Abyssal (ManxMan)

King's Jewels

Kai wasn't really familiar with royal terminology. He'd read that kings and queens who abdicated their thrones returned to being princes and princesses in some countries. Did they refer to Marius' grandfather as 'king' out of respect?

"Do you also call your father king?"

"My father is dead."

"We have something in common. Is it the end of days?" Kai said sarcastically. To anyone else, he would never have dared to mock such a tremendous loss, but he decided that Marius was the exception. Kindness and compassion were earned, and Marius had done nothing so far to deserve an inkling of kindness and compassion.

"Watch your mouth, half-"

"Kai!" Kai interjected, fuming under the covers. Ugh, how long was this going to take for him to start saying his name? Then, he asked, his curiosity mounting and his forgotten "Do you call him that out of respect"

A pause. "Go to sleep."

"I would if I could," he grumbled, and rolled around again.

Another lengthy pause, followed by what sounded distinctly like a sigh, then, "Yes, mostly."

Kai was slightly pleased with himself that he'd guessed the reason correctly. Finding similarities to the world up above water, however miniscule, was somewhat comforting, as ridiculous as it sounded.

For a while, neither said anything. The silence was... it wasn't uncomfortable as it had once been. Kai inwardly wondered what had changed between them. Their dynamic, for one. But it was more than that. The air was suddenly lighter around Marius, where it had once been almost utterly insufferable. He was breathing lighter, though this did not mean that all was forgiven. Not by a longshot.

He'd avenge every wrongdoing committed against him, every offence, every crime. He'd go after everyone who hurt him. Starting with Marius. For the time being, he didn't have a lot of avenues for revenge, so he'd put a pin on that plan. Oh, but he'd get to it. Someday.

He sensed him move in the doctor, turning in his gargantuan bed.

He felt his eyes fall on him.

"Come join me in this bed. I guarantee that it is much more comfortable than those pillows."

Was Marius being serious right now? And did he really believe that Kai would willingly join him in his bed? With him still in it? What was with all these clearly lewd invitations?

"Um... I don't think so," he said dryly, ignoring the stirring in his lower gut. The thought of them sleeping together in the same bed... He swallowed a mouthful of air, exhaled and rolled around until he was tangled in the silken cover.

"In that case, not another word of complaint."

"Fine," he grumbled. Luckily, he was already feeling the first onset of a much needed sleep. It had been a pretty eventful day; his body, mind and soul needed the rest.

For the first time in days, he slept like the dead. Since his awakening and kidnap, he hadn't had a single night of sleep that wasn't haunted by ghastly, aquatic nightmares. Or inappropriate, sexual ones. He was especially glad to be rid of the disturbingly-errotic dreams that contained a certain blue-eyed merman.

****

Marius watched him sleep, his chest rising and falling serenely. He thought he resembled a sleeping cat he'd once seen lying on a beach on an island. The waves had rolled in and out, seagulls had flown and squawked above it, but the cat had lain strangely and impressively undisturbed.

He'd wanted to pet it.

Just like he wanted to touch the Astrian Prince now. His hair under the right lighting looked like shimmering ember. It looked so fiery that a part of him believed that his fingers would burn if he ran his fingers through them.

Should he?

Marius inwardly scoffed at himself. Since when did he hesitate or explain things to himself or anyone else? He took what he wanted, did what he desired, no questions asked, and with no second thoughts.

And so he rose from the bed, the silken covers falling from his naked body to pool at his feet. In two strides, he was crouching in front of the half-breed's face, his perfect face and hair just within reach.

So, he reached. He trailed a finger down his aristocratic nose and then touched his full lips, smooshing them slightly, feeling their soft bounciness. He'd only ever seen such voluptuous lips on the Palace concubines, who were bred for the King's pleasure. His finger slipped inside the slightly open cavity.

He wondered what a half-breed would taste like. Would he be sweet and welcoming? Or was he shy and reserved?

He looked at his pale face, his eyelids occasionally trembling. Oh, no. Not this one. He would bet his crown jewels that he was neither shy nor reserved. He was anything but from what he'd seen of him so far. And Marius doubted he'd be welcoming either, at least if he were the one initiating. He imagined he'd be passionate, heated, greedy even. He was also the curious type, no doubt. Though it would take some gentle coaxing and probing, he'd eventually cave, partly because he wanted to experience new sensations too.

Marius pulled his finger out of the halfbreed's mouth and did what he wanted to do for a very long time. He ran his fingers through his hair. It was as ever softer than he imagined it would be. A merman had no business having such soft hair.

He bent down until his nose was nearly buried in the soft tresses and inhaled softly. He smelled like the beach sand and seaweed. It was... not entirely unpleasant.

His eyes trailed down his body slowly, taking him in. In a concubine's clothing, his torso was exposed, the cover concealing the rest of him.

Even in the arena under the brazier's lights, he'd had flawless skin -up until the point it had gotten scruffed and bruised. The bruises were now gone, of course, as if they'd never existed, leaving only the cut on his wrist. He suspected the people of Astria had something to do with it.

Well, they'd saved him the trouble. Healing the injuries he'd sustained in the arena had been one of the first items on his agenda to seducing the halfbreed Prince of Astria. He'd focus his energies on convincing the halfbreed to assist him in saving his world.

****

Kai felt him before he saw him. He knew that Marius was hovering over him even before he opened his eyes. Was it because he'd spent so much time with him recently that his presence became detectable to him? Or was it because Marius' presence was simply unmissable?

Either way, he didn't want to open his eyes.

He wanted to pretend that he was asleep until the King was gone. He'd worry about why he was being watched up-close by Marius nonetheless later.

"Halfbreed." Marius called.

He'd been found out. Great.

Kai had no choice but to open his eyes.

"Jesus Christ!"

He'd been expecting to meet Marius' eyes, but they'd unfortunately been drawn to something else. Dangling in front of his face were the King's jewels. 

*~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Well... O//O

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