He knew nothing had truly changed—five years was barely any time at all to the demons—but gazing upon the palace now, it felt...different. It didn't awe him nearly as much as it had in the past, and approaching the wrought-iron gates felt like approaching the door to his bedroom in Ceniyan. The Ira guards opened the gates without any hesitation, and Tetsuda walked through the same way.
Demons of all the practical races milled about the courtyard, but when their gazes landed upon Testuda, they dipped their heads before continuing onward. He couldn't help but smile—not too long ago, they would have spat upon him.
His boots echoed through the halls as he walked. The sulfuric tinge to the air had grown stronger the further north he'd traveled, and now it burned his nostrils with nostalgia. Warmth grew within him the closer to the throne room he traveled, and not from the torches within wall sconces.
Another set of footsteps collided with the polished floors, but before Tetsuda could turn, another body had thrown itself onto Tetsuda with nearly enough force to send the incubus to the floor. A pair of arms wrapped around his waist, and a pair of lips crashed against his own. Hope emerged within his chest, and he began to kiss back, but the harsh, messy quality to the kiss eliminated Tetsuda's initial choice of hope.
When he opened his eyes, a pair of chocolate ones met them, and when his lips were finally free, hearty chuckles met his ears.
"Tetsuda!" Basileus exclaimed. "You've returned to us!"
"Y-Yes, I have," he mumbled. Clearing his throat and stabilizing himself in Basileus's arms, Tetsuda said, "You've missed me."
"I have," he said. "You were my favorite lil' incubus to play with. Now I have all basic subordinates that just do what they're told without any finesse or flair of their own."
"I'm sure you can find someone with finesse and flair if you look hard enough."
"But I won't find another you. I don't think ya know how special ya truly are, Testuda. Compared to you, the rest of the incubi are ants." He moved away but still had an arm around him. "How's Ceniyan treatin' ya?"
"Very well," Tetsuda said. "It's grown quite a bit since I was appointed governor."
"Prince," Basileus said. "Don't be modest. Doesn't fit yer capabilities."
"I'm still quite young, Basileus."
"But, you're also more capable than demons far older. I mean, you made a labor force out of Et Cinere. Et Cinere, Tetsuda!"
He did have a point. Irrigation to one of the trade terminals had become an issue, so digging a channel from the Haissen had become a necessity. Demons had served as the workforce at first, but even the strongest workers had faced issues with exhaustion. With the help of a few other incubi, Tetsuda had managed to charm enough Et Cinere to dig and melt the earth until an artificial stream connected the Haissen with the terminal. Since then, he'd assigned incubi and Et Cinere to each major settlement, where they performed basic, grueling construction otherwise inconvenient to the settlers. With that out of the way, more emphasis could be placed on commerce and community.
"I suppose you're right."
"Best do more than suppose. Modesty's great, but if ya don't accept how good you are at shit, you'll never progress."
It felt odd to hear words so insightful from someone as carefree as Basileus, but Tetsuda just nodded and said, "I'll take that into consideration. I'd love to stay and chat with you, Basileus, but I need to go."
"Right, right. It's my bad, not yours. Talkin' with the king's far more important than me. Make sure to greet him well." He winked before allowing Tetsuda to venture to the throne room once more.
When he entered, his heart nearly burst.
Nothing had changed about him, truly. His eyes were bright citrines, his hair flowed to his waist in waves, and his dark clothing radiated power. One leg was crossed over the other, and thin fingers lay a few millimeters away from a soft smile.
Tetsuda strode forward with a smile of his own, and just before the dais, he knelt with a bowed head. "I apologize for keeping you waiting, my lord," Tetsuda said. "Ultimo Basileus occupied my time for a bit longer than I would've liked."
"You haven't insulted me, rest assured," Tyrannus replied. "I'm more tolerant than I seem, you know—especially with you."
"I thank you for that, my lord. My gratitude is as boundless as your generosity."
"And as excessive as your speech. You don't need to be so formal, Tetsuda. It makes me feel so distant to you. And stand up while you're at it. I haven't seen you in five years, and the first thing you do is lower your head to me."
Tingles filled Tetsuda's chest as he stood with an erect head. Tyrannus rose from his throne and walked with brisk steps up to Tetsuda. He placed Tetsuda's hands on his shoulders.
"Welcome home, Tetsuda."
Unable to contain himself, Tetsuda threw his arms around Tyrannus's lithe body and squeezed with all the strength he had. "I missed you," he whispered.
"And I'm missing my breath."
He loosened his hold, but not tremendously. "I'm sorry. It's been so long since I've felt your touch…"
"I know," Tyrannus said. He hugged Tetsuda about the neck, his head resting upon the incubus's shoulder. "You haven't changed, though you're clothed now."
"They smell like you, you know," he admitted. "That's the only reason I can wear them comfortably."
"I can imagine." He pressed a kiss to his temple, then murmured into his ear, "We'll save the politics for later. To my chambers, shall we?"
Heat pulsed through Tetsuda's body as he entered Tyrannus, entered the channel that truly made him feel connected with his lover. Tyrannus's body twitched and twisted beneath Tetsuda's, and a combination of saliva and semen sluiced down his torso. He was beautiful—glistening like a diamond in fluids both his and Tetsuda's. His nipples were erect, just like his member, the heat from which Tetsuda could feel on his stomach as he leaned atop the Ira.
His lips captured Tyrannus's in a wet, deep kiss, one that sucked the air right out of his lungs. Tetsuda's teeth nibbled on his tongue and lower lip, hard enough to draw blood, which sent Tyrannus into his fourth climax in the past three hours. Tetsuda groaned as he pulled Tyrannus's lower lip back with his teeth, his own member throbbing with want.
"More," Tyrannus panted. "Again…"
"Yes, my lord," he murmured as he thrust into Tyrannus's ass. The king let out a gasp, and his claws dug into the sheets with enough force to tear the fabric. As he continued pounding in and out of him, Tetsuda grabbed Tyrannus's hands and forced them up to his shoulders. Tyrannus latched onto him instantly, claws now tearing Tetsuda's flesh in searing ecstasy. His grunts and moans mingled with Tyrannus's, growing louder and louder until the walls shook as violently as the bed did. How it hadn't broken yet, Tetsuda didn't know.
"I love you," he groaned, drawing more blood from his back. "I love you...I love you…!"
"I love you, too," Tetsuda murmured, biting down on Tyrannus's pointed ear.
He threw his head back, loosing Tetsuda's hold and retaining all but a portion of his ear. The absence seemed to please him, for he jolted once more and released onto Tetsuda's abdomen.
You're beautiful, he thought. So stunning and wondrous...I never want to leave you again, Tyrannus. I want to stay with you for the rest of my days and far beyond.
He wanted to say that, wanted to scream it from the rooftops of the palace for all to hear, but the power of lust and desire had completely overcome him, sewing his mouth shut to all but moans.