I think a lot about how Boothill and Aventurine both suffered a similar fate, yet went down such different paths. How Aventurine wants to shield—how he shields his emotions—while Boothill channels his pain and love as his strength while wearing his own kind of mask. How that is reflected in their in-game path, too. Imaginary vs physical, the palpable. Preservation vs hunt.
Boothill chases his goals with a stubborn optimism while Aventurine is a lot more calculating about everything. They balance each other out; cover what the other lacks.
In one of Boothill's messages he mentions going to "Kata Desert," which still makes me think he means the desert on Sigonia-IV where the Katicans and Avgins were banished to.
We never got a name for that desert, at least as far as I know, but Kata and Katicans just sounds too similar to be a coincidence.
And the way Boothill describes the sky also feels very fitting. Plus, being there reminded him of his own home, which is said to have varied landscapes—including sandy wastelands.
It's something that hasn't left my mind in all these months, especially since Boothill’s ult shows us a desert. Before we even got his story I wondered if this was maybe his home, and this will continue to be my hc until hoyo confirms otherwise.
I hope we one day get confirmation if Kata Desert was Aventurine's home or not, or at least on Sigonia-IV. I also hope we learn more about Aeragan-Epharshel... Perhaps when Oswaldo becomes more relevant in the story, since he's responsible for what happened to both planets.
✦ Mydei/Anaxa 🔄!
✦ Explicit
✧ established relationship, soul bond, office sex, cockwarming, finger sucking, multiple orgasms, emotional sex, light dom/sub, sub Mydei, gentle dom Anaxa
✦ 11.3k words
—✧—
“‘Giving up’ is not—”
“—part of the Kremnoan language. Yes, I know, Crown Prince.”
The challenge had been simple: wait for Anaxa to finish grading his papers. Mydei had scoffed and crossed his arms, because how hard could it be.
Well, as he now knows, very.
—
First 6.2k words is just bottom Mydei. After the cut there’s lots of teasing and Mydei going down on Anaxa, with the last 2k words being bottom Anaxa.
✦ Mydei/Anaxa
✧ established relationship, domestic fluff, slow mornings, banter, kisses, mild sexual tension
✦ Rated T
✦ 3k words
—
→ Part 2 here
—
The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach… so maybe this will help getting Anaxa to rest.
Anaxa has been restless. Even with the problem of the black tide—or perhaps because of it—behind them, he has been throwing himself even more into his research. More often than not, Mydei finds him falling asleep at his desk or other various places, books all around and on him. Exhaustion has been curling his shoulders and left his eyes distant. Cloudy.
One would think with the catastrophe of the world put back in order, anyone would choose to finally breathe and relax, but Anaxa is not any one. He’s exceptional. One of a kind. And also terrible at keeping watch over his own health, too busy swatting away any sort of concern since “this body has long passed that necessity.”
Mydei sighs as he finds their bed empty, pressing the tray of food against his stomach as he holds the door open. Despite his efforts of slipping out without stirring the ever working man, hoping to surprise him with a warm meal, Anaxa had apparently wasted no time and found some corner of the palace to read and research one thing or the other—even when the sun had barely cracked past the horizon. Again.
Others may wrinkle their nose or scoff at the term, their perception of "special" being different to the one he has written in the dictionary of his heart, but Mydeimos sits in the realization of it.
Eccentric, they may use. Trouble, perhaps. Dangerous, in certain circumstances, for those too scared to push the boundaries of what's possible, of their own mind.
With shame, Mydeimos remembers how he had thought these things, too, in the past.
He had been too caught up in his own troubles to linger and think for himself—that is, until Anaksa made him reconsider his ways. Until their lives tangled and he was able to learn of Anaksa's brilliance. Until his life became brighter in ways he had not expected before. Gentler.
"Romance" is not part of the Kremnoan language, and Mydeimos still does not quite understand what shape it's supposed to take or how it's supposed to feel, but perhaps it's a little something like this:
It's the way his breath softly catches in his throat while he watches Anaksa passionately talk about a new subject, a weight on his chest he's not used to. Perhaps it's the twitch in his fingers—an unruly urge—whenever they walk side-by-side, that slender wrist so close to hold.
Maybe it's the tension in his jaw when Anaksa, oblivious to his dilemma, stands too close; when a smaller frame presses against his own and he worries if the thundering of his heart gives him away. Maybe it's how he chases the sound of Anaksa's laugh, no matter how faint.
Eventually Mydeimos wonders if "romance" is meant to describe a place—physical, next to a man so fascinating; emotional, the closest thing to peace.
Perhaps "romance" is the desire to create a home with another person. To accept their edges and make them work with your own.
Mydeimos stares at his mother's signet. It shimmers softly in the afterglow of the sun and the stories he had only listened to with half a mind, the other half too busy coursing through fields and battlegrounds.
His heart thuds wildly as he pictures it on a slender finger.
But such a question will take time. Once they've finished their studies, perhaps.
But does his fate lie with Castrum Kremnos or the Grove of Epiphany? Would Anaksa follow him home? Would he stay here, or would he leave to travel the world in his pursuit of knowledge?
Uncertainty—another word not part of his language—has his heart waver while he clings to the ring. He tightens his hold as though to steady himself. As though to will his heart to relax.
"Mydeimos?" comes the voice he treasures, powerful enough to almost bring him to his knees.
They stand here in this quiet corner of the gardens. Anaksa is too close. Too far. Mydeimos pockets the ring as subtle as his nerves allow.
Anaksa raises a brow as he approaches. There's that twitch in those lips Mydeimos now knows to precede a tease.
"Gained a fascination for nature now, have we?" Anaksa says, an arm's length away.
Too close. Too far.
Subtlety is not part of the Kremnoan language. Mydeimos's mouth moves before his thoughts can catch up or make him hesitate.
"Will you stay at the Grove?" he asks.
The amused smile fades from Anaksa's lips. Mydeimos almost regrets his question.
"Why do you ask?" Anaksa replies, quieter this time. Too far.
The ring weighs heavy in Mydeimos's pocket; he takes out his hand to create distance from it. "Just curious," he says, then frowns.
Anaksa tilts his head. "You called me out here… for this?"
"No," Mydeimos replies, faster than he can breathe. "Well… Yes." A steadying inhale follows. He steps closer, and Anaksa remains there, tilting his head further up. "I need to plan ahead, no?"
Something shifts in Anaksa's expression. Surprise, a brief flicker, and then questioning confusion. Skeptic, perhaps.
"How do my plans affect that, Crown Prince?"
Crown Prince. Mydeimos's heart wavers, or perhaps it steadies.
He doesn't know where it lies nor what it means, so he follows the tingle of his fingers and reaches out.
"Isn't it obvious to someone like you?" he asks. Anaksa's eye briefly flicks to their joined hands. "I want you to be part of my future, so I need to plan accordingly."
"The future," Anaksa slowly answers without pulling away. A strange smile pulls at the corner of his mouth. "The future is of our own making, yet unpredictable all the same."
Mydeimos doesn't reply. He waits, and Anaksa's shoulders lower as he continues.
"They intend to expel me over my latest endeavors," Anaksa confesses, diplomatic and distant. "That's a risk I chose to take, and my consequences to bear. How does this change things for you, Crown Prince?"
Anaksa's hand, first cold in his grasp, slowly warms.
It makes Mydeimos greedy; he gently traces the bumps of Anaksa's knuckles with his thumb and relishes the sensation.
"It doesn't change anything." Mydeimos stares into the eye that slowly widens. "Where does your future take you, then, if not the Grove?"
"…I don't know," Anaksa replies, quieter, softer. Closer. Still too far.
Mydeimos reaches for Anaksa's other hand. It meets his with ease; entwines with it as though it had been waiting for it.
"Then surprise me," Mydeimos says, leaning forward and pushing at what they have.
Their foreheads press against each other in this moment to themselves.
"You intend to wait for a Blasphemer?"
"I intend to wait for you, Anaksa."
There's a pause. Anaksa's breath fans against his cheeks like a breeze, one so tender and warm it leaves Mydeimos trembling.
A smile quirks Anaksa's lips. "Promising your future and asking for mine… That sounds awfully like a proposal, Crown Prince."
Mydeimos stiffens. He doesn't deny it. He can't.
Anaksa's smile spreads wider—dangerous. "Or is that word, too, not part of the Kremnoan language?"
"…I can add it," Mydeimos quietly replies.
A beat of silence. Anaksa's snort breaks it, and Mydeimos thinks his heart can hardly feel more fond for the man than it does now.
But the mystery in front of him is always full of surprises, so who knows what the future may hold.
Thank you undueodium for the template! It was a ton of fun to fill out 😊
Extensive thoughts below the cut! (Warning: very long...)
Necessary disclaimer that all of this is of course just my headcanons and how I perceive the characters. I'm not claiming I know the Ultimate Truth™, but these two guys have claimed basically 99% of my brain capacity in the past 7 months and mean the world to me. I thoroughly enjoy picking them apart and analyzing them both as individuals and a pair because they scratch an itch in my brain that I simply can't get enough of. But as with all things, we resonate with different things in fiction and in life. Anyways, enjoy!
Boothill being ace
This is something I always worried talking about in public, since talking about sexualities in fandom spaces feels like SUCH a risky topic I usually don't even want to open, but it's very important to me. Being ace myself, I personally see him as sex-neutral to favorable. I think it's an activity he didn't mind doing, and even saw as occasional fun, but it wasn't anything really special. He preferred building strong emotional bonds with his family and friends. Romantically I think he had one or two crushes, but never really anything serious. The life he lived didn't allow for it, and the (queer)platonic bonds he had were more than enough.
With the change of his body, the physical aspect fell away, so it’s purely a mental thing now, and he already had next to no desire for it before. When the opportunity arose, maybe he would take up the offer, but he was also just too busy wanting to hunt Oswaldo down to indulge in pleasures like those too often. He didn't see people in that light and didn't miss it. (I also think that there were some... more forceful people that were curious and really wanted to experience what his cyborg body was capable of, which only turned him away from sex even more. So now it became a conscious avoidance, too, on top of the lack of attraction and medium-to-low libido.)
Sex really only starts to feel special once he gets with Aventurine, as he sees it as a way to bond and feel loved. I think sex is a very integral part of their relationship (but if I got into that, this would get WAY too long). It starts to feel even more fun and Aventurine is mighty pretty—seeing him blush and gasp and moan is what's rewarding, not the physical aspect and involvement of his body (especially since I hc that he can't feel anything below the neck aside from maybe his groin thanks to emulators). It's also why I see him more as a service top—Aven's pleasure comes first. That's what makes him feel pleasure. That gets him that mental high.
Aventurine riding him feels good not because of the actual act and feeling, but what it stands for. The power Aventurine holds over him. The intimacy it embodies. Knowing that he is the one to reduce Aventurine into a sweaty, moaning mess. How they both lay everything bare for one another.
There's also the fun aspect to him realizing that sex actually does matter to him in the context with Aventurine. Where losing his genitals wasn't really something he cared about too much in regards to sex (this can also be seen through a gender lens, but I'll be focusing on it in a sexuality way), some insecurity may creep in. If it matters to the person he loves, of course it also matters to him. He just becomes very aware of... everything. About their differences, both in the short-term and long-term. How that will affect the... everything they have. Whatever they have. There's a lot to unpack here. I promise I'm trying to keep all of this as brief as I can but I'm failing.
Boothill and touch
For Boothill, it's not about the actual, physical sensation, but about the intention behind it. Getting kissed on the inside of his wrist, where a pulse would be, is special. Where his heart beats even more so. To have Aventurine treat his body with care and affection—treating it human, despite him not even seeing himself as alive anymore, nevermind human, even if he laughs about it—is what gets to him. It also makes his spine such an insanely vulnerable place to kiss and touch, since he has to expose his back for it. The places his body has been scratched/damaged, like on his lower abdomen, are also highlights.
Basically anything goes and is fine to touch, but the more vulnerable a place would be when made out of flesh, the more intense he feels about it being touched and kissed. And especially his neck and face, since those are still human.
To be accepted and appreciated for what he is now, and not like he is lacking anything, is what matters. And Aventurine does just that.
Aventurine being demi
Aventurine being demi feels kinda self-explanatory. Even if he may use sexuality and sensuality as a tool, I don't think he truly experiences that attraction until a strong bond has formed, which... has frankly not happened often, if ever. Nevermind romantically. That requires you to be vulnerable and allow others close to your heart. That's what made the bars a little difficult to fill out cause... there's so many walls he has put up, but he acts in certain ways. He acts flirty and sensual, but it's not genuine. It is and it isn't. He's a walking paradox and probably struggles to really understand himself, too.
But Boothill makes him feel safe, which makes him want the man carnally (lol). It lowers the walls around his heart. Nothing sexier than explicitly being asked for consent and being respected and loved by a sexy cyborg who wears his heart on his sleeve, I'm afraid. Plus, I think Boothill not actually having a human body massively helps him in overcoming the first hurdle regarding his trauma.
Aventurine's sensitive areas
Similar to Boothill, the more vulnerable an area, the more it means for it to be touched. Especially his chest, hips, inner thighs and neck are sensitive and feel the best. Boothill kissed his stomach once and he has been obsessed ever since. His lower back? Yes please. Especially if Boothill's mouth and hands are busy elsewhere. A kiss to the center of his palm speaks louder than any words and it makes his heart ache.
I think his arm pits are ticklish so they're a bit of a no, but it's a soft no. Because he trusts Boothill so much, I think he's really fine with anything, at least down the road. It does take a little while to build up to this, but fortunately Boothill is very patient and understanding in this regard ☺️
Kinks & Limits
Limits
This is actually a section I struggled a lot with. If it's a hard limit, I don't even go there, and don't even think of it. So I feel like there are likely some others that I didn't put down because well... I just don't think of them cause they're such a no lmao.
For soft limits, especially in regards to Aventurine, I think it's pretty complicated. He has some self-destructive tendencies. There's a lot of inner turmoil because of his trauma—he wants and he doesn't. He wants to be tossed around, challenges you to use him, because it's what he's used to, but he also doesn't. This would get way way too long if I went more in-depth on how I see Aventurine and his relationship to intimacy as a whole, but. It's just extremely complicated, and I feel like someone like Boothill is exactly what he needs to heal from all of that. Someone that allows him to let loose, to differentiate past trauma and future pleasure. Because he's safe. And eventually, he will overcome those fears that hold him back from truly letting go. Even if it will take time. (I'm speaking in general here and Aventurine's relationship to physical and emotional intimacy, and not about the specific limits I wrote down.)
They both definitely have their limits, but also... I dunno. It just heavily depends on the situation and how long they've been together. I think there's some kinks they would eventually explore in a safe way, especially in regards to bondage. Some mild power play, maybe—which would especially be a big step for Aventurine.
Kinks
Aventurine likes to receive, but also to see Boothill break, either in a submissive or dominant way. He likes to walk on the fine line, to see how much he can get away with. To push and prod until the tables are turned. Likes to see Boothill whimper but also have Boothill hold his hips a little tighter as he's pushed into the mattress or nearest surface. He likes the game, the risk. To gain and lose control.
And Boothill plays into it beautifully, because he aims to please first and foremost. He always has to hold back because he really could very easily seriously hurt Aventurine. His body is made to kill and that's a risk that Aventurine really loves.
As for Boothill's kinks... well! When most of your body is numb to pleasure, why wouldn't you want to practically short-circuit thanks to your very very pretty partner who also activates your lizard brain.
Dynamics
Boothill is very very attentive and fully focused on Aventurine—catches every little movement, every sign of discomfort—which is why I think he would be extremely good in bed, even if he has less overall experience. They are essentially tied in skill, though. (But also, you know. There's the fact that Boothill can get fun little upgrades for his privates, which Aventurine definitely enjoys ☺️)
I'm a switch and vers enthusiast, and while I do think they have a preference, in the end, it's about connection and about mixing things up. About having fun together and bonding.
When Aventurine submits, he does it to fully submit and be at Boothill's mercy because he knows he will be safe. Giving up the power, when he was always forced to be strong and stand alone, brings a sense of relief. But I do think that generally, he prefers to be in control, especially in the beginning. When topping, he tends to lean more towards service top as well, although a less dominant one. Boothill as a service top can be both dominant and submissive, though—whichever Aventurine wants in that moment, since he aims to please. When he bottoms, it really just depends on the mood, but I think generally he's less intense than Aventurine. He definitely teases Aventurine quite a bit like that, hehe...
Boothill has a cyborg body, so... he can do any speed and pace ☺️ Spiritually, Aventurine wishes he also had more stamina and endurance, but unfortunately he needs to catch his breath a little sooner.
I think Aventurine can be both loud and quiet (which Boothill especially loves to get him to that point), while Aventurine loves when he manages to get Boothill to be a little louder.
Miscellaneous thoughts
I would've basically have to fill this template out twice because honestly... How they are with others before meeting each other, how they are with one another at the start, after they get together, and how that changes them in general are all different. They constantly evolve and grow. There's so many facets to them, it was hard to pin it down to just a few dots. But I had already spent a good... I wanna say 11 or more hours on this, on top of the time it took to write all of this, so I didn't want to keep tweaking it even more :') So I’ll just be talking about a handful of things.
Who does what
This was a fun section to think about. Since I imagine that Aventurine fell first, I feel like he was both not subtle at all about his affections but also trying to play them off as just his usual behavior. Boothill, who is a little slower on catching on to his own feelings, really struggled with that. Although after he does realize his own feelings, and wonders if maybe it's reciprocated after all, he really doesn't wait around too much and goes for it.
I think Aventurine likes the idea of getting married, but the reality is just tricky with the lives they live. Commitment is also just scary to him, even if he does care deeply about Boothill (which is also very scary). Boothill also never considered to be settling down somewhere since he expected to lose his life on his quest for revenge, but Aventurine makes him wonder. But whether they live a domestic life somewhere quiet or enjoy traveling the stars together, one thing he knows for sure: he wants Aventurine at his side for it.
Boothill had a lot of siblings, both younger and older, so I think he has a massive soft spot for kids. Having a couple of rascals would be fun, but only if Aventurine was on-board as well. Similar to marriage, I think Aventurine likes the idea, but might doubt if he'd even be worthy or able of being a parent. Whether they do eventually adopt or not isn't as important as simply being together, though.
—
I think I'm gonna leave it here because this already got WAY longer than I intended for it to be... I just can't help but start yapping once these two are involved. Maybe I'll go back in the future and talk about a few more things, but if you actually got this far, then kudos to you 😭 Thank you for reading! I love avenhill a little bit if it wasn't obvious already...
✦ Mydei/Anaxa
✦ 8.5k words ✧ 19k total
✦ soulmates, reincarnation, childhood friends to lovers, slow burn, angst with a happy ending
—✧—
Anaxa expects that to be the end of it all. With the cloak returned, there is nothing binding them together. Their lives can hardly be any more different, so it would only make sense for it to end there.
But then, a few days later, a letter arrives.
Every century, a new Heir of Strife is born, foretelling of brutal bloodshed brought on by a soul lost to grief. But what young Anaxa finds is not a vessel for destruction, but a boy with bright eyes unbefit for Strife.
As they grow closer, he realizes: he can’t let this cycle continue. There needs to be a way to end this.
