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It was a tiring day for the Perland Raiders. The streets were quiet and the sky was dark, as the sunset’s hour had already passed. The shadow of the darkened skies loomed over Perland, with only the glow of the moon and stars guiding those who were still awake. The dimly lit buildings were crowded with faint laughter whilst other buildings harboured gentle slumber.
Violet, the ace of the Perland Raiders, was the most tired especially, having taken care of an arduous expedition that was deep within Southern Perland. Back in his home at last, he would promptly prepare himself for his nightly routine. Violet lived independently in the Harrison mansion, with only a few familiars to aid him and keep him company. Despite the number of inhabitants, the mansion was a pretty quiet place.
Violet let out a tired yawn as he sat down on his bed. He changed into his usual sleepwear, crafted with comfortable and luxurious material, and slipped inside his covers. As he set his head onto the pillow, Violet heard gentle raindrops tapping over his window. Soon the rain began to pour, as the raindrops became more abundant, clashing against the window. Now that was a sign to Violet that he will sleep well tonight! He definitely needed that after that tiring expedition.
Feeling the warmth underneath his covers, Violet quickly fell asleep. His mind drifted elsewhere, into the void of his unconscious. He began to lightly snore, yet it was all drowned out by the pouring rainfall. As he peacefully slept, Violet could hear the sound of barking amidst his dream. Wait— Barking? But there were no dogs in his dream. Why would he be hearing something bark in the first place—
CRASH!!!
Violet was immediately woken up by a sudden loud noise from the lower floor, accompanied by loud barking as well. Without hesitation, Violet threw himself out of his covers and immediately ran down the stairs towards the commotion. As he reached the bottom of the staircase, Violet saw a wolf alongside an unconscious body by the entrance and the door being wide open. Upon closer look, Violet could recognize Pavel as the unconscious one.
“PAVEL!!!” He yelled, rushing to his side. He grabbed Pavel’s shoulders and dragged him further inside. Pavel’s body was covered in cuts and bruises, his cape ripped with many cuts. The left side of his gut was bleeding as well. Few panicked maids arrived to the commotion. “Bring his belongings elsewhere! I’ll take care of him!” Violet yelled to the maids as he hoisted the dark haired man on his back, wetly staining his nightclothes with bloodied dirt. The maids quickly nodded and followed their orders, carrying Pavel’s belongings somewhere safe.
Violet carried Pavel on his back all the way to the living room and then gently laid him down near the fireplace. He quickly took off his own shirt and wrapped it around Pavel’s stomach wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. He then got up and went to search for the First Aid kit. It must be somewhere near the bookshelf , Violet thought to himself as he rummaged through his belongings. As Violet rushed to find the kit, the wolf would wander over to Pavel and sit beside him.
Amidst his search, Violet heard Pavel groan a bit along with a bit of shuffling. Violet immediately stopped what he was doing and rushed to Pavel’s side, checking to see if his friend was awake. Pavel’s eyes slowly flickered open as his breath would slowly regain its balance.
When Pavel finally regained his consciousness, he immediately tried to sit up, only to be pushed back down by a pair of hands. “Oh no you don’t!” Violet scolded as he gently pushed Pavel, “You’re not going anywhere in that condition young man!”
Pavel looked at Violet in confusion until he glanced at his surroundings. All he could see was the fancy interior, an also fancy fireplace, Ralph sitting beside him and a shirtless Violet. He attempted to sit up once more, only to be met with a sharp pain in his chest. He grit his teeth as he lay down once more in defeat. “Now you stay here when I find the First Aid kit! Don’t move a muscle!” Violet ordered as he turned and hurriedly walked away.
Pavel watched Violet scurry away, as he would then cock his head back against the floor. Ralph crawled over to him and started to gently lick his face, glad to see his master still alive. The Perland Raider smiled as he let out a low chuckle at the wolf’s affection. He doesn’t even know why the wolf decided to stick with him, especially after Cerise named him, but he enjoyed his company after a short while.
“I’m back!” Violet announced as he ran back to Pavel, the First Aid kit in his hands. He sat down beside Pavel and took out the supplies. “You’re gonna have to sit up for this.” Violet quickly warned before sliding a supporting hand under Pavel’s back, slowly pushing him up. Pavel winced as Violet moved him, breathing out a deep sigh while Violet muttered “Sorry”.
Violet unwrapped his now bloodied shirt from Pavel’s wound and threw it aside. “Sorry about your shirt..” Pavel meekly apologised. He knew that Violet didn’t like it getting his clothes dirty. But he saw the noble shrug from the corner of his eye. “It’s better to lose a shirt than to lose a friend.” He chuckled, his voice sounding a lot more genuine than what Pavel expected. He took out a towel and began to dry Pavel.
“Dang! How bad even are these wounds, Pavel!— What the hell did you even do?!” The violet-haired man scolded as he disinfected one of the many wounds Pavel harboured. They ranged from bruises, bullet wounds to gashes. There were even burns on his legs. He watched as the darker haired man looked away and refused to answer. “Tch. Typical.” Violet clicked his tongue, knowing that Pavel was never one for words. However, his expectations of silence were quickly subverted as Pavel began to speak. “I got ambushed by thugs on my way back. One of them tried to kill Ralph, but he ended up stabbing me in the gut instead.” He briefly explained, his gaze watching the dancing fire flicker before him.
Pavel was one of the strongest men within the Perland Raiders, alongside Violet himself. To know that he, out of all people, got ambushed and was left in such a state baffled the noble. “And how many thugs were out there, exactly?” He asked in a low voice. Knowing Pavel’s experience out in the field, it would’ve taken many people to even land a fatal hit on him like that. “A lot of them. I was able to count nine, at best.” Pavel answered. Violet could only imagine that they were more than nine.
Violet took out the bandage wrap and began to gently cover up Pavel’s wounds, starting with the bullet wounds in his arms. Seeing Pavel with such injuries made Violet’s heart sink a little, knowing that he could’ve been there to aid him in his time of need. But he knew that Pavel was stubborn to a fault, as the lone wolf never asked for help when it came to anything. However, to see that Pavel had bursted through his door in such a condition made the noble put his feelings into retrospect. Speaking of feelings, one question lingered inside Violet’s mind.
He finished wrapping up the smaller wounds and then began to tend the stab wound on the side of Pavel’s stomach, taking out a towel and letting it absorb the remaining blood. Afterwards, he took the bandage wrap once more and wrapped it around Pavel’s stomach. As he was patching it up, he felt it was the right moment to ask his question. “Why did you come here?” Violet quietly asked, his voice in a low mutter that only Pavel could hear. The room was silent, with only the sound of the fireplace cracking dawning the silence. He heard a low sigh escape from Pavel’s lips.
“You know I trust you more than anyone, right?” Pavel shot back with a gentle tone, which was different from his usual stoic voice, “You are the only person I can rely on, Violet.” The noble would only let out a small chuckle. His gaze pulled away from the fire as he would look back at Violet, yet their gazes would not match. The noble was busy patching up Pavel’s stab wound, and the latter would turn away and look at the fire once more. Violet didn’t notice that Pavel’s cheeks had gone a bit red.
Ralph would suddenly emerge between Pavel and the fireplace, as the wolf then rubbed itself against Pavel’s side and sat down. To distract himself, the raider began to pet the wolf with a smile on his face. “So his name is Ralph, huh?” Violet chimed in with curiosity, “Did you name him that?”. Pavel shook his head. “No, Cerise did.”
Upon hearing that name, Violet’s eyes brightened a little. “Ah! That girl from Aakhen? Say, don’t you and her have a little something going on?” He teased, trying to lighten up the atmosphere. He would only be met with the sound of a heavy sigh from Pavel. “No, we don’t have anything going on.” He exasperated, “We’re just friends.” He heard Violet click his tongue and mutter; “Sure, you are..”, he was probably rolling his eyes as well. Pavel frowned.
“What about you and Luluca, huh? Don’t you guys have anything?” Pavel muttered under his breath. Violet froze on his spot, his cheeks immediately turning a bright pink. “That rat de rue was just a flimsy little crush! You know that, Pavel!” He shot back, his grip on the bandage wrap growing stronger for a moment. He heard Pavel let out a small scoff. Though uncharacteristic of him to say such things, Violet chuckled at Pavel’s earlier comment. That man was really bold at times, and those moments were always golden in Violet’s memory.
After the final wrap, Violet cut the bandage wrap and set it aside. He took a small pin and inserted it between each individual wrap to keep it secure on Pavel’s wound. “Alright, it’s finished.” He announced with a smile, as he would sit back and admire his work.
Pavel looked down at his patched up wounds, noticing how they were taken care of neatly and gently. He looked back at Violet and saw the smile he had on his face, and Pavel couldn’t help but stare at it for a little while, feeling his cheeks heat up a bit as well, especially due to the fact that Violet was shirtless during the entire procedure. If anything, he could always blame the fire.
Violet glanced at the clock and noticed the time. It was already past midnight and the dark rain was stronger than ever. He got up and stretched himself as he yawned. He then looked down at Pavel, who had already gotten up on his own. Before Violet could say anything, Pavel spoke up. “I’ll go back home.” He said as he was about to pick up his things and leave, but he felt Violet grip his shoulder. “Oh no you’re not! Have you seen the weather out there?!” He scolded, “You’re staying here tonight!”
Pavel felt Ralph tug against his leg, a sign of definite approval. With two against one, Pavel sighed in defeat.
Violet handed Pavel a pair of nightclothes he could borrow for the night. Once wearing them, Pavel felt discomforted by the sheer luxury and comfort it was. The fabric was slightly itchy against his skin as well. He was grateful that he and Violet were around the same size at least. The nightclothes had a specific scent of lavender, which was a strong yet pleasing scent to Pavel. It reminded him of Violet.
“I’m going to sleep in the guest room.” Pavel said as he and Violet both reached the hallway of the second floor, only to be met with the latter’s disagreement. “No! I insist! You’re sleeping in my room tonight! Someone ’s gonna have to keep an eye on your wounds, y’know?” Violet quickly retorted. Pavel’s face scrunched into a frown as he sighed, his tired silence marking his submission to the noble’s insistence. Either way, he’d be surrounded by fancy things for the night.
Violet dragged Pavel to his bedroom, and to Pavel’s dismay, there was only one bed. However it had enough room for two people (and maybe a wolf too). The room was dimly lit with a lamp by the bedside as Violet sat down on the bed, prompting Pavel to do the same on the opposite side. The covers were warm and comfortable, and the fabric was really light as well. As he slipped between the blanket and the sheets, Pavel would only worry that he might accidentally rip something in the process.
“Well light’s out!” Violet announced as he turned off the lamp, “Goodnight, Pavel!” His head hit the pillow and he immediately fell silent. Pavel slowly laid down and faced the opposite direction, his gaze locked on the balcony by the window. He noticed Ralph crawling by the bedside near Pavel and lay down on the floor, preparing to sleep as well. Now Pavel was left alone with the faint sound of his own heartbeat.
Pavel could sense Violet’s warmth beside him, as their backs were merely touching each other. He turned around and scooted a bit closer to the violet-haired man, the scent of lavender being closer than ever. Pavel then absentmindedly wrapped his arms around Violet’s waist and rested his head behind his neck, nuzzling against his soft skin. Closing his eyes, Pavel took in Violet’s scent and finally fell asleep.
Violet, on the other hand, was wide awake and his face and ears flushed a deep red. He turned his head to face Pavel, eventually turning his entire body as well. He looked at Pavel’s features in the shadows, the moonlight seeping from the windows reflecting onto him. Compared to his average stoic and serious self, Pavel looked peaceful and soft in his sleep. His dark hair would gently fall over his face, as well as his lips would part ways yet remain close together. Violet wouldn’t admit this out loud, but Pavel seemed to be the one with the beautiful face instead of him. But Violet didn’t hate him for that, instead he felt a bit more differently than what he’d expect.
Violet unconsciously smiled as he gazed at Pavel’s features. Seeing him in such peace after succumbing to fatal wounds made Violet grateful that he survived. If Pavel had died in that ambush, Violet wouldn’t even know what would become of him. Delicately caressing Pavel’s hair aside with his free hand, Violet placed a gentle kiss over his forehead. When his lips met Pavel’s skin, the raider’s eyes were immediately shot awake as he slightly jumped. Both Perland Raiders were stunned and stared at each other in disbelief and confusion for an eternity, both of their faces painted into a blushing mess.
“Gross.” That was what Pavel could muster out. “Hey! You started being touchy first!” Violet shot back, as the former rolled his eyes. However their positions remained unchanged, as Pavel’s arms were still wrapped around Violet’s waist. As Pavel looked up at Violet, he was able to see his face under the moonlight. Pavel knew that the noble would always flaunt about the fact that his face was beautiful, but he couldn’t disagree with his claims. Violet’s amethyst eyes shined a colour that matched his own hair and his charming gaze had an air of mystery behind it with that covered eye. But, in this moment, Pavel could see both of Violet’s eyes, and they were like the shiniest jewels he has ever seen. Pavel then looked away in embarrassment as Violet lightly chuckled at him.
“Awww! Who knew the Perland Raider’s best soldier is infatuated with the ace, Violet Harrison, himself? Perhaps I should be honoured that my beauty pierced your heart!” He laughed. “Oh shut up.” Pavel aggressively whispered, only for his comment to be met with laughter. “Oh really? Can you say no to this face, Pavel? I have caught the hearts of many ladies with this thing! But if I have caught yours, then I will gladly consider myself a winner!—”
Violet’s words were interrupted and thrown off-guard by Pavel’s lips crashing against his own. Pavel’s lips were slightly dry while Violet’s were soft and chapped. The kiss only lasted for a small moment before they parted ways, but it had felt like an eternity for both of them. Pavel drew away, his face red in embarrassment. “You talk too much.” He muttered, his lips curving into a small smile.
Violet was frozen in shock, unable to process what had just happened. After a bit of hesitation, Violet quietly pulled Pavel into another kiss. It was different from the first one, as it had a little bit more passion in it. They melted into each other’s touch and sank into their affections.
When they finally pulled away, Pavel pulled Violet into a hug, basking in his warmth and setting his head on the crook of his neck. The noble wrapped his arms around the raider with a smile, his hand then playing with his dark hair. “I love you, Pavel..” He muttered sweetly. Pavel didn’t respond, but judging from his tightened grip, it was enough for the noble to know that he reciprocated. Falling into a nice slumber, the two feel safe in each other’s arms.