#sendaz

[I was so happy to get this, and very intrigued by the pair! I don’t think I did it justice, but I really hope you like it anyway! <3 Thank you, Ashe!]

Ulazfelt Sendak flinch under his hands, but he didn’tapologize for it. He’d stopped apologizing long ago for this;Sendak had never liked to hear it and often growled when he did. Hecontinued his work in silence, both of them going through the motionsas they’d done many times before this. An adjustment here, a flexof Sendak’s hand at the right moment, nerves connected to portsconnected to the finest metals the Empire could afford Ulaz. Sendak’sprosthetic is a work of art, which is fitting considering the sourcematerial. A warrior of Sendak’s skill and caliber deserved evenmore than Ulaz could fit him with, but this would have to do.

“Ulaz.”

Therumble of Sendak’svoice never failed to stir something at the base of Ulaz’s spine.

“Commander.”A deep and abiding fondness was buried in the title.

Hecould feel Sendak’seyes on him for a long moment before Sendak shifted and turned hisattention to some nondescript part of the wall.

“Doyou believe in love as I believe in pain?”

Ulazfinally glanced upward, let his gaze drag along the line of Sendak’sjaw, his flickering ears, and he chuckled under his breath. “Ihardly think I’m qualified to speak of love, Commander. Pain issimple and absolute, I feel there is no one who does not know it orexperience it. It is a faith with a solid foundation. The emotion oflove is not nearly so simple or well-understood.” He lowered histool and stroked the cords that served as the veins of Sendak’sleft bicep, and couldn’t help but smile when Sendak was forced tosuppress a shiver.

Oncemore, Sendak flexed his hand, returned to watching Ulaz’sface as the transfer of action to sensation manifested as a spark ofenergy under Ulaz’s fingers. “It didn’t escape my notice thatyou didn’t actually answer the question.”

Ulazsighed, the expression one of feigned exasperation. “True.”He began sliding the protective plates back into place over theports, then worked on the decorative ones. Again, hew as struck bythe beauty of physical force Sendak was, and the prostheticpronounced his power that much more. “I suppose a part of mebelieves. When you love, you cannot help but hurt, as someone istrusting you with the most vulnerable parts of themselves. Love isthe difference between respecting that vulnerability or exploitingit.” His touch was reverent over Sendak’s arm. “And in sayingthat much, you know the rest.”

Sendakturned in his seat, reaching up to cradle Ulaz’sface in the palm of his hand. He could crush Ulaz so quickly with hisown handiwork, but he dared not deliver that pain unto himself, nomatter how strong his faith. “I know. I know that when you cause mepain, it is because you love.”