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The breeze brought on by riding Bulsajo over the Velodyna River was a pleasant change of pace for Mireu. So long had he been on The First. So long had he felt obligated to stay. But with the Scions all working their hardest alongside the Exarch, and with Mireu’s rather limited understanding of how the ‘Calling’ worked, they had agreed to allow Mireu a well deserved rest.
He had put up a feeble attempt to deny himself this luxury. To deny himself the right to respite. But he knew he needed it. Needed time to decompress. Needed time to relax. To breathe. To live as a person and not just a machine. Not just a weapon .
Mireu bit down on the inside of his cheeks as he vigorously shook his head, ‘No! You promised the Scions you would enjoy yourself while you were here!’ Sighing as he leaned forward into the familiar white feathers of his chocobo’s neck. He sat like that for some time, eyes closed, focusing on the sensation of Bulsajo’s soft feathers as he emptied his head of grim thoughts.
He would have been content to stay like that for longer - much longer - but his reverie was disturbed by the sounds of fighting, alongside the loud swearing of a familiar voice. Commanding Bulsajo down from the skies, Mireu drew his chakrams and prepared himself for whatever he may be about to face.
Mireu’s face scrunched up as a smell akin to rotten cloud bananas filled his nostrils. It appears someone had awoken Erle. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath in through his mouth, Mireu dismounted from Bulsajo and began to dance. Despite the vile smell filling his nostrils as he moved, the fight was a gentle warmup compared to the last time he had faced Erle, however that may have been largely thanks to his dance partner.
“Well that was certainly a pleasant surprise,” X’rhun said as he put away his rapier and focus, before stretching his arms up, a loud popping noise followed by a quiet curse as he hissed, “I think it’d be best to rest a while before I continue. Care to join me, Mireu?” The spoken offer was entirely a formality, both knew full well that Mireu would join him, even if he was asked not to - not after that pained noise X’rhun had made.
The walk was brief in distance, however took longer than usual - the fight having taken place entirely in the river, resulting in both Mireu and X’rhun being thoroughly soaked from the calves down (although perhaps from the knees down would be more accurate for X’rhun…) When they finally slowed to a stop, the pair were looking over the edge of Pike Falls, X’rhun looking across the horizon, and Mireu at X’rhun.
If X’rhun noticed Mireu’s staring, he didn’t show it as he sat down, crossing his legs before patting the empty space next to him. “I must admit, I had not expected to see you for quite some time, but I’m glad for it, and gladder still to see that you appear to have found your calling… That attire suits you, you know? It makes me wonder if I should finally hang up this old thing…” X’rhun mused as he raised his left hand up to the sky.
“No.”
X’rhun quirked his head to look up at the still-standing Mireu. Mireu who was staring at him with a determined face but eyes full of hurt.
“You’ve worn that garb for so long. It’s been with you through so much. It’s as much a part of you as your rapier and focus. To hang up your attire would be like hanging up your aspirations to revive red magic! You can’t-” Mireu stopped himself short as his vision refocused on X’rhun’s face. “You weren’t even serious were you.” Mireu had never been so glad to have such dark skin - it was rendering the blush making its way up his neck and cheeks impossible to see. “I-Ignore what I was saying, even if you were serious it’s up to yo-”
“No. If I was serious I have no doubt that I would listen to you.” X’rhun’s smile was kind, as he raised a hand up to Mireu, which Mireu had no hesitation in taking, thus allowing himself to be pulled down to X’rhun’s side. “You know I trust you, and respect your opinions. You have no need to be so hard on yourself simply for speaking your mind. Especially around me.”
Mireu opened his mouth, only to shut it just as quickly. Instead opting to adjust his position to be more comfortable as they sat beside one another. He contemplated swapping to Astrologian, just to help rid X’rhun of his afflictions from the fight, however just as the thought occurred to him, X’rhun let out a sigh of relief, the effects of Erle’s venom having worn off.
Mireu’s thoughts wandered to the past for a moment, before snapping back to the present as he exclaimed “Arya!”
The sudden call of her name made X’rhun jolt in position, “Is aught the matter? If you’re concerned about where she is, have no fear, she should still be in Mor Dhona if the last letter I received from her is anything to go by.”
Mireu relaxed his body at the news, “Thank goodness, it’s been some time since I’ve been here that I was worried something had happened to her when I didn’t see her in Revenant's Toll. I suppose she was out training with your comrade’s sword - ah, although by now I’m sure she’s made it her own.” Mireu’s chest brimmed with pride as he beamed down at X’rhun.
“Aye, that she no doubt has,” X’rhun hummed in agreement as he turned his face back over the waterfall, “When we last met her skills had improved exponentially - not just in the black, but the white magics too.” X’rhun said as he leaned against Mireu’s side. “Tis strange, I feel like a parent watching their youngest leave the home for the last time,” a snort of laughter came out of him, “Strange that is, but… tis not a bad feeling… I’m proud of her and how far she’s come. And I have you to thank for a great deal of that.” X’rhun looked up at Mireu once more. “Thank you, Mireu, you have helped me more than you know, if there’s anything I can do to repay even a fraction of all you’ve done for me, then all you need to do is ask.”
Mireu’s initial reaction was to shake his head, say no , he hasn’t done that much, or that he had only done what was needed, and that if he had done anything of note he did not need anything in return, that he was just doing his job. Yet the sincere look and the kind creases in X’rhun’s smiling face stopped him, and Mireu took a moment to think.
He had done a lot. He had gone above and beyond what was needed. And there was something he would like as a reward.
“To repay the favour… Can… Can I kiss you?”
Even as the words left his mouth, Mireu could feel heat coming up his neck and flooding his face.
X’rhun blinked, smile faltering a little bit, before a boisterous laugh erupted out of him, “Mireu, we’ve been dating for several moons now, you do not need to ask to kiss me, nor is it much of a repayment when I consider it a treat myself.”
A small pout made a brief appearance on Mireu’s face, before it was replaced with a cheeky grin, “Then I guess I’ll demand so many kisses that not only do you no longer consider it a treat, but it will become a chore !” Mireu nodded to himself, pleased with his solution.
“Oh? Do you truly believe that I could ever tire of such a delight?” X’rhun smirked, bringing a hand up to hold Mireu’s chin. “That I could ever consider you a chore?” Gentle tugs had Mireu’s face come down until the couple were a few scant ilms apart. “I suppose I’ll have to prove your ‘solution’ is naught but an excuse for me to indulge myself in the act of showering you in my affections.”
Mireu closed his eyes and held his breath in anticipation, waiting patiently for the first of what he knew to be many kisses.
Only for the kiss he had expected to be placed on his lips, to be pressed against the scales that covered his nose.
The pout returned to Mireu’s face.
“You wished for many kisses, you never said where you wished those kisses to be.” Mireu snapped his eyes and mouth open at that, ready to retort - only for said lips to be sealed by X’rhun’s a moment later.
Stunned by the kiss he had been craving, Mireu threw all thoughts of complaining out of his head, instead relaxing his body and smiling into the kiss, arms slowly wrapping around X’rhun before pulling the Seeker into his lap.
X’rhun was the first to part from the kiss, not from lack of breath, but to adjust himself in Mireu’s lap so he could sit more comfortably. Although that didn’t stop Mireu from chasing X’rhun’s lips in the hopes of another kiss. “One moment Mireu,” X’rhun chuckled as he placed a gloved hand between them, “If you’d like all the affection I can possibly feed you before one of us needs to go, then I must be in a comfortable position to give it to you.”
Barely a second passed before Mireu nodded in agreement, tail thumping gently beside them as the Raen allowed his boyfriend to maneuver himself within his lap until he was comfortable.
“Now, where were w-”
This time Mireu took the opportunity to seal X’rhun’s lips with his own, but only for a moment. Instead of having one long kiss, Mireu proceeded to pepper X’rhun’s entire face with as many as he could before the older man could hold his laughter no longer.
“M-Mireu, pl-please!” Mireu paused his kissing assault. “It does not count as a reward for you if I’m the one on the receiving end.”
Mireu leaned down and gently butted his forehead against X’rhun’s, “But what if I want my reward to be both receiving and giving kisses? You deserve a reward too, for all the work you’ve done.”
X’rhun opened his mouth in objection, only to shut it immediately upon looking into Mireu’s eyes. Shaking his head, X’rhun sighed, “Fine, I’ll indulge you this time - but know that I fully intend on repaying you properly in the future, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” X’rhun’s voice was firm but his smile soft as he looked back at Mireu.
“So long as you have no objections with me repaying you with affection afterwards!” Mireu beamed back.
“KWEH!”
“GAH-”
“WHA-”
Bulsajo lowered his head between the shocked men, and carefully dropped X’rhun’s pack into his lap, before rustling his wings and sitting down beside Mireu, nudging at his owner’s arm until he received the scratches he so desired.
The couple stared at each other for a moment, before both bursting into fits of laughter. A solid minute passed before they calmed themselves enough for X’rhun to stand, slipping his pack over his shoulder.
“Your companion is correct, I must be on my way, else I fear I may never be able to leave your side.” X’rhun said as he took Mireu’s free hand and placed a gentle kiss to his knuckles. “I pray you remain in good health and stay safe until we next meet.”
“And I wish the same for you.”
X’rhun released Mireu’s hand before either could fall to the temptation to stay by their lover’s side. A tip of his hat, and X’rhun was off across the river towards Castrum Oriens, black cape billowing out behind him as he went.
Mireu sighed as X’rhun faded from sight, leaning back into Bulsajo and lifting his hand to gaze at the knuckles that were still faintly warm from the last kiss. If the remainder of his days on the Source were even half as good as today, then he had no qualms with this ‘mandatory’ rest. His only wish was that he would get to see X’rhun again before returning to The First.