He growled. "Maybe later. Right now I want, but not another lesson."
"Oh?" An neal would be playful when he was needing. "What do you want, then, Feris? Cake? Honey?"
He growled and pushed An neal over, hand against the back of his man's head so it wouldn't bang on the rocks.
"Want this," he growled, mouth closing over An neal's.
"Mmfh." The sound was not one of displeasure, and An neal held his shoulders tight, rubbing against him, so he did not think he needed to stop. He purred happily and started tearing at An neal's clothes. Another stupid man thing, always wearing skin coverings.
There was no protest about the clothes. An neal had become very good at stitching them back together, or so he said. Instead, An neal kissed his neck and petted his back. He got to skin, happily stroking it. An neal was soft and warm. It felt so good touching him.
Their mouths met again, this time because An neal pushed into his. He thought An neal liked the touching very much, too.
He slid his hand down to tug at An neal's nipples. He remembered the magic of it, wanted to make An neal feel that.
"Mmm." Humming against his lips, An neal tightened the grip on Feris' shoulders, legs coming up to wrap about his hips.
Oh. This was good.
He began to rock, playing with the small bits of flesh that grew harder and harder under his fingers.
Soon An neal was thrashing under him, moaning. "Your mouth, Feris. Use your mouth."
He frowned down at An neal -- he was using his mouth. They were kissing. Well, when An neal wasn't interrupting him to tell him to use his mouth that he was already using.
"Where your hands are, Feris. Use your mouth there." Moving restlessly, An neal pushed up into his fingers.
Oh! All right, he could do that. He pushed down along An neal's body, groaning as his need rubbed along warm skin. He licked experimentally at the hard nubs of flesh.
The whole of An neal's body jerked against him, as if the contact was a shock. "Feris!"
He looked up, checking An neal's face. That was a good look, a hot one, An neal's cheeks flushed deep red, eyes with a dazed expression.
He bent again, licking more vigorously. An neal cried out, hands coming up to hold his head in place, hips rolling against him. He tried different things, experimenting, seeing what would make the best sounds come from An neal. The scrape of his teeth made An neal yell and buck, the closing of his lips around one nipple caused An neal's nails to scrape his back.
This was fun. And it felt good, the touches and sounds from An neal making his hardness jerk and throb.
"More. Feris, please, more." An neal sounded so desperate.
He rubbed harder against An neal, taking one of the nipples into his mouth and sucking hard while his fingers plucked at the other one.
Shuddering, shaking, An neal hollered, heat and wet spreading between them, the scent of An neal so strong. He growled, continuing to suck, rubbing hard against An neal. He started to shake, the good feelings building and building. Flopping beneath him, An neal gasped for air, hands moving on him still, stroking his hair.
He roared as the pleasure exploded from him.
"Oh. Feris." An neal smiled up at him, eyes so dark, then pushed his lax form off and bent to lick at his belly and chest like himself would lick at An neal.
Oh.
So good.
He purred happily, hands stroking An neal.
Once he was thoroughly clean of their seed, An neal came back up to kiss him.
He could taste them in his mouth, his seed and An neal's mixed together.
Whimpering, he made the kiss deeper.
"Mmm." There was that noise again, that hum that meant An neal was very happy with him.
He purred, letting An neal know that he too was happy. Very happy.
"Was that what you wanted, Feris?" An neal smiled at him before nuzzling against his neck.
"Yes, An neal. It was."
"Oh, good." And the mischief crept back into An neal's voice. "Let me know when you would like to do it again."
"How about now?" he asked.
"Oh. You are demanding, are you not?" Clear now, An neal's eyes twinkled at him as the man pushed him down, taking him by surprise.
He growled, pushing up with his hips, the noise turning to a purr as he rubbed against An neal.
A sweet kiss brushed over his lips before An neal moved away, holding his hands so he could not stop the movement. He could break An neal's hold at any time, they both knew that, but he was curious enough to stay where he was as An neal licked and sucked at his chin, then his neck, and down to his nipples.
He purred, arching up into the licks as pleasure shot through him. His nipples received a most thorough tongue bathing before An neal bit down on each one in turn, making them sting and throb.
His body jerked and he growled, fingers curling into his palms to keep from knocking An neal off him.
"That was not pleasing?" An neal looked up at him, chin resting on his breastbone.
"You surprised me," he growled.
"Oh. I think perhaps you will be even more surprised soon." The smile he got might have worried him at any other time, but An neal would not do anything that was not good, he knew. Then An neal licked his belly again, though it was already clean, tongue tickling his navel.
He laughed, hands sliding over An neal's head. "Tickles."
"Mmm." The stubble on An neal's chin tickled as well, as the rough beard scraped his hipbone.
"Oh, Feris. You will love this." That was all the warning he had before An neal moved lower, taking the tip of his renewed hardness into the softest, warmest touch he could imagine.
He gasped, the pleasure almost a pain. "An neal!"
There was no answer save the feel of An neal's lips sliding down his shaft, tongue moving on him, hands holding his hips. He screamed and shook, hardly able to believe his own eyes and the way it felt, it couldn't be real.
It was. It must be, for that was An neal, moving upon him, mouth hot and wet. Warm fingers found his sacs, cradled them, squeezing with the barest pressure. His hands trembled as they moved over An neal's face, fingers searching wonderingly where his heat disappeared into An neal's mouth.
An neal licked at his fingers on the upstroke, tongue teasing him, and one finger moved from his sacs to press against the skin behind them, a firm pressure.
He shouted, shocked and amazed and coming.
Even more amazing was the way An neal drank him right down, licking him clean in the most greedy way.
He reached for An neal, hands tugging, needing to kiss, to hold, something familiar.
An neal came to him easily, kissing him deeply, soft sounds coming from far within.
"Oh, An neal. That was... Oh." He stroked the warm skin of An neal's back, petting like An neal would pet himself.
"I thought you might like that." An neal cuddled close to him, warm and lax.
"Such pleasure An neal, that I had never dreamed."
"Yes. There is no end to the things we can do, Feris. Perhaps that is a lesson you will enjoy taking from me, hmm?"
"Yes, An neal." He had to agree -- this was much more enjoyable than writing. Much more enjoyable than anything else he could think of just now.
~Chapter Thirteen~
The first signs of spring were beginning to show. The days were longer, the air thicker somehow. And just that very morning, Feris had returned from marking their territory with a delicate purple flower in his big teeth, a lovely reminder of their first year together.
He had praised Feris, petting the soft fur of Feris' ruff, scratching the big cat's ears. He would not let on that the sight filled him with dread.
Soon, he would be forced to leave, to travel south once more to be with his father on the day of his father's birth. He would have to leave Feris again.
Anneal decided to make a cake. The time when Feris regarded them suspiciously after his gorging made him sick was long past, and Anneal knew it would be a treat. It w
ould also take his mind off his anger, for that was what it was.
Even now his father and the people of his birthplace ruled his life.
Feris nudged at his hand, growling softly, the golden eyes warm and worried on him.
Summoning a smile, Anneal scratched Feris' ears once more. "What? I am making you cake."
Feris pushed against his legs, head rubbing his hips, the low growling purrs meant as comfort. They were comforting. He would miss them while he was away. The thought made him sigh, and Anneal turned back to his batter, stirring more roughly than was necessary.
Feris moved slowly around him, rubbing and purring, occasionally licking.
His mood was affecting Feris, which was not fair. The flower was meant to make him happy, was it not? Forcing down his dark thoughts, Anneal poured the batter into his metal bowl and set it among the stones at the edge of the fire.
And promptly burned his hand.
Feris whimpered at his yelp, the big cat growling low in the back of his throat and then morphing into the man. "An neal! You are hurt!"
"How stupid!" He could not believe his own idiocy. Really, once he had considered himself a competent man. "I shall be fine, Feris. Really."
Feris growled softly, taking his hand and examining the blister that was already forming. Then he was being tugged to the mouth of the cave, Feris putting snow on his hand. "An neal still hurts?"
"It does throb. But I was only careless, Feris. It will heal." And he would feel like an imbecile.
Feris pet his arm, golden eyes gazing sadly at him. "You were making cake. I do not wish to eat it if it hurts you to make."
"It was something I wanted to do for you. I simply was not paying enough attention." Impulsively, he leaned forward and kissed Feris soundly. "I love you."
Feris' worried, sad looked morphed into delight. "Oh. I love you, An neal."
So wonderful. Despite the throbbing in his hand and the ache in his chest, it was easy to smile, to give Feris another kiss, then another.
Feris returned the kisses, wrapping his arms around An neal, so careful not to jostle the injured hand.
His Feris, he thought, pushing into the touch. His. The kisses held an edge of desperation on his part. Of fear.
Feris held him tighter, mouth opening wide, giving him everything he wanted. The rich, wild taste of Feris pleased him deep inside, and Anneal searched for more, tongue pushing against Feris' teeth.
Feris' mouth opened on a gasp, the strong hands beginning to fumble with his clothes.
That made him smile, for at any moment Anneal expected a seam to give, and sure enough, Feris rended the bottom half of his garments clean away with a frustrated growl. It made him feel so very wanted, needed, which was why he no longer minded when Feris did such things.
Feris' heat pressed against him, his lover hard and needy. Spirits knew he was hard enough himself, needing to blot out any thought besides that of Feris' skin and Feris' lips and the feel of them rubbing together.
When Feris pushed him down he went eagerly, the single twinge of pain in his hand soon ignored, the kiss growing sharp once more.
His tunic went the same way as his breeches, torn from his body by eager fingers.
Feris growled, nibbling at his lips. Some nibbling of his own Anneal returned, but he had to confess the feel of skin like heated silk against his own distracted him. Ferris felt perfect against him, fitting as if he were tailor made.
"An neal. So good." Feris moved fast and hard, always so desperate, so hungry.
"Yes. Oh, love." Tears threatened, and Anneal was grateful he could at least blame them on his hand. How he loved this unique creature. How could he even consider leaving? The kiss changed again, going soft and sweet, yet just as deep.
Feris' noises of pleasure filled his mouth, the warm hands sliding over him and Feris pushed against him, sliding their pricks together. One hand moved between them, stroking across his nipple, taking it and tugging.
"Feris." The touch drew his body into a tight arch, pushing up and up into the touch. It made his skin pebble, as if with cold. "Oh, love."
"Feels good, An neal?"
"So good." What a paltry word to describe such a feeling. Anneal touched Feris in return, hoping to make him understand that this went beyond good. The skin of Feris' back was so hot and smooth, so good under his fingers.
Feris bent his head and licked his nipple. One leg came up to wrap about Feris' hip, to hold him close, their cocks just brushing. He held Feris to his chest, short, sharp sounds falling from his lips. Feris purred around his nipple, teeth threatening.
He accepted the touch wordlessly, indeed, encouraged it. Needed it. Anneal urged Feris on with hands and hips and deep noises of approval.
Feris' teeth dug in, drew his blood to the surface as Feris roared, heat splashing against him.
Yes. Yes that was just what he needed. The sound and the scent and the feel of Feris in pleasure pushed him over, and Anneal moaned, coming hard himself.
Feris purred, moving down his body to lick him clean.
Thoughts flooded his mind once more, making him sigh, one hand petting Feris' hair. He was not looking forward to spring. Not at all.
Feris looked up at him, the frown back. "What is wrong, An neal?"
"Nothing, Feris. Oh! Your cake should be done."
"You smell sad," Feris murmured, hand sliding along his cheek.
"I... it is almost spring." He pushed at Feris, wanting to make sure the cake did not burn.
Feris rolled off him. "I know. Freedom. Greens. Flowers."
"The city." It popped out before he could stop it.
Feris growled. "You are leaving?"
"I must, Feris. I must go back and..." he trailed off, feeling sick at the look on Feris' face.
Feris shifted, the cat growling at him, looking at him reproachfully before taking off into the snow.
Anneal blinked back the stinging wetness in his eyes. Would there ever be a time when they were not at odds? Slowly, he picked himself up and dressed, binding his sore hand with clean rags before making his way back to the fire. And to Feris' burnt cake.
***
Himself had run and paced and hunted until the hurt wasn't so strong.
It was Feris who returned to the cave and An neal.
He stepped in, looking for the man, worried for a moment An neal might have already left.
An neal slept on their pallet, wrapped in a small ball for such a long man. The blackened remains of a cake sat next to the fire.
He went in slowly and sat next to An neal, hand sliding along one thin ankle. His man stirred, a frown that Feris had come to think of An neal's dream look sliding across An neal's face.
He realized he was scared. An neal might go away and never come back again. Maybe it was too much for An neal, to love him and himself.
He did not want An neal to leave.
An neal breathed fast and hard, leg twitching under his hand. The dreams were on him again, and soon, he knew, An neal would wake, and yell.
He lay down behind An neal and wrapped his arms around the man. He was hurt, but he did not want An neal to be unhappy. Immediately, An neal tried to turn in his embrace, searching for him even in sleep.
He purred, stroking An neal.
"Feris?" An neal's voice sounded rough with sleep and tears.
He growled softly. "Yes, An neal."
"Oh. Oh, good." Facing him now, An neal reached up to touch his face. "I though I was dreaming you."
"I am real, An neal. And still here." He couldn't help the reproachful tone in his voice.
"Feris, I..." There was the catch in An neal's voice that went with the salt on An neal's cheeks. "I want you to come with me."
"You do?"
"Yes. I do not want to leave you here like I did last time. I missed you too badly then, and I know it will be much, much worse this time. I am sorry to be so selfish."
"I will go with you, An neal." He nodded, feeling better that An neal did
not want to leave him behind.
A tight hug was his reward. As well as a kiss, just to one side of his lips. "You are far better to me than I deserve."
"Tell me one thing -- why must you go to this place where they do not let you love who you want and mark you?"
An neal sighed, the sound small and forlorn, making him want to growl. "I promised I would."
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