(It's still the 25th here so I didn't break my promise! :P)

Sorry it took me so long to start publishing again, I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I kept (and will continue-) stressing out on every little detail.

Please, enjoy!
I'm so sorry again for the wait o/

-

Enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of his bedroom, Scar sat with his legs crossed over his chair and his well-worn sketchbook opened on the tabletop in front of him. His hand moved swiftly and confidently across the page, meticulously capturing the shapes and details of the birds.

He dubbed the tip of his brush in the ink bottle and sent a quick glance towards the window to the moonlit sky, trying to take in the frame of the bird who's been sitting on the windowsill for quite a while. Every stroke of his brush brought the drawing to life, and he found himself completely engrossed in the creative process, until he realized something.

Was there a second bird? Scar lifted his head and let his gaze linger on the windowsill longer than before. A smile played across his lips as he peered through the glass, his gaze falling upon the second bird that had joined his friend, both their feathers gleaming together like precious gems. For a moment, he couldn’t help but admire the sight, a soft sigh escaping his throat as the tranquil scene captivated his gaze.

The abrupt movement outside the window shattered the tranquility of the moment. a colorful blur shot past the window, the sudden movement causing a gust of wind to whip through the room. Startled, the two birds perched on the windowsill took flight with a startled chirp, their wings catching the air as they swiftly soared away.

Scar's heart skipped a beat at the unexpected interruption, and his attention immediately switched from his task to the source of the disturbance. What was that? Did a knight shoot an intruder from the rooftop? Or perhaps one of his family members dropped something out of their window (for some odd reason). Nevertheless, Scar got up from his seat and walked over to the window to check what it was about.

He leaned against the windowsill, tipping his head upwards and straining his eyes to make sense of the fleeting streak. He didn’t spot any knight peering over the parapet, and neither anyone looking out the windows above him. He raised an eyebrow and looked down towards the garden in an attempt to see what was the object that dashed past his window, yet he didn’t see a thing on the ground. He caught movement from the corner of his eye and turned his gaze to the side.

There, on the windowsill of one of the palace’s towers, landed a blond man, his colourful wings folding neatly behind him after his flight. “Oh jeez-” Caught off guard, Scar flinched back and bumped into his table, the crown tucked between his brown locks almost slipping off. Scar stood frozen for a moment, watching as the winged man jumped through the window into that room—which to his calculations was the kitchen.

Did he just watch someone break into the palace? Did that person just fly? Scar let out a small exhale, straightening back up and adjusting the golden crown over his head. There’s no way he just flew; his mind is playing tricks on him. That would mean the avian hybrid had broken one of the biggest rules of the kingdoms; who would risk possibly getting imprisoned for years?

Still, there was an intruder in the palace, no matter how he got in. Scar should’ve alerted a knight immediately, but instead he stupidly decided to go confront the other man himself. Scar cleared his throat to snap himself out of his thoughts before turning around and rushing out of his bedroom, running through the hallways to the staff’s kitchen.

What is he doing? He didn’t even grab his bow on the way out; he can’t fight against that blond if he’s armed. Despite himself, Scar was curious. The winged man didn’t fly to the royal vault to rob them nor flew to any of his, Xylia’s, or his father’s rooms to assassinate any of them. What was so important to him in the kitchen? He stopped running in front of the kitchen’s door, panting a little. His hand rested on the doorknob as he tried to even out his breathing.

Finally, he pushed the door open and peered inside hesitantly. He didn’t see anything, but instead was welcomed by a rustling sound from somewhere in the room. Scar strained himself as he tried to identify the source of the noise, but when he realized it was coming from the pantry and not from anywhere threatening to him, he entered the kitchen quietly and closed the door behind him.

He arched an eyebrow as he walked over to the pantry. Scar was in great shape, but it took him a few minutes to run all the way here. This intruder was sure taking his good time. Scar looked into the pantry, then tilted his head in confusion when he saw the winged man sitting cross-legged on the floor as he munched, a loaf of bread with a spread of cheese already half eaten in his hand.

He broke into the castle to eat? Scar gluped, a sense of guilt starting to form in his stomach. He glanced at the pantry’s door, an idea he suddenly didn’t like popping into his mind. Scar could just close the door of the pantry and easily lock the avian in without any hastle.

But… The small fella didn’t look much threatening nor dangerous, seemingly not even armed. He’d broken a rule, but Scar couldn’t bring himself to report the guy because he was desperate for food. Scar scowled in frustration, mentally punching himself. God, he was weak. His sister would’ve arrested him in seconds.

The winged man finally spotted Scar from the corner of his eye. His eyes grew in fright, and he quickly tuned his head to fully face the prince, his wings that were spread lazily out on the floor before now perked up. Scar felt uneasy when they made eye contact, not knowing exactly what to say after seeing the trepidation in the man’s eyes.

Grian expected getting caught at some point—he’s been sneaking in for weeks. He could deal with a knight or one of the staff finding him, but by the crown on the brunet’s head, Grian could tell this was a royalty. He was in *big* trouble.

He felt like a deer trapped in a hunter’s snare as they stared at eachother, both trying to snap out of their daze. What could Grian do? Should he risk his punishment being doubled; attack the prince and make a run for it? Grian’s gaze quickly raked over Scar’s form, sizing him up. Sure, he was probably a foot or so taller than him, and- woah, that’s a nice pair of biceps he’s got over there…

Grian shook his head and narrowed his eyes, bringing himself out of his thoughts. Whatever. Grian could beat him if he could find something sharp in this pantry. He reluctantly dropped his food and stood up to his feet, his stomach letting out a rumble in protest. His wings fell open behind him as his colourful feathers fluffed up. Grian gave one last observation to the stranger with a tipped head before letting his eyes dart around in search for a knife.

“Please- don’t try to attack me.” Scar finally spoke, his voice gentle yet cautious. Grian’s lips parted in wonder, his eyes flicking from the pantry’s shelves back to Scar. “… How did you know?” He questioned, a bit hesitant to interact with the royalty. Scar tried to repress the smile that was starting to tug the corners of his lips, proud of himself for understanding his body language correctly.

Scar extended his finger, pointing out what gave it away. “You spread your wings and fluffed up your feathers, you observed me intently and quite ominously… I know how a bird acts before it strikes; I’ve been attacked by one myself.” Scar cackled quietly, lifting his arm to show a scar he got from its talons. “I’ve always loved watching birds.” He added quietly.

Grian’s gaze followed Scar’s fingertip as he pointed at his features. The avian narrowed his eyes, furling his wings against his back in an attempt to stop the other from reading him, and glared at the brunet, huffing in irritation. “I’m not a bird!” Grian stated, watching with a scowl as Scar laughed again at his attitude.

“What are you doing here? I’m sure you’re aware of the strict laws against using your natural appendages around the kingdom and breaking into the palace in general.” Scar asked with an amused smile, leaning against the doorframe. He had a hunch he already knew the answer, so he wasn’t too worried.

Grian raised an eyebrow, slightly suspicious of the prince’s carefree behavior. “I have my reasons.” Grian answered with a small glare, allowing himself to be a little feisty, seeing as Scar wasn’t taking the situation too seriously. Scar replied with a quick hum in acknowledgement of Grian’s reply, scanning him for a few more moments before speaking. “Aren’t there better places to steal food from than the palace?”

The tone of the prince’s voice was almost mocking, and the smile plastered on his face only served to annoy Grian further. He didn’t like the way Scar made him feel exposed, like he knew each of his intentions. “I wasn’t caught until today, was I?” Grian huffed, his wings twitching in irritation.

A flicker of surprise crossed Scar’s features. “For how long have you been flying here?” Scar asked, perking up against the pantry’s entrance. He watched as the winged man started striding his way, sighing in annoyance. Scar narrowed his eyes as Grian spoke,

“None of your damn business—”

Scar slammed his palm against the opposite side of the doorframe, stopping Grian’s attempt to walk past him out of the pantry. Grian’s body tensed up in an instant as he froze in front of the makeshift barrier in his path, the loud noise of the prince’s calloused hand striking the wooden frame made him jolt. “You broke into my home and you think it is *not* my business?” Scar finally murmured, keeping his voice low.

Grian gulped, his wings ruffled up in fright. His eyes remained forward for a few moments, locked on Scar’s arm blocking his way before letting his eyes trace the myriad scars patterning his bicep up to his face. His heart skipped a beat as Scar's vibrant emerald eyes locked onto him, a sharp, almost intimidating gaze that sent a subtle shiver down Grian's spine.

Scar’s eyes flickered between both of Grian’s obsidian eyes, his gaze searching his. He found himself momentarily captivated by their vivid beauty, despite the dark colour. He felt a strange pull as he continued looking into Grian's eyes, an inexplicable feeling of being drawn in by their intensity.

Scar's eyes softened and his muscles relaxed the more he stared at him. Grian mentally cursed himself when he saw the look in Scar’s eyes, a sense of shame brewing up within him that he’d shown even the hint of vulnerability in front of him.

“… I personally don’t mind you coming here to take food if you’re struggling, but my dad won’t be as nice as me if he catches you.” Scar mumbled softly, concern evident in his voice. He let his arm fall back to his side, his gaze gentle despite the glare the avian was sending him.

“Yeah, okay, Your Majesty.” Grian hissed under his breath, smacking the golden crown off Scar’s head mockingly and taking the opportunity to walk past him out of the pantry. Scar caught his crown as soon as it slipped out of his hair strands. He didn’t try to stop Grian again, thinking he was going to grab more food for himself.

But instead, when he turned around, he found Grian’s wings spread open, as if preparing for flight. “Hey- do I not get to know your name?” Scar mumbled the question, making sure the crown is stable atop his head before walking after the blond to the window. Grian only gave Scar a displeased frown.

With a swift flap of his wings, he lifted himself off the ground and swerved out the window, the edges of his wings brushing against the stone windowsill as he soared into the night, getting off the royalty’s proproty as fast as his wings could take him.

Scar’s lips curved into a grumpy pout, a small disappointed whine leaving his throat as he watched Grian fly away. He was hoping to at least get the man’s name; he did spare him, after all. Scar turned his gaze to the mess Grian didn’t bother to clean after him in the pantry, sighing. “Some other time,” Scar muttered to himself.

He had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time he’d meet the avian.

[Word count: 2144]

New writing style
Longer chapter
3rd perspective instead of 1st

What do you guys think?/gq