ZEDD - HOURS LATER

Thomas is finally asleep - I think. I thought that earlier, tried to get up, but he wasn't having it and took me yet again. I'm not complaining mind you, but hell I'm going to eventually have to call Dar and Pina up here with some food and water if I can't get away from him soon. "Thomas?"

His arm tightens around me briefly as he mumbles something I can't quite make out, though he does at least this time seem to remain asleep. I slip out from under him and get up carefully. By the hells, I ache something fierce! Not that it wasn't worth it. Even lost in the animal like haze, he was still a far superior lover to Annwyl, hitting all the right spots for me to join him in pleasure several times. I climb into the shower. I can't help but wonder, though, if he's this good when his higher brain functions aren't working, how good will he be when they do? I think I'm going to have to find out - in a day or two anyway. I finish my shower quickly, not sure if he'll be himself when he wakes and, if not, how he'll react to find me gone. Or how he'll react to find me gone even if he is himself.

I grab a damp cloth, go back in the bedroom and clean him gently as he sleeps. He doesn't wake, but his body still reacts to my touch making him moan softly. My throat is still a little sore from his initial assault, but Pina and Dar did try and warn me. In spite of that, though, I realize that he's apparently still in need, just not the desperate level of before. Perhaps I can make his dreams just a little more pleasant.

I continue to stroke and caress him, becoming familiar with his preferences by his subconscious reactions. I take a breath and take him in my mouth, licking and kissing as I do. I focus all my attention on the task, although I admit I'm enjoying myself greatly. It's not long before he cries out again - calling out my name as he does. That's - something I'm not used to. Annwyl never calls me by name, simply the endearment that he's chosen for me. I'd never bothered to wonder why the endearments were so important to him but now…

I push away the troubling thoughts that are coming up as Thomas stirs, smiling as he wakes. His eyes flicker open and he draws a deep breath. In the moments between sleep and memory, he smiles tenderly at me and I can definitely see how I could have fallen for him even without the bond playing into it. He speaks in English, brow furrowing when I don't respond. I can see the moment memory returns, however, by the distress in his eyes. He switches to Eltarian. "Oh god, Zedd, are you all right?"

Am I? Is he kidding? "How could I not be? That was - to use your word - incredible."

"How badly did I hurt you?"

"A little hurting and aching isn't a bad thing" I remind him. "Although I think you may have drained me to the point where I might not be able to mate for a couple of days due to dehydration."

He sits up sharply, his tones just as sharp. "Don't lie to me, Zeddic. Don't ever lie to me."

"Thomas, I-"

"You cried out in pain! I heard you!"

"Once. In all that time, it was once and brief. And, believe me, what followed made that one brief moment all worth it." He draws his knees up to his chest and buries his face in his hands. Damn it, he's so emotional, and while that is indeed a refreshing difference from Annwyl's constant cool demeanor it's also a bit distressing as well, as I don't know what else to say that won't make things worse. The hell with it. "If you want the truth, I've never been so thoroughly sated in my life."

From his hands come the murmur, "You think you're two hundred fifty seven, Zedd. That's not saying much considering your actual age."

"Thomas, if you're that good at mating when you're not thinking about it, I can't imagine how absolutely wonderful you'll be when you are in control - not to mention knowing me as you apparently do." Reaching out to gently run my fingers through his hair, I try and coax him to lift his head and look at me. "Really I'd think it should be me who should be concerned, not you."

"Why?"

"Because honestly I'm not sure how well I'm going to live up to your expectations now."

Lifting his head slightly, he gives me a lost look. "What?"

"Well, as I said you apparently know me very well, again, given how even when in such a raw single-minded state you made certain to hit every spot imaginable with complete perfection. I don't – I'm not certain if I can promise the same." And wouldn't that just be the slap in the face that I'm used to. I finally have an amazingly skilled and I'll wager very attentive mate and I blow it by not being able to keep his interest in me due to failing to live up to the standards of me that he's apparently used to.

Thomas sighs. "Zedd, damn near everything I know about sex - especially with males - I learned from you. Before that, well, all my relationships were exclusively with females. The teeny tiny bit of, um, practical knowledge I guess you'd say, about male sexual interactions that I had was a result of the abuse I suffered at the rehabilitation center."

Okay, now I'm kind of suffering from mixed emotions here. I'm angry as hell again about the treatment he had to deal with, but at the same time, when he talks like that - so…educated, man is that hot. With some serious effort I return my attention to here and now. "Okay, but Thomas, hell only knows how much of that I learned after Annwyl." Uh oh, bad choice of words I'm guessing, as his head drops back on his knees. Desperate to save the situation, I hurry on. "The point is whatever I may have taught you, odds are, I won't remember. Therefore, I can't be sure that I can, as I said, live up to the expectations you'd have or, well, performance quality you're used to."

And now he's staring at me, an odd look in his eyes. I'd almost call it 'fascination'. "Wow. That's really weird."

Warily, I ask, "What is?"

"I've never seen you uncertain like this. Like you have no confidence."

Against my own will, I'm curious about on his take of me that I don't know. "What do you mean?"

"Zedd, mate, I can probably, in the entire time we've been together, count on both hands the number of times I've seen you uncertain - and most of those have had to do with me in the beginning of our actual relationship."

"Really? Why?"

Thomas smiles, his eyes getting that far away look again. "Because you didn't know how to deal with my overemotional humanness. Beyond that, your confidence never seemed to waver - ever, really."

I take a chance and scoot closer. "Maybe you can - teach me what I taught you?"

He seems to consider this. "Well, I am - and have been - a teacher."

Sidetracked again, I ask, "Oh really? What did you teach?"

"Before I was - hurt, I taught high school science. Now I just substitute teach to keep busy since I'm not needed for the business as much anymore."

"So about this business - what is it?"

Thomas looks at me speculatively for a minute, heat simmering in his eyes. "We'll talk about that later." I can feel his desire through the bond. "Sorry, mate. But either we're going to need to mate again or you need to go back to your room for the night. The one thing I can promise you is that I won't be out of control this time. You might even learn something."

Okay, I'm intrigued. "Like what?"

He smiles and again I can see how I'd have fallen for him even without the bond. "I'd said to you once before that you taught me pretty much everything I know about male-male sex. You told me that I taught you about how things are done sometimes when there was real feelings involved, when it was about more than just mating. People on Earth - humans - call it 'making love'. That's what I want now. Unless you're too uncomfortable from before."

That's clearly a challenge. "I believe I told you just this morning that I don't turn down challenges, Thomas, and you've made me curious. Go ahead."

He runs his fingers through my hair. Softly, he says, "I can't believe you trust me after the way I treated you."

I shrug. "You couldn't help it, Thomas. Your hormones-"

I'm cut off as he presses his lips gently to mine. As he continues to kiss me, he urges me to lie down next to him. I let him lead, unsure what to do at this point. He begins to caress me gently, hands wandering all over, slowly arousing without teasing. I'm not sure, really, what the point of such a slow pace would be, but I don't question him.

With just his hands and mouth alone, he manages, much to my surprise, to get me worked up. I wanted him before, and I do again, but this is - different. He moves over me and presses in slowly, the pace far different than before. He moves slowly, continuing the gentle kisses and caresses. Softly, he tells me how much he loves me, how good I feel, how good he's going to make me feel among other loving statements.

I begin to caress him in return, becoming an active participant rather than a passive one. I understand the moniker now and I must say, it's a fantastic way to make sure one's mate feels very thoroughly loved. I can't help the moan that escapes as he gradually increases the pace. "Together, Thomas?"

"Definitely."

I feel my body start to tighten in preparation of my release. "Now?"

"Yes." The low hiss triggers my orgasm and I can feel his as well as we cry out in unison. He stays where he is, feathering my face with kisses as we slowly come down from our high. Once he slips free of me, he gives me one more lingering kiss and grabs my abandoned towel and cleans us up. He lies back and pulls me against him. "Normally I lay against you, but-"

I'm feeling particularly mellow after the unfamiliar, but very welcome, treatment. "I'm perfectly fine with it" I assure him. I can't keep the uncertainty out of my voice, though as I ask, "Can - we do that again sometime?"

"Absolutely - if you want to." Something's off in his voice and I realize that I can't feel him through the bond anymore.

"Thomas?"

"Shh, Zedd. Grab a quick nap so that we can both be up and showered before the kids get home." He presses a kiss to my forehead even as I snuggle closer. I'm almost asleep but I want to say one last thing.

"I think I might love you already."

He sounds sad when he responds, but I'm too far gone to do anything about it. "I can't imagine why."