A Rainy Day
It was not a good night. It was by no stretch of imagination a good night. The rains had apparently decided to start weeks earlier than what had been expected, he hadn't bothered to bring a coat, his cell phone battery had unexpectedly gone flat, and now this. Roxeen glared, at once disbelieving and angry, at the mess of wires hanging out of the wall at the entrance to his upscale apartment complex where a key pad should have been. Just a fine night for vandals to strike.
His hair lay plastered against his body, already soaked by the lukewarm rain. Not that the temperature made it any more pleasant -- it was still cold enough that he was shivering. All he could hope for was that someone with later habits than his own would be leaving the complex soon, not that it was likely.
He heard the sound of steps, approaching, and turned around. Someone else that had gotten locked out? The silhouette wasn't familiar, and when the figure entered the circle of light from a street light, what little he could see of them through the pouring rain made him discount the idea entirely. There was just no way that person could live at his complex without him having seen them around, and he would have noticed.
Red fur, soaked and lying flat like a second skin due to the rain. What looked like a wyvern's horns and bone comb. Most of the strange man's body was hidden in a long coat, the rain pearling on and running off the oiled fabric.
"Good evening, sir," the stranger called, his voice a pleasant tenor, calling for trust. Roxeen was hesitant to give it -- the halfbreed's vulpine features made him wary.
"Evening," the blonde replied, flatly, trying not to shiver too badly.
The stranger came closer, stopped to study the broken door lock, giving Roxeen a chance to briefly study his tail. Most of it was covered in red fur that now hung heavy from it, splitting into three somewhere between half and two thirds of the way down, and turning to bald, leathery skin a little ways further down, each tipped with a poison barb.
"Bad night to get locked out of your home," he remarked, shrugging some of the water out of his fur.
"Is there ever a good night for that?" Roxeen hesitated a moment before posing his next question. "My kids should be upstairs, you don't happen to have a phone--?"
"Not with me," the man shook his head. "Back at my flat..."
"No thank you." He wasn't entirely stupid. Following a stranger home?
"I understand. At least take this." The half-raev shrugged out of his coat, draped it across Roxeen's shoulder. "My flat is only a few blocks away, I'll do without. My card's in the pocket, you can return the coat later. Just give me a call and we'll work it out."
The skinny blonde watched the stranger stroll away, disappearing the same way he came, and absently stuck a hand into the coat's pocket, pulling out a small rectangular piece of cardboard. What kind of oddball would voluntarily take a walk in the pouring rain and on top of that carry their business card around in the middle of the night?
The card identified the stranger as Ale!van Ruby, NAPD, Special Curses Unit. Well, that would explain it. Much as Roxeen might not like law enforcement in general, even he had to admit that he likely didn't have anything to fear from taking the half-wyvern up on the offer.
And goodness knew at this time of night, all he was likely to gain by standing out in the rain all night was pneumonia. If there was a risk to following that stranger home, well... He might not be entirely stupid but he wasn't entirely smart all the time, either, now was he?
Of course, if the guy disappeared into that waterfall they called 'rain' he wouldn't even get the chance to be stupid.
"Wait up!"
The fox stopped, watched him jog to catch up.
"I... umm... Does your offer still stand? Sorry, I..." He shook his head, trying to clear it.
"As I said, it's only a few blocks. You are more than welcome to come in, borrow the phone, get yourself dry." Was it just Roxeen's imagination or was this man... flirting with him? Probably nothing.
"Thank you. I'm Roxeen, by the way."
"My name is Ale!van. Just call me Alej."
They followed the sidewalk, Roxeen beside and half a step behind his new aquaintance. Ale!van had been telling the truth, they'd only walked three blocks away from the upscale complex when the half-wyvern stopped to stick a key into an old heavy-looking oak-and-wrought-iron door. It swung open eerily silently, and Roxeen was all too happy to walk past the other man, into the slightly chilly but blissedly dry stairwell. Ale!van followed, and the door whispered shut behind him.
Roxeen stepped back as the half-raev stretched and shook most of the water out of his fur.
"Apologies, it's a bit of a climb, I'm on the fourth floor."
The blonde couldn't say he minded too much as he followed the man up the winding staircase; at least the view was nice. He supposed it wasn't too surprising considering the man's line of work. And it was all exercise, something he usually enjoyed in the first place.
"How come you are out this late?"
Roxeen shrugged, then realized the half-wyvern couldn't see him. "Work closes at three, I was on the late shift." It was hardly enough personal information to let anyone track him down that couldn't do so already.
The door to Ale!van's apartment was stained red in imitation of cherry wood, but marred by a wide assortment of dents and scratches to show the much paler, cheaper wood the door was actually made from. He unlocked it, held the door open for his guest while apologizing for the state of his home. "It's a bit of a mess, really, I wasn't expecting company. I only just moved here, so I haven't had time to unpack much yet; I was waiting for my transfer to Avelyon to be finalized."
Roxeen nodded dumbly, let the coat be lifted from his shoulders and hung on a coathanger while he took in his surroundings. The apartment was certainly not large, and every available space seemed to be full of bookcases; the few bits of wall that weren't covered by such had rough pencil scribbles on the wallpaper. Many of the cases were empty, though the stacked boxes in corners where they'd not get in their owner's way as much suggested that this would not be the case for long.
"This way," the half-raev beckoned, leading his guest through a small space that might with some generosity be called a living room, into a just-bigger-than-closet-sized bedroom, bedsheets in a mess, where he opened a door to a surprisingly well-kept bathroom. Cream-colored tile and porcelain, brass for all metal fittings, and plush, light brown towels. It wasn't a color theme he'd have expected from a red raev -- many of them tended to favor colors more similar to their own coloring -- but it looked remarkably elegant, and he told his host as much.
"Thank you, Roxeen." The man smiled, reached into a closet for a robe the same color and material as the towels, and handed it to the blonde. "Get yourself dried off and out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold, and don't worry about the towels. I've got plenty more where that came from." He leaned in a bit, touched a strand of Roxeen's long white hair. "Looks like there's plenty of you to dry."
He nodded, again, and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him but not locking it. He had to admit he was interested to some degree, and with the half-raev's fur plastered down as it had been, he'd gotten himself a quite nice eyeful. He couldn't be sure the other man was interested and the idea of accidentally propsitioning a straight police officer sounded potentially unpleasant. If nothing else his ego would take a bruising from it.
Getting out of his soaked tank top and dress pants felt nicer than he would have imagined it would, even in a strange man's home. Naked except for his boxers, he leaned over the sink and started wringing his hair out. Once he had that done, he pulled a towel off its hanger and wrapped his hair in it, wringing it out again until the towel was soaked. He was reaching for another towel when he heard a knock on the door.
"Would you like something to drink?"
He hesitated for a moment before answering. Giving himself some more time to try to gauge his host's interest wouldn't hurt. "I'd love to, thanks."
"I'll heat up some wine; it'll only be a minute. You doing okay in there?"
Mulled wine? That was a lot fancier than the tea he'd expected. But then again the man was half raev. "Yeah, thanks again. Is there anywhere I could hang my clothes?"
"You decent?" The door handle was pressed down before Roxeen had time to answer, the door cracking open enough to admit a three-fingered hand. "I'll take them and throw them in the dryer for you."
Roxeen paused for a moment, then smiled to himself as he shedded his underwear as well -- they were wet, after all -- and gathered up his clothes. He was almost disappointed when Ale!van didn't open the door any further, just took the clothes and closed the door again. But then again the man's interest may just have been a figment of his imagination in the first place.
The raev's robe fit him reasonably well, and he put it before he twisted his hair into a braid to limit the dripping it would despite his best efforts do. Cautiously, he opened the door, smiled when he saw that his host had hastily made the bed and spread a deep red velvet throw across it, and followed his nose back through the living room to the kitchen. Like everything else in the apartment, it was small.
"You look a lot less miserable now," Ale!van almost purred, gently stirring a steel pot on the stove. "The phone's on the wall behind you. Sit down."
The folding table and the two slightly rickety chairs that served as kitchen furniture seemed to have been hastily cleared, a pile of mail and magazines stuffed onto the windowsills. It was within easy reach of the phone on the wall, so he dialled his own home number and sat down waiting for one of his daughters or their board to pick up.
The phone was still ringing when his host set down a large, steaming ceramic mug in front of him, and the call went to the answering machine. "Hi girls, it's me. Someone f-- broke the key pad at the front doors so I couldn't get in and my cell died. Could you please call back at this number when you get the message? Love you. And Raven, be nice to your sister."
Ale!van took the handset out of his hand, replaced it on the hook, and smiled, gracefully sliding into the seat opposite the skinny blonde. "I have a pull-out sofa, should they not hear the message until morning."
Roxeen lifted his mug with both hands and took a small sip of his wine. It spread a pleasant warmth through him, something that was more than welcome after the chill he'd gotten. They spent a good half-hour at the small table, chatting about nothing in particular (and in Roxeen's case, thoroughly checking out his conversation partner), before Roxeen started yawning.
"It is getting quite late, isn't it?" Ale!van remarked, rising out of his chair. "I'll set the sofa up for you and let you get some sleep."
Roxeen smiled in thanks and rose to make his host company. His first hint that something was wrong was the way the half-raev froze, looking at him with what he interpreted as a slightly shocked expression. He followed the man's gaze, and felt his cheeks heat as he hurried to wrap the robe snugly around his slight frame.
"I'm sorry! The belt must've come undone... I..."
"Hush." Ale!van smiled, licked his lips and took a step closer. "I don't mind if you don't. In fact, you're quite a gorgeous guy and I was hoping you wouldn't."
For a moment, the blonde's grey eyes widened, then he returned the smile, tentatively reaching out to stroke one of the fox's cheeks. "If it's all the same to you, I don't think I'll be needing that sofa bed."
"I think," Ale!van purred in reply, leaning into the human man's touch, "I'd rather like that."
Roxeen stepped closer and found himself pulled the rest of the way into the half-wyvern's arms, the cool leather-like skin on the side of Ale!van's muzzle tentatively touching his cheek. He wasn't sure if the hesitation was due to shyness -- though given the original invitation extended to him that seemed unlikely -- or something else, though it was endearing whatever the reason for it. As he ran his fingers through the glossy red fur on his partner's back he could feel a hint of dampness, courtesy of their walk earlier that night, and as his face came closer to the half-raev's neck he caught a hint of wet fur smell.
His host's belt and fly came undone on their way into the bedroom, a thin hand slipping in to squeeze hardening flesh, drawing a whimper from the fox. That whimper only grew louder as the hand remained there, and then shrank into a low, pathetic whine as they reached the bed and the half-raev all but collapsed onto it.
"It's... been some time," he offered, apologetically, ears splayed to the sides and tails drooping. Roxeen got the impression that underneath that red fur and rust-colored skin, the fox was blushing.
That was certainly a good reason for the man to be a bit tightly strung.
There was hardly any use pretending, anymore, and Roxeen shed his borrowed robe before bending down to remove what was remaining of his partner's clothing. He couldn't resist pausing as Ale!van's erection was freed, bending lower to give it a long, tender lick that made the fox's breath catch.
"Doing okay?" the blonde murmured as he pulled his partner's pants and underwear off, taking care to make sure no fur snagged anywhere. Few things killed the mood as fast as a ripped-out tuft of fur.
Ale!van started to answer, then clamped his mouth shut and just nodded. They'd barely started, and already his partner didn't trust his voice? Nor, did it seem, did he have much reason to trust his legs, as when Roxeen pulled him up to get the bedthrow off the bed, he leaned, trembling, on the skinny blonde. Things were going very well, indeed.
He eased the half-wyvern down on the bed and cuddled up next to him, starting to slowly stroke him. Moaning even more loudly than before, fists clenching on the sheets, Ale!van bucked his hips, thrusting into the human man's hand. He was not going to last long, though Roxeen had no intention of getting him off like that.
A smile, a kiss, and then the blonde moved down the half-raev's body until his lips could take the place of his hand. He welcomed Ale!van's fingers running through his hair, clenching into fists when his tongue found an especially sensitive spot. As his hand slid lower, the fox lifted his hips in what Roxeen could only guess was a wordless request. If that was the case, he could certainly oblige.
The whimpering moans, still rising in volume, that escaped his partner as he touched the underside of his tail sent a tingle down Roxeen's spine. It was more than just the sign of a job well done -- nothing seemed relevant other than the man who was writhing under his touch.
When Ale!van came, it was with a choked howl; sounding as though it was being suppressed for the benefit of the other tenants of the apartment building. It was still loud enough to no doubt carry beyond the small flat, but not to an extent as to wake already-sleeping neighbors. As the half-raev's seed spilled into his mouth the blonde was more than happy to keep drinking it down -- a rare enough indulgence in a pleasure he could only risk having when his lover wasn't human.
With his partner spent, he once again cuddled up to the fox, arms wrapped around him and nuzzling into his shoulder. He had gotten used to one-sided encounters during his high school years and being spent after a climax like the one Ale!van had just had was a much better reason to not return the favor than many of the boys he'd serviced back in those days had given.
"There is a bottle of lube in the nightstand drawer behind you," the half-wyvern purred after what seemed entirely too short of a time for him to have recovered. He was still parsing that bit of information when his partner reached over and squeezed his still-hard cock. "I would like to feel you inside me. Unless you'd rather get to sleep?"
"Oh. No, no, not at all. I mean... I wouldn't want to push you..."
Ale!van chuckled, giving the blonde another good fondle. "I should think I'll live. Wyverns have excellent recovery time, and as I said... It's been a while."
"In that case," Roxeen replied, rising on an elbow and leaning over the fox, "I think sleep can wait a while longer." He dipped his head as Ale!van's hand squeezed him again and slowly started stroking, catching the half-raev in a deep, sloppy kiss.
When he leaned over to pull out the drawer he'd been directed to, his partner was already whimpering in anticipation. It him yet more aware of his own desire, as though the fox's needy voice somehow found its way straight into him, past all of his defenses. While he was no stranger to casual sex, there was something about this man... He wasn't just wanting release, wasn't even wanting just sex, he wanted Ale!van, specifically, even though he'd only met him hours earlier.
As much as part of him just wanted to hurry things up, hungered to sink into his very vocal lover, he forced himself to take his time applying enough lubricant both to himself and to his partner, making Ale!van squirm and moan as he rubbed the fox's tight pucker.
The half-wyvern hasn't exaggerated, either; as Roxeen positioned himself, his partner's legs over his shoulders, Ale!van was hard again, almost as though he had not experienced one powerful climax already.
He leaned in, slowly pushing into the fox, a moan of his own escaping his lips. As he'd almost expected, Ale!van pushed back against him as much as he could manage, just as eager as he was, if not more. Once buried to the hilt in his lover, he paused for a moment, shifted his weight a bit, and wrapped the fingers of one hand around the other man's hard member. Pulling back earned him another whimper, sending a shiver through his slight frame.
Starting out slowly, he thrust into his lover and rubbed the fox's hard shaft in time, gradually increasing the rhythm until he had the man under him hoarsely barking in time with his movements. As they both came closer to climax, the blonde leaned in, burying himself even deeper inside his partner, intently watching the blissful expression on the half-raev's face.
This time, Ale!van didn't manage to hold back the first few notes of his howl, and Roxeen was quite happy to let himself go, groaning as his lover's spasming muscles milked him dry. They stayed that way a few moments, then their eyes met and they shared a smile.
Tension thus relieved, the blonde for the first time that night truly felt how tired he was, and after hastily cleaning up was quite happy to settle down to sleep with his mostly furry partner nestled against his back, muzzle against the back of his neck. That the damp fur on the fox's stomach chilled him a bit didn't seem terribly important.
"Good night," he murmured, barely audibly. When Ale!van answered he had already drifted off to sleep.