Stolas sat down at one of the many tables strown about the library he was in, placing a massive stack of books he had collected on the lavish furniture.
The building itself seemed to stretch for miles, having existed and expanded upon for thousands of years since its initial construction some time after The Fall. With high ceilings and large marble pillars, one could think it was a palace meant for a very influential and powerful demon. Phenex sat down opposite to him with only a handful of books; The future duke flipped one of them open and began to read, quietly humming to himself as he did so.
Stolas looked at the stack he had gathered, and knew he was in for a long slog tonight, but he was no stranger to long nights and was quite used to pulling a few all-nighters to get things done. He took a deep breath, and began skimming the first book of the many volumes he had grabbed from the shelves.
They remained relatively quiet as they both read, every so often asking a question about what the other was reading, but overall they were quietly engrossed in their reading. The sound of the library remained at a consistent volume, not rising above the quiet chatter of the occasional passerby.
Stolas paused when he reached the end of the first volume, stretching and trying to work out a cramp in his neck. He pushed the book he had been reading to the side, and picked up another. Phenex glanced up when he heard Stolas' chair move, taking his eyes off his book to look at him. There was a small smile on his face that Stolas couldn't quite tell the reason for, but he wasn't going to complain either, he liked to see his boyfriend smile. "I think we could use some coffee" Phenex stated, already closing his book and getting up from his chair.
Stolas smiled up at him and gave a nod. "Some coffee would be wonderful... Oh! And maybe some of those chocolate pastries that Cafe down the road serves?"
The sudden addition to the order drew a soft chuckle from Phenex "Here is to hoping I don't eat them all before I get back!" He joked while walking over to Stolas, planting a kiss to his forehead. The table they currently resided at was rather secluded, so he clearly felt confident he could get away a small and quick sign of affection.
Stolas smiled affectionately at the soft kiss and reached out to take Phenex's hand. He gave it a gentle tug, silently beckoning him to lean down for a proper kiss which Phenex obeyed without reserve. They briefly kissed, Stolas humming softly at the feeling, before reluctantly letting go of his hand. "Hurry back soon, okay?" he said, his voice holding a playful, teasing lilt.
"You won't even notice that I was gone"
Stolas let out a chuckle at that, leaning back in his seat to resume reading, his gaze lingered on Phenex as he left. The new book he started revolved all around elemental spell casting, which was a subject that Stolas struggled in given that he didn't have any innate predisposition like Phenex or Andrealphus. It was much easier to cast and manipulate fire or ice when you're born with the ability to do so. Maybe Phenex could help teach me.
Normally, Stolas was a great reader, but magic was something he found a lot easier to learn through physical practice rather than just merely studying a tome. Unfortunately for him however, the library doesn't allow the use of magic beyond telekinesis, so he will have to settle with just reading for now.
()
He was reading in earnest again by the time Phenex had returned, the soft padding of his footsteps alerting him to his presence. Stolas looked up from his book, only to find no one there. However, an envelope had been left directly in front of him, the only sign someone had passed by. He picked up the envelope, his brow furrowing slightly. The paper was high quality, smooth and with no bumps or wrinkles along the surface. The outside of the envelope is blank aside from the dollop of red wax used to seal it. He carefully opened the envelope, and pulled out the note from within.
"Dear Stolas, I am writing this today to inform you that I, (who shall remain unnamed) am privy to the secretive and frowned upon relationship you hold with a close friend of yours. Contained within the envelope is a copy of one of the numerous photos I have taken of your private interactions with the duke to be. If you want to protect your relationship, and your position as a prince of the Ars Goetia, then I recommend you meet me at the location mark on the back of this letter, and have prepared with you a rather large sum of money to start out our continued business. We will discus more upon your arrival"
Stolas felt his blood run cold as he read, and re-read the letter. They had gotten careless and let themselves be caught. He was speechless, unable to form even a thought. His eyes drifted down to the photo, but it took him a minute to truly process was he was looking at. The image itself wasn't explicit, but it was rather intimate. He was kissing Phenex on the cheek in the photo, his arms curled around his neck and his eyes closed. Phenex's eyes were closed as well and he had a soft, content, almost sleepy smile on his face as the two lay together in bed. It was a cute photo, and one Stolas would have adored had it not been attached to the context it was.
Stolas let out a shaky breath through his beak, feeling absolutely distraught as he looked at the photo. There was no way he could let this information be leaked to his father, he would be disowned if anyone found out, or worse... Stolas let out a choked sob, trying to muffle the sound with his other hand. At that exact moment, Phenex walked back into the library, carrying two coffee cups and a small bag no doubt full of pastries.
"I'm back!" Phenex quietly sang out, "And I managed not to eat all the pastries! Honestly, I-" He stopped as he got a look at Stolas' distressed expression. He immediately went over to where Stolas was sitting and set down what he was carrying. "Hey, what's wrong? Are you alright?" he asked, concern clear in his voice as he knelt down to his level.
"P-Phenex..." he croaked, his voice cracking slightly as he looked up at his boyfriend with watery eyes. He showed him the letter and photo, not trusting his voice to explain what had happened. Phenex took them from his hand and read them over, his expression unreadable and emotionless as he digested the information. "When did you get this?" He asked calmly.
Stolas looked down at the table as he spoke, shaking uncontrollably. "I received it after you went to the cafe, not long before you got back" his voice shook with quiet sobs. "I-I don't know what to do Phenex. Yes I'm rich but I only have access to my allowance and I can't ask my father because he will have too many questions and-" the speed at which he was talking grew to the point it was almost impossible to understand him.
Phenex took Stolas' hands in his own and squeezed them gently. "Stolas, please calm down, I will take care of this... I will make sure our relationship doesn't come to light." Stolas looked up again and took a shaky breath, "H-How?"
Phenex pressed a kiss to their joined hands, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I will meet this person, whoever they are, at the location they want you to go. I don't know what I'll do yet, but I promise you; This will be over as quickly as it started"
Stolas didn't like the thought of not knowing what exactly would happen, but he was terrified of the possible consequences to their actions. "I won't stop you from going, but... please be careful" he managed to choke out, taking his hands out of Phenex's to pull him into a desperate hug.
"I will, you know I always am." Phenex reassured him while hugging him back. The two stayed like that for a while, letting the words settle between them before Phenex spoke up again. "Now, how about we forget about this for now and and enjoy the coffee and cafe snacks I got before they go cold!" His boyfriend pulled away from the hug and grabbed the cup with Stolas' name on it, handing it to him.
Stolas wiped his face, trying to clear any traces of tears before picking up a pastry from the bag and taking a bite. He hummed softly as he ate, some of the anxiety and fear slowly slipping away. A few moments of quiet passed, just the sound of them eating and Stolas trying to calm himself fully. He eventually looked up at Phenex, and placed his hand over the other's again. "I think we should be more careful, at least for a while, only being intimate when we're sure no one is around" he suggested quietly.
"As much as I hate it, I have to agree. Both of us got far too careless, and now we are dealing with the consequences." Phenex agreed reluctantly.
Stolas let out a small sigh but nodded. As much as he wanted to be around Phenex and hold him close all the time, he would rather be safe than sorry, and they were making it far too easy for this unknown person to catch them in the act. They remained like that for a few more moments, the prince keeping his hand over Phenex's.
Stolas then gently cleared his throat and began speaking again, "You know, we haven't been on a proper date in a while" he commented. He looked hopefully up at Phenex, with an almost pleading expression. "How about we go out this weekend? Maybe to that new place that just opened?"
Phenex let a slight smirk spread to his face as an idea seemed to form. Stolas could practically see the gears turning in his head. "I like the idea. But I have a better one." Stolas' head tilted slightly to the side in curiosity, "I'm listening" he responded, sounding much more lighthearted than he had been before.
"How about, we go to the human world for a date!" Phenex leaned forward in his chair excitedly, clearly proud of the idea.
Stolas' eyes widened in surprise. "That seems... a bit risky don't you think? Neither of us have interacted with humans before, and we are still only seventeen" his brow furrowed in hesitation, though the idea intrigued him.
"That is true. But think of what we stand to gain. We can be intimate with each other, visit some of the places we have always dreamed of going, and we don't even have to worry about any kind of unwanted attention; With our human disguises, we'll be nothing more than two random boyfriends on a date!"
Stolas' hesitation melted away the more Phenex talked, his eyes once again becoming starry. "If you think that we can get away with it, then okay" he said excitedly, unable to stop the smile that spread across his beak.
"I know we can get away with it" Phenex got up and moved back over to his seat where his book still lay, "Start planning on where you want to go. Name it and I'll take you!" Stolas excitedly took out a notebook and pen from his bookbag and began writing excitedly. He spared a quick glance at Phenex, then continued with his planning, humming happily to himself.
()
Stolas sat on his bed, with Phenex sitting beside him, going through the list of places he wanted to see or visit in the human world. "The first thing I want to do when we arrive is take a stroll around Longwood Gardens, I've always wanted to see what how humans arrange their plants." he looked down at his list, and went back to planning. "After that we can go to a art gallery or a museum, or maybe even both if we are quick." Stolas glanced up from his list again when a different thought crossed his mind. "Oh! And I want to go to a bookstore! I want to see what kinds of books humans have besides the ones we know of course!" he sounded almost childlike, it was clear how much the day trip meant to him.
"That sounds rather pleasant." Phenex murmured while flipping through a copy of the list he had been given, impressed by the sheer amount of places Stolas had listed. He leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek "I can't wait to take you"
An excited chirp was all Stolas had in the form of a reply, his heart swelling with love as he looked at Phenex. He leaned over and returned the kiss, his heart racing as he looked at his boyfriend with adoring eyes. "I can't wait to be taken" he replied in a soft tone, wrapping his arms around him.
They held each other for a short while before Phenex broke from the hug. "I should get going. It's getting late, and I still have to deal with out little problem." Stolas felt his heart sink a little, but he didn't want to delay him at all. He slowly removed his arms from around him and let him go, smiling slightly to hide the sinking feeling in his chest. Phenex seemed to notice his change in attitude "You don't need to worry, I will visit you tomorrow morning, so you can know that I am alright!"
"Okay" Stolas replied, then hesitantly leaned up and placed another kiss to the corner of Phenex's beak. He held the kiss for a moment before pulling back and standing. He turned around to place his list back in his bag, not wanting to risk leaving it to be found. He smiled softly, "Two days is too long to wait" he chirped as he sat back down on the bed, grabbing one of the many books strewn about on the bed and reopening it.
"I know, but I can't control time so we will just have to wait" Phenex said while opening a portal back to his home before turning back to look at Stolas, "But until then, I'll be seeing you in my dreams!" Stolas felt his heart flutter again. "Not if I see you in mine first" he retorted, then blew him a final kiss as he watched him disappear through the portal. Once it was closed, Stolas turned to his book again and happily began reading, a pleasant warmth settling in his chest.
()
The next morning seemed to last forever as Stolas waited for Phenex to arrive. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as he did anything and everything he could to help ease the worry that seemed to only grow for each minute that passed. So he decided to busy himself with anything that might distract his mind from stressing over Phenex's well-being, enough to the point the staff were getting frustrated from him butting into their work. He knew his boyfriend would be visiting soon, but he never gave an exact time, and the fact he had woke up early only added to how long he had to wait. Eventually, his butler convinced him to sit down and have breakfast and tea while he waited.
Silently, he read while slowly chewing away at the vole his staff prepared for him. Thankfully for him, the book on moderate to extreme bedroom practices was more then a little distracting, and very 'enlightening'.
Stolas' reading session was interrupted when he heard the sound of a portal opening, and a familiar silhouette walking out of it. His face burst into a wide smile as he stood up and turned to face his boyfriend, "Phenex!" he chirped happily as he walked over to the crow and embraced him. "You're alright, thank goodness" he breathed, sighing softly in relief, nuzzling him and cooing happily.
The portal closed as Phenex accepted the hug, albeit with a slight wince. "Of course I am! Stolas, please don't tell me you spent all morning being worried about me?"
Stolas' brow furrowed in concern. He pulled back to meet Phenex's gaze, his relief dissipating as he became worried again. "I was, actually" he admitted somewhat sternly. He was quiet for a moment as he studied him, then hesitantly reached to gently touch his boyfriend's cheek. "What is the matter?"
"Nothing, I just slipped and hit my abdomen on the sink last night as I was getting out of the bath" he replied tentatively while pressing to the left of his stomach just above the hip. "It's still a little sore" Stolas didn't feel quite convinced by Phenex's story, but decided not to push for the truth if he didn't want to talk about it. He continued to study his boyfriend, then spoke quietly, "Okay" he breathed before leaning up on tiptoe to press beak to his lover's forehead. "As long as you're okay" he said softly, sighing in relief while caressing his face. "How did it go?" he asked after a short stretch of silence.
"It wasn't a very pleasant encounter, but it's over now; He won't be continuing to stalk us and I-" he says while holding up a folder Stolas failed to notice in his excitement. "Got all of the evidence" in a flash, his hand was engulfed in flame, consuming the folder and everything in it to such a degree that what little ashes remained floated off into the open air.
Thank the stars Stolas thought, smiling softly at him again. "I know who to call if I ever am blackmailed again. You will make a wonderful ally once I am of age to take power!" he teased, unable to resist making a small joke. His gaze focused in on Phenex's eyes, and his smile faltered as he noticed how tired he looked. "Is there anything else going on? You seem stressed." The prince asked.
Phenex looked away for a second when something on the tv that had been idly playing in the background caught his attention; Turning it off with his magic, he returned his attention back to Stolas. "I was just up late last night planning our trip!"
Stolas nodded in understand, but his concern for Phenex was still present. He knew that he was holding something back, and part of him desperately wanted to know what was going on. But he didn't want to risk ruining their trip or seeming too pushy after what Phenex did for him last night. Instead, he reached up to his boyfriend's head, gently caressing his feathers and running his fingers down the back of his neck. "Okay" was all he said, his voice conveying the message that he knew Phenex was lying to him, but he wouldn't pry.
"Thank you" Phenex pressed a thankful kiss to his beak before pulling away from the embrace to make himself a cup of tea. Stolas smiled again, his eyes following Phenex as he moved to the far end of the kitchen, silently hoping that their alone time would help Phenex feel comfortable enough to tell him what was really going on. But in the meantime, he would focus on making sure his lover was comfortable.
So he turned back to his book, giving Phenex the privacy he may have wanted. He took a sip of his own tea, then flipped to the next page. His face quickly flushed as he read the title of the chapter, Masochism and you, tips and tricks that are old and new! Stolas flipped to a new page, his flush quickly worsening as illustrations of the various methods and devices used began cropping up. It's just for research, he told himself, I'm not just going to start a book and not read all the chapters. However, it didn't take long before his thoughts quickly shifted, Maybe we could try some these. He was so entranced by the book that he forgot where he was for a moment, and he failed to notice Phenex moving up behind him.
"I knew you seemed to enjoy it when I'm rough with you, but I never could have guessed it was to this extent." Placing his mug down on the table, he laid his head atop Stolas' while he wrapped both arms around his chest lazily.
Stolas' face flushed even more in embarrassment, his feathers ruffling at his lover's remark and the fact that he had been caught. "It's, uh, just research!" He said, his eyes still skimming the pages. Though, the thought of doing some of the things in these illustrations with Phenex made his heart skip a beat.
"Just research? And here I was thinking I would be able to indulge in your desires with you" Phenex pouted in a low, and sensual tone before biting down on Stolas' neck, just hard enough to draw some blood with the small puncture mark left by his beak.
His initial reaction was to arch away from the unexpected pain. But it quickly faded into pleasure, and his head tilted back to allow Phenex better access as a soft moan escaped his throat. the bite drawing a low whine from his throat as his feathers ruffled happily. "W-well" he stammered, "If you really want to, darling~" he purred, smiling sheepishly.
"I'm willing to try everything at least once~" Phenex heavily whispered before slowly licking up the small pool of blood that had formed. Stolas' eyes fluttered shut in bliss, his breathing becoming heavy as Phenex's tongue ran over his neck. "M-maybe we should.. take this to the bedroom?" he suggested, his face flushing brightly as he thought of the things his boyfriend might do to him.
"Give me thirty minutes. I know someone who can provide me with some of the 'equipment' we may want" The fiery colored corvid said in a silky voice from behind him.
"Alright" Stolas breathed, pressing himself back against his boyfriend as the feathers on his back ruffled in anticipation. "I'll let you take the lead" he added, practically shuddering at the thought of what Phenex might do to him. His face was still flush brightly while he glanced from Phenex to the book then back again.
Phenex kissed the back of his neck, whispering "We will start simple, the last I want to do is hurt you." With that said, he disappeared, off to go prepare.
Thirty minutes, huh? Stolas thought, This is going to be the longest thirty minutes of my life. Deciding to not spend the whole time sitting around and waiting for him, he turned the tv back on to see how the world outside of his little royal corner was fairing. Taking a sip of his tea, he leaned back in the dinning room chair.
"Investigators say the attack most likely happened between ten to eleven pm last night. Right now, little can be said as to the cause of death given the charred state the body was found in, but it is speculated that the victim was dead before their body was burnt. As of now, the police are at a loss as to any other kind of information such as the true identity of the victim and as to who killed him, and why" A reporter explained while standing nearby at the scene. Officers and investigators swarmed the area as they searched for anything that could provide a lead.
A charred body? I don't think they usually bring up such mundane things on the news.. must be a pretty prominent person. Stolas frowned and sat up in the chair, hoping to hear if anything was said as to who the victim was.
"While no one has yet come forward with knowledge as to the identity of the victim, preliminary DNA tests have confirmed that the victim was a member of the Ars Goetia, marking this as the first murder of a Goetia in over five hundred years!"
Stolas' eyes widened, and he leaned forward until he was nearly at the edge of his seat. "The murder of a Goetia?" he whispered to himself in shock. "Did Phenex-" he cut himself off, suddenly remembering some of Phenex's behavior from before he left.
While his boyfriend was typically an excellent liar, there had been some pretty obvious signs that he was hiding something from him. He had seemed kind of out of it, and something was clearly weighing on his mind. "Would he be able to?" Stolas whispered to himself, "Kill another Goetia?" No. He shook the thought away, he was being overly dramatic and silly.
"Given the prominence of the victim, it is advised that both royalty and nobility remain extra vigilant given the possibility that the person, or people, responsible could strike again at any moment seeing as we have yet to find a motive to the crime." A second reporter said as he joined the first one at the scene. "In the meantime, police urge anyone who may know who the victim is to please step forward. We will continue to follow the story as it develops." The camera cut back to the two anchors before they moved on to the next topic. "In other news..."
Stolas was quiet as he turned the television off once more, lost in thought. The timing of it as well as Phenex's odd behavior did point towards him possibly being the killer, capable of taking another's life. But why am I not upset about it? He asked himself, thinking it over. If it was him. Then he did this to protect our relationship, didn't he? Stolas' mind was on overdrive, finding the whole situation worrying, yet flattering all at once.
He stood up slowly and walked to his bedroom, still deep in thought. The idea that Phenex had murdered another Goetia for him was daunting, but also made him feel a bit giddy if he was being honest with himself. The idea that someone cared enough about him to go to such an extreme. Of course, he could just be overthinking things, but he was almost completely certain that Phenex had done it, and to keep their relationship a secret no less. Stolas flushed as butterflies erupted in his stomach. As scared as he was, he was also very turned on. Why am I turned on by this, what the fuck is wrong with me!?
After a few minutes of pacing, Stolas sat down on the bed, his head in his hands. If he's willing to.. to murder someone for us... he trailed off, his body buzzing with arousal. Does that mean he loves me more than anything? He wondered, That he would risk his life and reputation, for me? He looked at the clock, noticing that it had only been about fifteen minutes since Phenex had left.
He took a deep breath to steady himself and made his way to the washroom, wanting to make sure he looked presentable for Phenex when he got back. With a flick of his wrist, the door slammed shut and the shower turned on. Stolas undressed quickly, tossing his clothes to the side before he stepped into the steaming hot shower. As he began to wash, his mind quickly returned to Phenex and the murder on the television.
The idea of his boyfriend taking another's life like that made him feel.. odd. Like he was supposed to be upset that Phenex had killed someone, but because Phenex had done it for him, he just couldn't bring himself to be upset about it. While the idea of murder still made him nervous, the fact that Phenex was so dedicated to keeping their relationship a secret, and keeping them together made him feel weak. Stolas blushed hotly and smiled to himself, taking a second to relish in the feeling before he continued to shower, a lot more giddy now than when he had first gotten in.
Does that make me a horrible, uncaring, and egotistical prince? Stolas thought, Am I a shitty person? He paused, his hand stilling as he washed over the feathers on the back of his neck, the soap leaving behind a slight sting where his lover had bit him. No he decided after a moment, If it was what Phenex felt was necessary. I trust him to not do it carelessly, only when it is absolutely the only choice. As he rationalized the murder away, he felt the worry that lingered inside of him begin to subside, leaving only the overwhelming flattery he felt from Phenex's actions.
With a sigh, he turned the shower off and stepped out, grabbing a towel to dry off his feathers. Once finished, he hung the towel on a nearby rack before wrapping a robe around himself. Glancing at himself in the mirror, his feathers were still a bit ruffled, but they were already mostly dry, and he was certain Phenex wouldn't mind ruffling them more, so long as he got to do it himself.
Stolas left the bathroom, a small shiver going up his spine as the cool air hit him. His mind was still buzzing with emotions, but he pushed them aside as he laid down on the bed and waited, smiling to himself as he thought of what was to come.
It wasn't long before the bedroom door opened. The object of his muddled emptions entered the room, shutting the door quietly behind him and dropping the items he had bought onto the bed. Stolas looked at them in surprise, blushing furiously as he realized what Phenex meant by "equipment".
Before he had a chance to utter a single word, Phenex was on top of him, kissing him passionately. His hands slipped under the bathrobe, roaming from Stolas' chest to his wrists, holding them above his head. Stolas moaned, kissing his boyfriend back with equal ferocity. He spread his legs, allowing Phenex to settle between them, a smirk stretching across his face as their bodies met. However, the kiss was only a distraction. The next thing he knew, his wrists had been tied and bound the the headboard, leaving him at Phenex's mercy.
Stolas let out a low whine as Phenex pulled away, panting and squirming slightly. "Phenex." He shakily moaned, straining against the ropes that bound his wrists to the headboard to test how it felt.
"I must say, you do look very cute like this" Phenex lusciously cooed.
"Phenex, please~ I want you." He whined, staring lustfully up at his lover. With his hands tied to the headboard and his legs spread, he was very exposed and couldn't move, completely at the mercy of his lover. His feathers stood on end, a reaction to how quickly his lover was ramping it up. "Please~" He begged, wanting nothing more than for his boyfriend to just do something already.
"My my, what an impatient and noisy plaything you are~" Phenex taunted, his voice progressively getting deeper. He reached behind himself and grabbed a ball gag, "Open" he commanded. Stolas' feathers puffed out further at the command, he did as he was told and opened his mouth obediently, letting out a soft whimper when the gag was pressed into his beak.
"Good boy" Phenex purred before kissing Stolas on the cheek and whispering, "If it starts to get to be too much, I want you to let me know. Tap my side with your leg to tell me, okay?" Stolas nodded, his heart fluttering from the affection. Despite his position, he trusted Phenex completely, and he knew that he would keep his word, and he loved him for that.
He gave his hips a slight wiggle, silently asking for more. He wanted- No, needed more than light touches and kisses. After the emotional roller-coaster Phenex put him on that morning, he wasn't leaving his bedroom until he couldn't feel his legs and remember his own name.
(Notes: Okay, I have dilly-dallied for far too long on adding real substance to the plot, as much as I love to write cute/wholesome interactions, I need to get things started. I have an idea for a larger story that I plan on developing over the course of the rest of the fic, so here's to hoping I can pull it off!
Please feel free to ask any questions no matter how mundane they may seem, I always appreciate the interaction (I don't get out much if that wasn't already obvious)
And to FerociousGrape, thank you for all the comments you leave and I'm sorry for never having said anything back. (I really hate the way 's review system works, I wish it was more like AO3's) But I wanted to let you know that it makes my day when you leave a review, so thank you!)