Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

If there was anything the Warrior of Light had learned from his brush with death, it was that breaking limits came with a price. Namely, the use of his right hand.

"Aedric-!" A sweet cry from his lover's parted mouth.

"Raha… a-ah…!"

His left hand, slicked with lubricant that his partner had acquired from some unnameable shop here in Old Sharlayan, wrapped around both of their erections. As for his right hand, it was kept off to the side as he lay on his back. He immediately regretted that punch, if only so he could grasp G'raha's hip with his other hand as they made love for their second time.

He'd never been good in a fist fight. Or any physical feats, for that matter. So when it came time to punch Zenos, several bones in his hand had fractured, along with his wrist. The strict healing regimen from Urianger forbade him from using his right hand under any circumstances until the bones were healed. When Aedric said that he'd be fine, he received stern warnings from the astrologian that if his hand did not heal correctly, he'd be unable to hold a quill. That had gotten his attention, at least. Urianger always knew what he'd listen to.

Luckily, though, he still had one good hand.

"Gods…" G'raha exhaled. "I'm close."

G'raha Tia - his lover, his partner, his boyfriend, he thought giddily - straddled his upper thighs as he thrust his cock into Aedric's palm, sliding deliciously against his own alongside it. Aedric laid on his bed in the Baldesion Annex as he watched his partner above him; stared in awe at the delectable expressions he made. G'raha's plush lips were parted as he breathed heavily, eyes unfocused; slitted feline pupils blown wide as he sought the pleasure in the heat of Aedric's hand. His tail was curled upward, the tip twitching in time to his movements.

It had been less than a fortnight since their return from Ultima Thule. The Scions were planning to return to the Rising Stones tomorrow, and announce their subsequent dissolution to the masses the day after. Until then, Aedric had been placed on bedrest at the behest of both Urianger and Alphinaud.

G'raha, meanwhile, had been tending to his healing and other needs in between their visits. Before long, he suspected, his hand and the rest of his general aches and pains would be healed, if they weren’t already.

Though his lover made it known that he would help with another kind of healing in the meantime. The question had been asked demurely by G'raha earlier this evening.

"If… you need anything other than healing tonight, I…" G'raha fidgeted. Aedric's heart had leapt at the sight of the miqo'te's ears twitching up and down, his tail thrashing from side to side as he blushed. "If you'd like, we can, well… If you're feeling up to it, that is…" He'd wrung his hands along his arms. G'raha's face had nearly been as red as his hair. "It's been some time since we've been intimate, so I was thinking-"

"Y-yes!" Aedric had responded too quickly. He had grabbed G'raha's hand and brought him enthusiastically to the bed. For a moment - it was only a moment - he'd worried if G'raha found him too eager. Until, that is, his partner had pushed him down and bitten his neck. G'raha then gave him some wonderful instructions involving lubricant and how to hold their cocks together.

He's incredible, he'd thought. G'raha was everything Aedric was not: able to lead the charge in battle, taking hits as he healed him from afar. But more than that, he was smaller, traditionally handsome, more experienced when it came to romance and intimacy, and overall less awkward than Aedric definitely felt. G'raha was a leader of men; he had led an entire city, built from the ground up at the base of the Crystal Tower with his guidance, and became a recognized power in Norvrandt. He'd also taken control of dire situations during the Final Days, employing those same leadership skills to avoid mass hysteria. Even when all seemed lost, G'raha never hesitated to be the shield between Aedric and any enemy bent on destroying him. Aedric, meanwhile, just felt like a weapon; point him in the right direction, and his magics would do the rest. What G'raha saw in him - this far too tall, blundering, bookish elezen - he would never understand. But as long as he made G'raha happy, he supposed being himself wasn't so bad.

"Me, too…" he managed a breathy reply as their lengths rubbed against one another within his enclosed fist. G'raha's cock, though smaller than his own, was wonderfully thick and had a pleasant upward curve to it. The feel of it pressed against his own was heavenly as his long fingers caressed them both.

During their previous sexual endeavor on the eve of the Final Days, he'd tasted him; G'raha's cock had been delicious and wonderful, and he'd treasure his first sexual experience forever. He'd been so patient and gentle, teaching Aedric the ways they could give and receive pleasure. He'd gotten to hear his moans as he learned the specific lessons one could learn with one's mouth. He thought how lucky he was to not only be in love, but to be loved in return.

"I'm-!" Much like the last time, his climax found him all too suddenly. Aedric came hard in his hand, and he twitched as his seed spilled onto his stomach.

"Oh Twelve have mercy," G'raha murmured above him as he watched. "You're breathtaking." Through the haze of his orgasm, he watched G'raha situate himself to use his own hand to pump himself to completion now, still straddling Aedric's hips.

He admired G'raha stroking his own flushed cock, eyes on him. Those crimson eyes, half-lidded; the parted lips, the soft gasps. He looked angelic.

"I love you," Aedric said softly. And he watched as that phrase made G'raha come undone.

He came onto Aedric's chest, seed splattering along his torso in wet spurts. A broken moan, unbidden, clawed its way out of his throat. Aedric admired the way his expression was pinched and focused, eyes closed tightly as orgasm overtook his senses.

"You're beautiful, Raha," he said reverently as his lover came down from his climax. Aedric counted himself beyond lucky to not only have a partner he was attracted to, but one that was surprisingly attracted to him, in turn. It baffled him, truly, that someone as splendid, charismatic, and gorgeous as G'raha Tia had wanted him of all people.

After becoming the Warrior of Light, he'd all but sworn off romantic relations. He knew all too many who would use any relationship he'd had against him. Especially Zenos, Aedric thought grimly. The man had been manic in his obsession. It was one of the reasons why Aedric had not told G'raha he loved him until he knew the Garlean was dead - for sure this time.

"I love you, my brilliant stars." G'raha smiled after he caught his breath. He stared hungrily down at him - at Aedric's torso painted in white. "You make such a fetching picture right now... Though I suppose we should clean up before bed." Aedric shuddered as G'raha ran the tip of one finger through their commingled ejaculate on his abdomen. He watched as he slowly brought that same finger up to his lips. G'raha stuck out his rough tongue and licked.

"Sweet Halone." He barely suppressed another shudder. "Keep acting like that, and I'll be hard again." Aedric enjoyed the way G'raha was in bed, he was coming to realize. His mannerisms, though still a bit shy, were bolstered by a reserve of confidence he typically only let shine in battle, emboldened by sword and shield. He absently wondered, then, if there was something to be said about the heat of battle and the heat of a sexual embrace. Or if, perhaps, he was simply making up for lost time after all their years apart.

G'raha smirked as he finally slid off of Aedric's lap. "I wouldn't count that as an issue, though you are meant to be resting." He grabbed a dampened towel from the table at the side of the bed and used it to wipe the sticky white evidence of their lovemaking from his chest. He handed Aedric another towel to wipe off his hand.

"I'm fine. Really." Aedric chuckled as G'raha gently wiped at his chest. "I fear all this bedrest will dull my magecraft, ere long."

"Patience, my stars," G'raha said warmly. "Recuperation aside, I'm just… beyond lucky to have you here." He finished his wiping and Aedric sat up, hearing that small note of sadness in his voice.

"I feel the same," Aedric replied, and kissed him.

Compared to their earlier kisses - and many, many bites, Aedric recalled - that lead up to their lovemaking, this one was soft. Tender. It conveyed the loss that could have happened between them if things had gone differently during their last battle.

Aedric keenly recalled when G'raha had sacrificed himself in Ultima Thule as he disappeared within that churning black mist. Then, that crystalline pathway that led his ascent to the great star above. That immense feeling of emptiness as he walked - alone - to the end. He also knew he'd done something just as foolish, deciding to face the Endsinger - and then Zenos - alone. He'd somehow survived, thanks to his friends' healing. But he still knew that death had almost come for them both that day.

Since their return, G'raha had slept in Aedric's bed with him every night, curled up to feel him close. He did not blame him one bit. Being alone after that ordeal had been something neither of them wanted to face, just yet. The wounds - both physical and emotional - were still fresh. And until they healed, being close to each other seemed to work wonders on their hearts. He was lucky they were both healers, then, in some respect.

After their kiss, Aedric started to get up from the bed.

"Oh no you don't," G'raha scolded. "Hold still; you're not going anywhere." He left to make sure their door was locked (it was, thankfully, but it never hurt to check) and turned off the lights. Bright moonlight streamed in from the window, illuminating his lover’s form as he moved about the room. G'raha came back with two cups of water, and Aedric's expression softened at the gesture.

"You take such good care of me, I fear Urianger may have some competition." Aedric took the proffered cup and drank down the cool liquid. He placed it, now emptied, onto the nightstand.

G'raha scoffed. "If you start going to Urianger for this type of treatment, you will soon see the end of my sword." G'raha placed his own emptied cup beside his and knelt down on the mattress.

Aedric wound his arms around him. "Oh, but I quite like seeing your sword pointed at me." He laughed when G'raha's eyes widened, and pulled him down into the bed where they could cuddle. Aedric peppered his chest, neck, jawline, and cheeks with a series of small kisses as G'raha struggled beneath him, pretending to bat him away as they both laughed. Perhaps he was finding confidence, too, in the easy mannerisms of being in love, he thought.

"The Warrior of Light is attacking me! However shall I survive this onslaught?" G'raha laughed along with him as Aedric continued his kisses, ending with one placed on the tip of G'raha's nose.

"Better put that sword to use, then." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and smiled as they settled under the covers.

"Well, I guess being impaled by one sword over another would be an entirely different experience." G'raha punctuated his statement with a poke to his chest. "One obviously the more enjoyable choice. But…" He looked away briefly. "That's something we can try, perhaps… another time? After you're fully healed, of course…" He trailed off, eyes still averted.

Now it was Aedric's turn to blush as his mind short circuited. Was G'raha asking him for…? His mind reeled, and supplied the word for his addled state: Penetration. He was no stranger to the ways two men could make love; plenty of reading had seen to that. Though he supposed there was still much for him to learn in the practical sense. Romance novels were one thing; he was sure acts of intimacy were extraordinarily embellished on the page. But the real act of sex was much different, as he had learned through their two times thus far. Messier than he expected. Much more cleaning up involved. And way more communication.

"We will go at your pace," G'raha added softly.

He was brought back to reality by the gentle way G'raha phrased that statement. His ears were folded back, denoting nervousness.

"I-I-I… uh…" Aedric blinked. "I mean…" Aedric chewed on his bottom lip - a nervous habit, he knew. "Our, well," he cleared his throat. "Size difference could pose an obstacle." The words were squeaked out in a higher pitch than he intended. His eyebrows raised at a new realization, and he tried to imagine an alternate scenario. "Unless, uh, you would like to be the one to-"

"I want you, Aedric." G'raha finally met his eyes again. His face was red, and his ears were still back. "In whichever way I can have you." He smiled then, his expression soft, and nuzzled his head into Aedric's cheek.

Aedric blinked, the heat in his face overwhelming now. He nuzzled back, cheek pressing into the space between G'raha's ears. He was rewarded with a steady purring. It was one of the things that he absolutely loved about his miqo'te boyfriend. It was something he never would have experienced had he, instead, fallen for another elezen, as his parents no doubt had wished. The way his ears would wiggle with excitement as he ate his favorite foods; how his tail would curl upward whenever he kissed him; the roughness of his tongue (though he admitted it gave him a bit of a shock at first); the way his pupils would expand whenever he was particularly excited… It was enough to make Aedric fall in love with him all over again. As he had, back in Mor Dhona, when they’d scarcely begun their blossoming romance. When he knew G'raha would do anything for him or for their star.

And how he realized he would do anything for G'raha, in turn.

"I think… that would be…" Aedric swallowed the nervous lump in his throat. "Nice," he finished slowly.

He felt G'raha's ears perk up. The miqo'te cuddled his face into his chest, continuing to purr. "I think so, too." G'raha wrapped his tail around Aedric's leg, cuddling in close. He held his adorably purring boyfriend, arms pulling him closer to savor those comforting sounds.

Oh Fury, now his mind was running away from him. He imagined G'raha pushing him down on the bed, entering him, and how it might feel to be…

Fucked, his mind finished for him, and he felt himself blush up to his ears. What would his cock feel like? Would it hurt? G'raha would be gentle with him, of course. His imagination then supplied another scenario: of him penetrating G'raha instead. The miqo'te's mouth open in throes of passion; his cock buried deep inside his lover; how it would feel as he thrust inside him, his boyfriend's body squeezing every onze out of him; G'raha's legs wrapped around him, screaming his name-

"H-...h-hey, Raha?" He couldn't help the way his voice cracked after picturing that mental image. If he was going to satisfy his partner, he would need to be prepared for whichever scenario G'raha wanted. Aedric thought he'd be genuinely fine with either position, honestly. But did G'raha have a defined preference?

"Hm?" G'raha hummed into his chest.

"D-do you… uh, well, have a…" Oh Merciful Halone, he was really in it now. "Pref…" he mumbled into G'raha's hair.

"What was that?"

"... Preference? Of…" Was there a delicate way to ask this? Probably not, Aedric reasoned. "Who gets to, well… put their…" He cleared his throat. "Is there anything you've imagined us doing, when you told me you thought of us while on the First?" There, that was probably a more delicate way of asking, right? "Something you'd like me to do, in a… sexual sense?"

G'raha's ears went further back. Was he uncomfortable? Great job, Warrior of Light, he mentally cringed. Slowly, G'raha brought his face up to regard him.

"It's… it will be your first time, so… you should choose-"

"Raha." Aedric ran a hand up and down his partner's back in a comforting caress. "What you want matters, too. Since I don't have… experience, I was hoping you'd teach me what you like, and we can go from there?" Truth be told, Aedric thought it was beyond flattering - and very, very arousing - that G'raha had admitted to imagining him all those years on the First Shard while they were apart.

"I…" G'raha took a long breath giving himself time to voice his desire. "One of the most common fantasies I've had is of you… making love to me as you push me down onto the bed. Holding me. Making me yours. Losing myself in the feeling of you. Being able to let go of control. I would be on the… receiving end." His face was red with the admission.

Aedric's mind went blank. Gods, what an image… G'raha had clearly given this scenario a lot of thought. Though Aedric supposed he did have a lot of time to think about it, considering the Crystal Exarch's century-long, self-imposed sexual and romantic restraint.

And then, like a book opening up before him, Aedric realized something: here was a man who had well over a century of life experience; who spent the vast majority of that overlong life in celibacy due to circumstances beyond his control. How long had G'raha walked that fine line between duty and pleasure, and chosen duty instead?

How many times had G'raha Tia, or the Crystal Exarch, been forced to take control? He recalled the Crystarium - its magnificence and splendor, all attributed to the man who organized the effort and made a city - a society - where there was previously naught. A man who fought back sin eaters for a hundred years. A miqo'te whom fate had forged into the leader he must become.

And then here, too, on the Source during the Final Days. During the trials of the Telophoroi. Braving the wrath of the Forum in order to find critical information. Levitating their entire party and every single person within the Tower of Zot with a powerful spell. Keeping the frenzied citizens of Radz-At-Han calm enough to evacuate. Charging at the head of the fight through dead worlds to face the Endsinger.

G'raha Tia, he realized, was a Nunh in all but name. And, gods, Aedric wasn't opposed to having him be a Nunh in bed, either. But that didn't mean he did not want to give up control every once in a while; that he didn't want a certain hero to take control in his stead. And so, the Warrior of Light would help relieve him of that burden.

Aedric would give G'raha anything - everything - he wanted.

"B-but that's not to say I don't also enjoy it the other way around!" G'raha amended, bringing his attention back. "I'd be happy no matter what." A kiss, softly, on his overwarm cheek. Aedric closed his eyes as he felt G'raha's lips there. "As long as it's you, I'm happy, Aedric. Truly."

"Then, you'll have me. All of me. If… you want." He smiled, turning his face to press a kiss on G'raha's forehead.

G'raha laughed as they settled into a more comfortable position for sleeping. "Of course I do, my love."

He smiled at the phrase. His love. Soft and warm, they held each other under the blankets - G'raha curled up against his chest; Aedric's arms wrapped around him. He breathed deeply, taking in his scent: parchment, cinnamon, salt.

Then, his brow furrowed as he thought about all he'd need to know and prepare. There was research to be done, of course. The book he'd been consulting about miqo'te mating practices did not cover the specific topic of anal sex with an elezen-sized lover involved.

Aedric thought about the obvious obstacle they would need to overcome. Their immense size difference was not lost on him; in fact, he was quite conscious of it. If he were on the receiving end, it would perhaps make more sense, when one thought only of comfort and the ability for certain body parts to fit into others. But if G'raha wanted him to be the one penetrating…

Well. Aedric always did like a challenge. The Warrior of Light had a new quest to fulfill. He'd have to stop by the book cart before their return to Mor Dhona.

*

Aedric sighed as he ran his good hand through his hair. The following morning after G'raha left to tend to matters with Krile, he'd picked up several books from the cart in the plaza not far from the Annex.

He'd asked - as bluntly as he could - if they had any books about sexuality that focused on "pleasure between men," he'd whispered. The saleswoman had snorted a laugh at his phrasing. Unfortunately, they'd just sold their last copy earlier that same morning. A book under the unfortunate name of Kupo Nuts and Deep Dungeons: Unlocking the Secrets Of Your Crystal Tower. Honestly, who came up with these titles? As if his miqo'te dating book was any better.

Though he did not find any other books specifically on sexual pleasure and interactions, he did manage to find several biology textbooks. In Old Sharlayan fashion, they were densely informative on aspects of the male body he never even knew had names. Words like frenulum, perineum, seminal vesicle, and prostate floated through his head. They never used these words in romance novels, Aedric thought bemusedly.

He continued to read:

In male miqo'te, the prostate is located within the first three ilms of the outer rectal sphincter. Its function includes the production of seminal fluids to intermix with sperm cells from the testes, creating semen. Many male miqo'te also report finding sexual gratification through incorporation of prostate stimulation during fornication. In some individuals, the prostate is one of the key components to finding sexual release through anal penetration.

"Oh!" Aedric scratched his chin. "Now we're getting somewhere." This was already more information than his limited - or, rather, nonexistent - sexual education he’d received in Ishgard.

"'Tis gladdening to see you enjoying a literary reprieve, my friend." Urianger's voice startled him and he instinctively jumped. He hadn't even heard the man come in.

"G-good morning, Urianger."

"What tome, pray tell, did thou chanceth to find on the book cart this morning?" The astrologian made his way to where he sat against the wall of his bed.

As every day since their return, either Urianger or Alphinaud would come in to check on his healing progress - and make sure the Warrior of Light was not training or sparring in his recovering state. He appreciated the attentiveness of his friends, but honestly was feeling quite better already. Though after his near-death experience, he wasn't sure he blamed his comrades for their caution. He knew Urianger was just giving one final checkup before his journey via aetherite back to Mor Dhona.

"Just a textbook on biology," he answered coolly. He hoped Urianger didn't pick up on the redness in his cheeks.

"A man of science, as well as spellcraft and literature! Truly, thine interests know no bounds." Urianger raised a brow and smirked. Was that sarcasm? He was looking down at the book in Aedric's lap.

He realized, then, that the current page was opened to a very detailed diagram of male anatomy. The artistic rendition of a penis, testes, and a cross-section drawing of a colon took up the whole of one page, while the definition of "Prostate" was sprawled across the other in bold font.

Aedric's face blanched. "Y-yes…"

Urianger gave a low laugh. He motioned for Aedric to lay flat, as he always did during their healing sessions. He did so, making sure to close the book in his lap.

He felt the warm tingle of a benefic spell radiate through his rib cage, which had practically been healed for days now. He looked up at his companion and noted the focused expression, along with a general tiredness.

He allowed his thoughts to wander. Urianger was an elezen man as well, he thought to himself. And he was a dedicated healer, so surely he'd know some aspects about the body, right?

"Hey, Urianger?"

"Yes?" An absent reply as he focused on sending the healing aether into his right wrist now.

Aedric swallowed the tension that had lodged itself in his throat. "Just between us, have you ever, um…" He cleared his throat. Urianger was a man of medicine, he reminded himself. And surely he's dated before, right? Who better to ask? "Have you ever had… intimate relations with someone much smaller than you? Someone who wasn't elezen?"

He felt the healer's spell cease for a moment as the other man tensed.

"Who told thee-? I mean. Prithee, my friend, but I-I knowest not of these… relations thou speakest of."

Wait. Was Urianger blushing?

"Surely, thou hast heard naught but rumors of baseless inquiry."

"Urianger…"

"Unless, thou didst perchance hear through yonder walls, thine gunbreaker companion in mine chambers-"

"Urianger!" Aedric stared at him. Oh, he was definitely blushing. Did Urianger have a secret paramour the Scions didn't know about? "I… didn't hear anything. The question was merely for advice. For me."

Urianger blinked, an awkward smile replacing his panicked expression. "A-ah. Verily." He cleared his throat. "'Tis common, in friendship, to ask for such advice."

"Yes…" Aedric felt himself mirror his friend's smile.

"'Tis no great secret at all, thine affection for our fellow miqo'te comrade." Urianger's expression softened as he hastily recovered. "Heartening as it may be to fall in love, hath thy physical… differences perchance caused an issue of incompatibility?"

Aedric absently ran a hand through his hair to dispel his embarrassment. "Not exactly… Not yet, at least." He sighed. "I just don't know where to begin. I… I've never…" he trailed off, the implication hanging in the air before him, hoping the book he’d been reading - and the known nature of his and G’raha’s relationship - to be enough context.

"Then, might I suggest thou provideth a suitable environment of comfort in which to both discuss and act upon thine desires?" Urianger’s tone was gentle. "One in which thy lover and thyself can fully relax. Perhaps some soft candlelight. Some alone time, with plenty of conversation about each of thy needs." He shrugged a shoulder before continuing. "Communication is key. As well as plenty of preparation. One must needs incorporate…" Urianger's cheeks took on a redder hue once again. "Relaxation techniques." He wiggled his fingers as eyes glanced pointedly at the book Aedric had been reading.

Oh.

"'Tis a necessity, in the way two individuals assigned male at birth may find… penetrative pleasure."

Relaxation techniques. That made sense.

Aedric mused over Urianger's other comments. They would all return to the Rising Stones tonight. It would be their last night together before they would each attend to their own duties for a while; it would be at least a week or two before Aedric and G'raha would see each other next. He'd been away from Ishgard for far too long and wished to know how his parents fared during the Final Days, and G'raha would be working with Krile and the Students of Baldesion. Surely tonight would be their chance, right?

Aedric steeled his resolve. Tonight, then. His heart beat a bit faster in anticipation. Tonight he would make love to G'raha and give him everything he wanted - everything he’d craved for over a century. It was the least the Warrior of Light could do, right?

"And remember," Urianger brought his attention back. "Thou canst never have enough lubrication."

Aedric blushed. "I-I know that part…"

Urianger stifled a laugh behind his hand. "As expected of a learned scholar."

"Thank you…" Aedric couldn't look him in the eye. He should have expected the embarrassingly detailed instructions from Urianger of all people. He'd trusted his friend all these years, and he'd trust him even now with advice for the delicacies of love and all its physical questions and complications. Even with his past duplicitous nature, Aedric trusted Urianger with his life.

Urianger completed his healing spell, the last of the tingles dissipating over his bare wrist. "Pray, how does thy wrist feel after mine aetherical ministrations?"

Aedric slowly flexed his right hand. The bones in his fingers had long since healed. His wrist, now, felt much better than it had previously. He could flex it with little pain - only a dull ache. "Much better. Thank you, my friend." He offered a smile as he sat up. "For the healing, as well as the advice."

Urianger smiled back at him. "Always."

*

Aedric was one of the first Scions to return to the Rising Stones later that afternoon. The aetherite plaza was bustling, as usual; he realized he had longed for the rush of adventurers and seekers of glory that milled about the small town. He missed that sense of starting out a new journey with endless possibilities sprawled before him. Revenant's Toll always made him feel that way, and he was glad to be back after so much time spent away.

As he made his way to the Scions' headquarters, he recalled when he'd first come to this hub of quests and commerce. Recalled the young, fresh-faced miqo'te who had followed him back to the camp at Saint Coinach's Find.

Looking back, Aedric would have never guessed he'd eventually fall in love with the excitable historian he met during their exploration of Syrcus Tower. Then again, he'd never guessed he'd become the Warrior of Light, and G'raha the Crystal Exarch - now both Scions of the Seventh Dawn and saviors of Etheirys. Both heroes in their own right.

As he walked, the smell of apple tarts found him. A batch of warm pastries were being sold in the nearby market stalls. He closed his eyes and savored the scent; fruit and cinnamon and baked dough. He recalled, then, a memory so distant it felt a world away. And perhaps it was, for all the changes that had come for them both.

It had been the morning after their first (and, subsequently, second) kiss. Rammbroes requested that someone buy provisions from the nearby town, and Aedric had volunteered. Of course, G'raha had leapt at the chance to accompany him. Some things never change, he thought.

They'd walked through the market stalls, grabbing food, coal, and fire crystals for the expedition team. He recalled the scent of apples and cinnamon wafting through the crowded marketplace.

"Oh!" Aedric had remarked. "Someone is selling apple tarts."

He hadn't even known he'd said it aloud. Hadn't even known that G'raha had heard him.

The next moment, his hand was being grasped by one much smaller than his own. He recalled the feeling of those entwined fingers; G'raha's hand was completely dwarfed by his own; his palm had a roughened quality associated with wielding a bow. His fingers had been warm and weathered, and the strength with which he'd held Aedric's hand was surprising. G'raha may be small, but certainly not weak, he'd thought.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Aedric had not expected the physical contact to make him blush. Not expected the heat that blossomed in his chest as G'raha looked up and smiled at him. Like a flower opening in the dawn's light, affection bloomed as a fragile thing between them like crocuses in springtime.

"Getting some apple tarts, of course." His grin was cocksure and, he admitted, quite charming - though it still held that shy, almost unsure quality. "You sounded like you wanted some. And who am I to deny the desires of a man such as yourself?" He all but purred the last phrase, looking up at him through lowered lashes as they strolled closer to the pastry seller.

Aedric had blushed furiously. He'd never been flirted with so openly before. His stomach flipped as he recalled their kisses from the night before. He'd never been kissed - never dated before, period. What manner of man was this G'raha Tia to find him attractive in the first place? For that matter, was Aedric even attracted to men? He knew he was attracted to women, at the very least - or, more specifically, the elezen and midlander women he’d known in Ishgard but had been too shy to talk to. What about miqo’te, then? Would G’raha even want someone who was so different from him? He silently mused all of this as they made their way over to the baker's stall.

He had watched the way G'raha conversed easily with others. His mannerisms were light, his steps surefooted, and his charm palpable. Growing up in Ishgard, Aedric had never met a miqo'te before until his travels led him to Limsa Lominsa, where he'd met Y'shtola. He was fascinated by the way G'raha's feline ears and tail shaped the way he communicated. It was a language all its own, the way his ears perked up when he pointed to the two apple tarts he'd wished to purchase. The way the tip of his tail swished from side to side whenever he'd catch Aedric staring at him.

He was breathtaking. Beautiful. Dripping with charisma and warmth, and Aedric was drawn to it like a bonfire in Coerthan winter. He knew, then, that he definitely found him attractive. Perhaps gender mattered not at all in who he found appealing? He'd have to find a word for it later. How romantic - or physical - attraction seemed to bypass gender entirely.

G'raha asked for two apple tarts and paid for them with Rammbroes' coin.

"That's not your money, you know," Aedric had laughed as they walked away from the saleswoman.

G'raha shrugged. "I think it's payment enough for the Warrior of Light to get a treat, after his heroic feats in the Labyrinth of the Ancients." He winked up at him as he handed over a tart.

Aedric took the pastry, giving a soft smile in thanks.

"And apple tarts might be one of my favorites, as well," G'raha mumbled. His ears momentarily flicked back; his cheeks, he noticed, were a touch red.

Aedric chuckled. "Oh, so you had ulterior motives, after all." He scoffed as the miqo'te feigned an innocent expression. They both laughed, warm as sunlight.

"The only other motive I have is perhaps getting another kiss at some point…" G'raha grinned up at him; soft and almost cautious, his smile was daylight’s glow. Dual-colored eyes crinkled at the corners, gaze locking with his.

Then, that slow, wonderful realization:

He was falling for him.

Aedric had nearly choked on an apple piece.

As he walked through the doors to the Rising Stones now, Aedric mused on how far they'd both come since then. They were both much more than simple adventurers, but that didn't dull their wanderlust and mutual love of exploration. Sometime soon, then, he'd find another adventure for the two of them to embark upon.

Tonight, though, would be a time for celebrating their most recent adventure. As the saviors of Etheirys, the Scions had been invited to no small number of banquets and celebratory feasts. They'd all been turned down, of course. Recovering as he was during this last fortnight, Aedric had been in no shape to attend parties. Though he wasn't sure he minded; dinners with strangers and public events never sat well with the shy elezen, and he much preferred to spend time with a close handful of friends rather than a large amount of people he didn't know.

But that's what tonight would be, of course: a small gathering of friends before they scattered to the winds for a time. He hoped Tataru received his message about the dinner he wished to prepare for the Scions' homecoming.

"Looks like someone is feeling much better!" A light chuckle.

Aedric turned to the source of that high voice, breaking him out of his reverie.

"Tataru!"

The lalafell in question gave him barely enough time to prepare for the sudden hug. Not wanting to make the woman jump, Aedric knelt down as he wrapped her in a friendly embrace.

Out of all the Scions, excluding the twins and his lover of course, his friendship with Tataru was strongest. He recalled those early days of dealing with the effects of the Echo, being recruited by the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, and becoming a slayer of primals. He'd been hesitant and nervous among them. Quiet, bookish; not at all the hero they expected him to be.

Tataru had been the one to make sure he was comfortable. Had broken him out of his frozen exterior. Whenever she had the time, she'd bring him a pot of tea. Slowly, she'd get him to talk while they exchanged stories over steaming cups. When he revealed he was a runaway from Ishgard, and perhaps a wanted man, she'd smiled comfortingly. Told him he was a Scion now, and that the Holy See would have to go through her first.

He'd laughed good-naturedly at the time. They both did. Little did he know he'd be the one defending her as her chosen champion over a year later in the Sacred Tribunal of Ishgard.

At present, Tataru squeezed him in her small arms. He couldn't help the warm smile that grew on his face.

"I'm glad you're back to normal." He felt her maneuver to grasp his right hand. "Never punch anyone again, Aedric." She laughed, tracing her fingers along his palm and turning his wrist about to check that he was indeed fully healed.

"I'll try not to," he replied deadpan, leaning back to watch her. "It was horrible. Truly." Despite his words, laughter shone in his eyes.

The lalafell scoffed, letting go of his hand. "I received your message over linkpearl this morning," she squinted at him, changing the subject. "The fare should be simple enough, and I've already sent F'lhaminn to gather the ingredients. Though…" she searched his face, raising a brow. "The scented candles did catch me by surprise. What are those for?"

Aedric felt his face heat. "J-j-just have them sent to my room." He cleared his throat. "Please."

She placed her hands on her hips, staring at him incredulously. Knelt as he was, their faces were almost level. Then, her eyes widened ever so slightly in understanding.

"Never would have pegged the Warrior of Light as such a romantic." She laughed in her light tone.

Aedric's face grew warmer.

"Then… the extra towels, pillows, and blankets you asked to also be sent to your room-"

Aedric shot up to his full height, if only to escape her perceptive gaze.

"I-I-I… simply wanted some… um… it's for…"

Oh Fury. He couldn't even think up a plausible excuse. He couldn't actually say: Why yes, Tataru; those are in preparation of fucking my boyfriend senseless and making sure we don't ruin the mattress and sheets in the process. How was he supposed to know how many towels they'd need for cleanup? Or pillows for ensuring his lover's comfort? And what if G'raha got cold and they needed extra blankets? He had prepared for everything, after all. After a lengthy discussion with Urianger he'd rather never repeat to anyone, Aedric had a better idea in mind of what they'd need. Good thing he already had the bottle of lubricant from Old Sharlayan packed in his bag; he couldn't imagine having to ask Tataru to procure such an item.

"... Relaxation techniques," he ended up finishing, recalling Urianger’s words. He was still avoiding eye contact with the lalafell.

Tataru let out a laugh she tried to disguise as a cough.

"Well. Relaxation aside, come find me in the kitchen once you're ready to help." She caught his gaze and shot him a grin. "Help me make the tea and dinner, for old time's sake?"

Aedric smiled sheepishly down at her. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Hopefully he'd calm his flushed face down enough to actually be of any use in the kitchen.

*

He'd found G'raha Tia later that evening. The miqo'te had been situating himself within his room at the Rising Stones; having been in the kitchen with Tataru for the past bell or two, he hadn't noticed him arrive. Aedric now carried a particularly large washbasin to his room; he silently thanked his healer friends for the painless use of his wrist as he lifted the tub. Door ajar, he spied his boyfriend setting down his overnight travel bag beside the bed.

Our bed, he mentally corrected himself. He hadn't expected to find him in his chambers so openly; their relationship still new and fresh, he half expected G'raha to stay in his own assigned room instead of Aedric's.

He silently gazed at the miqo’te that he had given his heart to. He couldn't help the way his heartbeat fluttered at the sight of him. Couldn’t help the butterflies that flitted in his chest; their many moons together, starting from their budding relationship on the First, still had not dulled his excitement at seeing him, and knowing that G’raha’s heart belonged to him, in turn.

He set down the washbasin near the doorway as quietly as he could. Silently, he crept up behind him. The backward twitch of a feline ear betrayed his presence. Not caring that G'raha knew he was there, Aedric slipped his arms around from behind. Fingers slid along G’raha’s torso, pulling him in close; he savored the feeling of him - his warmth, the texture of the fabrics he wore, and the comfortable weight as he leaned back against him. He’d never known what it was like to be in love until G’raha had quite literally thrown wide the gates. He reminded himself that they were here - whole, alive, together - and it caused him to hold him even tighter.

G'raha sighed into his embrace. "Hello, my stars." The miqo'te leaned back, allowing himself to be folded against his larger frame.

That nickname - his stars. G’raha now used it often, as he once compared Aedric to the stars and night sky that had returned after a century on the First.

“Just like you,” G’raha had told him, one night. "Returned to me, after so long."

Aedric pressed a kiss between his ears on top of his head. "How did arrangements with the Students of Baldesion go?" Almost doubled over due to their height difference, Aedric nuzzled his face into his lover's hair.

G'raha began purring under his touch, his eyes closing contentedly. "We still have some work to do, but that will be the fun of it, I suppose." He bunted his head into Aedric's cheek, ears pressing back. "It will probably be a lot of research at first…"

Aedric chuckled, savoring the familiar contact and his boyfriend's feline mannerisms. "I promise I'll snatch you up for an adventure sometime soon."

G'raha's ears perked up excitedly, gently smacking him in the face.

"Truly?"

"You will be the first to know, I promise." Aedric glanced down at the travel pack placed on the floor. "You're staying the night with me, then?"

"Of course!" G'raha placed his hands atop Aedric's own around his abdomen. He was silent for a moment. "Unless you don't wish me-"

"I-I do!" Aedric stammered. "I… very much do." He swallowed thickly, pushing down his nerves. He could do this, he reminded himself; he could take charge and allow G'raha to relinquish control, as he'd promised. He reminded himself that he and G'raha had always been bound by their promises kept. The matter of lovemaking was no less important than promises made on the eve of battle.

"If you'd like," Aedric spoke gently into a furred ear. "After dinner, we could…" He licked his dry lips out of nervousness. "Come back here and… a-and… I can hopefully make good on my promise from last night. To make love to you, i-in the way you described."

G'raha all but melted at his suggestion; his purring increased. "O-oh?" He stuttered after a moment of silence. Aedric noticed the way his tail twitched as his backside was pressed against his own thighs; the way he held himself in a controlled manner, not quite giving in, as if he were waiting for Aedric to do something. To make the first move.

He knew G'raha was eager. But he also knew that each time they'd made love, Aedric had to be the one to finally push them over the edge. Was he nervous? Possibly worried that Aedric would not reciprocate his desperation?

He gave him one last squeeze before letting go; it would be important to ask this question with a clear head without G'raha's buttocks pressed against his leg.

"Would… would you consent to that later tonight? With me?" Aedric fidgeted as G'raha turned around to regard him. “Y-you can always change your mind later on, of course,” he added.

And, there it was: the final push G'raha needed.

Crimson eyes blinked; cheeks stained with just a bit of a blush, G'raha's expression softened. "Know that my consent is always active with you."

A hand reached up to stroke his cheek; Aedric leaned into the touch and closed his eyes.

"But… yes," G'raha answered. "Yes; a thousand times yes."

He sighed, letting out tension he hadn't even known was there. Though inexperienced, he knew consent was important, at the very least. Talking about their desires and boundaries when not blinded by the heat of the moment was the first step, Urianger had told him.

"Tonight, then, I shall… do as you asked." He momentarily winced at his candid wording. Was there a more romantic way to phrase that? Probably. "I… prepared for the occasion," he added. His cheeks felt hot, saying it aloud.

G'raha's voice found him, steady and calm with just a hint of shyness: "What a coincidence; so have I."

Aedric suddenly opened his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I…" G'raha's hand froze and he looked away. "I've been, w-well, practicing." He cleared his throat, looking back to give Aedric a coy smile. "I knew what I wanted. And having seen how… sizable you are, incorporated the appropriate exercises into my time alone. Training myself, as it were."

Aedric blinked.

Several images played through his imagination - all of which included visions of G'raha with his own fingers inside himself. Writhing in pleasure as he impaled himself on his own hand. Was he thinking of him when he did it? Had he imagined his fingers as Aedric's cock?

Fury strike me…

"I see," was all he managed. He also tried not to let the fact that his boyfriend thought him "sizable" go to his head. He knew he was relatively average for an elezen man. But compared to a miqo'te, he supposed he was quite the challenge. Did G'raha actually find it arousing, instead of unseemly? Gods. Aedric had to remind himself to breathe.

G'raha laughed to dispel the weight of that revelation. "I've… been looking forward to this." They smiled at each other, the honest words settling comfortably between them. "For a very, very long time."

The implication was there; that G'raha had wanted this, all his years as the Crystal Exarch. That he'd had to wait a century to be fucked the way he wanted.

By comparison, Aedric had only spent three years without him. The times he spent trying to devise a way to open the Crystal Tower, to wake the man sleeping within, had consumed him. In between every venture the Warrior of Light had, however rare his down time had been, he spent time in Mor Dhona - staring at the golden doors that housed the man he so wished to see. He couldn't imagine spending a hundred years accompanied by that depth of longing.

He peered down at his lover. He felt so lucky to be afforded this second chance with the man he thought had been lost to time. Lucky to be in love, and have the time and space to act upon it.

"I really hope I don't disappoint you then." Aedric laughed. "One hundred years is a long time to wait for an inexperienced oaf like me."

"You couldn't possibly disappoint me, Aedric." G'raha leaned up, and he bent down to be kissed on the cheek; soft lips chastely left their warm impression upon his skin. "Though I will admit, I'm of the mind to skip dinner entirely if it means more time spent with you in bed."

Aedric felt himself flush up to his ears. The openness with which G'raha communicated his desires was a heady sensation that always sent blood rushing to his cheeks - and oftentimes other parts of his body, as well. He mentally shook himself before he pounced and made good on his promise right here and now.

"And miss the lovely dinner I've prepared for everyone?" He forced out, pushing back the cloud of arousal to be dealt with at a later time.

G'raha gaped. "You cooked?"

He gave a shy smile and nodded.

The expression G'raha made was enough to make him melt. If food was a love language, Aedric supposed it would be his - and perhaps G'raha's as well.

*

Dinner had been fairly simple: assorted roasted vegetables, grilled fish procured at the market, warm bread with a garlic spread, soft cheeses paired with cured meats and fruit spreads, and an Ishgardian egg dish with a cream sauce that Aedric had been meaning to make for his friends for some time.

Tataru had helped with most of it, though Aedric's specialty came with dessert. Various cakes and pastries had covered the table where they'd gathered in the Rising Stones. He had spent the afternoon baking rolanberry tarts, biscuits topped with lemon, and of course his own rendition of Crowned Pie.

The Scions had shared a meal together. They did not talk about what was to come in the morning, when they'd all go their separate ways. Tonight was for celebrating; for soaking in the warmth of camaraderie and friendship. For reveling in the comfort of the familiar. Drinks were toasted; memories recounted; laughter exchanged.

"These rolanberry tarts are to die for!" Alisaie gushed from the other side of the table, across from where he and G'raha sat next to each other. "Have you tried one yet, Raha?"

The miqo'te chuckled at her as she stole one from her brother's plate. "Not yet; it appears they were snatched up rather quickly."

"Hey-!" he absently heard Alphinaud complain to his twin. The two of them bickered in the background. Estinien looked on at their squabble and silently sipped his drink.

Aedric looked down at his own plate to see a single rolanberry tart.

"Oh- here you go, Raha." Without thinking, Aedric plucked the small dessert off his plate and held it up for G'raha to take. "Take mine. I stole a few back in the kitchen already."

He expected him to take it with his hand. He did not, however, expect his lover to eat it right out of his fingers.

Crimson eyes held his gaze without breaking contact. Aedric barely stifled a shudder as G'raha's lips closed around his fingertips, taking the pastry into his mouth. He felt his warm breath caress his skin. Felt the flicker of his pulse at his proximity. A sensitive brush of a rough tongue darted out at the last second to lick a spot of jam off his index finger. It only lasted a second; somehow, it felt longer.

He pulled his head back a few ilms. G'raha chewed, then swallowed slowly, all while Aedric's eyes were on him, taking in every single movement.

"Mmmm," G'raha hummed. "You are an incredible baker, indeed."

Aedric gulped, swallowing the lump in his throat. Fury… I hope no one saw that, he thought.

He looked up to see both Alphinaud and Alisaie staring, mouths agape and cheeks red.

Halone strike me. After all their time together, he viewed them as younger siblings. Truthfully, he was closer to them than he was to his own brother back in Ishgard. Therefore, he did not need to traumatize them by flaunting the adult nature of his and G'raha's relationship at the dinner table.

"Didn't know you had such a sweet tooth, cat," Estinien broke the silence, speaking around his cup of Ishgardian brandy.

G'raha had the audacity to blush then. He smiled up at Aedric, looking sheepish but still decidedly flirtatious. He felt his tail find him under the table, caressing his thigh.

All throughout dinner, G'raha had regarded him with bright eyes. Every brush of fingers. Every press of thighs against each other under the table. Every glance; every smile; everything - seemed to rile him up.

He knows what he's doing, Aedric thought, as arousal was purposefully kept at bay. He swallowed a bite of pastry and nearly choked as G’raha’s thumb brushed his bare wrist under the table. He shuddered.

As soon as everyone around the table was distracted by a conversation about Tataru’s possible new business venture, he leaned down subtly and whispered into G'raha's waiting ear:

"Keep acting like this, and I won't be able to hold back."

He watched that almost imperceptible shiver run through his boyfriend. Watched as G'raha turned back toward him and leaned up to whisper into his own ear:

"Then… don't."

Like a line of levin, those words went straight to his groin.

"Get a room," Thancred finally said from across the table, and laughed. Urianger looked on amusedly, and Aedric recalled their earlier conversation. Alphinaud had the dignity to look confused, while his sister choked around a mouthful of water. Y’shtola simply rolled her eyes.

It seemed they weren’t as subtle as they thought.

And, after the meal was over and everyone headed to bed, he took Thancred’s advice.

Sweeter than any dessert, Aedric's tongue tasted G'raha's throat. Lips sucked at overwarm skin; G'raha's hands combed through his hair. His skin prickled with the sensation of fingernails on his scalp.

Aedric pinned him against the wall of their shared bedroom. The rooms at the Rising Stones were sparse, but cozy. Stone walls enclosed the small bedroom, featuring a bed, desk, and a window at the far end that was currently shut to the cool night air.

He was doubled over to be able to reach G'raha's neck. His lover writhed against him, shivering under his touch where his hands began to travel under his shirt.

"Aahh… Aed…"

G’raha’s chest was warm, and Aedric's fingers shook as he restrained himself. His palm slid along his torso, feeling the solid muscle with the slight overlay of softness he'd come to memorize. Fingertips grazed a taught nipple. He'd barely had time to lock the door and light the floral-scented candles around the room before G'raha was on him, pulling him down for a kiss.

Betwixt candlelight and shared body heat, they created a beautiful sanctum. His body ached for some form of friction. Bent over as he was with their ample size difference, their hips could not line up. They'd never be able to have sex while standing, Aedric thought bemusedly.

He needed him. Needed to press against him; needed to feel him as close as possible and cling to that sense of belonging. After that past bell or so of teasing, Aedric was not about to let him get away so easily. (Not that G'raha wanted to get away, he noted with delight.)

"Hold onto me," he mumbled against his lover.

"Oh? Oh!" he gasped excitedly as Aedric lifted him, pinning him against the wall now further up, hands on his ass. G'raha's strong arms were wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him close for a kiss; a desperate dance of teeth and tongues. His partner's mouth was open, wanting, and receptive as he slipped his tongue inside. He tasted of rolanberries: sweet, tart, and decadent. He felt the slight roughness of his tongue against his own and let out a soft whimper at the tingles that ran down his spine.

Kissing G'raha was always a transcendent experience. He had to make up for the time lost between duty and Shards. He would never have enough of him. Would never have enough of drinking down his every moan, every movement, every plea. To love, he mused, was akin to having a thirst that could only be slaked by one man.

He maneuvered the miqo'te's hips so he could wrap his legs around his waist. Now standing at his full height, Aedric ground his clothed erection against his lover, feeling his own arousal there as well. He shuddered, whimpering into his open mouth and momentarily breaking their kiss. Fingers played with the base of G'raha's tail from where it stuck out of the designated hole in his trousers.

"Oh gods, Aed-!" Legs wrapped around his middle as he sought that blessed friction. Between his legs, he could feel G'raha's body heat as he dry humped him. He felt the moisture build in his undergarments as he unabashedly leaked precum.

No more holding back, he told himself. Now that his ribs and wrist were healed, and the world was whole and safe - at least for the time being - the Warrior of Light could indulge in his lover. Could give his partner everything he desired.

G'raha panted beneath him, writhing as he provided motion against his erection; provided stimulation at the furry base of his tail. He cried out helplessly, taking whatever his Warrior of Light decided to give him - and, Fury help him, he'd give him his all. Aedric's hands shook. His head spun at what he was doing - what he was so remarkably, wonderfully doing: making G'raha lose himself and let go. Creating a safe space for the dutiful, indomitable man who was once the Crystal Exarch to finally unwind and give in to a century of longing.

"You're mine," he heard himself mumble lovingly between kisses. G'raha Tia - historian, Archon, keeper of the Tower, Crystal Exarch, Scion, savior - all of him belonged thoroughly to his Warrior of Light who loved him.

He felt his partner tremble marvelously at those words. After all the trials they'd faced - all the years that separated the two of them - he made sure G'raha Tia knew his heart utterly, completely belonged to him. He ended that phrase by moving down to his neck and ruthlessly biting down.

"Ahh…!" G'raha let a moan escape his throat. His neck, salty from the sweat of the day, beat beneath his teeth and lips. His skin was hot; he could feel the frantic pump of an artery. He held his teeth there for a while, as per his book's instructions. The manual on miqo'te mating practices claimed that biting down on either the ears or neck indicated the desire to mate, as well as provided instruction on who would end up being the dominant party.

Elezen had no such intricacies of mating; at least, none that he knew of. His sexual education had been severely lacking during his quite conservative and sheltered Ishgardian upbringing. Even more so, he appreciated the straightforwardness of Seekers of the Sun.

He continued to grind his hips into his body, fueled by the way his lover keened at the sensation of being bitten and pinned against the wall at the same time. G'raha yielded to the onslaught, fully submitting to whatever Aedric gave him; his lover was indeed enjoying himself. Quest complete, Warrior of Light, he thought to himself.

Then, the first stirrings of heat pooled in his lower abdomen. He felt his balls clench. If he kept this up, he would come from friction alone. He stilled his body, panting around the heat of G'raha's throat.

He felt G'raha cease his movements beneath him, and he unclenched his mouth from around his neck. He kissed G'raha where he'd bitten him, his skin now red where he'd held his teeth; gentle, testing. His pulse beat harder under his lips. He received a soft hum in response.

"Raha…" He heard the roughness in his own voice. It wouldn't be long now, and he had to pace himself. He couldn't spend himself now with what he had planned for tonight.

G'raha's eyes narrowed, and a deep purr reverberated in his throat. He ground his hips against him with audacity.

"Nngh-..." Reluctantly, Aedric backed up and let G'raha gently down. "Stop, I'm going to come if you-"

"Who said you're only going to come once tonight?" G'raha continued to purr as he looked up at him, hands flying to his belt buckle to unhook the leather and metal there.

He swallowed thickly.

Oh.

He was helpless as G'raha pushed down his pants to his thighs and freed his erection.

"Twelve preserve me," G'raha breathed, crimson eyes devouring his exposed length. He said it with a sense of awe; like a starving man being offered a sumptuous feast. Aedric shuddered as he felt his hot breath on his skin. G'raha's eyes flicked up to meet his. "I want you to fuck me tonight, Aedric. But first…"

"Raha…" He didn't know what else to say to that, though his words did things to him he wasn't sure he could accurately describe. The way G'raha casually said "fuck" caused a shiver down his spine. He didn't even know anyone could say such a word and make it sound like the most beautiful thing in the world. He made no move to hide his desires, and Aedric appreciated that more than he knew. Appreciated how far they’d both come in learning how to ask for the things they wanted.

He was struck by the erotic image of G'raha's face level with his cock, and he realized just how great their height difference truly was; the miqo'te's head was near level with his lower abdomen. He barely had to bend for him to take Aedric into his mouth. G’raha was a portrait of hunger, and he felt his pulse speed up at the raw desire that shone in that heated, scarlet gaze.

"Guide me with your hand, love." It was the only warning G'raha gave before he wrapped those plush lips around his cock and swallowed him in a single, practiced slide.

"Aa-ah!" Aedric did as he was told and rested a hand atop G'raha's head, fingers curling into his soft red hair. He felt himself back up against the wall, back pressed against stone.

G'raha's mouth - oh blessed Halone, his mouth - swallowed him greedily. He could do naught but stare down at the erotic image of his boyfriend sucking him; lose himself in the marvel that was oral sex. G'raha's eyes were closed, brows raised as he settled into the pace Aedric set with his hand. He pushed his bangs out of his face only to see that blissful, focused expression even more.

This time was much more desperate than the first time he'd received such an act. His rough tongue played a rhythm on the bottom of his shaft; his glans bumped the back of his throat. It was wet, hot, and he couldn't help the way his hips shallowly thrust into him. The way he needed to be buried in his lover.

G'raha hummed around his length, urging him deeper. His fingers grasped his hair as his thighs shook.

"Raha, I-I'm going to come…" he warned. He'd already been close to the edge; he absently made a note to learn how to last longer in bed for the future.

His lover only hummed again in response, red eyes opening, rolling back to peer up at him. He urged Aedric to push his head a little more. G'raha's throat worked around his glans, and he felt that wet, wonderful slide of his mouth working around him.

But more than anything, he felt G'raha completely and irrevocably wanting this; wanting him.

He felt his body release, cock twitching as his orgasm was wrung from him. Felt his balls clench and thighs twitch, his body a crescendo. Heard his own moan ripped raw from his throat to echo in their room at the Rising Stones as his head was thrown back. A wet sound as G'raha struggled to swallow it all. He couldn't; he watched as cum dripped out the corners of his mouth and fell to the floor in wet droplets. He gently urged his much smaller lover to remove his head.

Reluctantly, G'raha relented, allowing his excess ejaculate to fall onto the stone below. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand, swallowing thickly. He heard the sound of G'raha gulping down his cum. He panted, sucking in great breaths of air after he'd finished.

Aedric shivered.

"Holy Halone…"

G'raha grinned up at him once he caught his breath. "Did you enjoy that?" His voice sounded raw; his lips, used.

Aedric could only nod, thighs still shaking from his release as he slid down the wall slightly, surrendering his weight to the cold stone at his back. He wasn't sure which gods he'd pleased to be able to partake of such a blessing as G'raha Tia; if he ever found out, he'd become a religious man.

“Oh, how I love you,” he sighed.

G'raha's eyes softened. "As I love you, my stars. My brilliant night sky."

Aedric breathed deep, chest pounding. This is it, Warrior of Light, he thought; ask him.

“When you’re ready, I’d like you on the bed… It's your turn."

He watched as that phrase worked its way to G'raha's ears. A shudder; a twitch of those expressive appendages. An enthusiastic nod, so forceful and excited he nearly chuckled.

Marvelous, Aedric thought. Both of their faces were as red as rolanberry tarts now.

They undressed quickly and efficiently, not wanting to waste any time. Clothes flew off without care, landing in random corners of the room; he'd worry about that later.

Aedric never tired of seeing G'raha nude. They mostly slept next to each other in linen shirts and loose pants, but there had been the occasional night where they'd wear nothing at all. It was oddly comforting, the familiarity. The perfect way G'raha's body fit against his. The small beauty mark on his left hip; the scar just below his right elbow; the way his tail curled and fluffed up whenever he'd run his hands along the soft fur there.

He loved the way his tail swayed as he removed his pants, the appendage sliding through the hole cut out for it there. His backside, then, was another marvel. Aedric wanted to grab it; maybe gently pull his tail to the side as he ran his hands over his ass.

G'raha turned around, and he admired his chest, too - amply muscled and stocky like the rest of him. The swath of red hair leading down from his navel was a beacon for his eyes to follow; his cock - thick and beautiful - stood proudly erect. He was hard and leaking.

"Preparing your plan of attack?" G'raha's taunting voice.

He realized, then, he'd been staring quite intensely as the other man undressed. He felt himself flush, but did not look away. "Something like that."

G'raha's eyes were hooded as he regarded him, and he made his way to the bed that sat against the eastern wall of the small room. His ears were flattened against his head; his tail swayed seductively up and to the side, displaying his ass fully.

Aedric's breath caught and he swallowed thickly. G'raha knew what he was doing. Knew what he'd likely already read in his book on miqo'te mating practices. His mind cross-referenced G'raha's actions with the words he'd recalled: when in the mood to mate, a miqo'te who has assumed a submissive position will display their backside to the dominant partner. Flattened ears show that they have consented to the submissive role, while a tail flicked to the side, showing off hips and buttocks, meant they consented to being mounted.

At that detail, he felt the stirrings of arousal find him once more - sooner than he expected, in spite of his recent orgasm.

Aedric followed him to where he stood, naked body sliding up behind him. He reached a hand down; G'raha shuddered in delight as he rubbed his tail. Aedric loved it; the soft red fur, the expressions it helped shape, the way it brushed against him subconsciously. He ran his fingers through his fur at the base.

"Mmm…" His tail lifted slightly under his touch - the same signal again. Submission; the desire to be fucked. His breath caught at the honesty and eagerness of his lover beneath his fingers.

"Raha…" Aedric moved his hand further down to grab the mound of his buttocks. His skin was soft, and gave slightly beneath his fingers. The plush feeling of his ass, covered in a small amount of red hair, was beautifully erotic when he thought of what he'd be doing next.

G'raha hummed deep in his throat at the touch. "I want you," he breathed; a plea spoken from between recently-used lips.

"You have me," he admitted quietly. His hands shook, but his voice did not waver.

His tail lifted further up, twitching at the tip. Words and actions gave Aedric more confidence than he deserved. He reluctantly let go. G'raha stared questioningly at him as he grabbed several clean towels from the pile he'd requisitioned from Tataru, as well as the same bottle of lubricant oil they'd used last night, and brought them to the bed.

"Um… let's see." Aedric fidgeted. He had to think of the best way to do this. G'raha watched as he laid a fluffy white towel down on the bed to prevent any potential stains. He wasn't sure how messy their lovemaking would be, but he was always conscious of keeping his space clean. Couldn't hurt, right?

"Shall I guide you?" G'raha, for all his enthusiasm and arousal, waited patiently, giving Aedric the space he needed.

"I… know the basics, but perhaps you could help guide me if I need it? Let me know how it feels, or if I'm doing anything you don't like." He chewed his lip nervously. “I would like to lead… If that’s alright?” Most importantly, he wanted his partner to let go; to surrender to being pampered. Loved - gently and thoroughly.

When the towel was laid out, G'raha climbed on top and lay supine. "I shall follow your lead, then." His tail writhed. "I trust you."

His heart beat too fast in his chest. G'raha lay on the bed - naked, face-up, incredibly aroused - and Aedric felt a smidgen of anxiety. He was going to do this. Going to open G'raha up in the most intimate way; going to enter him and feel his body. And, above all other thoughts, G'raha wanted him; that sweet reminder bolstered all of his actions.

He laid out on the bed beside him, his long body sprawled out next to G'raha's smaller frame. He peered down at his partner, and they smiled at each other: simple, affectionate, and tender.

He trailed his hand downward. Fingers found their way over G'raha's chest; abdomen; then around the hot length of his arousal. He heard G'raha gasp as his fingertips teased around his glans and shaft; his palm slid along his lover's gorgeously curved cock, and he absently thought about asking G'raha to fuck him in turn, someday soon.

Then, lower; fingers found their way under his balls, over his perineum. Without looking, Aedric dipped his hand in the crease between those pleasing mounds until he felt the small patch of puckered skin, lightly surrounded by hair.

A tremor ran through his lover at the touch. "Y-... yes…" he whispered in encouragement. Slitted pupils were almost completely round now as he looked nowhere else besides Aedric’s eyes.

He lifted his head away slightly. "I am going to use one finger at first," he said slowly. He removed his hand to grab the bottle of lube beside them. "Please… let me know if there is any discomfort, and I will immediately stop." Aedric swallowed thickly once more, pushing down his anxiety. "T-then I shall add a second finger, and then a third. A-and then-”

"You are by far the most talkative lover I've ever had." G'raha smirked.

Aedric felt himself flush. Oh Fury, was he already messing up?

"That's a good thing,” G'raha explained, and planted a quick kiss on his warm cheek. "Thank you for always ensuring consent," he added. "It… means a lot to me."

He smiled. "Of course." Aedric fidgeted; was it appropriate etiquette to ask him to spread his legs so he could get a better look? Did people do this by feel alone, or was it alright to gaze openly upon the most private part of his lover? He was frozen, mind reeling.

G'raha picked up on his apprehension and smiled. "Pour the lube into your hand," he offered by way of instruction.

He blushed. "R-right." He peered down at the clear glass bottle in his hand. He was about to ask G'raha to perhaps open his legs more, or whatever he thought would sound more romantic, when he saw his lover shift beside him.

Aedric's breath hitched at the erotic sight; if he was still somewhat soft, he was fully hard now.

He watched as G'raha turned himself over, making a thoughtful hum as he arranged himself: on his knees, face down, ass in the air. His tail was curled up and over his back.

"I think… this might be easiest," G'raha said softly. In this soft, candlelit room, his cheeks were redder than he'd seen all night; crimson eyes looked downward. He looked… shy. Nervous.

And then, Aedric had a stray thought: that perhaps G'raha was not as experienced as he seemed.

"Raha," he rested his hand on the small of his back. The touch caused the miqo'te's ears to twitch back as he peered up at him from his face amongst the pillows. "Have you… done this before?"

Eyes widened slightly.

"Um… only once." He met his gaze, ears pinning further back. "A long, long time ago."

Aedric remained silent, allowing him to tell him more if he wanted.

"It was another student - a miqo'te. A classmate of mine. He was sweet on me; I was a virgin." The words tumbled out. "I had no idea what I was doing. He was patient and kind." He smiled. "Like you." Aedric saw him relax further into the mattress, the spoken admission lifting a weight he hadn't even known was there.

"I was young; so was he," G'raha continued. "My first time was nice enough, I suppose; everything was new. But I never really…" He took a breath. "He just wanted some fun. Wasn't looking for anything more. While I was looking for… well, someone to give my heart to. Even if I didn’t know it at the time."

Aedric smiled gently, caressing his back. He knew that sentiment all too well. His heart pounded a rhythm in his chest, as he knew G'raha had that now; had that love he could call his own, and Aedric was the one to give it to him.

I would spend my entire life with him, Aedric thought. It caught him by surprise, though only briefly. Would G'raha want that? He'd have to think about it, perhaps another time; about eternal bonding and all the accoutrements associated.

"S-so other than that one time - a century ago for me - I… I'm sorry if…" Aedric saw him swallow. G'raha's shoulders moved beneath him as he breathed deep. "Sorry if you thought I had more experience. I have some, I just… Didn't want to disappoint you, if you thought I was more learned."

Aedric blinked. "Wait." He felt laughter threaten to bubble over. "You thought I would be disappointed in you?"

G'raha chuckled in turn. "Don't worry, I've had plenty of time to read about what to do." G'raha's back relaxed as he lay down flatter atop the bed. "Plenty of books over the years… And plenty of years to imagine and consider what I’d want."

Aedric smiled slowly. "We are more similar than you realize." Urianger was right; communication was key, no matter how much either of them wanted this. No matter how much they both wanted to lose themselves in desperate lovemaking; talking would need to come first.

He ran a hand up and down his partner’s back. "A truth for a truth, then?"

G'raha hummed a question, relaxing into the touch.

"I was sweet on another, once. After you… sealed yourself away."

"Oh?" He noticed an ear flick back. He continued his calming movements, massaging toned flesh.

Aedric had thought of keeping this to himself. Obviously nothing came of it, as he was here, now, with G'raha in bed. But if G'raha was being honest about past paramours, Aedric would be, too.

"Lord Haurchefant," he spoke into the quiet room. "I'm… sure you're familiar, if you've read Heavensward."

G'raha made a small noise. Pained; sad.

He knew.

"The history books made no mention of a relationship."

"I'd never gotten to confess." The pain was somewhat dulled now; he chose instead to remember his friend as he was: cheerful, smiling, full of warmth. "Nothing happened between the two of us. I had been pining over you, cursing that damned Tower, actually, when he started to nudge his way into my affections."

G'raha turned his head back to regard him. "I'm sorry, Aedric." His expression was soft; somber.

He'd been expecting jealousy, perhaps, after his previous reaction to admitting his date with Aymeric. He remembered his friend's final words, and chose to smile instead.

"Thank you for trusting me with your history, Raha," he spoke. "And thank you for letting me trust you with mine." He was grateful for the advice from his astrologian friend; at how creating a comforting, safe space was more important for intimacy than any amount of physical acts.

"Of course," He felt a soft purr reverberate from his lover. "I'm actually feeling less nervous now, after admitting that." He chuckled.

"This will be another learning experience for us, then," Aedric exhaled as he continued to rub G'raha's back. "Please let me know if you'd like me to stop… at any point." He worked his fingers along the muscles above his tailbone; leaned over and pressed a kiss to his back. Aedric touched his ass once again, stroking the soft skin in relaxing motions. Ensuring G'raha that he would be gentle, always.

G'raha sighed. "I love how soft you are."

Aedric felt a smile come over him. "I'm a little nervous, too." He slid his right index finger into the crease of G'raha's body and once again felt the pucker of his anus. Once he was sure G'raha was fully relaxed, Aedric indulged in the pleasure of looking upon his lover there: a circle of skin, slightly darker than his normal tone. It looked so… small. He remembered Urianger's words about relaxation and realized the necessity of it.

"H-here?" He asked. "Can I…?"

"Gods, yes," G'raha breathed. He saw the tension release from his shoulders, head bending down to rest in the plush pillows.

Aedric grasped the bottle of lubricant and poured the slick, clear liquid into his right hand. He coated his fingers in the viscous fluid before slowly bringing his index finger up to the miqo’te’s fundament.

"Let me know if you need me to pause at all," he reiterated once more. He saw him nod.

He pressed the tip gently against his entrance, testing the feel of it. Testing how G'raha would take it. He watched for any sign of discomfort from his lover's face; G'raha's expression was relaxed and focused amongst the pillows where he lay. He watched Aedric just as closely.

Without a word, he pushed his finger inside - barely an ilm.

G'raha let out a sigh below him. His finger was wrapped in a ring of tight muscle. The lubricant made his digit slide easily - more easily than he thought. Was this the result of G’raha’s practice, by his own admission? Achingly slow, he continued to push so that his first knuckle was inside.

"Mm…" G'raha groaned below him.

Aedric paused.

"N-no, keep going," he whispered. "Just… getting used to the feeling of…" He laughed. "Something being up there."

He warmly chuckled, in turn. His plentiful romance novels never mentioned that sex wasn't meant to be a serious, stoic activity. The laughter, the forthright confessions, and the reality of actual bodies were more lovely than he’d ever imagined.

"You're about to have more, so just let me know how it feels," Aedric spoke with a smile. He continued to push, then, to the second knuckle. Slowly, so slowly.

He watched G'raha's intent expression, eyes crinkled at the sides. He held his hand completely still inside him, not daring to move until he saw his face relax; until he felt that ring of muscle give slightly.

After some time, he pushed his finger into that tight heat until he couldn't any more, buried up to his third knuckle. Felt that lubricated entrance pull him in. His insides felt hot, intense, yet soft. There had been a slight amount of resistance, but his slow pace seemed to have eased his passage as he felt his partner relax.

"Ohh…" G'raha groaned.

"Still good?"

"Mhmm." A high-pitched affirmative. "Your fingers are… much longer than my own." Another light laugh, and G'raha smiled up at him.

Aedric grinned. "Hopefully that's a good thing." He wiggled his single digit, feeling the walls press around him. G'raha was much tighter nearer his entrance than further inside, he realized. His mind reeled as he imagined what it would feel like around his cock.

"Just… hold still for a while," G'raha gasped out as Aedric attempted to move.

He obeyed.

G'raha continued to give him instruction: straightforward, simple. Sometimes mumbled around a moan or a gasp.

"Add a second finger," he begged after a while.

Slowly, Aedric pressed his lubricant-covered middle finger to join his index inside. He started out much the same: knuckle by knuckle, until his two fingers were side by side.

"Mmph… yes." He made a small sound below him. G'raha's cheeks were afire, his eyes closed now in apparent ecstasy. He noticed his tail twitching from where it rested up on his back. The lubricant made everything slick, and he absently wondered if he'd used too much.

Urianger's words flitted through his mind: "Thou canst never have enough lubrication."

Ah. Better too much than too little, then. He moved his fingers gently, taking his time. Aedric's previous anxiety was instead replaced by the focus needed in learning a new lesson. He hoped G'raha didn't find his intensity off-putting.

After what felt like an age, G'raha begged him for a third finger. The third was a much tighter fit than the previous two, even with more lube added.

"A-ah! Hold for a bit," G'raha spoke up, eyes opening again to look up at him. "Slower… I think."

"Of course," Aedric replied. His heart beat faster at the intimacy of such an act. At the way he noticed his partner's body loosen gradually for him.

"You have very large fingers," G'raha chuckled, his voice sounding a bit strained. "Guess I never really noticed how large until now." He felt his laughter reverberate from inside his body - a strange and wonderful sensation, palpable through his fingertips.

"Um," Aedric cleared his throat. "Thank you?" He wasn’t sure if it was a compliment or not.

G'raha urged him to continue. It took longer than the others, but he finally had all three fingers inside. It was a tight but comfortable fit. He held still so his partner could adjust.

"Ohhh…"

"How do you feel?"

G'raha was quiet a moment as he thought. "Full," he finally settled on. "But good."

Aedric felt his fingers tingle after holding them in the same position for so long. While G'raha adjusted to the new girth, he used his left hand to stroke the fur along his tail. G'raha relaxed further, and he felt the tight ring of muscle inside him loosen slightly. He wondered briefly if relaxation of the mind was closely linked to relaxation of the body?

He started moving his three fingers now. Pulling them apart in slow motions. The press of his walls was tight, but he felt the way he began to relax the longer he applied his focused ministrations.

"How are you feeling now? Is this ok?" He moved his fingers around, feeling the sensation along his walls. He maneuvered his hand, curling his fingers toward his front.

"Yes, my stars," G'raha sighed into the pillows. "I think- Oh!"

His fingers brushed against a patch that felt slightly different - a new texture, spanning roughly an ilm in diameter. He pressed on it once more.

"Aah-!" G'raha writhed beneath him, tail twitching. "Aedric…!"

He pushed slightly into that rounded stretch of smooth wall. G'raha gave a small, frenzied sound beneath him. He continued to work that tiny bulb of nerves, noticing how the miqo'te leaned into the touch now. How he shivered beneath him; bucked backward slightly upon his fingers; became a mewling mess. Whatever it was, he liked it. A lot. Aedric’s focus intensified as he soaked in all aspects of this lesson written by his lover’s body.

He thought about all the books he'd read. All the dense biology texts he'd consumed this morning. He thought about the cross-section diagram with parts labeled and definitions crowding the page.

Then… this must be…

"The prostate!" Aedric announced excitedly.

"Nngh-!"

G'raha spilled beneath him.

Aedric gaped.

He watched as orgasm transformed the features of his lover. Watched as he gushed onto the white towel below. He felt his body clench around his digits; felt his balls tighten where his thumb rested in that nest of red curls.

He'd been so engrossed in the lesson at hand, he hadn't even noticed his lover's telltale signs leading up to orgasm.

Silence. Aedric held his hand there, unmoving.

Then, light laughter - beautiful and raw.

"Yes, Aedric," G'raha trembled beneath him. "The…" he shuddered. "Prostate."

"I'm sorry-"

More laughter. "Why are you apologizing?"

"I…" Aedric started laughing as well; it was infectious. "I don't know."

He appreciated, then, how bright their love shone. Here, in this hallowed space lit with candles and laughter.

"I was not prepared for that, I'm afraid," Aedric said through the largest smile.

"Nor was I." Smiling, eyes crinkled with joy. "I've… never had that happen before."

Aedric started to move his hand again. "Then…" he swallowed. "Allow me to give you another."

G'raha blinked in surprise.

Aedric chose to echo his partner's words from earlier: "Who said you're only going to come once tonight?" He smirked, lips canting upward.

G'raha gave a whimper, grinning up at him. "Yes… please." His ears jumped up excitedly. “I am yours.” And the way G’raha’s body arched itself - the way he relaxed further into the plush pillows and mattress - Aedric knew he meant it. Was excited by being completely at his mercy. And the Warrior or Light would, indeed, show him mercy.

Aedric tested the feel of his entrance: much more loose now after such a long time preparing. He'd been achingly hard for the past half-bell spent with his fingers inside his lover, but felt better knowing G'raha was fully relaxed. Surely he'd be able to slide in smoothly now, right?

And there it was: that intense need to be inside him. He peered down at his partner; the arched back, the curled tail, the still-trembling thighs. He took in a shaking breath.

"Raha," he spoke. "I'd like to make love to you." Slowly - so slowly - he removed his fingers.

G'raha made a small sigh at the sensation. “Please,” he whimpered, laced with desperation.

Aedric poured more lubricant into his now freed hand, sliding it up and down the length of his own erection to coat it. He held himself in his hand as he regarded his lover’s bent form.

“I…” he started, then took a moment to breathe. “Could we do it the other way?”

“Other way…?”

“Um…” He bit his lip. “I have no issue doing it like this…” - Fury, just G’raha being on his knees like this with his backside on full display was surely the most erotic thing he’s ever seen - “But I’d like to face you, if we can manage it. So I can see your face and… know what you like… or don’t like.” He fidgeted. “If it feels good, or bad.”

Something in G’raha seemed to unfold. Some deep emotion he couldn’t place now shone in his eyes: surprise, perhaps?

And then, a smile: brilliant and beautiful.

“We can,” G’raha answered.

Aedric smiled back. “Let me just change the towel first,” he chuckled, glancing down at the puddle of liquid atop it.

G’raha maneuvered himself as Aedric removed the towel and set a new one down. The miqo'te settled on top, grinning as he got comfortable amongst the pillows and blankets. His ears lay flat against his head - a submissive gesture - but denoting trust. He looked relaxed; vulnerable and naked, but not an onze of trepidation was left.

Aedric noticed that he was becoming hard again, as well, after coming only a few minutes ago.

"You have quite the stamina," he remarked as he grabbed two pillows from the pile of spares.

"Can you blame me?" G'raha's brows tweaked upward as he smirked. "I have the Warrior of Light in my bed."

"Our bed," he corrected giddily, and motioned for G'raha to lift his hips.

"What are those for?" His partner glanced at the pillows.

"Um," Aedric demurred. "For… comfort." He cleared his throat. "So your back is supported." He didn't mention that Urianger had told him that, as well. “S-so I can get… leverage, with our height difference.” His face heated.

“You think of everything.” His lover smiled tenderly and raised his hips slightly.

“That’s the problem,” he snickered. “I never stop thinking, I’m afraid.” He slid the two pillows under his hips, watching G’raha settle, his tail curling to the side. “Comfortable?”

“With you? Always.” He wiggled his hips suggestively, snuggling into the nest of blankets and pillows they’d somehow created. Here, in this space lit by floral-scented candles, made warm by their presence.

Aedric’s smile grew wider as he took in his cozy, delighted appearance. G'raha was a picture of contentment as he parted his thighs. Perhaps he wasn’t as bad at lovemaking as he thought? Perhaps, Aedric reasoned, love was less about performing acts by the book, and more about simply listening?

He climbed on top, holding himself up with one hand while the other held his erection. The two pillows propped up G’raha’s hips nicely, allowing an easy angle for his larger form. Their size difference - something he had been conscious about but tried to forget - was suddenly at the forefront of his thoughts. Though G'raha was stocky and strong, he was still small - even for a miqo'te. He realized how much his body would completely cover his partner's. He suddenly felt shy about climbing on top - his comparatively massive frame on full display - but was able to push that thought away to be dealt with at another time.

He looked down; crimson eyes greeted him, along with a somewhat shy smile formed on his reddened face. He made himself comfortable, kneeling between G'raha's open thighs. His hand shook as he lined himself up.

"Raha, a-are you…" His voice caught in his throat. Fury, he'd never been so aroused, yet anxious, in his entire life. What if he hurt him? He knew he was stalling.

"I've waited for this. For a lifetime," G'raha pleaded. "I’m ready."

His heart pounded harder, as if his sternum would break open ‘neath its rhythmic elation.

A lifetime, he reflected. G’raha had wanted him for so long it made the deepest part of him ache with such an immense emotion he couldn’t even place; an Umbral Calamity of the heart. Had Aedric, too, not waited his whole life for a love like this? Hadn’t he pined for him - that bright, young man in the Tower - since that fateful day?

Hadn’t his world shifted - changed in a single instant - when that damned hood was thrown back? When those ears, familiar features, and red eyes regarded him once more?

When there he stood: crystalline and resplendent. Light and wind atop that accursed mountaintop. A king of crystal.

When he'd realized all too late that he'd fallen in love with someone who had willingly sealed himself away. When that same man was before him once again, in another world.

The man he’d fallen in love with, all those years ago, and never told.

“Aedric?”

Well. Until recently, anyway.

"I love you, Raha."

A breath; a nudge. Twin smiles meeting at this hallowed precipice.

"I love you, Aedric."

And then: a push.

Heat - tight and wet - swallowed the head of his cock. Halone's spear, this was wonderful; Aedric wanted to keep pushing. To fully claim this wondrous part of his lover - give him his all. But he knew to take things slow. The way his body gripped him was another keen reminder of their size difference.

"O-ohh!" G'raha's eyes went wide. Arms flew up to wrap around his torso, fingers splayed against his back. He carefully peered at his face for any sign of discomfort. He wore a slightly strained expression, brows knitting together as he focused on taking his length. G'raha's thighs were parted, allowing ample room for Aedric's hips to situate comfortably between; he felt his legs quake as they embraced his sides. He braced his hands to either side of him on the mattress.

“Raha?”

“Keep going,” he breathed. "Please." Desperation.

The Warrior of Light proceeded as bidden, eyes never straying from his partner’s face. Head bent over, he took in every single movement - the quirk of lips, the flick of an ear - as he surrounded himself in his body. Slowly; so slowly. He was engulfed by him, the pleasure surprising in its intensity.

“Fury, y-you’re… snug,” Aedric gasped out, fighting the urge to close his eyes or look away after such an admission. He was barely halfway and already worried about pushing in even more. Would he even be able to fit?

“You’re just, ngh…” G’raha’s expression pinched slightly as he continued this sublime incursion. “... Elezen-sized.” A strained smile.

He laughed deep in his throat. Aedric thought about leaning down to kiss him then, but realized that with their significant height difference of almost two fulms, G’raha’s head was level with his chest instead of his face, even horizontal as they were. His larger body absolutely covered him, and he realized how absurd they must look as a couple.

G’raha seemed to realize this at the same time, causing a bout of laughter between them.

“I’m sorry,” Aedric snickered.

“Please stop apologizing during sex.” G’raha tried to remain deadpan, but failed. His expression cracked. Joyous; giddy.

“I’m sorr- oh, no-” He did it again. More laughter.

“Aedric,” he chuckled, and leveled him with a look that spoke more than words - red eyes narrowed in amusement and desire, both.

Squeezed as he was, he felt everything: his warmth, his heartbeat, even his laughter. He noted the flushed cheeks, and chanced a look downward to see the place where their bodies joined. Lewd and divine, his cock disappeared halfway into his lover's body.

“I-I'm… mm… not sure I will fit all the way," he groaned, looking back at his face. "Do you want me to sto-”

“No!” His ears flipped up as if offended Aedric would even suggest such a thing.

G’raha’s too-quick response earned another laugh out of him.

"I want all of you," G'raha spoke softly. His red bangs were sprawled out on the pillows below; a crown of fire. A halo.

"You'll have me," he replied, and bent down to press a kiss to the top of his head.

Through bright laughter and awkward grins exchanged, Aedric continued penetration at a leisurely pace. Gazes locked, he advanced, taking breaks whenever he felt any resistance. Watching his face for any signs of pain; to his relief, he found none. Only focus, joy, and perhaps a little bewilderment every time G'raha asked if he was all the way in and Aedric had to tell him there was still more to go.

He noticed the way G’raha writhed beneath him. How he begged for all of him, especially when he had to pause. The slide of flesh; the viscosity of the lubricant; the bated breaths exhaled in this sacred space between two bodies. Little by little, he patiently filled him.

At last, he was fully mounted. Sweat dripped from his brow and landed on the blanket below. He felt the tight ring of muscle around the base of his shaft; the hot, cloying walls that massaged his head; the soft mounds of his asscheeks as they cushioned his pelvis.

"Wicked white… So deep…" G'raha all but shook beneath him. His legs trembled; his cock twitched where it lay erect against his abdomen. "G-gods, you’re-... I-I've never felt so… so…"

"Me, too," Aedric managed. Full? Loved? Complete? There were so many words he could use, and yet none of them seemed to fully encompass the situation. He held himself still as G'raha fully adjusted. The need to thrust, to seek movement, was overwhelming. But his partner's comfort reigned above all other needs. He waited.

"Aed…" G'raha's eyes narrowed, giving another smile. "Please…"

Tension.

"Raha-"

A sweet surrender.

A slow drag out; a thrust.

"Oh!"

Hands tightened their hold on his back. Crimson eyes were afire, black pupils wide and round and hungry.

Friction - magnificent and feverous - became a driving need. Another thrust.

Another.

"Aedric!" He wailed. "Gods-" Receptive and needy as Aedric held himself above. His face was ecstasy; cheeks bright red, mouth parted, eyes unfocused. His lover was completely at his mercy, and G'raha seemed to enjoy that more than anything else.

He fucked him. Sweetly, languidly, deliciously. The stone walls threw back the echoes of his soft cries. The white, floral-scented candles cast their flickering light around this sanctum. G'raha Tia was a god limned in the glow of firelight; his Warrior of Light and Darkness would worship at his altar. Enshrined; exarchic.

His.

Aedric had never felt anything like this before; the physical sensation was overwhelming as he dragged his cock in and out of his lover at a steady pace. He couldn't help the sounds that escaped him, nor the way his body sought its own rhythm guided by an instinct he didn't even know was there. Couldn't help the way his skin felt like fire. G'raha's body was a refuge - warm, welcoming, wonderful - and he realized then that he never wanted to be without this ever again.

"More." A sigh from below him. A prayer.

"Hold on," Aedric panted. He maneuvered G'raha's thighs further apart, hooking his legs in the crooks of his elbows.

"Wha-" G'raha was suddenly folded in half as Aedric pushed further. With the miqo'te's feet in the air, he was somehow able to angle deeper; he hadn't even been sure he could, until now. His lover keened below him, head thrown back; eyes closed at the depth and earnestness with which the Warrior of Light fucked him.

"Yes…" G'raha whimpered. "Oh, gods, Aed." His tail curled beneath him, brushing against his hip.

"Is… is this good?" Harder breathing. Deeper; faster. Again and again.

"Yes, love." Fingernails in his back. "Give me everything."

The intensity of eye contact; the way his tail curled. The grasping heat around his cock. G'raha's open mouth; his hair a disheveled mess; a sheen of sweat as the elezen pushed his body past his limits, stretching him open to his core. How he took him - every single ilm.

Aedric shuddered.

And so, he did as his lover asked - steadfast and absolute. He didn't realize how flimsy the bed frames at the Rising Stones were, with how the metal frame creaked beneath every movement; every thrust. A raucous, discordant sound against the stone floor. A backdrop against the chorus of his boyfriend's pleas. Symphonic.

'Twas exhilarating, the ability to reduce his lover to a moaning, squirming mess. The Warrior of Light had fought primals, Ascians, traveled through time and space, defeated the physical form of nihilism and apocalypse itself, and still - still - it did not compare to the power he felt at his ability to please his lover. Didn't even come close to the ultimate privilege of fucking senseless the keeper of his heart. Making the Crystal Exarch, the Archon, the Scion lose himself in this - this gleaming, shining thing they'd created between them.

Bodies moved together. Harmonic. Again; again. He could never get enough of him - would never get enough.

He could get used to this, he thought. Used to the regular lovemaking. Sleeping beside each other. Waking up together. In juxtaposition to their adventurous lifestyles, he craved the domesticity of falling into each other's arms each night.

"Aedric! I-I…"

His moans were higher pitched now. Lyrical. A bard's heartsong, plucked by roughened fingers used to pulling a bowstring, once upon a time.

"Raha…" An exhalation.

Aedric took a moment to arrange himself, removing his right arm from under his partner's thigh. Long fingers wrapped around G'raha's cock. Weeping and hard, he pumped that thick, lovely length in time to his thrusts. Fingers slid over foreskin and glans, slicking his entire shaft with precum and the remnants of having his prostate milked.

With barely a few strokes, he came undone with a broken whimper. Cum painted both their chests. His head was thrown back amongst the nest of pillows, arms flying upward. Ears twitched quickly as orgasm wracked his body.

Fury…

When G'raha was all but spent, Aedric let go of his cock. He moved both his arms up to grasp his hands where they lay above him. Fingers interlaced, he pushed his wrists down into the mattress, earning a startled cry from his lover.

His larger form pitched them both forward. G'raha was bent further in half, and he writhed at being pinned down and fucked hard. Hadn't he had a similar reaction, all those moons ago, when Aedric had tasted his body for the first time? Perhaps, Aedric absently thought, G'raha liked him like this. In control. Intense. Dominant.

Well. He did ask for everything, didn't he?

Like a switch being flicked, he watched as G'raha's eyes went wide at his new bearing.

"Oh, yes, pleas-"

G'raha didn't get to finish, as his voice broke around a moan. He fucked him deeply, thoroughly. The miqo'te squeezed his legs around him, heels digging into his backside. His cries spurred him on; a musical accompaniment. It would not be long now.

"Raha… mm…" Hot, sweat-drenched. "C-can I… inside?"

Nodding. Too lost for words. On fire.

Lost in those gleaming, crimson eyes, he came.

Orgasm overtook him like a wildfire. Burning; bright. Aedric bent his head, further pushing his smaller partner into their bed. He spilled inside, pumping his lover to the brim. The sensation of coming within was unlike anything he'd ever felt before; the warmth of his partner's body coaxed everything from him.

Panting in the silence.

The flicker of candles.

He lifted his head and opened his eyes. G’raha lay below him, still bent, his own cum dripping down his heaving chest and onto the towel below. His mouth hung open; his hair was a tangled mess; his clips had fallen out somewhere along the way and his braid was half undone. Face was red and drenched in sweat. He looked, well… well-loved was the first phrase that came to mind, but it seemed like it didn’t do the sight justice.

“Um…” Aedric blinked. “How… how was-”

“Wonderful." he breathed, staring up at him in awe the way he usually did whenever he defeated a foe, or cast a devastating spell. "I… I’ve never been so…” A sated grin languidly spread itself over his features as he tried to find his words. “Well worth the wait, my stars.”

That smile…

Aedric let go of G’raha’s hands to wrap him in an embrace. He felt his lover’s shaking arms wrap around his back.

He placed a kiss on the top of his head. “... Thank you, Raha-”

“First you apologize, now you’re thanking me for sex?” G’raha began to laugh again.

“I…” Laughter, a contagious thing, found him as well. “W-what do people usually say after sex?”

He felt him shake against him now, laughing harder. “I don’t rightly know.”

“I’m sure we’ll find the words eventually,” Aedric said around a wheezing chuckle.

"Between all the books read between us? I'd hope so."

Limbs sorted themselves out; bodies rearranged.

And then, a kiss. Warmer than candlelight; softer than the plush nest of blankets that they'd made love in. It conveyed everything. And he realized that, sometimes, words - books and diagrams and instructions - weren't needed.

*

Morning light. Birdsong. The shifting of naked limbs under cotton sheets. Gentle snoring.

Aedric crept into their bedroom, brown paper bag in one hand; the other precariously held two steaming cups.

Two red ears were all that could be seen as the rest of his lover lay beneath a pile of blankets. G'raha was still asleep. Perfect. The last thing he wanted was for his partner to awake in an empty bed.

He didn't blame his boyfriend for his exhausted state. After their lovemaking, they'd taken a bath in the basin that Aedric had thought to bring ahead of time. An overthinker he may be, but at least they hadn't needed to streak through the halls of the Rising Stones on their way to the bathroom; hair messy, bodies sweaty and smelling of sex.

Though he supposed he could be blamed for his lover's exhaustion, when he thought about it. After all, how was Aedric supposed to know that bathing together would ignite passion's tinder once more?

They'd made love again after their bath. Freshly-washed and lavender-scented, Aedric took him while bent over. Unhurried and languorous; sleepy and affectionate. He'd discovered that was G'raha's favorite position, as he had the clear advantage of playing with his tail. As he learned how much he liked the base of it held and stroked during intimacy.

Aedric didn't even think he'd be able to come again - nor eke out another orgasm from his lover - but G'raha always did say he was good at breaking limits.

He set the bag down on the desk near the window and quietly stripped off his clothes and set his glasses down. Sex aside, he always preferred the skin-on-skin contact when in bed. There was distinct pleasure to be had in how sheets felt on bare skin - and how G'raha's bare skin felt against his.

Arms wrapped around his partner from behind, pulling the miqo'te close to his chest. He was sleep-warm and pliant; a line indented his cheek where he'd slept on the seam of the pillow. Hair smelled of lavender soap still, and Aedric indulged in the tiny pleasure of sniffing those silky red locks. Cinnamon, bergamot, parchment, books. G'raha.

"Good morning." Sleepy and soft, G'raha's voice found him as he was gently woken up.

"Good morning," he replied. He held him tighter, planting a kiss to the outside of a furred ear.

"Mmm… What time is it? Is anyone waiting on us downstairs?"

"Early enough still." Aedric nuzzled his cheek into G'raha's head. He felt the soft rumbles of a purr as he sleepily nuzzled back. "Thought we could share breakfast before the others were up and about."

"Mmm… breakfast." G'raha still sounded half asleep.

"I went to the market when it opened this morning."

"Did you? I love you…" He tiredly snuggled against him. Soft breathing turned into faint snores as G'raha started to drift asleep again.

Aedric chuckled. "Mhmm. I got apple tarts and coffee."

Ears perked up, slapping his cheek.

“Y-you remembered? I-” G'raha attempted to get up and turn around when he suddenly winced, hand flying to hold his lower back. He groaned as he flopped back down onto the bed.

“Raha?” Aedric immediately moved so he could more easily see his face, sitting up in the bed. G’raha’s expression was pained, yet, remarkably, he was smiling.

"Wicked white…" Red eyes flicked to his own concerned gaze. “I should have known the Warrior of Light’s stamina would be unmatched.”

Aedric’s entire face heated. Oh. Perhaps they overdid it a bit. Though, G'raha did ask him for "more." Multiple times, in fact. And he'd given it to him - in abundance. He was simply obeying instructions, he told himself.

“I-I can heal you if your muscles are sore-” A physick spell tingled along his fingertips.

G’raha laughed as he waved him away. “I’ll be fine, love.” He patted his hand, encouraging him to cease the healing spell. “Just some general soreness, but nothing that will hinder me. It should get easier as time goes on, according to the book I read yesterday, at least.”

Aedric blinked, tilting his head to the side. “Book?”

“O-oh… right, then.” His ears twitched backward briefly, averting his gaze. "... I, ah… lied about having plans with Krile yesterday." He awkwardly cleared his throat.

Aedric stared. "How so?"

"I…" G'raha squirmed.

"Yes?" He prompted. He doubted G'raha would lie to him about anything too terrible, so he merely waited.

"I visited a book cart yesterday morning." G'raha's ears turned all the way back in embarrassment. "This was before I admitted my inexperience, if you recall… You've done so much to make me feel loved, taking into account our differences. Y-you have that book - Cat Got Your Tongue, whatever it's called - that I keep seeing you read and reference. I'd wondered if there was one for elezen, as well…" He continued to fidget, cheeks red.

Aedric let out a laugh. "R-really?" He was flattered. Beyond flattered, even. What even was there to know about elezen? Was this how it felt to be someone's version of other? "What did you find?"

"Nothing on elezen specifically," G'raha sighed, finally meeting his gaze again. "But I did manage to find one helpful book. The title was… unfortunate, but the content was actually quite informative."

An unfortunate title? Aedric mused.

"Don't tell me. Was it-"

"Kupo Nuts and Deep Dungeons: Unlocking the Secrets Of Your Crystal Tower?" they both said at the same time.

Laughter exploded from the both of them.

"It was you!" Aedric exclaimed amid tears - breathless and delighted.

“Me?” G’raha managed to say between laughing fits. “You- hah- you were looking for the same book?”

Aedric nodded, clutching his middle as he flopped backward on the mattress.

“It’s in my bag right now, actually!” G'raha admitted.

This caused them to laugh even harder. Breathless and giddy. Laying on their backs side by side, their gazes met.

"One day, we should combine our personal libraries. See how many books we have together," G'raha scoffed.

"Mm. Our home shall rival the Great Gubal Library, itself," Aedric mused.

G'raha stopped laughing.

He paused. Did he just say…?

"Our home, is it?" G'raha grinned at him.

He blinked, face flushing. Had he just asked G'raha to move in with him?

"I- w-well, I mean… if… if you'd like, we…" He floundered. "We don't have to rush anything, b-but… maybe one day. Soon."

"One day," G'raha chuckled. "I… yes." Face red, his grin grew wider. "Yes."

Aedric's face flushed to match. Perhaps on his visit to Ishgard, he would take a look at apartments for sale in the new Empyreum district?

"Ah," he fidgeted. "F-for now though…" He leaned over, grabbing the brown paper bag that contained several apple tarts. "Breakfast?" The pastries were still warm. Their sweet smell filled the small room. His lover leaned over to grab one from the bag.

And then, sweeter than any apple, G'raha kissed his cheek.

"I'd love that."