Scribbles and Drabbles

Offerings

The water was warm, but Lororis' hands were hotter yet has they glided over Therinae's skin. Therinae tried not to flinch as they moved over him, a cloth cleaning the last of the battle grim from him. Therinae could barely stop himself from curling his kneels upwards.

"Phoenix," Lororis scolded, the teasing edge in his voice strong enough to make Therinae want to turn and punch the man. Only that would ruin the agreed truce, stalemate, agreement to stop the fighting and let Therinae's men go. "Unravel my dear. This is not going to happen if you can't relax," he purred into Therinae's ear, taking far too much pleasure in this.

"I..." Therinae's fists turned white as he clenched his fists. "Fuck," he exhaled, and slumped in the water. He'd offered this. He'd offered to play this game he knew the Deceiver enjoyed. People had been trying to get him to play for so long and things had been desperate. Desperate enough for Therinae to think about offering it.

"I rather hope so," Lororis smiled against Therinae's skin and kissed shoulder. "I look forward to seeing you come undone." Then he was gone, leaving a puff of cold air in his wake. Therinae stirred, shifting to look at him. Lororis offered his hand and helped Therinae out of the metal bathing tub, water dripping down to the stone floor. A blanket was wrapped around him and patted him down.

Therinae balanced and held onto Lororis shoulders as he was dried. Lororis let go of the blanket, letting it drop to the floor at Therinae's feet. Therinae felt his cheeks burn. The look he got was pure hunger. Dark and pure in its own way. Therinae had seen that look before. Lororis had never been subtle with his attraction to him.

He didn't run, he didn't back away from the man but he didn't press forward either. His second had told him to be aggressive and be active. So far he was finding it hard to be more than meek and fearful. He was going to lose this game miserably.

The large hand cupping his chin jolted him and Lororis tutted. "Pay attention, pretty bird," he smirked, leaning forward and kissing Therinae on the lips. Lororis was taller than him by but a hair but right now it was very apparent. The kiss was strong and passionate and nothing that Therinae had ever tasted before. Lororis pressed forward, one arm wrapping around Therinae's was it and stumbling the man backwards until he was pressed up against the wall. Heat burned where they were in contact.

A knee pressed between his knees and spread his legs. He let it, painfully aware of his heart beating heart. He didn't know about to do with hands. The kiss ended as Lororis chuckled. He pressed their foreheads together and caught one of Therinae's hand, kissing the knuckles while not moving his gaze from their eyes. Therinae felt lost in the two pools of watery blue, specks of white littered the intense glaze. 

"I do wish, you would tell me your name Phonex," Lororis hummed, tangling their fingers together as he caught the other hand and placed it on his shoulder. Therinae didn't fight even adjustment. "I prefer to know the name of the man I am dancing with."

"This is dancing?" Therinae choked out.

"In a manner of speaking," Lororis grinned at him, kissing Therinae's cheek before pulling him from the wall and spinning him away towards the bed. He was pulled close and Lororis very elegantly danced him over, Therinae's following the steps more from instinct. "Hopefully your dancing skills will serve you well tonight."

Therinae swallowed and let himself be pushed to the bed as Lororis climbed over him and pinned his hands above his head. The next kiss was aggressive and hungry like Lororis had been starving. Therinae arched into the kiss. He'd always been good at dancing. 

At first, it was good. It felt good. He was inexperienced but not a complete idiot when it came to giving pleasure and receiving it. The parts of this that were more normal for him were easy to flow into. The places where he was less knowledgable had Lororis kindly guided him. Kind felt like the wrong word truthfully but the normally dagger tongued warrior was oddly gentle with him. Teases came from him but not about things that would have had Therinae's fleeing in humiliation and shame. 

It was only as fingers started to enter more personal parts of him that it became too hard to comply. Soft, loving words caressed his ear and lips kissed along his jaw, a hand-rubbed him and he could not relax. The oil did nothing as the muscle froze in place, stiff and unyielding. Until, eventually, a sigh. 

"It seems I won't be fucking you, after all, Phoenix," Lororis mourned, kissed his shoulder before leaving him. "A pity."

Ice hit Therinae hard. His chest tensing and his eyes watering as the knowledge that he had failed slammed into him.  Cold surrounded him as Lororis left him on the bed alone, naked and hopelessly vulnerable. He'd let his rival pick him apart and it still wasn't enough, was it? He buried his face in the pillows and tried not to dissolve into a screaming rage or weeping misery.  

"Stop your sulking," Lororis called, the clicking of glass as he poured some liquid. 

Anger overtook the embarrassed misery and Therinae glared at the Deceiver from his pillow, wishing he had his blade on him. "I am not sulking," Therinae spat, gripping the loose sheets around him and twisting.

"Stop your panicking then. What was the deal we made?" Lororis reminded. "The exact wording my dear Phoenix?"

"I stay the night in return for your men allowing mine to return home unharmed and unhindered," Therinae scowled, sitting up and pulling the blankets around him. 

"There we go. Your men are safe, as are you," Lororis walked back over and sat on the bed, still naked and not as bothered by it as Therinae. He offered a cup. Therinae took it, fingers trembling but he managed to hold the thing. "I will not hurt you Phoenix. Not here," he gestured to the room. "You are not ready. Some men would not care, some would force but I am not some men. I am above the grunts at a whore house. You are my rival on the battlefield, not a whore to be broken in. I knew when you offered you weren't experienced and while I had hoped I'd be able to relax you enough, if you are not ready, that is it."

"Pretty words for one called the Deceiver," Therinae muttered but was unable to meet the all-seeing blue eyes. He knew his cheeks were flushed. He wasn't sure how they could be anything but red. Lororis was correct, not every man would be so kind, even more so with a rival. A rival usually had cut deep into a man's soul. A whore was usually not connected to them, a rival was. Few men gave up the opportunity to take a rival down a few pegs.

"We both know that's not because I'm a liar," Lororis grinned, a hand resting on Therinae's blanket-covered legs. "Don't misunderstand me, Phoenix. I hope and pray that one day I am the one to bring you to heel and claim your innocence. You are handsome and strong. I also prefer to have my lovers want a repeat and you are not going to be that if you are too tense."

"And in the meantime," Therinae breathed.

"We are far from done," Lororis promised, the words light and yet somehow they wrapped around Therinae's beating heart and tightened. "There are plenty of alternative ways to play tonight beyond me entering your ass. And I intend to have you crying with pleasure before the sun rises. Now drink up and we'll do some more playing."

Therinae swallowed. Maybe he had been a little too naive about all of this after all.  Lororis leant over and kissed him again, firmly but less hungry than before. It was almost reassuring and that scared Therinae. The Deceiver was making a make on his soul and imprinting on his bones. 

"Or we could snuggle," Lororis offered. "You don't have to look quite so terrified darling."

The desire to dive out the nearest window was growing again. The cup was removed from his hands,  still full as Therinae had not drunk a drop, and placed to the side. Hands pulled. Therinae went with them.