A Drink Before Battle [M/M] ✅

15: Heart-brother (NSFW-ish)

The flap swept aside again, and more boot-stomping thundered across the floor as Yanek rushed in.

"What the hell is... woah!"

Yanek stopped short as he took in the sight of Sevei lying on the bed and registered the state of him. Then he began to cackle with glee as Sevei's face turned various shades of red.

"Sir, you have got the Imperial tent pitched there," Yanek hooted. "What the hell did he do to you?"

"He healed me," Sevei answered through clenched teeth.

"And it did that?"

"It's not funny," Sevei said pitifully. "It hurts. Stop laughing and get me a quilt or something. I can't move."

"I don't know that a quilt will help matters," Yanek noted, but he obediently fetched one from a cabinet of clean bedding and brought it to him. "Here, pull this over," he said, trying to hand a corner of the quilt to Sevei.

"I can't move," Sevei said again. His fingers twitched, then fell still. "I can't move anything."

"So... you probably can't do anything about that then, huh?" Yanek began to snort with laughter again.

"Yan..."

"Sorry... Ah! I've been healed by Alchemists before, but nothing like that happened."

"Well, whoever healed you probably wasn't a SADISTIC ASSHOLE!!!" Sevei shouted, eyeing the tent doorway with a malevolent glare.

Yanek shook the quilt out over him, then pulled it up to his shoulders. Sitting on the bed next to Sevei he tucked the quilt around him as if he were putting a child to bed., then leaned over him with a hand on either side.

"Vei," he said solemnly. "I'm only going to say this right now... because you're paralyzed and can't hit me for it."

Sevei's eyes narrowed warily. A sly smile played over Yanek's lips.

"If you want him, just go for it."

Sevei's face froze, his chest filling with cold as a fleeting fearful expression slid across his face before he averted his gaze nervously.

"What..." he muttered, his lips trembling slightly, "what nonsense are you spouting now?"

"Vei," Yanek said firmly, his previous mirth exchanged for earnest gravity. "How long have we known each other? We have trained together, fought together, eaten together, bathed together... you think I didn't figure this out about you a long time ago?"

The cold wrapped itself around every part of Sevei's body. If he hadn't already been immobilized, he certainly would be from this abject terror. He flicked a glance at Yanek's face, unable to meet his eyes.

Yanek squeezed his shoulders.

"You are my General," he said. "The best I've ever served under, by the way. And besides that, you're my heart-brother. If you think that would change anything, then maybe this friendship has been one-sided all along-"

"No," Sevei said, his voice rough from the knot gathering in his throat. "No, Yan..." His eyes had turned glassy, and he turned his face away to hide his pained expression.

"Hey!" Yan said, his tone alight with renewed humor, "are... are you crying?!"

Sevei blinked his eyes dry and tried to clear his throat. "What... of course not..." he said petulantly. "And why mention bathing? I never looked at you..."

"Of course you did. I'm gorgeous."

"I didn't...!"

"No," Yanek conceded. "You've always been meticulously careful not to look. That's what gives you away."