Scribbles and Drabbles

Offerings 3

Waking up next to the man that, to this last memory, had beaten him to a pulp was unnerving. Odder yet, he didn't want to move. Everything floated out of reach as he curled into the comforting warmth of soft blankets and firm muscles, bracketing him in and holding him close to a steady heartbeat.

"Awake?"

He gave a negative groan, pressing closer to warm skin and burying down into the soft sheets. Not silk like Lororis's bed, whoever this was, they weren't noble-born. A shame; Therinae liked the sheets. He wanted to stash away a supply for when his contract ended, and he was no longer attractive to the men desperate to have him in their beds. He didn't have the budget to buy his own ready for the occasion.

A low chuckle greeted him, and the strong arm around his waist curled possessively. A deep, earthy scent engulfed him. It suited the Beast. 

"Lororis was right. You are adorable like this."

Lororis liked to call him adorable too. Therinae should be insulted, shouldn't he? He was the Phoenix. A warrior renowned for his skill and process in battle, an ice-hearted general who led his troops to victory and claimed vengeance for every defeat, not a child or anything else that could be considered adorable. He slapped the shoulder near his head. The haze surrounding him stopped his anger from flaring any further. 

"Lororis is a liar and a dirty cheat," Therinae grumbled without heat. Oh, that was why he wasn't panicking. The Beast liked Lororis. They dined and feasted together on holidays. No harm would come from his quarter - the Beast looked after his allies even in defeat.

"He is that," Beast laughed, jolting Therinae into more awareness.

"What did you dose me on?" There was no way this wasn't drugs. If the Beast let him go, he'd float into the sky.

"Normal stuff, but a higher dose than normal to compensate for your flame. My medics checked with your registered Doctor before giving it to you." 

Ah yes, the reason they all put that on their profiles before entering the games. Therinae yawned, turning over and burying himself into the Beast's chest. Sleeping with Lororis had made him soft. It left his chest aching for touch and warmth. Beast's hand rubbed down his back, answering his silent request but avoiding touching anywhere that hurt. 

"The fall you took was rather dramatic."

"Not so that you left me to sleep alone."

"I like conquering my fallen foes. I was careful not to jostle you."

"You don't let sleeping alone." 

Before Lororis, the Beast's words would be frightening. The conviction, the entitlement behind men who through the world was theirs to claim, be it land, gold, or the right to someone's body. Now, things hit differently. The Beast took what he pleased for his whims and wishes. The Beast liked to bed his foes, but Therinae couldn't recall anyone hinting he enjoyed forcing it. Nothing about the aches and pains pulsing through Nai's body suggested dark things that happened while he slept. Another layer of safety wrapped around Terinae in being vulnerable in the Beast's arms. They were the wrong arms, regardless.

"Hate it with a passion," the Beast agreed, a lazy rumble in his chest. "You, if Lorois didn't have dibs on your arse, would be staying with me for at least a month or two. Long enough to seduce you anyway."

Therinae hummed, not quite up to thinking a comeback, and drifted. Once, he'd have said the chance of that was unlikely. Loris hadn't got him intimate beyond heavy petting, and it had been longer. Therinae wanted it. Now, this was more a game than actual denial. He wanted Lororis.

Definitely the good stuff; there was no way he'd think that without it. Beast hit hard. No one felt like this after getting too close to him. Lord Moon would be disappointed. His Lord hoped that the Phoenix would succeed at downing the Beast. No luck yet, but Therinae had his reputation for a reason. He'd win next time. He'd bet another year of service on it.

"I want Lororis." 

He'd been so angry last time they'd spoken, but they'd been close over the previous few months. Would he come after Therinae had lost a fight they both knew he could not win? Therinae might be the one with flames, but Lororis had a temper that ran as hot as the sun when it suited him. 

"I sent him a message. He's not finished his bout yet."

"He won't come. He was angry I didn't fight assignment," Therinae said. 

The arm around him tightened again, the Beast humming, not agreeing."Rolo will come. He's never let an argument stop him when his ally needs help," the Beast lifted him and rolled under him, leaving Therinae draped over his chest. Warmth surrounded him, and something inside Therinae settled again. 

They'd see. 

The Beast hadn't seen Lororis's face when he stormed out the room—nor been unable to contact him in the days leading up to the match. Maybe Lororis would give up on this fruitless attempt of a relationship. Perhaps he'd abandon Therinae to the Beast's tender mercies despite the game they'd played. 

 "He said that he wouldn't if I lost."

"We have already established that he'd a chest and a liar."

Therinae wanted to elbow him for that. He wasn't at a good angle and didn't want the man to push him off the warm chest. He settled for letting out a huff of fury. A low chuckle showed how much that failed to be intimidating. 

"If he doesn't show that, I get to keep you for as long as I can get away with," the Beast said.

"How long do you want to look after me for?"

"Thinking of sending a note demanding three months. More than enough time for you to heal.".

"Three!" Therinae slammed back to awareness like the Beast had dropped him into ice water. That was not a normal amount. One or two months was typical, almost expected with some parties, but three was too much. He'd be freed from the Beast's clutches a week before his next scheduled bout, or worse, be excluded from the following matches and have to work another three months off his contract. 

"Breathe. It's a bit unlikely to get accepted, don't you think? Ask for more than you want. Gives room for negotiation." the Beast continued to rub his back as if Therinae wasn't panicking. "Even if they did, you could use a decent break. I know you're contact bound, but you work too hard."

"Linka will kill me if I miss the Host's Feast this year. I need to be back in Mya for then at the latest." Therinae pulled at his hair as more implications of being trapped here would bring. He was close enough to the end of his contract that he could visit his family on feast days - provided he was free. Linka planned dark, humiliating things if he failed to appear for stupid reasons. "I got Rosa a diamond necklace for her wedding. It's in my stuff back in the convent. Need to pick that up first, so more like six weeks."

"If it gets accepted, we can swing round Mya for the feast," said Beast, amusement bubbling from him. "I can lend you a wedding gift in place of the diamond necklace, but we aren't risking you going to battle half injured because of a festival day."

"You can't come. My comrades aren't supposed to meet my family, forget my rivals in the game. Rules and regulations, and Rankin would love to talk your war off about the animals you hunt and tame. He loved wild beasts. He has a collection of carved statues of gryphons and dragons. Linka would try to poison you out of spite and," Therinae stopped shrinking in on himself as he considered his other family members and how they'd react if the Beast came to their feast.

"I wasn't going to tag along, but it sounds like it would a be a time," the Beast made a contemplating noise. "Been a long time since I got to go to a family event."

"When my contract runs out."

"Or in six weeks."

"I need to check the contract details," Therinae collapsed back on the Beast's chest. "Rankin hates that I didn't contract with your Lord even if he's the wrong area for us." Too much hope burst in the Beast's tone to fight him on this point.

"Always happy to meet a fan,

"Therinae didn't let the angle stop him from elbowing the Beast this time. "You know half the children across the words are fascinated with the tales of your adventures. Also, you aren't going if I don't know your name."

"May I call you Nai?"

"Same as Rolo, as long as you try to humiliate me with it, you have my permission."

"Davchi, my name is Davchi. A pleasure to meet you, Nai."