Archive of Our Own

A number of hours have passed since Mikleo and Sorey had started out, leaving the rest of their party behind at the inn. The plan had been to only stay for a brief respite before moving on. However, when they had been sitting down for a meal, someone mentioned the ruins a few hours away, and Sorey jumped at the chance to get more information for both himself and Mikleo.

Which is how they had come here. It had taken them a few hours, but now they stood before a mountain, where it was said the ruins of a temple lay.

Mikleo stares upward, barely able see the entrance from where he stands. The side of the mountain is steep, and Mikleo is positive it’s impossible to climb up. And of course, neither of them had been prepared for this possibility.

Sorey lets out a laugh and turns to Mikleo, a bright smile across his face. “So...armatizing, then?” 

Mikleo lifts his eyebrows, almost amused at the idea. “I suppose that’s one way to get up there, huh.” He shrugs, unable to stop the smile appearing on his lips. It is a smart idea, an idea that is very Sorey. 

“Luzrov Rulay!” 

Mikleo has never gotten used to the feeling of armatizing with Sorey, of becoming one with him. There’s a closeness between them he’d never felt before; how their hearts beat in sync, how every part of them is connected. When Sorey moves his hands, Mikleo feels it in his own. It wasn’t until Mikleo felt it for himself that he realized just how differently Sorey moved. They complement each other, filling the space between each other when they come together. 

Sorey opens his eyes, his now blond hair swirling around him as he wastes no time, jumping up the mountain. There’s a few places up the side of the mountain he uses to vault higher, and soon he makes it all the way to the top. He lands one foot on the peak of the mountain and jumps up again, doing a flip in the air before coming down. As he lands, a strange feeling bubbles through his body, like he’s passed through something. 

Sorey pauses when he finally lands peering behind him, trying to find the cause of that feeling. “Did you...feel that?” 

‘Feel what?’

“Huh. Maybe it wasn’t anything then.” He shrugs and lets the armatization go. Mikleo appears beside him, arms crossed. 

Mikleo wastes no time and walks straight over to the door. It pushes open easily, and he enters, Sorey trailing in behind him. 

“Wow...these ruins are well preserved. Probably because they’re so high up the mountain so not many people can come here. It seems like the elements haven’t been able to get in either…” Mikleo walks forward running his fingers along the wall. 

“Let’s go further in, Mikleo. I bet seeing more of the architecture will help us learn more about it. I’m curious what era it could be from.” 

Mikleo nods turning to follow behind Sorey as he walks past. 

They keep a steady pace down the hallway, finding it devoid of anything noteworthy. The only noise is that of their own footsteps, echoing off the walls. 

The hall runs straight eventually leading into a large room. There, they find the walls have been carved with square holes to let the sun in. It is the only place they have found so far that showed signs of the passage of time. Across the back wall, there is a mural, a pedestal sitting before it. 

Sorey heads straight to the mural as Mikleo takes his time studying around the entrance.

“Look at this inscription here...I can’t quite make all of this out.”

Sorey bends down, peering at the writing on the wall under the mural. Part of it is worn away, only bits and pieces legible. 

“Share a...name? With....something about an Oath.” Mikleo has come up behind Sorey, frowning down at the words. “Oath huh...I wonder if it’s talking about the kind of Oath Lailah made? Like a promise kind of Oath—some kind of formal agreement? Perhaps there used to be a ritual and in the past they used to use places like this?” 

Sorey peers at the mural, tapping his finger against his lips, “No. I don’t think it’s that kind of oath; it seems to suggest something else? A different kind of bond.” 

“What do you mean, ‘a different kind of bond’? It seems casual.” 

“But Mikleo,” Sorey scrunches his nose up and gently places his hand on the mural. It’s worn under his touch, and he’s almost positive if it was in pristine condition, the two people depicted there would be holding hands. Or close to. “This doesn’t seem to be just friendly to me. The drawing—”

“—is hard to interpret.” Mikleo interrupts him and steps forward, gently nudging Sorey’s hand out of the way so he can inspect it too. “So much of it has been weathered down…Who knows, they could make oaths by pressing their hands together. Without having been there, there’s no way to know.” 

Sorey frowns, turns from Mikleo and the mural, and does a loop around the room. He pauses by the door and stares upward at the inscriptions there. 

“Oaths...I guess this must be some kind of ‘Temple of Oaths’, huh?” It makes him think about the bond he shares with Mikleo, and he can’t help but believe that the oath they speak of has nothing to do with friendship but something more. 

It could be some kind of false hope, manifesting from his complicated feelings for Mikleo. Watching Mikleo study the inscription of the wall, the thoughtful look on his face reminds him of all the times he’s had that look on his face in the past. It’s still the same every time, and every time Sorey can’t help but stare at him, studying his expression. There’s something about it that’s just completely endearing. There were times Sorey finds himself staring at Mikleo instead of focusing on the artifacts and ruins in front of them. 

He remembers fondly one particular time he had stumbled upon Mikleo with such a look on his face. Mikleo had leaned close, his breath against Sorey’s ear, to confide in him his true name. Remembering that moment, of the intimacy it created between them and how it had strengthened their relationship, makes Sorey’s heart feel warm. The fact that Mikleo had decided to trust him with such a thing means more to Sorey than words could say. 

Mikleo appears behind Sorey, gently pressing his fingers against Sorey’s arm to make his presence known, and looks up at the words. “Oath again, huh. I wonder what this place was used for then since there really isn’t anything else here.” 

“Not unless they have some kind of secret passages in the hall.” Sorey sighs, “Which is really too bad. If there was more, maybe we could find out what they used to do here.”

“We can probably head back to the town and see if they have books on this place? It’s close enough, so it’s probable that we’ll find one. We can stop here again when we’re leaving if we find anything interesting.”

“Good plan. Let’s head back then.” 

The two exit the room the way they came and walk in silence down the empty hall before finding the exit. 

“I really hope we can get more information about this place,” Sorey muses, arms behind his head as he walks into the evening air. “I’m honestly just curious now, especially since there was so little go to on.” 

“I agree. Let’s go then.”

“Luzrov Rulay!” 

The two armatize, and Sorey jumps into the open air. He doesn’t aim for the ground, not right away, but shoots forward to put as much space between the ruins and them to save time. As his feet leave the ground, the feeling of passing through something runs through his body again. 

He gasps in surprise, and when he finally lands on the ground, Sorey releases the armatization and stumbles. He frowns in confusion, never having come out of armatization like that before.

“Mikl...eo…” Sorey’s voice catches in his throat as he turns, eyes going wide as he finds himself looking at… 

Himself.

The look on his own face—the one that stared back at him—mirrored how he felt. 

He watches the other Sorey’s mouth open and close, before gulping, “...Sorey?” 

Sorey nods, too shocked to find his own voice. 

“Why...why do you look like me?” 

“Eh?!” Sorey’s hands move, feeling at his chest. He can’t help but notice how much smaller his hands were, much daintier then they’d ever been. And the clothes he wore were definitely Mikleo’s. “What?! You look like me though!” 

Mikleo reaches up and gently presses his fingers against his cheek. “Did...we switch bodies?” 

“How would that even be possible?” Sorey has his fingers on his ears, feeling for earrings that aren’t there. “Was it the armatization? Maybe we should try it again!” 

“Sorey, I don’t think—” 

“Luzrov Rulay!” 

Nothing happened. 

“Uh.” Sorey can feel the blood drain from his face. “Why didn’t that work?” 

“I’m not the Shepherd, Sorey. I don’t think that would work when you’re in my body.” Mikleo frowns, crossing his arms. 

“Yeah, that does make sense. Maybe it would work if you try it?” 

Mikleo shifts his weight as he thinks, pondering the idea. “I don’t think it will work...but I guess it won’t hurt to try. It just seems weird.” He laughs lightly, before turning to Sorey. “Luzrov Rulay!” 

Mikleo’s words echo in the air, and they stand unmoving, staring at each other. Mikleo lets out a sigh, before shaking his head. “Luzrov Rulay is my true name. I really didn’t think it would work, even though you’re in my body. It probably has something to do with those ruins.”

“And we can’t get back to them. Not without armatizing.” Sorey sighs. “I guess we can head back? Maybe Lailah will know — ”

“No!” Mikleo flushes, realizing he had risen his voice, “I think it’s best we don’t tell anyone and try to figure it out ourselves. Besides, we’d never hear the end of it. Just imagine the teasing…” Mikleo sighs, already feeling the press of Edna’s umbrella to his side, “we weren’t supposed to come here in the first place. It’d probably be better if they don’t find out we were here. We don’t want them to ban us from going to any more ruins.” Sorey nods thoughtfully to his friends words as Mikleo continues, “We’ll just have to uh...pretend to be each other? For a bit. I’d rather we figure it out before we tell anyone.”

Sorey ponders Mikleo’s words for a moment longer before nodding. “Okay, that’s fine. If that’s the case, we’ll want to avoid leaving the town until we figure this out...if we get into a fight, and suddenly ‘I’,” Sorey uses finger quotes, “cant armatize. That would give us away” 

“Okay. Just...don’t mess this up.”

Sorey grins, and Mikleo can’t help but scrunch his nose up at the look on his own face, “Got it!”

By the time Sorey and Mikleo get back to the town, the sun had long set. They both look and feel tired, not used to being in each other’s body. 

“Lords, Sorey.” Mikleo mumbles, keeping his voice low as they enter the inn, “How do you walk in these boots? They’re so…heavy. And uncomfortable.”

Sorey can’t help but laugh, reaching up to press a hand to Mikleo’s shoulder, patting gently. “I’ve worn them all my life. I’m used to them.” 

Both of them freeze. As they enter the inn, they spot Lailah sitting at an empty table, a smile on her face as she waits. 

“Sorey! Mikleo! You’re back!” Lailah stands and walks over, her eyes sparkling, “Were you able to find the ruins you were looking for?” 

“O-Oh, yeah!” Sorey laughs, lifting a hand to rub the back of his neck. He stops abruptly and drops his hands, instantly realizing his mistake. “Uh.” 

Lailah’s smile widens slightly, and she tilts her head, “Even though we all agreed you’d be staying at the inn?” Both boys cringe at the wave of irritation that flows from Lailah, suddenly feeling as if they had stirred up a hornet's nest. 

Mikleo forces a laugh, realizing immediately how bad he sounds. “I’m sorry, Lailah. I know you told us not to go, but we couldn’t help ourselves. It was really interesting! Sor-Mikleo and I were just discussing what we found and how we wanted to look into it more!” He idly wonders how Sorey can keep up such a cheerful demeanor. 

“Right!” Sorey clears his throat, pressing his knuckle against his lips lightly. “We were thinking it’d be nice to spend some time with some books, looking into it more.” 

Lailah raises her eyebrows, looking a little surprised, as if she couldn’t believe they’d ask to stay longer after sneaking out. She presses a closed fist to her lips, thinking. “It is late, and we were planning to stay the night already... I suppose you can spend tomorrow researching, since it’s impossible to stop you. We can leave the next morning.”

Mikleo nods, flashing an obviously nervous smile. “Sounds good.”

“Sorey, please go let the innkeeper know we’ll be staying an extra day.” Lailah turns and takes a few steps away, before pausing. “There’s a bath down to the left. Since you’ve spent the day exploring, I’m sure you’ll both feel the need to use it.” With that, she goes back to the chair she’d been sitting in. 

Mikleo turns to Sorey and shoots him a look filled with panic. “I...she wants me to talk to the innkeeper? But...that. I’ve never…Only Alisha, and Rose...” 

Sorey reaches over and rubs his hand against Mikleo’s back. “Don’t worry, I’ll come with you. I guess since he won't be able to see me, I can tell you what to say.” 

Mikleo nods, taking a breath. “Okay...sure.” 

He turns, making his way over toward the innkeeper. 

The man looks up as Mikleo approaches. He grins, thumping his hand on the desk. “The Shepherd! How can I help?”

“Uh.” Mikleo nervously fiddles, pressing his fingers together. He looks over to Sorey, who gives him a reassuring smile, and takes a deep breath. “We wanted to extend our stay by an extra day.”

“Sure thing.” The man writes it down. “Just see me when you’re ready to checkout and pay.”

“Thank you.” Mikleo nods and turns to Sorey, who gives him a thumbs up. 

“Let’s go have that bath? We can relax and have some time to think.”

Mikleo hums in agreement, following behind Sorey, who leads the way toward the hall Lailah had motioned to previously. Finding the room with the bath is easy and luckily, it’s empty. 

Sorey sighs in relief and runs his hand through his hair before stretching.  “I can’t wait to get washed up!” 

Mikleo gives Sorey an odd look, eyebrows raising. 

“Oh! Uh, that’s not to say I’m excited to bathe in your body or anything like that. Or that you stink or uh…” Sorey lets out a nervous laugh and rubs at his arm, mentally kicking himself for speaking without thinking. 

Mikleo can’t help but laugh, rolling his eyes in amusement. “Jeez, Sorey...Don’t go losing your head over something like this.”

Sorey laughs, rubbing at the back of his head. He’s relieved Mikleo didn’t take any offense. 

Mikleo smiles, reaching up to play with the feathers attached to the earrings on his ears. He gently runs his thumbs against them, idly wondering what it would feel like to do this in his own body. 

Sorey steps close, and for a moment Mikleo is surprised. The look on Sorey’s face—on his own face—is amusement. Mikleo knows he’s probably shown this facial expression before, but seeing it, knowing it’s Sorey...it seems different. Even in someone else’s body, Sorey still shines through. 

“You can leave those, if you want.” Sorey reaches up and unbuckles one of the belts on Mikleo’s sleeve. “Undoing these like this loosens the belt. It’ll make it easier to come off.” 

Mikleo huffs, letting his hands drop. “I think I can figure out getting undressed, Sorey.” 

Sorey can’t help but laugh. “I know, I know. Just making sure you know the shortcuts.” He sticks his tongue out playfully, then ducks into one of the changing rooms. “I don’t know about you, but after all this, I’m pretty tired.” 

Mikleo nods, humming in response. He follows Sorey’s lead and goes into one of the changing rooms beside Sorey’s. He removes the Shepherd cloak and sets it down before moving to start undoing some of the buttons on his shirt. Then he freezes, suddenly realizing what he’s doing. 

This isn’t his body, and the idea of undressing Sorey makes his face flush. For as long as he can remember, he has always been with Sorey, which included bathing together as children, among other things. But over the years, an unspoken need for privacy had grown between them, as had Mikleo’s affections for Sorey, both of which only served to make his thoughts on their current situation...confusing. 

“Uh...Hey, Mikleo?” The sound of his own voice surprises him, breaking his focus. “Is this...okay?” 

Mikleo stares at the wall, imagining the look on Sorey’s face. “Is...what okay?”

“This. Us...changing. This is still your body. I just...It doesn’t feel right doing this without permission.”

Mikleo laughs and can’t stop himself from pressing his fingers to his lips. In that moment, he suddenly realizes how much bigger Sorey’s hands are than his. He can’t help but wonder exactly how much bigger they were, what it would feel like to press their hands together simply to measure the difference. He smiles at the thought before pulling his head away from the wall. 

“I was just thinking the same thing, to be honest.” 

There’s a laugh from Sorey, and then the curtain beside Mikleo shifts, Sorey suddenly appearing there. He grins, and it shocks Mikleo. He’ll never get used to seeing such a Sorey expression on his own face. 

“This really shouldn’t be too awkward; we used to bathe together all the time as kids, right?” 

Mikleo can feel his face flush at the memory, at the very idea of bathing together now. He lets out a nervous laugh. “That’s true. It’s nothing unusual?” 

“Right! And it’s not like we’re doing anything inappropriate!” Sorey laughs, then realizes what he suggested. “Ah…” 

Mikleo chokes, turning his face away as his flush deepens. “The steam might be getting to your head…” His voice is low enough that Sorey can’t hear him. 

“What was that?” Sorey looks rather innocent, reaching out to poke lightly at Mikleo’s sides, causing Mikleo to gasp at how sensitive Sorey’s sides were. “Hmm…?” He grins, “Is being the ‘valiant shepherd’ intimidating to you?” 

Mikelo shoots Sorey a look, eyebrows raised. “The steam really has gotten to your head!” He gently swats Sorey against the head, “We haven’t even gotten into the baths yet!” 

Sorey laughs before ducking backwards behind the curtain. “Hey! It’s nothing like that at all!” He darts forward again and grabs Mikleo’s sides. Mikleo lets out a shriek of laughter, trying to pull away from Sorey, his hands coming down to grab at Sorey’s wrists. 

They both slide down the wall in a fit of laughter and limbs, Sorey leaning over Mikleo, his head falling on his shoulder as they stop to catch their breath. 

“Just like when we were kids, huh.” Sorey pulls away, drawing back onto the balls of his feet. He lifts his arm and holds his fist out to Mikleo. Mikleo smiles and returns the gesture, their wrists coming to meet in the air. 

“All right!” Sorey pulls away and moves to stand. “Time for a bath!” 

They both wrapped towels around their waists, leaving their clothing folded neatly by the changing area. Sorey slips into the water first, leaving his towel beside the bath. He leans back, enjoying the water as Mikleo comes to sit beside him. 

Mikleo closes his eyes, letting his body relax in the warm water. 

“So what’s the plan?” 

Mikleo hums in response. “We should start by finding out what the ‘Oath’ is. After that...well, it really depends on that information. We can’t do anything until tomorrow, so can we not worry about it for now?” 

“That’s true! Let’s just relax here for now and get to bed. I think I might fall asleep in here if we stay too long.” 

Mikleo can’t help but let out a laugh. “Sounds good. Can’t have you drowning here, now can we?” He lets himself relax into the water and as he does, he realizes how different the water feels. He feels strange to be submerged in his element and not feel his connection to it. He lifts his hand, placing it against the surface of the water. He can see the water brushing against the tanned skin of Sorey’s hand. and wonders idly if Sorey has even noticed the difference. 

Beside him, Sorey has noticed and is trying and failing to play with the water. His nose is scrunched up in concentration as he tries to get the water to move to his command. 

“This is...kind of like controlling it with the armatus.” Mikleo jumps as water splashes him. He looks over at Sorey, who is still trying to figure out what he’s doing. “But usually you’re the one who handles the artes when we do that. I had no idea how difficult this is.” 

Mikleo laughs. Of course Sorey would notice. “It took me years of practice to get the hang of it, Sorey.” 

“Well I know that. I was just hoping to get it to move. Just a little.” He pouts for a moment, before twisting his wrist and splashing some water at Mikleo. “I’m gonna go get dressed. I said I was tired, but you look exhausted.”

Exhausted is an understatement. He’d grown up knowing Sorey needed sleep, but had no idea how tired a human body could get. Mikleo can hear Sorey get out of the water and licks his lips idly, surprised by how chapped they are. Another thing he’d never felt before, in his own body. He reaches up and runs his fingers along them wondering if it would be weird to keep touching them. It’s an uncomfortable feeling, like they might pull and crack. Maybe when he’s back in his own body he can heal them for Sorey. As a water seraph, it wouldn’t be too much trouble. 

Just the smallest contact of their lips could heal it, and— 

Mikleo jerks from where he’s sitting, face red. The last thing he intends to think about is the possibility of kissing Sorey to heal him, especially while he’s in Sorey’s body. It’s beyond inappropriate. And Sorey’s body seems to react differently than his.  He runs a hand through his hair, his eyes wide with shock. That...that’s too much. 

Maybe it’s best he leave the water...the heat is probably getting to his head. 

Sorey watches Mikleo from the doorway for a moment, letting out a laugh when Mikleo jumps in the water. He can’t help the smile that spreads on his face before he walks into the other room. He grabs his clothes, and walks back into a dressing room. It doesn’t take him long to get dried off and dressed. He frowns, finding his clothes to be a little baggier than they should be. He takes a few steps out and pauses when he sees himself in the mirror, realizing he’s put on his own clothing. He stares at his reflection—at Mikleo’s form—and can’t help but think how absolutely adorable this looks on Mikleo. His own shirt is much too large for Mikleo, the sleeves falling past his fingers, and just...hanging from his body. He can feel heat rise to his face, and he thinks how he’d like to see Mikleo wearing his shirt when he’s back in his own body. 

There’s a laugh at the door, and Sorey turns to find Mikleo standing here. He has his hand pressed to his mouth in amusement. “Did you forget you aren’t in your own body?” 

“Maybe. Did say I was tired, didn’t I?” Sorey rubs at the back of his head in embarrassment. For a moment, he feels like he’s been caught doing something he shouldn't. He hopes Mikleo can’t see how red his face has become. Sorey coughs lightly, as if doing so will wash away what he was feeling. “Give me a moment. I’ll change back.”

Only ten minutes later, they finally go back to their room. Mikleo sighs when he sees there is only one bed; and a small one at that. Sorey wastes no time falling across it. “It’s been a long day…we should just sleep.”

Mikleo nods and silently walks to the bed and sits down. Tiredness has crept up on him, and now all he wants to do is sleep. Sorey takes one look at him from his position on the bed and sits up. “Shoes off, Mikleo. You should be able to take the cloak and that one top off and sleep comfortably.”

Mikleo nods and does as Sorey suggests, removing articles of clothing. Sorey does the same, getting up to find the extra clothing Mikleo packs for sleeping on the rare chance he uses a bed. Once he’s got them on, he walks back to the bed to find Mikleo staring blankly in his direction, his eyes half-lidded. Sorey has to stifle a laugh, amused at how tired Mikleo seems. He can’t remember the last time he saw him like this. 

“I...guess I can’t materialize into you tonight, huh…” Mikleo’s voice slow with the need to sleep. “Lords, why am I so tired.” 

Sorey playfully ruffles Mikleo’s hair, pushing him gently towards the bed. “Well, I’m guessing being in a human body is quite different than being in a seraph’s! We did do a lot today.” He pauses. “Also I have no idea how I would materialize into you so uh...I guess we can share the bed?” 

Mikleo smiles, letting Sorey lead him towards the bed—not that they were far from it. “We’re doing a lot of things we did when we were kids today, it seems…” 

“I don’t think this is anything like when we were kids, though.” Sorey laughs, the sound gentle, as he reaches down and moves the covers. “Here Mikleo, get in. Get comfortable.”

Mikleo blinks at Sorey before moving and climbing under the covers. Sorey nods once and tucks Mikleo snugly into the blankets before moving to the other side of the bed, crawling in, and letting his back press up against Mikleo’s. He can feel his own heart beating in his chest and wonders idly if Mikleo feels the same way he does. It isn’t anything like when they were kids, now that he cares so much for his friend, wants to hold him close, wants to kiss him—Sorey shakes the thought from his head in shock. This really isn’t the time for those thoughts, not when he’s in bed with the object of his affections. 

Mikleo turns slightly, his shoulder pressing against Sorey’s. “Are you okay…?” He gulps, realizing just how close they were in the bed. 

“Y-Yeah. Sorry, Mikleo. You just sleep, okay? Nothing to worry about.”

Mikleo hums in response, briefly inclined to pursue the conversation. But sleep is already settling in his bones, overriding any thoughts of saying more. He lets his body roll back over, relaxing into the pillow. “G’night…” His voice is muffled by the pillow and Sorey laughs again, some of the tension leaving his body. 

“Goodnight, Mikleo. Sleep well.”

The next morning, as Mikleo drifts into wakefulness, there’s a weight around his waist he doesn’t recognize. He blinks a few times and twists around, only to come face to face with himself. Memories from the day before wash over him and he realizes it’s just Sorey. While they had slept, Sorey had wrapped his arms around Mikleo, pulling him close and snuggling into his back. 

There’s a moment where Sorey stops moving right before he shifts, blinking sleepily up at his friend. Suddenly Sorey lets out a loud yelp and jerks back, away from Mikleo. Then his fingers reach out, grasping at Mikleo’s arms, and Mikleo watches in stunned silence as the Shepherd falls off the bed. 

Mikleo leans forward, peering at where Sorey had fallen to the floor. His friend grins up at him sheepishly, reaching up to curling his fingers around the sheets so he could pull himself off his butt and crawl back onto the bed. 

Sorey flops onto his stomach once he’s safe and lets out a nervous laugh. “S-Sorry about that Mikleo! I really wasn’t expecting, well...that?” 

Mikleo makes a strangled noise in response; he still can’t wrap his head around the fact that he woke up in Sorey’s arms. He rolls back over, trying to hide his burning face in his pillow. 

“Guess we’re still like this, huh…” Sorey rubs the back of his head, glad Mikleo turned away so he can’t see how quickly his face is flushing. He hadn’t expected to wake up holding his best friend like a lover, especially considering it’s more like he woke up holding himself. He turns and slips out of bed, stretching. “We should get going on our research. Don’t have all day, right?” 

Mikleo nods and sits up, rubbing at his head. Waking up in Sorey’s body is different than his own. He feels groggy, as if he could fall right back asleep. He sits there rubbing the sleep from his eyes as Sorey dresses. 

“Here; some fresh clothing.” 

Mikleo jumps in surprise as Sorey comes into view, offering him a bundle of clothing. He takes them sheepishly—since when is he this skittish?—and starts changing as Sorey finishes getting ready. 

Once they’re both dressed and ready, Sorey leads the way down the stairs and into the main lobby where Lailah is sitting at a table, sipping tea. 

“Good morning!” She smiles, peering at them both curiously. “Sleep well?” Her eyes trail over towards Sorey, “You slept longer today than usual, Mikleo.” 

Having her attention on him makes it easier for Sorey to respond right away. He laughs lightly, lifting one arm towards the back of his head. He stops midway and drops his arm. “I guess I needed it?” 

Lailah peers between the two of them, taking another sip of her tea. “Perhaps it would have been wise to stay here yesterday instead of going off.”

Both Sorey and Mikleo share a look, smiling nervously. Perhaps if they hadn’t gone they wouldn’t have wound up in each others bodies. But there’s no going back now. Mikleo shrugs, coughing slightly. “It, ah, was still worth it. We enjoyed ourselves...and there’s still lots to learn.” He smiles fondly, eyes moving over to Sorey. 

Lailah smiles, a knowing look appearing on her features. “I see. That’s understandable. I suppose you’re off to do some research then?” 

“You bet!” Sorey coughs, realizing immediately he’s much too loud to be Mikleo. 

Mikleo fights the urge to roll his eyes and lifts a hand, placing it on Sorey’s shoulder. “We should, ah...get to it then, right, Sor-Mikleo?” 

Sorey nods, a squeaky laugh leaving him. “Yeah! So...until later, Lailah?” 

Lailah waves them off. “Enjoy your books, you two.”

Sorey pushes his hair from his face, putting the book he’d been reading down. “I feel like I’m getting nowhere with this. I’ve been checking it against the Celestial Record too, and there’s nothing here about Oaths.” 

“I’ve found some about the kind of Oath Lailah has for her power of purification, but there isn’t anything else.” Mikleo sighs. He’s playing with the feathers on one of his ears again, eyes focused on the book before him. 

Sorey can’t help but stare at Mikleo as he reads, unable to tear his gaze away. It’s endearing that, despite being in his body, the concentrated look on his face still has the same charm to it. 

Mikleo shifts, glancing up for a moment and pauses. “What’s with that look?”

Sorey blinks in surprise, not realizing that he’s smiling at Mikleo as he watches him. 

“O-Oh. Nothing. I was just zoning out, I guess…” 

Mikleo frowns, opening his mouth to say something just as there’s a knock at the door. Lailah and Zaveid enter, followed by Edna. 

“Having fun?” Zaveid grins and throws his arm around Mikleo’s shoulder. “You’ve been cooped up in here for hours. We wondered how you were doing.”

Mikleo freezes, not completely used to Zaveid getting so close. “U-uh, well we really haven’t gotten anywhere, to be honest.” 

Sorey makes a face, nodding in agreement. “We’ve been researching and seeing if anything ties to the Celestial Record but haven’t found anything at all.” He sighs. 

“What are you looking up?” Lailah smiles softly, leaning against the table. 

“Oaths.” They respond in unison, prompting a chorus of knowing whistles in response. 

Sorey frowns and looks between the other three seraphim in the room. “Oh?” 

“That place you found, what did it look like?” Zaveid leans closer to Mikleo, making him jump. 

“Uh. A hallway...it lead to a big room? There was a mural there and writing on the wall.”

“The writing was hard to read though. All we got out of it was ‘oath’.” Sorey frowns, rubbing at the back of his neck. “We were trying to find out what it meant — ow!” 

Edna shoves her umbrella further into Sorey’s side, shaking her head. “You won't find anything about that in a book, Meebo.” 

Sorey rubs at his side and stares at Edna. “What do you mean by that?” 

“That’s information exclusively for seraphim. You won't find anything on it in a book written by humans.” Zaveid tilts his hat slightly, then pulls away from Mikleo. “It’s been years since I thought about those. The last time they were used was probably...hmm, around the last time I saw Eizen, if I’m recalling correctly.” 

“Mm.” Edna nods in agreement. “I remember him mentioning passing one in his journeys...it’s been so long, I barely remember they existed.”

Lailah tilts her head, deep in thought. “I know what you’re talking about, but could you be a little more clearer?” She smiles. “I think you have all the attention of these two boys here too.”

It’s true—both Sorey and Mikleo watched Edna and Zaveid speak with rapt attention. 

“It’s something sacred to seraphim, a place they could go and...” Zaveid pauses, looking thoughtful. “The closest thing to it would be something like marriage...but it’s also nothing like that.” 

“What…?” Both Sorey and Mikleo share a confused look. 

Edna rolls her eyes. “It's more of a Vow, not an Oath. Basically, two seraphim would share their true names with each other, to prove their love. Some kind of ritual; quite romantic, if I recall. It’s not something that’s been done in years, though.” 

“Last I heard, they cut off all entrances to those places...how did you even get there?” Zaveid peers between the two, looking suspicious.

Sorey isn’t fully listening to Zavied anymore, his eyes having gone wide as he looks over at Mikleo, “We armatized — but did you hear that? I was right! There is a deeper bond there!”

Mikleo rolls his eyes, shaking his head. “The inscriptions were so worn, there was no way to tell.” He can’t help but pout slightly. 

Sorey stares for a moment, caught up in how cute Mikleo looks. As soon as he realizes what he’s thinking about, a blush spreads over his cheeks. He shakes the thoughts from his head, bringing back to the topic at hand. “Why would they have built such an elaborate and well-hidden place for anything...how did you put it? ‘Casual’?” 

Mikleo bristles at Sorey’s words, eyes narrowing. “I didn’t want to make any baseless assumptions, not without hard evidence.” 

“If you used your imagination, perhaps you’d be able to see more possibilities. Not just narrow it down to one thing.” 

“There was nothing there to support your romantic ideals. Your imagination runs wild sometimes and you see things that aren’t really there.” 

“I guess you have a point, but that’s the beauty of not knowing. You can imagine what could have been and work from there. Much of history is educated guessing.” 

Zaveid lets out a laugh, interrupting the debate. He claps one of his hands down on Mikleo’s shoulder. “Looks like Meebo wins this round, kid.” 

Sorey blinks in confusion a few times, before recalling he’s supposed to be Meebo. Realization of the situation washes over him, and he jumps to his feet. In the moment, distracted by their debate, he had forgotten they were swapped. It made his face flush to realize he’s starting to look bad. And Sorey sure doesn’t want that.

“Actually! It was really smart of Sorey to question that, though. It’s a valid point—plus if you hadn’t, we might never have found out what that place was!” 

Mikleo squints at Sorey, looking rather taken aback by the way their debate has suddenly shifted. 

“You’re always so patient and you think things through. I honestly don’t think I know anyone smarter.” 

Mikleo freezes at the words, not having expected Sorey to go off on this path. He purses his lips, peering suspiciously at his friend. “Maybe. What you figured out was still pretty amazing, though. I don’t think I could have found that out myself.” 

“You helped encourage the discovery by setting a goal for us so that the exploration had purpose! And you stayed by my side the whole way.” Sorey can’t help but pout lightly, appreciating the way Mikleo responds, shifting his gaze away, looking slightly flustered. His response woke something in Sorey, something he’d never felt before. In that moment he felt unguarded, bolder, like he could say anything at all to Mikleo. Maybe it’s because, in a way, he’s saying all these things to his own face. 

“Someone had to. It would have been difficult for you to go alone.” Mikleo still doesn’t face Sorey, but he glances towards him from the corner of his eye. He bites at his lip, turning his gaze towards the book before him. 

“It made me really happy that you decided to come along, too, Mi-Sorey. The fact we could share those moments together meant a lot.” Sorey scoots closer, his heart beating faster. He feels like he wants to say everything, and suddenly he realizes that he can. Bickering back and forth is fun, but being honest, telling Mikleo his true feelings...it’s all he’s ever wanted to do. Heart beating faster then he’s sure it ever has, Sorey leans closer pressing his shoulder against Mikleo’s. 

“So-Stop…” Mikleo can feel his face heat up. His gaze shifts to stare at Sorey, wishing the ground would swallow him up. Why would he choose embarrass him like this? 

Sorey smiles, earnestly, eyes focusing on Mikleo. Even with their bodies as they are now, he can still see his best friend in just the smallest movements. The way he stands, hand on his hip. Or even the way he covers his face with his fist, trying to hide his emotions. And the way his eyes light up with a well contained energy—they’re all Mikleo.

Zaveid lets out a laugh, shaking his head. “We’ll all just leave you two to it.” He turns and leaves the room, Lailah and Edna trailing behind him. Lailah stops and looks between Sorey and Mikleo, a thoughtful expression on her face, before she too exits the room. 

Mikleo waits until they’re gone before turning back to Sorey. “Why are you—” 

With the others gone, Sorey’s eyes flash, and he turns his attention back to Mikleo. “You’re probably the most intelligent person I know. You always take time to really think things through, and it amazes me on a daily basis. I’m always awestruck by how brilliant you are.”

“Sorey!” Mikleo looks rather flustered, lifting his hands to cover his face, “Please—” 

“I wish I could stay by your side all the time.” Sorey takes a deep breath, steeling his nerves. On a normal day he wouldn’t dream of saying any of this. “You make me so happy.” 

If it were any other time, Mikleo would be elated. These are the words he’d wish to hear more than any other. 

“Saying you’re my one and only doesn’t even begin to — ”

“STOP.” Mikleo stands, cutting Sorey off. He’s trembling slightly, raw emotion in his eyes. “Just...stop. Why...Is this some kind of joke to you?!”

Sorey stares in shock, not having expected such a response, especially when he’s finally saying things he’s been holding back for so long. “Mikleo — ”

The look of pure heartbreak on Mikleo’s face stops Sorey’s words in his throat. It’s an expression he’s never seen on Mikleo, one he’s never even thought he was capable of making, one he doesn’t know how to respond to or make better. It freezes him in place, unable to bridge the gap between them, and he’s helpless to stop Mikleo as he turns and runs out the door.

Mikleo rushes past Lailah, who is sitting in the main lobby of the inn. She peers at Mikleo, worry on her face. He runs through the lobby and into the hall that leads to the rooms they were using. 

She waits a moment before getting up and walking back toward the room where Sorey is. She enters silently, pausing when she spots Sorey sitting hunched over, head in his hands. 

“Did something happen?” She smiles lightly, taking a seat across from him. 

Sorey jumps and looks up at Lailah. His lips part in surprise and he winces. “I guess you could say that. I finally had the courage to say some things, and I guess I just chose the worst time to confess.” Sorey slumps, looking downcast. “I probably should have waited. But…” He lets out a small, sad laugh. “I just couldn’t hold back anymore. I wanted to be honest, and this happened…” 

“He means more to you then anything, doesn’t he?” Sorey nods, words failing him. “Did you ever think maybe he feels the same way?” 

Sorey’s eyes widen, and he stares, her words running circles in his mind.

 “Maybe your words scared him because they brought his own emotions to the surface. They were what he wanted to hear, but he didn’t expect them.”

“I...I guess I’d feel the same.”

Lailah laughs, “Emotions are silly, huh? Although I do suppose he could think you were making fun of him.”

“I never intended for that.” Sorey’s face flushes, and he jumps to his feet. “He’s always known any teasing from me was done in good faith...I truly, honestly care for him.”

She laughs. “It’s simply a thought. Maybe it’s time you really did speak with him and have a proper heart to heart...let him really know your feelings.”

Sorey nods once, his face growing determined. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. Thank you, Lailah. I’ll go look for him.” 

She smiles, nodding as Sorey makes his way out of the room. He’s out the door before she speaks again. 

“Good luck, Sorey.”

Mikleo stares at himself—at Sorey—in the mirror. Mikleo can feel a range emotions of inside him; he feels hurt and ashamed for lashing back at Sorey so fiercely, yet he can't help the curling, heavy energy of desire welling up within him either. However much he wishes for Sorey's words to be true, Sorey had said them in such a joking manner. It’s mortifying, and it doesn’t help that it’s like Mikleo himself had been the one saying such things, not Sorey. 

They’re words Mikleo has wanted to hear from Sorey more than anything else. He feels like he’s waited years, and now suddenly… 

Mikleo jerks his head up, looking into Sorey’s green eyes. His lips part, and he considers what he’s going to do. He gulps and opens his mouth. 

“I love you, Mikleo.” 

Sorey’s voice, saying those words... 

Mikleo closes his eyes, tears pricking at them. He feels like his heart is in his throat, and he presses a hand to his lips. 

What a fool. Mikleo knows he’ll never hear those words, and saying it himself just broke his heart more. He knows Sorey loves him but...not like that. 

Mikleo turns and walks to the bed, falling on it. All he wants to do is curl up and let himself cry. 

But if he cried, Sorey would be able to tell. After all, it Is his body. Mikleo curls in on himself, and takes a breath. Nothing can stop the few tears that do escape. 

Sorey slips silently into the room and immediately spots Mikleo. He closes the distance between them in a moment, crawling onto the bed. Mikleo reacts immediately to Sorey’s sudden presence, rolling onto his side, one hand coming up to wipe at his face. 

Sorey is gentle as he works his way over to where Mikleo lay, partially curled on the bed. “Hey Mikleo, are you okay…?” Sorey brushes his fingers feather-light against Mikleo’s face. He frowns, feeling the dampness on his skin from the tears that ran down Mikleo’s cheeks. 

Mikleo jumps at the touch on his face. He moves to pull away, which causes Sorey to lose his balance, falling forward. Sorey barely catches himself, his arms boxing Mikleo in, holding them only a few inches apart. Mikleo blinks in surprise, finding himself in a sort of embrace. 

Sorey laughs nervously, not having expected to find himself in the position he’s currently in. Not that he minded it. Every fiber of his being screams at him to pull Mikleo closer and just hold him. Instead, he shifts his hand and gently brushes the hair from his forehead, resisting the urge to press a soft, comforting kiss there. 

Mikleo gasps in surprise, eyes going wide. “Sorey…?” He lifts a hand and wipes at the wetness of his face. 

Sorey smiles lightly, sadness playing in his eyes. “Are these tears because of me? I’m sorry, Mikleo.” 

Mikleo goes to shake his head in response but stops when his head runs into Sorey’s shoulder. “Ah, no. It’s my own fault, I…” Mikleo pauses, realizing he isn’t sure how to explain what he had been doing, why he had been crying...His heart races in his chest as it dawns on him how close they are. If Sorey shifts down just enough, their lips would meet. Mikleo gasps at the thought, squeezing his eyes shut. Since he had found himself in Sorey’s body, these thoughts have been coming to him more often than he’s used to. 

He wonders how often Sorey thinks about these things. 

Sorey is staring earnestly at Mikleo, his hair hanging around his face. Mikleo can’t help but stare back. Even though it’s his own face looking down at him, he’s mesmerized by Sorey’s expression. 

“You can talk to me, you know,” Sorey says. He shifts his hand against Mikleo’s face and cups his cheek. “I’m here for you.” 

Mikleo curls his fingers around Sorey’s, shaking his head. “It’s okay, Sorey. I’m okay. Sorry…” 

Mikleo’s downcast eyes play with Sorey’s heart strings. He gently rubs his thumb in circles against Mikleo’s cheek. “Mikleo, you don’t have to push yourself. We’re in this together. We always have been.” 

“I know.” Mikleo’s voice is soft. He shifts, pressing his face closer into Sorey’s hand. It’s been so long since they had a moment like this that Mikleo almost forgot how nice it is, how much he enjoys just being with Sorey. He lets his eyes fall closed, relaxing for the first time since their bodies had swapped. 

They stay like that for a moment longer before Sorey lets out a nervous cough. “Hey, uh, Mikleo?” 

Mikleo hums, his eyes fluttering open. He gasps, his lips parting slightly at the expression coming from his own face. He can’t remember the last time he’d seen him so serious—determination dancing in his eyes. 

“S-Sorey?” 

“All the things I said…” Sorey takes a deep breath, a flush spreading over his cheeks. “I really meant them.”

“You...” Mikleo blinks and pushes gently at Sorey’s chest, urging him to sit up. The distance between them stays the same, with Mikleo nearly sitting in Sorey’s lap. One of Sorey’s arms snakes around his side, pulling him close so their chests meet. Mikleo gasps, and Sorey brings his other hand up to cup Mikleo’s cheek again. 

“I do think you’re amazing. Smart, talented...and you keep me in check.” 

Mikleo sucks in a breath, eyes going wide. He feels like the ground beneath him was suddenly ripped away, Sorey the only thing keeping him up. He’s sure at this point his face is completely red. Mikleo opens and closes his mouth a few times, before taking a small breath to steady his racing heart. “You’re—” There’s a small pause, “—not that bad.” He lifts a hand, covering his mouth with it as he glances away. 

Sorey gently rubs his hand along Mikleo’s side and leans forward slightly, carefully studying Mikleo’s expression. On his tanned skin, it's nearly impossible to see, but since it is his own skin, Sorey can see the flush as plain as day. He leans forward, pressing his forehead to Mikleo’s. 

“Yeah, but you’re still the only one who really understands. The only one who’s always just been here.” He bites down on his lip, starting to grow nervous. He knows above all else he can trust Mikleo, but he can’t help but worry he’ll say the wrong thing. 

Mikleo smiles as the realization of what is truly happening settles on him, and suddenly everything feels right. “It’s admirable how you work so hard, Sorey. I can barely keep up with your energy and optimism. It’s what I admire most about you.” 

“I’ve never worked anywhere near as hard as you.” Sorey frowns, his response coming naturally. He wonders why he was worried—with Mikleo he can always be open, and honest.   “We always did everything together, and yet you still had time to learn artes. And…” He shifts, eyes flicking away from Mikleo for a moment, before going back to meet his eyes. “The way you look when you use them...I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more beautiful. I’m honored I get the chance to use them with you when we armatize.” Sorey’s face burns as he admits this. 

“S-Sorey…” He just wants to reach out and pull Sorey closer and kiss him. He lets out a strangled noise and pulls back and moves to let his head drop onto Sorey’s shoulder instead. He sits like that for a moment, considering his words. “I was just trying to keep up with you. I was always watching you.” 

Sorey wraps his arm tighter around Mikelo, letting his own head rest against Mikleo’s. “I guess that makes the two of us, huh?”

They both share a moment of laughter before falling into a comfortable silence. They’re reminded of all the times they spent together in the past as children, that even when things grew awkward, as long as they were together and took the time to talk it out, it would always be okay. 

“You know,” Mikleo muses, voice soft, “I think I kind of understand what you meant when you interpreted those carvings…” 

“Oh..?” Sorey’s eyes flick towards Mikleo. He idly wonders how it would feel to hold Mikleo like this in his own body, Mikleo being much smaller than him. 

Mikleo hums, “I mean...after all, I did trust my true name to you years ago with similar intentions.” 

Sorey freezes at Mikleo’s words, the implications dawning on him. 

There’s a nervousness, a feeling of something eating away at his stomach as he waits for Sorey’s response. He feels Sorey move back, his warmth leaving. Mikleo doesn’t want to move from where he’s found himself curled into Sorey, anxiety and fear of his reaction settling into him. 

“Mikleo.” Sorey carefully tilts Mikleo’s head back so he can look into his eyes.

 The look on Sorey’s face takes Mikleo’s breath away. His expression is full of adoration and love, and it feels like time stops as Mikleo realizes that the focus of those emotions is...him. 

He wonders how many times he’s looked at Sorey this way before. 

Sorey’s hand comes up to cup his cheek again and he’s leaning in towards Mikleo, slowly closing the distance between them. Mikleo finds himself moving in to meet Sorey, lips parted in anticipation. 

“I wish I had a true name I could give you. So I could return those feelings in the same way.” Sorey whispers. His head tilts slightly, the distance between them almost gone. Mikleo’s eyes flutter closed, hearing Sorey’s words made him feel like he was floating. He feels the same. If he had a true name...a true name… 

Realization slams into Mikleo and he jerks back, eyes going wide. “That's it!” 

Sorey’s body tilts forward, and his head finds itself pressed into Mikleo’s chest. He pulls back, looking rather unamused at their moment getting interrupted. “What is it?” 

“The answer! It’s true names! We armatized using mine. I gave it to you, with those intentions…” 

Sorey’s eyes widen as he realizes what Mikleo is getting at. “Since I don’t have one, I never gave you mine. And since we were armatized...it has something to do with why we were changed!” 

“Do you think…” Mikleo hesitates, looking unsure as he realizes what he’s about to say. “If you did have one...if...maybe...” His face is red, and he takes a breath. “We might change back?” He realizes he’s avoiding saying the one thing that had come to mind. 

“Well...maybe? But…” Sorey frowns. He doesn’t have a true name, not like Mikleo, or any of the other seraphim in their party. 

“You gave both Alisha and Rose a true name...do you think…” Mikleo fidgets, reaching up to nervously tug at one of Sorey’s earrings. “What if...I gave you one?” He peers at Sorey through his eyelashes, waiting to see what kind of response this suggestion would get. 

Sorey stares at Mikleo, unreadable for a moment. Then pure joy spreads across his face. “Would you?! Really?” As he speaks, he reaches out and grasps Mikleo’s hands.

Mikleo nods, fingers tightening around Sorey’s. He leans forward, and after a brief moment of thought, leans forward, whispering into Sorey’s ear. 

Sorey shivers at the feel of Mikleo’s breath against his ear, his eyes falling closed. He opens his mouth, the only thing on his mind slipping out. “Luzrov Rulay…” 

There’s a moment where nothing happens, then they both gasp, feeling as if they’re suddenly plunged into water. It rushes over them as they cling to each other, and in that moment, all they know is that feeling. 

As quickly as it came, the feeling disappears. 

Mikleo opens his eyes and finds Sorey there, in his arms. Sorey is blinking at him, and as he slowly realizes he’s finally back in his own body, a look of amazement grows on his face. 

“It worked!” Sorey reaches up, curling his hands around Mikleo’s face, “And you! You...!”

He wastes no time and pulls Mikleo to him, crushing him in a hug. Mikleo lets out a laugh, and moves his own arms around Sorey, holding him close.

 They sit like that, embracing each other for awhile. Mikleo’s stomach is doing flips. He can’t believe it worked. He can’t believe Sorey fully accepted a name he gave him as his own. It somehow felt like they had taken their relationship to a whole new level.

The fact that just moments ago they’d been on the verge of kissing....Mikleo pulls back and feels Sorey do the same. Sorey’s entire face has gone red, to the tips of his ears and down the back of his neck. He looks nervous, fingers curled into Mikleo’s upper arms, where he had grabbed him. His hands are shaking, and he stutters unintelligibly.  

Mikleo lets out a small nervous laugh and reaches up, gently catching one of Sorey’s feather earrings in his fingers. “Sorey…” After finally confessing, after holding back for so long, Mikleo finds he isn’t nervous. Rather, he decides to do something that before now he wouldn’t dream of. “You really should take better care of yourself. I couldn’t help but notice how chapped your lips are.” His eyes flick down to Sorey’s lips, then back up. 

Sorey lets out a nervous laugh, eyes flicking closed for a moment. “O-oh, yeah...T-thanks.” He doesn’t understand why Mikleo decided to bring that up when they had something else to discuss looming over them, or why he suddenly has such a heated gaze on him. “Do you have any recommendations for—” 

Sorey’s words are cut off by Mikleo’s lips capturing his. There’s a moment when Sorey freezes, then he finds himself responding, kissing Mikleo back, his arms moving to circle his smaller frame. As he pulls him closer, Mikleo lifts his hands, pressing them against Sorey’s chest. Under the palm of his hand, he can feel Sorey’s heart racing. It beats just as fast as his, and knowing Sorey is just as affected sends thrills down his spine. 

Mikleo gasps, and Sorey takes advantage, deepening their kiss. Mikleo curls his fingers into Sorey’s shirt, shifting so the distance between them grows less. He’s thought about kissing Sorey many times before, and he can barely believe that this is happening. 

Sorey bites gently at Mikleo’s bottom lip, drawing his complete attention back to him. He gently runs his hands down Mikleo’s sides, enjoying the way he almost seems to squirm at the touch.

Then Sorey pulls away for a moment, stealing one more quick kiss before leaning back. He gazes into Mikleo’s eyes, hand cupping his face. “You’re so beautiful, you know that?” 

Mikleo’s flush deepens, and he lightly knocks his fist against Sorey’s chest. Sorey lets out a laugh and leans forward, capturing Mikleo’s lips in another kiss. Mikleo smiles against Sorey’s lips and draws close again, letting Sorey carefully shift his weight, bringing him down onto the bed. 

“Sorey—” Mikleo has only enough time to gasp out his name, before Sorey continues to kiss him. 

Sorey sits back, leaning over Mikleo. One of his arms is on the bed, curled around his head. He grins, before peppering kisses all over Mikleo’s face. Mikleo lets out a laugh, eyes flicking closed as Sorey trails upward, kissing his forehead, his eyelids, his cheeks—every possible place he can reach. Sorey gently nuzzles his face against Mikleo’s, before pulling him back into a kiss on the lips. “I love you, Mikleo.” 

Mikleo’s heart stops, mouth opening and closing as his words die in his throat. Sorey doesn’t need words to understand, though, finding shock and then joy in Mikleo’s eyes. He leans down and presses their lips together, pleased when Mikleo wraps his arms around him once more, pulling him close. 

The two are so wrapped up in each other, they don’t notice the knock at the door or Lailah entering the room. It isn’t until she lets out a small giggle that Sorey notices her standing there. He jerks away from Mikleo and falls backwards onto the bed. Mikleo sits up, face flushed. 

“Oh my~” Lailah giggles again, “I see you two managed to talk it out?” She pauses, giving them both a once over. “And...you changed back?” 

There’s a moment as her words settle in and then Sorey lets out a yell. “What do you mean!? How did you know?” 

“Well, I did feel something in our bond change. After that, watching you two...well, to be honest it wasn’t hard to pick up on.” She laughs, hooking her fingers together. “You didn’t do the most seamless job pretending to be the other. And then hearing about what you found, about the Oaths.” She pauses. “It made sense.” 

Mikleo flushes and shoots Sorey a look. “I bet it was all those compliments.” 

Lailah laughs in response, shaking her head. “I’m glad you were able to work things out, though.” She grabs the doorknob, pulling open the door. “I felt a ripple in our pact and I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I’ll let you two go...” She frowns, thinking of what words to use, “...back to what you were doing? Remember we’re heading out early in the morning.” She closes the door behind her as she finishes speaking, leaving the two alone.

Sorey lets out a weak laugh and scoots back across the bed towards Mikleo. He wraps his arms around him, nuzzling into his shoulder. Lailah knowing that they’d been swapped explained why she had come and spoken to him earlier, encouraging him to speak with Mikleo. 

Mikleo hums, melting into Sorey’s embrace. The fact that his feelings from all those years ago are no longer unrequited…Mikleo almost couldn’t believe it. He’s sure they have much to talk about now, but for the moment he’s content to just let Sorey hold him. 

Sorey bites lightly at the exposed skin at the back of Mikleo’s neck, breaking his train of thought. 

“Sorey!” 

Sorey laughs and tugs Mikleo close again. 

Mikleo pouts, one hand coming up to curl around Sorey’s hand. “I love you, Sorey.” 

Sorey smiles and cuddles back into Mikleo, squeezing him tightly. Mikleo laughs in response and squirms around in Sorey’s arms so he can face him again. He smiles at Sorey’s expression of unabashed adoration and leans forward, capturing Sorey’s lips in a chaste kiss. 

Sorey returns the kiss without pause, a grin appearing on his face as they pull apart. “If I’d have known this is how we would end up, I would have tried swapping bodies with you earlier.” 

A look of surprise crosses Mikleo’s face for a moment before he lets out a laugh. “You think so, huh?” He grins, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Unfortunately for you, I know all your weaknesses now.”

“Wha — ?” Sorey is cut off when Mikleo grabs at his sides, unable to resist a laugh as he wiggles away from Mikleo’s fingers, falling backwards on the bed. “You think that’s my number one weakness?” 

Mikleo moves onto Sorey, straddling his waist. He leans down, hands on either side of Sorey’s head. “Care to share, then?” 

Sorey’s grin is bright and cheeky. He curls his hand around the back of Mikleo’s neck, pulling him down for another kiss. 

“It’s you.” Sorey’s lips brush against Mikleo’s as he speaks, and he feels Mikleo’s lips part when he gasps. “Do you want to know what your weakness is, Mikleo?” 

Mikleo’s lips move against Sorey’s in a smile. “Oh? Do tell.” 

Sorey’s eyes slip closed, and he pulls Mikleo into another kiss, giving his answer.