Chapter 21

THOUGH HE FELTa little restless, Ash calmly cleared a few loose articles of clothing from around his room, dumping them into a basket that a servant would take and bring back freshly laundered. He was sure he would never get used to that and was fairly sure he didn't want to get used to it. He was willing to bend to Laurel's lifestyle in a lot of ways, but there was no way his kids were going to grow up having all their chores done for them by maids. But then he supposed Laurel would understand that, since Minael seemed to have objected as well. It made him wonder what sort of household Laurel's father had grown up in before marrying Helio.

When the door to his left opened, Laurel stepping inside and closing it quickly behind him, Ash raised a hand in greeting from his comfortable position, cross-legged on the bed.

"Just so you know, I'm practicing restraint by not taking that book with me tomorrow to read on the train, since I told you we'd read it together."

"Just so you know, I want to have sex. Now."

It might have been a comical statement, Ash thought, if he hadn't looked so intensely resolute when he'd said it, as if confronting a challenge. Standing as straight and tall as a fairy-tale knight, with hair and eyes of molten gold, like he was ready to draw a sword and duel.

"I guessed that," Ash admitted, surprised he could keep his voice even through the terrible dryness that had taken his throat hostage. They stared at each other, unblinking, for several moments, hearts pounding in their chests. The air around them was still for the space of several heartbeats before Ash shifted, holding out his hand to beckon him over.

"Sorry you won't be getting your rose petals." Laurel maneuvered out of his shirt as he made his way over, tossing it somewhere behind him.

Grinning, Ash settled back to give him room on the bed. "It's alright, sunshine. As it turns out, my body isn't much of a temple after all." Then, the grin faded from his face and his eyes widened as Laurel gave him a light shove, moving up to straddle his hips.

"I wouldn't say that," he argued, staring down at Ash as he planted his hands firmly on the healer's firm chest. "I think about your body a lot, actually."

"Oh?" On his back, peering up at his fairy king, Ash could practically feel himself vibrating with excitement. "What do you think about it?"

Though he could feel his pulse rampaging inside him like a stampede, Laurel forced out his answer. "Do you want me to tell you, or show you?"

They hadn't done anything yet, but already the blood had drained from Ash's brain to settle below his waist, where Laurel's lean thighs gripped him. "Show me."

Grabbing the hem of Ash's simple cotton shirt, Laurel pushed at it, pleased when he raised his arms over his head to oblige him. He was built so powerfully, with a broad chest and deeply carved abdominal muscles, but he was so gentle, never using his strength to intimidate or coerce. With that thought in mind, Laurel shivered as he lowered himself down to align their bodies, fastening their mouths together.

Their tongues slid together in a slick, slow dance as Ash toyed with the silky strands of Laurel's hair with one hand, holding his waist firmly with the other. Moaning a little as he was nibbled, then stroked with the tip of Ash's skilled tongue, Laurel thought he could keep kissing him forever. He was drowning in heat already as Ash alternated between deeply exploring his mouth and then retreating to lightly tease his tingling lips. But deep down in the pit of his soul, what he wanted more than anything was to take the healer inside him, to come together with him.

Forcing himself to tear away from Ash's hot mouth, Laurel panted a little as he tried not to think about exactly what that would entail, and if his body would cooperate with that very deeply ingrained need.

"What's wrong?" Ash questioned, immediately sensing the brief moment of doubt and hesitation.

Of course, Laurel remembered. He wasn't allowed to have secrets anymore, was he? "It's nothing, really. It's just… I… I have a request."

"Whatever you want, I'll make it happen," Ash promised, keeping his fingers entwined in the sorcerer's pale locks of hair even as he lowered his head down to rest on the healer's firm chest.

"Well, there isn't really a point in asking because to you this will be normal I'm sure, but… For me, when I've done this before I…" Trailing off, he sighed, pressing his forehead to where he could feel Ash's steady, unceasing heartbeat. "I've always just, um, prepared myself. I've never liked the feeling of someone else doing it, but… I want you to…"

"You want me to," Ash finished, sparing him the rest of his sentence. "Of course. Whatever makes you more comfortable." Propping himself up on his elbows with a fair amount of difficulty, he reached into the drawer of the nightstand by his bed, fishing around for what he needed. When he extracted a small bottle and a foil-wrapped condom from the drawer, Laurel glanced at them.

"You won't need that," he said, plucking the condom from Ash's fingers and tossing it back into the drawer.

"Ah, right," Ash realized. He'd forgotten the shot even existed, the irrationally expensive procedure so far removed from his reality. But he could hardly complain about it if it meant he'd be able to bury himself inside the sorcerer with no barrier between them.

Glad that his request had been met with no resistance, Laurel raised his head a bit, wriggling down Ash's body so he could feel and taste his hot, solid flesh. Kissing his way across the healer's toned chest, Laurel let his tongue flick out to lash at the man's erect nipple, gasping a little as Ash's fingers tightened in his hair for a split second.

Encouraged by the man's reactions to him, Laurel found himself dizzily making his way down Ash's muscular body, practically salivating at the feeling of the hard abs flexing under his hands and mouth. Upon reaching the hem of the healer's trousers, he felt his resolve falter for just a moment.

"I've never done this before, so…" He reminded Ash, worried his inadequacy would be obvious whether he voiced it or not. But he wanted to pleasure the healer so badly, desperate to try and show him some measure of the depth of his feelings.

"Don't worry, it isn't that difficult," Ash assured him, stroking a hand over his hair. "And if you don't feel like you're ready, w-"

"Be quiet," Laurel cut him off, though calmly, peering up at him as he hovered over the stiff bulge straining against its rough fabric confines. "I'm trying to concentrate."

Biting down on his lower lip to prevent a grin from spreading across his face and invalidating Laurel's austere expression, Ash only gave a nod and let himself settle back into a comfortable position staring up at the ceiling.

Slightly more confident now that he was no longer being watched, Laurel tried to ignore the trembling of his fingers as he popped open the button of the healer's pants and tugged the zipper down. Ash let out a sigh of relief as his cock was able to spring free, bouncing a little against his stomach as he lifted his hips to let Laurel pull his pants off.

"You're big," Laurel observed, sounding a little breathless.

"Am I allowed to respond to that, or are you still trying to concentrate?"

"Quiet."

Though still a bit amused by the severity in the sorcerer's tone, Ash reflected on how determined he was to push through his scars and doubts so they could be together. Love throbbed through him, a warm pulse that flowed through his veins for the wounded but strong-willed male.

Practically melting into the bed, Ash hissed out a breath through his teeth as he felt Laurel's lips begin pressing hesitant kisses to his thick shaft, fingers curled around him to hold it in place.

Trying to remember what Ash had done to him to turn his brain inside out, Laurel used his tongue to sweep across the swollen head, hungrily lapping up the salty beads of precum gathered there. The taste, and the understanding that Ash was so aroused by him, had him eagerly taking the hot length into his mouth, all the way to the back of his tongue.

"Laurel." Gritting out his name, Ash couldn't stop himself from carding his fingers through the other man's hair, though he stopped himself from indulging in the urge to push his head down to impale himself deeper into that luscious mouth.

Though he knew he didn't have any real technical skill, Laurel was certain he was giving Ash something, by the way his calloused fingers trembled in his hair, and the way those strong hips quivered with the effort not to buck up into his mouth. Because he couldn't stop himself, Laurel found himself peering up as he slid Ash's cock in and out of his lips, to find that the healer had propped himself back up on his elbows and was watching him intently.

With his eyes half-lidded and his mouth slightly open, the mesmerized expression on Ash's face sent a heated, urgent sort of confidence blasting through Laurel's body, urging him to take what he wanted. He'd never, ever had such a thought about anyone, but he was suddenly desperate to feel Ash's release inside him, filling him to claim him in a way he never thought he'd want to be claimed.

Feeling frenetic now, Laurel let out a small moan as he sat up, fumbling with the button of his own pants as he tried to undress himself the rest of the way.

"Whoa, whoa," Ash panted, reaching out. "There's no rush."

"Yes, there is," Laurel argued, though he knew he would feel embarrassed at the anxious, breathless tone later. "I want you now, Ash. I really don't want to wait anymore."

Whether the urgency stemmed from the fierce arousal he could feel pumping off the sorcerer in waves, or the heavy anticipation of knowing whether or not their coupling would be without issues, he wasn't sure. But if Laurel wanted to be taken now, without the romantic, time-consuming frills that Ash had figured he would want, then that was fine. In any case, they had all the time in the world for intimate frills and slow, unhurried lovemaking.

Shedding himself of the rest of his clothes, Laurel swiped up the bottle Ash had laid aside on the bed, and pushed it into his hands. "Should I… Lay down?"

Grasping Laurel by his hips and shifting them so that his own back was propped up against the headboard, the sorcerer straddling his thighs, Ash shook his head. "Come here," he murmured, gently guiding his lover's face to his, fusing their lips together again.

As his mouth was once again put under siege by Ash's strong tongue, Laurel could hear the light pop of the bottle opening. Bracing himself a bit, he wound his arms around Ash's neck, hoping it would help him feel anchored and help alleviate the swarms of butterflies in his stomach. When the healer reached around him, lightly pressing onto his entrance with the cool, slippery substance, he could only shiver.

"Faster," he breathed out, feeling like he could go mad from the light, teasing strokes of Ash's rough fingers. His nerve endings were throbbing already, the muscles in his abdomen tensed with anticipation. He wanted Ash inside him already. "Please hurry."

"I don't want to hurt you," Ash objected, though he obliged as much as their awkward position would allow. "Don't tense up," he murmured, stroking down Laurel's lean thigh with his other hand in an attempt to calm his nerves. "Just relax."

"I-I'm trying." Despite Ash's efforts to alleviate his restlessness, Laurel could feel it bubbling up inside him, intensifying with every passing moment. As he felt one finger try to probe him, he couldn't help but clamp his muscles down. "I'm sorry," he mumbled into the healer's neck, sounding miserable. "I don't mean to. It's just…"

"Shh," Ash soothed him. "You don't have to apologize for anything. Here, let me help you." Releasing a light wave of his cathartic energy, he nuzzled his lips into the sorcerer's soft hair. "That's it," he praised as he felt Laurel's intense nerves slowly begin to fade, the tension in his form dissipating.

"Better," he whispered, breath hitching as he was gently pierced. The awkward discomfort of having someone else prepare him dimmed into a pleasant sensation.

After giving him one more long, slow, brain-melting kiss, Ash gripped Laurel's hips, carefully helping to lift him so he could lower himself down onto the healer's cock. Lining himself up so his tip could ease inside, he couldn't help but groan as Laurel sank down onto him, impaling himself.

"Go slower," Ash commanded, his nerve endings screaming with pleasure at the tight clutch of cushioned heat around him. "You're going to hurt yourself."

He couldn't answer with words, but Laurel shook his head, panting and trembling. The pressure was incredible, Ash's flesh filling him so completely that he was sure no one else would ever be enough for him. Finally sinking down to the hilt, where the healer's cock was the thickest, he couldn't help but let out a choked moan.

"Oh my god," Laurel gasped out, covering his mouth with the back of his knuckles. Though his thighs were quivering, he braced himself on his knees so he could begin to rock back and forth, raising himself just enough that he could slap his hips back down, the broad head of Ash's cock scraping all of the most sensitive spots inside him. "This feels amazing. I-I'm so full of you." He sobbed the words out, hips jerking on pure instinct now. It didn't occur to him how embarrassed he would be when he remembered his candid words and wanton moans later. There was so much pleasure rushing through him he had no processing power left to feel embarrassed or nervous that he wouldn't be able to finish.

"Laurel, you can't say stuff like that and expect me to hold back," Ash ground out, fingers tightening on the blonde's sweat-sheened hips.

"Don't," he begged. "Please don't hold back for me."

Because Laurel's aura was crashing through him like a tidal wave, Ash knew the sorcerer's mind was more or less blank, his body moving on pure primal need now. It was the best scenario he could have hoped for.

He understood with complete certainty now that the best thing he could do would be to give in to Laurel's demands and pleasure him mercilessly, so he could explode and forget all the ridiculous worries about not having the capability for passion. Canting his hips up into the sorcerer's writhing motions, he felt his already rock-hard cock swell even more at the sound of the uninhibited moans pouring out from his sorcerer.

"Oh, fuck. Ash," he sobbed as his throbbing insides were attacked with a relentless pace. "More. Please." To Ash's amazement, he could sense that Laurel was close to coming already.

When Ash's fingers wrapped around his bobbing cock, Laurel's mind practically melted. His body was acting on its own, like he had no control over it. He couldn't think, couldn't process. All he knew was that he had to keep bouncing on the healer's cock and fucking his slick, tight fist.

"Wait," Laurel whimpered out helplessly, though his verbal request was directly contradicted by the way his hips bucked as if he couldn't get enough of all the sensations. Pleasure was lashing at him like a whip, injecting him with a feeling that he was sure would overwhelm him. "Wait, Ash, I think I'm…"

Arching his back, Laurel could feel bolts of lightning striking down his spine as his balls tightened up to his body, hot streams of come spurting out from him onto Ash's defined abs.

"So tight," Ash ground out, willing himself to still as slick muscles clenched around him. When Laurel shuddered, sapped of strength by the intense orgasm, he melted down onto the healer's chest, panting.

"I'm sorry, I know we just barely started, but…" Groaning a little in his throat, Laurel covered his face with his hands before burying it back against the healer's shoulder. "Oh my god."

"What's wrong?" Ash asked. He was throbbing, his body practically twitching with the need for completion, but he wrapped his arms around Laurel, holding him tightly. "Are you okay? Was I too rough?"

"No," he answered. "No, you're perfect. It feels so good. I just… I didn't know if I could…"

Understanding, Ash nodded, carding his fingers through Laurel's hair so he could gently tilt his head back for a soft kiss. "Don't worry about any of that with me. I told you we would work through it."

"You… You're so amazing, Ash. I don't know what to say. Other than that… I'm kind of embarrassed."

"Don't be embarrassed, gorgeous," Ash murmured softly, gazing into his eyes. Their amber depths were clouded with lust and infatuation. "You're so damn hot when you take what you want like that." Shifting, Ash ran his hands down the sorcerer's smooth back. "Ready for more, or do you need a break?"

Because he could still feel Ash inside him, hard as iron, it was easy for Laurel to admit that he wanted more. "I do but I'm…" He whimpered softly, hoping that his quivering muscles would be enough for the other man to understand.

"Don't worry," Ash said. "I've got you." Keeping his hold on the blonde's supple rear to steady him, he gingerly rose up to his knees, carefully flipping their positions so Laurel was on his back, with Ash's hips settled between his thighs. "Is this okay?"

"This is good." As if to reiterate his approval, Laurel trailed his hands down Ash's muscular back to pet at his hips and pull them more tightly into the space between his legs. Inhaling sharply, he bit down on his lower lip as Ash's cock pushed into him again. "It's really sensitive."

"Because you just came," he explained. "I'll go slow for now so you can get used to it."

True to his word, Ash kept his thrusts gentle and measured, massaging Laurel's inner walls until he was letting out needy whines between their hot kisses. Ash panted out his pleasure at the deliciously tight friction around him as he sped up into a force meant to batter the sorcerer's prostate.

Laurel's muscles seemed to be sucking him in with every pump of his hips, and his dick was grinding into the slick ridges of the healer's stomach, desperate to spill out again.

Though he could tell from Laurel's aura what the answer would be, Ash couldn't stop himself from asking as he buried his face in gleaming blonde hair. "Can I finish in you?"

Shivering, Laurel could only hold onto Ash's neck and nod, gasping and moaning. He wouldn't be able to hold on much longer either. A few more thrusts, and he felt his abdominal muscles tightening, sending out more ribbons of cum to decorate the healer's torso. He heard Ash's groan and felt the healer's fingers tighten on him, just before the wet heat of his release began splashing up inside him, searing his ultra-sensitive inner flesh.

"God, that feels good," Laurel shuddered out, shocked by the truth of it. It had always been the most nauseating thing he couldn't even begin to describe, but feeling Ash tremble against him as he spilled himself was one of the most incredible sensations he had ever felt.

With their sweat-soaked chests pressed together, Ash framed his fairy king's sharp-featured face to pepper kisses over it. He wasn't sure what to say, while he could feel Laurel's head spinning with realizations and emotional turmoil.

"How are you feeling?" He finally asked, when the silence became too heavy.

"I… I don't know," Laurel admitted. His heart was still hammering inside his chest from the intensity of his release, and from the way Ash's forest green eyes seemed to be peering into the depths of his soul. "I'm happy."

"You are exceedingly beautiful when you're happy."

"You always call me that."

"Well, you're also beautiful when you're upset, annoyed, or just generally existing."

"You're so cheesy," Laurel complained, pushing Ash's face away from his with a wry expression, though his lips were turned up into a small smile. "I can't believe how much I like you."

Grinning, Ash could only shake his head. "I'll take that as the compliment I'm completely certain it was intended to be."

LATER IN THEshower, Laurel sighed as the warm spray flowed through his hair, washing away the fragrant shampoo Ash had scrubbed into it. When the healer tugged at him from behind, wrapping toned arms around his lean waist, he purred a little, reclining back into him. He'd lost track of the time that had passed as they'd fucked again and again. He wasn't even sure how many times Ash had made him come. He was blissfully sore, something he hadn't even known could exist.

"You know, any other time your ass would definitely not be safe right now," Ash murmured softly, pressing a kiss to a wet shoulder blade. "But given the circumstances, and the fact that I can tell you're about five minutes from passing out, I'll show you some mercy."

"My chivalrous hero," Laurel said, letting his head fall back onto Ash's strong shoulder. "I don't think there are any fluids left in my body, in any case."

"That's okay," he replied cheerfully, as if he was still full of energy. "You know you can still have an orgasm even if nothing comes out."

Groaning a little, Laurel shook his head, but the man's obvious desire for him gave him the sweetest feeling in his chest. "You're unhinged. For an old man, you have way too much stamina."

Ash chuckled. "What can I say? I'm in good health."

"I know you're getting up and leaving early in the morning, but can I stay here tonight?"

"That was always the plan." Ash said, reaching over to shut off the water. "You want to be the big spoon or the little spoon?"

Smirking, Laurel let himself be wrapped up in a fluffy towel as they stepped out. "Do you really have to ask?"

"Just making sure I'm not depriving you of anything."

Laying a hand on Ash's damp, muscled chest, Laurel gave him an intense look. "I'll let you know if I start feeling deprived."

"Hopefully you don't start feeling it while I'm gone this weekend," Ash remarked, smiling tenderly when Laurel exhaled. His facial expression said that he'd already had the same thought. "It's just a couple days, sunshine."

"Yeah, I know."

Because he sounded supremely unconvinced, Ash pressed a gentle kiss to his temple. "I'll make it up to you when I get back."

"You better." Laurel paused for a few moments, unsure how to voice what he'd been thinking since they'd been in bed together. "Ash, I… I don't really know how to say this, but… All of this means so much to me. You mean so much to me."

Brushing his knuckles over Laurel's cheek, Ash marveled at how much emotion could shine from his smoldering eyes. Though he'd thought it impossible, it seemed he could fall deeper still. "You know I feel the same for you."

Cuddled up in bed after, with one of Ash's arms anchoring him down to the soft mattress, Laurel nuzzled into his pillow.

"Hey, Laurel?" Ash's voice was so low it could barely penetrate the bubble of contentment he seemed to be floating in.

"Hm?"

"Have some fun this weekend. Don't spend it in your room sulking."

"Screw you," he retorted, though his tone lacked any real bite. "I already made plans with March for tomorrow anyway. My world doesn't revolve around you and your big dick, you know."

Because he wasn't sure which statement he found more pleasing, Laurel's assessment of his cock, or the fact that the prickly sorcerer was going to willingly spend time with the fussy royal, Ash only smiled. "I'm serious. When I come back, we have a lot of work to do. So you should relax first."

"Work?"

"I think we might have advanced past our getting to know each other portion of my treatment for you, Laurel," Ash pointed out, keeping his voice light and soothing. "Don't you?" And because he knew him well enough to know that his words would trigger a blast of dread and anxiety, he immediately followed them up with a wave of soothing energy, letting it flow out from his fingers to envelope Laurel's body.

"You think we're ready for that?" he asked, sounding afraid. Then before Ash could give an answer, he gave a slight groan. "Oh, that's completely unfair. You didn't even ask if you could use your stupid magic on me." His words were beginning to slur already.

"Nope," Ash agreed, watching his eyelids begin to droop. He had known that it would only take a bit of calming magic to put him to sleep when he was already so tired and so unguarded. "Better than letting you lay awake all night worrying."

Drifting on a river of sweetness, Laurel sighed, suspended in the mystical realm just between wake and sleep. The now familiar coolness of Ash's magic seeped into his pores, into his soul, filling in all the cracks and holes inside him, forcing out all his worries. "Thank you."

Pressing a soft kiss to the top of his still head, Ash snuggled into a laying position next to him, letting himself fall comfortably into slumber as well.