Only a True King

Chapter 2

“You’re sure he’s in there?” Leon poked the seal of the Evergaol with his staff. Seemed like a strange place to find a beloved knight, sworn to the guardian of the Carian Princess.

“Who’s the tracker, me or you?” Floh signed. “I can smell him. He’s in there.” That was Darriwil alright. It was weird though, he and Blaidd were inseparable. Floh didn’t think either of them would’ve let the other remain imprisoned like this. “Alright, here’s what you have to say.”

When Leon entered the gaol Darriwil emerged from the darkness as he always did, ready to strike. This time instead of trying to fight back, Leon threw his hands up and began to sign, “Floh sent me.” Darriwil put down his sword but he still stalked warily around the edge of the gaol.

“It is surprising to meet a tarnished who speaks as we do, however, it is also unsurprising to meet one who lies. Floh is dead, do not pretend to speak on his behalf.”

“He told me to say that the only thing that made all of it worth it to you was that you could finally match Blaidd.” Both looked up as they heard Floh bang on the seal outside the gaol.

“I suppose that sounds like him at least. However, know this, Tarnished, I will not hesitate to strike you down if you’ve lied to me.”

Marika’s tits, what was taking them so long? Floh was still here, so clearly Leon hadn’t died. He smacked the seal with the butt of his sword. Hopefully that would tell them to move it along down there. A few minutes later the two of them appeared crouched in the center of the seal. Darriwil looked around for a moment before his eyes found Floh.

“I heard you were dead!” Darriwil rushed over to greet him. Floh gestured at his general glowing translucence before signing back, “You heard right, but I’m still here!”

“I’ll let you both catch up.” Leon walked far enough away that they had some privacy, but remained close enough to keep Floh more or less corporeal.

“So, that is what you consider a true king.” Darriwil jokingly punched his shoulder.

“Shut up, he’s an idiot sometimes, but he knows what he’s doing.” Floh took off his helmet so that Darriwil could see his smile.

“I never thought I’d see the day. Everyone thought you’d die before you swore yourself to anyone.”

“Well I did, clearly. Oh, speaking of which, how is everyone?”

“Well Rhuddan is dead, though from what I hear Rennala has him in the same situation as you. His son Hirnant took over for him guarding the academy. Katy is alive, though who knows when Gideon is going to get her killed. Daping is alive. He’s keeping an eye on Selia in Radahn’s stead. Sandby and Tremadoc vanished with Rykard to who knows where,”

“Mount Gelmir. As far as I know they’re still alive but Rykard has lost it completely.”

“Rykard is still alive?”

“Yeah, he managed to turn himself into a giant snake somehow.”

“That’s rather disturbing. I’d assumed the hands that took over the manor were his ghost back to haunt us.”

“No, that’s because of him. Ritual he did to turn himself into that thing spawned a whole load of monsters.”

“How did you discover all this if I may ask?”

“Well I was on the front lines for a bit, trying to push back his inquisition when things started getting really bad. Some of Rykards guys defected after the giant snake thing and joined up with me. We didn’t last too long, but we did manage to find something that could kill him before we all croaked.”

“Didn’t you say he’s still alive?”

“Well we found it, never said we ever managed to use it.”

“Stars, Floh, I wish I’d known.”

“It was what it was. I was honestly more pissed when his father’s stupid dog swallowed my ashes. Leon had to kill the fucking thing to get me out.”

“Leon?”

“The wizard, that’s his name.”

“I always thought you hated working with wizards.”

“Well most of them are asshats.”

“And your wizard isn’t?” Floh could practically see the shit eating grin under Darriwil’s helmet.

“What makes you think he’s my wizard?”

“Come on, Floh, I don’t think I’ve seen you smile once since we met and now that you’re with him you’re grinning like an idiot.”

“I suppose you’d know wouldn’t you.”

Darriwil was a special case among bloodhound knights. He’d become one with the intent of swearing himself to a particular person. He didn’t mind the grueling training or the steady disfigurement because he was doing it for someone. Floh had his own reasons for joining, so at the time he hadn’t cared as much about the changes. It wasn’t like he was all that handsome before either. Darriwil on the otherhand had been beautiful. Not handsome, beautiful. He wasn’t insecure about it the way some men were either, he was proud of his beauty. Yet, he gave it all up. Floh remembered one long night when they were both awake in the barracks, the burning in their legs keeping them up far past the others, he asked him if he regretted it. Darriwil had replied no, because despite what he’d lost, he was becoming more and more like Blaidd.

In the present Darriwil hung his head sadly. “Did something happen?”

“I left him.”

“What?! Why?!” So that’s why he was stuck in there. Leaving their lord was considered the highest treason for one of them. Far from helping him, Blaidd was probably out for blood after Darriwil’s betrayal.

“Blaidd’s sister is rebelling against the Greater Will. I can’t say I blame her, I would hate to be shackled to a destiny I did not choose too, but Blaidd is a shadow. The greater will demands that she be brought to task for her rebellion and no matter how many times I ask him to leave her to tread this path alone he refuses. Even though I know it pains him and I know he has to resist the orders of the fingers to kill her. He’s succeeded in ignoring them so far, but the effort is killing him. I just couldn’t watch it any longer.”

“So you came here.”

“So I came here. I deserve to be imprisoned for my cowardice after all.” Floh shifted uneasily from foot to foot.

“I had a favor to ask you, but now I’d feel bad.”

“No need, ask away. I don’t have much to occupy me in there. I could use a distraction.”

“I need your advice on something, since you were in a relationship way longer than me and all.”

“Alright, what kind of advice?”

“Well, Leon is a little distant, well not distant exactly but…” Floh stopped for a moment to figure out what he was trying to say. “He prefaces everything we do together with “as long as you’re okay with it” and “don’t feel pressured”. At first I thought he was being passive aggressive or was just afraid of insulting me if he didn’t want to do anything, but that isn’t the case. It seems like he’s genuinely worried I’m only with him because he’s somehow forcing me.”

“Well consent is important in any relationship.”

“He does it even when I initiate.”

“Oh dear. And you’re absolutely sure he isn’t trying to spare your feelings?”

“Positive, when we actually get to the having sex part he loosens up completely. It’s just before and after that he starts feeling guilty again.”

Darriwil hummed in thought. His voice still had a soft melodic quality to it, unlike Floh’s disused rasp. “It’s possible that in the past he was made to feel unwanted or unreasonable by a partner. Perhaps that is something he has internalized, assuming any partner he has will eventually tire of him.”

“Anything you could recommend to help?”

“Well, lots of love, repeated confirmations that he is worthy of love, likely a great deal of time.”

“Hey, speaking of that I’ve got another favor to ask on his behalf.”

“What is it?”

“You and Blaidd had an open relationship right?”

“Yes, why do you ask?”

“Well remember what I said about him loosening up when we have sex?”

Leon heard Floh whistle for him. That was the signal that he and Darriwil had finished talking. When he rejoined the two knights the two of them stared at him without speaking. Darriwil circled around him, giving him a once over.

“You’re sure he can manage both of us?”

“I’d stake my life on it if I still had one to bet.”

“You are willing then, to indulge me?” Leon was unsure how Darriwil would react to the request. After all, unlike Floh he had no oath sworn to him or even a personal connection to him.

“Of course I am. How could I say no to such a pretty little thing?” Darriwil cupped Leon’s face in his hand, gently dragging his thumb across his cheekbone. The mage leaned into the touch letting himself relax into Darriwil’s hand. The knight hummed in delight. “Quite responsive aren’t you?”

“You should see what he’s like with a cock in him.” Floh came around behind the mage, kissing and nipping at the back of his neck.

“I can imagine.” Darriwil removed his gauntlets, sliding a thumb into Leon’s mouth. The mage eagerly wrapped his tongue around it and began to suck. “You’ve got quite the talent.”

Darriwil took off his helmet. Like Floh, his face was elongated into a form halfway between man and beast. A large scar cut across one of his blue eyes. The eye itself was clouded, suggesting he’d been blinded by the injury. Compared to Floh however, Darriwil seemed to take much better care of himself. His long blond hair was soft and carefully braided back. Though at the moment it was a little messy from his helmet, it was clear the knight took fastidious care of it. His face was clean shaven and the layer of hair that covered the rest of his body was carefully trimmed. It was a strange contrast with the more bestial shape the rest of him took, but perhaps that was intentional. A way for him to remind himself of his humanity in spite of what he’d become.

“How about we use that talent for something more deserving?” Darriwil’s eyes were full of mischief as he withdrew his thumb. Floh licked a stripe up his neck and Leon keened. “I bet you’d find my mouth more interesting than my finger, wouldn’t you?” Leon nodded vigorously. Darriwil nuzzled the side of his face before licking into his mouth.

The knight kissed him languidly. He had no desire to rush. He and Floh had determined their strategy before they called the little wizard back. Floh had related to him that Leon reacted favorably to being called a good boy during sex. Working from that, Darriwil had suggested taking things slow, making him fall apart in their hands, all the while offering him constant praise. It wouldn’t solve, what seemed to be, his self esteem issues outright but hopefully expressing how much he was wanted during the act would lessen his guilt after.

Darriwil felt the mage’s hand touch the back of his head, gently stroking his hair before quickly pulling away as if he’d been shocked. Darriwil pulled away to take a look at him. Leon avoided eye contact with him. Floh paused in his ministrations as well to figure out why they’d stopped. Darriwil turned Leon’s face back towards him with one hand and with the other, he pulled the mage’s hand back into his hair.

“Feels nice right?” Leon looked at him with wide eyes as he gently felt along one of his braids. “It feels good for me too.” Darriwil leaned into his hand and pulled him closer again. “You don’t have to be afraid. I want you to touch me.” He began kissing him again. “You’re being so good for us. We want you to feel good too.” Floh tapped Darriwil’s hand to get his attention.

“Start taking his clothes off for me.” The other knight signed. “I want to touch him.” Darriwil smiled into the kiss as he undid the sash belting the mage’s robes shut.

“So impatient.” Darriwil laughed. Floh made a rasping hum deep in his throat.

“Maybe you could help me with that.” Even though Darriwil was ostensibly attached he and Floh had blown off steam together quite a few times during their training. Well, not that that was unusual, basically everybody had blown off steam with each other at one point or another. Only Sandby and Tremadoc progressed past fuck buddies though.

Darriwil pulled himself away from Leon, still working on untying the laces of his undershirt. Floh wrapped his hand around one of Darriwil’s braids and pulled him in for a kiss. Darriwil was a hell of a kisser, talented with his tongue. He’d spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to force his tongue into the shapes that would allow him to speak again. Of course he’d never managed it, but the dexterity he’d built up had plenty of other uses. Floh could feel Leon’s eyes on them. He peeked at the mage out of the corner of his eye. He stared longingly at the two of them, his shirt hanging half off. He almost had the look of a lost kitten.

“Don’t think I forgot about you.” Floh traced into the mage’s back as he and Darriwil parted. He gently pulled Leon’s face towards him and kissed him while Darriwil took off the mage’s pants. Leon moaned into Floh’s kiss as the other knight took his cock into his mouth. He was slow and careful, his tongue lazily curling around the mage’s length, savoring it. Leon attempted to buck into his mouth, but Floh held him fast. The knight brought his hands to Leon’s chest as they kissed and began to play with his nipples. “Such a good boy.” Floh hummed into his mouth as he traced the words. Leon shivered in his arms. “Do you like being touched there?”

“Yes.” The mage’s lips were slightly red from both of the knights’ mouths. “It feels nice. Please…” he cut himself off with a moan as Darriwil swirled his tongue around the head of his cock. “I want you inside me. Darriwil too.” The other knight pulled off his cock.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have me suck you off?” Darriwil asked.

“No, please just use me.”

“So you wish to be of use to us then, is that it?”

Leon had to think for a moment. In the state he was in that was fairly difficult. He only really had the ability to answer questions, lying about the answers was far beyond him now.

“Yes, I want to be useful to you.”

“Are you worried you aren’t useful to me?” Floh asked. Leon squirmed uncomfortably at the question. “Look at me.” Floh turned Leon’s face towards his own. “I,” his hands shook a little with nerves as he forced himself to admit it, “I love you, you idiot. If this is what you want, of course we’ll do it for you, but if you’re only doing this because you feel like you have to…” he stopped for a second, his hands steadying. “I know what I look like. You didn’t sign on for that. If you don’t want to after seeing me…”

“I want to.” Leon’s head was clear. The fear in the knight’s red eyes had pulled him right out of his pliant state. He gently stroked Floh’s cheek. “I want to.” Darriwil smiled sadly up at them. It was a shame he and Blaidd would never have a moment like that again. “You as well.” He bent down to kiss Darriwil again. “If you insist, I will completely selfishly ask the both of you to ruin me.” Leon reddened as he spoke, unused to airing his desires while fully lucid. “Fuck me until I pass out from pleasure and then continue until I am so full your cum spills from both ends.” Darriwil looked at Floh to gauge his reaction to the request. His eyes glowed with an intensity the other knight had never seen before.

“Are you entirely sure you want to consent to that?” The rabid stray growled deep in his throat. No, that was wrong, that wasn’t a growl, Floh had moaned. It was dark and raspy, his ghostly vocal chords still tight from disuse, but that was a moan. He had never been particularly vocal when he and Darriwil had fooled around back in the day, but then again, they’d never done anything like this.

“Yes, absolutely.”

“Darriwil.” He almost shivered at Floh’s uncharacteristic intensity. “I think you can fit in his mouth. Fuck his brains out will you?”

Leon watched as Darriwil removed his pants. The bloodhound knight was long, much like Floh, but his cock was much thinner. Leon felt himself beginning to drool. Floh was right, he probably could get Darriwil down his throat no problem. He dove straight for it, not giving Darriwil a chance to prepare before taking it into his mouth. The knight clawed into the ground beneath him as Leon swallowed around him. His cock also had that same wonderful slick texture that Floh’s had that made it so easy to get down. Leon could feel the base of it expanding against his lips as he licked and sucked and desperately swallowed.

Floh began working a finger into his ass as he did. The mage leaned back into him begging for more as he moaned around Darriwil. The knight slapped his ass in response and Darriwil yelped as Leon’s throat suddenly tightened around him. “Slow down, buddy, you have to be patient.” Floh turned his attention to Darriwil. He was lying stock still, his face screwed up in concentration trying not to come. It was almost cute. “Go on. Cum.” He licked his lips as he spread the mage further. “You heard what he wants.” Floh made sure to trace his words onto Leon as he signed them to Darriwil. “You’ll need to do it more than once if you want to satisfy him. Doesn’t he deserve a reward for being so honest with us? Cum for him.”

Darriwil cried out as he did and Leon swallowed as much of it as he could, though some still leaked out around Darriwil’s cock. The knight began to pull out of the mage’s mouth but Floh put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. “Come on now, you’re not done yet. Give him more.” Leon licked down his shaft as Floh finished and it suddenly became abundantly clear to Darriwil that he was no longer in control of the situation. Floh quickly signed him a message without relating it to the mage. “If you need to tap out, go. This isn’t the scene you signed off on.” That was true enough. The Floh he’d agreed to have sex with was quiet and mostly passive. It was clear that his little mage had awoken something far more active within him. Darriwil had certainly had the rug pulled out from under him, but he wasn’t exactly turned off. Floh’s check in had allowed him to get his bearings again. He wasn’t opposed to continuing.

Darriwil pulled himself to his knees. He grabbed ahold of Leon’s hair and pulled him away. He licked the remaining spend off of the mage’s lips making eye contact with Floh as he did. He gave him a quick thumbs up outside of Leon’s line of sight. “Such a good boy taking me like that. How about I move a little more for you this time?” He made a show of licking his lips as the mage nodded. Floh hissed as he watched them. Darriwil pushed back his long bangs as he held Leon’s mouth open and pushed himself back inside. “Aren’t you supposed to be doing something, Floh?” The other knight grinned.

“I think he’s about ready for me now.” He withdrew his hand from the mage’s hole. Leon whined as Floh shoved himself inside. It was both too much and not enough at the same time. He felt completely unmoored, unable to focus on any particular sensation other than being full. He grabbed at Darriwil’s thighs trying to find something to ground him and then Floh ran his fingers through his hair. It was a careful touch, exploratory, his fingers lacing through Darriwil’s as he found them. Leon felt himself relax again. He could feel the stretch of his hole around Floh’s cock as he pounded into him and taste the salty slick of Darriwil’s as he fucked his face. His mind finally felt pleasantly empty again as he focused completely on the two men inside him and he felt himself cum.

Floh grunted as he tightened around him, but kept up the same demanding pace. Leon’s oversensitivity was starting to make him lose it again. Distantly he felt Floh and Darriwil cum inside him again. He swallowed again dutifully, more leaking from his mouth. He could tell Floh was trying to tell him something but he couldn’t string together the letters he was tracing into words. Leon knew he was saying something but the words spilled out of him before he could realize what he was saying. Darriwil kept a hand on the back of his head as Leon came a second time, fucking him through it.

The two knights shifted their positions, Floh sitting beneath him and Darriwil standing. Floh grabbed his ass like he was drowning and Leon curled in on himself. His cock jerked weakly, but this time nothing came out. Leon was starting to go limp.

Darriwil felt the mage slacken and pulled out of his mouth. He slumped against Floh’s chest, out cold. Floh stopped for a moment as well. He took a look at Leon’s face. His lips were red and slightly swollen and cum still stained the sides of his mouth, but his breathing was slow and peaceful. Floh pressed a gentle kiss into the corner of his mouth and moved the sorcerer onto his back.

“Do you need help cleaning him up?” Darriwil watched as Floh positioned himself over Leon.

“Not done with him yet. I’ve probably got fifteen minutes at best before I’m out too.” Floh wiped some of the drying cum from the mage’s mouth with his finger. “Gotta make sure he’s pumped full by then.”

When Leon woke again Floh had disappeared. Darriwil slept curled protectively around him. As he sat up he felt Floh’s cum leak from his hole. Fuck, the warm stickiness of it running down his leg had his spent cock perking up in interest again. He felt something tap his leg. Darriwil blinked up at him. His blue eyes were stunning in the daylight.

“How are you feeling?” The knight asked.

“I’m alright, thank you. I could probably use a bath but I’m perfectly alright.” He was having a hard time looking Darriwil in the eyes. Usually he got fucked, the other people left, and then he went on with his day. He wasn’t used to fielding questions in the aftermath.

“That was rather intense last night. Is that normal for you and Floh?” Leon could tell the two had history. Floh didn’t seem the type to ask for a threesome from someone he hadn’t fooled around with at least a little bit before. He wasn’t quite sure what that history was, whether they were exes or fuck buddies or something unspoken. However, based on the question, it seemed like whatever they’d been doing together had been a little more vanilla than what he and Floh were doing now.

“Well, last night was the most intense thing we’ve done during sex so far, but it was routine compared to things I’ve done in the past.” He looked at Darriwil askance, half expecting him to call him a whore. It wouldn’t be the first time.

“It’s interesting, I’ve never seen Floh like that before.” Darriwil stretched and sat up.

“Like what?”

“Oh apologies, that sounded bad didn’t it. I’ve never seen him take so much interest in sex before. In the past he’d come looking for me or one of the others maybe once a month, cum, and then go to sleep. He was polite enough, he always made sure his partner came first, but he was all business. It was unnerving honestly, he never made a sound and then suddenly he’d cum and go home. But with you, he was talking, he was initiating action, stars, he even moaned.” Darriwil laughed. “He was actually enjoying himself.” Leon didn’t really know what to say to that, though he supposed the fact that he was beet red and had a stupid grin on his face probably said enough. “I imagine you’re curious about him.” Darriwil shot him a conspiratorial grin. “I’m going to guess he is still just as apprehensive about sharing any personal details as he was when we trained together.”

“He was afraid I wouldn’t want to be with him after seeing what he looked like.” Leon pulled his knees to his chest. “He never told me that was worrying him.”

“Well,” Darriwil’s face fell for a moment. “It isn’t difficult to see why he’d be concerned, is it.” He played with his own hair, braiding and unbraiding a few strands.

“What makes you say that?” Leon replied, protectively.

“Most would find those transformed as we are to be repugnant. In fact most of us suffered through periods of self hatred after our transformations were completed. Each of us found different ways to deal with that self hatred, but it occasionally sneaks back up on you. Always at the worst of times as well.”

“What- what did he look like before?”

“He was handsome in a rugged sort of way. He’d had his nose broken at some point before we’d met and it had never set properly. His eyes were red back then as well. He never told anyone the reason, but I know a few of us suspected cessblood madness. Even as an ordinary man he fought as if he were rabid. His hair was always a mess then as well. He kept it long, as most Reedlanders tend to, but he never took care of it particularly well. I think with a little work he could have been quite dashing, but I could never manage to corner him with a comb,” Darriwil huffed.

“So his hair was black?” Leon added it to the mental portrait he was painting. He would never see the man in color but he could at least imagine what he would have looked like alive. His red eyes glowing faintly under long dark lashes instead of translucent ones. “I think he’s quite handsome as he is. I just wish I could have had him while we were both still alive.”

“You need not spare my feelings, wizard. As Floh said, I know what we look like.”

“You said some of you suffered periods of self hatred, I assume you yourself were included?” Darriwil stopped playing with his hair. “I have often been called perverse for this, but I have always preferred partners who were monstrous to those who were beautiful. Perfection is limited, there are only so many ways that one can be considered beautiful, but to be monstrous is to be infinite, and in the infinite I believe there is true beauty.”

“Not a very orthodox school of thought for a sorcerer. I thought you were meant to fear the infinite.”

“Well I won’t say it never got me in trouble. I tried to fuck the wrong person in prison and, well, let’s just say I’m glad that what ever it was the Dung Eater did to my dick was fixed when I came back.”

“Right, you are tarnished aren’t you. One of those Marika saw fit to revive to fight again. It must have been strange to return here after all those years. Much has changed since the shattering hasn’t it?”

“Less than you’d think. The same injustices that existed in my own time continue in this one. The only difference is that the powers that be have weakened enough for one man to be enough to change things. Not even Selen and her coven could change things at Raya Lucaria while I was there, but in this age of conflict and uncertainty, a drop out like me could kill three demigods.”

“Three? ”

“I’ve defeated four, but Rennala still lives. I killed Godrick, I participated in the Radahn festival, and most recently Floh and I defeated Morgott, rightful King of Leyndell.”

“I’ve heard rumors of him. Supposedly he veiled himself in public, never allowing anyone to see his true face. His general, the fell omen, seemed to be a force to be reckoned with though. Supposedly he personally fought Radahn to a standstill during the siege of Leyndell.”

“They were one in the same.”

“Really!”

“He was a warrior through and through, far more worthy of his crown than any I’d faced yet, but he wasted his gifts just as the others did.” Darriwil’s eyes narrowed at Leon’s assessment.

“Elaborate on that if you would.”

“Well, Morgott for example was a talented priest of the Erdtree as well as a skilled wielder of multiple weapons, but he was also blessed with the ability to wield both cursed wraiths and bloodflame. However, he only began to utilize those abilities about halfway through our battle due to his shame about them. Had he opened our battle using everything at his disposal I would have had a significantly harder time vanquishing him. Or look at Godrick. He was willing to do whatever it took to gain strength for himself, even doing things to his body that most would find detestable, however he completely ignored the men under his command. Their hatred of him allowed me to sneak into his castle largely unobstructed. I could not judge Rennala and Radahn’s capabilities given the state the two of them were in, but the two I fought who were still sane allowed their grace given gifts to lay unused. We fight for our lives and for the worlds we wish to come into being, why anyone would let their weapons gather dust, or worse needlessly destroy them, is completely beyond me.”

“And Floh is also a weapon to you?”

“For the purposes of the analogy, yes. However if you are asking if I only see him as a weapon to be used, never. Even before I learned to understand him, I treated him as a person with a will of his own.”

“You know, he doesn’t say he loves you lightly.”

“I know, I’m just not entirely sure I deserve it. He was waiting for a king wasn’t he? Not a damn fool who couldn’t keep his head down.”

“Floh asked me about you yesterday while we were catching up. He said you often held him at arm's length giving him as many opportunities as you could for him to back out. He was concerned you were not actually interested in him and were merely afraid of offending him.”

“Well, our relationship is somewhat uneven in terms of power. I didn’t want him to think he had to have a relationship with me if he didn’t want to.”

“While it is good that you value his consent, I fear that repeatedly asking, despite his initial assent, may have left him feeling that you didn’t want him.”

“I do want him! It’s just, I’m a lot to deal with and he didn’t agree to that when we entered the relationship.” Darriwil could see what Floh had been talking about, the mage could run circles around his own insecurity.

“Have you considered talking to him about it?”

“Talking about what?”

“Well in relationships like yours, where one or more partners is looking for something specific during sex, it is generally good practice to discuss your preferences with your partner to determine what you are both comfortable with.” Leon reddened at the suggestion.

“I find it difficult to speak on such matters when I am not in the right headspace so to speak.”

“Come now, you asked to be fucked unconscious last night.”

“Well, I was thinking more with my cock than my brain. I didn’t have the wherewithal to be embarrassed.”

“Look, even if it might seem embarrassing at first it will be better for the health of your relationship in the long run. You owe it to yourself and to Floh to have this discussion. If you need some help from your hand to find the courage, so be it.”

“I’d want to be fully aware for the discussion. If I do this I do this with my wits intact.” Leon held his summoning bell in his hand, the icy chill of magic told him Floh was at the ready. “Would you be alright if I did this now or would you prefer I had this discussion somewhere else?”

“Well if I am to be invited back, I would like to know what you and Floh like.” Darriwil looked at him through long blond lashes. “Although I was blindsided a bit, I did enjoy myself a great deal last night.”

Floh’s consciousness was slowly pulled back out of the nothingness of death. Leon had referred to it as rest but that wasn’t quite it. It was deeper and far darker. Floh didn’t dream in death, he just ceased to exist until he was called again. If he was an older man when he died, a warrior that had fought his battles and now was too tired and broken to continue, Floh might have accepted oblivion as rest, but Floh had been cut down before his peak. He still wanted to keep fighting, to finally prove himself in service of a lord. He wasn’t done with life yet even if life was done with him. He readied his sword as his body solidified, until he realized it was just Leon and Darriwil.

“Did you need me for something?”

“Darriwil suggested we have a conversation about our sexual preferences.”

“Any, you?”

“I meant, you two ought to have a discussion about your boundaries and individual kinks.” Darriwil clarified.

“Do you want to go first?” He signed awkwardly.

“I’d prefer not to…”

“By the comets, you two have the strangest thresholds for embarrassment! I’ll go first if you both find it so difficult!” Darriwil folded his arms for dramatic effect and then unfolded them to continue. “I’m open to being in either the dominant or submissive position during sex. When I play the submissive role, I’ve found I enjoy bondage, but it isn’t a particularly high priority for me in any given relationship. I have a hard boundary around the use of blades during sex however and I do not like using or being subject to them.” He looked at Leon.

“Oh okay, I guess I’ll go then. Um, well I’m open to quite a bit so if you have a request just let me know. Uh, in terms of what I’m into, I suppose I prefer to be submissive. I, uh, I like the idea of being used by my partner, preferably by a number of partners. I enjoy praise quite a bit. If I’m being honest, size is rather important to me. Obviously that isn’t a problem with either of you, but in the past I’d generally ask for a second or a third of my partner wasn’t quite up to my standards. In terms of what I don’t like, I’m not particularly into humiliation, it hits me a little harder when I’m in an emotional state like that. It makes it difficult to compartmentalize.”

“And you?” Darriwil turned to Floh.

“I don’t have as much experience with this kind of thing, but think I might be into dominance? I like dictating the pace, I like when I ask you to do things and you do them. Competence might be a part of it for me? I think part of what really got me going was that I know both of you are really good at what you do and you were still doing what I asked you to do. I really, really, like when my partners act completely desperate. Regular dirty talk doesn’t really get me going most of the time, but for some reason begging just really did it for me.” He thought for a second. “I guess I’m not into bottoming. I’ll do it, but I’m not really all that into it.”

“So you don’t mind how much I ask for?”

“No, I don’t mind, like I said it’s hot.”

“Even when you think my requests are unreasonable.”

“Well, I think this might be part of the control thing, but honestly, I kind of get off on telling you no.”

“Do you think you might be into denial?” Darriwil offered.

“Denial?” Floh asked.

“Preventing or withholding certain actions during sex or otherwise. So for example if you commanded a partner not to touch themselves during sex or prevented them from orgasming until a specific condition was fulfilled.”

“How would you go about preventing somebody from cumming?”

“Well you could use a ring, accurately sized for safety, that would fit around the base of the cock. I know a few knots I could demonstrate if rope is more readily available to you.” An image jumped into Floh’s head. Leon bound, his cock red and weeping, begging to be allowed to cum.

“Shit, hold on a second, I think I might be into that too.”

“Denial or bondage?” Darriwill asked.

“Both maybe?”

“I’m willing to experiment with either. Like I said, there’s not much I’m unwilling to try,” Leon purred. That sounded interesting. Interesting enough to overcome his embarrassment. He might like that, being tied up, completely at Floh’s mercy, unable to cum unless the knight decided he’d earned it.

“So we’re good?” Floh turned to Darriwil.

“It might also be good to designate a signal that you are no longer comfortable with any given action. Generally this would be a word, but it may be better for you two to designate a tactile signal. That way even if you are out of sight, Floh, you can still communicate your discomfort quickly.”

“Three taps on the hand?” Floh suggested.

“Works for me.” Leon replied.

“Excellent.” Darriwil stretched and put his helmet back on. “Leon still needs to be cleaned off.” He stared directly at Floh as he returned to his Evergaol. The knight held the mage’s hand. Alright he could take a hint.

“You need help with that?”

“No, but it might be nice.”

Bathing together was a different sort of intimacy than sex. For Leon it was somehow more intense, there was no plausible deniability. He couldn’t wave it away as Floh just fulfilling a need as he scrubbed the dried cum from his thighs. He touched him haltingly as if he was handling something unimaginably delicate. Leon reached up to touch Floh’s tangled hair. He recoiled for a moment at first, taken by surprise, but then relaxed back into the touch.

“Would you be willing to let me wash your hair?” Floh stilled at the suggestion.

“That would probably take a lot of work.”

“I would still like to try.”

“You have a comb?”

It was as difficult work as Floh had believed. His hair was dirty and nearly matted in places from being trapped inside his helmet for so long. Leon had to work through the knots with his hands first, working soap into them to loosen the snarls before carefully picking them apart. Once he’d managed to untangle the most tightly wound knots, Leon began to carefully comb through Floh’s silver hair. The knight relaxed into him as he did, letting his full weight rest on the mage. Leon continued to comb even once Floh’s hair was completely smooth, not wanting to let go of the moment. His hair, now that it had been de-tangled, was thick and smooth. It was unevenly cut, especially in the back, likely the result of Floh trying to cut it himself without bothering to find a mirror.

“How do you like it put up?”

“Usually I would just leave it like it is, but do what you want with it.” Floh still leaned against Leon with his full weight. He was reluctant to get up as well. Leon began braiding his hair, leaving it half down and Floh hummed quietly as he did. He hadn’t had his hair washed by someone else in a long time. Not since he’d left home looking for a way to prove himself. He’d forgotten how nice it was to have someone else taking care of him. Leon’s hands slowly left Floh’s hair.

“We should probably get going shouldn’t we.”

“Probably.” Floh looked at Leon over his shoulder, his eyes half closed. The mage leaned in pausing for a moment, silently asking permission. Floh placed a hand on his cheek. Leon closed the distance between them, kissing him softly. He was slow and hesitant, still seeming to be asking if it was okay. Floh returned the kiss just as soft and slow. There was no rush.

Leon helped Floh put back on his armor when they’d dried off. The knight insisted that there was no point, he’d just come back fully dressed the next time he was summoned anyway, but the mage had insisted.

“Don’t keep me waiting too long.” Floh dissipated and his ashes flowed back into their box. As Leon tucked it back into his pocket he tasted iron in his mouth. He spat onto the ground leaving a red stain, and something small and white. He carefully bent down to take a look already half certain of what he’d find. It was a tooth. He felt around in his mouth finding where it had come from. It was his top right canine. As he felt around the hole he felt a sharp pain in his tongue. He quickly began rummaging around for a mirror. Another tooth had already begun to grow in, sharp and needle-like. He carefully put the glass back in his bag. Shit.