Doubtless
Written for SureMiku Week 2016. This is the final day, day 7: Malevolence/Purity, Choices, Identity.
Explicit - "This is for porn, graphic violence, etc."
M/M
Disclaimer: The characters and universe of this story do not belong to me.
A.N.: This is another one that kept running away from me. Not to mention that I didn't know what to write, so I started it about 6 times, no joke.
Sorey wrote his own book. With Mikleo's help, of course. It was a book that talked about the different regions of Glenwood both during the time he was human, and now that he was reborn a seraph. He wrote extensively about the customs of people, the landscapes and above all, the changes. Sorey was happy to see the world again, to discover all that was new and to rediscover all the things he'd seen once.
During their journey, Sorey and Mikleo met a young human with deep blue eyes and auburn cropped hair, named Sisab, who had completed his training to become a Shepherd, but had yet to form a pact with a Prime-Lord.
As need would have it, the pair of seraphim had been encountering some hellions around the far ruins in the east. Sisab was a young man with a taste for archaeology. He had read all of Mikleo's books reverently and didn't hesitate to follow them into the ancient buildings, entering a temporary contract with Mikleo.
At the entrance to an underground passage, Mikleo and Sorey looked at each other and smiled. It was on! They had never stopped competing to see who would make the biggest discovery, so they would usually split up to explore for a while before meeting inside to compile discoveries.
'Meet you back here in...let's say, two hours?' Mikleo asked Sorey, one foot already on the descending stone steps.
'I'll bring you back a souvenir!' Sorey exclaimed and laughed out loud as he rushed down past Mikleo. 'Let's go Sisab!'
Sisab had taken a liking to Sorey since day one and, as a former human, Sorey could relate better with the young man, so they would often partner up inside the ruins. Mikleo found it very amusing, but he worried that Sisab would become Sorey's Abe...he shook the thought aside for the moment, following the two air headed men. He watched them turn a corner once he stepped inside the ruin and smiled fondly. He didn't have to worry too much about the Sisab issue. He was sure Sorey would handle things just fine.
Inside, the ruin was dark and damp. There was moss growing in many places, covering murals and concealing doors and traps and muffling the sounds of their footsteps. Sorey had found a torch hanging from a wall and used his lightning artes to light it on fire. He and Sisab made their way through narrow corridors while Sorey talked animatedly about archaeology, his and Mikleo's discoveries, intercalated warnings to Sisab about traps on their way.
They soon arrived at a dead end. Their path was being blocked by a large mural that depicted the Shepherd holding a sword. The intricate carvings were also partially obscured by moss, pretty much in the same fashion as the rest of the ruin.
'This is strange.' Sisab mused as he kneeled in front of the mural to inspect it from up close. 'Come see this, please, Shepherd Sorey.'
'Sorey, Sisab. I am not a Shepherd anymore.' Sorey corrected for the umpteenth time.
'Right, sorry.' Sisab apologised, but turned towards the mural with an excited expression, eager to impress Sorey. 'This mural doesn't belong to the age of Chaos.'
'Well spotted!' Sorey congratulated him. 'But it does belong. You see this flourish in the patterns here?' he pointed at the corners of mural to demonstrate what he meant. 'They were only used during the age of Chaos.'
'Amazing, you're right. This must be a trap, then.' Sisab commented in wonderment. Then he turned to Sorey with an adoring smile. 'As expected of you!'
Sorey scratched the back of his neck bashfully. 'It was Mikleo who first noted this, you know. He is the amazing one...' Then he turned to look at the mural, but his gaze was so much farther away, his eyes shining with deep feelings that Sisab was only just starting to recognise
Sisab found himself wishing he was the one that loving gaze was directed to.
'What did you find?' Mikleo asked as he approached the pair with a smile.
'Shep-ah...Lord Sorey realised this mural is a trap.' Sisab told Mikleo immediately.
'You discovered it was off, though.' Sorey corrected him and ruffled his auburn hair. 'But don't just assume it's a trap. With so much moss around it's difficult to tell, but it could also be a door.' Sorey hypothesised and turned back to the mural to inspect it again.
Mikleo looked at them fondly. He was so proud of Sorey. He was a great mentor. Maybe they should go back to Ladylake for a while, to teach.
'I left this as it is because I thought you'd want to see what's on the other side when you woke up.' Mikleo told Sorey, standing next to him. He grabbed Sorey's hand in his and guided i to a particularly thick patch of moss where larger plants were starting to grow. 'There is a switch here.'
Sorey and Mikleo pressed their fingers against a hollow space underneath the vegetation and heard a loud click just behind the stone. they looked at each other, smiled and pushed the mural in.
The large stone was heavy and hard to move so Sisab helped push it inside and soon the trio found themselves inside a circular room. Its walls decorated in swirling patterns like waves that surrounded pictures, their sequences telling stories of heroic feats by a young Shepherd with green eyes, his four seraphim friends and his squire who wielded a pair of daggers.
Sorey looked into Mikleo's eyes with a bewildered expression and the water seraph smiled fondly, nostalgically before turning back to a section of the wall that showed the four seraphim and the squire kneeling in a reverential bow before a great pillar of light, inside of which she Shepherd slept.
'I was told this was a shrine in honour of Shepherd Sorey, the saviour of Glenwood.' Mikleo said in a raspy voice. His emotions getting the better of him in spite of everything. The memories of their journey forever freshly imprinted in the walls of his heart just as they were in the walls of that shrine. 'I could never make myself open that door before you...'
Sorey didn't need anymore explanation than that.
'I think it's getting pretty late. Maybe we should find a place to camp out?' Sisab suggested, forcing himself to speak through the intense gaze the two seraphim were exchanging.
Mikleo noticed Sisab's distress and so did Sorey. Mikleo noticed the troubled underline of his smile when he agreed with the young Shepherd. Mikleo and Sorey looked at each other again, exchanging their thoughts through their gazes, a connection they had recovered and worked on in the time they spent travelling together.
The trio made their way through Glenwood in the same fashion and their ruin exploration extended their journey by a couple of unforseen months. When their their supplies were running thin they finally decided to make way to Ladylake. Travelling with another human after so long was something Mikleo had missed, except for the fact that humans needed food and rest.
As they walked through the city, Sorey was surprised to find himself in the centre of a mob of humans and seraphim, all holding his book and talking all at the same time.
'Are you the Shepherd Sorey?'
'Can I have your autograph?'
'Did you really do all those things described in "The Adventure of the Shepherd Sorey"?'
'Please would you sign my book?'
Sorey was overwhelmed and even a bit scared. He didn't know what to do and he looked at Mikleo for help, but the water seraph was having similar problems as the people started to notice his presence as well. They were pulled and pushed in and out of conversations that didn't make a whole lot of sense in their excited tones and that hardly allowed them to reply at all.
Mikleo was starting to give a serious thought to the idea of using his water artes to make them invisible and get them out of there when a torrent of water drenched everyone and silenced them. Surprised, the two seraph turned their wide eyes and agape mouths towards the side the torrent of water had come from.
At the origin of the arte was Sisab and standing next to him was Lailah, smiling at them. The fire seraph opened her arms and rushed at Sorey and Mikleo, hugging them tight.
'Lailah!' exclaimed Sorey when he recovered from his shock and returned the hug. So did Mikleo. They relished the warmth of their beloved friend and the mortherly tenderness that emanated from her every gesture towards them.
They missed her.
'How wonderful to see you two!' Lailah cooed and caressed their faces with a smile.
When they let go of their embrace Mikleo noticed Sisab was staring at the mob of drenched people with disapproving eyes. He was oddly proud that Sisab learned to use his power of water so fast by himself.
'Ladies and gentlemen, please disperse. This kind of behaviour is unbecoming!' the young man chastised the crowd.
The people looked embarrassed, most of them apologised after being forgiven with kind words from both Lailah and Sorey.
'We're happy that you enjoy reading our books, honestly! Thank you so much!' Sorey addressed the people, ever humble, making even the toughest man blush. 'But, you see, I am not a Shepherd anymore.'
'Are you the Lord of the Land of all Glenwood?' A human girl asked with determined eyes. The rest of the crowd looked between her and Sorey expectantly.
'So this is what this was all about...' Mikleo muttered under his breath, hiding his face by touching his forehead with his fingers, elbow resting on his arm, a pose he'd never grown out of.
'I am Sorey. The same Sorey I have always been. No titles. Just me. Maotelus is the Lord of the Land of Glenwood, though, so make sure to pay him respect by never forgetting your Lords of the Land, okay?' Sorey told them and the crowd looked at him a bit puzzled, but before they could ask any more questions, Lailah interrupted.
'Why don't you stay at my house?' Lailah offered loudly.
This was the cue for the crowd to disperse. They waved shy goodbyes as they shook their hair dry and smiled when Sorey and Mikleo waved back.
'It still feels unreal that you can interact with humans now, Mikleo.' Sorey commented as they were guided towards what Sorey used to know as the noble quarter. Such separations weren't used anymore, but it still remained a very expensive area, due to its proximity to the centre of the city and the royal palace.
'Don't forget you are also a seraph now, Sorey.' Lailah smiled at him with unrestrained fondness.
'I don't feel much different though.' Sorey commented.
'And that makes you a very aprticular seraph.' Mikleo remarked with a smirk.
'What's that supposed to mean?' Sorey protested.
'Nothing at all.'
Sorey narrowed his eyes for a oment and then smirked. His expression erased the mirthful smirk off Mikleo's face and the water seraph extended his hands in front of his chest.
'Sorey, no!'
Sorey grinned widely. 'Sorey, yes!'
Sorey ran towards Mikleo and the water seraph didn't hesitate to run away from him, shouting at Sorey to stop and to leave him alone. But he only ran half halfheartedly and Sorey was quick to catch him and promptly assault his sides with nimble ticklish fingers. Mikleo's laughter was puntuated by broken versions of Sorey's name and the lightning seraph's own laughter as Mikleo also tickled him in retaliation.
Sisab and Lailah had stopped walking to look at the two men. Sisab's eyes were wide and his mouth agape. He'd never imagined neither of the these two esteemed seraphim could behave in such a way. Inside his chest he felt a deep bittersweet happiness to be able to witness a scene such as this, one as intimate as two childhood friends making each other laugh even after all the adversities they had once gone through. A smaller part of Sisab's heart began to realise what they both mean to each other and that there was no place for him in neither of their lives in the same way he wished there to be...
'It makes me so happy to be able to see them like this again...' Lailah confessed as she watched Sorey and Mikleo laugh breathlessly, leaning against each other and holding each other's hands to stop them from tickling anymore. Unbidden, carefree happiness and pure affection. 'After seven hundred and odd years Mikleo can finally smile again, even brighter than before and it makes me so happy that I'm scared something will happen yet again and erase it.'
Sisab looked on at the two seraphim as they returned to their sides, poking each other to try and get one last tickle in.
As a seraph, Lailah had no need for something like a house, but whenever she wasn't working, and especially during the night when most people slept, Lailah would be idle, wandering about the city. As more and more humans became able to see seraphim it became increasingly dangerous for lailah to wander about alone at night. Not that she couldn't take them, but she would never use her artes to fend off the occasional drunk person off. So the council unanimously agreed to give her a house to dwell on during the unoccupied hours and while she refused it at first, the council would have none of that.
The house was Lailah's to do whatever she would fancy. Mikleo liked it and so did Sorey. It was spacious and bright, albeit small, on Lailah's request. Very comfortable. Not to mention the decoration matched the historical aspects of Ladylake's architecture. There were two bedrooms, one of which Lailah turned into a study of sorts, with a large, very organised bureau that contained important documents and books about history, artes and the likes. The other bedroom had a sofa, a coffee table and an ornate wooden partition behind which was a single day bed and a night stand. There was a bathroom connected to this room, with its door closed.
Lailah guided them to sit on the sofa where she served tea. They talked about their recent activities, pointless things, memories from the past, the world, armadillos and just about everything. Lailah was delighted to hear all the adventures Sorey and Mikleo had been into. They turned even the dangeroous situations into funny stances of Sorey being clumsy or Mikleo being stubborn. The atmosphere was warm and familiar, comforting.
Sisab would sometimes tell them a story or ask them questions, but he would otherwise remain quiet, fascinated and all too comfortable in their midst. He kept directing adoring looks towards Sorey when he thought nobody was looking and found himself surprised by the fact that he was unwilling to leave, even when his human body urged him to rest. When he noticed the young Shepherd had fallen asleep, Mikleo carried him over to the day bed by Lailah's suggestion.
When morning came, Mikleo called Sisab aside to end their pact as they had previously agreed.
'There are many seraphim willing to become Prime-Lords here in Ladylake.' Mikleo told him, but Sisab's expression wasn't one of agreement. 'What's wrong?'
'Lord Mikleo, would it be too much of me to ask you if I could accompany you and Shepherd Sorey to Elysia?' Sisab asked, looking at him with a conflicted expression. 'I would like to pay my respects to Maotelus, but as you know, one needs permission from an Elysian to enter the domain.'
He was right. Such a rule had been put in place not only to avoid the entrance of hellions, but because the Mabinogio ruins and the Altorius Throne were still dangerous to those who didn't know them. And also, because Elysia was the land of seraphim, a place untouched by time and the Elysians had decided to keep it that way. Visitors were, of course, allowed, but they needed the permission of an Elysian.
Mikleo agreed to take Sisab with them. He smiled at the young man fondly and praised him for his devotion even though he was aware his feelings were the biggest reason behind his decision. He knew such feelings could breed a hellion, but Mikleo believed Sorey and Sorey believed Sisab, so the water seraph believed the Shepherd by proxy. Sisab was a good person, young and strong and Mikleo had no problem showing him the way to Maotelus and Elysia.
Sisab looked down and only nodded as Mikleo left him to join Sorey and Lailah. The young man bit his lip feeling terribly guilty for deceiving Mikleo in such a manner. He looked at his hands, conflicted and shook his head before following the seraphim.
Their journey through the forest went much the same way as it had always been, uneventful. But Mikleo and Sorey noticed that Sisab's mood had tuned tense since departing Ladylake. The young man became silent and distracted and they felt the time to say things clearly was near.
'You should talk to him Sorey.' Mikleo suggested as they watched the young Shepherd practice his water artes. Sisab smiled triumphantly when he managed to create and maintain a bubble of water on top of the palm of his hand. His gaze had fixed Sorey reverently after Mikleo congratulated his success.
The lightning seraph agreed with Mikleo wholeheartedly.
When night arrived, Sisab made a fire and they set up camp. Sorey told Sisab how water seraphim were always wary of fire and often doused the flames after lighting them because they became nervous. 'Even a seraph as strong as Mikleo has done it in the past!'
'Sorey!' Mikleo protested as Sorey and Sisab laughed.
'Sh-Sorey, look!' Sisab exclaimed and pointed towards the darkness of the forest. Both Sorey and Mikleo looked to see a large pickleboar come out of the bushes.
'It is said that one can be sure to be close to Elysia when pickleboars are spotted.' Sisab commented, looking at the creature. 'I have never seen one before.'
'Sorey is good at hunting pickleboars and roasting them.' Mikleo informed with a smile towards the brunette.
And Sisab didn't even doubt it. Sorey's expression turned to one of concentration and all of a sudden lightning fell from the sky and stroke the pickleboar, killing it instantly.
Sorey wooped in celebration at the small feat. 'Man, that never gets old!'
Mikleo chuckled and shook his head in fond exasperation. He watched as Sorey picked up the pickleboar, prepared it and roasted it by the fire. He enlisted Sisab to helphim as he always did for the enthusiastic youngster shared the same kind of wonder as Sorey. Had Mikleo still been his past young self, he'd felt as unsure as he did once, when Rose and Sorey pretended to be married.
Sorey's skills art roasting pickleboar didn't let them down at all. Even without much seasoning the meat was juicy and soft and the meal was delicious. After just one bite, they were licking their lips and after eating they were licking their fingers.
'Pickleboars make great dried meat as well, for travelling! I can show you how to hunt them, if you want.' Sorey offered Sisab.
'Would you really?' Sisab asked.
Sorey nodded with a hum. 'Mikleo can't cook with fire very well so it would be nice if I could show you.'
Sisab made a conflicted expression then, almost triunfant, but guilty and Mikleo decided it was better to leave them alone.
I think I'm going to retire for tonight.' He excused himself, dusting his trousers. 'Thank you for the meal, Sorey, Sisab.'
'I will join you in a few minutes.' Sorey announced and Mikleo smiled at him. He looked at Sisab with a much sadder smile now and the young Shepherd averted his eyes.
I'm sorry, Sisab.
'Shepherd Sorey...can I ask you a question?'
Sorey looked at Sisab and hummed affirmatively.
'Are you and Lord Mikleo...' Sisab began, but blushed at the thought and his inability to voice his question.
But Sorey had been expecting it. Mikleo was right, he had indeed noticed Sisab's infatuation with him...or the idea of him, of the Shepherd Sorey Mikleo had written about so gloriously on his published book.
'We are.' He answered, encouraging Sisab to say the words, so that he could face them and he himself could try and reject the young man as gently as he could.
'Oh.' Was all Sisab could say, his expression was shielded by his auburn hair as he kept his gaze down.
When Sisab didn't say anything else, Sorey sighed.
'I am not Shepherd Sorey, Sisab. Not anymore.' Sorey explained. 'I wasn't even that grandiose as Mikleo made it look in his book. He wrote another one you know, a more realistic one. Maybe I can get him to publish that one too.'
'Shep-' Sisab tried to speak, but stopped when he realised the words that were just coming out of his mouth. Shepherd Sorey. His eyes widened and he could no longer look at Sorey in the face. He was right, wasn't he? But, was he? Had Sisab not seen the real Sorey during their trip? He had, hadn't he? And he still...did he really? Was he not confusing his feelings for something else?
Sorey forced himself to continue, to say everything that needed to be said, in spite of the pain it would cause. 'I believe that you might be confusing your feelings a bit, Sisab. I am not Shepherd Sorey. I am just Sorey. Mikleo's Sorey...but you know, I am your friend too, if you still want me to be.'
Sisab looked down at his hands and nodded. Sorey was glad that he didn't cry. He spoke again after a long pause in which Sorey sat with the young Shepherd in companionable reassuring silence and he sorted his emotions and organised his thoughts.
'I think I was infatuated with the idea of Shepherd Sorey, at first.' Sisab explained with his gaze still turned down in embarrassment. 'But then I got to know you properly. The real Sorey. And I truly fell in love with you.'
'Oh...' Was all Sorey could say.
'Please do not apologise!' Sisab exclaimed, his blue eyes shining with unshed tears. 'I am the one who has inconvenienced you. I'm sorry.'
'I wasn't going to apologise.' Sorey told him. 'I could never apologise for loving Mikleo.' He paused and smiled brightly at Sisab. 'One day you will also find someone you will never apologise for loving.'
Sisab finally cried, but wiped his tears away immediately and tried to smile. 'You really are a great person, Sorey.'
Sorey smiled and hugged Sisab while he cried himself to sleep. He carried the young Shepherd to his sleeping blanket and lay him down, glad that he felt no malevolence in him in spite of everything. Sorey was sure he'd be a great Shepherd.
'I am really sorry for my unbecoming behaviour!' Sisab exclaimed early in the morning as soon as he saw Sorey and Mikleo, sitting by the ashes of their camp, waiting for him. He knew Sorey had told Mikleo what had transpired the previous night and, for some reason it felt right that Sorey had told him. Sisab had started to realise that maybe it was impossible for there to be Sorey without Mikleo nor the other way around. They were two separate seraphim, but really, they were one entity, one mind and one heart.
Mikleo looked at him fondly and stood up to place a hand on his shoulder with no malice or resentment. There was a small smile on his face. He understood. Of course he does, we are both in love with the same person after all. The thought seemed to instantly bring him closer to the water seraph.
'You did nothing wrong, Sisab.' Mikleo reassured him. 'It's only natural that you would want to travel with good people for a while longer. And besides, I am sure Maotelus will like the visit.'
'Thank you. For everything...Lord Mikleo.' Sisab thanked looking at the floor embarrassed.
They set out that morning with peaceful conversation, Sorey and Mikleo pointing out interesting facts about the Mabinogio ruins so that Sisab could enjoy his visit even more and the young Shepherd 's reactions didn't disappoint. He was truly interested and mesmerised with the ruins.
'This is the place where we first met Alisha.' Sorey disclosed, looking around and remembering the encounter.
'She couldn't see me back then.'Mikleo said as he looked up at the upper levels.
'You were so suspicious of her.' Sorey teased him.
'Someone had to be, Sorey. You can't just trust every single person you meet!' Mikleo protested.
'I think Lord Mikleo is right. There are still many questionable people around, Sorey.' Sisab agreed.
'Hey, she was a good person!' Sorey exclaimed and pouted. 'And you're ganging upon me...'
Both Mikleo and Sisab looked at each other with twin smiles. Mikleo elbowed Sisab playfully and started their walk through the long corridor that would lead them to Camlann.
Sisab was still hurting over his unrequited love, sure, but he felt that a great weight was lifted off his shoulders as well. A relief like he'd never felt before overtook him and made him giddy, so happy he could cry. It allowed him to see the deep connection between the two seraphim in front of him the way Lailah had described it, to truly appreciate the complexity of their simple everlasting love. And at the same time he felt incredibly lucky to be guided by Sorey and Mikleo themselves to Camlann, their birthplace. The fated location where so much of the world was changed.
'Sisab?' Called Mikleo with concern in his voice.
'Are you feeling alright?' Asked Sorey.
'Huh?' Sisab answered confused, looking from one face to the other and then his vision became blurry as tears spilled from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. 'W-why am I?'
Sorey and Mikleo looked at each other, not fully understanding the enormity of Sisab's emotions. Not even Sisab himself could begin to sort through them at all as he smiled and laughed and cried at the same time.
'I...I think I might explode from feeling so much...' He confessed. 'Camlann is right ahead of us...you were born there. Lord Mikleo died there once, am I right? So many sacrifices were made there...am I really worthy...?'
Sisab rubbed at his face desperately trying to stop his tears from running and failing miserably, sobbing like a baby.
'You cry as if it was your own pain.' Mikleo said, softly embracing the young Shepherd. 'There is not doubt you are more than pure enough to step onto Maotelus closest domain.
Sisab looked at Sorey from his embrace with Mikleo and found him smiling tenderly at him. Sorey nodded encouragingly.
'You sure are a great person...' Sorey told him.
To Sisab's charging, the first time he laid eyes on Maotelus's great form his eyes were swollen and his nose was running from sobbing all the way there. He tried and failed to explain the reason for such and embarrassingly cried even more. Maotelus surprised everyone by laughing.
'I won't ask you to remain his Prime-Lord for longer than it would take you to find a suitable one. Not after everything you and Sorey have already done for me, but this young man is pure of heart. He will be a great Shepherd.' Maotelus told Mikleo and the water seraph bowed.
'How are you doing?' Sorey asked Maotelus and sat down on the grass in front of him to hear his response.
'I am feeling rejuvenated and powerful, if that's what you are asking young one.' Maotelus answered. 'There will always be malevolence in the world for humans face many trials through their short lives that may lead them to negative feelings, but I through my power there are more of those who can purify hellions before they become a serious problem. You have done a great deed young one.'
Sorey nodded. 'It was the least I could have done as a Shepherd. In fact, thank you for letting me come back.' Sorey looked at Mikleo who was sitting down next to him and to Sisab who was awkwardly standing a few paces away with wide surprised eyes.
'This is your reward for the great sacrifice you have done for me and the world.' Maotelus explained and his light touched Sorey and Mikleo on their heads. 'You too young water seraph, Mikleo. You and your friends helped the process of educating the humans to avoid conflicts over the course of the change once I could return.'
Sorey and Mikleo felt like children all of a sudden, a soft cool breeze blowing their hair and bathing them in the smell of flowers as they smiled with pure happiness. Sisab felt it too and oh, how fortunate he felt! How blessed to bear witness to such exchange and to be complimented by Maotelus himself. He felt that he could live his entire life completely devoted to the purification of the world without any shade of doubt just with the mere touch of that blinding pure being on his forehead. With wide eyes Sisab bowed at the contact and was filled to the brim with happiness, pure and unadulterated.
The trio left Camnlann feeling completely at peace with the world, determined to do their very best to keep it pure. Sisab's conviction on his role as Shepherd had never faltered, but now he was sure he could face any hellion and he would be able to purify them.
'How do you feel?' Mikleo asked.
'I do not think I have the words to express how grateful I am to you and Sorey for accompanying me on my pilgrimage.
'Even Maotelus approved you, Sisab!' Sorey commented. 'You will be just fine!'
Sisab smiled wide and bright.
'Would you like to spend the night at Elysia, Sisab?' Mikleo offered. 'You can set out in the morning back to Ladylake.
Sisab agreed with a smile and a new light on his bright blue eyes.
Both Sorey and Mikleo had travelled Glendwood far and wide for decades, so it felt liberating to finally return to Elysia for a rest. They were not surprised to find several copies of Sorey's book in the hands of their family. The Elysians were all too happy to follow the pair's adventures written in the pages of the large tomes that delved deep into discoveries.
Sorey was absurdly happy himself to witness a world where most humans could now at least sense seraphim, half of them being able to see them. The Lords of the lands were worshipped daily and their blessings were strong allowing the Shepherds of each region to manage the few hellions that arose from time to time.
Upon returning to Elysia, Sorey and Mikleo Showed Sisab aroound and introduced him to their family of seraphim. The young man was very polite and respectful and the seraphim instantly took a liking to him, even inviting him to come back often to have a chat. That night, Sisab spent a long time marvelling at Mikleo's collection of books and happily discussing archaeology with him and Sorey.
'Lord Mikleo, Sorey mentioned you wrote a book with the true version of your adventure with Shepherd Sorey until he woke up...' Sisab started, swallowed and the smiled. Mikleo watched Sisab with curiosity.
'Would you like to read it?' Mikleo offered.
Sisab shook his head slowly. 'I think that it would be a good idea to publish the Adventure of Shepherd Sorey, as told by Mikleo, the water seraph.'
Mikleo thought about it for a few seconds and Sorey and Sisab exchanged a look.
'I think you might be right.' Mikleo decided. 'I think the world is now ready to know the unembellished version of our journey. What do you think Sorey?'
Sorey smiled wide. 'I think it's a great idea!'
The next morning Sisab set out just as the sun rose over the mountains waving goodbye to his new seraphim friends with a bright smile and Sorey and Mikleo couldn't have been more proud of him.
Sorey and Mikleo spent the day catching up with their family and sparring just like old times, but now that they were two of the five stronger seraphim of Glenwood, their opponents soon gave up and they ended up fighting each other until the sun set. The seraphim made a bonfire that night and roasted pickleboars as they told stories through the night.
Soon Sorey and Mikleo settled in their house for a much deserved rest…and some steamy time that the presence of Sisab, although not unwelcome, had deprived them of. And then they just lay there in bed in each other's arms, all naked skin contact and tangled limbs.
'Mikleo, do you think gramps would be happy right now?' Sorey asked as he caressed the soft skin of Mikleo's arm.
Mikleo lifted his face on top of Sorey's chest to be able to look at him.
'I think he would have.' He answered, trailing patterns on Sorey's skin. 'I think gramps would have been happy as long as we were.'
'I think he would have scolded me as soon as I woke up for being reckless.' Sorey mused with a laugh.
'He would have scolded me more than you for making you so miserable when you woke up.' Mikleo said and hoisted himself up on his arms to able to kiss Sorey's lips. 'I am sorry I did.'
'As am I, for putting you in that situation.' Sorey apologised.
The both of them knew that if time were to rewind they would not do a single thing different, though. As hard as some of the choices they had to make in the past were, both Sorey and Mikleo knew they had been necessary and that they were the right choices to make at the time.
Mikleo kissed Sorey deeply, nibbling softly on his lips, licking them, sucking on Sorey's tongue as it came out to play.
Sorey held Mikleo by his waist, pressing him close as he started to get aroused by the sensuous make out session.
Mikleo too was getting worked up. He was undulating his hips in slow motions, rubbing his growing erection on the soft and sensitive skin between Sorey's groin and his thigh.
Mikleo broke the kiss when Sorey's finger traced a very soft line up his waist, making him squirm away. He let out an undignified yelp, grabbed Sorey's hand and pinned it above the brunette's head with a frown.
'You're so ticklish.' Sorey pointed out with an unapologetic smile, his other hand coming up to caress his lover's face.
'Of course I am.' Mikleo huffed and released Sorey's hand, laying down on his chest.
'Mikleo, who is Abe?' Sorey asked after a pause. It was a question he hadn't dared to ask in spite of the decades it'd been since he first heard the name, but now that Mikleo's book was going to be published he thought he ought to know.
Mikleo went still for a moment before crossing his arms over Sorey's chest and resting his chin on them.
'Why do you ask?'
'Well, I just thought about Sisab, wondering if he made it back safe and...well,' Sorey started then paused, his tone telling Mikleo that he was uneasy about asking. 'I remember reading about Abe many times in your book.' There was another pause in which Mikleo pondered on the best way to answer, but then Sorey added: 'Also, Edna keeps teasing you about him.'
Mikleo chuckled and kissed the skin of Sorey's chest under his palms before delivering a small spontaneous lick and earning himself a chuckle from Sorey.
'Abe was the first Shepherd I was Prime-Lord of.' He answered with a smile. A smile that was directed at Sorey instead of the memory he was recalling. 'He had just become Shepherd just as I had just become a Prime-Lord so that made our journey quite rocky. We messed up many times, but through all of that we became good friends.'
Sorey hummed to indicate he was listening, a reaction that also meant he wanted to know more, he knew there was more to that story. And so, with a chuckle and another kiss to his lover's chest, Mikleo obliged.
'Abe confessed his love for me years after we partnered up. I turned him down. Edna teases me about Abe because I could have easily said yes. We had a connection. He was very interested in my books and was an easy person to talk to.'
Mikleo paused to pull himself up and kiss Sorey's lips again, the lightning seraph was looking pensive and serious and Mikleo knew exactly what he was thinking.
'You want to ask why I turned him down, don't you?'
Sorey nodded wordlessly. 'Did you not like him?'
'I think I did, a little.' Mikleo answered honestly, now combing his fingers through Sorey's hair in a way he knew that soothed him. 'But how could I ever involve myself romantically with someone who wasn't you, when you were always the only one I have ever loved, Sorey? It was the same for you, wasn't it? With Sisab.'
Sorey looked at Mikleo with his bright eyes full of affection. Mikleo was right. He rejected Sisab because he just didn't feel the same he felt for Mikleo.
Then another thought crossed his mind.
'You mean you never dated anyone besides me?' he asked incredulous.
Mikleo smiled fondly at him, looking into his eyes, his answer written on them with infinite amounts of a feeling he could only call love. And so Sorey hugged him tight and kissed his temple as the only possible reaction to his feelings.
Mikleo laughed and kissed Sorey's shoulder.
'Were you jealous, Sorey?'
'No.' Sorey answered too fast, then backtracked. 'I mean, I hate to think someone else could have lay with you like this, see the expressions you make when it's just the two of us, your reactions, heard your voice when you're touched a certain way...but I would have understood. Seven hundred years is a very long time, after all...'
Mikleo silenced him with a languid kiss to his lips.
'I am yours, Sorey. Always have been.'
And with that, all conversation and thoughts of anything other than each other were discarded. Their lips reconnected, nipping at the other's softly before their tongues met and danced.
Mikleo caressed Sorey's face, neck, shoulders with his hands while his pelvis resumed the undulating movement, now grinding his erection against Sorey's.
Sorey let out a pleased sigh at the friction that was promptly swallowed in their searing kiss. His own wandering hands found purchase on Mikleo's hips as the water seraph's pace increased. Their climax was approaching fast, their bodies were hot and their hips moved at a rhythm that was their own, with their moans serving as music.
Sorey and Mikleo reached down almost at the same time and grabbed of both their cocks, stroking them with intertwined fingers. They kept on kissing each other, devouring each other's sounds of pleasure.
Soon their pace became hasty, unsynchronised and erratic. They came at the same time, their semen coated both their hands and Sorey's abdomen and they finally had to break their kiss in the throes of their passion.
Mikleo let his body rest on top of Sorey's, both of them feeling boneless yet completely sated, happy beyond belief with the present, their lives together.
'We need a bath...' Mikleo noted with his nose scrunched up at the feeling of their warm semen smeared between their bodies.
Sorey just laughed and kissed his lover because bathing was never simple with them. But who needed simple anyway, when they had all the time in the world?
'I will go get the towels...'
A.N.: This story feels so rushed. I am sorry. I tried, but in spite of anything, SureMiku feels so canon that to put someone there, in between, even as harmless as Sisab was really hard and I didn't know how to do it properly. Maybe one day in the future I will edit this and do it right?
A.N.2: I have just finished editing this story. I think I got most mistakes but never be afraid to point out the ones I missed, please. Also, I hope this feels less rushed to you guys now. Let me know?
ON THE TAGS: #sormikweek2016