ALASTAIR & MALLORY
“Well, my dear boy, enough for today, time to go to bed now,” Alastair said, capturing Mallory’s mouth in another soul-searing kiss, leaving the young man breathless. Then, he pulled the blankets over their naked, sweaty bodies, lightly cradling his husband.
“What about the bedtime story? I always get one,” the young man looked in the redhead’s dark-green eyes, confusion and a tinge of sadness mixing in his voice.
“No bedtime story tonight, I’m afraid,” Alastair brushed the strands falling on his beloved’s forehead, his voice filled with regret. “You have to be fresh for tomorrow, the first day of our honeymoon. I promise to tell you two bedtime stories tomorrow night, under the starry sky or in our bed. Please, bear with me, just this time.”
“Okay, Daddy, I’ll be a good boy and won’t ask about it again, you know better what’s good for me and what’s not,” Mallory surrendered, wrapping his arms around his husband’s neck and resting his head on the older man’s broad shoulder.
“Your complete, utter submission, the way you abandon yourself to me fills my soul with joy,” Alastair kissed the forehead of the one who stole his heart. “Only you excel in the art of making me happy, of tugging at the right strings of my heart. Forgive me for not saying more often how much I love you,” he continued, the shadow of a melancholic smile playing on his lips.
“Oh, Daddy,” Mallory said, his face lit by a wide, beautiful smile, “How could I ever repay your kindness? How can I forget that you saved me from a life of loneliness that started to swallow me bit by bit? I love you, Daddy, till death do us apart, just like I said almost an year ago in the presence of our family. And I pray to be reunited with you in heaven or hell, when my time comes.”
Without a word, Alastair wiped the tears threatening to spill from his husband’s warm, doe-like, chocolate-brown eyes, whispering words of love and praise in his ear. Although he didn’t admit it directly, Mallory was worried about leaving on that honeymoon trip, about missing two weeks straight from the job he loved so much.
In spite of his solid reputation and professional success, Alastair’s husband wasn’t completely out of his shell, still painfully shy around random people he met, not fond of socializing. The redhead had been there, done that, and experienced the same difficulties in adjusting to the so-called “social life,” that consisted of meaningless conversations, fake smiles and pain hidden behind a mask of happiness.
So, instead of deeming Mallory’s behavior as “dissatisfying,” like the Duke did to him, Alastair gave him space. More than that, he declined most of the party invitations, stating that his age didn’t allow him to stay up until wee hours. Indeed, after an exhausting day, they preferred to read, watch a movie or just cuddle under the blankets, enjoying each other’s company.
Mallory gave him so much, without asking anything in return, this being the main reason Alastair wanted the whole honeymoon thing to be a surprise. And that’s why he deprived his beloved boy of the bedtime story, that was in fact a fragment of his own life, told in all honesty. The stories covered all his life, from childhood to the moment the two of them met the first time, but he didn’t tell them in a chronological order.
The only part Alastair left aside was about his parents, especially his mother, whom he loved deeply, almost ferociously. For her mental health’s sake, the former Supreme Dragon nearly lost his own sanity under the heel and fist of the Duke, who wanted to bring Alastair to the breaking point, making him confess his best kept secret.
Thinking about his mother, no matter how agitated he was, it always helped the former Supreme Dragon sleep, so that night was no exception. He woke up totally refreshed and full of energy, ready to face the busy day ahead of him. Smiling at the image of his husband’s sleeping form, Alastair went into the kitchen and started making breakfast. Half an hour later, he came back into the bedroom, carrying a tray in his hands.
“Breakfast time, my love,” the former CIA director chastely kissed the sleeping man’s forehead, causing him to open his eyes wide.
“Mmmmm, morning, Daddy, it smells delicious. You spoil me so much,” the young man smiled at the sight of the tray.
“Well, you are my sweet boy, who deserves the best of everything. What kind of Daddy doesn’t take care of his precious boy? Or what kind of husband? Here, try this,” Alastair took a croissant, handing it to Mallory.
“This is heaven,” the younger man hummed, taking a small bite, then another and another, until he finished the pastry. Another croissant followed, much to Alastair’s delight, who wanted his husband to be happy above anything else. “I’m full, thank you very much,” Mallory chugged down a glass of juice, rubbing his belly, under his husband’s amused look. ”Shower time, now.”
While the love of his life took a shower and got dressed, the Stark patriarch cleaned the kitchen and washed the dishes, not wanting to leave the chores to Willard. The young man was his great-nephew, not some employee paid to clean after the two of them. Once everything was in place, Alastair checked their baggage, to see if they forgot something, but nothing seemed to be missing.
According to the latest weather forecast, the flight’s itinerary was safe, no turbulence or storms in sight for the next two days, so the Stark patriarch decided to not put pressure on his husband, or hurry him. He wanted Mallory to enjoy every minute of the vacation, even before walking out the door.
Finally, the younger man appeared, dressed in a pair of designer jeans, a polo shirt and a coat made from a light material, that hugged him nicely, especially from behind. Blushing under Alastair’s appreciative smirk, he picked up two of the lighter bags, stepping out of the apartment. Three hours later, the two husbands were comfortably seated on a large couch in the plane’s lounge area, wrapped in a comfortable silence.
“I know that it’s not evening yet, but are you ready for the bedtime story?” the former Supreme Dragon smiled, caressing Mallory’s hand.
“The one from last night, or the one for this evening?” the young man grinned, showing his white teeth.
“Well, it’s quite a long story, enough for several evenings. We’ll be quite busy once we reach the destination, so we won’t have time for bedtime stories,” Alastair returned the grin, but his expression turned serious the next second. “I didn’t tell you about my parents until now, because I was saving that part of the story for a special occasion. Well, that occasion is here, now.”
“You don’t have to justify your decisions to me, Daddy,” Mallory whispered, “I’ll never stop loving you, no matter what. That being said, I’m listening.”
“When my parents married, my mother was twenty, and my father forty. In spite of the age gap, it was love at first sight. While my maternal grandparents were very happy about the union, my father's cousins and uncles strongly disapproved of it.”
“Why was that?” Mallory furrowed his brows in confusion. “Because of the big age gap? I don’t see another reason why they...”
“No, the big age difference wasn’t a problem, they felt vexed by my mother’s family’s humble origin. You see, for the descendants of the ancient Scot Kings, one of their own marrying the great-granddaughter of a Greek fisherman was the greatest offence ever imagined. Never mind that the dowry my mother brought saved their homes and companies, for the clan’s elders that alliance was a stain on their cheek.”
Alastair fell silent, but even so, his husband felt his pain, not only the one in his voice, but also the physical pain radiating from him. The former leader of the Dragons’ House closed his eyes for a moment, trying to chase away distant images from family dinners, with his mother and him being exiled at the the furthest edge of the table—the fish-smelling Greek girl and her spawn.
“Father loved us very much,” Alastair continued his story, “but there was little he could do to make it easy for us. Until that day, a few days after my seventh birthday, when he and one of the elders had a major fallout. That evening, father told mother to pack bags for all of us, and we embarked on that ill-fated cruise.”
“The shipwreck that had your father killed?” Mallory asked in a low, compassionate voice. His heart ached for the little, scared orphan boy, who only had his mother.
“Yes, that one,” Alastair nodded, a painful look on his face. “He refused to take the rescue boat, making sure mother and I were safe. And, while the boat was taken by the currents, he stood there, on the deck, waving at us. Mother was paddling away, not allowing herself to cry over her dying husband.”
“Alastair, I... I wish I was there, to help your father, or you and your mother...my heart just breaks for the cruel situation the two of you landed in!” Mallory’s beautiful, kind eyes were shadowed by pain, brimming with tears.
“Yes, the Nevilles, our saviours, what a nice family they were!” the Stark patriarch bitterly smiled. “Paid by my own great-uncles to keep us in England, spreading false news about our death, keeping my grandfather’s lawyers from getting in touch with us... They did that, and much more, but yet I couldn’t bring myself to destroy them, not even when I had the means and the power.”
“From the first second our paths crossed, I knew you were a noble, generous man, and I wasn’t wrong,” Mallory’s eyes were shining with pride and love. “I’m so lucky to call myself your husband, boy and submissive,” he said, taking Alastair’s hand to his lips.
The older man didn’t answer, just cupped the younger one’s face with one hand, caressing it with the other. Locking his eyes with his husband’s, the former Supreme Dragon took his bottom lip between his own, gently tugging at it. Mallory understood the message, granting him access. For a few seconds, their tongues danced together, swirling around each other, until Alastair won the battle.
However, the conqueror didn’t ravage the citadel that was submitted to him, on the contrary. The Stark patriarch poured in that kiss all the tenderness locked in his heart, all the affection he had for the man who completely surrendered to him, body and soul. They broke the kiss for air, then abandoned themselves to the ardent passion once again, letting it consume them entirely.
“Somehow, we both survived, in spite of the hell they’ve put us through,” Alastair continued his story. I even managed to fly under the radar once, getting in touch with my grandfather’s attorneys, whose loyalty was only to him and him alone. I asked them to take care of my poor mother, and leave me in that house.”
“Until your wretched brother died, and you became useful to the Starks,” Mallory said, anger boiling inside him, because his husband already told him about the horrible treatment he was subjected to. “How could they? You were their own flesh and blood!”
“They wanted me out of the picture, I guess, but murdering me would have been extremely risky, so it was better to oppress me until I would have given in, taking my own life. Probably, that was Sylvester’s strategy, too, so he could inherit a mentally unstable, suicidal, childless husband. Lucky for me, he didn’t oppose the idea of me having a job,” Alastair bitterly smiled.
“Those memories clearly upset you,” Mallory said, his fingertips dancing on his husband’s big, strong hand. “How about just sitting here in silence? I love when you put your arms around me,” the young man looked at the redhead with doe-like, innocent eyes.
“We can even take a nap, if you want,” Alastair caressed the young man’s hair, kissing him on the forehead, “there is still plenty of time before we arrive at the destination. Actually, we both could use a stretch, it’s going to be a hell of a long flight. I’ll unpack a pair of pajamas for me, what do you want as sleeping clothes?”
“The same, plus the warmth of your arms,” Mallory seductively smiled. “I could sleep anywhere, knowing that I have you to protect me.”
More than happy to oblige, Alastair wrapped his husband in a warm embrace, sliding the flatted palm under the younger man’s pajamas and running it over the smooth skin on his abdomen and chest. Over the three years since they were together, the redhead noticed that the light massage helped Mallory to relax and sleep better.
Indeed, after only a few minutes, Alastair heard the even, calm breath of his husband, the telltale sign that he was sound asleep. It was no surprise, the Stark patriarch thought, especially given how stressed he was about leaving the office in the care of his associates for such a long time. He left the bed and went to the steward, asking him to wake them up two hours before landing, then came back, sliding under the covers.
Alastair also drifted asleep almost right away, and, after about six hours, he woke up totally refreshed, not realizing, until that moment, how much he too needed to rest properly. Mallory was sitting with his back against the headboard, seemingly lost in the book he was reading. However, he heard the older man shifting, a bright smile spreading all over his face.
“You were right, I really needed this nap. I talked a little with Joe, the steward, he said there are about five more hours until we reach the destination. Can you finally tell me where we are going? Please, Daddy, this mystery is killing me.”
Alastair looked at his husband, at the childish innocence in those big, warm, brown eyes, his decision of keeping the surprise to the end blown in the wind. “Greece. More exactly, an island about ten miles from the mainland, part of the Demiris estate.”
“Are you taking me to your family roots?” Mallory’s eyes widened, surprise and gratitude mixed in his voice. Are you going to show me the places of your happy childhood? Oh, Alastair, thank you a thousand times!” The young man tightly hugged his husband, calling him by the name over and over again.
“That, and much more, but you’ll have to wait for us to reach our destination, no more spoiling the surprises, ” the Stark patriarch smiled. “What I can tell you, though, is that you're going to like it, or at least I hope you will,” Alastair continued, a pensive expression on his face.
“Like it? I’m sure I’m going to love it,” Mallory exclaimed, kissing the older man on his cheek, “all your surprises are great, I’m sorry now for twisting your arm into revealing the location of our honeymoon, I shouldn’t have insisted.”
“Oh, since you mentioned, here is a surprise I intended to reveal during the flight,” Alastair went and took his briefcase out from under the glass coffee table in the plane’s lounge area. He pulled out a thick envelope, handing it to his husband. “Here, take a look at this, mister hotshot lawyer,” the redhead tried to hide the emotion in his voice with a joke.
Mallory took the envelope, got the documents out of it and stared at them, disbelief mixed with joy on his face. “Adoption papers?! Do you want us to adopt Willard’s daughters? Did you do that...for me?”
“Yes, because I love you more than anything in the world, and I want to make you happy every day of our life together. I noticed the melancholy in your eyes every time you looked at Daniel or Eugene’s children, and I knew. Your greatest wish was to be a father, you are made for this, Mallory, and I’m here to help your wish come true.”
His voice still filled with emotion, Alastair started to tell his husband about how Liam informed him about Willard’s difficult situation and about the heart-to-heart talk he had with his estranged grand-nephew. The young man agreed with the adoption, but asked to see the girls at least once a week, the former Supreme Dragon approving the request.
More than that, he allowed Willard to come and visit them whenever he felt like, even unannounced, taking an active part in their care and education. Once again, Mallory was almost in tears, the love he had for Alastair growing even more. Then and there, he realized the man who married him wouldn’t hesitate to give his life to save his, if the situation required.
Caught in the feelings that took over them, the two men didn’t notice how time slipped between their fingers, so they were very surprised when the steward announced to them that the destination was only ninety minutes away. Alastair packed the bags again, and then straightened up his and Mallory’s clothes, knowing how much his husband loved this demonstration of affection and care.
Finally, the plane landed directly on the island, to the former Supreme Dragon’s partner’s great surprise. A man in his mid seventies, but looked to be in top shape for his age, probably the butler, Mallory thought, was waiting for them. He took a deep bow before Alastair, greeting him in Greek, then did the same to his husband, although the bow was not so deep.
He showed the two to the impressive villa situated on the top of a little hill. The building’s proportions and elegance rivaled that of the Stark Connecticut mansion, making Mallory stare at it, lost in admiration. As they got closer, he could feel Alastair’s emotions, the older man’s hand clasping his, his emerald-green eyes glazed with tears.
A woman in her mid-seventies was waiting for them in the doorway, her eyes trying to pierce the darkness, in an effort to see the young man’s face from afar. Still, she didn’t move from that place, counting each step the two men were taking, bringing them closer to her. When they finally arrived, Alastair knelt before the woman, head down, waiting for the maternal blessing.
Mallory imitated his husband, not knowing the significance of the gesture, but well aware of its solemnity. The woman put her hands on the men’s heads, murmuring the words of an old Greek prayer. After a while, the Stark patriarch rose to his feet, tears in his eyes.
“My mother blessed me, you, and us as a couple and our union,” he turned to his husband, voice thick with emotion. “She called you “son” and welcomed you into her heart and home.”
“The lady...is she your mother? Why didn’t you tell me from the start?” Mallory asked, his eyes widened. I could have shown her familial affection, without holding back.”
“Oh, my Alastair, where did you find him? So polite, affectionate and sensible...he’s perfect for you,” Zoe Stark-Demiris said, gesturing to the younger man to sit down. Then, she went next to him, stroking his hair and forehead. “Never, in his entire life, did my son smile so happily as he does when he speaks about you. Even through the phone, I hear the smile in his voice.”
Mallory stayed silent, basking in the affection and care his husband’s mother showered him with. All his life, the man yearned for it, for the hand of the woman who brought him into the world touching him gently, for her sweet voice telling him how proud she was of him. But all he had was harshness and coldness, bitter words and stern criticism.
“Are you tired, my love?” Alastair’s concerned voice brought him back to the present. He smiled, chasing the worry away from those stunningly beautiful eyes.
“Not at all, dear husband of mine, I slept a lot during the flight. Your son here makes for a very comfortable blanket, Mamma Zoe”, Mallory turned to the woman, grinning.
“He does, indeed,” she smiled, “although no one would believe he’s the cuddly type. Even as a child, my Alastair was so serious, responsible and studious, just like a grown-up. Never getting into trouble, always choosing peace over violence.”
“This is the man I’ve fallen in love with, the one who stole my heart right from the start, who taught me so many things,” Mallory said, a dreamy expression in his eyes.
“And you are the one who saw me worthy of love,” Alastair pressed his lips to his husband’s hand, falling silent, because there was no place for words there.
The three of them spent long hours chatting, laughing and sometimes crying, not ashamed to show their emotions. Zoe told her son-in-law about his husband’s shenanigans, offering juicy details, much to the Stark patriarch’s feigned horror and embarrassment. Eventually, both the men and the woman started to show signs of tiredness.
“Your bedroom is ready for the night,” Zoe turned to Alastair. “Or you can spend the night in the cabin, if you want,” she subtly smiled. “Christofides took care of everything, the way there is lit.”
“Oh, mother, you are so good to me,” the Stark patriarch kissed the woman’s hand. “We’ll spend our first night here at the cabin,” he took Mallory’s hand in his. “There’s no point in waking up the servants to show us there, I know the way there with my eyes closed.”
“Of course you know it, child,” Zoe spoke in a gentle, motherly voice, “you have been waiting for this moment for twenty years. Go, and may the gods watch over your union.”
“What’s so special about the cabin?” Mallory asked, as he took a paved walkway to the beach, hand in hand with his husband.
“That’s the place where we should have spent our first night together, as newlyweds,” Alastair explained, his voice thick with emotion.
Minutes later, in the one-room cabin, the Stark patriarch undressed his husband like he would have unwrapped a valuable gift, gently put him on the bed. In that place, where the land, the sea and the sky met, the two men became one in body, soul and spirit, while the ancient gods of the land benevolently smiled down on them with all the stars in the sky.