"Solitude is fine but you need someone to tell that solitude is fine." (Honoré de Balzac)

Last night had been perfect. The four of them had gone to bed with smiling faces and lighter hearts. There was nothing better for the soul than a heart to heart conversation with your loved ones.

They had kept things PG-13, much to Zephyr's dismay. The latter had explained to Fayez what they were supposed to do to complete the mating process.

Apparently, the smaller vampire had given it A LOT of thoughts already. Of course, Zephyr being Zephyr, he had shared his numerous ideas with them, with such a profusion of details that even Ashur had looked embarrassed.

Fayez, on the other hand, hadn't known much about what Zephyr was referring to - what the hell did "urethra play" mean ? It sure sounded scary. Maybe he should ask Helmut about it.

Not wanting to sound too inexperienced, he had tried to pretend he was very familiar with everything the blondie was mentioning. Problem was, he didn't even know half of the terms they were using.

Plus, he had a feeling his mates were already fully aware of the fact that he was on uncharted territories, when it came to sex, and that they were gently teasing him about it.

"I think Fayez would look good in leather." Zephyr had declared at some point, with a dreamy expression. "What do you think, squirrel? Want me to dress you up and give you a proper training?"

"I would love for you to train me, but I think a warm tracksuit would be more adequate than leather." Fayez had politely replied, making Akhenaton cough while Ashur had given him a fond and amused smile.

What was so funny about his answer?

So, they hadn't done anything extraordinary since their talk about the mate-thing. Still, Fayez had greatly enjoyed the fluttering kisses and the glances full of promises. He had slept in the middle of the bed, right between Zephyr and Akhenaton. Their arms and legs were all entangled and their faces were almost touching.

Now, Fayez usually wasn't a very touchy person, but, contrary to what one might think, he had found it very snuggly.

Having mates was beyond his expectations already, and he had a feeling that the best was yet to come.

Yes, last night had been perfect, but this morning wasn't very promising. He would go as far as to say that he was currently in a state of total panick.

See, Fayez had a huge problem - well, maybe not that huge. Let's be modest about it.

It wasn't the first time it had happened to him since his arrival at the ISB. In fact, he too clearly remembered how he had gotten hard when he had drunk Zephyr's blood.

So embarrassing.

It wasn't going to be a recurring occurence, was it?

He was hard and aching and unable to get up and escape, as Zephyr's arms were drapped around his chest.

He couldn't get up, and risk waking them up. On the other hand, if Fayez didn't do something soon, they would eventually wake up by themselves. Then, without a doubt, they would see -

No way he was going to let that happen. They shouldn't know that he had woken up with a raging hard-on. No fucking way.

So, what options did he have?

Not many, actually. There was only one thing to do to avoid such a shameful situation.

...

He had to cut off his own member.

Ah. So very funny. So much humour in this room. Of course he would never do such a thing! Fayez wasn't a character coming straight from Game of Thrones, thanks Lord and everything that's above for that.

What he had to do was much easier, and potentially pleasurable. It was one of the most basic things he could do. So basic that even human beings could perform it.

He had to charm the cobra. Make the bald man cry. Give himself a handshake.

Ugh, gross.

How was he supposed to do that, exactly? He had never done it before, and the idea of his gloved hand on his vulnerable appendice wasn't exactly appealing.

Let's try something else, he thought, before taking a corner of the soft blanket, and experimentally pressing it between his thighs.

That felt... nice.

He barely repressed a moan, before giving a fearful look to Akhenaton. Thankfully, the prefect was still sleeping soundlessly in Ashur's arms.

The two of them looked cute together. It was hard to believe they were two of the most dangerous supernatural creatures in the Institute.

Not taking his eyes off them, Fayez pressed the cover a little harder.

The friction felt nice, but nowhere near enough to provide the much needed relief.

Maybe, if he did it carefully, he could try... moving?

Feeling like some sort of sick pervert who was jacking himself off while his boyfriends were sleeping like babies, he rubbed himself against the cover.

Much better.

He did it again.

And again.

How long did he have to do it before reaching the desired result? This was taking forever.

"Squirrel, at this rate, your dick will fall off before the white liquid comes out."

Zephyr! Shit, shit, shit. Fayez had been so engrossed in his dirty little activity that he hadn't noticed how the vampire's arms had been tightening around him.

He turned his head and looked behind his shoulder.

Bad idea. He had only met Zephyr's eyes for a few seconds, but it had been long enough to have disastrous consequences.

The prefect was wearing such a filfthy expression on his lovely face, that a whole bucket of holy water probably wouldn't be enough to clean him from his sins.

It had the unwanted consequence of making Fayez even harder.

All of his brave efforts, ruined.

"Zephyr" he whined, as he unconsciously started to grind himself back against the bulge he could now feel against his ass.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one having a problem, but he was pretty sure Zephyr didn't care much about being found out by his boyfri- mates.

"Hush, Faye" Zephyr whispered into his ear. "You wouldn't want to wake up the others two, right?"

"No." Fayez was quick to agree, making Zephyr smirk against his earlobe.

"I thought so. Then.... need some help with your little problem?" the smaller man asked in a somewhat hopeful voice.

Fayez hesitated. For some reason, Zephyr's suggestion sounded rather appealing, and not just because he thought that Zephyr probably had a lot of experience in handjobs.

The thought of his mate actually touching his most intimate place weirdly made him want to cry.

"You don't mind, do you?" he asked tentatively, making Zephyr pause for a moment, before the other man gave him a chaste kiss on his cheek.

"Faye" he eventually replied. "I'm probably going to sound like a major freak but right now, nothing could make me happier than being able to give you some pleasure."

"Okay, then" a blushing Fayez responded. "You can help me but - please, touch me under the cover."

"What?"

"I don't want you to see me naked."

"As you wish, squirrel." Zephyr simply replied, but Fayez thought that there was a hint of sadness in his voice.

Pulling the cover up his chin, he felt soft hands running up and down his left arm, before going to the left.

That made him perplex. What was Zephyr doing?

Suddenly, he felt Zephyr's lips pressing against his nape, making him shiver as he closed his eyes.

He never knew he had such a sensitive nape, but apparently, Zephyr was quickly learning about his sensitive spots, as he started to lick on the erogenous zone with renew enthusiasm.

"If you want me to stop or slow down, please tell me, okay, squirrel?" Zephyr murmured. "If something feels uncomfortable, I don't want you to endure it just to please me."

"I promise to tell you."

Perhaps it was the sudden solemnity in Zephyr's voice that made him open his eyes. Perhaps he felt that someone else was looking at him.

Whatever it was, as he opened his eyes, he found Ashur and Akhenaton looking straight back at him.

The scene in front of his eyes made him even harder, if that was possible.

Ake, who used to scare him so much, was currently squirming in Ashur's arms. Naked. His expression a mixture of lust and embarrassment.

Ashur, on the other hand, had his lips against Ake's nape, in a perfect replica of Zephyr's posture. He looked perfectly calm, if not a little smug.

"We can't see anything, because of the cover, so please tell me, sweet boy." he declared, his voice deceptively sweet. "Where is Zeph touching you right now?"

"He - he, my chest" Fayez mumbled, as he could feel the blondie starting to lightly pinch and twist his nipples.

He watched with great fascination Ashur doing just that to Akhenaton.

"Where now?" Ashur asked, after torturing his now meek mate for a while.

"His hands are going to ...to my ass." Fayez's eyes widened in realization, as he felt the slender hands resting against the small of his back, before carefully gropping his asscheeks.

"Is that okay?" Zephyr asked, to which Fayez agreed, once again.

"Yeah, just - don't put... don't put anything in - inside" Fayez whispered, hoping that the others two wouldn't hear him.

Unfortunately, it seemed like they did, as Akhenaton pouted, at the same time that Ashur commented "cute".

"Ake is really disappointed right now, you know?" Ashur added, with good humour. "He loves nothing more than having my fingers up his bum."

"Hey, that's not true!" the brunet protested, but his mate only raised up a sceptical eyebrow at him, as if silently asking "Is it?"

Fayez laughed a bit at their banter, then moaned as the vampire started grazing his fangs against his shoulder.

"Don't worry, I won't" Zephyr said softly. "Is it okay if I touch this perfect ass of yours, though?"

"Yes."

He let out another moan when the vampire started to fondle his untouched bottom.

Zephyr was touching him like he was starving to death and Fayez was the last living creature on Earth.

He groped his asscheeks, pinched them, fondled them like he could never get enough.

"I was right. You really have the softest cheeks, and your ass is so big, you can see it from the front. Ouch, just kidding, squirrel, don't hurt me. Love it, though"

Fayez was now so hard that he thought he might combust, and the sight in front of him wasn't exactly helping.

Ashur was doing the exact same things to an equally hard Akhenaton. Only, from time to time he was giving his mate a light slap on his ass or his thigh, for good measure.

Could these two get any hotter?

"You like that?" Ashur suddenly asked, making Fayez look up to see the prefect looking back at him with a knowing expression.

"Like what?"

"Do you like seeing your bitchy mate all wet and desperate for me?" Ashur asked with a grin, biting his boyfriend's shoulder before kissing the sore patch of skin.

Fayez's eyes went back to Akhenaton's face. The prefect's ears were all red, and he was glaring at him, but Fayez wasn't afraid to say his mind.

"I do." he admitted, in a breathless voice, because Zephyr's hands were finally closing around his weeping member.

"You like seeing Ashur dominate me, is that it?" Akhenaton snarled, before a slightly harsher slap landed on his abused bottom, making him moan.

"Oh, trust me, it's a very nice sight." Fayez replied, with a wink. "It will remain in my brain forever."

"Bastard. Just wait until I finally get my hands on you." Akhenaton whispered, his voice taking a dark edge. "I will take great care of you, my little virgin mate. You'll feel so good you won't even be able to remember your own name."

His threat shouldn't have resonated like a promise in Fayez's ears.

The young vampire could feel his blood starting to pump quicker in his body, as Zephyr's strokes got faster.

Akhenaton's face was so close to his own, that he would have been able to count his eyelashes.

"Kiss me, Ake" he urged, all previous shyness a long gone memory.

The other man cupped his cheek, his hand nothing like Zephyr's cold and delicate one. The skin was warm, and slightly calloused.

"Say please, brat."

" For fuck's sake. Please, Akhenaton. Kiss me."

He closed his eyes in desperation, and heard Akhenaton hissed, before the brunet was grabbing him by the neck, pressing his lips against his own in a bruising kiss that took the last bits of his self-control.

He came, hard, spilling in Zephyr's palm, while his lips remained glued to Akhenaton's.

For a few seconds, it felt like flying.

Until then, his body had been nothing more to him than a vessel, always disconnected from his spirit.

Or even a prison, which forced him to remain on Earth and suffer for an eternity. A prison that nobody could touch, for his hands were cursed.

But now, his body was what made him feel both powerful and powerless.

It was helping him connect with others. His mates. They were conveying their feelings for him through their touches.

He didn't realize tears were spilling out of the corner of his eyes until he was lifted, like he weighted nothing, and pressed against Ashur's warm chest.

Then, a soft hand was gently caressing his own. Zephyr was holding his hand.

Zephyr was...

Wait a minute.

He tensed in horror, as he realized his glove must have slipped off, and Zephyr was holding his bare hand.

"My glove- " he started, squirming and trying to break free but the hold on his hand only tightened, while Ashur rubbed his hair soothingly.

"I'm fine, squirrel. Don't run away."

Zephyr's voice. Barely louder than a gentle breeze. Very much alive and full of affection.

"We have to talk, little brat."