Torin's flush was deep, but not all of it was from embarrassment when his man took hold of his hair and tugged. The time Aurin had been away in Zaichaer had done things to him, though they were subtle, and Torin was looking forward to seeing if the new sturdiness he felt in the fox's aura translated into anything different in their coupling. Standing slowly enough that he did not any impression he was trying to free himself from the hold his man had one him he said,
"You were gone too long. I missed you. Take me back into the forge?"
No one was about the shop or house that day, but even still, even though the land and buildings belonged to Torin, there was a feeling of doing something wrong, something not allowed, at the idea of using his work spaces for activities as personal as the ones he had in mind. When his master obliged and pulled him by his now shorter hair into the place where magic was spun to new purposes, the smith did not shut the door behind them.
~~~
Over the next month the two worked together to forge the little dragonshard to know the cuff, and in knowing it, know its own purpose and function. Torin was careful with the forging, even more so than he normally would have been, as Aurin had no experience lending the aether of one of his runes to the aether forge. As with everything else he had seen, the redheaded man learned diligently and quickly, with an almost fevered concentration. It was like Aurin absorbed knowledge. Which made sense, considering he made his living and survived by his ability to gain information and skill.
By the end of the process it could be said that they had both learned things, about the work and each other, subtle things, perhaps, but as valuable to the blond as the cuff itself. Once he finally took both pieces, carefully wielding his tongs, from where they had nestled, drinking in aether for forty long days, he had polished them both to a shine and used his more delicate tools to attach the gem into it's socket. It could be removed without harming it, and another set in its place, but, as there were three empty slots left to be filled, he did not foresee that happening in the near future.
He waited, though it was surprisingly difficult, until Aurin arrived on the final day of creation, before he tested it. He wanted the man to put it on him the first time, a representation of the protection they had crafted together.
"You were gone too long. I missed you. Take me back into the forge?"
No one was about the shop or house that day, but even still, even though the land and buildings belonged to Torin, there was a feeling of doing something wrong, something not allowed, at the idea of using his work spaces for activities as personal as the ones he had in mind. When his master obliged and pulled him by his now shorter hair into the place where magic was spun to new purposes, the smith did not shut the door behind them.
~~~
Over the next month the two worked together to forge the little dragonshard to know the cuff, and in knowing it, know its own purpose and function. Torin was careful with the forging, even more so than he normally would have been, as Aurin had no experience lending the aether of one of his runes to the aether forge. As with everything else he had seen, the redheaded man learned diligently and quickly, with an almost fevered concentration. It was like Aurin absorbed knowledge. Which made sense, considering he made his living and survived by his ability to gain information and skill.
By the end of the process it could be said that they had both learned things, about the work and each other, subtle things, perhaps, but as valuable to the blond as the cuff itself. Once he finally took both pieces, carefully wielding his tongs, from where they had nestled, drinking in aether for forty long days, he had polished them both to a shine and used his more delicate tools to attach the gem into it's socket. It could be removed without harming it, and another set in its place, but, as there were three empty slots left to be filled, he did not foresee that happening in the near future.
He waited, though it was surprisingly difficult, until Aurin arrived on the final day of creation, before he tested it. He wanted the man to put it on him the first time, a representation of the protection they had crafted together.
