Daevas -I- ✔️

Chapter 6.2: Touch

Ari could not breathe. His back hitting the wall suddenly knocked the air out of him, and Auovin stole what little he had left with a fervent kiss. Auovin's lips were hot and soft, and Ari loved the sensation. When he felt Auovin's tongue on his lips, he hesitated until a hand touched his cheek and slid down to his chin, pulling it down to open his mouth. Something warm and wet slipped inside.

Auovin's body pressed harder against him, causing his back to grind into the doorknob. Ari struggled to focus on the pleasure of the kiss while pain shot through him. His fingernails dug into Auovin's skin, prompting him to turn his head and attempt to push him away. It hurt, and he didn't want that.

Ari breathed in shallow breaths, unable to look at Auovin. He craved the connection of the kiss but hadn't anticipated the overwhelming feeling that would follow. Pressing his hand to his side, he felt the warmth of his own blood.

"... I–" he started, his voice barely a whisper.

"I am too much, too soon for you," Auovin said, wiping away the blood from Ari's bottom lip.

"I don't think so," Ari breathed. He just wasn't expecting it. It had taken him by surprise, that was all.

"Ari, there is so much more to this than just a kiss..." Auovin's eyes were molten, staring down at him with intense desire. "Much more than you can imagine."

"Then tell me."

"Tell you?"

"You said you would give me the answers to all of my questions if I..." Ari's voice faltered, and a smile tugged at Auovin's lips. He bent down and kissed Ari's lips, silencing him once more.

"Cyrus will do a much better job at it than I," Auovin said.

"Cyrus?" Ari's brows knitted together. Was Auovin trying to turn his attention to someone else? Did he no longer want him? Was it as Rein had said it would be?

"Go inside your room and sleep. I will not be able to check in on you, but I will never be too far. Sleep in peace."

Ari went inside his room and turned around to say something just as Auovin slammed the door shut. His eyes lowered to the ground as his heart twisted and pulled in his chest. What did it all mean?

He looked around and noticed that this room was very well-kept compared to what he had seen so far. Fresh pillows adorned a neatly made bed on one side, and paintings of old men adorned the other. The rug was being dirtied by his shoes, but he paid little thought to it. His eyes narrowed back to the door at the thought of Auovin. Sucking on the inside of his cheeks, he decided to leave. He would find the answers himself and figure out why Auovin seemed to no longer want him after making it very obvious once before.

It was like a game to Auovin, his smiles and glances tugging Ari's heart this way and that. Ari felt very confused, and Auovin only added to his confusion. He wished so badly he could dislike Auovin and say he no longer had any interest in him, but his feelings were only growing. Being denied something he very much wanted only made him want it more. He did not want to be the way he was, but he could not help it.

The stairs echoed with each footstep, the creaky boards betraying Ari's attempt at silence. He turned his head left, then right, checking for any sign of Auovin emerging from the darkness or the man with the blue eyes ready to throw him back into his room. However, no one appeared. On the third floor, the sound of water being splashed around reached Ari's ears. He proceeded down the hall, mindful of the small holes in the floor and the tears in the rugs that occasionally snagged his laces. Pressing an ear to the door, he recognized the person by the sigh–it was Cyrus.

Ari stood at the door, hesitating on whether to enter and ask his questions. Cyrus had shown him disdain, making him fidget under his gaze, but he was somewhat approachable. He could do it. Ari knocked on the door first, but there was no answer after many moments. Eventually, Ari opened the door and went inside, losing his tact the moment he had met Auovin.