Once In A Blue Moon (FFXI, Romance)

[Thenarius]

The hot desert sun had just about finished its final bows as it relinquished its center stage position to less bright stars, which were gently shepherded in by the cold moon of Iceday. The two Elvaan were on a break from their fighting in order to show the proper reverence for this moment – after all, with a Ranger in the party there was no chance of disrespect to the ever-ongoing show of the sky above that set the stage for their performance below.

“It's looking to be a fine Lightningsday tomorrow!” said Demresinaux, gazing up at the blue moon. “The charge is already in the air.” His voice was brimming with enthusiasm.

Thenarius chuckled. “You say that about every single Lightningsday.” It was true – out of the eight days of the week, that was the one which Demresinaux was always most excited about, like clockwork. But it was on the nights of the blue and green moon that the man was most level-headed, somber, and authentic, Thenarius found.

“You can't blame me for feeling that way!” Demresinaux gestured around them. “You can feel it too, I'm sure. A feeling you can only normally get from the finest of a Thundermelon crop! The moon's going to be full tomorrow, too...” The white-haired Elvaan's golden eyes were full of wonder as they raked over the sky. They capture the starlight so well, Thenarius thought. Before he was able to ponder this thought for too long, though, he caught himself and shook it off, grinning.

“What makes you so certain that has anything to do with it, eh? Seems a little far-fetched, doesn't it?” Thenarius smiled.

“Oh, come off it, now! You oughta know better than anyone what the moon can do to us down here!” Demresinaux protested. This, too, was true, and Thenarius nodded – he knew quite well that the moon had profound effects on the animals and other creatures of Vana'diel, and its magical energies, along with those of the day of the week, were studied in many magical universities, both in Windurst and elsewhere. These were well-known effects! And the Ranger could feel it, too. All within his bodies, he felt his energy shift as the night progressed on and the Lightning energy became more dominant. He fixed his thoughts on the moon and the sensations in his body caused by the shifting elemental balance, until Demresinaux snapped him out of it again with one of his quips.

“And besides, what else could cause it, anyway? A side-effect from one of your dances?” The Elvaan man laughed. Thenarius, in his mind, jumped slightly at this remark, but then grinned again. It wasn't at all overt, but it was certainly forward, and it merited a proper reaction. If Demresinaux was going to tease, fine, he thought. He would just fight on right back. There was a fire in is eyes almost as bright as his copper-red hair, which he had brought out of its ponytail as they'd begun to relax. Lightningsday most certainly had an effect on him, too – it made him playful. And contrary to the manners he'd been taught in high-class Elvaan society, sometimes, hunters enjoy playing with their prey.

An opening for him came up almost immediately, as Demresinaux shivered. It may have been the desert, but even the desert is not forgiving at night – and Ice was still in the air, which gave Thenarius cheer. Iceday always reinvigorated him, for however long it lasted.

“Cold?” he asked simply, moving into a more predatory mindset.

Demresinaux nodded. “I tried to dress for the desert, you know how hot it gets here...so my defense was a little underwhelming, as you might've seen.” Thenarius grimaced as he nodded, remembering just how much Demresinaux got himself in trouble. Their prey always just seemed driven to Dem, despite Thenarius's own best efforts at claiming their focused. Of course, the way Dem always shouted and taunted their enemies didnt make matters much better, either...

“And you didn't plan for the nightfall?” Thenarius shot Dem a smile that seemed almost to include fangs. The lessons learned in Perih Vashai's tutelage last forever within a person, even if they are not geared as a Ranger at the moment. Thenarius was clothed in an outfit that provided him with the maximum possible mobility while still offering some protection, and it suited him well. This outing was one for dancing.

Demresinaux groaned. “I thought it would be warmer! It's still a desert, even if it is night!” He curled up tight and shivered as the wind blew over them again, Thenarius' free hair caught in the breeze, while Dem's was still ponytailed.

“And it is still night, even if it is a desert.” Thenarius teased as a retort. He knew now that he was in control of their current interaction, and relaxed a little, although his gaze was still predatory. Alpha status must be retained after it is earned, after all. He stretched his arms out, welcoming the breeze, as he was far better suited for the cold than Demresinaux, contrary to what the white hair versus the red would imply. He had fond memories of many a winter spent in Jugner Forest by the lake, dipping his toes in for the thrill. Sometimes he went in completely. He loved the excitement of the environment and nature of Vana'diel, whereas Demresinaux preferred the excitement of the experiences he could find therein. While Thenarius was quite content to watch and interact with nature itself as long as he was able to dash about the forest, Dem was much happier out and about, talking to people, and hearing the stories of their lives. He loved to forge heroic moments, so that he would perhaps have a story that would top those of the passers-by in Jeuno. It was a difference that led to many of these playful little spats...

“Well, some of us aren't quite so well-travelled as Your Eminence.” Dem pouted.

“You'd think that from the way you brag in the tavern, you'd at least have gotten out this way once, though!” Thenarius smiled broadly, but Demresinaux's expression changed to be more somber as he cast his gaze downwards.

“I did, once...a long time ago, though. We were getting away back during the war, and we came out all this way for a while to rest in an oasis.” Demresinaux's tone had changed considerably, and Thenarius knew he should back off as the hunter, and listen as a friend. The games could happen later – but there wasn't much left of Iceday for him to get in a good conversation like this.

“Rabao?” Thenarius asked, his voice now softer, with concern for the other Elvaan.

“A place like it, yes, but not there exactly. I don't know if it existed back then, and the place I remember surely doesn't now. I learned to fight back then, out of necessity.” Thenarius nodded; he had gone all the way to Windurst to seek out the Mithra huntresses for similar reasons of need once he was left alone. “But there's no point dwelling on it. I barely remember what the desert was like at all, as you can see!” He shivered violently again as a strong gust blew over them, and Thenarius instinctively sheltered him from it, wrapping around him. When he realized this, he sighed and removed his cape, wrapping it around Demresinaux, and began shuffling away to keep the 'proper distance' between them, when Dem surprised him by groaning. “Nooo...”

“What is it?” Thenarius blinked down at Dem who was now lying down slightly, still curled up, and obviously sleepy.

“I just mean...it was warmer with you there. The cape is pretty thin is all...”

Thenarius sighed. Why must you be so difficult? he wondered in his head, before smiling slightly and moving over again to cover the other man. “Well...I suppose if you need me there...”

“I don't need you there!” Demresinaux protested before he yawned. Thenarius started to draw away then and Dem shivered again, then grabbed onto his arm.

“You don't, eh?” said Thenarius, looking at Dem's hand around his wrist. “Well, what is it, then...?”

Demresinaux looked up into the other Elvaan's eyes. It was easy to see, even in the darkness, with the moon as large and bright as it was now. “I just...want you here, is all.”

Thenarius smiled. “And I am happy, and honored, to oblige.” he said, wrapping back around Demresinaux. He gazed up at the sky one last time before Dem succumbed to sleep, and muttered “But I still think you were wrong about where the charge came from...”, at which point he was met by an elbow to the side from Demresinaux.

As the two Elvaan men closed their eyes together at their camp, the Blue moon above slowly shifted to pink, and the night winds blew on around them.