Work Text:
Vetruvius ll's POV:
The fire mage didn't really know what happiness was, or at least the type that everyone in town was currently having, they were having a huge festival to mark the towns first year in its creation, and like the socially awkward, sole conflict for the town, he knew he couldn't attend. not fully anyway, he saw their eyes hold no malice and fear and crease in never ending smiles , he knew he never could understand what felt like, to smile and laugh with no weight.
How could he? his father only really smiling when tormenting him during training or with his mother, and Vetruvius ll in turn only really grinned in a non teasing tone when he learned a new spell, a new arc of his flames being achieved. So he sighed as he walked aimlessly back to his old tower, now half burned and dusty, taking off his invisibility as he heads downstairs to the cellar. all outside sounds muffled.
He takes out his closest confidant, the red crystal that pulsed and shined to his heartbeat, millions on millions of souls coursing through it and giving whispers of advice and encouragement to actually interact with the rest of town, sad to see their master sad as well.
"I can't, you know i can't, besides you all have me to yourselves now yeah? all i need~" he coos with a heavy coating of flirt but him and the crystalized souls knew it was him just making himself feel better, he needed physical people to interact with, but his inner enigma only fueled his pride as he saw when he was invisible all the mating and courting rituals performed, alphas brushing up against omega's, omega's making a multitude of delightful chirps and purrs, it was playful and intimate. it was a form of interaction he rarely saw with his parents, despite his ache for it he doesn't know the first thing...well-
Vetruvius ll turned pink as the memories of what transpired recently between Kalvin and him back at the rendezvous, how the thrill and momentary darkness of the spar made way to..something more than a student and mentor like kinship. his predicted worries and anxieties returning once the rush faded off. Vetruvivus ll grazed his lips, almost praying to at least have Kalvin find someone else to fancy..forget him please.
'Mister Vetruvius, Mister Vetruvius sir?"
Vetruvius would've screamed a curse if he didn't cover his mouth, a sick twist of face bringing the very boy who he wanted to distance from him was here calling for him? with a small tingle he then heard a whisper via the realms grand mass message interface from Kalvin.
"i saw you appear in the woods and followed you, upon happenstance i was looking for you, but hesitated asking for your location. i have a offering for you sir, if you may, may i show it to you?
Vetruvius ll's heart hitched with his breath, this damned boy, bless his poor soul...he already knew he couldn't say no even without the crystal buzzing in excitement for its answer.
"it is quite alright, one moment."
Vetruvius ll sighed as he moved up the ladder to the main floor of the tower, reducing his form to his signature red ball of light, approaching behind Kalvin before revealing himself.
"Hello Kalvin."
The Homunculus instantly turns and kneels on one knee in respect "good evening sir."
Vetruvius ll was always caught off guard at Kalvin's knight like ethics, but now with the memories of before it felt more charged, did Kalvin still think of it? no focus!
"what is it you brought me Kalvin? you could've asked me to meet at the rendezvous." the fire mage inquired, watching Kalvin open his realm inventory and take out something that made Vetruvius ll even more lost.
He pulled out a large picnic basket with one hand and a music box in the other, setting the large box down.
"I know it is rather difficult for you to attend the festival in good spirits sir, so i wanted to offer you some time to experience some of the festivities, if you are not busy of course." Kalvin said in a run on sentence as he seemed to be nervous, not looking at Vetruvius ll in the eye, he opened the picnic basket and a waft of delicious food and sweets hits Vetruvius ll's nose, the same food from the vendors and stalls, as well as a copper coated music disc.
"Kalvin..you shouldn't have.." the fire mage tried to say but all words failed in front of this burning hot spell, a spell Kalvin made no incantation or mana cost for, but his sheer care for him for the pyromancer was something that stung almost deeper than his father's magics.
"I wanted to sir...may we light the area too?" he said as he properly took out his spellbook, speaking his incantations as they echoed for soft lighting to appear. the lighting giving a warm and soft orange glow to the old tower, Vetruvius followed in kind after watching the light bask Kalvin's hair golden.
Together the tower was rich and fantastical in light balls that casted light shadows of the two, it was a breath of life in a building long since abandoned and rotted.
"Now the music." Kalvin hummed as he takes the copper disc and places it inside the music box, the sound of the box winding until it started to play a old tune that mimicked a lullaby.
"i was told this disc was simply dubbed Creator, and Leo managed to find one of two in it's collection, i asked to borrow it for this occasion." the homunculus said, once again hesitant to look at at his benefactor in the eyes.
Vetruvius ll listened to the disc, feeling his mind draw back to the past, memories of his mother singing him lullabies to ease his nightmares, ones that often alluded to father..this disc felt like safety in the dark nights of soul, a small refuge of warmth against freezing dark. Vetruvius ll was incredibly moved, he reached out to touch Kalvin's chin, Kalvin looking down to meet his eyes, alive and warm, his bottom lip biting in some sort of hesitation.
"Would you then..care to dance with me Kalvin." the pyromancer purred as he noted the blush taking over Kalvin's pale cheeks, he removed his hand and offered it palm up for his student to take, which he did, and off they went.
Making small spins and slow movements as the music disc played, their party of two becoming all there is as they danced together, Kalvin being much more inexperienced than Vetruvius ll, but like the star student the fire mage knows him to be, he catches on quick. The pryomancer only learning how to dance after he went his own way throughout the land after leaving home, exploring all sorts of things and experiences until he happened upon this realm.
Together they danced for what felt like endless nights, Vetruvius ll humming long to the tune, looking into Kalvin's eyes as the memory of what transpired between them returned for its encore. Vetruvius ll's inner enigma feeling territorial over the beta, wanting him to stay in his arms for as long as the stars burned, smelling once again that ion charge inside him coursing with magic, how can a beta have such a alluring scent? Vetruvius ll while pondering this decided to dip Kalvin during their dance, Kalvin in his height difference looking a tad awkward especially with how the air mage didn't expect such a move, but the blush only darkening on his face as Vetruvius ll looked at him with dark eyes, emotional yet hungry.
Kalvin was simply too much.
Kalvin's POV:
Kalvin kneeled down in greeting to Vetruvius ll when he felt his presence, he knew that when he searched for him he would receive answers for the questions that he been having within him since their last spar, one being such is the smell of him, he knew it had something to to with his sir's second gender. but as a beta who came to the world largely ignorant of such effects, he was unsure how to ask him such intimate questions without offending him. earlier he asked his neighbors and his friends in the town about the second genders, some blushed at such a innocent questions, others teased him asking who caused such questions, Leo being the one to provide a deeper explanation. He was a alpha, and his scent was able to effect omegas if he pushed his pheromones into the air, but to a Beta like Kalvin, they could only smell a soft honey like scent, nothing that caused shockwaves and intense reactions like the latter of the dynamics.
Kalvin nodded and decided to whisper in Leo's ear about his true reasons for questioning, he was a fellow Knight of Ars after all.
"Have you ever smelled the scent of Mister Vetruvius? his seems to be particularly potent, even to me"
"Ahh so that's it? Milord does seem to have a heavy scent even for a alpha, but if you can't smell mine as strong then it would be very strange he's the exception."
"is it appropriate to ask? what if it's something magic related? i haven't received word from him in quite some time."
"perhaps he is busy, i recommend if you are curious to try being around him some more, think of something to do with him and see how it feels, perhaps your just a very late bloomer."
Kalvin almost choked on his own breath at that theory, Leo laughing at his flustered state, to any onlookers it looks like Leo was just telling Kalvin a teasing joke.
"my word if that was possible..." Kalvin muttered as the idea of his mother adding that feature to him during his creation made him even more pink, he buried that accursed thought down in his mind, the small monkey that accompanies him whispering from his shoulder a idea of bringing the festival towards his teacher.
So here he was nothing short of a hour later, kneeling in front of Vetruvius ll in his old wizard's tower near the town as he offers a small party of two to the fire mage, Kalvin only smelled Leo's scent faintly when it was pushed out and surged with his jokes with Kalvin, but simply standing in the presence of the pyromancer he could tell a difference, it was a sharper scent, that smell of wooded smoke was warmer and more easily smelled compared to the other alpha. what was different about Vetruvius ll? what was the difference about Kalvin?
The homunculus couldn't help but think of how limp he was when Vetruvius ll kissed him, how his scent and his actions made him unravel into the unknown of pleasure, he was blessed to receive such attention from his Sir, but he couldn't help but desire it once more, Vetruvius ll always felt good to be around, but he felt even better when he was under him, such a lewd thought for his benefactor, but as much as he tried to just dance with him, he couldn't help it.
He was caught in these stolen fantasies as he looked into the pyromancer's bright eyes, he wanted to lean down and kiss him again, to smell more of this strange scent that only seemed to belong to Vetruvius ll, so when he suddenly was dipped down, he nearly tripped and sent them both tumbling, but Vetruvius ll held him tight, looking deep into Kalvin's eyes so intensely, the air mage felt akin to a person who was encountering a den, and the carnivorous animal was at the entrance and staring down into him, all he could smell was the woods and the burn at his nose, Please...
He closed his eyes and waited obediently.
a minute stretched on, and nothing happened.
he felt dizzy as he suddenly became upright again and wasn't enveloped in warm arms, he opened his eyes and saw Vetruvius ll was turned away from him, his smell was much less almost undetectable now, Kalvin was lost to what happened, did he offend?
"Kalvin, i appreciate your kindness to me tonight, it is worth more than you know." he said as he kept his back to him, Kalvin felt a rush of joy at the praise, kneeling now on both knees to him, albeit now shakily, but it was paired with a disappointment that was enough to make a bitter aftertaste.
"Thank you for the food and music, it was beautiful to hear and I'm sure the food is delicious, just tonight i need some time to analyze move of the knights of Ars, so if you would like you can come to the rendezvous and we can discuss." he explained to Kalvin, the air mage amazed at how dedicated Vetruvius ll is to the cause, he had no choice but to accept the intermission.
"Of course sir, thank you for the time of night sir." he goes into a full kowtow before returning to original kneel, Vetruvius ll turns to him and meets his eyes, before the fire mage quickly breaks it to help Kalvin up.
"Enough enough.. i shall see you soon, Excelsior!" the pyromancer assured Kalvin, the calling card of the knights that never failed to hype Kalvin up, responding with his own excited "Excelsior!"
"Very good." and Vetruvius ll's form fades and shrinks to that of the red ball of light after the two clean up the decorations and he took the basket. leaving with a speed that left Kalvin amazed.
Kalvin was left in the dark with the music box, after a while he just stood there, before putting the disc back inside the box and gently recreating the dance he just shared. the loyal dog of the archmagus reliving the warmth, already a memory, his claws scratching at it to keep still so it doesn't run from him.