Hero Vs Villain (BoyxBoy)

Goodbyes and Greetings

Author's Note: This week's fanart comes from @m3likecats on Instagram! I love everything about this art so much, especially the little chibi drawings at the bottom! Also Crystalbreaker looks absolutely gorgeous! As always, you can send any art my way via my Instagram @Captaincleanfreak :D All the art I receive always puts a smile on my face and makes my day!

Vandel

I wasn't exactly sure what had gotten into Ridley. Perhaps I had misread the entire situation. I fidgeted awkwardly, pulling his shirt a little closer around my shoulders, suddenly feeling exposed (which was odd because well...normally I didn't even care).

"So," Ridley said slowly. "I assume our next step moving forward would be to find..." he glanced over the list of names he carried, "James Andrews."

I let out a little huff. "Gods, I hate people whose last names sound like first names. They're the literal worst. Like...it's a last name for a reason, why the fuck would you need to have two?"

I saw a slight smile tug at the corner of Ridley's lips despite himself. "Gods you're impossible. It's not like they can pick their names."

I simply crossed my arms, arching a brow. "I guess you're right. So what's our plan to actually find this..." I practically cringed as I said the name, "James Andrews guy?"

"Well, we already know the location of his town. I'm sure there we could discover a lead on where to find James. When that happens we need him to provide evidence of Stefan's crimes. Maybe the payment Stefan made to him, some kind of note that contained orders, maybe even a written confession. Once we have that we'll have proof for our defense that princess Annette is innocent and Stefan's the real murderer. Then princess Annette becomes queen and you don't have to worry about having to marry Stefan."

"That's a pretty tall order," I said slowly. "You sure this guy is really going to be our ticket to fucking Stefan over once and for all?"

"We can only hope," Ridley said softly.

My gaze drifted skyward. "I have to return to the demon kingdom soon. I've been gone for days, it's probably chaos back there."

"When will I see you again?" Ridley immediately seemed to realize how awkward that sounded because he quickly stammered an addition to his statement, "I mean...when should we meet again to find James?"

I thought for a moment. "I'll need a few days to do damage control on whatever mess I left back home, besides you should probably stick around Alteria to make sure Stefan doesn't catch on to us. How about a week? We'll meet back here and head to the village together. Sound like a plan?"

Ridley nodded and all of a sudden I noticed how intently he was staring at me.

I arched a brow. "Can I help you?"

Ridley immediately caught himself, quickly looking away. "I was just thinking about uh..."

"Me and Stefan, right?" I said, hating the waver in my voice when I said it. From his reaction to my words I could tell I was right. I sighed heavily. "Listen, I told you all there is to tell. I...I don't have feelings for him or anything, just so we're totally clear. The only reason I'm even involving myself in this shit show is because I rather die than marry him." I don't know why I had felt the sudden need to defend myself. Maybe it was because of the expression on Ridley's face, the quiet, contemplative way he was looking at me.

I couldn't seem to figure out why I couldn't imagine anything worse than Ridley thinking I actually had feelings for that...that...monster.

"Vandel," he said softly, the gentleness in his voice catching me off guard. "I never doubted that. I know you. I know how much you hated every moment with him. I just...I was just thinking..." he took a deep breath. "I want you to know that I'm nothing like him." He took a step closer to me suddenly and I didn't know why but it felt like my heart was about to jump into my throat.

"What are you even talking about?" I asked slowly.

"Stefan was a human and you trusted him and he...he betrayed you. I know we say we're still enemies but...you must know you mean more to me than that." He took a deep breath. "I've had friends before Vandel...at least I thought they were my friends. And I've cared for people as well but...but never more for them than my duty. Being perfect, becoming the knight I always dreamed of, that always came first. But...now..." it seemed it was hard for him to even formulate the right words for whatever he was about to say next. I couldn't help but notice a slight tremble to his voice when he finally continued. "Vandel, if something ever happened and I was ordered to kill you...if I had to choose between you and my duty...I would pick you. You're the only one. I just wanted you to know that. I would never hurt you like he did."

I don't know why but I suddenly found myself reaching out, taking his much larger hand in mine. I looked up to meet his gaze, offering him a small smile to try and hide how fast my heart was pounding.

"Thank you," I said. "But I already knew that, y'know?"

"How?" Ridley stammered.

I shook my head. "To be perfectly honest I really have no fucking clue. Maybe I'm stupider than I give myself credit for. It makes no sense that after everything I've seen in my life I would trust a human, an enemy, more than anyone else in this whole fucking world. But...well...here we are."

Gods...we were so close. His lips were just a brush away from mine. Despite myself I was overcome with the overwhelming urge to pull him into my arms and kiss him. Luckily my rationality got the better of me.

I couldn't do that.

I didn't deserve to touch him like that.

I didn't deserve him.

He was too good for me.

This was going to have to end eventually and I was going to have to let him go.

It feels impossible to willingly be submerged back into darkness after finally being allowed into the light, right?

I couldn't let myself get any closer to Ridley...to his light. It would just make the fall back into the abyss all the more painful.

I moved away from him, my gaze flickering back to the sky. "It's getting late," I murmured. "I need to get back. I really can't waste any more time."

Ridley nodded quickly. "Of course."

I slipped his shirt off my shoulders, handing it back to him. "But...thank you. For the shirt and...well...for everything. I'll see you soon."

And with that I transformed, arms turning into wings, skin quickly becoming covered by feathers.

And then I was off.

I flew, higher and higher into the sky, refusing to look back at him. I knew if I did I'd never want to leave.

-----

I flew through the night, finally seeing the demon palace rise up before me in all its glory. Gods, I hadn't even realized how homesick I'd been. I neared my window now. Tuttle had probably been worried sick, maybe he'd be waiting there to greet me with a nice cup of tea. If I had a mouth instead of a beak I probably would have smiled at the thought.

I swooped into my room, talons transforming back into legs as they touched the floor.

"Hello Vandel," a voice said softly.

I knew that voice almost as well as my own and the sound of it caused me to freeze, my stomach turning to ice water. Slowly I turned around to see the absolute worst thing I could have possibly come home to.

Standing there was my mother.

This was extremely unsettling because my mother almost never left her room and most certainly NEVER visited me. Also...how the fuck did she know when I was coming back?

"M-mother," I stammered, not exactly sure how to react.

Her expression betrayed nothing, crossing her arms as the only acknowledgment that I had spoken. "Listen Vandel," she said coldly, "we need to talk."