#raedarius

(For the “What are we” prompt list)

Anon requested “Accidentally Referring to them as ‘my’”

Darius/Raine/Eda - though this one became more Darius/Raine focused

I’m setting this in a modern AU where Belos never became emperor. Covens still exist but more in a “we specialize in this type of magic and recognize the importance of multidisciplinary witches” rather than a “its one type of magic forever or jail”. As a result, the boiling isles gets to thrive and some of the larger towns eventually become cities.

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Darius sat on Eda’s worn couch and set his cup of tea on the coffee table. He thumbed open a small paperback novel. The stale smell of the pulp pages offered an earthly complement to the sweet aroma of rosethorn brew that simmered in his mug. Deeper in the house, Eda and Raine continued to slumber as the sun continued to pull itself up from the horizon. 

Seven Friday’s ago, he made the decision to try out a new bar after work. There, he met the curious couple. After a few drinks and lots of flirting, to his luck and surprise, they invited him over for the night. He ended up staying until Sunday afternoon. He kept in touch with them more frequently than he had with his other flings. Though, after a few dates and several more late nights spent at their rustic home, he was beginning to wonder if this was more than just a fling. 

Darius wasn’t sure if he wanted to push it. The arrangement worked for him - to ask for more might be asking too much.

Turning his attention back to his book, he forced himself to relax.

He became too engrossed in his book to properly notice the sleepy footsteps that eventually creaked down the old blisterwood stairs. A short, lithe, warm body sank down next to him on the couch and leaned against his shoulder.

“Morning.” Raine whispered.

It took Darius a few seconds to register that something had been said to him. He pulled his attention away from the book and finally processed the feeling of a body against him and the single word Raine had uttered.

“Good morning.” He smiled. With a flick of his wrist, abomination magic moved Raine into his lap. They sighed as he wrapped his arms around them and rested his cheek against the back of their head.

“Good book?” Their voice sounded raspy from sleep. Darius loved the sound of it.

“Mm, hard to say. If the author makes a good pay off for all the tension, then yes. Sleep well?”

“Mhm.” They yawned, “I need coffee but I don’t want to get up. You’re so warm.”

“I can make a cup for you.”

“Ah - no. I won’t make you do that.” They started to untangle themselves from him but he tightened his hold.

“You aren’t making me do anything.” He said, firm and gentle, “I just want to do something nice for my Raine.”

“My Raine?”

“-- Yes.” He said a little quickly, hiding his face in their neck. “Yes. My Raine...Is it alright if I say that?”

He hadn’t meant to say “my Raine” but in the moment, he could hardly come up with anything else that felt appropriate. He didn’t want to overstep any boundaries either. Though they had let him into their relationship, Eda and Raine had their own dynamic.

He felt uncertain and he started to panic.

To think that he could feel so vulnerable over a cup of coffee.

“Yeah, its alright.” Raine smiled, “I like it - I’m yours just as much as you are mine.”

“Good... I’m glad.” He sighed. Then, because he was feeling soft and mushy, he admitted, “I’m still trying to figure out where I fit.”

“With me and Eda?”

He nodded, “I’m afraid to ruin what you have.”

“Darius, I know you would never do that on purpose. Do you know that?”

“I know that. But I’m so used to taking charge and making my own place within my groups and relationships. I don’t do well when I have to wait for that place to fit around me or when I have to figure out what the rules are without making them myself.”

Raine stroked a hand along Darius’s forearm, “You don’t have to guess what our boundaries are or where you fit in with us. Eda and I have known each other for a long time, but we really haven’t been romantically involved for very long. This is new for all of us and we should figure these things out together. When Eda wakes up, we can talk about it over lunch. How does that sound?”