#arvail

His hair was braided back, loose and wispy from the rather clumsy hands of the god himself, yet his clothing was sheer and long, wrapped around in a complex-seeming fashion.

"You got my message," his voice was soft and relieved. "I wanted a chance to talk to you personally, not exactly as my champion, but.. perhaps a partner or companion? How strong is a bond if we are not at least attempting to be close, yes?"

Mihail's heart quickened and his jaw set, but he said little, giving a small nod in agreement as he looked over the fabrics Arvid donned. Silvers and whites, even lilac silk and lace peered under thicker fabric to show his status and greatness-- such colors were rare and expensive.. He only wished to touch those fabrics, feel the softness of them against his calloused hands and watch them slide from Arvid's shoulders, past his chest..

"These are very lovely, yes?" Arvid smiled, gesturing at the fabrics draped from his arms and shoulders to his toes, even tapping the wreath of silver branches and leaves in his hair.

"They're beautiful.." Mihail said it in a more breathy tone than intended, eyes unable to look from the pale skin of his collarbone on one side..

Arvid held his breath before stepping closer, "I also asked you to come by for... another reason." His pale skin flushed as he continued, "These tones you use when speaking privately with me, the looks I feel from you... Are they my imagination? For if they are, I apologize and nothing shall ever come from this again-- however, if they are true... Well, ah.. I would not be opposed..-"

His skin was red as he tried to chuckle out his admittance, unable to look Mihail in the eyes, afraid of Mihail causing an uproar if he were to not feel the same-- gods and their champions were meant only as companions, nothing romantic was allowed.. Other acts... those were allowed, if it appeared to improve productivity and bonds between the two in battles. Romance was, however, a web which complicated too much.

Mihail couldn't get the words off his tongue, his voice caught in his throat and he watched Arvid.. Perhaps actions spoke more than words. He reached out to hold some of the fabric at Arvid's waist, heavy and slippery in his fist. A few beats passed before he leaned closer, their foreheads close, "I am not worth the punishments you would receive if found loving me, if that is what you mean.."

Arvid turned redder despite his plain expression, "You underestimate your worth, dear Mihail.. You were chosen by a god, would have been chosen by another if I had not been so lucky!"

He nearly melted, his knees feeling weak for just a moment before he tilted his head, jutted his chin closer, "Please call me that again.."

"Mihail.." Arvid blinked slowly, mouth curling into a smile around such a breathy name.

Mihail kissed him deeply, both hands gripping the fabrics at his waist, held up at his back as if to dip him, "My name on your tongue is a blessing I could never give in return..."

Such a game was proving enjoyable for Arvid, though he knew hearing a rough voice groan his name would nearly stop his heart, "*Mihail..*"

—

Arvid's voice cracked and wavered in the morning, clearly rather... strained.

At first Mihail's reaction to such a voice was fear-- what if his god was ill or someone would notice? However, with kisses to spare and the light touches of silk on his skin-- both bedding and Arvid's clothing from last night --he found himself amused and rather proud.

"Did I, a mere human, strain someone so godly such as yourself?" Humor, but also a hint of flirtatiousness, for he brushed back the hair he had tangled and untangled to caress Arvid's tired smile.

"Oh, perhaps.. With what you have brought to the table since our first interaction, I've always wondered if you were a demi-god.. Such a bear of a man.." his voice grew rather gruff at that, fingertips reaching out to brush through his trimmed beard and feel for the scratches across his back, both ones of passion at his shoulderblades and permanent ones of violence.. "Mihail, my love, you are *beautiful...* Watching you move in battle tore at me, made me desire what I never desired before-- and here we are, vulnerable and close.. So, so close--"

More kisses, distracting Arvid entirely from his thoughts, only focused on Mihail's scratchy beard, his calloused hands, and his warmth.

Arvid would come back from a small trek into the forest and find himself looking the home with a sigh-- it's only for a short time he would reassure himself.

And though living right on the outskirts of town -just before the forest swallowed up sky- was soothing and wonderful to listen to in the mornings and on rainy or snowy days, the howling scared him.

Some nights were worse than others.

With the moon in all her silver glory, full and bright, Arvid would hear terrible howls which resembled a wolf, but far louder and more vicious. His mind pictured a werewolf, with a mangy mane and bony, fleshy limbs-- he could only think about the needle-like teeth glittering red, body smeared in the gore of their victim.

He'd never seen a werewolf in person and he hoped he never did-- though his chances felt higher living so close to the forest.

Some nights, when the moon was full, he would keep a window cracked open just to listen for those howls and the whisper of trees from the wind. Sometimes the howl was low, weak.. remorseful... He found himself feeling sympathy for that lone wolf or werewolf, his mind picturing a more wolfish creature as he grew more comfortable in his home and the full moon's devotee. He began buying more meats in town, leaving some out near the edge of the forest for this odd wolf, watching this meat disappear overnight every time.. Until he stayed up all night, a slab of beef right near his front door, hoping to catch this howling creature. He fell asleep before he caught sight of them, but he woke soon after, feeling and hearing the sniffing of a dog through the crack of his window.

He closed the window and went to bed right after, suddenly aware of how stupid his ideas for this had been.

Insomnia helped nothing - neither did his anxiety as he became more and more aware of such a stupid act. He lured a potential monster, or even just a bloodthirsty or rabid wolf, to him home, made them aware of his scent and where he lives and sleeps...

He refused to leave his little home for a few days, only leaving the warm light of his home during the brightest portion of the day. He began keeping defensive items near his door-- a cricket bat --just in case..

The encounter was not one he at all expected; he woke to a great hand holding his jaw, soon moving his head this way and that with curiosity before he growled a warning at the sight of Arvid's sleepy eyes.

The man barked a language unknown to Arvid, teeth bared, and fingers digging into his skin. Soil and dirt and rain choked his senses, the beast man's hands clearly rarely washed in rivers or streams while in the woods.

"I-I'm harmless," Arvid squeaked, fighting everything not to scrabble away from the man. "I swear.."

There was a pause as the man seemed to analyze the tone of his nervous voice, taking the fear and gentle tone as submission before backing away, eyes narrowed and a throaty growl warning him not to move.

Another bark of a phrase, his voice gruff and low, and he crawled away, on edge and furious even while running back to the forest, Arvid watching from his window.

The second time, Arvid was awake-- just barely. His heavy eyelids could barely stay up for more than a few seconds as the man observed and sniffed the room, always stealing glances at the exhausted man sitting in bed before leaving once more..

It was the third night that woke Arvid up entirely. The beast man took hold of the blankets around Arvid and simply picked them up, observing their texture and their warmth before dropping them to the floor. He watched Arvid for a solid minute, his breaths silent compared to Arvid's shaky breathing-- the was no protection or sense of safety for him as this huge man took in every shadow cast by the lamp nearby and Arvid's face. He always came back to looking over his face.

This beast man grunted foreign words at him, repeating it a few times before kneeling before Arvid. He pointed at his chest, eyes never looking away from Arvid.

From his phrases, the most repeated word seemed to be Mihail, and Arvid caught on.

"Your name is Mihail?"

"Hm," he grunted in reply, seeming a bit more friendly with just the way Arvid said it.

Almost rather shy in his attempt, he pointed at Arvid, who pointed at his own chest in question-- Mihail touched Arvid's chest and grunted, insisting he share his name too.

"I-I'm Arvid--"

"EemArved.."

"Nono," He smiled, pointing at himself a few times. "Arvid."

Though his name rolled as Eirved on his lips, Arvid was pleased at the pronunciation and grunted in response-- the growl of Mihail's voice, the softness of his name made him uneasy.. Though this uneasiness felt like something he could get used to.

"Hello?" Arvid stood behind one of the agents that kept communication between the soldiers and headquarters constant. "Is there anyone there?"

Arvid's heart thrummed through his entire body, feeling as if it were attempting to jump out of his throat.. Vertigo overcame him and he felt sick to his stomach as the warmth of his blood turned icy.

He turned away, trying to ignore the distant attempts to come back into contact with their lost soldier. He couldn't handle the idea of Mihail dying on a mission-- on a mission he wasn't a part of to help with...

Days passed and retrievals were arranged. They came back with Mihail's jacket-- they found no sign of a body at all.. Arvid curtly thanked a soldier that handed him the jacket, all knowing that he was Mihail's partner in battle-- "a brother in arms" they often assumed. He felt no shame when he hid away, clutching this jacket, to slip into a bathroom and curl under the weight of the jacket. His runny nose nuzzled into the fluff of the hood, taking in the metallic and heavy scent of wood as if he could still nuzzle against Mihail and take in his scent. He imagined Mihail's nose at the nape of his neck and his lips at his skin, murmuring reassurances and protective words ...

"I-I couldn't protect you.. I couldn't get to you..." he couldn't stop the wracking of his body and the sobs that triggered pain in his spine, "You would have already left to find me yourself.. I-I'm so weak... U-useless..."

Arvid was treated gently in the headquarters, Mihail's loss an obvious toll on his well being, considering the circles under his eyes and gauntness of his face. Many spoke to him personally, reminiscing on their first true loss from war as if Arvid had not already lost an entire team-- but he remained politely silent, always nodding and sighing.. He thanked them regardless, appreciative of the attempts.

Little sleep was allowed for himself most of the time-- often leading to long hours of silence and stillness from him when his body finally caught up in exhaustion.

However, that is when Mihail returned, weary and bloodied and absolutely rough in shape.

His return was the first news of the day Arvid woke up to-- even before he'd fully become awake enough to speak, he'd run after Mihail until he found him in his quarters, pained and shakily breathing. He spoke Arvid's name raspily, fingers brushing back his hair as Arvid's mouth trembled--

-- and then a whimper turned into a guttural sob, his shaking hands brushing back Mihail's knotted hair as he kissed his mouth so desperately. He only sobbed harder when Mihail spoke, trying to calm him down despite his exhaustion overtaking everything but slurred speech from him..

"I thought you were dead.. I-I wish I'd been there to help-- I-I'd been wishing I could have at least been there to die w-with you and not in this hell..."

Arvid even made sure to brush his palms against the trunks of trees and pushed against the grass once into the clearing his little home was built in. This time, he would not let the woods catch him.. This time, he would lead the other straight to his arms.

In the kitchenette of his small home, he stared at the ripples of the tea he brewed anxiously when there was no more steam to follow. His own mug was drained, the second sitting there-- he stared at the second mug as if it would move on its own and become the one he waited for.

Soon enough, he grew tired of waiting, too tired to refrain from nodding off. With so much time, he'd found himself accepting of whatever fate he may come across. Let it come.. Perhaps he will arrive sooner than them all.

Arvid awoke to rustling, creaking of the wood planks of his room-- he jumped, grabbing for a knife at his bedside before a familiar voice eased his anxiety.

"Birdie..." The familiar shadow sounded almost pained, his voice rumbling with pity and a very why did you do that? tone.

Arvid shifted away from the table to crawl across the bed, eager to brush his fingers through his lover's unruly hair, brush the heel of his palms over his facial hair, and kiss his lips eagerly--

Mihail broke their kiss with a quick click, however, his brow furrowed and head tilted slightly before bumping his forehead to his, "You have put your safety in danger.. That was stupid of you."

"Perhaps.." Arvid sat back on his bed, sitting on his feet as he looked up at the great man, "Though, who is to say this is any more dangerous than putting myself into the woods and growing lost while searching for you?"

"You shouldn't be searching for me in the first place.. I'm not worth your life, birdie," a sad humor seemed to cling to his rumbling words. "I'm not human like you anymore. I'm a beast like the others in there-- I'm just as dangerous.. Maybe even more so."

Arvid's jaw set at such words, unable to believe such lies nor keep quiet about how much he disagreed-- but he kept quiet for only a few seconds longer, occupying himself by reaching for Mihail's waist and curling his fingers in. With a bit of stubborn pulling, Mihail allowed himself onto the bed, climbing atop Arvid before settling beside him, still uneasy and stiff.

"You're no threat to me, Mihail," he cooed, arms slipping above his shoulders and hips shifting to press his body flush to his love's. "If anything, you're protection.. But that's not what I value most about you."

Breaths grew laborious, fingers and toes were gloved with numbness, and Arvid could barely keep his head up as he tried to push himself against the trunk of a tree.

Wheezes grew weaker, his body moving with a great deal of effort when he inhaled-- he was losing hope just like he was losing his sight to starbursts and flashing waves, a sure sign passing out was rearing its head..

He'd forgotten where he was and how his arms and legs sat by the time he felt himself be lifted and pressed to warmth - his eyes were glazed over, his fingers cold from the crisp air, the warmest part of his body being the great gash he had earned.

Arvid barely recognized that he had even moved by the time he was tended to in that jet, unaware of the heavy and desperate stare from behind a doorway and that staring being's grumbles for his safety. He recognized nothing but the lights above him and the wiring of his glasses in his peripheral vision. And then he blacked out.