Work Text:
Yone stared out over the open ocean, waiting.
He was beyond nervous; he could feel it in the pit of his stomach, settling like a ball of iron in his gut which only grew as the water around him began to shift to a teal, then to a calm green, then to gold as it would in the morning sun, though it was hardly midnight.
It's now or never.
Yone stood as the head of a large figure rose from the depths, large enough to hold Yone and his small ship in its palms.
However, the magician couldn't help but smile at the handsome, dark, gentle face in front of him and the warm amber eyes peeking up from the water followed closely by plush lips that smiled back as they spoke.
"Yone..."
That voice always warmed every part of the man in question. Everything fell into place to that low tone.
"It's been a long time, my love..."
He only smiled more as the massive man who rose from the depths drifted out onto his back, combating the sun's brightness with the grin he wore.
"Look at my ocean-- something has changed. It's like my ancient Devonian sea full of magic and power..."
Yone watched as his lover's hair of dark, thick twists and curls drifted out behind his head like an obsidian crown-- how his massive hands came to push it back into the crystal clear waters-- how he wanted nothing more than to be held by those hands...but there was too much at stake right now.
A whole planet even.
"You're going to be very upset my dear...Aphelios has gotten into my elixirs and-- and he has tasted human blood!"
"Aphelios?"
Smiling amber eyes interrupted Yone's distress as the gentle ocean god moved to sit up to face him again, hardly disturbing the quiet water.
"What a lovely name."
As the god moved closer, Yone found himself blushing in embarrassment. Heat rushed down from his cheeks to his chest where it closed in tight coils around his heart. He'd been the one who'd failed to stop the boy after all...
"Of course, it's all my fault, really..."
Yone couldn't help but fuss with his long locks in the absence of what to do with himself, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear and then messing with the rings on his fingers. But another fear quickly crossed his mind before he could stop it.
"He's become so powerful he's torn a hole in the fabric of reality!"
His head shot up again to meet nothing but a dreamy gaze from his lover who seemed to enjoy listening to his mortal's ramblings and worries. It gave Yone a surge of confidence to continue on.
"He's too young to understand, and he wouldn't listen to me..."
He sighed as he cut to the chase, tucking more hair away as he averted his own cold eyes from golden, sun-like ones.
"He's now a little kid and he loves another little boy, and the whole world is out of balance!"
Yone slowly lifted his head and offered his hands to his beloved as if to beg for his mercy. If anyone could fix this upset of power it would be him. K’Sante, god of mercy to all those at sea, the man who formed Yone into a being of the ocean the same as he is, who created childlike spirits to aid in Yone’s life goal of keeping natural balance… Surely he’d be the one able to reel one lost child back in.
"Please...please, remove the human in him, or the planet is doomed--"
A sudden, shimmering bright red streak across the night sky caught Yone's attention. Sea green eyes darted after it and watched the small flash it created as it collided with the horizon. More streaks of color followed, raining down from the heavens into the pristine surface of the ocean, and Yone felt each one as if they were pin-pricks on his own skin.
Everything just went from bad to worse.
"Already!-- the Earth is pulling satellites from the sky! And the moon pulls the sea closer to--!!"
As Yone’s thoughts spiraled, he was left unaware of how his lover had slipped into a more manageable, human size and joined him silently on the front bow of his little ship. Cloaked in robes of pale blue with a necklace of large, oblong, golden beads that resembled how the sun would dance across the waves at midday.
He did, however, completely freeze when he was hugged from behind, heavy hands delicately rubbing his arms and shoulders; heating his skin with hardly more than a resting touch.
"Be calm, dear."
That rich, gentle, tone soothed beside Yone's ear, derailing any other thought he might have in favor of relaxing into large, muscular arms instead.
"K'Sante..."
Yone whispered, tucking into the other's neck until the man of interest suddenly perked up from his resting place on the smaller's shoulder.
"Sett...the boy's name is Sett..."
The smile K'Sante formed caught Yone's interest; what magic had he summoned to understand more in mere seconds than Yone himself did in over 24 hours of surveillance?
That train of thought continued briefly until two small masses bumped against the side of the ship, catching the attention of both older individuals.
Two small boys peeked up from the edge. One with a head of hair green as sea grass and big curious eyes, while the other had a mop of almost electric fuschia that framed a more angular face.
Both Yone and K'Sante could only smile at the two little children who’d come to snoop on them.
"We all love your brother, and want him to be very happy--"
K'Sante started, before suddenly holding his lover tight almost as if knowing he'd run away from his next few words.
"Listen my darling, why don't we let Aphelios become human for good?"
Yone gasped slightly and tried to turn in the ocean god's arms to face him at the mere mention of the idea, but K'Sante calmed him with a kiss to his temple and a proposition whispered gently in his ear.
"We must test the boy, if Sett's love is true-- Aphelios will become permanently human, and all will be restored,"
The magician almost believed him, but then yet another worry bubbled up through his chest almost getting caught in his throat.
"But...if his love isn't real, Aphelios will turn into seafoam..."
The two of them ignored the quiet gasps from the two little ocean spirits still fixated on their conversation, K'Sante yet again quelling them all.
"True. That is where we all originated, my darling,"
Yone could only sigh and continue trying to get across his fears to his constantly level-headed counterpart.
"K'Sante..the boy is so young, so innocent. What if he–!"
A brief kiss caught the remaining words from Yones lips and took them away in a flurry of warmth.
"Let's let them sleep. They'll need their rest,"
So much for negotiating this "deal".
Yone only sighed, resigning to the agreement. However he let himself be kept in those strong arms, as the pitter-patter of little feet hit the deck of the ship and soon those two little spirits were also clinging to Yone as if to comfort him.
“Watch over them, my dear. I will find Sett’s mother to discuss what must take place.”
The gentle god whispered again softly, his lover only continuing to sigh in response before turning to the small spirits clinging to his robes.
“Kayn, Ezreal, go with your father–”
“I wanna help Aphelios!”
Yone patted the head of fluffy green hair that bounced as the little spirit spoke. Doing his best not to sigh yet again when fuschia hair bounced with an equally energetic nod.
“No. You will go with your father, Ezreal. You and Kayn must help to keep the humans calm while whatever will happen takes place. When Aphelios and the boy are ready, they and I will join you.”
The huff of disappointment from the two was enough for Yone to know they would comply as he looked up to give one more pleading look to his lover. But the man only smiled and kissed the bridge of his nose.
“It will all be just fine. Do not worry.”