In the depths of his heart, G'raha Tia was a romantic.

As a boy, growing up in Old Sharlayan and being shunned for his mismatched eyes, he buried himself in piles of books about heroics and developed a hunger for great adventure... a grand destiny... Not as a hero, he wouldn't tend to think of himself as high as that... or at least wouldn't admit it, even to himself.

During long, lonely years of his vigil upon the First Reflection, he often wondered if that was what truly led him to seal himself away inside the Crystal Tower. At his weakest, in the moments when the feelings of isolation and loneliness tore at his soul, he wished he had never picked up a book in his life.

He wondered… how different would his life had been, if he hadn't been born with that cursed Allagan Eye… If he was allowed to stay with his tribe, allowed a normal life so many of his breathren enjoyed without a thought to the destiny of the star of its shards.

He wondered… if he hadn't sealed himself away, would he have been allowed to find his soulmate? That one soul that would fit with his perfectly, would chase away his loneliness. One he could love and cherish… and who would love him back.

Before the Tower, when he met and befriended Astra, the Warrior of Light, he was almost disappointed when at first touch – when she shook his hand with an easy grin – his mating mark didn't appear. A mix-race mating wasn't unheard of, after all, if rare and not really desired for Seekers of the Sun (since only the Seeker in question would receive the mark, and all of its side effects). It took him years to understand that what he felt for her wasn't love, not even infatuation, but a worship to what she represented… a hero, a brave soul who stood against the darkness without fear; a symbol for others to put their hopes upon for a better tomorrow.

In the end they became best friends and he was glad for his sacrifice. For a chance to save her and both the Source and the First.

And after he came back to the Source in a way, thanks to Astra fusing his soul and memories with his younger, unbound self… Finally to his unending enthusiasm being able to join Astra on her next adventure… he was elated. More than that! And if sometimes he would catch himself staring a little bit too long at Seekers they met along the way… catch himself unconsciously finding excuses to steal a quick, unnoticeable touch… just to see, just wondering… his tired, lonely soul yearning, wishing, hoping… He rarely admitted that weakness even to himself.

When their effort to stop the Final Days and defeat Meteion brought them to Ultima Thule, and their friends sacrificed themselves one after another to pave the way for their Champion to walk upon toward victory, toward a better tomorrow… When his turn arrived and even as he spoke the necessary words to the Omicron's leader… he convinced himself he had no regrets. When the cloud of dynamis swirled around him and he looked back at his friends, Astra, Alisaie and Alphinaud… heard them scream his name… he smiled, truly believing all of this was worth it, believing it wasn't truly over, as a promise he made with his best friend rang in his ears, in his mind…

And when he closed his eyes, his fused soul melting… he pretended it didn't utter a last, desperate cry for what it missed, yearned for… His consciousness fading before he could hear a weak, distant answer across time and space… or feel the tug.


It didn't take G'raha long to figure out that wherever he woke up next, it wasn't Eitherys. He was beyond confused at first, his sensitive nose burning with the stench that seemed to fill the very air around him, blinking hard with his teary, crimson eyes and staring numbly at the dark, starless sky peeking between tall, square buildings that towered over him.

What the…?

For the next few bells he tried to orient himself, which quickly led him to a few conclusions. One, no matter if this world was one of the Reflections or not, it seemed to be filled only with Hyurs… or at least beings that closely reminded him of them. Two, after stopping a few of the… specimens and being stopped by few in turn… he realized they did not use the Common Tongue, which wasn't really surprising, to be honest… Their language sounded like gibberish in his ears, and was quickly giving him a headache. He also couldn't understand the written word, it seemed, strange symbols decorating nearly every surrounding surface, on posters and formed by flashing lights in the darkness.

The strange city he found himself in, eerily enough brought him back memories of city recreated by Emet-Selch in the depths of Tempest on the First, if in a size more fitting to its Hyur-like citizens. And it was much more lively, he thought, passing multiple Hyurs seemingly in a rush even though it seemed to be in the middle of the night, judging by the barely visible sky. To his surprise, very few even seemed to notice him or his distinctive features. Few would see his ears and tail and at most toss an amused look his way and call him something in that irritating language, some even pointing fingers with a laugh… But there was no shock, no fear that he could see.

Maybe the people of this world were used to guests from the other shards, he mused, forcing himself not to clench his fingers around his nose.

Twelve, the stench was truly awful!

The noise as well, he had his ears laid flat against his head whole time. Strange looking, square-like mounts whizzed passed him, creating an unbearable cacophony mixing with sounds bearing at him from every direction… people of this world talking, laughing, screaming and shouting as they passed by, moving pictures on the walls screeching in that gibberish tongue nearly on all sides…

Gods, maybe it was one of the seven hells…?

With each passing moment, his distress grew till he stepped inside a dark alley, leaning his arms against a dirty wall of a sky-high building and tried to catch his breath and chase away rising panic, his tail falling to coil tightly around his right leg in defense.

He had no idea how or why he was here… Or where he was at all. He had no idea what happened to the Scions… To their world or their fight… And he had no idea what to do to get back there!

He was well and truly lost.

Then, when he hung his head between his arms with a whimper, suddenly a different smell cut through the surrounding stench and he froze, his eyes shooting wide open, his pupils dilitating..

It was so… different. Weak and barely there, but… like something of a citrus, somehow so… fresh and clean against the smoke that seemed to permanently fill the air of this world. So sweet and… delicious.

G'raha frowned when his mouth watered, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, trying to locate the direction the smell was coming from… and ignoring the shudder it sent down his spine. He almost whined when it grew weaker, its source seemingly moving away. Unable to help himself, he straightened and followed it.


He almost lost track of that smell a few times, but in the end it led him to a patch of trees in this Twelve forsaken, dreary city. Big patches of green grass, spread out trees and bushes looked almost unnatural considering their their proximity to the city, which surrounded them; a few people were milling about paved pathways and taking seats on wooden benches, chatting and laughing. More than a few of them were clearly inebriated, pointing fingers at him as he passed them by and snickering, shouting something in their strange language.

He ignored it, beelining after the citrus smell with determination. It was the only pleasant thing he encountered in this world so far… and it made him curious… hungry… And it's not like he had any idea what else to do anyway.

It led him to a small figure slumped on one of the benches, a woman, though he couldn't see her features as she seemed to curl into herself, seemingly completely miserable as she coiled her arms around her knees, burying her face in them. Her hair was bright with light falling on it from tall lamps overhead, looking almost like spun gold, pulled back in a long braid falling over her back.

He hesitated, swallowing tightly and unsure what to do, but another deep breath and that smell had him nearing her almost unconsciously, with uncertainty he kneelt by her feet and stared at her lowered head, trying to figure out how to… offer comfort when he had no hope of communicating with her…

"I don't have anything on me worth robbing so you can just move along, asshole, before I use my mace," she murmured into her arms and he gasped, staring as his jaw dropped.

He could understand her!

"Hello?" he said experimentally, watching her with wonder.

"I said, leave me alone!" she snapped, then lifted her head and dark-green eyes looked up at him with anger in their depths… before shooting wide open. "Holy fuck! That's a really amazing cosplay!"

He blinked hard, tilting his head as he lifted to stand up and stare down at her with confusion.

"A what?" he asked finally with a frown.

She didn't seem to hear him, her eyes tracking over his whole body and clothes with clear wonder and amusement as she lifted off the bench with a grin.

"Shit, that outfit is really amazing! Must have cost you a fortune!" she said, grabbing him at the hem of his vest and he was too stunned to protest, his ears rising and twitching as giddiness bubbled up in his chest. Twelve, he found someone who he could understand! And she… smelled really good. Really… so good… Actually… her citrus smell was doing funny things to his insides.

"Can you understand me?" he asked, clearing his throat and trying to ignore how his heart was suddenly getting really loud for some reason.

"Yeah, sure," she said distractedly, staring at his ears with a wide grin. Standing upright, she was his height, or barely an ilm smaller at most. Her features were quite delicate, with her green eyes surrounded by thick, long lashes and full lips that looked very… tasty. He blinked hard at the thought, then to his mortification felt a blush climb his face, hoping the poor light would hide it. "Damn, I've never before even met someone in real life who also plays Fourteen, much less a fellow G'raha fan!" she laughed, sound so pleased it had his ears stand up in attention. "Getting dressed up like this… boy, but you must be rich to be able to afford it! And those ears! So realistic! Where can you even find something like this…" she said and before his confusion at hearing her use his name cleared, her hand shoot up, fingers closing around after mentioned appendage. "Oh…"

He wondered numbly which one of them was more stunned: her as her eyes shot veeery wide open and her jaw dropped, probably feeling very real flesh and fur under her fingers. Or him, when a sudden burn on his shoulder had him utter a tiny hiss, all air escaping his lungs in a rush.

It can't be...

"Holy fuck, it really… feels real," she whispered, rubbing the shell of his ear in-between her fingers and gaping with astonishment. Then her eyes dropped to his and he must have scared her somehow because she pulled her hand back quickly, blushing furiously and looking anywhere but at him. "Sorry, I didn't meant to be rude. It's just… a really amazing costume!" she assured with another grin, though there was a clear glint of uncertainty in her eyes when they met his gaze again. "I didn't know there's a convention in the city, but if you're aiming for the best cosplay contest, I'm sure you have first prize nailed down handily!"

Blinking hard again, unsure… he tilted his head, pulling on his collar and looking at his shoulder with a frown… his eyes narrowed at the sight of the black, coin-size mark on his skin. He looked back at the girl with wide-eyed astonishment.

She was… his…? It couldn't be…

"Something wrong?" she frowned, backing away slightly and biting her lips with uncertainty. "Please tell me you're not a crazy person or something… I had enough of a hellish day as it is…"

"I'm a bit… lost," he said finally, smiling sheepishly and trying to look as reassuring as possible. "You're the first person in this city I can actually understand so if you would be so kind as to help me find a way back to my friends, I would very much appreciate that."

"First person you can understand?" she frowned with confusion. "Dude, you're English seems perfect. What the hell?"

"My name is not 'Dude'," he frowned now, folding his arms over his chest. "I'm G'raha Tia, and as I've been trying to…"

"Yeah, sure," she sighed with resignation, rolling her eyes. "Just my luck today… Of course the first fellow fan I meet is a crazy person…"

"I'm not crazy," he huffed with offense, narrowing his eyes at her. He felt his tail whip with agitation before he could think to stop it. "Somehow I've ended up here, in this dreary world but I need to go back to my friends, so if you can tell me…"

"Where are your ears?" she said suddenly, staring at him with new focus.

"Huh?" his frown deepening and his ears lowering considerably as he tilted his head with confusion. "What do you mean?"

She motioned wildly toward his head, her face growing pale and her eyes huge.

"Your ears! The real ones!" she sounded a bit… panicky. "I can see the... fakes, but not…" she stared at the side of his face. "Holy… fuck…"

"My ears are fine," he huffed, and as if to prove it, he forced them to rise even though she was quite unnerving to him. "I thought your people are used to guests from different worlds… or at least no one seems upset by my appearance. Even though it seems only Hyurs live here."

"Are you for… real?" she gasped, backing away and pale as a ghost at this point. "You can't… be."

G'raha sighed patiently, lifting his hand to rub his chin with consideration, watching her carefully. Maybe he was wrong and her people weren't used to it…? She seemed upset. And he realized he really didn't like that.

"Let's start over," he said softly, dropping his arms and moving toward her in a slow, non-threatening manner. Trying to ignore how her citrus smell seemed to try to surround him, invading his sensitive nose and setting his blood on fire. "My name is G'raha Tia, and I'm from the Sou… Eitherys. And you are…?"

"A-Angelica… My name is Angelica," she stammered nervously, her eyes so wide and spooked. "But you can't… be G'raha. He's not… real. He's just… a character… in a game."

"Am I?" he raised his eyebrows, his ears twitching with amusement as he stopped right in front of her. Her eyes shoot up to his ears again, growing even wider, then to the side of his face and behind him, focusing with effort on his flicking tail. "I have no idea what happened, but I found myself here, in this world for some reason. And I need to find a way to get back. And you seem to be an only person here who can understand me and who I can understand. So, can you, please, help me?"

Then he gasped, barely managing to catch her as her eyes rolled in the back of her head as she fell unconscious. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against himself and involuntary closed his eyes, taking a deep breath against her throat.

Twelve, she… smelled so utterly delicious… And felt so… right and perfect in his arms… So… his…

Gods… He swallowed hard, looking up at the starless sky as his arms coiled around her tight. He was so screwed… He finally found his match, his soulmate, and as his luck would have it… she was from a completely wrong world!


In the depths of her heart, Angelica Wright, to her online friends known better as 'Surr', was a romantic.

And even though her life sometimes seemed like the end of a bad joke, she tried to stay optimistic… most of the time.

After her parents died in a car accident when she was so little she barely remembered them, and she started to bounce between homes of distant relatives, who never shied away from letting her know exactly what inconvenience and burden she was for them, once she learned to read, she buried herself in books… where silly things like real love and friendships happened. In a fantastical worlds where life was fair and made sense, and had rules and just… wasn't as cruel and meaningless as her life on Earth.

She didn't really have any friends in the real world, because sensing what would happen to her, as soon as she could she started to work, saving and hiding every cent she could. In a way, she wasn't even disappointed when her current guardians at the time kicked her out as soon as their legal responsibility over her ended.

With her savings she managed to survive and even rent a small apartment in the nearby city… a hellish, dirty metropolis she hated with her whole heart. At least growing up mostly in small villages, when it became really hard, she could find small hiding places in nearby forests. Something in the depths of her soul felt calmer and almost at home, surrounded by greenery. In this city, unbearably dirty and crowded as it was, the only place remotely similar was a park a few kilometers away from her home… so even though she knew it was dangerous and stupid, when she couldn't take it anymore, she found herself there, trying to stave of her loneliness and misery with a poor substitute of what she yearned for.

Like this night… when life decided to become yet another cruel joke.

After arriving in the city, she strived to earn her upkeep as best she could, catching any work that she could, but because she lacked any kind of a sensible, helpful, diploma, she mostly ended up doing menial jobs. Working as a waitress was the most common, and she honestly preferred it over some of the others. She even thought her luck was finally turning around when she met and befriended one of her co-workers, Zoey and eventually even started to shyly call her her best friend.

If she was being honest, Zoey impressed her more than a bit. She was loud and outspoken, and she never hesitated to reach for what she wanted. She had many friends and loved to party, and even changed her boyfriends so fast Angelica soon stopped trying to keep track of their names. And she was just… fun to be around. She helped her come out of her shell a bit, even if Angelica still preferred books and a quiet evenings to partying or being surrounded by people. She also still dreamed of finding her one, true love, even if she wouldn't admit it out loud.

Then while at work she met Dylan, a reckless student in a nearby university and for once life seemed to be finally getting on track. After few months he moved in with her, bemoaning living with other students… and her life became hell again.

Growing up, she was used to constant critique, to doing everything for others and never having anyone recognize her efforts. She didn't even mind it much, yearning as much as she did for someone to just… want her. She was used to keeping her distance and not ask for affection… or love… since there was none coming anyway. Only in her books and daydreams such things existed and she understood that. She did!

She had some boyfriends as teenager, though nothing really serious and mostly only because she just grew jealous of other girls, who seemed to have such a good time playing around. It never lasted long, since yeah… her work was always the priority, with what she knew was coming.

But with Dylan, at first she allowed herself to believe that it'll be different this time. That if she puts in enough time and effort, she'll be finally loved. That even though she didn't really feel that… hard about him, she could grow to love him too… eventually.

She was just… so lonely.

But then constant critique and expectations started, not to mention absolutely disappointing sex… since he couldn't be even bothered to try to give her an orgasm, instead blaming it on her 'coldness' and 'rigidity'. But she swallowed her feelings, as she was used to, still naively believing that eventually… someday… maybe… Or maybe she was just too stupidly proud to admit what mistake she had made letting him move in.

Then on a whim she started playing Final Fantasy XIV, her first and only MMORPG and she was lost. She loved the story, as it spoke to her yearning for friends and adventure. She loved the characters, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. And she adored her avatar, Surr, a Seeker of the Sun Miqo'te, an absolutely adorable catgirl with long white hair and dark-purple (her favorite color) eyes. For her, Surr was a character in her own right, a Warrior of Light, so brave and dependable… everything she wasn't.

Soon she spent all of her free time playing, earning more scorn and ridicule from her 'boyfriend' who found her fixation boring and annoying. But for the first time, she didn't care. She made friends in the game, and even joined a FC where everyone was so nice… and didn't laugh when she got excited about most trivial things, about the story parts or when she was gushing over G'raha.

Oh, yeah… G'raha Tia… He was her absolutely favorite character ever! As ridiculous as it sounded, she fell for him at first sight and even was heartbroken when he sealed himself away in the Crystal Tower, disappearing from the story. He just seemed so sweet and perfect for her Surr. And then when he came back with the Shadowbringers expansion… God, had never been so excited and overjoyed before! And he even finally joined the Scions!

Enough said, she was obsessed with him. And she wasn't even embarrassed about it, too! She started to devour all the fanfiction about him, loving every take of the authors, and as sad and unsatisfying her love life was… it didn't take her long to start fantasizing about him in quite… explicit manner. That was so embarrassing, but she just couldn't help herself! He was so… pretty, and sweet, and nice and kind. A hero in his own right, so selfless and honorable. He was perfect… and safe.

She went on like that for more than two years, the game helping her escaped her sad reality and in a way go on in her miserable efforts to make something of her life.

Until tonight, when she came back home exhausted after her shift at the restaurant she worked at, and found her bastard boyfriend in their bed with Zoey, who was supposed to be at home, sick. And as at her outrage they both blamed it on her being so goddamn boring and cold, she just blew up, kicking them both out and demanding they never try to contact her again, tossing his things out of the window in a blind rage.

And the sad part was… she didn't even care that he cheated on her. Not really. At some level she was glad to get rid of him and his constant complaints. She was just so disappointed with… Zoey. And so sad over all the time and effort she wasted on both of them. So after calming down a little, when her misery seemed just unbearable, she grabbed her keys and mace, and went to the only place that remotely offered comfort.

She curled on one of the wooden benches in the park, wrapping her arms around her knees and burying her face in them, and just sat like that… feeling so numb and detached, and wondering why she never felt like she belonged anywhere… Why she couldn't even find it in herself to cry like a normal person would probably do in these circumstances.

Why nobody ever wanted her.

She was really not in a good mood… and then she got the scare of her life!


Her senses were returning gradually and she moaned softly, blinking blearily… and stilling at the sight that met her.

Holy! Fuck! It wasn't a dream!

Or maybe she just snapped… and all of this was some kind of insane delusion. That seemed like the most probable option.

She was laying down, with her head resting in the lap of a veeery real looking G'raha Tia, who was watching her face intently, his vertically slit pupils dilating slightly… crimson eyes surrounded by thick and long, dark-red eyelashes completely mesmerizing her as she just couldn't help but stare, her mouth agape.

"Are you okay?" he asked, placing his hand so delicately against her cheek, his voice so low and soothing it sent a shudder down her spine.

Holy fuck! He was… so gorgeous… so utterly beautiful it was insane! Pixels just couldn't give him the right credit, she thought numbly, just staring and completely speechless.

That's it! She snapped. She went insane and met G'raha Tia at the park… She would have laughed with hysteria if she could. Instead she just blinked at him few times, then lifted her hand and placed it against his cheek in turn, gasping when it didn't pass through him or something.

"You're… real?" she finally stammered, gaping. "You're… the real… G'raha Tia…?"

His eyebrows lifted slightly, a small smile flitting across his gorgeous, plush lips as his ears twitched with amusement.

"I am very… real," he said as if it was possible at all. "And I still need your help to get back to my world."

Angelica blinked again, completely dumbfounded as her eyes tracked over his face carefully. He looked so… real. Was it always like that for insane people with their delusions…? No wonder they had to be locked away! Would she get locked up too…?

"I went crazy," she murmured, then sighed with resignation, closing her eyes and dropping her hand against her stomach. "I went completely, utterly insane. I'm seeing things and now they're gonna lock me up with all the other crazy people and that's… just… my… luck."

"You're not crazy," she heard him say, and yeah, sure, why not. Probably every delusion assured it's host they were completely alright and sane! "I'm very real, and I need…"

She just started to laugh hysterically, shaking all over, and completely overwhelmed.

At least her delusion was beautiful! Even better than the digital version! Go figure, really! She was so horny for him, her mind, when it decided to just give up suddenly, at least it made it worth it!

She sat up suddenly, stunning him by her swift movements, if his tiny gasp was any indication, and turned towards him, staring at him with wonder. She had to admit her mind was very detailed in conjuring him. Everything seemed so real, his red hair pulled back in a braid, with hairpins holding his fringe back; crimson eyes watching her carefully and with a strange, unfamiliar emotion in their depth; clan marks around the base of his nose accented his eyes even more prominently. And those cat-ears, so cute! Even his tail, so red and fluffy looked so real as it flicked next to her slowly.

Honestly, she always thought she was more partial toward Exarch-G'raha, but she guessed her imagination knew better going with the Endwalker one. Hell, not like it mattered anyway! In every version he was gorgeous! She almost wanted to pet her own head and thank her broken mind for spoiling her like this instead of going with something… awful.

Silver lining… right? If she had to go crazy, at least she gets a sexy delusion!

The very real looking G'raha Tia frowned, tilting his head with confusion and maybe even… worry in his eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked with uncertainty. "You still look quite a bit pale and…"

"Never better," she grinned brightly, then promptly moved closer, framing his beautiful face with her palms and slanted her lips over his, swallowing his surprised gasp.

She was insane… and she really didn't give a fuck at this point! May as well just go with it before they find and lock her up, really!


Twelve, her taste…

As shocked as he was at the sudden kiss… as worried at how pale and dazed she looked… G'raha couldn't help himself but return it, sinking his fingers into her hair at the base of her braid and pulling her closer as he devoured her mouth hungrily, whimpering when her taste, so insanely delicious and wrapped with her mouth-watering scent invading his senses, setting his blood on fire as it shoot south, making him dizzy.

He was very far from protesting when she climbed in his lap shamelessly, kissing him as aggressively, as hungrily, stealing his mind, his reason… Instead he growled into her mouth, his hands clenching around her hips when she rocked against him, moaning breathlessly against his lips.

His heart stopped at the sound, then resumed pounding furiously between his ears, filling his mind with hiss and static as he lifted his hand, moving it under her shirt and letting it wrap around her breast, kneading soft flesh gently; he nearly expired when she purred, sinking her fingers in his hair and pulling, tilting his head for easier access as their kiss grew near violent, more of a clash of tongues and teeth than anything else as his mind spun and swam with her taste.

She was his… his, his,his… and she tasted so good, so amazing… and he was drowning and dying, his skin on fire as his cock throbbed painfully in the constraints of his pants; whimpering and whining with need against her lips as she rocked into him, friction on his aching flesh driving him completely out of his mind…

"God, you taste so good… so real…" she gasped softly, raising her head and breaking the kiss, panting harshly against his lips as such clear, maddening lust filled her dark-green eyes. Twelve, he's going to die… G'raha growled mindlessly, his hand shooting off her hip to wrap around the back of her neck and pulling her back, enjoying her soft gasp as he feasted on her mouth again, swallowing her moans and whimpers and shuddering as sounds shoot straight to his dick, making it weep to be inside her.

Blindly, unable to help himself, he moved his hand off of her breast and down to her belly, then tore at the fastening of her pants, snarling when it didn't give way and nearly losing his mind when she giggled, slapping his hand away delicately and opening the stubborn material herself. He didn't need a much more clear invitation, though she still shifted slightly as his hand sneaked under the rough material and her pretty, black panties. He almost lost it completely when he felt on his fingers how soaked she was for him, instead catching her pretty lips in another devouring kiss and swallowing her moan when he sank his digits inside of her, his purr nearly choking him and vibrating on his lips as her hot, tight cunt spasmed around his fingers; he was dying to feel it squeeze like that around his throbbing and eager cock.

She whimpered and whined into his mouth, fisting her hands in his hair and rocking against his touch eagerly, her inner muscles quivering and clenching around his fingers as he pumped them into her roughly, growling wildly when she broke the kiss, arching against him with a choked shout, then shuddering violently as she sagged against him bonelessly. He forced his fingers to slow down, his touch to soften as she rode her high, gasping and mewling softly against his throat.

Twelve, the sounds she made… he was on fire… she's going to kill him…

He whined desperately when he felt her hand move under the waistband of his pants; her quiet, content giggle against his skin robbing him of his mind as much as her touch when she closed her fingers around his dick, pumping along its length as she nipped and nibbled on his throat, altering between soft and sharp bites.

"Have to… give it to my… imagination, this is… awesome!" she said with amusement, then moved up and stared at his face with obvious fascination and lust darkening her green eyes. "Guess it takes an… delusion to give me a… real one…" she snickered, then slanted her mouth over his, swallowing his breathless groan as her hand speed up, soon tearing whines and whimpers from his throat as the heat at the base of his spine grew unbearable. "God, so hot…" she whispered with awe, and he couldn't help but blush under her scrutiny and punish her by resuming movement of his fingers inside her; groaning weakly when it made her hand clench around his flesh.

"Are you going to… disappear if… I take your cock in my mouth, G'raha?" she panted out against his lips, shuddering and rocking against his fingers as her free hand tightened and pulled on his hair, few pins falling and clamoring against the wooden bench. He arched with a whine when her other hand tightened and speed up, his dick leaking pre-cum at this point so much her hand was sliding easily up and down its length. "Will your cum taste as… good… as your… mouth?" she whispered breathlessly, her muscles spasming around his fingers. When her words fully registered amid ringing blaring in his ears, it took everything in him not to come immediately; a tiny, broken whimper tearing from his throat.

Then she froze suddenly and he almost expired, whining with need as he snapped his hips under her, dying for friction. Instead she gasped, then coiled around him tightly, resting her chin against his shoulder and shaking as her other hand moved up, pinning his ears against his head. Then he froze as well, loud laugh and nearing footsteps tearing through the fog filling his mind. He leaned his head against her shoulder, struggling to catch his breath.

From under his lashes he saw a few Hyurs pass by the bench they were occupying, laughing and chatting between each other in that irritating, gibberish tongue and he struggled not to growl at them at the interruption. Especially when he could still feel her wet heat quivering around his fingers as she panted harshly against his throat; her fingers still wrapped, still and delicate now around his cock… He tried not to jerk and twitch under her touch, a dark blush covering his face as he buried it against her throat.

"Twelve…" he gasped, when the Hyurs moved out of earshot. "You're killing me…"

She giggled with such a glee his heart vaulted wildly, his tail thumped loudly against wood, and he couldn't help but grin into her skin.

His soulmate was a tease… and he already loved it.


Deciding that even if she was insane, she didn't really enjoy the thought of being locked up for indiscreet behavior in a park, of all things… with her delusion no less; she helped him fix his and hers clothes swiftly, marveling at how her own imagination detailed everything this perfectly and led him back to her home… idly wondering what exactly people saw, when they passed them on their way.

A girl walking by with a wide grin while holding on to the air most probably… but she didn't really care, enjoying this waaay too much.

This… this is exactly why some people never tried to get better, she thought. If any of them got as beautiful and hot delusions like her… she could only agree.

Her G'raha didn't speak on the way, instead looking around with bewilderment and looking almost distressed as his ears laid flat against his head and he nearly jumped at each loud sound. He also kept grimacing as if smelling something unpleasant. Not that she blamed him, it took her a while to get used to sounds and smell of this city, and she guessed her mind was projecting it onto him.

He seemed to relax considerably when the door of her tiny apartment closed behind them, looking around and his ears twitching with interest.

Really, she was almost proud of her mind!

"You live here?" he asked, sounding quite hoarse.

"Mhmm," she answered, dropping her keys on the shelf by the door and stretching lazily. "It's small and quite cramped, but oh, well, at least it's better than outside."

"On that I can agree," he sighed, shaking himself with clear disgust. "The smell alone is… awful. And the noise… Gods… my ears are still ringing."

"Aww, poor darling," she chuckled, walking over to the couch in her small living room and dropping on it with a sigh. She leaned against the backrest and turned her head, watching him curiously as he walked around her small apartment and looked at everything with open interest.

She guessed… even a delusion was better than being alone right now. At least she didn't think anymore about her asshole boyfriend and fake best friend… And hell, she was quite curious how far her mind will be able to take it!

Is he going to puff out of existence if she tries to have sex with with him…? Making out seemed to not be out of the question, she thought with a shudder, remembering how amazing his fingers felt inside her. Or how his hard dick throbbed in her hand… So hot!

And it even proved harder that it was all in her head, too! Since why would ever someone like G'raha Tia want to have anything to do with someone as boring and uninteresting as her...? Much less act like he… wanted her. Physically at least. But God, the sounds her mind had him make… The look in his crimson eyes… Really, she could only applaud her imagination!

She even had an orgasm! A real one, for the first time in her life! It was embarrassing, true, but she couldn't find it in herself to care.

Sighing softly, she booted up her Playstation, turning her gaze to her big tv, the only luxury she allowed herself (and yes, just to play FFXIV on it) and as the Endwalker log in screen filled it, she felt cushions of the couch next to her bend under his weight as he dropped on it with a sigh.

"I really have to find a way to get back," he said quietly, and when she looked over, he ran his hand over his hair with worried expression. "I don't know why I'm here, but my friends… I don't know what happened."

"Oh?" She might as well play along, she guessed. "And where were you… before you came here?

He frowned, looking at her with confusion, then lifted his hand to scratch at his chin.

"I…" he hesitated, swallowing hard then took a deep breath. "I was talking with the leader of Omicrons, to pave the way for Astra to reach Meteion. Then a cloud of dynamis surrounded me… and I woke up here, in the alley."

Oh, so the last part of Endwalker. She had no idea who Astra was, but the rest sounded quite familiar.

She felt a grin stretch her lips as a devious thought filled her mind.

"If you want to, I can show you what happened, G'raha," she said with glee, pressing the button on her controller to enter the log in screen and smiling at the sight of Surr, her avatar, filing the screen.

"Huh?" he sounded utterly confused.

"You'll see," she giggled softly, smiling widely.

Hell, if she went crazy, she can at least play her favorite game with her favorite character from it at her side!


She had to give it to her own brain… it made him smart. It didn't take more than few seconds for him to catch on to what's happening after she started the first cutscene, staring with narrowed crimson eyes at the screen as his tail thumped few times against the material of her cheap couch.

"So this machine," he pointed at her Playstation, turning her gaze towards it. "It let's you see into other worlds?"

Angelica blinked hard at the strange expression on his face, then giggled setting her controller down in her lap, the screen stopping with her avatar face filling the screen as the game waited for her input at the scene of his promise with the WoL.

"Kind of, I guess?" she said turning toward him slightly and raising her eyebrows.

G'raha frowned, looking again on the screen and then back at her, then lifted his hand and run his fingers through his hair with a sigh.

"It's not exactly accurate, though…" he said slowly. And when she looked at him carefully… was he… pouting? "I do not look like that."

Yeah, he was definitely pouting, staring at her with a frown as he folded his arms over his chest, tapping his fingers against his biceps. She bit back a squeal of delight at how absolutely adorable he looked like that, and tried to ignore the wave of heat that rolled through her body coiling tightly in her belly. God, but he was really hot!

"Well…" she pursed her lips, looking him over carefully and she had to admit she could see his point. "This machine can give your handsome features only… so much credit, G'raha," she fluttered her lashes at him with a coy smirk and almost snorted when his eyes shoot wide open and he colored visibly.

"That's not… what I meant," he cleared his throat, looking away from her, clearly uncomfortable as he shifted slightly, almost squirming with embarrassment while his blush was growing so much darker. "But this…" he made a wild gesture toward the screen with another frown. "It looks too… smooth… I mean… Twelve, I do not know how to explain it!"

She bit back another giggle, turning towards him and resting her elbows on the backrest of the couch and her chin on her palm, smirking when he turned his gaze toward her and another strange expression flickered across his gorgeous features. That was weird… if he was her delusion, shouldn't she be able to tell what he was thinking…?

"I think I know what you mean," she said with amusement, raising her eyebrows. "But as I said, this… machine can only handle so much realism."

That seemed to pacify some of his agitation as he turned toward her, almost reflecting her pose, then pointing with his free hand toward the screen.

"So it let's you see into other worlds… " he said slowly, his eyes narrowing slightly with consideration. "But I didn't see Astra yet…"

"Astra…?" she frowned slightly, biting her lower lip and almost gasping when his gaze dropped to her mouth… and heat up as tiny… growl?... tore from his throat. Oh, that was so… hot! He blinked hard when she grinned, then colored again and looked away, shifting uncomfortably and his tail flicking nervously as his ears lowered against his head.

"Yeah, Astra…" he cleared his throat again, looking back towards the screen. "The Warrior of Light, my best friend."

"Oh," she chuckled softly, drawing his attention again as she stretched out her hand and put it on top of his thigh, smiling when he twitched slightly, his gaze shooting down to her hand and then to her face; that strange expression back on his features as he moved, leaning toward her slightly and narrowing his gorgeous eyes again. "It doesn't work like that…" she said slowly, raising her eyebrows. "With this… machine, you create a… character, an avatar, and it let's you take part in the story… in a way at least, since it's… safe. And in this case, my avatar, Surr," she motioned toward the screen filled with her catgirl. "She's taking the part of Warrior of Light."

"I see…" he said slowly after a moment, frowning slighty and looking at the screen again. "So… this is how you would look on Eitherys…? Ignoring… the unnatural smoothness, of course."

"Yeah, sure, if I could get there," she giggled merrily.

"So… you said… create a character…" he looked at her again, tilting his head and watching her with consideration. "So you can look… any way you like…?"

"Mhmm," she nodded seriously, biting back a smirk.

"So… why a Seeker?" he turned toward her again, another strange expression on his face as his gaze scanned her face carefully, then darted toward the screen and back. "Wouldn't a… Hyur fit you better…?"

Angelica blinked hard, then sighed softly and pursed her lips with a slight pout.

"It just felt right," she shrugged carelessly, though she felt a blush heat up her face and her eyes darted away from his intent gaze, resting on her avatar's face as she swallowed hard, feeling somewhat… exposed and vulnerable. How… strange was that… "First time I saw that there was even an… option to make my avatar a… Seeker, I didn't even think!" she chuckled self-consciously, feeling her blush grow darker as she felt his gaze, but didn't dare look at him… And how weird was that! She was such a… freak! Feeling self-conscious about what her own… delusion thought about her! "And her… looks… Doesn't she just look so… cute! I… adore her!"

The long moment of silence that followed had her squirming uncomfortably, and when she finally dared peeking at him, his gaze was focused on the screen, his brows furrowed seemingly in consideration, before he looked back, catching her gaze and slightly smiled, tilting his gorgeous lips as his mesmerizing, crimson eyes caught hers and the strange, almost… hungry look in them had her looking away with another dark blush.

"I think…" he said in a low, soothing voice as his hand moved against the back of her neck and forced her to look back at him, making her gasp and drown in the depths of his eyes instantly. "…you would be… gorgeous as her. And…" he pulled her closer, his other hand wrapping around her thigh and dragging her in his lap, making her drop her controller on the couch as she gasped softly, her hands shooting up to wrap around his shoulders. "…you would be mine…" a low, insistent purr rumbled in his throat as he lowered his head against her throat, trailing his hot lips down her throat and spreading soft, delicate bites; the vibrations of his purr on her skin maddening as his utterly delicious scent filled her nose and had her thoughts sinning. He smelled like… cinnamon and almonds… so tasty…

"Don't you…ah…" she moaned breathlessly, shuddering as pure, undiluted lust filled her senses, turning her blood to lava as she fisted her hands in his hair desperately, trying to catch her breath and collect her thoughts. "…want to see… what happens…?"

"…later…" he growled and another shudder ran down her spine. Then his hands moved so fast she barely had a chance to blink before he tore her shirt in half, chuckling at her surprised squeak.

"G'raha!" she snapped, pouting in reflex… because she liked that shirt! Though… since it was all in her head… probably it didn't matter anyway.

"Raha, call me Raha, my mate," he said against her throat, nuzzling against her shoulder and purring so loud she couldn't think, digging her nails in his hair and struggling to catch her breath. "My beautiful, perfect… mate... you smell so good… so delicious…" he sounded dazed and almost… drunk.

"…huh?" she really tried to make sense of his words, but her heart was pounding in her ears furiously and static filled her mind so instead she pulled on his clothes, yearning to touch more of him as she squirmed in his lap, bracing her knees around his hips. "You're… way overdressed… Raha," she giggled, tugging on his scarf.

"Yes," he growled softly, then she squealed and laughed out loud when he twisted around, pushing her down into the couch, then lifted and pulled off his clothes impatiently, discarding his scarf, vest and tunic in record time, and she could only stare with admiration, while lust bubbled in her veins at the sight of the gorgeous expanse of tanned skin and perfectly sculpted muscles playing under it. God, her corrupted, horny mind really gave him a perfect body.

She lifted herself up on an elbow and ran her long nails across his chest and down his stomach, gasping at how his muscles quivered under his skin. He watched her with narrowed eyes full of desire, bracing her on his arms, so utterly beautiful it took her breath away.

Christ, if she knew earlier going insane felt so good… so real… Who would ever want to be sane!

Angelica chuckled softly, stopping her hand and tugging gently on the waistband of his pants.

"You forgot something," she grinned, wiggling her eyebrows at him meaningfully.

"Not yet," he said, lowering and pushing her down into cushions and she couldn't help but gasp, feeling his hot skin press against hers. "You deserve to be… worshiped, my beautiful mate…" he once again purred against her throat, nuzzling at her skin affectionately. "But if I… would pull those pants down right now… I couldn't stop myself from fucking you senseless. Pump you full of my seed and make sure you were mine forever. Mine and mine alone. " His voice and gaze almost had a feral quality to them when he finished.

Holy! Fuck! She was going to die...

She wrapped her arms around his chest, clawing at his back and squirming to brace her knees around his hips, whimpering with need.

"The thought of your hot, wet cunt spasming around my cock…" he hissed, then bit on her shoulder gently. "Twelve… it's almost enough to make me come on its own…"

Damn, but her mind was dirty as fuck…! Not that she minded, gasping breathlessly when he rocked his hips against her, and feeling how hard his dick was between her legs, hitting just the right spots perfectly to send bolts of lightning up her spine and make her cry out softly and arch under him.

"Gods… the sounds you make…" he growled, repeating the movement, harder and more insistent as one of his hands shot down, clenching her hip and holding her tightly against him. She couldn't help but moan and whimper breathlessly, shuddering violently as he rocked against her, nibbling at her throat and even though the material of their pants separated their bodies, she felt heat coil in her belly unbearably, getting closer and closer to snapping with ever rough snap of his hips.

"Raha… I'm going to…" she gasped, arching again with a shout and digging her nails in his back when he snarled, biting her shoulder hard and snapping his hips so hard she saw stars under her closed eyelids as the second orgasm of her life rolled through her body violently, leaving her gasping and whining weakly as he kept rocking against her, gently now, lapping at her shoulder with a low, satisfied purr, which resonated with her all the way down to her core.

Of course her twisted mind gave him a biting kink, why not, she thought dazedly, panting and smoothing her hands over his back, marveling at how good and real his skin felt under her hands.

God, going insane felt so awesooome… Why had nobody told her before…?

"Mine…" he purred with deep-seated satisfaction in his low, soothing voice, sending another shudder down her spine; rocking against her hard and insistent again, shaking noticeably as he nibbled up her throat. "So mine, so perfect… I want you so bad, so much… please, let me fuck you… please, I'll be so good… make you come so good… pleeeease…" he sounded so desperate she couldn't help but whine helplessly right before he claimed her mouth roughly, plunging his tongue into her mouth and filling her senses with his delicious taste until she thought if she wasn't insane already, she would go mad now anyway. She returned the kiss just as rough, as hungry, rocking her hips eagerly against his thrusts, feeling that heat build up again so fast and hard it made her dizzy. God, so good, so amazing… She never wanted to be sane again… They can lock her up, she didn't care…

"Yeeesss, pleeease," she whined mindlessly when they broke for air, already so horny as she clawed at his ass, trying to pull him even closer, completely losing her mind. "Want you so bad, Raha… so bad… want your dick inside me so bad, pleeeease…"

He dropped his head against her shoulder, panting roughly and purring so loud and insistent it filled and rang in her ears like a chainsaw.

"Where is… your bed…?" he choked out, his words distorted slightly.

She gasped at a especially rough thrust, making collecting her thoughts so hard when she swallowed with difficulty, then waved with her hand toward her bedroom, the only other door in her living room than the one they entered her apartment through.

"There, through the…" she squealed with delight when he jumped off of her, his eyes so dark and hungry as he picked her up with a growl and headed towards the given direction. She wrapped her arms around his neck, giggling madly.

Being sane was seriously overrated… she was about to get fucked by her favorite game character… Insanity ruled, hands down!


G'raha read and heard before that the need to mate for Seekers can be overwhelming but he honestly scoffed at the idea then. Over the years, when he allowed himself to imagine finding his soulmate, he believed he would be gentle and delicate with them, to show his appreciation and gratitude.

The reality of it… Overwhelming didn't even begin to cover what he felt as blood boiled in his veins, her divine smell filling his nose and making his cock ache, dying to be inside her. The incomplete mark on his shoulder throbbed in the crazy rhythm of his heart as the air around them was just too thick to breath.

His tail was whipping with impatience against his will, making discarding his pants so awkward he couldn't help but blush as he watched her do the same, after he dropped her on her bed. The way she braced her heels on the edge of the mattress, arching while pushing the rough material down her hips together with her underwear had him mesmerized. And when the scent of her arousal hit his sensitive nose he couldn't her but whimper breathlessly, his hands shaking as he kicked off his shoes and discarded his pants in record time; his throbbing, leaking cock straining as he leaned on his arms, his eyes devouring her pretty face hungrily.

She giggled merrily and the sound had his ears twitch and stand up in attention, before she robbed him of his mind, wrapping her hand delicately around his dick and pumping along it's length gently.

Even if he wanted to, he couldn't stop the loud, insistent purr rumbling in his chest, his thoughts spinning uncontrollably.

"Keep it up…" he barely managed, putting his hands under her bottom and pushing her up in the middle of the bed, crawling after her and lowering his head against her chest, nibbling at her skin. "…and I'll embarrass myself."

"Oh, darling," she purred, with her free hand tugging at his braid and soon untangling it and fisting her fingers in his hair, pulling slightly till he was forced to look up with a growl. "Self-control is sooo overrated," she chuckled, rocking her hips shamelessly in invitation. "Just… fuck me, Raha, make me yours…"

Twelve, she was so perfect… made to drive him completely mad…

After years on First he thought himself patient… It was all gone now as he snarled viciously, wrapping his hand around her hip pulling her up as he slammed inside her in one, rough thrust… swearing at himself in his mind even as he whined at the feeling of her inner muscles quivering and clenching around his dick when she arched with a shout, clawing at his shoulders as she wrapped her legs around his hips, digging her heels into his backside and grinding hard against his pelvis with a breathless whimper.

"Holy… fuck!" she gasped, panting harshly. "So… real… so… good… God…"

He would have agreed if he hadn't been more than a half out of his mind, snarling as he leaned over her, claiming her delicious mouth roughly, desperately trying not to come immediately when her cunt spasmed around him as she moaned in his mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly and returning the kiss as aggressive, as hungry… so perfect… He drowned in her taste, the insanely loud pounding of his heart filling his ears as he pulled out, to slam into her again roughly, soon setting a hard, demanding rhythm as they rocked against each other desperately. He swallowed her moans and whimpers greedily, not minding at all when she clawed harshly at his back, undulating under him and meeting his thrusts eagerly.

Finally she broke the kiss, arching with a shout as she came; the spasming and quivering of her muscles robbing him of his mind as he growled and bit her again where her mark should be, shuddering violently as he pumped her full of his seed, grinding into her hard. She gasped weakly, smoothing her hands across his back affectionately, her legs coiled around him possessively and he loved it, adored it, nuzzling against her throat and purring with deep-seated satisfaction as slight shudders kept rolling through her.

His mate… so perfect, so good… He took fast, hard breaths, relishing in her scent, drowning in it… His soulmate… His, his, his… So good, so perfect… Just one bite and he'll be hers too, now and always, forever.

He opened his mouth to say it, to beg for it, to promise her anything and everything she could ever want, so desperate to belong to her… and this time he felt the tug on his soul, his consciousness fading instantly.


Angelica blinked hard, gasping as his delicious weight disappeared off her in a blink of an eye. She looked around in confusion, sitting up.

"…Raha…?" she whispered, though even as she looked at the floor hopefully… where he discarded his pants just a moment ago… she knew and she wasn't even surprised to see them gone as well.

Her bout of insanity seemed to be over.

He was gone… just as suddenly as he appeared.

She closed her eyes as her throat closed around a sob. Figures, really… Just… her luck at work again. She couldn't even go insane properly and for good… no matter how much she wanted to…

He felt so good… so real… And for one, perfect moment she almost felt… complete. For the first time in her life… the emptiness in her heart felt… full. Like she wasn't alone anymore. Like he… wanted her, needed her and wouldn't… leave her like everyone else.

She covered her face with her palms, sobbing breathlessly and her heart broke, so much worse than ever before.

…Raha… please, come back…


G'raha startled bad, wobbling when he looked around wildly, gasping when he looked down… He was fully clothed again, standing in a field of white elpis flowers, surrounded by a flash of light, all of the Scions around him, blackened Meteion kneeling in front of their group.

He was back.

The others were talking but he could hear only ringing in his ears when he looked up at the sphare of dead planets around them…

He was back…

…and his soul was howling in pain.


Even a year later, Angelica couldn't think about that insane night without tears springing up in her eyes.

She realized, too late, that he wasn't really her delusion, couldn't be, as a scar in the shape of his bite on her shoulder reminded her daily of what had occurred that day.

She didn't know how or why he appeared, and why he ever would want her. She didn't know what happened when he disappeared and could only hope he went back to his world and was safe.

She went back to her life, like nothing usual happened at all, putting the memory of that night in the back of her mind like the greatest treasure and only on her weakest, most miserable moments would she allow herself to think about it, and wonder… She never told anyone about it, because yeah… who would ever believe her anyway…? Only the bite and the memory of washing off his… seed from between her legs, and the soreness of her body later stopped her from believing it was just a dream or delusion.

Often she would go back to the park at night, after work, sit down on that bench again, same as then, and wish and beg the universe that he would appear again. She would cry, and sob, and offer anything and everything just to see him again. Just for a moment, just for a second…

And always she would go back home, numb and detached when it never worked. She would start her game and look through the cutscenes that included him, all of them long deeply memorized within her. It hurt and her heart bleed, but she just couldn't help herself, giggling through tears as she remembered his scoff at his digital version.

And as the pain never waned, never lessened no matter how much time passed… she just learned to embrace it, resigned at her fate. She learned to treasure the memory of his smell, of his taste and move on, each day pretending that her heart wasn't bleeding in a world that had grown even darker and staler than it had been before meeting her Raha…


G'raha felt watched ever since they entered Omphalos, as Deryk the explorer called the place. He tried to ignore the feeling, putting it away as a figment of his imagination.

After the gods of the Twelve challenged Astra to face their trial… and wasn't that something?!... and she rushed of to gather companions for the fight, the sensation only grew while he stood in the middle of the massive sky-lift platform, regarding the monument with symbols of the Twelve at it's base numbly.

It had been moons since they came back to Eitherys after deafening Meteion and been hailed heroes all over the Source. Moons since his unexpected trip to a different world that now seemed like a feverish dream. Moons since he found and lost his soulmate.

And yet his soul howled and writhed and whined in despair and pain, each day and night until he thought he would go mad with it.

He tried to convince himself that it never happened, that she was just a delusion birthed by his lonely, desperate heart… and maybe he would have succeed if not for the weak, incomplete mark on his shoulder.

A Spiral. Not a picture as it should be, but a Spiral, unreadable and incomplete but undeniable. It drove him insane with confusion and trying to understand how it was possible. She was from a different world entirely… maybe one of the other Reflections… though the lack of other races than Hyurs seemed to deny that idea.

And she understood him! And he her, only her… Was it because of their connection…? Or something else entirely?

He wondered and wondered, but never mentioned any of this to his friends. He was in too much pain to try to explain to them why after coming back he pulled back from them so much, why he grew so distant and detached. Like a hurt animal, curling in a corner to lick his wounds in peace and solitude.

He missed her, and craved her and lusted after her with insane abandon. His body, his mind and soul starved and begging for another look, another taste… anything…

Earlier, out of the corner of his eye he could see Deryk settle on the far edge of the platform with his pet opo-opo following him, so G'raha's back stiffened when he felt a presence behind his back, the fine hair on his neck tingling with alarm and ears falling flat against his head as he turned around slowly… and blanched.

"I can sense my sigil on you," said a goddess, Azeyma, regarding him with narrowed eyes over the edge of her golden fan. On the contrary to her earlier appearance, she was now smaller and could almost pass for a mortal noble lady if he hadn't seen her earlier in her god-like glory.

Growing up as he did, he didn't really share his brethren worship for the keeper of the sun and the goddess of inquiry. Wasn't it then a more than ironic occurrence, that he got to meet her in person, he thought numbly, staring at her and completely and utterly dumbfounded.

"Your sigil?" he finally asked carefully after clearing his throat and trying to collect his thoughts. Who could blame him? It's not everyday that one met gods! Unless they were some kind of primals…? "I don't… understand."

"Your mark!" she snapped impatiently, her bright, nearly flaming eyes narrowing further over the edge of her fan. "It's different than the others I granted, isn't it?"

So the legend was true…? It was Azeyma who granted mating marks to Seekers of the Sun…?

"It is," he said slowly, slightly backing away under her glare. Did that somehow… offend her?

If possible her glare intensified and he twitched nervously when she closed her fan with a snap, bracing her arms on her hips and visibly working her jaw. He was almost tempted to reach for his staff but considering he was dealing with a goddess, he didn't think it would be a smart thing to do.

"I'm sorry!" she finally snapped to his utter shock, and looking like she almost choked on it.

What the…?

"Huh?" he couldn't help but stare, eyes wide in astonishment.

"I'm sorry, alright!" she huffed, looking away, clearly uncomfortable. He was making a goddess uncomfortable?! G'raha had to admit he was tempted to pinch himself.

"I am really sorry," he said slowly and with slight, polite bow. "But I'm afraid I do not understand why you would feel a need to… apologize to me."

"Mortals…" he thought she murmured under her nose, though he didn't dare to comment as she looked at him again with those fiery eyes, folding her arms over her chest and tapping her folded, golden fan against her chin. Then she sighed patiently, giving him an almost… dead-pan stare. "I am sorry for letting your soulmate's soul get lost!"

"Pardon?" he couldn't help how his jaw dropped… or how his heart thumped hard.

"I shouldn't let Venat talk me into playing around with souls inside the aetherial sea, alright!" she snapped, again clearly uncomfortable. "The whole idea… was wrong! But since she knew you were supposed to be born as Seekers, she thought she can… speed it up by locking you both to the form. It was stupid, I knew!" she ranted, clearly aggravated and he could only stare, completely dazed and confused. "She should have just patiently waited until you were born as you were supposed to, at the time you were supposed to! Then this wouldn't have happened!"

"What wouldn't have happened?" he asked numbly when she stopped for a breath. Did she even really even need to breathe…? "I really don't… understand."

"Her soul getting lost, of course!" she snapped impatiently, the tapping of the fan getting faster as she glared again. Then she rolled her eyes at his completely confused stare. "Your soulmate's soul, the one that was supposed to be the real Warrior of Light!"

G'raha couldn't help but stare, his mouth agape.

There it was… the answer… so simple yet so wrong at the same time. The Warrior would always have the Echo, wouldn't they…? And it would explain why his mate understood him and why he understood her… still speaking two different languages but the Echo translating the one from the world she was supposed to be born at!

"Bring her back!" he snapped before he could think of it better, growling wildly in the back of his throat. "Bring her back!"

Azeyma glared, but there was also something almost… sad in her eyes. Something almost… guilty. He didn't care, couldn't care as his soul howled in fury. She did this… She and Hydealyn robbed him of his soulmate! They did this and only last shred of his consciousness stopped him from jumping at her throat as feral haze clawed at his mind, his hands curling into fists so hard his nails cut into his palms.

"I tried," she finally said, looking away and unfolding her fan, covering her mouth with it. "But I couldn't find her."

Lies, lies, lies!

He snarled involuntary, taking step closer and violently pulling on his collar, revealing his incomplete mark.

"I saw her!" he growled through his teeth, losing his mind. "I touched her, so do something and bring her back!"

"How…?" she frowned, her fan dropping as she stared at his mark with astonishment, her eyes so wide and stunned. Then before he could even blink, she moved closer, placing her hand on his shoulder, over his mark and closing her eyes briefly. He felt a surge of aether, so powerful it was breathtaking and his heart jumped in his throat; mad, blind hope filling his chest and making his heart pound.

Then she opened her flaming eyes and backed away with a quiet sigh, looking away.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered now. "I can't feel her."

No… nononononono… NO!

She did this… She had to fix it!

"Bring her… back…" this time it was just tiny, sad whimper. Hope, bane of his existence, withering and dying leaving him feeling empty and so painfully lonely involuntary tears filled his eyes. "…please…"

"I'm sorry," she whispered again, then disappeared without another word, leaving him sobbing breathlessly as he looked up at the sky, closing his eyes and trying to understand how they could do this to him… to them… How did any of this was… fair…?

He sacrificed so much, given so much, only ever wishing for one thing… For what was rightfully his in the first place! And they stole her, lost her and he'll never feel her wonderful scent again, never taste her…

"Raha?" he heard Astra's voice behind his back. "Everything's okay…? You don't look so… well."

He turned slowly, looking at her and almost wishing he could hate her… despise her for taking place that wasn't rightfully hers. For ending up as the Warrior his soulmate was supposed to have been!

But she was his best friend and they went through so much together over the years… so he just cleared his throat and wiped his eyes, looking away.

"I'm fine," he lied, locking up his heartbreak and pushing it to the back of his mind, and trying to ignore his soul wailing at the unfairness of it all, at the pain tearing it asunder. "Let's get this over with."

He sacrificed so much, given so much… unaware that he paid the highest possible price before he was even born.

And wasn't that a cruel joke…?


"Holy… fuck…" Angelica gasped softly, staring numbly at her reflection in the surface of a small lake she managed to find after waking up in the middle of a goddamn forest, butt naked.

Before it all, she was busy cleaning her apartment while wearing headphones with music blasting in her ears as she tried to pass the time before she was supposed to join her FC mates for a treasure hunt in the evening. It was a weekend and she was free for once, trying to catch up on her daily duties after an extremely hard and exhausting week.

But she didn't mind, anything that took her mind off her longing for him was fine with her, as insane as it drove her if she allowed herself to think about it.

So she was busy, singing along Answers, her favorite track from FFXIV, vacuuming her apartment when she felt a tug and everything went black. When she woke up she quickly realized something was very wrong when she lifted on her arms from laying face first in forest floor, and lush waves of pearly-white locks cascaded down her shoulders. She spend a good moment just gaping at them, before sitting up and only when it felt sooo goddamn awkward she realized she had a tail! A long, fluffy white tail!

What the fuck?!

So she basically crawled over to a tree and with it's help stood up, trying to understand what happened and learn how to walk with a goddamn tail whipping with agitation and making it damn near impossible!

Seriously, what the fuck?!

It took her a while, but she finally managed to find this lake and lean over its edge and she could only stare with her mouth open in astonishment as Surr stared back at her from its surface. Her dark-purple eyes with vertically slit pupils open so wide it seemed they would soon just pop out. Her white cat-ears standing completely upright and twitching at noises coming from the forest surrounding her.

She touched her face and the Surr in the reflection did the same, she also gasped when she did, and as much as her brain struggled with the idea… she watched too much isekai anime and read too much manga as to not understand what had happened.

She was inside FFXIV… inside the body of her avatar…

She was Surr…!

Or… A sudden thought had her sat up, staring up at the blue sky peeking between treetops. Or she was in the world… he came from.

Was she going insane again…?

Did it matter…?

Nope! The possibility that he was here… That G'raha… her Raha, who made love to her so passionately… who smelled and tasted so good that even now her mouth was watering at the mere thought…

Would he… would he even remember her…? Recognize her? Would he still… want her…? It's been so long… Maybe he wouldn't even care…?

A beautiful man like him… he probably had tons of girls swooning at a flick of his fingers, a barest look of his gorgeous crimson eyes. How could she even hope…? Her, so boring and… uninteresting… how…?

But he… wanted her. At least… then.

And now she was… cuter. A Seeker, like him. Maybe… he would… like her…? For a bit at least. She wasn't stupid or naïve… even if her heart squeezed painfully with longing.

Maybe she could at least… try? But first… she had to find him.

And some clothes would be nice too…

She sighed, getting to her feet wobbly and sent a tiny, hopeful grin toward her reflection.

"Hi, Surr," she said, her ears twitching at how soft and delicate her voice sounded now. "I'm you now… I hope you don't mind. I don't know for how long… but let's find some clothes and then see if we can find and catch attention of certain gorgeous guy I'm dying to see again. If he's here…"


She managed to steal a tunic of someone's drying rack and even if she wasn't proud about it and it was waaay too big for her, too… it was better than nothing. Which she started with.

After orienting herself, she realized she was on the edge of Gridania, as told by a kind-looking older lady, a Hyur by the looks of her, that she met on the path leading from the house she found the tunic at.

She was stunned at how completely realistic everything looked, but she still could recognize the layout of the city as she stumbled along, cursing her restless tail. It kept whipping and flicking with her emotions and making her lose her balance constantly. It was so goddamn annoying! And her ears and nose seemed so sensitive now!

No wonder Raha looked so overwhelmed when she led him back to her apartment! She regretted now being amused by it.

Once she arrived at the Aetheryte in Old Gridania, she stared at it with wonder. It was really so big! And so pretty! She placed her hand on it, wondering… but nothing happened and she didn't feel anything either. She had no idea if it meant something was wrong with Surr's… her body. She had no idea how it was supposed to feel anyway!

She also had no idea how to look for Raha. Or where he could even be.

"Excuse me? You look quite lost," someone said behind her and she turned around, gaping. It was a man, a veeery tall Elzen… or maybe he wasn't really so tall, she thought sheepishly, remembering she set Surr's hight at the lowest possible setting using Fantasia at some point… and yeah, she blushed furiously remembering she did that because she wanted her to fit with Raha… she was so goddamn hopeless!

"I am," she said shyly, looking up at the man nervously and stepping from one foot to the other. She saw his gaze softening and blushed even harder, thinking he probably thought her a moron or something! "I'm… looking for someone, but I have no idea how to find him."

"Oh?" man scratched at his chin in consideration. "And who it might be? Your parents…?"

Ange… Surr frowned, tilting her head with confusion. Did he think she was… a child…? Did she really look that young in his eyes…?

"No," she smiled sheepishly, swallowing tightly as she looked up at him from under her lashes and blushed even harder. "I'm looking for… G'raha Tia."

The man laughed, dropping his hand and straightening, looking at her with amusement.

"Like half the girls in this city, it seems," he chuckled. "Sorry to break it to you, young lady, but the Scions are a busy bunch even after they disbanded… I'm sure they don't have the time to appease every fan that wishes to see them."

She pouted, folding her arms over her chest and glaring. She was a fan, yeah… but it was different! If she couldn't attune… how was she supposed to find him…?

"You don't understand," she huffed. "I… know him. I met him already… but now I don't know how to find him again!"

"Yes, of course," he chuckled again, clearly not believing her at all. "If that so, go over there," he pointed behind her back and she twirled around immediately, almost losing her balance again because of her stupid tail! "…to the headquarters of Order of Twin Adder and if you ask them politely, I'm sure someone can call G'raha for you and ask if he would want to see you."

"Really…?" she asked, staring at him with wonder.

"Sure, Grand Companies can contact Scio…. former Scions anytime. They just don't do that at their request after disbanding. But I'm sure, if you really know him…" he looked amused but she couldn't find it in herself to care, her heart swelling with hope. "…they could at least ask for you."

"Thank you!" she said with a polite bow and a grin, and quickly marched in the given direction.

Trying to curb her excitement was hard, and she had to convince herself that she was being stupid if she even believed for a second that he'll even remember her. But she couldn't help herself! And it's not like she had any idea what else to do anyway… She was quite… stuck, it seemed.

At least Surr's… her looks worked for her benefit, because it didn't really take that long or wasn't that hard to find a person, a young, Hyur girl in an uniform, to call Raha for her and just… ask.

"What should I say?" girl asked, clearly amused at her request. She probably got tons of them, too!

That's a good question… Surr frowned, pursing her lips and thinking hard. Was there… anything that would make him remember her…?

"Say…" she started after a moment, closing her eyes and hoping.


G'raha sighed, rolling his neck and staring blankly at the map hanging on the wall inside the main hall of the Baldesion Annex. He leaned back in his seat and rubbed at his eyes tiredly.

They came back with Astra late last night, but he couldn't find it in himself to go to sleep, dreading nightmares that were surely waiting for him. Or insane, intense dreams his soul and mind were conjuring to punish him evidently. Of her taste, her smell… so clear and delicious he could almost taste it as it tortured his senses. Teased him with something he could never have again.

Something they stole from him.

He closed his eyes and tried to push back the fury bubbling up in his chest. The fury and seething pain.

Gods… how he missed her… how he wanted her…

His soulmate… his, his, his… so perfect, so beautiful… And lost to him forever.

A low, miserable whine tore from his throat and he was glad Krile wasn't there to scold or nag at him for his distraction…

When his linkpearl beeped, he intended to ignore it, too miserable and tired to really deal with anything or anyone. But he didn't, picking up and hoping for a distraction from his pain.

"Yes?" he said, and even if in his ears his voice sounded hoarse.

"Hello, G'raha Tia! This is Marie Farrah from the Order of the Twin Adder. I hope I find you in a good health today!" he struggled not to roll his eyes, tempted to disconnect the call immediately. He was really too tired to deal with whatever they thought to bother him with. He just hoped it's not another fan dying to meet him and thank him for saving the world… That was just so… disturbing. "I have here someone who is looking for you," he almost moaned out loud at that. "She says she knows you, from year ago. She asked me to tell you, I quote… 'it does look much more realistic than on the screen, Raha,'" she was clearly amused and confused in turn.

His heart stopped and his eyes shoot wide open, staring blindly ahead of him.

"Tell her to wait there," he rasped, jumping to his feet so suddenly his chair fell over with a loud clatter. Can't be, but… He teleported before he even finished the thought; a weak, uncertain flare of hope had his heart pounding furiously.

He landed at the Aetheryte in Gridania, narrowing his tired eyes against the blaring sunlight… which only made him more aware of his exhaustion. A Seeker of the Sun avoiding the sunlight… hilarious almost.

He wobbled slightly, his tail whipping with impatience as he ignored gasps of the stunned citizens, breaking into a sprint as soon as his feet touched the ground, heading toward the headquarters of the Order of Twin Adder.

He was gasping as he arrived, leaning against one of the pillars at the entrance and fervently scanning the people gathered inside. His eyes grew huge and his jaw dropped at the sight of a tiny, white-haired Miqo'te twitching nervously at one of the counters. As if feeling his gaze, she turned around and gasped softly when she saw him, her huge dark-purple eyes widening so much it would have been almost funny… if his heart hadn't been going absolutely insane, and his sight hadn'tbecome blurry at the sight of her.

He was frozen in place, trying to gather his thoughts and failing miserably, when she smiled sheepishly, nervously walking over to him with such uncertainty in her features.

"Hi, Raha," she said in sweet, soft voice… so different than he remembered… she was so different, but he couldn't not recognize her anyway, his soul reeling in elation. "I don't know… if you remember me, but somehow… I woke up here, and I thought… maybe…"

Before she could finish, he lifted his hand, placing it against her cheek and staring at her in wonder. Gasping when she hissed through her teeth and frowned slightly, tilting her head as if to look at her shoulder. And even if he couldn't see it under her clearly too big tunic, he couldn't help but grin like an idiot, knowing what happened.

"My beautiful," he whispered with reverence and awe, and her eyes shot back to his. She blushed, so pretty, and he'll have to ask her later again what her name was, because he only heard it once, so long ago… but it didn't matter, couldn't matter because she was here, she was, and she was so beautiful looking at her hurt. Just like then, if different. How she looked didn't matter, not when her utterly delicious scent invaded his nose and set his blood on fire. Not when she bit her lip, looking up at him from under her dark lashes and his heart stopped, to resume its crazy pounding, the speed of its steady beat doubling. "You're here. My beautiful mate, you're here."

"…mate?..." she frowned slightly, tilting her head with confusion, her ears lowered, and she just couldn't be more beautiful, more adorable… Because she was here, and she was his… and it felt like he was going to pass out soon out of excitement and elation. From the instant, intense lust that tore at his insides as his soul howled to bite her, make her his… for real this time, for ever and ever…so no one could ever steal her away from him again.

He growled softly, moving his hand off her cheek to the back of her neck and pulled her closer, not caring about the people around them staring, clearly stunned. But it didn't matter, couldn't, as she gasped softly with surprise, resting her palms against his chest and blinking up at him with confusion. She was smaller now, almost a head lower than him, which made her look so delicate, his protective instincts roared to life and he wrapped his free arm around her waist, pulling her closer, ever closer, as he lowered his head and slanted his mouth over hers, drowning in her taste instantly. It was the same, and yet somehow so much more delicious than he remembered.

She whimpered softly in his mouth, her arms shooting up to wrap around his neck tightly and he almost expired when she returned the kiss, as desperate, as hungry… so perfect… so his…

"Raha…" she purred when they broke for air, and blushed so beautifully as she looked around, noticing all the stares. She whimpered softly in embarrassment and he barely stopped himself from tossing her down and fucking her senseless. But it wouldn't do, not here. He wanted her desperately, craved her with an intensity that had his cock already throbbing painfully, but she was his soulmate, and she was here, and she deserved better. She deserved everything and all. Anything he could give her, he died to do so… just so she'll accept him.

"My beautiful," he sighed, pushing back the painful need of his body, his soul, as he brushed her hair back gently, marveling at how soft it was, dying to tangle his fingers in it and kiss her… fuck her… anything, everything she was willing to give him… "I've missed you so much," he breathed, burying his face against her throat and shaking with bliss when her smell surrounded him and filled his head till he felt drunk on it. Her lingering taste as he licked his lips, had his mind spinning, forcing him to bite back a growl. "So much… you can't… imagine."

"Think I do," she giggled, resting her cheek against his shoulder and smoothing her hands over his back. "I've missed you too, Raha," she admitted, so shy.

And as he held her in his arms, he felt like the first time in a long time he could breath again… And everything was right in the world.

She was here… she was with him...

And he's never going to let her go off on her own her again, if that meant he had to collar her to their soon to be shared bed, he would. Never ever was he going to be without her again. Not for a second, not for a day.

She was his and he was hers. From now and for always.

But for now all that mattered that she was here, in his arms. Where she belonged.


Ange…Surr stared at him stunned nearly out of her mind, feeling her stupid tail whip behind her with agitation, hitting the mattress she was sitting on with loud sound. Raha's lips twitched at that, but he didn't comment, instead watching her carefully and waiting for her reaction.

He already stunned her when he arrived at Gridania so quickly, then acted like he was so… excited to see her. Like he really… missed her. As much as she did him. And he kissed her! And with her now seemingly veeery heightened senses that was… God, she thought ealier that he smelled and tasted good, but now… she could so easily get addicted… if she wasn't already.

Then, ignoring everyone who seemed sooo excited to see him… and no wonder really!... he picked her up, chuckling at her surprised squeak, and marched with determination to Gridania's inn, Carline Canopy, if she remembered right, not letting go of her even for a second as he then entered her room, before locking them both inside of it, placing her gently on the mattress and kneeling by her feet. And then he proceeded to completely blow her mind with his revelation!

She blinked hard, then cleared her throat and picked nervously at the hem of her stolen tunic, regarding him from under her lowered lashes.

He was really… so beautiful. So completely, utterly gorgeous… even more than she remembered… even though he looked exhausted, with visible circles under his eyes.

"So…" she started hesitantly, biting her lower lip and trying to ignore how loud and uneven her heart was pounding, especially when his eyes dropped to her mouth, such a dark and hungry look in the depths of his crimson irises… "…you think I'm your… soulmate? And that's why… you landed on Earth…?"

That sounded like a… very corny fanfiction. And yet… it made sense, in a way. Because why else would any of this had happened…?

Not to mention she liked the idea of… belonging to him. Of him being… hers. Who was she kidding?! She was already madly and completely in love with him! And if he wanted her… even if he didn't love her too… Maybe… maybe with time she could… earn his feelings…?

"Yes," he said slowly, carefully, then leaned in with a tired sigh and rested his head in her lap, wrapping his arms tightly around her legs. She gasped softly in surprise, then blushed, placing her hand hesitantly on top of his head, smoothing it over his hair and ears delicately. Smiling tenderly when he started purring in earnest, nuzzling his cheek against her knees. "You're mine," he said simply, sounding so tired yet happy too. "And I'm yours… if you want me," to her surprise he sounded… hesitant. "If you look on your shoulder now… there's a mark on it now… and if we bite each other… we'll be bonded, for life… and no one can steal you away… from me… again," he was slurring, clearly beyond exhaustion and slowly going limp against her legs.

"Raha," she giggled, poking her finger at his shoulder and smiling when he twitched, like he was already half-asleep and she woke him up. "Raha, if you fall asleep like that, I can't pick you up. And I'll be… stuck too. Come here, darling," she petted the mattress next to her when he lifted his head, blinking blearily. "You're clearly exhausted… we can talk about it later, after you rest a bit."

"No," he shook his head hard, but leaned away, sitting on his hunches in front of her and looking up at her with such… longing. With such an open and earnest expression… so beautiful her heart squeezed painfully, yearning to wrap her arms around him and… keep him safe. How how ridiculous that was! He was so much stronger than her! "No, no… my beautiful mate… If I fall asleep… and you're gone when I wake up… I can't, not again…" though he was blinking slowly, clearly struggling to keep his eyes open at this point. "I can't… lose you again… can't. My mate… my soul, my love…" he leaned forward with a sigh, bracing on his arms and clearly missing her loud intake of air at his words, tears springing in her eyes. "I can't wake up again… without you."

What could she say to that…? She didn't know how… long she had in this world. She didn't know if she would say the truth or lie when she assured him she would be here when he woke.

"Raha, please…" her heart was breaking at the sight of his exhaustion. Her instincts driving her hard to… take care of him. He looked so… vulnerable, almost swaying and clearly about to drop… She sighed softly, then tightened her jaw with determination, pulling her tunic off her shoulder, the one she felt the burn on when he touched her earlier. That earned his complete attention when he stilled, his gaze so intent as it zeroed in on her skin, his throat bobbing visibly. "Raha, if you want me, I'm yours. I am, so bite me… and I'll do that too… so they can't… separate us… again…?" she couldn't help how her voice was breaking nervously, but she… wanted him. So much. And he just called her… maybe it was just exhaustion talking, but… she loved him, and maybe… if he didn't love her yet… he could eventually.

He licked his lips, moving toward her slowly, with such a predatory look in his eyes. He lifted himself up on his knees, bracing his arms around her hips on the mattress and staring at her carefully, though still visibly so tired…

"Are you… sure?" he whispered, so hesitant… like she could ever not want him! "Because there… won't be any going back from this… not ever, my beautiful mate. Once it's done… it's for life… so if you're not absolutely certain…"

She sighed again, rolling her eyes and instead of wasting her time trying to convince him of her determination… when the only thing she wanted, craved, desired was him… she leaned in, pulling on his collar to his surprise, making him gasp as she narrowed her eyes at the small, black mark on his skin.

"That's it?" she asked softly, shyly looking back into his eyes. He swallowed audibly, clearly so nervous he shook visibly while he slowly nodded. She smiled tenderly, using her free hand to brush it delicately against his cheek, trying to convey her feelings with her touch alone. Her heart squeezed painfully when he closed his gorgeous eyes with a sigh, nuzzling against her palm affectionately. Who could ever resist that…?

She moved slightly, sitting on the edge of the mattress as she leaned in, brushing her lips delicately against his cheek… smiling at his soft, tired sigh… then bit him hard, sinking her teeth in his skin around the mark instinctively till the copper taste of his blood filled her mouth… she was surprised when it didn't feel weird at all… Did she also have a biting kink now…?

She would have chuckled if her mouth wasn't busy… or if he didn't arch against her with absolutely delicious, tiny whimpers; his hand shooting up when he half-groaned, half-growled, fisting his fingers into her hair and pulling her head against his shoulder harder, shaking violently.

After a long moment she lifted her head, licking on the fresh wound tenderly; surprised again as a loud, rumbling sound vibrated at the back of her tongue. She was… purring…? She couldn't help but blush with embarrassment… that passed quickly when the same sound, but lower, deeper, joined hers. Oh… Maybe that was… a thing between… Seekers.

Surr sighed softly, kissing the Archon mark on his throat before she leaned away, looking down at him with a tiny smirk. Giggling at his completely dazed, blissed out expression.

"Now it's up to you, Raha," she grinned toothily, wiggling her eyebrows meaningfully as she petted the mattress next to her again. "If you want me, babe, I'm yours."

He blinked few times, as if struggling to collect his thoughts… then grinned back, so bright and happy her heart went absolutely nuts. God, she thought he was beautiful before… Like this he was simply breathtaking!

She still gasped and stared, blushing furiously, when he started to tug on his clothes, discarding them quickly, while never taking his eyes off her, his own so full of adoration and reverence, that hers soon started to fill with tears as her throat closed around a tiny sob.

Without thinking, she shifted slightly, pulling her stolen tunic off over her head, not even able to be embarrassed under his adoring gaze. It didn't even feel weird at all, when he stood up and kicked off his shoes, then took off his pants, letting her greedy gaze feast on his glorious, beautiful body. Unable to help herself, she opened her arms in invitation, stretching them toward him and sighing with bliss when he pulled her up against him, wrapping his arms around her so tight and desperate she could only smooth her hands over his back delicately, trying to offer any comfort she could.

"As much as I would love to…" he whispered against her shoulder, nuzzling at her skin affectionately with that low, deep purr rumbling in the back of his throat. "…make love to you, my mate… I'm afraid, I'm simply too exhausted," he chuckled sheepishly and she couldn't help but giggle softly and blush, tightening her arms around him possessively. "And so far I know… if I bite you, we're both bound to pass out, as our souls… connect. So we might as well… get comfortable… first," he yawned, resting his head against her shoulder and she giggled feeling him start to go limp against her again… even as his clearly interested cock pressed against her stomach, so hard and hot she couldn't help herself but undulate against him slightly, her heart starting to pound. Raha moaned breathlessly, shuddering against her as his hands fell to cradle her bottom delicately, his purr dropping lower as he kissed her throat.

Surr sighed with pleasure, then leaned away and climbing on her toes, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her own purr nearly choking her as she nipped at side of his jaw delicately.

"And would you mind terribly," she hummed, trailing her lips down his throat, and shivering when he shuddered again, uttering an absolutely delicious low groan, his hands clenching on her ass and pulling her tight against him as he tilted his head submissively, making her gasp and her purr grow so loud and insistent she would have been embarrassed if she could care when lust bubbled in her veins and turned her blood to lava. God, she wanted him so much… All of him, every single part of his body and soul… everything, with a possessive need that was almost scary. "Would you mind, Raha… If I take you?" she purred, nuzzling against his throat and smirking when he stilled, his breath stuttering to a stop to speed up audibly after a moment. "You can just… relax, darling," she said softly, pressing against his chest meaningfully till he turned around while still holding onto her and let her back him towards the bed.

She giggled softly, untangling herself from his arms and pushing his chest until he fell back onto the bed with a quiet, content sigh… his crimson eyes barely a slits as he watched her from under his long, dark-red lashes. So gorgeous… She couldn't help but simply stare for a moment, admiring his body. Choking back another giggle when he yawned widely, then colored visibly, averting his gaze bashfully. So cute!

"It's okay, Raha," she purred, shamelessly climbing on top of him and leaning in to brace her hands around his head. She placed a gentle kiss on top of his nose and smiled when he wrinkled it slightly. "Just let me take care of you, darling," and when his blush darkened even more, his gaze growing so raw and vulnerable, she couldn't help but kiss him, sweet and long, swallowing his breathless whimper when he lifted his hands, sinking his fingers into her hair and pulling her closer, soon kiss turning so deep and passionate as their purrs mixed and vibrated on their lips.

"You're so… perfect…" he whispered against her lips after a moment, sounding nearly drunk and his beautiful eyes looking so dazed. He brushed and held her hair back from her face as his eyes grew suspiciously wet. "I've… missed you… so much. It was… so lonely… so painful…"

Surr whimpered softly, sadly, pressing her forehead against his and fighting tears at the raw anguish in his low voice.

"I'm here now, darling…" she sighed, kissing him gently as she lifted herself up slightly, lowering her right hand between them, running her nails down his chest and stomach and delicately wrapping her fingers around his cock. She shuddered when he uttered a quiet, breathless whine against her lips, arching under her as his hands clenched in her hair, tilting her head and pulling her in for another kiss, so desperate and hungry now, her mind started to spin. Blindly, drowning in his taste as he pressed his tongue in her mouth, she positioned herself against his hard flesh, swallowing his desperate groan as she lowered herself slowly down his length… frowning at the sudden barrier. What the…? Oh… She blushed furiously realizing it seemed she was a virgin… again… She opened her eyes when he froze against her, surely arriving at the same conclusion and would have laughed at his wide-open, stunned eyes if her heart wasn't pounding deafening between her ears.

She pulled back from his lips reculantly, lifting and bracing her arms against his chest as she smiled at him coyly.

"My beautiful…" he whispered softly, such awe in his low, soothing voice that it had her shuddering helplessly, as his hands smoothed down her sides and closed around her hips, shaking noticeably. "…mate. My soul, my heart… my everything…"

"Oh, Raha…" she sighed dreamily, licking her lips nervously and closing her eyes. "I'm yours… only yours… if you want me," and with one sharp push, she lowered went down him completely, gasping at the spike of pain… but quickly forgetting about it when he arched under her with a loud, maddening groan, his hands clenching her skin almost painfully, holding her tightly against him as his cock throbbed inside of her. She opened her eyes and froze, mesmerized by the sheer beauty of his face. He bit his lower lip, closing his eyes and bending his head back in the mattress; the muscles on his chest and stomach straining so hard as he seemed to try to hold back. "My darling…" she gasped softly, straightening on top of him as she pulled her hair back off her shoulder, tilting her head in invitation, submission, when his lashes fluttered open, the crimson of his eyes so dark it looked almost black. She shuddered when his gorgeous lips pulled back in a silent snarl, baring his teeth at her. So… hot! "…so take me, Raha, make me yours," she finished on a low growl, purposefully tightening her muscles around his flesh, dragging her nails hard over his chest and shaking with instinctive anticipation when he sat up slowly; a low, dangerous growl tearing from his throat as his eyes grew glassy, so dazed as they zeroed in on her shoulder.

"Mine," he snarled, fisting one hand into her hair and pulling her head back slightly, his suddenly, strangely… savage eyes rising to hers as if looking for any sign of defiance. His other hand clenched her hip so hard it was sure to leave bruises, but she didn't mind, parting her lips and purring in invitation, arching in his steel grip and dying for friction as her tail coiled around his back possessively.

"Yours," she said breathlessly, raising her hands to his shoulders and digging her nails into his skin roughly, trying to pull him closer as a strange… haze clawed at her mind relentlessly, tearing a low hiss out of her throat, aggression building up at his tardiness. She wanted him, needed him… now! She bared her teeth at him instinctively, growling when his eyes darkened even more, near pitch-black now and so… feral as he returned it, grip in her hair and on her hip becoming brutal.

He snarled furiously, then in a move fast like a viper, bit her hard, making her arch with a shout, her hands shooting up to wrap around his head, pulling him closer, ever closer, as something in her head… in her mind snapped, his jumbled feelings flooding her senses, pulling on her soul as she gasped desperately, drowning as her sense of self melted and mixed with his till she was nothing but part of him, and it was so good… so perfect… when her life-long loneliness dissolved under his love and adoration, and elation so deep and mind-blowing… and she knew no more.


G'raha couldn't help but grin at his mate's pout, earning himself a scoff and a narrowed look of dark-purple eyes.

"It's not funny, Raha," she complained, then sighed and dropped on top of a bunkbed next to him. "I do have to finally learn to walk properly on my own."

"And as I said," he hummed, rolling onto his his side and bracing himself on his elbow while he ran his hand down her back and along the length of her tail delicately. "I am quite happy carrying you around."

"It's annoying," she huffed, but turned toward him with a sheepish smile and a blush as she lifted her hand to brush his hair back. "And I don't want to… embarass you when we arrive in Old Sharlayan."

"You couldn't even if you wanted to, Surr," he sighed with bliss, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her to rest next to him, curling around her back tightly and possessively as he kissed her shoulder, purring soothingly. "You have all the time in the world to learn how this body works, my mate. But until then, let me enjoy spoiling you."

She sighed, but relaxed in his arms and the reason of her annoyance curled around his hip, her tail flicking lazily.

He couldn't help but find her struggle with her new appendage utterly adorable, and as it gave him an excuse to always stay at her side in case its wild movements made her lose her balance with any sudden emotion, he couldn't say he agreed with her point of view.

"I don't like… that people keep staring," she whispered, pulling his arms tighter against her chest. "I'm not… used to so much… attention."

"I know, my love," he sighed, nuzzling against the back of her ears and enjoying how her smell surrounded him and filled his lungs with every breath. He could never get enough of that. "I'm sorry."

"Oh," she turned around in his arms quickly if a bit awkwardly, blushing as she put her leg over his hip, pressing against him tightly and burying her face against his chest. "That's not what I meant, Raha," she said with amusement. "I'm so… proud to be yours. I am, darling, and I know you also don't like people fawning over you. But I feel so… awkward when you have to catch or carry me constantly. I don't want to be a… burden. It's already so… embarrassing that you had to buy me proper clothes and a spot on this ship."

"You're not a burden, my love," he hummed, moving his hand under her chin and forcing her to look up at him and pressing a delicate kiss on her lips. Then he grinned at her dazed look and a blush. "And it's hardly a harrowing task to spend three weeks on the sea with you when we have nothing better to do than to make love constantly. If anything, I feel spoiled beyond reason."

"Smart-ass," she giggled, her blush getting darker, but she relaxed again, lifting her hand and rolling strands of his hair around her finger as she looked at him from under her lashes, pursing her pretty lips. He couldn't help how his blood heated up instantly and shot south, making him dizzy as he growled at her softly, moving his hand down her back to curl his fingers around her buttocks and pull her closer against his quickly hardening flesh. She gasped softly, then laughed breathlessly. "You're insatiable, Raha," she chuckled, when he lowered his head to nip on her shoulder.

"Can't help it, my Surr," he purred against her skin, enjoying how she shuddered; her leg that rested across his hip tightening and pulling him closer as she wrapped her arm around his shoulder and dug her nails into his skin. G'raha sighed with bliss, rolling on top of her and claiming her smiling lips in a passionate kiss, bracing himself on his elbows above her and purring into her mouth with delight when she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist.

She broke the kiss, arching with a moan when he entered her smoothly, soon setting a slow, deliberate rhythm as he nibbled at her throat, enjoying beyond reason how she gasped and whimpered, clawing at his back.

As he felt her pleasure mounting, her muscles spasming and quivering around his dick, he growled, then sank his teeth into her shoulder, panting around her skin when she arched under him with a shout, the burn of her nails across his skin making him speed up, soon pounding into her brutally until she sank her fingers into his hair, pulling his head to the side roughly and biting him with a low, possessive growl as her legs clenched around him near painfully. He came with a choked whine, shuddering violently as she pulled on his soul, melding hers with it, mewling softly around his skin and pawing at his back.

He sagged on top of her with a blissful groan, burying his face against her throat and soon purring with content while she smoothed her hands across his back affectionately, nuzzling her cheek against his shoulder and throat, spreading loving bites and kisses wherever she could reach.

"I love you," he couldn't help but whisper into her skin, curling tightly around her..

"I know," she chuckled softly, combing her fingers through his hair. "I love you too, Raha," she kissed the mark on his throat and wrapped her arms around his neck, purring soothingly.

He closed his eyes, feeling them watering and his throat tightening. He wondered if he will ever get used to hearing her say that. If it ever will stop feeling so… precious. He didn't believe it could. Each day, each moment when he could hold her, be held by her was like the greatest treasure.

After their mating, he learned that though for him few moons had passed since his visit to her world, for her it was a full year… obviously caused by the time dilation between the two different worlds, which also explained why for him his trip seemed like bells, while his friends told him the time between his sacrifice and the moment when Astra used Azem's crystal to re-summon all of them back wasn't all that long. It made him believe with unshakable conviction that she was stronger than him… so much stronger… the thought of being without her for a year made him shudder with terror.

"Raha…?" she said suddenly, dragging her nails delicately down his spine, sending pleasant shivers through him.

"Mmm?" he hummed, nuzzling against her throat and taking a deep breath, relishing in her scent with a blissful purr.

"When we arrive… what am I supposed to do?" she asked hesitantly.

He frowned slightly, then looked at her beautiful face with a smug grin.

"You mean other than let me spoil you?" he asked completely serious, leaning in to rub the tip of his nose against hers tenderly, his grin widening when she giggled helplessly, returning the gesture with wide smile.

"Yes, my silly mate," she said with amusement. "You still think that Y'shtola will be able to help with my… aether problem?"

"It won't hurt to try," he answered, then tapped delicately at her thigh and she blushed, dropping her legs from around him, and letting him sit up. "I'll be able also to search archives for any similar cases… it's doubtful I'll find aynthing at best, but still something worth trying," he combed his fingers through his hair with a sigh, then stretched lazily, not missing her appreciative gaze as it tracked every movement of his muscles. He was normally quite self-conscious… but feeling her adoration, he couldn't help but preen a bit, watching with pleasure as a dark blush bloomed on her delicate features and she bit her pretty lips, her purple eyes growing dark and hungry, and her soul resonating lust across their bond.

Twelve, he heard that the time after the first mating could be quite… intense, he thought with a daze as he felt his cock twitch with renewed interest, quickly growing painfully hard under her gaze, but this couldn't be… normal. It's been two weeks since he found her again, and a week since they boarded this ship, and yet when he said they made love constantly… it wasn't embellishing anything at all. One heated look from her, one touch had him ready and aching… no matter how many times he took her previously. He was quite happy his normally embarrassing fame helped him secure a private cabin on this voyage… or else he struggled to imagine how difficult this trip would have been.

She giggled softly as she sat up and soon shamelessly climbed into his lap, bracing her knees around his hips and raising on them as she resumed her favorite past time and sank her fingers into his hair and rained delicate kissess across his face, purring with contentment.

"My Raha…" she sighed, leaning away to toss him coy smirk, setting his heart pounding away. "What's wrong? You look quite… flushed," she grinned cheekily at his short, warning growl.

"Tease," he accused with amusement, smoothing his hands along her sides to let them curl around her hips. Grinning like an idiot when she giggled merrily, wrapping her arms tight around his neck and soon kissing him, long and deep, as she lowered herself onto his cock, uttering absolutely delicious, tiny whimpers into his mouth.

No, he could never have enough, he thought as he broke the kiss, struggling to catch his breath when she started moving, moaning breathlessly and clawing at his shoulders.

They still had a lot of things to figure out and learn about each other, and probably quite few struggles to overcome… her seeming complete lack of aether to name but one… but here, in this moment, as she slanted her mouth over his again, stealing his mind and reason, and their souls tangling and melding into each other as much as their bodies… he couldn't be happier.

"Love you, Raha… so much," she whispered against his lips, closing her eyes and arching with a moan, shuddering as she hit her peak. He growled mindlessly, twisting around and pressing her down into the bunk as he sank his teeth in her shoulder, pounding into her relentlessly as her pleasure spilled across their bond, stealing his breath and mind. He came with a choked whine, sagging against her bonelessly. Then chuckled weakly when she squeaked with protest, crushed by his weight. He rolled onto his back next to her with blissful sigh and couldn't help but grin when she crawled on top of his chest immediately, laying down and nuzzling against his skin with a content purr starting in the back of her throat.

"I love you too, Surr…" he said, combing his fingers through her hair. "…my otherworldly mate," he added, kissing top of her head, before wrapping his arms tightly around her and closing his eyes.

She was his, and he was hers… now and forever.

And whatever may come their way, they'll overcome it together… as it was supposed to be since before they were born… since before the gods intervention almost ruined it. But they found each other, even across different worlds… and woe on anyone or anything that would try to take her away from him again.


And with this, this counterpart/AU to "Stuck in Another World" is officially over :3
I hope you enjoyed reading, and next time it's back to SIAW :3