Quinton took a moment to steel himself before heading towards the boundary, catching up with the short teen. When they crossed over, they realized that Finian had left the back door open for them, and they let themselves in.
"Finian?"
"In the kitchen!" Fin responded. He had ordered enough Chinese food for four people, just in case they showed up.
"Let me help," Synan said quietly.
The Nightmare was almost like a different person from the one Fin had first met. Gone was the wild and confident flirting. Instead, the Nightmare was quiet. His shoulders were slightly hunched, as though Synan were hiding from something, and didn't want to be noticed. Even his hair was different, no longer spiked into a faux hawk, it hung down for him to brush out of his downcast eyes.
"Thanks," Fin replied with a slight frown. "Synan? Is everything alright?"
"What? Oh, everything is...I'm just tired." His eyes flicked to Quinton. "I'm getting used to a new mattress, but I think I'm going to have to go back to the old one."
"You are not going back to the old one." Quin hissed as Fin served him a plate and placed it in front of him. "And if you do, I will go with you."
Fin looked from the Unicorn to the Nightmare and sat down after serving Synan and himself.
"Quinton decided he doesn't like my old mattress, even though he doesn't even know where I got it." The spark seemed to come back to the Nightmare's eyes. "So, he wants me to keep sleeping on the new mattress, either because he pities me too much or because he wants to be able to control my bedding choices!" He ranted. "He'd make me sleep on satin sheets even if I tell him I hate sleeping on them because they are too damn slippery!"
"First of all, I don't pity you, I only wanted to help you get on even ground with me." The blond countered. "And all of my sheets are high thread count cotton! They're not slippery at all!"
The human let out a small sigh, sensing another quibble about to occur between his guests.
"Fine! Maybe you aren't trying to force uncomfortable sheets on me. You say that it isn't pity, but eventually I'm going to start bringing in my own quilts and throw pillows and you're going to hate it. It doesn't match your stuff!" He insisted. "You are high thread count cotton and I'm second hand burlap!”
"You refuse to understand that I've grown to care about you, childish behaviorisms, stubbornness, and all!" He countered. "What you bring in or not is of little consequence to me because I don't care about anything material. I would set fire to the whole bedroom set if it meant that you would accept me."
"Stop." Synan threaded his fingers through his hair and tugged hard. "You don't understand what you're saying. You don't know me. You'd be throwing away everything. I'm no chaste maiden, I'm about as far from it as possible." He waved a hand to a wide-eyed Finian. "That is what you should have! A beautiful, chaste maiden who can lift you up and help you rise to all your possibilities, not hold you down like an anchor around your throat." Synan took a deep breath and turned to Fin and asked sweetly. "Do you have a spoon for this meat and onion stuff with the brown sauce?"
Finian shakily handed the spoon to the Nightmare, but Quin quickly reached forward to take the spoon out of his hands, setting it down on the table next to the chopsticks.
"Forgive me, Finian. Please do not take offense to this, but I don't want you for my mate," Quinton confessed. "No. I want a short, stubborn, sultry, and scared Nightmare by the name of Synan as my mate." He continued as he focused his gaze on a set of peacock topaz-hued eyes. "And, in spite of what he thinks of himself, I would much rather have him by my side than the most chaste maiden in the human world!"
"Stop!" Synan snapped, stomping his foot. "Stop saying these things...You'll...You'll break my heart, so stop!" He keened desperately before stepping back and wrapping his arms around himself. "If I have to go back to the Elders now to be their whore again, I can do it. I'll survive. But if you do this and I have to go back..." His fingers raked up to his pewter locks, tugging. "I won't be able to spin it to anything positive this time. I'll break."
"What do I have to do to convince you that I want you to be mine? If you allow me to, I would be yours to do with as you please!" Quin admitted. "If all of this means that I have to break your heart, then so be it. I will shatter it into a million pieces and then I will piece it back together stronger than it has ever been before."
"Stop, please..." Synan sunk to the floor, fingers still clenched in his hair as he struggled for breath. "I just don't want...Please." He clenched his eyes shut to fight off the tears threatening to fall.
By that point, Fin's heart went out to both his new friends. Apparently, something had happened between them for them to be suffering so much. He quietly went back to the kitchen to make a few batches of hot cocoa for the three of them. They seemed to need it.
The blond Unicorn followed Synan to the floor and hugged him tightly. "I will tell you everything about me. You've told me so much. I owe you everything that I am. I will give it all to you, Synan."
"Please, don't break me," the teenager begged. "Please."
"Let me in, little one," Quin whispered softly. "Let me into your heart and I will love you until our bodies become dust in the ground. Put your trust in me."
"O-Okay." Sy nodded shakily. "Just know that when you tire of me... I'll die."
Quinton felt his heart skip a beat at the consent. He gave Synan a hard kiss on the lips and immediately began to shift into his faun form. His clothes grew hazy, then disappeared. A curved, opal horn emerged from the Pisces crest on his forehead and his legs became equine in form, hooves replacing feet and long, wispy tufts appearing towards the ankles. "I declare you, Synan, to be my mate," He spoke out loud.
Synan's shift was just as smooth as Quinton's. The triple spiral crest on his forehead was replaced by a horn that looked like it had been carved from a peacock topaz. His legs shifted and curved until ebony hooves replaced feet and his lower body was covered with soft pewter fur. A long tail sprang out behind him, matching the hair on his head and the tufts on his ankles.
"I-I declare you, Quinton, to be my mate." Synan's voice shook as he stepped forward to allow their horns to touch. There was a blinding flash of light that filled the room. When he could see again, Sy pressed his palm to the front of Quin's hip just above where his wheat-gold fur began. When he lifted his hand, a perfect replica of Synan's triskelion crest was visible on Quinton' hip.
Quinton, in turn, placed his palm on the side of the Nightmare's neck. His Pisces crest was transferred onto it. He could think of no other time in his life when he felt happier and stronger. The magic bond between mates was a powerful thing. The blond pressed a tender kiss on Synan's lips, one that gradually grew in intensity until his tongue slipped inside to taste the Nightmare's own.
Finian had rushed over when he felt something strange in the air. He was nearly blinded by the light that shone upon their joining and was surprised at the crest transferring. Was all of that part of becoming mates? When the timer on his microwave chimed, he rushed over to make sure that the milk with the grated chocolate that he was heating up didn't boil over. He poured the hot chocolate evenly into three mugs and placed the cups on a tray to bring it over to the table.
"A-hem!" The human cleared his throat loudly. "Guys?"
"I'm sorry." Synan blinked dazedly at Finian as Quin kissed and nibbled the crest on his neck. "We're neglecting you. And we used your home for a mating ceremony without your permission..."
"If anyone should be asking for forgiveness, it's me, maiden. We meant no disrespect." Quin added as he reluctantly stood on his hooves, gently lifting Synan up with him.
The human teen looked them both over. "I've never seen that form before." He mused out loud as he handed each of them a mug of hot cocoa. "Well, here's to your mating!" He toasted with a smile, clinking his mug to each of theirs. "Congratulations?"
Synan smiled shyly, clinking his mug against the others before taking a sip, all while Quinton still held him close.
"This is our faun form." Synan explained after taking a sip. "We have three forms. This is considered the most romantic and least threatening of our forms." Synan ducked his head. "I have a feeling Quin chose to be a faun so that he didn't scare me off. It's well known that the Elders like to use their animal forms to...torment the ones under their power."
"Think no more of those corrupted Elders." Quinton replied softly.
"That sounds terrible." Finian said as he sat down at the table. "When I cross over, I plan to help do something about those Elders."
"The Elders were able to slowly phase out the monarchy over many years." Synan shrugged. "They convinced the people that being led by a council of Elders was better than a King or Queen. At first, they shared power with the King." Sy shook his head. "But when they saw an opportunity to take complete power, they didn't hesitate. That was a long time ago."
"They took me when I was a kid. The Elders didn't give me a choice. They pretended it was for my own good." The second time that the Nightmare looked up, anger flared in his eyes. "That's how they play it off, that they are taking in these poor street punks and taking care of them. It's bullshit. Everyone knows, but no one does anything about it."
Fin's eyes narrowed as he took in the injustice of it all. It was something he had to talk to Lee'en and Alastair about. Something had to be done.
"Sounds like you've been through so much, Synan." He responded. "Just know that you have a friend in me, Lee'en, and even Jack. We won't let anything else happen to you."
“And you also have me. We can study together, live together, and travel together,” Quin added.
"Thank you." Synan murmured, warming his hands on the hot mug. "I think I'd really like that." Sy looked up at Quinton. "You swear I never have to go back?"
"Never." He vowed.
The human smiled at the sight. "Alastair will be pleased when I tell him about this. Pleased and amused, I'm sure."
"That name is familiar." Synan said as he snuggled close to Quinton and sipped his chocolate. "Is he good to you? You deserve only good things.”
"He's wonderful." Finian admitted with a blush. “I’ll be sure to introduce him to all of you when I cross over."
"Now then, if you would excuse us." Quin said as he effortlessly lifted Synan up into his arms. "We should consummate our bond before sunset."
"O-Oh!" Finian blushed harder but rushed over to open the back door for them. "Then, I will see you both tomorrow!"
"Bye!" Synan was barely able to set down his nearly empty mug before Quin swept him outside to the crossing point. "Quin, there's no rule about consummation before sunset..."
"I just wanted to give him a viable excuse for letting us have some time alone." Quin admitted sheepishly as he carried Synan all the way back to his dorm. "We can consummate our bond whenever you wish it."
Synan shifted back to his human form. He looked at Quin, a little twinkle in his changeable eyes as he slowly tugged off his borrowed shirt.
Quinton swallowed hard at the sight. "I...I meant it didn't have to be tonight..."
Sy toed off his boots and socks before popping the button on his pants and slowly dropping the zipper. He turned his back to Quinton and laced his fingers on top of his head as he shifted his hips back and forth, making his pants inch downward.
"Damn it," Quin hissed under his breath as he quickly stripped out of his clothes, tossing them about in every which direction. "Sy." He murmured in the Nightmare's ear as he nuzzled the crest he had placed on Synan's neck. He wrapped his arms around the Nightmare's body from behind.
"Mmmm, yeah?"
"I don't think I can take it anymore," He whispered. "How do you want us to...which way would you prefer?" He fumbled.
"Any way that gets you inside me in the least amount of time." Synan insisted.
The two of them didn’t waste another second. They explored one another’s bodies until they brought each other to the brink of pleasure. Their crests glowed when they were finally one, the light casting patterns on the walls and the roof of the dark dorm room.
"Quin!" Synan whimpered even as his head spun from the release.
"Sy!" Quin breathed. As the two of them settled down, the glow from the crests dimmed back down. “Are you ok?”
“I think maybe everything's going to be okay," Synan admitted. “As scary as all of this is.”
“I’ll help you face anything.” The blond's tail began to sway happily behind him as he merely held the Nightmare in his arms. "I think I should get us something to eat. I know just the pastry shop.”
"I really need to find a job or something," Synan mused aloud. "So I can help pay for things. I don't want to be a burden for you."
"There are many part-time jobs right here on campus. You can explore them while I talk to the heads about your enrollment tomorrow if you want." Quin explained.
"Enrollment?!" Synan sat up, startled. "I can't...school? I told you!"
"Of course you can, I'm right here to help you. If you hate it after a few weeks, then no one will force you to continue." Quin countered. "But, I have a feeling that you'll do just fine."
"You don't understand." Synan's fingers threaded into his hair and started tugging. "I'm not smart enough. I don't know school things. I know how to rut. Seriously, that's all I know how to do."
"Calm down, little one." Quin responded in a calming manner as he fought not to laugh at him. "You are smart, and you have great instincts. You were able to go into someone else's dreamscape like a champ. I remember it took us at least three weeks in class. You managed it in one sitting."
"You're just saying that to make me feel better." His lips curled into a pout, but he stopped pulling his hair. "And that's not the same as real school stuff. I'll make a fool of myself... Besides, the collegiate big-wigs would never let me in. They are going to want to know why I don't have transcripts..."
"You let me handle all of that." The blond replied. He had an uncle that was a well-respected scholar and was one of the founders of the campus. "And all I'm saying is that you should give it a try. If it doesn't pan out, then I'll simply tutor you with what I know at your leisure." He gave the Nightmare a sound kiss and hefted him up with his arms as he walked towards the bathroom.
"Let's take a quick shower and then I'll pick us something up from the pastry shop." He suggested. "I have a feeling we are going to need more replenishment than we thought."
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