Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

AUGUST 13TH, 1666

A faint sound woke Henri in the middle of the night. He didn't open his eyes at first. Then the sound came again. A soft grunt. He turned his head and opened his eyes, worried that someone had come to the infirmary with an injury.

But no one was there. And in the soft light of the half-shuttered lantern that was always kept burning by the door, he saw Robin lying facing away from him two cots down. He must have been covered up at first, but the blanket had now slipped down past his hips. It took Henri's sleepy mind a moment to process what he was seeing. Robin's pants were down around his thighs, his deft doctor's hands fingering his own ass.

Another soft moan issued from the doctor, and Henri turned his face away, willing himself to fall asleep and forget he'd ever witnessed his friend in such a private moment. But something stirred deep in his gut, impossible to ignore.

The next gasp was desperate and hushed, but it sounded like Henri .

For a moment Henri was afraid that he'd been caught awake, but…his eyes snapped open. He hadn't been caught. Robin was whispering his name for an entirely different reason. Despite himself, he was getting hard listening to the quiet sounds Robin was making. He turned his head back toward him .

"Henri…" Robin moaned, the sound muffled against the pillow as he worked his front with his other hand.

Henri bit his lip. It felt wrong to be watching, but he couldn't take his eyes off Robin's fingers and what they were doing. He was obviously aware that some men liked other men, that was the reason Robin had run away after all, but he'd never thought…well it had never really occurred to him that he might be one of them. Then again, he'd never really been into women either. Yet here he was getting turned on at the sight of his friend masturbating to him.

But maybe that was the point. Maybe the strong response of his body was because he already cared for Robin so deeply.

"Robin." The name was out of his mouth before he could stop himself. Robin's fingers stilled, his whole body frozen. The orange glow of the lantern light fell just right across Robin's arched back, the curve of his ass… Henri sat up, his erection already weeping precum under his pants.

"Robin," he said again, and the other man snatched his hands away from his own body like it had burned him. Then slowly turned to look at him. His face was flushed, expression terrified.

"Come here," Henri said softly, trying not to frighten him. Henri swung his legs over the side of the cot as Robin rolled to his feet, hitching his pants back up around his hips. He trudged to Henri's bedside like a condemned man going to the executioner. He stood at the edge of the cot, unable to meet Henri's eyes.

In the dim light, Henri saw one single tear roll down the taller man's cheek. Did he think Henri was angry? He reached up to wipe it away, and Robin flinched as if he was about to be hit. But as Henri's hand settled gently against his skin, he finally looked up.

"I want to kiss you," Henri whispered. Robin's eyes grew wide, his fingers came up to tentatively touch the back of Henri's hand where it rested on his cheek. Henri guided him down till their lips were only a breath away. "Can I?"

Robin was trembling, but he closed the distance between them, kissing Henri chastely.

The light pressure of Robin's soft mouth against his was overwhelming and at the same time not enough. Henri wanted more. He tilted his head to deepen the kiss, but Robin pulled away. Skittish.

"Henri…" he started hesitantly but didn't continue .

"This is why you ran away from that comfortable life," Henri said, searching Robin's expression.

Robin nodded, unable to speak.

"I like you, Robin." He paused, letting the words sink into both of their minds. Robin looked startled by the confession, but Henri continued before he could chicken out. "Let me finish what you started." His other hand slid down Robin's waist.

Robin looked perplexed for a moment. As if he couldn't quite bring himself to believe what Henri was offering.

"You don't have to— Just because— I mean—" he stammered, tongue tripping over the words. Not knowing what he wanted to say.

Henri's fingers tightened their hold on the side of Robin's face. "I want you," he managed to breathe. "I've never wanted anyone like this, Robin. Is it so hard to believe you're desirable?"

Robin blinked rapidly, still processing. Henri was beginning to grow impatient.

"Please," he begged quietly, "please understand." He wasn't begging for his own release; he needed Robin to know that he was desired. That he was loved. Because clearly, he had been rejected again and again, told he was wrong, that no one could love or desire him as he wished.

Robin's gaze suddenly cleared. "You want me…" he repeated, almost awestruck. Henri was starting to understand the depths of Robin's self-denial. He'd run from his family, his career, his whole life because of how he loved, but he hadn't been able to free himself from his family's expectations and shame.

Then Henri couldn't think anymore, because Robin's mouth was pressing against his again. The kiss was slow. Testing. Exploring. Henri could almost taste the sweet yearning as he let himself be kissed. He didn't want to scare Robin away, yet he needed to taste more.

"Mmmhm." He couldn't restrain the moan that rumbled up his throat when Robin's tongue stroked into his mouth. Something was building inside Robin, making him more confident, and before Henri knew it, Robin was in his lap, straddling his hips. Their bodies pressed close, and Henri couldn't keep his hands still. He let them rove over Robin's body, feeling every detail of him beneath his rumpled clothes. His body had the softness of someone who'd grown up well fed. Henri too had been like that once .

Henri kissed a slow, meandering line down Robin's throat to his collarbone, letting his hands wander even lower until he was cupping Robin's ass. Robin rocked his hips, the friction making them both gasp. His fingers found the hem of Henri's shirt and pulled it off, then his own. Henri continued his exploration of Robin's body, licking down Robin's exposed chest and then taking his hard nipple into his mouth.

Robin threw his head back, fluffy hair falling away from his face, even more golden in the lamplight. Henri slipped his fingers beneath the waistband of Robin's pants.

"Tell me what to do," Henri groaned. "I want to make you say my name again."

Robin's breath hitched. "But your leg…"

"Don't worry about it, chéri." The pet name from his homeland rolled off his tongue, as natural as breathing. "Just tell me how to please you."

"Take off your clothes."

There was a brief struggle as Henri tried to take off his pants over the bulky splint, but with Robin's help, he accomplished it. Robin stripped off the rest of his own clothes and pushed Henri down onto the cot to straddle him again. He leaned low over Henri, giving him a lingering kiss on the lips, savoring every touch as Henri's hands found his cock. Henri enclosed both of their cocks in one large hand and began stroking.

The sensation went straight to his head. Robin moaned, his hips bucking involuntarily into Henri's hand, his arms circled around Henri's broad shoulders.

"Shit," he mumbled, his lips in Henri's short brown locs. "I want you, Henri. I want you inside me."

"Tell me what to do," Henri begged again. His hand came down in a swift stroke that had Robin choking on his next words.

"I'm already prepared," Robin answered breathlessly. "Please just…"

Henri laid back against the blankets and slid down until he was positioned correctly. His fingers found Robin's already loosened hole, still dripping with whatever he'd used for lube. He positioned his cock at Robin's entrance, bracing his good leg against the cot and letting the other hang off the side so he wouldn't be tempted to use it .

"Ready?"

"Yes…please…" Robin moaned. He was already stroking his own cock, surrendering to the desires he'd denied himself for so long.

Henri guided Robin's hips down slowly, gasping as Robin's slick walls closed around him. He wanted to go faster. Wanted to lose control. But he needed to please Robin more, to show him the pleasure and rightness of all they could do together.

Robin had other plans. He sank down quickly as soon as Henri entered him, impaling himself on Henri's already throbbing cock. His moan sounded filthy in Henri's ears, and his hand began to move faster.

Henri grabbed his slim hips, taking control. He pulled Robin slightly off him then thrust up into him again and again. Growing stronger and more confident with every dirty sound that escaped Robin's lips. The pleasure was building uncontrollably, but Henri sought Robin's pleasure before his own. He rolled his hips at a different angle and thrust harder, deeper, hitting a little knot of nerves that had Robin's head tilting back, a trembling cry emanating from his throat. Henri smirked up at him, but he didn't see. His eyes were closed, lost in bliss.

Henri pounded into him, thrusts growing slightly sloppy as he started to lose his control. But Robin was even more lost than him, coming apart at the seams.

"Yes…Henri…" he gasped, his hand pumping faster on his own cock. Henri almost lost it right then, but he held it together for a few more strokes until Robin cried his name again, painting Henri's chest with his cum. His insides clenched around Henri's cock so deliciously that Henri's orgasm wasn't far behind. His last thread of sanity snapped, and he came into Robin's tight hole, letting his hot release fill him up.

Robin collapsed against him. Lips finding the racing pulse at his throat.

"Henri." His body shuddered. "Oh my god."

Henri's hand stroked Robin's messy hair.

"I like you," he whispered, and Robin sat up a bit to look at his face, his expression halfway between bewilderment and bliss. "I like you a lot."

"I…" Another tremble wracked him. "I like you too. I…" Sense seemed to wash over him all at once, and he sat up fully. "Is your leg okay? "

Henri laughed and pulled him back down into a deep kiss.

"If it's not then you can heal me again."