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Holy; Something that is sacred, divine, or exalted; worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness.
The Holy Herald is what they kept calling him. A divine being with a message of healing through the arcane. They followed him as such. Every word hung on, every request completed without even a hesitation no matter what it was, every action seen as good, for the betterment of the commune. They loved him. Worshiped him. Thought of him as some sort of deity alongside Janna.
Viktor didn't feel holy. He felt himself a blind man feeling his way through the darkness, no guide, no path. Nothing but the feeling that he might be heading in the right direction. For this did feel right. This commune he had built from the broken pieces cast aside in the depths of the undercity. It felt good to be able to heal those who had lost hope, even a young boy who's leg had been deformed much like his had once been.
This was good. It felt right. Yet, still Viktor could not place why he felt so lost.
A knock from the wall pulled Viktor from his meditation and thoughts of his commune. He looked down and hummed seeing Huck stepping into the temple head bowing gently the moment their eyes met for the first time. He must have subconsciously called for the man while his thoughts drifted, for that was the only reason Huck ever left his post at the front of the commune, happily greeting those that came looking for hope and gently helping them settle until Viktor could heal them.
“Yes, my Harald?” Huck gave a soft smile, as if he had been waiting all day to be called upon. And he had been, Viktor could feel it through the mental connection the arcane placed between them. The entire commune waited with a baited breath to be called on or see him, as if he would enlighten them with yet another merical or send them on some great crusade to rid the world of its suffering. Huck, however, waited for a different reason, one that he tried desperately to hide purely out of respect.
The love that settled into the man's heart over these last few weeks was stronger than just the devotion the other followers carried. It settled not quite on romance nor did it stay purely platonic. It was more, deeper, shameless and filled his every breath. Viktor wondered what he had done to encourage such unwavering affection, for Huck wasn't the type to fall for men in such deep ways and the little rituals they shared now grew because of the affection not for it. He could simply ask, or prod into the man's mind for Huck was open to him in every way. Yet the question felt off limits, like to answer it would defile their sacred communion.
Viktor knew of the man's suffering of course, he had seen every ounce of it when their minds connected. He could feel how broken, scared and alone he had once been, how the shimmer had once suffocated his every thought. How pathetically weak and lost he had been. Now he had a purpose, a will to live, with the strength both mentally and physically to do so. He had his path, it walked in toe with Viktor's wherever that may be and he followed in unabashedly.
But that couldn't be the only reason for his devotion. Or maybe it was? For Viktor knew what it was like to be broken and finally feel like he had purpose to live again. It was enough for him to follow Jayce.
The Herald reached out with a gentle hand and touched the opalescent arcane scars burned onto Hucks face, a momentary sigh of relief coming from the man as he relaxed into the touch. Slim fingers trailed down, careful and slow, gaze fixed into the silver eyes that stared at him in love and care. Viktor didn't know when this had started, what catalyst caused this ritual to begin. No words were spoken, there was no shift in how Huck looked at him, he was sure he never asked. Viktor didn't even know who this was for, this shared communion.
At times this all seemed fruitless. Too much suffering, too many people who want nothing more than to devote themselves to bringing others pain. Viktor could only heal so many and even now he could feel how his powers were diminishing. But then this slow touch, the devotion which burned through Huck's soul bleeding out in every fiber of his being as he allowed the gentle caress. It gave him hope that he was still on the right path.
He didn't know what Huck got from this. Maybe he saw it as a prize for his devotion, an act of sacrament. Maybe a duty, part of his worship? Maybe it was nothing and he allowed this touch purely as an aid to his Holy Herald. Another question not to be answered.
Viktor gently cupped the other's jaw and ran a thumb over soft lips that gave easily under the pressure. They could both pull away, the other would let them, they would act as if nothing had happened. Nothing ever did happen. For there was no love here, no clawing desire begging at the back of their minds, no lust shared. Just devotion and prayer. Viktor was sure he only to ask and Huck would allow it, just as he allowed the gentle touch now. The man would give everything, take what was offered, not greedily but with reverence. Another holy communion, a sacrament that would only burn the fires of devotion deeper.
Viktor pulled Huck closer, if either of them had to breathe it would mingle at the closeness, noses brushing against each other. It wasn't hesitancy that kept Viktor from moving forward, for there was nothing to be hesitant about. Huck always said yes, always gave what was asked, and Viktor wanted to take the moment for his own.
There just wasn't a need to do anything more.
Viktor felt content at the close contact, feeling the others heartbeat against his, soft skin giving under his fingers, the pleasant smile and soft eyes that never left him. The closeness made Viktor feel the holiness Huck and the others of his commune prescribed to him, it allowed him to truly see himself in their eyes. It was enough.
Yet Huck leaned in regardless, lips pressing softly against lips. It wasn't the first time, it never left butterflies or made the world spin for either of them. It was an action carried out like a prayer much like the rest of this ritual. Slow, gentle, a request to God from his humble follower. And Viktor gave in as always. Allowing their minds to fully connect again, the rush of arcane flowing through them both for but a moment.
It was a relief off Viktor's mind to share the weight of the void with another. Letting Huck take a fraction of the endlessness swimming in his mind made the air almost breathable again.The connection could only last seconds before Viktor closed off his mind, swiping his tongue over already parted lips as an unneeded warning before his entrance. A simple act to help ground them both from the shifting tides of arcane energy.
That Viktor could understand the desire for. Touching the arcane, the very existence of reality, was a desire he once chased and now that he held it it felt unbearable against his chest. It sat heavy in Huck's mind as well, the fraction of endless cosmos and power just waiting to be used, understood. If he wasn't already healed and a part of the arcane it would surely drive him mad. Though now it simply fizzled slowly from his mind. By the time Vikor sucked Hucks bottom lip between his teeth the feeling and true memory of what that had been was gone.
Huck hummed as Viktor dragged his teeth over the soft flesh, pulling gently as he finally broke the kiss. The taste of iron was nothing new for the metal in his body made it a constant flavor in his mouth, though the drop of blood pulled from his follower still felt heavy on his tongue. Viktor looked at the small abrasion, thumb pulling gently at it as an unneeded apology. Huck simply leaned into the touch, waiting for his next order. The next step in the dance of inhuman humanity that they shared.
Viktor gently licked the wound, a spark of arcane passing between them sending a shiver down both their spines as he healed what he had damaged. It wasn't needed, Huck would wear the wound with pride like the fingerprints forever on his face, though a strange guilt bubbled in his chest at the idea of leaving the man hurt when he gave so much so freely. The worried smile the act pulled was much needed to settle Viktor's mind as he took a moment to just live in the closeness.
He had never known this before. Neither of them had. Viktor always needed to run, he had to, for his time was limited, slipping from him like sand through his fingers. If he stopped for but a moment to catch his breath, he would be forgotten, overlooked, he would die unremarkable. Through the stolen memories that Viktor walked through when their minds first connected he found Huck had been a nothing of a man. He had been a liar, a cheat. A dishonorable rat chasing power he could never have. Closeness was paid for and nothing as intimate as what they shared when standing in the temple just existing heartbeats from each other.
Huck was the worst of humanity, clouded by desire to be known, to be feared. And Viktor would not lie to himself in thinking he had been any different.
“Do you love me?” It was always the same question, though Viktor didn't know why he asked it. Especially when the answer was always the same.
“Yes, though you should know that better than I, my Holy Herald.” Viktor gently caressed the thumb print that decorated the upper part of the others cheek before tilting Hucks head up carefully. For a moment there was another pause as Viktor pressed a kiss to the straining muscles, then those soft hands gripped onto his robe in silent plea and he relented, biting gently into the pulse point, before sucking an unsightly bruise onto the pristine skin
Another action that held no desire nor love. Huck didn't make a sound, no whimper of pain or a sound of ecstasy, just a breath that wasn't needed as he pulled his Herald closer. It was like a relief in itself, like Viktor had once more healed his world and brought back the light which died so many years ago. Maybe that's why he always relented? Always giving what was asked?
Viktor looked over the bruise he had left, the skin turning dark rather quickly under his handy work. Another wound that would be worn shamelessly and graciously if Viktor only had the heart to allow the man to do so. “I'm not that holy.” Huck looked at him, a momentary frown pulling at his lips and Viktor could feel the devotion that filled his mind.
“To me you are. Isn't that enough?” Viktor would have laughed if he didn't fear the sound would be too loud against this quiet moment. With another lick, another spark of arcane, the bite mark healed as if it never had occurred. Huck gripped tighter onto the blue robe to help steady Viktor when he stumbled from over use of his power, and he was grateful for it.
Another pause. A moment just to exist as Viktor looked into the silver eyes filled with hope and love. Huck reached up and gently cupped his Herald's face, running his thumb over the mole that still lingered just above his mouth before pressing a kiss to it.
“Yes.” It was barely above a whisper, yet it resonated in the room like a scream.
Then it was over. Viktor pulled away without resistance and Huck gave him that bright smile filled with love and devotion, falling behind him as he made his way out of the temple to check on the new arrivals that had come in this morning. When he needed to feel that holiness again Huck would be there willing to give every ounce of himself, even to death, to help him feel it.