Clarines' second prince, Zen Wistalia, his attendant Obi, and Court Pharmacist Shirayuki, decided to stop at an inn for the night. Their business in the outlying towns had concluded so they were making their way back home. Shirayuki had focused so much on her duties that she'd taken little time to rest. She sat behind Obi on his horse as they made their way through the forest, riding side by side with Zen.
Her exhaustion eventually overwhelmed her as she began to doze, losing her grip on Obi's waist and nearly sliding off. It was nothing for Obi to swiftly catch her before she hit the ground, but it did give the two men a good scare.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause a scene. I'll be fine now, so we don't have to stop," Shirayuki said as her cheeks blushed nearly as red as her hair.
"It's not a problem Shirayuki. We're both aware of how you can get when you've gone too long without rest. We were going to be ahead of schedule anyway so we may as well take our time returning home to Clarines," replied Zen.
Luckily they weren't far from one of the small towns along the border of the city. Their luck seemed to run out when they went to the inn to request their rooms.
"I'm sorry, but I only have one room left. The local festival is beginning tomorrow, and the traveling performers have taken up most of the vacancies," the innkeeper said.
Obi took Zen aside for a quick word, "Master, I know you like to travel without drawing attention to your identity, but perhaps you should use it to get better accommodations in this instance. I'm sure if this guy heard that he's sheltering the second prince he'd probably find at least another room. It may be an awkward position to put the young miss in, rooming with the two of us."
"That's a good point Obi, but I'd rather not use my title like that. We're simply weary travelers needing a night's rest. And poor Shirayuki is practically out on her feet as it is, I don't think she's going to have a problem with who's in the room at this point." He turned back to the man at the counter. "We'll take your last room, sir."
Zen ended up carrying Shirayuki into their room, which Obi had walked into and quickly inspected first. He was pleased to see that the bed was large enough to accommodate all three of them comfortably. He gently laid Shirayuki down on the far right side and draped the covers over her. She murmured something neither man could understand before settling in.
"I don't think anything could wake her now, but it's good that she's getting some rest. She worked so hard during our trip, though she never gives herself a chance to recover until she's nearly passing out. I appreciate her work ethic and dedication, but sometimes I wish she'd be a little more focused on her own needs," said Zen as he watched the girl he loved sleep peacefully.
Obi nodded, he was as close to Shirayuki as Zen was, possibly even more so considering that he was her bodyguard and protector. "Perhaps we should consider the same, it is getting late, and we should try to get an early start tomorrow."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right, Obi," said Zen as he walked around to the other side of the bed and sat down to take off his riding boots. "At least we'll all have plenty of room up here."
"Oh no, Master. I wouldn't dare think myself worthy of taking space there. You and the young miss should have the bed for yourselves; I'll be just fine over-"
"Not worthy?" Zen said, interrupting Obi's refusal. "Why would you think that, Obi? I trust you with both of our lives, no one but you could be considered worthy to share our bed!" Zen watched Obi's eyes dart away, unsure of how to take what he had just said. He'd never intended for Obi to feel as though he wasn't equal to himself or Shirayuki.
"But I'd only be in the way if Master wished to spend some, uh, personal time with his love. It'd be best for me to sleep somewhere else."
Obi felt that this was what he was supposed to say in a situation such as this. He had made it known in the past to Zen just what his feelings were towards Shirayuki, but had always given them the respect and distance to grow their love without interference. He'd been the stereotypical third wheel, watching his own desires and wishes play out for someone other than himself. But this was the role he had chosen for himself, so he hardly had any room to gripe about it now. The masochist in him grew to enjoy the aching in his chest whenever he saw the two of them sneak a kiss or an embrace.
Zen stared at Obi for several moments before sighing and rolling himself onto the bed. He turned back to face Obi, "Ah, personal time with her, huh? You know as well as anyone that I can't be that intimate with her now. I want to be able to say I courted her properly and with great care to uphold her honor. I know that when we're free to hold and love each other as equals, this waiting will have been worth it." He sighed once again as he rolled over to look at Shirayuki, the covers accentuating her curves and only adding fuel to his carnal thoughts. "But trust me, the desire is still there. I'd want nothing more than to hold her close against me and share each other's warmth. But I won't sacrifice her honor to satisfy my selfish urges."
He felt the mattress behind him dip down as it took on the weight of another body. He was glad that Obi had decided to get into the bed so he would get more decent rest than if he had holed up in a corner or on the drafty floor. An arm suddenly wrapped around his chest as Obi pulled himself closer to his Master.
"You're speaking of selfish urges, Master? I'm afraid I'm not sure I'll be able to keep my own at bay if this keeps up. You know I'd give my life for you and young miss over there. But do you truly know just how deep my feelings for you go? I'd do everything in my power to protect your bond as a couple, Master, but I can't deny that I want to taste the same lips that Shirayuki gets to taste. To feel the same warmth she feels when she holds you in her arms." He pushed his other arm under Zen and rested it across his stomach, fully embracing him. "Pushing me away when I start to feel like this is okay, Master. Before I let myself give in to my own desire. Scold me, if this is wrong, so I know not to pursue this further!"
Zen took this moment to consider the position he was in right now with Obi. He'd longed for this kind of physical contact, but he had thought that only Shirayuki could provide it for him. But as he felt Obi's strong arms against his body, his want for more only grew. He'd had his suspicions of how Obi felt for him, from the time they had rested in the baths and noticed his not-so-subtle flirtations and teasing. Hearing his confession didn't make Zen want to push him away though. He felt a sense of relief that their feelings for each other were mutual. As much as Zen loved Shirayuki, he couldn't deny the fact that Obi had also taken up residence in his heart. He pressed his own arms against Obi's, interlacing their fingers together and squeezing gently. "I can't scold you for something I want as well, Obi."
"Then if it pleases you, Master, let me be the one to satisfy your needs," Obi whispered into the prince's ear, his breath hot and slightly damp against it.
"Mmm, yes it would please me. I want you, Obi."
Obi's hand reached down to the hem of Zen's shirt and disappeared beneath it. His rough fingers danced along Zen's skin, circling his nipples before he caught the delicate flesh between his fingers and started to knead it gently. Zen found his voice once again as he moaned softly at the stimulation. He'd never known himself to be so sensitive to another's touch until now. Zen wanted to both shove his hand away from his chest and join him in rubbing his other nipple to intensify the sensation. He was pushing himself against Obi, rubbing his lower back against the front of Obi's pants.
"I want to look at you Master, face me."
He pulled his arms away from Zen and moved back to give him room to turn over. They each used the newly-opened space between them to shed their excess clothing, tossing their shirts to unknown areas of their quarters while shimmying out of their pants and sliding them to the edge of the bed. Only Obi's underwear was left in place. Skin laid bare between the two; they embraced each other once more. This time, Obi's lips found their mark against Zen's.
Their first kiss was rushed and impatient, brought on by their growing need for contact. Obi pulled away from Zen's face, cupping his cheeks with his hands as he went in for a slower, deeper kiss this time. Their tongues lightly grazed each other, and in finding they enjoyed that sensation, let them dance together a while longer.
Zen's hands began to wander across Obi's body, sliding over his shoulders and down his muscular arms and against his torso. He traced a finger across the textured scar that spanned the width of Obi's chest, noting every imperfection and wishing the man next to him hadn't suffered such a painful wound in his past. He abandoned Obi's mouth, leaving a trail of soft pecks across his cheek, down the side of his neck and over his chest, taking care to kiss the wound that had spurred his interest in Obi when he first saw it in the baths months ago.
Obi ran his hands over Zen's back, taking his time to appreciate the feel of the man he had grown to love. He pulled Zen across until he was on top of Obi. One of Zen's thighs came to rest between Obi's, his knee nudging the warm bulge in his underwear.
"Nngh!" Obi softly moaned as he adjusted their positions so they could grind against each other.
"Ahh, you're so warm against me. Haa- I want more, Obi."
Breathless, he obeyed his Master and pulled off the fabric that separated himself from Zen. Their skin in full contact now, Obi brought his hand to his cock and started rubbing it against Zen's own. The moan escaping from Zen's lips should have been enough to wake Shirayuki from her deep slumber, but didn't. "Shh, don't wake the young miss, Master. Tonight is our moment and ours alone."
"I can't help it, Obi... I'm not sure how much longer I can last," Zen said as his hips began to grind against Obi, his urge to come gaining momentum as the friction between them stimulated him more.
Obi moved his hand from between the two of them, gliding his hand across the side of Zen's smooth ass. He slid his fingers down towards his entrance, gently probing while thrusting himself against his Master. Obi's finger slowly entered the prince; the sudden fullness sent a shudder throughout Zen's body.
"Gah! That feels strange, Obi. I'm not sure I like it."
"Trust me, Master, this is a pleasure you won't want to miss, but I won't rush it," Obi said as he slowly swirled his finger around inside of Zen, taking his time.
It didn't take long for the initial discomfort to fade. This new sensation sent chills down Zen's spine, intensifying his lust. He ground his hips back and forth, sliding forward to rub his erection against Obi's, and then back to push his finger even closer to his most sensitive inner areas.
A second finger joined the first and stirred around the young man's opening, causing Zen to writhe against Obi, biting into the nape of his neck to muffle the noises he couldn't avoid making as a result of such pleasure. Obi answered Zen's assault on his neck with a third finger, stretching the muscles and finally coming into contact with his prostate.
Zen feverishly thrust against Obi as his cock twitched in anticipation of its release. The dual stimulation brought him to climax, his hot wetness spilling onto Obi's stomach. Zen trembled as he came to a halt against his most trusted knight.
"Surely you're not ready to end the night at that, Master. I'm sure it's selfish of me to say, but I'm still hard. Can I have you, Master?" Obi waited patiently for an answer as Zen caught his breath.
Satisfied was too vague of a word to describe how Zen felt at that moment. For so long he'd wanted to experience these kinds of intimate moments. To be able to share this moment with Obi set to rest all the tension that had been building up since he had met both him and Shirayuki. Despite feeling exhausted from what had just occurred, he couldn't refuse Obi his own release after everything he had done for him.
"Take what you want, Obi. I am yours tonight."
…
The two young men lay against one another; both spent from giving in to their lust and desire. A lingering thought crossed Zen's mind, and he broke the silence of the night to share it with Obi.
"Obi, I just want you to know that what we shared tonight... I don't want you to think that I only wanted to use you to relieve my impatient desires. This night was so much more than that to me." He looked over to Shirayuki, still sleeping peacefully. "I love her, but my heart longs to keep you close as well."
Obi held Zen's hand, entwining their fingers together and bringing it to rest against his heart. "Just as you'll always be hers," Obi said as he also looked over to Shirayuki, "I'll always be yours, Master."
…
Shirayuki stirred for the first time since arriving at the inn, feeling the first rays of the day's sun illuminating the room. It was still quite early, and sleep hadn't completely shaken itself from her just yet. She rubbed her eyes and glanced around the room. Soft snoring directed her attention to her right, where she found Obi and Zen sleeping peacefully. They were curled up against each other, Obi's arm stretching over Zen, guarding him even while at rest. The subtle intimacy of the moment brought a smile to her face. She was happy to see how close they all were.
Content with their situation for the moment, she laid down again and let the morning move on without them for a little while longer.