The deck was quiet tonight, and normally that was how Cresento liked to keep it. The cool wind of the night rustled through his silver hair, throwing a few loose strands into his eye. He swept them back behind his ear as he turned to go back down to his room. Normally, he'd liked to keep his ears a secret because people looked down on him for being a half-elf. It was a part of him that seemed as a plague, branded on him and could not be removed, cured, or covered up. Zhivago had made it clear to him before that he was an abomination, unfit for any real society, but yet he remained on his fanciful airship in the fine company of what others might consider 'friends'...But that wasn't the reason he revealed his ears now.

That reason was a completely different matter altogether. That reason, was Nicolae. At first though, he had been upset that the man had noticed his scars, the things about himself he detested the most. Not only that, but he had been ashamed to admit he'd let the man manipulate him into touching them. He forced Nicolae out of his cabin after that, seemingly disgruntled by the violation of his most sacred of secrets. However, as soon as he'd left and Cresento had lay down to bed that night, the feel of Nicolae's gentle fingers did not leave his heart. He remembered how careful he was and how he was honest about not knowing elf culture, and he vividly remembered the searing look in Nicolae's shining blue eyes when he realized the man was not drunk at all. He could never have placed that look back then, but now he knew it all too well.

As he entered the airship, he noted people readying themselves for whatever was to come the next day. It had been tough lately, with Nyx and Gino going at it and everyone trying to muster their ambitions. It was unlike him to allow people onto his personal airship, but Brennivin had been clear that nobody would be staying with him. That, and… he had been more open to these small acts of kindness lately. Ever since he had allowed Nicolae to share his room. The airship, though roomy enough to the two of them normally, had more people nowadays and Nicolae thought it would be better if they could room up so there would be less cramping in. From then on, Cresento could openly give him conversation if he wished, or he could lay still and listen to the other breathe quietly.

It was so different to him, having someone there who only wanted to be with him. Not use him for anything (well, the exception of housing was made), or to torture him about his parents. The feeling of another person who cared, who shared in his desires, who would sometimes roll over in his sleep and cuddle up to his back… was a feeling was completely irreplaceable and priceless to him. He shook his head now, realizing his lovely thoughts about Nicolae had distracted him into standing in the middle of the hallway. His cheeks were heated, and most certainly a varying shade of red or a nice pink right about now and nobody would ever let him live this down if he didn't get out of there. Turning himself sharply toward his room, he strutted about the place as per normal before entering his room finally.

His desk was clean, but upon it was placed Nicolae's trusty green hat that had managed somehow to stay with him since they'd met despite all the wreckage and wind it had been through. The thing was a little worse for the wear, but Cresento was sure the other man wouldn't have it any other way. Undoing the buttons to his coat, he looked up to see a light turn on. It was Nicolae's bedside lamp, and it was at its dimmest setting, but he could still clearly see the other sleepily looking up at him. There was a moment of silence before the lamp shut off and he shuffled his jacket onto its hook in the pale moonlight before he heard Nicolae's voice cut through the air.

"I didn't think you were coming. You seemed awfully busy out there staring into nothing." At times like this, Cresento wanted to resent Nicolae's smug attitude, but for all he tried he could not help but love everything about him.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware I was on a special schedule princess." There was a soft chuckle.

"Excuse me, that's Queen to you." Glad for the dark cover of the night, Cresento allowed himself a small smile. He had always loved Nicolae's sense of humor. Slipping his shirt off, he heard the other shuffle and he slipped into bed to find that his back was immediately occupied by Nicolae's warm palms and soft cheek. It hurt him inside a little to know he didn't have to courage to reciprocate such loving affections, but he was sure the other understood that he wasn't used to dealing with romance. "Why does your body always run so cold?" Cresento blinked. He wasn't aware he was cold, as he didn't feel cold at all. Everything else just felt warm.

"I didn't know I was cold. I don't feel cold." Nicolae snorted.

"What are you, kid? You don't feel cold my ass. Everyone feels cold. Especially on a night like tonight." Cresento mildly scolded himself for letting his thoughts leave off on Nicolae's comment about his ass. It was distracting where he hadn't wanted it to be.

"Well, it's not convenient to be cold. It slows people down, including me."

"Then what about heat? Do you feel that, oh mighty master of body temperature?" He rolled his eyes.

"Of course I do. I don't want to be roasted to death." There was a moment that he could have sworn he heard Nicolae smirk before he felt a smooth fingertip run the length of his ear, tracing the outside back and forth. The man knew it was his weakness now, and there was no stopping the insatiable amount of shivers that rolled through his spine.

"…Just to state a personal fact, I don't like being cold in bed, and you are freezing." Cresento felt their bodies press together and Nicolae's hot breath was dangerously close to his sensitive ear, making him swallow hard before a whisper sent him into a state of pleasure-shock. "Might I… offer some assistance in helping you regain your warmth?" Unblinking and still as a rock, his brain could not fathom any understanding of what in the world that man would want to do to him if he allowed it. As embarrassing as he found it, he swallowed thickly and he felt his heart race beyond his mind's ability to keep track.

"I-I, don't understand what it is you mean." He had tried not to make it sound as though he was brushing it off, because he wasn't, he just wanted a more specific idea of what his body would be undergoing. An understatement would be that he was nervous, but he would have never admitted it.

"You're so vanilla." He seemed almost irritated before snaking a hand around Cresento's waist and his fingers found the hem of his underwear. "Don't you worry about a thing, babe. I would never hurt you." It was a sweet sentiment, very much like Nicolae when it counted. The dark elf bit his lip as a hand slipped carefully under his night clothing, and his manhood was grasped softly. Feeling Nicolae breathe upon his ear he held his breath for a second, wondering if such pleasures were only a dream. The hand that had seized his vital regions moved now, working its way up and down, a thumb occasionally caressing the head and Nicolae whispered again. "How's that? Anyone ever tell you that you've got an impressive package, Cres?" It was nearly just a breath, that mention of his new nick-name. Nicolae stretched his head out a little, nibbling at his earlobe, licking its length for a hefty moan in return.

"N-Nicolae…" His voice was needy, though Nicolae could tell that he was wanting to protest to this slander of his masculinity.

"Aw, don't tell me you want me to stop…?" Cresento's eyes sent a burning glare that he was sure anyone could have sensed. "That's what I thought." The pace of Nicolae's gentle hand began to get more rapid, and he could feel the other grasp at the bed's sheets in an attempt to calm himself. Continuing his actions, he felt precum dribble onto his hand, moistening his grasp and effectively eliciting another series of lusty, lewd moans and sighs from his partner. With no more than a minute or two, Cresento felt his body tingle, rolling waves of thick pleasure washed over him and he cried out as his climax hit him.

"Nicolae!" The dark elf's searing seed now covered the other's hand, dripping onto the sheets and sticking his fingers together.

"My, my. What a dirty thing you've done, Cresento…"

"I-It wasn't my fault! You did this! Y-You… y-you… You manipulator person!" Nicolae laughed heartily.

"How eloquent, love." He removed his hand, reaching over to grab a discarded shirt to clean his hand off with. "But you can't tell me you didn't enjoy it." As much as it pained him to admit this to anyone, he grunted in affirmation. Nobody had ever wanted him… like that, so naturally he hadn't ever been able to experience that joy that had been labeled an orgasm. "But, I achieved my goal and you are warm now and no doubt tired. Would you like to sleep?" Utterly baffled by the swiftness in which the topic of conversation had been shifted, he turned around and pulled Nicolae's body to him.

"If you think I'd let you insult my masculinity like that and get away with it-!"

"Ohh, what are you going to do? Kiss me?"

"Hey, don't tempt me!"

"Well then, don't threaten me with a good time."

"Oh, now you're going to get it!"

"What is 'it' exactly?"

"A very, very sore ass."