Characters: Chosen Undead/Dragon Slayer Ornstein, Great Grey Wolf Sif, Dark Sun Gwyndolin
Word Count: 6.458
Summary: After Ornstein has confessed on the brink of death, Tempest has to digest the new information.
(Author's note: The last chapter was so important for me and now we are here, at the next chapter, that you properly all eagerly awaited. It's more on the fluff site before we go back to the more adventurous side of the journey. Please enjoy.)
Tempest just sat there dumbfounded, his gaze wandering to Sif.
"He did... He just has... You heard that, right?"
His words came out stammered. Had it simply been the blood loss? Had he misheard? Had Ornstein really just confessed to him?
And that before Tempest even had confessed to Ornstein himself.
Tempest looked Ornstein over once again. He was still unconscious, but alive, he could see him breathing. The divine blessing had healed the fatal wounds that Tempest and Sif had inflicted on him.
Tempest stood up and promptly fell back onto his rear. Absentmindedly, he grasped for his Estus flask, only to remember that it was empty and he had abandoned it earlier in the fight.
"It seems our fight is on hold.", he said to Sif, who confirmed with a small whine. Tempest could make out multiple wounds on her legs and stomach, where he had struck her.
"We both are in a pretty rough shape, huh?", Tempest said, feeling his own bruised body, certain that at least one bone must be broken. A few ribs maybe also. He was so used to pain and dying, that it wasn't too hard for him just forgetting about it, but now he noticed the weird angle his left arm was bent at as well as the pain in his chest.
"Don't worry too much about me.", Tempest said. "The bonfire will heal it. But you... you need treatment..."
He tried to stand up again only to fail. "Damn, I can't help you like this. I try to not rely on them, but..."
Tempest searched in his belongings and produced a tiny little sprite, which he promptly crushed in his hands. He disliked using them for healing, because the humanity was the only thing that would reverse his hollowing, but he sighed in relief when the pain faded and his broken bones knitted themselves together.
Sif whined another time, her ears still drooped down, her sword still tightly clutched between her teeth.
"You can let go of your sword.", Tempest said, as he found a few bandages and some herbal medicine in Ornstein's belongings. "Let me take care of your wounds."
While the bandages were far too small to properly cover Sif's large body, Tempest managed to at least dress the most grievous wounds, using Sif's fur to hold the bandages in place. Once he was finished, Sif gave a small bark.
"I won't try to fight you anymore.", Tempest said, standing next to her, by the gods, the whole head of the wolf was as large as him. "But... won't you give us the ring?"
Sif sat back her ears and growled, though at least she didn't pick up her sword this time.
"I know that you fear that the fate of your master could befall us also... and I admit.. I don't know Artorias. I have met him, but only shortly and he wasn't himself... until the very end. But..", Tempest's gaze flickered to Ornstein. "Ornstein knew him. He always told me that Artorias would have liked me. He told me that Artorias liked to bake cookies and he liked animals and he was nice and friendly to everyone. I even made Ornstein a pie out of the book that Artorias left behind. When Ornstein ate it, he cried the whole time."
Tempest had held Ornstein back then, as good as his small body had managed, when the dragon slayer finally had allowed himself to grief, crying out a pain he had held back for centuries.
"I don't know Artorias, but in the time I spent with Ornstein... I have got to know him. Ornstein... comes from a very dark place. He has suffered so long in silence, he won't fall to the dark. I know it, because I am the dark myself. Ornstein has managed to stay at my side for so long now and he hasn't lost anything of his grace... He can take it, I know it."
All while he had been talking, Tempest's gaze had been on Ornstein, but now it returned to Sif. "So please, won't you give us the ring? I promise that we will return it after the deed is done."
Sif didn't make any sounds, but simply looked at Tempest for a very long while. Then, after what felt like a small eternity, she stood up and limped away. When she came back, she spat a ring on the ground. Tempest picked it up and promptly cleaned it from the wolf spit before looking at it with sparkling eyes.
"The covenant of Artorias. The ring that makes one able to walk the Abyss. Thank you, Sif, I will make sure to cherish it as long as we are allowed to use it."
Sif laid back down with a huff and then turned her head, looking at Ornstein. Tempest followed her gaze and saw how Ornstein stirred. He was waking up.
Ornstein remembered a sharp pain, a fight and... as he opened his eyes, his memories got drowned out by another feeling altogether.
Before he had fainted, having sure that he was about to die, he had confessed. It had been a confession of love. To the little Storm.
He was up in an instant, gasping as dizziness overtook him.
"Ornstein!", something loud and small had hurled himself at it and was holding him in a tight hug. "You idiot! Why did you do that?! You know I can't die! Why did you risk your life for me?!"
It was the little Storm, of course. "I, uh...", Ornstein said, trying to get up, but getting pushed back on the ground. "I couldn't watch it anymore... the two beings... I care for the most... fighting to the death... especially not after..."
He trailed off. How should he even explain it?
"The next time you see a scene like this, just kill me.", Tempest said. "I won't have a divine blessing every time you suddenly decide to break a fight up."
"I... I was so sure, that you would hollow...", Ornstein said feebly.
"What? Me?", Tempest smile. "I told you that won't happen as long as you stay at my side."
"At your side, right...", Ornstein murmured, remembering the confession. Had he dreamed it? If he had said it, why wasn't Tempest reacting to it?
"Uh... what did I say... before I fainted? I... I have the feeling... It was something..."
Inappropriate? Embarrassing? Ornstein didn't had a word for it. He felt how Tempest suddenly hugged him again.
"Aaah, you remember it, Ornstein! And here I thought the blood loss made you crazy! You did mean it! You really did mean it! Me too, Ornstein, I liked you for such a long time now, but I always thought you didn't like me! You wanted to find your old lover and so..."
Ornstein carefully and slowly removed Tempest's hands from him, wondering how the small Undead could have such a death grip on it.
"I... uh, I didn't even know until this morning.", he started. "When I found your confession."
"My what?", Tempest looked at him dumbfounded, the stare with the big blue eyes that always made Ornstein warm and fuzzy inside.
"Yes, at the silver knight ask box. It was in the trash bin.", Ornstein replied.
"You found it?!", Tempest put both hands over his face and it looked like he rapidly blushed. "You weren't supposed to see that EVER!"
"Well, maybe you should have hidden it better then.", Ornstein said with an amused grin. "But, seriously... I am glad. Little Storm, you told me that I shouldn't hide my feelings. And... you may be right, why do I want to run after somebody who has already dropped me and never came back to get me? I don't want to hide my feelings anymore. Little Storm, I love you. You may be rash, weak and an idiot, but... you are my idiot."
"And you are big, mean and sexy.", Tempest said with a devious grin, which only widened when Ornstein blushed at his words. "I love you too, Ornstein. I don't want to leave your side anymore."
A tiny stab of guilt hit Ornstein at Tempest's words, because... he knew. He knew that he would have to let him go. There was no way for them to be with each other forever. Tempest had to link the flame, that was his whole purpose.
Ornstein didn't want to think too much about it. He just had realized his feelings. He would at least enjoy the time the two of them had left. The linking of the first flame was very much still far away. They only had two of the four lord souls.
"I look forward to your next meal.", Ornstein said and lifted Tempest on his lap, where he snuggled against his chest plate, not bothered by the sharp edges.
"And not because you like me or anything.", Tempest said, grin reappearing on his face. The little bastard had a field day with Ornstein's earlier mannerism, but how could Ornstein be mad at him? He was too cute.
"Because I like you I look forward to it.", he instead said and looked Tempest into the face. And then they found themselves locked into a kiss, so deep and passionate, a virtue that Ornstein thought Tempest wouldn't possess at all. They only got pulled out of it, when Sif gave a bark.
"Oh, my apologies, Sif.", Ornstein said. "We shouldn't do this here at this sacred place."
"Oh, I have to apologize to Artorias!", Tempest shot up and hurried over to the grave, where he put his hands together and kneeled in front of it. Ornstein stayed with Sif.
"I am sorry, Sif.", Ornstein said, raising a hand to caress her snout. "I should have never tried to force you to give the ring to us. You have every right to deny it. We will find another way walking the dark..."
Sif gave a short bark and gazed at Tempest with a wag of her tail. Confused, Ornstein looked at him, still standing in front of the grave, saying his words aloud.
Ornstein stood up, feeling a bit weak on his feet, probably the blood loss. The Divine Blessing had healed his wounds, but not replaced the blood. He needed to get a blood-building medicine from Gwyndolin later.
With a sigh, he also noticed that his armour was all dented. A trip to the blacksmith was in order as well. For now though, he wanted to know why Sif had pointed at Tempest once he talked about the ring and went over to him.
"And I gave Ornstein your apple pie, I already told that Sif. Well, it was your recipe, obviously I had to make the pie. I love your recipe, it's very easy to follow and the pie turned out so fluffy and Ornstein loved it so much that he wept and I wish I could have tried it myself. Your handwriting is also so beautiful and the way you made notes at each recipe, you cared a lot about your friends and I am so sorry that I could never meet you. Ornstein always said-"
"Artorias would like you indeed." A smile flashed over Ornstein's face. "He always loved to talk to people. He would have loved to hear you talk about baking all day long. After all, it was his favourite pastime."
"Ornstein!", Tempest eyes gleamed at his presence. "Are you feeling good enough already to walk again?"
"Yes.", Ornstein said. "Though we should get back to Gwyndolin soon, I am in need of some medicine. And a bath."
As he saw Tempest's eyes shimmer at the last statement, Ornstein sighed. "Fine, you can come with me."
Tempest pumped a fist into the air and then put his attention back on the grave, only to put it back to Ornstein. "Wait, did you come over to ask something or did you just want to listen in to my prayer?"
Prayer, he called it. That was more talking to Artorias as if he still was alive. Maybe Tempest believed that the soul inside the grave, if it hadn't moved on, could still hear him. Ornstein deeply hoped that Artorias' soul wasn't suffering anymore.
"Indeed I wanted to talk to you about the ring. I told Sif that I wouldn't ask her for it anymore, but then she looked at you."
"Oh, about that...", Tempest rummaged around in his pocket and then produced the very covenant of Artorias from it. "That isn't an issue anymore."
Ornstein was taken aback. "But how did you... why... what... you fought to the death over this thing! I nearly died trying to break you up!"
Saying it out aloud made it feel all the more real. Ornstein had nearly died back then. A death he had craved for so long, but just a short while ago, he didn't want to die, even though he had to accept it. If not for Tempest feeding him the Divine Blessing, he really would have been gone for.
"I know and I never want to see a situation like this again.", Tempest said with a sad smile. "I thought I had lost you, Ornstein. I could feel myself getting grabbed by the hollowing. Don't you ever do this again."
Ornstein felt a stab of guilt in his chest. He had been so sure that Tempest would hollow after his next death, that he had stepped between the fight without a second thought. Hearing that his actions had almost caused his hollowing... didn't feel good.
"You haven't answered my question about the ring.", he said instead, changing the subject.
"Which one? The why or the what?", Tempest grinned and ducked when Ornstein crossed his arms and tapped his foot. "You know the why, we need it to walk the Abyss and challenge the old kings of New Londo. For the what... I guess you more want to need the how. I talked with Sif and convinced her that you have seen enough darkness in your life that the Abyss wouldn't corrupt you."
Tempest looked at Sif and then back at Ornstein. "Though truth be told, she only was willing to listen to me because you broke up our fight. At least one good thing came from it. We didn't have to kill Sif. She was willing to fight until death for her cause."
Ornstein looked at Sif, the large wolf still was laying down, watching them with vigilant eyes, her gigantic sword next to her.
"Thank you, Sif.", Ornstein called over to her. "I promise we will give it back to you once we are done, so that you can keep protecting Artorias' belongings."
"I said the same thing.", Tempest grinned. "We are done here now, we probably should return to a bonfire... huh, what's that?"
Tempest started to walk around the tombstone and stopped, then kneeling down. Ornstein's blood ran cold when he remembered just what laid behind the tombstone and what a little hoarder Tempest was.
He dashed, or more, stumbled around the tombstone as well and saw how Tempest tried to remove the ring of the corpse laying there.
"Put it back.", he demanded, a low growl in his throat. He wouldn't allow her corpse to be defiled.
"Huh, what?", Tempest looked up, clearly confused. "That's a dead body there, they don't need their belongings anymore."
"This ring belongs to her.", Ornstein said. "It always has been on her finger, put it back."
It was then that Tempest looked at the sigil on the ring and realization crossed his face. "Oh.", he said. "I am sorry, Ornstein. I was unaware that it was her. She must have died a long time ago."
Indeed, she had. Ornstein still vividly remembered the day he had found Ciaran with a sliced up throat, cut with such a precision only an assassin was capable of. An image that still haunted his nightmares.
Tempest abandoned his task in trying to remove the ring from very dry fingers and bowed in front of Ciaran, just like he had done in front of Artorias' grave and mumbled a few words. Then, he produced another ring out of his pocket.
"I found it outside of this place, but it belongs to him.", he said. Ornstein recognized the sigil of the wolf ring. "I don't need it anyway, I am always running away screaming.", he laughed. "I don't have a will of steel."
And still, Tempest was still there, despite everything, still not taken by the hollowing. Ornstein actually was impressed about it.
Tempest laid the ring down on Ciaran and said: "You are watching over both of them, right?" He then turned around and started to walk into the direction of the exit. "Are you coming, Ornstein?"
"Yes, of course...", he said and followed Tempest, turning around to look at Sif. "You'll manage, right?", he said to the wolf, who gave him a short bark. "We'll come back once the task is done. As long as you are hurt, let Alvina and the Forest Hunter's handle the brunt of the trespassers."
Another short bark and then Ornstein stepped next to Tempest, who waved at Sif and then the both of them stepped out of the stone portal that led to the grave. Then, both of them just stood there, with an awkward silence around them.
"Um.", Tempest broke the silence first. "Do we... hold hands or anything now? When we go back to the bonfire?"
"As if that was the first time we have held hands.", Ornstein said. "We have held hands plenty of time to use the power of the Lordvessel."
"Yes, but...", Tempest shifted from foot to foot, he always did that when he felt uncomfortable, "This time it would not be because we are forced to..."
"Do you want to hold hands?", Ornstein asked, feeling himself blush. Now that they were out of the glade, the impact of his confession really hit him. His mind sped through a million reasons why it had been a bad idea, but at the same time, his heart screamed at him to just take Tempest's hand.
"I... I think so?", Tempest more asked and gasped when Ornstein took his hand in his own, gauntleted one.
"It may not be warm.", Ornstein said. "But I can protect you better while wearing my armour."
"It's fine, Ornstein.", Tempest said and smiled up to him. "I know that the hand beneath the gauntlet is full of warmth. As well as the heard that you locked behind so many layers."
Now Ornstein was full on blushing while Tempest was walking in the front, making it seem like he dragged Ornstein behind him, but the dragon slayer simply was out of it and followed Tempest without thinking too hard about his last sentence.
Before he knew it, they stood in front of the bonfire. "Dark Moon Tomb, right?", Tempest asked and Ornstein just nodded his head, feeling like he was floating beneath the clouds. Was that the blood loss or the reality of the confession? After a short while, he felt himself pulled through space and time, the usual feeling that made his stomach turn.
As Ornstein stared at the ground of the Dark Moon Tomb, swallowing the bile that had formed in his throat, he heard Tempest scream. In an instance, he was up on his feet.
"Little Storm, what's wrong?! Is there an enemy?!", he shouted, looking frantically around, but all he saw was Tempest, though clearly in distress, a foe was nowhere to be seen.
"Orn... Ornstein.", Tempest stammered. "I forgot the bag with the mushrooms!"
"That's what you are concerned about?! Don't scare me so much, you little idiot!", Ornstein first scolded and then broke into a chuckle. "You are something else. You really are something else."
"I really looked forward to cooking some mushroom dishes.", Tempest said, leaving his shoulders hanging, making Ornstein feel a tiny bit guilty about having teased him.
"Don't worry, they probably would have tasted horrible anyway. I once ate a part of Elizabeth and it wasn't the pinnacle of taste.", he said in an attempt to reassure Tempest.
"You ate a part of Elizabeth?!", Tempest practically screeched, of course he would latch onto that part. "Why and how? There must be a story behind it!"
"Nothing special actually.", Ornstein sighed and crossed his arms. "I was feeling sick and so she gave me a part of her that helped with my pain. It felt and tasted really gross in my mouth, so I am pretty sure I wouldn't have liked the dishes."
It was a lie actually. He remembered that the mushroom hadn't tasted bad at all, but he just wanted for Tempest to feel better.
"Well, if you ate it raw and not seasoned, no wonder you didn't like it!", Tempest complained. "How do I cook my dishes now..."
"Aw, little Storm, if it makes you feel better, we can go collect some mushrooms in the woods around Anor Londo once I feel better.", Ornstein said, having the feeling that visiting the woods would do him some good.
"Really? You mean it?!", Tempest beamed and when Ornstein nodded, he jumped into the air, letting out a cute squeal, which almost made Ornstein's heart explode. In fact, he felt himself collapse against the wall and was reminded of the heavy blood loss he had suffered.
"Right, the medicine.", he said more to himself. "Let me talk to Gwyndolin. Don't say anything to them. Especially not about what I said after I got stabbed."
Don't get attached. Their words still rung in Ornstein's ears. Tempest just nodded, probably having his own thoughts about the matter. Probably that Gwyndolin wouldn't approve of their relationship or anything. He stood next to Ornstein as he called out for Gwyndolin, the god removing the fog gate after a minute of waiting and looking expectantly from Ornstein to Tempest.
"Do you have anything to report?", they asked.
"No, we don't.", Ornstein said. "In fact, I am here for some medicine. You see... I managed to obtain a grave wound thanks to my carelessness and it was only thanks to the little Storm and his quick usage of a divine blessing that I still stand here. Regardless... I now need some medicine that helps me with the loss of blood that I suffered.
"Ornstein... you should be more careful.", Gwyndolin said. "Come in, I will fetch the medicine right away."
"Thank you.", Ornstein said and followed Gwyndolin through the long corridor, Tempest being right behind him, keeping his promise of not saying anything.
"Did anything interesting happen while you were out?", Gwyndolin asked on the way.
"We managed to get Artorias' ring from Sif.", Ornstein told them, his footsteps echoing in the tomb. "It wasn't easy to convince her."
"So you could convince her? Good. I was fearing she would pick up a fight.", Gwyndolin said with a little sigh. "I admire your negotiation skills, Ornstein."
"Actually... it was the little Storm's doing.", Ornstein said. "I hardly did anything."
In fact, he had only made everything worse. He had riled Sif up into picking up her sword in the first place. He hadn't done anything to try and break up the fight at first and only went between them, when they almost had killed each other... only to almost die himself.
And then... the confession... Ornstein blushed under his helmet, despite his acute blood loss.
"Congratulations, Chosen Undead.", Gwyndolin said. "Winning an argument with Sif isn't an easy feat." They turned around and gave him an acknowledging nod, Tempest smiled in return, keeping quiet as Ornstein had told him. Gwyndolin cocked their head a bit, probably questioning why he kept silent, before turning their head around and heading to the door at the end of the corridor.
"We are there.", Gwyndolin said and invited the both of them in. "Sit down. I will get the medicine."
Ornstein sat down with a sigh, removing his helmet and Tempest joined him, looking all clenched up and uncomfortable. If Ornstein didn't know that it wasn't an issue for Undead anymore, he would assume that Tempest needed the privy. Was staying silent for him really such a hard task?
Gwyndolin returned shortly with a bright red potion and put it in front of Ornstein. "Drink it all at once and then rest for a night.", Gwyndolin said. "Then you should have recovered your lost blood."
"Alright, thank you, Gwyndolin.", Ornstein said and drank the potion whole, its taste was a mixture of sweet and bitter. The next moment Ornstein felt a deep sleepiness washing over him and before he could even say anything, his head crashed down on the table and he got completely engulfed by sleep.
Tempest jumped up in surprise when Ornstein suddenly collapsed... or more... he had fallen asleep? He was breathing quietly and calm.
"Oh, I forgot about the side effects.", Gwyndolin said and picked the empty bottle up. "Extreme sleepiness. He will be out like a candle for a few hours."
Tempest relaxed his body a tiny little bit. That wasn't so bad. He only wished that Ornstein had fallen asleep once they had left, because now he was alone with Gwyndolin and they surely had caught onto something already.
"Chosen Undead, you are awfully quiet today. Is everything alright?", they asked, a shine of concern on their face. The visible part at least.
"Oh, Ornstein asked me to keep quiet, because-" Fuck!. Tempest had almost said the exact same thing that he should keep quiet about and so both of his hands flew to his mouth to avoid further words from spilling out.
"Because?", Gwyndolin asked him, their hands folded in their lap.
Tempest needed a lie quickly. "Because... because the way he injured himself so badly was really really embarrassing."
"Oh, of course, Ornstein has always been rather upset about injuries that he could have prevented.", Gwyndolin simply said, Tempest' mouth standing agape that he apparently had told a believable lie. "One time he managed to fall down the roof while jogging through Anor Londo and broke both of his legs. It was Artorias who found him and carried him back to the cathedral and Artorias had to make sure that nobody would see Ornstein in this state."
"Ornstein once managed to break both his legs while jogging through Anor Londo?", Tempest asked, torn between pitying Ornstein, laughing about how ridiculous that accident sounded and trying to imagine Ornstein jogging through Anor Londo.
"Yes, though, you must know, for Ornstein jogging meant running in his full speed through Anor Londo and jumping over the roof tiles. Artorias always said that he should find a new name for this activity, because that clearly wasn't a jog. Anyway, he hasn't done it in a long while anymore anyway. At least he avoided breaking more legs like this."
Tempest ignored the hint of sarcasm from Gwndolin and looked at Ornstein, who still slept slumped over the table. "Um, do we leave him like that?", he asked and pointed at Ornstein.
"We should get him into bed.", Gwyndolin said and got up.
"How? I surely can't carry him... Are you planning to call one of your illusions again?", Tempest asked.
"No, I will teleport us.", Gwyndolin said. "Ornstein is dead asleep and won't be affected by it. Just take his helmet please, Chosen Undead, and then take my hand."
Tempest nodded and went to pick up Ornstein's helmet, then taking Gwyndolin's hand in his own. Even through his leathered gloves he could feel the coldness of their hands... they were nothing like the warmth that Ornstein provided.
With a flick of their catalyst, the three of them landed in Ornstein's bedroom, with Ornstein falling down on the bed, the ground shaking once he had landed.
"Now we should take off his armour.", Gwyndolin said. "This will be quicker when you help, Chosen Undead."
Any other day than today, Tempest wouldn't have dared to remove Ornstein's full armour, it had been sensitive enough when he had to remove it around his arm when Ornstein had gotten hurt in Oolacile, but now, that Ornstein had confessed and everything and they were basically a couple (at least Tempest thought that was what they were), he nodded and helped removing the armour, until only Ornstein's black and tight leather garb remained that he usually wore underneath the armour.
Satisfied, Gwyndolin said their goodbyes and teleported back out, while Tempest looked at Ornstein's sleeping form. He could see the rip in his clothes and the crusted blood around the spot where the injury had been, now healed and only having left a faint line.
Tempest picked up a blanket and proceeded to tuck Ornstein in, but then hesitated. It would be fine, wouldn't it? After everything that had happened, he felt his own exhaustion taking a toll on him and staying awake would only speed up the hollowing.
So Tempest settled under the blanket next to Ornstein and closed his eyes.
Not long after, he felt how Ornstein's arms closed around him. Tempest gasped, being reminded what happened to him the last time, Ornstein had snuggled him in his sleep, but then relaxed.
Even when Ornstein would squish him, he would come back from the dead. Like he always did.
Tempest let his mind and body relax and soon feel asleep next to Ornstein.
Tempest awoke when Ornstein stirred and soon enough the dragon slayer opened his eyes and looked at him sleepily.
"Hey.", Tempest said and gave him a smile. When Ornstein looked down at his arms to see that he had embraced Tempest, the small Undead quickly spoke up: "I was just settling in next to you, it was you who embraced me."
"I know.", Ornstein said. "At least this time I haven't squished you."
Tempest grinned at Ornstein. True, the last time it had happened Ornstein had accidentally killed Tempest in his sleep.
"...Me being able to sleep calmly only ever was possible when I slept next to someone I cared about.", Ornstein said and slowly rose, Tempest whimpering a tiny bit when the warmth of his arms vanished. "Or maybe it was Gwyndolin's medicine..."
"I want to believe it was my presence.", Tempest said, getting up himself. "Though I wouldn't blame you when it was the medicine."
Ornstein didn't answer, instead staring on the ceiling. "Hmm... how long was I out?"
"I don't know. A few hours maybe?", Tempest said and looked out of the window. Sunlight still drenched through it, so it certainly wasn't night yet. Thanks to the eternal dusk of Anor Londo they couldn't determine the time by the position of the sun however. "It isn't night yet.", Tempest concluded.
"Ah, enough time for us to collect the mushrooms.", Ornstein said. "Though first I need a bath. I, ah, need to go elsewhere first however... Gwyndolin's medicine made me... queasy..."
"Oh, sure, I just wait for you at the bath.", Tempest said, waving to Ornstein and setting off. He was sure that Ornstein probably just needed to take a leak, but didn't want to say it. He was so shy about it, it was downright adorable.
"He's the dignified and honourable dragon slayer, but he can't even say it out aloud when he needs to excuse himself.", Tempest said to himself with a little chuckle. Whatever, he wouldn't embarrass Ornstein and simply take any excuse he had and when it was that he might get sick and wanted to spend some time in the privy to not puke over his bed or the floor. It was the better option for Tempest as well, that first puddle of puke he had cleaned up from Ornstein still was vividly in his mind.
Having arrived at the bath, Tempest sat himself down and waited. Ornstein probably wouldn't take too long, but he was sure that at least twenty minutes had passed once the door finally clicked and opened. Huh, maybe Ornstein had really been sick, though, when he came in, he only was wearing the pants of his tight leather suit and when Ornstein's bare, scarred chest already let heat pool in Tempest's stomach, the moment he passed Tempest, the small Undead got the full sight of Ornstein's ass in the tight leather garb and the heat in his stomach couldn't take it anymore and culminated into a full blown nosebleed.
"Ah, oh no.", Tempest said, pressing one hand against his nose and grabbing for his Estus with the other. Ornstein turned around and looked at him with wide eyes.
"Little Storm, what happened?", he asked, "We went here to clean me up, not to make an even more bloody mess."
"Sorry, Ornstein.", Tempest said with a twang. "But... you are hot."
Ornstein looked at Tempest in bewilderment for a few seconds and then his lips parted into a smile. "I never thought anyone would ever say this to me again and much less an Undead which we picked up from the streets.", he said.
Tempest, who finally had managed to sip his Estus, just casually said: "It still happened."
Ornstein sat himself down next to Tempest, silent for a while, before speaking: "After Smough... died... I never thought someone would desire me ever again. I was broken, hurt, a failure, left behind... And then you came in, the one who had failed to kill me. I hated you back then. You were the one who did this to me. I wanted nothing more than for you to vanish and then Gwyndolin told me that I should help you out. I was furious at first."
"I know.", Tempest said. "I wasn't thrilled myself either. You had killed me a couple dozen times. How should I be able to work with someone who wanted to see me dead so badly? And still... even back then I thought you were hot."
Ornstein broke into a fit of giggles which culminated into a laugh. "Of all the things you could have said, this was the last one I imagined.", he snorted.
"It's true and I hated it back then!", Tempest cried out. "I don't hate it anymore however. Because you are hot, Ornstein and I want to say it."
"Thank you, little Storm.", Ornstein said, ruffling Tempest's hair. "If you believe me or not, it means a lot to me."
"Oh, but what about me?", Tempest jumped up. "Do you think I am hot?"
Ornstein stared at him and then a grin adorned his face. "That's hard to decide with your clothes in the way. How about you get rid of them first?"
Despite all their playful teasing, nothing happened in the bath. Ornstein needed to get himself scrubbed clean from the blood of his earlier injury and Tempest was allowed to help him. Ornstein even allowed him to wash his hair, in which some blood had already crusted. Tempest did his best to not hurt Ornstein while he washed his hair.
"The first time we came here you washed me.", Tempest said while he was applying soap to Ornstein's locks.
"Yes, after you admitted to not having taken a bath after being to Blighttown.", Ornstein shuddered.
"Well, I had other things to do. Like trying to survive. Or not lose my mind.", he said. "Besides, under the armour and without any bodily needs, I forgot that keeping myself clean was an issue too. When you are constantly looking like a rotten corpse, you also kind of forget how you are supposed to smell."
"Back then I didn't think we would share the bath like this one day.", Ornstein said, leaning himself against the edge of the basin.
"And I was just trying to not let it get to my head that the dragon slayer currently was rubbing me while naked.", Tempest jokingly said.
"Never thought that you would be so horny, little Storm.", Ornstein smirked.
"What? Did you take me for a virgin?", Tempest teased. "I died when I was 25, Ornstein. I have some experience."
"I am over a thousand years old.", Ornstein replied with a straight face.
"Who says I can't make it to a thousand?", Tempest said and poured a bucket of water over Ornstein, who yelped in surprise and then shoved Tempest through half the bathroom, running towards him to apologize once he had hit the floor and saw stars.
Even though the both of them stared at each other for a long time in their naked glory, the moment got ruined by a loud growl of Ornstein's stomach.
"Time to feed you.", Tempest grinned.
Once the both of them were dried and clothed, Ornstein had left his armour and ripped part of his leather garb at the blacksmith and clothed himself in some simple linen, Ornstein held his promise and took Tempest to the forest around Anor Londo in which they stayed for an hour or so collecting mushrooms. Ornstein knew surprisingly a lot about mushrooms, which ones were edible and which one were poisonous and when poked about it, he admitted that he often had come here with Smough.
After they had a large enough collection, they returned to the cathedral and Tempest started to cook, with Ornstein watching him like usual. He only had enough mushrooms for one dish, but he didn't care. He fried some beef and made a hearty mushroom sauce, lamenting that he couldn't taste the dish himself, but Ornstein ate it all and looked very content about it.
"What are we doing now?", Tempest asked right when the sun vanished and got replaced by the moon.
"Oh, I don't know.", Ornstein said. "Maybe we should continue what we started earlier... in front of Artorias..."
Tempest felt himself flush, when he came nearer to Ornstein, seeing his lips in front of him, his gaze wandering down to see his toned chest and landing in his crotch.
"Oh, but not here, little Storm.", Ornstein cooed. "Let's get into my room."
"Gladly.", Tempest said and a sly smile graced his face.
(Author's note: Aaaand we fade to black, because this story is sfw, but if you are interested in what happened, drop me a comment and I might write a smut chapter outside of the main fic. Pretty sure y'all are horny enough to actually get me doing it ^^ I can't ever publish it on here though.
Ah yes, the confession happened. Their dynamic kinda changed, but also not. It's a fine line to walk. Ornstein probably won't be too tsundere now anymore, but the idiot he still will say once in a while.
Ah, that I made it to this point. As much as Ornstein knows that their relationship is doomed to fail, he doesn't want to think about it now. He doesn't want to lie to himself anymore. And Tempest... Tempest is jut happy that Ornstein reciprocates his feelings.)