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Chapter Text

•1521 AD•

Tenochtitlan has been under siege for weeks now and the Domo lies cloaked as it hovers on the outskirts of the city. It often seems that where wars break out, Deviants follow; no doubt considering the large number of humans drawn out into the open to be easy prey. So here they wait for the inevitable fight. Another day has come to a close and they have all gathered around the large dining table, the room full of chattering as they share the evening meal. All except one.

Kingo’s voice rises above the rest as he addresses her. “Hey Makkari, where’s your shadow? Still pouting in his room?” he asks, placing his food down and pulling out a chair. But before he is even fully seated, he looks down to find the table in front of him empty.

”Hey!”

Plate in hand, Makkari sticks out her tongue as she glares at him before walking out of the room. She wasn’t hungry anyway nor much in the mood for conversation.

She makes her way down the halls of the ship to Druig’s room. True, he has spent most of his time holed up there since the fighting began, but as usual, she seems to be the only one sympathetic to his plight. Though this general behavior had become typical in times like these, he has been particularly withdrawn this time causing her concern to deepen.

She knocks before she enters to find him sitting on the side of the bed, elbows resting on his knees, staring absentmindedly down at his clasped hands. So deep is he in his thoughts, it takes a moment before he notices her presence, but as he does so, he hastily rises to his feet; a habit he had adopted whenever she entered a room. One that never failed to bring a slight warmth to her cheeks.

Bringing her mind back to the task at hand, she extends the food in his direction.

“Thank you.” He takes the dish from her hands but only sets it to the side before taking his seat again.

”Gil’s cooking isn’t that bad”, she jokes, attempting to lighten his mood, “I think he’s getting better.”

He huffs out a laugh. “Give it another few hundred years. I’ll have it later”, he assures her as he reads the worry she knows is evident on her face.

While she hadn’t expected his stomach to be first on his mind in a time like this, never once has she seen him refuse food entirely(even if the quality is judged to be somewhat dubious). Though anyone else may find this action a small and insignificant thing, it sounds a warning in her mind.

“I’ve hardly seen you in days”, she says as she comes to sit beside him, “tell me what’s going on in that head of yours.”

He shrugs. “Same as always. I don’t know Makkari, don’t you ever feel like maybe all we’re doin’ here is for nothing? Besides killin’ monsters, are we really helpin’ these people?”

“I never really understood why it would be so bad for us to step in at times like this, but I still believe that as a whole, what we’re doing here serves a good purpose.”

”That’s cuz a that beautiful trusting heart a yours.” Even in his misery he manages a small smile for her. “But I don’t share that faith, not anymore. I don’t even know why I was chosen for this mission if I can’t use my power to help these people. Isn’t that supposed to be the point? No one stops Phastos from helpin’ em advance their technology, but I can’t stop em from usin’ it to kill each other? I don’t know which feelin’ is worse, watchin’ these people make the same mistakes over and over or bein’ powerless to do anything about it. I don’t know…maybe sometimes I wish I didn’t care so much.”

She brings a hand to rest at the side of his face for a moment, running her thumb across his cheek before she replies. ”I know how it gets to you, being kept from using your gifts how you want, but that empathy you feel is part of what makes you who you are and I wouldn’t change a thing. There will come a time when your abilities will be needed to protect these people, even if not from themselves.”

”Maybe.” He is quiet for a minute as he regards her intently and she wonders what is going through his mind.

“Thank you”, he continues, “for always lookin’ after me. You’ve been my one true friend, my north star and I don’t know what I woulda done without ya to help keep me sane all these years. Makkari, I…” he pauses and she can tell he is considering his next words carefully. “It’s meant more to me than I could ever put into words.”

She is touched by the sentiment, but feels a creeping sense of unease at the finality in his tone. His expression is determined, but his eyes remain soft as they stay locked with hers, as if he is pleading with her to understand something that he is hesitant to say out loud. He does not need to. She knows him as well as she knows herself; every look, every mood, every subtlety.

He means to leave. Soon.

She had feared this might happen one day. Had felt the possibility grow stronger with every passing war, every atrocity he has been rendered unable to stop. But despite her suspicions, now that the moment is upon her, she finds herself wholly unprepared, a sudden panic setting in. The two of them had become practically inseparable at this point, so much so that it was a rare thing to find one without the other close by. Like two celestial bodies caught in each other’s gravity. He was her dearest friend, closest confidante, frequent partner in mischief, and she had hoped…maybe something more.

Her mind screams at her to dissuade him, to use this moment to finally admit that something deeper than the bounds of their friendship had bloomed in her heart. She wants so badly now, even at the risk of making a complete fool of herself, to tell him that she is in love with him, needs him to stay and be with her. She would like to believe that perhaps underneath all of his casual flirting and lighthearted teasing his true feelings might match her own; that if she were to pour out her aching heart right now he would stay. But she can’t bring her hands to form the words, knowing that she has missed her chance to say them. The cost would be too dear. She would never sully this cherished bond between them, never be so selfish as to use his feelings for her to hold him here and she loves him too much to watch him suffer any longer. 

As she looks at him now, it’s as if she can see the weight of all he carries sitting heavy on his shoulders; centuries of sorrow etched into his features. Now that she puts her mind to it, she cannot remember the last time she had seen him really smile. No, the Druig that sits beside her now is but a shade of his former self, that sympathetic heart of his threatening to crack under the pressure.

When the moment comes, she knows she will have to let him go. She will have to find a way to endure it. So instead, she simply takes his hand in hers, letting him know she understands.

The air between them is heavy with things unsaid.

Without warning, Sprite barges into the room. “Good, you’re both here. Less work for me.” Her eyes flit from one of them to the other before resting on their joined hands as she senses that she has intruded on something.

“Hate to interrupt whatever this is”, she says as she waves a hand dismissively, “but a bunch of Deviants are approaching the city and Ajak wants us all, so hurry up.” With that she is gone just as quickly as she had appeared, leaving them alone once more.

Druig heaves a sigh, face falling at the prospect of venturing out amid the fighting he had clearly been trying to avoid, but they are soldiers themselves after all, and for now they have their orders. She tightens her hand around his for a moment in solace before they rise to go and meet the others. To go and face whatever this night may bring.

*

Tensions are high as they all stand around the stone altar where Thena sits. The conversation takes an unprecedented turn and Makkari looks to Druig to see him staring at the ground in silence, but as always, she can tell his thoughts and feelings are in turmoil underneath that calm exterior. He’s already on edge, having predictably been prevented once again from using his abilities to stop this continuing bloodshed, but talk of erasing Thena’s memories is the last straw. She sees the snap in his eyes before the others hear it in his voice as those impenetrable walls of his finally come tumbling down; all of the emotions he tries so hard to bury finally erupting to the surface.

In defiance of his orders, he moves to end the carnage below, but he doesn’t get far. As Ikaris slams him against the temple wall, ordering him to stop, she can feel her whole body tense; like an arrow pulled tight in the string of a bow, ready to fly to his defense if needed. He knows he is no match for Ikaris’ powers. In truth, few of them stand more than a momentary chance on their own. But Druig is clearly beyond the point of caring as he squares his shoulders and unflinchingly challenges him. He will not be bullied into submission. Like a trapped animal, he is ready to do whatever is necessary to secure his freedom, even if it means self destruction. This, of course, is not an option she can accept. It will pain her greatly to see him go, but her dear one is desperate for peace at any cost and she is prepared to see that no one stands in his way.

Thankfully, Ajak steps in and Ikaris reluctantly stands down. Druig issues their leader a similar challenge, but Makkari knows she will not move against him nor order anyone else to. Though things had become tense between the two over the last few centuries, the seeds of his resentment and distrust steadily taking root beneath the foundation that holds them all together, she knows that Ajak still cares for him as she does all of her ‘children’. It appears clear to her now that the only way for this to end without violence is to finally set him free. 

As Druig turns away and begins his decent down the steep stairs of the temple, she wants to race after him, but instead, for the first time in her life, she forces herself to be still as he slowly disappears out of sight. She knows that she has to let him go for now. That he needs time to finally be allowed to live on his own terms. To mend what has broken within. She knows these things to be true and yet it breaks her heart just the same.

The mood is somber as the others quietly take their leave, having also been released from their collective service. Ajak’s speech about finding new purpose still echoes in her mind, but Makkari finds herself unable to move, having no idea where to start. She doesn’t know how long she’s been standing here at the top of the temple’s steps. Her eyes sting and water as she stares unseeing out into the night. She blames it on the smoke still rising up from the dying fires below even though she knows better. She chides herself as she struggles to hold her emotions in check. She is a fighter after all, has saved cities, had a hand in slaying countless terrible beasts. Surely she is made of stronger stuff than this. But the beast before her now is different, unfamiliar; no claws or fangs to battle against. It comes from within, a vast emptiness that threatens to swallow her whole.

She had assumed all of the others long gone and herself alone but is surprised to feel Ajak’s hand upon her shoulder as she comes up beside her. Makkari quickly swipes at her cheeks before turning to face her.

“The others have all gone, but I wanted to see that you were ok. You have done a hard thing Makkari, letting him go. But the right thing.” It sounds almost as if she is trying to convince them both of the last part.
“You have always been so protective of him, held him close. I used to sometimes wonder what drew you to his company. Out of all of you, he has always been the hardest to know, but you have learned better than anyone that underneath that stony exterior lies a good heart; one that for better or worse, feels everything so deeply…including his love for you.”

Makkari almost flinches at the words. She knows it was not Ajak’s intent, but they are like salt in a wound.

“Forgive me, I do not wish to pry. Just know that it is not you he is leaving and that when the time is right, you will see him again.” 

With a look of motherly affection shining in her eyes, Ajak tilts Makkari’s face down slightly, placing a kiss to her forehead before taking her leave as well, and with that, she is truly alone.

Druig has only been gone a matter of minutes and already his absence has her feeling strange and off kilter, like part of her own self is missing. But she would have gladly given anything in her possession to see his pain eased. If time was all he needed then she could certainly give him that. After all, they had all the time there was. Surely he wouldn’t stay away too long.

But it is not as she hoped. Years turn to decades, decades to centuries and he remains hidden away within his little corner of the world. She passes the time well enough at first, dedicating herself to her usual hobbies, but after she has seen all of the wonders this world has to offer and exhausted her list of artifacts to recover, she resigns herself to her own solitude. Embowered within the now empty rooms they had long called home, surrounded by her veritable dragon’s hoard of treasures; all evidence of a vain attempt to fill an unfillable void. All that is left for her to do now is wait.

•3 days before the emergence•

Makkari makes her way around the room, looking for the book she has misplaced.. again. She was just getting to her favorite part too. As she picks through the piles of random things, she is frustrated by her own lack of organization. She really had tried at first, to keep everything somewhat sorted, but it seemed that as her collection grew, her enthusiasm for the pursuit had dwindled until things were carelessly dropped in whatever space was left. She laughed to herself as she thought about the look on Phastos’ face when he eventually saw the state of his precious lab. One day when they were finally called home, whenever that may be. She lets out a deep sigh.

Ah! There it was. No sooner had her hands closed around the worn volume than she felt a violent tremor shake the ground, sending objects all around the room toppling to the floor. An earthquake? No. She had felt hundreds of earthquakes, learned very well the vibrations of this planet and this was not the same. It’s as if something had awakened in the Earth’s very core. Something has shifted; something terrible set into motion and she feels a sense of foreboding settle in her. Something tells her that the others will soon come and find her here. But will her love be among them?

As if in answer, the next night she dreams of him.

She knows she is dreaming as she stands at the edge of a great river, dressed in sheer white linen, gold bands decorating her arms. As she catches sight of her reflection in the water, she can tell by the style of her hair alone that she is in Egypt. She dreams of this time and place often; had loved it here in its glory days. She stands alone under a bright full moon and all is silent save the quiet rippling of water and the croaking and chirping of the smallest creatures that dwell here. She senses a presence behind her just as a warm breeze whispers through the reeds, as if urging her to turn around. When she does, she sees him there, mere feet away and she feels her breath catch in her throat. Dark hair and clothing a stark contrast to his pale skin, he looks almost ethereal; as if her mind had conjured him out of the very shadows and moonlight themselves. Without a word they both move forward, quickly closing the space between them. As she reaches for him, she half expects him to disappear under her touch; disperse up into the night sky like smoke. But the very moment they are close enough, hand coming to rest against his chest, she is relieved to find that he is not an apparition after all, but solid and warm. His hands come up to cradle her face as he leans down, touching his forehead to hers.

“I’ve missed ya darlin’,” he says before pulling away slightly, “ I won’t be long now.” She closes her eyes as he leans in close, placing a kiss to her cheek. 

She smiles at his words, his lips soft against her skin, and it feels so very real she thinks she might weep. But when she opens her eyes, she is alone again.

Makkari wakes from her sleep, heart pounding, cheeks damp. It is not unusual for Druig to appear in her dreams, but she has never seen him in her mind so clearly. This had felt like more than a mere dream, as if they had met in some unnamed place in between waking and dreaming. A premonition perhaps. And though their encounter had been brief, it has stirred something that she had carefully tucked away deep inside centuries ago. For the first time in a long time she allows herself to hope that fate will soon bring him back to her.

She does not have to wait long.

The following day she feels the ship raised from beneath the sands. They are here, just as she had predicted; her long-lost family. Perched on her throne, book in hand, she waits with bated breath as their collective footsteps approach.

She knows he is with them, feels Druig’s presence before she sees him; the slow tread of his steps, the rhythm of his heartbeat like the words of a song she thought long forgotten come rushing back. She sits up a little straighter, practically vibrating with anticipation, trying to catch a glimpse of him until at last he steps out from behind the others. Though he of course remains unchanged by time, he looks different somehow. Less haunted perhaps, no longer shadowed by the darkness that had once threatened to consume him. She takes comfort in the knowledge that all of his time spent away appears to have fulfilled its purpose.

As their eyes meet her mind is flooded with memories and she realizes they are not all her own as she recognizes the familiar brush of his mind against hers. It is enough to steal her breath.

I missed ya darlin’.

A premonition indeed.

She wants to run to him; throw her arms around him and tell him how much she has missed him too. But now is not the time. There are clearly urgent matters that have gathered them all here. The others are talking among themselves, but she isn’t paying attention. For just a moment they are the only two people in the room, saying what cannot wait without any words at all.

He bows his head a bit before lifting his eyes to meet her gaze, the corners of his mouth turning up in a tentative smile. He is testing the waters; wonders if she has grown to resent him or if his place within her affections still remains. Oh but he could charm away the very worst of her ire, though there was no need to try. Their relationship, the connection they shared, was an imperishable thing; each accepting of the other without judgment or condition. Such had always been the nature of their love. Now was no different. Though his absence had left a lingering grief within her these long years, now that he stands before her again the only emotion she has room for is pure joy. So she returns his smile, assuring him that the bond they share is not broken; could never be. That for now all is well between them.

But just as her world feels righted, it is turned upside down again as she learns that everything they have ever been told about their past and their collective purpose is a lie. She knows the others wouldn’t make up such a thing, nevertheless, old habits renewed, her eyes seek those of the one she trusts the most and he nods in confirmation. It is a hard truth to swallow, but she clings to the knowledge that at least everything that exists between them, everything that matters most to her is real.

He finds his way over to her then, asking about the emerald tablet he still remembers she had searched so hard for. He calls her beautiful and his, and how could she have ever doubted? Perhaps these long years spent apart have served a purpose for her as well, granting her a clarity that had somehow eluded her before.

“Did you miss me?”

Every second of every day.

This flame between them, undiminished by time or distance, burns brighter than ever. She can feel the warmth radiating from him as he stands close behind her, playfully nudging her shoulder as he gazes down at her and already it feels as if he never left. There is so much she wants to say but it will have to wait a little longer, so again she simply smiles at him in answer. The biggest one she can manage.

As Phastos lays out his plan, Makkari balks a bit at the idea of her newly returned Druig being placed at the center of this potentially dangerous experiment, but he has bravely accepted the task. Finally called upon to put his abilities to good use, he is willing to do what is necessary to save the beings he has tried so hard in his way to protect from certain annihilation. This plan of theirs is a long shot, but she has to believe it will work. Once they save this planet from destruction they will no longer be bound to it. No longer stuck in this endless purgatory, free to seek out new lives. When this is over, there will be nothing left to stop her from placing her heart in his hands where it has always belonged and finally claiming the love he has been carefully, patiently laying at her feet for so long. Because he is hers as she is his and no force in this universe short of death itself will ever keep them apart again. 

Chapter Text

*

Once the fight to stop the emergence was done, Sersi had decided that the remaining band of eternals should go once more to the former home of their departed leader before splitting up to go their separate ways. It seemed like the proper place to say goodbye.

On the way, they had all gone to remove their armor and tend to their wounds as best they could. Without Ajak here to heal them, they’d had to resort to more primitive methods.

When they had reached their destination, each of them had, in their own time, found their way down to the house below. All but one that is.

Makkari wondered what was taking Druig so long. Were his injuries worse than he had let on? She had wanted to help patch him up, but he had, of course, insisted that he do it himself. Stubborn.

They all gathered in the kitchen talking and reminiscing. Reconciling. Sorting through the difficult events of recent days and sharing memories in honor of those they had lost.

After awhile, Sersi and Sprite departed, the former in a hurry to return to her human companion, the latter to begin her new mortal existence under Kingo’s capable supervision.

Now there remained only Makkari, Thena and Phastos, whose family would be there any day to take him home as well once he had finished repairing the significant damage the ship had suffered.
It was strange to think about leaving so many members of their family behind as they went on to face whatever lie ahead. She would certainly miss them.

As the other two continued their conversation, Makkari found herself only half paying attention, eyes frequently glancing out the window, impatient to see the one person she wanted to talk to the most.

Makkari noticed Thena’s eyes follow her own as her gaze was once more pulled to the window. This time, to her relief, finally spotting a familiar black clad figure walking slowly toward the house.

“We should see to the ship,” Thena suggested, turning to Phastos. “It’s going to need quite a lot of your tinkering to be space worthy.”

“Sure, in a minute, I just...”the master mechanic started to reply.

“Now.” She stated evenly but firmly, cutting him off.

“But...,” he tried again before being swiftly silenced by a hard look from the legendary warrior. The kind that left no room for arguments.

“Ok,ok. Now.” Phastos threw up his hands in resignation as he headed for the door.

Thena gave Makkari a small nod as they passed, and with a grateful smile, she blessed her sister’s intuitive assumption that she would very much like to have a certain someone to herself for awhile.

…

As he approached, Makkari could feel her emotions churning. When he walked through the door she quickly moved to embrace him, throwing her arms around his neck. Needing to feel him under her hands again just to make sure he was real.

Druig enthusiastically returned her embrace, but she felt him give a groan of pain.

She stepped back slightly, hands flying up to her chest for a moment before she spoke.“Sorry!”

“Is it so bad?” She questioned before she reached out to try and see for herself.

He took her hand instead, bringing it up to place a quick kiss to the back of it.

“Just a bit sore, I’ll live,” he replied with a slightly pained half-smile, releasing her as he moved toward the living room and headed for the couch. As he passed, she noticed that he still had a bit of blood on his face.

In a golden blur, she dashed to the bathroom, grabbing the first aid kit she was glad to see in the cabinet before coming to find him again, head resting against the cushions, eyes closed. He looked exhausted. Softly, she sat down next to him and rummaged through the small white box for what she needed. As she ripped open one of the little alcohol pads, he opened his eyes, rolling his head to one side to look at her as she reached toward him.

She grinned. “Let’s fix that handsome face,” she said before moving to wipe away the dried blood still marring his right cheek.

He gently batted her hand away. “No need to fuss darlin’. It’s just a scratch.”

“So stubborn.” She sighed. “Hold still!”

In a flash, she had placed herself on his lap; straddling him and holding him captive. In the very next moment she realized the position her lack of forethought had put them in and she hoped he couldn’t see the little blush that heated her cheeks.

No such luck.

“Well, maybe I’ll reconsider,” Druig teased, eyes sparkling with mirth, as he clasped his hands behind his head, smug smile on his face.

Shameless flirt.

“Are you givin’ this aggressive bedside manner to all yur patients?” he questioned playfully.

“My sympathies fer the many hapless lovers I imagine have been left sufferin’ in the wake ‘a yur feminine wiles,” he continued, feigning scandal.

She smiled and rolled her eyes, lightly slapping his chest with the back of her hand, careful to avoid his middle. Oh how she had missed him.

Carefully she took the alcohol soaked cotton and dabbed away the not inconsiderable patch of blood still clinging to his face. He crossed his arms then, wincing slightly, but let her finish the job. She was relieved to see that the cut underneath was indeed quite small and had already started to close.

“That’s better,” she said before tossing her supplies off to the side.

She knew he had only been joking, but she also knew him well enough to hear the unspoken question in his teasing. He wondered if she had moved on after all this time. Found companionship among humans like Sersi and Phastos. Maybe she should let him wonder awhile, she thought wickedly to herself as she crossed her arms to match him, playfully narrowing her eyes.

Druig lifted his chin to meet her gaze, that familiar smirk on his face. And for a moment, her memory transported her far away. She was taken back to those warm ancient nights. Drinking, dancing to the rhythm of music thrumming through the desert air. Eyes full of mischief. Promises of secrets kept.

The others had never quite seemed to understand what she saw in him(not that that had ever mattered to her). To them he was…difficult. Sure, he could be sarcastic, antagonistic, at times moody, and never hesitated to offer his dissent when the occasion called for it, but despite all that she had been drawn to him from the beginning. Had always been able to see beneath the surface.
He was also brave, loyal and insightful. They shared a penchant for trouble and she delighted in his almost boyish sense of humor. He possessed an easy kind of charm, always greeting her with a smile and a sweet word. He was so openly affectionate where she was concerned, despite the teasing he often received for it. And the way he looked at her like she was the only person in the room always managed to set her heart aflutter.
He was the keeper of all her secrets. Her voice when those around her didn’t know her language. It was like he saved the best parts of himself just for her. Oh how she adored him.

Her heart clenched painfully as all at once the horror of today’s events washed over her like a tidal wave. She hadn’t realized before how much she had taken for granted the fact that they had all the time in the universe. But recent events had given her a firm grasp of the grim reality that while they may be ageless and immortal, they were certainly not invincible. She had almost lost him forever mere hours ago. Her best friend. Her beloved Druig. The absolute agony she had felt in that moment she thought him gone had ripped that scream from the very depths of her soul. It was like nothing she had ever felt.
The measure of her despair had been second only to the rage that overwhelmed it the instant Ikaris’ treacherous feet had touched the ground. She would have seen him dead or died trying if the others hadn’t intervened.

Suddenly, it was as though the air were being sucked from the room and her eyes began to well with tears as her breath hitched.

*

When Druig saw that she had begun to cry, he pulled himself up straight despite his body’s protests, his easy smile traded for a look of concern.

“Ay, my face can’t be that tragic, an I was only jokin’ about yur countless lovers,” he teased again, trying for a little levity to ease her melancholy. It wasn’t enough this time.

Her eyes were distant, and held a kind of deep sadness that was so rare for her, one that would not so easily be chased away. He didn’t need to be a genius(or a mind reader)to know exactly what haunted her. It was plain to see that though she may be the fastest being in the universe, the harrowing events of the last few days had finally caught up with her.

“Hey. No, my lovely,” he almost whispered as he gently took her face in his hands, thumbing away a tear as it rolled down her cheek. He then took one of her slender hands and placed it on his chest, covering it with his own. She closed her eyes as she felt the steady beat of his heart.

“It’s ok, everythin’s fine now.”

“I’m right here.”

Her breathing began to steady and she opened her eyes then, fixing her gaze on him again. “Don’t worry. You’ll not be rid ‘a me that easy”, he added with a wink.

That earned him a smile, though he noticed it didn’t quite reach her eyes as she nodded. She looked down then, lovely brown eyes hidden by tear soaked lashes. Something else was clearly on her mind. He wasn’t out of the woods yet. She took one of his hands and turned it over, placing her other hand in his upturned palm, and spelled a single word against it. His name. She always did that when she needed to talk about something hard. Something very serious or something he wouldn’t like, and she was working up the nerve to start. This did not bode well for him, but he would weather her storm.

Gently, he tilted her chin up so their eyes met. “It’s ok. You can tell me.”

She took a deep breath as her hands began to move.

“I need you to know I never looked for another,” she told him, giving answer to his earlier unspoken question. One he knew he had no right to ask. His clever Makkari; she never missed a thing.

“How could I?”, she continued, “I’ve only ever been yours.”

As much as his heart soared at her quiet confession, he could feel the axe was to follow.

“The night you left. I knew it was coming. I saw it in your eyes and I understood. I felt your pain like it was my own.”

He hated the thought that his emotional burden had troubled her so.

“I thought maybe you just needed space. Time to think. But as time went on I started to think maybe…,” she hesitated,“…I thought maybe you stopped loving me.” She signed quickly. Like she was eager to finally unburden herself of a worry that had been weighing on her mind for the past 500 years.

The fact he’d been expecting it did nothing to lessen the blow. It was like a dagger to the heart. A pain unknown. Worse even than that which he had suffered at the hands of his traitorous ‘brother’. And he deserved it.

He hadn’t wanted to leave her of course, just everything else. He couldn’t stand to be sidelined and misled a moment longer. Feeling powerless and without purpose. Not to mention the ever growing discord between himself and their supposed second in command. Insufferable ass. It had all become too suffocating.
But he knew his sweet Makkari loved their leader like a mother, and still believed in the purpose of their mission. It wouldn’t have been fair of him to ask her to choose. Or maybe that had just been the excuse he had made for himself to avoid facing the possibility of her rejection. A license to give up and give in to his own selfish desire to be free of it all.
How could he possibly deserve her?

“I’m so sorry I left ya like I did. You know why I had to leave, but I should never have left you behind. Left ya lonely so long. I was a fool for certain, and you should hate me. But ya must know I could never stop lovin’ you.” With one hand sliding behind her neck, the other resting at the small of her back, he pulled her closer, lips barely brushing the spot right below her ear. He wanted her to really feel his next words. “You, my beautiful, beautiful Makkari, are too well tangled in my soul.”

*

With his sweet words and the pleasant little shiver that danced down her spine, any fear or uncertainty that had held her back in the past dissolved into nothingness. All of that was done now. Having him here, real and alive beneath her was the only thing in the whole universe that mattered.

With that realization she leaned in, one hand on either side of his face, and pressed to his lips the softest kiss. She pulled back slightly, eager to gauge his reaction. Would he be surprised? Amused? But when she looked at him she saw something else entirely. His face was more serious than she’d ever seen it, and in those impossibly blue eyes there was a dazzling intensity that caused her pulse to quicken and sent a delicious wave of heat to drop low in her belly. The sadness that had threatened to overwhelm her moments before had quickly given way to something much more powerful. Something long withheld that would no more be denied.
Without hesitation she kissed him again. Harder this time, tongue softly flicking out, begging for entrance. He eagerly obliged. She reveled in the sensation of his perfect mouth against hers. The taste of him as their tongues met. Intoxicating. She had pictured this moment so many times but none of her daydreams came close to the reality of it. It was dizzying. Like holding your breath for far too long and then finally filling your lungs with oxygen.

It was exhilarating in its newness and yet there was something strangely familiar in the way they moved together. Like recalling a beautiful dream. They knew now that they had all lived so many other lives, on countless other planets. And Makkari knew in her heart that she had loved him in every single one.  

*

He could hardly believe this was actually happening. His impossible, beautiful girl was in his lap and kissing him senseless. One hand resting against his chest, the other now buried in his hair, she moved her mouth against his with a fiery insistence that threatened to undo him completely. Any pain he had felt earlier was entirely forgotten. In fact, he was fighting to maintain any semblance of rational thought and quickly losing the battle. But she had been so upset and vulnerable just a moment ago. Was he taking advantage of her compromised emotions? Should he say something? But then she fisted a hand into his shirt and gently rolled her hips against him.
Fuck.

Just like that, all coherent thoughts left his brain. Which was probably good since he had a habit of overthinking everything. But it was becoming increasingly clear that thinking wouldn’t serve him now. She needed him to act.

He’d spent so many years being forced to deny his own instincts and push his feelings aside. Being told to hold back. But something about her presence had always freed him. She was so bright and vibrant, like a golden sun shining through his often dark and stormy skies. Burning away all of his shadows, his doubts; all of his broken pieces, leaving someone better. Someone worthy. Someone who existed only for her. Now with each searing kiss, she burned away the last of his lingering restraint.

She slipped her hands inside the shoulders of his jacket, pushing it down his arms and helping him shrug it off the rest of the way before tossing it unceremoniously to the floor behind her.

“Touch me,” she urgently requested before returning her mouth to his.

As his goddess commanded. Without another thought, his hands began to roam. He wasn’t ashamed to admit that he’d fantasized about this moment many times in his long existence. What it would be like to touch like this her if she ever blessed him with the chance to. How he would slowly worship every part of her. Maybe that was how he managed to move with his current level of confidence. Or, he mused, perhaps they had found themselves similarly entwined before. He would like to think so. That the two of them were bound somehow. Destined to belong together in every life. The more he considered it, the more he was sure it must be so, because he couldn’t imagine ever loving anyone else the way he loved her.
He would curse Arishem for stealing his memories if it weren’t for the excitement he now felt at the prospect of discovering her all over again. Mapping out every inch of her flawless form and recommitting it to memory. Memories he had no intention of surrendering ever again.

When he slid his fingertips under the hem of her shirt, lightly brushing the soft skin of her stomach, she sighed. When his hand went higher still, sliding his palm over one of her perfect breasts, he was rewarded with a soft moan.
So beautiful.

He would do anything to coax more sounds like that from her.
If he had known all it took was nearly dying to finally toss them over the edge of the precipice they’d been standing at for so long, he’d have done it ages ago.

Time seemed to stop as they lost themselves in one another, every touch from her leaving him desperate for more. But finally they were forced to break apart slightly. Just enough to try and catch their breath. Foreheads still touching, noses brushing slightly. He felt delirious.

“So. Ya did miss me then.” It was all he could think to say, still a little breathless, unable to help the stupid grin he knew was plastered on his face.

In answer, she smiled and pressed one more kiss to his lips. Slow and deliberate, as if she were trying to pour every ounce of longing she possessed into it. Willing him to feel the depth and sincerity of her affection.

Then without warning, and much to his disappointment, she suddenly slipped from his grasp and rose from her place in his lap. He was on the verge of protesting when she raised her hands to speak.

“Take me to bed Druig.” She signed, her sweet face hopeful and imploring.

“Please.”

She reached out a hand then, beckoning him to take it.

He didn’t need to be asked twice. He had hoped for eons to receive such a request from her. She had already claimed his heart and soul long ago, to keep with her various treasures. At last she was here before him, sweetly demanding the rest. He would gladly give it.
He stood and took her hand, letting her lead him to his glorious, long awaited fate. He vowed then, from this moment on, he would follow her wherever she went for the rest of time.

*

A myriad of sensations washed over her one after the other as she slowly awakened. The warmth of the almost risen sun playing across her cheek. The slight breeze from the open window. The steady rhythm of a familiar heartbeat. Strong arms holding her close. She couldn’t recall ever feeling more content.

As the haze of sleep continued to lift, she wondered briefly if the others were awake yet. She couldn’t sense any voices or movements beyond the bedroom door but she knew they would soon have to rise and leave their temporary haven. There were probably a hundred things to do before they left this planet behind, but in this very moment, she couldn’t bring herself to care. Instead, she brushed all other thoughts away, allowing herself to bask in this perfect moment a little longer.

To her annoyance, she felt her stomach give a rumble, interrupting her short lived peace. All at once she became aware that she was, in fact, starving. And of course her bottomless pit of a lover would need to be fed soon as well.

Her lover.

Of course that one word couldn’t begin to sum up what he meant to her, but she could now officially add it to the list. She smiled at the thought as she made to rise and go pillage the kitchen for something to eat. Slowly, she sat up on the side of the bed, so as not to wake him just yet. His arm still partly wrapped around her waist, she grabbed his shirt from the end of the bed and pulled it over her head. Pants…She scanned the floor in front of her but no luck.
Before standing up to continue her search, she couldn’t resist the urge to turn and run her fingers through Druig’s sleep tousled mop of dark hair, brushing his bangs slightly to the side. Eyes still closed, he mumbled something incoherent and tightened his grip around her waist, pulling her back towards him. And just like that it was decided that food could wait a little longer. She smiled to herself as she burrowed back into the warmth of his embrace.

As she lay there, a familiar sight caught her eye. On the bedside table lay a bracelet; obsidian beads tied together with red string. How had she not noticed it earlier? She remembered it well. In the early days of their time here, before she had come to admit even to herself the true extent of her affection for the man beside her, she had seen it while casing passing through one of the village markets. The colors had reminded her of him and she had decided that the stall owner wouldn’t mind so much if she secretly relieved him of it.

A few days later they had all been gathered in the great room of the ship, preparing for another fight, when she had glanced over at Druig(she certainly hadn’t been staring) and seen it on his wrist. He had obviously been rifling through her stash of stolen goods again as he was wont to do from time to time. He had noticed her looking at it and given her a sly smile and a wink from across the room. After that, they had taken turns stealing and hiding it from one another. It became a little game of theirs.

She couldn’t believe he still had it; had clung to this small piece of them all this time. He must have had to rethread it more than a few times over the last several centuries. The sight of it warmed her heart as tears threatened her eyes.

Makkari reached out to touch it but Druig caught her hand in his as he placed a soft kiss to her neck.“I believe that belongs to me my light fingered lass,” he spoke against her skin.

She twisted around in his arms so she was turned to face him.”Look who’s finally awake,” her hands moved between them.

“Good thing too,” he replied, a sleepy smile spreading across his face as he noticed she was wearing his shirt. “That what all this is about then? You’ve bedded me just to rob me blind?”

She grinned as she lightly shoved his chest, a little laugh escaping her.

“Idiot,” she signed, rolling her eyes as she touched her hand to her forehead. Oh how she loved him.

“You know very well it was mine first, but you can keep it,” she told him, placing a quick kiss to his lips. “I already have everything I want.” 

Chapter Text

*

They had just gotten underway, now drifting through the vastness of space on their way to begin their newfound mission of liberating their fellow Eternals from the tyranny of their Celestial creators.

In the interest of settling in for the journey, he had come to his old room to make sure it was acceptably clean and decently comfortable for his ladylove to take up residence along with him.

The matter of sleeping arrangements had been quickly decided once he had caught sight of her room.

[When the door opened, his eyes went wide for a moment as he surveyed the situation. Things piled nearly to the ceiling in places, objects strewn across every surface. He’d turned and given her an exasperated yet adoring look, unable to help himself from chuckling a bit as he shook his head.

“M’darlin’, you’ve outdone yourself.”

“What?” she said looking slightly sheepish. “They’re…souvenirs.”

“Uh huh. Did ya leave anythin’ behind for the people on Earth?”

She smacked his arm.

”To be fair, I stashed this stuff in here ages ago. I just couldn’t bring myself to leave it.”

“Well I guess that settles where you’ll be sleepin’.”

“That was never a question,” she replied, smiling up at him as she nudged him with her hip.]

His room had always been sparsely decorated, with only a bed and a few other pieces of furniture to fill the space, so there wasn’t much to tidy up. But if she was going to be sleeping in his room, he figured the least he could do was switch out this rather dusty bedding. As he ran his hand along the underside of the mattress, it made contact with something hard. He knew instantly what it was. He reached underneath to retrieve a small gold box. He knew he had stashed it somewhere in here but he hadn’t stayed in this room for so long he had forgotten exactly where.
He had never cared much for material things and for all of their time spent on Earth, he had no belongings anyone would consider valuable. Save this one thing. And he had only kept it in hopes of one day giving it to another. As he held it, he thought back to the day he had received it.

[It had come into his possession during their time in Athens. A particularly nasty bunch of Deviants had kept them busy there for quite some time(much to Thena’s elation) and the grateful ruler and his queen had invited Ajak and her band of misfit ‘children’ to take up temporary residence within the vast palace walls where they were treated like royalty themselves. Gods even. Servants everywhere to wait on them hand and foot, and while some of them (Kingo especially, that bloody diva) had taken full advantage, he himself had quickly found it rather tiresome. The never ending supply of food had been nice though.
More-so than in most other civilizations they had spent time in thus far, the culture there had placed great importance not just on physical prowess, but also the pursuit of more intellectual and philosophical endeavors. An age of great fighters and thinkers alike. It was perhaps, in part for this reason that he had received more attention of a certain kind than ever before, with servant girls and noblewomen alike intent on luring him into their beds. While he understood how many may have found these circumstances rather appealing, there were no amount of batted eyelashes or shamelessly bold advances that would sway him. He had no interest in whatever fleeting pleasures these superficial encounters might bring. His heart already belonged to another and while he may not yet have been ready to say those words out loud, he had decided that her’s were the only arms into which he would ever fall.
At first, he had tried to make himself seem more brooding and unapproachable, but that had somehow only made matters worse. Quickly running out of polite excuses to decline their invitations, he had on more than a few occasions resorted to using his powers to make them forget why they had approached him in the first place.
So he had taken to staying in his room most of the time, only emerging in the late hours when most people had already found their beds and things were quieter, keeping to the least used passages.
It was on one such occasion that the queen herself, accompanied by two of her ladies, had passed through to find him perched in a window, looking up at the night sky, lost to his thoughts.

She was an objectively attractive woman, he guessed somewhere nearing middle age, with long brown hair plaited down her back, and eyes that were kind yet held a keen stare. She carried herself with a certain confident air he supposed befitted a person of her station as she approached him.

“I hoped that I might find you here,” she said.

He’d stood up from his spot, giving her a little nod of respect. “Is there somethin’ I can help you with m’lady?” he asked, a little wary of her intentions.

“The fast one, she is your woman yes?” she asked, getting straight to the point.

“Well, actually, we’re just…,” he started before she raised her hand to silence him.

“It seems that she also has a talent for making things disappear. In fact, some of my jewelry seems to have been recently misplaced with apparently no explanation but a flash of gold and a sudden breeze. A necklace and earrings, set with rubies.”

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly at the momentary flash of recognition he failed to hide, inadvertently confirming her suspicions. He opened his mouth to answer, mind racing to come up with something to offer in Makkari’s defense(if Ajak heard about this, she’d be in for another one of her long winded lectures), but she continued before he had a chance to speak. “No need to return them. She may consider them a gift for everything she has done to help protect our land and our people. Besides, every woman should have beautiful things. She has good taste.” She gave him a meaningful look.

“Take this as well,” she said, taking his hand and placing within it a small gold box. “To complete the set.”

Curious, he opened the box to regard the object inside. It was a ring, intricate gold band with a red stone set in the center.

“You should give it to your lady. I have seen her stare at it with a look full of wanting that she usually reserves for you.”

His eyes met hers at the comment. Did the woman exaggerate, or was he really so blind to what she seemed to see so clearly? “She’s not my…,” he started, but again the queen held up her hand to quiet him.

She gave him a knowing smile. “When two people look at one another as you do, they are certainly meant to be lovers. Tell her what is in your heart. Give her this and make her your wife. Then you will be busy with the duties of a husband and not spend so much time hiding away in empty corridors, hmm?”
The insinuation of the queen’s words coupled with the barely concealed giggles of her ladies had caused a slight warmth to rise in his face.
Looking quite amused herself at his embarrassment, she had given him a small nod and continued on her way.]

He had been thankful that she had seen fit to leave him alone with his thoughts, for he’d had no idea what to say. He had come to terms with his true feelings for the beautiful Makkari long before that, but the situation was complicated. Of course he loved her. They had always carried a certain affection for each other, but for one reason or another, that affection had never passed beyond the point of friendship, albeit a very close one.
But while he may have been unsure of what to do about it, he was absolute in the knowledge that he wanted more. He wanted everything.

He couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment his feelings had shifted, but when he looked at her he had begun to see her differently. He had always found her beautiful, but how had he never noticed before how gracefully her lovely hands moved when she spoke? How her beautiful brown eyes, dark and warm like earth, turned the color of honey when the sun hit them just right? How breathtaking she looked when she reappeared after one of her runs, her whole face alight with joy?
He had felt it in the way his heart swelled when he earned one of her radiant smiles. In the way even her slightest touch sent electricity sparking across his skin. The way he had found himself wishing every stolen moment between them would last just a little longer. It was through all of these little things that he had come to the realization that he didn’t just love her, he was in love with her. Deeply and irrevocably.

Perhaps if he had been braver, he would have taken the queen’s advice back then, but the bond he and Makkari shared was the one perfect thing he had been granted in his life and he hadn’t wanted to chance compromising it, so he had let his uncertainties get the best of him. What if she didn’t feel the same and things became awkward? What if he couldn’t be what she needed and her feelings turned bitter, leaving that connection shaken or worse, broken? He didn’t want to imagine what he might become without her steady, grounding presence in his life. If he weren’t bent on remaining someone she considered good (or at least decent). He often felt as if she were the only thing preventing him from slipping into chaos. If for whatever reason she ceased to care for him, he would be utterly lost. Completely unmoored.
So he had locked those feelings away just as he had hidden the ring away, saving them for another time. Content enough to wait, never pressing for more than she freely gave, basking in whatever affection she deigned to give him in hopes that one day she would claim him as her own.

That had been so long ago. He thought about all that had passed between them since then, the mistakes he had made. Thought about them now, his trespasses graciously forgiven, their love finally openly declared to one another. Surely now would be the right time if any.
Maybe it was a superfluous gesture for two people who had already loved each other for so long, but the tradition was one that the secret romantic in him had always liked. His fixation with the idea was not born out of any sense of possessiveness, some need for others to know that she was ‘his’. He wanted her to know without a doubt in her heart that his love was steadfast and true. That he would love her through all the long ages of time and whatever it might have in store. That though he had made the mistake once, he would never willingly leave her side again.
He supposed there was only one way to find out her thoughts on the matter, and he had certainly learned his lesson at this point about keeping his feelings unspoken. He already regretted the time that doing so in the past had cost them.

Soon, he thought. Once he had the right words.