20. Cockblocked by a Shark

Chapter twenty

Cockblocked by a Shark

Oliver woke to darkness broken only by the shaft of light creeping in from under the door. At first, he was disoriented, and he couldn't remember where he was. The room was all wrong, and a slender body was pressed against his side, arms and legs splayed over his chest and hips.

Someone was snoring softly, cool breath fanning over Oliver's neck with their every exhale, and when he inhaled, he smelled metal and salt. Liel, his brain supplied, and the memories of the night came rushing back in.

They were at Toni's place in Gluttony. At least, one of Toni's apartments? The one his dad apparently paid for, which he didn't like?

Shaking off the confusing thoughts, Oliver turned his head and buried his face in Liel's scalp, inhaling deeply again. He'd never get used to the electric storm scent of the demon, which didn't sound bad to him at all. He loved it.

With a cute little snort, Liel shifted closer, the leg hitched over Oliver's hip pressing against his morning wood. Oliver stiffened, hand tightening reflexively where it rested on… Liel's ass. His bare ass.

Oh fuck his life.

Liel's hand on Oliver's chest moved back and forth, fingers playing with the hair there. The next time Liel's knee brushed Oliver's cock, making him grunt, Liel hummed.

"Good morning, Mr. Barnes," he purred—fucking purred —into Oliver's neck.

"G-good morning," Oliver stammered, trying not to flex his hips in search of friction.

"Is this for me?" he whispered as he rubbed his leg against Oliver's erection again.

A manic chuckle burst from his chest. "Um, I mean, it's morning, so I'd be hard either way. But you're definitely helping."

Liel's responding snicker was thick and husky. "Do you think the others are still sleeping?"

Honestly, Oliver didn't care if they weren't. Digging his fingers into Liel's ass, he tugged him closer, and the center of intense heat between Liel's legs ground against Oliver's hip.

Liel gasped softly, mouth parting against Oliver's neck as he rolled his hips. Soft, hot flesh slid against Oliver, and yes, there was moisture. Liel was… wet. There was no hard dick rutting against him, just smooth, wet heat.

"Oh fuck," Oliver groaned.

Sharp teeth grazed Oliver's neck as Liel's palm smoothed down the center of his chest, over his belly button, fingers teasing along the waistband of his underwear.

"Oliver?" Liel asked, and the question was heavy with everything that had been left unsaid between them.

Words were hard, so Oliver just nodded, turning his head to capture Liel's mouth with his. They both had morning breath, but Oliver didn't care. Especially when Liel shoved his hand under the SpongeBob fabric and covered Oliver's cock with his hand.

"You're so hard," Liel panted against Oliver's mouth.

"Uh-huh," Oliver grunted back, cupping Liel's face with his free palm as his other hand kneaded Liel's asscheek.

Liel was rubbing his hot core against Oliver's hip harder now, releasing little mewling sounds, and Oliver felt something thick, flexible, and slick slither out across his lower belly. It was so shocking it nearly tore Oliver out of the moment, but then Liel's fingers circled his dick and stroked, and all of Oliver's synapses started firing at once.

"Shit, Liel. Fuck," Oliver groaned into Liel's mouth, and Liel chuckled, low and throaty.

"Want you to come," Liel moaned. "Want you to make a complete mess of me."

"Jesus Christ."

"Morning, sunshine!" Toni bellowed, battering his hands against the bedroom door. Oliver yelped, his cock complaining when Liel released it and yanked his hand out of Oliver's underwear. "Whatever mess you make in there, you're cleaning up."

"Fuck you, Toni," Oliver whimpered, throwing an arm over his eyes.

Toni's smug chuckle faded as Liel exhaled harshly, tone frustrated as he said, "I'm going to kill that Elas."

"I'll help you hide the body," Oliver offered, and Liel laughed.

After several long minutes, Oliver's heart had calmed and his breathing had evened. Liel's yellow eyes blinked up at the ceiling, legs shifting restlessly under the bedding. With the light from under the door, Oliver could make out his arm raised toward his head, hand buried in his hair. Liel's other hand was fisted in the blanket at his side.

"I should probably get out there," Oliver said. "Or he'll just come back."

Scoffing, Liel closed his eyes and nibbled on his bottom lip. "You're probably right."

Before climbing out of bed, Oliver rolled to hover his torso over Liel's, and those yellow eyes shot open. Oliver smiled down at him and touched the tip of his nose to Liel's significantly flatter one. Liel grinned back at him, hands coming up to frame Oliver's face.

They shared a sweet, tender kiss that left lightning popping along Oliver's tongue. "Maybe later we could—"

"Yes," Liel agreed before Oliver could finish his thought. "Will you come back with me? To my house, I mean. I'd like you to spend the weekend. If you want, of course."

Emotion swelled Oliver's chest to bursting as he nodded. "I'd like that. As long as Gem's okay, that is."

"Of course." Liel's thumbs brushed over Oliver's lower lip. "Shall we check on him now?"

"In a hurry?" Oliver teased, and Liel bared his sharp teeth.

"I've wanted you from the moment I laid eyes on you," he said. "And I'm running out of patience."

Oliver kissed him again, harder this time, and Liel moaned into his mouth, fingers tightening in his hair. Before the kiss could deepen, Oliver tore himself away and rolled over to add distance between them. Liel panted at the ceiling, and Oliver felt more than a little smug as he retrieved his jeans and stumbled toward the door outlined by morning light.

Blinking against the sunshine, Oliver slipped out of the bedroom and buttoned his jeans closed. He followed the scent of coffee and sweet, spicy tobacco into the main living space of the penthouse. Rusty stood near a small open window in the kitchen, smoking one of his hand-rolled cigarettes.

He sent Oliver a judgmental brow cock, and though Oliver blushed, he didn't break eye contact. Instead, he jutted his chin stubbornly, and Rusty smirked, shaking his head as he took another drag and blew the smoke out the open window.

Toni stood near a fancy coffee machine, waiting on the stream of dark liquid to fill his mug. He wore a pair of pajama pants but nothing else, the fin on his back flexing as he rolled his head around his shoulders.

"How's Gem?" Oliver asked as he scratched his bare chest, the tile floor cold against his feet.

"Sleeping," Toni said.

"If you have a bucket, you should put it next to the bed," Rusty suggested as he flicked the butt of his cigarette out the window. "He's gonna be super sick when he wakes up."

"Already did." Toni groaned in relief when he brought his full mug to his lips and took a sip. "Fuck, that's the stuff."

Violent retching sounded from Toni's bedroom, and they rushed to the door, Rusty pushing through first with Toni hot on his heels. Oliver hovered in the doorway, watching as Rusty knelt at the side of the bed, holding the bucket up as Gem curled over the edge of the mattress and threw up into it.

Bending over Rusty, Toni rubbed Gem's shoulder and head. "That's it, Gemmy," he said soothingly. "Just get all that poison out. You're okay."

"T-Toni?" Gem spat into the bucket, face twisting into a grimace. "What happened?"

Toni hesitated, but Rusty said, "Some asshole slipped something into your drink."

"What?" Gem's chin trembled, two hands cupping his head as another hand fisted the sheet over his stomach. "I don't remember. Oh, fuck, my head hurts."

"Yeah, you're gonna feel like shit today," Rusty said sadly, and Toni smacked his shoulder.

"Would you shut up?" he hissed.

"Why? You think lying to him is gonna make him feel any better?" Rusty snapped back.

Gem dry-heaved, nothing but bile dripping past his lips. "Am I okay?" he coughed out, eyes wide and panicked as he looked up at Toni. "Toni, did he—"

"No," Toni said, rubbing the back of Gem's head gently, "nothing like that. You're okay. Just try to relax."

With a whimper, Gem's face crumpled, and his breath hitched. "My head hurts so bad."

"I can get him some aspirin?" Oliver offered.

"I got it," Toni said, rubbing his hand over Gem's hair as the poor man leaned over to dry-heave into the bucket again. Toni straightened and left the room, patting Oliver's shoulder as he passed him.

Sniffling softly, Gem collapsed onto the mattress, curling into the fetal position and wrapping his many arms around himself. He turned his face away, and Rusty whined deep in his throat as he tentatively laid a mauve hand on Gem's lowest arm.

"It'll pass," Rusty whispered as Gem cried. "It's gonna suck, but it'll pass. I promise."

"How do you know?" Gem whispered, and Rusty's tail curled around his waist tightly in a self-soothing motion.

He swallowed thickly but eventually said, "I just do."

When Toni returned, Rusty's hand on Gem's arm dropped to his lap, and the softness he so rarely showed anyone hardened once more. Toni held two pill bottles in one hand and a glass of fizzing water in the other. He sat down beside Gem, effectively pushing Rusty out of the way.

Rusty didn't react to the slight; he simply shuffled back, taking the bucket with him. "I'll clean this out," he said as he ducked his head and left the room.

Oliver laid a hand on his shoulder as he went, but he shrugged off the touch. Oliver lowered his hand back to his side.

"Here," Toni was saying, holding out the cup. Gem shook his head, turning away, and Toni's jaw tightened. "Gem, it'll help."

"I don't want to throw up again."

"I know, baby, but you gotta try." Toni set the pill bottles on the side table and ran a hand through Gem's black and red hair. "It'll make your head feel better, I promise."

Still whimpering into the pillow, Gem blindly lifted one hand, and Toni pressed the glass into it. He portioned out a few pills, then said in a cajoling voice, "Here, baby. Happy pills coming right up."

"Toni—"

"Gem, you need to take them." Toni's voice was firmer now. "I know it sucks right now, but you'll feel better after."

With a miserable nod, Gem used several hands to prop himself up, and Toni cupped the back of his head to help support it. Gem took a sip of the water, only to immediately spit it back out, gagging.

Toni huffed but took the cup away before Gem spilled it.

"I can't," Gem said, starting to cry again. "Toni, I can't."

Looking like a man burning alive, Toni hauled Gem into a hard embrace, pressing his face into his dark curls as Gem sobbed.

Oliver felt like he was intruding, so he closed the door, leaving it cracked a few inches as he backed away. Rusty was rinsing the bucket in the sink as Liel walked out of the bathroom, wearing his clothes from the night before.

"How is he?" he asked as he handed Oliver his shirt.

Tugging it on, Oliver grimaced. "I think he has the mother of all hangovers, but I think he just needs rest."

"He'll feel like shit today, but he'll be okay," Rusty said as he dried out the bucket. "Toni and I will keep an eye on him."

Oliver knew what Rusty was doing, and he opened his mouth to offer his assistance anyway, but the Pyclon was already shaking his head.

"There's not a lot we can do except wait for it to pass," he said. "We'll take care of him. Go on, Oliver."

"But—"

"We got this covered." Rusty carried the bucket back toward Toni's bedroom where Gem's weeping had quieted to sniffling hiccups. He allowed his arm to brush Oliver's, his fur soft and tickling. "Go on."

"Thanks, Rusty," Oliver whispered.

His responding smile was fleeting, but Oliver caught it the moment before it disappeared.

"Keep me updated, okay? And if you need anything—" Oliver said as Liel guided him toward the front door.

"I'll let you know if anything changes," Rusty said with a wave. "Now get outta here before Gem starts feeling better and tries to give you blowjob advice."

As Oliver followed Liel out of the penthouse, he watched Rusty slip into Toni's bedroom, his bushy, pink tail disappearing through as the door clicked shut. Oliver slumped against the wall of the elevator and closed his eyes as they descended.

"I feel guilty," he admitted as the elevator doors dinged open.

"Fair, but what is it you humans say?" Liel added, lacing his fingers with Oliver's. "Too many chefs makes for a full kitchen?"

Oliver chuckled. "Something like that."

"If they need you, they'll call." As they stepped out into the Gluttony daylight, Liel heaved a sigh. "And I'm much too selfish to sacrifice more time with you."

Smiling, Oliver fell into step beside the Gymnot, giving his fingers a squeeze. "Maybe I want you to be selfish with me."

"That, sweetheart, I can do," he promised, leaning in to peck his lips.

Liel paid for Oliver's tram ticket, and after five stops, Liel led Oliver off the tram and down a well-manicured street. It wasn't quite as high-end as the location of Toni's penthouse, but it was significantly fancier than the other neighborhoods Oliver had seen in Gluttony. It was definitely nicer than most of the locations in Lust he'd seen.

When Liel came to a stop in front of a gray, stone building surrounded by strange, scraggly trees and bushes of flowers, he captured his bottom lip with his sharp teeth and swallowed thickly. The subtle show of nerves helped calm Oliver's anxiety; it was nice knowing Liel wasn't infallible. He was nervous too, and it boosted Oliver's courage.

"There is no pressure for anything," Liel started, fingers flexing in Oliver's grasp. "I—"

Oliver swooped in and kissed Liel firmly, and he hummed into Oliver's mouth. "I know. I'm here because I really want to be. And whatever happens—even if nothing happens—I'm just happy to be with you," he whispered against Liel's lips.

"That's good," Liel said, smiling grandly. "That's very good."

"But I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to eat you out until you blow the ceiling lights," Oliver added, making Liel inhale sharply, electricity popping between their joined hands. "If you're up for it."

In answer, Liel rumbled wordlessly and hauled Oliver down by his shirt for another kiss. This one was messy and wet, all tongues and hot breath, and Oliver's lip stung when it caught and tore on one of Liel's sharp teeth. Liel groaned as he licked away the rusty blood.

"You weren't kidding when you called me edible," Oliver said breathlessly.

Tracing Oliver's bottom lip, Liel's yellow finger came away stained red, and Oliver's breath hitched when the demon brought it to his mouth and licked it clean. "Does it scare you?" Oliver shook his head, and Liel grinned, predatory and dangerous. "That's very good, Mr. Barnes. Now, come upstairs and eat me out until I blow the ceiling lights."

And Oliver could do nothing but obey.