by Riley Rivers
He started to slide to his knees, but Chris caught him around the middle. “God, I’m an idiot, making you stand. You can barely hold yourself up, here–” he moved toward the bed, Ryan going easily along with him, even if he was confused. But yeah, he figured, Chris would be more comfortable sitting down.
Except when they got to the bed, Chris tugged Ryan down with him and Ryan ended up sprawled over Chris lap, one strong arm supporting his back. In spite of himself, Ryan closed his eyes in pleasure and nuzzled into the crook of Chris’s neck. Being held like he was something precious… he was embarrassed by the whimper that escaped him at the contact, but it felt so good, even as the hunger clawed at him.
“I’ve got you,” Chris murmured, pressing a kiss just above Ryan’s ear. Ryan shuddered. “We’ll get you taken care of. It’ll be okay.”
Chris’s words made Ryan burn hotter, his skin starting to flush. Chris had no idea just how much he affected Ryan—and Ryan was fine with that. His focus right now was on making Chris feel good and being in Chris’s lap was a good a start as any.
He twisted just enough in Chris’s hold so that he was straddling him instead of splayed out over his legs and slung his arms around Chris’s shoulders. “Can I kiss you?” His voice was already breathy with desire, but for kissing he had to ask permission first, just in case Chris felt it was crossing a line. But please don’t say no, please don’t say—
“Yeah,” Chris said, voice rough. “Yeah, baby. That’s a good place to start.”
Baby. Ryan sucked in a breath, the endearment rocking him to his core, and it ended up being Chris who closed the distance and slanted their mouths together, one of his hands sliding up underneath Ryan’s shirt. Ryan moaned into Chris’s mouth, already starting to get lost to the sensations of intimate touch, and let Chris lead the kiss.
His own hands started to travel, desperate to feel more of Chris, and he stroked up and down over Chris’s arms, jolting when his fingers trailed over a red and golden feather inked into Chris’s skin. It felt like touching it had given him a crackle of energy, and having a burst of vigor run through him only made him more ready, more eager.
Chris pulled him closer and Ryan went easily, pushing Chris’s shirt out of the way to splay a hand over his abs and then descend, to the dip of his hips. He licked his lips. Chris was fully hard underneath him now, but loathe to leave Chris’s lap, Ryan rolled his hips, happily licking up the little hiss of pleasure Chris let out at the friction.
Okay, new plan.
He dipped his fingers below the waistband of Chris’s sweatpants, smiling pleased when he pulled Chris’s cock free. It has hot and hard in his palm, the tip wet with precum, and Ryan thumbed at the head and then underneath, making sure to look back up at Chris in time to see him react, eyes half-lidded in pleasure. God, he was perfect.
Ryan quickly brought his hand to his mouth and licked his palm, then closed it around Chris’s cock, spit and precum making the slide easy as Ryan jerked him, putting his mouth to good use by pressing wet kisses underneath Chris’s chin.
Then he gasped, as Chris moved them, turning and then rolling until Ryan was on his back blinking up at Chris.
“Hi,” Chris breathed, smiling down at him before he moved to catch Ryan’s mouth again.
Ryan opened eagerly for the kiss, though his next noise was one of surprise as he felt a tug on his sweatpants. Instinctively he lifted his hips, which allowed Chris to tug his pants down.
His question turned into another gasp as Chris wrapped one large hand around the both of them, and Ryan bucked up at the sensation of being held and surrounded by Chris, their cocks pressed together as Chris’s hand moved.
Chris kissed him again, hand still moving. “Good?” he murmured when he pulled away.
Ryan could only nod dumbly before moaning as Chris’s thumb pressed just right. “F-fuck, Chris–”
“Love the way you say my name, baby.”
Ryan whimpered into the next kiss, his head spinning as he arched up underneath Chris. He was drowning in touch and scent and sensation, and it was Chris. Who was so patient and good, taking care of him in exactly the way Ryan needed.
Pleasure wound around him and through him, the taste heavy on his tongue and a sign Chris was getting close. Chris was getting off on this. Getting off on giving Ryan pleasure. It all felt so good, tasted so good, just there, just right–
Ryan dug his heels into the bed and cried out and came, Chris following moments later. The rush of pure energy coupled with satiation made Ryan dizzy. He fell boneless back to the bed, one shaking hand coming up to cover his eyes.
He wasn’t crying.
“Hey,” Chris said quietly, his clean hand gently stroking Ryan’s cheek. “Are you okay? Was that too much?”
Ryan shook his head, unable to speak. He wasn’t going to fall apart after being willingly touched intimately for the first time in years.
He wasn’t going to fall apart just because he’d had sex with someone who seemed to care about him.
“Do you hurt?”
Ryan shook his head again. Managed to gasp out, “I’m okay,” because Chris seemed worried. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” There was a long pause. “I’m going to just wash up and then I’ll be right back, okay?”
It was obvious Chris was giving him a moment to regroup. Ryan would take it. Otherwise he might beg Chris to stay curled around him. “Okay.”
A kiss was pressed to his chin and then Chris shifted away and off. Ryan slowly sat up in the wake of Chris’s footsteps. Absent of Chris’s weight, it was easier to think but harder to breathe.
God, he needed to get a grip.
Chapter Nine
Ryan was sitting up when Chris returned from washing his hands. He finally looked healthier; his skin had color again, the bruises underneath his eyes fading.
“Much better,” he said, when Chris asked how he was doing. “Thanks.”
“Sure,” Chris said, trying not to feel off-kilter. It was clear that Ryan didn’t like being an incubus or having to feed, but Chris had hoped… that maybe Ryan wouldn’t have minded so much, being with him.
But this was just like last time. It wasn’t as if Ryan really had a choice. “Glad to hear it.”
Ryan nodded.
“Do you want me to take you home?” Chris asked, after a moment passed.
“Oh, uh–” Ryan jerked to his feet. “That’s okay. I can call a ride or–”
“I want to,” Chris hurried to say. “If you want to go. But please don’t think I’m kicking you out. I’d be happy if you wanted to stay longer.”
“Oh,” Ryan said again. “Thank you. But no, uh, I don’t want to impose more than I already have.”
“It’s no imposition,” he said in rush. “But at least let me drive you home.”
“Okay,” Ryan said quietly.
As they walked to Chris’s car, Chris was tempted to ask. Ask if maybe Ryan would be interested in letting Chris feed him regularly. Ask why Ryan seemed to mind so much that he had to feed at all, why Ryan got so nervous and closed-off afterward. But more than that...
Sex aside, Chris mostly wanted to take Ryan on a date. A real date. One they both acknowledged was a date.
A week spent with Ryan had shown Chris that he was interesting and feisty, strong and beautiful. He needed to feed and Chris was willing—of course he was willing. But Ryan’s wasn’t just a hot one-night stand.
Chris couldn’t help wanting more.
The awkwardness lingered for the drive over to Ryan’s building, Chris spending most of it trying not to say the things that wanted to trip across his tongue. Ryan looked no better.
“Thanks for the ride,” Ryan mumbled when they parked as he unbuckled his seatbelt. “And for… everything.”
“Yeah, of course.” Ryan did not look like he was up for Chris trying to start a conversation now. He needed time to decompress, that was for sure. It’d been a hell of a twenty-four hours. “Anytime. And uh,
is it okay if I check in later? Just to see how you’re doing.”
Ryan looked up at him, eyes wide and almost stricken before he bit his lip and glanced away. “Yeah. Yeah, that’d be fine.”
“Okay.” Chris exhaled. “Get some rest.”
“Yeah. Okay.” Ryan opened his mouth, then closed it, mouth an unhappy line. “See you.”
Chris watched him walk to his building feeling like he’d just messed up.
***
Ryan stumbled into his building and forwent the elevator for the stairs to head to his apartment. Sex with Chris had fed him enough to take the edge off the pounding headache and overall sick feeling he’d woken up with, and while he was definitely not in top form, he was still jittery with energy.
It took him three tries to get his key into the lock, and once he was inside with the door closed behind him, he went straight to his bedroom. Grabbed a change of clothes because right now he was in Chris’s things and he needed… not to be. Needed to get Chris off his mind. Needed to forget all the things he couldn’t really have, because Ryan was a fuck-up with powers that made people unable to control their most basic of instincts and Chris had had to see that. And then Chris had had to feed him again, and to do it he’d acted like he wanted–
Chris kissing him while taking care of him, endearments dripping off his tongue, reciprocating so Ryan got off too, which wasn’t necessary for Ryan to feed, but it did complete a feedback loop that increased the energy he got.
He threw the clothes from last night into his hamper and folded up Chris’s things and left them on his bed. His fingers closed around the talisman he had been wearing all week, and after a moment’s hesitation, he took that off too. Then he grabbed his keys up and headed right back out again. He’d take a walk. Clear his head. Absolutely not think about… any of this. At least for a little while.
Almost as soon as he left his building, he got that awful feeling again, the one he’d been dealing with all week. That eyes were on him, and it didn’t make sense because there never ended up being anyone there but he still–
It was nothing. He took a breath and kept walking, around the corner and down the busier street. The path into downtown was familiar and one he started on easily, but he only made it about a block when a chill ran up his spine.
Ryan turned, unable to help it. There was a guy behind him, thoroughly engrossed in his phone screen. And that was it. Nothing to worry about, just like there’d been nothing to worry about all those other times Ryan had felt unsettled. Except…
Except the guy look kind of familiar. Different in daylight and from a slight distance but…
Ryan huffed at himself. It was probably nothing. It was the summer and there were a million guys out and about with dark hair wearing shorts and t-shirts. This one in particular had black bottoms and a dark blue top. Completely ordinary.
He turned back around and kept walking. Made it another couple blocks while still feeling as though he was being followed and tried to put it out of his mind. Though he glanced over his shoulder when he stopped at a crosswalk.
His breath stuttered when he saw the same guy just a few yards down, head still bent over his phone.
Calm down, you’re being paranoid. Ryan was walking downtown; it was entirely possible this guy was too. Headed in the same direction. Not a big deal. Ryan was fed enough that his aura was completely under control and keeping it lashed in tight wasn’t giving him the usual sick feeling he’d grown accustomed to. He wasn’t a threat to anyone right now. He wasn’t in danger of pulling anyone in.
The crosswalk turned green. Ryan continued on his way, and there were more people around now, so it was easier to feel like he was just one in a crowd. He was careful not to accidentally brush up against anyone, but mostly he could pretend he was simply another guy out for a walk on a nice day.
His spine still itched. Just to ease his mind, he went up a little side street and down a block before crossing back over to the main street again. Passed a mirrored storefront and nearly froze when it showed the same guy still right behind him.
He wasn’t just making stuff up. Wasn’t just being paranoid. He was being followed. But why? He was positive his aura was under control. And this didn’t seem random, like he’d tempted in some guy off the street. This guy had been following him since… since Ryan had left his apartment.
Ryan pulled his phone out of his pocket in an attempt to look like he was doing something instead of just locking up in the middle of a busy sidewalk. He took a step to the side so he wasn’t blocking the foot traffic as much, then chanced a glimpse of the guy out of the corner of his eye.
Cold sweat prickled at the back of his neck when he saw the black eye that he hadn’t been close enough to notice before.
Dark hair, and the lighting in the club hadn’t been the best but Ryan remembered now, remembered this build and that face, the lip ring that had been warm metal against his skin and—he vaguely recalled Chris landing a punch, which would definitely have resulted in the mottled bruising this guy was currently sporting.
Ryan had been feeling eyes on him all week.
He tried to tamp down the panic and think. Be rational. He didn’t feel safe right now, but in the middle of a busy downtown there was little this man could do to him. It was what might happen after, somewhere more secluded, and he couldn’t go home, because this guy knew where he lived.
He stared down at his phone. He’d been using it for more than just work recently. Talking to Chris.
Chris.
His studio wasn’t too far away. And it was open now. Chris wouldn’t be there, since he’d taken the day off to help Ryan out—to help Ryan after dealing with this guy—but the rest of his staff would be, as well as potential clients. And Ryan couldn’t help but think of the studio as a safe space. It was a good a start as any, and would probably make him feel less exposed.
With a destination in mind, Ryan moved faster, keeping his head down and walking with determined single-mindedness. His phone he kept clutched in his hand, trying to decide what to do. Should he call Chris? Someone else?
He still hadn’t decided on what to do when he got to the Skin and Ink storefront, but he did walk inside without hesitation. He was hoping the guy wouldn’t follow him in, but even if he did at least there wasn’t anything he could do here.
Sure enough, the door closed behind him and, when Ryan chanced a glance out the window, the guy was leaning against the wall of a building across the street. He didn’t look inclined to move anytime soon but. One thing at a time.
“You okay, man?”
Ryan whirled around, gaze landing on a guy lounging behind the counter. He was wearing a red beanie, a black shirt with the Skin and Ink logo in white, with a tattoo sleeve winding up one arm. He had large gauges in his ears as well as a nose ring and his eyes were clear, not glazed over. Ryan’s aura was still under control, then. It was a relief.
He glanced back out the window. Except for–
“Hey, it’s cool if you’re nervous. A lot of people are.” Ryan looked back at the man behind the counter. “Do you have an appointment, or are you a walk-in?”
“Uh, neither.” Ryan said. “Sorry I—I’m a friend of Chris’s. And I know he’s not in today, but I… I was walking by and um. Thought I’d stop in?” He tried not to wince at how stupid that sounded.
“Okay,” the man said with a smile. “I’m Eddie. I’m the piercer here. Always cool to meet a friend of Chris.”
“I’m Ryan. Nice to meet you.”
Eddie’s eyes lit up. “Wait, are you the Ryan who did our new website?”
Chris had talked about him? “Yes?”
“Oh man! I’ve been dying to meet you. It looks great! Thank you for dragging my man Chris into the current century. I’ve been at him to get us a decent website for literal years.”
Ryan managed a smile. “I’m glad to have helped out.”
“And we really needed the help. So thanks.” Eddie rubbed his hands together.
“So what brings you in today then? Looking to get something done? Can’t be a tattoo though, if you know Chris and know he’s out.”
“I–”
“Earrings, maybe?” Eddie grinned. “You’d look cute as hell with some metal in your ears.”
“Uh–”
The front door jingled they both looked over. Ryan, who had tensed up at the sound, sagged with relief when he saw who it was.
“Hey!” Eddie said to Chris. “What’re you doing here? I cancelled your clients when you told me to, you know.”
“I know,” Chris said, “But I ended up not needing the time. Or… I thought so. Maybe.” Then his attention was all on Ryan. “Hey. Why are you here?”
He didn’t sound accusatory—in fact he sounded soft. But Ryan couldn’t help his flinch. “Sorry,” he said, ducking his head. “I just–” Without meaning to, he glanced back out the window again. The guy was still there.
Chris frowned. “What’s wrong?” Not even “is something wrong?” Chris knew him well enough to know something was.
Ryan bit his lip. Nodded minutely at the window. “He’s been following me,” he mumbled. “And I think he’s… from yesterday.”
Chris looked over and his whole face darkened. “What the fuck—how did he find you?”
“He followed me from my apartment.” Ryan swallowed and admitted, “I-I think he’s been following me all week.”
Eddie looked from Ryan to Chris. “Fuck, okay, am I calling the cops?”
“No,” Chris growled heading toward the door. “I’ll take care of him myself.”
“Wait!” Ryan ran forward and grabbed Chris’s shoulder. With a surreptitious look over at Eddie he said, voice lowered, “You can’t do anything to him. It’s not his fault.”
“Like hell it isn’t,” Chris spat. “I’m going to curse him into next week. And then we’re going to sit down and talk about why you somehow think he’s an innocent party.”
“Chris, I mean it,” Ryan hissed, following him out the door. “Don’t! My aura—”
