Fan Fiction ❯ Carnival ❯ The Garden ( Chapter 1 )

One thing that had always disturbed Anslasax when he gave himself over to the recuperative embrace of the Druid Sleep was that he rarely dreamed. The ephemeral visions of Oneiros seldom penetrated the Sleep's coma-like trance, and when they did manage to creep into his forebrain, they often were fragile and fragmented, gossamer-thin visuals and empty flecks of unmeaning. This time, however, was different.

The Jester came to him in the middle of a beautiful, verdant garden, his skintight garments reflective of the vibrancy and color of the flora and fauna surrounding them both. The bells dangling from his headdress were now crystalline instead of obsidian, and his ebony flute was nowhere in sight. Gone also was the long-nosed white mask he usually wore; his face was that of a young man in his twenties, with high cheekbones and dimples that could have belonged to a child. In his eyes, however, the crimson flames of his chaotic mind burned brightly as ever. Anslasax found himself garbed in the regal robes of an elven noble from his ancestral homeworld, forest green with gold trim, silver jewelry adorning his fingers and throat. The Druid lay in the grass, the loam beneath as soft and yielding as any bed. The Jester crouched beside him, a bemused smile on his youthful face.

“What is this, Yatima? Am I dreaming? Or am I really here?”

The Jester shrugged expansively, apparently not minding his true name being spoken aloud. “As you asked, I have come to you. This is the Eden you keep in your own mind, the beauty you've always hoped you could one day touch. It is no dream; the garden here has as much substance as your mind wishes…as do I.” He extended a black-gloved hand to the other.

Anslasax took the outstretched hand, and they both rose to their feet, the Druid's dark eyes drinking in the view of his surroundings like a man dying of thirst. “This is…incredible.” He gave Yatima a doubting glance. “This is all inside me?”

The Jester nodded, still smiling. “Indeed. Most have a sanctuary of beauty inside them. Some are great castles of ivory; others have grand hallways filled with brilliant art as yet ungiven to canvas. But outside of ourselves, there is even more beauty to be found. Would you like to see it?”

“No,” said Anslasax, pulling the Jester to him. “Right now I just want you to stay here with me.”

“As you wish…Alika.”

The Druid shivered slightly at hearing that name from his lips. In the past, it's meaning—little lover—had been a job description; now it was a gift he was desperate to receive. Even the garden around them couldn't hold his interest the way this man could. He was nervous—beyond nervous—but the other's enticing voice and tantalizing nearness were playing havoc with his hormones. They both knew why they were here, but Alika had no idea how to proceed. He wanted this to be perfect—for both of them.

He brought his hand up tentatively to touch the Jester's face, realizing with surprise that, headdress notwithstanding, he was slightly taller than the other man. He had only a brief moment to contemplate this, however, for his thumb brushed the corner of Yatima's lips, and before he knew it, Alika had covered that sensuous mouth with his own. It was as if a dam burst inside him. Moving almost of their own accord, his arms encircled the Jester, one hand at the back of his head, the other resting lightly on the small of his back. His eyes closed with the intensity of the desire growing within him, but he felt the hands running up his chest and responded by parting his lips in invitation.

It was immediately accepted. Yatima's tongue darted into his mouth, taking control of the kiss. Alika surrendered gratefully, fighting a sudden weakness in his knees as he found himself being thoroughly devoured. Then Yatima pulled back slightly, sucking on the Druid's tongue, teasing him.

After so many sleepless nights longing for this moment, Alika was having none of it. He pressed forward and deepened the kiss once more, this time plunging his own tongue into the other's mouth. The Jester was momentarily taken aback by his fierceness, and he clutched hold of Alika's tunic in surprise—which only served to draw the Druid in closer. He let out a throaty moan and dropped his other hand to the Jester's hip, pulling the other tight against him. His arousal was obvious through the thin breeches in which his mind had cloaked him, but any embarrassment he might have felt was swept away as he felt an answering bulge pressed firmly into his thigh. He moaned again, abandoning Yatima's mouth at last to press soft kisses along his sharp jaw. The Jester nuzzled him gently, then tilted his head slightly, exposing his neck. Alika's lips obediently trailed their way down to his ruffled collar, where he paused and bit down, sucking hard enough to leave a bruise on the pale skin. The other inhaled sharply but didn't pull away, so he soothed the spot with his tongue before moving to nibble at his earlobe. To his surprise, Yatima shied back, making what sounded disturbingly like a giggle.

Alika drew back and blinked at him. “What? Don't tell me you're ticklish!”

“Shut up and kiss me, mortal,” the Jester growled, glaring with passion-filled red eyes. Alika grinned and complied.

There was no fight for dominance this time, so the Druid took his time exploring the other's mouth. Knowing that he would soon have what he'd been craving quieted his desperation somewhat, and allowed him to concentrate more fully on pleasing his would-be lover. Training he hadn't used in a lifetime came back to him, and he set to work driving Yatima to distraction with gentle caresses of his hands and tongue. It worked; the Jester's lean frame trembled against him, and his breathing quickened satisfactorily.

Unfortunately for Alika, his victim's show of enjoyment was chipping away at his carefully-garnered control. He hadn't expected the cocky bastard to be so damned responsive! Still, he wasn't about to complain. He could keep his desire in check longer than most. It was going to prove a real challenge, however, when the burning in his loins was being fueled not only by a hot, wet kiss, but by Yatima's slim form pressed tightly against him. And they weren't even out of their clothes yet!

The thought led directly to temptation, so Alika ran his hands across the Jester's back in search of a fastening of some sort. He found nothing however, and growled into the other's mouth in frustration.

Yatima broke the kiss and stepped back. “Something the matter?” he purred.

The Druid started to reply, then stopped as an idea struck him. If this was his own little world….He concentrated, and the colorful jumpsuit that had incurred his wrath began to melt away, taking with it the belled headdress and black gloves. In seconds, the Jester stood naked.

The sight was enough to dry his mouth. A jolt of pure lust shot through him, and for a moment he could do nothing but stare in longing. Fully revealed, the hard angles and soft curves of Yatima's lean physique practically begged to be touched. From the flat, hard muscles of his chest to the long, slender legs Alika felt sure could wrap around his waist with ease, he was the most utterly desirable creature he'd ever laid eyes on. The hair on his head was a mess of short, white spikes, coupled with a thatch of tight curls between his legs, and his fully-erect manhood was a perfect seven inches. Added to his mischievous crimson eyes, arrogant smirk, and sensuous, demanding voice…the mere thought of making love to him made Alika moan aloud.

The Jester posed with one hand on his hip, amused by the scrutiny, but shivering slightly when Alika licked his lips at the sight of his erection. The Druid drank in the vision until he could resist no longer; he didn't even think as he stepped forward, knelt in the soft grass, and swallowed the other's cock whole.

Yatima staggered and clutched at his shoulders for support, a cry of pure pleasure escaping his lips. Alika was once more surprised but pleased by his responsiveness. He drew back to suckle lightly at the tip, pausing now and again to bite gently and run his tongue up the underside. The Jester put almost all of his weight on the Druid's broad shoulders, trembling all over. It was when he began whimpering slightly and trying to thrust into his mouth that the former prostitute began to suspect something was amiss.

He slowed his movements gradually, stopped, and stood. Yatima straightened with him, or tried to—he was biting his lower lip in frustration, and there was a desperate longing in his eyes that stripped him of his former arrogance. Nonetheless, he waited quietly as Alika scrutinized him intently. He even managed to meet the Druid's gaze before his cheeks flushed and he looked away.

“You do love staring at me, don't you?” he said a bit breathlessly.

“I could never get enough,” Alika replied, smiling. He reached up and cupped the other's chin, gently forcing him to look into his midnight eyes. “Why didn't you tell me you were a virgin?”

Had he had any doubts about his assessment, the Jester's blush was confirmation enough. “Whatever gave you that idea?”

The Druid chuckled. “I know my game. You're certainly not lacking in self-confidence, but your body gives you away. Your reactions are too surprised, too intense, for this not to be your first...experience. You're a damn good kisser, though,” he added.

“It's easy enough to learn from watching, which I've done on occasion,” Yatima admitted. He looked genuinely embarrassed, a sight Alika had never thought to see. “What difference does it make if I've never gone through the motions? No one but you has ever been mad enough to seduce me.”

“I guess it doesn't make a difference,” Alika said, shrugging. “It's just that I sort of expected you to…ah…take the lead, as it were.”

“I see.” The familiar cocky grin appeared. “You do come off as the submissive type.”

“Only with you, darling.” He grinned in return. “Normally I'm a giver, not a taker.”

“But you'll `take' it from me?”

“All night long,” Alika replied before bursting into laughter. The Jester rolled his eyes in exasperated amusement. Then he reached up with one hand and traced a long, delicate finger through the Druid's short-cropped beard.

“Why is that? What makes me so special, Alika Ohmsford?” he asked curiously.

Alika covered the roaming hand with his own. “I trust you,” he answered quietly, planting a soft kiss on Yatima's palm. “I've let no one inside me since I left my home planet four hundred years ago. But you…I want to let you. I've driven myself half-mad these past few weeks with wanting it. You're the only person I've ever known who could humble me so thoroughly while still inspiring my trust.” He smiled. “I know you won't hurt me.”

“You seem awfully confident of that.”

The Druid laughed. “That's what trust means, love.” His smile turned sensual. “Now the question is,” he sucked briefly on the tip of the other's finger, “do you trust me enough to let me take you the rest of the way?” He glanced pointedly at the Jester's still-hard cock.

Yatima shivered, but replied. “If I didn't, I wouldn't be here.”

“You realize my ego is now the size of a small sun.”

“I'll only care if you don't finish what you started.”

“No chance of that,” Alika said firmly, enfolding the other in his arms and bending down to kiss him once more.

He was halted, however, by fingertips on his lips.

“This is getting a bit lopsided, don't you think?” Yatima tugged at his silken tunic with a smirk.

“Oh, well, if that's what you want…” Alika released him and reached for his laces, trying not to grin too broadly. A little voice inside him was going crazy with glee, shouting he wants me he wants me he wants me, but he shunted it aside to gloat later and focused on making this new task as enjoyable as possible. For his part, the Jester leaned back against the nearest tree, folded his arms, and looked interested. Considering how desperate he'd been only minutes before, he was remarkably composed. Alika stifled his grin further; he would have to fix that.

The tunic's thread-of-gold ties fell away before his nimble fingers, hinting at the broad, well-muscled chest beneath. The matching belt around his trim waist came off quickly as well and dropped to the grass at his feet. Thus freed, Alika stripped the soft tunic over his head rather slower than was strictly necessary, arching his back slightly as he did so to draw attention to his flat stomach. The Druid let the garment flutter to the ground and turned his attention to the silver chains about his neck. His sultry eyes never left Yatima's as he added the jewelry to the pile. He took his time with the rings as well, removing them with his teeth to the amusement of his audience. Bare now to the waist, he unbound his long, black hair, which fell about him like a glossy cloak. Something flickered in the Jester's eyes at the sight; Alika catalogued the fact for future reference before resuming his striptease.

He raised one hand to his face and moistened his fingertips with his tongue before trailing them down his chest and stomach, coming to rest on the bulge of his erection. He caressed himself briefly, watching Yatima's eyes widen in rapt surprise, then slowly unlaced his confining breeches. The green-dyed doeskin clung to his thighs in a manner that left very little to the imagination, but Alika was pleased to see the Jester's crimson gaze follow after the cloth as he drew the breeches down his long legs. He had to be a little proud of his chiseled thighs and calves; nothing was more important to the appearance of a whore of any gender than shapely legs, and Yatima certainly seemed to approve.

When he straightened after stepping out of his boots, Alika struck the same pose his lover had earlier, one hand on his hip. Instead of appearing nonchalant, however, the position gave him a coquettish look, and the waves of ebony hair cascading about his nude form added a touch of the exotic. Yatima's glittering eyes raked him from head to toe, lingering on his cock in a way that made him ache for release. He felt his control slipping from him yet again. It had been far too long since he'd shared pleasure with another, and the one person in all the universe with whom he truly wanted to share it was standing only a few feet away, devouring his naked body with eyes of fire.

“Better?” the Druid asked, his voice sultry.

“Much.” Yatima pushed off the oak and strolled up to him, licking his lips. “It appears there really is truth in advertising.”

Alika remembered their first conversation with delight. “Shall I demonstrate some of the more…interesting features?”

“Yes, do,” the other purred, running his hands up Alika's bare chest. The raven-haired man grinned, bent to claim his lips in a quick kiss, and scooped up his lean form before he could protest.

“What are you—mph!”

Alika silenced the Jester with his tongue, carrying him over to a flowering willow tree and slipping between the branches. Sunlight trickled through to dapple them with gold, and Alika lay his burden down on the soft earth. As soon as he was grounded, Yatima reached up and grabbed double handfuls of silky black hair, holding the Druid in place while returning the kiss with previously unmatched ferocity. Alika smiled to himself at the strength of the other's need; he pressed their bodies together and felt Yatima writhe against him. Pulling back despite a groan of protest from his lover, Alika moved his lips to the base of the Jester's throat and his fingers to one pale pink nipple. He pinched the small nub to stiffness, then shifted to close his mouth around it. Yatima's breath was coming in short gasps, and he was thrusting with slim hips in a vain attempt to press his arousal into Alika's stomach. The Druid finally took pity on him and, fingering the other nipple, proceeded to leave a trail of wet kisses down to the throbbing erection that awaited him.

He had barely taken the head into his mouth when Yatima choked out, “Wait…stop…”

Without removing his mouth, Alika peered up the length of his body and blinked in confusion. “Hmmmm?”

The Jester moaned at this inadvertent stimulation. “If you don't stop that,” he managed hoarsely, “I'm going to come down your throat.”

A befuddled Alika released his cock, though not without one last moan-producing lick. “That's kind of the point, love,” he replied slowly.

“Yes, but…I want….”

“Anything,” the Druid assured him softly, certain that, here of all places, he could deliver.

Yatima growled in response and shoved him, hard enough to send him sprawling backwards into the soft grass at the edge of the willow canopy. Before he could even begin to gasp a question, the Jester pounced, kneeling between his awkwardly spread legs and claiming his lips in a swift, passionate kiss.

It was Alika's turn to moan as his mouth was plundered by an enthusiastic tongue. Fingertips were stroking his chest, skimming over his nipples, but he held on to the last of his control despite the incredible pleasure of being touched so. Then Yatima's hardness brushed against his own, light flashed behind his eyelids, and he was lost. He felt his hands cupping the soft curves of Yatima's ass with no idea how they had got there, but used his grip to grind their erections together again, thrusting upward to maximize the contact between their bodies. Yatima bit down on his lower lip in surprised ecstasy, almost hard enough to draw blood. The pain caused Alika to yelp; his lover kissed him in apology without realizing he'd enjoyed it, then reached down and grasped his cock.

The Druid's back arched at the surprising touch, which quickly turned into a slow movement up and down. With Yatima nuzzling the base of his neck, he quickly dissolved into frantic whimpers. The soft strokes heated the fire in his belly, but were nowhere near enough to satisfy him. His chest heaved with panting breaths, and glistening liquid began to gather at the tip of his arousal. Alika tried to keep still, but soon found his hips rising to meet his lover's hand. Then, as suddenly as it had come, the touch ceased. He groaned at the loss, barely noticing when the lips also left his skin as Yatima sat up. Finally, he opened his eyes to see what was going on.

Yatima was sitting back on his heels, looking nervous and aroused and more beautiful than Alika had ever seen him. As the Druid watched, he dropped one delicate hand between them, brushing the sensitive flesh of Alika's inner thigh. A rather wanton moan escaped his lips as he obediently spread his legs. He felt a short stab of fear, but forced it away and let his body relax. It had been far too long since he'd trusted anyone with this. But he wanted it—oh, stars, how he wanted it!

Seeing the confirmation on his face, the Jester muttered an unfamiliar spell and lowered his hand. One slick finger brushed the opening to Alika's body, bringing forth another moan. “Please,” he whispered, voice taught with need. “Please, Yatima….” The finger returned, circling his entrance, pressing gently. Alika's midnight eyes closed as he lost himself to the sensation. A tight ball of lust throbbed in the pit of his stomach; he was powerless to control it, and hoped very much that he would last long enough to please his lover. Then the finger slipped inside him, and conscious thought fled.

The Jester tried to take it slow, but Alika was through waiting. Back arched, he thrust himself against the penetrating digit, gasping with pleasure at the invasion. The finger stroked the inside of his body, filling him, but not nearly full enough. “More,” he breathed, and Yatima obliged him, slipping in a second finger—slowly, too slowly, gently stretching his entrance. The accompanying pain was quick to fade as the Druid's body adapted. He raised his arms above his head, grasping handfuls of earth as the slick fingers moved in and out, pausing each time they were fully inside him to gently massage his inner walls. A dazed Alika realized after a few such careful probings what his lover was trying to do, and shifted his hips slightly so that the next questing touch found his prostate.

Stars exploded across his vision, and Alika faintly heard himself crying out as indescribable pleasure shot through him. If the Jester was startled by the strength of his reaction, he didn't show it—he merely continued milking the small gland, with Alika writhing beneath him, trying desperately not to come right there but unable to fight the delicious waves of heat rolling through his flesh. He tried to speak, but all that came out was “Oh god oh god oh god oh god….”

“Which one?” Yatima asked sardonically from very far away.

“You only you only you Yatima please….”

And he had an instant to rejoice at the feeling of something thick and blunt at his opening before the other's cock drove into him.

The sweet sound of his lover's moan was almost drowned out by Alika's sob of bliss. He wrapped his muscular legs around Yatima's waist, drawing him in as deep as he could. It hurt, but the pain was nothing—the man he loved was lodged to the hilt inside him, hot and hard and perfect.

Yatima leaned forward, propping himself up with his hands on either side of Alika's chest. The Druid managed to force his eyes open, wanting to see his lover's face. The sight did not disappoint. Yatima's crimson eyes were wide, his soft lips parted in surprised ecstasy. The hard angles of his face were softened by his expression, making him look impossibly young. Their eyes met, and Alika wanted to tell him how very beautiful he was, but the words caught in his throat as the other withdrew slowly, haltingly, then plunged back in. Burning pain and searing pleasure accompanied the thrust, leaving Alika panting for more. He wasn't going to last long, and he knew it—the ache in his loins was nearing the breaking point—but fortunately neither was Yatima. The white-haired Jester was flushed and trembling, buried in the heat of another's body for the first time, and there was no way he was going to outlast his courtesan lover. Just to be on the safe side, Alika jerked his hips upward and was rewarded with a sharp gasp and another slightly awkward thrust. It was followed by another, and another, and quickly developed into a rhythm. Yatima lowered himself to his forearms, pressing their bodies together and trapping Alika's erection between them. The Druid whimpered; the penetration felt incredible, and this new stimulation threatened to send him over the edge. The other's face was scant inches from his own, eyes half lidded and lips parted with harsh breaths. “Is this…what you wanted…Alika?” he gasped out, thrusting harder.

“Yes…oh, yes….”

“I must confess…I didn't realize…it could feel so good…ah!”

Alika contracted his stomach muscles, effectively massaging the organ moving inside him, and grinned shakily at the result.

The Jester bent down and kissed him hard. “Show-off,” he accused.

“'s my job,” Alika replied, squeezing him with his legs. This sent an unintended jolt through his groin, since his aching cock was still trapped between them. They were both becoming slick with sweat, and as Yatima resumed thrusting, his erection began sliding back and forth across the smaller man's stomach. “Oh…don't do that, I'm gonna…”

“That's the idea,” Yatima reminded him, smirking. He quickened the pace, slamming hard into Alika and rocking his hips in an attempt to hit his prostate. The Druid's body clenched around him when he succeeded; Alika's back arched and a wordless cry of pleasure escaped him. All thought of ensuring that his lover came first vanished. He could only lie back as waves of sheer ecstasy washed over him again and again. It was more intense than anything he'd ever felt before, deeper and more vital than life itself. As eager as he'd been for this, it only took a few more thrusts to send him spiraling into orgasm.

“Gods—Yatima!” His body exploded with pleasure, spilling his seed across their bellies and clamping down forcefully around the Jester's cock. The rapture was still pounding through him when he heard the startled `oh!' that heralded the other's release. Alika wrapped his arms tightly around his lover, holding him close as they trembled together, heedless of the mess they'd made. Pleasure throbbed and burned and wracked him until he thought he must have died and gone to some kind of heaven, and it was terribly, wonderfully slow to fade. Gradually he became aware of the being he held. His lover. Alika couldn't believe he'd actually been this man's first. He felt tears sting his eyes but made no move to brush them away. Instead he softly stroked Yatima's back, knowing that, however wise and powerful he might be, he would be feeling vulnerable right now. The other relaxed into him, and he continued the soothing touches. Faint ripples of pleasure still pulsed through him, but all he could think about was the man in his arms.

“You've given me a very great gift, Yatima Starborn,” he murmured, brushing his lover's temple with his lips. “Greater than you realize,” he added, so quietly he didn't think the other heard him. For a long time, the two lay still, holding each other as their bodies' tremors subsided.

Eventually the Jester sat up, causing Alika to moan with loss as his now-flaccid organ slid free. He looked flushed but sated to the former prostitute's practiced eye, and a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “You got me all sticky,” he complained petulantly.

Alika laughed and propped himself up on his elbows. “I can fix that,” he said, licking his lips suggestively. Yatima's eyebrows reached for his hairline, but Alika just laughed again and washed them clean with a thought. It seemed almost sacrilegious to remove the evidence of their lovemaking so casually, but the heady scent of sweat and sex still hung in the air around them. He noticed also that the sunlight spotting them had turned a dusky red; it was sunset in the garden.

“Look,” the Druid said with a wry grin, “the landscape has provided a romantic setting.”

“Shall we take advantage of it?”

Taken aback by the suggestion but secretly pleased, Alika just nodded in agreement. The Jester stood and offered a hand to help him up for the second time since arriving. But this time, the contact was skin against skin, and Alika neglected to let go once upright. His hair, mussed and a bit damp, still managed to billow behind him as he led Yatima through the willow branches.

The unknown depths of Alika's mind had indeed presented them with a scenic view. The reddening sun hovered just above the horizon, painting the ground in varying shades of crimson and gold. The myriad flowers spotting the ground had turned to blood-colored roses in a field of dreams. If he hadn't already claimed the most beautiful thing in existence, the sight would have taken his breath away. As it was, however, Alika merely smiled and sat down in the grass, tugging his lover down with him.

They sat in silence as the burning embers of the sun sank lower, to be replaced by preternaturally bright stars. The air around them took on a hint of coolness with the growing dark, and night sounds began to spring up around them. It was calm and peaceful, soothing in a way that a real world seldom matched. Alika held the Jester's hand in his own and felt himself grow sleepy.

“Yatima?”

“Hmm?”

“Why do I feel so tired?”

“Even the mind must rest. Or, perhaps I should say, especially the mind.”

Alika looked at him curiously. “You mean I need to sleep, even in a dream?”

The other snorted. “I told you, it's no dream.”

Alika used his free hand to stroke the Jester's cheek. “It must be. I've never felt this happy when I was awake.”

Yatima didn't appear to know how to respond to that.

Several minutes went by before the Druid was finally unable to stifle his yawns. “All right, I give up.” He felt himself drawn downward until his head rested in his lover's lap. Yatima began combing his fingers through his ebon hair, a motion that seemed designed to send him straight into restful slumber. “Mmm. That feels nice.” His mind began to drift away; he snuggled closer to his lover, breathing in his comforting scent. “You won't go, will you?”

“Sleep, Alika,” the hypnotic voice told him. “I will stay until you awaken.”

That sounded just fine to him; he couldn't imagine feeling safer. Eyes closed, Alika slipped closer to unconsciousness. He wanted to say something first, though. What was it? Oh, yes.

“Yatima?”

“Yes, my wanderer?”

He managed a faint, drowsy smile. “I love you.”

The words, uttered in sequence for the first time in his life, followed Alika into the darkness of contented sleep.