Work Text:
Seox wasn’t one who knew how to celebrate happy occasions. Being from a rather secluded clan and imprisoned at an early age at that, he had next to no knowledge of how to celebrate holidays and happy occasions. Christmas, Valentine’s, Halloween… these days were all foreign to him.
He especially didn’t know how to celebrate, or even how to feel, about his own birthday.
Being seen as a curse from an early age doesn’t typically do wonders for one’s self image. From the moment he had been born, Seox was seen only as a curse, a blight among his own clan. He was shunned and hated wherever he went, and eventually, he was perpetually locked in a dark, cold room for most of his childhood, only being let out extremely rarely. He knew when he was born, but most times, he just regarded it as another day.
Nothing special. Nothing to be celebrated. That’s how Karm treated it, anyways.
But all that seemed to change when he joined the Eternals, and by extension, Gran’s crew. He was thrust into a world completely unfamiliar and foreign to him, where celebrations seemed to be happening all the time. Holidays, special occasions, Seox knew nearly none of it, but over time, steadily grew to understand, but not without some mishaps along the way.
One particular Valentine’s day, he attempted to give Gran poison , thinking it was his ‘heart’s desire’. Gran had blinked, then broke into laughter, saying that wasn’t what it meant. It took time, but he slowly learned what these days were and the meaning behind them - and why Gran seemed to always want to give Seox chocolate first thing on that day, and always went to see him on the corresponding White Day to spend time together. It eventually culminated in a blurted confession of deeper feelings, one which Seox shyly, but wholeheartedly reciprocated.
On a day Seox regarded as rather ordinary, he was on the deck of the Grancypher, staring somewhat absentmindedly into the vast reaches of the sky, a moment of peace.
That was before his energetic partner hugged him from behind and cheered a hearty, “Happy birthday!”
Seox was startled, not sensing Gran come up from behind him, and blinked underneath his mask. “...Huh?”
“It’s your birthday today, isn’t it?” Gran grinned, his brown eyes bright and happy. “So we have to celebrate! What do you want to do?”
“...Celebrate?” Seox was still lost. “I don’t see what the fuss is about for my birthday. It’s really just another day.”
“ Just another day? ” Gran is incredulous. “But you were born today! That’s plenty of reason to celebrate!”
Seox goes quiet, looking back into the vast sky. “...It wasn’t. Not to my own clan. I was seen as nothing but a curse. My own day of birth was regarded as such to them… and I’m sure now that they’re all dead, it’s probably justified.”
The brown haired boy steps back and considers, then gently takes the Eternals’ hand. “But you’re not there anymore, Seox. You’re here with the Eternals, and here with me. I know!” His eyes light up once more. “Maybe we can throw a party?”
Seox feels his panic slightly. “No, no, I wouldn’t… please, let’s not…” He takes a moment to breathe and collect himself. “If anything, I think I’d rather just spend the day with you.”
Gran can’t help but turn a little red, lopsided smile on his face. “If that’s what you wanna do, then sure. Where do you want to go?”
Seox is at a loss. Not only does he not know how to sort out the myriad of emotions about his birthday, he still doesn’t know how to celebrate it.
“I don’t really know.” Behind his mask, Seox closes his eyes. “I still don’t know anything about celebrating these things, I barely know how to celebrate yours. I don’t know what I want to do.”
Gran thinks quietly for a moment. “Then, how about we just do regular things? Go out and get a special meal, and then, if something comes to mind, we’ll do it?”
Folding his arms, Seox gives a small chuckle. “Oh? A meal? What makes that special?”
Gran holds up a small bag and shakes it, the sound of rupies heavy, and grins. “‘Cause I’m buying.”
Seox can’t deny that a meal paid by Gran has its perks… He’s typically not a big eater, but decided, just for today, he’d enjoy something special. Grabbing rather expensive sounding foods, it made for a feast that they both enjoyed, Gran laughing as he watched his boyfriend heartily eat his meal.
“I don’t get to enjoy good food this often,” Seox mumbles to himself, then pauses. “Or really, expensive food.”
Gran props his elbow up on the table, resting his head on his hands. “I figured not. But you’re really enjoying yourself. I’m glad.”
Before they both finish their meal, Seox suddenly has an idea of what he wants to do, but finishes swallowing his last bite before hesitantly looking down and wondering how to word this, before looking up at Gran.
“I was wondering if… if you’d come to Karm with me.”
Taking a sky skimmer over to the island, the two navigate the usual traps and pitfalls before getting to the hamlet, before getting to a grove-like clearing. Somehow, the sunset made the hamlet look more melancholy than usual, and Seox felt that emotion reverberating in his chest. It felt… lonely, like the days of his childhood.
The two come to a place to sit, and Seox stares up at the sky. Gran quietly watches him, knowing Seox probably had something he wanted to say.
Looking down at his hands, Seox breathes a heavy sigh. “All my life… I was seen as nothing but a cursed monster.”
Gran slides his hand into Seox’s and squeezes it. With his slightly shaky free hand, Seox takes off his mask, revealing his face to the one he trusted most, and continued to speak.
“It’s hard not to believe that, when you’re locked up from a young age. Then… the moment I had freedom, I killed everyone in my own clan. My own father…”
He pauses, looking up into the abandoned clearing, finding it strange, yet comforting that he’s rather talkative today.
“For a long time afterwards, every night, I saw their blood in my hands, their jeers, their dying curses echoing in my mind… and I was convinced they were right. I was a curse, a monster. And…” he adds quietly. “And that my birth only brought suffering.”
I was alone for a long time until your father came. Even after that, I was all alone again, wandering from place to place, lost. It was… hard to find any meaning or reason in my life.” His voice grows quiet. “Not until… not until I met the Eternals, and until I met you. Maybe it was fate.”
Gran cocks his head, and scooches closer to Seox. “I, for one, am pretty happy fate brought us together, if that’s the case.”
Seox looks at him, blinking somewhat confusedly.
Gran’s eyes are full of love. “And I’d like to think the world gained something pretty good when you were born. Even after everything, I’m glad you still want to keep traveling with us. It means a lot.”
Seox stays silent and looks at the ground. “Perhaps the meaning of my birth was to meet you.”
“Maybe,” Gran says, sighing at the gentle breeze. “Meeting my dad, meeting the Eternals, meeting me, and then coming along with me to Estalucia, all these things mean something, don't they?”
“Perhaps you’re right,” Seox concedes. “I’ll keep following you on this path, until the end.”
“I know,” Gran squeezes his hand again. “And I’ll be right there with you.”
It’s a quiet, peaceful moment between the two of them as they take in the stillness of the hamlet. The orange and pink hues of sunset slowly turn to dusk as they sit in the hamlet together, breathing in the life of the grove.
“Xing,” Gran nearly whispers. It’s been ages, and Seox’s heart still skips a beat when he hears Gran’s voice call his true name.
“What is it?”
“You told me this once, so I’ll say it back to you. Cherishing your birthday and celebrating it makes my heart flutter, too. I’m glad you were born.”
The amount of love and affection in Gran’s voice makes Seox want to cry, just a little. He can’t say he’s ever felt this cared for in his life, and the feeling is rather foreign to him… but welcome.
“Happy birthday, Xing. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Seox responds, closing his eyes.
The two stay quiet, Seox leaning his head onto Gran’s, the warm and familiar presence next to him bringing him a sense of peace. For a moment, he wishes time could stop, just for a little, so he can stay like this with the one he holds most dear for longer.
It’s strange, he thinks to himself. That everything led to him. It did mean something. It was fate to meet him. It was fate to be with him. He’s reminded of previous birthdays, spent alone, or spent locked away, and chuckles softly to himself.
While he will forever atone for what he’s done, he’ll never be alone again.