It was just a chance encounter, McDohl decided. He wasn't interested in the war that was taking place in the Grasslands area, and he was not planning on taking a part of it. He was only there because his cursed rune was drawn to the area and wished to be there, to feed on the souls of those who lost their lives in the battles. McDohl didn't wish for the bloodshed and stayed away from the fighting, and he only passed through the battlefield at night after the battles had died down. Afterward, he found himself exhausted as he found his way to the closest inn - and for some reason, there he was again, in Luc's bed.

He didn't even know what the other True Rune bearer was there for, or who those people with him were. A couple of people cooperating with Luc; it didn't matter and McDohl did not wish to know why they were with Luc in the first place. He also didn't wish to start wondering why the red-haired man or the blond man in a black coat had seemed somehow familiar. They didn't matter, and figuring out who they were would have meant being involved.

The act itself was the same as it had always been. Neither of them spoke a word as they moved together, driven by a similar need they both knew only the other could satisfy. It wasn't like the two of them had not had sex with anyone else since those days back in the Dunan Unification War, either, it was just that it didn't feel the same with anyone else. McDohl knew it came down to the fact where he didn't let himself get attached to anyone, and it was the same for the other man. Luc's companions, whoever they were, were most likely a matter of convenience, not anyone the mage had sought out of the need for companionship.

Why it was like this with Luc, McDohl hadn't truly figured out back then and he still couldn't figure it out now. It was still certain that they both desired it and found some kind of odd relief in it. Maybe it had something to do with their True Runes; maybe it was because they both knew the other didn't expect anything else, nothing past the warmth the other was offering.

The exhaustion from wandering across the battlefield had stopped mattering. If he had been tired, he couldn't remember it anymore. What mattered was Luc's body moving against his, and himself moving to counter to other man's movements. It was pleasant, of course. He didn't remember it ever really hurting, and then again if there had been pain ever, he wouldn't have paid attention. He didn't remember if there was a difference between pain and pleasure anymore to someone like him.

Another few moves, another moment of both of them panting heavily, and then it would come to an end. Too soon, McDohl thought, although he had no idea how much time had actually passed during the whole deal. Luc muttered something under his breath as he reached his limit, and McDohl closed his eyes, savoring the last few seconds of their bodies pressed together. As the moment passed the other man pulled away from him and slumped down next to him, spent.

Luc was asleep a moment later, and McDohl forced himself to leave the warmth of the bed for a moment to clean himself. He then moved back and did the same for the other man before crawling back to bed next to the mage. Luc's breathing turned calmer soon, and McDohl yawned, feeling warm and comfortable, if only for tonight.

For some reason, before he drifted off to sleep, he got the feeling they couldn't meet again after this war ended, and he felt regret in that thought.