“So you and Tarit….”

“No, Carla. I am not talking about it with you.”

“Hm, but maybe you should talk to him. And I don’t mean angrily shoving him around in the pub when he’s on a date.”

Aik spluttered into his pint, then huffed.
“No.” He sighed, his eyes searching for the apprentice and Mika. He found them huddled together in a corner, talking animatedly and laughing. They looked… happy. He hated it. “He doesn’t want to anyway. So stop yapping at me.”

Too many people tried to meddle and had too much interest in his love life. Usually, he wouldn’t mind and make fun of a mishap. But Tarit, and the time they had spent together, wasn’t something he wanted to turn into a joke. 

The thing was… he did miss him. Like he’d miss anybody else he considered a friend. But, and here Tarit was right, they had never defined what they were. And Aik had kept him at arm's length and fled whenever Tarit so much started to talk about anything personal.

The younger man was a stranger. Still, in hindsight, it felt extremely unfair. Aik was a player, and he had played the game too well. He knew he was a charmer and suave when he wanted to be. Meanwhile, Tarit had no game at all. And Aik had used it against him. All the bloody time just to get the next orgasm out of it with somebody he considered good enough to come back to, stringing the other man along.

The question was why he’d done it and broken his own rules. And that was something too uncomfortable to think about. 

Carla squeezed his hand. She slid down her chair and smiled. “I’ll go. Don’t do anything stupid.”

Aik smiled, but it barely reached his eyes. “Sure.”

And after she was gone, there was an uncomfortable silence inside of his head, while the noises around him exploded with cheerful laughter and stomping to some impromptu song.

He nursed the rest of his lukewarm beer when a shoulder bumped into his own and an empty jug hit the table hard. 

He turned to the side, but he already knew who’d be next to him.

“Oh. Hi.” Tarit blinked at him. “I just need two more… beer.” He hesitantly peeked over Aik’s head, which annoyed the Mage again. “Or not.”

The redhead waved to the bartender and tossed some coins to him. He turned sideways and whispered. “Thank you for respecting my request.”

Aik leaned back and looked him over, taking his time to catalogue the details. The nose had more freckles that started to melt together. His hair was a bit lighter, and he looked less innocent. And a bit more confident.

“No problem. You’re heading out with Mika?”

Tarit smiled widely. The bastard. “Obviously. Not that it’s any of your business.’

He knew he acted like a jealous ex and shouldn’t fall for Tarit’s taunting, but the little green monster scratched and growled in his rib cage and wanted out.

So he leaned closer, remembering the first night they had met in a village far away from Gimma, and said, “You should know that he’s not really that talented when it comes to fucking. Why would you settle for anything that won’t satisfy you?”

Aik didn’t expect an answer. The apprentice had every right to punch him and leave the Mage in the dust. But Tarit chuckled. He grabbed the Mage’s neck, dragging him forward with a surprisingly strong grip and pressed his mouth to Aik’s ear. His hot breath send a shiver over Aik’s back. 

“You know… He only needs to moan my name when I fuck him, Aik. And I will. Like an animal in heat.”

He shoved him back, Aik nearly losing his balance on the stool. “Stop being bratty. It doesn’t suit you.”

He turned and left, weaving his way through the crowd with smooth and quick movements. Aik huffed and adjusted himself quickly, miffed that his body was so attuned to Tarit he got hard the moment the other man gave him any tiny morsel of attention. His ears burned and he felt too hot. The bartender shook his head and barked out a resounding laugh.

“Never thought I’d see the day somebody puts you in your place, Aik.”