Amaranthine Sin
by Asurahime
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This is a gift, dedicated to creation of the FaytxAlbel Lovers livejournal community.
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Note: For those of you who have read Vermilion, this could be considered as the follow-up of the series. At the time I am writing this, only eight chapters have been installed. And yet, Vermilion is a PG-13 fanfic. I grin to say that this is definitely not. You can read this as a one-shot as well. It's up to you which one you read first.
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Crimson flames flickered against the dark background of trees and night. Eyes as red as the flames stared into it heart, appearing to absorb the color within themselves, unblinking. The left hand of the figure burned in remembrance of a memory best forgotten.
But Albel Nox can never forget. He removed the steel guards and claws of his left arm. Then, he unwrapped the white linen bandages covering the burns which serve to mark the foolishness of his past years. Even now, the wounds still burn.
The Accession of the Flame ceremony had been a total failure. He had lost his father, but he had also lost any feeling that day. He had failed in his word that he would become the strongest warrior to ever exist. Albel had not thought that he would get a second chance to redeem himself.
Footsteps snapping twigs and dried leaves alerted his attention to the presence of his companion. The blue-haired young man leaned down and added more wood to the fire. It was a cold night, but the burns did not burn hot. They smoldered with ice.
''Does it still hurt?" asked Fayt, worry apparent on his face as he cleared their sleeping area, laying two blankets upon the ground.
Albel sneered at him, his tone harsh. "I don't need your pity, fool. Mind your own business."
I should have known, sighed Fayt. The two of them had been wandering the planet for over the span of a year, but Albel's demeanor had not shown any significant improvements. "I was just worried, you know."
''It's not anything you can help with, so leave it be," said Albel.
That was enough. ''Albel, that is it," yelled Fayt. "I have had it with you and your attitude. I can't stop worrying that you are hiding something from me. You are constantly watching over me, healing my wounds and covering me in battle, but you never allow the same treatment for yourself!" The boy's tone was increasing, almost furious as he stood before his companion.
''You must be crazy to think that I would do that for an idiot like you," drawled Albel, trying to ignore the closeness of the other.
Fayt knelt down before the other man, anger and distress reflected clearly in his honest eyes. "I just want to know what's wrong. And what I can possibly do to help you."
Looking down at the boy before him was slowly wearing down the walls he had carefully erected over the years. No, that's not accurate. It all started over a year ago, when he first met this troublesome, blue-haired young man. He could still remember each stolen kiss, each tentative touch he directed towards the other. What had happened? Why did it all stop?
The burns in his arm caused him to visibly finch. Of course. Albel is sinful. Fayt is not. Would he ever cross the boundaries separating the two of them?
''No one can help me, especially not you," replied the long-haired Elcoorian, his grip on his arm tightening. As much as it pained him to say, he wanted the other. In more ways than companionship. Fayt was the only one who could possibly understand what he had gone through.
But he would drown himself before he ever voiced that thought out loud. And so, he continues to suffer. Albel just doesn't know how much more he could take without ravaging the other utterly. Unfortunately, it was not going to take much longer.
''You are hopeless, Albel." Fayt's eyebrows furrowed with exasperation as he drew out an arm to capture Albel's wounded hand.
Surprised at the sudden movement, Albel quickly grabbed on to the other's arm and pinned him forward on to the blanket on the floor. "That was a stupid thing you were about to do, idiot! What were you thinking!?"
Fayt hissed back a reply. "I was only trying to see what was wrong!"
''Didn't I say I didn't need your help!?"
''And since when have you listened to me?" shouted Fayt, his face flushing with anger.
That did it. "That's because I'm a jaded man whose only purpose is to kill parasites," whispered Albel close to Fayt's ear. The warm breath from the normally cold man sent shivers down Fayt's spine. "And you, are the only one who is spared from that fate. Isn't that right? Fayt?"
The younger boy had no warning before he felt a warm, insistent pressure on his mouth. But it did not take him long to realize what was happening. It did take him longer to convince himself he wasn't dreaming. His eyes grew wider when he felt something considerably warmer and softer than Albel's lips attempt to gain access into his mouth. Then, Fayt involuntarily began to struggle.
Albel frowned, but he removed his grip on the boy's arms. However, he reached up to run his strong fingers through the other's uncommonly blue hair. Fayt shifted uneasily, attempting to discreetly free himself, but all this earned him was a cold glare from the Wicked One as he broke away from their frenzied kiss.
''Don't move…" he muttered, a warning flashing in his crimson eyes.
Fayt gulped nervously. When did Albel get like this?! Not that it was a bad thing, but even he had to admit that it was mildly frightening. It would not be Albel unless he could his life clearly threatened.
''Albel," the boy whimpered weakly, already at the point where thinking was incomprehensible.
The other man lowered his fervent lips upon the boy frantically, his burned arm keeping his chin in place. This time, his tongue darted out, roughly parting Fayt's lips for him to plunder. His hands possessively ran through the boy's fine hair, pushing his head down firmly upon the blanket. The emerald-eyed boy winced in slight pain, but he was too far gone.
And perhaps because Albel had him occupied to the point that complaints were irrelevant.
Fayt's eyes had narrowed into dark green slits, glazed over with desire and confusion. As much as he would like to move, the other man was not allowing him that freedom. After a lifetime of being ensnared, Fayt understood that this would be the first time Albel could possibly experience even a semblance of being free. And Fayt cared enough to not deny him.
As expected, the sole survivor of the Nox bloodline kissed just as passionately as he would kill in battle. He gained dominance and was granted access inside the moist caverns of the younger boy's mouth. With the compliance, the bruising kiss of earlier became less fervent. Albel kissed and massaged Fayt's tongue tenderly with his own, causing the smaller boy to sigh. With an uncharacteristically gentle smile, the Wicked One placed gentle kisses on Fayt's before plundering his hot mouth once again.
Finally, Fayt's half-open gaze fully closed, surrendering completely to the mercy of the other. While he may have had reason to fear him in the past, Albel had earned his trust. There was no reason to--
The boy tensed involuntarily as he felt Albel's hand roam over his chest. He suppressed the instinct the push the other off him as an unfamiliarly warm feeling rushed through his veins. He groaned softly into the mouth of his companion.
''What have you done to me? What spell did you cast over me to feel like this?" the dark-haired boy asked breathlessly as he kisses grew passionate again. Just as the Elcoorian shifts from a placid calmness to a relentless warrior in battle, his kisses reflected his personality. Now, Albel was sorely being driven by need and an utter desperation which continued to consume him.
Fayt found himself kissing back with just as desperately. He decided to travel with Albel not because he was obligated to, but because he could see the same loneliness reflected in the other's eyes. Two wrongs cannot make a right, but two broken young men need each other to become whole again.
They are antitheses of each other, but there has never been a more similar pair. One who has never been trusted and one who has had too many responsibilities to shoulder. It is only proper that they have each other.
''Be a good boy and don't do anything foolish," whispered Albel hotly against Fayt's heated skin. Fayt showed no evidence of hearing command of the other man.
-------The story is cut here because of the regulations. I will abide by the rules.------
Fayt collapsed upon the spent man beneath him, still clutching Albel's hair ties as his eyelids grew heavy. What was to happen now? Should he leave? Should he stay? He couldn't possibly play all of this off as a mistake. "Albel... I--"
''Shut up and go to sleep, you fool," whispered Albel as he wrapped both arms around Fayt. "Don't think about such complicated things right now."
The blue-haired boy smiled as he rested his cheek over his new lover's beating heart. "Does it still hurt, Albel?"
Albel's arms around Fayt grew possessive as the boy settled in, repeating his earlier question. He buried his nose in the younger man's cerulean hair, for once, at peace. "Sometimes it does. But not as much as before."
''Do you think it will ever fade?" asked Fayt.
''No," assured Albel, looking down at the tired young man in his arms. "Marks like this don't fade. Just as the mark I have on you won't."
''Hmm..." sighed Fayt, a wistful smile playing on his lips. "Good night, Albel."
Albel waited until the other's breathing evened out and deepened before placing a second blanket over their figures. The glowing embers that was left of their fire still cast crimson shadows upon Fayt's pale face. For once, Albel relaxed his marked arm and allowed himself a real smile, his first one in years. Lowering his lips, he stole one last kiss from his lover before falling asleep himself.
''Good night, Fayt."
Amaranthine Sin
END
Disclaimers:
-Star Ocean: Till the End of Time does not belong to me. It and all other titles and characters belong to Square Enix.
Author Notes:
-Please refer to http:www. livejournal. com/community /faytxalbel/ 1321.html# cutid1 for the omitted part of the story. This is a blatant plug-in, but while there, perhaps you guys wouldn't mind joining the community? Just remove the spaces.
-So, how did all of you like it? Hate it? Love it? Sorry if it was bad. This was my first time writing anything even resembling a lemon. I'll proof-read it when I have the time.
-And thus, I take one step closer to Hell. Oh well, at least I am having fun on the way also. Anyone else want to join the bandwagon? If you read this fic, then I suppose you're coming with me.
-Albel/Fayt forever, ne?