chapter thirty six of e/l featherstorm [working title], enemies/lovers convexian heroverse shenanigans co-authored by @varanere00 and myself cozy chats, cozy banging. enjoy!
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"Sleepy bird." Cub comments fondly, as Ari's peeping snores full the room.
"Yes. Comfy-cozy." Neit watches them with the most besotted smile on his face, his second falafel sandwich in hand.
“Trapped us here.” Cub also notes, amused. After all their chasing him, a simple nap is more effective than any of it. Not that he minds any.
"A trustful birdy." Neit stuffs the last bite of his sandwich in his mouth. That could have been two bites, but oh well. Cub simply averts his eyes, and grabs the smoothie so he has it on hand when Neit inevitably waves for it.
"He does look more comfortable." Cub can hardly fathom the night and day difference. The same Ari who had been too terrified to even let Neit nap while Cub was nearby, now contentedly peeping his snores across their laps. Without even being exhausted out of his mind, first.
Chugging the handed off smoothie, Neit sorts himself out. "Thanks."
"You want some chips as a treat?" Cub makes a calculated offer.
"Treat?" Neit perks up. "I have been very good." Truly astounding, how some simple framing can change Neit's entire mood about food.
"Yes, chips are a treat. Here." Cub passes over one of the bags. "And good Neits get treats."
"I get treats!" Neit snatches up the chips, tossing them in the air to gleefully catch a few times. By the time he's done with that, Neit manages to pop the seal on the bag while holding it upside down, not caring at all as he covetously crunches on his chips. "Tasty treat~"
"I oughta look into getting you more treats. Isn't that what pet owners do? Keep treats on hand for their darlings?" Cub muses, building on the earlier pet joke.
"Pocket kibble." Neit giggles. "Do I get to eat it right from your hand?"
"Why not. I'll get something that's okay to touch. How are you with fruit gummies?" Those are usually okay on his skin, and if they get eaten quick Cub doesn't need gloves. Only issue might be if Neit slobbers on him, but Cub figures he can just wash his hands after if that happens.
Neit bops his head side to side, before nodding. "Fruit gummies are good treats. But they might get stolen."
"Treats can be for both my lovely pets. Just means I have to get more. Unless you have a treat suggestion that's easy to carry around in pockets?" Cub can't think of anything off the top of his head.
"Hm, most of the easy carry stuff I know is at risk of crime anyway, so more gummies is good." Neit leans into Cub's side, despite his own motion making him hiss.
"Good. I'll get a selection. How's your back?" Cub reaches over to scritch Neit's scalp, not wanting to further aggravate his back.
"Hurts a lot. More when I move. Nothin' feels wrong, though." Neit wiggles in place, biting his lip to keep quiet.
"The salve should take care of the worst of it by tomorrow. Do you want a painkiller for now? Help take the edge off?" Cub offers. He put the ibuprofen in the medical drawer in here when straightening up, just an arm's length away.
"Nah, I want to feel it. Maybe before sleepin' if it gets worse before it gets better." Neit shrugs off the offer. "Did you have fun?"
"Every chance I get to have you is an unforgettable experience. Finish your treat, then you can have your dessert." Cub nudges, pressing a kiss to the least crumby part of Neit's face.
"Aw shucks, you're gonna go makin' me blush." Neit rubs at his own cheek. Rather than say more, though, he upends the entire rest of the bag into his mouth, somehow without spilling any.
Cub accepts the empty chip bag without a word from the still-chewing Neit, handing over the container of four rainbow sparkle cupcakes in return.
Neit gasps, rapidly swallowing so he can coo over the sparkly confections. "Dessert treats, colorful treats~" Cub could almost begin to wonder if he's going to eat them at all.
"Two of them are for you." He informs Neit. "One is for Ari, and one is for me. We need treats too."
Neit nods solemnly. "Treats are very important." He looks around, grabbing for a set of plates Ari had set aside. Neatly, he portions out the cupcakes, one onto a plate set aside, one on a plate with a fork, handed back to Cub, and the remaining two staying in the container.
"Enjoy!" Cub gives a toast with his plate, before digging his fork in for the first bite. Not only do these cupcakes glitter in the colors of the rainbow, they also hide a gelatinous raspberry filling. A rather common filling, by Cub's measure.
Neit bites right into his first cupcake, glitter and frosting smearing his cheek. Muffled delight sounds, leading to him pulling back with red-stained lips. “Bloodcake!”
Ari snuffles and twitches.
“Shh, no, shh, only good blood. No ouches, only treats.” Neit babbles to Ari.
That must settle Ari, what with him cuddling back into Cub's legs. Cub pets Ari's hair very carefully, getting contented chirps. To be allowed to touch- Cub can still hardly believe Ari allows occasional touches to his wings from Cub.
Even in a medical context, Cub had expected Ari to kick up way more fuss. Not for him to just take it because 'whatever, it's medical'.
And the two times he's actually been allowed to pet Ari's wings? Well, those had decidedly not been medical circumstances.
Cub doesn't know how Ari stands not having the night sky strewn all over his wings all the time, when that's an option. Cub could trace the stellar paths on his feathers for hours, if allowed.
He's so grateful for what time he was given.
Somehow, Neit's impossible claims of Ari warming up look more and more realistic by the day.
"Got some big thinky thoughts in there." Neit gently taps the forehead of Cub's mask with his clean finger.
"Just... ruminating on trust." Cub makes some sort of gesture down at the sleeping Ari.
"Past the winter, past the frost, to bloom. No longer nearly so fragile." Neit traces his hand down Cub's mask.
"It really is growing in." Cub agrees.
"Laying down roots, spreading branches." Neit twirls a lock of Cub's hair. "He's so curious about you."
"That goes both ways." Cub chuckles quietly, taking another bite of his cupcake.
Neit swipes one single sprinkle from Cub's cupcake, before carrying on with eating his own. "Big heads, full of questions."
"You can't tell me you're not curious." Cub counters.
"Of course I wanna know all the everything about you. I just don't have big fancy thoughts about it." Neit taps Cub's nose.
"Everything, huh?" Cub smiles at Neit. "I want to know everything about you, too."
Neit fixes Cub with a look, unreadable but not outright upset. "I think you might, actually."
"I do." Cub insists. "I don't think there's anything you could tell me that would make me like you any less." Unless maybe he's been married this whole time and had been cheating on his partner. That, perhaps. Communication is important, after all.
Doc always says that, and Cub respects his opinion.
"Don't tempt me with an anything. I'm sure there's a dealbreaker, there always is." Neit muses. "I just have to roll those dice."
"Unlikely. Unless you're secretly a genocidal maniac hellbent on destroying the city?" Cub teases.
That look, at least, Cub recognizes, the bright flash of possessiveness that scrunches Neit's eyes. "My city, no one's allowed to destroy it." He leans himself harder into Cub. "But that's my point, right? There's always unlesses."
"You may have a point. Though I estimate that the chance of hitting any 'unless' that would have me liking you less is so improbable as to be negligible. As my example proved." Cub reasons.
"A vanishingly small chance is still a chance. Wouldn't I know it?" Neit grins, lopsided in ruefulness.
"I do know that you don't have some sort of infectious disease, so I'll take those chances." Cub answers Neit's grin with a genuine smile.
"If I did, it'd sure already be all up inside you good." Neit chuckles. "Lucky for you, this doesn't spread." Neit's toes wiggle.
"I did test you the first few times I kidnapped you." Cub admits. "Just to be sure. Nothing infectious."
"Studying me in your lab. All that extra tube time." A nod.
"It was actually a blood draw, done while you were unconscious." Cub explains. "Though I do greatly enjoy having you in my lab too. My perfect specimen."
Cub never tires of watching the way the dark pupil of Neit's eyes eats up the green, moan sweet on his lips. "Yours. Your specimen." The words come out with an almost-drunk lilt to them.
"Yes. Mine." Cub pulls Neit in, giving him a quick peck on icing-stained lips. "Now finish your dessert, my specimen."
"Yes, mister smartiepants scienceman." Neit chirps his words brightly, tucking in with eager abandon to the remaining cupcake like it's a vanishing trick.
A messy one. Neit's got frosting on his cheeks, crumbs on his fingers, and filling on his lips.
If Cub were still a cat, Cub might be tempted to lick him clean.
Alas, his felinid transformation has expired, so he reaches for the box of wipes he put in the nightstand instead, setting aside his own perfectly cleaned off empty plate to have a hand free.
Neit's mrpt when Cub takes his hand could almost make Cub wonder if something of the felinid transformation lingers in Neit, if Cub hadn't seen the scan for himself. Somehow, none of the crumbs Cub cleans end up in the nest blankets at all, which he'd expected to be a much more difficult task than it actually was.
"Thank you, sir." Neit trills, lips freshly cleaned.
"Good Neit." Cub pats Neit's head, and gives his nose a quick kiss.
Which gets Cub a fresh flurry of kisses all over his face, as if Neit were starving for them. ...had Neit been holding back on those, while his lips were messied? Cub's chest does that warm thing again, pleasant and odd.
Best thing to do is that catch Neit in a slow, soft kiss. Nothing rushed, nothing heated. Just existing together, one hand tangled in the back of Neit's hair, the other petting the still-snoozing Ari in his lap.
Everything Cub could ask for in a lazy afternoon. Quiet comfort, the leisure to explore the familiar shapes of Hotguy's body. Of Ari's puffs of hair. Neit's fingers find every bruise on Cub's legs, tracing the shape of each.
Cub knows he ought put some bruise cream on those. Kickstart the breakdown of the hemoglobin. However, he finds himself reluctant. They're all in easily covered places, so why not keep them for as long as they'll stay?
He can indulge in that much, when the sore ache of each one is a gift from the Hero he's fought so hard to be worthy of being claimed by. A reminder of the memory of Hotguy pinning him to the mats and taking him with complete abandon, with driving dominance.
Cub would very much like this to be a replicable experience.
"Neit?" Cub asks between kisses. "Do you think more spars with the Hero will be possible? Or do you need more time to think?"
“Like, now?” Neit tips his head, taking advantage of the angle to press kisses to the corner of Cub’s lips.
"No. Not now. Not today. More like next time you come over." Today would be... ambitious, and tomorrow no better.
“So, before shots?” Pressing their foreheads together, Neit breathes Cub’s air.
"Possibly. Though that is likely to be more of a real fight than a spar." Not that Cub plans to do much fighting. A trap will be much more effective. Could he get Hotguy to take the elevator?
“A real fight and a spar are different things.” Neit muses agreeably. “Even after losing so soundly, you want to get your butt kicked in fair fights again?”
"Of course I want to have more fair fight spars with you. And the Hero. If I don't, how will I learn?"
"Aw, you want to spar with me, too?" Neit giggles. "I think the Hero could be persuaded to give you some practical lessons."
"Why wouldn't I spar you? I'm sure that would be fun." Cub kisses Neit again. "The Hero was rather... physical about the sparring, yes."
"Throwing you around is very fun." Neit nibbles on Cub's lips, eyes adorably crinkled. "I'll admit, I did think you were being overly optimistic, preparing yourself beforehand. Endless surprises, you are."
"If the Hero hadn't made use of me, I would have ridden you after calling you back. I was getting worked up any which way. Any which way." Cub shrugs.
"You were gorgeous in your devoted lust." Neit hums. "I might have to take you up on that ride at some point."
"That eager to fuck me?" Cub chuckles.
"Yes!" Neit declares, his grin utterly shameless. "You're delectable as you fall apart in pleasure."
"So are you." Cub drags his fingers over Neit's back with light pressure, watching him hiss and squirm.
Neit's hand comes up to the front of Cub's shoulder, digging in exactly where he'd torn Cub open. "Is it pleasure you're thinking of, or pain?" The words come breathless in Neit's strain.
"Where's the difference?" Cub asks. "Both make us fall apart in ecstasy."
"Of course you get it. What a wonder you are." Neit nuzzles his cheek against Cub's, trilling wonder and adoration.
Cub risks trilling admiration back. Neit isn't an avian, but given how he often vocalizes, he might as well be.
Neit's expression lights up, his trills shifting to delight. "We'll make a birdie of you yet~" More kisses, along Cub's jawline.
"What if I'd rather be a kitty?" Cub asks, just for the sake of it.
"My precious Vixty~ Then I'd love you and cuddle you and love you and give you so many treats." Neit wiggles, gasping at his own movements.
"You are rather enthused by the idea of your 'Vixty'." Cub hadn't necessarily been planning to take the renewed felinid transformation himself, but that thought isn't set in stone. If Neit wants Cub to try it, Cub's open to the dalliance.
"You were so cute! Illegally adorable, with your cutie patootie ears and tail and pouncing. I don't even know how you fit so much more cute in your you than normal!" Neit rambles, bright and bouncing. "And your purring, so good. If you'd rather be a kitty, I'd happily have you as my pet."
"I might be able to stand being a kitty for a little while. Sometimes. On occasion." Cub relents.
"We'll pamper you so good, you'll see. But! You can also be a birdie, too." Neit grins.
"I'll stick to fae, most of the time. Possibly bird-adjacent fae." Cub ruffles Neit's hair.
"World's first faebirdkitty. Only one in existence, one-of-a-kind. And all mine." Neit bumps his head into Cub's hand.
"All yours regardless of species." Really, technically Cub is still human. An augmented human, but human nonetheless.
"All mine in every form you take." Neit nods firmly.
From Cub's lap, a large yawn into stretching wings interrupt them, flapping all over.
"Don't you two know how to-" Ari breaks for another jaw-cracking yawn. "-shut up when someone's trying to nap?" Somehow, he's clipped both of them with his wings multiple times before he snuggles back down.
"Nope! Just like you like." Neit runs his hands down the settled wings. "All the good flock-chattery."
"Mhm. Sure." Ari cracks one eye open to blink at Neit. "I smell sugar. Who gave you sugar? What have you two scallywags been up to?"
"Treats!" Neit reaches blindly, presenting the plate with the remaining cupcake to Ari. "Tasty good bloodsparkle cake."
"You also have the second half of your sandwich and some soda left, if you prefer to eat that first." Cub offers.
"Gimme that." Ari snatches up the cupcake plate in greedy claws. Instead of digging in, though, he investigates, removing a chunk to poke his claw at the filling.
Suspicious sniffs, followed by a quick lick of his claw. Over the top noises of consideration, before Ari relents, popping the broken off chunk in his mouth and chewing.
"Mm, I guess they're okay." He mutters around his mouthful.
"You and Vexy need treats, too." Neit echoes as he runs his fingers through the feathers of Ari's wings, pulling content little chirrs out of Ari in between bites of cake.
Soon, the entire cupcake is gone, gobbled up in sharp little bites.
Cub already has the plate with the sandwich ready to hand off in exchange for the empty cupcake plate. Ari trills a small gratitude, before tearing into the sandwich as well. Similarly, Neit has Ari's soda ready to press into his fingers at the first searching grasps.
Ari must use quite a bit of energy, between flying and shapeshifting, to be so singlemindedly ravenous. That would also explain the nap, layering multiple varieties of recharging.
Neit's hand finds Cub's hair, petting and ruffling. "Excellent Ari care."
"Ari care is important." Cub agrees, leaning in.
"Super duper important." Neit trills his contentedness.
"Are you two still on about this pet stuff?" Ari rolls his eyes.
"Why wouldn't we be? With such a gorgeous pet here for us?" Neit purrs, lifting one of Ari's wings to press kisses to each feather.
"Mm, I don't see one." Ari relaxes his wing into Neit's affections.
"Dunno what you mean, I see two." Cub hands over the last of the chips.
"The only thing I see two of is huge loser dorks." Ari steals Cub's hand instead of the chips, nipping at his fingers.
"Our loser-dork!" Neit giggles into feathers.
"Mine now, you've had too much of his time." Ari drapes himself all over Cub, dishes set aside in favor of squishing and squeezing.
"No! How shall I survive?" Neit dramatically falls backward onto the nest wall, the whole effect ruined by his hiss as his back collides none to gently with the cushionery.
"Suffer." Ari batters Neit playfully with his wings, not even turning to look at the whining behind him.
"I have been abandoned! Left to perish!" Neit mock-wails through Ari's bashing.
"Man, I don't hear anything at all, do you, Vex?" Ari nuzzles into Cub's neck.
"Must- must be the wind?" Cub tries to play along.
"Mhm, rather noisy wind." He must be doing something right, given that Ari agrees readily. "A real problem, that."
"Y-yeah." Cub agrees, his words shaken by Ari's nipping along his neck.
"So inconsiderate of it. Good thing I'm well-equipped to block any wind." Ari bundles his wings forward around the two of them.
"Good- good thing, yeah. Real good." Cub can feel himself stiffening, his own wings tucking in tight to avoid accidentally brushing against Ari's lovely wings. No matter how alluring that soft warmth is.
Ari pauses, an uncertainty coming over his expression. Despite no forthcoming words, a soft chirp of confusion-concern does make itself known.
"I don't want to accidentally touch your wings, prettiest Ari." Ever so carefully, Cub lifts an arm, brushing the backs of his fingers against Ari's cheek.
Ari nuzzles into Cub's touch. "You don't have to be so..." A struggle for his words. "Uncomfortable, about it."
"How else am I meant to avoid accidental brushes?" Cub asks.
"Is that so bad? So undesirable?" Ari's dark eyes blink up at Cub, wings wilting faintly back from Cub.
"That depends. On you. If I were allowed, I'd pet and preen you all day." Cub hazards words in earnest rawness.
Ari croons something soft and- That can't be longing, can it? Before Cub can be certain, Ari looks to the side. "Make him understand." A demand of their audience, keen green eyes trained on the pair of them.
"Aw, you're gettin' there." Neit purrs, slipping a hand under Ari's wing to glide over Cub's. "Our birdy's not made of spun glass, Vex. He can handle a few accidental brushes." Neit croons.
"How much is too much?" Cub murmurs, words that make Neit's face do something complex. But, 'a few' is such an unquantified amount. Where's the line?
"Not normal accidental touches." Neit nods definitively.
"What constitutes the difference between a normal accidental touch and an abnormal accidental touch?" Cub asks, trying to wrap his head around the idea.
"Oh my god, this was a mistake." Ari mutters into Cub's shoulder.
"You overthinking it, for one." Neit flicks the forehead of Cub's mask. "Stop stressing so much over this."
"How could I not care about potentially hurting Ari with my actions?" Cub thinks he's doing a very reasonable amount of thinking for the topic at hand, actually.
"Unless you like. Fall on and yank the feathers, it's not a harm. Not even a hurt." Neit explains.
Ari shrink down with a shiver, wings twitching faintly.
"I won't- I wouldn't. I can catch myself with my powers." Cub would swear Ari pulls back further- "The flying powers." Cub quickly clarifies.
"Right, yeah. Those." Ari rubs the pads of his fingers together, tapping back and forth. Something awkward lingers in the air, giving Cub the sinking feeling that he has somehow killed the moment. A talent of his.
"Do you... want a hug?" Cub hazards, cautiously. Hugs are a proven comfort method, after all.
"Sure." Ari sighs. Where he goes inside his head when he's like this, Cub can only speculate.
What Cub does know is that Ari melts into his arms, held tight and safe and warm. Soft trills muffled beyond recognition in Cub's shoulder. Neit wraps himself around them both from the side, extra solid warmth, chirping notes of safety and comfort.
The time passes smoothly, just holding each other.
Before Cub can think of anything to break the quiet, Neit starts tugging at them both. "C'mon."
Since Ari makes no motion to get up and move, Cub holds Ari close as he makes them both light enough for Neit to pull along. They end up stuffed into the couch nest, with Neit commandeering the movie selection tablet.
The sound of spaceship swooshing and some kind of narration rises up around them. Ari's wings relax as Ari nuzzles more into Cub again. "Coldpillow." He spreads his wings more blanketlike over the two of them.
"I'll look into a couch charger, if you want." Cub murmurs.
Ari peeks up at him. "Do you want it?"
"I'm not opposed. Being on a charger is comfortable. Like a hot bath." Cub smooths a hand down Ari's flank.
"Maybe one you can turn on and off." Ari trills, pure melody without meaning.
"Worst case, it could just be unplugged." Cub shrugs. Beside them, Neit yells at the TV, where there's some sort of urban laser gun fight going on. Why vintage mobsters would have laser rifles is beyond Cub.
"Good thing." Ari runs his palms over the panes of one of Cub's wings. He pays Neit no mind, even while stretching a wing out to poke their noisy compatriot.
Bringing his own wing forward, Cub splays the panels, giving Ari better access. To explore each and every nook and cranny. Cub no longer has to concern himself that Ari might find anything obviously mechanical.
“Still hard to believe you made these.” Ari dips in close, giving a kitten lick to the flat plane of Cub’s wing.
"More than just these. I can show you the process sometime, if you want." Not the actual blueprints, but the way he handles the crystals.
“I want to see.” Ari’s hands don’t stop moving, exploring every presented bit of wing, even clacking Ari’s cherry against the surface.
"We'll find the time." Cub promises. "Though I don't currently have any Vex wings in the works."
“What wings do you have in the works? Do you make them for other people?” Ari rests his face on Cub, fingers still tracing around the jointed middle segment of Cub’s wing. Neit perks to attention, even though he doesn’t look at them.
"Just for me. I know of no one else who has artificial wings like mine. As for what wings, I'm tinkering with a new type of wing, a more... feathered look."
Ari squeaks out a jumble of sound Cub can make neither heads nor tails of, but which has Neit turning to them with a grin, attention fully off the screen now. Ari's aural wings obscure his expression before Cub can get a good read on it.
"Birdy Vexy!" Neit cheers, elbowing Ari.
Ari smacks one wing repeatedly at Neit, the other flapping and fluttering. “That’s. Nice.” Ari’s voice cracks up an octave.
"I figured you might appreciate." Cub hums. He's been experimenting with the feathered look for years now, never quite getting it to work properly. Maybe this will be the one, now that he he can directly study to take inspired reference both Skizz's and Ari's wings.
With another strangled noise, Ari hides his face in Cub’s chest.
“Aw, adorable. Good job murdering him, Vexy~” Neit snickers.
"That was not my intention. Is that... good?" Cub asks, concerned.
"It's great!" Neit cheers, pinching Cub's cheek. "Just look at him, ain't that the most precious thing you've seen?"
"He is adorable." Cub has to agree.
"If he's like this now, imagine how dead he'll be when you have your fancy, feathery wings!" Neit continues cackling, bright and eager.
"That will take a while. If this iteration actually works." Cub hums.
"You and your many projects. Never running out of stuff to do." Neit nuzzles his cheek to Cub's.
"Plenty of things. Including you." Cub nips at Neit.
"Including me!" Neit grins, sunshine that could swallow Cub whole. "And including Ari~" He adds, slyly.
"Of course. Doing both of you is very important." Cub nods.
Ari writhes and kicks his feet into the nest.
"The most important! And, I dunno about you, but this bird is looking mighty unfucked right now." Neit carries on blithely.
"I do owe him a proper breaking over the kitchen table." Cub muses. He pets Ari's flank again.
"You're already a good way to breaking, might as well finish him off." Neit nods.
Ari shivers, pressing into Cub's touch.
"Might as well." Cub agrees, slipping his fingers under Ari's shirt.
Heated skin greets Cub, flexing muscles shifting under his fingers without pulling away. "Y'll n'ver break me." Ari makes an attempt of putting some force into his voice.
"We won't know until we try, will we?" Cub poses, popping open the wing closures on Ari's shirt.
Neit pulls Ari’s wings out of the way for Cub to finish divesting Ari of his shirt.
“Is that the kind of prize you would want? Trying?” Ari’s head still sounds entirely too full of thoughts.
A contagious condition. "Prize?" Cub frowns. "Did you want me to claim you as my prize?"
Ari rubs the back of his claw over Cub's shirt, back and forth. "If you were to claim a prize, is that one you would want?" He asks, instead of answering.
"Is this theoretical prize for something?" Cub asks.
"Say, hypothetically, if you did something particularly Good." Ari's tone shifts to make the capital-G Good crystal clear.
"Hypothetically, I may have done a thing or two that at first glance can qualify as 'Good'." Cub agrees. A true statement, especially if one considers his civilian work as well.
"At first glance?" Ari quirks an eyebrow, finally looking at Cub.
"I usually do them for selfish reasons." Cub shrugs. Why would he be bothered or ashamed to admit? If his personal goals to make his city nicer to live in for himself also benefits others as well, that's a bonus.
"Does the reason matter, if you still do it? If you still save lives?" Ari rests his cheek on Cub's chest, over Cub's heart.
"Does intent matter?" Cub counters.
"The intent wasn't ill, that part matters. But the rest of it is action and effect." Ari kneads at Cub's hip.
"Sure." Cub decides to just go with it. "So I've done this hypothetical 'Good' thing. What about it?"
"It would be wrong-" Ari shakes his head, tries again. "It would be unbalanced, for that to go by without... anything. Any fanfare, or, like. Reward. Prize."
"What do you suggest, prettiest Ari?" Both hands on Ari's hips, Cub rubs calming circles into the skin.
"Do you want me, as your prize?" Ari's gaze is steeled when he looks at Cub again.
Neit's hands rub down the middle of Ari's back, over and over again.
"You are a most excellent prize, my courted." Surely this is the right moment for Cub to say that. "So the 'Good' thing I did isn't so hypothetical?"
"I didn't say that." Ari protests, aural wings fluttering between covering his face and tucking back into his hair.
"You didn't have to." Neit snorts.
"Indeed." Cub agrees. "You did not have to. Will you tell me what I did?"
"As if you've forgotten!" Ari pounds the side of a fist against Cub's chest, not hard enough to really do the kind of damage Cub knows Ari can.
"If you don't tell me what, I can't tell you whether I've forgotten." Cub reasons, pressing a kiss to Ari's cheek.
"You're just trying to make me say it." Ari protests. Which. Seems a bit redundant.
"Gonna turn into a guessing game at this rate." Neit hums lightly. Ari shoots him a glare.
"I genuinely do not know what you are referring to, my courted." The more he uses it, the more natural the trill feels on Cub's tongue. "So please, if you would be so kind as to tell me, that would really help me out."
"That's- That doesn't make any sense. You saved the whole city. You can't just. Forget about that." Ari trills courted softly, under his breath. Cub's not even sure Ari's noticed himself doing so.
"I certainly have not forgotten doing so, no." In fact, the entire ordeal, from finding Ari to collapsing in bed that night, remains etched into Cub's mind. "I was simply not aware that that was what you were referring to. Thank you for clearing that up, my courted." Cub tops the whole thing off with another lingering kiss to Ari's cheek.
"You exhausted yourself, coming back half-dead reeking of smoky destruction." Ari murmurs. "All for no gratitude, no acclaim."
"I did keep the city from being drowned. A state I very much prefer it in, on account of being one of the people that live here." Cub counters. Sure, Ari may be somewhat correct, with the exhaustion and smell, but that doesn't mean Cub didn't get anything out of the whole ordeal. His home staying livably intact is rather high on Cub's priorities.
“That’s so little.” Ari sighs.
Neit huffs a wry laugh. “It’s true. You could have angled for far more from the city for your service. Call it payment, or call it blackmail.” He shrugs. “You’d have had all the negotiating power.”
"You'd know a thing or two about that, wouldn't you?" Cub's lips twist into an amused smile. "I've seen you handle demanding villains. Though I do wonder, if you'd handle me the same, here and now."
“How I’d handle you depends on how reasonable your demands are, now doesn’t it?” Sharp eyes watch Cub. “And how well you handle poorly expressed gratitude.” Neit smirks.
"Poorly expressed gratitude?" Cub tips his head to the side.
Neit's gaze slides to Ari, before locking solidly back onto Cub. "Sounds to me like someone's using a lot of needlessly complicated bullcrap to talk you in circles without ever actually landing on the point, his gratitude. Like he's already forgotten that you need things spelled out." Confident amusement plays around Neit's lips.
"Oh?" Cub turns his attention to Ari. "So this is you trying to express your gratitude?" He purrs, sliding his hands around to get a solid grope of Ari's ass.
"Well. Someone ought to." Ari huffs, wiggling his butt into Cub's hands.
"And you want that someone to be you." Neit quips.
"If that's what you want, then offer it to me. Courted-mine." Cub challenges. The variant chirp rolls a tad clunky off his lips, but he's following his feeling here.
Faltering, hesitant, Ari sings out a sweet gratitude, lifting his wings up and out to present himself, ready for the taking. An offering, without words.
"What are you grateful for, prettiest Ari?" Cub prys, running his hands over Ari's body appreciatively.
"Well, for keeping this idiot from having the opportunity to throw himself into the heart of the deathstorm, for one." Ari kicks at Neit, who just catches Ari's ankle in a sharp grip, chuckling.
"Mmh, you're welcome." Cub presses a kiss to the corner of Ari's mouth.
Neit motion with Ari's leg leaves Ari jolting into Cub. "And! My- You weren't- Your wing care wasn't bed." Ari rushes to add, squirming between them.
"I did research. And practice. Just for you." Cub's hands continue roaming Ari's body, learning the shape of him at Cub's leisure.
Ari croons with needy desire, rustling his wings at Cub. The sound slides into a soft moan. "You can't just be good at taking care of both of us-"
"Ah, ah, ah~" Neit chides, clicking his tongue. "Gratitude, remember?"
"I want to take care of you. Both of you. To the very best of my ability." Cub affirms.
Ari forces his voice steady, quivering even as he defiantly juts his chin. "You've... done a world of good, for Neit. And you- You kept my wings safe."
"Of course. No harm shall come to you while I can prevent it." Scooping Ari up wholesale, Cub makes his way to the kitchen, getting to work divesting Ari of his clothes as they go.
Even and businesslike steps speak of Neit following along behind them.
Ari helps with shedding his own panties, revealing the soft curve of his dick. Almost human, today, not the full tentacle Cub has seen before.
"Are you my reward for my good deeds, my good care, my courted? Shall I ravish you?" Cub asks, sitting Ari on the table and taking a step back.
"A fine gift, isn't he?" Neit takes a chair, pulling it to the side so he has a clear view of Ari and Cub both.
An aurora of Cub's chosen Vex-blue ripples through the pink feathers, as Ari re-spreads them for Cub's viewing. Little pinpricks of constellations twinkle through the colors. "Take me." Ari's words hold firm, his void-dark eyes meeting Cub's.
"That would be my pleasure." Stepping between Ari's legs, Cub slides his palms up Ari's thighs.
Tiny feathers, soft as fur, ruffle into existence under Cub's fingers, lining Ari's thighs in a blush of color. Ari's dick stirs, giving a few twitches. "Hopefully, mine too."
"That's the plan." Cub drops to his knees, nosing Ari's dick.
A chirp of surprise, followed by Ari's hand settling in Cub's hair, petting. His legs slide more widely open, inviting Cub closer.
Instead of sucking Ari into his mouth, Cub noses Ari's balls aside to lick at Ari's presented hole.
Tightening of fingers in Cub’s hair, accompanied by a gasp that shivers into a moan. Ari’s feet twist around to rest on Cub’s back, tiny pinpricks of talons flexing into Cub's shoulders.
With Ari's approval, Cub digs in, set on devouring Ari's remarkably clean hole.
Ari rides out Cub’s licks and thrusts of tongue with little tugs of hair and clenches of his legs, keeping Cub close. Cub could ask no more of Ari’s auditory feedback to Cub’s performance, swoops and trills allowing Cub to refine and personalize his techniques.
Eventually, Cub gets around to adding fingers to his tonguing. Opening Ari up slowly.
He's fully aware he doesn't need to. That Ari could just have his body adapt to whatever Cub wanted to put in him.
But Cub wants to take the time to do this, to put in the effort for Ari. Preparation as its own sort of ritual, its own sort of anticipation. To let Ari know that Cub won't take shortcuts with him.
And, selfishly, for Cub to get to savor the moment. To hold this gift close, and make the most of every second of Ari willingly offering himself up.
Three fingers, worked in slowly and thoroughly should be enough stretching though. Just the right time for Cub to click open the lube bottle he'd pocketed from the couch. Changing the attentions of his mouth from Ari's hole to Ari's weeping dick as he works plenty of lube into Ari.
“There’s something so you about being a service top.” Ari’s voice wavers despite his clear attempts to hold steady. Even his hips tremble, half-aborted attempts to thrust into Cub’s mouth. Thrusts Cub encourages. He wants Ari to cum first, before even beginning to fucking Ari in earnest.
Confusion colors Ari’s trills and whimpers. “Sadistic.” A single gasped word as blunt talons curl harder into Cub’s back.
Popping off Ari's dick, Cub takes a moment to speak. "Always. Now be a good bird and cum for me." Back down he goes, swallowing Ari to the root as his fingers dig into what must be either Ari's prostate or a shifted analog. Either way, massaging the cluster of nerves pulls little whimpers and moans of pleasure out of Ari.
Exactly one minute on the dot, before the struggling thrusts of Ari's hips finally smooth out, following the beat of Cub's fingers inside Ari. Merely moments later Ari spills into Cub's mouth, oddly sweet and... Cotton candy flavored?
Swallowing, Cub works Ari through it, keeping the motions of his mouth and fingers steady.
Once Ari is past the brunt, however, Cub wraps him in a flip-ready gravity field, pulling off Ari's dick as he does.
Rotation completed smoothly, Ari's wings beat once before he settles, letting out a breath and relaxing. From there, Ari readily leans down to brace his forearms on the table. With one cheeky wiggle of his behind to Cub, of course.
Who takes Ari up on that challenge, fishing out his achingly hard dick to smear yet more lube onto it as well, before sinking himself into Ari's welcoming hole. Warm, wet bliss surrounds Cub, calling him to close his eyes and enjoy it. Roll his hips in that steady, slow tempo that drags against all of Ari's sensitive spots at once.
Faintly ragged breath to the side steals a fraction of Cub's attention, gifting him the sight of Neit, palming himself through his pants while watching them, enraptured.
As nice as that sight is, though, Cub has an Ari to focus on right now. Getting himself a grip on lightly feathered hips, Cub encourages Ari rocking back into his thrusts, until Ari's eagerly following through with high trills of pleasure.
Cub meets each rock of Ari's hips with a thrust of his own. Running Ari directly into keening overstimulation.
Ari's wings melt down to drape across the table, feathers splaying out in a messy display of twinkling blues and pinks set against the grain of the table. Cub has no space in his brain to name feather types, only to appreciate the kaleidoscope of colors and shifting shapes as he keeps up the sharp pace of his thrusting.
And really, what is working out for, if not to be able to do who and what Cub enjoys for longer? His hard-won stamina pays off, with Ari tightening to heralding incoming orgasm around him.
Cub fucks Ari right through that peak, Ari writhing and rearing up under him, wings flapping in hoarsely shouted pleasure.
The dribbling splat gets a faint 'tsk' from beside them, but Cub's too wrapped up in the flurry of wings and tiny, loose feathers to have eyes for anything but Ari in this moment.
"Rather pretty in your pleasure." Cub chuckles, more breathless than he thought he'd be, smoothing a hand up Ari's side.
"Guuuuh..." Ari moans, face smooshed into the table. Surely Cub can wring at least one more from him. Treat him to Lizzie's minimum standards. Cub did promise to fuck him until he's drooling on the table, after all.
Cub adjusts his angle, dragging the ball of his piercing all along Ari's walls. A cock ring might be nice, but Cub's confident that he's got this.
What Cub also has now, is Ari's dick in hand, giving lazy strokes that send Ari's moans and trills right back up into keens bordering on pain. Still, as long as Ari's meeting Cub's thrusts, humping eagerly into his touch, Cub files that under 'good pain', worth carrying on with.
Turns out Ari can take pain, not only dish it out.
A laugh escapes Cub. "Never thought I'd fuck Ariana." Can't say he minds this new song at all, though.
Color riots across Ari's wings in response, along with a garbled answer that doesn't try very hard to be words. With how much Ari has been shifting, he's going to need a snack after.
Good thing they're in the kitchen. That is the snackiest place in the ConCave, despite Cub's recent snack stash installations. Super convenient.
Cub blinks down at his own arm, watching the color on it shimmer and glide, a colorshow of his own rising to meet Ari's. Ari feels so warm and singing-sweet around him, but even more cherished than that is how this is one more piece of proof that Ari truly is opening up to him.
Caught up in his musings, Cub hadn't noticed Ari's grunts getting more intentional, more rhythmic. Using what little coordination he has left, Ari throws himself into Cub's thrusts, aiming for a specific spot that makes his whole body jump and twitch in too much when hit.
No reason for Cub not to indulge, pinning Ari firmly back to the table and driving into that kindly revealed spot all of his own power and volition. Faster, even, giving Ari no time to rest or come down between jolts twisting his body around in writing that only grinds more of Ari's warmth into Cub.
Still Cub manages a good number of thrusts before Ari again stiffens under him, cumming with curling fingers and silent screams in fragmented, convulsive shakes. A shattering that just keeps going and going as Cub continues to nail that spot dead on, thrusts speeding up again to chase his own release.
"Ari-" Anything else Cub might have had to say is lost in a grunt, his climax sneaking up on him all too rapidly, now that he's not pushing it down anymore. Ari's muscles working him, Ari's moans thrumming through his ears. Truly, Cub could drown in Ari, making that effect all the more prominent by plastering himself to as much of Ari's back as he can, slow grinds of hips working himself through his orgasm until he can just melt appreciate the pressed-close heat.
Both of them lay sprawled across the table, panting harshly as they bask in the proximity.
"Which one of you was it being broken, again?" Neit's huskily amused voice drifts over to them.
"Not broken." Cub pants, amused. Under him, Ari makes a kind of gurgling noise through his own drool. Good.
"Certainly melted at the least." Neit argues, lazily.
"What can I say? Our prettiest Ari here is a most excellent lay." Cub chuckles, slowly regaining his breath.
"Thus the risk of being broken rather than breaking. He's wily like that." Neit traces the shape of them with his gaze.
Another garbled jumble of sound spills out of Ari, whose wings remain entirely splayed out.
"Sometimes." Neit concedes, with a tip of his head.
"Well worth the risk. Would you like some help with that?" Cub sort of nods over at Neit, who's still only palming himself through his pants.
"For someone who's supposed to be getting spoiled, you are awfully eager to serve." Neit slides his legs wider, fully displaying his grinding.
"I can move, if you'd rather fuck Ari. Break him a little more. I don't have to suck you off." Though Ari had been right earlier. Service top sounds about right for him, occasionally.
"I wouldn't want to show you up after that chromatic display." Neit shrugs, then rolls his shoulders. "After all, how could I turn down a charming villain on his knees begging to suck me off?"
"Sure thing. Give me a moment here." Pulling out of Ari, Cub beelines for the paper towels and sink to take care of the worst of the mess, wiping himself and Ari down efficiently. Stickiness mostly removed, Cub tucks himself away again, sinking to the floor between Neit's legs.
"Now that's a good look for you." Neit peers down at Cub, brushing the curled back of his fingers through the air, barely-not-touching Cub's cheek.
"So I've been told." Cub flashes Neit a cheeky Vex grin as he pulls Neit's dick out.
"Too bad for them, you look best when kneeling for me." Neit hums, his dick not quite as hard under Cub's fingers as Cub was expecting.
No matter, some time in Cub's mouth will fix that right up. Starting out with generous laves of his lips and tongue at the head, Cub peers up at Neit.
Neit traces the contours of Cub's mask with his fingertips. Cub would almost wonder if Neit's not enjoying himself, from his continued softness despite Cub's best efforts, but for the pleasant rasp of Neit's breathing. Cub knows that sound inside out, too well to even doubt.
Shuffling around a bit to get more comfortable, Cub gets into the sucking. He'll happily stay here for as long as Neit wants him.
"You're too sweet to me." Neit muses, after a while, fingers gliding back to pet through Cub's hair.
Mouth too full to answer with words, Cub simply hums around Neit, petting his thigh. His thoughts go pleasantly soft and fuzzy at the edges, as he kneels here for Neit.
Neit groans, half-chubbed in Cub's mouth. "I was right, this is such a good look on you."
"Guh. Hug. Gimme hug." Ari groans from behind them, where he's still sprawled across the table.
"Do speak up, Cuteguy." Neit calls, amused. "I couldn't quite hear you."
"Wha- Hotguy?" Curious chirps mix with scrabbling, then Ari drapes himself over Neit, poking his cheek with a claw. "Since when do you hero with the collar on? And this mask?"
Neit nips at Ari's poking finger. "Since I was invited in. Since it was important to do reconnaissance on how someone treats you. A disguise is a vital component of those missions."
"Invited, huh? Whoever did such a silly thing." Ari chews on Neit's shoulder.
"Hm, could it possibly be this sweet, worshiping devotee?" Neit ruffles Cub's hair, words flowing through Cub's brain to belatedly parse as the faint warmth of mild praise.
"Couldn't be." Ari hums. "So you gonna jizz in his mouth anytime soon, or can we move this to a nest? I require cuddles."
"Not soon, no." Neit sighs. "Needy thing. Got one taste of luxury and it's made you spoilt."
"Like it hasn't done the same to you, Mr. Whole Roasted Rabbit." Ari nips at Neit again.
"I could always cancel the order. I think a meal shake sounds great for dinner." Neit grins, sharp and jagged.
"Don't you dare. I'll hide your bow again." Ari threatens. "Come now. Nest time. You can have your pet warm you there."
"Oh no, I'd have to have my pet supply me a bow." Neit- Hotguy? snickers.
Cub doesn't know much, other than that the hand in his hair grips him firmly, sliding him back and away.
"Take us to bed." An order, ringing clear.
Nothing to it but to obey. Hotguy and Ari are easily scooped up into his arms, carried safely off to bed. Getting them all into the nest does require a modicum of flight.
"I could get used to that." Hotguy drags Cub down into the nest, sprawled across himself and Ari both. "Such a good, obedient pet." Even better, as Cub sinks into the mingled warmth of the charger and Hotguy's words, Hotguy takes Cub's chin, kissing his own taste off Cub's lips.
Sinking into the kiss, Cub's thoughts fuzz out fully. Nothing in his mind but the soft pressure of lips on his that he yields to. Hands rearrange him into the tucked cuddle of bodies, a wing drapes over him. Time blurs into nothing but molten sweetness, completely relaxed as he's kissed within an inch of his life, a warm, safe ocean to drift in complete relaxation on.
