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The night had been magical, wonderful. It was a special day, the day that his beloved had been born and had lived long enough for Sett to meet him. Long enough to come into his life and bless it. It was enough time for their red threads of fate to finally intertwine.
For Aphelios to become his.
His Phel. His moon. He was the sun and Phel was his moon. Sett’s fiery rays paired with Aphelios’ gentle glow was just what he needed, what he had always needed.
Sett presented himself a certain way to the world. He had a heavy heart and wanted to help everyone, so he needed the physical build to do just that while also making sure his heart was still able to carry the burdens of fighting battles that others could not. Aphelios was the person who saw past Sett’s outward roughness and understood his true intentions, always. He didn’t just read the cover of the book but read it word from word, back to front. He even understood all the words between the lines like it was second nature. It was this man’s knack to look at a person and understand them moments after observing them that drew Sett in, even before Aphelios properly got to know him.
Course, it wasn’t just him. He now had a good group of close friends who had all been touched by the way Aphelios understood and looked at the world. It was beautiful, he was beautiful.
All it took was one impulsive punch and he had suddenly met the man of his life. Aphelios saw his chivalry first-hand but, to others who had just arrived, it seemed like he just beat a group of guys up for no reason. People dispersed as Sett’s look of fury at someone being taken advantage of again made them think that he was ready to start a fight with the next person that looked at him funny….except Aphelios. There was no look of fear or disgust or judgment. It was weird…it was different. When Aphelios turned around, his feet and mouth started to run after him before he even thought about what he was doing. And, man, had he never been more grateful for that impulsiveness of his.
It changed his world.
From acquaintances, to friends, to lovers. He invaded Sett’s heart without warning and took a hold of it. He didn’t know when. Hell, he could barely control his own actions at times, how could he stop his heart from falling in love with the man.
It just happened.
Sett was walking up the stairs to the apartment, an arm around Aphelios shoulder. It was a chilly, December night. The air is frosty enough to see each time you breathe through your mouth and enough to warrant Aphelios having to bundle up in a personally sewn scarf from Sett’s mother and even the beanie to match. In contrast to his fancy suit, it looked a little ridiculous but absolutely adorable at the same time.Luckily, the restaurant was inside, well-lit, and was perfectly warm enough that Apehlios kept those items in the car at the time.
When they got to the door, Sett removed his arms to fish out the keys from his pockets that….were not there. He checked his coat pocket, patted the back of his pants a couple of times, then a very audible groan was let out from his throat as he threw his head back,” I left them in the car.”
He watched as Aphelios smiled underneath his mask and watched his shoulders move a little because he chuckled.
“Yeah yeah, laugh it up. I’ll give you a pass since it’s your birthday,” Sett said aloud. He watched as Aphelios signed “Have fun.”
“I swear the moment our lease is up we’re applying for a downstairs apartment,” Sett said as he jogged off. To the man who lived, breathe, and practically slept at the gym, the comment would have been surprising but it was different when he was not upset about the distance or the exercise, but about the fact that he had to leave Apehlios when all he wanted to do was go inside and spoil his lover just a little bit in the last hours of his birthday.
Doing such a forgetful thing wasted off precious seconds he could have been spending with his lover of 3 years. Even now, each second he had with Aphelios he cherished.
He was back in no time.
Sett placed the keys in the door, opened it, and let Aphelios go inside first. Per usual, shoes were taken off, and Aphelios discarded the scarf and hat onto a racket near their front doorway.
He saw Aphelios yawn and smiled. “Sit on the couch,” he signed it and watched as Aphelios sat down on the couch. Sett took a deep breath and walked over to Aphelios, bending down and gently grasping his lover’s cold hands. He forgot about what he was intending to do for a second and brought them to his mouth, gently blowing hot air on them and hoping it would help along with the fact that his hands were naturally warm. Aphelios gave him a look and Sett chuckled,” I know I don’t have to but it’s ya birthday, let me spoil you a lil mooncake…yes even more than I have been. I ain’t tappin out from being over the top till that clock strikes twelve. Anyway, I know you're mostly the one with all the fancy words and all but just listen and throw me a bone here, okay?” Sett asked.
Aphelios nodded, his eyes alert and ready to listen to anything his lover had to say.
Before he spoke, Sett closed his eyes once more, took a deep breath, and opened them again to stare into Apehlios’ eyes, his ruby eyes connected to Sett’s teal.
“I didn’t wanna get all mushy in the restaurant cause I know how you get, so I want to say this now and speak about how wonderful you are,” he said those words first. His hands were still holding onto Aphelios’ soft and pale one’s as he continued, clearly not intending to let go,”I really am grateful that you’re in my life, Mooncake. You just gave me so much tender love n’ care for a rough and brute guy like me. You handled me gently like no one else had before. Well, other than my ma,” Sett did a little chuckle. He couldn’t not crack a little joke in the midst of this to stay true to himself and not become a blubbering mess.
“Still. I love that about you. Ever since the day I met you, you’ve done nothing but make me feel special. Your honesty is just…refreshing. All of your lil expressions, even the teeny ones. I just love em so much and they’re all so precious to me. I just…truly..do love you Phel. And I know I say it every day but, for today, I really want to remind you how much. You make my heartbeat faster than the thrill of entering the arena. Even more than when my ma tells me she made her famous homemade pie and Im running so fast to get there before anyone else even though I’m an only child,” he smiled, only because his lover’s face had shaped into his smile and Aphelios’ eyes were giving him an endearing look.
Even without Aphelios saying anything, he could tell the man was giving him a look because you are the only child, and yet you still rush. Aphelios knew about all of Sett’s quirks that were incomprehensible to people, just like he understood the changes in Aphelios’ facial expressions that were much the same.
Even if no one understood them, they understood each other. Something like that was simply irreplaceable and it was what both of them had been missing their entire lives. They were both each other’s single missing piece to the puzzle that finally completed the whole picture. That helped it all make sense.
“Your smile, your laugh, even your voice when I can hear it from time to time, they’re all treasures to me and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. I just…”
Sett had to stop as he continued to look into Aphelios’ eyes. All these words he was saying, hardly blinking, never moving his eyes away, clearly looking at the person he adored so much and watching as his face contorted into multiple expressions of love, happiness, and humor while he spoke. Aphelios eyes only seemed to glisten the more he expressed his love and it had completely captivated him.
Sett and Phel had been in a relationship for three years now. Talks of marriage had been discussed but they said they wanted to wait until they had their own place. Now, they had been living in this apartment for a year and they already acted like they were married so the topic had never come up again. They were comfortable and Sett already felt like he had everything in the world sitting right in front of him but as he held Aphelios’ hand, looked at how his love shone down on him like the moon kissing your face in the night. How his smile was enough to wrap around Sett like a warm blanket, completely forgetting about the cold seeping into their apartment because the air had not turned on. How his heart knew it was either Aphelios, or no one else.
“...no one else…” Sett muttered as he looked at Aphelios. Aphelios rose a brow in confusion.
“Aphelios…I have never wanted anything more in my life than the way I wanted you. I don’t think I’ll ever desire anything in my life like the way I desire you. I know we have our lives and we’re comfortable but I just really wanna put a ring on it right now. Let’s get married. I mean-” Sett had not planned these string of words like he had so carefully planned the rest so, naturally, he was stumbling over them,” thats not the right way of things. Aphelios, my precious mooncake, will you do me the honor of marrying me and being in my life forever?” he said.
He didn’t have a ring but he was already on his knees, clasping Aphelios hands, and staring at his lover like he was the world. Honestly, he’s upset at himself that he didn’t think of it before, he was just so focused on making sure Aphelios had the best birthday ever. That the man knew how much he cared.
Throughout the entire speech, Aphelios’ emotions were starting to swell with love and adoration for his lover. He wanted to give Sett his full undivided attention so, even if he wanted to interrupt, he chose not to.
All in All, he wondered how it could be that he got someone that was just so perfect in his eyes and filled all the empty spaces in Aphelios. Had Sett tried something like this in the beginning of their relationship, he would not have been able to keep his full gaze. To be told such words then, overwhelming ones, made him cry because he felt so undeserving of them. Now, he realized that he deserved every ounce of love this man could give to him.Every single word. Sett had made him confident in that fact overtime.
Aphelios heart was just swelled up with love.
In Aphelios’ mind, there was no future without Sett. That’s probably why he had not thought too much about marriage as of recently. They were peacefully living together and enjoying their lives as a pair. He didn’t think he could live without the man now but this was much different from his dependence on Alune. Aphelios did not need Sett at his side 24/7 but what he did need was to be able to wake up to his sun and for Sett to be able to fall asleep with his night.
Of course, work trips and things happened. There were times where they had to spend it apart but Aphelios was always sure that he was coming back home to him, each and every time, which made him feel secure and safe.
So, when Sett proposed, his eyes went wide. Aphelios was well-aware that Sett most likely prepared what he was going to say. He loved the man but he wouldn’t be able to speak like that with no stuttering or freezing unless he practiced but that only made Aphelios loved him more than ever. Knowing that he had to write the words down and memorize them made Aphelios’ heart flutter like he was falling in love all over again.
“Uhhh, is that a yes?” Sett said.
Aphelios had a wide smile, showing his teeth, raising his right hand up, closing it in a fist, and moving it up and down excitedly, over and over,” Yes! yes! yes! yes! yes-” his signing stop as he felt Sett grab his wrist and kiss Aphelios on the lips. He didn’t even notice the man get up, so the kiss took him by surprise.
Despite that, he welcomed it. Aphelios felt Sett’s hand move up so they could interlock theirs together and he could feel the passion of Sett’s excitement through the kiss as their lips melded together in a passionate dance, full of love. Aphelios could feel the tip of his Sett’s tongue asking for entrance and, in that instance, he pushed Sett back and covered the man’s mouth with his free hand.
“Mmmph?” Sett asked through the skin of Aphelios hand.
Aphelios moved his hand away and signed,”you are not the only one who prepared something.”
“Huh? But it’s your birthday Phel, why the hell should I get-”
“Please?” Aphelios signed, his eyebrows and face down-turning into a lil pout he knew would make Sett cave.
Aphelios stood up, grabbed Sett’s hand, and then made the man sit down on the couch. He got on top of Sett, placing his knees on both sides of Sett’s hips, his hands on Sett’s broad and muscular shoulders. Aphelios saw Sett’s eyebrows raise and he quickly signed,”it’s not what you think.”
Before his birthday, Aphelios did plan something. It was rare that he spoke for a prolonged period of time but, every once in a while, he wanted to show off his voice. Sett loved it but he never pushed Aphelios to show it when the man could not do so. Aphelios knew Sett was going all-out for his birthday. He spoke of the fancy restaurant he had reserved where it took months to get a reservation and how he was going to make a big breakfast for Aphelios to last until dinner. They spent most of lunchtime in bed doing various activities, one of which included Sett making love to him in one of the most embarrassing ways to the point where he felt like he’d die out of embarrassment before the foreplay ended.
He knew Sett well enough that when Sett said he would be spoiled on his birthday he absolutely meant that.
Aphelios felt like it was only natural that Sett got an appreciation gift, no?
About two weeks before, he made sure to drink more tea, eat more honey-flavored candies, and made sure he didn’t strain his throat too much because he wanted to prepare a speech for Sett that wasn’t just to thank him for what he knew would be an amazing birthday, but for his entire existence.
Aphelios looked Sett in the eyes, took an audible deep breath, and then opened his mouth to speak. Now, it was Aphelios’ turn to speak what his heart was feeling into words.
He started to speak in a soft, gentle voice that just about matched the tenderness of his eyes.
"When we first met...you shone so bright….like a thousand fireflies in the night. You are the sun to my moon. You’re my oxygen because It would feel suffocating without you. You are my gravity because you ground me. You hold all my broken pieces together like a strong glue. Without you, my world would disappear. When I’m with you, everything feels so clear. Sett..I love you. I love how kind you are underneath this rough exterior...how much you care about your mother just as much as I care for my sister. I love how much you understand me," Aphelios moved his hand from the other's shoulders and cupped his cheeks. He brought his forehead to connect Sett's whilst still looking the man in the eyes. His soft voice lowered into a sweet whisper, "I do wish to marry you because no one else can compare. I love you so much." Phel finished, his throat starting to clench because he was slowly reaching his limit. He smiled when he felt Sett's calloused fingers settle on tops of his soft ones that were still holding onto the man's face.
"I love you too Phel. Every Night."
Aphelios pushed his voice just a little bit further, "And I love you... Every Day"
That was what they said to each other often. Since Sett was his sun, and he was Sett's moon. Aphelios was the one who came up with it and was happy that Sett fell in love with it. It was something special that only belonged to them.
In one quick motion, he felt a hand behind his back and he found himself being thrown on the couch with Sett on top of him. Aphelios giggled through his closed mouth and lifted up his hands to sign, " eager much?"
Sett had a toothy smiley, showing those fangs of his that made him seem like some wolf," Hell Phel, you can't just sit on top of my lap, say some pretty words with a pretty face, and not expect me to pounce on ya” he said with a playful smirk.
The lovely smile was still painted on Aphelios’ face as he lifted his hands up and wrapped them around Sett’s neck. His beautiful red eyes shined and glimmered under the moonlight, showing nothing but an immense amount of love for Sett. No words needed to be said and nothing needed to be signed because, when they gazed into each other’s eyes like this, they perfectly understood what the other meant. Aphelios’ heart was pounding against his chest during this moment because he would always feel like he was falling in love with this man.
3 years filled with smiles, laughs, cries, and comfort. His heart was pounding just as much now as it was when Aphelios shared all of his firsts with Sett. People always said that, the more time spent together, the more that love fades but Aphelios never believed any of that. Even when they were married and old, he was sure that Sett would still find a way to make his heartbeat as strong as it was today.
That’s just how special he was.
He pulled Sett down, closed his eyes, then gently pressed their lips together. However, that gentleness did not last very long. Aphelios felt Sett come back harder and more passionate each time their lips touched. The silence was filled with a beautiful symphony of their kisses combined with Aphelios’ light and sweet whining emitting from his throat.
He wanted more. Aphelios wanted his mind to be filled to the brim with nothing else other than Sett. If his whines weren’t telling enough about how badly he did not want Sett to stop, then the way he tightened his hold around the man’s neck when he attempted to pull away told Sett everything he needed to know.
Aphelios very rarely acted this spoiled, so he knew how much it would rile his lover up.
He let his lips crack open for Sett to dive his way in. Aphelios let Sett take control of the movement of their tongues. He opened his eyes for a second and saw Sett staring at him as they made out, his once gentle and kind eyes now washed over with love and lust for the man. What really made Aphelios’ heart twist though was the way those eyes told him that Aphelios was the only man who he would have eyes for. Such eyes that were practically undressing as their tongues intertwined in a passionate dance.
When people ask how he fell in love with Sett….the answer was always the same.
I felt like a beautiful jewel. Those kind and teal eyes have captured my heart. He may be rough, he may be uncut, but he’s absolutely perfect. My color was dimmed before he came into my life but his existence made it shine brighter than ever. I saw it, Alune saw it. She once said that when we are together, that is when our light shines the most. That when the sun and moon meet, it truly is a sight to behold.
When Sett pulled his lips away, Aphelios tried to catch his breath as he looked into Sett's eyes.
His sun. Aphelios wanted to be engulfed by Sett’s warmth.
His body was on fire and was yearning for something more. He pulled Sett down, moved his mouth up to the man’s ear, and panted out his desires,”Ha…Sett..take me…All of me.” He let his head fall back to stare up at Sett, a smirk rising to his face when he felt something hard against his stomach.
“Shit mooncake…you really know how to rile a man up.”