Chapter Text
Ba dump, ba dump, ba dump
What a lovely sound.
Ba dump, ba dump, ba dump
So soothing, and calm, and steady
And that firm weight on his back, him feeling it on his side first. There was a slight light against his lids, but he could care less from how utterly comfortable he was. He had felt this comfortable before, not too long ago, in fact. This much warmth, this much comfort, he had dreamt about it far more times than the number of summers he had been alive.
But this, this was something new entirely. Or… well, hmm… Maybe not, now that he thought about it.
He had had such lovely things given to him before, is what his mind told him. But it was all a lie, surely.
His eyes slowly opened, blinking even slower. Surely, he had never been given this by his Warrior, there was…
Ba dump, ba dump, ba dump…
That was not his own heartbeat. No, far from it. This was…
Glancing down, he saw a firm chest, th-those pecs that he dreamt about almost every night, tho-those nipples that he could see sometimes protruding whenever it got too cold in Norvrandt when the night was still there, and those bandages.
Bandages. Naked chest, the weight on his back
Memories of the day and night before came to him, his eyes almost popping out and it took him his all to not jolt away, less he woke up his Warrior, something that he never wanted, less the moment be over. And he wanted this moment to last, along with more moments that he hoped would happen... m-maybe… later?
“Hrm…”
His eyes now definitely popped out, the love of his life shifting underneath him. A’viloh’s arm that was around G’raha tightened, bringing the now red faced Exarch closer to his firm chest, him being cuddled like a stuffed toy.
By the Gods was he in heaven.
The shifting continued, bringing him ever closer to that scarred chest. His lips were so close to a pec, he only had to pucker up and he would have touched the skin. It was… oh Gods, he was going to faint.
He needed to get out less he really did faint, despite how much he wanted to remain in his lover’s (h-he had a lover) arms. They had things to do, they needed to get out of this godsforsaken Tower, his lover had important things to do back at the Source, no matter how much he wanted him to stay. He needed… he needed to go…
“Though, before we begin… I must warn you of something…”
“You won’t hurt me.”
“Come again…?”
“You won’t hurt me. Your words, your emotions, your touch, you won’t hurt me.”
Touch. Touch is incredibly important to his Warrior of Light, G’raha knew; as if last night wasn’t an indicator. He liked to be touched–in a non-harmful way, that is. He was always getting hurt, he was never touched aside from that, and he… Gods, he couldn’t begin to imagine how much he yearned to be touched. That was what G’raha interpreted from all that was said and done. How long he wished for G’raha to touch him, at least, he selfishly thought so. After the night that they had yesterday, how could he not think of such things? He was in complete heaven, and never in his wildest dreams did he think that such things would have happened to him.
More shifting and G’raha was on top of his chest again, one leg wrapping itself around him. At this rate, he may as well be sprawled on top of him, less his Warrior toss him on top of himself. A slight smile appeared on G’raha’s face, that being quite comical, the Crystal Exarch being tossed somewhere like a doll. Wait, wait, no, he needed to get out, not be brought further in!
He glanced up at his Warrior as they were still sleeping soundly, breathing in and out slowly’ their face showed not a care in the world. It was… it was so wonderful to see them so serene, so peaceful. How he wished that his Warrior would be in such a way forever and ever… But alas, such a thing was not to be from their profession, and from the title that they held. He was THE Warrior of Light, not just some adventurer down the road that would assist with escorting civilians and important people around; though, he had read in his many books of the Warrior that he would do that too, something that would always warm up G’raha’s heart when he read of such things. He was always so selfless, so giving; one of the many, many, many reasons why he fell in love with such a Warrior.
His Warrior of Light… His Beacon of Hope… The light of his world… His beloved Warrior… Oh, how much he loved him.
A hand reached up to one of his Warrior’s ears, very, very gently stroking the tip of it, making it twitch momentarily before swiveling forward, almost as if wanting to be touched more. And touch more he did, stroking the tip once more, the sides, down to the base. Lower and lower the finger went, a thumb then doing the stroking. Across his forehead, his eye lids, his nose, and finally, his cheeks and his lips.
They were so, so soft. Did he use a special kind of substance on his face? He imagined so, he never felt such softness before, only in silks and fine velvet.
How his Warrior reached out to him, moving his face so as to be touched more. His cheeks brushed up against the Exarch’s fingers again, and A’viloh slowly moved his head from side to side so as to be touched in just the right places.
G’raha was enraptured, ruby eyes wide, amazed that such a thing was happening while his Warrior slept. If he had been paying more attention, he would realize that his Warrior was no longer breathing deeply, instead purring as loud as can be. Slowly, oh so slowly did one of his hands come up, placing the Exarch’s hand on his cheek with his hand on top of it, a faintly scarred thumb brushing against the back of it.
Honey and cinnamon colored eyes opened, smoldering G’raha with so much love that his breath was taken away from him. So, so much love was in those eyes, no drowsiness in sight. How long had he been awake, G’raha wondered.
“Good morning, my darling scholar,” came the whispered greeting, voice laced with just as much love in his eyes as well as some drowsiness. Ah, so he wasn’t fully awake, but… his eyes, they were so tender and loving, he could have fooled anyone. He certainly had G’raha fooled, at least.
“Good… good morning, my… m-my love,” G’raha squeaked out, needing to hide his face in A’viloh’s chest, something that he realized that he was doing far too late and A’viloh chucked, a bit more awake now as G’raha tried to untangle himself from his arms. The Warrior of Light let him as G’raha continued to scoot away a bit, hands coming up and posing very much like a scared miqo’te.
Brown eyes somehow softened up even more, sitting up, though a tad bit too quickly from the pain that shot up his side, one eye closing in a wince as he hissed softly. G’raha was at his side in an instant, his hand so lightly on his side, it was almost hovering so as to not hurt him, healing magick coming out from it. The pain was ebbing away slowly, but A’viloh shook his head, looking down at his love with a reassuring smile. He would be alright, he just needed it to heal on its--
“I know exactly what you’re going to tell me, A’viloh Entialpoh, and I will have none of it. Not after… not after that stunt that you pulled yesterday. You will let me heal you, and that’s the end of it,” G’raha declared.
“Only enough to where the pain goes away, even healing magick can’t close it yet, my love,” A’viloh chuckled weakly, letting G’raha do as he pleased less he upset him.
A comfortable silence settled between them, G’raha healing him with barely touching fingers and A’viloh watching with a small smile. G’raha had grown, A’viloh thought. Before he was a brash and daring scholar that would let no one tell him how to live his life. And now here he was, a quiet leader, albeit not having picked himself to have such a role. A’viloh had grown too, though not as much. Before he was quiet, which he still was, but he was quiet in the past from wanting to do things himself and not work as a team with people, while nowadays, he still liked to work on his own but preferred people’s company here and there, as well as being able to help out around.
“There… That should be enough to get you through the day. Once we are both out, you will go straight to the Spagyrics and have Chesamille examine you. And,” he added with a hint of something “I will make sure that you have gone there once we are done.”
A snort came out from A’viloh, not at all disbelieving that his love can be anything but scary when it came to his loved ones, but it was still amusing to imagine. Less he pushed too much and made that side of him come out, he nodded to his scholar and carefully (under the watchful gaze of his prince) scooted out of bed.
“We must get ourselves a good breakfast and I will have to call Lyna straight away to see how fairs the Crystarium since I have been absent. I have been away for far too long…”
Looking over at the worrying leader, A’viloh’s eyes soften in sympathy, nodding and grabbing his hand, intertwining their hands to lead him out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. G’raha only softly gasped and let himself be pulled away slightly, his fingers twitching from wanting to grasp the hand around his. It was such a lovely feeling, walking side by side with the love of his life, and it was an even more wonderful feeling to know that the feeling was mutual. A slight blush covered A’viloh’s cheeks from how bold he was, but he still didn’t let that get to him, not when they had been granted another day to live.
Coming into the kitchen, he sat the leader down on a chair and began getting some ingredients out from the cupboards and ice block that the leader kept cool with ice crystals and clusters. Eyeing the crystals and clusters, A’viloh’s eyes dazed over for a moment. What bliss to not have to worry about such things and about primal summoning; that is not to say that Norvrandt didn’t have enough to worry about when it came to the after effects of the Light.
Nay, they didn’t have primal summonings, but they still had to deal with the after effects of the Light. Of making cities bustle around, businesses boom, to help Eulmore flourish and to help the Night’s Blessed. To keep helping those in need, and more. So much to do, and so much time now left to do it.
A’viloh got the ingredients to make another parfait, this time of blueberries, a slight smile coming to his face when he saw the color seeping into the yogurt. He loved the color blue, even if he often adorned red in remembrance of his sister and his long lost love--one that wasn’t so lost anymore. Such a beautiful color, one that he loved so dearly.
Bringing it over to his scholar, he brought over some orange juice as well, wondering if maybe he should have brought some bread with jam as well. Turning around, his tail swished behind him several times as his eyes peered around to find his prize. G’raha noticed that his Warrior wasn’t sitting down and lifted his eyes up, an eyebrow raised in confusion from seeing how serious he was. Parfait long forgotten, an ear flicked when he heard A’viloh “tut”, him walking over to the various counters, and moving items around, trying to find whatever it was he was looking for.
Finally deciding to speak up, G’raha cleared his throat. “Is there… something that you are looking for, my Warrior?”
Brown tail stood up straight at that, having gotten slightly startled from having been brought back to the world of reality. Sheepishly turning around, a fingernail scratched at his cheek as he let out a semi-quiet huff of a laugh, cinnamon and honey colored eyes slightly apologetic.
“Ah… well, you see, I seem to have misplaced the bread that would do stupendously with jam. B-But no matter, sans bread, let us enjoy our breakfast, my darling.” G’raha’s eyes widened at the pet name, eyes sliding off his Warrior’s face to the table and then finally his lap, where he was wringing his hands and a pink dust clouded his soft cheeks. The Warrior of Darkness smiled brightly at that, taking great strides to come over and plopped down on the chair next to his scholar, feeling awfully brave at the moment.
One hand came up underneath his scholar’s chin and gently forced his head up, slightly chapped lips softly pressing to his scholar’s more plumped and far softer lips. G’raha’s ears stood as straight as a pin, his tail doing the same while his face was red as his eyes, hands not knowing where to be placed other than his lap despite how ice cold they now were from how shocked he was at the kiss. A’viloh pressed more, eyes opening slightly when he felt his G’raha not relaxing into the kiss, noticing how stiff his hands were, clasped tightly on his lap, even shaking slightly if his eyes weren’t deceiving him.
Reaching out slowly, he placed a hand over G’raha’s shaking ones, G’raha instinctively pulling away but immediately noticed his mistake and brought his hands back, almost embarrassed by his actions if the noise that came out of him was anything to come by. Shyly, G’raha unfolded his hands and A’viloh immediately took the chance to wrap his larger hand around G’raha’s smaller ones, a rough thumb doing its best to be as gentle as possible.
Leaning more into the kiss, G’raha’s back was pressed snugly against the wooden chair, him slowly starting to relax more, shoulders slowly drooping down as his breathing got steadier. Plush lips moved more into the kiss and pressed right back. A’viloh was delighted, his ears wiggling and a deep purr came out from him, his other hand coming up to cup G’raha’s cheek, opening his mouth slightly in order to deepen the kiss. G’raha was, for a lack of a better word, inexperienced, and it showed. His shaking came back, and he opened his mouth very slightly, only the tip of his tongue coming out, but he desperately wanted to follow in his Warrior’s lead. First a kiss, and now a deeper kiss? By the Gods were they moving fast. And G’raha wouldn’t want it any other way. How much more time did they have together? Would his Warrior come back after he went back to Eorzea? How much longer did they have?
So many questions, not enough answers, but his thoughts would have to wait, he had another duty to attend to for the time being; one being about his Warrior, and this deepening kiss.
Deeper and deeper they dove, A’viloh almost straddling G’raha’s lap which A’viloh noticed all too soon. He was taller than G’raha by close to one yalm. He didn’t want to hurt him, and thus gently brought himself back to reality, bringing G’raha up by his biceps.
A breathless G’raha came up, almost tumbling into his Warrior’s chest, but A’viloh held him up gently, wrapping an arm around him to steady him before he forced G’raha to switch places with him, plopping himself back down and taking no time to bring G’raha to his lap. His scholar noticed right away, bumping into the table behind him and heard the clattering of the spoon, remembering about their breakfast.
“W-Wait, my Warrior, we must first eat before… before…“ But he couldn’t continue from how A’viloh was ravishing him, trying his best to be slow about it, but when G’raha was so delicious and clean, well, he just couldn’t help himself. His lips went over G’raha’s side of the neck, right where his Sharlayan tattoo would be, but was currently covered by crystal and G’raha bolted away, bringing his hands to cover his neck, the moment now ruined from the fear in G’raha’s eyes. A’viloh was stunned by that, blinking several times and he opened his mouth to start to profusely apologize but G’raha promptly stopped him, plopping a hand over his Warrior’s mouth.
“Tis… ‘Tis not you, A’viloh. It… it is I. I am…“ G’raha coughed, his voice leaving him as he tried to explain himself but was mortified by what happened. His crystal… this tainted crystal…
A’viloh could only hear the word “crystal” being uttered by his scholar and tried his best to understand. Ah, that’s right, his crystal. He was still trapped by the Tower, he still did not like the crystal parts of himself, and thus, did not want to have anything to do with them.
‘It will take time… much time… but I will make him see that his crystal body is still something that I desire, and something that, despite him not liking it, it is still a part of himself.’
Nodding to himself from understanding the situation enough, he brought a hand up, looking up at G’raha with much kindness in his eyes. G’raha blinked a few times, instinctively bringing his crystal hand out but thought better of it, and brought up his left hand instead. A’viloh nodded and kissed the back of his hand, then his palm, finger tips, and up his arm. G’raha shuddered, his teeth chattering once or twice and A’viloh thought it best to instead continue this another time, giving the back of his hand another kiss before stopping.
Bringing himself up, he squeezed G’raha’s shoulders and ushered him onto the chair before he sat himself down next to him, and brought the closest parfait to him, taking a spoonful in as his ears wiggled in glee. G’raha blinked once, twice, and then chuckled to himself, still a bit perturbed by what happened but did his best to bring himself back to normal; or as normal as he could at the moment, that is.
They ate in silence, and G’raha insisted on cleaning up so that A’viloh could get himself dressed.
Dressed. By the Gods, he hadn’t worn his clothes in what seemed like forever, and yet he felt perfectly fine having only pants on. He knew that his scholar was right, that there needed to be order in the world, and thus did he go into the bedroom, and put clothes on, now perfectly washed, mended and looking as if they never saw battle, despite it having been a week or so since the battle with Emet-Selch.
Emet-Selch.
A slight smile came up to A’viloh’s lips, doing his best to push that memory of his… enemy? No, he was a friend at the end of it all. Despite all of the troubles and tribulations that they had together, something just told him that he was one of the dearest friends that he has ever had. How strange considering that he barely knew the man and yet, it felt like he knew him for ages. His Scion family would beg to differ, but he thought differently. He always thought differently, even if it infuriated his family each and every time.
Ever since it was revealed to him that he had other selves, after what he saw with Ardbert and his companions, after what was revealed to him in Rak’tika Greatwood with the murial, there was far too much evidence for him to believe otherwise with all that the Hades said to him. Hades. What a grand name, most of all, knowing that such an important ascian was with them for so much of their adventures in the First.
A’viloh adjusted the clasps on his shirt, wincing slightly when he moved a bit too abruptly with him moving around to make sure that his shirt wasn’t too tight on him. He should have definitely worn a lighter, more breathable shirt, however, he didn’t want to mess up another one of them and the one that he used for his adventures had enough magic coating on to where any balms, salves, dirt, blood and what have you could easily be cleaned.
Looking over at the bed, he was relieved to see no blood on it, just a slight residue of the medicine that he used yesterday. He pursed his lips, remembering how much it burned him and how upset G’raha was at him. He understood why: he knew that what he did was foolish, but he wanted to heal as quickly as possible. He knew that there was much work to be done on the First, and the quicker he healed, the better it was for everyone in the end.
Taking off the sheets, he found some dusty ones in a chest in the corner of the room, made the large bed as carefully as he could from not wanting to reopen his wounds, and went about tidying up the room. He was grateful that he had cleaned everything up in the other room days ago, just how he was grateful that he had washed and mended his clothes days ago as well. All that was left was for them to leave the Tower and to begin their days.
Checking his tombstone, he was grateful that it was still early enough in the day to where they hadn’t missed too many things, and Lyna would be grateful enough to have them both leave the Tower today rather than wait for another day for them to be fully well. Putting his tombstone away, he was grateful for the magicks in his bag making it light and went out the room, knowing that G’raha would turn off the lights eventually.
“Ah, there you are!” G’raha gave him a smile as he held some items of clothing close to his chest along with his staff, A’viloh tilting his head curiously. His eyes widened momentarily when he remembered that it was the various pieces of cloth that the Exarch--G’raha--would wear.
“It seems that you are ready to start the day, my Warrior. I only need to put these various clothes around me, and we can be on our way.” Quickly putting his bag down, A’viloh took them out of G’raha’s hands and began to put them around him.
“W-Wha… You needn’t trouble yourself so!” G’raha exclaimed, his cheeks turning red the more and more that A’viloh touched him all around and adjusted. He was fairly quick in the process, quicker than G’raha, even, and the latter was surprised at how correct it all fit.
‘Had he… had he memorized my clothing…?’ G’raha wondered as A’viloh made the last adjustments, pulling in various ways and finally stood up.
“There. Now you’re all set… Exarch.” A’viloh nodded, slinging his bag over one shoulder.
Exarch. That’s right, he was the Exarch, and now he would be hearing that name over and over again once he left the Tower.
“...”
“...G’raha.”
“Hmm?”
“When we are together and in the company of the other Scions, please… call me by my name,” G’raha stated quietly, looking away as his cheeks turned from red to pink, fumbling with his hands just like how he always did whenever he was nervous or uncomfortable. A’viloh smiled warmly, walking over and brought a hand underneath G’raha’s chin, tilting it up and giving him a soft kiss on the lips. He didn’t want to pull away, but knew that he had to, else they would never leave.
G’raha didn’t want to either, if him following after A’viloh pulling away was anything to go by. His left hand was quickly grasped by the Warrior of Darkness and he was pulled out of the hallway and into the Ocular.
Both blinked a few times to get adjusted to the lighting in the Ocular, a wave of nostalgia washing over them. Weeks ago, they were here, speaking about Amh Araeng, about Minfillia’s--Ryne’s--decision, and it was only a week ago where A’viloh stumbled in along with Lyna and had a near dead Exarch in their arms.
Now, they were well and ready to start on a new adventure.
Squeezing G’raha’s hand, A’viloh didn’t let go when he brought G’raha out of the Ocular and down the never-ending staircases in the Syrcus Tower. Down and down they went, both in complete silence, not wanting to take any teleportation to the front entrance of the Tower. It wasn’t until they reached the grand doors that they both halted, A’viloh laying his other hand against the door, but not pushing through yet.
G’raha looked up from the floor, having looked at the floor the entire time, paying attention to where he stepped and at times looking at A’viloh’s broad back. So many scars adorned his back and chest, so many scars that he hid and he had all over his arms and hands, and yet, he still stood tall, no matter what. Now, he was hesitating and wasn’t so strong after all.
“...No matter what, G’raha, we will be together,” A’viloh whispered loud enough for G’raha to be able to hear. G’raha swallowed, his hand beginning to shake slightly but he did his best to stop it, his left hand turning into a fist.
“...I know that you will make that happen, A’viloh,” G’raha whispered back, coming to stand besides A’viloh and he laid his other hand against the door.
A’viloh looked down at the scholar, not really seeing him as many thoughts clouded his mind, but he knew that he had to believe. That was all that he had left and all that he needed, in all honesty. They would be together, and they would be together for a long time. He needed to believe in that, or else he would lose his mind.
G’raha started a quiet count down and when he was done, both pushed the door open where sunlight flooded their sight, blinding them completely.