[FIC] abalation| fire emblem: heroes - hailstone

[plaidlove]

title: hailstone
series: fire emblem: heroes
sub-series: feh originals
characters: helbindi, hrid
rating: T
warnings: helbindi's perception of himself, also loki being loki

takes place in a vague time post metastable also specifically right before "a promise of joy" tempest trial that took place during the summer banner of 2019 in-game came out.

--

He found Hríd dozing under the shade of the cabin’s canopy. With his arms crossed behind his head and eyes closed, Hríd could have fooled most into believing he was asleep.

“You breathe different in your sleep,” Helbindi said as he went to press an ice cold glass to Hríd’s exposed side

Hríd’s eyelids didn’t so much as flutter but his hand shot out to catch the glass before it made contact with his skin.

“I see. You’ll have to demonstrate later,” Hríd finally glanced over to see Helbindi settle on the longchair beside him.

Helbindi hrmphed and Hríd’s lips twitched up into a smile. “And the others?”

He had been listening for Ylgr’s shrieks of laughter but she and the others had moved farther down the beach.

“They’re all fine. Worst they gotta look out for is someone dumping their drink or that knight missing a shell.”

Hríd relaxed by degrees, Helbindi observed as he sat back; like his weight finally settling down to the chair, or the sigh that could have been mistaken for contentment. At last, as if he had forgotten, Hríd took a sip from the glass Helbindi had passed him.

“You missed out on the sand castle competition,” Helbindi filled Hríd in on the last few hours’ activities. Mock battles included.

-

“What are your aspirations in life, Helbindi? Now that you may go where you want.”

“That’s a short version if I ever heard it,” scoffed Helbindi, but there was no real bite behind it. “‘Now that I can go where I want.’”

Hríd’s look was patient and level but Helbindi took pride in being the few people who got away with calling the Nifl king names to his face. And he exercised that frequently.

“Living, dumbass. Just cause the boss changed,” among other things, “doesn’t mean I’m not looking for that next purse, that next step to making sure I don’t get dragged down to the squalor.”

“That’s rather sad,” Hríd said with a frown and sat up. While Helbundi bristled, ready to shoot down a pity party, Hríd continued.

“I had hoped your situation was stable enough to look beyond those. Please, let me-”

“No, no, no, look, Hríd.” Helbindi spread his palms. “You could throw me into a tub of gold and give me your entire damn palace and crown and that wouldn’t change nothing.”

Hríd straightened, listening.

“Dreams? Those aren’t for filth like me-”

“-you are not filth, Helbindi-”

“-cause those kinda things? Those are for the folks who have the power. Or the money. You treat me well, I’m not denying that, but the only reason I got as far as I did was cause I did what the boss man said.

“And the second I didn’t?” Helbindi made a sharp gesture. “Only cause you guys, the ones with the power, decided to help me out.”

Hríd obviously had things to say back, but he held his tongue.

“Luck and sheer effort. Those are my prized tools.” If he hadn’t failed, Menja would be alive. If he hadn’t failed, he’d probably have died by the Order’s hand instead of saved. “So no matter what, that’s what I’m aspiring to. And I’ll keep climbing that ladder ‘til I fall off.”

-

Hríd was as silent as a winter night.

And then he rose to his feet in one swift motion, face unreadable. Helbindi was not a short or small man by any means, but Hríd towered over most and his presence filled the little pocket of shade they had to themselves.

Leaning over him, Hríd stepped forward to cup Helbindi’s face. Time, love, and food had filled in Helbindi’s cheeks from their gauntness. The circles under his eyes now only a shadow.

He kissed him. Gently, like the incoming waves to shore before pulling back to appreciate Helbindi’s flush.

“You need not climb that ladder alone.”

He straightened before Helbindi could protest - or worse, call himself filth again. Helbindi’s jaw set, his teeth clenched despite Hríd’s hope, but the bitterness didn’t come. Instead, Helbindi tipped his head back and sighed hard in aggravation.

“I hear ya, I hear ya.” Helbindi eventually said. He kneaded between his eyebrows and sighed again. “You’re a real pain in the ass sometimes, you know?”

“... I will take that as a compliment.”

-

They sat talking for a little while longer before a call for dinner came from within the cabins. The golden hour was approaching, and already the smell of food drifted through the air.

Hríd offered a hand to Helbindi, but he waved him off. There were also storm clouds in the distance that were coming in fast, and Helbindi knew someone would have left something out on the beach to get swept away.

So Hríd took his leave and Helbindi made for a quick check of the sands and tide pools.

-

The sun vanished behind the clouds within minutes much to Helbindi’s concern. And while the sand was still warm under his feet, the pleasant heat was quickly dropping down with each gust of wind. Already he had found a tiny pair of sandals and spotted a jacket left waving on a crudely fashioned arrow that had been speared into the ground.

Well then, he changed his mind. He wasn’t going to get caught in some damn typhoon over any more than what he had found.

“Damn weather,” Helbindi grumbled to himself as he snatched up the jacket, ready to make a break for the little cabins.

Thunder rumbled and the rain  started to fall. First in scattered drops and then in dense sheets that it felt like ice down Helbindi’s spine. Or maybe it was because of the sudden appearance of the demon in front of him.

Loki laughed, not a hair or garment out of place despite the winds howling up and down the shore.

“Well, well… there you are, Helbindi. It’s been much too long, wouldn't you agree?”