Sometime during the night, Wyn woke to silence and darkness. He didn't know how long he spent staring up at the ceiling, picking apart the muddled memories from when he was under the influence. The lingering effects bogged down his desire to get up for anything, even a snack, but otherwise were gone from his system. Perhaps a pro when it comes to being a regular user, but sometimes a con when he wanted it to last longer.
Wyn didn't get far in his search for clarity, though, and soon gave up with a soft huff of frustration. He shouldn't have gone so far. The hope of the drugs pushing his emotions and thoughts to the side fell through with the reality—he had felt too much for that to happen, and ultimately got his emotions ramped up to an extreme he wasn't too pleased with. Perhaps he should take a small break from it, to separate himself from that mistake. It certainly bothered him enough that things got so out of control so quickly, and he had become so irresponsible. Over and over again, his thoughts played and replayed what little he could remember, reshaping them just slightly in an effort to figure out what he should've done to prevent… everything. It somehow felt like they had a fight without ever saying a word to one another.
Seon stirring had Wyn's eyes snapping down to the lump of blanket cuddled into him. Almost on instinct, he blindly grazed his knuckles over their cheek and hugged him further into his chest. "Shhh," he softly hushed, believing the God to still be asleep, "You're okay, love."
Seon accepted the pulls to his shoulder, setting his chin against Wyn in such a way that it was still comfortable, but his open and sleepy eyes could be seen by the Fae, yawning and stretching into the affectionate hands. A happy, admiring Wyn was a perfect sight to chase off that chill settling deep within him and instead allowed the God to take in all of the feelings he hadn't felt before with anyone else. He rose his hand and curled their fingers together, yet still blinked sleepily, truly waking up from his dream, his mind whirring back to life.
"I know I'm okay now that you're here again," Seon cooed softly, grinning a little. They glanced away briefly, to witness the shower of weak sunlight streaming through the cracks of the curtains, spilling onto the floorboards before looking back. "Good morning. I have never slept through the night like that. I suppose we could go out and enjoy the sunlight without the other Fae bothering us." Seon tilted his head gently onto Wyn's chest again, shifting so he was cuddling the breadth of his body instead of simply laying on Wyn and forcing his weight down.
It took everything in him not to get embarrassed when Wyn realized Seon was very much awake enough to hear him call him 'love.' True, he still didn't see them as partners in the way he wanted them to be—things like that took time, not nearly enough of which they had shared together—but a Fae could pretend for the sake of humoring the God's belief they were, in fact, together. And maybe a drop of feelings influenced the word choice, but Wyn wouldn't be the one to admit or acknowledge that.
As Seon took his hand, Wyn's gaze shifted to their intertwined fingers, and his other hand moved to cup them both and softly stroked Seon's skin. A happy and serene smile settled over his features while he watched his own movements. "Morning." He briefly glanced over to the window, then moved his free hand once more to idly pet Seon's hair and put his focus on that task. "We could. It'd be just us. We can talk about anything we want." Wyn nearly mentioned last night, but didn't want to ruin the mood, so he silently cheered his ability to correct his words before the wrong ones spilled.
Seon hummed as he got comfy again, his antlers pushing at the couch as he lolled his head and rubbed it against Wyn's bicep. The hard, mottled bone did not rip the delicate cloths, but it definitely scratched a couple times.
"It has been a few moons since I have stayed up through the life of the sun. I am much more adept at the cold in some cases, as the sun does not appreciate the makeup of my skin. It burns often if I'm not careful. It also scars– I have a few patches on my chest where I burned and it just didn't heal." Seon chuckled sleepily, glancing up to look over at the kitchen. "Perhaps we should make a meal if we are planning on staying up." Seon said this as if he were going to move, fully intentional and ready to stand, but didn't move whatsoever. Even the hands entwined and curled together didn't move at all. He just grinned up at Wyn, head tilted. He knew full well he was procrastinating. It would have been much easier to bring up now what was happening, but that risked making the energy between them awkward again. Couldn't they just move on like this? Well, no. That was next to impossible.
Wyn wanted to keep an excuse to keep exploring Seon with little, innocent touches, so he moved his touch from Seon's hair to his antlers, curiously running his fingers over the bone. He hummed and listened to their adorably sleepy musings, his smile widening just a crack—just enough for his longer canine to poke out. "I can cook us some dinner, then we can see about a quick dip in the sunlight."
Curious fingers trailed down the bone and reconnected to the plane of Seon's back, Wyn's nails lightly gliding over the blanket covering the God's body. He didn't move his other hand away, too content to rid himself of that luxury. He knew they needed to talk about that night, about the bubbling emotions simmering over the fire of misunderstandings and assumptions. Seon wasn't entirely at fault, no matter what the bitter thoughts had told him. Wyn knew he was likely upset over something he blew out of proportion, even if he still felt unintentionally stung. Mír told him he had a habit of being wounded by his own hand more easily than another's when feeling vulnerable, and he couldn't disagree with her. He just needed to tell Seon that, and get a better grasp of what had gone wrong to make them both so volatile. It couldn't be each other, not when they were now cuddled so closely and refusing to get up.
As Wyn's fingers trailed those long white antlers, he paid no mind whatsoever. Instead he got curious at the long fang, enticing him to lean forward and poke at the tooth, curious about its strange nature. He laughed softly, grinning up at the Fae and moving forward to press a little kiss to his cheek. Gentle lips with intention of expressing genuine affection, a different type of admiration at Wyn's understanding and uncanny gentleness.
"That sounds perfect, thank you. I suppose I should just let you go." Seon moved back, actually moving with his words this time, shifting under the sheets so to allow Wyn freedom or to move if he so wished. Seon basically pressed himself against the back of the couch, shaking out his head a little, soft hair fluffing around his head and cheeks, also tickling Wyn where it was resting. "If you move, I'm stealing all the warmth of the couch. Then maybe when you come back with food I will allow you back with me." He laughed softly at himself, his soft refined voice tinkling like a happy little bell.
Wyn's mind hardly paid attention to what Seon was doing, lost in his own world. But then he felt his tooth being poked, and he sent Seon an incredulous and bewildered look, but kept his lip up long enough for Seon to get over whatever he was doing. And then his brain short-circuited at that kiss. There was no prompting, and Wyn wasn't prepared for the affection.
"I—" Wyn cleared his throat and playfully pinched the God's cheeks, though a full grin was present. "Look at you, already having me do the housework while you lay around," he teased. The words were in jest, as he was already moving to stand, and he emphasized that point by pecking Seon's temple. "I'll be back with a peace offering, then. Don't fall asleep on me while I slave away." Wyn dutifully ignored his growling stomach for the sake of his dramatics—though his eyes quickly softened the longer he lingered on the edge of the couch, and he kissed the side of Seon's head once more. This is okay, he told himself, this can be normal.
With that, he finally stood and started for the kitchen to make them dinner.
Seon laughed at Wyn's teases, but didn't bother getting up after him. They reaaaaally wanted to, but they decided to cuddle back down into the couch, wriggling into the warmth and claiming the empty space for themselves. After each of the kisses to his head, he gave another happy wriggle, a tickling sensation hitting in the depths of his brain at the pure joy wrought by the physical affection being returned. It didn't feel as lonely anymore with Wyn's presence finally understood (at least a little bit) in his life, with a certain degree of… sureness between them. This was the start of something bigger and better for everyone. He peeked up over the edge of the blanket to observe him cook a few feet away, head tilted against the pillow Wyn used for the last few hours, surrounded by the residue warmth and scent fluttering around him and clinging to the couch and pillow. Heat in his cheeks rose steadily, and he ended up sitting and imagining themselves adventuring… Many things together.
Wyn hummed some songs to himself as he cooked, body swinging and dancing around from counter to counter to gather and make what he needed. This time he opted for a more traditional meal, with a slightly modern twist. Spices were dashed onto delicately roasted meat, and a hand-made stuffing inside. A soup filled to the brim with dumplings sat off to the side, simmering while he waited for the meat to finish cooking. Every now and again, he'd glance over his shoulder to keep an eye on Seon, but otherwise focused on the task at hand. A part of him felt the need to impress the God with this one skill. It felt foolish, but he pushed himself anyway.
When he finished, he came back to Seon with a tray. "Dinner's ready," Wyn chimed softly and set the tray down onto the low-lying coffee table next to the couch. On it was two plates equally served, two small bowls of the soup, two drinks, napkins, and utensils.
Seon wriggled so that the sheets were covering his face, just so that his eyes were showing. He looked particularly like a hiding deer, with his long antlers and eyes only to be seen as Wyn approached him. He reappeared as Fae once more, cheeks still somewhat reddish-purple, and moved back over for Wyn to lay or sit with him.
"It looks delicious, Wyn," Seon murmured as he investigated their dinner, leaning forward to grab a bowl for himself, taking a sip without a utensil to help. The soup filled him up like a cozy blanket, more cozy and comforting than the literal blanket he was laying under. Despite the steaming hot nature, he still sucked up mouthfuls of the tasty broth, and even a dumpling that unluckily fell into his hungry jaws. It perhaps didn't pass to Wyn since he had only witnessed Seon eat one sticky meal up close; the God was very much not accustomed to eating with utensils. He did occasionally when he didn't want to make a mess, but life in the forest has taught him to value his fingers as his tools.
The praise shouldn't have pleased him so much. It really shouldn't have. But there Wyn stood, cheeks pinking, as Seon spoke four simple words. He quickly sat next to the God and took a plate and fork, curiously poking at the meat to test its temperature. "Thank you." Wyn ended up watching Seon drink the soup without a care for the provided utensils or even how hot the food was. His confusion mingled with amusement, and he couldn't help but wonder more about the God while he curled his legs up onto the couch and beneath himself.
What had they done while waiting for Wyn? What had they learned? He wanted to know everything. Every little detail. He wanted to hoard everything Seon like a dragon, to keep a treasure trove of useless details for no other purpose than his obsessive desires. Seon could be the most worshiped God in the pantheon for all he cared, loved by all, so long as Wyn held the sole key to what no one else could have.
Seon moved against Wyn as he sat down, leaning a little bit of his weight onto him as he kept eating neatly. Occasionally a couple drops of soup would slip from the corners of his lips, but he kept it pretty neat. Sooner than later the bowl was drained, and Seon was chewing tenderly on the last dumpling, setting the bowl down onto Wyn's lap and relaxing more into the Fae, comfortably full and fuzzy feeling.
"Thank you for cooking, it was so good," Seon repeated, grinning and following it up with an almost inaudible belch. "I didn't know you could cook that well. I'd like to meet the person who taught you that." He wrapped his arms around Wyn the best he could, cuddling him like a teddy bear or big, living and eating thing. "Whenever you're ready to go outside, I'll get up and shake myself out." He laughed once more, also rubbing his cheeks and chin on the upper part of his sleeve, wiping off the small remains there.
Wyn leaned back into Seon to counter their weight, partly relieved because it gave him an excuse to be closer. His plate emptied at a steady pace, now that it was cooler, and pretty soon he was adding it to the bowl on his lap and moving both to the coffee table. A strange warmth spread through his bones at Seon's words, and Wyn silently stared at their discarded dishes. It had been ages since he put so much effort into a meal. Being alone meant not needing to put so much effort into feeding himself, and Mír often fed herself as well since their schedules tended to clash in a way that prevented him from being able to make something fresh for her without throwing off his own stomach. And, the most notable difference, he never had anyone over that he desperately wanted to impress.
"My father taught me," he said with a small laugh and sparkling eyes. He didn't hesitate to wrap an arm around Seon in return, fingers idly playing with their hair. "Most kids my age were talking about their mother's skills and such, but to be honest, she's a horrid cook. Even says so herself. My father is the one that cooked for us, and he was always happy to. He loved it, and I always admired that."
"It is excellent he taught you. Solemnly do you see traditions in cooking passed down through the family. You are a very lucky individual for that. I could never imagine such a thing for my family. Father nor Mother appreciate the craft of food." Seon slowly sat himself up as he spoke, deciding perhaps it was time to stir his lazy bones, stretching his arms and yawning deeply, showing his crooked dentures, and a light blue mouth and tongue. "I did quite enjoy our nap together as well. It is nice to have a lover such as yourself to wake up to and share a meal with." He bumped their shoulders, leaning on Wyn again as he enveloped himself into one more big yawn.
Indeed, he could feel himself getting more excited for the future here with the Fae, imagining himself doing this same exact thing perhaps a few years down the line. Being cooked for, feeling full and fuzzy, willing to cuddle the snot out of Wyn in thanks and learn everything he can in the process.
Wyn hummed and nodded in agreement. "My mother's family passed down their traditions and recipes to my father, knowing she couldn't do them justice. His parents aren't too pleased by their arrangement, as they believe the female should be the cook. Needless to say… he doesn't have their traditions and recipes. I surely won't either." He didn't mind, though. His baby sister might, down the road.
Wyn shook his head and smiled over at Seon, ears tinting red at the tips from the use of 'lover' once more. "You think you're going to get used to this?" He gestured to the dinner spread, then the house in general. "I'd have half a mind to call you spoiled." Of course, he neglected to mention that he wanted to take care of Seon. But the sparkle in his eye and the way he nested his head against their shoulder likely spoke that confession. He liked the thought of being needed, even if it was basic things like cuddling and cooking. It bordered on being wanted, and his heart fluttered at that. Someday, he promised himself. Someday, when this is over, I can start to have this everyday.
Seon listened with interest, his eyes turned upwards with big admiring pupils taking in every single word.
"I was unaware of such traditions among the Fae here. I'm glad you took up the habit in stride, though. I'm sure your father is quite the talented man." As he was teased for being spoiled, he sat up and stretched himself out, pushing a hand into Wyn's warm face. "I'm not spoiled if you let me loaf around. That's the consensus of taking care of such a lazy God." He giggled softly, yawning once more before meandering close to the front door, opening it quietly and allowing streams of sunlight through the crack he made. The golden rays of the rising sun turned his silvery hair into a firey hair of burning orange and gold, and completely shaded his bluish eyes into a blood red color. In fact, a completely unnatural color of red in a usually calm set of hooded eyes, as though several blood vessels had popped and recolored them.
"It is a nice day, mm?" Seon asked, looking around casually as if the strong UV lights weren't messing with his eyes.
Wyn laughed, wild and carefree, and let himself be pushed away with more give than a normal push would need. The cushions of the couch swallowed him whole as he fell back into them, and he basked in the lingering warmth the both of them left from their nap and Seon's laziness. Wyn watched, just as he always did, Seon stand and stride over to the door. It had been a while since he stood out in the sunlight, but he wanted to eye his God beneath the rays first. While he was happy, and surrounded by a fragile bubble keeping him that way.
His expression, though, slackened in surprise and confusion. Seon… transformed, somehow. Maybe not literally, but the sunlight worked a kind of magic on him that left Wyn speechless and fascinated. "Yeah," Wyn breathed, burying his mouth and nose in the crook of his arm, "Beautiful." He turned onto his stomach and kept his face where it was. Moments like these made him wish he could burn images into his mind.
Seon turned completely to take a look at Wyn's weird reaction, his hair fading as it dropped out of the sun, but eyes still a hot shade of red. It was so vivid it gave away his dark pupils, somewhat big and brownish in color. The rest of his face had changed as well. His skin tone grew darker and more purple, and the small white marks on his face darkened significantly to be visible. Seon had a tattoo of an eye right on his forehead, and several patterns of leaves, vines, and water droplets curling around his forehead and under his sheet of hair.
"Would you like to come with me? Or am I going to be expected to go on my own?" Seon pulled open the door completely, remaking that image of a firey God with the red hot hair and angry red eyes. The calm Seon in the face of such a significant change, smiling warmly at his Fae companion, beckoning him gently with a dark tattooed hand.
"Just admiring the view from here," he said, grinning beneath his arm, yellow eyes crinkling. Wyn allowed himself a few more seconds to stare, then pulled himself up from the couch and joined Seon at the door. Once he was close enough, he reached out and skimmed his fingers over some of the visible tattoos on Seon's face. "I didn't realize you had these," he murmured. Wyn peered up into Seon's blood red eyes, still wondering if they were okay past the good mood they both woke up in. They still needed to talk, but he didn't know how to approach the subject. And Seon's changing appearance worked wonders on distracting him from that important future discussion. "Have you always had these? Or do they just show in the sunlight?"
Seon smiled as Wyn approached him, allowing him to approach, and even leaning into the touches to his tattoos. Now that he was up closer, it was obvious these tattoos were very real, yet somehow not faded out whatsoever like usual ink in sink did. They looked as though they belonged to his blue skin, standing out bold against Wyn's pale fingers. As well as the eye and leave patterns, little stars shone from his cheeks, crossing like constellations on his porous features.
"I have always had them. Insus when I was young bestowed them onto me. Most of them are similar to my mother's and my father's, but I asked for a few space themed ones, and most of the earth type ones. Like this one." He lifted his arm to show off an intricate floating hunk of land painted into his skin, with several large trees, in front of a large mountain with a huge peak. The one Seon had seen too many times in his dreams, yet he found it ironic he had such a strong desire to encase it forever onto his skin.
"I suppose we should go outside, though. We do have some things to talk about." Their smile grew a bit more sad, and they stepped outside completely, the sun enveloping their body. The warmth felt incredible on their soft body, and despite their worry of the upcoming situation, he still couldn't help but fluff out his hair and let it sink in.
Wyn found the abundance of tattoos highly appealing, and he already made a challenge for himself to lean every one of them so that he could trace them by heart. He doubted Seon would mind, judging from the positive reactions to Wyn getting somewhat handsy. His eyes darted all over the God's sunbathed skin, examining and taking in the tattoos he could see beyond the one they pointed out. The urge to physically explore them was thankfully dispelled by the subject he dreaded. "Right," Wyn agreed solemnly, following Seon outside and hissing at the sunlight's attack on his retinas.
"There's some chairs over there, beneath that willow," he pointed out, gesturing to the makeshift sitting area partially obscured by a giant weeping willow tree. The tree itself appeared mangled and sickly, with jarring turns in the twisting branches and large gaps within the canopy. Moss crept over the bark, staining it a fanciful green. But the leaves were abundant and healthy, happily draped into the shape of nature's umbrella without issue and dancing to the song of the wind. Most touched the ground, creating a curtain, but the bundles were spaced enough to not force the two Fae to walk through them. And with the sparsity came large blotches of sunlight within groups of speckles. Seon could keep their sunlight, and Wyn could partially hide away if he wanted to.
Seon welcomed himself to the tree, grabbing on to Wyn's arm with a soft gasp and widening eyes, taking in all of the beautiful green scenery, sighing deeply and happily.
"It is incredible over here. Is it your own little secret spot?" Seon let him go and meandered under the leaves and branches, leaves kissing their features and skin, the tree graciously accepting the God under its canopy.
It didn't take them long to settle down onto the ground despite there being chairs. Half shaded, have blazing in red from the sun, but bright eyes gleaming like a pair of twin rubies as the sinews of sun clung to their shaded skin and eye.
"Nevertheless, it is wonderful. Once I get tired of the sun, I imagine it will be glorious to relax in the hush of the shade, and return back to the image you know me of." Seon laid back and stretched out, rubbing his body all along the welcoming grass stalks and against small pebbles, roots, and branches from the waving tree.
Wyn smiled, warm and serene, as he came up to the base of the tree and ran his knuckles over the mossy bark. He wanted Seon to stay happy with him, and not see the pathetic little Fae he felt like when he thought over his feelings over simply being dismissed. Had he gotten upset over nothing? Or was he justified. Wyn also wondered Seon's side of the story, and as much as he didn't want to open up about that, he was desperate to peek into the God's mind.
"She wasn't so big before," Wyn blurted. Last time. Last time, and then we can talk. "Hard to believe now, but she used to be as tall as me from top to root, and even thinner." His eyes cast up to the mangled branches, the willow seeming to sigh happily at his presence and touch. "Something had poisoned her, stunting and messing up her growth. I think it might've been fungal. But after that, I did my best to stave away the poison every day. It became routine." And looming over them were the fruits of his efforts: an incredibly happy, albeit permanently malformed, and proud willow. Wyn shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal and sat next to Seon with his kneels partially pulled up and his arms draped over them. "Hence the chairs. The constant exertion of my magic was exhausting."
Seon listened to the Fae who settled in next to him, with a small smile despite his inside anxiety. As sweet as the story was, he couldn't help but get that curling fear of performance, letting loose his true emotions of loneliness. Many stories of lore no Fae has heard before. The glimpse of Godship rearing and childhood.
"That's really sweet. It is a gorgeous tree. I can tell you have put everything you have into her." Seon looked up at the waving leaves gleaming in the wind, as if saying hello to the new person relaxing under it and partially protecting himself from the sun. "It must have been quite some time ago. Since she appears to be such an elder willow, or rather, not a sapling anymore. It just have been nice to raise her completely after helping her recover." He tilted his head to see Wyn better, shading his eyes with his long hair. "Give you a nice… Sense of triumph."
He thoughtlessly tipped his head back and forth and flippantly said, "I suspect her appearance came from a mixture of the constant exposure to my magic, and how she would've looked had the poison not been there." Now to the root of the story. He didn't realize it at the time, but he could turn this into what they really needed to talk about. Wyn moved his legs so that they were crossed and cupped his hands into his lap, eyes cast down to them as he played with his fingers.
"It was exhausting, but… it gave me something to do. I spent years pouring myself over miniscule information and clues to this nameless God, and then poured myself over recovering a possible lost cause. It—" Wyn breathed a laugh devoid of even a drop of amusement. "It must be some fatal flaw of mine. Constant dedication to something that even I don't completely believe in. But it's when it does turn out that everything just… explodes? Every frustration, every doubt, every burst of anger from the feeling of helplessness. It just bubbles up and—" Wyn made an explosion gesture, even making a cute little sound effect to go along with it. "It gets overwhelming, and that's when I want things to be normal, calm, and just easy. Familiar. But that's not always the case, unfortunately, and I can't always control how my mind works. Something little happens, and I convince myself I'm horrible. And I get upset. And I don't take other things into consideration at the time." Another humorless huff. "And then I smoke to try and just… quiet it all."
Finally, finally, he risked a glance over at Seon. Begged them with his eyes to understand the meaning behind his words. "I'm always willing to understand after the fact, though," he added softly, a barely-there whisper, "Even if I feel like a pathetic arse."
