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"Oi! Phoenix!" Yoru called out for Phoenix, it was dead of night and Yoru normally only found himself alone in the park but surprisingly Phoenix, his teammate from Valorant, was also seen roaming around. It was raining and the firebird was lacking an umbrella.
"You've been avoiding me recently," Yoru approached the taller man, Phoenix was clearly a few inches taller than Yoru. Everyone was also a few inches taller than Yoru. lol"Care to explain wh–"
"Can you fucking not?" Phoenix snapped, slapping away the umbrella Yoru was offering, leaving them both vulnerable to the rain.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"No, Yoru. What the FUCK is wrong with YOU" Phoenix practically yelled, making Yoru step back from him out of instinct.
"What the fuck am I to you, Yoru? You keep leading me on, making me feel as if there's something between us when there's nothing!" Phoenix is a violent person when it comes down to most arguments. He grabbed Yoru's shirt collar and burnt some of it as he pulled him in.
"Phoenix what the fuck are you on?" Yoru pushed himself away creating atleast some distance between them.
"Who are you to tell others that I'm just a nobody to you? A mere coworker?! Just some average british guy who's honestly too annoying and loud for his own damn good?" Phoenix was evaporating his own tears as he shed them, "You know what, Yoru? I loved you. I really fucking did. I WANTED to be with you."
Yoru was too stunned to speak
"Phoenix I–"
"Shut up. Honestly, all you ever do was talk shit about people, act like an asshole because you fucking are one. No one likes you. I started liking you for the wrong damn reasons and goddamnit. I fell for you hard, bruv. I fell for you so fucking hard and you just lead me on like this?"
"Phoenix please let me explain."
Phoenix grabbed Yoru by the neck, printing bruises and burns on the pale skin as he spoke, "Never talk to me ever again."
He left Yoru alone in the rain, burnt and alone. Marks on his wrist and neck, and a hole in his heart regretting the blatant lie he told Brimstone that day.
Phoenix was assigned to a mission with Yoru the next week. Damn we love coincidences. Yoru and Phoenix just wanted space from eachother, too scared to talk to eachother after what had happened that rainy night.
Phoenix arrived at the Range, wanted to improve on his time while on his Ultimate, but he ended up eaves dropping on a conversation Yoru and Sage were having.
"Yoru, please do tell me, as your team healer I must know the cause of this injury."
Sage sounded stressed, Phoenix knew Yoru was a very stubborn person but when it came to their beloved Sage. She was practically a mother figure to those around her, opening up frequently, even getting Yoru to open up to her.
"I had a fight with Phoenix last night."
"Phoenix did this to you?"
"Its fine, really."
Phoenix remembered he had accidentally burnt Yoru but he didn't recall how much damage he actually did to the poor man.
But for Sage to sound this worried? He must've done something wrong too.
"The affect that the burn has left you can constantly reignite and constantly burn you, each reigniting can cause the burns to worsen. You must confront him immediate–"
"I can't." Yoru replied instantly "I can't bear to look at him, Sage."
"What has happened between you two? From what you have told me you were planning on asking him out."
Phoenix was too stunned to speak
"I never told you anything."
"I could tell."
Phoenix felt too bad, he wanted to go up to Yoru and apologize for as long as he could. But he couldn't find the courage to do so, he needed time, but he didn't have much. This is a problem he needed to fix before it could get worse for Yoru.
"Just do your magical healing shit, please." The please coming out as a whisper. Yoru was never the one who did friendly gestures.
"Yoru, you do know my healing is only temporary, please go confront Phoenix someday before this gets worse."
"I will."
Phoenix ran and hid to avoid him getting caught eavesdropping.
Phoenix didn't show up for dinner that evening, too busy looking at his own reflection on the shower floor. He felt so ashamed and guilty. He thought he only had Yoru to blame, but he was only protecting both of their asses because of protocol.
He could feel the flames inside of him burn bright out of anger for himself, his rationality growing dim. He wanted to burn and hurt himself with the same flames he had used on Yoru but to no avail, those same flames could only heal the firebird.
He wanted to scream and burn everything around him, anything he touched turned gold then burnt to the crisp, left into nothing but ashes. He was afraid he'd do the same again to his new found friends at Valorant. He already started with the man he fell head over heels for. He truly was the king of golden flames, orange tips and black ashes.
He knew he had to control himself this time, yet the inferno tempted him. The voices of those he burnt at his old school screaming at his ears. The heat radiating from himself and the buildings burning. The smell of the bodies was a smell you'd never forget. He felt it all replay again and again and again.
He shot awake from his daydream, more or less day-nightmare. He had evaporated and steamed the whole bathroom. Hearing a faint voice accompanied with knocks, "Phoenix buddy, you there? Diner's almost done and you don't wanna miss the feast me and yoru whipped up!"
"I'll be right there, mate! Just finishin' up in the loo." Phoenix replied as normally as he could, putting aside the fact he almost burnt down his bathroom due to a flashback.
Phoenix was greeted by foods you'd find in a korean bbq. Yoru and Jett prepared a big feast to celebrate the new agent's arrival. Another arrogant little shit, but he certainly did not feel like falling for this french ass. His heart had already been reserved to a Japanese native who he'd accidentally burnt with his own flames. Flames he knew comforted the riftwalker.
"How generous of you all to treat me so kindly! My my, I should be the one treating you all to such a feast." He was probably gonna go brag about his money again, Phoenix did not care and just focused on his food.
He thanked Jett and Yoru for the food, Yoru just giving him a nod and continuing to clean up after the agents with Astra, Sage and Sova helping.
Phoenix locked himself in his room and contemplated on his provided balcony, he had expected Cypher doing the same since they were stationed at the same floor but the thief was no where to be found.
He was alone with the full moon.
It reminded him of Yoru, how the dark night sky complimented the pale and bright moon, like how his dark clothing style compliments his smooth pale skin.
And how quite and calming it honestly could be. No one really knew Yoru, unlike Phoenix.
Before that night, they tended to each other's wounds, calmed each other when they were stressed about their pasts, made eachother laugh with silly insults and banter. He couldn't put a label on their relationship, friends or maybe more? He was too scared to figure out. Just settled with being something possibly more? He hoped they could be labeled as boyfriends maybe yet, he felt that he had ruined their whole relationship with eachother.
He could only stare at his palms, if only he had atleast a little bit more self control, a little bit less impulsivity. Maybe things would be way more easier for him. Yet he keeps on burning everything that displeases him. He'd watch the world burn down before him if he didn't get his shit sorted out.
He sighed to himself, turning around only to find a certain riftwalker awaiting him on his bed, watching those blue eyes glow in the dark as he recently had teleported into his room. It was a common occurence for them, Yoru teleporting to wherever Phoenix may be. But after what just happened he didn't expect him to be back this soon.
"Good evening." Was the only thing Yoru was able to mutter out, normally Phoenix was the first person to speak when it was just the two of them.
"So uhm. What brings you here?" Phoenix tried to sound as casual as possible.
"Well, I... i think you should see it for yourself."
Yoru carefully took off the turtleneck he was wearing and revealed his back to Phoenix, in which it glowed in themes of fire. It marked shapes similar to an actual phoenix, it was a beautiful sight but, Phoenix knew this must've been some sort of torture to the riftwalker.
"Oh god, Yoru, I'm so so sorry" Yoru's back was turned to Phoenix, he carefully traced the marks he had created with his flames, he didn't know what to do, he never did this before. He only knew how to apologize.
He sighed and hugged him from behind, Yoru being startled from his touch but honestly, he missed it.
"I'm sorry" he whispered against his neck, his chin resting on his shoulder blade as he rubbed his fingers on Yoru's back, writing apologies and muttering such as he massaged the paler one, paler than usual.
He left kisses all over the flames engraved on his skin, he never stopped whispering apologies. He just kept massaging him in hopes of him feeling at least a tiny bit better.
He had kissed every line on his back and moved back up to his shoulder blades to his arms which also displayed veins of flames. He reached his palm and kissed the inside of it, looking up to a Yoru smiling. Mostly red but smiling nonetheless. He had noticed the intensity of the flames had gone down, maybe calming him down helped a bit.
"Phoenix, I've been meaning to ask you this but, what are we?" Yoru's smile fell slowly yet he asked softly never breaking eye contact with the firebird. Donning a more serious yet soft look.
"I don't know, mate. What do you want us to be?"
Yoru took a hold of Phoenix's hand, "Can we be something more than this?"
"I," Phoenix paused to take it all in, was Yoru asking him to be his boyfriend?"Yoru, can I?" Phoenix looked at his lips and back to to his eye, being met with a nod.
He leaned into him, never letting go of Yoru's hand, and closing in the distance–
"Hey Phoenix! You fuckin' forgot your jacket at my place just wanted to bring.. it back"
The Windgirl was too stunned to speak and left the room with the breeze following by, closing the door shut.