Chasing Back His Beloved Beast Husbands

"Is this a museum?" Sseraphis blurted out. He didn’t even get a chance to comprehend Nytherael’s new obsession with immortalizing Rhysandor.

From building an altar in the frozen chamber, cooking Rhysandor’s favourite foods and placing them on the altar and decorating the room with trinkets of various kinds. "You need to give it a rest, foxy."

"Not yet," Nythereal pressed on. There was still space in the room. He could fit more things inside that Rhysandor loves. "I don’t think he has enough things to navigate the afterlife."

"Technically, he’s not exactly in the afterlife since Aeltharion saved his soul and preserved it. We simply need to find a way to restore his body, and we can bring him back no problem."

Nytherael didn’t stop. That wasn’t news to him. He knew about that and was hopeful that they’ll find a solution to saving Rhysandor, but until they did. It brought him comfort to surround himself with things and activities that Rhysandor loved. It was his way of showing his friend that not only is he not forgotten but he was, is and always will be loved.

"Why don’t you take a break and give yourself a chance to rest?"

"I’ll rest once the decorations are done."

Sseraphis shook his head. The sentimental high that Nythearael was on baffled him. How could it not? Most of the time, he didn’t know the front and the back of feelings. Some went into his heart and got frozen out or outpoisoned from his system. Thinking of frozen, his mind travelled to a character he hasnt thought about in ages.

A brilliant idea sparked in his head. He was appaled that he hadn’t thought about it earlier. He glanced at the fox, eyes glowing with the new solution that could rid them of the scent of death in the house. Then his mind out that character and Nytherael in the same frame, and he ended up frowning. The light in his eyes dimmed immediately.

His violet-black eyes settled on Rhysandor’s body frozen in ice with a major hole in his chest. he swallowed the uncomfortable feeling and decided that repaying the debt that he owed Rhysandor was more important to settle than giving importance to the griviance in his heart.

"I just thought of a way to save Rhysandor..." he whispered, part of him was hesitant about the idea he had. He cursed his brain for being against him and coming up with that method.

Nytherael stopped decorating instantly and turned around. His m,ismatched eyes sharpened on Sseraphis. A glimmer of hope danced at the back of his eyes, not too bright that disappointment would break him down compltely but enough that he looked forward to the solution that Sseraphis’ brilliant mind had come up with.

"Don’t mess with me, truth," he pleaded. If that was some cruel joke from Sseraphis, then he needed the snake to know that his jheart couldn’t take it.

"I am not messing with you. I truly have discovered a way to bring him back," Sseraphis admitted. Resistance could be felt in every word that he uttered.

"Why don’t you sound confident?"

How can i sound confident when i hate the idea? I can’t stand it, and i am not even sure why my brain came up with it! Sseraphis thought bitterly. The thought left a sour taste in his mouth.

"An ice fox," he stated.

Both he and Nytherael froze at the mention of such a species. There was only one ice fox that they both knew, Ilyrien. Nytherael’s first love and a name he hadn’t heard in a while since the chaos of the past settled.

Lately, they had been thrust into situation after situation that for many breaths and heartbeats, Nytherael had forgotten that such a charcater exists. His heart stilled. The healing properties of an ice fox could do wonders, especially with Sseraphis tinkering around with the fur here and there.

However, Ilyrien was a pandora box that he didn’t want to open, he wasnt ready for what waited for him at the other end of that door. What he did know is that once he opened that door, there was no locking it again.

Nytherael took several deep, long breaths. His mind was a mess, triggered by the mention of the beast who not only ruined him but left him froxem under a lake for a year and a half.

"Uhm..." He wanted to say that it was for Rhysandor, like somehow that was supposed to change how he felt about Ilyrien, but words failed him.

He understood why Sseraphis had hesitated to speak about the idea. Ilyrien, that one name had ruined their marriage once, and it was a given that Sseraphis would be worried it might happen again.

"Where would we even find him," Nytherael turned around with the excuse. No one had seen Ilyrien since that fateful day back then. The ice fox had vanished without a trace.

Sseraphis found another heasitation at answering Nytherael. They were good now, and the hatred between them had settled. He feared revealing that the said beast was a guest in his underwateer palace for ages and had been personally tended to by him, tortured.

"Well... i might know where he is," he said.

Nytherael stopped. His body tensed up like he had been electrocuted. The first question in his mind should’ve been: How do you know where he is? It wasn’t. The first thing that came to mind was, what new storm will come from inviting that backstabbing beast into my new home?

He breathed in heavily. His nervousness betrayed his feelings as he forced himself to turn back around. His gingers digging into his palm until he bled.

"Will he be willing to help," he kept his voice as neutral as possible.

Sseraphis rolled his eyes, chuckled, and walked up to him. "You don’t have to walk on eggshells when talking about him. I know that you have no feelings for him," Sseraphis assured him. "Relax, I’m not going yo question if you still love him..." he brushed Nytherael’s face gently. "Because by staying through all the ups and downs... always having mine and Aelthie’s back. I have seen and felt you love for us."

Nytherael flashed a gentle smile. He wasn’t assured by those words at all. As a matter of fact, he was even more convinced to stay clear of Ilyrien.

Breaking Sseraphis and Aeltharion’s trust once, even though it was under manipulation by an unknown enemy, it didn’t settle well with him. He couldn’t let himself give them another reason to hate him.

"Truth, why are you always so honest?" He changed the subject.

"I’m not always honest. Every beast has secrets, Nytherael."

"Yes, but... you’ve never lied to me..."

Sseraphis chuckled again. "Of course I have."

"When?" Nytherael asked, baffled. He couldn’t recall one instance when Sseraphis had looked him dead in the eyes and lied.

Sseraphis leaned in. His lips close to his fox ear, the hot breath did more than tickle his furry ears. "When I said I didn’t love you anymore when you came back," he said.

Nytherael met his eyes. In those violet-black eyes, he saw more truths. Sseraphis was usually an open book when he wanted to be. He always spoke the truth, and when he couldn’t, he just locked it in his heart.

He didn’t hide behind lies or make-up tales to cover up his secrets. He’d simply choose silence and hide what he couldn’t say. It was the trait that Nytherael loved more about him.

"Then... tell me one truth right now. Can I ask?"

"Mmh," Sseraphis hummed a yes, but he was a bit scared internally. There was no secret in his heart at present except for the fact that he had kept Ilyrien as a hostage for several months. "If I can...I’ll answer honestly, if not... I’ll keep quiet."

"I expect nothing less," Nytherael said, holding his hand and walking out of the frozen chamber. When the doors locked behind them, he dared to ask. "Why do you love me so much?"

Sseraphis blinked, stopped walking, processed the question, and then caught up to Nytherael.

"What? Is it a hard question?"

"I don’t know why I love you," Sseraphis replied. Nytherael stopped and shot him a wounded glare. "Come again?"

"No, I mean..." he squeezed Nytherael’s hand. "You’re messy in love. Your heart is always in a tight place, but then it comes to expressing it you’re just...hopeless," he sighed, but his eyes were brighter than the sun.

"You also have this way of making a beast feel a home...there are also moments when you give them a billion reason to be as far away as possible and...I don’t know...I love knowing that even if we fight, hate finds a way into our hearts. I can always find a home with you..." he paused and glanced at Nytherael. "Am I making any sense, here. I should stop talking... your messy has influenced me," he threw the blame onto Nytherael.

Nytherael clicked his tongue. "That’s the strangest answer you’ve ever given me. A slap would’ve been better."

"Really?" He asked, hand already in the air.

"Hit me, and I’ll get Aeltharion to avenge me," Nytherael threatened.

"He loves me more than he loves you. Are you sure you want to break your own heart by testing waters like that?"