sempiternals | How could your heart be stolen by a human?

[ It's close to five minutes before Kaveh emerges from the bathroom, face pale and eyes even redder than normal, chest aching from the physical strain as well as the emotional pain of what has transpired between them, of the knowledge now held in his heart.

The room is empty— he can see that from a room away, and thus never gets close enough to spy the note— and he feels like he's going to be sick all over again.

Fuck. He fucked up. The guilt sits like lead, reminding him of how he took the other's trust and turned it into his own pain, wallowing in an ache that wasn't his instead of allowing himself to be someone the other could rely on. He knows now what he has to say, but surely it's too late for him to make it up, to fix the wall he's just put down between the two of them.

By the time the other man does get back, he'll find the blonde pacing back and forth in his room, tears on his cheeks and body trembling. Especially after being sick, and with his body still healing, he's not in much of a state to be constantly moving back and forth— but he can't bring himself to stop. ]

( "Thanks, Sigewinne," he says on the other side of the Fortress, pipes and systems, rooms and walls away from Kaveh. Yet even here, he feels the ache in his heart knowing Kaveh is sick because of him. He can patch him up countless times, he can stitch him back together and at the end of the day, Kaveh will still break. It is as if he's once again a prisoner of his actions, held to a degree far more destructive than that of Neuvillette's trial.

A sentence implies of a light at the end of a tunnel, but with Kaveh, every turn is pitch darkness and as much as he tries following Kaveh through it they still end up lost.

He comes back with more materials to change the bandages on his chest, painkillers and something for the episode Kaveh just suffered. As soon as he enters his room he's left frozen at the door. )

Kaveh...

I shouldn't have told you.

[ He looks up when the door opens; he doesn't even really register what Wriothesley is holding or what that means for where he's been, just charges across the floor even as the other speaks to launch himself into him, his arms winding tight around the other's waist as he presses in close. ]

No, [ he murmurs, and he hopes he's audible; his voice is a little broken up from all the vomiting and the crying, making him sound a little more like he's whispering. His eyes close, spilling fresh tears onto the other man's shirt. ]

You did the right thing by telling me. You should have told me sooner. I'm sorry I reacted so badly.

[ There's more to say, obviously. An apology for his reaction isn't enough; he has to address the cause of it, has to talk about what it means, but— but for now, he needs to at least make this part clear. ]

( He drops the bag of assortments the moment Kaveh's weight is pushed onto him, gripping his arms around him. A roll of gauze makes its way to the middle of the room as they stand, Wriothesley holds onto him back. He closes his eyes to bury his face to his neck, breathing in regret despite Kaveh quelling the tension in his heart. )

You reacted as a normal person should.

( He leaves his temple with a strong, silent kiss so he can veer away to face him. So at least Kaveh isn't leaving because of it, but something still feels unsettling. )

Don't apologize for that.

[ He shakes his head when the other man tells him that he reacted as he should. He disagrees with the statement, and it's no doubt obvious even in the way his eyes shine as he pulls back to look up at the other man. ]

No. [ Another shake of his head. ] I told you already that I'm in love with you. That means I... I should be prepared to support you, and to— I should have heard you out properly before just... freaking out.

[ He sighs softly, and blinks against the fresh onslaught of tears welling at the corners of his eyes. ]

I... I don't agree with what you did. I want to believe that there's always another way, no matter what. But— but I understand that you didn't have many options open to you. And how much pain you were in, and...

[ Kaveh breathes out another soft, shaky sigh. ]

I'm always gonna be on your side, Wriothesley.

Edited 2024-02-10 04:41 (UTC)

No. That's not something you should feel compelled to support.
( Because there's more skeletons in his closet. He's not so morally deranged as the act itself, perhaps Kaveh means something along the lines of accepting him for his past. He would never want Kaveh to carry this weight in his heart, or the blood on his hands.

Wriothesley's features seem to soften as soon as Kaveh disagrees with his actions. As he should. )

Look at these tears. That's the real tragedy.

( He wipes his thumb over his cheekbone, scooping up a runaway but the humor ends there. Kaveh's confessions, his I love yous roll faster off of his lips. He's not sure what they are now, but he knows they're not exactly just friends. )

I thought I'd lose you.

[ He shoots Wriothesley a Look, half prepared to start scolding the other for making jokes at a time like this, but then the older man says something softer, more vulnerable, and Kaveh's heart trembles in his chest. ]

Is that why you waited for so long to tell me?

[ He leans up, arms anchoring tight around the other man's shoulders as he presses a soft, sweet kiss into his mouth. ]

You're not gonna lose me. [ His fingers run up and over the other's jaw, his cheek, into his hair, threading across the scalp. ] I... thank you. For trusting me to tell me the truth.

Possibly.
( He says in another light tone, trying to steer away from the heaviness in the air. He leaves his arms around Kaveh's waist, loosening as the tension fades and relief begins to settle. He'd listen to Kaveh scold him any time of the day if it meant keeping him around. That's the paradox dwelling in his chest, tugging at his points of contention. One burns with the need to spare Kaveh of this life, and the other will stop at nothing to have him.

The affection has him tamed once again, eyes shutting as Kaveh's hands lose themselves through his hair. That's how he somehow gets reminded: )

I brought you some things. I didn't think you'd be in the mood to eat after all that.

Wriothesley—

[ But the other man keeps talking, bringing Kaveh's attention back to those things he was holding when he walked into the room, to the gauze that rolled across the floor. With a soft sigh, the blonde pulls back; the other man has already told him something huge today, he's not going to try to force more out of him when it's clear he's trying to draw them away from it. Sure, there's probably still a lot for them to discuss, but... Wriothesley's not a kid anymore. He's a Duke, the administrator of the Fortress of Meropide, a leader in his own right. He's not the same person he was when he took his parents' justice into his own hands.

They can let it rest, for now. ]

Right now, my stomach feels gross. I guess I'll be hungry later but... yeah. Not right now. [ He tucks himself back into the other's embrace, eyes drifting closed. ] I saw the gauze. What else did you bring for me?

Edited 2024-02-10 05:48 (UTC)

( The Duke, self-made Administrator of the Fortress can break or make any rules he wishes. If one should die, he will see that it that it happens. The previous Administrator must have known his fate upon their duel, fleeing the depths to never be seen or heard of again - barely escaping his fate to die at Wriothesley's hands.

After a few moments of Kaveh leaning back against his arms and holding him, he leans away to glance down at him. )

Just some painkillers, antiseptic cream for your chest, and some more lube.

( He walks past him so he can gather back the things into the bag and sets it all on his desk. He had taken the time to text Navia. I told him about my parents. . . And I've been fucking him. )

[ When he gets a chance to look at his phone next, Wriothesley will find a text in response: ] I was going to write back and say "yay" but that doesn't feel like enough for the first part of your message. Am I reading it correctly? That's a really big decision. How did he take it?
How do you feel?

I'm proud of you.

[ His expression is soft with tenderness as Wriothesley explains the rest of what he got— but then Kaveh laughs, an amused brightness in his eyes as the other man moves past him to gather everything and put it on the desk. He moves to follow, arms creeping around the taller man's waist from behind, head resting against the line of his backbone. ]

Lube too, huh? I see you weren't that worried about losing me.

[ It's a joke, spoken in a tone light-hearted and silly, but Kaveh makes sure to press a kiss to his clothed back anyway. ]

( He would be lying if he didn't confess the weight off his shoulders having admitted his past to Kaveh. Surely, there are more questions left for him to pick up after the initial reaction, considering it was the abrupt end to their conversation. However, perhaps they shouldn't delve into it again. The fact is already out in the open. )

Heh.

( He lifts an arm over as he twists himself around to drape his arms over Kaveh's shoulders. The rims of his eyes still seem reddened by his episode. He's glad to meet the same warmth in his eyes, though. )

How are you feeling?

Mm.

[ It seems at first perhaps like a non-committal answer, but there's a smile on Kaveh's face, something content and warm in his gaze as he presses a kiss to the corner of Wriothesley's lips.

How is he feeling..? ]

Tired. [ He admits it with a soft laugh. He'd only had a nap before the revelation, but the immediate trauma his body went through apparently has something to say about how tired he is. But also... ] My stomach still feels a little strange. Other than that, I'm alright.

[ But really, is it even about how he's feeling? What about— ]

How are you feeling? That... can't have been easy.

That's all that matters.

( Besides, he's not going to fault Kaveh for vomiting his feelings upon learning the truth. He catches Kaveh's lips for a quick kiss before leading him back to the bed by his hands. )

I feel like weight has been taken off my shoulders, at least, knowing you won't be turning away because of it.

[ Another hum of content surfaces on Kaveh's lips as he's drawn back to the bed, his fingers tight in Wriothesley's; the moment he settles into the covers, he curls himself into the other, delivering small, soft kisses to his cheek and jaw, brushing up against the corner of his lips.

The other's words pull him back to reality a little though, and his fingers knit tighter, shifting so that he can kiss him properly, a firm catch of his lips on the warden's, as if he were sealing a promise. ]

I'm not going anywhere. [ He says it again. ] You're stuck with me.

( Being in bed with Kaveh again feels nothing short of surreal. The chance of losing him so quick after telling him about his feelings, or after divulging his past could have been a true risk. He turns on his side to face him and to properly take a hold of his face with one hand, puckering him like a fish. )

Stuck with you? I suppose I can make other people do my errands, huh?

( He kisses said fish lips and leaves them with a smirk. )

I also got you some essential oils. Sigewinne produces some of the best stuff around here. Want a massage?

[ Fish lips or not, the sound Kaveh makes in protest is more of a squawk, although he finds himself laughing at the way the other leans in to kiss him, despite how much of a brat he's being.

(Brat: a terminology kind of weird when describing Wriothesley, he thinks, even if it fits in this moment in particular.) ]

Good. Do it. And I'll make someone do my job too and we can just stay in bed all day.

[ Another laugh, although the sound trails off to leave him with wide, curious eyes in response to the other's offer. ]

A massage? ...Yeah, I'd. I've never had one before. I'd really like that. If you don't mind.

( A smile creeps higher on either end of his lips, licking away Kaveh's touch while basking in his laughter. He has been through a lot in the last few weeks, like all the labor in the sites he's working on and that's not counting his mental state. Perhaps a massage will allow his thoughts to find inner peace and his body true repose. )

I guess you do have that power since you manage that group of people.

Never? You've been missing out. Allow me to get unstuck from you, I'll go grab the oils.

Take off your shirt and lay on your stomach for me.

( When he's out of the bed, he takes off his jacket to be more comfortable, too. He also takes off his belt before coming back with the bottles. He'll have to catch Kaveh's strip show another time. )

Is there any place I shouldn't touch?

[ He laughs, enjoying the joke even if he would never do it— not just because he takes his work seriously but because he enjoys it. Even now, as content as he's been the last couple of days enjoying this time with Wriothesley, there's a part of him excited to get back to it, to keep improving this place for all who live here.

(After all, while he would never voice it out loud, not just yet, there's a part of him that imagines himself as among that group, at least sometime in the future.)

But for now, the idea of a massage sounds lovely, and so he obediently strips out of his shirt and lays on the bed, stomach first, chin resting on a pillow, and when Wriothesley asks if there's anywhere he shouldn't touch, Kaveh frowns, thoughtful. ]

I don't think so. I'll let you know if something's uncomfortable.

Very well.
( He's instantly met with the scent of spice as soon as the bottle opens. There is a cooling agent in it too, meant to seep deep into the flesh with friction. Wriothesley climbs behind Kave, straddling his thighs between his knees, and drips a generous amount of the oil along the expanse of his spine.

His palms spread gently to spread the contents around every tip of muscle or bone, sliding down until he's stopped at the hem of his bottoms. Kaveh's back glistens by the time he's done doing this. )

Can't believe you've never had a massage before.

( He focuses both thumbs on the small of his back, rubbing in the oil until it's heated between their skin. Wriothesley knows where knots would normally form, considering the fact Kaveh checked in a large sword weeks back. Navia also uses one and she always mentions specific knots. )

It might hurt a little, though.

( The sinuous movements are precise, thumbs rolling up the bump of his spine and up until they slide around the curve of his neck. He follows his figure outward to his shoulders, where he provides a strong squeeze. )

[ If Wriothesley stops to think about it for a while, it will make quick sense to him that Kaveh has never had a massage. He's been flat broke for the majority of his adult life, and there's no way that roommate of his would ever deign to offer to soothe his muscles— nor would Kaveh injure his pride enough to ask it of him. Add to that the mess of his childhood, and.. well.

Apparently, though, he's been missing out— or maybe it's just that he's so hyper-attuned to how the warden's skin feels on his that this is very quickly becoming the best thing he's ever experienced. His eyes close in content as the oil is soothed into his back, and then strong fingers start to work across muscles he didn't even know were strained, bringing a surprised groan to his lips as he feels them— for the first time in living memory— loosen. ]

Archons, that's good.

[ And yes, there's pain here and there, especially when Wriothesley's fingers find and dig into a new place of tightness. But it's always chased away quickly by the relief and the pleasure that follows, leaving Kaveh sighing and moaning softly into the pillow. ]

( His hands may be capable of causing destruction, bruises and even death, but he uses his dexterity to bring about bliss to Kaveh's strains. He curls his fist underneath his shoulder blade, rolling his knuckles into the tense knots, soothing the shape of the muscle and relaxing his pressure points. He might be addicted to touching Kaveh anywhere at this point.

And then there's his sounds, the muffled moans dripping off into the peaceful silence around them. They resonate deeply in his senses, reminding him of his loudness and how he screams when he's overwhelmed with pleasure. The heating agents in the oils can only add to the intensity of his relief, cooled as soon as Wriothesley's hands shift to other muscle groups on his back.

He presses his digits into the flesh over the back of his ribcage, tracing every indent, leaving no area untouched. )

I would hope so.

[ He makes another low sound when Wriothesley's knuckles roll under his shoulder blade, and if the other man could see his face right now he'd be either amused or turned on by how blissed-out and senseless Kaveh looks from mere minutes of massage. Now that he's actually experiencing it for himself, he understands why the other man was so shocked that he never had.

And it's not that he's trying to be noisy, but he can't quite help it when it's so amazing. ]

Gods— Wriothesley. How are you so good at everything?

[ A short, breathless laugh, his face pressing into the pillow again as if to muffle the words as they come. At this rate, he's never going to want the other man to stop touching him, which is something of a problem when they both have work to do. ]

You should start looking for a replacement for your job so you can do this all day.

[ Perfect solution, right? ...Well, almost perfect. ]

Mm, actually— so you can alternate between this and fucking me.

You're flattering me.
( Patience becomes his deity each and every time Kaveh releases sound after delightful sound. Temptation teases him as his touch spreads some of the oil between the fabric fitting snugly on the roundness of Kaveh's ass, but he slides his hands up again. )

For someone with questionable stamina, you sure come back fast to it, huh?

Sadly, only I can handle certain logistics here, but it makes me happy you like it. You can ask me for one any time you'd like as long as I'm not busy.

Of course, the same can be said about fucking you.

( The lighthearted laughs against the pillow should be clear indication his skill is worthwhile on Kaveh. )

That should make it easier to return to work.

Is it flattery when it's the truth?

[ It's a contented murmur that is quickly followed by a laugh, bright and warm on his lips, when his stamina is mentioned. He should be offended, but he's not, even if he does reach a hand up behind him to flail a smack or two at the other's side. ]

For the record, my stamina isn't actually that questionable! It's just...

[ Well, it kind of has been, though, at least since the two of them have been fucking, and—

There's a pout in his voice. ] It's not my fault you're so good at what you do.

[ And then he goes back to humming his content, stretching almost cat-like under the other man. He'll enjoy as much of this as he can, while he can, and then he'll go back to work. ]

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