Rhalyf’s hand opened almost like all the glowy, wondrous flowers around them. His fingers slid over Finley’s cheek. The fingers were so dextrous. He could feel the magic in them. And they moved with the same elegant grace against his skin as they did when Rhalyf wove magic. He wondered what it would feel like for those fingers to dive beneath his clothes…
Oh. That would be something. A magic all its own. He wondered at where his mind had taken him. He recognized Rhalyf’s beauty, of course. He had from the first even when Rhalyf had seemed a two-dimensional puppet. But now… now he knew so much more about Rhalyf. And if I’m honest… if I’m honest… the reason his beauty and flirting bothers me so much is because I always thought that he would never turn it seriously towards me! Not that I want him to… All that romance and sex is a distraction from scholarship…
“Your body…” Rhalyf’s voice sounded faint and the Kindreth swallowed hard. He wasn’t saying “body” with any sensuality but a sort of horror.
He’s thinking dead body! Of course, he is. That Leviathan had me in its clutches. But for Vex. Finley was touched. Rhalyf cared. He really cared about him. How wonderful!
“I nearly died. I would have died. Terribly. But Vex saved me.” Finley’s eyes were half closed. When he said those words, they were no longer with horror or fear or self-hate. He had magic now. He would be able to protect himself against the Leviathan and anything else that came his way. Oh, yes, and maybe he could even use the dead bodies of his enemies as his own soldiers. Yes, yes, that would be good. Quite grand and right, really. It would teach anyone that tried to hurt him or his to regret it. Those thoughts retreated as he stared up at Rhalyf’s face through his lashes. “You really look like him, you know? Vex. The same smile. The same… sensual otherness.”
Rhalyf was blinking. “Sensual otherness? Is that a compliment–”
“Yes, yes, of course. You’re just… special.” Finley hummed happily into Rhalyf’s palm.
There was a pause and then Rhalyf responded, “Finley–not that I’m complaining–but you seem to be making love to my hand.”
“W-what? O-oh, I…” Finley knew he should release Rhalyf’s hand or tell him he was being ridiculous. But his mouth, evidently, had other ideas. “You think your hand is worth making love to? Huh. Maybe it is.”
“Well, I think I have rather nice hands–”
“You have gorgeous hands. Everything about you is gorgeous. Sensual. You just drip with sexual… things,” Finley gestured with his own other hand, which then found its way into Rhalyf’s starlight colored hair. “Oh, it’s so soft! Just like I thought. What does it smell like? I’m betting on warm spices and–hmmmmm. I’m right.”
Finley buried his face in Rhalyf’s hair. He felt more than heard Rhalyf’s uncertain laugh as his chest was right there under Finley’s nose. Just a few strands of hair separated him from Rhalyf’s skin. Did his skin smell even better?
“Finley, what’s gotten into–oh, dear! Oh, oh, dear.” Rhalyf was suddenly dusting his shoulders and arms off desperately. Well, he was dusting frantically with the one hand that Finley wasn’t clutching to his cheek. “The pollen! So not exactly a narcotic, but more a sexual stimulant. That would make sense considering what the hunt likely ended with.”
“You smell so good,” Finley murmured. “And you’re so warm.”
He was suddenly rooting against Rhalyf’s robes, trying to get inside them, trying to press against that hot, silken skin that smelled amazingly good.
“Finley!” Rhalyf’s voice was rather strangled as Finley’s free hand dove beneath his robes and slid around to his back.
“You do feel just like I thought! Of course, you do. Beautiful and deadly and–”
“Oh, Finley, I really wish you meant anything of what you’re saying right now. I would be flattered beyond belief,” Rhalyf sighed, but then he was firmly pushing Finley back and holding him at arm’s length.
“But I do feel these things!” Finley let out a moan. “Cold!”
“I’m sorry, pet, but you don’t. Here. Let me warm you,” Rhalyf said and a wash of heat went through him as Rhalyf used magic to physically warm him.
“No, no, not that way!” Finley protested.
“This is the only way. When you’re free of the pollen you’ll be so upset about all of this,” Rhalyf looked incredibly distressed.
“About what?” Finley pouted. He hadn’t been aware that he was capable of pouting, but evidently he was.
Rhalyf stared at his lips for a good, long moment, but then yanked his gaze away. “About wanting warmth from me.”
“Why wouldn’t I? Or is it that you just don’t want to give it to me?” More pouting. A little lower lip wobbling. Where had that come from?
“What? Oh, no, Finley, I…” Rhalyf gave out a helpless laugh. “You’ve made clear that you want nothing like that from me.”
“Only because I was afraid and too proud and…” Was he those things? His lower lip was really wobbling now.
“You don’t care about romance and sex and–”
“Yes, I do! Of course, I do! I mean it’s a long second from scholarship or maybe third or fourth after friendship and family, but I do… I do… a little bit. And you… you’re…” What was he trying to say?
“Finley, I assure you that you are most desirable as a partner,” Rhalyf said quietly after long moments. “You’re one of the most fascinating and worthy people I’ve ever met. And I’ve lived a long time among very powerful and intelligent–if truly ruthless–people.”
