The Sweet Solution
This is a sequel to Magic Trouble.
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Help...help me, Breccan. Help...
I heard the voice in my sleep; it was unmistakably that of Master Harrison. I knew it to be more than a mere dream. My Master was calling me, sending out a distress signal.
Where are you? my dream-self asked.
He didn't answer in words. Instead, he sent a a picture to my mind, a flash of a cabin by the sea. The tiny structure was weathered and looked like it were nearly falling apart on the rocky beach where it stood. I knew that place; it was on the edge of this city.
What happened? I wondered.
Master Harrison didn't answer. I still sensed him, but he was growing weaker. I would get no more out of him besides a feeling of danger and foreboding and the knowledge I had to rescue him soon or he would die.
I woke up, sweat-soaked and breathing shallowly. My roommate, Finbar, was a light sleeper; he yawned from his bed and turned to me, asking “Something wrong?”
I choked, “M-Master Harrison.”
He wondered, “Are you meeting him today? He's been delayed an awfully long time, hasn't he?”
I explained, “He's delayed because he's in trouble. I got a magical distress call. He's trapped in a cabin by the sea. I have to go rescue him.”
Finbar's face dropped. “Oh no,” he breathed. “How are you going to do that? I don't mean to offend, but you're not even well enough to go downstairs for meals, much less rescue anybody from...what exactly has your Master?”
Shaking my head, I sighed. “I don't know. Master Harrison was too weak to say. All I know is he's in trouble, and I have to rescue him soon or he'll, well, die.”
He pointed out, “If you try to rescue him in your condition, you'll be the one who's dead. Your magic is killing you. Because of me.” Finbar looked inexpressibly sad. “I don't want to be what kills you.”
I thought after admitting my feelings for my roommate, I would lose my magic and, along with it, this damnable sickness. Somehow, I was still in possession of my gift, and it was still apparently determined to end my life. Squinting against the too-bright sunlight filtering into the room, I tried to think of how I could make myself better, and quickly. Briefly, I thought of telling Finbar to leave after all, but that wouldn't help. Even with my roommate gone, my feelings for him wouldn't disappear in time for me to rescue Master Harrison.
Sighing, I said, “It's not your fault.”
Barely audible, he offered, “I could leave. If it's what you need, I'll do it.”
I told him, “That wouldn't help. I have almost no time.”
Finbar lost himself in thought. “I don't understand, Breccan. I thought after before, when you realized your feelings, you would be fixed.”
I stared at the ceiling. “I thought admitting romantic feelings and cuddling would count as breaking the vow of celibacy, but I guess not. The words are 'I vow to remain pure, so that I may be a vessel of power.' I guess cuddling isn't impure enough to make the magic go away.”
He gave me a strange, contemplative look. “If you're okay with it, we could try kissing. Just closed mouth. That might be enough? I don't want to push things, but I hate seeing you like this.”
I flushed a little at the thought, both because I was scared to break my vow., as necessary as that was, and because I very much wanted to kiss Finbar. I nodded at him. “We could try that, if you think it might help.”
My roommate slowly got out of his bed and crossed the small space between it and mine. I struggled to sit up, feeling my head spin as I did so. He sat beside me and allowed me to lean on him for support. For a long moment, we just sat there as I enjoyed the simple physical closeness.
Eventually, he touched my cheek, ever so gently, and turned my face towards his. I thought I might fall into his perfect brown eyes. I closed my own as I leaned forward and tilted my head to the side, hoping I remembered how to kiss. Our lips met, and unbelievable warmth flooded my body. I inched closer and put my arms around him. Finbar did the same. I could feel my heartbeat speed up from the rush of feeling. I didn't want it to end, and I wanted more.
Finbar was the first to pull away. I felt a small pang just at that. He smiled. “How did that feel?”
I looked directly at him, even though it made me blush. “Amazing.” I sighed. “Though I don't think it made my magic go away. I still don't feel well.”
He suggested, “We could try again and go just a tiny bit further, if you're okay with that. I certainly wouldn't mind.”
My heart fluttered at the thought. “I certainly wouldn't mind, either.”
This time, I pulled him towards me. Our lips met again, and I let my mouth open. His mouth opened to match mine as I embraced him. Finbar's lips were so soft and warm and lovely. I sighed against him, that warm feeling taking me over. He cautiously pushed his tongue forward, and I eagerly accepted, despite never have done that before. We kissed like that for the longest time, and I didn't want to break it. Again, I wanted more, even more than that.
I found my hand trying to sneak under Finbar's shirt. Embarrassed, I broke the kiss and backed away, even though my body told me to keep going.
Finbar grinned wickedly. “You didn't really want to stop there, did you?”
I mumbled, not looking at him, “No, I didn't. B-but we shouldn't.”
“Why not?” he wondered. “Isn't the point to get rid of the magic that's trying to kill you? Wouldn't this be more likely to work the further we went? I don't want to pressure you, but if you want more than just kissing, I don't see why you should deny yourself.”
“You have a point,” I admitted.
Finbar slid closer. “Of course I have a point. We'll take things slowly, okay? And stop whenever you want.” He put his arm around me. “Will that work for you?”
I nodded. He pulled me close again. We kissed, lips and tongues meeting in soft harmony. That warmth flooded my body again, more intense than before. Gently, Finbar pushed me down onto the bed, laying himself on top of me without ever breaking the kiss. I gasped, not used to someone's weight on me like that, but I liked it, a lot.
The sweetness of it all was nearly unbearable.
* * *
Many hours later, after everything, I awoke next to Finbar. I felt I might float away, so I held onto him, his bare skin against mine. He noticed my waking and asked me, “Hey, how are you feeling?”
I whispered, “I feel like I might float away. I...think my magic's gone.” Many times I had worried about what would happen to me if my power disappeared, but I had never imagined it would be so freeing and so strange. The vanished magic left behind an emptiness, the kind of space that begged to be replaced by something. I wondered if Finbar would be able to fill the void.
He smiled at me. “You look a whole lot better now. Not so sick, anymore.”
I didn't feel sick anymore, either, but my heart sank. “Thank you. I feel much better, but now I need to make plans to rescue Master Harrison, without use of magic. I don't know what to do.”
Finbar still smiled. I didn't understand it. He said, “You have something better than your magic. You have me. I'll help you find your Master.”
“You would really do that?”
He agreed, “I would.”
Fear threatened to swallow me, but it was chased by a strange hope. We didn't have much time, but, perhaps, together we might be able to rescue Master Harrison and prevent the disaster I felt sure was coming. Whatever had taken him had plans, and those plans must be stopped.
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written for 500themes prompt #138. Cabin by the Sea
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Help...help me, Breccan. Help...
I heard the voice in my sleep; it was unmistakably that of Master Harrison. I knew it to be more than a mere dream. My Master was calling me, sending out a distress signal.
Where are you? my dream-self asked.
He didn't answer in words. Instead, he sent a a picture to my mind, a flash of a cabin by the sea. The tiny structure was weathered and looked like it were nearly falling apart on the rocky beach where it stood. I knew that place; it was on the edge of this city.
What happened? I wondered.
Master Harrison didn't answer. I still sensed him, but he was growing weaker. I would get no more out of him besides a feeling of danger and foreboding and the knowledge I had to rescue him soon or he would die.
I woke up, sweat-soaked and breathing shallowly. My roommate, Finbar, was a light sleeper; he yawned from his bed and turned to me, asking “Something wrong?”
I choked, “M-Master Harrison.”
He wondered, “Are you meeting him today? He's been delayed an awfully long time, hasn't he?”
I explained, “He's delayed because he's in trouble. I got a magical distress call. He's trapped in a cabin by the sea. I have to go rescue him.”
Finbar's face dropped. “Oh no,” he breathed. “How are you going to do that? I don't mean to offend, but you're not even well enough to go downstairs for meals, much less rescue anybody from...what exactly has your Master?”
Shaking my head, I sighed. “I don't know. Master Harrison was too weak to say. All I know is he's in trouble, and I have to rescue him soon or he'll, well, die.”
He pointed out, “If you try to rescue him in your condition, you'll be the one who's dead. Your magic is killing you. Because of me.” Finbar looked inexpressibly sad. “I don't want to be what kills you.”
I thought after admitting my feelings for my roommate, I would lose my magic and, along with it, this damnable sickness. Somehow, I was still in possession of my gift, and it was still apparently determined to end my life. Squinting against the too-bright sunlight filtering into the room, I tried to think of how I could make myself better, and quickly. Briefly, I thought of telling Finbar to leave after all, but that wouldn't help. Even with my roommate gone, my feelings for him wouldn't disappear in time for me to rescue Master Harrison.
Sighing, I said, “It's not your fault.”
Barely audible, he offered, “I could leave. If it's what you need, I'll do it.”
I told him, “That wouldn't help. I have almost no time.”
Finbar lost himself in thought. “I don't understand, Breccan. I thought after before, when you realized your feelings, you would be fixed.”
I stared at the ceiling. “I thought admitting romantic feelings and cuddling would count as breaking the vow of celibacy, but I guess not. The words are 'I vow to remain pure, so that I may be a vessel of power.' I guess cuddling isn't impure enough to make the magic go away.”
He gave me a strange, contemplative look. “If you're okay with it, we could try kissing. Just closed mouth. That might be enough? I don't want to push things, but I hate seeing you like this.”
I flushed a little at the thought, both because I was scared to break my vow., as necessary as that was, and because I very much wanted to kiss Finbar. I nodded at him. “We could try that, if you think it might help.”
My roommate slowly got out of his bed and crossed the small space between it and mine. I struggled to sit up, feeling my head spin as I did so. He sat beside me and allowed me to lean on him for support. For a long moment, we just sat there as I enjoyed the simple physical closeness.
Eventually, he touched my cheek, ever so gently, and turned my face towards his. I thought I might fall into his perfect brown eyes. I closed my own as I leaned forward and tilted my head to the side, hoping I remembered how to kiss. Our lips met, and unbelievable warmth flooded my body. I inched closer and put my arms around him. Finbar did the same. I could feel my heartbeat speed up from the rush of feeling. I didn't want it to end, and I wanted more.
Finbar was the first to pull away. I felt a small pang just at that. He smiled. “How did that feel?”
I looked directly at him, even though it made me blush. “Amazing.” I sighed. “Though I don't think it made my magic go away. I still don't feel well.”
He suggested, “We could try again and go just a tiny bit further, if you're okay with that. I certainly wouldn't mind.”
My heart fluttered at the thought. “I certainly wouldn't mind, either.”
This time, I pulled him towards me. Our lips met again, and I let my mouth open. His mouth opened to match mine as I embraced him. Finbar's lips were so soft and warm and lovely. I sighed against him, that warm feeling taking me over. He cautiously pushed his tongue forward, and I eagerly accepted, despite never have done that before. We kissed like that for the longest time, and I didn't want to break it. Again, I wanted more, even more than that.
I found my hand trying to sneak under Finbar's shirt. Embarrassed, I broke the kiss and backed away, even though my body told me to keep going.
Finbar grinned wickedly. “You didn't really want to stop there, did you?”
I mumbled, not looking at him, “No, I didn't. B-but we shouldn't.”
“Why not?” he wondered. “Isn't the point to get rid of the magic that's trying to kill you? Wouldn't this be more likely to work the further we went? I don't want to pressure you, but if you want more than just kissing, I don't see why you should deny yourself.”
“You have a point,” I admitted.
Finbar slid closer. “Of course I have a point. We'll take things slowly, okay? And stop whenever you want.” He put his arm around me. “Will that work for you?”
I nodded. He pulled me close again. We kissed, lips and tongues meeting in soft harmony. That warmth flooded my body again, more intense than before. Gently, Finbar pushed me down onto the bed, laying himself on top of me without ever breaking the kiss. I gasped, not used to someone's weight on me like that, but I liked it, a lot.
The sweetness of it all was nearly unbearable.
* * *
Many hours later, after everything, I awoke next to Finbar. I felt I might float away, so I held onto him, his bare skin against mine. He noticed my waking and asked me, “Hey, how are you feeling?”
I whispered, “I feel like I might float away. I...think my magic's gone.” Many times I had worried about what would happen to me if my power disappeared, but I had never imagined it would be so freeing and so strange. The vanished magic left behind an emptiness, the kind of space that begged to be replaced by something. I wondered if Finbar would be able to fill the void.
He smiled at me. “You look a whole lot better now. Not so sick, anymore.”
I didn't feel sick anymore, either, but my heart sank. “Thank you. I feel much better, but now I need to make plans to rescue Master Harrison, without use of magic. I don't know what to do.”
Finbar still smiled. I didn't understand it. He said, “You have something better than your magic. You have me. I'll help you find your Master.”
“You would really do that?”
He agreed, “I would.”
Fear threatened to swallow me, but it was chased by a strange hope. We didn't have much time, but, perhaps, together we might be able to rescue Master Harrison and prevent the disaster I felt sure was coming. Whatever had taken him had plans, and those plans must be stopped.
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written for 500themes prompt #138. Cabin by the Sea