Collapsed World [MxM, Non-Con, Mpreg]

Part 36 [Tajadin]

The sudden closeness and tenderness Julius was showing made Tajadin wary as much as made his heart thump loudly in his chest. Tajadin knew it was a lie, knew there was some underlying reason that Julius was doing this, but damn if he cared. He couldn't help his eyes sliding partly closed as the hand stroked and cupped his face, and damn if he could suppress a soft moan as he was kissed. He wanted so much for it to be sincere, to truly be what Julius desired, that he pressed back into the kiss lightly before prudence reigned him in. This was a ploy, a trap to make him lower his guard and trust Julius too much. But it felt so good to feel the touch, to hear that conflicted sigh that hinted as genuine feeling.

Taj looked up into Julius' eyes with a measure of vulnerability, before looking away. He wanted to ask why Julius had done that, why he had crossed that line mere days after his mate's supposed death. But Taj didn't think he wanted to hear the lie, the lie he wanted to be truth. Taj wanted to cry from the injustice of of it all, but held it back. This was his punishment, this was to be the price of his treachery and betrayal. But his heart wouldn't let that stand, wouldn't let him suffer in silence.

"Mr. J, you know how I feel about you, and I know where your heart truly lies. Let us at least be honest about that." He didn't want his feelings toyed with, didn't want Julius to fake an affection he didn't feel to find a truth he didn't want to know. At the end of all of this, Taj wanted his feelings for Julius to be the one thing left untainted by treachery and lies.

"If this were a Corvine plot, it wouldn't make sense to just poison one person, and at random. There are plenty of Avaens in the cities to test on or wipe out if that were their plan. Why only one person? Unless this is not the game plane and something else is afoot." Taj said, turning back to business to put the kiss from his mind, as well as the desire he now had to push Julius against the desk and see just how far the leader was willing to go.

"Is it possible that a Avaen has gotten a hold of Corvine technology or something that may harm them, but is testing it on his fellows first? It could be that Milo was a victim in a plot, not to kill Avaens, but to kill Corvines, by someone who wanted to see if it was fatal to their own kind." Taj suggested. Which oddly he wouldn't put past Lykaios. Lykaios had no love for his own kind, nor did he particularly care about Avaens. Taj wasn't sure what this disease was that he was testing out, or what Lykaios wanted with it. Taj could see him wiping out the Corvines to spare the Avaens, but he could see Lykaios wiping the planet bare just the same. Taj was not trusted with the master plan, but was just the bishop on the chessboard, if he could think himself so high.

"All the same, we should find a way to combat whatever it was, an antidote or cure, if it's not a simple poison. We should probably not rule out nature. Much has changed since the Corvines came. It might be a natural mutation in the food that Milo happened to react very badly to. I'll look into everything." As he spoke it was easier and easier to forget what had just happened, that there had been any deviation from the well worn game they had been playing. But Taj had a habit of biting his lips and they now tasted of Julius. He couldn't bring himself to raise his eyes.

Julius was Taj's first love, and already it was plagued by tragedy's hallmarks. Julius had a mate, making Taj the awkward third-wheel, the interloper. Taj was working for Julius' enemy, inevitable betrayal. There was no way for them to ever be together and yet Taj loved Julius all the same. He was strong, smart, loyal, compassionate, everything Taj admired. Were they on different sides, Taj thought his father and Julius would've gotten along. But Taj had to bear his tragic, forbidden, and secret love, for Julius' sake if no one else's. Because some part of Taj didn't want Julius to fall for him, because Taj didn't know if he could stay the sword if Lykaios gave the order.