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Chapter Text

Velite [06:01h]: What’s your schedule for the next few weeks?

Argenti [10:07h]: Velite! How marvelous it is to hear from you this fine afternoon! A message from you is always a most serendipitous occasion. In response to your query, I shall be examining potential traces of Idrila the Beauty in the [REDACTED] system. As you are more than well aware, the duty of a Knight of Beauty never rests!

Velite [10:09h]: …you know you redacted your location?

Velite [10:09h]: You could have just not shared where you were at all.

Argenti [10:18h]: Of course! I did not wish to lie to you; however, I cannot reveal my location. Therefore, I thought that redacting it would be the most honest option out of respect to you, my beloved partner.

Velite [10:19h]: Right.

Velite [10:19h]: Never mind.

Velite [10:19h]: What do you know about the Interastral Peace Holiday?

Argenti [10:25h]: Not a thing, save for its existence! I have never celebrated it, if that is what you are asking me.

Velite [10:31h]: My family gets together to celebrate every year.

Velite [10:31h]: I wanted to invite you to come visit.

Velite [10:32h]: I know you’re busy.

Velite [10:32h]: It’s no big deal if you can’t come.

Velite [10:33h]: My family doesn’t know I invited you yet so you can say no.

Velite [10:33h]: There’s no pressure.

Argenti [10:38h]: Velite! I am both honoured and touched by the invitation. Would that I could promise to be there! Unfortunately, I cannot given my whereabouts; however, I shall make the most solemn vow to you that I will try my utmost to return to your side in time for this most meaningful holiday!

Velite [10:39h]: It’s not really that meaningful.

Velite [10:39h]: Honestly, it’s just an excuse for the IPC to give us time off so they don’t have to give us our own vacation days.

Velite [10:39h]: It’s really no problem if you can’t come.

Velite [10:42h]: …thank you, Argenti. Your response means a lot to me.

Argenti [11:15h]: It is not only my honour, but my pleasure, Velite. I shall endeavour to see and experience your magnificent beauty in person at some point during the coming week!

There is a strange man in Velite’s home.

Argenti’s hand immediately shifts his grip on his spear, carefully studying the other man as he stands stunned in Velite’s doorway.

The pleasant aroma of Velite’s signature fish stew fills the air with the rich scent of broth and spices. Argenti has watched Velite make this enough times that the smell now reminds him of returning to Velite after a long journey.

It does wonders to comfort him, considering how startling it is to see a strange man wearing Velite’s face.

Velite’s doppelgänger smirks, arms falling loosely at his sides. “Argenti, I thought you wouldn’t be able to come.”

Unnerved watching a face so similar to Velite’s make an expression so calculating, Argenti’s hand tightens, the familiar grooves of his javelin sliding into place against his gauntlet.

“I know not for what nefarious purpose you are wearing Velite’s face; however, I do know that you are not him and if you have done something to him you should be prepared to face the gravest of consequences,” Argenti says seriously.

“A Knight of Beauty is honour-bound to protect all beauty and naturally that includes the rare delicacy of his own life partner. So I ask you, where is Velite Fabri?”

To his surprise, the man throws his head back and laughs, light-brown hair — more neatly-trimmed than Velite’s ever has been — falling over his brow and into his eyes.

“Okay, how did you know?” the Velite doppelgänger asks, shaking his head. “We always used to be able to fool people as kids. Even Jesse would fall for it half of the time.”

Argenti’s grip loosens as a memory of Velite talking about a twin brother, Wilder, in an exasperated but fond tone rises to the forefront of his mind.

Mostly, he remembers Velite’s face softening in a way it rarely does. The usual anxious and worried pinch between Velite’s eyebrows had fallen away while Velite had recounted stories of Wilder developing games alongside their father, using Velite as a test subject to see how well they would hold other children’s attentions.

Argenti is unsurprised to learn that Velite had been the more reckless twin, sneaking off to try and achieve the highest scores on local net café flight simulator programs with his older sister Jesse, rather than staying at home and playing games with Wilder. Argenti’s love is far more ambitious and much more of a dreamer than he is willing to admit.

It is Argenti’s greatest ambition — save finding Idrila the Beauty, of course — to show Velite what a beautiful and brave man he is.

Argenti is prepared to spend the rest of his lifetime doing so.

That same eyebrow pinch had only returned towards the end of Velite’s story when Velite had spoken about how — unlike Velite himself — Wilder had always wanted to go into the IPC. Velite had required an intervention of sorts from his parents to steer him in the direction of the prestigious Owenley first and then, after graduating with honours, the IPC’s Marketing Development Department.

While Argenti is certain that Velite’s parents had meant well, the manner in which they had so callously crushed Velite’s childhood dream of becoming a pilot like Lucien of The Last of the Nameless series still angers Argenti to this day.

He takes another look at the Velite doppelgänger — Wilder — noting all of the minute differences between the man in front of him and his partner. That pinched expression Argenti despises seeing on Velite’s face because of the anxiety accompanying it is nowhere to be seen. Wilder’s hair is neater and cut more closely to his head. Wilder’s shoulders sit straighter and his chin juts out confidently, unlike Velite who tends to shrink in on himself preemptively.

Argenti supposes that these things, from an objective standpoint, would make Wilder the more acceptable partner. However, he has also learned that myriad standards of beauty imposed by a variety of societies Argenti has encountered over the years, miss the essence of what makes something truly beautiful.

“You lack his beauty,” Argenti says, relaxing into a less offensive fighting stance now that he knows Wilder is no threat.

Coughing loudly, Wilder bites his lip. Argenti thinks for a moment that Wilder is going to burst out laughing.

“You’re as direct as he’s said you are,” Wilder says, swallowing another choked cough.

“You are beautiful in a divergent manner,” Argenti adds, lest Velite’s brother assume some sort of insult. “One that is certainly attractive, albeit in a different way than my Velite.”

He remains worried that Wilder has taken offense when the man’s face scrunches again, mouth curling up in a restrained smile — a ghost of one of the many self-deprecating expressions that Argenti has done his utmost to rid Velite of over the course of their relationship.

“Thank you for that,” Wilder says wryly. “You should come in before Velite’s neighbours report a strange knight in their hallway.”

“Fear not!” Argenti responds, bowing politely to Wilder as he walks into Velite’s foyer. He places his spear against the wall. “They are quite used to my appearance by now.”

“Of course they are,” Wilder says. Shaking his head, he steps aside to let Argenti through, giving the knight room to remove his gauntlets and greaves.

“Wilder what are you— Oh! Argenti!”

Argenti has only half-removed his armoured boots when Velite stumbles in, wooden spoon in hand. Velite’s hair is slightly longer than the last time Argenti saw him and wild, presumably from the heat of the kitchen and Velite’s habit of tangling his hands through it while nervous.

“I…wasn’t sure if you would make it,” Velite says. “I mean, I had hoped and I said that you didn’t have to come but—”

Taking a deep breath, Velite interrupts himself to cautiously smile at Argenti.

“I’m glad you could make it.”

Joy threatens to burst from Argenti’s every pore as Velite smiles at him cautiously, the truth of Velite’s happiness shining from Velite’s eyes.

“My love,” Argenti says hoarsely as he stands, hands moving from where they had been undoing the straps on his metal greaves to cup Velite’s cheek.

Somewhere over the course of their developing partnership, kissing Velite has become as vital of a part of Argenti’s life as breathing or searching countless galaxies and universes for Idrila the Beauty. Velite responds so well, groaning as Argenti nibbles on Velite’s lower lip, pouring all of his love and affection and relief at seeing Velite again alive and well into his kiss.

It rapidly threatens to turn into something much more provocative when Velite moans shamelessly into Argenti’s mouth, warm and pliant in his arms.

Had they been alone, it would have easily led to them stumbling into Velite’s bedroom to reacquaint themselves with each other’s bodies — as they had done many times before — Velite’s stew forgotten and slowly burning on the stovetop.

However, they are not alone and Wilder quickly reminds them of this fact, clearing his throat loudly.

Velite startles and away with a squeak. His chest heaves and his lips are already red and swollen and Argenti opens his mouth to tell him how beautiful he is.

“Your stew is going to burn, little brother,” Wilder says before Argenti can get his words out. “Shouldn’t you be trying to impress me and your guest?”

“You— I’m only minutes younger. We’re twins!”

Wilder shrugs and laughs and follows Velite into the kitchen, their bickering fading into a pleasant hum that accompanies the spicy and comforting smell of Velite’s fish stew wafting throughout the cosiness of Velite’s home.

Overwhelmed, Argenti leans against the wall for a moment, reaching down to slowly continue unbuckling his greaves from his shins.

He stands there, breathing slowly, until Velite’s head peers around the corner with a nervous expression, his face shadowed by the warm light from the kitchen behind him.

“Argenti? Are you coming in?”

Lacking the words to fully describe the overwhelming ardour and happiness he feels in that moment, Argenti beams up at Velite, blinking away the tears that have gathered at the corners of his eyes.

Beauty had always been a distant concept for Argenti. One that was much easier to understand as an object of worship, like Idrila herself.

He had never expected to feel or experience it so viscerally.

“Of course!”

Argenti allows the emotion of the moment to enter his voice, causing it to break and crack halfway through his sentence. Velite smiles back at him in his usual way — cautious but hopeful.

“I would not miss sharing this holiday with you and your family for anything in the world!”

“Okay,” Velite says, his grin widening. “Get in here before Wilder eats all the stew.”

Chapter Text

Wilder [20:39h]: Cue: it’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Wilder [20:39h]: I was just talking to mom and dad.

Wilder [20:40h]: What’s everyone doing for IPH this year?

Wilder [20:40h]: They want to do dinner on the third day.

Velite [20:41h]: Do you even have time to do anything?

Velite [20:42h]: Aren’t you still on Jarilo IV introducing the masses to the wonders of Aetherium Wars?

Wilder [20:44h]: We’ll be wrapping up here in time for the holiday but thanks for your concern little bro.

Velite [20:44h]: You’re only minutes older!

Wilder [20:45h]: Minutes that matter.

Jesse [21:03h]: not this argument again

Jesse [21:03h]: pass. saw the parents recently and i’m going to be nowhere near home

Jesse [21:04h]: don’t have time off anyway

Jesse [21:04h]: not everyone works for the ipc

Wilder [21:05h]: Shouldn’t they be standardizing holidays by now? Your logistics company works for the IPC.

Velite [21:05h]: Can I invite a friend?

Velite [21:05h]: Jesse has brought her girlfriend to family things before.

Velite [21:05h]: I know someone who might appreciate this.

Velite [21:06h]: I’m not sure if he’s ever celebrated IPH before.

Wilder [21:07h]: !!!!

Wilder [21:07h]: You’re bringing someone?!

Velite [21:07h]: He’s loud but nice.

Jesse [21:08h]: awwwwww baby bro got a boyfriend

Wilder [21:08h]: You’re dating someone?!

Wilder [21:08h]: And you didn’t tell us before? How long?

Velite [21:08h]: He’s not

Velite [21:08h]: I don’t think so

Velite [21:08h]: I’m not sure

Velite [21:08h]: I already asked so

Velite [21:09h]: His name is Argenti.

Wilder [21:09h]: I can’t believe Velite is inviting someone home before me.

Jesse [21:18h]: i can

Wilder [21:19h]: What’s that supposed to mean?

It’s only been approximately a week — give or take standardized timezone adjustment from galaxy to galaxy — but Wilder has still had a lot of time to think about who his brother could possibly be bringing to IPH.

After getting over the initial shock that Velite has someone he knows well enough to even suggest it. Velite doesn’t type often in their family chat, but when he does it’s almost always work-related.

Reading between the figurative lines, Wilder knows his brother is miserable.

He also knows that his brother is so overworked with menial tasks that leave little to no time for socialization outside of work. Which means that Velite had to have met him at his IPC branch or at some work-related event.

In thinking of this mystery person accompanying Velite to their family IPH dinner — with the only clues being that this person is a man named Argenti who apparently has never celebrated IPH — Wilder has imagined an unremarkable and average-looking marketing graduate who likely works for a company that does business with the IPC.

Alternatively, maybe someone who works in Velite’s marketing division who just doesn’t take holidays when offered — Wilder doesn’t know if this is legally-possible but he’s sure the IPC has loopholes to exploit if someone really wants to — or works a job in such high demand that he can’t.

What Wilder certainly didn’t imagine was a knight in archaic but gleaming armour, brilliant red hair that falls in waves past his shoulders, and a wide smile that either belongs in a toothpaste commercial or in an idol group.

Yet, this is the exact person who knocks on Velite’s door and then stands in the hallway beaming at Wilder while holding a formidable and sharp-looking fighting spear.

The man doesn’t look real.

Briefly, he wonders if this is why Velite invited this particular man — Argenti. Maybe it’s part of a sales pitch that he wants Wilder’s help with since Jade doesn’t listen to anyone in their department and Oswaldo Schneider isn’t going to accept an email from anyone under P40 at least, possibly P45.

Mouth curling up into a smirk, Wilder also wonders if Velite has mentioned to this Argenti that he has an identical twin.

When he and Velite were children, they used to swap places all the time. Somehow, their parents would always know, so they quickly moved on to playing pranks on Jesse. When she began to figure things out, Wilder and Velite quickly moved on to their friends and extended family members, who still have trouble remembering who is who to this day.

And really, Wilder can think of no better way of introducing Velite’s potential boyfriend to their family than posing as Velite.

Perhaps he can even help his brother out a bit. Velite has few social skills and Wilder definitely noticed how he tried to deflect away from the fact that Argenti could be his boyfriend.

“Argenti,” Wilder says, allowing his hands to fall casually to his sides. “I thought you wouldn’t be able to come.”

The knight’s hand grips his spear so tightly that Wilder can hear a soft screech of metal.

“I know not for what nefarious purpose you are wearing Velite’s face,” Argenti says. His smile falls into a grave expression the more he speaks. “However, I do know that you are not him and if you have done something to him you should be prepared to face the gravest of consequences.”

Not only does this guy not look real, but he also doesn’t sound real.

Did Velite find him in a lab or something?

“A Knight of Beauty is honour-bound to protect all beauty and naturally that includes the rare delicacy of his own life partner. So I ask you, where is Velite Fabri?”

Before Wilder can wrap his head around the phrase “rare delicacy of his own life partner” never mind the fact that it’s about his own brother and that this man is threatening him with what looks to be a real sword, Wilder laughs.

He doesn’t mean to, but this man is so ridiculous and is also apparently dating his brother of all people.

His father had once mentioned the Knights of Beauty as cautionary tales to Velite in an effort to discourage his brother from becoming a pilot. Wilder knows very little about them except that they all go insane eventually, driven to madness by the vast depths of exploring space alone.

Wilder wonders if Argenti truly is a Knight of Beauty or just someone pretending to be one.

Maybe Velite is playing a larger joke on him.

“Okay, how did you know?” Wilder asks.

Trying desperately to stop laughing at the man, Wilder stands up a bit straighter and looks Argenti in the eye. If Argenti is some sort of actor, Wilder can at least try to get him to break character.

To Argenti’s credit, the knight doesn’t look offended by Wilder laughing somewhat hysterically in his face at all — just confused and still visibly on-guard with his hand gripped tightly. Poised to draw his sword.

Maybe Argenti is a really good actor.

A better actor than Wilder given how Argenti hadn’t for a second seemed to believe that Wilder was actually Velite.

“We always used to be able to fool people as kids,” Wilder explains shakily, still choking down his laughter in the face of Argenti’s aggressive fighting stance. “Even Jesse would fall for it half of the time.”

“You lack his beauty,” Argenti says promptly, relaxing his stance.

Wilder finds himself breathing out a sigh of relief at the motion. He hadn’t realized just how uncomfortable Argenti’s attachment to the weapon was making him until Argenti had moved away from being able to cleave him in half at a split-second’s notice.

Shaking his head at his own stupidity — who knows if Argenti can even use it; people rarely fight with archaic weapons these days — Wilder bites his lip and shifts backwards into Velite’s hallway. It can’t help to create a bit of distance between him and Argenti regardless. He did just lie to the knight who may or may not be his brother’s boyfriend.

Then Argenti’s words catch up with him and Wilder nearly bursts out laughing again at the realization that Argenti practically called him ugly to his face.

“You’re as direct as he’s said you are,” Wilder manages to choke out, trying to disguise his laughter as a coughing fit.

“You are beautiful in a divergent manner,” Argenti says. “One that is certainly attractive, albeit in a different way than my Velite.”

Resisting the urge to ask how, considering that the two of them are identical twins, Wilder shakes his hand again and smiles. He doesn’t know how to respond to Argenti’s seemingly genuine honesty.

“Thank you for that,” he says after another minute of Argenti staring at him expectantly passes. “You should come in before Velite’s neighbours report a strange knight in their hallway.”

“Fear not!” the knight says with an overly-formal bow. “They are quite used to my appearance by now.”

Wilder doesn’t know how anyone could get used to Argenti’s appearance but this statement tells him a lot about just how committed Velite is to this relationship.

Either that or Argenti is some sort of stalker, which is probably what the neighbours think regardless.

“Of course they are,” Wilder says, shoving that particular thought down as he gestures for Argenti to finally come in.

He steps aside to let Argenti through and the knight leans down in the foyer, beginning what seems like an incredibly tedious process of undoing the metal buckles around his boots.

“Wilder what are you— Oh! Argenti!”

Nearly stumbling on his worn runner, Velite comes in from the kitchen with his spoon still in hand.

Wilder watches carefully as Velite’s usual overwhelmed and wide-eyed look fades into a soft expression that he has never seen on Velite’s face before. As Velite slowly approaches Argenti, blinking in disbelief, Wilder automatically takes a step away from them.

It’s awkward.

Suddenly, he feels like he really shouldn’t be there with the way that Velite is staring at Argenti and Argenti is looking at Velite like he’s some sort of miracle as opposed to Wilder’s boring and neurotic twin brother.

“I…wasn’t sure if you would make it,” Velite says. “I mean, I had hoped and I said that you didn’t have to come but— I’m glad you could make it Argenti.”

Wilder had thought that Argenti’s smile was blinding before, but what he saw when he first opened the door is nothing compared to the look Argenti is giving Velite now, visibly bursting with a happiness that Wilder quickly realizes is reflected in his brother’s eyes.

He really shouldn’t be here.

Slowly, Wilder begins inching down the hallway, hoping that neither Velite nor Argenti notice him making his escape.

“My love,” Argenti says, his voice rasping as he reaches for Velite.

He really shouldn’t be here.

And does not want to be here.

Wilder looks away in time to avoid seeing his brother making out with Argenti, who is definitely Velite’s boyfriend.

Velite had wildly undersold their relationship in the family chat and Wilder will call his brother out on it much later when he isn’t dealing with the more real aspects of Velite’s relationship in front of him.

At a low moan from his brother Wilder decides that enough is enough and clears his throat loudly.

Velite jumps away from Argenti with a high-pitched squeak.

For his part, Argenti doesn’t look at all contrite.

If anything, Argenti looks like he wants to jump his brother regardless of Wilder’s presence.

“Your stew is going to burn, little brother,” Wilder says before Argenti can do just that. “Shouldn’t you be trying to impress me and your guest?”

“You— I’m only minutes younger. We’re twins!”

“Minutes that matter,” Wilder says, leaning into their old argument.

Velite’s hand tightens around the wooden spoon and for a brief second, Wilder thinks that he might throw it at him. Instead, Velite turns on his socked feet, grumbling as he practically runs back into the kitchen to rescue the stew.

Wilder follows.

“So…you have a boyfriend,” he says, leaning against the counter next to Velite’s small stovetop with a smirk.

Flushing red with embarrassment, Velite looks up from the stew nervously. “I know he’s…”

“A weirdo? Don’t the Knights of Beauty all go insane eventually?”

He says this with more concern than he means to but if Velite is serious about Argenti, which it looks like he definitely is, Wilder really doesn’t want Velite to have to deal with watching his partner lose his mind.

Bristling, Velite stirs the stew a bit more forcefully and grits his teeth. “Not what you expected.”

“I’ll say. How did you two even meet anyway?”

Velite ducks his head and frowns. “It’s a long story.”

“We’ve got all IPH to catch up.”

Looking up at him with a pleading expression, Velite shakes his head. “I’ll tell you later…when he’s not here…just—”

Wilder sighs.

The stew bubbles loudly in the pot and for a moment, the only noises are of Velite’s cooking and the metallic sounds of Argenti taking off his boots at the other end of the hallway.

“You love him?”

Slowly, Velite nods, blushing furiously again.

“Well then, you should probably invite him in yourself. This isn’t my place.”

Velite’s head whips up from where he had been staring into the pot, eyes wide. Wilder watches his brother blink away tears and nod, stumbling back into the hallway. Once he hears Velite talking to Argenti softly in the distance, Wilder takes his phone from his pocket and smiles.

Wilder [17:09h]: So I met Velite’s boyfriend.

Wilder [17:09h]: He’s a Knight of Beauty and that only explains half of how weird he is.

Jesse [17:09h]: what!?

Jesse [17:09h]: details now

Wilder [17:10h]: You responded quickly.

Wilder [17:10h]: I thought you were working all day?

Jesse [17:10h]: —This user is offline. To receive a message when this user is available please press #—