The Splintered

Sparks Fly in The Candlelight

Ezra broke the kiss quickly, rubbing away tears with his thumbs, crying himself he said clearly.

"You matter to me."

Shaking my head no, he shook me back up and enunciated.

"You matter to me."

"What can one person do?"

I asked as he chuckled and said.

"So much, they can do so much."

Going into a deep cry about anything and everything, Ezra hugged me close through the entire thing. I knew Itsuki had returned a while ago just waiting for the right moment to walk in. After I ran out of tears about my Mom, warriors, and Ezra abandoning me. I was exhausted but a weight had been off my chest that I thought would never leave. I returned to my wooden bed and ate again. Itsuki didn't torture me on how puffy my eyes looked but definitely would comment on if I gaze a glance to Ezra a bit too long.

"Ooh look at you staring-"

"Shut up Itsuki."

It went like that for about four days before I was more or less clear to start moving. I mostly walked while Itsuki and Ezra were trotting on the horse. It may have been a lost cause, but I wanted to find my warriors. Rendezvous with them. It was risky all around since abominations were still on the loose, not to mention now that some can now regenerate it wasn't looking good for my warriors. Not by themselves anyway.

"We'll camp here for tonight."

I said as Itsuki found a tent from my previous camp and we put it up in a more secure area. Itsuki was dying, but he wasn't sharing that info with Ezra. I knew from the sound of his heartbeat. I nodded for Ezra to watch over him while I took watch. Time had passed and Ezra sat next to me, we didn't talk at first. He snaked a hand through my hair to which I glared at him, but he knew I secretly like it so he continued.

"You knew, didn't you? That Itsuki is dying."

"Yeah. Only once we started to travel did his injuries do him in."

I replied, lowering my gaze as Ezra lowered his hand and said.

"You've dealt with all this death...does it get any easier?"

"No...yes, it does get easier. But I'd never ask someone to get used to something like that it, it stings."

I perked up hearing Itsuki's heartbeat slow down, as I rushed over to his side. I clasped his hand as he suddenly said.

"Dexter would be so proud of you."

Chuckling, it didn't take long for me to be crying all over again, but I replied.

"Botan would be proud of you."

We both chuckled then as I sniffed, he suddenly hugged me and whispered.

"He would be proud of both of us."

I hugged him until his last breath of air left his body, I cradled his body for a while. The fact that Botan and his grandson died with me around hurt that much more.

"Come on."

Ezra whispered to me, we buried Itsuki then cleaned up the tent from the blood. I started to go overboard until Ezra rubbed my back slowly, breaking me out of my obsession. Swallowing slowly I walked out of the tent for a moment getting some air, then noticed some familiar voices in the treeline-

"Well maybe if you didn't punch everything we see we wouldn't have abominations-"

"Oh don't even go there! It's not my fault they regenerate-"

"OJ and Stitch."

I said with a smile growing on my face, they're faces brightened up as they hugged a bit too tight as I said.

"Guys easy you'll squeeze the breath out of me."

"We thought you were dead."

OJ let go and did my rally whistle, my 50 was widdled down to 20, but they crawled out nonetheless and gave me hugs and cheers knowing I was alive. Ezra waved weakly as pulled him into the circle and said a little too low.

"This is my...boyfriend."

"What?"

"Did you guys hear him?-"

"This is my boyfriend!"

I ended up yelling while clearing my throat, after two seconds of silence they all embraced him before we started walking back to camp. I gave one last look to Itsuki's grave then headed with them too. I let OJ and Stich use the horse while we walked the main road, it started to turn into a hike and I had a feeling we were reaching a stronghold of some kind. I was surprised I wasn't sacrificed to the wolfs, I mean I know I did the best I could but still, I didn't protect the people I needed to-

"Ah, there he goes again beating himself up."

"Glad you picked up on that so we can double team him."

Ezra said to Stitch as I pointed at the two of them going.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Oh haha Commander, while you were brooding we've all been acquainting with your partner."

Rolling my eyes, I was smirking though and they knew it. Pushing through the leaves my eyes widened seeing something I never thought I'd see in real life.

"Holy shit, Edinburgh Castle."

Killian patted my back and said.

"When we lost you, we figured finding a stable compound was a good idea before coming to find you. Turns out we got both blessings."

After all, 20 of us got set up, more or less, and killed some abomination three times over we all got ready to eat. I made sure everyone ate first then turned to find Ezra had a plate ready for us already. I know not many people like PDA so I made sure not to make it super obvious I liked him back at my side again. We ate together though, I was watchful of where all my warriors are. Let's say my anxiety and depression came back too, making jelling with everyone again hard to do when I couldn't shake the fact of what happened last time I was with them.

"OJ shall we say a toast?"

"Certainly Stitch."

Ezra caught my collar, which reminded me of Dex icing on the cake, as he pulled me back.

"To us being alive, and to our Commander returning to us!"

A battle cry rang out which I accepted but made me go are we safe up here. Even if it's only one way up and one way down on this cliffside. I kept a tight smile on till we were cleaning up the bedrooms, Stitch nodded at Ezra as she moved with OJ to clean the bathrooms. This place was expansive but a lot better than camping.

"Mason, it's okay to share your pain with me."

I swallowed slowly hearing Ezra say that, continuing to mop.

"So..."

Ezra made his way over to me, I could feel his presence behind me but he didn't hug me yet. Just rubbed my back and waited for me to talk. I sighed first then said.

"With emotions, comes my anxiety depression, and most of all grief. I-I don't know how to deal it all and it just swarms me all at once-"

That's when Ezra hugged me from the back, I accepted it knowing OJ and Stitch were looking. But you never realize how much you miss something like a lover's touch until it's gone. Once the castle was bout 80% clean, everyone moved in and I was about to keep watch but Stitch convinced me to stay with Ezra tonight.