💎A Collision of Fates💎 (Straight to Gay) (MxM) (18+)

71 - Nick

Nick stared up at the stone building, eyes squinting in the sunlight. A familiar anxiety was coursing through him, had been coursing through him since he had woken up that morning.

First day jitters.

The sun was high and vicious in the sky, sizzling the land below. Even the delicate, light-coloured stone of the Sesstrian Defender base seemed to glint.

He had stood outside of this building before, many times. He had been reporting there for months, for training, for his daily exercises and drills. But this time was different. This time, he wasn't there for training and he wasn't there to visit Breck, Kullver, or Timot. This time, he was there to work.

Nick Fulton was a defender.

It was still odd to think about that. Back home, he had been a labourer, he had done construction. The last thing he had considered doing had been law enforcement. But for some reason, being a Sesstrian Defender called to him. It was the right thing for him. This was the right place to be.

Around him, The Matches was bustling. The roads around the base were full of people, talking and laughing and walking. Nick admired them, simply going about their business after what had happened. Clearly, they were getting used to the hrall attacks. And yesterday's hadn't been so bad, all things considered. Only a few deaths had been reported.

Nick gulped, steadied himself. The crowds flowed around him like he was a rock in the middle of a river. Nobody was bothering him, but that was probably because he was dressed in defender blacks.

Sturdy black pants and a thick black vest were the two pieces of clothing common to every defender. No matter what rank, no matter how long they had been a defender for, everyone was expected to wear them. It helped the public see them, it made them a visible force in the country, and it kept them reasonably protected from swords and magic.

Nick took a breath. He tried to force away the nerves.

This was like any other first day on the job. He just needed to walk through the doors. He just needed to take the first step.

He clenched his fists, relaxed them, and then marched up to the wide, double-doors of the base. Nick entered the building for his first day of official duty.

Immediately, he got lost.

Defenders were scurrying around the winding corridors and offices of the base, and Nick didn't recognize a single one of them. It was like the entire place had shifted. He had become so comfortable with it during the months of his training, but now everything felt so different.

Before, he had reported straight to the sunlit courtyard. It was right in front of him, dusty and barren. During training, a defender had always been there, waiting for him, ready to lead him through the day's lesson.

But he wasn't going to the courtyard today.

Nick wandered to the side, and began walking down a long, thin corridor. He tried to look as confused as possible, so that someone would stop and help him.

"Defender Fulton." Commander Teel's voice echoed through the hall.

Nick turned around and saw the bald man walking towards him, a broad smile on his face. Nick clicked his feet together and straightened his back. "Commander."

Teel waved away the formality and clapped Nick on the shoulder. "First day, huh?" Nick nodded. "Lost?" Nick didn't want to nod. He didn't want to admit that he had no idea where to go, not to Commander Teel, but he inclined his head anyway. The other man shook his head. "It's a right of passage, Fulton. Nobody is going to give you much help."