"Duman. You can train blondie."

Seeing that Ogron was busy humbling the fairies' leader, Anagan took it upon himself to split the remaining group into pairs.

"I have a name." Stella huffed, folding her arms over her chest.

"Right, my bad." Anagan stepped closer. "Stella, seeing how Duman somehow knew where to find you, I assume you are both well acquainted by now."

Stella glared at him before turning sharply on her heels, tugging Duman by his sleeve with her.

~Was that necessary, asshole?~

Duman hissed as he was dragged away.

~No. But it was funny.~

Anagan stifled a laugh as he watched his brother throw the middle finger at him before turning around.

~Yeah yeah, you won't be laughing when I tell lover boy, here, that you've been cuddling his girlfriend every night. IN MY BED. That's gross man.~

Anagan's smirk fell off his face, glancing at the dark-haired man who was eyeing him discretely.

~Genuinely hope that sandwich gave you salmonella.~

He heard Duman chuckle before leaving the telepathic link.

"Great," Anagan clapped his hands together, facing the group again, "moving on. Gantlos?"

"I'll take the music fairy." He said flatly and the pair walked off before Anagan could even authorise him to do so.

"Okay but I'm expecting a fully choreographed fight with a musical number by the end of the day!" He called after them.

"You're not funny." Gantlos said.

Anagan scoffed but turned to the youngest of the group. He was about to offer to train the little fairy, but when her eyes met his, all he saw was fear.

"Roxy. I'm sure those guys will show you some stuff," Anagan gestured to the specialists, and he saw her face relax, "and Flora you carry on with me."

Flora nodded, keen resume their typical routine. Though she would never say it, she had enjoyed the past few weeks with the wizards.

But an angry voice shattered her hopes of normality.

"Hold on, who are you to decide who my girlfriend spars with?" Helia stepped forward, squaring up to Anagan, even though his lean build looked weak in comparison to Anagan's muscular figure.

Anagan's eyes darkened as he stared him down.

"Glad you asked." His voice was low and threatening. "I'm the one who saved your girlfriend from being crushed by a burning building. I'm the one who built her up to be the fighter you saw kicking Ogron's ass up there. And she didn't get that way being told she was weak and incapable, not safe to breathe without the protection of her omnipotent boyfriend-"

"Saved her?" He shouted "You kidnapped her! You held her captive for months!"

"Helia-" Flora began, her face twisted with pain. She had never heard him so angry; it was frightening.

"Months, Flora! This is insane. Is no one else asking what the fuck is going on?!" His voice echoed around the training room and Flora felt her eyes well with tears.

"Alright, time out." Riven grabbed his friend by the shirt and pulled him away. "Helia, control yourself. And your ego!"

"Says you!" Helia shoved him away.

"Look, I'll admit it. I've done things that I've regretted all cos my ego got a bit bruised. But I'm trying my best. I'm trying to give Musa the space she needs. I'm trying to keep this group together, even though it hurts to see her every day and know that I lost her!"

Riven sighed, trying not to let his emotions surface, and he watched as Helia's mask finally cracked.

"You're right." He whispered. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's come over me recently."

"You were just stressed-"

"No, it's more than that." Helia insisted, meeting his friend's concerned gaze. "I know Flora is strong. So strong, in fact, that I'm afraid she'll wake up one day and realise she doesn't need me. And I don't think I can face that."

Riven looked down at the ground, Helia's words resonating with him.

"Listen man, I know it's hard right now. But this is about more than just us. This determines the entire fate of billions. So, I ask you; put aside your fear. The wizards aren't our enemies anymore."

"You're my best friend, man." Helia put a hand on his shoulder. "So, yeah, I'll try. But only because you asked me to."

Riven looked up and smiled at him. Because despite everything this cruel planet had thrown at them, they still had each other.

He clasped Helia's hand and pulled him into a tight hug, and Helia patted him on the back in return.

Riven stepped finding a smile on his friend's face, the first genuine smile he had seen in a long time, and it warmed his heart.

"Kid! Get over here." Riven called to the anxious girl, waiting a few paces away, and her own genuine smile spread across her face as she realised the tension had been diffused.

She stood to attention and Riven shook his head at her.

"Young one. You are facing an enemy of great might." He put on a strong voice full of bravado that made Roxy giggle. "A warrior fairy army doesn't need thousands like a human army, but no human army could stand against them."

She bit her lip, considering his words for a moment.

"Did you just quote Jasper from Twilight?" She asked and he chuckled.

"Thought it would help us get in the zone."

He then spent the next ten minutes trying to get Roxy to form a proper fist, each time insisting it didn't look right, but never being able to tell her exactly what was wrong with it.

Frustrated by his persistence, they scrapped that idea and moved on to kicks instead.

Thankfully she took to those a lot quicker.

After some demonstrations from Helia, the punching bag the wizards had hung in the corner soon became the recipient of her roundhouses.

Riven taught her how to keep a balanced stance, adjusting the angle of her arms and the positioning of her feet, and offering compliments when she got it right.

"Badass, kid." He nodded to her after she kicked the punching bag with such force, that it had slammed into Helia, who had been distractedly watching Flora spar with Anagan.

Roxy beamed up at him, pleased with her progress.

"Hey, Riv," Helia said, looking over to the other end of the room, "do you notice something off with them?"

Riven turned to look where Helia was facing.

"Who? Stella and Duman?" He saw the pair, fighting together, and remembered their interaction in the ice prison. He had been meaning to tease little miss sunshine a bit more about that and find out exactly what was going between them but-

"No," Helia's voice broke his train of thought, "Musa and Gantlos."

His eyes immediately snapped over to them and what he saw made his blood boil.

"Oh no, not this time." He spat, his hands clenching into fists.

And Roxy was left watching him stalk away, eyes blazing .

~

"Come on, princess. Focus."

Stella's body ricocheted across the ring as she was flung down for the millionth time by her unrelenting partner.

Though Duman was formidable, Stella knew she was still partially responsible, for her repeated failings. She couldn't shake the thoughts of her father's delayed reply from her mind.

The anxiety it gave her felt all consuming. At least if he could send a reply to let her know that he wouldn't be replying, she could at least let it all go, even though it would devastate her.

But this. This was worse than the rejection. It was just eerie radio silence, that kept her permanently on edge.

"You're too in your head," Duman pulled her up. "Fight me. I promise you won't win."

He smiled at her cheekily, cocking his head to the side, and Stella nodded, trying to shove the invasive thoughts from her mind.

She readied herself, jogging a bit on the spot, before running at him and sent a kick flying for his side.

She thought she had him, but at the last second Duman spun with incredible agility and caught her shin in midair.

Stella winced pre-emptively, and saw Duman grin at her, before she was flung into the ground again.

Her vision blurred and she lay there, utterly defeated.

"Stella?" She heard his voice above her and rubbed the tears from her eyes as she rolled to face him.

Duman wasn't smirking at her like she had expected. In fact, he seemed concerned, like he wanted to ask what was wrong, but simultaneously didn't want to seem too friendly.

He must also be wary of Riven's discerning glances.

She brushed herself off and stood up but stumbled forward, her head swimming from the impact.

Duman caught her by the waist, steadying her, and held her for a moment. His eyes were still searching her intensely and it made Stella shiver.

"I- I'm going to take a break." She whispered and Duman nodded, letting go.

Bloom sat by herself against the wall, evidently exhausted from her fight with Ogron, and Stella swiped her flask from the edge of the ring and made her way over to her best friend.

"Bloom. You look like shit." She said bluntly, reaching behind her until her back cracked satisfyingly.

"Thanks, Stel. I feel like shit too." Bloom groaned as she rolled her shoulder, a grim expression on her face.

"Sorry, I'm just stressed." Stella said flatly, swigging water from her flask.

She noticed the bruises that were already starting to form up and down Bloom's arms from the repeated occasions where she was flung ruthlessly to floor as well as the countless grazes and friction burns along her legs.

"Bloom you really do look like shit, what did Ogron do to you?" She said worriedly.

A dark expression fell over Bloom's face.

"His worst." She muttered. "I don't trust him, Stel. Any of them."

"I-" Stella cut herself off.

Strangely enough, she did trust Duman. He could have left her to rot in that ice prison, but he came as soon as she had called. He was worried for her and her friends. He had looked out for her.

"But this is our best shot," Bloom continued, "so I just gotta stick it out and hope that they won't betray us."

"He won't." She said hurriedly.

"Who?" Bloom turned to look at her quizzically.

"They won't. I said they won't." Stella corrected, her face flushing.

"Right..." Bloom sounded unconvinced.

"You need some of Flora's healing tea pronto." Stella quickly changed the subject, hoisting her best friend up next to her.

But before she could lead Bloom over to the steaming teapot on the table, the crunch of fist against bone drew her attention to two people who definitely weren't sparring together.

She rolled her eyes as she watched Riven hold his bleeding nose and Gantlos stand breathlessly above him.

"Oh, for fucks sake, it's been less than a day."

~

"So, first Musa wouldn't fight you. Now you won't fight her? How the hell is she meant to train against an army of earth fairies if you won't fucking attack her?" Riven yelled storming over to the pair.

He'd seen this play out before, in the plaza at the Gardenia mall, and he was not about to let it happen again.

"Riven, chill out." Musa turned to him, although in the back of her mind she knew he was right.

Gantlos was taking it easy on her. Compared to Bloom and Ogron at least- but she wasn't sure why.

"No, this is ridiculous! You could die Musa!" He shouted, his arms flailing dramatically.

"Riven, you know I can fight." She retorted but kept her voice calm.

"Yes, but you nearly did die, Musa! In that car park!"

"Did it never cross your mind that there was another reason for that?" She muttered exasperatedly.

"No because you never tell me anything!"

"I don't have to tell you anything."

"Oh, cut the crap, Musa!" Riven exploded. "What's going on?!"

Musa winced at his harsh tone. She could feel her heartbeat pulsing in her ears and his volume only made her discomfort worsen.

She still hadn't told anyone about her and Gantlos' connection. About how she nearly blew herself apart in that car park. About how she was so afraid she would hurt her friends if she lost control again.

She had told Riven one thing, however: if I lose control again, kill me.

He of all people should be able to figure it out. But he was too arrogant to look past first appearances.

"Lower your voice." She said to him, barely above a whisper.

Musa felt someone's hands on her shoulder and instantly, the noise dimmed, and she felt she could breathe again.

"Get off her." Riven glared at the quiet man behind her.

What angered him wasn't the contact, but the way he looked at her. Riven could recognise it anywhere.

Because it was the same way he looked at her.

"You should go." Gantlos' gruff voice said as he stepped out to shield Musa from his interrogation. "Let Musa train."

"You know what," Riven's eyes burned with anger. "That hat is really starting to piss me off."

He brought his arm off and flicked it off Gantlos' head. Gantlos didn't flinch, he didn't look angry, he just stood as still as stone, watching Riven intensely.

"Much better," Riven goaded. "Those dark circles under your eyes are even more visible."

"Aren't you mature?" Gantlos said sarcastically, still unprovoked despite Riven's best attempts.

"What's wrong? Don't sleep much? Haunted by the nightmares of me beating your ass."

"I seem to remember last time; I was the one who walked away." Gantlos raised an eyebrow. "You crawled."

Riven seethed, clenching his fists even tighter and grinding his teeth.

"Let me leave you with different memory then. You and me. In the ring."

He made his over to the empty ring and Gantlos rolled his eyes before following.

"Riven..." Musa warned.

"Relax, Musa. We're just letting off steam. Right, bud?" He sneered at Gantlos who didn't deign to respond.

"Moron." Musa muttered under her breath as they put their fists up.

"No wonder, she broke up with you," Gantlos called. "You act like a child."

Riven cracked his knuckles and his nostrils flared as he stared his opponent down.

"The fuck did you just say to me?" He shouted.

"Your ego is so inflated; I can't help but wonder if you're compensating for something?" Gantlos almost managed a smirk before Riven came barrelling into him.

They crashed to the ground but Riven still swung for his face. Gantlos dodged, Riven's fist smashing into the floor, and kicked him away.

Riven rolled backwards, spluttering as the air was knocked out of him. But his rage outweighed his pain, and he jumped up and charged again.

This time his fist connected with Gantlos' jaw. Gantlos fell against the ropes which sagged under his weight.

In an instant, Riven was there, grabbing him by the shirt and punching him over and over.

"You can eyefuck Musa all you want, but she will never be yours." He hissed, his knuckles red with the power of his punch.

The words caused any rationality left in Gantlos to dissipate.

He ducked under Riven's ensuing fist and grabbed him around the waist, flinging him to the ground.

Riven cried out as his head slammed against the floor, but Gantlos didn't give him a second to recover. He drew his arm back, his hand closing into a tight fist, and smashed it into Riven's face.

The crunch was audible. And it made Musa shiver.

"She isn't your either." Gantlos growled. "So, keep her name out of your fucking mouth!"

Blood spilled over Riven's face. His eyelids fluttered as tried to stay conscious. His body surrendered, clearly having had enough.

But Gantlos wasn't ready to let him off.

He slammed another fist into his face, staining his own hand red and Riven cried out in pain.

Gantlos drew his fist back, ready to collide with that infuriating face again, when suddenly two sets of arms grabbed him and yanked him back.

"Gantlos!" He heard Anagan yell as he heaved him off the bleeding man.

"Cool it." Duman said simultaneously.

Gantlos panted heavily, as even two grown men struggled to keep him from caving that idiot's face in.

Riven stirred as Helia helped him up, pinching the bridge of his nose to try to supress the profuse bleeding.

"What happened to all that waffle about shrinking your ego?" Helia scolded jokingly, although his face was still painted with worry.

"Here, let me." Bloom's voice said as she knelt beside him and begin healing Riven.

Gantlos finally shook his brothers off, standing up and vanishing out of the training room in a cloud of black smoke.

Musa looked around hurriedly before storming out herself.

~

Above the city, the sky was dotted with thousands of stars. The moon, full and glorious, cast a ghostly glow over Musa as she walked through the flower garden in Gardenia Park. The nighttime air was fresh on her face and she could sense Gantlos was close by.

She wanted to find him, tell him off, make sure he was okay. Make sure he knew she had already forgiven him for lowering himself to Riven's level.

A white chrysanthemum caught her eye and she couldn't help but pick it, despite Flora's scolding voice in her head, telling her not to.

It was her mother's favourite flower.

The garden stretched into a cemetery, rows upon rows of stone graves lined up.

She found it rather dehumanising. That a life could be summed to a degraded rock.

She continued to wander and when she felt the swell of the city, its infernal humming, calm; she knew she had found him.

But what she saw was not the man filled with fire from the ring.

She saw a tired, broken man. The same she had met that day in the car park.

His eyes looked dead, as they always did, and he was so still that, for a moment, she thought he might be.

But the small thudding of his heart comforted her as she approached.

"You come here often?" Musa asked gently.

He looked over at her from his position sprawled out on the grass, light from the streetlamps reflecting off his unfocused eyes.

"Every night." Gantlos replied, blasé as he tipped back his bottle again, yet the chilled evening breeze seemed to wash away the pungent smell of alcohol.

The old gravestone in front of him stood defiantly, though chipped and covered in moss, a now almost illegible name carved into its centre.

Musa shivered as she read the inscription: Here Lies William Blackthorn 1883-1912. A nobleman once met, never forgotten.

"Every night." Gantlos murmured, his jaw pulling to the side as he spoke, before swigging the near empty bottle once more.

"Who was he?" Musa whispered, kneeling to place the white chrysanthemum she had been holding close to her chest atop it, never breaking eye contact with him as she did.

Gantlos spoke after a moment, breaking the tense silence.

"My father."

Her eyes snapped to him, but his remained plastered on the gravestone, as if rereading the lines over and over again.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He held the bottle to his lips again and tipped his head back.

Musa paused, studying the distaste on his face as he spoke. She knew there was more to be said, but Gantlos would never say it.

Even the song in his heart revealed no secrets to her.

Even so, she felt her heart break for him. 1912 was over a century ago, meaning Gantlos must have been young when it happened. She knew what that was like.

"I lost someone too." She sighed. Gantlos sat up, looking at her with curiosity. "My mother. She was an amazing musician. She and my father used to put on concerts together. But one night, she didn't make it to the applause."

"Musa..." He whispered, his pupils dilating from the alcohol- she assumed.

"It ruined my dad," Musa continued. "He refused to let me pursue music just in case I met the same fate as her. But Riven convinced him otherwise. I owe him for that."

Gantlos' expression turned grim at the mention of his name.

"Do you still love him?" He asked.

Musa stared at him blankly for a moment, his voice sounding strained as if her answer carried so much weight.

And in his eyes was an unspoken plea. And an unspoken longing.

"No." She smiled. "And I haven't for a while. We weren't made for each other."

Gantlos lay back on the dewy grass, and a breath escaped his lips that could have been mistaken for a sigh of relief. He swigged the last of his drink and tilted his head to look at her.

"Who were you made for then?" His gaze softened as she lay next to him, gazing up at the starry sky.

"Well, once answer could be the people of my home planet, Melody. I'm their guardian fairy after all."

"You know that's not what I meant."

Musa heard the smile in his voice and rolled to face him, the soft blades of grass tickling her cheek.

"I don't know, Gantlos," She said teasingly "who were you made for?"

The smile remained, though his eyes looked sadder now.

"When Ogron found me, I was completely mute. So, he gave me a name from his home. Told me it meant song. And it just felt right."

"Like it was made for you." Musa finished for him, and his eyes softened.

"I thought it was," He corrected, "because Ogron was going to help me get my voice back. But now..."

He trailed off, sitting up, and she copied, looking at him intently, as if she knew somehow what he would say.

He gathered her hands in his, looking at her, and for the first time, Musa thought she saw his eyes spark with life.

"I think it was made for you. I am made for you, Musa."

His words sounded like poetry to her. An exulted breath her lips as the gravity of his words sunk in.

He was her quiet. Her peace. And her love.

"And I for you." She whispered and he leant in, their lips brushing gently.

But Musa didn't want gentle. She didn't want him to hold back.

She fisted his hair and forced him against her mouth, holding him there, kissing him aggressively.

He responded to her passion with his own.

She felt his hand slip to her lower back, pulling her closer. She tasted the liquor on his tongue, sweet but strong. Just like their kiss.

She felt his hands run through her hair as he pushed his tongue into her mouth, holding her head to keep her mouth with his and she felt her stomach flutter at the electricity.

He kissed her as if he had been holding back since the moment, he laid eyes on her in that car park. As if he was frustrated that couldn't tell her how beautiful she looked under the stars. As if it was the only way he could let her know how much she meant to him.

"We're in a graveyard," Musa pulled back, laughing against his lips, "we can't kiss in front of your father's-"

"Shut up." He said, kissing her again, breathing her in, grabbing her hips and hoisting her closer.

He pulled away every so often just to feel her sink towards him. Because in that moment, he felt the hole, ripped out by his childhood, be filled by her warmth, her presence, her love.

"I love you, Gantlos." Musa whispered breathlessly, pulling away to look at his beautiful face.

"I-" he began, but the words didn't come out and he watched her face fall.

He wanted to say it. More than anything. But perhaps that hole was too large to fill after all.

"It's okay, you don't have to say it back." She assured him.

But Gantlos could sense her heartbeat. He knew that she was lying. And he hated himself for it.

"I'm sorry, Musa." He looked down, his guilt keeping him from meeting her eyes.

"Stop it." Musa chuckled and playfully pulled his hat over his eyes. "You're my Romeo, remember?"

He looked up at her and laughed. "And you're my Juliet."

Musa froze, the sound resonating in her ears. His laugh. The most beautiful thing she'd ever heard.

"What?" He asked, caressing her cheek with his thumb.

She leant her face into his palm and smiled.

"I've never heard you laugh before..."

He sniffed in amusement. "Me neither."

"It's beautiful." Musa whispered, still savouring the sound.

He paused looking at the fairy who had captured his heart.

"You're beautiful."