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[ Watching Dion search the cabinets is... so oddly domestic. It's different, and not in a bad way. Cute, actually, particularly the way his hands rest on his hips. Joshua thinks that he could get used to seeing more of this. Dion getting a chance to be a person, not a symbol or a pawn. ]

Oh, it's all right. I don't mind not having it. But if you truly want to, I won't stop you.

[ His smile is back to warm and radiant, one knee now crossed over the other, his arms folded and bracing on his thighs. ]

There is a way to maintain the flavor of the tea while still enjoying the cream. You just have to use two bags. It strengthens the flavor of the tea that way.

[ This, from the man who was nearly taken out by one single cup of coffee. ]

[For a long moment, Dion regards Joshua. It's clear he's weighing his options, as if they both don't already know what he's going to pick. Let's be honest, it's probably just an excuse to stare at him. His thoughts are not dissimilar to Joshua's own — there's something to be said about the relaxed way he's able to sit in this moment. He deserves more of those.

Right, that settles it then. Dion turns back to the mugs, puts another bag each in, then dips back over to Joshua.]

I trust you will mind yourself while I am away?

[A kiss is pressed to his forehead before Dion steps toward the door, then slips out. Maybe it's time he can use to clear his head. He's thinking too many gay, domestic thoughts right now.]

[ Joshua can't help the flutter he feels from Dion watching him the way he is. It's a considering sort of look, he thinks, but all the same, he feels like he would be comfortable sitting here like this all day, lost in taking each other in.

But Dion adds another bag to each mug, and Joshua knows what decision he's come to. He laughs softly, leaning up into that gentle kiss to his forehead. ]

Of course. I will be on my best behavior.

[ A broad smile, as Dion heads for the door. And as he departs the room, Joshua watches until the door latches closed, and then... takes in a deep breath, untangling his sitting position so that he can sprawl back on the bed, pressing his hands to his face as though doing so will hold in the already barely-contained glee. Behind his fingers is the widest grin he's ever been able to muster, or at least that's what it feels like. ]

[He probably should have known that the walk would do precious little to cool his roiling emotions. The entire way down, he can think only of the warmth of Joshua's smile, or the way his smile bleeds into his eyes. He barely notices if anyone else is in the kitchen. He barely remembers that he's here for something, and has to force himself to pull down a second mug to hold the cream. Better to not have to come running back to put the carton away.

And of course, on the way back, he finds himself lost in the thought of how Joshua feels. From each stolen kiss, to the softness of his skin, and of course how those strands of hair feel between Dion's fingers.

It shouldn't be any wonder that Dion inevitably stumbles in, faintly flushed. His eyes seek out Joshua almost desperately, a man dehydrated and stumbling into an oasis when he needs it most.

Fellas, is it gay - ]

I - have the cream.

[He quickly comes back into himself, realizing what a fool he looks, and turns away from Joshua once more. He hurries over to their waiting mugs and pours the cream in each — just a little less for himself, so Joshua can have all the more.]

[ Joshua, for the most part, has behaved himself while Dion has been away. His brief bout of giddiness had been enough to stem the flow, at least, and after getting it out of his system, he had sat up to take inventory of both the room and himself. Taking a moment to memorize the view from Dion's window, the minute details of a room being lived in.

And then, he'd realized that in laying back on the bed, the feathers of his wings had become incredibly ruffled. So, he set to curling them around him, fingers carding through to smooth them out, to remove any loosened ones.

And as Dion stumbles through the door, that's exactly how he finds Joshua - seated on the edge of his bed, fingers running deeply through his feathers, straightening them and smoothing them into something a bit more carefully groomed. But Dion's entrance makes him look up, and he smiles. Which turns a bit lopsided as he takes in the vague pinkness in his cheeks. What is that about? ]

I do hope you didn't rush yourself in returning.

[ But his voice is soft, warm, fond. If he did, Joshua couldn't blame him for it. He would have, too, if their positions were the other way around. ]

[Oh, that sight about knocks him on his ass. The wings themselves are beautiful, but the sight of Joshua carefully smoothing them out? It makes Dion's heart absolutely ache. The tips of his fingers itch with the urge to join him, to be the one administering such gentle care.

Instead, he turns away once more, carefully collecting their mugs. He holds out Joshua's own with a lopsided smile, trying to avoid staring at his wings.]

Would it be so terrible, if I did?

[He settles down beside Joshua and sips his tea. It probably hasn't had quite enough time to steep but... it doesn't taste terrible, even like this. The second bag was a good suggestion.]

After longing for you so long, how could I stand to be away?

[ Despite Dion attempting to avoid staring, the interest in them is noticeable anyway. Joshua files it away for later, though he can't help how the attention makes his cheeks flush the faintest pink.

He reaches out to take the mug from Dion with one hand, gently holding on to the warm handle as his free hand continues to sort through feathers. But Dion's words, too, serve to deepen the pink on his cheeks, and he smiles down at the leathery hide peeking through the flashes of reds, oranges, and golds. ]

It wouldn't be a bad thing. That you are in such a hurry to return to my side is... incredibly flattering.

[ ... hmm. He pauses a moment, shifting his fingers just so and plucking out a feather that had loosened itself from his wing. Without an ounce of hesitation, he turns, flexing his wing properly behind him again as he does, and tucks the feather behind Dion's ear. ]

A token of my own, to match the token you have given me. At least until I am able to find something that suitably returns the favor.

[ He smiles as he lifts the mug to his lips, though it is a little tentative. Not a permanent solution, though it does suit Dion well, but... is it strange? To give a part of oneself? Dion had repurposed a piece of his armor, and here he is, repurposing a part of his body that would have shed on its own. ]

[IF Dion has any complaint about this suddenl development, it's the fact that he cannot reach out and touch the feather with his tea in hand, at least not without risking unbalancing the liquid and spilling all over himself. He opts to set it aside for the time being, then lifts a hand to stroke delicately through the fibers. They are just as soft as he expects them to be.]

It's perfect. [He almost doesn't want Joshua to offer anything else. The only reason he considers the idea is because it would be far safer to keep the feather in his room, rather than carrying it about.] I shall wear it with pride.

[And he will. He doesn't care how obvious it makes their bond, he will not be removing it save to sleep. It's only fair, considering his newfound role as Joshua's spear.

With that thought, his head cants to the side, almost playful in its gesture.]

Does it suit me?

[As he waits for Joshua's reply, he reaches for his tea once more. He sips it thoughtfully, considering Joshua as he does.]

Edited 2025-03-22 00:09 (UTC)

[ The way that Dion touches the feather so gently makes warmth bloom in Joshua's chest, a less shy smile gracing his lips. So it hadn't been odd, then. Dion certainly seems to like it. There's a sense of pride there beside the warmth, and the feathers that dapple his hair lift in a sort of pleased ruffle. ]

It does. Very much so.

[ He shifts his tea, so that he can lift a hand to touch the feather as well. But his fingertips quickly move on to push some hair away from Dion's eyes.

He's never seen Dion's eyes this close before, or at least hasn't paid this much attention to them. They're... beautiful. Like rays of sunlight. ]

It complements your eyes.

[Immediately, Dion's head shifts into that trailing hand. He is as touch-starved as ever, hungering for that specific, gentle touch. The corner of his mouth twitches, forming a contented smile. Unfortunately, that contentment does mean that those very eyes close. Sorry, Joshua.]

I shall have to see for myself. [He makes no effort to visit the mirror. He's far too pleased like this.] But I am glad that you think it so. Not that I would remove it if it did not.

[His eyes open once more, dancing with held back mirth.]

It is a precious gift, after all.

[ If Dion is starved to receive touch, Joshua is just as starved to give it. Dion is already keenly aware that he is a very physically affectionate person, at least, and the fact that Dion all but melts into the touch makes him tip his head, smile softening. ]

I am glad that you think so.

[ The mirth in those eyes makes him want to lean in to kiss him again. But... they have tea to get to. He can't give in to his whims just yet. ]

But I fear it isn't enough. It is only a feather, and while it is mine, I have shed more than this in the past.

[Right, the tea. It's surely steeped enough by now. He sips it, finds it to his satisfaction, and hums out his contentment. There is precious little that seems to perturb him, at least in this state. He is sheltered from the troubled world outside, and his burdens are, at least for the time being, kept at bay.

Really, all he has to think about is what sort of gift Joshua might yet present him with. He doesn't let his mind run terribly wild with it, but it is a nice thought to chase nonetheless.]

I would be glad for whatever you chose to give me, my dearest Joshua. Anything would be treasured dearly.

[ As Dion takes a sip, Joshua takes one of his own. And oh, is it good. Dion put the perfect amounts of both sugar and cream into his, and the taste of the tea itself is not drowned out. He makes a soft, pleased noise against the lip of the cup and takes a second sip for good measure.

But he can't help himself as that name makes his cheeks flush. He doesn't think he will ever tire of hearing it. Dearest. ]

Then I shall think long and hard about what to give you. But for now, the feather will serve well.

[ He already has an idea, anyway. ]

[He doesn't have anything more to say to that, nor does he feel the need to keep the conversation going. With Joshua, silence is just as comfortable as idle chatter. Sure, he might appreciate the sound of his voice, but is just as easy to shift so that their shoulders brush and be contented by the mutual warmth.

He's lucky and he knows it. The day had gone far better than he ever could have hoped. Joshua's love is a most unexpected gift. And while it might yet be difficult to say it back, he can easily envision a future where, one day, he will be able to do so.

Though, the longer he thinks about it, the more he realizes that he does, in fact, have something to say.]

Of all the places I could have wound up after meeting my end, I am glad it could be here. Monsters in the woods be damned.

[He tilts his head, shifting just enough to meet Joshua's eyes. There's no shortage of amusement there.]

[ It has been a very good day. A day that Joshua couldn't have seen coming from a mile away, but Clive certainly had. Or at least anticipated some form of it. Would they be here, now, without Clive? It's difficult to say. Maybe one day.

But Dion's words catch him off guard just as much as the earlier confession had. He pauses in lifting the mug to his lips, pressing them together for a moment as he feels his ears nearly start to burn. Of all the places... he wants to be here.

Joshua turns his eyes to meet Dion's, and the amusement there makes him breathe out a laugh. ]

... I am, as well. Because it means we get a second chance. For everything.

[ Friendship. Normal lives. This. ]

[A second chance for everything is quite the tantalizing thought. It isn't just the idea of building a relationship with Joshua. Dion knows he's been far from a good man. Perhaps those around him might seek to to rationalize it as being a product of his circumstances. Maybe, to a degree, it was. But Dion had made his own choices along the way, had remained complicit despite having at least some reason to believe otherwise.

It didn't have to be that way here. He could make his own choices, pave a new path. The only two who knew of his past were Clive and Joshua, who would hardly begrudge him for choosing to build a new image for himself.

And of course, the idea of doing it with Joshua at his side certainly helps matters.]

Then I hope this second chance proves fruitful. And that whatever I may make of it, you will be proud of me.

[ ... oh, Dion. The words make Joshua's heart warm so much that it bleeds into his smile, and he finds that he would much rather have his hands full of Dion's than cupping his tea. But it's an urge he must resist for now, because the tea must be drank. Doing so will help him to keep things slow. ]

Dion, I am already so proud of you.

[ He looks down into the surface of his drink, smiling at the reflection of his face warping with the subtle movements of his hands. ]

What happened to you at Twinside... I know it could not have been easy on you. You could have easily crumbled or turned to cowardice. And yet, you have instead used it to strengthen yourself, to do what must be done to ensure it does not happen again. That in itself is enough to instill a sense of pride. Let alone the kindness you have shown others, have shown us.

[His heart both swells and aches at those words. Harpocrates had said similar, and it had made him hurt in much the same way. Praise for his efforts had been so difficult to come by, despite how he had bent over near backward to do anything and everything for those he cared for.

For his father. There was no dancing around that fact.

And yet he still doubts. Maybe he's done things to be proud of, but he has also sinned. His hands are so very bloody, and he wonders how any amount of repentance could ever fully wash it clean?

But such thoughts will get him nowhere, and are hardly fit for the moment they're sharing. He tucks them into the back of his mind and offers a grateful smile to Joshua. It's genuine, for all his doubts, he deeply appreciates the reassurance.]

I suppose I have learned from some of the best. The way you and your brother have showed me has no doubt changed the course of my life.

[ They may not be fit for the current moment, but if Dion did see fit to speak them aloud, Joshua would certainly have something to say about them. Perhaps another time, when the mood will not be at risk of being dampened by such talk. He, too, has things he is holding back from saying, after all.

But the smile he's given is so warm, and the words are so genuine, that Joshua can't help but let any hesitation fall to the wayside. He closes his eyes, lifting the mug to his lips. ]

Then, it is yet another reason to be glad that I placed my trust in you, that day at your encampment.

[ He pauses, taking a drink of his tea. If he doesn't occasionally do so, he will never finish it. But even after he swallows it, he sits, staring into it once more. ]

And I am thankful that you placed your trust in me, as well. In us. That day in Stonhyrr, I was so happy to see you...

And I you.

[He speaks, as he so often does around Joshua, without so much as thinking. It's yet another blessing when it comes to the man before him. Dion doesn't need to navigate any kind of mind games or manipulation. Joshua is genuine, and if his cards are ever kept close to his chest, it's only ever been done out of necessity.

Still, he could afford to elaborate just a little.]

The Enterprise was fast, and Telamon a skilled navigator. But every second at sea, I feared for your well being. To see you hale and whole was a relief I cannot explain.

[He lifts his mug up, draining another sip from it as he closes his eyes. He thinks back to that day, to that first embrace. Was that when he fell? Or was it far sooner?]

[ Joshua laughs softly to that, leaning ever so gently against Dion's arm. It takes an incredible amount of restraint to keep from tipping his head aside, as well, but he manages. They both have tea. That should be their focus, not physical proximity.

But still, he will allow himself this. ]

Without your aid, we may not have made it out alive. I cannot thank you enough. Even if you say it was a debt to be repaid...

[ How much of it was truly a debt, he wonders? Would Dion still have come had he not considered it as such? He taps his fingers against his mug. ]

I am glad that you came. And I am glad that you are here with us now, despite wishing that no one would be trapped in this situation.

[Dion's brow draws together. The thought of their survival had gnawed at Dion's mind, yes. But just as he had feared, he had also been confident. He had seen Ifrit and the Phoenix surmount much in the short time he had known them. Surely they would have found a way to overcome the onslaught without their arrival.

Or... perhaps not. Joshua, at least, had eventually fallen. Perhaps his intervention had ultimately delayed the inevitable?

It's not exactly a comforting thought, though. And so Dion pushes it away in favor of moving along. Anything to avoid the chill that works its way up his spine. He hates to fathom a world without Joshua.]

Here is far better than the alternative. [You know, dead.] Here is another chance to live on, and to fight for a future that we may yet see.

[ Joshua's death was inevitable. If Ultima didn't get him, the curse certainly would have. But that day, in Stonhyrr, they had been in a bind. His own body was already in the process of failing, and - at least, as they assumed at the time - Clive would not have had the strength to shatter the mothercrystal had he primed to deal with the flood of Akashic. The arrival of the Enterprise had been a blessing, in multiple ways.

But, that is neither here nor there. Dion has not voiced doubts about it, so he will not voice his thoughts on the matter. ]

Indeed. And we will certainly fight, won't we?

[ He lifts his mug, a gentle smile on his lips. ]

To new beginnings and fresh starts, then?

Indeed.

[He lifts his mug up in kind, clinking the rims together. And if he adjusts his hand just so, and their hands brush for the briefest of moments, then it will be their little secret. All of these shared moments can be secrets, if they wanted. Neither of them were scions any longer, the gaze of nations didn't fall upon them.]

To our new beginning. [Dion amends. He takes a sip of his tea, smiling into it even as he does. The earlier fear, the hollow that had formed upon thinking about Joshua's passing, all fades away. They have now to treasure, after all.]

And to whatever we wish to do with it.

[ If they do, Joshua certainly isn't bothered by it. In fact, he barely even reacts, outside of a very soft, very fond exhale and a subtle twitch of his fingers, as though seeking more of the touch.

But, later. For now, they have this. He smiles as the clink of the rims still echoes in his ears, pulling his own mug to his lips to entirely fail to mask how shy his own smile grows. This... is nice, he thinks. He can easily get used to this every day for the rest of his life, if fate sees fit to allow him to have it.

And, if not. Well. He has a history of fighting fates, after all. ]

Indeed. To our new beginning.

[ For all of them. But also, for the both of them. ]

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