G'raha woke up slowly, feeling as if his senses returned almost reculantly; an unfamiliar sensation almost… vibrating in the back of his mind. He frowned, blinking his eyes open slowly and looking around with confusion.
He was in some kind of huge, luxury room, splayed atop of enormous bed… naked and with Surr sleeping curled against his side, her head resting on his shoulder. She was as naked as him, those lush, white locks flowing freely over her back. So beautiful…
Mine…
He twitched slightly, his frown growing deeper. Slowly and carefully, he slipped his arm from under her and sat up, looking around curiously. He had somehow foggy memory of getting here… Surr holding his wrist, whispering, pleading, purring… Cooing his name over and over; his mind slipping in and out of the daze…
Do you want to be mine, Raha…
I'll take care of you, my precious…
He shook his head, trying to clear it. Gods… He was so confused and thirsty… He looked around again, then sighed, spotting a pitcher of water and glasses standing on a small table on the other side of the room. Licking his dry lips, moving carefully not too jostle awake his beautiful lover, he slipped out of the bed, padding silently toward the drink with focus, if a bit wobbly.
It took two tall glasses before he sighed with relief. He smiled, feeling more like himself, then as he was putting the glass down, something caught his eye. A pile of papers, with his name clearly visible on the first page. He stilled, tossing quick look toward sleeping Miqo'te, then picked the papers up, leafing through them and paling with each page, his jaw clenching.
It was his life… In every cold, lonely, humiliating detail. Pages upon pages of complaints about his 'eccentricity,' his antics, his scores, just… everything.
She had him… investigated? Why? If he was worthy of her… company?
He bit back a furious growl, his ears falling flat against his head, as he glared daggers at the sleeping girl. She could have asked him, but no… instead she went and had someone pick his life apart.
And Twelve… what was that infernal feeling in the back of his mind…? Almost like… Nevermind. He snapped his teeth, quickly and silently picking his clothes from the floor and dressing hastily. He stared at her for a moment, feeling fury slowly bubbling up in his chest.
She could have trusted him. Come to him with any questions she had. He would never lie to her. No, instead she went behind his back, like he wasn't worth any common courtesy… Like his privacy was nothing to her.
He felt his jaw pulsing when he clenched his teeth painfully, his ears hugging his head and tail hanging low.
He was such an idiot. As always. He really thought she was different. That she… cared. Or could at least… eventually… maybe...
Maybe she even wasn't Scion at all too? He had only her word for that… It wouldn't be a first time a woman lied to him to get in his bed and then toss him aside like… a trash. Not that it mattered… he just thought… she was different…
He felt his eyes prickle and throat tighten, and he cursed his naivety.
Seven hells, he couldn't breath… He needed to get out of here…
Tossing last, furious look at her… frowning slight in reflex when she whimpered softly in her sleep… and chiding himself for that immediately, he left her room silently, heading toward the exit.
"And who you might be, my friend?" he heard a haughty voice and turned his gaze at teenage Elzen standing at the bottom of the stairs and regarding him with clear surprise.
Alphinaud Leveilleur.
So at least that part of her story was true.
"Someone's who's leaving," he snapped, unable to hold back his hostility. He passed stunned boy and exited massive door, slamming them hard behind him. He stopped outside briefly, taking a deep breath and trying to collect his thoughts.
So maybe she was really a Scion… Doesn't matter. It doesn't give her a right to invade his privacy and trample over his… his.. feelings.
Twelve… He almost… He thought… Gods, he was so stupid.
He stiffened his back, tightening his jaw and turned, heading toward the Annex. Then he stilled suddenly, feeling something… his hand instinctively shoot toward his shoulder, fingers slipping under his vest and brushing against a… wound?... as anguish, not his own, slammed on his senses, making his gasp breathlessly.
What the fuck?!
He was gone…
Her mate was gone…
Surr couldn't breath, whining pitifully, as she sat in the middle of enormous bed. Stumbling, she crawled off, grabbing at her dishelved clothes and pulling them on carelessly.
Her Raha was gone… And she could feel his distress.. his fear and fury...
She wanted him back…
He was hers, she was his.
She had to find him.
"Surr? Are you alright?" someone knocked on the door of her room, and she stumbled toward it blindly, tears blurring her vision as Raha's pain poured over her senses.
Alphinaud.
"I saw someone unfamiliar leav…" he gasped when she pushed him out of the way, only one goal consuming her mind.
Find Raha and sooth him.
She growled when another body stopped in her way.
"Surr? What's going on?" Thancred. Her friend. He'll help.
"He's gone," she sobbed breathlessly, fisting her hands in his shirt. "My Raha is gone. He's hurt… he's in pain. I have to find him."
Much taller Scion wrapped his arms around her, but she growled when he started pushing her back toward her room.
"Let go," she snapped, squirming in his grasp. Gods… was his touch always so unpleasant? She wanted... needed Raha… "Let go of me!"
"You're in no shape to go out, Surr. Calm down first. Calm down and I'll help you look for him," his voice was low, uncertain.
He didn't understand.
She needed her mate.
She hissed furiously, snapping her teeth at him in warning but he ignored her, using his much taller frame to push her away from the stairs.
"Let her go," came a furious snarl from the direction of the entrance. Thancred froze and she immediately used it to push away from him and stumble toward that voice, her tears blinding her.
"Raha…" she whimpered brokenly when she reached him, wrapping her arms around his waist and nuzzling against his chest. "You can't leave me. You can't…"
He was so stiff against her; his fury, pain and fear pouring over their bond and making her dizzy.
"What did you do to me?" he hissed furiously, grabbing her arms and pushing her away. "Twelve… why do I feel you in the back of my head? Make it stop!"
Nonononono… No!
She shook her head, speechless, tears streaming down her face.
He didn't want her? That's why he left? She asked… and asked… but in the end he didn't want her?
Now she was sobbing so hard she choked, her breath leaving her in sharp, short bursts.
"Oh boy…" Thancred sighed behind her, and closed his hands on her shoulders, pulling her back toward him
And Raha let go.
He didn't want her… Why he didn't want her?
Surr whimpered softly, trying to reach her arms toward him, but her friend's grip stopped her movement. Thancred coiled his arms around her tightly and she saw Raha twitch, his ears falling flat against his head, but he clenched his jaw, looking away.
"Make it stop!" he growled.
"Stop that!" Thancred snapped when she wilted in his arms with a pitiful whine. "You changed your mind and don't want to be bonded to her, that's fine! But you don't have to torture her with that! Don't you see she's upset enough?"
She sobbed, turning around and burying in her friend's arms.
He didn't want her. Raha didn't want her. Twelve... she wanted to die. He was her soulmate, and he didn't want her.
"Bonded?" he repeated with uncertainty. "What's that supposed to mean? Just make it stop! I can't…"
She couldn't listen to that anymore.
He didn't want her. Her mate didn't want her and her heart was breaking.
She tore herself out of Thancred's grip and run back to her room, slamming door behind her.
G'raha stared after her with confusion, swallowing hard. Twelve… He didn't know what to do.
He was still… furious, about what she did, but she looked so… upset. And he could feel that. It set him on the edge as nothing before ever could and it scared him. So he snapped, like cornered prey, and now he was so… confused.
The tall, handsome Huyr was regarding him with clenched jaw, his face reddened with fury.
"Get out!" he snapped. "You did enough damage. You want bond gone, go to the nearest healer and get rid of her mark. Clearly, you don't deserve it anyway."
He stared at the man with confusion, blinking hard as his heart pounded furiously.
"Bond? Mark? What the…?"
"What a mess," sighed young Elzen, until now a silent witness to whole… spectacle. "Thancred, you can clearly see that he has no idea what are you talking about," his tone was so… haughty. "Though… how there can be a Miqo'te who doesn't know about mating bond, is beyond me. Trust Surr to find one," he sighed again, then left, heading inside one of the rooms upstairs.
Hyur stilled, watching him with renewed interest and tilting his head curiously.
"He's right?" he finally asked quietly. "You don't know?"
G'raha shrugged helplessly, his gaze unavoidable heading in the direction of her room as her anguish pulled on his senses.
Man sighed heavily, rubbing hand over his face.
"Twelve preserve… Alphinaud right again. Trust Surr to find and mate to one. Come," he said sharply, turning around and heading upstairs. "But watch your tongue. She can explain it better than any of us, but if you hurt her even worse… How she says it… I'll bitch-slap you into the next Calamity."
G'raha followed with uncertainty, swallowing hard. Twelve, he was so confused… So lost... Nothing make any sense...
Huyr knocked hard on the door to her room, and he twitched behind him nervously.
"Leave me alone, Than, I don't need your pity," came her quiet, sad voice, so close… as if she was right behind the door.
Gods… her sorrow nearly physically hurt him.
"Surr," Man… Thancred, called out softly. "He have no idea what is the bond. I don't think… I don't think he meant to hurt your feelings," he tossed a sharp, warning look at him over his shoulder. "Maybe… maybe if you explain it to him, he'll reconsider…"
There was a long silence, and then door opened slowly and Thancred pushed them carefully at the same time grabbing G'raha's wrist and pulling him behind him.
When he saw her, he had to bite back a pitiful whine. She looked as if all of seven hells worth of misery fallen on her shoulders. Her face puffy from tears as she sat by the table in her room, clearly avoiding their gazes, staring meekly at her hands folded in her lap.
Thancred tossed him another warning look and he followed the man timidly, sitting next to him on the couch and twitching nervously. His gaze stuck on her ears, lowered miserably against her hair.
"I'm so sorry," she finally whispered softly, curling into herself. "I thought… I thought I asked enough. I shouldn't…" she choked, then took a deep breath. "I shouldn't mate to you, G'raha, without making sure… you know what it means. I'm… so sorry," she was clearly fighting tears and he felt his throat tighten painfully.
Then his gaze drifted toward papers still on the table and his jaw clenched. Huyr seemed to notice it and gasped, slapping his face audibly.
"Oh boy..." he sighed, then turned toward him with sheepish, nervous smile. "In case you… wonder… I am responsible for those. Surr had no idea and was properly pissed. But she's like a little sister to me, you must understand. Way she seemed… so interested in you… I thought it safer to check."
G'raha felt his jaw drop as he stared at the man numbly. Then guilt and terror slammed on his chest and she gasped, finally looking up, confusion on her face till she noticed the items in question and her eyes grew huge. Then she blushed furiously, looking down again, guilt plain on her face.
So, she didn't ask for it, but she clearly read it.
"I'm sorry," she squeaked shyly. "I knew I shouldn't… shouldn't read it. But I got… curious. I'm so sorry. I… I made such a… mess of everything. No wonder you don't… don't want me…" and she burst in tears again, whimpering sadly as she covered her face with her hands.
Twelve… He was such an idiot…
G'raha rubbed hand over his face and run his fingers through his hair. Then he sighed sadly, getting to his feet and quickly, before his nerves could get the better of him, passed watching him Huyr and dropped to his knees next to her. Carefully, he grabbed her wrists and pulled, his heart stuttered when she looked up at him with eyes full of tears.
"I'm so… sorry, G'raha," she whispered, closing her eyes. "Don't… don't hate me. I'm… I'm yours, but if you don't… don't want me… it's okay. It's okay. So don't… don't be so… sad."
Thaliak… even so distressed, she worried more about his feelings than her own…
He sighed again, cursing his own stupidity and carefully pulled her down against him, curling his arms around her and smoothing his hand over her hair. She sobbed, coiling around him desperately and burying her face against his chest.
"I'll…let you sort it out," Thancred said quietly behind him, then lifted to his feet and left silently, closing the door behind him.
He rested his cheek against top of her head, purring soothingly against her ear as he smoothed his hand over her back. Her sobs were breaking his heart.
Twelve… how could he ever make up for this…?
Wondering this, he held her until she cried herself into exhaustion, sagging against him, wrecked with shudders. And though his face was wet by then… he didn't notice. He picked her up carefully and after few steps, laid her down gently in the middle of her huge bed. She just whimpered sadly until he kicked off his shoes and curled around her back, his heart stuttering again when she turned immediately, burying against him with a soft whine.
"I'm so sorry, Surr," he whispered, petting her hair with uncertainty. "So sorry."
She shook her head, wrapping her arm around him, her nails digging in the back of his vest.
"It's all my… fault," she sniffed weakly. "I shouldn't… I should ask properly. I'm so sorry, G'raha."
Gods… every time she called him that… Twelve, have mercy… He really ruined it, didn't he?
"Just… explain. Please, Surr," he choked out, feeling his ears hug his head tightly. He was such an idiot…
She stayed silent for a long moment, till he almost thought she fell asleep, but then she started speaking slowly, with uncertainty.
"Most Seekers live in tribes… With… most of the time, one breeding male, a Nunh, and the rest of the tribe consist of females… and kits."
He frowned, but bit his tongue before saying he already knew that.
"My… my parents," she sniffed again. "They were both born in a T… Condor tribe. It's one of the big ones, so they had more then one Nunh. My papa… He told me… That… First time he saw my mom, when they were barely kits… He said, he knew instantly that she's only one for him. His mate. His soulmate. That they were born to be together. In each and every life. Like.. Like…" she swallowed hard, trembling. "He said… that's it's rare. Mating bond… isn't. Miqo'te's living in the… cities like mine, in Limsa Lominsa… Bond into monogamous pairs often. To have kits together and rise them. Mating bond… it's… it's wonderful. You… you share your deepest feelings with your chosen person."
G'raha listened with wonder, his eyes growing huge with her every word. He didn't… didn't saw it any of his books. No one.. mentioned it. But to be honest… it's not like people talked to him much, especially other Miqo'te's. Zadi was only exception, but she was a Keeper of the Moon…
Then he frowned, biting his lower lip.
"And…" he hesitated, trying to pick his words carefully. "You want me to… be your… mate?"
Gods… his heart pounded so loud…
She shook her head, swallowing hard.
He wilted, closing his eyes. Yes, of course…
"You're… you're my soulmate, Raha," she said softly and he twitched hard, his eyes shooting wide open and ears standing up in attention. "You're… half of my soul," she swallowed thickly. "But… but if you… don't… don't want me…" her voice turned so tiny. "I… I shouldn't… force the bond on you. I'm so sorry… so sorry. But Thancred is wrong… you can't… can't make a soul-bond disappear like… normal. Healing the mark… it won't… make it go away. It's for… for life. I'm so… so sorry," by the sound of it she was about to cry again. "Just… just… can you give me…a chance, Raha? I'll try to be… try to make up for it… Please…" she whimpered, nuzzling against his chest. "I'll… I'll be good, I promise. I'll care about you, love you, do anything you want. Please… don't… leave me…"
He leaned away slightly, staring at her, completely dumbfounded. She lifted her head shyly, meeting his gaze, her teary eyes so… scared and hopeful.
He didn't understand that. He really didn't. She just… gave him something he wanted… yearned for whole his life and in his ignorance, he tossed it back in her face. Trampled it. Yet still… still she wanted him. Still she looked at him as if he was… worthy of such a miracle.
It boggled his mind.
Speechless, he cupped her cheek in his palm, smoothing his thumb over her skin gently. She held his dazed stare, nuzzling into his touch… and then he felt it again… that vibrating sensation in the back of his mind he woke up with in the first place. He blinked hard, realizing it felt as if she was purring in the back of his head.
He moaned softly, closing his eyes and drowning in that feeling.
Twelve… so good…
Sensation cut off as suddenly as it started and his eyes shoot wide open; he bit back a remorseful whimper.
"I'm sorry," Surr was blushing furiously, avoiding his gaze.
"You… you did that? On purpose?" he whispered with uncertainty.
She curled into herself slightly, her nails digging harder in his vest and her blush darkened even harder.
"I'm sorry," she squeaked, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "I… it's kind of… instinctive."
He swallowed hard, rubbing his thumb over her cheek again.
"Do it again, please," he choked out, his breath picking up.
She stilled, opening her eyes and looking at him with uncertainty. Then she licked her lips nervously and that sensation started again, kind of… slow and unsure.
He moaned again, louder, and the feeling grew in intensity, sending shudders down his spine.
Thaliak… it felt… so good…
Soon he grew dizzy, combination of that feeling with her citrus smell setting his blood on fire as it shoot down his body; his cock throbbing painfully.
"Twelve…" he groaned, drowning in her purple eyes. "Surr.. how… how do you do that?" he swallowed hard, blushing.
She blinked, uncertain smile tilting her plush lips slowly.
"There's this… umm… feeling in the back of my… mind. And if you… um… focus on it and… push… it just happens."
He frowned slightly, focusing and searching… He felt it, or at least he thought so… He… pushed… and gasped when she did, her blush going darker, her breath picking up as her lips parted slightly.
"Oh…" her tongue darted out to wet her lips, catching his gaze. "It… it feels… oh."
"Surr…" he hesitated, taking a deep breath. "Can I.. Can I kiss you?"
She licked her lips again, her gaze dropping to his mouth and heating up, her breath so fast and uneven.
"I.. I would like that…" she smiled softly and his heart vaulted wildly in his chest.
He leaned in slowly, carefully, and brushed his lips gently against hers; his hand moving delicately from her cheek to sink in her hair, tilting her head slightly. She sighed softly against his lips, her hand that was stuck between their bodies until now, moved up, resting against his cheek, as she tentatively returned the kiss, her beautiful eyes fluttering closed.
"Raha…" she moaned softly, hand on his back tightening and pulling him closer.
Gods… how could he ever deserve her…?
She melted, drowning in his taste, his lips so soft and inviting against hers. Static filled her ears as that… feeling… this purring… rumbled over her senses, slow and uncertain.
Twelve… no wonder her parents couldn't keep their hands off each other her whole life…
She blushed furiously at the thought, almost a giggle bubbling up in her chest as her mind swam in a daze. She was so… so confused. She got so… scared and hurt; sure she ruined everything and now he won't want to have anything to do with her.
It would be her luck really… She was always too… rash, too wild and it always got her in trouble. But the thought of losing him… Her soulmate… She couldn't stand it.
He moaned softly against her lips, sending a shudder down her spine and his hand tightened in her hair slightly. She felt familiar by now heat coiling low in her belly; feedback of his… lust feeding into her own and making her dizzy, as she panted weakly, moving her hand off his back to sink her fingers in his hair.
Gods… how he smelled drew her absolutely mad. It did. She lacked words to describe it, but it was like a mix of most sensual spices her mom used to make her teas… Like cinnamon, maybe… With a bit of almond… So tasty…
And his taste… Twelve, have mercy… As his tongue brushed her lower lip, oh so gentle, and she almost involuntary opened her mouth, meeting his with her own… Oh, Azeyma… He tasted like all seven heavens never could… She was drowning in it…
She whimpered softly, breathlessly, too exhausted from all the turmoil; too confused too do much else than slowly roll to her back and pull on his shoulder meaningfully. She needed to feel him, needed his incredible heat to surround her and take away this… chill she woke up with.
"Surr…" he whispered softly, breaking the kiss to her whine, but he took a clue, settling carefully over her, bracing on his elbows as he brushed her hair back gently, trailing his lips over her cheek. "I'm so… sorry… Please… I really, didn't know. I'm so… stupid," he sighed sadly, burying his face against her throat. She whimpered, carding her fingers in his hair and massaging his ears, purring both inside and out, trying so hard to sooth him. "Twelve… so good…" he moaned breathlessly, swallowing hard. "I… I'm sorry, Surr. I am. If I knew… I should never think… Gods… It's so hard to think... But… but I want this. I want you. If you… can forgive me. I'm so sorry, I got so… scared and confused. But.. I want you. I do. So much. I'm so sorry… Please, don't hate me…" his breath was so fast, nearly panicky as he nuzzled against her throat and she whined softly in distress, coiling around him tightly.
"I can't hate you," she admitted, brushing her free hand across his back. "You're my soulmate. And… and… I love you," she whispered shyly, closing her eyes and burying her face against his throat, taking a deep breath and drowning in that intoxicating smell. He stiffened completely, his breath stuttering to a stop. "I love you, Raha. You're… so perfect… so sweet and… please… don't leave me…"
"You… Surr, gods… don't say it if you don't mean it," his voice was so choked down and he shuddered so hard. "If… if you want me, I'm… yours. But don't… don't… lie about that. Please…" he sounded like he was on a verge of tears and her heart broke, his pain and uncertainty pouring over their bond.
Gods… she will find people responsible for neglecting him and rip them a new one…
She swallowed hard, trying to curb in her sudden fury, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.
"I don't lie, Raha. I love you, I swear," she run her fingers through his hair again, nuzzling her cheek against his throat. "I'll take care of you, my beautiful, just please, let me. I'll do anything, just please… please… let me love you. You don't… don't have to say it back. Just let me earn it. Please, my precious."
He shook so hard now, swallowing hard, his breath was so fast and uneven.
"I don't know… how that feels…" he choked out finally, sounding ashamed and heartbroken. "No one ever… I mean…"
Twelve… she will MURDER them!
"It's okay," she whispered softly, soothingly. "It's okay, Raha. I'll show you, I'll love you till you feel safe enough to love me back, my beautiful. I'll give you all the affection you need, I promise," she run her hands slowly up and down his back till his shaking subsided a little. "I'll never betray your trust and always be there for you. I swear. I love you, Raha, I do, my mate," she trailed her lips against his throat, up to his jaw till he moaned softly, lifting his head and catching her mouth in a rough, desperate kiss.
"I don't… deserve you," he choked out after a moment, his beautiful eyes so full of tears, his turmoil making her whimper with sympathy as she framed his face with her palms and pulled him down, brushing her lips gently against his. "Surr…"
"I love you," she whispered softly, pouring her love and affection over their bond; he shuddered, gasping breathlessly and closing his eyes, tears rolling from under his eyelids. "I love you, my beautiful. I'll say it as many times as you need it… till you can believe that. It's okay, it's okay, my Raha," she coiled her arms around his neck, pulling him again in a tight hug and sighing softly when he shuddered against her again, sobbing breathlessly. "Just let it out, my precious. I love you," she nuzzled against his hair, taking a deep breath and drowning in his smell again. "I love you, I always will. Now and forever," and if he could see her face now, he would shiver at fierce, determined look in her purple eyes. "You're mine, and I'm yours."
Her every word was a bond and a promise.
And he maybe didn't know that yet, but she always kept her word.
