forum Opportunistic Omnivore: Scavenging the Remains of the Divine || OxO || Closed || 18+

Started March 15, 2023 by @ElderGod-kirky group

tune

Sláine hadn't realized how he had been looking at his lover, just that he had felt a fluttery sort of feeling that he chalked up to the thrill of what was to come—donning everything Eurion had picked out for him, the festival itself, and what they had planned for after. So, he didn't know the exact reason why the assassin was blushing like he was, but he felt slightly smug at the speechlessness of the man when faced with a mostly naked prince after not seeing him like that at all. Sláine backed off far enough to give Eurion space to remove his shirt, still amused by how long it took for him to stop staring and actually move, and had a tease about Eurion liking what he saw on the tip of his tongue, but that fell away the moment his mate removed his shirt.

He was gorgeous as always, and Sláine relished every chance he had at seeing his mate unclothed. Cords of muscle that could manhandle the prince however he wanted, the tattoos that shifted with every breath and slightest movement, the expanse of skin that he would always want to feel against his and cuddle up to for warmth and comfort—everything about Eurion was beautiful and perfect. Sláine wanted to run his hands over the man's body every chance he could. But there was a flicker of hesitation at the reveal of the healing scar. For the briefest moment, guilt and anguish shadowed his otherwise bright expression when he caught sight of the spider-webbing scar of magical fire damage. Had it not been for the prince being targeted, Eurion wouldn't be bearing that scar. It was Sláine's fault he nearly died, and was still slightly recovering. He didn't think he'd ever forget that moment, the instant hole in his heart at watching Eurion take the fireball and hearing his screams and cries. The scar was a reminder.

Thinking that, though, wasn't something he wanted. It would sour both of their moods and ruin their night. So, his shift in mood and expression only lasted for a split second, then Sláine was back in his mate's space, running his hands up the man's torso and chest, then back down. His smile was back, and he was gazing up at Eurion, all attention on him. The kiss to his chest wasn't pointed at all—meaningless.

When Eurion explained what types of chains he had gotten, then smile dipped into confusion as Sláine looked down at the bundle in his assassin's hand. His mind churned. "But with the robes, they won't be visible. Maybe the chest one a little but—" It took a few seconds, but the second it clicked his cheeks reddened just a fraction, and he flicked a falsely flat look up at Eurion once more. "But you'll get to hear it, and then see them when you get me all to yourself after the festival. You sneaky shit."

Eurion couldn’t help the way his smile turned into a smug little smirk, “I’m an assassin, darling, being sneaky is part of the job.” Because the chains weren’t part of the program and hadn’t been part of the plan, if it hadn’t been for Caoimhe he never would have even considered buying them for his prince. But here they were, with the chains in the assassin’s hands and the man revealing in the dusty pink cheeks that he found on Sláine’s face at the realisation as to why he had bought them.

He couldn’t help the way that his free hand snaked around his prince’s waist, and then lower, his thumb dipped under the fabric of his under garments for the briefest of seconds before his hand grabbed at the man’s ass and tugged him even closer, flush once more against his body. Eurion leaned in, because now it was his turn to continue teasing, and his lips danced over Sláine’s before he spoke, “If I had found other chains these wouldn’t be the only ones you would be wearing tonight.” His lips pressed against Sláine’s in a kiss that was shallow, light and teasing, just enough as his had squeezed below before he pulled away, “These will do for now.”

And then his hand was moving away to seperate the chains into the different sections and types. He placed the waist and thigh chains down because he would do those last, would in fact be getting on his knees in order to decorate his prince in them. But the chest ones came first, and he didn’t give Sláine a chance to protest or move away if the other dared to do so as he moved his hands up to fit the circle of silver around the man’s neck.

They were slightly warm from being held in his hands for so long, which was good considering they had been freezing when Eurion had first bought them. And they already looked enchanting on his lovers skin, highlighting those beautiful bruises on Sláine’s skin and his smug smirk only increased further. Oh he was going to be fucking stunning later tonight. He could already picture how his prince was going to look, naked but those chains, with so many more bruises and flushed from head to toe. It was so exciting. Eurion couldn’t remember the last time he had been so ready to take something as he would Sláine. Usually it was just because he needed a release after a while, but this time? This was his mate and it was getting difficult to hold back. But Eurion knew that it would be even better after Skyfall.

The air in Sláine's lungs punched out of him, leaving him breathless and desperate for air. He was pressed flush against Eurion, slave to the hand on his ass that had been so close to a tease he'd fall victim to, and had the man who had bought decorative chains whispering things against his lips. An insinuation. One that Sláine very quickly picked up, and his mind happily started spinning into a multitude of scenarios that didn't help his composure at all. Except, he had lost his composure the moment Eurion had spoke. So all that was left was a prince, breathless, speechless, and burning red once more. His lips were parted around a retort that had been lost to him, but they returned the fleeting kiss on instinct, and it took Eurion stepping away for his chest to heave around a fresh dose of much-needed oxygen.

Fuck. Sláine would never survive so long as Eurion was with him, but in the best way possible. That man could do anything to him, and he'd take, and enjoy it, but he'd still be a bumbling and overwhelmed mess regardless. How had he been so lucky and unfortunate enough to be mated to someone like this? Someone with an abundance of ways he wanted to take the prince, and no sense of losing that imagination anytime soon? What had the prince done to be given to Eurion?

His throat bobbed as he tried recalibrating, swallowing down any noises that had threatened to escape when he had been squeezed and subsequently abandoned. Now that he had his breath back, it was erratic, his mind still focused on the image of what Eurion had suggested. Other chains. Not the dainty body jewelry, but a way to tie up the prince—he was sure that was what he had meant. Sláine didn't know if he wanted that or if he wanted Eurion as far away from anything like that as possible for the sake of his own sanity. Surely, he'd go comatose if Eurion pulled something like that from the sheer eroticism of it all. He jolted. Maybe he was more into being bound than he had realized.

The feeling of warmed metal against his skin drew him out of his own head, back to the reality of the situation. It didn't help, not at all, because it was just a reminder. But Sláine stayed still and let Eurion dress him in the jewelry. The delicate chains cascaded over his skin, brushing against hot bruises and reminding him painfully of the red and purple decoration his assassin had left. He noticed the increased smugness in Eurion's smirk and hastily looked down to avoid getting even more flustered. It was no secret what the man was thinking about. The chains were bought for a specific reason, and from how he was being stared at, Sláine doubted anything else was on Eurion's mind. Instead, he traced his fingers over the metal, feeling the tiny jewels within them and situating them so they rested neatly against the contours of his body. He had to admit: they were already beautiful.

A line of chains sat around Sláine's neck, much like a choker, while it extended down and spilt out across his chest, with a loop hanging lower as a necklace while the others were placed over his shoulders. They hung low, off the shoulder more than anything while they connected across the middle of his chest and back to keep the piece in place.

Once Eurion had successfully made sure that they had been secured, he picked up the other and knelt. He had knelt before so many in his life but only because he had to, had been forced to on multiple occasions but never because he wanted to. Now, he would gladly go down on his knees for Sláine in more ways than one. As he did so, he placed a line of soft, long kisses down his prince's chest, just to keep that red blush on his mate's face. He had every intention of teasing and drawing out their night as long as he could, and this was just one of those ways. Because the kisses were deliberately placed and lasted far longer than a peck.

The assassin's hands rested on Sláine's thighs and then his kisses were moving there, too. Those long, drawn-out kisses all the way down his left thigh, and then his right, before moving all the way down his leg. Worshipping in the man, really, as much as Eurion was trying to tease as much as he could, could feel Sláine tense under each kiss as they got lower and longer. Until he had practically reached the floor and then he was moving the chains through each of his thighs until they were brought up so there was a band of chain around Sláine's waist. It was similar to that around his chest but only hung low down his thighs.

Even though the chains were successfully placed on his mate, Eurion didn't move. He stayed on his knees, looking up at Sláine with that same smug expression, and mixed with one that conveyed how he thought he was entirely the most beautiful thing in the whole world, "I don't think I've ever seen you speechless." The assassin mumbled, pressing more of those kisses to his thighs and lower chest.

Sláine was speechless. He didn't have enough functioning thought to find something to say in the moment, not when he stood nearly completely bare before his lover, being taunted with the idea of being tied up at another time, and his breathtakingly stunning mate going down on his knees for him. A prince, with an assassin willingly kneeling before him, and he was blushing like mad and unable to keep his eyes on Eurion. And, of course, the awful man had to put his lips and hands on Sláine's skin and tease him with his mouth of a god.

Down, down, down, each kiss went further down Sláine's body, and he couldn't help but tense up every time he felt those lips. His inability to look inadvertently made Eurion's kisses all the more intense, since he couldn't see where they'd land and the surprise only jolted him more. His face was burning from nose to ear. He hated feeling so off kilter, because it made him putty in Eurion's hands—malleable and oh so easy to continue flustering and bring up more reactions that he otherwise wouldn't have when steady. He hardly even noticed the addition of the second set of chains, too hyperfocused on his mate and nothing else, regardless of still refusing to look. But, Sláine couldn't not touch the assassin while he was on his knees, littering those fucking kisses over his thighs.

A hand moved to sift through Eurion's hair, tenderly holding the back of his head and rubbing gentle circles. Sláine could feel the man's attention fully on him, as if demanding he make eye contact. It took all the effort in the world to do so, but the prince dragged his eyes back down to his lover, his beloved assassin, and got caught in the snare of his smugness and admiration. He only squirmed even more under the weight of Eurion's gaze, wanting to back away but rooted to the ground. It was hard not to feel beautiful and attractive when he had his assassin staring at him like that, beyond the smugness. But that only made him want to bury away even more, because he couldn't handle the onslaught of feelings throwing him around and threatening to knock him completely over. And for once, they weren't from Eurion; they were all his own, mostly caused by the amazing bastard, but still all his to own up to.

"I—" Sláine tried to say, but he still couldn't find the words. Gods, he adored those kisses to his thighs than he should've. His fingers idly played with the hair at the back of Eurion's neck, his free hand flexing and rubbing his fingers together as he didn't know what else to do with them. He had no excuse. Every retort he came up with wasn't quite right. Because you're awful. Because you're mean to me. Because you're a sneaky shit that likes to torture me. Well, that last one wasn't entirely untrue. The prince visibly struggled to conjure up words, eyes flicking away and back to Eurion's like he couldn't maintain eye contact. "You can't just—this is unfair."

Eurion couldn't help the way his smirk only grew as his prince stuttered and was unable to find the right words. He had no doubt that whatever was going through Sláine's head was churning around as fast as lightning and he was unable to stop it. Especially since the man could barely hold eye contact with him. Every reaction he got out of the man only spurred him on to keep going, to keep teasing. He was sure that it was only going to cause trouble for him later if Sláine decided to pay him back for it all, but some part of Eurion knew that wasn't going to be the case. If he was able to illicit such a response out of his mate by a few pointed touches and kisses, by just a few words, he was sure that he was going to have even more fun later.

It was why he wasn't going to tease for much longer, just a little, just enough to keep Sláine red in the face and squirming, "Unfair? Oh, none of this is unfair," The assassin purred, "This is simply a reminder of who you belong to, my darling." Eurion moved his hands until both were placed firmly on his prince's ass and he squeezed again while his mouth continued its onslaught of far too slow kisses that were drifting dangerously close to somewhere else. But he made sure they only dipped into teasingly close territory as he bit down, sucking and biting amidst the kisses before he moved them once again back up. They trailed up to the waistband of Sláine's pants, then his chest until he was no longer kneeling but standing at his full height, that smug smirk plastered on his face and not making a move to budge.

One of his hands moved so it was resting on Sláine's cheek and he hummed, tucking a strand of hair behind his lover's now-pointed ear. With or without the chains the man was handsome, quite literally beautiful that Eurion, despite how smug he looked, couldn't help the way he looked at the man with enough admiration that it was as clear as day. He would say it every fucking day if he had to, that the man was perfect and beautiful until he was blushing again and again just as he was right now. If he had to get on his knees to do it he would. Well, Eurion would get on his knees for the man if he just asked because that was how utterly enamoured by Sláine he was. Right now, the assassin moved to press their lips together.

The kiss was just as slow and wet and teasing as the others that he had pressed against his mate's body only this time to Sláine's pretty pink lips. He was so addicting. Like sunlight and fruits that were far too sweet but left you wanting more, more more. After a moment, he separated their lips, however, in favour of talking against them, "Tell me what you think of the chains."

How was it that Eurion was the one on his knees, but Sláine was the one submitting himself to the man? He couldn't even speak, and Eurion was happily making the problem worse by looking up at him like that and kissing him where he was. Saying that the prince needed a reminder of who he belonged to. He'd never forget who he belonged to, who owned his body and mind in a way that no one else would ever dare to claim. Eurion had him completely and willingly, and there was no need to be reminded of that when he wore the man's mark and couldn't breathe without him right there with him. This was no reminder; it was torture.

Then hands were on his ass and lips and teeth were drifting way too close to a place they shouldn't be at just yet. Not yet, because they had to stop themselves repeatedly from things like this because they had to leave. But Eurion held him still with his grip and Sláine had no other option but to try and control his uneven breath as he held the man's head and combed through his hair. Instinct had him wanting to encourage it, to put just the slightest pressure and encourage Eurion to keep going, but logic wrangled control just enough to keep him from making the situation worse. And thank gods, because Eurion stood not long after his struggle and he didn't have to fight it any longer. He should be getting a break now, free from his assassin's teasing and unfair treatment. But no. That man always had something up his sleeve.

Sláine leaned into the hand on his face as soon as he could, but it did nothing but hide the one cheek. The redness wouldn't go again, stark against the darkened freckles he had masked, and he was burning up from the inside out. But he couldn't look away from Eurion now that they were face to face once more. No matter how flustered he was, he couldn't look away from his eyes. So dark, but shining with every emotion that the assassin held. When he was looked at like this, he knew exactly what his mate was thinking, and it just made him all the more flustered. This all was totally and completely unfair. That didn't stop him from being greedily and accepting the kiss without hesitation, a hand clasped at the back of Eurion's neck. A soft, happy moan slipped through, but he didn't care. It was the only outlet he had to rid himself of the crashing waves tossing him around and refusing to let him get to his feet.

And it was gone too soon. Sláine wanted to complain, whine about how utterly unfair it was. But he had no words still. No words, and yet Eurion's soft order against his lips had him speaking as if on command. The prince swallowed, wanting to hide away. "I think they make me look pretty." They slid against his skin with every little movement. The ones on his thighs gently swayed when he stepped forward to press himself flush against Eurion once more, needing that stability and the feeling of his mate's body against his. They'd be covered by the robes in no time, but he'd still feel them rubbing his skin and hear them tapping against themselves. He'd know.

Gods Sláine was so sweet when he spoke. Eurion wanted to devour the man whole right then and there because he was simply just too delectable and enticing. Especially when he was doing as he was told. He hadn’t needed to even ask twice to get him to talk to his command and it was far too hot for its own good. His’s prince’s cheek was red hot against his hand, burning and red and utterly adorable. Eurion could picture what Sláine was going to be like later, flushed again from head to toe, calling his name like a prayer and at his mercy once again. He may not have killed the man back at the palace, but from the way Sláine was trying to hide his cheek against his palm Eurion was sure he had killed him in an entirely different way.

Eurion hummed as his lover stepped closer until they were flush. Their lips were still only centimetres apart from one another and they were so close but he could still see every emotion that crossed his prince’s face. How flustered and almost embarrassed he was, how Sláine looked like he was going to combust if they kept going, how the man wanted to look away but clearly couldn’t. Eurion was sure that, no matter what he did at this point, he would gain a reaction from the man. Sláine seemed so sensitive to everything and it was brilliant.

“That’s a good boy,” That purr in his voice remained, and he let his lips ghost over Sláine’s without giving him a proper kiss, “You look so pretty.” Because he did. His prince was fucking gorgeous- not just pretty. Eurion was tempted to tell him to drop the mask he had on so he could see Sláine as himself, in all his Witchy-ness, with those horns he loved and those beautiful canines. Later, he’d be able to have his prince like that later. For now, unfortunately, he was going to have to get him dressed. And looking at the way things were going, Eurion didn’t know whether it was going to be easy or not at this stage.

The assassin placed a kiss to his lovers lips finally, letting it linger, letting himself taste Sláine before he would have to pull away. He let it go on for longer than the others and then, reluctantly, he pulled himself away. His hands dropped from their positions in favour of moving to grab the pants, once again kneeling down in order to help Sláine step into the soft fabric. He didn’t stay down, however, because he moved upwards with the motion before fastening them around his waist. The chains were only slightly visible through the outline.

What was it about Eurion and the things he did that had the prince so reactive to things he had never liked before? Not once had he been keen on being so public with affections and sex, but just one thought of it from Eurion had him weak at the knees. Never had he been so compliant and submissive for someone, never wanted to belong to someone, to have someone so incredibly possessive of him. No partner had ever thought to call him a good boy, and the thought had never evoked any sort of reaction out of him.

But when Eurion purred those words against his lips, Sláine nearly combusted on the spot. He wanted to melt into the assassin's grasp, let him do whatever he wanted to do to him, and be good for him. It took no genius to note how much Eurion enjoyed Sláine doing as he was told and folding at just the smallest of commands, no matter how flustered or speechless he was. His mind was in shambles, and he had nothing going on besides thoughts of Eurion, but there was still that urge to listen and do as he was told to keep making Eurion look at him like that. Logically, they couldn't, and the prince doubted he'd survive even a minute more of this teasing in his mindset, but his body didn't like logic and wanted to just get utterly wrecked by his assassin.

Sláine looked up to the ceiling and closed his eyes, his head tilted back, when Eurion pulled away from him after an unfairly hot and addictive kiss. He refused to look at the man, even though he could feel him kneeling once more, and it was because he needed to reorient himself somehow. Eurion wasn't helping in the slightest by simply existing, so this would have to do.

"I hate you," he mumbled, opening his eyes to keep staring up, but moved his hands to brace against Eurion's shoulders as he helped with the pants. He hated how easily the man could reduce him into a burning and bumbling mess. He hated that they were so close to finally being together in the way that they both wanted, after so many instances of going just far enough to be safe, but not far enough. He hated how he could imagine so many different scenarios of him and his lover being together, could conjure up a falsehood for the sake of release, but he knew it would never amount to the real thing because Eurion was as unpredictable as an ocean and so very stubborn. He hated how much he craved him even when they were face to face, Eurion's hands on Sláine's waist, and how much the fucking chains made him think about the man as if they were his touch.

Except, when Sláine finally brought his gaze back down once Eurion stood back up, it wasn't hate that shone in his eyes.

The assassin couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him at Sláine's words, "If you hated me you wouldn't be letting me dress you." Or have his hands on Eurion's shoulders to steady himself, or be flushed so beautifully even if his touches were no longer of the teasing kind, but direct and with purpose of getting them ready for the evening. The button was fastened in the correct loop, sitting perfectly around his mate's waist. He only let his eyes linger down for a moment, simply because he needed to take in the outline of those chains, how they were a reminder for the both of them the promises that they had made in regards to how they both wanted the night to end.

Eurion was grabbing the upper half of the outfit only moments later. Now that he had gotten- most - of the teasing out of his system for the time being, it was easy for him to at least return to focusing on the task at hand. He still had to get himself ready, although that wouldn't take long, but then there was Caoimhe and Aideen and he had a hunch that the guard wasn't going to like the fact that it would be he who would be doing the paint on her face out of all people. As much as his trust for Caoimhe was starting to grow, he wasn't about to let the man fuck something like this up, not when it all had meaning in some way or another.

Placing the robs around Sláine's shoulders, the fabric helped to hide the purple bruises on his prince's neck since the colour was almost identical. The lower ones would be hidden under the collar, even the chain that doubled as a necklace would hide them a little, but the ones he had left closer to his ear still visible. Exactly what he had wanted, another surefire sign that Sláine wasn't up for grabs. He fitted the sleeves and then finally pulled the fabric over his chest to hide the rest of the chains. Due to the soft nature of the fabric they were more pronounced than the ones on his legs, but wouldn't be noticed because the sash was going to take any attention away.

He grabbed the blue piece once he was happy with the say the robes sat on his lover. Placing the piece in the correct position was going to be the hardest part since it was fiddly, but Eurion's hands were steady and controlled as he draped one end over Sláine's shoulder, brought it down across his chest before it wrapped just above his hips and was tied off in a loose knot.

Eurion took a step back once he was done and he let his eyes roam over Sláine. His smirk turned into a soft, very clearly very happy and adoring smile, "Beautiful." Was all he could breathe.

Sláine had no dignified response to that, so he just flushed and kept quiet while Eurion worked on getting him dressed. It felt odd to have someone else dressing him like that, but it also felt right to have his lover's hands at his waist and deftly fastening the clothes over his body. Domestic. Like they had been together long enough to not be awkward about it, because though Sláine was unfamiliar with the sensation, he didn't hate it. So, as Eurion examined the outline of the chains that the prince could feel pressed against his skin, Sláine was looking up at him while he had the chance, watching the other with a fondness that finally crept through the sea of flustered feelings.

He worked extra hard to cool himself down and stop being so wired up, which was entirely Eurion's fault and still decidedly an unfair thing to do to the prince knowing they had other things to do and a timeframe to work within. Sláine helped where he could as he was dressed, but for the most part let Eurion fuss over the fabric and how it all sat on the prince's body, while he avoided looking at his lover and thought about anything and everything that wasn't the man in front of him. Just a single look at the assassin conjured the memory of those fucking words against his lips. That's a good boy. Cruel. Eurion was cruel to him. How did he expect Sláine to not make things difficult or focus entirely on the festival when he had the chains now trapped against him and reminding him with every movement what the assassin had in store for them? There was no way he would be able to focus solely on anything when he had this entire encounter seared into his mind, and his thoughts were all too happy to pounce on them after just the slightest passing reminder.

By the time the robes and sash were secured in place and Eurion was moving back to get a good look at everything, Sláine had somehow cooled down enough to be coherent and look his assassin in the eyes. A good thing, too, because that smirk had melted into the most adoring smile he had seen on the man, and it didn't take long for him to be returning it, even if his cheeks stubbornly stayed a dusty pink from the compliment. He'd never get over receiving those from his lover. The prince ran his fingers over the fabric, feeling the lines of the chains beneath, but also how soft they were, and how comfortable he felt in them. He couldn't see himself, but he could tell that they did look nice just from what little he could see and Eurion's reaction.

He didn't want to separate quite yet, mostly because he wasn't finished hiding, so Sláine leaned in to thunk his head against Eurion's chest, his hands sliding up over his torso and idly tracing the lines of muscles. "Thank you," he whispered.

Eurion's smile only grew as his prince nestled once again against his chest and he gladly let Sláine hide away from the world for just a little longer as he recovered from the teasing he had been subjected to. As much as Eurion wanted to keep his prince like that for longer, stay in that room until he was too flustered to even talk on command, it was equally as good to have the other whispering softly into his skin and touching his chest so gently. No one had ever been so gentle with him before, had touched him as if he were delicate and worth being cared for and treated with such gentleness. It made his own heart warm and flutter in a different way than it had been when he had been teasing. Sláine, even if incredibly hot, was soft and warm and good. It was why Eurion couldn't help the way he wrapped his arms around the man in a hug, once more pressing his face into Sláine's hair and breathing him in. Maybe he needed the time to cool down, too, "You're welcome, Your Highness."

All good things came to an end, though, and he needed to dress himself before. Time was ticking, Skyfall would be in full swing before they even got there and Eurion didn't want to miss the falling of those stars and beauties, that eclipse, and be there to welcome in the new season of luck and prosperity with his people. But most importantly, with his prince. Not being dressed in time wasn't going to be the reason that he missed such an event. Slowly, and placing a kiss to Sláine's head, he removed his prince's arms from around his body, lifting them to his lips to press a kiss to the back of each hand before letting them go.

It didn't take as long for him to dress himself because he new what he was doing, and also wasn't in the process of teasing and flustering his mate as he did so. First the pants, then the shirt with the sleeves of his own rolled to his elbows. The sash was quick to follow. The deep blue highlighted his paleness, and the purple only made things a little worse but the assassin didn't care. The fabric was soft and delicate, just like Sláine's, and it was clear now that they were both dressed that they were together. No one would even attempt to flirt with either one of the men because of how they looked. At least there was some form of respect in his culture, if only for an evening. Eurion grabbed the pot of purple paint and moved to the mirror that sat on the far side of the room, making quick, efficient work of decorating his skin in the colour with moves that matched Sláine's. By the time he was done, he made sure his fingers were clean and he turned to his prince.

With gentle hands, as if Eurion was afraid of breaking them, he picked up Sláine's mask in one hand and his own in the other. Sláine could do his own jewellery while Eurion helped with Caoimhe and Aideen, but the masks? He still wanted to be the one to put them on. His touch was far too soft for someone of his nature as Eurion placed it over Sláine's eyes, and it felt as if time stopped when he saw his mate in what was pretty much the final outfit.

Slowly, but surely, Sláine calmed down enough to be able to function like a normal person. Breathing in Eurion's scent helped, as did being able to touch and feel him—being engulfed in the man's presence. He melted into the hug and closed his eyes, savoring the moment for as long as he could have it in his grasp. The teasing was over, he was dressed completely minus the basic jewelry and mask, and now Eurion was left along with the others. Skyfall wouldn't wait for them to cuddle and be enraptured by one another. They had time for that later. Really, they had all the time in the world to get up to all sorts of things. Maybe not every second, but Sláine refused to let go of his assassin again. They'd always come back to one another regardless of the situation or how far apart they were.

So, even if he wanted to protest, he didn't. Sláine hummed happily at the kiss to his head, then ignored the fluttery feeling he got from the quick kisses to his hands. If he let himself react, allowed any feelings and impulses to come to fruition, they'd never leave. Sláine backed away from Eurion and let him get dressed in peace unlike a certain someone. To keep himself busy, he fiddled with the outlines of the chains, imagining what people might think if they caught a glimpse of the impressions. Useless, to wear such accessories when you couldn't even see them. Useless, that is, if you weren't an assassin with a plan that was way too into seeing a prince certain ways.

Coughing and shaking himself out of that thought process, Sláine glanced over at Eurion and watched him get dressed the rest of the way. His fingers were nimble and knew just what to do, just as they had been while dressing the prince. He wondered if he had ever been to festivals like this, or if he had just known from hearing about it. Eurion seemed so immersed into his culture, but at the same time so removed due to the Gods.

Sláine stayed very still when Eurion approached him with the mask, recognizing the look on his face and knowing this was something his mate really wanted to do. He closed his eyes when the mask got close, and simply felt the man's hands working to secure it to his face, and only opened them when he felt the touch disappear. The prince couldn't see himself, and kind of didn't want to look in the mirror. Eurion was fueling his vanity just fine from the way he stared at Sláine. He tilted his head and smiled softly at his mate, fiddling with the sleeves of his robes. Eurion looked fucking breathtaking in his outfit, the matching opposite of his own. The colors may have brought out the Fae's paler skin, but they fit. Eurion was something darker, moodier. The darker colors complemented him perfectly, just as they complimented Sláine's outfit.

"If I look half as good as you do," he said, eyes roving over Eurion's body again and again; he couldn't get enough, "then I can see why you're looking at me like that." Pure affection and appreciation shone in his gaze.

Eurion couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped his lips, "You look more than half as good as I," He said, fastening his own mask into position, "You're more beautiful than the Eclipse herself." The assassin used a finger to rest under Sláine's chin, using it to keep the prince's gaze on him as he leaned in to place a chaste kiss upon his lover's lips.

His prince was gorgeous in so many ways. Not just his looks, but his heart and soul, too. It called to Eurion in ways no one had ever called to him before, filled a hole in his own heart that had been empty his whole life, even if he hadn't realised it before he met Sláine. Nothing and no one would ever compare, not even the Fae Gods were as beautiful as the man standing before him. He would never be able to get enough of him. Eurion would never be satisfied until the day he died because every waking moment was spent craving his prince. Craving Sláine and simply his presence. Nothing would ever be enough. But right now, standing with the other as the soft music started to fill the space from the ground below, Eurion couldn't help but feel as if everything leading up to this moment was worth it.

The kiss only lasted a few moments and he gave Sláine that same soft, loving and adoring smile that had been plastered on his face. Staying longer was only going to cause them more delays and Eurion was already preparing for the protests he was going to get from Aideen, at least. But, it would be worth it, because he knew - well, he hoped - that they were all going to have fun. The Eclipse and the Skyfall were drawing closer and closer. Eurion could tell because the music was louder, the sun had set completely and the atmosphere was changing. It made the assassin all the more excited. It was going to be amazing.

Letting the hand that had been resting under Sláine's chin drop, he took the man's hand instead, interlacing their fingers and squeezing. Just like everything else about them, their hands fit, with Eurion's covering his prince's and it was just a reminder of how well they went together. He inclined his head towards the door, "Come on, let's go get the other two sorted." With that, he led them out of the room and to the door next to theirs. And incase they were up to anything that EUrion really didn't want to see, he knocked loudly.

Sláine begged to differ, unable to take his eyes off of Eurion. The robes decorated his figure perfectly, and the mask only made him look even better by making his eyes stand out. A proper Fae man, tall and handsome and captivated by the prince standing before him. Breathtaking. Sláine couldn't believe that he got lucky with someone like Eurion. Even when he had been pinned to the floor by Aideen, fresh from being caught trying to kill the princes, Sláine had recognized how handsome his assassin was. Recognized it, but hadn't done anything about it because there had been no point.

Except then he had that man in his bed in less than an hour, and hours later ended up with him in his arms, sleeping peacefully. In the morning, he had an assassin in his lap. Sláine hated to admit it, but he had been enraptured from the start. Maybe not explicitly, but there had been that instant draw towards Eurion. It's what had driven him to help the man despite knowing nothing about the Gods, and what had driven his anger towards the Gods for what they had done during that night. The bond explained it, now that he knew, but it didn't discount how much the prince had paid attention to the gorgeous assassin—who he now wanted to pamper and spoil and give the world to. Who he'd want forever, at any given moment in time. No one else could compare to him.

The prince hummed and melted into that touch to his chin. He let his head be tilted up for that chaste kiss, happy to even have that when he knew that they needed to go. It would have to be enough until they actually made it to the festival. It's why Sláine just accepted the kiss he got and didn't try to get more, even if he wanted to. They were really pushing the time. The smile he aimed up at Eurion was soft and loving, the mirror of the one he had received, then he leaned in to quickly kiss the man's neck as their hands were intertwined. "Thank you, baby," he whispered into Eurion's neck when they made it to the door, just for slight payback, "for doing all this."

And, as if the twins had arranged this somehow, the door opened before Eurion could respond and Caoimhe leaned against the frame. He had a smirk on his face, and he crossed his arms after giving the two an up-and-down look. "I see we've kissed and made up?" Sláine narrowed his eyes at his brother, and Caoimhe backed away with his hands in the air. "Kidding, kidding. Please don't kill me." Aideen was further in there, sitting on the bed. She still had her comfy shorts on, but she had tossed off Caoimhe's shirt at some point, so she was just in a bra. Neither one seemed particularly ruffled.

Eurion made a point of not looking Aideen's way bar a quick glance towards her before noting what she was wearing. As much as the other two didn't care they had been around her for ages. He, however, had only known the woman for about a week and either way, it felt uncomfortable to look, so he gestured for Caoimhe to sit on the stool in front of the dresser as he moved to the pile of things that the prince had brought into their room. He rummaged through to find the pots of paint and started to set the robes, jewels and masks into two separate piles so everything was with their correct pieces. Made things easier for him in the long run, since Aideen could put her jewellery on while he worked on Caoimhe, which meant getting out of there quicker and down to the festival before they missed anything important.

"Unless you make an outrageously stupid comment," The assassin said, moving back towards the other prince with the paint in hand, "Then I'm not going to kill you tonight." He had no plans of killing any of them - well, maybe Aideen if she got on his nerves one too many times - but definitely not tonight. There had been too many interruptions and issues so far and he was dertimed to make things go right.

He was quick to open the pot and place the container down once he had enough of the paint on his fingers. Now that he had no distractions, or more correctly, he wasn't trying to make Sláine flustered for the sake of pulling a reaction out of him, Eurion wasn't going to be long when it came to getting the other two ready. It was still odd swiping the paint along Caoimhe's features, the feeling was only going to grow when it came to Aideen because he was not looking forward to that, but he would do what he had to in order to have them looking perfectly Fae for the evening.

It would be good, Eurion kept telling himself. It had to be good. If it ended up being a disappointment then Eurion didn't know what he was going to do. Probably never come back to Indrigos again. As much as the city was beautiful in its own right outside of the festivities, there wasn't anything for him here anymore. So unless there was a damned good reason like Skyfall, then he had no plans of staying. Sure, it was his people, his birthplace, but it wasn't home and he doubted it ever would.

The paint was quick to be placed and soon Eurion was moving once more to and was grabbing the robes for Caoimhe.

Aideen snickered when Eurion refused to look at her, but did comply with the man's discomfort and rolled over to nab Caoimhe's shirt off the floor to throw it back on. She was comfortable being around the princes in minimal clothing, also used to it from training with the knights. So, she wasn't shy by any means, but Sláine was unusually hostile right now with the two of them as he hovered by the door. The prince's stern glare was something to behold, and if she wasn't afraid of getting a lashing from him for messing with his lover, then she'd make a joke about it.

"It's not you I'm worried about killing me," Caoimhe mumbled, taking up post where directed and sitting still for Eurion to work. He, too, noticed how wound up and antsy Sláine was while in the room with the others. It felt like, now that they were back together and sorted things out—and potentially made things official—he was overly protective of his assassin and their relationship. It even showed in the way he had stormed Caoimhe earlier for mentioning Witch polyamory to the Fae man. He had seen his twin protective before, especially over people he cared about, and it was always worse at the start of everything, like Sláine was afraid of someone snatching his partner when the relationship was fresh and not solidified.

That, or this time around, he didn't want anyone messing with his mate's head again.

While Eurion worked, Caoimhe pulled the mask back on, his horns melting away and teeth going back to normal. Instead of Sláine's thorough dolling up of his face and features, he just changed his ears. Partly to not mess with Eurion's work, and partly because he really didn't care. It really was weird to have the assassin painting his face. Eurion was close to him, hands on his face, and had probably been in a similar position with Sláine. Minus the inevitable intimacy added in. Thankfully, though, the man was efficient and in a hurry, so Caoimhe fanned his face to dry the paint faster while his clothes were grabbed. "Watch her mouth," the prince warned, and jerked his chin towards Aideen. "She bites."

The shifter hardly blinked. She gestured to the puncture marks on her shoulder, where the collar of Caoimhe's too-big shirt hung off of. "Yes. I'm the biter."

Eurion laid the robes next to Caoimhe, "If you have issues with the sash then say so." He said as his only response to the prince's comment. At least to his face specifically. The assassin moved away from him and towards the bed once more where he grabbed the other pot of paint. Over and done with as soon as possible was his mind set because he did not want to be that close to the guard for any longer than was necessary. He didn't her move from where she sat on the bed, simply stood - well, towered - over her as he dipped his fingers in the paint.

"Bite my fingers off and I'll make sure you lose all of yours." As much as it was partly a joke, Eurion's eyes were determined and clear that he probably would do something similar if Aideen tried anything. With that, he was bending his knees down so he could get closer to her face. His touch wasn't as gentle as it had been with Sláine but he was still direct with and firm with his movements, knowing exactly what he was doing and where he wanted the paint to be placed. It was over quicker than he had been with either of the prince's but Aideen's paint was a mirror of Caoimhe's and looked just as good as the other's. Eurion twisted the lid back on the pot and placed it to one side. At least he still had his fingers.

As he had done with Caoimhe's robes, Eurion moved to grab Aideen's, laying them out in a similar fashion as he had done with all the rest. The jewellry and masks still sat to one side but he figured that the Witches were able to do that themselves. They weren't entirely incapable of dressing themselves, but Eurion's desire to make tonight a perfect night was outweighing everything else at the moment and his stress levels were once again increasing.

Down below he could hear the party. His ears twitched and inclined towards the sounds of fun and laughter, the magic in the air had increased and he could feel it like an itch he couldn't scratch, for a tingling in the back of his head. Fae magic. It almost seemed to be helping with the recovering of his own shadows, and as the assassin moved back towards his prince, he could feel them picking up as if they, too were calling towards Sláine.

Caoimhe hummed in acknowledgement and sorted through the robes as if he hadn't been there to pick them out in the first place. Aideen, however, looked beyond smug and entertained by Eurion's obvious apprehension about being around her. She had sat with him and got him to talk about Sláine enough to shake him out of his stupid moment where he had been terrified of his own mate. But no, he wanted nothing to do with her and was making threats in preparation for her biting him when he had just easily dealt with the actual biter. For fun, and just to mess with him, she grinned and snapped her teeth at Eurion's hands as he got close to put on the face paint. Not close enough to be a threat, but still an empty threat for entertainment purposes.

That bit of fun out of the way, she sat still and didn't cause any problems for Eurion as he applied the paint. It didn't take any master at observation to notice how he took less time on her than Caoimhe, and undoubtably Sláine as well. It just added to her amusement, but she silently appreciated it because she didn't want to be near him any longer than she had to be, especially with his hands on her face applying paint. It would've been so much easier if they could do it themselves, but they weren't Fae and didn't know the customs like Eurion did. So, they had to stick with letting him do his thing and follow his judgement.

Caoimhe started work on pulling the robes on while Aideen got her face paint, and he and Sláine split up the jewelry to deck themselves out in shiny metal and jewels. The two were quiet as they focused on their tasks, but they were also focusing on their lovers to make sure a fight didn't break out. Caoimhe might've been the one worried about dying at the hands of his twin, but Eurion and Aideen were more likely to get at each other's throats for real. They only breathed a full breath of air when the two separated without damage done to one another, and Aideen was picking up her robes to inspect and put on.

Sláine, now decked out in jewelry, reached out for his assassin the second Eurion was walking over to him. He intertwined their hands and snuggled close, comforting the both of them with contact. While Caoimhe got the rest of his jewelry and his mask on, and Aideen dressed, Sláine busied himself with holding Eurion close and hooking his chin on the other's shoulder, at the perfect height to do so. "You did good," the prince murmured, complimenting the choice in clothes for the group.

Eurion relaxed at the contact, sinking into Sláine's grasp with no hesitation. That calming effect the man seemed to hold over him washed over the assassin and he let his head tilt to the side to rest on his lover's, "I should hope so." He murmured back. Considering he had been planning and thinking about the colour choices for the last week to occupy his mind from what could have been a terrible spiralling incident if he let himself believe that Sláine and he weren't going to be okay. But, it had all worked out. They were okay, they were more than okay, in fact, and it was only enforced by how they were holding one another.

He let himself close his eyes for a moment, breathing in Sláine's presence. It felt weird, to be affectionate in front of Caoimhe and Aideen. After having to hide their affection and then not having any contact at all Eurion didn't know if he was going to get used to it any time soon. But, he wouldn't deny that he liked it. He liked being able to hold and kiss and relax into his prince without having to worry about hiding it. He didn't have to hide their bond, that instant connection that drew them to one another in the first place. Eurion had a beautiful man standing next to him, holding his hand, and for the first time in his life, he was starting to feel like maybe he had found a place to belong.

The assassin spun the ring around his finger with his free hand, using his thumb to do so and feeling the gem underneath. It was self-soothing as they waited for the other two to finish getting themselves ready. Once they were in the thick of the festival they would be okay. Eurion would feel less nervous. It was the waiting that was getting to him. Considering he was an assassin and he spent half his time waiting for an opportunity, it was odd that this was what was really pulling at him. He squeezed Sláine's hand and open his eyes once more.

By that point, it seemed that the other couple were ready to go, and Eurion lifted his head from where it had been leaning and took a breath, "We should get going otherwise we're going to miss the main event."

Sláine made sure to snuggle into Eurion to help ease that tension he was carrying, keeping their hands laced together and bodies pressed close. He could feel the way his assassin relaxed into the contact, and how he rested his head on top of Sláine's. Caoimhe met his twin's gaze and smiled a little, then moved to help Aideen get ready and to mask her not so Fae features. It was odd, being physical with Eurion out in the open when they had tried so hard to hide it before. Sláine had been too scared to when stand next to his assassin while they walked, but now he was blatantly accepting Eurion's presence by reaching for him and cuddling into his side. He didn't know how Eurion felt about it, but he must not mind too much if he was so willing to lean into him—or, like earlier, be obviously affectionate. Even the placement of the marks he had left on the prince was more obvious, concentrated around Sláine's neck and up to his ears so everyone could see for themselves who Sláine belonged to.

And, neither Aideen nor Caoimhe batted an eye at it. They had seen how devastated the both of them had been when the Gods had screwed everything up, and Caoimhe had a hand in making things better by planting the idea of the chains that could faintly be heard with every movement Sláine made. Aideen had listened to far too much about their room in order to help smooth things back over. It was no surprise that they didn't care. In fact, Caoimhe approved of it. He liked Eurion, and he especially liked how happy he made his baby brother. Sláine looked like he was seeing the moon and stars for the first time every time he looked at the assassin. And Eurion could never hope to hide how utterly smitten he was with the prince. Who was he to disapprove of that?

Once Aideen was sufficiently dressed, masked up, and looking Fae with solid black hair, bright blue eyes, and pointed ears, Caoimhe put hid mask over his eyes and indicated they were ready to go. Sláine didn't want to separate from Eurion just yet, so he kept their hands linked even when the other lifted his head. "Probably best to hurry, too. We've already burned enough daylight."

Aideen put her hands on her hips. "And whose fault is that?" Sláine scowled and hid against Eurion's shoulder, and Caoimhe snickered and linked an arm around Aideen's waist to pull her into his side. The prince gestured for Eurion to lead the way, given he was the only true Fae in the room.

Eurion couldn't help but roll his eyes at Aideen's comment. She wasn't wrong but there was no need to remind them that it was in fact their fault that they were running later than they probably should have been. But the assassin didn't care. He had his mate back, which was the most important thing in his eyes. It was only solidified by Sláine keeping their hands interlocked and hiding behind him when Aideen commented on the state of things. Either way, they were ready. It was weird to see the guard looking Fae. The masks that Caoimhe and Sláine had been wearing while they travelled had Eurion being used to the difference in appearance, and most of the time their hair covered their ears so there wasn't much of a change. On the other hand, Aideen looked a lot different and was strange to see - especially with the change in her eyes.

Regardless, Eurion led them out of their rooms, nodding to the Fae who seemed to be packing up for the evening, off to enjoy the festivities himself. No one would be working tonight unless they ran a stall of some kind, and even then they were in the thick of the event so it wouldn't feel like working. The other Fae returned Eurion's nod and before they knew it, they were heading down to the festival.

The bridge of Starlight was packed with Fae making their way across to the main courtyard of the city. The large paved area was circular, and all roads and paths seemed to converge in the middle as it was directly under the opening in the canopy of trees that protected the city from outside dangers. The river flowed round, and the shorelines were just as busy and packed, the gardens in full bloom and almost glowing and glittering in the moonlight that was starting to peak through the trees as the Eclipse drew closer. Stalls continued to line the streets and the outside of the middle courtyard but the centre was free of any, as Fae danced and weaved through the crowds trying to find the best position to be able to view the astronautical events. Whatever band had been playing through the streets had also made their way to the middle and were now comfortably atop a small stage.

In the distance, the castle was illuminated, the white marble making the place glow like everything else in the city, and appeared as if it were made from starlight itself. An impressive feature even if a bit domineering. No one seemed to care, however, too wrapped up in the music and dancing and organised chaos of Skyfall to care what their royals might be doing. Everyone was dressed in the same style of robes as the group was and ranged in colour from the brightest yellows to the deepest greens. Couples were obvious, and those who were looking for someone to spend the night with were just as clear.

And Eurion tried to keep his excitement in check, but it wasn't going very well.

The group couldn't keep their eyes on any single thing. Everything was glittering like grounded starlight, and the crowds were even drawing their eyes. Their city has festivals, of course, and after the change in throne, they are more elaborate and booming than ever. But this was entirely different, full of people they were never around, at a festival that just screamed get lost in the thrill. Had they been on their own, they would definitely get lost in the crowd and music and lights, just another one of the masked revelers.

Had they not met Eurion, they wouldn't have been able to do this. Well, they might've, but they wouldn't have a clue as to the customs and rules and where to go. They'd just have their Fae disguises and a stroke of hope they didn't stick out too much. Thankfully, in terms of sticking out, the masks covered most of their faces to avoid the off chance of being recognized. Sláine had tied two chunks of his hair back into a braided crown, so his ears were showing—and the marks weren't hidden behind a curtain of auburn curls. Caoimhe left his alone. And Aideen wasn't that recognizable on a normal day, so she was safe. It's what gave them the freedom to not worry about being spotted or accused of crashing the party, and so their shoulders were light as they milled about and stared in awe of everything.

Sláine stayed with Eurion, though. Hands locked, cheek on shoulder, he was staring at the most beautiful part of the festival. "You're allowed to look excited," said to his mate, eyes glittering with amusement but also adoration for the held back feelings. "I'd honestly prefer it. You deserve to let go for a little." And, he didn't say this, the man somehow always managed to look good and cute at the same time when he displayed any form of joy. But Sláine was more concerned about encouraging his mate to enjoy the very thing he was anxious about getting perfect. It wasn't fair for the others to be excited and enjoy their time while Eurion held his emotions in check to keep that cool and calm persona.

He smiled up at his assassin and kissed his neck, just a sweet peck. "Have fun, acushla. You've been wanting this." As much as the prince had wanted to come to see Skyfall and experience the Fae festival, he had mostly wanted to give Eurion a chance to experience it himself after he had expressed wanting to go but not being able to. This, to Sláine, was all for his mate.

Eurion looked down at his mate, and the facade of cool and calm properly faded into nothing. Had he been with anyone else he wouldn't have let a single drop of his true feeling show. But he wasn't just with anyone. He was with Sláine and the man would allow himself tonight, one night, to let himself go. To let himself enjoy the festival he had dreamed of seeing for years, to witness the welcoming of the new season, to be present when the stars began to fall and wishes were made and granted and he would do it all with his prince. It would never feel right to be present and let himself enjoy the vent without him. The two matched every other smiling and loved-up couple that was present in the courtyard, for their interlocked hands to how they looked at one another. Mirrors of others, blending in and letting the essence of their mates wash through them all, just as the Fae magic did.

He was tempted to say how he felt it was undeserved that he was here. After all this time, all the waiting and wishing, to allow himself a night of fun after all he had done felt wrong. But for once, Eurion couldn't- wouldn't let his fears and worries cloud the excitement he was experiencing. Whether or not he deserved this would be dealt with later. Right now, Eurion needed a drink, and a dance, and he was going to enjoy both of them whether his head wanted him to or not.

Inclining his head towards the nearest stand without a word but a smile that was far lighter than Eurion realised, he led the group to the side. The woman standing behind the table noted their presence, and Eurion was quick to converse in his mother tongue with a nod of respect towards the older Fae. She smiled, returned the gesture, and poured them four glasses of one of the drinks that were a bright sky blue. It glittered like everything else, although was the most bright out of the selection on the table. The strongest, but Eurion needed it, and he also knew it tasted just as good. Sweet and fruity and fresh and exactly what would loosen them all up.

When the drunks were in their hands, the assassin cleared his throat and held his glass in a toast, "Welcome to Skyfall." He said, and although his voice was slightly raised due to the noise around them, there was something genuine about how he said the words that, even though he didn't say it explicitly, showed that he was glad they were there, together, no matter the journey to get to that point.

Almost as if he knew how Eurion wanted to argue against deserving anything good like this, Sláine squeezed his hand in gentle reassurance and nudged his nose against his shoulder. It was also a silent praise for not arguing, and for once accepting something good without argument or protest. Because the assassin did deserve it. He deserved every bright moment of life, every sliver of happiness and excitement that had been robbed from him at an early age because of the crueler side of fate and the Gods. If Sláine deserved someone as doting and kind as Eurion, someone who made him feel lighter and better than he was, then the assassin deserved a night out with his people at such an important and momentous event. It was just a single night, and the prince was determined to make sure his stubborn mate had fun and didn't let anything worry him besides the inevitable coming of alcohol and drunk Witches.

All around them, as Eurion led them towards a table of colorful drinks, there were couples much like the group. Sláine noted all of their outfits, how the colors matched one another just like theirs, and how the couples were almost always touching or nearly touching. Given they were in Fae lands, they had to be mates. Is that what he and Eurion looked like? Drunk on affection and touch? Never quite able to part from one another? Sending soft smiles to one another unknowingly, just on reflex? They all looked madly in love. He wondered how long they had all known one another, if they were looking like that after just meeting. It sent a shiver through him at the thought; it had too many implications, too many rabbit holes for him to fall way too deep into. He told himself to just focus on being with Eurion and having fun, and everything would work out just fine.

Sláine happily accepted his drink with a soft word of thanks, as did the others. Aideen looked about ready to knock it back in one go and bolt, while Caoimhe gave her a stern look—even if his stare at the drink was just as greedy. They all wanted to loosen up, have fun, and drink to their heart's content while they could. When Eurion made his toast, they all held their drinks up and made a cheers to Skyfall, then drank. Sláine was a little more controlled with his drinking, but the other two were quick to drink once they realized how good it was. Just one taste, he knew it was strong, even if just as delicious. They'd be plastered in no time with their track record.

The prince waited until they were too busy with one another to stand in front of Eurion. His smile was brilliant, but soft, as he looked up at his assassin and made a private toast between them. "For us, and not giving up on me." He couldn't thank Eurion enough for being so stubborn, because it had pulled him out of his stupor and brought them to where they now stood. If it had continued, if the man had decided it wasn't worth the trouble, Sláine had a feeling he'd be miserable his entire life without Eurion at his side.