(A side story: Post "Wanderings in the Waking")
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Warning: somewhat juicy Shonen-ai /Yaoi. This story makes reference to events of "Wandering in the Waking" please read that first : )
notes: //...// are thoughts, //~...~// is for Sydney "talking" in Waking world
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Ashley found himself very much alone as he made his descent into the gorge. The day was chilly and there was a feeling of foul weather in the air. Most if not all of the summer visitors had deferred their pilgrimage to this isolated valley until a more hospitable day, which was partly why he was here now. The trees were tall and shrouded in lichens, the air heavy with mist whose source he could trace by the sound of thundering water. He turned the last bend in the trail to come to the very base of the falls, and for a moment was glad no one was there to see him stare in awe at the spectacle. The flood-swollen river cascaded off the steep cliffs and sluiced down the ravine with a fantastic and unrelenting roar. The sound was impossible to shut out or deny; its energy and mindless furious /life/ called forth a sympathetic rush in the Dark. Ashley's heart raced, and his breath quickened as if he was about to enter battle, but there was no foe, only the water, moving, flowing, alive. It was breathtaking. He casually disregarded the multitude of placards in all the common tongues, warning visitors from straying too close to the turgid waters, and moved closer, making his way over the slippery rocks until the density of the spray made it difficult to breathe. The water was cold enough to sting, but as he sat and simply /felt/ the power of the falls, he was perfectly content with his world. Just as he was beginning to contemplate movement, his linen shirt translucent, his leather pants stiff with water, the sun broke through the clouds and he found himself awash in rainbows.
// Not even Heaven could contain this much beauty... and this at least is /free/; savior and sinner alike could come here and witness this. I don't care if this was a week out-of-the-way of our journey, it was worth it. //
Suddenly there was a brush against his mind, a distant voice calling his name.
// Ashley? //
// Come here, Sydney... there is something you need to see.//
// Funny, I was about to ask... //
// Don't talk, just come. //
// Well /fine/ then. //
Ashley didn't bother to turn his head when the tingling sensation began. He knew exactly where the man would appear and wanted him to experience the sight without being spied upon. Sydney's form wavered for a moment, and realized itself on a neighboring boulder, the thick mists causing his normal glow to become magnified, giving him an almost holy light.
//~ ... ~//
The blonde's mouth fell open as he took in the view. His words, whether a prayer or a curse, were lost in the sound of the tumbling water. Ashley gave in to the temptation to look at the ghost, and allowed a small smile; the mage looked beautiful surrounded by the white cascade.
// Then again he looks beautiful anywhere... anyhow, anywhen... // The knight carefully suppressed the thought in the back of his mind. Sydney for his part had recovered from his initial shock and had fearlessly moved closer, eyes everywhere, trying to mentally take note of every feature. There was a momentary urge to panic as the smaller man walked, unfazed, under the main portion of the torrent, but Ashley's reason prevailed and he allowed himself to return to his contemplation of the fragment of sky visible from the base of the falls.
// It's not like he can get hurt... dead is dead... there's nothing left of him to get /wet/, much less beaten to a bloody pulp by the weight of the water. There is nothing that can hurt him here...//
The sun felt very warm against his face despite the icy spray, and the wanderer lay for some time with his eyes closed, relaxing in his solitude.
//~ Ashley, there seems to be a secondary channel further uphill... odd there are no paths about...I don't think anyone's been here, perhaps it's a little too inaccessible... ~//
The knight snorted to himself as his partner's thoughts drifted off into cryptic threads. Still he gathered himself to rise and investigate, certain that Sydney would disturb his nap again once he had /discovered/ where this second channel went.
// I'm glad he is enjoying himself...// Ashley navigated the rocks once more and paused to stretch and wring out his shirt. As tempting as it was to simply remove his water-logged boots, he decided that they were worth the protection from the sharp rocks he would likely encounter, and proceeded to make his way up the steep, trail-less far side of the ravine. The knight soon found a natural path made from the exposed rock, and followed it up as it dog-legged through the trees. He had ascended approximately a quarter of the height of the falls before he felt his partner moving further /away/ from the main flow and back towards him. He used their bond to track the man and angled his path accordingly.
//~ Found it. ~//
Sydney's thoughts had a distinctly smug feel to them.
//~ I knew it would "fall" again... the rock here is too porous for a stream this fast. ~//
// Of course you did.// Ashley made no attempt to hide the gently teasing tone of his thoughts, certain the blonde would detect the undercurrents. // There is no field of science that you are not a master of, including the in-depth study of the nature of immense quantities of falling water... //
//~ And don't you forget it, Riskbreaker. You may be the Bearer, but I'm the brains of this little ... /Oh my/ ~//
Sydney's sarcastic tone quickly modulated into one of awe, and Ashley instinctively /reached/ out to see what it was that had the capacity for distracting the mage mid-insult. Joining his thoughts with his partner was accomplished with fluid ease, the old barriers between them all but gone after their recent trials. He paused in his own ascent as he took in the sight before Sydney's eyes. It was an almost ethereally beautiful vision. The side flow that the mage had discovered was indeed little more than a stream; it branched off from the main river high in the falls and was diverted some distance around the side of the valley, hidden from view, before disappearing into a grotto of its own making. The small waterfall and its basin would indeed have been virtually inaccessible to an ordinary pilgrim--the water-slick rocks provided beautiful scenery but little purchase for uncertain feet. The ghost, of course, had no such limitations and was therefore contentedly settled at the edge of the collecting pool, observing the fall of light and shadow in wonder.
// It's beautiful.// Their minds joined, there was no real telling who initiated the thought, but both agreed on the sentiment. Ashley reluctantly pulled his mind free of the link and made quick progress to join his friend.
// And now to figure out a way of getting down there that doesn't involve me breaking my neck. //
The knight pondered the problem carefully. The narrow crevice's walls were unpleasantly slick and steep, only widening into gentler curves some fifteen feet from the base of the small falls.
//~ Do what I did, just levitate... ~//
// I was aiming for a more discreet method, whelp. Unlike you, I can not /hover/ without the aide of magic... //
He didn't bother to add the fact that he still didn't trust himself to maintain the spell long enough to not fall and break something. He did have /some/ pride.
//~ If it /still/ makes you uncomfortable you could ask me /nicely/ to do it for you... ~//
// /Stop that/. // The knight felt a flash of irritation at his overly perceptive partner. Nothing got by the man, not when it had a potential for embarrassment anyway.
//~ Whatever. Just get down here... it's /perfect/... I have to have it. ~//
// You can't take this with you, idiot. It's not like a pretty ring or a jacket that you can copy... and even if the land were for sale, which it's not, what would the likes of us do with property? // Sydney's reply contained no words, only a complex tangle of idle dismissal, impatience, and humor. Realizing that he had no real choice in the matter, the older man gathered a few tendrils of energy and carefully descended into the shadows. The spell, like on all previous occasions, was more than a little hair-raising, and Ashley released it as soon as it was safe, dropping the remaining five feet with a splash. The blonde feigned horror at getting wet and laughed as the spray passed through his illusory form.
//~ Very /classy/, Riskbreaker. A heroic demonstration of grace... ~//
"Shut up, Sydney. You're spoiling the mood." Ashley chuckled and observed the effect of the sparkling streamers of water on the shady walls. He was certain that the blonde was making a face at his back but refused to pay attention. The nearly cavern-like basin was as beautiful as it had seemed through his partner's eyes, vegetation and vines hanging down from the forest floor forming a canopy. The sunlight seemed focused all in one place, where the water poured in, and the sparkle of reflected light was dizzying as it traced random patterns on the walls. The pool at the center was no more than five feet deep and the size of a generous bath, but the water was crystalline, allowing the sandy bottom to be observed. It was truly a natural grotto. Ashley clamped down /hard/ on the small portion of his mind that was more than happy to point out the possibilities to be had between two /friendly/ people in a setting such as this. He had more than enough fantasies about his wily partner already and really didn't need another at the moment. Especially when the focus of those daydreams was sitting, humming to himself not ten feet away. The knight was immediately glad of his companion's distraction and the relative dimness of the cave, as there were portions of his anatomy that were slower to respond to reason than others.
// I suppose it's only natural... I mean it's not like we haven't grown closer of late... there's hardly an evening that goes by since /the fight/ that doesn't end up with him curled in my arms at some point... or I in his... Then there is the kissing... although there's been little enough of that... why then does it bother me so much... to tell him I want more? It's not like things can possibly get any /more complicated/ between the two of us... if anything it might resolve any number of headaches... but I can't... I can't tell him... It'd be comical if I didn't /want/ him so... If only I could be sure that it was the right thing to do and not me /using/ him or him /using/ me... Curious, in the end I don't know which worries me more. The fact that I would be risking enslavement to him by exposing such a weakness, or that I might hurt him by compelling him to be with me by the simple fact of the Blood Sin's power and my own desire...//
Still, he could not help but give his desire a /little/ free rein in the deepest corners of his mind. The blonde was a delight to watch; his expression was distant as he studied the water, providing ample opportunity for the knight to memorize the contours of his face, his eyes, his lips. Then there was the fact that Sydney was as customary wearing very little. The shirt was too large by far and laced very loosely, allowing a fair portion of his chest to be seen. His pants, some soft fabric, were in contrast fabulously tight, following the smooth contour of his legs. Sydney's hair was smooth and pale gold, falling straight to his shoulders with its highlights shimmering in the shadowy cave.
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Sydney felt the older man withdraw deep into his mind, meditating on the waterfall, and let out a small sigh. Ashley, if left to his own devices, could spoil any beautiful moment by the simple crime of /thinking/ too much. The man simply worried /all the time/ unless properly distracted. Unfortunately, no inspiration was coming to the blonde, none worth acting on anyway. Their relationship, always rather adversarial, had become rather strange over the past year. The encounter with the angel all those months ago, and all that it resulted in, had both been an amazing blessing and a curse.
//~ He talks more now 'tis sure... about little things mostly, but big ones too... He's also a lot more relaxed around me, he would've never let me so close in the beginning. ~//
Sydney smirked a little, remembering his first attempts at flirting with the amazingly uptight soldier.
// I was certain that it would take nothing short of a miracle to get him to look twice in my direction... despite the bond we share... and /of course/ I was right, in a way. Sometimes it really sucks to be precognitive. But I would hardly count what Cassiel tried to do as anything remotely miraculous... /sick/ bastard. Still, for all that my Riskbreaker nearly killed both of us...or perhaps because of it, he has really begun to change... Guilt, I wonder? If so then it should have passed by now, surely... but I don't know how much more I can take of him /watching me/ like that before I do something we're both going to regret... //
The mage was perfectly content to ignore the breathtaking scenery in favor of the knight's shadowed form. He hadn't aged at all over the year, nor would he ever, the Dark within him forever preserving his body at that one instant in time when they were joined. The man's shirt was still damp and clung wetly to his back and arms, allowing a hint of darkly tanned skin and smooth hard muscle. The man's leather pants and boots were almost black with accumulated moisture, and Sydney couldn't resist the thought that peeling off the wet clothing later would be a source of irritation for the man. Quickly pulling his errant thoughts away from the ideas presented by the image of Ashley in wet leather pants and the removing of them, Sydney resolutely fixed his gaze back on the water. It wouldn't do to let his subconscious get the better of him at this point; Ashley would either decide to /do/ something, or he wouldn't. Sydney had promised himself to /wait/. He didn't want to scare the man, or embarrass him.
// Still, a boy can dream, can't he? // Sydney absorbed every detail of the cavern, an idea forming in the back of his head. // And who's to say I can't lend a hand in his decision-making process... not seduction, no, not Ashley... but maybe a hint or two... sort of to "set the scene"? If he gets it, then great... if not... I've only my hormones to blame for any teasing I receive... //
His logical side was already deep into its planning, detailing scenario after scenario and using the same precise strategy that he used to baffle their enemies to weave a "harmless encounter" for his would-be lover. Distancing himself emotionally from the plan, he realized that it was actually good on a number of levels and, satisfied, he put it into play.
// First things first, get the Hell out of here before my libido gets the impression that it has a better idea... //
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//~ Oye. /Brawn/! ~//
Ashley's head snapped up, his moody musings instantly put aside in favor of righteous ire.
"Don't call me that."
//~ Hah, you know if I listened to you every time you said that, I'd soon be able to call you nothing at all... ~//
"I have a name."
//~ You'd get bored of hearing it all the time. I'm off to work... there are some things I want to get done today that don't involve watching you sulk. ~//
Ashley frowned at the flippant tone and moved to stand as the blonde did. "I didn't realize I was boring you." His tone was a little harsher than he intended, and he winced internally as the mage sighed in frustration.
//~ You didn't bore me, I had a good time... but now I have things I should be doing, and so do /you/. Time to get moving Riskbreaker... ~//
Sydney moved closer and put an insubstantial hand on the older man's face, giving him a gentle smile. //~ You'll see me again soon enough... you always do. Besides I can't stay /here/ all day for no reason, it's draining for /both/ of us... then how will I be here when you really need a hand, hmm? ~//
Ashley blinked in acceptance and watched as the ghost faded, as always, with a laugh. He knew it was wrong to begrudge the man his right to come and go as he chose, but time always seemed to move more slowly when the blonde wasn't around.
// Of course he has more important things to do than moon at waterfalls all day, /idiot/, what did you expect... this can hardly be a /working partnership/ if we don't /work/... I just thought it might be nice to do something else for a change... here in the waking world... It seems we always get interrupted in the Shadow-Lands... I wonder exactly how "uninterested" Müllencamp /really/ is sometimes... they can't /all/ be coincidences... //
The soldier raked his damp hair back in frustration, and proceeded back to the small village. The clean white-daubed walls and dark tile roofs still struck him as disturbingly orderly and professional in comparison to the ramshackle villages of his homeland. He carefully murmured a complicated greeting as he pulled off his boots in front of the small inn, and accepted the towel offered as he made his way to his room.
"Mr. Ash was able to see the falls today, yes? The weather was nice after all..." The innkeeper was an incessantly polite and cheerful man. Ashley found himself liking him despite his intended aloofness.
"They were beautiful, Mr. Wei, but I'm afraid now I must go."
He allowed himself to be drawn into the exchange of pleasantries while he changed and packed but, after settling his account, was glad to be on the road once more.
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Ashley made quick time in his journey south, crossing from the less-inhabited province into the center of the country. The roads were thronging with traffic as he approached the larger city, and he used the crowds to hide his presence, his expertise born of long habit.
// Who would have thought a six-foot foreigner with a long sword could blend in so well...? God, I feel like I've entered a land of midgets... Thank goodness for disguise magicks... //
//~ They aren't /that/ short... and they more than make up for a lack of height by their cultural advances...did you know that their written language has over 5000 characters?! I'll /never/ learn them all... ~//
Sydney had appeared at his side between one stride and the next, dressed impeccably as one of the local merchants. To Ashley the man seemed solid enough, but he knew better; none of his fellow travelers made any notice of the ghost suddenly walking in their midst, and indeed, a jostling wagon even passed /through/ him as it rushed towards the distant city.
//~ Hey! ~//
The irate mage waved a fist at the departing driver, before grinning sheepishly at his companion.
//~ I don't know why I bother. ~//
// Neither do I. //
Sydney's expression turned serious. //~ You know that it's going to happen tonight, right? If you want to stop that bastard Lei from cracking open the Wellspring in the middle of town, you're going to have to move fast. ~//
Ashley carefully surveyed the city in the distance, using senses other than his eyes. // Did Müllencamp have an opinion on this matter? //
//~ Just the usual. ~// The smaller man shrugged, loosening the high collar. //~ You know, keep things quiet, don't make a mess, don't go /overboard/... ~//
The knight attempted to return Sydney's /look/ with a blank expression, certain his partner could detect his disbelief. // I know exactly what I'm doing. //
The blonde raised an eyebrow. //~ Sure, and you still move your lips when you have conversations with me. ~//
// I do /not/... // Ashley fought not to growl aloud at his companion, remembering very well the number of strange looks he had received from those who had unwittingly witnessed their conversations. // Make yourself useful and go do some surveillance or something. //
//~ Yes, sir! ~// Sydney threw a mocking salute and began to fade out, teleporting ahead to the city.
// And /be careful/. //
//~ Have a little faith, Ashley... really, you're the primary disciple of a goddess specializing in oracles... if anything bad is going to happen, you'll be one of the first to know. ~//
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Of course something bad /did/ happen, several things in fact, but mostly to Lei. The matter had resolved itself in its customary quick and bloody manner, disaster averted, the city's power lines' stabilized. Ashley had discreetly withdrawn to a temple on the outskirts of town to rest, and while his body lay cocooned in a worn blanket, his mind roamed his second home.
As always, his first feeling was of warm, dappled sunlight on his face and, smiling, he opened his eyes to stare up into the leaves. The oak tree was a constant theme in his life, a reminder of who he was, both good and bad. Ashley felt himself slowly finish waking up and, shifting his head slightly, noted that he was not alone; Sydney was sitting beside him, watching him thoughtfully.
// Strange. Usually it is I who goes to him... He does not often come here without it being some sort of emergency... not that I mind... But there is something surreal about waking up under a tree with a blonde... and having it be him. //
"Hello."
Sydney merely nodded as Ashley rose, staring off over the fields.
"Have you waited long?" The knight couldn't fathom the blonde's mood, and took it upon himself to draw the young man out. Their roles were seemingly reversed for the evening, afternoon? Time had no meaning in this place.
"Don't you ever get tired of all this /light/?" The mage's question, entirely unexpected, caused Ashley to blink in surprise.
"What?"
"It's always noon here... a bright, sunny, summer afternoon... it's really weird, you know that, right? I mean, you are very possibly the only servant the Dark has ever had who has a /sun/ fetish." Sydney turned suddenly and smiled up at the soldier, letting him know that the conversation was not truly serious.
"Must all servants of Müllencamp fear the light of day? How sad for us." The older man suppressed a smile.
"Not fear, just ignore... It's a seemingly natural progression... worship Müllencamp, use the Dark, hide in shadows, love the night, wear lots of black, avoid suntans... You just don't seem to get it. I find it curious."
No longer willing to resist so tempting an image, Ashley gently pulled the cultist into his arms, feigning intense concentration. Sydney's face showed a flicker of surprise at the familiarity but brought his hands up to clasp loosely behind Ashley's neck, waiting. "But is not Müllencamp a creature of chaos? Should her children therefore strive to /not/ all be identical in nature? What could be more chaotic, and thus more entertaining, than a child of the Dark who likes lazy summer afternoons?"
"This is true I suppose," Sydney drawled in amusement. "And besides, you do wear a not-inconsiderable amount of black..."
Ashley mock-growled, and gave the man in his arms a hard squeeze. The mage laughed again, half-heartedly putting up a show at resistance that he didn't desire at all. Finally he captured the knight by his long 'tails' and pulled his head down so to look him seriously in the eye.
"Who are you, and what have you done with my partner?"
"Ouch."
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// What is the man up to /now/...? //
Ashley followed the blonde quietly, having given up on getting answers from his remarkably monosyllabic partner.
// I don't think he's said more than twenty words since the first "I want to show you something"... and that was over fifteen minutes ago. I think this may be a new record for him. He /always/ talks... //
"We're almost there," Sydney shot him a brilliant smile and continued to drag the knight through the dark woods. Just as it was always afternoon in Ashley's world, it was always night in Sydney's.
// This must be one hell of a surprise... if his smile gets any brighter the moon will become unnecessary. //
Ashley had never ventured far into the woods surrounding Sydney's tower, preferring to wait for his partner near the building or by the shore, if the man was absent. The woods always struck him as more private place, and like the tower, he seldom went into them uninvited.
// It's rather the same as when Sydney comes to visit me; usually he'll simply wait in the fields... in sight of the tree but never really /close/ to it...some things are better left separate. //
The contours of the land began to alter dramatically as they entered a wooded ravine, and it became difficult for the blonde to maintain his grip on both his guest and his footing at the same time. Ashley pondered the practicality of the situation for a moment before firmly twisting his wrist out of the mage's grip and wrapping the arm loosely about the man's waist. The trees were large but not tightly spaced, and he altered their course to go along the hint of a path, supporting Sydney when his foot caught on a hidden root.
"Didn't anyone tell you walking in forests at night was a great way of turning an ankle?"
"No," Sydney caught his balance and propelled them further, hiding his blush in his hair.
"Well, it is. Couldn't you have made a straight path or something? Lamps maybe?" Ashley stared dubiously into the gloom ahead. They continued to descend and the moonlight was weak through the trees.
"Lamps?" Sydney stopped and stared at the knight in consternation. "Why didn't /I/ think of that!"
"And a path." Ashley reminded helpfully.
"Nope. You can get the one, not the other. A straight path would make it easy to guess the surprise..." The mage stood still a moment, muttering under his breath as his eyes went wide and distant. Soft but illuminating light suddenly glowed to life from a variety of locations around them. The strangely organic-looking lamps were set into the trees and shone with a uniform blue light.
"Classy." Ashley restrained his surprise to a single word from long practice, allowing himself to be led once more, this time along a well-lit if somewhat arcane route.
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"We're here." Sydney casually stated, halting in the middle of the 'path.' "Close your eyes."
"It's already blacker than a pitch barrel, Sydney. Just show me already." Ashley crossed his arms, defying Sydney to do his worst.
Sydney met the challenge. "It's a surprise... you're supposed to close your eyes... besides it won't be dark once we go around this tree..." He then /pouted/. Ashley could only stare in amazement, torn between disbelief and laughter. The blonde huffed, put a hand over the knight's eyes and walking backwards he pulled the knight around the tree. Ashley felt the difference in the area immediately; the soft forest loam was transformed into grass that rustled as he walked, and the air was cool with moisture. The sound of water, cleverly hidden before, was very close and strangely familiar as he waited for Sydney to reveal his surprise.
// It's now or never. // The prophet swallowed nervously and positioned his friend for optimal viewing before stepping back. // If nothing else he'll think it's pretty... //
Ashley opened his eyes, wincing at the brightness of the moonlight as it caught the water. They were in a smallish basin, at the bottom of the ravine. Ashley blinked repeatedly at the sight before him. It was /the waterfall/. Viewed in moonlight rather than sun, it seemed almost like liquid silver, a shimmering quickness that flowed over the rocks to splash into the brightly shining pool. Amazed at the mage's memory, and ambition, he was struck senseless, and as a result said the first, /stupid/, thing that came to his mind.
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"There's no outlet stream."
In hindsight Ashley realized that the look on Sydney's face was one of the younger man's rarest and most difficult to attain and so it was truly /priceless/. The blonde, thunderstruck, blinked at him, then the stream, and then him again, mouth working to come up with a suitable response.
"That's it?!" Sydney stepped a few feet away, shoulders shaking, back turned.
// /Good job/, the man goes through gods only know how much trouble to make you something as a reward for kicking the hell out of the "bad guys," makes a bloody "Garden of Eden" for you to goof off in... and what's the first thing you do? Critique the plumbing?! /Idiot/! If he's not having a nervous breakdown /right now/, he plotting how to /kill you/... so /say/ something...//
"Wait, I didn't mean that." Ashley resisted the urge to smack himself in the head. "I mean, what I meant to say was 'wow' or something like that." Sydney sunk to his knees, shaking harder. "I'm sorry? It's beautiful, Sydney, really... I'm just stupid sometimes and say the first thing that comes into my head. I know this must have taken you a lot of thought..." Ashley was starting to get worried and moved towards the unresponsive mage.
The blonde seemed to catch his breath, and relaxing suddenly let out the laughter he'd been smothering. The knight froze in surprise as the prophet staggered to his feet, still laughing hard enough to bring tears to his eyes.
// That's it, now I've done it, the man has totally cracked. //
"Ashley, I simply don't believe you." Sydney worked to calm himself, concentrating on his breathing, but looking at the older man's baffled expression only started him again, and the cycle continued until at last he was forced to look away until the final giggles had died. He sat near the bank and splashed some water on his face, calm at last, and felt suddenly content; nothing else that could possibly happen would surprise him now.
"If you must know, the pond drains via a subterranean channel. It seemed tidier that way." The mage felt Ashley quietly move to stand behind him.
"Yes, that does make the most sense doesn't it... you seem to have thought of everything."
"Except the bloody lights." Sydney resisted the urge to giggle again, pleasantly distracted by the soldier's movements behind him. The man had quietly settled on the grass and hesitantly reached out to pull the smaller man back into an embrace.
"Except the lights," Ashley stoically agreed. Sydney was perfectly happy as he rested his head against Ashley's shoulder. The man's voice a low murmur in his ear. He was held closely by the knight's very warm arms and the feel the older man's chest against his back sent tiny shivers down his spine. He was willing to listen to anything at all, provided that he didn't have to move. Ashley shifted a little, finding a position that wouldn't be too uncomfortable to hold, ruefully wishing for a tree or a stump to lean on.
// Wait, why don't I just...//
The knight allowed himself to lean back and relax against the smooth side of the new boulder, keeping his mage close to his chest. The man offered a small laugh at the development but offered no complaint about the disruption of his "garden."
"Sydney... are you OK?" Ashley gave the younger man a slight squeeze, and smiled when his arms and hands were caressed in return. "For a second there I thought I had finally driven you to the brink," he commented lightly.
"Never..." Sydney took the opportunity to lean back and nuzzle the large man's neck, humming happily in the back of his throat. "You... you just never do what you're supposed to, that's all... I never know what to expect... I was expecting any number of things... but not 'Where's the outlet?' It kind of caught me by surprise..."
"You mean you gaped like a fish out of water."
Sydney pouted again, "Well maybe, but it's not nice to say it."
"This place is very nice." Ashley rested his chin on top of the blonde's head and fell silent, not knowing what else to say.
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// Not tonight you don't... absolutely no sulking, it's not on my agenda. //
Sydney allowed himself a moment more to recover before taking steps to curb his partner's predisposition towards pensiveness. He then proceeded to prod the man with a not-so-gentle elbow.
"Don't fall asleep on me yet, old man, I haven't given you the tour."
Ashley blinked stupidly. "Tour?" Sydney laughed and stood, offering a hand to the knight.
"Don't worry, it'll take about three minutes."
"Hnnn."
"Let's see, you've already found out about the drainage, and the shape of the falls I copied directly. I liked it too much to tinker. I made the pool a bigger, I don't know why, aesthetics I suppose." The mage gestured vaguely towards the edge of the ravine, "Over there I made a little shelter thing, storage really, for ... stuff... towels and the like."
// Containing mostly bedding at this point but there's no need to tell /him/ that. 'Twould only make him nervous. //
"Good idea." The fighter listened with half an ear and the younger man continued. The woods seemed unusually warm, or perhaps that was just his reaction to being so close to the blonde. He kicked himself to pay more attention.
"And that's pretty much it." Sydney observed him candidly.
"What?"
"Well, shall we try it?"
Ashley's mind went blank as his hormones threatened to take over. He desperately went over the past few minutes in his mind to attempt to find an alternate meaning to the loaded question.
// I think...// Ashley's eyes narrowed in realization. //I know he did that on purpose... he knew I wasn't paying attention... //
In a fit of arbitrariness the knight shrugged, loading his answer. "It'll be fun." He got the distinct satisfaction of seeing the mage blush slightly. It made the blonde look almost cute, a far cry from his usual arrogant pose. The younger man swallowed quietly.
"I'll just get the towels..."
// /Swimming/? I just talked myself into /swimming/? Dahhh! //
This time Ashley did smack himself, his palm making a strangely satisfying sound as it met his forehead. It was followed by the impact of soft cloth as a rolled-up towel pegged him in the nose.
"Hey!" Ashley untangled himself from the towel in time to hear a splash; the mage was already in the water. Sighing in defeat, the knight draped the towel on the rock and pulled his shirt off, followed by his boots. A glance at the water showed Sydney already happily paddling around the base of the waterfall, the flash of pale skin reminding the soldier that perhaps this needed to be a 'pants on' event.
// Down boy... swimming, you know, water sports, innocent play... people go swimming all the time, you probably did it every summer when you were a kid... So don't read too much into this. Just because he's out there, wet, warm... /stop it/. //
Ashley's face was decidedly strained as he waded into the water, and not just from bracing for the biting cold he remembered, but it never came. The water was mild--not warm, but neither was it painfully cold. Grinning in amusement, he waded into the deeper water quickly, and submerged himself, slicking his hair back out of the way.
// Of course he'd make it warmer... he thinks of /everything/. //
A few strong strokes took the knight to the base of the small falls, but the blonde was nowhere to be seen. The soldier allowed himself to relax and enjoy the moment; propelling himself under the rushing rivulets of water and letting them flow over his torso. The water was at its deepest under the falls but Ashley treaded water easily, even with the force of the water on his shoulders. He was fine, at least, until a sharp tug on his ankle dragged him under with a yelp.
The water was frothy with air as he opened his eyes, trying to spot his assailant. Surely enough he reached out and caught a pale arm and after a fierce watery struggle he dragged his captive to the surface, imprisoning both of the blonde's smaller hands against his chest in one of his own. The younger man was left with no choice but to lean into him for balance as he treaded water. Sydney was gasping for air and grinning like a maniac.
"Tell me that wasn't fun!" The mage shouted over the rush of the water. His pale hair was slicked flat to his head, his eyes full of laughter. To Ashley's biased opinion, the blonde resembled some sort of nymph, his delicate aristocratic features made almost inhuman with the sheen of the water. Ashley's entire world reduced to the silvery colors in front of him. Sydney's skin, hair, and eyes seemed to glow in the white light.
"Fun? You tried to drown me." His voice was surprisingly calm as he located a foothold on the rocky wall and braced them both against it, pinning the mage in place.
"I wouldn't have let anything bad happen, you know that." Sydney attempted to weasel away, but found himself trapped. The knight's eyes looked to promise playful revenge.
Ashley's original intention had been to tickle his captive senseless, and had released the mage's hands, about to start on the ribs, when he found he didn't want to. Sydney's body was pressed tightly against his in glorious intimacy, and his recent squirming had only helped to emphasize that he was blissfully and completely naked. The younger man was also either completely unaware of the effect he was having on the soldier, or a better actor than Ashley gave him credit for. For a moment it didn't matter; the arm that had been trapping the blonde's hands snaked around the mage's chest, the other captured his face and tilted it up. Sydney's eyes were bright and suddenly very wide as he relaxed into the knight's grip. The kiss when it came was electric.
Their mouths clashed and locked hungrily, Sydney's arms quickly wrapped around Ashley's neck and provided the smaller man some desperately needed leverage against the onslaught. The feelings that swept the pair were almost frenzied as they clung to each other beneath the waterfall. They barely broke for breath between kisses, too interested in exploring one another's mouths to concern themselves with more trivial things. Their previous kisses had ranged from chaste to soulful, but never had they allowed their raw need to control them before. It was a little thing, really, that broke them apart in the end. Sydney, desperate to be closer to his captor, gave in to the urge to wrap his long legs about the knight's hips, bringing their bodies in closer contact. Ashley couldn't help but flinch at the feeling, moaning deep into the blonde's mouth. However, the new position provided less support from the wall, and they slowly began sinking, neither willing to let go of the other in order to tread water properly. Sydney, realizing he was to blame for their predicament, broke the kiss off before they slipped below the surface and pulled away a little, allowing the older man to get his bearings. The blonde couldn't help but laugh, even with his body aching with need.
"Wow." He chuckled. "That was definitely worth waiting a year and a half for."
Ashley grinned sheepishly, slicking his hair back again, and then frowned as his distracted brain finished deciphering his mage's comment. "Year and a ... you knew this would happen /that/ long ago?!"
"This precisely? No. Now precisely? No. But a general idea, yes." Sydney latched onto the fighter once more, his voice low.
The knight suppressed a possessive growl and, after quickly debating his options, began to backstroke to the closest shore, pulling the mage with him. In a matter of minutes they were safely on dry land, the blonde lying bonelessly beneath him as he traced the fine features with a gentle finger. "What /did/ you know, Sydney." Ashley's voice was infinitely tender.
The mage closed his eyes with an ageless smile. "I knew that you were the one I was meant to fall in love with... The one I would follow even after death. I knew that you would be the constancy I've always yearned for, my opposite yet equal in so many ways... brother-in-arms, friend, and lover... and I dreamt that your kisses would be like no other... and they are... you are..."
"Hush." The knight cut him off with a kiss, which led to another, and others still; this time there was no threat of drowning to cool their ardor. But a little later they broke to breathe once more, and once more it was Sydney who laughed.
"Ashley?"
"Hmmm?"
"Why were you swimming while wearing your pants?" The blonde smothered his chuckles in the dark man's shoulder.
"Hush, whelp." Ashley thought a moment and grinned. "I guess I didn't want you thinking I was trying to seduce you..."
Sydney laughed again. "After waiting for you for a whole year, I'd hardly call it seduction, Riskbreaker."
The older man chuckled ruefully and kissed his forehead. "I'm sorry I was so dense."
"It doesn't matter... oh, and Ashley?"
"Hmmm?"
"Take off the /damn/ pants."
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Owari!
^o^
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