Chapter Twenty
Tor
It would be an exaggeration to say that everything had changed when Tor woke up.
That was, no doubt, him being dramatic. But it felt like everything had changed.
Because once they’d talked out Pel’s nerves, the man had gone right to sleep curled up in Tor’s arms. And Tor had stayed awake for a while, staring down at the precious man, and admitted all the things that he’d been denying, probably since he’d confessed about the death of the guards up in the mountain.
He wanted Pel. And not just for sex, although he was excited about that, whenever it happened. He’d hated when Pel was upset with him, had wanted nothing more than to make him feel better, and he… he’d been actually courting Pel for a lot longer than he’d realized.
And not because of his foolish plan that would never have worked on his brother anyway.
No, it was because it was suddenly impossible to imagine Tor’s life without Pel in it.
Tor had never wanted to court or bond with someone, and he was suddenly thinking about both.
It was early days, of course. They hadn’t even Tendrilled yet, so he shouldn’t be considering bonding, not given what had happened between him and Terila or what he thought had happened to Ada and Thurnil.
But Tor knew down to his bones that he and Pel would be compatible.
He couldn’t envision a world where they wouldn’t be.
It clearly wasn’t going to be easy, as everything they’d done so far had attested. But he’d taken the easy way out too often in his life, or had things come to him too easily. Working for everything he had with Pel had sometimes been endlessly frustrating, but goddess, it was sweet, too.
He was working on a new plan now, one that involved happiness for Tor and for Pel.
Because somehow, they’d become linked. When Pel was unhappy, so was Tor, and he was pretty sure it worked the other way, too.
They clearly needed to keep working on their communication, but they’d achieved a lot as well.
Because here Pel was, in Tor’s bed. They’d both admitted how much they wanted one another.
“What’s that smile for?”
The scratchy, sleep-rough voice was enough to make Tor’s smile deepen as he popped his eyes open and saw that Pel was looking at him with sleepy curiosity. They’d shifted in their sleep and were now facing one another.
“I was just thinking how nice it was that we want to have sex as well as be friends. In general, I mean,” he hastened to add in case Pel thought he meant right this moment.
Pel’s face tipped up into a grin that was still a little sleep-rumpled around the corners.
“That is nice. You don’t know how frustrating it was to want you and to keep hearing about you having sex with a whole bunch of other people.”
“Uh, I agree that doesn’t sound particularly pleasant.” Cautiously, Tor clarified, “It just… it wasn’t a whole bunch.”
Pel shot him a withering look, all the more hilarious for his otherwise not-put-together appearance. “It was a lot more sex than I was having.”
Tor definitely couldn’t argue with that, but he hastened to add, “It was just sex, though. Something to pass the time. It was never meant to be more than that. I… am looking for more with you.”
It felt suddenly really important to declare this, but it had come out totally awkward. Tor had never tried to tell someone that, and he hadn’t truly realized before how woefully lacking he was in experience with an actual relationship.
But Pel didn’t seem to be offended. “I’m looking for more with you, too. However”—his lips tipped up into something that was definitely a smirk—“that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in something that’s a little more physical, too.”
He rocked against Tor, and Tor sucked in a breath. Pel’s smirk deepened. It was a good look for him.
Tor leaned in and pressed his mouth to the other man’s. Pel made a hungry sound and kissed him back. This was not, at all, how he’d thought the morning would go, but as Pel continued to rock against him, Tor couldn’t think of anything he’d rather be doing.
Drawing back, panting, Tor managed to gasp out, “What do you think about hands?”
“I like hands,” Pel mumbled, eyes gratifyingly hazy.
Tor wasn’t altogether certain that was an answer to his question, so he moved his hands carefully, starting on Pel’s thigh in the hope that he wouldn’t startle him like he had last night.
He found the edge of the nightshirt, tugging it up a bit and slipping a hand under it, fingers pressing against soft bare skin.
Pel’s breath hitched, but he continued to press against Tor. Tor teased his way up the other man’s thighs, and then he wrapped his hand around Pel’s cock. Pel gasped before thrusting forward harder, which was exactly what Tor wanted.
He grinned and pumped his hand, thumbing over the head and smearing the fluid around.
Pel let out a desperate murmur of sound that wasn’t actual words, and this made Tor lean in to press another kiss to his mouth, which Pel returned eagerly.
“Little bit different when it’s not you doing the touching.”
Tor probably sounded too smug, but it was hard not to when Pel was making such lovely sounds.
With his left hand, he fondled the soft skin of Pel’s balls, and Pel made a noise that was a funny mixture of shock and pleasure, so Tor did it again.
Pel’s color was high, his gaze unfocused, and his hips kept moving in sharp, jerky movements as he chased the pleasure. Tor happily kept up his ministrations.
Sounding as though it took an effort to get the words out, Pel asked, “Isn’t this supposed to be good for both of us?”
“Oh, it definitely is,” Tor assured him. “You make the most delicious noises when you’re enjoying yourself.”
Pel blinked a few times, his gaze sharpening a little as though he needed to make sure Tor was telling the truth. But he so was. Yes, he’d like to get off at some point, but he’d never realized just how pleasurable it could be to see a partner fall apart.
He’d always liked to bring his partners pleasure, but with Pel, it just felt like…
more. He felt a fiercer sense of accomplishment, a certainty that if all that happened right now was Pel coming, Tor would be satisfied.
He wasn’t worried about living up to his reputation or what people would think about the High Prince.
No, this was all about Pel, and it was glorious.
Pel was bucking into his hand with increasing urgency, so Tor sped up his strokes, twisting around the crown, and Pel made a little choked off sound and was suddenly coming, his cock spurting ropes of come between them, an expression of bliss on his features.
Tor wondered how long it would be before he could see that again.
Pel flopped onto his back, chest heaving as he worked to catch his breath. Tor used the sheet to clean Pel up, not wanting him to have to deal with a cooling mess.
Several minutes later, Pel said, “What about you?”
“What about me?” he asked, a little to be certain of what Pel meant but mostly because he was a bit of an ass.
Pel glared at him, but it wasn’t nearly as effective when he was post-coital like this.
“How would you like to be left high and dry?” he asked smartly.
Tor couldn’t help but grin. “I would be very sad to have to resort to my own hand after the lovely show you just put on.”
Pel hummed a happy sound and propped himself up on his side, facing Tor again. “Yes, my turn.”
He looked a little uncertain, then, and Tor took pity on him and hauled his own nightshirt up to his waist.
“Just go for it, when you’re ready.”
Pel rolled his eyes, but he did reach out and wrap his hand around Tor’s cock. His grip was tentative, and then he frowned.
“Uh, can we switch directions?”
It took Tor a moment to realize that he was propped up on his right side and trying to jerk Tor off with his non-dominant hand.
Tor laughed. “We definitely can.”
There was a moment of rearranging, Pel laughing as Tor swung over him, and then they’d shifted round, and with more confidence this time, Pel wrapped his right hand around Tor’s cock.
His grip was already a little firmer, and Tor had to still the urge to thrust. He wanted to let Pel get used to this in his own time.
Pel was staring down at his hand and Tor’s cock. “I can’t rely on what feels good to me.”
He didn’t sound altogether happy about that fact, and Tor couldn’t resist leaning in to press a soft kiss to his lips. “To start, you can always ask a partner how they feel. As we have amply demonstrated, communication is important.”
Pel snorted a laugh, and Tor smiled.
“You can listen to the noises the person makes, and you can watch their body. Breathing, movement, all of those can tell you how someone else is reacting to what you’re doing.”
Pel tightened his hand a little, and Tor sucked in a breath.
“Like that?” Pel asked.
“Yeah, you’re going to be fine,” Tor managed to gasp out in something that was almost a normal tone of voice.
Pel beamed at him, looking absolutely delighted, and Tor loved that happy confidence. He’d do everything he could to make Pel feel like that as often as possible.
Pel carefully watched his face, followed the restless movements of his body, and was not shy at all about experimenting with his grip and speed.
Tor finally couldn’t help himself, thrusting his hips to chase the sensations, and Pel’s face lit up.
Tor tugged him closer, and Pel kissed him—and then ended up sprawled out on top of him as Tor fell onto his back, Pel’s hand caught between them.
They writhed against one another, Pel’s thigh slotting between Tor’s, allowing him to thrust up against the perfect friction.
Pel moved his hand and ground down on him, his smile brilliant as Tor let out a loud groan and did it again.
It took an embarrassingly short amount of time before Tor was arching up, his hips stuttering as he spilled his seed between them.
He sagged back against the mattress, and Pel stretched out on top of him.