The streets of Sidi always feel like home to Khimi, despite the years he had spent away. Unlike Rhaz with its ever-burning street lamps, the people of Sidi travel throughout the evening with lanterns or torches for light. The market is as it always is, expansive beyond measure. The area feels as if it goes on for miles, a hundred vendors and a hundred more yet still call upon the travelers passing by. Hells, it gets bigger every year.
Along the center of Sidi, nestled among the merchants and shops, a massive bonfire is aglow. The sound of music rings out across the area as patrons and drunken revelers cheer on the dancers atop a wooden stage. Sidi had always been known for its dancers, travelers from afar who came to learn the seductive and healing nature of dance. Lumi tugs at his hand, pulling him into the crowd and Khimi willingly follows with a somber sigh.
Khimi reaches for his coin purse, only to recall a known truth in Sidi; there are no thieves in Sidi. The Saintess of Balance had ensured that during her tenure. Those who would be caught stealing would lose a limb or worse. Lumi turns abruptly amongst the thick crowd and rubs his fingers across the scars along his nasal bridge.
“Wanna dance?” Lumi beams.
“In public?” Khimi questions with raised brows.
Lumi purses his lips. “No one’s gonna remember who we are,” he says loudly over the ruckus. “Look! They’re all drunk.”
Khimi peers about, taking note of the drunkards beside them, the scent of alcohol and sweat heavy in the air. A dark-haired man nearby nurses a pipe in one hand while he swirls an empty chalice in his other, as if it’s full.
“I suppose,” Khimi mutters.
Throughout their time together and throughout their travels, Khimi had worked tirelessly to forget parts of himself in order to be more open with Lumi. It had taken years of effort and pain to get to this point in their relationship, a place where he finally feels comfortable.
Lumi embraces Khimi suddenly, nuzzling against his chest. “Dance with me, Khimi,” he whispers happily.
Khimi places his hands over Lumi’s back as they begin to sway together. Their dance does not quite match with the music, but Khimi does not care. The only thing in the moment that matters to him is the boyish figure in his arms. With his eyes closed, he presses his nose between Lumi’s ears as they move. Lumi’s scent is always fragrant, a gentle scent of lavenders or roses. During their travels to the North, Lumi had often bathed in an essence made from peach blossoms. It had been ages and yet, Khimi could still recall the aroma.
Just as quickly as it began, the song ends and the darbuka begins the low beats of the next song. An oud joins in the chorus from an unseen player, and the crowd begins to cheer as the contingent of dancers move and sway with the rhythm. Khimi closes his eyes again, forgetting his surroundings as Lumi clings onto him, his fingers digging into the fabric of his tunic.
Lumi sweeps his cheek across Khimi’s chest and whispers softly in an almost unheard voice, “I want you.”
Khimi’s grip intensifies as he recalls their past promises. “You’ll always have me.”
Lumi looks up from Khimi’s chest and Khimi opens his eyes. “W-We can keep exploring,” he chokes as he wipes his eyes suddenly.
“Thought you wanted to dance?”
“I’m sure they’ll be here later…but all the stalls are gonna close soon,” Lumi insists before he drags Khimi by the hand through the crowd.
“You don’t even know where you’re going,” Khimi says as he stifles a laugh. “You’ve literally gotten lost here every time.”
Lumi puffs his cheeks. “It’s more fun that way,” he retaliates with a shake of his tail.
“Here,” Khimi begins as he walks ahead, “let’s go see your old friend.”
“Huh?” Lumi sounds, “W-Wait, do you mean?”
“Shiraz,” Khimi replies, the corner of his lips curling into a smile. “You know she loves you.”
“Y-Yeah,” Lumi breathes, then snorts. “You just want her to make more clothes for me.”
Khimi nods along quietly, “I did rather enjoy that last set she made you,” he agrees.
“Until you destroyed them,” Lumi murmurs as they begin to walk towards an alley.
“Hardly my fault,” Khimi says with a dismissive wave of his hand. “You were the on—”
“All I did was put them on,” Lumi sobs half-heartedly. “Then you just tore them right off.”
“Not my fault,” Khimi confirms again. “You can’t…wear those kinds of things and tease me like you did.”
Lumi hurries just behind Khimi, peering at all of the curios about them. “It’s okay,” he says after a momentary pause, “Shiraz would be happy to know they saw use.”
Khimi palms his cheek. “Yes, best not to tell her what happened to them. I can just imagine it now.”
“Shiraz, I loved that last outfit so much, Khimi ripped a hole right in the trousers he was so exci—”
Khimi turns back briefly and smirks with a smug grin, halting Lumi’s speech. “I do remember you saying particularly pretty things that night. Shall I repeat them?” He teases. “Oh, Khimi,” he begins mimicking Lumi’s high pitched lilt. “Fuck me har—”
Lumi squeals, “Enough! Stop, stop, stop!”
Khimi laughs, “It’s only okay for you to make fun of me, is it?”
“It’s different…and I don’t sound like that,” Lumi refutes, raising his hand to halt Khimi’s rebuttal.
Khimi shakes his head, unable to contain the laughter that leaves his lips. Lumi does in fact sound almost identical to his mimicry, but he knows how Lumi feels about his voice. “You’re right. Your voice has gotten a little deeper,” he lies and offers a gentle smile.
Lumi sighs and smiles in response, his tail swaying behind him. “Thanks,” he whispers as they begin to walk down an alley.
Pacing themselves, they make their way into a darkened alley. Lumi raises his hand before him and whispers a single word: Lumen. An orb of pure light hovers a few inches above his hand then rises above their heads as they walk. It follows just behind them, banishing the shadows through their journey to the seamstress’s shop.
After crossing beneath an archway, they travel along another darkened street, only a faint glow in the distance provides any light aside from the orb following behind them. Shiraz’s shop is situated deep among the alleys of Sidi, a difficult place to find without guidance. The light from within casts a warm glow across the cobbles of the alley and Lumi clicks his tongue, forcing the orb to fade.
The shop is full of silks and satins. Along the walls are bolts of fabric, endless in number and bountiful in color. Patterns representative from the various Desert Cities are all present among them, from the stark and vibrant Rhazian designs, to the plain but bold hues of Sidi. Even the bright Poratian indigo fabrics are visible among the others. Among the shop are several mannequins, fit with pins and displaying the most exquisite pieces, fit for the finest courtesans.
From behind a veiled curtain, the familiar shopkeep makes her way from the back: The enigmatic seamstress, Shiraz. The tall Capri stands against the counter and places her hand on her hip as she looks them both over. She always managed to find a way to make them both red in the cheeks, though neither of them feels an attraction to her sex. Shiraz often wore clothing which would reveal her entire form. This time is no different, the sheer gauzy fabric clings close to her bosom, revealing the supple nipples standing on end in the cold of the night. A gentle thong clings to her body beneath an equally sheer set of trousers. Her bare feet tap upon the wooden planks as her anklets clank together.
“Little Sun and Lord Zeybek,” she says in her typical silvery voice. “My my, it has been some time,” she murmurs with a hint of a smile.
“Shiraz,” Lumi says with a bashful look. “We just wanted to say hello aga—”
“Come now,” Shiraz smirks, fingering her curved horns. “You needed my help again, didn’t you?”
Khimi chuckles and hangs his head as he laughs, “It’s true,” he admits, “a visit to Sidi wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t leave with something from you.”
Shiraz tilts her head to the side then leans forward over the counter. “Come then, tell me how you wore my last piece, Little Sun.”
Lumi looks to Khimi for support as he shuffles anxiously. “I wore it for his name day but…you see—”
“I couldn’t help myself,” Khimi shrugs as he itches the scar across his cheek.
Shiraz scoffs and props her head on her palms. “I presume that my masterpiece didn’t survive then?”
“Khimi ripped right through the crotch seam like a wild animal!”
Shiraz raises her brow, “I recall the first time you were in my shop. You were like two young Beastkin in rut. Couldn’t keep your hands off one another…well, it appears you still can’t,” she adds as Lumi rubs against Khimi.
Khimi tilts his head to the side and grumbles quietly, “Well, it’s really all Lumi’s fault.”
Lumi’s nose wrinkles as he looks up at Khimi with disbelief. “Hardly true…”
Shiraz laughs to herself at the exchange. “Well, it looks like…you’ve not changed a day since we first met, Lumi. I can make something for you fairly easily. You’re welcome to wait around if you’d like or you can come back before the end of your stay.”
“I’ve always enjoyed watching you work,” Lumi says with excitement in his eyes.
“Horseshit,” Shiraz snaps. “You just like coming here to canoodle and escape the busy streets. Come, tell me I’m wrong? In just a few minutes you two will be all over one another.”
Khimi gasps mockingly, “Shiraz, I’m offended you think so poorly of us.”
Shiraz snorts and hangs her head as she begins to laugh. “And Lord Zeybek has learned humor. Times are changing it seems.”
“He’s full of jests now,” Lumi adds with a nod. “He thinks he’s so funny.”
Khimi’s lips narrow into a thin line, “Am I not?”
“No,” Shiraz and Lumi reply in unison.
Shiraz clicks her tongue, “I’m thinking something revealing, how does that sound, Lumi?”
Lumi nods with raised brows, flashing his fangs in a smile. “Yes, yes.”
Khimi places his palm over his mouth. “Don’t encourage him,” he mutters from behind his hand. “It’ll only make him more horny.”
“And who am I to deny the Little Sun his pleasures?” Shiraz whispers with a playful smile at Lumi.
Khimi places his hand along Lumi’s waist and begins to guide him around the shop. “Well, don’t let us keep you from your work.”
“And when I come out of the back, you’ll no doubt be having sex again,” Shiraz chuckles as she stands and stretches before vanishing behind the beaded curtain.
“She’s gonna stab you,” Lumi warns under his breath.
Khimi slides his hand into the open side of Lumi’s trousers and squeezes his hip. “She’ll be alright,” he winks. “Anyway, she’s not wrong.”
Khimi is not sure what it is about the seamstress’s shop, but everytime they find themselves here, there is an aura of mischief about them. Perhaps it is being around the walls of silk fabrics used to create clothing for concubines, or perhaps it could be the carved stone phalluses on the wall behind Shiraz’s counter.
“And you called me the horny one,” Lumi teases with a glance up at Khimi.
Khimi’s hand sinks deeper into the open side of Lumi’s sarouel and grabs a soft, fleshy, mound. “You ARE the horny one,” he murmurs.
Lumi writhes his hips against Khimi’s body as his fingers tease along his waistband. “Shiraz will be upset if we have sex in here again,” he says, turning his head to the side.
“Now who is the tease?”
Lumi purrs as his hands move along the musculature of Khimi’s abdomen. “You! We had a perfectly good bed earlier,” he huffs.
“Fine, what if I just…loosen you up?” Khimi asks as he runs his free hand along the length of Lumi’s coarse tail. “And later—”
Khimi’s words are cut short as Lumi suddenly rips at Khimi’s shirt, pulling him down towards him by the neck of his shirt. Their lips meet, smashing together with a violent intensity. Lumi rises to his tip toes as he pushes Khimi against the wall of silks. Loose bolts clatter to the ground and Lumi pushes even harder, taking Khimi by surprise. Fuck, Lumi. It’s only been a day. Lumi’s tongue dives into his mouth, running along the length of his teeth before swirling against his own.
Khimi closes his eyes, impassioned by Lumi’s sudden eagerness. Releasing Lumi’s tail, he takes hold of both of Lumi’s tanned mounds and pulls his small form up against his body. Lumi’s legs instinctively wrap around his body as he shimmies high up his body. Khimi turns and presses Lumi’s back against the wall of fabrics, pinning him as he continues their kiss. Khimi can feel Lumi’s arousal pressing through the sarouel and he does not wait for approval before he slips his hand along Lumi’s groin. The soft bed of pubic hair is warm and soft against Khimi’s skin as he takes the pink shaft and begins to stroke him vigorously as they kiss. Lumi’s whiny whimpers only serve to arouse Khimi further, his brow pinching in frustration as his cock nods against his trousers, desperate for release.
Lumi turns his cheek, breaking their kiss suddenly. “F-Fuck me,” he breathes. His chest rises and falls with labored breaths. “Khimi. Are you listening?” He asks, with a severe look in his aetherial blue eyes.
Khimi rubs his forehead together with Lumi’s and manages to hide his grin. “Feisty creature,” he taunts, his fingertips edging along Lumi’s damp foreskin. “It’ll be too tight, you’re gonna hurt,” he adds, voicing his concern.
“I’ll be fine,” Lumi assures him, “I promise.”
Khimi places a kiss on Lumi’s cheek and smiles. “I can loosen you up first,” he whispers.
“It’s fine,” Lumi assures again with a groan. “I promise,” he says again before he shoves his hand into the top of Khimi’s trousers. “You’re so hard too…I can just feel the base and it’s like a rock.”
Khimi releases a heavy breath across Lumi’s cheek. “Are you sure you don’t want to wait till we get back to the Aethera?”
“Why not both?” Lumi suggests as he brings his hand back to Khimi’s cheek and turns his face to his. In a gesture of intimacy, Lumi drags his coarse tongue along Khimi’s cheek. “It never stopped you before.”
Khimi pulls at the top of Lumi’s sarouel, pulling it partially down his thighs. Lumi’s pink arousal twitches before his eyes. “Fine, but now Shiraz will stab me,” he murmurs.
Lumi brings his arms behind Khimi’s neck and locks his hands together. “She’ll be okay,” he insists.
“Now you say that,” Khimi whispers as he squeezes along the meat of Lumi’s exposed rear. “Aren’t you worried someone will see us?” He says, tilting his head at the window.
Lumi tosses his head to the side and laughs. “Lord Zeybek, you should know the answer to that by now,” he teases.
Khimi does know the answer. Lumi had never cared who saw them having sex; In fact, that type of thing only seemed to make him more excited. Khimi brings his lips against Lumi’s ear and nips them with his teeth. “How could I forget that my Little Lion enjoys being seen?” He asks before he licks at the pink skin of Lumi’s inner ear.
Lumi shivers and tenses his thighs against Khimi as he rests his cheek against Khimi’s shoulder. “I need you,” he whispers as his cheeks glow a deep crimson.
Khimi shushes him and places a kiss at the top of Lumi’s head. He begins to roll down the waist of his trousers, his heavy nodding length slams against Lumi’s cheek as it is released from its fabric prison. With a gentleness, Khimi pushes Lumi’s back harder against the wall as he guides his tip between Lumi’s soft mounds. Lumi’s purrs answer the question in his head: are you ready? His fingers tighter against the base before he strokes his length several times, spreading the oozing precum over the engorged head.
Lumi’s arms tighten as he whimpers quietly against Khimi’s shoulder. His feet dangle helplessly behind Khimi, his golden anklets clinking together as the tip slowly begins to press against his soft entrance. “Khimi,” he breathes quietly, “it’s okay.”
Khimi clicks his tongue after hearing Lumi’s reassurances and grips Lumi’s waist as he begins to lower him over his length. Lumi’s teeth bite into his flesh to hide his moans. As always, Lumi’s insides are warm and inviting, a gentle softness along his padded walls which squeeze upon Khimi’s girth with increasing intensity with each passing moment.
Khimi can hardly contain himself, a frustrated roar breaks through his lips as he grabs hold of Lumi’s rear and brings him away from the wall. “You’re always so Godsdamned tight,” he growls.
Lumi nuzzles his cheek against Khimi’s shoulder. “I—”
Lumi can hardly make out his words as Khimi raises and lowers him over his length. Lumi’s teeth press back against Khimi’s shoulder. Khimi’s fingers squeeze into the soft flesh while he drops Lumi over his shaft, his full length piercing into Lumi’s depths. There is nothing that Khimi can think of that compares to the pleasure he feels while inside of Lumi’s body. The tightness, the heat, the sounds, the gentle moans, all of it overwhelms his senses and makes him want nothing more than to be one with him.
Khimi begins to bounce Lumi’s body up and down over his shaft as Lumi’s entrance clenches onto him, sucking him back in. The wetness over Khimi’s shoulder increases as saliva drools from the corner of Lumi’s lips. The coarse tail sways behind him, rattling each time Khimi fills him. Even if he could not smell the sweet aroma of Lumi’s seed lingering in the air, Khimi knows that Lumi had cum, with the way the soft walls along his tunnel grip tight to his shaft, as they often do after climax.
“S-Sorry,” Lumi breathes against Khimi’s shoulder. “It feels too good.”
Khimi whispers into Lumi’s ear, “I’m going to keep going.” The sound of their flesh slapping together continues as Khimi continues to push and pull Lumi off of his shaft in long strokes.
Lumi whimpers again, his teeth pressing back into Khimi’s copper skin. “I can feel every part of you,” he murmurs, his voice shuddering.
“Just your favorite parts,” Khimi replies, masking a laugh while pushing his stubble through Lumi’s hair.
“I love all of you,” Lumi chokes in a high-pitched whine. He releases another breath as he brings his lips against Khimi’s neck and sucks at the flesh.
Khimi gasps as Lumi’s rough tongue laps against his skin. “Y-You already know…how good you feel,” he gulps as he tilts his head away from Lumi’s licks.
“Tell me,” Lumi murmurs shakily between licks at Khimi’s neck. “Tell me how good I feel,” he taunts.
Khimi’s eyes roll into his head as the pleasure intensifies with Lumi purposefully squeezing on his girth. “Y-Your insides…they’re soft…and warm,” he begins, placing a hand back on the wall to support himself. “Your ass is so fucking —”
Lumi moans as Khimi pushes him down with further aggression over his length. The heat of Khimi’s cock fills Lumi’s entirety and as if wanting to mate, Khimi holds Lumi against himself, hilted as deeply as he can manage. Lumi squirms in his arms, his dangling feet shaking behind him. Khimi can feel the ribbons of ejaculate shooting onto his abdomen from Lumi’s softened length. Lumi’s high-pitched voice strains as he whimpers against Khimi.
“Tight,” Khimi finishes with a firm squeeze on Lumi’s soft asscheeks.
Lumi pants with labored breaths, “Cum in me.”
“Already?”
Lumi groans, his toes curling. “Please,” he begs.
Khimi nips at his ear. “Anything for you,” he whispers.
Lumi’s body continues to be jostled about by Khimi as he thrusts into him, his muscles gradually tiring at the repeated motion while supporting Lumi. Lumi repositions his arms around Khimi’s neck, holding on tighter. The sound of Khimi’s heavy sack, slapping against Lumi’s rear echoes throughout the small shop. Khimi’s thoughts are limited solely on Lumi’s pleasure and he adjusts his hips, aiming for the sensitive spot along Lumi’s inner walls. Each thrust brings a shuddering moan from Lumi and just as Lumi seems to begin falling apart, Khimi winces and hilts himself into Lumi’s depths. A thick burst of seed pours into Lumi, bringing a gasp from his lips. Beastial instincts seem to take over Lumi as he arches his back, aiming to take Khimi even deeper inside.
“Trying to have my cubs?” Khimi growls as his heavy sack contracts and rises.
“Uh huh,” Lumi whimpers as Khimi’s length pulsates and fills him with the warm cream.
Hells, I love it when he’s like this. Lumi’s tail smacks against the wall like a whip as he turns his lips back to Khimi’s neck. Soft bites upon Khimi’s neck only serve to arouse Khimi further. Gripping the base of his cock, he squeezes the softening length.
Lumi’s fangs gnaw against Khimi’s skin. “You came a lot,” he whispers.
“You always bring it out of me,” Khimi grunts while Lumi gently urges him to release him with a tap of his fingers.
Khimi’s shaft slides out of Lumi, followed by a drizzle of the thick viscous liquid left behind. Lumi sighs as he pulls his sarouel back up his waist. Khimi lowers him back onto the planks and tucks his member back into his trousers with some haste. Suddenly aware of their surroundings again, they both smirk at one another.
“I wanted to keep going,” Khimi mutters quietly.
“If we kept going, Shiraz would definitely know,” Lumi insists quietly.
Khimi picks up a bolt of fabric knocked over during their encounter. “She already knows,” he scoffs. “I guess we could go find you some food and come back?”
Lumi looks about the shop as he pulls at the fabric sticking to his rear. “It’s all sticky now,” he sighs and combs his fingers over the tail.
Khimi purses his lips. “There is plenty of fabri—”
“Don’t even think about it,” Shiraz’s voice echoes across the shop. “Those bolts are wor— nevermind, you’re Lord Zeybek. You shit gold. Forgive me.”
Lumi laughs, “I wouldn’t think about it…”
“Mmhmm, right. Now I just did some light adjustments to a piece I made for you last time…and I threw in something extra for you,” she says, while holding up a small black loincloth. “I know how Khimi liked your other one…and I couldn’t stop myself. It’s made of a similar fabric.”
Khimi blushes at the thonged loincloth. It was much shorter than the one Lumi normally wore and seemingly thinner. “Thanks…Shiraz.”
Lumi beams at the loincloth. “I know Khimi will be happy.”
“Oh I am,” Khimi murmurs as he walks to the counter. “How much is this piece of string going to cost us?” He asks in jest.
“Not enough for Lord Zeybek,” Shiraz snickers. “But…for my time and effort,” she opens her palm upwards, “Thirty gold pieces sounds fair.”
Khimi quickly counts the small golden coins from his leather satchel. “Sidi doesn’t have thieves, my ass,” he chides quietly.
“Are things so bad that Lord Zeybek needs to keep count of his coin?” Shiraz teases as she stretches the thong across her fingers.
Lumi laughs as he approaches and takes the bundled cloth package from Shiraz. “After our travels, Khimi seems to keep his eye on his coin more closely,” he replies in a whisper.
“It’s a good trait to have, Little Sun. Even when you’re someone as wealthy as Lord Zeybek,” she responds as she drops the thong into Lumi’s hand. She leans over the counter, russet hair falling over her eyes as she begins to count the coins. “It appears that everything is in order.”
“Here,” Khimi whispers, placing another handful of gold coins on the table. “I wouldn’t want to seem cheap. Besides, I’d thank you for your discretion.”
“I rather think the Desert Cities would be a better place if people weren’t so prudish all the time,” Shiraz chuckles as she takes the coins from the table.
“Like…having sex in your little shop?” Lumi asks while pursing his lips.
Shiraz sighs and shakes her head, “Afraid you two are the only two who seem to get off in my shop,” she laughs, “though, as I have said…I find your love for one another to be admirable…even if you wreck my shop.”
“Only a few bolts on the ground this time,” Lumi says with a radiant smile.
Shiraz hangs her head. “And my damaged psyche. Hearing your cries and the soun–”
“We weren’t even that loud,” Khimi chokes as he grabs Lumi’s hand.
“It’s a small shop.”
“We were quiet,” Lumi whispers.
“Not that quiet,” Shiraz chuckles with a tilt of her head. “Are you both headed back to the market?”
“Lumi hasn’t eaten anything all day,” Khimi murmurs with a glance out of the corner of his eye.
Shiraz rolls her shoulder and grabs her jacket. “I’ll join you then. I’m famished myself…and besides, Lord Zeybek can pay for my meal.”
“Will I now?” Khimi asks with a cocked brow.
“You will,” she says before grabbing a small jacket from behind the counter and heading towards the door.
Together the three traverse through the market, stopping in an empty courtyard in front of a rowdy tavern to eat. Lumi sits on Khimi’s lap along a low wall, watching the travelers walk through the stalls and shops in the central market. The crisp zoolbia snaps between Khimi’s teeth as the scent of Lumi’s roasted lamb fills his nose. Shiraz looks up from the platter of dooymaaj in her hand and smiles at the two. Following their quick meal, Shiraz bids them both farewell with warm embraces and prays to see them ere’long.