Work Text:
The Maiden:
Over! Oh over!
Go wild boneman!
I'm still young, go dear!
And don't touch me.
Death:
Give your hand, you beautiful and delicate figure!
I am a friend and do not come to punish:
Be of good cheer! I'm not wild.
You shall sleep softly in my arms.
Matthias Claudius, ‘Death and the Maiden’, 1774
It’s late – or maybe early. The moon is full and the air is still. The otherwise silent night was pierced by the whinnying of startled horses. Silver and Sebek, awakened by the noise, made their way cautiously to the stables. They found nothing obviously untoward, but the horses were definitely skittish.
“There’s nothing here. You go back to bed. There’s no point both of us losing more sleep, and they might calm down more if it’s just me – you know they don’t react well to Fae.”
He watched Sebek head back to the dorm and decided to make another circuit of the horses, speaking to them each soothingly. Halfway along, he heard the sound of another soothing voice, low and deep, at the end of the stalls. A faint blue glow gave away the owner of the voice and Silver watched, entranced, as Idia comforted a horse that had been more badly wounded in the skirmish.
“Idiots! Stupid animals! I’m sorry for my schoolmates – they think the full moon is an excuse. It is bad, but within my powers to heal if you wish. I think that your mate would prefer that option. She’s pregnant, y’know.”
He was naked from the waist up, the better to heal the injured animal; the moonlight glinted off his pale skin. Silver felt himself harden as he watched him move. He was so much more confident than he usually presented, and surprisingly well muscled. He bit his lip and suppressed a moan as his hand slipped inside his waistband. He watched, transfixed, as Idia healed the stallion and returned him to his mare, then with infinite respect and dignity took the final breath from a mouse too badly injured to heal.
Silver sniffed back a tear, alerting Idia to his presence. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to spy. You just look so…magnificent…so majestic. Every time I see your power, it scares and excites me.”
“So I see!” In a heartbeat Idia was standing in front of him, so close that he could smell the power. “Can I give you a hand?”
Silver’s knees buckled as Idia leant forward and planted a kiss on his partly-open lips. His hand cupped the bulge in Silver’s pyjamas as a strong arm circled his waist and guided him down onto the straw of the stable. He slipped his hand inside, teasing, stroking, pulling. Silver came with very little encouragement, his senses totally overwhelmed.
“OMG, Ag! How long has it been?”
Silver smiled, a little embarrassed. “A while”, he breathed softly.
“Don’t you…yourself?”
“Sometimes, but it never feels as good as when you do it.”
“Thought you didn’t want me anymore.”
“I never said that!”
Silver reached an arm up, entwined his fingers in Idia’s hair, and drew him close. His other hand pressed tight against his former lover’s back as he whispered. “Kiss me?”
“Not here, it’s so…rustic. You deserve more than a rumble in the hay shed.”
“It’s quaint, Ids. Romantic in its own special way…”
“You want romance? I can defs give you romance!”
“Why, Lord Idia! Are you asking me on a date?”
“Would you come if I were?”
Silver giggled. “Did you mean to say that? Or would you like to re-phrase it?”
Idia smiled a slow smile. “No. And no.”
“Then yes. And yes.”
“Shh! Someone’s coming! Tomorrow, after the dinner, our old place.”
Idia leant forward and wiped a smudge of blue lipstick from the corner of Silver’s mouth, then disappeared in a flash of blue fire. Silver made his own stealthy way back to Diasomnia, narrowly avoiding Leona who was on the warpath to find the miscreant members of his own dorm whose actions had led to him being awake at this ridiculous hour.
License my roving hands and let them go
Before, behind, between, above, below.
John Donne, ‘To His Mistress Going to Bed’, published 1654
Silver hurried through the darkening grounds of Nigh Raven College. His ceremonial robes were gathered around him against the light breeze that was starting up as the light faded. There were some other students out at this time; enough not to draw attention to him, but not too many that he got drawn into their own after-dinner activities. He spotted the faint blue glow in the woods and cautiously left the path to head into the trees. Emerging into a clearing, he waved his hand and opened a glamour babble that concealed a large futon replete with canopy and numerous pillows. A nearby table held a variety of canapes and petit fours and crystal glasses holding brightly-coloured liquids.
“Wow, Ids! You spoil me.”
“It’s no more than you deserve, darling.”
“I…don’t…deserve this. You owe me nothing. I was unthinking, unfeeling. I hurt you when you were so sweet, so…open.”
“No, Ag. It was my fault. I’m just a dumb otaku, no good at relationships. But I didn’t mean to scare you. I wanted – still want – to woo you. You said you wanted romance…” Idia shrugged off his robes to reveal a full samurai outfit. “At your service.” He bowed, then took Silver’s hands and led him to the end of the bed. “Will you let me woo you all over again?”
Silver nodded and leant back a little, causing his robes to fall open slightly.
“Are you naked under there?”
‘Uh-ah! I wanted to show you that I want to try again; I’m so sorry for hurting you and I don’t want to lose you. I wanted to prove that I’m not scared. I want to be strong; be worthy of you. ♫ I want to be the first man you remember; I want to be the last man you forget. I want to be the one you always turn to; I want to be the one you don’t regret ♫. You’re the best thing that I’ve ever known, that I ever could have even imagined happening to me. I couldn’t believe it when you asked me here tonight…”
He was pushed gently back onto the bed as Idia leant in and kissed him deeply. He tugged open Silver’s robe and stepped back, shyly eying him up and down. “Gods you look amazing! You’ve got me so hard. But not yet – I have something special for you.”
He took Silver’s hand, knelt and kissed it, then led him to the other end of the bed. As he waved his hand, the cushions re-arranged themselves against the bedhead and they settled against them. Silver laid his head on Idia’s shoulder while Idia put his arm around him so that his hand hung down inside Silver’s robe to caress his neck and chest. With another wave, soft music filled the bubble, rising and falling in pitch, tempo and volume. A chorus of coloured sprites appeared, to dance to the music and create spectacular pyrotechnics. Silver watched the show, transfixed; Idia watched Silver, enthralled.
As the show ended, Silver’s head dropped and he fell asleep. Idia carefully moved him so that his head was in his lap. He smiled and stroked Silver’s hair as he opened his messages.
#MuscleRed: questing 2night?
soz, @MuscleRed, have own quest 2 do.
#MuscleRed: what ya seeking?
woo & win beautiful sleeping maiden
#MuscleRed: good 4U go 4 it.
Some time later he noticed the time. “Fuck! Ag! Ag! Wake up! Ag!”
“Wha? What’s the matter? Ids?”
“Ag, I’m so sorry. It’s almost midnight. You need to go back to the dorm or Lilia will have a fit.”
“Fuck that! Want to stay here.”
“Want you to stay, too, Ag, but…
Silver stretched, dislodging his robe and putting himself clearly on display.
“Oh gods! You look amazing. Can’t figure out how – why – you’re here, but OH! I want you!”
“Then take me.”
“But, Lilia…”
“I can handle the old man. I can also manipulate time a little, so I won’t be so late”. He turned over and looked at Idia over his shoulder. “Come. Take what you want. I’ll never deny you. And I want to fall asleep with the memory of you inside me.”
Idia bent to suck a bruise on the back of Silver’s neck as he gently entered him.
“You feel so good, Ag. Gods, I’ve missed this so much. I really do lo…Oh, I’m I’m sorry!”
“Don’t be – I love you too.”