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 Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 7:11 pm
In the aftermath of his breakdown with his mother (despite his words to her and hers to him, Lithian would always consider her his mother), his father came to him. It was the following morning, Lithian waiting near the docks at dawn where he would catch a return trip to the portal, and home. Nevhin approached, clearly having rushed on his way over, but hesitant, once in Lithian’s presence.
“Lithian,” he said, breathless. “I’m glad I caught you.”
Lithian, too, hesitated. His pulse felt tight in his throat, all the emotions from the previous day rising back up like backwash. What did he even call the man? “Sir…”
“Father,” Nevhin interrupted, a flash of hurt moving across his features. “Lithian…” He reached out, touching a hand to Lith’s shoulder, “…I will always be your father. And she your mother, regardless of what she says.” Lithian diverted his gaze. “She didn’t…expect you to insist,” Nevhin continued, more hesitant. “You hurt her greatl—”
“I hurt her?” Lithian said, pulling a step away from his father, but Nevhin was already stumbling to back track.
“You both said much, a great deal of it confusing and spoken in anger—”
“No.” Lithian shook his head. “No, I said I was in love with a man and she said I was no longer a part of this family. That was what was said.” He curled in on himself, rubbing one elbow and shutting his eyes. “It’s all very simple, really…”
Nevhin frowned, and a long silence passed between them before he spoke. “This is my fault, as much as any…”
Lithian glanced up, confused.
“I should have spoken to you,” his father said, “of things which it did not occur to me would need explaining, though I likely could have benefited from such words myself, when I was younger.”
“I don’t understand…”
Nevhin shifted his weight, wings stretching. “Attraction, romance, courting…it can all be a wildly exciting and confusing thing when you’re young. You find yourself wanting things you never did, doing things you’ve never—”
“Father,” Lithian murmured, flushing, “I…think it is too late for this conversation. I am not fifteen…or sixteen, or seventeen anymore. While it may have benefited me then, I know these things now and have learned my lessons.”
His father frowned. “What I am meaning to say, Lithian, is that lovers come and go. You are still very young. It can be confusing, tempting, thrilling even, to engage yourself in passions with the ‘forbidden’ — persons…less acceptable for the long term. Including those of lower social backgrounds, other races…” He shifted his weight, “…men. And I understand this. While some would frown upon you just for that, it is of my opinion that such experimentation is healthy, and nothing to be shunned over…so long as you recognize the difference between a fit of passion and those which are more permanent. It can be hard to recognize…difficult to cope with when you are caught up in the energy of the moment. But romances shift. And family does not. I will speak with your mother, encourage her to delay and think about her actions. It will give you time to think as well…and if you change your mind—”
“Casseth is not an experiment.”
Nevhin rubbed at a horn. “Lithian—”
“I have been in love with him for many years. We are building a house together, which is almost complete. I am going to be mated to him. What you, and mother, and my brothers and sisters choose to do with that information is your choice…but it will not change because you do not agree with it.”
His father sighed. “Perhaps you inherited more of her stubbornness than I gave you credit for.” His eyes flicked over Lithian. “Your life will be difficult…”
“It will be worth it.”
Nevhin’s brow furrowed. “I love you. And your mother loves you. Remember that for me?”
Abruptly, Lithian’s eyes stung, his composure — so strong up until that moment — fracturing at the edges, and he swallowed back a shuddered sound. “And I, you, father…I’ll try.”
When his father motioned him forward, Lithian stepped in, allowing the embrace and clinging back in spite of himself.
“Abronaxus protect you,” Nevhin murmured. “You will need all the help you can get.”
When they separated, Lithian quickly brushed away under his eyes, nodding and taking a step back as a bell tolled, announcing the arrival of empty boat, ready for transport and loading through the portal. He turned, gathered his things, and started onto the dock. The last thing he saw departing was his father waiting at the bank, watching him go.
Lithian arrived back on shore on Eowyn after approximately a day and a half at sea. Immediately upon landing, he started for the house he and Casseth shared. More than ever now, he wanted — needed — Casseth back in his arms.
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Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 7:41 pm
Casseth wiped at his face as he sat down on the edge of the deck, bare feet sinking down into the cool water. He had been working every day since Lithian left, doing his best to get the last bit of finishing touches done before his intended arrived back home on Eowyn. So that there was nothing else to worry about and he could rest when he arrived home. He expected Lithian back in a few days, figuring that he would stay for a few days to visit with his family. For now, Casseth rested, staring out over the ocean and wishing that he had Lith next to him.
He tilted his head as he focused in on one spot in particular. Far enough out that he would need to swim to get to it. Casseth had been practicing a lot, lately, and with the help of an excellent teacher, he had become more confident in his swimming. He had yet to venture out into the ocean on his own yet. He stood, stripping down to nothing but his undergarments and stretched his wings out, tail flicking back and forth behind him.
He folded his wings in, letting them disappear into their tattoo form and headed down the stairs, directly into the water. The water lapped at his skin, cooling him instantly as he waded out deeper. His mind filtered through the various ideas he had, locking onto one particular look. He kept moving, eventually the ground fell away from his feet and he was wading in the water. Deep enough to jump off of something and dive into the water. Cas grinned as he tugged at his magic. The ground beneath the ocean shook as small waves lapped at his chest and before long Cas’ feet made contact with the ground once again.
Up out of the oceans rose a giant rock, formed from the sand beneath the ocean and honed and smoothed by Casseth’s gaili magic. He made the formation high enough so that one could easily dive into the ocean if they chose. He grinned as he pushed at his magic again, easily carving out stairs that lead down into the ocean, making for easier access. The place was perfect for some ocean fun and sun bathing. Cas sat down on the rock, staring off towards the shore and at Lith and his house, thanking whatever gods had deemed him worthy of someone as wonderful as Lithian.
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Tangled Puppet Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 9:34 pm
As the shape of the beach house, his and Casseth’s house, came into view before him, Lithian’s throat clenched all over again. He wanted for so much: to show this to his parents, his siblings, to have them understand, and to reconcile the wonderful upbringing he had had with the life he now lived. He had not been lying to his mother; he desperately wanted her, along with the rest of his family, to be a part of his life.
But if she refused, it wasn’t worth giving up. This was home. Casseth was home, and he wouldn’t leave it for the world.
Upon coming up the beach, his eyes instinctively sought out said man and — to his surprise — found him out, off the shore, relaxed on a rock platform that Lithian did not remember existing previously. Impatience got the better of him. Overcome with an overwhelming need for Casseth’s company, and comfort, Lithian set his things on the house’s patio, not so much as bothering to go inside before toeing off his boots and shedding his top and excess clothes. He broke into a run across the sand.
The kernels burned under his feet, but he barely noticed, and in no time was upon the shore, stretching out his magic, yanking, and diving forward as his body melded into the surf itself. Seconds later, he was a wave upon Casseth’s rock, breaking against it, over it, and materializing into his solid body atop his lover. Soaked and clinging, wet hair like a turquoise curtain over the both of them, Lithian shuddered.
“I love you,” he whispered against Casseth’s shoulder. “I love you, and sometimes the world is cruel enough to make me wonder if you are all that I love truly. I know it isn’t so…but it makes me wonder, and it’s not fair.” His shoulders quivered, and then sank, voice quieting further still. “It’s not fair…”
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Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 3:02 am
Casseth sat on the rock, eyes closed and face towards the sky. The sun beat down on him, warmed him, and he felt at peace. Felt as if his life were suddenly falling into the exact place it should be. Soon his lover, and best friend, would be home and their house would be finished. They would plan their mating ceremony and officially be tied together. Though Casseth was mostly doing that for Lithian. He knew nothing of, nor did he particularly care for, dovaa ceremony. If it made Lith happy, though, he would gladly do so.
With his eyes closed and his train of thought elsewhere, Casseth didn’t feel the swell of magic coming towards him and crashing against and up and over his newly formed rock. So when Lithian reformed, directly on top of him, Casseth tensed, magic at the ready. Arms clung to him and a body shuddered above him and in an instant Casseth was relaxing, arms wrapping around Lithian and laughing. The laugh died off as Lithian spoke. “Lithian…” Casseth frowned as Lith tucked against his shoulder. “Lithian what’s wrong?”
He pushed himself up into a sitting position, shifting Lithian so that he was curled up in his lap. “Hey, c’mon now…” Caseth reached up and pushed some of Lithian’s wet hair out of his face. “Shhh...I love you too Lithian.” He kissed Lith’s temple and held him tight.
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Tangled Puppet Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 11:49 am
“I’m sorry.” Lithian shook his head. “I didn’t explain anything. I should have said…what happened was…” He released a breath and shut his eyes, taking solace in Casseth’s hold — the warmness of the air, and the nearness of the ocean — despite the wild tempest of emotions in his gut. “I made it to the Plane safely. I spent an evening with my parents. I…” Words lodged themselves in his throat as though physically thick, and he winced, swallowing the sensation back as best he could. “I told them about you…about everything, and…if my mother has had her way, by now I no longer have a family name. I am a traitor to my bloodline and my god, and banished from ever again setting foot in the Celestial Plane…”
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Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 2:33 pm
Casseth tensed and his hold on Lith tightened as his wings unfurled from their tattoos. “Lithian…” Cas bit his lip as he tucked his face against Lith’s neck. “I’m...so sorry. I…” He wasn’t sure how to comfort Lithian. Cas had gone through all the hatred being a hybrid brought him and he dealt with it in his own way and he was mostly ok. Sometimes things would just bubble over and he needed a release. Lithian, though, didn’t deserve any of it and yet here he was, sitting in Casseth’s lap, without a family because of him. He didn’t say as much, though, knowing that blaming himself would do no good as far as comforting Lithian was concerned. It wouldn’t do his intended any good to worry about Cas’ feelings at the moment.
He pulled back from Lith and tilted Lith’s chin up with his fingers. “Things will work out. I promise, Lithian.” Cas leaned in, capturing Lith’s lips with his own and kissed lightly. His wings stretched out and then surrounded the both of them, forming a protective shield from the outside world.
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Tangled Puppet Vice Captain
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