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 Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 2:30 pm
After spending the night at his wonder, Whisler did feel a lot better…like, on a scale form one to ten, he had been about a point two five…and now he was feeling much more…four-ish. It was nearly night again when he finally made his way back to the city, his stomach rumbling with hunger…and what better place to get some food than his boyfriends wonderful bakery…though as he neared…he saw that it was closed.
Closed? Since when did Arias close up early like this?
The knight paused for a moment before reaching down and grabbing a handful of pebbles from the side of the road, and walking around to the window he knew to be Arias’s. One by one he threw the pebbles at the glass, hoping to attract the attention of his boyfriend and maybe even get a patrol date…that would be fun, right?
…Well, it would have been more fun if the chest burn…heart burn maybe? Or was it a starseed burn…a chemical induced chaos burn? Well, whatever it was, this night would have been much better without it.
But…all he could do was wait for Arias to answer. If he answered.
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 2:52 pm
Arias was laying in bed, staring at the ceiling. He hadn't wanted to close up early, but he was having a hard time keeping up with the demand and he was the only person who could work that night.
…Except, he couldn’t work. He just didn't have it in him.
He felt like his limbs were made of lead and his body was just one giant stone. He had barely even cleaned up and had taken two (fairly long) breaks while downstairs after the shop had closed. It had been like this for a while, and it wasn't getting any better. Usually he was drinking a few cups of coffee and some energy drinks but he'd run out and didn't have the energy to go get more.
Sleep was on his mind when he felt the first little smack of rock against glass, but he didn't think anything of it until the second—and then third.
It was then that he realized someone was trying to get his attention. He glanced to his phone (which he was pretty sure hadn't gone off) so that probably meant it was just some kid creating trouble. And he should tell them to stop throwing rocks at his window, but…
But bed…
Arias pushed himself out of it, stifling a yawn, and moved to the window to see who was pestering him. When he recognized a very familiar face, he blinked, suddenly forgetting his fatigue for the moment, and fumbled to open his window.
"—Hey!" he hissed, trying to keep his voice low even if he was trying to yell just loud enough to be heard. He was clearly flustered and added, "What are you doing?"
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 3:55 pm
Whisler couldn’t keep a grin from forming on his face when Arias finally poked his head through the window. “Rapunzel, Rapunzel. Come down the stairs. Let’s go for a lovely walk, I want to have a…uh…lovely talk?”
He wasn’t being too terribly loud, but his voice did carry enough for Arias to at least hear. “I’ll be waiting up on the roof of that building on the next street…come find me, love. I’ll be waiting~”
The knight gave a little finger wave and tossed his long blonde hair behind his shoulder before taking off, making his way to the building he promised to wait on. There was no need to get Arias into trouble, be it from a youma or the Negaverse themselves he couldn’t spend too much time powered up near him, at the very least.
Sometimes he knew how to use that brain of his.
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 4:21 pm
There was a part of Arias that just wanted to blow Whisler off so he could lay in bed and rest; he was just so tired. He always just felt drained—even when he slept eight, ten, twelve hours a night.
…But it was Nick, and Arias had always had a hard time saying no to him. With great effort, he managed to drag himself across the hall, downstairs, and out the back door. When he was confident that the coast was clear, he powered up. While being Newgrange felt like it gave him a bit more energy, he was worried about staying powered up for too long; he didn't have the energy to fight but knew that in this form he was a little beacon.
Willpower, and a desire to meet up with Whisler, meant that he was at their rendezvous point in less than five minutes (despite how long it felt trying to get there).
When he spotted the blonde again, he couldn't help but smile. "Is this your idea of romantic? A text was too normal so you wanted to surprise me with poems and high rises?"
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 5:15 pm
Whisler’s eyes grew bright when they landed on the squire and he crossed the distance between them in two steps, a hand going to caress Newgrange’s face. “Of course it’s my idea of romantic. I wanted to sweep you off your feet…or rather, I was starving and really wanted some food, but the shop was closed, so I figured a romantic patrol in the moonlight would suffice just as well.”
His hand moved from the male’s face to his shoulder, then slid down his back. “How have you been? I feel like we’ve been growing kind of distant form one another…is everything okay?” There was concern in his voice and his hand traced little patterns up and down the Squire’s back.
“If something’s bothering you, just let me know…let me try to help. You know I love you.”
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 7:26 pm
Newgrange couldn’t help but flush when Whisler's hand grazed his face—and everywhere else. He'd gotten better; he used to be almost ticklish to every sort of physical contact, but now he wasn't giggling and twisting away. "Well, when you put it like that," he laughed, eyes falling lower for a moment while he regained his composure.
When he did, he was happy to stare into Whisler's eyes. "I guess that does sound pretty romantic."
He wore a soft smile, tired, like always, and seemed to move to rest against the Knight. "It's not you, if that's what you're worried about. It's me. So don't worry, I just—I've had some sort of flu or something, I think. Been so tired. Like it's…hard to get out of bed in the morning, you know? I'm tired, all the time. I'm not depressed, you know? Just…"
His hand moved to rest over his chest and he sighed. "I guess I haven't been sleeping well. But it's not you!" he repeated, insistently. "I love you, don't worry about that. I just…sort of figured this would go away if I slept enough. But I forget how good you make me feel. I mean, I feel awake, now. And alive."
He rested against Whisler, complacent. He was more comfortable than his bed and he couldn’t help but nuzzle against him.
"…And you know you can talk to me, too, right? I'll always be here. You don't have to go through anything alone, either. And you can tell me anything. Any time. Okay?"
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Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 7:31 pm
Whisler gave a happy sort of sigh, closing his eyes as his arms tightened around the Earth Squire. Yes. Yes this had been worth it. Arias was worth it…this…what he felt for him…it was worth denying what his mind…what his very soul seemed to be pulling him towards. Right? Wasn’t it?
“…And no matter what I said to you, you’d never judge me or hate me…? You sure about that, my love? Because…I might have a whole large list of things that I’ve kept from you…and not just out of spite…out of the fact that I didn’t want to think about them at all…”
His voice trailed off and he took a moment to collect himself again before continuing. “…Like the fact that I once belonged to the Negaverse…and I’m pretty sure they want me back…and…”
And part of him…really wanted to just go. He went quiet again, shrugging and wondering when the squire would pull away. When he would look at him with disgust. When he would really get the memo that hey. You ******** up. Again.
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Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 7:55 pm
Something about Whisler's words put Newgrange on edge; he had known something bad was coming even before the words left Whisler's mouth. He was still resting against Whisler but slowly drew away—not far, but just enough so he could look up at the male.
Newgrange wasn't the sort to jump to conclusions, or to go out and hate someone—not without a really, really good reason. Whisler already had the added bonus of securing Newgrange's affections, so he'd have had to work much harder.
His brows knit with confusion, like it was hard for him to process that Whisler was telling him. After a pause, he said, "Are they threatening you? Are you in trouble?"
He stood up a little straighter—seemed a little more defensive.
But it wasn't directed at Whisler. He was just worried about protecting him.
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Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 8:16 pm
“Aha…no not…threatening me…but the other night…last night, to be honest…um. Well, he said he was the one who brought me to the Negaverse in the first place. He…he told me to come back. That he’d give me a home again and he’d take care of me again…” Whisler’s voice was barely audible, his mind replaying the scene in his head once again.
His chest burned, and the…the darkness in him filled him with desire again…the desire to go and find Benitoite and beg to be brought back. To be brought home.
“…I almost said yes…but then I thought of you…I can’t leave you…don’t want to leave you…”
The knight’s arms tightened around the squire again. “…I want you to come with me…”
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Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 8:26 pm
At first, Newgrange was relieved. Elated, even, that when taunted with something like that, Whisler thought of him. That he was enough to keep him grounded.
And then Whisler finished his thought, and Newgrange's blood froze. He stared at the Knight blankly.
"…You want to go back?" he asked, and though his voice faltered, his eyes never left Whisler's face. Brows knit and confusion was as plain to see as the hair on his head. "—You want to join the Negaverse," he added, slowly, trying to clarify. "…And you want me to go with you?"
There was a hefty amount of skepticism in his voice, like he was certain he must have misunderstood.
Nick wouldn’t ask that of him.
Nick knew about his nightmares, and he should have known how bad the Negaverse was. He'd left them once before—how could he want to go back?
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Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 8:52 pm
Whisler’s hand rose to touch Newgrange’s cheek. “Yes.” The word was soft, but very sure. “I love you. You are my everything, I can’t imagine my life without you…I want to be with you forever, marry you…maybe even adopt some children someday…but…but something is pulling me back to the Negaverse…I feel it…in my heart…in my very…very…” He rubbed at his chest again…it was burning so hot now, almost excited by his words, by the prospect of Newgrange coming too.
“…In my soul…I can’t lose you…I will die if you aren’t by my side.”
His eyes were pleading, full of so many emotions…and he seemed so lost at the same time. As though he really didn’t know what he was doing, what he was saying…
But what he was saying was what he wanted. He knew that much.
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Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 8:59 pm
Newgrange seemed to be having a hard time processing everything; his eyes continued to search Whisler's face and his brows knit further. "Nick," he whispered, uncertain.
He didn't pull away from Whisler's touch, but he didn't seem to be warmed by it. He swallowed and cleared his throat, and then tried again—this time, a little stronger. "Nick, I don't…understand. Don't you—no, I mean—isn't this your home? Don't you already have a home here? —All those things you said, the—you know, the marrying, the kids. Isn't…Aren't those the things that make a home? What does the Negaverse have to offer you that I can't?"
Because he couldn’t quite grasp it. His mind was reeling, and he could hear himself speaking but it didn't sound like his voice. He was still breathing, but the air didn't feel like it was entering or leaving his lungs. He was there but he felt like he was miles away.
He would never, never have expected this from Nick. It didn't feel real.
None of this was real. Right?
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Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 9:12 pm
The knight did not look away, and did not pull his hand away. “Arais. They have nothing if they don’t have you. That’s why I need you to come with me…I can’t do it without you there…I’ll never be happy without you by my side…think of how…of how strong we can be…together. Beni…the general who I was speaking to…he told me such wonderful things…and it sounded so great, Arias…We won’t have to worry about anything anymore…we can really be happy…we’ll finally be on the right side of the war…”
His fingers stroked down the male’s cheek and he leaned closer, the tip of his nose touching Arias’. “The winning side.” The word was a breath, and then his lips met the Squire’s in a kiss, one arm snaking around his waist again, pulling him close while the burning in his chest was almost overwhelming. He needed to find Beni...needed to be free from this pain.
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Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 9:18 pm
Newgrange stopped breathing. It felt like someone had shoved their hand into his chest and gripped his heart and squeezed. He wasn't blinking, wasn't moving. Almost wasn't even thinking. He didn't have the wits to push Whisler away—not for a long moment, and then suddenly everything started to trickle back in. He made a noise of protest and put one hand on the Knight's chest, pushing back just a bit as he broke the kiss.
"No—what? Nick—"
He didn't seem to know what he wanted to say; he sounded confused, and afraid. The emotions radiated off of him; his whole body had gone rigid. "—They won't win if we fight them! You—you can't honestly mean that you want to go be with them! Nick, they hurt people—they kill them! And, and—and you think that's going to make you happy? Make me happy? We don't need them, we've never needed them. The Negaverse makes good people into monsters and, Nick, you are not a monster—you don't belong with them!"
There was a desperation in his voice; it clung to his words, even when he stumbled over them, frantic to say something but not knowing what he needed to say.
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Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 9:25 pm
He broke the kiss.
Newgrange had actually pulled away from him. From his kiss.
From his love.
Whisler’s eyebrows furrowed and he wasn’t quite sure what to do or what to say…or how to react, even. “And you think that we’re all good, Arias? As we kidnap people from the Negaverse? Torture them? Hurt them? Make them bleed? Violence doesn’t fix violence! And honestly, at least the Negaverse are upfront with their goals. They’re awful…yeah but. They don’t hide behind this perfect little mask of…of…perfection!”
The knight took a step back, hands curling into fists at his sides. “Arias. Please. Please just come with me. I promise…it’ll be all right. Everything will be all right. I’ll take care of you. Forever. Just…just come with me. We can find Benitoite…he can help bring us home. Doesn’t that sound good to you at all?”
He held out a hand, giving the other knight a pleading look. “Please, love. Please.”
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