Cobra wasn't breathing. Well…actually it was more he was forgetting to breathe was the issue. He'd studied at the University of Science in Crocus, and the school had an exceptional amount of equipment, but he was standing inside the Institute of Science, Pelerno…watching a super collider work…
Farron's father had gotten them in…and now Farron stood just to his side and a little behind him, also watching intently as one of the foremost physicists on Earthland walked them through puting the supercollider through its paces. By the end of the whole thing…Cobra was smiling and didn't give a shit for once that he was, ignoring Farron's little satisfied looking smile as he walked with the tall blonde out of the science center and out onto the busy streets of Pelerno.
"I don't plan to ever have another chance like that…I mean…my field is poisons and toxins, but shit that was fun…interesting." He admitted enthusiastically as they walked.
"He lost me at several points, I won't lie." Farron chuckled and Cobra snorted
"Fuck…he lost me a couple of times and I get a lot of what he was talking about…just shit…seeing that thing work…" he shook his head, looking up, the sky was clear, it was a beautiful day, they were in Bosco and he saw people…women holding each others hands…a man kissing another man on the mouth as he was leaving them to get into a car…the whole atmosphere was so…open and fresh and…he felt it. Suddenly, the reality that he was here with a man who…liked him, and was his age…and was good looking and possessing an actual fully functioning brain…it all sunk in and he had to fight with himself not to act like some giddy school girl.
He had to be real…he couldn't figure Farron out…but he was still sort of holding onto the idea that…Farron was just playing with him. The guy could have anyone…seriously, as they were walking people turned their heads to get second looks at the blonde. Cobra was a disabled guy from a bad background and had a piss poor attitude…and he was fucking fine with that, he was, he could keep getting older men to buy him drinks and get him off, he knew how that worked, he was in control of all of that, those bastards always wanted him way way more than he ever wanted them and that worked. He could walk away and feel nothing. No regrets, nothing. Those older men, they got to fuck a decent looking young guy and Cobra knew he was good in bed, he delivered sex fantasies to those men so he never felt bad about walking away. Farron though…Farron was the kind of guy…he wouldn't want to let go of, he was serious lover and boyfriend material on a level Cobra had…honestly only wet dreamed about, and…no lie…he'd jerked himself off to fantasies about the blonde walking next to him a few times now.
"Want to get some candy? I noticed Dad's candy dish on his desk was getting low…we could get him a bag of the mints he likes and…maybe find some other stuff, there's a really good candy store there." Farron suddenly suggested, nodding toward a store ahead of them. Once he lifted his head Cobra could smell it, the rich buttery smell of…caramel and chocolate and his mouth actually watered. He loved candy…ate entirely too much of it…and Farron fucking knew it too. They had worked together enough the man had to have noticed. Cobra had…actually stolen ¾ of Farron's halloween candy left over after the haunted house.
"Yeah lets see what they've got." Cobra agreed, grateful of the distraction from his thoughts because fuck only knew where they were leading him and he wanted off that train.
Almost two hours in a candy store later…if anyone had ever suggested to Cobra that he could thoroughly enjoy himself in a candy store with another person he'd have slapped them to assure their blood was flowing to their head.
"I think you should get them." Farron was saying eyeing the basket Cobra held and the generous bag of gummy bears in his hand. Cobra looked doubtful…he had at least a days pay worth of candy in his basket as it was and he liked gummy bears…he did…and these were really good ones too but he pursed his lips.
"You're supposed to be helping me decide not encouraging me to put every fucking thing that strikes my fancy into my basket." Cobra said glaring at the blonde who was completely unaffected by the look.
"There's a good reason behind everything in that basket from my perspective…from the fact you wrinkle your nose when you suck on the sour balls, to the way your tongue slides on the stick when you've got a sucker in your mouth…then the way your lips purse when your eating gummy bears…lets also…" Farron purred leaning closer as Cobras eyes got wider with each thing listed. "Address the toe curling little breathy moans that come from you when you pop a caramel filled chocolate bunny in your mouth. So forgive me for not talking you out of anything there but i enjoy watching you enjoy them."
Cobra licked his lips, not oblivious to the people around them…though he didn't give a shit about any of them in that moment, right at that moment he was fighting with himself…again...and trying not to get his ass lost in eyes that were the exact same shade of blue as the sky at mid-day, remembering what those lips felt like on his, the faint cinnamon taste Farron had that day, the way hard firm muscle had felt under his hands and against his body. He mentally shook himself, no…he wasn't some doe eyed fool and Farron was a popular, handsome young man on the fast track to a successful life..not some forty something or fifty something trying to hide their repressed sexual desires that damn near came in their pants when Cobra smiled at them like he was so used to…the league he was accustomed to playing in... He put the bag of gummy bears into his basket and turned toward the check out counter. "Alright then." he said clearing his throat abruptly and looking at anything but the tall blonde looking at him like he was the best piece of candy in the store.
Farron drew a breath, wondering if he'd maybe gone too far with that before he decided…he didn't care if he had…Cobra was struggling with something and he wanted to know what it was, what was keeping him jumping away like he was. He liked the man, wanted him..they had spent so much time together since the start of the year and he had enjoyed all of it. He KNEW Cobra was gay, he'd outright said so more than once, and made it clear he had no desires where women were concerned, purely liked men and at first, Farron had just been fine with that, and with being the prickly mans friend and study partner. Now? Now he wanted to date that…he wanted to kiss those pursed lips, suck the gold hoop on the mans ear…dance with him, be with him as so much more than just a friend. He was willing to accept just friendship if that was all Cobra wanted to give…but the looks, the blushes…the way he'd reacted to the kiss on the fire escape at school…no, Cobra wanted this too and Farron just had to figure out how to get past whatever it was that was holding Cobra back. Hopefully…he could be wrong…and he'd hate himself if he ruined their friendship with this, but damn it, he could really see them making something together…having a relationship, and he wanted that.
Cobra meanwhile chewed his lower lip while he paid for the ridiculous amount of candy he'd just put together, noting Farron bought only a few things beyond the bag of mints for his father.
Amatuer…what's that shit…you barely got anything. He scoffed at Farron, switching to sign language to lessen the number of people looking at them and knowing what was going on.
Nonsense, I got cinnamon candy and that's all I need. Farron responded, his long fingers moving gracefully and Cobra pursed his lips, almost wincing when Farron's eyes went to his mouth and he forced his mouth to relax… The pair argued a bit more…but it was good natured…easy. It always was, Farron was grace on legs, and no matter how nasty he got…Cobra couldn't seem to shake that grace…or avoid those baby blue eyes…or forget how those full lips felt on his, how good the man smelled, tasted…his hands had slid over that body and he knew Farron was ripped, the man rode horses, swam and was an avid duelist in fencing and a member of the archery team AND the Rugby team. Farron Ciel Pradesh was a walking wet dream damn it….and…those baby blues had only been warming…on him lately and fuck if he hadn't noticed, hadn't fought a few times not to damn well blush under some of the looks he got. Farron reached and opened the door for him. Cobra smiling faintly as they left the candy shop.
-
Cana sat looking across the street, she sat in a bar…drinking by herself. She had needed to get a little time. It wasn't that she wasn't having fun…she was…this trip..it was amazing. They had been there two days now, today they had gone to be fitted for the gowns they would wear to the ball and she'd sent Lucy and Levy on ahead to a jewelry shop while she swung into this bar to get a drink and try to slow down her spinning head.
The first night in Pelerno…Zen had relented on his "No Sex" from him at least order and…it had been no less earthrocking for her than their first time together…but there was a difference… This time Zen hadn't been falling down drunk, he'd been stone cold sober and he hadn't had sex with her…they had honestly…made love. The whole night that was what it had been, lusty, heated…loving.
Last night she'd slid into his arms and tried to just…fuck. She'd needed the mindless sex…she was too used to it…it was a retreat, something normal and familiar and she'd tried to get that…pushing Zen down on the bed, yanking his clothes off only enough to get to what she wanted…his dick and that gorgeous body…but he'd slowed her down. Made her stop…soft words…tender touches and kisses and she was just…reeling.
It was what she'd always wanted, someone to love her, to be good to her…not just a hard fast fuck….he did appreciate her, he listened to her, talked to her…and she didn't know what to do with that…. So…she was drinking until she figured it the fuck out.
Bosco had laws, and they watched their bars and anywhere that sold drinks. Watering shit down was illegal here, and when Boscans made whiskey…they fucking made whiskey.
5 shots in and usually she was still fine to go to school, do homework, write a coherent paper and participate in class, but as she sipped the beer she had as a chaser after setting her fifth shot glass down…her eyes were a little fuzzy.
"Buy you another? That's good silver label you're drinking." A masculine voice offered and she looked over, meeting cool yellow eyes in a decent looking face, her eyes wandered down, he was no Zen, maybe 6 feet tall, his clothes weren't straining in places over thick muscle…but he was easy on the eyes and she did hate drinking alone. Boscans were so friendly and the country was so open.
"Sure, have a seat, I'm Cana." She didn't miss the slur in her speech. Neither did the barkeep.
"Last one miss, you won't be able to get home without help if you stick to the whiskey." The man warned as he poured her and the yellow eyed man shots.
"I'm Rushay, you are sitting here all alone and you keep frowning at your glass like it's seriously pissed you off." The man observed. Cana shook her head, too drunk to censor herself and not sure she'd care if she weren't.
"I am trying to figure out what the fuck I want from my life." She said and tapped her glass "and this bitch still hasn't given me any insight." she said wryly.
"Well, do you have some likes to sort of point signs in the right direction at least?" Rushay asked, sipping at his own drink and watching her.
"I like sex, usually? When I drink? It goes hand in hand with sex and that's always worked well for me." She said and Rushay snorted.
"Woman after my own heart, and beautiful to boot." he said, holding up his glass in salute before taking a drink from it.
"My boyfriend wouldn't sleep with me for ages…it fucked with me…sex clears my head, helps me to figure shit out and…he wouldn't…said it was so I would believe he didn't want me just for sex…like…what the actual fuck?! I am good as hell in bed and that needs to be on the table big time in a relationship with me!" Cana said patting the bar top loudly to emphasize her point.
"You work that out with him?" Rushay asked, watching her closely…though she didn't notice. Boscans…did not steal people in relationships…they respected committed relationships and if this woman he'd found…pretty as she was, with a great body and attitude he damn well liked said she was in a relationship he'd walk away and go look elsewhere, there were other women in the bar…he'd find company.
"NO, he just…kept up with it! I…mindless sex is where I get my center, I know it, I love it, it's like a warm blanket and he wouldn't go body…holy fucking hell he has a body that curls the toes too! Tan skin, hard muscle, he's tall and gorgeous and HUNG and damn it! It was so frustrating! Making Love…not just fucking…that's what he wanted to get to and….I just don't know what that is…" Cana said in frustration.
Rushay relaxed. Okay…her boyfriend had pushed too much morality and substance too fast with her…his loss.
"Would a good fuck help you figure it out?" He asked with a wicked smile.
"Probably…but he wouldn't do a good mindless fuck you know? Wouldn't just…be a dick I could ride...he won't do that. Shit has to…MEAN something" She shook her head and wobbled a little, laughing…she was sooo hammered.
"I would." Rushay smiled at her, tilting his head "Unless you and the guy are promised?" He asked, "Promised" was one step short of engagement, it meant the people were committed, Cana knew that too, Levy had been drilling them on Boscan culture trivia since they had arrived.
"Fuck no! I can't even wrap my head around what he wants!" Cana said waving that idea away, she was NOT ready for that level of commitment…for sure. Rushay smiled at her and she snorted, she knew that look, that was the look of a man ready to drop his pants and give her a good time…
She had feelings for Zen, she did, Gods the man had become her friend as much as her boyfriend and he was sweet, good to her, really cared about her…but she needed to clear her head, needed her body to just go there without the baggage of…feelings and worries about being good enough and all the rest and she grabbed Rushays thigh.
"Want to share pleasure?" She asked, remembering Levy going on about that was how you got laid in Bosco…you just fucking ASKED and it didn't mean anything, nobody cared, nobody judged and to her drunken delight…Rushay took her hand.
"Absolutely." he replied and helped her to her feet and her hands hit his chest as she wobbled unsteadily and laughed at how drunk she was…she'd been this drunk the first time she and Zen had sex…and it had turned into an emotional rollercoaster because the man wanted more than that.
Well…her fingers curled, Rushay had a set of pecs on him…his loose shirt had hidden that…the guy actually had a really nice body under his loose fitting clothes…score one for Cana! That was it, the switch flipped inside of her and she threw her arms around the mans neck dragging him into a sloppy kiss, knowing she tasted of whisky and beer…he tasted a little bit that way…but he was clean…not really drunk…smelled nice and they got into an alcove…Gods she loved that, Bosco, in most businesses…had "alcoves" clean private, sound proofed nooks where people could go to have sex.
The one in the bar wasn't as clean as some she'd looked at…and she'd taken to dragging Levy to every single one she spotted to get pictures and make the little bluenette blush with comments about how she couldn't even smell sex in most of them (she couldn't, they were kept really clean, but saying so made Levy blush, especially if her getting Cristoff into one was also mentioned.)
"You sight see your way, I'll sight see mine, I want Boscan sexcapades nooks on my camera roll damn it!" she had said brightly when Levy had protested and Lucy had rolled her eyes. She'd cackled and continued since they had been in Bosco with that, even dragging Levy and a now blushing Lucy into a fetish club to watch a presentation on bondage that had turned Levy the color of a tomato and Lucy…well…damn near as bad and Cana had actually learned how to tie some new knots…
None of that mattered though right then, as clothes were hastily roughly pushed out of the way, all that mattered was getting her mind to just shut the fuck down, and the booze hadn't been enough…no, she needed this…mildly noting the mans black hair ended, lightening out into blonde then pink ends, she didn't give a shit…didn't care…he was a man, he had a decent dick too, and it got plenty hard enough she could enjoy it and when she shoved him back and turned around presenting him with her backside because she didn't want to fucking kiss, didn't want to see his face…she just wanted that dick and said as much…the man shrugged and she gripped the wall with a groan of relief when that dick slammed into her.
It was doubtful she'd remember much..her head clicked off once he was inside her she barely noticed hands on her breasts, gripping her hips, turning her a little this way and that, all that mattered was she was absorbed in the feel of being fucked and there would be no talking after, no warm purple eyes seeking hers.
He had stamina too…after she came the first time he kept going and she could only be grateful. Sweat beading on her skin, smelling of booze, her eyes rolling, mouth hanging open, not even caring when her head intermittently hit the wall.
"Gods harder…fuck…fuck me!" she slurred in pants, vaguely…on the edge of her thoughts was something terrible…guilt. She shouldn't be doing this…she had a boyfriend, he cared about her, wanted her to stop thinking of herself as a whore yet here she was…banging some random guy in a bar after talking to him for maybe 5 minutes. It was her though, this was what she did…Zen just didn't understand…she felt that familiar twist in her gut as Rushay pounded harder into her body…worked her hips and made him groan…she knew how to get herself and a man through every manner of sex and putting feelings into it confused the hell out of her.
Lucy and Levy had returned, carrying bags from the jewelry store and the candy shop, having bumped into Farron and Cobra they had told the men where Cana was and they'd all agreed to stop in for a quick drink before Farron would drive them to a shoe store he knew where they could find comfortable dancing shoes and Cobra could replace the worn oxfords he'd been planning to wear that Farron had declared looked like they had been through the supercollider…
"There's nothing wrong with them…a little polish and they'll be fine, they're broken in, comfortable…" Cobra grumbled as they walked into the bar. The man drew a breath…the smell of the place was…clean…but like some of the places he himself went when he was needing to get laid…he even spotted a couple of older men sitting at the bar…the types he would have brushed against, reached past for peanuts making sure to press his trim body against while he did…get that attention…not that it was attention he chased when he did that shit…
"I don't see her." he frowned.
Lucy smiled brightly at the barkeep who returned the smile easily "Can I get you all something?" he offered.
"Yes…we're meeting a friend, pretty brunette with long hair, probably drinking whisky…" Lucy said brightly and the man hummed nodding he pointed to an alcove.
"Went in there…oh hey…wait…" He began but Cobra didn't hesitate, like hell was he sitting around while the lush slept off drinking too fucking much in a cushy alcove. He snapped the curtain aside and…his eyes flew wide, there was Cana, shirt pushed up under her arms so her tits were bare, jeans around her ankles face against the wall while a tall man with ombre tri colored hair was fucking the hell out of her and…she was moaning at him to go harder….
Levys hand snapped to her mouth, eyes filling with shock and then…anger.
"CANA!" she hissed. Dazed eyes slid her way then closed
"Gods…fuck…get me there…come on harder!" Cana groaned. The man had…stilled. And was staring at the people there looking at he and his partner like…they had and were doing something wrong.
"Cana….Cana you…you have to…stop…" Lucy breathed
"Guess Zen doesn't ring your bell enough….shit Alberona…how many guys does it take?" Cobra said.
It was Farron who stepped forward looking at the clearly NOT drunk man.
"Her name is Cana Alberona, put her in a taxi when you're done." He snapped and yanked the curtain shut again, turning to the others
"I think we should go." he said firmly
"We can't leave her…we have to stop this…" Levy said incredulously.
"She had cum running down her legs Blue…you ain't stopping shit except maybe her second ride over the rainbow." Cobra said and Levy looked at him with her mouth open…completely unable to answer that.
"Make sure she gets in a cab please." Farron told the barkeep who nodded as he ushered the two wide eyed women out.
Once outside Lucy stood, looking at the sidewalk in disbelief. "I don't understand…" she said quietly and Cobra looked between everyone incredulously.
"Why? She hasn't exactly been quiet…Cana likes to drink and fuck…just because Zen wants her to change? Doesn't mean she's gonna fucking join the church and start wearing knee length skirts. Shit…she's said it around me and I'm NOT her friend…that…that's what she likes, what she does…either of you two think she just stopped being that way because Zen and her were sort of dating?" He asked. There was a touch of himself here and he didn't miss that either, it was probably why he was glaring at Levy and Lucy and shooting Farron looks.
"Sometimes people just…want a fuck without strings. I thought we were in a country that was open with that shit." He said defiantly.
"We are…and what Cana does is her business, she and Zen are not promised, if she needed physical release without him? That's her choice." Farron said. Lucy and Levy stared at him in disbelief "But…Zen…"
"Zen is Boscan…as am I, I understand this isn't seen the same way in Fiore but here? Meaningless sex is just that, meaningless sex, we don't judge people for needing something so basic and simple." Farron said simply, his pale blue eyes on Cobra too "It's between Cana…and Zen, if Cana even gives it enough value to think it's worth mentioning? I'm sure they'll talk about it."
Lucy narrowed her eyes "So…Kaleb could be having sex right now with someone else and decide that's not worth telling me about because it was just…sex and nothing special?"
Farron met her gaze "I doubt he would without asking if you would be ok with it…we DO get that it matters to Fiorans, we DO respect that. Kaleb would ask you, be open about it, he'd have no reason NOT to be open with you about it."
He looked at Cobra "I would do the same…any of us would, Cris too…if it occurred to any of us to want that sort of attention and physical release we would ask someone we were in a relationship with if they wanted to participate or…let us seek it somewhere else."
Cobra blinked at him, the implication behind those words…that Farron would be honest…with him…if they were in a relationship…that he'd be open…
Internally he scoffed at that…very much doubting the handsome Boscan would be all that open to Cobra flirting up an old man to get himself off and get some drinks paid for…
If Farron knew some of the shit he'd done to get by…to survive…he seriously doubted the man would be…kissing him on fire escapes or flirting him up in candy stores.
"Lets go get your shoes…let Cana…handle…Cana." Farron tried again holding out his key fob and his fathers black suv beeped at them from the parking area.
Lucy didn't like it…at all, and glancing at Levy could tell she didn't either. They had seen Cana like this before…Levy had grown up around the woman and knew how she got…but there was this hope that had come with Zen, that their friend would put that self destructive edge aside and finally realize how great she was…and stop…hurting herself.
They did move to the car though, Lucy glancing back toward the bar, watching it as they rolled away half hoping Cana would come out…but she didn't.