warning(s): spoilers for the end of the game.

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Sharing Eternity

Tales of Zestiria © Bandai Namco

This is a work of fanfiction, simply written for the purpose of enjoyment and entertainment. I gain no financial profit from writing this.

The first thing to greet him when he opened his eyes was Sorey's sleeping face. Head tilted slightly over to his side, eyes shut tight, drool dripping from the side of his open mouth, while silver hair splayed all over the bed. Mikleo chuckled softly, not loud enough to wake Sorey up. He lifted his hand to brush Sorey's hair away from his face, tugging them behind his ear.

"What a stupid look," Mikleo mumbled.

His hand reached for Sorey's hand rested on his abdomen, caressing each of his fingers. He traced over the calluses formed on his palm―the result from their spars and hunting.

How odd. His wait lasted for centuries. He remembered how lonely it was when counting nights became years then decades, before he decided to count it by century. He always kept his right side vacant―and now here it was, the owner of that space occupying half of the bed. He threaded their fingers.

And now those days seemed like an illusion.

He smiled, feeling Sorey's warmth over his skin. The real Sorey was here lying beside him.

He glanced over to Sorey's sleeping face, and it still brought a chuckle every time he saw his drool. He slowly took Sorey's hair resting on his shoulder into his hand, brushing them gently with his fingers. Then he took a part of his own hair, brushing them together. He divided them to three sections between his fingers, nimbly weaving the sections―left to middle, then right to middle. He started braiding their hair together loosely, but still forming a neat braid.

How nice if he could just tie their life together as one as easily as braiding their hair. This way separation would not be possible.

He continued braiding, only halfway towards the length of their hair reaching down to their waist. That was when Sorey stirred in his sleep, and they both groaned in resonance when their hair was pulled because of Sorey's sudden movement. It woke him up.

"... Mikleo? What are you doing?" Sorey questioned in his raspy voice.

Mikleo quickly undid the braids then turned away and covered himself in sheets, "No! It's nothing!"

"Mikleo?" He blinked a few times, rubbing his eyes and slowly adjusting to the light seeping from the window. He pulled the sheets covering Mikleo away, what's under was Mikleo with flushed translucent skin curling like a cat. Sorey grinned, "Were you braiding our hair?"

Mikleo grunted.

A kiss on his shoulder was enough to make Mikleo face him. Sorey combed through Mikleo's hair and taking his strands of silvery blue hair in his hand, joining them with his own silvery blond. "Why did you take them off?" He started braiding.

Mikleo's eyes followed after Sorey's fingers, turning over to Sorey's beaming smile once or twice. It was embarrassing that Sorey saw what he did. It might seem as if he's only playing with their hair, but it was not his real intention.

It was scary.

The thought of passing days without Sorey again; scared him.

That's why he seemed desperate searching of a way to bind them together in any way possible.

"Braiding our hair seems like we're sharing our life, isn't it?" Sorey began, rousing Mikleo from his deep thought, "We weave through our fate, walking as one."

Mikleo stared at Sorey dumbfounded. His hand slowly crept up to cover his mouth. He laughed, cheeks glowed in pink. He couldn't believe Sorey also thought of the same thing as him.

And even saying it out loud.

"You're such a romantic, Sorey," he snickered.

"I am?" Sorey's pitch raised at the end of his sentence, indicating it was a question rather than an affirmation. He turned to Mikleo, his own cheeks also grew warmer. He never checked himself, but he figured whenever Mikleo complimented him, his own face must be as red as dusk.

"Ah, get me that ribbon," Sorey pointed to the bed stand on Mikleo's side. There rested the ribbons Mikleo and Sorey used to tie up their hair during the day. Mikleo scooted over, Sorey followed with his hand holding their braided hair. Mikleo stretched out his arm and reached for one of them then handed it over to Sorey.

Sorey tied their hair. He smiled and lifted it, gently brushing the tips where the colour blended between blue and yellow. He bumped his head to Mikleo's, shoulders touching.

Mikleo snickered, "Messy. I can do better."

"It's just fine!" Sorey exclaimed.

The early spring breeze entered the window and blew against them, making them shivered and cuddled closer. Mikleo's hand reached for Sorey's hand, who released his hold on the braids and let it fall on their shoulders. They intertwined their fingers like it was the most natural thing to do.

"Sorey..." Mikleo whispered.

"Mm?"

He looked over to Sorey from the corner of his eyes, his thumb brushed the side of Sorey's index finger. He inhaled, deep, holding it in for a second before asking, "Do you want us to get married?"

Sorey turned over to Mikleo wide-eyed. It's not something he ever imagined Mikleo saying. As far as he was concerned, it's not a ceremony seraphim normally did. "Married? As in exchanging vows and rings in a cathedral and inviting friends?"

Mikleo shook his head, "I'm not talking about human's tradition of marriage." He pressed a finger to his chin, "Rather than a party and calling everyone over, seraphim's tradition of marriage is more... private and intimate. Instead of pledging words, seraphim pledge eternity in sharing our being. And it'll remain, the vow could never be broken even after separation or death. That's why marriage is still such a rare occurrence even amongst seraphim, even though it exists."

There seemed to be puzzled look on Sorey's face for a second, but it quickly changed to a grin from ear-to-ear. He rested his head on Mikleo's chest, both hands moved to cup Mikleo's face, gently brushing over his cheeks. "Then, let's do it, Mikleo!"

There was a short silence before Mikleo snorted and sat up on the bed, Sorey also did. Mikleo nodded, flashing the gentlest smile that he could. And Sorey brushed their noses in reply.

Mikleo guided both of Sorey's palms to his―lining them up so that only the tips of their fingers were touching. He stared into Sorey's emerald eyes, "Focus your mana on the tips of your fingers, then try sending them over to me. I'll also do the same."

Sorey gestured an okay with a nod, then he bumped their foreheads and closed his eyes. He did as Mikleo told him, and at that same moment, he could feel the energy flowing out of his body―leaving an empty space. But it was soon filled with the new energy―fresh and clear like tranquil water pouring over the smallest gap.

Mikleo's mana.

Without him even realising, he smiled at the presence of Mikleo's presence inside him. It felt almost like when Mikleo resided in him as the Sub Lord, except the presence this time was a lot denser. He liked―no, he loved these moments when he could feel Mikleo's presence. Centuries of closing all his senses had made him crave for every little touch to share with Mikleo.

Forehead bumping against each other, knees touching under the sheets, hair tangled in a braid, breaths mingled as one, fingers working as the path for mana to transfer, and Mikleo's presence inside of him, filling his every being with Mikleo.

He opened one if his eyes, peeking at Mikleo, only to see him also closing his eyes―focusing on transferring his mana. He whispered, "Mikleo, is it okay to talk during the ceremony?"

Mikleo chuckled, "It's fine. There isn't any rule aside from connecting our fingers to transfer our mana." He opened his eyes and brushed their lips in a kiss, nibbling on Sorey's lower lip.

"Uhm... actually..." Sorey began, "Isn't it a bit chilly?"

"... Ah," Mikleo blinked, "Actually you're right."

The chilly breeze entered from the gap on the window, sending shivers to both of who were sitting stark naked on their bed only with their blanket covering their laps.

"We should've clothed up first before we started this," Mikleo said. Then, they laughed.

Staring at their hands had brought up a question, and so Sorey asked, "Then, does this mean I'll be able to use water artes after this?"

Mikleo shook his head, "Of course not. If we can get stronger by this, then people will use it for their own convenience."

Seraphim's marriage ritual would not share any kind of power by exchanging mana. It simply filled up the half empty space the other had left, blending in as one. The only thing it affected was the frequency their mana. After the ritual ended, their mana would blend as one, resulting in both parties having the same colour of mana―a combination of the two.

Each and every seraph's mana was always unique. It was not possible for two seraphim to share the same frequency of mana―except from bonding themselves in marriage ritual.

So, when two seraphim did have the same mana, it would be the proof of them bonded as one existence in nature.

"Where did you learn about this, Mikleo?"

"When we're still a kid. I noticed the change of mana in Natalie and Mason, their mana had the same colour and scent all of a sudden. I asked Natalie, and she explained," he stopped for a second, leaning a gaze on Sorey's curious eyes, "You were a human, you couldn't sense mana. And I never told you since I thought it doesn't have anything to do with us. Who knows you'll suddenly return as a seraph."

The marriage between seraphim had always been a private ceremony. They needed not announce anything. The marriage was a promise of sharing fate for eternity. And this ritual couldn't be done more than once. Exchanging mana with another partner would result in disturbances in mana and caused blindness, not being able to use mana anymore, creating malevolence and sometimes death.

It was taboo.

That's why for seraphim―who had millennia for lifetime; a life-bounding pact was not truly favoured.

"It should be done," Mikleo muttered.

"How do you know?"

Mikleo smirked, "Only one way to find out." He kissed his way from Sorey's jaw line up to his ear, breathing closely and earning a shiver from Sorey. He opened his mouth, and whispered Sorey's true name.

And at that exact moment his name came out from Mikleo's lips, a tingling sensation was sent throughout Sorey's whole body. He shuddered, "W-what was that sensation!?"

"The proof that we're married."

True name. So, that's why this was so important. Seraphim's true name was directly connected to their mana and being.

Their touching fingers moved away to intertwine their fingers together, holding tight while their other hands moved to pull their neck closer. Sorey closed in to Mikleo's lips, breathing in his warm air.

"Luzlov Rulay..." Sorey breathed.

And Sorey could see Mikleo's shoulders shuddered. He smirked, calling out his true name once more. Mikleo also got back on him by calling out Sorey's true name.

It was now Sorey's favourite sensation; he always liked how his name rolled from Mikleo's tongue, and now it's even better.

Mikleo pulled his hand away from Sorey's neck and jabbed Sorey's abdomen. But unfortunately Sorey was too late to catch his arm. He leant backwards to escape it but he forgot their hair were still tangled in a braid, resulting in them both yelping. They were sure a couple strands of hair fell out, but they both laughed it off and shared another kiss.

Mikleo wanted to involve himself with Sorey. In any kind of way.

Bodies joining, knees touching, lips connecting, fingers intertwining, breath mingling, hair tangling.

But it was never enough. He tried to think of a way of being involved in Sorey even more than these. He racked his brain for that one thing he heard once several centuries ago.

And he finally recalled.

It was blending their mana.

A tangible proof of their bond.

A call of true name from however far would still send the sensation down his spine. It worked as the proof that no matter how far apart they might be, they're still connected. Because they shared the same fate.

End.

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a/n1: this was first supposed to be a fluff drabble about Mikleo braiding their hair as one. but I was suddenly inspired of writing them exchanging marriage vows while their hair were braided together like that after listening to a song in my sister's car. I don't know the title, but it's yeah about marriage.

a/n2: I actually was so glad that I was finally able to write something about their true names. yeay.

a/n3: college is killing me with so many projects, I started this on early september, finished the draft three days ago and only finished it for now. I also don't think I'll have much time to write because of those projects. I might suddenly come up with one tho www.

a/n4: as usual, thanks for reading! I always appreciate all of you who read this, thanksss.