[Gnosis' wallpaper is obviously of them, as it has been for many years. His lockscreen is a generic blue colour like oh nooo don't perceive him he's not gayyyyy (he's gay). Enciodes no doubt knows his PIN just because of the amount of times they have to use each other's phones for stuff.
He has no notifications, obviously. Except for one, that says "502 unsent messages" at the top that he hasn't bothered clearing. Clicking it will lead Enciodes to his texts, unless he wants to open them manually. Either way...
His messages are basically as you'd expect. He talks to the other labrats often. There's a message from Matterhorn that just reads "don't make me drag you out of the lab" that is marked read. There's a correspondence with Closure that essentially sums up as "Drill broke" "ok I'll fix it" "thanks". A message to Thorns, marked as "read at 10:03am July 31st" that just says "It's too early in the morning for you to nearly kill yourself". July 31st seems to be the last day his messages sent, in fact.
Enciodes can open their messages and see that the last thing Gnosis sent was simply:]
My pen exploded earlier and I just broke my key off in the lab door by accident. No one can get in or out.
...I'm strangely okay with locking Thorns up in there. Is that bad?
Nevermind, Executor just came by and blew the door off its hinges for us. You miss out, not being on the landship 24/7.
[The Doctor, probably: Federico we've talked about this.
Maybe Enciodes recalls responding to these messages, but if so, Gnosis' phone doesn't reflect them. Instead, from there, it's a wall of messages. The first ten or so are the obvious: I have no idea where this is, where are you, what the fuck is happening, cell service sucks btw. Then, from there... the intensity gradually ramps up.]
There's a fairly small group here. It seems we're all from worlds other than Terra. There's a Sankta here who reminds me distantly of a small Executor, a handful of elves, and a girl with some sort of curse-bearing Arts. The Sankta, by the way, I don't believe is Terran. He's also asked me my name 3 times this week.
A handful of others showed up recently. A boy who is unable to speak, a friend of the Sankta I mentioned, and some Terrans. Mizuki, Irene, and Shalem. Do you remember any of them?
One of the elves recently disappeared. Someone else showed up, though. He seems scientifically-minded. The Sankta clings to him.
One day, these messages are going to send at once and you'll be dealing with half an hour of your phone ringing.
It'll be fairly embarrassing for me when that happens.
I miss you.
[...]
There's an elven woman here named Caoimhe. She was giving me advice about Monch. By the way, she referred to me as your "soldier" and you my "king" when I spoke of you. What do you think?
I don't know how to explain this, but I just had to climb out of an active volcano. Or, rather, the others carried me like a sack of grain as they moved out. Shalem passed me off to Irene, who passed me to Mizuki... I don't know where Shalem went.
Happy Witch's Feast. There's a masquerade going on. I keep imagining that you'll show up and sweep me off my feet like we used to in Victoria. ...Nevermind. It's a silly thought. Please, whatever you do, don't come here. I don't wish to see you as miserable as some people are.
I had a lab built recently. A clinic went up next door. It's almost like working at Rhodes Island, but it's fairly rudimentary. I suppose I can't complain too much.
Others have shown up recently. Do you remember Sesa? The... quirky Vouivre, we'll call him. And there's a girl with botany expertise who's been enjoyable to speak with. Unfortunately, I'm not sure where the girl with the cursed aura went. I'm a bit upset.
To be honest, Enciodes, after spending a few months here, I suddenly miss Kjerag. Having stones thrown at my windows every night is somehow more preferable to the madness that happens here.
I hope you're doing alright without me. We've done it before, of course, but it's been a while.
I asked the Trader if she might be able to use her Arts to get you a letter. Unfortunately she cannot.
Irene once said that time passes differently here than there. Are you still happy, or has my absence gone noticed? I hope there's some version of me still with you.
Not a day goes by where I don't think of you.
At a certain point, I wonder why I send these messages. Perhaps I'm hoping for a miracle, or for you to know that even if we're far apart, I love you dearly.
I'll figure a way out of here somehow and return to you. Count on it.
Happy birthday to me. Mizuki gave me liquor. I'm sure you remember how well that usually goes over for me. If you get any drunk messages at any point... we'll just say it'll be like old times.
btw i lvoe yoyu sofuckingmcuh
I fell asleep very shortly after sending that message.
Merry Christmas, my love. I wish you were here.
[The last few messages are compilations of pictures from the many months he's spent here. Ones of Elsword with twenty marshmallows stuffed into his face and Add smacking the back of his head. Another where Toge is making signs at the camera, since Gnosis had been teaching him. Felicity testing her daggers. Sesa and Mizuki trying to teach Irene how to play Puyo Puyo. Lancer and BB having some loud conversation, captioned "These people annoy me". Caoimhe with her harp. Gara singing, Olivia gardening, Zahliya standing on Moder's back, Heimr and Ydalir, Vash trying to ice skate, Livio being Too Big for the inn couch, Wolfwood and his fuckoff giant cross labelled "That's a gun", N with Rusty, Taliira painting, Astarion trying to sew a hole in his shirt, Kreide playing the cello, Brook on the roof...
People Gnosis has clearly come to care for, even if he's too emotionally constipated to admit it.]
[ There's amusement when he first begins reading the texts. The disoriented babbling of the man he loves about the people he's met. The weird things he's discovered, the strange interactions he's had, the attempt to relate these things to things from back home because that's all Gnosis really know how to socially do. It's endearing.
But the amusement fades rather fast as the texts continue on. A volcano. Losing friends. "I miss you"s and "I love you"s that come from a place of loneliness. Had he even brought up to Gnosis yet that, for him, it's barely been a few days back home since he's seen Gnosis? Perhaps it never had the chance to come up, considering a little bit of everything all happened at once for Enciodes. It was hard for him to wrap his head around the fact that it had been months since Gnosis had seen him. It still doesn't make a lot of sense to him, even now.
This sort of puts a lot of that into perspective, though, doesn't it? This is less just a number and more… the feeling, the thoughts, the reality of Gnosis' being here for this long. Enciodes is incredibly soft-hearted, even if he does his best to not show it. He feels like such an idiot for breaking down so easily now. Maybe he can blame the situation, or the fact all his power was taken from him, or just the fact that this is his husband that he's meant to protect, but all of that feels just like excuses.
He's soft. He knows he is. Especially for this bird.
He clears the notification for the unsent text messages knowing full well Gnosis will know he's the one who did. His way of saying "Read", and simply setting the phone aside. He takes a deep breath in, easily sniffling due in part to the tears that gathered on his lashes. He just wipes them away, though, and simply gets to work with writing in the notebook from here. An easy distraction for when Gnosis returns.
…
And when he does, he's getting lifted the moment he gets into the lab. Bridal style. Even if he protests, Enciodes is pressing kisses against his neck and cheeks and nose and along his jawline and basically anywhere he can get to peppering kisses as he pulls the bird back to the bedroom. ]
[Gnosis gets home and is, for many reasons, very tired. Being able-bodied again is a blessing, of course, but man... man. At least he's no longer hobbling around on crutches and he is, frankly, none the worse for wear in that regard. Fatigue-wise... well, it's Gnosis. Everything makes him tired. He stays up all night too much for that to not happen.
He's expecting to get home and rest for the night. He's expecting to give Enciodes a chaste kiss and say "yep I love you goodnight" like they often did during tired nights after business negotiations or expeditions. He is not expecting to be pulled into such sweet kisses peppered everywhere Enciodes' lips can reach, nor is he expecting to be walked to their room so lovingly. Somehow, he winds up sitting down with a heavy whump down on their mattress.]
[ Gnosis is absolutely getting pulled into Enciodes the moment that he is also on the bed. The usual ritual of small nuzzles to the top of Gnosis' hair, a gentle combing through his head feathers, and a tail wrapped around his waist ensues, which is far too practiced at this point. If Gnosis missed him, then surely he missed this much as well, right?
His lovely crane deserves the world. The fact he was ever lonely at all leaves his fur just a little bristled. Yet, in contrast, there is a very subtle purr in the back of Enciodes' throat. ]
You were away for so long. [ It's been like three hours, chill— ] I believed you'd make it back safely, but I can't help but worry about you sometimes. You're always one to do something unpredictable…
[Gnosis' hands automatically find Enciodes' tail to comb through the fur. Soft, gentle, wanting... he breathes out a quiet, pleased exhalation at the affection.
God. He loves when Enciodes gets clingy.]
I'm the unpredictable one now? [Kiss, kiss, kiss... peppered to his lips in between words and short breaths.] Which one of us got himself trapped in his hunting cabin for three days two winters ago because he insisted upon going hunting during a blizzard?
[Yeah, Gnosis, you definitely didn't follow him. Absolutely no one spent three days cooped up in a cabin together, alone, vibing, keeping warm... through various means, of course.]
Midway home, I thought to check the notebooks and saw you taking charge already. Not a day goes by where I don't find your ability to take the reins incredibly attractive, Enciodes.
Spontaneity and unpredictability may share similar threads, but ultimately the tapestries they present are far different. To many others, I expect them to look the same — being predictable to my enemies is a curse, but to you? You cannot tell me you did not pick up on my restlessness days prior, I would call you a liar.
[ The getting trapped part was also, admittedly, pretty predictable if one took the time to realize a cold front was on the way, but, uh, it's fine. It was romantic being trapped in a lone cabin in the middle of a storm, wasn't it?? It's the sort of thing straight out of a romance novel or horror novel depending on your preferred flavor. ]
You mentioned that the group here is unruly. I don't expect to have everyone's support on the matter, of course. It's a small community, and our backgrounds and personalities fall too far from one another, but if I can offer some semblance of order in the chaos, it's worth trying.
[Gnosis takes his glasses off and folds them up on the nightstand as Enciodes extrapolates on that point. He doesn't need them to see things up close and personal, namely the snow leopard currently in his face, and if they're going to be kissing each other stupid, he'd rather not have them smudged.
He's barely gotten his coat off and they're sharing a moment. Gnosis stops to do that as well, leaving the heavy and somewhat snow-covered coat on the floor without a care in the world. His focus, after all, is on Enciodes. The tail around his waist, the lips upon his cheek, the clacking of the beads in his partner's hair.]
Quite. I'm positive that some people here will want to follow your ideas and the system you put in place. It seemed to me like you had several enthusiastic sign-ups. The others should fall in line quickly after that. It's difficult to be one man standing against the many... as you and I both know intimately.
[Speaking of intimate, Gnosis' arms are wrapping around Enciodes' neck now. Get embraced, idiot.]
Leaving you to your own devices, as always, proves productive... but I am yours for the rest of the evening, and well into the morning. Put productivity aside for but a moment, and allow yourself a few hours of distraction.
[ Can you blame Enciodes for being far too enthusiastic about his partner's return? After reading those text messages, it's hard not to long for Gnosis. Perhaps it was just all too real to read Gnosis' messages like that. One doesn't need to imagine what it's like if it's spelled out to them like that.
Just as Enciodes wants to spell out to Gnosis that he loves him. Every kiss the "L"s. Every gentle comb through his hair and feathers the "O"s. The tail that flicks longingly against him the "V"s. And the "E"s, of course, are that look at Enciodes' eyes, as if Gnosis is more than his husband. More than a crane, more than a CFO, more than nerd, more than his childhood friend, more than the world to him. It's a softness to his eyes that are usually pressed to thin cat-like slits, yet relaxed now to essentially drink all of Gnosis in. "I love you"s etched everywhere between the two of them. But most importantly, against his heart.
Gnosis is not a delicate person, yet when his arms wrap around Enciodes, he holds him protectively as if he is. ]
"A few hours," he says, as if my marriage to him was not my proof that I am more than willing - and even encourage - giving him years of my life? [ Between leaning closer to Gnosis and the subtle half-closing of his eyes, enough of the little light of the room causes that familiar shine of the tapetum lucidum. ] Shall I warm you up like we had within the walls of our hunting cabin, then? I'll gladly be your fire tonight.
[They're almost letters, in that sense. Myriad letters, love and longing and simple updates. The same sort of letters he'd send from Rhodes to Kjerag, if Enciodes was not on the landship. The same letters which would earn him a kiss as soon as Enciodes returned, or Gnosis did, whichever happened first. Letters that would inevitably end up scattered on one of their desks as someone wound up on top of it.
Five months of texts are basically the same thing, except the only thing to scatter over their environment is clothing and melting snowflakes.]
Long enough... [Gnosis ventures, trailing his fingers down now, to the buttons on Enciodes' shirt,] that the both of us might find restful sleep, for once.
...and I suppose, [smirking now,] I am just a touch colder than usual.
You are always so icy, my dear. It's why I take so much joy in watching you melt.
[ Gnosis gets little tail flicks in amusement, though Enciodes does make a point to brush his tail off of him so he can settle his hands on his husband's waist instead. Rather, one of them, as the other swiftly finds Gnosis' tail feathers to bury in. He can't help but think how, despite all the faults in his life and the turmoil and the hardships, Enciodes is still the luckiest man alive. The miserable parts of his life don't even hold a candle to how happy Gnosis makes him. How he's had such a perfect friend, perfect partner, with him… Maybe Kjeragandr truly decided to grace him? ]
Seems only right… we break in this new bed if we're to stay here for an indeterminate amount of time. [ Which is his way of saying "I'm about to throw you against this bed, don't worry. ] But if I have your permission to wear you out, that won't be an issue.
[Enciodes just barely got here some time ago and Gnosis is already hopping into his pants sorry not sorry— five months is a long time to go without getting lovingly railed by your husband, okay! He hasn't been thinking about anything intimate since he arrived, and now Enciodes is doing that thing he does that's very hot (installing a better system of government for the uncontrollable populace) and maybe Gnosis has been a little more lonely than he thought.
Also, hand in his tailfeathers. That does things to him.]
I have more energy than I expected to have ever since your arrival. By all means, you may have me in any way you'd want.
[Gross.
Impatient hands are already pulling open that shirt, though Gnosis doesn't immediately wrest his husband's arms free of the sleeves. Rather, his fingertips wander the expanse of Enciodes' chest, to the scars across his skin, tracing them with a certain fondness he always expresses for them. There are myriads, of course, but Gnosis has each one memorized regardless; a simple task, to commit each mark upon Enciodes' skin to memory, especially ones he's dragged his lips over before.
Tonight, his lips press to the snow leopard's neck with fluttering kisses, and any bite marks that he may choose to leave are in places easily hidden by a shirt collar.]
[ For the most part, Enciodes’ thoughts about his very cute crane is all sweet and saccharine and somehow very innocent despite essentially grabbing his ass. All of that is out the window once his hand is against his chest, though. A shiver runs down his spine — the feeling of the Gnosis’ skin against his own near instantly making him want more.
And the biting. Oh how he’ll return those tenfold. Enciodes lifts Gnosis off of him just enough that he can easily push him back into the bed and crawl over him instead. He’ll shed away the rest of his shirt before working on unbuttoning his own, impatient tail flicking behind him. One might assume with how desperately he’s trying to undress Gnosis that he was the one who hadn’t seen his husband in months, and not just a couple of days. ]
Left in an unfamiliar place with primitive technology and with little time to worry about your appearance, yet somehow you are still the most gorgeous being in the world.
[Gnosis is fond of his layers, so Enciodes will have quite the time getting everything above the belt, but surely it's nothing they aren't mutually used to. There's a new scar on his ribs just underneath the left pectoral — large and uneven, like an oversized bullet scar in appearance, from where his fear monster had punctured him. Part of him hadn't wanted to show Enciodes, knowing he'd feel bad, but alas...
He lies back against the mattress afterwards, where one hand is immediately at the base of Enciodes' tail to stroke the fur in a way that's playful and undoubtedly about to be real horny.]
You say that as if I don't spend time making sure I look half-decent before going out. [He's concerned with his appearance! ...you know, except for when he's fallen asleep in the lab.] It's akin to how Kjerag used to be, if you recall. But enough of that...
[Don't get him started on technology in the bedroom, please, you'll never be able to get it up. Gnosis' free hand trails from the expanse of his husband's chest down to his abdomen, lower still to the hem of his pants, where his fingertips hover just below the waistband. Teasing, wanting... he cants his head a few degrees and smirks up at Enciodes through the gloom.]
I sincerely doubt you're in the position to be contradictory with me, you know. [ He says, as if Gnosis isn't the type to be contradictory in any position. There's still a few desperate kisses against Gnosis' neck once he's shifted the collar enough to reveal all the skin there. ] I could live thousands of years, and wake up to your face every single day, and not once tire of seeing it.
[ A few more kisses, for good measure, before he's ripping off the layers. Not literally, of course. He doesn't want to sincerely damage his clothes, but there's an urgency to the way he pulls and tugs at Gnosis' clothes that he's less of the graceful politician and more of a wild beast about it.
He does stop, briefly, however. When he spots that new scar. He just stares at it for a good few seconds, recalling the texts he's went through and just letting his mind buzz with worry for a moment, before flicking his eyes up at Gnosis. This is the thing he feared most about learning Gnosis had been on his own. This is the thing that worried him about learning he's had to go through so much. He's so overly protective at this point that even if there's nothing Enciodes could have feasibly done, he still feels as though this is his fault for not being good enough.
…
Gently now, he brushes aside the clothes and unbuttons what he needs to, putting his layers off to one side as he adjusts himself between Gnosis' legs, holding his hips and leaning down so he can press a couple apologetic kisses against his lower stomach. He doesn't know what to say. How does he even start to apologize for something like this? ]
[He wants to comfort him. It's alright, that scar is over a month old by this point, he's fine, you don't need to worry... the words will fall on deaf ears, of course, and he knows this as well as anybody. Enciodes' fretting was expected.
Gnosis doesn't try to stop it, instead running a hand through those silvery curls of his. Soft, just like he remembers it being, despite the fact Enciodes almost never brushes his hair and either Gnosis or Weiss always had to attack him with a comb before it got unruly.]
I hope you don't expect to get away without the same treatment. [The scar-kissing, he means.] I haven't been able to put my lips on the canvas that is your body in months.
[ The part of him that wanted to fret more is almost instantly throttled somehow. "Somehow." Gnosis knows Enciodes well enough to quell his worries like this, doesn't he? That's dangerous for a man like Enciodes, and yet he finds this quality in Gnosis so charming.
The tail perks up with his mood, swatting the tip around in amusement as he moves his mouth away. ] If that's the case… this once, I need to spoil you, don't I? After all, it hasn't even been half as long for me. [ Yes, he is purring. ] I'm not so sure I'm ready to be bossed around, but maybe you can tell me what you want, anyway~?
[Gnosis loves that purr, by Kjeragandr. It's been so long since he's heard it full-force, that deep rumble in Enciodes' chest. He's damn gorgeous in any light, any which way, but especially when he's so pleased that he's purring and his tail is doing its own thing.
Gnosis wears a lopsided smirk, still carding his fingers through those curls, rubbing behind his ears.]
I wonder if you and your libido would make it longer than a month without even so much as a salacious phone call from me. [He's willing to bet that Enciodes would be fine, but even so, Gnosis does love to taunt him.] Undress and let me up. It's been a long while since I've been on my knees for you, hasn't it?
[ He absolutely would be fine! But he also hates the thought of being apart from Gnosis for more than a week or two, so he doesn't like to think about that regardless. Instead, he brushes a thumb over Gnosis' cheek finally, appreciating that smug little smirk and that pretty glint in his eye. Sigh. He loves this bird so much— ]
For you, perhaps… [ Unsurprising he would ask for such. ] Surprised you lasted this long without something in your mouth, honestly.
[ Enciodes does roll off of Gnosis here to sit at the edge of their bed, so he can somewhat slowly work un unbuttoning his top. ] You know, I know I asked what you want, but you could say please.
You'd be surprised what the powers of "not having my darling husband around to lavish" does for a man and his sex drive, or sudden lack thereof.
[Because, yeah, Gnosis sure didn't lay in bed at night thinking "wish I had a dick to suck right now", it was more along the lines of "I wish my husband were here but also I don't wish that at all, this place sucks," and in the end he's almost more glad to have Enciodes here than not. So.
The latter comment, though, makes him roll his eyes.]
Really. You'd make me beg after such an earnest request? [Gnosis knows he would. He's also helping now, unbuttoning Enciodes' pants to pull them down. Those are in the way, thanks.] You and I both know that, even despite your inclinations toward being in total control, you'd never reject getting to stuff yourself down my throat.
[Mm. Romantic.
But Gnosis gets down on his knees either way, on the hard wood of the bedroom floor overlaid with some gaudy fur rug, and after Enciodes is freed of his clothing entirely, he decides he's going to lay it on thick if his husband is going to make such requests. Thus does he lay his head against Enciodes' inner thigh and look up at him with big, gold eyes, trailing his fingertips along the opposite leg in idle back-and-forth motions.]
I just simply don't want you to forget your manners. [ Realistically, he wouldn't have even said anything if Gnosis had flatly said "please" and moved on.
This, though? Way better. Ooooh, so so so much better. The shiver down his spine might be subtle, but the way he straightens his back out to hold in a sigh probably isn't so subtle. He reaches a hand out to brush some of the strands of hair from Gnosis' face to tuck it behind his ear, and then swing his tail around Gnosis' back. Perhaps he'll feel the amused patting against him as the tip of it flicks around. ]
Now, that's much better, my love. How your voice manages to rival even the sweetest of songs continues to baffle me.
I could say the same of you, [Gnosis coos, sliding his hands to Enciodes' hips to hold them, letting his talons catch on the skin just enough to elicit a stinging sensation and nothing more.] But I've had enough of the sound of my own voice. I desire to hear yours when you come undone.
[Gnosis will not be shutting up entirely, though, because he's going to be moaning around a dick in his mouth in a minute here. For now? He's a slow lover, careful in the way he laps at Enciodes, teasing the tip of him with the barest kitten-licks of his tongue. The both of them know that this isn't enough and is more liable to create protest, but Gnosis also tends to like to tease. So.
He moves his head down only an inch or so and lets his tongue glide on the undersides of those sensitive barbs, kissing and sucking there with full intent to make his husband go insane before the night is over.]
Well, I certainly could never tired of it, my darling. I won't complain tonight, however. This night is all about you, after all.
[ Imagine shutting up for one second? Certainly couldn't be these two. Enciodes might be incredibly aroused as it is, and he'd be lying if he said he weren't extremely antsy for touch at this point — something he's bound to make incredibly apparent seconds from now — but in the immediate moment, he's thumbing through Gnosis' head feathers and taking in his cute expression, and the pretty golds of his eyes. Sorry, maybe "cute" is a bad descriptor when his tongue is against Enciodes' dick. Alas, it's the word that comes to mind when he sees him like this all the same.
He does get a jolt followed by a hum when his flicks against the barbs, though. There's a breathy chuckle. ] I see even a few months without me hasn't made you forget how to drive me crazy, hm…?
[Of course, even when he's getting head, Enciodes doesn't shut up for a single second. It's as endearing as it is playfully infuriating; Gnosis makes it a personal goal of his to make the man fall into some sort of speechlessness whenever they do anything intimate together, and tonight is no different. Though he does feel slightly out of practice, trying to remember how to make his tongue work...
Well, he gets over that pretty quickly, in any case. Talk is cheap, and he'd much rather spend the night lathing his tongue over every inch he can. The barbs on the head first, of course, then lower, just underneath the glans, lower still with a languid drag of his tongue down the shaft. There's a teasing, brief suck to the base, nebulously along one side, before he's dragging his mouth back up to the tip again. It's a whole song and dance, one that he repeats a few times as he digs his nails into Enciodes' thighs.
Only after he's sure he's teased his husband enough does Gnosis bother to take just the head into his mouth, flexing his jaw and flattening his tongue along the underside to accommodate the size.]
[ "Even" when he's getting head? No, no, he especially doesn't shut up when getting head. How could he? When they're intimate is also when they're most alone. No one watching, no one speculating things about them, no one scheming their downfall, no stepping on egg shells at all. Just him and Gnosis, so it's the best time to let him know all his thoughts completely unfettered. He loves you, Gnosis, and damn it if he isn't going to let you know.
His tail thumps against the bed in some mix of excitement and frustration. He doesn't tell Gnosis to hurry, of course. For starters because this feels amazing even if he does want more, but also because he knows if he does, Gnosis would just drag it out longer. He has to hold onto the bedsheets tightly so he's not tempted to reach down and tug the Liberi's hair and feathers. Oh, if only he could also kiss Gnosis stupid while he was doing this somehow... Not that he's sure he'd have the breath to do that for very long. He's gasping far too much whenever Gnosis works on those sensitive barbs. ]
...My love, even the greatest highs in life could... nnh-never compare to how you manage to make me feel. [ He opens his mouth aain to say more, but cuts short with a moan when his head is surrounded by the damp warmth of his husband's mouth. Fuck, that feels amazing. He wasn't even the one who'd been gone from Gnosis that long, and yet he still feels that sense of "I missed this". Perhaps he always feels this way, though? ] Haa... careful, Gnosis, I'm sure you don't want me to tip over so soon...
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succiduous) wrote2023-07-30 08:17 pm
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He has no notifications, obviously. Except for one, that says "502 unsent messages" at the top that he hasn't bothered clearing. Clicking it will lead Enciodes to his texts, unless he wants to open them manually. Either way...
His messages are basically as you'd expect. He talks to the other labrats often. There's a message from Matterhorn that just reads "don't make me drag you out of the lab" that is marked read. There's a correspondence with Closure that essentially sums up as "Drill broke" "ok I'll fix it" "thanks". A message to Thorns, marked as "read at 10:03am July 31st" that just says "It's too early in the morning for you to nearly kill yourself". July 31st seems to be the last day his messages sent, in fact.
Enciodes can open their messages and see that the last thing Gnosis sent was simply:]
My pen exploded earlier and I just broke my key off in the lab door by accident. No one can get in or out.
...I'm strangely okay with locking Thorns up in there. Is that bad?
Nevermind, Executor just came by and blew the door off its hinges for us. You miss out, not being on the landship 24/7.
[The Doctor, probably: Federico we've talked about this.
Maybe Enciodes recalls responding to these messages, but if so, Gnosis' phone doesn't reflect them. Instead, from there, it's a wall of messages. The first ten or so are the obvious: I have no idea where this is, where are you, what the fuck is happening, cell service sucks btw. Then, from there... the intensity gradually ramps up.]
There's a fairly small group here. It seems we're all from worlds other than Terra. There's a Sankta here who reminds me distantly of a small Executor, a handful of elves, and a girl with some sort of curse-bearing Arts. The Sankta, by the way, I don't believe is Terran. He's also asked me my name 3 times this week.
A handful of others showed up recently. A boy who is unable to speak, a friend of the Sankta I mentioned, and some Terrans. Mizuki, Irene, and Shalem. Do you remember any of them?
One of the elves recently disappeared. Someone else showed up, though. He seems scientifically-minded. The Sankta clings to him.
One day, these messages are going to send at once and you'll be dealing with half an hour of your phone ringing.
It'll be fairly embarrassing for me when that happens.
I miss you.
[...]
There's an elven woman here named Caoimhe. She was giving me advice about Monch. By the way, she referred to me as your "soldier" and you my "king" when I spoke of you. What do you think?
I don't know how to explain this, but I just had to climb out of an active volcano. Or, rather, the others carried me like a sack of grain as they moved out. Shalem passed me off to Irene, who passed me to Mizuki... I don't know where Shalem went.
Happy Witch's Feast. There's a masquerade going on. I keep imagining that you'll show up and sweep me off my feet like we used to in Victoria. ...Nevermind. It's a silly thought. Please, whatever you do, don't come here. I don't wish to see you as miserable as some people are.
I had a lab built recently. A clinic went up next door. It's almost like working at Rhodes Island, but it's fairly rudimentary. I suppose I can't complain too much.
Others have shown up recently. Do you remember Sesa? The... quirky Vouivre, we'll call him. And there's a girl with botany expertise who's been enjoyable to speak with. Unfortunately, I'm not sure where the girl with the cursed aura went. I'm a bit upset.
To be honest, Enciodes, after spending a few months here, I suddenly miss Kjerag. Having stones thrown at my windows every night is somehow more preferable to the madness that happens here.
I hope you're doing alright without me. We've done it before, of course, but it's been a while.
I asked the Trader if she might be able to use her Arts to get you a letter. Unfortunately she cannot.
Irene once said that time passes differently here than there. Are you still happy, or has my absence gone noticed? I hope there's some version of me still with you.
Not a day goes by where I don't think of you.
At a certain point, I wonder why I send these messages. Perhaps I'm hoping for a miracle, or for you to know that even if we're far apart, I love you dearly.
I'll figure a way out of here somehow and return to you. Count on it.
Happy birthday to me. Mizuki gave me liquor. I'm sure you remember how well that usually goes over for me. If you get any drunk messages at any point... we'll just say it'll be like old times.
btw i lvoe yoyu sofuckingmcuh
I fell asleep very shortly after sending that message.
Merry Christmas, my love. I wish you were here.
[The last few messages are compilations of pictures from the many months he's spent here. Ones of Elsword with twenty marshmallows stuffed into his face and Add smacking the back of his head. Another where Toge is making signs at the camera, since Gnosis had been teaching him. Felicity testing her daggers. Sesa and Mizuki trying to teach Irene how to play Puyo Puyo. Lancer and BB having some loud conversation, captioned "These people annoy me". Caoimhe with her harp. Gara singing, Olivia gardening, Zahliya standing on Moder's back, Heimr and Ydalir, Vash trying to ice skate, Livio being Too Big for the inn couch, Wolfwood and his fuckoff giant cross labelled "That's a gun", N with Rusty, Taliira painting, Astarion trying to sew a hole in his shirt, Kreide playing the cello, Brook on the roof...
People Gnosis has clearly come to care for, even if he's too emotionally constipated to admit it.]
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But the amusement fades rather fast as the texts continue on. A volcano. Losing friends. "I miss you"s and "I love you"s that come from a place of loneliness. Had he even brought up to Gnosis yet that, for him, it's barely been a few days back home since he's seen Gnosis? Perhaps it never had the chance to come up, considering a little bit of everything all happened at once for Enciodes. It was hard for him to wrap his head around the fact that it had been months since Gnosis had seen him. It still doesn't make a lot of sense to him, even now.
This sort of puts a lot of that into perspective, though, doesn't it? This is less just a number and more… the feeling, the thoughts, the reality of Gnosis' being here for this long. Enciodes is incredibly soft-hearted, even if he does his best to not show it. He feels like such an idiot for breaking down so easily now. Maybe he can blame the situation, or the fact all his power was taken from him, or just the fact that this is his husband that he's meant to protect, but all of that feels just like excuses.
He's soft. He knows he is. Especially for this bird.
He clears the notification for the unsent text messages knowing full well Gnosis will know he's the one who did. His way of saying "Read", and simply setting the phone aside. He takes a deep breath in, easily sniffling due in part to the tears that gathered on his lashes. He just wipes them away, though, and simply gets to work with writing in the notebook from here. An easy distraction for when Gnosis returns.
…
And when he does, he's getting lifted the moment he gets into the lab. Bridal style. Even if he protests, Enciodes is pressing kisses against his neck and cheeks and nose and along his jawline and basically anywhere he can get to peppering kisses as he pulls the bird back to the bedroom. ]
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He's expecting to get home and rest for the night. He's expecting to give Enciodes a chaste kiss and say "yep I love you goodnight" like they often did during tired nights after business negotiations or expeditions. He is not expecting to be pulled into such sweet kisses peppered everywhere Enciodes' lips can reach, nor is he expecting to be walked to their room so lovingly. Somehow, he winds up sitting down with a heavy whump down on their mattress.]
I missed you too, my love.
[Gross. You guys are gross.]
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His lovely crane deserves the world. The fact he was ever lonely at all leaves his fur just a little bristled. Yet, in contrast, there is a very subtle purr in the back of Enciodes' throat. ]
You were away for so long. [ It's been like three hours, chill— ] I believed you'd make it back safely, but I can't help but worry about you sometimes. You're always one to do something unpredictable…
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God. He loves when Enciodes gets clingy.]
I'm the unpredictable one now? [Kiss, kiss, kiss... peppered to his lips in between words and short breaths.] Which one of us got himself trapped in his hunting cabin for three days two winters ago because he insisted upon going hunting during a blizzard?
[Yeah, Gnosis, you definitely didn't follow him. Absolutely no one spent three days cooped up in a cabin together, alone, vibing, keeping warm... through various means, of course.]
Midway home, I thought to check the notebooks and saw you taking charge already. Not a day goes by where I don't find your ability to take the reins incredibly attractive, Enciodes.
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[ The getting trapped part was also, admittedly, pretty predictable if one took the time to realize a cold front was on the way, but, uh, it's fine. It was romantic being trapped in a lone cabin in the middle of a storm, wasn't it?? It's the sort of thing straight out of a romance novel or horror novel depending on your preferred flavor. ]
You mentioned that the group here is unruly. I don't expect to have everyone's support on the matter, of course. It's a small community, and our backgrounds and personalities fall too far from one another, but if I can offer some semblance of order in the chaos, it's worth trying.
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He's barely gotten his coat off and they're sharing a moment. Gnosis stops to do that as well, leaving the heavy and somewhat snow-covered coat on the floor without a care in the world. His focus, after all, is on Enciodes. The tail around his waist, the lips upon his cheek, the clacking of the beads in his partner's hair.]
Quite. I'm positive that some people here will want to follow your ideas and the system you put in place. It seemed to me like you had several enthusiastic sign-ups. The others should fall in line quickly after that. It's difficult to be one man standing against the many... as you and I both know intimately.
[Speaking of intimate, Gnosis' arms are wrapping around Enciodes' neck now. Get embraced, idiot.]
Leaving you to your own devices, as always, proves productive... but I am yours for the rest of the evening, and well into the morning. Put productivity aside for but a moment, and allow yourself a few hours of distraction.
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Just as Enciodes wants to spell out to Gnosis that he loves him. Every kiss the "L"s. Every gentle comb through his hair and feathers the "O"s. The tail that flicks longingly against him the "V"s. And the "E"s, of course, are that look at Enciodes' eyes, as if Gnosis is more than his husband. More than a crane, more than a CFO, more than nerd, more than his childhood friend, more than the world to him. It's a softness to his eyes that are usually pressed to thin cat-like slits, yet relaxed now to essentially drink all of Gnosis in. "I love you"s etched everywhere between the two of them. But most importantly, against his heart.
Gnosis is not a delicate person, yet when his arms wrap around Enciodes, he holds him protectively as if he is. ]
"A few hours," he says, as if my marriage to him was not my proof that I am more than willing - and even encourage - giving him years of my life? [ Between leaning closer to Gnosis and the subtle half-closing of his eyes, enough of the little light of the room causes that familiar shine of the tapetum lucidum. ] Shall I warm you up like we had within the walls of our hunting cabin, then? I'll gladly be your fire tonight.
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Five months of texts are basically the same thing, except the only thing to scatter over their environment is clothing and melting snowflakes.]
Long enough... [Gnosis ventures, trailing his fingers down now, to the buttons on Enciodes' shirt,] that the both of us might find restful sleep, for once.
...and I suppose, [smirking now,] I am just a touch colder than usual.
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[ Gnosis gets little tail flicks in amusement, though Enciodes does make a point to brush his tail off of him so he can settle his hands on his husband's waist instead. Rather, one of them, as the other swiftly finds Gnosis' tail feathers to bury in. He can't help but think how, despite all the faults in his life and the turmoil and the hardships, Enciodes is still the luckiest man alive. The miserable parts of his life don't even hold a candle to how happy Gnosis makes him. How he's had such a perfect friend, perfect partner, with him… Maybe Kjeragandr truly decided to grace him? ]
Seems only right… we break in this new bed if we're to stay here for an indeterminate amount of time. [ Which is his way of saying "I'm about to throw you against this bed, don't worry. ] But if I have your permission to wear you out, that won't be an issue.
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Also, hand in his tailfeathers. That does things to him.]
I have more energy than I expected to have ever since your arrival. By all means, you may have me in any way you'd want.
[Gross.
Impatient hands are already pulling open that shirt, though Gnosis doesn't immediately wrest his husband's arms free of the sleeves. Rather, his fingertips wander the expanse of Enciodes' chest, to the scars across his skin, tracing them with a certain fondness he always expresses for them. There are myriads, of course, but Gnosis has each one memorized regardless; a simple task, to commit each mark upon Enciodes' skin to memory, especially ones he's dragged his lips over before.
Tonight, his lips press to the snow leopard's neck with fluttering kisses, and any bite marks that he may choose to leave are in places easily hidden by a shirt collar.]
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And the biting. Oh how he’ll return those tenfold. Enciodes lifts Gnosis off of him just enough that he can easily push him back into the bed and crawl over him instead. He’ll shed away the rest of his shirt before working on unbuttoning his own, impatient tail flicking behind him. One might assume with how desperately he’s trying to undress Gnosis that he was the one who hadn’t seen his husband in months, and not just a couple of days. ]
Left in an unfamiliar place with primitive technology and with little time to worry about your appearance, yet somehow you are still the most gorgeous being in the world.
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He lies back against the mattress afterwards, where one hand is immediately at the base of Enciodes' tail to stroke the fur in a way that's playful and undoubtedly about to be real horny.]
You say that as if I don't spend time making sure I look half-decent before going out. [He's concerned with his appearance! ...you know, except for when he's fallen asleep in the lab.] It's akin to how Kjerag used to be, if you recall. But enough of that...
[Don't get him started on technology in the bedroom, please, you'll never be able to get it up. Gnosis' free hand trails from the expanse of his husband's chest down to his abdomen, lower still to the hem of his pants, where his fingertips hover just below the waistband. Teasing, wanting... he cants his head a few degrees and smirks up at Enciodes through the gloom.]
I've needed this for some time.
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[ A few more kisses, for good measure, before he's ripping off the layers. Not literally, of course. He doesn't want to sincerely damage his clothes, but there's an urgency to the way he pulls and tugs at Gnosis' clothes that he's less of the graceful politician and more of a wild beast about it.
He does stop, briefly, however. When he spots that new scar. He just stares at it for a good few seconds, recalling the texts he's went through and just letting his mind buzz with worry for a moment, before flicking his eyes up at Gnosis. This is the thing he feared most about learning Gnosis had been on his own. This is the thing that worried him about learning he's had to go through so much. He's so overly protective at this point that even if there's nothing Enciodes could have feasibly done, he still feels as though this is his fault for not being good enough.
…
Gently now, he brushes aside the clothes and unbuttons what he needs to, putting his layers off to one side as he adjusts himself between Gnosis' legs, holding his hips and leaning down so he can press a couple apologetic kisses against his lower stomach. He doesn't know what to say. How does he even start to apologize for something like this? ]
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[He wants to comfort him. It's alright, that scar is over a month old by this point, he's fine, you don't need to worry... the words will fall on deaf ears, of course, and he knows this as well as anybody. Enciodes' fretting was expected.
Gnosis doesn't try to stop it, instead running a hand through those silvery curls of his. Soft, just like he remembers it being, despite the fact Enciodes almost never brushes his hair and either Gnosis or Weiss always had to attack him with a comb before it got unruly.]
I hope you don't expect to get away without the same treatment. [The scar-kissing, he means.] I haven't been able to put my lips on the canvas that is your body in months.
[gross—]
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The tail perks up with his mood, swatting the tip around in amusement as he moves his mouth away. ] If that's the case… this once, I need to spoil you, don't I? After all, it hasn't even been half as long for me. [ Yes, he is purring. ] I'm not so sure I'm ready to be bossed around, but maybe you can tell me what you want, anyway~?
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Gnosis wears a lopsided smirk, still carding his fingers through those curls, rubbing behind his ears.]
I wonder if you and your libido would make it longer than a month without even so much as a salacious phone call from me. [He's willing to bet that Enciodes would be fine, but even so, Gnosis does love to taunt him.] Undress and let me up. It's been a long while since I've been on my knees for you, hasn't it?
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For you, perhaps… [ Unsurprising he would ask for such. ] Surprised you lasted this long without something in your mouth, honestly.
[ Enciodes does roll off of Gnosis here to sit at the edge of their bed, so he can somewhat slowly work un unbuttoning his top. ] You know, I know I asked what you want, but you could say please.
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[Because, yeah, Gnosis sure didn't lay in bed at night thinking "wish I had a dick to suck right now", it was more along the lines of "I wish my husband were here but also I don't wish that at all, this place sucks," and in the end he's almost more glad to have Enciodes here than not. So.
The latter comment, though, makes him roll his eyes.]
Really. You'd make me beg after such an earnest request? [Gnosis knows he would. He's also helping now, unbuttoning Enciodes' pants to pull them down. Those are in the way, thanks.] You and I both know that, even despite your inclinations toward being in total control, you'd never reject getting to stuff yourself down my throat.
[Mm. Romantic.
But Gnosis gets down on his knees either way, on the hard wood of the bedroom floor overlaid with some gaudy fur rug, and after Enciodes is freed of his clothing entirely, he decides he's going to lay it on thick if his husband is going to make such requests. Thus does he lay his head against Enciodes' inner thigh and look up at him with big, gold eyes, trailing his fingertips along the opposite leg in idle back-and-forth motions.]
Please, Enciodes?
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This, though? Way better. Ooooh, so so so much better. The shiver down his spine might be subtle, but the way he straightens his back out to hold in a sigh probably isn't so subtle. He reaches a hand out to brush some of the strands of hair from Gnosis' face to tuck it behind his ear, and then swing his tail around Gnosis' back. Perhaps he'll feel the amused patting against him as the tip of it flicks around. ]
Now, that's much better, my love. How your voice manages to rival even the sweetest of songs continues to baffle me.
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[Gnosis will not be shutting up entirely, though, because he's going to be moaning around a dick in his mouth in a minute here. For now? He's a slow lover, careful in the way he laps at Enciodes, teasing the tip of him with the barest kitten-licks of his tongue. The both of them know that this isn't enough and is more liable to create protest, but Gnosis also tends to like to tease. So.
He moves his head down only an inch or so and lets his tongue glide on the undersides of those sensitive barbs, kissing and sucking there with full intent to make his husband go insane before the night is over.]
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[ Imagine shutting up for one second? Certainly couldn't be these two. Enciodes might be incredibly aroused as it is, and he'd be lying if he said he weren't extremely antsy for touch at this point — something he's bound to make incredibly apparent seconds from now — but in the immediate moment, he's thumbing through Gnosis' head feathers and taking in his cute expression, and the pretty golds of his eyes. Sorry, maybe "cute" is a bad descriptor when his tongue is against Enciodes' dick. Alas, it's the word that comes to mind when he sees him like this all the same.
He does get a jolt followed by a hum when his flicks against the barbs, though. There's a breathy chuckle. ] I see even a few months without me hasn't made you forget how to drive me crazy, hm…?
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Well, he gets over that pretty quickly, in any case. Talk is cheap, and he'd much rather spend the night lathing his tongue over every inch he can. The barbs on the head first, of course, then lower, just underneath the glans, lower still with a languid drag of his tongue down the shaft. There's a teasing, brief suck to the base, nebulously along one side, before he's dragging his mouth back up to the tip again. It's a whole song and dance, one that he repeats a few times as he digs his nails into Enciodes' thighs.
Only after he's sure he's teased his husband enough does Gnosis bother to take just the head into his mouth, flexing his jaw and flattening his tongue along the underside to accommodate the size.]
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His tail thumps against the bed in some mix of excitement and frustration. He doesn't tell Gnosis to hurry, of course. For starters because this feels amazing even if he does want more, but also because he knows if he does, Gnosis would just drag it out longer. He has to hold onto the bedsheets tightly so he's not tempted to reach down and tug the Liberi's hair and feathers. Oh, if only he could also kiss Gnosis stupid while he was doing this somehow... Not that he's sure he'd have the breath to do that for very long. He's gasping far too much whenever Gnosis works on those sensitive barbs. ]
...My love, even the greatest highs in life could... nnh-never compare to how you manage to make me feel. [ He opens his mouth aain to say more, but cuts short with a moan when his head is surrounded by the damp warmth of his husband's mouth. Fuck, that feels amazing. He wasn't even the one who'd been gone from Gnosis that long, and yet he still feels that sense of "I missed this". Perhaps he always feels this way, though? ] Haa... careful, Gnosis, I'm sure you don't want me to tip over so soon...