Darion had made some preparations for Tolrek’s return to finish their discussion. He’d asked Arjan to leave for the night. He’d also requested that Fei not cause any interruptions. The one thing he hadn’t done was determine just how emotionally ready he was to have a deep conversation. There were things he wanted to avoid saying and doing. However, he also realized that Tolrek remained as persistent as ever. So, regardless of his plans, the rebel could derail them.
When Tolrek arrived at the house, he entered casually and he brushed against Darion.
“We’re not playing anymore games,” he told the negotiator. “I just set the tone and you need to follow it.”
Najrina huffed at Darion, as if she was emphasizing Tolrek’s point.
“Not you too,” Darion muttered.
As if trying to get back to being neutral, she nuzzled his hand and purred. Darion couldn’t help but smile. Then, his expression grew serious again, as he watched Tolrek stride purposefully into the living room.
~~25.1~~
Twenty minutes into the conversation, Darion was restraining curses, trying to figure out if they’d even made any progress. He’d thought the rebel would want answers about what Darion had known about the death of his friends, his family and Beilon’s future plans. That had been Tolrek’s intention, at first. Then, after waking that morning, he’d become more interested in discussing his relationship with Darion. He’d thought that if Darion could be straightforward about his feelings, then they’d have a foundation. The conversation was not going as expected.
Yet again, Tolrek had reinforced that he was one of the few individuals who could affect Darion to his core. Darion was staring belligerently at him, feeling childish at his lack of cooperation, but he remained unwilling to be more open.
“Sometimes, you like to take things to the brink,” Tolrek noted, letting out a sigh. He took a sip of his drink and then put it back on the living room table. “That might be fine when you’re in an actual negotiation. But don’t do that with me. I could call your bluff.”
“And we’d both end up regretting it,” Darion added, after thinking of the consequences. He didn’t want to continue feeling lonely. “How did we get to this point?”
“Well, I rebelled. You found a way to take advantage of me and—”
“That’s not what I meant. And I didn’t take advantage of you! You’ve gotten at least as much out of this as I have.”
“Are you sure?”
Darion began to catalog Tolrek’s benefits.
“You were imprisoned, instead of being executed, for that rebellion.”
“Yes. I did just enough to avoid losing my life,” Tolrek said, laughing. “I’m great at strategy. You could learn a thing or two from me.”
“You have the support of most of the public, even after your actions,” Darion continued, trying to ignore the interruption.
“I earned that much leverage as a Krezka pilot,” Tolrek responded, tilting up his chin stubbornly.
“When there were threats on your life, I had to release my seal.”
“That was really a gift to you from me.”
“The hell it was!” Darion exclaimed. “Do you know how much it hurts to seal away my powers and then release them, especially after almost a decade?”
“You’re such a difficult man. I could focus on all the good things I already have in life. Yet, I keep coming back to you. I know what I did and it was all necessary. I came here to move forward. However, if you can’t do that, then I won’t make more attempts. I have my pride too. If I hadn’t planned to reconcile, I would have stopped contacting you.”
“Are you doing me a favor?” Darion asked snidely. “With your skyrocketing popularity, am I lucky you’re paying attention to me?”
“Alright; I see you’re prepared to act like an ass today, more so than usual.”
Darion gave Tolrek a glare that would cause almost anyone to wither.
“D, if you keep holding this grudge, it will be a waste of our time. I’m really tired of talking about this.”
“Then you can go because I don’t want you.” Darion left the couch and started heading to his study. He waved nonchalantly at Tolrek and added. “You know the damn way out.”
Tolrek quickly intercepted him and pushed him against a nearby wall. For a second, Darion was confused, surprised by the amount of strength. Looking into Darion’s eyes, Tolrek’s hand slowly made their way to the negotiator’s crotch, feeling the hardness that was growing.
“You don’t want me? Oh really?” Tolrek asked, as he gave Darion’s cock a squeeze through his linen pants. “This is the best lie detector. You don’t have to deny yourself.”
“The last time I went for what I desired, I was burned,” Darion said, brushing Tolrek’s hand away. “It’s going to take more than a few tugs and a rub for me to get over that.”
“I’m prepared to give you much more than a ‘few tugs and a rub.’ You should realize the truth by now.”
“Why are you here? Why are you doing this to me?”
Tolrek heard the tremor in Darion’s voice and he was taken aback. The level of pain that suddenly appeared in the negotiator’s eyes wasn’t something he’d expected to see.
“Don’t you know this isn’t a game for me?” Tolrek asked, sadly. “It wasn’t easy to leave you. I want you to understand the magnitude of what I did for us.”
Darion was undone by the raw feeling in Tolrek’s voice. He pulled the rebel to him, kissing him fervently.
“It was so difficult being away from you,” he said.
“The nights…” Tolrek began.
“…were the most unbearable,” Darion finished. “I was awake for so many hours thinking about you.”
“Me too,” Tolrek said.
Darion grabbed Tolrek’s hand and led him to his bedroom. Eager to be intimate with each other, they soon had their clothes removed. Tolrek started to go down Darion’s body but the negotiator told him not to do that. Darion, instead, motioned for Tolrek to get on his back. Then, he propped another pillow under Tolrek’s head. A slow smile of anticipation appeared, as he moved over Tolrek’s chest, his now hardened cock barely an inch away from the rebel’s lips. Darion steadied himself by placing his hands against the headboard, then raised his hips and moved forward. Tolrek accepted him, feeling him push all the way down into his throat. Darion shuddered, letting him know how pleasurable this was for him.
Darion started his strokes, first moving in and out of Tolrek’s mouth very slowly. Then he increased the speed and force to a level that was comfortable for both of them. A string of curses in Tildari escaped him, as he became lost in his enjoyment. A long moan issued from his throat, letting Tolrek know that he was close to his release. The negotiator’s face registered the sublime place he went to, when he was about to come especially hard. Darion’s release was more than Tolrek expected but he swallowed everything that was offered.
Darion covered Tolrek with his body and they kissed, sharing his taste. Then he rolled to his side and let out a contented sigh, which made Tolrek grin widely. As Darion caught his breath, Tolrek propped himself up on an elbow. He admired Darion’s body, thinking of how often he’d traced the contours with his hands and his mouth.
“Did you like that?” Tolrek asked, as Darion released a shuddering breath.
“You know I did,” Darion murmured, still breathing hard.
Tolrek stretched his body on top of Darion’s, stroking his skin and feeling the sweat that had gathered. Darion flipped the two of them over. Tolrek sighed, welcoming Darion’s weight.
“It’s your turn now,” Darion said, making his way down Tolrek’s torso.
Tolrek’s cock rose to meet Darion’s mouth, eager for attention. Darion laughed softly, ignoring the demanding protrusion for the time being. Instead he focused on Tolrek’s delicate testicles, nipping them gently and then taking each one into his mouth. Tolrek put his hands on Darion’s head, encouraging him. After a few moments, Darion took Tolrek’s cock in his mouth. Soon, Darion had a steady rhythm going and Tolrek lost control. His back arched as the tension inside him exploded, sending thick ribbons of come down Darion’s throat.
When their bodies cooled from that heated reunion, they rested next to each other. They conversed in a relaxed atmosphere, until there was silence again. There was a question on Darion’s mind but he was hesitant about voicing it.
“What is it?” Tolrek asked. “What are you holding back?”
“Nothing. I…”
“D, we’re no longer keeping things from each other.”
“Alright. I wondered what you thought when you met me? I’ve always been curious.”
Tolrek registered surprised at the question. Then, for a few moments, he pondered how to respond.
“You weren’t as impressive as I’d hoped,” he teased. “I was offended by that.”
“That’s just like you,” Darion said, shaking his head. “I show some vulnerability and you make me regret it.”
“I’ll try to be a better person.”
“Good. Then, my pride in you is restored…at least until tomorrow.”
“Whatever. You know where the roundest part of my ass is,” Tolrek said, laughing. “You can just bite it.”
“Don’t be so crass,” Darion told him, smacking him on his rear. The smack began a gentle caress and Tolrek smiled.
“Another round?” he asked.
“Yes,” Darion responded. “But slower this time.”
Darion moved on top of Tolrek. He pushed forward, slowly sinking into the rebel, stretching him, filling him. With a strong, steady rhythm, he began making love to him. Darion rose up above him, supporting himself on his hands. They looked down between their bodies, watching as he stroked in and out of Tolrek, the visuals heightening their experience. Tolrek ran his hands across Darion’s back, feeling his muscles flex as he worked harder to reach their goal.
“I’m almost there,” Darion whispered.
“Me too; move a little faster; go a little deeper.”
“Alright.”
Darion shifted his position, so he could put both of his hands around Tolrek’s cock. Tolrek felt himself getting ready to let go, the heat gathering in his crotch and spreading all over his body. Darion’s two-fisted pumping soon of the rebel’s cock soon sent waves of come up Tolrek’s chest. He leaned over, still pushing into Tolrek, and licked off the evidence of his pleasure.
Tolrek gripped his rear, holding him closely, as his body began to shake. The released washed over both of them. Darion collapsed on top of Tolrek and the rebel laughed, giving him light kisses. Watching Darion come that hard was almost as great as doing it himself.
Afterwards, they held each other, as they chatted.
“Things are better, right? We have a way forward. Right?” Darion’s confident expression slipped a bit, when Tolrek didn’t give him immediate affirmation.
“I don’t know if we should continue this conversation,” Tolrek said. “I’m getting tired and I might not spare your feelings.”
“Tolrek!” Darion complained.
“Do you really need affirmation from me?”
“Yes.”
“I feel better about us. And, it’s not merely the residuals from us having sex. With that said, personality-wise, you have some things to sort out.”
“I know that I have flaws,” Darion admitted. He paused, a devilish grin beginning to grace his face. “They’re just interesting ones.”
“Thinking that gets you to sleep at night, does it?” Tolrek asked, laughing.
Darion smiled, realizing how much he’d missed that sound. Then, as tenderness flooded through him, he caressed Tolrek’s face, as if memorizing his features.
“You know, before you, during and after sex, I was usually silent,” he admitted, marvel in his voice. “Especially after.”
“Now, I make you get vocal.”
“Yes. You cause me to do a lot of things I hardly ever did.”
~~25.2~~
The next morning, they bathed, lavishing attention on each other. Their leisurely time was suddenly ended by a message from Fei.
“I thought I told you not to interrupt us,” Darion told her, gruffly.
“There’s an Alpha Prime call from the VSB.”
Both Tolrek and Darion quickly exited the bath. They wrapped towels around themselves and hurried to Darion’s study. He activated the videophone and contacted Beilon.
“Ersha just made an attempt on our Prime Minister’s life. He’s safe and he’s furious. Both of you need to report now. Tolrek go to your base. Darion come to the VSB. We’re putting our plan into action.”
“Finally!” Tolrek exclaimed. A gleam of eagerness for battle appeared in his eyes.
Darion sighed, thinking about the long-term repercussions of this next conflict. He’d known it was inevitable. Even when Vaironia won, and it would because it was better prepared this time, there would be the long process of settling Ersha. Likely, those who were still loyal to the Ershan leadership would cause many problems for the new Vaironian leaders. Darion understood he would help with the battle strategies, as well as with determining the governance of the new territories.
Normally, the prospect of such important tasks would have pleased Darion. They were worthwhile challenges and, when he succeeded, it would help him rise through the ranks. Still, just for a while longer, he’d wanted to keep the war at bay. He’d wanted to enjoy his reconciliation with Tolrek. However, the massive agendas of two nations were preventing him from having what he wanted.
“You don’t have to look so bloodthirsty,” he commented drily to Tolrek.
“Cheer up. Don’t be petulant.” The rebel slid him a saucy grin. “There’ll be plenty of time for me to love you.”
Despite feeling somewhat annoyed with Tolrek’s lack of concern, one corner of Darion’s mouth twitched with amusement.
They finished dressing and walked out to their cars, with Najrina following. She sniffed the air and bumped against Tolrek numerous times, knowing that things were no longer calm.
“Be careful, Tol,” Darion said, his words full of feeling.
“I want to come back to you D,” Tolrek responded. “So, I won’t take unnecessary risks. I promise.”
Tolrek gave Darion a quick kiss. Then, his face became serious and the frightful, uncompromising veil of an Elite Krezka pilot descended.
Read Vaironian Tides, Chapter 26
