Disclaimer: I DO NOT own these characters, they belong solely to Christopher Paolini. I only enjoy playing with them =]
A/N: Please don't leave a comment telling me that Eragon and Murtagh are related ( I know this) and that my stories bother you because of it, I clearly state that my stories are Era/Mur. You decided to still read it, those kind of comments are annoying. Thank you.
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Murtagh shoved the last of his belongings into his knapsack, it was time for him to go. The Varden didn't need him anymore. Nausada didn't need him anymore, and more importantly, Eragon didn't need him anymore. It'd been a month since The Last Battle. He'd done his part in killing Galbatorix and it was all over. Things were starting to return to normal, the people were starting to adapt and settle to a life without a evil king. There was no place for him among the Varden, Murtagh knew that.
With a toss of his knapsack over his shoulder, Murtagh was out into the night. He stepped lightly but quickly, he didn't want to wake anyone and he wanted to get out of the camp as quickly as possible. He was about to pass Eragon's tent, but hesitated and stopped before passing it. Saphira was nowhere to be seen. There was no light within the tent, which was strange. Ever since the Last Battle Eragon had been suffering from nightly terrors that made it impossible for him to sleep. Murtagh spent many long nights in that tent at his side, watching over the younger dragon rider and swapping nightmares and dreams in general. Murtagh was always able to soothe Eragon back to sleep. He stood outside the tent listening to Eragon's steady breathing as he slept soundly for the third consecutive night in over a month. It was true, Eragon really didn't need him anymore. He could get through the night all on his own.
About a mile outside of camp Murtagh told himself for the hundredth and ninety-seventh time that "it's for the best." He was about to say it again when someone jumped down from a tall dark tree some feet ahead. Murtagh reached for his sword instinctively, but dropped his hand when he saw Eragon's face emerge from the darkness. He stepped into a shaft of moonlight.
Suddenly Murtagh's chest felt too small for his heart was beating against his breast so violently that he had to lay his hand over his chest to keep his heart from escaping his body. He had been caught.
"You were really going to leave without saying goodbye?" Pain ran deep in the rider's broken voice.
All Murtagh could do was stare. He watched Eragon's mouth open and close, his Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he tried to swallow past the thing that caused his voice to break. Murtagh wondered if he had been crying, or if he was about to start.
Great gusts of air and the sound of beating wings caused Murtagh to turn his head to see Saphira landing behind him. She eyed him closely with her large sapphire eyes and looked at Eragon as if to say "told you so." Murtagh turned back to Eragon.
"I thought you were asleep." was his only response.
"Why?" Eragon took two steps closer. "So you could sneak out, never to see me again?"
"No, I…"
"What then, what is it?" The rider demanded.
"I don't belong with the Varden." Murtagh's reply came out weakly.
Eragon stepped closer closing the space between their bodies. Murtagh noticed he was shaking, his eyes were slightly tinged red. The very idea that his leaving, his absence, would have this sort of effect on the young man standing before him made Murtagh both unbelievably happy and hate himself more than he has ever hated himself before.
"Forget about the Varden, this isn't about the Varden…is it?"
"I can't..." Murtagh looked down at the ground. The toe of his boot drew anxious lines in the black dirt. "It doesn't matter, it's too late." He muttered under his breath.
His eyes continued to stare at the dirt until Eragon cupped his face with both of his hands and raised his face until he looked at him again. Eragon's hands were warm, clammy, and shaking, as if he were nervous. Tears were forming in his sad brown eyes.
"Why are you trying to convince yourself of this?"
Murtagh watched a tear roll down the brunette's left cheek, absentmindedly he wiped it away. The cheek was soft, but cold in the cool darkness of the night.
"Do you know what you are trying to talk yourself out of?" Eragon continued, his voice wavered.
This, right here, standing before him in the middle of the night trying to convince him to stay, asking him to stay, was Eragon. A heart-worn Eragon. Everything he wanted; Eragon. And he wanted him to stay.
Eragon leaned forward and nestled his face into the dark haired boy's neck, his arm wrapped around his waist. Murtagh's heart went wild, his face became hot and flushed. Eragon's tears were coming faster.
Murtagh heard Saphira take a few steps closer, the dirt crunched under her huge paws. He remembered that she felt her rider's distress.
"I love you." Eragon cried.
He couldn't stand firm in the face of this coveted admission of love. Murtagh's tenacity dissolved completely, he wrapped his arms around the sobbing brunette. His hands stroked his hair comfortingly.
"I love you too" It was the only thing he had said all night that he knew to be undoubtedly true.
"Then don't go, please." Eragon raised his head to look into his face.
They were close enough that if Murtagh puckered his lips, they would touch Eragon's. He found himself frozen. Murtagh knew that he wouldn't be able to keep from kissing Eragon. He held on to his restraint by an unraveling thread.
"Will you stay with me?" Eragon asked, his breath warmed the older boy's cheek. His eyes were filled with longing, the same longing the dark haired boy had tried to suppress in his own heart.
Murtagh cut the thread of self-control and seized Eragon's lips with his own, his tongue found a way into the younger boy's mouth. He utterly lost himself in the moment, nothing existed or matter outside this moment. The kiss was passionate and deep, and filled with every ounce of his love. After a moment he realized that he left the question unanswered, he pulled away for only a second before returning for another kiss.
"Yes."