“Oh, fuck,” he heard Kian muttering on his back. “Fuck, fuck,fuck, this is so high up, Adrissu.”
“We have higher to go,” he replied, trying to ignore Kian’s nervous noises. He couldn’t look back at the human, but at least he wasn’t shouting anymore.
When they were high enough that anyone below would be unable to make out the shape of him against the clouded night sky, Adrissu let them glide along for a little while, drifting with the breeze.
“What’s the verdict so far?” he asked, turning his head to peer back at Kian. It was hard to see him clearly, but out of the corner of his he could glimpse a shock of red hair blowing in the wind and the small human form beneath; his body was tense, and he could feel how tightly Kian was holding the straps of leather that held them together. His knees pressed hard into Adrissu’s back, encircling his spine in an anxious death-grip, which would have been uncomfortable if his scales were not so thick there.
“How long would it take to fly to Gennemont?” Kian asked, his voice coming out as a nervous croak. The wind was sending his hair streaming away from his face in ripples of red. Adrissu stifled a grin.
“A few hours,” he replied. “Five or six, depending on the wind.” He felt more than heard Kian groan in response.
“Maybe,” the human replied, wavering. “I... maybe.”
“Want to go back?”
It took a long moment before Kian replied. “No... No, keep going. I want to try to get used to it.”
Adrissu did not respond, only flapped his wings to lift them a little higher. He knew that getting too high up would make it difficult for Kian to breathe, but he instinctually yearned to soar above the clouds, where he could see the stars. Half of him belonged in the sky, the other half with his mate—when they were here, together, his head felt clearer and his heart lighter than anywhere else. Humans were not fond of flying, he knew, but part of him hoped Kian could learn to like it. Braern had been alright with it over time, so hopefully Kian would grow fond of it quickly.
He took them on an aimless path, soaring north along the coastline until the peaks of the northern mountain range became visible far into the distance, and he knew they should start heading back. Kian had spoken little during their ride, but Adrissu could feel that he was not clinging so desperately to the leathers now, and his legs were more relaxed around his back. He still shivered, but whether from the chill or from lingering nerves, Adrissu could not say.
“We’ll be back home soon,” Adrissu said, and he felt Kian squeeze him a little tighter with his legs. “Too cold?”
“A bit,” he replied. “I could cast a warming charm, but—I can’t bring myself to let go long enough to.”
Adrissu stifled a laugh, instead casting the charm himself. He felt it settle over his back like a thick blanket, and Kian groaned in relief. “Better?”
“Much better.”
As they flew back toward Polimnos, some of the cloud cover faded away, and patches of stars peeked through the clearing sky.
“Wow,” he heard Kian say softly, and when he glanced back, the human’s eyes were trained upward on the sky. He smiled; the stars were often his favorite part, too. They soared in silence for a long while, until Adrissu dove toward the ocean, as Polimnos came into view, and the cliffs that hid the entrance to his lair approached. Kian yelped, startled, and clung hard to Adrissu.
“Keep your head down,” he rumbled as he started heading for the cliff face. He heard Kian swear, felt the warmth of his breath against his scales, then turned himself sideways to slip through the narrow opening; and once again, they were in his lair. When he landed, Kian laughed, trembling on Adrissu’s back.
“Holy shit,” he stammered, making no move to get off. “That was—I mean, that last bit was kind of a lot, but—that was amazing, Adrissu.”
“I hoped you might like it,” he replied, teeth flashing in a wide grin. “I’m glad.”
He crouched lower, and Kian fumbled with the leather straps for a moment, before freeing himself and sliding down Adrissu’s ribs with a slight stumble as he landed.
“Hey,” he said, and Adrissu turned his head to look over at him. Kian reached up, cupping Adrissu’s long jaw in both hands. Adrissu shuffled slightly, so he could face the small human. He pressed a kiss to Adrissu’s snout, his lips almost as cold as his hands from the wind. His eyes were bright as he looked up into Adrissu’s face, and he grinned.
“I’m glad you had fun,” Adrissu murmured, unsure what Kian wanted, as he stood there silently holding his head.
“I love you,” Kian blurted out, and Adrissu froze. “I’m... I’m sorry it took me so long to say it back to you. I know you knew, but... I don’t know. I don’t know why I never said it before. But I do. Love you, that is.”
Warmth flooded Adrissu’s veins, centered in his chest and spreading further with each beat of his heart. He pressed forward just enough to bump his snout against Kian’s face, pressing their skin together.
“I know,” Adrissu replied softly, closing his eyes. “I love you. Tell me again.”
Kian laughed, then answered, “I love you.”
He breathed out a long sigh he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He had known Kian must have loved him—he never would have agreed to all this otherwise—but to hear it directly from his mate was... something else. It was true and right and made his heart swell, like music. Fate bound them together, but the words themselves were a different type of magic entirely.
“It’s cold in here,” Kian murmured, pulling him from his reverie. “Can we go back up now?”
He nodded, a low rumble escaping from deep in his chest. He pulled Kian closer to him, getting ready to make the ascent, when Kian suddenly laughed.
