elysius-taos

[elysius-taos]

Iksha | Asric Winters

Asric winters had always been colder than most. The flame posts that guarded the streets burned out faster, and the light of the flaes were dimmer. 

Iksha had never been fond of winter to begin with, but the fact that it took away their warmth had simply made them despise the season more than most. It was a known fact that Asrics hated the colder seasons. People would stay in their homes, huddled by their burning fires, coddled in warm clothes next to their loved ones. 

The thought itself was enough to warm Iksha’s heart. There wasn’t much behind it besides it being a nice concept to dream about, but Iksha did so nonetheless. 

They were seated by a fire, a small one that they tended to ever so often with their hands, feeding the dying flames whenever they felt the need to. Iksha was alone. They didn’t mind it, it had been something they’d gotten used to over the years. Ever since the Dawn Harvest, and ever since Ishaan had left… Well, Helven wasn’t a long way away. Rather the opposite, it was simply a few days journey through the roads. And if Iksha was to borrow their father’s vehicle, then—they stopped themselves. 

Stepping on the idea before it could grow too tall. 

It was impossible. Borrow father’s car? Iksha couldn’t even entertain the idea of leaving their home without their parents' anxiety pulling them right back to the safety of their living room. 

Besides, Iksha didn’t think Ishaan would appreciate the sentiment. He enjoyed being far from the family, Iksha knew it as much as their parents did. Mother had come to terms with it, although Father had taken a while longer. But the notion had been decided: Ishaan had chosen his path, and the rest of them were to simply come to terms with it. 

The wind starts to beat harder, cold bitter wind bruising the window that Iksha sat under. Begrudgingly they stood up, their hands warming up as they began to concentrate on the small flame in the middle of the room. 

They imagined it growing taller, growing hotter, burning as bright as any flame ever could. It was growing tiring having to get up and tend to it. Iksha didn’t understand why it was their job, Father was just as capable if he used a fan. 

Iksha clenches their fists, closing their palms as they feel annoyance beginning to settle into their mind; no, no, that wasn’t allowed. They couldn’t afford to let their emotions control their fires. 

But their hands were still warm when Iksha closed their eyes, and they knew the fire had begun to burn a darker blue. 

“…Iksha?”

Iksha takes a soft breath, holding the air in their chest as they pressed dull fingernails into the palm of their hand. They tried, they tried hard, controlling an element as dangerous as Ignis wasn’t easy, and sometimes Iksha hated that something so powerful had been something they’d been gifted control over. Belatedly, they come to realize that the room had begun to smell of smoke. 

“Iksha—”

None of this would have happened if Ishaan had still been here, if their brother had stayed in Asrasya, if he hadn’t left them. If he hadn’t left their family behind—left Iksha behind—then maybe… then they could have… 

“Iksha stop!”

Iksha feels a cold hand pull at their shoulders, rain seeming to numb their veins as they fall on their back. Ishaan faces an open palm at the bright blue flame, the darkest Iksha has ever let it grow, and soon enough jets of cool water douse the fire. The room is filled with smoke and it’s later that Iksha realizes that their lungs had begun to burn from the smell. 

Iksha stares at their brother's back, gasping for air as they slowly come to their senses. Maho had always taken more from them than they’d liked to admit. Ishaan turns around, his face giving way to anxiety the moment his gaze falls on his sibling. “Iksha I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to push you—I—are you alright?”

They’re quickly pulled to their feet, and Ishaan's peppering them with worried questions but all Iksha can think about is their brother being home. Softly they pull Ishaan's hands away, enveloping him in a hug, “You’re back, you’re home.”

Ishaan hesitates, his actions stuttering to a pause at the intimacy, gingerly he returns the hug, albeit awkwardly. “Y-Yeah… I am…”

Iksha doesn’t question the wavering in his voice, doesn’t question why he hadn’t told them of his return, of why he’d come back so early. They would find out soon enough, it had been, after all, the last time they would ever see their brother for a long, long, time.

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