|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 6:29 pm
 |
|
|
 |
“I promise it’s safe,” Sessrumnir tried to reassure his first-time guests. Thunder rumbled above them, seeming to shake the very building, but not even dust was knocked loose. The walls of Sessrumnir were strong. Clearly built to withstand not just millenia, but centuries of disuse. Maybe one day there would be people with the knowledge to maintain the Wonder, but for now Sessrumnir could only hope that whatever magic held this place together would continue to hold.
“I don’t plan on leaving you anywhere on your own, but if you ever do get lost, just look for the lights. They usually try to help anyone who loses their way,” he said, although he wasn’t exactly able to explain what lights he was talking about.
Oliver and Asher were new to Sessrumnir, but were welcome. After a night of rest, they gathered up some supplies and food, swimwear and a change of clothes and towels, and went with Michael and Devyn to the reservoir where they were able to take a walk into the woods, Michael and Devyn powered up, and after letting Alastor go first, just in case he had to come back, Sessrumnir brought the boys, still unpowered for safety, and Elliot’s parents.
He didn’t want to tell them how winded he was from the trip. Alastor had presented a letter he’d been saving, just in case. It allowed Sessrumnir to bring more than his energy could handle, and without it, he doubted all four of them would have made it off Earth.
They arrived in the grand hall. A cathedral-like interior with its impressively high ceilings and decorative architecture. But the entry way was clearly just that, and he gestured to one of the archways to their right. It soon began sloping downwards, and while the sound of water was muffled by a fountain at the end of the hall, another right showed a grand cavern with pools and steam rising above the water. There were waterfalls pouring down from pools above, and it was clear that at least part of the building must have been built into the side of a mountain, or maybe they’d just descended further underground than they’d been aware.
All the while, Sessrumnir kept a lookout for Alastor. He knew that Alastor knew his way around, and if he didn’t then the lights would guide him. He wasn’t sure if their twin charms brought them to the place of most power, or if it was willed.
Maybe Alastor took a moment to head to Percy’s room and look around for something there. Or maybe he went to see if the oak tree in the atrium was showing as impressive foliage as the one on Alastor.
Once they were at the level of the main pool, he nodded to some more doorways that led into a changing and showers area. If he had to put his hand against the wall, which sparkled with green light at his touch, it was just because he was resting a little. Not because the trip took more out of him than he was expecting. And not because he was worried about where Devyn was.
Atticus kept his arm linked with Elliot’s. He told his boyfriend that he was still tired and they should probably go extra slow that day, at least until they both had a chance to heal. Really, Atticus was probably okay to keep going. He was more emotionally exhausted than physically, but he supposed it was a good idea to take Devyn’s suggestion. Elliot seemed more concerned with making sure he was okay.
“It’s a little overwhelming at first, but it’s really nice after you get used to it,” Atticus promised Oliver and Asher with a smile. He tried not to look over his shoulder at his dad too much, but he thought it was pretty obvious how much energy taking them there had cost him.
“I’m going to get in my swimsuit. Will you be okay?” Atticus asked Elliot, but not before leaning close to give him a little kiss on the cheek.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 6:46 pm
|
|
|
|
When Atticus said he was tired and suggested they take it easy, Elliot had been all too eager to please. Anything for Atticus! He didn’t want Atticus to push himself too hard or to get hurt! And, if he were being honest, he was a bit relieved that they were taking it easy. It was hard work putting up a front that everything was fine, but he really didn’t want anyone to worry about him. He knew he was hurt! He was going to take it easy!
He just didn’t want them to be worrying about him the whole time–especially not when this was their very first trip to Sessrumnir!
“I’ll be good, yeah. I’m wearing mine under this so I’m just going to change here. I’ll see you in a minute,” he said, and would have leaned forward to kiss him back if he wasn’t worried it would be overkill. He’d put on his swimsuit earlier specifically so he could get out of his clothes quickly and make sure no one was worried about him. He had a chance of dry clothes already packed in the bag slung over Asher’s shoulder and started to unbutton his shirt while eyeing Michael.
Asher and Oliver should have been more concerned with Michael, but it was hard to pay attention to any one thing when this was a whole other world. Overwhelming was one way to put it, but it was beautiful. Timeless. Like taking a trip around the world to some ancient wonder.
They weren’t likely to get lost; they looked like they were stunned by the sheer beauty of everything.
Alastor, however, was not.
He’d been to Sessrumnir many times–with Percy, before, and with Michael, now.
As soon as he’d felt the energy signature manifest, he’d made his way to them as quickly as possible. Princess had found him almost as soon as he’d arrived, and because no one else was there he’d been easily distracted by petting her. He’d only been separated from them for a few moments, but he’d made good use of the time.
He and Princess had been racing down one of the hallways when the surge of energy alerted him to their arrival, and when Princess stalled briefly, he scooped her up in his arms so she couldn’t take off to reach them before he did.
Alastor didn’t power down yet, only because he liked to tap into his full strength and speed. Princess’ kisses did nothing to deter him, and her tail thumping into his side was only encouragement to go faster. He knew his way around Sessrumnir well enough that he didn’t even need to rely on the lights to guide him to Michael, it was just a brief matter of time.
He slowed down only when he reached the room they were in, and he was only slightly out of breath. The smile on his face was pure indication that he’d enjoyed himself, but as soon as he saw Sessrumnir, he knew he’d spent more energy than he expected.
“There you are. Look who I found,” he said, and carried her over to Sessrumnir. He kissed his cheek first, but then held her up so she could do the same.
“Snacks are in the back pocket, but if you go in the big zipper there’s a thermos with your coffee inside,” he said, and half turned so Sessrumnir could have all the access he needed to the backpack Alastor was wearing.
If he could get away from Princess’ affections, at least.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 6:58 pm
|
|
|
|
The aura was there, of course, so Sessrumnir knew that Alastor was around somewhere at least. The sight of him running into the room and slightly out of breath with Princess in his arms pushed the tension away, and he immediately felt relief. A small smile tugged at his lips when he brought Princess closer, who was wiggling with excitement over the attention she was getting. And there were new people, so of course she was going to want to meet them. But for now she wanted to share kisses with Alastor and Sessrumnir.
Sessrumnir groaned and laughed, and had to place his hand on her muzzle to try and keep her tongue away from his face. He was only somewhat successful because she just slobbered all over his wrist and hand instead.
“Back pocket you said?” Sessrumnir asked, voice completely innocent and nonchalant and even made himself seem confused when he couldn’t locate a backpocket of Alastor’s pants. He checked at least twice, on each side, to make sure and then said, “Oh, you mean the backpack. Sorry, must have used more energy than I thought.”
He had. But Alastor had a way that made him feel rejuvenated. Even if he was still worried about the boys, and wanted to make sure his friends weren’t overwhelmed.
“We’ll do a tour in a bit. I just have to rest a little,” he admitted to the Reids, which wasn’t easy to do, but Alastor being around seemed to make it easier for him to be more honest with his feelings and troubles. He still avoided their eyes, not wanting to see any worry they might have, or for them to try and pick up on just how tired he really was, but he at least told them the truth.
Getting changed didn’t take long for Atticus at all, but it wasn’t as though he got into swimsuits very often, much less around his boyfriend. Each dressing room was surprisingly private, despite how big and open the Springs were. It gave him plenty of room to change into the almost knee length turquoise and blue swim trunks, and it was only a couple of seconds of looking in the mirror and making a face at himself before he was pulling on the white and turquoise short sleeved swim top.
Maybe in the future when he had a chance to fill out a little more after years of being underweight he would feel more comfortable with his shirt off. Although that was doubtful as long as he had his scars.
After tying his hair up into as much of a ponytail as he could manage, Atticus shuffled out of the changing area and quickly took hold of Elliot’s hand, happy to see that he’d already managed to pull off the clothes he’d worn over his swimsuit. He was trying not to pay too much attention to the bruises Elliot was sporting, and instead smiled at the sight of Alastor with Princess and Sessrumnir.
“Are your dads going to be okay?” he asked quietly, glancing over to his parents who seemed still rather stunned.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 7:14 pm
|
|
|
|
Alastor might have snorted at Sessrumnir’s antics but he was taking the opportunity to get a good look at him. Some rest would do him well, and since the boys were already ready to get in the water he could safely assume that they could spend some time here while he got back on his feet.
Anyway, if he was being honest, he thought Michael was rather cute when he was being so cheeky.
Well, if Michael had used up that much energy, maybe he should just put Princess down and carry him around instead. He gave her one last kiss on the head and then set her down.
Elliot had moved so that Atticus was standing between him and his fathers, just so he didn’t serve as the newest distraction. He’d said he was fine, the bruising just looked bad!
It felt bad, too; he was eager to get in the waters for more reasons than one, and it was probably best to go now while they were all distracted. He took Atticus’ hand and tugged him gently towards the pools. “Yeah, they’ll be fine. If they’re this surprised by Sessrumnir, imagine how much they’ll like the moon. I like that color on you. It’s a little chilly in this though, will you help me into the pool? I’d feel really silly if I slipped in front of everyone.”
He probably wasn’t going to, he just wanted to be out of the way and healing before anyone could fuss over him any more than they already had.
Asher nodded a bit, obviously understanding. “No rush, Michael. We’ve got plenty to keep us busy. Thank you, though.”
“Is there anything we can do to help?” Oliver asked, a little snapped out of his awe. Now that there was a giant puppy involved, he was visibly distracted by her. He resisted the urge to try and pet her because she looked like she could have easily bitten off his whole head.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 7:08 am
|
|
|
|
Once Princess was on the ground, Sessrumnir tucked the coffee and bags of snacks under his arm, before taking hold of the top handle of the backpack so he could help Alastor slide it off his back, which included making sure it didn’t get tangled up in his impossibly long sleeves.
Princess was already bounding her way over to her two new friends, her whole body wiggling with her tail wags as she lowered her head as she approached, clearly requesting pets.
“She’s friendly. She’s pretty empathetic to how I feel about people,” Michael explained, and he’d taken the time to power down now that Alastor was unburdened by the pack he’d been carrying. “Her name is Princess,” he shared. He couldn’t remember if he ever told them, but just in case…
“You’re welcome to explore with her. There’s a lot of classrooms and libraries. Just try not to get lost in the passages behind the tapestries. There’s a number of them that I know of. I’m sure there’s more that I haven’t discovered yet.” But he was sure that Devyn probably knew about them.
“Or if you just want to take a dip in the Springs, you’re welcome to that too.” He wondered if their curiosity could handle just sitting around in the water when they had so much to explore.
Atticus smiled at Elliot and held tight to his hand as they headed towards the pools. “I won’t let you fall,” he promised, trying not to let himself blush too much when Elliot complimented his clothes and mumbled a quiet thank you.
“Here, you can step in first, and I’ll hold your hand, okay? Do you want to sit down on the edge, or try to do down the steps?” he asked, knowing that the water was too hot and full of minerals for anything to grow and get slick, but the stone was still slippery. Maybe a little less where it had been manipulated, such as where steps were put into the pool, but most of it was still natural.
“I think they’re really going to like the moon. I can’t wait until everything is blooming again,” he smiled, making sure to keep hold of Elliot’s hand, and reached over to place his other hand on his arm just in case, so they could get into the water without any fuss.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 8:28 am
|
|
|
|
Alastor worked well with Michael; as soon as the bag was off, he powered down and offered a grateful smile. He trusted Princess with the Reids, even if Oliver made a face like he expected to be bowled over. Asher looked delighted, though, and immediately moved to scratch behind her ears. Oliver followed suit shortly afterward and was instantly endeared.
“We should get a dog,” Asher said after only two seconds with her.
“We should,” Oliver agreed. Neither of them probably meant it, but it was easy to be charmed by her. Realistically, a puppy would have just been horrible for him, but he liked this one, who was so nice and friendly and fluffy and magical. And smart, if she was good enough to be a tour guide, too.
“Princess is such a good name, she’s such a pretty lady,” Oliver praised. Asher was petting her more enthusiastically, but he was gently petting down her back. “I don’t know, there’s so much here. I want to see everything. It’s so pretty here, Michael.”
Of course he wanted to explore, but he didn’t want to push Michael more than he was comfortable with. They could have been happy just soaking in the springs, anyway. A spa day was practically unheard of for either of them and they were going to make the best of this trip in any way that they could.
Eliot glanced at his parents petting Princess and was glad for the extra distraction. “I can do the steps, just stay close.” He wasn’t worried about slipping but it was clear that he enjoyed the excuse to lean close to Atticus, and he definitely snuck a kiss as they worked their way into the water. “I’m so glad this isn’t cold. It feels better already. I’m not even in and I’m already thinking about how nice it would be to just take a nap here. I want to heal up as fast as possible, they’re talking about getting a tour and exploring and I want to go, too.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 8:55 am
|
|
|
|
Princess was thrilled by the attention, and immediately flopped onto her side, and then back, wiggling for belly rubs and more licking and slobbering wherever she could reach.
Michael let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head at her antics, while also really hoping that Oliver and Asher weren’t serious about a dog. He would respect their decision of course, but the idea of a shared backyard with them and a dog that might not be as well behaved as Princess (he knew it helped that she was magical), well… it was enough to spike his anxiety.
Not that he did anything more than smile as they pet her, but he was pretty sure Devyn could tell that the tension he’d lost before was suddenly back.
“Wait until you see the atrium and the oak tree there. I’ve only seen one other as big as the one there,” he shared. “The libraries are pretty impressive too. There’s more than just books there.”
It was easy to hide any discomfort he might have been feeling by reaching down to pull off his shirt. He’d also worn his swim trunks under his clothes, and while he normally wouldn’t bother with clothes in the Springs, there were young teenagers there with them. Oliver and Asher had already seen the motorcycle accident scars and burns he had down his leg, side, and back over the years, so it wasn’t like he had anything to hide from them.
“We’ll come back. I promise. You’ll have time to see everything,” he said with another smile as he set his shirt with the bags of towels and food they’d brought with them, nudging his thermos of coffee closer to the edge of the large pool before working on getting his shoes off as well.
Atticus couldn’t help the bashful smile when Elliot kissed him, and he helped Elliot down the stairs as quickly as was safe, sinking into the water but refusing to let go of Elliot’s hand.
“You can nap against me if you want,” Atticus chirped, maybe a little more enthusiastically than he intended. He seemed to realize this and ducked down a bit lower into the water so his chin was submerged.
“I mean… if you wanted. I would hold you. Um. I mean, like. You can rest against me.” Realizing he was saying the same thing in different ways and still not making it sound any less clingy, he ducked his head a little further into the water until it was just his eyes above the surface. But only for a few moments before surfacing. “I mean, we can go explore too, so you should rest as quickly as possible.” Which… he supposed made sense. But he was back mostly under the water after suggesting it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 9:16 am
|
|
|
|
Oh, Michael thought he was so clever, didn’t he? Thought he was hiding that discomfort so well. The Reids might have been distracted by Princess and all of her majesty but Devyn wasn’t. Naturally, he was watching Micahel to try and get a read on his emotions. And, maybe, to admire him a bit. Not that he hadn’t seen him in so few clothes before. It was still a nice sight.
He’d come somewhat prepared today and did not wear his very nice, tall, lace up boots. Today, he had a zipper, and balanced on one foot at a time as he began to remove them. He was pretty sure he could count the times he’d been intentionally clothed in the springs on one hand but it didn’t matter much to him either way.
Maybe he should have scooped Michael up so he couldn’t stand over there worrying. There was still time.
The Reids might have been charmed by Princess but they’d had conversations about adopting animals with Michael in the past, and dogs had never been on the table–not really, at least. They’d fostered a neighbor’s dog for a brief while, and Elliot had loved it but Oliver had found a hundred reasons to worry. Would the dog bite? Would he step on the dog? Accidentally poison him? Lose him?
Never mind the way the dog would stare into the corner sometimes, or out the window, or bark at shadows or bugs. It was nerve wracking enough that short term pets were about as much as they could do. Fish? Maybe. A cat? Also maybe, but probably not, because Oliver wouldn’t like those shiny little eyes staring at him in the darkness. He’d told them they could have a capybara, though. Nobody had come home with one yet though, so they were probably safe.
“More than just books?” Oliver asked. “Is it like a museum?”
Devyn didn’t answer, but a little smile lingered on his face as he undressed. He had no shortage of love for Sessrumnir, and he liked listening to them talk about it. He didn’t want to keep any secrets from Michael, but there were still many things they’d yet to uncover or explore together.
He wasn’t the least bit ashamed of his scars, or in any way concerned about anyone seeing them. They might have been new to the Reids, but he wore each mark as a badge of honor. Beneath his shirt, at all times, he still wore his old wedding band. Sometimes he wore other jewelry with it, but today he’d kept it fairly simple. His hair was tied up, specifically to avoid the water, but he had worked very hard not to get overdressed for this.
Elliot laughed, warmly and with obvious affection. “You’re so cute, Atticus. Come back, you’re too far away.”
Although, he sank under the water enough that it covered his nose and looked into Atticus’ eyes for a second before he started blowing bubbles beneath the water. He was smiling, barely containing his full mirth.
Napping against Atticus sounded like a good idea! Of course he’d want that. Every bit as much as he wanted to heal. It was easier to rest when he was in such good company, and if Atticus was going to hold him then he would absolutely take him up on that offer. It was all the more reason to stay in the water for as long as possible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 9:52 am
|
|
|
|
“Kind of like a museum,” Michael nodded, working on getting his pants off as well. His swim trunks were boring in gray and black, but they had a nice geometric pattern that made up for its lack of color. At least for him.
“From what little I understand of it,” he continued, glancing over at Devyn and his little smile, which only pulled another exasperated breath from Michael, “It’s some kind of college. Or was. They’ve stored a lot of information from all over. There’s a lot of maps I've found. And orbs that… I can only guess is magic making what's inside move. People came here to learn and share ideas.”
Devyn could always chime in if he was saying anything wrong, or anything he didn’t understand, of course. Like not knowing Princess was called Princess. Oh, but it was nice looking at him when his shirt was off, so he supposed he could give Devyn a pass.
Atticus giggled when Elliot blew bubbles, and he was quick to join him in the bubble blowing. And he called him cute! How could he resist when Elliot was so sweet? And their parents were distracted talking about who knew what.
He slowly inched forward, once more with most of his face under the water, but reached out so he could gently wrap his arms around Elliot’s torso. He was careful not to touch his injury as he gave him a quick hug.
And a kiss. Just a quick one! He didn’t want their parents fussing. They were being good! They were sitting in the healing waters and resting!
Atticus pulled away a bit, but took Elliot’s hand so he could tug him closer to the edge of the pool and held his arms open again to offer himself as something more comfortable to rest against.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 10:47 am
|
|
|
|
Devyn was chewing on the inside of his cheek while he mulled over if he’d just embarrass Michael if he picked him up and carried him into the water. He folded his shirt and pants as he considered it and finally, reluctantly, he decided he’d just have to save it for when they were alone.
He held his hands out to accept Michael’s so he could put their clothes away somewhere dry. His trunks were black–store bought, so he could pretend like he respected Earth’s fashion. They had deep pockets though, so if he found anything worthwhile he could collect it. He was surprisingly devoid of any old, but Michael had cautioned him about shiny things and creatures that lived in the water. He’d settled for embroidering teal and blue flowers on the side, but it was a far simpler design than most of the things he regularly wore.
He’d never get tired of hearing Michael talk, and he smiled to reassure him that he was doing a good job representing Sessrumnir.
“Oh, that sounds amazing. I’m a little jealous,” Oliver admitted. “Not of all the fighting you have to do, but oh, what I wouldn’t have done for a little piece of the universe I could just sneak away to when I needed somewhere quiet. Or to feel like I was doing something.” He looked around once more and then shook his head and laughed. “I probably wouldn't have been able to handle the pressure. But I’m really excited to see it all.”
Asher’s fingers worked into Princess’ fur again and he was enthusiastically petting her belly. “I still can’t believe there’s magic.” Obviously he could; he’d been very accepting right away. He was just impressed–and proud, of all of them. Michael had worked so hard to keep this part of his life secret to keep them safe, and now their boys were involved, and–he glanced at the two of them in the water and smiled.
They’d have time to try out the Springs. “Maybe we should walk a little,” he suggested. “If it’s really okay. Maybe we’ll get our feet sore and come soak with you all afterwards.”
“Oh, are you sure? I don’t want to ditch anyone,” Oliver asked, but he followed Asher’s line of sight to see the boys and seemed to consider for a moment before nodding. “Well, I suppose I wouldn’t mind a sneak peak before that tour.”
The boys didn’t seem to notice; Elliot let himself be tugged to the edge of the pool and immediately rested against Atticus–who was perfectly comfortable to rest against. He breathed a sigh of relief and nuzzled his head into the crook of his neck. “Oh, yeah. This is nice. Are you comfortable?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 1:28 pm
|
|
|
|
Michael glanced over to where the boys were. They were close enough in case anything happened, but far enough to give themselves some privacy, which Michael was perfectly okay with. They should both be resting, anyway.
“If you ever want to come here for a weekend getaway, we can have that arranged,” Michael couldn’t help but smile when Oliver admitted to being jealous. “The storms get pretty rough sometimes, but I’ve not seen any actual damage to the structure. I haven’t been brave enough to go outside much, though,” he admitted, but hoped that he wouldn’t have to. For all he knew, there was something magical protecting the building.
“We’ve been waiting to see what the boys have done to their Wonders, but we’re trying not to be too nosey. They say it’s not ready yet.” Even though a few extra hands to help with cleanup could go a long way. But Michael knew how important it was to do things themselves.
“Princess, you’ll take care of them, yeah?” Michael asked and the great white dog flipped back over onto her feet, tail wagging to indicate that she was perfectly capable of protecting her new charges. For good measure, she turned to lick at both Oliver and Asher’s hands before trotting towards the main entrance to the Springs.
He hadn’t forgotten Devyn, and he reached out to casually brush his hand against his as he made sure Oliver and Asher didn’t need anything else before they started their exploring with Princess.
Atticus was more than happy to wrap his arms around Elliot when he rested against him. He leaned his cheek against the top of Elliot’s head, and reached up and across him to be able to gently pet his hair for a bit, but when his arm got tired he would just let his hand rest on Elliot’s shoulder.
“I’m comfortable, yeah,” he hummed contentedly and closed his eyes. “Maybe later we can, um. If you wanted. See what our new Knight clothes look like. I didn’t get a good look at yours with everything going on, I just know you looked very handsome and professional. Like a real Knight.” He didn’t get a good look at himself either, but that was hardly as important to him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 2:17 pm
|
|
|
|
The Reids were obviously delighted by Princess and were visibly impressed with how intelligent she was. And sweet. Even if they hadn’t understood why Michael didn’t want a dog for other reasons, how could he get one when he already had her?
“We won’t go far,” Asher promised. He didn’t think they’d be gone for too long, either, but Oliver had already taken his hand and looked like he was eager to poke around. “Call us if you need anything, or just want us back,” Asher insisted.
They trusted Micahel and Devyn to keep an eye on the boys so they didn’t make a spectacle about stepping out, and they didn’t fuss when the boys were too distracted with each other to notice them following Princess down the hall.
Devyn watched them leave, and while the boys were busy and the Reids were gone, he tugged his hand and pulled him closer. “Love you,” he said, and kissed Michael briefly. “You look a little exhausted, are you feeling better now?”
He offered his arm to escort Michael to the water–although he was still thinking about scooping him up–and figured they could rest there for a bit, snack. Relax. Maybe he’d get Michael to let him give him a back massage, at least.
Elliot’s eyes were closed so he didn’t even have to worry about what was going on elsewhere–not that he could have focused on anything but Atticus’ voice right now, anyway. “Oh, yeah. That’s a good idea. I didn’t get to see yours or mine, either. You look very handsome and professional. Very Knightly. Did you have a cape? I saw flowers, I thought it was very pretty. And suits you very nicely.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 3:01 pm
|
|
|
|
Michael’s attention was on the Reids until Devyn pulled him close for a kiss. He couldn’t help the small smile that resulted from the gesture.
“I love you too,” he hummed, allowing Devyn to escort him to the water while he worked on drinking as much of his coffee as possible in just as many steps. “I’ll be okay,” he promised, even if he still felt worn out. “I haven’t brought this many people with me before. I’m glad you found Princess though. Have I ever mentioned that black is a good color on you?”
Probably. But he wanted to say it again anyway.
Getting into the water was easy enough. The pools were mostly natural, but where they weren’t they’d been modified for ease of access. It wouldn’t be a very good healing springs if people got injured trying to get in or out.
“Everything good?” he asked, with a small nod in the boys’ direction. He’d been awake when Devyn got up to check on Atticus. He hadn’t had the chance to talk about what happened since they’d been all together for almost the entire time since last night.
“I might have had a cape. If I did, it didn’t feel like much. It was very light. My new staff reminds me a little bit of your baseball bat, though. Maybe I should get some more lessons from you, just in case,” he smiled as he relaxed against the edge of the pool.
This was nice. Being able to sit there with Elliot and not worry about anything for a little while. He could already feel the weariness in his muscles starting to ease.
“You had flowers too. I think the Moon likes flowers,” he couldn’t help but giggle, in a better mood now that they were safe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 4:07 pm
|
|
|
|
Devyn nodded, sparing a brief glance at the boys. “Yeah, I think so. He’s a little shaken up but I think he’ll be fine. He’s worried about us and Elliot, but you know him. I figure we’ll probably spend some time helping them train a little more, but I want to spend time making sure he gets to enjoy being a kid, too.”
He scooted a little closer to Michael so he could rest against the wall next to him.
“You really like the black or are you just teasing?” he asked, but it didn’t matter. He liked Michael in any color, and when he was resting against him, he wrapped his arm around his shoulder. “Summer’s coming up, we’ll have to go visit the water more often. You deserve a break too. Out of the city might be nice, a little trip over summer break or something. Maybe we can go visit that old blushing bride of yours.”
Elliot could have easily been distracted by Michael and Devyn, and probably would have teased them about how comfortable they looked together if he weren’t so comfortable with Atticus right now. He was happy that Michael was happy, though. And glad that no one was fussing over him.
“You should get lessons with me, I think that would be fun. The weight of my–I don’t even know what I have, I hope I can still use it for watering–but the weight of mine is so different. And long. I want to practice and get stronger.” He’d said it before and he meant it, but he wasn’t here to dwell on the hardships they’d faced–and would probably face again.
“For as much as the Moon likes flowers, I can’t believe it didn’t give you any to put in your hair. We’ll have to find some, I bet it would be really pretty to have some braided in. Well, you’re pretty no matter what, you know.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 5:33 pm
|
|
|
|
Michael snorted softly in amusement, reaching his hand up to place on Devyn’s arm around his shoulders. In his other hand he still had the thermos, from which he took another sip of his coffee.
“I do think you look really nice in black. Very regal, especially with your hair,” he smiled. “But I like you in anything. Or nothing, if we’re being honest. A trip to the beach would be nice. If you want to deal with the water. But I’ve got my own blushing bride right here, so that’s the least of my concern-- Oh, you mean the boat.”
A tease, of course. He was still tired from the trip, but being playful with Devyn was an even better pick-me-up than the coffee Devyn had so lovingly packed for him.
“If you can’t use it for watering, I bet the Code might be able to help us find something else to use,” he suggested, obviously hopeful that the Code would want them to be able to do everything they could for their wonders. He didn’t know what, but maybe there was something. Maybe the Code had some extra watering cans around.
But he couldn’t think of the Code when Elliot was being so sweet and charming. He wiggled a little, his face flushing from all the compliments, although he was sure he could blame the heat from the water for the color in his cheeks.
“Maybe it’s because it knows I’d want you to help pick out what flowers would look best in my hair,” he suggested quietly, like he wasn’t sure if it was a silly thing to say or not. It probably was, but he would rather Elliot be the one to help him pick what flowers were best.
“But, um… I would like to get lessons with you. I don’t want you to have to worry about me all the time. I appreciate you looking out for me! I just don’t want to be the reason you get hurt…”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
