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whumpwriterforlife · 2 years

Note

So speaking of the prisoner exchange fic, any chance you might be interested in doing “blindfolded” for Nyx? I would understand if you’re not taking any more prompts; you already have quite a lot on your plate!

I don't even want to think about how long this ask has been sitting in my inbox, I'm sorry 😅 But it's finally here! Blindfolded, featuring one young Nyx Ulric!

BLINDFOLDED

Summary:

Nyx wasn’t a child anymore, and he was tired of being treated like one. He was fifteen. He could do everything that the adults did, he could be useful and help the resistance – but no, they still treated him as if he was some boy and had him run stupid errands for them. He had killed a coeurl when he had been twelve, for Six’s sake! That alone should prove he was more than capable of handling himself.

After tonight they would all know it.

AKA in which Nyx sneaks out to prove himself and things don't go as planned.

Fandom: Final Fantasy XV

Characters: Nyx Ulric, Libertus Ostium, Mama Ulric and some OG characters

Whumpee: Nyx Ulric

Word Count: 13.1k

Warnings: Blood and violence, some of it towards a minor (Nyx is 15 in this fic)

Can be read below or on AO3

After tonight they would all know it.

“Nyx, you can’t be serious!” Libertus hissed, throwing his hands up in frustration. “This is ridiculous!”

“I’m not asking for your opinion,” Nyx said pointedly as he stuffed a jacket into his backpack. It was still warm, downright hot outside, but he knew it would get cold quickly once the sun went down and he wasn’t going to let that slow him down. “I just need to know if you can cover my shift at the restaurant tonight.”

“Nyx –”

“Libs,” Nyx shot back pointedly, cutting his friend off as he turned around and walked to his wardrobe. He pulled out a wooden box that had his initials engraved on the lid and laid it on his bed, opening it to reveal his kukri. “Aren’t you tired of being treated like a kid all the time?”

Libertus groaned and flopped down on the bed. “They’re just trying to keep us safe! I don’t understand why you want to go on more dangerous missions, you’d think after what happened to your father –”

“I don’t wanna hear it!” Nyx snapped, and slid his kukri into its sheath at his hip with more force than necessary as anger flooded his veins. He walked back to his backpack and flung it over his shoulder. He didn’t want to talk about it. “This has nothing to do with my dad!”

“Shit,” Libertus swore, but Nyx didn’t look at him as he left his room and headed for the kitchen. It didn’t take long for the sound of footsteps to follow him. At least no one else was home so Nyx didn’t have to worry about his mother or Selena hearing anything they weren’t supposed to.

“You know I didn’t mean anything by that, right?” Libertus asked, a hint of guilt in his voice. “It just slipped. I’m sorry.”

“Right,” Nyx muttered as he grabbed his water bottle from a shelf and went to fill it. He knew it was stupid to be angry at Libertus, he was only trying to help him, but his dad was still a sore subject to him. He took a deep breath. “Yeah, sorry. So can you cover for me tonight, or should I go ask Pelna?”

Libertus sighed. “I’ll cover for you.”

“Thanks,” Nyx gave Libertus a smile as he screwed the cap back on the water bottle.

“But, Nyx,” Libertus continued after a moment. “Just, please be careful.. Don’t do anything too stupid.”

“I’ll be fine,” Nyx told him. He slid the water bottle into the mesh pocket of his backpack and glanced at Libertus over his shoulder. “You know me, I’m always careful.”

Libertus scoffed. “Riiight. Careful isn’t exactly the word I would use to describe Nyx Ulric.”

“Oh shut up,” Nyx huffed with a smile. He grabbed a few fruits and a pack of nuts into his backpack, too, to make sure he had something to snack on if he ended up being outside longer than he had planned. Not that he wouldn’t be able to find something edible in nature if it came down to that, the berries you could find in the jungle were perfectly ripe at this time of year, but it was good to be prepared in case there was a sudden storm that would force him to take cover somewhere. No matter what some people liked to say, Nyx wasn’t stupid. He knew his stuff.

Soon he was standing at the door, ready to go.

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Nyx? What if something happens? Maybe you should tell someone where you’re going,” Libertus asked him, shifting his weight from one foot to the other uneasily.

“No! No one can know, Libs. They’ll just lose their shit and arrange some stupid search party with half of the village involved when I’m fine,” Nyx told him, his eyes narrowing as he pointed a finger at Libertus. “I’m doing this to show them I can be a valuable asset, and that’s not going to work out if I can’t even sneak out before everyone and their grandma are out there looking for me.”

“But what if something does happen?” Libertus challenged him, his stubborn streak showing in the harshness of his expression. “Who’s going to help you then?”

“Nothing is going to happen.” Nyx shook his head as he grabbed his flashlight and attached it to one of his belt loops. “You’re worrying way too much, Libs. Just chill.”

“How am I supposed to chill when your mother and mine will murder me if they find out I knew about this and still let you go?!”

Nyx rolled his eyes and stepped outside. The street was nearly empty, as most people, including his mother, were gathered at the school for some meeting about the village’s status. “They don’t have to find out. You just need to shut up and tell them I’m out running errands or something if someone asks.

“Trust me Libs, it’ll be fine,” he added with a clap on his friend’s shoulder. “After tonight no one is going to treat me like some kid anymore.”

Libertus sighed, his shoulders slumping, and Nyx knew he had won the argument. “Yeah, alright. Just don’t get yourself killed, or I’ll bring you back only to kill you myself.”

Nyx grinned and hopped down from the porch. “I won’t.”

After that, they both went their separate ways, though Nyx still felt Libertus’ stare boring holes in the back of his skull up until he turned off the main street onto one of the lesser used paths. He rolled his back, taking in a few deep breaths as he let the smell of nature, the sounds of birds singing and of leaves swaying in the wind wash over him. He felt lighter, more excited than he had felt in a long time. He was buzzing with barely contained energy.

“This is going to be so much fun,” he murmured to himself as he took off down the path, dodging and hopping over thick roots and spider webs as he made his way away from the village and into the wild jungle.

There was still approximately an hour of daylight left, but it didn’t take long for the trees to start filtering out most of the remaining rays of sunshine. Fortunately Nyx knew the path like the back of his hand so he could spare his flashlight batteries for a while longer. He could remember spending days roaming around in the bushes, climbing the trees and exploring – and of course scaring the hell out of Pelna by finding the creepiest bugs and spiders possible. It was hilarious how his friend, who had been hunting with his older relatives for years now, was afraid of something so small. Sure, he could understand being hesitant of the more venomous species, but even those were rarely aggressive when handled correctly.

Those had been the best days. They didn’t have as much time to run around anymore, and with the Empire lurking around their parents were hesitant to let them wander too far in case the situation changed for the worse. It was an overreaction in his opinion, since no troops had been seen within a few hour’s journey from their village, but he could kind of understand it, especially when it came to the younger kids. He just wished he and his friends had more freedom. They had been taught to use weapons from a young age, and most of them were involved in hunting and the resistance movement. They could take care of themselves without any adult supervision, and Nyx missed going out on their adventures. Hopefully tonight would convince the adults of their – or at least his – capabilities.

The first hour passed quickly, and most of the animals fell quiet as the night approached. Nyx had to turn on his flashlight to see in front of him properly, and pay more attention to where he was going in general since he was no longer on the path he had started on. His excitement was still strong, not ebbing even when the first thoughts of daemons lurking around popped into his mind. It was a stupid fear, he knew, just something the village elders liked to tell the children to scare them into not wandering around after dark.

There were actual daemons, both in Lucis and Niflheim, maybe even in Accordo, but very few had been seen in Galahd. Nyx wasn’t sure why that was, but he was glad. He had asked his dad once when he had been younger, and he had told him something about some ancient magic – more ancient than the Lucis Caelum magic – that was one with their land and kept the daemons away. He wasn’t sure how much of it was true, or how there could be magic different from the Lucis Caelum magic, but it sounded cool and he had accepted it. There was nothing to disprove his claim, after all. Maybe one of the village elders knew more, but Nyx had never gotten around to asking, mostly because he knew the tale that would result from his question would last for hours and include a bunch of metaphors he would have no hope of understanding. He was happy with just the knowledge that only a handful of damons had been spotted in Galahd since the protective Wall had been pulled back. If only the same principle applied to the Empire…

By the time the second hour was nearly over, Nyx made a quick stop to drink some water and pull out his jacket. He didn’t put it on yet, but wrapped it around his waist in advance, considering he could feel the air cooling. The sun had gone fully down at this point, but in its stead the moon provided a tiny bit of glow through the gaps in the foliage. The flashlight was a must, but it was nice to have small flecks of natural light around, too. It helped him navigate the unfamiliar territory towards the supposed enemy camp.

It had only been a handful of days since the first reports of enemy movement had been spotted in the area, and Nyx knew the resistance had taken interest in it. The sightings had been closer to their village than they usually were, although still not dangerously so, and as such had gained the most attention. There were a few scouting missions planned to the area by them, but Nyx had thought it would be a great opportunity for him to prove himself if he got there first and gathered all the information they would need. It would spare them the extra work, and Nyx would gain their respect. It was a win-win situation for both sides.

As he advanced in the dark jungle, a nervous edge mixed with the excitement. He had seen and done a lot of things, most of which reckless with some level of danger, but he hadn’t actually come across people that were outright dangerous and hostile – not to mention heavily armed. The nervousness wasn’t enough to make him back down, though, but it did make him a bit more cautious. He was good at being sneaky, and at using his surroundings to his advantage which would work in his favor on this adventure, but these guys would be well trained, too. It would be for the best if he found a vantage point at a safe distance from the camp – as long as he first found the damn camp.

It took him longer than he wanted, and included one more break, but eventually Nyx saw the lights of the camp ahead of him. He pressed himself against a large tree, peering off the side towards the camp, and turned off his flashlight. It was unlikely that they had seen him yet, but it didn’t hurt to approach with care. He took off his backpack and dropped it against the tree trunk. He didn’t want to drag it closer with him since it made it slightly harder to hide, and he would also be faster if didn’t have it weighing him down in case he was spotted.

The camp seemed to be mostly void of activity. It wasn’t a total surprise, considering it was the middle of the night, but Nyx would have assumed there would be at least one person on the lookout, although it was possible the angle made it so that Nyx couldn’t see the person. Taking a moment to breathe and prepare for his task. Nyx crept out from his hiding spot and quickly made his way to the next tree. He continued the tactic for a while, staying down in a crouch as he snuck closer and closer to the camp. His heartbeat picked up as he grew nearer, thrumming in his chest as adrenaline flooded his veins.

It was exciting.

Eventually Nyx got into a spot where he could see the camp better, including the person he assumed was the lookout, sleeping in a foldable chair by the slowly dying fire. He smirked. He would’ve loved to see the guy’s face when he woke up and realized he had fallen asleep right in the middle of his shift, but at least this way there was one less thing for him to worry about, as he was the only person Nyx could see outside the tents.

“You guys are making this way too easy for me,” Nyx muttered under his breath as he crouched down and pulled a pen and a small notepad from his pocket. He didn’t dare to turn on his flashlight this close to the camp, sleepy guard or not, but he tried his best to make sure his handwriting would be legible later. He took some basic notes about the location and [construction] of the camp. The tents were large enough to fit multiple people, and since he couldn’t actually see inside them it was hard to estimate how many there exactly were, but his careful estimation was that there were around ten people in there if not more. He couldn’t see any mounts by the camp so it seemed like the group was moving on foot. It was a good sign and meant they wouldn’t be able to cover all that much ground fast, especially with no knowledge of the area.

He took a few more additional notes that he thought could help the resistance form a battle plan, but then he slipped the notepad back into his pocket. A giddy feeling washed over him then, and he grinned. He had done it! He had actually done it, all on his own! He had found the enemy camp and got close enough to take notes without being detected! He couldn’t wait to see what everyone’s reaction would be when he got back home. It was going to be awesome!

The grin remained on his face as he started creeping back towards the spot where he had left his backpack. It would be a long hike back home, but he figured he could find a place to rest maybe an hour away from the camp, just to make sure there wouldn’t be any danger of him being seen. After that he could take it easy again, but it would be stupid to drop his guard at this point.

A few minutes later he was back at the tree where he had left his backpack, and he released a relieved sigh, rounding the thick trunk to get a drink. He reached for it blindly, not seeing much in the pitch black, but his hand came up empty. He frowned and dropped down on his knees, patting the ground around the trunk to see if he had accidentally messed up the direction a bit, but the backpack wasn’t there.

A sliver of panic formed in Nyx’s chest.

“Nononono,” Nyx hissed under his breath, growing tense as he did another sweep before glancing towards the camp. He was sure it had been this tree! It had the same exact view, too!

So where was his backpack?

Nyx’s breath shuddered, an icy shiver of pure dread trailing up his spine as he stood up. He needed to run. Now! Nyx spun on his heels, his panic growing stronger by the second, but he couldn’t make it one step before he was slammed back against the tree. A startled cry left his lips.

“Looking for this?” a heavily accented voice asked, so incredibly loud in Nyx’s ears after being in the silence for so long. In the darkness, mere inches away was the shadow of a man twice as large as him, dangling his backpack from one finger while his other hand pinned Nyx against the tree.

“Nnh, no!” Nyx gasped, his voice cracking with fear. He was frozen, staring at his assailant, each of his limbs heavy and unresponsive. He needed to run, he knew it. He needed to kick and punch and bite and scratch and run as fast as he could, but he couldn’t move. “Please let me go.”

The man chuckled, and even that sounded foreign in Nyx’s ears. There was a heavy thud as his backpack was dropped, and Nyx’s gaze followed the move even when he couldn’t see it, but then the man grabbed Nyx’s jaw, his ice cold fingers digging into Nyx’s delicate skin, eliciting a fearful shout from the teen.

“Now, what is a boy like you doing here in the middle of the night, huh?” the man asked, tilting Nyx’s head back and pressing him against the rough bark of the tree even harder. “You should know it’s not safe to go snooping around after dark, especially not around strangers’ camps. Anything could happen.”

The last sentence kickstarted something in Nyx’s brain, and suddenly he could move again. He wrenched his face free from the grasp, wincing when it hurt, and followed it by kneeing the man in the groin as hard as he could. With that he shoved past the man and ran as fast as he could. He couldn’t hear anything over the sound of blood rushing in his ears, and he didn’t dare to look over his shoulder to see if he was being chased, he just fled. Libertus had been right, it had been so stupid to come out here all alone. He should’ve never done this! Now he was so far from home with no one to help him in case the man was still after him.

“Please, Ramuh, guide me back home safely,” he gasped fearfully under his breath, hoping that the old god would take pity on him. “Please.”

A split second later a heavy weight landed on his back and tackled him to the ground. Nyx screamed, kicking and squirming under the weight, even as it squeezed the air out of his lungs, but he couldn’t get free.

“Did you think you were going to get away that easily?” the man hissed into his ear, close enough that his lips brushed against Nyx’s skin, making him whine in terror.

“L–let me go!” Nyx gasped, his chest heaving to get in air that wasn’t reaching his lungs. “I– I can’t brea–”

The man twisted them around, somehow getting onto his knees with Nyx pinned against his chest. He had both of Nyx’s wrists in vice-like grips, crossed across his chest with barely any wiggle room, making sure it wouldn’t be easy for him to fight him.

Nyx sucked in air greedily, no longer crushed under the man’s weight, his head resting against the man’s shoulder, too weak to struggle. “Pl–please, let me go!”

“I don’t think I will,” the man replied and leveraged himself back to his feet with Nyx still pinned. “Don’t fight me, and I won’t have to hurt you again.”

“N-no!” Nyx gasped, shaking his head as the man started carrying him back towards the camp. He was going to die. If the man got him into the camp, he would die and no one would know what happened to him! He couldn’t do that to his mother and Selena, they had already lost dad! Nyx started squirming and writhing in the man’s arms, struggling as hard as he could. “No! Let me go, you creep!”

The man ignored him, only tightening his hold to the point where it was once again harder to breathe. Nyx whimpered and slammed his head back against the man’s shoulder in desperation. He didn’t care if he woke up anyone in that stupid camp at this point, he was scared and he wanted to go home!

“Get your hands off of me! Let me go! Help! Someone help me!”

He knew it was pointless, that there was no way there was anyone around that would willingly help him out of this mess. His village was the closest to the camp and even that was hours away, there was no reason for anyone to be that deep into the jungle unless they had something to hide, too. He kept screaming anyway, and tried to kick the man, but it was all useless. His only hope was to get his hands free so he could reach for his kukri, but the man was so strong, while Nyx was left gasping for breath with tears threatening to spill as the panic fully wrapped him in its clutches. “Help!”

The man dragged him into the middle of the camp and shoved him down a few feet away from the fire. Nyx gasped, instinctively covering his head but no one touched him. There were footsteps and a murmur of words that grew louder into near shouting, some of it curious but most annoyed and irritated – the only thing Nyx could tell as the words themselves were completely foreign to him.

Slowly, shakily, Nyx placed his palms against the dirt and sat up, drawing his feet beneath him as he raised his head to look up. He flinched the moment he made eye contact with one of the soldiers, the man’s expression dark and terrifying. He was holding a gun, a rifle of some sort, and so were the others that surrounded him.

Nyx didn’t dare to breathe. His kukri burned at his hip and he itched to reach for it, but he had a feeling he would be dead before he could pull it out of its sheath. He stood up, hands held slightly away at his sides as he trembled violently.

“Please,” Nyx pleaded, his voice airy and barely a whisper.

A voice at his side barked something, sharp and commanding, and Nyx jumped, a whimper escaping his lips as he turned towards it. The man looked fierce, decidedly more authoritative than the others, but his eyes weren’t on Nyx, but instead on the man that had brought him to the camp. The words were weird, nothing like Galahdan, and it made the situation all the more terrifying as Nyx tried to desperately understand what was happening. Nifltunga wasn’t a language that was taught in Galahd, or at least not at their village. It had never been a necessary language for them, but there was nothing Nyx hoped more than to know what was being said.

The man glanced at Nyx, his eyes narrowing with something akin to disgust, and then murmured something more, inclining his head towards him sharply.

A hand clamped over Nyx’s shoulder. He went rigid, his mind going blank, but instead of giving up he went into survival mode.

He couldn’t let himself die here.

He turned on his heels and yanked the kukri from its sheath, driving it straight into his attacker’s thigh. The resulting cry rang in his ears, but he let it wash over him as he yanked it out and slashed at the group of soldiers that tried to advance on him. He ducked past the injured man and made a mad dash towards the tree line, slipping into the narrow gap between two tents. He hopped over the ropes and pegs as the shouts behind him grew louder and more aggressive.

If he could get to the treeline – and if the soldiers didn’t use their guns – Nyx was convinced he could lose them from his tail. He was smaller, more agile. He could do it. He refused to accept the alternative.

He was grabbed the moment he broke away from the tents. Strong arms wrapped around him and threw him down into the dirt, his shoulder taking the brunt of the fall. Searing pain shot through his shoulder and down his arm, eliciting a strangled scream from him. His lungs ached and heaved, struggling to get in air that just wasn’t there. He tried to get up, but then there were multiple hands pinning him down and something larger and more painful digging into his lower back. It prompted another cry from his lips, his eyes fluttering as the kukri was wrenched from his grasp.

Black spots flitted across his vision as his arms were wrenched behind his back and secured there with something cold and unyielding. He didn’t even have the air to scream this time, no energy to fight, not even when he was pulled back to his feet and manhandled back to the camp. Tears pricked at his eyes and he had to bite his lip to distract himself. He didn’t want to cry in front of these people.

They brought him to a stop in front of the authoritative man. Nyx held his breath, trembling, but forced him to meet the man’s gaze.

The man backhanded him.

Nyx winced, his breath hitching as he squeezed his eyes shut against the stinging pain. A tear slid down his cheek, but he stubbornly bit his lip to keep himself from making any sound.

“What is a rat like you doing sneaking around?" the man asked in a snarl.

Nyx didn’t say anything, his eyes tightly shut as if that somehow changed the situation, as if the man wasn’t there if he couldn’t see him. He twitched, a tiny gasp breaking through as his head was tilted back by a finger under his chin.

“I –” Nyx stuttered, but made no further as the finger on his chin changed to a hand, the fingers digging into his skin harshly.

The man said something in Nifltunga and the soldiers holding him tightened their grips. Nyx’s eyes fluttered open, a sinking feeling forming in his chest. Suddenly there were more hands on him, patting him down and emptying his pockets. He went rigid, a protest forming on his lips, but the authoritative man squeezed his chin harder, to the point of it hurting, in a silent warning.

One of the soldiers pulled out the notepad and took one look at it before handing it over to the authoritative man. He let go of Nyx in favor of looking through it, and Nyx once more found himself unable to breathe. They would see all the notes he had taken and then they would know he hadn’t just accidentally come across the camp! Nyx didn’t want to die!

The man’s next words went over Nyx’s head, but the soldiers laughed. Nyx could only watch with wide, fearful eyes as the man tossed the notepad into the fire.

“I don’t believe you are a spy,” the man told him, folding his arms across his chest. “I can see you’re scared, no formal training – Galahd doesn’t have its own military force, does it? You’re only a little rat, in way over your head. Tell me who sent you, and I may even consider releasing you.”

“No one sent me,” Nyx shook his head, his voice on the verge of breaking.

“Am I supposed to believe that someone like you found our camp by chance and got the bright idea to play spy?”

Nyx flinched at the tone. “I– y-yes. I found– I heard people talking– !”

“What people?” the man raised his eyebrow, although this time there was a curious edge to his voice.

“N–no,” Nyx whispered as his blood turned cold. He shouldn’t have said anything, he shouldn’t have! He couldn’t tell them about the resistance, it would put so many people in danger, including his friends. He shook his head frantically. “I don’t know!

“Please don’t kill me!”

“Kill you? Oh no,” the man smiled, all dark and predatory.

"I'm not sure a runt like you is worth a proper execution. Maybe we can find some use for you after all.”

A sense of confusion washed over Nyx, pushing his fear aside for a second. “W–what?”

But the man was no longer paying any attention to him. He shifted back to Nifltunga and nodded towards one of the tents, and without another word Nyx was being dragged away.

“Wh–what’s happening?” Nyx gasped, stumbling along. “Where are you taking me?”

“Shut up!” one of the men dragging him hissed with a broken accent.

Nyx whined, weakly squirming in the men’s grip, but he couldn’t free himself no matter what he tried. They took him into the tent and shoved him down in the back corner of it. Nyx managed to catch sight of a few wooden crates on the opposite side of the tent with a small lamp of some sort on top of one, but then the men covered his view. One of them had found a few cloth strips from somewhere and crouched down before Nyx.

“Please, don’t –” Nyx whispered. He didn’t know what the men were planning but whatever it was, he didn’t want it. He shook his head and kicked his feet to get further away from them, but then the other man stepped to his side and seized him by the shoulders. “N-no, don’t touch me!”

The first man used the opportunity to shove one of the cloths into his mouth and wrap it around his head to silence him. Nyx screamed into the gag, shook his head frantically to dislodge it, but it was tied too tight. He cursed and swore, yelled at them to take it off, but all that came out was muffled noises that made the men laugh. The other they tied over his eyes.

Nyx shrunk in on himself, his fear growing exponentially as the world went dark. His incoherent pleading was ignored, and his ears rang with the men’s laughter as they poked and prodded at him, enjoying the way he jumped at the unexpected contact. Tears welled in his eyes, and this time there was no keeping them back. He wanted to go home. He didn’t care if his mother, or even the whole village, shouted at him for being a stupid fucking idiot, he just wanted to go home and hug her and Selena, maybe even apologize to Libertus for making him lie for him.

His last muffled please got him another round of laughter and a pat on the head, but then the men finally stopped. They made sure to tie his feet before leaving though, as if Nyx somehow would be able to run with the way he was already restrained and blindfolded. The rope was too tight, digging and chafing his bare ankles, just like the metal cuffs were biting into his wrists. In a way the uncomfortable sensation provided a distraction from the terror and fear, but it wasn’t nearly enough, and he still flinched at even the smallest of sounds.

The tears soaked through the blindfold within minutes, and Nyx’s breath hitched as he tried his best to not draw any attention to himself even as he sobbed. He was almost certain that he was alone in the tent, but there was no way it was anywhere near soundproof and he didn’t want someone to come in to– to shut him up or something.

Eventually the campsite grew silent once again as the soldiers settled back to sleep in their tents. Nyx barely relaxed. Even after his tears dried, he could barely relax. He kept expecting for someone to burst in to hurt him, or finish him once and for all. He had heard enough of the Niffs to know that they didn’t show mercy, and that very few survived in their hands. He was just a stupid kid, there was nothing he could offer them.

He hoped his mother and Selena would be taken care of after his death.

Nyx’s breath shuddered and he closed his eyes behind the blindfold as he curled into himself. He was going to miss them so much, his friends too. Hopefully they would be able to forgive him.

All the anxiety and fear took its toll on him, too, and despite the tension lingering around Nyx’s eyes started drooping. He hadn’t slept since the previous night - and even then the sleep had been spotty at best with all the excitement – and he was starting to feel it, so it wasn’t a surprise when he nodded off.

He jerked awake at the first tiny noise, his head snapping up and fear surging through him as he panicked. His lashes scraped against the blindfold, but it still took him a moment to realize he wasn’t going to see anything no matter how he turned his head. He strained his hearing, curling further in on himself, but the noise didn’t repeat itself, whatever it had been.

The tension still remained, and Nyx tried his hardest to stay awake. He couldn’t believe he had fallen asleep, it was such a stupid thing to do! He needed to stay awake and be prepared for anything, just in case an opportunity to escape presented itself. He didn’t want to be caught by surprise.

There was only so long his body could last without rest, though, and no matter how hard Nyx tried, his head tipped towards his chest, his eyes fluttering shut as he was pulled back under.

It kept happening throughout the night. Nyx kept startling awake, disoriented and in panic at each noise, but it wouldn’t take him long to nod off again. It only made Nyx feel more and more exhausted.

In the morning it was the unmistakable sound of footsteps that woke him up. He raised his head, tilting it back in an attempt to see the person from through the bottom of the blindfold, but he saw nothing but the tiniest sliver of light. He hated feeling and being so vulnerable. He couldn’t see, couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. He could only freeze and hold his breath when the footsteps came to a stop right in front of him.

Please leave me alone, he wanted to say, but all that came out was a miserable whimper.

“Ah, so you’re awake already, rat,” a male voice laughed, and what felt like the tip of a boot nudged Nyx’s side. “It’s time for you to be useful and earn your keep.”

Nyx’s response was muffled by the gag. He tried to squirm away, but he couldn’t even make it an inch before his head was wrenched back by the hair. A sharp cry left his lips, and then the gag was yanked down, falling around his neck.

“Something you want to say, rat?” the man growled, his breath hot against Nyx’s cheek.

Nyx’s breath shuddered. His mouth was dry and he nearly broke down into a coughing fit as the air got caught in his throat. “Leave– leave me alone.”

There was scoff and Nyx’s head was shoved back roughly as the grip released. “How desperate must your people be, sending children against us. Pathetic.”

“They – they’re not!” Nyx gasped before he realized how bad an idea it was. He shook his head. “They’ve kicked your asses so far!”

A kick to the ribs tore a startled cry from Nyx.

“Why did they send you then, huh? A scared, useless child that spent half the night crying for mummy?”

“I did not!” Nyx’s chest tightened with humiliation and fear. “I’m not!”

The hand was back in his hair, the grip so tight that it was bound to tear out at least a few strands. Nyx winced, his lungs seizing as his head was forced back at an awkward angle that made him feel like he couldn’t breathe.

“Tell me about the resistance,” the man demanded, the amusement gone from his voice. “If you’re not so useless, you must know something.”

Nyx opened and closed his mouth, like a fish on land, still unable to draw air back into his lungs. The chains rattled behind his back as he tried to work his hands through the cuffs, but there was no change from the last time he had tried. He knew, of course he knew, their village wasn’t large and most of the adult population had some part in the resistance, but he couldn’t tell the man that. He couldn’t endanger them like that!

“I– I don’t – I can’t!”

The grip in his hair tightened, making his eyes flutter behind the blindfold. “You see, I think you’re lying. Obviously you know something to have made it this far, so tell me. Names, boy, I want names.”

“I can’t!” Nyx cried out. “Let go of me!”

His head was wrenched to the side, and the momentum caused him to fall down on his side. A whimper broke through his lips, a shiver raking through him as the man growled above him. There was a shuffling noise, followed by the tell-tale sound of a blade being freed from its sheath. Nyx tensed and tried to curl in on himself in a futile attempt to protect himself from what was to come.

A cool blade rested against his cheek, not hard enough to break the skin but just so to make Nyx all too aware of how sharp it was.

“Your survival is at my gracious mercy right now, rat,” the man told him. “I would suggest you tell me what I want if you wish to live to see another sunrise.”

“I can’t!” Nyx exclaimed, desperation seeping into his voice. “I don’t know anything! Don’t hurt me!”

“How did you find us if you don’t know anything? And what about the notes?”

A long, drawn-out whine left Nyx as the knife dug into his skin. A droplet of blood trickled down his face and onto the floor. “I– I snuck out! I didn’t – no one knows!”

“You told the sergeant you heard people talk,” the man said, completely ignoring the way Nyx was growing more and more desperate and panicked. “Your village isn’t large, everyone knows everyone there. Who did you overhear?”

“I can’t –” Nyx’s breath hitched. He didn’t want to cry again, not in front of this person. “I can’t tell you that! I won’t!”

"Aww, look at this sudden burst of bravery!" There was an evil chuckle. "Let's see how long that lasts when the pain kicks in."

Nyx’s breathing came into a stuttering halt, his eyes widening behind the blindfold. The blade was removed from his skin, and Nyx shook his head with a desperate noise. “N-no, don’t hurt me! Pl–”

“You should’ve thought of that first, huh, rat?” The man tugged the gag back into place, muffling the rest of Nyx’s words. He patted Nyx’s cheek mockingly. “I’m going to enjoy this.”

Nyx kicked out, but he wasn’t in the right angle to hit anything. The man only laughed more. The sound rang in Nyx’s ears, too loud and almost sickening, and he shouted into the gag as he tried to squirm away, onto his knees, but he was knocked down before he could get anywhere. The hit, more a shove really, didn’t hurt but it still made him cry out in terror.

“It would be terribly easy to end it here, just slice through an artery and leave you to bleed out,” the man told him, his tone almost absentminded as he pressed the blade against Nyx’s neck. “There’s nothing you could do – you’re nothing but a powerless, helpless brat.”

Nyx let out a high-pitched, keening whine and tried to turn his head away. His breath came in short, shallow bursts, something ice cold and paralyzing spreading inside his chest as the blade drew across his skin. It didn’t break skin, but it didn’t make it any less terrifying. He pleaded, the blindfold growing damp with his tears, his muffled cries slipping through the gag.

“But it would be a shame to put a stop to the fun so early.”

The blade trailed down his neck and to the collar of his shirt. Nyx shivered, a sob escaping him as it cut through it, all the way and left him even more vulnerable. He couldn’t even form words at this point, panicked and frozen in fear. It didn’t matter what he did, the man wouldn’t stop. There was nothing to stop the man from hurting or killing him – and he was enjoying it, enjoying the fear and pain he was causing Nyx.

Suddenly someone shouted something in Nifltunga, something that made the man jump and curse, pull the blade away. Nyx twitched and squeezed his eyes shut even tighter.

“Looks like your punishment is going to have to wait.” The man huffed and nudged Nyx’s leg roughly. “Maybe in the meantime you can reconsider your situation – that bravado of yours isn’t going to help you survive here.”

Nyx curled further into himself in response. He was trembling, the chains clinking together behind his back, but the man said no more as he walked away and left him alone.

The silence felt unnerving, nearly overwhelming, and Nyx’s shaky breaths were too loud in his ears. It felt like the blade was still on his skin, cold and sharp as it traveled across his neck and chest. He cried. He was trapped. Trapped, held captive by enemy soldiers that would most likely kill him sooner than later. All because he had been stupid amd snuck out.

And it wasn’t only his life on the line. If the soldier came back and continued to question him further and – and threatened to hurt him again, Nyx didn’t know if he could take it. The man had been terrifying, and Nyx didn’t want to know what would have happened if the man hadn’t been called away. He didn’t want it to happen again. He didn’t want to put other people in danger. He didn’t want anyone else to get hurt because of him.

At some point he ran out of tears. It felt almost as if he had run out of emotions to feel, exhausted and numb as he lay on the ground. He hiccuped softly, his hands clenching and unclenching behind his back. The camp was full of sounds as people moved around, but he didn’t even have the energy to flinch anymore. He just wanted to be home, hug his mom and Selena, and fall asleep in his own bed.

It just wasn’t possible. He was most likely never going to see his home or be able to hug his family and friends again. Nyx pulled his knees closer to his chest and closed his eyes. Eventually he fell asleep.

The sleep wasn’t peaceful, he still kept startling awake at times, but it was sleep. It was better than being awake the whole time, twitching at everything and fearing they would come to kill him at any moment.

At one point his sleep was disturbed by a soldier shaking him awake. Nyx screamed, crying incoherently into his gag at the rough awakening, but the soldier didn’t hurt him. He told him to breathe, to calm down, removing the gag in the process. Nyx didn’t want to, he didn’t trust the soldier not to hurt him, but it hadn’t taken more than a few minutes for him to run out of energy. He took a deep breath after deep breath and whined softly.

The soldier cut the rope around his feet without a word and took him outside. Nyx was unsteady on his feet, dizzy and weak from the lack of food and water, but the soldier was strong enough to support his weight on his own as he led him to some bushes a little ways from the camp so that he could do his business. It was humiliating, but at least the soldier didn’t make fun of him. Afterwards he was taken back into the tent, where the soldier offered him water and food. It wasn’t much, and the food tasted awful, but it did make him feel better. A short while later he fell back asleep.

He woke up to shouts and screams. He gasped, making himself as small as he could on the corner of the tent, flinching when he heard a scream get cut short somewhere closeby. All he heard was Nifltunga, words he couldn’t understand, loud and commanding. Footsteps pounded the ground around the tent and gunshots echoed in the jungle.

The camp was under attack.

Nyx’s breath caught in his throat as a tiny sliver of hope bloomed in his chest. Could someone have come for him? Maybe Libertus had told them and they had managed to track him down? Even if not, surely these people would find him and set him free?

“Time to be useful, brat!” a voice snarled. A heavy set of footsteps thundered over to him, and Nyx’s protest turned into a sharp whine as he was tugged up harshly. He faltered, unable to see where they were headed, and the grip on the side of his neck was painfully tight.

“Wh- what is happening?” Nyx asked shakily.

The soldier wrenched him hard to the side, and then there was an arm around his throat, dangerously close to cutting his airway off. A panicked cry slipped from Nyx’s lips. He dug his feet down, squirming in the hold.

“Let me go!” he gasped. “Hands off!”

The soldier was much stronger than him, taller too, and easily dragged his body up by the neck. Nyx made a strangled noise, his hands twitching and writhing behind his back helplessly, unable to reach up to ease the pressure. He was forced to stand on tiptoes, and combined with the fast pace he stumbled, barely able to keep upright. He was distantly aware of them leaving the tent, a faint breeze brushing over his skin.

The soldier jerked him to a stop only a couple of steps later and jabbed something cool and metallic against his neck.

“Surrender or I will kill the boy!” the soldier shouted, followed by a click near Nyx’s ear.

Gun.

It was a gun against his neck.

A terrified whine burst from Nyx’s lips before he could stop it. “D–don’t kill me! I– I– please –”

“Shut the fuck up!” the soldier hissed and tightened the arm around Nyx’s neck.

Nyx gagged and choked, his eyes fluttering. He couldn’t breathe! His hearing was filled with static, the sound of blood rushing in his ears as he gasped for air that didn’t come. He was going to die. He didn’t want to die. Nyx let out a distressed noise.

Silence followed, the kind that felt heavy and oppressing, setting Nyx’s panic off even further as he fought to breathe, but then a familiar voice rang through the air.

“Alright. We’re surrendering, there’s no need to hurt the boy.”

Uncle Feles? That was uncle Feles, Libertus’ uncle!

“No!” Nyx wheezed, struggling desperately to get free. His lungs burned with the lack of oxygen, his limbs growing more and more heavy, but he couldn’t give in to the darkness. They shouldn’t surrender, not because of him! They would get hurt! Tears pricked the corners of his eyes. He didn’t want anyone else to get hurt.

“Who knew you’d be useful after all,” the soldier huffed into his ear in amusement, but then the breath was no longer hot against his skin and the man was shouting again. “Drop your weapons and kick them over!”

“Nnh, n-no!” Nyx could feel himself grow faint. “Please…”

Suddenly the soldier jerked, followed by a choking, gurgling sound. The arm around Nyx’s neck grew lax. Then they were both falling.

Someone caught Nyx before he could hit the ground, an arm circling his waist and hoisting him up against a firm, warm chest. Nyx’s instinct was to fight it, even as he struggled to draw in a breath, squirming and writhing, his lips parting to scream.

“Shh, you’re safe now, I’ve got you, you’re safe,” a familiar voice murmured into his ear, all the while tugging Nyx with him. The familiar accent felt like a stab straight into the heart. Pelna’s dad. Galen. Nyx’s breath hitched with fresh tears.

“I’m sorry, I– I–” A sob tore its way up from Nyx’s throat. “I didn’t – I’m sorry!”

“Breathe, Nyx, it’s okay, you’re okay,” Galen told him in a hushed tone. “You’re going to have a lot of explaining to do later, kiddo, but let’s just worry about getting you to safety now, alright?”

Nyx whined, unable to form a single word, but let Galen lead him away from the camp and into the trees. He was barely aware of any of it, sobbing from both fear and relief, his whole body trembling. He wanted to throw his arms around Galen and hug him, not caring a single bit if it made him seem weak. He had been so sure he was going to die in that camp, but he had been rescued, he was safe now.

“Let’s sit down here,” Galen said quietly, his voice soft and incredibly gentle. “Then we can take off that blindfold and see about freeing your arms.”

Nyx nodded shakily, nearly collapsing as Galen helped him sit down at the base of some tree. He flinched involuntarily as Galen’s fingers brushed against his scalp as they trailed along the blindfold to the knot on the back of his head.

“S–sorry.”

“Shh, it’s okay. I should’ve warned you,” Galen told him as he started working on opening the knot. “Can you tell me if you’re hurt?”

“No, not really,” Nyx whispered. “They didn’t really– they didn’t really have a chance to.”

“Are you sure? Galen asked. He let the blindfold fall to the ground when he got it loose and cupped the side of Nyx’s face with one hand. Nyx instinctively leaned into the touch, blinking rapidly as his vision adjusted. He had left on the adventure to prove himself, to make others realize he could do adult things just as well as everyone else, but now he didn’t care if he got treated like a kid. He was tired and terrified, and so incredibly relieved to be in safe hands – even if that meant he would get yelled at once they got back home.

“Just bruised,” he mumbled. He swallowed thickly, looking at Galen as he tried to get his breathing under control. His throat hurt with each breath, but at least he could breathe. “Can you– can you get the handcuffs off?”

Galen gave him a soft smile and nodded. “I’ll have them off in a minute. You’re doing great, kiddo, just keep breathing.”

Nyx instantly missed the touch as Galen removed his hand from his face to get behind him, but he didn’t mention it. He could hug Galen when his hands were free, and apologize again. It would be okay.

“These look like they’ve been put on tight,” Galen told him with a hint of anger in his voice. Nyx ducked his head even though he was almost sure the anger wasn’t directed at him. Galen gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “This might hurt a bit, but I’ll be as fast as possible, okay? Just close your eyes and think of something nice.”

“Something nice,” Nyx repeated quietly and closed his eyes. Home, home was nice. His friends and family, too. He could think of those. There was a twinge of pain as Galen adjusted his hands into a better position, but Nyx only squeezed his eyes shut tighter. “Nice things.”

“Yeah. I bet your mom’s worried. She and Selena will be happy to see you again.”

Nyx drew in a shuddering breath. “I’m sorry, it was stupid to sneak out.”

“It’s okay, Nyx. It was stupid, yes, but you’ve been really brave. We can talk about it later when we’re back home,” Galen told him firmly, but not unkindly. “I think you found out how dangerous it can be out here, and I think you’re not going to make the same mistake again.”

“I won’t,” Nyx agreed quickly and shook his head as his chest tightened uncomfortably. He didn’t want to go through that again. With his voice barely a whisper, he added, “I thought– I thought they were going to kill me.”

Galen paused, and there was a heavy sigh. “It’s possible, I’m not going to lie to you. These aren’t nice people. But you’re safe now, okay? They can’t hurt you anymore.”

Fighting tears again, Nyx could only nod. He had been so stupid and he deserved to get yelled at, but he was glad Galen wasn’t. He wasn’t sure he could handle the anger no, with his emotions all over the place.

The silence gave Galen time to work on the handcuffs, and soon the first cuff clicked open. Galen pulled Nyx’s hand free of the cuff carefully and moved it to Nyx’s lap. It hurt, his whole arm was stiff and achy from the position, and there was a red circle around his wrist from how tight the cuff had been. The pins and needles struck him only a couple of seconds later, eliciting a small whimper from Nyx.

“It should feel better soon. I’ll have your other hand free in a moment, too, okay? Then you can try to massage them a bit, I’ve heard that can help,” Galen suggested as he started working on the remaining cuff.

“Okay,” Nyx mumbled. The adrenaline was starting to fade and leave him exhausted once again, but this time he didn’t fight it. He was safe now. Galen and the others would keep him safe. “Thank you.”

“Anytime, kiddo, anytime.”

Nyx turned to give Galen a tired smile over his shoulder, but it vanished from his lips the moment he saw a dark figure standing behind them.

“Galen! Look out!” Nyx shouted, twisting around to scramble to his feet.

The figure surged ahead, hitting Galen over the head before he could even begin to stand up, and Nyx screamed as he went down. The figure gave Nyx no time to react, unceremoniously stepping over Galen’s still form to grab him by the neck and slamming him against the tree.

Nyx cried out, his hands clutching at the arm that had him pinned. His feet couldn’t touch the ground and the pressure on his neck made it almost impossible for him to breathe. He bared his teeth and squirmed.

“L–let me go!” he gasped. He recognized the uniform with Niflheim’s emblem on it, but he had spent so much of the time blindfolded he had no idea who the person was. “Galen!”

“Shut the fuck up, brat!” the figure snarled and leaned so close that their noses were almost touching. “I should’ve killed you when I had a chance, but we still have time. It’ll just have to be quick.”

Nyx’s breath hitched, his chest tightening with a surge of anxiety as he recognized the voice. It was the man that had threatened to hurt him at the camp. The one that had asked him all those questions. Nyx whined, but squashed down the fear that threatened to overwhelm him. The man had hurt Galen! It was all his fault and he couldn’t let the man get away with it!

“No!” Nyx kicked out at the man, catching him in the midsection hard enough to make him stumble back with a strained curse.

“Oh you little äpärä!” the man hissed and pulled a large dagger from his belt. “I’ll make you regret that.”

Nyx swallowed thickly, quickly glancing towards the camp. No one had seemed to notice what was going on with them yet. His lips trembled as he realized he would have to fight the man on his own without a weapon. He couldn’t let the situation escalate any further and let Galen get hurt. Pelna and his family needed him, his mom and Selena did too.

“I’d like to see you try,” Nyx said, trying to gather his usual confident bravado. He spread his legs slightly and brought his hands in front of him as he assumed a fighting stance. It was meant for defense against wild animals more than this, but it would have to be enough.

“Well, well, looks like the boy’s got some balls after all,” the man smirked. “Let’s see how long you can last.”

Then he rushed at Nyx.

Nyx gasped, bringing his hands up just in time to catch the knifehand. The man pressed on, using his larger frame to his advantage and pushed Nyx backwards, making him stumble. Nyx gritted his teeth and dug his heels into the dirt. Pain shot through his shoulder and he nearly faltered, but by some miracle he managed to hold his ground.

“I’m going to enjoy carving you up,” the man told him with a predatory grin. “Maybe I’ll do the old guy next, leave his body next to yours for people to find.”

“No!” Nyx exclaimed, straining to keep the knife back. “You can’t!”

“And who’s going to stop me? You?” the man shot back. He tried to twist the knife, aim the tip of it at Nyx’s chest while leaning over him. Nyx gasped and whimpered, forced to bend backwards as he fought to keep the knife away. It hurt. His muscles were trembling under the pressure, his hands shaking, but he couldn’t give in. He didn’t want to die. He couldn’t let the man hurt Galen.

“Y–yeah,” Nyx responded, hissing through gritted teeth even as his eyes fluttered. He wished he had the breath to shout for help. “I am.”

“That’s cute,” the man scoffed as he took a quick step to the side to throw Nyx off. Nyx yelped, falling down on one knee at the sudden change. The knife nicked his collarbone before he could direct it away to his side. The man cursed and stumbled as Nyx released the knife and rolled away from him.

“I won’t let you hurt anyone else!” Nyx told him, staggering back onto his feet. His chest heaved with sharp, uneven breaths as his panic tried to crawl its way to the surface, but he squashed it down forcefully. It wouldn’t help. “I won’t!”

“You know that means you’ll have to kill me, right?” The man took a leisurely step towards him. “Think you’ve got it in you to go through with that?”

Nyx felt as if he had been punched to the gut. He glanced at Galen’s unconscious body, his breath catching in his throat. He had never killed a person before, hadn’t even come close to needing to do so. It was a frightening thought, but he would do it. He would do it if he had to. He would. To save Galen.

“Yes.”

The man’s lips twitched into a dark smile, and he slashed at him with the knife. Nyx flinched, barely dodging the attack, but then the man was right on him again. He grabbed the wrist holding the knife in an attempt to pry it from the man’s grasp. He tried to secure his footing, but the man wasn’t giving him a break and kept pushing on.

“Galen! Nyx!”

“ Feles?” Nyx faltered at the shout, his gaze darting in the direction of the camp. “Feles! Help!”

“He’s not going to get here in time to save you,” the man whispered to him with a laugh.

“No!” Nyx shouted, and hooked his leg behind the man’s, tackling him. The man swore but used their combined momentum to wrench Nyx under him. They hit the ground hard, both fighting over the knife. Nyx’s head struck the ground, sparking pain in his skull. His grip on the knife loosened, and the next few seconds were a terrifying blur as he expected to be stabbed, flailing blindly as he tried to reach the knife again. He shoved at the man’s hands and suddenly there was a strangled noise. Something warm spilled over his hands, onto his skin.

The man collapsed on top of him.

Nyx froze, his breath catching in his throat, his eyes wide and unseeing as he stared at the sky. The man’s weight was crushing him and he couldn’t breathe! The smell of copper, of blood, was overwhelming, and tears welled in Nyx’s eyes as he squirmed to get free with faint, panicked gasps.

The man was dead. He wasn’t breathing or moving. He was dead, bleeding all over Nyx.

“Nyx?”

That was Galen, his voice low and pained. A whine bubbled up from Nyx’s throat. He wanted to turn and look at him, but he couldn’t move, it felt impossible. He could barely breathe.

“Ga–Galen?” Nyx whimpered.

“Nyx?” Galen repeated, stronger this time. Nyx could hear him shift, maybe move to get up, but then the man’s weight on top of him slid slightly to the side, smearing more blood over him and he squeezed his eyes tightly shut as panic induced nausea hit him. Oh gods.

“Galen! Nyx!” Feles shouted, this time nearly on top of them. Nyx couldn’t answer, he couldn’t even get a breath out, all too aware of the dead weight over him, of the blood trickling down his skin. He was going to throw up. Another panicked whine escaped his lips.

Suddenly the shouting took a more frantic turn, multiple voices joining in. Nyx couldn’t understand any of it, his own gasps overwhelmingly loud in his ears, but then the weight was hauled off of him and hands were grabbing him, pulling him up and away from the man. Tears slid down his cheeks, panic fully overtaking him and causing him to hyperventilate, his eyes fixated on the body with a knife sticking out of the chest.

“Nyx!” There were hands on his face, some patting down his body.

It was all too much.

“I– I’m gonna –” Nyx gasped, pushing the hands away as he staggered away and fell to his knees, emptying the contents of his stomach into the bushes. A loud sob tore its way out of his throat and he went to bury his face into his hands, only to freeze when he realized they were covered in blood.

A pair of arms wrapped around him, pulling him into an embrace. “You’re okay, kiddo, I got you. You did good.”

“He– he’s dead!” Nyx cried. “I killed– I killed –!”

“Shh, breathe, Nyx,” Galen murmured into his scalp, one of his hands carding comfortingly through his hair. “You did what you had to, you did good. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

“I killed him,” Nyx repeated, his voice cracking under a new onslaught of sobs.

“It was going to be either you or him,” Feles told him sternly, crouching down in front of him. “And that piece of scum deserved it for what he’s done. Would’ve done it myself if I’d had the chance.

“You alright, Galen?” Feles inclined his head, his eyes moving to assess his friend’s condition then. Nyx’s gaze flicked up, guilt crashing into him like a behemoth and tearing more sobs out of him. He had messed up so badly.

“I’m fine,” Galen replied with a chuckle. He ruffled Nyx’s hair gently. “I’ve got a hard head, you know. One little punk isn’t going to stop me.”

Nyx sagged against Galen’s chest, unable to even form a simple apology. He wasn’t sure it would even be enough. He could have gotten all of them killed.

“We should get going, get Nyx out of here in case there’s more of those bastards lurking around,” Feles said after a moment, standing back up. “I’ll round up the rest of the guys and give you two a minute to get ready. Let me know if you need anything.”

Galen nodded in response. “Nyx and I will be there in a moment.”

Nyx wasn’t sure he could face everyone that had come. They would be disappointed and angry, and while entirely deserved after everything, Nyx didn’t know if he could survive that. He drew in a shaky breath, trying to copy Galen’s breathing. It was going to be a long walk home – a walk he wasn’t even sure he had the energy to make.

“Do you think you’re ready to stand up?” Galen asked quietly, brushing his hand up and down Nyx’s arm. The warm hand against his skin made him acutely aware of how cold he felt. He shivered.

“We need to find you something to wear, you’re going to freeze out here without a shirt,” Galen added with a concerned frown. “I can give you my jacket.”

Nyx shook his head. “I’ll just get blood over it. I don’t wanna ruin it.”

“I can always get a new one,” Galen reminded him. “But we definitely need to stop somewhere to get you cleaned up before we get you home. Your mom would kick our asses if we got you back looking like a murder scene.”

Nyx flinched at the mention of his mom and hung his head low. He was going to be in so much trouble for worrying her and everyone else.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, Nyx, you don’t need to keep apologizing,” Galen told him and tucked Nyx’s head under his chin as Nyx’s breath started to get dangerously close to hyperventilating again. “Let’s worry about getting you home now, alright? Everything else can wait.”

Nyx closed his eyes and took as deep a breath as he could. His voice was merely a whisper as he responded, “Alright.”

“Yeah, that’s it. Just keep taking deep breaths and it’ll be okay,” Galen encouraged him, taking a few exaggerated breaths to guide Nyx. It took a minute, but Nyx managed to calm down, no longer on the verge of a panic attack. That’s when Galen gave him a small smile.

“Think you’re ready to stand up now?”

Nyx nodded. “Yeah.”

Galen helped him up and made sure he was steady on his feet before shrugging off his own jacket and draping it over Nyx’s shoulders. Nyx couldn’t resist tucking it as tightly around himself as he could, basking in its warmth while Galen guided him towards the others with a hand on his back. He was still unsure and slightly scared to face the others, but Galen’s hand grounded him and made it feel less like the end of the world.

Fortunately none of the guys dwelled on it for long. They checked up on him, made a few quips and looked him over, but no one got angry and soon they were on their way away from the camp. Galen and Feles stayed by his side while a couple of the resistance members scouted ahead and the rest brought up the rear. Nyx was embarrassed to realize it was because of him, that they were most likely being more careful because he was there, but he didn’t have the energy to be awkward over it for long. In fact, he didn’t have the energy for much else either. Within the first thirty minutes, he was stumbling over roots and rocks more often than not, too tired to keep track of his feet.

At one point Feles sighed and put a hand on Nyx’s shoulder to steady him after yet another stumble.

“Alright, kid, you’re clearly not in any shape to be walking,” he said as Nyx tensed beneath his touch. “Get on my back.”

Nyx blinked up at him. “Your back?”

“Yeah, my back,” Feles huffed. “Just don’t think I’ll make it a habit. You and your friends are getting too heavy for this shit.”

“Language,” Galen admonished him from the side, and Nyx snorted as Feles glared at him.

“I don’t think a few swears can make the situation any worse,” Feles told him with a pointed shake of a head. “And if you think Nyx and his friends - Pelna included - don’t swear when you’re not around, you’re not as smart as I thought you were.”

“Nyx, get on his back and let’s get moving again.” Galen glanced at Nyx instead of responding to Feles.

Nyx stifled a smile, and hopped on Feles’ back when the man crouched low. It was only after a few minutes that he narrowed his eyes, wondering if that banter had been purposeful to distract him and keep him from declining the offer. He exhaled through his nose and leaned his head against Feles’ shoulder. He had to admit it was nicer this way, and gave his exhausted limbs a moment of rest.

Nyx lost track of time after that, the steady sway of Feles’ footsteps lulling him into light sleep. He didn’t even notice until he startled awake, a scream dying on his lips as he pushed away from Feles with his hands. It was only because of the man’s strong grip that he didn’t fall off.

A hand cupped the side of his face, the thumb brushing over his cheek. “Nyx, kiddo, take a deep breath. It was a dream, you fell asleep.”

Nyx whined as he looked Galen in the eyes. “It’s– it wasn’t! I saw it again and– you could’ve died! I– he was going to kill you!”

“Hey, it’s okay. We talked about this, you don’t need to apologize for that,” Galen told him gently. “And I’m still here, you are too. It was a dream, we’re no longer back there.”

Nyx took a deep breath and nodded, although he wasn’t convinced.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I know it was stupid.”

“This is exactly why we don’t let you help us,” Feles told him, stern but not as harsh as he could have been. “The Niffs don’t play around, they could’ve easily killed you – killed us all. What if they’d used you to attack the village? It wouldn’t have been only your life at risk!”

Nyx sniffled. His chest felt hollow. It was more than he could take. He had spent his day scared and terrified and guilty and in pain. He was exhausted but the tears just kept coming even though it felt physically impossible at this point. He closed his eyes and drew in a shuddering breath as he leaned his head against Feles’ shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” Nyx whispered. “I thought– I didn’t know. I just wanted to help.”

“Now you know better. You paid the price for your stupidity, but got away with your life intact.”

“You were, helping us, by running errands for us,” Galen piped in, stepping to Feles’ side. “Learn from this, Nyx. Maybe one day you’ll be ready to join us, but for now you’re still too young. Enjoy it, the responsibilities will eventually start piling up and then there won’t be as much time for you to go out with your friends and have fun.”

Nyx nodded mutely.

“There should be a haven a closeby,” Galen said after a minute. “We should head there and rest for a few hours, see if Nyx could clean up in the stream near it.

“We could all use a break,” he added when Feles made a thoughtful noise.

Nyx closed his eyes, hoping Feles would allow it. He was so tired and would without a doubt fall asleep again soon. He didn’t want to freak out and accidentally hurt Feles if he had another nightmare. The dried blood was starting to make him uncomfortably itchy too, and he most definitely didn’t want to go home and for his mom to see him covered in it.

“Alright, let’s head there, then. We can rest until sunrise,” Feles replied with a sigh, and hoisted Nyx slightly higher on his back to get him in a more comfortable position to carry. “Tell the others and lead the way.”

Galen didn’t answer, but Nyx heard him take off in a jog.

They arrived at the haven some time later. Nyx wasn’t really awake enough to tell how much time had passed, all he was aware of was Feles – who had been acting as his personal heater so far – laying him down by the fire inside the haven. He didn’t know where the sleeping bag came from but he definitely didn’t have the energy to ask, and so he drifted off.

The morning came all too fast, Galen shaking Nyx awake as the first rays of sunlight started filtering through the trees. Nyx guessed it was only a good thing he hadn’t woken up screaming from nightmares, but it felt like no time had passed at all. He groaned and whined, tempted to plead for a few more minutes, but he had already pushed back the schedule by simply being there, so he kept his complaints in and sat up.

“Morning, kiddo,” Galen smiled. “I have a granola bar for breakfast, if you feel up for it?”

Nyx’s stomach responded for him by letting out a loud growl. He ducked his head in embarrassment, a slight blush creeping up his neck, but accepted the offered granola bar with a muttered thanks. Galen chuckled and ruffled his hair.

“Eat up, I’ll get a water bottle from one of the guys, you must be thirsty. Maybe after that we can see about cleaning you up a bit by the stream.”

Nyx gave a small nod as he unwrapped the bar. “Thanks.”

“Sit tight, I’ll be right back.”

Nyx watched Galen get up and walk away, nibbling on the granola bar absentmindedly. He was looking forward to going home, but his mom’s reaction worried him. He had no idea if she would be mad or not – although he wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up grounded for an entire month after this. He just hoped she would be able to forgive him.

He finished his breakfast while deep in thought, almost drinking the whole bottle Galen came to offer him a few minutes later. He hadn’t felt hungry, but he felt loads better after eating. Galen then took him down to the stream. The water was freezing, flowing down from the mountains, but it was well worth it when Nyx was able to wash off all the blood. The day was already downright hot despite the early hour, so it didn’t take him all that long to warm up afterwards either.

Then they were on their way back to the village. There wasn’t much talking, but Nyx was too busy overthinking to participate anyway, so he didn’t mind. Galen and Feles let him walk too which helped manage his nerves the closer they got.

“It’ll be fine, kiddo,” Galen told him, giving his shoulder a comforting squeeze. “Your mom’ll just be happy to have you home in one piece.”

“Yeah, the telling off will come later when things have settled down,” Feles huffed a laugh.

“Feles,” Galen said, a warning undertone to his voice, before tugging Nyx closer to his side. “He’s right, Nyx, but it’ll be fine. It’s not going to be the end of the world, she’s just worried.”

Nyx sighed. “Yeah, I guess.”

His mom was already out, sitting on the porch when they got there. It was only because of Galen’s hand on his shoulder that Nyx didn’t stop dead in his tracks. He swallowed thickly, his chest tightening with a weird mix of anxiety and overwhelming relief.

“Mom,” he whispered, tears welling in his eyes.

It was as if she heard him, her head turning in their direction. The moment their eyes met, Nyx knew he wouldn’t be able to keep it together, a sob building in his chest. He took a shaky step forward as she stood up. Galen and Feles stopped behind him.

“Nyx!” his mom shouted. She started running in his direction, and Nyx found himself picking up his pace as well, tears streaming down his face. “Oh, Nyx, you’re alright!”

Nyx ran straight into her arms, burying his face into her shoulder as the first sob broke free. “Mom!”

“Oh, my sweet boy, I love you,” she told him, her own voice wet with tears as she kissed the crown of his head. “I was so worried! Don’t ever do that again!”

“I’m sorry,” Nyx gasped between sobs. He felt safe, so secure in her arms. He wanted to stay like that forever. “I’m so sorry!”

“Shh, it’s okay, it’ll be fine. You’re back and that’s all that matters.”

“Nyx!” Selena shouted from the house, excitement clear in her voice. “Nyx, you’re home!”

Nyx couldn’t help but let out a wet laugh. He had missed Selena, had missed everyone. Selena’s weight slammed into them from the side, and Nyx disentangled one arm from the hug to wrap it around her, too.

“Hey, ‘Lena,” he whispered quietly, the loudest he could without his voice breaking on him. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too! I have stuff to show you! Pelna and his sisters came over yesterday and we did arts!” Selena explained to him, oblivious to the tears. “I wish you had been there, too!”

“Honey, Nyx might need a moment before he’s ready to play with you, okay? He’s had an exciting night,” their mother told her, hugging them both tightly. “But what do you say about baking for Nyx while he rests a little?”

“No, it’s fine, I can–” Nyx tried to tell her, but she shushed him softly.

“A little nap will do you good. I don’t know what happened, but it looks like you haven’t been sleeping well.” She brushed her thumb over his cheek, wiping his tears away. “Then there’ll be food ready when you wake up.”

Nyx let his eyes fall shut as he melted into the embrace. He was home, back with his family. It would be okay, just like Galen had said.

#badthingshappenbingo #whump #ffxv #nyx ulric #kingsglaive #captivity #threats #violence #libertus ostium #mama ulric #selena ulric

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