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Everyone knows that Masters of the Nightwind can sense souls, hear voices, and sometimes even visit the night kingdom. However, people drowning in their sorrows can harness a more corrupt, amoral version. And the renowned Saurian Veterinarian in Natlan is one of those people.
It started off when Ororon visited less frequently. At first Ifa shrugged it off as a ‘one time thing’. His heart hurt the first time when his best bro flaked, the mind drifted wondering why, and if he was a good enough friend. The vet knew how much Ororon was suffering. Last week, the last time he saw Ororon, the man was asking strange, uncanny questions. Ifa thought nothing of it and was blunt, gently telling his dear friend his problems. Unfortunately…it seemed to do the opposite of helping Ororon…
Before long, those days without Ororon became weeks, sometimes months.
Whenever Ororon didn't come to visit, it felt like a knife took a stab at the vet's heart. Reports of a cloaked man helping the number one Fatui member spread far and wide, even to Ifa. And with this knowledge, Ifa cursed at the archons when Ororon didn't show up. He missed his bro. Alot
The world became sour, and the sound was static. Even the normal sounds of Saurians cooing for affection became too much for Ifa.
These feelings turned to thoughts, and those thoughts turned into raging battles in Ifa's mind. Paranoia, hurt, and sorrow became everyday thoughts when the vet was scribbling away at notes. Even the most minor inconvenience started a stairway to hell.
One day, when the voices were too loud, Ifa recalled all of the trauma he had endured. A broom bashing against his snowy hair when he wasn't studying enough. Crushing pressure of following his parents' footsteps.
I don't have to become a vet, do I?
Parents gone, one friend. He was hollow.
Parents gone, friends missing, too many clients. Ifa snapped.
Cacucu was sleeping. Ororon was gone, off with the Captain once again from the latest report. With no one to turn to, Ifa looked over to his scalpel set.
One cut, two cuts, three cuts. Each one was painless at first, then the nerves kicked in, causing a fire to ignite. Relief. Some form of feeling. The only way Ifa was able to cope. A small smile. Who knew the veterinary profession can hide pain so easily? Cuts like these can easily be hidden as scratches from Saurians. No one will know, no one will ask.
The scarlet trail courses on the vet's right arm. Countless cuts could be seen across the forearm.
The silver surgical blade, now covered in crimson blood, has begun to dull.
The clash of metal and wooden floor echoes out.
At least I have a cover
No one will ask
Even my bro
My…
The Saurian vet felt the tears seep out the fragile teal eyes. His chest tightens as the crisp air becomes harder to breathe. The man he wants to protect, be the perfect, ideal influence, is plagued with their demons.
Ifa, the Saurian Veterinarian. One of the best his tribe has seen. Some people may say he is better than his parents. He has helped countless Saurians from ones knocking on death's door, to ones face to face with the abyss.
However, with great power comes great responsibility. This man has countless sleepless nights. Days where owners of Saurians are ungrateful for his hard work.
Ifa, the man with many quirks. Likes to call everyone dude and bro. A man who is left handed. A guy who wants to be with well, a guy.
Not many speak ill of Ifa, the great Saurian Veterinarian. However, anyone who is famous will be critiqued. Even his dear ol mom and dad who have since passed.
Ifa looks up at the clock above his head, cursing to himself. He sighs and a soft chuckle leaves his lips. The vet got up, headed towards the sink, and began to clean up the bloody trail. As the luke-warm water washed over, Ifa winced from the wave of pain. He turned off the sink, the remaining water slowly dropped, and turned to his personal cabinet to get a disinfectant. The vet grabbed the tube, and looked over the fresh wounds over his arms. Thankfully, they were light enough to not scar permanently, the perks of being a vet and knowing the tissue levels. Ifa got to work on himself like a wounded Saurian, and ran the ointment on his arms.
No one will know it's me.
A loud knock could be heard and the vet's spine shivered.
“Bro! We got the stuff for soup!”
“Bro!!”
Ifa stood up straight, immediately went to his coat hanger to grab his gloves and lab coat. He put it on and went to open the circular door. He was met with shining heterochromatic eyes, and his trusted companion, Cacucu. Ifa gave a fake smile.
“What's up my dudes!?”
The two came inside, with Ororon placing the vegetables on the kitchen counter and Cacucu swirling around Ifa. Cacucu swooped down to Ifa's arm, making the vet wince. The hybrid's ears flickered. Ororon turned to face Ifa.
“Was a Saurian patient not cooperating again bro?”
The vet lightly swatted at the little bird, coughing lightly.
“Haha, what else? Cacucu always knows when a Saurian is too much…”
“BRO!”
The juvenile Qucusaurus kept pestering the Saurian vet by pulling on the leather glove. Ifa felt like he was tangoing with his trusted companion, trying to hide his deed.
Oblivious, Ororon just looked at his friends, giggling for a moment before stopping suddenly.
“Ifa, your soul seems off…”
Ifa crossed his arms, and his brows furrowed,
“The heck ya on about bro!?”
The hybrid ears pull back from the sudden tone shift. Slowly, Ororon walks up to Ifa and puts his hands on the vet's shoulder.
“...Your soul seems…like mine…screaming…”
No no no…you can't know I'm suffering…
Furiously, Cacucu tried to peck tirelessly on the leather glove. Fists clenching, Ifa's teal eyes looked at the wooden floor.
“Bro. My man. I'm just tired. I had a long day. Can you let this go?”
Ororon mismatched eyes looked back at Cacucu, then back at Ifa.
“How bad is the injury bro?”
“Bad enough.”
A deep exhale, then tattooed hands let go of the white coat. Ikimosaurous ears perk up.
“Well then, still want soup bro?”
Ifa nodded, giving a soft smile.
The two went to the kitchen in silence. It wasn't normal for Ifa to be this quiet. He just did the normal routine with no silly remarks. Words were not leaving the Mictlan lips, desperately trying to leave his brain. Ororon took multiple glances at the Saurian vet, seeing the aching soul, losing its light. After the diced onions and cabbages were plopped in the pot, the cloaked man washed his hands, turned off the sink, dried them carefully, before slowly going to Ifa, hugging him from behind. Spoons fell as the vet stiffened in the sudden embrace.
“The heck ya doing bro!?”
“Helping.”
Heat creeped up on the vet's face as his mind became static. Sure the two of them were touchy, but this was something else. Seconds turned into minutes. Slowly, Ifa moved his hands to hold onto the tattooed ones on his waist. Ifa felt his waterworks trying to break through the wall, but as time passed, silent tears flowed down.
The embrace from Ororon got tighter,
“Bro, you can cry, it's okay…I won't judge.”
Sniffles followed after the tears. Ifa couldn't hide it anymore. He had to tell Ororon. Even if there was another rift, he had to know the pain he was going through. The least he could do since the war was over. Things were getting back to normal. Ororon was visiting more, the Captain was no more. It was time for Ifa to be honest. Fully.
“Ororon, my man…I uh…it wasn't a Saurian that injured me…”
Ororon leaned into Ifa's shoulder, listening attentively.
“...it…it was me…”
The ikimosaurous ears flickered from the truth. Ororon let go of the embrace, and went to face Ifa's puffy eyes head on.
“I-ifa…”
Slowly, the hybrid man was unfastening the metal buckles on his boots then lifted the cuffs of his tattered jeans, twisting to show his calves. It revealed scars. Countless ones, all over.
“I…I…also have them bro…”
Ororon pulled the cuffs of his jeans back down and fastened his boots back on, then dusted himself off, then looked back at the waning teal-orange eyes.
“...so what's your reason..?”
Fluttering sounds followed by “Soups ready! Soups ready!” Squawks knocked the men back to their senses and the two huffed and smiled at one another.
My reason…is you…
Silverware, bowls and the pot of soup was placed on the wooden dining room table. Once everyone was served their meal, the conversation continued.
“Well bro…if we're having this conversation…how about you tell me about yours first.”
Ororon's ears pulled back, the mismatched eyes looked down at his silver spoon holding piping hot cabbage soup.
“Since…since I was told I was going to be sacrificed…but it failed”
You were hurting that long bro!?
Static trampled through the vet's mind, his heart sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Ifa's eyes watered once more.
“So…since we knowned each other…?”
Ororon nodded.
“Oh…”
The vet was paralyzed. Stuck on why he didn't know. If he had a time machine right then and there, he would go back to when they first met, and confess anything to prevent the pain, the isolation, the hypersensitive feelings Ororon endured.
After another fill of silence, Ifa took a deep breath and chuckled softly.
“Guess it's my turn…”
The vet took a heaping spoonful of soup, slurping the contents in content.
“I've…I've been doing this…since…”
Tired eyes on the vet wavered.
Since you've left for the war
“Since…you…left the war…since that…that conversation…”
“Oh…”
Silence. Deep silence fell at the scene. Cacacu passed out from his fill of the soup, breathing heavily. The teal-orange eyes looked at the table, back at the pink and blue ones, who were also doing a similar movement. A heavy exhale left the vet's lips.
“Ororon…my man…may I confess something…?”
Another nod from Ororon. Ifa clenched his fists on the wooden table, before releasing the tension.
“...I love you…”
Pink could be seen on the tan cheeks of the vet. Ifa looked away speaking,
“…this war…my war inside my head…really showed how much I do…I…really hate being alone…away from you…”
I would write songs in my journal about you.
I would dream about you, about us in the future.
I dreamed of me, being your knight, your guardian angel.
The mismatched eyes looked at the pink on the vet's cheeks. Ororon smiled, one of the biggest Ifa has seen in a long, long time.
“I think I know why both of our souls were screaming.”
“The heck ya on about!?”
“Like plants…they were screaming for water…”
Puzzled, Ifa had a deadpan face.
“They were screaming for each other…”
Oh
.
.
.
O H
.
.
.
O H
Ororon scratched his visible ikimosaurous ear, with a deep crimson blush on his pale face, eclipsing the sight.
“...so yeah…I also love you…”
After that fateful day, life's been looking up. Not just for Ifa, but also his dearest bro, now boyfriend.
Mental health issues don't just go away overnight. Ifa, a vet, and now a doctor, knows this more than anyone else. Some days will feel light, flowly, and free, while other days will have lurking clouds that could strike at any moment. It wasn't going to be easy. Getting better. Both Ifa and Ororon agreed to fully express their thoughts and feelings. Sure Ororon had an upper hand with his soul sensing, but it didn't mean Ifa also had tricks. He has been a vet for half a decade now, a doctor for nearly a year. He can understand body language like no tomorrow. As long as they communicated, things were okay.
Trips to Fontaine, the Easybreeze Holiday Resort, have been highly beneficial. From fun movie marathons, first kisses, and celebrating the Saurian child's adoption. All things to truly be grateful for.
As the year came to a close, Ifa scribbled in his journal, which was next to a pile of kept up veterinary notes.
Cherish all life. Be the knight whose eyes never leave the ground.