T'senri blinked away sudden confusion, then again – his gaze meeting a confused stare of crimson eyes – and without a conscious thought leaned in again, catching those gorgeous lips in a kiss he was dying for during the last five years… only to be pushed back, stumbling away and missing the high step leading toward the crystal mirror. He fell, landing painfully on his ass – barely missing his tail – and looked up numbly, staring up at his… lost love with hurt and shock.
Then a blind panic slammed on his senses, stealing his breath for a moment – and it took him a little more than a heartbeat to understand it wasn't his.
"I… f-feel you," Raha stammered, his back tightly hugging the mirror behind him – nearly animalistic terror on his face. "I feel you… in my head…."
"Wha…?" he blinked twice, trying to collect his thoughts while his heart pounded furiously while terror – not his own – and uncertainty made his throat tighten painfully.
T'senri tried to follow the source of panic pouring over his senses while fine hair and fur across his body simply bristled – his first instinct to protect and soothe his clearly terrified…
"Get OUT!" Raha snarled, wrapping his hands around his head and suddenly Warrior couldn't breathe – realizing he was the source of the terror on the handsome face.
Uh oh, a tiny voice hummed in the back of his head. He couldn't pay it any mind, scrambling away and panting for breath – rising to his feet and backing away until his back hit against the massive, crystalline door.
"Out, out, out…. OUT!" the other man was chanting under his breath, banging the back of his head against the mirror.
"Raha, p-please…" he whimpered, utterly confused and… hurt.
Nothing made sense. Not… one… thing. It felt like they were… mated – but that shouldn't be possible. They were both males… by definition, it wasn't possible. He always knew that – mating bond was for male and female – which used to make him feel even worse about his… preferences. But with Raha… he couldn't help but want him – every way he could have him… including that. While they were… together, he couldn't help but bite him – instinct not caring about their limitations.
But now it felt like they were… and like Raha hated it.
He swallowed thickly, trying to think of anything to make it better even as his heart simply… broke. But watching him… so distressed, hurt even more. He closed his eyes, struggling to regain his composure and push his heartbreak in the back of his mind – failing miserably – but trying anyway.
He reached out again, unaware he was whining in the back of his throat – his heart just… too loud between his ears.
Raha, please… he sent on the new… link, trying to radiate calm to beat against the other male's terror. It's okay… Everything is okay. Calm down. I love you… I always did and always… will, please…
"GET! OUT! OF! MY! HEAD!" each word was a snarl and a mental slap – sending T'senri reeling as his mind was shoved back brutally. He tasted copper in his mouth as he bit his tongue – trying to focus on physical pain over the feeling of… rejection. Feeling his eyes burn, he dropped them to the crystalline floor because of what peeked through the terror during that brief contact: the man he spend… years loving and missing scrambling to cut him off and thinking of a way to break away the… link.
Raha didn't want him. It was… as simple as that.
T'senri swallowed the blood in his mouth, then closed his eyes and cleared his throat – forcing his taut muscles to relax and despite it all… smoothing his expression with a too familiar mask.
"As you… wish," he whispered, then teleported away – back across the rift and… home – like a wounded animal while his heart simply… bled.
He didn't see or hear anything as he stumbled through the Rising Stones – carefully keeping his eyes down and ignoring everything – and everyone – on his way. He only breathed easier after the door of his bedroom closed behind him. He locked them with a spell and put a sound shield on the room – then dropped into his nest and curled into a miserable ball, wrapping his arms around his head and coiling his tail around himself defensively.
Here he couldn't feel him anymore – and he hoped… Raha will feel better like this. Clearly… he didn't want anything to do with him – not like…
He didn't realize he was crying until he choked on a sob – and once he did – the dam broke… and he drowned in misery.
He didn't even resist or notice when his consciousness was shoved back delicately – instead almost sighed in relief as he was gently pulled down and locked away in a protective cocoon.
"Well… that blew up in our faces spectacularly," Ares sighed, sitting up and rubbing T'senri's face dry, then ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.
Honestly… he was pissed, as mortals said. They knew G'raha will freak out – but he never suspected that it'll go this… bad. What was… up with that reaction? Didn't he realize how much that hurt his mortal?
Azem got to his feet and paced around the small room, fuming and working his jaw as his temper flared.
Over the years, he grew… protective of his reincarnation's soul. Senri, merely twenty-seven now, which was like a blink of an eye for an immortal – honestly, he used to have conversations that lasted longer than that – he couldn't help but see as a… child. They shared many traits – but Ares was a millennia-old soul, reborn into a mortal flesh to save his little brother.
He was extremely protective by nature – hence, he couldn't stand to suffer his brother's fate. But as he observed his mortal's life – Senri grew to be like… another little brother to him. He was a sweet boy – hiding his sensitive heart behind the mask of constant cheer – even in that showing his caring nature. Not wanting to worry or hurt others – he would fake his grins or easy-going attitude. All the sacrifices and suffering he experienced and he never asked for anything in return… other than one thing.
All those years – after his Raha sealed the Tower – Senri's main goal in life was creating a better world for his lover to wake up to. His love for his historian was simply… boundless. Even now – after G'raha so… cruelly rejected him – Senri would forgive and take him back in a heartbeat – because he was everything to him.
His first love, first lover – everything he ever wanted. He spent years yearning for the other male – hopelessly – and to have any chance to have him back… would overweight his hurt feelings.
Thing was… Ares wasn't okay with that. He didn't really understand G'raha's reaction – and hoped next time Damon explains it, having access to his mortal's mind as he did – but Azem was seriously… pissed. Despite their plans hinging on T'senri and G'raha being together – he now wondered if Damon's reincarnation deserved his mortal's heart. Because as far as he was concerned – Senri deserved better.
Better than opening his heart to a man he cherished above anything else in the world and having it shoved back in his face like that.
Ares stopped mid-step, then scratched his chin – considering his options. Senri was in no condition to go back – hurt and confused as he was, he didn't resist at all when he took over – and knowing him… it would take days to soothe him enough to peek through again. The last time this happened – Ares ended up taking over and sealing the Seeker's old bedroom, putting on Senri's bruised mind compulsion to never go anywhere near it again – and now it was… so much worse. He shouldn't have done that – he knew – as risking his mortal discovering his presence was… dangerous.
Senri didn't realize his… potential – effect of Ares fully reincarnating into him – and it would be better for all of them if it stayed that way. That he assumed his above-average senses, strength and speed are the results of Venat's 'Blessing' was lucky enough. That he never tried to use magic was even luckier – because if he did… someone was bound to realize it was so far beyond average. Not to mention he probably could access his natural gift. The spell Damon waved into his soul assured that his full potential was locked away until his husband woke him up – his own awakening hinging on their bond's renewal. But Ares was simply… too powerful for his mortal reincarnation – though less than Damon for his. The Traveler's Ward helped – protecting both his and Senri's souls – but the balance they were in was… iffy at best. That's why they had to 'break' their bond after they woke up. Knowing what would happen with G'raha and the Tower – his slumber could have weakened Senri's soul too much – either breaking Ares's soul in the process or… forcing him out. It could have killed him, plain and simple. Or even both – in the worst-case scenario. And with them, Hythlodaeus – as his crystal's retrieval at the right time, was Ares's part of their task.
But what now…? T'senri had to go back to the First and play his role in their 'scheme'. He didn't know when exactly Hades will show up – the 'T'senri' they met in Elpis didn't know that either: when he started watching them – and they had quite a strict… schedule hinging on that. But at the same time – he was upset, and he didn't want Senri hurt even more than he already was.
They knew of G'raha's 'grand scheme' and Ares suspected that his reaction was somewhat… connected to that – though, again, he needed the confirmation from Damon about that – but in his eyes, it didn't excuse acting as he did. Freaking out was one thing – that they expected and saw as unavoidable but, after all, the bond played a crucial role in their plans – but acting this… cruel? That… he couldn't stand for.
For that… G'raha will have to pay.
A slow – maybe a bit mean – smirk tilted his lips as his gaze fell on one of the items on the shelf in T'senri's room. A trophy from one of his felled enemies… could be quite useful now.
Once Senri disappeared… it shook G'raha out of the blind panic and terror, and he sagged against the crystal mirror with a choked whine, then slid down to the floor gasping for air desperately.
And only after his thoughts cleared some… he realized what he had done – and mortification made the whole blood drain from his face and his ears fall flat against his head.
Yes, you really fucked it up… royally, a tiny voice whispered in the back of his head.
"Oh, gods… Senri…" he choked out, covering his face with a whimper.
But he literally… panicked, when he realized what it meant – feeling his Warrior's lust for him slamming onto his senses. As impossible as it should be – somehow they were mated – and that would grant Senri access to his thoughts and feelings… and his plans.
And he had no idea how to salvage them as it was – but to have his Warrior aware of the… outcome? He couldn't allow it. He knew Senri and his… protective nature. Even if it meant his death or worse – which avoiding whole this… ordeal was the goal of – he would never allow him to sacrifice himself for him.
That he knew it was him – and he still cursed his stupidity in not finding some way to cover his scent – was bad enough. But growing up as he did – basically isolated from others – he never really… paid much mind to the importance of scents as most of his… kin did. His hundred years of vigil and avoiding getting close to anyone – other than Lyna, but Viis didn't share their keen sense of smell – only made that… worse. So he didn't consider… and now he was paying a price for that.
He had no idea… how they could be mated, of all things – and as he panicked, his mind racing through the ideas of how to break it – he barely felt Senri's attempting to… soothe his mind – and pushed back instinctively, terrified his Warrior will see his plans before he could be sure there was really no saving them… he didn't think… couldn't think… and…
"Oh, Twelve…" he gasped breathlessly, shakily dropping his hands and staring numbly at the opposite wall – at the massive door leading out of the Ocular. The spot where his Warrior disappeared from just a moment ago. Or maybe a while ago… he wasn't really sure…
Where did he… go? Was he still on the First…? He couldn't feel him anymore… so he doubted that. He told him he would be able to travel between the two worlds at will – obviously, he used that… to get away from him.
More like fulfilled your wish, snarked that… voice again, and he scowled, dropping his gaze to the floor as his throat tightened painfully. Great, seemingly even his… conscience was upset with him. Or whatever it was… And not like he didn't deserve that!
Senri was so… happy to see him. He didn't judge or… hate him for the deception… and lies. Didn't… scorn him. He was only… happy and he wanted him, oh, so much… despite how he looked now. G'raha dropped his gaze to his crystalized hand, numbly flexing his fingers.
He loves you, that voice again.
"Like I d-don't… know," he chuckled humorlessly, closing his eyes and resting his normal hand over them.
His Warrior only ever… adored him. After they got together, even despite his original… misgivings about his preferences – Senri showered him with attention and affection constantly… even going as far as proposing and making plans for their future. Even when it fell apart… he could see how much his lover fought to make the… separation as easy for him as possible – because that was who he was. How much… he loved him.
Enough… to let him go.
And he paid him back for all of that by… Oh, gods…
He flinched when the door was suddenly pushed open, scrambling quickly to his feet, wondering who…
His heart stuttered nervously and nearly stopped when Senri walked in, pure confidence in his step and… a mask on his face. Not his usual mask – the fake, goofy grin – but an actual mask, covering the upper part of his face and his beautiful eyes.
"Senri…" he gasped, pushing against the mirror behind him and taking a hesitant step toward the Warrior. "I'm so sor…"
"Save it," the other man's voice was… pure ice as he stopped in the middle of the Ocular, folding his arms over his chest and sending him a grin – that looked more like a vicious snarl. "I'm here for my friends and this star, my lord Exarch… nothing else. Where are the Scions?"
G'raha flinched as if struck, backing away again and frowning with confusion. What in the…?
His mind simply… went out, as if someone suddenly turned off the lights.
"What do you think you're doing, Ares?" Damon scowled at his husband, resting his hands on his hips.
The other man chuckled sheepishly, then slowly pushed up the mask, peering at him with his immortal, too-bright, blue eyes.
"That obvious, eh?" he had the nerve to grin – much more pleasant than a moment ago – which Damon was honestly… grateful for. He better than anyone knew his lover's temper – cold and vicious – and he honestly… disliked facing Azem when he got like this. "I'll have to work on that."
"That's not the issue," he murmured, then walked over to his man, almost sighing with bliss as the much taller Ares wrapped his arms around him – he kind of enjoyed the difference in their heights now, maybe even too much – and rested his cheek over his heart. "This really went bad, hm?"
"You have no idea," Ares sighed, smoothing his hand over his back soothingly. "Senri got hurt… really bad."
Figures… He sighed deeply, frowning as he wrapped his arms around his husband's waist, then peered up at him with a hint of uncertainty. This was a serious snag in their plans – especially if he read correctly Ares's reaction. Which – after millennia together… wasn't hard.
"You want to punish Raha?" he said, though it was more of a statement than a question.
"No," Azem smirked at him, then pressed a tender kiss against his forehead. "He reacted like that because of his plans?"
"Yeah, pretty much, " he hummed, rising on his toes to wrap his arms around Ares's neck. "If not punish… then what?"
His lover narrowed his too-bright eyes at him with consideration, then his expression hardened.
"I think… he had it too easy with Senri," he drawled, raising his dark eyebrows pointedly. "And doesn't truly appreciate the wonder that boy's heart is – even now, he would take him back without batting an eyelash – no explanation or apology necessary," he added when Damon opened his mouth to protest. He wilted at that, sighing and dropping his head against Ares's chest. "So… I'll have him prove to me, that he's worth such… pure devotion."
"And our plans?" he murmured, even though he could quite easily guess the answer.
"We have time, I think," Ares said, resting his chin on top of his head. "Before Hades shows up… and the situation gets dicey – it should be fine. If by then he can't prove that to me… well, we can come up with a backup plan, don't we?"
He didn't like this… but he knew that tone in his lover's voice all too well – G'raha clearly spiked Azem's need to protect to the level where there won't be reasoning with him… not even for him.
"You came on too strong," he said finally with more than a hint of resignation, then looked up with a small smile and ran his crystalized hand soothingly over his husband's back. "Raha does know him well, remember. His T'senri wouldn't show so much… scorn, not to anyone – much less for him," he added, pushing back and straightening his robes. "If you're really bent on this… test, you'll have to keep your temper under control, my love," he smiled reassuringly, then went back to the spot where he took over, assuming the same pose.
"Got it," Ares nodded, then cleared his throat and pulled the mask back over his eyes. He steeled his spine, then folded his arms over his chest again. "Ready whenever you are, my heart."
Damon really had a bad feeling about this… but he sighed with resignation and retreated back into G'raha's mind. After all, who sows the wind…
He could only hope that Raha will prove capable of weathering the brunt of the storm of Ares's temper.
G'raha blinked – twice – then hesitated, swallowing thickly as his gaze run over his Warrior's almost… hostile posture. There was really something wrong with this…
"Senri, please… " he said finally carefully, dropping his gaze with shame. "I didn't mean to… I'm so s-sorry…"
"Doesn't matter," the other Seeker said slowly – sounding much calmer… but utterly cold. "You said you need my help to save this star – and I'm ready and willing to assist you with that. Other than that… let's leave the past in the past," Senri said with a small, icy smirk. "You showed me how much that meant to you, after all…"
He flinched as if slapped, feeling guilt squeeze his heart painfully. Guilt, shame, and remorse.
"I don't…" then he choked, realizing what felt so wrong.
He couldn't feel him anymore. He blinked, feeling his throat tighten painfully. Was that some sort of an… illusion earlier? Or now… did that mask somehow block the… connection? That's why he disappeared? To get it… and fulfill his wish?
He should be relieved… yet instead, his heart thumped with misery, and his lowered eyes simply… burned. He was shocked and terrified by the sudden link – and what it meant for his plans – but now… now...
"Exarch, I'm waiting," his… no, the Warrior said slowly, now sounding quite… bored. G'raha looked up carefully and his heart stuttered nervously, seeing the too fake grin on the other Seeker's beautiful lips – his eyes hidden behind the mask. "You don't have to worry – going forward, I'll keep our relationship completely… professional, let's say."
"Senri…" he choked out, stepping from the pedestal and reaching out toward him. "I'm really…"
"'T'senri', if you please," that grin grew a sharp edge when the Warrior meaningfully took a step back. G'raha froze, dropping his arm to his side, curling into himself miserably.
He really… fucked it up, didn't he?
Yes, you did, his... conscience?... whispered almost… sadly.
"As you… w-wish," he whispered, closing his eyes briefly, clearing his throat, then pulled the cowl back over his head and folded his hands behind his back – to hide their shaking. "If it… pleases you, Warrior… I can show you to the quarters prepared for your s-stay."
"That would be… acceptable," T'senri nodded stiffly, then turned around and headed toward the exit.
G'raha swallowed the bile rising in his throat, then followed, numbly wondering… how to fix this? Or should he even try…?