6. A New Love #6
He would have hesitated to share the truth in any other time, but Noble knew some of his worst traits anyway. “I’ve never had anyone in my life—I’ve never—” He felt his face grow hot. “I’ve never had a partner that has been available.”
Noble shifted closer. “I’m not incredibly adept with math, but you had at least five birthdays with Ellor, and two with that artist fellow from school.”
Aria had to look away. “Every year, something would happen. Too drunk. Already asleep. You know how the cards may fall on any given year.” He’d embarrassed himself in front of Noble a number of times, but this…
He admitted that he accepted a lack of affection from his lovers, but worse: that he, himself, had never been worth waking to kiss.
He pulled away, and he tried to laugh it off.
“It’s not that serious. It’s a silly tradition. ”
Noble grasped Aria—one hand upon the small of his back, the other placed gently beneath his jaw—and kissed him at the very moment the final chime rang out from the clock.
And Aria’s soul did something strange: it wept.
Not in sorrow, or even in joy, but in a sort of relief.
Like he’d been trying to come up for air all his life, and got his first-ever deep, lung-filling breath.
He was so overwhelmed and he could do nothing but hold onto Noble’s broad shoulders until his knuckles went white.
Him.
Noble pulled back, smiling, and said, “Happy birthday.”
Aria’s mind emptied of every thought, hands gone numb.
He gazed into Noble’s eyes, close enough now that he could see the thin navy band that surrounded his pupils—invisible unless you leaned close enough to kiss him.
Unless you were nose-to-nose, breathing the same air.
He finally found the words enough to whisper, “You didn’t need to do that. ”
Noble squeezed the smooth plane of Aria’s back, hugging him close. “I did. I’d be a shit friend if I let you go even one more year without your kiss.” His eyes flickered down to Aria’s mouth, and back up to his eyes. “You know about the human tradition, right?”
Aria also couldn’t help himself. He looked at the damp, dark shape of Noble’s lips.
He hadn’t gotten to taste him, not like that, but they were so close he knew that he’d taste like wine and sugar and cigar ash.
Which should have been disgusting, but was not.
Aria forced himself to look back into Noble’s awaiting stare. “Candles. You blow out candles.”
Noble grinned. “No. We have sex.”
Aria scoffed, rolled his eyes, and said, “You take me for a fool.”
Noble squeezed him again, and Aria felt the warmth Noble carried start to sink into his bones.
He was going to lose the ability to walk, soon, overwhelmed by the sensations and—and implications.
“I mean it,” said Noble. “Birthday sex. I can take you home, right now, and we can make passionate love to make up for all the years that you’ve been failed. ”
“That’s your tradition, not mine.” Aria frowned, narrowing his eyes, growing more certain of it now.
This was a game, and it was a fun one—as long as he maintained his grasp upon reality.
The reality was that Noble was going to wed one of those girls downstairs within the next year.
Aria released a sigh and said, “Your birthday is ten months away, yet.” He slapped Noble's shoulders, pushing for him to move.
Noble moaned as if pained as he stepped back. “How cruel you are, with your rules, and your knowledge of calendars, and your chaste elven tradition. Fine, fine. We won’t go to bed. But next summer…"
Aria adjusted his robes. “Did you want to go back to the party?”
Noble offered his elbow for Aria to take. “Best to not. Let’s pack our bread and go.”
NOBLE
Noble had a problem to solve. A problem he couldn't articulate well, with half-formed thoughts and fragmented feelings. The only thing he knew for certain was that he had to do something about Aria.
And he needed to do it soon.
His lungs burned as he pushed himself forward—he heard Aria's voice.
He felt Aria's skin. He tasted Aria's lips.
He was desperate to make it stop, because he had a future to chase.
His wife waited for him, out there, while he dallied around with a friend in a way that wouldn't serve either of them.
He gasped for air as he continued on and—
Noble and Morgan reached the end of the swimming lane at almost the exact same moment. Noble popped out of the water and squinted through water drops at the clock mounted above the pool. He panted out, “Minute and a half, about.”
“You're taller than me. You ought to be faster than that.” Morgan said, wiping the water from his face. He added, “I wasn't even trying very hard.”
Noble snorted. “Fine, fine. I'll give it to you, then, you cad. You win.”
Morgan grinned, his fanged teeth stark white in contrast to his gray complexion. His black swimming costume clung to the muscular but lithe shape of his body, and Noble considered him for a moment in silence. “What?” Morgan said, legs idly paddling back and forth below the clear, bluish water.
Noble looked down at himself, now, at his bigger form, at his blue-striped swimming suit, and said, “I think I have an idea for your prize.”
“I don't much care for your ideas, usually.”
Noble smirked as he placed his hands upon the cool white edge of the pool and heaved himself out of the water. He sat, feet submerged, catching his breath. “This is a good plan.”
Morgan sighed deeply. He ducked beneath the water and emerged shortly after, pushing his hair back, behind his horns, and then hopped onto the pool edge. He hugged a knee to his chest as the water ran off him. “What is it?”
“You should join me and Aria for dinner.”
Morgan's toes, with naturally black nails, tightened against the tile, and he frowned. “I've been at your dinners dozens of times.”
“No, with us. Specifically—as Aria's date.”
“That makes little sense, My Lord.”
Noble rolled his eyes at the title and said, “Aria has a friend.
Romy. She told him that she planned to enter court at the end of the season in a few weeks, available to date.
And he suggested I try, at least for one night, to help her ease into all of this.
We're supposedly quite compatible.” Aria used the word appetite to describe their sexual proclivities, and Noble had to admit he found the idea intriguing.
“But of course I had concerns. She's his best friend. And when I hesitated…” Noble said, “I decided it would be best if he came too. But—"
Morgan leaned back as Noble gestured wildly in his direction.
“Only if he too had a date. You.”
Morgan spoke slowly, as if deciphering another language. “You want me to date Aria.”
“It's a fine plan. A proper reward for your win.”
Morgan scoffed. “Hardly.”
“Is it not?” Noble shifted his legs beneath himself, and faced Morgan straight on.
The pool lapped at the edge as other swimmers dove in, and the cool splashing water and echoing voices seemed to vanish beneath Noble's passionate argument.
“He's near your age. He's available. And kinsme.
Plus, you'll never find a finer-looking elf—his face is uniquely pretty, is it not? Certainly, his personal manner these days is agreeable and kind. You may come to love him, should you spend time in his company like this. Romantically.”