The Exception [+18 Noise Prince and Pigeon]

[Kotorichan]

Lyrie was completely limp in Mauve's arms. The only thing that showed he was still alive was the slight rise and fall of his chest. He could faintly hear Mauve shouting his name, and the feeling of heat on his skin. He had never told Mauve what to do in this kind of situation, had he?

 

"Sun..." He mumbled. "Sugar... Water..." His eyes fluttered open for a moment to look at Mauve. He couldn't help but smile slightly when he saw how worried the drone was, it made him feel like he was cared for. "It's... It's okay..." He closed his eyes again, leaning into the man's chest as he lost consciousness again.

[Noise Prince]

"A-ah!" That made sense, he was a flower fairy! Mauve felt pretty stupid, and quickly made his way out of the shower, down the stairs, and into the kitchen, grabbed a pudding, and took Lyrie out into his gardens.

 

He sat down, leaning Lyrie into him, they were both soaked. Mauve would have to remember to clean the water he trailed through the house. He ripped the lid of the pudding off, splitting it in half, but he was fine with that, he just needed enough to get some in Lyrie's mouth.

 

He gently parted Lyrie's lips, desperately hoping he'd wake up again, even if just for a few seconds to swallow. Mauve put the plastic lip to Lyrie's, and squeezed and tilted it, trying to get an adequate amount of in his mouth.

[Kotorichan]

The pudding easily slid into Lyrie's mouth, and the fairy reflectively swallowed. He whimpered softly, and rolled over onto his stomach in his sleep. His wings spread out in the sun, droplets of water still clinging to them. His wings fluttered softly as they began to regain color. After a few minutes the fairy's entire body was much brighter and warmer. His skin seemed to glow and his wings sparkled as they moved lazily.

[Noise Prince]

That seemed to do the trick. He whimpered, and Mauve let him go, and the fairy rolled over, his wings stretched and glistened in the sunlight. He was starting to look better! Like his strength and warmth was returning at the same rate as it had left him. But he was still asleep. Mauve wanted to throw himself over him and hug him tightly, but he didn't want to interfere with the process. So he remained sitting besides Lyrie.

[Kotorichan]

Finally Lyrie awoke. He slowly sat up and rubbed at his eyes, whimpering softly at the pain coursing through his body. "M-Mauve...?" He looked around quickly, worried that the drone might have left.

[Noise Prince]

Thank goodness, it didn't take very long for Lyrie to regain consciousness, though he moved tenderly, like he was still hurting.

 

"I'm right here, Master. I’m here," Mauve said, moving closer to him. "How do you feel?"

[Kotorichan]

Lyrie whimpered softly and leaned into the drone's chest. "I'm okay..." He looked away. "It's kinda embarrassing that I passed out... I'm so out of practice, I've gotten super weak." He let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes. "I... I hope o didn't worry you too much. I should've told you what to do in that kind of situation..."

[Noise Prince]

Mauve was quick to hug Lyrie as tightly as he dared while he was in this state the moment the fairly snuggled into his chest. He was surprised that his chest didn't become concave and bring Lyrie further in he sighed with such relief. Lyrie really had worried Mauve a great deal, but he was going to keep that his secret.

 

"I'm just glad you're okay now," Mauve whispered. "And if it ever happens again, I'll know what to do." He hugged him a little tighter. "Don't let it happen again, though, Master…"

[Kotorichan]

"I'm sorry that you have to have such a weak master..." Lyrie murmured, slowly pulling away. He tried to stand up but his feet almost immediately gave out under his weight. "Nn... C-could you help me take a bath..?" His cheeks flushed softly in frustration at his own helplessness.

[Noise Prince]

"I like my master the way he is," Mauve said, lending his arms to Lyrie to support his weight as he started to stand. He couldn't stand for long, Mauve just barely caught him from collapsing in the dirt.

 

The bath! He had left the shower on! He hoped the shower curtain was keeping the water from getting water all over the floor.

 

"Of course I can," Mauve said, gently lifting him up, and carrying indoors at a much more relaxed pace than how he came out.

[Kotorichan]

Lyrie blushed at the man's comment, leaning into his chest. "You're so sweet... I don't know if you even need to imprint on me." He laughed softly. "You already treat me better than I ever thought anyone would treat me." His eyes closed slowly as he fully relaxed in Mauve's arms. "Thank you."

[Noise Prince]

Mauve smiled. He could only imagine how happy he could make Lyrie when he did imprint.

 

"I don't know whether to be happy or sad at that," Mauve replied softly. It seemed Lyrie had grown used to people being selfish and cruel with him, so he was happy that Lyrie wouldn't have that anymore. But that Lyrie had to go through what he did- whatever the entirety of it actually was- and that he didn't think he'd ever be treated better, made him deeply sad.

 

"Can you sit up?" Mauve asked, gently putting him on the toilet so he could set the bath for him. The curtain was not preventing water from getting on the floor, so he didn't want to try to do it while holding onto Lyrie, in case he fell.

[Kotorichan]

"You should be happy, I meant it as a compliment." Lyrie leaned back against the back of the toilet, letting out a soft whimper at the cold feeling. "Nn... I-I'm okay."

 

He looked over his cheeks still flushed softly. "Um... Do you think you're becoming closer to imprinting? Or can you even tell that kind of thing..? I still don't really get how it works."

[Noise Prince]

Mauve sighed with relief, the fact he could sit was only a good sign.

 

"Is it cold?" He asked, smiling, kissing his forehead, before releasing the shower and letting it run down the faucet, closing the drain. He had it a little less hot, but still not comfortable, because he knew it would cool, especially when he let colder water run into it to make it a nicer temperature.

 

He paused at the question.

 

"…I think I'm still in the process of fading," Mauve admitted softly. He hated to say it, he hated that Lyrie might think that he was only so kind because of the lingering will of his Master. Former Master. Not after he had told him what he had. Not after he had told him he loved him. Though that was right before he passed out, maybe he didn't remember saying it.

 

Even now, when he was happy with Lyrie, he struggled to fully let go, and the fading would be gradual. "It's very faint… it'll be done soon…"

 

Mauve was glad that he didn't have a particularly hard time with it so far, not like Lyrie's friend had described. Lyrie most likely wouldn't have punished him, but there wasn't a need to, he hadn't done anything to particularly displease him and need correcting. Maybe imprinting again would be as slow and painless.

[Kotorichan]

"It's a little cold... But I think I'm just sensitive right now..." Lyrie tried not to show his sadness when Mauve said that his imprint was still fading. "Oh... It'll fade though... Right?" He fidgeted slightly. "I mean... I'm just a fairy... what if you can't actually imprint on me... Will you just always wish you were with your old master?"

[Noise Prince]

"Of course it will, it can't last forever, that's not how imprinting works…" Mauve assured him. He grew visibly tense when he mentioned the possibility that he couldn't imprint on him. He wished his vampire friend would contact them with more information about it! Maybe she was close to finding the perfect route!

 

"…I'm sorry, I don't know…" He said softly. "Once it's gone… I don't know what I'll really be. Similar to now, I imagine, but still… without the imprint, I don't know how I'll feel about him, I've never known him without being imprinted, so…"

 

The tub was filling up.

 

"Master, would you like help getting in?"

[Kotorichan]

Lyrie wiped his eyes on the back of his hand, trying not to get emotional. "O-okay..." He lightly put a bit of weight on his feet before giving up. "I don't think I can walk yet. I used up so much energy making the fairy dust and then all the energy I had left on controlling that plant... I need to do some exercises to get better with my magic."

[Noise Prince]

Mauve was able to prevent his own emotional response as well, he saw from the corner of his eye that Lyrie was wiping his face with his hand. Mauve didn't want to lie, not even to himself, on this. Honestly, he was scared. He would rather remain in this state of limbo than face the unknown new Mauve. What if he wasn't kind, what if Lyrie didn't love him?

 

He gently lifted Lyrie off the tub, and helped ease him down into the water.

[Kotorichan]

Lyrie clung to the drone as he was helped up. "Will you still stay with me? Even if you don't imprint on me?" His hands were shaking slightly at the idea. "O-or will you want to be given to a vampire so you can actually imprint?" He couldn't bring himself to look at Mauve, too afraid of what the man might say.

[Noise Prince]

A week ago, while it would have broken his heart, he would prefer to have a master he could imprint on than one he couldn't… but now… everything was so different now.

 

He held onto Lyrie tightly when he clung to him when he picked him up. He felt cold from the dampness that lost it's heat long ago. He was like a butterfly that got stuck in the rain.

 

"Master, I want to stay with you. I promise. Please don't give me away…"

[Kotorichan]

Lyrie's cheeks flushed at the man's words and snuggled into his chest. "I won't give you away... I just didn't wanna force you to stay with me if you'd be unhappy..." He looked away, taking a deep breath. "I... I meant what I said... Before I passed out." His face turned bright red. "Y-You don't have to feel the same, I know it's weird."

[Noise Prince]

"Even if I can't imprint… I can't imagine being unhappy as long as I’m with you." Mauve told him, and he meant it. Lyrie could never make him unhappy. He was too gentle and sweet. Even if he became the type who hated being a slave, he couldn't hate being with Lyrie.

 

Mauve felt a pink streak of blush move over his face when Lyrie brought 'that' up. So he did remember. It made Mauve happy, and embarrassed.

 

"I don't think it's weird…" Mauve told him. He wasn't going to tell him he loved him until he was completely free from his former imprinting. He wanted Lyrie to be sure that it wasn't just him appeasing him. "It makes me very happy, Master,"

[Kotorichan]

Lyrie gave the drone a shy smile and allowed himself to be set in the tub. "As long as you don't think it's too weird.... But I'm glad you're happy here." He took Mauve's hand and gave it a light squeeze. "If you can't imprint, then instead of being your master... M-maybe..." His cheeks flushed again. "M-maybe you can t-try being my l-l-l..." He bit his lip, unable to get the word 'lover' out.

[Noise Prince]

Mauve smiled back at Lyrie, and reached to turn the water off, as it was full enough now. Before leaning back to sit besides Lyrie, the fairy had taken his hand. He looked back at the fairy, his cheeks were almost glowing under his skin, such a warm color. Mauve frowned a little, not understanding what Lyrie meant, but he wasn't a fan of the him saying 'instead of being your master'… But if Lyrie wanted him to try something else, he wouldn't object. But the paperwork to dismiss a slave… he's heard it's complicated.

 

"Even if you weren't my master… would you still keep me, then?" He urged, seeing how Lyrie had trailed off, and thought he could prompt a more direct statement.

[Kotorichan]

Lyrie chewed his lip, nodding quickly. "Y-yes..." He hesitated for a moment before shutting his eyes, gathering the courage to continue. "I-I was going to say, i-if you can't imprint t-then instead of being y-you master. M-maybe I could be you l-l-lover." He curled up, hiding his face in his knees. "Y-you don't have to answer now if you don't want to. I-I was just thinking..."