Mal released his skin, licking over it. “Pretty,” he murmured.
Even after months of Mal biting the same spot, there were only faint indentations, but at least now they weren’t disappearing entirely. The idea made Nico giddy.
“You did so well tonight, Fidget,” Mal said, kissing his way down his spine.
Nico hated how much he needed his reassurance, but he did. “Promise?”
Mal’s lips landed on his ass cheek. “You were perfect. So good for me. Did you like it?”
Before Nico could answer, Mal spread him open. “Swollen here,” he said, tracing his rim with a barely-there touch.
Nico hid his face in the pillow. “Don’t just stare at it,” he cried, voice muffled.
“There’s no part of your body I couldn’t draw from memory,” Mal said. “Including here. And you’re getting shy on me?” he added around a laugh.
Nico peeked at him. “I’m not shy.”
“Tell that to your red cheeks.”
Nico gave him a baleful look. “Which ones?” he snarked.
Mal’s expression turned smug as he shrugged his shoulders. “That’s on you, Fidget. You knew there would be consequences.”
“I just wanted you to stop holding back,” he retorted.
Mal laid down beside him, then pulled Nico until he rested half on top of him. “I’m not holding back. I’m building up. I don’t want to push your body too hard too fast. It’s not fun if I actually hurt you in a way neither of us like.”
Nico sighed. “I know…but still…”
“Still what?”
“It makes me feel like a bad sub.”
Mal was silent for so long, Nico finally looked up to make sure he hadn’t fallen asleep.
“Seriously?” Mal asked.
Nico looked away but nodded against his chest. “Yeah,” he admitted, heart squeezing behind his ribs.
“Am I not praising you enough, baby?” Mal asked seriously. “Am I not giving you enough rewards?”
“It’s not that.”
Mal paused before asking, “Then what is it?”
“It’s stupid.”
“Tell me, anyway.”
Nico made a noise that sounded like a squeak, then said, “I don’t want you to…feel like you’re missing out.”
Mal’s finger caught Nico beneath his chin, forcing his gaze upwards. “You can’t be serious?”
“I am. I just don’t want you to look back in thirty years and think you missed out on something,” Nico confessed, choking on his last word.
Mal shook his head. “You still don’t get it, Fidget. I would rather have thirty years of vanilla sex with you than a hundred years of freaky sex with anyone else. This is only fun with you. If you’re only doing this because you’re trying to please me?—”
“No,” Nico promised. “I swear I’m not. I like it. I love it, even. I just want you to be happy, too.”
