The cracking of the fire has his eyes drift open and he smiles involuntarily feeling a too-familiar by now heat sinking in his side. The sweet scent of mixed spices fills his sensitive nose and he nuzzles his cheek against the crown of red hair.
A familiar, soothing dream.
The first touch in years, offering silent comfort, and unlike like then, he doesn't run – terrified of the sudden ache in his chest and mortified at needing this – but instead shifts, brushing his nose against the red-furred ear and grins when it twitches delicately. He leans away and his grin widens when red-cyan irises flash toward him with a mix of surprise and uncertainty.
So beautiful and expressive that it takes his breath away and makes his heart stutter inside his chest.
Because it is a dream, he brings his hand – so rough and unfitting – under the other's chin, tilts his head delicately, and leans in to press a gentle kiss on slightly parted, full lips… and when they part further with a gasp, he delves in with a rumbling purr, starved for the taste of the fire. It sinks in his veins, chasing away the ever-present chill of frost and his heart sings… until a hard shove against his chest breaks the fantasy.
He backs away with surprise and even as he licks his lips and the lingering taste stokes the flame, it withers at the sight of terror in mismatched eyes while the other Seeker scrambles away.
'I did not mean to suggest…' though flushed beautifully, the red-cyan irises avoid his gaze and he feels the fire die as the pure frost fills his veins. '…I'm interested. Goodnight, Warrior.'
He walks away and T'senri looks after him – not understanding, even as his throat tightens painfully and his eyes burn. It's wrong. All wrong…
Is it…? A cold, chilling chuckle runs through his head and he gaps, curling into himself and wrapping his hands around it when excruciating pain tries to tear him apart. Sweet, kind Rrraha… why would he want a beast...?
The dream shifts and he sighs with relief as the pain backs away and he can breathe again.
He's so nervous his hands shake, so to cover it, he crosses them over his chest – trying to hide the way his stupid, pounding heart jumps in his throat when mismatched irises drift over the inside of his tent.
He shouldn't let him in – he knows – but as terrified as he was of his rejection, he missed him, too – the warmth and humor in red-cyan eyes, the soothing voice, and the scent of mixed spices… When he nears, stopping right in front of him, his gaze gets stuck on the plush lips tilted in a slightly uncertain smile. He thinks to that question again – would you like me to kiss you? – and he wonders if he didn't panic…
'T'senri, I wanted…' before he can finish or he can think of it better, he leans in and places an awkward, uncertain kiss on those pretty, pretty lips, hoping… His heart simply breaks as before he can even straighten dismay and disgust fills mismatched eyes as the redhead scowls and backs away, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. '…nevermind…' he murmurs and leaves him, and it's wrong, all wrong….
The pain is back, tearing at his insides in the claws feeling like frost and he falls to his knees, whimpering and begging for him to come back….
'I wonderrr…' he hears a sad voice and looks up, blinking through tears. It's him, but he looks wrong – fangs and claws and biting frost in pale irises – and that version of him smiles at him with a small, vicious grin as he leans over him. '…would this be how it would go if we didn't stalk and harrrass him, hm?' he falls to one knee in front of him and the clawed hand wraps around his chin in a delicate caress – the touch feels cold like ice, biting into his skin, yet he can't move away, caught in the chill of frost-filled eyes. 'Kind, neglected Rrraha, starrrved for attention and affection… Did we sense it, Senrrri? The verrry first day when he so selflessly offerrred his heat – did we feel his hungerrr and used it against him…?' he shakes his head or tries in the chilly grip but those eyes harden and fangs flash in a humorless, wide grin. 'Liarrr. We'rrre so eagerrr to punish those who used his heart against him… yet we rrrefuse to admit we'rrre the grrreatest offenderrr," the grip around his chin tightens and claws dig into his skin.
'I love him,' he whimpers helplessly.
'We do,' another wide, chilling grin and bright irises paling to shards of ice. 'But did we everrr trrruly give him a choice, Senrrri? Trrrailing afterrr him like a lost kit, using excuses to stay nearrr and lurrre him in with the prrromise of what he so painfully needed… I wonderrr, if he wasn't that starrrved – would he everrr give us a time of the day?' flash of fangs as the hand pulls back and a wave of crushing pain slams onto his senses. He curls in with a whimper, fighting for a breath. 'We'rrre a prrredator, Senrrri, we sense and prrrey on weaknesses… Did we prrrey on his, I wonderrr? We so badly wanted to be wanted…"
'I would never…' he whines through the soul-crushing pain, and gasps, whimpering involuntarily as the realization freezes the blood in his veins. '…I… wouldn't…' his heart breaks as the lie trails off.'
'Finally getting it,' almost reassuring, chilling pat on his head. 'Brrrilliant, beautiful Rrraha… why would he want a beast that can only kill and destrrroy?'
He shakes his head, sobbing in the mind-crushing terror.
'We used his kindness,' his twin whispers, running his claws through his hair. 'His selflessness and hungerrr. And even when he entrusted the worrrld to us, for him, we failed, forrrcing him to come back and save ourrr poorrr excuse of a life, didn't we, Senrrri? All we did and lost… would matterrr not if he didn't rrreturn – spending a hundrrred yearrrs in isolation and loneliness… for us. Kind, brrrave Raha… and what did we do to deserrrve that? We use, kill and destrrroy… leaving naught but chill and madness in ourrr wake.'
The image shifts and he rises from over a swiftly cooling corpse, spiting on it with disgust and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he looks around the silent, mortified crowd. He lets his real grin – the vicious beast under his skin on full display – spread his lips as he utters a warning… and his voice chokes and trails off at the sight of horror and disgust in mismatched irises. His heart freezes as his gaze falls to his blood-soaked hands and he flexes his claws, involuntarily dragging his tongue over his fangs and tasting copper. He looks up again and they're alone but Raha backs away with fear written all over his beautiful face when he reaches out toward him…
…please, don't be scared, please, love me…
Pathetic, pitiful beast , sounded with a cold, sad chuckle as the sea of blood rose around him. That's what we always werrre and what's we everrr going to be, Senrrri. And doesn't he deserrrve better…?
He closes his eyes with a choked whine and lets his arm fall to his side. Please, make it stop…
With pleasurrre , a freezing, draining wave climbs his skin. Just rrrelax and I'll make it all betterrr, cold press of claws against his shoulder, pushing him back into the chilling sea of blood and he falls back, gladly letting it drown him. He was too good forrr us, anyway.
"Fascinating," Hades murmured involuntarily, and almost winced when his father scoffed at his distraction. He scowled, fell back to sit on his hunches in front of the dual-colored nest, and ran his fingers through his white hair with a grimace. He should be furious, he knew – and maybe later he will have a space of mind to be – but after waking up to the pure panic in crimson irises and hearing Ares was dying… well, priorities. He sighed, narrowing his eyes in consideration as he met his father's gaze. "Relax, Ares is stable," he finally said, then cleared his throat and scowled again. "His mortal on the other hand…"
"Senri… he lives?" the visible relief in Allagan red eyes is palpable while Damon's arms tightened around Ares's unconscious body. "Thank gods…"
Hades winced now, considering if he even should say something… then sighed with resignation under narrowed, questioning gaze.
"Any idea… why does it look like his soul is trying to tear itself apart?" he finally murmured, and frowned when his father's mortal, cat-like face paled instantly.
"He's… what?" Damon said quietly, but the understanding that flashed in his eyes was all too obvious.
When he opened his mouth to question him about the mortal's soul peculiar behavior, he froze, feeling like someone stuffed thousands of needles under his skin… and he recognized the unpleasant feeling instantly as his hand shot to press against Ares's forehead in a vain attempt to push back against his gift. It was useless, as always, as no matter how much aether he had access to, his brother's ability twisted and churned it, bending it to his will. Only… Ares was unconscious – he made sure of that, after finding his moron of a brother terrified Damon by cutting off their connection in an attempt to drain his aether to save his mortal's swiftly deteriorating soul. At least he managed to keep it alive long enough for Hades to latch on and separate them – temporarily at least – knocking Ares out when he refused to back off.
But that meant it couldn't be him using his gift – and whatever the mortal was attempting… Just couldn't be good. Not when the cocoon Ares built around his soul was roiling and spiking like it tried to break apart against the immortal's will. And when the sensation passed and under his confused gaze the cocoon smoothed down and settled… he got a very bad feeling about this.
"What is it, my boy?" Damon asked, watching his expression with a frown.
"He… the Warrior, I mean," he sighed, pulling his hand back. "I don't know what it is about, but I just felt Ares's gift… and it couldn't be him using it," he added and crossed his arms over his chest, frowning at the terror blooming on his father's face. "What is going on? Why do you look so… scared, Father?"
"I hope I'm wrong…" Damon said slowly, resting his cheek against ink-black hair and closing his eyes. And it was useless because they both knew he was almost never wrong. "…but Senri has… issues. So far, what I most feared, I admit, was him accessing Ares's gift in a fit of rage… But I didn't consider the worst case scenario."
"I don't understand," Hades scowled, dropping his hands to his lap and moving his gaze between his father and brother.
Damon sighed, then pressed a tender kiss on Ares's forehead before delicately settling him in between the red and black pillows, soon pulling the blankets around his still form securely and backing away to stand up and leave the nest and head across the room. Following him with his gaze, Hades stood up with a frown, that melted away when he saw his father reach for a purple crystal from the open cache.
"I am sorry, my boy," Damon whispered, closing in on him and putting the crystal in his waiting hand. "I'm too weak to open it now, but I'll give you the spell to do that. We shouldn't… lock you away in the first place. Maybe this… wouldn't happen," he sighed, looking toward the sleeping now, an unmoving form of his lover. "How long do you suppose Ares will be out?"
"A few days…? Maybe weeks…?" he hummed, closing his fingers around the crystal securely and following his father's gaze. "It depends. He lost a massive amount of aether trying to secure his mortal's soul. The balance between them is as well completely… skewed, so I wouldn't recommend waking him before it resettles. Whatever those mortals did wreak havoc with the both of them, but given time…" he shrugged helplessly, then chuckled humorlessly. "…I don't know, Father, honestly. The way they – you and your mortal, too – function or even exist is… unprecedented. But you didn't answer," he said, tilting his head curiously. "What is that worst case scenario…?"
Damon sighed, then closed his eyes and rubbed his eyelids tiredly. And seeing his soul… it wasn't very surprising. Freeing him evidently had a high price – not to mention the apparent emotional… distress he went through.
"The Warrior, Senri," he said slowly, then rubbed his face and looked at him with tired, sad eyes. "He lives to protect and punish… the issue is that there's a part of him – a twisted, broken part – that most of all want to punish him. And if it's that… thing that got its hands – figuratively – on Ares's gift… well, I fear what it would do with that. What it did, probably…" his gaze drifted toward the unconscious form. "And without Ares to fix the… whatever it did…" he sighed, rubbing his hand over his neck. "And now Scions know about me… or at least some of them, if not all already… and it didn't look like they took it well, either. With Ares out cold, Senri an unknown until he wakes up and I see what happened… I need to secure them somewhere safe," he murmured, apparently musing out loud. "Somewhere Scions can't reach… at least until my husband can run damage control. Raha's stirring, sensing Senri again… and I'm too drained to hold him back until I know it's safe…"
"Hmmm, let me help you with that," he hummed with consideration then raised his free hand and snapped his fingers, in a blink of an eye moving them through space. "Will this work, Father?"
Damon looked around with surprise, turning his head and blinking rapidly, then he snorted a laugh when Hades smiled a bit sheepishly.
"…truly?" his crimson irises shone with amusement and fondness… and if anything, it was worth his embarrassment. "You recreated all of this, my boy?"
He shrugged helplessly, looking away from his gaze and around the dark walls of the room in a home that used to belong to them. The only building in the broken shell of Amarout he filled with the tangible shades of his family's belongings. Feeling his amused gaze and how his face heat up under it, he snapped his fingers again, shrinking everything around them to the size comfortable for a mortal while pushing the items apart to make a space around the red-black creation favored by his brother's mortal… and his unconscious form in it.
"Will this work?" he finally asked quietly, avoiding his father's eyes, embarrassed by him witnessing his… sentimentality. "We're in the bubble at the bottom of the sea they call Tempest in the First… so there is no way Scions will be able to reach you. While you rest and recover I can make your… mortals unable to leave until it's safe and provide whatever their… your bodies may need."
"That would be perfect," his father said with relief and more than a hint of pride… and he scowled darkly to hide the smile that almost slipped through. "Thank you, Hades."
"Don't," he carefully schooled his features into a frown, narrowing his eyes at him. "Once Ares is back on his feet… We're going to have a very serious talk about the boundaries and locking us away like naughty children."
"Of course, my boy," Damon chuckled fondly, then sighed tiredly and fell to sit on the edge of the nest. "Now if you excuse me… I really can use some of that rest you mentioned," he smiled sheepishly and Hades nodded reluctantly, then teleported to other side of the building, clenching his fingers around the crystal in his hand.
And if it felt quite reassuring to have them here – where he could easily make sure they can't do anything as stupid again as he with a snap of his fingers cut off the use of magic inside his creation – well, it was definitely a bonus Hythlodaeus is going to tease him about… but somehow it made it feel as well almost like home again and after millennia of missing that feeling… it was worth it.
Don't freak out on me again, G'raha heard before he could even think to open his eyes, frowning involuntarily as his senses simply… swam. The heady mix of relief (at the gentle hum in the back of his head) and confusion (because Damon sounded beyond exhausted) had him reeling. We have to talk before I pass out.
What… happened? He replied hesitantly, struggling to remember. He was going to his and Senri's bedroom with Alisaie after asking her to look after Sali and then… He gasped and his eyes shot wide open for him to freeze and exhale with boundless relief as he sat up, staring at his lover's relaxed expression. Ignoring the fact that he didn't recognize the dark walls surrounding their nest, he moved toward him, almost choking on a sob as he rested his forehead against Senri's shoulder and took a deep, steadying breath, involuntarily purring loudly at the sweet scent of apples. To reassure himself, he snuck his arms under his mate's shoulders and sank on top of him with a small, relieved sigh, delicately rubbing his nose against Warrior's throat and then nudging his jaw gently.
No, don't wake him up…! Damon snapped, growing aggravated for some reason, but G'raha didn't care, almost drunk on his mate's delicious scent and his reassuring, incredible heat. His mate… safe and whole… He sighed with bliss, lifting slightly above him then grinned widely when Senri's beautiful face scrunched up adorably in a slight frown and his jet-black lashes fluttered slightly, soon revealing his gorgeous, if clearly confused, ice-blue irises. Fuck…
"My Snark," he whispered, freeing one hand to press it gently against his lover's cheek, smiling toward the beauty of his eyes. "You had me worried, my Sun," he admitted with a blush.
"…Snark…?" his mate repeated with confusion, his deep voice sounding hoarse as he scowled and turned his head away from his touch. "What in the… get off me, G'raha," Senri snapped and he froze, simply… staring in shock. "Azeyma, you know I hate being touched," he growled, pushing him away and sitting up. "Where in the seven hells are we?" he murmured, looking around with confusion on his handsome face.
He sounded… wrong. Angrier, more aggressive – and not like his sweet Snark at all. Sitting back inside their nest, he watched his lover stand up wobbly and get out of it, apparently determined to ignore and leave him… After he gave him the scare of his life!
"Senri, what's going on?" he said quietly, watching his Warrior's back instantly grow rigid as his pale eyes snapped to him and turned into the true shards of ice.
"T'senri," he growled with an offense, narrowing his eyes at him. "Honestly, what's wrong with you, G'raha? And what is this?" he nudged the edge of the nest with his boot, slightly mocking tilt to his almost too-pretty lips. "Shouldn't you be more concerned with finding yourself in an unknown place?" He scowled, folding his arms over his chest and lightly bouncing on his heels.
Told you not to wake him, Damon sighed tiredly with resignation in the back of his head and G'raha scowled in turn, standing up slowly and leaving the nest to stop right in front of his lover and look up in his face with confusion and trying to figure out what was going on and why his mate was looking at him so… coldly. Chilly, as his pale irises more than ever reminded him of the pure frost. The people at the Confluence accidentally almost tore him and Ares apart – somehow forcing them to teleport unattuned. It broke the balance between their souls, and Ares's almost consumed him. Then my husband almost killed himself trying to keep him alive while I freed Hades to help… Long story short, because I'm really about to pass out, my boy, it looks like that nasty part of him that thirsts to punish him, used the occasion and confusion to have its way – and with the help of Ares's gift to boot – and whatever it did… I'm guessing by his expression he doesn't like you much at the moment.
Nonsense, he replied automatically, staring numbly into the ice-blue gaze that lacked any of its usual warmth when his lover looked at him. He couldn't help himself but rise his hand and press it against his lover's chest and his heart stuttered nervously and jumped in his throat when Senri growled at him in a warning and backed away from his touch.
"I told you, don't touch me!" he snapped, baring his teeth in a vicious snarl as something dark and angry flared in his eyes. "And don't look at me like that! Honestly, what's wrong with you?! And where are we? Shouldn't you be in Noumenon? And me in Thavnair…" he hummed with apparent confusion, looking around again and flinching visibly. "And why I don't feel Ares…? What happened?" he scowled uncharacteristically and looked at him again.
"Look at you… like what?" his mind was stuck at the barely there hint of hurt in the icy irises.
Senri worked his jaw furiously for a moment before looking away from him again.
"Like… you care," he shrugged slightly, blushing delicately, and moving further away from him, evidently looking for an exit – perhaps to run away from him, considering how rigid his back went as his tail waved with clear agitation. "Oh, Azeyma, what is this place...? Can't seem to be able to teleport…" he muttered with aggravation.
"Why… why wouldn't I care?" G'raha asked, following behind him and despite his apparent apprehension, fearlessly grabbed his arm and forcefully turned him toward him. He fisted his hands in his lover's black jacket and bared his teeth at him in a slow, warning snarl when he moved as if to push him away again… to still utterly and blink at him with a mix of surprise and clear incomprehension. "I don't know nor care what you think you need to punish him for… but I hate you're using me for that," he hissed with outrage, lifting one hand in a flash to fist it in ink-black hair brutally.
"What are you…?" Senri gasped with offense at the rough treatment. "Are you out of your mind?!"
"Give him back!" he snapped back, pulling him closer until their breaths mixed. "He's mine."
His mate's expression shuddered and went slack for a second before he bared his teeth at him in turn with cold, vicious rage as his pupils dilated impossibly.
"We don't deserrrve you," the predator hidden behind the mask peeked through, attempting to intimidate him. Scare him off. "We arrre brrroken, pitiful beast. You deserrrve better, beautiful, brrriliant Rrraha."
There it was. The mix of rage and hurt in those icy eyes, told him enough to almost have him wither and back away – because suddenly he understood why it was using him against Senri's heart. Why he was using him to punish himself. And even as his heart broke, he forced himself to raise his chin pointedly and held his beast's enraged gaze. Because behind the rage he could feel the excruciating pain tearing at his mate's soul… and he knew him well enough to know the reason behind it.
He hated it… but he understood it, nonetheless. After all, didn't he think the same for so long...?
Keeping his hard grip on his lover's hair, he raised his other hand against Senri's cheek, without breaking their eye contact as he smoothed his thumb over his lower lip.
"You're not pitiful or broken, my beautiful beast," he whispered softly, smiling as those feral eyes widened ever-so-slightly, almost like mesmerized. "You're not worse in any way or form, Senri. And I am not better than you. You told me once… you love me, because you choose to love me and so I have chosen to love you, my heart, the man and the beast, both. You're mine, so come back to me…" he purred soothingly and in an open invitation. "…I need you," he cooed shamelessly, pulling him closer until their lips were a breath apart and he saw his nostrils flare delicately and unbearable hunger fill ice-blue irises. "…don't you want to please me, my Snark?" he tempted, making sure that with each word his lips brushed against his lover's mouth as they parted with a soft, breathless whine.
"We will… hurrrt you," the very real terror and confidence behind this growly statement almost made him wince, but he tightened his fingers in his lover's hair in a warning and put a delicate bite on his lower lip, tearing a string of hesitant, staggering purrs from his throat… and he bit back a triumphant grin, almost tasting the arousal swelling in the air around them – his own and his lover's, mixing into an intoxicating aroma and sending a near-violent shudder down his spine.
"You can never hurt me, my beast," he purred with utter conviction, moving his hand from his cheek to his neck. "You're mine and I'm yours, Senri… my beautiful Sun," he sighed softly and pulled him down into a kiss, purring loudly and insistently when he resisted at first, for him to melt with a mewl of arousal and pleasure when his lover gave in with a choked, helpless groan. Soon Senri was devouring his mouth as if he was starving for him and just couldn't help himself any longer.
And fighting the haze rising to claim his thoughts, he blindly stepped back, pulling his mate along and not letting him gather his bearings and hide from him again, hoping… to sigh with relief under his hungry mouth as the edge of the nest brushed his calves. Senri seemed too busy trying to eat him alive to notice anything, feeding him his insanely arousing growl-purrs and pawing at him desperately. G'raha used that, breaking the kiss to tilt his head with an invitation, pulling his scarf and the collar of his tunic off his shoulder. When the feral eyes widened impossibly and focused on his mark, he purred soothingly at the same tugging his lover's black jacket off his shoulders.
"I'm yours…" he repeated in a whisper, trailing his lips along his mate's jaw. Down his throat, smiling as he felt his furious heartbeat under his mouth. And then he harshly pushed back the collar of his lover's shirt, not caring as the material tore with a loud sound. "…and you're mine," he growled softly and bit him with a low, hungry snarl. And finally, his beautiful beast snapped, groaning loudly at the bite as his hands shot and dug into his behind, holding him still and rutting against his stomach helplessly. When G'raha didn't pull back but growled into his skin with a silent demand, Senri whined desperately, shuddering violently but complied, biting him in return, as hard and brutal. And because he was such a good, good boy, he rewarded him by dropping his hand from his hair finally to curl it at the base of ink-black tail… and pulled roughly. His lover's bite went sharper, harder… his snarl was vicious as his back went rigid at the sensation and he pulled back just to pounce and pin him down into the nest of red and black pillows, tearing at his clothes desperately.
Turning into a heap of barely coherent growls, purrs, and snarls, they fought with each other's clothes, rolling around and pulling and tearing at the stubborn materials. G'raha couldn't even figure out how it happened before he ended up pinned down again, whining his utter submission as a big hand closed around the base of his tail and pulled him back to his knees while the rough tongue slid up his spine for the sharp teeth to soon sank in his skin again with a rumbling growl-purr of his name. Losing his mind at the combination of sensations and arching his back with a shout, his hand shot up to fist in ink-black hair brutally as too-hot flesh slid inside him without preparation, impatiently impaling him up to the hilt in a harsh thrust. The sheer power behind it pushed the air out of his lungs on a keening whine and the heady mix of pain and pleasure had him mewl helplessly as his body adjusted to the scalding intrusion. A hard grip around his tail had him immobilized while another hand smoothed around his hip and covered his cock, palming the flesh roughly. Whimpering as he tried to rut against the touch, involuntarily rolling his hips between the three mind-shattering sensations, soon he nearly sobbed his mate's name, begging for more. Completely lost in pleasure and pain, he barely registered when Senri growled softly and pulled back, panting harshly as he freed his tail to brace his hand between his shoulder blades and push him down, pinning him down as he rolled his hips slowly, groaning quietly and growling incoherent apologies as he took him, each slow thrust inside him feeling like strokes of fire.
"See…" he growl-purred against his neck, nuzzling against it insistently as he braced both of his hands around him, pressing tight against G'raha's back and he could feel the trembling of the powerful muscles all around him, moving over him and inside him and tearing breathless whines and gasps from his throat. "…I hurrrt you, Rrraha…"
"Mooore," he mewled mindlessly, coiling his tail around his lover's waist possessively and lacing his fingers with his mate's, tightening them around Senri's painfully. "More, my Snark… harder," he hissed through his teeth, losing his mind and trying to chase that maddening, fiery feeling, pushing back against the scalding flesh sliding in and out of him too slow, too soft… "Take me… I'm yours…"
Senri groaned loudly, then tightened his fingers around his in turn and buried his face against his neck as he complied, speeding up and soon taking him how he needed, slamming inside him in a hard, brutal rhythm. He rocked back against each thrust, whining and whimpering his enjoyment in loud, keening noises, utterly overwhelmed with the heat, feeling like he was going to burst at the seams. Arching his back, moaning and mindlessly begging for more, and more, and more… until his skin felt too tight to contain the power – the pleasure – and the insistent pressure at the back of his spine and in his dazed mind build up unbearably, painfully, and he sobbed a complaint. Reading his need, his beautiful beast freed one hand from his desperate grip and coiled it around his throbbing dick at the same time as he snarled and bit him again. Alluring, inviting mewl-purr of his name rung through his head as the hard hit of scalding flesh hit the knot of nerves that sent jolts of lightning along his nerves and he came with a choked whine, whimpering Senri's name helplessly until the pressure in his head snapped as well and the beast behind his lover's eyes took his soul in a hungry, possessive embrace that felt like a heat of the sun.
But this time he didn't pass out or lost his mind, but bathed in it – letting it burn, and burn and burn – until he wasn't anything else than a mere spark, giving everything and demanding everything in turn. He was dimly aware of Senri's low whimper, of their bodies clinging and rocking together, of his lover's ecstasy and only growing hunger for more. And as their minds and souls combined into one, filling his throat with sobs and his eyes with tears as his beast's fear and insecurity filled his head and heart, he fed it back his boundless devotion and reassurance.
We used yourrr need, it whimpered sadly.
You loved me, he replied with conviction. I needed you and you gave yourself to me, without a doubt or reservation.
We failed you, the dual voice rung with regret and guilt. And you had to sufferrr to save us. We only everrr brrring pain and destrrruction… You deserrrve betterrr…
You're mine, he answered firmly, bashing against the chill of his lover's guilt and self-hatred with fiery fury. You're my Sun, my mate. You're good, Snark. My beautiful, fierce beast… I need you, as much as you need me… Don't take it away… Come back and let me love you.
And when Senri's breathless sob rang through their shared mind, he latched on, curling into a tight, protective shell around him. Soothing his pain and fears, he let his gentle purrs fill their souls as they sagged against the red-black, soft surface. With some effort and without breaking their connection, G'raha shifted around under the heavy weight of his lover's body and wrapped his arms around his Warrior's neck, pulling his head against his chest and nuzzling against his lowered ears with delight.
"My Snark," he cooed softly, brushing his lips against the ink-black fur even as his heart ached at the dampness sipping against his skin and tremors rocking his mate's powerful frame. He sighed, running his fingers through his lover's sweat-dampened, dark hair. "Everything's going to be okay, my heart. I've got you."
"I… h-hurt you," his mate whimpered, nuzzling apologetically against his skin as his breath hitched with a sob. "How can y-you…"
"You can only hurt me if you leave me, my Sun," he said quietly, then nipped on his lover's sensitive ear in a delicate reprimand. "And you almost did today… twice! And don't even get me started on all this nonsense about using me… or I'll be cross," he huffed indignantly and almost smirked when Senri moaned softly and curled in around him with a whimper. "Good boy," he said with a delicate kiss against black hair.
"I'm… s-sorry…?" his mate almost mewled with fright… and he felt his face heat up considerably as his arms shyly snuck up under his waist and curled around him with uncertainty.
"It's all okay now," he whispered reassuringly, going back to nuzzle against the dark hair, enjoying their mixed scents with deep, delighted purrs. "You're mine and I swore I'll keep your heart safe, my beast. So don't ever try to hide it from me again," he chuckled sadly when Senri flinched at his words, and his face heated up even harder. "I understand, Snark. I do. I wanted to be worthy of you so bad I sealed the Tower to prove how much I loved you… That you weren't wrong to love me. And I'll never know if maybe if I didn't… If I was at your side instead of following the wishes of the long dead and buried… If you would still die. I wondered if I was there… could I help you… Could I stop your soul from breaking…"
"And most likely we would both die," his mate snarked sadly and he smiled involuntarily, tightening his arms around his head. "I… never held it against you, Raha. You did what you thought was best… And I admired you for that. I'm just so… s-sad that you had to… suffer for so long, alone, for me… How can I ever… deserve that?" Senri whispered with uncertainty and his heart clenched painfully. "How can I ever… m-make up for that…?"
"Simple," he said easily, snickering softly when his lover flinched and tilted his head to peer up at him with a frown. Seeing the depths of uncertainty and hunger for an answer in his ice-blue irises, G'raha smiled reassuringly and moved his hands around his mate's cheeks, pulling him up until Senri shifted and rose above him on his elbows. "All you have to do…" he said slowly – very seriously – and holding his lover's eager gaze, seeing both man and the beast behind his eyes, and wanting both with an unbearable thirst. "…is love me," he finished with a sweet, powerful confidence.
And feeling the last of the chill melt away from his mate's soul, he pulled him in a slow, deep kiss – drowning in the intoxicating taste on his tongue as it pushed and pulled against another. In the delicate vibration of their mixed purrs as they shared their breaths until he grew dizzy. In the incredible heat of the skin under his palms as his hands smoothed down the wide back, almost trembling at the power contained in the muscles dancing under them. Sinking his fingers in the tight muscles of his lover's delectable behind, he swallowed his choked whimper eagerly, feeling it shoot down his throat, so unbearably tasty… Soon the kiss grew heated and hungry, desperate and possessive as he shifted under his Warrior's weight, squirmed impatiently, and mewled under his devouring mouth with a needy complaint.
This had his Senri pull back with a gasp, panting harshly against his mouth as their eyes and minds clashed, and then simultaneously they bared their teeth at each other in silly, lovesick grins before going back to it, kissing furiously as they rolled over, pawing at each other desperately.
Silly kids, he thought he heard Damon sigh tiredly, but he wasn't sure, oh, so busy getting eaten alive. Well, glad it worked out… I really need a nap, so enjoy…
And G'raha thought briefly he should remember to thank him – all of them, who saved his precious soulmate – but then Senri pinned him down again with a rumbling, playful growl and sank into him with a choked whine, spreading affectionate kisses and bites over his throat and shoulder as he set to fuck him in a slow, steady pace… and he decided he'll do it later… much, much later… So, wrapping his arms around his beautiful beast's shoulders, he let himself drown in its possessive embrace.
Floating in the sea of nothingness, his soul reeled at the sudden, almost brutal pull. Disoriented, before he could regain his equilibrium or understand what happened, something – or someone – pounced at him with a growl, pinning him down.
"Herrre you arrre, Arrres," a raspy, growly note entered his mind before his senses reassembled themselves and he saw his attacker… A playful, fanged grin on the strangely vicious face of his mortal host as a clawed hand wrapped around his chin and held him still – its touch nearly scalding in heat. Nothing around them but the swirling darkness, he felt caught by Senri's feral eyes as they narrowed at him. "My, but arrre you prrretty…" the mortal rasped, turning his face to the sides… And he had no idea what this was supposed to be or mean… only blinking at the strange apparition. Then it suddenly stopped and snapped its fangs at him before backing away and off him, half-sitting among the darkness.
Ares sat up, staring numbly at the… creature?
"…Senri?" he finally whispered with uncertainty. "You… survived?"
"Betterrr…" the playful grin was back. "We merrrged."
"Huh?" he frowned, looking the apparition over again. "What's that supposed to mean, boy?"
In front of his eyes it changed, fangs and claws retreating as his host stood up and towered over him with a small, almost giddy grin.
"Excuse me, still getting a hang of this," Senri chuckled sheepishly and stretched out his hand offering it to him. Catching it, Ares let himself be pulled up and simply… stared, quite dumbfounded, when the mortal backed away and looked him over, resting his hands on his hips. "Now, we have to have a chat, Ares."
"About…?" he arched his eyebrows expectantly, trying to collect his thoughts and figure out if it was some strange… dream? Vision?
"You see…" the mortal drawled, rising his chin pointedly and… glaring? "…once we did merge, all of your compulsions broke. All the times you wiped out my memories… puff!" he made an exaggerated gesture between them, then smirked. "Gone! And I find out something very… interesting," his pale eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly toward him. "And now I wonder… When did you plan to mention that you made yourself mortal for me…?"
He blinked again, then for the lack of something better to think of… smiled sheepishly.
"…surprise?" he said with a nervous chuckle.
Senri's dark eyebrows twitched at that, then he rested his hands on his hips again and bounced on his heels, looking up at him with an unreadable expression for a long, long moment before he sighed with resignation.
"Silly immortal," he chuckled. "Why would you do something like that?"
And seeing him so… calm about it, Ares blinked, again wondering if he was dreaming.
"Because… I love you, silly boy," he finally said with a sigh.
His host suddenly grinned, a bright, goofy thing and he almost jumped in surprise.
"Good," he said with a playful wiggle of his dark eyebrows. "Because I love you too, you ridiculous Ascian. And… thank you, for saving me," he added with a sheepish look.
"You're… welcome?" he shifted uncomfortably, completely unsure what to do or say. To flinch when the boy cackled at his expression and pounced, wrapping his arms around him possessively and hugging him tightly. "…Senri?" he hesitated, then frowned but when he didn't let go, Ares sighed with resignation, rolled his eyes, then leaned in and coiled his arms around him in turn.
"Now… you're mine, too!" his host announced, looking up into his face with a grin. "And I'll protect you… okay?"
"Okay," he chuckled, pressing his hand over the boy's dark hair – so similar to his – and ruffling them fondly. "But if you don't mind me asking… what did you mean about 'merging'?"
Senri backed away with a choked laugh, then… changed again, growing fangs and claws and looking quite… ferocious. Ares gawked in astonishment, tilting his head curiously.
"What… is this?" he finally asked, not understanding.
"My… rrrage," his host replied in that peculiar, raspy note. "Esteem's rrrage. We arrre one now. Turrrns out, all along, it just wanted to be… forrrgiven. Accepted. Weirrrd, huh?"
"And did you… accept it?" he hummed with consideration, trying to figure out – if it is real, and not some sort of a strange dream – what did it mean for them. No more outbursts? No more self-punishment…? One could hope.
"Not me," the boy shook his head, flashing his fangs in another goofy grin. "Rrraha."
"Of course, Raha," he chuckled, then ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "So… what now?"
"Now, you rrrest, silly Ascian," his host grinned. "And when you'rrre ready… we have to explain to my frrriends why Rrraha and me arrre occupied by you."
"Oh, boy," he sighed tiredly with a roll of his too-bright eyes and chuckled when his host laughed at that brilliantly.