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He sat and looked into the starlit abyss that was the Vortex of Genesis, collecting the thoughts of what was supposed to have been a normal day.
He sat here instead of anywhere else because, well–
Phainon wouldn’t think of this spot. Mydei rarely wanted to be here, only going when he was required to do so for the flame chase.
He sat at the top of the broken staircase, legs dangling off the edge, hands laced together between as he looked at those ever-present constellations. He was lost in his own thoughts, hoping that here, he wouldn’t be disturbed for once.
The last few months had been normal, right?
He tried to pinpoint the exact moment when his breath started catching in his throat when the white-haired buffoon was near– when his heart began to skip entire sections of the score required to sustain him.
He hated the fact that he needed to make a strategic retreat today when the man had gotten far too close and he could feel the man’s breath on the nape of his neck, and warmth against his back. He had been at the market, simply reaching for ingredients for the meals he had planned for the group for the rest of the day, and the man in question had so brazenly reached and showed off his slight difference in height so as to grab the bundle of dried pea flowers that was ever-so-slightly out of Mydei’s reach. The market had been busy at the early hour, but he also wasn’t expecting such an ambush.
It was Castorice’s birthday, so he had planned on making her a brilliantly violet cake with blue-violet frosting, white and pink flowers, and sculpted sugar butterflies–
But Phainon had made his brain short-circuit so easily that he would no longer have the time required to create such a piece for the only other friend he had who knew the bitter reality of Thanatos’ pull. He derailed Mydei with such ease and precision that it was almost laughable, had Mydei not been so focused on achieving the one goal for today.
“I should get you flowers more often, Mydei, I bet they would look very pretty in your hair.”
That one line had ruined his focus. He had paid for what he needed after calling the man a hyena and departed quickly in the direction of his own residence– only to end up here.
The basin was bitching in a droning song, but her words were so garbled from drunkenness that it was almost beautifully melodic and oddly calming.
His mind wandered to the time the triplets had made him a crown of flowers each when he first arrived; he hadn’t even agreed to be part of their Flame Chase at the time, but the tree girls won him over so easily with their sincere kindness. Tribbie, Trianne, Triannon. Their names matched the flowers they had used so well. Their charm was similar to a friend who would use talents to provide comfort and force him and his comrades to relax.
The Goldweaver, she had remained stoic, but understanding in his hesitation, and suggested that he seek out her champion if he was unsure of their devotion to the journey that they wished to have him join. Aglaea, she wore five-petaled flowers in her hair along with the laurel of a brave and valiant champion. Swirls of golden and white lace had been inscribed in her skin. No doubt she was strong, and she was feared as well as respected by many, while Mydei himself was respected only by some of his remaining countrymen and the few who would give him the benefit of the doubt. She reminded him of what little he knew of his mother– the thought had bitten hard into his heart, but helped him make his choice.
The healer, she was kind and gentle. Her pegasus, while an oddity, was also kind though marginally less gentle. Hyacinthiya, as she said her name was, before suggesting a shorter “Hyacine”, was a woman who also bore a duty to the flame-chase even though she was not a person suited to direct combat. Mydei admired her courage because many of the bravest people he had ever met had been healers. She reminded him of an old friend in a calming way, and he put his faith in her almost immediately. Her pegasus reminded her of another friend who he had lost around the same time– If only they could have met, the little creature would likely not be quite so endowed.
The scholar was borderline insane, raving about everything and nothing all at the same time. He was the only one he had really known about before this call to join their journey. Another of his friends would often talk about the harebrained theories of the Mad Scholar of The Grove, and the man lived up to those stories. His name was genuinely difficult to pronounce, and yet the man became ornery like a petulant goat when people didn’t use it. Anaxagoras. Almost everyone called him “Anaxa” because his name was not just a mouthful, but also difficult to pronounce, especially for Mydei.
The thief was a pest, but nothing he couldn’t handle. Ciphera was a kind woman, if not a blatantly intelligent one to the point of stupidity. Everyone addressed her as “Cipher”. She wasn’t around too often, so he didn’t have much of an opinion either way, though the first time they met wasn’t exactly a good encounter.
And then Phainon–
Phainon, without declaring who he had been, challenged Mydei to a duel in the middle of a public square completely apropos of anything. Mydei almost didn’t agree, but he didn’t want to appear weak or shame his country by turning down the challenge. He couldn’t dishonor himself nor his people, but he also didn’t want to be seen as the barbarian the Okheman’s believed him to be, despite the flower wreaths in a small, pink bag to keep them safe on his journey back to his encampment, where he had intended to preserve them in one manner or another.
He took the challenge, but demanded it be the next day.
Phainon had agreed.
Mydei hadn’t expected the battle to drag on for ten days. He was thrilled. He hadn’t had that much fun in combat in so long–
The two only fell from exhaustion.
“I’m Phainon.” He had said, holding his hand out, chest heaving and covered in sweat. “I’m the one who is destined to deliver Amphoreus to Era Nova.”
“Mydeimos,” he had replied, “equals may call me Mydei. I am the heir to the fallen kingdom of Kremnos.”
“I’m well aware, your highness.”
“I will kill you.”
“I’d like to see you try.” The smile Phainon gave him was full of sincere, entertained joy.
Mydei clicked his tongue at the recollection. The man had mocked him so brazenly but also asked for more ways to test himself against Mydei.
The man was better at debate, which felt unfair because Mydei didn’t yet have a full grasp of the common tongue. Mydei was better at cooking, as evidenced by the lack of anything that qualified as “cooked” made by Phainon, who offered up a bizarre salad made of potentially poisonous mushrooms and thistle leaves when Mydei offered up a creme brulee. Phainon was great at certain kinds of math, while Mydei excelled at others. Phainon was better with the written word, but he cheated because Mydei didn’t know the Okheman script as well, which is what most of the pieces were written in– and his own was stunted and words often had multiple meanings, HKS being but one of those with entirely too many meanings. Mydei was better at discerning fake relics, too. His days spent sorting between authentic and fake relics of his home made for so much of his experience in the subject.
He sighed and looked at the stars, ruminating on the way his heart couldn’t stop threatening a siege against him whenever that man, who if he were more honest with himself gleamed like the sun and was more beautiful than even his sworn brother back then, came within a hair’s breadth of him while not in combat.
Did he hear Phainon’s breath catch?
Did he feel Phainon’s pulse quicken?
Did Phainon know that he spoke Mydei’s name differently than that of another?
Did he imagine the man grow flushed while saying such a thing?
“I should get you flowers more often, Mydei, I bet they would look very pretty in your hair.”
Mydei buried his face in his hands, thinking of the interaction and how awkward he felt, because he knew that he had gone still, his mouth opened slightly. He knew the merchant had heard and saw the interaction. He saw the vendor’s knowing smirk and the glint in his eyes. He felt like he had died again, if only very briefly, from the mortification brought upon him by that single look from the merchant.
He heard familiar footsteps ascend the stairs behind him, then the shuffling of fabric as the man sat down next to him. He didn’t even need to look to know it was Phainon.
“You’re a hard man to track down, Mydei.” Phainon laughed playfully, “is something the matter? You don’t come here unless you’re forced to.”
Mydei clicked his tongue in response but didn’t turn to look at the man who was once again causing his heart to fail him.
“It’s Cass’ birthday today, you know that?” Phainon’s voice was smooth and calming. “She says she’s excited for it, but that she’s worried no one will have any fun because she thinks she’s too depressing to be around.”
“I’m aware it is her birthday.” Mydei let out a heavy breath. “I was planning on making her a cake, but I got interrupted whilst purchasing ingredients and my day was thrown off schedule, so I came here for a brief respite.”
“Wow!” The exclamation made Mydei turn to face the man, who was leaning close with wide eyes. “That’s the most I’ve heard you say in a single go in quite some time!”
Mydei recoiled and looked away. “HKS.”
“Come now, Mydei,” he felt Phainon scooted closer and saw the man’s face now in front of his own. “What could have distracted you so completely that you came here of all places?”
Mydei narrowed his eyes in a glare at the man who probably knew it was entirely his fault that Mydei got distracted. He clicked his tongue again in dismissal, trying to hide his flustered state. “I need to go now to the kitchen if I am to finish the cake in time for her celebration.” He stood, grabbed his bundle of ingredients, and jumped down. “No dogs in the kitchen.” He glared at the white-haired man before he retreated once again.
This was entirely too unfair.
Was it Aglaea who revealed his location to the man time and time again?
Either way, he still wished to make this cake for his friend, and he had much less time than originally planned, but perhaps just enough to get the majority of his planned design complete.
In the kitchen, he prepared the batter and added the natural colorants he had bought special. When they were boiled down or extracted properly, the taste wouldn’t exist within the confection. Red onions, beets, and purple carrots would surely be unappealing flavors for all but perhaps Phainon and Little Ica. He prepared the color for the frosting the most carefully, separating them by the amounts he would need after grinding them down to a fine powder. He did the same with the dried lavender he had kept from last summer– a remnant of his travels– and zested a lemon carefully, making sure to avoid a high acidity for fear of discoloring the pea flowers. As the layers themselves were in the oven, he prepared the decorations. The sugar butterflies needed to be handled first, since flowers could be done quickly with a piping bag. Orange and pink in color, they also varied in size. He was happy no one was watching him at the moment when he popped a piece of colored sugar into his mouth, satisfied that he had not burned them.
He removed the layers from the oven, satisfied with them, and set them aside to cool a decent distance from where he was working; melting the butterflies would be a disaster.
He put together the frosting, the various colours he had planned managed to come together well enough, but he had to scrap the pink because it did taste like the natural colorant despite his best effort– he simply didn't have the time. The blue, white, and purple came together nicely though, and then he had to wait for the cake to finish cooling.
So while waiting, he decided to start on the meal he had also planned— the bread dough was already proofed, so he just needed to plait and bake it, but he needed to prepare the other foods. He set the butterflies, frostings, and cakes on their own counter, and brought out the materials for something that Castorice had been happy to have and even requested he make for the dinner, a hearty vegetable potage, making sure that it held true to the Aidonian flavor profiles, he had painstakingly sourced the materials over the last week. The northern spices, especially the Antila flower, were slightly harder to come by. They also had a special kind of wild rice that was unique to the area. He paid Cipher handsomely to have her aid in gathering some because it was an annoying task, but worthwhile with the finished dish.
He placed the potage in one of the ovens, making sure to keep it warm without burning it, as he returned to working on the cake. He checked the time on his teleslate and winced. He would be cutting it painfully close, but he figured that Hyacine could help. Hopefully.
He clicked his tongue at her comments.
Absurd.
Completely absurd.
There is no way it was that obvious that Phainon got under his skin.
Or was it?
His self-sabotage was interrupted by Hyacine’s appearance in the kitchen, thankfully her pegasus was not in tow– he would likely have destroyed all of his hard work.
“Alright, what do you need help with?” She stood with her hands on her hips, ready for whatever task Mydei was about to give her.
He grabbed the dishes and cutlery required for the meal and placed it on the tray to bring them to the table. “First, the table should be dressed, I would have had this done earlier but–”
She cut him off with a smile. “Can do,” and she hurried to do her task.
He had made enough for everyone, including the reclusive scholar who he believed would not be in attendance anyway. He assumed that someone would get him his share of food one way or another if he missed out, though.
He was in the middle of adding the top layer to the cake when Hyacine returned. “Oh wow! It’s so pretty!”
Mydei hummed and went to grab the bread and other foodstuffs, placing everything but the potage on the cart. “These are the side dishes, the main one is staying warm in the oven until everyone is called to dinner.”
Hyacine beamed. “This food smells wonderful!” She stared at the bread in particular, "did you make this to look like a dragon?”
“I did.” Mydei responded before returning his attention to the cake. “I figured she would enjoy it, even if it didn’t turn out how I had planned.” His eye twitched at the thought. Again, Phainon had caused a hiccup in his plan for the meal, and the delay caused the bread to behave incorrectly in the oven. “I will finish this up, and will be done in…” he was busy slathering on the base coat of frosting. “Not that long.”
“Love the sense of time,” Hyacine replied with sarcasm thick in her voice. “I’ll call everyone to dinner though.”
“Thank you.” Mydei busied himself with the gradient of frosting, dark blue to light purple, draped with white and blue curtains, white and orange flowers placed at strategic points, and he carefully placed the butterflies where they were supposed to go. He could hear the commotion of everyone gathering in the dining hall, and was inwardly glad to hear them enjoying themselves.
Hyacine returned with the cart, and Mydei thanked her for her work with one of the spare butterflies. She looked at it like it would fly away at any moment. “I’ll bring out the potage and the cake, I’m assuming that Aglaea brought the drinks with her already.”
“Actually, it was Phainon this time.”
Mydei was happy he was good at not faltering too badly because he did not wish to drop the dinner that he had made. “Phainon brought the drinks?”
“Yes. He even brought yours.”
Mydei was glad that his face remained stoic. “How kind of him.” His voice remained level and dry. He doubted that Phainon had actually brought the right drink, so he set the potage on the cart and grabbed some of his own juice and milk from the refrigerated section of the kitchen, and set it on the tray just in case.
He carefully moved the cake to a secondary cart with its own plate and utensils.
He took off his apron and wheeled the main course out to the dining area, where he was pleased to find that everyone was present, even the blasted scholar. The seat that was open, and therefore intended as his, was the one next to Phainon. Of course it was.
He walked around and served everyone their share of dinner before returning the cart to the kitchen, where he took a few deep breaths.
Would I be able to excuse myself from this dinner? Unlikely. That would disappoint Castorice and the triplets. Why did he have to sit next to Phainon of all people? He would have rather sat between the scholar and Aglaea and been subjected to their incessant bickering over unimportant matters than next to Phainon right now. He narrowed his eyes and opened his teleslate.
“Tch.” He collected himself and returned to the dining hall, where they all proceeded to enjoy the small feast Mydei had put together. Much of the conversation was small talk, and Mydei stayed away from the drink Phainon had brought for him, even if it did look to be correct, he wasn’t about to accept a drink from the man. Not yet.
As everyone was finishing their meals, Mydei stood to clear the table but Phainon beat him to it, to which Mydei grumbled out a string of insults in his native tongue before heading to the kitchen to retrieve the cake.
He waited for the fool to enter the kitchen with the dishes before he even dared exit, not wanting to collide with the man and ruin all of his hard work. He made sure that the cake was far enough out of the way so the bumbling idiot wouldn’t somehow catch it on fire with his burning stupidity. His back was turned as he heard Phainon place the dirtied dishes in the sink, and he exhaled slowly.
He could do this.
He could be alone in the same room with Phainon for such a brief time, surely.
“Hey Mydei,” Phainon’s voice was unusually quiet.
“What.” His response was clipped. “I have a cake to bring to a celebration.”
He felt the man’s body heat again.
When did he get so close?
“Are you doing okay?”
“I’m fine.” Mydei was worried his heart would abdicate from its important role.
Phainon’s hand brushed softly against Mydei’s shoulder, then down his arm. “You’ve been off today. You didn’t even fight back when I made that dumb comment earlier.”
Mydei was glad Phainon couldn’t see his face. “HKS.” He clicked his tongue. “I’ve been busy and worried about this cake.” He wanted to lean into Phainon’s touch– he craved it even. But he also needed to focus.
And Phainon was the only one who could shatter that focus, especially by pressing his body up against Mydei’s like he had earlier that morning, but much more brazenly. His other hand brushed against Mydei’s waist and he pressed his face into Mydei’s neck.
“What are you doing?” Mydei hissed, grabbing at Phainon’s hands. “I have a cake to present.” His breath faltered when Phainon’s breath tickled his neck.
Phainon wrapped his arms tighter around Mydei and whispered in a low, seductive tone, “but you’re the only sweet thing I want to eat right now.”
Mydei knew that Phainon felt the reaction he got out of him at that. He had inhaled sharply and froze. “Let me go.”
Phainon pressed a soft kiss against Mydei’s neck.
“Are you–” He hated that it felt good for the man to show him this affection he had been longing for. “Phainon. Do not make me call Hyacine in here.” It was the best threat he could muster at the moment because fighting could potentially ruin the cake.
Phainon let go at the mention of Hyacine.
“I will deal with you later. Don’t you even think about eating any of this desert.” He took the top plate off the cart and set it on the counter with a slightly rough force, then wheeled the cart out.
“Oh my!” Castorice’s reaction to the cake had been worth it. She loved every bit of it.
She had enjoyed the gifts that everyone had gotten her, and Mydei had even gotten her a new journaling set with stickers and coloured inks for her fountain pen. She thanked everyone for such a wonderful time, and was once again saddened that she couldn’t embrace anyone to give proper thanks. Mydei understood the feeling more than he liked to admit, since he was considered a pestilence among his own people to the point that his own father had cast him into the sea of souls as an infant—
He had included a poem in Kremnoan on the inside of the journal, but he wasn’t sure she would be able to read it, and even if she did, the chances of the translation being wrong were very high. But it amounted to “To a sister mine decided by blood shared upon this clash against the tide. May life smile bright and cheerful upon you.” It was very unlikely that she would understand it, anyway, unless she found someone who could read the script for her… His own inability to translate the words properly is why they remained in his native script.
As he predicted, Phainon had pouted and begged like an incessant dog until he was allowed a piece of Castoirice's cake. And when Castorice granted him that kindness, the bastard took Mydei’s plate and fork.
The audacity.
The man made a declaration that he surely didn’t know of.
Phainon sat back down and ate the cake entirely too quickly, as he started coughing. In his search for a beverage, he grabbed Mydei’s and downed it in one go.
The air hissed as Mydei took a deep breath, closed his eyes, turned slowly towards Phainon and proceeded to glare at him, arms crossed. “Just what game do you think you’re playing here, Phainon?”
Phainon’s eyes went wide as he met Mydei’s glare. “It just– it went down wrong is all–”
“That was my glass.” His gaze narrowed as his patience thinned.
“I’m sorry?” He squeaked, the reply was incredibly unconvincing. “I can get you some more if you–”
Mydei abruptly stood and left, wishing Castorice a quick goodnight before making another strategic retreat to his quarters.
He hesitated outside his door.
Phainon would look for him here.
Fine.
So be it.
He entered his own residence but hopped off the balcony to sit below it on the grass. He was near one of the cliffs in a slightly more private area of the Holy City, his was the only balcony or even window that could come close to viewing where he now reclined, gazing at the Eye of Twilight, wishing that he could see the stars again. He much preferred to sleep in the dark.
As he believed, it didn’t take long for him to hear the mutt yapping and knocking on his door. Even from where he was reclined outside his quarters he could hear the man. Phainon was also the kind of fool who would grant himself entry to Mydei’s quarters, and he heard that as well.
He heard Phainon check each room, and even step onto the balcony, where he seemed to pause and spoke quietly to himself. “Phainon, you idiot! Of course he doesn’t like you that way. Why did you even think it was okay? What made you decide to ambush him with your intrusive thoughts today?”
Mydei covered his eyes with his hand. This man is truly a fool like no other.
“Mydei?”
Mydei froze.
Did I make too much noise?
He heard Phainon’s feet shuffle around some. “Aglaea refused to tell me where you went after you left, or why you left. I really want to apologize.”
Mydei rolled his eyes and shook his head slightly.
He heard more shuffling and then saw Phainon’s sandaled feet hanging from the balcony.
Too close.
“I truly adore you, Mydei. From the bottom of my heart. Really truly.” His feet kicked back and forth slightly. “If you would let my in, I promise I would love you completely for the rest of time–”
Mydei was worried his heart would betray his location now. He forced himself to stay quiet and still, but his pulse was raging. He covered his mouth with his hands, hopefully, hopefully he couldn’t be heard as Phainon declared his feelings to the empty air, likely unaware of Mydei’s sitting directly underneath where he was perched.
He felt like a child, he was behaving irrationally.
Why was he so hesitant to return Phainon’s affections when he was so completely taken with the man that he would not have hesitated had he been the one to at first–
Had Phainon not so brazenly declared his affection by partaking of the drink from Mydei’s glass at dinner– did Phainon know of the practice or the faux pas he committed?
“I would love it if you could wreck me.” Phainon’s musings continued.
Mydei glanced upwards at the sentiment.
“I’d love it if you destroyed me, took me apart piece-by-piece– unravel my resolve and make me beg to have you deep inside me, claiming what I so desperately want to give you.” The tone in his voice was filled with such incredible lust, that it was almost addictive. He watched Phainon’s toes curl as he spoke, “I want to have you so deep inside me that I can’t even breathe.” Phainon’s legs raised from where they were hanging as he seemed to stand up.
Mydei cursed his twitching arousal. He almost shifted— almost made too much noise— He covered his mouth again as he heard what sounded like—
No.
Phainon was moaning.
NO.
Mydei’s resolve was going to shatter completely, he could hear the distinctly wet movements of—
Mydei exhaled a shaky breath.
“Mydei~ mnn~ yeah~ right there~ahh~”
Mydei’s eyes went wide and he looked upwards. Phainon was pleasuring himself in his bedroom, calling his name. Mydei quickly remembered to turn off his teleslate. He was suddenly very glad that it hadn’t gone off before that moment.
“I would love it if you could wreck me.”
“Unravel my resolve and beg to have you deep inside me.”
“So deep inside me that I can’t even breathe.”
Mydei bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. The sound of Phainon’s self-pleasure was so completely intoxicating, and Mydei wanted to partake of the feast being offered to him so openly– but he was somehow a voyeur of actions occurring in his own domicile.
He briefly entertained the idea of scaling the wall and entering through his door–
Wait. I can pull that off without a problem.
He tried to move as quietly as possible, very, very grateful for his black-out curtains that he had installed, so he didn’t cast a single shadow while he quickly carried his plan through. He dropped into the square at a location where it wouldn’t be too odd for him to be randomly falling from the sky. He dusted himself off casually as he went to buy a quick pomegranate or two as an excuse, and headed back to his quarters. He opened the door as casually as possible. Phainon was still knuckle-deep in himself, apparently, and far too absorbed in his fantasy to notice the door open and close.
Phainon was breathing hard, and Mydei took his sweet time, setting the pomegranates on the counter with the rest of his produce, he grabbed one of the crispier apples, and walked slowly to the bedroom door, where he leaned on the frame, arms crossed, eyes fixated on the debauched sight in front of him, and he took the loudest bite he possibly could out of the apple, managing to hold back the smirk that threatened to escape when Phainon jumped and a squeak of surprise escaped him.
“Well, I was going to go to sleep, but there seems to be a wild animal making a mess of it.” WHAT KIND OF COMMENT WAS THAT? “I should probably call for the guards to help remove him.” NO. NO. MYDEI. STOP. YOU WANT THAT MAN. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
A sweetly wet noise came from Phainon as he composed himself before sitting up and wiping his hands on his robe. He sheepishly looked at Mydei. “H–hi.”
“What are you doing in my room, Phainon?” He took another bite of his apple.
“I– I uh–” Phainon was at a loss for words.
Mydei took a step towards his bed, and took another bite of the apple. After he swallowed he gestured with the hand holding the apple. “Are you aware of the significance of sharing a goblet of pomegranate juice according to my people’s customs?” Another bite, another step.
Phainon’s eyes went wide and he slowly shook his head. “No?”
Mydei took another step. “Well, it’s an incredibly significant thing.” This is actually a really good apple. He took another bite. “It’s tantamount to a proposal or something more grand.” He was now directly in front of Phainon, who was looking at him with incredibly wide eyes. He leaned over to be level with those crystalline blue eyes that were as pure as the sky, a smirk on his face. “So you offered yourself to me so brazenly,” he raised a finger to Phainon’s lips. “So what are you planning to do about that?”
Phainon opened his mouth and licked Mydei’s finger, closed his eyes and then took the finger into his mouth and sucked on it.
Mydei thought his heart would explode at the erotic display.
Phainon grabbed Mydei’s wrist and took another finger into his mouth. When he looked up at Mydei through his lashes, Mydei had to hide his awe with yet another bite to the apple. He managed nonchalance thanks to the piece of fruit. Phainon moaned though, and that caused Mydei’s eyes to briefly widen. His breath caught, and Phainon smiled.
Mydei stood straight and finished the apple. “So, you choose to not use those silver words you are so proud to flaunt all the time?”
Phainon slowly slowly pulled off of Mydei’s fingers. “I don’t know what to say, Mydei.” Phainon stared into Mydei’s eyes. “If that’s what I did, then I can’t say I regret it.” He licked the back of Mydei’s hand. “I would do whatever it takes, really, to know if you feel the same.”
Mydei tossed the apple core to the side and placed a knee on the bed next to Phainon, the hand that held the apple now sat on the bed frame. “What makes you think–” he placed his other knee on the bed, caging Phainon in. He took the hand Phainon held and pushed him over.
Phainon fell awkwardly, his robe barely covered his own mess. “Mydei, I–” Breathless.
Mydei leaned over him, pressing a hand down into the bed by the side of his head. “What is it, golden boy?” He moved a leg to be between Phainon’s, and pressed his knee against that wet mess Phainon had made of himself. He had guessed, since the man always bathed with a towel, but hadn’t actually assumed he had been correct in the matter until this moment. His free hand started to caress Phainon’s cheek, but moved south slowly, unpinning the brooch that kept the robe on with practiced ease, and tossed the piece of gold aside like it held no value. “How can you be at a loss for words when you normally have far too many falling from your lips?” He brought that hand up again and traced his thumb softly against the man’s trembling lower lip before leaning in closer towards that blasted collar that covered the sun embedded in his neck, and pressed a soft kiss to his skin. He softly trailed a line of kisses up to Phainon’s ear where he whispered, “shall I play the role of the barbarian king for you? Be the man everyone in this city thinks I am? Devour their hero without a second thought because he made himself mine completely by accident?” He kissed that soft, pale skin again. “Their precious golden hero taken by the prince whose very name is spoken with such disgust that the people might find their hero impure or unclean.” He kissed that soft spot again before moving to suck on Phainon’s earlobe, making the man gasp and his pulse quicken.
“Please–” Phainon was barely able to get the word out, his hands found purchase on Mydei’s wrists. “Please ruin me.” He pressed himself against Mydei’s leg. “I want only you.” He was breathing heavily.
Mydei returned to look at Phainon’s pleading face. Divine. He softly kissed at the corner of Phainon’s mouth, then the other side. The teasing was delightful in how it made the other man squirm.
“Mydei–” Phainon managed to lift one of his legs from underneath himself. “Mydei please–” He carefully moved his other leg, and seemed to choose boxing in Mydei’s legs instead. “I want to be yours and only yours,” he practically rutted himself against Mydei’s thigh now.
Mydei hummed, “Should I be the man I actually am and take my time, savor the things I want to consume and find delicious? Should I make sure that the sweet creature beneath me finds the absolute peak of pleasure?” His free hand pressed down on Phainon’s hip, preventing his movements, and drawing out a sweet whine. “Or, I could always decline the hero’s advances,” he trailed his hand to lift the hem of the robe that barely concealed Phainon’s sex. “Leave him without a cock to sit on and ride like he so desperately wants.” His fingers lightly touch at the wet folds of Phainon’s wet heat. “After all, he had been shamelessly pleasuring himself upon my bed as if he was my consort. Crying out for the fallen prince of a shattered kingdom.”
“Mydei please–”
Mydei started with two fingers, sinking his middle and ring finger inside of Phainon as deep as they could go and curled them up towards his stomach.
Phainon keened loudly, his back arching slightly off the bed at the intrusion.
“So, what will it be? Lover, Captive, or Consort?” He rubbed his thumb over the sensitive bud of flesh that was quite swollen from Phainon’s earlier handiwork before he started a slow pace dragging his fingers in and out of Phainon’s heat, waiting for an answer.
Phainon was having a difficult time even thinking.
Each time Phainon tried to answer, he increased his pace or softly caressed the side facing Phainon’s stomach, making his choke on his spit.
“Hmm,” Mydei pulled himself up to a kneeling position to observe the state that Phainon was now in, disheveled and soaked, drool pooling at the corner of his mouth. His thighs were trembling. He went to lick the fingers that had just been inside Phainon’s cunt, and smirked as Phainon watched in awe at the action. “Sweet– I love sweet,” he unpinned the brooch of his own robe, and pulled the fabric off of himself, fully exposing himself to the man below him. He then leaned back over,one hand on Phainon’s pelvis, the other on his thigh. “Have you decided?”
Phainon was panting heavily, eyes barely focusing on Mydei now. “Lover,” said with an exhale before his hands flew up and grabbed Mydei by the back of the head and dragged him down into a kiss so hungry that what Mydei fed into it would have provided meals to a country for generations. He felt Phainon spread his legs and try to rub up against him, but Mydei’s hold on him was firm. He whined again. “Please, I want you so bad Mydei–”
“So much that you fucked yourself silly on my bed, moaning my name?” He bit at Phainon’s lip. “What would you have done had I not been amenable to your plight?”
Phainon’s hips turned downwards and he wiggled them back and forth a little. “I’d keep trying until you wanted me.”
“Such a slut for me, are we?” Mydei pressed himself to Phainon’s hot entrance, ready to undo the man who had so easily begged for it earlier.
“Mmnn—-” Phainon agreed easily,and wrapped a leg around Mydei’s “Please–” He forced Mydei to look in his eyes as he pulled Mydei in in closer with his legs, spearing himself open on Mydei’s cock. “Fuck,” he rolled his hips and closed his eyes. “I’ve wanted this for so long, you feel so good–” Tears welled in his eyes.
Mydei wasn’t even all the way inside and Phainon was talking like this. He clicked his tongue. “And yet,” he placed both hands on Phainon’s hips and pulled him hard enough to bruise, bottoming out and causing Phainon to wail from the sensation.
Phainon’s words were all broken now, not a single full thought escaped him as Mydei began to thrust into him, occasionally changing how he was holding Phainon’s legs to see what got the best reaction from the man. The more tears fell, it seemed, the more Phainon enjoyed it.
“So, fucking good for me, aren’t you?” He pressed down on Phainon’s stomach as he pounded into the man. “Has anyone else seen you cry like this?” He pressed a thumb to Phainon’s clit and rubbed in small circles.
“N–ngkkk– No” Phainon sputtered the word out. “Y–you’re— m–my first–”
Mydei hummed with more hunger than before. “How lucky, my wife was a virgin for me on our wedding night–” Mydei leaned over to kiss Phainon and felt the slender fingers in his hair. “But will she cum for me? Will she make her pleasure known to all of Amphoreus and scream my name as she releases her pleasure all over her husband's cock?”
Phainon didn’t seem to object to being called his wife, at least not while he was being fucked silly. His inability to form coherent sentences combined with the glazed look in his eyes and smile on his face was proof of that much. Mydei pressed himself all the way in and circled his hips. Phainon moaned.
“Now, I don;t want to be a horrible lover and cum before my wife does,” he bit lightly at Phainon’s neck. “So what do I have to do to get her to unravel?” He pressed his thumb down hard on Phainon’s clit again, rubbing furiously at it. “Do I have to call you a Good Boy?” He crooned into Phainon’s ear, delighting in the spasming legs. “Do I need to breed you?” He snapped his hips in sharp thrusts. “Tell me what you need from me, Phainon.”
“Breed me, please–” Phainon’s request was quiet.
Mydei snapped his hips again. “I couldn’t hear you.”
Phainon grabbed harshly on Mydei’s hair and practically shouted through gritted teeth. “Put a fucking baby in me right now Mydei. Your bed is covered in my juices already, please just fill me with your cum until I can’t fucking breathe!” The look in his eyes was incredibly intense. “If you don’t I’ll flip you over and take what I need from you.”
Mydei bit Phainon’s neck hard. He made sure it would bruise. That’s what made Phainon break.
His legs tried to snap together but Mydei was still between them, so he chased his own release, fucking Phainon through his orgasm while seeking his own now fully in earnset. He pinned Phainon’s kneed to the bed next to his head and fucked him deeply like he wanted. He let go of Phainon’s legs when the man grabbed onto them himself. Breathy gasps of pleasure escaping him. He knew he was nearing his limit when he was no longer as in control as he had been.
“You be–better– ha— cum— hnn- ah– inside me– Or— I’m get– ING!- a divo–rce!”
‘Mydei bit down on Phainon’s shoulder as he came. Phainon was making the most delighted noises at being pumped full of cum, and Mydei was more than happy to give it to him. He lapped at the blood that he accidentally drew from Phainon’s shoulder.
They stayed that way for a little bit, both were far too exhausted to move right away. Phaion was humming in delight as he traced mindless patterns across Mydei’s skin, and Mydei just wanted to snuggle and sleep. He knew he had to clean himself off; but he had also had a very, very rough day and had sex for the first time in well over a decade–
He had to do the responsible thing and clean himself, and maybe even Phainon, up. He also didn’t want to sleep in bed sheets that were soaked with Phainon’s fluids to that absurd extent. They clung to him when he had moved to get up, and Phainon tried to pull him back down.
“Phainon.” He said tersely. “You have to wash up and I’m making you wash my bedclothes tomorrow as punishment for your… whatever it is you were doing before I arrived.” He threw a wet cloth and it smacked Phainon in the face with a “plep” noise that made Mydei snicker.
“How will I be able to do that when I think you shattered my hips?” Phainon complained, sitting up and standing to tear the sheets off, clearly not as wrecked as he said himself to be.
“And whose fault was that, then?” Mydei smirked, once again leaning in the doorway. “You’re the one who pledged yourself to me in perpetuity at dinner, and I believe your words were,” he cleared his throat, “‘I would love it if you could wreck me. Unravel my resolve and beg to have you deep inside me. So deep inside me that I can’t even breathe.’” He did his best impression of Phainon that he could as he said the words, watching the man freeze in place at the recollection of when and where those words were spoken.
“You–!” He threw one of the pillows at Mydei’s head, which was easily dodged. “If you were there you could have said something!”
“Maybe, Phainon,” he threw the pillow back, smacking Phainon square in the face, “you shouldn’t pleasure yourself in someone else’s room after inviting yourself in when they had clearly wanted to be left alone.”
“But if you–”
“You kept distracting me today! It’s so incredibly difficult to think, you know, when the guy you like is pressed up against you, showing off how fucking tall he is, and then follows it up with some bullshit about buying you flowers! Or that I needed to hide in one of the places that I do not enjoy going to so that I could actually calm down from that, only to be found and teased by him again? Or that I was so damn terrified of you ruining the dinner that I had worked for over a week to prepare that I actually had an important schedule to keep today, and because of that, I wasn’t able to make the bread look right or the pink flowers like I originally planned? I was terrified that you were going to crash into the cake or manage to burn the kitchen down somehow! And then, when you brazenly stole my plate and utensils to grab cake after begging Cass to let you have some, you choke and choose to drink from my glass!”
Phainon stared at him like he had grown an extra set of arms.
“And then,” he started to laugh, “and then when I got to my room, I knew that you would find me here, so I hid outside. You confessed everything to the wind, and unknowingly to me, and I heard you from the beginning! You made me feel like a voyeur of my own home! That must be some new level of bizarre, surely.” Mydei closed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief.
Before he could open his eyes, he felt Phainon’s arms wrap around him gently.
“Sorry.”
“I’m tired.”
“Can I spend the night here?”
Mydei glared at him. “The Kremnoan marriage oath isn’t one for cowards. It was witnessed by a room full of our peers, whether they knew of its significance or not. You’re mine now.” He dragged Phainon over to the bed and crashed down into it, taking the white-haired man with him. “So shut up and sleep.” he curled into Phainon so the man couldn’t see the blush crawling across his face.
“Can I at least grab a blanket?”
Mydei hitched a leg over Phainon. “Happy?”
Phainon snorted.
“HKS.”
“But seriously, your room is freezing.”
Mydei was already asleep, hugging Phainon tightly enough that the man couldn’t leave.
“Well then.” Phainon gave Mydei a kiss on the top of his head and pulled the man even closer. “At least you’re warm.”