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Time flies, and imperceptibly so for the beings, whose lifespan numbers no less than eternity. Every new day blends with the previous one, months drag on like clay under the skilled hands of a brilliant ceramist, and years go by, flowing as fast as a mountain stream. Amidst the calamities and wars that come and go, some entities remain unchanged, untarnished by the winds of time.
Wanderer was no exception to that. Back then, when he bore a different, sinister name that instilled fear in the hearts of those who dared to cross his path, everything appeared to be tedious. Never in his ardour to fulfil his purpose had he ever stopped by a maple tree, adorned by crimson leaves, or sat on an old trunk, admiring the dawn of the new day.
However, things change, and even the powers that be are not invulnerable before the face of transformation. And the fact that Sethos turned out to be a low-maintenance boyfriend did nothing to make Wanderer remain stagnant.
Sometimes, Wanderer caught himself in the middle of making two portions of chazuke, instead of a usual single one. Then, he would curse himself under his breath, and a fleeting smile would quirk his lips. He was taken out on the most inventive dates he’d never witnessed or read about. Sethos was lively, full of new ideas and eager to please his significant other. It made Wanderer feel strangely fuzzy in his chest area.
What’s worse, Sethos proved himself one of the brightest men Wanderer had ever had the pleasure to meet. He would always encourage Wanderer to finish his thesis, softly yet firmly reminding him of deadlines and feeding him with new ideas; most of them were refreshingly novel and, dare he say, exciting.
How could one’s heart keep beating for another without threatening to explode, Wanderer did not and could not possibly know. His chest was an empty shell physically, lacking a living, beating heart. Yet, every time he watched how Sethos smiled at him, spoke his nonsensical little words or did something routine like cooking or doing his laundry, his nonexistent blood-pumping organ somersaulted.
It was a fucking bizarre concept to entertain.
Sometimes, they would stay over at each other’s places. In these times, they’d argue about scientific methodology and the newest research in historical science. Usually, Wanderer walked out victorious from these improvised debates, simply because he could speak endlessly without getting callouses on his tongue. Then, Sethos would always groan or sometimes smile humbly, admitting defeat.
And as Sethos would fall asleep, Wanderer seldom left, silently preserving Sethos’ peaceful slumber. As he would watch the man breathe sedately, he’d cease to move completely, not needing to keep his act intact. Then, Sethos would roll over on his stomach, whimpering quietly, and hug his pillow. A barely perceptible smile played on Wanderer’s lips whenever Sethos did. Humans were utterly hilarious in their sleep.
How could one’s heart not burst apart as it learned how to love?
Sethos lazily opened his eyes. Their emerald glow looked more prominent, as the rays of the morning sun shone upon them, and he squinted slightly. His half-lidded gaze fixed on Wanderer, who spent the whole night by his side.
“Good morning, honey.” Sethos smiled, yawning. He propped up his body against the bed, stretching his limbs, sore from the long slumber. “Do you remember what day it is?”
Of course, Wanderer did. It was the day of the new beginning, of him embracing his sins as a matter of atonement. In human terms, ‘birthday’.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He feigned indifference, and Sethos laughed at his little antics.
“Happy birthday, Kunimitsu.” He leaned forward to kiss Wanderer, only for his face to be met by the other’s palm, pressing it back.
“For Celestia’s sake, at least brush your teeth first! Your breath is foul!” Wanderer hissed exasperatedly, but his words were lacking the needed bite.
Kunimitsu. That was the name Sethos came up with after a good month of contemplating the possibilities. At one point, the man ran out of options, to his big disappointment. However, after research on the Inazuma language, Sethos created a name that meant “the glory of nation”. At first, Wanderer complained about the man’s lack of imagination, skipping the part where he mentioned the name he once bore and how it carried the opposite meaning. After some grumbling, however, Wanderer admitted that the name sounded right, especially when falling off Sethos’ lips.
The glory of what nation, exactly?
With a shrug, Wanderer dismissed Sethos, sending him into the bathroom. He sighed quietly and flopped onto the bed, shutting his eyes tightly. Birthdays were always tiresome, and the constant attention from others was overwhelming. Yet he couldn’t help but wonder – what did Sethos have in mind for this day?
Before he could begin pondering, Sethos was already back with a mint scent on his breath.
“Here, better?” he asked innocently, hopping onto the bed and trapping Wanderer’s head between his straightened arms. A lazy, wry smile tugged at Wanderer’s lips. His sapphire eyes sparkled with emotion Sethos could not quite grasp. He assumed it was something that Wanderer’s idea of affection was.
“Much better.” Wanderer enveloped his hands around Sethos’ shoulders and clasped them behind the man’s nape, pulling him on top of himself. Their lips met as Wanderer kissed him leisurely, drawing out the moment. His teeth bit on Sethos’ bottom lip softly, making the man chuckle into the kiss.
“Bitey,” he snickered, breaking the kiss. Wanderer huffed in protest in response to his teasing.
“Oh, shut it. You’re just envious I’m a better kisser than you.”
Sethos smirked playfully, and a mischievous sparkle flashed through his eyes. He leaned closer, hovering over Wanderer’s body sprawled on the bed.
“I’d like to prove you wrong, but…” He pulled away, letting out a small sigh. “I have matters in Akademiya today. Promise we’ll have dinner this evening?”
Wanderer propped himself up on his elbows, looking at how Sethos seemed genuinely upset that he had to leave his significant other alone on his birthday. The corner of his lips twitched up as he imagined Sethos as a lost pup. The semblance was uncanny.
“Mhm. Dinner, right,” he spoke, sounding as bored as ever, but his expression somehow warmed Sethos’ heart anyway.
“Alright, alright!” Sethos cheered, packing the bag he brought with him for the night. “Don’t miss me, birthday boy!”
Wanderer scoffed, biting back another smile. Being open about his emotions felt foreign and odd, yet Sethos had this kind of presence that made him unravel layer by layer. It was utterly mysterious, how a man, a mortal one at that, could affect him this way. Nahida would’ve been happy to know this.
His chest suddenly felt tight. It has been four months, yet he never moved on completely. A part of him still yearned to talk to her again and to hear one of her infuriating wisecracks. Sometimes he sat on the ledge before the Sanctuary of Surasthana, reminiscing. He often wondered what she would have said and how she would have teased him if he told her everything that weighed on his mind.
“What’s wrong?” Sethos inquired. Wanderer looked up at him, forcing a nonchalant expression.
“Nothing. I’m fine, why?”
Sethos sighed. He was about to leave, but seeing his boyfriend’s expression growing sombre made him reconsider. He crouched in front of the bed, hoping he appeared empathetic enough for Wanderer to open up.
“I know this expression, ‘Mitsu. You’re not as subtle as you think. Tell me.”
Wanderer sighed. Of course, he’d notice that. He looked down at Sethos, meeting his gaze.
“I miss her,” he said finally. Sethos smiled, putting his palm on Wanderer’s cheek and tracing his cheekbone area with his thumb.
“The fact she cannot answer you doesn’t mean you can’t talk to her, y’know?”
Wanderer pulled back, crossing his arms. He’d already shown enough vulnerability for today.
“What, am I now supposed to pray? Don’t be ridiculous.”
Sethos laughed, straightening. He threw his bag over his shoulder and walked to the door, humming some melody. Before he walked out, he looked back at Wanderer again.
“No, I meant you should talk to her.”
Wanderer arched his eyebrow incredulously. “To a plant? That’s even more absurd.”
“Well, you won’t know until you try it.”
The sun was at its zenith, mercilessly scorching the pavements of Sumeru. Despite being invulnerable to heat, Wanderer couldn’t help wondering what kind of an evil mastermind thought paving the roads with literal stones in a tropical city would be a great idea.
However, the question disappeared as soon as he stepped into the greenhouse. Most of the plants were at their prime, blooming with magnificent colours and spreading their scents around the place. The students and professors of Amurta had indeed done wonders to the Sumeru floriculture, nurturing the desert species until they gave beautiful flowers.
His destination wasn’t any of them.
Walking through the narrow aisles, he reached the secluded corner, where a tiny sapling grew, planted in an ornated pot. A small, fond smile almost appeared on his face, replaced by a frown. He picked up a watering can.
“Sethos told me I should try speaking to you, although that sounds dumb.” He began watering the sapling. “I don’t see the point in it, speaking frankly. But if you are still there, at least give me some sign.”
The sapling seemed to relish the water Wanderer poured upon it. Its small twigs straightened, and the leaves began to flutter slightly, despite the lack of wind. Wanderer’s eyes widened in exasperation.
“You… You could’ve spoken to me all this time, yet you remained silent! You, obnoxious creature!”
He huffed angrily, not ceasing to nurture the sapling. After he put down the watering can, he grabbed a small spade to loosen the soil. The plant seemed to shrug at his words as if saying ‘You’ve never asked!’ which was a very Nahida way to reply.
Wanderer groaned, meticulously loosening the soil with a ridiculously tiny instrument. If anyone had seen him like this… No, some ideas are better not entertained.
“You know, Sumeru is not the same without your guidance…” he murmured, finally satisfied with his work. He put the spade aside, looking at how the sapling seemed to cheer up at being taken care of. It was a bizarre sight, yet it warmed Wanderer’s core with a small tinge of hope. “But do not worry. I’m taking care of things while you can’t. And I have a whole eternity to wait and hear your foolish jokes once more.”
The sapling leaves fluttered once again. He chewed on his bottom lip to bite back a smile.
“Here our birthday boy comes!” Sethos exclaimed loudly, and the tavern burst with cheers. Wanderer stood on the last step of the ladder to the second floor of Lambad’s Tavern, blinking dumbfoundedly. Of course, he had expected a celebration. Given Sethos’ outgoing nature, there was no way he’d let his boyfriend vegetate in four walls on his birthday. But he didn’t expect the event to be so… scaleous.
The crowd mostly consisted of his Akademiya classmates. Somewhere on the sidelines, he saw General Mahamatra himself, keeping aloof as usual. Tighnari accompanied him, leaning against the wall with a glass full of red wine.
He noticed Sumeru Akademiya Scribe, casually reading a book with his legs crossed. Nearby him a beautiful blonde man stood. His cheeks were slightly reddened by alcohol, and he smiled contently at whoever tried to approach them. And how did Sethos manage to convince Alhaitham to come? He didn’t question Kaveh’s presence, though. This man could often be found where wine flowed in rivers.
Unbeknownst to him, Sethos had already snuck up on him. A wide grin almost split his face in two.
“Well?” he asked impatiently, urging his boyfriend to give him at least some kind of reaction.
“It’s… crowdy. More than I thought it would be,” admitted Wanderer. A small frown appeared on his face as some unruly drunk student cheered right above his ear.
“You don’t like it?” Sethos’ smile faded, and Wanderer felt a tiny flicker of worry. He leaned in closer, pressing a small, tentative kiss on his lips. This was how humans encouraged each other, no? Sethos always did it whenever Wanderer felt especially frustrated over his thesis.
“I like it. Don’t worry your pretty head about it.”
Sethos cracked a small laugh. “Have your fun then, honey. It’s your day. And who would’ve known you have so many friends?”
Humans were weirdly fond of attaching great significance to something as mundane as anniversaries. But, for the first time in an eternity, he noticed that he understood the sentiment better than ever before.
The two crashed into Wanderer’s house, and Sethos giggled, finding amusement in his sloppy movements. He was still tipsy, yet his mind was clear enough to see how Wanderer chuckled along. A small blush crept up his cheeks after the sound. Was it the alcohol or embarrassment – he couldn’t pinpoint.
But he knew one thing for sure.
“Hey, ‘Mitsu.” His voice came out slightly raspy, as he leaned in, brushing his nose against Wanderer’s. “I love you.”
Wanderer averted his gaze, unsure of how he should respond to this. Saying it back felt like the right thing to do, and he wished to believe his words would carry truth to them. A part of him protested. Sethos’ track of time differed from his.
“Sethos, I—” he started, but Sethos pressed his index finger on his lips, silencing him.
“Don’t force it. I know you are still unsure. I only wanted you to know how I feel.”
Wanderer swallowed. Addressing emotions directly was a different kind of mental torture. He grabbed Sethos’ collar, pulling him closer. His arms locked around the man’s body, as he buried his face in the crook of his neck. Sethos’ skin smelled of spice, capsicum and sweat – an odd mixture that somehow felt pleasant.
“Thank you,” he muttered his first commendation in what seemed like ages.
They remained unmoving for some time. Wanderer wished he’d tear his arms off Sethos, but the embrace felt soothing and warm, calming his mind and beckoning him to stay like this. He’d thought he’d buried this part of him deep, yet here he was, craving the touch and welcoming heat, radiating off Sethos’ body.
Was it a selfish, greedy demand of his lacking heart – to bind a mortal soul to him? Intimacy had never seemed so beautiful before.
With that, he finally pulled away. He ran his hand through Sethos’ wavy hair, ruffling it. He took in the man’s dishevelled state, his content smile and the small dimples on his cheeks that asked to be poked.
Greed and hunger meant he was just as human as Sethos, didn’t they? They were overwhelming, making his head spin with longing and desire for closeness.
Sethos seemed to pick up on that uncertainty in his eyes, glowing like sapphires in the dark. The man in front of him, vulnerable, maskless, turmoiled – was divinely beautiful.
“Can I kiss you again, love?”
Wanderer leaned closer, pressing his body against Sethos’ warm, lithe one.
“Just do it already.”
Their lips met in a kiss. Sethos picked a slow, measured pace, tentatively pushing his tongue inside Wanderer’s mouth, claiming his lips with reverence and adoration. ‘Sweet as honey’, a thought ran through his head and he chuckled. Wanderer withdrew, raising his eyebrow. He appeared tense, yet it was but a guise for insecurity.
“What’s funny?” he asked, frowning slightly. Sethos only laughed again.
“Nothing, nothing. It’s just…” He bit his lower lips, wary of his phrasing. “You taste sweet.”
If Wanderer could blush, he would. Yet all that remained for him was to sneer at Sethos’ unabashed response.
“Fool.” He chuckled, pulling Sethos back against himself. The man’s eyes widened slightly as Wanderer took the initiative, shamelessly invading his mouth. Their tongues mingled together wetly, Sethos’ drool gathering on Wanderer’s bottom lip for man to lick it up between kisses.
After a few moments, Sethos withdrew, gasping for air. This display of human needs amused Wanderer endlessly.
“What, forgot how to breathe?” he taunted, tracing his index finger along Sethos’ chin. It picked up a small trickle of saliva, and Wanderer smeared it on the other’s lip.
Sethos laughed breathlessly. “Well, someone has to need to breathe here.”
Wanderer tsked. He flopped onto the bed, pulling Sethos on top of himself. The man’s hands landed on both sides of his head and he gasped, marveling at Wanderer’s sudden boldness.
“Do you—” Wanderer began to ask, but cut himself off, looking to the side.
“Do I what?”
His hands grasped Sethos’ face as he mustered his courage to ask. Their eyes locked onto each other. Within these emeralds, Wanderer saw pure adoration and desire. Was it what humans called love; he didn’t know. But he greedily wanted to trust Sethos on his words.
“Do you want to go all the way?” he whispered.
Sethos raised his eyebrows. He swallowed nervously, looking down somewhere into the space between them. Wanderer cursed himself inwardly for asking the question that seemed to ruin the mood. Yet his worries faded when Sethos glanced up at him from under his eyebrows.
“Do you want to?” he asked suspiciously.
“Fuck, yes, I do.” Wanderer pulled him closer. Sethos fell onto him with a quiet grunt, eliciting an amused scoff from him.
“I mean,” Sethos lifted his head, staring at his boyfriend, “have you ever done this before?”
Wanderer snickered upon the question. “Sethos, I’m five hundred years old. Do you really think I’ve never had sex in my life?”
“Reasonable.” Sethos hummed.
His lips found the column of Wanderer’s throat. He pressed an open-mouthed kiss on his jugular, his teeth slightly grazing the soft skin. He traced a path of small, gentle kisses down Wanderer’s neck, leaving soft bites along the way.
Truth be told, Wanderer had never needed to satisfy his physical needs. Having a fair face and eloquence were beneficial in undercover work, and he was no stranger to having sex as a way to get what he wanted. Yet, something about the way Sethos kissed him felt different. Before, Wanderer had reasonably assumed his artificial body lacked nerves, which spared him the pain and pleasure. Then why did his body react when Sethos’ teeth gently sank into the area where his neck meld into his shoulder?
He focused on the feeling, trying to savour the foreign sensation. A small moan broke off his lips. He could feel Sethos’ elemental energy flowing through the other’s body, fusing with his own. And then he understood.
He’d never been intimate with a Vision bearer before.
The room suddenly illuminated with a dim blue glow, radiating off Wanderer’s body. Sethos pulled away, stunned, admiring how the patterns on his boyfriend’s torso began to gleam.
“I thought these were tattoos,” he commented, tracing a blue line on Wanderer’s stomach with his finger. Wanderer gasped at the touch and threw his head back. This place turned out to be particularly sensitive.
“They’re not,” he uttered, looking down at himself. A small scowl marred his beautiful face. Once again, he was reminded how alien to humanity he was.
Upon seeing his disgruntled expression, Sethos smiled softly. He leaned down, pulling the fabric of Wanderer’s body suit to the side and exposing his stomach.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered with adoration, kissing the glowing pattern. Wanderer shuddered and bit his lower lip to choke back a whimper that threatened to erupt from his throat.
Inwardly, he suddenly thanked Ei for her advances in design. It turns out she did make his life less arduous, although in such an odd way.
Sethos pulled Wanderer up a little, helping him to get rid of the body suit. The fabric was discarded somewhere on the floor now and the man pushed Wanderer back onto the bed, pressing eager lips on his chest.
“You’re otherworldly…” he muttered, kissing his way from Wanderer’s sternum to the left side of his chest. Upon reaching that place and not feeling the pulse, Sethos’ eyebrows formed a small crease between them.
“You have no heartbeat…” he commented before he could stop himself. Somewhere above his head, Wanderer chuckled bitterly.
“I know, thank you. And what of it? Does it repulse you?” he spoke, and Sethos noticed how defensive he suddenly sounded. He looked up at Wanderer, his cheek resting on his chest.
“Never. I was just wondering…”
“I am but an empty vessel for a heart that had never meant to be mine.”
Something stirred in Sethos’ chest as he heard the bitterness in these words. He reached up, facing Wanderer. His lips touched his cheek, leaving a small, wet mark.
“Then, you can have my heart instead.”
Something about how Sethos spoke reverently lodged in Wanderer’s core and refused to let go. Before he allowed himself to dwell on this sensation, he urgently placed Sethos’ hands at the waistline of his hakama shorts. Sethos chuckled slightly, understanding the assignment.
The thin fabric of his shorts, separating Sethos from the desired part of his boyfriend’s body, dropped down, exposing Wanderer’s luscious thighs in all their bare glory. Sethos pulled away, taking his sweet time watching his boyfriend like that – worked up and dishevelled from their actions. The magnificent glow of his body was blinding, and it was a divine thing to witness. He wished he could etch this image on the wrinkles of his brain.
Wanderer laid his back on the bed, and his legs spread invitingly, without him even realising it. Sethos had to swallow a mouthful of drool because oh, Celestia above, was Wanderer breathtakingly gorgeous like this. He accepted this invitation and settled between his legs, leaning over him.
“Do you have anything to lube up with?” he asked raspily, biting the skin on Wanderer’s neck. He sucked on it for a few more seconds to savour the sweet taste.
“Just use spit or whatever. I don’t feel pain anyway.” Wanderer’s voice trailed off, and he gasped as Sethos’ hand roamed towards the pattern on his chest, tracing it devoutly.
“As you wish, honey,” Sethos spoke softly, pressing a kiss against Wanderer’s lips. He slowly withdrew, and the sound of spitting followed. Something cold and wet was smeared across Wanderer’s entrance, and he was positive this was drool.
And soon he felt filled, Sethos’ cock carving its way within his inner walls invasively. His head tipped back and his body jerked, as he felt the rush of foreign elemental energy flowing through and inside his body. Sethos covered his lips with his own, muffling Wanderer’s noises as his hips grounded against his boyfriend’s.
It was overwhelming to bear – the steady rocking of Sethos’ hips, the words and praises spilling off his lips, the tremendous flows of elemental energy coursing within him, the sight of Sethos' face and his chest, dusted with hair, above him.
The patterns on his body glowed brighter and brighter before he fell apart in Sethos’ hands.
“So, was it any good?” Sethos inquired innocently, as he laid on his back and glanced to the side, where Wanderer sprawled on the bed, staring at the ceiling blankly. Upon hearing Sethos’ voice, he flinched, snapping out of it.
“I have never felt like this before. I could feel your elemental energy flowing through me. It was a feeling I won’t be able to forget anytime soon,” Wanderer uttered breathlessly. Sethos hummed.
“Elemental energy, you say… I don’t think I’ve ever heard of this phenomenon.” Then, his lips quirked in a small, teasing smile. “Are you sure it wasn’t just me being amazing?”
Wanderer huffed, rolling his eyes. Sethos’ smug grin was oddly endearing.
“You wish. It probably was a kind of an elemental reaction.”
“Hmm, I think, we must undertake further research to tell for sure.”
Wanderer chuckled, rolling onto his stomach. His sapphire eyes flickered with amusement, as he leaned in closer.
“Is this a collaboration offer?”
“Precisely.” Sethos smiled. His hand found its way to Wanderer’s nape, pulling him a breath apart closer. Their eye contact never wavered as Sethos whispered against his lips.
“Happy birthday, love.”