Tower of Thorns Tower of Fangs Volume 5 Chapter 26

Chapter 26  Forever summer

The forest slept beneath summer stars. Warm wind moved through endless grasslands. Fireflies drifted between ancient trees. The lake reflected moonlight like polished silver. For once there was no battle. No death. No fear. Only peace.

Moon lay upon a hillside overlooking the water. Long black hair spread across the grass. Tiny silver fairies drifted lazily around him. Some slept among the flowers. Others floated above him like living stars. The celestial watched the sky. Quiet. Content. Happy. A strange feeling. A rare feeling. Moon liked it. Beside him Nico rested with one arm beneath his head. Their shoulders touched. Neither had moved away. Neither wanted to.

The stars seemed brighter tonight. The grass softer. The air sweeter. Moon glanced sideways. Nico was already looking at him. As always. The sight made Moon smile. A small smile. One that belonged only to Nico. The hidden smile. The precious smile. The smile no one else received. Nico felt his heart stumble. Every time. Every single time. Moon's eyes were dark tonight. Not silver. Not glowing. Simply black. Deep. Endless. Like the night sky itself. Nico never grew tired of looking at them. He doubted he ever could.

Moon tilted his head slightly. 

"What?"

Nico laughed softly.

"Nothing."

A lie.

Moon knew it.

The celestial rolled onto one side.

Facing him fully now. The fairies immediately followed. Tiny lights surrounding them both.

Moon studied Nico's face. The blond hair. The blue eyes. The familiar smile. Everything felt important. Moon couldn't explain why. He only knew it did. The celestial reached out. His fingers brushed Nico's cheek. Simple. Gentle. The contact sent warmth through Nico's entire body.  Moon seemed fascinated. As though memorizing him. The realization made Nico's chest ache. Because he wanted this forever. Forever. The thought slipped free before he could stop it. 

"What do you think we'll be doing ten years from now?" 

Moon blinked. The question surprised him. Ten years. To Moon that was barely any time at all. Yet Nico asked it seriously. So Moon thought seriously. The celestial looked toward the stars. Then smiled. 

"We could travel." 

Nico immediately laughed. 

"That's your answer?" 

Moon nodded.

Completely serious.

"There are many places I haven't seen."

The response sounded exactly like him. Simple. Honest. Wonderfully naïve. Nico loved him for it.

Moon continued. 

"The western seas." 

"The mountains." 

"The deserts." 

His dark eyes brightened. 

"The floating islands." 

Nico blinked. 

"The what?" 

Moon looked surprised.

"You've never seen them?" 

The celestial sounded genuinely confused. 

Nico laughed harder. 

"No." 

Moon seemed disappointed. 

"We should go." 

The words came naturally. Without hesitation. Without thought. We. Not I. We. The smallest word. The most dangerous. Because Nico immediately imagined it.  Years together. Traveling together. Laughing together. Living together. The future. A future that included Moon. The image felt so beautiful it almost hurt.

Moon noticed his expression. 

"You are smiling." 

Nico looked away. 

Embarrassed.

Moon leaned closer.

"Why?"

The question was innocent. The answer wasn't. Nico's heart pounded. Because the truth sat directly between them. Waiting. Growing. Dangerous.

"I was imagining things."

Moon looked interested.

"What things?"

Nico laughed nervously. 

"You ask too many questions."

Moon looked offended.

Genuinely offended. The expression was adorable. Nico laughed harder. Moon immediately pouted. A celestial being. An immortal future god. Pouting. The sight nearly killed him. Eventually Moon surrendered. The celestial lay back down. Looking upward once more. The stars reflected in his eyes. For a while neither spoke. The silence felt comfortable. Safe. Like home. 

Then Moon suddenly asked: 

"What about you?"

Nico blinked.

"What?"

Moon pointed upward.

"Ten years."

The celestial's voice softened.

"What do you want?"

The answer appeared immediately. Instantly. Without effort. Without hesitation. Because there was only one answer.

You.

The word almost escaped. Almost. Instead Nico swallowed it. And smiled.

"I don't know."

Moon looked unconvinced.

Nico laughed. Then finally answered.

"Somewhere peaceful."

The celestial nodded.

Approving.

"A good answer."

Nico turned toward him.

Moon's eyes reflected starlight. The fairies drifted lazily around them. The summer wind moved through the grass. And for one perfect moment the world felt endless. No battle royale. No chosen. No gods. No death. Only them. Moon closed his eyes. Slowly. Sleep beginning to claim him. Nico watched. Unable to look away. The celestial's breathing became slower. Calmer. Peaceful. Beautiful. Nico reached out carefully. His fingers slipped into Moon's dark hair. Soft. Silky. Moon made a small sound. Content. Half asleep. Then leaned slightly toward the touch. Trusting him completely. The simple gesture shattered Nico's heart. Because nobody had ever trusted him like that before. Nobody. Moon slept. Dreaming. And in that dream he saw the future.

A small house. Sunlight. Flowers. Laughter. A blond figure standing beside him. Blue eyes. A familiar smile. Warm hands. Home. Moon smiled in his sleep.

Meanwhile Nico dreamed too. He dreamed of the same future. The same sunlight. The same house. The same happiness. The same love. Forever. Forever summer. 

A future where nothing could separate them. A future where summer never ended. A future where nobody grew old. Nobody died. Nobody left. A beautiful dream. A perfect dream. And perhaps the cruelest thing about it For one brief night they both believed it could come true.