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 Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2023 5:01 pm
“Your ambition is about as big as your appetite,” Michael sighed, but with that he reached over to grab a few grapes from the plate Devyn had set aside for them, offering one against Devyn’s lips before taking a bite of one for himself.
“I could probably pamper you more,” he admitted with a small frown. “You know, once you find out all that Earth has to offer, you’re going to be pretty upset that I’ve been keeping you close to the city. We’ll travel one day, I promise. I want you to see the world and experience everything you can. You have a lot of time to make up for, after all. But we’ll make sure you have plenty of time to work on your projects.”
One day he would just have to force himself to get over his fear of flying, because going everywhere by boat sounded like it could be miserable for Devyn. And they had to travel all over Alastor, too.
Michael picked up one of the little sandwiches Devyn brought and held that up for him a little, but only let him take a bite when Devyn pushed himself up some.
“Don’t eat lying down, you’ll choke,” he warned, although… wow, that was pretty pretty naggy of him. Surely Devyn knew not to do that. Michael felt the heat in his cheeks and frowned at himself. He just needed to stop worrying so much…
“You mentioned making a wish with you. What would you wish for?”
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Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2023 5:13 pm
Oh, Michael was stealing his ideas and spoiling him already. He opened his mouth to accept the grape and couldn’t help but sigh contentedly at the attention. Of course, he could have eaten while laying down but he humored Michael and sat up with a dramatic sigh.
Devyn couldn’t count the number of meals he’d eaten while lying down. He didn’t tell Michael. Maybe the amused look on his expression said it, anyway.
But, it was sweet that Michael worried about him like he did. It was nice to have someone looking after him–pampering him. He never saw it as nagging like the way Michael always apologized.
He’d had people that nagged at him. People that would criticize what he did, or pressure him to do things their way. It had been that way when he’d awakened as a Senshi, when he was a child. When he was an adult. When Alastor was a healthy world, and when it was in decline.
And then, he’d been alone.
Between the solitude and the nagging, he knew what he’d have preferred if given the option.
Michael’s cheeks were pink and Devyn couldn’t help but think he must have been worrying again. He pushed himself up a bit more so he could kiss his cheek.
“You’d just have to give me mouth to mouth if I did.”
Devyn planted a hand behind himself so he could balance and glanced at the selection of flowers around them. “I don’t know what I’d wish for. I mean, there are things I’d like, of course. For you and our boys to be happy and healthy. Or strength and resilience for Alastor. Maybe I’d wish for all the time to do everything we wanted. Oh, there are plenty of things, I suppose. Now that I’m thinking about it. Some important things. Some silly things. What I wouldn't give to treat you to some of the street food in Arista.” He sighed wistfully. “I suppose I can work towards most of those other things, but that’s something I don’t know if I’ll ever get to taste again. I don’t even know if those recipes exist anymore.”
He was happy with Michael, happy with this new life.
There was just a lot he’d left behind from the old one, too. No matter how much he tried to preserve things, there was still so much that felt out of reach.
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Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2023 5:30 pm
He absolutely was stealing Devyn’s ideas, because they were cute ideas and he didn’t think Devyn would mind.
“That’s not a good reason to choke,” he let out a slightly exasperated breath, but knew that he was just being fussy and Devyn was being careful. He stayed close to Devyn as he propped himself up. Even taking the opportunity to place his arm across his lap as though giving him a very loose embrace. There was nothing lustful behind the gesture, at least not at that moment, but there was definitely a need for touch and companionship.
“We could try and replicate it,” he suggested with a casual shrug. “Didn’t Soleiyu say he knew someone with a food truck? Anyway, I’m sure we could experiment with different foods on Earth and here until we get exactly what you’re looking for. Maybe Percy will indulge me with memories of what everything tastes like.”
He was only teasing a little. Knowing what Devyn liked would be helpful to make sure he got him similar things. Nothing could completely replicate what Devyn once had, but maybe they could get it close.
“Wishing for you and the boys to be happy and healthy sounds like a wish I’d make too,” he confessed, and it was his turn to lean close to kiss Devyn’s cheek. “I want to see Alastor prosper again. And other places. It’ll take a lot of work, but there has to be a reason everything has survived and started healing like it has.”
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Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2023 5:47 pm
Devyn smiled instinctively and leaned against Michael. “Those are easy wishes, I knew you’d wish for them, too. There’s a list of people I’d wish for good health and happiness, and a list of worlds I’d wish for extra protection and strength. Tell me another wish, a less obvious one. Tell me a silly one,” he insisted.
As silly as wanting something so badly as a meal he’d never have again.
It was funny; he could remember the idea of it, but the taste almost completely escaped him. He’d gotten used to eating things to keep him alive. The taste of bark, or dirt, or shriveled mushrooms, or hard potatoes–these things, he remembered.
It was strange to be able to place himself in the fleeting second of a memory where he almost tasted the greasy roasted meat skewered between a few slices of vegetables. The fluffy buns, drenched in butter with some special combination of herbs he could almost smell. Any of the chilled drinks made from Alastor’s juiced fruits.
There was a fleeting second where he could clearly recall a dozen meals or more. He let out a wistful sigh and put more weight against Michael in a silent, dramatic request to be held for just a bit longer.
He would never say no to food. If Michael was offering to have him sample replicas of what he could remember, he’d try it. He’d have eaten just about anything given to him, but he didn’t hold out much hope that he’d even know how to begin describing the food.
But, he liked the idea of Percy giving Michael a few more memories of Alastor. Devyn couldn’t show him how wonderful it used to be, but Percy could. That would be a good wish, too.
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Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2023 5:56 pm
“A silly wish?” Michael repeated with a laugh, but took a moment to lean closer, shifting a bit so he could hold Devyn better in his arms, fully indulging him in whatever dramatic neediness there was.
“I don’t know if I can come up with something silly, but maybe something that could possibly come true if I worked hard for it. I wish I could read and write and speak Alastorian,” he shared, humming at the thought of wanting to be able to share more than just his life with Devyn.
“That way I can read all of your books, and help you with translating things if you want to teach Atticus and Elliot, too. We could use it to communicate just between us -- although I guess that’s what those earrings are for,” he said as he glanced over to the little box with the gold earrings.
“I wish people could live here again. And other places. There’s a lot of comforts Earth has that people are used to, but there are plenty of people who want to live on Mars. Not even at any of the protected Wonders, but from what they see as an inhospitable planet and they would require special housing and suits to be able to even breathe,” he explained.
“Maybe that’s another far off thing, but potentially possible. If you want it to be. I’d like the boys to see everything you’ve done since they were here last. Peter too. I know they’re proud of you and want to support you in everything. Just like I’m proud of you and will do anything I can to make things as easy as possible for you. You deserve to have a good life. You deserve good things to happen to you.”
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Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2023 6:15 pm
Devyn laughed softly. “Oh, you say such kind things. Thank you, Michael. I suppose I could teach you the Alastorian language. Although, I can’t say that I’m the best teacher. Oh, but then you could just read all this poetry yourself! You wouldn’t even need me. Maybe I should keep it to myself.” He laughed again, obviously amused by the idea.
As if he could have ever been so stingy to keep his language to himself.
He still held out hope that they’d find people here, and he’d found nothing to make him think that there weren’t people well in hiding and safe. He wasn’t giving up on that dream.
“I’d argue that the Hall is practically livable as is. I’d like Soleiyu to come take a look and see if he can install some Earth amenities. I won’t lie, your advancement of technology far exceeds what Alastor ever managed, so I would like to take advantage of that. Air conditioning is very nice. I mean, we’ve got heat stones for the warmth, but you’ve got me beat with a heater, even. And when I get Soleiyu’s seal of approval to see what can be done, I’d like to invite Peter up. I’ve missed him, I wish he was around more often. Feels like I haven’t seen him in forever.”
He could imagine it might be hard for Michael; Peter had been vital to Devyn finding his place here on Earth, but they were brothers, and they’d lived together for so long.
“If people want to live on Mars, they should want to live on Alastor, too. Honestly, my world is so much better. Do they like dust and deserts?” He huffed and shook his head. “Alastor has much better scenery. And cleaner air. They don’t know what they’re missing. You deserve a good life and to be happy, too. Even if I wish for it, I won’t rely on a flower. I’ll feel much better making sure of that, myself.”
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Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2023 6:41 pm
“I was just thinking how I would like to be able to read things in your language in your own handwriting. You’ve done an amazing job making English look like art, but I’ve seen some of the books here, and the calligraphy would likely be exceptional,” he praised, because he was certain Devyn’s ability to write the way he did came from years of practice.
“Air conditioning is nice,” he admitted with a laugh, but knew what Devyn meant about everything being advanced. At least where computers and things were concerned. They certainly didn’t have magic or floating rocks in the sky.
“I know you’ll make sure I have a good life. You’re already doing that. And now I’m going to push you down again and actually kiss you silly,” he warned, even as he was already pushing Devyn back onto the blanket so he could pepper his face with kisses.
“We have a lot of time to figure things out, don’t worry,” he hummed with his mouth against Devyn’s cheek. Maybe he should feel more weird about being silly in front of graves, but Devyn wouldn’t have brought him there if he didn’t want him to just be himself. And Michael only really ever felt like himself around Devyn.
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Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2023 7:19 pm
Devyn offered no protest and let himself be pushed back down so Michael would kiss him.It was nice to see him so free, so relaxed. He wondered if it was easier for him to be himself here, where there was no one to see him but Devyn.
He wrapped his arms around him and pulled him down with him, because if Michael was going to kiss him silly, he was going to have fun with it.
It didn’t matter if they were just before a set of graves–they were people who would have been happy for Devyn. They were people he’d spent lifetimes grieving for. They were gone, in every way but from his memory, and the pieces he’d managed to preserve. He held no delusions that there was nothing left of them in this dirt. They had returned to Alastor completely.
“That we do. And, do you know? For the first time in a very long time, I’m not in any rush to get to whatever comes next. I’m happy with the here and now, and the little things between today and tomorrow.”
He ran his hand down Michael’s back and he kept him close, glad for the fresh air and sunlight and freedom to relax.
The universe wasn’t always going to be kind to them. It hadn’t been already, and they’d have their fair share of hardships in the future. But, he would do his best to see that Michael had a good life.
And their family, and their friends.
And himself, too.
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