Tasting the Sun

Writers: Aaron, Heather
Date Posted: 18th February 2025

Characters: Brennault, Zavek
Description: Zavek and Brennault see each other for the first time in months. For the first time since Zavek received "the letter."
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 3, day 10 of Turn 12

Brennault

It had been a few months since Zavek had 'ordered' any packages be
delivered by his favorite runner. After receiving the threatening
letter, he'd retreated into his home and focused only on his farm. He
hadn't even answered the inquiring messages that Brennault had sent
via his firelizard. Zavek didn't know who was watching and what might
really happen.

Maybe the letter was nothing. Maybe he'd been keeping Brennault at
arm's length for nothing.

There was only one way to find out.

Using one of the farmhand's firelizards, Zavek sent a letter to the
runner station requesting Brennault come to Lavendar Run to retrieve a
package.

Cerault waited until Brennault came to the station on his own rather
than sending for him early. He came almost daily, anyway. So the next
day, he handed him the letter, and Brennault opened it eagerly.

"I'm heading back out toward--"

"Lavender Run?"

"How could you tell?" Brennault laughed.

"I know that smile. Been a minute. I hope everything's all right."

"I'm sure everything's fine!"

Once they were on the trail, Marvel cheeped at Brennault curiously.

"You can go tell him we're coming, if you want."

Marvel sent images of Zavek sending him away over and over.

"He has to be careful, you know. Maybe someone was getting
suspicious." That was what he had assumed. "But now it's taken care
of. You're sure you don't want to go tell him we're coming?"

Marvel sent images of himself clinging tightly to Brennault. They
might as well have been a bird's-eye view of them at that very moment.

"Well, you don't have to... But it'll be a while before we get there."

Brennault continued to ask Marvel every day to go tell Zavek they were
coming, but each time, he refused.

Eventually, Brennault arrived-- and Marvel sent images of himself back
at the station and left. He hardly ever went anywhere without
Brennault.

Sweaty from work, the lone figure approaching down the wagon trail
that led to Lavender Run made Zavek pause. Lifting his hat and wiping
his forehead with the back of his arm, a smile threatened the corners
of his mouth. It was Brennault. He knew.

"Looks like a runner's approaching, boss," one of his ranch hands called out.

"Yeah," Zavek agreed in a neutral tone. "I'd better go get a place set
up for him to rest. If any of you have any letters or packages you
want sent out, be getting them together."

Striding out into the yard, Zavek kept his face schooled from any
emotion other than polite. "How was the run?" he asked. His eyes,
however, were free to drink in the sight of the runner. Gloriously
bronzed skin, the hair lightly bleached from the sun... Zavek's mouth
felt impossibly dry.

"A little lonely." Brennault smiled. He was happy to see Zavek--
relieved, even. As much as be had been optimistic out loud, he had
been worried that he had gotten him into trouble. "Marvel didn't want
to ride along this time."

The firelizard had scarcely left Brennault's side since he had
hatched. Not having him nearby was... well, lonely. Seeing Zavek put a
dent in that loneliness. But he suspected it would take more than the
sight of him to fully banish it, thrilling as that sight was.

"How are my four-leggèd colleagues?"

In the months they'd been apart, Zavek had considered it - possibly
never seeing Brennault again - and he'd thought he would probably be
able to do it. Not because he wanted to but because he might have to,
but now that the man was standing in front of him again.... Zavek felt
like a man dying of thirst and beholding a glass of water. **So, so
thirsty.**

"They're well," he said smoothly, belying the confusing swirl of his
thoughts. "If you want to come inside, I've got some refreshments
ready for you. The men are gathering some letters they'd like you to
post for them when you get back to the station." He led the way to the
main house.

"Very generous of you, as always." Brennault could not hide his grin.
He loved it when anyone looked at him that way-- but especially Zavek.
It had been far too long.

As soon as they were inside the house, Zavek flipped the lock into
place and then whirled to frame Brennault's face in his hands. "I am
so sorry," he murmured before kissing the other man as he had dreamed
about for months. "I can explain," he said against Brennault's lips.

Brennault was very clearly pleased to be treated as such. He melted
into Zavek and wrapped his arms around him as much as he could.

"Hey," said Brennault between kisses. "You don't have to. Everything
is all right. I'm still yours. I'm always yours."

Zavek wanted to show Brennault the letter he'd received months ago,
but at that moment, there was nothing more important than feeling
Brennault in his arms again. "You taste like the sun," he said in
between kisses. His fingers were on the buttons of Brennault's shirt
even as they backed down the hall toward the bedroom.

Brennault hummed a joyful laugh, but he did not let it interrupt the
kisses. He loved it when Zavek said poetic things like that. And he
was glad to know their time together was not over.

--

Bodies spent, lying in a warm tangle together, Zavek sighed as he felt
at peace for the first time in months.

"So, I got a letter," he said, fingers idly stroking across
Brennault's bare skin as he lay, studying the patterns on the canopy
of the bed. "It said 'I know about you and that runnerboy. I'll give
you some time to marinade on that. I'll be back soon.'" He'd read the
letter so many times he had memorized it.

Well, that explained why it had been so long. He had to admit, despite
the inconvenience such a letter posed, he was glad to know it was not
because Zavek was tired of him.

"Do you need me to take care of them?" he whispered. He would need his
father's help to manage it, but he suspected he had enough contacts
with the right people to take care of Zavek's little blackmailer.

Zavek's brow furrowed, but his eyes snapped to Brennault's. "Can you?
I mean... how?"

"Well. I doubt it's going to make much of a difference to your
plausible deniability if I tell you." Brennault grinned just a little.
He did not relish the idea of having to do or ask for something...
illicit. But he would do anything to protect Zavek. "Runners know
people. My father knows people."

The stationmaster of a runner outpost probably _did_ know a lot of
people, and here a lot of things. Leverage could be a powerful tool.

"I'd like to meet your father, then. To at least show my gratitude."

"My Lord," said Brennault with just the right amount of mock surprise
and silliness. "Meeting my father is quite the step forward in our
relationship." He grinned at Zavek, half because he genuinely thought
he was funny, and half to show that he was only teasing.

Zavek rolled his eyes at the teasing, but pulled Brennault to him with
a growl. "Listen here, runner. If your father arranges for whoever
this is to 'disappear' the least I could do is say 'thank you,' hm?"
He nipped at Brennault's earlobe with his teeth.

Brennault's skin erupted in goosebumps, and he moaned softly. He loved
it when Zavek got a little rough.

"I'd be honored to introduce you."

"You know, you deserve a special thank you." Zavek continued nipping
down the side of Brennault's neck. "That earlier, that was just a
'hello'."

Brennault could have said that he had yet to actually do anything, but
he was not about to talk Zavek out of a special thank you.

"Well, hello... And I look forward to giving you a special ‘you're welcome’."

Last updated on the February 21st 2025

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Tasting the Sun