Pedestal

Chapter 2

A/N: You get a bit more of an insight into the characters in this chapter. I have a tendency to develop characters and plot too quickly so please drop a comment if I speed through a bit.

Hope you enjoy!

~Muuji   (◕△◕✿)

T/W: Swearing and cute idiots

Uyumi decided that they would go the long way round back to base. Firstly because he knew that Aelon's favourite place was the woods. It wasn't a wonder that he always smelt like damp earth and pine trees. Secondly, he wanted to discuss what his brother had said to him. As much as he loved his family, Nihmadel really pushed at even his tolerant brother's limits. As for his friend, the idea of keeping calm was out of the question. It was always fists and violence with Aelon, although Uyumi knew that despite the aggressive act he put on, he was a sensitive, caring and fragile man really. All Uyumi wanted was to help him. It was in his nature as a healer he supposed. The need to fix broken things. And Aelon, he could tell he was almost beyond repair.

The northern wind was getting stronger now, it was whipping against the men's faces but Aelon didn't flinch. He was too lost in his thoughts to notice, dragged out only when Uyumi draped an arm over his shoulders and gave him a sad smile. Damn that bastard, Aelon thought. He always knew what he was feeling, as if he could read his mind. The castanic looked up and forced a brief smile although the anxiety in his green eyes was apparent.

"Aelon." The high elf said softly. "What happened with Nihmadel?" Aelon tensed at the question but carried on walking as if he hadn't heard. Uyumi was persistent though, he grabbed Aelon's hand and stood firm. "Aelon." He said assertively. "You can't fight in this state of mind. Just tell me!" Aelon growled at the high elf and snatched his hand away. He knew that Uyumi loved his family and didn't want to cause any unnecessary conflict between them.

"Just him being his racist self. Nothing to worry about." Aelon felt so ashamed, he too knew the truth about the arrow that had missed. He'd seen the Chaos charging at Uyumi and had panicked. It had thrown off his aim and his friend, his family, had been killed. It hurt Aelon just being with his high elf friend, he was a reminder of who he'd failed to save. Uyumi chuckled softly and watched his friend struggle with himself, he would scowl every so often and would chew on his chapped lips. He found it amusing that the castanic thought he was emotionless and unreadable when to Uyumi, it was as obvious as day that there was something more happening.

"Did he threaten you, shorty?" Uyumi said, using his affectionate nickname to coax out the truth. When Aelon didn't so much as grumble at the name he knew he'd guessed correctly. Instead the man clenched his fists until he left nail marks on his palms and gritted his teeth.

"Nothing happened. Nothing. Would you just stop prying and leave me the fuck alone?" Aelon snapped irritability. When the sweet elf flinched it almost broke him. His pale blue eyes filled with pain and he stood still, staring down at the castanic in shock. Aelon always seemed to be filled with anger but never had he snapped at Uyumi like that. "Uyumi, I'm sorry I-" he trailed off as Uyumi turned and begun walking away. Aelon ran a hand through his unruly hair in frustration. "Uyumi! Please I'll talk! I'll tell you just please, don't go." Aelon's eyes widened in disbelief at what he'd just said. Christ, he sounded like some whiny brat. He sounded like Uyumi did when he tried to get Aelon to open up. When the realisation hit, the castanic groaned aloud and hit his head with the palm of his hand. He sat on the floor in disgrace and cursed at that bastard elf.

"For someone who wants to be left alone you certainly are needy, shorty." Aelon looked up sheepishly at Uyumi's teasing tone. He felt the blood rise in his cheeks when he saw his friend towering over him. It was times like this when being in denial about both their races ridiculous height difference just wasn't enough. Aelon huffed dramatically and turned away from the elf, pretending to be annoyed but in actual fact hiding his reddened face. Uyumi extended a pale arm and turned the castanic's face towards his own, Aelon cast his eyes downwards and scowled. He heard Uyumi giggle so he pushed him away. "For someone so grumpy you certainly do blush easily too." Aelon gaped at the unusually witty attitude of the elf. Bastard, exploiting his awkwardness like that. Uyumi pulled the castanic up by the hand and Aelon cleared his throat.

"So." Aelon said loudly, trying to break the silence. "What do you want to know?" Uyumi looked thoughtful for a moment before answering.

"What did he say and how did he threaten you." Aelon's heart filled with dread, he knew the question was coming and supposed he deserved it after the way he had treated his friend. He tried to figure out the best way to approach the situation, direct or subtly, which way would hurt Uyumi least? Although he knew that he'd get the gist either way, the elf wasn't stupid.

"You know what he's like, Uyumi. He said something about how it was better that a demon died rather than a high elf." He spat out the word "demon" and saw that Uyumi pulled a disgusted face too. "That's it." Aelon swallow guiltily. He had to let the elf down easily. Uyumi raised an eyebrow at the shorter man.

"Aelon I'm not stupid. Nihmadel is my brother and I have a right to know what else is going on." He said firmly.

"Look it's not his fault. I made a mistake and I beat him up over a true accusation." Aelon's heart was pounding with anxiety and he bit his lip repeatedly. Uyumi suddenly wrapped his hands around Aelon's waist and embraced him. He rested his chin on top of the castanic's head, careful not to stab himself on Aelon's sharp horns. Aelon's eyes widened in surprise and it took him a moment until he'd registered the lithe body wrapped around him, "Uh, Uyumi?" He stuttered. If the bastard kept making moves like this then people would start making inappropriate assumptions about the two of them. He couldn't cope with that on top of what Nihmadel already thought about him.

"I'm not letting go until you tell me what happened, fully and honestly." Aelon sighed, the elf might be sweet and gentle but Aelon knew that once he set out to get something, he wouldn't leave a situation without it. Aelon grumbled his complaints before sighing again in submission.

"I failed Uyumi." Aelon said softly. "I shot, I missed and he died. Nihmadel just told me what I already knew. Along with politely suggesting that I stayed the hell away from you or he'd tell all the castanic's I knew that I was too busy watching a certain high elf priest to focus on where my arrow landed." Aelon exhaled slowly and his body sagged against Uyumi's. The air had a biting chill to it and it just made the castanic feel even more sullen. He knew he shouldn't brood over it, he was a key piece in the war and at the rate the fights against the Chaos were going, he couldn't afford not be performing well. Uyumi made a loud noise of frustration and finally released Aelon.

"I don't understand him. What on earth is so repulsive about short, scandalous men with horns!?" Aelon spluttered at the elf's choice of words.

"Scandalous? In what way am I scandalous?" If anyone was scandalous, it was the bastard in front if him, the way he threw himself all over the castanic like it was completely normal. Aelon huffed angrily, all his anxiety forgotten. The elf had that effect on him, he had the power to make Aelon feel everything when all he wanted was to be blank. Uyumi giggled at the darker skinned man and shook his head.

"Oh really Aelon. You know that castanic men, and women tend to dress rather- scantily clad." Aelon gaped at the high elf. What did he mean 'scantily clad'? This was traditional castanic armour. The designs had been through generations, light weight and effective. The castanic huffed, put his hands in his pockets and walked ahead of the elf, breathing in the heavy scent of the forest. They'd nearly reached the end of the woodland trail now and Aelon prayed to all the higher beings that he wouldn't have to face Nihmadel anytime soon.