Ikaris was not quite sure when or why it had started. Actually, that was a lie. A tiny lie that both Arishem and Ikaris both told themselves as a way of dealing with it. An unspoken agreement. A mutual-beneficiary agreement. Never a love affair, and never anything that could be called a relationship, at least not by human standards.
The details surrounding their coming together were hazy at best, but that was more from his own need to erase the memories from his mind. It was shame, shame and anger at both himself and Arishem for not arising from their lust endured states long enough to realise that it was fucked up. There coming together was a result of Ikaris’s own anger and heartbreak over having to leave the one Eternal he could actually stand for more than five minutes (perhaps that should have been a sign that his mind was not wired the same as his fellow Eternals, that he was destined to spend eternity solely in the company of somebody greater).
Ikaris was still not sure as to why Arishem allowed the mutual-beneficiary agreement to start and continued. But he summarised that it was because Arishem was lonely and egotistical. Which was as good as reason as any, Ikaris supposed. It would be childish to assume that Arishem actually loved him. Not that he would ever admit that he was in love with Arishem, that he yearned for Arishem to confess that he had fallen in love with the Eternal under his employ.
But rough caresses and biting words almost made Ikaris believe. Arishem was never soft with him, aware that Ikaris was strong and could take the innately heart nature of his touch. It was nothing like his marriage to Sersi, it was better and it was almost perfect. Arishem did not treat him as an outsider or placate him, he was honest and brutal and that was all Ikaris had ever wanted and needed.
To be seen as the monster he truly was.
That’s not to say that Arishem was not romantic, he would often give Ikaris jewels crafted from forgotten galaxies and flowers pressed from the ashes of dead planets.
It was the small moments that reassured Ikaris that this relationship meant something to Arishem, that this agreement went further and beyond his human marriage to Sersi.
Ikaris peeked a glance at Arishem who stood by his side, watching over the death of another planet. Soon that would be the Earth and his memories would be wiped, forcing Ikaris to forget the one being who understood him and loved him for what he was.
“What is on your mind?” Arishem’s voice seemed to boom in the void.
Ikaris wondered for a moment whether he should voice his concerns to the Celestial standing by his side. After a brief consideration, Ikaris decided he needed Arishem to qualm his worries. To assure him that they would be together, like this, for eternity.
“I do not want to forget you, forget this.”
Ikaris heard Arishem let out a deep sigh, “This is out of my hands. You were designed to hunt down deviants. You cannot change your fate.”
“That was never my fate! My fate is to be by your side!”
Ikaris felt one of Arishem’s hands wrap around him, softly and just enough to feel a slight pressure. Ikaris pressed a kiss to Arishem’s hand. He could hear Arishem let out a small sigh at the contact and he smiled to himself. Ikaris loved that he was able to bring this side out of Arishem.
“We’ll talk about this another time.” Arishem murmured, carrying Ikaris in the palm of his hand.
“Promise?’
“I promise.”
And there they made their empty vow, with only a dying sun as witness.