In the early morning, Khimi and Lumi set off east of Sidi on their camel. The journey through the dewy fields of grapes and wheat is short, and they arrive along the slope descending toward the water within hours. Wooden buildings situated along the coastal waters jut out over the waves on wooden planks. An attendant follows behind on a second camel, watching from a distance to ensure their safety on the way to their destination.
After haggling with a local fisherman for nearly twenty minutes, Khimi returns with two paddles. Together, they walk along the makeshift dock and situate themselves in a small rowboat tied to the pier. The boat rocks violently as Khimi hops inside, only worsened by the rocking waves breaking against its side. Lumi looks uneasy as he takes Khimi’s hand and steps into the rocking vessel, his tail sways and straightens, helping to catch his balance. Shaking from side to side, Lumi abruptly sits on the floor of the small rowboat in front of Khimi.
A cove some distance away is where Khimi would walk to when he had fled from home in his youth; It was a place where he could clear his head. The cove holds many fond memories of his youth: Aleyna would walk along the inlet with Khimi, looking for seashells, and Rashid had taken him to the cove to fish when he was a kid. It is where he had developed his fondness for fishing and diving.
Khimi rows through the shallows and further away from the shoreline. The cove is a distance from the pier and Khimi wants to show Lumi the sandbars just beyond the cove. Khimi remembers, in his youth, finding hundreds of beautiful shells that would wash up in the shallows of the sandbar. As a child he would place them in a wicker basket and bring them back to shore, excited to show Aleyna his finds.
A porpoise jumps near the boat as Khimi rows slowly through the waves and Lumi excitedly rushes to the edge of the boat to watch the graceful creature dive through the waves. He’s too cute, he thinks, then shakes his head as he watches, unable to contain the smile crossing his lips. After nearly an hour of rowing, a rocky formation appears along the shore. A large grove of palm trees and mangroves surround the rocks. Even from afar, the area has a surreal and welcoming feeling.
As they arrive at the first sandbar a distance from the cove, Khimi hurls a pole tethered by a hempen rope into the shallower sand and removes his shirt, then urges Lumi to do the same. Lumi swiftly removes his half shirt and sarouel, leaving them on the seat. Khimi could not help but stare at Lumi’s form, his skin had a soft sun kissed glow that glistened with the small beads of sweat across his body. The whip-like tail behind him swayed and rattled, the sapphire on his ring catching the light, sending sparkling light across the row boat. Khimi stands abruptly, forgetting himself. The boat rocks violently, bringing Lumi to his knees with the rocking motion.
Khimi removes his trousers, leaving them in a neat pile beside Lumi’s, then dives over the side of the boat. The water is more chilly than he expected, but the warmth of the sun’s rays make it more than bearable. Khimi had been in this water hundreds of times, and being back in the pristine Sidian waters gave him a sense of nostalgia. Upon his surfacing, he watches as Lumi jumps over the side and fumbles into the water, the boat, colored in bright hues, shakes back and forth, spilling water over the sides. Lumi surfaces beside Khimi and wraps legs around his waist in an effort to stay afloat while gasping for air.
“You’re a stronger swimmer,” Lumi chokes, spitting water from his mouth as he paddles pathetically.
Khimi stands on the tips of his toes, barely touching the bottom as the waves roll against them. “You’re going to drown me,” he chokes while he holds onto Lumi.
“You’re fine,” Lumi chuckles, his arms wrapped behind Khimi’s neck.
“For now,” Khimi replies, his feet reaching for the sand. As he finds his footing, he steadily climbs the sandbar, his chest rising above the water. “Alright,” he begins with a quick glance back at the rowboat. “If we dive around here…you can find all sorts of shells.”
Lumi releases Khimi and stands in the water, his head just above the waves. He bounces up and down, his toes barely tapping against the sand with the motion. “I think I felt something!” he squeals happily.
Khimi looks down into the water. Bits of algae and seaweed wave through obscuring the view. “I’ll look,” he offers. “Just keep your foot on it.”
Khimi steps closer to Lumi and holds his hands against his body before he sinks beneath the water. He follows the lines of Lumi’s form, holding onto his feet as he stirs the sand around them. Opening his eyes, the water is cloudy and obscured, but he could see the outlines and shapes of objects in the sand. A large whelk shell sits within the reach of Lumi’s feet. Surprised with the find, he grabs hold of the shell and rises to the surface.
“What was it!?” Lumi asks, holding onto his tail as he bobs up and down in the water, splashing about.
Khimi brings the large white shell from beneath the waves, an orange and blue striated color reflects the color with a glossy finish along the inner rim. “Do you like it?” He asks, already knowing the answer.
“Wait! Let me hold it,” Lumi says, paddling towards him, struggling to keep his head above water.
Khimi chuckles, “Here, you can hold it for a minute, I’ll bring it to the boat after.”
“You should give them to Aleyna,” Lumi says as he takes the shell from Khimi. Lifting the shell into the air, he turns it, admiring the pattern. “Or we could keep it for when we go back to Rhaz or we can pu—”
“If we go back to Rhaz,” Khimi interrupts.
“What?” Lumi asks, peering over the shell.
Khimi does not reply to Lumi, but instead dives beneath the waves again, his fingers digging through the sand, feeling for other shells and objects. Something nips his finger, forcing him to surface. As he breaks through the water he helps and Lumi reels in shock, looking up from the shell.
“Crab,” Khimi growls, sucking his bloody finger.
Lumi paddles towards him and tucks the shell between his legs. Taking Khimi’s fingers into his hand he carefully blows over the wound while whispering an incantation, “Sano.” The flesh folds over itself and stitches itself back closed. “Is that better?”
“You don’t have to use magick for something so…” Khimi mutters as his voice trails, placing his hands on Lumi’s small waist.
“I wouldn’t want anything to ruin our fun,” Lumi replies, flashing his fangs happily.
Khimi tilts his head, “I’d hardly think a crab can ruin our fun,” he says gruffly.
Lumi pulls the shell from between his thighs, “You gotta find more shells,” he demands. “I think we should put them in your room…they’ll be good for memories.”
“If you think so,” Khimi replies, itching the scar across his nose.
After watching Khimi dive several times, Lumi tries his hand at fetching the shells. Many failed attempts later, Lumi finally surfaces with a large yellow hued conch. Khimi takes their small collection to the boat, then returns to continue the hunt.
An hour of searching for shells yields dozens of beautiful finds: cowries, conches, and whelks. All of them were beautiful in their natural design and each of them completely unique from the others. Lumi sits naked at the bottom of the row boat, looking over the collection on the seat. Khimi sits opposite from him, pulling the sarouel over his wet legs. With a hearty tug he brings the pole anchor back into the boat, he begins to row towards the rocky cove. Lumi stands and squirts the waterskin into Khimi’s mouth, laughing as it sprays over his face. Standing before Khimi in his nakedness, he brings the water skin to his own lips and fills his mouth. Khimi’s cheeks fill with color as Lumi stands before him, the bruises and bite marks showing plain in the sunlight.
As Khimi paddles, the cove grows closer, the mangroves around it become more detailed at their approach. As he rows into the rocky inlet, Khimi pauses and peers over the edge of the boat.
“Look down,” Khimi insists, a smile across his cheeks.
Lumi looks over the edge and stares down into the shimmering water. “Woah!” He exclaims. “Is that a ship?”
“Yeah,” Khimi replies flatly. “There was all kinds of neat stuff that washed up among the rocks when I was a kid.”
Lumi places his hand on his cheek. “You must have been a cute kid,” he says, as if reminiscing.
“I’m not so sure,” Khimi whispers. “I was told I was a ratty brat.”
Lumi turns and looks up at Khimi. “You called me a ratty brat before,” he says, his ears twitching.
Khimi purses his lips then smiles. “Yeah, maybe I did,” he responds, thinking briefly back to the moment. “When was that?”
“In Dolmas, when we were in t—”
“In the yurt!” Khimi laughs, “Yeah…that’s right. You wouldn’t let go of me. Your legs were wrapped around me. Like a spider or something,” he adds with a laugh.
Lumi bites his lip, “You had your dick in me…and I didn’t want you to get up,” he confesses. “You also called me a monkey.”
“Hells, you’re right. I wanted to tend to the fire,” Khimi says thoughtfully.
“AND I told you that there was no reason.”
“Because we can both make fire,” Khimi adds as he remembers the occurrence of events.
Lumi nods. “Exactly!”
“I miss our time in Dolmas,” Khimi admits with a lengthy sigh.
“We can always go back,” Lumi beams. “It’s not that long of a trip…and we can find the yurt again.”
“Maybe one day we’ll go back…don’t know when, but I’d like to go back.” Khimi looks over the side of the vessel, “Do you feel confident enough to dive down there?”
Lumi sighs, “No! But you can if you want…I’ll wait here.”
“I wish I brought my pole,” Khimi laughs as he grabs hold of the paddles and continues to row towards the shoreline.
As Khimi continues to row, Lumi leans over the side and peers down at the wreckage. “Khimi,” he whispers.
Khimi stops rowing, “Hmm?”
“Would it be weird if we got married? I know we said vows…but like ACTUALLY got married…like the people of the Desert Cities do?” Lumi asks quietly.
“I didn’t think so. I don’t know what I did to deserve you…but we can get married as many times as you want,” Khimi replies as he leans on the side of the boat and smiles. “I’ve told you that a hundred times.”
“Do you really mean that…? I mean…I know you don’t like the Gods,” Lumi replies with flushed cheeks.
Khimi picks the oars back up. “I’d marry you…once for each of the Faiths at least,” he says with a grunt as he begins to row.
“That’s a lot of celebrating,” Lumi chirps. “But I don’t think that you’d want to do that many weddings,” he adds. “That’s…just so many.”
“Well we will have many years together,” Khimi replies. “Let’s see…there are the Gods of Light, Rites, Life, Balance, Dea—”
“Death! Forge, War, Magick, Heaven, Storms, Truth, and Lies!”
“You’re forgetting the Gods of Tranquility,” Khimi adds. “Imagine how many celebrations.”
Lumi laughs, leaning over the edge of the rowboat. “Yes, we could travel again and ask them to bless our marriage.”
“Doubt they’d bless our marriage…I’ve never been one to praise the Gods. As you already know,” Khimi replies. “I’m just in it for the fun.”
Lumi sticks his tongue out playfully. “You just enjoy the sex,” he laughs.
Khimi reaches towards Lumi and grabs his cheek. “Even if we didn’t have sex…I’d still love you. I’ll always love you. Hells, what did I even do to deserve you?”
Lumi nestles his cheek against Khimi’s palm. “I should be the one saying that,” he says softly as his impossibly blue eyes stare into Khimi’s cerulean eyes. “I don’t know where I would be without you…”
“We can just agree…that both of us would feel lost without each other,” Khimi declares, his lips brushing against Lumi’s forehead.
“No,” Lumi groans, “You’d be fine without me.”
Khimi places a kiss on Lumi’s forehead before grabbing the oars. “You brought a lot of joy into my life…and excitement.”
Lumi leans back over the side of the rowboat as Khimi continues towards the shoreline. “I don’t think I could ever show you half the things you’ve shown me.”
“You’ve opened my eyes to the world, exposed me to your Gods,” Khimi laughs.
The waves grow rougher as they draw near the shoreline, the foamy crests growing closer. Khimi jumps from the boat and pulls it to the shore, the naked Aslan hops out closely behind. Khimi stabs the pole into the sand and takes Lumi’s hand. The salty air is stagnant there and the mangroves grow taller than those outside of the cove. The earthy, acrid, scent of the rich soil fills the area.
The waves rush up against the edges of the rocky formations, launching salty spray into the air. Khimi watches Lumi digging through the tidal pools, returning with starfish and seashells. For the first time in ages, Khimi feels relaxed. During these types of moments, any doubts Khimi would have about their relationship would fade. Any worries or fears would vanish. Lumi’s smile had such a contagious effect, and even though he had often felt irritated by Lumi, he could not help but to love him.
The hours pass before them as Khimi shows Lumi through the mangroves and around the swaying palms. Together they sit at the edge of the water, the waves lick against their skin while they admire the natural beauty.
The day slowly dwindles away, the sun, once high above the cove, begins to set below the rocks and mangroves. The evening sky is a beautiful shade of orange and the water reflects a purplish hue across the cove. Their day coming to an end, Khimi finishes dressing outside of the boat and rolls the legs of his trousers as he pushes the vibrant rowboat into the cove. Lumi tugs his half shirt over his head and sits on the floor of the rowboat, looking through their shells. Khimi pulls himself into the boat from the shallows as the sparkling water reflects the light up at the rocky surfaces, a beautiful scene unfolding before their eyes.
Khimi takes the oars and begins to row them to the entrance of the cove. “Hope you enjoyed it,” Khimi says once they come beneath the overhanging rocky outcrop.
Lumi looks through the shells at the now sandy bottom of the boat, “Yeah! I’ve never seen anything like this… even though the Temple was near the coast, I never got a chance to go often.”
“This place was always really special to me,” Khimi begins looking up at the overhanging rock. “This was where I would always run away to…and Rashid would pretend like he couldn’t find me. Even though he knew exactly where I was. I was always certain of that.”
“Rashid was a really good man. You were lucky to have someone who cared about you so much,” Lumi whispers. “Are you worried?”
“Worried?” Khimi asks, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Why would I be worried?”
“Because you don’t have a Rashid…an advisor,” Lumi whispers timidly.
Khimi’s hand brushes through Lumi’s briny hair, “I have you.”
“You’ll always have me,” Lumi mutters softly as Khimi’s lips drew nearer to his.
A wave of desire washes over Khimi and he abandons the oars as he pushes himself on top of Lumi at the bottom of the boat. Not a second is wasted as Lumi quickly rips his half shirt he just donned off and kicks his sarouel down with his typical eagerness. Khimi sits up as he pulls his shirt over his head and brings his lips over Lumi’s chest, his teeth teasing over the sensitive flesh of Lumi’s nipple.
Khimi’s nodding cock pushes against his sarouel, yearning for Lumi. Lumi’s hands curl through Khimi’s oily black hair as he sits up and plants kiss after kiss through the briny hair. Khimi’s hand grabs the outside of Lumi’s thigh, his fingers dig deeply into the tender flesh.
“I want to fuck you,” Khimi whispers against the Lumi’s chest.
Lumi groans, holding desperately onto Khimi’s neck, forcing Khimi’s lips over his nipple. “Y-you can’t…I’m sorry.”
Khimi forces himself back, fighting against Lumi’s embrace. “What, why not?”
Lumi turns his cheek, his tanned skin glowing crimson in embarrassment. “I didn’t think…we’d be intimate today,” he responds awkwardly. “I don’t know why,” he adds with a groan.
Khimi leans back and looks down at Lumi, “We don’t ha—”
“Just cum on my stomach!” Lumi insists as he leans forward. “Just wank it while I watch…it’ll be like those performers they talk about in Rhaz.”
“Prostitutes?” Khimi asks with a hearty laugh.
“Oh yeah!” Lumi replies, his nose wrinkling in thought.
“Sure, I guess I can…spill it on your stomach,” Khimi says, raising his eyebrows. “You sure? You always want it inside.”
Lumi lays back against the bottom of the rowboat and opens his legs, revealing his quivering arousal. “I’d rather you cum inside…but this is fine,” he says as he wiggles his hips.
“This is fine,” Khimi mocks. Edging nearer to Lumi, he rolls the loose trousers down his thighs, allowing them to fall against his knees.
Lumi stares at the shaking girth, “You know what I said is true,” he mutters, unable to take his eyes off of Khimi’s length.
“Oh, I know,” Khimi replies confidently. With a gentle nudge, he forces Lumi’s legs apart as he situates himself over the small Aslan. “It’s just a damn shame is all.”
“STOP!” Lumi groans playfully. “You’ll make me regret everything.”
“Sheesh,” Khimi laughs, “I’m just teasing,” he adds as his hand begins to squeeze the base of his length. A pearlescent string of precum drips across Lumi’s abdomen, falling just around his navel. “You’re sure you don’t want me to fuck you?”
“Khimi,” Lumi snaps. “I’m serious,” he adds with a wiggle of his hips, his tail curling about Khimi’s leg.
“Fine!” Khimi laughs, his body cranes over Lumi as he begins to stroke himself more vigorously. “You could always imagine it inside,” he whispers as he grabs Lumi’s waist. “Look how deep it would be,” he says, looking down at his cock throbbing above Lumi. From his angle, the tip rests just past Lumi’s navel.
“Are you trying to imagine how deep you are when you’re inside?” Lumi asks with a cheeky grin. His ears twitch and his legs nudge Khimi closer. “Cause I can tell you how deep I feel it…”
Khimi’s cheeks grow flush as he watches Lumi squirm seductively beneath him, Lumi’s fingers trailing along the length of his abdomen as if to finish his sentence. Khimi stares into Lumi’s eyes, then pauses to admire his partner’s body. Lumi’s body is just how he remembered it the first time he saw him naked, perfect and unblemished. There are no scars or blemishes across the entirety of his body, the pubic hairs along his groin are light and sunkissed against his tanned body. Every moment he keeps his eyes on the Lumi, the stronger his desire grows.
Khimi’s fingers move deftly as he jerks at his length, heavy beads of precum periodically dripping across Lumi’s tanned abdomen. “How deep?”
“About here,” Lumi responds, placing both of his hands just above his navel. “At least it feels it…I’m not sure how deep it really is. But I felt it pressing inside against me before.”
“That deep, huh?,” Khimi smirks as Lumi’s feet rub up and down against his haunches.
“Yeah…” Lumi purrs seductively. “I like feeling it when you fill me.”
Lumi sits up on his elbow and reaches for Khimi’s cock, stroking the length as moisture coats his fingers. Khimi grips Lumi’s waist with both hands and tilts his head up, allowing Lumi’s small digits to pull at his girth. The foreskin slides back and forth over the tip, each stroke bringing more precum over Lumi’s abdomen. The veins along the shaft pulsate and Khimi’s fingers bore into Lumi’s waist with great force as he bucks his hips against Lumi’s palm.
Lumi’s tongue rolls across his teeth. “You feel like you’re about to burst,” he whispers, sitting up further as he strokes Khimi more aggressively. “You’re shaking so much,” he adds with a bite on his lower lip. “I can just feel all that milk ready to unload.”
Khimi pinches his eyes closed as he listens to Lumi’s taunting. “You little brat,” Khimi mutters between gritted teeth.
“Really? I’m the brat?” Lumi asks, his fingers moving quickly, thumbs pressed against the thick vein at the base.
Khimi’s breath catches from pleasure, “Y-yeah, th-that’s right,” he stammers. “A-always getting wha-what you want!”
Lumi hums, the length above his abdomen dripping with heavy pearls. “And you…don’t want this?” He teases, his eyes fixed on Khimi’s glistening cock.
Fingers squeeze into Lumi’s small waist as Khimi thrusts against Lumi’s hand like a bull in rut. “Oh, I want this,” he mutters. “I want this and so much more.”
“Tell me,” Lumi smirks, positioning himself for his pearlescent prize.
With a roll of his eyes, Khimi scoffs. “You’re going to make me say it?”
“Course!” Lumi replies, his fingers tightening just below the head. “Tell me…what else you want.”
Khimi leans forward, his abdomen tensing as he looks into Lumi’s eyes. “I want to feel you — I want to feel you from the inside, squeezing me, pulling my cock inside like you never want to let go.”
Lumi groans and tosses his head back, “You better cum soon,” he murmurs. “I can’t take it when you tal—”
“When my tip presses against those deep walls, I can feel your body shaking in my arms. My cock making its way deeper inside of that tight little hole of yours,” Khimi interrupts with a fiendish smile as he finishes.
Lumi’s brow pinches, “Seriously,” he pleads, stroking Khimi more vigorously.
“You wanted to hear,” Khimi whispers, his breathing becoming shaky as he feels himself drawing near. As if in response to Lumi’s pleading, his thumbs press deep into the soft flesh of Lumi’s abdomen. “F-fuck, Kitten,” he groans as Lumi’s hand jerks against his massive girth.
Khimi’s cock bows against Lumi’s movements, a thick burst of semen splashes across Lumi’s lips and neck, then again with several more heavy bursts across his chest and abdomen. Khimi’s rough hands pull against the base of his cock, draining the lengthy shaft of his seed over Lumi’s tanned body. It had been some time since he got to experience the pleasure of painting Lumi with his semen, and the sight is enough to make him want more.
Lumi’s tongue flicks across the thick wad of cum over his lips and smiles, drawing the warm fluid into his mouth. “Delicious,” he taunts with a fiendish grin.
Khimi closes his eyes and snorts. “I still want you,” he adds, giving his shaft one final tug as the thinning fluid splatters into Lumi’s overflowing navel.
Lumi’s finger drags through the cum splattered across his chest and scrapes it against his fang, “Well,” he begins with a lustful glance. “You’ll just have to wait.” Leaning forward quickly he grips Khimi’s tensed, but heavy, testicles. “They are still so full though,” he adds with a playful laugh.
Releasing his hand from Lumi’s waist, five swollen red marks are left in the wake of his fingers. “Are you planning to milk me?”
“I wanna wait,” Lumi replies as color fills his cheeks.
“For?”
“You know what for,” Lumi mutters, averting his gaze and reaching for Khimi’s hand.
Khimi leans forward and grasps Lumi’s hand, his softened cock brushing against Lumi’s shaking arousal. “You just want to feel the full weight unloading inside of you,” he whispers.
Lumi lays back onto the planks of the small row boat, the light of the sun slowly fading behind the rocky outcrop. “A-always,” he replies, unable to look away from Khimi’s majestic form. “I would be just as happy to drink it,” he adds with a needy hunger in his voice.
“Then I’ll wait,” Khimi breathes slowly before he falls on top of Lumi slowly. “I’ll always wait for you,” he adds, his lips brushing over Lumi’s.
The sky around the cove gradually fades to twilight and the stars begin to make their appearance. Lost in lust, Khimi cannot help but keep his hands from Lumi’s boyish form, holding himself against him hour after hour.