r e g r e t

oops i haven’t been over here in a minute.

Thumb and forefinger pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes shut against the daggers of sun that drilled into his skull. Too bright, too cold, too…uncivilized. This place was wearing his patience thin, and it was with great effort he kept a neutral expression when confronted with the newest justiciar. 

“I trust you know your job by now, so I won’t bore you with details. I am, however, required to accompany you so as to ensure loyalty,” he rolled his eyes at his own words. “We are to travel to Karthwasten. They tend to be more agreeable than the rest of these people, but a check up is necessary all the same.” 

Ondolemar gestured before him, hand limp and expression bored. 

“Lead the way.”

     It’s all Aediane can do to keep himself from shivering.

     You would have thought, having lived on Solstheim for several years, he would have grown used to the cold. Alas, Skyrim seemed to hold a more bitter chill than anywhere else, and the poor Altmer felt like he might freeze to death. Perhaps this was punishment from his father, for turning his back on his ‘duty’ in favor of running off to Morrowind to avoid the Great War.

     Shaking his head, he sets the pace for them, burying his face into his scarf as best he could and crossing his arms in an attempt to keep some sort of heat. Ugh, was the Reach always so cold this time of year? Gods.

     He’d not been a justiciar as long as Ondolemar, but he’d been a quick study and had risen through the ranks quickly enough. Though, perhaps his father’s influence had partially been to blame for such a thing. He saw the ways some of the older, more experienced justiciars looked at him, and he can tell that his current companion was doing his best not to snap at him.

It had been a few days since the younger Dunmer twin had been home. He had gotten quite lost on a mission he had undertaken with his sister, Tel, and of course Ralis. He knew she would be looking for him. She would worry, too; not for his sake, but for the sake of those who he always seemed to cause trouble for.

He made his way inside the large home, yawning. His uncle wandered past towards the stairs, hands feeling the wall. The blind male bumped into his nephew and stopped.

“She’s going to kill you when she gets home, boy.” And without another word, he headed up to his room.

“Good to see you too, Uncle Nethdris!” Lenos called after the older Dunmer with a chuckle. He heard movement in the kitchen and followed the sounds. Maybe that was his buddy Gideon. He hadn’t seen the lunatic for at least a month. Silently the male snuck into the kitchen but stopped in the doorway. Not Gideon, but much better. He smirked a little as he made his way up behind the tall male. His fingers lightly brushed the golden skin along his arms. Lenos leaned up a little and gave a deep, warm chuckle, tugging sun woven locks with his lips. “You know. I was feeling a little off today. But seeing you turned me on.” His fingers brushed over slender golden fingers before he turned and left the room.

     Cooking had never really been one of his stronger points, but with both Salvasi and Teldryn out of the house at the moment, he had to try. A pinch of salt, a spoonful of honey, some diced horker meat and finely-crushed lavender stalks are all added to the simmering broth in the pot before him. At least it smells nice, he muses to himself, allowing a small smile to play along his lips.

     Humming a tune under his breath, the Altmer turns to dice up some pheasant and ash yams; he doesn’t even hear the Dunmer enter the room, and is completely unaware of the other’s presence until he felt fingertips brushing his arm. A tingling sensation crept up his spine, and he paused for a few moments so he wouldn’t accidentally slice one of his fingers off. ❝ Salenos? ❞ he questions, well before the other man has a chance to say anything. ❝ You’ve been gone for days. Salvasi was worried about you-- ❞ But he falls silent when he hears that chuckle, the tips of his ears beginning to flush.

     ‘I was feeling a little off today. But seeing you turned me on.’ No sooner have those words left the Dunmer’s mouth that the Altmer’s whole face burns a deep red, pulse thrumming wildly in his ears. Oh, by the Eight, what has he gotten himself in to? This was wrong, everything about this was so very wrong. What would Salvasi do, if she found out her twin was flirting with the man that has caused Teldryn so much strife? And how would Teldryn feel, knowing that same information? It’s too much for Aediane to think of right now.

     The poor guy doesn’t even get the chance to react properly before Salenos has gone, leaving him flustered and alone in the middle of their kitchen.

     Coming to taverns wasn’t something he indulged in very often, especially given the dirty looks many others threw his way. ‘Twas unlike him to indulge in drink, either, and yet here he sat with a tankard in hand. It had taken some time for him to grow comfortable leaving the company of the little family Salvasi had managed to scrape together (her “squad,” she called them in the most endearing manner); it had taken him a time longer to grow comfortable going out to taverns with them. The moment they’d entered the building, everyone went their separate ways - and he’d decided that sitting at the bar was better than trying to mingle among the crowd.

     Given the bustle of the other patrons, he doesn’t even hear Salenos coming up behind him before the Dunmer’s fingers are tracing his forearm. Tensing slightly, he cranes his neck slightly and begins to turn his head in order to fix the other with a look from the corner of his eye. ❝ Best be careful your sister doesn’t see you over here, ❞ he jokes softly, smirking.

     The moment Salenos’ lips brush his ear, his whole face begins to burn.

     Crimson begins to dust golden cheeks, apricot eyes going wide. He barely registers the words that have been so carelessly whispered in his ear, and it does nothing to stave off the flush that overtake his face.

     ❝ My halo? ❞ The Altmer scoffs softly, crossing his arms over his chest. ❝ Dear stranger, you must have me confused with someone else. Only those pure of heart have halos, and I am far from being pure of heart. ❞

     He actually lets out a snort at that, covering his mouth with one hand. Goodness, how long had it been since he’d been able to indulge in this sort of thing? (Too long, he’d concluded. His father wouldn’t let him hear the end of it if he was caught flirting with a Dunmer.)

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     Surprise doesn’t even begin to describe the sensation of his arm being grabbed before he’s spun around. He only catches a glance of Salenos’ face before the smaller man has closed the distance between them. Oh dear.

     The Altmer’s whole face begins to heat up, cheeks dusting a faint red. ❝ H-happy Saturalia, ❞ he whispers in response, though he’s not entirely sure the Dunmer even heard him.

     His expression flickers uncertainly for a moment or two as he turns to fix the Dunmer with a stare. When was the last time anyone had flirted with him in such a way? He couldn’t honestly remember, and that, perhaps, is why he seems to apprehensive at first.

     He does, eventually, find his confidence again as he straightens himself.

sometimes i find myself wondering “how gay can aediane really be?”

and then i remember that his tag for teldryn is “sun and stars” and his tag for ancano is “warmth of a magical touch”

     she will wear the guise of priestess for as long as time will allow; visage unchanging often leaves room for rumour of vampirism and has seen a mortal body staked to death and Mara retreating back to her immortal plane to lap at her wounds. they underestimate her, usually, when really, should the push come to shove   (   it never has, truly  )  she could cast aside whatever benevolence she breathes and bring forth a wrath that would bring them to their knees.         yet she never has.

   she supposes it’s curiosity that brings her before him with her hands tucked into the folds of her robe and her eyes scrutinising.        “   so you are the one who broke his heart.   ”

     There’s an immediate falter in his expression, confident stance falling into a slump of the shoulders. Brows arch, eyes widen just a hair; there’s a certain ache that creeps into a golden gaze, something that he wished he could forget but has yet been unable to. How did she know--?

     ❝ You have met Teldryn, then. ❞ His voice wavers upon remembrance of the name, one that once had tasted so sweet now leaving nothing but a bitter flavor upon his tongue. Oh, how he wished he could explain himself to the spellsword! The excuse given still haunts his memory to this day, two decades after such a vapid falsity had left his lips - and he hand-in-hand with someone else. ❝ I can assure you that it was done for his own safety. ❞ Perhaps Her Benevolence would take his word and leave the subject alone; or, perhaps she would continue to question him as his fellow Justiciars questioned their prisoners.