'I can't,' he says and strives to keep on a neutral tone and his typical polite smile without looking up to avoid him seeing the uncertainty in his eyes as his heart flutter with nerves. And it is so ridiculous, he is, so he steels his resolve and looks up – almost swearing at the sight of matching uncertainty in the sky-blue irises. But he decided and now…
Damon blinks, then a slow, mischievous smirk blooms on his face as he leans back and looks around the image with narrowed eyes and a carefully bored expression.
'This you're going for?' he drawls through his teeth and rolls his eyes, downright pouting when a small, darkened figure splits from the shadows at the edge of the image. He ignores her and pushes his seat back, stands up, and rounds the desk to gush at the frozen image of his husband's true beauty. He raises his hand and presses it fondly against Ares's cheek, smiling at how young and downright adorable he looked. 'I'm disappointed, Meteion, he sighs theatrically and doesn't look back despite feeling her presence behind his back. Her tricks are too insignificant for his intellect and he wants her to know it. 'I expected something… more.'
'Who… are you?' she asks with some confusion and his smirk widens as he drops his hand to his side and turns around slowly, looking down at her with slightly raised eyebrows.
'I'm Damon… and I'm your worst nightmare, bitch, he whispers a spell, then leans in and grabs her chin in his fingers and grins at the sight of panic in her darkened eyes as she opens her mouth but no sound escapes. 'Lovely. Now, to make it perfectly clear for you, my poor, flawed creation, now every time you'll bash against my son's barrier, it's me you'll face – and me alone. You'll not lay a finger on ANY of my boys again. And for touching my son's beautiful soul and marring its perfection with your filth, you'll pay. And every time we meet, the price will be higher, hm? So you can try or you can stay in your nest and wait patiently until we will get to you… matters to me not. Now, as for your first punishment… enjoy, he hisses and the image around them changes. They hover in the air above the endless sea of blood, roiling red and bubbling like lava. He smirks, winks, and pushes her down into the depths, then grins gleefully as she drowns, screaming soundlessly.
He focuses and the image change again, back to his old office though now the frozen image of his husband is gone. But nearly inspired by the idea, he solidifies the image, though shrinks it accordingly, and leans back against the edge of the desk as a shimmering, white cocoon appears in the middle of the free space. With a thought, though carefully, he opens it and smirks involuntarily when a cat-like version of him with crimson eyes pulls out of it, blinking at him owlishly.
'Damon…? ' Raha whispers, looking around hesitantly. 'What is this…?'
'This, my boy, used to be my office back in the day,' he smiles as he makes a wide gesture with his hand, rising his eyebrows slightly. Half of the walls are transparent but he didn't bother with recreating the rest of the building, instead leaving a swirling darkness visible through it. 'It's not perfect for what you asked for, but…' he cuts off when a warm weight wraps around his waist and looks down with a chuckle, then smooths his hand over red hair before delicately flicking a red-furred ear. 'Pleased, I take it…?'
'Yes, thank you,' his boy matters somewhat shyly, leaning against him harder as his tail waves with enthusiasm. Disarmed and choking down a gush at the sheer cuteness not to embarrass the boy, he laughs softly instead, wrapping his arms around Raha's back loosely and enjoying the warmth.
'Now, whenever you wish for my company, you can slip in here, my boy,' he says, grinning involuntarily when he purrs at that and nuzzles against his chest. And he's instantly more than pleased with his creation, almost regretting he didn't think of it earlier – knowing how important was physical contact for his boy, affectionate by nature as the Seekers were. And it is quite… pleasant as well, as his other boys definitely didn't share that trait. He chuckles at himself, then without releasing the embrace around the boy, he adds quietly. 'It is not real, Raha, but I'll keep this space safe against any sort of intrusion, so if I say so, I need you to stay here and don't… do anything heroic, okay?'
His host stiffens slightly and leans back to look up at his face with a frown.
'Meteion…?' he whispers, watching his expression.
'Mhmm,' he hums, then raises his hand and presses it against his boy's cheek. 'I can handle her, I believe, and employ some… interesting ideas I learned from our adventures as a deterrent, but I do need to be sure you are safe when I do so, my boy. I am much, much older than you or Hades, and had more than enough time to resolve any of my… misgivings, so she'll have a hard time finding a purchase in my soul.'
Raha blinks, visibly considering something, then sighs and rests his cheek against Damon's chest again, sighing softly.
'Okay… just, be careful? ' he mutters, and the immortal smiles, petting his hair gently.
'I always am,' he chuckles, then delicately steers the boy toward one of the added couches near the wall. 'Now, let me tell you what happened after you passed out and we will figure out what to do next…'
Soon after waking up, Raha winced at the sight of scratches and bruises covering his lover's body and despite Damon's protest, healed him before his mate could even twitch.
I understand the idea, he sighed at the immortal as he carefully untangled himself out of Senri's possessive embrace, purring soothingly when he grumbled an incoherent complaint but shifted and dozed off again. He pulled one of the blankets around him securely, then crawled out of the nest, stood up, and stretched, yawning widely. I do, but he is MINE to care for, Damon, and to punish if I think it necessary. What happened… was partially my fault, too. I should have not snapped, we both know that.
It was just a temporary measure to make him remember his priorities, boy, Damon replied smoothly as he walked across the room and turned the water on in the bathtub, deciding he was in the mood for a bath as he left it and prepared the towels and other amenities at the edge of the tub. Knowing his lover, he did so for two, as soon as he stopped the stream and settled inside the hot water with a downright sinful groan, his mate stirred, grumbling somewhat as he sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes before peering toward him sleepily.
"Morning, Snark," he chuckled, leaning back against the edge of the tub and stretching his arms along it.
"Morning, my heart…" his lover rasped then ran his fingers through his messy, black hair and sighed, before crawling out and standing up, instantly pouting. "You healed me…?" he grumbled, then walked across the room and joined him with a choked groan that sent a pleasant shiver down Raha's back.
"Of course," he chuckled, then using the fact that his lover lazily reflected his pose, scrambled and promptly settled down in his lap, draping himself around his wide chest with a tiny, relieved sigh. Resting his chin on top of Senri's shoulder, he closed his eyes and smiled, feeling his big hand smooth lazily up and down his back. "I am your personal healer, remember?" he murmured and grinned when his lover chuckled sheepishly at the reminder.
"I deserved that, Raha, for worrying you so much," he sighed sadly and the redhead sighed, then rubbed his chin against his heated skin, shifting slightly to press his body against him tighter.
"You scared me, yes," he admitted reluctantly, smoothing his hand up his side and around his shoulder to sink his fingers in messy, ink-black strands and delicately massaged his lover's sensitive ear. "But I should have been there for you, Snark when you needed me."
"Hades needed Damon more," his mate said softly but tilted his head into the caress with quiet, rumbling purrs.
"True," he agreed in a whisper, then leaned back to look at his lover's beautiful face, relaxed as he enjoyed his touch and he almost snorted at himself and the way his body instantly reacted with unbidden arousal at the sight. With his free hand, he trailed his finger along the almost too-pretty line of his lover's lips, smiling sheepishly when the jet-black lashes fluttered open and ice-blue irises heated up instantly while those lovely purrs grew louder and inviting. "The beauty of you, my Sun, blinds me," he chuckled, then without stopping to pet his ear lifted slightly and brushed the tip of his nose against his lover's, holding his gaze as their quickly speeding up breaths mixed and his head filled up to brim with the tantalizingly sweet scent of his mate's arousal.
"As do yours to me…" Senri purred, raising his hand from his back and wrapping it loosely around his neck. "…but I failed you, my heart…"
"Silly beast," he cut him off, nipping less than gently on his lower lip and smirked when his lover growled back instinctively, and using that, he took his mouth in a deep, lazy kiss, purring his enjoyment at the hypnotizing push and pull of it. Wrapping his arms around his mate's neck and downright mewling as Senri's mouth grew steadily more and more aggressive and his deep growls shoot down his throat, he shifted impatiently on his knees around his lover's waist, purring only louder and more insistent as his hand moved down his back and his lover unceremoniously slid his fingers between his buttocks, tearing a helpless whimper from him as he pulled him even closer. Devouring his mouth almost brutally until he ran out of breath, Senri chortled as he pulled back with a gasp, panting desperately when he buried his flaming face against his lover's throat, choking on profanities and gasps as his lover massaged his opening with deep, lazy strokes.
"When we're free… I'm taking you to Kojin," Senri growled playfully, then nipped on the skin right under the edge of his jaw, shifting under him to lower slightly. Moving his free hand on his hip, he forced him to rut against him in a rhythm matching the way he worked his body into submission, trailing sweet but sharp bites over his skin as he choked on the whimpers of his name.
"What… what for…?" he gasped breathlessly, lowering one hand under the surface of the water to claw at his back as he shook, painfully aroused, then greedily nipped on his mate's skin in return, mindlessly mewling his need before Senri complied with a quiet, raspy chuckle, hooking his hands around his hips and promptly impaling him on his cock.
"So you don't need to breathe… as much…" he groaned deeply when Raha arched above him with a choked whine, shifting his knees around his lover's sides to take him deeper, harder, and sinking both hands in his black hair, he panted for air as his body adjusted to the scorching intrusion.
"Is… that so…?" he gasped, then licked his lips and tossed him a playful look from under his lashes, more than dazed by the pure, undiluted devotion in the ice-blue irises. "Sounds like… fun," he chuckled, then winked and his heart swelled impossibly when his mate bared his teeth at him in a silly, goofy, lovesick grin – tightening his hands on his skin and soon pulling him up and down on his flesh, shifting under each stroke until each had Raha choke on whines as his dick hit the spot that had stars bloom in his vision.
"Oh… you have no idea," his lover chortled, then set to blow his mind.
"T'senri, you're back…?" someone called behind him and Nico gasped, almost choking on his breakfast as his heart simply stopped. Pounding his hand against his chest, he shifted in his seat, with huge eyes watching the very characteristic, unusually tall Seeker enter the common area of the Scions' compound from the door leading to Dawn's Respite.
"Mhmm, arrived yesterday, but we had a… situation to handle in Thavnair," the man replied to the white-haired Seeker behind the bar. "Sorry to bother you, F'lhaminn, but if you don't mind, could you prepare some… ah, breakfast? I'm starving!" the Warrior of Light grinned at the woman with a disarming, goofy grin and the woman sighed with exaggerated resignation, but waved him toward the tables.
"Of course, take a seat and I'll bring something. Your man will be along?" she asked, raising her eyebrows pointedly.
"Mhmm, in a bit, and thanks!" the man turned around and swiveled his pale eyes over the room… and frowned, noticing Nico gawking at him. "Oh… and who are you?" he asked, nearing slowly.
He was really huge up close, ran through the boy's head and his throat tightened almost painfully and all blood drained from his face.
"I'm… I'm… Nico," he stammered nervously, gaping at the damn living legend towering over him with a confused expression on the unbearably beautiful face. Dressed all in black and with a matching bandana wrapped around his head, the Seeker looked as impressive as the day of the gathering in Limsa… and the remainder of that had the Keeper sweat profusely instantly. He more than hoped that either Themis or Alisaie would handle his introduction… but with none of them in sight… oh, Memphina… he was sooo fucked… "I'm sorry!" he downright squeaked, curling into himself in fright. "I didn't know, I swear!"
"Huh?" the Warrior tilted his head curiously, blinking rapidly. "What are you on about, boy?"
"It was me!" he squeaked again, dropping his gaze in shame. "I… s-stole your c-cat… but I didn't know… didn't mean to…"
"Did you, now?" the low, amused voice sounded above him and when his gaze darted up, he saw a familiar redhead look at him with narrowed, deep-red eyes. "Snark, please, you're scaring the seven hells out of him," the other man rolled his eyes, nudging his elbow into the Warrior's side.
"I'm not doing anything!" the black-haired Seeker grumbled, then sighed and tossed a quick look at him, rolled his eyes, and dropped to one of the chairs opposite of him. "Now… better?"
"Thank you, love," the redhead chuckled, then raised his eyebrows slightly turning his gaze toward Nico – who in turn stared at him with mouth open in awe. To command the Warrior like that… "Now… again, and calm down, please… I know Senri can be intimidating, but you have nothing to fear from him, boy. He's hardly in a habit of harming children."
"As if…" the impossibly tall Seeker leaned back against the backrest of the chair, but smiled sheepishly – as if knowing the effect he had on the boy all too well.
"I…" he looked between them, then dropped his gaze and swallowed thickly. "I… did this… I didn't know, but… Ah, I was paid to steal your c-cat… but I swear, I didn't hurt her… and I'm sorry for n-not coming… f-forward… But I was sooo s-scared… Then I g-got another note to do it a-again… and I… Alisaie and Themis were in Limsa… so I… stopped them and… they… I told them e-everything and she… she said you'll w-want the person who paid… m-more…" he stammered on a choked breath, not daring to look up. "…so I h-helped to… make up for doing it in the f-first place… and he tried to kill me!" he gasped, curling at the reminder. "To cover his tracks, Alisaie said… but…"
"Okay, okay, calm down, boy," the sudden, very warm hand landing on his head had him flinch and look up with shock, instantly dazed by the… kind look in the crimson irises. "What you make of this…?" the man sighed, looking toward the Warrior. Nico followed his gaze and froze – caught in the snare of the frost in the ice-blue eyes.
"Alisaie was more than right," the man said, slowly resting his arms over the table between them and leaning on them as he raised his dark eyebrows slightly. "I'll call her and confirm… everything you said, boy, but you don't need to be so scared of me. Like my Raha said, I do not harm children and by your appearance… I can see why you would need money," he added somewhat more delicately when Nico blushed furiously and dropped his gaze with shame. The last few days he spend at the compound - waiting for the Warrior's return… wherever he was – were simply the best in his short life, when he didn't have to worry about finding another meal… and the woman, Tataru, gave him nice, clean clothes and even his own bedroom! But…
"See… He's a softie," the redhead chuckled, ruffling his hair before moving away and dropping to the seat next to the Warrior, despite the man's deadpan stare. "Now, let's start from the beginning and tell us everything… starting with your name, okay?"
He took a deep breath, then exhaled softly, and keeping his eyes on the redhead's kind, polite smile he folded his hands in his lap tightly and repeated the whole thing, trying not to stammer and ignore his pounding uneven heart.
After he was done and dropped his gaze to the surface of the table between them, he was startled badly when the Warrior's deep voice rang with a choked laughter opposite of him.
"So… Themis turned himself into a cat?" the man asked, but when Nico looked up with confusion, his face was an unreadable mask and his eyes were on his companion. "And spent bells like that, letting Alisaie coddle him…?" his lips twitched when the redhead chuckled, then funnily wiggled his dark-red eyebrows at him. The Warrior apparently couldn't take it – snorting inelegantly to soon burst into booming laughter.
Nico gawked, wondering if he shouldn't mention that part… especially with the redhead's next words, while he tapped his hand against the Warrior's thigh.
"But it explains a lot…" he hummed even as his companion kept laughing. "Alisaie wished for her own kitten, apparently…" he snickered when the Warrior at that laughed only harder.
"Oh, Azeyma… this is glorious!" the black-haired Seeker chuckled, visibly trying to calm down as he nudged his lover's side in turn. "Ares says he's going to use it next time Themis corners him… and you know, gets all shiny-eyed… Want to bet he'll bolt?"
"I know he will," the redhead winked at him, then turned his crimson eyes toward Nico and chuckled at his stunned expression. "Ah, our apologies, Nico. That's just… you have no idea how much I appreciate that information. Now… ah, thank you, F'lhaminn," he said when the white-haired Seeker put streaming plates and cups in front of him and the Warrior.
"It's not a problem, but do be nice to the boy," she replied, pressing the empty platter against her chest. "Alisaie said to tell you – if she's can't do it herself after your return – that he had it… rough," she added carefully, sending the Warrior a strange, but apparently, meaningful look, because he instantly stilled and his gaze shot toward him, giving him a more careful once-over before his expression smoothed with his famed, goofy grin.
"Did she now…?" he murmured, then nodded toward the woman before focusing on his meal. And while the redhead tossed him a slightly curious look, the Warrior shook his head delicately and his lover followed the suit, picking up his fork and motioning with it toward the confused Keeper.
"Eat up," he said kindly, pointing toward his still half-full plate.
Nico just nodded numbly – idly wondering what his life came to, to share a meal with the Warrior of Light of all people! And even if afterward he has to go back to his miserable life back in Limsa… this was, definitely worth it!
"…yeah, apparently his father likes to set his rules down with the help of the fist," Alisaie said quietly into the call, absentmindedly brushing her hair. She wouldn't admit Senri woke her up… even if he knew she liked to sleep in and after yesterday… she grimaced at her expression in the big mirror in front of her. "Before Themis healed him, the boy was covered in bruises. I told F'lhaminn and Tataru to keep him at Rising Stones because I didn't want him to go back to that. He's a good boy if mostly focused on surviving – but in his situation, I can't blame him for that," she sighed, putting the brush away and set to braid her hair in her usual braid.
"I see…" Senri's deep voice rang with a hollow note and she wrinkled her nose.
"I thought you can have a talk with his father when you have a free moment. You know, to make sure he's willing to change his ways… I tried," she added carefully, then sighed with resignation. "But apparently I do look too young to make a lasting impression. Especially on a veeery drunk Keeper."
"Oh, don't worry, Firecracker, I'll make sure to make… a lasting impression, like you said," her best friend chuckled humorlessly, and knowing him – and his opinion of abusing children – Alisaie didn't doubt for a second. "And I received your gift. Didn't really have the time to play with him properly… but alas, apparently he has a very low pain threshold. Caved in an embarrassingly quickly and spilled everything… I'm still considering if I should off him myself or give him to Merlwyb to make a show of that."
"I would suggest the latter, but whatever you decide," she said dismissively, then hesitated and exhaled slowly, asking what she couldn't help but wonder about. "How's Themis?" she hoped she sounded nonchalant.
"Recovering," Senri replied smoothly, then fell silent for a moment and chuckled downright evilly. "About to check on him… unless you would wish to do it yourself?"
"Why would I…?" she gasped, blushing furiously.
"Oh, come on… I'm not judging!" he chortled quietly. "He is pretty, I give you that. And if you would keep him from following me and Ares around after he's on his feet… well, I can hardly mind, can I?"
"Sh-shut up!" she snapped, covering her face with her palms. "And… when did you even plan to mention who he really is…?"
"Oh… you know about that?" his voice grew somber instantly.
"Yeah… he slipped up when you were gone," she sighed, dropping her hands on narrowing her eyes at her flushed dark reflection.
"Listen… We didn't really plan to hide it – but he isn't really the Elidibus anymore," he said carefully. "Whatever Damon did when he made sure to make him rejoin properly with the missing pieces of his mind, restored him to the self he was before the Sundering. And by their standards, according to Damon, he's not much older than you, Ali. Recounting in hundreds of years if not more, apparently," he chuckled somewhat sheepishly. "But, yeah… like I said, not my place to say if it's right or wrong… if you like him. Ares says he can use someone like you – to keep him from falling in… musing about what happened after the Sundering – but I… Well, I know you, Firecracker, and I think… Gods, did you see that shy smile…?"
And she downright banged her head against the vanity, groaning quietly as she covered her head with her hands when her face blazed harder at that image.
"You're awful…" she murmured.
"Still… you adore me," he chortled. "So… should I tell ~your kitten~ you will be visiting?"
"Wha…" she gasped, shooting up straight in her set and gawking at her stunned expression in the mirror. "Oh, gods… It was necessary! To catch the culprit, I mean!"
"Suuuure it was," Senri snarked and she slapped her hand over her eyes with a whimper. He was never going to live that one down, is he…? "So…?"
"I'll be right there," she murmured helplessly
Oh, hells… Was she really that transparent…?