Work Text:
It was a foolish thing to do, and Edmond knew it. Or at least, he knows it now, with wind swirling the snow outside the window to the point he can’t see anything other than a white blur. At the very least, he should’ve brought someone with him so he wouldn’t be alone, stranded in his family’s cabin in the mountains until God of Klein knows when.
He sighs and kicks off his boots, grateful that he had the foresight in autumn to make sure there was plenty of firewood and a pantry stocked with preserved foods. He unseals a jar of vegetable stew and warms it on the stove then carries it to the table. What he wouldn’t give right now for a slice of Kleinmas Chocolate Cake from the little bakery in the Light Territory. Or even Yakumo’s under-sweetened confections. Or just Yakumo, really, or another friendly face.
Edmond stares at the box by his right hand and swallows around the lump in his throat. It isn’t like he won’t ever be able to give it to Rei, but his hope was to make this trip quickly and be back in time for their gift exchange, which was meant to be this morning. He couldn’t leave last night due to the storm, and the snow continued into today. It’s mid-afternoon now, and he’ll be lucky if he makes it out of here tomorrow. And that’s only if the snow isn’t so deep he has to spend a day clearing it first.
All he wanted was to bring back this one thing, and the only person he knew who could help lived kilometers from anywhere in a remote mountain village. The location of this cabin made it seem like the simplest thing in the world to travel, get the item and instructions for its use, and return in time to present it—along with another surprise of his own—to Rei.
He viciously stabs a carrot, taking out his frustration on the innocent vegetable before shoving the bowl away. He’s not really hungry anyway. Shivering, he moves to sit in front of the fireplace, wrapping a blanket around his shoulders.
There’s a noise at one of the windows, and Edmond looks over but sees nothing. Probably just rattling from the wind. He picks up a book from a small side table and opens to a random page. He’s read this one before, so it doesn’t matter where he starts as long as it distracts him from this miserable loneliness. Lost in his own thoughts, he stares unseeing at the words.
Rei hasn’t seen hide nor hair of Edmond in two days, and he’s had no word from him either. They were supposed to have a private gift exchange this morning, but the Vice-Captain is nowhere to be found. Rei wonders if he was called to duty and became wrapped up in some situation, but that seems unlikely.
Searching the mansion and grounds is inefficient, so Rei pops into the kitchen to ask if Yakumo has seen him. It smells good from whatever he’s baking with Garu. Olivine is quietly sipping his tea and reading over some document. The moment Rei enters, Yakumo begins putting food on a plate and Olivine stands to rest a hand on his shoulder, looking him up and down as he sends out a wave of his essence.
Rei chuckles faintly. Leave it to them to do caretaking and an inspection before asking him why he’s come calling. He tolerates the feeling of Olivine’s essence running over him, and afterward, he manages to eat about half of what Yakumo put on the plate. He slips the rest to Garu.
“Have any of you seen Sir Edmond this morning?” he asks, trying to sound innocent and as though he isn’t worried sick.
Yakumo and Olivine exchange a glance before Olivine says, “He only told us he had an important errand up in the mountains and would be back as soon as he could.”
“Important errand?” Rei repeats.
Another look between them, this time with some hidden meaning Rei can’t comprehend. Garu looks over and helpfully supplies some information.
“Oh, he was going to get your—mmph!” Garu’s words are stifled by Yakumo’s hand.
“My what, now?”
“Nothing!” Garu says once Yakumo’s hand is gone, looking properly cowed.
Olivine’s smile is warm, and his hand on Rei’s arm is gentle. “Mr. Quincy is heading up to deliver supplies and do his mountain patrol. Why not see if he’ll let you tag along?”
“Wait a moment,” Yakumo says. “I’ll prepare something for you.”
A short while later, Rei is on his way, along with a bundle of supplies Yakumo put together. He’s choosing not to question how seamless it was for the Kitchen Trio to rope him into this endeavor. The snow is beginning to come down heavier when he swings himself up into the cart to sit beside Quincy. He gets a side-eye and a low grunt for his trouble.
“Why are you here?” Quincy asks, continuing to direct the cart.
“I have something I need to do up in the mountains. You’re going that way.” Rei shrugs and leans back, hands behind his head.
“Troublesome,” Quincy mutters. “You do know it’s a long hike.”
“Your point?”
“It would be simpler to wait until the snowstorm passes.” Quincy glances over at him again.
“Yes, and? I have business in the village that can’t wait that long.”
Quincy’s gaze rests on the elegantly wrapped box now sitting in Rei’s lap. “Something to do with that?”
“It isn’t your concern.”
“It’s about time you did something about it.” Quincy grunts. “I’m not carrying you if you get tired.”
That’s as much acknowledgement as Rei is going to get, so he’ll take it. Better than outright refusal, which Quincy could’ve done but probably wouldn’t have after correctly guessing at the contents of the box.
“You’re not taking the cart up?” he asks.
“Not that far. We’ll stop at the foot of the mountain and leave it with a friend of mine until we return.”
The storm is finally letting up. The wind is still fierce, but at least the snowfall has settled into thick, heavy flakes that drift slowly past the window. Edmond throws another log on the fire and settles back into his chair to continue staring at his book.
The window rattles again, much louder this time, and Edmond huffs. Not that he was actually reading, but it’s still distracting. He rises to check if something is loose. The minute he unlatches it, the window is raised and a single, booted foot steps onto the sill. It’s followed by a leg and then the entire rest of a full person.
Edmond steps back, away from the snow and ice that follow Rei into the cabin. In his haste and confusion, he blurts, “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Well, that’s a fine way to greet a man,” Rei says, shaking himself off.
“Sorry, sorry!” Edmond steps closer to help divest him of his coat. He also takes the bundle in his hand and sets it next to the window.
Once Rei’s snowy outer gear is off, he folds Edmond into his arms and kisses him with his chilly lips. “Much better,” he says before leaning in to do it again.
“How did you get here?” Edmond asks once his mouth is free.
The window opens again and a blond head of hair appears. “I will stack more wood for you before I go,” Quincy says.
Rei grins. “He’s on his usual patrol, headed to the village with supplies, so I came along to find you.”
Edmond steps out of his arms and goes to the window. “Don’t you want to come in for a bit?”
“Can’t,” Quincy says. “Too many people need help due to the storm. I will clear in front of your door and then check in on the others.”
He disappears, and Edmond shuts the window. At least he now has an explanation for why Rei used the window and not the door, although he can’t figure out why they didn’t clear the space first.
“What’s in there?” he asks, pointing to the bag.
“Dinner,” Rei says, picking it up and brushing off the rest of the snow. It’s making a puddle on the floor. “Quincy said that the nobles who use these cabins in the summer usually only leave them stocked with preserved vegetables and stews. We figured you might like something fresh.”
He opens the bag and begins pulling out dishes. They’ll need to be warmed, but it’s clearly more than the two of them would be able to eat for a single meal. Edmond flushes when he realizes that this must’ve been Yakumo’s doing. In addition to the food, there are more blankets, some candles, tea, and a pretty little box with a sapphire ribbon. Edmond is about to reach for it when Rei lightly smacks his hand away.
“Not yet. Food first, Vice-Captain.”
Together, they heat the food and then sit at the table to enjoy it. As usual, Rei mostly picks at his, but Edmond is relieved to see him eat almost a normal amount. Attempting to be subtle, he checks him over. His skin is still reddened from the cold, and he’s trembling slightly, but he otherwise looks all right.
“I’m fine,” he says with a light chuckle.
“I—I wasn’t—I mean—” Edmond flushes.
“You’re not as sly as you think. Besides…” Now it’s Rei’s turn to blush. “I only noticed because I was doing the same thing.”
For no good reason, this strikes Edmond as funny, and he laughs out loud. Taking Rei’s hand, he kisses his cold fingers before letting go.
“Of course you were.”
They’re quiet for a moment before Rei says, “You missed our gift exchange this morning.”
“I know.” Edmond sighs and looks down at his empty plate. “I wanted to be back, but you saw the snow. I had no way to get you so much as a letter.”
“It’s all right.”
Rei takes Edmond’s hand again, and Edmond notices that his trembling has started again, despite the fact that his hand is much warmer.
“Are you quite all right? Perhaps we should sit by the fire and—”
“No, no.” Rei withdraws his hand. “I…thought we might exchange our presents here.”
Edmond thinks of the small box that was his reason for being here and nods. Suddenly, his stomach feels like an entire swarm of butterflies has set up camp. He has no way of knowing how the gift will be received. He swallows, feeling a little ill at the prospect of Rei rejecting his offering.
“Yes, that sounds excellent.”
Rei laughs, but Edmond hears something vaguely off in it. “So formal.” He sobers and then says, “May I go first?”
Edmond is torn between relief and anxiety over having to wait. “O-of course.”
Producing the box with the sapphire ribbon, Rei sets it before Edmond. It’s almost too pretty to open, but when Edmond hesitates, Rei gives him an arched eyebrow. Relenting, Edmond carefully unties the bow and opens the box.
Nestled inside is a perfectly decorated Kleinmas Chocolate Cake. It’s meant to look like a Holy Ark, and there’s a small space to put a tiny gift inside. Edmond peers in, and the sparkle of something catching the light draws his eyes to it. He sucks in a breath just as Rei reaches into the box and retrieves the object. Before Edmond can react, Rei is kneeling in front of him.
“W-wait!” Edmond cries.
This is perhaps not the best thing he could do, but he cannot let it go. Ignoring Rei’s surprised “Huh?” Edmond leaps up from his seat and goes to grab his gift. He sits back down. Meanwhile, Rei has rocked back to sit on his heels.
“Edmond?”
“Just—just open it! Before you say anything else! Please?”
Still appearing puzzled, Rei removes the silk ribbon from the gift and takes off the lid. “It’s a music box,” he says.
“Not any music box. It’s…” Edmond blushes. “It’s infused with my essence. There’s a trick to it, which I’ll show you later, but for now…open it.”
Obediently, Rei lifts the top of the music box. It plays a soft, tinkling melody, and he examines the intricate workings. Edmond knows the exact moment Rei spots the most important part because his expression changes. In a blink, he goes through an entire range of emotions, from delight to shock to overcome. Edmond delicately plucks something from beneath the mechanism and holds it out.
Rei’s voice breaks when he says, “Am I allowed to give you your gift now, Vice-Captain?”
Edmond slides off his chair so he’s kneeling beside Rei. “Only if I can give you yours too.”
Gently lifting Edmond’s hand, Rei slides the gold band set with a single spinel gem onto his finger. “My heart belongs to you, Edmond. Marry me?”
Edmond’s eyes sting, and he blinks back tears as he trades hands with Rei. He slips a silver band embedded with tiny sapphires onto his finger. “Yes. I am all yours.”
They move at the same time, their lips meeting in a kiss sweeter than the fancy cake on the table. Edmond can’t hold back anymore, tears rolling down his cheeks. Rei swipes them away with his thumbs.
“I’m sorry…I don’t mean to be such a mess,” Edmond says.
“No, don’t be,” Rei replies. “It’s one of the things I like about you. Always so cool-headed in a crisis, leading your men with firm determination. But when it’s all done, you never hold anything back.” He pauses, meeting Edmond’s gaze. “I love the way you reveal your whole self.”
It’s taken a lot for him to say even that much, and Edmond can’t contain himself any longer. He reaches for Rei, pulling him back into a scorching kiss. When they come up for air, he can’t resist teasing a little.
“You came all this way, in a storm, because you couldn’t wait one more day for me to return. I think I might not be the only one revealing his heart here.”
“Shut it. All I did was join Quincy because he was already headed this way. You, on the other hand, let yourself get caught in a storm because you just had to have this gift, Sir Perfect Kleinmas.”
“At least I had the sense to tell everyone where I would be!”
Rei gapes at him. “Wait…they knew?”
Edmond has the good graces to flush at his accidental revelation. “I may have mentioned it at our last overnight.”
“Mentioned…what, exactly?” Rei leans closer. “I want to hear you say it.”
Edmond’s face is on fire. “I told them I was going to propose to you.”
“Ah, so that’s what Garu almost revealed this morning. Good thing I didn’t run into Blade on my way out.”
“Indeed,” Edmond says, cooling off a bit.
“It does explain a lot,” Rei says with a light laugh.
“Such as?”
“Why Yakumo and Olivine seemed like they were expecting to send me here. And why you interrupted my proposal before I got to the good part instead of just waiting until I was done.”
Edmond leans even closer. “Who said you were allowed to be the only one doing the asking?”
Rei doesn’t answer. Instead, he closes the gap and kisses Edmond again. This time, he doesn’t stop. He lifts his hand to tug the tie out of Edmond’s ponytail, allowing his hair to cascade over his shoulders. He’s let it grow again, and Rei runs his hand through the silky strands.
He kisses his way down Edmond’s neck, making him gasp and tilt his head to expose more of his skin. Rei tugs at the hem of his shirt, lifting it and drawing it over his head. He takes off his own and crowds fully into Edmond’s personal space to continue his exploration of the newly bared flesh.
As much as Edmond wants to reciprocate, he’s already losing himself in the feel of Rei’s lips and tongue on him. When Rei reaches his shy nipple, Edmond moans loudly and arches into the touch. Before he can recover, a hand plunges into his trousers.
With Rei working his cock with one hand, tugging his hair with the other, and sucking on his nipple, Edmond stands no chance at holding back. He cums suddenly with a startled yelp, panting and shaking all over.
When he opens his eyes again, Rei is sporting a shit-eating grin. Edmond wants to wipe it off his face—or kiss him senseless, and at this point, either option is fair game. He elects to adjust his position for a little retaliation, rising to his knees and looking down at Rei in preparation. Surprising even himself, he grasps Rei’s loose ponytail and yanks it so Rei is forced to peer up at him.
Despite that, Rei’s expression never wavers. His lips are curved upward and his eyes half-closed in satisfaction. He pokes out his tongue and runs it over his teeth suggestively.
“You seem to have some ideas there, Vice-Captain.”
“You! Stop talking this minute.”
“Or what?”
“Or—or—mmph!”
Edmond leans in and kisses Rei aggressively, stopping him from getting another sentence out. He presses his palm against the bulge in Rei’s trousers in imitation of all the times Eiden—or Rei—have done the same to him. Despite the heat in his cheeks, Edmond pushes on, wanting to give as good as he got and take his revenge.
He makes short work of the fastenings on Rei’s trousers and pauses for only a moment before slipping his hand inside the fabric. Rei groans softly in a way that makes Edmond shiver from head to toe. It’s unfair that it should have such an effect on him when it’s Rei’s shaft he has his hand wrapped around.
Rei braces one hand on Edmond’s shoulder and uses the other to shove his trousers down. With his hair a mess, clothes halfway off, and skin pinking up from arousal, Edmond thinks he’s so gorgeous it should be illegal. He should arrest him so no one else can see him like this.
The thought of cuffing him spurs Edmond into action. He moves his hand, slowly at first, enjoying the feel of Rei’s dick against his palm and the sound of his breathless enthusiasm. Rei puts his hand on top of Edmond’s.
“Faster,” he begs. “More.”
And Edmond has no problem delivering. He aims to find every spot, every angle, every motion that draws out those beautiful sounds. His fingers are wet with precum, making the slide slicker and easier and Rei’s moans needier. Rei drags Edmond into a hot, messy kiss just as he cums all over his hand.
Edmond extracts himself and sits back, breathing almost as hard as Rei. He watches as Rei sheds his trousers and underpants, tossing them aside with his shirt. Edmond is suddenly very aware that he’s already soiled his own trousers and winces at the sensation. Only a little embarrassed, he follows Rei’s example and removes the rest of his clothes.
“I suppose we ought to wash up,” he says.
Rei chuckles. “You thought we were done?”
“I—”
Rising to his feet, Rei holds out a hand and pulls Edmond up. “We’re snowed in until at least the morning. We have plenty of food, blankets, and firewood, and there’s no one around but the two of us.” He puts his lips right up to Edmond’s ear. “Why not enjoy ourselves, hm?”
Rei makes a point of following Edmond to the fireplace so he can admire the view of his thick thighs and perfectly round ass. God, he could worship this man’s body. It’s even better when Edmond glances over his shoulder with an expression somewhere between confusion and exasperation.
They create a makeshift bed beside the warm fire, and Edmond adds another couple of logs before lying down beside Rei. He’s irresistible; Rei immediately pulls him close, absorbing his body heat. They kiss lazily for a bit before Rei rolls Edmond onto his back and straddles him. He sits back on Edmond’s thighs so he can admire his beauty, his bare skin almost glowing in the firelight.
“And you dare call me sentimental,” Edmond mutters.
“Ha. I’m not being sentimental at all. I’m lusting after your insanely hot body. Thinking about whether or not I’d rather suck your cock or finger your ass.”
“You—!” Edmond glares up at him, propping himself on his elbows. “Deviant.”
Rei shakes with laughter. “I will never understand you, Vice-Captain.” He leans down and lowers his voice. “It’s perfectly normal to want to fuck the man you’re going to marry.”
He doesn’t give Edmond a chance to respond, instead kissing him with every ounce of intensity he can muster. He explores Edmond’s mouth, licking him in all the spots he knows are most sensitive until Edmond is alternating sharp gasps and desperate moans. He slots himself against Edmond and rolls his hips, their erections gliding with increasing ease as they become slick with arousal.
He braces his hands on either side of Edmond’s head, allowing himself more leverage, and begins to thrust in earnest. Edmond arches his back, meeting Rei beat for beat. The heated air in the room is perfumed with sex and essence, adding to the stimulation. They’re grinding against each other with focused determination. Rei’s gut tightens with anticipation, his orgasm building, when Edmond unexpectedly places his hands on his cheeks and looks into his eyes.
“W-wait!” he says, ceasing his motion.
Rei shakes with effort but slows his rocking. “Hm?”
“I.” Edmond licks his lips and peers up at Rei, his eyes wide with lust and something else. Anxiety, perhaps. “I want…as you said, I want t-to—to fuck the man I’m going to marry.” He ducks his head, resting his forehead against Rei’s shoulder.
A vivid memory comes to Rei’s mind of the only other time they’ve tried and how poorly it ended. How they agreed it was off the table because of all the ways Rei hurt Edmond, physically and emotionally. It isn’t as though he needs this from him, not with Eiden and not with a household full of willing men. But he wants it, there’s no denying it.
“Are you certain?”
Edmond places a tender kiss on Rei’s shoulder. “I am.”
Rei rolls off him and flips over, lying prone with his ass up. He looks back over his shoulder. “This will be easier for us both.”
Edmond moves behind him, and he leans down to kiss along Rei’s spine. His touch is too light, but Rei doesn’t complain. He wants so badly for it to be all right this time. Everywhere they’re connected, he feels Edmond shaking, and he hears the quaver in each breath.
“I—” Edmond starts, but he cuts himself off as he places a hand on Rei’s hip.
Rei can’t blame him for being nervous. Hell, he’s anxious too, but it’s up to him to make sure Edmond is all right. He turns to look at him again, and the mixture of worry and determination on his face makes his heart feel as if it might burst.
“Take your time.”
Edmond rubs against him cautiously. Rei presses back, controlling his motion. Just the thought of doing this with Edmond has him shuddering with desire. He grips the blanket in an effort to stop himself from thrusting too hard and causing Edmond to panic. They keep up this slow grinding, the intensity between them increasing until Rei can’t bear it any longer.
“Please,” he says. “Put it in.”
So Edmond does. He’s careful, hesitant, but the more connected they are, the more he gasps with pleasure. Rei holds still, waiting for Edmond to be fully inside him.
“My god,” Edmond says. “Does it always feel like this?”
“I wouldn’t know,” Rei replies honestly. “But I assume so, or at least it’s meant to.”
“It’s incredible,” Edmond tells him, his voice soft with awe.
It’s different from the last time. Edmond’s shy amazement sends a shiver up Rei’s spine. He’s so beautiful when he lets himself be present like this. He leans down again, covering Rei’s back with his chest. Rei adjusts so they can link their hands.
“You should move now,” he says.
It’s unbearably slow at first, but as Edmond gains confidence—and as he loses himself in the pleasure of their entwined bodies—he begins to thrust faster. The room is filled with the sounds of their colliding flesh and the harmony of their moans. Once more, Rei feels himself balancing on the edge of climax.
“It—it feels so good,” Edmond gasps out. “I’m—it’s coming…”
“Keep going,” Rei urges. “Me too.”
Rei’s panting culminates in a cry of release at the same time Edmond’s louder groans turn into a shout as he cums. Shaking, they collapse together onto the blanket beneath them. Edmond pulls out, and Rei immediately turns to fold him into an embrace. Edmond buries his face in Rei’s shoulder, an occasional deep shudder wracking his body.
At last Edmond looks up into Rei’s eyes. “I can’t believe we—”
“Shh. It was good. You were good.”
They lie together for a little longer before getting up to clean themselves. Dressed in fresh, warm nightclothes, they huddle together under the blankets by the fire, watching the still-falling snow.
“We can get Father Olivine to bind us, perhaps in the spring,” Edmond says.
Rei nods but says nothing for a moment. Then, “You know we can’t make it legal.”
“I do,” Edmond confirms. “It would look strange indeed for a presumably dead member of the royal family who never ages to be wed to the Vice-Captain of the knights.”
“And…you know what will happen if everything goes pear-shaped.”
“Indeed.” Edmond pauses. “Like you know that I won’t go with you. My duty is to the Grand Sorcerer, in whatever capacity that means.”
“I know.” Rei steals a glance at Edmond, who is still looking out the window. “Even so, it…feels right.”
Edmond finally looks at him. “We should speak to Eiden.”
“As soon as we return.” Rei turns so he can kiss Edmond. “But for now…”
They fall into each other’s arms again, bathed in the warm glow of the fire, the light winking off their rings, as snow continues to drift down outside. Questions and plans can wait until the storm has passed and they are no longer snowed in. For now, remaining in one another’s embrace is all that matters.