Our shellfish desires, p.20
Our Shellfish Desires, page 20
“Hey.” Ollie pulled him in for a hug. “I’m here.”
Alexander ignored how disgusting they both were, and he let Ollie embrace him. He buried his face against his chest, sighing heavily. He was exhausted, sore, and he wanted a hot shower and to collapse right into bed.
Doubtlessly reading his thoughts, Rota agreed. I believe that’s an excellent plan, my love.
“Ditto.” Ollie kissed the top of Alexander’s head. “I can’t make any piña coladas, but I can probably pull o-fahfah a Long Island Iced Tea with all the booze you have here.”
“Let’s do that.” Alexander closed his eyes. “But… hold me for a second first?”
“You got it.”
I’m sure Starkiller will want to speak to us soon, Rota said gently. He and the others will have many questions, and we do have such interesting news to share with them.
“Fuck ’em,” Alexander muttered. “What is there to tell? Marbles killed everyone, Jeff is one leg short and got away. Oh, and Stoker’s an asshole.”
I’m confident they know that last part already.
“What’s the interesting news, then?” Ollie asked.
Jeff claimed his wound was the result of being touched by the first child of Great Azaethoth. The Kindress itself.
“Really?” Ollie gulped. “Well, that’s freaky as fuck.”
“You should have seen how he removed the silencing ward we stuck on him.” Alexander grimaced.
“I don’t wanna know, do I?”
“Probably not.”
This could potentially confirm the existence of the Kindress. Jeff must have encountered it somewhere in his own travels between worlds. Perhaps even at the Fountain.
“And if that fuck face can find it, that means we can,” Alexander declared.
“That’s awesome!” Ollie grabbed Alexander around his waist and lifted him up for a big kiss. “This is gonna be so great! No more Stoker or crazy murder or any of that! Just me, you, Rota, and that big ol’ book! I’m gonna read the shit outta that thing—”
“Ollie!” Alexander lightly smacked his shoulder. “Hey, hey, put me down!”
“Sorry.” Ollie grinned and gently set Alexander back on his feet. “I got excited. I’m, uh, well, you know. And I’m maybe kinda hoping even after we find that Fountain and get Rota’s body, maybe you guys will let me stick around. You know, keep hanging out together, even if you… uh… don’t need me?”
As soon as Alexander saw the sweet, dopey smile, he already knew what his answer would be.
Rota agreed, judging by the rush of warmth in their bond.
“Maybe.” Alexander ignored the fluttering in his chest as Ollie’s smile grew. “We can talk about all that shit later. First things first.”
“Ah.” Ollie nodded. “Shower?”
“Shower.” Alexander smirked. “I wanna see if you were lying about those flamingos.”
“Oh, you’re totally on.”
Chapter 15.
OVER THE next two weeks, Ollie continued working on the translation of the poetry book. Alexander decided it would be wise for him and Rota to stay over at Ollie’s so they would be close in case he made a breakthrough, although they all knew that wasn’t the only reason. He got to sleep with Ollie and Rota every night and woke in bed with them each morning.
For the first time in a very long time, Alexander was happy.
Sloane was kind enough to give them a few days to recuperate, but he did come looking for answers about what had happened with Jeff. Chase and Merrick visited as well, though Chase seemed much more interested in interrogating Alexander about what his intentions were with Ollie.
Alexander let Ollie and Rota handle the talking on all accounts.
Rota was able to answer their questions about the case, specifically as to what happened while they were in Marbles’s illusion. Ollie didn’t remember anything, including the strange childhood memory that may have been responsible for his odd idiom. Alexander knew from personal experience some memories just weren’t worth remembering, so neither he nor Rota pressed it.
They learned from their visitors that Jeff was nowhere to be found, still on the run, presumably with the ingredients for the ritual. Well, except Will of course, who was now Stoker’s esteemed guest in the Hidden World and its first mortal resident. Stoker admitted to selling the book to Jeff but claimed he had only allowed him to have it because of the healing spells it contained. After all, with a face that was actively rotting, Jeff needed some incredibly powerful magic.
Plus, according to Stoker, he paid very well, and the idea of him ever gaining access to the rare ingredients required had never occurred to him.
Alexander had some doubts as to whether or not Jeff was telling the truth about the Kindress being the cause of his injury. Whatever messed up Jeff’s face was certainly the most destructive magic Alexander had ever seen, but it only led to more questions he couldn’t answer.
If Jeff had found the Kindress, why didn’t he use it to wake up Salgumel?
Hell, why didn’t Jeff ask the Kindress to remake the world and cut out the middleman? What was the point of bothering with the god of dreams if he had access to the true firstborn of Great Azaethoth?
Whatever.
Those were problems for Sloane and Detective Chase and Gordoth the Slut, or whatever his name was.
Alexander had his own problems to deal with, like waiting for Ollie to finish the translation and reveal the location of the Fountain so they could recover Rota’s body.
Oh, and how to maybe ask Ollie to go steady.
Alexander didn’t know how it was going to work with all three of them—people did this, didn’t they?—but he wanted it. He knew Rota did too. The joy he felt seeing Ollie’s dopey smile was only rivaled by Rota’s own surge of happiness. The life they’d found together over the past few weeks was beyond anything Alexander could have ever hoped for.
After Ollie would exhaust himself translating, Alexander found one of his favorite things in the world was snuggling on the sofa with him watching horror movies while Rota tried to predict the ending. Ollie had started drawing again, and he would doodle in a sketchbook during the scary parts so he wouldn’t have to see them. They had more dates, including a few at home so Ollie could teach Alexander and Rota how to cook. They all stayed up late so they could look at the stars, and Ollie was endlessly patient and adoring and happy and just so damn Ollie.
Alexander knew it wouldn’t be perfect. He knew it wasn’t always going to be like this. But for the moments when it was, those sweet moments where time itself seemed to stop and his heart swelled deep inside his chest until it felt like it was going to burst, it would be worth it.
It was just last night that Alexander had decided.
Ollie deserved an official answer, and Rota had left it up to Alexander to decide what to do about their “hanging out” situation. Alexander planned to put it off for as long as possible, naturally, but then he’d woken up from a bad dream to the sound of Ollie singing. There weren’t any words to the tune, only a soft and soothing melody, and Alexander asked him why he was singing it.
“Somebody was yelling at you, and you were crying,” Ollie had said. “In the dream, I mean. I heard you in my head. So I wanted to make sure you heard something nice whenever you woke up.”
“Thank you” was all Alexander had managed to reply, and on Ollie went with his singing.
Soon Rota’s rumbling voice joined Ollie’s, and they sang together, strong arms and wispy tentacles rocking Alexander back to sleep.
When Alexander woke again the next morning with Ollie tangled around him and Rota’s presence hovering on the other side, he knew this is what he wanted. He didn’t have to be afraid of getting close to someone else or being hurt.
If there was any other soul in the universe he could trust his heart to, it was Oleander Logue.
Ollie, who was currently snoring away, drooling quite a bit, and had taken all the covers.
With a smirk, Alexander tugged the covers back in one swift pull.
“Mmmrrph?” Ollie groggily lifted his head.
“You took the blankets again,” Alexander said.
“Oh. Sorry.” Ollie wiped his mouth and then laid his head back down, hugging Alexander’s middle. “Won’t ever happen again.”
That’s what you always say, dear. Rota chuckled.
“Morning, Rota,” Alexander said, smiling as Rota slipped into Ollie’s body to add his presence to the hug.
“Morning, love,” Rota spoke now with Ollie’s voice and his own distinct rumble. “Did you sleep all right? We were worried.”
“I’m good. Thank you. Both of you.” Alexander snuggled in close, and he laughed when he felt Ollie’s hard cock poking his hip. “Mmm, is that yours or Ollie’s?”
“It’s mine,” Ollie mumbled with a sleepy little grin. “Sorry. Just woke up, and you’re all warm and snuggly and very, very hot.”
“Mmm.” Alexander slowly pushed Ollie’s hand down. The innocent press of Ollie’s morning chubbed dick was enough to get him going, and he wanted Ollie and Rota to hop on board with how he wanted to start the day.
“Oh?” Rota caught on quickly and laughed. “Yesterday was not enough to satisfy you, my love?”
“Nope.” Alexander directed Ollie’s hand right to his own thickening cock, rubbing it through the covers. “Makin’ up for lost time.”
“Is that so?”
“And I’m just really fuckin’ horny.”
“Mmm, I see.” Rota squeezed, and he shifted closer, bowing his head for a kiss.
Alexander grabbed a handful of Rota’s hair and kissed him back hungrily. He was ready to go, to feel Rota and Ollie inside of him, to come over and over—wait, where was Ollie?
It was only Rota kissing him.
“Ollie?” Alexander asked.
“Oh, I think he fell back asleep.” Rota snorted.
Alexander rolled his eyes and shook Ollie’s shoulders. “Hey! Wake up.”
Ollie’s lashes fluttered as he resumed control, clearing his throat loudly. “Wait, wah? I’m awake. What are we doing?”
“Trying to have sex with you.”
“Oh, cool.” Ollie grinned. “Let’s do that.”
Alexander dragged him back in for a kiss, and there, now he could feel them both through their bond. Ollie’s lips were softer somehow, sweeter, and Rota’s tentacles pushed the covers out of the way.
“Mmm, my love,” Rota whispered. “I want you so badly. My entire being aches with the need to be inside you and feel you quiver around me.”
“What he said,” Ollie mumbled as he kissed his way down Alexander’s neck, repositioning himself on top.
Rota’s tentacles tugged at their pajamas—a full set for Alexander, just sweatpants for Ollie—and quickly got them out of the way. He could probably feel how eager Alexander was, and his own desire was equally fierce.
Alexander pulled Ollie in for another kiss, and he hooked his legs around his hips. “Mmm, come on. I want you both. Now.”
“I got you, baby boy,” Ollie promised as he lined himself up, rubbing the head of his cock against Alexander’s hole. “Rota?”
Of course, Rota spoke in their thoughts. He hadn’t fully separated from Ollie’s body, but they’d found sometimes it was less confusing in the heat of the moment for him to speak this way and let Ollie keep control of his own voice.
Alexander groaned softly as his hole opened up and magically stretched, wet and ready in seconds for Ollie’s cock. He loved the heat as Ollie pushed in, and he gasped when he felt Rota was getting Ollie ready too.
“F-fuck, Rota!” Ollie moaned, his hips pushed forward by the added pressure inside of him. He thrusted a few times, falling into a steady rhythm once he was fully sheathed and kissing Alexander sweetly. Mmm, fuck… you both feel so good… you always feel so damn good….
So do you, Alexander thought back, bracing himself on Ollie’s broad shoulders. Gods… mmm… more. Give me more.
Yes, my love, Rota purred. I will give you more. Both of you. My beautiful boys. I will give you everything….
The tip of a slitted tentacle was now at Alexander’s hole, and he inhaled sharply as it pushed its way in beside Ollie’s cock. The stretch was more comfortable now than it had been before, and he was able to breathe through it with ease. God, being this full and having that hot friction so deep within his body was absolute bliss. Ollie’s cock could only venture so far, but Rota’s tentacle seemed to go on forever, seeking intimate places no mortal could ever reach and forcing the most delicious sounds from Alexander’s lips.
Rota was inside Ollie too, giving him the same great pleasure, pumping in and out of their bodies in perfect sync. He was guiding Ollie’s hips so that even his cock was on rhythm, and more of his tentacles spread Alexander’s legs and held them wide. Ahhh, my boys… my perfect boys….
Alexander tried to keep kissing Ollie, but he couldn’t catch his breath. It was such an incredible ecstasy to be taken by an immortal, and he could feel the pressure between his legs rising to thigh-trembling levels already. Both tentacle and cock were fucking his slick hole perfectly, and he loved the throbbing slide against every delicate nerve inside of him. He was so close, his muscles tightening, heat rising fast, and ah—there!
It shouldn’t have surprised him how quickly Rota could make him come, and every sweet pulse made him moan. Ollie was coming too, filling him with a hot load, and fuck, now Rota was coming, and Alexander was overwhelmed by the sensation of Rota flooding his body and Ollie’s at the same time.
Alexander’s climax went on for several mesmerizing moments, carried by his partners’ pleasure and the magical thrust of Rota’s tentacles. He greedily rocked his hips down just to keep it going for as long as he could, locking his lips with Ollie’s and tasting Rota there with him.
By all the gods, it was always so fuckin’ good.
Feel better now, my love? Rota asked with a smirk in his voice.
“Mmm, much,” Alexander mumbled.
“Well.” Ollie grinned. “Feel free to wake me up like that anytime.”
Rota laughed.
“Yeah?” Alexander touched Ollie’s cheek. He could see the silver in the scar there on Ollie’s chest, so like the silver gleam some of his own binding marks now had. He summoned up all of his courage, riding the high of their coupling, and he asked, “And if I wanted to do it every day?”
“I just said feel free… oh!” Ollie paused. “Okay, so, it’s early, and my brain isn’t working great, but are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
Alexander? Rota was smiling, and his happiness was practically bubbling. Yes?
“Yes,” Alexander confirmed.
“Yes, what?” Ollie’s grin was growing. “Yes, you want me to go make breakfast? Yes, you want to try playing Battleship later? Or, oh, do you mean you wanna watch Hell’s Kitchen because Sloane is always talking about—”
“Yes, I want you to go out with me. Us. Me and Rota.” Alexander sighed loudly. “I want us to be together. All of us. Okay?”
“Okay.” Ollie squeezed Alexander’s hand and leaned in for a tender kiss, his side of the bond warm with happiness.
“Wait, wait.” Alexander shook his head. “That’s it? You’re not gonna make Rota ask you?”
I already did, Rota teased.
“You what?”
Last night. Yes, I know I’m not supposed to peek in that beautiful head of yours, but I was quite worried about your nightmare.
“After you fell back asleep, me and him talked for a little bit.” Ollie seemed very pleased with himself. “He told me about your, uh, decision, and he asked me. We agreed to wait for you to say somethin’, and well… here we are.”
Alexander smiled, enjoying the fluttering sensation taking up residence in his chest. Being close with Rota had been the only thing that ever brought this on, but now he felt it with Ollie. He hadn’t known Ollie very long, but….
It gave him hope this was going to be something that lasted.
“Yeah,” Alexander said. “Here we are.”
Ollie kept smiling at him, Rota was hovering so very close, and it was starting to feel awkward. Talking was not one of Alexander’s strengths, especially things of a romantic, feelsy nature. He hated the quiet that was falling between them all, and he didn’t know what to do or say or—
“So! How about I make us breakfast, huh?” Ollie piped up.
Alexander sighed in relief. “Yeah, that would be great.”
After smooching Alexander’s cheek, Ollie carefully separated himself and got out of bed. He brought towels to clean up what Rota’s magic had left behind—which was nothing, really, but Alexander suspected Ollie just liked taking care of him—and then grabbed a fresh pair of sweatpants and new pajamas with bright yellow ducks for Alexander.
“I’m gonna go now. You know. To make breakfast.” Ollie waved, grinning back at Alexander for so long that he nearly smacked into the doorframe on his way to the kitchen because he wasn’t paying attention to where he was going.
Alexander lay back in bed, clean and snuggled in the oversized atrociously hideous pajamas, still riding the high of being freshly fucked and smiling.
I love you, Rota said.
“Mmm, love you too.”
Happy, my love? Rota asked.
“Yes.” Alexander’s smile widened. “Very.”
Good… because there is something I need to tell you.
“What is it?”
The topic of discussion last night—
Ollie suddenly screamed.
“Fuck, what now?” Alexander bolted up and ran toward the kitchen, preparing himself for anything. He skidded to a stop when he saw Stoker standing there by the counter, appraising the mess with a wrinkle of his nose.
“Ollie, I’m going to send a maid over to clean this up,” Stoker scolded. “This is abysmal.”
“It’s, it’s really not that bad,” Ollie stammered from where was, poised as if he was ready to climb up the side of the fridge. “I mean, sure, there might have been something there, living in my sink, but I’ve really been trying here lately!”
