"Be more careful."
Karias smiles at the Union's third elder, no, he's the first elder now. After all the chaos, after all the fighting, he's the one who's been put in charge of maintaining the peace. It's certainly hard, and he had been sent by Raskreia-numin to help with it so he knows intimately just how difficult it is.
Everyone assumed that Rajak would be sent, or Rozaria, but he knew it would be him from the start. They weren't suited for the task like he was, and anyway, Raskreia-numin loves Rozaria too much to send her away from her side. As for Rajak. He's been busy mending the relationship between him and Rael, so if he had been better for the role it would have stopped her from choosing him.
"I'll be fine Farhan-" Karias smiles at him, getting up from the wet ground where he had fallen, and tries to shake the dirt off of his hands- "To have such concern from someone other than my dear elder sister is wonderful."
Farhan laughs at that, though he's pretty sure the man also rolled his eyes but he can't be sure. His hair covers them after all.
"The mutant is dead unfortunately, I was hoping to see if we could reintegrate her into human society," Farhan frowns as he speaks, worried, "The supporters of the old Union killed her and I couldn't find any traces of them in the buildings."
"There was someone here, but he managed to escape after knocking me down. He wasn't particularly strong but, these rainforests are too thick for me to be efficient in them."
Karias keeps himself from flinching as the wounds on his body refuse to heal. There's a strange throbbing in them and he can't tell what. Are they similar to those inflicted by Frankenstein's weapon? It certainly doesn't have Dark Spear's feel, but if it can prevent a noble from healing it's definitely not normal.
Usually he'd just complain about the pain but, not now. They need to follow the man.
"I'll send some people after him. I doubt we'll be able to catch up, and definitely not with your wounds."
"I'm fine, we need to get on with-"
"You can say that when you aren't bleeding without any sign of stopping. You'll need to get that checked in the labs and patched up."
Farhan glares at him as he tries to protest and he quietens, knowing full well what his eyes can do. He really doesn't want to feel his skin sizzling again.
"Right, then we should go to the labs, haha."
He starts to walk, muttering and groaning as he does. His nerves scream at him constantly, and his clothes are soaked, sticking to his skin in the worst manner possible.
"You. What sort of idiot are you?"
Farhan's voice is angry, and he drags Karias back by his shoulder, forcing him to sit on the ground.
"'Let me bandage you first before you die."
"Oh, right."
He tries to make small talk but Farhan ignores it. Instead he pulls the bandages tight and makes him cringe because that hurts. He really didn't want to take off his clothes either but, they're ruined and it had to be done to reach all the wounds.
Watching as Farhan finishes off, he asks, "Can we go now?"
Farhan stares at him, at least, he definitely is doing that in his general direction, and nods. Then he takes off his cloak and wraps it around Karias.
He freezes because it's true that they have been in a relationship for a while now (ever since that time they fought Farhan had his eyes on him but he still doesn't know that) but, it hasn't ever been this close. Only he's ever really been active in showing his affection. Actually, he's just overreacting, isn't he? This is normal for someone to do. It doesn't have anything to do with romance. Still, he's, happy.
Smiling, he gets up but Farhan sighs, disapproving once again.
"You can't just walk around like this."
"Can't walk? Then what am I supposed to do?"
Another sigh, and Karias doesn't know how to react when he finds himself being carried. That silent shock slowly turns to joy, and he teases him.
The giddiness still remains after minutes, after an hour, go by. He's still high on the euphoria that he gets from this. Still high on the intimacy of being held this close. Of feeling Farhan's warmth, and his hair tickling the parts of his face that aren't bandaged. Of how Farhan smiles at his words and replies back in ease.
It causes his laughter to ride on the wind. High and bright and loud. And he ignores his pain as he wraps his arms around him, because he loves him and wants to be with him.
"Farhan," he says, voice still lost in the sky.
"Yes?"
"Marry me."
It's a question but not. He's pleading yet he's happy. The world is spinning when it really isn't.
"Okay."
Farhan hums, a small smile forming as Karias cradles his cheek. It doesn't disappear as he leans in, but when there's barely any space left between them, he laughs, and kisses him.
Karias is shocked again, but this time he lets it flow against the kiss. It's intoxicating, this emotion. To be in love. To care for someone in this particular way. It's just as beautiful as every other love he has experienced, as beautiful as every other love that settles in him, beating with his heart.
When he pulls away he laughs again. He can't help it.
"My sister will be happy to finally meet you."
Farhan nods. "Be sure to introduce me as the first elder. I've been keeping my name a secret and I don't need everyone to know it."
"Why?" Karias asks. His name is stunning, just like the man himself, and there should be no reason to hide it.
"Nobody pronounces it right."
"Oh," he says, "Okay."
