Phantom; Blessed by the devil, Cursed by the gods

Chapter 11 The Bermuda Triangle

Melchior leaned his head against the railing of the staircase, his muscles aching from all the training he'd done. It had been tiring, the constant muscle movement, the mental strain, not to mention the sweat, the only salt water Melchior wasn't happy to have on his skin.

The only thing that made the training worthwhile was Casmir, his constant jokes and taunting that made training feel like a huge game instead of an intense workout.

Not to mention the curve of his lips as he smirked or the way his eyes shone with admiration as he watched Melchior, or his cold, tender hands that always pulled Melchior up each time he fell to the mat in Katarina's training room.

"You're a natural" he'd say.

It made Melchior smile for some strange, blissful reason.

"Why are you wearing shorts?" He heard someone ask.

Melchior looked up to see Bloom standing and staring down at him, he had become accustomed to mortal clothing, the shorts were comfortable and allowed his legs some air unlike the trousers he wore back at the Fey, and the large hoodie made him feel like a caterpillar in a cocoon, and everything he wore smelt like Casmir, like cigarettes and incense.

"I'm trying to…what are the words, ah yes, fit in" Melchior said.

Bloom smiled and sat down with him on the stairs, her body inches away from his.

"You have been training" Bloom said. "You have never shown much interest in fighting before"

"We both know how it is back at home, I am not allowed to learn how to fight, I am…different"

Bloom sighed and pulled Melchior closer, her hand combing through his hair.

Melchior knew that their peers back in Fey Land often mistook Bloom as terrifying or without compassion because of how dangerous she could be, but no one saw the vulnerability that lay underneath all that toughness, the kindness that was just under the surface.

"Things will change in the Fey Melchior, I promise you will have a place there" Bloom said.

"I am of two worlds, part of me is siren and the other is merman, and because of that I am considered an anomaly" he said. "There is no assurance in your words Bloom, you know that"

"I know" she said. "but is it not better to have hope?"

Melchior sighed.

"To simply hope is not enough" Melchior said. "Besides, I think I like it here, the Mortal World has clothes that are quite comfortable and waters that I can actually swim in...."

"And Casmir" Bloom said.

Melchior smiled at the mention of his name.

"Yes, and Casmir"

Bloom chuckled, it was a soft sound that reminded Melchior of summer afternoons running through the Fey Forests, the trees and flowers singing.

"I would be careful with him if I were you" Bloom said. "He has his heart in different places, his mind is....out of touch with the world he's found himself in"

"I will, he and I share common interests, he is different in this world as I am different in mine"

She reached out her hand, he clasped his fingers with hers, her fingers were small, her nails clean and curvy, transparent and hard like the spines of a cactus plant.

"He could hurt you" Bloom said.

"He has no reason to" Melchior replied.

"He doesn't need one, hurt is almost always done unintentionally, especially when you've been born in the imperfections of this Mortal World" Bloom said. "Nevertheless when he does hurt you, and I imagine he will, I will be there, always and forever"