Chapter Text
Thassarian’s not too sure what sort of magic occurred after he dozed off with Koltira in his arms in Dalaran last night, but somehow they made it back to the Acherus because Thassarian can tell that he’s on his back in his old, rotting bed. He’s surprised he remembers what that feels like, however. Thassarian doesn’t think he’s actually laid down in it, let alone slept in months. He’d like to say that it feels amazing to be able wake up naturally, but as consciousness continues to flood over him, he begins to realize that his arm is getting crushed. Thassarian opens his eyes to see what bone crushing mass could possibly be compressing his limb and is welcomed to the sight of long, white strands of silk spread out luxuriously upon a pale grey posterior adorned with brilliant blue, runic patterns. As his undead brain continues to awaken, his awareness of his surroundings grows more absolute. Thassarian looks down and sees that Koltira’s eyes are still closed and his lips are parted slightly. He has an arm draped over Thassarian’s stomach, his slender fingers barely inside of the simple linen shirt Thassarian wears under his plate. Koltira looks so peaceful that Thassarian wonders if it’s exhausting when Death Knights unleash years of haunting grief.
Unable to resist, Thassarian pulls his free arm around Koltira’s back, lifts up slightly, and presses his lips against the top of Koltira’s head. Thassarian feels Koltira begin to stir and he watches his eyes open. Thassarian doesn’t say anything but instead he just observes what Koltira’s next moves are. In fluid elven motion, Koltira moves his arm from around Thassarian’s stomach and lifts up to look around the room. Thassarian’s beginning to remember the tiniest little details in the way Koltira moves, the way he thinks, observes, reacts, and more, just from being back with him for one day. First his eyes move to the weapon rack where Thassarian’s twin blades rest neatly, and then to Koltira’s own pile of armor near the corner with the door, then to Thassarian’s plate on the armor stand, and finally Koltira turns back to his front and looks Thassarian’s eyes, “…Good morning,” Thassarian says hesitantly.
Koltira doesn’t say anything but he makes a small groaning noise and slumps back down into the position he woke up in, except this time he leaves his fingers out of Thassarian’s shirt. He’s moody . Thassarian bites back a chuckle at Koltira’s behavior and brings his fingers down through Koltira’s hair, “We’re going to get you battle ready today, so you might want to consider getting up. I’m sure there’s plenty of things that will need work.” Koltira lifted his face and looked at Thassarian with half-lidded eyes, “How about you bring me some more of that pleasurable arcwine from last night and then we’ll talk.” I know what he’s trying to do with that look in his eyes and the way he drawled out the word pleasurable. I bring my hand to his chin and let my thumb roll along his bottom lip, “I’m not going to give in to that look, Tira. But good try, though.” “You’re not playing fair.” “I’m not playing fair?” “ I’m the one offering a trade! You bring me arcwine, and then we go to the training dummies.” I’m a fool to give arcwine to an elf . “I should have told you this before, but I heard that the wine is highly addictive to elves… but if you can prove you’re ready to fight the Legion, only then will I take you back to Dalaran to get some more‒BYTHELIGHT” That catty elf... just bit my thumb… hard. One of Koltira’s sharp canines sunk into Thassarian’s flesh
I can’t believe he did that. Thassarian’s paralyzed from shock for a moment as Koltira gets off of the bed. His back is turned to Thassarian but Koltira looks over his shoulder with a smug smirk and says, “You win.” That’s not getting Koltira out of what he just earned. With no delay, Thassarian swiftly gets off the bed, roughly turns Koltira by his shoulders, and shoves him hard against the wall, earning a sharp cry in response, “Thass!” Thassarian grabs him by the throat and bring his mouth to the base of Koltira’s elongated ear, “I see you’ve gained a lot of confidence over night, but if you were planning on us dueling in the bedroom, then I’m afraid it’s going to have to wait until you prove that you can still spread your diseases to every training dummy in the ring with one swing of Byfrost.” “Oh but Thass,” Koltira roughly rolls his hips against Thassarian’s causing a predatory growl in response; and with a voice that Thassarian can’t tell is seductive or mocking, Koltira finishes, “Wouldn’t you rather watch me make your blood boil? ”
Thassarian removes his hand from Koltira’s throat to pull back and look him wide in the eyes, “Are you asking me to duel or are you telling me you want to become a Blood Death Knight?” He asks quickly. Koltira pushes off of the wall to equip his armor and Thassarian let’s him, “I switched while you were prancing around Highmountain. I was observing how my fellow Ebon Knights were working and I think I can pull off the whole blood siphoning thing that Blood Death Knights are doing these days better than drowning my enemy in that single new disease that the apothecary introduced. I used to use a lot of diseases you know, and I don’t want to settle for less, so I switched.” The two maintained the conversation until they were fully equip with their plate armor and weapons, “Honestly Tira, I think you went Blood because you don’t want to be seen with an abomination,” Thassarian says as he’s locking the door from the outside, “How dare you assume that of me? I still take Unholy very seriously,” “Because you’re just about as high-maintenance as a prince.” Koltira scoffs and continues to walk by Thassarian’s side with his arms crossed to the Heart of Acherus.
“AGH DAMMIT! Good Koltira!” The glow of Koltira’s eyes is full blown as his Vampiric Blood and Icebound Fortitude combine. Each word of praise that Thassarian gives him causes Koltira’s Dancing Rune Weapon to whip faster. All the while, Thassarian clashes back with an illusion of Sindragosa that is breathing bone slowing frost that is very real to its enemy. Once Koltira’s Dancing Rune Weapon fades, Thassarian allows his twin blades to unleash their full potential as their runes begin to shine blindingly bright, “GAH! FUCK, THASS!” Koltira shrieks as his opponent slices the tiny space between his neck and shoulder that isn’t adorned with plate. Koltira sinks to his knees and Thassarian pulls out his blade, which sings from the taste of its victim’s cold, undead blood. Thassarian waits for a moment as the adrenaline coursing through him begins to fade.
Thassarian offers Koltira a hand and he takes it, face adorned with an annoyed scowl. The two Death Knight’s attention is pulled out of the ring with the sound of applause. Their heads turn and are met with the sight of Darion and Siouxsie the Banshee. Koltira groans disappointedly, “You saw that?” The two bystanders jump into the ring and make their way to the two duelers, “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Deathweaver. Thassarian’s the strongest Frost Death Knight that we have. You did very well from learning how to be a Blood Death Knight by just watching.” Siouxsie nods in agreement. The Highlord begins to read off of some parchment, “You both will be returning to your normal duties tomorrow. Deathweaver, out of personal request from Thassarian, you will be free from getting involved with any matters pertaining to the Horde and Alliance.” Koltira shoots his friend a grateful smile and Thassarian responds by putting his hand on Koltira’s not wounded shoulder. “And from this moment on, you are not a member of the Horde. For as long as we are at war with the Legion, you are just a Knight of the Ebon Blade. Once this war is over, you will be free to either return to the Horde, be with Thassarian on the Alliance, or remain neutral to both factions.” Koltira better know that the first option is to not even be considered. “Thassarian, tomorrow you are to report to the Violet Hold by noon and Deathweaver you are to accompany the Deathlord for the entirety of her duties in Aszuna.” Siouxsie added. Thassarian and Koltira nodded in affirmation and then the two parties separated to return to their own work.
“Looks like I don’t have to buy you more of that arcwine now since I’m sure some of the elves in Aszuna are bound to have plenty.” Thassarian uttered as they looked over the back balcony of the Acherus, overlooking the demon infested shores. “Oh, you’re buying me more of it. We had a deal, Thass.” Koltira retorted as he shot him a look that could kill, “Ah yes indeed, but unfortunately for you, you lost our duel too.” Both of them went a moment without saying a word but kept eye contact as the memories of this morning crept back to both of them. Both Death Knights felt the change in the atmosphere as the soft hue of Koltira’s cerulean eyes dropped down to a sensually deep cobalt. “Thassarian,” Thassarian allowed Koltira to back him to the wall on the opposite side of the railing and push up against him, “You know how hard I’ve been working on this new specialization since you’ve brought me back, I think I deserve another evening with a wine glass. And also… don’t you and I have another duel waiting somewhere more private? ” Koltira whispered that last part with such temptation that it caused Thassarian to lose control. He couldn’t bite back a feral growl as he forcefully switched their positions.
Koltira wasn’t the least bit taken aback and instead welcomed Thassarian’s threatening movements by putting one hand on his shoulder, the other back onto the nape of his neck and meeting him in the middle for an aggressive kiss. Thank the light that Death Knights didn’t require air to survive because for anyone living, this hair pulling, tooth biting kiss would have been suffocating. The electricity between the two of them screams the years of separation and unspoken emotion that both Death Knights had to endure. Thassarian is taking great pleasure in sinking his teeth into Koltira’s skin as he trails his mouth down his partner’s jaw to his exposed neck which Koltira encourages by leaning his head back further and taking no shame in the gasps and moans from the delicious mix of sharp pain and desire.
“Thassarian‒AH, Thass… Please!” Koltira took no care in his volume or where they were but Thassarian knew that if they were caught, their fellow brothers and sisters in death would haunt them for this for eternity. Thassarian pulled back and admired his work. He had drawn blood in several different locations from his lips to his collarbone. Both of their eyes were half-lidded and darkened to a lustful shade of blue. Even if they hadn’t been caught in this particular moment, anyone who saw a Death Knight in this state would know exactly what was going on. Thassarian didn’t want to risk spending more time outside of his chamber, their chamber, so he grasped Koltira’s hand and they surged their way to privacy all the while trying to remain composed.
Fortunately the posterior balcony and the sleeping quarters are connected, so it’s not a far walk. The halls are completely bare as most Death Knights spend the day time either in the Heart of Acherus or working on the Broken Isles. The moment that the door is closed and locked, Thassarian has Koltira pinned beneath him on top of the bed’s coarse linen covers. The two struggle to remove the burden of armor while maintaining the rough rolling of hips and fervent touches. Thassarian’s mind is so hazy that his hearing has completely shut-down, but his eyes, darkened so deep with lust clearly makes out the needy beg on Koltira lips as he writhes underneath him, “Thassarian! Make me yours!” And by the Holy Light of Creation, that’s exactly what he did.
“Mmm Thass, this is absolutely delectable! I can’t believe you won’t try it.” Koltira says, finishing his second glass of the promised arcwine. The two Death Knights are seated at a small table in a corner of the Ledgermain Lounge in Dalaran, “The only reason why you like it so much is because you’re sensitive to magic.” Koltira waits a moment before responding. He looks down with a soft smile, “Perhaps.” Thassarian can’t believe everything that’s happened in the last two days. He thinks back on last night with Koltira’s breakdown and then he thinks of the possessive marks hiding underneath Koltira’s armor.
“Thassarian.” Koltira’s murmur snapped Thassarian out of his daze. Koltira doesn’t say anything after that, but his eyes speak the words for him, “I love you.” Koltira blue orbs darken for just a moment. Thassarian returns the look with equal admiration. Starting tomorrow, their time together will significantly decrease, but that only gives them a reason to make the most of what they have now and the small moments they will get with each other in the future. Now that they are together, building off of one another, the Legion is faced with yet another force that is to be reckoned with.
Epilogue:
It’s been almost two weeks since Thassarian and Koltira have been back to their regular duties. Thassarian has only seen Koltira a couple times since then, as he’s been spending majority of his time with the Deathlord in Aszuna. Thassarian however, has been working on more tedious but smaller tasks. At the moment he’s sitting in his chamber, writing reports for several Alliance bases in Northrend asking to send more battle-prepared Death Knights for the nearing march into the Nighthold. It will be Sunrise in just under a couple of hours which is when he needs to make sure these reports get sent.
Thassarian’s concentration is severed so abruptly by a violent bang on his door that if he were still living, it would have made his heart beat quadruple its pace. Assuming it’s one of the Unholy Knights’ minions or some geist, Thassarian sighs but gets up to check the outside anyways. As he’s opening the door slowly, he hears what sounds like the moaning of a dying man and is taken by surprise to have Koltira practically collapse on him once the door is opened wide enough. Koltira’s thick white hair looks dishevelled beyond redemption. It has leaves and grass in it and is clearly knotted. He get’s back on his feet properly and begins to take off his armor which… is covered in dried mud. “You look… awful, Tira.” “Gee thanks, Thassarian. That’s exactly the thing a High Elf wants to hear.” Once Koltira was stripped down to nothing except his simple linen pants, he threw his head down and began to try and shake out all of the earth that had wound up inside of his hair.
“What happened anyways?” Thassarian asked. Koltira sat back up and crawled onto their bed, “Not getting into it.” Thassarian laughed inwardly as he heard Koltira mutter to himself something about a hippogryph’s nest.
End
When we see something that we love, our pupils dilate. But when a Death Knight sees something that he or she loves, their eyes will become a darker shade of blue.