Chapter Text
The soft moats of light were coloured by stained glass as the morning crept into being.
The bedroom was rather large, the walls were covered with not just bookshelves, but photographs, paintings, and other treasures. Some of the things had been there longer than his grandfather had been alive, and he honestly felt no inclination to change that any time soon.
He wrapped his arm tighter around the blonde who currently slept with a face buried in his neck and pressed up against him. He ran a hand through the other's hair and enjoyed the sensation of his beloved's breath and lips against his bare skin.
He began to run his hand down the other's back, tracing beautiful red lines. When he got to his lover's waist, he felt the faint breaths that betrayed laughter and being awake.
He pressed slightly harder into the other's skin, delighting in the gasp he was rewarded with, followed by a playful bite to his neck. He massaged the other's body more, reveling in every sound that escaped the other man's lips. He grabbed onto the other man's thigh, and draped it over his hip, which earned him an approving hum. His hands continued exploring his lover's body, drawing out as much of those pleading sounds as he possibly could. When his hands fell on the other man's hips, he felt the man roll them in such a way that was a request for more attention.
“You'll have to actually kiss me first,” he said quietly. There was no one else in the apartment, and no neighbors, but he would always be quiet like this in the morning unless things heated up like he knew they were about to.
The man whose legs were on either side of him now moved a hand to lift himself up just enough for them to gaze into each other's eyes.
“Breathtaking,” he exhaled the word, a smile on his lips. Every time he woke up with this man in his arms he was always awed by the sheer beauty he possessed, from his blonde and red hair to the golden eyes framed by long eyelashes that were lazily half-open this early in the day.
A soft kiss was placed on his lips at first.
“Good morning, love.” He said to the blonde,hands pulling those hips down against his own with just enough force that it got a smirk from the blonde.
“Good morning,” the blonde rolled his hips again, “Phainon.”
Phainon didn't want to rush this morning. It felt too sweet- they had just gone through something absurd yesterday, and he both wanted to sleep in but also to spoil his prince with everything he asked for. “Tell me, Mydei, did you have good dreams?” He didn't break eye contact with Mydei.
Mydei gave a small giggle and nuzzled into Phainon's neck again. “After I saved the gods to whom I've been praying my whole life AND getting to sleep in your arms?” Mydei kissed Phainon's neck, “of course I had the sweetest of dreams. How did you sleep?”
“Perfectly,” Phainon replied, hands trailing up and down Mydei's sides.
His mind flickered to Mydei drenched in black blood, laughing like he hadn't just run his father’s disfigured body through with a spear in the most stunning display of confidence he had ever witnessed, and how the words ‘So I saved Nikador’ spoken like a child who had got caught stealing cookies, was standing in a world that was suddenly turning from disgusting black hatred into fragmented light and flower petals, somehow felt like absolute blasphemy. Somehow Mydei's sheepish tone of voice combined with the fluttering of white flower petals had made Phainon's heart hammer so hard in his chest that he could only rush to hold his prince in his arms.
The cryptic note he had received a month prior had seemingly predicted that outcome.
‘Fury Unchecked
Blood Soaked, Redeemed, Defied’
He pulled Mydei down into a kiss and wanted to drown in that moment of bliss. He wanted to be able to disappear into the world where it was just himself and Mydei for a little longer.
Lips against heated skin.
Trailing fingers pressed harder.
Ragged breaths.
Interlaced fingers.
Cries of ecstasy echoing off the walls.
Eyes focused so intently.
Cries for more.
Cries for release.
Phainon ended up falling back asleep, arms around his prince who had fallen back asleep humming contentedly into his neck.
Phainon dreams of a creature with offset wings, glowing golden hair, and a sword made of divine light. The creature's body appears mutilated, burnt to black cinder and gaping covers filled with golden light are exposed within its torso.
“You must finish this.”
The being speaks, its voice eerily like his own.
“You must finally end what I could not.”
Phainon feels the beings gaze upon his very soul.
“I will give you part of my strength, but you can not have it all.”
The voice feels detached- worried.
“My hatred would consume you, turning your body into one that would destroy everything you care for.”
Phainon can't speak. He can not ask questions.
“Worldbearer.”
The being pauses.
“Phainon of Aedes Elysiae.”
Another, burning pause.
“Destroy the Flame Reaver. Destroy Lygus. Destroy Irontomb.”
Phainon can only stare.
“My name has been ripped from your destiny by my own actions. My name is not to be spoken by anyone. My role should no longer exist.”
Phainon wants to reach out and ask.
“You can't save me.”
The being came to stand in front of Phainon.
“And I never earned your pity.”
It took a step closer and Phainon recognized the burnt sun on the beings neck. This was a version of himself.
“I will grant you the bare minimum- the coreflame that belongs to you.”
This version of him sounds as if it wants to cry, but has no energy to do so.
“With it, you will be able to protect him this time.”
The weapon vanishes, and a golden flame is held out to Phainon in its place; the emblem of Kephale glimmering within it.
“With this, the only thing that could be considered my heart, I give you the strength to carry the world. But I must warn you that the world you need to bear is small. Just you and him. Take upon yourself no other burden. This world must come to true peace.”
Phainon can't move- can't speak- can't respond as the golden flame is forced into his chest by a hand that could crumble at any second.
“Its time for me to leave this world behind, just as it has become time to remove the need for these mirthless cycles to end.”
The godlike version of himself starts to dissolve.
“You are strong, Worldbearer. But you are stronger with him by your side.”
The golden Phainon seems to smile- almost seems to cry-
“Please, do what I never could.”
And then the being dissolves completely, leaving Phainon in a void of darkness. He stares straight ahead.
Within the darkened space of that void, something changes, and he notices the dawn begin to break within it.