Chapter 18: Meeting again

Johnny ate his meager meal, in the sunlight. They really were allowed out in the yard, come lunch. Just like his neighbor had said. Filarion and Feneria were at the other end of the table, with Filarion growling at everyone who eyed his sister too long.

Will the elf be enough to protect her? He didn't have his daggers on him, Feneria didn't know how to fight. Still, the Ice Queen held her ground. Her hair was in a bun, a couple of chestnut curls spilling out. If Johnny cared enough about her, he would have told her that her making herself this pretty in a place like this was a bad idea.

Then there were the other looks. The one pointed at Filarion himself. He was a rogue, and so lean. With just enough muscle to be capable of defending himself, but still not too much, so he could be considered delicate.

There was only a single guard in the yard with them, and he was sleeping. Johnny stood from his seat, and headed to the two elves. Just as he neared them, a ruffian offered his cup to Filarion. If the elf's glare could kill, the man, who was twice Filarion's size, would have tipped over.

"For the last time, I don't want anything from you," Johnny heard Filarion growl. The burly man looked like it was the greatest joke ever spoken.

"You will see that I rule over the prison," the man snarled, and trusted his cup under Filarion's nose. "Drink."

"Go fuck yourself," Filarion took the cup, and threw it into the grass.

"It is you who I will be fucking, pretty boy. Maybe together with your bitch of a sister," the prisoner stood, and now Johnny knew how he looked familiar.

This was a berserker, a former adventurer, a former comrade. Found to take bribes from those he should be hunting, and abusing his party, he had been thrown in here just last month.

Johnny quickened his steps. This was no beginner adventurer. But an SSS ranked one. One rank above Filarion. One rank too many. Filarion stood as well, and balled his fists. Someone reached out for Feneria, and Filarion's fist met the smug prisoner's mug like lightning.

The man fell on the ground, and the SSS ranked berserker turned over the stone table, and lunged at Filarion. Johnny saw Feneria running towards the guard. Still, he couldn't think. Filarion was in danger, and the guard would probably pretend he was asleep the whole time.

Johnny watched as Filarion tripped the berserker, and then twisted his arm behind his back. The sickening snap of bones followed. That was the wrong thing to do.

For Fred, the berserker, had mastered the skill of bloodlust. Now that he was injured, he could go berserk. There was a ring formed around the two, as Fred took Filarion by the leg, and slammed him into the ground.

Or tried to because Filarion twisted like a cat, and ended up perched on the man's arm. That gave him the access to Fred's eyes, and his fingers found themselves around an eyeball.

For the first time, Johnny saw a part of Filarion that was all darkness. As the two eyeballs rolled on the ground, Filarion sank his fingers back into the empty sockets, as Fred began to scream. That finally forced the guard to stop pretending to be asleep.

Johnny watched as the man pushed Feneria away, and rushed to the combating duo, his sword raised. Filarion huffed, and broke Fred's arm, to dislodge his grip. Then, like a cat, the elf landed on the ground so gracefully, that there was not a hair out of place on his head.

"Anyone else wants to make a dig at me?" Filarion yelled, startling the prisoners. "Or question my sister's honor?"

The prisoners began to shake their heads. Filarion saw Johnny in the crowd, and his eyes hardened. Johnny looked down at the ground.

"You killed him," the guard was kneeling next to Fred, as the prisoners backed away.

"What of it?" Filarion asked, voice so cold, he could have killed someone with it.

"You..." the guard began, but Filarion was by his side in an instant.

"If you try to make this out like I was the one to attack first, I will make sure that I get you on your next shift. I will be allowed out of the isolator, at one point or the other. Won't I?" Filarion was holding the guard by the throat. Squeezing.

"Filarion," Feneria hissed, and Johnny met her eyes. Filarion was not letting go.

Johnny finally rushed to the brunette elf. His arms wrapped around his arm, and he did his best to dislodge the fingers from around the guard's throat. Filarion blinked then, the bloodlust clearing from his gaze.

"Johnny?" Filarion asked, and Johnny did his best to smile at the elf.

"Don't do this. You said you turned a new page, little leaf," Johnny tried to put all the endearing he still felt for the elf in his words. It tugged at his heart. Threatening to drag him back into being in love with the elf.

"I did," Filarion let go of the guard, and leaned in. Johnny turned his head at the last minute. Still, when Filarion took a hold of his arm, and sat him by his side on the stone bench, Johnny didn't so much as flinch.

Filarion leaned in on him, wrapping his arms around the tank. He breathed in the scent of his once lover, and rested his head on his shoulder.

Johnny watched as the guard ran off, fear in his eyes. Feneria went and sat on Filarion's other side. No one dared to stare suggestively at her now, that they knew what her brother was capable of.

Johnny just sat there, and let himself be held. It was calm, relaxing, and something he was familiar with. If he was needed to keep Filarion on the straight and narrow, then he was going to do his part.

Maybe they could begin anew? The feelings were still there, as much as Johnny was cursing them. When he had seen Filarion fight Fred, he had been terrified. Fear was an honest emotion, and Johnny found that he was done lying to himself.

He missed his little leaf. Missed his scent enveloping him, missed his strong arms around his body. Most of all, he missed the love that Filarion gave him freely, and the forgiveness he didn't know he had craved.