Chapter 21
Teddy
I’d never run away from my parents before. And I’d definitely never snuck off campus. But with Nerion at my side, I was more than happy to do it all and brave enough not to run back with apologies spilling from my lips.
And that’s how I found myself in a bar on the ocean side of Boston on a school night, eating french fries and drinking cheap beer with a siren and a dryad, both in their human forms.
But I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
“To Teddy, fastest swimmer in the world!” Nerion raised his glass, a mischievous gleam in his eyes that made my heart race.
“To Teddy!” Linden echoed, his deep voice carrying over the noise of the bar.
I felt my face flush as I clinked my glass against theirs. The beer was bitter and cold, nothing like the expensive champagne that flowed at every single get together my parents dragged me to. This was better. It was honest and unpretentious, just like the company I was keeping.
“I still can’t believe we just left,” I said, shaking my head as I grabbed another fry. “My parents are going to lose their minds.”
“Good,” Nerion declared, sliding closer to me in the booth. His thigh pressed against mine, warm and solid. “Maybe they’ll realize they can’t control you anymore.”
“You don’t know my father,” I sighed. “This will only make him double down.”
Linden leaned forward, his enormous frame making our table seem tiny by comparison. “Parents can be tough, but sometimes you need to show them you’re your own person.”
“Exactly,” Nerion nodded, taking another swig of beer. “Besides, you’re what, twenty-two?”
“Twenty-one,” I corrected.
“Close enough. You’re a fucking adult. You can make your own decisions.”
I stared into my beer, watching the bubbles rise to the surface. “I’ve never really done that before. Made my own decisions, I mean.”
“Well, you’re doing it now,” Nerion said, his hand finding mine under the table. He gave it a quick squeeze before letting go, but the brief contact sent electricity up my arm. “Maybe you just needed a little push to get started.”
The bar was packed with Friday night revelers.
There were locals and college students mostly, none from Widdershins as far as I could tell.
Music thumped through speakers overhead, not loud enough to prevent conversation but giving the place an energetic pulse.
The walls were decorated with nautical memorabilia, fishing nets and weathered buoys, giving the whole place a salty charm that seemed perfectly suited to Nerion.
“So what’s the deal with your parents?” Linden asked, munching on a handful of fries. “They always that intense?”
“Always,” I nodded. “My father was an Olympic hopeful back in the day. Tore his rotator cuff during trials that magic couldn’t fix and never got to compete. So now I’m being forced to live out his dream, whether I want to or not.”
“And do you?” Nerion asked, his blue eyes searching mine. “Want to, I mean.”
I hesitated, realizing I’d never really asked myself that question. Swimming had always just been what I did, what was expected of me.
“I love being in the water,” I said finally. “That feeling of freedom, of weightlessness. But the competition, the constant pressure to be perfect... that part I could do without.”
“Then why keep doing it?” Linden asked.
“Because I’m good at it,” I shrugged. “And because I don’t know what else I’d do. It’s a break from having to be the next valedictorian too. That’s my mother’s dream.”
“You could try painting,” Nerion suggested with a smirk. “I could teach you.”
I laughed, picturing myself trying to create something beautiful like his stormy seascapes. “I can barely draw a stick figure.”
“Everyone starts somewhere,” he replied. “Maybe you just need to figure out what you love.”
I stared at Nerion for a long moment, my cheeks flushed with heat. My stomach fluttered as he smiled, my heart doing a little flip. Those were signs that if I wasn’t careful, I’d break my promise to him. “Y-Yeah,” I said at last. “I guess I need to figure that out.”
The conversation flowed easily after that, drifting from subject to subject.
Linden told stories about his home in The Grove, about trees taller than skyscrapers and moss so thick you could sleep on it.
Nerion told us about the Greek islands where he’d visited as a child, of crystal-clear waters and hidden coves where he could swim in his true form without fear of discovery.
As the night wore on, the bar grew more crowded. A small dance floor opened up in the corner, and people began to move to the music, their bodies close and uninhibited.
“We should dance,” Nerion suggested, his eyes bright with the beer and the atmosphere.
“I don’t really dance,” I protested weakly.
“Bullshit,” he grinned. “You danced at the Halloween party and you were good.”
“I was in a mask and pretending to be someone else.”
“Well, you don’t need a mask here,” he grinned, reaching his hand out. “We’re strangers to these people, Theo.”
Before I could object further, he was pulling me from the booth toward the dance floor. I glanced back at Linden, who just waved us on with an amused expression.
The dance floor was crowded, forcing us to stand close. Nerion’s body moved with natural grace to the beat, his hips swaying in a way that made my mouth go dry. I stood stiffly at first, too self-conscious to really let go.
“Relax,” Nerion said, leaning in so I could hear him over the music. His breath tickled my ear. “No one’s judging you here. No one’s timing you or scoring your performance. You’re free in my arms.”
He placed his hands on my hips, guiding them to move with the rhythm. Gradually, I felt the tension leave my body as I surrendered to the music and Nerion’s touch. His smile widened as I began to move more freely, and soon we were dancing together, our bodies finding a shared rhythm.
As the songs blended one into another, we moved closer, the space between us disappearing until I could feel the heat radiating from his skin.
His hands stayed on my hips, occasionally sliding around to the small of my back, each touch sending shivers through me despite the warmth of the crowded room.
“See?” he said, his lips close to my ear again. “You’re a natural.”
I laughed, feeling lighter than I had in years. “Only because I have a good teacher.”
His eyes darkened at that, and for a moment I thought he might kiss me right there on the dance floor. Part of me wanted him to. But instead, he pulled back slightly, his hand found the back of my neck, fingers tangling in my hair as he drew me closer to whisper in my ear.
“I want you so badly right now,” he murmured, his voice rough with desire.
The words sent heat coursing through my body, pooling low in my stomach. “Then let’s get out of here,” I suggested, my voice barely audible over the music.
Nerion’s eyes met mine, that familiar mix of hunger and something deeper I couldn’t quite name. He nodded, taking my hand and leading me back toward our table where Linden was chatting with a dark-haired woman who had joined him.
“We’re heading out,” Nerion announced, grabbing his jacket from the booth.
Linden looked up, a knowing smile spreading across his face. “Are you now?”
“Don’t wait up,” Nerion replied with a wink.
“I know how to get home. Don’t worry about me,” Linden assured us, raising his glass. “You two have fun.”
I felt my face flush as Nerion tugged me toward the door, weaving through the crowd with purpose. The cool night air hit my skin as we stepped outside, a welcome relief from the heat of the bar.
“Where are we going?” I asked as Nerion pulled me down the sidewalk, his hand warm in mine.
“No idea,” he said, glancing at me. “Unless you want to go back to campus?”
The thought of returning to Widdershins, where my parents might still be looking for me, made my stomach twist. “Anywhere other than that sounds perfect.”
We walked in charged silence, our shoulders brushing with each step. The streets were busy with weekend revelers, but I barely noticed them. All I could focus on was the pressure of Nerion’s hand in mine and the anticipation building inside me.
But after a few minutes, nothing came into view.
There weren’t any hotels or motels in the area it seemed.
We’d passed lots of businesses that were closed for the night, but no real place we could get some privacy.
That’s when Nerion suddenly pulled me into a dark alley behind some stacked crates and pressed me against the brick wall.
“I can’t wait anymore,” he said, pressing his lips to mine. I felt his thick cock grinding against my thigh as he kissed me. “I need you right now.”
“Here?” I balked, looking up and down the alley to make sure we were alone.
“Right here,” he nodded.
Instead of speaking, I turned around, grabbing the waistband of my jeans and pushing them down just enough to expose my ass.
“Oh, fuck,” Nerion groaned behind me, his voice tight with desire. I heard the jingle of his belt buckle, then the rasp of his zipper. “You’re so goddamn hot, Teddy.”
His hands gripped my hips, fingers digging into my flesh as he pressed against me. I could feel the cool night air on my exposed skin, a stark contrast to the heat of Nerion’s body. My heart hammered in my chest. We could get caught at any moment, and that knowledge only heightened every sensation.
“Do you have lube?” I whispered, glancing over my shoulder.
Nerion’s eyes were dark with lust in the dim alley light. “No,” he admitted. “Just spit. Is that okay?”
I nodded, too far gone to care about the discomfort that might follow. I wanted him inside me, needed to feel that connection. “Just do it.”
I heard him spit into his palm, then felt the wet warmth as he rubbed it between my cheeks. His finger circled my entrance, teasing me before pushing inside. The stretch burned slightly, but I pushed back against him, wanting more.
“So needy,” he murmured, adding another finger. “Such a good boy for me.”
I bit my lip to stifle a moan as he worked me open, his fingers twisting and thrusting inside me. The brick wall was rough against my palms as I braced myself, my legs trembling with anticipation.
“Hurry,” I urged, my voice a desperate whisper. “Someone might come.”
Nerion withdrew his fingers, and I heard him spit again. Moments later, I felt the blunt head of his cock pressing against my entrance. He pushed forward slowly, the burn more intense than usual without proper lubrication.
“Relax for me,” he whispered, his hand stroking my lower back. “That’s it.”
I forced myself to breathe deeply, to focus on the sensation of Nerion entering me inch by inch. The pain gradually gave way to pleasure as my body adjusted to the intrusion. When he was fully seated inside me, both of us paused, panting in the darkness.
“You okay?” Nerion asked, his voice strained with the effort of holding still.
“Yes,” I breathed, pushing back against him. “Just fuck me… please.”
He didn’t need to be told twice. Nerion began to thrust, starting slow but quickly building to a steady rhythm that had me biting my knuckles to stay quiet. Each thrust pushed me against the rough brick wall, the dual sensations of pain and pleasure overwhelming my senses.
The sounds of distant traffic and laughter from nearby bars created a backdrop to our forbidden encounter.
Anyone could walk by the alley entrance at any moment, could turn and see us fucking like animals on the street.
The thought sent a thrill of danger through me that made my cock throb painfully in my jeans.
Nerion’s hand snaked around, pulling my cock free of my jeans and stroking me in time with his thrusts. “Fuck, Teddy,” he groaned against my ear. “Your ass is so fucking perfect.”
I couldn’t respond, too lost in sensation to form coherent words. Each thrust hit that perfect spot inside me, sending sparks of pleasure up my spine. Nerion’s hand on my cock was relentless, bringing me closer and closer to the edge.
The sound of voices nearby made us both freeze.
A group of people passed by the entrance to the alley, laughing and talking loudly.
My heart threatened to burst from my chest as we stood perfectly still.
Then Nerion slowly began to fuck me, even as they were in full view.
I did everything I could not to moan, the exhilaration almost too much to bear.
Ben then they were gone, and Nerion resumed punishing me with his cock, his movements more urgent now. Each thrust became harder, deeper, his breath hot against my neck as he nipped at my skin.
“I’m close,” I warned, feeling the familiar tightening in my core.
“Me too,” he panted. “Cum for me, Teddy. Show me how good it feels.”
His words pushed me over the edge. I came with a muffled cry, spilling over his hand and onto the ground below us. My body clenched around him, triggering his own release. He thrust deep one final time, holding himself against me as he filled me with his heat.
For several moments, we stayed like that, both of us breathing heavily in the aftermath. I could feel his heartbeat against my back, rapid and strong. When he finally pulled out, I felt empty and satiated.
Nerion helped me pull up my pants, his movements surprisingly tender. When I turned to face him, he was already tucking himself back into his jeans, his expression unreadable in the dim light.
“I’ve never done anything like that before…” I said, still high from our encounter.
“Pretty fun, huh?” he grinned, stepping closer to brush his lips against mine. The kiss was gentle, almost reverent, a stark contrast to the frantic coupling we’d just shared. “I didn’t know you were such an exhibitionist.”
“Neither did I.”
When he finally pulled back, I saw something in his eyes. It was another flash of emotion once again hidden behind his usual guarded expression. It made my chest ache with a longing I wasn’t supposed to feel.
“If you don’t want to go back to campus, we should probably find somewhere to sleep,” Nerion said, his voice casual as he took my hand. “There’s gotta be a motel somewhere in this town, right?”
I nodded, still too overwhelmed to speak properly.
As we walked out of the alley and back onto the main street, I felt the ache in my ass and the heat of Nerion’s release still inside me.
It should have been uncomfortable, maybe even embarrassing.
But instead it felt like a secret mark, a reminder that I was his, at least for tonight.
The night air cooled my flushed skin as we walked hand in hand through the crowded streets. People passed us, oblivious to what we’d just done. But as the streetlights caught Nerion’s hair and the sharp angle of his jaw, I felt something inside me shift.
I was in love with him.