Throughout the evening they traveled from the bedroom to the bath and back to the bedroom, letting their libido carry them until sleep forced itself upon them. Despite the only bedroom window being draped with opaque curtains, the sunlight still shone bright enough to illuminate the room and cut what little night’s rest they had to a close. Though even with that they somehow felt more refreshed than ever.

They woke up coincidentally at the same time as well and with barely any distance between them with how intertwined they were.

Linias softly smiled and quietly uttered, “Good morning.”

“Morning.” Haetia returned the smile and greeting.

He stretched his limbs to their fullest then laid on his back while Linias remained on his side, though he sat up a bit.

“You have anything in mind for breakfast?”

“Whatever you make.” Haetia delightfully beamed.

“I’ll take that as a no.” Linias playfully teased then lowered into a kiss.

He meant it as a quick peck since they really should get on with their day but it turned into one kiss, then two, then four until their lips were completely locked and saliva slowly bouncing from one mouth to the next. Their hands quickly found each other and embraced against the sheets, only separating to lightly touch the other’s cheek or hair.

It took a sudden yet distant pounding against their front door for them to finally and bashfully part, followed by an equally distant yell.

“CAN YOU GUYS HURRY UP ALREADY?! I’M HUNGRY!”

“We should..”

Linias started then Haetia finished.

“Y-Yeah.”

As if they’d never had sex together before, they completely avoided eye contact as they got dressed though that didn’t stop them from taking shy glances – and apparently Linias’s vines were kind enough to pick up their clothing for them sometime between yesterday and today.

While Haetia answered the door Linias got started on breakfast and shortly after Myrin strutted through.

“Finally! Honestly I’m just bored, I was trying to find out what I can about the sylphs but Elerios got on my case so here I am.”

Haetia glared at the siren then sighed. “Did you at least find out anything useful?”

“Nope. Nothing more than we already know, I was just more so curious why we have to get put on a waiting list to see them.”

“Because they’re faes. I could’ve told you that if you asked.” Linias sighed as well. “They do things when they want to though they’re usually more timely than their other counterparts.”

“Ugh, of course! So we’re stuck wasting valuable time then. It won’t matter much that we got ahead at this rate.”

“I’m surprised that you care.”

“I’m just making an observation. Plus no offense I don’t like spending this much time on land, let alone in foresty regions.”

The semi-rushed breakfast clattered in front of Myrin, and on the other hand was set gently in front of Haetia.

“Offense taken, I’d much prefer a quiet forest to your isolating ocean any day.”

“Hoho really? What’s so quiet and relaxing about a forest! It makes all sorts of strange noises and you never know what’s out there!”

Haetia’s eyes bounced between the two as he silently ate his meal, deciding it’d be best to remain an observer with his lack of opinion on either side of the subject.

“And you think the ocean is any different? The ocean is more disquieting than a forest can ever be with how dark and empty it is.”

“You think it’s empty but it’s just because your types are too fragile to spend longer than five minutes in the water!”

“I’m fragile? You guys are fragile! You’re always rushing to the first stream that you see!”

“You’d rush to shore if you’d been at sea for months and I know you can’t deny that.” Myrin groaned, finally setting his sights on his food and mumbling, “Grass eating horse addicts.”

“Grass eating-?” Linias withheld a chuckle but it quickly fumbled into a lighthearted laugh. “Pfft-Hhahah!”

His laughter and joyous smile replayed over and over again throughout Haetia’s ears and eyes and with each repetition his heart rate and temperature soared. He’d seen him scoff and smile (even if he wasn’t entirely used to it yet), but never so much as chuckle let alone laugh.

They continued their banter like nothing was abnormal after the fact but to Haetia it was all muffled and unheard as the sound and its paired image echoed on until it became too much for him to bear.

“I–’m gonna wash my face.” He shot up from his seat and blurted, scurrying away before anyone could say anything in reply.

There was an ounce of regret for doing so much with Linias the previous night since when he left to the bedroom then bathroom he was still reminded of him and…all that. It all plagued his mind enough for him to not even realize that Myrin followed him until after he rinsed his face a few times and got shocked by his sudden figure.

Then, Haetia sighed in relief, “I’m surprised it’s you.”

“He was going to come check on you instead but I told him I got it.” Myrin crossed his arms, clearly having already assessed his shaken state. “So?”

“I just-needed a breather. From him. In a good way.”

Myrin continues to stare in his ever-probing leer, making Haetia simultaneously groan and sigh.

“What more do you want to hear?”

“You being honest, fully I mean not that half truth.”

His gaze tossed around the room, deliberating on how much to divulge. He knew that Myrin could see right through him, but to the full extent of what he was going through with Linias? He doubted that. And trying to explain it would make him sound insane and borderline unhealthy and the last thing he wanted was for the silent schemer of all people to get that impression.

Haetia splashed his face with water one more time then furiously dried it. He straightened his hair and clothing, and took a deep breath before speaking.

“I have feelings for him, alright? I’ve had crushes and exes before, I know what it is. I just forgot what it’s like.”

For a moment Myrin kept the same skeptical probe but soon enough dropped it for his usual nonchalant nature.

“And what are you going to do about it?”

“Nothing. What am I supposed to do? I’ve taken so much from him already, I’m not going to demand anything else from him.”

“It wouldn’t be demanding if it was mutual.”

“And I don’t know if it is and I doubt it right now! Look-I..appreciate your help, but I want to figure this out for myself.”

Astonishment drops Myrin agape, but he swallows it down and relaxes it into a bright beam instead. “Alright Prince, good luck then.”

The siren left his words at that and left, leaving Haetia more bewildered than Myrin originally was. He expected some form of insistence but it was more suspicious to him that he didn’t at least try to probe a little bit more, so, after his brief stunned state he followed after him only to be met with Linias at the kitchen counter getting his coat and Myrin already out the door.

“Hey. You’re feeling alright?”

Haetia barely caught a glimpse of that siren’s toothy grin before focusing on Linias and slapping his senses back together.

“Y-Yeah.”

“Do you want to come with me then? I promised the children here that I’d play with them when I found the time. You don’t have to do anything.”

“Sure but, they won’t get scared of me or anything?”

“I doubt it.”

Hood in hand, Linias gently wraps it around Haetia and gives him a polite smile with it.

Not long after they had stepped out did the kids from the previous day pinpoint them and rush over, surrounding them instantly.

“You’re back!” “You’re gonna play with us right?” “You promised!”

One of them finally noticed Haetia who was failing to hide behind his larger friend.

“Who’s your friend!” “Yeah she wasn’t here yesterday!” “No stupid they’re a guy!” “Wowwww your eyes are weird!!”

Haetia found himself cowering further and further behind Linias until he turned around and reassured him with another smile and a polite whisper, “They’re children, they’re just curious don’t worry.”

He knelt down, providing the same smile to the kids as well. “My friend’s a little shy, so be nice to him okay?”

“We are nice!” “Yeah!” “No you aren’t you called her eyes weird!” “No I didn’t!” “You said her he’s not a her! He’s a he!”

In the midst of their chattering, Linias grew a large swing set from his vines and like the children they were their attention immediately shifted over to it.

“Woahhh!!!” “Wowwww!!!!!” They silently awed in unison before rushing over to play with it, already making a system to determine who gets to go first.

While Linias helped them along, obliging to all their requests of flower crowns, makeshift toys, and intricate yet miniature topiary, Haetia hovered around and watched it all. The kids eventually acted like he wasn’t even there as they scrambled for Linias’s attention and he happily provided, not looking the slightest bit overwhelmed or even lost.

That side of Linias was familiar to him now, but it still stung for him to see him show it to others. Linias had a natural air of benevolence about him that anyone could see and would make them at the very least inclined to speak with him. But that didn’t mean that he wanted to keep it to himself either. He wanted Linias to break out of his shell. It just meant that he didn’t get unique treatment by any means. Which probably meant that Linias didn’t feel the same way, and he knew that much, but now wondered if he’d ever feel the same.

No…No.

He didn’t mind either way. He didn’t. He was fine with whatever decision Linias would make. If he left that was fine. If he was with someone else that was fine. As long as he’s happy. As long as he’s happy…

Haetia pressed his lips together as he shrunk within himself. The laughter and joy of the children faded into obscurity like whispers against a storm, and only one voice rang through.

“Mast–” Linias paused and restarted, “Do you want to leave? You don’t look comfortable.”

“No I’m–fine.” Haetia dodged his eyes until he could feel them lingering on him, so he returned the gaze with his best but weakest smile.

“…Maybe try making something with your ice if you can? If you want to try talking to them that is.”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

He looked between the children and Linias, remembering how delighted he looked to interact with them and wondering if he’d even be able to feel the same, or if he had any desire to find that joy in the first place.

Well, for Linias he would. And if Linias would for them, then he should at least try.

Bringing his hands together, he shifted between a few images in his mind, trying to figure out what a kid would want for a toy.

Horses? Or maybe specifically ponies. But they’re forest children, would they care about a horse toy? Maybe they care more? Dogs! Or cats. Can’t go wrong with those. What do kids usually have as their favorite animal? Did I have one? Maybe a snow leopard. No full white coats are nicer. Arctic wolves, foxes, hares, bears…Does Linias have a favorite animal? Ah-

Before he knew it the ice formed in his hands to the same miniature Linias figures he used to make with the new addition of a bear’s ears and a wolf’s tail.

Immediately he scurried to hide it in embarrassment but the children had already gathered around during the process and caught sight of his creation.

“You can do ice magic!!!” “That’s so cool!” “All we can do is plant stuff…” “Can you make other stuff too!?”

His eyes darted to Linias, hoping he didn’t see it but he didn’t even try to hide his equally flustered face which instead went into damage control.

“Um–My friend is–tired so probably not. We need to get going with–um–adult things. It was nice playing with you all!”

The children collectively booed as Linias dragged Haetia away though a few polite ones thanked them for their time.

----------------------------------------

Haetia wasn’t given the chance to ask where they were going until they were well away from anyone or anything really. They might have exited the woodland town altogether but he didn’t know their borders well enough to know if that was the case, since he only theorized it based on the noticeable change in their surroundings.

The forest he’d previously known to be littered with evergreens had him now encircled by weeping trees of varying warm colors though mostly more on the pink or lavender side. Although the grass was still a lush green there was a bed of petals on top, some from the trees and fewer of natural growth.

Linias heaved an exhale and slumped to the ground, back against one of the trees while Haetia awkwardly sat on his legs a semi dangerous distance away.

Haetia fiddled with his own hands, ever faltering with his eye contact as he gathered in a muffle, “Why’d you…”

“I…Had a weird thought that I didn’t have before and I wasn’t sure how to handle it.” His voice steadily deescalates. “I was surprised to see you make that but even more surprised to see you so shy about it and…” He traces his ear. “Nevermind, I’m sorry. I’m saying a lot and nothing at the same time I don’t really know how to handle these things. -Do you…um…Are you alright with…sitting closer?”

“O-Oh sure.”

Haetia inched closer, then Linias hesitated a gesture so he inched closer again, then he gestured again, and it kept going until Haetia was sat between Linias’s legs with his back to him thankfully so he couldn’t see the bright red paint that was not-so-gradually getting poured into his face.

It was more painful to sit in silence and as much as Haetia didn’t want to take the small talk avenue it was still much better than having to soak in the situation he somehow ended up in, yet Linias unexpectedly beat him to it.

“...Do you mind if I style your hair a bit?”

“Y-Yeah go for it.”

After his approval Linias unbuckled his robe and set it aside. The instant his fingers ran through his hair he became as stiff as a board. Despite the fact that Linias had taken care of his hair more times than he could ever hope to count, it felt…different, this time. He tried not to think too much of it though or else it’d distract him from his conversational endeavors.

Haetia kept his head straight and still as to not disturb his work, although it made for worsening how awkward it all was.

“..Those kids seem to like you.”

“They like you too Master.”

“Like what? I was just a wall painting.”

“Kids like new things, and even better if it stands out. I’m sure they would’ve loved to spend time with you if you were a little looser.”

“I just…don’t have that same charm you do. You just know how to handle them, I don’t. You’d probably make a great dad someday. And a mom too I bet, you have the instincts for it.”

“I would hope I wouldn’t end up a single parent, at least not by means of divorce. Otherwise I don’t know how that’d work.” Linias lightly chuckles. “A family…That sounds nice. Settling down somewhere quiet where I wouldn’t have to worry about picking up my staff or any other weapon ever again, or using my abilities in defense. Elerios offered to let me stay here too but I declined. It’s all a nice dream but I want to finish things first.”

“Then let’s say after everything’s said and done, we get this stuff with Heisyn and the Seronites resolved and the dryads too, where would you go?”

“Honestly? I don’t know. If you’re safe and the dryads are safe, then maybe I’d revisit whatever’s left of my original home. If anything. After that is the family idea I suppose, though it sounds weird to say. I’ve never really thought about the middle aspect to a family. I like the idea of it as a whole, and eventually having children and such, but that all can’t happen without someone to cherish and start it all with.”

From the directions his hair was moving in Haetia was given the impression that Linias tried to do something with braids but then scrapped it, and now he wasn’t all too sure what was going on back there between all the flips and unraveling.

“....What about you Master? What would you do?”

Haetia jumped within himself. The first thought that came to his mind was beyond out of the question, there was no way he could admit to only being concerned with his well being and didn’t care about much after the fact, so he scrambled to think of something.

“I–don’t know either.” Nice one!!!! Ahhhh….!!! He was ever grateful that Linias couldn’t see his face at the moment or else the lie would’ve been made more apparent.

“Nothing? You used to say you wanted to see the world or experience everything cities have to offer.”

“Not anymore. Your idea sounds much nicer for someone like me. I’ll stick out everywhere so it’s better I stick to somewhere small and secluded.”

“Well you could always stay with me. I wouldn’t mind.”

“With your wife? And kids?” Haetia laughed with a pained grimace. “Sure.”

Linias solemnly scowled. “I mean it. You could start your own family too if that appeals to you.”

“Not without the right person it doesn’t.”

“Then who would the right person be?”

Haetia sighed hard and swallowed even harder. A series of responses swirled in his mind ranging from ‘You’ to ‘Obviously You’ to ‘No one’. And after each one he could imagine an even larger whirling of crossroads, all the different replies that Linias could give. Disgust or anger, acceptance or joy. But he meant it when he told Myrin he had no intentions of confessing now or likely ever.

He looked at the soft shades of pink and purple around him, colors he knew didn’t fit Linias at all but he still seemed to like them, though he doubted if there was a color that he didn’t like.

After twiddling with his hands some more, he audibly opened his mouth to speak and it ended up coming out as a muffled mumble, “...Someone like you, probably.”

A large part of him hoped that he didn’t hear him, but as soon as the words left Linias’s ministrations stopped.

“...Like me?”

“Because y-you’re reliable and nice and all that.” Haetia panicked in an attempt to cover up any implications the statement could’ve garnered.

“Then…What about me? If it came down to it or otherwise, would you start a family with me?”

“I-I mean if it came about that way I wouldn’t be opposed…”

He mentally disheveled his hair and instead brought himself together to shift the conversation away from the dreadful rabbit hole it was descending towards.

After slapping his cheeks he turned around and adopted the sternest tone and expression he could manage. “Focus on finding your own happiness, alright? Then you can worry about mine if you want to. And that starts with taking care of yourself. It helps that your tattoos are pleasant but you shouldn’t get scars in the first place.”

As he continued to stare at Linias, he realized that the scar over his eye wasn’t covered. To his knowledge and memory all of the others were, so why-?

No, he knew why.

Unconsciously his fingers found themselves suddenly outlining the scar, with Linias gradually getting faintly agitated until Haetia came to his senses and pulled away.

“S-Sorry. Your um, scar. On your eye. You never thought to tattoo it?”

“I didn’t want to.” He withheld snapping although it still came out bitter.

“What happened back then, I know I said it before but I’m sorry, and I know that won’t change anything but I want you to know that. Would you mind at least telling me what happened? If you’re comfortable that is. If you’re a dryad you could’ve healed it, or any of your scars really.”

“Like I said I didn’t want to.” Linias paused, calming himself down with an extensive exhale. “Dharax didn’t let me heal it - the eye. The rest was my doing. They’re reminders, I guess. After it’d scar I’d tattoo them because Mitsuyo told me I should but the scars didn’t bother me until recently. Though even now I don’t know if I want to cover the one over my eye.”

He heaved another exhale, now starting to falter with his eye contact.

“The maid that was with you that day, her name was Cybel. She was barely older than I was and…Dharax still had me kill her to teach me that you’re my responsibility and no one else’s.”

“That’s not teaching Linias that’s traumatizing! You were still young! Even back then I knew he was a cunt but that-? If he wasn’t already dead I would–” Haetia clicked his tongue and forced himself to settle down since Linias was much calmer by comparison.

“I know. He’s dead and gone now, and so is the manticore, but if I cover the scar it feels like I’d be letting myself off the hook for killing her.”

“Letting yourself–?” He slapped Linias’s face between his palms. “Listen to me. You’re thirty-five. This happened almost two full decades ago and you haven’t forgotten about her since and you’ve felt guilty about it since. You haven’t ‘let yourself off the hook’ for that long. You’ve done more than your time in regret and repremandings, and covering your scar wouldn’t mean you’re forgetting her either. You’d just be moving on, and don’t you think you’ve earned that after all this time?”

“...I don’t know.”

“No, the answer is ‘Yes Haetia, I think I do!’.”

Linias momentarily contemplated in silence, then reluctantly spouted, “Yes Master, I think I do.” He pouted. “Then at least give it a different meaning. I could come up with an idea myself but it’d still be rooted in everything that happened.”

“And then you’ll cover it?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Good, it’s a deal.”

Haetia turned back around, letting Linias resume his hair styling after he’d gotten over his pouting.

Not long after his fiddling stopped long enough to indicate his completion. Since they didn’t have a mirror around Haetia had to delicately feel his hair to gather an idea of how it looked.

“A loose high ponytail?” He guessed.

“I wove in some wisteria petals with it, but yes. I tried a few things but didn’t like them too much.”

“Well, even though I can’t see it I think it looks great! So thank you.” Haetia smiled and impulsively leaned back to relax then immediately jolted forward. “Shit sorry–”

“It’s alright, you can lean on me if you want.”

“I’ve done that my whole life, I don’t know if you want that–”

Immediately Linias jerked him back and wrapped his arms around in response.

“I-It was a joke!”

“I know.” He nuzzled further into Haetia with his chin almost resting on his shoulder. “I just want to stay like this for a little, if you don’t mind.”

Haetia inhaled his tension then let it all go for the sake of his comfort, though he remained as still as humanly possible for that very same comfort.

His breathing was soft and tranquil, only audible due to the fact that it was less than an inch from his ear, and the same could be said for his heartbeat. It tapped in slow beats, each evenly spread apart from the last paired with the slight rise and fall of his chest.

Linias’s hands eventually intertwined with his own, gently grazing his knuckles as if to ensure he was as healthy as can be.

“...You take care of yourself too.”

“After you stop making me take care of you.”

“Isn’t that my line?” Linias quietly laughed.

“Hey your jokes are getting better!” Haetia beamed from ear to ear.

“Yeah?”

“Y-Yeah.”

----------------------------------------

It didn’t sink in until now how deathly close they were now that he could hear his voice with complete clarity. Every syllable that was uttered, every inflection. Then there were his curls, delicately tickling his cheek.

His arms went from a loose hold to a squeeze, as if Linias was afraid to lose him again. Without a word he led his hand to his lips and kissed the palm, then laid his cheek onto it. For some reason his breathing became more audible, albeit slightly but with the lack of distance between them it was still noticeable.

“...Can I touch you?”

Haetia heard his lips part before the words came out, and if it weren’t for it being right by his ear he wouldn’t have heard him at all with how quietly and almost afraid he spoke.

Normally he would’ve reassured him but he found himself too embarrassed to be the confident one, so instead he responded with a brief nod and a somehow even quieter, “M-mhm.”

Despite his permission Linias still hesitated to do so as he started with a graze of his exposed abdomen before only barely inching his fingertips below his cropped sweater, like he was trying to get himself acquainted with his body. Only after the fact did he lower his caress to his crotch, though he still didn’t breach the fabric.

Linias still kept an arm wrapped around so Haetia had little in the realm of free movement and was altogether trapped in his grasp, for better or worse.

He pawed at the cloth until he got a feel for where Haetia’s private was hiding before aiming his fondles at the area. As he progressed the outline became more apparent and shortly developed into a bashful bulge that made Haetia shrink in his arms.

Unconsciously his knees buckled together and just as unknowingly spread once his body realized that doing so would limit Linias’s freedom, making his feet stick to sliding past one another on occasion instead.

The folds tightened around his member, putting it on display as it lay vulnerable to Linias’s touch which was only a half stroke due to it being confined.

“Linias…please–” Haetia started to beg in a breathy whisper, “Take it..out.”

His curls nuzzled against his cheek in the same way a large feline does their loved ones as he squeezed him tighter. “I want to but your reactions are..cuter.”

Linias reached lower again, his fingers pressing against his perineum and immediately evoking a jolt and gasp.

“I’ll compromise with you.”

Something slithered under the hem of his pants from behind before traveling to his damp entrance. As it penetrated his hole widened around then closed, and even when what he assumed to be one of his vines left, whatever it placed inside still remained and it didn’t satiate his pent up desires in the slightest. If anything his agitation and squirms increased.

“It’s alright, it’s only a flower bud, though larger and firmer than normal.”

“This isn’t helping..!”

“I didn’t think so, but I wanted to do it anyway.”

He fiddled with the bud through the fabric but quickly went back to kneading the entirety of his groin as a whole, stretching from his ring to his tip and everything in between. Haetia bounced back and forth from gasps to whimpers, occasionally with a silent Linias slipping past, ultimately culminating into the softest orgasm he’s ever had. No wild yelp or major burst, just a mild sigh and a light clench of Linias’s coat.

“Ah-I’m sorry. I should’ve stopped, now your clothes are soiled.”

“It’s fine,” Haetia sighed again before completely relaxing into him. “You can make it up to me by getting me out of these then, at home that is.”