Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Wakey wakey! My lord has requested your presence in the dining room~”

Silence.

“Hmm? Is our darling pup truly asleep, for once?”

Atlas felt a vein on his forehead bulge. He’d hoped if he pretended to sleep, the bastard would leave him alone. Apparently not. He grabbed the candelabra by the bedside and chucked it at the ascian’s head.

“My! Aggressive as usual, I see,” Fandaniel chided, tucking his hands behind his back and leaning forwards with a grin, “However, I don’t think my lord will take kindly to being stood up. Come on now, it’s time for breakfast.”

“Fuck off,” Atlas snarled, turning around again so he wouldn’t have to see the ascian’s face. He winced a bit as he turned, his body aching and his head throbbing. His strength continued to deteriorate slowly day by day, the pain of his soul being chipped away making itself known in all sorts of ways. It was bearable, most days. But some days it felt as if his very essence was being boiled alive and his mind was being torn apart by wild dogs. Today was one of those days.

Fandaniel let out a long, dramatic sigh, “Very well then. Be difficult.”

Atlas ignored him. His headache was bad enough as it was. He heard the warbling noise that indicated the ascian had teleported away and let out a low grunt of relief, curling in on himself and closing his eyes. He didn’t expect sleep to come- it never did- but perhaps Nhaama would take pity on him for once and allow him an hour or two of rest.

Of course, he couldn’t even be allowed to wallow in his suffering. 

“Atlas?” Zenos’ voice broke the silence, followed by his heavy footsteps as he approached the bed.

“I’m sleeping.” Atlas replied dryly, the tip of his tail flicking with irritation.

He felt the bed bend slightly under the other man’s weight as he crawled on, seemingly eager to worsen Atlas’ already horrible day.

“What the fuck do you want, Zenos,” He hissed, still ignoring the man even as he felt him settle next to him on the bed, his warmth the only human thing about him.

“You’re missing breakfast.”

Atlas bolted upright, turning around to glare daggers at the garlean, “Are you trying to piss me off?” He snarled, teeth bared and eyes narrowed. The sudden movement didn’t go unpunished, as a horrible jolt of pain almost made him double over. It felt as if his head was being split in half.

Zenos leaned closer, tilting his head slightly in curiosity, “Not particularly.”

His casual demeanor and tone only made Atlas angrier, his blood simmering and his head hammering, “Do you want a fight? Is that it? I’ll fucking kill you.”

“I’d find no fulfillment going against a wounded man,” Zenos replied, reaching out to lay a gentle hand on Atlas’ chest. He opened his mouth to say something else, but the xaela was already pouncing on him, shoving him down onto the silk sheets and taking a swing at his face.

“Who the fuck are you calling wounded?” Atlas seethed, the anger that had been bubbling up in him boiling over entirely. The throbbing pain of his headache was replaced with the sound of blood rushing in his ears and the crackling of energy around him. Rage consumed him, the starved, gaping maw inside him rearing its ugly head.

Zenos was quick to cover his face and tuck his elbows, his forearms taking the brunt of the xaela’s blows. Atlas shifted, taking advantage to try and scoot upwards to trap him in a high mount, but Zenos thrusted his hips up roughly, throwing him off balance.

As soon as Atlas stumbled, Zenos tucked his knees up between them and wrapped them around the xaela’s waist, keeping him close enough to try to wrap his arms around his back, keeping his face tucked against Atlas’ chest.

Atlas cursed, landing a few hits to Zenos’ side but being unable to get him out of the guard position. The two grappled in the sheets, shoving and squirming, trading blows until Zenos managed to get the upper hand, trapping Atlas in a rear naked choke.

“Fuck!” Atlas wheezed, attempting to jerk his head backwards to stab his horns into Zenos’ forearms, but the man had him in an incredibly tight chokehold, the hand behind his head locking his other arm in place and making it almost impossible to shove him off.

The blood supply to his brain was promptly cut off, his face growing flush with blood that was unable to flow back to his heart. He felt woozy, almost weightless, his eyes rolling back in his head as his vision blurred-

And Zenos let go. 

Atlas slumped forwards, kicking at the man weakly as he tried to crawl away, only to face-plant directly onto the silk sheets. The world was still spinning, his head felt both too heavy and too light, as if it was sinking to the depths or floating away. He felt Zenos tug him back, saw him looming over him, his pale blue eyes searching Atlas’ face.

Atlas was too high off endorphins to focus on anything besides the heat pooling in his stomach and the feeling of a warm body pressed up against him. He rolled his hips up, groaning weakly as he rubbed against Zenos. 

“Tired yourself out already?” Zenos asked, a hint of disappointment in his voice. 

Atlas’ eyebrows knitted together, shooting the man a weak glare. He had indeed tired himself out, but he hated the way Zenos said it- like he was some dumb dog throwing a tantrum. He shoved at him angrily, too weak to overpower Zenos yet he allowed Atlas to push him down anyways. Somehow that just pissed the xaela off even more.

“Stop fucking,” Atlas growled, wrapping his hands around Zenos’ throat while he rutted against him, “ Looking at me like that.”

“Like what?” Zenos’ voice wavered slightly, husky with growing arousal and the tightening of calloused hands around his neck.

Atlas’ bit back a moan as Zenos rolled his hips up, their clothed erections rubbing together roughly, “Like- Like you fucking,” His arms trembled slightly- due to the prior extertion or his pounding headache or something else entirely, he didn’t know- his grip too weak to do much, “Feel bad for me. Like I’m some pitiful fucking mess-“

Zenos sat up, one hand wrapping around Atlas’ waist as he caught the xaela’s lips in a slow, sensual kiss. It caught him by surprise, and he gasped against his lips- which allowed Zenos to deepen the kiss, pushing his tongue past the xaela’s lips and invading his mouth hungrily.

Atlas growled, kissing back angrily, all sharp teeth and rough bites against the prince’s slow and languid caresses. He had half a mind to bite Zenos’ tongue off- but he couldn’t deny it felt good. It felt good to press up against another warm body, to nip and bite at the soft flesh of his tongue, their hips rocking together completely out of sync yet still offering that delicious friction that his body craved for.

The hands around Zenos’ neck loosened slightly, one hand draping around his shoulders while the other trailed over the raised skin of his scar. Zenos’ hands roamed his scars as well, one hand dipping under his black tank top to trace over the scar on his stomach. 

Atlas moaned into the kiss, a needy, desperate noise that Zenos swallowed up greedily.

“Does it still hurt?” Zenos murmured against his mouth.

“Of course not,” Atlas grumbled, chasing after the man’s mouth, dragging his tongue over his bottom lip. He tasted like blood and cinnamon. Atlas wasn’t sure if he was imagining it or not, but the taste drove him mad.

Zenos hummed against him, calloused fingers stroking over the scar tissue, “I can make it hurt again,” he pressed down, blunt nails digging into the skin. “Do you want me to?”

Atlas growled into his mouth, his hand tugging at the long blonde hair angrily, “Shut the fuck up, Zenos.”

Zenos chuckled warmly, allowing Atlas to tug at his hair and tilt his head up so he could continue kissing him like a man starved. His hands wandered downwards, slipping under the waistband of Atlas’ sweatpants and kneading at the toned muscles of his ass.

The reaction was instant- Atlas broke the kiss and yanked at the prince’s hair, his other hand tightening around his neck, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Zenos looked unimpressed, “Taking your pants off. Surely it would feel better for the both of us?”

“Get your hands off me,” Atlas snapped, “I’ll do it myself.” He shifted in Zenos’ lap- his tail flicked in irritation at the realization that he’d been sitting on his lap for a while now- lifting his hips and tugging his pants down enough to pull his cock out. He went to shift slightly, to try and slide his knees under Zenos’ legs, but the other was quick to take advantage of his position to grab his pants and tug them down entirely. Atlas stumbled backwards, taken by surprise from the sudden movement.

“I told you to keep your hands off,” Atlas hissed, trying to push Zenos away and failing. The man yanked his pants off and tossed them aside, leaving the xaela spluttering and hissing like an angry wet cat. 

“I don’t care,” Zenos replied bluntly, grabbing both of Atlas’ wrists in one hand while the other worked to undo his own clothes. Being pushed down and his hands bound made Atlas furious, his face flushing a dark red. He squirmed and snarled under the larger man, eventually managing to yank his hands free.

“Asshole,” Atlas spat, his fist connecting directly with Zenos’ face with a sickening crunch. The man didn’t let up however, instead just socking Atlas in the jaw hard enough to make his vision blur. Fuck, he was strong. Atlas was still weak from the previous defeat, his constant throbbing headache only making it worse. He felt something warm drip on his face, and as he blinked away the haze over his eyes he realized it was blood. Zenos’ nose was bleeding. Ha. Served him right. Atlas hoped it was broken.

Zenos was also fully naked now, his hair slipping down over his shoulders like molten gold as he loomed over Atlas. Stupid fucking silky long hair and pretty face and jacked body. 

“Just relax,” Zenos murmured, tilting his head to brush his lips against Atlas’ horn, “Let me take care of you.”

He wanted to punch him in his stupid pretty face again for good measure, but the low rumbling of his voice so close to his horn sent shivers down Atlas’ spine, and his cock twitched weakly between his legs. He didn’t know what hurt more, his head or his raging boner.

He hated everything about their current position- the way Zenos loomed over him, the way his knees were settled on either side of Atlas’ hips, easily spreading the xaela’s legs as he pressed closer, the dusty pink head of his cock dragging against Atlas’ shaft and- fuck.

“Just shut up,” Atlas hated the way his voice wavered when he spoke, angry and low yet unmistakably needy and broken. The high from their previous tussle was wearing off slightly, leaving only the throbbing pain of his bruises, and the tingling around his neck. He wrapped his arms around Zenos’ shoulders and licked a slow stripe up his chin and lips, lapping up the blood on his face.

“Okay,” Zenos smiled knowingly, parting his lips and tilting his head to let Atlas suck and nibble on his lips and tongue, a mess of drool and blood dripping between them. Zenos took both of them in his grip and Atlas whined, his hips jerking upwards into the touch.

Zenos started slow, unbearably slow, stroking both of them with rough, lazy movements. His calloused hands dragged against Atlas’ sensitive skin, no lubrication besides sweat and precum to ease the glide of skin on skin. It wasn’t enough. It was too much. It hurt. It felt good. It felt good.

“Faster,” Atlas gasped, scratching at Zenos’ back and digging his blunt nails into his skin, leaving behind little crescent-shaped divots. 

“Needy pup,” Zenos murmured against his lips, his strokes remaining slow and steady.

Atlas flushed, dizzy with arousal and humiliation. He tried to rut his hips up to fuck into the man’s hand faster, but it wasn’t enough. He could do nothing but cling to Zenos, biting angrily at his lips and moaning at the taste of blood and cinnamon. He tasted so good. His hand felt so good. He could still feel the way his arms had been wrapped around his throat. 

“ Please ,” Atlas groaned, hating how pathetic he sounded but being too aroused to really care, “Please, please, faster, Zenos.”

For once, the bastard listened. He quickened his pace, the hand wrapped around both their dicks squeezing tightly as it dragged up and down their shafts. They were both quite big, yet his hand managed to wrap around them both almost entirely. Zenos swiped his thumb over Atlas’ slit, pressing down with the pad of his finger before digging his blunt nail into the tip.

Atlas jerked against him, a choked-out moan spilling from his lips. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the tussle from earlier, or the horrible headache that kept nagging at his temples, but he felt more sensitive than usual. It didn’t take long for Zenos to stroke him to completion, a few more rough tugs sending Atlas over the edge. He bit down on his bottom lip to stifle his voice as he came, covering the other’s hand with cum.

“Fuck,” Atlas hissed, his breathing coming out in heavy, labored pants as he came down from his orgasm. Zenos didn’t bother letting him catch his breath, his cum-soaked hand slipping between the xaela’s legs and making him almost jump out of his skin. Atlas’ eyes narrowed, his lips curling up into a feral snarl, “Zenos-“ 

As usual- the man didn’t pay his threatening growls any mind, pressing a wet finger against the tight ring of muscle.

“Get the fuck off me,” Atlas’ hand found purchase on Zenos’ soft hair, gripping it tightly and pulling roughly, all while squirming beneath him.

Zenos’ icy blue eyes met his, “You’re all bark, no bite,” He mused, rubbing at the xaela’s hole, “Relax.”

“I’ll fucking kill you,” Atlas snapped, blood rushing to his cheeks. He was too embarrassed to think properly, kicking and tugging at the other man with nowhere near enough strength to push him off, “G-get your hands off m-“ His furious growls wavered, his voice jumping up an octave as he felt Zenos push a finger inside. The hand that was punching Zenos in the stomach flew up, covering his own mouth instead.

Zenos gave him a knowing, irritatingly cocky look, and pushed further still, “That’s it. Be good.”

Atlas bit back a whine, shutting his eyes tightly. His face burned, his soft cock twitching with interest (fucking traitor) as the man’s fingers slid in and out of him. His tail was curled around Zenos’ arm, clinging on to him in the same way Atlas’ hand was clinging onto his shoulder. Not pushing away, just holding on for dear life.

“Zenos,” Atlas hissed between his fingers, making the mistake of glancing down and seeing his hardening cock and the garlean’s hand, already two digits knuckle-deep inside of him. Gods, he could hear it, he could hear the slick, wet sounds of Zenos pumping his fingers in and out of his hole. The hand that was covering his mouth shifted up to cover his eyes instead, his face burning with embarrassment and humiliation. He couldn’t bear to watch. 

Zenos leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his collarbone, “There’s no need to be shy,” He murmured, a mix of fondness and amusement in his voice that made Atlas feel sick, “It’s just me here. Just focus on me, Atlas.”

He was too exhausted to be properly angry anymore- properly tired out and worn down, his body aching and craving more. He chewed on his bottom lip, shaking his head weakly. Zenos added another finger. Atlas punched at his side weakly, a pathetic attempt at retaining his pride. He’d lost. And Zenos was relishing in the spoils of his victory.

As if he could hear the xaela’s inner monologue, Zenos nipped at his skin, blunt teeth dragging over the sensitive scales near his neck, “I’m not trying to humiliate you. I want to make you feel good.”

“What part of this is supposed to make me feel g-“ Atlas growled, his sentence being promptly sidetracked as Zenos curled his fingers up, a jolt of pleasure turning the xaela’s angry mutters into a choked-out wail. He tried to cover his mouth, but Zenos grabbed his wrist, pinning it down and keeping him from hiding behind his palm. 

“You’re squeezing my fingers so tightly,” Zenos murmured, adding insult to injury. He dragged his tongue over the sensitive scales on the xaela’s neck while his fingers pumped into him, stretching him out diligently. The stretch was uncomfortable, almost painful, and the strange feeling of fullness accompanied by it made Atlas feel sick. Yet his cock was already leaking onto his stomach, and his voice kept slipping past his lips in embarrassingly high-pitched moans. 

Zenos finally pulled his fingers out, allowing Atlas a moment to try and piece together his shattered pride. He dragged his hand over his face, wondering how the hell he’d gotten himself in this situation, but before he could start thinking up ways of murdering Zenos, he felt something much bigger than a finger pressing against his entrance.

He bolted up so fast his face slammed against Zenos’, their foreheads smacking together and causing a piercing pain to rattle inside Atlas’ skull. The pounding headache, against all odds, still managed to make itself known. He slumped against Zenos’ shoulder, hands gripping onto his arms as he waited for the headache to subside.

Zenos wrapped an arm around his waist, pushing up his shirt and rubbing soothing circles over the base of his tail. Fucker always targeted Atlas’ most sensitive spots.

“Just relax,” Zenos murmured against his horn, lifting Atlas slightly in his lap and guiding the head of his cock to press against his entrance.

Atlas dug his nails into his skin, his face twisted in anger, “Relax? How the fuck am I supposed to relax when you’re trying to stick your dick up my ass?” He pressed forwards, shifting his hips away from Zenos’ lap, which instead made his cock rub against the other man’s abdomen. He shuddered, his head dropping onto Zenos’ shoulder as the stimulation sent pleasure coursing through his body. 

“Atlas,” Zenos purred, rubbing along the base of his tail, smoothing down the scales that had flared up angrily. He pressed the head of his cock against Atlas’ ass again, the tip nudging at his rim.

“Shut up. Don’t say my name.”

“My Atlas,” Zenos repeated, his voice thick with arousal. The way he said his name made the xaela shudder, the possessive, intimate murmur, dripping with affection and adoration. It was sickening. It was infuriating. It made Atlas’ head spin.

He clung onto him tightly, sinking his teeth into Zenos’ shoulder. An admission, of sorts. He couldn’t see him, but he knew the garlean was smiling. Slowly, carefully, he pushed past the tight ring of muscle, taking his time to slide in as gently as possible. Atlas bit down harder, eyes scrunching shut as he felt himself stretch and twitch. He didn’t know if it was better or worse that Zenos was going so fucking slow- it hurt much less, but he could feel every second of it, every minuscule stretch with each slow push of his hips.

The head of his cock finally slipped in entirely, swallowed up by Atlas’ tight hole. The xaela twitched weakly, precum leaking from his cock. Zenos wasn’t even halfway in, and he already felt so fucking full. For a split moment, he felt a pang of guilt for any of his previous partners.

“Focus,” Zenos muttered, as if realizing his mind had strayed. He squeezed at the base of Atlas’ tail and Atlas cried out, his jaw finally unlocking from where he’d been chewing the fuck out of Zenos’ shoulder. Blood was smeared across his lips and chin, matching the stains on the other’s pale skin.

Atlas shot him a glare, his lips curling up into a snarl. He was quite a sight- bloodied muzzle, bared fangs, crazed eyes. Anybody else would find him rightfully terrifying. Zenos, clearly, had been dropped on his head as a child, because Atlas definitely felt his dick twitch inside him. 

“Ugh, pervert,” He grunted, tearing his eyes away from the icy blues that looked at him like he’d hung the moon and the stars.

Zenos chuckled softly, “Says you.” He shifted his hips slightly, sending Atlas into another hissy fit, “Shh. You can take it.”

“You’re too big,” Atlas spat, instantly growing even more embarrassed after saying that. They were roughly the same size, Zenos’ cock being only an ilm or so shorter than the xaela’s- and slightly less girthy overall. Again Atlas felt that fleeting flicker of guilt and shame- which Zenos apparently noticed and chastised him for by pushing his shirt up over his pecs and giving his nipple a rough pinch.

Atlas’ tail stuck straight up in surprise, a startled hiss spilling past his lips. “Fucking-“ The words died in his throat as Zenos took his other nipple in his mouth, stimulating them both in slow, gentle motions. The xaela squirmed in his lap, unable to push away or else he’d bury Zenos’ cock deeper inside him. He scratched at the man’s biceps, gnawing angrily at his bottom lip as the stimulation went straight to his dick.

It was unfair. Utterly unfair! Zenos had one hand still rubbing at the base of his spine, right above his tail, while the other kneaded at his nipple and his mouth sucked on the other like some fucking newborn babe. Not to mention the huge dick shoved halfway up his ass- when did Zenos even push it deeper in? Fuck. Fuck.

Atlas’ breathing came out in shaky little gasps, groaning as he felt Zenos nibble on his areola and flick at his nipple with his tongue. With each caress of his lips and hands, he shifted his hips, pushing himself further inside of Atlas ilm by ilm. Splitting him open and making him feel so embarrassingly full. 

“Mmh,” Atlas’ adam’s apple bobbed in his throat, his face flushed a dark wine red. He didn’t know what was worse, the humiliation of Zenos’ cock buried inside of him, or the fact that it didn’t feel… Terrible. The feeling of fullness was strange, slightly uncomfortable, and the stretch was painfully tight, but each time Zenos rocked his hips just so and his fingers pressed down on the base of his tail Atlas had to muffle a shamefully loud moan. He was so fucking full - surely Zenos was almost all the way in by now. The thought of it was somewhat distressing.

“Stop,” Atlas choked out, his eyebrows furrowed together in a mix of pain and pleasure, “Just- just take it out- ah, hah, fuck- I’ll jerk you off, or something, just…” He met Zenos’ eyes again, the icy blue irises only a small visible crescent due to his blown-out pupils. It was a similar expression to the one he wore when they fought, and Atlas shivered a little subconsciously. He took his lips off the xaela’s chest, leaving his nipple shiny with spit and slightly swollen and flushed from the stimulation.

“You want me to stop?” Zenos asked slowly, his tone level, albeit a bit raspy due to his arousal. He rolled his hips again, aiming at that spot inside of Atlas and making him groan, immediately melting in his arms. “Your hole has been sucking me in this entire time.”

Atlas’ face darkened still, making him look sort of like a tomato. Or perhaps a plum. His tail lashed at Zenos’ arm, his hands smacking the nearest body part belonging to the crown prince furiously. He snarled and snapped a barrage of curses which Zenos paid little mind to, instead he thrusted his hips up roughly, sheathing himself entirely inside the xaela in one quick movement.

Atlas cried out, taken off-guard by the sudden push that made him feel like he’d just been factory reset. His mind went blank with pleasure for a moment, his body twitching and jerking before he finally slumped down again. Had he just had a dry orgasm? No, no, of course not. He’d just been taken by surprise, that’s why it felt like his entire body was tingling.

“Okay, I’ll stop, then.” Zenos murmured, looking up at him innocently.

Atlas wanted to pummel him into a fine mist. He truly wanted nothing more in that moment than to explode Zenos with his mind. 

“Fine! Good!” Atlas snapped, hating the way his voice quivered. His dick was still painfully hard, having been neglected for a while now. He tried to lean back to bring a hand between them, but doing so made Zenos’ cock sink deeper inside, nudging against his prostate and making the xaela twitch.

He squirmed in the man’s lap, unsure what to do. Sure, he could sit up- but he really didn’t want to make any sudden movements when he had that huge thing inside of him. “Ugh,” He muttered, humiliation and arousal fighting with each other until eventually, arousal won. 

He wrapped an arm around Zenos’ shoulders, attempting to give himself some leverage as he shifted his hips, trying to rub himself against the other man’s abdomen. Their position made it rather difficult, and he couldn’t quite get the angle or the stimulation he wanted, at least not without also fucking himself on Zenos’ cock simultaneously. He grumbled and cursed under his breath with each awkward roll of his hips.

“This isn’t working,” He complained, glaring angrily down at Zenos. He was trying to come off as irritated and threatening, but his voice was too strained and whiny to sound anything besides pathetic.

“Because you’re doing it wrong,” Zenos replied bluntly, pressing Atlas closer and rolling his hips up slowly. 

“Oh, fuck ,” Atlas groaned through gritted teeth, the drag of his cock against Zenos’ abs and the steady stimulation to his prostate making him feel lightheaded. 

Zenos grunted, the gentle hand on the xaela’s lower back tightening slightly, “Hah, you’re squeezing around me like a damn vice.”

“Please shut up,” Atlas retorted weakly. Where the hell did Zenos even learn to say such bullshit? He probably wasn’t even trying to talk dirty to him, he was just describing what he felt. Which was even worse.

Zenos leaned a little closer, his breath ghosting over Atlas’ collarbone while he started setting a steady pace, fucking into Atlas roughly but slowly. It was both overwhelming and not enough at the same time, and Atlas found himself matching his rhythm without realizing it, lifting his hips up slowly only to then slam himself down in one quick movement. The drag of his cock against Zenos’ abdomen with each buck of his hips paired with the constant pressure against his prostate made his clenched jaw go slack, fucked-out moans spilling past his lips unimpeded. 

“That’s it,” Zenos murmured against his skin, “Allow yourself to relish this moment. Just as you have offered me pleasures nobody else could- let me do the same.”

“I thought I told you to shut- ah, fuck- shut up,” Atlas groaned, grabbing a fistful of blonde hair and giving it a few weak, annoyed tugs. Zenos apparently took that as a request of sorts, because he tilted his head to press his lips against the xaela’s.

He kissed just like he fucked. Rough, hungry, yet unbearably slow and sensual. Not a starved dog, but a trained hound. 

“Yes,” Zenos murmured between kisses, “You’ve told me to shut up at least five times by now.” Atlas could feel the garlean’s lips quirk upwards into an amused smirk and he growled into his mouth, biting down on his bottom lip.

Atlas broke the kiss and glared at him, “Then why haven’t you?”

Zenos jerked his hips up, burying his cock so deep inside of Atlas he could swear he felt it in his stomach, “I’ve been quite considerate so far, Atlas.” He pressed a chaste kiss against the underside of the xaela’s jaw. “Letting your tantrums go unpunished and making sure to be slow and gentle.”

Atlas made a garbled choking noise, “Gentle?!”

“I’ve even allowed you to be on top,” Zenos smiled up at him, sliding his hand up to press against Atlas’ throat, over his pulse point. Feeling the way it fluttered under his fingertips. His thrusts had slowly gotten rougher and faster, his cock pounding into Atlas mercilessly and making it a lot harder to keep his thoughts straight.

“I know you prefer that. You are so easily angered and embarrassed- but you don’t have to be. Let yourself feel good, Atlas. Let me make you feel good.” Zenos’ soft voice dipped an octave, husky and dark. Almost a growl. He squeezed Atlas’ waist possessively, guiding his hips up and down in quick succession. 

Atlas shook his head weakly, trying and failing to keep his composure. “I don’t like it,” He groaned, “I don’t.” It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself rather than Zenos. 

“You hate it,” Zenos punctuated his words with a particularly rough thrust of his hips, “But that’s why it feels so good. The thrill of being hunted,” The hand on Atlas’ throat tightened around his windpipe, applying just enough pressure to limit his oxygen intake, “Of being taken and claimed. It fills you with rage, doesn’t it? Had you the strength, you’d rip out my throat with your teeth.”

Atlas shoved Zenos down with a snarl, wrenching his hand off his throat and pinning it against the bed as he wrapped his other hand around the man’s throat.

Zenos laughed, a genuine, fond laugh that made the corners of his eyes crinkle, “But you don’t. You won’t. Because you live for the thrill of it, for the rush of blood and the time between seconds. And what greater thrill is there than to be overcome?”

Atlas slammed his hips down, fucking himself on the garlean’s cock at a ruthless pace, even as his hand tightened around his throat and his lips curled up into a snarl, “We are nothing alike,” He spat, his cock bobbing between his legs with each bounce.

“We are one and the same,” Zenos grunted, sliding his hand down enough to lace his fingers with Atlas’.

“I’ll kill you,” Atlas moaned, his thighs trembling each time Zenos’ cock dragged against his prostate.

“You won’t.” Zenos smiled.

“I hate you.” Atlas spat.

“I love you.”

Atlas jerked, his body stiffening up as he came, ribbons of white splattering all over Zenos’ torso. His thighs were shaking too much to keep him upright, and he fell forward limply, the hand that had been wrapped around the Garlean’s throat instead clutching at the silk sheets and attempting to hold himself up. 

Zenos fucked him through his orgasm, grinding his hips in slow, circular motions, low sighs and moans of pleasure spilling past his lips as Atlas clenched and twitched around him involuntarily.

He had no strength left to snap or bark at him, to threaten to cut his head off if he came inside- All he could do was lay there, trembling, his cock still leaking cum while Zenos’ hips bucked up and his cock spilled inside of him. The sensation of being full- of being filled - was obscene. It was humiliating. Atlas felt debauched and filthy and pathetic and he couldn’t even be angry. Instead, he felt content. Properly fucked out. Literally.

“Feeling better?” Zenos asked softly, reaching a hand up to cup Atlas’ face.

So sickeningly tender. It made Atlas feel nauseous. Worst of all, he did feel better. The pounding headache had subsided to a dull throb- still painful and uncomfortable, but not entirely debilitating anymore. He knew it was somehow tied to his emotions and his inner beast, and infuriatingly, Zenos knew him better than Atlas did. He knew just what buttons to press to piss him off and rile him up, to let the beast loose, and also what buttons to press to make him yield. He could easily turn a berserk Atlas from snarling beast to purring house cat.

“Why do you care?” Atlas stared down at Zenos, his gaze tired and empty. His messy, unkept hair fell down the sides of his face, the tips snow-white and steadily taking over, only the smallest hints of dark blue still remaining on his roots. Even his eyebrows and eyelashes had hints of aether bleaching, with white streaks running through his dark brows.

“Because,” Zenos smiled, shifting his weight to his forearm so he could lift himself upright, his nose bumping against the xaela’s as he did so. “I love you.”

Atlas closed his eyes. He was exhausted, and he couldn’t bear to look at the man- especially not when he stared at him with such fondness. He couldn’t help but feel somewhat bittersweet. Do you love me, or the beast within me? He didn’t have to ask him. Atlas knew the answer. And yet, he still never really knew what to make of it.

Zenos leaned closer, tilting his head to brush his lips against Atlas, but he turned his face away. He opened his eyes to meet those icy blues for a moment before shifting his gaze to the side.

“I’m tired,” Atlas sighed, pushing his hand against Zenos’ chest, “I’m going to wash up. Don’t come with me.” He awkwardly sat up, flinching as he felt the other’s flaccid cock slip out, followed by a dribble of cum sliding down his thigh. Ugh. He staggered off the bed, grimacing as he felt more of Zenos’ release leaking out of him. He reached behind his head to tug off his shirt, which was still bunched up around his chest and definitely had some stains from dubious bodily fluids.

“Will you at least eat something afterwards?”

Atlas tossed his shirt to the side and pinched the bridge of his nose, the tip of his tail lashing in mild irritation, “... Fine. Have your Ascian bring it here.”

Zenos’ face lit up, and he slid off the bed, following after Atlas like some sort of stray dog who’d been given a bone.

“I told you not to- whatever.” There was no use in trying to tell Zenos what to do. “Entire fucking imperial palace for you to fuck off to…” Atlas muttered under his breath, making his way to the bathroom and stepping into the shower. He still wasn’t used to living in the imperial palace- if it could be called that, anyways. Zenos and Fandaniel had done a lovely job redecorating it and turning it into some sort of magitek nightmare. Nothing said ‘homey’ quite like fleshy walls and metal millipedes. Atlas had chosen the room with the least flesh to live in, but it was still far from cozy.

He turned the showerhead, his tail twitching a little in surprise at the sudden spray of warm water. He was used to bathing in cold water from a bucket, or a nearby source of water, only rarely getting the comfort of an alchemically heated hot shower, so the strange magitek stall felt unnatural to him. It was, at least, relaxing. He couldn’t deny that.

Atlas felt Zenos step in behind him, his body pressing up against the xaela’s back. Given their size, it was to be expected that it would be a tight fit, even though the shower was quite large. Atlas smacked at the man’s shin with his tail a few times, annoyed that he couldn’t even have a spare moment alone. Although, it was to be expected. Atlas rarely spent his time in the palace, only ever returning when he was too exhausted to continue trailing the scions or when he had a bad flare-up. Even though he technically lived with Zenos, the two didn’t often see each other. Atlas preferred it that way.

“Can I wash your back?” Zenos asked, resting his chin on Atlas’ shoulder.

Atlas sighed, knowing his answer wouldn’t change the outcome, “Do whatever you want.”

Zenos’ hands settled on his sides, warm and soapy. Atlas stared at the wall in front of him, his wet hair sticking to his forehead as the hot spray of water washed over him. Zenos yae Galvus, crown prince of Garlemald, washing his back. What a joke. He almost chuckled out loud at the sheer nonsense of it all. Feeding him, taking care of him, like some sort of wounded stray he’d picked up off the road.

It wasn’t entirely off the mark. Although he hadn’t picked Atlas off anywhere- Atlas had gone to him. Told him he didn’t know where else to go. And Zenos took him in with open arms, all tender smiles and gentle murmurs.

Zenos’ hands pressed onto the stiff muscles of his back, working their way up to his shoulders and massaging the tense tissues with surprising care. He avoided any wounds or bruises and carefully worked at the knots under his skin.

Atlas should’ve felt embarrassed, or irritated, or ashamed. But his head hurt, and his body ached, and he was so, so tired. He didn’t want to be with Zenos. He didn’t want to be vulnerable, to be weak. He wanted to be home. He closed his eyes, trying to recall the soft, comforting scent of peaches and hydrangeas. 

But all he could smell was cinnamon and blood.