[fic] Sinners and Saints (Trinity Blood, Ion Fortuna, Alpha #12)
Fandom: Trinity Blood
Title: Sinners and Saints
Author: moony810
Theme: Alpha #12, Fall
Pairing: Ion x Abel
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: If I owned Trinity Blood, I wouldn't have to write fanfiction about it.
Summary: He'd never meant to fall so hard. If he'd known he would, he'd never have allowed the younger to journey with him.
Sinners and Saints
He'd never meant to fall so hard. If he'd known it would happen, he never would have allowed Ion to come on this journey with him. He was a sinner, and the younger boy was pure despite the dark things he'd witnessed and been made part of- too pure for Abel. But it was precisely because of that purity that he ended up falling so hard. The boy was a ray of sunshine on his dark mission, and Abel couldn't help but love him for it.
“Abel?” Ion's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and he looked up just in time to avoid walking into a tree. He backed up a couple of steps in surprise, then walked around the tree to join Ion.
Ion's brow furrowed. “What's on your mind? You space out sometimes, but never like that...”
Abel chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head. “Oh, nothing! N-nothing at all! Haha!”
Ion's eyes narrowed, and he stood on his tiptoes so that he could get up in Abel's face (Abel blushed and backed away a bit). “Liar.” He accused, and Abel could feel the boy's breath across his face. He backed up quickly- too quickly, and tripped. Ion reached out to grab him and pull him back up, but Abel's momentum was too great, and Ion fell on top of Abel, nearly straddling him. And their faces were barely inches apart.
“Ah...” Abel's cheeks flushed a nice, rosy color, and Ion's cheeks flushed a paler pink.
“Um...” The younger boy stared up at Abel with wide eyes, a look Abel returned.
Abel leaned down a little, unconsciously, until he could feel Ion's breath on his face, ragged suddenly, like he'd just run miles. “Ion...”
Ion shuddered slightly when Abel said his name, leaning up slightly. “...Yes?” His voice was higher than normal, a little breathless.
“I really think we ought to get up now!” Abel stood abruptly, yanking Ion to his feet and heading down the path they'd been traveling on before, leaving one very confused Methuselah to trail after him.
~
Later on, after they'd stopped at an inn for the night, Abel walked out of the bathroom to find Ion waiting in his room, sitting patiently on the bed. “Ion?” Abel's cheeks flushed a little in surprise and embarrassment, and he tried to adjust the towel so it covered more. “...Is something wrong?”
Ion looked Abel up and down thoughtfully. “You're so thin it can't be healthy. Is it from stress...?”
“Beg pardon?” Abel's eyes widened.
“Sorry, I was thinking aloud.” Ion had the grace to glance away sheepishly, and Abel took the opportunity to readjust his towel some more. When Ion looked at Abel again, his expression was deadly serious, and his eyes were steely. “You've been avoiding me, Abel. Why?”
“Uh...well...I...” Abel flailed for an excuse, and Ion's eyes narrowed.
“No excuses, Abel. I want the truth.”
Abel took a deep breath and turned his back. “...I think perhaps you should go back to the Empire, Earl.”
“Why the hell-” Ion's the tone of Ion's voice gave his expression away completely: wide-eyed, shocked, and disbelieving. “I'm not a child, Abel! I want to fight by your side!”
“I'm well aware you're not a child, Ion. Too aware.” Abel murmured.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Ion demanded, his voice softer but the tone unchanged.
Abel remained silent.
“Abel?” Ion repeated. He crossed around in front of the priest, and took in the guilt-ridden look on the man's face with solemn eyes. “What's wrong?” His tone was caring now, and he reached up to caress Abel's cheek. Abel shivered, clenching his eyes shut and trying to turn away again. Ion stopped him. “Abel. Talk to me.”
“I can't. I...I can't.” Abel wrenched his face out of Ion's grasp and turned his head. If he told Ion, the boy would either leave him, or be engulfed by Abel's sin.
“You can. I won't be angry, I promise.” Ion traced his fingers up and down Abel's jawline softly, and Abel shivered again but didn't respond otherwise.
“Abel, please. You're worrying me...” Ion reached up to hug him tightly around the neck, pressing his cheek into Abel's chest.
“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.” Abel whispered.
“Then tell me what's wrong with you!” Ion cried, pounding one small fist against Abel's chest. “Why are you being so quiet?! Why do you keep avoiding me, and why did you push me away earlier?!” He looked up. “Did I do something wrong, something to offend you?!”
“No, no of course not!” Abel cried.
“Then what is it?” Ion demanded, his voice softer now. “Tell me, please...”
“I...I am the one who has done something wrong...” Abel whispered, looking away from Ion.
“What do you mean?” Ion's brow furrowed.
Abel closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I have fallen in love with you, Ion.” His eyes snapped open and he stared at Ion in shock as the boy burst out laughing.
“Oh, I'm glad that's all it was! You really had me worried!” He nuzzled into Abel's neck affectionately.
“What do you mean, 'that's all it was'?” Abel asked with a frown.
Ion peeked up at him, grinning slyly. “Abel, just because I'm younger than you doesn't automatically make me stupid. Did you really think I hadn't noticed it when you started acting differently toward me? Give me more credit than that.”
“Y-you didn't say a word...” Abel murmured, eyes wide.
“I didn't want to scare you off.” Ion straightened up, giving Abel an Eskimo kiss. “You seemed so unsure of yourself, I wanted to give you time...but you certainly have made me wait, Abel.” He leaned in, just brushing his lips against Abel's.
“M-made you wait?” Abel stammered, blushing.
“Mhm...I've been waiting to hear you say that, since I realized how you felt...” One of Ion's hands came up to toy with Abel's long silver hair.
“But why?” Abel whispered, blushing more.
Ion rolled his eyes. “Because I'm in love with you too, idiot.” He kissed Abel again, firmly this time.
“B-but I'm-” Abel protested when they parted for air. Ion cut him off with another kiss.
“-a sinner.” Ion finished. “I know that, and I've already told you I don't care.”
Abel's eyes widened. “But-” Ion cut him off again.
“Abel?”
“Y-yes?”
“Just shut up and kiss me.”
“A-alright...” Abel leaned down, kissing Ion on the lips. Ion sighed, parting his lips to allow Abel entrance. When Abel showed no sign of knowing what to do, Ion took control, guiding him in the kiss. When they parted for air, both of them stared at each other through half-lidded eyes. Then Abel spoke.
“I thought...you and Esther...”
Ion smiled sadly and shook his head. “It would never have worked out. Besides, the needs of the millions living in Albion outweigh the desires of a single man.” He gave Abel a stern look. “But don't think I'm replacing her with you, because that isn't it at all.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I'm sure. Stop angsting, will you?” Ion sighed, resting his forehead against Abel's throat. “I really do love you, Abel.”
“I love you too...” Abel whispered.
Ion hummed, kissing him softly, and Abel returned the kiss.
He'd never meant to fall so hard. But in the end now, it was for the best, since Ion had fallen just as hard. Abel refused to even think about what would happen if Ion got killed, what it would do to him. He drowned himself instead in the kisses Ion was giving him, blocking out everything but the happiness he felt right now.