He held it steady by the stem, balancing himself on his free hand, fingertips gingerly brushing against the side of Viktor's hand where it rested on the blanket behind him.
Without thinking, his own lips parted slightly as Viktor bit down into the fruit, like he was anticipating the taste of it himself. Or maybe he was imagining his own lips on his (it was the latter). The intense attraction he felt toward the man would have been alarming, if it was not so obvious how similar they were in so many regards. Like attracted like and all that. It was difficult not to be attracted to someone in that case.
He watches Xander's face intently, gaze moving to his lips as they part. He chews carefully, once, twice, swallows. There's a small droplet of juice on his own lip that he doesn't bother to wipe away.
"Would you like a taste?" He asks, leaning a little closer. He's still extremely nervous, but desire burns in him, too bright and hot to ignore.
His first instinct was to wipe the juice from Viktor's lips with his thumb. Before he could even set the strawberry down and lift his hand again to do so, the man was asking if he wanted a taste. Thank the Father he wasn't dense or he might not catch what he meant.
Xander exhaled a breathy laugh, set the berry stem down and set his now free hand against Viktor's cheek. "It would be my pleasure." and leaned in to gently set his lips against the other man's.
As their lips meet, Viktor exhales a slow breath through his nose, finding some sense of calm in the warm certainty of the act. This- this is what he'd been subconsciously anticipating. And wanting.
As his anxiety settles a little, the desire has more space to flare up. His own free hand clasps gently behind Xander's ear and keeps him close. He deepens the kiss, parting his lips slightly, offering a taste as he promised.
He could taste it — the tang of the strawberry juice on his lips, but also whatever taste would be distinctly Viktor. His tongue slipped from between his lips to brush against Viktor's; curious but still a little tentative, not wanting to push too far too soon, even if he was fairly certain the other man would not mind with how he so openly offered the affection.
It was picturesque, the way the sun filtered through the trees, casting down god rays upon the clearing they had settled in. The breeze was light, the flowers and grass swaying gently around them. Xander hummed into the other man's mouth and leaned in a little more, fingers sliding back to card through his hair and settle against the back of his skull.
Xander's taste and smell fill Viktor's senses, over and above the passive scent of wildflowers and grass. The rustle of breeze through bushes and trees is as soft as the warm air against his face. Xander's thick beard tickles him a little-- coarse, but well-groomed enough not to be unpleasant, almost soft.
Viktor exhales a soft hum as their mouths lock further together, his tongue just as tentative as it finds the other man's, the brush of it stoking a bit of heat in his gut.
He always requires an intellectual and emotional connection before he feels comfortable doing anything like this. And while he had that with Rolan, the tiefling had been the one to push things forward physically, a bit too fast for Viktor's taste. Alternately, here he feels in control of what's happening, like he can be the one to drive it forward or pull back. That sense of agency makes it easier for Viktor to tell what he wants. He wants Xander- a little urgently, but mostly deeply, tenderly. He likes the doctor a lot- his kindness, his intellect, his gentle caring nature- and he wants to let him know how he feels through this action, this deep kiss.
So his tongue presses in, more certain, exploring Xander's mouth more fully before he breaks the kiss gently. He lingers there, their foreheads touching, and looks into Xander's eyes.
It had been... a long time since Xander had any sort of romantic connection to someone. His arrangement with Celene was open and easy — she encouraged him to go and find someone he liked and enjoy himself, for once. But his studies and the children demanded he not take much time for himself. Here, in Caldera, a whole new world had opened up... literally. What luck he found Viktor first. Or, rather, Viktor found him.
His eyelids fluttered, open just enough to peer back at him. Cheeks warm with a flush of nervousness and excitement in equal measure.
"I should hope so." He teased and stole another soft, lingering kiss, speaking again when he pulled back. "I am quite fond of you, too. And I had not anticipated I would be so lucky to kiss you this soon."
That flushed expression on Xander's face is lovely and adorable. Viktor smiles faintly, his flesh thumb caressing the doctor's cheekbone. His smile grows as Xander steals one more kiss.
"I suppose I grew a little impatient," he murmurs, apologetic but playful. "I think eating may come more easily now." Now that the big scary part is 'out of the way', so to speak. Well, the body painting is also scary, but that part is optional and he's keeping it out of his mind for the moment. However, he makes no move to go back to eating, instead savouring this closeness.
"I'm glad to hear that." He murmured, lingering close still, forehead to forehead, and closing his eyes. He waited for a few seconds more before leaning back, hand dropping down to grab a piece of cheese and offer it to Viktor.
"Our driver will wait as long as necessary, so if we feel the need to cuddle after we have our fill, we have plenty of time." Was that a hint? Yes, a very blatant one.
Viktor gives a little space, but as Xander holds up the piece of cheese, he simply lets his mouth fall open slightly. Yes, you can keep feeding him.
"Ah, this is good." It feels odd, having a driver, someone waiting on them, but perhaps this experience will teach him to order carriages for himself more often. At least for long trips like quests and such.
"So, you have heard about Jayce... Who are the important people in your life?"
He only recently found out that his best friend in Caldera has children back home, so he's making the effort to ask about this sort of thing sooner.
If Viktor did not stop him, Xander would happily continue feeding him (and himself, don't worry), offering small bites here and there while they spoke and taking breaks to sip his wine.
"Well, there are my parents, and my sister, Petra, whom I mentioned earlier was a Temple Knight, I believe. I have not seen her for some time." There were... complications with that that he would not get into just yet. "And my—" he chuckled, suddenly nervous. "I feel I should have mentioned this sooner, but I was not sure when the time was appropriate. I have a wife, Celene. We married for political reasons — for prestige between our families in the Empire. But we are both of the homosexual persuasion." He didn't know the term for 'lavender marriage' but that is exactly what it was. "We have four children together, and she is a beautiful and generous woman who would be ecstatic I finally got out of the manor and found someone to spend time with romantically."
Viktor helps the effort by feeding himself in between, picking up a small sandwich and munching as Xander speaks. But as he mentions he has a wife, Viktor pauses as he's about to take a bite, his mouth hanging open. His face flushes. A wave of guilt and embarrassment washes through him as for a moment he believes he's just committed adultery. It's not until the end of Xander's explanation that the rest of it starts to process, and he blinks.
"Oh," he exhales, flustered again, and lowers the sandwich. "You- you mean to say that she would... Approve of this?" Well, if they are both homosexual... Goodness, it's a lot to wrap his head around. "What about your children?" Are they aware of this arrangement? Or perhaps they are too young to understand.
"Wholeheartedly." He laughed softly. "I am so often bound to the manor or my patient's homes that I do not have time — or, rather, I never bothered to make time — to seek romance, though I have always wanted it." It was a lot... harder back home, if he was honest. There was a reason he was married to a woman. "My children have a mother and a father — they know that much, and I planned to explain the arrangement further once they were a bit older." He cleared his throat. "My eldest was being taught of more important matters."
"Oh," he murmurs again, relaxing with some relief. Both Xander and his wife want this for him, so it's a good thing Viktor can provide it, not a bad one.
"Forgive me, I was afraid for a moment I had done something terrible." He exhales a breathy laugh.
He is curious about the nobility layer of all of this, but he isn't yet sure how to put words to that question, so:
Xander hummed. "Hector is my oldest, he's nine and he's a lot like me." a beat. Should he explain why he was so much like him? "He studies with me often and is very curious about the medical field. I suspect he will follow in my footsteps. Argus is seven and he is quite introverted. He tends to enjoy building things with the blocks we gave him. Celene tends to him and the twins — Harmonia and Evander, they're five — more so, who cause her an exceptional amount of trouble. Harmonia, we think, wants to be a mage."
Good. He is assured. Aside from the approval of his wife, it must be an extra boon that the romance can happen in another world entirely, so he is not "found out" by the public, so to speak.
Viktor hums and smiles, going back to his sandwich as he listens to the description.
"They sound sweet." He's sure any child of Xander's would be lovely. And smart. "She wants to be a mage? Is magic forbidden in your land?"
He shook his head. "Not forbidden, but unsanctioned magic is an offense worthy of execution." He explained. "The Empire has strict laws regarding magic. One must attend the Imperial Academy to learn magic properly, and is given a tattoo to assure it is known they are sanctioned to practice. We are just... preparing to send her off as soon as we are sure that is what she wants."
"Ah," Viktor intones with thoughtful interest. "It sounds like a law that would not be out of place in my city. Heimerdinger, the Dean I mentioned, is also head of the city's Council. He firmly believes that magic in the wrong hands is highly dangerous."
A pause, eating a grape. "It has been quite a roadblock for my work with Jayce. I hope she is able to study her passion."
"He would do well in the Empire, then. Other regions aren't so strict, but magic is still fairly rare." He took up a piece of cheese and meat, chewing on it while Viktor continued.
"I can imagine, and I am sure she will. The issue will lie in her brother wanting to go with her, assuming he doesn't have the same passion." The twins were very close, as so many twins often are. "This may seem... random. But are you familiar with demons?"
"Ah, yes, that could be problematic. I don't suppose there would be an academy nearby hers that he could attend?" Or maybe it wouldn't matter how close the schools are, if they were boarded there.
"Demons?" That does seem random. "I am familiar with the concept, but not personally familiar with any demons myself." It's half a joke, though in Caldera you never know.
"There is, the order of Temple Knights trains nearby." Which could be... something.
He promises it's relevant. "Ah. I had just thought to mention it, given what you saw before when we met. The rats are... something I struggle with. I see them frequently, hallucinate them. It all spawns from an archdemon — appropriately named the Lord of Rats, that I faced years ago."
"Oh... Interesting." Well, at least she will be a sanctioned mage, so no conflict of interest...?
Viktor frowns then, remembering the horrifying nature of what he saw. The image feels burned into his own brain, something he can never un-see, and he only saw it for a few seconds. Xander sees them all the time, he says.
"Myself, my sister, and a few others. We were headed into town for a festival, and just so happened upon a plague caused by the archdemons uprising." He turned his hand to gently grip Viktor's. "Many people died, but I was able to cure the plague and we banished the demon. But he will return — I am sure of that. And he haunts me still with visions of those creatures and the people I could not save. Even here, it seems, I can't avoid it."
Viktor's frown deepens. Xander cured a plague, banished a demon, and his reward is to be haunted by his own gruesome memories and perceived failings. It's truly awful.
He holds a dark-skinned hand tenderly in one of his and places his other atop it, much the way Xander did to him on the beach.
"You do not deserve such suffering, Xander."
Viktor thinks for a few more moments, quiet.
"Perhaps he plagues you in particular because he knows how strong you are. How much a threat. He wants to sow self-doubt in you... So that you might be weakened the next time you meet."
Thus, it's important that Xander keep his strength and will to go on, but what a terrible burden to bear alone.
"Is there anything I can do to support you in this?"
Xander placed his other hand atop Viktor's for that quadruple decker hand sandwich again. Something that may very well just become habit of they kept it up.
"You are likely right. That is why I have been teaching my son all I know — I do not want to force him or any of my children to have to fight this demon, but if I am not here, I fear they may not have a choice." And there's no way the lord of rats hadn't cursed his entire bloodline at this point.
He smiled and squeezed Viktor's hand. "This is more than enough. I merely wished to warn you — my hallucinations come mostly in high stress situations, but they can be just as random. I just wanted you to be prepared, if we were to be together more often."
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Without thinking, his own lips parted slightly as Viktor bit down into the fruit, like he was anticipating the taste of it himself. Or maybe he was imagining his own lips on his (it was the latter). The intense attraction he felt toward the man would have been alarming, if it was not so obvious how similar they were in so many regards. Like attracted like and all that. It was difficult not to be attracted to someone in that case.
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"Would you like a taste?" He asks, leaning a little closer. He's still extremely nervous, but desire burns in him, too bright and hot to ignore.
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Xander exhaled a breathy laugh, set the berry stem down and set his now free hand against Viktor's cheek. "It would be my pleasure." and leaned in to gently set his lips against the other man's.
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As his anxiety settles a little, the desire has more space to flare up. His own free hand clasps gently behind Xander's ear and keeps him close. He deepens the kiss, parting his lips slightly, offering a taste as he promised.
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It was picturesque, the way the sun filtered through the trees, casting down god rays upon the clearing they had settled in. The breeze was light, the flowers and grass swaying gently around them. Xander hummed into the other man's mouth and leaned in a little more, fingers sliding back to card through his hair and settle against the back of his skull.
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Viktor exhales a soft hum as their mouths lock further together, his tongue just as tentative as it finds the other man's, the brush of it stoking a bit of heat in his gut.
He always requires an intellectual and emotional connection before he feels comfortable doing anything like this. And while he had that with Rolan, the tiefling had been the one to push things forward physically, a bit too fast for Viktor's taste. Alternately, here he feels in control of what's happening, like he can be the one to drive it forward or pull back. That sense of agency makes it easier for Viktor to tell what he wants. He wants Xander- a little urgently, but mostly deeply, tenderly. He likes the doctor a lot- his kindness, his intellect, his gentle caring nature- and he wants to let him know how he feels through this action, this deep kiss.
So his tongue presses in, more certain, exploring Xander's mouth more fully before he breaks the kiss gently. He lingers there, their foreheads touching, and looks into Xander's eyes.
"I am quite fond of you."
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His eyelids fluttered, open just enough to peer back at him. Cheeks warm with a flush of nervousness and excitement in equal measure.
"I should hope so." He teased and stole another soft, lingering kiss, speaking again when he pulled back. "I am quite fond of you, too. And I had not anticipated I would be so lucky to kiss you this soon."
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"I suppose I grew a little impatient," he murmurs, apologetic but playful. "I think eating may come more easily now." Now that the big scary part is 'out of the way', so to speak. Well, the body painting is also scary, but that part is optional and he's keeping it out of his mind for the moment. However, he makes no move to go back to eating, instead savouring this closeness.
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"Our driver will wait as long as necessary, so if we feel the need to cuddle after we have our fill, we have plenty of time." Was that a hint? Yes, a very blatant one.
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"Ah, this is good." It feels odd, having a driver, someone waiting on them, but perhaps this experience will teach him to order carriages for himself more often. At least for long trips like quests and such.
"So, you have heard about Jayce... Who are the important people in your life?"
He only recently found out that his best friend in Caldera has children back home, so he's making the effort to ask about this sort of thing sooner.
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"Well, there are my parents, and my sister, Petra, whom I mentioned earlier was a Temple Knight, I believe. I have not seen her for some time." There were... complications with that that he would not get into just yet. "And my—" he chuckled, suddenly nervous. "I feel I should have mentioned this sooner, but I was not sure when the time was appropriate. I have a wife, Celene. We married for political reasons — for prestige between our families in the Empire. But we are both of the homosexual persuasion." He didn't know the term for 'lavender marriage' but that is exactly what it was. "We have four children together, and she is a beautiful and generous woman who would be ecstatic I finally got out of the manor and found someone to spend time with romantically."
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"Oh," he exhales, flustered again, and lowers the sandwich. "You- you mean to say that she would... Approve of this?" Well, if they are both homosexual... Goodness, it's a lot to wrap his head around. "What about your children?" Are they aware of this arrangement? Or perhaps they are too young to understand.
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"Forgive me, I was afraid for a moment I had done something terrible." He exhales a breathy laugh.
He is curious about the nobility layer of all of this, but he isn't yet sure how to put words to that question, so:
"How old are your children? What are they like?"
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Xander hummed. "Hector is my oldest, he's nine and he's a lot like me." a beat. Should he explain why he was so much like him? "He studies with me often and is very curious about the medical field. I suspect he will follow in my footsteps. Argus is seven and he is quite introverted. He tends to enjoy building things with the blocks we gave him. Celene tends to him and the twins — Harmonia and Evander, they're five — more so, who cause her an exceptional amount of trouble. Harmonia, we think, wants to be a mage."
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Viktor hums and smiles, going back to his sandwich as he listens to the description.
"They sound sweet." He's sure any child of Xander's would be lovely. And smart. "She wants to be a mage? Is magic forbidden in your land?"
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A pause, eating a grape. "It has been quite a roadblock for my work with Jayce. I hope she is able to study her passion."
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"I can imagine, and I am sure she will. The issue will lie in her brother wanting to go with her, assuming he doesn't have the same passion." The twins were very close, as so many twins often are. "This may seem... random. But are you familiar with demons?"
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"Demons?" That does seem random. "I am familiar with the concept, but not personally familiar with any demons myself." It's half a joke, though in Caldera you never know.
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He promises it's relevant. "Ah. I had just thought to mention it, given what you saw before when we met. The rats are... something I struggle with. I see them frequently, hallucinate them. It all spawns from an archdemon — appropriately named the Lord of Rats, that I faced years ago."
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Viktor frowns then, remembering the horrifying nature of what he saw. The image feels burned into his own brain, something he can never un-see, and he only saw it for a few seconds. Xander sees them all the time, he says.
"I'm sorry." He puts a hand atop Xander's.
A beat, and then: "You faced an archdemon?"
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He holds a dark-skinned hand tenderly in one of his and places his other atop it, much the way Xander did to him on the beach.
"You do not deserve such suffering, Xander."
Viktor thinks for a few more moments, quiet.
"Perhaps he plagues you in particular because he knows how strong you are. How much a threat. He wants to sow self-doubt in you... So that you might be weakened the next time you meet."
Thus, it's important that Xander keep his strength and will to go on, but what a terrible burden to bear alone.
"Is there anything I can do to support you in this?"
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"You are likely right. That is why I have been teaching my son all I know — I do not want to force him or any of my children to have to fight this demon, but if I am not here, I fear they may not have a choice." And there's no way the lord of rats hadn't cursed his entire bloodline at this point.
He smiled and squeezed Viktor's hand. "This is more than enough. I merely wished to warn you — my hallucinations come mostly in high stress situations, but they can be just as random. I just wanted you to be prepared, if we were to be together more often."
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