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The last thing Aventurine had seen was the barrel of a pistol being aimed at his head.
Had he finally ‘died’? Well, that was a bit disappointing. He’d like to have traveled with that human for at least a little longer before he ‘died’ or got exposed, but it’s simply fate. At least he wouldn’t have to struggle anymore…
Aventurine, despite not needing air, inhaled sharply as his systems came online. It was so dark, he couldn’t see anything. Hadn’t he been shot? Why was he still ‘alive’? His systems indicated nothing was too severely wrong and that he’d been offline for several days, but that couldn’t be right. And why was it so dark?
Finally, his systems were fully online again, and he opened his eyes. He stared up at the cracked ceiling above him, confused and a bit distressed. “What…”
As he rasped out the word, he heard a startled noise, followed by the sound of clothing shifting and hurried footsteps. “Aventurine?”
He groaned, lifting his head with a bit of effort. “Ratio..?”
The violet-haired man came into view, eyes wide. He dropped to his knees beside Aventurine, gently grabbing him by the shoulders, as if making sure this was real. “You’re alive.”
“I’m online,” Aventurine murmured. He stared up at Ratio, dread filling him. Ratio knew. Ratio knew what he was. “Why?”
“I fixed you. I fortunately managed to get us out of there with you mostly intact, and came across a decent hiding spot by chance–”
“Why,” Aventurine repeated, voice firmer. “Why did you fix me?”
Ratio paused, brows furrowing. He studied Aventurine’s expression, lips pursing. “Why wouldn’t I?”
Aventurine raised an eyebrow, perplexed. “You know now. I’m an android. Why didn’t you leave me there?”
Ratio blinked, staying quiet for a moment before sighing. “I.. was a bit put off at first, in all honestly. Mostly because you had never told me. But I know you, and I know you won’t hurt me. I couldn’t leave my companion to die.”
Aventurine frowned, looking away. Ratio wasn’t that stupid, was he? He had almost been killed for traveling with an android, and yet he still saved him anyway. Ratio had to know the risk outweighed any benefit Aventurine could bring. “Even if I won’t hurt you, you could still–”
“Aventurine,” Ratio murmured, cupping his cheek. Aventurine bit his lip, eyes fluttering as he felt Ratio’s warm skin against his cold, synthetic flesh. “I don’t care if you’re an android, and I don’t care about the risks it may bring. I care about you. I wouldn’t abandon you, even if it means making things harder.”
Aventurine huffed, closing his eyes as Ratio’s thumb gently caressed his cheek. “You’re being foolish.”
“It is not foolish to love.”
Aventurine’s eyes snapped open, darting up to meet Ratio’s gaze. When he found no deception in them, no hate, he let out a shaky exhale. “An android isn’t worth that. I’m not worth that.”
Ratio leaned down, pressing their foreheads together. “You’re worth everything.”
Aventurine stared a moment longer, still a bit unbelieving. How could someone like Ratio, so kind and pure, love worthless scrap like him? How? But when Ratio met his gaze with only adoration, Aventurine found he didn’t care for the answer. He surged upwards, connecting their lips, shuddering as Ratio's warmth poured into him.
Ratio let out a startled noise, but after a moment, he kissed him back. His hands came up to clutch at the back of Aventurine’s neck, pulling him closer and pressing their lips together passionately. His inexperience was glaringly obvious, but it didn’t matter. Because it was Ratio.
When Ratio pulled back to gasp for air, Aventurine wrapped his arms and legs around him, refusing to let him go far. He watched as Ratio panted, his eyes lit up with excitement and curiosity. “I thought you could hold your breath for longer than that.”
Ratio laughed breathlessly, shaking his head. “Not when you kiss me like that.
“Did you like it?”
“Don’t ask foolish questions,” Ratio huffed, cupping his cheek. “Of course I did.”
Aventurine struggled to keep track of time as they lay there, tangled in one another and pressing their lips together fervently, swallowing each other whole. Aventurine delightedly drew gasps and groans from Ratio with each press of lips, kissing the human until he pulled back to desperately gasp for air, and dragging him back into another as soon as he was no longer red in the face.
Eventually, he grew bolder, and let his hands wander. If Ratio was giving him this much, surely he could be a little more selfish, right? He squeezed the human’s waist, reveling in the gasp it drew from him. Ratio pulled back from the kiss, panting softly, looking down at Aventurine with lidded eyes.
Aventurine smiled, squeezing harder. “Your clothes are in my way.”
“Are you sure?”
Aventurine blinked. “Of what?”
Ratio sighed, pursing his lips. “Of going further. Are you sure?”
Aventurine hesitated, a bit taken aback by the question. How often had he been asked if he wanted to do this? Never, probably. Did he want this? He thought a little longer, staring into Ratio’s eyes. Everything he had ever wanted stared back. “No,” He admitted. “But can I touch you?”
Ratio nodded, pulling away from Aventurine to sit up, pulling off his cloak and placing it beside them. Aventurine didn’t waste a second, sitting up and slipping his hands under Ratio’s shirt.
Ratio shuddered, tensing slightly. “You’re… cold.”
Aventurine chuckled, eyes locked onto the silhouette of his hands under the fabric. “An astute observation.” He ignored the eye-roll from Ratio.
He felt up the man’s torso, pressing his fingers into every dip and curve, mapping out his body and committing everything to memory. He wanted to feel everything. To claim every part of Ratio for himself. Androids may have been created only to serve, but he was still selfish. Maybe as much as humans.
Ratio’s hand returned to Aventurine’s cheek, cupping it in his warm palm and caressing the synthetic flesh with his thumb. Aventurine leaned into the touch, seeking the human’s warmth, trying to absorb all of it. Ratio chuckled softly as the android nuzzled his palm, smiling down at him.
Aventurine, unable to handle the sheer brightness of such a smile, closed his eyes and leaned forward to catch Ratio’s lips in another kiss. He continued to feel up Ratio’s torso as they kissed, Ratio’s own hands drifting down to grab Aventurine’s hips. Aventurine wondered if this was what it meant to be ‘alive’.
They separated after a few minutes, Ratio once again having to catch his breath. Aventurine didn’t wait for him this time, kissing the corner of his mouth before his lips drifted lower.
Ratio groaned in both exasperation and pleasure, tilting his head back and panting. “Insatiable.”
Aventurine ignored him, peppering kisses down his neck, smooching every inch of skin. His lips pressed into Ratio’s pulse point, and Aventurine lingered there, closing his eyes and savoring the feeling of Ratio’s pulse thrumming against his lips.
Ratio’s hand drifted to Aventurine’s neck, thumbing over where his pulse point should be, feeling nothing there. He hummed, caressing it gently. “I’m shocked I didn’t notice sooner.”
“No kidding,” Aventurine snorted, still not moving. “I thought you were a genius.”
Ratio scoffed, smiling softly as his fingers dragged down the column of Aventurine’s throat. “It doesn’t change anything, though. My thoughts on you are still the same.”
Aventurine went quiet, unsure of how to respond to something so kind. Curse this foolishly good-hearted human, curse him!
Ratio’s hand moved up to grasp his chin, lifting Aventurine’s head to meet his gaze. “It doesn’t change anything,” He repeated. His thumb dragged over Aventurine’s bottom lip, eyes filled with adoration. “I love you.”
Aventurine’s breath hitched, even though they were already past that. He raised his hand to grasp Ratio’s, tugging it away from his face and squeezing gently. He gazed down at their intertwined fingers, lips pursing. “I… I love you too.”
Ratio’s smile brightened tenfold, and Aventurine felt as if he was being blinded. The human leaned forward once again, kissing Aventurine passionately, both of them burying into the bedroll beneath them to hide away from the cruel world. It was just them, right now. And it was perfect.
Aventurine was alive. Aventurine was alive, and Ratio loved him. That was more than he could ask for, in this damned place.