His idea was far too dangerous, come to think of it. But it wasn't as if they had any other choice. Kaveh didn't know if he could figure out how to get the ghouls to gather in the caves in broad daylight, even more so now that their leader was –possibly, maybe– dead. What he could do, however, was trap them where they already were. Most of them were still in the city, with only a few others scattered around the forest.
Meeting Al-Haitham outside the city gates, Kaveh was relieved to see that the other man was all right. But when Kaveh approached, the junior frowned.
"Your smell is starting to reappear. Let's hurry," Al-Haitham stepped onto the bridge.
"This is already the second time you've made a comment about the way I smell. My feelings are going to get hurt eventually."
Although Al-Haitham smiled discreetly at his senior's attempt at humour, he didn't seem to be in the mood for jokes. He must have been worried. Mr 'Everything's fine' always tended to play down his own injuries and dramatize those of Kaveh. Once, Kaveh had cut himself on a sheet of paper –yes, it was possible— and Al-Haitham had nearly turned as white as the paper at the sight of the other man's blood.
"What's your plan for the ghouls? They're monsters who've lost all rationality, and if we open the gate, it might stay open to let them through..." Al-Haitham asked.
"We're going to collapse the bridge that gives access to their city and burn down their forest; as well as this," Kaveh pointed to the imposing tree overlooking the city.
Al-Haitham stopped in his tracks. He looked around for a moment, as if weighing up the pros and cons of such a plan, before nodding.
"There's only one way in or out of here, and given the density of the forest, a fire will take very quickly as well as being nearly impossible to stop. It's a good idea."
Kaveh acquiesced. What had been built as a fortress would end up being the prison that would lead the ghouls to their demise. Now all they needed to do was destroy the bridge. Fortunately, they both possessed a vision.
"Do you have enough energy to help me?" Kaveh asked.
"Yes. But I don't know if I'll have any to fight again afterwards."
Meaning: if they came across any enemies in the forest, Kaveh would have to deal with them alone. As long as there weren't too many of them, it shouldn't be a problem. He wasn't anywhere near as bad a state as his partner, even if he still hadn't swallowed a thing since he'd been here... In any case, they would have plenty of time to worry about that once they got out of here.
They stepped forward, and once they were on the other side of the bridge, Kaveh glanced at Al-Haitham to make sure he was ready. The junior nodded and raised his hand, summoning three of his mirrors. As for Kaveh, he didn't have Mehrak, but fortunately he wasn't bereft of powers without her. He held out his hand and twirled his wrist with two fingers raised.
"Breaking new ground."
"Diffract."
Together, their Dendro energies met to destroy the bridge by trapping it in between them; Kaveh from underneath, Al-Haitham from above. The structure didn't stand a chance, and although it held up bravely for a few seconds, it eventually cracked and collapsed under the force of their combined powers; especially with Al-Haitham's multiple mirrors and their repeated strikes.
"I've always wanted to do this," Kaveh smiled slightly.
"So have I, although I wish it had been under less desperate circ*mstances. Let's hurry, the rest of it will collapse any minute now that the structure is weakened."
Kaveh nodded. The sound of the rock cracking beneath their feet did not bode well. No sooner had they reached the bottom of the hill than the rest of the structure leading to the city collapsed, trapping its inhabitants for good. Some men had arrived at the entrance to the town upon hearing the thunderous noise caused by the whole operation. They pointed at them and scrambled around, but it was too late.
"They'll probably go looking for bows or crossbows, let's hurry and set fire to the forest and the tree roots," Kaveh remarked.
If this world hadn't been created out of thin air, Kaveh would never have done such a thing, and he was pretty sure the same applied to Al-Haitham. But it was time to put an end to this illusion: there was nothing really living here. It was all just a gigantic cage that had been given the appearance of a real forest.
Honestly, Kaveh felt a bit like a criminal lighting a fire at the roots of the big tree with a small stone infused with Pyro energy. He felt he was doing something terrible, even though he knew full well everything was false. Deshret had locked up his unfaithful here to make them believe that they still had some semblance of freedom, surely out of cruelty.
In a lush forest, with the presence of guardians, they had been able to put up a kind of resistance, like a glimmer of hope to which they could cling when they had long ceased to be human and had no chance of returning to a normal life. Or perhaps it was that Nabu Malikata had asked the king not to be too cruel.
Punish traitors but give them a decent final resting place. They could never really know the purpose of this place, only that if they had been able to open the gate, it might happen again. And if it did, perhaps those transported here would be less cautious and clever than they were. It was too dangerous to risk such creatures being unleashed on Sumeru.
The flames spread fairly quickly, and Al-Haitham joined him after also starting a fire, this time directly in the forest. They had to leave, and fast. If they didn't, they would be locked up and condemned to die here too. But there was also the risk that the moon's rays would petrify Kaveh, as they had done to the guardians in the cavern. For the moment at least, he could protect himself with the long cloak he had stolen from one of the men earlier.
But if the blood of a 'nymph' could supposedly protect ghouls from the sun, then could the opposite apply for those from the moon? He wasn't sure he wanted to have to come to that. Kaveh had to help Al-Haitham walk by putting one of his arms around his neck, as the use of his vision earlier had apparently exhausted him more than he had anticipated. Kaveh was fine, though. Were ghouls at a disadvantage compared to guardians?
Once again, there was no time to find the answer to this question. But when they came across a group of ghouls on their way to the clearing, Kaveh realised just how much he frightened them, despite his supposedly irresistible scent. The men didn't dare approach, staying tight together at a safe distance. There were five of them, and Al-Haitham couldn't help him. Kaveh had no weapon either. But they were surrounded by vegetation, and he still had enough energy to use his own vision.
"A keeper! How can a man smell like a guardian?! Are you the Saoshyant of the prophecy?"
"Idiot, he looks the same as the sun in every way, just look at the colour of his hair, it's turning red too! How could he be our saviour—"
"This is all very exciting, but we're in a hurry so we'd appreciate it if you could let us pass." Kaveh interrupted them, even though he didn't expect much from this intervention.
"Is that the key, in your hand? Where's Javid?" One of the men abruptly asked.
This was Kaveh's cue. He flicked his wrist, and roots sprang up from below to wrap themselves around the men. Kaveh capitalised on their surprise and tied them firmly to a tree. The ghouls started shouting at them and wiggling around, but Kaveh just kept moving with Al-Haitham still against him. The ties would hold long enough for the fire or the sun to reach them. Either way, it would take care of these monsters for good.
As they reached the clearing where all this had begun, Kaveh couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. They were finally going to be able to put this nightmare behind them... if they could find where his blood had to go to open the door to Sumeru. Suddenly, Kaveh remembered something. The obelisk was in the lake, which meant it was sinking into the rock. And the only structure that was hidden in rock was...
"Al-Haitham. Stay here, don't worry I'll be back soon."
Kaveh helped his partner to sit down against a tree by the water's edge. The fire was still a long way off, so he had time to get there and back.
"I don't really have a choice, I'm in no condition to follow you. I think I'm getting tired again."
Was it another result of the transformation, had he lost too much blood or spent too much energy? Al-Haitham was generally the one with the most stamina. For him to end up in such a state, were the blows to the head the only ones? Kaveh suddenly remembered the bandage on his side. He had thought it was a superficial wound, but what if it wasn't?
"Are you hurt?" The junior remained silent. "Al-Haitham, answer me."
Faced with Kaveh's scolding, the other man agreed to talk.
"My flank got stabbed, but they bandaged the wound."
Kaveh sighed. "I've made you walk all this way without you deeming it important to notify me of such a thing? When were you going to tell me?"
Al-Haitham muttered an ironic 'now', which only annoyed Kaveh further. "We'll discuss it again when I get back—"
"The fact that I'm injured is the only thing stopping me from attacking you," Al-Haitham finally said.
Kaveh blinked. Attack him? Was it because the effect of the spores had finally worn off? Had he not wanted Kaveh to tend to his wound for fear of hurting him if he felt better? Al-Haitham was the cleverest idiot Kaveh knew.
"All the more reason for me to go back to that cave, then."
"I agree. I'll take care of cleaning the wound in the meantime, don't worry."
"And rest."
"And rest," Al-Haitham added, repeating.
Kaveh nodded, before motioning to the other man to look after the key and be careful; then he started to run. The fire was spreading, and the smoke in the distance was getting thicker and thicker. Fortunately, he remembered exactly where the cave was and had left the small rocks to show him the way to the main room. Kaveh had no trouble getting back there, and when he did, he almost fell over as he hurried through the tunnels. When he spotted the flowerbed, he practically threw himself into it and let the spores do their work.
It was certainly to be permanently enveloped in the scent of these flowers that the guards had set up camp here. Kaveh then went to the painting with the water lily. He felt foolish: he should have thought of it when he first saw it. He put his finger on the flower in the centre and, as he'd expected, a mechanism activated to sting him. He sucked on the wound, waiting for something to happen to confirm that he had done the right thing, and just as in the ruins, his blood began to flow... this time, onto the hair of the worshippers kneeling before Nabu Malikata, turning their hair bright red. He looked down at his own hair and saw that his usually brown tips had in fact turned red. Was this another effect of the transformation?
He wished he had a way of contacting Al-Haitham to make sure the obelisk had activated, but he was going to have to trust his gut this time. If the mural had made his blood flow down, then something must have happened, right? The fire wouldn't allow them to come back here if the clearing wasn't the right place, anyway. It was moving fast, and it wouldn't be long before it reached the outskirts of the cave. Kaveh could almost hear it crackling and feel its warmth as he stepped out.
He hurried back to the clearing, and when he arrived, the first thing he saw was that the water in the pond had almost entirely disappeared, leaving only a sort of small rectangular pool in which was... the obelisk, pushed in a trapdoor in the ground. Just like in the ruins. Al-Haitham was next to it, too. What a strange way to rest... Kaveh made no comment; he would scold him once he was certain of his safety.
"Al-Haitham, I'm here." Kaveh called to him, and the other man turned around.
It was perhaps strange to say, but from where he was standing, he could almost make out a little red in Al-Haitham's eyes, as well as an animalistic look... Kaveh tried to ignore the unease that was slowly growing inside him. He had the feeling that everything that was happening was slipping away from them, so much so that soon they would have no control over their own instincts. Kaveh signalled to Al-Haitham to use the key now; he still had it on him and must have waited for Kaveh before inserting it into the obelisk.
"The gate closed as soon as I walked through it earlier. Open it, I want you to go through it first."
Al-Haitham stared at him for what seemed an interminable while, before he shrugged. "Very well. But if you're not here when I resurface on the other side, I'll be back immediately to look for you."
"In the state you're in? If I see you crossing again, you're in serious trouble, that I can assure you."
Al-Haitham simply smiled and pushed the key into the obelisk's cavity. Once again, a stream of red water shot out, slowly staining the water the same colour. It didn't take long for the trapdoor to open, and Al-Haitham let himself fall without resisting. Perfect, now Kaveh could get down too and—
"So the rats are deserting the sinking ship?"
A familiar voice made him turn around. Javid. How was he still alive, and what was more important, how had he escaped from the city when the bridge had collapsed? The wound he should have had in his throat had completely disappeared, as if it had been nothing but a bad memory.
"I can see from the shock on your face that you have many questions. A wound like the one you inflicted on me doesn't kill beings like us, as long as we have enough blood to heal. Fortunately, you left an unconscious man beside me. His sacrifice will not be forgotten."
Kaveh swore between his teeth. If he had known that asking Al-Haitham to bring some idiot whose clothes he could steal would help the ghouls' leader recover from his injuries, he would definitely have done things differently.
"As for how I got here... Did you think you were the only vision users?"
Javid lifted the fabric of his belt to reveal an Anemo vision. He had probably used it to be able to climb down and ward off the flames to get here. It also meant that he would be a much tougher opponent than Kaveh would have liked. He should have searched him after 'killing' him earlier... He had been too careless.
"There had to be some reason other than that stupid made-up prophecy that prompted those idiots to name me their leader. Honestly, getting rid of them isn't such a bad thing either. Life here hasn't been too unpleasant thanks to their devotion, but they would no doubt have drawn too much attention to us once we were outside; and we would have been hunted down like dogs. Whereas if I'm the only one going out..."
Javid took a step forward and Kaveh one back. If he backed up too far, he was going to tumble down the pond, which was now dry. But if he hurried, he could escape Javid and close the door at the same time. Except that the ghoul was an Anemo user! He'd have no trouble following him if Kaveh decided to run. He had no choice but to fight, even if he was not armed. As for Javid, he drew a sword from its sheath with a huge smile.
"Don't worry, guardian. Let it happen, I promise to make your death less painful than the one you gave me. I don't know why you would team up with a ghoul when you brought him here in the first place... but I imagine the outside world and its rules have changed a lot since I was last here. I'll be able to see for myself soon enough."
Kaveh clenched his jaw, before a sound he knew all too well was heard behind him. A 'beep' he'd recognise anywhere.
"Mehrak!"
Kaveh called for his little briefcase, which immediately joined him and summoned his claymore. They were now on equal footing. Fortunately, Al-Haitham was quick witted. He must have guessed that something was wrong, but instead of crossing again and risking getting stuck here, he sent help in a different form. Still, Javid's smile did not fade.
"Let's see how a sun worshipper fights back. Better than the guardians who rather sacrificed themselves than give us a chance to fight for our freedom, I should hope."
Javid was the first to move. He dashed forward with far more agility than anyone would have given him credit for thanks to his vision, which he used to make himself lighter. Kaveh countered his blow at the last moment, and immediately realised how much of a disadvantage he would be against such an opponent. He wasn't as agile as Al-Haitham or Cyno, who would have had no trouble in his place. He had to find a solution that would work for someone like him, and fast. If he tried to fight fair against Javid, he would lose.
Why did he have to touch that damn water lily? Suddenly, Kaveh realised something: all the vegetation in the pond was still there. If he— He didn't have time to finish this thought, as his opponent's sword almost went through his flank. Kaveh dodged it, though not without being wounded. It was only a scratch, but Javid's eyes began to glow with an ominous excitement as he saw the blood dripping from the cut.
"What are you musing about, guardian? If your thoughts wander too far, you'll end up dead before you've had a chance to entertain me." Javid closed his eyes and took a long breath. "Aah, I'd almost forgotten that divine scent... that of a sun worshipper."
The man brought his sword to his lips and licked the blade slowly, revealing two sharp canines. Kaveh made a mental note to himself to be wary of them: they were as much weapons as the one in Javid's hands.
"The prophecy I made up wasn't so far from the truth in the end. A man who looked like the moon would come and save us, and with his blood he would heal us and then open the gate for us. I almost believed it myself, smelling that scent on him... But from the start, that scent was yours."
Again, Javid lunged and Kaveh parried. This dance continued for a few minutes as the fire gained ground while they fought. The smoke was definitely getting closer and closer, suffocating and symbolising certain death. Which was crueller: being burnt alive or impaled on a sword?
Kaveh had no intention of finding the answer to that question today. He may not be as agile or as fast as some sword fighters, but he had one quality that many didn't: he was cunning and had impressive perceptiveness. He made use of everything that could help him, even if it meant playing dirty. There were no rules in a fight to the death anyway.
"This is all very amusing, but it's time to put an end to this, traitor of the sun!" Javid finally lost patience with Kaveh's defensiveness.
This was the opportunity he had been waiting for since he first had the idea. The blow was swift, so swift that Kaveh only just managed to avoid it. Another scratch, this time on his neck. Didn't matter. The pain and exhaustion caused by those long minutes of fighting evaporated as soon as he felt the metal under his fingers. He had what he wanted.
"You little—" Javid began, but was interrupted.
"Tsk tsk. I thought I was just going to entertain you. Is the hunter just prey after all?" Kaveh smiled slightly as he shacked the Anemo vision he had just stolen from his opponent.
All it took was one hasty move, one moment's inattention. He had used the vegetation in the pond to steal Javid's vision and retrieve it. Kaveh threw it into the red water behind him to make it disappear for good. The smoke around them made him cough. The fire was so close now that he could see the flames.
"I don't need a vision to kill you! I am a superior being, and the moon is my patron!!"
Javid charged like a man possessed, with a desperation of his own. How could he still have so much strength left? Was he not affected by the heavy air around them? Was it the moon...? Did the night give him more stamina, despite the difference in stamina that Kaveh had assumed existed between the guardians and the ghouls? Or was it just his determination that carried him through? Kaveh was on his last legs, but he parried the blow of his opponent, who nonetheless wore a triumphant smile.
"Two of us can play this game, keeper."
The other man grabbed Kaveh's hood and removed his cloak completely in one swift movement, profiting from the fact that Kaveh was busy parrying his blow. Although at first Kaveh didn't understand the meaning behind his words, he soon realised what Javid had meant. He felt his skin slowly itching, and a worrying sensation spreading. That of losing all sensation in certain areas of his body.
"Did you know that guardians turn into golden roses under the moonlight? I suppose so, given that you went into their cave and sprayed yourself with the spores of their cursed flowers. When we got the key back, they all chose to sacrifice themselves rather than let us open the door, but since you've already opened it..."
Kaveh tried to break free of Javid's grip, but the latter kept attacking him to prevent him from retrieving the cloak or using his vision to protect himself.
"You're not going anywhere until you've become a rose just like the others, guardian!"
He was persistent...! Only Kaveh was even more so. He retracted his claymore and instead gripped Mehrak firmly.
"Mehrak, scanning!"
With a 'beep', the little case made a circle around him and disoriented Javid. Just enough for Kaveh to use Dendro energy to imprison his opponent as he had done with the group of ghouls earlier. Or so he thought. In truth, he couldn't move his fingers. sh*t...! He couldn't stay stuck here. He still had so many dreams to fulfil; his life couldn't end now, not when it was finally bearable again. Most of all, if he let Javid cross, then Al-Haitham would be in danger—
As this thought crossed his mind, Kaveh heard the familiar, distinctive sound of Dendro-reflecting energy. A small mirror suddenly emerged from the pool behind him and shot through Javid's chest in a gory outpouring, as red as the fire that now surrounded them and threatened to eat away at their skins every second. Javid collapsed with a shriek of pain, and the last thing Kaveh saw was Mehrak charging at him to push him off into the small pool behind him.
The water on his skin almost made him panic. He was in no condition to swim; he was going to drown! But a pair of arms pulled him out and Kaveh coughed to catch his breath. The hatch on which the device for the key had been placed closed as the obelisk rose from the ground again to stand proudly in the middle of the room. The key that had been inserted fell into the water with a metallic clang.
"Kaveh! Kaveh, are you all right?!"
A voice that seemed almost distant made him look up. Al-Haitham was standing over him, and Kaveh had never seen him wear a more worried expression. Brows furrowed, eyes... moist? Kaveh could even feel him trembling against him. If someone had told him that the world was about to come to an end for his junior, he would have believed them.
"I'm alive, so yes," these words were strangely difficult for Kaveh to articulate. More than they should have been.
"Your body…"
Al-Haitham whispered softly, and Kaveh moved his head to look at his arms. They were... made of stone. He wasn't really surprised, and yet he began to panic a little. He tried to breathe while Mehrak began to analyse him; but she had no real function to help with a thorough medical examination. All she could tell them was that Kaveh's vital signs were not worrying, even with his current state.
"My heart's racing, so I guess that's at least a sign that it hasn't turned to stone..." Kaveh attempted a joke, which however didn't even make Al-Haitham smile, too concerned to laugh at his antics.
"We need to get you out of here and back to Sumeru for treatment."
"If the moon is still high in the sky, then my condition is likely to get worse."
"Was it the moonlight that put you in such a state?"
Kaveh nodded. He could almost hear the gears in Al-Haitham's head turning. He was about to come up with one of his dangerous ideas...
"If the guardians' blood could supposedly protect us from the sun, then don't you think the opposite could also be a possibility?"
"I've also had that idea, but—"
"It doesn't hurt to try," Al-Haitham interrupted any protests.
Kaveh sighed. On the contrary, it was costing Al-Haitham another injury. He was going to have to hurt himself, to— Kaveh didn't have time to finish this thought. Al-Haitham brought his own finger to his mouth and, parting his lips, revealed two canines as sharp as Javid's had been earlier. This time, Kaveh had very different thoughts when he saw them.
"Kaveh." His name called by Al-Haitham had the effect of an electric shock. "Your scent is—"
Al-Haitham stopped. Again?! It was the third time his junior had made such a remark. Kaveh had been in the cavern not so long ago, but perhaps his swim in the water and his wounds were making it worse.
"Divine." Al-Haitham finally finished.
Despite his current state, Kaveh felt his whole body quiver at the word, whispered with undisguised desire. Al-Haitham pressed his canine against his own finger, which began to bleed slightly. He then handed it to Kaveh, who looked at him half-disgusted, half-bewildered.
"...You want me to suck on your finger."
Al-Haitham did not even respond to the older man's protest. He simply grabbed Kaveh's chin, made him open his mouth and pushed his finger in without any care. Kaveh didn't have the energy or strength to resist, and let the warm, metallic-tasting liquid run against his tongue. He swallowed gently, closing his eyes.
Would it really work? A cheerful 'beep' answered him after a few seconds. When Kaveh opened his eyes again, he saw Mehrak celebrating. He looked down and saw that his arms had returned to normal. He could even move them, his senses returning. When he looked up at Al-Haitham, he expected the other man to look relieved to see him feeling better. Instead, he met a look as red as the blood he'd just swallowed.
"Al-Haitham—"
Kaveh was unable to finish. The finger between his lips pulled at his mouth to make him open wide, and Al-Haitham suddenly bent down to kiss him fervently. Although at first the younger man was content to make their tongues dance against each other, with a kind of ferocity that was not usual for Kaveh, he did not stop there. Kaveh felt Al-Haitham's fangs against his lips. He grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him away with his newly recovered strength. A little saliva dripped from their intense interaction, almost too intense.
"Mehrak, sleep mode!" The little briefcase switched off, and Kaveh turned his attention back to his partner, who had glued their foreheads together and was refusing to back down. "Al-Haitham, what's happening to you!?"
Not that he thought the younger man would harm him, ghoul or not. But Kaveh was still a little frightened at the idea of letting him drink his blood. Drinking a few drops, as he had just done, was fine... But ghouls were known to literally drain their victims dry. Al-Haitham's red eyes were lost in a haze, his breath was coming in ragged gasps and his half-open lips revealed two pointed canines that looked ready to pierce Kaveh's delicate skin.
Al-Haitham's voice was lower than usual when he managed to regain his composure enough to whisper against Kaveh's face, pressing and rubbing his head a little harder against his:
"Senior, I just want— a little. Please?"
Kaveh felt his heart miss a beat. It was as if something had awoken in Al-Haitham, but also in himself. When had a kiss ever put him in such a state? All his senses were on fire. His instincts were screaming at him to run and submit at the same time. Why was his body sending him such contradictory signals? He knew he could trust Al-Haitham, that he would never really hurt him. But he had never seen him in such a state before...
"If you promise to stop when I say so. If you don't, I'll—"
Once again, Al-Haitham didn't give him the chance to finish his sentence. In addition to his feverish state, he had never been so pleading. It was as if the world would stop spinning if Kaveh refused him what he was asking for. The senior had not had the heart to refuse him. Al-Haitham plunged into his neck and sucked the blood that had already been there when Javid had wounded him earlier. As soon as the liquid touched his tongue, his breath became heavier, and Kaveh felt his partner's arms around his back, pressing their bodies together.
The next thing he felt was a pair of canines sinking into his skin. Although he had expected some pain, Kaveh was surprised to find that this was not the case. He felt... strangely good, as if he was floating. He clung weakly to Al-Haitham and let out a slight whimper. He was soaking wet, he could feel it. Yet something seemed different. He struggled to understand why, but it turned out that he would soon have the answer to that question.
Kaveh felt a warm liquid running down his neck, and when he focused on the sensations in that part of his body, he could feel his blood passing between Al-Haitham's fangs as the latter gulped it down. Al-Haitham was like a ravenous man, even his throat vibrated with delight as Kaveh's blood flowed down it. Not just thirsty, either. His arousal was just as present as Kaveh's, the latter could feel a hard sex against his thigh.
Kaveh blinked a little as his strength abandoned him, and patted Al-Haitham on the shoulder. He didn't want to pass out in a place like this, especially not while the other man was still injured. Why had he bitten him when Kaveh already had cuts from which he could have drunk, anyway?
Al-Haitham growled slightly, but agreed to withdraw his fangs without any resistance, Archons be praised. Kaveh would not have been able to stop him from going any further, and he made a mental note to himself of how dangerous this act was. They were lucky that Al-Haitham possessed a certain mental resilience and could resist his instincts so well. However, when he straightened up and his gaze met Kaveh's, he looked ready to lose control at any moment. Kaveh swallowed uncontrollably.
"Are you all right, Al-Haitham?"
The other man nodded slightly, looking almost absent-minded as he licked his bloodied lips. Kaveh cursed himself internally for finding this erotic. Al-Haitham bent down again to rest his head against Kaveh's chest and take a long breath.
"Kaveh, you still smell so good..."
What more could they do? They no longer had the flowers in the cave to take care of that, and Al-Haitham shouldn't be hungry now that he'd drunk enough blood to make Kaveh's head spin a little. However, the latter understood what his partner meant when their hips met, and Al-Haitham pressed his erection against him. They really were about to have sex in a pile of ruins, weren't they? Luckily it was so well hidden.
"You think that'll calm you down?" Kaveh finally said.
Al-Haitham didn't reply. He probably didn't have the answer to this question, but they had both been excited by what had just happened, so there had to be a correlation.
"It doesn't hurt to try," Kaveh repeated Al-Haitham's words earlier.
His junior grinned, and his hands passed through the opening in Kaveh's top to slide it over his shoulders. He stroked the other man's hardened nipples with his fingertips, before suddenly commenting:
"Your neck was hurt when you got here."
"Yes?" Kaveh blinked without understanding what Al-Haitham was getting at.
"When I bit you, the cut was gone. I don't feel any pain or fatigue anymore myself..."
Al-Haitham straightened up and took off his top. Kaveh finally understood what his partner meant when he pulled on the bandage on his flank to remove it too. Where there should have been a wound, there was nothing. It was as if Al-Haitham had never been hurt. So drinking blood healed them. All right then. Okay. Kaveh held back a sigh. He sincerely hoped they would return to normal, whether naturally or with the help of someone who understood what was happening to their bodies. Perhaps Tighnari...
"At least you won't hurt yourself by—"
Kaveh stopped without finishing his sentence. By going too hard at it. That was what he had meant. His cheeks pinkened slightly.
"Oh? Finish your thought, senior. What do you want me to do to you?"
"Nothing! Nothing at all! Hurry up and—"
Al-Haitham's hands suddenly went down to grab Kaveh's belt and pull it down, along with his trousers and underwear. This was far from the first time they had done something like this; they had been together for a few months already and had had time to explore each other's bodies thoroughly. However, Al-Haitham paused in exactly the same way as the first time he had seen him naked.
Kaveh almost feared that something was wrong, so he propped himself up on his elbows to look at his own body. He hadn't even lost any weight, yet technically he'd gone the last two days without eating anything. He wondered if the same was true of Al-Haitham. Once his eyes had gone down far enough, Kaveh finally understood what had stopped his partner.
"What the hell is this—"
There, between his legs, was not what he was used to seeing, that is to say something human. Instead, he had a kind of... flower? If you could call it that. His lips had turned into petals as red as the hibiscus in the guardians' cave, and his cl*tor*s into stamens with a pistil. Kaveh reflexively tried to close his legs, but Al-Haitham's hands held his thighs firmly open.
"Al-Haitham—"
"This is where the scent is coming from."
Kaveh felt his heart make at least thirty leaps in his chest. He had never seen Al-Haitham so fascinated and serious. All that for...! Kaveh didn't even dare think it. He now understood why the hibiscuses had tried to 'protect' him with spores; they had considered him one of their own. Strangely appropriate for the Goddess of Flowers, wasn't it? So, he too had been transformed physically by this place, aside from the colour of his tips.
He wondered what had caused such an effect. Was the prison in which they had been locked up for two days enchanted? Al-Haitham's breath against him brought Kaveh back to reality. They would have plenty of time to think about this later. For the moment, Kaveh had to calm down Al-Haitham, who was about to stick his nose exactly where it didn't belong. Kaveh grabbed his hair and tried to tug gently to get him out of the way.
"Al-Haitham, don't touch me. This physical change could be dangerous for you. Imagine if the petals have toxins, or—"
The groan that answered him was no longer as languid as the one earlier. This time, it was that of an aggressive beast whose meal had just been interrupted. Kaveh let go of his partner's hair, instinctively. He didn't know what they were getting into exactly, but Al-Haitham didn't seem to want to leave him any choice. If he ended up with a face full of blotches due to allergies or a potential poison, it was officially not Kaveh's fault!
Al-Haitham's fingers slowly spread the petals that had closed to 'protect' Kaveh's privacy earlier. He couldn't control them, but it was probably like his legs: if he could have closed them, he would have. Nevertheless, he tried to relax a little. If Al-Haitham couldn't resist that smell, then he could allow him that much. What had Kaveh said earlier, that he would have liked to see his junior lose his temper one day? He'd been a fool to have made such a wish, hadn't he?
Clearly, he hadn't thought about the consequences. What was currently between his legs was not nearly as frightening as the one who was trying to slip between his legs. Al-Haitham's fingers gently touched the petals to caress them, and Kaveh had to bite his lips to keep himself from moaning immediately. It was hard to describe, but he had the feeling that his 'skin' –if he could call it that when he was really just talking about petals— was extremely thin, which exacerbated what he felt when it was touched. This did not seem to pass Al-Haitham by, and he pressed his index finger against the petal.
He slid his finger over it, and when he was satisfied with seeing Kaveh already trembling, moved up to his cl*tor*s, which was now a pistil. Kaveh inhaled sharply. If touching his labia put him in such a state... then what would happen when Al-Haitham touched him in a place that was usually much more sensitive. Kaveh didn't have to contemplate the question for long, as the other man's finger pressed lightly against the pistil between his legs.
Al-Haitham was so cautious, as if he feared breaking Kaveh with one of his slightly too impatient touches. His animality earlier seemed to have calmed down, seeing that the prey under his fingers was willing to surrender to him. So much so that when his index finger caressed Kaveh's pistil, the stamens clung to his finger, as if to keep it there. Kaveh had no control over this either, and he felt like hiding in the deepest possible hole when he saw what his own body was doing.
He called his partner's name without being able to stop himself, and that seemed to be the last straw for Al-Haitham. The latter suddenly plunged his nose right up against Kaveh's pistil, and his tongue immediately entered to devour him. While Kaveh feared for a moment that his junior's fangs might hurt him, Al-Haitham was just as careful with them as he had been with his fingers.
All Kaveh could do was accept the pleasure the other man was giving him. They were both in a trance; Kaveh under the ecstasy he was feeling, and Al-Haitham under the exquisite aroma that caressed his nostrils. It didn't take long for the senior to start trembling and tensing up in a sign that Al-Haitham knew well. So much so that he decided to stop, which earned him a moan from Kaveh.
However, Kaveh did not protest when he saw Al-Haitham straighten up and undo his trousers. He hadn't changed there. Why was it only his canines and his sense of smell, while Kaveh had to make do with a flower instead of— well. He let Al-Haitham settle between his legs and rub his hard sex against his. Immediately, the stamens tried to catch the junior's erection and wrap around it, which made him smile at the sight.
It was as if he was almost proud of the influence he had on Kaveh, as if he still couldn't get used to it after all this time. Yet every time Al-Haitham touched him, it was as if Kaveh's whole body was electrified, no matter how used he was to feeling his partner's fingers against his skin. He felt something else against him, though, once Al-Haitham had had enough of teasing him.
If Kaveh had thought for a moment that the sensations weren't going to be so far off the usual ones, even with his private parts so different, he'd got it all wrong. As Al-Haitham slowly sank into him, the stamens and petals came to surround his sex, as if to encourage him. If caressing his petals earlier had been strangely pleasurable, feeling the other man's hard member slide over them as he entered him was on a whole new level.
It was as if, as well as feeling him on the inside, Kaveh was also feeling him on the outside. The stimulation seemed to please Al-Haitham too, given his moan as he pressed right up against his hips, and the few words whispered in Kaveh's ears. 'You're so good, senior. So warm and tight for me'. Kaveh wondered for a moment how he had managed to keep himself from coming as he heard Al-Haitham's husky voice praising him.
He wouldn't last very long, however, as his partner began to move with wet noises testifying to Kaveh's excitement. The latter clung to the younger man's back, not knowing how to deal with the sensations that were overwhelming him. He had no rest; when Al-Haitham withdrew, he could still feel him against his petals. When Al-Haitham entered him again, Kaveh was overstimulated to the point of quivering.
Nevertheless, his hips moved against those of his junior, meeting him with every thrust. There was something exhilarating about the heat that filled him with each of Al-Haitham's movements, something he wanted more of, something he felt he could never have enough of. Kaveh didn't realise he was begging the other man for 'more' until Al-Haitham whispered that he would give it to him, but that Kaveh had to calm down first.
Kaveh did his best to breathe, only the org*sm slowly building inside him refused to give him any rest. It was this moment that Al-Haitham chose to bite him again on the neck. Kaveh's breath was cut off for a brief instant, but the gesture at least helped his heart beat a little more calmly in his chest. He pulled himself together slightly and noticed that his partner's eyes were red again. The night was far from over for them, wasn't it?
