The world had changed drastically after the War of Kind that had occured centuries before, a war which changed how human societies dealt and lived with the non-human. These non-humans were the myths which countless poets, novelists, historians, and many more had written. The ogres of war, selkies of the Scottish, fairies and fae, vampires and werewolves, unicorns, centaurs... all those myths had become real, and had always been real. Only revealed to those who were patient and kind, given the chance to write stories of them and create wondrous tales to read and recite to children and many generations every night. The war had been brutal, both for humans and non, yet at the end it came to a conclusion with a worldwide treaty of understanding that humans were equal to monster and monster to human, except monsters had to be careful of their own culture and self aware of their differences in senses and physiques
Elliot's partner was his whole world, but after Allan's death, his ghost haunts Elliot's dreams. Everyone tells Elliot to move on, but he isn't sure he can.
*****
It's been a year since the love of Elliot's life, Allan, passed away. Everyone thinks he should have recovered after that much time, but Allan still haunts Elliot every night. He struggles to maintain relationships with his family, and despite a coworkers interest he can't summon up the courage to date. Elliot is living for the past, because to live for the present means he'll have to live with a hole in his heart. But the question Elliot has to face chases him through his monotonous days: is mourning Allan with everything he has truly living?
[[word count: 40,000-50,000 words]]