Coby’s fingertips slowly followed the curve of Ash’s collarbones before sliding his hand over his bare shoulder, down his arm, his fingers dancing and bumping over every defined muscle and scar on their way down to the hand resting loosely on Coby’s hip. He twined his fingers into Ash’s, bringing his hand to his lips. Each tiny kiss Coby placed on Ash’s fingers sent a wave of electricity straight through Ash’s body, each one more exhilarating than the last.

“If you don’t stop that, I’m going to end up breaking my promise,” Ash teased. Coby turned his bright blue eyes up at him, Ash’s dark green eyes vibrant and lush, even in the darkness of his room. 

Coby shook his head, his lips skating over the soft pads of Ash’s fingertips, a coy smile on his beautiful face. “I can’t help it,” he giggled softly. “My boyfriend tastes too good.”

“Well, my boyfriend is being a gigantic tease after making me promise to wait on sex,” Ash grinned, nipping at the soft flesh beneath Coby’s neck, drawing out a soft moan. He moved to Coby’s mouth, drinking him in slowly, their lips sliding together, tongues moving languidly against one another. Coby wrapped his arm around Ash’s neck, the latter sliding his hand down Coby’s back, sending his own wave of electricity skating through the merman’s half-naked body.

He wanted more, they both did, but Coby wasn’t ready and Ash wasn’t going to pressure him. Instead, they simply lay in bed, exploring every inch of visible skin they’d been denied since they first met; kissing slowly, talking softly, holding each other closely.

As promised, Ash told Coby everything about Scott, excluding the parts Coby had no interest in hearing about. He told him about the multiple affairs and subsequent memory wipes, about the last incident that finally led to Ash breaking up with the sadistic angel and moving back home, about his grief, his anger, and the hope he had found in Coby the day they met in the hospital.

“I wasn’t the best boyfriend,” Ash admitted, his fingers trailing up and down Coby’s arm, his eyes catching the soft shimmer of shadow scales as they parted for him, reforming in Ash’s wake. “I spent a lot more time focused on school and helping Rhett out at the bar, and less time with Scott, but I never cheated on him. I never did or said anything abusive. I might not have always been there, but I wasn’t a prick.”

“It’s still no excuse,” Coby said, tracing the lines of Ash’s face with soft, feather-like caresses. “He made his choices on his own, my Ash. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I know,” Ash whispered, resting his forehead against Coby’s. His eyes searched Coby’s, waiting for him to ask the inevitable question, but he never did. Ash supplied the answer, anyway, wanting to reassure his boyfriend that Coby had him completely. “I don’t love him, Coby. I don’t feel anything for him. I haven’t for a long ti—”

Coby pressed his fingers against Ash’s lips, silencing him. “I know that, Ash,” he said with a grin. “I feel that in your energy.”

Ash snorted softly, kissing Coby’s fingers, leading them to another slow round of silent exploration. Ash gently dragged his nails over Coby’s clean bandages, hating that their binding ritual hadn’t healed Coby completely. Apparently the damage was far more extensive than either of them thought, including the one on Coby’s thigh. Ash slid his hand over that bandage as well, over Coby’s sweats, between his legs, letting it come to a rest with a deep sigh.

“Your turn,” he said.

Coby stalled. “You want me to touch your—”

“Coby.” The tone in Ash’s voice made it clear the time for dodging the important issues had come to an end. He could feel Coby’s energy shift, felt his anxiety rise as he worked up the courage to finally spill all his secrets. “You promised me, baby.”

Coby sighed, dropping his gaze, his hand flat against Ash’s chest. “I know,” he said, his hand sliding down to the space on the bed between them. “I know I did, it’s just…it’s a lot, and I don’t want to overwhelm you, or—”

“If you say ‘burden me,’ I’m going to tickle you.”

Coby’s eyes widened, his expression blank. “You wouldn’t.”

Ash placed his hand on Coby’s side, fingers poised to attack. “I would.” It had been a happy accident when Ash discovered how ticklish Coby was, and he wasted no time in taking full advantage of that information. He was only forced to stop when Coby released a small, uncontrolled blast of energy that nearly blew all of Ash’s stuff off every visible flat surface.

Coby’s gaze fell as he considered where to start. It wouldn’t make sense to tell Ash about his mission if his mate didn’t fully understand the severity that lay behind it. It was also weighing on him that he had to bring Ash fully into this situation now, that he had to be a part of it whether Coby liked it or not. Without Ash, Coby couldn’t heal, couldn’t regain his strength, and would never be able to get the Flame to the temple and go home. He’d stayed silent long enough. Ash deserved the entire truth.

He lifted his eyes back to Ash's waiting gaze, his dark hair falling over his eyes. Coby reached up and gently brushed it aside, reveling in the last tingles and sparks that were still dancing between them from the ritual. After a moment, he adjusted, lying more fully on his side. He took Ash’s hand and held it between their faces on the pillow and took a deep breath.

<The first thing you should understand,> he began, switching to Sarathian, <is that in each tribe, there is a holy relic that provides power and protection to all within that city. It is a piece of our god, entrusted to us to honor, to protect, and to use only when absolutely necessary by one person alone, its sole guardian.>

He held Ash’s gaze. 

<In this case, that person is me.>

Ash’s eyes widened slightly. No wonder Coby had switched to his native language; no one else could know what he was about to say.

<I am the Guardian of the Flame of Poseidon.>

**