“I…what?” Brian stared at AJ, shocked to his core. Had he really just heard what he thought he had? Everything his mind was jumbling together. Without realizing it, he leaned slightly away from AJ to better look at his face. “What did you say?” There was understanding in AJ’s eyes, and love in the bond, but Brian didn’t want that right then. He wanted answers.

 

 

“With as strong as your magic used to feel before we opened it back up, baby, I wondered about you. Then, there were certain little things. The way you accepted my story so easily, as if it was the most natural thing. The way that everyone loves you, and loves to be around you. The way you can always make someone smile whether they want it or not. Or the way that a person can talk to you, and find themselves telling you things that they never planned on telling anyone, or didn’t even know that they felt. Those are usually marks of the Fair Folk.”

 

 

“An you never thought to share this with me? Not once?” Brian asked. Hurt filled him, and an anger that he couldn’t quite chase away.

 

 

“I just suspected, I didn’t know. How could I tell you something that could potentially change the very way you look at yourself if I wasn’t sure it was true? But this morning I woke up, and I saw your ears, and I knew. I don’t know how far back it goes, or how diluted it is, but there’s Elf in your blood.”

 

 

Even though AJ’s response was logical, Brian didn’t feel particularly logical. It felt as if everything he’d ever known about himself had been tossed and turned and flipped around until he couldn’t recognize himself anymore. “Well, maybe I would have liked a little warning about what could happen before my body started to change on me. Did you think of that, AJ?” He saw AJ wince slightly but couldn’t bring himself to care.

 

 

“I did.” He said softly.

 

 

“An you still didn’t tell me?” Somehow Brian found himself on his feet, and the others as well. None of them mattered to him. He stood face to face with AJ and fought the hurt, the feeling of betrayal, and the anger. Not only at AJ, but at his life. At the circumstances that had been thrust upon him. He hadn’t asked for any of it, but recently it seemed like one thing after another was being given to him whether he liked it or not.

 

 

“No, I didn’t.” AJ’s voice was still soft. For some reason, that pissed Brian off even more. What right did AJ have to sound so upset about this? He’d lied to him. By omission, true, but a lie still!

 

 

“How dare you try to decide what’s right for me? You are not my father, J. We’re supposed to be partners!”

 

 

“I know, Bri.”

 

 

“You have no right to keep things from me that involve me. I can forgive you keeping the shit about yourself to yourself for a while, even if it hurts a little. But this…this is about me! I had every right to know!” he shouted. The air around them started to blow against their skin warmly. Howie raised a hand, making to step up to them, but AJ shook his head slightly and Howie stepped back. Brian just ignored him. His attention was focused solely on AJ, and the hurt that was filling him, morphing into anger. Never before had he felt himself grow so easily angry. “What else are you keeping from me? Huh? Any more secrets, Age? Any more lies?”

 

 

“No.”

 

 

“Well, forgive me if I’m not sure if I can believe that or not.” Brian said sarcastically. The first sign of temper flashed in AJ’s eyes, making the green ring almost glow lightly, but then it was gone.

 

 

“You’ve got every right to doubt me and to be angry…”

 

 

“You’re fucking right I do!”

 

 

Again that temper flashing in AJ’s eyes, and over the bond. He had a harder time smothering it this time. Brian knew that AJ couldn’t stand when people cut him off while talking. But he didn’t care. He was livid. The wind around them picked up, warm enough now to make them sweat slightly.

 

 

“If you’d listen, Bri, you’d realize I wasn’t trying to keep it from you, not in a malicious sense…”

 

 

“So that makes it better, because you did it in an effort to be nice?”

 

 

This time the temper stayed flashing in AJ’s eyes, and that green ring glowed slightly. “Quit cutting me off and I’d actually be able to answer your damn questions.” He snapped.

 

 

Part of Brian responded to AJ’s anger, as if it gave him permission for his own. “The fuck if I care what you want to say to me! It’ll just be more lies! I didn’t ask for any of this, AJ! An all of a sudden this shit is thrust on me and I don’t get one God damn choice in the matter! So many fucking things are changing, and none of it feels like it’s me anymore. Where the fuck am I in all this?”

 

 

It surprised even Brian to hear the pain in those words. But he buried that pain under anger, because anger was safer. Anger didn’t hurt you. He was terrified that when his anger wore off, the rest of it would come in and knock him to his knees.

 

 

AJ reached a hand out, suddenly looking so sorrowful. “You’re still you, Bri. Nothing can change that, baby.”

 

 

“Don’t touch me!” Brian yelled at him, jerking backwards. The wind gusted around them, pushing against AJ lightly. Brian realized that he was tapping into his magic with his emotions, but he couldn’t bring himself to care enough to try to stop it. AJ realized the same thing and physically pushed his way against the air. “Calm down, Bri, please.”

 

 

“The fuck I will!”

 

 

“Bri, please. Calm down before you do something without realizing what you’re doing.”

 

 

The warning came too little too late. AJ reached out and put his hand on Brian’s arm, and his magic reacted instinctively to his emotions; to his anger and pain. Something jumped to Brian’s skin, and he saw AJ’s eyes go wide, heard him hiss, but the hand on Brian’s arm didn’t let go. A strange smell filled Brian’s nose as he stared down at his arm in horror. He could feel the heat on his skin. All through the forest the wind died down, almost as if nature was waiting on bated breath to see what would happen next. There wasn’t even the sound of their friends breathing. Just AJ’s harsh, labored breath. And the pain that filled their bond. Physical pain as well as mental.

 

 

For a moment AJ stood there staring into Brian’s eyes. Then, slowly, he drew his hand back, finger by finger. Brian caught sight of what he had done. “Jesus.” Slipped past his lips. With that one sight, that one word, all of Brian’s anger drained from him for a moment.

 

 

He reached out to try to take AJ’s hand, ignoring the way that AJ tried to move it, to hide it. Once he had AJ’s wrist in his grip, he turned the hand palm up, looking at the damage even as it started to heal. Holy God. He’d burned AJ’s hand. The skin there was horribly burned, with little bubbles and cracks where the skin had burnt and broke. Already it was starting to repair itself. But, through their bond, Brian could feel the pain that somehow wasn’t showing on AJ’s face.

 

 

“Alex…” he tried to say.

 

 

AJ shook his head and brought his other hand up to cup Brian’s cheek. They locked eyes, and in that look Brian saw all the love that AJ felt for him. “Don’t, Bri, its ok. I can take a burn. I’d much rather it be me than what could’ve happened. I even deserved it a little.”

 

 

That didn’t chase the guilt away. Brian couldn’t take his gaze away as the last of the burn faded, and AJ’s palm was back to normal. “I didn’t want to hurt you.” He whispered. Now that anger was gone, his fear and his pain came back in. What had happened to him? “I don’t like to hurt people. What’s happening to me, Alex?”

 

 

“Oh, baby.” AJ pulled him close, wrapping his arms around Brian and hugging him tightly. “You’re still you, you’re just new to all this. It’s all happened so suddenly. It’s been barely a month since all this started, baby. Give yourself time to adjust, to find your footing.”

 

 

Almost hesitant at first, Brian brought his arms up to hug AJ back. Once he did, though, he found himself clinging tightly, as if AJ was his anchor in all of this. Though the tears were close, he didn’t let them fall. “I feel like I’m not me anymore.” He whispered, turning his face into the curve of AJ’s neck. “I feel like you’re changing on me too. The both of us.”

 

 

One of AJ’s hands came up, cupping the back of Brian’s head and running through his curls. “We’re still us, Bri. No matter who our ancestors are, or what magic we have, the core of us is the same. None of this is going to change you. I’m still who I am.”

 

 

They pulled back to look one another in the face. Brian hadn’t realized that his tears had started to fall until AJ’s hand slid from around the back of his head to the side so that one thumb could wipe the tear away. AJ’s smile was sweet enough that it cut through to Brian’s heart. “We’ll always be the same, baby.” AJ reassured him “No matter how much we change on the outside. I’m still gonna be the same guy who cuddles up in his sleep, and tries to hog the covers. I’ll still pick my thumbs until they bleed, and you’ll still stop me. You’ll still be the same guy who bites his nails when he gets nervous, and who smiles not only with his mouth but with his eyes.”

 

 

AJ leaned in, lightly brushing a kiss over Brian’s lips. “We’re still us, Brian. Just, more than we were. Look at my eyes. They may have an extra ring to them, but that doesn’t change what’s in them. You’ve always said my heart was in my eyes. Look at them now and tell me what you see.”

 

 

How could he do anything else? Brian looked in AJ’s eyes as he had so many times before. AJ held nothing back, neither in his eyes or in their bond. He opened himself up so that Brian felt as if he saw straight down to his lover’s soul. A smile curved Brian’s lips before he realized it. AJ was right. These changes were magical, and physical, but that was it. AJ was still AJ, and he was still himself. “I love you, Alex.”

 

 

“I love you too.”

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

A delicate cough interrupted the moment between the two. AJ sighed and rolled his eyes, letting his lips curve. He enjoyed watching the light come back to Brian’s eyes. For a moment he had been scared, no, terrified that Brian was going to have enough. He’d seen the anger in him. He’d felt it. But in his own panic he’d forgotten one core thing about Brian. Once he got his anger out of the way, when it was finally pushed to that breaking point, he always called back down. Most of that hadn’t been anger. It had been fear under anger.

 

 

“Yes, D?” AJ asked, turning to look at his friend. Howie was smiling at them. “Hate to break up the love fest, but I can feel Geoff. They’re here with the boat.”

 

 

After that, things seemed to move rather quickly. Their campsite was packed up and they were making their way down to the water. Brian’s hand stayed in AJ’s, still slightly shaky, but not letting go. Once they got on the water they would have more time to talk. There were so many things that AJ wanted to tell him now. Now that the part of him was open again, AJ felt whole. He felt more like himself, despite his changes. Or maybe because of them. A part of him felt as if this was who he was supposed to be. This was a part of him that was finally becoming right.

 

 

He ran a hand through his hair, which had grown slightly in the last month. He had that shaggy, almost skater boy look going. But, he realized that he wanted it to grow. He wanted to put it back the way it was supposed to be. The way he was supposed to be.

 

 

The trees opened up in front of them, and they caught sight of the boat that was waiting. AJ laughed as he practically skipped through the sunlight. The ship was a cutter, which was a small single-mast boat, fore-and-aft rigged, with two headsails. It was a style AJ had sailed many times. He had a feeling that being called ‘monkey’ earlier wasn’t going to be the only time he heard it today.

 

 

Setting sail was easy. The trip itself wouldn’t take that long, even with them filling the sails full of air. Most likely they’d arrive by that evening, as the morning had whiled away until it was half gone. AJ had just found out that morning where they’d been camping, and he’d been surprised with the distance they’d taken him away from Roth. They had traveled all the way to Pasaia, Spain, and had set up camp in the small mountains there. That meant that they had to sail through the Bay of Biscay, up to the Celtic Sea, and into the Irish Sea where they’d port at Cardigan Bay. It sounded longer than it was really going to take them.

 

 

While everyone was stowing their bags below the decks, AJ looked at Brian and grinned. “Take my bag down for me?” He asked sweetly. “I wanna play.”

 

 

Laughter danced in Brian’s eyes. He kissed AJ before taking his bag and heading below. AJ didn’t waste time, and ran up to where Geoff stood at the wheel. His friend had a grin that AJ knew matched his own. There was something about being out on the water. Of all of them, AJ knew that Geoff would understand. Water babies, they jokingly called themselves.

 

 

“You’re not getting the wheel, Alyck!” Geoff called jokingly to him as he reached him. “I get to steer today!”

 

 

For a moment AJ pouted and bit his lip. But then his face lit up. “Then I’m going up.” He announced. “I’ll be our magical eyes, and some of our air.” That job was almost as fun. It could be tiring, using magic almost constantly, but he could throw a link to Howie and use their dual energy to speed them along. But there were few things that he found as fun as being up at the top of the mast, letting the wind blow in his hair, feeling that close to the elements. All thoughts of his talk with Brian fled his mind as he ran down to the mast and started to shimmy up through the rigging. When, with the assistance of his weaves, they hit open water, he felt alive.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

They’d been under sail for a while, and Brian still couldn’t stop smiling up at AJ. Every now and again AJ’s laughter would echo down to them, and it would make Brian chuckle in response. He thanked God that his lover could have this time to ease his mind after what they had lived through.

 

 

Thinking of that brought Brian’s attention back to his own changes, his own trials. He was slightly grateful that AJ was up there for the time, occupied by the wind and the water. It gave Brian time to think about everything in his own way, in his own time. So much had been thrust at him that he still felt as if he was reeling around from it all. To find out his had an elvish ancestor was an amazing thing. He hadn’t even known that elves existed!

 

 

Though, to be honest, that shouldn’t have surprised him. Not after all he’d learned about magic, and immortality. Not after becoming an immortal himself, and meeting Aishee. But it still managed to be surprising. Yet, it had this rightness to it. He had no idea that his thoughts echoed AJ’s earlier. These changes may have been different, and they may have scared him at first, but as he sat sunning on the deck and analyzed what he felt, all he could find was a sense of rightness to it all.

 

 

It was almost as if a part of him had been missing, a piece to a puzzle that had never fit. With this, he felt as if he’d finally managed to put that piece in the right place. He was part elf. A logical part of him knew that he should be totally shocked. But, instead, he found himself growing more and more at ease with the idea. So his ears were slightly pointed now? Who cared? AJ’s pointed too, and more than his did. An if he was even more honest with himself, he could admit that he was glad that he shared this with AJ. That they had this in common. It would have felt wrong to have them be different from one another.

 

 

“Finally got things settled in your mind?” Isleen’s cheerful voice asked from beside him. Brian had felt her coming, but he’d kept his eyes raised to watch AJ, who was currently sitting on the very top of the mast. How he stayed there, Brian had no idea. Using a little bit of air, most likely.

 

 

“Mm, I think so.” Brian finally responded. His eyes crinkled with his smile. “But I imagine you feel that.”

 

 

“Aye. An honor, it is, to have that blood running in your veins. I knew that you’d eventually be coming around to liking it.”

 

 

Isleen’s brogue was coming out a little thicker, which Brian had already noticed happened when she grew comfortable with someone. He liked the thought that she was comfortable with him. He wanted to become good friends with people who were, not only a part of AJ’s life, but now a part of his. They were a unit, these immortals, and would be fighting one hell of a battle together. It was only right that they all become friends.

 

 

“It’s wondering I am if you’d be liking to know more about your people? I’ve met some Fair Folk, and Alyck thought that I might be willing to tell you about them, for the clan I met is like you.”

 

 

That caught Brian’s attention. He looked over at her with a dazzling smile. “A clan like me? Elvish, or half breeds, or what?”

 

 

“Elvish, yes, but Elves of the sun and the sky. Though they don’t actually split apart, there be sects that are more at home with one element or another. Your ancestor would be of the Sun Elves, I’m sure of it.”

 

 

“I’d love to hear about them, please.”

 

 

Isleen spread her skirts around her and settled more comfortably against the side railing, her eyes going up to AJ just like his. When she spoke it was with a soft brogue that had Brian feeling as if he was sitting before a fire for a night of storytelling. Telling a story was in her blood.

 

 

“I once met a Clan of Sun Elves. Drawn to me, they were, for the fey, or magical people and creatures, are always drawn to those with magic. T’was intrigued is what they were, but I wasn’t minding that. I heard their call, and we met in the daylight in the forests near me home. Sun Elves be a cheerful lot, with ready smiles and laughs. To be meeting them was a joyous occasion, and one that made me very happy. Questions they had for me, and I found myself answering them all, though none but Alyck know me story. But tis the way of the elves to make a body comfortable.

 

 

“In return they taught me of their people. Many days and nights they stayed, for what is time to those such as we be? A week, a month, be but a drop in the pond when eternity stretches before you. The time I had with them is a memory of light and love in my heart. They are in tune with nature around them, as all elves are. But their love is the sunshine. A bright sunny day do be delighting them more than the rain. I saw them dance through the meadow, having a gay time of it, with the sunlight streaming around them.

 

 

“They be light haired like you, with that honey color to it. A graceful body, and a smooth tongue. Why, they could talk to you for nights and days on end, and you’d never be tiring of hearing them. You just found yourself drawn to their presence. It seemed that they glowed with their happiness, much like the sun. Their eyes be tri-colored, with the colors of the sky, of the sunrise. Some be blue and white and grey as the sky before a storm. Others be orange and yellow and red like the sunset. Another still be orange and pink and purple like the sunrise. Yours, I be guessing, t’will be like the noonday sky. Blue and yellow and grey.

 

 

“They were inclined to temper if pushed the right way, though they told me that ‘tis rare. But when pushed, Elvish temper can be terrible and beautiful to behold. I think we saw a spark of yours today. That is part of their connection to the sun. The fire tis banked in them, but fan any coals and they will burst to life. Tis a proud people you belong to, Brian Littrell, and pride you should be having.”

 

 

So much of what she said felt right to him. It also fit his life. The way that people always flocked to him, and told him their secrets. He knew more peoples secrets than anyone ever did his own, except for AJ. AJ knew everything about him. Life was always pleasing to Brian, most especially when he was out in the sunshine and enjoying his day. His temper had a long fuse, but could be a force to be reckoned with when finally it snapped.

 

 

Feeling the sun beat down on him, and Isleen’s calming presence beside him, Brian felt himself drifting on the edges of sleep.