[ Kaveh doesn't realize that anxiety has done so much as to lead him to stop chewing, a morsel of cheese remaining bitten between closed lips as Alhaitham talks, and yet still longer as his eyes widen in shock. Is the other man saying what he thinks he's saying?
Of course he is. Logic dictates as much. Alhaitham never says anything he doesn't mean. If the words are on his lips, they're genuine. Not to mention the nice clothing, the present... Archons preserve him, he's being wooedβ
The thought barely makes it through his mind before the younger man declares himself once more, this time in much more succinct language, and this time the cheese doesn't hold, drawn back into his airway in a sharp inhale, leaving him choking on it for a few seconds
(is there an award, he thinks, for the least sexy response to the least sexy proposition?)
He grabs for his glass, downing half of it in an effort to soothe the sudden burn in his throat. And if he stops halfway because of presence of mind, wanting to remain sober, well... ]
Archons. [ He looks up at Alhaitham, the bemusement written over his face. And perhaps it's just an effort to protect himself against the embarrassment of the moment, but he quips, voice little more than a snarky mutter: ] What happened to letting Teyvat burn, huh?
More or less what he expected, really. The verbal response makes his eyebrows lift, one quirked slightly higher than the other.]
I think that particular ship has long since sailed, don't you?
[Within some minutes of him even uttering the words, in fact, and he resists the urge to roll his eyes that Kaveh would bring it up now, when they are already intimately familiar with one another in ways Alhaitham would never have anticipated, as if it's some kind of gotcha moment.]
If you're not interested, then just say so. We can just as easily wait until the next time the resort's machinations conspire to force us together.
[ His answer is soft, perhaps a little too hot on the heels of "if you're not interested" for Kaveh to feel comfortable with it now and later. He straightens his shoulders and takes a deep breath, looking up at the other man with a small smile. ]
No, I... I'd like that. Now, not.. not next time the resort decides it's a good idea.
[ After all, Alhaitham is nothing but truthful. Their first time together was Kaveh worrying about his junior's existence here. Then the moments after that party, where Alhaitham lost control. Then the time in the spa, with his control at a hair's width. This is for all intents and purposes a good idea, and...
And he likes the idea.
He just... never would have imagined Alhaitham would be the one to suggest it. ]
[The last thing he wants is for it to feel like another obligation. For Kaveh to agree because he feels like he should, even if it's just because Alhaitham asked. The two of them sleeping together isn't necessary for the game at this point, really, and so they really would only be doing it either because they were being somehow manipulated into it or... because they wanted to.
It's not really something Alhaitham has ever thought about before. Sex has never been a consideration of his and even on finding it to be physically enjoyable, that hadn't changed much. With Kaveh, though, it's different. Somehow, it's different. The fumbling agreement to his proposition plants a faint smile against one corner of his mouth.]
All right.
[It isn't as if he thought he'd be the one suggesting it either... but they'd be waiting for months if he left it to Kaveh to bring it up.]
[ He sees the smile tugging at the corner of Alhaitham's mouth, and he hates it. Whether it's smugness in response to Kaveh's eventual agreement, or amusement at the blonde's staggering and stumbling over the words, he hates it because it all comes right back to that one thing: he's the elder of them, the more experienced of them
(is that even true anymore?)
he should be the one feeling sure of himself and what he wants, but here they are, and yet again he feels like he's out of his depth with the other man, like somehow he's learned all the secrets there are to be discovered about this.
Swallowing, he shakes his head, offering the other a slight smile. ]
[Alhaitham had a feeling that would be the answer. He nods in acknowledgement then shifts, pushing himself up to his feet because having sex on the couch was not what he had in mind when he asked. He offers Kaveh a hand up then lightly tugs the older man towards him, planting his free hand against a slender hip and bringing the other up to cup his jaw line.]
All right, then.
[It's different with nothing pushing them. No wild, uncontrollable urges or the weighty sense of necessity. Kaveh is close enough to him that he can see the individual flecks of colour in the architect's eyes and for a moment he lingers there, taking in the sight, before that little smile twitches at his lips again.
All right, then.
He kisses Kaveh softly, warmly, more experienced now than he was the first time. His fingers splay wide against the small of the other man's back, palm pressing to the base of his spine, and only after a few seconds have passed does he even attempt to deepen the kiss to something more.
Though he can taste the wine on Kaveh's tongue it isn't unpleasant at all. He keeps him held in close, taking soft and measured breaths each time they part for a snatch of air.]
[ Kaveh hasn't even begun to guess at what Alhaitham's plan might be. Truth be told, he's still reeling from the suggestion that they have sex. His hand lifts, accepting that offered to him with a smile, and he's silent for a moment as he's tugged to his feet, as the scribe's eyes search his in the moment or two before he's kissed, soft and warm andβ
Oh, Kaveh realizes, he's had practice.
In the moment, though, such a realization doesn't sting the way it would have just seconds before, when those lips weren't already on his, kissing away the frustrations and the strange, unfamiliar bolts of jealousy. His own arms move to circle Alhaitham's waist, holding him comfortably close as he sighs into his mouth, answering the deepened kiss with his own. The younger man is better at this than he was at the start, the strong softness of his hand somehow enough to ground Kaveh in the moment, chase away all the discomfort and unpleasantness that was trying to clamber all over his brain just moments before.
In fact, his thoughts are so shattered off and scattered to the winds that he's forgotten even the pretty, lacy lingerie he wears under his clothes, victims of being tried on when he had an unexpected visitor suddenly announce himself. His focus is on Alhaitham and Alhaitham alone, on the delightful taste of the other's mouth on his, the sensation of those fingers at his sides. ]
[Absent of any sudden, overwhelming arousal, Alhaitham is able to take in the other sensations that arise when he has the other man in his arms. Kaveh is warm and firm against him, the shape of his body under his clothes just obvious enough to be tantalising, and as the kissing deepens and he draws the architect in close to him he feels his mind settle into it rather than spinning in wild circles around uncontrollable desire.
It feels more normal. More like him, for as much as acts like these can feel like him when he had only recently begun to give them any consideration at all.
When they finally draw apart Alhaitham pulls in a quick breath then takes Kaveh by the hand, tugging him lightly over to his bed. He sits, slides his hands down the backs of Kaveh's thighs to the bends of his knees, then eases the older man forwards onto his lap.
Alhaitham looks up at him with something that could almost be called curiosity.]
[ They could do this a hundred times, and Kaveh still doesn't think he'd be able to adjust to how gentle and kind Alhaitham is. Even as the kiss deepens, as he's drawn closer into the other man's arms, each movement is acted on in such a way that it has a tremble of delight down the blonde's spine and his heart fluttering in his chest.
And that's so ridiculous, he thinks. This is Alhaitham, whom he's known for so many years that he should no longer be capable of being surprised by himβ
(Although as a scholar, Kaveh is confident that the resort and its machinations would be considered an unpredictable outlier.)
He shakes the thoughts from his head though when the younger man's fingers tighten on his to draw him to the bed, when fingers curve at his thighs to tug him into a waiting lap, and the question on Alhaitham's lips have him almost bemused for a moment, a tilt of his head as he looks at the other man, reaches up to run fingers down the side of that sharp jaw. ]
You don't have to check on me. [ Because he likes it when he does, and that's dangerous. ] I promise I'll tell you if I don't want something.
[At those words, Alhaitham studies Kaveh for a few long, quiet moments. There's a hint of disbelief built on the lingering knowledge of what Kaveh has allowed him to do before (even if this is not like that, not even a little), but rather than argue he just gives a small, curt nod.]
I will hold you to that.
[Since he promised, and all.
Alhaitham huffs a soft breath out as his hands push slowly up Kaveh's thighs from his knees to his hips, faint pressure in the grip as they slide along the fabric of his pants before the scribe's long fingers spread against the older man's ass and pull him close enough to fit their bodies snugly together.
He could ask Kaveh what he likes but he thinks he already has a good idea even through their somewhat tumultuous sexual relationship so far. His thumbs press slightly along the lines of his partner's hipbones as he pauses, considering his next move.
Though this position does not lend itself to easy access to anything further, he finds it oddly appealing. Alhaitham moves one hand up, curling his forefinger beneath Kaveh's chin and using that light, simple contact to guide him down into another kiss.]
[ When it comes down to it, Kaveh knows that he's made mistakes before. For one, there were much, much better ways to approach this whole thing between the two of them. And when Alhaitham pushed them both into his room and took control of things in a way too far from who Alhaitham is as a person, he could have said something then too, and he didn't.
But Kaveh remembers the shattered look on the younger man's face, hears the quiet sounds of his guilt in the moments after, and he knows he can't do that againβ when he promises, he means it, and he'll hold the both of them to it.
Not that he has to, right now, because he wants this. There's a sigh on his lips at the press against his hipbones, at the feeling of that curious hand tracing under his chin to nudge him into a kiss that makes his toes curl and his lips part in pleasure as he returns it with a soft sigh. His arms wind around the younger's shoulders, doing his part to draw him in nearer. This approach is newer to him than before, something that hasn't come between them before.
[It's been abrupt before. Even the first time, arguably the only time it has been fully consensual and free of any outside influence, they had simply got straight to the point of it. That isn't what Alhaitham wants out of this now and not why he came here, and even if he isn't entirely certain of how this is going to go he definitely wants to take his time.
Kaveh's arms wrap around him and their lips part against each other, and Alhaitham settles into the rush of pleasant goosebumps over his skin and the slow curl of warmth in the pit of his stomach. No need to rush at all.
It's nice.
A few minutes later, when the heat gathering in him has made its way up to his head and lightly fuzzed the edges of his thoughts, he pulls back to take a quick breath. He looks up at Kaveh with an unreadable emotion in his eyes as he finally slips both hands up beneath his top, sliding fabric against skin to push it off.]
[ Kaveh makes a soft, humming noise against Alhaitham's mouth as he settles more comfortably on his lap, presses closer, enjoys the slow build of pleasure between the two of them. It's unlike anything they've done together, and he likes it, enjoys the way that he can slowly withdraw his thoughts from the world around him, can pour them into Alhaitham and Alhaitham alone, slowly but surely letting himself sink into it.
It's nice, it's perfect, and when the younger man draws back for a breath, Kaveh's eyes flutter open, a slow smile forming on his lips at the look on the scribe's faceβ
and then hands slip under his top and in that very same moment, everything comes crashing down: Kaveh remembers what he's wearing under this, the change he should have made but did not, the feeling of lace and satin against his skin even as he recoils from those gentle hands. ]
W-wait! I. I, uh. I got dressed in a hurry, and there's...
[ Archons, this is embarrassing. The lingerie wasn't meant for Alhaitham, and deep down Kaveh knows the younger man probably won't form any sort of opinion on it, good or bad, but... ]
I'm wearing something kind of unusual under this, and I didn't have time to change out of it so.. do you want me to just.. I can go change now...?
[Though a little startled by Kaveh's sudden withdrawal he notices quickly that it isn't due to something that he did. His hands lower back to the other man's hips as he fumbles to explain himself and given the kinds of things available to buy here it doesn't take much for Alhaitham to figure out what 'wearing something kind of unusual under this' could mean.
And Kaveh is right - he doesn't really have an opinion on it either way.]
You can do whatever makes you comfortable.
[The meaning is clear enough. It wouldn't be for Alhaitham's comfort that Kaveh gets up and changes, but the younger man is quite willing to let him up without protest if he wants to go and do it anyway. He isn't trying to keep him from getting up despite his hands still resting on him.]
[ It's fine if you want to change, Alhaitham says, making his own opinion clearβ and Kaveh, to his credit, listens for once. The other man is putting his comfort first, clearly doesn't mind whatever strange thing the elder is wearing, and so...
He takes a deep breath, leans forward to press a soft kiss into the younger man's mouth, then something slower and deeper as he breathes into it, allows himself to relax. ]
I'm okay, [ he whispers. ] If you don't mind, then I don't mind either.
[Alhaitham just-barely smiles as he lifts his hands again, catching the fabric of Kaveh's top and pushing it up and off his head. His fingertips briefly trail against the soft skin of the inside of the older man's upper arms... and then lightly against the lace all but clinging to his ribs.
He told Kaveh that he does not experience physical attraction like most people and that remains true in spite of his apparent interest in sex itself. His judgement of attractiveness is a matter of aesthetics, as ever, and his attention lingers on the lingerie for a few moments.]
Colour theory? [The scribe murmurs, glancing up to meet Kaveh's eyes.] Complementary. [Then, after another quiet pause.] You would suit red, too.
[ Mean it though he may, Kaveh is still a little anxious as Alhaitham moves to push his shirt up and over his head, caught somewhere between expecting no reaction, not wanting one anyway, and also somehow wanting one. The brush of those fingers, at the very least, is proof that the younger man isn't repulsed by the concept, and so he's able to stay quiet as Alhaitham looks at the lingerie, turning his attention back to Kaveh to mention color theory, andβ ]
I... I actually have a similar pair in red, too. [ The admission comes somewhat bashfully, paired with the barest beginnings of a heated flush across his cheeks in response to the younger's complimentary words. ] I chose the red ones first, and then got these too.
[ That latter point isn't entirely true. The teal ones were chosen for him, but he's not about to express as much in the middle of this moment between them. Kaveh may be honest, but he's learned his lesson there.
(And it's not like he owes Alhiatham an explanation anyway, so he's not sure why he feels like he does.) ]
[Alhaitham manages to look unsurprised. He studies Kaveh's face for a moment, his fingertips trailing along the bottom of the lace as if he is somehow appreciating it, then rather than take it off him... he leaves it.
Kaveh gets another kiss before he's tipped onto the bed, Alhaitham still fully dressed as he crawls over him and lowers his head to brush his lips to the centre of the older man's chest. Though he keeps his eyes lowered the fact that this particular shade of teal is very close to the colour of his irises has not escaped him in the least. Did Kaveh pick these too, he wonders idly, then just as quickly pushes that thought aside.
He sits up, gaze raking down the length of Kaveh's torso, warm fingertips brushing the soft skin of his stomach. The touch trails down the centre of the blond's abdomen to the dip of his navel then tracks along the waist of his pants. Alhaitham glances up, not verbally checking in on Kaveh but clearly doing it visually, but he seems satisfied by whatever he sees.]
Are you going to behave for me? [The young man says softly, his free hand working the buttons of his waistcoat open.] You can do that, can't you, Kaveh.
[ Most of Kaveh just assumes that the lace, now with a comment made about it, will be slipped off his body and pushed to the side. He's not expecting Alhaitham to leave it on him, but he does, tipping him to the bed instead after another kiss, eyes and mouth paying brief homage before hands track over his skin to explore, leaving the blonde breathing a heavy sigh over his lips.
And then he's asked is he going to behave, and the architect's blood runs dangerously south, and every last part of him wants to nod, wants to agree with the scribe's assertion, to bend to him, to be good so he can hear the other praise him the way he's come to realize he quite likes...
But he's also Alhaitham, gentle and tender or not, and there's that one part of Kaveh that won't allow this to pass without a challenge, a tilt of his head as he openly admires the younger undoing his own waistcoat. ]
Mm...
[ His voice is too dry. He clears his throat, licks his lips, tries again. ]
[He could go a while like this, he thinks, just exploring Kaveh's body with his fingertips and hearing the sounds he makes as he grows more frustrated with the lack of action. Alhaitham briefly wonders how much the older man would allow him to get away with, and it's partly that thought which prompts him to ask the man if he's going to behave... a kind of pointed flirtation that feels foreign on his lips.
The result is undeniable however.
He leaves the waistcoat on but unbuttoned and meets Kaveh's gaze at his response. The small muscles around his eyes pinch. Alhaitham leans down, bracing one elbow beside Kaveh's head and lightly taking hold of his chin with the other hand.
The scribe leans in like he's going to kiss him again but stops short.]
The barest hint of defiance finds him, a question on his lips, and suddenly Alhaitham is close, breath gusting over his lips like a promise Kaveh knows he won't allow himself to meet just yet, the blonde's chin captive in his hand as those emerald eyes meet his with something serious, some kind of...
Archons, he can't even tell. The only thing he knows for sure is that he should cave for now, agree to play a more obedient role.
And yet.
He licks his lips, considering, and a hint of a smile curves at the corners of his lips. ]
Mm, perhaps... I'm a scholar, after all. What kind of scholar doesn't take the chance to test the outcomes of behaving versus not? [ A hand lifts, skates along the side of Alhaitham's face as Kaveh chuckles softly. ] If anything, you should be admiring my dedication to academia.
What I find most astounding right now is that you still have enough breath to talk so much.
[Ah, and he should fix that, no?
Alhaitham does not give further time to trying to extract a spoken promise from Kaveh. It seems that the man has decided to be difficult... and Alhaitham can work with that. It's hardly different to how he behaves on a normal day, after all.
Rather than kiss his lips he pushes his head to one side and nips at his neck. The bite isn't hard, but certainly enough to leave a mark.
He works his way down after that. Kaveh's collar bones, the curve of his ribs. He teases the stiff nub of one nipple through lace with the pad of his thumb. Lower still to the soft, warm skin of his stomach and then he's sliding Kaveh's pants off, scraping his fingernails deliberately down the outsides of his thighs as he draws the fabric down.
What he finds under them is not a surprise. What does surprise him is that he's interested enough to take a moment to look.
Though only a moment. He shifts back up to take Kaveh's wrist and push them up over his head.]
Will you keep them here or do I need to restrain you?
[ The nip to Kaveh's neck makes the older man hiss out through his lips, and at least until his hands are captured and pushed over his head, his fingers thread through Alhaitham's hair, touching and exploring what he can easily reach as the other kisses his way down his neck, collar bones, ribs. Under the attention, he's quickly growing hard, and the single moment the younger takes to look at the rest of his underwear has him biting back a soft moan, a twitch of pleasure running through him, fingers tightening in his hair. ]
If you don't want me to have breath to talk, take it away.
[ Is it a challenge? Maybe, but one he very quickly reconsiders as his wrist is taken, both of them caught and pushed above his head.
Will you keep them hereβ?
And it would be so, so easy to say yes, to give in to him. But he remembers already: Alhaitham likes to take his time exploring, and Kavehβ Kaveh likes wants craves the praise but doesn't want to make it too easy for him either, andβ
(And there are other considerations too, things he's wanted to try out...)
He lifts his chin, a glint of a challenge in his eyes, and Kaveh immediately tugs a hand free of him so he can thread it around Alhaitham's neck in the attempt to pull him down into a kiss. ]
If you wanna be certain, [ he breathes, ] there are handcuffs in the top drawer.
[Alhaitham stiffens slightly, resisting the pull, though there's nothing in his expression to suggest that any kind of distress was the reason. This is how it's going to be then, is it? Well, he can't say he's not surprised.
He hums softly, shooing Kaveh's hands away from him before he moves to lean over and open the drawer, quickly locating and pulling the cuffs out. There wasn't so much as a moment of hesitation in making that decision, it seems, and this time when he pushes the older man's arms up it is with a little more determined force.
One side of the cuffs is gently slipped over a wrist, clicking closed around it. He loops the chain around the headrail of the bed and then meets the architect's eyes as he fully restrains him.]
As you wish.
[You chose this, Kaveh. He won't have any whining about sore wrists.
Once satisfied that the man is now held in place he sits back, raking his gaze down the length of Kaveh's body. He's...
Hm.
Alhaitham shrugs off his waistcoat, though only partly shifts his eyes away. Something about this is still faintly unsettling, though he can't put his finger on what it is that's bothering him.]
... If I do something you don't like, say so. [He says then, sliding a hand around the curve of Kaveh's waist.] Agreed?
[ For a moment, Kaveh regrets his choice. Not because he doesn't trust Alhaitham or want to do this with him, but because of the strange something in the air around the other man for a moment or two as he shrugs himself out of his waistcoatβ
(and Archons, the visible movement of muscle under the soft material of that shirt...)
βas he reminds the blonde to say something if he's not okay.
Mm... it's about that other time, isn't it?
If he could, he'd reach to reassure him, but he's just ensured that he absolutely cannot do that. Therein lies the regret, even as the thrill of being captive to him runs down his spine, and Kaveh offers Alhaitham a small, reassuring smile, a little jingle of his wrists against the headrail. ]
Do you know what a safeword is? [ he asks, and then without any hesitation continues to explain: ] It's a word we can choose that if either of us says, everything stops. It's designed for moments like these, because... [ He's brought momentarily to another encounter, one he won't detailβ he's learningβ but that taught him a few things nonetheless. ] Sometimes in the moment you say things like "wait" or "stop" or "no" but don't actually mean it. So...
[ He takes a breath, thinking. ] "Alcazarzaray." [ It's long, complicated, and there's no way he's gonna be calling it out in the middle of sex for any other reason. ] If I say "Alcazarzaray", it means I want you to stop. Okay?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
indigently) wrote2024-01-04 08:20 pm
no subject
Of course he is. Logic dictates as much. Alhaitham never says anything he doesn't mean. If the words are on his lips, they're genuine. Not to mention the nice clothing, the present... Archons preserve him, he's being wooedβ
The thought barely makes it through his mind before the younger man declares himself once more, this time in much more succinct language, and this time the cheese doesn't hold, drawn back into his airway in a sharp inhale, leaving him choking on it for a few seconds
(is there an award, he thinks, for the least sexy response to the least sexy proposition?)
He grabs for his glass, downing half of it in an effort to soothe the sudden burn in his throat. And if he stops halfway because of presence of mind, wanting to remain sober, well... ]
Archons. [ He looks up at Alhaitham, the bemusement written over his face. And perhaps it's just an effort to protect himself against the embarrassment of the moment, but he quips, voice little more than a snarky mutter: ] What happened to letting Teyvat burn, huh?
no subject
More or less what he expected, really. The verbal response makes his eyebrows lift, one quirked slightly higher than the other.]
I think that particular ship has long since sailed, don't you?
[Within some minutes of him even uttering the words, in fact, and he resists the urge to roll his eyes that Kaveh would bring it up now, when they are already intimately familiar with one another in ways Alhaitham would never have anticipated, as if it's some kind of gotcha moment.]
If you're not interested, then just say so. We can just as easily wait until the next time the resort's machinations conspire to force us together.
no subject
[ His answer is soft, perhaps a little too hot on the heels of "if you're not interested" for Kaveh to feel comfortable with it now and later. He straightens his shoulders and takes a deep breath, looking up at the other man with a small smile. ]
No, I... I'd like that. Now, not.. not next time the resort decides it's a good idea.
[ After all, Alhaitham is nothing but truthful. Their first time together was Kaveh worrying about his junior's existence here. Then the moments after that party, where Alhaitham lost control. Then the time in the spa, with his control at a hair's width. This is for all intents and purposes a good idea, and...
And he likes the idea.
He just... never would have imagined Alhaitham would be the one to suggest it. ]
Yeah.
no subject
It's not really something Alhaitham has ever thought about before. Sex has never been a consideration of his and even on finding it to be physically enjoyable, that hadn't changed much. With Kaveh, though, it's different. Somehow, it's different. The fumbling agreement to his proposition plants a faint smile against one corner of his mouth.]
All right.
[It isn't as if he thought he'd be the one suggesting it either... but they'd be waiting for months if he left it to Kaveh to bring it up.]
Do you want to finish this first?
no subject
(is that even true anymore?)
he should be the one feeling sure of himself and what he wants, but here they are, and yet again he feels like he's out of his depth with the other man, like somehow he's learned all the secrets there are to be discovered about this.
Swallowing, he shakes his head, offering the other a slight smile. ]
No, it... there's plenty, I can finish later.
no subject
All right, then.
[It's different with nothing pushing them. No wild, uncontrollable urges or the weighty sense of necessity. Kaveh is close enough to him that he can see the individual flecks of colour in the architect's eyes and for a moment he lingers there, taking in the sight, before that little smile twitches at his lips again.
All right, then.
He kisses Kaveh softly, warmly, more experienced now than he was the first time. His fingers splay wide against the small of the other man's back, palm pressing to the base of his spine, and only after a few seconds have passed does he even attempt to deepen the kiss to something more.
Though he can taste the wine on Kaveh's tongue it isn't unpleasant at all. He keeps him held in close, taking soft and measured breaths each time they part for a snatch of air.]
no subject
Oh, Kaveh realizes, he's had practice.
In the moment, though, such a realization doesn't sting the way it would have just seconds before, when those lips weren't already on his, kissing away the frustrations and the strange, unfamiliar bolts of jealousy. His own arms move to circle Alhaitham's waist, holding him comfortably close as he sighs into his mouth, answering the deepened kiss with his own. The younger man is better at this than he was at the start, the strong softness of his hand somehow enough to ground Kaveh in the moment, chase away all the discomfort and unpleasantness that was trying to clamber all over his brain just moments before.
In fact, his thoughts are so shattered off and scattered to the winds that he's forgotten even the pretty, lacy lingerie he wears under his clothes, victims of being tried on when he had an unexpected visitor suddenly announce himself. His focus is on Alhaitham and Alhaitham alone, on the delightful taste of the other's mouth on his, the sensation of those fingers at his sides. ]
no subject
It feels more normal. More like him, for as much as acts like these can feel like him when he had only recently begun to give them any consideration at all.
When they finally draw apart Alhaitham pulls in a quick breath then takes Kaveh by the hand, tugging him lightly over to his bed. He sits, slides his hands down the backs of Kaveh's thighs to the bends of his knees, then eases the older man forwards onto his lap.
Alhaitham looks up at him with something that could almost be called curiosity.]
Fine so far?
no subject
And that's so ridiculous, he thinks. This is Alhaitham, whom he's known for so many years that he should no longer be capable of being surprised by himβ
(Although as a scholar, Kaveh is confident that the resort and its machinations would be considered an unpredictable outlier.)
He shakes the thoughts from his head though when the younger man's fingers tighten on his to draw him to the bed, when fingers curve at his thighs to tug him into a waiting lap, and the question on Alhaitham's lips have him almost bemused for a moment, a tilt of his head as he looks at the other man, reaches up to run fingers down the side of that sharp jaw. ]
You don't have to check on me. [ Because he likes it when he does, and that's dangerous. ] I promise I'll tell you if I don't want something.
no subject
I will hold you to that.
[Since he promised, and all.
Alhaitham huffs a soft breath out as his hands push slowly up Kaveh's thighs from his knees to his hips, faint pressure in the grip as they slide along the fabric of his pants before the scribe's long fingers spread against the older man's ass and pull him close enough to fit their bodies snugly together.
He could ask Kaveh what he likes but he thinks he already has a good idea even through their somewhat tumultuous sexual relationship so far. His thumbs press slightly along the lines of his partner's hipbones as he pauses, considering his next move.
Though this position does not lend itself to easy access to anything further, he finds it oddly appealing. Alhaitham moves one hand up, curling his forefinger beneath Kaveh's chin and using that light, simple contact to guide him down into another kiss.]
no subject
But Kaveh remembers the shattered look on the younger man's face, hears the quiet sounds of his guilt in the moments after, and he knows he can't do that againβ when he promises, he means it, and he'll hold the both of them to it.
Not that he has to, right now, because he wants this. There's a sigh on his lips at the press against his hipbones, at the feeling of that curious hand tracing under his chin to nudge him into a kiss that makes his toes curl and his lips part in pleasure as he returns it with a soft sigh. His arms wind around the younger's shoulders, doing his part to draw him in nearer. This approach is newer to him than before, something that hasn't come between them before.
He doesn't mind it. ]
no subject
Kaveh's arms wrap around him and their lips part against each other, and Alhaitham settles into the rush of pleasant goosebumps over his skin and the slow curl of warmth in the pit of his stomach. No need to rush at all.
It's nice.
A few minutes later, when the heat gathering in him has made its way up to his head and lightly fuzzed the edges of his thoughts, he pulls back to take a quick breath. He looks up at Kaveh with an unreadable emotion in his eyes as he finally slips both hands up beneath his top, sliding fabric against skin to push it off.]
no subject
It's nice, it's perfect, and when the younger man draws back for a breath, Kaveh's eyes flutter open, a slow smile forming on his lips at the look on the scribe's faceβ
and then hands slip under his top and in that very same moment, everything comes crashing down: Kaveh remembers what he's wearing under this, the change he should have made but did not, the feeling of lace and satin against his skin even as he recoils from those gentle hands. ]
W-wait! I. I, uh. I got dressed in a hurry, and there's...
[ Archons, this is embarrassing. The lingerie wasn't meant for Alhaitham, and deep down Kaveh knows the younger man probably won't form any sort of opinion on it, good or bad, but... ]
I'm wearing something kind of unusual under this, and I didn't have time to change out of it so.. do you want me to just.. I can go change now...?
no subject
And Kaveh is right - he doesn't really have an opinion on it either way.]
You can do whatever makes you comfortable.
[The meaning is clear enough. It wouldn't be for Alhaitham's comfort that Kaveh gets up and changes, but the younger man is quite willing to let him up without protest if he wants to go and do it anyway. He isn't trying to keep him from getting up despite his hands still resting on him.]
It's fine if you want to change. I can wait.
no subject
He takes a deep breath, leans forward to press a soft kiss into the younger man's mouth, then something slower and deeper as he breathes into it, allows himself to relax. ]
I'm okay, [ he whispers. ] If you don't mind, then I don't mind either.
[ He's surprised to find that he means it. ]
no subject
[Alhaitham just-barely smiles as he lifts his hands again, catching the fabric of Kaveh's top and pushing it up and off his head. His fingertips briefly trail against the soft skin of the inside of the older man's upper arms... and then lightly against the lace all but clinging to his ribs.
He told Kaveh that he does not experience physical attraction like most people and that remains true in spite of his apparent interest in sex itself. His judgement of attractiveness is a matter of aesthetics, as ever, and his attention lingers on the lingerie for a few moments.]
Colour theory? [The scribe murmurs, glancing up to meet Kaveh's eyes.] Complementary. [Then, after another quiet pause.] You would suit red, too.
no subject
I... I actually have a similar pair in red, too. [ The admission comes somewhat bashfully, paired with the barest beginnings of a heated flush across his cheeks in response to the younger's complimentary words. ] I chose the red ones first, and then got these too.
[ That latter point isn't entirely true. The teal ones were chosen for him, but he's not about to express as much in the middle of this moment between them. Kaveh may be honest, but he's learned his lesson there.
(And it's not like he owes Alhiatham an explanation anyway, so he's not sure why he feels like he does.) ]
no subject
Kaveh gets another kiss before he's tipped onto the bed, Alhaitham still fully dressed as he crawls over him and lowers his head to brush his lips to the centre of the older man's chest. Though he keeps his eyes lowered the fact that this particular shade of teal is very close to the colour of his irises has not escaped him in the least. Did Kaveh pick these too, he wonders idly, then just as quickly pushes that thought aside.
He sits up, gaze raking down the length of Kaveh's torso, warm fingertips brushing the soft skin of his stomach. The touch trails down the centre of the blond's abdomen to the dip of his navel then tracks along the waist of his pants. Alhaitham glances up, not verbally checking in on Kaveh but clearly doing it visually, but he seems satisfied by whatever he sees.]
Are you going to behave for me? [The young man says softly, his free hand working the buttons of his waistcoat open.] You can do that, can't you, Kaveh.
no subject
And then he's asked is he going to behave, and the architect's blood runs dangerously south, and every last part of him wants to nod, wants to agree with the scribe's assertion, to bend to him, to be good so he can hear the other praise him the way he's come to realize he quite likes...
But he's also Alhaitham, gentle and tender or not, and there's that one part of Kaveh that won't allow this to pass without a challenge, a tilt of his head as he openly admires the younger undoing his own waistcoat. ]
Mm...
[ His voice is too dry. He clears his throat, licks his lips, tries again. ]
Maybe. What happens if I don't?
no subject
The result is undeniable however.
He leaves the waistcoat on but unbuttoned and meets Kaveh's gaze at his response. The small muscles around his eyes pinch. Alhaitham leans down, bracing one elbow beside Kaveh's head and lightly taking hold of his chin with the other hand.
The scribe leans in like he's going to kiss him again but stops short.]
Are you going to try to find out?
no subject
The barest hint of defiance finds him, a question on his lips, and suddenly Alhaitham is close, breath gusting over his lips like a promise Kaveh knows he won't allow himself to meet just yet, the blonde's chin captive in his hand as those emerald eyes meet his with something serious, some kind of...
Archons, he can't even tell. The only thing he knows for sure is that he should cave for now, agree to play a more obedient role.
And yet.
He licks his lips, considering, and a hint of a smile curves at the corners of his lips. ]
Mm, perhaps... I'm a scholar, after all. What kind of scholar doesn't take the chance to test the outcomes of behaving versus not? [ A hand lifts, skates along the side of Alhaitham's face as Kaveh chuckles softly. ] If anything, you should be admiring my dedication to academia.
no subject
[Ah, and he should fix that, no?
Alhaitham does not give further time to trying to extract a spoken promise from Kaveh. It seems that the man has decided to be difficult... and Alhaitham can work with that. It's hardly different to how he behaves on a normal day, after all.
Rather than kiss his lips he pushes his head to one side and nips at his neck. The bite isn't hard, but certainly enough to leave a mark.
He works his way down after that. Kaveh's collar bones, the curve of his ribs. He teases the stiff nub of one nipple through lace with the pad of his thumb. Lower still to the soft, warm skin of his stomach and then he's sliding Kaveh's pants off, scraping his fingernails deliberately down the outsides of his thighs as he draws the fabric down.
What he finds under them is not a surprise. What does surprise him is that he's interested enough to take a moment to look.
Though only a moment. He shifts back up to take Kaveh's wrist and push them up over his head.]
Will you keep them here or do I need to restrain you?
[Are you going to behave, Kaveh?]
no subject
If you don't want me to have breath to talk, take it away.
[ Is it a challenge? Maybe, but one he very quickly reconsiders as his wrist is taken, both of them caught and pushed above his head.
Will you keep them hereβ?
And it would be so, so easy to say yes, to give in to him. But he remembers already: Alhaitham likes to take his time exploring, and Kavehβ Kaveh likes wants craves the praise but doesn't want to make it too easy for him either, andβ
(And there are other considerations too, things he's wanted to try out...)
He lifts his chin, a glint of a challenge in his eyes, and Kaveh immediately tugs a hand free of him so he can thread it around Alhaitham's neck in the attempt to pull him down into a kiss. ]
If you wanna be certain, [ he breathes, ] there are handcuffs in the top drawer.
no subject
He hums softly, shooing Kaveh's hands away from him before he moves to lean over and open the drawer, quickly locating and pulling the cuffs out. There wasn't so much as a moment of hesitation in making that decision, it seems, and this time when he pushes the older man's arms up it is with a little more determined force.
One side of the cuffs is gently slipped over a wrist, clicking closed around it. He loops the chain around the headrail of the bed and then meets the architect's eyes as he fully restrains him.]
As you wish.
[You chose this, Kaveh. He won't have any whining about sore wrists.
Once satisfied that the man is now held in place he sits back, raking his gaze down the length of Kaveh's body. He's...
Hm.
Alhaitham shrugs off his waistcoat, though only partly shifts his eyes away. Something about this is still faintly unsettling, though he can't put his finger on what it is that's bothering him.]
... If I do something you don't like, say so. [He says then, sliding a hand around the curve of Kaveh's waist.] Agreed?
no subject
(and Archons, the visible movement of muscle under the soft material of that shirt...)
βas he reminds the blonde to say something if he's not okay.
Mm... it's about that other time, isn't it?
If he could, he'd reach to reassure him, but he's just ensured that he absolutely cannot do that. Therein lies the regret, even as the thrill of being captive to him runs down his spine, and Kaveh offers Alhaitham a small, reassuring smile, a little jingle of his wrists against the headrail. ]
Do you know what a safeword is? [ he asks, and then without any hesitation continues to explain: ] It's a word we can choose that if either of us says, everything stops. It's designed for moments like these, because... [ He's brought momentarily to another encounter, one he won't detailβ he's learningβ but that taught him a few things nonetheless. ] Sometimes in the moment you say things like "wait" or "stop" or "no" but don't actually mean it. So...
[ He takes a breath, thinking. ] "Alcazarzaray." [ It's long, complicated, and there's no way he's gonna be calling it out in the middle of sex for any other reason. ] If I say "Alcazarzaray", it means I want you to stop. Okay?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)