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 Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 6:30 pm
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"Mm," came a soft hum from the boy next to Aelius.
Even if he had somewhere to be, Eion made no effort to leave. Lying there, idle, in his boy's arms, he felt a heavy torpor take him. Easier to lay there and focus on their closeness. Easier to let Aelius ramble as Waru often did, though he was far more well-spoken and meaningful than Waru's verbal diarrhea.
"Had to be so," he murmured. "It was already so much to keep Her off of you. And she always held you against me, like you were my folly."
He hadn't minded contorting his back to let Aelius slip an arm under him, nor had he objected to being held close. There was ever a sense of alarm with it, but that had deadened as to be nearly unnoticeable anymore; he hadn't burnt any of his boys as Eion, and had exercised this glamour enough that he had a good gauge of when he could hardly maintain it anymore. He had oft refrained from enjoying closeness for fear that he would become used to it, and by being used to it, would come to desire it, and by desiring it, would come to ignore the end of his glamour and accidentally immolate one of his boys.
That had not come to pass. It was an unfounded fear, and he hoped his proclivity for starseeds would prove the same.
He drew a breath. "These moments — glad we get to have them. Could've been robbed from us." Whether by his own weakness for starseeds, or by Schörl.
"Still so hard to believe she's gone."
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2022 1:52 pm
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"Mm." Eion shut his eyes to the meandering press of thumb against him. She would be laughing, she supposed Deeply entertained that he amassed such a band of misfit members, that he somehow inspired loyalty in them, would've called him the king of s**t heap. Lord of the losers. For what had any of them accomplished, really? They were still deadlocked in an unwinnable war. He had so little to show for his time served, according to her.
But he could hear her voice for hours, for days, tearing him down over everything that he'd done. As he lay there, with his eyes shut, the only voice he truly heard was Aelius's.
At the kiss, he shifted onto his back. It was easier, then, to open his eyes and look at the boy. His first boy, and one of many boys, now. En route to becoming an Eternal himself. Having survived a total loss of family, a loss of wealth, having made a name for himself overseas, discovered what he wanted to do, discovered how to be himself. They had both faced down difficult paths and become their own people — once apart, then together.
"You weren't the only one," Eion admitted with a small, self-admonishing smile. He stole a kiss, then stole the fingers encircled around his midsection and laced them between his own. Counted the knuckles for how they sat so still beneath the pads of his fingers. "Had to do so much wrong to get here. Didn't know what I was doing. What I should've been doing. Didn't know how to conduct myself, let alone lead. You suffered through it. Survived it."
He shifted again, folded his legs at the knee. "Didn't think I could get married," he agreed, and his attention shifted to the captive hand. "Let alone more than once."
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2022 4:18 pm
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Spooning was enjoyable, but getting to see his boy's face was a much better situation. Aelius smiled at the kiss, nearly stealing another for the sheer wonton want of it, but Eion continued with his words. Words so sweet and honest that Aelius wouldn't stop them, even for the needy desire he knew would be happily reciprocated.
"But we made it." He agreed. "Troubles and history aside, we made. I have to admit I need to give Waru some credit for getting us here just a bit faster." He chuckled softly. They would have likely worked their way to this point, but who knew how long it would have been? Days? Weeks? ...Months? It would have been an incredibly painful road for them. Old expectation, lessons and hurts just kept getting in the way.
"Hmmm." He said softly, eyes half hooded in contentment as he continued to enjoy their physical touch. His fingers entwined with Eions was one of the more enjoyable acts of intimacy that was terribly innocent but brought such delight to Aelius. Physical touch was Aelius's love language. His need. And he was aware of every spot that he touched Eion, but none as much as their entwined hands. It stole away his thought processes. "More than once?"
It took him a moment to drag his mind back. "Have I missed something?" He half-joked with a curious look, as his deadly sin of jealousy roared upwards. His fingers tightened ever so slightly on his partners thin delicate digits. Jealousy was the way of things in such a relationship, at least for the purple-haired young man. His own little demon to fight. But damn if it didn't clench at his heart in a way he did not like.
Eion was his, but also Waru's and the many other partners that Aelius had yet to know about or meet. He knew more existed, but that jealous streak was not likely to fade fast. After all, he had been with Eion first.
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2022 4:51 pm
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"Years," Eion corrected. Waru had shortened that journey by years, given how bitterly their altercation at the future house had gone. Aelius had worn those scars, and Waru was the one to bring the pair back into contact with each other. Astonishingly, he'd even convinced them to make amends, then reinvest in their tempestuous relationship. To Eion, it had taken Waru for each step, an were it not for his intervention, they would never reach such an amenable place with each other.
Aelius's cooling demeanor gave him pause, and Eion regarded him quizzically. "No…?" Uncertain where the question had come from, he grew more and more reticent about addressing it in full.
His attention shifted back to the captive hand, now clenched on his own. His free fingers danced along the knuckles, fell into the grooves between them, then traipsed back out before he pressed the ball of his thumb to the back of Aelius's hand. "Don't have to say anything now." He saw the frozen wend of smoke around his own fingers and wondered if he could take that for inspiration, or if Aelius would rather bring more of his own personality to the fore.
"Was thinking about how many years it's been. That you're still here now. Thought we —" And he stalled, chewed his lip for the flush of embarrassment and frustration. He lacked Waru's fondness for conversation, and Celadonite's cogent diction. Reading so much poetry hadn't conferred their force with words, nor had spending years among youma done him any favors for sounding humble and romantic. He felt his own awkwardness acutely, much like he did when he smiled or laughed.
Sighing, he asked, "Do you follow me?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2022 5:32 pm
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Immediately it felt as if something had shifted between them. Where there had been contentment and warmth now stood a wall of misunderstanding as the temperature seemed to cool between them. It was a frustrating reoccurrence that Aelius had seen happen again and again. He couldn't help but think it was how own inability to fully grasp what Faustite was trying to say at times. Too used to the days he tip-toed around his commanding officer for fear of his or an even higher-up's wrath. Old habits died hard, and they continued to trip Aelius up even now.
But bless Eion for continuing to try. For his patience in things that Aelius had not yet overcome. While the atmosphere had cooled, Eion trudged forward with his explanation, no matter how much he stumbled. Cause bless the boy, realization dawned hard on Aelius.
Shock, surprise, delight, fear, determination. Pick any emotion and Aelius was likely experiencing it in that precise moment. It took him a moment more, eyes shifting to those delicate fingers as the ball of that thumb pressed into his hand. The smoke that sat nestled upon those fingers in such a familiar form.
Aelius abruptly pulled his hand away from Eions. An act most would take as a denial of the question, but Helio instead rolled over onto the boy. His boy, propping himself up on one arm, and cupping the side of that delicate face as he pressed his lips against Eion's. He deepened the kiss when allowed, only pulling back when air was needed. "God I am such an idiot." He admitted. "A goddamn jealous idiot. Yes. A million times yes.
"I hadn't expected so soon, considering everything that had happened and..." He smiled as he gently pressed his forehead against Eions. "I follow you. I'll always follow you. I swear it." He stole another quick kiss. "There's really no other reason that I came back." And it was the truth. It took another person blatantly point it out to him, but here he was. They were.
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2022 5:58 pm
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It was a shock to receive at first, but Aelius's actions gave all the answer Eion needed before he chased them with words. He was there, and Eion responded to the peppering of kisses with fervent excitement, for there was always a fluttering, uncaged glee when he glimpsed his boys happy, and for a moment, he forgot that he was smiling. It was all he could want — all he could ask for. So many boys had joined his life, had agreed to become part of it, and now he had the boy who had been there the longest of all of them.
Celadonite, then Alkmene, then Heliodor — his hands snake up Aelius's sides when he imparted another kiss. "Albite was in my ear about it. How you came back after years. That you came back to my office. Felt like a fool for not seeing it.
"Spent too much time with youma, I assume." Eion's fingers traced a lazy path down Aelius's back and settled into a loose embrace around his waist. He couldn't have imagined anything like this when he was out in the Rift, tracking that creature. Couldn't begin to think of those chanced snippets of intimacy between them while he was on the hunt. Two years spent out there, in a violent wilderness, while Aelius built a name for himself in an entirely different branch of the Negaverse. That they came back together had to be by design.
That Heliodor would stand by him, at all, meant more loyalty than Faustite could have expected or anticipated. He thought it deserved proof of loyalty in return.
"Need to work on that jealousy. Prove to you that there's no need to compete."
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2022 7:00 pm
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Aelius snorted softly. "Even I didn't see it. So don't feel the fool." It honestly was amazing how quickly Waru had seen right through the both of them. Had they really been that obvious? That...oblivious? "But it seems I owe that man a very big thank you." Honestly, it went without saying, but Waru had played the perfect matchmaker. Aelius was going to be certain the man knew how thanked he was too.
He raised a brow at Eions comment. "Work it out of me?" He chuckled heavily, almost purring. "That is going to take a lot of work." Utilizing his strong dancer legs, Helio shifted his weight so that he could wrap his arms around Eion as Eion had done to him. In an easy, graceful movement he rolled, pulling Eion on top of him. It was easier this way with Eion being the smaller of the two. Aelius could very comfortably let the boy fully rest on top of him. Plus, this meant more contact and Aelius was there for it.
"I do love you." He said softly. "I don't know if I've ever said it to you, but, I do. And you deserve to here it. Especially now." He craned up to plant a small kiss on Eion's nose. "And you better damn well show me that smile more often." Cause it had been absolutely breathtaking to see that unabashed, full smile. Aelius wasn't even sure if he'd seem something like that before from Faustite, but it had been there, and melted his heart. "Because you deserve every damn, unbridled smile you can get."
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2022 7:20 pm
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Even Aelius. It was comforting, in a way, to hear that. Aelius was the more human of them, the one more attuned to emotions and emotional expression. He was the one who was better at reading intentions out of faces, and reading faces for the thoughts behind them. If Aelius didn't pick up on it, then Eion wasn't as much of an idiot as he felt like he was.
Still — that Albite had to call it out was a little galling —
And then Eion was kidnapped and turned and rolled onto his stomach, and he braced himself on Aelius until they settled back into a comfortable position. It was easier, then, for Eion to fold his arms over Aelius's chest and rest his head against them. Easier to relax and reflect and bask in borrowed warmth. "Got a few boys for you to meet," he teased. "And when they get tired, there's machines." Aelius would want for nothing but a break, if only to save his sore muscles. Perhaps it wouldn't teach him to abandon his jealousy entirely, but it may distract him enough to diminish it.
Eion tried to recall if Aelius ever said those words before, as Rowan or himself. He waited a beat, then answered, "You have. In your own way." First to come to mind was the pocket watch.
Then, he supposed, the night that the three of them spent together in Aelius's apartment. The way Aelius folded around him like a welcoming chair, even with Waru infringing on — and mediating — their time together.
Eion had said the same, too, in his own way. Even if it felt unnatural to say the words, he oft expressed as much in his acts of service. Whether Aelius picked up on that or not hadn't mattered to Eion; he didn't need Aelius to recognize them to feel fulfilled.
"Mm," he hummed his lukewarm embarrassment, and felt a flush overwhelm his features as he tried to hie his face in his hands. His muffled admission came from the back of his hand. "Hate the way I smile."
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2022 7:51 pm
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Faustite was definitely picking up what Aelius was throwing down and the grin that spread said he enjoyed the offer. "Hmmm....you all could certainly try." It was still a bit odd. Sharing. Sharing in a form that went so against the social norms he had grown up with. It didn't necessarily feel wrong. It just required more work on his part to fully appreciate. After all, every single one of those boys were different in their own way. Each one offered Faustite, and in turn their respective partners, something different. And, when needed, they all created what Aelius could only assume was a strong emotional network. If one sat back to think about it, it all made sense. After all, Waru had managed to wiggle his way into a place that Aelius would be upset if time spent together would be frowned upon.
"Hey now." Aelius reached up to gently remove Eion's hand form his face. "It's an adorable smile. I promise. After all, I am the one who gets to look at it. I'll never get tired of seeing it."
He let silence reign between them then. Content to just enjoy their togetherness and bask in the emotions that still swirled inside as his arms return to encircle Eion. He was officially engaged to the boy who had meant the most to him for so long. It was surreal. A dark part of his mind actually began to wonder if this was nothing more than some cruel dream. That thought was quickly shoved away though. The weight and feel of Eion was enough to ground Aelius and prove this was truly happening.
That bit on anxiety though brought about another thought. Brows furrowed, unsure if he should ask, but knowing he needed to. "How have your cravings been." He questioned gently. That old habit to tip-toe around personal questions arising.
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Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2022 3:02 am
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"I do. I look like a serial killer." Eion had been reminded before — he usually avoided mirrors, and when he had to look at himself, he was usually stoic. He seldom had a high opinion for his looks because he didn't look the way he'd always hoped to; Waru and Lionel had already given him a few gentle reminders not to hold himself personally accountable for losing that genetic lottery. Still, it was difficult to do. Schörl had oft made use of his looks, and it was easy to blame her for exacerbating the issue.
Still, he let Aelius manipulate his hand, even if he tried to swallow his own smile. After several seconds, his attempt was met with complete failure, and Eion resorted to squirming about and trying to hide his face in Aelius's arm or his mess of hair.
Eion wasn't certain that he would ever surmount his body discomforts. They were pervasive and long-lasting, having remained through his partial youmafication, if a margin shifted from what they were when he was human. It was long ago that he struggled to remember all of it, but he knew that he used to look at boys like Waru and Trey with bitter, unbridled jealousy. While the jealousy hadn't waned, and his distaste for his own body remained, he learned to compartmentalize it and live past it.
Perhaps, then, Aelius could learn to do the same with his own jealousy, until he learned to fully conquer it.
Luckily, Aelius soon spared him from having to keep smiling. The shift to his addiction was a sobering one, and Eion swallowed down his mirth easily after it had been brought up. His attention searched the room unseeingly while he appraised himself. "They've been… Fine, I guess." He shrugged perfunctorily.
"Always there, but I've been surviving them. Other people, too," he added. "Still the first thought of the day. And the last thought."
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Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2022 1:00 pm
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"We will get you out of that hole. Have no doubt." Like a sledgehammer to a wall, Aelius completely broke the mood. It wasn't unsurprising given the question broached but it was heartbreaking to watch the joy be shoved down and away. It was such a well trained ability that Aelius almost marveled at how quickly the transition happened. Oh, how he regretted it now.
Removing an arm from around Eion's back, Aelius took one of his fiancée's (that was a strange but wonderful realization) hands. He held his own walk flat, letting Eion's rest atop while a thumb gently coasted along those bird-bonded fingers. "So." He said, eyes moving from their hands to Eion. "How should I decorate one of these, hm?" An obvious fish for the boys preferred tastes or ideal wants, but that had been the idea. Bring his boy back to the warmth and joy of what was happening in the now. Think about the joys to come in the future between them.
"Traditional doesn't seem your type, as we're anything but." He grinned. "I am not near as crafty as Albite unfortunately, but I am sure I will think of something." His other hand, still situated on Eion's smooth skinned back began trailing along his bony spine. Up and down. A pause to create small circles at the lower back before continuing on it's nonsensical path up and down again. "Unless you have a specific idea and want in mind?"
Once upon a time Aelius would have been beside himself with the exact look of the rings. They'd need to be perfectly designed to show both his wealth and good taste. Nothing to gaudy would work and nothing but platinum or gold would do. Diamonds a must or perhaps another more unique stone, but nothing too bright to draw the eye to it as a piece out of place. But now? Now all he cared about was their meaning. How they looked was a second rate care at this point. "We've waited far too long for this and dealt with too much trouble and bullshit to get here."
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Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2022 1:20 pm
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He understood that Aelius was trying to be reassuring. He didn't fault the boy for it; he simply understood that, as last time, weathering this affair would take time. A great deal of time, perhaps — he didn't know. The journey may be a long one, and he would have to depend on his boys and his team, at times, to curb him from making poor choices. But the fact that he still had the ability to choose, to become Eion, to have his full range of emotions so unlike a youma meant that there was still something to save.
Then Aelius was directing his attention to his hand, and Eion was at a loss for a proper response. "Something heatproof?" He offered. He would undoubtedly forget to remove a ring before his three hours were up at least once in his career, and he loathed the thought of melting a boy's confession of love with a single lapse in awareness. "Don't want to melt it down by accident."
Eion already had ideas of his own — delicate bone carved into wefts of smoke, dotted with a trail of heliodor that wound about the finger. Something light but sturdy, something sealed and handmade. But for what the boy could get for him? Eion wasn't sure; he didn't have much of a fashion sense anymore.
He may not have had one at all. Luckily, his uniform was chosen for him, and allowed him no deviation.
"Not picky. Doesn't have to be a ring, either. Can be whatever. Magical or not." So much of their lives were overtaken by magic that he figured it might find its way into vows, and that was fine, too.
He gave his boy's hand a squeeze, then a once-over. "Need your ring size."
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