The New Style (Aeker)

Aodh sat in the middle of his bed, knees pulled up to his chest and face buried against them to hide it from view.

His short hair brushed against the top of his back as his shoulders shook lightly.

As soon as he had gotten home, he cut the gum out, trying to keep as much of his hair as he could. But he had gone too long before cutting it. Chasing the teenager had made the gum tangle into more of his hair and by the time he had cut both chunks out he couldn't save the length. He had to cut it short.

The tradition he had held up for eighteen hundred years had shattered.

The remains of his hair laid strewn across the bathroom floor, the scissors lying in the bowl of the skin.

His hair was now neatly cut, brushing his shoulders when he sat straight.

He hated it.

Aeker had been down in the kitchen feeding and returned to the room to shower.
Upon opening the dood he saw Aodh curled up on the bed with his face buried in his knees, never a good sign.

"Aodh..?"
He called over softly as he shut the door and took the few paces it took to get go the man, climbing onto the bed and curling up beside him.

"Aodh, whats wrong?" he asked gently, stroking his hand through the lycan's hair, his gaze turning to the man's hair when his fingers fell out of it prematurely.

Aodh had cut his hair? But he had always upheld his family tradition and his hair hadn't been anywhere close to his knees.

Oh no... What had happened that had forced Aodh to cut it...

He pulled the man in against his chest, holding him tight, no he was upset, if he was forced to cut his hair, he too would be upset.

The Lycan gave a soft sob when Aeker curled up next to him.

Usually he'd push someone away if they got this close while he was upset. He'd force a grin onto his face and make light of the situation. That's what he was best at. He was best at covering his ass when he was upset.

But not right now. Not with Aeker. He doubted he could ever fool Aeker with his pathetic grin any more; he wouldn't put forth the effort to try.

Aodh curled closer to the man when arms slid around him, his hands curing tightly into the man's shirt.

He felt pathetic, but at the moment he needed Aeker to be there for him. He needed comfort and with Aeker around, he was too selfish to pass up this opportunity.

The vampire's features soften until he was gazing down lovingly at the lycan, concern filling his eyes.

"Shh Schätzchen, it's okay."
He cooed softly, stroking the man's back, normally he would stroke Aodh's hair but he thought it best to avoid bringing more attention to it.

He held the man tight, letting him soak in his warmth.
"What's happened..."

Aodh was very clearly distressed so he made sure to have as much physcial contact with him as possible, holding him close, stroking him, touch was always more comforting than words.

"Damn stupid kids and their fucking gum," he growled softly.

He swore, if he ever saw another teenager chewing gum around him, he'd break their jaws.

A tear streaked down his cheek and he lifted a hand to wipe it away.

"I really need to stop crying around you, it makes me feel pathetic," he murmured softly, trying to keep his voice steady.

"I see."
He muttered, running his hand through the lycan's hair, twirling the ends of it around his fingers.

"If it is any consolation, you've cut it very well, it looks good."
He knew that would not help, it wasn't the style of his hair that Aodh was upset about, it was the tradition that had been broken, this was a matter of family, not fashion.

He sighed softly and shook his head.
"I'm sure a day will come where it is me curled up and crying in your arms.
And you're not pathetic, you're a man who loves his family and values their memory enough to get this upset over losing your hair.
You're passionate, Aodh, not pathetic."

Aodh gave a soft snort.

"Only you seem to think so."

Tahir definitely thought he was pathetic. Coilean. He was pathetic in their eyes and it hurt more than he cared to admit.

And he himself felt pathetic at the moment. He sniffled and rubbed his cheek to try and wipe away the tear tracks.

"My opinion of you should be the only one that matters."
He replied with a soft smile, leaning do the peck the man on the cheek.

Aodh's opinion of him was the only one that he took to heart.
"There is nothing pathetic about you, so get that nonsense out of your head."

He added and lifted to meet his gaze, his eyes a dark shade of red.
"You're a strong and passionate man who has just had a bad day.."

"I seem to be having more bad days than good then, recently."

His stormy silver eyes met Aeker's and he stared silently.

He wasn't just having bad days. He was pathetic. He couldn't hide nor disguise that. People saw it and they called it out.

He needed to stop taking what people say about him to heart.

Aodh curled tighter to his boyfriend.

"You've just hit a rough patch, things will get better.
But Aodh you have to stop listening to people who do not matter."

Those who were close to Aodh would never say such cruel things to him, save for one person.

He wrapped his arms around the man and held him tightly, pulling him against his chest.

Aodh gave a soft grunt in reply.

Rough patch. Right.

Poeple who don't matter? Everyone mattered. Everyone serving under him - Tahir included - had a voice that he had to listen to. Even if that voice said such hateful things about him.

He gave a soft, shaky sigh.

Aeker shook his head, he didn't know how to make Aodh feel better, though he never showed it to others, the lycan really did have fragile self-esteem and his ego bruised easily.

"I love you, Schätzchen."
He murmured softly and kissed the man's forehead.

If he could not cheer Aodh up at least he could reassure the man with his presence.

Aodh pressing his lips against Aeker's neck.

"I love you, too."

He was thankful that Aeker was here. Just him being with him, hugging him, murmuring soft words in his ear helped. He may have fought off and disagreed with everything he had said, but just him being here was a big comfort.

He cuddle closer to the vampire, eyes sliding shut.

The vampire racked his fingers through the lycan's hair softly, they would both have to get use to the fact that it was cut short now, Aeker had liked Aodh's long hair but he would not voice that opinion.

His other hand stroked the man's back gently, touch always helped, being close to each other seemed to mend wounds and he hoped that being close would help numb the pain of other peoples words.

He almost wished that Aodh had come back physically hurt, pain like that the lycan could handle but emotionally he was just too fragile.

He leaned into the soft touches.

For once he wasn't vying for more attention. He was content to just sit like this and enjoy their time together.

Tonight he didn't want the two of them to be pawing at each other. he didn't want slicked skin rubbing against slicked skin. He just wanted to lie close to then man and feel the warmth of his body against his own.

"Wenn alle Stricke umgekommen, und er blieb, sollte ich noch weiterhin sein, und wenn alle Stricke blieb, und er vernichtet wurden, wäre das Universum zu einem mächtigen Fremden wiederum: Ich sollte nicht ein Teil davon sein."

He whispered softly as he leaned in head against the man's shoulder.
Aeker quoted from heart an extract from one of his favourite books, one that seemed to resonate with him.

And now, such gentle words held such gravity for him.
If he and Aodh were all that remained, he knew he would be content.

Simply in the man's arms were where his happiness lay, and he hoped that Aodh could find happiness in him and that all else that happened beyond the two of them would cease to weigh down his mind.

________
"If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it."

Aodh gave a soft snort then chuckled to himself.

"You're so cheesy, it's almost painful to listen to."

His lips curled into a smile after he pressed another kiss to the vampire's neck. It was a good thing the Lycan liked cheesy. It was cute.

And Aodh could be cheesy, too.

"Du bist mein, ich bin dein.
Des sollst du gewiss sein.
Du bist verschlossen
in meinem Herzen;
Verloren ist das Schlüsselein.
Du musst immer drinne sein."

This was seemingly a battle of the cheesy sayings they knew. Perhaps if he looked back on this, he'd laugh.

________________________
You are mine, I am yours.
You can be sure it’s true.
Into my heart, I’ve gotten you,
Locked its lock,
Lost the key,
So you’ll never get back out, you see.

A smile slowly spread across his face, Aodh had chuckled and then smiled.
"There is always a time and a place for cheesy, here and right now are exactly that."

The vampire gave a softly purr as the lycan kissed his neck, kissing the top of his head in reply.

"Ich bin Aodh Er ist immer, immer in meinem Kopf:.. Nicht als Vergnügen, mehr als ich bin immer ein Vergnügen für mich, aber mein eigenes Wesen Wir ergänzen einander."

_______________________

"I am Aodh. He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being. We complete one another."

He couldn't believe he was playing this game.

If anyone else heard the mushy sap coming out of his mouth, he'd be so embarrassed that he wouldn't be able to show his face in public again.

His cheeks darkened into a light pink colour as his tongue darted over his lips. God, he hoped no one would hear this. He wouldn't ever be able to live it down.

"Nicht die Schönheit bestimmt, wen wir lieben, sondern die Liebe, wen wir schön finden." Neither of them were really the definition of beautiful but they saw the beauty in each other.

_________________________
It’s not beauty which determines whom we love but love determines whom we find beautiful.

Aeker's eyes glowed warmly, pleased to see that pink blush which invaded Aodh's cheeks.

He leaned down and kissed the flushed skin gently, his hand reached up to stroke the lycan's cheek.

Aodh had lied to him once, told him that he was not capable of gentle touches and kind words, he wondered if the man even noticed that he had proved himself wrong on multiple occasions.

"Dann war es nicht Schönheit, die das Tier zu beruhigen, aber etwas weit weniger oberflächlich, zu lieben."

________________
Then it was not beauty which did quell the beast, but something far less superficial, love.

Aodh whined then writhed in Aeker's lap.

"Okay, cheesy moment over before I burst into flames or something." He cheeks definitely felt like flames were licking at them.

They were painted a dark red.

He buried his burning face in Aeker's neck.

Aeker laughed softly and shook his head, squeezing the man softly.

"Bursting into flames is meant to be my party trick not yours."

He thought about continuing the harassment but for the sake of Aodh's cheeks he decided to stop, just in case they didn't go down to their usual colour.

That may have been cheesy beyond belief but at least Aodh's mood seemed to have picked up somewhat.

"Sorry, vampire, I'm taking your spotlight."

He lifted a to press against one of his burning cheeks.

"Dia, go raibh sin aiféaltas. Níl mé ag déanamh go riamh arís," he whined, trying to will away the dark colour in his cheeks.

__________________
God, that was so embarrassing. I'm not doing that ever again.

Aeker chuckled a little louder in amusement, Aodh was dark red, his cheeks matched the brightness of his hair.

"Keine Notwendigkeit zu peinlich sein, es war nur die beiden von uns. Und ehrlich gesagt, zu sprechen, wie viele coven Mitglieder deutschen wenn sie zu Fuß in. waren"

He reached his hand up and stroked the man's cheeks, for someone who wasn't easy to embarrass, Aodh sure did a lot of blushing around him.
__________________
No need to be embarrassed, it was just the two of us. And honestly, how many coven members speak German if they were to walk in.

"You'd be surprised."

Giacinto, Alek, Alexis. Just off the top of his head. There were probably a few more dotted around and he dreaded to find out someone had heard their cheesy lines.

He leaned up to kiss the man softly with a low purr.

Oh well. He was certain no one had heard them this time.