Reunion

Posted on 03 Nov 2022 @ 3:16am by Rogue Nazri Arisant & Warrior Kylandro (Kyle) de Arzo
Edited on on 30 Dec 2022 @ 12:57am

3,393 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: Once Upon a Codex
Location: Rivain Dairsmuid
Timeline: Ten Years Ago

It had been two years since Nazri had been in Dairsmuid. He'd changed. Quite a bit, since he'd left. He'd never been small compared to humans. At fourteen, he'd stood halfway between 5'8 and 5'9" and weighed 160 pounds. Now he was just a shade under 6'0" 185. He'd been raw and inexperienced back then, a decent hunter, and could hit the broadside of a cathedral with a bow. Now he was the best tracker in his class and could hit a bull's eye from fifty yards away eight times out of ten. He was only slightly less accurate with moving targets.

That had made him more valuable to his people. Then, when puberty started to hit him hard, he'd developed a talent for magic It was still raw, chaotic but it was there, and he hadn't been able to hide it. He'd been contemplating leaving, for a while. He just wasn't a good qunari, or at least a compliant one, which was really the same thing. There were still some things he had questions about, and in some ways he was naive, but he knew he had to explore the world. He'd thought he had plenty of time.

He may have been naive, but he wasn't a total fool and he knew the consequences if he stayed. That is why he'd left in the middle of the night, only taking what he felt belonged to him, but taking all of that.

He knew only one place he could go, where he might be safe and one person he could trust. Kyle. He didn't even know the other teen's last name, how old he was, or if he'd even still be in Dairsmuid still, but he had to try. He was sure that Kyle would give him shelter, perhaps some guidance.

He was a little wiser about the things of the world and had come to realize that his comments about sleeping in the same bed with Kyle could have been an innuendo. That wasn't the case. At least consciously it hadn't been. And Kyle had told him both that he was too young and that he wasn't the other boy's type. He didn't know whether it had just been the age thing, or if he really wasn't Kyle's type either because Kyle didn't like boys that way, or he didn't like Nazri that way. Adding to that confusion, was Nazri's own uncertainty about such things and his total lack of experience with either gender.

He'd been running those things through his mind and a thousand more when he'd left his home. Those thoughts had been swept aside during his time in the cavern Now that he was out, his only real thought was survival

By the time he'd reached the outskirts of the city, he had a full skin of water and a full stomach. The questions and doubts had come roaring back but entered Dairsmuid anyway.

---

Kyle pressed his hand to his side, where his coin purse was hidden beneath his tunic, tied so the coins inside didn't click together and alert pickpockets or thieves. The pouch was heavier since he'd left his rooms that morning, this gig for the seer was turning out to be a reliable source of coin.

As he was heading home, a young qunari man crossed the street ahead and caught his eye. Qunari were not a rare sight in Dairsmuid, but there was something familiar about this one. He was taller, filled out... but Kyle was sure it was him. Kyle diverted from his path to follow, speeding up his pace to catch up. "Nazri? Is that you?"

The qunari wasn't the only one who had changed, the human teen also had. Just not as much.

Kyle's hair was still strawberry blond, but it was a little longer and lighter. He'd had a trace of freckles when they'd last seen each other, now, there were none that he could tell.

He wasn't sure whether he should hug his former friend or shake his hand. What would be the proper approach? He couldn't decide, so he did neither. He stood there a little awkwardly, "Yeah, Kyle it is. It's good to see you. It really is."

"What are you up to?"

The qunari's awkward hesitation wasn't lost on Kyle. He grasped Nazri's arm and pulled him into a brief but firm embrace. "It is good to see you, Nazri. At the moment I'm headed to the market to buy dinner, then home. If you don't have a place to stay yet, you're welcome to stay with me. Are you planning to be in Dairsmuid for a longer visit this time?"

The embrace was returned, but it did nothing to relieve Nazri's confusion. "I don't have a place yet, so I'd love to stay with you, at least till I get situated, I've got coin I'll pay for your dinner tonight if you let me come with you to the market. I'm starving."

"I'm never going back where I came from and have no plans to leave here."

Kyle gave a short nod of acceptance. "Sounds like you've got an interesting story to tell. Come then. We'll fetch the makings of dinner at the market, then head back to my place to enjoy a meal and trade stories." He shrugged as he began leading the way. "Though as my guest you are welcome to rest up first, or tell me to mind my own business. If you're not planning to go back, there's no hurry."

Once in the market, Kyle headed straight for his favorite butcher. The woman had just killed a goat, and she had live chickens to sell. "What kind of meat do you fancy for dinner?" he asked Nazri.

Nazri's eyes cut between the chickens and the goat. unsure at first what his first choice should be. "Goat," he said after a pause. "I am a bit tired, it's been a long day, but I think I have time for a tale or two before I rest. And, I won't tell you to mind your business, if you don't tell me that."

"Fair enough. I prefer honesty, myself. But the other side of that coin is that if I go poking my nose into things you're not ready to talk about, you tell me." Kyle gripped Nazri's shoulder briefly, then made a swift bargain for two generous portions of freshly butchered goat loin.

Kyle led Nazri on a circuit of the market, making purchases for their meal whilst keeping up a tour guide's running commentary about the various vendors - a combination of endorsements, warnings, and gossip. The people in the market reflected the diverse population of Dairsmuid. Mostly humans, but also elves and dwarves. There were even a few qunari trading in the market, likely Vashoth, who watched Nazri and Kyle without expression and made no effort to confront or speak to them.

Nazri cringed when he saw the other qunari. He tried his best not to show it, to stay as inconspicuous as possible. Anyone standing more than fifteen or twenty feet away probably didn't notice, but Kyle had a chance to, Nazri hadn't camouflaged it that well. "If you have everything you need, could we just go back to your place now?" he asked.

Kyle had noticed how Nazri seemed to be trying to conceal himself, and finally got the hint that his qunari friend didn't feel safe. "Sorry, guess I got caught up with playing tour guide. Let's go to my place." He canted his head to regard Nazri and realized the qunari was taller than him now. "Shall we take the direct route or a more circuitous, scenic route?"

"Scenic might be better... I'd rather not be noticed by certain people. It might be bad for my health. Yours too maybe.

"Understood." Kyle took in their surroundings, trying to see the market as a newcomer on the run might. "Follow me."

He ducked into a stall with formal clothing for sale and greeted the owner with a jovial smile before heading out the back. In a similar way, they weaved through stalls, cutting through the businesses of vendors he knew until they reached the mouth of an alley. From there Kyle led them down one after another side street until he was sure they had not been followed.

Kyle slowed to a walk down a main street to avoid calling attention to Nazri and himself among the diverse range of pedestrian traffic. As the crow flies, they had not traveled far from the market. From the signs outside the old but well-maintained buildings on the street, they were in the Crafts District. Kyle paused beside a storefront, the sign above the front door read, Loreta Madraso, Seer. "This is it. I have an apartment upstairs, around the back." He turned down the narrow pathway.

The qunari followed the human as they weaved through the marketplace. If he had not been in the precarious situation he found himself in, this might have seemed like a game. But, this wasn't hide and seek, it was serious and perhaps dangerous. He didn't see anyone following them, so perhaps he was just being paranoid. But, he was glad that Kyle seemed as competent and resourceful as he remembered.

"This looks like it's a step up from that place you used to have at the end of that alley."

Kyle's shoulder lifted and fell in a casual shrug, but it pleased him that Nazri noticed the step up in his living situation. "It's in a better neighborhood. I do a bit of part-time work for Seer Madraso." He climbed a steep staircase to a single door on the second floor, produced a key, and unlocked it.

"Make yourself at home," said Kyle. Like his previous apartment, there was a living area, bedroom, and kitchen with an icebox, and it appeared to take up about a quarter of the building's second floor. Some of the furnishings were familiar, transferred from his old place. It was sparse but comfortable, and although nothing quite matched, there was a common aesthetic that showed Kyle's taste. He locked the door behind them, then took the fixings they bought at the market to the kitchen and began making preparations.

"Yeah," Nazri replied as he slid the quiver off his back and laid it in the corner. After a moment of watching the human start fixing their lunch, he drew in and released a breath. He took off his swordbelt and placed it beside the quiver. He did the same with his bow.

"This isn't like last time," he said as he moved to stand beside Kyle at the counter, careful not to get within his personal space. "You probably gathered this isn't like last time. I was lost then and needed to find my way home. Now, I don't want to be bound. If my people find me, they'll put me in a cage. Or worse."

"I'll stay the night if that's okay, but I don't think it's a good idea if I stick around long-term. I'd be putting you in danger. Maybe not right away, but eventually they're going to come looking for me."

Kyle had just finished preparing the goat meat for roasting. He washed his hands and turned to face Nazri. "You are welcome to stay the night, or longer. You needn't worry about me, I can take care of myself." Kyle looked into the qunari's eyes. The boy he'd briefly known two years ago was still there, behind the man Nazri was becoming. A man Kyle would like to know better. "Who is a danger to you? Who is looking for you?"

Nazri was tempted to take a seat on the small couch near Kyle's kitchenette, but remained standing and held the other's gaze instead. "Well, if that's how you feel, then I'll stay as long as you'll have me."

"It's my people that are hunting me. I don't know how much you know about the qunari, but they're..." he paused searching for the right word, afraid of magic and those who wield it. And they found out, I can do this."

Then, he took half a step back into a small alcove and disappeared from sight. A moment later, Kyle heard a voice call out from his bedroom.

"Just a parlor trick I know, but I'm learning how to do more."

Kyle followed the sound of Nazri's voice, to find him standing next to the bed. Kyle folded his arms and chuckled. "You don't need parlor tricks to access my bedroom." Then he recalled the rumors he'd heard about what qunari did to mages and paused, forehead creased. "That was magic, right? Now I understand why your people might hunt you."

Nazri's eyes grew wide and his heart began beating a little faster with Kyle's words about accessing his bedroom. Was it polite, though teasing conversation, or was the other teen flirting with him? He had to admit to some physical attraction, but he wasn't sure how he should respond. So, he decided to focus on something he could answer.

"It is magic. Shadow magic. I can do a few other things too, but I'm really just learning and it's frustrating because I have no one to show me how. And you're right, I don't want to be in a cage or bound and gagged. Which is what they'd do to me, or worse.

"You saw the sign out front of the building... A seer is a mage who practices certain traditional magic. Come with me to visit Seer Madraso tomorrow. She might be able to help. Or at least… offer some advice."

"Thanks, that would be very helpful."

He paused unsure if he wanted to ask the question but curiosity won the battle over politeness and fear. "What exactly did you mean about accessing your bedroom?"

Kyle ran a hand through his hair and scratched the back of his neck, considering how best to approach what could be an awkward situation. He settled on straightforward honesty. "You’re an attractive man, Nazri. And the prospect of sharing physical intimacy with you in my bed is… intriguing." Kyle allowed his lustful gaze to rove admiringly over Nazri's form. Then abruptly he dialed it back with a shrug and gave Nazri a just-friends grin. "But that is completely up to you. You can sleep on the sofa if you prefer, and my offer of help stands regardless."

The qunari's heart started beating faster. His assumptions had been right all along. Kyle was interested in him. He hadn't been sure, but now he was. Kyle had openly declared it.

"I don't want to sleep on the couch," he replied after a beat. "I want to, at least I think I want to sleep in your bed. But, I've never been with a man before or a woman. Not even a kiss. I'm not sure what to do. I mean, I'm not completely naive. I have some idea, but no real experience."

Moving close to Nazri, Kyle's tone made it sound like the most tragic thing in the world when he repeated, "Not even a kiss?" Kyle ran his hand lightly up Nazri's arm, and gently gripped his shoulder. "Would you like to kiss me?"

The qunari gave an almost imperceptible nod. Then a slightly bolder one. His cheeks blossomed a burnt umber. After another breath he said, Maybe you should kiss me? Show me how it's done?"

Kyle's smile was warm as he moved even closer to Nazri, one hand was still on his shoulder, the other hand caressed his jaw. He pressed his lips tentatively to Nazri's, and encountering no resistance or hesitation from the other man, he probed gently with his tongue seeking access to a deeper kiss.

The qunari had never felt another's lips against his, though he had imagined it more times than he could count. His imagination had been vivid, but it was nothing like the real thing. Still, it felt a little awkward to him, not because of anything Kyle was doing or not doing-as far as Nazri could tell, he was doing everything right. It was his own inexperience that made it awkward. At first.

Then, he let instinct take over and simply got lost in the moment. That was a very good thing because just as he'd done that, he felt the other boy's tongue press against his. He groaned lightly as he opened his mouth wider, his tongue entangling itself with Kyle's.

Keeping his thoughts focused on just the kiss, Kyle took his time, teaching by example the balance of give and take, kissing both for the pleasure of their joined lips and tongues, but also a preview of what kissing could lead to. Finally, he broke off the kiss, ending with a chaste, closed-mouth brush of lips on lips and pressing his forehead against Nazri's. "You, my friend, are a fast learner." Kyle pulled back a bit, to regard Nazri's face. "And now you have been kissed. What do you think?"

"I think you're a good teacher and you have so many more things you can teach me. Things I don't even know, I don't know."

Then he held up his hands in mock surrender, "But, maybe we can save those lessons for a while. Part of me wants to just jump right in, and another part wants to, I don't know, take some time. My body is sending my mind, mixed messages. Does that even make sense?"

"It makes perfect sense." Kyle rested one hand on his hip and stroked his chin thoughtfully. "In fact, that leads me to what should have been my first lesson. Communication, boundaries, and consent. Your body belongs to you. You and you alone decide what your boundaries are, and what you do and don't do with your body. Physical contact should always be with your full and enthusiastic consent. Same with the other person, that's where communication starts."

Nazri shook his head up and down. "Those sound like good rules. But I admit, that will take some getting used to. Not that anyone has ever touched me, or tried to force themselves on me, among my people there's no, or at least very little privacy or individualism."

"Are you, em, seeing anyone?"

Both of Kyle's eyebrows shot up. Some cultures expected exclusivity as a prerequisite for physical intimacy, but he was pretty sure the Qun was not one of them. But, no, he reasoned with a chuckle, it was probably just innocent curiosity. "I see a few different people from time to time. At the moment there is no one person." He started to return to the kitchen to finish preparing their meal but paused and looked back. "I'm not planning to invite anyone else here while you are my guest. And if you want lessons with someone other than me, I won't be offended."

Nazri followed him into the kitchen. Surprisingly enough he wasn't blushing, or at least he wasn't blushing much. His question had been mostly curious, he'd been wondering if this was just some casual for Kyle, in which case he would be fine with that, or if the older teen was looking for something more.

"I'm good with you giving me lessons for now. I'm not exactly looking for love, but I need to be able to trust the person I'm with. You're the only person here that I know enough to trust."

His blush lent an enticing cast to Nazri's handsome qunari features, and Kyle's breath hitched. Matching the other young man's tone, Kyle said, "I will endeavor to be deserving of your trust, Nazri." Then pushing away the serious mood, Kyle grinned. "Plenty of time for that when you're ready. For now, I'll put you to work helping me prepare our evening meal."

The qunari grinned back. Part of the reason for the smile was just matching the other's facial expression, somewhat unconsciously, the other part was his realizing that for the first time since leaving his homeland, he was truly relaxed.

"Just tell me what you'd like me to do. I've more experience hunting than cooking, but I think I can manage not to ruin the food."

-----

 

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