I hadn't thought about how it might affect Medein to set foot on that island again, watching as his body grew tenser with each step he took after departing the boat for shore. It almost hurt to watch the distaste spread across his face, as his lips had already lost his gentle smile to a scowl long before we had even left the docks of the now distant town.

I was growing worried about how this return, no matter how temporary, could cause him more harm than if I had never taken him from his home in the first place. Should I have refused to bring him back? Would it have been so bad to just tell him to forget whatever he needed to grab from here? To offer to replace whatever it was he came back for? After all, nothing this island held could be worth more than his happiness.

I had come to a similar realization myself just recently when I had finally realized I was no longer coming to meet Medein in hopes of getting back my book, but rather simply because I was enjoying the time I spent with him. I no longer fretted over whether or not he would ever return my journal, not caring if he even had it anymore or not.

I had even gotten around to replacing it with a new journal, filled with the things I had discovered about and because of the young man I had met. It was full of thoughts about how he had gotten stuck on the island, the words I had taught him and that he had taught me, of descriptions and drawings of the hidden places of the island like the small clearing where he had fed me that first meal of fish and even part of the pathway that was lined with broken statues.

The new journal had slowly become filled with things that had come to mean so much more to me than the previous one had, brighter and happier thoughts and events from these past several weeks, until I had realized that I was finally healing from the wounds that were not visible from the surface.

But now I worried about the invisible wounds that returning to this place might be causing the man who had helped me heal from my own. And I cursed when I noticed the pain in his eyes appear and grow as we traveled further inland, the forest seeming darker and more oppressive with every step we took. The once sheltering branches of the trees suddenly appeared to loom over us, as if reaching out to capture us within their grasp.

I almost let out a scream when I felt a hand on my shoulder, jumping in place before realizing it was Medein when I saw his worried face come into focus in front of me. Pulling me against his chest, I could barely hear anything over the pounding of his heart, his hand stroking my hair slowly as he spoke gently to me as if afraid that I would run off if he was any louder.

It might be silly, but he made me feel safe in his arms. If only it could be so easy to help him feel better while we were on this island.

~~~~~~~~

Medein held his beloved gently, wishing he could banish whatever thoughts brought those dark looks to her eyes. If only it was as simple as turning them to stone and crushing them, but how do you turn a thought to stone? Instead, all he could do was offer whatever comfort she gained from his hand running through her hair, his voice whispering to her as he oh so carefully held her in his arms.

If only he could protect her from her own thoughts as easily as he could protect her from those who would fling cruel words at her behind her back. Even if he'd had to wait for her to busy herself with packing for the trip back here to the island before slipping away and hunting each of the foolish humans down. He'd enjoyed crushing their stone bodies under his raging fists after he'd led each of the poison-tongued snakes away from the crowds they hid in.

It had been simple once he'd removed the bracelet after he'd ensured the quiet solitude of the alley's they had followed him into, the women hoping to seduce him while the men had been hoping to beat him and leave him bruised and battered in the alleyway.

He'd thus been able to test a few of his theories about the bracelet and its effect on his gaze, but he still had a few he was unable to test, unwilling to endanger his (y/n) just to gain his answers. Nevertheless, he was sure that somehow the results would be different if he removed the bracelet around her.

Because he was still sure that somehow (y/n) was at the center of it all. Just as sure as he was about his desire to spend forever at her side, taking each day as a chance to prove again and again to her just how much he loved her, to shower her with the secret treasures of the world. He wanted to gift her with things previously enjoyed only by the gods, priceless wonders that in his eyes still paled in comparison to even just one of (y/n)'s smiles.

He would do anything to be able to see those smiles grace her lips for centuries to come. And he would protect her happiness with everything he was, even if it meant he would have to turn the rest of the world to stone one fool at a time, be they a man or a god. For even the gods themselves would not be safe from his wrath if they tried to bring her harm.

And the same would go for those who tried to take her from him.

--------

The unease within his eyes was thankfully hidden from her view as he saw the entrance to his home, broken statues filling the area, a reminder of how many times he had grown bored enough with his prey to allow them to wander so close to his dwelling. Not that any of them had gotten past the threshold to enter inside. He wouldn't allow such filth to dirty his home, even if he'd hated the island with a passion.

But now, he worried that instead, it would be his home that dirtied (y/n). How could he not feel so, knowing that the greatest strength of the curse lay within his cavern home, the place he had spent so many centuries cursing the gods and goddesses who had abandoned him here? Where he had howled in pain as he realized how he'd been betrayed, left to rot for eternity, even more alone than he'd been before Percia had lured him from the small temple he'd called home.

Even though he knew he had to go within to gather what he could from his home, he worried that she might see it and be disgusted by how he'd lived before she'd come. He worried she would start to see him as Percia had, even though in his heart he knew she would not abandon him like the other had.

And he cursed the gods for the doubt that he was sure they had planted inside his mind, ignoring the flare of heat from the bracelet.