--Cultivate--

[eyesofaproxy]

[When Wise was very young, or at least younger than he is now, he'd gotten lost in the forest outside Helios. He was only saved by a passing wandering cultivator, and to this day he's wanted to meet the man again to thank him. It doesn't matter that Helios fell and he and Belle moved to Yunkui Summit, he wants to find that man and thank him for what he did that day. He changed the trajectory of Wise's life, he's pretty sure, and he deserves to know that.

Granted, a wandering cultivator isn't why Wise (and Belle) is now the heir to Yunkui Summit, that is entirely because of Yixuan-shifu and their own unique abilities, but all the same. That man inspired Wise to get with Belle to create Phatheon, a nameless somebody who is able to hire people to handle things the larger temples and sects can't or won't.

Right now, though, Wise is not acting in the guise of Phaetheon. Wise is acting in the guise of a very annoyed older brother being strongarmed into going down the mountain for an annual check up, since apparently the doctors are all afraid of coming up the mountain after last year's run-in with Eous the spiritual monster rabbit. Cowards.]

I don't need to go right now, Belle, really.

Yes you do! And because there's bandits on the road, I even hired you a bodyguard!

Belle...

Comments

[fuegor]

[There's a sigh from beside Wise. One of relief. Raw, painful relief. And then a voice.]

Morning, beautiful...

[eyesofaproxy]

--Lighter!

[He shifts a little to get a better look at his partner.]

You're okay. You're awake.

[fuegor]

Yeah... I told you I'd come back to you, didn't I?

[...]

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let you get hurt like that... I should've known they'd try to stage a surprise attack.

[eyesofaproxy]

You couldn't have known, Lighter. None of us could have.

[A weak squeeze.]

We thought they'd moved on.

[fuegor]

I could've stayed with you. If I were any slower, I could have lost you. I don't wanna think about what I'd do if I did...

[Wise likely knew by now. What really happened to the Cultivation sect Lighter helmed before. They're dead. All of them except him. Because he made a critical error.

He squeezed Wise's hand as well.]

I'm glad I've still got you.

[eyesofaproxy]

You'll always have me, Lighter.

[A weak smile.]

...I can't leave the temple for a while.

[fuegor]

You'll always have me.

[No wonder Belle was wretching at them, good heavens. Lighter tried to work up a smile himself, though.]

... We'll have a lot of time to ourselves, then. As far as I know, my assignment's still going. So I still need to be at your side.

[eyesofaproxy]

Good. Though I'll be in bed for a lot of it, or in a chair.

[He gestures to his legs.]

They got me good.

[fuegor]

...

[He wanted to lay a hand on Wise's legs. But he didn't want to let go of Wise's hand either. He just wanted to do so in a wordless apology. The look in his eyes said enough.

Still, Lighter tried to keep a small smile up.]

Looks like I'll need to carry you around a lot then, huh?

[eyesofaproxy]

Or that.

[He smiles a little.]

It isn't your fault, Lighter. Okay?

[fuegor]

Wise...

[Lighter just kept thinking on What If scenarios. Worst case scenarios. It happened to him before and now he can't help but catastrophize and self blame.

He laced his fingers between Wise's with a small sigh, just letting himself be calm in this moment. Letting Wise's words set in to allow him to forgive himself...]

I love you.

[eyesofaproxy]

I love you, too. Oh--the comb, did you get the comb?

[fuegor]

Oh!

[Lighter didn't have his scarf on at the moment, but whoever set him up in bed here had it right beside him. He shuffled through it to pull out the comb Wise bought for him and show it off with a much stronger smile this time.]

I said it before, but... You really didn't have to, you know.

[eyesofaproxy]

Yes I did. Yunkui Summit's proposals tend to involve hair decorations, but you don't wear your hair up much.

[fuegor]

[?????????]

... Proposals...?

[eyesofaproxy]

For courting or marriage.

[Courting right now, obviously.]

[fuegor]

[Okay... okay that's less... intimidating but he's still blushing and fumbling hard.]

... If it's something I got from you, I don't mind wearing my hair up more often.

[eyesofaproxy]

Only if you want to. The comb...if you want to keep it, that's enough.

[fuegor]

I do want to.

[Both wear the comb and let Wise court him. He's been dying for it, really.]

You'll have to help me out a little with putting my hair up, though.

[eyesofaproxy]

Of course.

[He kisses the back of Lighter's hand.]

When I'm less tired, though, and after they're sure I'm not hallucinating. I swear I saw Inky grow to the size of a tiger.

[fuegor]

... Did he not?

[Well now Lighter isn't so sure, but he saw Inky carrying Wise on his back to Yunkui again. Was he seeing things after being so worried and mad? Who knows.]

[eyesofaproxy]

Wait, you saw it too?

[fuegor]

Yeah. At least I'm pretty sure I did. I don't think a normal sized Inky would've been able to bring you back to Yunkui...

[eyesofaproxy]

What?

Eh! Nah-eh-en!

[Wise looks at Eous, baffled.]

He's a what?

Nah-eh-en.

A spiritual cat?!

[fuegor]

Wait, seriously?! Even I wasn't able to pick up on that, he just looked like a regular cat.

... He really cares about you though. Before I made it to you he was fending those Exaltists off...