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"And you... do these dungeons... to get treasure?"
"Well, that depends on your definition of treasure," Mardha continues to prattle on, unaware of the bewildered look on G'raha's face about this entire situation. "Usually it's something like gear, but sometimes there's good stuff. Usually a lot of tomestones, too. Gotta watch out for those, because they're everywhere and blend in. Which is the problem, because at some point you tune them out. Then, unfortunately for us all, we turn them in through the worst person ever--"
"Mardha."
"And you don't even understand; it's the worse. But you just push through, because no one else accepts the currency and how else are you supposed to get the items that apparently only that place has for sale? Anyway, that's the main one, but sometimes if you're lucky, you can swindle the market and have someone actually pay a good amount of money for the gear you can get. I swear, I make so much off of healer gear because I can't use it, and dungeons love giving me those for some reason--"
"Mardha!"
He jumps, startled at the yell, then looks back at G'raha sheepishly. "Yeah...?"
"You just kept going on..." G'raha's ears twitch, then flatten slightly. "You're passionate about this."
"Well, you gotta know the stuff," he laughs. "It was my only way of survival before being sucked into primal-slaying and being a Scion."
G'raha nods. "I just... never realized it was so intense. And complicated."
Mardha's gaze on G'raha softens. "Hey, I know that was a first. And the dungeon we did went pretty smoothly, you know? You'd be a natural at this."
"Ah..." G'raha rubs at his wrists. "You don't need to flatter me, you know."
"No, really!" Mardha's eyes glaze over. "If I could tell you every time I had a tank and healer decide to not work together... Oh, Halone..."
"Uhm! So, uh, hey, what are you planning on getting?"
"What?"
"Since we're passing the shops. I... figured you wanted to get something after that dungeon run. Unless I was mistaken...?"
"Oh, yeah!" Mardha perks up. "I needed to get a bottle of... uh..."
G'raha blinks.
His friend has trailed off, his mind elsewhere, somehow. It's only been five seconds and Mardha's already a million miles away in his brain.
What he would give to understand him.
"Shit, I wonder if that's even sold around here. Or if it's a decent price too. Halone knows everyone loves to raise the price on those."
G'raha sighs affectionately. Why he chose to fall in love with this absentminded, kind, brave-hearted, bumbling Elezen is beyond him.
No, that's not true. When they met during the Crystal Tower explorations, it only seemed inevitable for him to fall in love with someone so... remarkable. Someone so dear. Someone so...
Inspiring.
"Oh, Fury be praised...!"
G'raha had blinked for a second and now his friend is halfway across the market, cheering.
By the time he runs over there, Mardha is clutching a small bottle eagerly and is marching off again. G'raha has to pick up the pace to catch up with his taller friend, gasping as he does so. Ah, the joys of love.
"Oh, sorry, G'raha! I got distracted. I'll slow down for you."
"No... need..." he tries to say even as he himself starts to slow down, perhaps involuntarily. "I could use the cardio..."
"You're gonna pass out. Geez, G'raha, really. Don't push yourself for my sake."
I couldn't ask you to hold yourself back for my sake either, friend. I want you to go, go as far as you can. Because I know you can, and oh, I want to witness you taking on the most impossible of challenges, and succeed.
Even though I know I'll slow you down. Even though it's selfish of me to get in your way.
"G'raha...?"
He looks up at his friend, ears darting up at attention. "All good, my friend. So tell me, what did you get? You seemed very pleased."
"Oh, uhm..."
G'raha notices the way Mardha seems to retract into himself, and takes note of it with mild concern. Mardha is a lot of things; brash, impulsive, caring... but shy is not one of those adjectives that springs to mind. Nervous perhaps, due to anxiety, but shy in the face of a simple question...?
"If I've overstepped boundaries, please tell me so." G'raha bows. "You don't have to tell me and I don't have to know. Just making inquiries because... because I care about my friend."
Mardha smiles at him. Oh, how wondrous it feels, to have that directed at him.
"It's okay, it's no secret." Mardha clears his throat. "It's Fantasia. I'm using it tonight."
Everything slows to a halt around him.
"What?" G'raha asks, his mind elsewhere. "Fantasia?"
"Yes...? Is that a problem?" Mardha frowns.
...
"Don't do it."
Mardha blinks rapidly. "What?"
"Don't!" G'raha flushes slightly. "I don't understand why you're using one of those, but please don't. You don't have to use those, you of all people. You're perfect just the way you are. Just be you and that will be fine; you inspire me and so many others in just... being you!"
"Uhm...!" A flush creeps up Mardha's neck. "W-where is this going?! Where is it coming from???"
"From you... using that thing!" G'raha's tail swishes back and forth rapidly. "Mardha, I-- I--" He shakes his head furiously. "I don't care if I say this and you don't feel the same way. I was planning on something better, but I'll say it anyway!"
"Say what?!"
"I love you!"
Mardha chokes.
"I love you and you don't have to change for anyone, so please... you'll always be the man I love, despite appearances."
After a small pause, Mardha lets out a small laugh.
"This isn't funny, Mardha...!"
"Oh my. Oh my dearest G'raha..." Said Miqo'te freezes at the phrasing.
Oh...!
"I believe you're mistaken." Mardha hums. "And maybe I should tell you now to quench your fears, but I think... I think we should go our separate ways for now."
... What.
"Don't worry, we'll see each other tomorrow, in the morning. In the Rising Stones? I have something to show you. Meet me there, okay? Promise?"
... Anything for you.
"Good boy," Mardha mumbles, and G'raha belatedly realizes he has said that aloud. Flushing deeply with his heartbeat thumping loudly in his ears, he barely hears the Warrior of Light add on with, "See you then, my friend."
And then Mardha leaves him in the middle of the street, his heart yearning and his face burning. But perhaps that might be due to the summer heat.
G'raha waits at one of the tables, because of course he is. Somehow, he's always left waiting for the Warrior. And yet, somehow, he's always left yearning, too.
Did Mardha say anything to his albeit random love confession, yesterday? To be honest, that evening had been a blur; he's surprised he even made it back to his sleeping quarters.
"G'raha," a familiar voice calls to him. It's from the door to the Waking Stones, and...
"Throw wide the gates..."
... he finds himself with his own words echoed back to him.
It feels like he's floating as his body gets up to move towards the door. It feels like another century of waiting again, to open the doors. And... and...
His Warrior of Light, his Warrior of Darkness, his inspiration, his everything, is standing there, same as ever.
But his eyes catch the differences and puts the puzzle pieces together within the second.
Mardha's sudden growth of a few ilms... his slightly sharper cheekbones (but G'raha would never spend hours staring at both his friend and artistic imitations of him)... his differently shaped body... all these little things.
Oh.
"G'raha, I love you, too," his inspiration speaks to him, and he finally hears him clearly. "I assume the feeling's still mutual."
And there's not much space for it, but G'raha runs, leaps, falls into the embrace of the one who -- to him -- means the whole world, the whole universe, everything, and more.
"Always," G'raha mutters into his friend's embrace. "Even as... no, especially as you become a version of yourself that is even more you."