5.| Fire And Ice

[ Songs For Scene: Echos - Saints & Halsey - Angel on fire ]

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Yuè's hands clenched into fists at his side. "And for that I am grateful." He said. "But I did not ask you to save me either. Why do so if you hate me being here so much? I am only a human after all. Another meal, right?" He asked, mouth pressed into a thin line.

The fury only burned brighter in Marcellus' eyes, his hands slipping from Yuè's wrists to wrap around his neck. "Do you want me to finish the job then? Dead people don't see their fathers, and I wouldn't eat you even if I was starving!"

"Why bother saving me just to kill me?!" Yuè struggled in his grip, hands clawing at the man's hand. He lashed out with his foot, kicking him in his ball. "I never asked for your pity."

Marcellus bared his teeth and pushed himself between Yuè's legs, preventing him from being able to kick him any further. Where Yuè had scratched him in self defense, blood dripped from his arms.

"Aren't you on a suicide mission? Going outside is forbidden. This world is different from yours. Why shouldn't I finish you off if you're so hell bent on being disobedient?" Growled Marcellus, grip only tightening upon the man's throat.

Yuè wheezed, the pain in his arm sending licks of fire through him. He glared into the glowing red eyes, bracing his hands on the other man's chest, small white wisps flickering around him frantically.

"Do it." He gasped defiantly. His dual colored eyes  were slightly dazed, but he made sure to hold eye contact.

Marcellus drew one hand away from Yuè's neck, claws sharpened. "I hate you mortals. You live such futile lives, wasting what little time you have. And your greed," He scoffed. "Is endless."

His hand shot forward and Yuè flinched hard, eyes widening with fear. Before it could tear through Yuè's chest, Marcellus fell forward—after a loud thud and shatter—slumping against the silver haired man.

Gunter stood there, his lips pursed in a pout. "He's such an ass. I told him not to hit ladyboys." He folded his arms across his puffed out chest. "See? I'm a great protector! Think I'd make a good husband?"

Yuè pushed the heavy body off of him as he dropped to the floor, clutching at his throat as he coughed violently, sucking in air.

His coughs broke out into a sob, crystalline tears dripping onto the wooden floor as he pressed himself against the wall cradling his arm. "Why did he save me? What reason could you have if you hate humans so much?!" He coughed again.

"If this is how you treat people you save then you should have left me to die. Am I supposed to be grateful enough to take whatever abuse I'm given? Is that why you all brought me here? He's no better than the humans he despises so much." He looked up at Gunter with trembling lips. "And just as cruel as they are."

Gunter blinked at him. "You think I'm like them?" He looked hurt from Yuè's comment about how they'd all brought him there to abuse him. "You're…you're a jerk!" Cried out Gunter before running off with his arms flapping behind him.

"You know," Emery's voice came from the top of the staircase. He leaned against the banister, elbows propped on the wood and his hands beneath his chin. "I don't condone his behavior, but our father taught us to hate humans. I'm sure just as much as you humans hate us."

Yuè pushed himself up with his good arm, glaring at the air.

"So I'm supposed to forgive him because of that. He may have been taught that, but now he has the ability to think for himself. What greed have I shown? My life is so futile then why save it?" He spat. "Do not assume that all humans are the same. Never once have I acted towards any of you in hatred, even if that is how the village taught us."

He stared down at where Marcellus lay limply on the ground. He was sure he would receive even more disdain for that as well.

Emery didn't say anything for a long moment, his golden, coiffed hair shimmering in the candlelight behind him.

"Hm." He hummed, pushing himself away from the banister. "I never said you had to forgive him. But it also wouldn't be fair to expect someone to think for themselves if that was all they were taught. And you,"

Emery's airy voice trailed off. "You're different. Just like Gunter wouldn't hurt a fly. Guess not everyone has the luxury of having a gentle heart, Yuè."

"No, they don't. Nor do I expect them to." Yuè sighed, making his way up the stairs to where Emery stood. "I am used to the cruelty of what others have been taught." He said sadly, heading towards the door to the room he'd been given.

"So am I." He heard Emery say before the door clicked shut.

***

The next morning, Yuè woke to a steady knock on the door and he rolled over, pulling the cover over his head more securely ignoring it. His body felt like one giant wound, his arm more than anything and his throat felt raw.

The events of the night before weighed heavily on his mind and in his dreams. He had barely slept, nightmares of clawed fingers and dagger sharp teeth ripping into his flesh keeping him awake. Perhaps Marcellus was the monster that he'd been warned of as a child.

"Open up! It's me Gunter! They said I had to bring you clothes so you can stay in the back by the lake when the royal visitors arrive!"

Yuè sighed, although it sounded more like a wheeze than anything before sitting. The blanket fell away giving him a view of his arm in the morning light. The bruises were dark and splotchy, the skin looking taunt and he grimaced.

Scooting from the bed being careful to not jolt his arm too much, he gave another wheezed sigh as he shuffled over to the door, pulling it open. He frowned up at Gunter, brows furrowed as he waited expectantly.

"I know you're from the eastern area, so I sewed you a hanfu and there's also a hairpin too." Gunter bounced on the ball of his feet as he extended the wooden board holding Yuè's new attire.

Yuè stared down at the garment in genuine surprise, reaching out with his good hand to take it. It was smooth to the touch, white silk if he was not mistaken. There were swirls of blue and gold decorating the sleeves and skirts of it, the same colors as his eyes. His heart stuttered at the thoughtful gesture.

His father had made him similar ones when he was younger although the style was different from the traditional garment of his homeland, it was still close in design. The hairpin was silver with small crescent moons dangling from it. He smiled happily up at Gunter, eyes shining in gratitude and awe.

"Than-" His voice came out hoarse and painful and he winced, trying to clear his throat. There were bruises around his neck in the shape of hand prints, the same splotchy coloring as his arm. Instead of trying to speak again, he hugged the fabric to his chest, offering the wolf man a kiss to his cheek in both gratitude and apology.

Gunter's face turned red and he touched the place where Yuè had kissed. "I'm glad you like it." He twiddled his thumbs. "You should go try it on before you come down for breakfast."

Yuè nodded his head excitedly, gesturing for Gunter to wait in his room while he went to bathe. Doing so was a bit more difficult than he would have thought with only one reliable arm, but once he was finally cleaned, he quickly dried off.

Biting his lip, he stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. The bath had made the bruises more prominent, but there was little he could do about it. At least not until he made it to that lake.

He moved slowly while placing on the garment, handling it gently as he slid it on. Arranging the kimono the way his father had taught him, he found it fit him perfectly. Yuè wondered when Gunter had the time to get his measurements.

The last thing was the hair pin. Yuè brushed the long silver strands of his hair free of tangles. He had to use his other arm to fix the top half of his hair into a tight bun, leaving the rest to hang free around his shoulders.

Satisfied with his appearance, he left the bathroom, tucking his hands into the wide flared sleeves. He smiled as he spotted Gunter still sitting patiently on his bed.

The man sat up, eyeing Yuè up and down in awe with sparkling eyes. "You're beautiful." Gushed Gunter as he clasped his own face. "No doubt someone could mistake you for a girl. You sure you have balls?"

Yuè didn't have time to respond before Gunter was up on his feet and tugging at the hem of the hanfu's skirts. "Hmmmm. I should've made that a bit longer. But it'll do for now. You ready?"

Yuè tilted his head in question. "For what?" He rasped out.

Gunter clasped his hand behind his back and rocked his hips from side to side. "Erosta. You guys don't celebrate that in Ironedge?"

Yuè frowned at the unfamiliar word before shaking his head. The village didn't really ever celebrate anything. There was never enough food or supplies for large events.

"After the royals gather for lunch on the 8th Moonday every year, they pick and choose who their mates will be. Everyone else just kind of hump for fun while the royals breed stronger kin."

The more Gunter spoke the redder Yuè became. Breeding? Was this the sort of thing wolves did in their spare time? They even had royal families?

Yuè was very certain that he should not attend this Erosta celebration. If Marcellus hated him that much, he could only imagine what the royal family would think of him. Not to mention the 'humping for fun' that Gunter so casually spoke of.

"I don't think that's for me, Gunter." He said to him with a deep frown. "Perhaps I should stay in my room until it is over."

Gunter's enthusiastic facial expression changed, his mouth twisting to the side. "Marcellus said you could play with me by the lake until it was over though. You can ask him yourself."

He grabbed Yuè's hand and dragged him out the door.