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Chapter Text

L’ubor chewed the tip of his nail while peering out his window onto the bustling streets below. 

He knew how to play the long game. But damned if he didn’t feel at least the tiniest bit anxious. Eager, even. 

It had all begun with a fateful encounter one blistering summer day. Theodore of the Crimson Caravans had appeared like a flagon of crisp spring water after a long trek across the sweltering Velkroy desert. Immediately intrigued, L’ubor had honed in on him and struck up conversation. After a meal and some general japery of conversation, the Desert Hare knew that this was a man worth pursuing. Theodore’s striking good looks and his charisma had ensnared L’ubor in every sense of the word; would that he could have convinced him to engage in more than a simple meal and conversation...but Theodore was nothing if not a professional. His timely deliveries and care for his envoy were priority one. 

If nothing else, their chance encounter had set the groundwork. L’ubor could work with that. 

Knowing that it would appear positively bizarre to request another delivery from the Boklad markets so soon, L’ubor had labored to cleverly map out with Natalie their next few shipments, pointing out opportunities for exotic and unique materials that could more easily be procured from the Dominion: specialty salts for the bathhouse, fragrant flowers and aromatics to distill into absolutes and perfumes for the bordello, freshly caught fish, perfect for a light but filling meal… in exchange, they could provide precision weaponry, extravagant clothes and the finest flatware and glassware, all things which would continue to bolster Dalimil’s presence as a growing player in the Dhalmekian commerce network. 

Maybe he was also angling for a path into the Silverpeak Consortium. Two birds with one stone. No shame. 

Following their first engagement from the Crimson Caravans, L’ubor had carefully crafted a missive which thanked them for a timely and in-full delivery. The missive also called out Theodore for excellent service and attention to detail. While L’ubor was not so brazen or stupid as to directly request Theodore’s services further, he knew that relationships and trust were everything in a trader’s world; Eloise the proprietor was likely to send him again to ensure another solid and seamless delivery, so that they could work out a proper, mutually beneficial contract. 

Which led to today: the anticipated delivery of a large order of commodities that had set L’ubor back a fair amount of coin. All in the name of commerce. 

Commerce and infatuation. 

Oh, Ruzena would drag him across the forge coals if she only knew. May she rest in peace, L’ubor thought. 

“Come, now, L’ubor,” he told himself. “You’ve certainly waited long enough.” 

Squaring his jaw, the young Dhalmekian descended from his quarters in the residential district, easing onto the streets of Dalimil. He moved with purpose, past the markets and square to Briar’s Kiss, his home away from home. He had a full docket today, enough to keep him busy and then some. 

The intensity of the forge’s heat hit him like a tidal wave. He was immediately at home.

“Ah, forgemaster! You’ve arrived!” 

“Sava.” His apprentice’s anxious voice was a welcome distraction. L’ubor comfortably folded his arms across his chest. “Yes, I’ve arrived. I’ve a blade commission to finish and I’m expecting a delivery that Natalie and I need to review. Tell me, how comes your ironwork?”

Sava’s nervous shifting told him everything he needed to know. 

“Well. I’ve, uh. I’ve made some progress. It’s coming along!” 

“Excellent.” L’ubor slowly raised his eyebrows. “Then it seems we’re on schedule for you to complete your test soon, yes?” 

Sava’s eyes widened. He paused. “...I-If you say so, forgemaster!” 

L’ubor waved his hand dismissively. He had neither the wherewithal nor the patience to provide Sava with another confidence boost. Not today. “Well, then. Let’s get to work, shall we? Plenty to do. Off you go, dear Sava.”

“Yessir!” 

Of all the things Ruzena had taught L’ubor in his youth, his biggest takeaway was the value and necessity of patience. Patience played such a powerful role in forging quality weapons and tools, in forging lasting and mutually beneficial relationships, in earning a solid keep. He hadn’t become cream of the Dalimil crop by being impetuous, reckless and wild. No, even with the anticipation of Theodore’s eventual arrival buzzing around in the back of his head, L’ubor’s attention to detail in completing his commission never faltered, never waned. 

He had done the heavy lifting of shaping, beveling, and quenching the blade the day before; alongside finishing the hilt, today he focused on sanding and sharpening. 

“Now…the final touch.” 

The soft sizzle of branding filled L’ubor’s ears as he seared the Briar’s Kiss into the bottom of the hilt. With a satisfied smile, he stood and straightened his back. He prepared to stretch–until the distant sound of an unfamiliar chocobo wark filled his ears. 

“Sounds like our delivery…if you’ll excuse me, gentlemen.” L’ubor saluted his apprentices, visibly energized. “I need to go peruse our delivery to ensure everything is in order.”

Was there a kick to his step as he walked through the passageway to the chocobo stables? Maybe. 

Did he pick up his pace when he saw the familiar insignia that indicated the Crimson Caravans? It was possible. 

L’ubor’s real interest came when he saw the handsome Theodore appear from around the corner of the caravan. He felt a strange mix of elation, relief and anticipation– it was the exhilarating thrill of fulfillment that came with a long-term plan coming to fruition. 

“Ah, and there it is,” L’ubor said, arms open in welcome. He approached the caravan–and Theodore. “Our eagerly awaited goods, ready for deployment to the markets.” 

Theodore smiled warmly, offering a polite bow of his head. “Safely arrived in one piece, my good sir. The Crimson Caravan promise.” He tapped a firm fist against the leather of his tunic, and to L’ubor’s surprise, he winked. 

“Well! Now it’s time to see about that in full promise Mistress Eloise agreed to in her letter, yes? Excellent.” 

“L’ubor!”

As much as L’ubor wanted nothing more than to steal Theodore away for the remainder of the day, the sound of Natalie’s voice meant that official business would take absolute precedence. “Ah, my dear Natalie. Perfect timing, as always. Theodore and his companions here have just arrived with our goods in tow. Let’s go through the manifest, shall we?” 

“Yes, of course. If you’ll both come with me…” 

Theodore walked around the caravan to the back, unhitching the lock and prying open the double doors. Lining the inner shelves and walls were coffers, crates, barrels and more. L’ubor was all too happy to let Natalie take lead of the inventory review, though he occasionally shared a witty quip or comment about the illustrious materials and, of course, Theodore and the Crimson Caravans. 

“Really, L’ubor, you didn’t need to be here for this,” Natalie said with a shrug of her shoulders. She tapped her quill against the parchment to reactivate the ink drip. “I would have let you know if anything was missing. As of yet, we’re in the clear.”

“Ah, it’s really no bother at all. Besides, I wasn’t so worried about prompt and in-full delivery. No, I was more concerned with these carriers taking a proper break before going about their distribution of the materials.” 

Hook, line...

“Nonsense, L’ubor, what are you getting at? We can deliver the goods to the relevant stalls and vendors. They don’t need to do anything of the sort.”

Sinker.

L’ubor smiled. “Why, Natalie, you’re absolutely right. How silly of me. An order of this size, absolutely we should manage that ourselves.”

Natalie raised an eyebrow. “Yes…quite. You feeling alright, there, L’ubor?”

“Positively peachy. Now.” L’ubor turned to Theodore. “You remember the way to The Final Sting, yes?”

“...Actually, I wouldn’t mind a refresher,” Theodore offered with a small grin. “Let me just check in with my men and relieve them for now. Also need to let them know where to find me.” 

As Theodore stepped away from the caravan and over toward the chocobo stables, L’ubor felt in real time Natalie’s eyes practically bore into him. He returned her scrutinizing gaze with nary a peep and little more than a wink before he kicked off toward the gate leading into the square near his shop. Theodore soon joined him momentarily thereafter, and together, L’ubor began his casual stroll back into town. 

“You can kindly repay me for getting you off the hook by buying me a drink.”

“Getting me off the hook? Mm, I swear I heard her say that it wasn’t our responsibility to begin with…”

L’ubor whistled. “Founder help me, this is how you thank a man for a favor, hm? Well, you’re lucky that we’re a hospitable bunch, here.”

Theodore chuckled. “Very lucky. After all, I’ve got such an important man escorting me to the tavern, when he very well could be creating blades for the town guard or negotiating deals with other Dhalmekian trader guilds...” 

The two shared a look. L’ubor broke it with a faint smile, falling into comfortable silence until they crossed the town square and arrived at the door to the Final Sting. 

“Well. Here we are. Let them know the meal is courtesy of yours truly.” L’ubor crossed his arms over his chest.” Can I tempt you for a drink later?” 

To his surprise, Theodore looked perplexed.

“Ah…I take that to mean you’re not opting to join me now?”

“Oh, is that an invitation? I didn’t want to assume. You’ve been traveling all day, after all.” 

“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t. Consider it officially an invite. Come on, then.” 

L’ubor bit back a grin as Theodore opened the door inward and gestured for him to step through. Once they were comfortably settled at one of the tables, he shot a dazzling smile across the way. “Imagine my pleasant surprise to see the handsome and capable carrier return for such a sizable delivery.” 

Theodore cocked his head, an amused smirk curling at his lips. “Mm, is it really such a surprise? I seem to remember my sister Eloise sharing with me a very shining review from a renowned Dalimil trader who made sure to mention me by name…dare I say, you were hoping for me to return?” 

L’udor tapped the tip of his forefinger against the apple of his cheek, that bit back grin blooming with every passing moment. “Oh…am I to understand that’s why she put you on the job?”

Theodore chuckled. “I’m quite sure it’s not the only reason. But, yes, one of them. For an order of this size, she wanted to make sure it arrived with no issue.”

“And you’ve done brilliantly. Bravo, Theodore. Bravo.” L’ubor waved over the waitress, ordering them a duo of ale. “Feeling like something light, or hearty?” 

“Light ought to do it.” 

“Two bowls of the chocobo soup, then. Thank you kindly.” When their drinks arrived, L’ubor raised his mug in cheers. “Do tell me you and your men are planning to take advantage of Dalimil this time? I was truly surprised you left last time without enjoying little more than the tavern, here…” 

“The sun was particularly sweltering today,” Theodore explained. He reached for his handkerchief and dabbed across his forehead and temples. “No cloud cover made the last few hours of our trek across the Velkroy rather uncomfortable, nigh unbearable. While I think after some rest we could press on if we wanted to and camp near Dravozd tonight, we have the time and coin to stay the night here…assuming space is available.” 

L’udor sat up straight, expression brightening. “There’s always room at the Dalimil Inn. Our accommodations are second to none. After you get settled in, you should treat yourself to a long, relaxing bath at the bathhouse. And…should you be so inclined, we’ve lovely courtesans who would happily keep you and your men company for the evening.” 

Fishing...

Theodore laughed. “Emptying my coinpurse with reckless abandon, I see. First the drink and the meal, then the inn, then the bathhouse…and now, courtesans too? Your silver tongue truly knows no bounds.” 

L’udor winked. “As we forgemasters like to say…strike while the iron is hot.” He sat back, shrugging casually. “But…if you’re not interested…” 

Theodore lowered his mug to the tabletop. He leveled his gaze at L’ubor, drawing him in as dark eyes glimmered with interest. “I get the feeling you strike your iron with alarming precision.” 

Word play. Oh, how L’ubor’s heart skipped a beat. 

“I pride myself in my ability to strike not only with alarming precision, but with a lasting impression and full satisfaction. In my world, reputation is everything.” 

“I’d expect no less from a clever forgemaster who surely wields his tool with incredible experience…”

“Care to see for yourself?” 

It was Theodore's turn to smirk. “Is that an invitation?” 

L’ubor smiled. “Undoubtedly.” 

Chapter Text

“Your room will be just up here on the left.”

L’ubor, ever the gracious host, twisted the room key and pulled open the door for Theodore, who offered a courteous bow before stepping inside. 

“Positively cozy,” Theodore replied, surveying the space with interest. He approached the nearby window which overlooked the creek and the streets below which led to the baths. He turned to L’ubor with a smile. “Not a bad view, either.”

“He says, while looking inward and away from the landscape,” L’ubor teased. “If you wish to call me handsome, you need only say so.” 

Theodore chuckled. “I can think of a few things I wish to call you, handsome among them.” With a relieved sigh, he unhitched the fastening of his belt holster and lowered it, along with his blade, into the small chest at the foot of the bed. When he stood, he approached L’ubor and, to L’ubor’s surprise, grabbed him by the hip and pulled him in close. Their bodies now flush, L’ubor felt every bit as excited as he had the moment he’d first laid eyes on him. 

Without missing a beat, he looked at Theodore and said, “And what other things do you wish to call me?” 

“Absolute trouble.” Theodore tilted his head down with a smirk gracing his lips. “But also, my local tour guide. Trust me when I say, I’d love nothing more than to take you up on your offer of seeing you wield your tool with expertise, but I’m in truly no shape to…indulge.” 

Theodore’s bravery inspired L’ubor to reach up and tap his fingers along the man’s solid bicep, up over his shoulder pauldron, where he tugged lightly on the collar of his leather harness. “It sounds like someone is in desperate need of a relaxing dip in the baths. Am I correct?” 

“Mm, that sounds lovely. Days after days on the road have left me feeling…less than desirable.” 

“I’ll be the judge of that.” L’ubor traced his finger along the chiseled outline of Theodore’s jaw, savored in the sight of clear enjoyment that reflected in that handsome face. “But far be it from me to deny you the comfort and refresh you so rightly deserve. Come, let me play tour guide .”

With Theodore’s equipment securely stowed away, L’ubor led him out of the inn and onto the streets. Knowing full well that Theodore was from Boklad, whose markets were bountiful and illustrious in their own right, there was no need to tell the grandiose tale of Dalimil and the goods they provided. For L’ubor, who was used to wheeling and dealing on a daily basis, it was a stretch of his conversational skill set to focus on something other than trying to convince someone of something. 

Was it refreshing? Only time would tell. 

The familiar and comforting scent of lavender and agarwood greeted them upon their arrival to the bathhouse. It took but a moment to sniff out Xaver, whose nose was buried in a ledger not far from the entrance. 

“Xaver!” L’ubor called. “Do you have a moment?” 

Xaver started. He lifted his head from his ledger and immediately relaxed upon seeing L’ubor, shoulders slouching. “Oh, Founder. It’s just you. For a moment, I thought we’d had another incident with Kupka’s men getting into a fight in the baths again…” 

L’ubor shook his head. “Far from it, my friend. Far from it. No, I’m here to introduce one of our visitors to the famous Dalimil baths. He’s come from Boklad and has brought us quite a large shipment of goods we sorely needed. I trust one of the private bathing rooms is available, yes?” 

“Private? I would need to check…” Xaver ushered over his second in command, a young woman named Nadia, to confirm details. “We’ve a bathing room available for an hour, if that’s agreeable.”

“Perfect. Absolutely perfect. If you don’t mind, I’m just going to take him back there myself, make sure he’s settled in with everything he needs.”

Xaver scratched his balding head. Perplexed though he was, his attention clearly was waning. “As you like, L’ubor…one of our attendants could easily do it.”

“Nonsense, it’s my pleasure. Come, Theodore, let’s get you settled.” 

If there was one thing L’ubor was grateful for when it came to Xaver, it was that the man’s interest in the goings-on around him rarely extended beyond the existence of his ledger. The baths were one of the busiest places in Dalimil, and L’ubor’s choice to accompany some random stranger? Xaver was likely to forget within minutes. It was inconsequential. 

The scent of lavender and agarwood only blossomed as L’ubor pulled back the doors and entered the bathhouse proper. He moved through the space with liquid precision, feet carrying him down both narrow and wide corridors, around corners and down stairs, until he stopped at a landing before a small set of steps. These led to yet another lower level: a long, rectangular lobby with several wooden doors leading to the private baths.  

“You’ll truly find no better bathhouse in the Twins than ours here in Dalimil,” L’ubor said confidently. “The springs at Doeznov Terraces nearby provide truly the best water, just the perfect temperature. In addition to a wonderful soak and cleanse, you’ll find our attendants are masters of massage, relaxation and conversation. You’ll be refreshed and relieved in no time.” 

“Masters of relaxation?” Theodore raised his eyebrows with a considering nod. “I do hope you remember I didn’t bring my coinpurse…”

“Ah, but you’re forgetting the most important thing you did bring. Me.”

With the coast clear of any potential onlookers, L’ubor reached for Theodore’s wrist and tugged him down the steps. He led him toward the room on the far left, whose wide open door indicated it was unoccupied. The room itself was intimate, clearly meant for an individual or a pair at best. A large, square stone bath sat nestled in the corner. Adjacent to it was a carved stonetop bench for stepping in and out of the bath, or for sitting as needed. Beside them at the door, atop a small wooden table, were a tan linen robe, a linen towel, and a pair of linden wood slippers. 

“Everything you need…and then some.” L’ubor sidled in against Theodore, fingers idly plucking at the clasps across his chest harness. “I suppose I should leave you alone for some privacy?” 

He, of course, had no intention of leaving.

Theodore reached up with lightning speed to grip L’ubor’s wristlets. He stared him square in the eyes. “We’ve come this far and now you play coy? Oh, I think not. I remember someone telling me that Dalimil was famous for hospitality…” His voice softened to a flirtatious murmur, “or was I mistaken?”

L’ubor curled his fingers more firmly into the clasps. Slowly, the corners of his lips pulled into an all too comfortable smirk. “Hospitality indeed…well then. While I’m nowhere near as masterful as our attendants, I’m all too happy to give it my very best. Now…” He took two steps into the room, pulling Theodore with him. All it took was a gentle nudge of his boot for the heavy wooden door to ease itself shut with a soft click . “Tell me about the baths in Boklad.”

Theodore chuckled. “Far be it from me to compare the two, but…this is leagues above. The ones back home are mostly just functional, not so much for recreation or relaxation. Most of us just cross into the Dominion if we want something more.” He lifted his gaze from L’ubor’s to glance around the room. “It smells beautiful in here. Is that…” he sniffed. “Jasmine?”

“Indeed it is.” L’ubor patted his palm against the small sliver of Theodore’s bare chest. “Good nose. Each room has a small plate of wood chips soaked in fragrance oils. Ambiance, you see. I believe Xaver changes them out based on supply.” He finally pulled back from Theodore to walk over toward the bath. Fixed to the wall above its left hand side was a stone waterfall spout. L’ubor released its stopper and within moments, warm spring water began burbling out, filling up the basin.

He eased onto the edge of the bath, looking up at Theodore. “Jasmine is a beautiful scent, wouldn’t you agree? Warm, sweet, sensual. The perfect fragrance for a relaxing bath.”

“So descriptive. That silver tongue truly never stops…” 

“Why, if it truly never stopped , you’d be more than halfway naked by now.” He grinned playfully. “Or do you plan to bathe in all that roguish attire?” 

Theodore clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He said nothing, instead lifting one of his booted feet to the bench. He undid the straps and removed it, following suit with the other, all while staring L’ubor down with interest. “I feel as though there’s some witty comment about you undressing me with your eyes here…” 

“I can just as easily use my hands, if it’s any consolation.” 

“I bet you could.” 

It was not typical procedure for an attendant to be in the room after beginning the draw of the bath water, let alone while the patron undressed, but nothing about what they had done up to now was typical. Every so often, L’ubor created bubbles and lather for the water by occasionally dipping their house-made olive oil soap under the running water. All the while, he watched with rapt interest as Theodore removed his armor and clothing piece by piece, soon leaving him clad in only his underwear. 

To say the other man was physically attractive was putting it mildly; L’ubor all too happily followed the muscular contours of his body, noting scars and other marks along his chest and forearms where he could in the ambient lighting from the candle chandelier above. 

Of course, there was no denying the sizable weight in the pouch between his legs…

“Mm. Well then.” L’ubor scratched the side of his cheek, a flush of arousal blooming across his chest and neck. He felt particularly warm all of the sudden. “Let me just turn away for a moment so you can finish and climb into the bath.”

Something told him from the confident grin on Theodore’s face that he was well aware of the effect he was having on him. There was no shame to be had, L’ubor reasoned. They had both been vocal about their mutual interest. He might have sneaked a glance when he heard Theodore take his first step into the bath, anyway…

“Titan’s tits, this is–oh, this is amazing…”

L’ubor gave it a few beats before finally turning around to face Theodore in the bath. He had submerged himself to just below his collarbone. Theodore raised his hands from beneath the water and ran them slowly up and down his face, then over his hair. 

“You weren’t lying when you said the water was the perfect temperature. I fully expected to need to use a crystal to heat it up, but this is…” 

L’ubor smiled in satisfaction. “There’s a reason people come from all over Dhalmekia to experience our baths. I mentioned it earlier, but we’re near a natural hot spring, which feeds right into these very basins. We even create our own soaps and bath oils here.” L’ubor held up the green oval soap and winked. “You’re going to sleep like a baby tonight.”

“I shudder to think how much this is going to cost me,” Theodore said, laughing. “All the money earned from shipping your goods, down the proverbial and literal drain.” 

“Ah…fret not. This one is on the house.” Xaver might kill him, but L’ubor didn’t mind pulling a favor for it. Theodore’s wide eyes made him chuckle. The Desert Hare leaned forward, hooking his index finger under the other man’s bearded chin. “Don’t worry. I’m getting more than fair recompense out of this. Now. Turn around and come closer.”

As Theodore waded toward him, L’ubor dipped the soap into the water and worked up a lather between his hands. He took a moment to savor that initial tension, that palpable prickle in the tips of his fingers. L’ubor was no stranger to carnal indulgence, but it had been ages. With Theodore, he had the gift of build-up. From their very first meeting he had fantasized, and fantasized well . 

Never had he imagined this would be their next meeting. Fortune truly favored the bold. 

L’ubor savored first with his eyes, staring along the nape of Theodore’s neck, trailing his eyes along his well-defined, freckled shoulders. With a deep breath, he placed his hands upon them and began gentle, circular sweeping motions. Despite having applied little to no pressure, he could feel the knots baked deep into the muscle. 

“Tell me more about you, handsome Theodore of the Crimson Caravans. How did you get into such a lucrative business?” 

“My sister,” Theodore murmured. His head lolled forward as L’ubor’s hands began working along his back. His satisfied groans were music to L’ubor’s ears. “She’s the one with the eye and ear for commerce. She saw a need and she struck it. She sets up the contracts, I execute them. We move a lot of goods.” 

“And protect the cargo along the way. Mm, my word. She gets two for one. What a steal.” L’ubor could feel the quickening of his pulse as his hands took in more and more of Theodore’s upper torso and shapely biceps. He dipped his cupped palms into the water and let it cascade both down his shoulders and over his collarbone to his chest. Soon, he was running his palms from shoulder to pectoral and back again, lathering up and rinsing off. “It’s rare to find carriers who can also hold their own in a fight. Have you always worked with your sister?” 

There was a noticeable fondness in Theodore’s tone. “Always. I’d be lost without El.”

L’ubor smiled faintly. “Family is ever important. Being able to conduct business with them…priceless.”

Family was a sensitive subject. Like most bearers, L’ubor’s experience with family ran deeply sour. He grew up in a modest household in Ran’dellah, the son of a trader and a housemaid. While he had food on his plate every night and a roof over his head, L’ubor had always wanted more, having adopted his father’s grandiose dreams of riches. Unfortunately, he came into his powers in the dark of the night shortly after his seventh naming day. Knowing what awaited him if he were discovered, L’ubor made the brave decision to abandon his family–and his eventual fate–and hitched a ride on the next caravan out of the city, which happened to bring him to Dalimil. 

The first few years were rough: living on the streets, picking up odd jobs that nobody wanted just for some coin so he could eat that day or sleep in the inn. L’ubor often longed for his parents, longed for their love and support, but knowing what he was, knowing how they treated bearers from interactions on the streets and the foul words they said in the privacy of their home, that longing withered away and soon warped into resentment. L’ubor kept his secret buried deep, never sharing it, never daring to expose himself or his supposed weakness to anyone, ever. 

Well. Save for Ruzena.

Through a twist of fate he ended up in her care, and she became more family to him than anyone. Under her tutelage, he grew leaps and bounds in a few short years’ time, mastering the mercantile trade, smithing, and even large-scale networking, to eventually succeed her and become the Desert Hare of Dalimil. He would give it all up in a minute if it meant bringing her back from her untimely death. The earnest and all-encompassing love of a mother figure was unlike anything else. 

For Theodore to have a sister who loved him so…L’ubor truly longed for such a rare gift. 

“L’ubor?” 

“Ah! My sincerest apologies, Theodore, I thought I could hear our neighboring patron…” An easy lie. He gave a faint shake of his head. “Old habit to let wandering ears listen.” 

Theodore craned his neck and looked up at him. That gorgeous, comfortable smile warmed him from the inside out. L’ubor reached up and brushed several long strands of hair out of Theodore’s vision. In that moment, in the softness of their shared gaze, L’ubor’s longing began to transform from wistful to hopeful. 

“And how is the service thus far?” 

“Brilliant,” Theodore replied readily. He leaned into L’ubors fingers, which were lingering near his face, and sighed contentedly. “Reckon it’s my turn to leave a glowing review for services rendered.”

“Ah…and I haven’t even shown you the very best. You flatter me.” L’ubor hesitated for just a moment; it was rare for him to be knocked off kilter, but the gesture was so unexpectedly and genuinely affectionate. In his world, he was used to giving it out, but receiving such behavior never came without a price. He straightened his back and sat up properly. “I’m afraid if you let me do any more, I’m liable to ravish you before you’re fully clean…” He licked his lips. “And in the spirit of hospitable behavior, I’d much rather wait until you’ve had time to fully relax before I rile you up again.” 

Theodore guffawed then, a hand lifting from beneath the water to grab hold of the nearby rim of the bath. He turned in his spot to fully face L’ubor. His cheeks were a vibrant pink, dark eyes glimmering with amusement. “Consider me impressed with what I’ve experienced thus far. And you’re right, I think I’d prefer to enjoy this beautiful moment for some time longer before I give in to the storm coursing in my gut. That said…” 

L’ubor watched with interest as Theodore approached him. He watched him rise in the bath, expecting him to either get out or, wild as the thought was, pull L’ubor in with him. To his surprise, Theodore’s hands cupped either side of his face and guided him down into an earnest, hungry kiss. 

Bless the Founder, there was nothing chaste about it. Theodore’s lips were soft, warm and inviting, but his grip was firm and authoritative. L’ubor let out a soft sound of surprise, heart leaping in his chest. Just as he shifted to bring himself closer, Theodore broke the kiss, sank comfortably back into the water and grinned devilishly at him.

“Let that serve as a hint of what’s to come.” 

Chapter Text

L’ubor traced the tip of his index finger in a figure-eight across Theodore’s bare chest. His entire body thrummed with steady satisfaction, bordering on exhaustion. It was a sensation he had all but forgotten.

He looked across the bed at Theodore, smiling earnestly. “I do feel the need to state that, just because you’ve bedded me, doesn’t mean there is any hope for a price negotiation in a potential contract down the road…” 

“Ah, I’m not worried.” Theodore lazily lifted a hand up to his chest, taking hold of L’ubors. He bent L’ubor’s fingers and brought his knuckles to his lips, peppering them with soft kisses. “El handles that part. I just reap these additional benefits.” 

“So you regularly seek to bed handsome merchants in need of goods delivery?” L’ubor let out a soft huff of amusement. “Maybe you learned more than you think about the art of the trade.”

Theodore chuckled. He turned his head back and stared up at the ceiling. Giving a sigh of satisfaction, he closed his eyes and stretched out his legs beneath the thin cotton blanket draped over them. “At the risk of sounding like an absolute clod, I feel as though I could easily fall asleep if I just left my eyes closed for a minute longer. You wore me right out.” 

“I alone am enough to knock a full-grown man on his feet, you’re right.” L’ubor smirked. He reached up and tapped his finger against Theodore’s chin, shifting to sit up. He propped himself up on his elbow. “Combined with your long trip, the heat, and of course the relaxing bath…I daresay you will fall asleep if you leave your eyes closed just a minute longer. But worry not. You more than deserve a solid, long rest.”

With a gentle pat of his palm against Theodore’s chest, L’ubor turned to climb out of the bed. To his surprise, a sudden grip on his bare bicep stopped him. He looked back at Theodore. 

“Going so soon?”

“You wish for me to stay?” 

Theodore nodded. L’ubor paused. Paused, because as much as he wanted to stay, another part of him yet again felt that hesitation, like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Their attraction was strong, their interest heated, and they had acted on that to a euphoric and satisfying climax. Theodore asking for him to stay meant either he wanted more of it, or he wanted something else.

L’ubor succumbed to his desires and turned back, curling himself in against Theodore’s bare figure. From the window across from the bed he heard the distant calls of fellow merchants selling their wares, the faint chatter of patrons walking the streets. The night sky was dotted with countless stars. What had his rapt attention, however, was the steady thump of Theodore’s heart, felt under his splayed hand. 

Thump -thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump…

“You’re good company,” Theodore announced unceremoniously, as if the very compliment didn’t set L’ubor’s cheeks aflame. “I’m not keeping you from something, am I?”

“No, no,” L’ubor said. “Not at all. Why do you ask?” 

As if Theodore could sense L’ubor’s uncertainty, he sat up against the wooden headboard, then reached out to pull him into his lap. Physical friction and arousal aside, L’ubor was surprised at how comfortable he felt in such a position. 

“I wanted to see you again, too, you know.”

“Come again?” 

“You. I wanted to come back and see you.” Theodore’s expression softened, almost coy. “It’s why I told El that I’d be all too happy to make the trek from Boklad to here.”

“Ah…the attraction was palpable from the beginning, was it not?” L’ubor tapped his fingers up Theodore’s torso, over his chest, to cup either side of his neck. He brushed his thumbs along that bearded jawline and leaned in to kiss him, languid and light. 

“That, and…” 

L’ubor blinked. “And?”

“You intrigued me.” Theodore reached up, cupping his hands over L’ubor’s, the intimacy again setting his heart pattering. “Charismatic, friendly, hospitable…most people tend to treat carriers like nobodies at best. Usually they think us bearers or street urchins. Simply the person arriving to make their delivery…but you were different. Made sure I had water. A hot meal. You treated me like a person.” Theodore smirked. “Flirted with me, endlessly , of course. I was…very tempted to stay last time, truly, but I couldn’t. It was why I hoped that you’d request our services again.”

L’ubor smiled; it was the kind of smile which not only reached his eyes, but crinkled the corners of his mouth. It was the kind of smile he hadn’t genuinely felt in a very long time. “I do hope I’ve lived up to your expectations.” 

“And then some,” Theodore said warmly. Then, after a pause and with a knitted brow, he asked, “I’m…not wrong in this, am I? Thinking that you felt the same? You have yet to spurn my advances, but I do find myself doubting, as you’re always ready to flit away at a moment’s notice.”

How astute, L’ubor thought. He slowly lowered his hands from Theodore’s face to his collarbone. If he weren’t fully naked, he’d have felt like it, the way Theodore was reading him. He had always appreciated a man who was willing to do whatever it took to get what he wanted. They had a special place in his heart. After all, that meant that he got what he wanted. And who could be upset about that? 

“Not wrong at all. But, in all fairness, I’m not used to men being so…forthcoming. In my world, there’s…a delicate dance about things.” There was no easy way to say it, it was part of what L’ubor affectionately called the game . Ruzena had taught him well how to participate. Even in matters of physical intimacy, nothing could be so straightforward or simple. With a quiet laugh, somewhat desperate for an infusion of his usual deflective humor, he said, “Promise me you’re not about to kidnap me in exchange for ransom.” 

“Promise.” Theodore’s hands came to rest on L’ubor’s hips, thumbs brushing along them. His tone was remarkably soft when he spoke, earnest and true. “But you promise me that you’ll stay tonight.” 

Their eyes met. L’ubor’s already rushing heart skipped a beat. 

“I promise.” 

L’ubor awoke the next morning feeling remarkably refreshed and alert. He had slept more soundly that night than he could ever recall. Though the reason was clear, he of course kept the thought to himself. It wouldn’t do to throw himself to wolves, so to speak. 

Given that he had awoken before Theodore, he dressed himself and, in true hospitable fashion, ducked out to the Final Sting downstairs where he rummaged up some pastries and tea. When he returned to the room, Theodore was thankfully still sound asleep. L’ubor cracked open the wooden slats on the window shutters and invited in the cool morning breeze, along with the comforting scent from the markets down below. 

Like clockwork, he heard Theodore stirring not a moment later. His short cropped hair had mostly held in place, save for the longer strands in the front which were matted against his forehead.

Adorable.  

“Ah, the sleeping prince awakens,” L’ubor said cheerfully. “Good morning.”

Theodore rubbed at his eyes and groaned. “Good morning. Have you been up long? See you’re dressed.”

“Long enough to get some of the most delicious pastries from downstairs, along with a hot pot of freshly steeped jasmine tea. If you’re hungry, that is.” 

“Dalimil hospitality strikes again…” Theodore grinned sleepily as he hung his legs over the edge of the bed and slipped on his underwear and undershirt. He made his way over to the table, where he folded his arms over his chest. 

L’ubor gestured to the platter invitingly. “Go ahead, pick any one. Guest’s treat.” 

“Hmmm.” Theodore surveyed the assortment of comestibles, then reached for one of the square pastry tarts. It was filled with a rich berry jam and topped with fresh whipping cream. When he took a bite, he groaned in satisfaction. “Founder. That’s delicious. Tart, but sweet.”

“Like yours truly,” L’ubor teased with a wink. He reached for a glazed sweet roll, tearing off a bite to plop into his mouth. “Come now, sit down, I won’t bite. Not unless you want me to.”

When Theodore sat down, he looked over at L’ubor. Though he said nothing, there was a noticeable twinkle in his eyes and a tug at the corner of his lips. Then, when L’ubor had just taken a sip of his tea, Theodore commented, “I seem to remember you liking a nice bite right in the meat of your inner thigh.”

Ever the consummate professional for holding a straight face, L’ubor didn’t sputter, but his eyes did sparkle with amusement. He finished his sip and set his cup down. “In all fairness, I said I don’t bite, unless you want me to. And bite you I did…right on the lip when you threw me back on the bed and kissed me with enough passion to nearly knock me senseless. Remember?”

“Fondly.”

The two fell into a comfortable silence as they ate breakfast. The bustling morning goings-on in the streets below carried up into the room and provided the perfect ambient background noise. For L’ubor, this was just like any other morning. The only difference was lack of commission requests to review and of course, the attractive, captivating man sitting within arm’s reach. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could acknowledge that Theodore would be leaving today, but he opted to ignore the unsettling level of disquiet that left him feeling. For now, he was going to enjoy what he could. 

“The next time you visit, I’ll take you to Matej’s shop in the markets. He and his apprentices make most of the pastries sold at the Sting down below. There’s plenty more to enjoy where these came from.”

“Next time I visit…” Theodore poured himself some more tea. “Already planning another delivery, I see?” 

“A clever merchant knows precisely when and where he’ll need his future stock.”

Theodore winked. “Lucky me, eh?”

L’ubor set his cup down upon the table, shifted in his seat, then proceeded to climb directly into Theodore’s lap. The other man grunted in surprise, but adjusted rather quickly to the added weight, loosely wrapping an arm around him and laughing. 

“If you’re keen for another round, you perhaps should have taken advantage before stuffing me full of delicious pastries and sumptuous tea. I’m fit to burst…”

“Oh, worry not. Last night still remains intimately fresh in my mind.. and body.” L’ubor traced a finger from Theodore’s ear along his jaw. “I just didn’t see any value in sitting over there, alone, when there’s a perfectly good seat right here. Quite comfortable.” 

“I’d argue comfortable was you, curled up in my arms during the middle of the night. You looked rather content.” 

“You should know as well as any how cold the desert can get at night. You’re very warm. Of course I was content.”

“I’ll take that as a yes, you agree with me.” 

L’ubor felt his pulse quicken. Choosing to stay the night with Theodore had, of course, been an easy decision. The likelihood they would see each other again in short order was slim to none; L’ubor had no means of procuring another order that would bring Theodore back without arousing an unnecessary amount of questions or suspicion. He was quite sure Natalie already had doubts. No, L’ubor knew that their time together was markedly short and every time he consciously acknowledged it, that disquieting feeling rumbled in the pit of his stomach anew. 

He couldn’t help asking. “You and your men will be taking off soon, I’m sure, yes? Catch the morning cloud cover while it lasts?” 

“I’ll need to rouse them and get them on their way to the caravan soon.” Theodore looked–and sounded–about as pleased as L’ubor did. Small comfort that brought. He leaned to the side around L’ubor’s shoulder to peer through the window slats. “I do think it would be smartest to leave in short order, loathe though I am to upend our time together.”

“It’s settled then. You’ll tell your men to go back, and stay here.” With me . “Problem solved, yes? Easy.” 

L’ubor was joking.

Mostly.

Instead of forcing the discomfort he felt onto Theodore, L’ubor cupped that handsome face and kissed him slowly. He savored the fullness of his lips and the taste of sweet wild berry mingling with the soft floral jasmine, savored the butterflies which fluttered around in his chest at the sight of those beautiful brown eyes looking back at him afterward. “I commend your commitment. Don’t let me keep you. You’ve a job to do. As an honest merchant and smithy, I can respect that.” L’ubor slid to his feet off of Theodore’s lap. “We’ll say our goodbyes now. I’ll make my dashing exit, and you can go rouse your men and be on your way, yes?”

Theodore said nothing. L’ubor wondered briefly if he had been too forward or sharp, but in a flash Theodore was on his feet, pulling him in close and kissing him anew. The passion behind it caught L’ubor by surprise. He wrapped his arms around the other man’s neck, lost in the heat of the moment. 

“A proper goodbye should leave you wanting for more,” Theodore murmured against L’ubor’s lips. 

And he was right. L’ubor was already aching for more.

Chapter Text

Those who knew Theodore best would describe him in three succinct words: compassionate, ornery and righteous. 

Born to a pair of wealthy, well-connected master traders in Kanver, Theodore knew he was immediately different from the get-go. Unlike his older sister Eloise, and unlike his parents, Theodore didn’t have a head for trading. The concept of commerce was foreign to him, both in interest and comprehension. While Eloise spent her days with their father learning about appraising goods, profits and loss, and with their mother perfecting the art of persuasion, Theodore preferred to spend time in the streets learning about other people, about the world around him–including the wilds beyond the city gates.  His prowess and strength, he learned, lay in his physicality. Quick on his feet, he was a menace from the moment he learned to walk, always getting into things, grabbing at whatever he could, even if it could bring him harm. 

Growing up, Theodore spent the majority of his time playing in the streets with other boisterous and active children. Play fights, wild and legendary imaginary battles, fantastical duels–whenever a fake sword could be involved, Theodore was there at the ready. 

Years of time in the streets helped Theodore develop, or more accurately hone, his sense of right and wrong. The older he became, the more sour he grew toward the treatment of bearers. Being continuously exposed to the casually abusive, derogatory language, to the physical torment he saw in groups as they bustled around between markets and landmarks, didn’t sit well with him in the slightest. On more than one occasion, Theodore had been reprimanded by his parents for voicing such a riotous and inciting opinion–that bearers deserved respect. On several occasions, when Theodore had attempted to intervene during altercations between bearers and their masters, his mother had even taken more severe measures of correction, which only served to spur Theodore on further. 

To his misfortune, fate had a funny way of repaying him for his efforts in protecting the innocent. On his fifteenth birthday, when his powers manifested, Theodore’s life was upended…

His, and sister Eloise’s, as well. 

Everything after that happened in a flash. The fierce arguments. The fights. The threats of constables and shackles. And among it all was his sister, Eloise, taking a stance against their parents in a way that both terrified and impressed Theodore even to this day.

Leaving Kanver under his sister’s protection and care with an uncertain future was one of the hardest things Theodore ever did. Having escaped being marked was the biggest blessing of all. If it weren’t for Eloise, Theodore knew he truly would have struggled, or worse, been captured and sold into trade. Knowing that she had abandoned her bright and profitable future simply for his safety…it weighed heavily on his shoulders. He was grateful, but how did you live with that, truly? 

When they eventually settled in Boklad, Theodore leaned heavily on Eloise and her extensive knowledge. The first few years were hard. While she worked on building a network, on upselling and trading what little goods they had, Theodore took odd jobs delivering goods, clearing out pests and nuisances, and once he matured, acting as a sell-sword for travelers. 

It was through playing these roles that their business the Crimson Caravans was born. With Eloise as the brains and Theodore as the brawn, they were unstoppable. Together, they brought to life the vision that they had dreamed of from the second they left Kanver: helping bearers escape from their confines and live their lives as they chose to.

Eloise–and by association, the Crimson Caravans–meant the world to him. Without her, Theodore would be completely lost. 

And then entered L’ubor. 

What a fortuitous encounter…to find someone who, like Eloise, freely showed care for him. Theodore had grown accustomed to most traders treating him as nothing more than the carrier. And yes, he was. He would arrive, drop off the goods, and go on his way. But beyond the typical pleasantries and the passing of payment, he might as well have been invisible. Not one had ever asked if he needed a break. Not one had ever asked if he wanted food or a drink. And, certainly, not one had ever shown him the level of earnest interest that L’ubor did. That genuine, humane, empathetic interest.

It was true that they shared a physical attraction to one another, surely. To discount the intense, palpable tension that had built between them, that they had acted on to such powerful fruition, would have been foolish. 

Theodore left Dalimil wanting for more, just as he had teased L’ubor in his parting words. While he wasn’t sure, precisely, what that more was to be, he knew they had unfinished business that would need attending. 

Aside from a small skirmish with a pair of hungry bandits, the trek back to Boklad was uneventful. There were long stretches where Theodore had been left to his thoughts, and with alarming regularity he found himself reliving the moments with L’ubor, from the baths to the inn, and everything in between. 

Would that he had been able to stay longer. Who knew what could have happened… 

Theodore awoke the morning following their return feeling rested, but listless. His bed felt empty. He longed for the delicious pastries and tea. Naturally, he missed L’ubor. His normal routine only did so much to distract him. When the time came to connect with Eloise at the shop to discuss their usual business and affairs, he was grateful for the distraction. 

“There you are. Welcome back, Theo.” Eloise was seated at her large desk with her usual stack of orders, her ledger, and of course, her cup of tea. She was smiling warmly. “I saw the caravan secured and our girl Scarlet resting in her stable after I finished dinner last night. I went to welcome you home, but your door was shut and I swear I heard you snoring through the window…” 

Theodore shook his head with an amused snort. “You know how it goes after a long trip. Especially to western Dhalmekia.”

“I must admit,” Eloise began, gesturing for Theo to sit, “I didn’t expect that we would have such a large order from L’ubor again, but he was so impressed with our service and the goods rendered, he said he wanted to put us into contact with one of his vendors in Ran’dellah who was searching for a new carrier to help with deliveries to and from Drake’s Fang.” 

Ran’dellah always made Theodore think of the Silverpeak Consortium. He failed to not pull a face. 

Eloise opted to ignore it. 

“Wait.” Theodore blinked. He sat up in his chair. “Am I to understand that this means he’s interested in negotiating a contract with us?” 

“We’re still in the preliminary stages of discussion, but yes. L’ubor was very impressed with you and the state in which the goods arrived. He mentioned as well that your men helped them with disseminating their goods despite being told they didn’t need to. Also, our unique relationship with the perfumery and apothecary in Twinside was of particular interest to him. He said the oils and salts were very well received by the patrons of their bathhouse and that the proprietor is interested in procuring a steady supply. It’s a lucrative deal. Our supplier profits, Dalimil profits…we profit.” 

Eloise smiled. She looked down at the parchment in her hands, turned it, and extended it to Theo. “I was doing a bit of math. Based on my figures, we could stand to make a fair surplus off this depending on the rate L’ubor and the merchants guild agree to.” 

Theodore knit his brow. He distinctly remembered L’ubor telling him he didn’t need to help deliver the goods. It sounded as though his men Nikhil and Vanlo had helped regardless. It felt weird keeping something from El, but in truth, he didn’t really know if what had happened between him and L’ubor constituted anything significant, something worth telling. They had had an intense night together, had left things on a wanting note, but L’ubor had been quite clear that whatever it was they had, it would have no impact on negotiation. 

Still, a contract meant more regular contact and engagement…

“How frequently would the delivery schedule fall, do you think?” 

“I’m unsure at the moment. I’ll be working on several proposals for them. Theo, this could also open the door to exporting L’ubors smithwork. After Dravozd closed trade with everyone but the Silverpeak Consortium, we’re sorely lacking in the weaponry trade, which the Men of the Fist and the Republican Army are always clamoring for.” Eloise folded her arms over her chest, brow knit thoughtfully. “Well, that is if L’ubor is interested in selling beyond the town…but I’ve yet to meet a weaponsmith who isn’t amenable to trade discussions. Not in Dhalmekia.” 

Eloise’s sharpness never ceased to amaze Theodore. Her mind was always steps ahead. Always thinking of things he just didn’t consider, or worry about. Her job was to wheel and deal. His job was to make sure the goods got there safely, securely, and on time. 

Theodore stroked his chin. “L’ubor was working with someone else there…a woman. I think her name was Nat…Natalie?” 

“Yes, Natalie.”

“She seems to be an important part of the merchants guild of Dalimil. If we do great things with L’ubor, she might be worth connecting with.” 

“She’s part of the merchants guild, Theo,” Eloise teased. “So yes, she absolutely is worth connecting with, and it’s already in motion. I’ll be working on this for a bit.” She sorted out her documents, pulling another missive out. “Now that you are back, I wanted to brief you on a few upcoming requests that have come across my desk.” 

“And right on to the next she goes…no rest for the wicked. Am I really that wicked, El?” 

Eloise shook her head. Amusement twinged at the corners of her mouth. She took a sip of her tea to help straighten her face. “You’re perfectly pleasant, Theo. But this is important. It’s about bearers.” 

Important indeed. Theo straightened up. 

“Oh. Tell me more.”

“I have it on good authority that a lord in Ran’dellah is looking to release some bearers that he recently inherited from a deceased relative. This particular lord is…sympathetic to our cause, and he’s shared with our network that he’s willing to part with them pending an appropriate financial offer.” 

Theodore raised his eyebrows. He hadn’t the faintest idea what their books could and couldn’t afford, but if El was discussing it with him, it had to be within reasonable reach. 

“So we would need to make sure we had a caravan ready to extract them and bring them to safety, if I understand correctly?” 

“Exactly.” Eloise placed her teacup on its saucer and pushed back from the desk. “Insofar as I understand, the Consortium hasn’t been made aware of this, but as you know, they typically avoid these sorts of interactions as finding buyers who can afford a quality bearer is…difficult.”

Theo frowned. For the both of them, it was hard to discuss bearers in such a way. They weren’t truly property, not really,  and yet…for all intents and purposes, they had to act like they were. Antiquated laws that only served to infuriate and frustrate. 

Theo balled his hands into fists and set his jaw. “Tell me what you need me to do.”

“We have a delivery order for some bolts of fabric and a few other sundries that actually need to go to Ran’dellah here in a few days’ time. I’m still negotiating the details of this…delicate situation. I can apprise you of the situation via Stolas, but I’d prefer if you and a few of your men travel to Ran’dellah and stay there, ready for extraction at a moment’s notice. I’ll send Myrna with you who will be in contact with the lord’s estate.” 

The opportunity to free bearers from their oppressors was a rare and glimmering opportunity. Myrna was one of Eloise’s trusted advisors and her mind for mercantile trade was second only to El’s herself. Surely the negotiation would go without a hitch. 

Theodore, however, couldn’t help thinking of another potential benefit of being in Ran’dellah for an indeterminate amount of time…

“Understood,” he said. “Let me discuss and see who is willing and able to come with me for the trip. Let’s discuss this further at dinner tonight?” 

“Let’s. And Theo.” Eloise bent over to hug him in a loving embrace. She ruffled his hair. “It’s good to have you back. There’s nobody better than you to ensure those bearers get safely to freedom.” 

Theodore returned her hug with a firm, loving squeeze. He moved to stand. “Thanks, El. You can trust I’ll play my part perfectly.” He turned toward the door. “I’m going to get something to eat and then check in with my men. I’ll speak with you soon.”

“Speak with you soon.”

As Theodore exited the shop, he began running through the next steps in his mind. Ran’dellah was significantly closer than Dalimil. A trip would take little time at all. Theo’s skill with a blade meant he could act as Myrna’s sell-sword during negotiations, and of course, as the perfect defender on their way out. The Crimson Caravans were a regular visitor to Ran’dellah, so there was no reason to worry about being out of place, but it was always better to be prepared than to not. 

Naturally, his mind drifted to L’ubor on his walk home. A curious thought suddenly hit him: how could a courier carrying L’ubor’s missive arrive in Boklad before he did? Eloise had clearly had time to review it before they spoke, and it was early in the morning…even if L’ubor sent the letter immediately after they parted ways, Theo and his men made minimal pit stops and took the shortest known route across the desert. Had they domesticated an aevis and flown across the desert? Was the courier’s chocobo the fastest this side of Storm? 

It was simply impossible.

He stopped. 

The answer was simple, he realized: L’ubor had to have sent the letter ahead of Theodore’s arrival to Dalimil. 

L’ubor had planned the contract negotiation all along.

Theodore chuckled. L’ubor was just like Eloise: always a step ahead.

Upon returning home, he immediately went to his desk, put quill to parchment and wrote: 

L’ubor,

I hope this letter finds you well.

I’ll be in Ran’dellah on business by the time you receive this, but will have some downtime. I’ll be staying at the Giggling Goblin in the merchant district.

Our goodbye was not enough for me. I bid you come see me. Let us spend some proper time together. 

Truly yours,

Theo

Chapter Text

Theodore took the opportunity to tighten Scarlet’s harness despite knowing that it was absolutely fine . 

It was nervous energy, he told himself. They had all of the goods packed into the caravan. His men, Nik and Van, were suited up, fed, and ready for the journey. They were just waiting for Eloise and Myrna to finish discussions in the shop. 

“I dunno about you two,” Nik began, “but I’m treating myself to some freshly fried fish at the waterfront after we get settled tonight. I know we got fish here, but there’s something about the spices they bake into it there. Top notch.” 

Theodore shrugged his broad shoulders. He was truly doing his best not to think too much about his hopeful plans with L’ubor. He was taking a huge risk and an equally huge leap to assume the other man would even deign to meet him. It was one thing to enjoy a connection in your hometown. He truly hoped he hadn’t misread their shared energy, and that L’ubor was as interested in him as he was…

“Think our big lug of a boss has something on his mind.” Van, the smallest of three men and shorter by several inches, reached out to playfully box at Theodore’s shoulders. “What’s on your mind, captain? You look like you’ve seen a specter.” 

“It’s nothing,” Theodore said. He shook his head, smiled, and returned the jovial boxing hooks. “Just wondering what’s taking El and Myrna so long. Hopefully we haven’t missed our window of a chance.” 

Nik waved his hand dismissively. “Nah, it’s all in good hands. Your sister is a silver tongued master of the trade. Everything will be just fine.” 

Theodore looked from Van to Nik. Nik was a larger man, stocky and solid, more wide than tall. His thick red beard always made Theodore sweat a bit, imagining how it might feel in the hot desert sun. He had his own trimmed beard, sure, but nothing so majestic as Nik’s. 

“Yes, yes, you’re right.” Theodore looked over his shoulder, up the hill to their shop entrance. “You two have your crystals for water? And your rations and knapsacks?” 

“Yes, mother dearest,” they said in unison.

Theodore rolled his eyes affectionately. “All right. Why don’t you hop in the back, make sure Myrna has room. I’m going to go check on—”

But there was no need. As Theodore turned to observe the shop once more, he saw Eloise and Myrna step out onto the street. Like Eloise, Myrna had short, chestnut brown hair and was of a similar build. The only way he could tell which woman was his sister was because Eloise happened to be facing them. He waved, she waved back, and soon Myrna was walking down the pathway to the Boklad markets where Theodore and the team had the caravan set up. 

“Hi boys,” Myrna said. She had a knapsack with her. “Eloise had a few final parting words for me. Sorry for the delay.” 

“Nonsense, not a problem,” Theodore said. “We’re all packed and ready. With any luck, we’ll arrive in Ran’dellah before nightfall.”

Nik popped his head out of the caravan window. With a thumbs up and a wicked grin, he exclaimed, “If you push Scarlet like you normally do, I damn well guarantee it!” 

Having Myrna along for the journey was a nice reprieve for Theodore. Adding another voice to the chorus meant he could focus more on the road, on his thoughts, while she joined Nik and Van in discussions of Founder knew what. Theodore caught bits and pieces of it here and there, participated when the urge struck, but as was often the case, he was distracted by the swirling cloud of mish-mashed thoughts in his head.

Theodore trusted Eloise implicitly. In the past, when the opportunity arose to free bearers from their keep, she inevitably found ways to smuggle them to freedom, come hell or high water. Where they went, or who they went to, he didn’t know. She kept that information safely and securely locked away.. Still, this was the first extraction mission where they were working with a lord of Ran’dellah. Why, Theodore wondered, would someone of any renown and power willingly rid themselves of bearers? How much were they paying this lord?  Who was to say he wouldn’t betray them? Worry was a natural part of the process. 

He usually took these long rides as the time to work the worry out of his system. Showing it was a surefire way for his men to lose faith and to waver, themselves. 

And then there was L’ubor. Theodore had only sent the message off yesterday. Was it brash? Had he misstepped? Would it be an unhealthy and dangerous distraction in the middle of this critical mission? 

If anything went awry…

He took this opportunity to stare over at the falls of Dzemekys. The distant but continuous rush of the water was the perfect white noise to help dull out his over-anxious mind. 

. . . . .

“Right then.” Theodore tore a chunk off the fresh, doughy roll from his plate and plopped it in his mouth. “Nik, Van, you two deliver the fabrics as discussed. Myrna and I will stay here for the night.” 

Theodore and the others had arrived safely to Ran’dellah just before nightfall as predicted. After checking in to the Giggling Goblin, they booked a living suite with three adjoining chambers for rest, offering them not only privacy, but comfort. While it cost a fair amount of coin, Theodore had Eloise’s well rationed budget safely tucked away in his belongings. 

“Well understood. I’m still getting my fish, for the record.” Nik snatched part of the roll from Theodore’s plate despite a smack on the hand. He grinned. “Are we to come back here and await further orders?” 

Theodore nodded. “Yes. We’re not finalized yet, right, Myrna?” 

“No,” Myrna said. “It’s our understanding that Lord Huron won’t be back in Ran’dellah for a few days at least. He’s currently visiting Sanbreque. Our last communication with his house steward stated that upon their return, they would connect with us here.” 

Van scratched the side of his head. “Is there a reason Eloise wanted us here so early?” 

“Preparedness.” Theodore finished off the roll. He wiped his hands on a kerchief. “Consider yourselves lucky, gentlemen, you’re getting paid to relax in Ran’dellah until we’re ready for extraction. Stay close.”  

“Understood,” they said in unison. 

Nik and Van left the suite in short order. Theodore glanced over at Myrna across the large wooden table, the gentle crackling of a fire behind her. “I’m assuming the coffer we loaded into the caravan earlier this morning was the payment. A hefty load of talents, it felt like.” 

“We confirmed the count before having you and Nik carry it to the caravan. For three bearers…our coffers will be left wanting for a bit, but well worth it.” Myrna cleared her throat. She looked down at the table, then across to Theodore. “Eloise confirmed before we left that we will also be collecting a few sundries from Lord Huron’s estate so that it doesn’t seem quite so suspicious for their bearers to be engaging with the caravan. That said, I do have…concerns.” She scratched at her forearm. “I understand the need for subterfuge and minimal impact. But is one caravan and one chocobo going to sustain all of us on the ride back to Boklad?” 

Theodore smiled. “I had similar concerns. Four people plus cargo was enough for poor Scarlet, she was noticeably tired when we arrived earlier this evening. I discussed it with Eloise last night. In a few days’ time, she plans to send another caravan along with her chocobo, Crimina, carrying a furniture order due for delivery soon. Nik or Van will be able to collect a delivery awaiting pickup here, along with you and…and none will be the wiser.”

That seemed to put Myrna at ease. She smiled, chuckling softly. “I suppose I should know better at this point than to question either Eloise or you.”

“It is admittedly nice to have a bit of downtime, though, here in Ran’dellah, right? Do you have any plans?” 

Myrna hummed. “Aside from a few contacts I’d like to connect with, nothing significant. I might visit the markets to see about spices for meals back home, maybe a few trinkets to prepare for my sister’s name day. You?” 

Theodore did his best to look nonchalant. He shrugged. “Typically I enjoy visiting the bathhouses, the markets, maybe the coliseum for a show. Though, I may tell Eloise I need a few extra days after this, just to relax.”

“I’m sure she wouldn’t have a problem with that. You just came back from Dalimil, that’s a long journey. You’re due for some relaxation. Perhaps the company of a lovely courtesan,” she teased. 

Theodore laughed. “Ah, maybe. But, I’d prefer my coin not dissipate that quickly…” And, of course, there was the possibility of doing things with L’ubor. Assuming he arrived. Theodore imagined they would have plenty to spend coin on, if they thought about it. 

He cleared his throat and suddenly pushed away from the table. “If you’ll excuse me, actually, I believe I’ll turn in earlier than usual tonight. I’d like to get a solid night’s sleep.” 

“Oh?” Myrna sounded surprised, but she nodded. “Understood. If ought arises, I’ll be sure to alert you, but get good rest.”

“And you as well.” 

. . . . .

“Scarlet and the caravan are ready, captain.” 

Theodore nodded to Van. “Thank you. Head on down. Myrna and I will join you and Nik shortly.” 

“Understood.” 

Van turned heel and exited the suite, heading down through the tavern below. Carefully hitching his holster, Theodore gave it a gentle shake and, once confident his sword was securely in place, turned to look at Myrna. 

“Let’s run through the plan once more.” 

Myrna cleared her throat. “We arrive at Lord Huron’s estate. We review the negotiation with him and his house steward. We review the other goods presented for delivery, but in the process, we confirm the bearers are in good shape and ready for transport. In return, we give Lord Huron and his steward visibility to the coffer of talents. At their discretion, we count the coin. Once all details have been confirmed, Nik and Van, alongside the bearers, take the goods to the caravan. When we’re sure the coast is clear, the bearers join the goods in the caravan and, with you at the head, they are securely extracted from Ran’dellah and taken to Boklad.”

“Excellent. Now, let’s hope it moves as smoothly as we anticipate it to…” 

Theodore ran his tongue over his teeth. Now that the fated night was actually here, anxiety had begun to manifest as a subtle tremble in his chest. He knew when the time came to arrive at Lord Huron’s estate he would clear himself of it, but for now, he allowed it. 

“I’ve paid the tavernkeep below for another week’s worth of our living space here, to provide us enough time to come and go as needed. Although he was a bit suspicious why carriers needed a longer stay, I told him that we were taking time off to enjoy Ran’dellah in between a few daily deliveries. If Eloise timed the departure right, the other caravan should arrive tomorrow.”

“Arguably unnecessary to provide a reason to the man,” Myrna offered with a faint smirk. “You gave him coin. He’s a businessman. All he cares about is being paid. And an upfront payment? You may have just become his new favorite customer.”

Theodore laughed. “Well. Possibly. Anyway, let us away. The sooner we can get those bearers out, the better.”

With Myrna beside him, Theodore exited their suite, locked it up and started for the stairs. The boisterous conversation and ambient music of the tavern was a welcome distraction as they came down to the ground floor landing. Theodore turned to head along the corridor alongside the eastern wall when he happened to cast a glance toward the barkeep, and–

He stopped. 

L’ubor. 

“Are you all right?”

Myrna’s voice brought him back into the moment. “Huh? Oh, yes, fine.” He cast a quick glance toward L’ubor once more. “Listen, I–I forgot something back up in the room. Continue to the caravan, I’ll be there anon.”

“If you’re sure…” 

Theodore nodded, gesturing to the door. One more glance to L’ubor, who was already rising to his feet and casually strolling in the direction of the stairs. Once he was sure Myrna was nearly out the door, he turned, following L’ubor back up to his suite. 

At the landing atop the stairs he all but rushed the other man, reaching out to take him firmly by the wrist. He pulled him securely into the suite and, once safely hidden within its walls, pressed him against the door and kissed him fiercely. 

“You have curious timing,” he exhaled against his lips.

“A busy man, I see.” L’ubor’s smile was addictively bright. “I’ve only just arrived. I was helping myself to a drink, and lo and behold, who do I see…” 

Theodore’s heart pounded in his chest, though whether it was because of the impending extraction or because L’ubor was here before him, he didn’t know. Maybe it was both.

He closed his eyes. Breathed in L’ubor’s warm, comforting scent. They shared another kiss, after which he pulled back and placed a hand on L’ubor’s chest. How cruel was fate that the timing had coalesced as such…

“I have..I have something I need to take care of. I need to go.”

“Time sensitive?” 

“Incredibly.” 

“The fine young woman needs her sell-sword, I assume.”

“Yes, as part of a…rather delicate delivery.” Theodore couldn’t tell him what it was. “My men are waiting downstairs, along with her…I will need to return it to Boklad with urgency.”

“It’s some truly precious cargo, yes? Take care of them.”

Them. Not it. 

Theodore paused. Unlike Eloise, and even unlike L’ubor, obscuring his true reaction was impossible. He shook his head. Theodore was learning that L’ubor was not the type to misspeak, nor the type to say something without well-weaved intent. 

L’ubor’s next comment was the cincher.

“Your secret is safe with me, Theo.”

Secret. 

And then? Theo . Not Theodore.

Theodore stared into L’ubor’s striking green eyes, trying to read his expression. A familiar warmth emanated from it, a softness. He had seen that very same expression many times before elsewhere. 

“...You know.”

And then, L’ubor’s eyes lit up. “I know nothing , now do I? Simply that you have important cargo to export and that you’ll be back here in no time flat. A day at the worst. And you’d best be, as I’m not typically keen on waiting for anything–or anyone , for that matter.” 

Theodore breathed a sigh of relief. No outward admission. No direct confirmation. What was it his sister called it? Lying by omission? No, plausible deniability. That was it. 

He tipped L’ubors chin up and kissed him softly, lips lingering to savor their proximity. “I promise. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“I know you will.” L’ubor raised his hands up along Theodore’s chest to his neck, fingers gliding along his jawline and cradling his face. He guided their foreheads together in a gesture of intimate affection that made Theo’s knees almost buckle. 

L’ubor’s words were whisper soft but firm and fierce all the same. “I mean it. Take care of them.”

“You have my word.” 

Chapter Text

In the Dhalmekian Republic, knowledge was power. 

For L’ubor, knowledge was as much a commodity as any other sundry in his repertoire. Thanks to inheriting the Desert Hare title from the late Ruzena, an immeasurable amount of power lay at his fingertips in the form of knowledge. Learning to master that power, leverage it, and even network it, had been an ongoing learning for the last several years of his life. 

Theodore’s letter had been an unexpected and pleasant surprise for L’ubor. While he knew instinctively that their goodbye wasn’t enough, that he himself wanted more, he was willing to wait for the next trip Theodore would make to Dalimil in order to indulge. Being propositioned to join him in Ran’dellah? L’ubor had scarcely packed a bag before he was hopping on a chocobo and taking his leave, with Ferda overseeing things in his absence. 

What he had told Theodore upon meeting him was mostly true: he had only just arrived the night before. But upon arriving, he immediately connected with one of his scouts stationed in the Dhalmekian capital. It wasn’t often he was in Ran’dellah proper, and there were some things that a missive simply could not carry, either for safety or due to breadth. With an ear to the ground and toes within pockets of the high end caste, his scout told him that he had learned of a bearer trade-off happening with one of the lord’s estates. Any news of bearer movement was news L’ubor wanted; while he couldn’t exactly house them in Dalimil en masse, if one or two needed a safe haven, he was the first to try and buy them up. Better the bearer didn’t have to fear the hand that bit them, he thought. 

Imagine his surprise to hear the bearers in question were being ferried out by a familiar carrier service, with a captain whom L’ubor knew all too well. 

Theodore was right. L’ubor did have curious timing…timing which was all too carefully planned and calculated. 

Waiting for him to return from Boklad was by no means a difficult order. He had plenty to keep himself busy and, before he knew it, the sun had set on another day. Theodore had promised he would return in short order, after all, so when the time came for dinner, L’ubor helped himself to a nice meal in the Giggling Goblin tavern, keeping a casual eye on the entry every now and again for the arrival of his handsome caravaner. Card games and conversations with strangers did wonders for passing the evening. 

When the time came to retire for the night, L’ubor ordered a serving of both drinks and food to be brought to his room, then went up to the second level the chambers were. He took a minute to look out the long, horizontal window onto the streets below, which proved to be blessed timing; he immediately recognized Theodore as he slowly made his way into the tavern. L’ubor waited a few beats for Theo to come up the steps, holding his arms out in pleasant greeting as he saw his handsome, though tired, face. 

“He arrives just in time.”

Theodore’s expression brightened, if just a bit. “In time for what, pray tell?”

“A nourishing meal, a nice, relaxing drink, and the opportunity to slide that heavy burden of duty off your shoulders for a night. Come.” L’ubor approached him, slid an arm around Theodore’s shoulders, and guided him down the hall, despite Theodore’s weak protest as they passed his own suite door. “You’ll be staying in my room tonight. Your entourage is keeping themselves busy, you needn’t worry about them.” 

L’ubor ushered Theodore into the room, then shut the door behind them. A handsome fire crackled in the fireplace across from the entry. Much like Theodore’s chamber proper, it had a comfortable bed, a lounging chaise before the fireplace, a square dining table with chairs, a desk, and a chest of drawers for storage. 

“First things first.” L’ubor reached up, cupping Theodore’s face. He kissed him with a small smile. “Second things second. All went well with your delivery?” 

“Immensely. Though, admittedly, I’m exhausted from the back and forth. I’d have preferred to be in far better spirits and mind to receive you, given that you came all this way to see me, and you waited.”

“Ah, we’ll consider tonight a recuperation, then tomorrow we can officially begin our time together. How’s that sound?” 

“Brilliant.” 

While Theodore went about removing his armor, holster and boots, L’ubor went over to the window, closing the shutters. He left the slits partially ajar just to permit some of the cool night breeze in and keep the air flowing in the room. He slipped off his own shoes and his head wrap, setting them side by side on the small wooden bench beneath the window. 

A knock at the door announced the arrival of their meal. L’ubor smiled at Theodore, then turned to accept the tray at the door directly from the server. He walked it over to the dining table and gestured to it. 

“I ordered some tea, mead and bariania from downstairs. If you didn’t arrive, I’d have eaten it, myself. Your timing is fortuitous.” 

Theodore sat down at the table and immediately went about serving himself. The look of gratitude was nothing compared to the relief that emanated off him in waves. “You’re truly too kind. Thank you.”

“Well, mind, it’s not all for you,” L’ubor amended, though he really only meant the tea. He poured himself a cup of tea and chuckled. “So not entirely altruistic. But enough, I daresay.”

“Enough, certainly.” Theodore took a hearty forkful of the flavorful rice dish and groaned in satisfaction. “I barely ate before I was on the road again this morning. Poor Scarlet needs a break, too. I’ve pushed her hard these last few days. The chocobokeep I’m sure will give her what she needs.” 

“Mm, certainly. And what of you? Your letter mentioned downtime. Do tell me you plan to take some days to rest?” 

“Although it’s not typical, yes…I plan to take some days to rest.” Theodore set down the fork, looking over at L’ubor. “The timing of this didn’t…work out quite as well as I wanted it to. I was hoping you might have arrived before the night came to transport them, or that transporting them would have happened sooner. You…don’t have to return immediately, right?” He sounded hopeful.

L’ubor sat forward in his chair with a growing grin. “No, I do not. Rest assured, we’ll have plenty of time together.” With a wink, he said, “You won’t be left wanting, dear Theo.”

Though he joked and teased, L’ubor meant every word. He had no intention of rushing Theodore or riling him up tonight. If the mutual urge struck, he was at the ready, but his priority tonight was letting the other man recover. They would have time to enjoy one another’s company however, and wherever, they wanted. 

“I’ll need to check in with my men and Myrna before they leave in the morning,” Theodore said, a distant look in his eyes as he clearly worked through the process in his head. “My sister sent a second caravan that should have arrived today. That will be the one they’ll be taking out, leaving me here.” 

“I did mean it when I said to let that burden go for the night,” L’ubor insisted. “Your team can do just fine without you on their return, surely?” The question seemed to put Theo ill at ease. He knit his brow, so L’ubor continued, “All the pieces are in place, you briefed them on what to do, where to go. Now it’s time to trust they carry it out, as I imagine they have many a time before.” 

“About that…” Theodore  finished off a bite, putting the fork down again and pushing back from the table. He looked over at L’ubor curiously. “How did you… know ?” 

“Let’s just say we have friends in similar places.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, L’ubor could feel the shift in the room’s energy. It was a natural, common phrase for him to use in his everyday engagements; he didn’t think whether or not it would be a satisfactory answer for Theodore. He recalled their conversation from yesterday, how he had implied understanding in the same way and Theodore had not only been grateful, but elated. 

Now, all signs pointed to him being either agitated or distrusting, if his expression was any indication.

“Allow me to elaborate,” L’ubor continued. “I have connections here, in Ran’dellah…part of the mercantile network. They brought to my attention what was happening.” He paused thoughtfully. “You and I, we have…mutual vested interest in the successful extraction of bearers from the hands of those who wish them harm or abuse. I promise you, Theo, we’re on the same side. Were we not, you never would have made it back to Boklad with them, don’t you agree?”

That answer seemed to assuage him. Theodore’s shoulders relaxed. He ran a hand over his face and sighed deeply. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply you were deceitful or had ulterior motives. I’m…”

“Very tired. I know. Exhaustion brings its own trials and tribulations.” L’ubor lifted from his seat, walking behind Theodore. He placed his hands upon his collarbone and ran them slowly over his broad chest in slow strokes. “Rest tonight. Tomorrow, when you’re refreshed, we can discuss this further if you want. For now, I must insist you take care of yourself . The others will be absolutely fine.” 

Theodore closed his eyes and groaned softly. His head lolled back against L’ubor’s abdomen and in time, his hands came up to cover L’ubor’s. 

Both were silent for a long while. The only sounds to fill the room were the ambient commotion outside and the crackling of the fire. 

“You’re right,” Theodore finally acquiesced.

“Come on, then.” L’ubor leaned down and kissed Theodore’s temple. He gently patted his shoulders. “Come lie down.” 

L’ubor made his way over to the bed and in short order the two were lying side by side, with Theodore’s back resting against L’ubor’s front. There were so many things L’ubor could have said, so many little actions he could have taken, but in lieu of it all, he simply snaked an arm around Theodore’s waist, kissed his neck, and pulled him in close. That intimate affection that Theodore had shown him he returned in kind. 

An early turn in would do them both a world of good. 

“Sleep well,” he murmured against Theo’s ear. 

. . . . .

The warm scent of cinnamon and vanilla coaxed L’ubor awake that following morning. He stretched out upon the bed, finding himself instinctively reaching for the warmth of Theodore’s body but failing to find it. With a quiet grunt he opened his eyes, sat up and glanced around. 

“Oh, you’re awake. Good morning.” 

Theodore sat at the dining table with what looked like pastries and tea. L’ubor snorted softly in amusement. 

“Taking a page from my book, I see.” 

“You taught me a thing or two about hospitality.” 

Theodore rose to his feet, walking over to the bed and climbing atop it. He reached for L’ubor and the two embraced, with L’ubor pulling Theodore into lying down so he could curl up on him. 

“Tempting though the food is, you’re the treat I desire for the moment.” He smiled sleepily up at the other man. “I trust you slept well? You seem in good spirits.” 

“Far better than I have in days, I assure you. You were right: I needed to rest.” 

“And yet, you were awake before I was. Awake enough to have gotten food…” L’ubor perused their surroundings and noticed there was a letter upon the table. Though he couldn’t read it from here, it piqued his interest. “Did you receive a letter?” 

Theodore turned a soft shade of pink. He reached down and brushed a few strands of hair from L’ubor’s eyes. “I must admit, after I awoke this morning, I was unable to fall back asleep…so I went to check on my team. Turns out, they’ve already left.” Theodore gestured to the letter. “Myrna left me a letter confirming the caravan arrived yesterday afternoon. They opted to leave early this morning before dawn, as they wanted to catch good cloud cover and have a cooler return.” 

L’ubor pulled a face, but was unable to hold it for long. “While I suppose I’m not surprised you went to check on them, I’m relieved and gladdened to hear they left safely and securely.” 

Theodore laughed. “Oh, there’s more. I’m quite sure you’ll love this part. Myrna wrote, and I quote…you know what, hang on a moment.” He eased away from L’ubor to return to the table and grab the letter. He climbed back onto the bed beside the other man and held it out to him. “She said, ‘Please make sure to take your well earned rest time. While I know it carries little weight from myself, Nik and Van, I’m positive Eloise said it to you when you returned home. Don’t disobey your sister.’” 

L’ubor’s eyes widened in amused surprise. He raised his eyebrows. “Well…did she?” 

“What?” 

“Your sister. Did Eloise tell you to take your time?” 

Theodore laughed again. “Mercy, you’re all the worst. Yes, yes El said the same thing. I must be very lucky to all of the sudden be flooded with individuals who care so much about me. And no, I’m not kidding. I am very lucky.” 

 “Incredibly.” 

L’ubor coaxed Theodore onto his back, climbing atop him. He melted comfortably against his form, dragging his lips in soft, lazy kisses from his bare collarbone up to his neck, along his jawline. When L’ubor found his lips, Theodore kissed him back with increasing interest. 

“Do you even know what it means to relax, Theo?” he teased. 

“You’re one to talk…” 

Their mouths connected in another warm, explorative kiss. Passion simmered beneath the surface, lighting L’ubor’s nerves with a tingling longing. He brought a hand up and threaded fingers through Theodore’s hair, grinding his bare form down against him. 

“Then let us relax.”

As incensed as L’ubor might have been, there was something exquisite in the buildup, in savoring this sensation and drawing it out. He deliberately ground his groin against Theodore’s and, with one smooth movement, rolled off him onto his back beside him. Theodore’s hungry groan was evidence enough that he’d succeeded in his mission. L’ubor move to lay on his side, tracing fingers from Theodore’s navel up along his torso. 

“You’ve been to the baths here, I presume?” he asked. 

“It’s been some time…I scarcely remember them. But I’m sure they pale to the ones in Dalimil.” Theodore snatched a hold of L’ubor’s wrist with lightning fast reflexes. He brought his fingers to his lips, placing a delicate kiss upon each. He looked over at L’ubor with interest. “Are you insinuating I need a bath?” 

L’ubor smirked. “I seem to remember someone being very diligent about his hygienic ritual before we took part in anything further…”

Theodore chuckled. “Well. Bless the Founder, but my schedule is wide open. I’ve all the time in the world to relax in the baths. You’re accompanying me, surely?” 

“That you even have to ask…tsk tsk. And here I thought we were in good graces.”

Though L’ubor had intended for that to be mostly a lighthearted commentary on their conversation last night, from the look on Theodore’s face, it had either landed poorly, or had instigated significant thought. He trailed his foot up and down along Theodore’s calf. 

“You’re thinking about last night.” 

“I’m really so obvious,” Theodore announced with a shake of his head. Despite it, he smiled, eyes gazing off into the distance of the open windows across the way. “But yes. Yes, I was.” 

“In all fairness, I did say we could continue the discussion today if you felt it necessary…what uncertainties remain, dear Theo? What hesitations exist in that beautiful head if yours?” 

Theodore didn’t speak for a few moments. L’ubor admittedly grew more nervous the longer it took. Had he misjudged the intent of that letter? Had Theodore only wanted something physical? Surely he hadn’t misinterpreted…their behaviors spoke volumes otherwise. Right? 

When Theodore finally did answer, he looked squarely at L’ubor for a moment, then away again. “I’ve kept you a secret. From Eloise.” He paused momentarily. “Not out of fear or anything, mind. I suppose more uncertainty. I didn’t want to assume anything about you, about me, about…us. So, she didn’t know you were coming. That you knew our goal was to transport bearers to safety truly shook me when I actually stopped to think about it. I was so deeply entrenched in the moment, in their security and refuge, that it didn’t make me stop to think how you found out…how you knew. But I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me; you remind me of Eloise in many ways.” 

L’ubor raised an eyebrow. 

Theodore continued staring off into the distance. “You’re both incredibly smart. Kind, wickedly perceptive, empathetic…well connected. It would be ignorant to think your reach was limited to Dalimil, as ignorant as assuming Eloise’s stops at Boklad. I just…had no idea you were so like-minded. That you cared about bearers as you do.” 

That was when he finally met L’ubor’s gaze. The two stared at one another for a long moment, Theodore squeezing the fingers in his grip, L’ubor continuing to rub his foot along calf. 

“Injustice is a cruelty I cannot abide by,” L’ubor said, tone bordering on sharp. It was always so hard to bite his tongue and not share his true feelings, lest his secret be revealed and all his years of hard work destroyed. “Bearers of Dalimil are not treated much better, but when worse is sleeping on a cold tile floor with an empty stomach versus a bed and a full belly, it’s a decision they will often take. I’d love to see bearer slavery completely demolished, but I’ve no political power in Dalimil, let alone an ounce of it in Ran’dellah. I only have influence in the shadows.” 

Like the town would ever select someone such as him—a bearer in disguise—to act as mayor. The thought was as lofty as it was ridiculous. Though nobody knew, L’ubor always secretly harbored worry that they might find out one day about his deepest secret. 

He sighed. He curled himself in on Theodore in a sideways hug, kissed up his neck, and nuzzled his nose to his ear. “As for what we are. You caught my attention from the very day I met you all those months ago. The more I learn about you, the more I fall for you. You are passionate, righteous, forthright, and above all, caring. These are admirable traits, Theo, and precisely the ones I would look for in any partner I chose. And I would choose you without hesitation.” 

Perhaps it was brave (or maybe even stupid) to put it out there in no uncertain terms. But for L’ubor, what he shared with Theodore had grabbed him hard and fast, digging in its nails and pushing him to act. 

Theodore smiled down at him. His fingers moved to cup the side of L’ubor’s face. They shared another deep, passionate kiss, one which nearly took L’ubor’s breath away. He chased after Theodore when it broke, nipping at his lower lip. 

“You drive me crazy,” Theodore confessed with an exhilarated exhale. “I consider myself immensely lucky that I was the one who chanced into meeting you. Truly, you are priceless.” 

There was that candor again. L’ubor felt a flush rise in his cheeks. Those vanilla and cinnamon pastries were calling his name suddenly. 

“What every merchant extraordinaire wishes to hear,” L’ubor said with a teasing grin. “Now…why don’t we enjoy some breakfast, then we can get dressed and head down to the merchant district bathhouse for a relaxing early afternoon soak and cleanse. After that…who knows?” His fingers traced along one of Theodore’s solid forearms, up his bicep to his shoulder. “The day is ours.” 

“The day is ours,” Theodore repeated with a grin. 

Chapter Text

To be free of the burden of duty was both strange and exhilarating. Theodore couldn’t recall the last time he didn’t have some sort of obligation looming over his head. Knowing that his time was fully his own, that he could do absolutely nothing and it wouldn’t upset the balance? That was a feeling he could get addicted to. Moreover, having the free time to spend with L’ubor was truly a gift from the Founder himself. Exploring Ran’dellah, seeing the sights, eating delicious food, perusing the markets—this was the kind of freedom people fought and died for. Theodore had never fully understood it. Not until now. 

There was something to be said for dressing without his exterior armor, too. As a general rule of thumb, he preferred to leave it on whenever he was out and about, whenever he was working, because you never knew when you needed a good pair of work boots and a sword. Here in Ran’dellah, he had little need for it. On their first full day together, L’ubor had convinced him to buy a new tunic and sarouel. Something to provide you some comfort he had claimed. This new outfit not only breathed immensely better than his usual attire, but fit him in an entirely new way. The interest alone in L’ubor’s eyes had been enough, but what closed the deal was the sheer artistry with which L’ubor haggled on the cost. Theodore couldn’t believe the final price in the end—it almost felt criminal. 

Time had begun to comfortably blend together. On this particular day, the warm sun sat high in the late afternoon sky, cloudless and majestic, blue as far as the horizon could be seen. L’ubor had taken Theodore to a cafe for a snack of fresh sesame bread and chai, which somehow tasted better than any he’d ever had before. 

“For someone who hasn’t been to Ran’dellah in a while, you sure do know the places to go,” Theodore observed casually. 

“One simply need listen to the word of the streets,” L’ubor replied with a wink. “We may not be locals, but there are plenty of trustworthy ones who are interested in the vitality of their hole-in-the-wall shops and cafes. While you were busy taking in the sights of the garden in front of the palace not too long ago, I spoke with a craftsman peddling his wares who shared with me this gem of a place. And now, we know where to get delicious bread and chai when the mood strikes.” 

For Theodore, life in Ran’dellah felt so foreign. Every corner of the city was bustling with life. People of high and low castes mingled with relative frequency, much to his surprise. There were shops upon shops, affluent individuals with pets and children everywhere, but above all, there was a general atmosphere carrying a sense of satisfaction. With the exception of the occasional sour-faced individual, nobody seemed to be particularly upset, distracted or desperate. What they all seemed to be was carefree . Such a lifestyle wasn’t prevalent in Boklad. People lived humbly, and those who didn’t were involved in business dealings and trade. They were a merchant town on the border of Twinside; theirs was a mostly transient population, with many, many merchants. Outside of the merchant district here, Theodore had scarcely seen any. 

He savored a long drink of the flavorful and spicy chai. “I think you may have managed the impossible. I’m actually very relaxed.” 

L’ubor’s grin was both bright and triumphant. “You don’t say? It only took two days, but here we are: he finally admits he’s relaxed. I can see it in your shoulders and jaw. Your tension is at an all time low. Now there’s a win to celebrate.” L’ubor held up his cup in a clear toast. He waited for Theodore to do the same before he said, “To focusing on the treats of life.” 

Theodore snorted, but he was toasting in short order. Focusing on the treats in life was how he had gotten here, how he had snagged L’ubor’s company. There were far worse things to toast to. 

“You know the one thing you haven’t done since arriving here?” L’ubor asked. 

“No, tell me.” 

“You haven’t bought your sister a souvenir. That’s downright terrible! Theo, that must be our mission today: to find your sister a nice gift you can take back to her.” 

While Theodore could have questioned, could have prodded for a reason why, he knew it was better to simply go with the flow. Eloise did deserve something for all her hard work in this. Maybe when he got back, Theodore would offer her the same courtesy of taking some time off to do whatever she liked. She already sacrificed so much for him, the last thing he wanted was to feel immense guilt for taking a few days here for himself…

“I’m absolutely terrible at picking gifts,” Theodore confessed. 

“I’m not much better,” L’ubor admitted. “But that’s part of the fun. The more thought in the gift, the better it is. It’s just a fact, Theo.” He let his foot crawl underneath the table, rubbing casually along Theodore’s calf. He smiled at him.

Theodore mirrored the smile. “So, we’re off to the merchant district, I assume?” 

“Well, let’s finish our treats first. Then we can go shopping.” 

It was funny. Amidst the obvious passion and physical indulgence in one another, Theodore found these sorts of moments the ones he was beginning to savor most: the innocuous, simple, yet memorable moments. They were opening Theodore’s eyes as to how little time he spent pursuing things that weren’t work related. 

He took his time finishing his chai and, when he had a reasonably small portion of bread left, he pocketed it for a snack as they walked around. They took off together for the merchant district, staying in close proximity but respectfully distant enough that nobody would be the wiser. Theodore as a general rule tried to not bring much attention to himself—years of Eloise’s safety conditioning rang strong and true in his head. 

When they arrived at the outskirts of the district, Theodore was once again reminded of how Boklad’s markets paled in comparison. Where they had vendors and traders who had proper corners on their markets, such as the fishmonger, the furniture maker, even the clothier, here there were so many overlapping one another that the streets were filled with a vibrant, continuous cacophony of voices peddling the very best of whatever, be it armor, comestibles, jewelry or more. 

“Really makes you long for the quieter markets back home,” Theodore teased. Dalimil was, from what he could remember, not dissimilar to Boklad in this way. 

“Ah, but the streets here are what we aspire to, yes? Competition breeds innovation. I can’t very well call myself the best smithy in Dalimil if I’m the only one.” L’ubor tapped the side of his head wrapping. “It’s why I encourage regular apprenticeships and am trying to help foster a stronger inter-city trade. Why, look.” He pointed not far from them to a pair of side by side stalls, one with numerous pieces of attractive (and likely pricey) jewelry, and the other with scarves, shawls and other such finery. “You have two immediately wonderful options to peruse right there, and we’ve barely scratched the surface of the district. Truly remarkable.” 

Theodore snorted in amusement. Something told him Eloise would be equally as elated to explore the markets of Ran’dellah. “I fear the day you and my sister meet,” he said with a shake of his head, though he was grinning all the while. “I’m beginning to wonder if I’m simply a means to an end for a partnership with the best trader and transporter in Boklad.” 

“Perish the thought,” L’ubor said immediately. Then he added with a playful wiggle of his eyebrows, “But it is, admittedly, an opportune bonus.” 

“Titan’s tits…” Theodore laughed. He reached out and shoved at L’ubor’s shoulder. He gripped him by the arm to tug him along toward the accessory stalls. 

“Afternoon, my lords,” said the older gentleman behind the jewelry stall. He immediately sat up upon his seat and began gesturing to the displays of necklaces and bracelets. “Can I interest you in some of the finest jewelry this side of the twins?” 

“Best accompanied by our highly breathable and comfortable shawls and wraps!” the voice of a young woman chimed in from the other stall. “They are simply made for one another. A one of a kind gift duo.” 

Theodore remained silent at first. Something told him if he were to say he was looking for a gift then he would be overrun with options. The thought of it was intimidating. 

L’ubor must have read his mind, as within moments the other man was easing in without hesitation. Asking questions, digging deeper, learning about quality and origin and other things Theodore never would have considered asking. And then, as quickly as they had arrived, it was L’ubor who pulled them away, leaving both vendors to call after them desperately. 

“Don’t look back,” L’ubor advised casually. “If there was truly anything there you did like, we’ll make a return later.” 

“But what if it’s gone?” 

“Nothing is truly one of a kind in this sort of market. There is always a backup.” 

Theodore blinked. One of the necklaces had seemed charming enough. Of course, the older man had claimed it was handmade, the only one of its kind, with a specialized gemstone harvested straight from Drake’s Fang itself. If it truly wasn’t one of a kind, did he want it for Eloise? The answer was a vehement no. 

They continued on their journey through the streets of the merchant district. Vendors sold truly everything possible, including unique stationery that managed to catch Theodore’s attention. In the end, he decided against it. That didn’t fit the bill, did it? No, his mind went back to the necklace, but before he could voice it, soon hands were tugging on his forearm to catch his attention and pull it forward. 

“I know you’re keen on that jewelry, but what if you got her something more functional? Might she like that?” 

“What are you suggesting?” 

L’ubor gestured across the courtyard at what looked to be a book stand. Theodore followed him over to it and was again immediately overwhelmed by the assortment of goods. 

“Evening, gentlemen.” The woman standing behind the goods was older, with wispy grey-blonde hairs around her temples and a steady gaze. “Interested in a book or journal, are you?” 

“Tell us about them,” L’ubor prompted. 

“Finest quality moleskin covering you’ll find. Soft and smooth parchment inside. Highly absorbent, so the ink won’t need to sit forever to not smudge.” 

Theodore couldn’t believe the question that left his mouth then. “You don’t happen to have any ledgers, do you?” 

“Ledgers?” The woman blinked. “Reckon I might…”

Theodore and L’ubor shared a mutual look of surprise. The idea had struck him so suddenly, and yet, it felt wholly appropriate. His sister spent hours a day in her ledger, poring over balances and budgets, taking notes in the margins that made little sense to Theodore. She had been using the same one for as long as he could remember. She had to be due for a new one…right? 

“All right. Here we go. Got two for ya to choose from.” 

The merchant placed two ledgers atop the stall’s display table. Both were similarly crafted, leather-bound with a hefty amount of parchment inside. The only differences seemed to be that one was black and the other brown, the brown one more rectangular. They each had a unique crest etched upon the cover, neither of which Theodore could recognize. Knowing Eloise, the brown one fit better. It just felt right. 

“I think we’ve got it,” L’ubor said to him, raising his eyebrows in interest. “This might actually be perfect for her, from what you’ve told me.” 

“Her?” The woman’s interest piqued. “Getting a gift for a special girl, then?”

“My sister,” Theo replied, almost absently. He carefully opened the ledger and brushed his fingertips along the excellent craftsmanship of its cover, of the parchment inside.

Yes, this was the perfect gift idea.

Just as he looked up, L’ubor asked the fated question: “How much?” 

For this, Theodore was willing to spend a fair amount. 

Until he heard her response. 

“Three thousand gil, for that one. Hand crafted here in Ran’dellah and one of a kind.” 

“Surely not,” L’ubor immediately countered, Theodore practically balking. “You’ve two nearly identical ones here, both are quite nice, but the markup seems steep compared to the vendor across the way, with the stationery.” He pointed casually over his shoulder, turned briefly, then looked back at the woman. “They had one not entirely dissimilar that was only fifteen hundred.” 

The way the woman looked at L’ubor let Theodore know she was interested. Beyond that, he didn’t know what was going on inside her mind as the gears turned, so to speak. 

“Afraid I couldn’t let it go for less than twenty-five hundred. The quality is unparalleled. You could go for those over there but the bindings are poorly made and it would fall apart in mere weeks of use. And then what? You’re back where you started. Dreadful. Invest in quality.” 

L’ubor barely paused. He glanced over his shoulder and shrugged. “Eighteen, then.”

It was the woman’s time to pause. Theodore deliberately avoided her gaze; he was all too telling, too weak in these trade debacles. He wanted the gift but not if it meant paying that much.

The woman clicked her tongue. “Two thousand and you have a deal.” 

Two thousand seemed like the best deal they could get. He looked to L’ubor, whose game face was so severe, even Theodore couldn’t tell if he should try for more. Instead he simply nodded, pulled out his coin purse and shelled over the gil. After thanking him, the woman began wrapping up the ledger in parchment paper and tied it firmly with string so that it was protected from the elements and easily transported as one package. 

“She’s going to love it. Thank you,” Theodore said. 

“Thank your friend,” the woman said with a chuckle. “Good bartering skills, that one.” 

L’ubor simply smiled. 

. . . . .

“Theo?” 

L’ubor shut the door to the suite behind him after stepping inside. He had gone to catch up with one of his scouts while Theodore finished gathering up his things for his departure later that evening. Not immediately hearing him bustling about, L’ubor briefly wondered if he’d missed Theodore downstairs near the chocobokeep. 

“Out here,” Theodore called in return. 

L’ubor walked across the suite and toward the balcony. There, sitting at the small metal table with a mug, was Theodore. Dressed in his armor with his sword at his side, he looked just as he did the first time they met. The memory buzzed in L’ubor’s head and made him smile as he walked over to him, bent down, and gave him a kiss on the temple. 

“Taking in the view one last time?” he inquired. 

“Yeah. Really bloody gorgeous this time of the day. Ran’dellah’s lucky. This is a sight to see.” 

Theodore reached out and coaxed L’ubor to sit upon his lap. He leaned in and rested his head against L’ubor’s chest, while L’ubor’s arms wrapped comfortably around Theodore’s shoulders. 

The horizon was ablaze with warmth, pinks and reds, yellows and oranges bleeding together over the landscape of the city. Life bustled below in droves, but the sound was distant in L’ubor’s ears as he enjoyed this moment in time, so oddly peaceful and whole. 

“It’s quite the sight, you’re right,” he murmured. He reached up and brushed a few strands of Theodore’s bangs back, stroking his fingers in smooth motions along his scalp. “Pales in comparison, of course, to the one I’ve seen every morning. I’m going to miss it.” 

Theodore looked up at him, cheeks pink but lips curled in a smirk. “Smooth.” 

“Very smooth, you’re right. I deserve an award.” L’ubor smiled. Humor again, to help combat the ache growing in his heart. Being separated from Theodore wasn’t a world-ending event, but in his tempestuous heart, it sure felt like it. L’ubor had managed to escape the realities of the world, if just for a few days. When he returned, he was going to have to look into the beginning of an issue that Ferda had brought to his attention before he left. Something regarding the Men of the Fist and crystals.  Nothing good could come of it, regardless. 

Once more they sat in comfortable silence, taking turns drinking ale from the mug until it was drained dry. Theodore gave a resigned sigh. 

“Suppose it’s time. I need to be getting back.” 

L’ubor had half a mind to pin him to the chair and prevent him from getting up. It was irrational and stupid, wholly unlike his usual operating standard. But damn if it didn’t feel good to think about it, even if he didn’t say it out loud. 

With a pat on Theo’s shoulder, he slid off onto his feet and hopped up. He stepped back into the suite. 

“You have everything, yes?” 

“Yes, it’s prepared over there, by the bed. My bag and my carrying crate of goods.” Theodore walked up behind L’ubor, then stepped past him to stand beside his shoulder bag and the crate. 

When he hesitated again, L’ubor approached him. “Why don’t…we say our goodbyes here? That way they can be private, special…just between us.” 

Theodore smiled, albeit a bit nervously. He placed his hands on L’ubor’s shoulders and squeezed them. “I was about to suggest the same. I don’t need, nor want, everyone to be involved in our business. This is between us.” 

Goodbyes were hard. L’ubor had felt so confident in his suggestion and now, with Theodore holding onto him, all he could focus on was his own departure, the immense amount of work awaiting him upon his return, the inevitable questions from Ferda…

“This isn’t a goodbye ,” Theodore finally said. “This is a ‘see you soon’. Don’t know when Elise is gonna want to order more stuff, reckon you and she have that figured out. If at all. But…” he cupped L’ubor’s face, brushing his thumbs among his smooth cheeks and jawline. “You can bet I’ll be right there to deliver it on time and in full. Just for you.” 

L’ubor chuckled. “Ever the consummate delivery man. It’s likely to be a while, but that’s what couriers are for, yes? Write to me. I would love to hear about your adventures back in Boklad. I’ll happily share the same about Dalimil.” 

Theodore tipped up L’ubor’s chin and kissed him, softly but steadily. The flush of joy hit like the very first time. He placed his hands on Theodore’s chest, then slid them around to his back to hug him tightly. The two embraced for what felt like forever; muscles relaxing, heartbeats slowing, spirits continuing their inevitable intertwining. 

Theodore sighed quietly upon pulling back. “I need to get these down to the caravan and make sure Scarlet is ready to get hooked up and get off to the races.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll write to you. You have my word. As I’ll be home before you will be, you’d best let me know you made it safely.” 

“If only I had an expert swordsman to keep me safe,” L’ubor teased. “Ah, but maybe next time. If fate deems me to be so lucky.” 

Truthfully, and selfishly, he wanted to kidnap Theodore and just take him back to Dalimil. But L’ubor knew that as much as Eloise needed Theodore, Theodore needed Eloise. Their business relied on their strong and mutually respectful relationship. Between them, they were doing things for the betterment of bearers that, at the moment, L’ubor could only dream of…

He kissed Theodore again, loathe to let him go. However, he began nudging him toward the door in short order. “Go on, then. Safe travels. Don’t do anything stupid. Straight to Boklad. No dilly-dallying.” Theodore didn’t say it, but the smile on his face showed all the gratefulness L’ubor needed to keep it up. “I’ll wrap up things here. I’ll be leaving in the morning.” 

Once they made it to the door, L’ubor popped it open, ushered Theodore through it and, with a smile that was as wistful as it was joyful, said: 

“See you soon, dear Theo. Thank you…for everything.”

Chapter Text

True to his word, the moment L’ubor returned to Dalimil, he made sure to immediately pen a letter to Theodore letting him know that he had arrived in one piece, with not a hair harmed on his head. This time, he chose to send the letter by stolas. 

Dear Theo, 

You’ll be pleased to know I made it to Dalimil with little more than a tender ass thanks to how long I spent on a chocobo’s saddle. Don’t worry, you had nothing to do with it hurting badly—that was all good hurting. 

I do hope things have been enjoyable for you now that you’re home and in your element. How did Eloise enjoy her ledger? I’m looking forward to hearing all about it. 

I’ve reviewed my books and it looks as though we’re not due for another delivery for some time, as you and I feared. However, absence makes the heart grow fonder. I think there is much we can still say and share via letter. When next you visit, we’ll both be positively brimming with anticipation. 

Considering you sent your last letter via courier, I believe it’s safe to assume you don’t have a stolas of your own. Take good care of Hureen here, will you? When you’re ready to write back, simply send it with her. She’s fast and efficient. She also loves berries, so offer her a little treat after you read this. 

I miss you. 

Truly yours,

L’ubor 

While there was so much more he felt he could say, L’ubor opted to keep it as simple as possible for now. He gave the ink a few moments to dry upon the parchment before he rolled up the letter, sealed it with a dab of wax from his nearby candle, and proceeded to send Hureen on her way in the cool night breeze—but not before giving her one of his fresh berries he was snacking on. 

Dalimil felt quiet compared to Ran’dellah. It was a quiet that brought L’ubor comfort, a quiet that was intimately familiar. He looked out over the streets below from his window. Traveling over the course of several days had given him plenty of time to mull over his feelings, and to, as he so lovingly put it, milk out the longing. For both of their sake’s, L’ubor had to be solid as steel when he returned to his day to day. If there were any inkling of his relationship with Theo, it could impact his reputation. Dalimil was a small, insular town, there was little to be gained from not only having a relationship with an outsider, but if anyone caught wind of what Theodore was doing with bearers, it would be even worse.

L’ubor hated that he had to think about it in such a crass way. The reality was, what Theodore and Eloise were doing was not only commendable, it was downright triumphant. Bearers deserved to live a life on their terms, not those provided by their masters. L’ubor was intimately familiar with what that freedom felt like and he wanted other bearers to experience it just the same.

For now, he was committed to helping fund the Crimson Caravans. It was the least he could do in order to have an impact in addition to his infrequent efforts to bring bearers to Dalimil for a marginally better life. Maybe even in lieu of…

He folded his arms across his chest, staring at the creek below. He sighed deeply. Tomorrow would bring its own slew of challenges, from the Briar’s Kiss to whatever was going on with the Men of the Rock that Ferda wanted to discuss, but for tonight, L’ubor was all too eager to finish his snack, bathe, and then call it quits in the comfort of his own bed. 

If only Theodore were with him. 

. . . . .

Theodore awoke suddenly to the sound of a sharp bird’s cry outside his bedroom window. It wasn’t uncommon to hear, but the proximity surprised him—and annoyed him. Normally they didn’t fly that low. 

He rolled over atop his bed, arm instinctively seeking out the familiar warmth of L’ubor. It had been well over a week since their farewell and yet still, he found himself half-expecting to wake up beside him. Funny, he thought, how a few days could set such a deep expectation in his routine. 

Theodore lay in bed for a short while. He ran through his mental checklist of all the things he needed to do, including write L’ubor’s response letter. He immediately turned to look at the window, where he saw Hureen sleeping in her usual upright and compact position. By now he felt like he could recognize her cry; the one previous hadn’t belonged to an owl. That was a bird of prey. 

He waved it off and finally got out of bed. Every morning he told himself he was going to write the letter, and every morning, he procrastinated. Procrastinated, because writing the letter evoked feelings inside of him that Theodore didn’t have the proper bandwidth to experience. He missed L’ubor fiercely—missed him more than he probably should have, and it made him nervous. It wasn’t normal to be so impacted by someone in such a short period of time, right? To feel as though this particular individual could completely throw you for a loop? For Theodore, every time he sat down to write, he found himself desperate to ask when they could meet again. 

But today. Today he would make it work. He didn’t want L’ubor fearing that he’d gone and changed his mind…

Dressed in little more than a pair of underwear, Theodore sat down at his desk and began letting the words flow out of him. 

Dearest L’ubor, 

I’m glad to hear you made it safely home. Hopefully by now, your ass is less tender and more returned to its supple bounce. I’ll be testing this next I see you. Given that we don’t know for sure when that will be, I may test the theory regardless. Better safe than sorry. You never know. 

Eloise loved her present. I waited to give it to her until after I had been back a few days so she didn’t think I was using it for a bribe, considering the number of issues raised to her while me and my team were out. For her, it was almost perfect timing. Her existing ledger is fit to burst, but it had notes from years and years past, along with transactions long gone that I’m sure she sees no value in anymore. Now she won’t lose them, because we can preserve them.

Hureen is in amazing hands with me. This you know. She’ll obviously be in good spirits I hope when you receive this. I gave her berries, like you suggested.

As we approach the next delivery to Dalimil, don’t you fret. We’ll make an entire day out of it. I am sure we’ll have plenty to do, plenty to see, and I for one cannot wait. 

I, too, miss you. Deeply. 

Yours truly,

Theodore

Theodore reviewed the letter several times over. There was an ache in his chest, a longing he knew he would not be able to satisfy until he was with L’ubor again. Whether or not it was normal, whether or not it was appropriate, Theodore didn’t particularly know—or care. Not anymore. He felt what he felt and he would not apologize for it. 

He rolled up the letter and sealed it with a wax stamp. He prepared to attach it to Hureen when he remembered the promise he’d just written. Stored in a cooling box with a crystal beneath his kitchen counter were a few sundries. Leaving the letter, Theodore walked over, pulled out a fresh berry and brought it over to Hureen. 

“Hey, girl. I’ve a letter for you to deliver back to L’ubor. Here’s a treat for you, first. Nice and chill.” 

Hureen slowly opened her large, round, yellow eyes, blinking at Theodore before focusing her attention on the red berry before her. She snatched it quickly and swallowed it, giving a flutter of her feathers. 

Theodore chuckled in amusement. “Good. I’m glad you liked it. Here’s the letter. Safe travels. Stay cool and stay safe.” 

After attaching it, Theodore watched Hureen as she turned on the windowsill, spread open her wings and took off to the skies. He stared after her for several moments until she was a minuscule speck. 

May she fly swift and true…

Theodore went about getting dressed, including his exterior armor and his sword holster. Eloise had been kind on pushing deliveries at him the first few days he was back, but by now, she surely would get him back in the game. After all, no rest for the weary. 

He nibbled on an apple along the road to the shop, nearly finishing it by the time he slipped inside. There, at the main desk, sat Eloise. She was pouring over her ledger and her notebook. 

“Such a familiar scene,” Theodore teased. He approached the desk and carefully plopped down in one of the chairs opposite her. “My sister, with her nose buried in her ledger.” 

“And with good reason.” Eloise looked up at her brother, expression uncharacteristically flat. Her eyes shot behind Theo to the door.  She waited a beat and, when apparently satisfied they would not be encroached upon, continued, “Things are…changing, Theo.” 

Theodore raised an eyebrow. “How do you mean, changing?” 

“Twinside is becoming more selective in their trading opportunities.” Eloise tapped her index finger against the aged parchment of her ledger. “They’re requiring anyone who goes through to have their trader’s pass readily available.” 

“What’s different?” Theodore asked. “Didn’t they always?” 

“You don’t understand. I mean each and every time. They are also starting to limit the number of people who can go in and out through the gate.” 

Now that was odd. Theodore sat up in the chair, tone curious as he asked, “Have they explained why they suddenly swapped to such restrictive measures?” 

“No, nothing concrete,” Eloise explained. She fidgeted her thumb. Theodore could tell she was growing agitated. “It means a bit more scrutiny when it comes to our…secondary activities. That’s my only concern at the moment. The rest, we can deal with.” 

Their secondary activities. Of course there would be more scrutiny. The last thing they needed…or wanted. 

“I don’t have any current leads on bearer movement, so I suppose for now, it’s a blessing in disguise. But still.” Eloise set her quill down and tapped her finger against a specific box within her ledger. “The good news is, the bearers from Lord Huron’s estate are securely replanted in Twinside with a partnered safe house. The feedback has been positive so far…we know it will keep working. We just need to find a place.” She rubbed her eyes. “That…can be tomorrow’s problem.” 

“Tomorrow’s problem, indeed.” Theodore leaned forward and grinned at his sister. “So what are we focusing on today?” 

“Easy shipments just around the town. You could probably hand deliver most of these. It’s been quiet…perhaps too quiet.” 

It was a gift in disguise. The opportunity to reconnect with some of the locals, to give himself some distance from L’ubor so he could miss him properly and not just desperately. 

He rubbed his hands together and grinned faintly. “Let’s get to work.”

Chapter Text

“So you see, my lord, something strange is afoot. You and I both know that Kupka’s men generally are up to no good, but it has begun to impact our citizens. We cannot stand for it!” 

There were many things about Ferda that L’ubor could appreciate: his passion, his dedication, his zeal. Here was a man whose priority was the health, safety and prosperity of the people of Dalimil. So much so, that even after the original Ruzena passed and handed the baton to L’ubor, Ferda continued to support the Desert Hare.

But sometimes. Just sometimes...Ferda could be a little much. 

L’ubor waved a hand at him. “Relax, Ferda, we’ll figure it out. We always do. What have we heard on the streets? What’s been happening? And did it start while I was attending to business in Ran’dellah?” 

“I think they used your absence as an opportunity to accelerate their actions, yes,” Ferda explained. “Intelligence leads us to believe that they have been sacking crystals farmed from Drake’s Fang that are meant for us here, in Dalimil. Every merchant has noted smaller shipments in the last two weeks, but we’ve seen record profit…much of it coming from the Men of the Rock spending anywhere and everywhere. Why the sudden change? We’ve been servicing them for years and never seen anything like it.” 

“I must admit…it sounds peculiar.” L’ubor stroked his angular chin and peered thoughtfully at the spread of documents atop his table. “Even I, myself, noted a few less crystals in my shipment than I’m used to seeing. It takes a certain amount to run the forge as hot as we need it for our smithing. When I inquired about it, I was told that the Fang was producing less than expected but that it was simply a fluke and Kupka would advise further if or when necessary…”

L’ubor didn’t see any easy resolution to this. They couldn’t get directly involved. Not without causing an uproar or putting a mark on their backs. As much as Dhalmekia claimed to be a republic, it was truly anything but. At best, it was an oligarchy run by several powerful men whose influence was both political and monetary. Hugo Kupka, as the advisor to these men, was afforded an ugly amount of privilege, which naturally extended to his private guard, the Men of the Rock. Generally speaking, Dalimil relied on their patronage for a healthy and bustling economy. Being just a hop, skip and a jump from Drake’s Fang gave them this unique positioning. If the Men were causing some sort of disturbance to their crystal supply, and had suddenly begun spending with more intensity than before…surely there was a connection. Were they trying to hide it? If so, what a poor show, L’ubor thought. 

“What do you propose we do, my lord?” Ferda’s visible frustration was beginning to put L’ubor ill at ease. He could tell that Ferda wanted concrete action and right now, he simply couldn’t think of one. They needed a miracle—or a capable, trustworthy outsider—and right now they had neither. L’ubor would also not put Theodore in the middle of all of this. Perish the thought. 

The Desert Hare sighed deeply. “We need to catch them in the act. We have no tangible proof, simply theories. And theories get us nowhere with the guard.” 

As if on cue, a very urgent knocking came upon the door to L’ubor’s office. When Ferda permitted the young man entrance, he looked both surprised and perplexed all at once. 

“My lord. Someone was heard asking after Ruzena Dalimil in the markets just now. I came as soon as I was made aware…” 

L’ubor’s ears perked up. “Oh really, now?” He turned his attention to Ferda. They could only dream to be so lucky that someone needed their help. Had fate chosen to answer his plea before he’d so much as uttered it? “Be a dear and look into this for me, will you?” 

Ferda saluted L’ubor curtly. “At once, my lord.” 

. . . . .

And just like that, Ruzena Dalimil was in bed with Cid once more. 

L’ubor believed in luck just as much as he believed in fate. How else could one explain the arrival of Clive, just when L’ubor needed someone like him most?

In a world where reputation and trades were everything, it had worked out perfectly to his advantage to be given just the right amount of sellsword muscle to figure out what was happening with Kupka’s men. L’ubor was, of course, sure they were skimming profits off private crystal sales, but he never could have guessed that they were in cahoots with the Royalists of Waloed. What a perfectly political loophole they had found themselves…but how fortunate L’ubor was to have just the right connections, and just the right amount of luck. 

All it had taken in exchange was some freedom to travel south. While L’ubor had been curious as to the reason, he never truly could have guessed that Clive intended to not only confront Hugo Kupka, but that he planned to slaughter him. How, or why else was there an epic, terrifying eikonic battle that was visible from Dalimil? Neither L’ubor nor any citizen for that matter had ever seen Kupka transform into such a terrifying sight. While L’ubor couldn’t exactly prove that Clive was the one who did it, the evidence was all there. Acting as the new Cid, wanting to travel south, disappearing without a word after the massive destruction of Drake’s Fang…Clive certainly knew how to make an entrance, and even an exit. 

For L’ubor, this presented a rather terrifying truth: without the bountiful crystals of Drake’s Fang, the Dhalmekian Republic would become completely reliant on those provided by the Kingdom of Waloed. While distributed supply wasn’t likely to break or dry up any time soon, given how recently they received a hefty delivery, prices were bound to skyrocket at the news. Life as they knew it was going to change dramatically in due time, not just in Dalimil, but across the republic. 

Later that evening after the epic fight, L’ubor sat with Ferda in his living quarters, absently tapping his fingers against a mug of mead. They would need to completely rethink their trade opportunities. He wondered what was happening in Ran’dellah. Surely someone had reported what had taken place in the desert. There was no way the capital wouldn’t insulate to protect itself. But even now, when he thought about it, Titan’s downfall meant Kupka’s as well. Not having him as a flagrantly expensive advisor to the guild was likely a blessing in disguise, despite the odd power vacuum it was likely to create.

“We’ll have every merchant take stock of their supply and the lasting power,” Ferda explained out loud. He sat across from L’ubor at the dining room table, scribbling notes upon a strip of parchment. “Some use more than others, and some could do without, if really need be. But I’ll have our men in Ran’dellah give a discovery report to see what’s being said there. It may be beneficial to send them elsewhere…what do you think? L’ubor?” 

L’ubor blinked. “Hm? Ah. Yes, you’re right. Both good ideas. Thank you, Ferda. I’ll have Sava and the others check for us tomorrow at Briar’s.” 

“My lord. If I may?” Ferda shifted in his seat, jaw set in a very telling expression. 

“Be my guest, Ferda, you know you can always speak plainly with me.” 

“Are you quite well? You seem distracted and distant in a way I’ve…well, frankly, never quite seen from you.” Ferda put down his quill and leaned forward on the tabletop. “You’re not making any mistakes, mind, simply just…ever since you’ve returned from Ran’dellah, I can’t help feeling as though something happened and it’s weighing on you.”

L’ubor chuckled. He would have blushed, embarrassed as he was to be read so perceptively. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that someone so close to me has picked up on my behavior shift, but I can be mad at myself for making it so obvious, yes?” He casually pushed back from his chair and moved to stand beside the shutter of his window, where he stared down onto the street below. 

Telling Ferda the truth right here and now felt like a poor play. L’ubor also didn’t concern himself with the idea that his own scout in Ran’dellah would betray his confidence, had he seen him wandering the city with Theodore. 

Being lovesick wasn’t exactly something L’ubor was keen to openly admit…

“I simply ran into someone with whom I had unfinished business,” he explained carefully, but with a carefree lilt to his voice that betrayed the heaviness of his heart. “It was an unexpected experience that left me sort of off balance.” It wasn’t precisely a lie. It wasn’t precisely the truth, either. 

“My apologies, then. That could easily be a difficult situation. And for us to now go into yet another…” 

Ferda didn’t seem doubtful of the answer. L’ubor considered that a win. He cleared his throat and turned around, arms folding loosely across his chest. 

“A difficult road leads to a comfortable end,” L’ubor said cheerfully. “We will find our way. The people of Dalimil are ingenuitive, passionate, strong…we rely so heavily on crystals. Perhaps this is when we learn to finally do without them.” 

L’ubor turned to face the window again. There was something hypocritical in saying that aloud. Would he ever have to worry? No. Despite keeping it hidden for many years, L’ubor was quite capable with his magic. He used it here and there, practiced it in the privacy of his own home. His personal crystal he carried with him everywhere hadn’t been used in years, not since it was gifted to him by Ruzena. It was still as vibrant and teeming with life as it was the day she handed it over to him. 

“A life without crystals seems wholly unlike one worth living,” Ferda muttered irritably. He scratched at his chin. “But you’re right. Either we learn to wean off, or we beg at the mercy of Waloed for table scraps now that Drake’s Fang is obsolete. With Kupka not around to lead his men, I shudder to think what might happen in those mines.” 

If anything was salvageable, that was. The talk around town was that the entire underground cavern had collapsed in on itself and the crater was completely destroyed. If any crystals had existed, it stood to reason to believe that they had disintegrated along with the mother crystal and everything else. 

“I doubt much, dear Ferda,” L’ubor said. “I recall reports from our scouts that the terror from the mines is immense. Very few survivors. There was an aetherflood that took out any living beings in the mines, wasn’t there? I imagine any crystals that had been in preparation for transit out of the mines were destroyed alongside the mother crystal.” 

Ferda nodded solemnly. Then, “Graciously, the ones we have now and the order we received a few days ago is still solid. I can only speculate why, but between you and me, I’m just glad we didn’t have to take that problem on as well.” 

L’ubor sighed. He turned to look at Ferda. “Simply trading one problem for another. But we won’t be the only ones with this issue. All towns and cities around the republic are going to be thrown into chaos if we don’t manage to get this figured out sooner rather than later.” 

Silence settled in the room. The normal hustle and bustle of the streets below seemed so distant. L’ubor pursed his lips and closed his eyes. There were so many things to try and figure out, and all he wanted in that moment was to crawl into Theodore’s arms and hear that honey sweet voice tell him everything would be all right. 

Lovesick, indeed. 

“My lord.” Ferda moved to stand. “I daresay we’ve done our fair share of planning for the night…” 

“Yes, you’re right, Ferda. Go, enjoy your evening. Get a good meal. Spend some time with our girls downstairs. We can reconvene tomorrow after a good night’s sleep.” 

“By your leave.” Ferda gave a curt bow and turned to exit the room.

Once L’ubor was sure Ferda was a good few paces away, he made his way over to his door and locked it. His hand hovered over the lock. Despite the natural warmth of his tanned complexion, it somehow looked paler than ever in the shimmering moonlight. He took a deep breath, turned away from the door, and made his way over to his desk. 

For L’ubor, it was important to get his thoughts out on paper while they were still fresh in his mind. Quill dipped in fresh ink, L’ubor sighed, then began to write:

Dearest Theo,

Things have been quite lively here in Dalimil the last few weeks. I can scarcely believe how quickly time has passed since our last correspondence. I hope you are well. 

I’m sure word will reach Boklad in short order, if it hasn’t already, given the proximity to Ran’dellah…but Drake’s Fang is no more. There was a monstrous battle between Hugo Kupka and another Dominant, a fire eikon no one had ever seen before. It was truly a sight to see, I will never forget it as long as I live. Hugo did something to himself, something monstrous—he was bigger than belief, and yet he was still brought down. 

The destruction of Drake’s Fang is sure to place a heavy strain on the Dhalmekian Republic. I urge you and Eloise to get a heavy surplus of crystals the soonest you can, as prices are about to skyrocket immensely. With our only steady supply coming from Waloed, I anticipate there to be significant issues all around. 

A gentleman came through here not long ago who I daresay is precisely the domitor in question. I would not be surprised if at some point he arrives in Boklad seeking passage to Twinside, as he seemed keen on getting to Drake’s Tail as quickly as possible. If you see a tall, rugged, handsome type accompanied by a kind eyed, silver haired woman, you’ll know of whom I speak. They also travel with a wolf.

On a more positive note, I believe we’re due for a shipment of goods from the Crimson Caravans soon…

Needless to say, I am eagerly awaiting your arrival. 

Truly yours. 

L’ubor

Chapter Text

Theodore didn’t feel fear often. 

And boy, he didn’t like it. 

He set L’ubor’s letter down and balled his fist, biting down briefly on his gloved knuckle. 

Drake’s Fang was no more. 

Valisthea was a realm that ran on the bountiful treasure provided by the mothercrystals. Life as they knew it relied upon crystals for fire, for water, for ice, for light—any number of life-giving and life-supporting activities. To know that the republic was going to be at the mercy of external powers for this crucial resource was absolutely horrifying. The Empire had taken Twinside as a means of securing their own after the fall of Drake’s Head. Founder knew what was happening with the destruction of Drake’s Breath in Rosalia. 

And now, here they were…

Theodore knew he had to tell Eloise. However, he hesitated. Telling his sister about this meant he needed to also tell her about L’ubor. He wasn’t the type to keep up with correspondence, most certainly not with some random trader in Dalimil. Eloise would question how he learned of this and would clock it immediately. Given Theodore’s poor lack of a poker face, he was sure dead on arrival. 

Still, he couldn’t hide this crucial news from her. L’ubor was right: word was bound to get out and as soon as it did, they were going to be in dire straits. 

He practiced his statement several times over before heading to the shop that morning. 

I have it on good authority that crystal costs will skyrocket soon, we need to ensure we have a more than adequate supply. 

And when she asked how he knew…

Just trust me, Eloise, I promise it’s vetted information. Time is of the essence. We cannot delay. 

After which he would suggest they stock up that very day and hide the excess in their storage cases buried deep in the basement of the Crimson Caravans shop. 

Theodore could do this. He psyched himself up with a few jabs and hops in place, reminding himself that he had given far worse news before and Eloise had been just fine with it. She was a businesswoman. This was right up her alley. She would just need to negotiate a large buyout and then he and his men could collect it. Simple…

When Theodore arrived at the shop, he found himself pausing outside the entry, fingers ghosting over the handle. His nerves were burning with anticipation of the conversation. 

Breathe , he told himself. Breathe, and let go. 

“Morning, sister!” 

To no one’s surprise, Eloise was sitting at her desk with her attention pored over the beautiful new ledger that Theo had purchased for her. She was in the midst of taking notes when she raised her head and replied in greeting, “Morning, Theo. Sleep well?” 

“Like a log,” he readily replied. Theodore went to grab a fresh, juicy apple from the fruit basket sitting atop the counter in the back, near Eloise’s desk. He moved to seat himself across from her. “You’re at it so early this morning. I told the boys it was all local delivery today. Please don’t tell me I’m wrong…”

“You’re not wrong,” Eloise said. 

She sounded distracted. Theodore furrowed his brow and sat up proper in the chair. “Everything all right?” He took a hearty bite from the apple. 

Eloise paused. Paused in the way Theodore had come to associate with bad news. Then she sighed. That might as well have been the nail in the coffin. 

“Well? Go on. What’s wrong?” 

“It’s Twinside.” Eloise made a face. “We’ve received a letter this morning that they are further limiting trade with Dhalmekia. Only those with a valid trader’s pass will be able to get through the gate. And to that point, only one trader at a time may go through. They’re doing verification checks at the gate.” 

Theodore frowned. “Well, not a significant impact for us, right? Majority of our business is in Dhalmekia, anyway. The traders who you partner with from Twinside typically come here to Boklad.” 

“Most, but not all,” Eloise replied irritably. “It…gets worse. I’ve received intel that Drake’s Fang has more or less imploded and doesn’t exist anymore. How does that happen? How does a mothercrystal just get destroyed? And how does it keep happening? First Drake’s Head, then Drake’s Breath…now the Fang .” She looked as perplexed as she sounded. “There was apparently a brutal eikon fight and Hugo Kupka was defeated at the hands of a mysterious eikonic force.”

Well, then, Theodore thought. There it was. How he thought that he would be the one to share the information with Eloise was downright laughable. She was well connected…of course she would know of this. 

He simply sighed. Eloise seemed too distracted with her own thoughts to take much heed of it. 

“You’ve nothing to say to that?” she snapped. 

Perhaps she wasn’t so distracted, after all. 

“I, um. I just. Well. I’m a bit speechless, is all.” Which was the truth. Maybe not all of it, but still true. “What does…this mean, do you think? Should we be preparing for the worst?” 

“I don’t know about the worst, but we absolutely need to prepare. Just something else to add to our plate. As if it weren’t already overflowing…” 

Theodore knew Eloise carried a heavy weight on her shoulders with all of the planning, the strategizing, the budgeting, and then some. This just made him feel even guiltier for looking forward to his eventual trip to—

He shot up suddenly. 

“Wait, will this impact our upcoming delivery to Dalimil?” 

Eloise wore an expression of mixed concern and surprise. She shook her head. “No, no, it shouldn’t…that delivery stock was secured just yesterday and is being reviewed and cataloged for you to take in the coming days. We’re fine. Future orders, however…I’ll have to look into further to see how much rates are going up due to the trading regulations changing.” 

Theodore sat down again and tried not to let the heat in his cheeks grow too fierce. Eloise gave him what he affectionately called the look , but he chose to actively ignore it in favor of staring out the window to the chocobo stables, where he saw Scarlet preening her breast feathers. 

“That’s now three mothercrystals we’ve lost in the last few years,” Eloise said. “With the Empire settled in Twinside and Waloed maintaining control of their own crystal, the pressure is likely to be immense for the immediate future…but we will find our way. Somehow. And my first order of business is going to be securing more crystals. It was silly to think this wouldn’t happen to us, too. The writing was on the wall and we all just opted to ignore it.” She tapped her quill against a spot upon her ledger. “I can’t imagine this news is going over well anywhere. Ran’dellah is likely up in arms. Losing Kupka can’t have been easy, either…”

Theodore fidgeted in his seat. These were all questions he not only didn’t have an answer to, but questions that left him feeling uneasy and uncomfortable. This wasn’t his area of expertise. He was about as useful discussing trade tactics as he was trying to haggle at a bazaar. 

He prepared to leave, standing up and picking up the list of orders to be made today. “Well. You just tell me what you need from me, and you know I’ll be right there.” He tapped the parchment. “These shall be done today and once complete I’ll check in again this afternoon.” 

Eloise smiled. “Thank you, Theo. I know I can always count on you. Things are going to be tough for a while. But the good news is, we’ll face it together. As we always do.” 

Thedore nodded firmly. 

He had already said his goodbye, and so he turned to exit the shop, almost immediately running into a rather large man who practically squealed in surprise. 

“Founder help me,” Theodore grumbled, reaching out to steady himself. He looked up to see Goetz—a face he hadn’t seen in some time, but knew well. His posture relaxed and he reached out to make sure the big lug didn’t stumble back or fall over. “Goetz. Long time, no see. What brings you to Boklad?” 

“I’m, eh, I’m lookin’ for Eloise! I…need her help.”

Theodore gestured behind him. “She’s inside, where she usually is. Just knock and help yourself.” 

Goetz laughed in relief. “Thank ye kindly, I’ll just be helpin’ myself on, then…see you, Theo!” 

Theodore clasped Goetz’s shoulder and gave him a firm pat goodbye. He brought Eloise’s delivery list to his attention, but paused briefly when he saw a strikingly handsome man standing in the distance, with his eyes trained on what looked to be the Crimson Caravans shop. 

Now, just who was he? 

. . . . . 

Dearest L’ubor ,

The gentleman you mentioned, Clive, arrived almost like clockwork. He helped us investigate an ongoing trade-related issue, but I daresay that his plans are more grandiose. He seems hellbent to get into Twinside and as of me writing this, that is where he and his entourage are going. His skill with a blade is truly unparalleled. I aspire to be as talented as he is someday. 

You don’t think he would be so heretical as to try and bring down Drake’s Tail? Was he the reason for the fall of Drake’s Head years ago, I wonder? And even Drake’s Breath? So many questions. So few answers. 

You can expect me within a few days of this letter being sent. Trust me when I say that I cannot wait for some much needed relaxation and recuperation. I never slept so well as when you were beside me. I long for that every night. 

Counting down the days. 

Truly yours, 

Theo 

Chapter Text

L’ubor hadn’t felt quite this anxious in some time. 

Anxious, or was it excited? Perhaps a bit of both. All he knew was that at any moment, Theo would be arriving from across the Velkroy. 

After receiving Theo’s letter, L’ubor made sure to occupy Ferda with a fair amount of tasks. The last thing he wanted was for his longtime friend and confidant to be snooping; even though the last time he and Theo had seen each other, they had agreed that what they had was special and worth committing to, for L’ubor it was kind of fun and exciting to have a little secret that nobody knew about. 

Well, a secret that, if discovered, wouldn’t throw him to the wolves…

L’ubor went about his business as usual that day. After an early morning brief with Ferda, he went about working on a commission at the Briar’s Kiss. He had a hearty lunch at the Final Sting. He spent some time mentoring his apprentices and judging their work, offering them feedback and seeing them through their current projects. When the evening approached, he even chose to have a fun dinner with Drika and Rens, the young orphans to whom he had become an unofficial big brother. 

It wasn’t until the sun was finally beginning to set in the horizon that the familiar wark of a chocobo announced the arrival of the Crimson Caravans wagon. As L’ubormade his way to the chocobokeep, he made sure not to rush or race, though he let out a relieved sigh he didn’t realize he had been holding in. Nerves be damned, L’ubor thought. There were priorities to worry about. 

Priorities in the shape of a tall, handsome, roguish man whose smile warmed L’ubor from the inside out upon seeing it high atop Scarlet, his chocobo. 

“Many apologies for the delay,” Theodore said, which was clearly directed to him and not in reference to the delivery of goods. “I had a slight issue on my way across the Velkroy, but all is well.” 

“Not a worry in the slightest, though we are full glad you all made it in one piece,” L’ubor said. 

“I’m sure we are,” Natalie murmured under her breath. She smirked at L’ubor who was barely fazed. “We’ll take it from here, gentle—oh?” She raised her eyebrows with interest. “It’s just you this time? I assumed you would have another with you.” She glanced around the wagon, then looked to Theodore. “Did you travel all this way alone?” 

Theodore shot L’ubor a wink while Natalie was distracted observing the wagon. “I did, in fact. We’ve had quite a bit of pickup the last few weeks, presumably because of the sudden loss of Drake’s Fang…my men are on separate deliveries to other cities around the republic.” 

“Do tell me you’re taking some time, like before?” L’ubor interjected. “To have traveled all this way alone surely is exhausting. Nobody to swap shifts at the helm!” 

“Yes. I’ll likely take a day or two before I head back. I understand there are some goods you hoped to send to Ran’dellah, yes?” 

“A few indeed,” L’ubor replied. “I’ve some short- and long swords I’ve completed for eager clients in Ran’dellah and we’ll need to ship those, along with some textiles from our weavers and leatherworkers. But we can discuss business later.” He gestured behind himself toward the gate. “As I’m sure you’ve been traveling all day, do make sure you check in with the inn to get a room. Plenty of space.” 

What Theodore said next came as a very pleasant and unexpected surprise.

“Actually, I’ve someone I’ll be staying with. I appreciate the hospitality, but it’s not needed this time. I’ll be checking in with them here after we do our final inventory check.” 

The two men shared a knowing look before L’ubor gestured to the wagon. “Well, as Natalie so kindly reminded me last time, we’ve got men who can take care of the delivery once you two are done, so I wish you a relaxing evening, one and all. I’ll be retiring to my quarters for now.” 

Natalie’s remark felt as biting as it was playful. “Thank you for your supervision , L’ubor. Truly grateful.” 

Theo knew his way to L’ubor’s quarters in the residential district. While waiting wasn’t generally an issue for him, having Theo within arm’s reach and yet again having to wait…it was a recipe for testing his willpower to its limits. So, after saying his goodbyes, L’ubor went on his way back home with the express intent of getting comfortable. 

After all, Theo was coming. 

He scarcely had time to boil some water for tea and to reheat leftover bariania before he heard the all-too-anticipated rapping of knuckles against his door. He paused, waiting for that rich voice to come ringing on the other side. 

“L’ubor?”

As beautiful and entrancing as he remembered it. 

L’ubor practically danced his way across the stone flooring, pulling back the door and promptly grabbing Theo to bring him inside. With their bodies flush, L’ubor cupped the back of his head and kissed him, releasing weeks upon weeks’ worth of anticipation, excitement, and need. Even when Theodore attempted to speak, L’ubor didn’t let up, continuing his onslaught of happy, loving kisses. He heard the words door , open , strangers —but he paid them no need. 

Maybe he was okay with it not being so secret anymore. 

Theodore acquiesced; it wasn’t long before they were moving in further, door soon shutting behind them. L’ubor only broke the kiss for air, refusing to step back. 

“Great Greagor, how I missed you,” he exhaled. 

“I couldn’t tell,” Theodore replied. The grin on his flushed face made him even more handsome, if that were possible. “I—I came alone this time. No real need to play up being down at the inn. I came straight here.” 

“And I am full glad you did. I’m the person you’re staying with, hm?” L’ubor tapped his index finger against Theo’s lips with a smirk.

“Lest you prefer I go find someone else…”

L’ubor firmly wrapped one of his arms around Theodore’s waist. “Oh, you’re not going anywhere. Well, save for somewhere with me. ” 

“I can agree to those terms…”

They embraced again, but L’ubor felt less intense need and more comfort this time. He swore he felt the steadying of his breath, the ease of his muscles relaxing, but most importantly, he felt the intimate heartbeat of the man he’d come to—

“Theo.” 

“Hm?” 

Pesky emotions. 

L’ubor knit his brow. He trailed his fingers up to stroke Theodore’s bearded cheek. “I trust everything is okay with you and Eloise after the fall of Drake’s Fang, yes?” 

Theodore’s smile relieved L’ubor in ways he hadn’t anticipated. “As well as they can be. Eloise knew of its destruction so she began planning immediately. We’ve got a significant stock of crystals, we should be set for a while. I didn’t even have to relay the message, but thank you for telling me. It means the world that you thought of me and our safety.” He reached up and brushed his fingers along L’ubor’s cheek. “Of greater interest, actually, is the rumors of how chaotic Ran’dellah has become…”

Ran’dellah. L’ubor naturally peeled away, the sound of his whistling tea kettle drawing his attention. He gestured for Theodore to make himself comfortable, pouring his leaves into the steeper within the kettle. L’ubor set up his carrying tray with the kettle, the reheated bariania (whose scent was exquisitely spicy and aromatic), utensils and a hand towel. He brought it all to the table in the center of his living quarters where he set it down, sat, then propped his arms up on his elbows. He let out a sigh.. 

“I was worried you might say that. The last missive I received from there was…worrying. Things seem to be falling quickly into disarray. Clive did quite the number on our poor republic, didn’t he? Naughty boy.” 

Theodore chuckled. He went about pouring himself and L’ubor a proper cup of tea, along with taking a hearty bite of the bariania. “He’s a unique one, isn’t he? Tough, not so silent type, but definitely a man of action. What happened here, in Dalimil? Remind me how you came to know of him.” 

“Well.” L’ubor tapped his chin. “I…was close, you could say, with one of his previous colleagues.” When he saw the way Theo’s face shifted, he immediately regretted it. L’ubor had committed himself to speaking plainly with Theo, and he’d already failed. “I’m sorry. Let me elaborate. My mentor, Ruzena, used to help support a small resistance of like-minded individuals, like us…I took over for her, you see, when she passed. And this man Clive knew that I had worked with that resistance, run by a man named Cid, from time to time. Now, he’s no longer with us, but Clive carries his title. I had to test him to make sure he was really up to snuff. He helped me figure out something that was happening with our crystal supply here. All he wanted in exchange was help getting passage south…”

“To Drake’s Fang.” 

“To Drake’s Fang,” L’ubor said in chorus. He stirred his tea, taking a sip. “Lo and behold…” he leaned forward. “Theo. Tell me you saw it…what Clive can do.” 

Theo nodded curtly. He took another bite. “I did. First hand. Fought alongside him as he helped us find out who was thieving trader’s passes back home. He…he’s a dominant, but it makes no sense. At least, I couldn’t make any sense of it.” 

“No, you’re not alone. I caught the tail end of his fight with some royalists from Waloed and I watched him tear them apart with his magic. I…suppose it’s not entirely surprising he would continue in Cid’s footsteps.”

Theodore blinked, raising an eyebrow. “Wait. What do you mean?” 

“Cid had a very heretical belief, Theo. One that anyone with any common sense would likely rebuke or renounce.” 

“You’re beginning to worry me, L’ubor.” 

“He…believed that the mothercrystals are causing the blight. That they are the reason we are experiencing so much turmoil. Cid firmly believed that they needed to be destroyed for us to be free.”

Knowing the weight of what he had just said, L’ubor fell silent, reading Theodore’s face. He watched in live time as the other man processed it, attempted to rationalize it—even doubted it. But when everything clicked, L’ubor watched the realization dawn upon his handsome face. 

And then—

“Titan’s fucking tits, you’ve got to be kidding me. He’s been taking them down one by one for this exact reason…then he—oh, Founder!” Theodore rubbed his eyes. “Then he did mean to go after Drake’s Tail in Twinside. He didn’t say it, nor did his companions…they just said they needed to get into the Dominion as soon as possible.” 

“I strongly believe Clive has little regard for the economic or societal effect of what destroying the mothercrystals is having. But I also believe what he is doing is for the greater good. In that, I hope that we are aligned?”

Theodore reached across the table to grip L’ubor’s hand firmly. “Of that, have no doubt. A momentary discomfort in exchange for the well-being of all of Valisthea? As my sister says, we will find a way. But my gods.” He let go of L’ubor’s hand to run both of his own down his face in disbelief. “I can’t help but wonder how things are going. Titan is one thing. Bahamut…is another, entirely.”

Both men sat in silence for several moments afterward, L’ubor sipping at his tea and Theodore continuing to eat. L’ubor couldn’t help thinking Theo was right. Clive was strong, but was he strong enough to take down Prince Dion…to take down Bahamut? Suddenly, worrying about the price of goods and crystals seemed so trivial. Here was a man sacrificing himself for the greater good of their homeland. L’ubor had happily assisted as best he could and would do so again, but really, selfishly, all he wanted right now was to be with Theodore and relish in the small moments, celebrate their mundanity. 

It was then that an idea struck him like lightning. 

“I’m going back with you,” he said. 

Theodore looked up from the nearly empty plate, confusion in his eyes. “Hm? What?” 

“I’m going back with you. To Ran’dellah. We’ve those goods to deliver, I can help you with that. Not only that, but I need to see things for myself there…I need to better understand the ripple effect as it makes its way out here. Dalimil may be small, but we’re a hearty community nonetheless and I want us to be prepared for what is coming. Plus,” L’ubor continued with a wink, “I’ve never actually seen Boklad for myself. I believe it also may be time that your lovely sister and I met.” 

“Oh, gods.” Theodore sputtered on his bite, coughing and spitting some of it out unintentionally. He grabbed for the hand towel and covered his mouth. “L’ubor. Please, don’t try and choke me while I’m eating.” Wiping his mouth, he set the towel down and asked, “What do you mean, it’s time you met? I’ve—I’ve not yet even told her about us.”

“And wouldn’t it be significantly easier if I were there by your side for such a momentous occasion?” L’ubor lifted up from his seat, strode around the table, and slid himself into Theo’s lap. He grinned down at him. “Besides. Your sister is a powerful woman in her own right. I think it’s time our partnership became even more solid, so we can continue to support each other in these trying times.” 

Theodore sipped at his tea before L’ubor helped himself to his lap. With raised eyebrows, he shrugged and said, “Again, I must ask if this was all just a ruse to get in with El for trade secrets and power…”

L’ubor playfully smacked at Theodore’s shoulder. “You’re ridiculous. Like I said. Just a perk. You’re the real treasure.” He gripped Theo by the chin and dipped down to kiss him slowly. “I mean it. I want to go back with you. I feel it’s the right course of action. Times like these, we need allies.” 

“Yes…yes, you’re right. You’re absolutely right.” Theodore leaned forward and rested his head against L’ubor’s chest. Sighing comfortably, happily, he added, “Thank you. For dinner, I mean.” 

L’ubor threaded his fingers in Theo’s dark hair and dragged his nails along his scalp. After kissing the top of his head, he said with a growing smirk, “You can show me your thanks, Theo. It’s been far too long.” 

Theodore lifted his head up. Mischief twinkled in his deep brown eyes. 

“With absolute pleasure.” 

. . . . . 

“You’re in charge in my absence, dear Ferda. Keep an eye on everything, yes? Report anything out of the ordinary and I’ll return back within a fortnite at the latest.”

L’ubor went about gathering up a few sundries that he placed into his knapsack. Ferda stood in the center of the room, looking halfway between worried and upset. 

“My lord, is it really the right decision to go to Ran’dellah directly right now, given all that’s happening? Surely our scouts can brief you on what they see or hear…we have concerns about Kupka’s men now that they technically have no leader to look over them. What if they try something while you’re gone?” 

“If they try anything stupid, that’s what the city guard is for,” L’ubor explained. He shoved away a few coins into his breast pocket and turned to look at Ferda. “And we pay them well to keep us safe. Though honestly, Ferda, if they were going to attempt something, I feel as though it would have happened by now. We’re nearly a month from when the Fang fell, and they’ve done nothing here in Dalimil. I’d like to believe that’s good enough to think nothing will come of it. Chances are, they probably have been conscripted into the army since Kupka is gone.” 

Ferda muttered softly under his breath but the look of resignation upon his face was good enough for L’ubor to move forward with the conversation. 

“You needn’t worry. Plus, Theodore from the Crimson Caravans has offered to escort me there on his way back to Boklad. He’s quite skilled with a blade. No sellsword needed.”

“About that, my lord—”

L’ubor’s expression softened for the briefest of moments. Their gazes met, and the look of understanding in Ferda’s eyes was recognition enough. L’ubor didn’t say it out loud. He didn’t need to. And just as he hoped, Ferda acknowledged and accepted without missing a beat. 

“Understood. I wish you safe travels. We’ll keep Dalimil running in your absence. I’ll speak with your apprentices about continuing your commission works. Is there aught else you need?” 

“No, I do believe that should be everything.” L’ubor did a quick check of his knapsack. He patted his smaller carrying bag latched to his waist to verify his crystal was still there, then decided it was about time to head out and find Theodore at the chocobokeep.

He clasped Ferda’s shoulders, and the two of them shared another look, one which lasted several intense moments. L’ubor had never traveled with a companion before, and certainly not one from a delivery service on the other side of the republic. His relationship with Theodore was continuing to blossom in real time. Now that Ferda knew, his most trusted advisor and friend, L’ubor felt an odd weight lifted from his shoulders. 

If only his parents knew, he thought wistfully. 

But L’ubor stood taller now, broader, and with even more than his usual impish smile. 

“I have full faith in you, my friend. I always have. And I always will.” L’ubor started for the chocobokeep. He stopped just shy of the front door of Ferda’s quarters and added, “I’ll be back before you know it.”

Chapter Text

L’ubor and Theodore set out from Dalimil just after breakfast, following a day’s reprieve to indulge in one another’s company. The Velkroy was blissfully cloudy for the first several hours of their journey, but as the day progressed and the sun positioned itself higher in the sky, those very clouds gave way to a scorching afternoon and evening. It wasn’t until the sun began to set, blazing up the horizon and disappearing into the night, that any relief came. 

The two men chose to set up camp for the night just before the desert gave way to the Krozjit Echoes in the east. Theodore cleared space underneath a familiar, small bower of trees that he and his men typically took advantage of on their journeys to Dalimil. It was secure—or as secure as a space such as this could be—with enough room for Scarlet, the wagon, and the set up of a tent, a campfire, and more. More for his own sanity, he insisted L’ubor let him take care of it; having done it so many times, it took little effort and he had everything precisely where he wanted it, for easy access and take down the following morning. 

It wasn’t long before the two of them were sitting in front of a handsome campfire, over which heated a pot full of delicious and hearty soup. The cooking Theodore was happy to leave to L’ubor, as the other man could coax flavors out of ingredients in ways Theodore could only imagine. As it stood, he was ready for seconds before even finishing half of his first bowl. 

“You really have to teach me how to make food like you do,” Theo said, licking his lips and savoring the delicious flavor that tingled its way down, warming his throat with familiar heat. “Most of what I make is just fine, but this is…truly something else.” 

“Trade secrets, my dear Theo. I’m afraid I can’t.” L’ubor wore a playful smirk. “But I’m happy to make it for you whenever you like.” 

“You’re lucky. I could coax it out of you, I’m sure of it.” 

“I don’t doubt it for a second. But you know you like having me make it.” 

L’ubor didn’t say it but there was a distinctly unstated feels like home that followed that. And truth be told, it did. Or maybe he was just inferring something…

Theodore and Eloise took turns cooking back home when they didn’t indulge in having someone make their food for them. There was a degree of comfort, of homeyness that came from having food prepared for him. Theodore had learned how L’ubor showed his affection and it was through action and gestures: cooking him food, giving him massages in the bath, cuddling him through the night, making sure he ate, giving him business through deliveries of large scale orders…there was surely more, but he likely was just forgetting it. 

“Not like. Love.” Theodore realized what he had said after he had said it and immediately he added, “You making the food, I mean. I love it when you do it.” 

L’ubor didn’t seem fazed. His even-keeled expression barely registered—or appeared to register—what Theodore had said. He simply smiled. “Love, then.” 

The sounds of the desert were occasionally broken by Scarlet’s quiet warks and trills, or a particularly loud crackling of the fire. The two men ate in comfortable silence, until L’ubor eventually got up and walked idly toward the carriage. To Theodore’s surprise, he climbed atop it with unexpected dexterity, lying down with a satisfied hum. 

“What are you doing?” Theodore called out to him. 

“Taking a much needed opportunity to stare into the vast expanse of the stars, dear Theo.” L’ubor rolled over and peered down at him, an inviting smile bright on his face. “Come join me?” 

Theodore didn’t need much convincing. He followed L’ubor’s footsteps and climbed atop the carriage. L’ubor pulled him down beside him and, after turning onto his back and getting comfortable, Theo too smiled just as brightly. 

“How much time do you think we have before the night chill really kicks in?” L’ubor asked. 

“Maybe ten minutes,” Theo replied. He could already feel it creeping in now that they were nowhere near the fire down below. 

“Hmm. I suppose we’d best get the most out of this stargazing then, shouldn’t we?” 

“You don’t do this back home?” Theo asked genuinely. “You have such a beautiful view from your room, I suppose I just assumed…”

L’ubor sighed. “Ah, not nearly as much as I’d like. Usually by the time I’m in my quarters I’m ready to call it a day. Incredibly busy, as you know.” He turned his head to face Theodore briefly. “Barely enough hours in the day in Dalimil.” 

“Boklad too.” Even less, it seemed, now that things were falling apart and Clive was out there, destroying mothercrystals and hastening as much trouble into the world as good. 

Several moments later, after taking in the different constellations, Theodore’s heart warmed. He reached up and pointed at a cluster of bright stars. “Do you see that cluster, right there?” 

“Mmm. Oh, the one that looks like a circle? With the rather dazzling one at the top?”

“Yes. That’s our guiding circle. Me and El’s, I mean. El used to tell me growing up, that if I ever got lost, to just pray to the circle and I would find my way home. As long as I can remember, she used to tell me that every time we were outside and could see the stars.” 

“And did you? Ever get lost, that is.”

“Once.” Theodore chuckled, even if it was nothing to laugh about. “I was a defiant young man, L’ubor. Angry, frustrated, aimless. Things weren’t easy and I didn’t make it any easier on myself…or El, for that matter. After a particularly nasty fight with one of the other young men in Boklad, I set off onto the road to Ran’dellah and somehow I must have taken a wrong turn, or I just disoriented myself. I was gone for nearly an entire day. I was an absolute mess. But when night fell, and I sought out the guiding circle, I knew precisely which direction I needed to go…and suddenly the nonsense I had spent all day mad about no longer seemed important or relevant. I just needed to get home and let El know I was okay, because I was sure she was worried sick. It was a harrowing experience, but equally eye opening. When I returned home, I committed to her that I would behave better…that I would do better. I knew she was counting on me.” 

“You are truly wise, Theodore. Greater men struggle their whole lives to learn such a valuable lesson.” 

Theodore felt L’ubor’s fingers seek his own out, threading them together and squeezing lovingly. He turned his head and saw him looking back at him. Those beautiful green eyes, glimmering with admiration and intrigue, the soft lips curled into a sweet, addictive smile. L’ubor was always smiling around him. 

The absolute radiance of him was beyond words, Theodore could scarcely take it. 

“L’ubor…”

“Yes?”

The words sat right on the tip of Theodore’s tongue. He shifted onto his side, propping himself up on his elbow. “L’ubor, fate…has gifted me a miracle that I will treasure forever. That miracle is you. You’re the first thought in my mind when I awaken, and the last before I fall asleep…”

L’ubor brought their intertwined hands up against his chest. Theodore could feel him beginning to tremble, though from cold or anticipation, one could only guess. 

“Logic tells me I’m being irrational, but my heart has never been more sure of anything…”

“Theo.” L’ubor’s knowing smile turned amused. He broke his hand free and reached up to cup either side of Theodore’s face. 

Theodore breathed in shakily. Even now, when all he wanted was to confess his love, he knew that he couldn’t truly be happy if he wasn’t fully open and honest about who he was—or rather, what . 

“I need to confess something to you, L’ubor. If I’m to truly admit how I feel…I need you to know something, first.” 

L’ubor, who quickly picked up on the weight of the situation, brushed his thumb over Theodore’s lip, the other over his cheek: a comforting gesture that helped to calm his jumbled nerves that grew worse by the second. 

“Theodore. Trust me when I say, openly and honestly, you can tell me anything. No jokes. No half truths. No secrets. Just you and me.”

Those magnificent, alluring eyes staring at him with such focus—Theodore could get lost in them. 

He took a breath, sighed resolutely. 

He was ready. 

“I’m…a bearer.”

Theodore expected many things: disgust, disappointment, even rage. 

What he didn’t expect was silence . 

“L’ubor?” His voice was suddenly so small, vulnerable. 

L’ubor began to ease away, and with him, went Theodore’s world. 

His heart sank into the pit of his stomach. His blood ran cold. What if L’ubor simply supported bearers, but didn’t want to be with one? Worse, what if he was all talk? What if Theodore had just damned his sister and their business to another? What if he had been right, and L’ubor was just using him to get to Eloise, to the Crimson Caravans? 

Anxiety swiftly clutched its filthy, oppressive claws around his heart. Theodore was beginning to panic. 

And then, like a resplendent beacon of light calling to him, Theodore saw a crackling ball of flame form out of thin air, and directly into L’ubor’s hand. 

He stared at it for a moment without fully managing to process what he was seeing. 

“A-Am I…is that your crystal? Are you cold? Oh, don’t hurt me. Please, L’ubor, I truly mean you no harm—”

“You and I share yet something more in common,” L’ubor explained. The licks of flame danced within his full control, warming the space between them. Their eyes met and L’ubor stated with a guffaw, “I am a bearer, too, Theo. Lest the orb of fire not be evidence enough.” 

As quickly as he summoned it, L’ubor extinguished the flame. 

Theodore acted on impulse then—he reached out and grabbed hold of him in a tight embrace, peppering him with kisses on his face, his lips, his cheeks.

“I love you. I love you, I love you…by the Founder, L’ubor. I’m in love with you. I have been since the day we met.” 

Awash in emotion, Theodore kissed him again. It was tender, loving, passionate in its own way but free of the hungry fervor that typically colored their kisses. Theodore’s heart thumped so hard in his chest, he felt it in his ears. To confess love was a huge leap. Even bigger was confessing love, with total honesty and truth. Theodore couldn’t believe his luck, but he wasn’t about to question it. 

“I love you too, Theo. As fiercely and earnestly as one possibly could.” L’ubor brushed the backs of his fingers along Theodore’s cheek. “Fate truly works in mysterious ways. Of all the treasures I’ve ever encountered in my life, you are without a doubt the rarest and most unique. I wouldn’t trade you for the world.”

There, under the moonlight, Theodore felt his spirit soar. The two embraced again, broken apart only when the chill of the cold night crept in on them more harshly. Theodore was trembling still, adrenaline or cold, he didn’t know or care. He climbed to his feet and helped L’ubor up to his, and together the two descended from the top of the caravan and toward the dying fire. 

“I say we call it and climb in the tent,” Theodore suggested. “Go on, get comfortable. I’ll be in shortly.” 

He felt L’ubor sidle up behind him. Arms wrapped around his waist and then, a tight and loving embrace. L’ubor rested his chin on Theodore’s shoulder. 

“I meant it, Theo,” he murmured against his ear. “You are my greatest treasure.” 

Left with that reassuring and beautiful thought warming him from the inside out, Theodore watched L’ubor climb inside the tent and, after dousing the fire and securing the leftover food, didn’t follow far behind.

. . . . .

“There it is! In the distance there, not far up ahead.” 

L’ubor peered out from inside the caravan and looked forward along the road. In the distance, he could see great Fallen structures that built almost a tunnel leading into what had to be Boklad. There were people milling in and out of the entry, and as they approached, he slid back inside the caravan and rested his head against the gently jostling wall. 

He heard greetings as they made their way through the entrance to the town. L’ubor observed Dzemekys in the distance as they went; the great falls always left him somewhere between stupefied and horrified. He wasn’t a proficient swimmer, and something told him that if ever fell in there, he wouldn’t manage to swim his way out…

To say he was tired was an understatement. Along their journey to Boklad, he and Theo had agreed that traveling first to Ran’dellah was the best course of action. There, they delivered the weaponry that L’ubor had commissioned and collected the coin. 

Once that had been taken care of, L’ubor immediately connected with his scouts, gaining valuable insight into the trends of the markets, into the morale of customers…and of course, perhaps most important of all, into the status of his parents. 

Maybe it was wrong to have a scout keeping tabs on them all these years. L’ubor, however, was nothing if not curious, and at times perhaps weak willed, though he would never admit it. He kept the reports minimal, or he at least requested them as such, because all that he ultimately cared about was that his parents were in good health and still living in Ran’dellah. Everything else seemed immaterial, irrelevant. 

Until the fall of Drake’s Fang, that is. 

Things in the capital city were not ideal. On the surface, they seemed fine. Beneath it, however, ran an undercurrent of uncertainty, of self-preservation. The upper castes were quickly abandoning ship for more stability, liquidating assets and planning their escapes. The lower castes had no choice but to remain, to try and navigate the confusing and uncertain times ahead. Naturally, L’ubor couldn’t help worrying not just for himself, not just for Theo, but on some level, for his parents as well. 

It was unsurprising to L’ubor to learn that they, too, were struggling to find their way since his father’s primary trade involved crystals. Now bereft of them and their mercantile weight, L’ubor had discovered that his mother, who was still a housemaid, had been relieved of her duties when the family she served had disappeared from Ran’dellah overnight. His scout shared detailed accounts of their whereabouts and their liaisons since the fall of Drake’s Fang and things had only gotten worse. It was mighty tempting to want to help them—but L’ubor tried to remind himself that he had actively left because of his magic, for self-preservation. If he suddenly showed up, it would surely destroy whatever fragile peace they had made with his disappearance. Ultimately, it would be selfish. And selfish though he was, he wasn’t willing to destroy another’s happiness for his own clean conscience. 

For their sake, he hoped things would work out in the capital. They needed all the help they could get.

“L’ubor? You alright back there?” 

Theodore’s voice snapped him into focus. L’ubor realized the caravan was slowing down and, after several moments, came to a complete halt. 

“Fine, love, absolutely fine!” he called, moving to peer through the window at the front of the caravan that allowed him to see Theo. He watched him hop off Scarlet, which prompted L’ubor to scuttle across the caravan to the back. Theodore popped the doors open not shortly thereafter, smiling at him. 

“Easily mesmerized by the sights, I take it?” 

L’ubor naturally readily agreed. No distracting thoughts here. None at all. 

“We’re just outside the shop. I need to unlatch Scarlet and let her get to the keep. Can I ask you to empty out the few crates we picked up from Ran’dellah?” 

“Of course. My pleasure.” 

L’ubor was grateful for the mindless work. He was no stranger to physical labor, but it had been some time since he had needed to carry crates of this size. It was truly no wonder Theodore was in the shape he was. He had scarcely removed the second to last crate before Theodore arrived, a jovial grin lighting up his face. 

“Come now, L’ubor, surely you’ve got the strength?” 

L’ubor held up his hands. “These are the hands of an artisan, dear Theo. An artisan, not a man capable of carrying—shit, it’s like it weighs nothing for you!”

In the time it took L’ubor to show off his hands, Theodore hoisted the final crate from the back of the caravan and carried it over to the shaded loading area just beside the entrance to the shop. He wiped his hands and folded his arms across his chest, that same grin plastered on his face. 

“When you do this regularly, it becomes as simple as breathing. But listen. The effort won’t go unnoticed. Now, uh…stay here for me? I’d like to let El know I’m back, but I’d like at least a bath and a nap before I go revealing that I’ve brought back my partner for life.” 

“Partner for life?” 

L’ubor watched Theodore’s grin fall faster than a shooting star. Both men turned toward the voice, a woman who could be no other than Eloise, Theo’s sister. The resemblance was immediately noticeable. 

“I, uh, oh. Hey, El.” 

“Welcome back, Theodore. What’s this about a partner for life ?” 

L’ubor admired her no nonsense approach. She looked nonplussed, and when their gazes met, he offered a polite smile and of course, an even more polite bow. 

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Eloise. My name is L’ubor.” Noting the flash of recognition in her eyes, he continued, “Yes, the L’ubor of Dalimil with whom you’ve been corresponding.” 

To his surprise, her response was to chuckle. She glanced at Theodore. “Oh, Theo. Don’t tell me he’s the reason you’ve been so excited about your trips to Dalimil?” 

Theodore looked to be in physical pain. The grimace on his face was cute—and L’ubor was sure Theodore might kill him for thinking so.  

“El, listen, trust me. This—this was not at all how I wanted to share this news with you, I—”

“If I may,” L’ubor interjected gently, awaiting their nonverbal approval, “this is a great story and I’m sure you’re interested to hear more, but your brother dearest here just mentioned that he’d love to clean up beforehand.” He forwent the mention of a nap because from the looks of it, Theo was quite awake now. “Given the time of day, perhaps this is a story best suited over dinner? My treat.” 

Eloise folded her arms across her chest. L’ubor could tell from the way she observed him that she was sizing him up; what, precisely, she was thinking was lost to him, but he knew the feeling of being judged all too well. He did it daily with work, after all. 

“Fine. You’re right. We’ve only got a bit of time before dinner, so come to my house in an hour. We’ll discuss then.” 

“Excellent,” L’ubor agreed. “Just an hour, then. See you very soon.” 

Eloise and Theodore shared a long look, gazes sending dozens of signals and then some, of which L’ubor was eager to crack the code. Siblings had this sort of relationship, he understood, although he hadn’t experienced the joys, trials and tribulations of having one. 

Theodore smiled nervously and, once Eloise was back inside the shop, let out a shaky groan and grabbed at L’ubor for purchase. 

“If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s me shoving my foot into my mouth…” 

“No foot in mouth disease here, my love. Simply a man unburdened by the oppressive weight of secrecy. I do believe that went better than expected. I remain optimistic. Don’t you?” Theodore grimaced again. L’ubor reached up and gently tugged on his cheeks. “You’re adorable. Come on. Let’s get cleaned up so we can dress to impress.”

“For my sister ?” 

L’ubor laughed. “Oh…oh, dear Theo. I can’t wait to see this side of you. Come on. Let’s go.”

Chapter Text

Theodore stared at himself in the mirror, plucking at the fabric of the bolero tunic he’d purchased in Ran’dellah. Not wearing his usual attire felt odd, but L’ubor had suggested dressing at least somewhat differently for dinner. Genuinely, the meaning was lost on him—he’d as soon have put his gear back on and been just fine. 

“Is this really necessary?” He glanced over his shoulder at L’ubor, who also had opted for different attire: a linen string tunic that hugged his figure well enough that Theodore was all too happy to stare. 

L’ubor noticed. Naturally. “Given that look you’re shooting my way, I’d say yes.” He chuckled. “But come now, isn’t it nice to wear something aside from that leather chest piece you’ve always got strapped on? You’re a handsome man, Theo, no matter what you wear…but this is a special event. This is an introductory dinner for me with your sister. That calls for something out of the ordinary.” 

“If you say so…”

L’ubor came up behind Theodore, staring at him over his shoulder. Fingers delicately but swiftly plucked at different pieces of his outfit, doing Founder knew what, until L’ubor seemed satisfied with how it fit. 

“There. Absolutely gorgeous. Radiant even!” 

Theodore turned and grabbed at L’ubor, pulling him close and kissing him. “You’re ridiculous. I see no difference. I’ve likely just messed them up. But it’s alright. I’m ready to go. Let’s do this.” 

Was he truly ready? No. While the idea of telling Eloise was, in theory, both necessary and important, now that he was presented with the ticking time bomb of doing so, all Theodore felt was anxiety and terror. Eloise’s opinion meant the world to him. What if she didn’t like or care for L’ubor? Theodore had never truly dated anyone, and in truth, he’d never considered himself the type. Beyond some flings for physical relief, no one had ever caught his attention enough. He didn’t know how Eloise would respond, what she would say…

The walk to Eloise’s was short, given that she and Theodore lived in small, side by side domiciles. He briefly knocked upon the door before letting himself inside, bringing L’ubor along with him. 

“El, we’re here.” 

“Excellent. Just in time, I was just coming to check on you both.” 

Eloise, who had been reviewing something in her notebook, closed it and stood up from the kitchen table. She hadn’t changed, which made Theodore immediately self-conscious, despite Eloise always looking more than presentable. 

She seemed pleasantly surprised by their attire. “Well now, look at this. Aren’t you a handsome sight, dear brother?” She approached him, fingers reaching out to gently tug on the sleeves of his tunic. Immediately, she turned her attention to L’ubor. “I take it this was your doing?”

L’ubor nodded. “Cleans up nicely, doesn’t he?”

Eloise chuckled. “Quite.” She looked back up at Theodore and patted his chest. “Given that confused and anxious look in his eyes, it’s easy to tell he didn’t make this decision. But it suits you, Theo. It’s nice to see you dressed like a civilian, for once.” 

Theodore tried not to make a face. His gear was functional and multipurpose. In the day to day of his life, it just made sense…

“I took the liberty of letting Goric at the Chirping Chocobo know that we’ll be coming, so he’s saved us a table.” Eloise started for the door. “It’s just down the road a bit, L’ubor. Best food in Boklad if you’re looking for a nice variety.” 

L’ubor rubbed his hands together. “Can’t wait. Thank you kindly.” 

The three walked alongside one another down the busy streets of Boklad, past several other residences and shops, until they reached the Chirping Chocobo. It was a pub carved into the deep red rock of the mountain, and inside its shaded space, the dimming heat of the evening sun was far more bearable. 

Eloise greeted Goric, with Theodore following suit. Soon they were seated at a round table, with mugs of crystal-chilled water placed in front of them. 

“Now, isn’t this a pleasant little hole in the wall? Pun intended!” L’ubor’s interest seemed to grow as his curious eyes took in more of the space. To Theodore, it felt commonplace and comfortable. He had come here so many times over the years, it held no secrets or novelty to him. 

“Goric, the owner, worked with some local miners to carve out this space. The minerals were used in trade, smithing, and any other various manner of crafting…” Theodore gestured upward to the ceiling. “They evened out the ceiling as well, got rid of all the rock formations, after one incident of a rock falling on a customer…”

“Truly astounding. And he’s been here for how long? This must have taken some work.” 

“The Chirping Chocobo has been here at least as long as we have,” Theodore explained. “But I don’t know exactly how long. Whatever it might be, it’s definitely a staple here.”

L’ubor looked from Theodore to Eloise with a kind, but mildly impish grin on his face. “And what do you love here, Eloise? What options do we have?” 

“Goric traveled from Rosalia as far as Sanbreque, and is a Dhalmek native, so he’s taken influence from just about everywhere to create some absolutely phenomenal dishes. We’ll start with the wildflower soup. It’s far better than it sounds, promise. But aside from that, you can’t go wrong with anything. Truly. I’m partial to the grilled sweetfish. Theo loves the seared bighorn flank.” 

“Both sound positively delicious. I’m partial to vegetable dishes, myself, though a hearty protein absolutely is always worth checking out…”

To start them off, and to ease the flow of conversation, L’ubor insisted on a quality wine that they could enjoy throughout the meal. Theodore was all too happy to let him take the lead on it. They settled on a hearty red from the vineyards of Sanbreque. Once their glasses arrived, L’ubor held his own up in a toast. 

“To what the future may bring.” 

“To what the future may bring,” Eloise and Theodore said in chorus. 

The three clinked their glasses and each took a customary sip.  As L’ubor set his own down, he turned to Eloise. “Now, we did promise you a story. In all fairness, would you prefer Theo tell it, I tell it, or we both share the narration?” 

Eloise appeared amused. She glanced from L’ubor to Theodore. “Surprise me. This I’m dying to hear. I still can scarcely believe it.”

L’ubor’s lips curled into a small grin. With a look shot at Theodore he began, “Well, why don’t I start. Suppose it’s only fair as I was the kickstarter. As you surely know, several months back Theodore was making a delivery to one of the merchants in Dalimil. Our textile vendor, if I remember correctly. I was admittedly smitten from the moment I saw him, and after an initial conversation I struck up, I realized that I absolutely needed to see him again. He had shared with me information on how to get in touch, of course, so I decided that I would make a proper order for myself…and, well.” L’ubor sipped his wine, satisfaction settling into his expression, “things seemed to progress from there.” 

“Aha…yes, I do remember the orders you had placed. More importantly, I suppose, I now vividly remember the letter you wrote touting Theo’s actions and performance. Silly me, I thought you were actually complimenting him on a job well done. We don’t get many of those types of letters. I should have realized.”

“Oh, I was complimenting him!” L’ubor retorted immediately. “He did quite a fantastic job. But knowing he had come with others, I had hoped mentioning him by name specifically would bring him back…and it did.”

Theodore coughed then. Both L’ubor and Eloise stared at him, at his reddening cheeks and his almost shy expression. L’ubor was right: he was enjoying seeing Theodore in such a state was highly amusing to him, even though it was torture for him. He would have to get L’ubor for this later. 

“L’ubor managed to convince me to visit the baths and some other places in Dalimil,” Theodore recounted. “We…well, we had a phenomenal time. It was amazing to see what kinds of treats the town has versus here, at home…and L’ubor has done a fantastic job of helping to get the town to such a high level.”

Eloise once again looked from Theodore to L’ubor. Her eyes were intense; Theodore caught every flash, every movement. She was clearly trying to rationalize what they had shared with her. Trying to piece things together as El was so adept at doing…

“We’ve been in correspondence since then. There have been some other more…impactful moments, but I daresay those aren’t necessarily appropriate for a public setting such as this. Perhaps later?” L’ubor watched as Eloise raised an eyebrow and slowly turned toward Theo. 

“He doesn’t mean that !” Theodore almost barked. His throat nearly constricted from the heat blooming up from his chest. “He just means…some other things…Ran’dellah. If that’s any indication. Some time back.” 

“Ah…yes, when you took some time off and spent a bit there. Understandable.” 

Theodore was beginning to think that letting L’ubor recommend a public place hadn’t been the smartest idea. There were gaps in the story, necessary gaps due to the delicate nature of what they all did, but they seemed to be causing more trouble than either of them had anticipated they might. 

“The fuller story may be better with a dessert, perhaps back at your home,” L’ubor suggested. “But in the meantime, that’s the short of it. Unless there’s anything to add, dear Theo?” 

Theodore cleared his throat. At the very least, this he could do. He could share his feelings freely. He sat up, straightened his back out, and admitted openly, “I’m very happy.” 

Eloise just chuckled. “Theo, I’m not blind. I can tell you’re very happy. I’m just glad you finally feel comfortable enough to admit it.” 

It was her turn to sip her wine. She observed both men for a long moment. Theodore was awash with anxiety thinking about what she might say in response. Eloise was truly no nonsense. When he looked across the table to L’ubor, he noted not a single bit of discomfort, or uncertainty. If anything, he seemed relaxed and comfortable. Theodore, meanwhile, felt like he was one drink away from passing out or falling face-first onto the tabletop.  

“I had begun to wonder,” Eloise began. At this time, their soup arrived. She deliberately waited for them to be alone again before continuing, “Something in your demeanor shifted a ways back. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to pique my interest. Your trip to Ran’dellah, coming back with new clothes…and now, this Dalimil trip by yourself. You rarely go anywhere without Nik or Van. The most damning evidence I believe was how upset you were when we discussed the Dominion trade issues and their impact on L’ubor’s orders, here…” 

“I wasn’t upset!” Theodore clamored. 

“Upset? For little old me?” L’ubor teased. 

“Oh, for Founder’s sake…” 

Eloise tutted in amusement. “He was upset. Don’t let him fool you. He jumped out of the chair, practically. Worried it would cause issues with your order. Naturally, now I understand why…vested interest, hm, little brother?” 

Eloise and L’ubor were chortling, clearly over the idea of Theodore’s frustration. He grumbled to himself and waved them off dismissively. It was immaterial, he told himself. 

Each began digging into their soup, and L’ubor hummed appreciatively. Theodore could only imagine he was enjoying the uniqueness of the dish. After all, flowers were a rarity in the desert, especially near Dalimil due to the lack of water, so the idea of cooking with them was likely rather foreign. In this instance, while no actual flower floated within the soup proper, it had been infused with the delicious flavors of hibiscus, rose, and lilac. Theodore knew the soup well. 

“This is remarkable,” L’ubor commented. 

“Yes. Absolutely delicious. Goric picked up this recipe in Ran’dellah, I remember asking him about it when I first had it. It’s very seasonal, but always a delight any time I can enjoy it.” Eloise smiled, but there was a glimmer in her expression, a sign he recognized too late. Before Theodore knew it she had zeroed in on him. She cleared her throat and reached over the table to squeeze his arm. “So, dear brother. You said he’s your partner for life. Am I to understand you’re in love?” 

It was Theodore’s turn to clear his throat. L’ubor probably expected him to stumble, given how he had acted earlier when Eloise overheard him, but hearing that word, love. Hearing her say partner for life…it was like a breath of fresh air that reinvigorated him. 

“I am, yes. Wholeheartedly.” Theodore stared across the table at L’ubor, adoration radiant and prominent. He could see the reflection back in L’ubor’s gaze, which warmed him from the inside out. He smiled. “I don’t say it lightly. I know it’s not a simple emotion. I…” he paused. “I’m sorry. Sorry that I didn’t say something sooner.” 

Eloise shook her head. “You don’t owe me anything when it comes to your personal life, Theo. You never have, and you never will. What makes you think you need to apologize?” 

“I should have told you. So you didn’t worry.” 

“Did I have reason to worry?”

“Well. No.” Theodore shifted in his seat. He cleared his throat, glancing briefly to L’ubor and then down at his soup. “I just meant that–I, just. I haven’t given up on the Crimson Caravans. I still want to work with you.”

Eloise moved to cup her hands over one of Theodore’s. She urged him to look at her. Her expression said so many things. Theodore felt himself awash in her compassion, her love, her care and her happiness. Eloise had stepped in to protect him when their own parents had failed to do so. He had shared this openly with L’ubor on their way back to Boklad after their stargazing adventure, and in turn had learned of L’ubor’s own complicated familial past. It had been a remarkably intimate, yet enjoyable and eye-opening experience for the both of them. 

Theodore chanced a glance at L’ubor, who seemed mesmerized by their interaction. As his eyes fell back on Eloise, he lowered his head. 

“You know I’m very happy for you, right?” Eloise said. “If you’re happy, then that’s all a sister can ask for. The rest we’ll figure out as we go. True love is a hard find.” She snorted in amusement and glanced back at L’ubor. “Though I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me in the slightest that you fell for a merchant. It’s in our blood.” 

Theodore was relieved to hear her words…until that last comment. He pulled a face, then shook his head. “Come now, El, he’s so much more than that.” 

“I’m teasing you , you oaf. You have such a terrible sense of humor sometimes.” 

“But so adept at defending my honor,” L’ubor noted with a sly grin. “Quite the gentleman, wouldn’t you agree?”

Eloise turned toward L’ubor. It was his turn now. “I’ll forego the obligatory demands and expectations of family, so long as you promise me two things.” She held up two fingers, wiggling each as she shared her points, “First: you take care of my brother and treat him like the king he is. Second, you pledge to keep giving me your business indefinitely.” 

L’ubor smirked. “Both very valid requests. You have my word. But I do have a request in return.”

Theodore watched the exchange curiously. Leave it to two merchant extraordinaires to negotiate in such an upfront yet expert manner.

“I want to steal Theodore’s company whenever I can, for obvious reasons…so when he brings deliveries to Dalimil, he gets a few days’ rest to spend with me.” 

Eloise didn’t even hesitate. “Deal.” 

L’ubor grinned, and Theo did too. “My dear Eloise. I do believe this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

Chapter Text

Later that evening, the trio returned to Eloise’s home to indulge in their desserts, along with further conversation. After such a brilliant display on Theodore’s end in sharing his feelings and level-setting with his sister, L’ubor felt it was only fair to offer up something similar. They knew each other were bearers. He knew if Eloise was also aware of him being a bearer, it could easily solidify a sense of trust and understanding. 

But quite frankly, he was scared. It was a completely unfounded and illogical fear, knowing that Eloise had absolutely no reason to judge him or hate him for it. Not after everything she had done for Theodore.

Still, he was scared nonetheless. 

As they settled in Eloise’s living room, he found himself subconsciously seeking out Theodore for comfort. He was sidled up beside him, not touching by hand, but their legs rubbed against one another and shoulders bumped occasionally. 

“We did promise to fill in some gaps as we enjoy these delicious honey tarts,” L’ubor started. He cleared his throat and glanced at Theodore. There was an encouraging look in his eyes, almost as if he were telling L’ubor to go for it. 

So, he did. 

“There’s a crucial piece to this story I need to share with you. I’m also a bearer.” 

L’ubor held no shame in being one. Truly, he longed to see a world where bearers weren’t treated like less than second class citizens. He longed to be free to live the same life that he did now, without the hanging fear in his mind that he would be berated, beaten, starved, abused, or worse—all of the above, just for being honest about himself. Theodore and Eloise were actively working toward providing solutions for bearers and L’ubor couldn’t say enough good things about it to, well, exactly nobody but Theodore. Until now. 

Eloise didn’t immediately respond. L’ubor didn’t like how it made him feel. Anxiety was too strong of a word. Uneasy, now that fit. 

“You’re a bearer?” Eloise asked. She turned her attention to Theodore. “Did you know before you two fell in love? Or was it a surprise, after?”

To L’ubor’s surprise, Theodore seemed poised and ready to stand on his defense. “I don’t see why that’s important. He is what he is.” 

“No, no, Theo, you misunderstand my intent.” Eloise shook her head. She smiled softly. “I’m asking because I just find it…almost poetic, is all. Imagine your surprise to find you have something so uniquely in common with the man you love.”

“Well…actually.” Theodore turned from L’ubor to Eloise. “I did confess to him first, that I was a bearer. I told him I couldn’t truly tell him how I felt until I was fully honest with him.” 

Eloise cupped a hand over her mouth. To both L’ubor’s and Theodore’s surprise, she began to cry. A wholly unexpected gesture that had L’ubor worrying they had overwhelmed her. 

Theodore leaned forward and retrieved the linen hand towel from the table in front of them and extended it to her. “El, are you okay? Why are you crying?” 

“Theo, all I’ve ever wanted for you is for you to live your life freely. Like all of us, you deserve that privilege. And I didn’t care if mother or father agreed, simply…simply because of you being a bearer. I promised you, all those years ago, that you would have the chance to experience life as it was intended.” Eloise took a breath. “The good, the bad, the ugly…all of it. I always…worried, I suppose, in the back of my mind. Worried that you wouldn’t find someone who could bring you happiness like you deserved.” 

“I was plenty happy, just the two of us, I—”

Eloise interrupted him with a hand held up. “No, listen. You were never one to enjoy the books, the mercantile trade. You have always been a man driven by his passions and righteousness. You were meant to drive change in the world in a way that I wasn’t, and I always admired you for it. The fact that you found someone who brings you a kind of joy that I know that I can never provide you, who can only add to the existing love in your life, it pleases me to no end.” 

L’ubor felt like a spectator, observing what should have been a very intimate and private conversation between brother and sister. Although he felt slightly out of place, he knew neither of them had made an effort to make him leave, which on some level meant they didn’t mind his presence. Or better yet, they invited it. He clasped a hand over Theodore’s leg and squeezed it lovingly. 

“We still have plenty of important things we need to accomplish, and I know you said you’re with me. Which is good, because I need you.” Eloise sniffed softly and dabbed at the corners of her eyes. “As fate would have it, the man who stole your heart happens to be a rather prominent individual who can only help us further in achieving our goals. The Founder blessed us. Blessed you, even if it took time to show. And now here we are.” 

“I think it goes without saying that I have no intention of selfishly stealing Theo away forever,” L’ubor ventured carefully. “I understand that the two of you have done some very important work and desire to continue to do so. On my end, there are many things I’d love to do for Dalimil to make it even better than it is now. I have resources at my disposal that I’m happy to contribute to the cause, if you’ll have me.” 

“Well, of course we will,” Theodore said readily. “Right, El?” 

“I’m sure L’ubor, you understand the importance of playing this the right way.” 

Eloise’s answer seemed to frustrate Theodore but L’ubor understood quite well. Influence and power were delicate commodities that needed to be handled with grace and diplomacy. He had his contacts. Eloise surely had hers. His network was strongest in Dalimil and Ran’dellah. Presumably Boklad was her strongest, maybe Ran’dellah just the same. He hadn’t been vetted by anyone outside of her and Theodore and the fact that he was Theodore’s partner likely wouldn’t sit well with her contacts unless Eloise could prove he not only talked the talk but that he walked the walk. 

“I remain fully at your disposal to ensure I can assist any way possible,” L’ubor stated. 

“And we thank you kindly for it. Your orders have made us a significant amount of coin to help fund a future project I’ve begun coordinating.” 

“Wait, what?” Theodore cursed under his breath and wiped at the corner of his mouth where a slick of honey had dribbled out from the tart. He blinked. “What new project?” 

“I had planned on briefing you when you came back from Dalimil, so I suppose now is as good a time as any.” Eloise pushed off her chair and began slowly pacing the floor in front of the table and couch. “Things in Ran’dellah have gotten quite terrible, as we know. There are many bearers who have lost their masters and have been consigned to the army, but it’s a terrible fate.”

L’ubor pursed his lips. The idea that these poor bearers would be made to go to war or protect Dhalmekia when they knew nothing of what could happen, was terrible. 

“It sounds as though you’ve another fate in mind,” he ventured. 

“Absolutely. I think that we could potentially buy these bearers from the army and free them from this awful future. I’ve only just begun to piece together the moving parts of this. There are still many unknowns that I need to figure out, contingencies I need to plan for…but yes.” 

Eloise had her back turned to them and her arms folded over her chest. When she turned around, she tapped her cheek and stared thoughtfully at the plate of honey tarts. 

“How many bearers are we talking?” Theodore asked curiously. 

“It’s undetermined at this time but it would likely be dozens. We would need a place for them…that’s one of the unknowns to figure out. One or two bearers in Boklad, sure, we can find a way. But that many? There really is nowhere for them to go. And some new ideas began springing to mind as we’ve been discussing.”

What she said next came as a pleasant surprise to L’ubor. 

“But as much as I want us to continue this conversation, I don’t want the evening to be overrun with talk about work or duty. This is truly a momentous occasion. My brother has fallen in love. This is excellent news. That is what I want to focus on tonight.” 

L’ubor laughed. He leaned against Theodore, squeezed his thigh again, and even gave his chin a playful, gentle shake. “I think celebrating that sounds like a perfect idea. What do you think, love?”

“An absolutely grand idea.” Theodore grinned broadly. “Let’s celebrate.” 

. . . . . 

L’ubor stared up at the sky with growing unease. 

Another sunless day. 

After a particularly worrying show of eikonic terror in the Dominion, Drake’s Tail had fallen in a dazzling destructive rain, and with it, went any semblance of normalcy that Valisthea could hope to have for the near future. 

L’ubor was the optimistic type; the fight had taken place overnight, so of course the sun would come in the morning. And while sure, it had, the fact that it was diminished and dimmed by a permanent cloud covering, a daunting and ominous gray miasma, only served to worry L’ubor further. 

What did it mean? What had Clive done ? What worse things were to come? 

People didn’t seem as worried as he was by it. And, in past situations where L’ubor’s concerns weren’t met with similar gusto, he did what he did best: gloss over it. Externally, at least. 

“L’ubor? We’d best bet going, otherwise we’ll have to call it an early night as we make our way back to Dalimil.” 

Theodore’s voice, though comforting, reminded him that his time here in Boklad was already coming to an end. Worse still was the knowledge that they wouldn’t be traveling the entire way together. Theodore would only be escorting him insofar as it took for him to break off and head further south to an abandoned fishing village that Eloise had identified as the potential future home for the bearers. 

It was all well and good anyway, as L’ubor had received a stolas just yesterday from Ferda saying that they were setting up for the mayoral review and he was needed for preparations, among other things. Ferda and Viktor had been pushing him at it for a while. It wasn’t the worst idea…

With everything packed, the only thing left to do was give Eloise a proper goodbye. In the few days L’ubor had been here, he felt they had grown close rather quickly. Close enough that he was comfortable giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek as part of his goodbyes. 

“You take care in this weird atmosphere,” Eloise insisted. “Both of you. You know I’d let him go with you in a heartbeat, L’ubor, but it’s important he scout out the village when he’s fresh, and as soon as possible.” 

“You needn’t try and convince me,” L’ubor admitted, chuckling. “It’s definitely the right decision. I may say differently in the future when he’s not around, but…” He reached out and tugged on Theodore’s holster to bring him close, wrapping his arms around his waist in a sideways hug. “Besides. Dalimil has a delivery coming soon enough. We’ll be seeing each other again in very short order.” 

Eloise laughed. “Right, that you will. Now.” She turned to look at Theodore. “You’ve everything you need, yes? Are you sure you don’t want to take Nik or Van with you?” 

“No, I’ll be perfectly fine.” Theodore shook his head with a grin. “Besides, I’d argue the last thing they want to deal with is me and L’ubor saying goodbyes. Be glad you’re spared that sap.” 

“I’ve got enough to worry about. Don’t go getting lovesick on me.” She patted an arm of each man, squeezing them affectionately. “Go on, get out of here. Be safe. Don’t do anything stupid or questionable.” 

“Why, I never,” L’ubor feigned offense, unable to keep a straight face for long before snickering. More seriously, he said, “Thank you though, Eloise. For being so understanding, so supportive. Theodore is truly lucky to have a sister who cares and loves for him as much as you do.” 

“And don’t you forget it,” Eloise said with a wag of her finger. She wore a briefly stern expression which melted into comfortable ease, if a bit wistful. “I’m just glad my brother found someone who loves him so deeply and so truly. Well, and someone whose talent with smithing can make us very rich.” 

Theodore laughed. “You two continue to joke about extorting one another, but I’m quite convinced that it’s all real…and one day, I’m going to be kicked to the curb by your new mercantile kingdom. Please don’t.” 

“Worry not, dear Theo. As I’ve said multiple times. You’re the real treasure.” L’ubor winked. “Eloise is an added bonus.”

Theo rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “I’ll be back before you know it, sis. Take care.” 

With their goodbyes behind them, L’ubor mounted one of the Crimson Caravan chocobos and rode alongside Theo on Scarlet back into the desert. It admittedly was a bit nicer than riding inside the caravan, and reminded L’ubor of the times he had traveled around the Velkroy in search of materials for his smithing work. 

As they traveled, their conversations took all sorts of fun, winding turns, from random memories to engaging stories about their pasts, including one of Theo’s that shared how he came to gain a scar that he had on his ankle. 

“An unlikely place if there ever was one,” L’ubor commented with interest. 

Theodore laughed. “It serves as a friendly reminder to not swing my sword round my feet or ankles during a fight…and certainly no posturing to try and intimidate. I made that mistake once. I’ll never make it again.” 

L’ubor was all too happy to keep the conversation light. The sky above served as a continuous reminder of malaise. To not be drenched in the sun’s blistering rays in the midst of daytime was foreign and bizarre. Theo seemed more concerned with what kind of mess he was going to find at the village. 

“What did you say its name was, again?”

“Kasjlok. It was once a fishmonger paradise, but a dragon drove everyone out of it some time back and nobody has been stupid enough to return and investigate. Until me, that is.” 

“I know that you love a good obstacle, Theo, but promise me you won’t go and take out a dragon on your own.” 

“No, no,” Theodore said with a snort. “Nowhere near that stupid. Some bandits? Wolves maybe? I can clear some of that out if needed. I’ve half a mind to try and enlist Clive if he shows up any time soon, depending on what’s there…”

“Assuming he hasn’t already made for Ash yet and aims to crumble the kingdom of Waloed.” L’ubor was mostly sarcastic but there was a nugget of truth in there. Who knew what Clive had planned? He wouldn’t put it past him to storm the shores of Ash and confront King Barnabas without hesitation. After all, L’ubor thought, look at what he did with Bahamut and the Empire…

“One can only hope he takes a break for some less heavy stakes, right?” Theodore was smiling and L’ubor humored him, although he felt absolutely no confidence that it would work out that way. Then again, Clive always seemed to be capable of finding trouble in need of fixing. 

As their journey continued, L’ubor felt Theodore growing more distant, distracted. They were nearly at the route of Laetny’s Cleft that would pull him away from him. Thus, when the moment felt right, L’ubor slowed his chocobo to a halt, eased off onto the ground, and waited for the inevitable question. 

“Everything all right?”

“Just fine,” L’ubor said. “But! I want a proper goodbye.”

Theodore raised an eyebrow. His expression glowed with the memory of their morning time together. “And how we passed time in bed today wasn’t proper enough?”

L’ubor chuckled despite himself. “You know what I mean.” 

Theodore nodded. He slid off Scarlet with the ease of an expert, moving toward L’ubor and wrapping him up in his arms. “We’ve got a little ways to go. You sure you wish you say our goodbyes now?” 

“I think it’s for the best. This way, you can simply veer off the path to your other one, no stopping in the moment needed. Besides.” L’ubor reached up and brushed Theo’s bangs out of his line of vision. “I can tell you’re getting distracted because you don’t want to miss the turn. I get it. Better we do it now than don’t.” 

“Always looking out for me. Truly a man worth loving.” Theodore leaned in and the two shared a soft, loving kiss. “Thank you for keeping me honest. I’m admittedly a bit distracted. I’m just hoping whatever happened…up there,” he gestured vaguely to the sky, “didn’t have some massively negative consequences down here. We’ll see.” 

“Remember what Eloise said. Don’t play hero . Run and live to see another day. No shame in that. I’ll be mighty sad if you do and something happens to you.” 

“Yeah, yeah…”

L’ubor kissed Theodore once more, hugging him close enough he swore it almost hurt. “I love you.” 

Theodore’s grin was brilliant and eye-catching. “And I you, L’ubor. I love you dearly.” 

That felt like a more than satisfactory closure. L’ubor smiled to himself and climbed back up onto his chocobo. Theodore followed suit. 

The road home suddenly felt so much longer…

Chapter Text

“We’ll definitely need to find support to get Kasjlok cleared out. The beasts are everywhere—but the good news is, the vast majority of the buildings, the functional elements and all, still appear to be in good shape. Granted, I could only see so much from atop the canyon…”

Theodore folded his arms over his chest as he spoke to Eloise. He had his back turned toward the road leading up to their shop, but he took immediate notice of the way Eloise’s demeanor changed. He turned, catching sight of the familiar, handsome yet stern face of Clive Rosfield. 

“Ah, Clive!” Eloise called out. “Your timing is impeccable. We were just talking about needing a man of your caliber and talents.” 

“And what, exactly, are my talents needed for?” 

Theodore let Eloise explain the situation to Clive, remaining silent for the time being. He carefully observed him, took note to see if he sported any more scars, any different gear, or even a different weapon. He felt as though every time they saw Clive, something daunting and dangerous loomed just around the corner. After all, Theodore was well aware that he had been the cause of the destruction of the mothercrystals—even if Clive had never outright admitted it. 

And ever since the fall of Drake’s Tail, the ominous dark skies above them had only gotten worse…

When Clive mentioned their desire to buy the bearers from the army, Theo chose to chime in. “Yes, we absolutely wish to buy them, and we have the funds…however, we have no place to house them. We’ve been searching and managed to find an abandoned fishing village nestled in a canyon. This is the perfect place for them to resettle, away from prying eyes that would see them enslaved again. It’s called Kasjlok.”

“That’s where you come in.” Eloise smiled. “We’re hoping to enlist your expertise with your blade to…encourage the beasts to go elsewhere. You’ll help, won’t you?”

“How could I refuse?” Clive replied with a shrug. 

“Excellent. We knew we could count on you. Now, Theo.” Eloise glanced at her brother. “If I could leave the transportation of our guests to you…as we discussed?” 

“Absolutely, El. Leave it with me.” 

Clive cleared his throat. “I’ll be heading out soon, then. Sounds like you’ll have your work cut out for you.” 

Theodore snorted. “Quite. It’s an entire village to stock and furnish. Even if I start now, I’ll be working day and night. Promise you’ll have the beasts cleared out before we show up with the goods, yes?” 

“Count on it,” Clive replied. 

The two men shared a handshake before Clive took his leave. Theodore watched him for several moments. Once he was sure Clive was out of earshot, he turned to Eloise and said, “His timing is almost supernatural, but I’m not about to complain. He’ll make short work of the beasts. That means I’ve got to hit double time speed with getting these wagons full of goods taken care of. I’ll check in with Nik and Van to make sure we’re all prepared to lead some caravans down there by tonight at the latest. Knowing Clive, he’ll be back before supper time.” 

“He does have supernatural timing, but it worked to our advantage and we leveraged it accordingly. Best thing we could do.” Eloise smiled. “Everything seems to be coming together. I’ll be speaking with my trusted friend before day’s end and, hopefully, we’ll be fully prepared to make an offer on the bearers by tomorrow. This is moving far quicker than I expected and I’m surprisingly relieved by it.” She shook her head. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I may take a short break to eat. Don’t let me keep you from preparations.” 

After a hug, Theodore waved his sister off and picked up his nearby list of sundries they required for Kasjlok. 

He was in for an absolutely grueling day…

. . . . .

Theodore checked off the final item from his list and started up the path leading to the Crimson Caravans’ shop. He was fully prepared to call out to Eloise and let her know of his triumph when he saw from the distance a familiar individual he had seen recently—an individual of the Silverpeak Consortium, whose intentions, while not exactly sinister, did leave Theodore feeling ill at ease and worried. 

He held his clipboard to his chest as he observed his sister and the gentleman from afar. While he didn’t know precisely what was being said, he had a general idea…

“Theodore?”

Theodore started. “Fuck! Oh, Clive.” Though he relaxed, he felt the adrenaline spike from surprise and it flooded his veins. “You’re back so soon. I trust everything went well in Kasjlok?” 

It had to be a record. Had to be. 

“It did. The village is cleared, and secure for the arrival of your wagons.” Clive’s smile was magnetic; something about the man always drew Theo in, it had from the first day they had met. While Theodore wasn’t able to completely rule out attraction as a possibility, he was almost sure that it was admiration and maybe even envy that he held for the other man. Clive was strong, great with a sword and he fought for what he felt was right. 

Yes, definitely admiration. 

“Thank you. You’ve done us an amazing service and I’m sure Eloise will have payment for you.” 

Theodore fell silent as the gentleman from the Silverpeak Consortium strolled past the two of them. He eyed him casually, which clearly caught Clive’s attention. 

“Do you know that man?”

“Yes…and no,” Theodore replied evasively. He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll explain later. Come find me down the road a bit after you chat with El. I’ll explain more then.” 

“…All right.” 

Clive didn’t seem exactly convinced but he let it go. The clink-clink-clink of his armor as he made his way to Eloise distracted Theodore long enough that he started down the road a few moments later than he’d meant to. Still, when he arrived, he set down his clipboard, fluffed Scarlet’s breast feathers affectionately, and then immediately did one final quick check of the more expensive or elaborate deliverables on both his list and in the goods crates. He had already confirmed with El that the wagons could go out first thing tomorrow if the green light was given, as negotiations with the Men of the Fist had been particularly harrowing thus far. 

Theodore knew that the gentleman from the Silverpeak Consortium clearly hadn’t been here to discuss that…

It wasn’t long before Clive rejoined him. Theodore put his clipboard and list down once more and gestured for Clive to come closer for a more private conversation. 

“I trust Eloise paid you handsomely for your work?” 

“Yes, but it was unnecessary considering how much good you all can do from it. She was insistent, though…”

“As she can be.” 

Clive grunted noncommittally. “You wanted to talk?” 

“Yes. I wanted to share more about the man from earlier. He represents the Silverpeak Consortium. It’s one of the bigger trading houses in Dhalmekia.” 

“I can’t say I’m familiar.” 

“That would make sense, you’re not Dhalmekian. Everyone in the republic knows of them, though. They operate everywhere here, and have plans to continue their expansion beyond our borders.” Theodore paused. “They…have been trying, for a while now, to recruit Eloise into their ranks. And judging from what we saw earlier, part of me thinks she may actually be entertaining the idea.” 

“You’d rather she didn’t, I take it?”

“No, no, I just…” Theodore had never been particularly loquacious, let alone articulate when it came to the emotions swirling around inside of him. He didn’t want Clive to get the wrong idea. “I’d rather she do what makes her happy. I know she feels we’re making a difference, and we are…but I don’t want her giving up her dreams just for the sake of what we’ve put together. It was never her goal to do this. She always wanted to be the head of a merchant’s guild.” 

Funny, Theodore thought, because wasn’t Eloise just saying the same thing to him about chasing dreams not but a short time ago…

Clive clasped Theodore’s shoulder and squeezed it. “You’re a good man, Theo. You love your sister, as she does you.” 

“And I want her to know…that she should chase the opportunities that present themselves. She’s spent her entire life caring for me and I want her to know I’ll be alright. You know?” 

Clive nodded. “We should always do what feels right for us, in the right context. I’m sure Eloise will make the best decision for her.” 

“Thank you, Clive. You’re always a willing ear and I appreciate you.” 

“Of course, Theo. If there’s anything else, you know you can count on me.” 

An idea sprung to Theodore’s mind then, eyes briefly taking in the dim, cloudy skies above. When he looked back at Clive, he said. “I have one more request, but only if you’re heading that way. Are you going to Dalimil any time soon?” Clive’s eyebrows raised with enough confusion that Theodore continued, “L’ubor, you see. I don’t really know any other way to say this, but…we’re together.” He gave it a moment, but Clive simply looked at him as if to say, go on. “I was hoping you might check in on him. He was here with me recently, see, to discuss something with Eloise. He sent me a stolas to let me know he made it home safely because I wasn’t able to escort him back. I had to scout out Kasjlok before we asked you to clean it out.” 

“You and L’ubor…interesting concept.” The sudden soft, velvet huskiness of Clive’s voice made Theodore squirm a bit. “Can’t say I’d have guessed it. Good for you both. But I’m not planning a trip to Dalimil anytime soon, I’m sorry to say.” 

Theodore tried not to look too disappointed. “That’s all right. No harm in asking. I’ll be seeing him in about two weeks when I deliver his usual goods, but I’m admittedly…very smitten.” Something about admitting to Clive he was in love felt awkward, would he care? “I’ll send a stolas and preemptively check before I go.” 

“My apologies, Theo. Were I heading that way, I’d be sure to let you know…but I’ll be preoccupied.” Clive didn’t divulge anything further. He didn’t need to. Theo could extrapolate what he meant. There was only one other mothercrystal, now…Clive meant to go to Ash and take on King Barnabas, himself. 

Suddenly Theodore’s problems and concerns felt so very small . 

“If there’s nothing else…”

“Oh, no. Thanks Clive, you’re free to go. Safe travels to you, my friend. Hopefully we’ll see you in Boklad again soon. Be well.” 

Theodore watched Clive as he made his way through the streets until he disappeared from sight. 

He had a lot to think about…

. . . . . 

L’ubor looked from Ferda to Viktor, feeling like his mind was being bounced back and forth like a ball between two children. Each man was making points and comments about the upcoming mayoral election, but for L’ubor, every angle had been discussed ad nauseum. With the help of Clive and Jill—or rather, Lord Underhill and Lady Jayne—he had done what many considered to be impossible, and had gotten Konrad and Natalie to not only agree on a plan forward, but actually implement it. Things were going well, insofar as L’ubor was concerned, and if he was made mayor to recognize his hard work and efforts, then so be it. 

All L’ubor could really think about was that Theodore had only just left , and he longed to see him again. 

His delivery from Boklad had come at the perfect time. L’ubor, as always, had been immediate in his reception of the caravan. He had made no effort to hide his affection for Theodore this time, which had earned him nothing more than some casual ribbings from his colleagues, and some complaining from Drika and Rens, who were convinced this meant L’ubor would have no more free time for them. Being open about his relationship was a comfort that L’ubor found himself more relieved for than he expected; while he trusted Ferda and even Viktor, Theodore offered a level of intimacy, of trust that couldn’t be equaled. 

L’ubor had been fast to ensure Theodore was given refreshments and relaxation following the long journey. On their first night together, Theodore had shared with him the updates about Kasjlok, about Clive, and more importantly, the news of their relationship being broken to Clive. 

I’m sure he took it hard , L’ubor had joked. He’s a dashing man who’s all wrapped up in our charisma. 

In reality, they knew the truth. Clive was so deeply and irrevocably in love with his companion, Jill, there was no room for anyone else in his heart—except perhaps his brother, Joshua. Clive was a complex man with a big heart and even bigger loyalty. L’ubor could respect it. Not that either he or Theodore had interest in chasing after him, even if they joked about it. 

L’ubor and Theodore’s time together had come and gone far too quickly. L’ubor had begrudgingly allowed him to leave, but not without the promise of a stolas upon arrival. He had also kept one of Theodore’s tunics, unabashedly proud of having knicked it his first night there. L’ubor had promptly slid it on and Theodore had noticed almost immediately. He let him keep it, albeit with a small spiel about abusing his power in the relationship…which L’ubor promptly forgot, of course. 

Here and now, in the present, L’ubor had opted to wear that very tunic while sitting here. Wearing the tunic reminded him that Theodore was never that far away, even if he felt like he was. Ferda and Viktor continued to ramble on and on about potential competition and information collected from scouts, which normally was enjoyable, but L’ubor really had had enough. 

“Gentlemen. If you’ll excuse me, I need a break from all this chatter.” He shifted in his seat and leaned back in it. “I’m going to go down to the forge for a bit and let inspiration wash over me. If anything new pops up, feel free to come get me. But in the meantime, I kindly request we focus on the more important goings on, as opposed to whether or not I’ll be made mayor. If it does happen, we’ll plan accordingly. If not…no harm, no foul.” 

“Master L’ubor, I implore you, if we can straighten out this nonsense with the league of outlaws, it will all but cinch your win as mayor—” 

L’ubor was already one foot out the door of his quarters. “Thank you kindly, dear Viktor, we’ll figure it out! We always do!” 

Even within mere moments of being out of there and in the open—if hot—afternoon air, L’ubor felt more invigorated and refreshed. Politics were stifling; even if he played them well, that didn’t mean he enjoyed them, or the game in general… 

When he arrived at the Briar’s Kiss, he noticed Drika and Rens outside playing at one of the tables Sava had set up for them. He greeted them with a fond ruffling of their hair and engaged to better understand what they were working on. 

“Just working up our endurance, L’ubor,” Drika said with a grin. “We’ve been waiting for Briar’s to have some less expensive materials we could try and make stuff with.”

“Future artisans of tomorrow…what a delight! Sava is keeping a good eye on you, I trust?” 

“We’re not touching the forge, promise,” Rens said with a mild groan. “Don’t worry.”

“They’ve been supervising creation,” Sava explained. “And organizing whetstones and other things. It’s been fun, right, children?” 

Drika and Rens readily agreed which brought a smile to L’ubor’s face. 

“Well, I’m glad to hear it. Keep up the excellent work, yes? In a few years’ time, maybe you two could take over for me. Or help Sava to do so.” L’ubor winked at his apprentice, who groaned and shook his head. “I jest. We’re all a happy family here. We support each other fully.”

“You’ll still work here even if you become lord , right, L’ubor?” Drika asked eagerly. 

“Lord?” 

L’ubor turned at the sound of a familiar, inquisitive voice. There, standing in all his handsome and brooding glory, was Clive Rosfield. 

“Clive!” he exclaimed happily. “To what do we owe the delightful pleasure of your presence?” 

“It’s been a while. I thought I’d come check things out after our last adventure together.” Clive rubbed the back of his neck. Though he didn’t exactly smile, L’ubor clocked amusement in his expression. 

“Why, things are going splendidly. We’re quite lucky here in little old Dalimil. Konrad’s and Natalie’s hands remain safely away from one another’s throats, and firmly at the helm! Our stores are full, and even the bandits are too disorganized to attack them, at least for now.” L’ubor folded his arms comfortably across his chest. With a smirk, he added, “Just as the good Lord Underhill and Lady Jayne intended.”

“A lord !” Drika said excitedly. She pushed away from the table and scurried over to L’ubor, staring up at Clive with wide eyes. “Are you a lord, too? They’re going to make L’ubor one, you know!”

“Oh really?” Clive asked, tone softening the way one’s often did when addressing children. He even hunched forward slightly and in Drika’s direction. “And why is that?”

“Because of what he did for Dalimil!” 

L’ubor snorted softly. “It’s mayor, Drika, and the vote hasn’t happened yet. Now, go play, you little menace.” 

Said with good humor, of course. He smiled at her and Rens, nodding toward the table. The children left him and Clive alone, at which point L’ubor sighed.

“Though. Speaking of menaces…”

Clive practically gulped. “Do tell.”

“There may be one looming over the horizon…I fear that us making our big showing of a unified front may have caught the bandits’ attention. I know I said earlier that they’ve been too disjointed to do much, but we’ve heard rumblings of a league of outlaws …and it seems to be growing more organized by the day. Ferda and Viktor have been keeping me apprised.” 

“I suppose this is where you request the services of a certain Lord Underhill?”

L’ubor’s smirk returned. “Why, yes! Precisely. You’ve read my mind. We need to ensure that any of those nefarious ne’er-do-wells across the Velkroy don’t have the opportunity to join this league, by finding them and…” 

He let the words hang. He didn’t want to discuss murder in front of Drika and Rens. Still, Clive understood him perfectly, and L’ubor smiled gratefully. 

“How could I refuse helping?” 

“A handsome do-gooder such as yourself simply can’t! You can find Viktor by the gates. He can fill you in on the particulars. He’s been a wonderful addition to the team here in Dalimil. He’s been receiving and collating reports from my scouts. So amenable, that Viktor.” L’ubor tapped a finger against Clive’s breastplate, a harmless gesture of affection. “He reminds me of you.”

Clive shook his head. “I’ll go speak with him in a moment. Before I do…” 

“Hmm?” 

“I thought it worth noting that I was in Boklad, recently.”

Holding a poker face was old hat for L’ubor. He nodded with an appropriate amount of interest. “On your way back through from the Dominion, yes?” 

Clive saw right through him. “Theodore told me about the two of you. I just thought I’d say congratulations. He’s a quality man, Theodore.” 

“My, my. Clive, you’re going to make me cry with this sudden sweetness of yours. And did you just smile ?!” L’ubor knew teasing Clive good-naturedly was of no harm, but he didn’t stick with it too long. He didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable. “Theo told you, hm? He’s quite the adorable sap, isn’t he?” 

“He asked me to check on you, after he had sent you back here…after the fall of Drake’s Tail.” Clive paused. “But I wasn’t coming this way at that time. I was…indisposed.” 

“Say no more, Clive,” L’ubor replied softly. Theodore had only just left and his heart was already aching, longing for his company once more. Whatever save-the-world nonsense Clive had been up to wasn’t of importance, not at this point. “It’s the thought that counts. And you’re here now, yes? Theo was just here, too. So consider me,” –he said with air quotes and a smile–“checked in on’.” 

Clive nodded. A look of relief crossed his face. “Good. I’m glad. I’ll check in once I’ve taken care of the bandits. See you soon.”

L’ubor waved Clive off, trying to ignore the pang in his chest that had decidedly come from the distinct lack of Theodore.

Chapter Text

“We’ve just about dispatched them all, my lord. Clive’s arrival was quite fortuitous.” 

L’ubor stared down the long road leading to the South Gate as Ferda spoke to him. Something felt…off. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it. 

“It was, indeed.” The words were elongated in his distraction, half-cocked almost. L’ubor eventually moved to stand and turned back to look at Ferda and Viktor.

The realization of why he felt so ill at ease hit him like a bag of iron over the head. “Have either of you seen the children?” 

“The children?” Viktor asked. “No, not since they ran off a while ago. I’m sure they’re fine, they’re probably at the Final Sting, or playing around in the streets behind the market.” 

They had gotten reports from the other parties, all aside from Clive. Funnily enough, Clive was the one set of bandits that L’ubor had absolutely not a single worry about. Still, something told him aught was amiss. L’ubor pursed his lips and set his jaw. He didn’t want to alarm Ferda or Viktor, lest they overcompensate in their zeal to help, which L’ubor readily knew was a good problem to have. 

Still…

“I’m going to go grab a pastry from Matej, I’ll bring you both back something. See you shortly.” 

With neither of his right hand men by his side, L’ubor made his way through the streets, peering around corners, checking nooks and crannies, seeking out all familiar hiding places he knew the kids loved to get into. He was foolish to have not secured them in his quarters before ordering an attack. What was he thinking? Worse, he couldn’t call out to them for risk of inciting panic or concern. Dalimil was small enough that if he were caught frantically searching for them, it would turn into an entire ordeal…

L’ubor crossed behind the baths, cutting through a narrow in-between that ran alongside one of the residential domiciles. When he popped out the other end, he heard it: the all too familiar screech of Drika. 

“Drika!” L’ubor called out to her. He chased the sound of her voice, happening upon a long stretch of sandy shore not far from the ravine. There, in the distance, making their way toward the gate were Drika and Rens, pursued by a larger figure with a scimitar held above its head. 

Drika turned her head in a panic at the sound of her name, nearly stumbling forward. “L’ubor! Help!” 

“He’s trying to kill us!” Rens nearly howled. 

Both children were running with all their might, but their smaller statures and even smaller steps meant the bandit was gaining on them rather quickly. L’ubor broke out in a mad dash, chasing after them with every intent of getting the children safely inside the town and the bandit within reach of the town guard. It was a valiant effort, but in the heat of the moment, neither Drika nor Rens ran in the direction L’ubor thought, instead turning heel to run toward him instead. 

“No! Children, go for the gate! Get in the town! Now!” L’ubor yelled. 

It was too late now. Their paths had veered off too sharply. Any attempt to course correct now meant they would surely be caught. L’ubor had to come up with a plan right then and there: hold off the bandit until someone from the town guard could come out and grab him. 

Where had this bandit come from? How had they missed him? 

It didn’t matter. All that mattered was that Drika and Rens got to safety. Both he and the children were close enough to a side entrance—if they could meet in the middle…

“Keep running, go for the side entrance, the one by the baths!” L’ubor had never yelled so loud, or so far, in his life. His chest burned, every breath of hot desert air searing his lungs. He could do this, he told himself. They were so close. 

Just as Drika’s sandaled feet slapped atop the cobblestone path, she nearly lost her footing. She reached out to Rens, grabbing him for balance. They were within a dozen yards of him by now. L’ubor was almost there. 

But that momentary pause was all the bandit needed. He caught up to them, laughing in triumph and waving the scimitar. “Filthy fucking brats!” 

L’ubor wouldn’t allow this to happen. These children had lost everything when Drake’s Breath fell. They had only just gained a semblance of comfort, of home, of family. 

“Oh, no you don’t!” L’ubor screeched. 

With his palm extended outward, he yelled and channeled his energy straight into a powerful surge of lightning which expelled from his fingertips and palm, crackling through the air with wicked speed. The bolt exploded on contact with the bandit, burning through his armor and piercing him square in the chest, just above the heads of the cowering Drika and Rens. 

L’ubor’s aim was true: he shot the bandit right in the heart, stopping him dead in his tracks. The man collapsed onto the cobblestone with a thump, allowing Drika and Rens the chance to finally catch their breath. 

L’ubor was so lost in the moment, it didn’t occur to him that he had cast magic without his crystal in hand. Or that there were no less than half a dozen people watching from the residential windows above. All he cared about was rushing to the children, falling to his knees and hugging them closely, fiercely, to make sure that they were okay. 

He cradled each by the back of the head, holding them close for several moments. “You’re okay,” he murmured. “You’re fine. He’s gone. The bandit’s gone.” 

Vaguely aware of the murmurs surrounding him, it wasn’t until L’ubor heard the rushing slide of feet coming to a stop just a few yards away from him that he chose to lift his head and observe. He’d never seen so many eyes on him before. Ferda and Viktor were both staring at him with abject disbelief. 

“L’ubor, you…did you really just—”

If Ferda’s struggle to voice his question was a slap to L’ubor’s face, what Viktor said knocked his feet right out from under him. 

“Oh, L’ubor. You’re a bearer .” 

L’ubor was grateful to have been kneeling. His legs nearly bucked out from underneath him as the dreaded words left his confidant’s mouth: you’re a bearer. Said in front of no less than a dozen denizens of Dalimil now, and the number kept growing. There was no way to comfortably or easily play this off. L’ubor’s crystal was securely placed in his holster and no amount of prestidigitation was going to make people forget what they had seen. The evidence was right there on the street in the form of a sizzling bandit. 

Once L’ubor moved to stand, Drika and Rens clung to either side of him. Truthfully, he was grateful for their support. Without it, he might have fallen over and not been able to get up. 

There was no sweet talking his way out of this one, no matter how hard he tried. 

He settled on: “Surprise!” 

Insults and accusations of all varieties began raining down from every which direction. Every word plugged into L’ubor’s sensitive heart like a well-crafted dagger. 

“Filthy lying bearer !” 

“He lied to us, can you believe it? Absolute trash!” 

“He’s going to kill us next!” 

“He’s not fit to run this town!” 

Neither Drika nor Rens should have been subject to this. L’ubor was more infuriated on their behalf than his own. 

“Why don’t you two go with Ferda back to Briar’s Kiss, all right? Will you make it okay?” 

Though both children were still panting, Ferda was quick to step in and help peel them off L’ubor. The two men shared a look, after which he sought out Viktor. His expression said it all: find Clive.

L’ubor took this opportunity to head back to his smithy through several back streets he knew all too well. He arrived before the children and, grateful for a moment’s reprieve, let the actual weight of the situation finally hit him. Nestled in the back near his forge, L’ubor bit back a vicious shout and instead slammed his fist against the stone wall. All that served to do was send shocking pain coursing through his fist to his elbow. 

Put on that brave face, L’ubor, he told himself. The road’s not going to get any better from here. 

L’ubor didn’t know how long he was back there, but thankfully, no one seemed keen on searching for him to begin with. When he revealed himself, he saw Viktor walking into Briar’s Kiss with Clive. 

“Now, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” L’ubor said in relief. 

“Viktor told me what happened. Are you all right?” 

“I’m all right. It was bound to happen sooner or later.” He chuckled a bit pitifully. “It’s funny, you know. I always keep a crystal on myself for such an occasion, and the one time I needed it…I forgot.” He took a breath and nodded toward Drika and Rens. “Ultimately, it is what it is. All that matters is that those two are safe.” 

“We’re so sorry L’ubor…” Rens whimpered. 

“We tried to keep running…” Drika’s soft wibble of a voice was on the verge of tears. 

“Ah, don’t worry about it,” L’ubor replied with a shake of his head. “I actually kind of enjoyed getting to play hero for once.” 

Not far, deeper in the courtyard square, one of the townsfolk barked, “Look at him! Talking to his betters, like it’s nothing!” 

L’ubor closed his eyes. Every word was like a slice of a well-honed blade against his back. He forced a smile, moved to stand, and looked at Clive and Viktor. “If you gentlemen will excuse me, I’m going to take a few moments to recollect. I’ve asked Ferda to keep an eye on the children. If you need me, you know where to find me.” 

It was the rare occasion where L’ubor shut himself in the storage closet of Briar’s Kiss, where he kept any matter of sundries. This wasn’t a place meant for prolonged human support, but it was a safe, dark place and Founder forbid, but if L’ubor suddenly needed a weapon, several were well within reach. He didn’t want to go back to his quarters. He didn’t want to leave Dalimil. Admitting to anyone that he not only felt terrified, but sick to his stomach, was a death wish. 

Even Ferda. Even Viktor. Even Clive. 

What he really wanted was Theodore. Theodore, who was ages away, blissfully unaware of the strife currently raining down upon his partner. Theodore, who with just a touch could make him forget the anxiety, if just for a moment. 

L’ubor took a shaky breath. He wasn’t going to hide out in here forever. He wasn’t going to give the townsfolk the luxury. No, if they wanted to be bigots, if they wanted to spew their hatred, they would have to see his face while doing it. 

He emerged from the storage closet and took a seat at the grinding wheel not far from entry to Briar’s Kiss. There was no way he could work under the scrutiny being volleyed at him, but he could at the very least find comfort in knowing nobody was throwing shit at him, and nobody had yet come over to hurl insults his way. L’ubor actually managed to dissociate long enough that he didn’t at first realize Clive and Viktor had rejoined him. 

“Ah…gentlemen.” Their expressions told him everything he needed to know. “The situation is hopeless, then?” 

“Not hopeless, but…” Clive trailed off unconvincingly. 

“But, perhaps not in this lifetime. Wouldn’t you think that’s fair to say?” 

Viktor protested. “You mustn’t think like that. They’ll come around. All they need is some time and some sense. We’ll make it happen.” 

Some time…

“Perhaps you’re right, Viktor. Perhaps that’s precisely what they need.” L’ubor stroked his chin thoughtfully. “The town needs to be suitably prepared and united for what’s to come. If they mean to stand a chance against the league of outlaws, or any other threat that faces them…they must be a singular front.” 

Viktor raised an eyebrow. “And just what do you mean by that, L’ubor?” 

“Ruzena would often tell me…that steel does not lie. It is a reflection of the smithy who made it. Her own roundabout way of saying to thine own self, be true. They see me as trouble now, untrustworthy. A villain. Perhaps I need to embrace that role, to give them something to rally against.” 

“Or,” Clive interjected, “You give them the time to rethink their positioning. Give them time to come to terms with what’s happened. Perhaps you, too, need to come to terms with it.”

L’ubor blinked. “Why, Clive? They’ve made up their minds. That energy I would argue is better spent elsewhere.”

“You’re being ridiculous, L’ubor, and you know it,” Viktor practically spat, the agitation in his voice rising noticeably. “This town needs you. These children need you. Don’t throw it all away because of one incident.” 

“Get another opinion,” Clive gently suggested. Their eyes met, and L’ubor’s heart ached again. Of course Clive would play the Theodore card. And rightly so. “Don’t make a rash decision, L’ubor. You’re better than that.” 

L’ubor sighed. “You’re right.” 

“Pack your bag. I’ll escort you to Boklad tonight.”

“Boklad?!” Viktor exclaimed. When realization hit him, he ran his hands down his face. “Ah, yes. Theodore. Perhaps he can knock some sense into you, you obstinate little…” 

Viktor seemingly had had enough of the conversation because he chose to stalk off, leaving L’ubor and Clive alone. 

“You don’t have to do this, Clive. I’m a big boy. I can go to Boklad myself.” 

“I’m not letting you travel alone. You need a friend right now. Someone who can keep you from acting irrationally. Come, now. Gather your things. We’ll leave soon.”

“Thank you.” 

L’ubor didn’t say it, but in that moment, Clive’s friendship was truly a light in the encroaching darkness. 

Chapter Text

L’ubor had never been more grateful to see Fallen ruins in his life. His spirits had uplifted the moment they arrived at Dzemekys, but it wasn’t until they got closer to the entrance to Boklad that relief really, truly washed over him. 

Even with days to think about what had happened in Dalimil, L’ubor felt he was no better off than before. He was damned if he did, and damned if he didn’t. Had he stayed, he would have been berated, verbally abused, potentially even ignored—all in the name of what surely the people of Dalimil would call righteous indignation. Choosing to leave, on the other hand, had probably appeared like the coward’s way out to them and didn’t serve to instill any confidence. 

At least leaving meant he got a break from them all, and a comfortable reprieve with the love of his life. 

L’ubor knew that he would inevitably have to go back. Clive had made good points on their trip that ultimately convinced him it was the right thing to do. But for now, he was going to listen to what his heart wanted. And it wanted Theo. 

They had barely crossed under the Fallen ruins before his eyes immediately trained down the road. He didn’t see Theo anywhere quite yet, though they were close. 

His eagerness wasn’t lost on his companion. Clive grunted softly before gesturing in front of them. “Go on up ahead, L’ubor. Don’t wait on my account. I’ll catch up shortly.” 

“Thank you, Clive. And thank you, for not judging my keen interest. As you know, it’s been…quite the predicament.” L’ubor turned and leaned forward on his chocobo, pace picking up enough that he made short work of the pathway leading to the caravans. 

And there he was. 

“Theo!” 

“L’ubor!” 

L’ubor trotted to a halt before hopping off the saddle and running straight for Theo. He nearly knocked him over in his zeal, arms wrapping around his shoulders and squeezing him with the affectionate tightness that Theo regularly teased him about. After a kiss, L’ubor eased back. The proverbial dark cloud was quickly dissipating from above his head. 

“Your stolas worried me greatly,” Theo confessed. “I wondered when you’d get here. You said you came with—ah, there he is. Clive!” He waved at their friend, who dismounted Ambrosia and walked her over toward them. “Thank you. For bringing L’ubor here, I mean.” 

“Of course,” Clive said. “I had intended to come back this way, anyway. It made sense to bring him along, given what happened.” 

The three of them knew this was by no means a topic for public conversation. L’ubor didn’t want to talk about it anyway, not really. The trip had taken a lot out of him and nothing sounded better right now than a comfortable nap with Theo beside him. 

“I’m positively exhausted,” L’ubor explained. He fidgeted idly with the straps of Theodore’s harness. “Might I be able to steal you away for an afternoon cat nap?” 

Theodore grimaced. “Oh, L’ubor. Love. I want to, believe me—but we’ve got some rather important work ahead to prepare for the bearers’ arrival to Kasjlok. In fact…actually, Clive. Do you mind going up and asking El how long we have until the trade is finalized? Me and the boys still have so many things we need to get transported down there, to make sure we’re fully prepared.” 

Clive nodded. “I’ll go ask. Be back shortly.” 

As he walked off, L’ubor smiled and reached up to cup Theodore’s handsome face. He kissed him again. “My nap can wait. This is absolutely more prudent. How can I help?” 

“Well,” Theodore began, “Nik, Van and I are taking another set of caravans down to Kasjlok today. With any luck it’ll be the last we need for a while. You could come with me, keep me company, then help us unload and inventory everything once we get there.” 

L’ubor chuckled. “Sounds like a positively wonderful time. I don’t care what we do, honestly. So long as we do it together.” 

Just as he was about ready to kiss Theodore again, L’ubor heard a rather irate woman grumbling to herself. He noted the direction whence she came and, with a raised eyebrow, realized it was from the caravan shop. He and Theo shared a look. 

“Yeah, I saw her too. That’s Vonni. She was working with the intermediary that El had for the bearer transaction. She didn’t look happy at all…come on.” 

Theodore peeled away from L’ubor’s embrace and immediately started up the pathway. L’ubor followed behind him. Once they arrived, there was visible, noticeable distress in Eloise’s expression that made L’ubor wish he didn’t have an idea of the bad news ahead. 

“Oh, L’ubor,” Eloise said with audible disappointment. “I wish we were seeing each other under better circumstances, but…” 

“Nonsense! Any and all circumstances provide an opportunity to become better. We’ll find our way.” L’ubor stepped toward her and carefully pulled her into a hug. “Your brother here tells me he recognized the woman walking away. The irate one.” 

Eloise sighed. “Yes. It…appears that we have run into a massive snag with our goal to buy the bearers.”

“Define massive,” Theodore ventured carefully. 

“The Consortium has made the decision to purchase the bearers.” Her frustration and agitation was near palpable; L’ubor’s discomfort on her behalf continued to rise. “They offered far more than we did and closed the deal. However, I believe we’re not out of the running yet.” 

“Out of the running yet?” Clive’s voice interjected curiously. He surveyed Theodore’s, L’ubor’s and Eloise’s faces, then raised his eyebrows. “Sorry. I was just curious.”  

Theodore growled. “But I thought we were the only ones talking to the Fist? How did the Consortium find out?”

Eloise put her hand on her hip. “Theo, think about it. It’s not so surprising, is it? They have eyes and ears all over the republic. Possibly even here in Boklad.” She sighed resolutely. “This is nowhere near over. They will need to sell them eventually, but considering the price they paid…buyers will be so few and far in between, they’ll be hard pressed.”

“Interesting move on their part,” L’ubor commented. He blinked. “Given the distress Ran’dellah is under, one would think they wouldn’t take on such an expensive and volatile expense.” 

“Yes, agreed.” Eloise paused. Arms folding over her chest, she said, “I’m going to go to Ran’dellah, myself.”

“El, are you sure that’s wise?” Theodore asked.

“Agreed,” Clive chimed in. “That sounds like it might be dangerous.”

Eloise smiled sweetly. “Are you offering to be my bodyguard, Clive? How kind of you. I plan to leave immediately. I know you’ve only just arrived, but if you want to meet me near the capital gates, I’ll be sending an owl ahead to get a meeting request in place.” She turned to Theo. “Theo, you go to Kasjlok as planned. We’ve worked too hard for this. Even if for whatever reason I fail to free these Bearers, there will be others. We need someone to keep the beasts at bay at Kasjlok so it’s not overrun again.” 

Clearly ready to make her move, Eloise walked through the group of men toward the path leading to the town entrance. 

As she did so Theo turned to her and called, “Oh…and that’s me, is it? El!” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Well. Fuck. I guess I’m on orders until she comes back from…wait a second. From meeting the Silverpeak Consortium…” Theo furrowed his eyebrows. “Who have been doing their best to undermine our scheme from the very beginning.” 

L’ubor chuckled. This of course drew the attention of both Clive and Theo, who looked at him almost crossly. “Sorry, love. I’m not laughing at you, promise. I’m laughing because, of course the Consortium is trying to undermine your scheme, and of course they got away with it…they always do.”

Theodore growled again. “Fuck them. You guys don’t think she’ll join them after this, right? I can’t see her wanting to work with businessmen who function like this.”

“You have to trust her, Theo,” Clive said. “I doubt it, but only she can make that decision.” 

“He’s right, dear Theo. Eloise will do as she is wont to. We have to support her regardless.” 

This answer didn’t seem to placate him. If anything, Theo seemed more agitated than before. The tension in his jaw was notable. L’ubor took the opportunity to reach out and grip Theo’s hands, urging him close enough to try and bring some solace and comfort to his frustration. 

“I need to go and finish packing for our final trip, so I can take the goods there,” Theo muttered. 

“Nap sounds pretty good right now, yes?” L’ubor offered playfully. He of course didn’t mean it, but he was putting his plan into motion. 

“I mean, yes. You’re exhausted. You need to rest. And I’m–” Theo frowned. “I’m likely to be rather poor company now, anyway. You’re actually probably better off taking a nap and getting something to eat than coming with me. I’ll be fine. Promise.” 

“If you promise ,” L’ubor said with a smile. He lifted Theodore’s chin up with a gentle nudge of his fingers, which made Theo smile back. “I fully expect you back here tonight, Theodore. Chop chop.” They shared a kiss, and Clive groaned. When L’ubor looked back at him, he winked. “Don’t be jealous, Clive, or I’ll tell Jill.”

Clive rolled his eyes, but there was the hint of a smile on his face. “I’ll take my leave now so I can go make sure Eloise is safe on her trip to the capital. Theo, safe travels, my friend. And L’ubor…rest well.” 

Once Clive had left, Theodore nudged at L’ubor and nodded down the road to his home. “I mean it. Rest .”

L’ubor tutted. “You’re not taking me back to your home? Tsk tsk. What kind of gentleman are you?” 

Despite a groan, Theodore obliged, and L’ubor was grateful. He could tell from the moment Eloise left that Theo needed a momentary reprieve, even if it was something humorous or dumb. Truth be told, so could L’ubor. When he stopped, even for a moment, the intrusive thoughts of why he was here in the first place began to sink in. While not having Theodore with him while he rested would surely be a rough time, L’ubor knew that the greater scheme of what the Crimson Caravans were doing was more important. He could wait a few hours longer to see Theodore properly if he wasn’t able to convince him of their original plan. 

They were soon inside Theodore’s home, with L’ubor snaking arms around his shoulders and pulling him in for a much needed, much awaited proper kiss. Theodore obliged in return, and for just this instant, the agitation and exhaustion on his handsome face withered away. 

“I hate to leave you when you just got here,” Theodore murmured. He gently rested their foreheads together, eyes closing and breath evening. 

“I could be of great benefit to you, promise,” L’ubor murmured. “Just let me sleep in the caravan and I’ll be fresh as a daisy once we arrive in Kasjlok. Then I can assist with inventory and disbursement like we discussed…yes?” 

Theodore hummed thoughtfully. “Will you really be able to sleep in the caravan though? It’s going to be packed back there. Nik and Van will be running their own wagons, too. You won’t be able to lie down in any of them…” 

“I’ve slept upright in a closet before, Theo. Even just a twenty minute power nap ought to sustain me long enough for us to get Kasjlok in order and then come back. I…” Don’t want to be left alone with my thoughts , he finished in his head. “It will be fun. How often do we get to travel and work together like this?” 

Theo finally relented. Hugging L’ubor close in a tight and loving embrace, he kissed at his temple and said, “Fine. Fine, you can sleep peacefully in the caravan and I’ll wake you when we arrive if you’re not up by then.” 

Something about his response and the way he held him led L’ubor to believe that Theodore maybe understood his trepidation without him having to actually share it. Whatever the case was, L’ubor was relieved he didn’t have to sit around for hours with no Theo, no Eloise, even no Clive. He liked Boklad, and he could keep himself busy if he needed to, but…this was far better. 

The two men went about finalizing the inventory in each caravan and setting up a proper game plan with Nik and Van once they arrived. This particular shipment was for the domiciles: linens, pillows, rugs, and other such things for comfort, in addition to storage crates, wardrobes and clothing. In Theodore’s wagon, graciously, were the linens and pillows, along with a number of tunics, sarouels, sandals and gloves for the wardrobes. 

As L’ubor climbed into the back of the Theodore’s wagon, he was careful not to completely dismantle the hard stacking work Theo and his men had completed. Luckily for him, there was enough room on the sitting bench that ran along the left hand wall to comfortably drop himself atop it and figure out how and when he planned to sleep. Kasjlok was a distance away, but not so distant that a day trip was impossible. 

“It’s like you knew exactly what I needed,” L’ubor teased as he stood outside the coach. 

Theodore’s hands were on the door latches. His wicked, playful grin gave away the nature of his comment. “You can bet all that and more, love. Now, I do hope you’re ready. The road’s bumpy and you know Scarlet, she does prefer a quick pace. We’ll be passing through the Cleft, which you remember is quite uneven terrain.” 

“Yes. You’re right…let’s see how it goes.” 

Once the doors to the wagon shut and L’ubor heard the latches lock securely into place, he peered out the small rectangular window across from him. The gray sky seemed so bleak. Was it wrong of him to hope Clive went back to saving the world after he helped Eloise? L’ubor was beginning to miss seeing the sun…

“Off we go, men! Let’s make this trip worth it, yeah?” Theodore’s voice filled his ears and made L’ubor smile faintly. “Last one there’s a rotten egg!”

L’ubor felt the wagon kickstart. A few side-rocks later and they were off at a comfortable pace. Once again seated, he felt the all too familiar ache of exhaustion as it pulsed through his being, framing his vision in dark flashes with every slowing beat of his heart. Soon the heaviness of his lids coaxed his eyes more and more shut, until before he knew it, L’ubor was fast asleep. 

“Ho, boys! There it is. Easy down the canyon now. Remember what happened last time.” 

Theodore’s voice stirred L’ubor awake. He blinked blearily, rubbing at his eyes. When he shifted, he felt the familiar sweaty stickiness that often accompanied day naps. He undid the wrapping around his head, tousled his hair, then gave the banding a few firm shakes. It wasn’t soaked, but there was visible perspiration around where his hairline was. L’ubor folded it anew before wrapping it around his head once more. His body ached, which was to be expected considering how he’d fallen asleep. He eased across the wagon to peer his head out the window. From the looks of it, they were descending into a canyon. 

Theodore had mentioned Kasjlok was nestled safely in a canyon near a river. The sound of running water wasn’t far. Had they already made it? Naturally he looked up to the sky to try and gauge the sun’s location, to no avail.

“Theo, love, are we already here?” he called, upper torso hanging out from the window. 

Theodore turned to glance back at the caravan with a dashing grin. “Ah, my sleeping prince, you’ve awoken. Yes, we’re almost to Kasjlok.” As he turned around, Theo guided Scarlet carefully down the incline, and L’ubor felt the stress of the wagon and its associated weight. He went back to his space and things seemed to balance out well enough that the cart righted itself once more. 

“We’ll be stopping shortly,” Theo announced. “Almost to the town square. Nik, Van, how are you feeling?” 

Their conversation faded from focus. L’ubor was pleasantly distracted by the sight. Kasjlok wasn’t that dissimilar to Dalimil from the initial looks of it. There was still plenty of work to do, as while there were supplies, there was still a fair amount of detritus to be cleaned up or organized. However, the village was habitable…and that was truly half the battle. 

The carriage soon came to a stop. L’ubor awaited Theodore opening the latches and peeling open the doors. Once he did, L’ubor climbed out and onto his feet, stretching long and wide to let his muscles move. He smiled brightly at Theodore and his men. “What a gorgeous village we have here. Just imagine what it will look like in due time with a solid population of people to care for it.” 

“Hopefully sooner, rather than later,” Theodore replied. He nudged L’ubor’s shoulder and squeezed it affectionately before stepping past him to begin pulling things out from within. “We’ve got our work cut out for us. We need to put one of each of these storage chests and wardrobes by the houses, then they need to be filled with the linens and clothes. L’ubor, can you lift these?”

Theodore gestured to the storage crate. L’ubor stared at it for a moment before figuring he might as well give it a try. He cracked his knuckles, gripped the handles and then lifted. It wasn’t the cleanest lift, and while he stumbled a little to pull it out of the carriage, L’ubor was proudly able to carry it at least a few yards to the front of one of the houses.  

Theodore chuckled. “Tell you what. We’ll handle the crates. You can help collate and organize the clothes and linens. If you can pre-pile them in groups, you’ll make it much easier when the time comes for us to stock them. Sound good?” 

“I suppose.” L’ubor was mildly agitated. He remembered the joke he’d made to Theodore about his hands being artisan hands, but this, really? Not even being able to lift a storage crate without an issue? It was absolute nonsense. 

Theodore, Nik and Van went about developing an assembly line of pulling the storage crates out of the caravans and distributing them around the residential area of the village. Next came the wardrobes. Despite the gloomy gray sky above, a few birds flew overhead, with enough flock noises and squawking that for a moment, L’ubor felt like he was home. 

He did as Theodore had asked of him, separating the linens and ensuring each pile had at minimum one adult outfit. He also included the linens and the pillows. He was pleasantly surprised to see just how much The Crimson Caravans had provided for these bearers. Eloise and Theodore were truly setting this place up to be something more for them, which made L’ubor feel all the better about helping. 

On a return trip to the caravan to pull out more linens and clothes, L’ubor heard something in the distance. It wasn’t the familiar squawking or cawing of birds, but it was beastly. With a blink, he turned around and, to his surprise, coming down the canyon path was a pack of wolves–far more than he was used to seeing so close to a settlement. They moved with an eerie purpose, as if being corralled or led by something. 

And then he heard it: the terrifying screech of a dragon. Its menacing warning cry gave way to a rumbling on the cliffside. The dragon soon appeared above, its long neck dipping over the canyon’s edge as it dug its claws into the dry, exposed earth. 

“DRAGON!” Nik hollered. He pointed up at it with a horrified expression on his face. 

“N-Not just the dragon. Look!” Van’s trembling exclamation was only the beginning of his own terror; he pointed down the opposite end of the canyon, along the riverside, from where an aetherial blue mist began to grow. “Is that–is that an aetherflood?!”

L’ubor immediately sought out Theodore’s gaze. Their eyes met. Even as fear began flooding his system, L’ubor knew they were going to have to fight if they wanted to get out of this alive. 

This wasn’t going to be pretty.

Chapter Text

“Fucking hell!” 

Theodore barely had time to drop the crate in his grip before he was lunging forward toward L’ubor, unsheathing his sword and entering battle stance. One of the wolves had its eyes dead set on them but he felled the beast with a furious swipe of his blade. Its pained shriek gave way to deadened eyes and a pool of blood as it landed on the dirt path before them. 

Theodore reached out for L’ubor, whose green eyes were wide with surprise. “Are you all right?”

“Fine, fine. Unexpected sight, that, but don’t worry about me. I’ll be fi– Founder !”

L’ubor grabbed Theodore and pulled them to the side. Another one of the wolves had attempted to lunge at them. L’ubor, quick on his feet, threw out his hands and launched a powerful bolt of lightning that arced through the air, then blasted the wolf in the flank. It howled, tumbled over from the force of the blast, and scrambled off in the direction of its pack. 

Nik, who had a pair of daggers at the ready, rushed up to the two of them with a confused look on his face. “Did he just–” 

“Yes, he did,” Theodore said, tone sharp and clearly indicative that this was a conversation for later. 

“Guys, we have a bigger fish to fry right now!” Van gestured up to the cliffside. 

All three other men followed his attention. There, the dragon spread its massive wings, flapping them with the obvious intent to launch itself into the air. The force of wind generated from its movements caused several large boulders of dirt and debris to crumble off the cliff and roll down the canyon toward them. 

“MOVE NOW!” Theodore yelled.

All four ran in different directions: L’ubor, toward the nearest home; Nik and Van, deeper into the village square, and Theodore, along the riverside. He fought to keep his eyes trained on the dragon as it took flight, but as he did so, he couldn’t help getting closer to the trinklings of aether that lingered in the air. Being a bearer, Theo knew he would be safe from it, if just for a little while. But he could feel it…

He needed to get the dragon away from his men, away from L’ubor . He would never forgive himself if it harmed any of them.

“Get word back to Boklad, we need Clive!” Theodore ordered. He waved his arms in the air to draw the dragon’s attention. “Nik, Van, I don’t care which, GO! NOW!”

“You’re mad!” Nik barked. “We’re not leaving you!”

“He’s not alone!” L’ubor shouted. To Theodore’s surprise, L’ubor felled two more wolves with precisely aimed bolts of lightning which disintegrated chunks of their faces, leaving them debilitated and scared. The wolf pack, clearly wary and frightened of the men’s prowess, began their retreat quickly back up along the canyon path.

“GO!” Theodore yelled again. “I’ll hold the dragon’s attention until he comes. Clive will be quick, I’m sure of it!” 

Neither Nik nor Van made a movement until Theodore met their gaze and hollered, “That’s an order !” Pulling rank wasn’t something he relished doing, but in moments like these, every second counted. 

In the end, it was Nik who saddled up and rushed back toward Boklad. Van stayed, his short sword at the ready as he rushed to Theodore’s side. Above, the dragon circled several times before opting to land on the other slide of the canyon. It hit the ground with a terrifying roar, heat erupting from its maw and spewing in several large fireballs that blasted toward them. 

Theodore growled furiously, sword dropping and hands extending. It had been so long since he had used any sort of magic, all he could hope was that his sheer force of will and absolute resolution would be enough.

Ice formed from the aether in the air, forming a large circle in front of his hands. All at once frost spewed from within it, meeting the fireballs head on and causing an explosion mid-air that ended with crumbling ash and rock raining to the ground. 

“You too?!” Van practically whimpered. When Theodore shot him a look that was nearly as cold as the frost he’d summoned, Van amended, “I’m not judging, not mad, just surprised, is all! Promise!” It took him a moment, but Van’s resolve renewed, and he raised his shortsword to point at the dragon. 

“We need to get it away from Kasjlok!” 

“Um, gentlemen, not to be the bearer of bad news, but–” L’ubor pointed behind them, toward the canyon, where once more the wolf pack seemed to be descending with renewed intent. “We’ve got trouble in both directions!”

“Van, L’ubor, I need the two of you to deal with the wolves. I need to get the dragon away from here. It could do serious damage to the village. It almost just destroyed one of the buildings.” As if on cue, the dragon roared again, taking flight. Theodore looked up, then looked at Van…then at L’ubor. The worry in his eyes gave Theo pause. “L’ubor, listen, I’ll be fine. I won’t do anything stupid. I simply will lead it away, upriver…until Clive can come and help us.”

“Promise me,” L’ubor said. For the first time in knowing one another, Theodore heard a hesitation in his voice, an ache. It was the worry of loss. 

Now was absolutely not the time for a grandstand, he told himself. Still, he stepped close to L’ubor, gripped his hand, brought it to his lips and kissed it. “I promise. No stupid antics. I love you.” 

“I love you too.” 

L’ubor embraced him firmly. Its warmth washed over Theodore, imbuing him and strengthening his resolve. 

“Uh, guys, can we–maybe do this later?” Van lunged forward and swung his shortsword at one of the wolves that dared to lunge at them. “Romance is sweet and all, but living to see another day is a lot more romantic !” Another lunge. 

Without hesitation, L’ubor and Theodore both aimed their joined hands at the wolf pack. A powerful kinetic blast rippled through the air, lifting them off their feet and sending them flying back in several different directions. When Theodore pulled back, he shot a fireball at the dragon, which caught its attention and earned a fierce shriek. He began to run. 

“Come back safe!” L’ubor ordered him. 

“Always!” came Theodore’s reply. 

L’ubor and Van shrank further and further from Theodore’s view as he ran upriver. He had never gone this way before, so he had no idea what to potentially expect. He knew the dragon was still engaged with him because he could see it and hear it above. What he didn’t expect, however, were the creatures on the ground…

Theodore nearly stumbled over an enlarged scorpion with portions of its chitinous shell glimmering blue. The aether in the air was growing progressively thicker. This creature must have been transforming in real time. With a holler of effort he jammed the tip of his blade into the beast’s head, shielding himself from the onslaught spray of guts and blood. Withdrawing his blade he continued running, only to encounter a deranged beast which had come from a deformed plant. Its tendrils sought to wrap around his ankles and legs, but with proper bladework and a well-timed scorching blast, he made short order of it. 

Adrenaline allowed him to ignore the fatigue gathering not only in his muscles, but in his chest and head. Using magic in an aether-rich environment typically was simply redirecting the aether. For Theo, who did this so sparingly, it felt more like he was conjuring it directly from within himself instead of taking advantage of the ambient supply.  

He soon came across a large clearing beside the river. With a loud, aggressive holler he managed to draw the dragon’s attention from above. He half-expected it to crashland on the cliffside again, to rain fireballs down on him, but to Theodore’s unexpected horror, it chose to crash land directly onto the landing proper. This close, its size was not only intimidating, it was downright imposing. Theodore gulped as the dragon dug its huge, thick claws into the ground, as it spread its large, sinewy wings…it then reared itself up and released an ear-shattering roar that made him drop his sword to cover his ears. The sound was absolute agony.

He was no match for a dragon. Not by any stretch of the imagination. He hurriedly gathered his blade from the ground and fell back several paces, watching the dragon as intently as it watched him. All the while, the aether in the clearing grew thicker, its mystical blue glow creating a near fog that seemed to be confusing the dragon. 

Until realization doused over Theodore like a shower of chilling cold water… 

“Oh, Founder… ”

Bit by bit, across different pieces of the dragon’s body, began to appear small sheens of bluish silver. The dragon hissed in notable discomfort, in confusion. It shot a steady plume of flames directly into the air and took several bumbling steps forward. 

It was turning Akashic. 

“Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck…” Theodore tried to stay quiet. The dragon seemed to have forgotten he was there, since he had stopped moving and had stopped making noise. Whether or not it was true, he wasn’t willing to find out. 

Air caught in his lungs with every rise and fall of his chest. 

It was growing harder to breathe…

Theodore took a chance. Focusing intently on a nearby tree close to the dragon, he zeroed in on one of the branches. With a swish of his hand, he willed the swirling aether to ignite. The branch caught aflame with a snapping hiss which forced the dragon to look in its direction. Theodore used the distraction to hunch down and practically scuttle under the protective splay of the aetherial mist, allowing him to secure safety behind a nearby rock formation. Theodore fell against it and let go of the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding, again struggling to pull in adequate air. 

He hoped he was far enough away from the dragon that he didn’t make noise to draw its attention. As much as Theodore hated the flood, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat grateful for it. After several moments of uneasy quiet, Theodore peered out from around the rock, but getting a solid visual of the dragon through the thickening mist was proving to be harder and harder as time went. It seemed to have stopped its destructive behavior…for now. 

In one more attempt to keep the dragon focused on the clearing, Theodore turned his eye toward one of the hounds that had come up from the river shoreline not far away. With a grunt of effort, he forced a kinetic blast behind it. It yelped in surprise, lost its footing and tumbled forward toward the dragon. Theodore watched the dragon make short work of the hound, trapping it quickly in its maw, chewing it up and spitting it out. When he was sure the dragon wasn’t about to make a move again, he returned to resting behind the rock–only to be met with the unbelievably horrific sight of another malformed scorpion within arm’s reach. Theodore couldn’t help himself; he yelled in surprise and shot up immediately, revealing his hiding place to the agitated dragon that immediately responded with vicious intrigue. Theodore scrambled out from behind the rock formation and slew the Akashic scorpion with a few swift and decisive movements from his sword, but it left him feeling increasingly weak. He was panting, struggling to function properly. Was this the aetherflood, stress, a mix of both? He couldn’t be sure. All he knew was that he needed to find a way out of the aetherflood. He couldn’t be here for too long… Even bearers would be irrevocably distorted over time.

Clive, where are you? Theodore thought desperately. None of them here were matched for a dragon . 

He looked down at his hands. Aether swirled around them, in them, even through them. The sensation felt indescribable—like a tingle, almost, that permitted him to get what he wanted when he asked for it. 

Against his better judgment, he balled his hands into fists, then vowed to leverage the abundance of aether…he took the opportunity to blast the dragon with a stream of jet cold ice that sent it rearing on his hind legs and roaring angrily. Its massive wings flapped frantically and soon the creature was airborne. Theo watched as it disappeared somewhere over the canyon. He’d scared it away, sure, but he—

“Ah, FUCK!”

A very sudden, sharp pain shot up Theodore’s left leg. He collapsed forward into the dirt and caught sight of an Akashic hound that had bitten him in the calf. Another must have come up from the shore. The pain was excruciating; Theodore pulled his leg up against himself and fought to grab at his sword, but it was out of reach. The hound growled aggressively, mindlessly. The sight was horrifying. 

Was this it? Theodore wondered. Was this how he was going to die? At the hands of a fucking hound, when he’d survived a dragon attack? 

Bleary eyed, light headed from the aether, and overwhelmed by the surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins, he still tried to fight through, kicking at the beast with his good leg. It lunged at him and he managed a fair kick in the jowl, sending it skittering back. He hollered a raging and infuriated cry, trying again to grab for his sword. He nearly had the hilt…

In his desperate attempt to arm himself, Theo looked away just long enough to permit another strike by the hound; he cried out in agony as he felt fangs dig into his booted ankle. The shock of it left him near breathless. He fell flat against the earth, body trembling, head spinning from the aether. 

The last thing he heard before his consciousness gave way was the echo of a familiar holler. 

L’ubor…

Chapter Text

Theodore groaned. His entire body ached . The sensation was so deep, he felt it in nearly every fiber of his being. Even the act of just awakening, just breathing , felt monumental. He took several deep, shaky breaths before even attempting to open his eyes. The blistering light made him groan and turn away. 

“Clive. Clive, he’s awake. Go get Eloise. Go!” 

L’ubor…

Theodore forced his eyes to train focus as he turned toward the familiar voice of his partner. There he was, sitting beside him. That beautiful face…

“Sight for sore eyes,” Theodore murmured, voice cracking slightly. 

“Oh, thank the Founder. You’re awake! You’re awake. Theo…”

Theodore felt sudden pressure atop him that he soon registered properly as a hug. He lifted his arms, grateful they seemed to be working just fine, and hugged back, albeit with less intensity. When L’ubor sat back down, Theodore knit his brow. 

“What…happened?”

L’ubor took firm hold of one of Theodore’s hands, squeezing tightly. Theodore glanced down to it, noticing he was bare from the waist up. Not only that, but there were small marks across his skin, speckles of bluish silver and white. He noted one on the underside of his forearm, then one upon his chest. 

Theodore tried to sit up but L’ubor urged him back down. There was a seriousness in his expression that gave him pause. 

“Shh. Theo, love. All in time, I promise. Your sister should be here shortly. She—”

“Theo!” 

Before L’ubor could finish speaking, Eloise burst into his bedroom and practically dove at the bed. Again Theodore felt the intense pressure of a hug. Better prepared this time, he was able to hug her back, but he still felt inexplicably exhausted. He fell back in the bed with a soft groan as she pulled away and moved to sit on the opposite side of the bed. Theodore turned his eyes to the door and saw Clive walking in. He could tell from the look on his friend’s face, as well as from L’ubor’s and Eloise’s reactions, that this was far worse than he anticipated. 

“Hit me with it,” he said. “Don’t sugarcoat. Please.” 

To his surprise, the three of them looked amongst one another, before both Eloise and Clive settled on L’ubor. Thus he, too, turned to his partner, eyebrows raised. “Well?”

“Theo…” L’ubor started. He embraced his hand again. “You nearly died during the dragon attack.”

“ Nearly, but I didn’t.” Though he smiled in relief, it faded quickly as he added, “With a notable cost, it seems…”

Theodore, loathe though he was to do it, peeled his hand free from L’ubor’s grip so he could more effectively examine his arms. Though at first glance they seemed fine, he noted on the underside of his left forearm and his right bicep that same bluish silver-white he had noted on his chest. He grabbed the blanket covering him and lifted it. To his relief, the only bit of affected skin upon his torso seemed to be along the underside contour of his right pectoral. 

“You were in the aetherflood for quite some time,” L’ubor continued. “After Van and I dispatched the wolves, I came running after you, to help you…I saw the dragon fly over the canyon and I thought the worst. But I managed to find you just as a hound started to attack you. You were passed out. Bleeding. It…” 

Theodore had never seen L’ubor cry before. Truth be told, he didn’t think he had it in him; someone as strong and well put together as the Desert Hare, tears just seemed too vulnerable, too emotional. To his surprise, they welled up suddenly in those beautiful green eyes. Theodore reached out and pulled him in. He held L’ubor against him, burying his face in his boyfriend’s hair. It was only then he took note that L’ubor wasn’t wearing his usual head wrap. 

“You were as good as dead, Theo,” came Clive’s voice. “L’ubor felled the hound and pulled you to safety out of the aetherflood. I got there shortly after. Gav, Joshua and I, we brought an end to the dragon.”

“And Van? Nik? Kasjlok?” Theo asked. 

“All safe, thank all,” Eloise replied. She sighed softly.

“And the bearers?”

“We didn’t secure them, Theo, but that’s the least of our concerns right now. They found a proper home on the continent through the Consortium.” She placed a hand on the bed beside Theo. “Right now, the most important thing is making sure you’re alright.” 

Theodore almost didn’t let L’ubor pull away. When their gazes met, the sheer relief in L’ubor’s glistening eyes nearly made Theodore’s well up. He felt that familiar burn in the back of his throat. He reached up, brushing his thumbs along L’ubor’s cheeks, and he smiled at him. 

“I’m alive. I think that constitutes all right. Everything else, we’ll figure out.” 

“However much magic you used, it took a toll,” Clive stated. He waved his hand at Theodore. “But we think it might have been accelerated by the flood. That, and because you haven’t used your magic much.”

“We don’t know if the effect on your skin is permanent or not,” L’ubor explained. He delicately brushed his fingertips along the patch of white along Theodore’s forearm. “But Clive has a healer friend, he asked her to come here to Boklad to check on you.” 

Theodore blinked. “Wait, how long…how long was I out?” 

“Almost a week,” Eloise offered. “We were genuinely worried you’d never wake up…”

The room fell silent. Theodore settled back in his bed and looked down at his hands. No wonder he felt absolutely exhausted, he was only just awakening for the first time in nearly a week. His stomach, as if on cue, gave a deep, concerning groan.  It made him chuckle, which burst the tension bubbling up in the room. 

“Well, I don’t know about all of you, but I’m positively famished and I think my body is just now ready to tell me. Am I to be bed-ridden until we know more?”

Clive, too, chuckled. “Tarja is at the markets gathering some more herbs to mix into some new salves and poultices for you. She arrived a few days ago. She’ll be pleased to know what she’s given you so far seems to be working. But yes, I’d imagine bed rest until she gives the okay.” 

“You hear that, Theodore?” 

Theo expected that to have come from Eloise. To his amused surprise, it was in fact L’ubor. He looked at him with a faint smirk. “Damn, he saves my life and then he acts like he’s got to babysit me. I hear, yes, and I will obey. Promise.” 

L’ubor clutched his chin and gave it a firm shake. “Damn right you will. Now. Eloise made some delicious soup that I’ll go get for you. I better not see you climb out of this bed.”

“Not until Tarja gives permission,” Eloise added insistently. 

“And there she is.” Theodore chuckled. “Yes, I promise. To both of you.” He smiled at his lover, his sister, and finally his friend. “Thank you, Clive, by the way, for helping dispatch the dragon. As always, you’ve proven yourself an invaluable friend. I’m grateful for you.” 

“Take care of yourself, Theo.” A hint of a smile broke out on Clive’s face. “You’re in good hands. I’ll come back in time to check on you. All of you.” 

“We look forward to it.” 

. . . . . 

Theodore carefully lifted his leg from the bath water and investigated his bite wound. Tarja’s salve had helped substantially but the cut was still noticeably red and tender. He sported a square patch of bare skin thanks to being shaved to help clean and tend to the wound. At first it had been annoying and a little embarrassing, but now he found it amusing. Mostly. 

“I do hope you got that beast good for what it did to me,” Theodore muttered. 

His boot, made of thick insulated leather, had caught the majority of the hound’s bite after its initial attack, but he had puncture marks on either side of his ankle from it. 

“Oh, it’s ash,” L’ubor commented with a shrug. He looked down at Theo with a satisfied grin. “Believe me, it got what it deserved for what it did to you.” 

“Mm. Good.” 

Theodore continued to bathe himself. He was grateful for the privacy. Well, minus L’ubor. It had been an exhausting several days of recovery thus far, whether dealing with L’ubor, with Eloise, or with Tarja. Even Nik and Van had come, and while Theodore had appreciated all of their gestures, all he wanted, really , was to get back to things. Even if the bearers weren’t coming to Kasjlok yet, they hadn’t finished what they had set out to do…

But as L’ubor regularly reminded him, he had one goal: to get better. For someone like Theodore who was used to constantly being on the go, it was tough to spend most of his time just lying around, doing nothing. 

It was especially hard because Theodore had pointedly not brought up the entire reason L’ubor was even here to help pass the time in conversation. The last thing he wanted to do was upset him, especially after breaking his promise to not do anything stupid or harmful…

L’ubor had said his only worry was that Theodore recovered appropriately. The fact that L’ubor lay awake at night murmuring to himself when he thought Theodore was asleep and didn’t notice was something else entirely. 

Clearly. 

“I can move my leg and foot without much ache now,” Theodore announced. He was gingerly twirling his ankle, flexing his leg, even lifting it and lowering it. “Suppose the real test will be when I walk around…hopefully without requiring my support cane or your arm.”

“Why, Theo, if you want to be rid of me, just say so.” L’ubor’s tone was light and playful. But he wasn’t looking at Theodore. His eyes were elsewhere, staring out the window into the warm afternoon skyline. 

“L’ubor.”

“Hm?” 

“Love. Can you look at me.”

L’ubor turned in his seat and smiled, but this time it didn’t reach his eyes. There was a distance in them that Theodore could tell was distraction. 

“Are you alright?” Theodore ventured carefully. 

“Right as rain, dear Theo. Thinking about lunch….”

Theodore shifted in the tub. “Be honest. Please. You promised.” 

He had begun to prune, so he carefully grabbed the sides of the tub and eased himself to his feet. L’ubor immediately stood and came over to help him out onto the stone floor. He offered Theodore a towel, which after testing his stance, he began to use to dry himself off. 

“I’m…admittedly distracted, but it’s nothing that can’t wait, I guarantee it,” L’ubor confessed. “After all, I came here for a reprieve, yes? A change is as good as a rest.” 

“See. That.” 

The two stared at one another for a long moment. In L’ubor’s eyes, Theodore saw reflected an ache that he knew all too well: it was homesickness, mingled with anxiety. It broke his heart to know L’ubor was suffering, made worse only by the fact that he was likely hiding it to help focus on Theodore with his healing. 

“I really am very sorry,” Theodore admitted quietly. “I know I said it before, but—”

“Theodore. Stop, please.” 

Theo blinked. L’ubor sounded so serious, it was wholly unlike him. He stopped drying himself off and tied the towel around his waist. Words sat at the tip of his tongue. For once, Theo opted to not let them out and simply listen. 

L’ubor shook his head. “I’m not mad about that. Not anymore. We got you out. You’re safe. That’s all that matters about that. Really. It’s more…” He turned, arms folding over his chest. “I worry about Dalimil. I’m beginning to regret my decision to leave.” He quickly turned back around. “Not having come here, mind. Just having left in the first place. Had I not shown up here, you very likely would be dead, and I—” 

There it was again. Theodore saw emotion erupt inside of L’ubor like a volcano, a flush on his cheeks, his jaw set tight as it bit it back like bile in his throat. He hobbled toward him and reached out, pulling him into a fierce hug. L’ubor’s breath was warm against his collarbone, his hands pressed against his chest at first in protest, but eventually clinging to him. Theodore kissed him on the temple. 

“I don’t want to give up everything I worked for just because of what I am,” L’ubor finally confessed. His voice quivered with emotion. “I can’t leave Dalimil. But you can’t leave here. You have Kasjlok. They need you. I don’t…”

“Shh. L’ubor.” 

They fell quiet. The heavy weight which had been silently crushing L’ubor since Founder knew when was now shared. Theodore felt its oppressive push upon his own shoulders now. Love was fun and free in the early stages. The chase, the discovery, the romance! But when push came to shove, when love demanded action and sacrifice…the decisions weren’t easy. L’ubor was right: to ask him to give up Dalimil was unfair, insomuch as it was to ask Theodore to give up the Crimson Caravans and Kasjlok. 

“You haven’t told me how you’re feeling about all of that,” Theodore murmured against L’ubor’s ear. He stroked the back of his head in soft, soothing movements. “I didn’t ask, because I didn’t want to upset you.” 

“I’m mad, Theodore. It’s been over a week and I’m still absolutely furious. ” L’ubor lifted his head and looked at Theodore with a frown. “But the worst part is that I get it. I understand their hurt. I lied to them for years. They feel betrayed because of it. I made them believe I was something I wasn’t. So now, all the good that I’ve done doesn’t even matter. All they can see is a filthy, lying bearer.” 

His frustration was finally beginning to show. L’ubor peeled away from Theodore and stalked over to the window. He leaned against the frame. “Clive told me that what happened at Kasjlok is happening elsewhere across Valisthea. Aetherfloods are popping up everywhere. It’s only a matter of time...I can guarantee one will befall Dalimil, and unless they combat them as a united force, my town—my home —is going to fall. I can’t let that happen.” 

Now was most certainly not the time to tell L’ubor how attractive and impressive he was, Theodore was sure of it, but he couldn’t help feeling such a way. L’ubor had told him some time ago that one of the things he loved about him was his passion, his righteousness. Theodore had never outright said the same, but this moment reminded him that they were so very alike in many ways. L’ubor truly was a man for his people and it was admirable.

“I can’t say I wouldn’t tell them to fuck off and suffer,” Theodore admitted honestly. “Not after what they said to you or how they treated you…especially Konrad and Natalie. But I get it.” He approached the dressing partition, stepping behind it and dropping the towel. In short order he emerged dressed in his linen pullover robe. “Didn’t you say Ferda and Viktor suggested giving them time?” 

L’ubor glanced back at him. “Yes. But how long is enough time , Theo? You know? Every day is another dangerous hashmark until Clive does…whatever he needs to do.” 

Clive. Theodore closed his eyes and saw his friend’s handsome, but troubled visage. To Theodore’s pleasant surprise, Clive and his entourage had chosen to stay in Boklad for the time being, although from what he understood, they were preparing for a return to their hideaway. Theodore had seen Tarja explaining to L’ubor and Eloise how to make the salve he needed, along with his poultices. 

“You’re right,” Theodore eventually agreed. He groaned softly and moved to sit in the chair L’ubor had occupied. His ankle and calf were still sore. 

What he said next took courage and, although it hurt to say, Theodore knew in his heart it was the right thing. 

“You need to go home, L’ubor.” 

“And leave you?” 

“You came out here for a reprieve, you said it yourself.” Theodore laughed softly, even if it wasn’t particularly funny. “What you got has been far from that, love.” He tapped his fingers as he counted off, “You got roped into helping deliver inventory to a village you’ve never been to, you had to use your magic to fight Akashic beasts, and you saved my life. I dunno about you, but that doesn’t sound like a rest…” 

Theodore’s efforts worked. L’ubor laughed, too, although he looked mildly frustrated afterward. “You’re right. This hasn’t been much of a vacation, if at all. It’s all your fault. You were supposed to distract me from my distress in Dalimil.” 

“I can’t imagine Dalimil without you,” Theodore said earnestly. L’ubor approached him, so he reached out to snake an arm around his waist and pull him closer to his chair. He looked up at him. “You’re synonymous with that town, L’ubor. You and the Desert Hare name. Whether they admit it or not, they need you.” 

L’ubor’s expression somehow straddled the line between relief and gratefulness. He heaved a sigh. “I still don’t feel right about leaving you. You’re still recovering. You need me.” 

“I do need you,” Theodore admitted. “But your town needs you more .” Carefully, he moved to stand. Without shame, and without hesitation, he leaned on L’ubor for support as he spoke. 

“Listen to me, L’ubor. In the grand scheme of everything I’ve ever done, all the people that I have helped, all of the decisions I’ve ever made…the one I’ve never doubted for a second was choosing you to be my partner for life. You mean the world to me. I would see it burn before letting any harm befall you. Fate has gifted us a miracle I’ll treasure forever. I will be by your side until the end of our days. You say the word and I’ll be on Scarlet with you tomorrow back to Dalimil. But know that regardless, I’m with you always, no matter what. Right here.” 

Theodore placed his open palm over L’ubor’s heart. L’ubor cupped his hands over Theodore’s. The two smiled at one another, then shared an intimate kiss. 

“You’ve become so eloquent, dear Theo.” L’ubor was quietly choked up, halfway between a smile and a soft cry. He sputtered out a chuckle. “And you’re so right. I need to go back.”

“Talk to Clive tonight. Make him go back with you. If you don’t ask…I will.” Theodore smiled.

L’ubor reached up and cupped either side of Theodore’s bearded face. After another long kiss, he replied, “I’d be lost without you.”

Chapter Text

“Clive?”

L’ubor knocked on the door to the guest room in Eloise’s home. 

Clive was sitting at the desk, arms folded across his chest. His attention was so deeply elsewhere, it took another calling of his name for him to come back to the moment. 

“Oh, L’ubor. My apologies. I was just…thinking.” 

“Looks like you might benefit from a short break if the creasing of your brow was any indication.” L’ubor approached him and took a seat on the edge of the bed. Though he swore a smile, it was hard to hide the exhaustion behind his expression.

“You’re one to talk about needing a break,” Clive teased back. He shifted in the chair, turned to L’ubor, and hunched over with elbows propped on knees. “You’ve been nonstop since Theo woke up. I take it he’s napping, if you’re here?” 

“He’s enjoying a bit of well-earned peace and quiet. I actually was looking for you. Eloise told me you were in here.” 

“Me?” Clive looked genuinely curious, then his expression fell. “Don’t tell me there’s more trouble.”

“Ah, am I so obvious?” L’ubor shrugged with a chuckle. “You have a particular expertise that we all clamor for.”

“Tell me what happened.”

“Nothing’s happened… yet . I suppose I’m trying to be proactive. You know why I came out here.”

“Ah.” Clive nodded. “You want to go back.” A pause. “...And you want me to go with you.”

“Ever the clever one,” L’ubor replied with a smile. “Yes, I’d like to recruit your help to return to Dalimil and make sure things are okay. It’s been a while. Hopefully, like Viktor said, time was what they needed in order to get over their issues and realize that I’m not the enemy they think I am.”

“Are you content to leave Theodore as he is?” 

“Funny you ask that. Theodore was actually the one who insisted I go back. Your town needs you, L’ubor .” He did his best to imitate Theodore, which earned a faint smirk from Clive. L’ubor considered it a win. “He has Eloise. He needs to recover, and to be fair, I wouldn’t be a benefit to him, the way I’ve been distracted about an impending attack on Dalimil. If what you said is true, and these aetherfloods are showing up everywhere…it’s only a matter of time.” 

Clive grumbled softly. It was a strangely comforting sound; L’ubor had learned to associate it with action. Clive generally wasn’t the sit-and-wait-around type. He could already see the wheels turning in the other man’s head. 

“We could leave as early as tomorrow morning. I’ll let Gav and Joshua know. Tarja will have already headed back today, I believe. I assume you’ve told Theo and Eloise?” 

L’ubor nodded. He dipped his head. “Clive? Can I ask for your advice on something.” He realized it came out as more of a statement than a question, but he continued anyway. “It seems prudent, you know, to think about the future…after Theo nearly died, it forced me to think about what I want, and of course, I want him.”

“I assume you’re snaking your way to a question, L’ubor,” Clive replied with a soft snort. 

“What would you do? In my situation.” L’ubor lifted his head. “Would you give up your home, give up everything you knew, to build a new life with your loved one? Or would you ask them to do it?”

Clive remained silent for several moments. He set his jaw and tilted his head. “I’m afraid I can’t be of any help there, L’ubor. I genuinely do not know what I’d do. Either way seems a big ask. But I suppose the most important part is to question: where holds the most opportunity? Where would you be happiest? Ultimately, you’re not stuck to one single plan.”

L’ubor smiled faintly. “Somehow, I expected that answer. But you’re right.” With a deep, pensive sigh, he added, “You’re going to save Valisthea, right, Clive? Give us a future worth fighting for?”

“ Your future worth fighting for can be found right next door.” Clive stood and, after approaching L’ubor, placed a gloved hand on his shoulder. He smiled. It was the first genuine smile L’ubor had seen from him in ages. It warmed him from the inside. “I’ll do my part. You do yours.”

Clive walked toward the door. As he placed his hand on the handle, L’ubor called out to him.

“Clive?”

“Yes, L’ubor?”

“Thank you. For everything.” 

. . . . .

“I do suppose that’s everything…”

Theodore watched as L’ubor puttered around his room. Packing had, of course, been minimal—but L’ubor had been in here far longer than he needed to be. 

L’ubor was stalling. Theodore couldn’t blame him. 

“Come on, love. You’ve got to get going. I think Clive and the others are almost ready.” 

L’ubor’s smile was distant. Again, Theodore couldn’t blame him. Goodbyes were never easy. 

“I can say goodbye to you in here privately, if it helps,” he offered. 

“A proper, private goodbye would take us far longer than we have,” L’ubor replied. His smile finally reached his eyes. 

Together, both men stepped out of Theodore’s bedroom, through his living space, and into the warm morning air. Surely enough, just down the road, Clive and the others were saddling up their chocobos. Theodore walked alongside L’ubor down to meet them. 

“I truly hate goodbyes,” L’ubor announced to the group, letting out a soft huff. “They’re quite impossible. Never feels like enough is enough.” 

“You could, perhaps, consider it more of a ‘see you later’,” Clive suggested. “Wild wolves couldn’t keep you two apart. Not even a dragon.” 

Theo groaned. “Oh, Clive. Don’t even joke about that.” 

There was a hint of a smirk upon Clive’s face as he climbed atop Ambrosia. “In the interest of time, we do need to get going.” 

Theodore pulled L’ubor close. He of course kissed him, but in the presence of so many friends, he felt self conscious about it. As he pulled back, he nodded to Eloise beside him. 

“Don’t worry about me, then. El has me all taken care of. No jobs until the wounds heal. You focus on Dalimil. I’ll be fine.” 

“Promise,” Eloise added with a firm nod. 

“I don’t doubt it for a second.” L’ubor brushed his fingers along Theo’s jaw line. The sensation always left a tingling down his spine. “I’ll be taking a page out of both of your books. Confidence and righteous passion. I’ll do you both proud.” 

“I sincerely hope there is no aetherflood,” Theo said. “Please be safe if you see one. You know what to do.” L’ubor nodded, and Theo sought out his hands for a good, firm squeeze. “I love you. I’ll miss you. Write me.” 

“I promise,” L’ubor replied. 

When L’ubor pulled away, Theo almost didn’t let him go. He knew it was the right decision. He knew having Clive with him was the safest bet. But still, there was fear in the back of his mind. Well-founded fear that reminded him of what nearly had been his fate. If something were to happen to L’ubor…Theo didn’t want to think what he would do. 

“Safe travels,” Eloise said to the group. She wrapped an arm around Theodore’s waist to help steady him as he waved his goodbye. “Please keep in touch, all of you.” 

“Count on it,” Clive replied. He gently tapped at Ambrosia’s side and she began to turn around. “All right, team. Remember, single file line out of here, then…” 

Clive’s voice trailed off, but Theo knew it was because he wasn’t focusing on him, instead on L’ubor. Their eyes met once L’ubor was comfortably atop his chocobo. While hard to convey everything in a look, at the very least, Theodore hoped his unyielding love and devotion was felt. 

He and Eloise watched as the group walked down the path toward the entry of Boklad, eventually disappearing completely from their sight. The ache in his heart was immediate. Being away from L’ubor in any instance now felt like a part of him had gone missing. 

“Let’s go inside for a small snack,” Eloise suggested, to Theo’s surprise. “I’m craving a pastry.” 

Rarely did Eloise ever indulge in snacks when there was work to be done. However, he would have been stupid to refuse. He simply nodded, following after her with careful use of his cane on the uneven and dry ground beneath his feet. 

When they arrived in Eloise’s house, Theodore walked over to her dining table and eased himself into one of the chairs. He didn’t know what she had planned as far as sweets went, but Tarja had more or less banned them from his diet until he was better. She was a cruel healer, he thought. How easy it might be to indulge in some pastries or hard candies simply to help ease the time. Not under Tarja’s watch. 

Well thankfully, he thought. She wasn’t here any longer. 

“Raspberry or lemon?” Eloise asked from the kitchen. 

“Raspberry, of course.” 

Eloise soon arrived at the table with two small plates, upon which sat fruit tarts. Seeing them reminded Theo of his and L’ubor’s time in Ran’dellah. There was that bloody ache again. He picked up the plate and delved in with a hearty bite. That sugary tartness was perfection on his tongue and made him sigh in satisfaction.  

Eloise, too, indulged in a bite. “Rather quiet now, isn’t it?” she commented casually. 

“Suppose that’s to be expected when you go from having half a dozen people living in what is akin to a two bedroom home, side by side,” Theodore said with a chuckle. “Going to be odd, not having L’ubor next to me.” 

He’d gotten used to it before. He would again. Even if he really didn’t care to. 

“I know I’ve said it before, but I’m so glad you’re alright, Theo. I don’t know what I would have done if something terrible happened to you.” 

“You mean to say you wouldn’t have gone on a riotous revenge rampage?” he wiggled his eyebrows playfully. 

Eloise laughed. “Idiot. No. Not personally. But you can bet that I would have hired an army to avenge you, had you fallen.” 

“I can honestly say if it weren’t for L’ubor…that’s absolutely what would have happened.” The dragon and wolves, they could have probably dealt with, had they not been partnered with an aetherflood. The flood was what prevented Van from helping. Just the thought of it sent a chill down Theodore’s spine. He shook his head and savored another bite. “I don’t relish in the thought. And worse, that aetherflood will only continue to expand…”

“We’ll worry about that when the time comes to try and populate it again,” Eloise explained. “Or hopefully, once Clive saves the world from whatever it is that’s happening. I hate to say it, but I think I’ve adjusted to not seeing the sun anymore. The constant cloud cover just feels…normal now.” 

Theo didn’t really hear the second part of what Eloise said. He was too focused on the first: the repopulating of Kasjlok. There genuinely would be no progress until the aetherflood was done away with, however, and if ever possible. The thought that it might not be was not one that Theodore wished to entertain. He hated that he had to. 

“We’re not abandoning it, right?” 

“Not at all, Theo, no. But every wise swordsman knows when to draw back. The same should be true for us. Kasjlok will be alright in time. For now, our focus should be on next steps.”

Ah, there was the Eloise that Theodore admired so deeply. The woman who, despite numerous challenges and opportunities, never failed to find her way through. He smiled over at her. To his surprise, she was already looking at him. 

“What? Do I have crumbs on my face?” Theo began wiping at the corners of his mouth. 

“No, Theo, you don’t. I was just thinking about our next steps. And what makes sense for the both of us.” 

Theo blinked. “Well…continuing with our plans seems prudent, does it not?” 

Eloise shook her head. “My, but you’re as dense as pound cake, sometimes, Theodore.” After taking another bite of her tart, she gestured toward the entry door and said, “You just watched your future as it rode back home.”

It seemed funny to Theo that she would describe L’ubor in such a way. Something about it felt so real, so raw. Eloise was incredibly perceptive. 

“Are you suggesting that I ask him to come be here with me?” Theo ventured curiously. Eloise raised an eyebrow at him, which earned a knitting of his own. What could she possibly—

“Wait, you’re not suggesting that I go live in Dalimil ?” 

Eloise again said nothing. However, the expression on her face said everything. 

Theo didn’t know how to feel. 

“El, I…I don’t think I could ever leave you, that doesn’t seem fair. The Crimson Caravans need me.”

You need me .

Eloise smiled that crafty smile of hers. “You know who needs you more, now? L’ubor.” 

A comfortable silence grew as the reality of what Eloise said sank in. Given the choice between staying and helping Eloise, or going and helping L’ubor…he would be lying if his heart didn’t have a clear winner. It unfortunately was at odds with his head, however. 

“Theo.” Eloise reached over the table to grip his hand. She squeezed it lovingly. “You’ve dedicated every fiber of your being to me and the Caravans since we established them. I’ll always be grateful for your support, your passion, your guardianship. Without the hard work you put in, we would be nowhere near where we are today. But fate introduced something so uniquely special to you, something truly wonderful. Don’t you think it’s time you gave yourself the space to enjoy it?” 

As he stared down at their hands, Theodore was reminded of his conversation with Clive about the Silverpeak Consortium…about Eloise’s happiness. He remembered her elation when he told her about L’ubor. Eloise had given up so much for him that Theo, up until now, hadn’t much thought of what he’d given up—or could give up now—in return. 

Losing L’ubor simply wasn’t an option and she knew that. Perhaps sooner, or better, than he did. 

“El…”

“Go. Be happy. Chase your love and live your life , Theo. We only get one. You’ve found the one of a kind treasure: a partner who loves you unconditionally. If that’s not worth chasing, what is?”

His throat constricted with the familiar tension and heat that only meant one thing: tears. But these weren’t tears of sadness. No, for Theo, they were tears of gratitude and joy. Tears that celebrated the selflessness of his sister who once again was saving his life. 

“What about you?” he asked quietly, wiping at his cheeks with the heel of his palm. 

“I’m nowhere near done with my vision of what Boklad and Kasjlok can be. I’ll continue to invest in our home here, and in making Kasjlok the safe haven we intended it to be. With Myrna, Nik, Van…things will be brilliant. I’m sure of it.” 

Though she said nothing to bring notice to it, Eloise too, had begun to cry. She sniffled quietly and pulled a handkerchief out from a side pocket sewn into her top. She dabbed her eyes, then offered it to Theo, who did the same. 

“L’ubor needs someone like you who grounds him. And you…well, you need someone like L’ubor who will remind you to be selfish once in a while and do things for yourself, first. You’ve lived too long in my shadow, in that way. And for that, I’m sorry.” 

“Never apologize,” Theo was quick to protest. “You’ve nothing to apologize for.” 

“I wasn’t a perfect older sister. But I tried my best.” 

“And your best was damn good enough.” 

Eloise laughed softly, her more melodic cries of happiness chiming through it. She squeezed Theodore’s hand again and gave it a shake. “What a distinguished and wonderful man you grew up to be, Theo. I’m so proud of you.” 

“Thank you, El. For everything.” He returned the squeeze, placed a hand atop hers, and smiled earnestly. “I couldn’t have asked for a more loving and capable sister. I love you, to the moon and back.”

“To the moon and back.” 

Chapter Text

L’ubor was grateful to have arrived in Dalimil under the cover of night. With the right approach, and with the right timing, he had been able to get all of them into the town with nary a peep from the town guardsman who was sleeping on the job. L’ubor probably should have been more upset about it, he might have even said something to Konrad in the past about it, but tonight? Tonight, he would let it go. 

He parted ways with Clive and the others, resolving to regroup tomorrow. It had been a long trek across the Velkroy and they were all understandably tired. A good night’s sleep was precisely what they needed before they tried to tackle preparing the town for any potential aetherfloods. 

After a much desired bath and a light snack, L’ubor settled under the covers and immediately turned to his side, preparing to wish Theodore good night. Logically, L’ubor knew he shouldn’t have expected him to be there. Telling that to his heart, however, didn’t go over quite as well. He sighed, closed his eyes, and willed himself to remember that this was only temporary until he figured out just what the hell he was doing. 

Normally, L’ubor wasn’t so harsh with himself. Ruzena had often told him growing up that the world was harsh enough, that to show yourself kindness was the ultimate act of self-care. It was one of the shining tenants of his life. Recently, however, with everything that had happened, showing himself kindness was proving to be harder and harder.

He ran a hand over his face. He missed Theodore immensely. While happy to be home, knowing what he was about to face, L’ubor wished he had his partner beside him for strength. Thankfully, he had Clive. When in need, a dear friend would do the trick. 

L’ubor must have fallen asleep at some point because he awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside his window. Groggily, he rolled onto his back and wiped at his bleary eyes. After several minutes of allowing himself time and space to awaken, he went about getting ready, including dressing and styling his head wrap. A quick glance in the mirror and L’ubor noted it was about time for a haircut. There was an awful lot of stray hair hanging outside of the wrap. More than usual. 

L’ubor had sent word to Ferda and Viktor ahead of time that he would be returning. To his pleasant surprise, it was they who showed up to his door that morning in lieu of him seeking them out. He ushered them in with a warm greeting, offering them digestives and tea.

“It’s good to see you’re back,” Ferda said with what L’ubor could easily tell was relief. “You’d been gone long enough, we thought you might have actually completely deserted Dalimil.” 

“Ferda!” The surprise was palpable in L’ubor’s voice. “You know I could never. Would never. This is my home. I’ll live my life out here and even die here, but not before naming a new Ruzena Dalimil. We haven’t found one yet, so no abandonment allowed.” 

“Glad to hear you’re just as cheeky as you were when you left,” Viktor said with a snort. “But even more glad to hear that you’re not willing to give up your home simply because of some bigoted behavior.”

“Bigoted,” L’ubor murmured thoughtfully. “And unlikely to change. But like it or not, this town needs to unite in order to prepare for what’s coming. There are bigger issues on the horizon. I saw it with my own two eyes near Boklad: aetherfloods are gods awful. We need to be ready for evacuation at any moment. And gentlemen, we are so not ready…”

“Konrad and Natalie had scarcely noticed your leave of absence,” Ferda proffered. “They’ve been so engrossed in their own goings on and day to days that neither seems to have directly realized that you haven’t been around town for weeks.”

“To be fair. We kept things running for you quite smoothly,” Viktor said. 

“And you did an amazing job, the both of you. I’m forever grateful for your support. It’s time to deal with the hatred head on, whether I want to or not. I can’t continue doing good for this town if it actively fights me or disapproves of me simply because of something I couldn’t control any more than breathing.” 

L’ubor moved to stand from his dining table and walked over to the window. He stared out at the streets below, and at the desert in the background. To his surprise, he saw a man on a chocobo rushing toward the north gate. L’ubor was able to see his own  unique mark glimmering even from this distance. His stomach sank. Something about the urgency, specifically this time of the day, didn’t feel good. It didn’t feel good at all. 

“Ferda. I do believe one of our men is rushing to bring us ill tidings…” 

“What? My lord, what do you—” Ferda lifted from the table and rushed over beside L’ubor at the window. At first glance, he didn’t seem convinced, but as the scout approached closer and closer, as his insignia became even more prevalent, Ferda was clearly putting two and two together. 

“That rush can only mean one of two things...” 

“Bandits, or an aetherflood.”

The three men hurried out of L’ubor’s quarters and down to the entry to the north gate. It wasn’t long before their scout soon arrived, his chocobo rearing and flapping its wings from the sudden stop. 

“A flood! There’s been a flood in the Velkroy!” he cried. “The League of Outlaws, their entire encampment has been completely taken over. They’re heading this way as we speak!” 

“The town guard won’t stand a chance against them,” L’ubor said. His stomach sank, but he stayed square shouldered. “We need to prepare for an immediate evacuation.” 

Panic was setting in his chest, heavy and thick. He had fully expected this, but what they lacked was the gift of time. Akashic animals were one thing. Bandits were another. Akashic bandits were a terror L’ubor had hoped he would never see in his lifetime. 

Then he remembered.

“Viktor! Go to the inn. Clive and the others are staying there. Find them. Ferda, go find Konrad and Natalie. We need to have them prepare for a full-scale evacuation of the town. I’ll go do what I can to convince everyone else. Understood?” 

“Understood,” Viktor and Ferda said in unison.

As they split, L’ubor tried to use the anxiety pulsing in his veins as a booster to help push his courage over the line. He couldn’t let his town suffer, couldn’t let his people die. He needed to put aside their hatred for him and warn them. With a resolute grunt, L’ubor started at the other gate. He called for the alert, for people to return home and collect only the necessities, to prepare for evacuation. If the flood was coming from the Velkroy, they would need to go south, through the terraces, through the sickle, in hopes that the fields of Corava weren’t in poor shape. The worst part was not knowing when and where another flood might appear. 

What if during their evacuation, another cropped up and did them in? 

L’ubor went through the streets, until he realized that he was doing himself a significant disservice. He needed to make a scene. He needed to draw people to him. So, he returned to the town square just outside Briar’s Kiss, and began to shout as though his life depended on it. One by one, people began to crowd around, until at least a dozen people or more were at the very least listening to him. 

“The Akashic are coming ! You have to believe me! They don’t eat. They don’t sleep. They don’t tire…and above all, they don’t care who they kill. These are not your typical bandits. They are unlike anything that’s come before.” 

There were murmurs among the crowd. L’ubor felt frustration gripping his very core; there was no urgency in their movements, no haste in their step. They stood there, looking at him like he was stark-raving mad. Some even called him just that. 

“There will be no parley with them,” he continued. “No mercy granted. Do you not understand? This is not like before…” L’ubor ran his hands over his face with a heavy sigh. “I know we saved our fair town once, but this…we cannot fight these off and stand a chance of survival. Please. I do not ask that you forgive me…but please, believe me . Those who don’t run, those who do not choose to flee? You will die. ”

That sparked debate. L’ubor couldn’t believe that now, of all times, they were choosing to debate whether or not they would leave and choose safety. That the stubbornness of his townspeople was between deciding if he was lying to them, or if the bandits could be felled by the town guard. 

“You will all fucking die, did you not hear me!?” he shouted in exasperation. 

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you, bearer ?” 

L’ubor turned. That was Amaya, the tapestry trader. Amaya, whom he had worked with for years. Amaya, with whom he had broken bread countless times, merchant to merchant. Her words cut like a knife deep into his heart.

One of the fishmongers, Loran, joined her. “Yeah! With us out of the way, your kind would be free to claim Dalimil for yourselves. Filth!” 

“It’s you who should run!” 

L’ubor didn’t see who spoke. He barely had time to register that a rock was being thrown in his direction and, before he could block it, it hit him square on the eyebrow with impressive force. He smarted, lifting a hand to test the damage. It stung something fierce. To his surprise, it was already beginning to bleed. The crowd grew bolder then, heckling him with taunts, and hurling more rocks at him. He did his best to protect his face from them while trying a last ditch effort to get them to listen. 

“Please! Just–shit!”

“L’ubor!” 

The sudden sound of Clive’s angered voice caught his attention. Through the crowd, he saw his friend, along with Viktor and Ferda. In his distraction, L’ubor was hit in quick succession by several rocks that caused him to stumble to the ground with a grunt of pain. His body stung all over from every point of contact, and blood trickled along the contour of his eye, dripping onto the dirt below. 

L’ubor grit his teeth. He absolutely refused to cry over this, despite the pain compounding with the frustration and the exhaustion. They didn’t deserve his tears. If they didn’t listen, then–

“STOP IT! You’re hurting him!”

L’ubor recognized that voice. Little Drika, fiery and passionate. He dared to glance up, but he wished he hadn’t. More rocks came their way and at least two, maybe more, hit the children, who cried out in surprise. They didn’t waver, however. L’ubor saw them strengthen their stances, effectively shielding him from the crowd. 

“What did L’ubor ever do to you, hm?!” Drika barked. “He solves all your stupid problems, and keeps all of you safe! You know there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for this town!”

The crowd fell quiet as she raged. L’ubor wiped the blood away from his wound to keep it from getting into his eye. 

But Drika wasn’t finished. “Who was it who made that cleaver you use every day, Konrad!?”

Rens joined in, furious and scathing. “And what about your counting table, Natalie!? Who fixed that !?”

“Whose men make sure the streets are clean, so all your boots don’t get dirty!?” Drika yelled. 

“And who spends all day making sure things run smoothly around here!” Rens shouted. “And none of you, ever say thank you! Ever!”

“But did L’ubor ever complain? Huh? Well? Does he ever stop smiling?” 

The children’s anger continued to boil over. Rens’ tone was scathing as he said, “He keeps this whole place going, and all of you act like he doesn’t even exist !”

To L’ubor’s surprise, there was more murmuring among the crowd. It was difficult to listen when all he could hear was the rush of blood in his ears, pumping fast and heavy from his heart. He vaguely noted a shadow moving in his peripheral view, immediately tensing as he heard both Drika and Rens gasp. 

Then he heard Konrad.

“L’ubor. We have heard enough…”

Against his better judgment, L’ubor lifted his head to look up at Konrad looming over him. He had never feared him, but in this moment of weakness, he could feel it bubbling just beneath the surface. 

“We will not run,” Konrad continued, tone softer. “The town guard simply will not abandon the very place it is sworn to protect.”

“And I will not give up for lost the stores that we have labored so hard to fill,” Natalie chimed in, moving to stand beside Konrad. 

L’ubor heaved a deep sigh of exhaustion. This was like speaking to a stone brick wall.

And then…

 “So tell us…how do you propose we deal with these Akashic of yours?” 

L’ubor lifted his head again and saw Konrad kneeling beside him. Natalie soon joined. 

“We won’t run, L’ubor. But we will fight.”

This could have gone better, he thought, but if this was the compromise…he would make it work. They had no choice. 

“Alright.” Setting his jaw, L’ubor wiped at his brow again, cleared his throat and, wobbling, stood up once more. He gathered all that he had within him. With a beckoning wave he said, “Viktor, Ferda, Clive! If you’d be so kind as to join us…” 

In short order, L’ubor had surrounding him every important player to make this plan a success. He gestured for Ferda to begin, as they needed to set the stage for all involved. As the man with the knowledge from their scout, it fell on Ferda to educate. 

“The aetherflood began in the village of Ceratina to the north, deep in the Velkroy,” Ferda explained. “We here in Dalimil know it to have been abandoned for years until the League of Outlaws decided to make it their home base. Based on our reports, we now know that they have all been turned and are heading in this direction, right for Dalimil.” 

“Akashic are mindless monsters,” L’ubor muttered. “They’re driven only by hate, and rage…” The memory of the dragon that nearly killed his love filled in his mind, giving L’ubor pause. He clenched his teeth for a moment, even balled a fist. “They are utterly unpredictable, unlike the bandits we know. So when these creatures come…Dalimil will have the bitterest fight it has ever faced on its hands.” He crossed his arms over his chest, looking to Konrad. “The town guard will muster at the north gate. The rest of us will take the south. We’ll have a number of men ready to act as scouts and messengers to help spread the word of the size and nature of the force, once we can spot it. From there, we’ll converge on its position and ensure it is driven back from Dalimil at all costs. Konrad, I trust I can count on the support of the town guard?”

“Always!” Konrad exclaimed.

 Next, he turned to Viktor and Ferda, his trusted companions. “Viktor, I leave the selection and coordination of the messengers in your hands. Ferda, the command of our men, in yours.” Both men readily agreed, permitting L’ubor to look to Natalie. “Natalie, I ask that you and yours have the townsfolk barricade themselves inside the bathhouse. Please make sure the merchants don’t waste any time securing non-essential items. Our only concern is the preservation of life . Everything else can be replaced. We can regain our riches. And lest there be any doubt, the Briar’s Kiss stands ready to cover any losses. You can count on me for that.”

Natalie appeared quite pleased–if not notably inspired–by L’ubor’s words. “Very well, L’ubor. I shall tell them.”

L’ubor turned to Clive next, trying not to smile when he saw that all too telling expression on his dear friend’s face.

“And how do I fit into this plan?” Clive inquired.

“Ah, where else but the most perilous place of all, dear Clive? I would have you and yours travel to Ceratina itself to rid us of the main host, which is likely to still be there. Dalimil will not know peace until it is erased in its entirety…root and branch.”

Clive smirked. “A little gardening. How pleasant.”

L’ubor shook his head, the first amused smile since his return appearing on his face. “Alas, I doubt it. I feel as though these weeds will be particularly stubborn, but…if anyone can do it, it’s you.”

“Are you saying I’m stubborn?”

“In only the best of ways.” 

The two men shared a knowing look before L’ubor cleared his throat and readdressed the group. “Alright then, we all know what we need to do. Now…it’s simply a matter of doing it. For Dalimil!”

It was a chorus of voices which answered him back. “For Dalimil!” 

. . . . .

If ever there were a day where L’ubor felt as though he had lived a thousand of them, it was yesterday. 

Waking up that morning felt like a fever dream. L’ubor couldn’t help wondering if on some level he hadn’t been dreaming. Maybe he got conked out by one of the Akashic bandits. Maybe Konrad or Natalie had knocked him upside the head with the flat end of one of his blades. 

But no. No, yesterday had happened. Yesterday, he had not only saved Dalimil alongside the townspeople, he had regained the trust and support of his trusted colleagues, who in turn helped solidify his seat as mayor. 

Mayor .

If only Ruzena could see him now, L’ubor thought proudly. How far he had come, even in the face of adversity…

Having not yet officially “come back” to his day to day duties, L’ubor treated himself to a leisurely morning that involved a hearty breakfast and a proper send off to Clive and his entourage. 

“You take care, Clive. Truly, none of this would have been possible without you and your friends’ help.” 

“Ah, we were only a part of it, L’ubor. You really did the heavy lifting.” Clive uncrossed his arms from over his chest, reaching out to nudge L’ubor’s shoulder. “The people of Dalimil are in good hands.”

“With me and my trusted advisory board? Surely.” L’ubor grinned. He took advantage of the moment, scooping in to hug Clive firmly, appreciatively. To his pleasant surprise, Clive hugged him back. “We did our part. Now, you all get the real big project.” He nodded up at the sky. 

“We’ll do our best,” Clive replied. “Stay safe. I’ll check in next time I’m in Dhalmekia.” 

“You’d better.” 

L’ubor walked with Clive and his friends toward the north gate. In short order they were mounted upon their chocobos and, with a wave goodbye, they were off into the Velkroy horizon. He watched them until they disappeared, wondering when he might see them again. Despite the occasional bad news Clive tended to bring, he really was a bright light in a field of impending darkness, just like Theo was.

L’ubor wanted to write Theo a letter, to tell him of all the wild and unexpected things that had happened in the literal day or so he’d been back. Then again, revealing something so paramount in a letter felt almost anticlimactic…

Perhaps it was better to wait until Theodore arrived next, he thought. 

L’ubor pushed off the stone wall beside the gate entry and turned back into town. His apprentices had kept up their commissions in his absence, but L’ubor knew he had some work to review, qualify and approve. 

He returned to the Briar’s Kiss and got to work. In truth, after everything that had happened in the last few weeks, it felt almost surreal to return to something as simple as inspecting the grindstone work or the hilt design on a fresh blade. He couldn’t believe the level of detail his apprentices had developed—it was impressive in its own right. Particularly when it came to other things like kitchen knives, branding irons and loom equipment. 

L’ubor took the opportunity to test one of Sava’s knives, measuring its weight and its balance. He took note of how well it glided through the meat he planned to cook for lunch, how little force it required, and best of all, how easily he was able to find the center of gravity for best control. 

“Truly remarkable work, Sava, I’m quite impressed. It slides through the right amount of friction, and with the perfect precision of a well-balanced blade.” L’ubor was so focused on the blade and the testing table before him that he didn’t look up right away at the individual soon standing beside him; he simply assumed that person was, in fact, Sava. Sava had a tendency to stand away until he heard good feedback, then he approached gingerly. 

“Sava? Did you hear what I said? That was a genuine compliment!” 

But it wasn’t Sava, L’ubor realized, glancing upward. 

No, it was someone else entirely. 

“Ah—wh—”

“Don’t tell me you’re speechless, L’ubor. I never thought I’d see the day.” 

“Fighting for words, certainly,” L’ubor managed. 

It was Theodore. 

Theodore held out his arms with a grin. “Aren’t you going to greet me properly?” 

As if he needed permission. L’ubor practically lunged at him, arms wrapping around Theodore’s torso. He wrapped himself tightly around him, only to remember Theodore’s delicate nature last they had seen each other. Though he relaxed his hug slightly he still buried his face into Theodore’s neck and let out a sound which could only be described as a cross between a happy cry and a frustrated grunt. 

“What are you doing here? You absolute dolt, you’re injured. You should be at home. Resting .” 

“I am home.” He paused. Then, tilting L’ubor’s chin up he said, “ You’re my home.” 

L’ubor choked back a half laugh, half snort. “As romantic as that is, you know exactly what I mean: back home in Boklad, with Eloise.” 

“L’ubor…”

L’ubor was clever, he knew how to put together the unspoken words behind Theodore’s tone and stare. Their last conversation lingered in his head, along with his and Clive’s. 

“If you came to rescue me, I promise, everything is actually quite alright. I haven’t had the chance to write you, but—”

“Shhh.” Theo lifted his index finger and gently placed it over L’ubor’s full lips. It would have agitated L’ubor if all of the physical contact with Theodore didn’t feel so comforting. It was exactly what he needed. “Tell me everything. We need to talk. But not here.”

To L’ubor’s surprise, Sava and his other apprentices were watching as if this were some sort of romantic novela unraveling before them. He wasn’t one to typically feel embarrassment, but there was a twinge of discomfort in knowing his apprentices were seeing him in such a vulnerable position. 

He cleared his throat. “I’ll return soon. Gripta, you’re in charge while I’m gone, yes? See to things as you normally do. Thank you.” 

So much for normalcy, L’ubor thought with an odd sense of relief. He observed Theo in his movements up into the residential district, noting that he was able to walk without a cane and without limping. Tarja’s salves and poultices must have done quite the trick. L’ubor was mindful of all the stairs leading to his quarters but Theo kept up just as he always did. 

L’ubor ushered him inside and shut the door behind them. To jump upon him and kiss him senseless was an idea, but there were far too many questions. They had only just parted ways maybe a fortnight ago. Surely things in Boklad hadn’t deteriorated so fast?

“I’ll assume that since the town hasn’t strung you out to dry over the river that you managed to work things out with them?” Theodore asked curiously. 

“Oh, that’s quite the tale,” L’ubor began, but he could see that even with such an answer, Theodore seemed fidgety. He wasn’t sitting and instead was pacing back and forth like some sort of caged animal. “Are you alright?” 

Theodore stopped. He opened his mouth, then stopped again. Held up his hands, stopped once more. He seemed almost frozen, or at the very best, discombobulated. 

He growled softly and eventually admitted, “I wanted this to be some grand, romantic gesture but I’m struggling to find the right way to approach it. You know me, L’ubor, I’ve never been the most planned out man, or the type who can easily convey what he’s thinking or feeling. It all takes work.” He approached L’ubor, taking hold of his hands and squeezing them affectionately. “I’ve come—I’ve come to ask to live with you.”

L’ubor couldn’t help the surprise in his tone. “ What ?” 

Theodore’s grin was practically a sunbeam, it was so bright. “Yes. I want to come live with you. El and I…we had such a heartfelt conversation about it. Ultimately, she said to chase that love. To chase what my heart wants. She wants me to be happy and she knows you bring that to me every day. My heart wants you. L’ubor…I love you. And I want to be with you. For the rest of my life.”

Fate truly had gifted them something unique and special, L’ubor thought, recalling Theodore’s words. How fortuitous was it that Kasjlok had demanded more time, that Dalimil had been saved from an aetherflood, and that L’ubor had been made mayor after winning back the good graces of the town guard and the merchant’s guild. It almost felt too good to be true, but even he was swept up in the emotion of it. 

“Theo…you have truly no idea what it does to me to hear those words.” L’ubor freed his hands from Theodore’s grip just so he could hug him again, then properly pepper his handsome face with kisses. “You’re a brave man, coming all this way without having any idea what happened. What if I’d been banished from Dalimil?” 

“Whether we’re together in Dalimil, or in Ran’dellah, or Boklad, or I don’t know, even the Dominion…I don’t care.” Theo shook his head. “I don’t care where, or how. So long as we’re together, I’ll be happy.” 

“Do I have quite the tale for you, my love.” L’ubor smiled fondly. He leaned in, closed his eyes, and rested their foreheads against one another. That he would be so lucky to have such a man in his life was truly one of a kind. He traced his fingers along Theo’s jaw line. “I’ll tell you everything over lunch. I was going to make something, but this calls for a grand meal at the Final Sting.” He eased back to stare at Theo, wanting to get lost on those beautiful brown eyes. The adoration and happiness was overflowing. He could get used to seeing that every day.

“So you’ll have me?”

“Always and forever.”