Work Text:
Becoming a god came with some unexpected… changes. With how recently the transformation had happened, Evbo couldn’t be entirely certain just how far it would end up going, but a few things stood out, and he couldn’t always tell if those things came from the exhaustion and trauma from everything that had happened recently or if they were the effects of godhood on his body.
First, there was the back pain. At first, his best guess had been that the pain was related to his previously dislocated shoulder, but the pain and stiffness didn’t get any better as days went by, and at times it almost seemed worse. Like there was something beneath his skin, pushing at the fragile skin beneath his shoulder blades and ready to explode out at the right moment. That right moment, inevitably, had not come yet, and Evbo was left feeling sore all the time.
Then, there was the way that his boots felt. They were made of netherite, a material fit only for the Parkour God and no one else, but there were times when he didn’t like the way they felt on his feet. It was almost like he had some sensation in the metallic material. Like they were a part of his body and not just… boots.
There were the new abilities, both those present at his ascension and those that seemed to be developing. He could teleport and create blocks at will, though he wasn’t really all that great at it yet. He could hear prayers directed at him, something that he had noticed very quickly, but there had to be intent behind the call. An active desire to speak with or see him. Normal utterances of his name didn’t ping him at all.
The strangest thing, and the very first one he noticed, was the sudden presence of bright golden particles that floated in the air.
The particles were entirely new, something that he couldn’t recall seeing even a lookalike of. They seemed to be incorporeal but real. They had no smell, no sound, no feel, but they had a taste. He learned that the first time his new partner had tried cooking for him. EMF had been incredibly nervous of his self-described subpar cooking skills, but to someone like Evbo, it was the finest meal he had ever consumed. The food itself was great, of course, but far more than that was the fact that the dish was completely covered in the golden motes of light. They were sweet, almost, but subtle. As the food warmed his physical body, he could almost feel the golden lights swarm into his body with every bite and soothe all of the pain and hunger.
Furthermore, EMF himself. Evbo had come to the conclusion fairly early on that the particles originated from players, but what he couldn’t quite understand was why some players glowed more than others. Ally, for example, had a faint sheen that hovered around them, floating calmly but sparsely.
Most players were like that, he learned. Some were brighter, some dimmer. Occasionally a player would be so dim that the glow was barely there, but there was always something.
EMF was blinding.
His entire being was always aglow in bright, golden light. It fluttered from his every movement, shimmering into the air to join its kind in the wind. His fur was always dense with particles of light, hanging from his fur and pooling in his pearlescent eyes. It was beautiful, if at times painful to look at, and Evbo just couldn’t figure out why his friend- no, boyfriend! The thought still made him so giddy!!- was so different.
If he asked, he knew that EMF would have no idea what he was talking about. Evbo hadn’t seen the lights before he had ascended, and there was a part of him that already knew that they were a part of his godhood. Something he just had to figure out.
Without a mentor, though, or a guide, he resigned himself to never learning the true meaning of those lights. As long as they weren’t bad- and they didn’t seem to be- then his questions about their existence could wait.
…
Evbo and EMF’s relationship didn’t immediately explode into something grand and romantic after they got together. They had been friends for some time beforehand, but this was something different than just friendship. There were things that couples did that Evbo just felt… too scared to mention. He realized, rather belatedly, that he really didn’t know a lot about EMF’s romantic side. Evbo wanted to kiss him and hold him and tell him everything that made him fall in love with the starry Champion, but he feared scaring him off. He was scared of chasing his love away.
So Evbo danced around it quite a bit. He moved only when EMF did first, and Evbo knew, deep down, that the mutual hesitance and fear left them both wanting more and feeling empty without it.
And yet… he knew part of the reason why he didn’t want to push more. Evbo knew, deep down, that he was trying to hide himself. Hide his body. Hide his scars. EMF was a being of beauty incarnate with his soft, star-clad fur, his thick, fluffy hair, his gorgeous pearlescent eyes. The gold that shimmered all around him did nothing but accentuate his beauty, and Evbo?
Evbo was a god, but nothing about his body reflected that. Evbo just looked like… a Noob. He wasn’t muscular enough to impress anyone. He wasn’t soft enough to hold. He just wasn’t up to par with the standard that EMF set.
The first time that EMF saw him shirtless, it had been entirely by accident.
Evbo had actually decided to help EMF cook for once, desperate to learn so that his partner wouldn’t have to do it all, when he looked down to notice he had gotten some kind of sauce smeared all across his shirt. Evbo sighed and rubbed his face.
“Dangit. I got something on me, Em. Gimme a moment.”
The Champion hummed in acknowledgement. He seemed distracted enough.
The original idea was simple. Evbo was just going to rip off his shirt and replace it with his fancy new god powers before EMF saw. Easy enough.
Except that EMF turned around to say something when the shirt was covering Evbo’s eyes, giving him a good few seconds to just stare before Evbo even realized he was doing so.
As soon as Evbo discarded the fabric, he met EMF’s eyes, and both parties immediately froze.
Oh. Oh, EMF wasn’t supposed to see this. He was supposed to not know about this for at least a little while longer. Evbo’s shoulders immediately hiked up to his ears, hands rushing towards his core to hide as much of it as possible.
The smart thing to do would’ve been to just replace the clothing as fast as possible, but the godling’s brain had short circuited. He couldn’t move.
What was EMF thinking? Was this the first time he had ever seen Evbo without something covering him? He almost always had his hoodie on but he had removed it to cook, so there was absolutely nothing to hide just how destroyed Evbo’s body really was.
EMF’s face lit up in a golden hue, embarrassed or nervous or uncomfortable or something along those lines. He passed his tongue over his lips, eyes flicking away after only a moment of taking in the full scope of his partner’s starved and beaten body.
Put a shirt on you idiot! Why are you just standing there?
“S-Sorry,” Evbo stammered. He took a hesitant step back, hands still raised to cover his chest, but it couldn’t cover all of it. It couldn’t hide all the damage from his years as a Noob. “I just… I thought…” Another step back. Use your words, moron! Maybe if you stop blubbering and actually say something you can convince him not to just drop you right now!
Evbo shook his head to shake out the thoughts. He sniffled a bit on the inhale, and nearly jumped at the sensation of a tear rolling down his cheek.
“I’ll just- I’ll go into the other room,” the godling managed to stutter, and before he could make any more of a fool of himself, he was running to lock himself in their bedroom.
“Evbo, wait-“ EMF started, but Evbo was already out of earshot before he could say anything more. Evbo made sure to lock the door behind him before sliding to the floor, back to the wall.
Stupid, stupid, stupid Evbo. Why did he just assume that EMF wouldn’t turn around and see him without his shirt? Actually, why did he just assume he could get away with never letting EMF see the state his body was in in the first place? They were courting. It would be inevitable that EMF would see him exposed at some point. Maybe it was better that it was now instead of later.
Still. Still.
He buried his face in his arms. It was only then that he realized that he still wasn’t wearing anything on his top half, and with a frustrated growl Evbo threw on a new shirt, then his hoodie, just in case. He was so stupid.
But the gold hovering around EMF hadn’t faded in the slightest. In fact, it almost seemed to turn a shade brighter. Glowing like a miniature sun caught in the body of his Champion.
Before this point, his assumption was that the gold had something to do with his godhood, and the only conclusion that he could come to was that it was somehow correlated to his relationship to the player. Or maybe more like their relationship with him? He didn’t know everyone, but everyone knew of the Parkour God. Maybe EMF was so bright because he was so close to Evbo?
But if that was the case, why hadn’t the color faded when EMF was faced with the truth of what lay beneath his partner’s clothes?
There was a soft knock on the door behind Evbo, hesitant and nervous.
“Ev?”
Evbo sighed and buried himself further. He really didn’t want to face EMF right now. He didn’t want to hear whatever it was that EMF was going to say, whether it was hollow comfort, empty affirmations, or just a straight up breakup.
Evbo hated the way he looked. He hated everything about it. He hated the way that his body never gained weight no matter what he tried, and the way that his skin still remained ghostly pale even with all the time he spent in the sun. He hated the sharp angle of his jaw and the ratty look to his hair. He just… he wasn’t what a god should look like. EMF was so much more fitting of the title than he was. At least he looked like some sort of divine creature.
“Ev, please…”
“You don’t have to say anything, EMF,” Evbo mumbled around his hoodie. He wiped at his face, finding only more tears every time he did so. “I just… was hoping it’d take a little longer.”
A moment of quiet on the other side of the door.
“That what would take longer?”
Evbo let out a humorless chuckle. “You realizing what I really look like.”
EMF was silent after that for so long that Evbo thought he had finally left. He rested his head on his arms, trying so hard not to cry and failing spectacularly.
“Can I come in? Please?”
Evbo jumped when EMF finally spoke, several minutes later. He sighed and wiped at his face again. What was he supposed to say? No? He had hidden from EMF long enough, hadn’t he?
Evbo finally moved away from the door and unlocked it. A moment later, it creaked open as EMF let himself in. He closed the door behind him gently, before finally turning to look Evbo in the eyes.
His golden glow hurt to look at in the dim lighting.
“I’m sorry I reacted like that,” EMF whispered, clasping his hands together. Evbo let his eyes dart down, watching as the Champion picked at his claws. “I just… I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without a shirt on.”
“For good reason,” Evbo muttered. He finally looked away. He couldn’t understand the glow, and why it hadn’t dimmed in the slightest. Was he wrong about it? Maybe it was something like… a manifestation of their souls? And EMF was so bright because of how pure his soul was? “I didn’t want you to see me.”
This seemed to genuinely startle EMF for some insane reason. His ears pinned back in distress. “Why not? I… there’s nothing wrong with your body, Evbo. Actually, um…” EMF looked away. “I… I think that you’re beautiful. You really, really are.”
“Don’t,” Evbo snapped. “Don’t say things like that to try to make me… feel better, or whatever. I know how bad it is. I was a Noob for twelve years, Em, I know what we look like. You don’t have to sugarcoat it.”
Evbo jumped when a gentle hand gripped his wrist. He remained still. He wouldn’t push away EMF, not any more than his mere appearance did.
“Can you look at me?” EMF murmured, soft and careful.
He didn’t want to. He didn’t want to see whatever expression EMF had painted across his face. He did anyway, slowly moving his head until he was able to look the love of his life in the eye.
EMF let one hand gently rest on Evbo’s cheek. Evbo leaned into the touch and let out a stuttering sigh. EMF was so warm, so present. His claws lightly pressed against the skin of Evbo’s face, but they didn’t dig in. They never did.
“Who made you believe that your body was something to be ashamed of?” The Champion whispered. “Who made you think that you weren’t the most beautiful player in all of Parkour Civilization?” When Evbo didn’t respond, EMF leaned forward, allowing their foreheads to rest against each other. “I would never, ever lie to you about something like this, Ev.” EMF’s voice was barely even a breath now, brushing invitingly against Evbo’s lips. The godling swallowed. He couldn’t let these kinds of thoughts overwhelm him. Not right now.
“Your eyes are beautiful.” EMF carefully moved his thumb to brush away the silent tears that still drifted down Evbo’s cheeks. “Like perfectly cut emeralds. And your hair reminds me of the sun. It catches the light like nothing else. And your body,” he paused, as if to consider his next words. “Your body is a work of art,” he finally spoke. “It begs to be drawn, painted, sculpted into marble. Everything about you is perfect, down to every single mark you perceive as a flaw.”
“EMF…” Evbo’s voice came out as a choked squeak. EMF shook his head.
“No. You can’t make me believe anything else. If I could look at you for the rest of eternity, it wouldn’t be enough.” Carefully, EMF let his hands slide down to Evbo’s shoulders. He squeezed the godling’s biceps, eyes glimmering with amusement when Evbo stopped breathing. “May I?” He asked.
Evbo couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. He was blinded by golden light, blending in flawlessly with the gold flush spread across EMF’s face. They were the same color. How had he never noticed?
EMF moved slowly, impossibly so, giving his partner all the time in the world to tell him to stop, to go away, to leave. Evbo said nothing. He didn’t know what exactly the Champion was doing, but he found himself turning to putty in the starry player’s claws. What would players say, if they realized how easily this one person could turn Evbo so emotional, so malleable?
“Can I take your hoodie off?” EMF asked, hands pausing around the hem of the sweatshirt. Evbo immediately wanted to say no, but he stopped himself. He… he wanted to know where EMF was going with this. What point he could possibly be trying to make. Slowly, Evbo nodded, and he gave no resistance as the Champion worked the fabric off. Soon, the hoodie was discarded on the floor, and Evbo was left with the plain gray shirt beneath. Again, EMF hesitated, as if debating what to do, but he turned his attention to Evbo’s arm.
“Where did this come from?” He asked, voice gentle and curious. Evbo couldn’t speak for a moment, letting out only a small squeak to show that he had heard the question. When he looked, he saw that EMF was tracing the contours of a scar on his bicep. The scar was old and faded, something Evbo had had since he was a kid, but it was deep. White tissue marked a strange pattern of spots, and Evbo prayed that EMF didn’t realize how much it resembled teeth.
“I got attacked by another Noob when I was a kid,” Evbo murmured. No reason to explain why that Noob had attacked him. He hadn’t really tried to explain that whole… situation yet. He folded his hands in his lap. If EMF wanted to hear the story of every scar on his body, he would give it. He would tell this man anything he wanted to hear, if it meant keeping him here a little longer.
His claws were gentle as they traced the markings. Evbo squeezed his eyes shut, and only opened them again at the feeling of a faint pressure on the spot.
EMF had leaned forward, pressing a gentle, sweet kiss to the scar. His fur tickled Evbo’s arm as he did so, moving his face only slightly to appropriately cover the entire scar in chaste, careful kisses. “There,” he whispered. “It’s no longer something you have to worry about. It’s mine now, and I’ll love it until you can learn to do the same.”
Evbo swallowed again. He was shaking, trembling beneath this gorgeous Champion’s hand and lips. What was EMF…?
His claws traced their way towards another scar, this one on Evbo’s wrist. “What about this one?” He asked. It was thin and shiny, newer. Evbo looked away.
“That’s from the Crystal Course,” he muttered. “All of them on my hands are. I slipped, had to catch myself.”
“I see…” And without hesitation, EMF did the same to each of the scars crossed across his hands. His lips drifted across scar tissue, old and new, and one by one, he claimed them as his own. With every kiss, every word, Evbo felt some sort of deep ache within him start to fade. A terror, long since built into his system, that promised that he would never find love. How could someone love a Noob?
And yet, EMF was patient. He traced scars and asked about their stories, nodding calmly when Evbo couldn’t remember and humming thoughtfully with every one he did. The godling had never known it was possible for claws so sharp to feel so gentle, almost tickling across white and pink scars, some old and faded, others new and obvious.
EMF found a small scar on Evbo’s jaw, and as he went through the same ritual he had with every other one, Evbo felt something within himself shift. It wasn’t huge or noticeable, but enough. He inhaled slowly, catching glowing motes of light with each breath.
EMF was gorgeous in a way that Evbo could never hope to be, and yet… here he was. He was looking at him, truly looking at him, at every scar and blemish, and deciding, one by one, that they were not something to be disgusted by or hated.
Evbo felt lightheaded. It felt like the entire world was swirling in front of him, punctuated with those flecks of light and leaving spots in his vision. As the Champion pressed his lips against the sensitive skin of his neck, tracing the edge of a scar that dipped below his collarbone, Evbo let out a choked, high-pitched whine. It was a noise he had never heard before, let alone made, but it had escaped without his input. EMF stopped immediately, hands carefully wrapped around the godling’s arms to keep himself steady. His eyes rose to meet Evbo’s, wide and concerned.
“Are you okay?” He whispered. “Is this too much? I can stop if-“
“No,” Evbo choked out. “P-please… please don’t stop.”
EMF smiled, and that light only grew brighter and Evbo couldn’t take it anymore.
EMF’s lips were dry, likely from his mission to claim every single scar on Evbo’s body, but they were also so soft. It was obvious that he was startled for a moment, but it was only for a moment, because as soon as he understood, EMF kissed him back.
He was beautiful. So, so beautiful. His face was alight in that beautiful gold, mimicking the boots he once wore on his feet, and it was driving Evbo insane. They had to take turns pushing and pulling at the strings of their relationship, worried about pushing their partner too far without established comfort, and for the first time, Evbo was the one doing the pushing.
It was a gentle nudge, far from demanding, but aching with want. With need. EMF gave it willingly, without even a second of hesitance and without a moment of doubt. Evbo’s hands wrapped around his lover, fingers tangling in the fur around the back of his head as he pressed for more. He had spent these past weeks so desperate for this and so scared of it all the same.
EMF pulled away first, only because he desperately needed to breathe. Evbo gave a faint whine of protest, but he didn’t stop him from doing so. His own chest was heaving, but honestly Evbo was more than happy with passing out if it meant he was able to kiss his love just a little longer.
The godling licked his lips, desperate to indulge himself in every last trace of EMF’s taste. It was entirely permeated in the taste of the golden light, sweet and smooth and absolutely divine.
“I can tell you’ve never kissed anyone before,” EMF teased. Before Evbo could even protest, EMF pressed himself closer, chests flush against each other, and whispered: “It’s okay. I haven’t either. We can learn together.”
“You’re so bright…” Evbo murmured drunkenly. The words were bordering on slurred, dazed as every single nerve in his body was busy snapping alight with joy and love. EMF tilted his head as if in question. Evbo ran his fingers through EMF’s hair, sighing contently at the feel of fur against his palms. “You glow like the sun. It’s hard to look at you sometimes, but I just can’t look away.” His lips curled into a coy smile. “You taste like the light, too.”
“The light?”
“Mhmm,” Evbo hummed. Parkour God, EMF was so soft. His fur was like a cloud, so fluffy and perfect. And he was so warm, like a blanket. “You glow so brightly compared to everyone else. It’s this golden light…” Evbo raised one hand and cradled EMF’s face. “Follows you everywhere. I started seeing it when I became Parkour God.”
EMF chuckled and tucked his own claws into Evbo’s hair. Evbo closed his eyes as EMF gently scratched at the nap of his neck. “I have an idea of what it is,” he murmured. “Keep looking at it. Tell me if it gets any brighter.”
Evbo wanted to ask, but he didn’t get the chance. EMF pressed his face into the spot between Evbo’s jaw and shoulder. He pressed his lips against the godling’s jugular vein, and Evbo shuddered at the faint brush of teeth against skin. What was EMF doing? Was he going to bite him?! Evbo had been bitten before and it was not a fun experience. He opened his mouth to say something, to ask him not to, when EMF let out a quiet, rumbling call.
“Evbo,” he prayed, because it was a prayer. Evbo had heard dozens of prayers at this point, but this one… this one was different. It trembled with promise, passion, desire. Love poured from every letter, turning the prayer itself into something entirely new. Something that Evbo had never felt before, not like this.
Just the sensation of being wholly, entirely, ultimately loved, adored, admired, wanted.
“Em,” Evbo’s voice came out weaker than anticipated. And shakier. He had to grab on to his partner to keep from losing his balance at the sudden feeling of vertigo.
EMF chuckled against his skin. “Did it get brighter?”
It had. Exponentially. If it was hard to look at before, it was almost impossible now. Evbo could only stand to look into EMF’s gentle eyes. Anywhere else had him feeling blind.
He knew that the lights weren’t really there, or at least not entirely. The room was still dim, even with the miniature sun contained within it. They didn’t even reflect in EMF’s eyes.
But he was bathed in them all the same. Like a star captured in a bottle, or lightning surging through a cloud. Evbo couldn’t tell where EMF’s blush ended and the glow began.
Evbo nodded. EMF smiled against him, purring from deep within his chest. “I think… I think it’s devotion,” EMF said. “As in… worship.”
A fascinating theory, really, and one that Evbo would’ve loved to hear about at any other time, but right now EMF was so close and soft and warm and his eyes were so pretty and the taste of golden devotion was still rich on Evbo’s tongue and really he didn’t care about what it was right now at all.
“Can you…” Evbo mumbled, low and desperate. His lover hummed, eager to please, and Evbo felt his entire chest ache with want. “Can you…” he didn’t know how to word it, how to ask. Evbo simply raised one of his hands to trace his own scar, the one that went onto his chest. EMF stilled, hesitant.
“Are… are you sure?” He asked softly. “I don’t want to push you any further than you’re comfortable with.”
Evbo was scared, he would admit that. He was scared that maybe EMF had been mistaken before, and that maybe he didn’t actually like the way that Evbo looked all that much. And yet, he craved the touch. The warmth. He wanted nothing more than to expose every single scar and blemish on his body, give himself completely and entirely to his Champion, his love. If EMF hadn’t been put off by what he had already seen, then maybe he wouldn’t run now.
Evbo nodded, slowly. He untangled himself from EMF, just enough to reach for the edge of his shirt. EMF took a hold of his wrist, just enough for Evbo to look back up.
“You don’t owe me anything,” EMF whispered. “You don’t owe me your body. If you don’t want me to see it, then you don’t have to let me. This is only if you want me to.”
“I do,” Evbo said. His voice cracked. “I…I trust you. I want to give myself to you. I want to give you everything I have. I want you to see it… see it all.” I want you to know everything about me and love me anyway. I want you to touch my scars like they’re something beautiful, and not something to be ashamed of. I want you to see all of the damage that has been done to me and not be scared.
“Okay.” EMF ran the back of his hand against Evbo’s cheek. “But if you want me to stop, I will. Just say the word, okay?”
Evbo didn’t trust himself to speak anymore. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, and slowly pulled his shirt over his head. As soon as the cool air touched skin, he hesitated. What if EMF ran? What if this was the final straw? What if…?
A hand rested against his chest, soft and patient. It was enough encouragement for him to finally throw the rest of his shirt off. EMF inhaled slowly through his teeth, eyes gentle but critical as he took it all in.
Then, without warning, he readjusted himself and scooped Evbo into his arms. The godling let out a squeak of surprise as he was suddenly hoisted into the air, but EMF purred comfortingly in response.
“Figured it’d be a bit more comfortable on the bed, hmm?” He purred. “My joints are starting to hurt, I don’t know about yours.”
Evbo didn’t even have the chance to apologize before EMF rested him on their bed. The covers were plush and soft, but in the split second before EMF joined him, Evbo found himself missing the softness of his Champion. It was only when EMF climbed in beside him that Evbo realized that he had removed his chest plate. That would… definitely make things more comfortable, honestly. And EMF’s chest fur was somehow even softer than the rest of his fur, given how it was always protected by the armor. Now, there was nothing between Evbo and the silky fluff. He didn’t hesitate to bury his hands in it, curling around EMF’s back to engulf him in an embrace.
“Awfully excited?” EMF murmured. He raised his hand and laid one claw on the highest scar he could find. Then, he traced it, marking lines and patterns where Evbo saw nothing. “Where did you get this one?” He asked.
“Crystal Course again,” Evbo said breathlessly. “When I fell. Cut my chest.”
EMF pressed a kiss into the skin. He rested one hand against Evbo’s chest, allowing his fingers to roam across the dips and valleys of his ribcage.
Evbo dug his fingers deeper into the fur beneath them. EMF was lean and muscular, fit to a perfection that was rarely achieved even by Parkour Masters. Given the nature of parkour, most of them were concentrated in his lower back and down to his legs, but that didn’t mean that EMF’s upper back or arms were lacking any. Evbo could feel where each one began and ended, tracing divots between muscles like a map.
There was a distinctive shape between the deltoids and trapezius. Evbo had seen both of those muscles before- he was pretty sure he had eaten them, actually- but they felt so different in this context. Strong and sturdy, well-shaped and fine. Lower were the tangle of muscles that made up the mid-back, and then the impossibly well defined set of muscles that led into the legs. This was where most of EMF’s bulk was, though it was so well hidden beneath his fur. So few would ever get to know just what lay beneath his partner’s fur, and one of those was Evbo himself. What a giddy realization to have, that nobody else would ever get to feel this.
EMF filled in everything that Evbo was missing. He was sturdy where Evbo was shaky. Strong where Evbo was weak. Beauty where Evbo had flaws. He was perfect in every way, and his perfection only made Evbo feel like he was flying.
How had he gone so long without this? How had he ever been able to handle life without EMF’s strong warmth engulfing him like this, lit only by the invisible light spawned from his devotion to the Parkour God?
“You’re like a work of art,” EMF admired. There was no scar on Evbo’s sternum, but EMF pressed a line of kisses to it anyway. “An artist’s dream come true.”
Again, EMF hesitated when his attention was drawn towards Evbo’s stomach. If the bareness of his chest wasn’t enough of an indicator of what he had gone through, then his sheer scrawniness certainly was.
And yet, EMF didn’t seem put off. He curled his hands around Evbo’s head and lowered his head until his forehead was pressed against Evbo’s chest. The Champion’s breath warmed the bare skin down to Evbo’s navel.
“I know you don’t believe me,” he whispered. “But I cannot express just… just how beautiful you truly are. You’re gorgeous in a way that no player before or since can manage.” EMF looked up, eyes half-lidded, dried lips curled into a smile. “If I have to kiss every single scar of yours, every single day, until you believe that… then I will. I am yours, forever and always, my God.”
“Stay with me?” Evbo begged, quiet and fragile. He had no other scars for EMF to claim- at least, none that he felt ready to show yet- but he couldn’t stand the thought of EMF leaving the room right now. Everything he had ever wished for, everything he had ever dreamed of, was right here in this room. Right above him, in those beautiful pearlescent eyes and gentle claws. Maybe he should do the same for EMF, claiming each of those chain scars as his own and taking the pain away. And yet, he felt like EMF wouldn’t accept such a gesture. He didn’t seem to hate the way his scars looked, probably because the rest of him was so damn perfect.
“I will never leave,” EMF promised. “Not until I’ve proven what you mean to me.”
EMF had proven that. A million times over, actually. But Evbo did not protest. He hummed softly and tucked his face into EMF’s chest.
“I love you,” Evbo whispered. “I love you so much. You have no idea how much you mean to me…”
EMF let his head fall on top of Evbo’s. He folded his arms around Evbo’s body and his tail tucked itself around them. His purr rumbled deep in his chest, comforting and warm.
“If it’s anything like what I feel for you, then I can guess,” EMF purred. Evbo closed his eyes and let the last of his stress and pain fall away with his sigh. None of it mattered anymore, not here. Not in the arms of the person he loved more than anything in the world. Motes of golden light filled the air, and Evbo breathed them in like his life depended on it.
Like this, they weren’t a god and his most loyal disciple. They weren’t a duo of leaders, the Parkour God and his Champion. They were young lovers, simply enjoying the presence of the other and whispering sweet nothings into each others’ ears.
Everything was perfect.
…almost.