alucard emery (anoshe) wrote in thedisplaced, @ 2018-09-01 09:57:00 |
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Entry tags: | !log/thread, alucard emery, rhy maresh |
WHO: Alucard Emery & Rhy Maresh
WHAT: A proposal~
WHEN: August 25th
WHERE: A boat, off Isla del Espiritu Santo, Mexico
WARNINGS: Absolute gay cuteness
Rhy had been planning this for approximately two months. He had originally planned to make this proposal a birthday present. Only when they had actually talked about their future here had he realized that, perhaps, it might not be actually something Alucard wanted, and he had turned his birthday present into an offering of the possibility instead. Alucard had stated that he did, indeed, want to be married to Rhy here, and so the plan had moved forward. He had asked Alucard to spend the weekend away with him only this week, but the portal had been booked ever since that conversation on his birthday. The portal took them to La Paz, Mexico, a different part of the country from where they’d gone to the pride parade a few months before. They left early in the morning, and spent the first half of the day wandering, exploring, as if there was nothing else planned except this. But then, after lunch, Rhy took Alucard down to the docks. There, a ship was waiting for them. It was not the Saren Noche; Rhy had found through much dedicated research that ships like the Saren Noche apparently did not exist any longer in this world. Everything was fancy, technological, upgraded for the best kind of luxury. Which held its own kind of appeal, of course, but it wasn’t what Rhy was looking for. He wanted a ship that felt as close to Alucard’s as he could possibly get. It had taken a while, but he’d finally found the Besame Mucho, a 95 foot gulet with no motor, available to rent without a skipper -- which, of course, they wouldn’t need. And the name meant kiss me a lot. It was as close to perfection as he could get. He’d also managed to negotiate to pay for it to have a fresh coat of darker paint and new, blue sails (as well as a few other small repairs), which meant that it was just a tiny bit closer. But he’d left the original name on the hull, because it was appropriate, and it belonged to the ship. He’d also paid for fresh rose petals and candles on the deck, recently placed so as not to be mussed, though he didn’t expect them to last very long once they were out at sea unless Alucard made a point to protect them from the wind. For the next hour or so that might work, but after that, Rhy expected him to be distracted. “I rented this for us,” he said, as they looked up at the ship from the dock. And then, once they were on the deck, he spread his arms out to show off the flowers and candles, at the same time lighting the candles with small, perfect flames. He’d been practicing that for months, too, and his wide grin was in small part because it had worked, just as everything else he’d planned had been working out perfectly. He was so ready for this moment to be here, and it was so close. “It’s ours for three nights. There’s a small, private bay on an island about a half hour away where I think we should lay anchor for the first night… but after that, where we go is the captain’s choice.” -- While Alucard had not known what to expect, he knew Rhy well enough. His lover liked to plan and to see those plans come to fruition. The Essen Tasch had been a remarkable success that showed his skill with difficult international situations, as well as entertainment and more. Alucard’s birthday party - a small affair in comparison, though far exceeding what Alucard had ever expected to happen on his birthday - had shown the same skill here, earlier this month. As such, the fact that Rhy had made further plans for their visit was not surprising. The small details stood out. Alucard knew, having researched modern boats over the months and refreshed his memory to teach a class for the survival course, that the lack of a motor had to be purposeful. The sails, too, were unlikely to be a coincidence. The shade differed slightly from the Saren Noche but evoked its memory. Off in Bard’s hands, Alucard thought to himself. The roses and the candles were also clearly just for the two of them. Alucard’s smile grew at the pride and pleasure Rhy took in using his magic. It was so pure. This boat, at least, was some sort of cousin to his, to the ships from their world. Even the greatest luxury wouldn’t change the limitations on the living quarters, and it could be crewed adequately just the two of them. Were there a storm, a third person would perhaps be ideal. But the weather was good, and they could check that as well, that being something this world offered. Alucard also hoped the owner had left some charts for use. “You continue to impress,” Alucard replied, meaning both the show of magic and all the planning and execution of this effort. “I will have to consult some maps before I make any decisions…” He thought about it. This world lacked magic, but Alucard did not. Moving smoothly, the ex-privateer cast some of the usual enchantments Arnesian - and Faroan and Veskan - ships received. It prevented fire from catching. Certainly, their clothes could burn, but the vessel would be fine. The magic was one Alucard was firmly familiar with but not incredibly experienced with. Once cast, what was done was done. His attention returned to Rhy, standing amid rose petals and candles, whose light was not all that remained but provided a soft glow nonetheless. “But show me this bay, love, so I can take you there,” Alucard grinned. It felt wonderful to be on the water. -- Rhy watched Alucard closely, thoroughly enjoying every bit of his reaction. Alucard was looking just as closely at everything around him, for which Rhy was very glad; he’d put a lot of effort into every little detail of this, and he knew Alucard’s eyes would find and appreciate them all. He had control over the fire, but did not mind Alucard casting the magic anyway. It was better to be safe than sorry, especially if they were to keep the candles lit until they reached the bay. Rhy did not particularly care if they went out, so long as they could be lit again when they got there. He expected some of the petals might blow away, but that was not much of a concern. He wanted to be offshore, somewhere private, before proposing. And he wanted to give Alucard a chance to sail before he was distracted by a proposal. “This way,” he answered with a wide smile, before turning to lead the way to the helm. Beside the wheel, there were multiple charts of the surrounding area; the owner of the ship had provided some, and Rhy had gotten a few more. He knew they might get a little farther than the owner might expect, given Alucard’s proficiency in wind magic. Or they might not, if they decided to spend more time anchored. Rhy wanted Alucard to be able to decide exactly what he wanted to do with their time aboard the boat. He pulled one of the topmost charts towards them, and pointed to the small inlet on the Isla del Espiritu Santo. “Here.” -- His steps trailed Rhy’s at an easy pace. The ship was longer than the Ghost and had a heavier build at that. But the distance was crossed quickly nonetheless, with some rose petals brushed out of the way of each step. It was an unnecessary use of magic, but Rhy had paid for the gesture, and it was too early in their time for Alucard to stomp them or crush them. It also let him afford more of his attention to the pleasant view before him. His eyes turned dutifully toward the charts, patching them together in his mind. He could recognize what parts overlapped with others. The waters were different from ones he had sailed before. They would need to go around the peninsula if they wished to see open waters. Alucard found that he sincerely, strongly, did. It was early enough in the day that they could have easily gone for something like that, especially if Alucard assisted in the matter. But Rhy had not lied; the bay was particularly close. It would leave a great deal of time for them to do something else. It could have been easily explained as Rhy not wanting to spend the rest of their day with Alucard at this wheel steering them. Being only the two of them and being, again, the only one with true sailing experience, Alucard would spend their time with the sails up at this post. Despite that easy explanation, Alucard suspected something else, something more. It would not take that long for him to discover the answer. “As you wish,” Alucard replied. The phrase had been used splendidly in a movie he had seen recently, and he quietly enjoyed using it with Rhy as well. Alucard briefly leaned in to give Rhy a short kiss; then his attention turned to the activity of properly using the boat. Magic was helpful. He raised anchor, led them out away from the other boats, out the narrow strait into the gulf that their destination was a part of. Away from the marina, away from most other people and boats, it was a simple manner. Alucard stood guiding the ship by the feel of the wind, the image of the chart in his mind, and the easy simplicity of the open water. He would need to take more care entering the bay, but this… this was simple and easy and missed. He wanted to find means to regularly travel to a port and to make use of a boat. His mind had not truly let him think about how much he missed doing this because he did not regret his choice. Alucard knew the feeling of something he needed, without which everything else was not enough. That was right here with him. That person had brought him here. -- Rhy made himself useful getting the boat ready to leave. He’d already had the owner give him a brief lesson in how all the parts of this particular ship worked, for that purpose. Alucard knew ships and would undoubtedly have been able to teach him, but Rhy was just as eager to try to meet him halfway. This was Alucard’s world, and he was meeting him here. That was purposeful, because at home, Alucard would be stepping into Rhy’s world, taking the crown and sitting on the throne beside him. But with no crown here, Rhy could return the gesture. Albeit with somewhat less permanence, since he did not expect them to live on a boat anytime soon. Once his help was no longer needed, he sat down where Alucard could see him, leaned back on his hands, and stretched out his legs. He tilted his head back briefly to enjoy the breeze moving over his face and rustling his curls. He got back up as they got closer to the bay and made himself useful again. Then he moved back down amongst the windblown petals and candles -- some of which had indeed gone out, and which he carefully relit -- and gestured for Alucard to join him. His insides fluttered with nerves; the moment was no longer just approaching, it was here. No going back -- not that he wanted to. Not that he was scared of Alucard’s answer, because he knew what it was going to be. But still, their lives were about to change. When his lover came closer, Rhy moved to meet him, close enough to lean in for a kiss. He didn’t do that yet, but reached out to touch Alucard’s cheek. “I hope you enjoyed getting to sail a little bit, love,” he said. “I know it probably wasn’t as much as you wanted, but there’s time for more. There’s something else, first.” -- To mild surprise, Rhy was more useful than Kell or Holland had been. All three antari were plenty powerful to provide wind. But the non-magical elements of sailing were far more important. He did not have much more experience than Alucard had serving aboard his first ship. But in the passing days, certainly, they would work together more and become a bit more efficient. The rocks surrounding the island, some barely jutting out of the water, demonstrated the unevenness to the depth around them. Alucard was glad they came while there was still some light in the sky and took care bringing them as close as was duly safe. The high walls of stone would shield them from a fair amount of wind, if any came during the night. Alucard did not know what would come next, simply that it would involve Rhy. So Rhy had been what drew his attention and him. While some of the flower petals had blown away, an impressive number of them remained. The scene was more striking, here away from civilization and the quiet drone of other people. It truly was just the two of them. Everything was set. For whatever Rhy was doing. Alucard tilted his head slightly, into Rhy’s touch. It felt foolish to speculate when he would receive an answer in a matter of minutes. “Then go ahead, love,” Alucard replied. They stood surrounded by rose petals and magic flame, aboard a dark vessel with darker blue sails, surrounded by striking blue water and white cliffs. It held enough drama even to match them. He wanted to be right but resolved not to be disappointed. -- Rhy had gone over this moment so many, many times in his head. He wanted so badly for it to be perfect, and especially, to find the right words. Already, everything else had worked perfectly, and the words were all that was left. “I love you,” he began, his voice rough with the intensity of the emotion. “So much.” His fingertips traced the line of Alucard’s jaw, and his eyes took in every inch of his beloved’s face. “Oh, saints.” He took a deep breath, and continued. “I think you already know how much I want a future with you at home. That I have every intention of marrying you, and spending my life with you. You will be my only lover, and my only spouse, and my equal in every way. You have my word, and my ring, as a promise.” His hand lowered from Alucard’s cheek to his chest, pressing against his heart. “But I have no idea when we will get home, and a promise of a future only means so much. Already it feels like I’ve waited for it too long, and I know you’ve waited for it even longer. You don’t have to wait any longer, my love.” He smiled, his eyes damp. He pulled his hand back and reached into his pocket. From it he drew the pokeball he always carried, and opened it. Llek soared out, circled their heads once, and then landed on Rhy’s arm. In his strong beak he was holding a small, red velvet box. Rhy took it from him, and opened it. It contained a ring made of one gold band and one silver, twined together, each inlaid with diamonds and two small rubies, with a single large ruby in the center. “I want to be yours, here. Officially, beyond any shadow of a doubt.” He was supposed to kneel at this point, but his legs felt weak. He held out the box, pressing it close to Alucard’s chest. “Please marry me, love.” -- His heart beat so loudly Alucard could hear it reverberate in his head. The rhythm created the background against which Rhy spoke. From the first words, from the deep twist of emotion in them, with the slow movement of Rhy’s fingers across his face, with the lack of distance that stayed between them, Alucard knew where the words were leading. His stance widened, slightly, as he held himself stable on the gently rocking deck. The water was mostly even, only the gentle pull of the tides affecting them. Rhy spoke about what they knew, about what had been decided. The question of what happened back home had risen first. It was the more difficult situation, with greater politics and worldwide consequences. Arnes and Alucard, how to have them both, had long been on Rhy’s mind. And Alucard had spoken honestly of his expectations there, so that Rhy could decide for himself what to do. Alucard had been invested, on board, for a long time now. But he had also had more time to think about it, and he had given Rhy the same in return. It had distracted from the issue of where they were. The possibility that they could get married - here - and were free to do so whenever they so chose, Alucard had come to that realization rather quickly. Again, had it only been a matter of his readiness, he would have long ago proposed to Rhy. On this issue, as well, Alucard had thought Rhy had needed more time to come around on it. And so he had waited. They had been and were, after all, together quite openly. The only surprise in the whole proposal was Rhy pulling his pokéball out of his pocket, Llek springing out from it, and the ring having been held there of all places. Alucard blinked at the flutter of bird (at least it was relatively small compared to his own) before his attention returned to Rhy. The image was not quite what Alucard had imagined but no less than that. Alucard’s arm wrapped around Rhy, holding them firmly together. His other hand gently reached up for the box and took it from Rhy. The ring was beautiful - he could never expect less from his lover - the colors resembled those from Arnes, from House Maresh. They matched well with the ring Alucard already wore from Rhy. “I love you,” Alucard replied, the words heavy and sweet. “No matter what world we are in, no matter how far we roam, I want you and to be yours.” He smiled and used magic so as to place the ring on his finger without letting go of Rhy. “I am yours,” Alucard replied, “And you are mine.” That response also thundered in his ears, something he had wanted to hear for so long. He kissed Rhy, held close amid the rose petals and candles. Alucard pressed his forehead against Rhy’s, his eyes closed as the feelings committed to memory. “Yes,” Alucard replied again, “I will marry you.” -- Rhy wasn’t sure if he had started holding his breath, or if Alucard had rendered him breathless. It was, possibly, both. Certainly by the time Alucard had pulled him in close, he wasn’t breathing. He had wanted for so long to know what it would feel like for Alucard to look at him like this, hold him like this -- with certainty, without a trace of wistfulness or longing -- and oh, saints, it was better than he’d ever dreamed. His whole body felt warm and weak. He didn’t really need the words, because everything about the way Alucard looked at him and held him told him the answer, but they were wonderful to hear, all the same. He let Alucard take the box and the ring from his numb fingers, and his hands immediately went to the back of Alucard’s neck, fingers curling into his skin and hair. He clung to his lover -- now his fiancé -- like his life depended on it. Certainly his balance did, especially on the deck of a ship. Especially when Alucard kissed him. He was gasping for breath when Alucard broke away, and at the same time mourning the end of the kiss. He pressed as close to Alucard as he possibly could, overwhelmed and a little dizzy with it all. He belonged here, belonged to Alucard. There were no more conditional clauses to go with that sentence. No more thinking about how he would belong, would be Alucard’s in the future, or at home. They were not married yet, but things had already shifted between them emotionally. Ever since he’d come back, Alucard had done nothing but offer Rhy his heart, his affection, his future, all of it within Rhy’s grasp, but on some level Rhy had been holding himself back, even if only a little bit. That had changed. He had offered himself wholly, freely, and unreservedly, and Alucard had immediately claimed all of him. It was a new, vulnerable, exciting, terrifying, wonderful, incredible feeling. “Is this moment everything that you wanted it to be?” he asked, breathless. He pressed his forehead and nose against Alucard’s, the whole world reduced down to this small space between their lips. His fingers pressed lovingly, possessively, into the back of Alucard’s neck. He could feel Alucard’s heart pounding, racing, just like his own. He wanted very badly to be kissed again, and more, but also wanted to hear the answer. Alucard had made it clear he expected a big proposal, a significant gesture -- as if Rhy would even consider anything less. But there were limitations in what this world had to offer them, and Rhy had needed to go to greater lengths than he’d expected to create the moment he’d envisioned. It had nevertheless gone exactly as he’d planned it. He only hoped he had managed to meet Alucard’s expectations, too. -- They stood on a ship at sea, a small ways away from anyone else but alone the two of them in all the world. There was no throne here, no court of nobles sitting in judgment, no crowds of commoners to win over. The elements of performance were taken out, so instead it was a private matter, meant for the two of them, the way nearly all marriages and marriage proposals were. It stood as their relationship here was, and they were free to have it. And they were. Rhy had chosen to have it here. Alucard had long been ready to be with Rhy, both back home and here. Quickly, their freedom had been apparent. But seizing it also meant accepting having a life here, that they would be for the indefinite future in a world not their own, with their duties and responsibilities in Arnes set aside. That, Alucard expected, had been the larger hurdle for Rhy. His heart, his duties, his expectations were all set within Arnes. And it had now been close to half a year, for Alucard and shortly less for Rhy, somewhere else. Long enough. It had been the first time Rhy had experienced the life he knew being taken away from him. It took some adjustments, some getting used to. Some time even to accept it. Alucard understood that feeling and had waited, as such. Perhaps Rhy had mostly hoped they would have returned home by now. Alucard could accept that - he knew, most likely, how that would go back home, what conclusion Rhy reached here about it. But they were in this world, most of whose boats had engines for power and whose countries did not rely on monarchy for rule of law. What had mattered most was Rhy being his, was on the two of them being together and choosing to do that. So long as that had been made clear, it would have been acceptable. This… these great lengths that Rhy had gone to (certainly the boat had been modified, as surely as the rest had been arranged) demonstrated his devotion and feeling. It felt rather nice, yes, to have rose petals around them, candles Rhy had lit, and a beautiful view of the sea. Alucard had imagined it many of times, and reality had held up. “Yes, my love,” Alucard replied. “There is nothing more I could want from it.” He continued to hold Rhy close, whether or not Rhy still needed it; there was little intention in letting go any time soon. Alucard kissed Rhy again, more slowly, as though they had all the time in the world. They had days, for just the two of them. There was no reason to rush. Each touch only made him want Rhy more. -- “I am very glad to hear it,” Rhy responded, smiling. He had expected as much, but it was still good to hear. He knew, at the heart of things, that the grandness of the gesture did not matter nearly so much as the intent behind it, but he had still wanted to make it as memorable as possible. The ship, which represented where Alucard had truly grown into himself and decided how to pursue the life he wanted. The location, Mexico, which was the first place here in this world where they had celebrated their relationship with a crowd of others like them. He hoped that the meaning of those choices, or at least the emotions associated with them, had come across. But as long as Alucard was happy and his expectations were met, ultimately, the subtleties mattered little. Rhy felt the relief from his nerves building up to this moment, as well as the burden of uncertainty regarding their future, wash over him. He was still smiling when Alucard kissed him again. He kissed back intently, passionately, holding on tight, because he didn’t want to let go. There was time left in the day still, and they could sail if they wanted, but he wanted to spend it like this, wrapped up in each other. Though not necessarily on the deck, specifically. He broke the kiss for air, waited a moment for his head to stop spinning. Then he said, “I’ve prepared the cabin for us, love, if you’re ready to retire for the evening.” -- The cabin had been presumed, a destination at some point. But Alucard had not felt tempted to move from the spot on a boat that only held the two of them. The striking view behind them, being rooted in the place where Rhy had bridged that gap between them, and the simple pleasure in holding Rhy close had motivated Alucard to stay where he was. He had imagined his lover aboard his ship before, though the only time that had happened was more nightmare than daydream. This moment was far more what he had wanted. Alucard smiled, recognizing the pause before Rhy spoke for what it was. Fortunately, Rhy did not have to go off and do anything else, to focus his mind on anything else. Though Alucard was fond of leaving him with such distracting memories even when that was the case. “You have more appeal than sailing around that stretch of land to the open sea,” Alucard replied fondly. Those were the main choices, certainly. And Rhy had won long ago. Though it was a modern ship of different design, Alucard could guess at much of it. So he loosened his hold on Rhy and led him in the direction Alucard’s instincts said the cabin should be. “Let us retire and come together without reservation or hesitation,” Alucard added. No matter how fully they had given themselves to each other, it had not been all of themselves. It could not have been. Now they could be possessive and truly mean it. The same gestures Rhy had been making for weeks would have more depth and meaning for this moment, not just intention but action. -- “Don’t worry, love,” Rhy assured him. “You have three full days to explore the open sea, and to explore me, as you like. There is plenty of time for both.” He grinned and ran his thumb down Alucard’s neck. He suspected that they would spend a great deal of the days sailing, and have the nights to themselves, although there was no need to make strict rules about how their time was spent. “And I’m quite sure the owner of this boat will let us take it out again in the future. I was very generous.” He considered Alucard’s face for a moment. “Or perhaps when we get back, we could make him an offer to buy it for ourselves.” The ship felt like theirs already, in a way, and would likely only feel that way even more after they had spent three days on it, just the two of them. Already Rhy wasn’t sure how he felt about someone else renting it later, intruding upon this space that had such important memories attached to it. But those were considerations that they didn’t need to worry about until their last day here. He followed Alucard towards the cabin, rather eager for his lover to see it. He had furnished the bed with a cover of deep blue to match the ship’s sails, with accents of silver embroidery. Peeling back the covers revealed deep, royal red sheets. He had replaced the mattress with a larger and more comfortable one, which meant that the bed took up the vast majority of the space, leaving only a small amount of room to stand in. The floor here had red rose petals, and two small brass oil lamps instead of candles, placed strategically on a shelf and also on the small storage cupboard in the corner, which Rhy lit for them as they entered the room. He did not ask, but fully expected Alucard to add the magical charms to protect against fire. There were also electrical lanterns and flashlights stored in the ship’s supplies, but he liked the soft light of small flames better. It suited the mood of the occasion, and also, he couldn’t light an electrical lantern with magic. -- The cabin was considerably more bed and considerably less anything else than Alucard was used to seeing in a ship. Even for common sailors, where there had been bunks, there had been room for a chest, for each of them. It felt remarkably of Rhy that they had enough room that, should they wish, they could sleep not touching. Alucard practically stood in the doorway, having only taken a step into the room. He looked over at Rhy, a loving expression on his face. “My sweet darling,” Alucard said gently, kissing Rhy lightly. “This room has your touch all over it.” Most notably, the bed. The two terms were nearly synonymous. It said something of their expected activities. Rhy was right, to a great degree. This room would not have Alucard hunched over ledgers, tracking down who was stealing from him. Nor would they use this room to sit and share wine. They had privacy whatever part of the boat they were on. And in this room it would go to one purpose most commonly, when they were awake. He kissed Rhy again, his hands pulling his lover against him and exploring just how well together his clothes truly were. There was no rush to taking them off, no hurry in reaching a particular end. Alucard had all night, and Rhy would have to wait, enjoying it thoroughly, for much of it. |