Work Text:
Argos climbed into bed with a sigh and cozied into the plush blankets with her book. She had been slowly making her way through the story on nights when she had some time to relax and she was eager to get back into it tonight. After a few minutes of silence as she lost herself in the tale, Asterion walked into the room with a pensive hunch to his shoulders. Argos didn’t look up but hummed in greeting her partner.
Aster hummed back and crawled into bed next to her, placing his big head against her hip in a familiar position. She smiled and reached down to comb her fingers through his fur as he placed his arm across her lap and gave a gentle squeeze.
Some time passed, and Argos had to stop petting him to turn the pages of her book. She thought he may have fallen asleep by the way his breathing had evened out when he spoke softly.
“I want to have sex.” He said.
Argos took a few seconds to process those words. Words she had never heard out of anyone’s mouth, let alone shy and awkward Aster. “Huh?” She looked down at him and closed the book around her thumb to keep her place.
He was looking off into the distance somewhere as if he had never spoken at all. She thought that he must be going through a million different thoughts right now. She hesitantly reached out and rubbed the spot between his horns.
“Love?” She whispered to him, making him look her in the eyes. “What do you mean?”
He huffed, a telltale sign that he was embarrassed. The giant minotaur shifted his body closer to her and squeezed his eyes shut.
“I just want to try it…” He spoke resolutely.
Argos paused to place the bookmark back in its place and set her novel on the bedside table. She then turned and laid down opposite Asterion to face him. She studied his face, only seeing half of it, as the other half was buried in the sheets. He looked pained with how tightly his brow was furrowed and his eye was clenched shut. The tiefling reached out and put her fingers on his furry jaw.
“We can try it if you want. Like, right now?” She asked, trying to speak delicately for his sake. Asterion opened his eyes but looked at her arm instead of her face and nodded.
“Okay… I mean, do you know what you want… to do? Do you want to kiss me, or..?” She watched as he sat up and crawled over her, placing his legs on either side of her hips as she turned to lay on her back and look up at him.
“Are you going to talk?” She asked sassily. Instead of answering, Aster leaned down and started mouthing softly at her neck. Argos relaxed her shoulders and tipped her head up to accept the affections. It felt funny, unfamiliar. He wasn’t doing bad, she thought. She guessed. Not that she or he had anything to go off of. It seemed like he wanted to lead, so she laid still as he explored her neck and chest.
His nose and whiskers tickled. She tried not to react (she thought that laughing at this moment may not go over well) and instead petted her friend. She liked the spot right behind his armpit, where the fur was soft and downy. In response, he groaned and she looked down at him in mild surprise.
Aster looked up at her through his long eyelashes and touched her chest. “Can you take your shift off?” He whispered in his deep and gravelly tone. She nodded and wiggled until he gave her ample space to sit up and disrobe. Aster’s eyes traveled her exposed body and he reached out to put a hand on her waist. He seemed to be enjoying this, at least. That was good, she thought.
She lay mostly still as he ran his calloused hands over her, only shifting to move her tail out from under her subtly, and turn her head to the side when he went to kiss her cheek.
“You look beautiful.” He posited.
She smiled in response and patted his cheek. “Thank you, Pet.” He took his hands and ran them up and down her sides and hips. She watched as he studied her once more. Argos thought he was probably deciding what he wanted to do next. She lay patiently and thought about what she needed to get at the market tomorrow. Eggs, certainly, and some bread rolls would be nice.
Aster huffed out a big sigh and looked off to the side as his ears drooped. Argos’ attention snapped back to her… lover? She supposed that title fit now.
“What’s up?” She smiled, reaching out to hold him and bring him close. His body went easily, bending like a stem in the breeze as she barely tugged. The mattress on their bed creaked and bowed to their combined weight in the center of it. His large and furry torso dwarfed hers and she felt him shudder.
“I can’t.” He whispered, shivering. Her brows rose.
“You don’t want to anymore?” She asked, rubbing his shoulders consolingly. He simply shook his head. She held still and continued the ministrations on his back and shoulders as he went quiet.
“Are… you okay?” She whispered, looking at his ear next to her cheek. She heard him sniffle a little.
“I think I’m bad at this.” He sighed, sitting up and bringing a hand to rub at his glistening nose. The man sat back on his haunches on the bed and looked towards the window. Outside it was beginning to rain.
She sat up and shimmied back to sit up against the pillows. Aster looked back at her, realized she was still topless, and quickly looked away. She noticed and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders.
“Aster… where did all this come from?” She studied his profile as he pondered the rain outside their bedroom. By now the room was starting to get chill, and she was glad for the warm wool blankets she made this summer with the sheeps' fiber. They did wonders to keep the cold out. Aster didn’t worry as much about it, being covered head to hoof in dense, short fur. Argos turned to briefly fluff a pillow at her side, then pat the spot beside her to invite him to sit next to her.
The minotaur turned his head slowly, as if still in a daydream. She waited as he sat in the same position for a moment or two. Then his shoulders finally sagged and he slumped against the headboard beside her. The wood creaked and audibly bumped against the wall behind it. It was probably fine. She looked at the man again and reached out to place her hand on top of his.
“Aster. We didn’t even really do anything. There was nothing to be ‘bad’ at.” She assured.
He shook his head minutely. “No, I mean… pretending. I know you weren’t into that. I could tell you were just laying there and letting it happen.”
She blushed “I-”
“N-no, I didn’t mean. Ugh.” He put his head in his hands. “I didn’t like feeling like I was doing something to you. The men in town always talk about it like it's so great and it feels good or -or something. Like it’s some conquest or beast that they defeat when they do it. Like a… a, um…” He drifted off, trying to think of a word.
“Trophy?” She supplied.
“ Trophy!” He threw his hands away from his face and his eyes went wide in frustration. “Like their wife is an object to be used and they actually enjoy doing that to the person they’re meant to care about for the rest of their lives Argos!”
Her brow furrowed slightly. “You aren’t like them. We both know that. Not… to be unkind, but it makes sense that thinking of it that way wouldn’t be pleasant for you, Pet. You’re too sweet.” she smiled and soothed his face to relax from the grimace it was forming.
The rain pattered outside their small farmhouse as the two lay silently inside.
“Argos…” Aster began, sounding like he was trying to stop himself from saying something wrong and speaking slowly and deliberately.
“Asterion. Speak your mind. I’m here.” She felt him ease mentally with those two final words. I’m here. The one thing no one else in his life could say before he found her. Or more accurately, she found him. The meaning behind those words were not lost on either of them.
“I… don’t think I want to have sex.” He muttered.
She smiled sympathetically. “Aster, look at me.” He obeyed. “I’ve never felt a desire to have sex. With anyone.”
She saw him shift uncomfortably and look away from her.
“I don’t say that to hurt you. If you wanted to, I would be happy to do it with you. It’s just not something I feel the need for, you know? All the time traveling with the crew, especially with Trent and Wyrna, it was strange to hear them talk about wanting that. I never understood the interest, and I know it didn’t come from inexperience. I wasn’t innocent about what sex was, I just… didn’t want it. There wasn’t anyone I cared to do that with, not strangers or friends. I felt close enough to people by sharing meals and hugs and deep conversations. That’s the way I love people I care for. Just like that’s the way I love you, Aster.”
He finally looked back at her. “I mean, that’s… good. That’s great… and I’m actually very glad you feel confident about that. I think I’m maybe just… behind on all this. I’ve only known what it was for a few years. I’ve only known a lot of things for that long. Maybe if I had had my whole life to- to- to know myself, I would know it by now, what I wanted. But I feel like I have to listen to what everyone around me is telling me is ‘normal’ and ‘right’, because my instinct and experiences aren’t enough.”
Argos frowned. Then hummed.
The house creaked as it settled in the colder temperature. In the barn, the sheep huddled closer and bleated in agitation as their friends crowded. The soft patter of rain sounded around them, enough to lull some to sleep in the dark and warm comfort of their home.
In the pasture, the rain shower soaked the wild grass and clover. The plants eagerly drank whatever was offered, even the odd frog or snake about was enjoying the weather. Fall was upon them now, but the sounds of a summer night had yet to stop. Crickets chirped despite the light downpour, sequestered away somewhere dry and safe.
Meanwhile, the couple both quieted as the other processed. Argos found her shift and put it back on to stave off the chill settling further into the room. He looked away as she dressed and when she was clothed, she laid back down with him.
Argos spoke first, feeling like she needed to respond to his confession.
“That makes sense. And it sounds really frustrating. I’m sorry that you are having to find role models so late in your life, and feel like your own mind isn’t strong enough to guide you. But, on the other hand, you know I love you, right?” She reached out and clasped one of his large hands between both of hers.
“Yes, of course. I know.” He whispered.
“Nothing you do will change that. We’ve made it this far, never needing sex in our relationship. It’s never mattered before, and we’re perfectly happy, right?”
“Mh-hmm.” He nodded and began to smile softly.
“I think we’re doing fine. We’re happy. It doesn’t matter what someone else thinks is missing. We know what we need, and we communicate if we aren’t getting it. This is a great example. You told me what you wanted, and we tried it. Even if it didn’t work out, we tried it.” She leaned forward to kiss his nose.
“And I understand your frustration about the pressure from your friends. I think growing up with my family, and then with the crew and me being so young, I never had that pressure placed on me. Sure, my mom wanted me to get married someday, but she didn’t talk about sex specifically. The group never pressured me to do things I didn’t want to, probably because I was one of the youngest among them. It wouldn’t have been right, you know?
“But I also think men are different. They value different things, and one of them is sex. I don’t think they realized they were hurting you. Maybe they thought they were doing you a favor, introducing you to something you would enjoy?” She offered hopefully.
Aster snorted in response. “Maybe, yeah.” He sighed and scooted closer to her to wrap two beefy arms around his partner. “You’re amazing, Argos Mai.”
She chuckled and wrapped her arms and tail around whatever part of him she could, squeezing tightly. “You are too. I don’t think you realize how smart and introspective you’ve become in such a short amount of time. You’re really incredible, Pet.”
Aster hummed sleepily in response. “Are you ready for bed?” He whispered into her ear. She shivered in response.
“I have to blow out the candles,” Argos whispered back. Aster groaned.
“I’m comfy, don’t moveeeee” He whined.
“I don’t want to waste candles!” She giggled, wiggling against him.
“MMMmmmm, fine.” The minotaur reluctantly released her and let her quickly sit up, leaning over to the bedside table, adjusting her book to sit securely, and blowing out the candles there. The room fell into darkness, the only light coming from the moon outside their window. Both looked to watch the rain hit the window panes.
Argos climbed back into his embrace and the two comfortably settled down to sleep.
“Love you.”
“Love you too, Pet.”