warning(s): canon divergence―tainted AU, and not much blood but it's still there.

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"What a feast!" Rose stood up and left the table, exiting the dining hall. Lailah followed right after, leaving Mikleo alone at their table. Sorey was the first to leave, saying he wanted to look around Lastonbell. Zaveid and Edna also left not long after.

Mikleo watched as they left his vision, then swept his gaze around the hall. A smile came across his face.

He took his glass filled with water and raised it to his mouth, reducing it to half. He put it down and let his finger play with the glass while his eyes were once again casted on his surroundings.

How lively, he thought. And he didn't comment on that just because it was. Knights from both countries were sharing drinks on the same table, cackles filling the hall. It warmed his heart, and he's sure his friends also felt the same―that's the reason they left hurriedly to witness more of this same atmosphere.

"Ow!" Mikleo yelped, pulled his hand away instantly when he felt sharp pain on his index finger.

Red.

His blood seeping out, it wasn't a deep cut so it wasn't a big deal. He lifted it to his mouth, licking off the blood, then eyes turned back to his glass.

There was a small crack on the edge of the glass, a drop of deep red left there, slowly dripping down the inner side of the transparent glass before joining itself with the water. Spreading in thick red surrounded by the clear water, then it faded―dissolving as one with it.

It turned slightly―just slightly―red. Undoubtedly clear in scrutiny, even when sitting side by side with Sorey's half finished glass of water. A drop wouldn't really affect the colour change, he assumed.

Mikleo stood up, leaving those two half-empty glasses of water lined up together.

Looked identical for any other people, but only Mikleo knew one had been tainted.

Mixing Taint

Tales of Zestiria © Bandai Namco

This is a work of fanfiction, simply written for the purpose of enjoyment and entertainment. I gain no financial profit from writing this.

For Sorey and Mikleo, a start never existed―as they had been together for as long as they could remember. Their first memory was being by each other's side, it's just natural to stay together. Because they believed they were one.

Whenever one cried of hunger, the other would do the same―even when he didn't know the meaning of that word.

Whenever one went for practising seraphic artes, the other would follow―even when people kept telling him he wouldn't be able to get anything out.

And when they finally asked Gramps about their differences, they both cried knowing they're not one as they thought and there were some things they could never share.

When they're old enough to understand their lifespan would be so far different―where the human could only fill one tenth of the seraph's life at most, they vowed. Deep in their hearts, they both vowed silently to stay by each other's side for the time they had. It was never a discussion, just naturally. Never voiced. Yet just by sharing touches, they knew.

So whichever path one took, the other would surely follow.

"Don't leave me alone, Sorey."

"You know I won't, Mikleo."

Mikleo stole Sorey's breath with his lips, running along his teeth before twirling it with Sorey's eager tongue. His hands around Sorey, pulling him close to feel their bare skin against each other. He's seated on Sorey's lap, teasing him by grinding his hips against Sorey's―sometimes resulting in a muffled moan from the human.

Clashing lips was not a new thing for them, but the taste of Mikleo's tongue this time was definitely novel for Sorey. If he remembered the taste to be sweet and a bit of acid like berries, this time was different. The sweetness of poison spread all over his mouth, and a bit of bitterness hiding under the sugar―and it was more addicting than it could ever be.

Parting their lips, a trail of saliva connected their red lips eager for more poison. Mikleo stared into Sorey's emerald with his half-lidded eyes, a pair of vertical-slit violet glowed in desire before closing in for another kiss.

People said seraphim were a being susceptible to malevolence. But now Mikleo wondered.

Heldalf was dead. And that only left Sorey and his plan.

What happened to the unspoken vow of staying together for Sorey's whole life?

He knew he accepted the plan when Sorey confronted him about it. But it only stroke him upon that last moment―ah, this will be the last time before my centuries of waiting starts. The sight would be the last to carve in his memories before walking with vacant right side.

And that was when the taint found its way to corrode his heart. It had always been there, inside―tightly cupped, yet escaped through the gap between his fingers the split second his heart wavered.

"What happens to your plan to purify the land?" Mikleo whispered against Sorey's lips and let him breathed in his words into his lungs. He put his fingers to catch Sorey's tongue before he had the chance to answer, pressing down on it and let the hot lump enjoyed the sweet treat. He kissed his way to Sorey's ear, dipping in it, then gently tugging at his earring.

Still sucking on Mikleo's fingers, his hand moved over to their erections to start rubbing them together. His hand turned wet from pre-cum leaking from their tips, mixing together as one.

Mikleo pulled his fingers away and started inserting it in his entrance. The pain was bearable, but his stifled groan sent ecstasy on Sorey. Mikleo's lewd voice so close to his ear could only bring him to lick his lips. His eyes followed Mikleo's face; his damp hair down to his flushed cheeks―but it was only visible on one side as half of Mikleo's face had been covered in lustrous silver scales.

He once looked at seraphim wearing scales as pitiable. They submitted to negativity, and it was a something they could never escape from. And Sorey found death as a way to save them from blending with malevolence.

But now he's questioning himself.

If malevolence was something awful, then why did it look so enchanting on Mikleo?

His lips reached out for the growing scales under Mikleo's eyes. Pressed kisses on one scale then another, quietly counting for whatever reason he had.

One, two―they're rough to the touch.

Three, four―it looked so appetising so he held out his tongue.

Fiv―ah, he pricked himself.

Yet the taste of his own iron didn't stop him from counting. He smeared the blood on those silver scales, colouring the pure water in his shade. The cut only got deeper, but it was ignored. His marking continued near Mikleo's ear, over his jaw line before it was back to his soft pale skin glimmering in sweat.

"So, about your plan to purify the land―ahn―" Mikleo asked again, this time was cut off by his moan. It helped Sorey to realise his Mikleo was still waiting for his answer, and that Mikleo needed help on his behind.

"It's fine," he began. His wet fingers joined Mikleo's to fill his inside. He buried his middle finger deep to reach for the spot only he knew. Mikleo's body jerked when he began to tease the spot. Sorey let out a huff. "Malevolence doesn't seem like a bad thing if it's you."

Malevolence wasn't supposed to exist―at least, that's what Sorey believed. That's also what their whole journey was about, to stop the Lord of Calamity―source of malevolence. He didn't lie when he told Mikleo about his intention on purifying Glenwood. It was a big decision, and he wanted Mikleo to understand what it really meant.

If he were to sleep―that's all he would be doing. The next time he knew would be when he woke up.

But it's not the same for Mikleo. Mikleo would be alone; waiting for centuries was almost the same as living after his death. It would be lonely, his return would be uncertain. And the last thing he wanted to happen was Mikleo being lonely.

So when Mikleo succumbed to malevolence, an explanation was not needed. If Mikleo didn't agree with his decision, then it would be Sorey to follow Mikleo's decision this time.

The tainted Mikleo was still his Mikleo. And if Mikleo chose to cloak himself in taint, then that's also what Sorey chose.

"Malevolence also fits you too, Sorey." A snicker escaped his lips while he pushed Sorey lying flat on the ground.

Still sitting on top of Sorey, he traced every inch of Sorey with his eyes, fingers following. It started with brushing against his soft hair, feeling it running between his fingers, and then down that perfectly sculpted face. His flushed skin gleaming in sweat while those emeralds stared hungrily at Mikleo. Sorey licked his lips, ready to devour the alluring seraph on top of him at any moment. Mikleo shuddered in excitement.

The sunshine in Sorey's eyes now dimmed like the depth of the sea―quietly drowning him in their embrace, stealing away every wisp of breath as they calmed.

Mikleo's hand trailed down from Sorey's toned shoulder to his arm muscles, then stopping at the back of his wrist―barely touching with the tip of his fingers. It was soon caught by Sorey to lock their fingers together. Sweaty palms gripping tight, once again they both smirked.

He sank down onto Sorey while letting out hitched breath. The pain flared up in him, but his smile only got wider. Their moans mixed together in thin air as they started to move. Hips languidly undulating in same rhythm, familiar with each other's pace since they had done this many times before.

The sight of Mikleo indulging himself in pleasure was certainly intoxicating. He couldn't help but rest his hand on Mikleo's hip and pulled him for deeper thrusts.

It was then, Mikleo's shoulders caught his attention―where silver scales were suddenly growing at rapid speed. Fast enough, but still weird that it spread like this instead of instantly transforming.

"You're turning into a dragon quite slow, aren't you, Mikleo?"

Mikleo smiled, "The power granted by the oath is certainly amazing, isn't it? I can even slow down my transformation this much."

Right at the moment the taint spread throughout his body, Mikleo made the oath. So he used the power he gained to slow down his transformation, but it was still impossible to stop.

Ah, now that he mentioned it, he knew Mikleo made the oath, but he was still unaware of Mikleo's exchange for the power. He placed his hand on the ground to help him sit up from his position. He pulled Mikleo for a messy kiss, "What did you do in exchange for it?"

"You'll know―later..." Mikleo whimpered. His knees were getting weaker so he wrapped his arms around Sorey to keep himself from falling. The only thing he could get out from his mouth were moans, but he struggled to continue his sentence, "―ah, but we'll stay―hnn―together―"

Mikleo held his breath and arched his back as everything cut to white noise. He released on their stomachs and clenched tight in reaction―sending Sorey to his climax as well, his muscles tensed in euphoric.

They spent a moment panting on each other's neck, gathering the spent energy back before Sorey pulled out. Mikleo whimpered when Sorey did, he could feel the sensation of Sorey's cum leaked out and trickled down his thigh.

Sorey bit Mikleo's neck, a groan escaped his lips as he jerked.

Mikleo's neck was already fully covered in scales, but he still managed to break through them. Most likely because Mikleo still wasn't a fully developed dragon, that's how his canines managed to tear them.

Mikleo's blood flowed out thick, dying his pale scales in red. Sorey licked them away to soothe the pain, partly because he still couldn't get enough of Mikleo and hungry to taste more of him.

"So, what will drinking dragon's blood do for me?" Sorey asked while resting their foreheads together.

Mikleo's lips curled up, "A ticket to stay for eternity with said dragon."

"That sounds great."

Then Sorey closed in for more kisses, sucking on the lower lip to make sure it's swollen and red―just like how Sorey liked it. His hand brushed against Mikleo's chest, grazing his nipple before flicking it with his index finger. His other hand moved to the enthralling scales fully covering Mikleo's left body, cutting himself on his path of loving every inch of Mikleo.

Mikleo made sure to press his mouth close to Sorey's ear so he could hear every noise Mikleo made clearly. Sorey was glad Mikleo knew how much he loved Mikleo's voice. He led Sorey's hand to his entrance―still wet from Sorey's cum. He breathed, "I'm still ready for another round, Sorey."

Then they continued, ignoring the scales eating away at Mikleo's whole body.

And when each thrust only resulting in cuts all over Sorey, they stopped. They exchanged one final kiss. This time, lips placed on top of each other, soft lips brushing against rough lips covered in scales, for who knew how long. Then they smiled, welcoming eternity in front of them.

Mikleo casted his spell, cloaking them in water bubble―a cloak to stop time from moving, to stop people from peering, to stop them from any kind of parting.

And there inside, Mikleo transformed into the most beautiful dragon Sorey could ever imagine. His exceptionally large wings covered in silver scales with a tint of blue at the tips. His breath turned his surroundings to ice, lowering the temperature in a second.

But the moment that dragon came to life; he folded his wings and slept.

The price for the exceptional power he got was to slumber after he unleashed all his seraphic artes. A slumber that lasted for eternity. A power so massive could only be gained by massive price. But Mikleo didn't mind, in fact, it was exactly what he needed.

Sorey―still with sparkles on his eyes―couldn't help but mutter about Mikleo's beauty for the umpteenth time. He rested himself cold in Mikleo's embrace, linking himself as Mikleo's vessel then closing off all his senses.

He slumbered, there together with Mikleo. Cloaked in Mikleo's protection, a space that belonged only for two. The vows once made but never spoken, now embracing them in eternity.

A slumber they never planned on waking up from.

For Sorey and Mikleo, a start never existed―as they had been together for as long as they could remember. Their first memory was being by each other's side, it's just natural to stay together. Because they believed they were one.

And without a start, something could never end.

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Two glasses of water lined up together; both half-empty.

The first glass was clear water, whilst the second had been tainted by a drop of blood.

But try pouring the clear water into the other glass with the taint, and it would not be two half-empty glasses of water anymore.

It would result in one whole mixing in taint.

End.

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a/n1: I'm honestly so proud of this one!? yeah, I'm glad with how it turned out aaaaaaaahh.

a/n2: tainted au is something I've wanted to write since I finished the game a month ago, but it's a setting I'm still hard on picturing (since I love happy pure cinnamon rolls sormik so much). and partly... because I really want to write smut for my tainted au www and I'm really bad at it so I need lots of references to get this done. but here! it's done!

a/n3: thank you for everyone who reads this! and also thanks for reading my other fanfictions, let me hug you!