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After Earth Went Dark: Chapter 11
Tyr moved to the shower, but Elliot stopped him as something caught his eye. On the counter was a small pink bottle labeled "foam bath". He grinned as a memory came back to him from many years ago. He had grown up without running water, making bathing a more-or-less weekly chore. One summer morning however, his mother had filled the bath with cool water and some kind of pink liquid soap like this and made a spectacular foaming mess of the bathroom. It had been a special occasion and Elliot remembered it now as he examined the little bottle.
He smiled excitedly up at Tyr, who obviously had not made the same connection.
"This." Elliot handed him the bottle. "This is fun. Let's do it." He put the plug stopper in place in the large porcelain bathtub and started the water. Tyr looked at the small pink bottle in confusion. "Here, I'll show you." Elliot took it back. As the tub began to fill, he poured some of the contents into the steaming water. Immediately it began to bubble and foam and the bathroom took on a pleasant smell.
Elliot giggled. "See?" He dumped more of it into the water and waited for it to continue to fill up. Tyr inspected the bathtub but did not seem sufficiently impressed.
"So, it's soap." He noted with obvious confusion.
"It's not just soap." Elliot said in exasperation. "It's a bubble bath!"
Tyr shook his head and shrugged, clearly not fully understanding but not wanting to diminish Elliot's excitement. "Alright." He half smiled but it faded quickly. "We should be quick though, in case your mother or sister return."
Elliot shook his head. "They won't. We've got hours until the closing ceremonies still. And even if they do, you can just hide in here and I'll say you went to get us some food or something."
Unconvinced, Tyr frowned, and Elliot decided to take it up a level. He stepped in towards Tyr, putting a hand on his abs and looking up at him innocently. Very gently, he tugged on the edge of Tyr's towel. Just enough to loosen it, but not enough to make it fall. It sank down one of Tyr's hips, revealing the deep `V' that ran down from his lower abs.
"Pleease..." Elliot rested his cheek on Tyr's chest, still looking up at him. It almost made Elliot laugh seeing the uncomfortable but hungry look in Tyr's eyes. Eyes that he had once thought were cold and emotionless now held a wealth of information about their owner once Elliot learned what to look for. He knew he had won even before Tyr spoke.
"Alright, we'll have to be careful though and listen for the door."
A cheeky grin split Elliot's face. He briefly thought about how timid and even downright afraid he had been around Tyr during the first days of their acquaintance. Now, feeling Tyr's powerful muscles under his fingertips, and seeing the clear longing in his eyes, Elliot wondered how he could have ever been so fearful.
Slowly, Elliot pulled his shirt over his head. Even though Tyr had seen him naked before, it still felt strange to undress in front of another person. Tyr gave him an approving look as he lay his shirt by the sink. Seeing that the bath was beginning to fill up and already had a thick layer of foam, Elliot grinned conspiratorially.
"Turn around." He ordered, and Tyr frowned. "Come on, just do it." Eventually Tyr did as he asked, and Elliot quickly pulled his pants off and slid into the warm bath.
Tyr turned back around and gave him a look, to which Elliot simply giggled and motioned for Tyr to join him.
"Are you going to do me the same courtesy?" Tyr asked dryly.
Elliot made a show of holding his chin and looking off into space as though pondering a serious dilemma. "Hmmm. Maybe."
Elliot closed his eyes tight with the intention of peeking just after Tyr had removed his towel, but he underestimated Tyr's speed and was only able to get a very brief glimpse below the belt as Tyr slipped into the bath across from him. From the quick flash he had seen, Tyr was very well endowed. That knowledge made Elliot shiver slightly.
The bath, like the rest of the suite, was very large. Enough for the two of them to sit comfortably across from each other with their legs alongside one another. Elliot gave Tyr a coy smile as he slid his foot up Tyr's leg. In response, Tyr reached down and gave Elliot's foot a gentle tug, causing him to slip forward a little. Giggling, Elliot threw a handful of foam at Tyr which worked about as well as could be expected.
Dunking under the water to wet his hair, Elliot came up and tossed it luxuriously, sending splatters of water and bubbles all over the bathroom before cocking his head seductively and looking at Tyr. This earned him the quiet chuckle that he was beginning to become familiar with. Tyr motioned for him to come closer, so Elliot half floated half crawled over to sit partially next to and partially on top of Tyr. He knew how close he was to the thing that he was so curious about, but he didn't want to be too forward.
Tyr wrapped an arm around him wincing slightly as his injured arm stretched. Elliot looked up and kissed his lower cheek and smiled. The arm around him held him close as Tyr leaned down to kiss him more seriously. Elliot melted into Tyr's muscular frame as their lips met. He could feel something touching his leg and he was pretty sure he knew what it was.
He let his hand trace down Tyr's chest and disappear into the layer of foam down to feel his abs again. Tyr stiffened noticeably as his hand continued downward and Elliot smiled shyly at him. He felt some hair and his fingers just brushed against the base of his length before Tyr's free hand found his and held onto it.
Elliot looked up questioningly at Tyr who stroked the side of his face gently with his left hand while still holding the wandering hand in his right.
"You don't want me to?" Elliot asked timidly.
Tyr cleared his throat and broke eye contact. "It's... not that. It's just... when it's started it's very hard to stop. I..." He paused uncertainly. "I care about you. Too much to risk moving too quickly."
Elliot blushed and leaned in to kiss Tyr again. Being cuddled up to Tyr and making out with him while being essentially pinned to the wall of the bathtub remined Elliot just how much smaller he was than Tyr. But he realized that he preferred it that way. He liked the feeling of knowing that it was only Tyr's gentlemanly restraint that kept him from doing whatever he pleased. Also, he decided, it could be fun to test that restraint.
Tyr's hand roamed his body and Elliot let him move freely, enjoying the feeling of it running down his side to his hip and gently squeezing him from behind. Eventually, Tyr's other hand moved slowly down from his cheek to his chest, continuing lower to his waist, and then between his legs. Tyr had touched him there before, but still it made him gasp with sensation.
Tyr slowly stroked him, and Elliot shivered in pleasure at his touch, wrapping his arms around Tyr's lean body. Eventually, Tyr picked him up and moved him between his legs, so he could put an arm around him and touch him more easily. As soon as he did, Elliot felt the entire length of Tyr's manhood pressed up against his back. He had been right, it was big. Even from this awkward angle it felt like it was twice the size of his own, or more, and much thicker. He pushed back against it and moaned as Tyr put a hand on his throat to tilt his head back for another kiss.
The hand that had been stroking him stopped suddenly and continued moving down between his legs. Tyr moved his other hand to Elliot's leg, lifting it up and pulling him forward, leaving him entirely exposed to the probing hand below. Elliot whimpered but looked at Tyr with complete trust, giving him silent consent for whatever he was planning.
When Tyr's finger touched his hole he jumped, causing the water to slosh around in the bath. Tyr held him firmly in place though as his finger simply stroked across it a few times. For reasons unknown to Elliot, this act turned him on more than anything ever had. Almost against his will, his body began to produce little panting moans as Tyr's finger circled him. He put his feet up on the sides of the bathtub to give Tyr total access to every part of his body.
Tyr's other hand came down and began stroking him again as his finger continued to tease Elliot's hole. The smaller boy whined in pleasure and grabbed tightly onto Tyr's thighs. Somewhere in his mind he knew what Tyr was going to do, but that didn't prepare him for when the tip of the finger eventually slipped inside him.
Elliot drew in a loud gasping breath. This was something completely new. Tyr had only put the very tip of his finger into him, but still Elliot could feel it inside him, radiating sensation through his entire body. A part of Tyr was inside him. That thought made Elliot moan and roll his head back against Tyr's chest.
Tyr waited for him to settle, stroking his other hand up and down Elliot's flat stomach and gently caressing his stiff length. Once Elliot had gotten used to the feeling, Tyr began to move his finger around slowly, putting it just a little farther inside. This elicited squeals of ecstasy from the smaller boy, and with a throaty moan Elliot moved himself forward, pushing the finger deeper inside him.
Tyr removed his finger, drawing pleading little whines from Elliot. Then, without warning, he slid it back in. Elliot arched his back and squealed loudly.
"Please!" He whined, gazing lustily up at Tyr. "More..."
Tyr began to truly finger his tight hole, moving it in and out regularly, each time getting a little deeper until with every push the finger went all the way inside him. Elliot practically screamed as waves of pleasure washed over his small body. He had to grab the sides of the tub to keep from thrashing violently. At some point Tyr had started stroking him again, but that was a secondary sensation. The real pleasure was the feeling of Tyr's finger entering him, and then the agonizingly wonderful feeling of anticipation when he removed it.
Elliot hadn't noticed that he was whining like an animal, giving off horny little moans in time with Tyr's fingering. He knew this couldn't last long and he wanted to tell Tyr to wait. He wanted to feel the torture of his release withheld. His mind and body wouldn't obey him though. He was outside of himself and all he could do was moan helplessly and listen as his voice cracked up to a high-pitched almost girly squeal when Tyr pushed him over the edge.
Elliot's whole body stiffened, and his squeals continued to climb in pitch and intensity as he pulsed and shot again and again. It lasted longer than any he had ever experienced, and even when his load was exhausted, it continued to pulse as though trying to shoot what was already spent. He writhed in a pleasure so intense he thought that he might never recover.
When his vision cleared, and his mind could form thoughts once again, he found he was sitting between Tyr's legs with his head resting on Tyr's strong shoulder. Tyr's hands were gently running up and down his arm and his heaving chest.
Elliot's eyelids fluttered and allowed his head to loll to one side to gaze up at Tyr with a dreamy smile.
"Oh my god..." was all he could say before breaking into a fit of soft giggles.
They remained in the bath for a time as Elliot recovered himself. Tyr held him close and occasionally kissed him gently. Finally though, Tyr pulled the stop on the tub and the water began to drain away. Elliot slowly stood and stretched, knowing Tyr's eyes were on him and fully enjoying the fact. He tossed his hair and grabbed a towel. He ran it through his hair first then purposefully wiggled his butt as he dried his lower back.
Wrapping the towel around his waist, he stepped out of the bath. Every impulse he had told him to look around and finally see Tyr, completely naked and unobstructed, but for some reason he resisted. Even though he had felt it pressed against him it somehow felt more intimate to not know. Not just yet. He handed a second towel over his shoulder before turning to let Tyr step out of the bath as well. Even with the towel wrapped around his waist, Tyr was so stunningly handsome that it almost made Elliot forget that he had just had a release.
Stepping in close to his protector, the two embraced again and Elliot looked up, silently asking for another kiss. Tyr did not hesitate and squeezed him tight in powerful arms before releasing him and gathering up his clothing for him. Elliot realized as he left the bathroom that his towel had slipped a little in the back, exposing the curve of his backside just a bit. He didn't adjust it though. He knew that Tyr liked seeing it, and he wanted to give Tyr anything and everything he wanted. The fact that HE was what Tyr wanted made him feel sexy and naughty and humbled all at the same time.
They both changed into soft robes and lay together on the bed, opening letters and packages from Tyr's fans. For the particularly embarrassing letters Elliot insisted on performing dramatic readings. He enjoyed the twist of Tyr's lip that indicated his amusement. More importantly though, he loved simply being cuddled up next to Tyr, whose robe was open slightly at the top, showing off his perfect chest.
"It's nearly time for the closing ceremonies." Tyr commented, absently stroking a hand through Elliot's hair. "We should leave soon."
Elliot pouted and looked up at him. "I know. I wish we could stay though."
Running his hand down the side of Elliot's neck, Tyr rolled out of bed. "Come on." He insisted. "Your mother and sister will be waiting."
With a reluctant sigh, Elliot stood and gathered up his clothing. He began to take his robe off but then turned and gave Tyr a coy smile. Tyr, who had been staring once again, cleared his throat awkwardly and retreated to the other room. Elliot was not particularly shy about Tyr looking at him anymore, at least not nearly to the extent that he had been, but something about saving it for their intimate moments seemed rewarding to him. He changed back into his clothes and met Tyr by the door.
Tyr had changed into a more formal set of clothing that Elliot thought made him look very dashing. It was a tight-fitting dark green shirt with buttons that ran diagonally across it. Red embroidery covered the shoulders and each cuff was adorned with Tyr's symbol. The pants were plain black, similar to the kind Elliot wore, but Tyr's ensemble was completed by fancy-looking cuffed boots. One of his long knives hung from either side of Tyr's belt. He looked for all the world like some kind of prince.
"Wow." Elliot finished tying up his hair as he ogled Tyr's lean broad-shouldered frame in his fancy getup. "You look... amazing..." He finished quietly.
Tyr averted his eyes and mumbled his thanks, tugging on one of the shirt sleeves. "It's all too tight." He eventually complained. "Impractical."
"It's not SUPPOSED to be practical." Elliot admonished. "It's supposed to make you look handsome."
Elliot was proved right on their walk back to the arena. Tyr's statuesque figure combined with his elegant clothing drew attention. Some people recognized him as the Royal Champion, others simply guessed that he must be somebody important. They met up with Kara and their mother outside the arena. Elliot felt a momentary twist of jealousy when he saw his sister's eyes widen a bit at the sight of Tyr in his flashy clothes. He had to scold himself silently and then smiled. She had no idea.
The intermission performance that Kara and her mother had stayed to see had been some very old play about tragedy and betrayal and war. Kara did her best to explain it but to Elliot it seemed like he and Tyr had probably had more fun with their afternoon. All that was left for the day was for the Jackson brothers to congratulate the day's winners, administer rewards, and announce the events for the next day.
Tyr left them at the gate to enter from the fighters' side. Elliot giggled a little as he saw Kara's eyes follow him.
"What?" His sister demanded.
Elliot shook his head. "Nothing." He replied innocently.
The closing ceremony did not last very long. The winners of all the events that day were rewarded. The surviving members of the Northern Raiders were hailed as heroes and promised wealth and fame for their bravery and skill. Then it came to Tyr. The audience cheered exuberantly as he was declared the most valiant fighter of the day. It was strange to see them all so enamored with Tyr when only the day before the crowd had no idea who he was, and many had been actively rooting against him.
For his performance that day, Tyr was gifted with a heavy-looking silver bar and an ornate dagger that matched his outfit. With a final parade of the victors, drawing more excited cheering from the audience, the ceremony concluded. Tyr met up with them shortly after and passed the bar off to Elliot, who immediately nearly dropped it.
"Whoa..." He exclaimed, hefting it carefully. "That's heavy!"
"You could probably buy a house with that!" Kara marveled.
Tyr shook his head. "Not quite. It is considerable though."
"All this on the second day?" Their mother asked incredulously. "If this goes on for the next two weeks you'll be the richest man in the country."
Again, Tyr responded in the negative. "I don't think this is typical. An extra reward for surviving the live weapons round."
"How's your arm?" She asked, indicating the slight bulge in his sleeve where the bandage was wrapped.
"It will be fine." Tyr assured.
"You'll have to fight with it tomorrow." Elliot remarked, worriedly.
Tyr gave him a hint of a smile. "I've lived through worse."
This left Elliot to wonder just exactly how much worse Tyr had been through. He had seen the scars, so his guess would be quite a bit.
Between the four of them, they managed to clear out Tyr's tribute box which had, as expected, filled back up since they had been gone. They stopped off briefly at the suite to drop the tribute, at which time Kara suddenly became very concerned with how her hair looked. Elliot wondered if she was feeling self-conscious around Tyr suddenly. He considered whether or not he should share his thoughts with Tyr later.
The restaurant was on the far side of the ground floor of the hotel. It was quite open, with lattice paneling intertwined with vines sectioning off some of the tables. There was a small statue of a woman with a fountain pouring from a jug she was holding occupying the center of the room. The earth-tone carpet and dim lighting gave it a dusky garden-like aesthetic. A lone pianist improvised softly from the back.
Elliot was intimidated by the class of people that seemed to be the custom here. Their finery made him feel shabby, even in his new clothes. Most of them wore fashion that made even Tyr's sharp dress look paltry. Bubbles of soft conversation drifted over the piano music, punctuated by occasional laughter.
Above everything else though was the smell. There was a blend of spices on the air that Elliot had never encountered before, and it set his stomach growling. However, a framed sign on a nearby marble pillar informed them in looping cursive that seating was by reservation only.
"Did he make a reservation?" Elliot asked, pointing to the sign.
"I guess we'll find out." His mother responded as the hostess approached.
"Reservation number?" She was a young woman with a business-like attitude, though her tone was not unfriendly.
"We were meeting someone here?" Tyr told her awkwardly.
She eyed the group skeptically. "Well sir, I'm afraid I can't seat you unless..."
"You can't seat the Royal Champion?" Rob declared, just a little too loudly from behind them. He strode into the restaurant with a confident air and a disapproving frown directed at the hostess. "I'm sure we could have some words with Adrian about that."
The hostess's demeanor changed. "The Royal Champion? Oh of course, I mean... I had no idea. I'm so sorry." She curtseyed and motioned for them to follow. "Right this way, please."
Rob winked at them as he passed, and Elliot shook his head in disbelief. If nothing else, the man was certainly sly.
Any disagreement about the method of entry was soon forgotten as they were seated, and the elegant ambiance of the place settled over them. It somehow felt like being both indoors and outdoors at the same time. Almost immediately, a formally-dressed waiter attended them and passed around a little leather-bound book.
"Our wines." He informed them. "We have many new selections, grown nearby, but if you're looking for a taste of the old world we also have bottles dating back long before the flare. Imports from all around the world."
Elliot paged through the little book in confusion. The words were hard to read, and he recognized very few of them.
Tyr reached over and gently took the book. "They are names." He told Elliot, pointing. "Most of them are French." Elliot nodded his thanks as Tyr passed the book on.
Rob wasted no time. He turned the pages a few times before snapping it shut resolutely. "A bottle of the imported Piemonte chardonnay for the table, please."
"Very good, sir." The waiter nodded politely. "Will that be all?"
"Yes, thank you." Elliot's mother took the helm, handing the book back to the waiter. When he had gone, she turned a raised eyebrow on Rob. "You planning to drink an entire bottle of wine?"
He shrugged. "In a place like this you've got to make sure they take you seriously. It's the only way to get the best service."
The menu was short and written mostly in a different language that Tyr informed him was Italian. Elliot vaguely wondered if Tyr could actually read it or if he just recognized it. There were brief descriptions of the dishes in English underneath.
When the wine came out, Rob offered a toast to Tyr's health and luck in the coming fights. Elliot's mother, despite herself, shared a glass. She allowed Kara to have a small portion as well and even gave Elliot a sip from her glass, although he did not much care for it. Tyr abstained, choosing to drink only water, but acknowledged their toast with a grateful incline of his head.
Elliot could not remember ever having a better meal in his life. There were soups and salads to begin with. Fresh vegetables with light and tangy dressing, hot broth, thick with noodles, vegetables, and tender chunks of meat, but that was only the start. Several different loaves of bread were offered, and their main dishes were perfectly cooked and spiced. Elliot figured that this must be what it felt like to be in another country. All the food was foreign to him, but it was all delicious, even when he wasn't completely sure what he was eating.
During the meal, they kept the conversation light. Kara tried again to describe the play they had watched earlier. Jokes were made, and smiles were shared and even Tyr seemed to relax a bit. He spoke more openly but was still by far the most reserved of the bunch. As the meal neared its end however, Rob's tone turned more serious.
"I've been doing some snooping this afternoon." He told them conspiratorially. "Ever since that live weapons round something hasn't sat right with me. I've got connections around this town that I've been talking to." His story was interrupted by a bite of pasta. "Something big is going on." His voice dropped even lower. "Rumor has it, there's been some power-jockeying between the Jackson brothers recently. Apparently, Adrian is getting tired of playing second fiddle, so to speak."
"What does that mean for us?" Elliot's mother asked with a frown.
Rob shrugged. "Probably nothing directly. It's possible it will have an influence on the Tournament, more so than it already has anyway, or it's possible that it won't. Not everyone liked that display today, though I suspect you're outnumbered in that camp. I guess all I can say is that this Tournament has already been unlike any before it, and I expect that may continue."
Elliot frowned in thought. The idea of more unexpected twists like the one that afternoon was not something he particularly wanted Tyr to be subjected to. He resolved to discuss it with him when they had returned to the room.
The waiter came around to collect plates and cutlery. When Rob asked for the check, the young man assured them that meals for the Royal Champion were not to be paid for.
"If I'd known that I would have gotten the steak." Rob joked to Tyr who merely nodded in acknowledgement.
They said their goodbyes to Rob. Elliot always had trouble deciding whether he liked the man or not. He had an amiable enough personality but was also incredibly devious. It was a combination that made him difficult to read.
Back at the suite, Kara and their mother made clear their plans to go straight to bed. Elliot said much the same, knowing full well he would instead be using the time to share his concerns with Tyr, and maybe do some other things as well. He never got the opportunity though. Only a few short minutes after they had arrived, a knock came at the door.
Tyr strode calmly over to answer it, but Elliot saw him casually grab up a knife from one of the tables in a motion so fluid that it would have been easy to miss. Stepping up not too close behind Tyr as he looked through the peephole, Elliot held his breath until he saw Tyr's shoulders relax slightly.
Tyr opened the door to the hotel attendant standing outside.
"Pardon me, sir. Mr. Jackson would like to see you."
With a frown, Tyr turned back to look at Elliot and motion him back to the room. "Now?"
The attendant nodded. "If quite convenient, sir."
Tyr sighed. "One moment." He shut the door and laid the knife down again.
"Who is it?" Elliot asked with worried curiosity.
"Don't worry about it." Tyr assured him. "I've got to step out for a few minutes, but I'll be back shortly. Go get some rest."
Elliot scowled in displeasure but didn't argue. Tyr quickly informed the other two of his departure before returning to the man at the door. "Alright. Let's go then."
The attendant led Tyr up several flights of stairs, causing Tyr to wonder what Adrian was doing in the hotel. The attendant seemed rather shifty as well, but Tyr was not particularly concerned. Very few things escaped him, and he could tell that the man was unarmed. He on the other hand as usual had a knife concealed in each boot.
Tyr was surprised when they reached the top floor and he found it to be rather heavily guarded. Two men stood by the stairs with two more at either end of the hall. Another two stood beside a set of double doors that led to the main suite on the floor. The situation was becoming very strange indeed.
"Just through here." The attendant indicated the double doors, and the two guards pulled them open for him.
Inside was a suite very similar to his own, with more guards just inside. Sitting on a couch in the center, with his back to the door was not Adrian, but Alexander.