#𓆩✧𓆪 Caiden

[fox-buried-in-maple-leaves]

MerMay Day 9 ; Semi Aquatic

Prompt By: @/mossypidder

“Could you completely live in the ocean?”

The question caught him off guard as he floated aimlessly in the pool beside him. Ignas never really thought about it. Aquatic shifting wasn’t a common trait. He knew of one clan in Spain who could do it, but he’d never met them. 

Ignas floated to the poolside, hoisting himself up slightly so his upper body was on the stones beside Caiden. The man in question leaned down, brushing the aquatic shifter’s light blue hair from his mismatched eyes.

“I don’t think so?” Ignas admitted, leaning into his boyfriend’s warm touch. “One, you wouldn’t be there. Two, I imagine it’d be pretty lonely.” Ignas’ tail moved behind him, the large shark tail disturbed the water around him. Caiden chuckled when he got slightly splashed, leaning back some.

“But if you had to?”

“Oh, I’m semi aquatic, yeah. I could. I just don’t wanna!” He made a face and Caiden outright laughed, cat tail swishing. Ignas let himself slide off the stones, disappearing underneath the water. It wasn’t often he shifted into his full shark form, even then, he didn’t need to in order to live aquatically, the gills on his neck worked just fine.

But for Caiden’s viewing pleasure, he watched the blacktip reef shark swim around the large pool. Surprisingly, his true shark form was smaller than his half form, only six feet compared to the eight he was with his tail. He swam in a circle then rolled, doing tricks for Caiden who clapped.

Caiden yelled out when he jumped out of the water though, human half landing in his lap. “Ignas!” The cat whined, ears and tail now wet with pool water. But he was quickly, immediately, pacified by cold lips against his. Caiden melted, kissing back, his arms hooked around Ignas’ lower back to keep him steady in the awkward position.

Ignas pulled back and grinned at him, hair sticking to his face, cheeks warm and pink. “See what I mean? I can’t get that in the ocean.” And Caiden could only sigh, shaking his head. But the cat was more than pleased by his detailed answer.

“Off, back in the water.”

“Fine~”

Ignas pulled off of him, rolling onto his back once more. He closed his eyes as he let himself float in the water. His peace was quickly disturbed by a heavy weight jumping onto his chest and claws digging into his skin. He choked out, opening his eyes quickly to come face to face with a mismatched eyed black cat.

The cat kneaded his chest a few times before he balled up and laid down. Ignas snickered, leaning his head back into the water. With the afternoon sun still high in the sky, they got to relax and enjoy both the water and the sun together. And that was definitely much preferable to both of them compared to any interests Ignas might otherwise find in the ocean.

Caiden lifted his head, sensitive ears hearing the click of someone’s phone camera. He turned his head to watch Alee quickly dip back into the house, giggling the whole way. He meowed softly, resting his head back against Ignas’ chest.

He was so going to regret it when that photo ended up on the fireplace mantle.

[fox-buried-in-maple-leaves]

"mittens", ignas, for the ask game

Ask Game!

Ignas exhaled a warm breath of air, the cold air around him caused it to fog in front of his face. It was freezing. He looked up as he watched the snow fall around the brightly lit cathedral. It was beautiful, he couldn't deny that. Especially as the sunset around him. But that didn't stop the cold from seeping into his skin.

He smiled softly as he watched the man leave the cathedral, racing down the steps despite the ice and snow. Alee wasn't kidding when he said Caiden was always reckless. But that didn't stop the speedster from sliding up to him, running directly into him.

Ignas managed to catch him, his boots digging into the ice to keep them both from falling. "Hey!" Caiden greeted with a laugh, arms wrapping around Ignas' waist. Ignas pressed his face into the man's hair. He was so much warmer.

"You're freezing!"

"I noticed.. You didn't say it would be that cold."

"It isn't!" Caiden pulled back, he looked at his poor shivering boyfriend. "It's only negative five." Ignas frowned at him. Caiden rolled his eyes playfully, letting him go fully so he could pull his gloves off his hands.

Ignas watched as he tugged the gloves over his hands, then pressed his hands together with his own, rubbing. "Mittens?" Caiden nodded with a smile. "Thank you, this helps.." Ignas could already feel his hands getting warmer.

"Can we go to the restaurant now?"

"Oh shit I forgot!" Caiden quickly dropped Ignas' hands, but still grabbed one to tug him away from the cathedral. Hopefully the restaurant would be warm too, make up his first trip to Canada being way colder than he expected.

[fox-buried-in-maple-leaves]

The Edge

Fennel had been warned about her; she went after Alee and Mieran. Almost succeeded with the latter. He knew to be careful, he had to be careful. But he was older, he understood to be careful, he knew what it meant and why. 

Caiden, however, was too young to understand.

He was small and too trusting and he was just a child. Fennel didn’t bother looking down the street when he ran across to chase after the boy in question. Near the manor, but far enough away it was obvious Caiden was being lured by something that Fennel couldn’t hear. But how did he get out of the house?

“Caiden!”

The boy looked at him, head tilting a little bit. But Fennel couldn’t get across the street in time before he continued his way into a house. Fennel could swear he saw a flash of pink and black as the door shut behind his brother. The artist called for him again, but to no avail as he ran down the sidewalk.

Fennel looked either way before he shouldered open the front door, stumbling inside of the entrance. He slammed the door shut behind him, silver eyes frantic as he looked around for any sign of Caiden. Any noise was met with his shield, the energy forming around his hand before dissipating as he made his way through the dark house.

“Caiden?” He called softly, looking into every room for his brother.

“Fennel!”

“Caiden!”

Fennel raced up the stairs, using the railing to steady himself as he moved quickly. “Fennel, help!” He didn’t have his weapon, he wished he had a weapon. Fennel easily knocked open the door at the top of the stairs. It was empty. He heard screaming and turned quickly, he couldn’t tell where it was coming from.

“I’m here, I’m coming!” Fennel tried every door, tugging on knobs, Caiden’s cries sounded further and closer at every turn, he couldn’t tell.

“No!!”

He was in fight or flight, his heart raced and he could feel the lump in his throat. He got to the last room and slammed open the door. Dull green eyes looked up at him, a smile on painted pink lips. Fennel waved his arm to shield the boy on the ground but the shield did nothing to her. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Your magic is weakening. The fear is gripping you.”

A glowing white piece of paper appeared beside her, lighting up her facial features. She read his fears and he tried again to shield Caiden beneath her. His lungs squeezed, his heart felt like it was going to pop. He could hear the blood in his ears. Why couldn’t he move? Why wasn’t the adrenalin helping?

“You fear losing a loved one. How noble, just like your daddy.” Sorin raised her hand, a knife appearing within her grip. Fennel could feel his mouth move, but couldn’t hear himself speak. A thin shield finally enveloped Caiden, but when she swung her hand down with the knife, it easily pierced the material rather than bouncing off.

“If only your fear hadn’t gotten the best of you, Fennel. You are undeserving of the last name you’ve stolen.” 

She disappeared from sight as the room grew dark, the scent of blood overwhelmed his senses. He raced to Caiden’s limp bloodied form on the ground. Fennel dropped to his knees, picking up the boy’s body and cradling him close to his chest. He felt so small again, so scared, tears burned his eyes as he looked down at the boy.

He held Caiden to his chest, keeling over his smaller body to protect him from any further harm. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he choked on his sobs, he failed at the one job he had, the one job he was trusted with. Protect the family, that was all he had to do. Carefully, he picked up Caiden, maybe Alee could still heal him- maybe-

Fennel made eye contact with himself as the room became surrounded in mirrors, Caiden’s limp body in his arms. Fennel turned quickly, looking at all of the mirrors around him. “You failed, you no longer get the claim to life you once had.” Her voice echoed all around him. He was sixteen again. “All of this, a test. And you failed. You don’t belong with them.” 

He was smarter than this! He knew better than this. “He’s dead and you didn’t do enough to save him. You’re as much of a disappointment to them as you are to your father. It’s for the best that they forget you. Give up this life. To keep them safe. If you go back, he won’t meet this fate.”

Fennel looked down at the boy in his arms, brown and blue eyes stared up at him, glazed over and lifeless. He turned for the bedroom door, sniffling softly as he tried to get out. But it was undeniable, Caiden was dead, and he was a child again. He stumbled out of the room and into the hallway, paintings lined the walls. 

His paintings.

The undeniable scar of a palette knife dragged through his work. He didn’t deserve the easy life he had been granted. He collapsed in front of the stairs, back hitting the bannister as Caiden fell from his arms. “You can’t even keep his body safe. What are you to them?” Fennel covered his ears, bringing his knees up, he held his head low. 

“You told yourself, Fennel. You’d be of use to the family, you’d protect the family.”

“I tried!”

“Not hard enough.”

It wasn’t her voice anymore, it was his voice, it was Alee’s voice, his father’s voice. It overlapped and it was driving him closer to the edge. The house around him melted away and Fennel looked around as he was back in that alleyway all of those years ago. Caiden’s body was gone. He had a chance.

He could hear Vesper coming.

“Now is your chance, Fennel.”

“I.. I’ll give up my-”

“Don’t listen to her, this isn’t real.” Vesper whispered as xe picked him up, and just like that. The house was back, but he was in the living room, Vesper holding him tight while Alee held a knife to the woman’s throat. Fennel looked around frantically once more, trying to spot his brother, trying to spot Caiden.

Alee hissed when she melted from his grasp, the man holstering his knife once more. “Oh, Fen.” He spoke softly as he quickly closed the distance between them. “We’re here. You’re okay, we’re here.” Alee promised as the man sobbed. 

“C-Caiden..”

“At home, he’s safe. She didn’t get him.”

Vesper pressed their face against Fennel’s hair, nuzzling the top of his head slightly. Thankful they’d gotten there in time.