Archive of Our Own ^beta

He often danced, skipped even when no one was looking. Bastian was a shy boy, who lived in a quiet village. He was a distant from most of the children, having difficulty in getting along with them. He didn’t quite understand their energy, nor did they understand his love for reading. Not many of the people in his village knew how to read. Some understood a little, some very well, but most didn’t. It sort of made him a target for bullies now and then.

If it was the one thing, he loved to do other than just to read all day, forever taking in words, it would be dance. He often snuck out, when no one was looking, far outside the village, somewhere in the thick forest. Not wandering in too far though as he didn’t want to get lost, there was a small clearing, with a little soft meadow, where he could dance to his heart’s content.

Today was no different. He had gone out to his favorite spot, in a light white long shirt that just barely clung to his little figure. Light and pliant on his feet like a little butterfly, the boy would skip and hop, elegantly moving through the field, as though he were made of air. Delicate and sweet were his steps as he swung through the air.

But it didn’t take long for Bastian to feel something was off, as he slowly came to a stop. He paused for a moment, before he suddenly glanced to the bushes by the thick trees. Even if he could see no one, he felt as if someone’s eyes were on him. He was almost about to leave, when out of nowhere, someone burst from the bushes.

“Wait!!”

Bastian almost screamed, quickly backing away.

“W-wait!! Please don’t be scared!” It was a boy, not too much older than Bastian, maybe a few years or so.

He was dark skinned, had longish dark hair that reached his shoulders, and a tall figure that had seen many battles, Bastian had assumed anyways. He could see some scars on his arms and on his torso as he wore loose clothing. Yet despite this, the boy had a very tender expression. One that still smiled, still loved, and had a desire to be loved.

He was glorious. So resplendent in every way possible.

“I-I was watching you dance and… well I have been for a while and I-“the boy paused. He sighed, fiddling with his open shirt.

“I um… Artax led me to you.”

Bastian lifted a brow. “Whose Artax?”

“Oh!” The other boy brightened. “Artax is my best friend-! Well actually he’s a horse. But we’re closer than anyone else. Atreyu ran to the bushes, quickly pulling his horse out. He was beautiful. A lovely white horse with his saddle and a day’s worth of food and water hung on it.

The younger boy was completely brought in now and ran up to him with little worry, closing some of the space between himself and Atreyu. He reached up to start petting him.

“He’s so soft!”

Atreyu grinned and patted his trusty steed. “He’s my Artax. He told me he wanted to meet you.”

“Why meet me?” The other tilted his head.

“Because you’re…” the older boy paused for a moment, struggling to find his words, “You’re the most angelic thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve never seen anyone dance so gracefully, so elegantly as you.”

This boy sounded sincere, and honest. He spoke straight from the heart. The younger boy could feel his face going red, as he tried to maintain his composure. He took a step forward to the other.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

The boy straightened up, proudly puffing out his chest. “My name is Atreyu! I am the warrior of the great plains people!”

“Atreyu? That’s a such a pretty name!” Bastian smiled.

“And you are…?”

“Oh, I um, just Bastian. I live in a village not too far from here.”

Atreyu looked like he wanted to start skipping now. “I knew it!! Artax and I were right?”

Bastian raised a brow. “Right? About what?”

“I had heard of a very well-read boy, one who consumes stories and shares them with others. Artax brought your name back to me.”

Ah. So he had known about him for a long while now. It made the younger boy wonder, how long had Atreyu been watching him dance? How long had he been admiring him from the bushes? How had Bastian not noticed before?

“So Artax told you… and you’re a warrior.” Bastian half mumbled to himself. Atreyu was so young. So beautiful. So handsome. He suddenly couldn’t bear the thought of any harm coming to him.

“I know, I know.” Atreyu laughed. “I look too small to be one, right?”

“N-no! I just… you’re so kind and- it’s hard to imagine you hurting anyone. You seem so nice.” Bastian answered, honestly.

Atreyu only laughed, going over to the boy, and without warning lifting him high in the air. The younger one was startled by this, quickly hanging onto him, but found that the other was quite strong. Atreyu didn’t seem deterred at all by his weight.

“See? I’ve got you.” He said, grinning as he now held the other boy in a bridal style.

“I-I’m not too heavy?” Bastian worried.

“No, not at all. You don’t weigh a thing.”

“Um… Atreyu?”

“Yes?”

“… Would you like to dance?”

The boy smiled radiantly at the idea. “I’d love to.”

Atreyu danced with him. Their dance was a strange one, a clash of Bastian’s sweet and delicate steps contrasted against Atreyu’s raw and sweeping movements. He wasn’t the most graceful, but that made him all the more human in Bastian’s eyes. It made Atreyu shine like a bright burning star.

They started to fit together perfectly, as Atreyu always held Bastian with ease, always with support, letting the boy know he wouldn’t drop him. Bastian felt safe, and so at home in Atreyu’s arms, feeling the other’s fingers run up his arms as he gently caressed him. So soft and lovely was the boy’s figure against the plains warrior’s touch. So strong and unwavering was Atreyu’s hold with Bastian’s light figure.

After he had just spun around on point, lifted into the air with ease, he was soon gently laid on the ground as Atreyu hovered over him. For a moment they stayed like that, smiling at one another. Atreyu leaned down and touched his forehead to Bastian’s.

It seemed the great plains warrior finally found his bride.