Title: A Moment of Interest
Warnings: NC-17 FOR OBVIOUS REASONS
Summary: In a moment's decision to help get Ike where he wants him, Zelgius finds himself in a conflicting position.
Notes: What started as smut ended up as a monster of a oneshot. This was because Zelgius, despite his important role in Radiant Dawn, has almost no character except the two personalities we see. I wanted to try and expand on him and his 'life', other than him being a soldier and the Black Knight. And then this happened.
I tried to write it as close to canon as possible, but upon consulting both the PoR and RD scripts, I invariably made it AU. Oh well.
Many thanks to SRG for traumatizing herself to beta for me. <3 her.
===
The first time it happened, he had been on official business for the Apostle. While it was quite unprecedented to send the general of Begnion's Central Army to a smaller kingdom for diplomatic efforts, Sanaki had entrusted him with another task as well. He was to go and retrieve Ragnell from General Ike, seeing as it was one of national treasures of the nation. She had wondered how it even got into Ike's possession in the first place, something that Zelgius kept his lips tightly shut about. Naturally, the Senate had protested, seeing the odd course of action as an excuse not to trust them. Zelgius couldn't really blame the Apostle for that, seeing as he wanted to manhandle most of the arrogant fools even on the best of days.
Luckily, his master had stepped in and placated them, mentioning that not many people could lift something as immense as the holy blade. They reluctantly agreed, and three days later, Zelgius found himself traveling with a light entourage to the rebuilding nation of Crimea. When he had arrived nearly a week after that, there had been a modest welcoming ceremony for him, made up of several of the Royal Knights and most, if not all, of the remaining Begnion forces in Melior.
The actual diplomacy had gone off rather smoothly, for the most part. Allocation of troops, payments to parts of the army, even foreign policy had been settled rather quickly, mostly because neither Zelgius nor Elincia wanted the proceedings to drag on too long. Besides, if the general had to hear the loquacious tongue of that man who looked like a jester for one more minute...
Shaking off his annoyance, Zelgius remembered the other task he had been asked of, and went to find the Crimean general. Despite himself, he wondered if the boy had grown more in his absence. Even if Ike had not been at the level he had wished for, he managed to defeat him even as he was holding back. He didn't actually expect to be as injured as he was back in Nados Castle, and the thought of Gawain's son getting stronger sent excitement running through him. Soon, he'd be able to face the skills of his teacher in his prime, and all Ike needed was a few more years to grow into it.
Putting his thoughts aside, the man found Ike at the training grounds of the knights, overseeing the trainees. There was an oddly pensive look on his face, Zelgius noted, and he seemed somewhat distracted. "It's unlike a nation's general to be left out of a diplomacy meeting." he said as he walked up to the blue haired teen, watching as Ike blinked and turned to face him.
"General Zelgius..." Ike muttered, shaking his head. "Mm. I didn't think you would be the one to come here."
"Call it a personal favor for the Apostle;" Zelgius responded, standing in front of Ike and looking at him. "I'm here for several reasons, actually...one of which involves you."
If Ike was surprised by his statement, he didn't react to it. "Me? What does Sanaki want with me?" he asked bluntly, and Zelgius had to suppress a slight chuckle.
"That's Apostle Sanaki, Ike." he lightly rebuked. "It concerns Ragnell."
Now did Ike look surprised. "Huh? What about it?" he asked dumbly, his attention now completely on him.
Zelgius sighed and shook his head. "You know that Ragnell is one of the two weapons the first Empress of Begnion used, right? Ragnell and Alondite are considered the national treasures of Begnion, and leaving one of them in your hands is, well..."
"Let me guess, those crazy senators would have a fit if they didn't get it back, huh?" Ike cut in, crossing his arms. He watched as Zelgius hesitated and nod slowly, leaving him to sigh heavily. "I guess I should be thankful that none of the nobles over here are half as mad as yours. Although..."
"You know that speaking ill of the senate in a position such as yours is bound to create problems." Zelgius stated with an eyebrow raised.
Ike turned back to give him a curious stare. "Would you tell them all about our exact conversation?" he asked with some humor.
The Begnion general shrugged. "No, not really." he said honestly. Even though he was the general, Zelgius had far better things to do than indulge in the whims of the senate. Besides, they would never know if someone were speaking bad of them so far away.
The younger man couldn't help but crack a small smile. "Then I guess you'll just have to hear my complaints now, won't you?"
Rolling his eyes, Zelgius decided to get back to the point. "Anyway, as you guessed, I've come back for Ragnell. And do realize that I can't take no for an answer."
Ike twisted his lips, settling into a frown. "Well, San...I mean, Apostle Sanaki has been pretty generous for letting me have it for this long..." he muttered to himself. "Fine. I'll give it to you later."
This time, Zelgius couldn't help but be curious. "You're giving it up rather easily, I have to admit." he said in some surprise. While he'd rather have the boy keep it, present circumstances deemed it impossible.
Ike shrugged. "I dunno. I just...don't feel right using it, especially after fighting him." he said with an obvious edge to his voice, eyes slightly narrowing at the memory. "There's almost no reason to have it now, honestly."
The Begnion general noticed the lack of venom in Ike's words, but said nothing of it. "In any case, I'll take it back when I leave in a few days time. That should give you sufficient preparation."
"Mm..." Ike said with a nod, still frowning. "Maybe you'll have to come by later that day. The nobles want to have another meeting with her majesty."
From the obvious noise of disgust in Ike's voice, Zelgius could tell that Ike wasn't looking forward to it. "Is that why you weren't there earlier?" he asked, suddenly getting it.
"It's almost like they want to call her an incompetent queen," Ike suddenly spat, staring heatedly into Zelgius' eyes. "Every time I'm in the same room with her, those nobles keep whispering about her. Calling her all sorts of things...just because I'm the general. This is from her own people!"
Zelgius crossed his arms. "And because of that, you fear that no one will take her seriously if you're present at the same time?"
Again, Ike shrugged. "We could have handled it if it was just that, but there are also some arrogant, hotheaded knights from noble families trying to take my position. Claiming that Crimea can't be represented by a sellsword...what madness." Ike snorted, sneering at the thought of the nobles in the court.
Seeing the younger general's displeasure, a small smile crept up on Zelgius' face. This was quite the opportunity to see how much Ike had progressed. "You certainly look stressed about it," he began smoothly, careful not to let anything else show on his face. "Is it really that bad?"
Ike ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "Yes," he said plainly, turning away to see the knights sparring on the field. "It's never a moment's peace. If it isn't restructuring the army, it's another meeting with the nobles. And if isn't that, it's enduring their constant prattle. It's really getting on my nerves."
"To be honest, I know that feeling too well." Zelgius responded, turning his head to follow Ike's line of sight. "Have you been able to do anything?"
"Hm? What about?"
"Your stress," Zelgius clarified. "It's not good for a general to look like he's about to explode at the next person who talks to him."
Ike remained silent for a few moments, shaking his head. "I've sparred with my mercenaries when I can, but even now that's becoming a rarity," he finally said, looking down. "Even though they were my companions during the war, their presence would create conflict in the court." He paused to snort bitterly, gritting his teeth. "They stay near the outskirts of Melior, and it's all I can do just to see them every so often."
"Ah, so you're feeling restricted by your position now. I guess that's normal enough," Zelgius muttered as Ike turned to look at him. "Hm...well, seeing as I am here for a few days and all...perhaps we can spar together? I'll admit that I was rather disappointed that we didn't get the chance to earlier."
Ike was surprised. "Really?" he asked quickly, blinking rapidly. "Why would you want to?" he asked lowly, a curious gaze in his eyes.
Shrugging, Zelgius turned away. "Because I know the feeling of wanting to hit something after dealing with men with superiority issues," he said simply, beginning to walk away. "I'll be back here within a mark. I trust you will do the same, General?"
Zelgius didn't even need to turn back to see the relieved smile on Ike's face. Perfect.
---
If he was being perfectly honest, Zelgius could say that he was surprised in how much Ike's skills had improved in half a year. Despite being cooped up in Melior, it seemed that he still trained diligently...perhaps because it was the only thing to keep him calm.
Even still, it wasn't anything he couldn't handle, despite only using a basic lance. While he really wanted to use a sword, he wanted to err on the side of caution today. Even as experienced as he was, there was always the chance that he'd unconsciously use some of Gawain's style, which Ike would immediately pick up on. No, he couldn't have that, especially not after Ike had surprised him in Nados.
"You're just as skilled as everyone says," Zelgius commented, smiling slightly. "I haven't had a spar like this in a while."
Ike grinned back. "And no wonder you're a general. You're really powerful." he said with a wince, rotating his left arm where Zelgius had gotten in a blow. While it was just now starting to ache, Ike could swear he just got hit by one of the tiger laguz. Maybe that's why everybody feared the strength of Begnion's general.
"Perhaps, although I'm afraid to say that I'm not as good with a spear as I am with a sword." he admitted. While that technically wasn't true, he wasn't quite as adept with fighting against Gawain's style with a different weapon. Luckily for him, Ike still needed some improvement, and he had been able to fight without any problems.
If Ike was curious about why Zelgius didn't fight with a sword in the first place, he didn't ask. "I say you're mad. Your skills are really honed..." Ike retorted. "I'd like to fight you seriously someday."
You already have. was the sudden thought, and Zelgius bit his tongue to keep himself from saying it. "Mm, you probably shouldn't speak that way. No one likes crossing swords with me." Zelgius said casually, lowering his spear. "In any case, let us call it a draw right here. I'm sure you have other duties to attend to without me bothering you."
A sour look crossed Ike's face for a moment before it settled into an annoyed one. "It's not really a bother at all, Zelgius." he said with a smile, but the Begnion general could see it was rather tense. "But yeah, I should go take care of whatever I have left to do before it gets late, huh?"
Zelgius nodded as Ike lowered his own sword, starting to make his way off the grounds and back into the castle. Before he was out of sight, however, he turned back with a smile on his face. "Thanks, Zelgius." he said before walking out of the grounds.
The man watched him go, drawing his lips into a tight frown. Ike was certainly getting stronger, but he still wasn't there. Not at the level he needed nor wanted him at. This just complicates things. How long will it be until I will be able to get what I want? he thought in disgust. No matter, I still have time. I pray that it is enough.
I will fight Gawain again!
---
Determined to try and get Ike to where he wanted him to be at before he left, he told the ambassador that was sent along with him to take care of the finer details of their visit while he went and observed the Crimean army. No one dared to ask him why; when the general ordered something to be done, it was done-no questions asked.
The Crimean army, still in the stages of restructuring, was rather small. There had apparently been problems earlier about getting people to enlist after the war, but the gossip about the hero Ike leading the army was enticing many men into refilling the ranks. Zelgius had to shake his head at that, knowing the exact thought that went through their heads. If they worked hard enough, they'd eventually become someone like the great Lord Ike. As if that would ever happen. he thought to himself.
The worst part about that thought was that he had been like that once.
Putting his thoughts aside, he found Ike next to a cyan-haired man not that much older than him, the head of the Royal Knights...Geoffrey, if he remembered correctly. It seemed that the two were supervising the training of new army, barking orders and making sure the knights knew their formations.
"...so, how do you think they did about-" he heard Geoffrey begin to ask, only to be cut off by Ike's exasperated stare.
"Geoffrey, I've told you this many times before. You're the one who knows this stuff far better than I do. I'm not a knight!" Ike said, and Zelgius heard Geoffrey laugh.
"Always blunt, aren't you?" he retorted with a chuckle. "Anyway, I just wanted your opinion."
"And my opinion is that you can do whatever you feel is best, seeing as you know what you're doing."
"Oh, don't be that way. I'm actually pretty happy with what you've suggested that last few times." Geoffrey complimented, and Ike rolled his eyes.
"What, how I told them not to be so uptight?" he scoffed. "I thought that was common sense."
Geoffrey smiled. "Coming from you, the hero of Crimea, they'd follow it to the letter."
"Ugh..."
"It's not everyday that someone gets to talk with a living legend, so to speak;" Zelgius finally said, getting the attention of the two warriors. "You should be at least content that they're following your orders."
Ike blinked then slowly nodded. "Yeah, maybe you're right. Still, what do I know of knight formations and procedures? It's better left to those that know what they're talking about, I think."
Geoffrey looked like he wanted to say something, but Zelgius cut him off. "He has the right idea. You know the nuances that are associated with being a knight of Crimea, and he does not. As that is the case, he chooses to defer to your judgement."
"...I suppose you're right," Geoffrey said after a moment of silence. "Very well. I'll go and start their training for the day. Sir Ike, would you-"
"Actually, I'd like to have a word with General Ike, if I'd may. I have some things I'd like to discuss with him." Zelgius interrupted, giving a brief nod to the confused boy. "My apologies, we might have to leave everything to you today."
The paladin nodded, giving a small smile to Ike. "Don't worry, I have today covered. Go and talk with General Zelgius." Before Ike could say anything, Geoffrey walked off towards the trainees, barking another order at two that were goofing off.
Sighing, Ike turned towards Zelgius, looking oddly relieved. "I wonder if I should be thanking you or be annoyed with you."
"You can choose both, if you wish." Zelgius said lightly, causing Ike to groan.
"Never mind," he sighed again, shaking his head. "So, what did you want to talk with me about? Is it about Ragnell?"
Zelgius turned away, motioning Ike to follow him. "No, not today. There's something else I want to speak with you about. It concerns..." He left the last word hanging, slowly looking back towards the knights.
"My leadership, huh?" Ike finished, not missing a beat as he fell into step beside him. "Well, can't say I blame you."
Once Zelgius felt they were a sufficient distance away, he stopped and turned to look Ike in the eyes. "It's not so much that as it is seeing you beginning to chafe in your position," he said bluntly, making Ike pause. "You're so young and yet you've been given such a high post...I can't even imagine how you're feeling right now."
Ike looked away, and to Zelgius, it seemed like he was seething in anger. "It's that obvious, huh?" he asked lowly, not meeting his eyes.
Zelgius sighed. How was he going to phrase this? "Not to anyone who doesn't know better. I've just held my post long enough to know what to look for." he said slowly, waiting to see if there was any reaction from the younger man.
Ike chuckled. "Soren says I'm an easy read to him, but I didn't think I was that open," he sighed. "I just...I really don't know what to do. I was raised to become a mercenary, not a general! Soren and Titania try to help when they can, but everything falls on me in the end. Not to mention anything I do is met with opposition!" he ranted, glaring angrily at the ground. "Have court politics always been like this?"
"Yes, they have;" Zelgius answered, nodding solemnly. "But to this extent, however...it's rather unheard of."
"Just because both Elincia and I refused to occupy Daein..." Ike muttered before silencing. "Oh...you've probably already heard of that."
Zelgius nodded, but not for the reason Ike had given. So, it's begun then. he thought, frowning. His master had been carefully meticulous in his plans for the next few years. He knew Crimea did not have the resources to keep a presence in Daein, so he skillfully manipulated certain members of the Senate to take charge of the garrison. With that person in charge of the occupation, it wouldn't be long until there was an uprising in Daein, and then...
"So that's why they oppose you?" he asked, veering his thoughts away from that topic. It would be best for him to focus on the current situation.
"It's stupid, isn't it? Do they even know how many troops we would need just to keep that nation occupied? Too many that we don't even have!" Ike spat. "I just don't get nobles. Why are they so interested in power?"
To normal people, it was a normal question, but for Zelgius, it brought back memories.
"Why are you so interested in power, boy?"
"...to become strong, like you."
"Not the correct answer...but you're learning."
"Zelgius?"
Blinking, the man shook himself out of his thoughts. "Sorry, I was just remembering something," he muttered, grimacing. "In any case...I suppose that those that have power will yearn for more. That's how it's always been."
"It's pretty pathetic, if you ask me." Ike retorted. "I mean...aren't they thankful that they have their own country back, at the very least?"
"Unfortunately, not everyone thinks like you do." Zelgius sighed. "Plainly put, they either are out for revenge or want to expand their own power."
"Madness," Ike muttered. "I can't believe them."
"To be quite honest, I too am appalled at my own country's senators at times." Zelgius replied.
Looking back towards the knights, Ike saw Geoffrey getting everyone into formation with practiced ease, pulling out those that were disobeying orders. Ike sighed deeply; the paladin obviously knew what to do and how to do it, and the only reason anyone followed his own orders was because he was their hero. "Well, I'm just tired of them in any case."
Zelgius frowned. "Which brings me to what I really want," he said smoothly. "Ike, let us spar once again. You look like you need something to hit."
Ike blinked in surprise. "Again?" he asked in disbelief. "You're being rather persistent, General. Why?" Pausing a bit in thought, he added one more question, a bit more lowly and suspicious. "For that matter, why are you offering to help me in the first place?"
Once again, Zelgius had to stop and actually think why he was helping Ike. It's because he's the final challenge in proving that I'm more powerful than my teacher. I'm just helping him along until he reaches that point. he thought, but suddenly hesitated. But..
"I just know the feeling of needing to hit something after dealing with...unpleasantness." he finally said, shrugging lightly. "Besides, I haven't had a skillful sparring partner in ages. I'm sure Queen Elincia wouldn't begrudge you taking a day or so off for your own affairs, right?"
"Well, when you put it that way..." Ike said before grinning. "Lead the way, General."
With a nod, both of them made their way back towards the training grounds they used earlier, but Ike had one more comment for the general.
"You're a lot easier to talk to than I thought," he muttered. "It's kind of sad that you're leaving in a few days."
Zelgius felt a pang in his chest at that, but did not know why.
---
The second sparring session was a lot more exciting than the first one, Zelgius found. Ike seemed to have gotten more comfortable with being his sparring partner, and his movements weren't as hesitant or jerky as they were the previous day. This time, he actually found himself on the defensive more, since Ike refused to let up-even for a moment.
"Good, good..." he muttered. "If you straighten your stance a bit, you'll have a bit more power. Exaggerating your movements will get you hurt, however." he chastised as he swung his lance, scoring a glancing blow to Ike's arm. "Like so!"
Ike nodded as he felt the hit, but only responded by swinging his sword when Zelgius' lance was occupied, returning the strike. Zelgius grunted, but smiled nonetheless. "I was right in my assumption about you. Truly skilled." he praised, pushing his darker thoughts about his opponent out of his mind. Ike was not ready, he still needed time to grow and get stronger, and only then would he finally have the challenge he craved for.
It was only when he learned that Gawain had crippled himself did the lack of satisfaction from defeating him finally make sense. It was insulting, appalling to think that the man he once so admired had been but a husk of his former self, and the skills he honed for so long were wasted. That was why his son would have to take his place, to grow into the warrior he had once been. Only then would he be vindicated.
And it was why he was guiding him right now. If he could set him on that path, then he knew he would be ready.
Ike's expression didn't change, only looking at Zelgius coolly. "I still have room to improve, as you've shown me;" he said plainly, getting back into a ready stance. "I haven't fought like this in a while...at your ready, General."
"That makes two of us then. Come!" Zelgius shouted, and Ike charged him once more. Even though Zelgius knew this was only a warm-up for things to come, he couldn't help but think that this was right, in a way.
Merely a prelude for things to come, nothing more. he thought before their weapons clashed again.
---
The second day had ended on a rather good note for him. He had gotten a better measure on how Ike's skills had progressed, and he wasn't disappointed. The boy already realized that he wasn't as good as his father, and worked tirelessly to reach that point. He was surprised that Ike's prowess hadn't gone to his head, especially considering his age. When he had brought that point up earlier, Ike just gave a tired shrug.
"I'm proud of my skills, but I haven't trained this hard for my own sake." he answered. "Why would I think I'm better than anyone? You've seen how badly I'm doing in this position."
"Looks like you're putting yourself down more than letting it get to your head." Zelgius commented thoughtfully, and got no more response from Ike.
He did not have to leave for another two days, as business was going on as well as it could. Unfortunately, the better part of tomorrow would actually be devoted to making sure the Begnion soldiers were doing their jobs. Despite his identity and what he knew was going to happen eventually, Master Sephiran would be very displeased if he found out Zelgius was shirking his duties. If nothing else, he was diligent in whatever he was doing.
The following day had him inspecting the Begnion soldiers helping out in the reconstruction. Even though half a year had passed, the capital of Melior was still recovering from the extensive damage it took during Daein's occupation. While it was beginning to heal and be rebuilt, it would undoubtedly take a lot more time for it to return to its former glory.
He recognized some of the troops that were stationed in the city. Some he served alongside, some he personally commanded. While most of them were amicable and were taking their duties in stride, there were a few that were resentful of their position. He had the pleasure of reprimanding them in front of their fellow soldiers, threatening them with a demotion if they continued their current attitude. All in all, it had been a fairly routine inspection.
However, when he returned to the castle in the late afternoon, the air felt rather tense. He couldn't begin to guess why, but the soldiers were obviously very nervous about something. It wasn't a scene he was unaccustomed with, considering the senators' erratic mood swings, but obviously something had happened that had people avoiding...something.
That something turned out to be the one he was looking for, walking briskly in the corridors.
Zelgius stopped and stared at Ike. From the way he clenched his jaw and he glared angrily at nothing, something highly unpleasant had happened. He didn't know what, but Ike was pissed, and the first thing anyone said to him would earn the speaker his ire. At least this explained the soldiers' nerves; the last thing they wanted was to deal with Ike's wrath.
Zelgius, however, knew what to do, having been in this situation before.
"Training field, now." he ordered sharply, and Ike simply whirled around and stormed off in that direction, the Begnion general following. Ike definitely needed to work some anger off, and it would give Zelgius more insight onto how to best get the boy going.
However, no one could have expected what would happen.
---
Ike had certainly been angry, far more so than Zelgius thought. Several months of bottled-up emotions came to the forefront as they clashed, and he was surprised to see that the boy was hitting him with such power. He would have been staggering had he not been who he was, and managed to hold Ike off with his spear.
If anything, the anger served only to intensify Ike's focus, as he was striking at Zelgius' defenses with incredible precision. The general actually found himself hard-pressed to throw Ike off without showing his real skill. He grimaced as a slash made its way past his defenses, hitting his side. It didn't do any damage, but the fact that Ike was determined to take his anger out on him...
"Calm down!" he said sharply, hitting Ike with the other end of his spear and making him stumble. The young general didn't hesitate in counterattacking, causing Zelgius to scowl. Something must have set him off, because he had never seen the boy this mad-not since that night in the clearing.
Another strike came, and Zelgius parried it skillfully, redirecting the sword and making another jab with his spear. "Calm down!" he nearly yelled. Even if Ike was attacking him fiercely, he wasn't thinking clearly. Growling, he followed up by making a wide slash, one that made Ike jump back.
"Don't tell me to calm down!" Ike snarled, finally speaking for the first time. "You have no idea what's going on!"
Another strike, only to be parried again. Zelgius grimaced as he pushed Ike off him again, glaring angrily at the boy. "And I can't know unless you calm the hell down and tell me!" he snarled back.
Ike chose not to respond, only grunting and swinging his blade again. Zelgius actually felt irked that Ike was ignoring him in favor of attacking him. He's either mad at the nobles or mad at me. Or maybe both. he thought as he backed away, getting some room. "I'm not going to say it again, Ike." he muttered dangerously.
"Shove it." Ike growled back before leaping at him again, brandishing his blade.
Make that a lot of anger to work off. Zelgius thought dryly before their weapons clashed once more.
They continued to spar, unaware of their surroundings starting to darken. Night was beginning to fall, and most of the knights had already retired to their quarters. However, the two of them continued to fight, only able to concentrate on the other.
Ike's anger seemed to taper off with each passing second, only to be replaced with a look that Zelgius couldn't quite make out in the dark. Regardless, they still clashed, and Zelgius couldn't remember the last time he had sparred for so long. It was obvious that Ike was beginning to tire, but he wouldn't quit. The Begnion general paid it no mind, as he was too busy enjoying the fight while it lasted.
But all too soon, it ended, and in a way he hadn't anticipated. As soon as Zelgius caught Ike off guard and disarmed him, the end of his spear broke, leaving it nothing more than a useless rod of metal. Dropping it, he pinned Ike against the wall, blue eyes glaring defiantly up into his. He vaguely heard Ike's heavy breathing in unison with his own, finally feeling the exertion of the last few marks.
"Are you calm yet?" he asked lowly, coming out more huskily than he realized. It was a stupid question to be sure, because Ike certainly wasn't looking or acting angry, but...
Ike swallowed and nodded, still staring into Zelgius's eyes. "Yeah. I am." he said quietly, shifting a little.
The next few moments felt like a blur to the Begnion general, but all Zelgius knew was that Ike was on him, he was kissing him, and their bodies were pressed up against each other. Zelgius felt himself kissing back just as he realized that somehow, something had happened, but he didn't seem to care as he felt Ike's breath on his skin, their tongues already pressing, dueling for dominance. With his free hand, he pinned Ike's hands to the wall, and Ike didn't resist, instead seeming to lean into Zelgius's touch, kissing back sloppily as he felt his his body heat up.
Zelgius knew that he couldn't do this, he shouldn't do this, but he craved it. The darker side of him, the one that others knew only as the Black Knight, was reveling in this new twist of events. "Are...are you certain about this, Ike?" he finally asked as he broke off, staring down at the younger man. Ike certainly looked breathless and willing and wanting...
"Yes." Ike replied instantly, somewhat dazed.
That was all Zelgius needed as he nodded as well. "Where...?"
"My quarters. Follow me from a distance." Ike responded lowly, sliding out of Zelgius's grasp and slowly making his way towards the castle. Zelgius followed obediently, careful to keep out of sight.
---
When he looked back on it, Zelgius had no idea on how they managed to get to Ike's quarters, but he supposed that the castle servants were tending to the Begnion dignitaries. Ike's earlier foul mood probably helped as well, scaring most everyone away from his room. Once they stumbled inside, however, the first thing he felt was Ike's lips clumsily kissing against his, him returning it, and their fevered hands struggling to remove their armor and clothing.
Somehow, they managed to get the armor off, placing them off to the side so no one would hear anything. Clothes followed, and before he knew it, Ike was stepping out of his pants while divesting him of his. And the next thing he knew, they were already upon the bed, lips locked, hands groping, their bodies just grinding against each other...
Everything about it was wrong, Zelgius distantly thought as his tongue delved lower, flicking it against one of Ike's nipples and smirking when he heard Ike groan in satisfaction. This was his enemy. This was the man who was going to be his final obstacle towards his goal. This was Gawain's son...
"You won't lay a finger on him! You won't touch my son!" he heard his teacher's voice echo in his ears, just as Ike chose that moment to grind against his arousal, causing him to pause and shudder.
How ironic...you said I wouldn't touch him? he thought in amusement, returning to his work on the younger man's chest. As Ike moaned and moved underneath him, he had to keep from chuckling. I'm going to be his first, Gawain.
Soon enough, they tired of the endless groping of their hands and movements of their bodies, seeking something more. Zelgius sat up, taking a moment to regain his breath and his bearings. Part of him was disgusted at himself for allowing this to happen, wanting him to stop and just leave. However, he knew that he had gone too far already, and he might as well go all the way. As Ike stared back up at him, breathing shallow, he gulped. "If we're going to continue, do you have something I can use...?" he asked, coming out as a mere whisper.
Ike looked confused for a second before hurriedly nodding, pointing to a flask of oil on the stand next to the bed. Zelgius reached over and took it, uncorking it and pouring a liberal amount of it into his hands. It was lightly fragranced, and Ike must have sensed his amusement because he blushed. "Elincia gave it to me to help with my hands after training." he muttered.
Slicking his fingers, Zelgius chuckled. "Too bad she never imagined it would be for this purpose." he said to himself, trailing a hand down the back of Ike's leg. Lifting a little bit, he circled the younger man's entrance with his finger, watching Ike's face as he gasped and shuddered. "Relax yourself." he muttered before sliding his finger in, hearing Ike's audible gasp as he flinched. He watched and felt Ike squirm around the intruding digit, using his other hand to lightly rub parts of the younger man's body, muttering assurances that things would be alright.
A second finger joined the first after Ike felt more comfortable, and Ike moaned at the sensation. He felt himself being stretched, feeling Zelgius lean down to kiss him and lap at his neck again, and after what seemed like several minutes, he felt them withdraw, making him sigh heavily. He then felt Zelgius move in between his legs, his hand stroking himself with the oil. Ike gulped, knowing exactly what was going to happen next, but remembered the older man's words and tried to relax himself the best he could.
Another glance at Ike's face told Zelgius that the younger general was ready as he grabbed his hips, teasing his entrance with the head of his arousal. Without another spoken word, he slowly started to ease himself into Ike, gritting his teeth as he felt himself push past that ring of muscle. The contorted expression on Ike's face told him everything he need to know as he stopped, just holding him in the same position.
Pain couldn't even begin to describe the agony Ike currently felt. Not even the wounds he received fighting the Mad King could compare to this. Shutting his eyes, he tried to will away the pain, telling himself it would subside. Thankfully, after several minutes and Zelgius's hand stroking his own erection, he felt the pain gradually lessen as he shifted himself.
Once Zelgius knew that Ike was ready, he began to move in him, starting slowly but picking up speed as the minutes wore on. It wouldn't do if someone heard them and decided to snoop. Neither of them could afford such a thing happening. He heard Ike's low groan and another gasp from him as Zelgius hit something inside him, and the older man knew that was the exact spot to keep hitting to make it more pleasurable for the both of them.
Ike grunted as he felt Zelgius's thrusts become faster, white spots dancing in front of his eyes. The Begnion general had hit something in him that caused his whole body to jerk and writhe in pleasure, and he wanted more. He started to thrust himself down onto Zelgius, moaning softly as everything started to feel hot and good.
It was when Zelgius started to thrust in hard that Ike knew they couldn't keep on like this. Someone would eventually start looking for them, and suspicions would be raised if both the Crimean and Begnion generals were nowhere to be found. Zelgius's thrusts began to be more fevered, totally burying himself into the younger man as Ike panted, thrusting back just as hard. It was hard to think straight with everything going on, feeling so full with Zelgius inside him, and it was all he could do just to keep silent.
By now, Zelgius knew he had given into the heat of the moment. He was thrusting into Ike without abandon now, the friction down there making him shudder-and he liked it, the way the muscles around his cock were squeezing him, teasing him mercilessly. He was pounding into him, grasping the younger man's hips and thrusting them down onto him, although Ike was certainly helping with his own movements. He couldn't seem to think straight with everything going on, his breathing becoming heavy.
And just as quick as they started, it had to end. Zelgius felt Ike tense around him before he felt warm liquid splash between their bodies, and then everything clenched down on him in that moment. He bit back a moan as he spilled himself inside Ike, the Crimean general groaning again as he felt it spray against his insides. He stayed like that for a few minutes, just reveling in the afterglow before the full implications of the situation had hit him.
He had literally went to bed with his enemy.
The shock of that was enough to break him out of whatever fog his mind was in, pulling out of Ike and immediately stepping off the bed, rooting around for his pants. He cursed himself for letting himself go this far, but now there was nothing he could do about it. Ike watched him with half-lidded eyes as he pulled on his shirt and pants, careful to not expose his bare back to him. He didn't need even more questions on top of what they just did, but thankfully, Ike seemed too out of it to notice.
"I need to leave," he said quickly, refastening his armor. "If I'm caught around here any longer, someone will...they'd catch on." he muttered, scowling at how he couldn't seem to organize his thoughts. "It'd be best if we didn't see each other tomorrow."
If there was one thing Zelgius had to give to Ike, it was his ability to take blunt statements in stride. "Yeah..." he trailed off, looking over in the corner. "Take Ragnell with you now, while you're at it. It'll give you an excuse if anyone catches you."
Zelgius nodded, not knowing why he didn't think of it earlier. "My thanks, General Ike," he said as he took the sacred blade into his hands. Before he left, however, he stared right at Ike, who seemed to be looking back with an unreadable expression on his face. "...and while I'm at it, I'm sorry."
"Don't," Ike started, looking away. Zelgius couldn't tell if he was regretful or not. "I wanted it just as bad. Now get going before anyone sees you."
Zelgius nodded before leaving in a hurry, gripping the golden blade tightly in his hands. While he regretted what just happened, the darker part of him surfaced once again, whispering into his ear.
You enjoyed your power over him, didn't you? How he seemed to writhe beneath you...didn't that turn you on? You loved every single moment of it. And the thrill of wondering when he'll realize that you were his father's killer makes it even better, wouldn't you say?
Shuddering, the Begnion general pushed those thoughts out of his mind as he made his way down to the guest quarters, intent on forgetting the whole thing ever happened.
The next day, he completed his inspection of the forces and promptly left the capital, finally heading back towards Begnion.
Ike didn't see him off, much to his relief.
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PART ONE
PART TWO PART THREE