Chapter 8

CHAPTER8

“Where is the bath house? Off of the courtyard?” Elric gathered up what few supplies he had picked up in the past several days, wincing as he stood up. A hot soak would be good for his feet. Maybe he’d be able to shake the rest of the soreness in his bones, too.

Athan’s lips twitched. “Yep.” He rummaged through his bag again—and Elric was now certain it had to be a magical bag, because somehow Athan pulled out two large towels. “I don’t think I have any soaps or shampoos… Let’s hope Lisa left some out for us.”

Elric rather expected anything left for them would be rudimentary, barely more than the sheer essence of soap. There would be nothing that smelled good or left the skin soft, but then, he was desperate enough for a bath to where—for once—he wasn’t going to complain. “Yes,” he agreed.

He unlatched the door and went downstairs, letting Athan lead him out into the courtyard.

“Where’s the bath?” he asked, frowning. He saw only a tub of water in the very open courtyard, which was surrounded only by walls with vines and flowers climbing up the sides.

“This is it,” Athan said, pointing at the tub. He grinned and dipped a hand into the water. “Freezing cold, too.” Except a few seconds later, steam began to waft from the water.

Elric blinked at Athan. There had to be some mistake. There weren’t even curtains or screens to hide the tub from view. If anyone walked out here, they’d be able to see everything. The chill in the air meant it would be uncomfortable, too, even if Athan had warmed the water up. “Absolutely not,” he said, balking. “That woman might burst out here looking for a show!”

Athan shrugged and began stripping off his shirt. “She knows we’re out here.” He dipped one corner of his towel into the hot water. A small table nearby had coarse soap lying on it, and Athan rubbed the wet towel over the soap. “If you’re sitting in the tub, it’ll be harder to see your cock though.”

“Don’t be crude,” Elric muttered, but he went to the tub. He was desperate enough to be clean that he stripped down. He felt strangely awkward.

Servants had always been on hand to help him bathe, but that had been when he’d been fit-looking, not skin and bones like a starving commoner. Athan had seen him in the nude, too, but they’d always been… distracted. He didn’t have that to hide behind this time, and he felt pathetic in a way he hadn’t ever felt in his life.

There was only one tub, too. Elric thought about offering Athan the first bath, but he decided that if Athan wasn’t claiming it, he wouldn’t feel bad about going first. He slid into the water, surprised to find that it was exactly the right temperature. Even at home, he usually had to wait around until the water cooled enough for him to enjoy it.

“See? It’s not so bad,” Athan said, stripping down the rest of the way. He perched himself on the corner of the tub, ass right next to Elric’s head.

“I hope you don’t expect to share with me,” Elric mumbled, sinking down as low as he could.

Athan ruffled the top of Elric’s head. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” He did dunk the towel into the water again though and scrubbed at his own arms.

Elric scowled at him, feeling almost like a naughty child with someone tousling his hair while he settled into the bath. It reminded him of being young, and there was a bittersweet quality to that moment. He found himself speaking without realizing it at first. “One of the servants used to help me with my hair, and he’d do the same thing. It was terribly frustrating.”

“Do you want me to wash your hair?” Athan asked, sounding surprised. “I don’t think I’ve ever done it. I usually just comb mine and let the flames burn away the dust and grime.”

“It doesn’t work that way with humans,” Elric said, cringing at the idea of flames going through his hair and leaving him looking even worse than he already did. “But you may wash my hair if you’d like,” he said, as though he was granting Athan a great privilege.

Athan laughed and kissed the top of Elric’s head. “That was cute. I was right, there is something worth salvaging in there.”

What was that supposed to mean? Elric bristled, but he didn’t comment on it. Instead, he said, “Well? Are you going to or not?”

“Sure.” Athan picked up the small bucket from beside the tub and dipped it into the water. “Lean forward so I can get your hair wet.”

“If I lean forward, you’ll end up drowning me,” Elric said, frowning. “You really haven’t done this before. Here. I’ll lean back, and you can get it wet that way.”

Athan shrugged, apparently not at all bothered by the correction. “Whatever works.” He lined one hand up along Elric’s hairline, so that when he poured the warm water it didn’t go over Elric’s face.

Of course Athan’s hand was somehow warmer than the water. It was the steam and the heat that was making Elric flush red. Definitely not Athan’s smile or… or his fingers, as he started to card them through Elric’s hair and massage Elric’s scalp.

“Sh-shampoo,” Elric mumbled, squirming. He let his hand drop against his pelvis, hoping Athan hadn’t noticed how his cock was suddenly taking interest.

“No shampoo,” Athan said, sounding apologetic. “Soap is the best I can do.” He let go of Elric and grabbed the soap, dipping it in the water and creating a lather on his hands. “Not the high standards you’re used to, but it’ll do the job for now.”

“You’ll learn,” Elric said, a little distracted from how his cock was hardening beneath the water. “And perhaps I’ll even wash your hair for you. It feels rather nice when someone else does it.” Especially when that someone was Athan, it seemed. He didn’t remember ever getting aroused when a servant was washing his hair.

Athan wrinkled his nose and ran his soapy hands through Elric’s hair. “I’ll pass on that. My hair doesn’t do well with water.” He was very, very good with his fingers though, pressing in just the right way and somehow leeching the tension out of Elric’s head.

Elric’s eyes threatened to flutter closed. He wanted to keep watching Athan though. That a being so powerful would do something as mundane as shampoo somebody else’s hair…

Athan caught his gaze and smiled at him. “I like you like this,” he said. “Relaxed. Not thinking too hard about things.” He leaned down, bringing his nose to Elric’s.

The angle was awkward, with Athan behind him, but if Elric moved his head, he might be able to press their lips together—

The inn door opened, and Lisa came out. “Hey! Sorry, mother chastised me for not giving you the royal treatment. I brought some scented oils. Had to run down to the market and beg Peter to sell to me this late in the evening.”

Elric jerked his head, the mood broken, and he scowled at Lisa for her intrusion. He didn’t care about the fucking scented oils. He just wanted to bathe in peace!

All right, so maybe he would’ve cared on an ordinary day—or even five minutes ago—but he was just getting aroused! Or he had been, rather, before Lisa had barged into the courtyard and interrupted them. A sharp retort was on the tip of his tongue, but Athan spoke before he had a chance.

“Thank you!” Athan stood up and went to take the oils off Lisa.

Athan didn’t cover up. He just walked over to her, his uniquely large, slightly twisted cock out and half-hard. Lisa blushed and peered down, but she didn’t say anything as she gave Athan the small jars. She didn’t move at all even once her task was done.

Elric glowered at her, but she didn’t seem to notice.

Athan was clearly trying to suppress a laugh. “You can tell your friends about it, if you want. Although I hope you’ll wait until we’re done bathing. I don’t want more of an audience.”

Lisa’s blush got even redder, and she snapped to attention. “Oh, oh gods, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to stare. Although, ah, I might keep this to myself. My husband would be jealous.”

“Or more amorous?” Athan suggested, smiling wider. “Thank you again.”

“R-right.” Lisa hurried back into the inn.

“How dare she,” Elric snapped, glaring in her direction. “To not only interrupt without warning, but to stare at you like you’re on display for her! How is it you aren’t utterly furious about this?”

Athan gave him an amused look. “Are you worried about my honor? I think plenty of people have seen me naked already. One more isn’t going to make a difference.”

“You’re a paying guest! One who’s known her since she was a child, at that,” Elric said, his cheeks flushing red with indignation now more than anything else. “Gods, Athan, don’t you care about anything?”

“If I worried about age differences, I really wouldn’t be able to fuck anyone at all.” Athan strolled back to the tub, unstoppering one of the jars. “Are you upset because she interrupted us? You can just say that instead of throwing a tantrum.”

“It’s not a… a tantrum,” Elric huffed. “But she said herself she’s a married woman. What kind of slattern—”

“Stop,” Athan interrupted. “Don’t be mean. If I cared, I could have covered up before she ever stepped through the door. I gave her a fun story to tell for the rest of her life. I doubt I’ll stop by here again any time soon, so what does it matter?”

“Because— Because—” Elric stammered, trying to find a reason Athan would accept. “Proper women don’t simply stare at men’s cocks! She should’ve been scandalized, not intrigued and… and excited!” Like a slattern!

“We aren’t in Kithage,” Athan said. He pulled one of the courtyard chairs closer and sat down, facing Elric in the tub. He held out a hand. “Give me your arm.”

“My hair still needs a proper rinse,” he said a little huffily, flustered and trying to regain control of himself. “Soap is going to get into my eyes.”

Athan sighed and set the oil down. “Fine.” He filled up the small bucket with water again and tapped Elric’s chin. “Tilt your head back so I can rinse it.”

Elric closed his eyes as Athan rinsed his hair out, wishing he could go back to how relaxed he’d been before Lisa had interrupted them. Then again, maybe he wanted something a bit more. Maybe he wanted to give her a show if she returned.

He started to offer out his arm, but instead of letting Athan rub the soapy towel against it, he grabbed Athan’s wrist on a whim. “Bathe with me,” he said, pulling him closer despite his earlier declaration that he wouldn’t share the tub with Athan.

Athan tried to tug his arm back, but Elric kept his grip strong.

“I’ll wash you,” Athan said, although there was a nervous quality to his voice now. “And I’ve already cleaned myself.”

“Not nearly well enough,” Elric scoffed. He tugged again and pulled Athan right into the water with him. “There. Now I can bathe you myself and make sure I get all the right places clean.”

Athan made a surprised noise and sputtered, water splashing everywhere. The water got a lot hotter too, steam rising around them.

“F-fuck,” Athan gripped the edge of the tub and tried to lift himself out, but Elric wrapped his arms around Athan’s waist and pulled him back against his chest.

Athan squirmed only for another few seconds before groaning and resting himself entirely against Elric. His feet dangled outside the tub.

Elric couldn’t believe he had Athan in his arms like this. His cock was rising to attention, pressed against Athan’s ass. When he lowered his hand just a little, he felt Athan’s cock brush against it.

“Is the water so bad?” Elric asked, his voice sounding foreign to him.

“Yes,” Athan answered mournfully. “You’re lucky I don’t just steam it all away.” He rested one hand over Elric’s, rubbing the skin absently. “You aren’t convincing me you don’t want to give anyone a show, by the way.”

“There’s no one here to give a show to, so don’t be foolish. And I thought birds loved water,” Elric said, though he barely paid attention to his own words. He was more interested in feeling the twist of Athan’s cock as he circled it with his fingers.

Athan snorted and tilted his head back, resting it against Elric’s shoulder. “Some birds. Hard to fly when you’re soaking wet. Not great for fire, either.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you’re not planning on flying anywhere,” Elric murmured, slowly stroking Athan’s cock. He couldn’t see what he was doing, but he followed the ridges and marveled at how long the cock felt. “And you could heat yourself up to dry off in seconds if you absolutely needed to. Just enjoy the bath.”

“I should…” Athan groaned and lifted his hips a little. “I was bathing you. Taking care of you.”

“And you can still take care of me. Just… while you’re close.” Elric nuzzled Athan’s throat, even though it felt strange to be so affectionate like this. He didn’t remember the last time he’d done anything like this.

He wasn’t sure he ever had, really.

“Yeah.” Athan turned his head to kiss Elric’s jaw. “You like… water? Bathing? Swimming?”

More questions. Elric didn’t want to answer questions. He wanted to… He wanted to have Athan close, and maybe he wanted to stake his claim a little bit. Lisa might have seen Athan naked, but she didn’t get to do this with him.

She wouldn’t get to feel his cock, and she definitely wouldn’t get to make Athan come undone.

This position was more familiar for him too, with him on top and in control, and Athan allowed it—at least for the time being.

Elric kept stroking Athan’s cock, trying to distract him away from the endless questions the phoenix always had and instead keep him occupied with touch.

He ran his finger along the twisted ridge of Athan’s cock until he reached the tip. It was strange how Athan looked so human in most ways, yet his large cock and its strange shape were very clearly not. There was no skin to cover the tip of it, either, nothing to protect it when Elric ran his thumb over the slit.

Athan jerked his hips up. “That’s good,” he moaned. “Tighter.” He kept nosing at Elric’s jaw and throat, leaving hot kisses behind.

Elric’s fingers tightened, fisting Athan’s cock in his hand as he stroked him again and again. It felt so different than touching his own cock, which was where most of his experience with touching men’s dicks had come from, really. He usually just stretched them open so he could fuck them more quickly if he was in that much of a hurry, and the majority of the time, they took care of that themselves.

After a moment, though, he paused, releasing Athan’s cock and carefully reaching around to press at Athan’s hole.

It should’ve been relatively easy to push his finger in, to start to work him loose like he’d done with others, but he had to yank his finger back almost immediately as the tip of it damn near burned him.

“What the fuck?” he exclaimed.

Athan gave a startled laugh. “Oh. Sorry. That might be a bad idea.” He kept kissing what parts of Elric he could reach. “I’m really, really hot inside.” He took Elric’s hand and put it back on his cock. “I don’t recommend getting your dick in there.”

That should have killed the mood, but somehow, it just struck Elric as funny. “Do you mean to tell me you’ve never been penetrated? You keep acting like you know everything.”

He got back to stroking Athan’s dick, to keep him off-balance while he answered.

“I…” Athan groaned. “I have. Not often. I knew a… who liked toys. Phalluses made of marble. But I prefer the other way. Stop teasing.”

Before Athan, Elric had preferred it the other way as well, but now he was conflicted. It had to just be that it was Athan, that he was strange and exotic and knew just how to use his cock.

Elric wouldn’t allow anyone else to penetrate him that way. He chuckled softly and started stroking Athan in earnest. The more he did it, the more the temperature of the water rose. It was getting uncomfortable, and he cleared his throat. “You’re, ah… Perhaps getting a little too excited. I feel like a frog in hot water. Can you smell me cooking?”

Athan’s eyes shot open. “Oh. Fuck. Sorry. The water still feels cold to me.” He gripped the side of the tub and unceremoniously got out, completely uncaring of his erection waving around. The water steamed off him almost immediately.

As soon as Athan was out, the water’s temperature dropped… and Elric realized the water level in general had dropped, too. What had once been a full tub was now barely even half full.

“Here,” Athan said, handing Elric a towel, smiling. “Let’s go upstairs. I think we can make good use of that one, single bed.”

Elric stepped out of the tub, immediately shivering in the cool air of the courtyard. He dried himself off quickly with the towel before wrapping it around himself, and he nodded. “Let me get dressed,” he said.

“It’s fine!” Athan wrapped his arms around Elric from behind. “If we run, nobody will notice. And I’d hate to slow things down by having to get dressed, and undressed, again.”

Elric’s face heated up. From Athan’s natural warmth, he told himself, and not because of shame. “It’s undignified. I’m… I’m the king—”

“Shh. Nobody knows. It’s you and me, and we’re having fun.” After a brief kiss, Athan jogged toward the inn.

Elric couldn’t believe he was thinking about running to the inn and up the stairs wearing only a towel. It was a complete disgrace. But it felt naughty and forbidden and just a little bit exciting, and he paused only long enough to snatch up his clothes before following the phoenix into the building.

Between the cold air and the situation as it was, Elric felt a little… giddy. Strange. By the time they got back to the room, he was even laughing, without concern that the innkeeper might’ve seen anything.

“You’re ridiculous,” Elric told Athan as he closed the door behind them and latched it. “It was cold out there!”

Athan dropped everything—including the towel he’d been wearing—and pulled Elric into a kiss. Whatever complaint Elric had about the cold was immediately forgotten. Elric opened his mouth for Athan’s tongue, meeting the kiss just as enthusiastically.

He even wrapped his arms around Athan’s chest to pull him closer. Their cocks rubbed against each other. It was strange, how the dip and curve of Athan’s cock seemed to guide it perfectly along Elric’s own, almost as if it were trying to twine around him.

“What do you want?” Athan paused with his lips only a hair’s breadth away from Elric’s. “Should I suck you? Do you want to suck me? Or do you want me inside you again?”

Elric shivered, wanting all of it. “I don’t know. Is your mouth as hot as your ass is?” he asked with a slight chuckle. “I want to come out of this with all my body parts intact, if possible.”

He should’ve been fighting this, but it was part of the price he had to pay for the phoenix’s help—or at least, that was what he told himself.

“My mouth is fine,” Athan answered with a laugh. “I won’t burn you. You just had your tongue inside it, didn’t you?”

“Well, yes,” Elric said, blushing a little. Why hadn’t he thought of that? It was a bit embarrassing, but looking into Athan’s eyes made it a little less humiliating. The phoenix wasn’t mocking him, which was strange. Any noble at court would’ve taken that opportunity to gleefully pounce on any insecurities he’d shown, but Athan only smiled. “I want to feel your mouth on me.” He cradled Athan’s face in the palms of his hands for a moment, kissing him, then tugged on his hair to urge him to get down on his knees on the floor.

“I don’t think you want to be standing for this,” Athan said, still clearly amused. “I’ve been told I’m very, very good at this. Your legs might not hold.” But he bent down anyway, looking up at Elric with a strange expression in his eyes.

Elric arched his brows as he gazed at Athan. “Oh, really? That seems like a bit of a challenge, Athan.” One he was determined to win now that it had been brought out like this. He didn’t understand the look in Athan’s eyes, but that wasn’t important right then.

He grabbed his own cock, rubbing the tip of it against Athan’s soft lips with a groan.

“Show me, then,” he demanded.

Athan kissed the inside of Elric’s thigh. “I like this,” he murmured. He didn’t specify what, exactly, he liked, but before Elric could ask him to clarify, Athan had wrapped his lips around the tip of Elric’s cock.

Elric had to grab Athan’s hair to keep himself from stumbling back. The temperature might not be hot enough to burn, but it was so, so much warmer than any mouth he’d ever felt before. The room might as well have been freezing in comparison.

“Fuck,” Elric groaned. He widened his stance a bit for stability, for all the good that did when Athan began running his tongue along the length of Elric’s cock. When he looked down, he saw the smug expression on Athan’s face.

It was strange that Athan could even be smug when he was the one on his knees. It was never like this before. The people who’d sucked Elric off did it because he’d asked—or demanded—it of them, and very few of them smiled like this during the act. They didn’t often moan around his cock, making the heat vibrate through him.

Certainly none of them had ever dared to massage his hole at the same time. Elric thought he should be protesting, but it felt so damn good.

When Athan’s mouth pulled away, Elric wanted to scream in frustration.

“Shh, relax,” Athan said. He blew gently over Elric’s spit-soaked cock. “Do you want to lie down? Take a break? Maybe you aren’t up for it…”

Elric dug his fingers into Athan’s hair, urging him closer again. Part of him wanted to lie down so he could just relax and take this for the thrilling moment it was, but his pride wouldn’t allow him to give in that easily. “I can stand,” he said, but he huffed out a little laugh. “You’re good, phoenix, but you aren’t that good.” He smirked as he taunted Athan, feeling more relaxed than he had in… so, so very long.

“I’m definitely that good,” Athan answered. He nipped at the soft part of Elric’s belly and massaged Elric’s balls. “You can hold on to my hair. It won’t hurt me if you pull—you know, when you inevitably lose your balance.”

Elric huffed again, but he swayed a little on his feet. “I’m not going to lose my balance,” he said, but he wasn’t so sure of that anymore. His ego told him to stay on his feet, though, and up against Athan’s cockiness, he had to prove himself. “But I like holding onto your hair. It’s very soft.”

“The benefits of being a magical creature.” Athan nibbled his way down Elric’s stomach again, his mouth tantalizingly close to Elric’s cock again. “How long do you think you’ll last? I think I can make you come—and your legs give way—in under two minutes.”

“Those are big words for someone whose mouth isn’t even on my cock,” Elric scoffed, but he couldn’t help but smile, either. Which was… strange. And really, he wouldn’t even mind being wrong, because coming with a powerful orgasm that quickly? He wasn’t going to turn it down.

“Ready… set…” Before he’d said the last word, Athan got his mouth on Elric’s cock again.

Athan had been good before, but he must have been taking it easy, because this time he sucked and licked with abandon, and his mouth was even hotter and tighter. Pleasure shot through Elric’s entire body, and yes, Elric had to grip Athan’s hair and those soft feathers to steady himself, but it was hard to even think that coherently.

He wobbled on his feet, but all he could think about was that glorious mouth on him. He had never felt such a thing before. He’d thought he’d had the attention of experienced cocksuckers before, but nothing like this. Athan made them all seem like paltry amateurs, and it was a pity that Elric would have to go back to that sort of thing when this was all said and done.

Even that thought couldn’t detract from the pleasure of the moment, though, and he tightened and relaxed his grip on Athan’s hair as he struggled to remain upright. Oh, gods, he was good.

He wasn’t standing nearly close enough to the edge of the bed, and he found himself groping for it behind him as the pleasure built at the base of his spine, going up and out and filling him with so much bliss that there weren’t even words for it any longer. He came, seed spilling into Athan’s mouth without warning, and he groaned as he swayed. Only Athan’s hands on his hips kept him upright, and he knew that if he looked down, he’d see a very smug-looking phoenix.

Somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to care. Who would, after receiving such an astounding climax?

Athan drank every last drop, and after he’d licked Elric clean, he urged Elric to lie across the floor. It really was undignified, but the bed was so far away, and Athan was right there, kissing Elric, letting Elric taste himself on those hot lips.

“I’m close too,” Athan said, dragging his cock against Elric’s thigh. “You had me very, very close in the bath. I wanted to let go… would have steamed off all the water, probably burned the tub.”

That should have scared Elric, but he only tilted his head so he could kiss Athan deeper. Was he hotter now than before? It was hard to tell, because all of Athan was scorching.

He whined when Athan broke the kiss, but Athan moved to straddle Elric’s thighs. He grabbed Elric’s wrist to put it on Athan’s strange, curved cock.

“Help me out,” Athan said. “Show me how good you are.”

Maybe another time it would’ve mattered that he knew he wasn’t good at this, but right now, lost in the throes of so much pleasure, he didn’t particularly care. He stroked Athan’s cock, which felt feverishly warm beneath him. The heat was so strong that Elric didn’t think he’d ever feel cold again, and he craved more of this. He twisted his fingers around Athan, pulling and fisting it with an ever-tightening grip before loosening his hold again.

Elric watched Athan’s expression the entire time. Every hitch of breath, every flutter of his eyelids—the way his mouth opened on a moan, all because of Elric’s hand.

Athan was far too handsome for his own good.

It didn’t take long at all for Athan to spill over Elric’s hand, the liquid near scorching. Elric was torn between pulling his hand away and making sure to catch it all.

This had already been inside him. This had coursed through him and chased away the cold and given him something back he’d never thought he was missing.

Elric didn’t know how he felt about it, only he had no desire to clean himself up. He stared at his sticky hand, awed, until Athan gripped his wrist and forced it down onto his belly.

Spreading the seed all over Elric.

“It looks good on you,” Athan said, breathing hard.

Elric would’ve scoffed, ordinarily, or even made a nasty retort, but when the words came from Athan, he had a more difficult time dismissing them out of hand. Instead, he looked down at his hand, at his stomach, then up at the phoenix through heavy-lidded eyes. For a long moment, he simply panted, trying to catch his breath, before he finally realized that the chilly floor beneath him was terribly uncomfortable.

The one bed seemed more appealing than ever.