4/29/2026, 11:32 PM
Whatever the severity of his shoulder injuries, Alder's heart now hammered so thunderously in his chest the wolf felt increasingly concerned he was about to suffer an actual medical event. Cruel irony that it was the doctor herself who would inflict such an ailment upon her patient! As the long pauses between them grew longer still, it felt more and more like the pair were engaged in some strange kind of dance only their minds could perceive.
Did she? Didn't she? Alder was by now quite certain regarding how he felt, but did she still see him as only a close friend? She was always so happy with everyone, even strangers, he thought...
... But the sunstone around his neck caught the last of the fading light, and a sudden warmth dared to bloom within his chest as Solvi slowly began to approach.
'A day.'
He froze; his ears were ringing. Did he need to lie down or vomit?
'A week;'
Fuck.
'a month.'
How flippantly she seemed to discard her words as she drew closer, scattering them all around like petals as the ringing in his ears had reached a crescendo.
Solvi's final statement hung in the air.
Alder looked as if he'd been struck down.
The dam broke.
From the moment they'd met, he had always associated her with the sun. Warm and golden and bright, lighting up the world around her with her sweet innocence and cheerful disposition, Solvi had been the very opposite of Alder - and like a moth drawn to a flame he had forever after felt an increasingly desperate need to be around her, to bask in the light she shed.
The sky that day had stretched wide above them as a living canvas awash in brilliant, shifting hues, each color bleeding gloriously into the next - a rainbow as immense and endless as the love he held in his heart for her.
And he couldn't stop now if he tried.
She was there. She was right there. Her scent was intoxicating; her eyes limpid pools of forest green. What the hell was he even thinking?
Things usually turned out better when he didn't.
Alder swallowed nervously, leaned forward, and pressed his nose to hers as he closed his eyes and breathed a silent prayer. Moments passed and Solvi probably thought he'd either gotten stuck like that or passed out standing - but then he spoke in a very small voice, so soft she almost had to hold her breath to hear it.
Viscaria's corpse flashed across his mind and he struggled to shut it out.
Alder's throat constricted and he barely managed to get the next words out as he very shyly and very abruptly buried his face in her neck. He couldn't bear to look at her expression for fear of what he might see.
Did she? Didn't she? Alder was by now quite certain regarding how he felt, but did she still see him as only a close friend? She was always so happy with everyone, even strangers, he thought...
... But the sunstone around his neck caught the last of the fading light, and a sudden warmth dared to bloom within his chest as Solvi slowly began to approach.
'A day.'
He froze; his ears were ringing. Did he need to lie down or vomit?
'A week;'
Fuck.
'a month.'
How flippantly she seemed to discard her words as she drew closer, scattering them all around like petals as the ringing in his ears had reached a crescendo.
Solvi's final statement hung in the air.
Alder looked as if he'd been struck down.
Forever,he blurted out.
The dam broke.
From the moment they'd met, he had always associated her with the sun. Warm and golden and bright, lighting up the world around her with her sweet innocence and cheerful disposition, Solvi had been the very opposite of Alder - and like a moth drawn to a flame he had forever after felt an increasingly desperate need to be around her, to bask in the light she shed.
The sky that day had stretched wide above them as a living canvas awash in brilliant, shifting hues, each color bleeding gloriously into the next - a rainbow as immense and endless as the love he held in his heart for her.
And he couldn't stop now if he tried.
I mean, if you're okay with forever. Although there's still Northfall and you're part of Dawnbreak, but I guess I could ask to leave or maybe they'd let me visit, or we could just figure it out as we go,he babbled, panic rising as the words spilled out in a torrent.
Figure it out like, I mean, if you think, if we're - if -
She was there. She was right there. Her scent was intoxicating; her eyes limpid pools of forest green. What the hell was he even thinking?
Things usually turned out better when he didn't.
Alder swallowed nervously, leaned forward, and pressed his nose to hers as he closed his eyes and breathed a silent prayer. Moments passed and Solvi probably thought he'd either gotten stuck like that or passed out standing - but then he spoke in a very small voice, so soft she almost had to hold her breath to hear it.
I love you, Solvi,he rasped, voice cracking beneath the pressure he felt welling up inside.
When you were gone, I was terrified - fuck, I still am. I almost lost you once already,he continued, chest tightening,
All my life I’ve fought to keep my distance, to feel less, to never let anyone matter this much, because they either end up leaving me or they die, and there's nothing I can do to prevent it!
Viscaria's corpse flashed across his mind and he struggled to shut it out.
But I don't care about - about not caring, Solvi! I don't care anymore, and I'm ready to spend eternity suffering for it if it means just one moment longer with you.
Alder's throat constricted and he barely managed to get the next words out as he very shyly and very abruptly buried his face in her neck. He couldn't bear to look at her expression for fear of what he might see.
Please; let me stay forever in your sunlight.
![[Image: UWkba3H.png]](https://i.imgur.com/UWkba3H.png)
- Alder is not actually Inuyasha, despite the evidence
