Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. The authors claim no ownership of the characters within, nor received any compensation for this work.
The day had worn on, the weather outside returning to a more familiar sunlit afternoon. The curtains had been drawn tight though, making a warm, dark haven for the pair curled in bed. They'd started to rouse just a little from a long nap and Aya pulled the covers around them a bit tighter.
"You ought not get out of bed," he noted quietly. He'd spooned up behind Cye as they'd slept, holding him like something fragile. It had been odd to wake up like that, clinging to Cye in his arms instead of the other way around. Often when they slept, it was Aya who was held tight and securely, as if to keep him from bolting.
Today, though, it was Cye that Aya feared might slip away. Just like everything precious he had ever held.
Slowly starting to wake, Cye pressed back closer into Aya's arms,sending a rush of protectiveness laced with guilt through him. "Why?" came the sleepy, petulant question. Aya knew that Cye never laid around in bed unless planning on seducing him into an early-morning or after-nap romp. On this particular afternoon, though, Aya feared that his young friend would not be up for such games, and that would be Aya's fault.
He could feel the way that Cye was holding his head differently, how he had slept with his head bowed and even now refused to turn to look at Aya. Vaguely, he remembered a jarring impact during the struggle earlier, and guilty fears were gnawing inside. If during that tantrum he had hurt Cye, he wouldn't be able to look at himself again.
"Because I said so," Aya attempted, trying to keep his voice from turning it into a question as he hesitantly stroked soft auburn hair.
Cye sighed and shifted in his arms, stretching just a little, but still not rolling over. "We are going to want to eat at some point," he pointed out mildly, as if a bit of hunger were the only thing amiss in the world.
"I will bring you something," Aya whispered, while he brushed Cye's hair back carefully. He was certain now what had happened, why Cye would not turn to look at him. Cye never passed up the chance to look at Aya's face, and he was being especially, unusually nice at the moment. Something was definitely wrong. Quietly, Aya ventured, "You need some ice."
"It's not that bad, I'll be fine." His fears were confirmed. Aya had hurt Cye enough that Cye didn't want to look at him. Perhaps it was vanity, or perhaps he really couldn't face Aya at the moment. The pang of guilt that struck in his heart made him determined to fix the damage he'd done.
Aya propped himself up on one elbow, tracing a feathery touch over Cye's eyebrow. "You are not." His voice came softer, sounding oddly sad. "I... gave you a black eye, didn't I?"
Cye hissed softly, even though Aya had been careful to touch very lightly. "It's fine... I should have ducked."
A part of Aya wanted to kiss and cradle the smaller boy, wrap him up in a safe cocoon and promise him that everything would be all right. But the crushing fear and hopelessness that had accompanied his confession earlier came rushing back on him, and he knew that nothing, really, would be all right ever again.
Aya frowned, leaning and trying to inspect the damage. "It is not fine," he insisted, deeply troubled at the thought of Cye's pretty face marred because of him.
"Aya..." Cye sighed at him, patient but wearing.
"I hurt you. I should take care of you," he insisted.
Cye just shrugged, though a bit gingerly. Every too-careful movement wrenched Aya's gut a little harder. Why did the thought of hurting someone have to hurt him so much? "And I tore you apart... I could say the same."
He was stalling now and trying to redirect the conversation, and Aya knew it. He wasn't about to let Cye start taking the blame for anything, not at this moment when Aya had to redeem himself. "I can be just as stubborn as you," he informed Cye bluntly.
He couldn't quite see, but it seemed as if Cye gave a tiny smirk. "Maybe...." he shifted again, his movements growing more uncomfortable. "I do need to get up for a minute though..."
"You must come back immediately, and I will have the ice for you," Aya said firmly.
Cye sighed and started untangling himself from the covers. "If you insist."
Aya flipped the covers back for him, aching to try and lean and see his companion's face. Cye seemed adamant to keep him from looking, though, and Aya had to respect his need for privacy. "It is not so much of a chore as you make it sound," he said.
Fishing a t-shirt and boxers off the floor, Cye slid out of bed, heading for the door. "Be right back," he said, vanishing into the bathroom. Still Aya had not seen a thing of his face.
Steeling his resolve, Aya crawled out of bed and stole down to his room. The clothes he had originally put on this morning were wet and drip-drying in the bathroom, leaving him completely nude as he tore down the hall. As if someone would see him. As if this dream would suddenly become reality, and one of his teammates would pop out of a door and see him naked. He scoffed at himself, but it didn't keep him from covering himself as he slid into his room.
In a thermal shirt and drawstring pants, Aya tiptoed downstairs to the kitchen. The whole house was silent, but the fading afternoon sun lit the kitchen warmly. The cheerful curtains on the windows were backlit with the setting sun, almost glowing with warmth. Long rectangles of light spilled onto the floor, leaving warm patches for Aya's bare feet. Tiny bits of dust floated through the window light, appearing more like particles of sunlight itself.
For the first time, he thought, the kitchen did not feel hostile when he was alone. Gone, or at least diluted, was that nagging feeling that the house did not like him. He was welcome in this room, Aya felt, and even more so by the prominence of the marzipan candy tin that had previously been pushed back and almost hidden on the counter. Now it sat out cheerfully, inviting Aya to take a piece. He did, nibbling on it while dumping ice into a plastic bag.
The ice pack was rudimentary, wrapped in a towel so Cye's face would not freeze, but it would do the trick. Cye himself would probably have developed something more elaborate, but Aya had treated enough bruises and swellings on himself and his teammates to know what he was doing. Cye at least wouldn't get puffy, although, Aya thought with a bit of fondness, he would probably disdain his appearance for days to come. His lover's vanity was mild, but always critical...
His lover. The thought had slid so easily into Aya's mind that it surprised him. A lover? Is that what Cye was, now? Lover... one who loves. One who loves Aya... no, one who loves Ran. A lover. That was what Cye was now... what Cye had been for longer than Aya had realized.
Still chewing on this new revelation, Aya headed back upstairs to Cye's room with the ice pack in hand, hoping to get back into bed before Cye returned to the room.
~*~*~*~
Cye came back a few minutes later, still in shirt and shorts, and knew he was doomed as soon as he walked in. Despite his best efforts, Aya could now see that his eye was turning a marvelous purple black and he could feel the guilt bleeding off the redhead without even trying. Aya shifted uneasily and gestured to Cye to come back with that kicked-puppy expression. "You should be upset with me."
Cye shrugged. "Whatever for? It wasn't on purpose and I've had worse training." It was just a black eye for heaven's sake. He wondered idly what Aya would think if he knew that Cye had been beaten, quite literally, half to death by Sehkmet more than once, his armor the only thing that kept him whole. Or that the armor's power healed cleanly without scarring, otherwise all five of them would look like busy roadmaps. After another look at the drooping expression, he thought that sharing that might be a bad idea.
Aya held out an arm for Cye, chin lifted with resolve. "Stop trying to make light of it, and come here." There was no denying the firm tone or the faintly saddened violet eyes.
He sat on the edge of the bed, giving Aya a lopsided smile. "I'm not," he said, with a slight wince as he grinned, "I'm just trying to head off the guilt." Which you're drowning in, blast it, he thought acidly. He'd not gone through all that to have Aya curl up on himself again. Life would so much simpler if they were home. He could have gotten rid of the wretched thing before he came out of the bathroom.
Aya scooted over to wrap his arm around Cye's middle, and gently draw him back toward the center of the bed and toward himself. "I know you are. I still want to care for you." He frowned at the soft hiss Cye gave as he was held, a sound that he knew Cye hadn't meant him to hear. He stiffened and loosened his hold. "Lie down on your own, then."
"I'm sorry," Cye said quietly, "I'm fine... honestly..." He snuggled back against Aya with a content sigh. He was just wonderfully cozy to cuddle with once Cye had dragged him into bed and gotten him to stay there. And he was just as sure that Aya would be completely embarrassed at the thought.
Aya carefully applied the ice pack to the side of Cye's face, taking care not to press too hard. "Cye. Let me. Relax, and let me." A light hand held the pack in place, chilling his skin but relieving the warm throb just under the skin all around his eye. Aya must have done this before, for he knew not to press too hard nor to hold too loosely.
Cye half smiled even as he winced. "Now where have I heard that before?" It actually was really nice, just lying there and letting Aya fuss. Not that he had to, of course, but it made the redhead feel better so that was all right.
Aya nestled close behind Cye, spooning against him again. "Perhaps I can be taught after all." He peered over Cye's face, brows furrowed, mindful of any other possible damage. His low voice was quiet, hesitant, as if the words had to come from some faraway place that Aya had forgotten about. "You are an excellent teacher."
Cye smiled softly, sighing, "I try."
Aya touched his hair hesitantly again. All of this was new to him, Cye realized, and he was fumbling through it as gracefully as he'd fumbled through their first few intimate times together. "Is it... bad?" Aya whispered, sounding half fearful of the answer.
"Is what bad?" Cye blinked drowsily, trying to peer at the redhead behind him though the towel-wrapped ice pack obscured most of his vision.
"Your... injuries." That guilt rose up in Aya's voice again, dragging the normally sweet sound down with its weight.
He was so hesitant, Cye thought, touching like I'm made of glass. Concern or no, that was something that needed to be headed off and soon. "I'm fine Aya, truly. Some ice and a day or so, that's it. If we weren't... wherever we are, I wouldn't even need that."
Aya bent to nuzzle a kiss just behind Cye's ear. And Aya rarely did things like that. "It does not erase the fact that I did it to you."
Cye twisted a little to look at him, despite the placement of the pack. "And... how are you?" His usually quiet companion was saying so much today, Cye marveled. The floodgates might not be as open as they were earlier in the day, but a steady trickle was still streaming forth. Would it last?
Aya kept the ice carefully applied. "Worried about you," the redhead admitted in a quiet voice. Surprisingly, after murmuring that, he dipped down to kiss Cye's nose. That counted for two kisses in the space of five minutes, completely unasked for and entirely self-motivated! Aya must be fretful indeed if he was prompted to signs of affection like this.
The kiss tickled, though, and Cye wrinkled his nose at the touch. But he looked Aya in the eyes, soberly. "That's not exactly what I meant."
Aya shook his head, the golden earring swinging and catching what faint light was still in the room. "Right now, that is all that I am. Just... here for you."
Cye reached up, touching Aya's cheek and looking into those jewel bright eyes. How could he have ever thought they were cold? "I... just worry, you know? And that was difficult."
"Shhh." He kissed Cye's cheek ever so lightly. "We need not talk about it now."
"No. I guess we don't." He sighed again, relaxing against the warm body behind him, getting settled into Aya's arms. "You're very comfortable, cariad."
Aya frowned a little, a wrinkling in his forehead at the foreign term. "Ca... What is that? It's a very odd word."
"It's Welsh," Cye explained, allowing his uncovered eye to lid shut in contentment. "It's something I learned from my mother. As I'm half English, you know... It means a lot of things, an endearment. I wanted to call you something but I don't want to upset you."
Aya considered that carefully as was his wont, speaking only after a few thoughtful moments. As he spoke, he ducked his chin down a little bit, making him look youthful and boyish and delicious. "I think," he said shyly, "that I like that. The word, I mean."
Cye gave him another lazy smile. "My goodness," he teased, "I do believe I'm shocked."
Aya pursed his lips slightly, that shy expression shifting right into disapproving. "There are a few things I like," he insisted, giving Cye a bit of a squeeze for good measure.
"Like...?" Cye opened his eyes and gave him that look, that slow smile that Aya always knew meant trouble. He had been moving from cozy to quite another state for a while now, and certainly didn't feel ill or injured in any of the really important places.
Another frown from the other boy, a stern look in place of words, and Cye sighed grumpily. Aya was so stubborn sometimes. And it was a black eye, which was far, far from the areas that he was interested in. "There's nothing wrong with my ears, cariad... Tell me, please? I like hearing it."
Aya shifted the ice pack a bit, practically fussing with its placement and lowered his eyes. "You, for instance. Having your attention." They were so sweet, those halting little words that came out slowly enough for him to savor each one. Cye closed his eyes again, willing to at least look like he was relaxing as long as Aya kept talking. After a short silence, he did, quiet and soothing. "The time spent with you. Your voice. When you smile for me."
"Anything else?" This was not what Cye'd had in mind and the body pressed up behind him was giving him any number of ideas. He cracked one eye open, looking up at Aya, "You're not censoring for my sensitive ears are you." Or thinking that he wasn't in a state of health for fooling around.
Aya paused. "No, it's..." The faint frown furrow appeared again, "I do not have the proper words."
Cye shrugged. "So improvise." He looked up at Aya through his lashes and almost purred, "You listened to me... Please? Just a little?" Hooked him, Cye thought smugly. The guilt was slowly seeping away and Aya was regaining a certain interest that he could feel in more ways than one.
One long eartail tickled his cheek when Aya bent his head to whisper faintly in Cye's ear, "When we... when we make love?" Cye could actually feel the faint warmth in the man's surely blushing cheek, and it was so very sweet that he was embarrassed just to say that. So unlike his passionate rose in bed.
Cye shivered and his breath caught. "And is that what it is? Really?" Please, he thought faintly, let him mean it...
Aya looked down at him, confused, a bit of the old fear and anxiety creeping into expressive violet eyes. "Isn't it?" he asked quietly, and Cye knew from the tone that Aya thought he had done something wrong again. "Are there other words you prefer?"
Squirming against Aya a little, purely to get comfortable of course, no less than innocent motives prompting him, Cye shook his head. "Oh no! I like those just fine. What else?"
Aya shifted a bit too, his body warm against Cye's back. "Your... kisses. Your kindness, especially," he said slowly, as though hunting for the words.
"Mmm... You always taste so sweet." Cye said, melting into the touch and thinking that the shirt and boxers he was wearing were becoming a real nuisance. "All of you," Cye purred. "Your mouth... your skin... sweet and pink and smelling like roses."
Words were not Aya's forte, and with a compliment like that he had been struck silent again. Cye would have none of that. "You deserve kindness and it's a joy to be allowed to give it to you. Such a gift to see you... hear you..." Cye said quietly. "That I can watch that alabaster skin blushing at the slightest touch, see those wonderful darker rose places..."
Aya kissed auburn hair, lingering over the scent of it. His voice shivered in someplace between embarrassed and aroused. "Shhh. You are easily pleased."
Insistent, Cye pressed back against him a little more firmly. He was not going to be distracted now. "You make the most wonderful sounds."
The outline of a firm shaft pressed against the small of Cye's back. "I cannot be silent all the time," Aya whispered, a little bit breathless.
Cye twitched a little in response, biting back the moan. Slow, he had to take it slow and coaxing, making sure that Aya knew he wasn't hurt enough to stop. "Oh no," his voice dropped to a throaty almost purr. "And you feel so good."
"You... feel good as well." He had to be in heaven to be hearing that stuttered admission.
Cye rocked back, feeling the rigid warmth through the thin cloth. Aya always drove him totally mad with the most innocent touches. "How? What feels good?"
The next words were the most difficult yet to get out, but each time Aya said something new, Cye could practically feel the walls of reserve being taken down. "You..." he whispered. "Over me. C-covering me..."
Now that, he thought, was more like it, "Just lying over you?" Cye purred, coaxing Aya into more interesting admissions. " I could turn you on your back and just lie over you?"
The arm around his middle tightened carefully, warning him to stay still, "Your weight is... comforting." Cye sighed, frustrated. That was not at all what he'd intended for Aya to say. Before he could mutter about it, though, he heard a tentative explanation. " You... I feel..." Aya was frustrating himself with the lack of words. "Right, beneath you."
Oh, much better. "You feel like heaven... hot and tight and so much mine..." Cye ground back against him again, the worn fabric sliding against his skin. "I loose myself in you, every time... Oh Aya, you feel so good around me. Holding you, hearing you, watching you move, so very good."
Aya groaned against the back of Cye's neck and sounded quite surprised to hear himself say the words, "I am yours..." He pressed forward again Cye despite his worries, "You take me so deeply, Cye..." He slid his ice-chilled hand down Cye's side, "Feeling you move inside me...
Cye stiffened, partly at the cold touch, and partly from the sound of Aya's low, sexy voice actually talking dirty to him. "Oh... Buried so deep, God, you're so beautiful under me, over me."
Aya had started to Cye's hip in a slow circle. Both of them were a little breathless now, as if they were in the middle of it already. "So hot, so..." He gasped at the back of Cye's neck. "You felt good, so far in. You..." the swordsman whispered shakily, stumbling over words. "You open me, I... I feel like a part of you."
"You hold me so tight, like hot velvet. Your skin is so soft, like roses... Yesss." Cye twisted a little again and reached back, running his fingertips over the front of Aya's pants, "Do you like this, cariad? Like me touching you?"
Aya stiffened sharply under his touch. "Ohhhh yes..." His own fingertips slid over the front of Cye's boxers. "Want so much." He pressed his heat against the exploring fingers, breathing barely a whisper. "So hard, Cye, when you talk to me like this..."
"You're hard for me?" Cye murmured and pulled the drawstring loose, dipping his hand underneath, caressing and feeling for himself. "Tell me, love? Tell me what it does when I talk to you..."
"Ahh!" Aya closed his fingers around Cye, material still between his hand and his lover's sex. "M-makes me... feel so hot." Cye hissed and squirmed, rubbing against his hand. The ice pack was shifted to the side so Cye wouldn't be hurt by mistake and Aya relaxed against him. He nipped the back of Cye's neck and started to rub slowly, feeling the cloth sliding against his fingers. "May I... touch you?" At Cye's muffled groan of assent, Aya plunged his warm hand into Cye's boxers, fingers tracing his length. "Ohhhh yes..."
Cye arched and moaned, trying to get him to move faster. "What do you want? Tell me, please?"
Aya gripped him more securely, watching his face in fascination. Faintly, he whispered, "I don't want to hurt you ever again..."
Shuddering in Aya's hand, hurt was the last thought on Cye's mind. He stroked Aya a little harder, quickening his pace. "You can't... not ever..." He twisted again, trying to turn and face his pretty redhead. Suddenly, so Aya wouldn't have enough time or thought in his head to argue, Cye threw an arm around his neck and ground against him, growling. "You. Want you."
Aya cried out in soft surprise, pressing back against Cye roughly without thinking. "Have me..."
Fumbling, trying to get Aya's shirt off, Cye had a moment to laugh at his eagerness. Haste was making him far clumsier than usual. "Always. God, always so hard around you. Think about you all the time."
Aya trembled and shivered, pushing Cye's hands away. "Let me do it." He rolled back to pull his shirt off and try to wriggle out of his loosened pants at the same time.
Cye almost whimpered in frustration, watching him with faint desperation as pale, perfect skin was exposed. He just wanted to drown in the sight.
Shirt and pants were flung aside after a brief struggle with Aya's clothing. The instant he was naked, Cye yanked him close for a bruising kiss. He pressed hard against his lover, wrapping both arms around him and panting into his mouth. The moment's worry as Cye stiffened a little was swept away as his mouth was attacked, lips nipped and sucked. Soft sounds spilled free through parted lips, inviting Cye to have his way with him.
Cye kissed him long and hard, as though starving for the touch and ran his hands over every inch of skin he could reach. "Oh Aya..." He ground against Aya harder, his boxers the only thing keeping hot flesh apart. "I almost lost you. Please... please... never leave me..."
Aya was now completely nude against Cye's clothes, writhing beneath his touch with glazed eyes and he choked softly, trying to look up. "No... not almost, not even close, Cye." He shivered as if cold, the promise surely a frightening prospect to someone who had been so closed off for so long. "Never," he whispered, trembling. "Never leave."
Cye hushed him with another kiss, reaching down to stroke him roughly. "Mine... you are, yes? Mine?"
Aya stilled under Cye's hands except for a light rocking of his hips. "Yours... yes, anything..." He dropped backwards under Cye's hands, all long-limbed grace, and parted his legs. Arms lifted over his head, resting on the pillow, offering himself. Panting and rocking in rhythm, his face dropped to the side. "Naked... under you, still dressed... so good..."
Cye bit at his neck, not caring that he was leaving a line of purpling bruises. He rubbed his hips against Aya's, whispering harshly, "What do you want?"
Breathless and pliant beneath him, Aya whispered dazedly, "Whatever you want."
Cye rocked against him, pressing hard, not wanting to lose Aya to pleasure just yet. "No, I got what I want. Tell me. Tell me, love and I'll give you anything you want."
He couldn't realize what he was saying, softened and blurred by passion and desire. In those unguarded moments distant words slipped out. "Hold my wrists, pin me... take me hard..."
Cye shuddered convulsively. To be asked for that... he fumbled at the nightstand, pawing through the drawer. How was it that Aya brought out every desire, encouraged every secret decadent thought he had? He swore in frustration until he found the jar, almost dropping it again in his haste to get the cap off. Cye felt like he was going to climb right out of his skin. The murmured "Slow down... we have forever..." from Aya was the only thing that let him cling to control.
He took a shuddering breath and calmed a little. Running shaking hands down Aya's thigh, he pressed trembling fingers to the entrance, fighting to go slow. "Don't... don't let me hurt you."
Aya parted his legs further without reservation, offering while drawing a deep breath. "I want you to."
Stopping, Cye growled huskily, heartfelt, "Never." He slid one finger in, slow and gentle. His lovely lifted his hips, trying to get that finger in deeper with a soft plea for more. Another was added, then a third, stretching and rubbing gently. "Never. Never again. I... won't... punish... you..." Almost ready, he thought as Aya closed his eyes, body undulating in pleasure.
Cye withdrew his hand and yanked his boxers off. He prepped himself quickly and leaned over Aya. "Look at me." Glazed, violet eyes opened, pupils dilated wide from need. Cye pushed forward slowly, locking eyes with him. "Aya." He covered the redhead's wrists with his hands, pinning them to the bed. "Mine..."
"Only yours..." His precious rose was blossoming again, lifting his hips to make the welcome entrance easier, moaning the promise Cye longed for him to be able to keep.
Cye paused as he slid in as far as he could. "Still want it hard?" A trembling moan and a jerk of the sharp chin that might have been a nod were his only responses
Pulling back almost all the way, he paused before driving back in, hard. "Yesss..." He watched as Aya shuddered, eyes widening with a gasp as he gazed up into Cye's eyes. Moving firmly, rocking them both, Cye still pinned his hands.
Arching beneath him, Aya cried out ever so softly with the deep thrust inside of him. He gave no struggle against the confining hands, his fingers curled loosely. Cye suddenly grinned down at him. "Both sets of hands are busy. How're you going to..."
Running his pink tongue over pale lips, Aya whispered, "Don't care about that... just you."
Cye quickened his pace, the pliant body under him making his heart pound. "You'd do that... just let me leave you? You'd ache all night for me?" His breath was coming faster now, almost dizzy as he fought to not simply screw Aya senseless.
But that seemed to be exactly what Aya wanted, rocking against Cye's thrusts despite the tensing of his features. "Yes...." He clenched his teeth for a moment, soft violet eyes hazy and unfocused. "All night... until you let me finish..."
The force of his thrusts rocked his entire body, spurred on to greater passion by the soft submission in those words. "Are you... aching for me?"
Aya held a deep breath and arched up, pressing his hardness against Cye's stomach for just a moment. He dropped back against the bed, panting with exertion. Wanting more of that feeling, Cye leaned down a little, still holding Aya's hands and rubbing that hard length against his skin again. "Say it," he demanded in a low voice. "Say you want it."
For a heartbeat it seemed as if Aya couldn't say it, or wouldn't say it. Perhaps his desire to give up control didn't extend to his voice... but then Aya curled his fingers around Cye's hands, moaning quietly. "I'm aching for you," he groaned, tossing his head a little, crimson strands of hair sticking to his damp forehead. "I want... your passion in me, deep in me, Cye."
And that was the one tiny spark it took. Cye hammered forward with a sharp cry. "Oh Aya... Aya... Ran!" Clenching Aya's hands, feeling that warm press around him, he spilled hot and hard inside, his lover's name a mindless chant.
Aya gazed at Cye through pleasure-drenched dark eyes, shivering with the force of his lover's release though he'd not found his own yet. That had to be remedied immediately. Cye gulped in air and pulled out quickly, slithering down Aya's body. He felt as much as heard the startled gasp and the breathless 'oh god'. Fingers that were still slick were forced inside again, curling to press the small nub inside hard. He nuzzled briefly at Aya's straining length, then opened his mouth, throating him with ease.
Aya clutched at the pillow over his head, panting quietly in that low, masculine voice. "Cye, yes... so close..." His eyes squeezed shut again, feeling the invading fingers, the warm tongue curling and massaging within that wonderful, wet suction.
He shamelessly rocked and thrust, the pleasure controlling his body completely. A long, low whine was Cye's only warning before he stiffened, and lost himself in his lover's throat only dimly away of Cye's busy, greedy mouth, determined to loose nothing. Small aftershocks soon ran through him, claiming and releasing him in brief, spasming jerks.
Cye mouthed him softly for a moment, sending more helpless shivers up and down the pale limbs flung out before him. Then he pulled away, collapsing forward and panting on Aya's stomach. Aya unfolded his arms to reach for Cye, stroking his hair with unusual tenderness. "Th-thank you."
Dragging himself up to the head of the bed, Cye pillowed his head on Aya's shoulder. "Mmm... and thank you..."
~*~*~*~
Aya slipped his arms lightly around Cye, his heart still pounding from the drowning orgasm of moments previous. "You gave exactly what I want... what I needed." Cye muffled a questioning, wordless murmur and he answered very softly, a little embarrassed now. "I wanted you to take from me without a thought for me. Wanted you to know I... I would let you control... everything."
You already do, floated the thoughts through Aya's hazy mind. You have guided me this far and I cannot let go of your hand now.
Cye smiled, "It's good sometimes, to know that someone will take care of you." He blinked and pulled the covers up while wrestling out of his shirt. "Forgot..."
Aya loosened his arms to allow the removal, muscles tired and body worn. "Your mind was elsewhere." Lightly petting down Cye's bare back, he was reminded of his earlier concerns. "Are you well?"
Cye snuggled close again, reclaiming his Aya-pillow. "Wonderfully well." With the warm, trusting boy nestled firmly on his chest, a flood of protective warmth flooded through Aya's body, and a small whisper escaped him.
"Cye-chan..."
It took a moment to register what Aya had just called him. And Cye didn't seem to mind one bit. Oh, but it made him feel bold, it made his tongue want to speak a hundred things that he'd had buried in his heart for much too long. "I..." He tightened his arms around Cye and whispered. "I still hate you, you know."
Cye smiled softly and placed a light kiss on his chest. "Love you, cariad..."
The words helped him relax a little, though slowly. "Do you need anything? Ice or painkillers?"
Cye shook his head, ignoring how oddly that made his eye feel. Maybe if he concentrated hard enough in the morning he could do a little about it. And hopefully Aya would be relieved enough that it was healing that he wouldn't comment on the speed. Blasted pocket-realm anyway. "Mmm... endorphins are a wonderful thing... Ask me tomorrow..."
"I will," Aya whispered. "And every day after that."
"I think I love that," Cye sighed
"My asking? Or my asking every day?"
"Both..." Cye murmured. "It feels good."
Aya spoke slowly, flushing a little. "When you called my name. My -true- name..." He murmured into Cye's hair, hiding the splash of pink on his cheeks. "It... it felt good to hear. To know I... I caused that."
"It does, doesn't it?" Cye ran his fingertips briefly over Aya's stomach before hugging him possessively. Strange, that such a simple act could feel so fulfilling. With Cye's arms around him, the darkness of the rest of his life seemed just that much further away. "Nothing better, love, than being screamed for..."
Aya brushed soft lips against his forehead, feeling the tired sigh, hearing the note of weariness in the boy's murmur. "Sleep. You're exhausted."
Cye curled closer and asked quietly, "Say it again... please?"
He couldn't help the tiny smile, though his lips lifted against Cye's forehead, Aya knew he couldn't actually see it. "What? That I hate you more than I can say?"
"Mmmm."
Aya murmured gently, "Strange boy."
Cye mumbled, already almost asleep. "Darn, now he knows..."
"I have known it since you first began pursuing me."
He felt the sleepy smirk against his chest. "Night... love..." And soon slid quietly into sleep.
Aya waited until Cye's breathing told him that he slept deeply, and whispered. "Sleep, my own. Good night, koibito."
[ on to chapter 15 ]