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“Commander Indolark! You need to come quickly! The otherworlder, he’s—!”
When the young boy tells him what’s happened, that Kondou has been attacked and is currently in critical condition, Aresh feels as though a demon has scooped out his innards and eaten them whole. He barely listens to Orjef’s protests as he rushes down the corridors towards the royal infirmary, nearly knocking over dozens of people unlucky enough to stand in his way.
Aresh feels foolish for letting the other man out of his sight. Kondou had just barely recovered from his nutritional tonic poisoning only a few days ago, and now this?
Kondou is not a strong man. In fact, he is perhaps one of the most fragile men that Aresh has ever come across. But, infuriatingly enough, the otherworlder constantly acted as though that didn’t matter at all! He had no sense of what good personal care was, and he was always pushing his body to its limits trying to fix a problem that wasn't even his to solve. Aresh knows that the man's efforts in the Accounting Department has earned him the ire of some people in the palace, but the commander never imagined that anyone would go so far as to physically attack him.
Aresh has been careless, and now Kondou was…he could be…
Aresh doesn’t let himself finish the thought, choosing instead to increase the speed of his running so he can get to Kondou sooner. It isn’t long before he sees the familiar doorway of Quellbas’s office, and he bursts in without knocking, knowing he’s expected. He ignores everyone else in the front area and moves quickly towards the examination room.
Aresh has never been one that someone would identify as queasy, but when he sees the state of Kondou’s body, he feels sick enough that he may vomit.
Kondou’s entire body is covered in bruises, scrapes and cuts. The wet towels laid across his body are stained pink with blood, but luckily the otherworlder does not seem to be at risk of bleeding to death. His right arm is laid out at an unnatural angle, however, and Aresh immediately knows that it’s broken.
Aresh has never wanted so badly to kill another human being. When he finds who did this to Kondou…
“Captain Indolark?” a familiar voice suddenly cuts in, distracting Aresh from his violent thoughts.
Prime Minister Camile is here, and yet Aresh could not bring himself to give a damn. He focuses his attention solely on Kondou’s injuries, cupping the other man’s bruised cheek as gently as he can manage. He lets out a tense breath when he hears Kondou let out a pained whine in response.
“I will treat him,” Aresh hears himself saying to the small audience that has gathered behind him. “Leave.”
“But—”
“It’s all right, Prime Minster!” Quellbas interrupts, and Aresh can hear the two of them shuffling as the doctor starts shooing the older man out of the room. “Kondou’s treatment is entirely Aresh’s responsibility so…”
“But why do we need to leave?” Camile asks, sounding both confused and put out at not being allowed to stay. Aresh doesn’t care. He would forcibly remove the prime minister himself if he has to, consequences be damned. Aresh’s treatment of Kondou’s condition is for the two of them alone.
“Aresh!” Quellbas calls out, his voice farther away than before. “Will an hour** be long enough to treat Kondou?”
“Make it two**,” Aresh answers. He is not going to leave anything to chance. He would deplete all of his magical energy to save Kondou’s life, if he has to.
“…Got it.” Quellbas replies after a moment, Aresh can tell the doctor is worried about how he’ll possibly keep the prime minister engaged for that long, but that’s his problem, not Aresh’s. Eventually, both Quellbas and Camile’s footsteps fade away, the door clicking shut as they finally leave the room.
Once they’re alone, Aresh wastes no time removing his jacket and reciting the strongest healing spell he knows, desperate to address the most grave of Kondou’s injuries right away. He presses his forehead to Kondou’s as he does so, knowing that this spell would be far too strong for the older man’s body to handle without immediately acclimatizing to dispel the magic sickness. He couldn’t afford to stagger the two processes like he had when Kondou had accidentally overdosed on nutritional tonics. Kondou simply has too many injuries that need to be treated at once.
As soon as he finishes the incantation for the healing spell, Aresh immediately presses his mouth to Kondou’s, slipping his tongue past a pair of unresponsive lips. Kondou’s body is boiling hot from magic sickness, but it cools as Aresh continues to kiss and touch him. He runs his hands along Kondou’s face and what little of his neck is exposed from his torn uniform, willing the other man’s body to acclimatize as quickly as possible so Aresh can begin healing him again.
When he’s satisfied that Kondou’s fever has dropped enough, Aresh works quickly to strip himself completely before moving onto Kondou. He hastily discards the man’s ruined clothes on the floor alongside his own, making a mental note to clean and repair them later. Kondou is still unconscious, and his breathing is labored, but he is breathing. Which means that Aresh is not too late.
Aresh climbs onto the small medical table and presses as much of his body as possible to Kondou’s without crushing the other man and injuring him further. Every bit of direct contact between them mattered. Kondou’s body is still feverish, but Aresh can feel that it is recovering quickly from the magic sickness now that they were both fully naked and touching each other directly.
Aresh recites another healing spell, this time to repair the broken ribs he can feel under Kondou’s chest. The bones mend beneath his fingertips, and Aresh sighs in relief when Kondou’s breath suddenly becomes much less haggard and more even. Aresh immediately kisses the unconscious man again, pressing their legs, arms, and hips together so that the man’s body can quickly digest the new onset of magic sickness. Kondou’s body temperature rapidly rises and falls as Aresh continues his ministrations, the injuries on the pale man’s body healing, but not as fast as Aresh wants them to.
Come on, Aresh thinks to himself. Wake up, Kondou. Wake! Up!
Aresh knows that he needs to perform emergency treatment. He needs to get closer, needs to be inside Kondou for all of this to work more effectively. But still, he doesn’t want to do this while the other man is unconscious. Aresh knows he has implicit permission to save Kondou by any means necessary. He knows Kondou will say yes.
And yet—
Aresh’s own body won’t cooperate with him. He tries rubbing himself against Kondou’s thigh, then between his legs, but his arousal won’t come. It’s not as though Aresh suddenly no longer found the other man undesirable, though he would rather cut out his own tongue than admit out loud about how often he thought about what Kondou’s face looks like in the throes of pleasure. So then why—?
Kondou’s body suddenly twitches beneath Aresh’s, interrupting his thoughts. Aresh immediately responds to the movement, and he pulls back just as the older man’s eyes slowly blink awake.
Kondou is not yet fully conscious, Aresh can tell. In fact, he looks like he may pass out again at any moment. Aresh recites another incantation, this one requiring only a low amount of magic, so that Kondou can stay awake while Aresh continues to treat him.
“Captain…Indo…lark…”
Aresh takes the older man’s hand and kisses it, sighing in relief as the magic sickness fever abates shortly after.
“How do you feel?” Aresh asks.
“Mmm….” Kondou hums, his eyes still unfocused and his voice sluggish. It takes him a few moments to think through an answer. “Much better…thanks to you.”
Aresh lets out another sigh of relief, then immediately moves his fingers to Kondou’s backside, summoning a small amount of lubricant before pressing a finger inside him.
“Nnngh!” Kondou gasps. Aresh feels a stab of guilt course through him at the rough treatment. But he needs to treat Kondou quickly, and that would mean little to no preparation this time around.
“You’re still badly injured,” Aresh says to the older man, pressing another finger inside. Kondou lets out a pained cry but doesn’t try to push Aresh away. Instead, he grips the commander’s shoulders, as if clinging to Aresh like a lifeline. Which is technically Aresh’s role in this situation.
Aresh’s cock, traitorous thing that it is, immediately decides to wake up as Kondou continues to hold tightly onto his shoulders. Better late than never. Kondou gasps and whines while Aresh stretches him further, and Aresh winces each time the other man lets out a pained noise.
“I’m doing this at the same time so your treatment doesn’t get interrupted by magic sickness,” Aresh says in lieu of an apology for causing the other man such discomfort. “This will take a while, but we have to start the emergency treatment now.” As he says this, he presses a third finger inside. Kondou’s hole clenches tightly around his fingers in response, and Aresh knows that it will be an incredibly tight fit if he tries to enter the other man now.
Aresh knows he shouldn’t cast another spell, shouldn’t waste the magic meant for healing injuries on making Kondou comfortable for sex, but he casts it anyway. Kondou’s eyes glaze over again, but his temperature does not spike nearly as high. His tolerance to magic must be increasing in leaps and bounds during this particular acclimatizing session. At least there is some upside to this awful situation.
“I’m sorry you always have to do this,” Kondou says suddenly. Aresh’s eyes widen at the man’s words. Even on the verge of death, Kondou was still apologizing for taking up Aresh’s time and efforts. As if Aresh has better things to do than save the otherworlder’s life.
Of course, Kondou has no reason for believing otherwise. Aresh had no reason to care so much for the other man’s health. But the thought of Kondou dying makes Aresh feel sick, and the idea of him receiving this sort of treatment from any other man makes his stomach curdle just as much.
When did I—? Aresh thinks to himself, then shakes himself before he can finish that train of thought. He would examine his feelings later. Right now, he has more important things to worry about.
“I’m going to put it inside now,” Aresh says. Kondou shakily nods his consent, and Aresh removes his fingers, replacing them with his cock. He adds extra lubricant to ease the slide into Kondou’s body, which is still warm from magic sickness.
“Hnngh!”
“A-aah!”
They both gasp as their bodies connect intimately, and Kondou fully wraps his arms around Aresh’s neck. Aresh pulls Kondou upwards and holds him close to his chest in response, before he starts moving his hips in earnest, casting another healing spell to address some of the internal injuries around Kondou’s stomach.
Kondou’s body may be small and fragile, but it fits nicely in Aresh’s arms, even more so once the otherworlder’s groans start to sound more pleasured instead of pained. Aresh casts another healing spell to address some of the more severe cuts across his skin, and Kondou moans and clings even more tightly to Aresh’s back, his blunt nails still managing to dig into the commander’s skin. Aresh idly wonders if they’ll leave marks.
When he hits a particularly good angle, Aresh nearly bites his own tongue off when Kondou’s hips rise to meet his in return. It’s clear the other man isn’t fully aware of his body’s enthusiastic response to Aresh’s thrusting, but the reciprocation of passion still sends a hot thrill through Aresh’s blood. He wonders if maybe he’s the one with magic-sickness now instead of the other way around.
“Nnngh, C-c-commander I-I-Indo—” Kondou gasps out.
Aresh clicks his tongue, unsure why he's suddenly annoyed.
“Quiet,” he says before pressing his lips to Kondou’s. Kondou whines into Aresh's mouth, and his hips stutter when Aresh presses into what he knows is a sensitive spot inside the otherworlder’s body.
“You need to save your energy,” Aresh says when Kondou tries to get his attention by calling his name again. “Don't waste it saying useless things.”
"But it's your na—aahh!”
“Like I said,” Aresh pants, increasing his pace so that Kondou wouldn’t have time to think of anything other than the piston of Aresh’s hips. “Unless it hurts and you need me to stop, don't say anything.”
“Y-yes,” Kondou manages to stutter out, then belatedly adds, “Sir.”
It hits Aresh then, that he doesn't like that Kondou addresses him so formally. He wants the other man to say Aresh’s name, wants him to moan it every time Aresh makes him feel good, wants to hear Kondou cry it out when he comes undone. Kondou was always so formal with everyone else, but surely Aresh is different, isn’t he? He should be using Aresh’s given name and not his title, especially when they’re together like this.
When Aresh looks down and sees Kondou’s eyes glazed over in pleasure, his fantasies suddenly collide with reality and his orgasm hits him like a tidal wave.
“Shit!” Aresh curses. He gut clenches and he spills inside Kondou’s body, his hands fisting around the thin fabric stretched across the medical table. He doesn’t slow his pace however, choosing instead to ride out his orgasm until he’s certain Kondou will come as well. Aresh bucks his hips into Kondou’s until he feels the other man clench around his cock like a vice. Kondou’s nails dig deep into Aresh’s back as he cries out his own release, his semen spilling in thick ropes across his stomach. Aresh finds himself tempted to run his hands through the mess.
Kondou’s skin is flushed with heat, but Aresh can see it’s not the heat of magic sickness anymore, just exertion from their sex. He thinks Kondou looks nice like this, the otherworlder’s body covered in the evidence of their activities, and face still twisted in pleasure.
Something like a fist clenches in Aresh’s chest, and his throat suddenly feels thick as an unfamiliar emotion takes over his entire body. He pointedly decides to ignore it, choosing instead to cast a low-magic cleaning spell on the both of them since there is no convenient way for either of them to wash up in the infirmary.
“Thank you,” Kondou says, and before he realizes it, Aresh is leaning down and kissing the other man. Kondou’s lips part in shock, but to Aresh’s surprise, the other man returns the kiss, and Aresh’s heart swells with joy at the gesture.
Aresh thinks he understands what it is he’s feeling now. He knows what he’s feeling when he pulls back from the kiss and Kondou stares up at him, eyes wide and filled with gratitude.
“Does it hurt anywhere?” Aresh asks, swallowing hard to keep down the overwhelming rush of mine mine mine he feels when looking down at Kondou.
Aresh thinks he must be insane for hoping that Kondou would say yes; that he isn’t fully healed yet and he needed Aresh to continue to “treat him”. He would kick Quellbas out of his own office for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening if Kondou said that’s what he wanted.
But of course, reality did not match up with Aresh’s wild hopes.
“No, I feel fine,” Kondou says after a moment.
Aresh nods, then distracts himself from his overwhelming urge to kiss Kondou again, and starts examining his arm and ribs to make sure the bones are fully healed.
“Looks like everything healed properly,” Aresh says, and Kondou sighs in relief.
“Thank you again,” Kondou says, giving Aresh an embarrassed smile that goes straight to Aresh’s gut. Aresh wants so badly to give into the temptation to kiss the otherworlder. He knows that if he does, however, he’s not going to want to stop at just kissing. And Aresh has more pressing things to attend to. Like figuring out who it was that hurt Kondou. They needed to be found, and punished so thoroughly that no one would ever think to lay a hand on what belonged to Aresh ever again.
When they’re fully dressed, there’s a knock on the door and Kondou stands up to answer it before Aresh can stop him. Quellbas and Prime Minister Camile enter, both looking worried for Kondou’s health and Aresh feels a surge of jealousy erupt in him when the prime minister gets just a little too close to Kondou with the pretense of checking over Kondou’s injuries.
But then Kondou looks over at Aresh, and then back at the prime minister, and Aresh knows that the otherworlder is plotting something. He can practically see the gears turning in Kondou’s head as he realizes that he has two powerful men in front of him who could enforce punishment on those who hurt him.
Good then. Aresh is glad that Kondou isn’t going to try and cover up for his assailants. Kondou likely knew that between Aresh and the prime minister, whoever it was that attacked him would be lucky if they didn’t get hanged for their crimes.
“Kondou,” Aresh calls out, before leading the man to sit down on an empty chair in the infirmary. Kondou looks up at Aresh, confused, but then realization dawns in his eyes as Aresh demands,
“Tell us what happened.”
Kondou takes a deep breath, and then, to Aresh’s immense pleasure, looks directly at Aresh (and not Camile) as he recounts the story of his attack.