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Cicero tapped his fingers on the cold stone ground. He tried keeping himself awake but the heaviness of his eyelids kept getting the best of him. How long had he been waiting for the Listener to return? Hours? A day? Maybe even two. Time was impossible to tell through the windowless walls of the Dawnstar sanctuary.
It's not that Cicero was reliant on the Listener. He had gone countless seasons without one. Or anyone else for that matter. It was just nice to know what the Night Mother was saying sometimes. It brought him comfort after he managed to shove the deep rooted jealousy aside.
He sighed as he looked up from across the room at her: the Night Mother. Her sarcophagus lay open; the outer cover crumbled from the betrayal in Falkreath and the transit there to Dawnstar. It now sat open, the Night Mother's withered flesh permanently open to the still air of the sanctuary. Open for all to see her as they entered.
"Have they come back yet?" Asked Nazir. He hadn't even noticed the man there. "I have a question regarding a rumor about a possible contract and I want to double check things before anything is done."
Cicero shook his head, the bells on his hat jingled softly. "Poor Cicero has been waiting here since they left. Not a sign of the Listener returning yet."
Nazir hummed thoughtfully as he shifted his weight on his feet. "I wonder what could be so important that they're gone for so long. I remember them saying their life of adventure had finally managed to calm down, but maybe it was only for a short while."
"Cicero hopes not! Days and days on end without the Listener. It was torture. No one around who understood Cicero's dedication and… and zeal for taking care of the Night Mother!"
"You certainly are dedicated, that's for sure. I'm not sure she would be in such great condition without you. Nevertheless, I'm sure the Listener will return soon. I only caught a fraction of what they were heading out for. Apparently to meet up with someone important or something similar."
"Another contract?"
"Maybe. You keep an eye out and let them know I have something for them."
"Cicero can do that!"
"Great. I knew I could count on you."
With that, Nazir descended back down the stairs and to the rest of the sanctuary.
Cicero yawned and rubbed his eyes, the tiredness he felt before returning once more. He could go lay on something softer than the floor - and he probably should for the sake of his back - but that would require him moving from his spot. Which just wasn't going to happen. He was too stubborn and now had another reason to wait right there for the Listener.
Hours passed and he jolted awake from the raspy voice of the door atop the entrance stairwell. He quickly hopped to his feet. Hadn't even realized he had fallen asleep. Cicero rushed to see if his dearest Listener had returned and was delighted to see the fellow imperial. Although strangely they had someone with them: a male Khajit. He had certainly seen them before, but never this close. Never this… casually. It made his face feel hot.
"Oh hello Cicero," greeted the Listener. "Ji'Ghoul, this is our Keeper Cicero that I was telling you about."
Ji'Ghoul, Cicero thought. He imagined rolling the name around on his tongue.
"How lovely for the Listener to make new friends! Cicero remembered being told by Nazir earlier while you were gone that he has something for you. Something about double checking things?"
"Oh really? Well I guess I better go find him. Thank you Cicero. Ji'Ghoul feel free to make yourself comfortable in our sanctuary in the meantime. I know it's a little different from yours, but I hope you'll be able to make yourself comfortable here."
The Khajit nodded. The Listener then left to go find Nazir. Which left the two men alone together.
"Cicero has… never been so… so close to a Khajit before," he nervously managed to stumble out. "You have such pretty blue eyes! Like… like the sky or maybe... um… a gem… of some kind! Cicero does not remember the name of it."
Ji'Ghoul laughed softly at that jester's attempt at conversation. The sound sucked the breath out of his lungs. He wanted to hear such a sweet melody again. Even if it suffocated him to death.
"The sky and a sapphire. I'll admit those two are new. It's usually an ocean on a sunny day. Thank you. I like your eyes too. Very dark and mysterious. Like a cold cloudy river cutting through the mountaintop. You know you may only find mudcrabs inside, but isn't the temptation of possible treasure enough to want to be in the water? Hey, Cicero was it? Would you mind showing me where the sleeping quarters are please? I'll be here for a few nights at least and I'd like to make myself comfortable if that isn't too much to ask."
Cicero nodded enthusiastically. "Of course Cicero can help. Just follow along and try to keep up! Cicero is very speedy."
"I'm sure you are. I'll try my very best."
Cicero descended down deeper into the sanctuary and to his word, Ji'Ghoul followed closely behind.
He knew the sanctuary rather well and probably wouldn't do too badly navigating it blind. At least he thought so.
"So," the Khajit started as they entered a hall, "how did you end up joining the brotherhood?"
"Cicero has been in the Dark Brotherhood for a long time. He doesn't really recall how or when he joined, but he remembered the appeal of the thrill. What about you? How did you join?"
"Me? It's a long story, but I think I can manage to give you the short version. Unless you're like your Listener and want every detail that I can remember. They had me describing how the stars looked that night!"
"Cicero will take the shorter version, but maybe another time when he isn't so tired he will hear out the longer one."
"Well, it started off at night. It had been a long day. I used to work for hours fishing. I made my own nets by hand from plants I planted and harvested myself. People used to say I had a magic touch, but I'm no sorcerer. I just worked hard. So I was at home repairing my net from a particularly nasty mudcrab and as I closed my eyes - I was dozing off from such a long day - I swore I heard whispers. I called out, but the whispers didn't change. No louder nor were they any quieter."
"Whispers? What were they saying?" He had caught Cicero's interest.
"At first I couldn't really make it out honestly, but the more I listened the more clear it became and then it just… stopped."
"Stopped?"
"Yeah. As if whatever was talking knew I was trying to listen. I decided to go to bed after that, but the next night it started up again. Same as before with the whispering never getting louder or quieter no matter where I stood in my home. I wasn't as tired as I was the day before so I was rather confused. I had chalked it up to my mind being deprived of energy the previous night, but now I was unsure. It continued like that for weeks. I was losing my mind hearing this whispering no one else could hear. No one I asked had even heard anything like it before. Until finally one night it stopped and there was one clear voice. The voice told me to follow and so I did. I knew it might have led to my death, but I wasn't going to give up the possibility of having answers. So I followed the voice and it led me into this small temple or maybe a large crypt. I saw this coffin and something compelled me to touch it. When I did the voice announced herself as Amalthea, the Lady Death, bride to Lord Sithis—"
Cicero quit walking and quickly turned on his heel to face Ji'Ghoul. "But the Night Mother is the bride to Lord Sithis!"
"That's exactly what your Listener said too! Multiple wives situation, I suppose. We're still trying to understand it and that's why I'm here at the sanctuary; to sort things out."
"Would that make you another Listener then?" His head was swimming in circles trying to understand it. Two Night Mothers and two Listeners. It didn't seem like much, but it crumbled his understanding of everything about the Dark Brotherhood. He didn't doubt the other's words. No, there wasn't a reason to. No stakes at hand.
"I guess? Although Lady Death described me as her champion more than a Listener. If it helps you understand more, then you can think of it like that."
He leaned against the wall, rubbing his fingers against his temples. "Cicero's head hurts. He has not had enough sleep for this."
Ji'Ghoul reached out - hesitating momentarily - and gingerly placed his hand on the jester's shoulder. There was that funny feeling again. His face grew hot and his throat tightened. He audibly swallowed. When was the last time someone had touched him like this? As if he was fragile. As if one wrong move would shatter him into pieces.
The Khajit stepped closer. His warm breath ghosted across Cicero's skin in a way that certainly wasn't helping.
"Kiss this poor fool of hearts, won't you?" He begged softly, looking up at him.
In return he got a toothy but well meaning smile. The look of his sharp canines was intoxicating in the light of the torches that lit the halls. His mind wandered to how they would feel against skin. Not just his own, but others. Had they crushed through skin and bone? Perhaps maimed one of the many raw fish he had briefly mentioned catching in his net? Why did Cicero so badly want to be one of those fish trapped between his jaws?
"Not here, but in private I will, Cicero. You've been…" he paused, seemingly considering what word would best describe the ginger, "…delightful company. I wouldn't be able to stop at just a kiss and I prefer not to be interrupted."
His face went from a warm ember to a flaming inferno at the implication of his words. "Of course!" Cicero grabbed his hand and quickly led him off. He knew where they could get some privacy! They were headed that direction anyway.
Ji'Ghoul kept up as they sped through the dim hallways. Past doors and other hooded brotherhood members who spared no second glance to the strange antics. He kept up as he found himself pushed against a bed in a seemingly random bedroom being kissed needily.
"This is strange," he murmured against his lips."
"Cicero is strange to the Champion?"
"To me he is. I've never kissed anyone who wasn't a Khajit before. It's weird not feeling fangs or fur, but I could get used to it."
He shares a few more kisses with Cicero. Soft and less rushed than before. They both had time to enjoy the sensation of the other. Ji'Ghoul with the sensation of soft flesh and dull teeth against his lip. Cicero with rough paw pads holding his face as he tried desperately to bite him playfully and the tickle of whiskers as the other nuzzled his forehead.
"Satisfied?" Asked Ji'Ghoul.
"Never! Kiss Cicero again, Champion."
So he did. He kissed his cheek, then his forehead, and with enough whining he finally kissed his lips again.
"By the way, who's quarters are we in right now?"
"Cicero's, of course! Silly Cicero wouldn't have you anywhere else. No better place. Especially for nefarious activities which cannot be seen by others."
"So I'll be rooming here with you for the entirety of my stay at Dawnstar?"
"Yes. Cicero won't allow otherwise… for… safety concerns."
He laughed and kissed his temple. An act which Cicero melted into every time. "Uh huh? Okay weirdo. I'm sure wanting my fuzzy tits in your hands is such a big safety concern."
His face was burning hot again. "They're dangerous!" He justified. "Poor Cicero has to bear the burden of handling them alone." He tried to maintain a very serious matter-of-fact facade, but his giggly manner slipped out through the cracks.