Bonfire
Nearly a week has passed since Khimi and Lumi arrived on the coast. Their food supplies are running low, the ocean’s bounty not enough to sustain them. Hunting has never been Khimi’s strong suit, but with their stores dwindling, he has little choice. He decides to set out alone, slipping from their yurt with careful steps, his scimitar slung across his back. The morning air is warm, thick with the scent of salt and jungle blooms. At the threshold, he hesitates, stealing a final glance at Lumi. The golden light filters through the yurt, illuminating the soft rise and fall of his breath. Feathery blond strands spill across his brow, his lips slightly parted in sleep. For a fleeting moment, Khimi lets himself admire him—this rare, peaceful stillness—before shutting the door quietly behind him.
Before heading into the jungle, he stops at a nearby stream, filling his waterskin with cool, fresh water. If he’s lucky, he’ll return with a boar or a deer—something hearty. Meat isn’t his preference, but Lumi will be delighted, and that alone makes the effort worthwhile. After all, like his animal counterpart, Lumi has always had a fondness for fresh meat and seafood.
Khimi moves through the dense jungle, weaving between towering palms and thick Dolman Elderwoods. The deeper he ventures beneath the dark canopy, the quieter the world becomes. Hours slip by as he stalks through the undergrowth, but no game crosses his path. Frustration creeps in. He’s never had the patience for hunting, and the slow, fruitless pursuit tests him. His thoughts drift—to their estate, to the north, to his mother. By now, Ennui must have reunited with her.
Resigned to seeking smaller game animals, Khimi manages to successfully fill a small rope with colorfully charred birds. The sunlight slowly fades through the jungle canopy. Khimi launches a small flame into the canopy, bringing another of the colorful birds to the forest floor. A rustling in the brush nearby startles Khimi, causing him to drop the string of fowl onto the forest floor. As he crouches to retrieve his kill, a rustling in the brush startles him. Instinct tightens his grip on the hilt of his scimitar. Then Lumi steps into the clearing. The tension in Khimi’s shoulders eases, but his relief is short-lived. His gaze snaps to the small boar slung over Lumi’s shoulders.
“Was wonderin’ where you went,” Lumi smirks. “Saw we were gettin’ low on supplies… figured you went out huntin’.”
Dirt and mud cake up on Lumi’s calves, but Khimi can’t take his eyes off of him; his perfect form causing desire to course through his body. As Lumi shifts his weight to one hip, Khimi’s eyes follow every curve and line of his body, admiring his smooth waist. A familiar heat coils in his stomach, but he tamps it down, pinching the bridge of his nose before looking away.
Khimi sighs, glancing at the birds littering the ground. “Yeah, I just thought I’d find us something—”
Lumi gasps, cutting him off. His eyes light up. “Junglefowl! Those are my favorite! I haven’t had ‘em since I was a kid!”
Khimi narrows his eyes. “You just made that up.”
“I did not!” Lumi puffs his cheeks in protest. “They perch too high for me to throw my spear, and we didn’t bring a bow—which, by the way, I told you we should have.” He laughs, shifting the boar on his shoulders.
Khimi exhales sharply. “Do they even taste good when they’re wild?”
“They’re even better than chicken,” Lumi insists. “Some tribes clip their wings and domesticate ‘em.”
“For food?” Khimi asks, incredulous.
Lumi grins. “For food and eggs. Big plump eggs with fluffy orange yolks. So good.”
Khimi folds his arms. “And how exactly did you manage to kill a boar?”
Lumi glances around, suddenly hesitant. “Well… we should probably get back to the beach.” He shifts uneasily. “There was a much bigger one with this guy. Pretty sure she’s mad. Really mad.”
Khimi arches a brow. “You think?”
“She’s probably out there right now, sniffin’ me out,” Lumi laughs nervously. “If she finds me, she’s gonna gore me to the hells.”
Khimi sighs. “Then I’ll carry the boar, you take the birds.” He lifts the string of fowl and looks at Lumi. “Didn’t think you’d pack that thing.”
“This?” Lumi drops the boar onto the forest floor. “Wanted to bring somethin’ to keep your attention.”
Khimi presses a hand over his mouth, hiding the smile creeping onto his lips. “You always have my attention,” he murmurs, wiping the perspiration from his brow.
Lumi stares at him, silent for a moment, the boar at his feet. In the fading light, his skin glows with a sheen of sweat. “I’ve never looked at anyone the way I look at you…” he breathes, his fingers brushing against Khimi’s as he takes the birds. He leans in, lips parting slightly.
Khimi tilts his head, fingers grazing along Lumi’s chin as he captures his lips in a slow, lingering kiss. Lumi hums against him, pressing closer, his leg sliding up Khimi’s thigh. “Lumi.”
“I know,” Lumi mutters, pulling away with a mischievous grin. He spins on his heel, tossing the birds over his shoulder. “I can race you back to the yurt.”
Khimi groans, hoisting the boar over his shoulder. “I need your eyes… I can’t see in the dark.”
“Oh… right!”
They weave through the jungle, their hunt slung over their shoulders, the scent of damp earth and crushed leaves thick in the air. Lumi bursts ahead in uncontrollable laughter, the junglefowl clutched in his arms as he sprints past Khimi, his wild energy infectious. Khimi shakes his head, unable to stop himself from mirroring Lumi’s giddy laughter. He quickens his pace, matching Lumi’s bounding stride as they break through the brush and into the clearing near their yurt. A cool breeze rolls in from the west, carrying the scent of salt and wet sand. Lumi leaps across the shallow stream, landing with a splash, then spins around, beckoning Khimi with an impatient wave.
Khimi exhales a sigh, trudging through the water rather than leaping. The cool rush against his ankles is a welcome reprieve from the heat lingering in his skin. As they step onto the sandy shore, the camels trot toward them, letting out low, expectant grunts. Lumi drops the junglefowl in the sand, throwing his arms around the neck of the first camel, rubbing his cheek against its warm fur. He’s like this with everything, Khimi thinks, watching the gentle way Lumi coaxes the beast into stillness. So loving. Khimi sets the small boar down beside him and steps toward the second camel, scratching his fingers through the thick fur along its neck.
“Why don’t you name them?” Lumi asks suddenly, his tail flicking with curiosity.
Khimi glances at him from around the camel’s head. “It… isn’t normal for every steed under the Cerulean Star to be named.”
Lumi presses his cheek deeper into the camel’s fur, his expression soft. “But we’re not normal,” he teases.
Khimi tilts his head, thoughtful. “No, I suppose we aren’t,” he murmurs, fingers stilling against the camel’s neck. “Well? What would you name them?”
Lumi meets each camel’s gaze before dipping his head to check their sexes. “Oh… she’s a girl,” he whispers, his brow furrowing in thought. “Meera. And yours?”
Khimi studies his own camel for a moment before blurting the first name that sings across his mind, “Sef.”
Lumi’s ears twitch, and he gives Khimi a sidelong glance. “Sef? I like it… but that reminds me a lot of my given name,” he admits, voice softer now.
“What?” Khimi prompts, sensing there was more to this story. “Lumi isn’t your real name?”
“Lumi is my name!” he shouts.
Khimi walks past the camels towards Lumi, his expression filled with curiosity. “Tell me your given name.”
“My name before I left the tribe.” Lumi hesitates before whispering, “Sevket.” The word is foreign in his mouth now, an echo of a past life. He shudders slightly. “I chose Lumi when I went to the temple. When Saint Nina asked for my name, that was the one I gave her.”
Khimi watches him stroke the camel’s fur. “Do you ever miss being Sevket?”
“Never,” Lumi says without hesitation, his voice barely above a whisper. He doesn’t meet Khimi’s gaze. “I told you before… I’d never go back, no matter what.”
“There has to be something you miss,” Khimi presses gently.
“Nothing.” The word is sharp, his jaw tight. “I hate my brother. I hate my father. If you aren’t strong in the tribes, you’re nothing. You’re seen as useless.”
Khimi runs a finger along the scar on his cheek. “But you are strong, Lumi.”
Lumi lets out a bitter laugh, hollow and sharp. “Not in the way they wanted. Not physically.” He pauses, his voice softening. “One day, maybe I’ll tell you the rest. But for now… I just want us to be happy.” He turns to Khimi with a smile, but it’s a fragile mask.
Khimi’s heart aches at the sight of that false smile. He wants to reach out, to tell Lumi it’s okay. But he doesn’t. Instead, he exhales a quiet sigh and steps back toward the boar lying in the sand. “I’ll hold you to that,” he says, kneeling to begin cleaning the meat. “You make the fire, alright?”
Lumi watches him for a moment, fingers resting against the camel’s warm fur. The silence between them is heavy, filled with words left unsaid. Then, finally, Lumi nods and turns toward the fire pit, moving with his usual cheerfulness—but something is missing, something broken that neither of them knows how to fix.
He glances back over his shoulder and gives a breathy laugh. “I’ll hang the fowl up for tomorrow.”
Khimi carries the boar, rope, and a skinning blade behind the yurt into a small clearing. A roaring blaze flares up in the distance, Lumi’s silhouette standing before the flames, motionless. I shouldn’t have asked. He watches Lumi remain in front of the flames, seemingly mesmerized by the dancing fire.
He turns his attention back to the boar on the ground. Prudently, he binds the boar’s hind legs with the rope, and the other end to a heavy rock. He tosses tethered rock over a sturdy branch of a nearby Dolman elderwood. Within moments, he has the boar hanging from the tree. Khimi shoves a large branch into the dirt beside him, lighting the wood with flames from his palm. By the time he returns, cleaned meat in hand, Lumi sits on the stairs of the yurt, chin propped on his hands, watching the flames. He greets Khimi with a sheepish grin.
“Want me to cook it?” Lumi asks, eyes twinkling despite a sorrow still lingering behind them.
Khimi places the raw meat onto the steps of the yurt. “I’d appreciate it,” he responds, wiping sweat from his forehead. “I’m going for a dive. I smell sort of… foul.”
“Foul?” Lumi snickers, standing. “We can swim after.”
Khimi leans back against the steps, watching Lumi rummage through their bags of supplies. “Sage and salt?” he asks, amused.
“Takes the gamey taste out,” Lumi replies with a chuckle. “And, well… helps with the smell too. Wild game tends to have a strong, earthy scent.”
Khimi smirks. “I see why you’re the one cooking, then.”
“You did the hard part.” Lumi shakes out two small leather pouches. “How’s the fire?”
Khimi glances over at the flickering blaze with a raised brow. “That’s not a cooking fire…” he comments dryly.
Lumi looks over his shoulder, a knowing smile on his face. “It’ll die down soon enough.”
“That’s a damn bonfire,” Khimi mutters, half in disbelief.
“During their vows…” Lumi starts, his voice laced with quiet reverence as he watches the flames dance. “I’ve always seen aslan dancing around the bonfires with their hands bound in ceremony. It’s tradition.” He nods to himself, eyes reflecting the firelight, lost in thought.
Khimi strokes his chin thoughtfully. “And let me guess, we have to do that naked too?”
“Of course,” Lumi drawls nonchalantly.
Khimi scoffs at Lumi’s expression. “If it pleases you,” he says, reading through Lumi’s deception. He steadily reaches out to take Lumi’s chin.
“W-wait… ew, you really do smell like a wild animal!”
“Fine. I’ll go take a dive,” Khimi mutters, tossing his hands in the air. He turns and walks to the beach, loosening the waist sash, leaving it on the ground behind him.
Lumi glares at Khimi. “Tease!” he shouts at him from behind. “Stripping without me!”
Khimi laughs, heading into the moonlit darkness. His sarouel drop down his legs, and he pauses to kick the trousers over his feet. He takes a whiff of the linen cloth, his nose wrinkles at the smell of sweat, mud, and blood. He’s right, I reek… I can only imagine how bad I must smell to him. Walking to the water, the light from the Sisters illuminates the surface of the water across the great expanse of ocean. The white sand squish between his toes while he stares over the empty expanse before him. A chill in the air causes him to shiver, the end of autumn is near, and the winter solstice is right around the corner. The Desert Cities never truly experience a winter, though the nights would often grow colder during the solstice.
Khimi considers tossing the trousers into the ocean, only to remember he had already lost one pair of trousers a week ago when Lumi brought him into the jungle. He exhales sharply, his feet dipping into the cool water. He grits his teeth, each wave slowly crashing against his form. Seaweed brushes against his leg with every step. Waist deep in the water, Khimi drops to his knees, dipping his head beneath the briny water. Holding his head beneath the waves, he opens his eyes briefly.
The promises they made, the words they shared, they echo in his ears. Surfacing with a deep breath, he looks to the beach, twisting the trousers in his hand beneath the water. A sense of longing crosses him.
I wish Lumi had followed me.
Unable to hold back his desire any longer, Khimi returns to shore. Bursting through the shallows, he brushes off the seaweed and brine from his shoulders. He stumbles through the dunes along the shore until he arrives back at the bonfire. The massive fire licks at the stars. Lumi stands beside it with his arms crossed. His shadowy silhouette dances with the shimmering bonfire. Khimi approaches quietly from behind, trying his best to take him off guard. He crouches low, creeping through the sand. If Lumi wasn’t coming to him—he’d just have to steal him away.
Khimi grabs Lumi from behind, wrapping his arms together around his waist. “Lumi,” he murmurs hotly into the thick, rounded ears.
“K-Khimi,” Lumi replies quietly, a deep low purr escaping from his body. He drops a bottle into the sand. “K-Khimi,” he whispers again, turning in his arms.
“Were you drinking?” Khimi asks, looking down at Lumi thoughtfully.
Lumi shakes his head apologetically. “I was thinking about it,” he responds against Khimi’s chest, though the scent of alcohol on his breath gives him away.
Khimi grips one of the golden armbands on Lumi’s upper arm. “What is it?”
“I just… feel distracted, was trying to take my mind off of somethin’.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“No… not particularly,” Lumi chuckles softly. “I just want us to have fun.”
Khimi kneels, grabbing the neck of the bottle sitting in the sand. “We can have fun,” he says, offering it back to Lumi.
Lumi takes the bottle from Khimi. “How about… a dance?”
“If it’ll help you take your mind off of… whatever it is.”
“Maybe after a few more drinks and some dancin’, I’ll feel back to normal,” Lumi whispers, pushing himself against Khimi.
“I guess we’ll have to see,” Khimi whispers, his hand trailing slowly along Lumi’s waist
Lumi removes the stopper from the clear bottle, taking a long drink of the amber liquid before passing it to Khimi. “Ribbon?”
“Right,” Khimi says, extending his hand for Lumi. “I thought you were supposed to be naked too?” he asks, giving Lumi a teasing sneer before taking another swig from the bottle.
“Someone’s impatient,” Lumi replies, tilting his head from side to side and tying the ribbon over their hands. “I guess I did say that,” he adds, quickly pulling at the string of his loincloth.
Khimi bites his lip, watching the heavy cloth fall into the sand, Lumi’s nakedness laid before him. “I don’t know if I—want to dance now,” he adds while watching the chest wrap fall into the sand atop the loincloth.
“What do you want to do?” Lumi smirks up at Khimi, tying the ribbon impatiently.
Khimi rolls his eyes. “Do you need me to say it?” he whispers, his lips between Lumi’s ears.
Lumi takes the bottle from Khimi, his eyes flit to Khimi’s growing arousal. “No,” he laughs. “You don’t need to say anything.”
Lumi grabs hold of Khimi’s girthy cock with their bound hands, tugging Khimi against himself. Khimi’s cock drips heavy beads of precum against Lumi’s abdomen. The clear liquid runs down Lumi’s body and along his thighs. Lumi bites his lip expectantly, his strokes increasing in speed while Khimi’s cock grows thicker and more rigid. Khimi’s bound hand follows along with Lumi’s rapid movements. He reaches for the bottle with his free hand, taking it from Lumi. Lumi willingly releases it, his eyes concentrated so deeply on the heavy cock in his hand that he does not seem to notice.
Khimi winces, the ribbon rubs against the sensitive skin. “L-Lumi,” he whispers, looking down at Lumi between swigs of rum. “A-ahh,” he breathes.
Lumi ignores his pleas, pressing himself against Khimi’s cock pushing firmly against his lean abdomen. He pauses abruptly, smirking at Khimi and squeezing beneath the flared head. “Do you want me to stop?” he asks with a taunting grin. His fingers tease the foreskin back and forth over the head. “I can if you want,” he drawls seductively.
Through gritted teeth, Khimi looks down at him through the bottle and takes another sip, attempting to hide his desire. “It’s fine,” he insists hoarsely.
Khimi tilts his head back, closing his eyes. Lumi squats before him, his hand held above his head by the binding ribbon. He takes Khimi’s cock in his free hand, stroking along the length of the quivering girth. It nods in approval against Lumi’s plump lips, which move softly over its entirety. Lumi’s tongue briskly licks against the heavy, salty testicles, releasing a heavy breath with desire as he does. The gods’ chosen… has chosen me, the thought arouses Khimi while he takes another sip from the bottle, opening his eyes and looking down to watch Lumi grip the base of his cock. It bobs against Lumi’s partially parted lips, precum dribbling over his swollen lips. He slowly opens his mouth further, his tongue lapping against the thick vein along his cock. Khimi groans, wanting to free his hand of the ribbon and wrap his fingers into Lumi’s soft hair.
“L-Lumi,” Khimi whispers, reaching towards Lumi’s head. “I—”
Khimi’s voice trails off into a gasp as Lumi’s tongue teases the sensitive tip of his cock, exploring the hidden crevices beneath his foreskin. His hands, skilled and determined, glide along the rigid length, slowly peeling back to expose more of him to the moist warmth of Lumi’s mouth. Khimi can’t help but succumb to instinct, his hips canting forward in a wanting rhythm as he slides over Lumi’s textured tongue.
Lumi gazes upwards, their eyes locking in an intense connection. He struggles not to gag with each of Khimi’s shallow thrusts, but it only seems to heighten his excitement. His hand moves in sync with Khimi’s undulating movements, guiding him closer and closer towards that edge of sweet release
“Lumi,” Khimi mutters, thrusting between the warm, wet lips.
Lumi slurps loudly, Khimi’s cock sliding into his throat. The quivering length pulsates, warm streams of cum gushing into the back of Lumi’s throat and mouth. With eyes still locked, Lumi begins to gag, but as Khimi slowly pulls back, trying to catch his breath, Lumi grabs onto his leg to keep him close. His tongue runs along the shaft while he continues to suck and slurp. Khimi pants, his legs shaking from the pleasure. Every effort he makes to pull away, he is met with Lumi’s insistent hunger. The wide, saucer-like eyes stare up at him, begging for every bit of him.
Gradually, Lumi peels away, the tip still pressed against his lips. “Satisfied?” he purrs.
“I’m not sure,” Khimi whispers with a contented grin. Taking a sip from the bottle, he turns back to stare down at Lumi. “Care to dance?” he asks, his grin growing while he watches Lumi lick along his softening length.
Lumi rises excitedly to meet Khimi. He grabs the bottle in Khimi’s hand, bringing it just to his lips. “Glad you asked,” he replies before upturning the bottle, chugging the spicy rum.
Deluge
Khimi awakes to a sensation unlike any other. As his eyes flutter open, he finds Lumi eagerly sucking along the length of his shaft. A deep groan escapes from Khimi’s throat while Lumi’s soft lips and warm tongue tease him into wakefulness. The sound of Lumi’s wet, slurping mouth over his thick cock reverberates through the small yurt. He stretches out his body, arching his back lazily and curling his toes in ecstasy. The gentle patter of rain on the thatched roof is drowned out by the intoxicating sounds of Lumi pleasuring him.
Lumi’s eyes flicker up to meet Khimi’s for a brief moment, before returning to their task at hand. Khimi raises a pillow behind his head, propping himself up to better enjoy the view. Lumi sits up slightly, licking his lips in anticipation while continuing to work his magick. His hips sway with a subtle rhythm, conveying his eagerness to please.
As Khimi looks around the yurt, noticing an array of colorful fruits spread out upon the table. He stretches once again, exhaling loudly and savoring the exquisite sensation of Lumi’s warm mouth on him. His hands press against the back of Lumi’s head, guiding him gently deeper onto his cock. Lumi winces slightly, his tail flicking behind him in pleasure.
With Khimi’s cock filling his throat, Lumi gazes up at him with adoration and desire in his eyes. He pulls away enough to mutter, “Good mornin’.”
Khimi gently runs his thumb along the inner lining of Lumi’s thick ear, his touch tender and soothing. “It is a good morning now,” he murmurs, his voice soft with warmth and affection.
Lumi’s tongue flicks along the slit. “You fell asleep so sudden last night,” he whispers with a tilt of his head.
“Sorry,” Khimi replies, watching Lumi’s lips press against his shaft, his aetherial eyes staring into him. “Did… you not finish?” he questions, a bit of surprise in his gruff morning voice.
Lumi pauses, sitting up straight. “Of course I did… you slept hard as a rock. Your dick was hard as a rock, too.”
“What?”
“You fell asleep in the middle,” Lumi confesses anxiously. “So… I just kept going“
Khimi leans forward and scratches his chin. “I feel like I missed out.”
Lumi laughs. “I think after being in the jungle all day, then drinking and dancing without eating… you needed the rest,” he says thoughtfully.
Khimi bites his lip. “No, no. That’s not fair,” he insists, leaning forward more. “You used me,” he says in mock distress. “And my dick.”
Lumi’s tail shakes, his shoulders shimmy up and down. “I’ll make it up to you. Nothing better to do with all the rain—”
Lumi’s words are interrupted, Khimi pushes himself on top. His lips press against Lumi’s, forcing his tongue into his mouth. Pulling back, he looks down at Lumi, who is bashfully spreading his legs.
Lumi gently rubs his nipple with one hand and opens himself up with the other, presenting himself.
Khimi teases the tip of his cock against Lumi’s fingers, nudging himself against the warm, open entrance. He curses under his breath. “Why’re you so wet already?”
Lumi turns his head, averting his gaze. “It’s from you,” he says, his cheeks flush with color.
“Is that right?” Khimi questions, grabbing Lumi’s thigh. He presses Lumi’s leg back, watching Lumi’s hole twitch eagerly, still sloppy with the remnants of his release.
Lumi’s cheeks fill with color. “Like what you see?”
“You’re joking, right?”
“What’s that mean?” Lumi groans, covering his face in embarrassment.
“Of course I do,” Khimi whispers, watching his seed pour from inside. “You’re such a fiend,” he says, palming his cheek in disbelief. “A sex fiend.”
Lumi purrs softly, peering through his fingers. “It’s not my fault,” he insists innocently.
“It’s not your fault you used me,” Khimi teases, gripping the root of his cock and dragging the tip up and down through his release. “Did you at least have fun with my cock?”
Lumi moans, his toes curling, the bangles on his ankles clank together. “H-hurry up!”
Khimi whispers his name, pushing the swollen tip of his into Lumi. Immediately, Lumi clamps onto him. “How’re you still tight?” he growls between his teeth.
“Magick,” Lumi mutters. “Actual magick.”
Khimi scoffs. “Whatever that means.”
Lumi tosses his head back in pleasure, his tail slapping against Khimi’s inner thighs. Khimi’s pierces his depths in one quick and fluid motion. He stares into Lumi’s trembling eyes, positioning himself against him, his soft bed of hair brushing against Lumi’s soft ass. He takes Lumi’s face into his palms and thrusts with a vicious intensity. Lumi’s mouth opens in a pleasurable gasp as Khimi’s thumb caresses the lines of his lips, then drives down into the divot of his tongue. The exertions of their bodies, and the humidity of the tropical climate, create a nearly unbearable warmth. Lumi’s body trembles as Khimi’s body pounds against his repeatedly.
“K-Khimi—”
“Quiet,” Khimi breathes into the rounded ears, his thumb testing the sharpness of Lumi’s fangs. He pushes himself more firmly against Lumi, drawing out another moan of pleasure.
Lumi’s legs squeeze against Khimi’s side. His hips move back and forth rhythmically along with Khimi’s thrusts, his arms hand around Khimi’s shoulders, his sharpened nails bite into Khimi’s sweat-covered, copper skin. Eagerly, his hands slide across Khimi’s shoulders and neck, tracing over the rigid scars. Sweat glistens over their bodies, dripping heavy from Khimi’s body, shadowing over Lumi. Khimi lowers himself onto Lumi. A deep purr roars from inside of Lumi’s body, shaking them both.
Khimi can hardly think straight; his cock nods aggressively in response to the internal vibrations from Lumi’s purrs. It’s bad enough, Lumi’s insides are warm and wet, hugging him in all the right ways, squeezing up and down along the entire length of his shaft in pleasurable undulations. Lumi rolls his head from side to side, his warm insides clinging desperately to Khimi’s massive girth. Khimi’s cock shakes and twitches inside Lumi, his testicles, still heavy and full, press tight against Lumi’s creamy ass. He grunts, his fingers wrap into the sheets.
Khimi’s face is pinched. “You feel it?” he whispers into Lumi’s ears.
Lumi instinctively pushes himself against Khimi’s thrust, the warmth of Khimi’s load fills his deepest reaches. Licking Khimi’s cheek, he whispers, “You’re comin’.” Their lips meet again while Lumi’s entrance hugs tight to Khimi’s still quivering cock, he exhales deeply. His erratic breathing slows, returning to normal, his purrs vibrating against Khimi’s cock, bringing Khimi intense waves of pleasure.
Lumi squeezes his knees against Khimi’s waist. “Wanna come in me again?” he asks softly.
“F-fuck,” Khimi moans, then lowers his head. “Those purrs…”
Lumi bites his bottom lip and eyes Khimi. “I dunno why, but I can feel you better when I’m purrin’.”
Khimi pushes into Lumi, feeling Lumi’s insides squeeze and tremble around his girth. “What do you think?” he taunts, his hands gripping the sheets on either side of Lumi’s head.
Lumi arches his back in pleasure, moaning as he whines out Khimi’s name.
“My little lion,” Khimi whispers, grabbing Lumi’s waist and impaling him on his cock. It nudges deeper inside, bit by bit.
“How’re you still so hard?!” Lumi exclaims in disbelief.
Khimi loses himself to pleasure, his thrusts increase in speed. He forces Lumi’s boyish body against himself, watching his arousal bounce up and down with their frantic movements. Khimi places his hand over Lumi’s abdomen, determined to feel his cock moving inside. Lumi grabs Khimi’s hand, pushing it down over his abdomen. There it is. Khimi’s hand tightens on Lumi’s waist, his other hand pressing down more firmly on his abdomen. The sensation of his cock pressing against Lumi’s abdomen brings his heart near bursting.
Lumi’s head lolls from side to side in pleasure, his lips open and close with his erratic breathing, his coarse tail brushes against Khimi’s testicles with a taunting flick.
Khimi watches the cum sputter from Lumi’s arousal with each of his thrusts. The scent of salty seed and sex punctures the air, Lumi’s entrance leaks thick, frothy cum over the thin, but colorful, Rhazian sheets. Khimi winces, already nearing climax. He reaches down, wrapping his arms around Lumi’s back. He’s so soft, he thinks, his embrace tightens. Lumi grabs hold of the sheets, the pain from Khimi’s intense bucking manifests in tears rolling down his cheeks. Khimi holds himself against Lumi; sweat rolls down the curve of his nose, dripping over Lumi’s face. Lumi’s purrs continue to vibrate through his body. Their bodies are held tight together, and Khimi buries his face into Lumi’s neck, panting hotly against his skin as he empties himself deep inside the boy’s welcoming body. Lumi mewls and writhes beneath him, his neglected cock twitches and spurts between their sweat-slicked bellies, decorating their flesh with streaks of pearly white.
“That’s it,” Khimi rumbles approvingly, rolling his hips to work his seed in deeper.
“S-so full,” Lumi pants, his eyes rolling back in his head.
As their breathing evens out, Khimi exhales loudly, holding himself up by his elbows. “I could stay like this all day.” He stares deep into Lumi’s eyes. “But, I’m starved,” he murmurs, wiping his brow of sweat.
“Am I not enough to sustain you?” Lumi teases, patting his belly.
Khimi presses his forehead against Lumi’s. “You’ve got a bit of substance, I suppose,” he jokes, pinching a small fold of Lumi’s skin.
Lumi nudges his nose against Khimi’s. “We can’t all have perfect bodies.”
“You think it’s perfect?”
“Scarred and perfect,” Lumi responds, playfully licking Khimi’s cheek. “Want me to make you something?”
Khimi leans back onto his knees and looks down between them. “That’d be nice—”
“Wait,” Lumi interrupts. “Just a bit longer,” he insists, his feet guiding Khimi back on top of him.
“I have to… get up at some point.” Khimi scoffs, his body gently collapsing on top of Lumi’s.
“Or,” Lumi starts, his tail suddenly slapping against Khimi’s thigh. “We can stay here a while longer.”
Khimi’s stomach grumbles in response, “Fine.”
Khimi holds himself against Lumi, his hands cup the back of Lumi’s head while he brings his lips to Lumi’s. Lumi bites at Khimi’s lip and stretches his body, extending his legs and toes. Khimi’s body moves on its own, his constant lust flaring again. His softened arousal moves in Lumi, steadily hardening with each of his slow thrusts.
Khimi’s lips break away from Lumi’s, their noses rubbing together. “I guess you get your wish,” he breathes.
“Y-yeah,” Lumi whimpers.
Lumi pushes his lips back over Khimi’s, warm breath passing over his skin. Khimi’s stomach rumbles loudly once again. He pushes himself up and looks down at Lumi, his expression soft.
Khimi groans, “I’m ruining the mood.”
Lumi pushes himself up from his elbows. “We can stop,” he whispers, gripping Khimi’s wrist.
“I haven’t eaten since the other day.”
“It’s alright,” Lumi whispers in response.
Khimi’s hands, rough and possessive, cradle Lumi’s face, his thumbs brushing over the soft, flushed cheeks as he plants a gentle kiss on the crown of his head, right between his rounded ears. As Khimi slowly pulls his slick, glistening cock out of Lumi’s tight, quivering hole. A gush of milky cum spills out, painting a lewd trail down Lumi’s trembling thighs and pooling on the sheets beneath them. Fuck.
Lumi collapses back onto the crimson pillow, his chest rising and falling in ragged breaths. His slender fingers glide over his soft, cum-streaked stomach, spreading the mess like he’s savoring it. The way his touch lingers, teasing and self-indulgent, makes Khimi’s cock twitch with renewed hunger. Lumi’s lips part in a sultry grin, his tail thumping against the sheets like he’s proud of the mess they’ve made.
“Well, I feel full,” Lumi purrs, his voice dripping with satisfaction, his eyes half-lidded and heavy with lust.
“I see that,” Khimi mutters, his eyes trained on the erotic scene before him. He grips Lumi’s thigh, urging his leg back to watch the fruit of his labor flow more freely. His eyes lock on the sinful sight before him. His cock throbs as he watches his cum ooze out of Lumi’s well-used hole, the slick, pearly fluid gliding down his perky asscheeks. He follows the lines of Lumi’s body, pausing over the pearly seed spread across Lumi’s abdomen. The sight is too much—Khimi can’t resist. He leans in, his tongue darting out to lap at the creamy spill. The taste floods his mouth, salty-sweet and intoxicating, and he groans low in his throat, louder this time.
“Mmm,” Khimi moans, his tongue swirling over Lumi’s skin, lapping up every drop. “You’re so fucking delicious.”
“Really?” Lumi hums, his voice lazy and teasing, his fingers threading through Khimi’s dark, sweat-damp hair, tugging gently.
“Would I lie?” Khimi questions, his eyes meeting Lumi’s, a sultry smile on his lips.
Khimi continues to taste Lumi’s release, savoring the flavor and scent. Each swallow sends a jolt of pleasure up his spine, making him groan with an eagerness. Lumi rolls his neck back and forth over the cushion as he writhes his body seductively beneath him. Khimi continues to watch, feeling deep pangs of desire building within himself. He looks about the room, desperate to occupy his mind with something other than Lumi’s body. He spots the fruit spread over the small table.
“When did you get fruit?” Khimi asks, his voice rough and low, as he finally pulls back from Lumi’s stomach, a string of spit and cum still connecting his tongue to Lumi’s skin. He releases his thigh. “Another late night activity?”
Lumi grows flush. “This morning, before the rain,” he mutters. “I remembered where some were nearby.”
Khimi pushes himself to his feet and glances out the window at the rain. Since he had awoken, the rain had only increased in voracity. Thick bands of rain pattered against the front door of the yurt. Strong winds occasionally push the rain through the window, leaving the wooden planks soaking. He crosses the tiny yurt, grabbing a curious looking fruit from the table. An orange fruit which fades to a green base. Curiously, Khimi had never seen this type of fruit before, despite his worldly knowledge.
“It’s a nectar fruit,” Lumi says, opening his eyes. “It should be ripe enough to eat, the nectar is coming from the tip, and it has a sweet smell.”
Khimi breaks the stem with his thumb. “How do you eat it?”
“Peel the skin back, and cut it into pieces… but don’t break your teeth on the pit,” Lumi instructs, closing his eyes and seeking a comfortable position over the cushions.
Khimi takes a small knife from the table, cutting the fibrous skin with care. He nips at the edge with his teeth. “Is there even any fruit?”
“It has a huge pit,” Lumi scoffs. “You’re gonna break your teeth. I don’t think I can put your teeth back in.”
Khimi scoffs mockingly, then bites around the massive pit. “What good is healing if it can’t fix a tooth?” he says, blowing air through his lips.
Lumi’s tail slaps against the floor in annoyance. “I’ve healed myself after sex with you a few times.” He laughs nervously. “There were a few times… I had to because my bum hurt so bad.”
“W-what?”
Lumi chuckles, rolling onto his stomach, pulling the sheet across his body. “After the first time you fucked me, you remember?”
“In my room? When you jumped—”
“We jumped each other,” Lumi corrects. “But yeah, the next morning—after we had sex again, my ass was so sore,” he says, his cheeks blooming with color. “And… I kinda learned I had to… it keeps things nice and tight.”
Khimi laughs, a chunk of the nectar fruit rips away the pit. “So,” he begins, chewing with his mouth open. “You use divine powers to heal your asshole?”
Lumi kicks his feet in frustration. “You make it sound so terrible—I promise—Khimi, if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to walk for weeks!”
“Hells!” Khimi laughs, snorting and fumbling with the slippery, pulpy fruit. “Was sex with me that bad?”
“Bad?!” Lumi chortles. “It was… heavenly, but also—your cock is like,” he holds up his arm, showing Khimi. “It’s the same size as my forearm!”
Khimi chews loudly, juice from the fruit running down his chin and chest. “I figured that was a good thing. You certainly seem to like it.”
“Your cock?” Lumi asks with a playful smirk. “‘Course I do! It’s one of my favorite things about you!”
The fruit slips from Khimi’s hand, dropping onto the floor. “Now we get to the truth,” Khimi chuckles, fighting to pick the fruit back from the planks. “You only love me for my cock.”
Lumi purses his lips in mock anger. “I love everything about you, your scars, your hair, your copper skin, and… your cock!”
Khimi tosses the nectar fruit pit across the room at Lumi. “I knew it!” he laughs.
“Hey!” Lumi laughs in response, watching the pit skitter across the floor. “I said all of you!”
Khimi shakes his head slightly. “I know, I was just poking fun.” He begins with a lengthy sigh. “I wish we had something to eat with more substance.”
“I hung the junglefowl in another yurt… I was going to cook today but,” Lumi says, motioning to the rain.
Khimi grabs another of the fruit from the table, plucking the knife from the table. “I’ll just eat these then. They’re sweet,” he says as he peels the skin back with little effort. “What about you, are you going to eat anything?”
“Oh, I meant it when I said I was full,” Lumi replies, his feet kicking lightly behind him.
Khimi peers over the nectar fruit. “I mean it.”
“I will,” Lumi says, sticking his tongue out playfully.
Khimi scoffs. “Did you actually eat anything?”
“A handful of berries and a few bunches of wild grapes… their skin is really thick, unlike the ones in Rhaz,” Lumi replies thoughtfully. “The Dolman grapes… you aren’t supposed to eat the skin. You just pluck the pulp out.”
Khimi grins, a half-smirk tugging at his lips. “Well, at least you managed to actually eat something,” he teases, sighing as he reaches for another plump nectar fruit before settling back onto the cushions scattered on the floor.
Lumi nods, his tone conspiratorial. “When the rain stops, I’m going to cook that boar properly… we got so distracted last night with all the drinkin’.”
“Right,” Khimi replies with a playful chuckle. “So you didn’t fall asleep, finished having sex, stayed up foraging fruit, and then woke me up for round two?” He shakes his head in mock disbelief. “How in the hells did I even manage to fall asleep?”
A sound somewhere between a chuckle and a sigh leaves Lumi’s lips. “I-I’m sorry if I did something out of line—”
“Save it,” Khimi cuts him off with a teasing glint in his eyes. “I rather find it endearing that you have your way with my sleeping body. Knowing how desperate you are to be fucked by me… it’s a comforting thought.” He raises an eyebrow suggestively. “Maybe next time I’ll wake up.”
“I’d like that,” Lumi whispers, his tone softening. “It was all too much work doing it by myself.”
“Tired yourself out?” Khimi jests, his voice dripping with mock concern.
“Something like that,” Lumi admits in a hushed whisper, rubbing his hips. “All that back-and-forth while you were on your side really hurt my hips.”
Khimi snorts. “You’re out of hand—so you just squirmed against me?”
“Shut up,” Lumi retorts with a playful roll of his eyes. “You make me sound horrible…”
Khimi sucks his teeth and tilts his head back. After a thoughtful hum, he says, “Next time we share a bedroll, you best show me exactly how you squirmed against me.”
Lumi rolls onto his side and bursts into laughter. “Gladly,” he beams, pausing for dramatic effect as a wicked, teasing grin plays across his lips. “I can’t wait to keep Ennui up all night.”
“She’ll kill you,” Khimi warns with a chuckle.
With that, Lumi sits up, casually tossing the sheet aside before crawling over to Khimi. Gently, he straddles his lap, nudging him onto his back. Khimi places the nectar fruit and a small knife beside himself.
Lumi reclines atop Khimi, eyes fluttering closed in contentment, his head resting comfortably on his crossed arms. Slowly, almost reverently, Khimi places a hand on Lumi’s head, his thumb trailing over the thick, rounded contours of his ears, following the intricate lines of the inner ear. A deep, contented purr vibrates from within Lumi, resonating softly against Khimi’s skin—a sound that speaks of warmth and belonging.
***
The storm rages on outside, the rain beating against the yurt in a constant barrage. Khimi lies awake, the sounds of thunder rattling the walls. The dark sky presses against the yurt, and the flickering light from the fire struggles to hold back the overwhelming darkness. The ground beneath him rumbles with the force of lightning, and Khimi feels his body tense at the loud cracks that follows.
Lumi’s hands shake him awake, urgency in his touch. “Khimi!” Lumi’s whisper is sharp and panicked. He shakes Khimi harder, his voice trembling. “The camels!”
Khimi stretches, still half-dazed from his deep sleep. His muscles protest, but he quickly shakes off the heaviness, his hand rubbing his sore back. “They’ll find shelter,” he mumbles, reassuring both Lumi and himself.
Lumi glances at the window, his eyes wide with doubt. “Are you sure?”
Khimi sighs, sitting up with a groan. “Certain. Glad you finally woke up,” he mutters, half-laughing as he massages his lower back.
“You blew out my back the other day,” Lumi chuckles weakly, but his expression quickly shifts. His voice dips low, as if unsure of the words he’s about to say. “I’ve been thinking,” he murmurs, a tremor in his voice. “I need to tell you something important.”
Khimi, still sore and half-alert, runs a hand down Lumi’s side. “Hmm?” He looks up, eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Everything ok? Are you hurt?”
Lumi hesitates, his voice faltering as he wrings his hands, pacing uncomfortably. “Not at all… I’m fine…” He swallows, then looks directly at Khimi, his voice low. “It’s about my tribe.”
Khimi raises an eyebrow, a hint of playfulness in his tone. “You’re not an aslan… are you?”
Lumi growls, a low, animalistic rumble. “I’m serious!” His voice cracks, and there’s a fire in his eyes as he turns toward Khimi. “You deserve to know some things.”
Khimi’s heart sinks at the tone. He sits up straighter, placing a firm hand over Lumi’s, his gaze meeting Lumi’s with a quiet intensity. “Only tell me if you want to.”
“I don’t even know where to begin,” Lumi whispers, unsure of himself. He takes a long breath before he begins. “Sevrin… hated me. And he hurt me,” he pauses, hiding his expression. “There were times when he would ambush me, then beat me with rocks until I would stop struggling… then force himself on me,” he adds, turning away from Khimi.
Lumi’s words seem distant. Khimi cannot comprehend what had just been spoken. He finds himself on his feet and across the room before Lumi.
He grabs Lumi’s wrist. “Why didn’t you get help?”
Lumi looks down, avoiding his gaze. His voice cracks. “I tried. No one in the tribe cared. It was a way for him to hold p-power.”
Khimi curses, shouting repeatedly. His grip tightens more fiercely on Lumi’s wrist, “Lumi, if I ever see your brother—”
“Stop!” Lumi interrupts, his voice pleading. “This is why I didn’t want to tell you. What if he changed? What if the tribe’s moved on and he’s different? I don’t even know what he looks like anymore.”
“Don’t… Don’t be naive, Lumi!” Khimi shouts, his grip on Lumi’s wrist growing tighter. “The world’s better without filth like that!”
Lumi’s shoulders tremble, his eyes downcast, emotion flickering across his face. “I know,” he whispers, placing a trembling hand over Khimi’s. “I want to move past it all, but I owed it to you to know.”
No matter how much Khimi wants to let it pass over, he cannot. He tosses Lumi’s hand aside as he looks out the window. I’ll—I’ll fucking kill him. Ever since he first met Lumi, he had wondered about his curious nature, he wondered how Lumi could have become how he is; how quick he becomes angry, how quick he is to cry. He had never met anyone as emotional and capricious. Someone so desperate, so lost. Is this what Amani meant?
A tremor runs through his hands. He wants to scream, to lash out at the world for hurting Lumi. The pieces fit together, and he can no longer stay silent. His voice cracks, his eyes brimming with unwanted tears. “But,” he whispers, eyes hardening, “if I ever meet your brother… I’m going to kill him.”
Lumi’s voice shakes, desperate and pained. “Khimi, it’s over… it’s in the past.”
Lightning strikes again, and Khimi’s expression hardens, his jaw taut as he stares at Lumi. “That kind of thing… it never goes away, does it?”
Lumi’s sobs break free, a harsh, uncontrollable sound. His body shakes violently, the tears streaming down his face. Khimi stands still, hands twitching as he fights to hold back his own emotions. He can feel the gulf between them, but all he wants is to pull Lumi close, to comfort him, to tell him everything will be okay. But he can’t. Not now. Not when the truth is so fresh, so hard to swallow.
He finally moves, forcing Lumi against himself, holding his face tight to his chest. The dampness from Lumi’s tears roll along his body. His jaw clenches tighter, unable to quell the rage broiling inside of him. He wants to scream and shout at the top of his lungs, to release the burning heat inside of him. Wanting to cry himself, he chokes back his tears and pushes his stubbled chin through Lumi’s hair, his lips resting between the round ears. The reassurances he whispers feel empty, for the only thing he can think of is vengeance.
Lumi’s fingernails scratch at Khimi’s back, his nails digging into his skin as if wanting to latch on for security. The pain from the sharp nails brings him out of his rage. With a calmness, he brushes his cheek through Lumi’s hair, remembering the words he had said at the temple. ‘You’ll have to take me forever’, he remembers them so clearly. His heart races at the recollection of his own response. ‘Forever is a long time’. What was I thinking? Of course, I’ll take you forever. Pain fills his chest, he kisses between Lumi’s ears. I’m sorry. But is unable to say it aloud. I’m sorry, Lumi.
Lumi shudders in his arms, the sobs wracking his body. “I-I… won’t ever abandon you,” Khimi whispers finally, choking back his tears with an audible sniff. “Tell me about the rest of your tribe.”
Lumi remains silent for a long time, his fingers twisting the fabric of his tunic. Finally, he finally works up the courage to speak. “My dad,” he says, voice catching on a hollow laugh. “His name is Sef too… just like the camel.” He hesitates before continuing, as if pulling the words from some dark, buried place. “He was the tribe leader. My mom, Tabia… people always said she was the kindest lady, that her death wasn’t fair.” He swallows. “She died when she gave birth to me, and people said it changed my dad. But he just… forgot about me. He only ever loved Sevrin.”
Khimi watches Lumi’s face, the dim light catching on the wet shimmer in his eyes. He wants to say something, but Lumi keeps speaking.
“He told me, a hundred times over, that he wished I’d never been born.” Lumi exhales shakily, tracing a finger over the scars on his nose. “These two lines mark me as the second son of the tribe’s leader. Sevrin only has a single scar over his nose. He was always meant to be first.”
Khimi brushes his fingers through Lumi’s tousled hair, letting the silence stretch between them before murmuring, “That’s a lot to carry.” His voice is steady, though his heart aches. “But I’m glad you told me. I’m glad you trust me with this.” Then his voice darkens. “But if I ever meet your brother… I won’t stay my blade.”
Lumi’s breath hitches. “Hopefully, we’ll never see Sevrin,” he whispers. “But… I do think about my tribe. I feel like I owe it to them to know I’m still alive.”
“You don’t owe them anything,” Khimi says sharply, anger simmering in his chest. “They don’t deserve you, Lumi. None of them do.”
Lumi sniffs, wiping his face with the back of his hand. “I hate them,” he admits, voice thick. “But I just… I want them to see that I survived. That I became my own person.”
Khimi watches him, his fingers absently brushing against the back of Lumi’s neck. “You don’t need their validation,” he murmurs. “You don’t need to prove anything to them.”
Lumi drops his gaze, his hands fidgeting in his lap. “What about your family?” he prattles. “What about Ziad?”
Khimi closes his eyes and takes a slow, steady breath. “If Ziad does anything to harm you,” he says, voice firm, “then I will do what I have to.”
Lumi furrows his brow, worry creasing his features. “You say that now… but when it happens—do you really think you could? I don’t know if I could kill Sevrin.”
Khimi’s expression doesn’t change. “I could,” he says simply. “I did it once.”
Lumi’s breath catches. “That was different,” he insists. “You knew that wasn’t really Ziad.”
Khimi shakes his head. “I still raised my blade against him,” he whispers. “I forced myself to believe it was him.”
Lumi presses his cheek against Khimi’s chest, his voice quiet. “It’s not the same. And you know it.”
“Stop it,” Khimi mutters, grasping Lumi’s wrist. “What happened to you… Lumi.” His voice is strained, heavy with everything he can’t put into words.
Lumi pulls back slightly, his fingers slipping from Khimi’s grasp. “And we’ll never see him again… and you’ll always be here for me… and no one will ever hurt me like that again.”
Khimi doesn’t hesitate this time. He seizes Lumi’s hand again, engulfing his trembling fingers in his own. “I’m sorry,” he breathes, pressing Lumi’s knuckles against his lips. “I know this may sound unfair, but I can’t—I won’t—suffer knowing someone did this to you.”
Lumi swallows, his ears lowering slightly. “It was a long time ago—”
“Not that long,” Khimi interrupts, his lips brushing over Lumi’s fingers. “You haven’t been at the temple that long.”
Lumi lowers his head. “Khimi… I just want to move forward. I want us to be happy together. There shouldn’t be any secrets between us.” He exhales, voice stronger this time. “I don’t want you to think I’m broken. I’m not broken, Khimi.”
Khimi studies him for a moment, then nods. “I know,” he whispers. He wants to believe it. “You’re not broken.”
Lumi tries to smile, but his lips tremble. Tears spill down his cheeks again, faster this time. “I feel like I lied to you,” he sobs. “I feel like I’ve been lying to you since the moment we met… I don’t deserve you.”
Khimi shakes his head, his thumb wiping a stray tear from Lumi’s cheek. “Lumi, none of that matters. I didn’t fall in love with you because of your innocence.”
Lumi lets out a choked laugh between sobs. “M-my innocence? My maidenhood?”
Khimi stifles a laugh, squeezing Lumi’s hand. “Yeah. Your maidenhood,” he teases. “Though, I suppose I took that far before we wed. We break all the traditions, don’t we?”
Lumi hiccups between laughter and tears. “F-far before,” he echoes, his voice unsteady. He sniffs, composing himself just enough to whisper, “Then… you don’t think any differently of me? You don’t think I’m broken… or sullied?”
“Sullied?” Khimi frowns. “No. Far from it.” His fingers lift Lumi’s chin, forcing him to meet his gaze. “Lumi, you make me a stronger person. You always have. From the first night we met, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. The only thing I look forward to is being with you.”
Lumi presses his face into Khimi’s palm, his own hand covering it. “You’re too kind,” he murmurs.
Khimi shakes his head. “Put those thoughts out of your mind. I would never—will never—see you as anything less than what you are.” His voice drops to a whisper, his forehead pressing against Lumi’s. “Whatever your brother did, that is his sin. His crime. Not yours.”
Lumi lets out a shuddering breath. “I’m sorry,” he whimpers.
Khimi embraces Lumi, wrapping his massive arms around him. He whispers words of kindness into his ears until Lumi stops shaking. Lumi climbs Khimi, wrapping his arms around him, he rests his cheek on Khimi’s shoulder. The rain continues to pour outside, the thunder and lightning unrelenting in its intensity. Time does not seem to move. Lumi brushes his face over Khimi’s skin. A comforting quiet during the tumultuous storm raging outside.
Time loses meaning as they hold each other. Khimi strokes Lumi’s hair as he rubs his face against his bare chest. “I guess… I’ll be marrying aslan royalty, then.”
Lumi hums against him. “It doesn’t work that way, though. Anyone could have challenged my father. A tribe’s leader is expected to be the strongest… so their children should be, too.”
Khimi rolls a strand of Lumi’s hair between his fingers. “You don’t need to be the strongest, Lumi.”
Lumi scoffs, looking up through tear-streaked lashes. “Why not?”
“Because you’re with me. We make each other stronger,” Khimi whispers, his breath warm against Lumi’s skin.
Lumi’s face presses against Khimi’s bare chest. “I guess you’re right.”
“I know I am,” Khimi replies, placing his lips between Lumi’s ears.
And as the storm rages on outside, they remain there—wrapped in each other’s warmth, their world as small as the space between them.