#rel. ashur

[templarquin]

i need you to stop throwing yourself into harm's way.

@serpentinemask // Ashur // meme

Tarquin was about to brush it off as just a scratch... a rather large, deep scratch, but he knew too well the danger each lost drop of blood posed when facing the Venatori. One drop was all a powerful mage needed to control him.

His mouth hung open, a protest ready on his lips, when the realisation hit him and he glanced back over his shoulder. He'd possibly left blood behind at the scene of the fight.

"Shit…"

He exhaled sharply and leaned into Ashur's hold, the adrenaline beginning to fade into a dull, throbbing ache. He knew he'd need medical attention soon, just not yet. Not while they were still exposed.

"Well, it's always pissing down here," he muttered, voice tight but trying for humour. "I'd say the rain washed away any of my blood…" The worry returned regardless. "Does it need to be pure to work? My blood... I mean, most of the Venatori are as thick as bricks, so…"

The thought still gnawed at him. He wanted to go back, to be sure. The idea of leaving even a single drop behind twisted in his gut. The last thing he needed was to lie awake wondering if some blood mage was out there, ready to seize control over him with it. Especially since he spent most nights with Ashur.

[templarquin]

@serpentinemask // Ashur

They were alone, panting from just escaping the clutches of the Venatori. Tarquin was sure he'd earned a couple of bruises on his shin, but nothing more.. thank fuck. The last thing he needed was to bleed in front of blood mages.

And then he realised that they were alone. Safe. In some random shop that had closed for the night. The bastards were likely still crawling through the streets outside, but he doubted they'd come in here. They only needed to wait it out until dawn, and the day would reset anyway.

Still, they were no closer to figuring out how to fix this time loop mess. At least the situation, by its nature, gave them time to work it out.

But what mattered most to Tarquin in that moment wasn't those fuckers; it was Ashur. He could hear him breathing somewhere in the dark, the sound similar to his own. Tarquin's eyes struggled to adjust, catching only the faint outline of a shelf and the glint of glass jars. He followed the sound instead, reaching out until his fingers brushed against Ashur's clothing.

That was enough. He gripped the fabric and pulled him close, dragging him into a tight, grounding hug. For a moment, the noise of the world, the chaos outside, the ticking clock of the loop… it all fell away. All that remained was the heat of Ashur's chest against his and the shared rhythm of their breaths.

"Thought those Vents got you for a second.."