… The Flame

Sitting back and panting a bit from having just kissed frenetically, Tintin and the Captain regarded each other with delighted amazement.

"Lad?" The older man whispered.

"Yes…Archie?" Tintin replied breathlessly, running his tongue over his lips, surprised how swollen they felt, yet not minding the discomfort in the least. He could taste the Captain's essence.

"You're the one who can figure out the mysteries. Why haven't we done this before?"

"I...I don't know. I guess…we…just weren't…ready?"

"Hmmf. Yes, suppose so. Things happen in their time. Still…wish we had come to this little moment of insight a bit sooner, can't help but think of wasted time."

Tintin grinned back up at the older man. "Well, we'll take the time now, won't we?"

"Aye lad, that we will." Responded the Captain, his blue eyes twinkling.

Tintin closed his eyes and began to raise his head up and felt the Captain stop him. Frowning he glanced up to find his friend smiling down at him. "Just want to look at ya, my boy. Always wanted to, just never got the chance."

"But…you've looked at me before." Tintin replied, a bit confused.

"Ah, there's looking and then there is looking. And I want to look at you not just with my eyes, my boy, but with my hands as well. My hands have needed to explore your face for a long time and now that I can, well…"

Putting action to his words, the older man began to run his large, calloused fingers ever so gently all around Tintin's features, exploring from forehead to chin, from one ear across cheeks and bridge of nose to the other.

Tintin closed his eyes and enjoyed the soothing yet oddly enervating touch, and when light kisses began to follow along the path the fingers took, moaned a little and couldn't help but feel a light shiver take hold of him. Eyelids were carefully caressed, the eyelashes lightly brushed by tip of thumb then softly kissed.

"Ohhh lad, you're so beautiful…" the Captain whispered. Tintin contemplated that depiction. He'd heard himself described many a way – mostly in ways that referred to his childlike manner, but he'd never had anyone call him beautiful. But he didn't have to question it; the conviction in the man's voice was proof enough.

Opening his eyes he grinned widely back at his friend. He saw the man begin to frown slightly.

"I mean it. You are beautiful, don't care if that's not how a male should be called, I call a spade a spade, you know that…"

Tintin silenced what could easily become a tirade by kissing the Captain quite ardently. Pulling back, he gazed deeply into the blue eyes. "I know that, it's okay. You can call me anything you like, you know that. And if you find me beautiful, then that's what I am."

"And now it's my turn to explore your face." Tintin announced decisively and began to run his fingers and hands through the wiry beard and trace the wrinkles with fingertips. He knocked the hat off and buried his hand in the thick swatch of hair and smiled at how what looked coarse was actually quite soft. Every inch of exposed flesh was treated to quick kisses. Just as he got to the tip of the Captain's impressive nose than the older man's head tilted up and the large mouth captured his smaller one in a very ardent kiss, the tongue sliding deep.

Tintin kissed back just as strongly, his hands holding the Captain's head securely, his fingers flexing back and forth through the black hair. The Captain's hands were clasped onto Tintin's shoulders and were pulling him closer until they were pressed chest to chest, their bodies turned at almost ninety degree angles from their hips.

Breaking apart they sat back, both of them out of breath and a bit overwhelmed from the ardor. In a short while they had gone from friendship to passion. Neither one of them was remotely romantic and this explosion of emotion would take some time to get used to, no matter that each one was quite happy at the direction their relationship had taken.

They sat there together, arms still around each other and shared looks of slightly nervous anticipation, both wanting to go further upon this wonderful discovery but not quite sure what path to take. It wasn't as if Tintin had any experience with this sort of thing, and though the Captain did, his few and far between love affairs had never been anything like this.

This was way too important to just rush into. And yet…both of them needed each other, wanted each other and sensed that fact as surely as if it was written on the wall in front of them. If there were two people that treaded where angels feared to go, it was Tintin and the Captain. Intrepid explorers were their middle names and they weren't about to be kept back from finding gold at the end of this rainbow.

"Tintin…you okay there lad?"

Tintin could hear both the concern and the unspoken question and answered both. "Yes. Quite okay. The most okay I've ever been. I don't want to stop. Just need…to catch my breath, that's all."

"Aye." The older man chuckled. "This is rather…new and exciting. Didn't know I was in for another adventure so soon after the last one…"

Laughing delightedly, Tintin leaned toward his friend. "Same here, but I'm enjoying this one immensely and I can't quite see us getting kidnapped because of it."

Quieting, he glanced across at the seat in front of him and realized that Snowy had decided that he would have a much more restful snooze without all the commotion going on. The dog had woken from a most satisfying nap to find his master and friend hugging each other rather ferociously and he had been shoved to one side. Enough of that, dogs needed their sleep if they were to accompany a young master on various quests. Needed chickens too, but that wasn't going to be rectified soon.

"Sorry, Snowy. Didn't mean to upset you." Tintin apologized and got a tail wag in reply, forgiven completely.

Glancing a bit shyly at his friend, Tintin turned a bit. "So…kiss some more?" he asked.

The Captain pulled him into an embrace. "With pleasure, my boy."

Once more they pressed mouths against each other, opening lips and sharing tongues. Bodies turned even further, so that legs threatened to become entangled. There was a jumble of limbs, a muttered curse and a sigh of exasperation and then they sorted themselves out to find that Tintin was now sitting on the Captain's lap. Much better. Arms were now free to explore even more areas that were previously unattainable. Backs and hips, sides and shoulders along with chests were rubbed by gentle, caressing hands.

It was Tintin who pulled back, turning away slightly, his chest heaving. Seeing the concerned look the Captain gave him, he tried to get his breathing under control. "Sorry…it's okay. It's just…I'm getting warm…umm, that is…" He could feel his face blushing.

"Going too fast are we, my boy? We can take a break if you'd like?"

"No. I mean…I don't want to stop. I want to…go on, go further…ummm. I'm, er…hot." Tintin had never asked for this in his life. But he was nothing if not brave and he'd gone into more dangerous directions. He hoped he had interpreted the heat that rose in his friend's eyes correctly.

Tintin lowered his gaze down his body, to one area in particular. "I'm…responding…to all this…rather, er, strongly…"

He glanced up and saw the Captain's eyes look down as well. "Ah, I see." Looking at the youth he asked softly, "You've never been touched by another, have you?" Seeing the lad shake his head, his eyes a bit wide, he smiled comfortingly. "Didn't think you had, but there was a time I didn't know you. Tell me lad, do you touch yourself?"

"Occasionally. Yes, I have."

"Like it?"

Tintin blushed even more, but nodded his head decisively. "Yes, very much so."

"Would you like me to?" the Captain whispered.

"Please…"

…