Work Text:
Ser Ompagne readied himself, sword in position to strike, but did not move. He stared down the two young men as they slowly circled him. He watched as the Au Ra moved to his right, his eyes flickering for a moment to the smaller Hyur that had strafed behind him. He smiled at their signal to each other, and in a moment both charged simultaneously.
The larger man, not quite the height yet of his Elezen master, still had impressive reach and took a broad swing at his legs as he heard the distinctive sound of hard earth moving under the weight of a strong leap. A moment later an angry yell came from above, meant to distract him, but he was ready. Using the Au Ra’s overcommitment to the swing, he grabbed his arm and flung him in the other’s path. He easily sidestepped as the two crashed into each other, swords and armour clanging together with a screech as they tumbled to the ground.
A low, frustrated moan came from Fray as he clamoured off the chest of his companion, giving him a sharp punch in the shoulder that did not escape his master’s notice as Sid sat up, his face full of his own annoyance.
“You were too slow!” The Xaela grumbled at him.
“You were supposed to knock him off balance.” The shorter man spat back.
He chuckled as they bickered at each other. It was a rivalry he’d stoked between them for years now, since he’d taken them both as his apprentices, and one that never failed to drive them forward. At times he’d wondered if he was pushing them too far, but as Fray reached down a begrudging hand to help his fellow dark knight up, he knew the annoyance was already fading. He was also well aware that whatever remained of their frustration with each other would find another arena, as it so often did, after the veiled Coerthas sun had set and they huddled together in their tent.
He never begrudged them the activities they engaged in once he left them alone, even if they made their clumsy attempts to be covert about it. They were young men now, in their prime, with only each other and an old forgotten knight for company. He was happy they found comfort in each other, in whatever form it took. And if it helped to maintain this fragile relationship between them, he would continue to play the oblivious father figure.
While he had been musing, the two young men had found their feet and had taken up an attack posture again, though stood straight when Ser Ompagne raised his hand to beckon them to him.
“I’m afraid that must be the end of our training today, though you have both shown great improvement.” He leisurely walked towards them, ignoring the huff of indignation Sid gave at his praise. “As much as I would like to continue, we’ve had a request that requires us to return to Ishgard for the night.”
They both stiffened at his announcement, as he knew they would. Ishgard had always been a place of mixed emotions for them all. A lot of terrible memories, and yet none of them could wholly abandon it, for that’s not who they were. That was not their code. Still, he tried to keep them away from the city when he could, but it was never for long enough. In silence, they packed their meager belongings and broke camp.
Ishgard was a city of contradictions, and never was it more evident than in the lives of the noble Lords. A footman opened the door and beckoned the three of them in, paying little mind to the obviously out of place youths the elderly knight had in tow. The rooms they passed through were warm and well lit, giving no indication of the raging blizzard that had descended on the city in the last few hours, and though neither of them would admit it, they were glad to be indoors for the evening.
Their master introduced himself and his proteges to their host, though it was clear almost immediately that their presence was not desired. With far too much polite fanfare from the aristocrat and a stern nod from their master, they were ushered out of the room and towards the guest wing of the house. It felt as though they were walking through endless corridors, with nobody but the lone servant guiding them through the vast mansion. Fray thought he saw the light hair and curious face of a young Elezen girl peek out of a room to look at them as they passed, but when he turned she was gone.
The servant opened two doors next to each other, indicating that each was to be their respective rooms. They were large, with comfortable, inviting beds and fine furniture. They radiated warmth, the fireplaces having apparently been lit in anticipation for their arrival. At the servant’s beckoning, they each entered their rooms and with assurances that he would answer their call if they needed assistance, he bid them both a goodnight before he closed the doors and retreated back down the winding hallway.
Sidurgu paced his room, the finery only serving to make him feel more out of place with each passing moment. He hated being alone like this, in an unfamiliar place. Eventually, as the sun set and the fire grew low, it felt as though the only recourse was to pass the time with sleep and so settled into the soft bed.
It seemed he’d only barely closed his eyes when he heard the door open and even footsteps enter the room. He looked up, though was entirely unsurprised by the visitor, the smaller Hyur man’s frame outlined in the low light of the remaining embers. Silently, he shifted on the bed to make room as Fray climbed in next to him. Staring up at the ceiling with his hands under his head as Fray curled in on himself, wrapped in soft sheets. He knew he wasn’t the only one who disliked solitude.
It seemed, at first, that was to be the end of it and they would finally fall asleep when he heard a whisper beside him.
“Sid?” His voice was small, more fragile than usual. He had known Fray to get this way at times, but it reminded him of when they were boys, just newly taken in and getting anything from Fray but glares and the occasional angry outburst was a rare spectacle. Still, it had been some time since he’d heard such softness in his friend’s voice.
“Hm?” he responded, waiting for the real request, though it came with another lengthy pause.
“Tell me about your family.” Whatever Sid had been expecting Fray to say, it wasn’t that. It was not something he liked talking about and both of them knew it.
“I’ve already told you about them before,” He sighed. “They were killed by some bastard Temple Kni-”
“No.” Fray interrupted, turning now to look at Sid. “I know that part, but tell me about before all that. What were they like?” Sid looked down at him, unable to read his expression before closing his eyes.
“They were…nice. My father was stern, but had lines on his face from when he would smile. My mother used to sing every night, especially after we escaped the empire. Songs from her childhood, before the occupation and such things were banned.”
“Do you remember any of them? The songs?”
Sid reached back into his memory, to his mother holding him and singing. The notes were there, the sound of her voice, but it was clouded by distance and he couldn’t make out the melody.
“No.” He said simply, with a frown, and they lapsed again into silence and Fray once again turned away from him.
Though they would often go long periods of time without saying anything to each other, this time felt different, and Sid found the air growing heavier with awkwardness with each passing moment. He opened his mouth to speak, though not entirely sure what to say, when Fray spoke again.
“I hate it here. This city, this house, this bed. I grew up not far from here, but I was alone. I don’t have any memories of my parents, even faded ones. But I remember houses like this one and how they would push away kids like me if we got too close. I just want to get out of here.” Sid looked over and saw Fray curling up tighter around himself.
Once again at a loss for words, he did the first thing he could think of and turned to his side, putting his arm around his friend and pulling his back against him, letting his own body curve around the smaller man’s. Though Fray stiffened at the first contact, his muscles eventually relaxed into the Au Ra, allowing himself to be comforted.
Sid never entirely knew what to say in these moments of vulnerability. He had no practice with it, and often his attempts only ever made things worse. He would not deny that he cared for Fray. They were comrades, friends, lost orphans who relied on each other as much as their master, but he never could find adequate words to say it, so often he said nothing at all. It had been their way for years now, and he did not often give too much thought to trying to change it.
They lay there together, pressed against each other, for some time and for a moment Sid wondered if Fray had fallen asleep, but he slowly felt the other move against him, his hips pressing ever so slightly backwards into his. The first time it could be mistaken for mindless shifting, but again and again he felt the pressure against him, and his own body began to react.
He smiled to himself. This, at least, was something he knew. They often found their comfort this way, be it to release frustrations of the day or simply to sate a need, and when Sid slowly reached his hand down across Fray’s hips to his front, he was not surprised to find the other already growing hard. They needed no words between them, but the soft panting he could hear from the young man in front of him was all too familiar and all the invitation he needed.
He slipped his hand into Fray’s pants, wrapping his hand around the other’s cock and gave it some languid strokes as his hips thrust forward to meet the other’s movements back into him, his own arousal growing at the friction. The sheets rustled as they rocked into each other and their breath grew heavy.
Shuffling them both out of the linen pants they wore with very little grace, Sid settled his erection between Fray’s thighs, thrusting between them as the other squeezed his legs together. They both knew that if things were to progress further, they would need additional supplies, which Fray usually kept among his belongings, but this was not his room. Reaching blindly to the drawer of a table beside the bed, Fray fumbled around inside, and to both of their surprise pulled a small bottle of liquid out.
“It would seem these Lords truly do accommodate their guests.” Sid huffed, taking the bottle and pouring some of the slippery contents onto his fingers. His voice was low as he bent over Fray’s ear, easily reaching down and finding the tight circle of muscle between his cheeks and pressing his wet finger against it. With a low moan from Fray, it gave way and his finger slipped inside.
Fray himself reached back to stroke the other as he prepared him. Despite their frequent indulgences, there was no getting around the fact that the Au Ra was several feet larger than his Hyur companion and proportioned accordingly. One finger gave way to two, and soon three. Fray knew it likely still would not be enough, but found himself growing impatient, wanting nothing more than to lose himself to the feeling of fullness he’d soon experience and forget all else about their current sleeping arrangements.
Leaning back and pushing Sid’s shoulder with his own, he urged the Au Ra onto his back, pushing the blankets off them both as Fray turned to finally face his companion. The larger man’s face was flush with desire, green eyes wide as he stared while Fray took the bottle from him and poured some more of the liquid directly onto his waiting erection. The Hyur swung a leg over his hips, reaching his hand between his legs to rub the slick member against his entrance.
They both held their breath as the tip of his cock slid inside. Fray released a small hiss as his insides gave way to the girth then stopped to allow himself to adjust, giving Sid the opportunity to stare at him as he screwed his eyes shut. At the grimace on his face, Sid frowned again, his mind clearing of lust enough to take in the sight in front of him. He knew that Fray was using him, using his body to distract himself from the feelings raging within him, but he didn’t really care. It was not the first time, and he had done the same in moments of his own turmoil. It was simply what they offered each other.
Sid reached down again to stroke Fray’s shaft, to take his mind off what was troubling him. He could see though impatience once again overtaking sense as Fray began to sink down onto him before he was ready. He knew this side of him too. The reckless side who had little regard for his own limits when his desire was at its peak. It was what made him the better warrior than Sid, but also is what caused Sid to fear that one day he would be too rash, too reckless with his life, and he would again be left alone.
He placed his hands on Fray’s hips to steady him and slow his advance. He would be the limiting factor, the one who set the pace, even as he held back the urge to thrust upwards and sheath himself within the other in one movement. Fray relinquished control and began to sink down at a more measured pace. What had been discomfort caused by the too fast coupling had dulled to only a pressure, quickly overpowered by the feeling of Sid’s cock brushing against that spot inside of him that drove all other thoughts from his mind. It was only when he was fully seated on the other’s hips that they both dared to fully breathe again.
Fray lifted his hips again, rolling them into the other, barely allowing Sid’s erection to leave him before pushing himself back down onto it to make himself see stars. Though neither would characterise their relationship as truly lovers, as anything more than fulfilling desires, it was with reverence and perhaps something more that Fray’s name slipped from Sid again and again as he lost himself in their movements together and the small whimpers of pleasure leaving Fray.
Fray leaned forward as Sid brought his hips up and began to thrust more harshly, laying against the other’s chest, smooth scales against his cheek and his own leaking cock trapped between them. The friction of the movement both inside and out was almost too much to take and he let out an uncharacteristic moan of pleasure as he gripped Sid’s forearm, running his fingers over the muscle and scales.
No more memories of long forgotten melodies or cold nights on the streets plagued them. They existed entirely in the here and now, ripping the pleasure from each other’s bodies with each thrust. The sound of wet skin on skin and their moans filled the unfamiliar room as they held tightly onto each other.
“Sid…I’m going to…I can’t…” Fray gasped between movements, his voice no longer weak but filled with a deep huskiness again. Taking his cue, Sid sped up, crushing the other against him until with a cry, he felt the wetness of Fray’s release on his stomach, slipping against their skin. He knew he too could not hold out, and joined him over the edge, pushing up into him once more and letting go inside him.
Rough hands let go of Fray’s hips, red indents where he had been gripping, and instead wrapped one around the other’s back, as all tension seemed to leave them both at once and he felt the full weight of the Hyur rest on his chest. The moment would not last long, it never did, but part of him always enjoyed the fleeting serenity to be found there in the afterglow.
When Fray did finally move off of him, giving a small hiss as the still sensitive organs slipped away from each other, he left the room without a word. Sid sighed as he lay naked in the bed, his mind already clearing and the anxieties he’d felt before returning with them in his solitude.
So lost he was in his own thoughts, he nearly missed the damp towel thrown onto his face as Fray returned, already cleaned up and wordlessly beckoned for him to do the same. Sid blinked in confusion as his companion made to get back into the bed, but after hastily ensuring he too had cleaned himself of evidence of their coupling, he felt the Hyur lean back into him, and he wrapped an arm around his waist as they both drifted off to sleep.
He knew tomorrow his master would explain their reason for being there, and it was unlikely to be one they would enjoy, but at least for tonight in the warmth of a soft bed the two of them could sleep.