His to Hold

by Jessie Pinkham

  Speaking of cocks, Cole’s liked this mental image exceedingly well and began perking up as he pictured Aiden kissing and nipping him all over. He’d figure out pretty quickly that Cole loved having his ass cheeks kissed, maybe with a swat now and again to really get the blood flowing. Since Aiden liked making discoveries, Fantasy Aiden was thrilled to learn this hot spot of Cole’s. He licked in meandering trails, sometimes trading his tongue for his lips and a gentle press of his teeth.

  Back in reality, Cole started a gentle stroking of his dick, nothing too vigorous because he was enjoying the buildup. A light grip did the trick, providing enough stimulation to promise his body more was on the way.

  Fantasy Aiden slowly moved his lips down to Cole’s upper thighs while keeping his hands up to knead Cole’s ass. He gave messy, wet kisses. When Cole’s thigh was good and covered with saliva, he blew over it, making Cole shiver.

  “Fucking hot getting you worked up with my mouth,” said Fantasy Aiden.

  “Don’t stop.”

  Fantasy Aiden chuckled. “It never crossed my mind.” Then he went back to work, swooping around Cole’s ass and thighs with unpredictable trails for a couple more minutes before he sat up and finished with a single slap to each cheek.

  “Turn over,” he said. “I think your balls need some attention.”

  “They really do.”

  On his couch imagining this, Cole used one hand to stroke himself a touch faster now and the other to roam around his balls the way Aiden’s tongue was in his mind. Fantasy Aiden had a truly skilled tongue. It moved at different paces, each with their own pleasure and all making Cole’s cock quiver with anticipation.

  “So good,” he said.

  Fantasy Aiden smiled as best he could while his tongue was flicking at Cole’s sac. He was hard, too, just from the pleasure of licking Cole’s body. Not a centimeter of Cole’s balls went without attention, and it was so good but not nearly enough.

  Cole pumped his cock faster, imagining it was Aiden’s mouth enveloping him instead. Fantasy Aiden moaned with delight as he filled his mouth with Cole’s erection. God, he was scorching hot with his lips stretched around Cole’s dick.

  “Oh, that’s it,” said Cole, mesmerized by the sight of Fantasy Aiden, unencumbered by a gag reflex, swallowing his entire length. “Feels incredible.”

  Fantasy Aiden responded with a wink and started rocking his mouth forward and backwards, rubbing the ridge on Cole’s cockhead in just the right place to send his arousal skyrocketing.

  “Ohhhh.” Cole was beyond the point of coherent speech. On the couch, his grip tightened as he stroked himself faster, using two fingers of the other hand to caress his balls and pretending those were Aiden’s fingers. Fantasy Aiden was a master of coordination, bobbing his head around Cole’s hardness while he rolled his fingers around Cole’s balls, which showed their eagerness by pulling up.

  Fantasy Aiden made a little noise of encouragement. Cole added a little twist to his jerking-off motions as he was wont to do when very close to coming, and pictured Aiden bobbing up and down faster, humming with pleasure.

  Cole came in his hand. It wasn’t shooting down Aiden’s throat like he imagined, but it was still a damn good orgasm and he got some air on that one. So much air, in fact, that he got cum on his work shirt. Oh well. He’d ignore that for a while longer and enjoy the afterglow of a truly excellent fantasy. This one was going into regular rotation for sure.

  Chapter Seven

  Aiden’s region was set to experience a total lunar eclipse. These events were rare treats on Tusnua and he wanted to see it, so he’d scoped out possible locations to view it where they could avoid large crowds, and finally settled on a small park. When they got off the shuttle, Cole was pleased to note that there were only a two dozen or so people gathered. Popular viewing spots attracted hundreds or even thousands, which wouldn’t be much fun for Aiden, but then they didn’t want someplace lonely and remote that would make Aiden appealing to kidnappers, either.

  Cole checked his watch. “Ten minutes until the eclipse starts.”

  “Good,” said Aiden. “There shouldn’t be too many more people coming, or at least I hope not.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes. Besides, most emotions should be positive here. There’s one man over there who I’d guess is only here to make his kids happy, because he’s already bored out of his mind, but most people are excited.”

  “I’d hope so. This only happens once a decade.”

  Astronomers attributed the rarity of total lunar eclipses to the plane of the moon’s orbit. Cole was simply happy to enjoy the show with Aiden and leave the science to others.

  “I wanted to see it last time, but it rained that night.” Aiden spread out the blanket he’d brought and stretched out on it, hands behind his head. “This is a good spot.”

  They had a nice view of the moon, which currently hung just above the tree line in its fully illuminated glory. Cole reached into his backpack and took out the essentials so they’d be in easy reach: water bottles, pretzels, and binoculars. Binoculars weren’t required for eclipse viewing, but he figured it couldn’t hurt either. That done, he made himself comfortable on the blanket.

  “I’m glad the weather is cooperating this time,” said Aiden.

  “Couldn’t ask for better.” For late spring it was a warm evening, and Cole could see only a single wispy cloud in the sky. At the moment he was content to ignore the moon and enjoy the sight of Aiden next to him, excited and happy.

  The breeze ruffled Aiden’s hair, and not for the first time in his life Cole wondered what that felt like. He wouldn’t call Aiden’s hair long, but anything more than bald beat his own for length, and Aiden’s was long enough to wave in the strong breeze.

  “You’re curious and looking at my hair,” said Aiden. “What’s on your mind?”

  “What does it feel like when the wind blows through your hair?”

  “You’ve never felt it?”

  “I’m the youngest, and both my brother and sister gave my parents trouble with hair. Knots, gum, all kinds of issues. When I was born my mom decided she’d keep my hair short to avoid problems, and I’ve always kept it short.” It was the only way Cole knew how to deal with his hair, and he liked the simplicity of his style.

  “I’m not sure how to describe it,” said Aiden. “You could grow your hair out a little bit and feel the wind for yourself.” He ran a hand over Cole’s blond bristle. “You’d look good. Not that you don’t look good already, of course.”

  Hearing Aiden say he looked good made Cole ridiculously happy. “Maybe I’ll try. You’re setting a high standard for the wind-teased hair look, though.”

  “Flatterer.”

  “I’m serious. Can’t you tell?”

  “I can.” Aiden gave him a thoughtful look. “My empathy doesn’t bother you anymore, does it?”

  “No. It’s just part of you.” Cole had surprised himself by how fast he got used to Aiden knowing what he felt. The empathy might even have had something to do with his tendency to be very frank, a trait Cole appreciated.

  He tried to explain. “Sometimes I still feel exposed. It’s not such a bad thing, though. Knowing what means you get straight to the why of how people feel, so with you there’s no artifice. It’s all real.”

  Aiden smiled. “I like that you don’t define me by my empathy. It’s all some people can see.”

  He hadn’t stopped to think of it that way. Yes, Aiden was an empath. He was also a geologist, a good conversationalist, a great kisser, a hover soccer fan, and that was merely nouns. He was clever, sometimes sassy, honest, passionate, and smart, to name a few more. Empathic was only one facet of who he was, albeit one with stunning implications.

  “They’re missing out,” he said, immediately followed by, “Damn, that sounds cliché.”

  Aiden chuckled. “I appreciate the sentiment regardless.”

  Anyway, if Aiden wasn’t an empath they might never have met, and Col
e much preferred the scenario where they did. Moments like this, where he simply enjoyed Aiden’s company, had him nearly convinced he wanted to be the younger man’s anchor. The commitment, once so crazy and terrifying, sounded more and more like the promise of a happy future. Even if it was still a little scary.

  For now, though, he pushed deeper considerations aside. The night was about seeing the eclipse and spending time with Aiden, and since he only saw Aiden on the weekends, he’d rather save his serious deliberations for when he was alone.

  A collective “Ooh” from the crowd heralded the beginning of the eclipse, when just the smallest bit of Tusnua’s shadow darkened the moon. “It looks like something took a bite out of the moon,” said Aiden.

  “Didn’t people used to think Earth’s moon was made of cheese?”

  Aiden was dubious. “I certainly hope not.”

  “I can’t remember if it was a joke or not.”

  “Maybe one of those silly myths our ancestors told children, like the woman who bought baby teeth. What was she called again?”

  “The tooth something. Tooth Witch? No, that doesn’t sound right.” Cole racked his brain without success. “I don’t know why kids would believe someone wanted their old teeth, anyway.”

  “As an older brother I can attest that kids will believe almost anything. I once convinced Annika that eating too many gorm berries would permanently stain her teeth blue,” said Aiden. “She cried, and I didn’t get dessert that night. I think we were about seven and four.”

  Gorm berries were notorious for staining, and Cole had ruined clothes with them in his younger years, so he didn’t think Aiden’s lie was anywhere near the absurdity of a moon made of cheese.

  “Didn’t your brother and sister trick you?” asked Aiden.

  “No. Though my brother sometimes told me I could play with his virtual armies if I ate a worm.”

  “Did you?”

  “Yes, for most of a summer until Dad found out and put an end to it.” Cole obviously didn’t incur any lasting damage from the worms, and at the time it seemed like a small price to get access to those virtual armies.

  “Cooked worms or live?”

  “Live. He did rinse them first, though.”

  “How generous of him.”

  “My brother was kind of a jerk until he was almost twenty. It’s why we’re not close.” He was closer to his sister, who’d joined the group of people clamoring to meet Aiden.

  “Thankfully I outgrew the lousy older brother phase quickly,” said Aiden. “Anni and I are tight.”

  “Even though she hassles you about how unhealthy frosting is?”

  “She hassles because she cares.”

  They let the conversation fall into comfortable silence for a few minutes as they watched the planet’s shadow extend over a bit more of the moon. Cole checked out the progression through his binoculars, which gave him a closer view but felt less personal, so he set them back down. It was nicer to look up and see the entire sky overhead with his own two eyes, not to mention hold Aiden’s hand instead of the binoculars.

  Eventually Aiden spoke again. “I read that hundreds or thousands of years ago on Earth, people used to think that an eclipse was a bad omen or the sign of angry gods. It seemed crazy when I read it.”

  Watching the moon as it was slowly swallowed by shadow, Cole could understand where the idea came from. “If you didn’t understand the science, it would be frightening.”

  “Exactly. It makes more sense now that I’m seeing it for myself, which could be some kind of atavistic response to darkness falling or a constant cycle being interrupted so dramatically.”

  “It is dramatic for sure.”

  “With all of our technology, we still can’t beat nature for drama or grandeur,” said Aiden.

  “It’s better that way.”

  “How so? I don’t disagree, necessarily. I’m more curious as to your reasoning.”

  Cole took a moment to find what he hoped were adequate words. “If we lost our sense of wonder at the universe, I think we’d be missing an important part of who we are, of what makes us human. Just like when I dive, if it became boring and routine, I’d lose part of what makes my life interesting and gives it meaning. Does that make sense?”

  “Yes,” said Aiden. “It makes perfect sense. I’m a scientist, therefore I obviously see great value in scientific knowledge. All the same, there’s something to be said for wonder and all of the other things we can’t quantify or study. Maybe you’re right. Those intangibles could be the most important factor which sets us apart from animals.”

  Normally Cole didn’t consider himself much for philosophy. In this case he thought Aiden was right, because at that moment it was the unquantifiable experiences of awe at the eclipse and happiness at sharing it with Aiden that made him feel vital and alive.

  ****

  When the entire moon was a very dark brown, enveloped by Tusnua’s shadow, Aiden said, “You know I only have a few months left, at most, before I’ll need an anchor.”

  Cole suspected he knew where the conversation was headed. “Yes.”

  “I don’t like to be pushy, but I can’t afford to waste time.”

  “I know. And I’m about ninety percent sure my answer is going to be yes.” The last ten percent was keeping him up at night, though.

  Aiden’s shoulders relaxed, and he said, “I’m glad.”

  Well, that answered the question of whether or not he was interested in Cole long-term.

  “I’ve met a few other men, but I haven’t liked them very well,” continued Aiden. He paused to give Cole a brief kiss. “Not trying to start a heavy discussion. It was just weighing on me.”

  “Seems like you have a lot weighing on you.” In retrospect, it probably wasn’t the best response to a man who’d just said he wasn’t trying to start a deep conversation. Cole really needed to work on thinking before he spoke.

  “Yes. It’ll be better once I’m bonded. Still, we empaths always have more to deal with than the rest of you, though it has its rewards. Right now, I’m enjoying the eclipse, and I’m also taking in all the positive emotions: joy, wonder, fascination, and appreciation. I couldn’t possibly explain how great it is for me.”

  “More than just a good show, anyway.”

  “So much more. Not to say it isn’t a great show. We take the moon for granted most of the time, I suspect. It’s incredibly important in that Tusnua’s ability to sustain life without the moon would be questionable at best, at least human life, and yet we mostly think of it as a pretty orb in the sky.”

  Cole said, “The rest of us, sure. Not you geologists.”

  “And I’m not even a natural satellite specialist.”

  The best part of talking geology with Aiden, by far, was the way his face lit up with passion for his field and his body language grew more animated. Even in the dim light his eyes took on an extra sparkle that was absolutely enchanting. Cole did his level best not to focus on his arousal, because it wasn’t the time or place, but damn, Aiden was a good-looking guy.

  “Cole?” Aiden’s voice startled him out of introspection.

  “Hmm?”

  “You spaced out for a minute.”

  “Just thinking how beautiful you are.”

  Sometimes, blurting out whatever came to mind meant he said exactly the right thing, and this was one of those times. Aiden’s smile stretched wide, and he rolled onto his side to hug Cole. They fit together beautifully, and Cole was happy to keep Aiden’s warm, lithe body in his arms for a good long time.

  “On the whole, it’s my understanding that we empaths are less visually oriented than the rest of you,” said Aiden. “I’ve never related to the importance my friends put on appearance. So while I appreciate that you’re a good-looking man, it means far more to me that you have a beautiful soul.”

  “Nobody’s ever told me I have a beautiful soul.”

  “You do.”

  Cole suspected his heart was turning to mush. He squeez
ed Aiden tight and gave the man a kiss, once again doing his utmost to ignore the unhelpful suggestions coming from his cock, which had strong opinions on what he and Aiden ought to be doing. The kicker was—and this was an entirely new experience for Cole—he felt like sex would actually sully the moment by taking the mood from the purity of a beautiful soul to baser motives. The thought truly perplexed him, as he’d never previously considered such an idea possible.

  It was a moot point anyway, because not only were they in a public place, Aiden wasn’t comfortable orgasming, which was far worse a situation for him than Cole. Empaths got a horrible deal there.

  He gave Aiden a gentle kiss and said, “You’re pretty awesome yourself.”

  “I’m glad you think so.”

  Lying there with Aiden, looking up at the darkened moon which hung among a sea of stars, Cole decided this was unquestionably the most romantic date he’d ever been on.

  Chapter Eight

  Cole’s latest purchase was waiting for him when he got home from work, and he wasted no time opening the box. Inside was a set of five practice fire torches for juggling which displayed a holographic flame instead of the real thing. Eventually he hoped to graduate to real fire, after he’d mastered the practice torches. This wasn’t something he intended to rush.

  As promised, the holographic flames were very realistic. On his first attempt he’d have burned his left hand if the fire had been real, which was why he’d bought practice torches.

  Several minutes in he was getting a better sense of how to manage these new objects, at least to the point he wasn’t dropping any when he juggled three, and he managed to keep up this progress when his watch beeped.

  “Call from the Fischer residence,” announced the computer.

  “Connect.”

  “Cole,” said Maud. She sounded upset.

  “Is everything all right?”