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no_true_pairTitle: To Be An Honest Man
Author: Cephy
Fandom: The Last Remnant
Pairing/characters: David/Rush
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Potential spoilers - end of first disc
Prompt/challenge: Heaven help David if Rush discovers David's lie!
David Nassau was the Marquis before anything; he'd been born to it, raised to it, and he held the well-being of his city closer to his heart than he did the memory of his parents. As the Marquis, he was willing to do whatever was necessary to secure that well-being. When faced with a potential ally-- a potential weapon-- with the ability of Rush Sykes, therefore, the Marquis did not even give a second thought before moving to secure the alliance by whatever means necessary.
He hadn't expected to become so utterly enamored with the man.
Sitting wakeful in the half-light of approaching dawn, David looked down to where Rush lay next to him, relaxed and peaceful and soft-edged in the dimness. Some people would be awkward in another's bed, even asleep, would lie tensed out of some unconscious instinct which told them they were not in their own place, but Rush-- Rush looked very comfortable amongst David's pillows, with David's dark sheets drawn up around his shoulders, with one of his hands tucked in close to David's side.
David couldn't deny that the notion of Rush making himself so at home in his bed pleased him.
In retrospect, David imagined that Emma had seen it coming. She had made him the recipient of no few intent looks, after all, when he began his careful seduction all those months before. That mix of worry and watchfulness and stoic resignation was something she had worn often in David's youth, when he had insisted upon carrying out some grand scheme. She had never told him no. And when his schemes actually bore fruit, she had typically been the first to congratulate him. Of course, on the occasions when it all went badly, she was also the first to chastise him, just as soon as she finished pulling him out of danger by the scruff.
Deciding to take their newest ally to his bed was not quite on the same level as Charming an entire hive of roseflies into the castle, or setting camp for the night beside a spider hill. But yes, in retrospect-- he could understand why the decision had warranted that look, nonetheless.
Rush. Rush was-- a joy, a delight, something David hadn't fully been aware he was missing, and that was where the problem lay. He had never denied that the plan had benefits for himself as well as for Athlum; it was no hardship to continue sleeping with Rush after the initial connection had been made. Except at some point, he wasn't sure when, it had become about more than just an alliance. And once he allowed himself to recognize that, the ever-increasing weight of guilt had followed shortly after.
Rush was honest and open; he lived his life one straight-forward step at a time. Having had several discussions with him on the workings of politics, David wasn't sure Rush would understand the sort of machinations that could lead a man to bed someone just to gain an advantage. It was more likely that the truth would hurt him, and that-- that, David did not want. He didn't want Rush to start wondering if David had merely been trying to bind his loyalty the entire time. That may have been how it started, but was most definitely not how it remained. Only how did you convince a body of that once the seed of doubt was planted?
He knew he should talk to Rush, set the record straight and clear the air between them. He knew, logically, that Rush would probably believe him at his word and forgive him the deception. The possibility that he would not-- that there was a limit to that generosity and trust that they had not yet explored-- was slim. And yet when he thought of Rush smiling so warmly, or glass-eyed with lust, David could not shake the worried chill that he would lose that.
However, he also knew that he would lose even the possibility of forgiveness if Rush didn't hear the truth from David himself. If someone else said the wrong thing, or brought some action to light-- no secret was ever truly iron-clad, after all, and Rush was not imperceptive by any means. He had already picked up on the tension in David, several times, for all that he didn't know its source.
No, David knew he had to tell. Just-- not quite yet. Tomorrow, perhaps. Never mind that he'd already put off a dozen tomorrows, and the secret remained untold.
He shifted until he could lower his head to the pillow, feeling the echo of Rush's own sleepy shift at the motion. David closed his eyes as the hand by his side dragged up, pressed flat on his stomach before curling over his hip; he caught it and pulled until he could curl in close enough to let Rush’s warmth soothe him back to sleep.
Author: Cephy
Fandom: The Last Remnant
Pairing/characters: David/Rush
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Potential spoilers - end of first disc
Prompt/challenge: Heaven help David if Rush discovers David's lie!
David Nassau was the Marquis before anything; he'd been born to it, raised to it, and he held the well-being of his city closer to his heart than he did the memory of his parents. As the Marquis, he was willing to do whatever was necessary to secure that well-being. When faced with a potential ally-- a potential weapon-- with the ability of Rush Sykes, therefore, the Marquis did not even give a second thought before moving to secure the alliance by whatever means necessary.
He hadn't expected to become so utterly enamored with the man.
Sitting wakeful in the half-light of approaching dawn, David looked down to where Rush lay next to him, relaxed and peaceful and soft-edged in the dimness. Some people would be awkward in another's bed, even asleep, would lie tensed out of some unconscious instinct which told them they were not in their own place, but Rush-- Rush looked very comfortable amongst David's pillows, with David's dark sheets drawn up around his shoulders, with one of his hands tucked in close to David's side.
David couldn't deny that the notion of Rush making himself so at home in his bed pleased him.
In retrospect, David imagined that Emma had seen it coming. She had made him the recipient of no few intent looks, after all, when he began his careful seduction all those months before. That mix of worry and watchfulness and stoic resignation was something she had worn often in David's youth, when he had insisted upon carrying out some grand scheme. She had never told him no. And when his schemes actually bore fruit, she had typically been the first to congratulate him. Of course, on the occasions when it all went badly, she was also the first to chastise him, just as soon as she finished pulling him out of danger by the scruff.
Deciding to take their newest ally to his bed was not quite on the same level as Charming an entire hive of roseflies into the castle, or setting camp for the night beside a spider hill. But yes, in retrospect-- he could understand why the decision had warranted that look, nonetheless.
Rush. Rush was-- a joy, a delight, something David hadn't fully been aware he was missing, and that was where the problem lay. He had never denied that the plan had benefits for himself as well as for Athlum; it was no hardship to continue sleeping with Rush after the initial connection had been made. Except at some point, he wasn't sure when, it had become about more than just an alliance. And once he allowed himself to recognize that, the ever-increasing weight of guilt had followed shortly after.
Rush was honest and open; he lived his life one straight-forward step at a time. Having had several discussions with him on the workings of politics, David wasn't sure Rush would understand the sort of machinations that could lead a man to bed someone just to gain an advantage. It was more likely that the truth would hurt him, and that-- that, David did not want. He didn't want Rush to start wondering if David had merely been trying to bind his loyalty the entire time. That may have been how it started, but was most definitely not how it remained. Only how did you convince a body of that once the seed of doubt was planted?
He knew he should talk to Rush, set the record straight and clear the air between them. He knew, logically, that Rush would probably believe him at his word and forgive him the deception. The possibility that he would not-- that there was a limit to that generosity and trust that they had not yet explored-- was slim. And yet when he thought of Rush smiling so warmly, or glass-eyed with lust, David could not shake the worried chill that he would lose that.
However, he also knew that he would lose even the possibility of forgiveness if Rush didn't hear the truth from David himself. If someone else said the wrong thing, or brought some action to light-- no secret was ever truly iron-clad, after all, and Rush was not imperceptive by any means. He had already picked up on the tension in David, several times, for all that he didn't know its source.
No, David knew he had to tell. Just-- not quite yet. Tomorrow, perhaps. Never mind that he'd already put off a dozen tomorrows, and the secret remained untold.
He shifted until he could lower his head to the pillow, feeling the echo of Rush's own sleepy shift at the motion. David closed his eyes as the hand by his side dragged up, pressed flat on his stomach before curling over his hip; he caught it and pulled until he could curl in close enough to let Rush’s warmth soothe him back to sleep.