perhaps this is pointless. hypocritical, even. does he need keep fray alive with his own borrowed aether, a link through their very beings, stable only through give and take ? yet--hunger. and even should it be temporary, fray waits, and thancred must take what reprieve he can get.
he loathes this. every aspect of it. but he supposes, if it will satiate him even if only for a time that he might think straight, he may as well take back his own aether. it may as well be fray, who is willing, encouraging. who knows him best.
so solid form does he reach for, to pull aside the stolen robe draped across knight's skin. expose shoulder, bend of throat. an inhale of hesitation--of exhale of defeat. then mouth, teeth, tongue.
it tastes bitter, but it is cooling none the less. yet he finds himself hungrier, gorged upon limb and blood and aether--until he forces himself away, breath heavy and eyes glass.
" i--... sorry. i got carried away. are you--alright ? "
i had to — words spoken earlier when they had originally shed armor for underclothes & a robe oh - so obviously not theirs. ( it was oversized — appears nigh comical adorning their body , but they did not mind ... a part of them knew thancred shared similar thoughts. ) besides , they k n e w their form struck a beautiful image in such an article. gold trim matching eyes — black as deep as the abyss they belong to. lips press together as they examine themselves in a full - body length mirror. perhaps they will ask for one made for themselves. although capable of creating one out of aether , such things did not compare to a solid copy.
hearing door creek open , fray concludes their self - evaluation & tilts head. ❛ you are here early , thancred. ❜ voice , low & hoarse , drawls & echoes — bouncing off the walls of this small , confined space. ❛ not that i have any objections. i do not ... ❜ words trail off & ebb — eyebrow risen & lips part. concern weaves into their expression. they were accustomed to this side of thancred — his wants & needs. reluctant ones , they were aware , but necessary nonetheless. so the dark knight waits — poised in front of the mirror , & when robe was moved aside they slowly tilt their head once more.
—————————— hands find purchase in whatever thancred was wearing for a shirt / top. as accustomed to pain as they were ( especially to this brand ), the sensations always seized them by surprise. nails dig into fabric & they were expecting thancred to pull away now ... but it continues. sometimes it does — however , it was uncommon. what was important is that the other was back to optimal health , & so fray gasps & find themselves leaning against thancred as more of their — his — their — aether was taken. the outline of their form started becoming murky — grey / black mixing together & slowly expanding. threatening to consume them until they disappeared. fortunately , they would simply return to that same landscape of nothingness ( & a roommate ) to recuperate.
then , it was over. fray’s chest rapidly rises & falls as their consciousness tethers dangerously close to that line. gaze lifts slowly as an arm wraps around thancred — needing stability after this particular feeding. ❛ i am , ❜ they whispered , body trembling for a moment from the loss of aether & bitter blood. ❛ what is important is that you , yourself , are now fine. i will recover. ❜ & they always do.
