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“Ceaseless Watcher, free him”
Jon was out of his mind, certainly.
He knew he was likely being compelled, the Eye was calling him. He yearned for Elias’ place. He, however, didn’t expect the vision of the man before him, the borderline feral desire to tear his guts apart and make him feel all the terror and pain he was responsible for. He was there to kill, but killing wasn’t that simple.
It was the fatal distraction. Maybe leaving everyone else behind wasn't the best choice, there was no one to stop him from doing something stupid.
Elias pathetically begged for his life, spilling the last drops of his venom in a “good luck”.
When the hesitation before the act could be consumed made itself present, Jon hesitated for a moment.
That was when Elias — Jonah — kissed him. Hungry, ravenous.
Jon froze, he was caught by surprise: Jonah’s lips didn’t last long on him though, before he could process what happened, the other man backed away, arms still on Jon’s shoulders.
“Jonathan. I'm sorry, it was now or never. Let a man say his last words, his last desire” He held Jon in place, Jon on the other hand was too stunned to speak “I suppose I’m in no position to say anything else, but have you to understand something before you continue, one last hauntingly piece of information and I know you can't resist” Jonah catches his breath, serious “I wanted- I want you. Ardently. I fucking want you and this has nothing to do with the The Beholding. I want you to know before you destroy me forever” he grabs Jon’s shirt and rests his forehead on the base of Jon’s neck. “If you want to kill me, do it, make sure it hurts, do it with your hands because that’s how I want you”.
Jon can feel the knife poking Jonah’s belly, only a push, a thrust, and he’s dead.
The situation felt so intimate what Jon could blush. Elias’ obsession with him, the faith in him until the last moments — it all suddenly made sense.
The blade between them is the only thing keeping Jonah to fully lay on Jon. He somehow looks younger, desperate, insanely in love. So far from the cold, rational Elias. It was easy to hate him less when he was that vulnerable, almost like he was another person — and in some sense, that could be the case.
By Jon’s readings, this was the true Jonah: warm, passionate, inconsequential.
Maybe this Elias — Jonah — was worth of sharing The Beholding’s power with. He could feel every part of his body and soul yearning for the man.
He pushed the knife a little further against Jonah’s skin, using his last bit of rationality: this man ruined your life. You’re out of your mind, you’re being compelled.
Kill him.
And Jonah whimpered.
It was too erotic to be caused by the sole pain of having his belly stabbed. Was the pleasure of having Jon closer than ever.
What a freak.
However, it was the last straw for Jon to have his mind completely lost.
He removed the knife, not being deep enough to kill the man, but the blood was warm, wet. Jonah’s shirt staining in deep red.
Jon pushed the other man in order to see his eyes. The centenary eyes who took everything from him and yet, all his hate tuned into desire. Maybe was the Eye’s power messing with his head. Maybe it sensed that together, they’d be more powerful as ever, and the Beholding would reign sovereign.
He was tired of feeling guilty, of being repulsed by his own existence. He knew his two options: killing Jonah and himself, or…
Jonah was the only one who cherished Jon as who he was now.
Jonah very well made him like this, that was no secret. However, all the hate was long gone, because if he didn’t hate himself as what he was now, he couldn’t hate Jonah for making him like this.
When Jonah kissed him again, he felt all his body react in a rush. He opened his mouth to let Jonah’s tongue in, it was messy, almost painful as their teeth crashed. He felt like they were trying to eat each other, with no grace, just roughness. He let his mind open for Jonah: there was no secrets between them anymore, he still wanted to kill the other man but, with his arousal flowing between their minds, the excitement of getting to know more and more, he couldn’t betray his nature to end it.
Fuck the world — if loving Jonah was the downfall of their reality, so be it.
“Let me worship you” Jonah broke the kiss to say “The Eye loves you, reverences you, I shall do the same.”
“Don’t pretend it’s not convenient for you”
“I am pleased my interests align with our master” Jonah giggles. It’s fucking adorable.
And the worst: Jonah knows because he knows every single thought that come across Jon’s mind. They know each other completely.
Jon never felt so full — so satisfied.
"Our master..." Jon tasted the words, it was easier, more comfortable, to stop denying
Maybe you can’t withstand the power of the Beholding alone but… What if we share it, you and I. What if we both leave what remains of humanity and become something new.
I don’t want anything more than that.
Please kiss me again.
And Jonah did.
No words had to be spoken, there was no need since both of their minds were open, their thoughts would flow freely and the power of knowing everything, watching everything was much easier when shared between the two.
Feeling what the other was feeling, the sensation of being kissed and loved. Neither of them ever felt like this before, of having their sensations duplicated and mirrored so they could gain and receive. It was magical. They could live like this forever.
My archive, my beautiful archive — I love you. You can feel it. You are my choice, it’s always have been you.
Our archive. The watcher’s crown is ours.
And as a two-pupil eye, there was no way to differentiate Jonah from Jon anymore. Both archive and archivist, both watcher and watched. Jonah’s dream finally became his reality.
And they couldn’t be happier.