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This was pretty fucked up right here, actually. Six months ago, Stan Marsh went missing patrolling outside of the Elvish Kingdom. Six weeks ago, the King of fiery hair was staring to lose hope in finding his Ranger, dead or alive. Six nights ago, his prayers to the Gods were answered in the worst way possible, as a body was dropped off in the snow, about ten feet from the gates. Kyle saw, and at the top of his lungs, Kyle screamed.
Stan was almost unrecognizable, but without a doubt, Kyle knew it was his dearest Marshwalker. His hair was a mess, matted in blood, crimson oozing from multiple wounds, mutilated like an animal for slaughter, and it made Kyle's stomach turn. He was racing to Stan's side, heartbeat muffling anything his men were saying, as his mind raced and took in the damages. Some of Stan's fingernails were removed, seemingly ripped from flesh, and his entire left leg? Gone, clean cut off. The only sign of life was a faint heartbeat, and a quivering attempt of inhales and exhales from Stan's lacerated chest. Crimson painted the snow below, and Kyle had to collect himself from his choking sobs and anguished yells, curses at the Gods, "What have you done to him?!".
Stan was a broken man, and all the kings men couldn't put Stanley together again. Stan was comatose for days, and Kyle remained vigilant, by his side. He wanted to know who, he wanted to know why. Tolkien did his best to try and heal Stan's wounds, even going as far as to asking the Wizard for enchanted gloves to protect the Ranger's damaged finger tips from infection. Stan lost so much blood, and even now, despite every wound being closed, the man looked half-dead. It sickened Kyle to see Stan in such a way. Kyle focused his attention on Stan's rugged, gently rubbing Stan's hard working chest, careful of the stitching.
Stan woke up with a pained moan, squeezing his eyes shut and immediately breaking into sobs. "My dearest", Kyle breathed out, carefully backing up if Stan lashed out. He didn't. Instead, the raven immediately turned the other way, vomiting and shaking violently with each hurl. Kyle teared up more, heart absolutely ACHING for the other. Once he knew who did this to his dear Stan, there would be absolute HELL to pay, but for now. "My brave one... You're home now", he explained as Stan's painful waves of vomit slowed. Stan immediately reached up and gripped his shoulder, most likely mangled from a failed escape attempt. "Oh, Stanley...".
Sapphires weakly cracked open for the first time in days, a rattling moan escaping his lips before he slowly turned to the Elf beside him. "Melmë...?".
"It's me", Kyle nodded, gently touching Stan's arm, "It's me, my love". His expression went from a soft, warm smile, to something dark, protective, and vengeful. "Now... Take your time, Stan... My poor husband... But I need to know who or what did this to you... Alright?".
"...Alright...", exhaled Stan. It may have been a while, but Stan knew better than anyone not to hide anything from his husband, nor to argue with Kyle.
"How are you feeling?", Kyle asked, gently brushing Stan's bangs from his face.
"...Disgusting...", said Stan, "...Kyle... was I... followed?".
"...Not to my knowledge, no", Kyle said gently, moving to try and get Stan to lay back down, but the Ranger wasn't having it, "Stan, you need to rest".
"I don't want to lie down", whispered Stan behind a threatened gag, "My head hurts... My everything hurts...".
"I can imagine", Kyle said, tearfully, gently lifting Stan's hand to his lips and placing a gentle kiss over his knuckles. "Would you like for me to help you clean up a bit?".
"That... would be nice", whispered Stan with a rasp, trying to steady his breathing, failing miserably.
* * *
Deeming it too soon and risky to set Stan in a tub, Kyle settled for a gentle sponge bath, gently helping Stan to a chair and gently wiping him down. He didn't expect Stan to speak so soon. "Ambush", explained the ranger, "There's... a village between here and the Dark Lands... I thought it was abandoned. I saw... this deer in this trap. It was just a baby. And... when I undid the trap...". He trailed off, staring at the walls ahead of him.
Kyle gently started wetting Stan's hair, "Shh... take it easy, love", he said soothingly.
"I... They... They k-". Stan was shaking again, eyes squeezed shut.
They killed it, Kyle concluded. Stan didn't need to say anything. "Enemies of ours? Orcs?".
"Humans", Stan said faintly, "And... they eat other humans".
"What?", Kyle stopped what he was doing, pausing to take in what was said.
"Humans", Stan repeated, "Um... They...". He trailed off again, eyes tearful. "I'm sorry", he whispered again.
Kyle shook his head, drawing his own conclusions. "How did you get out?", Kyle asked softly.
"I... twisted my arm", he muttered, motioning to his mangled shoulder, "Into a position that I was able to wiggle out of the chains". He bit his lip, "It hurts...".
"I know, my love", Kyle said, hurting for his husband.
Stan started to cry softly, "What if... I can't perform my duties anymore...?".
"Hey, stop", Kyle said quickly, "Listen to me... You focus on healing, and let our men handle that hell hole", he stopped, moving in front of Stan and gently cupping his face, "I'm sure Princess Kenny would be more than happy to jump in and assist... You need to heal", he said softly, "I've seen people lose limbs and still bounce back, my dearest. I'm sure we can come up with something. I will not allow you to sit here and make yourself feel worthless, because you aren't". Kyle gently touched foreheads with the other, "I promise you aren't".
Stan sniffled and smiled faintly, "You always know what to say, my love", he whispered, "You are light itself... You shine so bright, sometimes, I must simply look away, so I'm not blinded by your brilliance".
"In the words of the wizard, that's gay", Kyle joked.
Stan whined, "Fuck you, I was having a moment". The raven pouted. Kyle smirked, placing a gentle kiss on his head.
"That's what happens when I'm without you for so long", sighed the king, "I start acting like him".
"Well, I guess I should go missing less often in that case", scoffed the ranger with an eye roll, though he smiled faintly.
"Well, I would prefer if you didn't go missing at all", the elf said softly, gently taking in Stan's features again, "...You scared me half to death, Stanley...".
"I'd... be lying if I said I wasn't scared, myself", Stan admitted softly, leaning back in the chair, "I should probably go clean up my puke from earlier".
"I already did", Kyle said softly, "Before I got the sponge bath ready... You were... Staring at the wall".
"Seriously?", Stan shook his head, "I really am all out of sorts", he whispered. "...Kyle? Do you really think I can manage with a false leg? Being your guard... it's... very important to me".
Kyle kissed his knuckles, "In time", he whispered, "You will heal".