His wife wasn't home, which means that Aleksander is occupying her space, a shadow on their doorstep. Zoya, once his favored student, was now queen, attending all sorts of diplomatic envoys, playing the perfect host, which meant Nikolai had to play at being king as well - something he seemed to rather hate these days. It was none of his business, though; Aleksander was not interested anymore in playing at being king.
Instead, having the ears - and, well, the rest of Nikolai, the expanse of pale flesh he loved to decorate with bites and kisses- was more interesting. They were splayed out on the floor, sweat drying on their bodies and cum on their thighs. He had given Nikolai the pleasure of laying on a fur carpet, but not much more: the bed he "shared" with Zoya remained pristine. Nikolai looked at the room with empty blue eyes, as if he didn't recognize it, as if he was learning its architecture for the first time. Aleksander, moving closer so that their cooling skins would touch, nudged him.
"Tell me what's on your mind."
Nikolai's eyes moved to him, and Aleksander doubted the king knew there was a slight smile on his lips.
"No, it's nothing." Aleksander did not reply; he kept staring, biding his time. There was something on Nikolai's mind, and Aleksander itched to know. "Oh, my dear, you can't read my mind. I don't recall your grisha powers doing that."
"They don't, but if something is bothering you..." He left the rest of the phrase up in the air, a shadow playing among his fingers distractedly. It was more habit than a threat, a comfort to him. Nikolai laughed, leaned in and kissed him chastely, which was hilarious, considering they had just fucked not even ten minutes ago. When he let go, he stayed close. "I don't recognize this room. I don't like half the things in here. It's Zoya's room, not mine."
Aleksander had realized it a long time ago. It was surprising to him that Nikolai only noticed that all the decor was distinctively in Zoya's taste. She had always been rather expansive.
He wondered when she had had the time to do that. Being a queen seemed terribly busy, a function that did not lend itself time for superficial matters like decor.
"And where is your room, Nikolai?" The answer came in as an almost secret, whispered in a hushed tone that almost got swallowed by the noises of the fire.
"The cabin at the ship. It smells like the ocean. Like you."
Aleksander raised an eyebrow.
"Like me?" That made no sense. Aleksander had never stepped a foot -
Oh. The coat he had taken and never given back. Aleksander smiled; now it made sense. It was, after all, the only place where he was truly allowed to be himself.
Nikolai let go of the space between them, flopping on the rug, his tanned skin glowing in the light of the fire. Beautiful, marked by Aleksander's mouth and fingers, a painting that someone had breathed life into.
"I can't wait until Zoya comes back and I can go away to the sea." He closed his eyes. Aleksander said nothing, reaching a hand to pet Nikolai's hair softly, fingers wrapping themselves in the soft blonde tresses.
"The court wonders when you'll have an heir, Korol Rezni." A twitch of a smile; Nikolai, for all his depreciation of royal matters, had a really strong kink for being called by his titles, positive or not.
"One of these times when I'm home I'm going to." His head rolled to the direction of Aleksander, eyes opening and meeting, grey against blue. He couldn't help but laugh.
"When, if all you do is get fucked?" He gripped Nikolai's hair, and he gave a little moan, one that only made Aleksander grin. "Do you think Zoya would like to know what you're really up to when she's away, working hard for Ravka's sake?"
"Oh, she would hate it. She'd have Alina brought just to kill you again." Nikolai grinned, bright, beautiful. "How about you give me a little practice again, Black Herectic?"
He didn't answer; all Aleksander did was crash their mouths together again, diving into Nikolai's flesh, hands gripping his hips to bring Nikolai closer to him. Seemed like it was time to leave his marks all over the boy king again, to remind him who ruled over Nikolai - and it was not Zoya.