FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Eleven

_You know that I cannot stay

Yes, I know

It has nothing to do with you or with love

Oh, yes it does_

Xavis awoke with an idea.

The hours passed unmarked. The sky was still dark outside, the wind beating against the pane in Orsin's room, but that meant nothing. The hunter had said the sky could be dark for over twenty hours a day during this season. For all Xavis knew, he had slept right through the patch of light and right on into the next evening.

Xavis hadn't left the bed in what may have been days. Orsin did briefly, and Xavis had snuggled up into the warm spot his body left behind. He half-dozed, hearing the hunter toss a couple logs onto the fire, and later chopping up something to eat. He returned some unmarked period of time later with a meal -- dolyak meat on a stick, lightly seasoned, with water to drink -- and the two ate cross-legged on his bed. Orsin always had an appetite, but even Xavis ate ravenously, little flecks of fat and grease collecting at his whiskers.

Neither really had much urge to head back out into the living room yet, so they set their plates and cups beside the bed and pressed back into one another. They kissed, they embraced, and they slept, with Xavis's idea still bouncing around in the back of his mind. It gave him something to look forward to.

The wind had fallen silent, but the snow was coming down as Xavis opened his eyes, his body finally stirring for some sort of activity. He reached up and gently stroked Orsin's cheek.

"Hey," he whispered. "You awake?"

"Mmhmm," Orsin rumbled, awake enough to respond, but only just barely. He smacked his lips, then opened his maw in a yawn. Xavis could smell the meat on his breath.

"I'm a little bored," he said, as casually as he could. Internally, his chest fluttered with excitement as he gradually built up the question. "You want to do something?"

"Mmph, sure," the hunter grunted. He rolled his shoulders back, smacking his chops, and finally opening his eyes. His lazy brown eyes met Xavis's curiously intent dark gray ones, and he gave the little mesmer a dreamy smile. "Should I get up?"

Xavis snorted, returning the smile with an intent one of his own. "Well, if you're up for it, there's something I'd like to try. You won't have to rise from the bed, but you'll get up, all right."

It was a juvenile pun, but Orsin brought his paw up to his muzzle and snickered anyway, echoing the Ash's internal excitement. Xavis turned his head just a bit, and noticed the faint prickle of pink escaping from the charr's orange furred sheath. "Something new?" the hunter rumbled, rubbing the sleep from one of his eyes.

"Yeah." Xavis laid down on the pillow beside his partner's muzzle. He looked up and down his partner's head, from that ruffled brown mane, his black button nose, those gentle brown eyes, the way his carrot-orange fur was streaked with those white stripes, and how it all grew to white cream along his throat and chest. He really was a handsome charr. "Orsin, did you know that I'm a mesmer?"

Orsin started rubbing the other eye. He smacked his lips a couple times. "I don't think so. But I don't, I don't know that much about mesmers. I don't know if the Citadel had any when I left."

"Some mesmers like to be open about it, but the best mesmers tend to keep it under wraps. You've probably met more than you think." Xavis reached out, putting the tips of his fingers along Orsin's thigh. His eyes were low, and he watched himself stroke delicately along the orange fur. "Part of what makes a mesmer effective is deceit and trickery. It's a lot harder to get somebody to do what you want if their guard is up. Orders of magnitude harder. That's why a lot of mesmers carry around a flask of booze, and offer it pretty willingly." He flashed a grin.

Orsin leaned forward, listening in quiet fascination. He propped his head up on his arm. "I thought you could hypnotise anyone into doing anything."

Xavis shook his head. "There are different limits for different mesmers, and different victims too, but most people can't be coerced into inflicting more than very mild self-harm, or to betray somebody they like or respect. If it were easy, we'd have ruled the world in a week's time. But despite what some people say, the average lout is more skeptical that he's usually given credit."

"Skeptical?" Orsin's right ears gave a flicker.

"Yeah. Resistant, especially to strangers. Everybody thinks everybody else wants something. A favor, some money, for you to buy something. So most have their guard up to mesmer tricks, whether they know it or not."

Orsin scratched the side of his head. He looked a bit mesmerized himself, seeming utterly intrigued by the concept. "I always thought," the big guy growled. He started to sit up, but Xavis slid his paw forward, delicately but insistently keeping his great bulk pinned against the bed. "That you could just make somebody your, I guess, I guess your slave, just with a word, or maybe by looking at them the right way."

"Not quite," Xavis said, running his fingers through the big charr's soft fur. He thought it over, then conceded, "Well, maybe some mesmers can. Very rare ones. Like those elementalists you hear about who can summon giant tornados, or a warrior who can benchpress a dolyak with one hand. I guess mesmers that powerful exist, but if they do, I don't know about them. Which is probably the point."

Orsin grinned at that, and when Xavis returned it with a breezy smile of his own, the hunter grew it into a laugh. "Scorch. I had no idea about all this. But I guess it, I guess it makes sense."

"Yeah. There's a trick to it. Most mesmers have to use kinda, hmm, mundane tactics to get somebody to trust us. Then we turn on the mesmer stuff. Try it too early, and things can go south real fast."

"Scorch," Orsin murmured appreciatively. He furrowed his brow and lapsed into thought.

Xavis was quiet for a long moment, watching his white-furred fingers slip between the fluff of the big guy's chest, losing them like a rabbit in a snowfield. His tail gave a little flicker behind him. He willed his thudding heart to slow down, and tried to speak as simply as he could. "Anyway, I was wondering if you would let me hypnotise you, Orsin."

"Hyp, hypnotise me?" The large charr blinked, and Xavis could feel his body stir beneath his touch. He was apprehensive, but the mesmer could tell there was interest in his voice.

"Yeah." Xavis stroked his hand up the side of Orsin's neck, cupping it around his cheek. "I'm not going to do it without your consent."

Xavis could see the gears turning in the big guy's head. "But," he murmured slowly, wrapping his freshly-woken brain around the concept. He had this way of furrowing his brow dramatically when he was thinking deeply, and his eyes were nearly obscured by the intensity. "Isn't, isn't hypnotism all about? Not consenting? Forcing somebody to do something?"

"This'll be a little different," Xavis said soothingly. He shook his head. "If you'll let me, I won't make you to do anything embarrassing. I would make it a very pleasant experience for you. But, well, yes. I mean, I'm not going to lie about it. I'd be putting you in a situation where you couldn't..." The Ash puffed his cheeks out and sighed. There really wasn't a more diplomatic way to put this. "Where you couldn't revoke consent once it's given. I guess in that sense, it's scarier than being tied up."

Orsin lowered his chin to his chest, frowning thoughtfully. Xavis felt a stab of an urge to lean forward, to kiss his brow. To pet him, to look into his eyes, to coerce him into saying 'yes'. He had been trained in the art of manipulation his entire life of both magical and mundane means, and he wanted this -- he wanted to do this with Orsin more than he had ever felt on even the most high-stakes mission.

The yearning was deep in his bones, and it was made no easier by the knowledge that even if he said he wouldn't strip the hunter's guard, he could. Orsin wouldn't even see it coming. The mesmer would lift the big charr's chin, stare into his helpless eyes, and watch them glaze over into indolent obedience. Xavis could have his way, and could make it so the hunter woke up later with absolutely no knowledge. It would be the easiest thing in the world.

Xavis pulled his hand back from Orsin's chest, turned his head away, and waited for Orsin to make up his own mind.

"Is it scary?" The large charr's voice was quiet. Not intimidated, not even frightened, but there was a soft seriousness to his tone. Xavis turned to look at him.

"Only a little bit, and for a moment. It's like free-falling. You feel a tiny stab in the pit of your stomach, and then just..."

Joy, bliss, ecstacy.

"... Whatever the mesmer wants you to feel."

Orsin nodded, seeming to have expected that. He had pulled himself up into a sitting position, and this time, Xavis left him. The Ash felt queerly unsettled. He found himself wondering if he had made this suggestion too soon, and in so doing, ruined his chance.

"Xavis?"

The little charr turned his head. Orsin reached for his arm, wrapping both of his big meaty paws around the agent's slender arm.

"One of the first things they taught me in the fahrar," Orsin said slowly. His brown eyes were piercing, staring hard into Xavis's own. "Is to not trust Ash. That they've always got an agenda. That they'll lie, and... cheat, or steal. You, you said something like that the other day, too."

Xavis didn't move. He just watched Orsin. He didn't say that he had been taught the same.

"I don't... I guess I don't care about that. I know your job is important, Xavis, and I know, I know that you're going back to it as soon as you can. And I'm not going, I'm not gonna stop you. But I don't think of you as an Ash."

Xavis watched, and he still said nothing.

"And that means I'm... it means I do trust you. And I think, I think what makes me want to trust you, is that you didn't have to ask. You didn't have to ask, if you didn't want to."

Xavis crinkled his nose. His right eye stung. He brushed at it with a scowl. He felt like he had been sucker punched while he was feeling vulnerable, but in a peculiar way that made him want to get socked again just as hard. He nodded, looking at Orsin through his good eye.

"So, I'm, I guess what I want to say is, yeah. I'm trusting you, Xavis. So let's do this."

Xavis fell into Orsin's arms. He smashing muzzle to muzzle, catching the big guy off guard, and pushed against his chest. Orsin let out a surprise grunt as he toppled onto his back, then snickered against Xavis's maw and his tongue, furiously kissing at him.

They kissed for a few long moments. Orsin's arms were holding the charr on top of him, but as Xavis suddenly burst back to unlodge himself from the hunter's grasp, they fell onto the bed near his head. He blinked as Xavis grasped him by the wrists, pinning him back. The little charr was stradling him now, keeping him supine.

Brow furrowed, muzzle an inch over Orsin's, Quilltrot asked: "Ready?"

"R-ready."

They stared into each other's eyes, and for the longest time, nothing happened. Orsin started to turn his head away, but Xavis lowered his muzzle and, delicately but insistently, forced the hunter's head straight. Forced him to keep making eye contact.

Orsin was just about to speak when he noticed a little flicker of something pink dancing in Xavis's pupil. He breathed in, squinted, stared. It moved around in airy, swirling patterns, leaving little streaks of thin pastel purple in its wake. Orsin found himself getting closer, nearing the little colorful spark. He wasn't moving consciously for it, but approaching it felt as easy and automatic as walking.

His arms stirred beneath Xavis's grasp. His maw opened slightly, then snapped shut. His brown eyes widened at he stared upward into the mesmer's glowing eyes, then gradually lidded to half-open.

The speck was large enough to make out now. A little glowing butterfly danced around in Xavis's eyes, dipping from one pupil to the other, and back again. Orsin found himself intruged, single-mindedly focused. What was it doing here? Would it stop for him? How did it become so beautiful? It was growing bigger -- no, he was getting closer -- he could almost touch it -- he wanted to touch it--

Xavis did not smile, but there was warmth and mirth in his tone as he cooed, "What do you see?"

The words came out as a garbled "Buh-fye." His eyes were half-closed now, his brown irises glazed over in dim, single-minded focus. He still stirred now and then; his yellow-padded fist would clench and then open, or his mouth would grind for just a moment as though chewing on his cud. Sometimes his stomach would push upward against Xavis's body, or his shoulder would give the faintest tremor. But for the most part, Orsin was still, and growing stiller as the hypnotism cantrip reached its end.

Xavis blinked and shook his head. The pink spark was gone from his eyes. He took a couple seconds to recover, and then moved his head, inspecting Orsin. The big guy was breathing, low but steady, and his drooping eyes occasionally blinked. But he had a glassy-eyed, dumb expression, and there was a little flicker of pink light lazily sweeping in the darkness of both irises. A trickle of drool was leaking out of the side of his mouth.

Xavis smirked, pleased at his handiwork. They never do tell you about the drool, do they?

"Orsin," the mesmer said. He pushed himself up, trying to tower over the larger more as much as his stature would allow. He mused that his voice had even gotten deeper as he voiced his command. "Can you hear me?"

"Uh huh," the laying orange charr burbled.

"Lift your right arm, then your left. Then lower them both."

Orsin did not hesitate. He did as bade, lifting his right arm toward the ceiling. His left lifted, ran parallel, before they both came crashing back to the bed.

Xavis crinkled his nose. He was a little out of practice, so he took a few moments to go over the basic rules in his head. The one rule above all pulsed in his mind like the beat of a metronome.

Set the stage.

He cleared his throat, then spoke in clear, precise commands, almost as though reading off of script.

"Orsin, until I tell you to 'wake up', you will do everything I tell you to do, and will feel everything I tell you to feel. I am your master, and you are my, mmm." So many choices. He considered this for a moment, then settled on a personal favorite. "My pet. You will revere me as the most loyal dog reveres his owner, and cling to my every word as though your life depends on it. Do you understand?"

"Uhh-hh," Orsin rumbled through his open mouth. The massive charr peered at Xavis with a distant, dreamy expression, the purple-pink glow muted but everpresent. The sound was affirmative enough, so Xavis continued.

"When you displease me, you will feel shame, and regret. But when you please me, you will feel exalted, happy, relieved." His tongue dipped out of his mouth and rushed along his chops. "And the deepest arousal you have ever experienced. If I ask you something, or tell you to do something, you will refer to me as master. Do you understand?"

"Rrrhhhhh... yes, master."

"Good. What a sweet charr you are." Xavis reached out, spreading his fingers along the side of Orsin's cheek and stroking along to his ears.

The effect was instantaneous. Orsin let off a low moan, closing his eyes and rubbing his cheek desperately against Xavis's palm. His body shook slightly as he pushed so hard, Xavis could barely keep his arm in place, eliciting a surprised, then pleased, chuckle from the mesmer.

Set the stage.

"When I touch you, it's like electricity," Xavis growled, peeling his hand back from Orsin's head only to bring both down to his chest. He slid his fingers along the charr's muscular pectoral muscles, reaching beyond his pits toward those thick biceps. "You're so happy, you can barely hold still, Orsin. You are so happy to be such a handsome and loving charr. So happy to be worth my attention. So happy to have me revere your body, as your mind reveres me. You feel yourself becoming more and more aroused, and all that is keeping you lying on your back is knowing that if you rise, I will stop."

"Hnn... rrrff, rrrff..." Orsin's teeth were grit. He shifted beneath Xavis's touch with almost overdramatic eagerness, pulling parts of his body taut beneath his fingers. His cheeks were laced with a deep redness, and he gave soft, bestial smacks of primal delight as Xavis explored him with his hands.

Giving the orders was always Xavis's least favorite part of the process. Spelling everything out so clearly had always struck him as cheesy, faintly embarrassing. But a mesmer couldn't cut corners. A mesmer had to phrase his words carefully and clearly as though speaking to a half-wit, which really wasn't far from the truth. He couldn't presume his victim would be able to infer from any implications, and metaphors were a sketchy proposition. He had to be very specific, and subtly went right out the window.

It could feel a bit gaudy for a stern charr like Quilltrot, but as Orsin's body stirred helplessly beneath him, Xavis had to concede that it was worth it. The hunter's maw had creaked open as wide as a yawn, and he let out agonized, randy groans at when Xavis did nothing more than squeeze his shoulders, or stroke his bicep, or grasp at his wrists. The Ash could feel the bigger male's hips bucking into the air, stirred up beyond his control, his tongue flopping and dribbling saliva all over his chin.

Xavis leaned forward and kissed that tongue, and was nearly covered by the desperation of Orsin's muzzle as the hypnotized charr pushed back against him, exacting almost violent force. They bonked noses, and the Ash winced from the sudden sharp pain. He grimaced as Orsin smooched and lapped hungrily at his face. Xavis managed a few quick return kisses -- he couldn't really fault the big guy for the accident, not fairly -- before needing to pull back, and he growled a little curse below his breath.

"That hurt, Orsin," he told the big charr, rubbing his nose. The words sunk in through the big charr's addled mind, and the Ash regretted them the moment he was out. Xavis could already see the near horror starting to cross the addled charr's face as Orsin realized he had, in some small iota of understanding, displeased his master. His body had grown still in shock and shame. His ears went flat against the side of his head, his broad shoulders raised, and his expression became gradually forlorn.

"Nnnn, sahh-ree... masturr," he whimpered.

Xavis cursed himself again. He should have remembered. Scorch, I really am out of practice.

The mesmer leaned forward and stroked his hands through the supine charr's mane. He could see the absolute, uninhibited worry in the big guy's droopy eyes, which were just starting to water up as though he might cry. He was still drooling in that weirdly endearing way.

Xavis spoke in soothing tones. "It didn't hurt. I was kidding. You didn't do anything wrong, Orsin. You're a beautiful, handsome, obedient pet, and you are pleasing your master. But what I want you to do is pretend you are bound to the bed, and that you can only move your arms and legs when I lift them for you. Do you understand?"

A tremor of joy ran down the hunter's spine. His biceps and thighs stiffed out of the corner of Xavis's vision. His voice was a slurred, masculine groan. "Nnngh, yes, master. I, nnnppphill obey, master."

Xavis gave his maw a parting kiss and a quiet, "Nice touch," before lifting his head. He arched his back and craned his hips, and beyond the bump of his own butt, he could see Orsin's fully erect penis, pointing straight toward the ceiling.

He had other ideas first.

Xavis clambored off of Orsin, coming down to his knees on either side of the bigger male. He stroked down his rounded creamy white belly, navigating around the orange-sheathed spire, grazing along the white stripes of his inner thigh as he made his way down to the charr's furry, padded hindpaws.

Set the stage.

"More than anything," Xavis spoke over his shoulder, taking a moment to swallow. Orsin's body seemed tensed, eager, wanting to pounce, but held back by his own obedience to the mesmer's command. The Ash's fingers grazed along Orsin's curved ankle, but went no further. "More than anything in Tyria, more than me touching your crotch, you want to feel my fingers on your foot. Lifting, touching, stroking, feeling. It would be the most satisfying, pleasurable, desireable feeling you've ever felt. It would make you unbearably horny, but you won't climax until I say so. Do you understand?"

Orsin gulped, panted, groaned, gasped. His hips stirred, but he still managed to keep his leg and foot mostly still. Not perfect, but the effort was there. He gulped, partially obscuring his words. "-Ss, master," he rasped in the affirmative. His half-pooled pink-speckled eyes stared down at the kneeling mesmer with pleading anticipation. He craned his right foot, ankle tensing beneath Xavis's grasp, as he brought it as close as possible to the Ash's body. He was yearning for the touch.

Xavis slid forward, bringing himself around to face the bottom of Orsin's right footpaw. He wrapped his fingers around the big charr's sole, squeezed as much of his foot as he could, and pulled the hefty paw onto his lap.

The effect was immediate. Orsin's leg tensed, stretched, pushed his foot tightly into Xavis's grasp. He lifted his head and let out a loud, debased moan, spittle collecting at his fangs. His toes pulled immediately taut, splaying apart, fully exposing the orange fur between them. Xavis spared the briefest glance over his shoulder, but he didn't need the sight of his partner's dribbling, twitching spire to confirm the other male's arousal. Orsin was precumming so hard, Xavis could smell it.

His yellow-tan pads were soft and smooth, and even with his toes extended and sole stretched, they squished pleasantly beneath Xavis's touch. The footpaw was so big, nearly as thick and long as his upper torso; even as the Ash intentionally avoided Orsin's weak point below the central pad, he still had plenty of room to explore. He smirked as he dug his fingers into the bases of Orsin's furry orange toes, and felt the big guy squeeze them against his hand in ravenous delight.

"Orsin," the mesmer said softly. His voice was scarcely audible over the bestial noises coming from the hypnotized charr, but he carried on in those same quiet tones. "I want every fiber of your being committed to how good this feels. You've never felt anything this exciting. It feels better, than the best orgasm you've ever had."

That gave him an idea, and he suppressed a grin.

"And the more I touch you, the closer you get to the absolute peak. And when I lean forward, and press my lips against your toes..." He grinned, squishing the larger male's pads and holding the hindpaw still with one hand, as the other lazily brushed up and down the center. "I want you to feel your foot climax. Do you understand?"

"Hhhhhn, hnnnnnngggh -- nnnnnnnnpphhhh -- 'esssss, rrrrnngggghhh-- 'ssster--"

Orsin could not keep his leg still. Try as he might to obey the original request of self-imposed paralysis, his thighs shook with the failed effort of remaining stationary. He thrust his trembling leg to full extension. His foot was so big, so powerful, that as he turned his ankle and rotated the arch of his paw in Xavis's grasp, the mesmer had to hold on with both hands just to keep him still.

He ended up fully embracing the foot, feeling it thrash and shift and churn and clench in his grasp. The little charr had to be mindful of the hunter's sharp toeclaws, lest he be accidentally lacerated by what was technically a weapon. He pushed his thumb and palm against Orsin's toes to push them back, keeping the claws away from his chest as he hugged the sole against his body. His other hand kept low, controlling the heel and the dewclaw sticking out of it.

This close, the overwhelming maleness of Orsin's scent was driving Xavis to deeper depths of arousal. He knew he was hard enough to bust a hole through the wall. Whenever he reminded himself that his arousal was hardly a fraction as strong as the hunter whose paw he now held, he felt his excitement spike.

Orsin was whimpering between puffs for air now, his eyes squeezed shut, head thrown back against his pillow. His whole body was writhing now, his back arching, arms flexing tense against the mental restrains around his wrists. His whines were low, piteous in their earnesty. Xavis had noticed that his penis, glistening from the pre in the soft light of the cabin, was pulsing less frequently now, and realized that he probably maintaining at a near permanent full throb.

Slowly, teasingly, almost mechanically, Xavis began to lower his muzzle. Orsin's foot stirred in his grasp tensely, unable to keep still, and the Ash kept the toes pull back to prevent a claw to the face. Xavis stole a look up the orange charr's body, inched closer, and finally sealed the distance between them with a long, savory kiss right into the bases of three of his toes.

Xavis had been able to prevent getting his face sliced, but he couldn't stop the kick to the face as Orsin helplessly pushed his leg forward in the throes of induced ecstacy. The hunter's whine rose into a pained moan as his body pulsed with relief, with joy, with the electrical equivalent of orgasmic pleasure that jolted from his toes up to his head. The bed creaked under the weight of his barely-restrained thrashes. His toes throbbed against Xavis's mouth as he kissed him sloppily.

The Ash sought out his toes, pad, instep, arch, heel, driving the euphoric pleasure up Orsin's spine until, at last, the hunter let out a long, deeply satisfied sigh, and his foot sagged in the Ash's grasp.

Xavis lifted his muzzle. It hurt a little from the kick, but he could take it. He checked Orsin's body. The charr had come to a sort of tentative rest as the equivalent of an afterglow set in. The bigger male's dick was still leaking that transluscent fluid -- nothing viscous yet -- but the ordeal of the orgasm below his knees seemed to take his mind off of his penis entirely. He was gulping down breath as though he had just finished a marathon. Xavis poked and prodded at his footpaw, and while he could get an occasional twitch or appreciative wriggle now and then, the big guy was, weighed against the previous exaggerated reactions, unresponsive.

It really had been just like an orgasm.

Though Xavis kept Orsin's foot in his lap, he decided to give the big guy a minute's rest. He looked up Orsin's burly body, admiring the tensing muscles of the hunter's thick thighs, his chest, his arms, that dribbling spire always in his periphery. The blurry-eyed charr peered dimly down at his master with a look of distant yet encompassing admiration, not even seeming to see the erect rod jutting up between them.

With one hand, Xavis began to gently stroke Orsin's ankle. His other became a fist, and he began to pump himself off, his shaft parallel to, and a mere inch from, the large footpaw in his lap.

"What a good, good pet," Xavis cooed, watching the euphoria ripple across the hunter's skin. Many of the enraptured charr's furs were standing on end now, giving parts of him an unevenly fluffy appearance. He ran his thumb along his own cockhead, sparking up a bit of pre. He dabbed the crook of his thumb and index finger against the slippery font, and resumed his jerking motions. "Do you like having your feet touched?"

The lidded eyes opened up slightly, showing the pink and purple spark still dancing around in the blacks of his eyes. His voice was a rumbling sigh, full of dreamy contentment. "Yyyesss, masterrrr." His chops pulled back to reveal rows of white teeth. Even in his zombified state, Orsin's grin was so true to form, so genuine, that Xavis jerked himself a little harder. "I rrreally like it, masterrrrrrph."

Simple words, but there was such raw honesty -- by nature of the craft, it could be no other way -- that Xavis felt his heart quicken. He thought it might burst. It was a struggle to keep his voice calm as he said, as though speaking to a fahrar cub, "Can we be sure, Orsin? I said feet, but we've only touched one."

As he reached for the hunter's left paw, Xavis could see the gears working in the orange charr's addled head to figure out the implications of his words. He thought Orsin may have figured it out in just the last second as he wrapped his hands around his previously untouched foot. Orsin gave off a sudden, surprised, excited groan, his left leg locking to full extension, his foot jerking to tautness in the Ash's grasp. His right foot may have needed a recovery period, just like any guy, but his left was prime for the picking.

Xavis tugged, half-pulling this new paw closer to his body, and half-bringing himself up to his knees. He felt his shaft slide along Orsin's right paw, streaking a thin line of pre as he moved around the foot, bringing himself onto all fours. His crotch, previously the resting grounds for Orsin's right heel, was now suspended over his toes, and his elbows dug into the cloth of the bed. His fingers kneaded encouragingly at Orsin's central pad, causing ripples of delight to zip up his ankle, his thigh, all along his body.

Orsin was stirred back up in an instant. He let out a long, eager groan through grit teeth, his toes splaying in a familiar way, allowing Xavis full access to the bushes of orange fur sprouting between them. Xavis pushed the fingers of his right hand between those opened toes and rubbed against him with his palm. His left hand was busy pounding away at his groin, knuckles occasionally scraping along the toes of the otherwise untouched right foot.

"Huhhhhhnnnnghhhh," the bigger charr cried out, the pink in his eyes disappearing behind squints. He surrendered his body his own carnal pleasure, as he had surrendered his mind. Spittle trickled from his mouth like the precum from his penis. "Unnnnnnngggppphhh..."

Bending over and sticking his rump out, Xavis motioned his muzzle closer to the fresh left foot. He was close enough that the charr's musk was strong again, and when Orsin's toes clenched or arch shifted, he would sometimes pass a part of his foot within a half-inch of the mesmer's lips. Xavis could feel his scrotum bouncing against his fist as he masturbated himself. He felt himself dribbling on the bed. He had wanted to hold off for the grand finale, but groaned as he felt himself cross a threshold, and decided to hit it full charge.

He bumped forward, pressing his snout against Orsin's sole and digging his nose into the crooks of his toes. He parted his maw, putting his lips on the top and bottom parts of the smooth pad, kissing him sloppily.

The ripple of overwhelming, agonized pleasure thrummed up Orsin's leg, and he let out a raspy, choked moan as he tipped his muzzle toward the ceiling. He had arched his back so much that the top of his head and part of his eyes were hidden by the pillow. His body bucked as he stretched his paw to this unfamiliar but rapturous sensaiton.

His thick footpaw kneaded against Xavis's face in mindless euphoria, unable to keep still even as Xavis's right hand struggled to do so. It wasn't easy for the Ash, using his arms to simultaneously keep Orsin's paw stationary, prop his body up, and masturbate himself. Orsin's claws pricked and smushed against Xavis's nose, but the Ash kept kissing him fervently, determined to see Orsin's podal orgasm through until--

Until--

Xavis squeezed his eyes shut and cried out, his voice muffled by Orsin's pad. He inhaled deep through his nose, one final intake of the hunter's raw masculine scent, before his fist carried him over the edge. His hips bucked, jerked, plunged forward. He felt his own climax come rushing forward in a hot burst, and he let out another groan, coming right alongside his partner's foot. He opened his mouth wide and took as much of that pad into his maw as he could, feeling, hearing, and smelling his seed come rushing out of him and slathering the bed below his belly.

He let go of his shaft, lashing out for Orsin's recovering right paw. He wrapped his palm around the toes. They clawed him hard enough that he thought his palm might be bleeding, but he didn't care. He jerked Orsin's right hindpaw close and smeared the underside of his shaft along the groove made betwen the line of his toes and his bulbous pad. He felt himself burst across his foot, and he groaned against Orsin's other foot, still keeping it pressed to his lips.

When he had finished, Xavis collapsed onto the bed with a loud groan, his cheek smearing against the sheets. His body slumped, his legs going over the side of the bed, and he could feel his chest and stomach rubbing against the already cooling wetness he had spilled.

He was panting, but his own sounds seemed faint against the raspy, desperate gasps of the supine hunter. Orsin's tongue was lolling out of his mouth, and he still had his eyes squeezed shut, muzzle tilted to the ceiling. He looked absolutely spent, and Xavis could feel his mouth curl against the bed as he smiled. The big guy had just orgasmed twice in just a few minutes, after all. It was enough to take the wind out of any male, mesmerized or not.

And yet his balls were still full.

Xavis felt spent, but there was still one last mountain to climb. When he felt ready to move again, he lurched forward, pulling himself foot by crawling foot into the space left by Orsin's parted thighs. The big guy stirred only slightly, barely starting to creak one eye open, as Xavis bumped his nose against the hunter's orange-furred scrotum, scented him, and then opened his maw to take the sack into his mouth.

Orsin let out a tired yet aroused whimper, stirring. The old charr had been stirred into overdrive, and, like an overheating machine, looked winded and overstimulated. The rush of endorphins had left him exhausted. Nevertheless, amidst a gentle whine that crescendoed into a loud groan, his body urged forward against the pleasurable touch of the mesmer, and his hips began to move, thighs opening wider to allow the smallest charr full access to his privates.

Xavis slurped Orsin's ballsack for a few moments, tasting his raw scent. His scrotum was soft and fuzzy in his mouth, and he suckled gingerly upon each testicle. When Orsin's groaning reached a fever pitch only moments later, the Orders agent slid forward, bumping his nose agaisnt the hunter's furred sheath. The big guy groaned, bucking his hips upward, and lifting Xavis along with him.

The Ash leaned forward, turning his muzzle to the side perpendicular to the big charr's shaft. He wrapped his teeth behind his chops and took it sideways into his mouth, sliding his mouth up the side of his slickened penis. He felt it pulse in his mouth, and pushed back against Orsin as he thrust upward autonomously against him.

Wrapping his arms beneath the hunter's legs and hefting him up on his shoulders, Xavis ran his hands up his thighs. He pushed his snout forward until he found the head of Orsin's malehood, and he took it into his mouth amidst a series of rasping, breathless noises. The big guy let out a long, pained whimper, slowly but powerfully plunging his shaft upward and hooking it within Xavis's maw. The precum spilled against his tongue, and he sucked it down into his throat.

He pulled back with a loud suckling noise, puffing for air. He looked up Orsin's body, and saw the hypnotized charr peering down at him with those exhausted, pink-dappled eyes, his mouth hanging open. Xavis nuzzled his cheek against his tip, and decided to finally stop teasing the poor guy.

"All right, Orsin," he murmured. He leaned forward to give his cocktip a final kiss. "You can come now."

The immediate burst of broiling cum smashed against Xavis's face with the force of a projectile. His head jerked back as the spike of heat lashed across his face, just in time to avoid getting speared in the eye by Orsin's erection in a full-force upward thrust. The bigger charr let out a howl that filled the cabin as he volcanoed over his chest in geyser-like bursts. Save for the arch of his hips, his body had locked up as though stricken by a sudden sense of paralysis.

Xavis had never seen anything like it. He wrapped his arm tighter around Orsin's thigh, orienting his body enough to just grasp and hold on to that pulsing thickness. He leaned in and just stared at the outpour of seminal fluid flushing from the hunter's tip, hearing it rain in wet plops against his white-furred chest over the backdrop of his near wheezing groans now. The Ash leaned in and gave the shaft a gentle kiss, hardly a peck, his eyes crossing to stare at the head, fixated on an orgasm that looked like it would never end.

But it did. Xavis looked over the results of the climax, and genuinely could not believe how much seed Orsin had spilled over himself. The bigger male was gasping for air in tired, exasperated inhales, his breath catching in his throat. He was sweating, his ears were drooping, and the pink swirls of his eyes were mostly hidden behind lids that nearly closed him all the way.

Orsin had reached his physical limit. Maybe passed it. Xavis felt a swirl of emotions too obfuscating to pin down --'proud' and 'sympathetic' would be two of the closest facsimiles -- but knew he had overexerted the poor hunter. Even under a hypnotic state, a body could only produce so many pleasurable chemicals. It was time to bring him out.

So Xavis crawled over his body and settled on top of him. He wriggled his torso, smearing the seed of their labor between their chests, and arched his butt just enough to drag his ballsack so that it stuck out slightly behind him, rather than squishing it beneath his bulk. He pulled his arms up around Orsin's head and brought him close.

"Kiss me," he whispered, and the hunter complied. He was still breathing hard, puffing his hot breath against Orsin's face and whimpering with the effort, but there was so much adoration and affection for his partner -- his master -- that Xavis made no more commands for over a minute.

Finally, he pulled his muzzle back, swallowed, and began to break the spell. "You did very good, pet," he murmured, then raised his voice to be sure he could be heard over the charr below him. "It's time for you -- to wake up." And he leaned back in to kiss him.

He had expected Orsin to freeze up, to come to in a daze, or at the very least pull his head back. He did not. They were kissing as Orsin closed his pink-dappled eyes, and they continued kissing when he opened them back up, revealing his normal browns the color of new spring earth. Now, he could move his arms, and he did so, bringing them up and wrapping them around Xavis's body. He pinned the Ash close to him, squeezing him so tight Xavis thought he might pop.

His heart was pounding so heavily in his chest that it took Xavis a moment to realize that Orsin was speaking. Not just speaking -- babbling. His words were occasionally drowned out by slurs as he kissed at Xavis's muzzle, his cheeks, his chin, his nose.

"That was incredible," he gushed, voice as full of excitement and wonder as exhaustion. "Scorch -- I could -- that was amazing, I could feel it, but I also couldn't, nnnnngh, it was like a dream, I couldn't move, but I was moving, and I could feel everything -- it was so -- there was so much to it, but everything felt so good, better than anything I've -- better than anything in the world -- you're so wonderful, hoh, Xavis, burn me, burn my tail right off, you're so beautiful, you're incredible, thank you, thank you -- thank you --"

Xavis tried to push out of Orsin's grasp. He was smiling, visibly embarrassed, and was trying to weasel his way out of the barrage of kisses and compliments. This wasn't uncommon; different people had different reactions to being awoken from hypnosis, but intense, babbling affection wasn't unusual. Xavis idly recalled hearing patients who were awoken from anasthesia having a similar impulse.

But then Orsin said something that ran like a shock down Xavis's spine, freezing him in a way he had thought he would have been too drained to feel.

"Thank you, Xavis, I love you, I love you, I've never felt this way b'fore -- scorch, this's love, it's gotta be love, it's so beautiful, and you are too--"

"Orsin," Xavis replied with a nervous chuckle. He shook his head. "You don't mean that. You're just feeling the after-effects. But you did enjoy it, right?"

"Yeah -- yeah, scorch, I did, I do, and I mean it, Xavis, I mean it -- hoh, I really do love you, you're so amazing, I don't got the words, hoh, hoh scorch, that was the best thing I've ever done..."

Tears were leaking from the hunter's face now, also not an uncommon reaction. The Ash lifted his shoulders, adding a big dollop of chaos to the drastically conflicting menagerie of emotions swirling around inside him now. He couldn't deal with this right now. But he had a way to get out.

"I'm glad you trusted me," he said with just a trace of anxiety. His eyes flashed not with purple and pink, but with a muted icy blue. "Go to sleep, Orsin. You need to rest."

"Mmmmmm," the hunter murmured, and the corners of his mouth curled into a dreamy, happy smile. He inhaled deep through his chest, lifting Xavis with the effort, and let it slowly go as he drifted off. Another moment later, and he was fast asleep, his arms still wrapped around Xavis and cuddling him tightly.

Xavis watched him sleep for a moment. There were still so many questions he had, and so much he needed to figure out. He could feel anxiety twisting in his stomach already. But he forced himself to stop thinking for one moment, and just look at the serene smile of the slumbering charr. He had started growling very, very softly on the exhale, and his chest and throat thrummed with satisfied contentment.

What am I going to do?

The thought stabbed him in the chest. He lowered his head. He tucked his muzzle beneath Orsin's chin and laid there, pressed against the other's chest, eyes open, his maw locked into an expression of grim uncertainty. He was lost in thought for hours, the wind beating snow against the pane overhead and the big charr rumbling in his sleep below.

**********************************************************************************

Twelve

_Well it's not enough that you depend on me

And it's not enough that you say you love me

It's not enough

To just save face_

The sky was dark when Orsin emerged from his room, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He hadn't bothered to put his loincloth on. The fire was churning away merrily in its place, and the cabin was filled with the smell of salted meat fried in dolyak grease. There was a certain delectable spice that Orsin couldn't put his finger on, but even as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, his delicate nose couldn't stop sniffing away.

He could see Xavis just around the corner of the kitchenette, sashaying around the little room. The little charr had thrown on some pants, but was shirtless as he moved around. He was visibly a 'clean as you go' sort of charr, and Orsin watched him with a slight smile as the Ash would stir a bowl, pour its contents, and immediately wipe the counter. At one point, he slipped a tray into the oven, then get right to work on the dishes.

Orsin approached the kitchenette, stopping to stretch his arms up over his head. His knuckles grazed against the ceiling.

Xavis regarded him with a curt smile out of the corner of his eye, then turned back to the sink.

"Good morning," the Ash said, voice stiff. "How did you sleep?"

"Best I ever had," Orsin rumbled, his body drooping a bit but his smile bright as the sun on snow. "Whacha cookin'?"

"Dolyak sausages," Xavis replied crisply, not looking up. "With some buttered potatoes and peppers. Figure we may as well use the vegetables before they go bad."

Orsin's tail gave a little flicker-flick, and he nodded his approval. "What's that spice you used? It smells, scorch, it smells great."

Xavis started to smile, but it didn't get far. He set the last bowl up in the rack by the sink, then turned, crossing one leg over the other. He gave Orsin a brief look, then peered past him into the living room. "Oregano."

Orsin's smile took on a more bemused edge. There was something off about the little charr this morning. He was almost cold. Orsin suddenly felt very self-conscious, and wished he had slipped on a loincloth before he had left his room.

"It smells great," the hunter said cheerfully, still watching Xavis. "Is it almost done?"

"Couple minutes, I think."

Orsin grinned, patting his stomach. "I, uh, I guess I really worked up an appetite last night. Scorch, I could stuff a whole dolyak in my mouth and have room for seconds!"

Xavis didn't so much as crack a smile. "Yeah, I'll bet." The mesmer lowered his gaze to the stove and held it there.

Silence in the cabin. Orsin raised a hand and rubbed at the side of his neck. He was hunched over now. He turned his body and moved one leg forward as though to casually obscure his genitals. He was really regretting not wearing that loincloth. But how could he have known the little charr would be in such a bad mood? He thought Xavis would be delighted to see him in the buff. Unless...

Orsin turned his head to regard the mesmer. "Can we talk about last night?"

Xavis nodded, and he put on a thin, unconvincing smile. "Of course. How was your first hypnosis experience?"

"Not that," Orsin said. He started to shook his head, froze, then chuckled anxiously. "W-well, yes, that, eventually." Lashings of red pulled at the orange of his cheeks, and Xavis turned his gaze away instinctively. "But about what's bothering you. It's beca--"

"Scorch, you really do just jump right in, don't you?" the mesmer interrupted. He tried to keep his voice from sounding irritated, but it came off as brusque. "Is this a conversation you really want to have now? First thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, naked as a scalding newborn?"

Orsin stole a glance toward the kitchenette's window, and the dark skies outside. The wind was as strong as ever, and the pane was pelted with snow and pebbles and broken up branches at regular intervals.

"Yeah," Orsin replied. He nodded as he turned back to Xavis. "Scorch, I was starving a minute ago, but now I'm not hungry at all. And I'm not gonna, not gonna eat until I know what's wrong."

Xavis sighed. It was an exasperated sound, but he followed it up by bringing his paws up to his face. "Right, you're right. Scorch, you're right. I'm being a harpy's buttcrack. I just don't know what to do, Orsin. I don't know what to say."

Orsin smiled. He stepped into the kitchenette, grabbing his apron off of the refridgerator. He took a few moments to hang it over his neck and tie it around him. His bare legs still stuck out around it, but most of his body was covered. He folded his fingers together, holding them in front of his body like a businessman preparing to conduct an interview.

Xavis broke a little more. He cracked a small, tired smile at the sight.

"Orsin, I--"

"Just a moment," the hunter interjected. He paused for an instant, cleared his throat, then added, "Sorry. I know you got a lot to say. But I think I should speak first. I think it'll help."

Xavis frowned. It was written on his face that he thought otherwise. But he made a gesture, palm up, for Orsin to continue.

Orsin smiled, and did.

"I do love you, Xavis. And I already know what you're gonna say. I can think of three things."

He counted them off on his fingers as he listed them off. "One's that we've only, we've only known one another for less than a week. That's not enough time to really love someone, and maybe I'm just feeling clingy because it's so lonely out here. Maybe I'm just desperate for something warm to cling to. Two's that I had just come out of that spell, I wasn't thinking right. Emotional overload, or, or something. And three's the really hard one, huh?"

Xavis swallowed, watching.

"Three's that you don't love me back. Or maybe that you can't. You can't, because you know you've, you've got to leave me. I don't think you're afraid of your heart breaking, nothing like that, I think that if you could leave, you would, and you'd get over it in a day or two. But I think you're worried that it's going to break me."

Xavis brought a paw up to his muzzle. He was watching Orsin closely now.

Orsin shook his head. He held up the three fingers, then balled his hand into a fist as though to dismiss them. "You shouldn't worry. You don't have to love me back if that'll make it easier for you, Xavis. I don't want my feelings to be... hell." He put his hand up to his forehead and closed his eyes, trying to phrase it properly.

"It's that I don't want you to feel like I'm holding you hostage. The blizzard's doing that enough to both of us. I didn't blurt out how I felt in some sort of, some sort of hope you'd feel too guilty to leave me. I'm not some sort of, some sort of plant that'll just wither and die if you leave me behind. And I didn't say that I love you in the hope that you would feel the same, either. I just said it because it was true, and it is. And I probably should have..."

He shrugged, opening his arms and showing his palms. "Should have kept my mouth shut, and waited for a better time, but now that it's out, I'm not gonna take it back. I love you even if you don't love me, and I'm okay with that. Hell, I'm better than okay, I'm scorching grateful for what I've got, grateful for whatever you're willing to give, and I'm gonna stay loving you and I'm gonna stay grateful even after you're gone, and... Xavis?"

The little mesmer had crumpled to the floor, his head in his hands. He was sobbing quietly, his back to the cupboard, head bowed, ears folded. His tufted tail lay motionless on the floor.

Orsin hesitated for only a second. He wondered if he should keep his distance, and immediately dismissed the thought. He padded across the kitchen, sat down beside Xavis, and put an arm around his shoulder.

Xavis turned, falling into him and weeping into his chest. He cried against the big charr's shoulder, soaking the apron with his tears. Orsin held him patiently, closing his eyes, not flinching even as Xavis's sharp claws dug into his sides, clinging to him like a charr in danger of being pulled to sea by a riptide.

Two minutes passed, and Xavis pulled back with a sniff. He looked at Orsin, then turned his head embarrassed. Noticing the big muscled arm on his shoulder, Xavis used it to wipe his face, then sniffed again.

"Burn me," the Ash muttered, then spoke more clearly. "Burn me. I'm sorry. That was childish of me. Scorch, I haven't cried since I was a little cub. My Primus would beat the stuffing out of me."

Orsin snorted. "Your Primus isn't here, and if he was, I'd beat him up until he was crying too."

Xavis chuckled at that, sniffling again. He rubbed at his eyes, then shook his head. "She, but thank you, Orsin. Scorch, you're sweet. You made this whole thing seem so scalding simple. And you're... don't take this the wrong way." He gave the bigger charr a look out of the corner of his eye. "I never thought you were dumb, but I do think you're smarter than I gave you credit for."

Orsin snickered at that, keeping his arm wrapped around his partner. "I just try to be honest. But really, it's because you're the real smart one that I could say those things."

Xavis rubbed his nose. He patted down his mane, looking to bring himself somewhere close to presentable. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not going to trick you into staying, Xavis. Part of it is that I couldn't pull it off, you'd see right through me. But it's mostly that you're smart enough to make your own choices." The big paw on Xavis's shoulder gave a reassuring squeeze. "I respect you. An' I know, I know you respect yourself, too. You don't second-guess yourself a lot. So when you say you've gotta go, then okay, you've gotta go."

Xavis leaned in, putting the side of his head against the other's chest. "You could come with me."

Orsin breathed in, then let it go. "I'll consider it," he said, but his voice was dubious. "But I don't think I would fit in at the Citadel, not anymore. Maybe in the Gladium Canton, but this is a better life than a Gladium's. I need my freedom, Xavis. I like my isolation. I've always liked living alone. Even now, with you here, it still feels like I'm living alone. Like we're living alone. Do you know what I mean?"

Xavis closed his eyes. "I do."

They fell silent for a few moments, until Xavis spoke. He kept his eyes low.

"It is a good point, though. The first one. I know this is, it's..." He felt his eyes start to sting again, and shoved the feeling back by force of will. He took a deep breath. "I know we have something, Orsin. But a week isn't enough time to fall in love. It's just not. This is just new romance ecstacy. It's wonderful, it's beautiful, but it's not love."

Orsin rumbled as he thought it over. Xavis couldn't see his expression, but he could sense Orsin bobbling his head over him as he considered. "Maybe you're right," the hunter mused, making a little conceding grunt in his throat. "But it still feels like it is."

"You've just been alone for so long," Xavis whispered. He had his eyes closed, resting the side of his head against the other's chest. "Will you still feel this way in a week, or a month, or when Zephyr comes? What about in five years, or ten? What if those little things you find cute now start to bother you? It's just too early to tell."

Orsin gave a little carefree snort. His large paw had started to stroke Xavis's mane. It felt heavy and smooth on his head, and Xavis felt the rising worry in his guts start to decompress. "You're right when you say I've been alone. But being alone this long, being out here in this valley, it's, it's taught me patience. It's taught me how to not worry about the little things, and how to hold on to what's really important. To cling to it with everything you've got. Being out here has, it's taught me to know myself really well. A lot more than I ever did in the Citadel. So, when my brain tells me that something feels real, then I believe it."

Xavis lifted his head, leaned forward, and planted a kiss on the side of Orsin's cheek. His eyes still stung, but he wasn't going to cry. He exhaled, putting his head down on the big guy's shoulders, sinking into that warm, strong paw stroking his hair. He had more questions, more protests, more observations, but none of them felt right. Nothing felt right but sitting there, side by side, being held and petted by this behemoth of a charr, and not thinking about anything else but the warmth of his body, the thrum of his breath, the weight of his paw, the scent of him burning to a crisp--

Xavis blinked one eye open, and his nose started going off. Orsin's did the same. They pulled back, and they made eye contact for one instant, before both of them stared at the stove.

"Scorch!" Xavis cried out, as Orsin blurted, "The food!"

The mesmer dove for the stove, yanked it open, and was assaulted by a blast of dark gray smoke that filled the little cabin.

Coughing and stumbling for the switch on the wall, Xavis cursed up a storm. "Scorchin' shardin' scaldin' motherhumpin' burn it all!" He fumbled through the smoke until he found the switch he was looking for. He flipped it, heard the thrumming whirr of a Charged Core, and the fan overhead flipped on. It started sucking the smog up as Xavis rummaged around through the dissipating cloud for an oven mitt. "Baelfire's ballsack, it smells like a smelter!"

"I guess it's good that dolyak is better overcooked," Orsin rumbled. Xavis groaned, and the big guy snickered. Then he reached for a cookbook, and helped to fan the smoke upward.

*********************************************************************************

Thirteen

_I always return here

To the flash of those colors

Through every window

The wind through the night_

"You've got to be kidding me."

Orsin smacked an eight down over Xavis's five, and took the pair. He shook his head, flashing a grin at the Ash's bewildered face across the table.

"Nope. Not once."

Xavis scratched at his ears. He took the first card off the deck and tossed forward a four. Orsin revealed a Jack, and took his prize. "Even in the Citadel?"

"Even in the Citadel."

Orsin patted his stomach, where the overcooked breakfast lay. He hadn't complained once. Their plates were stacked neatly aside, and after he tossed a two out onto the battlefield, he reached out a finger, gathered up a mound of grease, and stuck it in his mouth.

Xavis revealed an Ace, rolled his eyes, and took the two. "What a waste," he muttered, then resumed the conversation. "You've really never fired a gun before? What about a pistol?"

"Not even," Orsin said, tossing out another eight. "They had me solely on frontline duty. I hadn't ever fired a bow either, not until I got out here."

Xavis shook his head. "Scorch. I thought every Blood fahrar went over firearms training." He tossed out another card and took his kill.

"It could be an age thing," Orsin speculated. "Or an, an economy thing. Guns are probably easier to produce now than when I was growing up. They might've needed to save a silver or two."

Xavis furrowed his brow, but relented. He didn't think Orsin was much older than himself, but that was more a speculation about his own age than about the hunter's youth. He would have pegged Orsin at just below forty. He shrugged the question off and tossed out a Queen. "So I guess you mostly sneak up on your prey and stab it then?"

Orsin tossed out a Queen too, and his eyes went alight with excitement. They paused their discussion as Xavis sat up. Together, they incanted as they slapped cards face-down, "I - de - clare - WAR!"

Xavis revealed a seven, Orsin a three. The big guy groaned, and Xavis grinned mightily as he took his new soldiers.

Orsin sat back, lifting his bare leg and crossing it over his knee. He looked up thoughtfully, not noticing Xavis subtly stare at the big footpaw hanging against the air. "Sometimes, but usually I use a bow. I have some traps set around too. Guns are too noisy anywhere, and the sound carries across snow, so I don't miss them."

Xavis nodded, clearing his throat. "That makes sense," he said with a nod. "What are your favorite things to hunt? Dolyaks, I bet?"

Orsin flashed a grin, flipping forward a nine. "I like dolyaks, but there's a big problem with hunting them."

Xavis canted his head. He revealed another Jack and took the nine, then started to shuffle his pile of collected cards. "A problem? Are they angry?"

Orsin snorted, and then it grew into a full grown hearty laugh. Xavis found himself smiling and had to lower his gaze.

"They can be, but they are usually pretty timid. They're good meat too, very tender. But the problem is that it's hard to tell the males from the females, and their mating seasons last, they last over half a year."

Xavis tipped his head. "I'm not following."

Orsin's brown eyes flickered with delight. He tossed out a three, then uncrossed his head. He started to righten his chest, looking proud and stern. Sitting there on the couch in the buff, he made for a surprisingly majestic figure. Xavis leaned forward on his knee and propped his head up with a thin smile, seeming willing to play along.

"There's a rule among hunters that's more important than any other," Orsin intoned with forced gravitude, like an elderly norn telling his grandchild an important story. "It's a, a difficult rule to follow, because it involves selflessness, honor, and forward thinking."

He paused for effect, and Xavis's tail gave a little flicker behind his chair. He raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"Never, ever kill a pregnant female, or a mother with newborns." Orsin lowered his head, giving Xavis's attentive expression a smile. "Killing one dolyak today can mean four fewer dolyaks next year. If you kill a mama, then either her calves will die inside her, or die around her, 'cuz they don't know how to feed themselves yet. That's even, that's even worse. Dolyaks have emotions, you know. They can mourn."

His voice had become gradually softer. Xavis's smile started to fade as he realized Orsin was fighting his emotions -- probably not enough to cry, but surely enough to feel down. The mesmer wasn't sure he quite understood, as he could care less about whether a bunch of shaggy sheep-cows felt sad, but he nevertheless understood the pragmatism of the words.

"Especially out here in this valley, where food is scarce," Xavis said. "Killing one dolyak today could mean you don't see one again for two or three years. Right?"

"That's right," Orsin replied, and he grinned so wide and with such obvious pride that Xavis found himself returning the look.

"I guess it's the same for everything, then? Squirrels, hares, even fish. Probably not deer, though, I feel like I saw a l...ot..."

A darkness had washed over Orsin's expression. His lips pulled back into a scowl, his brow furrowing over his eyes. The look was so fierce, and so uncharacteristic, that Xavis was momentarily taken aback. "Uh, wha-"

"It's nothing," Orsin grunted. He flipped off the top card of his deck and cast it forward. It fell face-down, and the hunter made no effort to turn it up.

Xavis gave him a curious look. He stuck the edge of his card -- another Jack -- under Orsin's, and flipped it up to reveal a ten. "It's obviously something. Did I say something wrong?"

"No," Orsin grouched. He flashed his teeth in a grimace, then shook his head, trying to relax. "No. Scorch. Sorry. No. I just..."

Xavis lifted his eyebrows expectantly.

"I despise deer."

The peal of laughter rocketed from Xavis's throat in a loud guffaw. He clamped both hands over his muzzle. But then Orsin got so red in the face with embarrassed rage that Xavis felt the mirth breaking through his fingers.

"It's not funny!" Orsin cried out, his cheeks flush. He stood up in a rush, leaving the game behind. He turned around and paced, his naked body hunched over, his, well, his everything wobbling visibly with every angry step.

"Deer are a scorching menace, Xavis. They ruin crops, they run into doors and windows and break them! They knock over cans, they scaldin' destroy gardens and little trees, and they breed like scorchin' rabbits!" He turned on Xavis and roared at him. "Stop laughin' at me!"

Xavis was almost doubled-over at this point. He was howling openly until his chest gave way to helpless wheezing. He clutched at his stomach with one hand and waved at Orsin with the other as though begging him to -- "Stop," he gasped through peeled of mirth. "Stop, hrahahaha, stop, oh scorch, hrahahahah, oh burn me, haha, I'm gonna barf, hrahahah--"

But Orsin's tantrum pressed on unabashed, and Xavis felt a new wave of hilarity wash over him. He had never seen any charr worked up over something so trivial.

"Oh yeah, you think it's funny! You think it's so scorchin' hilarious! Deer spread disease, and, and, and filth! Whole families have been sick for months 'cuz some stupid deer came bursting down their doors like the idiots they are! They scat everywhere, they destroy flowers, and they're so stupid and easy to catch that they scorchin' explode predator populations, which has a whole slew-a other problems! I hate 'em! I scorchin' hate deer more'n I can scorchin' say, an', an', an'--"

Xavis was about 30% sure he was going to die. He had literally fallen out of his chair. His lungs were on fire, and he clutched at his body, gulping down air. Through tear-streaked eyes, he could barely make out red-faced Orsin huffing and puffing up a storm, his body worked up. Xavis had a keen eye for exaggeration, but he could tell the hunter was being completely, absolutely earnest, and he felt another peal of laughster rising up in his stomach. This one, he bit down.

"I'm sorry, Orsin," Xavis said when he said, pulling himself up onto his knees. He sniffed loudly and wiped the wetness from his eyes. "Phew... phew, scorch, I'm not laughing at you in a bad way. I've just, I've just never seen you get like this. I didn't know anybody in all of Tyria had such strong opinions about deer."

Orsin crossed his arms over his white-furred chest and scowled. Xavis tried to restore composure to his expression, even though Orsin's naked appearance was causing the hysterics to rise up once more inside him.

"It's not just me," the flustered charr mumbled, his anger subsiding into mere grouchiness. "Lots of hunters don't like deer. They're pests. I don't like 'em, Xavis."

"I know, I know," the Ash said. He had regained himself. "You don't like deer. I should have noticed, you didn't carve any elks or stags or anything." He had gradually approached Orsin.

Another surge of indignation ran through the big guy. "That's another thing," he complained, shooting a dark look toward the collection of whittlings over the shelf. "Their scorching horns are, are, they're scaldin' impossible to make with wood. Even fake dear are nothing but bad news."

Xavis froze mid-step. He inhaled deep, tensing his body up, resisting another bout of helpless laughter. Once he was sure it was repressed, he took Orsin's paw in both of his little ones, gradually uncrossing him. He lead Orsin toward the couch, and bade him quietly to sit down.

The hunter complied, but he didn't look happy about it. "You don't understand, Xavis," Orsin mumbled, though as he regained his senses, his cheeks remained flushed beneath his orange fur, humiliation taking the place of ire. "They're the only thing that gets under my skin. I don't, I don't even, scorch, I don't even like the taste of deer."

His troubled expression grew a little more perplexed as Xavis lifted each of his legs up, resting his feet down on the table. The Ash brushed the cards aside (he was losing anyway)and kneeled beside Orsin's right foot. He took it into both hands, kneading his pads intently.

"There, there," Xavis said soothingly. "I'm sorry I laughed at you. We all have our soft spots. It was rude of me."

Orsin was still pouting, but his expression was softening as Xavis began to touch his foot. His toes clenched, and he wriggled his nose as he sneered. "You don't, don't gotta apologize, as long as you know. Somethin' about them just, it just works me up. With their big stupid eyes, and their ugly legs..."

"I know, I know." The mesmer was running his left hand along the back of Orsin's paw now. His right had balled into a fist, and he was kneading that central pad with his knuckles. "Tell you what. I'm going to need supplies for the trek home, you know? So when the weather warms up, before I leave, you and I can go hunting deer. You can show me how to kill one, and then I can show you how to cook it. How does that sound?"

Orsin tilted his head back and let out a low sigh, and Xavis knew his plan had paid off. The ire was drifting off the hunter like steam, and while he kept his grimace, his expression softened. He opened his toes up, and Xavis took the hint, slipping his fingers toward them and running them through the fur between them. Orsin let out a breath, and with it, the last of his exasperation. "Yeah... yeah, that sounds good. See if we can... find a real big buck to kill."

"Mmmhmm." Keeping his right hand between Orsin's toes, he brought his left around. He scritched the orange-furred area near his heel, then gently coaxed his fingers upward to rub the sensitive underside of his paw.

Orsin swallowed audibly, sinking back against the sofa. He had his eyes closed, muzzle pointed toward the ceiling. His voice was still a growl, but it softer, more placated. "You, you like rubbing paws, don't you?"

"Is it that obvious?" Xavis quipped dryly, continuing to knead at the big guy's right foot. He looked up his partner's body, and, spotting the first hint of pink peeking out from within the orange sheath, broke into a grin. "I don't see you complaining."

"Scorch, complain? What kinda charr -- hell, what kind of any guy doesn't like getting his feet rubbed?"

"Tons," Xavis said with certainty. He shook his head, taking his eyes off of that growing prize to focus on the hunter's displayed footpaw. "Charr more than most. A lot of them don't like being touched down here. Could be they're ticklish. But I think that a lot of macho charr guys just don't like feeling vulnerable, or they feel ashamed at being pampered."

Orsin smacked his chops. A ripple ran up his body, but he was getting better about keeping his foot still. "They're missing out," he said finally, squeezing his toes with Xavis's fingers between them. "Well, that, or maybe you're just really good at it."

"Column A, column B," Xavis replied dismissively. He was moving over to Orsin's other foot now, and he saw the orange charr's leg tense in anticipation. He chuckled, bringing forth all eight of his fingers to stroke up his sole.

Orsin sighed again, stretching his arms up over his head. His charrhood was at half-mast now, but he made no movements, content to let Xavis do his work. "I appreciate it, Xavis. I appreciate it a ton. But do you get anything out of it?"

Xavis chuckled, now pressing his thumbs deep into that central pad. "A lot."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Remember what we said about the butt stuff?" Xavis looked up with a smirk as Orsin snicker-snorted, the charr equivalent of a giggle. He thought that might get a laugh out of him. "It's partially about the emotional aspect, of being able to do something your partner likes."

"Mmmmm..." the hunter assented. He arched his foot and pushed it up slightly, silently indicating the spot where he wanted to be massaged next.

Xavis complied, digging the side of his palm into the soft spot of the pad. "Part of it's psychology too. Some people are just into different things. Some guys just like paws, and some don't. We're in the former group."

"Mmmmhmm," Orsin rumbled, once more closing his eyes.

"But there's..." Xavis hesitated, and he even stopped rubbing for a bit, long enough for Orsin to creak an eye open pensively. Xavis shot him an apologetic look, complete with smile, and got back to work. "There's another aspect to it, to. A weirdly intellectual aspect. I don't know if I can put it into words."

"Yeah?" Orsin grunted, barely parting his lips to do so. He was just about fully erect now, and his penis hung over the lip of the sofa and cast a shadow on the wooden floor beneath.

"Yeah. Bear with me if this doesn't make sense at first." Watching his partner's crotch, Xavis leaned in and kissed the center pad. He felt the big guy's toes wriggle appreciatively against his chin and cheek before pulling back. "How much do you weigh, Orsin?"

"Uh... I dunno," he grunted, visibly confused by the reply.

Xavis shrugged, pushing his fingers back in. "You're a big charr, so let's just say six hundred pounds. Let's say you're lugging around a hundred twenty pounds of metal armor, a sword and a shield weighing, mm, maybe twenty? Throw on a pack and we'll round to eight hundred pounds. With me so far?"

"Uh huh," Orsin grumbled, frowning. He was probably wishing the little charr had saved the complicated math stuff for when his brain had the blood to spare.

"Eight hundred pounds. Almost half a ton, all carried by... what? Four toes here." Xavis pricked each toe once, causing a twitch with each tap. "Four toes here." He stretched his right arm out, repeating the process for the second foot. "And these little pads, hardly bigger than my hand." One hand on each foot, he began to poke just above the midfoot. "Pads which are smooth, and squishy, and soft, and..."

Almost as though on queue, Orsin let off a little rumbling snigger. Both feet shifted and started to pull back. "Hreh heh... Hey, that tickles."

"Sensitive," Xavis completed, grinning widely at the timing. He went back to more agreeable rubbing, focusing on one foot at a time now, but bouncing from one to the other every ten seconds. "I'm no biologist, but isn't it hard to believe that such an incredible weight can be carried for hours on end by such a small, susceptible area? Isn't something so powerful, and yet so vulnerable, just fascinating? And doesn't that which is fascinating deserve to be revered?"

Orsin let out a quiet groan, and his hips shifted as he squirmed very slightly in the couch. Xavis wasn't sure if it was his words or his attentive hands, but he had touched some sort of emotional nerve. "They... they teach you that in fahrar training, or, or something?"

Xavis chuckled, finally leaving those big tender paws behind. He started to crawl forward, making his way toward the sitting behemoth. "Nah. I know I'm just being poetic, to put it nicely. Corny, if you prefer. I like overthinking things. The long and short of it is," he said, putting his chin down on Orsin's lap, muzzle an inch from his sheath, and looking up into his eyes. "As long as you're into it, so am I."

Orsin stirred a little more. He was already starting to breath harder. He brought one massive paw down to cup the side of Xavis's head. "I'm into it. It calmed me down, awright."

"Good. I don't want you to be angry. There's enough of that in the Citadel as is." Here, Xavis turned his eyes to that long pink shaft near his mouth. His tail flicker-flicked behind him. "Are you sure it calmed you down? You seem pretty stirred up to me."

Orsin grinned toothily. Xavis didn't look up to his face, but he knew, he just knew, the hunter was getting red again. "I can't help it. You press my buttons like I'm a... huh... a... a... hunnnnghhhh..."

His words drifted off into bestial noises as Xavis wrapped his muzzle around the hunter's cock and took him full into his mouth. Orsin parted his thighs, and Xavis took advantage, shuffling in closer. Still on his knees, Xavis curled his fingers beneath the charr's orange-furred scrotum, carressing him. He began to bob, up and down, lips pressed, tongue licking, head turning to coat every inch of the big guy's shaft he could find.

"Unn..." Orsin was pulsing steadily within the Ash's mouth. He could feel his tip leaking as his head slid along Xavis's wet, slightly scratchy tongue, coating as it went. His paw was still on the side of Xavis's head, but he didn't pull or force, letting the mesmer do nearly all the work. That job seemed to suit him just fine.

With a loud sucking noise, Xavis withdrew from Orsin's penis. Bubbly strands of drool and pre kept them connected until the mesmer wiped his muzzle with the back of his paw and set his back straight.

"Lie down," he told Orsin. When the orange charr only blinked, not immediately complying, Xavis picked himself up off of his knees only just long enough to bring his body forward. He connected his muzzle to Orsin's and kissed him fiercely, dazing the hunter. It threw him off-guard long enough for Xavis to topple the big guy, using both hands and one leg to effectively force him down onto the sofa against only a token protest.

Orsin was puffing for air now, and he blinked again, looking up at Xavis with anticipation and curiosity. His brown eyes followed the little charr as Xavis took a moment to shuffle his way out of his pants and toss them aside. He was hard as stone, but seemed to pay no consideraton toward his own shaft, nor did he even orient his body to allow Orsin a good look. He had other plans in mind.

"Remember what we talked about?" Xavis asked. He was on Orsin's left side now, and he stroked his own left fingers along the charr's soft, creamy-white belly. His right arm grazed past Orsin's sheath, and he wrapped his fingers around the other's ballsack.

"I, I'm not sure," the bigger male rumbled uncertainly.

Xavis nodded. He brought his right arm back just long enough to stick two of his fingers into his mouth, tasting Orsin's salty, musky scent. He wet those two fingers up, then returned to fondling his partner's scrotum. "I'm going to do something that's going to feel a little weird at first, but it should feel good really soon. If it gets really uncomfortable, or if it hurts at all, tell me and I'll stop. But if it's only a little uncomfortable, just see if you can hold on for a little bit, okay?"

"Okay," Orsin rumbled, though there was a hint of worry in his eyes. He looked down his own body, craning his neck to look around his erection to peer at the fingers just beyond. He couldn't see them, but, as Xavis brought his fingers down and pressed them against the side of Orsin's tailhole, he could feel them. "Nnph--"

"Easy, easy," Xavis murmured, massaging the pucker between the orange charr's cheeks. He rested the fingers of his left hand on the other charr's ballsack, then started to gently pull it away from his stroking right fingers, exposing his rump."Just try to relax."

Orsin's first exhale was ragged, and he swallowed audibly. He stretched his legs apart, putting his left foot over the edge of the couch. His second felt less forced as he became accustomed to being touched in this new place.

Once he had worked Orsin's tailhole sufficiently, Xavis was just about ready to dive in. He used his left hand to give the hunter's shaft a gentle encouraging squeeze. Then he slid his right index and middle fingers a half-inch inside the big guy. Despite his size, Orsin felt tight very tight, and even moreso as he clenched his buttocks and gave a little whimper.

Xavis fought for another half-inch, then began to slowly tweak his fingers around in cautious exploration. The big charr twitched again, and his teeth clamped shut. He grunted, looking down with a sort of grimace that bordered on terror.

The mesmer began to gently pet him again. He didn't stop massaging that first inch of the big guy's tailhole, but he did ask, "Are you okay? Does it hurt?"

Orsin's toothy expression didn't change, but he nodded, then shook his head. He was stiff as a board, and not just around his genitals. His body looked paralyzed. "It's, it's just so diff, hphhhh, different. I don't know how it's supposed to feel, hph, I can't, I can't describe it."

Xavis fought for another half-inch. He leaned forward and, making eye contact with the frozen charr, nuzzled the big guy's shaft. He kissed along its length, feeling Orsin throb between his lips heartily. "Does it feel good?" he asked as he pulled back.

"Hpph... yeah, y-yeah, I think so." He squinted one eye and crinkled his nose, his tongue just barely visible between his sharp white teeth. "Are you at the, the, hpph, are you there yet?"

Xavis fought the urge to laugh. He shook his head, then twisted his wrist, inserting his fingers deeper into Orsin's tailhole. His fingers clenched and wriggled then. "You'll know when I'm there. Lift your leg up."

Orsin did, a little uncertainly, as Xavis withdrew his paw from the big guy's rump. The hunter let out a long sigh, taking a few moments to recover as the Ash rose slightly, taking Orsin's left leg by the ankle and propping it up on the seat of the couch. The big charr's buttocks were spread as far as the comparatively tiny sofa would allow now. His ballsack sagged comfortably between his thighs now. He looked up at Xavis, less stunned but more transfixed, and ready for a second round.

He's got no idea what's coming.

Xavis brought down hands down onto Orsin's inner thighs, pushing him apart. A confused grunt melded into a low thrumming groan of surprise as the Ash went down on him, sneaking his muzzle under the ballsack and sloppily kissing his pucker. Orsin's heavy furred scrotum rested on Xavis's nose as his tongue went to town, messily slurping and suckling at Orsin's entrance until the big guy was was rocking, thrusting, pushing his hips off the couch to allow Xavis deeper access between his thighs.

"Unnnn -- whh -- whhhhah, hnnnnngh--" Orsin sounded almost dazed, bewildered and overwhelmed by the shocking sensation down below. He stared down at his own dribbling, bouncing cock with a stupidifed wonder, his tongue lulling out of his mouth, surrendering himself to the little charr's knowing tongue.

Xavis was over too soon. He pulled himself up from between Orsin's legs, wiping his muzzle and grinning like a loon. "Shoulda done that first," he told Orsin almost too casually, smirking at the petrified expression on the stunned charr's face. "Loosened you up. Are you ready?"

Orsin swallowed, puffed, swallowed again. He looked like he wasn't comprehending.

"Good enough." Xavis assumed his original position, kneeling beside the white-striped charr's muscular body. He set the palm of his left hand down upon Orsin's shaft, garnerning an enthused reaction from the aroused charr. Then he put his paw down between the big guy's thighs, stroked the base of his tail, lifted, and inserted two fingers in all the way up to the first joints, and the reaction tripled.

Orsin's hips thrashed upward, and he let out an almost pained cry, his brown eyes widening for just a moment before squeezing tightly shut. His insides churned, drawing Xavis's fingers in deeper, an eagerness to which the mesmer complied. The Ash had wrapped his left paw around the hunter's shaft and was jerking him, but not hard. Orsin was pounding upward so hard that he was doing most of the work.

Xavis stuck out his tongue and bit down on it gently, his brow furrowing. He was taking a guess based on Orsin's size, but if he was right, if he pushed just a little further and then pressed down right--

"Hohhh! Hoh, hunnnn, hnnnnnnnnnnnnggghh, rrrrrggggh, burn me!" Orsin cried out, slobber flying from his maw as he rammed his hips toward the ceiling, nearing picking Xavis up off his knees with the force.

The Ash grinned. He squeezed his fist tighter, pounding it along the orange charr's shaft. His right fingers rubbed hard against that internal sweet spot, driving the bigger male full force toward his impending climax. He had been stirred up ever since that foot rub, and now, being milked by the mesmer's dexterious paws, he knew Orsin couldn't--

"Nnn, nnnhhh!" the hunter half-moaned half-whimpered, his face tense with exertion. His claws scraped along the sofa as his body tensed up, his dick pulsing to full throb in Xavis's grasp. The smaller male, realizing Orsin had crossed his threshold, twisted his right arm sharply and rubbed the hunter's prostate as intently as he could.

Orsin thrust his hips to full lock, teeth grit as he growled up a storm to usher in the first blast of his climax. One squinting eye opened just in time to get a splash of hot whiteness to the face, and he yowled in surprise, thrusting his head back.

He groaned louder as Xavis churned waves of cum from his cocktip, each of the mesmer's paws twisting, thumping, pushing, pulsing, driving the orange charr to deeper recesses of pleasure. Semen splattered against the side of the sofa and along Xavis's fingers, but most of the rich white goo fell in thick pools along the hunter's furry white chest.

Xavis ground against him, milking every last drop he could coax. When he was sure the hunter had trickled his last, he let go, both paws at once, releasing Orsin from his grasp and pulling his arm out from between his legs. Orsin kept his thighs locked until Xavis had removed himself, and then his whole body sagged into the sofa. He has that same open-mouthed, exasperated expression Xavis had come to appreciate, and the slender charr pushed himself up onto the hunter's bulk. He nestled into the groove between charr and couch, avoiding most but not all of the white mess on Orsin's chest.

They kissed two, three times, before Orsin pulled back. He was still breathing hard, and he swallowed, looking down Xavis's body. The Ash followed his gaze, until both charr were staring at the Ash's full unattended erection nestled between them.

"What about..?"

"Give it a few minutes," Xavis assured him. He lifted his eyes to Orsin's mane, and he began to stroke the hunter's hair between his horns. "We'll go for round two once you're ready."

Orsin snorted, and it grew to a chuckle. He stole a peek at his member, which was already starting the lumberous retreat into his sheath. "Round two," he muttered, shaking his head. "Scorch, Xavis. Scorch."

"Hmmmm..?"

Orsin's teeth showed in a quick flash. He let out a contented sigh, then wrapped his arm around Xavis's body. He pinned him against his chest, smearing the fruits of their labor between their bodies -- the fluid had already gone cold and tacky, and Xavis tried not to let his face show protest -- then looked up toward the ceiling.

"You know," he started slowly. "I only, uh, you know. I only had sex a handful of times in my life."

"Right," Xavis replied, listening attentively. "Mostly by your own choice."

"Uh huh," Orsin agreed. He gave Xavis's gray-spotted back a gentle scritch. "And it's not like I, like I made up for it elsewhere, you know."

"Hmmm?" Xavis prompted. He managed to suppress a grin, affecting genuine confusion, though in truth he knew exactly what the hunter meant. He just wanted to see Orsin blush, and he did, right on queue.

"I mean, I don't... I didn't... I mean, I just didn't masturbate a lot. I guess. Maybe once a week. A little more when I was younger. But not much."

Xavis put his head down on Orsin's shoulder, looking up at him silently.

"Sex just isn't something I ever really found all that interesting." A moment's pause, and his eyebrows lifted. "Wasn't," he corrected himself, and he grinned until Xavis couldn't help but return it. "I just, I just never would have thought of myself as a, a 'round two' sort of guy. I'm just, I'm just so lucky that you, that I, that I found somebody who can, who can do that to me. You've got me... gotten me there more times since I met you than, than..."

He trailed off, but Xavis spoke before the silent could hang in the air. "You're lucky, Orsin. But I think I'm the luckier one."

Now it was Orsin's turn to make a curious noise, this one genuine. "Hrrrrrrm..?"

Xavis put his head back down. Orsin was deep in his afterglow, but Xavis was still randy as a buck. He could indulge himself a bit.

"I like that you're inexperienced." Xavis lowered his head. He reached out with his left hand, finding a dry-ish spot on Orsin's chest and rubbing him soothingly. "I like being able to do these things for you that nobody ever has. I like teaching you. I'd say it's..." He lifted his shoulders. "I'd say it's cute, but that's not right, because I don't like cute things."

"That's not fair," Orsin said, with such an exaggerated pout that he couldn't keep himself from smiling. "You like yourself, don't you?"

Xavis groaned, and his stroking paw opened as he slapped the hunter's chest lightly. "Spare me. I can be cheesy to you, but it's a one way street, pal."

Orsin sniggered quietly, and Xavis could feel his chest rumbling beneath his palm.

"Honestly, I don't have the right word. You're not innocent, you kill animals for a living. You're not naive, I mean, you get how the world works. You're not childish. You're just bashful."

Orsin opened his mouth, fumbled for a protest, and snapped it shut, cheeks reddening. Xavis gave him a 'see?' sort of look, flustering the big guy even more. "That's... hey..." he started, but Xavis interrupted to shush him.

"I like it, Orsin. I want you to stay bashful. I want you to stay sweet. Even if we go at it a thousand times, even if I teach you everything I know about sex, I still want you to be curious, willing, but a little reserved. I hope you're shy for the rest of your life."

Orsin bit down on his lower lip. He was trying to keep from smiling, or maybe crying. His shoulders lifted. His voice was quiet and a little shaky, and there was a sudden, unexpected note of sadness deep in his tone that caused the pit in Xavis's stomach to churn.

"Charr aren't s'posed to be shy, Xavis," he murmured. "Should be brave, and tough. Not nervous about the, the simplest things. Ain't I, ain't I kind of embarrassing to you?"

Xavis's voice rose to a near bark. "To hell with that!" His own surprised reaction caused him to only get louder. "You can't scorching believe that for a cogs-damned second, Orsin." He had pushed himself back against Orsin's arm, picking himself up and staring furiously into his eyes.

"I don't give a skritt's asshole what charr are 'supposed' to be! It doesn't matter anyway, because you are brave. You know how many tufttails wouldn't be willing to try a single new thing? You know how many charr fuck each other like they're just going through the motions? You know how many of these 'brave tough' soldiers would sooner curl up and cry like a cub than dare to do something like we just did? Huh? You know how many charr would starve to death in the first season out in this wintery hellhole? Huh?"

Xavis was stradling Orsin in full now, towering over the wide-eyed hunter. He charged on recklessly, his tail lashing behind him. There was a fire in his gut and he had to put it out.

"And by the scorchin' way, sex is not a simple thing, and anybody who thinks it is has got a simple mind. It is damn complicated for even the most well-adjusted among us, and let me tell you, most of the Citadel is not well-adjusted. You, Orsin, are responsible, you're healthy, you're scorchin' gorgeous to look at, you're hard-working, you're wise, and yeah, guess what? I saw you brave a tail-twisting blizzard to chop down a tree. You are brave, and you are tough. And if your one weakness is that you get a little blushy when somebody you have a thing for grabs your nutsack, then I'd say you got off pretty easy. And you know what? Maybe after what you've been through, you deserve to get off easy. But you don't deserve to get down on yourself for even a single scorching second for not having all the answers. You don't embarrass me one damn bit, and if you did, then I would be embarrassed at myself for my blindness."

Xavis stared down at the charr below him, his eyes furrowed and menacing to Orsin's wide, astonished gaze. Both were breathing hard by this part, but the cabin was otherwise silent. A full thirty seconds passed. Then Orsin spoke, his cheeks still red as ripe tomatoes.

"I haven't seen you get angry like that before, Xavis."

Xavis looked down at the behemoth of a charr. He frowned, then shot back, "You're one to talk."

But Orsin shook his head, and his brown eyes lowered, locking onto Xavis's penis. During his tirade, Xavis had shifted to stradle the hunter's chest, and his erection -- which had grown if anything over the course of his rant, a veritable rage boner -- stuck a mere two inches from Orsin's muzzle. The big guy looked up, and as he spoke, Xavis could feel the hot, wet breath bathe his cocktip.

"I guess it's my turn to calm you down now." He smirked at Xavis's dubious expression. Then he pushed himself up into more of a sitting position, brought his head forward, and took the mesmer's tip into his mouth.

Xavis looked down for a moment, not sure if this was what he really wanted. His uncertainty lasted about a second and a half. Then he felt Orsin's slobbering tongue slathering his head, felt the globules of warm spit trickling down his length, and he let out a long sigh. He reached out for Orsin's head, pulling him in.

But Orsin resisted, pushing back fiercely against Xavis's hand. It seemed uncharacteristically defiant, and Xavis looked down. He didn't see opposition in Orsin's expression, but rather, careful, almost methodical concentration. He kept pulling his chops back around his teeth, craning his neck, trying to come at the mesmer's penis from a variety of angles. He was fighting against going any further because he wanted to be sure he could do so without accidentally hurting him with his teeth.

Xavis let off another gentle sigh, but there was no exasperation. The big charr's inexperience really was endearing. He ran his fingers through Orsin's mane, and started to direct him. "Don't pull your lips back against your gums. Instead, try to wrap them around your teeth. Use your tongue as an extra shield. You're right to be wary, teeth and dicks don't mix, and compared to most races, charr have bigger of both."

Orsin gave a nod, looking up for just an instant before staring back down at the shaft hovering before him. He brought his right arm around Xavis's thigh and wrapped his big meaty paw around the white sheath, holding the little charr still. He tried again, this time with more success; keeping his teeth veiled by the rim of his mouth, he was able to take a full quarter of Xavis's malehood in before pulling back out, looking up with triumph.

Xavis chuckled, scritching his mane encouragingly. "Good. Try to work your tongue a little more. Get a feel for where your teeth are, and where you can position me around them."

"Right," Orsin nodded. He opened his maw, paused, and asked, "I guess when it comes down to it, charr are probably better at, at taking orders in the bedroom than most races, huh?"

Xavis chuckled. "I don't know. I've only ever been with charr. But I wouldn't be surprised. Following orders is baked into us at a young age."

"Yeah," Orsin agreed. His paw squeezed around Xavis's sheath. "I like the way you give them. You don't sound bossy. Have you ever thought about being, being a Legionnaire?" He opened his maw wide, licked his chops, and went back down, determined to take Xavis in up to the halfway point this time.

"Rrrrm... not really." Xavis's paw moved between Orsin's horns. He was fighting to keep his hips still, wanting the big charr to find his rhythm before another element was introduced. But it wasn't easy. He was already stirred up, and inexperienced or not, Orsin's tongue was slippery, wide, and warm. Xavis found the conversation a somewhat welcome distraction. "I'm a competent agent, but I don't think... mmph, that coordinating groups of soldiers is my forte. And I don't think my soldiers would respect me."

Orsin had nearly worked his way down to the shaft, his nose hovering only inches from the mesmer's slender stomach. He pulled back to breath, tongue lolling, a thin strand of drool connecting him to that pink charr penis. He swallowed, looked up, and said, "You could hypnotize them."

Xavis blanched for a second, and breathed in to pronounce a sharp rebuttal. But Orsin's grin was so wide before he opened back up and went down that Xavis realized the large charr was kidding, and he relaxed somewhat. He gave a low snort, then dared to push his hips forward gradually, inserting himself into Orsin's muzzle up to the hilt.

"Yeah. Oh." Xavis turned his head slightly, looking down at Orsin. The big guy's brow was furrowed, and he was making strange puffing noises on the mesmer's shaft. Xavis realized what was going on at once. "Don't do that. Just lick and kiss. Nnnph... yeah, there you go. Just like that. I know they call it a blowjob, but you don't actually want to blow."

Orsin grunted acknowledgement, and the sensation caused a little tremor of excitement that trickled up the mesmer's shaft and churned him just below his guts. The hunter's cold nose was rubbing below Xavis's belly button now as he took the smaller male in his entirity. His brown eyes squeezed shut, and his palm went flat against the mesmer's body as he continued to press the sheath between the bases of his thumb and forefinger.

"Hypnosis," Xavis said at last. He was plunging slowly against Orsin now, encouragingly, still not going as hard or as fast as his groin compelled him. "Great idea. Make 'em do whatever I want. Run laps, scrub the engines, clean the lavatories, all without any complaints."

A few moments passed, and Orsin pulled back again, puffing for breath. He smacked his chops a few times, expression bemused as he tasted Xavis's body on his tongue. He looked up into Xavis's eyes, shrugged one shoulder, and said, "For your quarterly reviews, you could make 'em, make 'em suck you off too, just like this!"

Xavis made a single sharp bark of laughter. "Orsin!" he cried out, playfully bapping the orange charr between his horns. "Scorch, that's the most vulgar thing you've said to me." But he was grinning, and Orsin was too, and the hunter's cheeks were flushed and hot as the big charr rubbed the side of his muzzle affectionately against Xavis's tip.

"So," Xavis rumbled. He could feel his meatus pulsing wet, and he somehow found it within himself to thicken even harder against Orsin's cheeks. "Now that you've had a taste of both, let me ask you something. What do you like more, giving or receiving?"

Orsin stopped nuzzling. He looked up, confused, the erection pushing nosily against his face. He withdrew, looking up pensively. The question seemed to cause him some minor distress.

"I don't, I don't know. Do I have to choose?"

Xavis thought about that for a moment. An idea had come to mind. He wondered why he hadn't thought of it already.

"Nope," he said, and started to move.

Xavis used the back of the sofa to push himself up off Orsin's chest. He went up as high as he could go on his knees, his taint just barely touching the bigger charr's body. He dug his right foot into the crack made between body and sofa and pushed up, lifting himself up enough to plant the sole of his left foot on Orsin's chest. He extended his leg, forceably pushing the hunter down to the sofa as he pivoted on the balls of his foot, turning himself around.

Orsin let out a small "Wha--" He blinked, peering as Xavis relaxed his leg's pressure on Orsin's chest and soon replaced it with his rump as he settled down. The hunter peered up at the base of Xavis's tail, and his cheeks went flush again as his gaze naturally lowered to the tight pink pucker between the smaller charr's spotted cheeks and the first hints of a white scrotum smushed beneath. The mesmer was now sitting on his chest, facing away.

Xavis didn't have time to spare; the Ash didn't know how much longer he was going to last, and he needed to get to work on Orsin quickly if the bigger charr was to catch up. He descended, chest sliding against belly as Xavis moved his right hand beneath Orsin's left leg, curling it around until he could feel the hunter's balls resting on his palm. The fingers of his left hand wrapped around the hunter's sheath, and he squeezed it, helping to guide Orsin's erection into his maw.

Residual seed from the previous orgasm still clung to Orsin's tip, and Xavis delicately slurped and swallowed it as he coaxed the big charr's erection deeper into his mouth. His teeth were smaller, so even considering Orsin's comparatively thicker pole, he was able to take the hunter in three-quarters of the way on his first descent. He could feel the big charr grunt and squirm beneath him, and his hips involuntarily bucked to slide himself in that final couple inches.

Once Xavis had Orsin's dick in up to the hilt, he took a few moments to orient himself. Gradually, so as to let Orsin catch on, he hefted his rump up and stuck it out, dragging his genitals closer to the hunter's maw. Xavis stretched his body as far as it would go, but he found himself wondering if this would be possible. Was their size difference too great? Was Orsin simply too big to 69?

Xavis's worries melted away as Orsin finally realized what was expected of him, and had taken to the task with gusto. He kissed and licked and nuzzled against Xavis's shaft, his chops moving to reach for that dribbling tip. Xavis wriggled his butt, pushing it against the back of the sofa and locking his hips. This would have been an uncomfortable position for a less flexible charr, but the Ash managed it easily enough. Orsin took immediate advantage, tilting his muzzle and taking the mesmer into the warmth of his mouth.

Now that each was inside the other, Xavis closed his eyes, focusing on driving Orsin full-speed toward his climax. The little Ash could feel his arousal churning in his gut, and as he shifted his hips, he could feel his shaft sliding along the hunter's curious tongue. Orsin's own climax had been so recent that Xavis could smell the residue every time he breathed in. But the orange charr was still rowdy enough, and it wasn't long before he could feel and taste the beads of precum dripping against the back of his throat.

Orsin couldn't keep quiet. This new angle was causing some minor problems for him, and he played it cautious, focusing as much as he could to avoid letting his teeth touch his partner's shaft. Being on bottom, he also couldn't take control and orient his muzzle in the exact way he wanted to. But he was rumbling up a storm, no doubt motivated by his own carnal pleasure, and his maw made pleasant thrumming sensations all along Xavis's penis that worked like a shockwave deeper into his gut. It felt scorching great, and Xavis found himself giving a low, reverberating moan into Orsin's own staff to return the favor.

Their chests were warm, soft fur rubbing on fur as they continued to please each other. Sometimes, Xavis's tail would stop shaking long enough to fall into Orsin's face, and the big guy would whack the tuft away with a little indignant snort. Around the third time this happened, he realized that the mesmer was doing it on purpose, and his snickers resonated along the small male's shaft.

Xavis had withdrawn slightly up Orsin's shaft, but this was only to allow his left hand to join in. The fingers that had wrapped around the bigger charr's sheath were now pumping him off, and his tongue focused around the head. His right paw still kneaded the other's scrotum, and occasionally he even dared to poke at that previously explored tailhole, just a little tease.

Xavis knew he had won the race when Orsin had to pull out from his own task and let out a loud, eager groan. He kissed the underside of Xavis's dick until he needed to grimace, to clench his teeth tight and breathe. He let out deep, masculine groans as he gave himself up to the mesmer, bringing his arms up and wrapping them around his lower back. He could do little more than nuzzle against the lighter-furred charr's ballsack as he found himself pushed over the edge.

He came almost suddenly, without so much as a warning growl, and Xavis hurried to pull his tongue around to Orsin's underside to catch the first blasts. Orsin thrust his hips and squeezed his eyes shut, groaning now against scrotum resting on his face. He splattered all along Xavis's tongue and sprayed the back of his throat in a series of short bursts. Xavis's fingers were still wrapped around the hunter's sheath, and he could feel each pulse of seminal fluid rush up his length before it splashed inside him.

Orsin let out a loud sigh, muffled by Xavis's pubic fur, as he felt himself trickling his last. The climax had been maybe a third as messy as his last one, and Xavis had diligently caught and swallowed every drop, but he still felt drained. He creaked an eye open and saw Xavis's tight buttocks, his thighs extended backwards, and he realized he had to hurry before the waves of afterglow-induced exhaustion overtook him.

Orsin brought his right arm around from Xavis's backside and slid it between their chests. He wrapped his oversized paw around the mesmer's length. He could nearly envelop the entire erection within his palm, and only the Ash's trickling pink tip peeped around from the end. He gripped tight and began to pump Xavis off in an almost furious manner.

Xavis grunted, and he pushed Orsin's penis to the side of his mouth so he could partially grit his teeth. He wanted to ask the big guy to soften it up and slow down, but he was so close to his own climax that he decided to roll with it. He withdrew from Orsin's shaft, but kissed it encouragingly, slurping up each last little droplet of seed that still cling to his head.

As Xavis felt himself cross the threshold, he lowered his head, resting the side of his muzzle against Orsin's scrotum. He closed his eyes and pushed his lower back, letting off a soft, almost whimper-like cry as he felt himself start to cum. He pulsed, thickened, and let out a rush of milky cum that slathered between their chests. He stiffened, arched his back some more, and burst again, feeling himself throb against the charr's tight grip, hearing the gentle splatter of white between their bodies. Then he stopped concentrating, and just let himself coast along through the rest of the orgasm, his whole body tingling with warmth and excitement.

Orsin released his grip only to rub his palm along Xavis's cockhead, feeling the last of his climax. When he felt satisfied that the mesmer had blown his last, he reached up, grabbing the Ash by his midsection. He pulled back, bringing the smaller charr down against his body, chest against back, heads only a few inches upon.

Xavis was still recovering, and he had a bleary-eyed expression as he blinked, giving Orsin a look. The big guy bumped his head forward and kissed his nose. Xavis could smell his own spunk on the other charr's breath, but he was still so aroused that it somehow intrigued him. He returned the favor, kissing Orsin along the bridge of his muzzle, and he had to giggled slightly as Orsin wriggled his nose as the masculine odor. Apparently, he wasn't quite as taken with the smell, and his tongue came out in a look of mild disgust.

"It's an acquired scent," Xavis murmured sleepily. The fire still burned merrily just a few feet away, and they felt so warm and so cozy together. Xavis wasn't traditionally much of a bonk-and-conk sort of charr, but he felt himself drifting off nevertheless.

"Right," Orsin rumbled. He smacked his lips a couple times, then brought his drenched paw up to his mouth. He gave that a couple sniffs, then a tentative lick. He looked almost pensive now. "How long did it, it take for you to get used to it?"

But Xavis didn't feel like talking. He shifted his weight atop the brute of a charr, nestling up sleepily against him. He tucked his muzzle beneath the other's chin and curled his arms up under his own body, seeking warmth from the bigger male.

Orsin got the hint. He wiped some of the products of their session off on the side of the couch, then wrapped both arms around Xavis, holding him close as though to carry him off into slumber. Xavis, who wasn't a heavy sleeper during the best of times, was out within the minute, his quiet breathing making little growls against the hunter's chest.

Orsin was silent for what felt like a very long time. The flames crackled, the Ash breathed, the wind howled, but the cabin still felt very quiet. He could feel Xavis rise and fall as he made his own breaths. He squeezed him a little tighter, his voice pensive, and a little sad.

"I'm gonna miss you," he told the sleeping form. "So scorching much, I'll miss you." He let off a quiet sigh, then closed his eyes, pressing his muzzle against the side of the couch. Sleep came slower for him. But eventually, it came, and the two dozed for hours as the blizzard raged on, blinding and furious, in the world outside their little cabin.

*********************************************************************************

Fourteen

_It seems like yesterday

I think about how much I

Wish that you were

Here with me now_

Two weeks went by in a blur. A slow blur, but a blur nonetheless. Xavis had lost track of the days, and given how short the daylight hours could be, he was positive he had slept through bouts of daylight at least twice.

But Orsin somehow managed to keep track, and he celebrated the two week anniversary of their meeting by making his specialty, a spicy gumbo-like mixture of fish, sausage, and dolyak steak over the last of the potatoes, mashed. He didn't call it an anniversary meal, and for that Xavis was grateful, but it was surprisingly good, and the little mesmer went back for seconds.

Orsin, naturally, had fourths.

The two weeks had moments of difficulty for Xavis, but it was altogether not the challenge he had expected. Sometimes he would get quiet and pensive as the guilt piled on too heavy to bear, and he would look out the window wistfully. He talked occasionally about his work, and reflected on what the Order was up to. He wondered who was taking over for him while he was gone. A couple times, when his guilt got too great to hold in, he asked Orsin to stay in the living room as he himself went into Orsin's room. He would curl up on the bed, and sometimes he would pound his fist against pillows, sometimes he would cry, sometimes he would stare up at the ceiling, as the feeling of helplessness swallowed him whole.

But most of the time, he was fine. There wasn't much to do in the cabin, but he stayed busy. The cabin was looking better than it ever had. He had swept, mopped, scrubbed, and dusted the entire place. Orsin offered to help, and Xavis would sometimes give him chores, but mostly the mesmer handled it by himself. He liked the feeling of productivity, and in a way, having Orsin help would give him less to do. He had to stretch these chores out to last the whole season.

Naturally, he and Orsin bumped bodies several times a night. The big guy rarely initiated the process, but he seemed always eager to Xavis's propositions. They hadn't slowed down in frequency. The lack of other things to do surely contributed to the frequency of their lovemaking, he couldn't deny that, but he still found himself appreciating the hunter's company on its own merit. He had no doubt Orsin felt the same, and perhaps even moreso.

They hadn't fought since that night in the kitchen. Sometimes, when he got into one of his angry moods, Xavis would probe for a conflict. He would tell Orsin to clean the kitchen better after making a meal, or to not leave his woodcarving scraps on the ground without sweeping them up, or to cover his mouth better when he sneezed. They were little things, but charr were charr, and little things were often catalysts for big fights in charr communities.

But Orsin never rise to an argument. He would consider Xavis's words, realize he was right, and comply. And what's more, he always heeded the complaints in the future. When Xavis asked him to do a better job folding the towels, Orsin did need to be shown how to do it the right way, but once he was taught, he did it right every time. When Xavis grumbled that Orsin didn't ever make his side of the bed, the big guy took a couple extra minutes every morning carefully tucking everything in.

Xavis had grown up assuming that charr just need to fight sometimes to let off steam. It's in their blood. They need to roughhouse or get into barfights, or enter competitions in the Bane just to stay sane. It was the way they were built. Before coming to the Shiverpeaks, he would have unquestioningly said that having a relationship with a partner who didn't argue and seemed to never get riled up would get real old, real fast. No charr would want to live with a total pushover.

He wasn't sure on that anymore. He didn't want to fight Orsin, even if sometimes he thought he did. He found himself appreciating that the big guy took orders not only in the bedroom, but in the day to day routine. And what's more, it didn't feel like pandering, that he was just trying to butter the mesmer up, or was overeager to satisfy him. Orsin took each and every piece of advice Xavis gave, carefully weighed it over, and realized it was a better way to proceed than the way he had been doing it before. He never took offense to the complaints, but always took them to heart.

It was a good relationship, but Xavis could not help but brace himself for the cracks. There was a reason charr have a hard time forming long partnerships, and he wondered which of Orsin's habits he found endearing now would chafe by the end of the long Colossus season.

It didn't matter, in any case. A few more weeks and he would be home.

Back to the grind. Back to the real world.

Back to...

Back to the prison that was reality.

He wondered sometimes how, in this cramped little cabin in the middle of nowhere, unable to so much as pull up the window without risking his life, he felt more free than he ever had.

********************************************************************************

Fifteen

_I don't understand

The way that I feel

I am terrified

Of being wrong_

The night was dark, but the living room was full of light with the first logs of the day roasting in the fireplace. Xavis was sprawled on the sofa, leaned back, reading through his third book since the blizzard started. He was currently tackling The Girl from the Sea. It wasn't his favorite -- he found himself sympathizing with the main character's father far too much, and found the protagonist to be much too eager to get herself in trouble -- but it was a way to pass the time and keep his mind from getting too dull.

Every so often, he would lower the book and steal a glance at Orsin in the corner. The big charr was doing his daily exercise ritual. He was currently on the third phase, and Xavis could hear him counting his pushups under his breath. Xavis could see his thick muscular arms pulling taught and he lowered himself to the floor, grunted his count, and re-locked his elbows. He would do sit-ups too, and squats, which were Xavis's favorite to watch.

Once he had finished, Orsin took a moment to breath on his knees. Then he pulled himself up to his feet with one final grunt and a loud "phew!". He wiped his brow, then thumped for the fridge to get himself something to drink.

His scent filled the cabin, a familiar and increasingly comfortable smell. Since exercise often got Orsin in the mood, it also meant something was likely to happen soon. With the makings of a grin, Xavis dogeared the page, closed the hardcover book, and set it on the table.

"Want to come sit by me?"

Glug glug glug. Orsin let out a loud refreshed gasp as he lowered the pitcher of water, having drank straight out of it. He turned toward the couch and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Sure. I'll be right there."

Xavis pulled himself up and peered over the back of the couch. Orsin was shirtless for the moment -- now that he and Xavis had reached a level of comfort, and had firewood to spare, he didn't often throw on a shirt these days -- but his leather pants were secured tightly to his waist. The Ash indulged in the sight, and the big guy flashed him a smile as he rounded the couch and thumped down beside him. The sofa gave its classic groan of indignation as Orsin settled in, putting his bare feet up on the table and sinking back against the backrest. "How's the book?"

"It's all right," Xavis replied with a shrug, passing a glance over the aquamarine cover. "Won't be as good to read out loud. I don't think I could do a mermaid voice justice, not for long. We'll do the one set in Elona next."

Orsin flashed a wide grin, and Xavis could feel the couch shift slightly. He realized the big guy's tail was trying to wag. "Yeah? Scorch, I can't wait. Can we start it tonight?"

"Sure," Xavis said. Orsin's grin was infectuous, and he found himself returning it. He nestled up to the hunter, setting his head down upon his arms. He was still a bit sweaty, but the fur absorbed most of it. He thought he might offer to read to the big guy as he took a bath, as he had the previous week. "You know, I noticed something last night."

"And what was that?" Orsin asked. His legs were crossed, and the faintest outline of his bulge could be seen against the leathers of his crotch.

"You like to grin a lot, but you never smile when we're going at it. Not after we stop talking, at least."

Orsin opened his mouth, then snapped it shut. His expression became pensive. He looked down at the little mesmer as he leaned back, putting his arms along the backrest and drawing his white-furred chest taut. "Should, should I?"

Xavis shook his head. "Nah. It's not a bad thing. Hell, I love the way you look when you're about to climax. You have this, this look..."

As Orsin watched with a sort of embarrassed interest, Xavis pulled his chops back to reveal a sneering grimace. He squinted and puckered his nose, squeezing one eye shut and letting the other hang barely open.

He thought it was a good impression, but Orsin barked laughter. He shook his head, cheeks flushing red. "Scorch, I really, I really look like that?" he snickered. "Hell, burn me, you look like you smell something rotten."

Xavis lightly thwacked the hunter's chest, but he was smirking all the same. "It's hotter when you do it. You always seem to get really into it. I just think it's funny, because you smile so much normally, but not during sex."

"Well, a grimace is, it's kind of a smile, isn't it?"

"Kind of," Xavis conceded, voice dubious.

Orsin rolled his shoulders. He was smiling again, but a little more subdued than usual. He looked out and watched the flames flicker and dance beyond his crossed feet. Xavis noticed he was thinking about something, but he held his silence for a few moments, letting the bigger charr organize his thoughts until he felt comfortable speaking.

"You know what my warband name was, back in the day?" When Xavis shook his head, Orsin continued. "Keentooth. Orsin Keentooth, of Keen Warband. Like a knife, you know? I was a happy cub even back then, I guess. My, uh..."

Orsin felt himself grinning again, and he looked down at Xavis, who was snuggling against the orange charr and looking up with unveiled interest. "My Primus actually gave me a special task. You know how, how different cubs are assigned different duties? She told me to be in charge of the dental hygiene of the warband. So every morning I'd, I'd make sure everybody brushed, and once a week I'd make us all floss too."

"That sounds important. I bet the other cubs hated it."

"Some did," Orsin agreed with a nod. "But, but I think it was important even then. And it would be even more now, now that, now that there's the ceasefire. I think the humans are, they're starting to see how civilized we are. That was a few years ago, right?"

"1324. About six years ago. It's been..." Xavis considered that for a moment, then pursed his lips. "I guess I'd say, it's worked better than we thought it would."

"We being the charr?" Orsin asked.

Xavis snorted. "We being the Order of Whispers, but, yes, for the charr too. Charr are being accepted into the Seraphs these days, and the humans have helped push the Flame Legion back in Ascalon. Our economies are better too, both of them -- at least parts are. The trade has been good. Kryta and Ascalon are so ecologically different, there's a reason merchants were some of the biggest proponents--" He saw Orsin's confused look, and correct himself. "Supports of the ceasefire. There's talk of making it permanent. It's been the right thing to do."

Orsin grinned at that. His relief seemed genuine, and he lowered his left hand to wrap it around Xavis's side. "That's good. I never did hate the humans as much as they wanted us to."

"That doesn't surprise me in the least," the mesmer replied dryly, and Orsin couldn't help but laugh. Xavis broke into a grin in reply, and leaned his head back down on the other's chest. "I can't guess you saw a lot of charr before they set up the asura gates. I wouldn't be surprised if you forgot what we looked like."

Orsin snorted, shaking his head like a bull. "I have a mirror," he replied. "But, well, I didn't see many, an' I only talked to, scorch, maybe one a year. The norn are easier to talk to anyway. They like to laugh and, and smile more, you know."

Xavis nestled in even closer. He reached out with his left hand and placed it on the center of his breast. His voice dropped a little. "You ever think about hooking up with one of them?"

Orsin's grin was wide, but a little sheepish. He shook his head, gave Xavis's dubious expression a look, and shook it even harder. "Nuh uh. I like norn, but they never, I don't know, they never gave me that, that spark, I guess."

"Mmmmh." Xavis watched his fingers leisurely descend through the soft creamy fur of Orsin's chest. His belly was one of Xavis's favorite parts. He liked the bulge of his stomach, and the way that his normally coarse fur seemed to get fluffier the more white it got. "So what did you think about, then?"

"Hmmm..?" Orsin had stretched his body back, pulling his tummy just a little more taut for Xavis's touch. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, you spent ten years alone, and you've already told me you, you know, that you'd masturbate at least once a week. You have a fantasy, right? What did you think about?"

Xavis knew when to expect Orsin to blush now, and he called it when the big charr's cheeks went bright as berries. He let out a little nervous laughter, and Xavis increased the pressure of his palm to try and soothe the big beast. Orsin gave him a crooked smile, and said, "It's, it's a little, I don't know. It's embarrassing."

Xavis couldn't help but grin. "I want to hear it."

Orsin chewed on his lower lip. "If you go first, I'll follow."

Xavis crinkled his nose, considering a protest, but decided to relent. "All right. You want to hear it?" He pulled himself up into a more upright position, though he kept his hand upon Orsin's stomach. He cleared his throat quietly, and spoke.

"In my wildest fantasy, I've got a dozen charr all doing my bidding. They're all under my hypnotic spell, but I don't have to actually focus on keeping the spell working. They're all dedicated to worshiping me like one of the Six. My permanent slaves." He rub, rub, rubbed Orsin's belly. "Most of them are huge, buff males, but there are a few smaller ones, so I can watch them go at it whenever I want, and they... Orsin?"

The bigger charr had an expression of disbelief. He was looking down into Xavis's face in what looked like horror. He swallowed when he realized Xavis was looking up, and tried to play it cool. "Oh, that's, that's, that's good. That's nice. That's -- that's good."

The Ash lifted an eyebrow. He put on a smile, though he seemed perplexed. "What's wrong? It's just a fantasy."

"Y, yeah, yeah, but... scorch, don't you feel sorry for them?" Orsin's shoulders had lifted. "Just, just having these mindless slaves, isn't that kind of scary? They, they can't say no, can they?"

Xavis snickered, putting his head back down. "It's a fantasy, Orsin. It's not real. If somebody came to me and offered to put me in that exact position, I'd turn it down. Of course I don't want to permanently enslave anybody. Really, it's not even possible to hypnotize a dozen guys, surely not on a permanent level, and even if it was, it would take so much concentration that you'd never be able to get a boner. Scorch, and it would mess up a charr's brain chemistry so bad, keeping them under permanent control." He chuckled, a little dryly. "I don't want to deal with the moral applications. But if it's just, you know, something you think about while cranking one out, it's fine -- it's normal to have a weird fantasy. Isn't yours a little weird too?" He prodded the big guy's tummy.

Orsin still seemed very apprehensive. He looked forward, kneading his lower lip anxiously. His shoulders were still raised, and Xavis stopped scritching his stomach, sensing the charr was deeply uncomfortable. "Hey," the Ash said. "Hey, I'm sorry if I crossed a line. If it really is--"

"Oh, no, nuh uh," Orsin replied, shaking his head and turning back. "I, I get it. I knew, I knew one of my bandmates who had this, this, thought about eating a skritt, alive, and having the skritt stay alive in his stomach, and that really..." He shook his head. "I didn't get it, but, I mean, I know what you're saying. Fantasies aren't reality."

"Right," Xavis confirmed, inwardly relieved. "So don't be embarrassed. You can tell me yours. I won't laugh at you. Do you like, I don't know, do you think about being inflated like a balloon? Do you want to wear a diaper? Orsin," Xavis added coyly, the corners of his mouth tugging into a helpless grin. "Do you like being spanked?"

"No!" the big charr protested, shaking his head vigorously. He looked more red than orange at this point, and his body was so tense that Xavis suspected it was the only thing keeping the charr from bolting outright. "No, it's, it's, h-hell--"

Xavis decided to ease off. He snuggled in close to the hunter, pressing the side of his muzzle against the charr's chest, hearing his heart beating with anxiety. He gave Orsin an appreciative hug. "You don't have to tell me. I was just curious. If it's personal, I--"

"There's this place nearby." Orsin's eyes were on the fire, and Xavis could hear his heartbeat get erratic. "Maybe, maybe two miles, mostly uphill. It's near where I found you. It overlooks this ledge, and from it... from it, you can, can see all out over the valley. When it's, you know, when it's clear. You can see all five of the mountains that box this place in, and there are so many trees. You can see out as far as Ascalon sometimes, and the sunset, is, it's, it's..."

Orsin trailed off, seeming to need to build his courage. Xavis brought his hand back to scritch the hunter's tummy. "It sounds nice," he said softly.

"It's the prettiest... place I know. It's so lonely, but so peaceful, and you can see... scorch, you can see so much in Phoenix season."

They were silent for nearly a full minute. Xavis closed his eyes, imagining the view. He had just formulated his own perfect picture when Orsin spoke again. His voice was low and rumbling, but there was the slight hint of a tremble.

"I guess I, I think of that place, when I'd, when I'd..."

"When you'd jerk off."

"Uh huh," Orsin confirmed, then swallowed. "It's not that I'm, not that I'm turned on by mountains, Xavis, or, or trees. But I liked the thought of, of being there, of seeing the sunset, of being in such a beautiful place... and being able to, to, you know, to..."

Xavis was getting the idea. "It's a little scary, right?" He lifted his head. "An animal could come by and catch you with your pants down. Or maybe some norn hikers. People must climb these mountains sometimes. You can see the whole valley, and it can see you."

Orsin wet his lips, his brow furrowed. He seemed somehow interested. "I wouldn't ever do it, just, just because of those things, Xavis. I wouldn't be caught like that. Scorch, it would be so embarrassing to have some norn family come along and see me like that, with my hand around my, my." He cleared his throat. "Myself. So I've never done it."

"But," Xavis said, putting the punctuation mark on the thought. "You liked to think about it. There's something a little bit thrilling about being out there in this beautiful land, all exposed and vulnerable for anybody to see you cranking one out. It's exciting, isn't it?"

Orsin was breathing hard now, but Xavis could tell that much of his anxiety had left him. "When you put it like that, it, it makes sense. I think that's what it is. I couldn't put my finger on it. All this time. I thought I was, I was weird, that, that getting turned on by landscapes is, that it's too strange. But you make it sound normal, you make it make sense."

"It is normal," Xavis told him, breathing in deep and nuzzling the side of his chest. He had expected something unbelievably raunchy. The other charr's big confession was ultimately pretty tame -- hardly even a fetish-- but characteristic, and somehow charming. Xavis didn't feel disappointed. "The closest term for it would be 'exhibitionism', I guess. In these dreams, does anybody happen to walk by? Do they join in?"

Orsin swallowed, but nodded. "Sometimes, not, not always. I think usually it's, it's the thrill of knowing I could be seen. But, but, I do imagine somebody coming across me sometimes, and they do, um. They do join in."

"I take it back about fantasies being unrealistic," Xavis murmured, bringing his paw a little lower. He held it below the charr's belly for just a moment, as though giving him a silent heads up, and then slid his palm down the leatherbound bulge. "If anybody saw you with your charrhood out, they wouldn't be able to resist helping you out."

Orsin snickered bashfully, his shoulders raising even further. "That's not true," he rumbled, but he was stirring within his pants. Xavis could feel his paw rise as Orsin grew stiffer. He began to unbutton the charr's leggings unhurriedly.

"So who wanders by in your thoughts, Orsin?" Xavis rumbled. "Do you imagine a norn, or a couple? Is it one of those bear men? The ko-men?

"Kodan," Orsin whispered, his cheeks flush. His eyes were lowered, mouth slightly opened as he watched Xavis pull his hardening shaft out between the opening in his pants. "No, not, not them."

"So another charr, then." Xavis's voice had lulled into a seductive growl. He leaned forward and gave Orsin's left nipple a gentle kiss. His paw stroked Orsin, letting him grow to full length. "Is he a big and burly gruff guy?"

Orsin pushed his hips upward into Xavis's fist, letting out a quiet sigh as he stiffened. "Maybe," he rumbled, the corners of his mouth twitching. He gave Xavis a look. "What does he sound like?"

Xavis's tail gave a little flicker. He dropped his voice an octave, affecting a rather convincing Blood Legion soldier voice. It was one of his favorites, and one he had employed undercover a handful of time. "Hey, big guy!" he rumbled. "You need any help with saluting your Legionnaire there?"

Orsin let out an appreciative chuckle, closing his eyes and showing his teeth. His left paw started to come around Xavis's side, and he gave the smaller male a little squeeze. "Scorch, I didn't expect anybody to, to find me all the way out here in the middle of nowhere. Are you sure you're not just here to rob me?"

Xavis had to laugh. His fist tightened around Orsin's shaft, and he began to pump him off. Three slow pumps, three moderate ones, and then he was off, driving Orsin toward his edge. He affected that same baritone voice. "There's only one thing I'm going to take from you, soldier."

"Nnngh..." Orsin pressed his teeth together, and his face started to scrunch up. He swallowed, then tried to affect another one of his charming grins. The 'tough guy facade' was already starting to fade. He uncrossed his legs, and Xavis took advantage right away, reaching into his pants and pulling his scrotum out. It hung over the edge of his pants, nearly touching against the sofa. "Hphhh... You must be Iron, stranger. You're cranking me like a tank's drive shaft."

Xavis chuckled, somehow resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Priming the engine, we call it," he growled. His voice softened to his own as he gave Orsin's sheath an encouraging squeeze, then began to pump him off once more, wrapping as much of his palm around that engorged shaft as he could. "Close your eyes, Orsin. What do you see?"

Orsin did as bade, lifting his head and closing his eyes. He gave off a quiet grunt, trying to keep his expression in a rather awkward-looking smile. Xavis canted his head slightly, trying to figure out why the big guy was making such a weird expression. "It's, it's sunset. The sun itself is blocked by the biggest mountain of the valley... Dagmar's Tooth. That's the mountain. But the sky is, it's orange, and pink, and purple... nnph... hgggh, the clouds are all broken up, like spots, hffff, it's so scorchin' pretty..."

Xavis slid his right arm behind Orsin's body so it was pinned between the big charr's bulk and the sofa. His left hand continue to jerk the larger male off, taking no efforts to drag out the process. Xavis was right-hand dominant, but ambidexterity had been drilled into him at a young age, and he had no problem keeping up a firm pounding rhythm as he drove Orsin full speed to his end. "How many trees are there?"

"Nnnf, scorch, hundreds -- thousands." Orsin opened his maw and peeled his chops back in a look of pain. "All along the, unph, along the valley, and up the hills, and it's, urrgh, it's Phoenix, and, and, and they're all in bloom..." He seemed to consciously pull his lips back, as though in imitation of one of his normal natural, wide grins, and then Xavis realized what was going on.

He's trying to smile. He's thinking about what I said earlier.

Irrationally, Xavis felt a surge of indignation. Normally, he found Orsin's self-consciousness endearing, but he refused to accept trading out the big charr's intense, passionate grimace for this crooked-mouthed mockery of mirth. The word came out before he could swallow it back.

"Hey."

Orsin creaked an eye open. Xavis hadn't stopped masturbating him, and his tongue peeked out from between his teeth. "Hppph... yeah?"

"I know you're into this."

Orsin grit his teeth, and his body squirmed, pushing against Xavis's fist. "H-huh?"

"Your heart rate is faster, you're breathing hard. Your balls have drawn up, your neck is flush, and I can see your nipples through your fur."

Orsin was really lost now. Xavis added, through all of what he could perceive about the bigger male's physiology, 'a visibly confused, distracted expression' to the list. The Ash carefully rose further up Orsin's body, motioning his muzzle toward the lower of Orsin's left ears. He locked his arm, continuing to masturbate the poor befuddled charr as he whispered into his ear.

"I can tell when you're having a good time. You don't have to prove it."

Understanding dawned in Orsin's eyes. He turned his head, and Xavis expected an affirmation. What he didn't expect was for the bigger charr to bump his nose against the other's and kiss him right on the mouth. Orsin's left arm locked as he tugged Xavis in, pulling him against his body; the mesmer had to twist his arm just right to keep up his stroking pace.

"You -- get me," was all Orsin could manage between kisses, breaths, puffs, groans. But Xavis understood, and as the little charr pulled back, he could see Orsin's toothy grimace, his face scrunched up in agonized passion, a trickle of drool leaking from the side of his mouth.

Xavis slid his thumb up the side of Orsin's charrhood, pushing his pad toward the slickened head. Orsin shook the couch as he rocked against it, the traces of his grin now entirely gone as his maw craned wide. Xavis rumbled his pleasure as he rubbed at the sensitive link between tip and shaft. As the big guy started to let out a now-familiar groan, Xavis twisted his wrist, taking on Orsin's dick from a different angle, and brought him over the edge.

The couch was nearly as loud as the hunter. Both cried in agony as Orsin forced his hips upward, his legs spreading as he plunged against his partner's fist. The first hint of his orgasm came in a burbling spill before the backlog blasted over his chest with force. He squirmed, maw locked in a near furious snarl as he bucked upward, spraying white seed over his stomach. His penis throbbed arhythmically in Xavis's paw as the Ash drove him onward, milking him for every last drop he had to offer, heedless of the orange beast's slathering gasps.

Even after Orsin had spewed his last, Xavis continued to pound him off, until at last the big guy's wriggled as though to try to get out of his partner's grasp. Xavis didn't let him off the hook just yet, and only once the groaning, gasping male started whimpering did the Ash let up. His paw frosted in dribbling seed, his brought it up to rest upon the hunter's equally messy belly, looking down at the fruits of his labor with satisfaction.

Save Orsin's breathing, they were silent and still for nearly a full minute.

It was broken as Orsin let out a loud, puffy-cheeked exhale, a sound similar to a 'phew'. "Scorch," he murmured. He turned his head down to the little charr snuggled against him and gave a tired smile. "Your turn?"

"I'm fine," Xavis replied, shaking his head. He hadn't even so much as unzipped his pants, though even now the bulge pressed against his leathers.

A look of paternal worry crossed Orsin's face. He frowned his disapproval. "Hey, you deserve, deserve to get off too. I should--"

Orsin had started to reach for Xavis's waist, but the smaller charr reached up. He gently but insistedly pushed Orsin's hand down onto his sperm-slathered belly.

"I promise I'm fine," Xavis said, looking up with a thinly veiled smile. "I don't feel like it just yet. I'll probably jerk off while you're sleeping."

"I don't understand," Orsin murmured. His eyes were hanging as the post-coital exhaustion drained on him. Xavis's smile grew, and he tilted his head fondly. He leaned forward and kissed the hunter's shoulder.

"I'm going to save it for a bit. I promise, I got as much out of it as you did." Xavis could see understanding was coming to the big orange charr, but he decided to push the point home. "You can still enjoy mating without an orgasm. Females have to put up with that more often than males do, you know. Sometimes it's deeply comforting to get your partner off, even if you're not ready yourself."

Orsin chuckled quietly. His grin was small, and Xavis could only see the frontmost four of his teeth. The hunter's arm tense, and he pulled the Ash in a little closer, looking down into his eyes.

"Partner. I like that. Partner."

Xavis smiled, but the words somehow filled him with sadness. A very full, robust sadness. Not hollow. He was used to that. He found himself partly hoping that Orsin wouldn't read too much into that word, and was disquieted as he realized the other half wished he would.

So Xavis acted instead of replying. He brought his foot up onto the couch and pushed, pressing his body against Orsin's thick and burly body until the hunter relented. Sniggering under his breath, Orsin went down onto the couch, bringing his legs around to curl up on the cushions (amidst the usual chorus of squeaks and cries). Xavis wasted no time in crawling forward and settling down on the big guy's body.

He expected Orsin to start drifting off soon, but the big charr had a little more to say.

"What do you call," the hulky charr rumbled, his voice deep yet pensive. "That thing we just did?"

Xavis glanced up, curious. Orsin's eyes were hidden by his muzzle and chin, and Xavis didn't feel like moving his head the two inches needed to make eye contact. "Hmm..?"

"When you use your paw. Like when you, um, when you, hrrrm, when you masturbate someone. What is that?"

Xavis lowered his head, hiding his maw behind Orsin's muzzle. He needed to take a moment to suppress a surprised laugh. He couldn't get all the incredulous mirth out of his voice as he replied, "You mean a handjob? You've never heard of the word 'handjob'?"

"Oh." Orsin stirred a bit. Xavis couldn't see his cheeks, but he could feel the behemoth's shoulders raise, hear the bashfulness in his tone. "Now that you, now that you say it, I've heard it before."

Xavis snicker-snorted. He nestled his body into Orsin's chest.

"I don't know why," the Ash said, closing his eyes. His voice was a little pensive, as though faintly embarrassed. "But they're my favorite. They're considered very, I guess 'plain' is the right term. Basic. Vanilla, if you know that word."

"But you, you like them? Doing them, I mean."

"I do," Xavis confessed, nodding his head. "I've always been good with my hands, I guess you could say. Call it Ash training. Yeah, I can use my mouth, or I can use my butt." Orsin gave a little juvenile snicker at this, and Xavis patiently let it pass before continuing. "And I do use those, because when it comes down to it, the same thing gets old fast. You've got to have variety in your sex life. But."

Xavis's left ears flickered, and he raised a paw tacky with fluid up to scratch at them. "I mean, this probably isn't a shock to you. I like jerking you off. I like being able to control how fast you approach the finish line. I like the way your dick feels in my hand."

Orsin had stirred a little. He craned his neck to peer down at the little charr, seeming interested, but unwilling to interrupt. Xavis went on, not making eye contact.

"I like that I can use one hand to do the deed, so the other can, you know, rub your belly, rub your chest. Maybe even rub one of your feet, if I bend your leg. And I can pull you in for a kiss."

Orsin put on one of his big, cheerful grins. "Scorch, when you're, when you're kissing me, and using your paw, it's, it's one of my favorite things I've ever felt. Your hand is on my, my, near my waist, and our muzzles are touching, but I can feel so much more between them both. And then if you touch me there, on my chest or my belly, it feels, scorch, I don't, there aren't words, Xavis. I can't even tell you how happy it makes me."

"I understand," Xavis replied. He finally looked up, catching Orsin's big grin with a soft, but genuine, one of his own. "There's no sense denying it, Orsin. We're past the point where I care how this sounds: You have a beautiful body, and I love touching you. And I love that you love me touching you. Simple as that."

Orsin grinned so wide and so sweet, Xavis couldn't resist. He motioned his head forward, and they kissed, each wrapping their arms around the other. They kissed until they were ready to go at it again, and this time, Xavis was ready to go.

*********************************************************************************

Sixteen

_If you see me

Could you free me

With a smile

So I can let go_

The longest night had come. Xavis didn't know how Orsin could keep track of it as well as he did, but he seemed to have known the moment the light disappeared.

"Hrm, I think today's the day," he said, looking up from preparing a snack of nuts and dried pepperoni. Xavis was doing the dishes nearby, and he turned just enough to glance out the kitchen's window. "The longest night. You know what that means?"

"What's that?"

Orsin turned, the last traces of sunlight veiled by clouds and snow yet still shining radiantly in his eyes. He flashed a grin. "This is the dead center of Colossus. We're exactly halfway to Zephyr."

Xavis turned to regard him. He looked out the window into the fading light, smirked, then turned back to the dishes. "Is that how that works?"

"Uh huh, at least according to the norn," Orsin confirmed. He popped a hazelnut into his mouth, crunching it loudly. "I miss being outside."

"Nothing's stopping you," Xavis replied. He kept his voice level, without a hint of humor, but he knew Orsin could get that he was teasing. "Open up the window, go make a snowman. I'll be right behind you, promise."

The hunter snickered. The wind was barreling fiercely against the nearby window. It had become such an omnipresent sound that both of them had been used to it for many days. He brought his hand down to his loincloth and scratched it aimlessly as he looked out the window. "I'd hafta go put something on."

"Nonsense," Xavis responded crispy. He was scrubbing a particularly stubborn piece of fat now, trying to get it off the bottom of a stew pot. "Mind over matter. Temperature is an illusion. If you think hot thoughts, then you'll be fine."

He could hear and feel Orsin moving behind him, but he was so caught up in his pot-scrubbing that he didn't expect the big charr to come up behind him. He felt first the hunter's strong arms coming around his own, then the gentle lump in the charr's loincloth pressing against the Ash's leathers. The rest of Orsin's body came upon him moments later, wrapping him up in a hug from behind, and the big orange charr growled in his ear.

"Well, maybe you could warm me up first, and then I'd, I'd have a reason to cool off."

Xavis turned his head away with a grin, but Orsin pressed his advantage, digging his muzzle into the side of the Ash's neck. Xavis barely managed to turn off the water, his half-scrubbed pot left to clatter in the sink as Orsin squeezed him so tight, the little charr could scarcely move his arms.

Xavis tried to turn to face Orsin, but found that the big charr, who usually relented instantly to any insistence on the mesmer's part, kept him still. A hundred ways to escape flickered into Xavis's head -- some using mesmer magic, but most being long-ingrained mundane tricks for escaping a grappler, with or without harming the assailant -- but the little charr kept still, waiting to see where this was going. "Sounds to me like you've already got those 'hot thoughts' under control."

"Don't blame me," Orsin growled into Xavis's left ears. His massive paws were going down the Ash's chest body, each one nearly big enough to wrap around the little white charr's slender torso. His weight on Xavis's back was enveloping, oppressive. "Any charr'd want to blow a gasket if they saw the way you were scrubbin' those dishes."

Xavis suppressed a grin, but his tongue peeped out from between his teeth. This was the first time Orsin had taken charge, and wouldn't you know, it was working for him. He set his hands upon the edge of the sink, and used the leverage to gently rub his buttocks against Orsin's swelling girth.

"If your thing is watching charr do house chores, wait'll you see the way I sweep. Some charr just know how to handle a broom."

Orsin gave out a quiet snort, and Xavis could tell he was grinning. He may have even laughed if his attentions weren't elsewhere. He could feel the hunter's appraising eyes going down his backside, watching the way that snow-white fur became spotted with gray speckles the further it got to his waist. Xavis snuck a hand in near his waist and began to undo his pants, with slow, cautious movements.

Orsin smacked his lips, bringing his paws back to Xavis's hips. He lifted his chest, then shimmied his hips, rubbing his bulge between the tight outline of Xavis's cheeks until the loincloth came loose. Orsin pulled back only long enough for the strap of fur to tumble to his feet. His penis unbound by its prior confines, the big charr stepped forward, squeezing himself up against Xavis until his tip bumped against the tip of the Ash's tail.

Xavis finally got the belt and buttons undone. He jerked his hips forward, then pushed it back, smearing his leathered rump along Orsin's shaft until he felt the pants start to loosen. He could hear Orsin's gentle snuff of surprise as he felt the Ash's waistband start to rub along his frenulum, followed by a sharp intake of air as the leggings fell to the ground. Xavis locked his legs and arched his back, emphasizing his newly exposed backside. He turned his head, only just enough to see the growing interest in the big guy's expression.

Orsin wasted no time. His clawed fingers gripped Xavis's hips tightly as the bigger male oriented himself, his large footpaws thumping on the wood as he shifted into position. Even with Xavis's butt at full height, the hunter had to lower himself to press the tip of his dick against the mesmer's tailhole. He held it there for a moment, throbbing, leaking, before he pushed himself in at near full speed.

He was a thick charr, and a lot to take in dry even for an experienced partner. Xavis winced, squeezing his eyes shut and gritting his teeth. "Nnnph," he grunted, but otherwise didn't protest. This was a new side of Orsin, a rare glimpse into the big guy in a dominant role, and he didn't want to ruin his momentum by crticizing, even kindly.

Teaching could come later. Xavis knew he could take it. And besides, Orsin was a particularly leaky charr. It would get easier very soon indeed.

Orsin penetrated the smaller male up to half-shaft with a low grunt. He wriggled his hips, moved back, and thrust again, getting an extra couple inches. His charrhood throbbed as he thickened to full, spilling his pre and smearing it along the mesmer's inner walls. His large mitts gripped Xavis's sides, vice-like, keeping him mostly still save to rock forward and back in time with Orsin's thrusts.

Xavis lowered his head until his forehead touched the rim of the sink. He groaned, tense above the stomach but relaxed below, taking the hunter's girth without much difficulty. He could feel himself start to swell, and his genitals bobbled as each thrust forced his body forward.

Orsin was thrusting into him regularly now, and as predicted, each one felt a little easier. The mesmer's insides were slickened and warm, and the hunter plowed against him with growing abandon. Once he had assumed a comfortable pace, the big charr gradually leaned forward, pressing the heft of his muscular chest against Xavis's upper back, leaning toward the side of his head.

"Hpph... you okay?" the bestial man growled, his puffing breath hot on the back of the mesmer's ears. The heat was radiating off him.

"Yeah," Xavis replied, sparing him with a little smile. He lifted his left arm and wrapped it around the big guy's head, pulling him in for a quick kiss. He could feel Orsin's left hand sneaking up his belly and clutching his chest. It felt so strong, so right, that Xavis could almost let his body go slack, and this great beast plowing into him would feel him aloft.

Orsin squeezed his arm, pulling Xavis closer against his body. His thrusting speed was quickening, and each push rocked the mesmer's body forward. Orsin had found the little charr's G-spot, whether he knew it or not, and Xavis let out an agonizing groan as the hunter's dick rubbed against it again, and again, and again.

Xavis could feel Orsin's right paw sliding down the crevice between his thigh and groin, and knew exactly where he was going. The little charr pushed his hips back against the orange charr's relentless assault until he felt Orsin's ballsack smacking against his own, and sighed in breathless relief as the big charr's fingers and palm slid around his sheath and shaft.

Orsin didn't play around first or coax Xavis into it. His big paw wrapped around the Ash's penis and began to jerk him off, and vigorously. The Ash grinned and closed his eyes, lifting his head, savoring the warm thickness inside him from behind and the warm thickness around him in front.

"Together," Orsin panted. Xavis turned his head as he felt a droplet of saliva plop onto his back, but Orsin didn't continue for several long exasperated breaths interspersed with grumbles and growls. "Come, come together," he puffed, and Xavis understood. Orsin was quickly approaching his apex, and this was his last call.

"I'll catch up," the Ash confirmed, and he burrowed his dick against the hunter's tan-padded fingers, pulsing in his grasp until he could feel the wetness collect at his hip. Xavis closed his eyes and moved back against Orsin, focusing only on his midsection -- only on the rhythm of their bodies, and the steady pounding of the other's fist on his shaft.

"Unnnph... scorch, Orsin," the mesmer groaned, hardly audible over the animalistic snarls and sniffs and scowls overhead. Xavis pulled his left hand off of the counter and brought it to his chest, where he placed his little dexterous palm atop Orsin's paw, securely planting him there.

The effect was immediate. Orsin groaned, his fingers pulsing beneath Xavis's, his claws just barely pricking out to press aginst the mesmer's spotted fur. "Hrrrrphh -- hnngh, ggghhphhhh, rrrrrrfffffffgggghh--" He rammed his crotch forward, slamming his malehood as deep inside the little charr's tightness as he could, fighting for every half inch. He thrust thrice, two quick stabs, one final push, and then he let out a roar loud enough to shake the cabinets as he finally exploded inside him, letting himself go as he pumped wave after wave of milky heat deep inside the Ash.

His fist had clenched up, but Xavis had already crossed his own threshold. A mere second after the first of Orsin's geysers, the mesmer scrunched his face up, throbbed to fullness, and buried his cock against Orsin's fist, smashing full throttle into his own orgasm. He could hear the splatter of cum against the cabinets as he gushed into the hunter's hand, and his eyes rolled into his head as he lost himself in the deluge of warm semen splattering deep in his core. His mind crazily imagined ejaculating the very cum being inserted into him, and he let out a long, eager groan as he coasted down from the highest point of his climax.

When Orsin had spilled his last, his grip on Xavis's chest relaxed, but he didn't withdraw right away. He let his body sag, and Xavis, just finishing up his climax, had to lash out with his left arm to be able to hold the hunter's greater bulk. Orsin let out a long, indolent sigh, then picked himself back up. He retracted his arms, bringing them back to Xavis's side, and he slowly began the process of withdrawing from his partner.

Xavis waited until he felt the gentle 'pop' and subsequent trickling splatter that came with it. He smiled, then reached for a sponge.

Now removed from the other charr, Orsin glomped forward and wrapped his arms around Xavis's chest again, drawing a half-giggling protest from the little charr. He picked Xavis up like he weighed nothing at all, and started to march toward the living room.

"Hrahah -- Orsin!" He was laughing. "Scorch, we've got to clean it up before it hardens, this stuff stains, and I got it everywhere!"

"Nothing we can't clean later using a blowtorch," he teased. He kicked the ajar door to his room open and carried Xavis to his bed. He crashed down upon it, Xavis in his usual position atop his chest, before finally releasing his grip on the snickering charr.

"You say that now," Xavis replied with a grin. "But if we keep banging in the kitchen and don't clean up after, it's going to get so slippery that we're going to need ice skates to get around."

"I have a pair of those!" Orsin exclaimed, his voice chipper, before growing more pensive. "Uh, somewhere. I did, at least. Got 'em for free. They hurt like, like hell to wear."

"Let me guess," Xavis said in a droll tone of voice. He had picked himself up from Orsin's body just long enough to grab a couple blankets. Orsin's room was naturally much cooler than the living room, but he had more blankets scattered around than he knew what to do with. Xavis came back down gently onto Orsin's body, wrapping them both up in the soft fur blankets. "Made for norn, charrified for you."

"They weren't modified," Orsin said almost gravely, prompting another snicker from Xavis. "I'd rather just skate barefoot an' freeze my toes off."

"I'd help you warm up." Xavis smiled, snuggling up. His body was feeling toasty warm, sandwiched between fur on top and bottom. "That's the first time you took charge, you know."

"Yeah?" Orsin said, but his grin showed that he knew. "How'd I do?"

"Don't make a habit out of it." Orsin laughed at that, and Xavis grinned as well. He couldn't help it, it was infectuous. "You did great. Needed more lube, but good. Just know that you'll have to pry the reigns out of my hands next time."

"Have 'em," Orsin said with a shrug. "Scorch, calling all the shots is too, it's too much effort. I'd rather just have you do all the work, like usual. Hrahah, ow!" Xavisi had thwacked him lightly on the chest, and Orsin mock-growled back at him in protest, teeth bared in a snarl that pretty quickly became a grin. "Hreh heh, but seriously, it's like you, like you said. It's variety. I like it more when you take control, but that felt -- it felt good. It's what I wanted to do. And I meant what I said, you know. I dunno what it was, but you doing dishes, and me seeing you from behind, it just, it did it for me."

"I'm okay with that," Xavis replied. He had his eyes closed, and his left ears were pressed to Orsin's chest, hearing his heartbeat. "You know that's only the second time anybody's given me a reach-around?"

"What's a -- hrrm." Orsin seemed to figure it out. "Scorch, just once before? Do they, I mean, your former partners, do they just, do they expect you to handle it yourself?"

"Nobody I've been with really cared what I did, as long as I didn't make them pull out," Xavis explained, eyes still shut. "The one guy who did, well, I had to do two favors for him first. And even then, I think he resented me for it. And let me tell you, there's nothing more awkward than an angry handjob."

"Burn me," Orsin marveled. He peered down at the charr on his chest, and though Xavis couldn't see his expression, he could hear the marvel in his voice. "They're missing out. I liked it. I liked just feeling your, your, you know, the stuff that makes you male."

Xavis snorted. "You're getting gayer by the day, Orsin." He could actually feel the charr's body growing hot as he went flush, and Xavis snickered in reply. "It's not a bad thing, you know. It's good to embrace that you like guys, if you do."

"I, scorch, I mean, I guess I do," Orsin replied pensively. He looked up at the ceiling, and his maw pursed into a slight frown. Xavis could feel his heartbeat quickening, and he knew the big charr was feeling anxious. He started to lift his head to give him a sleepy, curious look.

"But it's, it isn't obvious for me, like it is for you, Xavis. I never thought about males a whole lot. I mean, I guess more than, more than females, I did. But no specific charr I've ever met. I liked the idea of being with a male charr more than, um." He crinkled his nose. "More than I really wanted to be with any male charr I've ever met. Does that make sense to you?"

Xavis wasn't sure, but he nodded, indicating for Orsin to continue. But the big charr was silent for almost a full minute, and the Ash put his head back down on his chest.

"And then I met you," Orsin said, and his voice was so quiet, Xavis could make it out more from the thrums in his chest and along his throat than from the words itself. "And then it, then it did start to make sense. And I guess if that makes me gay, just liking you, then, then okay."

"Then okay," Xavis replied at last. He had to focus on keeping himself collected, on keeping his face hidden behind Orsin's muzzle, because he could feel the tears stinging at the corners of his eyes. He could hear the silent wish in the big charr's voice, and he could hear the voice inside, pulsing, always in the back of his mind. It grew louder now.

_You can't keep stringing him along.

It'll only hurt more when you go.

He knew the risks.

Keep your distance.

It isn't your problem if it hurts him.

It's his own fault.

You have a job to do.

Your Legion needs you.

The Order needs you.

It's his own fault.

You don't owe him anything.

It's his own fault._

Xavis squeezed his eyes shut, and he wrapped his arms around Orsin's body, and he just held him. He held him until he could hear Orsin's quiet breathing, and knew the big guy had dozed.

He counted to three hundred, slowly, methodically, until he knew the hunter deep in his dreams. Then he pushed himself up, left the room to head for the couch, and stared at the fire for long, pensive hours.

**********************************************************************************

Seventeen

_Once more I tell

The shadows of my soul

Stay back

Everything has changed now_

"How about, 'Knock it off'?"

"No, that won't work."

"Hrrrrm... 'Mercy'?"

"No, Orsin, it has to be something you'd never otherwise say in this context."

"I don't understand, Xavis. Can't it just be 'Stop'?"

"It's hard to explain. It's going to make sense, I promise. Just trust me."

"All right. All right, how about, um, 'Teddy Bear'?"

"Sure. Teddy Bear works great."

Orsin grinned, but he looked uncomfortable. He wriggled a bit, testing the strength of his bindings, but they held firm. His wrists were wrapped together over his head, securely fastened by torn strips of blanket to the bedpost.

"Could, could you run it by me one last time? So no matter what you do, you're not going to stop... whatever you're doing, unless I say 'Teddy Bear', right?"

"That's right," Xavis confirmed. He placed his hand on Orsin's creamy white belly. The big charr's muscles were pulled taut by his bound position, and Xavis slid his hand up to the center of his chest, then toward the inner curve of his right armpit. Orsin squirmed. "It's like an exercise in trust. Sometimes a little bit of pain -- nothing permanent," he added quickly, seeing the worry in Orsin's expression. "But sometimes a little bit helps you reach deeper depths of excitement. You might say 'no' or 'stop' or something as a reflex, but not actually want to stop -- you might want for me to push you further than you could push yourself. That's why we have a safe word. So I don't push too far, too quick."

Orsin swallowed. He looked down his body. His arms were together, but his legs were spread apart. The bindings were tight around his ankles, and he couldn't move either foot more than a half inch to either side. Even his tail was bound to the edge of the bed, just below the tuft, dead center between his footpaws. "These're kind of tight," the big charr murmured.

"They have to be. You're a strong charr," Xavis said. He was stroking up Orsin's arm now, feeling the tight bulge of his orange-furred bicep. He gave it a firm squeeze, then ran his finger down one of the white stripes that slashed toward his elbow. "And one thing they teach Ash cubs at a real young age is how to make a tight knot. Are you ready to get started?"

Orsin swallowed. He tried to move his arms, and his teeth grit with animal anxiety. "What are... you going to do first?"

"Something I really think you'll enjoy." Xavis stroked his hand down Orsin's body, settling upon his upper right nipple. He ran the tip of his padded finger around the circumference of his nipple, just barely feeling the little bumps of his areola through his white fur. "Remember to breathe."

Orsin realized he had been holding his breath. He let it go in a loud 'whoosh', then closed his eyes. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. He forced himself to focus on the comfort that was his partner's fingers gently rubbing his breast, massaging the bump of his nipple, squeezing th--

"Ow!"

The reaction was sudden and violent, and the bed rocked as Orsin jerked. Xavis pulled his hand back and blinked. He had hardly pinched hard, wanting to start the big guy off slow. They made eye contact, and Orsin murmured an apology. Xavis smiled, said it was okay, and went back to rubbing his nipple.

"Sorry. I should have warned you. I'm going to start squeezing now," Xavis told him, very softly. "It's going to hurt for a little bit. I want you to try to get past the initial discomfort, endure just a little more than you normally would. But remember what to say if it gets too much. Okay?"

Orsin swallowed, nodded, and braced himself.

Xavis applied pressure, squeezing the hardening nipple between his thumb and forefinger. He started to twist his fingers, and Orsin started grimacing, grunting in pain.

"Ow," he growled, his eyes squeezing shut. "Ow. Ow, scorch, ow -- Xavis, stop!"

Xavis stopped moving, but he didn't relax his pressure either. He kept his hand still. He had started to grin -- this was a deep and personal kink of his -- but the big guy was visibly uncomfortable. A few seconds later, he heard Orsin groan out the words "Teddy bear", and he immediately relaxed the tension.

Xavis reached his arm across the hunter's body, placing it upon the uppermost nipple on the other side of his body. He leaned a little closer to Orsin, who opened one eye and looked at him, seeming full of sorrow.

"Xavis, I don't like this," he whimpered. "I don't, I don't understand. Why are you hurting me?"

Xavis felt his heart stir with guilt, or something close to it. He massaged Orsin's left nipple gently. "Do you think you can try one more time? I'll go a little slower this time." Honestly, he wasn't sure how much slower he could go, he had felt like he had barely gotten started last time. But Orsin bit his lower lip, swallowed, and nodded, and Xavis leaned forward, kissing the bound charr on his forehead.

He started to apply pressure to Orsin's nipple as gradually as he could, feeling the bump go stiff in his grip. Xavis ran his tongue along his lips, starting to grin as he squeezed just enough to having his thumb and forefinger touch, having applied about half as much pressure as he thought he could.

"Ungh, unnn, ow, oww, nnnn--" Orsin grimaced from the pain, and he started shaking his head. When Xavis supplied the slightest extra twist, the big charr groaned, barking the words, "Teddy bear, teddy bear, Xavis, I can't, I can't do this."

Xavis pulled his arm back at once. He ran his eyes down Orsin's body toward his naked crotch. The charr wasn't lying; he was completely flaccid, without so much as a hint of life in his orange sheath.

The big charr turned his eyes away, looking utterly ashamed of himself. A quiet whine formed in his throat. "I'm sorry," he murmured, his cheeks lashing with red. "I'm really sorry. I don't like it, I don't like it at all."

Xavis did feel disappointed, but he empathized with the poor bound charr, and reason soon sank in. Orsin had checked so many boxes off on his list that it was only a matter of time before they found a kink they didn't share. He leaned forward and kissed Orsin's cheek.

"It's all right, Orsin. It's not for everybody. It was short-sighted of me to not test you first. You're brave to have been willing to try it."

Orsin turned to look up at him. He still looked humbled, and his vulnerable position made it difficult to maintain any degree of dignity. He lifted his shoulders as best he could, and his thick biceps pressed against his ears. "Do all charr like, like this? They like, scorch, they like this pain?"

"Not all charr," Xavis said. He almost considered saying 'Most do, though,' but decided it would make matters worse, and anyway, he didn't know it for sure. "Later on, I'll let you do it to me."

Orsin lowered his muzzle. "I don't wanna hurt you, Xavis."

"I'll like it. Well," Xavis mused, looking down the big charr's bound body. That was all he really had planned. He thought it would be enough. He had just planned on playing with Orsin's nipples for a while until the big charr was so aroused he couldn't take it anymore. Xavis scratched under his chin, his mind racing. "Now what?" he asked, buying himself some time.

Orsin, predictably, didn't have any suggestions. He looked down his body as well, and he tried to bring his feet closer together sheepishly. He tugged against all four binds, even trying to flick his tail for good measure. No dice. "It's... I guess it's up to you."

It came to Xavis at once. He pursed his lips, looking thoughtfully down at Orsin. "Well, you don't like pain, so I'm not going to use whips or candle wax, of course."

Orsin blanched.

"There's really only one way of torturing a charr without hurting him that I know of. It's a little unorthodox, but there's some precedence for interrogators employing these tactics to get their prisoners to confess."

Orsin swallowed. He looked actually scared now. "What..?"

Xavis leaned over Orsin. He brought his hands down to the orange charr's sides, just above his hips. He gave the bound charr a devious look, retracted his claws until they were mere white stubs at the ends of his fingers, and started tickling him.

The effect was instantaneous. Orsin barked with sudden laughter, his body twisting and squirming. "Hrahahahahah!" He would angle his body to get away from the claws on one side, only to push tighter against those on the other. "Nonono! Stop, sta-hrah-hrah-hrah-hraaap!"

Xavis's grin widened. He raised his hands, finding the big charr's furry armpits and wriggling his fingers there.

Orsin howled with laughter, his body shaking, pushing upward against his bindings to escape. His eyes squeezed shut, spittle flying against his teeth as he squirmed helplessly beneath the Ash. "Scorch -- sco-ho-hoh-horch, Xavis, please, hrahahah, please!"

Xavis relented for just a moment. This was part of the game, letting his victim breathe, but he also wanted to be sure Orsin had a little time to remember the safe word. He brought his hand down to Orsin's soft, creamy belly, and began to gently stroke him.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Orsin," Xavis said with convincing sorrow. "It's pretty cruel of me to take advantage of you like this, all bound up and unable to escape." He could feel Orsin's body rising and falling as he caught his breath. The big charr's cheeks were flushed and hot, and he squinted down as he listened to Xavis speak. "Honestly, what sort of monster would even consider doing... this?"

He started to tickle Orsin's tummy with both hands, starting around the belly button and moving outward to his sides.

"No!" Orsin barked, and then he began to roar with mirth again. He struggled helplessly against his bindings, his whole body squirming and moving under the Ash's onslaught. "Nohohohohhhhrahahah! Hrahahahahahah!! Stop -- scorch -- scorch -- hrahaha -- yer killin' me -- hrahahaha -- scorch it! Hreheheheheh, stop, hrahah, stop, I can't breathe!"

"If you can talk, you can breathe," Xavis replied in an almost singsong voice, canting his head affectionately as he watched the large charr writhe involuntarily beneath him. He was loving this, and his enjoyment was only enhanced as he watched Orsin's penis emerge from its sheath, bouncing and bobbling with every wriggle and thrust.

When he had finished with the bound charr's musclegut, he moved lower. He took only a moment to stroke the tips of his fingers along Orsin's shaft, just enough to keep him riled up as he gave the big charr a couple moments to breathe. Xavis pushed himself up on the bed, moving himself until was situated between the supine charr's legs. He brought his clawed fingers down to Orsin's inner thighs, gave him a mischievious grin, and started to vigorously stroke him from the crook of his knees up to his inner groin.

"Wha, wha, whahahaha -- hrahahahahah! Rrrgh, rrrrrrr, Xavis, it tickles!"

"Are you sure?" Xavis taunted, his fingers wriggling away at the thick thight, slightly matted with sweat. Charr hips were wide, and it was easy for the Ash to rotate his wrists and explore every inch of the charr's upper leg. The area just below his groin seemed to be a real sensitive spot, and naturally, Xavis worked there the most.

Orsin's face was burning red, and he was visibly and audibly gasping for air. He was still laughing his tail off, but was making a better effort at trying to keep his mouth shut, giving him a wide, helpless grin. Tears were streaming from his eyes. He continued to plead for mercy, for Xavis to stop and give him time to breath, but he never uttered the two words that he knew would give him just that.

Orsin was rock hard by now, and a bit of dew had collected at his tip. Xavis lifted his hands, giving the big guy a few moments to recover. The mesmer leaned forward and gently kissed the hunter's shaft, then gave him a little lick of encouragement. A reward for having endured this much.

As his mouth worked the bound charr's penis, his hands worked below. His left hand wrapped under the charr's furry scrotum, massaging the contents. He lifted Orsin's heavy ballsack, and his right hand started to work the big male's taint. He began to slide his knuckles along the perineum, massaging him with just the right amount of pressure.

Orsin was still breathing hard. He groaned, his body stirring. He writhed again, this time pushing his hips up with slow but powerful force, pushing the underside of his penis against Xavis's muzzle. The bed creaked as he tried to pull his arms and legs in, fighting against those binds that held him tight. He started to drip, his body responding to the overstimulation.

Xavis took the tip of Orsin's dick into his mouth, suckling upon the first drizzles of his pre. It tasted so good, he rubbed the big charr's balls and taint more vigorously, encouraging him to leak more

Orsin had no choice but to surrender. His body was being churned like a machine, and the bound charr felt his shaft pulsing against Xavis's tongue, trickling into his mouth. He let off a low, quiet groan, his taut arms tensing. He looked down his body, watching Xavis work hungrily along his malehood.

Xavis wanted to keep suckling. Orsin was so hard, so stirred up, and he was adorable in his helplessness. Xavis wanted to finish him off right then and there, to bring him to completion all over his taut, rippled body. But he had other plans, and so, with effort bordering on titanic, he pulled himself up from the hunter's penis, and brought his right hand up to wipe the precum and spit from the end of his muzzle.

"Help me out here, Orsin," he told him, eliciting a confused blink from the tied-up charr. "We've tested your armpits, your sides, your belly, and your thighs. What other part of a charr's body do you think might be ticklish?"

It took Orsin a moment to realize what Xavis was implying. His face fell. "Oh -- scorch, Xavis, don't tickle my paws too--"

"Your paws!" Xavis exclaimed with mock enthusiasm. He even made a show of slapping his forehead. "You're a genius! What a great idea. Don't you want to know how sensitive your feet are?"

"N-not really," Orsin rumbled quietly. But he watched with apprehensive curiosity as Xavis slid further toward the edge of the bed and moved toward his tied right foot.

Xavis slid his left hand below Orsin's heel, his right below the ankle. Orsin was bound such that he couldn't pull his leg in, nor get much movement left or right, but his leg could be lifted a few inches. Xavis had, of course, planned it this way, knowing his own thighs weren't so thick. He crossed his legs, delicately lifted the heavy footpaw up, slid his lap underneath, and set it down.

Orsin tried to move away, to pull it back or kick forward, or to rotate his paw out of the way, but to no avail. He winced, clenched his toes, and braced himself for what was to come.

But Xavis started massaging him. His movements were slow and comforting, and though Orsin knew this was a trick, he couldn't help falling for it. It felt so good. The Ash pushed his thumbs deep into the charr's smooth central pad, wrapping his fingers around the back of the midfoot until, with a low groan, Orsin found his toes unclenching. They splayed as he arched his foot, and Xavis took advantage, running his fingers between his padded toes soothingly.

He pressed the side of his paw against Orsin's toes, pushing them back and pulling his foot taut. He lowered his fingers...

And gently and swiftly scraped all five claws along the center of his foot in random patterns.

Orsin thrashed, snorted, and tried to pull his leg back. The bed creaked in agony from the force of the hunter's muscular leg, but the bindings held him in place as Xavis brought his tickling fingers up, closer to the toes. Orsin snickered, then started to laugh again. He tried to clench his toes, but Xavis's other hand remained steadfast, keeping them pulled back so that his sole was pulled entirely taut.

"No, no, stop, stop, hrahahah, stop!" Orsin's leg twisted as his body writhed, struggling in vain to escape from those torturous claws. Xavis had to spread his legs some; while the big charr's orange-furred footpaw didn't have much lateral movement, the dewclaw coming off of his heel was sharp, and it wouldn't rightly be Orsin's fault if it speared the Ash's thigh now.

Xavis leaned, turning his eyes from one foot to the other. He was grinning coyly now. He let the toes of Orsin's right foot go. They clenched, and Orsin gave a soft "hrah" of relief, but it didn't last more than a moment before Xavis was already going to town on the bound left, tickling his sole mercilessly.

"Ah, scorch! Scorch, scorch, stop, hrahahahaha, stop, stop, hrahahaha! Hrahaha, I can't breathe, I'm gonna, gonnaaaahahaharrrrrph! Hrrrrrrpphhhhrrroohohohahahah! Hell! Hraha, hell! I'm, hraha, I'm beggin' ya!"

Xavis didn't let up. Orsin's whole body was squirming to escape. His orange cheeks were almost crimson, and he made staggering loud gasps between absolute roars of laughter. Between their faces, Xavis could see Orsin pulsing at full throb, his malehood completely erect, and the Ash snickered, wondering how his cheeks could spare the blood.

Stretching his arms out, Xavis alternated between tickling and rubbing, each hand near one foot. He kept each entirely random, sometimes pressing to one foot as he massaged the other, sometimes mirroring, sometimes not touching Orsin at all. Affection at some times, torment at others. Not knowing which Xavis would do and when made the big charr more sensitive to the little one's touch, and Orsin was wheezing for breath having laughed so hard.

Xavis could see the bound charr straining to look at him, perhaps in the vain hope of having a glimpse of which of Xavis's fingers were about to do what action, but there were too many tears in his eyes unable to be rubbed away. The world was a blur.

"Hppph -- hppph -- hraha -- hraaaaaaaahaha -- s-scor -- scor -- hraaaaapphhhh -- t-ted -- t-teddy bear..."

Xavis lifted his hands at once. He brought his hands down on the outsides of Orsin's powerful legs, stroking up his body as he crawled back toward his crotch.

Orsin was sweating profusely, gulping down air. He looked as though he had just run a marathon with his hands tied over his head. His eyes were partially closed, stinging with sweat and tears, and his tongue lolled up from his mouth. He stared at Xavis, and revealed a single tooth as he pulled his maw back into an exhausted smile.

Xavis tilted his head, opened his muzzle, and went down on Orsin's erection. He pulled his teeth behind his lips and took the entire shaft into his wet maw in a single plunge. He bathed Orsin's malehood with his tongue, not pulling his muzzle back even as he licked at him until his chest burned and his jaw started to ache.

He earned this. He had endured such torment, had lasted longer than Xavis would have guessed, and it was time for him to reap his reward.

Orsin's eyes rolled up into his head, and he let out a loud, tired moan. His legs fought for purchase, trying to dig his heels into the bed in order to thrust upward into Xavis's mouth. He couldn't get much leverage, but he pushed his hips as hard as they would go, surrendering himself utter to his partner's affection and to his own carnal pleasure.

Still suckling on Orsin's penis, Xavis brought one hand up, stroking the big charr's balls. He wrapped his thumb and forefinger around to the hunter's sheath, squeezing and pumping, while his remaining fingers grasped what of the larger charr's furry scrotum they could. His other hand reached for Orsin's belly. His touch was all pads and no claws, patting and kneading his big snow-furred belly, coaxing him onward.

"Unnnnnnnhhhh... hrrrrrrrrrggggh... " The big charr was still breathing hard. "Unnn..." He pushed upward into the Ash's maw, his taut arms tugging against the backboard, unable to resist the masculine urges that were being churned out of him.

He had been quieting down, still exhausted after having filled the room with several minutes of noise, but his whine picked up to a snarl to a little roar as he twisted his body, crossing his point of no return. He writhed helplessly in the bed, but no matter how he thrashed, Xavis kept the larger male securely, comfortably in his mouth. Both hands squeezed, one gripping his stomach, the other kneading his ballsack and sheath, and he turned his maw just so to slide his tongue around the pink, pulsing cocktip.

Orsin threw his head back, and Xavis braced himself for the torrent of cream that splattered against the back of his throat. He swallowed and plunged for more, lashing his tongue around to lick along the hole at his tip, and he could actually feel the hot semen bursting forth from the opening. Semen filled his mouth. Orsin bucked his hips suddenly, ferociously, and Xavis gulped down the deluge that followed.

He pulled back, sliding his lips along the shaft with a kiss upon the tip, and Orsin burst a long rope of cum along the Ash's muzzle. Xavis withdew as his hand pointed the charr's dick toward his face, and he pumped the bound charr vigorously until he milked the last of his seed over his belly.

Xavis watched this as he moved, bringing his hips forward. His right arm slid along Orsin's belly toward his arm, and the left soon followed upon he was pinning the already bound charr down to the bed. The Ash pressed groin to groin, his white ballsack snuggling comfortably against Orsin's, the underside of his shaft pulsing against the bigger male trickling his last.

Xavis began to grind against him, shaft grinding on slickened shaft. He felt Orsin's seed gliding along his dick, and knew as he lowered his body that he was in turn dribbling pre along Orsin's. He brought his muzzle down to lap at the hunter's chest, taking the musk of his body in against the salt of his semen on his tongue.

The big charr was sighing and growling now, offering no protest as Xavis pushed against him, humping his malehood against his partner's. Orsin's maw was still contorted in a toothy grimace, and he was drooling copiously, looking down with dazed wonder at the little charr frotting against him. He shifted his weight as he felt Xavis sliding his hands beneath his bulk, and he gave a quiet groan.

Xavis returned the groan, letting off a gentle rumbling gasp as he felt his insides roil with anticipation. He pounded his hips downward as hard as he could, plowing the underside of his malehood against the bound charr below him. His body thrust forward as he came, jerking his head up and letting off a sudden "Nnyggh!"

He throbbed as his body thrummed with pleasure, spilling his seed in long ropes along the hunter's robust belly. He had thrust forward with such force that he could feel Orsin's penis poking at the back of his balls, then at his taint, and he ground against it as his own dick churned, pulsed, and spewed.

Xavis held on tight through his climax. When he had finally come to rest, utterly spent, he let out a loud, ungraceless "Scorch." He could feel the spunk of their lovemaking squishing between their bellies as he caught his breath. He could focus now on Orsin's own deep breathing, hot on his muzzle, and Xavis leaned up and brought their lips together. Orsin closed his eyes, and Xavis did too, losing himself in the taste of the big charr's maw, the strength of his tongue, the heat of his body. He longed to feel the big charr's powerful arms wrap around his back, and he wondered for an instant why Orsin wasn't embracing him.

He blinked an eye open, peered up at the bindings, and snorted. He pulled back with a final kiss. Orsin had a dreamy, half-sleeping expression, and his brown eyes lifted to watch as Xavis leaned over his body and undid the bindings around his wrists.

Xavis started to back up toward his legs, but Orsin was hungry for more of Xavis's touch, and now he was in a position where he could exert this need. He wrapped his arms around the little charr and pulled him down, squeezing him tight. Xavis snickered quietly, entertaining the big charr with a few more smooches before sinking down onto his chest.

"So, how do you like being tied up?" the little charr asked.

"It's, it's real different. It's kinda embarrassing, but in a, in a good way."

Xavis thought that made sense. He didn't respond verbally, but he nodded the side of his cheek against Orsin's chest.

"The, um, the, uh, the stuff you were doing near the end, the--"

"What, the tickling or the frotting?"

Orsin cleared his throat, and Xavis could tell he was blushing. Of course he was blushing. "The, the tickling. What's frotting?"

"Don't worry about it," Xavis replied with a chuckle. He was gently rubbing just below Orsin's pectorals. "What were you going to ask?"

Orsin made a quiet grunt. "Do... charr, do that often? I've, I mean, I haven't heard of anybody... I mean, nobody's... well, I mean, do they?"

Xavis wet his lips with a roll of the tongue. He considered the larger male's words thoughtfully. "If you're asking if charr often tie enough other up and tickle them until they cum--"

This prompted a nervous chuckle from Orsin, and Xavis smiled, letting it pass. "Then, no, I wouldn't say it's common. But I wouldn't really say it's 'rare', either. I guess ultimately, it's just a less painful version of twisting nipples or using whips. It pushes someone past their limits, which can be ultimately very erotic. As, well, I guess I don't have to tell you anymore."

"I see," Orsin rumbled confidently. There was a pause, a mild shift, and then he said, a little less so, "What do you mean, whips? As in, they, they, they tie people up and hit them with whips?"

Xavis considered for a moment, then nodded. "That's more or less right. There's a psychological aspect, of course. Having the power of controlling how much pain you inflict, or trusting your partner to inflict only enough harm as to not cause real damage, those can be real turn-ons for people. But ultimately, yes, you have to be okay with getting lashed in order to enjoy that."

Orsin shook his head. "I don't get it. I don't understand the pain part of it."

"You don't have to. Just like how a lot of charr aren't in to having their paws touched, you don't have to be in to getting whipped, or tweaked, or anything you don't want to be."

"I think I understand that much, at least. And, and there's one more thing, I think I understand too."

Orsin grinned, licking his lips. He brought one big, sweaty palm up, cupping Xavis's breast. The big orange charr made eye contact with Xavis, who pursed his lips with an almost impressed look. He felt Orsin gently squeeze one of his nipples between his thumb and forefinger.

"Even if you're not into something, your partner can be. And it can be, you know, you know, arousing, to arouse them."

He pinched, and Xavis grunted, his teeth showing in a grin. It was much too soon after his last climax to get much sexual desire out of it, but the thought counted. He took Orsin's wrist in his hands and brought it up to his maw, giving his fingers a gentle kiss.

"You've learned so much," Xavis said with earnest delight, and he fell against him with a long kiss.

*********************************************************************************

Eighteen

_You've shaken your faith in me

No

You've shaken my faith in everything else

A decision no one makes

And now you're going home

Faith is a hard thing to hold on to

Something inside you says

I don't have to_

When Orsin put his whittling knife away, Xavis knew it was time to talk.

He could tell by the slow, jerky movements of the big charr in the corner. He could tell the way he set the owl figure he was working on aside, and by the expression in his eyes. He could tell by the way Orsin was taking deep breaths, as though bracing himself for a marathon or a leap of faith. He could tell by the way Orsin swallowed as he got to his feet, and by the way the tips of his claws tapped together as he approached the sofa.

Xavis had known the conversation was coming. It was probably overdue. They were coming up on their sixth week together now, and Orsin was predicting the snow and the wind would start to calm within the next half-month.

Xavis had been starting to wonder if the big charr would bring this up at all, this can of worms he was about to pry open. But Xavis knew deep down it would come. Orsin was skittish for his size, a little socially awkward, but he wasn't a coward, and he knew that he had to bring it up or regret it his whole life.

Xavis kept his book upright on his lap, and didn't look up until Orsin spoke.

"Hey. Xavis. Can we talk?"

Xavis put on a thin smile, lowering his book. His heart was low in his chest. But he set the hardcover novel aside, brushed his mane back, and adopted a more upright position. "Of course. What about?"

Orsin let his air go out. He looked like one of those deer he hated so much caught in the headlights of an oncoming tank. "I want to ask you, to, stay with me. Through Zephyr, through Phoenix. Through next Colossus. Just, just forever."

Xavis wet his lips with his tongue. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I can't do that, Orsin."

"But why?" The hunter crossed his arms over his chest, the corners of his mouth pulling back into a deep frown. "Are you afraid you'll be found out? They wouldn't going to jail you for going AWOL or something, are they?"

"It's not that," Xavis replied. He pushed himself up off the sofa, then stepped around it, keeping the seat between himself and the larger male. He leaned on the backrest, staring across the living room. "It's not that easy, Orsin. This world needs competent soldiers. Dragons are just one of a thousand problems. I can't just, just, sit in a warm cabin all day while the world crumbles around us."

"But you've done your part!" the larger charr protested. His tail was swinging erratically behind him. "Scorch, how many dozens of Svanir have you taken out? And that was just one day! You said yourself you never got a day off. Haven't you earned a little peace and rest?"

"It's not that easy," Xavis repeated, his patience tested. "You don't know what it's like out there, Orsin. Tyria is going to hell, and I can't, I can't just let that happen. I can't let my Legion down. That's not on the table."

"Didn't your Legion let you down, Xavis? Didn't they send you out there, undertrained, undersupplied, undersupported? To the point where you had to run, remind me, how many scorching miles because you were being hunted?"

"That's beside the point," Xavis snapped back, and his tail gave an irritable flicker behind him. "I don't demand things of Ash, I provide them. You might not remember Legion loyalty, Orsin, but it's not something you can just crumple up and toss aside."

"I scorchin' do remember Legion loyalty!" Orsin pulled his teeth back into a sneer. "I remember nearly being shoved in the Stockades and reduced to scaldin' slave labor because I was too traumatized to get out of bed! That's all the Legions do, Xavis, they pour salt on our heads, they dump it on us more an' more an' more until we shrivel like little slugs, and then they kick us out of the way as soon as we ain't useful to make way for the next recruits."

"You're being dramatic." Xavis felt his claws digging into the back of the sofa, and he forced his fingers to relax. "You're a civilian now, Orsin. Whether or not you give a damn about the Legion, the Legion gives a damn about you. We're protecting you from--"

"From what? From scorchin' dragons? You need to get back to the Core as soon as you can so you can wrestle a dragon with your bare hands? You're too smart fer this, Xavis, I know you are!"

"Yeah, from dragons!" Xavis barked back. His voice was raising, and he was finding it hard to keep under control. "You think I like the idea of Jormag bumbling into this valley and shredding this ugly little hovel to shreds with a single swipe of a claw? You think I want for you to turn into some, some, terrible Icebrood fiend and go marauding through a hamlet, killing people?"

"What happens is gonna happen, Xavis!" The exasperation was all too evident in the big charr's tone. Unlike Xavis, Orsin was taking absolutely no pains to hide his stress. "You're not going to single-handedly stop Jormag from doing what Jormag does. You've given, given, how many years? How old are you, thirty-three?"

Xavis was thirty-five, but he didn't say so. "If you're going to say that's enough time, and that I can retire to sit on my ass and live this life of leisure, don't."

"This ain't scorchin' LEISURE!" Orsin stomped forward, and the floors shook with the force. Xavis found his breath catching in his throat. A month and a half spent with this giant of a charr, and yet only now did it really, truly sink in just how massive this behemoth was... and how terrifying he could be. "You think living by yourself, hunting by yourself, fixing everything that breaks by yourself is some sort of leisure lifestyle? You think being trapped in a cabin unable t'so much as crack a window is leisure? Do they work you so scorchin' hard that imprisonment is a vacation to you?!"

"This is a vacation, Orsin," Xavis growled, feeling the indignation rise in his voice. "We haven't done a damn thing against the dragons in all the time I've been here. You think wittling birds and reading books is going to save the world?"

"I don't want to save the world, Xavis. I don't give a scorchin' lick how that sounds!" Orsin took another step forward, and the floorboards shook beneath him. "I don't want nothing to do with the world, not now, not ever again! I want to stay in my little valley, I want to eat only what I can hunt, and I want to just be with you. I wanna be with you every day of my life until I'm dead, and I'm not, I'm not, I'm not gonna feel guilty about that!"

"That is your problem, Orsin," Xavis growled, narrowing his eyes to slits. "That's your responsibility to be irresponsible. I didn't ask you to love me. I didn't even want you to love me. You spent all--"

"I can't scorchin' help how I feel!"

"You spent all this time," Xavis continued, his fury cold. "Nurturing this feeling, when you should have been spending it bracing yourself. Getting ready to lose me. There are things more important than you, Orsin. And me, for that matter. There are things more important than both of us out there, and just because you've forgotten that doesn't mean I have."

"What are you saying?!" Orsin roared. His arms were uncrossed now, his claws extended, his teeth showing. "What the hell is more important to you than yourself? How can you scorchin' think about putting yourself so low on the totem pole that you're willing to suffer out of some, some, some scalding obligation to an army that thinks you're dead?!"

"Because I know the stakes!" Xavis snapped back. "Because I know what these threats are going to do to us if we don't work our tails off and fight back. I am prepared to give my life for the Citadel."

"You already have!" Orsin slammed his foot forward again, and his elbow bumped against a picture on the wall. It fell to the ground with a clamor of noise, of glass shattering and wood splintering. The hunter didn't give it so much as a glance. "You already gave it, Xavis, don't you see?"

"What do you mean?" Xavis answered coldly. He knew he was setting a trap.

"You gave your life for your mission, because you, because you would have died, Xavis, you would have died! You were gonna die, hell, you were minutes, maybe seconds away when I found you!" Orsin's voice was raising, louder, louder, filling the room. "You spent hours in the snow, you had Svanir coming to skin your hide, you, scorch, you fell off a scalding mountain! I saved you, Xavis! I saved you, but damn it, you're supposed to be dead!"

The words hung thick in the air.

A fire flickered behind Xavis's eyes. He started to smile, a dark, sinister smile. Words were an Ash's weapon, and Orsin had tossed him a bazooka, safety off, locked and loaded.

"I'm supposed to be dead, huh?"

The big charr's fury left him almost at once. His angry eyes grew wide. He looked almost scared. He started to shake his head, and he swallowed. "Xa... No, Xavis. I didn't me--"

"Oh, yes you did," Xavis replied with cold, crisp ire. "You think I owe you my life. You think." He took a step closer, then another, rounding the sofa. "You think because you stumbled by at just the right moment, that I owe you. I owe you my life. Is that it, Orsin?"

"Xav... I, that's not, I didn't mean it like--"

"That's exactly what it is." Xavis cocked his head, staring into the eyes of the massive beast before him. He took another step forward, and Orsin gave ground, taking a tentative step back. "You think that because you were in the right place at the right time that I owe you. I owe you my life, I owe you my love. That's what you think, isn't it?"

Dimly, in the back of his mind, Xavis recalled having said weeks earlier that he owed Orsin his life. He shoved the thought aside. It was irrelevant. This was an argument, and he was going to win it.

The bigger charr's brown eyes were watery. He shook his head, all the fight having been left him. "It ain't, Xavis, it's not. It's not. I don't--"

"You do, though. Maybe you don't even want to admit it to yourself, but deep down, you know that's true. You think it would be ungrateful for me to consider that there is something more important than you and your world. That there is something more important than your tiny, meaningless little valley, where you have nothing more dangerous than deer to get your undershorts twisted up about!"

Orsin grimaced, wincing as though struck. Xavis knew bringing that up would hit him where it hurt, and he pressed his advantage.

"You want to use my life as a bargaining chip for your own self-interest. It's true, isn't it?" Xavis took another step forward, wider than the one Orsin took back. He jabbed an unclawed finger into the center of Orsin's chest, hard enough to cause him to wince. "Isn't it?" When Orsin had no reply, Xavis snapped at him with all his force, "ISN'T IT?"

Orsin shook his head, but his throat had closed up. He couldn't reply. He could only make small, scared whimpers in a choked voice.

"I don't owe you my life, Orsin, and I don't owe you my love." He didn't even know if he believed the words he was saying anymore. It didn't matter. He had turned the tables on the argument, and he was going to win. He was going to crumple up this stupid oaf of a charr, this insubordinate sub-Gladium, for having the gall to argue against him.

"I haven't lead you on a single step of the way. I have been nothing but transparent about the fact that I -- will -- leave. You're the one who fell in love knowing it couldn't last, and now you're the one who's going to have to deal with it."

He had more words ready, and he was ready. His hackles were up, his blood was pumping. Xavis stared up into Orsin's eyes, silently daring him to snap back. He was ready to parry, and when he struck next, he was aim right for the heart.

But Orsin was retreating from the fight. His head was low, but his eyes avoid Xavis's. He was red in the face, deeply ashamed, and his tufted tail dragged on the wood. He nodded a little, then shook his head, then nodded a little more, even as he turned away. He seemed barely able to keep himself composed.

"What, is that it?" Xavis taunted at his back. "You're the one who wanted to talk. So burn it all, let's talk!"

But Orsin didn't look back. He stepped for his room, stepped inside, and closed the door behind. It wasn't even a slam. The big charr took the time to carefully and delicately creak the door shut, such that it closed with a quiet, hardly audible click.

And like that, it was over. Xavis grit his teeth and snarled.

That scorching coward!

That sniveling cub of a goliath!

That blustering idiot, so like every idiot Blood in every idiot warband. All babble, all teeth, but you drop a single iota of logic and their train goes careening off the rails and run off with their tail between their legs, bawling like a--

Like a--

What the hell am I thinking?

Xavis brought his paw up to his muzzle. He realized he was staring at Orsin's door, unblinking.

The adrenaline faded from his system, and his mind raced over the words they had exchanged. In place of a punctuation mark, each sentence ended with a flash of Orsin's enraged face, or, more commonly, that look of sheer desolation, of rue, of pain in his eyes. Pure, unveiled pain, from an earnest charr who had no concept of how to mask it.

"Oh scorch," Xavis whispered. He brought his other hand up, and both rubbed his face. He fell back against the couch, his eyes in his palms.

"Oh, burn me alive."

**********************************************************************************

Nineteen

_You say you're sorry

Now you should walk away

But it's so overwhelming

You have nothing left to say

You can sit outside his door and wait

You can dedicate your pain to him_

Minutes that might have been hours that might have been days passed, and every second was cold.

Time had no meaning anymore. Xavis didn't so much as glance at the window for. He had no desire to know whether there was any light outside. All he knew is that he had stared at the fire until it dwindled to red-glowing wood, and even that soon faded too, and all it left him with was cold.

He didn't grab a blanket, even as the cold surrounded him. He shivered, bringing his arms up over his chest and rubbing his arms. He tucked his legs under his body. And still he stared at the fireplace, unmoving. He wasn't hungry, wasn't thirsty, wasn't tired. He was cold, and he wanted to be cold. He liked the cold. He deserved to be cold.

Days turned to weeks, weeks to months, months to years, and every second was cold.

He didn't get bored. Whenever he felt the first twinges of boredom, he rewound the conversation.

Hey, Xavis. Can we talk?

Xavis closed his eyes and shivered.

I owe you my life, and I owe you my love.

So cold. He was so cold.

You're the one who's going to have to deal with it.

He looked so sad. Xavis had never seen a charr look so sad before. How many years, decades, centuries, millenia had passed since that conversation? How did it still manage to break his heart new, every time? How many times can a heart break before it gets so small it can't be broken anymore?

_I can't scorchin' help how I feel.

You're supposed to be dead.

I want to just love you.

I can't do that, Orsin.

I can't do that.

I can't.

I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can'tI can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't_

Xavis got up. His body felt stiff. He hadn't moved in eons, and maybe he had turned to stone. No, ice, it was ice. Of course. It was obvious now. He was so cold, his body had turned to ice. That was it, that was what happened. That was okay. He deserved to be ice.

Xavis stepped toward Orsin's room. There was an urge to press his ears to the side of the door and listen. Ash training. But he wasn't Ash anymore. Only charr could be Ash, and he wasn't a charr. He was a big block of ice, and he had no training. He didn't know anything but how to be ice.

He wrapped his hand around the doorknob, wondering if ice knew how to work a door. He turned the knob, pushed the door open. It was not locked. Ice can use doors. That was good to know.

The room was dark, but so was the living room. Xavis could see the great mass of charr on the bed. But he was small. He looked so small. Maybe Orsin was ice too. Maybe he was melting. Maybe he would be as small as Xavis now.

Xavis crawled on to the foot of the bed. He slid his hand forward until he felt blankets, then he lifted, just barely enough for him to worm his head through. He slid under the blankets, feeling Orsin's bulk to his left, trying not to touch him.

He slid forward in the darkness until his head bumped against the pillow. He could feel the hunter's light breath on his shoulder. He turned to him, and was --

Attacked?

Grappled--

Embraced. Orsin had wrapped an arm around him, had pulled him in, and now he was weeping with loud, sniffling noises.

"I'm so sorry," he sobbed. The room smelled of wet salt. Xavis knew the big charr had been crying for a long time. But even now, Orsin had found more tears inside him, overfilling him, spilling onto his cheeks and the pillow and dripping onto the block of ice he held in his grasp. "Oh scorch, oh scorch, I'm so sorry, Xavis, I'm sorry, snphhh, I'm so sorry, snnnnph, I shouldn't've..."

The ice was...

It was melting too. That was what was happening. Xavis wasn't crying, he was melting.

"Orsin."

"I shouldn't've, 've, 've said those things, snnnnnnph, scorch, I'm, I'm, I'm so dumb sometimes. I'm so dumb and I should've, I should've, snnnnnnnph, I should've trusted you, I should've listened, I should've..."

Orsin's tears fell upon the little charr in his grasp, and those tears became new ones. Xavis's voice was a quiet whimper.

"Orsin."

"I should've known, and I'm dumb, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Xavis, I don't, snnnnnph, I don't know how to feel, I don't, snnnnnnph, I don't know what to say, I don't, snnnnnnnnph, I don't know how to stop it, I'm not like you, I don't know things, I'm dumb, I know I'm dumb, I know that I'm, snnnph, that I'm dumb and I hate it, but, but, snnnnnnnnnnph..."

He was not cold. Everything else was. Everything else was so cold. The living room had no fire. It was so cold. The wind, the snow, the valley, everything outside the window was so cold. The world was ice, and it was so cold. Even Xavis was so, so cold.

But Orsin was not.

"Orsin."

"Snnnph, but I understand, Xavis, I do, I do, snnnnnph. I do, an' I'm sorry, 'cuz I know you've, snnnnph, you've got more than me, and I've, snnnnnph, I've got to accept that, and I will, snnnph, I will, Xavis, I will accept it, and I'll, I'll be ready, snnnnph, I promise, I promise you, I promise you I'll, snnnnph, I'll be ready to let you go, I just, I just..."

His tears were as warm as his body. It fell upon him like rain. And Xavis didn't mind crying too, because both of them felt so warm, their water dribbling down their faces and down their bodies. He had forgotten what warmth felt like, and the memory brought the tears to his eyes, fresh, new tears, as though the ones he had already cried had meant nothing.

"Orsin."

"I just, just, all I want is a few more days, Xavis, that's, that's it, that's all I want, snnnnnnnph, that's all I want, please, I'm sorry, all I want is a few days, just, snnnph, just until the snow stops. Just until the snow stops, snnnnph, that's it, that's all I want, that's all I need, just a couple more days, you gotta, please, you gotta forgive me, snnnnph, just a couple days, that's, that's all, it's..."

"Orsin."

"Y, yeah?"

I should have said this a long time ago.

"I love you too."

Orsin sniffed, and then he was paralyzed. In the darkness, Xavis could see his brown watery eyes going wide, and the Ash felt that last little piece of ice melt in his heart. He leaned forward, and he kissed, and he kissed and he kissed and he kissed until Orsin kissed him back, until Orsin sobbed and kissed him so much, so fiercely, so deeply that both were left gasping for breath, and they kissed before they had caught their wind. And they moved against each other, and Xavis felt so free, and he felt so good. He felt like he had melted, because he had figured it out.

The world was cold, his life was cold, and all he had ever known was the cold. Perfect pristine ice carved in the shape of a charr. Xavis had always, always, always been cold. He had always been cold, until he met this big blustering oaf of a charr. And together--

How did he not see it?

How could he survive a blizzard and not know have figured this out?

Together.

Together, they were warm.

-- End part 2 --