Gentle Sparks - Lorreth x Reader
Fae & Alchemy - Callie Hart
Summary: After enduring the worst together, your best friend Saeris Fane wants you to find some much deserved happiness, even if it takes a lot of pushing and shoving.
Warnings: Fluff, Angst, very short mention of injury
Word count: 4.6k
“You need to stop hiding away from this. Sooner or later, it will save your life.” Saeris said, walking beside you on your way to the training grounds in the war camp that was located before The Darn. She had been determined to get you to train with Renfis and Lorreth ever since you first stepped foot into Cahlish and today, so it seemed, was the day you had ultimately ran out of excuses. Maybe you would have agreed sooner, if the training would have been with Renfis only. But Lorreth was always there as well and to make a fool out of yourself in front of him sent a shiver of straight up horror down your spine.
“Well, I'm here now, so stop complaining.” You mumbled as the two of you entered the tent that was meant for sparring sessions. Lorreth and Renfis were in the middle of a sword fight, metal clinking against metal. Both of them moved gracefully, as if going through a carefully learned dance routine. Swallowing hard, you averted your gaze from Lorreth's torso, white shirt sticking to his prominent abs.
Renfis managed to land a blow that had Lorreth retreating. The male grinned and then his eyes flickered towards the entrance– to you. A smirk appeared on his face. “Look who finally decided to make an appearance!” Renfis bellowed excitedly and walked over to you and Saeris.
“I know, I know. Let's just get this over with.” You grumbled, already cringing at the mere thought of having to swing a weapon with two highly trained warriors watching. Not just any warriors– members of Kingfisher's close knit group, Lupo Proelia.
Lorreth walked up behind Renfis and you tried not to stare as he lifted his shirt to wipe the sweat off his forehead. His eyes met yours for a moment, then he looked at Renfis. “I've got this,” He stated, then gave your form an appreciative onceover.
Saeris smirked and before you could even think about rejecting Lorreth's obvious effort to spend more time with you, she flung her arm around Renfis's shoulder and walked him to the other side of the tent, teasing him about getting his ass kicked by her.
“I warn you, I'm worse at this than you think.” You chuckled anxiously and swallowed hard, standing before Lorreth as if he was the first male you’d ever seen.
A smile, then he picked up a sword for you from the rack that leaned against the wall right next to the entrance. “That's alright. I'll go easy on you.” He handed you the blade. “Do you know how to hold it?”
You shook your head, trying not to let your embarrassment show.
“Alright.” He shifted so he stood behind you. “This is why we're here, right? I'll show you.” With that, he pressed his body up against yours ever so slightly and you could feel his hard stomach against your back with every breath he took. “Spread your feet.”
You did and Lorreth put one arm around you to guide your hand into the right position around the hilt, then took your other hand and placed it a little above. The smell of his sweat mixed with his natural scent, cedarwood and that unmistakable hint of mint, filled your nose and you closed your eyes for a moment, trying to take everything in and keeping yourself from inhaling deeply. The way his strong arms felt around you, holding yours in place, was already enough to cause your knees to buckle. He was so close to you, closer than he had ever been and there was no way you wouldn't be affected by it. “Like this. It helps you stabilize the blade. It feels strange at first, but once you get used to it, it will be muscle memory every time you pick up a sword.”
His voice was soft, calm and he was so tender with you, while he guided you, your heart hammered manically in your chest.
“Thank you.” You croaked out, your voice nearly cracking and you quickly cleared your dry throat.
“You're welcome,” He said, a smile audible in his voice.
You knew that he could hear the way your pulse had quickened ever since you'd arrived at the tent, courtesy to High Fae hearing. And you could very well be imagining it, but you were very certain that he was holding you closer than he had to… “So, what now?” You asked hastily, trying to snap out of it.
“Hm, let's–”
He was interrupted when Carrion Swift entered the tent, a devious grin on his face, eyes flickering between the two of you. Lorreth let go and took a step backwards, the loss of contact leaving you cold and lost. Carrion's gaze rested on yours as he addressed Lorreth. “If you're busy, I'd be happy to train with the lovely lady.”
“Give it up, Carrion. It's not going to happen.” The fact that you still had to tell him that, even after all those years, was truly baffling. For ages Carrion Swift had tried to make it into your bed. You'd met him way before Saeris, years ago, still just a human roaming the dusty streets of Zilvaren. When Saeris and you took the Quicksilver portal and ended up in Yvelia, it was almost comical when not too long after, Kingfisher accidentally brought Carrion here, too. And while you did consider him a friend by now, albeit reluctantly, his flirting and teasing ways were starting to become rather tedious. Of course you knew it was merely a joke to him. Carrion Swift had enough females worshipping the ground he walked on, he didn't need your attention by all means. But Carrion had a thing for sleeping with extraordinary females and ever since you'd been turned into a Vampire, giving up your humanity for immortality, he had been even more intrigued. Bile flooded your mouth when your thoughts drifted to the day you got turned. The battle against Malcom, Saeris killing him, both of you almost dying, the way your friend looked beside you, blood spilling from her stomach– You shook your head, desperately trying to lose the images that still haunted you and mostly visited in the darkest hours of the night.
Lorreth smiled, kindly, like he always did, and walked towards Carrion. “I think I'll stick around. It can get a little tricky after all and we want to keep her safe, right?”
It was an effort to stifle the shit eating grin that tugged on each corner of your mouth and you averted your eyes towards the floor, kicking a few rocks on the ground.
“Right…” Carrion said. He seemed like he regretted ever stepping into the tent to begin with. Pride seemingly wounded, he strolled over to where Saeris and Renfis were sparring.
“You didn't have to do that. I can handle Carrion.”
“Yeah, but I don't want you to have to.” He said genuinely.
A hard swallow and your cheeks definitely reddened. “I'm sure he knows there's no chance, but by now it's turned into this never ending joke.”
“It stops being a joke, once it makes you uncomfortable,” He said and walked into your field of vision. He looked at you, studying your expression, then reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. “You are allowed to set boundaries.”
“I know…” You replied, your gazes melting for a moment.
“Good.” A slight curve to his lips, he let his hand linger on your cheek for a moment, before he dropped it back to his side. “Now, should we give this a go?”
You nodded determinedly and Lorreth gestured to the middle of the training tent.
“Perfect. Let's start with the most basic fighting stance.” He instructed you, took his time and made sure to adjust every small movement until you stood correctly. “Great. Let’s try out some swordplay. You're right handed, am I right?”
Again, you inclined your head, your emotions running wild. The patience with which he trained you was so endearing, you wanted to embrace him, tell him how you really felt and never let him go. But you couldn't. Lorreth handed you the sword, his fingers brushed against yours for a brief moment and you suppressed the urge to bite your lip. “I'll show you some basic maneuvers, then we can try out a few things together.” He walked to the weapon rack and retrieved his own sword then took his stand, about five feet from you.
“What do I do?” You asked nervously, although Lorreth's presence had quickly managed to ease your anxiety about training. “Focus on my sword and try to block it. Ready?” You adjusted your grip one last time, then gave him a nod. He swung his sword at a moderate speed, you blocked, his blade clashed against yours and you felt the impact vibrate all the way down your elbow. The sound of metal meeting filled the tent, still not loud enough to drown out your heavy breathing though. You were already sweating after only a few minutes, while Lorreth looked like he had been taking a casual walk. He was beautiful in his element– beyond handsome. “You're doing well.” He encouraged, circling around you, ocean blue eyes tracing your sweat-clad body and you caught the slightest hint of a blush on his cheeks. He looked away hastily then launched another attack. You managed to block it, but barely. Your stamina was already running low, and your lungs burned. “Keep going,” He said as you started to falter. “Remember to breathe. It fuels your whole body. And keep your arm steady when blocking, you don't want to exhaust yourself with too much movement.” He swung his sword again. One more blow, more powerful than the ones before, but you deflected it. “Good!” A quick nod of approval, then he came at you even harder, faster than before and you almost lost your balance. He paused for a moment, eyes locked with yours. “Focus.”
You inhaled deeply, forced yourself to get a hold of the situation and did as you were told, eyes on his weapon, as he swung his sword at you once again. You blocked two of his blows before he caught you off guard with a powerful strike aimed at your legs. The distraction caused you to drop your guard and Lorreth easily disarmed you, your blade falling to the floor with you, as you landed on your behind. “Shit…” You cursed, trying to at least somewhat gracefully make it through your ragged breaths.
Lorreth's blue eyes were sparkling in amusement and he held out a hand to help you up. You took it, grateful for the assistance and shuddered when you felt the roughness of his skin against yours as he hauled you to your feet. “You alright?” He asked, still grinning. “You did great.”
“I'm not so sure about that.” You murmured and dusted your palms off on your pants.
“You're learning. Don't rush it, it'll come with time. Trust me.” Confidence and ease radiated off of him like the midday sun above the camp. He picked up your fallen sword and returned it to you. “Ready to try again?”
A nod, then the two of you continued. Hours later, your clothes were soaked and your body aching, but not in a bad way. It felt good to train and put yourself to use. It was likely that you'd need one of these skills sooner rather than later. You were in the middle of another set of moves, when Lorreth's usually meticulously calculated steps seemed hesitant for the shortest of moments. But you had learned today, so you took your chance, moved forward and managed to disarm him with a swipe of your sharp blade. The surprise on his face was evident, quickly turning into pride, eyes sparkling with admiration. “Now that's the spirit,” He complimented cheerfully. Then, he raised his hands to surrender with a bright smile on his face. “Guess I'll have to up my game. I yield.”
You laughed. “Did you do it on purpose?”
“You'll never know,” He winked and your face flushed from the heat or physical exertions or the pathetic crush you had on him. Or maybe it was a combination of all of those things. He looked so annoyingly good. You were tempted to tell him, but the words wouldn't come out. “I need a bath.” You figured, looking down your drenched shirt.
His eyes followed your gaze, traveling down your chest and the pink tint on your face darkened, when you noticed how his glance lingered. He caught himself and looked back up quickly. “I'll walk you to your tent,” He offered.
In comfortable silence you strolled beside each other, before you broke the quiet. “Thank you. For training with me today. You helped me a lot.”
“It was my pleasure.” Heart fluttering, your lips curved. Gods, you were nothing but a lovestruck idiot. It was ridiculous, how much you enjoyed being with him.
You both reached your tent and you fumbled with one of the buttons on your shirt to keep your hands occupied. “I'll see you for dinner?” Tonight, you and the others were going to stay at the war camp, before continuing tomorrow with strategy planning and more training.
“Absolutely.” A dazzling smile, then said his goodbyes and left. You stood there and watched his broad frame disappear, thoughts and hormones running wild. You needed to do something about this and soon.
When you lifted the fabric flap to your tent, much more spacious and cozy on the inside than it looked on the outside, thanks to magic, you yelped when you suddenly saw Saeris sitting on your bed. “Gods and Martyrs!”
Saeris smirked. “What was that all about?” She asked casually and tilted her head. She knew that there was something between you and Lorreth, yet either of you refused to take action.
“What was what about?”
“You know.” Saeris crossed her legs and raised her eyebrows at you. “You have a crush on him. And he obviously fancies you as well. Why don't you just tell him?”
You scoffed and shook your head as you busied yourself with finding fresh clothes. “Are you out of your mind? What if he rejects me? We're going to live a very long life now, Saeris. Am I supposed to be working– No– living this close to him, after that? For what, like, a thousand years? That's fucking humiliating, I can't even think about it.”
“He's not going to reject you.” Saeris said. “Do you know how he looks at you?”
“How?” You flopped down next to her on the bed.
“Like you're made of stars and moonlight.” She said dreamily, teasing you. “Trust me. He's crazy about you.”
A laugh snorted from you and you rolled your eyes. “You're insufferable.”
“But I'm right.” She winked, then added, “Just go talk to him.” Saeris stood up and threw the bundle of clothes you had picked out in your lap. “Now get going, you stink. Dinner is in an hour.”
The bathwater was steaming and a moan escaped you when you lowered your sore and aching body into the wooden tub. Maybe Saeris was right. Maybe you should talk to Lorreth after all. But if he was truly interested in you in a way that went beyond the friendship you'd built, then why wasn't he the one saying anything? Ugh. You slit further down, submerging your head into the soapy warmth. Then, as you got out of the bath a while later and dried your body, you decided that if the opportunity would show up during dinner, you'd try and test the waters.
There was nothing but delicious food and cheerful conversation at dinner, as the five of you sat around a table in the dining tent. Lorreth sat right across from you and you spent most of the time stealing glances from behind the rim of your copper mug, unable to keep your eyes off of him. Was it really such a good idea? Telling him how you felt? You pondered the thought for a moment, but the more time passed, the more you came to the conclusion that even if he didn't feel the same way for you, at least you would have gotten it off your chest. Saeris stopped her conversation with Kingfisher, to nudge you in the ribs with her elbow, a soft smile on her face. Lorreth's gaze flicked towards you, but quickly dropped down to his food, when he caught you staring at him. Gods, you were acting like a maniac. You turned your focus to Saeris and Kingfisher, who were staring at you in amusement. Saeris wiggled her eyebrows, then mouthed, “Just do it.”
Your eyes widened and darted between Saeris and her mate, silently asking her if she told him about your feelings for Lorreth.
Saeris shook her head almost unnoticeably. So she hadn't shared the information with him. Kingfisher probably knew anyway, it was pretty obvious, you had to admit that much. Lorreth looked between the three of you, confused. “Something going on?” He asked.
“No!” You blurted without hesitation.
A startled half-smile. “Alright.”
Renfis, who was sitting next to Lorreth, looked just as confused. He shot a questioning glance at Saeris, but she shook her head. Then she nudged you again, nodding in Lorreth's direction. Your heart raced in your chest. You should say something, she was right, but you didn't have a clue how to put anything you felt for the warrior into words. Gods, this was a mess. Lorreth glanced at the three of you, a crease between his eyebrows. “What am I missing?” He asked again, looking between Fisher and Saeris. They both acted innocent, shrugging their shoulders and he huffed. Then, his gaze darted back to you. “Did I do something?”
You felt completely overwhelmed. Saeris was your best friend, you knew she only meant well, wanted you to find your happiness, but you felt pushed and your heart thundered uncomfortably underneath your clothing, which began to feel way too tight, constricting your chest. “No– No, you didn't. I– I'll be right back.” You jumped up from your chair and bolted outside.
Lorreth looked at the tent flap and got up to follow you, but was stopped by Kingfisher. “Let me.” He said and Lorreth nodded hesitantly, sitting back down.
The cold night air was a welcome relief to your overheating skin. Greedily, you breathed in every bit you could get into your lungs.
“There you are.” Kingfisher's gentle voice came from behind you and you flinched. He offered you a sympathetic look.
You turned around and stared at him with watery eyes. “Sorry, I just needed a moment.”
“Don't apologize.” He said, sitting down on the grass, patting the spot next to him. “Do you want to talk?”
Slumping down, you let out a deep sigh. Saeris wasn't just your friend, she had always been like a sister to you. And in the past few months, that equaled Kingfisher becoming your friend as well. “I don't know what to do. I'm so scared.”
“To be honest with you, I think everyone knows.” Fisher turned his gaze to the starry night sky above the camp. It was beautiful out here, quiet and peaceful. “Except Lorreth. He's clueless.” He chuckled.
Your throat bobbed and you wiped at a stray tear before it was able to fall. “What if I tell him and he doesn't feel the same way?”
“You won't know unless you try”, He shrugged. “I've known Lorreth for quite a few centuries now and not once has he talked about anyone the way he talks about you.” He looked at your face, then added, “What if you don't tell him? You'll live for thousands of years, wondering. Sometimes, what-ifs are worse than rejection.”
You let his words settle for a moment. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” With that, he got up and offered you a hand. “Shall we head back?”
You gave a nod, he helped you up and the two of you went back inside the dining tent.
Lorreth's eyes darted between Kingfisher and you, eyebrows raised in silent question. Thankfully though, he said nothing, then took his seat next to Saeris, who stared at you and whispered, “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to–”
“It's fine. Don't worry about it.” You reassured with a smile and petted her arm.
Lorreth watched carefully as you settled back in your chair. “You're not quite yourself tonight. Did something happen during training? Or after?” He asked, worried and you were starting to feel like an asshole for not speaking your truth. A quick shake of your head. He stayed quiet, only showing a small tug on one corner of his mouth that looked more half hearted than anything else, then he returned his attention back to his plate. You tried to focus on your food, but he was right there, his presence clouding your mind and when you looked up again, taking in the image of him, your chest filled with warmth. You wanted him so badly, it was driving you mad. You glanced at Saeris and Fisher, how happy they were together and decided right then and there, that they were right. It was now or never. “Can I talk to you?!” You blurted out before your brain could think better of it. Nerves shook you to the core and you weren't sure if your arms were feeling numb.
His bright blue eyes met yours, oceans deep and he didn't hesitate, before he put down his fork and wiped his lips with a napkin. “Sure.” He said, sounding almost breathless. Turning to Kingfisher and Saeris, he mumbled, “We’ll be right back.” The two of them replied with a snicker and Lorreth followed you outside.
As he stood before you in all his glory, wearing a black linen shirt, tugged into his leather pants, sleeves rolled up, every thought you'd carefully laid out in the past few minutes left your head. “Well?” He encouraged, taking a step closer. His face, so very familiar to you now after dreaming of it almost every night, was illuminated by the soft glow of the lantern above the tent's entrance. “What is it?”
“Walk with me?” You asked, desperate to get as far away from the others as possible. If this was all going to go wrong, you certainly didn't need anyone listening in on this conversation. A slight quirk of his brow, before he nodded, looking you over as if to make sure you were unharmed. You headed towards the edge of the camp, where the frozen lake began. He waited patiently for you to speak, giving you time.
“I– I have no idea how to start this…” You admitted quietly.
“With the beginning. Or maybe you could tell me why you left during dinner. You looked upset,” He said, trying to get you to talk. “Did I upset you?”
“No. You didn't, I promise.”
He stopped and turned to face you, giving you his full attention. Soft night air flitted around you and goosebumps erupted on your skin, underneath your clothing. “Then what is it?” He asked, genuine concern now filling his pale eyes.
Your mouth opened, then closed again, your fingers began fumbling with each other, gaze flicking over the shimmering ice layer of the lake. Lorreth grabbed your hands to stop you from fidgeting. “Don’t overthink it.” He urged gently and you huffed a breathless laugh.
“I'm afraid I'm way past that point.”
“Then spit it out.”
Another minute went by in silence. “Fuck, Lorreth, this is really fucking hard.” You tilted your head back, closed your eyes and breathed in and out towards the clear night sky. A soft chuckle sounded from him, it always did when you started cursing like a drunken sailor. He still held your cold hands in his calloused ones. He'd been so patient with you, never pushing and when your eyes met and you saw the crackling expectation etched into every fine line of his face it dawned on you that he'd been waiting for this.
“You already know what I'm going to say…” Tension loosened from your muscles.
“I might just have a vague idea.”
The bastard had the audacity to grin. “Why didn't you say something?” You wondered, searching his face and shame prickled beneath your skin. Did he know you were in love with him this whole time? Did he not feel the same and had hoped it would just go away with time?
He let out an exhausted breath, then gently pulled you closer by the hands he was still holding, fingers intertwined with yours. “I knew that I felt something for you months ago already. Way before Malcom– before Sanasroth, the labyrinth…” He swallowed hard. “But you were human, just like Saeris. It wouldn't have been fair to you or me. When Taladaius turned Saeris and you, I wanted to give you time. To adjust to this new life and deal with what had happened. I didn't want to take advantage of anything.” He squeezed your fingers and you could've sworn your heart had stopped beating.
“Lorreth…” You breathed, tears stinging behind your eyes.
He leaned his forehead against yours, breathing you in like it was the only scent that mattered. “I've waited a few centuries for you. What's a few more months?” He whispered and your lip wobbled.
“I'm done wasting time. Even though we have an abundance of it ahead of us now…” You decided. It was still weird, thinking about your new lifespan, thousands of years to come seemed less intimidating with Lorreth by your side though.
“Me too, princess.” And then, finally, he closed the gap, your lips meeting. The kiss was soft, hesitant at first. But as you pulled him closer, fingers entangling in his long, raven hair, he slung his arm around your waist and thoroughly explored your mouth with his tongue.
A moan slipped from your throat, caught by his lips, when you heard a sudden excited yelp from further away, followed by Carrion yelling, “Got room for one more?” You pulled away, glancing to the side, only to see your friends leaving the dining tent and almost missed Renfis slapping Carrion on the back of the head. You snorted a laugh and Renfis gave a tight lipped smile in apology.
Lorreth grunted, before leaning in to press another kiss to your lips. “I can still stab him for you if you want.” He offered, voice full of mirth and you laughed wholeheartedly, pulling him closer by his shirt.
“No, it's alright. He's grown on me over the years. Like a mole that just popped up one day and you never really got rid of it. Plus, he's the Daianthus Heir. It might not be wise to kill the future King of Yvelia.”
“True,” He chuckled, then took your hand in his. He held it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to your knuckles. A delicious shiver ran down your spine. “Shall we join them?”
You nodded and a bright smile split your face. As you walked towards your friends, his hand tightly gripping yours, there was no doubt about where you stood now. He was yours just as much as you were his.
