Baucis and Philemon's Linden and Oak: Forever

"Let me die the moment my love dies. Let me not outlive my own capacity to love. Let me die still loving, and so, never die." -Baucis and Philemon's prayer


"Why'd y'stop?"

Ahiru had to admit, she didn't think going to Fakir's room during a late night thunderstorm would lead to the warm entanglement they were enjoying in his bed. She was just scared and wanted some company.

Fakir initially refused to allow her in but his argument was interrupted by a loud crack of thunder. At that, Ahiru had jumped onto him, knocking the unprepared young man over and leaving them both a mess of limbs on the floor. Trying to remove her just prompted her to cling tighter. Fakir managed to stand himself up while still holding the trembling Ahiru, but this didn't last long as another thunder crash caused her to jerk out of his careful balance and they tumbled onto his bed.

He pulled back from her, his arms out on the bed to prop himself up and his eyes burning into hers.

"Moron," Fakir grumbled, apparently annoyed. "Now I won't be able to leave you alone."

"Wha-? Won't leave me a-?" Ahiru asked in confusion, which only grew as she felt his lips press against hers.

He sighed against her mouth and called her moron again for good measure after the kiss.

"S-stop kissing me if you're just gonna call me a moron!" she protested, flustered.

A long rumble of thunder seemed to roll over the house, reminding Ahiru why she sought Fakir's company. But all it pulled out of her was a fearful gasp and a short glance towards the window. He only took the opportunity to kiss the corner of her mouth, bringing her attention back to him. Ahiru tilted her head forward, still unsure and seeking comfort. Fakir was only too happy to provide with another kiss, quickly followed by another and another, each one lasting a little longer and becoming less restrained. And with each one, Ahiru responded more and more to Fakir's touch, her fingers tangling in his hair and keeping him close. She became more aware of their indecent position, him on top of her in his bed and her legs wrapped tight around his waist. And the more they moved together like this, the less she found herself caring either about decency or the storm that drove her here in the first place.

In one fluid motion, Fakir grabbed his sheets and pulled them over the pair, marking the finality that Ahiru was staying. He leaned down and kissed her cheek before nibbling at her ear, pulling a gasp from her. She let instinct take over and nuzzled her head against his, softly cooing his name. An appreciative sigh fell from her mouth as his hands smoothed over her back. She leaned, arched on the bed and bared to his attentions as his hands bunched up her nightgown and made direct contact along her spine.

But as he kissed down her jaw, he hesitated just at her neck.

Without even thinking, Ahiru asks, "Why'd y'stop?"

Fakir's eyes seem different now. The burning intensity is gone. In fact, he's barely willing to look at Ahiru directly. His fingers softly brush against her neck, earning him a soft intake of breath from the young woman beneath him.

"I could have-" he begins, voice halting with guilt. "I wanted to- I was going to hurt you."

It takes her some thinking in the middle of their arrangement but Ahiru recalls exactly what he's talking about.

"But you didn't," she gently insists.

"I nearly did. I was so close. And if I had-"

This time Fakir stops as Ahiru brushes a stray lock of hair out of his eyes.

"Fakir, that moment was...it was just that. A moment. It's not forever."

He takes his hand away from her neck, uncertain. But her hand cups his jaw, thumb stroking over his cheekbone and giving him a pinch.

"Back then I thought you were just a jerk. And you kinda still are a jerk. Only now I know you're nice, too, so it's not really the same thing! But nothing... Nothing from then means anything now unless you want it to. And I know you don't mean that anymore so it doesn't even matter-"

Ahiru's rambling is cut short by Fakir suddenly leaning closer and giving her a light brush of a kiss.

"Moron," he calls her once more. "You're not the least bit eloquent."

She huffs, puffing her cheeks out, and says, "Well sorry I'm not elo-whatever."

The corner of his lip quirks up and he continues, "And you give people too many chances." But then he carefully kisses her neck and whispers, "Sorry I wasted so many."

Ahiru giggles from his attention and the apology before confessing, "Believe me, you didn't get that many."


"Huh?" Ahiru sleepily whispers sometime later. "I think the rain's stopped."

"Hmm?" Fakir hums, rubbing his thumb against her upper arm and pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

"It stopped raining, Fakir."

"Did it?"

She nods, a bit reluctant at the thought of no longer having a reason to be there.

"Well..." he murmurs to her skin, sending a shiver through her. "Who knows how long that'll last?"

"Y'think it'll start again?"

"Mm. It could. This might just be the calm in the middle."

Her fingers toy in his hair as she says, "I hope it starts again."

He snickers against her before suggesting, "Why don't we just pretend it did?"

And as far as the two were concerned, it stormed relentlessly all night.


Author's Notes: Forever is a beautiful concept but it can also be a frightening one. Sometimes we're glad or relieved when a moment is passed and sometimes we need reminders that we're not necessarily the people we used to be.

Out of all of the stories in Metamorphoses, the story of Baucis and Philemon is always one of my favorites. In it, Zeus and Hermes visit the world in the guise of travelers seeking hospitality. They find no rest until they happen upon the title couple's home, where they are welcomed and fed. They realize they're in the presence of gods when Baucis refills their wine and notices the pitcher hasn't emptied. The gods grant them a boon for their hospitality and the couple asks that they die at the same hour so that one never has to live without the other. When the time came, they were turned into trees, a linden entwined around an oak.