From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
Luckily for Abasi, Loren had long ago learned how to stop his tears swiftly. While his eyes were still filled with sorrow, at least they were dry. ”Thank you. For...understanding.” The summoner’s voice was a bit shaky, but he reached out to give the undertaker’s shoulder a gentle, but grateful squeeze.
As the other man settled down, the Launceleyn smiled briefly. However, it faded as the conversation moved on. Sighing, Loren took a sip of tea. Unfortunately it didn’t make it any easier to speak. ”Before I met you I...prayed to Frey. I was...distraught over the situation with Remi, and I was hoping they would offer some way to mend my broken heart.”
Sighing, he tapped his fingers against the mug again. ”They did, though I’m not sure if it was magical or just...normal. But they told me I should go out and...cause as many um, well, orgasms as possible, and in exchange my pain over Remi would fade.” Embarrassment caused his cheeks to flush and his tone to grow incredibly awkward.
Taking a steadying breath, he found himself looking away from Abasi. ”There is one other thing you should be aware of.” The summoner bit his lip. ”My brother has offered me a position by his side. In Halo. If I complete a task for him.” Forcing himself to look back at the undertaker, the Launceleyn studied the other man’s features. ”But I would not go if you wished to remain here.” Reaching out, Loren hoped to hold the hand that Abasi had laid on the summoner’s leg.
The only thing that is humiliating is helplessness.
ABASI
"Of course. It is a part of the 'courtship' we agreed to, I would imagine." These words were accompanied by a small half-smile.
The smile faded into a thoughtful expression as Loren listed out two more things. Both stories he would have liked to have known, but Abasi tried his best to breath out the rising frustration inside him. He'd started this from a place of compassion and as difficult as it was for him, he was determined to stay there...besides, again, Loren hadn't lied. Simply omitted some truths.
A curse from Frey, one involving as many orgasms as possible...his eyebrows raised so high Abasi likely looked a little comical. He was rather at a loss as for what to say. That Loren might still have some feelings for Remi did not concern him, as the man had not shown any intention to sleep with the married Alchemist and he had recently disappeared...so really, it was more of an odd tale than anything else, though one currently without an ending. "And...are you close to competing that goal? I must say, you have tried valiantly towards it with me." It was a joke, but also true enough.
The prospect of work in Halo was harder to swallow. Abasi so hated the cold, had just set himself up a life in the Hollowed Grounds, had begun to prepare their home...he let Loren take his hand, though his expression was troubled. "I did not think you had a good relationship with your brother? And...if I am being honest...I was hoping we could begin together the life we discussed. Me, working in the mortuary and you teaching - living together. It would get you away from your family and...that sounds like something you need, Loren."
If his heart rules him,
his conscience will soon take the place of the rod.
01-23-2020, 02:48 PM (This post was last modified: 01-23-2020, 02:48 PM by Loren.)
The white sheep of the family
At Abasi’s words, Loren smiled a bit abashedly. ”I know. I’m still just not used to people...caring for me, that way.” Despite the awkwardness of the words, there was a great deal of gratitude in them.
The undertaker’s question actually startled a bark of laughter from the summoner, though just one. ”Yes. I think I would say I completed that particular um, task.” Cheeks flushing with embarrassment (and a bit of heat as images of what they’d done together flashed through his mind) he took a sip of tea.
When the other man stated in no uncertain terms that he did not wish to go to Halo, the Launceleyn bit his lip. However, he gave Abasi's hand a gentle squeeze. Loren also gave the undertaker an understanding nod. "I don't know what I need, really." A smile blossomed on the summoner's lips, though. "But I know what I want. And...it's that life. With you. Being with you." He stroked his thumb across the other man's knuckles. "Maybe that's what I need, too." There was an almost earnest hope in the Launceleyn's voice.
The only thing that is humiliating is helplessness.
ABASI
"It is hard to understand when it's never happened to you before, isn't it?" Abasi understood that - still struggled to get his head around the idea that Loren really had any affections for him, even all these weeks after their first kiss.
He laughed too as Loren confirmed he had in fact succeeded in his quest. If he hadn't, Abasi would have wondered just how many orgasms one could be expected to reasonably have and still live a productive life. "Hopefully the completion does not mean the end of our efforts in that area." Abasi said with a sip of his own tea, a flushed smile on his face too.
Loren squeezed his hand, smiled, said he'd stay - and Abasi turned to face him, leaning up and holding the Launceleyn's jaw, kissing him gently with a soft hum, one hand resting on his thigh. Pulling away just enough to speak, he said: "I am finding myself oddly taken over by affections. Rest assured nothing that you have told me has changed what we have." As for the argument they'd had in Fiat Lux? He'd practically forgotten it already. Was this what it meant to have a partner - to let go of the insignificant annoyances, to move on together?
If his heart rules him,
his conscience will soon take the place of the rod.
Loren smiled a bit faintly, but genuinely. ”Yes. It really is.” The smile broadened into something fuller and even more real. ”But I like it.” There was a shy quality to the words, and he blushed a little.
Laughing as well, more fully now, the sound coming much more easily as the darkness of the preceding conversation faded somewhat, he gave Abasi what could only be described as an adoring look. ”I don’t know. I’ll suppose we’ll just have to experiment.” The summoner’s voice was as suggestive as it ever got (so not very).
At the kiss, however, he relaxed completely, feeling the last dregs of tension drain out of him. When they broke it off, he was grinning a bit giddily and stupidly. Setting the mug down, he reached up to cup the undertaker’s cheek fondly. ”Well. That is a relief. I was worried that...well.” The Launceleyn chuckled a little breathlessly. ”Never apologize for being affectionate, because I have been taken over by them as well. And I was worried about...losing you.”
If only Loren had worried enough about that to actually take precautions.
Happier now than he had been all season, he released the other man’s hand and face. ”So...did you have anything else you wanted to say?” The summoner’s words were soft as he studied Abasi’s still close features.
The only thing that is humiliating is helplessness.
ABASI
"An experiment I will be very happy indeed to be a part of." He responded, in a voice that was only suggestive if you knew what he was speaking of - they were well matched in that regard. Still, it didn't matter as long as they pleased each other, did it? And Abasi found he was very pleased indeed with the man he'd found himself with.
It wasn't entirely clear what Loren had been worried about (though Abasi could guess a few things) but since it seemed the concern had passed, he didn't dwell on it, just stroked along Loren's hand and laughed softly. "The only way you could lose me now is if the Gods themselves plucked me out of your hands."
There was nothing he wanted to say that he couldn't say with another kiss. Abasi leaned in and pressed one to Loren's lips, though some words came to him as he did: he pulled back simply to say "I am excited for the future. In a way I rarely have been."
If his heart rules him,
his conscience will soon take the place of the rod.
Thankfully, Loren knew Abasi well enough to recognize the undertaker’s incredibly subtle flirting. Rather than responding verbally, the summoner just drew the other man for another, slightly less chaste kiss. When the Launceleyn broke it off, he smiled almost a little cheekily.
It turned into a full on grin at Abasi's comment. "Well, I've managed to weasel my way out of my encounters with the gods so far. So they can try." It wouldn't be nearly as funny in just a short while, but for now Loren allowed himself to imagine the life the two of them might have together. It was a beautiful thing, full of life and light.
So, after they kissed again, his response to the undertaker's words was simple. "Me too." The hope was fully earnest now, and suffused the Launceleyn's whole being.
Too bad the future would prove far shorter than either of them had reckoned with.
