Salina – soon aptly shortened to Sali considering her size - conquered the famed Scions of the Seventh Dawn with one tiny meow and adorable yawn. When Senri, a proud father – as G'raha couldn't help but think with an enamored snicker – carried the kitten into the Annex's dining room for breakfast, their friends positively gushed, gathering around the Warrior and pretty much gawking at the animal.
That's when Sali yawned and meowed… dealing inhumane damage to the brave fighters. A short fight broke out between Alisaie and Thancred about who could carry the kitten – instantly cut by Y'shtola's narrowed stare… and Sali spent the breakfast exploring the marvel of sorceress's robes on Seeker's lap, under her careful care and Senri's watchful gaze – not to mention the Warrior's absolutely cute pout. G'raha had the temerity to at least pretend that he wasn't constantly looking toward the kitten… mostly, at least.
The pleasant chat between their group was however soon disturbed when Krile arrived and announced that apparently, they were 'summoned' before the Forum – which was quite a surprise considering she had a problem getting those people to listen to their cause before. Electing their representatives to face the ruling body of the Old Sharlayan was quite quick: Alphinaud, for his diplomatic skills, Senri for his fame, and Y'shtola to keep the Warrior in line (his Snark was still fuming at Fourchenault Levellieur and the man disowning the twins at Lotus Stand in Gridania). They left right after the meal and G'raha – noticing Alisaie's scowl at the reminder – asked the girl for help with looking through the pile of things his Warrior purchased for Salina… which worked wonders to cheer the girl up.
Going back to the bedroom he was to share with his mate during their stay in the city – he was as well quite glad to have an excuse to avoid leaving the compound just yet and face the harsh realities of the city. During their tour yesterday with Senri and Krile, he was almost too aware of many, many too familiar faces. At the harbor – when they arrived and decided to split up to meet at the Annex later – he couldn't help but notice the presence of the women who took such… great pleasure in ruining his reputation – even if they seemed to completely missed him, having eyes only for his famous lover. Like all too many people present at the harbor.
There was some comfort in showing Senri around the city – with a plan to eventually show his lover his favorite places at a later time when they have a free moment to do so alone – even if he quickly grew unnerved by too many looks and whispers once he was recognized. It was a strange feeling – making him all too aware that here only a bit over six years passed since he left – while for him it was so much longer. Between the stunned looks at the change in the color of his eyes and the presence of his tall companion – it still didn't take long for the gazes to take the all-too-familiar nasty edge – seizing him up like a piece of meat… And despite the years upon years since then… he couldn't help the bile rising in the back of his throat.
His memory all too easily slipped into the reminder of those looks, the nasty offers, and barely veiled sneers and whispers… Until Senri almost as if reading his mind pounced as soon as the door of their temporary bedroom closed behind them and in his sweet, possessive way spend the rest of the day and most of the evening blowing his mind – drowning his distress in the whispers of his love and devotion while taking him time after time to reassure his claim. And he loved every second of that – knowing that no matter what, his beautiful beast would tear apart anyone who would dare to touch him – and feeling safe, loved, and wanted in its grasp.
Now, settling down inside their room with Alisaie who snickered quietly at his constant distraction with the kitten, he couldn't help but blush, clearing his throat.
"Why do you suppose the Forum suddenly changed their mind?" he asked to take her attention off his involuntary fawning while Sali curiously explored the considerable pile of things his lover bought for her. Between the many, many different types of foodstuffs and snacks, each marked as 'the best' for kittens, there were at least a few different types of lairs and different amenities for cat owners… which apparently Senri, having no clue, but getting all too eager, let the traders toss at him with. But considering his lover had absolutely no idea of the worth of gil, it was a given.
Back in Eorzea, after returning and reacclimating to the Source and his new-old body, as the one most often at his Warrior's side while leaving the compound, he quickly noticed Senri's lack of knowledge in that area. Not that his lover was to blame in that – as seemingly none of the traders faced with the Warrior of Light dared to demand proper prices for their stocks. When asked about it, Y'shtola shrugged helplessly and explained that it was nearly always the case with Senri.
Before he became famous as Warrior – according to her – Minfilia and Tataru handled the trading and simply supplied the Scions with whatever they needed. Before that even, it was the females who handled the trading at Senri's tribe, too. And when he did became known as the Warrior… the merchants were falling over themselves to have him involuntarily promote their stores – insanely lowering the prices to lure him in. And as his fame grew… it only got worse. Not that G'raha didn't understand that either – there was hardly a better commercial for a trader than having the hero known all over the world using or wearing the offered by them gear – or simply being seen coming frequently by their stores.
In Revenant Toll it was a similar case with all of the Scions, really – as he realized soon after the earring purchase despite originally thinking that it was that female's influence.
Now, as apparently the news of their arrival spread like a wildfire through the city of scholars and Senri went to the markets alone to surprise him – the merchants were all too eager to shove their goods at him – resulting in a huge amount of unnecessary things.
"No idea," Alisaie sighed, piling aside every different kind of lair. "Twelve forfend… Senri really went overboard with all of this!"
"Eh, you know him and shopping," he shrugged helplessly, stacking up the toys – a relative mountain of them – and distracting Sali by offering her a furry ball a proper size for a such small kitten. Grinning when she first sniffed at it to soon pounce and roll over with it… he barely stopped himself from gushing embarrassingly. Alisaie had no such resistance, squealing with delight at the sight. G'raha snickered mercilessly, earning an indignant glare from his friend. "Apparently he wanted to make her a surprise, so he went alone," he added quickly with a chuckle. "With no one there to curb in the merchants in their… schemes, and him having no idea what's proper for her size and age… Well, you can see the result," he made a wide gesture over the sprawling pile.
"Mhmm," she sighed, still slightly blushing as she focused on sorting through it again. Then she suddenly grew serious and tossed him a careful look. "How are you, by the way? Being back here, I mean?" she asked carefully.
"It's…" he looked away, clearing his throat as his tail involuntarily swiveled with agitation before he could stop it – though, funnily, catching Sali's attention and earning her adorable pounce. Both snickered at that, and he instantly relaxed with a tiny sigh. "…well, it's not pleasant, to be frank with you. But having Senri… helps. And I do not have… the best memories of this place," he admitted, shifting uncomfortably to sit cross-legged and focusing on piling up the different-colored collars.
"Yeah, I know," Alisaie said quietly, then sighed and left her task to fold her hands in her lap – something almost like guilt flashed in her eyes, earning his confused frown. "I promised not to tell you… but, ah, the first day after we came back to the Source I pulled Krile's tongue about you, Raha," she admitted, looking him right in the eyes fearlessly. "I mean… earlier I didn't even know that she knew you… and I was curious. I… heard the rumors about you, before leaving here with Alphinaud, I mean… I guess… that's why I reacted so badly in the First," she dropped her gaze. "It took me a while to recognize your name but when I did… I was worried that you're… that you were playing Senri. He was so… over the moon for you, even before that. And…"
"It's okay," he simply smiled with reassurance, then shrugged slightly. "I would have to be blind not to notice by now how protective all of you are of him, Ali. And I can only appreciate that, honestly. All of you were a family to him for a long before I re-entered the picture… I just hope that you know by now… all those rumors were unfounded," he looked away with a sigh. "I was… made an offer I refused and…"
"I know," she said quietly and held his gaze when he looked back with raised eyebrows. "Krile… also know of it, Raha. She's not stupid and she told me that when she heard of it… she investigated intending to have some words with whoever was spreading this… bullshit. But then she found out… and yeah," she sighed with resignation. "She couldn't risk her grandfather's organization name by going openly against that bitch, so she… never mentioned that instead."
G'raha blinked at that as his throat tightened painfully. That Krile would even bother… was enough, really. Mentally noting to talk with her about it given occasion, he focused his gaze back on the pile between them.
"It… doesn't matter anymore, anyway," he said softly. "I can just hope… none dares to say anything of such nature around Senri."
"Oh, I hope they do," Alisaie snickered mercilessly. "It's a painful way to go… but…" she shrugged carelessly under his narrowed look. "Come on, Raha! Some obviously deserve that! That bitch especially… You saw her at the harbor, right? Mooning over Senri so hard it was embarrassing to watch," she rolled her eyes, putting her hands behind her and leaning back on her arms. "Actually lucky for her, I think. I saw his gaze when he noticed her… and my, but she had no idea how close she was to being torn to pieces," she snickered quietly again. "I think if she as much as looked toward you instead… Well, it would hurt… None of them ever are, honestly, letting the easy smile lull them into the feeling of safety… It's almost scary."
"That's what makes him so incredibly dangerous," he admitted with a hum of consideration. "Especially now, with Ares's gift at hand."
"Mhmm," she frowned, then snickered suddenly. "Well, if we have here suddenly an unprecedented wave of suicides, I wouldn't be surprised. Or especially minded, honestly."
"Alisaie!" he scowled automatically, though at some level… he wouldn't, either.
"What?" she frowned, straightening and crossing her arms over her chest while rising her eyebrows pointedly. "I don't mean only you and your situation, Raha. Even young as I was back then, I heard plenty of what people here get up to between their studies. And don't forget my father's position… There were plenty of complaints and accusations coming to Forum from the Studium. Plenty of professors and students were being 'discharged' for one disgusting reason after another! I don't know what it is about this place… But honestly, leaving was a relief."
"I know what you mean," he sighed tiredly, running his fingers through his hair. "It's the disproportion of power, I guess…"
"Actually…" she smirked suddenly, leaning toward him. "…There's been something I literally always wanted to ask you about!"
"Huh?" he frowned, tilting his head curiously.
"The very first thing I've heard of you," she grinned, stretching her fingers toward him between them. "Was that you actually glued the professor by the arse to a privy! Gods, but I had such a laugh about it!" she snickered, wiggling her white eyebrows meaningfully. "What was that about…? I don't think you even attended the Studium back then…"
He laughed involuntarily at the reminder, putting Sali between his crossed legs.
"I didn't," he admitted. "I was… wicked white, fifteen at the time…? It feels so incredibly long ago now," he sighed wistfully, delicately rubbing his fingertips over the kitten's head until she purred blissfully, curling in his lap. "But that man was famous around the city for despising Miqo'te students if I remember correctly. He would grade them lower for no reason or make girls cry with his rude remarks… So a group of them approached me with a plan to bring him down a peg. Since I was already famously untouchable under Baldesion's care – they figured if they pay me, I won't mind helping them to teach that man a lesson in good manners. I did them one better," he shrugged slightly, blushing involuntarily. "I was quite… wild, back then. I thought – naively - that any attention was better than none, what I was used to. So, yeah… since I thought their plan was quite boring – I stalked the man, learning his routines – and given some… proper stealth and no small amount of glue…" he shrugged again, but grinned when Alisaie rolled over with laughter at the meaningful wiggle of his eyebrows.
"Did they pay you afterward?" she asked with a chuckle.
"They tried, but I had so much fun… eh, I didn't take it," he shrugged again, focusing on the kitten. "And maybe…" he sighed softly. "…I guess, I kind of hoped they'll… well, like me for that. They didn't, predictably, but…"
"Morons," Alisaie snapped with a scowl and he looked up with surprise. "What…? They were… Well, I know it's late to say it… But I do think it was… beyond hilarious, Raha. And… I regret that I wasn't brave enough to approach you then… We would be unstoppable together!" she grinned and he chuckled involuntarily, somehow… touched that she even considered that. "And gods… can you imagine if Senri was here, too?"
He tried… and soon both burst into uncontrollable laughter.
Struggling to keep on as innocent look as possible when their group returned to Baldesion Annex and relayed the Forum's… 'request' to others, T'senri was internally laughing his ass off at the situation.
It worked out better than expected, Ares chuckled when he headed toward their bedroom. Raha apparently went there with Alisaie after breakfast – according to Urianger – and both weren't seen since then despite the lunchtime passing in the meantime.
Told you, he barely contained a snigger. Dressing up as Fandaniel was a stroke of genius if I can say so myself. Too bad about that Katla-bitch, though… I honestly hoped she'll last longer, he frowned involuntarily and instantly smoothed his expression with a trademark grin. Barely a few bells and she offed herself… Wuss. Ah, well… at least beforehand she blamed it on the 'Fandaniel.' Figures that the assholes reconsider their position on our presence when faced with one of their own meeting a gruesome end at the hands of an Ascian, right?
The immortal simply hummed with agreement when T'senri opened the door and stepped inside the bedroom. Finding Raha alone, sprawled on the floor between the nest and the table in the middle of the room on his stomach and playing with their Princess… he grinned involuntarily, incredibly pleased with himself now at his idea of getting the kitten. He never had a pet before… but seeing his lover's expression when he woke up to her – instantly had the Warrior in love with the cat… if for that smile on Raha's face alone.
"What a sight," he hummed, grinning even wider when Raha blushed beautifully, pushing a small grey ball for Sali to pounce at adorably.
"I adore her," his lover chuckled sheepishly, watching the kitten play as he rested his chin on his palm. "Why the summons?" he asked, raising his eyebrows expectantly.
"Well…" using his mate's position, he shamelessly fell to his knees, then crawled on top of him, bracing his weight around him, but nuzzling against his neck insistently as he rutted into his delectable behind meaningfully. "…apparently Fandaniel paid Old Sharlayan a visit last night, my heart," carefully keeping his tone neutral, he delicately pushed his lover's tail from between them. "And they suddenly realized that having an insane Ascian running amok… wasn't so pleasant."
"Did he…?" Of course… his brilliant Raha instantly tossed him a deadpan stare, but didn't even look surprised… what's more, tilted his head in invitation and purred teasingly… which instantly had T'senri painfully aroused. Not the one to waste his lover's generosity, he eagerly tugged at his lover's pants while spreading affectionate, grateful kisses over his neck. Lifting off him enough to almost violently push his pants down to his knees, soon to be followed by doing the same with his own. Eagerly pulling him back to his knees while scrambling for oil… he almost literally expired when Raha arched his back in a shameless invitation, tossing him a playful smirk and heated look over his shoulder.
Loving the daring mood of his mate, he oiled his fingers, then settled over his back with a choked whine, praying for restraint as he set to work his beautiful body into submission as the scent of his lover's arousal assaulted his sensitive nose. Nuzzling against Raha's neck affectionately while his ears twitched eagerly at his lovely soft mewls as his lover eagerly pushed back against his fingers… He groaned helplessly, and almost too quickly pulled his hand back to wrap it around his mate's hip and hold still as he slowly sank his cock inside him with a blissed-out whimper at the too-hot, tight squeeze around it.
"…oh, fuuuck…" Raha gasped, resting his flaming face in the arms crossed under his head.
"Mmm, yesss…" he purred, placing a fond kiss on his lover's neck while almost vibrating with the need for friction. "That's the… i-idea, my perfect Raha," he growled softly, then pulled back with a choked whine to again slide into that incredible heat. Setting a slow, steady pace, he pressed tightly against his mate's back when his tail coiled possessively around his waist, only rolling his hips as he took him. Listening to his almost musical mewls and whimpers, and feeling him eagerly rock back against each stroke… he rewarded his lover's generosity by sneaking his hand under him and wrapping it around his straining dick, pumping it in tandem with his thrusts. "You're so good to me, my heart," he groaned deeply, burying his face against his mate's neck as he couldn't help but speed up when Raha mewled breathlessly and arched under him at the touch.
"…harder…" his mate demanded with a whimper, pushing up to raise on all fours and T'senri complied with a choked snarl, pulling his collar back and biting him as he slammed into him with the next stroke, both tearing a string of choked shouts and a keening whimper from his beautiful prince's throat. Soon taking him brutally as his noises increased with that tantalizing keening edge, fighting his body as his own orgasm clawed at the base of his spine… he groaned with relief into his bite when Raha mewled desperately and came, shuddering and gasping his name in tiny whines of bliss. Letting go off his twitching flesh, T'senri hooked his hand over his lover's hip, pushing and pulling to bounce him against his now desperate thrusts, whimpering involuntarily at the pressure to snap with a roar as he came so hard his sight went out for a moment. Both gasping and purring their bliss, they collapsed in a heap against the floor and he couldn't help but nuzzle gratefully against his soulmate's neck, grinning involuntarily when Raha shakily pushed his hand back to his head and he felt him tug delicately at his earring.
"Snark… I do not doubt you, ever…" his prince sighed, playing with the crystal delicately. "So… you don't have to lie to me. Or keep me in the dark."
"I know, my heart," he admitted with a sigh, still too blissed out to do more than carefully sneak his arms under his lover's shoulders and snuggle against him tightly, smiling as he tilted his head to watch the kitten still seemingly completely consumed by playing and completely ignoring them. "But it's something… I feel I need to do on my own, Raha. Not on because of what they did to you… but there are so many others here who have been made to suffer for others' entertainment. So much… rot under the pretty veneer. And if by sating my beast I can help our cause here…" he shrugged helplessly, burying his face against his lover's neck.
Raha was quiet for a long moment, then sighed softly and delicately tugged at the earring again.
"I guess… I can understand it, Snark," he whispered. "Just… be careful?"
"I always am," he assured delicately, rubbing the tip of his nose against his throat, then placing a grateful kiss on his mate's skin to pull back, taking him with him and coiling his arms around his chest possessively. "Now… wash, and let us ask Alisaie to watch Sali while you show me your favorite places, Raha?"
"Whatever you wish, my Warrior," his lover chuckled, smoothing his hands over his arms. "But first we will have to return all those… unnecessary things," he pointed toward the big pile of T'senri's purchases and he scowled at that.
"This much?" he sighed with disappointment.
"We have only one kitten, Snark," his mate sniggered quietly, turning his head to toss him a grin. "We hardly need ten lairs for her… or fifteen collars. Plus, some of the snacks are hardly good for a kitten this small."
"I mean…" he placed a delicate kiss on his lover's cheek, then turned his gaze back toward the pile and shrugged slightly. "…who says that we won't need it in the future, right? Once we find the right place back home… Salina sure can use a proper company to play with later… You can hardly expect a princess to be without an entourage and all…"
His lover frowned slightly, turning in his arms to look him in the face and T'senri innocently fluttered his long lashes, biting back a grin.
"Wait… how many cats are you planning to get?" Raha narrowed his eyes at him.
"Who knows…?" he hummed with a shrug.
In his head chasing away an absolutely adorable image of his beautiful prince covered in cute beasts, he placed another kiss on his cheek then pulled his arms back, then stood up, offering his mate his hand and pulling him up to his feet.
"So… shower?" he asked, wrapping his hands around his lover's handsome face and chuckling at his suspicious look.
"I'm serious, Snark… how many?" Raha insisted, wrapping his hands around his wrists.
"As much as it'll take to bring that gorgeous smile you had on this morning," he admitted, leaning in and placing a delicate bite on his pretty lower lip. "And considering all these things barely cost anything… It's not like having as many cats as we like would be expensive, right?"
And for some inexplicable reason, his Raha huffed a laugh at that and rolled his eyes.
"With you? Hardly," he snickered.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he pouted involuntarily, frowning.
"Ah, nothing, my beast," his lover chuckled, then climbed on his toes to give him a quick, delicious kiss. "Shower then, and let us go."
T'senri watched him for a moment suspiciously, then sighed and shrugged, fixing his pants to head toward their bags for a fresh change of clothes. His friends were always so weird about the whole gil thing around him – and Raha suspiciously quickly assimilated to that.
Some adventurers he met along the way sometimes made it sound like gathering gil was a hassle… while he hardly ever could get rid of it, instead. Especially with Tataru mostly providing whatever he needed other than the gear… which was ridiculously cheap.
He forgot all about it when he turned around and saw his lover again busy with the kitten, gathering her in his palms delicately to sit her in set aside lair – apparently one fitting her. Grinning at the sight of his mate's gentleness with the tiny animal and the absolutely adorable way he cooed at her… he decided that at least ten kittens when they're back home – and he finds a proper place for them – would be a good start.
"Oh," he said, remembering suddenly what he was supposed to pass on… before he got distracted. "Krile said to let you know that Forum is granting us full access to their… library, or something?"
"Huh?" his lover straightened and looked at him with surprise. "Noumenon, you mean?"
"Yeah, that!" he snapped the fingers of his free hand, then frowned. "Apparently, she thinks you'll be the best suited to take a look there, while tomorrow me, her, twins, and Y'shtola are going into their underground facilities. That asshole, Fourchenault, is apparently willing to show us around… if in exchange we share with them whatever we know of the ways to safeguard against the Ascians," he snickered involuntarily when his lover sighed and rolled his eyes at him.
"How did you do that, by the way?" his mate asked. "That they blame it on Fandaniel? Suggestion?"
"Nah," he shrugged, then pointed toward the box in a far corner of the room. "Damon made me a copy of Ascian robes and Fanny's mask specifically, just in case."
"…'Fanny'?" Raha snorted at that inelegantly and T'senri grinned toothily, waving his tail playfully. "Aren't you… I don't know, worried that he takes offense to take the blame and really shows up?"
Let him try, Ares huffed with indignation.
"Not really," he shrugged, chuckling quietly. "Ares isn't his biggest fan, it seems. If he does show up…" he trailed off, letting the immortal take over.
"…he's dead meat," Ares finished haughtily, then scoffed. "…he has his role to play in what's to come – but I won't suffer him around Senri or you. And as I'm quite quickly learning from my boy, there are more than a few interesting ways to keep him… otherwise occupied if he does deem to make an appearance."
Switching back, he chuckled again when Raha arched an eyebrow at him, heading around him to reach for his bag.
"He does sound quite… miffed with Fandaniel," his lover commented. "Why that is?"
"No clue," he shrugged helplessly. "It's one of those things that he's like… 'you'll see soon enough' about. Damon didn't mention them ever having a brawl or something?"
"I don't suppose 'brawls' were a thing back then," his mate hummed with consideration, then fell silent for a moment. "Ah, he says it's complicated… but Ares has a good reason to be, I quote, pissed off with Fandaniel specifically, not exactly his original incarnation from their times. So I suppose, whatever reason – it's about something that will happen, not already happened."
He's right? He asked his immortal passenger.
He is, Ares admitted, sounding reluctant. But I'll say no more about it, my boy.
T'senri rolled his eyes at his lover's curious look and shrugged, heading toward the door.
"Yeah… Damon also doesn't want to explain," Raha sighed, falling in step with him.
"Whatever it is, if they meet," he said with a chuckle, wrapping his arm around his lover's shoulders when they left their room and headed toward Alisaie's. "My money on Ares kicking Fanny's ass."
Damn right, his immortal snigger was downright evil, when Raha snorted a laugh at that, then nodded with agreement.