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Heavy wood creaked beneath a gauntleted hand.
How dare she?
Looking so smug as she trounced about, pink hair swirling and glinting in the light like a knife pressed sweetly to his ribs, making him ache for every breath.
And him. Bold, brash, one delighted laugh after another as he took her presence in again, so sure of himself even as he danced on the political lines between them. Magnai let out a rumbling sigh, consciously releasing the edge of the table to set his hand into his lap instead.
Sadu gave a barking laugh from his side that he ignored, fist clenching tighter.
He should not care. The Sun should feel nothing over this; the girl he’d once believed to be his Nhamaa flirting so delicately? Their lingering stares on one another, unabashed from one and playing coy from the other?
He should not care.
And yet.
He rose from the woven floor in one smooth motion as a bounty of food began to be served, startling a Mol member into nearly dropping the heavy platter they carried, and pushed past the tent flaps to walk off into the night without a second glance.
Away from the rising voices, the attention that could not be spared even for one such as him- he sucked in a breath, freshly oiled leather creaking as he clenched and unclenched his fists, over and over again.
When he felt another presence by his side- smaller but no less powerful, and seeking out his hand now that they were alone, he reached back gladly.
--
Hien pulled Magnai by the hand into the shadowed corner of their shared tent, unrestrained from his affections now that they were alone. A statement that they’d agreed on in the beginning: Present a united front during the talks, and introduce them as a pair otherwise. It was more difficult than he’d expected, being unable to introduce Hien as he was fully, now.
A voice interrupted his thoughts- “I noticed a certain pair of eyes trailing me throughout the night,” Hien said with laughter lifting his words, never far from humor. He seemed to soften slightly, hand going to rest atop of Magnai’s heart in a familiar gesture, “...are you alright?”
The xaela merely grumbled in response, thankful for the difference in height as his eyes stared resolutely above the other man’s head. Hien let out another damnedly fond chuckle, tracing his way up smooth and scaled skin alike until a calloused hand cupped the other’s jaw.
Magnai bit off a growl at the touch, finally pressing his face into Hien’s grasp after a gentle kiss was pressed to his own collarbone. He could feel his body beginning to relax despite himself, shoulders hanging down and the creases between his eyes smoothing over. Without waiting for another prompt, he began, “I.. do not like it.
The Sun has no need for jealousy. All can see that you are mine, and-,” a small moment of hesitation, vulnerability, “-..you are my Nhaama. As I am your Azim.” He began to pick up speed, steamrolling past any such insecurities that he may have, “But I do not like it. What I saw in there, she looks at you as if--,”
Magnai’s face pressed even more firmly into Hien’s touch as he spoke roughly, “You are your own person, a leader in your own right.” And a well-accomplished one at that, if their battle in Ala Mhigo was any evidence- Golden eyes turned back towards his lover, urging him to understand, “And yet she wishes to claim you. If not as a warrior, then.. Then as a..-”
He quieted as Hien pulled on a horn, ensuring that their gazes met, “I am.. aware of her feelings, yes. But she is respectful and expects nothing of it, Magnai.” The other hand moved to thread through wild black hair, and on any other day Magnai would have teased him for the effort it took the shorter man to do both, “She is a friend, a comrade, and will stay so. Nothing more.”
They took a few moments to look at one another before Magnai relented, eyes closing as he fully leaned into the embrace. His nostrils flared in one last bit of frustration that he breathed out with a sigh, nodding once. “I would not have you lose an ally, because of me,” he replied slowly, haltingly. “The Sun--, .. I , apologize.”
He couldn’t help but smile when Hien tugged him down even further, the insufferable man, and claimed a kiss that was rightfully his. And then another, and another, until they were all but melting into each other in their closeness. Magnai let out a disbelieving huff of laughter as Hien pulled back slightly, teeth firmly caught on the xaela’s lower lip in a move that sparked a deep growl.
An eyebrow rose challengingly when Hien stepped further away, to which Hien merely waggled his own, “It was mine intent from the beginning, though I suppose now is as good of a time as any.” Hien began to pull gently from where he was still wrapped around the taller man, slowly maneuvering them until they were atop a bedroll.
“Of course, it is only if you would have me… my Sun.” His eyes glinted with mischief even as he pressed a kiss to Magnai’s knuckle, weight bearing down atop him with an ease that spoke of familiarity.
Magnai let out a long, low hum at the name, reverberating through his chest as a sharp grin grew. “That would be.. Acceptable. You may proceed.”
He took Hien’s rolled eyes in stride, obligingly raising his head so that his love could nip beneath his jaw with abandon; while he busied himself, Magnai ghosted his hands over Hien’s obi. His body jolted slightly when teeth pressed in at the base of his neck, a hot and heavy pressure.
He gazed with half-lidded eyes as Hien drew back once more while looking immeasurably pleased with himself. Magnai was the next to move, swiftly rolling up and forwards until his warrior was seated firmly in his lap. Strong arms encircled him then, pulling Hien even closer until Magnai could partially nose aside the thick fabric of Hien’s kimono.
He did so without hesitation, inwardly reveling at the sharp gasp and slow, shuddering sigh when teeth met flesh. A long tongue flicked out, hand temporarily leaving Hien’s back to draw the kimono aside instead to reveal the skin beneath.
Magnai looked to him wordlessly; with Hien’s soft smile and assenting nod, he began.
Nibbling, sucking on the soft peak of the warrior’s chest and only turning his attention when he felt another tug on his horn, could hear the strained breathing of his partner. He turned a smug grin on him, pressing one more open-mouthed kiss on the area before allowing himself to be pressed down onto the floor once more.
His own armor was unlatched and removed in practiced motions, deft fingers eagerly diving into the space beneath until the xaela was left in only his underclothes. “You have been wanting this, have you?” He purred eagerly, moving to push himself on his forearms before being stopped with a look .
“I believe I’ve said as much,” Hien began as he undid his obi with sure movements and another smile, “..though perhaps, not as much as you?” As if to accentuate his point, he trailed the back of his hand up and across Magnai’s thigh and just avoided the area that needed attention the most. With Magnai’s hissed breath, the effect did not go unnoticed.
Sitting up straight and coincidentally rolling their hips their hips in the same motion- Magnai outwardly scoffed at the thought to hold back the moan that threatened to break free- Hien took a moment to just watch the other man for a moment. Another slow grinding together and he had clawed hands gripped onto his hips, just barely pricking through the sturdy clothing.
Magnai leveled him , his Nhamaa , with a near feral grin as Hien braced a hand against his chest- pinning him down and steadying himself. He met Hien’s lowered head with a kiss, soft and fervent and everything he’d wanted, before.
With another rough jerk of their hips, a smaller hand darting down between them and drawing out a strangled moan from them both, Hien allowed the kimono to slip from his shoulders before gently pulling the last of Magnai’s clothes down and away.
He followed the slow movements with a trail of kisses, nipping at the skin in the same way that Magnai had earlier, until the Xaela’s teeth were grit in an effort to stay quiet and still.
“..Hien-,” “My Sun.”
A laugh, breathless and vulnerable was echoed by another, fierce and heavy and laden with affection.
With rolled eyes of his own, Magnai allowed his head to thunk down onto the floor, lazily waving and speaking past a grin, “...Do what you will.”
With another laugh and pointed kiss just on the inside of the thigh, Hien began to do just that.