat. ,,… I… I really want to go outside, but…'' he said slowly.

,,Well, we can go outside. We just can't leave the property,'' he said. ,,I've seen you be outside before.''

,,Yes but… that was with my mother… And I'm not sure if she placed a spell on me when we went outside, or if the ground around the castle is covered, too…'' he said.

,,Can you make the spell yourself?'' he asked, smiling as Nite's face lit up.

,,I can! And then we could go even further!'' he said smiling.

,,That's… not what I meant…'' Seymore said slowly. ,,I mean… outside the castle is fine, but… What if she has some sort of tracker on you? Or on me? What if the spell doesn't work correctly? There're so many things that could go wrong…'' he said apologetically.

,,You worry too much,'' he scoffed. ,,Come on Seymore! Let's go to a town, there must be nearby towns on close-by islands,'' he said smiling. ,,It's for my birthday. Please!'' he begged.

,,We're on Mokar, Nite. The trip from here to the gateway is hours long,'' he said concerned. ,,You haven't traveled before, and there's no way to get there, besides foot. I can't carry you all the way, either.'' Nite seemed discouraged, as he began eating his fish. ,,I want you to have a nice day. But… I also need to be realistic…'' he said slowly.

,,I know,'' he said slowly. ,,… Then I don't want anything special…'' he said, quickly finishing his food without another word. He left Seymore before the troll had had a chance to talk it out further, but he didn't try to stop him. Nite's temper still got out of hand from time to time, and it was easier for both of them if the young man left for a while, and they talked it out later.

He would like if they could talk it through, but he also understood why it made Nite so emotional. After all, this would be his first birthday without his mother, and even if they didn't always have the nicest relationship, he knew that the young man still needed her guidance. He also understood why it meant so much for him to go out with Seymore, as he still every so often tried to push their relation further.

Seymore didn't really mind that, anymore. As he had promised, he gave Nite as much of his care and attention as he could. He never said I love you, but it was painfully obvious, even for himself, that he cared far too much about the sorcerer to just call it some sort of fling. He enjoyed their time together, even when they ate together, when Nite taught him about magic, and when Seymore read for him, all sorts of books Nite would never have cared for, if it wasn't Seymore who read them for him.

It felt simple, most of the time. Nite was still Nite, prone to moodiness and short-tempered outburst, and Seymore was still as worrying and cautious as ever. But they worked together pretty well, he thought.

He really did want to make Nite's birthday something special. The Madam rarely celebrated her own birthday anymore, but she and Nite at least tried to act civil through this day. He wondered how she would have celebrated him, had she been home, but he wasn't sure she would have done anything special, even if it was his 16th birthday.

Seymore didn't snoop around, he told himself. But he had visited the secret library with Nite multiple times at this point, and he had tried to mimic the sorcerer's moves at the hidden entrance. It hadn't worked, but at one point it seemed like Nite had left the corridors unlocked by mistake. Seymore had been too nervous to continue inside and hoped so dearly that the door would close on its own again.

But when he finally got the courage to explore, he didn't walk to the library. He wondered if the Madam would have something special, that he could use to surprise Nite. Maybe something that would protect him outside, or something that could make them travel faster? He knew it was wrong and dangerous, but he just really wanted to see Nite smile.

He didn't understand the scriptures on the flacons, and every room he went into possessed strange smells or weird noises. He found belts that moved on their own, or capes in different, soft materials, but he didn't know what they were for or if they were useful.

,,… What are you doing here?'' Nite's voice felt loud and intrusive contrasting with the bubbles and melodic tunes around him. He turned around, guilty as charged, nervous that Nite would be mad at him for being here.

,,Forgive me… I wanted to… see if I could find something…'' he tried, feeling his breath steady as he overcame the surprise. ,,I… I really want to take you out on your birthday, Nite. It doesn't even have to be a town, there are so many beautiful places around in the West. But everything is so far away,'' he explained. ,,But I can't read any of this. I wanted to find something… that could maybe teleport us, or something…'' he said flustered, as Nite's eyes grew wider.

He didn't say anything at first, but his smile was as wide as Seymore only could have hoped. He slowly grabbed the troll's hands in his, getting close to the taller man. The green light in the hallway made his skin look sickly, but Nite had never seen more content.

,,So… what you're telling me, is that my fearful troll tried to find something magical, to solve a problem?'' he chuckled, leaning up to kiss him. ,,You're not as goody-two-shoes as I've expected, you know that? I like that,'' he smiled playfully.

,,I wouldn't… I wouldn't steal anything, just simply… burrow…'' he tried, but Nite kept giggling.

,,It's alright, Seymore. It's best not to move anything from here, but I like the way you think,'' he smirked. ,,I saw you sneaking around, and I wondered what you were up to,'' he explained, as to why he was in the corridors himself. ,,We don't need to go that far. I still want to get outside. But just outside the castle is fine, too,'' he said, gently pulling the troll with him.

,,I really do want to make your day special…'' he tried again, getting pulled out of the forbidden corridors as the entrance closed behind him. ,,If there's anything, I would…'' he said, but Nite cut him off.

,,Why is it such a big deal for you, just because I'm getting 16? I mean… I guess I understand that it's a big thing to be considered an adult, but… come on, Seymore. What can happen that day, that makes me more of an adult, than I am right now?'' he said, crossing his arms.

,,… It's… It's a day I want you to remember, fondly. I've never met anyone who didn't have some magical story, some way or another, about the day they became adults. It doesn't have to be big or fancy, but I want you to remember your day. I want to make it special, for you, with you. You always do so much to make days special for me,'' he said gently, cupping the small man's cheek. Nite blushed but didn't move from the gentle touch.

,,… It's not a big deal,'' he shrugged. ,,I just… I want to spend my day with you. I don't need… anything else,'' he said, kissing the palm of the troll's big hand. ,,… Were your own day everything you've wanted?'' he asked instead. Seymore smiled fondly, as he took the sorcerer's hand, walking down the long hallways with their fingers curled together.

,,It was, actually. For trolls, 16 is our last day as children. We're legally adults, but… as you keep reminding me, we're teenagers through most of our twenties and until our late forties. For me, I celebrated with my brothers. We were off, chasing chickens…'' he began, when Nite stopped him again.

,,Chasing chickens?'' he asked bewildered. ,,You… You don't really strike me as the type that likes to chase chickens,'' he corrected when Seymore chuckled.

,,I don't. But, my brothers wanted to do that with me. It was one of the few moments, where they really tried to slow down so I could keep up. But my fond memories are not from chasing chickens, it's from later that day, when my youngest brother hurt his foot so bad that we needed to go to a hospital, not far from the Center Isles,'' he explained.

,,… That's… a weird fond memory,'' Nite chuckled nervously.

,,Oh, no, it's not that he got hurt I liked,'' Seymore said, rounding a corner. A small living room, with a few tables and comfortable chairs seemed inviting in the dim light, as Nite quietly cast some spell to lit the flame in a candelabra above them. Seymore sat down, happily smiling with the small man on his lap. ,,While my oldest brother helped our youngest brother, I looked around the park. It wasn't that far from the hospital, and there was some outdoor theater performing that day,'' he said, leaning back.

,,The same troupe as R-… As your ex?'' he asked slowly, but Seymore shook his head.

,,No… Ruvaen's troupe performed in many aspects; concerts, acropachy, amateur theater, poetry… These were a theater troupe, exclusively. They were pretty good. But at some point, they wanted some of the spectators to get up on stage, and my brother pushed me to get up there,'' he said, closing his eyes. ,,And it was… amazing,'' he smiled. ,,I was so shy. I wouldn't have dared to get up there myself. I think he tried to embarrass me a little, but I felt… so content up there,'' he said dreamingly.

,,Was that the reason you ran away?'' he asked, cuddling closer to the troll.

,,Yerh. But I first ran away when I was about 17. Almost 18, I think,'' he shrugged. ,,I finished up my school, tried to make it work with a girlfriend I had back then, and then I just… kind of left, all of a sudden. I don't even think I left a note,'' he said, his eyes still closed. ,,As soon as I found the troupe I joined, I wrote back home to tell them what I planned to do. They weren't happy, but on the other hand, then I wasn't their problem,'' he said. He could feel Nite's cold hands around his neck, gently trying to make his worries disappear. But Seymore didn't feel any worry as he sat here; remembering what started his life, with the sorcerer in his lap, as he quietly listened to his stories.

,,… Do you ever regret it? Running away?'' he said after some time. Seymore looked down at the mahogany eyes, so filled with questions he knew the young man wouldn't dare ask.

,,No,'' he smiled, leaning down to kiss him without hesitation. Nite's lips were soft and careful, but familiar and safe. ,,… I honestly wouldn't trade that, for anything. For all the awful things I heard, for all the trouble it brought to my family life… it also set me free. And no matter what,'' he said, lifting the small man so they saw eye to eye, ,,I'm very happy to be here, now.''

,,I'm… pretty happy for that, too,'' he chuckled, blushing slightly as he went in to kiss the troll again. ,,I already know what I want to do with my life, Seymore. I don't need anything like that for my birthday. I just want you. I want us to sleep together and cuddle and… all that stuff,'' he blushed, but his eyes never left the troll's even if he seemed so flustered. ,,Dance with me. Tell me stories about your life, if you dare. I don't want to think about my mother, or why I don't mean enough to her that she won't even be here. I just want you, in… In every way I can,'' he said gently, humming as he rubbed their noses together.

,,… Then I'll be all that,'' he smiled, embracing the small man a little more. ,,You know I want you too, right? It feels… lonely, without you in my bed, at night… The castle is big and easy to get lost in, but… I feel at peace when you're around me,'' he said gently.

,,Me too…'' he said quietly, his cheeks so flushed that it couldn't even be hidden in the otherwise dim light. ,,By Am, you're spoiling me tonight, troll! Are you buttering me up for any particular reason, hm?'' he smirked, kissing Seymore again. A little longer, a little less gentle. A few in a row, not with much space in-between to make Seymore unable to reply. He chuckled against the thin lips but didn't pull away the slightest.

As time passed, Seymore was content with just making out in strange places of the castle. Even when he was horny and lonesome in his room, he mostly fantasized about Nite's mouth, not only using it to getting his cock wet, but mostly just kissing those thin lips he adored so much. When they sat like this, so close and intimate, he would normally ache and hope for those thin hands to creep under his clothes. But more than with any other partner he had had before, he appreciated that he alone saw Nite in vulnerable situations no one else had. That the young man even dared to keep him this close.

,,Mmm, no reason,'' he said gently, leaning against the soft seat behind him. ,,I just think you're particularly cute today,'' he chuckled.

,,I'm not cute!'' he scoffed, but the smile still twinkled in his eyes. ,,You're awfully sappy today. But don't worry, I like that, too,'' he smiled.

Seymore liked to think that most of their life could be like this if the Madam kept on traveling for long periods of time. But he was also aware that it would only get harder to hide, the older Nite became. Seymore could feel that Nite missed him when they had been away from each other for a couple of days, and he didn't want to imagine how hard it would be, for both of them, to keep their distance from each other for months at a time…

One night, not many moons later, Seymore went down to his chamber, to rest his tired feet. It was one of those periods, where Nite had buried himself in his studies, and he wondered when he would have the chance to kiss those wonderful lips again. He felt more lonely than lustful, he found.

He laid down to read, one of few books he had borrowed from the secret library with Nite's permission. While he enjoyed his own books and the ones that Nite had given him, he also ached to read other works of literature, now that he had more time in the evenings and more accessible sources of books. When Nite studied like this, he tended to read more, trying to occupy his lonesome mind.

Seymore had once forsaken the idea of ever living in harmony with another being like this. He knew he was social, despite his self-isolation, but he would have never guessed he so easily had dwelled back into twosomeness as he did. He liked when Nite would chatter him up, both about magic or just some idea he had, so Seymore wouldn't be alone with all of his thoughts on his own.

And while Seymore didn't try to hide the fact that he desired Nite and wanted to touch and be touched by him, he liked it just as much when they just laid in bed, chatting while the sun rose anew. It was one of those things that made him feel like a teenager again, just like when he had met Ruvaen, laying close and listening to whatever the sorcerer had on his mind.

Seymore wasn't as generous with his stories. He would tell Nite about places he had been, and about the world as he saw it, but he wouldn't dwell too much about previous partners. It was rarely that he thought about past partners nowadays, not even when he fantasized for himself, but he worried that Nite would think of him as broken or dirty if he knew just how many partners he had had. It was quite an accomplishment for a troll, considering that most of his partners hadn't been other trolls, but he didn't want Nite to feel less special, just because he had been slutty in the past.

He was lost in his own thoughts when he heard the hurried footsteps in the hallway. At first, he almost feared that Nite had burned himself, but he hadn't heard any explosions. Although he was aware of the young man's presence, he still jumped slightly when Nite ran down the stairs to the troll's chamber, his face red and his body only covered by his long sweater.

,,… Is everything alright, Nite?'' he asked slowly, as the sorcerer fell flat down onto the mattress. It looked like he had been running around, but Seymore hadn't heard him before just now.

,,Yes!'' he smiled, sitting up and getting so close to Seymore, that they almost bumped their heads into each other. ,,Oh, watch out!'' he chuckled, his cheeks still flushed. ,,Seymore I came!'' he whispered ecstatically.

,,… What? Down here?'' he asked, confused by the whole situation.

,,No, silly! Seymore, I masturbated and came on my own!'' he chuckled, stripping out of his sweater without shame, as he sat naked on the suddenly flustered troll's mattress. Seymore had seen Nite naked many times before, but the smell of sex already lingered in the air and felt intoxicating.

,,Oh… Uhm… Congratulations?'' he said, eyeing the small man in front of him.

,,Thank you,'' he said, lying flat down on the mattress again. He laid there, breathing heavily for a moment before he looked back at the troll. ,,What are you waiting for? Am I not interesting, now that I can take care of it myself, hm?'' he teased.

,,Of course you are, but I wasn't sure-,'' he said, but stopped when Nite playfully poked him with his foot.

,,I'm not laying naked on your bed without some sort of expectation, Seymore,'' he said seductively. ,,It doesn't matter if I can do it myself or not. It still feels so much better when you touch me,'' he smirked, slightly tickling the troll with his feet.

,,Well, that's how it started, wasn't it? Because you couldn't come,'' he said slowly, gently holding Nite's feet in his hands, kissing them caringly one after the other.

,,You're really stupid if you think that's why I keep coming back,'' he panted, enjoying as the gruff hands stroked his ankles and further up his legs. ,,I mean… Really? Why would I stop coming down here now, just because I can do it myself? Do you really think so lowly of yourself?'' he scolded.

,,… Apparently so,'' he said slowly. Although unlikely, for a short moment, he had actually believed that Nite would stop their nightly indulging altogether now.

Nite sat up, his brows furrowed and his gaze almost worried. He got up on his knees, as he gently made the older man look at him again.

,,Hey now,'' the sorcerer said softly, his smile friendly and all traces of mockery gone. ,,You're not stupid, Seymore. Look at me, please? You can't really mean that you believed that I would… That I wouldn't need you, anymore?'' he said gently.

,,… No, but… In some way… I don't know,'' he chuckled embarrassed, looking into the mahogany eyes again. ,,Part of me still believe you're here because you couldn't come by yourself. I guess… part of me likes that… Not as some kind of control, but as some sort of…''

,,… Responsibility,'' Nite finished.

,,Yes. Like that,'' he smiled. ,,I like to care for you. Also… with matters like these,'' he said, slowly running his hand down between Nite's legs. The younger man whined, but didn't move the troll's big hand.

,,Of course you do,'' he smirked, leaning in to greedily kiss the troll's lips. ,,And I still want you to do that. You've seemed to forgotten… that you're my purpose, too…'' he panted against the green lips.

Nite was already hard in his hand. It felt safe again with the sorcerer's arms around him, so gently stroking his neck and back, while Seymore stroked the firm member on the whining, young man. It felt exciting like this; the sorcerer caught up in his own ecstasy, while he silently praised the troll as he took care of him.

,,Your hands feel better,'' he moaned. ,,Coming for you feels better,'' he moaned biting Seymore's lips when they kissed. He was sloppy, greedy, and so into it despite coming himself a few moments ago, but Seymore adored this. ,,You've barely touched me…'' he complained, his gaze hazy and his movements already jittery.

,,It's alright,'' he said gently. ,,You're so beautiful, Nite. You feel so good in my hands,'' he panted slightly, kissing the sorcerer's neck as he felt Nite jerk around in his grip. ,,I want you to come for me. Don't hold back. I can make you come as many times as you want,'' he said, feeling his hand get sticky, as the young man apprehensively came into the troll's tight grip. He tried to drown his moans against the troll's shoulder, but Seymore still enjoyed every whimper that escaped the small man.

,,It's not fair,'' he whined, sighing relaxed as Seymore moved his hand to dry it off. ,,It feels so good and safe with you. Even if I had done it myself, you make me so excited,'' he smiled, burrowing his face against the troll's neck. ,,Nothing and no one can replace you, Seymore. Not for me,'' he said gently, kissing the troll again.

,,You're too kind,'' he smiled, enjoying the lips on his own. He felt Nite's hand creep down between his legs, but as the sorcerer continued to feel him up, he looked surprised up at the troll.

,,… You're soft…'' he said confused. ,,I don't think… I've ever felt you when you're soft…''

,,Well, uhm… There's a first for everything?'' Seymore smiled apologetically.

,,… Are you okay? You're not… into it?'' he asked, still confused as he moved around to not smother the troll. While Nite was fully naked, Seymore still had his pants on. That would normally not hide his raging hard-on, but now the pants fell as flat and soft as they normally were.

,,… No. Not tonight…'' he said slowly. Nite sat confused for a moment, looking from Seymore to himself.

,,Did I do something wrong? I thought… you wanted it. You… Did I push you?'' he asked concerned, covering himself with the blanket.

,,No, it's not you, Nite. I know it's hard to imagine, but… Sometimes I'm just not… horny,'' he shrugged, but he knew Nite wouldn't budge so easily.

,,That's a fucking first,'' he scoffed. Then his gaze softened again. ,,I didn't mean to… make you uncomfortable, before. I really don't think you're stupid. I… I didn't mean it as an insult when I came down here to tell you… that I figured out my body, but… For fuck sake,'' he muttered, closing his eyes regretfully. ,,Seymore, I can't replace you just because I can get off myself. That's insane! All I do is hoping that you'll finally see me as your lover, and then you're getting all weird about me masturbating?'' he said harshly.

,,That's it,'' the troll said slowly, gently reaching for the small man's cheek. ,,I'm afraid that I push you away. And… I know it doesn't always feel like it, but this is not just a sexual thing for me. I know it's not for you, either, but… Feelings change… I've never been jealous of partners masturbating, and I am very proud of you, I'm just…'' He stopped, suddenly feeling his breath go shallow. ,,I'm nervous. If you can do it yourself, I'm afraid you'll… see clearly? I'm afraid you'll figure out you don't need me, or that… whatever you thought you were feeling, just were hormones…'' He stopped when he felt Nite's gentle hands on his chest.

,,… You're not stupid, but you are silly. And… that's okay… Sometimes, you convince me that you are older, and I forget that you're… just as confused of a teenager, as I am,'' he chuckled lightly. ,,You might know more about all of this, but… that's not because you're older or wiser… We just have different experiences… But I still… I still feel like we're just two teenagers, hanging out and trying to figure all of this out,'' he said slowly.

,,I sometimes think you're right,'' he said, smiling lightly. ,,I didn't mean to make it sound like it's a bad thing, that you can do it yourself…'' he apologized.

,,You didn't. I didn't think about what I was saying, before. I can't follow your logic, why I wouldn't be interested in you, just because of something like that. You're so much more than handjobs, Seymore, how can you not see that?'' he asked gently. He leaned in to kiss the troll again, gently tucking in the earrings, the troll still wore. ,,Every day I see these, and I feel so proud. I made something that you would proudly wear like this… You're mine, when these are on, in a sense, and I don't ever wish you to take them off, or that we should just forget the last couple of months,'' he smiled.

He wanted to protest, that he still didn't want to be anyone's, but, how could he? The sudden fear of Nite cutting him off still lingered in his body. Who was he kidding, anyway? These past months had revolved around Nite, to take care of him and protect him, and dancing around his own feelings to not get too intense or lose control.

While what they had done at Winter Solstice could barely be considered dominance and submission, Seymore felt familiar feelings of devoting himself to Nite, just as he had done to Ruvaen in the past. He would love for Nite to have full control and be at his mercy, but more than anything else, it felt comforting to devote himself to the sorcerer, he couldn't deny he adored.

,,Come. We don't have to fuck, if you're not into it, but let me at least make up for this,'' Nite said, standing up and reaching out for the troll. Seymore smiled, grabbed the young man's sweater, and followed the sorcerer as he led them out of the basement chamber and further down the hallway, into his own chamber.

,,… What are you planning?'' he asked slowly as he placed the sweater on the desk.

,,I'm just preparing a bath for you. I don't have to join if you don't want me to, but-,'' he said, but soon discarded the idea when Seymore put his arms around him.

,,I would like you to stay with me, if I may,'' he whispered. Nite smiled quietly as he filled the bathtub, making the water pink and bubbly with faint-smelling soaps. ,,I thought you like that citrusy thing in your bath. The one that smells like oranges,'' Seymore noted as they both stepped into the tub.

,,I do, but this is for relaxation,'' he explained. ,,It's not… magic, it's just an herbal mixture. And I thought you would like it,'' he smiled, leaning against the troll's broad body.

,,It's very nice,'' he said, enjoying the warmth against his body.

,,You like all this… self-care stuff, right? I mean, long baths and fancy soaps and such?'' he asked, blowing bubbles into the air. Seymore nodded and hummed behind the small man. ,,I don't. Well, I like to be clean. My rooms are always filled with clutter and too much dust, but myself? I like to stay pretty clean. But I don't really relax at night with a bath, it's too much work, I think,'' he shrugged.

,,Really? I guess it makes sense if it was every night. Maybe it's just a romantic thought, to relax in a bubble bath with a good book and some tea…'' he chuckled.

,,Maybe. I would worry that my books got wet,'' he said slowly. ,,But I like this, with you. I know… I rarely do so, but I like to spoil you, a little. You're… very grateful, even if I do things I don't really think of as a big deal,'' he said slowly.

,,I am very grateful,'' he smiled, hugging the small man closer. ,,I know… I know this is not an everyday, regular kind of friendship, we have going on, but… I really meant it, when I said that you're my best friend,'' he said quietly, hiding his face against the sorcerer's back. ,,Of course you're also much more than that… I've never had a relation like this, and… it scares me… Because it's not simple, and I'm afraid to mess it up…''

,,… It's okay, Seymore. I've never had a friend before. I don't really know how anything works,'' he chuckled. ,,Hey?'' he said, leaning his head back far enough to look at the troll again.

,,Yerh?'' he smiled, gently kissing the small man's forehead.

,,… We're okay now, right?'' Seymore nodded, feeling calmer by the minute. ,,Good. I'm just… You're very physical. I've never been this close to you without you… reacted, in some way or another. I'm not trying to say we have to have sex, but I'm just… worried, I guess…'' he said quietly.

,,I'm okay, Nite. I'm just not… really into it, tonight,'' he tried.

,,… Okay,'' he nodded, turning around to put his arms around the big troll. ,,Can I kiss you?'' he asked instead.

Seymore didn't answer, he just leaned in to close the space between them. Nite's lips were gentle at first, but he couldn't avoid tickling the troll and pressing his body so close that they squished together. Seymore didn't mind and just enjoyed the warmth and closeness, as the water gently splashed around them.

,,You're such a weird troll,'' Nite hummed happily against the green lips. ,,Every time I think I know exactly what you want, I'm fooled. But that's okay. I want to learn it all,'' he smiled.

,,I feel the same way,'' he admitted. ,,You never cease to surprise me.'' He held the small man tenderly, enjoying every smile he received and how red his cheeks got.

As Nite's birthday came closer, he got more and more aware that his mother might soon return home. She had never specified for exactly how long she would be gone, only that she wouldn't make it till Nite's 16th birthday, and probably would be back around spring. Now that Nite's birthday was only mere days away, Seymore really wanted to imprint all these small, subtle things that the sorcerer did, that he had never seen before.

Like smiling so gently, making him look so dorky with his broken tooth. Or how the skin wrinkled up around his eyes when he laughed. He had never seen him laugh like this in the past. He wanted to remember every curve on his body and the softness of his skin, should they be unable to keep this up in the near future.

,,… Can I sleep with you, tonight?'' Seymore asked softly, as the water began to cool. Nite tried to subtly heat it again, but it didn't work for long, and in the end, they both knew they had to leave the tub sooner or later.

,,Yes. I would have asked you to do so, anyway,'' he said, smiling as they stepped out of the water. ,,Can I ask you a question?'' he said as he began to dry off. Seymore nodded as he unplugged the tub. ,,… You said you lost your hair because that's just troll biology. But what about your body?'' he said, gently running his long hands down the troll's arms. ,,You're completely hairless, everywhere.''

,,… Yes. I… Well, I used a mixture, once, to remove hair around my body. I just didn't know… that they wouldn't grow back, correctly…'' he said nervously. ,,I didn't have much hair from the beginning. I mean, I could never grow facial hair, as an example… I tried many things to keep the hair on my head, but it was to no avail. Female trolls first lose them when they are well over a 100, but it's not uncommon for males to lose it in their thirties,'' he said.

,,What kind of mixture?'' he asked curiously as they sat down on the bed.

,,… Something I shouldn't have used. I thought it was made with herbs alone, but I don't think it was meant for my skin type,'' he said. ,,… It was something my ex used all the time. He never asked me to shave or anything, but he liked to be smooth himself. I… wanted to try it out, but I was foolish and did it everywhere, without testing it first,'' he said, laying down in the soft sheets.

,,It sounds like something I made myself. But that's not made with herbs,'' he scoffed.

,,I don't think it was as natural as he tried to convince me,'' Seymore sighed. He looked at Nite, as the small man began to gather pillows and blankets for their nest in the big bed. ,,… You used it yourself, didn't you? On your head?'' he asked quietly. Nite was silent for a moment before he finally nodded.

,,Yerh. My hair wouldn't grow correctly, and when it did, it was very patchy. My mother said she wouldn't shave me clean, because I looked devilish, or something like that… So, I made a mixture, but it was too strong. My hair can't grow back again. But, I got what I wanted,'' he smiled, gesturing for the troll to come closer.

,,Devilish?'' he chuckled. ,,… I can't imagine you with hair,'' he admitted as he laid down beside the small man. ,,… What about your own body hair?'' he said, gently running his fingers down the sorcerer's naked chest.

,,Well, I trim, sometimes. It doesn't grow that much,'' he shrugged. ,,I'm not that self-conscious about my pubes or underneath my arms and such. I, uhm… I trim a little more often… when it's regarding my butt…'' he admitted.

,,I've never noticed any hairs there,'' he assured him.

,,No, that's the point!'' he said confidently. ,,… It's not like it grows that long or fast, anyway. I don't shave my ass frequently, I just shave that a little more often than the rest of my body, I guess,'' he shrugged. ,,… You don't… mind that, do you?'' he asked curiously.

,,What? No, of course not,'' he chuckled. ,,Even if your hairs are black, they're barely noticeable, Nite. And besides, it's your body. I don't mind if you're smooth or hairy, whatever you're comfortable with. I don't mind being smooth myself, even if it was by mistake, but I wouldn't have minded having hair, either.''

,,What color was your hair?'' he asked, running his hands across the troll's bald head.

,,Brown. A dark brown, I guess,'' he shrugged. ,,It wasn't very soft. And I mostly kept it in a ponytail. I had long hair,'' he explained. ,,My parents were livid when I came home, my hair long, my ears pierced, and my boyfriend by my side,'' he said, chuckling uncomfortably. ,,… No fucking wonder that they thought I was gay…'' he sighed.

,,… That doesn't matter,'' Nite said slowly. ,,Even if you were gay, I mean. They should still have treated you right,'' he said sternly. He suddenly looked nervous, before falling flat onto his back, lying beside the troll. ,,I wonder if my mother will also view me as gay? If that will matter to her? Do you think she'll notice? Do… Do I look gay?'' he asked, flustering the troll.

,,Well, I don't know what gay looks like,'' he chuckled nervously. ,,I don't think gay looks like anything specific,'' he clarified.

,,But I… Do I act gay?'' he asked.

,,Why are you suddenly concerned about all this?'' Seymore asked gently. ,,You're fine, Nite.'' The young man seemed oddly tense, all of a sudden.

,,… I received a letter from my mother. I would have told you about it before, but… I didn't want to spoil the mood. And then I thought I was reaching a breakthrough with my studies…'' he began, turning to cuddle up against Seymore's broad body. ,,She should be home in mid-February. Which is…''

,,… Barely a couple of weeks from now…'' he continued slowly. ,,… Well, she had to come home, sooner or later,'' Seymore shrugged.

,,Yes, I know, but… And I get why, but… You don't want her to know about this,'' he said quietly. ,,And I'm afraid that I'll reveal it by accident, because I look or act differently than when she took off…'' he said.

,,Oh…'' He caressed the small man, feeling the uncertainty creep back into his mind. ,,… You should never have to hide anything, Nite. You don't have to hide who you are… But… I would lie if I said that I would like if you told her about us having constant sex while she was away,'' he chuckled nervously, trying to catch the young man's gaze. ,,… But if there ever comes a situation, where it's for your own best to tell her… About this, about us… I would never blame you for speaking up…'' he said, hesitating as he spoke.

,,… Okay,'' he said slowly. ,,I wish she wouldn't come back. After all that about hiding my existence… I sometimes wonder if she even is my mother…''

,,Well, she was pregnant,'' Seymore said slowly. ,,I wasn't there, of course, when she gave birth, but I was around when she was pregnant,'' he shrugged. He looked uncertain at the man by his side, before he daringly asked: ,,… I have a question. I… I never saw anyone around that… logically, could be… your father,'' he said, looking up at the ceiling.

,,She has never wanted to answer the questions about my father,'' he sighed. ,,But I don't really care who he was. He's not here, anyway…'' he said. Seymore hugged the small man closer to his body, to shield him from whatever thoughts went through him.

,,Couldn't that be why your mother is hiding you? That something went wrong with her and your father?'' he asked quietly.

,,I guess. But it still feels weird. Why would she risk breaking the law, just because of that?'' he wondered.

,,… I don't know. I wish I knew…'' he admitted. ,,In any case… I'm happy we still have your birthday to celebrate,'' he smiled gently. When Nite reached up to kiss the troll, Seymore reached around him and got him on top of his heavy body, before he leaned forward to greet the gentle lips.

,,… Do you plan to move back to your old room, when she returns?'' he asked quietly against the green lips. Seymore was taken aback for a moment, before he shook his head.

,,No, I don't think so. I can always give some bullshit excuse that the basement chamber is bigger, or something like that,'' he mumbled. ,,… It would probably be unwise to sleep together, though…'' he said quietly.

,,I know… Then I'll just have to enjoy the next days a little more,'' he mumbled, reaching down again to kiss the troll. Even if Seymore could feel how sincere and passionate Nite was, and even if it felt so freeing and safe to be with him like this, he still didn't want to take Nite up on his quiet offers when he ran his hands down the troll's body.

,,You're not tired?'' he asked after a short while.

,,I'll never get tired of this,'' he smiled, continuing the kissing. Seymore chuckled against the thin lips, but didn't try to pull away otherwise. ,,… Are you tired?'' he asked.

,,Suddenly, not so much more,'' he hummed gently. ,,Tell me about what you work on. What is it in that book, that's so important?'' he asked, in hopes they could stay up just a little longer, to kiss and cuddle, and to talk the night away.

,,… It's hard to explain,'' he hesitated. ,,The thing is, it's very hard just to open the book. It's… a special kind of magic…'' he said.

,,You don't like to talk about the book very much,'' he noted, and Nite shook his head. He always had the suspicion that Nite was dealing with something, that he shouldn't be, but it was hard to ask about. Nite didn't strike him as the type to play with dark magic, he, above anyone else, should know how dangerous that could be. And if the book possessed something evil, surely, the sorcerer would know and stay away from it.

,,I don't want to bore you, with it,'' he said, trying to brush it off. ,,I much rather tell you about wonders I already know how to control,'' he said, tracing circles on the troll's chest. ,,When I'm getting further in my studies, I can do almost anything, Seymore. I know you don't like magic, but I can give you anything,'' he said hopefully.

,,I don't want anything, Nite,'' he smiled. ,,I just want to hear you talk. I like the way your eyes light up when you do so,'' he said softly. It clearly flustered the small man, but it made the moment so much softer.

,,… Hey? You know… When you go to bed, the next couple of days…'' he said, his cheeks still rosy.

,,Yes?'' he said, nuzzling against the sorcerer's cheek.

,,… If I'm still studying, can you come get me? I really want to sleep with you until… Until I can't, but I know there's no way that you'll just go into my bedroom and sleep, until I'm done reading, if I'm not here,'' he said.

,,You're probably right,'' he mumbled. ,,But yerh. I'll come get you,'' he smiled softly, curling his arms around the small man.

,,Good,'' he said. ,,I don't want to talk about magic tonight. Tonight, you tell me a story,'' he said as he cuddling further into the bed.

,,About what?'' he chuckled.

,,About you. I want to know everything about you,'' he said, yawning as he did so. ,,Tell me about your life, before you came here. You don't have to talk about… all the stuff that makes you uncomfortable, but all the other stuff. What did you do? How was it to travel around?'' he asked, his eyes looking dreamingly up at him. Seymore hesitated, before he cuddled into the bed, gently caressing the sorcerer that closed his eyes.

,,Well, let me see… My passion was acting. I would say I was pretty good at it, but I didn't get to perform much. Others meant that trolls weren't really fit for fair roles, so I mainly took care of things like scenes and such,'' he said.

Nite didn't answer, but Seymore was pretty sure he wasn't fully asleep yet. He checked in every so often as he told about scenes he had performed, how he had loved every minute of it, and about poetry and music as well.

,,I played flute,'' he said gently. ,,Not that exciting, but I was used for that, much more than for my acting skills,'' he yawned, looking down at the small man in his arms. He lightly snored, looking so peaceful in his sleep. ,,… Sleep tight,'' he whispered, carefully kissing the small man's forehead, before he cuddled further underneath the blankets.

He felt warm and safe like this. Here, in Nite's bed, it was easier to imagine a time, where Willa wouldn't throw him out, but be happy that someone cared for her son. A time where Seymore would wait for the day that Nite could finally leave the castle, and that they would do so, together. Half-asleep, it was so easy to indulge in the dreams about something simple like that.

Seymore had never thought he would care for Nite in such a way that he would like to run away with him. What he felt for Nite was still so much different from what he had felt for Ruvaen, that he hardly recognized it as love. It was something so much simpler, when they laid like this, than it had ever been with the pixie.

But it was still selfish to wish for a time, where Nite was his and he was Nite's. Even as he drifted asleep, knowing that the days counted down to the Madam's return home, he couldn't bear the thought, if Nite had to go through just half of the hearth-ache that he himself had had to deal with in the past.

As if it was more merciful to not love him at all. But he could hardly even deny himself that, anymore…