sins_of_a_father | Into the woods

Into the woods

"You're gonna love it," Felix promised, leading their horses along the thin game trail he was following by memory through the thick trees.

The cabin was technically one that belonged broadly to the rangers, he'd explained before they set out. There were several dozen of them dotting the forest, kept provisioned in the event someone got stuck out in the woods. Some were nicer than others, and this one was far enough off of regular trails that Felix had more or less claimed it as his own. He stayed there when he made his irregular trips back to Amber when he was in his self-imposed exile to see his sister, a way to be close but off the radar, and had never ran across another soul stopping in. A couple weeks out from his last "episode", Felix was mostly back to his upbeat self again, no signs of how awful he had been left behind. The change of scenery was still a nice change of pace, and given how thin Felix's deck of trumps was it was a lovely favorite place that he hoped Marco would enjoy painting.

As much as cities seemed like his natural environment - his love of guns and cars and all - there was a different ease to Felix in Arden, among the trees.

"Here, there it is- it's much cozier on the inside promise."

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Felix had enjoyed being in Chaos, a lot more than he though the would. Sure it was courts, but he had Marco there, and he was getting to know his brother, and he could ... see a future there. For them. Together. Had Felix ever seen a future at all for himself? No, not really. With Marco it seemed possible. Seemed hopeful.

Arden was where his heart was, though. The first place Felix ever felt safe, felt worthwhile. A fact that was deeply ironic for the other side of his family given his mother had taken over the city manse for the family and raised Felix there because the country had made her feel trapped and alone. He was a little worried about being away from Marco for so long (unicorn, when did you get so clingy-) but the idea of being in Arden again for a longer period had him unexpectedly hopeful. Especially if Marco would come to visit.

"At least three days," Felix said with a small cough. He knew how they could get. He turned his hand so he could squeeze Marco's.

Julian gave a small snicker and shook his head, holding up a hand in surrender.

"I meant only that it could be done on short notice, not to cut your vacation short. "

All that settled, Marco leaned forward once again, now curious that he was saddled with a problem of keeping their schedules aligned. It wouldn't be easy, but he'd never been afraid of tasks that would require some detailed solutions.

"What does 'being in rotation' mean?" he asked, glancing from Felix to Julian. "On duty around the clock for a period? And then not?" It would make sense given the vastness of Arden. He was hoping it meant Felix would get extended periods of leave as well. Marco would come to visit him wherever they camped in any case, convince Felix to trump him the moment he was available - he could organise his time, which was faster and flimsier in Chaos anyway - but he also wanted Felix's uncontested attention at times, so leaves would be good for it. Eventually, if Felix would stay with him, he could not continue as Arden's guard. Or Marco could not continue as the heir to house Sawall. But that was neither the problem nor the topic of conversation for today, they had time to settle their affairs.

Marco fully intended to settle them with Felix by his side. The rest was somewhat ambiguous.

"If you have longer leaves, I would hope you'd spend them in Chaos."

"It's hardly a nine-to-five," Julian said, familiar enough with 'earth culture' to understand that reference if nothing else, even though he rarely left Arden for extended periods of time if he could help it. Since Marco was hardly an enemy informant even if he was from Chaos, he explained between picking at the food and drink. Besides, it would better to have a refresher in case Felix forgot.

"So being 'in rotation' means several weeks 'on' where you manage patrols, checks of the forest, and can be expected to be called upon at any hour. Mostly what you remember," Julian said with a nod to Felix. "And yes, several weeks 'off' duty between to keep from burning out. We're not at war at the moment, so it's a lot of drills and keeping in shape in the event one does break out and smaller skirmishes with individuals that have issues."

So hopefully easier to manage when your lover was on the other side of creation, in that case...

"This sounds very similar to the Black Rim watch," Marco offered, putting that out there just in case any hurt feelings were had about him nosing into Amber's defences. Not that he had any axe to grind here, his loyalties laid with Chaos but he would come to defend Amber as well if he were called upon it. And he knew this was Merlin's official line, so he wasn't all that worried about giving away state secrets. "I did a rotation there as a young man. Not for me, though. My skills with shapeshift aren't up to bar."

He squeezed Felix's hand and stood up. "All this, it sounds lovely, doesn't it?"

Then he took himself back to the kitchen with some empty plates, aiming to fill them up again while giving Felix an opportunity to talk with Julian by his lonesome. As much as he would like to keep Felix by his side at every given minute of a day, he wanted Felix to regain some of his swagger, some of that confidence and self-assured bravado that he knew would come when he was settled and felt like he was doing good things and also enjoying those things. He didn't know why Felix had dropped out of the rangers, but he meant to find out later and it didn't really seem like it was an issue anymore, whatever it had been.

It did sound lovely, and while Marco went to refill the plates, Julian and Felix talked quietly about specifics of it with some gentle reminiscing of old times when Felix was still so young and first joined the rangers, before he ran away from Amber entirely. Julian was good at deftly dodging landmines in the conversation, of knowing what to not touch on. And Felix supposed if he really couldn't stand being parted from Marco for that long, he could just cut and run after a rotation once again. Even if that was slightly more embarrassing to do as an adult rather than a teenager.

By the time Marco was coming back, Julian patted Felix on the shoulder and stood, pulling his gloves for riding back on.

"I'll not impose on your vacation any longer - though I won't be far if you've any need of me," Julian said, which to anyone else might seem like a threat given how accidentally sinister he tended to be, but Felix at least could see was genuine desire to be helpful. "Thank you for the meal, and it was truly wonderful to meet you, Marco."

Marco found that he was actually sorry that Julian was leaving. He hadn't expected this from a relative, quiet and insightful, respecting of natural boundaries and with a surprisingly well hidden sense of humour. It was by far the most pleasant experience he'd ever had with an elder Amberite, with either uncle or an aunt.

He came to stand behind Felix, putting a plate on the table that was heaped over with more food. His hand lingering on Felix's other shoulder as he smiled at Julian.

"If you happen to be available tomorrow at dinner time, I wouldn't mind hosting for three instead of just two," he said easily and then added with a smile that curved warmer and genuine than before. "Because it was rather lovely meeting you, uncle."

Julian was not thought of as anyone's favorite relative - except for maybe Felix. They had a special relationship, even if it wasn't the kind Felix had longed for in his youth as the hormones started coming in.

Julian gave a glance to Felix at Marco's invitation - checking to make sure it was indeed a welcome one, though he didn't really need to. It was more acknowledging that Felix had the right to say he didn't want company if he did not. Seeing only a hopeful expression on his face, his neutral expression softened a bit further and he gave a nod.

"It would be a delight. I'll see you both then," Julian said, inclining his head and holding up a hand when Felix moved like he was going to stand to see Julian out. "If Morgenstern sees you he'll expect another apple."

"He could have another apple..."

"You'll make him fat and useless."

The teasing was full of warm affection as Julian pulled on his boots next before heading out with a wave over his shoulder.

Felix watched him go, looking up at Marco when he was out the door to reach up and cover Marco's hand with his own, his smile so bright and open. He didn't know what he'd worried about before - of course the two best people in all of creation would get along.

The bickering about the horse made Marco's lips quirk in amusement but he didn't interject, simply waved his goodbyes to Julian. The way Felix looked up at him like he had hung the moon and the stars on his sky soothed any feathers that might have been ruffled and he berated himself for a moment to ever having felt possessive like a hoarding dragon. Felix needed in his life more people, who wouldn't put him down or take advantage of him, he needed more affection than Marco could give even if he would smother his darling with it all hours of the day. He needed to see there were people, who cared about him just the way he was and Marco would never forgive himself if he'd make that even a little bit harder for him. Julian seemed to be that.

"He really cares about you," Marco said as he let his hand cup Felix's jaw and tilted his head back further. Then their lips were coming together as Marco leaned down to press his mouth to Felix's in an upside down kiss.

There were few in this world that could take Felix's attention from Julian, but all of Felix's attention was on Marco now instead of mooning over every turn of conversation he'd made with his uncle. His smile turned a little bashful when Marco asserted that Julian cared about him. A part of him wanted to protest - just out of knee-jerk nature, that Felix was convenient for sticking it to Corwin that way - but even if they'd never be best friends, Corwin and Julian no longer were at each other's throats the way they had been when Felix had been young.

The idea that Julian just sincerely liked Felix had seemed so strange, never before considered under the haze of his own complicated mess of feelings.

Marco was kissing him right then, though, and everything fell away in favor of that. Felix sighed into the kiss, tongue and lips exploring Marco's mouth gently, adoringly.

"Seemed like he liked you too. 'Course, who wouldn't?"

"I liked him too. I did not expect to do so," Marco admitted, his lips moving against Felix's, because he wasn't all that eager to move away. They were finally alone after spending way too much time cooped up in Chaos under various eyes of his relatives.

"But I very much like you more," he hummed as his hands slipped from Felix's shoulders and down to his chest, gently pulling up the hem of his shirt so he could slip his hand underneath.

"Also, I demand a chance to fuck you in that uniform when you get one," he laughed, light and easy.

Felix's smile turned just a shade gloating at Marco's admission that he liked Julian even though he didn't expect to. He knew Julian had an (unfair in his opinion) reputation among the wider family, and every time he got a chance to prove it wrong was wonderful.

He groaned into the kiss as Marco's hands drifted down his chest, bringing his own up to cover them with his own. He loved Marco's hands especially.

"Fuck - you make me wanna ask for one early. Guess should leave it as something to look forward to after though. 'Sides, I'm wearing far too many clothes right now..."

"You are, I very much agree with that assessment," Marco practically hummed against Felix's mouth. "Let me fix that for you. Come here..."

He straightened up, nudging Felix up from his chair and pulled him in by the front of his shirt. Lips hovering right against Felix's mouth, Marco let his hands trail down along that lean chest, down to narrow waist and beyond. He breathed out a soft sigh as he hooked his fingers under a belt, pulling it open slowly while peering into Felix's eyes.

"Kiss me." A command, perhaps, or a request, barely more audible than a soft murmur but not asking for any arguments.

Felix was always happy when Marco moved him around as he pleased, arching into every touch, reaching up to tug at those beautiful golden curls, needing to touch Marco to tell himself the man was real. The command to kiss Marco was a welcome one, and Felix let out a relieved exhale for it before leaning in to press his mouth to Marco's, tongue eager and searching as his belt easily opened under Marco's clever fingers. He rarely wore clothing difficult to get out of, especially around Marco, so the removal of his belt made his pants loose enough to slip down his hips.

Marco was discovering that Felix's eagerness to follow his orders and yield to whatever demanding touch he put on the man brought him satisfaction that he hadn't exactly expected to feel. It was a little bit of a new thing for them but definitely something he enjoyed.

He let them both enjoy the kiss for a long while, his gentle fingertips dipping under Felix's underwear to push them down the same way his pants had gone, then spent a while just drawing light circles onto Felix's hips and glutes, sometimes dipping his fingers into creases of skin under his buttocks and between them. In the meanwhile their tongues intertwined together, Marco slowly taking control of the kiss, driving Felix back into his own mouth, which he happily made love to after, slowly and thoroughly.

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Into the woods

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