Voron huffed down at the Human's thanks, tossing his head slightly. "You're welcome. Please be careful, and I hope, if I don't see you again, to have a safe journey back home. As far as I know about you as a king, Gray… We need more Humans like you." He bowed once again, but walked away without waiting for an answer from Gray.
Elluin squeezed Gray's shoulder a couple times, breathing in shakily and pulling open his door for the Human. "Well, it's just you and me again. For real this time. I'll make us something to eat, alright?" The Elf led Gray into their home, shutting and locking it behind them. It was dimly lit because of the blinds being shuttered shut, but Elluin lit a few candles before getting started with some food.
Gray entered the home with a content sigh, glad to be somewhere where he didn’t have to worry as much. He carefully slipped off the cloak and hung it by the door, slipping off his shoes before turning to follow Elluin towards the kitchen. “Sounds good,” he hummed softly, hopping up onto the counter with only a slight bit of difficulty. With the candles lit and the house dim and relatively silent, the atmosphere was incredibly peaceful. Somewhat romantic, as well.
“What are you making?” He watched Elluin’s movements with interest, swinging his feet lightly. He was sure that whatever they made, it would be delicious- he vaguely remembered a few times they’d cooked dinner, and it’d never been bad at all. With Gray’s appetite, he was sure anything would be appetizing anyways.
Elluin also removed his cloak at the front, but ended up draping it across a chair in case he needed to grab it in a rush. The candlelight kissed his cheeks and jaw, deepening his features as he looked down on what he was preparing. He seemed visibly more relaxed now that they were in the comfy ambiance of his familiar home, away from any potential danger of being discovered. At least for a little bit, it could be like how it was before Elluin was forced to leave Gray's side.
"Ah, I'm making some meats I have left over from a few days ago. We got salmon coming in from the mountains, as well as some rabbit and elk the hunters managed to get their hands on." His sleeves were rolled up neatly, so there was a clear picture of the careful work his hands did to tenderize the meat and prepare it for cooking and eating. Only a few moments later, the meat was shifted to a small stone that he heated up with a small burst of flame from his fingers. The savory smell of cooking meat soon covered the muskier scents of Elluin's living space.
"Would you like some wine? I have some mead as well if you'd like to… forget about things for a while." He bent down and pulled out a couple bottles that were corked with certain roots and leaves. The bottles were recycled and looked well-used, one filled with a dark red wine, the other filled with a honey.
Gray’s eyes nearly lit up. That all sounded beyond appetizing- it’d been all too long since he’d had a proper meal, let alone well-prepared meats and good-quality alcohol. He watched Elluin’s practiced hands work the meats and deliver them to the stone, humming softly to himself simply to fill the silence. “Some wine would be lovely,” he offered after a moment. He’d never been picky about his drinks, typically going for whatever was available to him. He’d acquired quite a palate over the years of kingship, however, and had always favored red wines.
The scent of the cooking meat made his mouth water, the entire scene all too lovely as well. It seemed cut straight from one of his loveliest dreams, truth be told. “You’re absolutely gorgeous,” he breathed almost without his own consent. His face flushed a bit in embarrassment, though he didn’t look away. No, it was too lovely an image to divert his gaze now.
(Hi! Welcome back, I hope you're safe and healthy :D)
Elluin grabbed a couple glasses that were almost like see-through goblets with long leaves and twine hugging the sides, and both got filled with the dark wine. Elluin sat down next to Gray, setting both cups down with a smile at the compliment, his cheeks warming which was visible in the darkness of the room. It was always embarrassing when Gray spoke to them like that, but never in a bad way.
"Thanks, my king," Elluin responded softly, his dark eyes glinting as he grinned at the consistent gaze. "The food should be done soon, it just has to simmer for a while." He took a drink from his cup, leaning back in his chair with a grin. "And you look starved; I can practically see your drool." He laughed again as he gently teased, reaching a hand out for Gray's. "It's been a while since you've had something this nice, so… I thought I'd treat you to more than what I myself usually do." Usually, Elluin didn't eat much at all as was per usual to Elves. He mostly drank a lot and had small things like granola and honey.
(wkdksjdk thanks so much! i’m starting to get back into the swing of things now haha, doing pretty good all things considered.)
Gray took up the second glass, examining it for a moment before sipping at the drink slowly. It was good, though there was no surprise there. He swished the cup for a moment, looking down at the wine before setting it down again with a good-natured roll of his eyes and a grin. “Yeah, yeah. Though to be fair the food might only be a part of it.” He chuckled, taking another sip of his wine and brushing his hair out of his eyes when it fell forward slightly. It was still slightly damp from the bathhouse, though it was beginning to dry on its own at this point, the heat emanating from the cooking only aiding the process. “The food does smell quite good though,” he admitted.
(Awesome that's great to hear! I'm glad you're doing better)
Elluin watched the other drink and swipe his hair out of his eyes with a look of dazzled amazement, blinking a couple times at Gray's chuckle as Elluin tried to figure out what it meant. "Oh– Gray," Elluin huffed, their cheeks flushing again as they took another mouthful of sweet, smooth wine. "I don't remember you being so promiscuous." He giggled softly, raising his hand over his mouth to cover his embarrassment. "And thanks, I haven't really cooked a lot recently." He turned back to the slate with warm fire licking the meat, making it flare up with an idle finger and fill the room with glimmering, bright warmth from the heat. A few moments of this strong fire later, Elluin petered it out and grabbed the thick stone slate, setting it down on the table.
"It's still a little warm, so be careful," He warned as he leaned back to grab a couple wooden forks. The salmon and cuts of red meat gleamed as shiny blood oozed out onto the plate between them. It had become crispy and the meat had crusted around the seasonings, and as Elluin cut into the salmon, the skin crunched under his fork as he neatly fileted it for them to share.
Gray smiled widely, his heart beating all too quickly. It was a bit humorous how little they had to do to send him ricocheting into a lovestruck panic. He was sure that he observed how astounding lucky he was at least a dozen times a day, though he digressed. The scent of the well-prepared meat wafting through the air was certainly a welcome one, distracting him slightly, however, as he was just a bit too hungry to be able to completely focus on something else with his stomach grumbling as it was.
The meal looked heavenly to say the least, whether that was to compliment Elluin’s cooking skills or Gray’s own appetite. Somewhat unsure of himself, he waited until Elluin began eating to take up the fork set in front of him. He cautiously took a small bite of the red meat, careful not to burn his mouth. The seasonings complimented it perfectly, the juices from the meat flooding his tastebuds delightfully. He couldn’t quite help the content sigh that he gave. “It’s good,” he said with a laugh after he’d swallowed his bite.
Elluin laughed at Gray's expression and full mouth, picking up a knife from the counter to cut everything else up into neat bite-sized pieces. The elk and what seemed to be different cuts of venison gleamed and sweat red, spilling out onto the warm plate. Elluin grinned as he watched Gray chew, offering a cut of meat for him as soon as he was done, gently touching his cheek as he lifted his arms. Ironically, one of Elluin's favorite things to do was feed Gray, which he did often during their late-night dinners together in their castle. Usually it didn't happen, for Elluin had the habit of eating earlier and sleeping during the day (usually like other Elves), but that habit changed when they separated and fell apart. At that point he barely ate much and didn't sleep at all.
(ah, sorry again! i know my response times are all over the place at the moment. they’ll smooth out in a week or so when my semester starts up again 😅)
Gray took another bite of the deliciously prepared meal from the fork that Elluin offered, a soft hum of contentment leaving his lips. His eyes fluttered closed for a second, simply enjoying the flavor of a meal he hadn’t seen on his plate in quite a while. Once his eyes opened, with a small quirk of his lip, he picked his own fork off the plate and took up another bite of meat. Mirroring Elluin’s actions, he held his fork up and offered a bite to them as well. As flushed as he might’ve gotten in scenarios like this in the castle, he felt they’d earned the right to be a bit cliché tonight. He let himself indulge, the embarrassment diluted.
(Ofc it's no issue! Don't worry about it! I wish you the best of luck in school tho :D)
Elluin watched with his dark eyes soft and adoring, his lashes giving long curtains to the view of the one he loved to spoil. They had cupped their cheek in their other hand as they smiled, his fork holding hand relaxed near the plate. He couldn't help sitting up slightly in shock when he was offered a forkful, smiling a little and accepting it gingerly between fine teeth.
"I did make this for you, you know. You have a lot of eating to catch up on," was Elluin's muffled remark, not without a slightly bigger, more affectionate grin. "Would you like anything else? More wine, perhaps a stronger drink to enjoy?" He picked up his own glass of wine and took a few gulps with little to no refrain.
(hhhhhhh thank you!)
Gray smiled softly back with a light, uncommitted noise. “I’ll be eating plenty from now on, don’t worry about me.” He took another small bite from the plate as if to prove himself before reaching for his goblet and taking a sip of the wine. As expected, it was delicious. “I’m all right, this is plenty.” He continued to take small bites of the meal in front of him, savoring the flavor for as long as he could. “Do we have plans for the rest of the day?” While he assumed they would lounge around, resting and enjoying each other’s company, he wouldn’t be particularly averse to any other plans if Elluin had something in mind.
Elluin continued to watch instead of eating, knowing he could eat some other time. He curled his fingers together around the bottom of the wine goblet. He grinned as Gray spoke, as if star struck that he was even looking at his fiance. Which he was. The realization that he and Gray would be able to leave together soon and create a life again, still hadn't quite sunk in yet. The longer he gazed, the more he realized his body whined and longed for Gray. Everything about him, head to toe, made Elluin realize that Elluin had truly missed him. Made him feel homesick like he had been a dog missing from its owner for generations. That excitement upon seeing him hadn't disappeared yet. He didn't think it ever would.
"I'm sorry?" Elluin asked, sitting up in his seat and pulling himself from his thoughts. His cheeks were warm with embarrassment as he smiled shyly. "Plans? I-uh, no. I didn't have anything on the agenda."
“Mm, that sounds good. Staying here for a bit.” Gray sliced another piece of venison off into a palatable-sized bite, stabbing it with his fork a moment after. He glanced up and quirked an eyebrow, smiling crookedly in amusement as his gaze met Elluin’s. “What’s on your mind? You’re all red.” He gestured lightly with his fork before taking another bite of the meat. He doubted he’d be able to finish all of the meat set out on the slate, his grumbling appetite already beginning to feel sated. With another sip of wine, he set his fork down and shifted his full attention to Elluin, an elbow leaned on the table in front of them while he awaited a response.
"Am I? Ah, it must be the lighting," Elluin insisted, covering his cheeks and feeling how warm they were there. "I was… Mm. This is so unfair. You appear in my house after I don't see you for what feels like centuries and think I'm not thinking about you?" He laughed and slid one of his hands out to offer it to the other. "I know I'm not really the sappy type, but I really missed you, my king. Every day I spent without you was boring and flat. My heart is pounding and I'm just sitting still looking at you." They shifted in their chair, breathing out through their nostrils with a slight grin covering their cheeks. Upon talking about it, they got more flushed and red.
Gray gladly took his outstretched hand, running his thumb over their skin affectionately. “I- hey, I didn’t necessarily not think you were thinking about me, maybe I just wanted to hear you say it. Hypothetically, of course.” He glanced down at their joined hands for a split second, grinning sheepishly. “I missed you too. I don’t think either of us have stopped saying that lately,” he laughed softly. “…Besides. You don’t have to be just sitting there. That- that’s your decision, so. Y’know.” He just shrugged, leaving the implied unvoiced.
Elluin laughed his tinkling laugh again, finishing off his wine and pushing the cup away. "Neither of us have stopped being sappy even for a second. It shows me how much you missed me, too." His voice softened and he lidded his eyes affectionately, looking up through his lashes. "I think you could have guessed without embarrassing me. You know I don't like telling you my thoughts." He paused for a few moments at the second part of Gray's thoughts, pouring himself another goblet full of wine. "I-ah, I don't- would you like me to do something? You may ask anything of me." His voice got shy and hushed, as though they were afraid they'd be heard asking such a promiscuous question. The Elf certainly hoped he wasn't misreading Gray's intentions– he was quite bad at reading it when it came to situations like this.
Gray froze for a split moment, humming softly just for the sake of doing something. He was admittedly a bit nervous- It’d been years since he’d even been close to Elluin, after all. As much as he would’ve loved to tease him, he was still too nervous to pull something quite so bold. “Did you want me to ask something of you?” He maintained a light tone to his voice, soft and a bit playful as he spoke. He lifted their joined hands, leaning forward slightly to press his lips gently to the back of Elluin’s hand. “Did you have something specific in mind, or did you just wish to be closer?”
Despite sitting a couple feet away from each other, Elluin could swear he could feel the heat coming off of his fiance. As the back of his hand was kissed, the warmth of his lips tickled the deepest part of his mind. It woke up something he hadn't felt in a while. Something relaxed and comfortable, but expressed that excitement that was tight in his chest.
"It's up to you," Elluin cooed softly, "if you want to ask me of a task, or an act? I won't tell you no. In fact I know I'll enjoy it. And no, I just… I like looking at you. I like being reminded of how you made me feel, how good it was being with you, physically and mentally." He shifted his hand to cup Gray's cheek, rubbing his thumb along his jaw.
Leaning into the touch, Gray exhaled contently. He let himself get lost in the simple touch for a second or two, closing his eyes lightly in the moment. “I’m sure there are much better ways to remember than just relying on your memory. We have a whole lifetime ahead of us, love. I doubt you’ll ever have to be reminded again.” His words somehow balanced between lustful and romantic, the interpretation able to go both ways. It all depended on where Elluin’s mind was at in this moment, he supposed. “Uh- I’d like a kiss, I think,” he said quietly, followed by a sheepish laugh.
After his words, Elluin was hypnotized. His eyes were relaxed as they maintained that eye contact. Though his lips twitched from neutrality at the bashful admittance, scooting his chair closer, and feeling oddly as if this were their first time together in a situation like this. That reality was far from the truth, but there was no outside stresses to distract them from each other like there was those many years ago. Just them and their future.
"I'm glad I don't have to depend on it any more. I want to make new memories, too." He leaned forward and curled their lips together into a soft, passionate kiss. Elluin wished to taste the blood of the meat and the sweetness of the wine off of his lover's lips, determined to make that the only way he tasted anything ever again.
Leaning over the table into the kiss, Gray let his eyes flutter closed as he melted into the touch. It was different than their previous affections that day, a different level of intimacy that they hadn’t had a time for in all too long. Gray hadn’t even realized how much he’d craved something deeper and more meaningful until he had begun to indulge the want. He shifted his weight slightly, one hand steadying himself on the table and the other snaking up to Elluin’s shoulder. He broke the kiss with a breathless, affectionate laugh before pressing forward once again. It was a bit awkward with a whole table between them, but Gray didn’t mind the clumsiness to it.
Elluin had to stop himself from climbing on to the table to get the intimacy he wanted, but kept himself controlled as much as possible. He smiled and laughed too, flickering open his eyes and moving against his kiss once more. He sat up a little to blow out the candle, which died with a flicker and a puff of smoke, but Elluin rose from his seat, moving around the table and pulling Gray up by his shoulders, resting his hands on his neck and running his fingers up along his scalp affectionately. The height difference was daunting now, but Elluin seemed used to bending down for a kiss from his lover. With their chests pressed together and in a comfortable, dark silence Elluin pulled away from that kiss shyly.
"I um… I imagine you'd like more than just a kiss, mm?"
His thoughts running wild in his head, his breath nearly caught in his throat as he watched eagerly as his lover draw closer. His hands found Elluin’s sides nearly on their own as their lips met again, lightly gripping the fabric of his clothing to keep him close. “I, ah-“ He stumbled over his words, caught a bit off guard by their sudden surge of confidence. Their tone kept a bit of shyness to it, at least, seemingly the only proof that it was still Elluin in front of him. “I’ve missed this,” he murmured, if only to postpone his admission to wanting something more. “I’ve missed you,” He added, though it held a different connotation this time. A sultry addition to the comments made earlier- whispered lowly, his lips brushing Elluin’s jaw, and his hands fisted firmly at their sides. “If you want this as well, of course.”
Elluin couldn't have felt he showed too much desperation in an attempt to show how eager he was, but relaxed at his soothing murmurs with a slow smile. "I've missed you too, Gray." They tucked their head against Gray's, accepting the brushing lips with a shiver down their spine. Every inch begged for more of that warm sensation Elluin had noticed earlier, each kiss filling their chest like a soup on a cold day. "Of course I want this. That's the only way we make new memories together, right?" He smiled a bit more slyly despite himself, tipping their heads together in another tender, intimate kiss. He could feel Gray's pulse racing under his thin fingers, the warmth of his excited body pressed up against the lankier one…
