Author note: I do not own the Last Story. Nor do I own Dagran or Count Arganan. I also don't own the song 'Ghosts' by Charlie that partially inspired this fic into being.
Warning: DagranxArganan, spoilers for the game, smut/lemon between two male characters
Constructive Criticism would be great and I hope that you read, review and enjoy! XDD
Ghosts
Silent sunlight flooded past the curtains into the bedroom.
Dagran woke up first to notice the cold metal of an arm slung about his bare waist. The mercenary leader couldn't help but shiver at the feeling, but he took a deep breath, relaxing into the touch. He was more than aware that it was none other than the Count in bed with him, curled up beside him and most definitely asleep. He heard the Count's soft, shallow breaths as he continued to slumber. It was okay.
After all, the Count was in an intimate relationship with him for quite some time now.
It started after Dagran and his friends had finished up the Reptid extermination. Dagran went to go get his pay, but then decided on something. That he could use the fact that the Count of Lazulis was his client to his advantage. Sweet talk him a bit, coerce him into more intimate relations, and he'd have things for him tipped in his favor a bit more. Just in case something bad happened, the Count would then feel the need to protect him.
Well, it worked. It helped him and his friends get out of prison after Jirall accused them of kidnapping Lady Calista.
And it was working even now.
But despite that, Dagran couldn't help but think—
"Dagran..?"
His thoughts were broken by Arganan's sleepy voice. The mercenary leader smiled softly, turning to his left to face the Count properly. "Morning, Count." He managed.
Arganan leaned forwards to kiss him gently on the lips. "Good morning." He whispered in return, a grin playing at his lips. His wavy blonde hair was in disarray, the eyepatch removed, therefore revealing the heavily scarred side of his face, but he looked peaceful. "Sleep well?"
Dagran kissed him in return, grinning. "Yes, I did. What about you, sire?"
"I did, but.." The older man chuckled slightly. "How are we supposed to be proper lovers if you can't call me by first name in private?" He let his metal hand trail up from Dagran's waist to his shoulder, and then it touched the mercenary's cheek. Dagran almost shivered at the feel of cold metal against his skin, but didn't make a face at it.
Dagran gripped Arganan's metal hand gently, pulling it away from his face slightly and kissing the hand at the knuckles. The mercenary knew Arganan loved that, and he heard a 'hm' of approval. "That is true, Lucius." Dagran finally responded, a slight grin coming onto his face as he looked up at his lover. "That's really true."
Arganan looked touched (figuratively not literally), his other hand coming forwards to ruffle Dagran's hair. He grinned silently, embracing the younger man. "I'm...glad, you know."
Dagran blinked, embracing him in return. "About...what, sire—Lucius?" Dagran quickly corrected himself.
"About..you being here." Arganan let go of him, holding one of his hands in his. "You're the only one I can trust around here it seems. You...understand me. You accepted me—" His breath hitched and he shook his head, cutting himself off. "I...enjoy being with you."
It was not uncommon for Arganan to confess personal things so suddenly to Dagran. The two had built a considerable amount of trust with each other, and Dagran didn't mind it. It helped him to understand the Count more—more than anyone else would ever know—and he'd use it to his advantage (not that, no, use it to give him affection and understanding and get closer...what was he thinking?).
Dagran squeezed Arganan's hand, looking into his good eye. "You cut yourself off," He pointed out. "Did someone..."
"Jirall." Arganan responded, his voice sharpening slightly but then died out. The older man looked down. "He...called me a wretch because of my appearance. Said I should be grateful he's marrying my niece and that he's going along with marrying her." He frowned. "I thought those two would be alright, but it appears that I've been mistaken."
"Well," Dagran embraced him closely, attempting to comfort, "Then break them up. Call it off. Can't you just do that?"
"It's a bit more complicated than just personal feelings." The older man responded. "Politics, Dagran. That comes into account."
Right. Politics.
Politics wouldn't really approve of their relationship either.
"I'm sorry."
Dagran blinked out of his thoughts, looking to the older man and still holding him. "Why?"
"Because you have to hear me just rambling on about all of the negatives." Arganan curled up in his embrace, resting his head against his shoulder. "I'm not a good lover, am I...?"
He meant it in more than just in bed. He meant it emotionally, too. Dagran was aware that Arganan held a few things up against himself often.
Dagran kissed him on the lips softly, letting the kiss linger between them for a moment before pulling back at him.
"Lucius," Dagran spoke, one of his hands caressing the older man's scarred cheek, "I know you hold a lot of things against yourself. But...you told me, the first time we ever...got into this that you'd never been in a relationship like this, right? It's okay. I know you want to be good to me. That you don't quite know how to do that, but..that's okay. I will always wait for you. And we can learn to be really good to each other—together."
He wasn't sure if he meant it entirely in truth, if it was sincere. But Dagran had the slight feeling that he meant it like that. Arganan nuzzled into his touch, kissing him softly in return.
"Thank you." Arganan whispered softly, curling up against him, hands seizing Dagran's shoulders and pulling him close to kiss him over and over. Dagran allowed him to do that—he had the feeling Arganan was more haunted with things other than his insecurity about being a good lover to Dagran. He hadn't pressed for details, that would be rude, but he had this want to...to help him get past it.
The two somehow managed to be with each other intimately (emotionally and physically) without it being too strange, despite the fact that their relationship was supposed to be professional and nothing like this. But right now, neither of them cared. Dagran ran both hands through Arganan's wavy hair, enjoying the silky feel of them, before he pulled back to breathe, grinning slightly.
"Remember the time I sucked you off in your office?" Dagran purred into the older man's ear. He loved teasing the Count, and he knew the Count loved being teased. He'd make Arganan feel better with more than just words but actions too. "I know you liked that."
"D-Dagran!" Arganan felt his face grow hot at that. "Never again in my office," He managed, shushing him with a kiss. "We knocked over who-know-how-many papers in the process."
"But you were the one who actually knocked them over after a while of gripping the edges of your desk for dear life." Dagran reminded, giving him a kiss in return, one of his hands coming up to stroke the older man's hair. Instinctively the older man let a little delighted whimper escape him at the touch. Arganan, Dagran found out early on, loved having his hair stroked. Like he was a pet or something. It was rather rousing to watch how the Count responded to his every little word and touch. "And I'm still pretty damn sure you enjoyed it."
"True." The Count kissed him again and again, his hands moving upwards to grasp Dagran's hair, tugging at it a bit. Dagran swore slightly, kissing Arganan in return, pushing him down onto the bed as they hastily locked lips with each other repeatedly.
Pulling back to breathe, Dagran couldn't help but chuckle a bit.
Arganan gazed up at him. "What's so funny?"
Dagran let his grin turn to a complete smirk. "How about I suck you off now?"
The older man gave him a perfect reaction, his good eye wide as his face went completely red. "Now?" He repeated softly.
Dagran simply nodded, keeping that smirk on his face. It was the Count's choice if he wanted to—Dagran wasn't going to do it unless Arganan consented (and hell, the two had watchwords in case they couldn't get themselves to say 'no'—they had that covered since the first time they were physically intimate like that).
Much to Dagran's surprise, Arganan simply mirrored Dagran's smirk, leaning forwards to kiss him once.
"Go ahead then." The Count purred. "Go ahead and do it."
Dagran didn't hesitate to crawl downwards, under the sheets, hands gently gripping the older man's thighs...
Arganan's breath hitched as Dagran took him into his mouth, and the mercenary was pretty sure that Lucius might be swearing a little out of enjoyment. He felt the metal hand touch the back of his head, running through his hair. Dagran couldn't help but grin, in his mind. To be able to bed the Count of Lazulis was rather fun, in a way, almost empowering, and definitely arousing.
But at the same time, getting to know Arganan's more vulnerable side made him feel guilty for starting this relationship in the first place. Part of him seriously didn't want to use him like that. But the other part surged (power, revenge, move up in this world no matter what) and took control and Dagran didn't know if his relationship with Lucius was now more serious, romantic, or just a fling.
Arganan, however, clearly didn't see this as a mere fling.
And Dagran felt like he should appreciate the fact that Arganan took him so seriously. Not because of the (fun) manipulation of him but because there was someone who genuinely cared for him in such a way.
Arganan's breath hitched, a climax came.
Dagran swallowed it down, a grin on his face as he crawled out of the sheets to kiss Arganan, sharing the taste. Their tongues twined as they kissed again and again, and Dagran was surprised to feel Arganan reach down to touch him just down there—
Oh. That actually felt nice. Usually Dagran had done most of the work when the two were physically intimate. It was uncommon for Arganan to take control, but damn Dagran really liked this. Maybe he should encourage Arganan to take control more often.
It didn't take long for him to climax either, much to his slight embarassment, but the older man didn't care. Arganan kissed him again, brought his seed-splattered hand to Dagran's lips to give him a taste. Dagran licked it up, licked it all up, and kissed him.
As they pulled away, panting, Dagran couldn't help but grin slightly as Arganan laid his head against Dagran's chest, wrapping his arms about him. "That..was good." He managed softly, kissing the top of Arganan's head.
He felt his partner blush, curl up even more against him. "I...thank you." He managed, voice muffled slightly. "Thank you, Dagran."
The two lay like that in silence for a while, curled up against each other in the sheets. Despite politics and society being so against this sort of relationship, both of them couldn't help but feel that it was so right for them.
Dagran looked to a nearby clock. Sighing, he started to pull away from Arganan. "I-I have to go." He whispered softly. "Otherwise in the next half-hour some servant will walk in on us naked and that won't be good."
Arganan nodded quietly, pulling away from him gently, sitting up in bed. "I...understand." The older man sounded sad at that. Dagran couldn't help but think that Arganan was, indeed, very lonely. It wasn't like the Count had time for friends, and his relationship with his niece wasn't going anywhere close to recovery.
And Dagran...Dagran just felt this need to stay with him no matter what.
But politics and society drove them apart early in the morning, no matter how long their nights of passion and love.
Maybe they could sneak in a few kissses during the day when it was just the two of them, but that depended on things. A lot of things. And sometimes being separate from each other for so long in that way truly haunted him.
Dagran grabbed his clothes, started dressing. He knew Arganan liked to watch him so he didn't try to hide too much. When he turned to face the Count again, fully dressed and looking as well as he could, Arganan leaned forwards to kiss him.
Dagran kissed him back gently, letting it linger, before pulling back, gazing into Arganan's good eye, caressing the scars on his face with a hand.
"I love you." Arganan whispered.
Dagran, despite all uncertainties regarding their relationship, smiled back at him gently.
"I love you too."