Anything For You
Tir Mcdohl awoke with a jolt. He was breathing heavily and drenched in sweat.
"The nightmare again" he thought to himself.
He threw the blankets off and stood up. He and Gremio, his best friend and manservant, had rented a room for the night in a cottage on the outskirts of a sleepy little village. They had been traveling since the Gate Rune War ended. Tir had seen a many wonderful and horrific sights during the war and he thought it was best to just keep moving.
He glanced over at Gremio who was sound asleep. His breathing was steady and quiet. A feeling of pain swept into Tir's chest as he remembered the nightmare.
A bottle full of flesh-eating spores shattered on the stone floor of a prison, they were trapped, everyone panicked. They ran through the only open doorway and Gremio told Tir to go ahead of him. Tir listened to his servant's advice and without thinking darted through the open doorway. Then it slammed behind him. Gremio had stayed behind to pull the lever that shuts the door. And then Tir listened helplessly as Gremio was eaten alive and he gave his last request: "Follow your heart."
Tir shuddered, his heart was pounding. He realized he was shirtless and still very sweaty. It was about an hour before dawn and the black night sky had begun to lighten. He decided he would go wash himself in the nearby stream before Gremio woke up.
"I'll let him sleep in." he thought.
He gathered up most of his belongings and crept toward the front door, each footstep sounding louder than the last. Gremio's breathing was still quiet so Tir cracked open the old wooden door.
Creeeaaaaaaak. Tir froze. Gremio made a snort sound and grunted as he rolled over. He lay still and began snoring. Tir exhaled and squeezed through the half-opened door.
The air was crisp and it smelled like morning dew and spring flowers. Tir smiled as he plodded down a twisty dirt path that led to the stream he saw yesterday as they came into town. The sound of running water reached his ears as he rounded a corner of tall shrubs. He reached the stream and put his clothes on the flat surface of a rock on the bank. He stripped off his remaining linens, folded them neatly, then dove into the water.
The cold hit him hard. He gasped and stood as stiff as a board in the water as his body adjusted to the sudden drop in temperature. After a while it became almost pleasant so he floated on his back and stared at the fading stars for a while.
"The stars…" he thought. "Gremio wouldn't be here if I hadn't gathered the one hundred and eight Stars of Destiny."
The thought of losing Gremio made his heart ache again. Gremio had been miracuasly resurrected by the power of the Stars near the end of the war. The feeling that swept through Tir's entire body when he saw his servant's finely cut face and long blond hair again made him feel strange. It was a feeling he hadn't experienced with anyone else before.
"Why do I feel this way..?" Tir asked aloud to himself. "What is wrong with me?"
An image of Gremio came into his mind. His chest was bare and his hair flowed gently in the wind around his face. His pale smooth skin looked so wonderful and his brilliant green eyes bore into him. It was like he was looking into Tir's very soul.
"You want me." The Gremio in his mind stated. It was a fact.
"I do want you, like no other." Tir said aloud.
That had snapped him out of his daydream. He had become erect, and he blushed brightly and looked around to make sure no one was watching. Frustrated at this feeling and cold, he scrubbed himself and washed his fine dark hair in the water.
The entire walk back to the cottage Tir was lost in thought. Why did he feel this way about Gremio? Gremio was practically his father while he was a boy. His real father was a general for Emperor Barbrossa and was almost never home. Gremio had served under Tir's father as a soldier and afterward permanently stayed in the McDohl mansion to look after young Tir. And while Gremio was significantly older than Tir, he still looked so young. He had a large scar on one of his cheeks but besides that his face looked very youthful.
The thought of Gremio made Tir blush again. "I have to stop thinking about him."
But the more he tried, the more he thought about the tall blond man. Tir realized he was shaking and he stopped and looked down at his hands. On the back of his right hand was one of the 27 True Runes: The Soul Eater. Tir felt a sort of discontent for the rune. He would never age nor get a disease, so he was cursed to watch the others around him eventually die. But the rune was mighty and deadly and was capable of taking the souls of others. This bothered Tir immensely.
"I can never get close to anyone… I am destined to be alone for all of eternity." His eyes swelled with tears and he shook his head. "I will not pity myself. But how can I ever be with him… does he even feel the same about me..? How absurd. Of course not. He just takes care of me because he always has."
Tir had reached the cottage and the windows were cracked. A mouth-watering smell of cooking meat had lingered up to his nostrils. He opened the door and saw that Gremio wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"That's odd." Tir thought. "He left while the meat was cooking. It could burn!"
He ran over to the stove and flipped the little patties of meat. "Whew."
Just then a clatter and thud sounded off by the door. Gremio had ran in haphazardly and tripped over his own feet. "Y-young Master! S-so sorry! I stepped out to relieve myself and uhhh-" He was cut short by Tir stooping down to pick him up off the floor.
"Thank you Young Master! Like I said, I am dreadfully sorry! I hope the meat didn't burn!" He ran to the stove and checked the food. "Oh… you flipped it! Thank you." He smiled.
"Not a problem Gremio. I should thank you. You do too much for me. I'm not a boy anymore you know. I might not look it, but I'm still aging up here." He tapped his head.
"Of course Young Master. I realize this. It's just… the least I can do… I…"
"It's fine Gremio. Let's eat." Tir managed a smile.
He helped Gremio set the table and they both sat down to eat.
"I was worried about you while ago Young Master," Gremio said in between mouthfuls. "But it looks like you were just off taking a bath."
Tir swallowed. How did Gremio know, was he following him…? "Uhhh… that's right. How did you know?"
Gremio smiled and took a sip. Tir stared at Gremio's soft thin hands as they clasped around a cup. "I just noticed your hair looks shiny and… you smell nice."
Tir gulped. Did he hear that right? He decided to finish eating then he picked up the plates and washed them despite Gremio's fussing over it. Then he sat down on the corner of his bed. He was tired of hiding his feelings… whatever they were. Gremio noticed the troubled look on Tir's face and sat down next to him. The bed sank a little which moved Tir closer to Gremio.
"Young Master..? What is the matter? You look deeply troubled."
Tir took a gulp and focused his dark brown eyes on Gremio's shining green ones. "Gremio… there's something I have to tell you."
"Young Master! Are you okay? What are you hiding from me?"
"Calm down a moment. There's something that has been on my mind ever since you came back… and I need to tell you…" he paused. Gremio's eyes were focused intently on him. "Gremio, I care for you."
A moment of silence went by and Gremio smiled. "Young Master, I know that. I care for you too! I've taken care of you since you were a small boy after all."
"That's not what I meant. I mean… I really care for you. I think about you all day and all night. I watch you fall asleep, the way your chest moves and I-"
"Young M-master…?" Gremio was blushing the brightest red.
"Please Gremio. Enough with the 'Young Master' stuff. Please call me Tir."
"Ok…Tir." Gremio tested the word. "Tir."
Something about the way Gremio said it and the way he looked at the very moment ignited a fire deep within Tir's heart. He then did something drastic that he had never imagined he would be doing. He leaned over and kissed Gremio on the lips.
Gremio pulled away, "Y-y-y...Tir?"
Tir blushed wildly and stood up. "I'm sorry! There's something wrong with me. Please forgive me! I didn't mean to scare you… it's just I can't help but feel this way." He slammed his eyes shut and hot tears poured down his face. Then he felt a soft hand slip into his.
"Tir." Gremio stood up. Tir opened his eyes and followed the clouded shape of his dearest friend upward. "I love you. I have always loved you. But since the day you became the leader of the Liberation Army, the day you became a man, I have not only loved you.. but I have wanted you."
Gremio bent down and kissed Tir's wet cheeks. Tir was frozen with surprise and anticipation. Gremio kissed his way down to Tir's neck, then Tir lifted Gremio's head and kissed him on the mouth. They held each other together in a tight embrace and they kissed. Gremio parted Tir's lips with his tongue.
Taken over buy his lust, Tir slammed Gremio's back against the wall which only made Gremio kiss harder. They let their hands wander around each other's bodies. Tir moaned and moved his mouth to Gremio's neck then up to his ear. Gremio let out a sigh of pleasure at this sensation.
They separated for a moment and stared into each other's eyes. Tir's hands trembled as he took off the cape around Gremio's neck and his shirt. He then glanced down at his right hand and saw the Rune. He stopped what he was doing and fell to the floor weeping.
"Tir! Are you ok? D-did I do something wrong?" Gremio knelt down next to him.
"Gremio…I…we can never be together. Don't you see?" He held up his hand. "I will outlive you! I can't see you die again! I just can't! It haunts me every night… the thought of losing you… I…" He sobbed even harder.
Gremio smiled and lifted Tir's chin with his hand. His eyes were full of sadness too, but also hope. "Tir. You can't live your life alone. Don't you see? I may day again some day, but that is no reason you can't enjoy your life… and mine… while we are both still here." He brushed the tears away from Tir's face.
Tir hardened his gaze. "You are right." They both stood up and Tir wrapped his arms around Gremio and held him tightly. "You are right."
He felt Gremio growing against him and that sent them both into a frenzy. Gremio ripped off Tir's tunic and shirt and threw them down. They were now bare-chested and Tir lavished the feeling Gremio's skin against his own. He took a hand and placed it inside Gremio's pants. Gremio gasped with pleasure as Tir wrapped his hand around Gremio's member and stroked it.
"Ahhh… Young Master…" Gremio moaned.
Their lips met again and Gremio did the same to Tir, except he delicately took of Tir's pants so he was there completely naked. Tir felt a little exposed so he took off Gremio's pants as well and guided him to the bed, never separating. Gremio took his hand and gently stroked Tir's penis. Tir inhaled sharply at the sudden sensation. No one had ever done this to him before. How glad he was that it was Gremio doing it.
"Gremio wait..!" He managed to call out. Gremio paused and looked up at him with eyes that Tir had never seen before. They were full of lust and passion and they seemed to shine and dance with excitement.
"But Tir… don't you want me?" He teased.
"Oh yes, more than ever. I just wanted to say…" He paused and gave Gremio a series of kisses on his neck. "I love you too."
Gremio smiled a devilish sort of smile and threw himself onto Tir. He kissed his chest and moved down slowly to Tir's groin.
"Gremio!" Tir gasped. And just when he thought he was finished, Gremio rolled him over and entered him. Tir let out a call of agony as Gremio thrust himself into Tir, but after a little while it didn't hurt anymore and it felt amazing. They both moaned and grunted and growled as they let out all of their stored up emotions and desires. Finally, Gremio came to a finish and let out a shrieking cry of pleasure.
"Oooh…Young Master…" And then it was Tir turn. He flipped the almost collapsed Gremio over and hovered right outside of him. He bent down and brushed his lips against his ear. "I love you." And with that he entered.
The sensation was better than he could have imagined. Gremio was warm and the feeling sent little shocks up his body. Gremio moaned in reply and breathed heavily as Tir pumped. Tir felt like he was seeing stars as the euphoria crept into his mind. After a while Tir finished with a final groan from Gremio and he flopped over on the bed beside his new lover.
Tears ran down Gremio's face.
"What's wrong?" Tir asked, frightened that he had hurt Gremio in some way.
Gremio sniffed. "It's just that… I have wanted this for so long. I'm just… so happy." He smiled a bright, beaming smile that made Tir's heart melt. "I never thought this day would come."
Tir rested his head on Gremio's shoulder and bent his head up to peck him on the cheek. "I promise to always take care of you Gremio. You have always been there for me and now it is my turn."
"Oh Tir…" Gremio's eyes welled back up.
"And I might have this cursed Rune on my hand forever, and I might get rid of it. Whatever my outcome, I will care for you until the end. You are my life now."
Gremio sobbed and buried his face. Tir held him gently and lightly pressed his lips against the older man. "Young Master… I mean Tir… thank you." He lifted his bright eyes and looked into Tir's.
"Anything for you."
-sentrystar-