The Laying of Boundaries

By the time that morning had come, Reks’ tears had crystallized and he’d been left to pick away the evidence. He couldn’t let Vaan know about what had happened, he didn’t know what Vaan would do if he found out. His only choice was to play this off as if he had decided to do it, he had to convince Vaan that he wanted to go to war.

How ironic that was.

Reks had never been one for war. He didn’t get a thrill from the sight of blood, the blood-curdling screams of a dying man made his skin crawl, pain and fear were not emotions he enjoyed bestowing upon another person, and glory was not a goal of his.

However, running these worries through his mind time after time did little to put his fear to rest. He had to see Vaan, perhaps if he attempted to calm himself, he would be able to think more clearly.

Little did he know, seeing Vaan would do little to calm him.

Entering the small shelter that they had dubbed as their home, Reks was greeted by the sight of Vaan perched by one of the Eastern window. Sunlight was showering over his hair of spun-gold like a halo, the crisp morning air blowing against his skin and causing it to flush just so, and there perched on his finger was a tiny bird. It’s feathers were tiny and brown, touched with bits of black and bits of ivory, with small charcoal circles trapping the fur around each eye.

Vaan cooed to it gently, paying little mind when the door had opened, until he heard Reks’ feet against the stoned floor.

A cracking smile from the elder brother had the bird bolting off from Vaan’s finger quickly and fleeing to find the rest of it’s own family.

“Reks, where’ve you been? You look like you haven’t slept all night,”

Funny how true Vaan’s words were.

Reks sighed lightly, forcing a warmer smile and making his way to Vaan, sitting across from him on the ledge just beneath the window. Taking his hand, Reks looked to him in reassurance, “I just needed some fresh air, that’s all,” He explained…no, he lied.

“Oh,” Vaan shrugged, staring back at his brother with a risen eyebrow, “You seem…different,” He pointed out, narrowing his eyes at his elder.

Reks disregarded the comment, heaving a sigh and lifting his younger brother’s palm before his eyes, “I don’t think so…” He responded, gently exploring Vaan’s hand by placing a single kiss on each knuckle before moving to the palm itself and breathing in deeply of his brother’s smell. They may have been brothers, but Vaan’s skin had always smelled so wonderful compared to his own; like a mixture of sandalwood and cinnamon, dusted with the fresh breeze that came only from the plains of Giza.

Vaan admired Reks’ work, staring at him with a small almost dream-like smile on his lips. When Reks lifted his eyes to Vaan, he could see every tiny thing that had been done to the boy the night before, he could hear every sound filtering back into his ears…and he cherished them.

“Uhm, alright,” Vaan said stumped, giving a few blinks to Reks and twitching his fingers every so often from the attention. “Reks,” He started again, “It hurts,” He complained with a groan.

Reks stopped his attention lavishing to raise a brow, not fully understanding what Vaan had meant, “Come again?”

“It,” Vaan said, putting great emphasize on the word, “From last night,” He admitted with a slump.

Oh…that.

Reks gave a tiny smile, and a light nod, “It’ll hurt for a few days. I should have warned you first,”

Vaan frowned and stared out of the window once more, as if looking for an answer to his predicament. After a few silent moments however, Vaan’s pondering was broken when Reks had released his hand to search in one of their travel bags for…something.

“Vaan, come here for a second,”

Vaan turned his eyes to Reks who had now situated himself quite comfortably on the tiny area known as their bed. Yes, they shared it, but none of them had ever known any different. After all, one bed was much cheaper and easier to keep than two. What Vaan had not seen though, was the simple bottle that Reks was holding in one hand.

Stepping over to the bed, he sunk down, starring up at Reks and expecting some sort of answer, but before Vaan could ask any questions. “Lay down and turn over for me, I think I have a way to help it.” Vaan did as he was told, and before he knew it, Reks’ hands were gently guiding down his trousers after unwrapping the red wrap around his waist.

Vaan wrinkled his brow when nothing happened and when the sound of sloshing liquid entered his ears, “Reks…what exactly are you… - ” His words broke off and his eyes widened when a wet fingertip suddenly came in contact with his entrance, the supple cheeks of his behind softly separated with the help of Reks’ hand. The younger of the two bit down on his lip, laying on his arms and drawing in a shaky breath. “What is that? It’s cold, Reks!” He fussed, furrowing his brow and trying to look back at Reks, instead of seeing his brother’s face though, his eyes skimmed over the sight of a potion bottle, “Why are you using one of those?!”

“It’s alright Vaan,” Reks finally spoke up, gently drawing circles around the muscled ring with just the tip of his middle finger, “It heals you in other ways…doesn’t it? It’ll work here,” He clarified.

Vaan’s eyes flittered and his breath hitched. Something was working alright, but not what Reks had in mind, however, Vaan succumbed to the touch quickly, moaning out softly and shifting his hips back as he lowered his head into the cradle of his own arms.

Reks’ touched stayed careful and steady, after several moments, he pulled his hand away, only to apply more and gently repeat the procedure. But this time, “Relax for me, Vaan, alright?” Vaan nodded and soon felt Reks’ finger pushing past the entrance. It may have been the same action from the night before, but it felt…different, and not just because of the potion.

The feel of the potion was odd, to say the least. It didn’t burn, or sting, and it wasn’t sticky, rather it felt like liquid velvet. But it was the smell that surprised him most, it was surprisingly sweet, but not to the point where it was sickly sweet or overbearing. It was strange to believe, but it was soothing, and the boy could nearly feel his muscles tightening as the potion was spread inside of him with the help of his elder brother’s finger.

“Is it feeling better?” Reks’ asked calmly as he licked the corner of his own lips, watching his brother’s back as it lowered and lifted with each single intake and exhale of breath. Vaan moaned out a hazy affirmative and turned his head, eyes closed and blond lashes fanning over the tops of his cheekbones. The elder boy found the situation more than innocent and far past chaste, but it was heart-breaking all at the same time.

He realized then, that he would probably miss this more than being intimate with Vaan, he would miss taking care of him and protecting him. After all, Reks was more than just a simple secret lover to Vaan, Reks had the responsibility of an older brother to bear…and bear it he would, by leaving.

This was how Reks could justify it, how he could live with it and find the good in it. By leaving, Reks would be upholding his task of being an older brother, he would be protecting Vaan. He would be doing what he had to.

Reluctantly, Reks pulled his finger free, “I told you it would work,” He said softly, his voice almost wistful as he closed the potion bottle back up and slipped it away back into the travel-packs that they had for emergencies. Vaan groaned in disappointment and slowly pulled his trousers back up and straightened himself back out. When he turned to face Reks once more, the younger boy’s face was stained with coral that could only be rivaled by the image of a fresh-picked Galbana lily, his lips parted and glistening from the way he licked his own lips.

“Reks,” He said quietly, his voice breathy and ragged as he reached a hand forward, snatching onto Reks’ wrist. The younger brother gave the elder no time or chance to pull back, and had managed to pull Reks down to the surface of the bed, catching the lips of his elder in a firm and steady kiss.

Reks moaned against Vaan’s lips, catching himself on one elbow as to not cause any bodily harm to his kin. There was no thought in it and Reks couldn’t stop himself from grinding himself down between his Vaan’s loins.

That sounded so sweet to him.

His Vaan.

No one else’s.

His.

An echoing gasp from Vaan had Reks shuddering as he pushed his fingers beneath the boy’s vest, almost instantly getting rid of the thing. However, when he came in contact with Vaan’s chest, he paused. Vaan was already sore from it, continuing would only have the boy hurting more…besides, the more time they spent together like this, Reks knew it would be harder to leave him.

Pulling away slowly, he stared down at Vaan’s confused frown and shook his head, “We shouldn’t do this right now, you need to heal,” Vaan wrinkled his features and grabbed again at Reks’ wrist, persistent in keeping his brother close.

“Wait a second Reks,” Biting at his lip for a moment, he stared at his brother, watching Reks’ flushed features, slightly moistened lips, and those soft hazy eyes. Sighing out, the younger boy moved up and shifted to his knees, casting his eyes along the form of his brother. It was easy to pick up that something was bothering him, it sunk into every fiber of Reks’ being; from the way his smiles were forced, to the way his features were dull compared to any other day.

Lifting himself up, Vaan wrapped one arm behind Reks’ neck, slowly pulling him down just enough so the younger boy could press his lips against the salt-slicked skin of his kin. Reks’ eyes fluttered shut as a feather-soft groan broke free from the trap of his lips.

Before Reks knew it, he felt something between his loins, it was Vaan’s fingers, tenderly stroking at him through the fabric of his clothing. Slowly, he opened his eyes, pulling Vaan closer against him, the boy’s hand forced against him as a side-effect of the movement.

If Reks didn’t know any better, he would believe that this was the way it felt when one was going insane. He didn’t even want to think about what it would feel like to be taken away from Vaan. Quickly, Reks found out that he didn’t have to worry about it, simply because, with Vaan’s next move, he could barely even form a coherent thought.

Vaan had wriggled down the other’s garment, leaving Reks vulnerable from the crests of his hip-bones down below the flesh of his thighs. Reks was about to protest, but couldn’t seem to do it, not when Vaan was staring up at him like that. Slowly, Vaan pulled his lips away, gently beginning to press kisses along his clothed chest until he reached his waist, where flesh came in contact with flesh.

“Vaan…” He moaned out softly, getting nothing but a cocky expression back as a response before Vaan dipped his head and played the edge of his tongue in the curve of his navel. Apparently Vaan had become quite bold and much more experimental than he was even the night before. Within just the next breath, Reks suddenly tensed when a pair of lips touched just the head of his member.

Reks’ fingertips had found their way into Vaan’s hair; not pulling, or tugging, but twisting and petting softly, just enough to show his affection, “Oh Vaan,” He managed to breathe out, his eyes dropping down onto Vaan. The younger boy didn’t reply or waste time in building suspense, as he found it far too pointless to prolong it, not when they’d stepped past the threshold the very not before.

Before Reks was able to comprehend it, he found his lovely brother’s lips around the proof of his desire for his sibling. Drawing in a hiss of a breath, the elder boy’s eyes rolled back, suddenly finding that his knees were near buckling under the feelings. Vaan’s lips were warm. No, they were more than warm, they were something that Reks couldn’t even begin to describe and his mouth…

However, as soon as that heat had enveloped him, Reks had forced his brother away, to his own dismay, “Vaan….wait,” He panted out, droplets of moisture collecting upon the skin of his brow, “There’s….there’s something you need to know,”

This was it.

“What?” Vaan quirked a brow and gave a huff, not happy with being interrupted,

No turning back.

One breath and it was out.

“I’m going into the war,”

Vaan’s jaw dropped.