Work Text:
Day 1
Ethan looked at the balcony where Alex had stayed since the decision was made that he could stay with the Alliance. Alex had clearly been very nervous when he had been in the center of the Alliance council, so it was no wonder that he was not talking to anyone. Ethan was watching him from inside, observing as the Morí leaned against the railing of the balcony. Ethan sighed as he walked out onto the balcony, moving to stand beside Alex.
"Alex, are you alright? You seem to be a bit on edge," Ethan said, earning only silence in return. He huffed as he turned to face Alex, eyes narrowing slightly. "Alex-" He placed his hand on Alex's shoulder, not realizing the way Alex tensed at the touch or how his pupils narrowed to thin slits. Ethan didn't even get the chance to finish his sentence before Alex whipped towards him and tore his claws across his arm. Ethan jerked back, his hand going to his bicep to press against the wound as he looked to see Alex staring wide-eyed at his claws.
Ethan didn't really know what to do, pain coursing through his arm as blood continued to pour from the injury and seep into his shirt. The two of them just stared at each other for a moment before Ethan took a few steps back and then turned away to go to the Healer's Den. He quickly made his way there, pushing the curtains open and walking through the door. Ethan continued to hold his arm as he sat down on the bed. "Liz, I'm beginning to think that allowing Alex to stay here was a mistake," He said, wincing as he took off his shirt, revealing four claw marks scratched across his bicep. "He just seems a bit... unstable."
Liz seemed to completely ignore his remark, clearly having made up her mind about Alex and not going back on it. She had been the big reason the rest of the people at the Alliance headquarters had agreed to let Alex stay. "I think you're not giving him a chance," She said, turning to him and getting to work on cleaning and stitching his arm.
Ethan winced when the peroxide was pressed against the wound, hissing through his teeth. "Why are you so keen on him being here? I understand he's your brother, but he's prone to lashing out and attacking." He winced again and turned his head to look, only for her to turn his head the other way. "I guess I just wish I knew why he acts the way he does, why he decided to join the Legion."
"Don't move your head," She commanded, turning his head again when he tried to look back. "Our parents may have been Divines, but that doesn't mean everything they did was right. They treated Alex like he was an outcast, like he was a monster simply because he was born a demon with psychic magic," She started, cleaning the claw marks thoroughly. "When he released Azariah from his prison, Azariah gave him that... recognition, that validation that he never got. Azariah was more like a father to him than our actual father.
"I understand that he doesn't have the best temper and he can be very unpredictable, but think of it like this-" She numbed the area where the claw marks were, getting to work on stitching it- "he's in a house with over a hundred people in it and almost every single person doesn't trust him and most would rather see him dead." Her movements were gentle but efficient. "He doesn't know who he can trust, he's afraid." She finished up the stitches and put her materials away before moving in front of Ethan. "If you were in his position, you cannot tell me you wouldn't be prone to lashing out, too."
Ethan let out a sigh and ran his hand through his hair. "I understand that your parents weren't the kindest to him, but why would he go seeking out one of the most dangerous beings ever to exist?"
Liz shrugged, letting out a sigh as well. "Pain makes you do things you never knew you could do," She said, blind eyes showing a deep sadness. "He was alone for so long. He was led to believe he did something wrong, but he can't help how he was born. Azariah may be the enemy, but he is the closest thing Alex has to a father-figure."
Ethan sat in silence for a moment as Liz went back over to her workspace, working on her latest potion. He let out a sigh before standing up, making his way to the curtain. He pushed it open and turned to look at her briefly. "I'll... give him a chance," He said before walking out, letting the curtain close behind him.
Day 2
Ethan walked out onto the balcony, standing next to Alex but not too close. Alex didn't even acknowledge his presence; he simply stared ahead with a blank expression. Ethan didn't really know what he was doing, he just knew he wanted Alex to trust him. "So, what's your favorite color?" Ethan asked, trying to break the ice, but his question was followed by silence. "Okay, well, mine is cyan blue or teal," He said, sighing as he looked at Alex. The Morí seemed very indifferent to everything, and Ethan did not know how to approach this.
"Are you just going to not speak?" Ethan asked and the silence that followed was his answer. He ran his hand through his hair, really having no idea what to do. "What do you want me to say? What will get you to speak?" He questioned and huffed out a breath when he once again got no response. Alex looked so... upset wasn't the right word. He looked indifferent. There was no other way of describing his expression.
Ethan huffed out another breath as he took a very small step towards Alex, which got a defensive growl from the Morí. Ethan stepped right back to where he had initially been, turning his head to look at Alex. "Okay, so you don't want to talk and you don't want me near you, so how about a story?" He got no response and took that as a sign to continue. "I'm assuming you know this, but Liz doesn't wear shoes. She likes to wander around everywhere, at any time with no shoes. This includes when it is freezing outside with snow on the ground." Ethan had to stop because he started chuckling. "She argued with Michael and Damien for so long that it took them lifting her up and putting the shoes on her themselves. She was very grumpy about it for a while, but now it's at least easier to get her in shoes."
Ethan looked to see if he got any reaction and was a bit disappointed when he got none. He let out a sigh but went on to tell another story and that just became the routine. Every day for about 3 weeks, Ethan would come out and stay out there with Alex, speaking to him and telling him stories. He didn't get any reactions, but he was determined.
Day 29
Ethan made his way out towards the balcony to see Mailey and Alex arguing. Well, not really arguing and more towards Mailey being a bit of a bitch. Alex looked like a kicked puppy, looking down and avoiding her gaze as she just put him down. "Mailey, that's enough," Ethan said, stepping in between the two of them. Mailey was glaring daggers at Ethan, but he couldn't find it in himself to care.
"After everything he's done to all of us, done to you, I don't get why you're so keen on standing up for him," She snarled, looking at Ethan with a harsh glare.
"Because I'm willing to give him a chance," Ethan said calmly, keeping a level head despite Mailey's anger. "He's your cousin, don't you think he deserves a chance?"
"I think you're wasting your time." She pushed past Ethan so she was in Alex's face. "He may be my cousin, but in my eyes, he is nothing but a monster." With that, she turned away and left, not even caring about the broken look in Alex's eyes at those words. Alex took a step back before making his way to the balcony, leaning against the railing and looking out into the forest.
Ethan watched Alex go to the balcony before walking out and standing beside him. He went to put a hand on his shoulder but pulled it back when Alex growled. "I'm really sorry about her," Ethan muttered, folding his hands in front of him as he leaned against the railing.
Alex just shrugged. "You get used to it." Ethan's eyes widened at the fact that Alex had spoken, but his heart broke at the words themselves.
"That's not something you should get used to." Ethan got no response other than a small shrug. They stood in silence for a little bit until Ethan took a small step towards Alex, smiling a little when Alex didn't growl.
"Dark blue," Alex said, earning a confused noise from Ethan. "My favorite color. You asked what it was the second day I was here." He looked at Ethan, a strange look in his eyes. "I guess without context, randomly saying a color doesn't make much sense." That earned a chuckle from Ethan. "Thanks... for standing up for me."
"Anytime."
Day 36
It took Ethan too long to realize that he was falling for Alex. While many of their interactions had a lot of silence, the past few days had been going pretty well. Alex was still very closed off and reserved and he never seemed to smile, but he was starting to talk more and open up a little.
Ethan found it strange. He had never considered himself to be attracted to guys, but now it made sense why it had never worked with girls. He walked through the curtain into the Healer's Den, sitting down on one of the beds. "Liz, I don't know what to do," He sighed, looking at the blind healer.
Liz looked over to him, carefully turning her chair around to look at him as not to disturb the sleeping toddler on her lap. "About what?" She asked and Ethan huffed in response, gesturing vaguely in the direction the balcony was in. It took him a moment to realize she wouldn't see what he was gesturing to.
"Alex," He said, running his hand through his hair as he looked at her. "He's a puzzle I'm still trying to solve." Liz gave him an unconvinced look and Ethan let out another sigh. "I guess... He's been more talkative these past few days and I have realized some things." Liz made a gesture for him to continue and Ethan blushed lightly. "I guess what I'm saying is I'm sort of... falling for him."
"Awww~" Liz cooed and Ethan's blush darkened. "I think that's very cute," She smiled.
"But how am I supposed to know if he returns my feelings? Sure, he's started talking to me, but he doesn't laugh or chuckle or even smile!" Ethan said, groaning as he flopped back onto the bed. "How am I supposed to know how he feels when he doesn't show emotions?"
"He has built walls around his heart so he can't be hurt," Liz said, putting Mitchell down and allowing him to run out of the room when he started wiggling in her lap. "Do you not realize that you're doing something nobody else has done?" She couldn't see the look he was giving her, but she could feel the confusion coming off him. "You're breaking those walls down," She said and his eyes widened. "He's trying to trust you, Ethan, and the fact that he's talking to you is proof."
Ethan looked at her intently for a moment, not sure what to say. "Are you saying that the more he trusts me, the more he'll do around me?" He smiled a little when she nodded, but then he huffed again. "But how long will it take him to trust me?" He asked.
"Honestly, I don't know," She admitted, crossing one leg over the other. "You've gotten this far. Are you really going to stop?" She questioned, sitting there and waiting for an answer.
Ethan stayed silent a moment, thinking. "No, I'm not going to stop," He said to her and she smiled. "But I do want to know if you have the answer to something," He said, continuing when she nodded. "Why doesn't he like being touched?"
Liz didn't answer for a few moments, just sitting there and looking at him as if thinking if she knew the answer. "I don't know."
Day 42
Ethan walked towards the balcony only to see that Alex was nowhere to be found. He walked out and looked around. "Alex?" He called, which only got silence in return. He raised a brow, wondering where the other was. He just happened to look up and a small smile made its way to his lips when he saw Alex draped across a branch of one of the taller trees around the Alliance base. "Alex," Ethan said, smiling a little brighter when Alex cracked open one of his eyes and looked down at him.
Alex yawned and arched his back in a big stretch, claws extending and scratching at the branch, the action very similar to that of a cat. He dropped off the branch and landed on his feet, stretching once more before going over to the balcony rail and sitting on it. Some of Alex's more inhuman features were showing, like his massive feathered wings and long, black, lion-like tail. His tail swayed as he sat down, the dark red fur at the end swishing with each movement. His actions were very animal-like and Ethan found them rather amusing. He couldn't wipe the smile from his face, having never seen Alex act like that before. "That was adorable."
"Shush," Alex snapped, but there was no bite to his tone, which told Ethan that he didn't mean it harshly. Ethan chuckled and moved to stand next to him, smiling when he realized just how close they were. Alex still didn't like being touched and still wasn't smiling, but the close proximity was a step in the right direction. Alex yawned, his tail swishing again as he looked to Ethan. "What are you doing today?" Alex asked, wings flaring open to stretch before folding against his back again.
"Honestly, I'm not sure. I haven't been put on any missions for a while," Ethan responded, noting that Alex's wings were large and fairly long, probably better for long distances over speed, though he could still probably get a decent amount of speed. They also had red at the tips of the primary and secondary feathers, which was a nice splash of color against the black.
"Is there a reason you haven't been sent on one?" Alex questioned, which in turn got a shrug from Ethan.
"Probably my injury. It's healed now, but I was bed-ridden for a little while," Ethan said, lifting his shirt a little to show a scar slicing from somewhere on his back to his ribs. Ethan noticed the look in Alex's eyes and gave a small smile to reassure him that he was not the one who had inflicted it. "I had a bit of a dispute with Alaric. He can be an asshole."
"Yeah, Alaric's definitely a handful," Alex agreed, running a hand through his hair and fluttering his wings. "He and I didn't always get along when I was in the Legion, but he was loyal. When push came to shove, he was there for me."
Ethan nodded at that, going to place his hand on Alex's shoulder but quickly put it back at his side when he heard the Morí growl. "Right, no touching," Ethan said, shaking his head. "You'd think I would remember." He looked at Alex seriously, the question he had asked Liz a few days ago nagging at the back of his mind. Curiosity finally got the better of him and the words started leaving his mouth before he thought about them. "Why don't you like being touched?"
Alex visibly tensed at the question as he looked at Ethan. He stayed silent a few moments, just looking at Ethan before sighing. "I have my reasons," He said quietly, looking back out into the forest.
Ethan watched him for a moment, noticing that Alex's shoulders stayed tense for a few moments longer before he finally relaxed again. Ethan nodded and sighed, wanting to pull the other into a hug but refraining. He didn't know what to do. On the one hand, he could leave it be, but on the other, he could pry and possibly get some information. Or piss him off and make him not trust you. Ethan's thoughts rang.
"You want to know why even more now, don't you?" Alex asked as if he had read Ethan's mind. He looked back to Ethan, raising a questioning brow.
Ethan rubbed the back of his neck and gave a sheepish smile. "Kinda, yeah," He admitted, leaning against the railing. Alex didn't speak for a moment, seeming to contemplate something in his head.
"I was really hurt," he said, tail swaying before coiling around the banister. "I was sent to take out a target that was supposed to be human, but when I got there, he wasn't. He had strange abilities linked with his touch." Alex ran his hand through his hair, letting out a breath. "Call it stupid, call it paranoid, but when he touched me it… I just- I don't want to risk going through that pain again."
Ethan looked at him for a long moment. Alex was trusting him with this information and that made Ethan feel extremely special. "I... I'm sorry you had to go through that," He said, smiling at Alex, who, in turn, just shrugged. "Can I ask one more personal question?" He asked and took it as confirmation when Alex didn't give any opposition. "Why did you release Azariah? Why did you join him?"
Alex visibly tensed at the question but quickly relaxed. He seemed to be thinking of how to answer before letting out a deep breath. "I know Liz likes to think that I did what I did because I was in pain, but that's not really the case," Alex said, his pupils narrowing to slits and eyes flashing red. "My parents didn't love me, but I wasn't going to throw a fit about it," He growled, claws extending and digging into the railing of the balcony. "Instead, I took their words and used them. They called me a monster, so I released the greatest enemy they ever had to face and showed them just how big of a monster I could be."
The power that sparked around Alex's eyes had Ethan flinching and Alex quickly forced himself to relax when he noticed. Ethan had never seen much emotion come from Alex, and the fact that anger was the first thing he had seen so intense was sort of surprising. Alex let out a deep breath, going back to that calm and mostly indifferent expression that Ethan was used to. "Sorry," He muttered and Ethan felt a strange tug at his chest that Alex had calmed down just so he wouldn't scare him off.
"So you did it because you were angry?" Ethan asked, earning a nod from Alex. "I, admittedly, don't really know how it feels. I had a pretty good home life before I joined the Alliance, but I can imagine it wasn't great." Ethan noticed the way Alex's shoulders slumped slightly at his words. "Do you have any good memories?" Alex turned his head to look at Ethan, a questioning look on his face. "I mean, it was just a thought. Surely you don't have just bad memories."
Alex just shrugged before moving to stand on all fours on the balcony railing. He bent his arms in a crouch before leaping off the banister and onto one of the closer trees. He slid down the trunk and landed gracefully on the ground below before he walked deeper into the forest, out of Ethan's sight. Ethan let out a huff. Way to go! You said the wrong thing.
Day 46
Ethan was starting to grow worried. He hadn't seen Alex for quite a few days. The Morí just seemed to disappear. Ethan, admittedly, wasn't concerned about Alex himself. He knew Alex could easily take care of himself, but he was worried that maybe Mailey had been right. What if Alex had just been acting the whole time? What if he was spying on them? What if he was now back in the Legion and telling Azariah everything he had learned? All the questions were starting to eat away at Ethan's mind and he was just growing more anxious.
"Zahari, I need your help," Ethan said as he entered his brother's room. The tracking Morí lifted his head from his pillow and looked over at Ethan. Zahari tilted his head to the side, stretching and arching his back in a big yawn. His clawed hands gripped at the sheets in front of him while his paws slid lightly against the bed. He settled again and rested his chin on his hands, looking at Ethan intently. "Alex hasn't been in his usual spot in a few days and I need your help finding him."
Zahari yawned again as he crawled out of bed, stretching his back one more time before looking at Ethan expectantly. "Oh right, I guess you need something with his scent. Uh, follow me," He said and turned to walk out of the room. He led the way to the balcony and he watched as Zahari started sniffing around. Ethan didn't really understand how Zahari's ability worked, he just knew it was effective.
Zahari leaped up onto the railing and then jumped, making Ethan slightly panic. Ethan went over to the banister and looked over to find Zahari on the ground below, sniffing around still. The Morí's tail was swaying behind him; the cheetah-like markings not very visible from where he was. Ethan leaped over to the tree Alex had and slid down the trunk, landing beside Zahari. "Find his trail?" He asked and Zahari nodded, starting to lead the way deeper into the forest.
They walked for a good while, Zahari losing the scent every now and then before quickly picking it back up. Ethan was getting increasingly worried, noticing that they were heading uncomfortably close to the portal to Ignis on the western part of the island. They suddenly took a sharp turn and were going up a steep slope until they had to start climbing. Ethan hefted himself up the last bit and paused when he saw Alex. Zahari pulled himself up and made a little purring noise, pointing to the older Morí.
"Hey, Zahari, I hate to make you go all the way back home, but I need to talk to him. Alone." Zahari made another little noise and signed a quick 'okay' before climbing back down and making his way back towards the main Alliance base.
Ethan stayed where he was a moment, just looking at Alex. Alex sat out on a piece of earth that jutted away from the land, just looking out at the horizon. Ethan couldn't see from where he was, but he could assume it was a far drop. He cautiously made his way over. "Hey, Alex," He said and Alex visibly tensed at the sound of another person's voice.
Alex sighed and hummed a greeting, his gaze dropping to his lap as he started messing with his shirt sleeves. "Why'd you disappear?" Ethan asked as he moved closer and sat down at the edge by the Morí. He had assumed correct, it was a very far drop.
"I wanted to be alone," Alex muttered quietly, making Ethan look over at him. Ethan took note of Alex's flushed cheeks and how his breaths stuttered every now and then. He also noticed how Alex's eyes were slightly red.
"Were you..." Ethan trailed off, unsure if he should finish that question. He realized though that he had gotten Alex's attention and the Morí was looking at him. "Were you crying?" He asked, finishing his question. Alex quickly turned away from Ethan and shrugged. "Alex, I... I want to help. What's wrong?"
Alex remained silent for a moment, seemingly thinking of what to say. "You asked me the other day if I had good memories." He swallowed hard as he kept his gaze on his lap. "I've been sitting here, racking my memories and trying to find something, anything." He ran his hand through his hair, letting out a sigh. "My mom, she tried for a couple of years. She treated me like I was her son for the first five or so years of my life." He let out a shuddering breath. "I guess it just became too much for her once I started developing my abilities. A little after I turned six, she pushed me away. That's when I really started being outcasted."
Ethan stayed silent as he listened to Alex, wanting to put a hand on Alex's shoulder to reassure him but refraining. "I was so young, I didn't understand what I did wrong. Then I realized I did nothing. They just hated me because of how I was born." Ethan watched as Alex's claws extended, his sharp fingertips just barely pressing against his biceps. "I found a book in my dad's study. It was filled with all sorts of interesting things, but the thing that really caught my attention was the spell." Alex let out another breath and his grip on his arms loosened a little.
"I followed the directions of the book, not straying from them once. I had been expecting it to lead me to many things, a statue was not one of them." Alex lifted his gaze and looked out at the horizon again. "The inscription on the statue said 'Azariah.' I knew who he was. I had read about him in books and heard stories about how he was my parents' greatest enemy." Alex started messing with his sleeves again. "I was faced with a choice. I could leave... or I could make my parents pay."
Ethan swallowed hard at that, realizing just how angry Alex had been when he was younger. "I-I don't mean to sound harsh, but didn't you just end up proving them right in the end? They called you a monster because of how you were born and so they outcasted you for it. Then you release the greatest threat they ever faced to make them pay."
"You are a product of how you are raised," Alex said, his claws sheathing as he relaxed again. "They treated me like I was a monster, like I was something to be feared, so I gave them a reason to fear me." Alex's eyes narrowed as a tear slid down his cheek. It completely shocked Ethan. "I was just a kid who wanted to be loved, but they decided I didn't deserve that."
"But... But surely, some people loved you, right?" Ethan asked. "Liz seems to really care about you and I'm sure there were others, too." Ethan watched as Alex's shoulders slumped and he let out a shaky breath.
"My older brothers loved me," Alex said, trying to breathe past the lump in his throat. "Michael, especially. He did everything for me." Alex was fighting back tears, not wanting to feel vulnerable. "My greatest regret is Michael's and Damien's deaths. I never meant to kill them." Alex noticed that Ethan was giving him a weird look. "They were there the day I ambushed my parents. It was just meant to be my parents, but I was in such a rage that everyone in the room fell victim to my attack." Alex couldn't stop the tears that started falling from his eyes. "I never meant to hurt them, but my anger got the best of me." Alex let out a choked back sob. "I think what makes it worse is that Michael didn't blame me. Even as he laid there bleeding to death in my arms, he looked me in the eye and told me he didn't blame me."
Alex's head hung low as he used his arms to wipe at his eyes. Ethan was starting to feel bad that he had thought that Alex had left to go back to the Legion. He realized that Alex had just been trying to get away, so he wasn't seen like this. Alex let out another choked back sound before leaning sideways, curling into Ethan's side. Ethan's eyes widened and he completely froze, not sure what to do. Alex had never let Ethan touch him and here he was leaning against him. Ethan did not know what to do.
In Ethan's moment of panic, Alex had gotten comfortable and was now settled up against him. Ethan was still frozen in a state of shock before hesitantly moving to wrap his arm around Alex. When he got no opposition from the Morí, he relaxed marginally and smiled a little. Alex had touched him willingly and Ethan couldn't help but feel proud of himself. He had gotten Alex to trust him.
Day 52
Things were going pretty well. Alex had been a lot more talkative the past few days and he was even showing more emotion. Ethan was more than a little happy about that, though he was still a bit disappointed that Alex hadn't smiled yet. He wanted to see that more than anything.
Ethan quickly realized that once Alex trusted him enough to touch him, Alex actually really enjoyed cuddling and generally being close to someone. The Morí always seemed to find an excuse to touch him or be close to him now. Currently, the two were just sitting out on the grass near the falls and looking up at the stars. They were side by side and pointing out different constellations. Ethan seemed to know far more about the night sky and Alex was just content listening to him speak endlessly about the starry patterns.
Ethan had just pointed out Hydra and was going on about how it was the largest of the 88 modern constellations. Alex was listening to every word, loving how passionate Ethan was about astronomy. He didn't even realize he had started smiling, but Ethan definitely did and it made him stumble over his words. Ethan didn't want to point it out because he was worried that if he did, then Alex would stop, so he continued on about Hydra for a couple of minutes.
When Ethan did stop talking, Alex still had that small smile. It made Ethan's heart flutter and his stomach do a weird flop. He had long since accepted that he was in love with the Morí, but uncertainty still tugged at his heart. What if Alex didn't like him back? Not to mention Alex still seemed to have some anger in him, albeit he at least seemed to be able to control it. Ethan shook the thoughts away as he looked at Alex, smiling as well and pushing it to the back of his mind. It wasn't important right now. "You should smile more often," He commented and, just as he had predicted, Alex's smile dropped and he seemed to close up again. "No, no, smile. It really does suit you."
The compliment got Alex to blush, something else Ethan thought he would never see Alex do. Ethan was quickly finding that he wanted to know every possible way to make the Morí blush. Alex looked at the ground and picked at the grass a little, that small smile returning to his lips. "There it is," Ethan cooed, moving closer so his face was next to Alex's. Alex rolled his eyes and put a hand on Ethan's face, playfully pushing him away before standing up.
"People come swimming here often?" Alex asked, moving closer to the edge and looking over. It was a pretty big drop into the water below. He looked up and ahead, gaze landing on one of the waterfalls. "This seems like it would be a place people came to often." Alex turned back around to face Ethan.
"I mean, yeah. The falls is one of the more common places people hang out. Especially when the weather is warm." Ethan stood up as well and moved over beside Alex, looking over the edge. "People jump from here quite often. The water is a lot deeper than it looks and it's really clear."
"Really now?"
Ethan didn't have time to react to Alex's tone of voice. One minute he was standing next to Alex, the next he was falling through the air and crashing into the water below. He kicked his feet and swam to the surface, gasping as his head went above water. "You son of a bitch!" Ethan shouted, swimming backward and looking up at Alex who was laughing. It was a sight that made Ethan's stomach do a weird flop and his mind stop working. He shook his head and swam back more. "Why don't you stop laughing and come join me?" Ethan called up.
It took Alex a moment to calm down from that, but once he did, he looked down at Ethan with an amused smile. "Hmm, I don't know." Alex tilted his head from side to side, pretending to contemplate. "I suppose I could. You do look pretty lonely down there by yourself," He teased before reaching behind him and pulling off his shirt. The sight had Ethan drooling. Figuratively, of course. Alex discarded the shirt to the side and then jumped, swimming up beside Ethan a moment later.
Ethan immediately splashed water at Alex, making the Morí splutter and swim back a little. "That's for pushing me," Ethan said, sticking his tongue out. Alex's eyes narrowed and he smirked before surging forward and tackling Ethan underwater. Ethan's shriek was cut off by the water, bubbles rising from his mouth as he and Alex went under. The two were wrestling beneath the surface of the water before they had to swim up and get a breath.
Alex's hair was sticking to his head and Ethan was laughing at it. Neither of them realized how close they were for a moment, but when they did, their faces erupted in a blush. Neither of them made a move to swim away, though, and instead found themselves getting closer. Their eyes slipped closed and their lips barely brushed together. "Hey, guys, Liz needs to speak to Ethan," A voice called and they quickly jerked apart. Alex looked up to where they had jumped from and saw no one, but when he looked at the pool of water's rocky edge, he saw Michael.
"O-Okay! I'll be right there!" Ethan shouted to him and Michael nodded before leaving. Ethan let out a shaky breath before looking at Alex. "I'll, uh, I'll meet you on the balcony after I see what she wants." Ethan didn't miss the look on Alex's face and he felt a tug at his heart. He swam over to the edge of the pool and pulled himself up. Alex was right behind him, gratefully taking Ethan's outstretched hand to help him up. The two of them made their way back to the main Alliance base in silence, Alex keeping a bit of distance from Ethan.
Day 60
Alex had been distant ever since the almost kiss and it was starting to really get to Ethan. Anytime Ethan tried to place a hand on Alex, he'd tense up and move away, stuttering out a weak excuse before running off. Finally, Ethan had enough and was going to confront him. He made his way down the hall and to the room Alex had started to sleep in. He took a deep breath before knocking on the door, eyebrows furrowing together when he received no response. Ethan looked at the silver plaque above the door and saw Alex's name on it, so he knew he was at the right room.
Ethan knocked again and got the same response, so he decided to open it and go in. Upon entering the room, Ethan quickly took note of the red and black theme. Alex's walls were painted a dark red and the floor was a dark, dark brown wood. A bed was centered on the sidewall, the silk-satin sheets black with a dark red pattern. The walls were lined with hanging shelves, books of all kinds stacked and ordered neatly. It was a pretty orderly room, nothing out of place and everything fairly clean. There was a desk as well with a notebook on it and a lamp. It was the only thing unorganized with pens scattered on it and a few stray papers.
Ethan shook his head as he moved into the room, looking at the far wall where a pair of French doors led out to the attached balcony. The doors were open and a hammock could be seen hanging from two of the trees on either side of the balcony. From where Ethan was, he could see a beautiful black wing covering the top of the hammock. He moved forward until he was able to run his fingers through the soft feathers of the wing. Ethan could hear a soft purring and a smile formed on his lips as he lifted the wing gently. Underneath was a sleeping Alex, the Morí laying on his other wing and purring at the gentle touch. He had cocooned himself in his feathers and had fallen asleep.
Alex gave a big yawn and briefly stretched out his arms before curling them back against his chest and settling. His wing flared open, which caused Ethan to take a few steps back and marvel at the sheer size before it wrapped around him again. Even in his sleep, Alex was able to recognize Ethan's mind. It was the familiarity that kept him calm and stopped him from lashing out in fear. Some part of Ethan knew this, and the thought definitely made him feel special.
Ethan combed his fingers through Alex's wing a few times before sighing and making his way back to the door. He wasn't going to wake the other up and ruin his relaxed state of mind. He closed the door behind him and then made his way down the hall. Ethan would just have to come back later.
Day 61
Despite Ethan wanting to return to Alex's room the day before, he had gotten a bit sidetracked and wasn't able to. Now, as he made his way down the hall, he felt his nerves tingling in his stomach. Ethan knew Alex still trusted him; otherwise, the Morí would've lashed out in his sleep when Ethan had touched him. He just wanted to know why Alex seemed to be avoiding him.
Ethan stood in front of Alex's door, uncertainty now tugging at his chest since he knew Alex was awake this time. He took a deep breath and then knocked, tensing when he heard a bit of shuffling around on the other side of the door. After a moment, the door opened and Ethan's breath hitched at the sight. Alex was wearing a loose-fitted t-shirt and sweatpants, his normally tousled hair even more-so now. "Did I wake you?" Ethan questioned, knowing he hadn't but still asking.
Alex blinked a few times as if trying to find some sort of excuse to make to get Ethan to go away before sighing. "No, you didn't. I've been awake for a little bit," He said, stepping to the side and gesturing Ethan to come into the room. Ethan did, albeit a bit hesitantly, but he did. "So what brings you to my room?" Alex asked, following Ethan in after closing the door. He moved over to the bed, flopping onto it and then shifting around into a sitting position.
Ethan couldn't help but smile at that, giggling quietly before sitting down at the foot of the bed. "I just... I wanted to talk," He said after a moment, admiring the feel of the sheets. Alex nodded for Ethan to continue, so he took a deep breath and tried to rid his body of the nervousness. "You've been avoiding me. At least, that's what it feels like." Ethan rubbed the back of his neck before moving his hands to his lap and playing with his fingers. "I know you're not obligated to be with me at all hours. I guess I just wasn't expecting the sudden shift. We went from spending all our time with each other to you running off anytime I entered the room."
Alex didn't really know what to say. He wasn't good with emotions. More importantly, he wasn't used to expressing them openly. He hadn't meant to hurt Ethan's feelings and he knew he did just by the look on Ethan's face. Alex didn't like seeing the other frown, he didn't like seeing him have that hurt look in his eyes. "Please smile," Alex said quietly, catching Ethan off-guard. "I don't like seeing you upset." Ethan gave a bit of a half-smile, but it still seemed to do the trick because Alex smiled as well. "I know I've been acting... strange. I'm just not very good with emotions and feelings."
Ethan tilted his head to the side, similar to how a dog would. "What do you mean?" He asked, moving a bit closer to Alex, so they were now sitting right in front of each other.
Alex ran his hand through his hair and blew out some air, seeming conflicted and not really knowing what to say. "We almost kissed, Ethan," He finally said, a light blush dusting his cheeks. "I've just been contemplating that. Possibilities and what not of the situation."
Ethan sort of took that the wrong way, eyebrows furrowing together. "Would it have been so bad if we did?" He asked, tone a bit defensive. He took Alex's comment as if it would've been negative if they had kissed.
"No, no, that's not what I meant," Alex said, groaning as he fell backward onto his pillows. He covered his face with his hands. "I'm not good with love, Ethan. I never have been." He rolled over onto his side, not seeing the confused look on Ethan's face. The Morí stayed on his side for a moment before sitting back up and facing Ethan again. He put his face in his hands and leaned his elbows against his knees.
"Can you elaborate?"
Alex lifted his head and looked Ethan dead in the eyes. "I'm falling in love with you and I don't know what to do," He stated bluntly, his gaze not faltering. "If we hadn't been interrupted and kissed, I don't think I would've stopped."
Ethan looked at Alex with wide eyes, not expecting so much honesty and straightforwardness. "I wish we hadn't been interrupted." The comment had Alex tilting his head in confusion. "Because I don't think I would've stopped either." Ethan watched as Alex let out a deep breath through his nose before the Morí was scooting a little closer.
"Do you mean that?" Alex asked, letting out another breath when Ethan nodded. Alex put his hand on Ethan's cheek, gently running his thumb over it. "Can I kiss you?" He asked and Ethan nodded again. Alex hesitantly leaned forward, eyes slipping closed as his lips brushed against Ethan's. Ethan closed the space between them and let his eyes shut as well as their lips connected.
The world seemed to melt away into the background, right now being just them. The kiss was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. Alex's lips were surprisingly soft and warm against Ethan's and they loved how their lips molded together like two pieces of a puzzle. When they did eventually pull away, they rested their foreheads together and looked deeply into each other's eyes.
"I've wanted to do that a while," Ethan admitted, giving Alex a small smile which Alex returned with one of his own.
"I have, too," Alex said, chuckling at the confused look he received from Ethan. "As I said, I'm not good at expressing my emotions and feelings. I usually just keep them to myself." He pecked Ethan on the lips before pulling back and lying down on the bed, pulling Ethan down with him. Ethan blushed deeply at the action, not used to such intimacy, but he wasn't against it. "Too far?" Alex asked, not wanting to make the other uncomfortable.
"No, this is good," Ethan assured and snuggled closer. He buried his face in Alex's chest and tangled their legs together. It was a sweet moment, just the two of them with no one else to get in the way of it.
Alex smiled at Ethan despite the other not being able to see it. He nuzzled Ethan's hair a little and let out a content sigh. He may not have the best history, but he knew that as long as he had Ethan, he'd have a very positive future.