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I.
The sound of a polearm hitting the ground echoed through the fields. Illuga fell on his back and Lohen took a step towards him, grabbing the man by his face and forcing him up. Illuga held his wrist with both hands, relying on his strength since his weapon was far from reach. Lohen had to admit it: if it was a contest of pure, raw physical strength, he wouldn't be able to defeat him. Yet, in a fight like this, anything could go, including outsmarting the opponent, which was something Lohen was far better at.
"Struggle all you want~", he said, as he spun the dagger in his grip to change his hold.
Then, he heard something. The smile disappeared from his face. Lohen let go of Illuga and jumped back, dodging a spear being thrown towards him. His eyes narrowed as he followed the direction the weapon came from. A tall Ratnik with a blue lantern was glaring back. Oh, he knew that man. Flins, the guy who stayed at the cemetery and, according to Varka, had an unmatched ability to hold his alcohol. His gaze moved down to analyze the lantern, sensing something off coming from it. That fire... It was unnatural. It burned with no smell of fuel, in a color that fire just couldn't have. Sure, blue fire was a thing, but the flickers of purple were off. It seemed like it had a life of its own, too. The Lightkeeper holding it had eerie yellow eyes. Lifeless. Yet... so alive at the same time. Lohen could read so many feelings in those eyes that were nothing but yellow, like the sun behind the early morning fog. But the power coming from that man...
Oh, how interesting... This Lightkeeper... He's not human. The smile slowly came back to Lohen's face. Picking up his own lance, he jumped towards Flins in an impressive display of speed. The man jumped back, focusing on dodging the incoming hits. He probably didn't think it through when throwing his spear like an arrow. Or so Lohen thought. But then, the fire in the lantern grew hotter. Ah, he's going to fight for real.
Good.
Lohen held his ground, putting the dagger back to grip the polearm with both hands. The blue flames grew hotter in Flins's lantern and the air grew colder around the knight.
"SIR FLINS! SIR LOHEN! STOP!"
Both blinked and turned to Illuga, who was holding both his and the other Lightkeeper's spear. The birdie ran over to them, waving his arms, exasperated.
"Young Master-"
"It's fine! He's- Whew.", he took a deep breath. "Sir Flins, he wasn't going to hurt me for real, we were just sparring. This is Sir Lohen, Vice Captain of the 5th Company of the Knights of Favonius."
Lohen found it utterly amusing, the way Flins blinked, letting the information sink in, then turned to the knight with his eyes widening comically. As if he couldn't fathom how someone like him could become a knight. Lohen was not new to this kind of look. At first, it hurt. He knew he wasn't... A normal knight. And his goal was never really to fit in. Yet... Being stared down like he didn't deserve to be where he was, like he wasn't even deserving of being considered human... That was painful. Over the years, however, he was able to push that feeling aside, or, as Adorno once so graciously put it, "bottled it". Now, all it did was make his smirk wider.
".....Forgive me for jumping to conclusions. I urge you to try and understand my distress, however, upon coming across a man holding a dagger against Young Master Illuga.", Flins placed a hand on his chest. "I must commend your fighting ability, for the prowess you display is most awe-inspiring."
"Stop calling me that...", Illuga whined.
"How interesting... Didn't know the Lightkeepers had a penchant for false flattery."
Flins raised an entertained eyebrow, seemingly amused for being caught so easily. It usually took a while longer. Most people, even some other knights like him, would believe, during their first interactions, that he was just a soft-spoken man. Yet, this guy, with dangerous and sharp red eyes, caught it immediately.
"Ugh. I'm sorry, Sir Lohen. That's Sir Flins for you.", Illuga shook his head.
"No need to apologize, birdie. It's actually kinda funny. Almost like those fae from legends.", Lohen said, with a smile.
"My, you wound me, Sir Lohen. I am merely offering a few words of respect in lieu of an apology."
Flins placed a hand over his chest, but there was a curious glint in his eyes. Bingo., Lohen thought. So that's what he is. His smiled stayed, but his eyes narrowed, sending a clear message. Flins crossed his arms and they watched each other. Lohen wondered just what buttons he'd have to push to make a fae lose their composure. Illuga moved his weight from one foot to another, unsure of what to do with the sudden tension and the way the two were assessing each other. Not a good start..., he thought, worried. Sensing the poor birdie's distress, the knight took the initiative.
"I suppose we just started on the wrong foot, isn't that right? Let's start over, shall we?", Lohen offered a hand. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Lohen, Vice Captain of the Knights of Favonius' Ranged Company."
"The pleasure is mine, Sir Lohen, for it is an honor to meet a knight of your strength. I am but a humble Lightkeeper. You may call me Flins. It brings me an immense feeling of safety, knowing among our allies lies such a capable man."
Flins took Lohen's hand and... Bowed down, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. The shorter's brain turned off. Actually, it went haywire, trying to make sense of the situation. This... This guy! The nerve! His face warmed up and he blinked a few times. His cheeks were redder than his eyes as his brain slowly managed to come back from the confusing fluttering he felt in his stomach. The fae looked annoyingly proud of having disarmed Lohen. Heh. You want a challenge? Well... Two can play that game.
"Oh, THANK YOU so much for your praise, Sir Flins. It means a lot, coming from someone as strong as you.", he said, emphasizing his thanks.
Flins's eyes widened as Lohen so WILLINGLY and with NO hesitation broke a fae rule, followed by a challenging smirk. He chuckled. Oh my... What an interesting human.
Just like Lohen was playing with fire, so did Flins decide to play with a howling blizzard.
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"Sir Varka, may I ask you a question?"
"You already asked one, old friend.", Varka chuckled over his drink. "But I'll allow another."
They were sitting together in the Flagship, on yet another drinking night. There were knights and Ratnik alike in the tavern, yet they managed a table together as they usually did. Flins sipped on his drink, carefully thinking over how to word the question. That got Varka serious.
"Is something wrong, my friend?"
"Earlier today I was made acquaintance of... A knight..."
"Oh, Barbatos, it's Lohen, isn't it?"
"Oh? How could you tell?"
"He tends to leave that kind of first impression. Either that or fear.", Varka sighed. "I apologize, my friend. That brat can be a real menace. Did he attack you?"
"Hm... You could say I attacked him first. You see, he was fighting Young Master Illuga and, for a second, it seemed like he was attempting murder, so I came to Young Master's aid. Only for him to stop us and reveal they were merely sparring."
"Ah, yes, Lohen's sparring sessions can go hard. Even tougher than me, that one."
That caught Flins' attention. Varka wasn't an overconfident man, but it also wasn't like him to play down his own skills. That must mean Lohen is indeed a formidable opponent. The fae wondered just what that small bunny could do to pose a challenge to that large wolf. Still, Varka was serious, even a bit annoyed about it, which made it clear he couldn't possibly be giving Lohen exaggerated praise.
"He must hold commendable strength for you of all people to say that."
"Not physical strength, no.", Varka shook his head. "But he's not your usual knight. Don't be fooled by his fake chivalry. He's not ashamed of playing dirty. He's fast and that brain inside his head is a terrifying thing. If you see him in the wild, you'd think he's a reckless fool. But if you know him like I do, you'd know he actually has everything planned out. His perception of patterns makes him able to predict people like reading a book. You have to be creative to keep him sharp. Although, if you do so, he might never leave you alone."
"Hm... I believe I've already been witness of his exceptional perception."
"What happened?"
"He caught on to me not being a human at a glance, and in mere minutes deducted what I am."
"Hah! That's Lohen for you.", a heavy sigh. "I wouldn't worry about him outing you, though. He might try using it as blackmail material, but it's just him playing games. He wouldn't actually out you."
"He did not attempt such at all. In fact, he was quite discreet about it. Yet, he proceeded to immediately break a fae rule."
"That's Lohen for you square.", Varka chuckled. "I am sorry to say, but you got yourself in quite a conundrum. He'll pester you until he gets a good fight out of it."
"Oh, there is no need for an apology.", Flins smiled a little, twirling the cup in his hand and watching the drink swirl inside it. "For I am most interested in that human. Such boldness in immediately breaking a fae rule while staring straight into my eyes without an ounce of fear... Much on the contraire, watching with confidence and challenge, awaiting a reaction. I'm afraid I haven't met such an intriguing one in a long time, if ever."
"Heh. Lohen does bring the worst out of everyone, doesn't he?"
"You could say so. Never have I been challenged by a human in such a way."
"He tends to leave that impression, yes. Tried to drug me multiple times, and I still find myself falling into his traps. Cunning, that one."
"If he manages to one up someone of your experience, he must indeed be a worthy opponent."
"Things can only go two ways with him: you're either going to have a lot of fun, or you're going to regret ever accepting his challenge."
"Do you regret it, Grandmaster?"
"Me? Hah. Never."
"Good. Then I'm assured I won't either."
II.
It was that day of the week, in which Illuga would bring Flins some supplies. He would knock at his door, walk into his home and Flins would give him water and start up a conversation, usually telling a story without finishing it or sharing the end of the previous one he left on a cliffhanger. Routine. Something he appreciated. Something he had grown used to. Something comfortable and predictable. Something safe.
But, today, he was shocked to find someone else making the track towards the lighthouse. The one man that managed to throw all routine out of the window. Who was as unpredictable as a raging blizzard. Who did not allow for boredom to take over, and managed to surprise Flins, even though the fae used to believe no human could catch him off guard.
A short man, who seemed a bit taller than he was thanks to the heels on his boots. His mint hair, unmistakable. And his eyes... Staring into the thin blue outline that was swallowed by the red light of the center of his eyes was like watching a night with a blood moon. Those eyes who could detect people's patterns and analyze them with such coldness, as if he could break down anything with a mere glance. Sometimes, they seemed like they were so much older than any human should be. Sometimes, they looked like the Abyss itself, screaming danger and sending chills down the spine of even the mightiest warrior. Sometimes, it would hold mischief, almost fae-like in nature, which is a lot coming from him, who was a fae himself. And sometimes... When he thought no one was looking... It held a surprise softness. When he watched his knights gather together for drinks, while he himself refused to drink to be able to keep alert against dangers. When he helped small animals who were in danger or got lost. When he gently took mandragoras in his arms to bring them over to where other mandragoras were and give them some kuuvahki.
That man was a walking contradiction. But that's what made Flins feel so drawn to him.
Lohen huffed, bringing Flins back to reality, as he clearly struggled to handle the weight of the backpack. Varka's words rang on his mind, reminding him the knight was not necessarily strong merely in a physical sense. Perhaps, the Young Master held more raw strength than the knight, and made bringing the supplies seem easier than it actually was.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Sir Lohen?"
In the last few weeks, they had grown... Well, acquainted. Anything closer would be a bit of an exaggeration. But Flins would be lying if he said he didn't appreciate the help the 5th Company had offered against the Wild Hunt. Lohen alone was already a one man army too. In classic Illuga fashion, the knights would be invited to dine with them as a thanks for their assistance. It led to Flins and Lohen exchanging a few words at times, and their polearms have crossed more than once. Illuga had sighed and told Flins he lets Lohen have his way too much with him. That he's going to spoil the knight. But how could he refuse, once he realized this small human could pull off more tricks than a fae such as himself?
Flins thought he was long immune to humans attempting to charm him. And he was well aware that "charm" was not what Lohen was aiming to do. Yet, the knight managed to awaken a challenging nature he never knew he had.
All that to say, he saw nothing wrong in welcoming Lohen instead of Illuga.
It was a bit confusing, yes. With how the Young Master seemed to appreciate his company. He knew Illuga looked forward to meeting his friend every week. Seeing Lohen's thoroughly annoyed and tired expression, he had to hold back a chuckle. How adorable. Like a pouting bunny. Lohen dropped the back, panting.
"Stop... With that... Annoying... Amused expression.", he took a few seconds to catch his breath. "How does Illuga carry all this every week? Does he even know you don't need it?"
"He's not aware, no."
"Of course not.", Lohen huffed. "Where do I leave this stupid bag?"
"Where are my manners? Allow me."
Flins effortlessly threw the bag over his shoulder, making Lohen huff and roll his eyes.
"Show off."
"I can't possibly understand what you mean."
Lohen stretched, kind of looking like a cat when he did so. Flins found it endearing.
"If you don't mind me asking, what brings you here, Sir Lohen? It is rare for the Young Master not to be the one bringing the supplies."
"Idiot refused to rest."
"And what exactly made him agree to stop? It would not be the first time he forces himself to struggle against exhaustion merely to make his way to my humble abode."
"Oh, I drugged him."
Flins went silent, pondering if he was being honest. His reaction was enough to get Lohen to chuckle.
"Nothing bad. Just some regular sleep medicine. Mixed it on some juice. He had noooo clue until he started feeling unbearably sleepy one and a half hour later. He's probably gonna try to kill me when he wakes up."
"You seem rather expectant for the attempted murder to come."
"Oh, I am. Fighting him is fun."
Flins shook his head. This man is incorrigible.
"Please, follow me."
They made their way to the lighthouse and Flins showed him to the kitchen. It was not the most... Lived in place, no pun intended. It was quite obvious Flins hardly ever made use of the stuff in that room. The fae put the bag aside and opened the fridge, which also didn't have much inside. Lohen watched, sprawled on the chair, trying to relax his tired muscles. Flins chuckled at the sight and put a glass of cold water on the table.
"Apologies, for I do not have apple cider. The Grandmaster told me you seem to enjoy such."
"Oh? You asked Varka about me.", it wasn't a question. "Heh. It's fine, don't worry. I also have a file on you."
"Ah. You got me intrigued. Though, I assume you won't tell me what it contains."
"Obviously not."
"As expected.", he moved the cup towards the knight. "Here, have some water. You look even more parched than the Young Master usually does."
"Oh? Is the fae offering me a drink?"
Flins blinked and chuckled softly. The thought had not crossed his mind in such a way, yet, of course Lohen would immediately jump to this conclusion. He had to give it to him, he was smart. Was it any other human, they wouldn't have caught onto it so readily. Varka and Illuga never did, and Nikita to this day still had times in which he failed to notice until he accepted. Always on guard, Lohen was. It was, in equal parts, commendable and worrisome. Did he ever truly let his guard down?
"Nothing like that, Sir Lohen. It is not-"
"No no. I GRACIOUSLY accept the drink offered.", Lohen smirked as he downed the water in one gulp.
The fae took a deep breath. He took everything back. This man was a headache waiting to happen. No amount of warning from the Grandmaster could've prepared Flins to the absolute menace of a man Lohen is. The menace in question looked thoroughly entertained and proud of himself.
"Are you incapable of feeling fear?"
Lohen's smirk fell and, for a moment, Flins regretted asking that question. The knight's gaze suddenly looked oh, so far away. He looked small, fragile, and it made a strong, protective feeling take over Flins' entire being.
"No. I feel fear. Maybe even more than most people.", he admitted, in a rare display of raw, unadulterated honesty. "But I weaponize it. Only those who survive have the luxury to feel pain and fear the next day."
Flins hummed.
"I don't believe that's accurate. It is by no means incorrect. However, there's so much more to being alive than pain and fear."
"......there is."
"And you too deserve to feel those beautiful emotions."
Lohen's eyes widened and he went silent. Flins respected his quiet, and the knight seemed to appreciate it. Their silence was peaceful, comforting. It was strange to see Lohen like this. There was always an underlying tenseness in his step, keeping people at arm's length no matter what. It made a soft, warm feeling bloom in Flins' chest, to be allowed to witness him in such an honest, vulnerable state. There was a quiet understanding that by no means the fae saw Lohen as anything less than the strong knight he met day one. All they had now was a layer of the ice walls around his heart melted by the blue flame.
III.
"You know I'll be going whether you allow me to or not, right?", Lohen said.
Varka's heavy sigh was heard from Lohen's tent, as he prayed to Barbatos he didn't get a headache that night. He watched the younger knight clearly bored out of his mind and ignoring the Grandmaster.
"I know. Which is why I'm here to ask that you at least try to cooperate with the Lightkeepers and follow their orders."
Lohen was drumming his fingers and had his legs crossed, looking at the wall of the tent rather than at the Grandmaster. Varka pinched the bridge of his nose. Sure, the younger knight had quite the... Personality. But it wasn't like him to be THAT distracted. Just what was in his mind right now?
"I'm just asking that because I'm sure Illuga would appreciate it if you didn't give him a heada-"
"You know, you should let me a acknowledge our guest.", Lohen said out of nowhere.
"What guest?"
"Fliiiiiins~ I know you're out there~", the mint haired sing sang.
There was a shuffling sound as the fabric of the tent got pulled up, just enough for Flins' face to show up. So THAT'S what's on his mind., Varka thought. The fae raised an eyebrow at Lohen, silently asking how he knew he was there. The knight smiled, thinking to himself whether he should tell him or let him wonder. Varka watched them, strangely quiet. Flins had talked with him about Lohen before, and it surprised the Grandmaster to see his interest in the absolute creature the knight was. He thought the curiosity would die off soon. After all, fae are curious by nature. But it was nothing like that! It seemed that they only grew closer, and Flins' interest only got stronger.
The fae refused to yield in his questioning glance and Lohen's smile got bigger before he finally broke eye contact.
"Fiiiine. It's your lantern. It has... A particular glow and warmth. I could see the light from the wall and could feel the warmth, even if faintly."
With a genuinely surprised expression, Flins looked down to the lantern at his hip. He glared at it like it had personally offended him. Come to think of it, the flame was supposed to be Flins' true form, right? Does that mean he unconscious and accidentally gave himself away? Regardless, the fae shook his head. Lohen was trying to get a rise out of him and it was obviously working. Now, that wouldn't do. Flins had to think how to get him back for that. But, for now, he turned to Varka.
"Grandmaster. Nikita chose me as the representative of the Lightkeepers for this joint mission. I come to share with you the locations we have marked down, but couldn't find you at your tent. I was told you'd be here."
"Well, I'll be part of the mission too, so you can share the info with me.", Lohen said.
Flins hesitated, awkwardly shifting from one foot to another. Varka looked up, confused. What was he waiting for? He turned to Lohen, who was frowning a little, before realization finally crossed his face. The blond felt a sense of dread as he watched the vice captain break into a smirk.
"Oh, please, Sir Flins, come in~ You're allowed inside my humble abode."
Varka blinked a few times, trying to understand why Lohen was talking like that. Not that there was anything unusual about him provoking other people's ire or annoyance, but what was this teasing even about? Then, realization hit him like a brick, and his eyes widened. The fae thing. Never allow a fae into your home or something. Flins looked incredibly annoyed as he glared at Lohen before stepping in.
"You, bunny, are quite an expert at trying my patience."
"Thanks! I try my best~"
"I sometimes find myself wondering if you'd be ready to deal with the consequences of saying such things to a fae."
"Oh? I'd love to find out~"
"Come on, you two, leave the flirting for later.", Varka chuckled.
"I wouldn't call it flirting.", Lohen shrugged. "I'm just trying to get a good fight."
The fae raised an eyebrow at that. Lohen looked up and watched as Flins made his way towards the makeshift sofa he sat at. He put his arms on each side of the knight, caging him in. Varka suddenly felt like an intruder as he watched them. Did they realize their own feelings? The Grandmaster didn't think so. They talked like they were just teasing each other, yet the tension was palpable. Flins' eyes had small flames on the side and the red in Lohen's eyes seemed to glow with something dangerous.
"Oh?", it was Lohen's turn to raise an eyebrow.
"Sometimes, little bunny, when humans play with fire... They get burned."
The laughter Lohen let out was nothing short of insane.
"Hahaha! Bring it on~!"
Their staring continued for a few more seconds until Varka finally cleared his throat. Lohen did NOT look apologetic in the slightest. Flins stood up, not without sending the knight one last side eye. He bowed, politely, but the Grandmaster could tell he also regretted nothing. This menace has found his match, huh?, he thought.
"Now that you're done with... Whatever you two have going on... Let's talk business."
Well..., Lohen thought. At least sharing intel and doing some planning wasn't boring.
IV.
If Varka was hesitant at first to bring Lohen to the mission, now he was relieved beyond description that he was there. The Wild Hunt outbreak was way larger than any of them anticipated, and things went awry VERY quickly. The monsters didn't stop coming and they couldn't get a break. Illuga was trying his best to protect the injured and the medics, but he was getting overwhelmed, forcing Flins to retreat from the battle he was at to assist him. The situation was so dire that it was one of the rare occasions where Lohen had to keep barking orders to his knights, rather than just fight up close and only shout every so often for them to move.
Flins had the good ol' advantage of being immortal. His stamina was nothing like the one of humans, so exhaustion wasn't going to overtake him so easily. But he could see those around him having a hard time. At least, he could help Illuga, but he couldn't help more than one person. He sometimes would send worried looks towards Lohen, noticing he was trying too hard not to show how much he was struggling. The knight's brain was hyperaware of everything, trying to focus on keeping everyone around safe and fighting off as many creatures as he could, since getting rid of the enemy was his main method of bringing safety.
Flins could see how much this multitasking was overwhelming him, but there was nothing he could do to help. He watched as Lohen sometimes spared a glance in their direction, brow furrowed in thought, most likely trying to come up with a way to push the enemies from the area they were keeping the injured. Admittedly, Flins wasn't the best strategist out there. But he trusted Lohen's judgment, so he nodded to the knight, signaling that he would keep fighting to protect them until he came up with something. The knight's eyes widened for a second and he nodded back, determined, before he focused his attention back on the creature he was facing.
"You!", Lohen's voice rang loud and surprisingly commanding, serious. "Yes, you, the small group of Lightkeepers! Move to where the injured are! The rest of you, get out of there! Leave only them watching the wounded! We need more people fighting!"
"They're not going to be able to fight if a large group of monsters approaches the injured!", Illuga protested.
"Trust me! Move! Not you, Flins!"
Flins stopped immediately and turned to Lohen.
"Watch my back! I NEED to focus!"
The fae nodded, his expression showing nothing but determination and complete trust in his judgment. That made Illuga more confident in following the order and joining the main fight.
"Nothing will get anywhere even remotely close to you.", Flins said.
"I'll hold you to that."
Flins moved, completely moving his focus to one single thing: that one short human who turned his life upside down. If anything got anywhere within five meters of Lohen, it was immediately pierced by his lance.
Lohen, on the other hand, had something else to worry about. He closed his eyes and focused on the Cryo Vision on his back and the spear on his hands. He tuned out the fight around him, leaving his life in Flins' hands, trusting him to keep him safe. It was a terrifying feeling. To trust. Yet, he chose to. He felt the Cryo move through him, as if it was a part of his body, and he tried to gather as much elemental energy as he possibly could. Opening his eyes, he pierced the spearhead to the ground with a loud cry.
It startled Flins out of his focused state, scaring him from a moment. But, thankfully, the cry wasn't because a monster somehow got past his sights. No. He could only watch, in awe, as large ice walls emerged from the ground, standing solid between the battlefield and the wounded. His gaze moved down, to where Lohen was, kneeling on one knee, clutching the polearm. He saw the man exhale a breath, a puff of condensated air leaving his mouth, which was quite worrying considering the day was NOT cold enough for this.
The space between the wall and the edge of the mountain behind the people was thin enough for humans to be able to pass and, at most, smaller monsters. That way, they could safely bring more people in while blocking the way of the bigger creatures the small group of assigned Lightkeepers might've struggled to deal with. Lohen stood and rejoined the fight.
Thanks to this new safe area, Lightkeepers and knights alike could focus on fending off the monsters without having to do rotations to watch out for the injured and the medics treating them. This improvement in formation was crucial to their victory.
Once it was FINALLY over, the first thing Illuga did was sit down with his back against a rock and let out a LONG, relieved sigh. Flins put his spear away and let his shoulders relax. He heard the Young Master gasp and immediately followed his gaze, just in time to see Lohen fall on one knee, only managing to hold himself from ending with his face against the ground by holding onto his polearm, which had the spearhead stuck to the ground. Illuga was about to get up, but Flins made a sign for him to stay. The Young Master blinked, but slowly nodded, letting himself relax against the rock.
Flins moved over towards Lohen. As he got closer, he realized how his body was shivering violently. His eyes widened and the fae found himself running towards him. Probably recognizing Flins' footsteps, Lohen's shoulders relaxed ever so slightly. But the fae noticed. He kneeled next to the knight, worried he'd be injured. Instead, he noticed the ice creeping from under his shirt and up his neck, all the way to his cheek. The way his breath condensated with each pant. If he had to guess, there was more ice all over, hidden only by the fact his body was almost fully covered up.
Flins immediately raised his body temperature and removed his cloak, placing it over Lohen's shoulders. The knight immediately moved towards the warmth, and the fae gently guided them into a sitting position, then pulled Lohen close to his chest.
"Deep breaths.", Flins said, voice soft.
They stayed like that, silent, just listening to each other's breathing and heartbeat, the small body shaking against the fae, who tried his best to keep a steady flow of warmth. Once Lohen finally started to move a little, Flins grabbed his lantern and guided it to his hands. The knight's eyes widened.
"Isn't this lantern your-"
"Yes. But I trust you. Hold it. It'll help you warm up."
Flins had never seen Lohen's gaze soften like that before. The knight picked the lantern, with a gentleness that he himself didn't know he possessed. It filled Flins' chest with warmth to see how he held it like it was the most precious thing in the world. Lohen was tense at first, being entrusted with something so important, so he tried to tease a little to lighten up the atmosphere, and calm his own heart.
"Heh. Your cloak first, now your lantern. Thank you for the gift, Mr. Fae."
Flins sighed, with a fond exasperation.
"Little bunny, must you always find a way to turn the situation into something more solely to break a fae rule?"
"Just admit it, you also like it that way."
"I don't recall ever denying it."
Lohen chuckled and another shiver wrecked his body, making him frown a little. Flins pulled him closer and focused on his and his lantern's temperature once again.
Varka came to check on Illuga and report to him the situation. The injured would live and the outbreak was fully contained. The Lightkeeper let out a nervous, yet relieved laugh, which the Grandmaster couldn't help but follow, glad to ease some tension.
"Have you seen the little menace I have for a knight? He wasn't with the others."
Illuga just pointed over and Varka's gaze followed. He thought he'd have to quite literally pick his jaw up off the floor. Lohen was basically curled up against Flins, with his eyes closed, in a display of trust he NEVER thought he'd ever see coming from the younger knight. He noticed small puffs of smoke coming out of his mouth and understood what was going on. He did use his Cryo Vision a LOT today. Flins must be using his whole flame fae thing to help him warm up. Wait... Was Lohen HOLDING the LANTERN?! Okay. No. Varka was done with them. He promptly turned and left to check on the others.
Archons know how long the two of them stayed like that, with Lohen cuddled against Flins' chest, wrapped in his arms while holding the fae's precious lantern. But the Ratnik wasn't in a hurry. He'd wait as long as it took for the ice covering the bunny to melt.
V.
Their victory ended up being a huge boost in morale for everyone, even the knights and Lightkeepers who didn't take part in the mission. Naturally, they all agreed a celebration was well deserved. Now, Lohen could understand the logical reason for that. After all, drinking is a great way to help almost everyone relax. Keyword being almost. Lohen himself despised alcohol. He had no interest in the first place, but watching how the other knights got after having one too many cups... That long ago had set it for him: he's never drinking that. He settled for watching some poor souls thinking they could win a drinking competition against Varka and entertained himself in seeing people make fools of themselves after getting drunk.
"Not a fan of alcohol, are we?", he heard that smooth voice he'd grown so used to.
"You could say that. Unlike you, according to Varka. Can the fae even get drunk? Is this just like. Fuel for you?"
"That's an interesting way of seeing it. I suppose it can be seen as such."
Lohen sighed, switching his position by crossing his ankle over the opposite knee.
"I guess there's just so much one can do at a place like this without drinking. This is so boring..."
Flins noticed the exact moment Lohen had an idea. The way his eyebrows shot up a little and amusement danced in his eyes... The smirk that showed up as he looked over to the fae, looking so innocent yet probably about to say the most outrageous thing Flins would hear that night. He got up and bowed, oh so knightly, and offered a hand.
"I guess I could try dancing with a fae."
"Is my suffering really such an entertaining form of amusement?"
Lohen hummed, as if he was deep in thought, even though they both knew the answer. Instead of letting the knight say something silly, Flins took his hand. But, before Lohen could react, the fae got up. He pulled the smaller man close, placing his free hand on his waist and raising their joined hands. Lohen blinked and a beautiful blush spread across his cheeks. He looked away, trying to hide it, but Flins caught not only onto that, but also the way his pupils dilated. Ah, this bunny made him feel things, alright.
"You...", Lohen mumbled.
"To think you'd be so easy to fluster. You hide your shyness quite masterfully with your bravado, little bunny."
He heard Varka suddenly choke and noticed Lohen's glare. Oh, well, they have an audience now. Flins gently tugged at the knight's hand, getting his attention, and started to move. At first, the shorter man was very awkward. The little bunny was made for the battlefields, not for this. But Flins guided him patiently, and he was a fast learner.
The fae barely registered Illuga's amused sigh somewhere nearby, followed by something that sounded suspiciously like "finally". His focus was solely on Lohen. Nothing else around them mattered and, whenever Lohen tried to look away, to avoid his feelings like he usually did, Flins would pull him closer, snapping his attention right back where it should be: at him.
After a while of dancing normally, they found themselves slowing down, until they were just swaying together. Now, both Flins' hands rested on Lohen's waist, and the knight laid his head against the fae's chest, his eyes closed and hands weakly gripping his shirt. The rumble of Flins' chuckle got Lohen's attention.
"What?", he mumbled.
"Are you asleep?"
"No..."
"Oh? Then can you look up at me?"
"....no."
The grumpy answer got Flins chuckling once again. He decided to close his eyes and bury his nose on Lohen's hair. The shorter immediately tensed up, but slowly relaxed again when the fae hummed softly.
+1
Some more time passed in their little silence, and they were no longer swaying. The two just stood there, in each other's arms, feeling whole just with by being together. It was a new feeling, and Lohen couldn't help but be sliiightly afraid of it. That was just natural for him, as someone who constantly tried to bury his emotions. But, even if it was scary, the way Flins held him so softly... How could he bring himself to be truly terrified by it? The thought made him unconsciously grip Flins' shirt tighter. That got the fae's attention and he moved just enough to be able to look at Lohen's face.
"Are you alright, my little bunny?"
The knight chuckled, weakly.
"Since when did it change to 'MY little bunny', huh?"
"My apologies. Do you not like it?"
"I do.", he immediately said, then looked away. "I- I mean-"
Flins raised a hand to his face, and that got Lohen's eyes snapping right back to him. Still, his movements were slow, used to dealing with the scared bunny. The gentle touch, the way he so softly caressed his cheek, like he was something to be cherished, made Lohen MELT.
"I don't deserve it..."
"But you do."
"You deserve better."
"I do not believe there's anyone better."
"Flins..."
"Kyryll.", he corrected.
"What?"
Flins smiled softly.
"My name. It's Kyry-"
Lohen immediately covered his mouth with a hand.
"F-Flins! Are you insane?! You can't give me your name! You know what that means!"
"I do.", the fae said, when Lohen moved his hand away. "And there's no one else in this world I'd rather share my name with."
"Flins..."
"Kyryll. My name is Kyryll Chudomirovich Flins."
Lohen's red eyes were overcome with so many emotions that the other couldn't possibly pinpoint all of them. But there was an undeniable pain in there somewhere, and the fae wished nothing more than to be able to take the hurt out and keep it as far away as possible. He gently moved a strand of hair behind Lohen's ear and, oh, the way he closed his eyes and leaned into the touch, with an expression of such desperate yearning, yet trying to fight back against his heart.
"Why...? Why do you hold me like I'm something precious...?", the knight asked.
"Because, my little bunny, you are more precious than any gem this world could make."
"I'm a monster."
"You're not.", the fae said, with no hesitation. "No monster would look at someone with such fondness and adoration... Yet try to fight it back to protect their loved one from the threat they perceive themselves as. No monster would melt under a touch yet be scared of wanting it. No monster would have the beautiful heart you, oh, so desperately try to protect behind layers and layers of ice."
Lohen didn't even notice he started crying until he felt a gentle hand start wiping away the tears.
"No monster would shed tears over being loved."
The knight, who fought tooth and nail to protect himself, to keep people at arm's length, to hide away his heart, finally gave in to his feelings. He jumped up a little to wrap his arms around the taller man's neck and the fae's hand on his waist tightened the grip, to help hold him up. He watched Lohen's eyes, those beautiful red eyes he grew to love, and Lohen watched back, the alluring golden eyes he grew to yearn. The knight got ever so slightly closer. The fae's hand on his cheek moved to hold his chin, on a firm yet unbearably gentle touch.
"May I?"
"Please."
Kyryll finally closed the distance.