Title: if this is how the dice roll...
Rating: T
Fandom: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Relationship: Ephraim/Innes
Wordcount: 12631
Short summary: After the war, there is peace. Renais starts rebuilding. But with the peace something else rebuilds, or rather…changes...between Ephraim and Innes.
“I should have bet harder on Ephraim winning, but I always pull for my friend.”
Innes raises an eyebrow as he takes a seat at the table where Joshua and Gerik are already conversing with mugs of beers in hand. While Innes just saw Joshua half a year ago, it’s been a while since Innes has seen Gerik. Apparently his company is quite enjoying the patronage from the ex-mercenary king, if Innes goes by how much Gerik is laughing.
“Bet? On what?” Innes asks.
“On whoever initiated your relationship,” Gerik answers.
Innes blushes. It’s not a secret relationship by any means; Innes had told Ephraim to properly court him. Although perhaps he regrets using the word “court” a little, as Ephraim took the little offhand statement and blew it out of proportion. Which, at least, leaves Innes no doubts about how Ephraim feels about him but it’s rather embarrassing to be the subject of gossip and bets.
But then again, Joshua is willing to play bets on everything. Innes has lost enough money to the man to know that very well.
“Well, I was the one who kissed Ephraim first,” Innes manages after coughing to clear his throat. This takes Gerik by surprise while Joshua laughs and gives Innes a light slap on the shoulder.
“I knew I could count on you, friend.”
Gerik shakes his head as he digs out a small bag of coins. Innes hopes he doesn’t open the bag; he does not want to know how much his love life has become worth in coin. “Because he goaded Innes.”
“Your bet was on who initiated,” Innes says. He feels like he should defend himself, even if Gerik is right.
“Yeah, don’t be so stingy, Gerik,” Joshua adds.
Gerik laughs. “Well, I’ll earn it all back soon anyway.” He shoots Innes a wink. “Let’s say we bet on—”
“If you are making more bets on my relationship, I’m leaving,” Innes interrupts.
Joshua grins. “Alright, how about…”
But Tana calls out to Innes, so Innes has to leave anyway. It’s probably for the best, because it’s not like Innes could really stop those two from having their fun. He’s guessing that whatever little details they farmed out of him from this brief conversation will probably get passed on to Tethys and…well, thank goodness she didn’t come along too. This has already been embarrassing enough…
********
“Finally. She’s safely off.”
Tana and Innes have returned to the castle to Innes’ private room after seeing L’Arachel off, meaning that just the Jehenna and Renais contingents are left at the castle. Joshua and Gerik are planning to stay a few more days for fun, while Ephraim and Eirika are leaving later today. Of course those two don’t need any guidance on how to navigate Castle Frelia at this point, so Innes is not too concerned about them. Besides Ephraim will likely…
“Yes.” Tana exhales as if she’s exhausted, but Innes was the one who had to suffer L’Arachel’s hundredth monologue about justice in a week’s span, before he managed to convince her that he understood and that he will also act for all that is good and holy. And yes, Ephraim will too. Because apparently Innes speaks for Ephraim too.
Innes sighs loudly. He’s about to ask Tana what’s next when Tana suddenly giggles.
“What’s funny?”
“I just thought… It would have been a riot if you and her had become a couple.”
Him with L’Arachel? They would probably argue a lot. But some people find that makes a relationship exciting. Innes shrugs. “Perhaps we would have in another lifetime.”
This takes Tana by surprise. “Hey, what if Ephraim heard that?”
Let him hear it Innes thinks to himself. It’s not such a big deal. “And in a separate lifetime I might have married Eirika so? But we live in this life right now.”
Tana laughs. “You’re no fun.” She pokes Innes lightly in the arm. “Well speaking of other lifetimes… I used to have a big crush on Ephraim. But I’m really happy for you, Brother.”
Innes already knew what Tana was going to say before she said it so he has a calm response prepared. Even if blunt. “I knew and I hated it.”
Tana laughs once more. “Well thank goodness you cleared up that misunderstanding.”
“Yes.” What a misunderstanding that ended up being. Innes smiles apologetically. “I suppose I’ve been misunderstood and have misunderstood a lot, hurting those I loved in the process.”
“Don’t act so sorry,” Tana chides. “We made it out better in the end. Although I’m wondering what the situation regarding succession is…”
Now that’s something Innes can talk easily about. “I’ve already talked to Father about choosing my successor among promising youths of our most trusted comrades. Or, of course, if you ever have a child by a man worthy of your love, that child could—”
“With your standards I’ll probably be single forever,” Tana interrupts with a pout.
“My standards aren’t that—”
“Because only Ephraim would be good enough and he’s yours.”
Innes opens his mouth to argue, because is he really that bad? but closes it upon feeling a strong hand on his shoulder from the only one he would allow to do so freely without consequence.
“Yep, I definitely belong to Innes,” Ephraim says cheerfully before pressing a light kiss to Innes’ earlobe.
Tana rolls her eyes. “I’ll give you a moment, see how Eirika is doing, etc.”
And she scampers off quickly without even a wave. That’s fine with Innes because he needs to glare at Ephraim. “Ephraim, did you really have to embarrass me like that again?”
“What’s embarrassing? I adore you,” Ephraim replies, his eyes filled with mirth. “And we’re getting married next year.”
Innes opens his mouth, closes it, opens it again. “What?”
Ephraim chuckles. “I asked your father and he said it was fine. He said it would be good for everyone to have something to celebrate after the hard work of these past few years.”
A royal marriage… It feels so soon…so easy? It’s not computing in Innes’ mind yet. It really is…happening?
“So that’s your proper courting? A year of embarrassing me every time we are in the same room? And sappy letters?” Innes questions. He can’t help himself.
“And negotiating with your father,” Ephraim adds. He takes Innes’ hands in his own and squeezes them firmly. “This is how a King secures his future husband, right? By making the right person happy.”
Innes can’t deny that statement. Because he is happy. “I suppose so.”
Ephraim laughs. “Oh come on. Can’t you sound a little more excited?”
Ephraim doesn’t sound that disappointed but Innes takes the bait anyway. After all, pushing and pulling is part of how they communicate even when they aren’t competing.
“Make me,” he challenges with a smirk.
Ephraim responds by pushing Innes down onto the bed and kissing Innes thoroughly, successfully eliciting those excited sounds he desires from Innes’ mouth… Not that Innes is resisting…why would he want to…
********
“Brother, we’re ready to…oh my.”
The sound of Eirika’s voice breaks the spell over Innes and Innes’ immediate reaction is to shove Ephraim off of him. He sits up and hastily fixes the buttons of his coat which Ephraim had unbuttoned earlier, hoping that it isn’t too awkward for Eirika to have seen him in such a state, with his chest exposed and Ephraim’s hands all over…
Innes glares at Ephraim. It’s all your fault he thinks although it’s not really, because Innes too got lost in the moment. The only thing that is Ephraim’s fault is… “You forgot to lock the door.”
Ephraim blinks. “So that’s the complaint? Not how much I—”
“If you say another word,” Innes interrupts before Ephraim can finish his sentence, because Innes has the feeling Ephraim would have said something crude like how much I was ravaging you when Eirika walked in. “I will…”
I will shove you out of this room and not open the door for you again is what Innes thinks, but Ephraim gulps so Innes doesn’t bother to voice that out loud. Then Ephraim turns to Eirika and gives her an apologetic smile.
“Eirika, sorry about the wait. Just give me another minute.”
Eirika nods and leaves the room, shutting the door behind her. She says something to Tana that isn’t of note right now, not when Ephraim is kissing Innes once more.
After breaking the kiss Ephraim gives Innes a blinding smile. “Next time I will not only lock the door but I’ll clear the schedule so we can take a long, long time.”
Innes smiles back. “You better. I’ll be expecting that.”
He certainly does not want Eirika to walk in on them in this position again. Especially since if it had been a minute later, Innes likely would have been completely divested of his coat, and Ephraim’s mouth would have been marking a line across his shoulder, and… Well, now is not the time for said thoughts. Even if he catches Ephraim’s knowing smile.
“I love you, Innes.”
Innes replies with his heart full of warmth. “I love you too. Now go.”
Ephraim nods and stands up. They don’t say goodbye to each other, but the words are implied. But also implied and unspoken are the words wishing, promising a reunion.
I’ll see you again soon they are both thinking. And it will probably be a hectic time of a reunion, if there is this royal wedding celebration to plan among all the things. But Innes will tackle it with strategy, and Ephraim will fight it like a battle. They’ll play to their strengths, their bond, and get through it together.
And to think Innes wouldn’t have dared dream this would happen, not when he was told Ephraim thought Innes hated him. If this is how the dice roll or how the winds blow or how the tides turn… Well, Innes doesn’t quite believe in those things, but… He’s happy. He’s making Ephraim happy.
There is nothing more that needs to be said.