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Phainon wondered if maybe it was during their sparring sessions that he ended up falling for Mydei. Nothing better than honest and brutal fighting for bringing feelings out.
Their training sessions started quite soon after Mydei joined as nobody could actually pose a challenge to either of them. Phainon had quite a good time, training every kind of weapon they could until they started to actually brawl, with Mydei teaching Phainon how to best use his body as a weapon in case he ends up swordless in a battlefield.
But it was always quite innocent. Well, for several months.
Actually… training was how they started kissing. And sleeping together. But still.
Phainon remembered how he was the first to act weird in one of their sessions. He had figured out by then that he was physically attracted to Mydei, like 90% of the Okhema's people were, as the man had an extremely handsome face and a nice body to accompany it. But he had never really reacted to it, not publically.
And then it happened. They were brawling as usual after a few hours of training, when he finally dropped Mydei to the ground. The other would never admit defeat, however, and with extreme strength and speed, Phainon saw their positions shifting, with both of them lying on their backs, and Mydei’s arm on a chokehold around Phainon's neck.
“Yield, Deliverer.” Mydei ordered, breathless as he gripped Phainon with his legs as well.
Phainon did not. He usually didn't, unless he really noticed he couldn't win. He thought he could still try to get released, and he started struggling. As he rubbed himself against Mydei trying to find an opening, he felt something poke him on his back. He didn't find that strange at all back then, as he just thought he had rubbed himself against some part of Mydei's armor or something… but the other’s breathing got heavier, and he tightened the hold on his chokehold.
And that was it. Instead of acting as a normal human being should and fear for his life, Phainon felt heat spread all over his body… and he moaned. Actually moaned. Right there, in Mydei's arms. He felt his face flushing and the thing poking him move before he was roughly pushed away, with Mydei sitting up with his back turned to him.
“HKS, what in Nikador’s name was that for…” He mumbled, less angry than Phainon thought he would be.
Phainon forced a chuckle, getting up so Mydei couldn't see how red he was. “See, it did work! You let me go at once. All part of the plan, and you fell for it. See you tomorrow, Mydei!” He waved, hurrying out of the training grounds.
After all, he did not want Mydei to see that besides being embarrassed, he was utterly aroused. Like a teenager would. Now that he thought about it, though, he clearly wasn't the only one, but they weren't… well, what they became later, back then.
Second time something weird happened was during a heat wave. They were sparring as usual, but had to take more water breaks. Mydei was much lighter than Phainon in the clothes department, and he clearly was more resistant to the hot weather. Tired of feeling way too hot to fight properly, Phainon simply decided to take his upper garments off, and drank plenty of water that ended up running down his chin to his unclothed torso.
“HKS, what do you think you are doing?”
Phainon opened his eyes and met Mydei's, who was faintly blushed. “What? It's too hot, can't I cool myself a little before we continue?”
Mydei huffed, looking away and copying what Phainon did. His blue eyes followed the water trickling down Mydei's chest and abs, and now he could understand why the blush had appeared on his companion's face.
Well, thinking about it, that was the first time Mydei had ever seen him shirtless. They did take baths together in the Hero's bath plenty of times before, but Phainon had always been shy and wore the proper robes to it, which covered his torso and left at most his arms and lower legs appearing. Also, they had shared rooms, but they always respectfully turned their backs to each other while changing clothes.
He just hadn't thought that him being shirtless would cause such a distraction to the always serious Mydeimos, who seemed very unfocused and was easily bested by Phainon after a few rounds. Phainon was actually surprised as he pinned Mydei to the ground, holding his arms with his legs and his throat with his arm.
“Well well well, maybe Lord Mydeimos can't stand the heat as well as he says, can he?” Phainon smirked, chest heaving with the effort.
“Shut up, HKS. Get off of me, you won.” Mydei looked away, face flushed. Phainon thought it was due to the heat back then, but now he knows better.
“No way, I want to rejoice my victory a bit more.” Phainon chuckled, sitting back… and feeling something quite hard poke his buttocks as he did so.
The feeling lasted for barely a couple seconds though, as Mydei spun around, making Phainon fall on his back with a huff. Looking up, Mydei was leaning over him, breathing heavily as he glared down at him, making him gulp.
“I said get off and yielded. You need to learn sparring manners all over again, HKS?” Mydei said angrily, supporting himself on Phainon's chest before getting up.
Phainon groaned as Mydei’s gloves nearly pierced his skin, feeling that same heat from the other day spread over him as he blushed. “If you wanted to grope me as a consolation prize, you only had to ask, Mydei.” He complained, massaging himself.
“I will remember that the next time.” Mydei grinned, walking away while Phainon gaped.
He had expected him to act offended by his taunt, not to so easily agree to it. Phainon sat up and pressed his hands against his face, fully blushed and with his heart hammering against his chest.
There. He was already in love with Mydei by this point for sure, and it had been only a few months from the choking episode to this… what had happened in between?