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Chapter 18: The Friends of Fire

“Ashes in the wind!” Brendis summoned in a commanding voice, curling his hand into a fist before him. “Wildfire Trace!”

As those words left his lips, he punched the ground in front of him, flame bursting forth from the small crater that he had created. The fire, as though it was alive, shot across the sandy ground, crackling and sizzling in the heated air. The flames honed in on its target, racing directly toward Masou.

A smirk formed on Masou’s lips. He quickly lifted his arm, his hand in front of his face as his body turned into a battle ready position. “Fire in the Moonlight - Elusive Flame!”

As a circle of fire erupted from around Masou’s feet, it clashed with Brendis’ Fire Trace attack, knocking it away and disapating the flames so they would cause no harm to him or anyone else.

“Is that the best you can do?” Masou playfully mocked.

A noticeable tick was seen above Brendis’s right eye. “Shut up!” he practically snarled as he readied himself for another attack with Masou egging him on.

From a top of a grassy hill, Bharath had to laugh softly at how riled up Brendis was appearing. But he also knew that Brendis was enjoying him, somewhat at least. As one of the most talented Fire Guards, it was hard for him to find a worthy opponent. And Masou was certainly giving him a run for his money. How could such a talented man be hidden for so long?

“Looks like they’re having fun, doesn’t it?” Bharath commented to Keahi beside him, also watching the training session with interest.

Keahi nodded. “Yeah, they do,” he replied with a light air of amusement in his voice. Something that was becoming quite common as of late, Bharath noted.

“Um, I don’t mean to sound nosy, Master, but...”

“Hmm,” Keahi hummed as he turned his attention away from the playful battle. “What is it?”

“It’s that...” Bharath hoped his wasn’t being intrusive. “You’ve been looking a lot happier lately.”

Keahi blushed lightly in reply. “Ah, well...” he stuttered.

Bharath smiled warmly at him. “I’m glad.”

“…Bharath?”

“I’ve been serving you for a long time now and I’ve never seen you this...happy before,” Bharath spoke, the words falling freely from his lips. “It makes me happier to know that you’re finally letting someone else in.” He suddenly straightened his posture and gave Keahi an apologetic look. “Oh, I’m sorry! I’m rambling, forgive me, master.”

Keahi was unnaturally silent, seemingly contemplating something that had been bothering him. “Is it really ok?” he asked softly under his breath, almost as if he feared to say them. “For me, I mean.”

“Master Keahi?” Bharath blinked, stunned by the question he was just asked. Then, a sense of desperation touched him and he turned his body so he was facing Keahi in a more direct manner. He hated it when Keahi talked so lowly of himself.

“Of course it's ok,” he tried his best to reassure. “You are to make the ultimate sacrifice for others; you alone are more deserving of happiness than any on this island. It's not selfish to want to be happy, Master Keahi.”

“Bharath...” Keahi whispered, appearing momentarily stunned. Then, a small and genuine smile slipped across his lips. “Thank you,” he said as he rested his head on Bharath’s shoulder. “For taking care of me all these years.”

Again, it was Bharath’s turn to be stunned for a moment, but he felt a gentle smile reappear on his lips and he rested his head against Keahi’s in a tender display of affection. “It has been my pleasure, master.”

The two, now in silence, turned to the show playing out before, watching as Masou had to duck out of the way of Brendis’ latest attack. And he looked amusingly impressed as he jumped around the training field effortlessly.

“Oooh, you were close this time!” Masou cheered as he clapped.

“Nyargh!” Brendis growled, his eye giving another tell-tale twitch. “You suck!”

-----------------

“Mr Masou doesn’t seem like a bad person,” Bharath commented to Brendis, the other male somewhat sulking after his training session against Masou was abruptly ended when Keahi was summoned by one of the Fire Elders. Normally, Bharath would have joined him, but the Elder who had asked to see him was Elder Fudo, a supporter of Keahi’s. So, he knew that the Elder wouldn’t try to emotionally hurt or use Keahi in anyway.

Unlike Elder Aodh, Princess Flamenca’s right hand man. Bharath always felt a feeling of trepidation around him. He hungered for power as much as Flamenca did.

Currently, Bharath was walking through the Fire Temple with Brendis at his side. They were walking close together, Bharath could feel the heat of Brendis’ arm near his, though they dare not touch in the open where they were.

A Fire Priest’s duty is to our Fire God, everything else is second; as it was instructed in the teachings of Priesthood.

But some things were just too…intense to ignore. Bharath couldn’t and Brendis simply wouldn’t. He was a dedicated Fire Priest; surely it would do no harm for him to find happiness in the arms of another? While he seemed to have found no retribution from the flames, he was certain there would be a form of punishment from the Royal family.

Princess Flamenca had made it abundantly clear that she would only tolerate her own happiness. And there were rumours that Elder Aodh had punished priest who dared to find a love of their own.

Bharath allowed his hand to briefly brush against Brendis’, their fingers touching for a moment before falling away. I love you…

After Keahi’s summon, Masou went…who knows where, actually. He just wandered off. He seemed to come and go as he pleased. But Bharath had the feeling that he was lingering around the Fire Temple somewhere, either egging on the other Fire Guards or simply lying about, waiting for Keahi to return.

Now, there was a man who wasn’t willing to conform to the sharp tongues of royal society. Ever since Keahi met him, he had changed, quite a bit actually. Although they would be considered insignificant or subtle by others, to Bharath, they were something extraordinary.

And he was sincerely glad that Master Keahi was starting to open himself up a bit more and allow himself to simply live. Masou appeared to be a good influence on Keahi.

“Master Keahi seems to like him a lot,” Bharath added with a knowing smile.

“No, he isn’t a bad person,” Brendis begrudgingly agreed with a mutter. “Just an irritating one.”

Bharath playfully elbowed Brendis in the side. “I’m sure you can win next time.”

“Shut up!” Brendis snapped, but Bharath took no offence. “Gah, and he looked so cheerful about it as well.”

Bharath laughed softly for a moment as they turned toward the sleeping quarters. It wasn’t uncommon for a Fire Guard to escort a Fire Priest to his room, especially if the Fire Priest had tired himself from training or his duties. And it was especially common for Brendis to drag Bharath back to his room; the Fire Guard was prone to sudden bouts of protectiveness. After the unfortunate death of his own father at the hands of an incurable illness, he was adamant that no one else would fall from the same fate. Particularly Bharath and Keahi.

Bharath fell silent as they headed to his room, his thoughts turning back to the blue-haired man. “Well, I just find myself wondering something…”

“It’s about Master Keahi, isn’t it?” Brendis stated more so than questioned as he opened the door to his bedroom, ushering Bharath in first. “You’re wondering whether or not the moron knows who he really is.”

Bharath was surprised that Brendis could pick up on his thoughts so well. “How did you-?” he asked as he stumbled inside, Brendis closing the door securely behind him.

Now that they were in the seclusion of Bharath’s room, Brendis reached out and snared Bharath by his wrist, tugging suddenly and causing the Fire Priest to stumble forward and onto his arms. Bharath struggled for a mere moment, only to find a way to be comfortable before he leaned into Brendis’ strong chest. It wasn’t often they could initiate physical touch like this, so he relished in when he could.

Though he loved his duty, it was hard to bear the burden of being a Fire Priest.

“I know you, you idiot,” Brendis said as he wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. “You’re always worrying. Look, I may not like the blue-hair freak that much, but he doesn’t seem to type to care whether or not Master Keahi is the Peace-Keeper. Instead of getting yourself worked up over it, why not try talking to him?”

Bharath had to allow a small chuckle to himself. “Yes, you’re right.”

A smirk spread across Brendis’ lips. “It does happen occasionally.”

“I’ll do just that,” Bharath affirmed.

But Brendis stopped him from attempting to move. “Later,” he said firmly.

Then Brendis wrapped an arm easily around Bharath’s waist and pulled him up against him. Bharath rested his hands on Brendis’ chest and lifted his chin up just a little so Brendis could close the distance between them completely by kissing him. Bharath trailed his fingers along Brendis’ jaw line as Brendis threaded his fingers through his long hair, momentarily deepening the kiss.

…Yeah, he’ll speak with Masou a little later. He didn’t want this kiss to end just yet.

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Tracking Masou down a little while later wasn’t that difficult. As expected, he was on the Fire Temple’s grounds. He was currently strolling through the public entrance way without a care in the world, oblivious to some of the disapproving glares he was receiving from a few of the older generation of Fire Priests.

But they said nothing, not since Bharath was the head Priest and said Masou was welcomed to come and go as he pleased. There was nothing they could really say or do, anyway.

“Oh, Mr. Masou!” Bharath called, jogging over to the taller man.

Immediately, Masou spun around and frowned at him, giving him a rather amusingly dirty look with his hands resting on his hips sternly. “Now, what did I say about calling me Mister?” he pouted at him.

“Of course,” Bharath said as he bowed his head a little as he reached him. “Forgive me.”

Masou lifted his chin up a little and looked decidedly suspicious. “Alright, but don’t let it happen again,” he sniffed. “Clear?”

Bharath smiled and straightened his posture. “As crystal,” he said before his expression turned just a little bit serious. “Do you mind if I talk to you for a moment?”

Gone was the pout, replaced by a look of interest on Masou’s face. “Sure, what about?”

“About Master Keahi,” Bharath stated as he motioned for Masou to walk with him. He didn’t want others to overhear what he had to say.

Masou fell in step beside. “Hmm?”

“I just...” Bharath paused, trying to find the right words. “I want to thank you.”

Masou tilted his head to the side, puzzled. “For what?”

“For making Master Keahi happy, of course. I can’t even remember a time when he smiled this much.” Again, Bharath found himself hesitating, taking a moment to glance at his surroundings before turning back to Masou. “You...you do know who he is, don’t you?”

But Masou simply blinked, not really comprehending. “Hmm?”

Bharath took a deep breath and hoped that he was doing the right thing. “Master Keahi is...the Peace Keeper.”

“Peace Keeper?” Masou repeated, sounding genuinely surprised. “You mean?”

Bharath nodded. “Yes, since birth he has been readying himself for the possibility that he may one day have to give himself to the Fire God as a sacrifice.”

A frown creased Masou’s face and he appeared somewhat sceptical. “Sacrifice?”

“Well, that is what the Fire Elders claim,” Bharath replied before his voice subconsciously lowered and he glanced around again. He really didn’t want anyone to overhear what he was about to say. “It...doesn’t sound right to me, but who am I to question them?”

The frown stayed on Masou’s face and he bit his lips together, clearly not pleased for whatever reason. “I see...”

His expression prompted Bharath to give him a pleading look. “Please don’t treat Master Keahi any differently now that you know.”

“Muh, why would I do that?” Masou said as he flippantly flapped a hand at him. “Besides, he’s not going to be sacrificing himself any time soon, I’m sure.”

“Yes, I hope so too,” Bharath agreed as he breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you for taking the time to speak with me...Masou.” He was about to call him mister again.

“Nup, think nothing of it,” Masou replied with a bright grin before he stopped walking and looked at Bharath with his…tenderly appreciative look. “You care for Keahi quite a bit, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Bharath said as he also stopped in his movements. “I guess I do.”

“He’s lucky to have a friend like you watching over him all these years,” Masou complimented sincerely before that carefree smile adorned his lips again. “Especially one so pretty!”

Bharath immediately felt a deep blush spread across his cheeks. “I, ah...”

Masou laughed and poked him playfully on the cheek. “Nyah, I think Keahi is cuter though, no offense.”

The blush on his cheeks cooled a little and Bharath allowed a laugh to pass his lips as well. “Haha, I see.”

Masou would be good for Master Keahi.

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