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"You."
Meis stands rigid, hands ready and gripping tightly around the freeze bullet gun he holds below his waist. He glares readily at the figure in his direct line of sight, a man- a Burnish, with blue spiky hair swept over to the right side of his head and a cocky grin plastered on his face.
A grin Meis wants to rip right off if he ever has the chance.
The Burnish stands tall against a towering wire fence, perfectly framing his features. Meis has to crane his neck up to focus on him, the other conveniently placed on a hilly outcrop. Blue hair lightly shifting in the wind, the Burnish's smile seems to grow larger as he greets Meis.
"Oh? Coming to me for I don't have to go searching for you? What an amazing surprise...thanks!"
Meis grits his teeth in response, hands itching to hurry and use the gun in his hand.
But patience is needed, patience he isn't sure he has.
"Hey now, what's with that stiff posture?" Meis didn't miss the condescending tone of his voice. "If you wanna talk, let's talk! No worries, just relax."
Yes, patience he definitely doesn't have.
"Talk? Is that all that happened when you stole Gueira away?!" His voice lowers into a growl. "Where is he?! Tell me now! I swear if you hurt him-!"
"Wait, wait, wait! Hold on, hold on." The Burnish swats a hand back and forth in front of his face, feigning a worried expression. "I did nothing of the sort! Stealing someone away? Hardly a chance!"
"What?" Meis' eyes narrow. "He disappeared. And all traces lead to you and your group! What else would have happened?!"
He really doesn't have time to be jerked around by this guy. Gueira was gone, and Meis was at his wits end trying to find him. Lio and the rest of Burning Rescue had been searching for him high and low for the past few weeks, and Meis wasn't sure how much more of this he could take.
Gueira could be hurt or worse. And he would never forgive this Burnish if that happened.
"Hm? It's like I said, I didn't steal him," the Burnish pauses, coolly looking down at Meis. A spark of worry starts to pool in his gut as the wind picks up. "He followed me back all on his own." An innocent smile graces his lips, but his eyes flicker with something else.
"Again, you don't need to worry."
Something malicious.
"Like I'm going to believe he just decided to accompany you!"
"Your choice then," he shrugs, indifferent. "If you don't want to believe it, that's all on you."
"Then you manipulated him!" Was there something the Burnish could blackmail Gueira with? Perhaps he was threatening to unleash a full frontal attack on the city if Gueira didn't comply?
"Did I now? And how would I do that, Meis?" The use of his name throws him off for a moment. But considering the high chance that they had Gueira captive, it wouldn't be unusual for his name to slip.
However, the image of the group of Burnish torturing Gueira quickly filters through his mind, chilling his thoughts and breaking him out of his daze.
He's done waiting.
Quickly moving his arms, Meis aims at the Burnish, firing three sequential shots. They successfully burst, forming cold crystal particles and freezing the air around them.
The ice doesn't make it to its target, however.
The Burnish bursts forward from the chilly mist, vicious flames circling around him. He quickly surges forward to where Meis is standing and before he can even process what was happening, the Burnish reaches for Meis' wrists and successfully grips both of them, pushes Meis back, and pins him against the wall behind him.
Meis lets out a startled grunt from the sudden impact.
"Really? This is what you call coming prepared?" He easily pries the weapon from Meis' hands and holds it away, just out of reach.
"Did you really think this little toy would do much for you?" Turning it around lazily, he raises a brow, unimpressed.
Meis clenches his teeth, glaring as intensely as he could at the Burnish, struggling yet ultimately failing at breaking free from his grip.
"Hmm. Either you seriously underestimated me or you're a little too proud of your skills...or maybe both." He flings the gun behind him without a single glance back towards it. Meis can hear its echo when it clatters onto the ground. An echo that seizes in his heart and gnaws at his nerves.
But he wouldn't let that show. He wouldn't let his fear be exploited.
"Hmph, just try something. I dare you." He would get Gueira back, even if he had to bluff his way to it.
The Burnish raises an eyebrow, seemingly surprised. "Ohh? Is that what you really want?"
Meis glowers back in response. He still had equipment on him. If he got in the right position he could get to it and fight back. All he needed was for the Burnish to relax his grip- to prepare to attack him or-.
Instead, the Burnish grips harder on Meis' coat and pulls him closer.
Shit! That's not-
Then locks lips with him.
And everything goes fuzzy.
Fuzzy and hot. It is so hot. All at once he realizes that the Burnish's flames were all around him, and the panic that he's being burned alive strikes.
But it didn't hurt.
No, nothing hurt.
It felt...
The Burnish parts away from Meis, a light smile and gentle expression on his face.
"Meis? How do you feel?"
Meis blinks, taking in a deep, long breath.
"...I'm...I...?"
Something feels off, but he can't place it. There was a distinct humming in his head, as if someone- or something- was whispering to him. It made it hard to focus, it made it hard to think.
He was alive- that was for certain. The flames that had surrounded him, and still surrounded him, weren't burning him. There was no pain, just a subtle warmth wrapping around his body, as if he was in a cradle, safely bundled in a blanket.
The warmth spread throughout his entire being, tingling with a sensation of comfort.
How...nice.
It was so...pleasant.
Would it be okay if he just basked in this feeling and let all his worries melt away?
The Burnish- no...Galo. Galo loosens his grip on Meis, finally relieving him from being pinned against the wall. He brings his other hand up to Meis' face, tenderly cupping one of his cheeks.
Without thinking, Meis leans into the touch, eyes drooping slightly and a sigh escaping his lips.
"Are you alright now?" Galo whispers, coming in close again. His breath dances against Meis' skin, the heat of his body eliciting a whimper from Meis' throat.
What was going on?
What was happening to him?
Galo was...Galo he...
Wait, when did he learn Galo's name?
"Mmmm." Galo leans forward, kissing Meis' forehead and sparks of light dance in his vision.
Flickering warmly, whispering softly.
Galo tilts Meis' chin back and joins their lips together again. Meis welcomes the action eagerly, the flames and light continuing to dance.
Swirling around, chanting, building up, surging, swelling, becoming stronger-
Within.
Ah. So, the flames were inside him as well.
They whispered his name, soothingly, as if singing a lullaby. They told Meis that everything was going to be okay now, that there was nothing to worry about.
It was okay to let go.
They murmured Galo's name. How Galo would take care of him. How Galo would make sure everything would be okay. That Galo would make sure he was safe.
"Meis?" Galo parts away from Meis' lips, questioning him again. His voice was like a blessing to Meis' ears, and the whisper of his name sends a shudder down his spine.
It takes him a moment to sort himself out, to align his thoughts back in order enough to finally answer.
"Yes, I'm...I'm more than alright."
The acknowledgment of this feeling, this freedom, feels powerful in itself. And in that acceptance he can't help but fully surrender.
"...I feel wonderful." It felt so light, so non restricting.
Galo chuckles, something that Meis can feel in his bones. "Good, I'm glad to hear it." He tenderly combs a hand through Meis' hair, the action sending more shivers down Meis' back.
Pushing the mess of hair covering his right eye away, Galo takes a good look at Meis' entire face, flushed and eyes alight from a fire burning within.
Galo's fire.
Galo places a final kiss on Meis' forehead, feeling him relax from the touch, and then lets his bangs fall back over his face once again.
"Shall we go now? Gueira is waiting for us." Galo beams brightly, grasping one of Meis' hands and tugging softly.
"Yes." Meis smiles back, eyes crinkling devotedly with an unshakable trust.
No hesitation.
No resistance.
It seemed like the most natural response, the most obvious decision. He would follow Galo- he belonged with Galo.
This was meant to be.
---
"Another one?"
Galo arrives at the hideout and is immediately greeted by a less than impressed Aina frowning at him. He gives her one of his best smiles- with a dash of innocence, which only makes her frown even worse.
"Be careful, alright? I hope you know what you're doing." She crosses her arms and looks sternly at Galo.
"Sure, sure!" He waves a hand in her direction. "I'll be fine," and flashes her yet another smile, receiving a groan in return.
He turns and heads towards his room without any more distractions, gently cradling the body in his arms.
---
Unable to stop fidgeting, the bed creaks as Gueira once again shifts his position.
He wants to see Galo, where is Galo?
A pathetic whine breaks out from his throat as he buries his head yet again into the bed's singular pillow.
Something in his mind was yelling at him that he shouldn't be acting like this. But he couldn't tell what the alternative was supposed to be. There was something missing or hidden and at some moments he felt like it was getting closer but then...
But then he would feel the warmth of flames resonating through him, his mind relaxing and forgetting that turmoil had even started.
What could he even be worried about with Galo taking care of him?
Suddenly, something flashes in his mind's eye, or perhaps his soul. Whichever way he felt it, it was there and that tug was all he could ask for.
"...Galo?" He couldn't hide the need in his voice as he whispers to the empty room. The feeling that Galo was near came long before any other signs became apparent.
They were connected now, through the flames Galo had shared with him-
Had spread within his entire body.
After a few more tense moments, Gueira finally hears footsteps heading his way. He bolts up, quickly scrambling over to the edge of the bed, waiting.
The door of the room clicks open.
"Hmm~?" Galo's eyes sparkle as they meet Gueira's. "Gueira! Good, you're awake. Here, here. A special delivery!"
At first confused, Gueira tilts his head to the side, until he sees the person cradled in Galo's arms.
He almost falls off the bed when he darts over to where Galo is standing.
"Meis! You...how...how did you?" Gueira stumbles over his words as he looks over Meis' body. A smile graces his face when he reaches up to grab hold one of Meis' hands.
Galo laughs. It's light and airy and makes Gueira's head spin.
"He actually came and found me first. Thought I could use the opportunity to bring him in."
"He...was looking for you?" Gueira looks up at Galo.
Galo nods, smiling brightly. "He was looking for me because he was looking for you, Gueira."
"Ah...oh, wow." Gueira can't help but feel a little unsettled from that answer, but he's not quite sure why.
There was no danger of Meis seeking out Galo after all.
He should have expected Meis to ask for him eventually. Perhaps Lio would soon follow suit as well. It would be amazing if all three of them could be together again- together with Galo.
He releases a gentle sigh as he looks back over to Meis.
"Meis, thank you. I'm right here, and Galo's been taking care of me."
He smiles, dreamily.
And Galo can take care of you now too.