Heirot

Laurius arched a brow as he watched Artisuren lick his wounds. He tried not to think of the dog he'd had once who would do the same. Artisuren was not a pet. But, just as his mind turned the thought over, the ache in the bruise eased to nothing but a pleasant tingle. Laurius's brow furrowed. "Magic tongue?" he asked, feeling the skin go numb. "That's unique. What other tricks are you hiding, Arti?" He tried reaching for the bottle too pour another drink. He really shouldn't have one, he thought, but he wasn't certain Artisuren's magic tongue would work on that. "Artisuren is a long name. Though, I guess it's not much longer than Laurius. Was there something else you were called, or is Arti the right name of endearment?"

---

Tenara hesitated as they passed, appraising the damage. She hoped no one had fallen overboard. Her gaze swept the area one more time, trying to ignore the crewmen still watching them. Aside from not trying to focus too much on the ship, she was also trying not to focus on the crew. She knew sailors hopped from ship to ship, following work. She also knew it was insanity and paranoia that made her fear looking into their eyes, and finding knowing eyes looking back.

"Tea," she said to him, smiling. She pulled him towards the stairs leading down below, taking a breath like she was going underwater. Her hand tightened a little around Havi's, and she hated the constricting anxiety that swarmed over her simply by heading below, away from the sun. Stupid. This was all so stupid. "I can't wait to be on land again. Two weeks is too long."

The Ivis swallowed a vague sense of disappointment. He seemed to barely have a reaction to his venom. No - what was he thinking? That was a good thing, wasn't it? At the least, the numbing was effective on him. That was the goal. It's not like he wanted him to have the side effects. The last thing he needed was to make this asshole a bigger pervert than he already was.

His concentration broke when Laurius asked him about his name. Artisuren straightened and looked him in the eyes. "I don't need a term of endearment with you," he snipped.

"Fine," Laurius sighed. "I'll just call you Arti until the end of time." He stretched his fingers out again, managing to catch the corner of the tray and drag it and the bottle precariously to the edge of the table. He grabbed the bottle and poured himself another glass, and then Artisuren one. "Just don't go numbing my cock the next time it's in your mouth."

"Fuck off," the Ivis snapped, even as he slid his cheek up toward the man's triceps. "Maybe I'll make you wish I'd numbed it," he muttered, laving his tongue across the smooth muscle of Laurius's shoulder. How insulting. Did this man seriously think he was so clumsy in the of pleasure that he would actually numb his partner? Frustration heated through him. Thanks to that awful joke, now he was picturing it.

He licked him again, and then raised his arm just enough to lick up the inside of his arm, all the way to his armpits. He pressed harder there, aiming for the deeper tissues rescuing him had strained. He hated to admit it, but he liked the way the warm curve of his armpit felt against his face. He had a terrible temptation to suck at him there, but stopped himself. This couldn't be normal.

Laurius cut his eyes in Artisuren’s direction as the man worked his way towards his inner arm. He couldn’t tell if it was the man’s magic tongue or the oddness of the whole situation easing his pain with distraction.

“Tempting threat,” Laurius mused, feeling the warmth of whiskey in his chest. It was way too early to be drunk, so he told himself to stop. The scone was doing little to soak up the alcohol.

“What do you want, Arti? What is it you need?” Hadn’t that been what Havitharon had encouraged him to ask? Then he’d seen him almost topple overboard and forgotten it entirely.

—-

Tenara sat across from Havi at a table shared with two other people. The dining hall was packed with late risers all eager to get their breakfasts in before the kitchens closed until lunch. She held a warm mug of tea, letting the steam heat her face.

She felt this strange, heavy sadness falling over her. It seemed like snow—soft and light at first, but collecting into a dense weight around her.

Why had she asked him that? Why? Why couldn’t she have let it feel like love? She shook her head, taking a sip of tea and glancing up from her cup to Havitharon. Beautiful, strong, grumpy Havitharon. She liked his grumpiness.

“I think there is a library on board. It’s small, I’m sure: I know we brought books but it would be something to do other than be in the room…” Her mind drifted to the morning, to his weight over her, and the look in his eyes as he took her. Devotion. “We could find a book to read tonight.”

Artisuren froze what he was doing. Laurius's composed tone made him realize he was getting carried away all by himself, like a complete fool. A familiar sense of futility smothered his chest. One minute this man was full of heat and risking his life to help him, and the next he was indifferent and calculating. What do I want? "What kind of fucking question is that?" he snorted. It was just a matter of time before the next wave of craving began simmering inside him. The thought of depending on this man to maintain his broken mind was terrifying. "I want to know which version of you is the real one. I want to know what that knife means to you that makes it so fucking important."

___________

Havi perked up at her talk of finding the library. Books always seemed to please her, and wanting to explore seemed like a step in the right direction toward overcoming her trauma with the ship.

And, he admitted to himself, it had been some time since they'd read together. Well... she was the one who did the reading. He could never confess that the reason he still hadn't learned to read was because he enjoyed the time she spent reading to him. "Let's go now, then. I am curious what sailors take interest in reading aboard a ship like this? Perhaps they are all about fish."

Laurius shifted away from Artisuren, putting a smidgeon of distance between them. He looked him over with an unreadable expression. "Which version of me is real?" he asked, sounding slightly irritated by the question. "I have no other versions, Artisuren. I am me in all of my parts. I'm not a deceiver or a pretender or a manipulator. At no point have I not been entirely me, or told you a half-truth." The idea of someone assuming he was anything other than the sum total of everything he'd built, that he was a liar or a charlatan... He took a steadying breath. "If you do not like me as I am, then..." He growled, not finishing the thought. "The blade is mine because I made it, and it is important to me because I made it. I was told it was impossible, and I made it possible, and that is why I haven't sold it away like the book that brought you here."

Laurius stood slowly, rubbing his aching shoulder. "Up until a few days ago, you were cold steel next to my heart, and I am trying very hard to accept and understand you are not just a blade but a person I'm responsible for. And, unfortunately for both of us, I have not had the grace period the Princess has had with hers."

----

"Probably a bunch of books on knots," Tenara joked as she finished her tea and eased away from the table.

The library was easy enough to find. It was down the hall from the dining room, and, as Tenara guessed, it was small. The room was barely seven feet by ten feet. It was big enough for a long sofa to sit beneath three large porthole windows. Three sides of the room were lined with bookcases with paneled glass doors to hold the books in on rough days at sea.

The room was empty, which was nice considering there wasn't much space for more than a few people.

Tenara eased inside, running he fingers along the molding and popping a door open. She traced the spines. "Sea monsters. Probably not the best thing to read before bed..." She went to another door. "Oh, 'How Not To Be Eaten By A Siren'." Another cabinet led to a twenty-book adventure series about a pirate named Joe Solomon. All of them had some variation of the title, 'Joe Solomon and...' She picked the first one up and showed it to Havitharon, "Joe Solomon and the Pirates of Darkwater." She opened the front cover to peer at the contents on the intro page. "Joe Solomon has just acquired the famed Veiled Ruby when he meets the temptress Elena Darkwater. After a night of passion, Elena runs off with the ruby and sends Joe on a daring quest to get it back." She closed the book. "Are you in the mood for sword-fighting adventures or something else?"

Artisuren's expression washed blank as Laurius put distance between them. Oh.

This version of Laurius no longer seemed like a performance or a prank. This man really was his master. Like Kisva, Laurius didn't particularly choose or need him, but he was offering to take responsibility for him anyway. He could be bought or sold at any time, and that felt far more believable than anything else these past two days. The sense that he was just a few disappointments away from becoming more trouble than he was worth was familiar in his chest. Something like relief scraped at his thoughts, leaving a confusing throb behind it.

He could step up and learn how to please this master, or he could get himself discarded. It was a lifestyle he was used to. This was a reality he could understand.

"...Please call me Ren," he said softly. Even speaking it himself made his chest sting. This was the only way to move on. "I haven't finished treating you," he said, reaching for Laurius's arm again.

_______

Havi surveyed the cramped space, moving slowly and crouching to avoid scraping his horns along the low ceiling. "Normally, he gave no input into what books they read. Anything was fine, if she would read it to him. But this time, he was still thinking about their conversation from before. Sometimes he didn't understand this world, and that was that. He didn't need to understand everything. But this time, it felt like something that might be important, and that bothered him. "Is there a book here about 'love'?"

"Ren," he said, testing out the name, but hesitated on returning to the positions they'd originally occupied. He didn't feel like being treated or nursed over, but what else was he to do? He slowly slipped closer to Artisuren again.

He wasn't even sure why Artisuren's question had bothered him so much. Maybe because he had thought he was being genuine, that he was trying to accept and understand this insane situation he'd found himself in—that he had been accommodating for Artisuren's bizarre needs. Perhaps he'd read it all wrong. He should really have a private conversation with Tenara to better understand what the hell he was doing.

He held out his arm slowly to Ren again, wincing as he lifted it to the height it had been at before. "Blame Havitharon for the odd question," he muttered. "He's the one who suggested it."

----

Tenara half smiled, clutching the adventure book a little tighter as she pulled it to her chest. "Let's see," she said, turning to look through the cabinets. "Are you wanting romance, romantic comedy, romantic tragedy..." She wasn't sure if the library's books were so varied. Part of her just wanted to know what he thought he could learn about love in them. Truth be told, Tenara preferred books with a little romance. Perhaps that was her problem, she was too soft-hearted and romantic.

Tenara had grown up in a palace with parents so in love that their story might as well have come straight from the pages of a storybook. If she didn't know them, didn't see it for herself, it would be unbelievable altogether. Part of her idolized it. The other part, the minimal part of her that was a rationalist, found it entirely unattainable. For her, the prospects had mainly been men who wanted a throne, one who had sold her into abuse and death for money, and now... Havi—who was built to serve and not to love. Finding love like her parents felt improbable.

But, gods, she wanted to be loved like that.

Tenara felt tears prick her eyes and hated them. Why was she being such a silly girl? She cleared her throat and reached for another book with fanciful script on the spine. "The Princess and the Beast," she said, pulling it free. "This one has a happy ending."

The sound of the nickname on Laurius's tongue made him shiver.

"So you are the new toy Hrathi sent me? Artisuren, is it? Well, I already have an Arti. Let's go with...Ren. Easier to remember. Easier to shout out in bed."

Artisuren didn't realize he'd been holding his breath until Laurius chose to move closer to him again. He could still see the slick line where he'd been licking the man before.

His venom would make an impact if he applied it directly over the joint, but that suddenly seemed very close to the man's face. Well, if being licked didn't do anything for him anyway, then he supposed it would work just as well applied indirectly. He raised the ice bag to his lips and milked what remained of his venom, spitting it onto the leather and spreading it evenly with a long finger. He pressed the damp leather closely around Laurius's shoulder joint.

"It will go numb in a moment," he promised. To distract him from the pressure, he asked, "Why would Thvoros tell you to ask me what I want?"

_____________

Havi peered at the book she'd chosen. A happy ending. That's what she said, but he could swear something had changed in the pace of her breath. "Tenara...Does this book upset you? If so, we can read something else," he said seriously.

Laurius swallowed at the sight of Artisuren spitting on the bag and rubbing it in. He told himself to get his mind out of the gutter.

“I think he was concerned. Or maybe the princess was concerned. I was being a bad caretaker. Apparently, I am still a bad caretaker…” He sighed as the pain began to ebb. “I don’t like being bad at things, so I’ll be better soon enough.” Maybe that was his problem. Laurius hated failure. He hated being less than. He hated being wrong.

——

Tenara glanced at the book, shaking her head slowly. “It doesn’t upset me…” She collected it against her chest with the adventure book. “I think I’m just tired…” Tenara hated lying to him, but telling him she thought she was in love with him and suspected he couldn’t love her back felt like a knife in her chest. “Maybe a nap later will help.” She slipped closer, resting against his chest.

Artisuren wrinkled his nose. "Concerned? Him, about me?" He ran over it again in his head. "All I did was leave the room..." What business did that nutjob have talking to Laurius about his needs?

"And since when are you supposed to be my caretaker? I'll admit I'm a bit...dysfunctional, but I'll eventually..." He wasn't sure he could finish the sentence without lying. He wondered if Thvoros had told him about his being bond-broken.

He flinched as a theory crossed his mind. He suddenly rounded on Laurius, looking down into the eyes he'd been avoiding. His hands fisted in the fabric of Laurius's shirt front. "It wasn't on purpose!" he burst out. His green eyes winced in embarrassment. "Whatever he told you, whatever it looked like, I didn't fall on purpose."

________

Havi reflexively placed an arm around her shoulders. He loved her small weight against his chest. "After the night you had, it's not a shock that you're tired," he said. "I doubt those two are back yet, if you'd like to rest in the room."

________

Near the stern of the ship, a figure stood by the rail, watching the sea. A second one walked up and stopped beside it. "Quit staring. There's no land that way for days. Someone will get suspicious."

The taller figure turned to the woman who'd approached. "Fine. Did you get in?"

The woman nodded. "I delivered the drink and ice to their room."

"And?"

"There was a dagger laid on the table, looked custom made. I couldn't check how much money he has with him."

"What about the freak with him?"

"Still isn't clear why they're traveling together. He was seeing to his injury when I entered."

"Could be a slave, then. A man like that doesn't pick traveling companions whimsically."

"I still think we could get more with the princess."

The man slapped her on the back of the head. "Don't be an idiot. Some beasts you don't poke. And you saw the size of her guard, never mind her dog. Trust me, a merchant's money is always good."

It was the woman's turn to look out at the horizon. "How far out now?"

"Tonight, after dark."

"Good. I'll see if there's anything else worth taking on this wretched dinghy."

Laurius's jaw set tight as the man grabbed his collar, his green eyes looking up at Artisuren. He waited for the man to either gather his composure or shatter more. He wasn't sure which way he'd go. Perhaps it was best to return him to the dagger. Maybe there was something wrong with it. Or maybe Laurius's connection didn't work like Tenara's. Artisuren did not seem to fit into this world like Havitharon.

The merchant didn't appreciate being manhandled, and it took all of him not to wrap his hand around Artisuren's wrist and snatch it free. If his shoulder wasn't stiff and dull from injury and Artisuren's magic mouth, he might have. Besides, he didn't need to physically move the being. He could whisper an order and have him in the corner of the room like a child.

Still, he stared up at Artisuren and gave him time to make the right decision on his own.

---

"Let's take our hoard," she said, lifting the books with a smile.

Artisuren wasn't sure what he expected from Laurius's reaction, but he realized very quickly that he'd miscalculated. The man didn't seem reassured. Maybe he didn't believe his words, or maybe he'd overestimated the man's concern. He uncurled his hands from the fabric he'd been clutching and lowered them to his lap. He looked straight ahead. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

The sudden lurch of the poorly framed wood door scraping the floorboards nearly made him leap out of his skin. He braced a hand on the arm of the chaise and whirled to see Thvoros in the doorway with an armful off books, and the princess behind him.

"Knock, you fucker!" he snarled.

"Oh, you two are here," Havi muttered, not looking much happier than he did.

Tenara peeked around Havitharon at Artisuren's outburst, trying to see what could have upset the being so much. She squeezed around Havitharon, curiously shifting her gaze from Artosuren to Laurius. "Is everything okay?"

Laurius pinched the bridge of his nose for a second, trying to gather his thoughts and temper. Was he losing his mind or was Artisuren losing his mind?

Tenara's gaze settled on the waterskin of ice. It had tumbled closer to Artisuren than to Laurius. Her eyes widened and she approached the being, reaching out like a worried mother searching for a wound. "Did you get hurt?"