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The burning sun blazed above him, illuminating his figure the moment he stepped out from the shelter of a seaside cave. Yuuri soaked it all in, breathing deep and exhaling slow. The sun’s heat seemed to rejuvenate him. Black gossamer shimmered with his every movement. It made the gold pouring over his skin stand out all the more. The circlet resting delicately atop his head glowed so brightly in he sunlight it cast the illusion that he bore a halo. But Yuuri paid none of these things any mind. He simply soaked in the light and heat.
Yuuri walked across the sand. He left footsteps of flame in his wake, creating a trail of glass fragments along the beach. He’d missed the sunrise by hours, having overslept—courtesy of his clandestine company. Yuuri stopped at the edge of the water and put his hands on his hips. The gossamer shawl fell from his shoulders and hung down his back, loose and shifting in the salt breeze. It held on only by the crooks of Yuuri’s elbows. Feathers hung from his earlobes like a pair of earrings. They adorned the nape of his neck, disappearing into his jet black hair and trailing down his spine before fanning out into what would soon be an impressive display of tail feathers. As it was, they were still a dull, ruddy red-brown and still growing in properly.
An ocean of diamonds glittered blindingly before him, following the vast expanse of the horizon. Cool water lapped at his feet. It sizzled when it made contact with the sand around Yuuri’s feet and the newly formed glass under them. Yuuri cocked his head to the side, squinting out into the distance. He searched and searched, but his prey was elusive as ever.
“Viktor!” Yuuri called across the water. His voice was sharp, carrying through the air with the command of an eagle’s cry. Even still, a pout simpered underneath.
The water rippled out in the distance. Yuuri relaxed his shoulders, letting out a sigh. There he was. A few waves bigger than the gentle tide pushed at his feet. He wiggled his toes, smiling. What he would give to bury them in the sand without turning it into glass. The ripples continued, moving closer until the disturbance made waves as it pushed closer. Then, a head popped out. Pale hair gleamed in the light, pooling around a fair, smiling face. His smile was wide, vaguely heart shaped, and showed a glimmer of sharp teeth. His eyes were bluer than a cavern pool, and they crinkled at the corners with the force of his smile. Yuuri rolled his eyes, returning the expression, only softer and without all the teeth.
“There you are, Viktor.”
“Good morning, sunshine!”
“You were gone when I woke up.” Yuuri pouted. He crossed his arms over his chest. His robes were so light and thin they hid very little, but they glittered in the light and rustled with the breeze. It was a breathtaking sight.
“Sorry, my little firebird,” Viktor sang. “I was hoping to get back before you woke up, but the catch took longer than I thought it would.”
“Catch?” Yuuri asked, tilting his head. “Viktor, tell me you didn’t…”
“I didn’t pick a fight with the merfolk, dove,” Viktor said, laughing. He rose out of the water, letting it slide off of him. Some of the water clung to him, forming a loose garment similar to Yuuri’s, made of sea foam and retaining its color. “I swear. That’s why it took so long. I waited until they left.”
“One of these days, they’re going to tear you apart…” Yuri said with a soft, exasperated smile. “And then who will keep me company in my cave? Be careful, Viktor, please. I couldn’t bear to lose you.”
“I can turn into water itself, my love.” Viktor grinned. He stepped onto the edge of the beach, holding out a seaweed string of fish.
“Please,” Yuuri begged as he stepped back, letting Viktor onto the beach proper.
Viktor smiled at him. He joined Yuuri on the beach, finding some extra seaweed on his person. He used it to string his hair up into a wet, messy half bun. “I’m sorry I worried you, Yuuri. I just want to take care of you, that’s all.”
“I… know. I know.” Yuuri took a deep, steadying breath. “I just worry. The merfolk are territorial. They won’t even let me dive for catch.”
“My dove,” Viktor said, laughing softly as he linked his arm with Yuuri’s and walked him back toward the cave. “You nearly set the water to boiling when you do that. I’ll get the seafood, hm? You can get any land animals you want.”
Yuuri’s cheeks flamed at the reminder. Little spits of flame sparked from the edges of his clothing. His feathers didn’t spark. They were too dull for that. He still had until the summer solstice to finish growing them in.
“Will you fly for me, dove?” Viktor asked, leaning into Yuuri’s overwhelming warmth. “The solstice is soon. Your song is always so enchanting.”
“I think you have a biased opinion, Viktor.” Yuuri rolled his eyes. “But yes. I always have my first flight on the solstice.”
“I love your first flight, the way your feathers sing. When I first saw you last year…” Viktor sighed, dreamy.
“Alright, alright,” Yuuri said, laughing. The soft down of his growing feathers ruffled in delight. He would never tell Viktor, but he loved the praise. “That’s enough flattery. You know I fly for you.”
Viktor lit up. The translucent, web-like fins of his ears wiggled happily. He grinned and pressed a kiss to Yuuri’s cheek. Yuuri laughed again and pushed him away with gentle affection. They walked together the rest of the way to the cave and up a spiral slope in the back. At the end of the slope, they climbed out into a glassy surface that formed a cliff-like outcropping above Yuuri’s seaside cave. Viktor and Yuuri had spent the last weeks of Yuuri’s flight season bringing up sand and making the glass flooring. It rivaled the water in its glittering beauty. A safe distance from the edge was a fire pit and several polished stones that formed simple benches. Driftwood still sat in th fire pit, but it needed some fresh kindling. They also needed more skewers for the fish. Yuuri frowned.
“Where did our firewood go?” Yuuri tilted his head. He held the fish in his hands closer to him, wary.
“I can go get more driftwood,” Viktor said. “Can you wait, dove?”
“Of course.” Yuuri tilted his head up toward Viktor. “The fish still need to be cleaned. Do you want the bones out, too?”
“Yes.” Viktor hummed, reaching and cupping Yuuri’s chin in his hand. Their skin tingled where it met—firebird meeting water nymph. Viktor leaned in and brushed their lips together. The kiss burned with a pleasant intensity. “I’ll be quick, my darling dove.”
“The fish will be cleaned by the time you get back.”
The fire crackled in front of them, fish sizzling. The pair of them huddled together on a polished rock bench as the salt breeze eased the heat of the mid-afternoon sun—not that Yuuri paid much attention to heat. The breeze was welcome, though, as it would still be another fortnight until the solstice gave him the power to take his first flight of the year. He missed the feeling of the wind through his feathers, ached for it in the way a traveler ached for home.
“What are you thinking, dove?” Viktor asked, squeezing Yuuri’s shoulders as he pressed a kiss to the crown of Yuuri’s head.
The golden circlet had since been discarded. The gold that painted his skin glowed, but slowly ebbed with the waning of the sun. Yuuri sighed in contentment, nuzzling into his water nymph. The black gossamer of his robes slid over his skin with any movement. Extra fabric pooled around them, mingling with the light color of Viktor’s sea foam clothes. They were almost white, against the black, but Yuuri could still see the faint, unsaturated blue-green. One of Yuuri’s sleeves slid from his shoulders. Viktor reached over and rubbed his thumb over the warm skin.
“I was just thinking… It’s nothing, really.” Yuuri shook his head. “I’m just impatient. I ache for the skies.”
“Ah.” Viktor hummed his understanding. He himself could never wander too far from the water before he weakened and began drying out. “Soon, darling. Just a little longer. You can wait, yes?”
“I can,” Yuuri agreed. “But it’s always harder the closer it gets. The anticipation is killer.”
“I love you,” Viktor laughed softly. “You’re so cute when you’re excited.”
Yuuri chirped, resting his head on Viktor’s shoulder with a content smile on his face and a happy flush coloring his cheeks. He closed his eyes, letting out a quiet sigh. “Mm’love you, too.”
Viktor laughed, sweet and melodic. He reached out and poke at the fish with a sharp stick. “Ready to eat, dove?”
Yuuri nodded, opening his eyes and sitting up a little so he can take a fish and start eating.
“Get a good night’s rest, my darling dove,” Viktor whispered in Yuuri’s ear. His lips brushed over the shell and kissed a section of bright scarlet feathers. “The solstice is tomorrow.”
“I can’t sleep,” Yuuri muttered, curling into Viktor’s side. Their cave floor was all glass, courtesy of Yuuri’s heat. “Too excited.”
“Silly thing.” Viktor laughed. He peppered Yuuri’s head with kisses. “What if you’re too tired to take your first flight tomorrow?”
“I fly for you,” Yuuri said like it was an impossibility for him to be too tired to do something for Viktor.
“Sleep, darling.” Viktor carded his fingers through Yuuri’s hair, dragging his nails over Yuuri’s scalp occasionally.
“Mmph.” Yuuri’s eyes fluttered and he yawned. “That feels really nice…”
“That’s the point, sweetheart.” Viktor kissed Yuuri’s temple.
Before too long, Yuuri drifted off to sleep. The gold markings along his skin faded out completely. The sun had gone down hours ago, and the gold had dimmed—staying only for as long as he remained awake. Viktor watched him with a fond smile. He basked in Yuuri’s warmth, only letting himself fall asleep once he was sure Yuuri had fallen asleep.
Yuuri woke with the rising of the sun, even if he couldn’t see it from the depths of the cave he shared with Viktor. His feathers had filled in marvelously during the night. He sat up and stretched out his limbs, arching his spine and letting out a pleased titter. Light crept into the cave, inching forward millimeter by millimeter, as if seeking out the waking firebird. Yuuri hummed. Today would be his flight—the first of the year. He pushed himself up to his feet, still stretching. The sheer fabric of his black robes sat in a haphazard pile in a corner of the cave—alone. Viktor’s pale sea foam robes were missing. Yuuri glanced behind him as he picked up his clothes, sliding them on like a second skin. Viktor was still in the nest-like bedding. The firebird rolled his eyes with a fond smile. The magic of the sea foam had dissolved, leaving Viktor completely disrobed. Viktor shivered and sought out any remnants of warmth that Yuuri had left behind. The smile on Yuuri’s face widened.
“Vitya.”
Viktor grumbled, nestling further into the bedding. Yuuri giggled. He stepped into the bedding and sank to his knees, leaning over to nudge his water nymph. Viktor ignored it, burrowing further in, practically hiding under the down pillows. This was the one day of the year that Yuuri woke before Viktor, always and without fail.
“Vitya.” Yuuri leaned in further, brushing his lips against Viktor’s shoulders, since his head was buried under pillows. “Wake up. The sun is up.”
Viktor finally stirred. He peeked out from under the pillow. “Luchik.”
“Yes, yes, I’m right here. It’s time,” Yuuri said. His skin tingled with the anticipation. “Vitya, I want to fly. I won’t without you.”
“It’s dawn.” Viktor groused, but he allowed Yuuri to pull him out of bed. “The beach or the cliff?”
“Cliff.” Yuuri tugged at Viktor. “And your clothes dissolved overnight. You should just get physical clothes and not just use the sea foam.”
“The sea foam is comfortable.”
They chittered like that all the way up to flat glass cliff top, while Viktor conjured up his sea foam robes. The glass rock floor was warm under their feet, soaking in the sun the same way Yuuri does. Yuuri grasped Viktor’s hands and laced their fingers as he faced him and tilted his head up just so.
“Watch me, Viktor.” Yuuri whispered. The light morning breeze caught his voice and Viktor almost didn’t hear—but with the way Viktor’s eyes focused on Yuuri’s lips, he understood completely.
“Always, turtledove.”
Yuuri smiled, warm as the morning sun. He rocked up onto his toes and pressed a kiss to Viktor’s lips. He stepped away and fluffed out his feathers while adjusting his gossamer robes. The feathers hanging from his ears and the nape of his neck had grown longer, and his tail feathers officially reached the ground enough to drag behind him like a train. The feathers along his spine were brighter and redder, with a spotting of gold feathers here and there. Over all, his feathers gave him the appearance of a bright, burning bird with the mane of a horse, the way they extended down his back. As always, Viktor was enthralled. Every solstice would be just like this.
“Fly, luchik.” Viktor breathed, watching awestruck as Yuuri smiled at him and took off over the cliff at his top speed. He ambled over to the edge of the cliff and sat down so he could watch more comfortably. Yuuri would be giving him a show this year.
Yuuri leapt into the air, pushing off the edge of the cliff with a strong spring of his leg. He hovered for half a second, and as he fell, his robes burst and formed his firebird’s body around him, black gossamer burning away with scarlet and gold feathers. The sharp, proud sound of an eagle’s cry burst forth in Yuuri’s delight at being airborne. A train of fire plumed from Yuuri’s tail feathers, trailing behind him brightly across the pale morning sky. With the burning form of the firebird in the sky, the morning sun seemed almost pale in comparison.
Yuuri’s first flight lasted for almost an hour, but Viktor didn’t dare look away. From his seat on the edge of the cliff, he leaned back on his palms to watch his turtledove set fire to the sky. The hour dragged on, but Viktor remained enthralled. When it was clear Yuuri was ready for his descent, Viktor carefully got to his feet and back up onto more solid ground. Yuuri came barreling toward him at full flight. Viktor grinned and held out his arms as Yuuri touched down on the glass ground. Fiery feathers melted away, turning back into his black gossamer robes. They caught in the wind as he kept running toward Viktor. His hair was wonderfully windswept and his face was healthily flushed with the exertion—but his eyes. They were bright and burning, alight with love and joy. He leapt into Viktor’s arms and Viktor spun him around as they laughed together. Once Viktor set Yuuri back on his feet, he cupped his cheeks and pressed a kiss to his lips.
“Beautiful, luchik. My turtledove,” Viktor whispered against Yuuri’s lips.
Yuuri chirped into delight, sliding his arms around Viktor’s neck and threading his fingers through Viktor’s long, silken hair.
“I love you.” The words were barely a whisper, caught between their lips. Viktor felt them more than he heard them.