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The fire crackled nearby them as Kabru stood near the tired man, caressing his hair to help him relax a bit. Despite lacking desire, the elf did not lack a single emotion. Kabru could clearly hear Mithrun's voice start to shake when he was opening up about his past as a dungeon lord to him. It must've been so hard...
"It didn't eat all of me."
Those words rung in his ears. What did that mean? Did he mean how the goat couldn't eat his desire for revenge? Or was it referring to something else? Well, for now, that should be the least of his worries... Because his top priority was the safety of Mithrun. His past could stay aside now...
It definitely didn't help his wonder and curiosity, but he realized the more Mithrun talked, the more his voice started to shake and eyes become wet.
"I.. I'm sorry. That must've been horrible.." Mithrun looked back up at Kabru, involuntarily sniffling and wiping his tears away. "It's fine. All I want is to kill that goat. I need to fufill that goal."
Kabru, pulling the blanket on him, spoke softly "How about you plan that for later..? You need rest, Captain."
Mithrun pouted, but didn't put up a fight. Obviously, he could not reach that goal without patience— nor anytime soon. He first needed to escape from wherever the two fell to.
Sighing, the elf turned left, trying to get comfortable on the sleeping pad Kabru had decided to sacrifice for him. As much as he had insisted that he doesn't need it, Kabru wouldn't listen for a single second. He looked towards Kabru, who was currently sitting near the fireplace, doing his own thing.
Good.
So neither of them could sleep...
He looked deep into Kabru's eyes. They reminded him of the ocean, no one would be able to forget those eyes, he thought to himself. Then, he looked at his hands. There were some small injuries and cuts, he wondered if he got those in the dungeons. As he continued studying the man, he felt a sudden breeze wash over his body.
As much as he didn't want to bother the man, he couldn't help but call out. "...Kabru"
Hearing his name, Kabru's attention shifted from the fireplace and focused on Mithrun instead. "Captain?"
Slowly getting up, he walked towards him and sat beside his makeshift bed. "Did you need anything?"
Mithrun couldn't help but cringe at the name. Why was Kabru calling him that? It's not like he was his captain or anything, they were even.. If anything, he saw Kabru more as... a companion. "You don't need to call me that, you know..."
"Haha, sorry.. became a habit already!" That chuckle... gosh, what was so different about Kabru that he felt this way?! It's not like he cared so much or had known him for long! What was this ... awful.. feeling? Meh. He can deal with it later. It wasn't like he was going to see Kabru after all this.
"..I'm cold." Despite saying a clear sentence, it sounded more like a question. He wasn't sure if he was cold, he didn't get cold. But surely this feeling was familiar.
"Oh! You should come closer to the fireplace! Here, let me help you up.." Kabru said, extending a hand out for Mithrun to stand up.
Kabru was.. energetic, caring and sweet. Too sweet. Mithrun couldn't handle it. He held Kabru's hand as he stood up, then dragged the pad. When they made it near the fireplace, he sat back down on the pad, then laid down, trying once again to get comfortable. He felt Kabru lift the blanket, then fix it to cover his whole body, patting his back before going back to sit down.
"Check your pillow for nightmares, Mithrun"
"Right..." Glad he reminded that... Mithrun couldn't deal with those right now.
"...Kabru?" His voice sounded weaker— no, softer, softer than intended. Kabru turned around to look at him once again, listening. "..I'm still cold."
"Still? You sure not sick, Mithrun?" He moved closer, holding his palm up to Mithrun's forehead.
"No.. you're not warm either.." The way his name rolled off Kabru's tongue was so extremely soothing to Mithrun... what was up with him? Yeah, maybe he was sick.
"Do you want a jacket? I could give you mine" Oh how sweet...
"...You'll be cold then, no." And he was no different than Kabru. Guess having your desires sucked out doesn't limit your empathy.
"Actually... I'm not even that cold.. You can have it" Kabru then took off his jacket, handing it to Mithrun. Despite accepting it, Mithrun couldn't stop wondering ...
When will he stop insisting? He can barely take care of himself, but he's here, doing everything to take care of me.
He's...
Too sweet.
Of course, he wouldn't admit that out loud, but it's been occupying his brain since they had met. All Kabru did was protect and take care of him... With yet another sigh, Mithrun put the jacket on. Instead of it feeling like a jacket... it felt more like a second blanket, because this jacket was big, even for Kabru— so on his smaller built and shorter body, it enveloped him fully.
Laying back down, he felt Kabru's hand caress his cheek, but didn't show a reaction as to not make him stop.
Hm.. this is nice. Mithrun could get used to it.
Without realizing, he raised his own hand to rest on top of Kabru's, savoring the sweet moment. When he felt Kabru slide his hand off, he pulled it back.
"Ca- Mithrun..?" He was surprised with the mans behavior, it wasn't really like Mithrun to be so... vulnerable?
"It's warm. Stay." He further leaned into his hand, now Kabru fully cupping his cheek. He let out a small chuckle, continuing to caress the mans soft cheek. He wondered if Mithrun would ever feel the desire to have Kabru all to himself— that's all Kabru ever wanted.
Even though it's been days, even though Kabru doesn't believe in love at first sight, there's just something so captivating about Mithrun. He's more than he thinks he is, not just some desireless, basic elf. He felt more than he showed, more than he knew he did. It was all obvious from the way he acted. When he was curious, Kabru could easily tell. When he was upset or angry, he became more animated than he realized. Kabru noticed it all. He loved it all.
"..You feel better? Not cold anymore?" He didn't move his hand an inch, he loved this.
"... After you... put your hand on me. I felt... warmer." It wasn't the jacket, it wasn't the fire keeping him from being cold, it was Kabru's own warmth.
With a shaky breath, Kabru prepared to speak. His next request could be risky, but did it really matter? "...Hey, want me to lay down beside you..?"
...
..
"Hm... That'd be nice."
With Mithrun's words of confirmation, he let out a sigh he didn't know he was holding in. He shifted in his position to first sit down, then lay beside him. When he did so, Mithrun raised the blanket for him to join in.
Well.
Kabru didn't expect that, but, he was more than happy about this. He entered the blanket, and without realizing, snuggled close to Mithrun. At the sudden connection, Mithrun gasped lightly, turning his head back to look at Kabru.
Hm... he seems comfortable. This is.. quite nice.
With the physical contact between the two, Mithrun could feel his body relaxing and leaning even closer to Kabru. He hadn't realized how tense he was... the stress must've caught up to him.
Surprisingly enough.. Mithrun didn't feel uncomfortable at all, despite not being a big fan of physical contact. He could make an exception for Kabru. He turned around, moving to bury his head in Kabru's chest— well, armor.
Seeing his discomfort, Kabru moved to take off the armor and tossed it aside, then pulling the elf closer to his chest by his head and waist. The hand on his head kept caressing his hair meanwhile the one on his waist moved to rub circles on his back. Kabru dropped his head onto Mithrun's, every breath turning into a whiff of the elf.
There was something about Kabru that Mithrun loved. He didn't know what it was, but Kabru simply being.. Kabru, had made him so connected to him.
He also admired how Kabru looked without his armor. Now he could see every scar and cut on his arms, all of them a reminder of the things they had both encountered in various dungeons.
Mithrun's hand moved to grab the hand Kabru had been using to rub his back. Interwining Kabru's fingers with his, he laid close to Kabru.
He didn't know what he was doing, he didn't know what he was feeling... but.. he did what his first instincts told him to, and doing this.. simply just felt right. He hadn't heard complaints from Kabru, so no doubt he was enjoying it too.
"Kabru." he raised his head up, yet still cuddled close to his chest. Kabru looked down, his hand that had been caressing his hair moving down to his shoulders, holding him close.
"Mithrun..." With the way Kabru said his name, he couldn't hold his smile— that he didn't even know he was holding back, and like always, he didn't know why he was doing everything he had just done, but he realized that right now it wasn't his desires leading him, nor his mind. It was his heart.
"...Thank you." He used his empty arm to wrap it around his neck, pulling the two so close that they could feel each others ever single heartbeat.
"...Anytime, Mithrun."