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

[ Kaveh laughs softly at that— he supposes it's true, that it is a compliment to fuck the words right out of a scholar. (It would be even more impressive if he could do it to someone from Haravatat, is the passing thought, but he brushes that aside— he doesn't want Wriothesley fucking anyone else, anyway, so he'll just have to do.) ]

If I had access to a djinn, I think I'd wish for us both to have unlimited stamina.

[ That's the one sensible thought Kaveh has— and even then it's far from actually sensible— as he nuzzles into the other, pressing soft kisses against the body draped over his, hot and sweat and salt on his lips as he trails them over the other's neck and shoulder. ]

Then we could just do this forever and we'd never have to rest.

That's a tall order.
( Even in this supposed land of high magic where stamina would never deplete, just thinking about doing this without repose makes his balls hurt. He rolls beside him as he usually does to prevent him from getting crushed by his weight. This is a better way to admire Kaveh laying there, satisfied and beautiful and fucked to the n^th degree of silly.

He still likes wearing Kaveh's arm around his bare shoulder, closing his eyes to the sensation of kisses soothing away all the tension from the act. )

Anything else you'd like to wish for?

[ He smiles lazily as Wriothesley shifts to lie next to him instead, head nuzzling against the other's shoulder after pressing those kisses there, and then lying back to relax as well, a tired expression on his face. He's being silly, of course, but the other man's question is good one— what would he wish for?— and despite their general content, the answer comes rushing through in a way bound to break Kaveh's heart. He frowns, and closes his eyes. ]

I've got a better idea, [ he mumbles. ] I already told you about one of my wishes, so why don't you tell me about one of yours, instead?

[ Because the only thing he can think of, as always, is a smiling pair of eyes disappearing with a laugh behind a closing door— ]

( Is that reluctance he sees in sweet old Kaveh? It takes a man of secrecy to know another, but he won't press Kaveh for any wish he may have now. Knowing him, he assumes it's something embarrassing that will eventually surface anyway, so he smiles.

It's a type of smile that also fades when he's given the uno reverse card, because he knows the answer right away. There's a few answers to it, but only one truly feels outside of his control. )

A happy childhood, probably.

[ Of course, what Wriothesley doesn't realize is that Kaveh is thinking much the same thing as him, this time, rather than something embarrassing. When the older man speaks, the blonde moves, arms winding tight around him, curling to pull him close again; still lying next to each other, but entangled, Kaveh's legs looping through the other's as he presses a kiss to a shoulder blade. ]

I was thinking the same thing for me. [ The admission is quiet, tender. ] About my dad. So I can't blame you at all for wishing for that.

[ He leans up, brushes a soft kiss against Wriothesley's mouth. ]

I'm sorry I can't grant it for you. If I were a djinn, though, I would.

That's why we call them wishes, don't we?
( For one, he wouldn't be able to bring back Kaveh's dad, either. And even if he could turn back time and be a kid again, he'd still decide to kill his foster parents all over again. Happiness back then was nothing but a lie.

He locks their ankles together underneath the sheets, even though his skin is burning up between their heat. As he kisses, he realizes they have options. They still have the whole day. )

Instead of wishes, how about let's go clean up and tell me about one of your goals. Hm?

[ Somehow, the other man knows just how to make him feel better. Kaveh finds a soft smile coming to his face between their lips, and he nods, pulling back to look up at the other man and nodding— then, he pauses, and his eyes light up. ]

Mm. Could we take a bath together this time, instead of a shower? [ Quietly, he's just relishing the thought of curling up against him in the warmth of a filled tub, kissing lazily across his scars as he soaps them up...

While Wriothesley didn't say it out loud, he's right: they have the whole day to spend together. There's no point in sitting in misery over things long passed. ]

( Wriothesley has had more years to reflect on the past and accept everything he can't have, so he's able to traverse these topics easily. It's no secret that Kaveh is quite emotional, and the last thing he wants is to put him in a bad mood with anything he says. )

Why not both?

( He squeezes his ass in the process of sliding out of the bed, offering a hand for him to use. )

I like rinsing off first. It'll be quick.

[ Why not both, is the question, and it's a good one too, Kaveh laughing softly as his ass is squeezed right before a hand is offered to him. The duke has a good way of keeping them moving just enough that he doesn't have time to dwell on the negatives already starting to surface in his mind, and so the next several minutes pass by smoothly, getting them to the shower to rinse off and then into the bathtub, surrounded by soothing oils and sweet-scented bubbles.

Kaveh curls contentedly into Wriothesley's chest, pressing a kiss under the man's chin. ]

Mm.. this is exactly what I needed.

[ He means that, too. He has no idea if it's just honeymoon period or if he's going to be like this always, but he feels like it's impossible for him to get enough of Wriothesley. Despite everything that has tried to come between them, they've come this far, and...

His arms curl, wrap around the other's waist. ]

What did you wanna know about my goals?

( He knew they might possibly need a large suite like this. Fully equipped with a shower and a tub large enough for them. The basin accommodates their bodies comfortably, wide enough for them to topple together at length with room to spare at their feet. The scented soap covering the surface also seeps deep into their tired flesh, sure to leave traces of calm and repose. )

It's exactly what I didn't know I needed. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a bath like this.

( He smiles at him, leaving a kiss over his nose as his arm also laces over the small of his back. )

I was just curious about where you might see yourself in five years. Maybe ten years. Or if you had a dream project to establish on the surface.

[ Relaxed as he is, Kaveh's brain is already working overtime on the potentiality of something like this for the two of them back in the Fortress— or, perhaps, not quite in the Fortress, but near enough to it. He has pages full of sketches he's done in his down time, things he's never dared show to Wriothesley but hold in them the promise of a future dream. As it is, the other's bath isn't bad, but it's not as luxuriously sized as this one.

So, one thing to fix.

(There's also the part about the gardens that he suggested day one, something he's privately insisting on, even if the payment for an eventual gardener comes out of his own paycheck. But that's neither here nor there.)

Right now, he's drawn from his lazed, contented reverie by the questions in the other man's voice, and Kaveh looks up at him with a smile, listening— and then trying not to frown, because...

Is Wriothesley, he wonders, still seeking an eventual out from this? Trying to protect himself by convincing himself Kaveh will just leave, sooner or later? ]

Dream projects are weird. They come up when you least expect them, and they present a challenge for a number of different reasons. I'm working on one right now. But... in five years? In ten? I have no idea. The only thing that has been a constant in all of it is that someday I want to have the money to build myself the most magnificent house you've ever seen. Something the gods would see fit to lust after.

[ Over the years, the form and style of that house have shifted greatly— but it's still a wish he holds, even now. ]

( He has not forgotten their talks about having a garden somewhere in the Fortress. Perhaps in the less populated areas it might be possible, given it receives the light from the ocean. However, this idea is far away in the distance, waiting the results of Kaveh's current project.

He keeps his gaze on him as he explains, watching as the water trickles down his wet hair and down the sides of his face. Any move sends a ripple of peace across the basin, sloshing water underneath the surface. Kaveh might not know this, but he has quite an attractive forehead, shaping up his brows and structure, highlighting the rough edges normally hidden by hair. He brushes it back to see him better.

The last thing in his mind is losing him. He dabs his thumb over his eyebrow, then down his cheekbone. )

You already built a huge castle in Sumeru, didn't you? I've only seen pictures of it in the Steambird. It's really impressive. I'd like to see the plans of what you're working on now. I might not be a genius, but I have some experience on building certain things. Would you want to build a house in Fontaine? Or Sumeru? Materials would depend on that.

[ A pleased flush works its way across Kaveh's cheeks when Wriothesley says he's seen pictures of the Palace of Alcazarzaray before. Of course, pictures never match up quite to the real thing, but that's what their trip is for (among other things, of course), and there's something genuine and pleased on his expression at the idea of being able to show the other man more of his work in person. Perhaps they can even go to Port Ormos, and look at the work on the lighthouse... is it showing off too much, he wonders?

And as for these plans of his Wriothesley wants to see.. ]

The palace isn't mine to live in, though. I want to build the perfect, dream place. For me, not for a merchant. In Fontaine. I have the blueprints in my book, I'm happy to show you—

[ Although not, he thinks, without making some alterations. Right now it's all too clear from his sketches that his idea connects his design to the Fortress, something designed not for him alone but for the two of them to share. Archons know he's put enough pressure on Wriothesley over the last few months; the last thing the older man needs to know is that he's designed a future for the two of them too—

He erases the worry with a lazy nuzzle of his face into Wriothesley's neck, fingers splaying slow and exploratory strokes over the other's chest, thumb rubbing over his a nipple. And Kaveh wonders what he'd look like with another bolt of metal pressed through the nub of skin, what kind of pleasure it would bring the other man— what it would feel like if he were brave enough to seek the same. The thought makes him bite his lip for a moment. ]

After our bath, I can show you.

( There is no such thing as showing off so much. Wriothesley hopes to see the sights Kaveh has created in the flesh. His interest for Kaveh from the beginning has led him to read up on older articles during the times the Palace was finished, but he's unaware of all his other projects. )

I'll be happy to see them. With your creative freedom, I have no doubts you'll make something spectacular. How big are you thinking?

( The thought briefly short-circuits when he feels Kaveh's fingers exploring his chest and nipple. It's not an area that ever gets much attention, so his sensitivity comes as a surprise. He looks down through the water, flickering his attention from it towards Kaveh. )

See something you like?

[ He smiles at the question, expression genuine, if a little shy. ]

Big enough that people from all around will want to see it, big enough that they can see it without intruding on the day to day life, but not so big that it's uncomfortable. The right number of rooms for all inhabitants and perhaps a guest room or two, but without going overboard.

[ And he would explain more, perhaps, but he sees the change on Wriothesley's face, laughs softly at the way the other's expression shifts down to look at himself and the thumb rubbing over the nub of skin, and then back to Kaveh with a question that makes the blonde smile. ]

Mm, just you. [ It's said with a playful tone, another gentle brush of his thumb, and then Kaveh presses another kiss to Wriothesley's chin. ] I was just thinking about how piercings might change the feeling of this, too. That's all.

For all inhabitants, how many people do you think you'll be living with?

( Besides just the two of them, but Wriothesley keeps the emphasis to himself. Who knows if Kaveh is truly seeing a future that far ahead with him. It would also suggest Wriothesley will have to leave his post at the Fortress and he's not sure he can do that within the next five or ten years.

It's the perfect time to be playing with his nipple, as it takes his thoughts away from the matter. He smiles down at Kaveh's thumb underwater dab over his flesh. He feels a sudden swarm of heat around it and it tickles the back of his head somehow. It must be the small hairs down his nape rising in pure delight. )

I can't imagine it being more sensitive than this, but I'm willing to try it. You want me to pierce them? I'd only have to take off the piercings whenever I have boxing matches. I don't mind doing it for you.

[ Mm... is it that Wriothesley sees right through him, to the way he's trying to avoid mentioning that he dreams of them living together, the two of them? Or is that the other man doesn't see it and hopes that Kaveh is dreaming of it? He's not sure,

and he hates how uncomfortable he feels about being unsure.

He would love to just tell Wriothesley everything, about all the dreams and ideas he's had, but he's still afraid of doing too much, saying too much, of scaring him off. And so, instead, he just chuckles (even if the sound seems thin in his own mind), nuzzles his nose against the other's chin. ]

However many I end up living with, I guess.

[ It's a terrible, horrible answer, but it hides the fantasies of them living together in a house of his own design, and greater yet, the thoughts he's entertained of taking in a kid or two, gifting lost children the childhood both of them once lost.

He redirects his attention to the other's nipple, smiling up at Wriothesley and hoping he can manage to change the topic more permanently. ]

If you want to, I don't mind. But I was actually thinking about me.

[ A pause, and then: ]

Althoguh... I was actually wondering if maybe you'd teach me a little, too. Boxing, I mean.

( The brief window of silence is enough for him to see the brief discomfort. Kaveh isn’t the only one trying to hold himself back in some way. He’s about to delve into that world and expose themselves to another difficult situation when Kaveh points out his nipple again.

Wriothesley stares in awe, as light were once again filling his eyes. He adjusts himself higher against the tub, clearing this throat. To mess around with Kaveh’s nipple as it’s pierced— he glances down at it. )

You— seriously?

Wait and the boxing?

Are you feeling alright? Is the water too hot?

[ Realistically, if Kaveh would stop and think about it for a moment, he would realize that all his thoughts will be laid bare for Wriothesley to see the moment they get out of the bath. For as much as he wanted to make changes to his sketches to protect his daydreams, he's already promised the other man that he'll show him once they're out of the bath. So there's little point either in talking his way in circles around the topic... yet he does, because he's anxious about it, and about how Wriothesley will feel.

Still, for a moment, he thinks he's not going to get away with changing the topic so obviously. And then Wriothesley's entire expression shifts and he stares, and takes over a sentence to process, and then asks if Kaveh is alright, and the blonde laughs, his arms looping around the older man's shoulders to pull him into a soft, reassuring kiss. ]

Seriously. I've been thinking about it a little lately. Not just because it would feel good, I... I think it would look good.

[ He enjoys far too much looking at the other, after all. ]

And... as for the boxing, I just... [ His eyes drop. ] I keep going back to that day in my head. If I'd been able to defend myself better, maybe... maybe things wouldn't have been that bad.

( Even kissing him doesn't erase the way his features watch Kaveh in pure awe of his input. Fine as the water is, it's about time they part ways with the relaxation unless they want their skin to prune any more. But before that, he tries catching Kaveh's gaze by lifting his chin again. Many anxieties are dormant behind those eyes, he knows that much. He'll revisit the blueprint topic later, after they make plans for their nipples. )

You know what happened wasn't your fault, but I'd be happy to teach you a few moves anyway. I won't go too easy on you, though.

In the meantime, let's get dried up. Is your throat up for some tea and dessert? I can order us some so we can discuss the fate of your nipples.

I know.

[ ...He's working on it, at least. ]

And I know you won't go easy on me. But that's good, right? [ He smiles, and steals one more nuzzled kiss, trying his best to hide his expression within it before he nods, and allows Wriothesley's words to plan their next step. He lifts himself from the bath, taking up one luxuriously fluffy towel and offering the other to the other man, nodding in response to the question— and then squeaking in scandalized amusement to the end of it. ]

Tea and dessert sound like a lovely venue for that discussion.

[ He laughs, shaking his head. Maybe while they wait for it to arrive... ]

While we wait, I can tidy my sketch up a little as well so you'll understand it more easily.

[ Read: so he can conceal some of the elements that make it all-too-clear he's dreamed up a future for the both of them, together. ]

Edited 2024-03-05 11:51 (UTC)

( He gazes at Kaveh in all his beauty rising from the water. The way he’s adorned by it and the bruising on his hip makes him an even better piece of art. Wriothesley feels a little bad, though— he was more rough than he normally would be.

He pats himself dry using the towel before leaving it tied around his waist. )

It’s the only way to get better or any actual skill. But it’ll take a while to properly use those skills, hopefully you never have to again.

( Once he’s in the bedroom again, he only wears his boxers and the shirt so he can prepare the tea in the kitchenette. He also calls for a Melusine to take the rest of the order. )

Sketch in real time? Wow, I get to witness your talent in real time. Let’s see it. No pressure.

[ If he's honest, he barely even notices the bruises. He'll feel them tomorrow, no doubt, but right now the only thing that matters to him about them is that he has something to enjoy in the way Wriothesley's eyes carve a path down his body, lingering against his hips for a moment to take in the sight of it.

He fastens his own towel around his waist too, and unlike Wriothesley doesn't think to get dressed; he makes a beeline for his bag, thinking to get as much fixing of his sketch done by the time the other is done with the tea—

only to realize that his usual sketchbook isn't here, but left in the Fortress and a younger, blanker one picked up by mistake. All his worries are completely unfounded. He has the freedom to start fresh, to conceal those parts of the design that would make his future wishes too obvious.

Visibly relaxed compared to before, Kaveh sits on one of the barstools at the kitchenette counter and starts to draw lines out on the paper as Wriothesley prepares their tea. Sprawled over two pages, he works on two things at once. First: an external view of a house half atop the water and half in, distinctly missing the Fortress deep beneath it and the elevator that takes the inhabitants directly to its depths. Second: a floorplan, with a boxing gym carefully replaced with a leisure room, and children's rooms marked instead for guests. ]

( He can only admire Kaveh as he hurries to all his things to shuffle through his books or papers. Wriothesley is still busy on the other side of the room, tending to the kettle and mixing the right amount of tea blend. As someone who likes to tinker with metal work and buildings things for himself, he likes the passion behind it. Perhaps if they built a house together someday, they could incorporate different elements they both liked.

The thought is quick to flee when he turns his attention back to Kaveh, joining him at the table with the two cups of tea. He thought Kaveh would have had the design already, but instead it appears he's starting over on a blank canvas. )

I see you're going to give me a live tour, huh?

[ If only he knew the full, humiliating story, that Kaveh's eagerness comes out of a desire to hide—

he's glad Wriothesley doesn't know the full humiliating story.

He nudges into the other's side as he sits down, though, offering him a brief smile, one tinged with that same embarrassment. ]

It seems that when I left the Fortress yesterday, I was in such a hurry that I grabbed the wrong book. My main sketchbook is still down there. So... live tour it is, I guess.

[ And it's good timing. He's just finished the outline, after all. ]

Are you ready?

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