A/N: Last chapter! Here's something completely devoid of any sexual contact in an attempt to pretend that the last chapter doesn't exist. Thank you everyone for reading and for all the reviews! Especially since this is my first fic online.
Pairing: Ryner/Sion/Ferris
Prompt: Nakama
Ratings: T
Warning: Takes place post-series, assuming Ryner and Ferris successfully saved Sion. Some spoilers from the last episode.
Disclaimer: Legend of the Legendary Heroes/Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu doesn't belong to me.
When Ryner finds out that he's The Solver of All Equations and that being devoured by The Black Hero means he's going to hell—everything suddenly makes a lot more sense. It doesn't stop him from going to Sion though, because he made a vow and because he never really believed that Sion would actually have the guts to kill him—of his own will anyway.
When they finally beat The Black Hero out of Sion, Ryner and Ferris are on the King in an instant, demanding why he didn't confide in them and why he shouldered everything upon himself. Sion doesn't answer.
Ferris, who's normally non-aggressive with the Sion, tugs and pushes and hits him all over place until she ends up sobbing against the Sion's shoulder. It's a rare sight and Sion awkwardly raises his hand to touch her reassuringly, but then he remembers what he said to her before he left to destroy Gastark. His hand retreats immediately and guilt swims in his eyes.
Ryner verbally attacks him instead, yells at him for not coming to him when they're suppose to be best friends—that it's okay not to be Roland's King once in a while and not to make every decision himself. The words stop at Sion's abnormally quiet demeanour and Ryner's voice drops to a soft tone as he remembers his initial vow.
"Hey, Sion," he smiles lightly at the King and rests a hand on the shoulder that Ferris doesn't occupy, "this is where you confess that I'm the best friend you could've ever had."
Sion's eyes widen and he stares at him like he wants to cry. His lips part as if to answer but nothing comes out. Instead, he parts them further until Ryner and Ferris can see the golden substance at the back of his throat very clearly. Ryner's face falls as the realization hits him—Sion's vocals are shot.
"Is that lingering essence of the Black Hero?" Ferris shifts against him uneasily, "...maybe it'll just be temporary."
Sion just smiles, because he's pretty sure it's not.
A few weeks pass and they're somehow rebuilding Roland with Ryner throwing around most of the orders in place of Sion, who can't give orders even if he wanted to. He figures that Roland would much rather listen to Ryner than to him now anyway, especially since they're slowly but surely accepting the Alpha Stigma Holders.
Instead, he spends most of his time in the infirmary or his room rather than his study. In fact, nobody even allows him anywhere near his study until he completely recovers, which he took as the equivalent to never. However, for the first time in a long time, Sion strangely doesn't feel the need to work. He still feels the lingering presence of the Black Hero in the back of his mind and it makes him absent-minded in most days. He's not quite aware of it himself, but Ryner would sometimes find him starring out blankly at Roland's slowly, blooming city for hours.
Ferris on her spare time would take him outside for a breath of fresh air. They had both agreed that they didn't like the way Sion's eyes narrowed when he was in trance—in a way that mimicked The Black Hero. The only way that would snap him out of it was to touch him and Sion these days, flinched from physical contact. Still, Ferris would walk with her hand firmly against his and those are the times when Sion feels the most like Sion Astal again.
Ryner joins in frequently when he gets tired of being Roland's King of the Day. He would throw an arm around Sion's shoulders and beam nonchalantly at the world, especially when Sion doesn't shy away. And if he does, Ferris would be at the other side to barricade him between the two in a way that allowed for no escape.
Sion embarrassingly hunches up his shoulders when that happens before relaxing five minutes later. He would listen to his two friends start a dramatic or casual conversation as they walk towards the beach. Sometimes, he would forget about his muteness and open his mouth to join in, only to feel his mood plummet when no sound emerges. It's moments like these when he misses his voice the most.
He hopes the two don't notice but they always do, and they're always somehow filling his part in the conversation as if they know exactly what he'd say. The subtle tightening of Ryner's arm around his shoulders and the firm squeeze of Ferris' hand tells him that they're there and he can rely on them any time. His feels a wave of affection for them whenever that happens.
When they arrive at the beach, he stops abruptly and detaches himself from the two. They glance at each other in confusion before they curiously watch as Sion leans over to trace elegant words into the damp sand.
Ferris reads out loud, "You're the best friends I could ever have had."
Ryner grins, "Took you long enough."