Chrys fidget and feel uncertain. He trusted Aurus, but he didn't know how the older mer would react when he found out what had happened. A small trickle of doubt lingered somewhere deep within him. Powerless, cursed with the mysterious inability to use his element, Chrys would go insane if Aurus rejected him because of Jasper.
"Chrys?" Aurus kept his voice low and soft. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me. Let's just rest here for a while, all right?"
Chrys gave him a silent nod, feeling awful about the entire thing. He'd obviously broken the mood and made Aurus uncomfortable through his distrust.
Perhaps it was fitting he wouldn't be able to consummate his bond with Aurus tonight. After all, he'd been uncomfortable with the idea before, and not because of Jasper. His concern for Jaden returned full force and he broke from Aurus's embrace.
"I'm going to check on Jaden," he said.
Chrys left the bed and swam to the adjoining bathroom. He knocked at his twin's door, hoping his coddling wouldn't bother Jaden too much. Jaden might be younger, but he hated being reminded of it. The moments when Jaden truly showed his fragility, though few and far between, made Chrys even more protective.
"Jaden? Brother?"
No response came from the other side. Chrys knocked a little louder, wondering if maybe his twin had fallen asleep or the door somehow muffled the sound of his voice. It wouldn't be uncommon, since Atlantean doors were made out of stone and moved through complex mechanisms.
But Chrys suspected Jaden's silence had nothing to do with any particularity of Atlantean industry. Unable to keep his fear in check, he entered the room only to find it empty.
His brother had disappeared.
* * * *
Aurus entered the quarters temporarily housing Jaden to find Chrys frozen in his tracks, staring at the empty room. What in the Sea Mother's name had happened?
"Chrys? Chrys?"
The young mer didn't answer. Other than the slight twitch of his tail, Chrys seemed completely still. Aurus gripped Chrys's shoulder and made a futile attempt to get the young mer's attention.
Aurus forced himself to think calmly. There had to be a reasonable explanation behind this. If anyone had come to take Jaden, they would have had to get past Aurus and Chrys. Most likely, the youth, embarrassed about the entire situation, had run off on his own, a very unwise course of action given the circumstances. Still, Chrys would know where Jaden might have gone, if anyone did. Therefore, Aurus needed to get Chrys out of his trance.
He turned Chrys toward him and squeezed his lover's arm harder than he would have liked. "Chrys, snap out of it. I need you to tell me where Jaden might have gone."
For a few seconds, Chrys blankly stared at him. Then he blinked, his eyes clearing up, no longer seeming so dazed. Instead, a crushed look of despair crossed his face and Aurus's heart clenched when big, fat blue tears flowed down Chrys's cheeks. The water around them swept the drops away as they fell.
"He left," Chrys murmured. "I just knew it. I knew this would happen."
Aurus had no idea what his lover meant. "Did you have a fight?" he asked softly. "Come on, Chrys, work with me. We have to find him." Every second that passed increased the danger for Jaden. For the first time, Aurus realized how much he truly cared about the younger twin.
Chrys pushed Aurus away and shook his head. For a moment, Aurus thought Chrys didn't know anything about Jaden's location. To his surprise, Chrys headed toward the door, "I know where he is," he said. His voice sounded strangely calm now, but also aloof, almost distant.
Aurus opened his mouth to ask, but Chrys didn't give him the chance. He rushed out of the room before Aurus could say anything. Cursing to himself, Aurus followed. He didn't dare risk losing both twins.
He caught up with Chrys easily enough but the mermaid hostess intercepted them. Even if they'd hardly used the suite, they still needed to pay for it. Aurus didn't
"Chrys?" Aurus kept his voice low and soft. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me. Let's just rest here for a while, all right?"
Chrys gave him a silent nod, feeling awful about the entire thing. He'd obviously broken the mood and made Aurus uncomfortable through his distrust.
Perhaps it was fitting he wouldn't be able to consummate his bond with Aurus tonight. After all, he'd been uncomfortable with the idea before, and not because of Jasper. His concern for Jaden returned full force and he broke from Aurus's embrace.
"I'm going to check on Jaden," he said.
Chrys left the bed and swam to the adjoining bathroom. He knocked at his twin's door, hoping his coddling wouldn't bother Jaden too much. Jaden might be younger, but he hated being reminded of it. The moments when Jaden truly showed his fragility, though few and far between, made Chrys even more protective.
"Jaden? Brother?"
No response came from the other side. Chrys knocked a little louder, wondering if maybe his twin had fallen asleep or the door somehow muffled the sound of his voice. It wouldn't be uncommon, since Atlantean doors were made out of stone and moved through complex mechanisms.
But Chrys suspected Jaden's silence had nothing to do with any particularity of Atlantean industry. Unable to keep his fear in check, he entered the room only to find it empty.
His brother had disappeared.
* * * *
Aurus entered the quarters temporarily housing Jaden to find Chrys frozen in his tracks, staring at the empty room. What in the Sea Mother's name had happened?
"Chrys? Chrys?"
The young mer didn't answer. Other than the slight twitch of his tail, Chrys seemed completely still. Aurus gripped Chrys's shoulder and made a futile attempt to get the young mer's attention.
Aurus forced himself to think calmly. There had to be a reasonable explanation behind this. If anyone had come to take Jaden, they would have had to get past Aurus and Chrys. Most likely, the youth, embarrassed about the entire situation, had run off on his own, a very unwise course of action given the circumstances. Still, Chrys would know where Jaden might have gone, if anyone did. Therefore, Aurus needed to get Chrys out of his trance.
He turned Chrys toward him and squeezed his lover's arm harder than he would have liked. "Chrys, snap out of it. I need you to tell me where Jaden might have gone."
For a few seconds, Chrys blankly stared at him. Then he blinked, his eyes clearing up, no longer seeming so dazed. Instead, a crushed look of despair crossed his face and Aurus's heart clenched when big, fat blue tears flowed down Chrys's cheeks. The water around them swept the drops away as they fell.
"He left," Chrys murmured. "I just knew it. I knew this would happen."
Aurus had no idea what his lover meant. "Did you have a fight?" he asked softly. "Come on, Chrys, work with me. We have to find him." Every second that passed increased the danger for Jaden. For the first time, Aurus realized how much he truly cared about the younger twin.
Chrys pushed Aurus away and shook his head. For a moment, Aurus thought Chrys didn't know anything about Jaden's location. To his surprise, Chrys headed toward the door, "I know where he is," he said. His voice sounded strangely calm now, but also aloof, almost distant.
Aurus opened his mouth to ask, but Chrys didn't give him the chance. He rushed out of the room before Aurus could say anything. Cursing to himself, Aurus followed. He didn't dare risk losing both twins.
He caught up with Chrys easily enough but the mermaid hostess intercepted them. Even if they'd hardly used the suite, they still needed to pay for it. Aurus didn't
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