Memento Mori (MxM)

Chapter 10

Calael woke the following morning weighted heavily by aching muscles, but through the dull pain, he still smiled wearily and stretched out his arms, causing a strain against his bare chest that was strangely reminiscent of the pressure of Artemus' hands against his skin.  As the man opened his eyes slowly, his gaze was drawn to a single beam of light from the window, capturing dust in its midst. Calael sighed and watched this with an absent mind, entirely relaxed, content, and - in that moment - devoid of any kind of underlying anxiety. No poisonous worries dared to creep in and disturb him. Artemus has carved the hurt from his body, for a while. With his talented tongue. With plush lips. With fingernails dipping into his back.

 The crimson duvet was draped over his hips loosely, bunched at the edges where said spirit had been lying against him. The sheets beneath him had been pulled loose from the mattress at the corners, and the throw had been discarded onto the ground beside the bed. A trail of his clothes leading out into the hallway from the study caught the man's eye now, making him chuckle lowly. The expert ease with which Calael had been seduced was practically breathtaking..

Sensuous thoughts from the previous night began to return to him; of lying between Artemus' legs, eliciting such beautifully musical moans that Calael quickly became addicted. Of watching his back arch, and his golden head rock back, and feeling again the sting of those nails raking down his shoulder blades in passion. The memory of their several desperate rounds only threatened to reignite his desire, and so he groaned softly and sat up, glancing down at the empty bed. He didn't mind waking up alone. He anticipated finding Artemus downstairs making bacon, or out in the garden tending to the peony patch.

Smiling to himself, he got to his feet slowly and picked out an outfit from the clothes rack; a V-necked tee and a pair of skinny jeans, in simple, block colours, so as to avoid gaudiness. After fixing the sheets and straightening the duvet and throw, he combed through his hair in the mirror, and washed his face in the en-suite. It was an entirely lazy, casual morning. He just wanted to ensure he looked attractive for his Artemus, because the blonde always looked so beautifully desirable without even trying.

Upon heading out into the hallway, Calael noticed that - strangely - the light in the studio was on. Brow quirking slightly, he followed the source and stepped into the room, to see Artemus standing over the desk in his underwear with his hands pressed to the wood on either side of the opened laptop.

 The expression of dismay on his face made Calael's heart stop. It was a look of hurt, but also of pure, livid anger as he turned his gaze to the artist in the doorway. His words came with a rough quality, as though restraining himself from releasing a primal growl. 

"He's alive."

Calael took a deep, uneven breath. Shit. "Artemus-"

"He's alive. Bemus is alive, and you didn't fucking tell me!" Artemus snapped, whirling to face him and approaching fast, gripping Calael's shirt in his hands. The white-hot anger on his face was unlike anything Calael would have thought the soft hearted man capable of; it made his eyes widen and his chest turn tight.

"Oh, god, Artemus- Artemus please, I'm begging you to hear me out about this-"

"I slept with you! I made love to you, Calael Black, and you betrayed me! That is what this is, it is betrayal!" he cried, shoving him back hard against the wall. His voice tore as he spoke, his eyes filling with tears. "You would have kept my redemption from me.."

"Please, I didn't mean to cause this- I didn't mean to hurt you!" Calael pleaded, his face flooded with grief. He touched Artemus' wrists as though to remind him of the tenderness of his touch. "I only meant to keep you with me.. I was scared, scared that you'd go and I would be alone again!"