last call for sin

so we'll run to the sea—

Silver jaws clacked together close to his muzzle, which was wrinkling around a fondly amused smile. But then Bastien shivered, assuming a horrified expression, as if he were to be the one on the receiving end of Valerian’s threat. “I, personally, wouldn’t dare to cross you. Toss me into the fire instead!” Despite his declaration’s exaggeration, he wouldn’t be surprised to find that any rage contained in the smaller man would be a terrible force to reckon with. Compression tended to make everything more volatile.

At least he wasn’t at any risk of incurring that, nor was Valerian’s eventual suitor of incurring his wrath. Bastien puffed out a low breath as his worries were placated, but then the bard’s expression changed, his voice suddenly soft and seeking… something that the mercenary couldn’t even begin to guess at. “Valerie… may I answer you a question?” Bastien’s tone was teasing, but his eyes were curious.

—and find no captain waiting

code // art

Valerian lifted his gaze as he took in the lavish and rather overdone decor of his room, his lips drawing down into a frown as he looked down at his small paws. Cerulean eyes glanced sideways at the mercenary and then he finally turned to fully face him. He smiled, albeit it did not hold the dashing debonair flair that was typical of the bard. No...this smile held a sadness to it, deep and complex, a feeling that not even he truly understood. He lifted a paw and patted the man on the cheek, the ocean waves of his eyes beginning to swirl with something akin to gratitude as he finally allowed himself to voice his inquiry.

“What is it, exactly...that's..." The smaller male shifted uncomfortably, suddenly feeling apprehensive. What spurred him onward was a tightening in his gut, a whisper in the back of his mind that hissed, Out with it! If you let this moment pass, you may not have another! It's now or never! His charcoal nose twitched and he started over once more. “What has...kept you coming back to visit me all these years?" That was part of the answer he needed, the other part...he couldn't bear to permit the question to blossom from his tongue.

After having Bastien's incredibly welcome presence this evening, Valerian anticipated curling up as the warmth of alabaster fur enveloped him like an avalanche. He would easily drift off to sleep, held in the safe embrace of the younger man. But...come morning...Bastien would leave...as all other men did. No, not quite...he would leave not having taken anything from Val and instead having given him a taste of what it might have been like to have been loved, truly loved, in this lifetime. And that was certainly far more than he deserved.

@Bastien

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

so we'll run to the sea—

"What has kept me..." Dumbfounded, Bastien could only begin to echo the question before his jaw fell slack, his ability to effortlessly persuade the right words towards the surface failing him. One look into the other man's soulful gaze, like an ocean comprised of unshed tears, told him that this matter was far more delicate than he had any right handling. He'd broken every good thing in his life thus far... What would he do if Valerian shattered, too?

But fearing an outcome wouldn't change it, nor were there any truly perfect words that could sum up how he felt. It'd just be best to let his heart speak its truth rather than overthink the matter.

Bastien's leg looped around the miniscule male and pulled him even tighter into his embrace, tucking Val close to his chest, where his heartbeat could meld with the sound of his shockingly simple and unbelievably honest response: "You are my friend, Val." Friendship... what Bastien has always craved, and what he had been deprived of. At least, until... "You were the very first friend to make me believe that I am worth something greater than what I've been given. It is my job to make sure you feel the same."

—and find no captain waiting

code // art

It was...the most simple and yet most profound answer that he could've expected to such a wildly spontaneous question. Valerian peered up into those gleaming sapphires of his dear companion, searching for, who knows what. The silence stretched on far longer than was appropriate before he ended it with a dry chuckle and a shake of his head. “Bah! Good God of wine and pleasure! I've become sentimental in my old age it it seems." He was back to the grinning, Bardic Legend that everyone knew, albeit with a tinge of that melancholy that seemed to cling to him lately.

“Forgive me for souring the mood, my esteemed compatriot!" Val gave him another lighthearted pat of a paw and then shuffled himself closer into the warmth of his friend. “I do so appreciate the moments we've shared..." He smiled up at Bastien as he lowered his head and rested his chin on his paws. His maw parted into a yawn, the notion of a long rest washing over him swiftly after a long night of performance. “Every...single...one..." The silvered male added groggily, as the sandman lured him beyond and into dream where he would spend his time learning to fly in a world of those who were afraid to fall.

[Exit Valerian]

@Bastien

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

so we'll run to the sea—

Seeing that smile return to silvered lips lifted a weight that was settled uncomfortably on Bastien's shoulders. Emotional expression was not in his wheelhouse, an art his hand has always been too unsteady to master, but he found peace in his answer having a positive impact. Enough even to humor Valerian's exaggerated claim about his age, "I suppose at your age, you're allowed to have moments of reflection."

A gentle touch against his cheek enticed Bastien to close his eyes, though they flew open mere milliseconds later. "Esteemed?" Now that was a description even his chameleon skin couldn't mimic. The mercenary barked a sharp laugh at the impossible image it evoked, so hilariously misaligned with reality that his thoughts were thrown off course. "You must be mistaking me for someone else," he rationalized, but he was pleasantly warmed by how Valerian chose to describe him.

The smaller cuddlebug wasted no time accepting the invitation to snuggle ever closer. Bastien was mindful of where he draped his weight, recalling the areas that caused Valerian to tense up where his body was still healing, but he still kept the entertainer as close as he could. It'd take a while longer for the great white beast to join him in slumber, replaying his friend's sleepy sentiment over in his mind until he did. As do I...

—and find no captain waiting

code // art