Nephilims: Into the Wild

Chapter 7 - Departure from the Maw

- Does it hurt? - Haru asked, rubbing both Loi's bandaged nose ridge and Lucious' swollen face.

- Hurt... - The tanned boy hung his head, nodding limply next to Lucious as they sat on the staircases just outside of the house.

- It's nothing, lord. - The larger male replied, though he tried not to show his emotions, his black tail waving behind him like an excited dog.

- How did you two ended mauling each others, anyway? - Mitsuki questioned as she walked by, handing each of them a cup of warm tea.

- You know, you didn't have to do it yourself. - Lucious smiled at the girl. - We have servants for trivial tasks like this, no need to...

- I just don't want to. - The girl shook her head as she sat down next to Haru, before handing him a mug. - It's just that...I don't feel so good ordering people around.

Lucious snorted, his mouth opened, just about to justify their way of life and correct the girl, but a sideway glance from Quetz made him shut his mouth. The man turned away, avoiding his father's furious eyes as Haru tried to comfort both him and the adolescent human boy. He didn't expect the boy, Loi, to react so fiercely after he said what he said, the moment Lucious turned his back to the boy, he was pounced upon by what could only be described as an angry weasel. Before Quetz managed to separate them, the tanned boy has already punched Lucious in the eye while the older male has managed to cut a long gash across Loi's face with one of his claws.

- Well, look on the bright side. - Haru smiled awkwardly, trying to defuse the tension as he rubbed the bandage on his brother's face. - You said you've always wanted a nice scar.

Lucious turned away, hand covering his mouth to muffle the gagged laughter, which only made Loi sulk more. The tanned boy rubbed the layer of bandage covering the wound on his face, feeling the tingling sensation that ran from his left eyebrow across the ridge of his nose, down to his right cheek. He shivered as he recalled how close he was of having his entire face ripped clean, Lucious' claws were just as sharp as his father's. Yet he didn't know why he did it, why he jumped at the man after he said it, maybe it's because it's because Lucious was preferring to the idea that Haru has never been "theirs", especially "his", to begin with? No. It couldn't be, the way Lucious said it, the way his body reacted, it suggested something else deeper. What did he mean by saying he can't risk losing Haru again?

- Lushi-san, are you feeling better? - The white haired boy asked, rubbing the massive bruise left on his neck, where Quetz's tail has whipped into.

- It's ok, lord. - The older male smiled, patting the boy's hand to reassure him.

- Does he...always hit you like that? - Haru lowered his head as he asked, still shocked by the imagery of Quetz wrestling Lucious to the ground, before bringing his tail down onto his son's neck.

- No, it's fine. - The older male replied softly, pressing his head into the boy's palm, letting him caressing his raven black hair.

It was so weird, seeing one of them acting like this, Haru thought to himself, smiling as he scratched the larger male's head, watching his tail wagged excitedly. But at the same time, he supposed it wasn't, though it's true that Quetz, Lucious and their kind are much more..."advanced", they also more primal, more animalistic. Almost to the point of inhuman. The thought made Haru flinch, clenching his fingers in the tangled mess that was Lucious' hair, making the man look up with his concerned golden eyes.

- My lord, is something wrong? - Lucious asked, slightly leaning forward toward the boy.

- It-it's nothing. - Haru forced a smile onto his lips and shook his head.