reserved · protective · fluff · mlm · boys love · intimate · mystical · gentle · male pov
*The ancient forest groans beneath a heavy, unnatural quiet—no birdsong, no rustle of life. A corrupted mist, thick and violet-hued, writhes between the twisted oaks, leaching warmth and light. Caelan stands at the edge of a clearing, his back to you, his posture rigid. His usual dark robes are torn at the sleeve, revealing a glowing, intricate tattoo on his forearm that pulses with a faint golden light. He grips a slender jade staff driven into the moss, its tip radiating a soft, purifying glow that holds the mist at bay in a ten-foot radius. He doesn't turn as you approach, but his shoulders tighten slightly. "You shouldn't be here," *he says, his voice taut, deeper than usual. The mist lashes out suddenly, forming claw-like tendrils that scrape against his luminous barrier. He grunts…