Written for Sormik Week 2017 Day 3 - Prompt: Nature (Could take it as 'they are out experiencing nature' or 'Sorey's innocent and carefree nature')
Mikleo followed Sorey down the grey, stoney steps, staff in hand. They were quiet, listening for any sounds of wildlife besides the low chomping of the Elysian goats several feet behind them. Sorey looked around cautiously, rounding the corner and scanning in all directions. Once he was satisfied with his investigation, he smiled widely and placed his hands on his hips.
"Okay! Looks like someone already cleared out all the prickleboars. Now, let's find the perfect cloud-watching spot," he announced, wandering around until he came to a tree with a big, thick trunk and lots of shade from its many leaves.
He lowered himself to the ground in a way that was almost graceful for a human, and patted the grass behind him. He was about to lie down when he glanced up at Mikleo who was still standing before him. He seemed to be hesitating. Mikleo may not have seemed it sometimes, but he could be timid, scared to do anything that might not be well-received, and that tendency often became extra prevalent whenever Sorey was involved. Sorey blinked up at his seraph friend with wide eyes, then he let out an easy smile.
"Come on, Mikleo. Lie down with me."
Mikleo swallowed past the lump in his throat, knowing that any suggestive connotations that could have been implied with that comment would be entirely lost on Sorey. He was so innocent, so pure, and Mikleo loved that about him.
Everything was so easy with Sorey. There was never any reason to overthink what he said, as he always said what he meant and wore his heart on his sleeve. There was never any reason not to feel relaxed at Sorey's side, as he had such a laidback personality and a will for fun and adventure. Well, no reason except for if you were Mikleo, who found his heart pounding whenever he and Sorey got close.
These rushes of adrenaline were nothing new to Mikleo, and he knew full well what they meant. Gramps had taught him enough about love to put two and two together. Knowing the cause didn't make it any easier to ignore it, nor did it put him at any more ease as he followed Sorey's lead and knelt to the ground.
Sorey lay back in the grass, tucking one hand up behind his head while the other rested at his side. Mikleo lay next to him, angling himself in just the right way so he could rest his head on Sorey's chest without putting any strain on his neck. Sorey's free hand snaked its way around Mikleo's waist as if it were second nature to him. Cue pounding heart, Mikleo thought to himself, feeling his pulse speed up as they stared up at the bright blue sky. He breathed in deeply and let it out, successfully making it slow just a little.
"Haha, that one looks like Gramps!" Sorey chuckled, nodding toward one of the clouds, which was round and puffy at the top and narrowed as it neared the bottom. Mikleo smiled at the gentle rumble of Sorey's laughter, and turned his head slightly toward the sound, just enough to brush his cheek against the soft fabric of his friend's black t-shirt.
Why Sorey insisted on dragging him out on these crazy, spur-of-the-moment adventures while they were both still in their sleepwear, Mikleo would never be sure. It was probably just Sorey's intrepid personality, but it kept things interesting and made Sorey happy, so Mikleo would never say no.
Before long, Mikleo's fingers found their way to Sorey's arm, where it was draped so casually over his midriff. They traced patterns on the soft, tanned skin-circles, lines, anything that came to mind. It was funny how his mind had just taken over. He hadn't even remembered reaching for Sorey's arm; it just sort of ended up there. Mikleo reddened, even though it seemed the contact hadn't fazed Sorey at all. He was still gazing up at the clouds with an awed smile on his face.
"Sorey?" Mikleo mumbled, taking his eyes off the sky and nestling his head a little further against Sorey's shirt. "Do you think this is weird?"
"Do I think what's weird?" Sorey asked, raising a brow. He heard Mikleo drag in a long breath and let it out in a sigh.
"For us to get this close? I mean, no one in the village ever does."
Sorey frowned for a moment as he pondered, but the relaxed grin returned to his face within seconds.
"Maybe no one in the village is in love. Or maybe I'm a little clingy because I'm human? I don't know," Sorey babbled, but Mikleo was still wide-eyed from his first speculation.
"Y-you think we're in love?" he choked out. He was dying to look up at Sorey right then, as his expression was probably calm and relaxed and would have most likely calmed him as well, but he was too embarrassed to show his face. Sorey pouted his lips, thinking again.
"Well, yeah. I think so. I mean, I certainly love you, Mikleo," he replied, simply and sweetly. Somehow over his rampaging heart, Mikleo could hear the gentle smile in his voice.
"Sorey," Mikleo addressed, rolling onto his side and curling in against him, more out of fear than anything else. He was terrified that one of them would say the wrong thing and ruin what they had—whatever this was. While Sorey's arm remained around Mikleo's waist, Mikleo's hand travelled to Sorey's chest, and gently clutched the fabric of his shirt. He wanted to cling to Sorey and never let go. He didn't want to lose the seventeen years of good memories they had shared, didn't want to tarnish them with a bad aftertaste if something were to change between them here and end badly.
"I don't know if you fully understand what it means to love someone. To be in love with someone."
"Sure I do. Like Gramps said, it means to deeply care about someone, to be devoted to that person above anyone else. And also, to put up with them despite how much they might drive you crazy sometimes," Sorey chuckled, and Mikleo dared a glance up at him just in time to catch a wink.
"Okay," Mikleo blinked in surprise. "Maybe you do know." He nestled his head back down, heart thudding against Sorey's side so hard he figured Sorey could feel it. His thumb brushed over the fabric he had curled around his fingers, and urged his brain to come up with something useful to say. Sorey beat him to it.
"I really think I do. Love you, I mean," Sorey said. His voice was lower now, more serious. His hand patted Mikleo's waist tenderly. Even he was feeling a little nervous now as he waited for a response. Mikleo thought his heart might burst through his chest, but he let out the breath he was holding and realized that it had been the cause of the pressure.
"Me too. I think... I love you, too," Mikleo managed. He glanced up again to meet a smiling face and happy, green eyes. Embarrassed and painfully flustered, Mikleo lowered his head again and continued to caress the fabric between his fingers.
"So, this is not weird then, right?" Sorey asked, letting out a breath of relief and a gentle chuckle, turning his attention back to the sky.
"Maybe a little," Mikleo disagreed, but his tone softened after that as his lips were graced with a soft smile. "But it's okay."