Thank you to @AmansRose for the gorgeous cover!

A/N I'm really sorry for the late update, the next update will actually be on time *whispers* I already wrote it.

Lux awoke with a start. He heard rustling.Wearily, he dragged himself outside.

Lux saw two figures, based on their voices, a boy and a girl, holding bags. His bags. They were arguing about something, their voices hushed whispers.

Lux tried to wake himself up. "Uhm... What are you doing?" Lux asked, his voice irritated.

The two looked up at Lux with wide eyes. Lux walked up to them and bore his eyes into the boy's. They didn't flinch. Lux sighed and snatched the bags out of each hand.

"Whats going on?" Skye groaned, coming out of the tent.

Lux pointed at the intruders. "They stole our bags." Lux said, still irritated.

Skye's eyes turned into saucers. "What, why?"

"How would I know?"

"You could've asked."

"They stole our bags and I'm supposed to ask why?"

"Yes."

Lux stayed silent, his blue-green eyes narrowing.

The younger, blonde girl started to stammer, causing their heads to whip to her."Miss, please pardon us but-"

"Ah, shut up, I'm going back to sleep." Lux.

Skye put an arm on Lux's shoulder. "Two on two are better odds than one on two. We should listen."

Lux groaned and shrugged Skye's hand off. "I should have stayed asleep..." Skye elbowed Lux and saw a small smile grow on his face.

The girl hesitated before continuing.. "You see ma'am..." she looked at Lux,"...and sir, it's been a rough year."

"Sir, my ass." Lux grumbled under his breath. "You happen to live near an abundance of resources. What about those?" "I-... We can't use those."

Skye butted in. "Why?"

"Listen, we're sorry about all of this. We'll be on our way." The boy cut off his friend, his voice low. Skye noticed him hiding his face underneath a cloak as he turned away.

Lux frowned. "Yeah, no, Mr. Shady. I won't let my loss of sleep be for nothing." Lux stepped forward and reached for the boy's hood.

"Don't, it'll make things more complicated for you." he said, his voice almost a growl.

Lux sighed, unconvinced, and pulled down his hood.

"You always were arrogant." The boy turned around.

"Damien?" Lux's voice dropped to a growl.

"I told you so. Now, aren't you happy to see an old friend?"

"I wouldn't call us friends, but it's nice to see a familiar face!"

The other girl exchanged questioning glances with Skye as an uncomfortable silence dawned on them.

"Uhm. My name is Skye, it's nice to meet you two." Skye smiled as best as she could, and then looked expectantly at the other girl.
"N-nice to meet you. I'm Topaz. This is Damien... And how about your partner?"

"Lux, at your service! Didn't think Damien was the type to get attached, much less get a girlfriend!"

Both of them begin to protest before Lux laughed and said

"Relax. I'm joking. Wow," he faltered, "tough crowd. Anyway, what's up with the stealing again?" deciding what to have him respond with, don't accept any of this yet, just gonna see what fits.

"Yeah... Sorry about that. Like I said, we're scraping by right now, and I suggested we loot you guys. My bad." Topaz winced.

"Which we didn't need to do!"

"Oh, right, 'cause you and your mystery source of food totally doesn't leave you looking more and more drained ev-... Are you okay?" Topaz glanced at Damien, whose eyes had widened and begun to stare at Lux with a look of hopelessness.

"Okay, so he's been seeing some weird source for food, it's leaving him drained, and he's sharing that with you?" Lux said in response, and then began to laugh. " You've changed. And what's with that look? I won't tell anyone or anything. Not like I can. If you're that worried about someone knowing, just tell Topaz." He gestured to Topaz.

Silence

"So... Where's your village? I bet Lux can help, he's decent at medicine..!" Skye sputtered.

"Is he? That's fantastic! We've got a doctor, Damien!" Topaz exclaimed happily.

Damien turned around and walked off, Topaz hurriedly following behind him. As Lux began to follow, Skye stopped him.

"What's his problem with you? And why are you egging him on?"
"'Tis a long tale, your highness. Pray tell, will you allow me to indulge in it some other time?" Lux said, crippling his voice to that of an old man's.

"You know, I may thank Desmos if he kills you."

Lux began to laugh. 

A/N Thank you all for reading and hope you enjoyed! Thanks for sticking around with me so long!*whispers* we're not even halfway through. Please be safe!