Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“...Varis, you didn’t need to invade Mor Dhona just to talk to me.”

“I like to think I do not indulge in theatrics, but you are a hard man to corner, Warrior of Light.”

“Riiiight... Can I get you somethin’ to drink or are we doin’ this in the main lobby—“

“I have come to ask why you left.”

“...” 

“...Or am I not worth even an answer.”

“Varis...” Lumen reached up on his tiptoes to barely graze his fingers along that clenched jaw, tight with discomfort. “Sit down, you fucking giant,” he sighed.

Varis hesitated, before Lumen rolled his eyes and clarified, “I can’t kiss you from down here, big guy. Y’know... if you’re cool with that.”

“I... do not object,” Varis mumbled. He sat down rather gingerly, uncertain if the small chairs could withstand both his weight and that of his armor. 

Lumen chuckled at the sight. “This is why I never invited you back to the Rising Stones, all the chairs are too small for you.”

Finally seated (cautiously), Varis was treated to a warm row of kisses along his jaw. The gentle touches melted his tension away in an instant. Clearly, Lumen hadn’t left because he was sick of him.

“Sweetheart, I didn’t leave because of you,” Lumen assured. He cupped Varis’ scarred cheek in his hand and pressed another few kisses to that side of his face. Lumen pulled back and sighed. “I left because knowing Solus is roaming around is a bit of a buzzkill.”

“What does this have to do with my grandsire—“ Varis paused abruptly, eyes widening. “How do you know about my grandsire?”

“Varis, I’ve met him. He’s an asshole from a past life and after talking with him in the First I really wasn’t in the mood to see him during my short visit back to the Sour—here. Back here.” 

Lumen groaned and pressed his face into Varis’ chestplate, mindful of the spike in the center. “I’m starting to think of the worlds I’m in as temporary and it’s a bad habit.”

“So Emet-Selch is there as well. Preparing that world for the Final Days.” Varis sounded resigned. “That distraction is precisely why we should be uniting our world under one banner before the Ascians turn their attentions back on us in earnest.”

Lumen slapped a hand on Varis’ shoulder pauldron hard enough to leave it ringing slightly. “Your way is not the only way, Varis. You can try it when I’m fucking dead.” Lumen looked up and glared at the Emperor. “But until then, I’m going to seal the Ascians as best I can and maybe, in a few hundred years, they might be open to seeing things our way.”

Ignoring Varis’ displeased grimace, Lumen barreled on, “Besides, when I stop the Final Days on the First you’ll know I’m right and those nonaggression pacts won’t seem so stupid anymore.”

Chapter Text

The Warrior of Light seemed... distracted. 

He would be tending to his weapons and suddenly look off into the distance before smirking and continuing his work. He would sometimes pause while experimenting with his weave, eyes on the silvery gossamer strands he was using as they caught the wind. He would even be in battle, bashing a beast into submission with his shield, and just stop to gaze absently at the fallen creature with a pensive look before moving on to clear out the rest.

He was starting to make the Scions worried. 

After a short heated debate between the twins, Alisaie decided to allow Alphinaud to pose the question, ever the diplomat he was. And so this is how Alphinaud found himself alone at a table with the Warrior as he mended his gear. 

The Warrior was a calm creature: electric blue hair run through with shocks of white that had darkened to cerulean with time, and noticeable laugh lines around his eyes and mouth from a life well enjoyed. Although a self-proclaimed “hellion” in his youth, at eight-and-forty winters he had settled quite comfortably into a fatherly role to the younger Scions.

It was this bond that made it easy to confide in the Warrior, and yet so difficult to pry into his affairs.

“Is there something on your mind, Lumen?”

“Hmm,” he hummed, amused. “Didja draw the short straw to come ask me or did ya sister to be forced to the sidelines?”

“Er, well... we were worried. Or rather, I was worried and Alisaie pointed out we could just ask you. Unless you’d rather keep it to yourself! We don’t mean to push you—“

“No worries, Alphie. I’m tickled pink by it really, so I don’t mind sharing.”

Lumen reached into his side satchel and pulled out a formal looking envelope, complete with a wax seal. The Warrior’s usually unruffled demeanor was somewhat broken by a pink flush on his blue cheeks.

“I’ve been keepin’ up a, um, a letter chat?” 

Alphinaud nodded at his curious look and corrected, “A correspondence?”

Lumen beams at him. “Thanks, Alphie. I’ve been havin’ a correspondence with a handsome someone and I think we’re gettin’ on well now.”

Alphinaud perks up. “That’s wonderful! Have you two met in person yet?”

Again, the Warrior seemed to fidget. “Er, well, he’s definitely someone y’all have met. Although we weren’t on very good terms then...” 

Alphinaud’s brow furrowed in concern. Lumen seemed awfully nervous for some reason. Perhaps he is worried we won’t approve? Alphinaud hurried to put the Warrior at ease. “I am sure that anyone that has managed to catch your eye is undoubtedly a remarkable man!”

If anything, Alphinaud’s words seemed to put Lumen even more on edge. His dark-tufted lion’s tail flicked about behind him, betraying his nerves as the older man seemed to steel himself. “Yeah, well, now that we’re thinkin’ a meetin’ sometime soon, I wanna keep you lot in the loop. Yer all family to me, an’ I figured you outta know who I’ll be with.”

Lumen handed Alphinaud the letter over the table, an air of resignation about him.

Alphinaud quickly discovered why the Warrior had been so nervous under his resolve. 

“YOU’RE SEEING EMPEROR VARIS?!”

“WHAT?!”

“How the fuck...”

“I called it. Pay up, Thancred.”

“Oh my...”

Lumen couldn’t help smiling as some of the other Scions piled into the hall after Alphinaud’s scream. Alisaie shouted after him, followed by a shocked Thancred, a smug Tataru and a thoughtful Y’shtola.