Chapter 33: A tense negotiation

“Rhys.” Kellen started, his voice soft. Rhys growled.

“No, Kellen.” He was firm in his words and Kellen felt his lips curl up slightly.

“Rhys.” Kellen said again, his voice dipping into a soft, seductive area. Rhys growled.

“No. I will not be seduced. This is too dangerous. You could die.” Rhys wasn’t budging, at least by his tone of voice. However, as Kellen ran his fingers tentatively, carefully down his spine, he tensed up. “Kellen.” He warned and Kellen gave a soft laugh.

“How is this any more dangerous than anything else we tried? You’re only scared because we’ve gotten back into old habits. However, Rhys, this could be our step forward. My step forward. This could potentially heal Gwen and the others.” Kellen kept his voice soft, sweet. Rhys’ breath came out in a huff.

“Sure. That could happen. Or you could go into shock and you’re asleep like the rest of them.” Rhys told him and Kellen felt his chest tighten.

“I could go to sleep like the rest of them at any point, Rhys. keeping me in this state, where nothing is healing but I am filled with guilt everyday that they aren’t awake isn’t going to make anything better either. We need to try everything. You know that, you’re just scared.” Kellen told him and Rhys shuddered.

He wrapped his arms around Kellen, practically squeezing the life out of the man but Kellen didn’t say anything about it. Rhys shuddered, shaking, rubbing his forehead against Kellen’s throat and shoulder.

“You’re damn right I’m scared. I’m fucking terrified. I don’t want to lose you. I can’t lose you.” Rhys said and Kellen felt sympathy for the man. He tucked him tighter against his own body. Kellen was sure if their roles were reversed he’d have a hard time letting Rhys do something dangerous too.

However, Kellen would eventually relent, because he would rather see him whole then see him at half of what he could be.

“You have to let me, Rhys.” Kellen told him softly. Rhys tensed at Kellen’s words. “If you don’t, I might never heal.” Kellen said. “It’s a relatively simple procedure. It’s a blood transfusion. And, if something goes wrong, Charlie has already said he would guide you. You could use your powers to search for another way. We have backup plans.” Kellen told him and Rhys shuddered.

“Why can’t we do that search now? We can delay it until after Charlie guides me.” Rhys begged and Kellen let out a soft sigh.

“You know that that isn’t going to happen.” Kellen told him softly and Rhys clung to him.

“Why don’t you give me better options? You’ve already made up your mind on this. You are just wanting me to say yes.” Rhys protested and Kellen winced at that. He was probably right with that accusation.

“I…I’m sorry about that. I was just…thinking about what the best thing would be to do. I just don’t want to sit around and have everyone look at me like I’m damaged goods anymore. I scare some of the others in the Guild, Rhys.” Rhys let out a shaky breath.

“Who? Tell me names, Kellen. I’ll punish them. You did nothing wrong, and these wounds are a sign that you went to save our people. They should be fucking bowing to you for what you did.” Rhys growled and Kellen chuckled.

“They’re little babies, Rhys. They don’t know how bad the front lines can be. Why would I get mad at them for their behaviours? It’s okay, I just…this sounds simple. I don’t lose a limb, it might even help with my eye. Isn’t this the best solution? Outside of literal magic, this is the best option.” Kellen told him and Rhys shook his head against Kellen’s shoulder, but didn’t speak.

Kellen let him think, holding the man as he shuddered and shook in his arms. Kellen even adjusted so that Rhys could be on the bed with him, tangled up with him like a snake around its prey.

Kellen didn’t mind. Let Rhys be a predator. Kellen would gladly let the man strangle him to death as long as the man followed shortly after. Kellen wouldn’t let it happen otherwise. That was the deal. Rhys might not know it or say it out loud, but it was the deal that they had made. Why had Kellen protested to it before? It made sense to him now.

Kellen ran his fingers through Rhys’ hair, soothing the man in the only way that he could at the moment. Kellen’s thoughts wandered and Kellen, unable to stop himself, spoke quietly.

“Don’t you want to be able to kiss me?” Kellen said and Rhys tensed. “Don’t you want to be able to touch me? Or am I alone in these thoughts?” Kellen asked and Rhys sat up, his arms holding him up as he met Kellen’s blue gaze with his frantic yellow one.

“Of course I want to kiss you! Of course I want to be intimate with you. How could you even suggest such a thing?” Rhys was practically shouting in his face but Kellen didn’t take it poorly. His hand was still in Rhys’ hair as he gave him a soft smile.

“This is a step in that direction. I…I am aching to touch you, Rhys. I want to feel you completely, I want to know that I’m actually home and safe and I don’t think I’ll feel that way until we are truly together again. Don’t you want that too?” Kellen asked and watched as any stubbornness inside of Rhys crumbled under Kellen’s words.

Rhys’ gaze was desperate as he scanned Kellen’s face, trying to detect something, but what? Kellen wasn’t sure. He didn’t find it and Rhys’ eyes closed and his face looked pained. He leaned in, pressing his forehead against Kellen’s.

“Fuck. I feel the same way. I’m so anxious that I can’t feel you completely. I just want to get lost inside of you, inside of your cries of pleasure. I want to drown in the sounds you make when I touch you. It’s been fucking torture not being able to touch you the way I want to.” Rhys admitted and Kellen felt his face warm, but he didn’t let that stop him. He knew what the other man meant when he spoke.

“I feel the same way. Is it bad that I’m actually a little excited that this might work? That I’m one step closer to being silly with you on our couch? Not having to watch myself around you, being able to touch you freely?” Kellen asked and Rhys’ breath washed over his face. The man sounded like he was running a marathon when he hadn’t even moved in 15 minutes.

“Goddamnit Kellen. You know how to break me down so easily.” Rhys’ voice was hoarse, pained and Kellen closed his eye, rubbing his forehead against Rhys’.

“I would argue that we both know how to do that to each other. I just have more practise right now.” Kellen said and Rhys let out a choked laugh.

“Fuck. I’m going to have to make you worry? I don’t like the sound of that.” Rhys said and Kellen chuckled.

“Anyone who does anything that makes me worry about you better be able to run. Though that might not save them. I’m great at shooting moving objects.” Kellen said and Rhys let out another choked laugh.

“Fuck. I shouldn’t find that hot, but I do.” Rhys said, shaking his head. When Kellen opened his eye, he found that Rhys was smiling slightly. Rhys opened his eyes shortly after and the two men stared at each other. Both of them were panting slightly, and Kellen couldn’t tear his gaze away from Rhys’ lips. Rhys wasn’t any better. Kellen could feel how both of them were reacting, getting hot and bothered by each other.

Kellen could also sense that Rhys was going to make the right decision, the one that Taylor would want him to make for Kellen’s safety and Kellen would not let him do it anymore.

Kellen, desperate, dug his nails into Rhys’ hair, his grip tightening. Rhys’ eyes almost rolled back into his head as a soft moan left his lips.

“I can’t even jerk off properly. Can’t you just…help me?” Kellen asked, gulping. Rhys’ eyes flung open, his nostrils flared and his eyes dipped to gold so quickly that Kellen had to blink to register the change. The chords of his neck were in stark contrast as the man fought himself.

“Kellen, no.” He was back to saying no. That was all he said to him. Kellen wanted to screech.

“Please? Please, Rhys. No mouths, no lips, just hands. Please? I’m desperate here. I want to be with you, feel you.” Kellen pleaded. He wasn’t above begging to get what he wanted right now.

Kellen watched how effective it was as Rhys slowly gave in, second by second. Kellen’s chest was heaving, his eyes getting watery as his frustration grew. His nails felt sharp against Rhys’ head and he almost pulled away when he felt Rhys’ body shift. His weight settled on top of Kellen in a way that was so intimately familiar that Kellen’s body roared to life in an instant.

Kellen felt victory flood his system as Rhys reached for his pants, undoing the belt of his Captain uniform with a silent swear.

“If Taylor gets mad at me for this, you’re getting spanked, Kellen.” Rhys warned, his gaze dangerous and Kellen felt his mouth open. He didn’t have a comeback for that, and that seemed to have Rhys worked up even more. He was barely in control as it was, and Rhys shuddered. “You damn little brat. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Rhys whispered, his gaze narrowing and Kellen finally found his voice.

“Y-You’d like it if I spanked you too.” Kellen protested, tossing it into his court but Rhys just gave him a slow, dangerous smile as he freed his cock from his underwear.

“Kellen, sugar, my darling boyfriend, I would like anything you did to me.” Kellen felt his eyes go wide as Rhys leaned in, his breath fanning over his ear. Kellen shivered. “So you want to bend me over your lap and spank my ass? Is that what you want to see? Your hand slapping my ass and leaving a bright red mark on my skin? Watching my body shake from both pleasure and pain? Hear me moan as you spank me over and over? Is that something you want to see?” Kellen shivered at the image he painted. The little sound that Kellen made was all the answer that Rhys needed.

As he pulled away, he pressed a firm, intentional kiss against his cheek. Kellen could feel his desire in the kiss. He wanted to devour Kellen, kiss him deeply, a level two kiss that would make Kellen’s toes curl and his body putty in the other man’s hands.

Kellen didn’t even need his gaze to tell him that.

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