Tortoise and Fox [BL]

3.30

Eli held his hand out to the light, and his light grasped it firmly back.

"Aisultan! Aisultan, they're here! Here, take the plates, I'll open the door."

Before Aisultan could respond, Eli shoved the plates into Aisultan's now empty arms with a grinding clatter, before hopping over to the door. The decrepit tortoise stood as grey and ashen as a stony gargoyle. A thick rope of bell dangled from its mouth. It glared sharp pricks into Eli's skin.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Elijah! I got caught up in, well, Aisultan's grasp—yes, he wouldn't let go. And in my lab, mind you. Which is a pigsty—I know you've always gone on and on about cleaning it but now I'm fully experiencing the repercussions of not following you—which, by the way—is absolutely your fault for spouting off at me like a human schoolteacher. Doesn't schooling sound positively lovely? To spend day after day acquiring knowledge?"

The tortoise stared at him. It dropped the rope. The rope thumped with a wet, heavy reverberation.

Eli clapped his hands together, "Oh, the door—right, I almost forgot—dearest Elijah, you have to speak up."

His laughter rang out clearer than a glass chime. He pulled open one of the double doors. "Don't look at me like that—I know you found it funny."

Arms draped over Eli's chest from behind.

"What's funny? Oh, are we poking fun at adorable Elijah? Say no more, please. I love this game of ours."

Eli spun away delightedly before taking Alyssa into a tight embrace.

"Alyssa! I feel as if it's been so long."

"Only because I have to drag you out of that dreadful cave. It's grown even more horrendous in there—I don't want to think on it."

A light cough, not from either vampire, followed. Warm, cinnamon snuck through the crack of the open door—Eli's mouth watered.

"Can I come in, or...?"

Eli pulled open the door with renewed energy.

"Lucas! Please, come in."

Lucas tentatively prodded at the carpet with his foot, before stepping in with a delicate gait. Boxes upon boxes filled his arms—he peeked over them with annoyance.

"Help me already—I overestimated how much I'd make. And the kids can't eat them—so you must make sure you finish them all. I'll be offended if you don't."

Only by seeing Eli's furious nodding did his scrunched brows relax. A tall shadow collapsed over Lucas, and the boxes were lifted over him.

"I'll take them, Human."

"Don't call me that," he angrily retorted, before muttering a low thanks and closing the door.

Fen'ra strode past, but not before nodding at Eli.

"It's good to see you, Eli."

"And lovely as always to see you, Fen'ra."

Alyssa leaned over to Lucas, "Isn't she so chatty now? You really warmed her up quickly!"

Lucas slapped away the hand about to pinch at his cheek, scoffing. "I didn't do anything. She just likes my food—there's not much else to say."

"But she likes you too~"

He slowly turned, "Really? She does?"

"Yes, yes, really. She came to your company fastest! Her immediate answer when she knew you'd be here, hahah, it was priceless."

A fox tail waved past, cutting through their conversation. Snow and tan-furred robes followed, with softened silver-gold eyes.

"Eli dear. Everything's set and ready. Elijah said he was ready, so we can go outside."

Aisultan held his hand out. His fingers curled lightly in and beckoned for another to grasp them. And so, Eli took the hand with a delighted heart, letting tails swirl around his legs playfully and footsteps trail behind. The halls were spotless—and the hardening callouses rubbing against Eli's palm proved it. Eli flittered about, viewing every oil-scented painting and shined lamp and vase with interest no less than a fine antique collector.

"You and Elijah cleaned again?"

"He doesn't force me."

Eli laughed with raised brows while bumping Aisultan's shoulders.

"That was awful quick of a response. He's trained you into a mule, Aisultan. Be careful—or you're going to only be exploited further~"

"I would never let that happen—I know my worth as his personal iced drink maker. He treasures it so seriously; I fear how earnest he is about it."

"Experimenting with iced drinks has been revolutionary," Alyssa cut in. "The vampires are absolutely obsessed with blood-infused drink-making right now. The current recipes are delectable—at this point, if you are drinking blood straight from the source, it's ah...what do the humans say?"

"Seasoning with only salt and pepper," Eli added, swinging his and Aisultan's hands.

"Yes, exactly! Humans are so strange—but I have to admit they really were innovative with their diverse foods," Alyssa mused.

Lucas made a noise of proud agreement, followed by Aisultan's stifled laughter... and an outburst of quick retorts and threats by the young priest. Eli and Aisultan stood to the side of the back hall, as they strode past—Lucas bickering and Alyssa teasing. Alyssa took the parasol from Eli with an exchanging pinch of the cheek.

"Thanks, love~!"

Eli grinned back at her. Alyssa trotted out, before leaping onto Fen'ra from behind with an impish laugh. Fen'ra spun her around among the backdrop of flowers. Upon reaching for his own parasol, a shadow spread above him. Aisultan, draped diagonally in sunlight as he propped the door open, tilted the camisole down atop Eli.

Eli's breath left him—crumbling away as his existence would in the light.

Eli held his hand out to the light, and his light grasped it firmly back.

"Are you ready?" Aisultan asked.

"You always ask me that—how do you expect me to answer other than in the swaying of my hand and yours and this-this smile etched into my face that never fades when I see you? I've been ready for a long time, now."

A thick, fluffy tail curled firmly around Eli's waist as they walked out. Eli pulled him this and that, gaping at Elijah's most recent gardening projects—metal works mismatched with gleaming vines and ghostly flowers only he could cultivate. Flat, pale-yellow petals hugged the ground, looking up at the jutting stalks of gorgeous roses and peonies winding throughout the stone path.

"It's..."

"Breathtaking? I think so too," Aisultan said, ears flicking in the direction of singing robins.

Eli pawed clumsily at the ears, rubbing the fur between the tips of his fingers—Aisultan leaned closer. The camisole ducked low, shadowing their faces as to hide a kiss briefer than a dragonfly's wing skimming across the lake water.

"A shame that my workshop has to be so far from here—otherwise I'd visit more often."

The low crinkle of Aisultan's laugh kicked his heart into overdrive. Sunlight brushed through the silver hair, interwoven and gleaming with his chest. The tranquil, colorful flowers left his mind. Affection—liquid flowery nectarine—traced Eli's every nerve as he leaned over, hand stroking the border of shadow and light.

Aisultan grabbed his fingers. He carefully ran them through his own hair, unfazed by how it threw his neat hairstyle into a messy storm of fuzzy hair and protruding strands.

"Don't get distracted," Aisultan chided, "you'll hurt yourself. You can wait to touch it in the shade—or just ask me to stop walking."

"Right," Eli laughed, "thank you."