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 Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:38 pm
It would never have occurred to Devyn to withdraw his arm once Percy had guided his hand around his waist, and as soon as he’d been posed he made sure to stay close and hold onto his husband. And, briefly, to brush his free hand over Princess’ head to give her a quick show of affection, too.
Sessrumnir was a fantastic place, full of magic and mechanisms he could only dream of. He’d been here a hundred times over and still found new things to be amazed by.
The vault was completely new to him, and it felt like uncovering some unexplored treasure trove. Not that he intended to snoop, but it was fascinating and exciting all the same.
When the door opened, he peered inside without moving. He made no attempt to step forward and would not until Percy invited him to.
Despite what else might be in the room, it was just instinctive that the glowing orb should catch his attention. He found some familiarity in the sight when he thought of the Core of his world, but there was something undeniably different about it. He’d never seen anything quite like it so he stood transfixed, unable to help but squint at the sudden light.
He squeezed Percy gently, supportively.
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:48 pm
With his hands lowered, Percy placed one hand over Devyn’s to keep him from moving too far away from him as he stepped into the vault. The individual safes were nearly two stories tall, and surely enough for a full room to be placed inside each. The floor flickered softly with the green light that led the way towards the Code piece in the middle.
Princess followed, enthusiastically sniffing at everything, but there was nothing for her to chew on. Except maybe the pedestal. Everything was sleek and clean, and their footsteps, and tip taps of Princess’s claws, echoed.
Once he came to a stop in front of the Code, he tugged Devyn’s arm around him once more, and leaned back a little to rest against him.
“This is the Code piece for this Wonder,” he shared, although he could assume that Devyn had a good idea, since they’d discussed what was in the vault just a couple days prior. “I haven’t seen it so dim before… I’m sorry,” he said quietly, this time to the Code piece.
He frowned thoughtfully as he brushed his fingers along Devyn’s arm, staring at the slowly spinning orb.
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:50 pm
There was so much to look at. The vaults were enormous and it was so easy to get distracted with fantasizing about what was inside of them. Devyn walked with Percy and kept his hand fixed to his side as he did so.
Sessrumnir must have wanted him here if the soft lights of his Wonder were still guiding him forward–to the light. He held Percy firmly, protectively, regardless of how peaceful the room felt.
The light didn’t burn his eyes when he stared into it, though he did squint just a bit. Of everything he could have been distracted with, the Code was the most alluring.
“It’s beautiful,” he remarked softly, no different from how he might have spoken if they’d been in one of the public libraries. Percy hadn’t said as much but the room demanded reverence. He brushed his fingers gently along Percy’s side in a silent effort to reassure him.
“It’ll go back to normal. Is there something you’re supposed to do if it starts getting dim?”
Of course he and Percy had discussed Knight things before but nothing like this. He’d never been here, it had never occurred to him to ask Percy for the private, secret details of his Wonder. If Percy wanted to share, he could. Devyn trusted him, and did not ever want to ask a question that Percy had to feel uncomfortable about answering.
Knights were peculiar; they had their own set of rules. It wasn’t just his Wonder he had to look out for, it was all of Jupiter, too.
Like being a Senshi, but different. Percy was beholden to a different set of rules and customs.
Devyn understood. He would never be upset that he was still learning new things about Sessrumnir. He was just honored to be trusted with these secrets.
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:52 pm
“I’m not sure,” Percy admitted, trying not to feel too discouraged, especially when Devyn was there to support him. He stared at the little orb for a little while longer, and then took a step forward, reaching out with both hands to gently cup it in his palms.
“I don’t think it’s safe here. Not anymore. And I think it knows that, too. If people are going to keep trying to break in, I don’t want it here,” he decided, and glanced up at Devyn as though to make sure he wasn’t doing something that he thought was too inappropriate.
Sure, he might be the Knight of Sessrumnir, but Devyn had been a Senshi much longer than Percy had been a Knight.
Princess didn’t look like she thought there was anything wrong with Percy handling the Code piece. Her tail wagged a bit, but she was also still interested in smelling everything.
“I think I know where I want to put it. It’ll be safe there.”
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:55 pm
There was sense in what Percy was saying. Devyn nodded along with him, and though he thought he knew Sessrumnir fairly well he knew it was mostly by proxy. Sessrumnir was good to him because Percy was good to him.
Sessrumnir and Percy had a bond Devyn would never fully understand. He wasn’t a Knight. He had a good relationship with his world but he knew the presence of the Code made Sessrumnir different from anything he had known.
He couldn’t imagine moving the Core of his world–how would he even start?
But the Code? It was so small. It looked fragile, delicate, in Percy’s hands.
It didn’t feel inappropriate. It was Percy’s to manipulate just as it was Percy’s to protect.
“Safer than in here?” he asked, glancing towards the vault’s great door. He couldn’t imagine anyone actually managing to break in here but deception was a powerful tool as well. If everyone thought it was in here, who would be looking elsewhere?
“...I bet Lucien could make some fancy gadget that looks like that,” he mused. “If someone did break in, they could steal that and think they did a good job. Where do you want to put it?”
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:56 pm
Percy couldn’t help but smile at Devyn’s suggestion, and he glanced up at him to make sure he knew how much he was appreciated. He would have happily turned to kiss him again, but already had the Code cradled against his chest.
“I think that would be very useful, thank you. Remind me to ask him later, please?”
Not only would it be good to have something there as a distraction for thieves, but to have something to make people think it hadn’t been moved would be one more layer of security.
“It makes me feel a little like Serge, though. Diving into deception,” he sighed, but he didn’t seem too upset about it. He understood why his brother did the things he did, but he thought he had the right to still be upset about it when it affected him directly.
“Yes, safer than here,” he confirmed, not wanting to let Devyn wonder about it. “A place people wouldn’t go if they were planning on stealing things. I’m going to take it to the Grove.”
His voice was solemn but determined, and it was with Devyn and Princess by his side that he could have that kind of confidence.
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 8:03 pm
Devyn only blinked once before he nodded. “Well, that makes perfect sense. Who would break in and go to the Grove?”
It wasn’t the most fortified or secured, but why would anyone come to Sessrumnir to disrupt the Grove? And they certainly wouldn’t go to try and find more power there. As far as he was concerned, it was a good idea. There were pros and cons to any decision but he trusted Percy and he knew that Sessrumnir did too.
There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that Percy knew what he was doing.
Once more he rubbed Percy’s back. He wanted to carry him again, just to keep him close, but he supposed there might need to be some decorum given the weight of this task and all that it meant.
“Does it really make you feel like Serge?” he asked, and couldn’t help but be amused at the suggestion. In terms of deception this hardly felt like anything as deep as Serge might have done. It was cute, though. It was a deception for a greater good and no one was getting hurt. “He’ll have no room to complain, then. Will you tell him that you’ve moved it?”
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 8:06 pm
Percy could hear the amusement in Devyn’s voice. He wasn’t upset about it. It made him smile a little as well. And it gave him a few moments to think about what he wanted to do. Eventually, he nodded.
“Yes. I’ll tell him. He may keep secrets from me, but I know his heart is in the right place, and I know he wants to protect Sessrumnir, too. And if he knows, then maybe he can help keep things safe.”
He knew why Serge kept secrets and lied to him. It was the same reason why Devyn felt the need to conceal things from him, or at least omit truths. Percy still trusted both of them, and he could tell that Devyn was at least trying to understand that Percy’s worrying was not something that crippled his ability to do anything, but gave him the courage to push forward and work towards solving problems.
Percy took a deep breath and turned to lead the way out of the vault. He paused only for a few moments to make sure the door was closed and locked behind them.
The rest of the journey was quiet. The Grove was in another place of the Wonder entirely. A place that people visited, yes, but was respected and revered as sacred.
It was only once they passed through the archways leading into the Grove that Percy let out a breath he’d been holding, as though waiting for something to happen. The trees were tall and dense, but that didn’t stop new ones from being planted as needed, nor did it stop them from growing.
Around them, the dull sound of a storm raged, but there was a barrier that seemed to shield the trees. Raindrops fell every now and then, but the ground was not uncomfortable to walk on. The well kept wildflowers and paths through the trees made it easy to navigate. Also easy to get lost if one was unfamiliar.
Princess trotted through the trees, sniffing at the dirt and fallen leaves. She seemed at ease, which put Percy at ease as well.
“I’m glad we didn’t have to plant a new tree,” he sighed, and glanced up at Devyn. “Thank you for not being upset that I used my energy on that boy. I know you worry about me doing too much sometimes. I promise I know my limits, just like you.” A gentle reminder that Percy knew Devyn went well beyond his limits sometimes.
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 8:12 pm
As Percy was quiet, so was Devyn. The sleepiness had faded somewhat so he was tormented neither by constant yawns nor the growling of his stomach. He was at peace, though a bit extra on guard, alert and ready to handle any unexpected problems should they emerge. If Percy had his Code piece out, if something happened to it in transit…
There were only a few brief moments of vulnerability, but they were undisturbed along the way.
As Percy breathed a sigh of relief, Devyn did the same.
Absentmindedly, he rubbed at his chest to dismiss an old ache. The storms on Jupiter were constant but it wasn’t so bad when he expected it. Besides, it was easy to find peace in the Grove. It was beautiful and calming–solemn, but not unwelcoming. And Princess looked like she had so much life in her.
If anything was about to go wrong, she would have likely been the first to know.
He had been watching her trot around when Percy spoke, and immediately he tilted his head in his husband’s direction to listen. Percy might not have been teasing him, but the corner of Devyn’s lip twitched into a smile anyway. “Ah, of course,” he said knowingly. “My clever Percy.”
Who certainly knew his limits even when trying new things and admitting having no idea what the outcome or repercussions might be.
Devyn pulled him close and kissed his forehead adoringly.
It didn’t matter, Devyn loved him. Percy did not know his limits, not in this case, but Devyn would have been hypocritical to say anything.
“I’m not upset with you. How could I be? I’m proud of you. Just don’t throw yourself in harm’s way if there’s ever an alternative. You’re too important to me, I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you. But you’re an expert healer. So good that you can bring someone back from the brink of death, no? Now that we know what you’re capable of, it means I don’t have to be as careful anymore!”
No, he was teasing, and he flashed Percy a bright smile and peppered the top of his head with more kisses so he’d know he was only teasing. He’d be careful for Percy, who he never wanted to have to worry about him. Devyn never wanted to be in a state where the worry was justified. Devyn liked to be doted on, even if his injuries were occasionally the source of great dramatics.
Maybe they’d both be better off if he ‘got hurt’ more often. Percy gave the best attention when he was doting on Devyn while he was ‘injured’, and ‘suffering’.
Devyn would have to plan something when the stakes weren’t so high. While in the Grove he always felt like he had to be a bit more serious than usual; he didn’t want to disrespect Sessrumnir, or distract Percy.
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 8:14 pm
Percy had been enjoying the kisses his forehead was getting, but when Devyn decided to tease him about him not being as careful anymore, he gaped up at him with wide eyes and a faint flush to his cheeks.
“That’s not funny!” he whined and pouted, but knew it was his own fault for commenting about their limits. He knew Devyn was teasing him. Look at that cheeky smile! Oh okay, he couldn’t force a pout for too long, and soon Percy’s lip twitched in a smile.
“Let’s try not to test out what could have just been a fluke. Or because I was so close to the Code,” he sighed and glanced down at the orb in his hands.
He’d walked through the trees more times than he could count. Especially when he was younger and still getting used to being a Knight. He wouldn’t get lost there.
Making sure Devyn was beside him, and Princess wasn’t doing too much damage to the flowers as she tried to dig in the dirt, Percy continued further into the trees.
Eventually they came across a small clearing. There was an old stone in the middle with an inscription that had been long worn down to the point of being unreadable. It wasn’t a grave, but likely a memorial of some kind.
“Oh… I might need to fix this up a bit, but…” he crossed the distance to the stone and gently placed the Code on top. It glowed and swirled peacefully, so Percy took a step back to rejoin his husband.
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 8:19 pm
It was funny. The smile didn’t leave Devyn’s face nor did his hand leave Percy’s side as they walked. Princess’ shenanigans were a welcome reprieve to the heaviness that had clouded Sessrumnir from the attack. Devyn didn’t have as much of a right as Percy to carry this heaviness in his chest but he did; he cared about the Wonder as much as he cared about the Knight.
Here in the grove, the pressure eased. He couldn’t say it evaporated completely, but he felt the weight that he’d been carrying lessen. He’d been worried about Percy, worried about the Springs, worried about Princess.
There was a lot to consider and in this he had fewer answers and ideas than usual.
He knew only that he was determined to help however possible and guarantee that Percy had all the resources available to him.
The brief distance between Percy and Devyn was remedied quickly, and to make up for their temporary parting, Devyn made sure to pull him closer. “It looks happy.”
If such a thing were possible for a magical ball of light. But who wouldn’t be happy here? Sessrumnir had many beautiful places, and in one that commanded such respect and awe already how could it not appreciate the spot Percy had chosen?
“What sort of fixing up are you thinking?” Something that could be done in a day, something they could do together when the sun rose? Or a project to keep Percy busy while Devyn was away on business?
There was no wrong answer, Devyn supposed. Princess would be here to watch over Percy if he wasn’t, and maybe Serge wanted to see Percy doing things on his own. Of course, if it came to heavy lifting then it would have just been cruel to expect Percy to do it on his own. If Devyn was gone, who was he going to ask? Marius? The boy was getting healthier but even now he was just skin and bones.
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 8:34 pm
“I’m not sure, yet,” he sighed, leaning against Devyn as he observed the little orb. “Maybe I’ll try and draw something up. I want it to be protected but also let it shine. It’s been in that vault all this time. People will see it, if they come in here, but I don’t think they’d know what it was. I trust anyone who comes in here to treat it with respect, but it deserves more than just a little stone to sit on.”
There were a lot of things he could do, and he tipped his head back so he could look up at Devyn easier.
“When you come back from your trip, would you be able to help me? I’ll design it while you’re away,” he suggested. But he felt most comfortable with Devyn when it came to things like magic.
“Maybe Lucien has an idea to help keep it safe, too. And… I’ll do more research. And verify with Serge to make sure I’m not picking out any fake books on the subject,” he sighed heavily. “I want to come up with a way to place a seal on it. So that if it’s in danger it will be able to better protect itself. Something that will keep people away. I don’t know what yet, though.”
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 8:39 pm
There was really never a moment when Devyn wasn’t proud of Percy, and this was no exception. Everything he said sounded like a good idea, and he knew Percy would be thorough when making his plan.
“You’ll figure it out. And if you need to bounce ideas off of anyone, you’ve got me, and Lucien, and Serge.” They probably had the most experience in such things, but he knew there was a slew of other people willing to chip in however possible.
“If anyone can do it, I know it’s you. I’ve never met anyone so creative. But don’t tell Lucien, I don’t want to hurt his feelings.” He had such admiration and respect for the Mauvian, but at the same time he was naturally biased in Percy’s favor. Percy was an artist! He could work miracles, he could manipulate magic.
Lucien was capable of conjuring some incomprehensible fusion of magic and technology that left Devyn astounded but unable to appreciate the artistry in the same way he could for Percy. And if they teamed up together?
They’d be unstoppable. And Devyn could help by doing the heavy lifting for them.
Serge could help with any of the Knightly things; he’d know if there were any secrets to protecting the Code, especially with a little magic. And Lucien, too; he was in tune with magic but if there wasn’t something easy for Percy to tap into, Lucien could help conceive the technology. And, if all else failed, Devyn had a whole hoard of magical artifacts, they could probably repurpose any of them.
“Even if Lucien comes with me to finish up my little tour, I’m sure he’ll have some way to keep in contact with you. I might be able to ask Atrius if we could borrow his earrings for the few days that I’m gone. You and Lucien could talk about it while I’m in my meetings, maybe.” Atrius had said to let him know if there was anything he could do to help. Devyn didn’t even feel like it was taking advantage of his kindness when he’d been so insistent.
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 8:43 pm
Percy was glad he had his back to Devyn for a moment while his expression faltered and fell. He knew Devyn would have to leave and get back on his tour to different places around Alastor. He knew he’d been the one to suggest Lucien, since he doubted his presence would do more than slow Devyn down.
It didn’t mean he had to like it. He knew he had obligations at Sessrumnir. He knew he had to take more time to heal, and to help the people who lived at Sessrumnir heal after the ordeal they went through.
He liked the idea of being in contact with Devyn and Lucien, but he knew he would be missing his husband dearly.
So, Percy gently maneuvered himself in Devyn’s arms to be able to face him once more, and leaned up to kiss him. There was still sadness in his eyes, but also determination to see all of this through. To make sure Devyn would have nothing to worry about while he was away.
“Thank you. Just a few days?” he couldn’t help but clarify. He knew Devyn likely wouldn’t be able to leave until another day or so with all the rain Alastor has been having, but his heart still ached. “Okay… I’ll have something worked out by then. If we can stay in contact that would be even better. I’ll see what Serge has to say.”
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 8:48 pm
Devyn placed his hands on Percy’s shoulders. “Just a few days. You’ll have to work fast, Perce, you’re not going to have a lot of time,” he cautioned, as if the amount of time Percy would have to work was the issue and not the fact that they’d be apart.
“As soon as the rain clears, I’ll be back within the week. Probably less. I’m going to take it easy, but I’m not going to waste time. I’ll sightsee and go slower when I’ve got you with me to enjoy it.”
He wouldn’t be jumping down mountains this time. Ideally.
He moved one hand to cup Percy’s cheek and then leaned in to kiss him again. If he was going to be gone again he wanted to give Percy many to remember until he could come back with more.
“No matter what happens, Lucien made that little bird, too. If it works like it did before, we could talk through that if we needed to.” It was just a little more obvious. “I’ll ask him tomorrow. And when I get back from this trip I’m going to sit down with my Council and figure out what alternatives we can come up with. I’m tired,” he sighed. “And I miss being with you. I want Serge to understand that Sessrumnir has always been our priority, too. It’s just as important as Alastor.”
There was just significantly less trouble here than on Alastor.
“Although,” he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “I do think that Alastor has better festivals. We should find one to go to when we get all this sorted. Just you and me.”
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