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“I’m stuffed,” Azul sighs. “I swear, Floyd’s trying to fatten me up on purpose. He’s been pestering me nonstop about eating more even though I’ve already had my fair share of candy and carbs for today.”
“It’s Halloween, Azul,” Jade chides, amused. “You deserve to indulge after all the hard work you put in this week.”
“Well how about you? I don’t think I’ve seen you eat that much yet.”
Jade grins. “I just finished my third plate of carpaccio. Octopus carpaccio.”
Azul glares at him. “The clarification wasn’t needed.”
“It was very thoughtful of Floyd to bring them to me,” he continues, one hand on his chest as if he was especially moved by his brother’s actions. Which he may as well be. He never knew for sure with the two. “Would you like me to bring you some? They’re almost on par with your mother’s cooking.”
Azul beams at him. “No thank you! Though I did see some fried eel nearby. Would you like me to bring you some?”
Jade chuckles and Azul finds himself relaxing despite it all. As much as he enjoyed the festivities of Halloween, the large crowd that gathered had him slightly on edge. He’s lucky he found Jade lurking somewhere quieter instead of mingling with the guests like Floyd.
“I will have to decline your gracious offer,” he says. “Though that isn’t to say my appetite is satisfied.”
“Oh?” Azul raises a brow at him. “You should hurry on and get dessert then. With Grim and Ruggie around, you might not be able to get any if you wait.”
“Hm, if that’s the case…” Jade winds an arm around his waist and pulls him closer, lips curled in a charming smile as he asks, “May I have you instead?”
Azul’s breath catches in his throat.
There’s a twinkle of mischief in Jade’s eyes as he looks down at him, lighthearted and without any of the deviousness associated with his usual teasing. It reminded him of the times he would be goaded out of his octopus pot to play with the twins when they were little, and Azul would almost always take the bait.
This time, he decides to bite.
“Are you sure?” he asks, looping his finger around the ring of his chest straps and tugging it forward coyly. “I’ve been told I’m an acquired taste.”
Pleased with his response, Jade smiles and brings a piece of Azul’s hair up to his lips, kissing it softly. A mixture of embarrassment and delight thrums underneath his skin at the gesture.
“Oh, I’ve very sure. If you could see how prettily you blush for me, I think you’d understand.” Azul feels his cheeks burn even more in response and he bows his head to hide it. “It’s a shame our costumes needed us to look so barren and dry. I’m certain a touch of red on your lips would make you look more appetizing than you already are.”
“What a flatterer you are,” he huffs. “Unfortunately for you, I don’t have any lipstick on me at the moment.”
“There are other ways to bring color to those lifeless lips of yours.” A finger tips his chin up and he locks eyes with Jade. “Allow me to assist you.”
He leans in and Azul’s heart nearly stops. Were they really doing this in public?!
Squeezing his eyes shut, he curls his fingers over Jade’s broad shoulders and slowly lifts himself up by the tip of his toes to meet him halfway. As much as he cared about appearances, that didn’t mean he was about to deny his eel a kiss, no matter how embarrassing it could be.
Jade’s hand is warm against the small of his back. The other grasps his chin gently, tilting it just so for the perfect angle. His breath ghosts over his lips and Azul braces himself to be thoroughly devoured.
…
His ankles start to strain.
…
What in the Twisted Wonderland —
His feet fall flat on the floor and he opens his eyes to see Jade staring at him, awestruck and flushed up to his ears.
“Wha–” he starts before punching him hard in the chest. “Why’d you stop?!”
“M-My apologies,” come Jade’s strained reply, and not just because of the punch, “you just looked so cute puckering your lips like that, I had to take a moment to—“
“You’re insufferable! I can’t believe you would—“
“It wasn’t intentional, I swear—“
“ Deep seas, I must have looked so stupid,” he moans. “ know what? No more kisses for you. I’ve giving them all to Floyd .”
Jade laughs, loud and unabashed, and Azul would have found it cute if he wasn’t currently drowning in his own embarrassment.
“Stop laughing! I’m being perfectly serious,” he says as Jade hides his face in the crook of his neck, shoulders still shaking with laughter. “ Jade. ”
He tries pushing him off but Jade only continues to nuzzle up against him, arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace. His lips, hot against his skin, pepper kisses along the underside of his jaw and the sensation is enough to make Azul melt against his beloved eel.
“Awfully bold tonight, aren’t you, Jade?” he murmurs, tugging his hair petulantly.
Jade chuckles into his ear. “Perhaps the excitement of the night has gotten the better of me.”
Azul laughs brightly. “Well that’s certainly an understatement! Normally you’d act like a nervous fry every time I so much as hold your hand and yet here you are, debauching me on this innocent night of fun and goodwill.” He lets out a faux sigh of disappointment. “Shame on you.”
“Forgive me for my impudence,” Jade says. He pulls back and presses a chaste kiss to the back of his hand in apology. “I’ll try to behave myself better if that so pleases you.”
“Good eel,” he purrs and delights in the return of Jade’s blush. He cradles his face in between his hands, marveling at how smooth his skin is without gloves to hinder him. “You’re always so reliable, aren’t you? As expected of my Vice Housewarden.”
“Azul…” Jade holds his wrists gently but doesn’t push him away. Instead, he leans into his touch with a soft, content sigh. If Azul were the wishful type, he would say Jade’s expression was almost fond. “Please don’t tease me like this.”
Azul smirks and squishes his face playfully, ignoring his warning. “And you did such a wonderful job setting things up for Halloween while assisting me in the lounge on top of that. It’s admirable how well you manage under so many constraints…” His smirk then softens into a small but sincere smile. “Thank you for supporting me. I couldn’t ask for a more capable mate.”
Jade inhales sharply and Azul surges up to peck him on the lips.
He doesn’t expect Jade to pull him back immediately after.
“!!!”
Fingers trail up his undercut and tangle into his hair, keeping him in place as he’s promptly swept away by Jade’s overeager kissing. It’s a bit clumsy and he gets nicked a few times by Jade’s sharp teeth, but he loved every second of it. It’s only when he’s on the verge of passing out from lack of air that Jade finally backs away, a trail of spit connecting them.
Azul hastily wipes it off, blushing furiously.
“Azul~ Jade~ I got some dessert for you guys.” Floyd pauses when he sees their disheveled appearances. “Sheesh, what happened to you two?”
Jade licks his lips, which were slightly bruised from their rough kissing. “Nothing too eventful, Floyd. Though I’ll have to pass on dessert. I’ve already indulged in something very sweet tonight.”
He eyes Azul with a smirk and Floyd follows his gaze. Azul makes the mistake of looking away.
“What?! You got kisses from Azul?!” Floyd screeches.
“Floyd, quiet down!”
“No, that’s not fair! You told me you didn’t want a kiss since it was gonna ruin your makeup but you let Jade do it?”
“Wait, Floyd—”
“Nuh uh, Azul. You owe me. Now pucker up.”
Jade chuckles and takes the plates out of Floyd’s hands so he could have his turn with Azul. A sweet treat, indeed.