#demonsed

The third day of his willing submission ignited with the soft touch of cool hands against Edward’s shoulders as they roused him from a thoroughly deep sleep. Unfamiliar with such a thing, it took Edward a moment to really readjust and he found himself led from Ras’ bed to one of the unopened doors which sat on the furthest side of the room by the man himself.

“I work best after a decent night’s sleep.” Edward grumbled as he passed through the door and wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand, the small motion making his bracelets jingle pleasantly. The new room was smaller than the previous but its purpose was unmistakable as the floor was covered by a large thin mat and one of the walls boasted a tiered collection of weaponry.

“You did sleep well.” Ras said, “By this point in the morning there are men who have secured deals and made decisions which will alter the course of human history.”

“And they call me dramatic.”

Edward rolled his eyes as he spoke but his focus remained on Ras as he approached with a small bundle of fabric folded across his arm.

“You must change. Your nightclothes do not lend themselves to a decent spar.”

Accepting the offered clothing, Edward did not bother to preserve any modesty as he stripped himself and neatly folded his sleeping clothes before placing them on the floor by the wall. Already dressed and fully prepared, Ras watched him with a cool gaze, his eyes darting across Edward’s frame as he appeared to be cataloguing the visible areas of potential strength.

The sirwal which hugged low on Edward’s hips was, unsurprisingly, a stunning green shade and he could not deny the lick of satisfaction which laced up his spine as he took in just how well they suited him as he pulled them on. Ras’ own sirwal were a much more muted, stony shade but their golden embellishments were both intricate and extensive as they laced around the thin fabric.

“You may choose your weapon.”

Turning to face Ras once more, a hint of fear crossed Edward’s features as he took in the large wall of weaponry which Ras was gesturing to with an opened palm. Bladed weapons. Blunt weapons. Medieval weapons that Edward wasn’t even sure how to fully operate. All lay in a polished, delicate positioning which made them easy to access and showcased a level of care which told of how often each weapon must be removed – either for use or for cleaning.

Eyeing up the various curved swords and daggers which hung closest to him, the sharpness of the blades proved real as Edward dragged the edge of his finger across one – narrowly avoiding slicing the skin open as he reduced the pressure immediately. The thought of wielding one was immediately dismissed, more so because he didn’t trust himself to not accidentally cut open his own body with the first swing. Sticking with what he knew felt appropriate so he padded his bare feet over to the blunted weapons.

“This.” Selecting a coated wooden staff which was only just longer than his typical cane, Edward weighed the wood within his hand and found it an acceptable substitute. He was no weapon expert, nor a born fighter, but his time in Gotham had lent itself to a necessity which saw him taking several self defence classes focusing on using a staff rather than pure strength or something bladed. “I think I can use this. Although I’m not sure how it will stand up to your swords.”

“I will respect your choice with one similar and keep my swords sheathed for this particular spar.” Ras offered, as magnanimous as ever as he plucked a pair of short escrima sticks from the display. Edward scowled at the choice, having nothing but wicked memories of the Batman’s oldest brat using something similar to bruise his flesh. “I shall pit my escrima against your hanbo and we shall see who comes out the victor.”

“I’m sure we will.” Edward countered with a slight put-upon misery in his tone as he awaited the ass-whooping which was no doubt about to be thrown his way.

“May I interest you in a wager?”

“Oh?”

“If you land a significant blow, only one, then I shall end your punishment where we stand and I give you my word that I shall provide you a boon. Within reason.”

“And if I don’t?”

Ras’ sharp teeth flashed as his lips split into a placating smile.

“Then you allow me the right to claim you, right here and now. Freshly bathed in the sweat of our mutual spar, I take you on this floor.”

A small, disloyal voice in Edward’s thoughts quickly pointing out that Ras could technically do that regardless of victory, as per the terms of their initial agreement, was shut down with a sharp nod of Edward’s head as he agreed to the terms.

In turn, Ras nodded back and both men maintained a safe distance as they stood apart and took space on the sparring mat.

“Do not hold back.” Was the final piece of advice which Ras provided before something in the air shifted and Edward felt a shiver of anticipation run down his spine. Immediately, Edward understood that there was no reality in which he won this spar. The shift in Ras’ body language as he dropped into a fighting stance was shocking in both its confidence and in the ease with which his bare feet padded around the area as both men slowly circled the other.

“Why fight me?” Edward asked, attempting to delay the inevitable as he passed his hanbo between his hands with some confidence.

“My observations of you are astute. Your mind is strong, fractured by compulsion, but strong.” Feet never crossing as he kept up a steady pace, Ras offered the compliment easily. “It is your body which is lacking. I only wish to see what you are capable of.”

As though testing the waters, Ras struck out with one of his escrima and Edward had to move quickly to block it before it could connect with his chest.

“Good.” Ras said, throwing another hit out and watching as Edward dodged it by tilting his chest to the side.

The spar continued like a practiced dance, Ras using the space to its fullest as he wove around Edward’s position to occasionally lunge like a snake, forcing Edward to defend himself with his hanbo or suffer a stiff blow to one of his limbs. Settling into the rhythm, an odd sense of freedom alighted in Edward’s chest as he grew bolder in his movements – lashing out with the end of his staff and swinging the wood around as he attempted to catch at least one of Ras’ feet off-guard.

A quiet fell between them, broken only by the sound of Edward’s huffing, exhilarated breaths and the sound of wood colliding. It was not a quiet to last as it eventually found itself broken by Ras, his expression curious behind its laser focus.

“You fight better than anticipated, reflexes more attuned that I had expected. You have fought before, yes?”

Refusing to be distracted, Edward kept up his firm balance as he held his hanbo across his chest defensively before swinging it sharply, “Why do you think that?”

“The skin of your back is marked.” Ras said, using his weight to swoop under the attempted strike from Edward.

“Yeah, that happens when someone whips it.”

“No. Not your punishment.” Ras countered, ignoring the slight petulance in Edward’s tone as he caught the edge of Edward’s forearm with the tip of his escrima. “Old markings. Scarring.”

Edward hissed at the contact, spinning away to recentre his position, “I have a knack for making enemies which goes all the way back to my youth. I discovered the hard way that the new regime did not care for questions or obvious intelligence and I’m a man who prides himself on possessing both.”

“The scarring on your back? A punishment then?”

“My move to Gotham was not simply because I love the constant miserable downpour and brutalist architecture. As a boy, I got into some trouble and the whip was their correction choice. They told me I was lucky that they didn’t just kill me. Soon after, my mother passed and I fled that life.”

“Your mother? Also taken?”

“Illness. Nothing to be done.” For the first time since entering his service, Edward’s voice was truly empty of all emotion and Ras accepted that his mother’s passing was a sorer subject than Edward would admit to as his attempted strikes became harsher and yet less finessed.

“You do not carry yourself as a man who has known such suffering.” Ras offered the words evenly, curious as to how they would be interpreted as he kicked out at Edward with a firm leg, his lips twitching as Edward dodged the kick with a slight flourish.

“My business is my business. That young boy who bled for nothing is dead and Edward Nygma now lives in his skin. The puzzle of my identity is one that no one but me has the right to.”

Silence fell again after that, both men shifting their attention to the fight at hand as they struck and wove their way around the other. Edward, to his credit, held his own as well he could; only taking the occasional hit from one of Ras’ sticks where he found himself unable to block. Eventually, both men threw a blow at the same time and their sticks met with a sharp crack of wood as a slight gasp of exertion puffed free of Edward’s chest.

Their faces now locked only inches apart, something wicked tugged at Edward’s chest and he moved without any thought of consequence. Snapping forward past the wood, Edward tilted his head and captured Ras’ lips within his own in a sharp kiss. The first thing to fill Edward’s senses was the unmistakeable taste of cloves; a precise and cloying spice which Edward was immediately smitten with as he wondered if Ras used them as a regular treat.

Slipping his leg behind Edwards’ as the surprise from the kiss began to wear off, Ras slammed his shoulder forward to knock Edward flat to his ass as he quickly lost balance over the unexpected limb. The force of his descent tore Edward free of Ras’ mouth, a series of pained hisses and muttered insults spewing from his lips as his face screwed up in discomfort and he lay slightly stunned against the floor.

Ras dropped to pin him fully, his hand pushing one of his escrima against Edward’s Adam’s apple with a slight pressure. The fight was over and Ras had won, an inevitable outcome which did not surprise either man and an outcome which made Edward’s body go wilfully limp as he admitted defeat.

“Again, you dare to steal from me?” Sounding more exasperated than anything, Ras’ tongue flicked at his lower lip as he sampled the residual taste of Edward which lingered there.

“I am often given, occasionally stolen, rarely sold, and never borrowed.” Edward rhymed off; his gaze unapologetic as his black lashes fluttered defiantly. “Is the great Ras Al Ghul precious about a kiss?”

Ras growled low in his throat as he leaned down closer towards Edward’ face, his expression a mixture of dark arousal and amusement.

“I am the victor and I claim my prize.” Ras’ hand dipped between their bodies, pressing against Edward’s cock as Edward gasped at the sudden pressure. “Here and now. You will turn and submit yourself as an offering.”

Arousal flaring within his gut at both the proximity and the total control which emitted from Ras’ like a detectable aura, Edward brought his own hand up to splay his fingers across Ras’ chest as he roughly pushed at him. Taking the hint, Ras shifted off his body to allow Edward to change his positioning as he adjusted himself on all fours – his knees spreading to something comfortable as his ankle bracelets scored across the thin mat.

With the side of his face pressed into the floor, not uncomfortably but with enough pressure to make him feel completely grounded and pinned into place, Edward gasped as Ras’ free hand quickly pulled at his sirwal until the fabric slipped past his ass and exposed him fully to Ras’ gaze. His own cock stirred, quickly hardening to bob against his stomach as Edward enjoyed the heated anticipation of the fuck to come.

Already worked up, Ras clearly had no intention of engaging in any foreplay and Edward wasn’t interested in waiting any longer than he had to in order to fill the pure, selfish arousal which was hollowing out his gut. Ras entered him with a cock which was barely lubed, some spit easing the initial entry, and the aching burn of the sudden stretch was exactly what Edward wanted as he buried the pathetic sound which tore from his throat into the meat of his forearm.

The sound of sex filled the small sparring room, the unmistakable noise of skin-on-skin mixing with the pulsing breaths of both men as they chased their own desires; Ras maintaining a deep, steady pace which forced Edward to feel every inch of his claim while Edward squeezing himself roughly around Ras’ cock to selfishly demand more.

Edward grunted as Ras slipped something hard across the lower part of his neck and his breath hitched as he realised it was the wooden hanbo staff. Before he could even question its appearance, Ras used the wood to pull Edward high, snatching him from the floor and holding him flush against his chest as he remained speared within him.

“I’m close to release.” Ras purred into Edward’s ear, the fingers of his free hand digging deeply into the skin of Edward’s hip as he ground himself against Edward’s ass, “It would please me for you to join me. Touch yourself, my emerald. Let us enjoy the high together.”

Without hesitation, Edward’s hand flew to his own cock, fisting along the dripping length as his pre-cum stained the straining head of his cock. In this new positioning, the angle of Ras’ cock adjusted and the flare of the newly stimulated nerves only pushed his pleasure to greater heights as Ras delivered a few final thrusts which aimed to drive into Edward as deeply as possible.

The sudden heat of Ras’ release flooding deep within Edward’s ass was paired by the sudden introduction of Ras’ teeth into his shoulder, the sharp canines pressing roughly enough into the skin to hurt but not enough to break through and draw blood. That added discomfort proved enough for Edward and he gasped into the quiet room as his cock jerked and his release sprayed across his own hand – several droplets dripping from his fingers to the mat below as Edward continued to stroke himself through the peak of his pleasure.

Thoroughly satisfied, Ras pulled free of Edward’s ass gently while Edward winced at the sudden emptiness which he left in his wake. Keeping his momentum going, Ras turned and rolled to his side, his back fully connecting with the sparring mat as his stained, wilting cock lay shamelessly against his upper thigh as he abandoned the hanbo staff to the side once more.

“What now?” Edward asked, adjusting one of his bracelets as he tactfully tilted his body to keep as much mess from dripping free of him as possible – his post-coital tones husky yet tinged with tiredness.

“Now, we bathe. As I said previously, I intend to monitor the markings on your back and a bath is the simplest way to achieve this while also allowing us to relax the muscles made tense by this spar.”

His body aching from both the spar and the following sex, the mention of a chance to relax for a little while was almost appealing enough to offset the anxiety which freshly touched at Edward’s chest as he realised that he would have to endure a bath to do so.

“Okay.” Edward replied after a moment, a false smile tugging at his lips as he refused to show even an ounce of weakness.

x-x-x-x-x

Standing to the side of the small pool which glistened with the mixture of oils and salts which had been added to the waters, Edward maintained a stiff aura of nonchalance as he watched Ras relax against the shallower side of the makeshift bath.

“I much prefer to shower.” Edward gave a false smile, his hands on his hips as he displayed his naked body without the slightest hint of shame.

“I am aware.” Ra nodded. “However, there are no facilities nearby. Soothing oils have been added to ensure additional comforts, something I thought you would appreciate. The bath is more than sufficient for our needs.” His hands glided over the top of the water, barely skimming it with his palm.

Our needs.

As if Edward hadn’t disclosed his anxiety surrounding baths only the previous day.

Not making any effort to move, Edward bit at his tongue within his mouth as he gazed into the clear waters. The base of the pool was easily visible, the deeper end of the circular space nowhere near enough to rise above his head. If he stayed close to Ras’ positioning then-

“You can choose to join me or my patience can wear thin and I will drag you by the ankle. One option allows you to keep your dignity, the other does not.”

Ras’ voice cut through his thoughts, his tone even and his mild threat as certain as ever.

“Why?” The question slipped free before Edward could stop it.

“I wish to inspect your welts.” Ras replied as though the answer should be obvious.

His feet padding around the edge of the water, Edward paused once more at the small series of steps which would lead him down into the bath. Taking a steadying breath, he did just that and the pounding of his heart in his chest was so loud that Edward swore Ras could feel it rippling through the water.

Now wrapped up to his waist in the warm waters of the bath, a sense of light-headedness touched at Edward’s senses and the fingers of his right hand clutched at the edge of the pool as Ras took a slow step towards him. Edward flinched at the movement and immediately hated himself for it as his mouth opened and he inhaled sharply.

“If you turn then I will conduct my examination here.”

His body glistening as thick droplets of water scored across the salt-and-pepper hair of his chest, Ras cut a fine figure and Edward chose to focus on the budding seed of arousal which warmed him deep within his gut rather than the cold fear which threatened his chest. He turned at Ras’ request, his body facing the edge of the pool as Ras’ shifted through the water to come to a halt behind him.

As Ras trailed his fingers across the almost-healed flesh, Edward shuddered at the soft touch and how unfamiliar it felt. Even in his own dalliances, random hook-ups to quieten the mess of his mind for a few hours here and there, he never typically found himself involved with anyone who offered softness. Hell, he himself was there for the fuck and nothing else. This touch felt intimate in way which made his skin feel like it was crawling off his bones.

Ras, for his part, appeared as unaffected as ever as he spoke quietly, “All marks will be gone within a week. All evidence of your punishment scrubbed from your skin by the healing waters and your resilience.”

Something almost like disappointment tinged at Edward’s thoughts but the notion of being disappointed by such a thing felt so ridiculous that he swiped it away with quick disregard. A muted noise of relief left Edward’s mouth as he felt Ras pull away and retake his position against the wall of another section of the pool.

Turning just in time to see Ras picking up a small, fresh washcloth from off to the side of the bath, Edward watched as Ras dipped the fabric within the waters before wiping it across his face, removing what little grime and sweat their earlier spar had inspired.

Noticing Edward watching him, Ras extended the washcloth to him with an inviting smirk.

“Come, assist me. Your final few hours are not quite over yet, my emerald.”

Shuffling around the side of the bath, the water sloshing at his thick movements, Edward arrived as Ras’ position and silently waited for him to turn and provide access to his back – an area which Edward observed with keen interest.

Edward dragged the cloth across Ras’ shoulders as he started his task, marvelling at the tight muscle below while he cleaned the area with a soft diligence. Ras also hosted his own collection of impressive scarring and Edward could not help but run the pointer finger of his other hand across one particularly ragged scar which tucked itself neatly between Ras’ shoulder blades.

“A gift from a bold Cossack assassin of the Russian tsar.” Ras muttered quietly, answering the unspoken question. “He did not take kindly to my suggestions surrounding the obvious decline of his rule.”

“Which tsar?” Edward asked, his attempt to be casual off-set by the slight awe which sat within his tone.

“Nicholas II. A foolish man. Blinded by the belief that tradition would be strong enough to allow him to maintain a claim to divine rights in a world which no longer held any respect for such things.”

Fascinated, Edward selected another scar and this one lay much lower on Ras’ side.

“A gift from one of my own men. He landed a successful blow during a training exercise and was rewarded for his achievement appropriately.”

“You executed him?”

“No. Promoted. To my personal guard. An honor which he holds to this day as one of my most trusted warriors and confidants.”

“And this one?” Edward trailed his fingers across a thin scar which sat only a few inches below Ras’ right nipple as the distraction allowed him to shift through the water to stand before Ras once more.

“A gift from the Detective.” Ras explained, the mention of the Batman sparking a dark jealousy deep within Edward’s chest as he was reminded of his primary antagonist. “One day we will come to see eye-to-eye on the fate of this world so I shall endure his ill-advised attempts to interfere and prove me wrong in the meantime.”

Shifting the conversation, Edward allowed a slight furrow in his brow, “Why are you calling them gifts?”

“Every scar is evidence of a weakness which was overcome. They are reminders that I am mortal, despite my access to my beloved Lazarus Pits. In that regard, they are gifts.” Pausing thoughtfully, Ras’ gaze met Edward’s own and Edward found his breath caught in his lungs at the sudden intensity which shone from within his gilded eyes as Ras continued, “Would you like a slightly different gift, my emerald?”

Regardless of how kind the offer appeared, something which warned of danger ticked at Edward’s thoughts as he hesitated in responding before answering with a forced playfulness, “Will I like it?”

Ras smiled, the sharp tips of his canines protruding from beneath his top lips slightly, and the answer hidden within the smirk made Edward’s face blanche as Ras’ hands shot out and gripped at his upper arms with a vice-like finality.

“What’re you- let me go!” Edward wheezed. “Unhand me you brute!”

“Your anxiety surrounding water is one which may easily be laid to rest.” Ras explained, his tone firm yet patient as though he were talking to child. Beneath the water, his leg shifted to move slightly behind Edward’s. “Relax both your mind and body and listen to the truth which I will show you.”

Attempting to struggle, Edward was again faced by the reality that trying to slip free of Ras’ grip was impossible; his strength like forged steel as he barely appeared to be affected by the desperate way in which Edward twisted against his hold.

Ras spoke again, “These waters are clear and devoid of whispers. No lingering remnants of the Pit dwell within. Allow me to show you.”

And with that, Ras thrust Edward’s head underwater.

Only having a moment to inhale deeply, Edward was thankful for the air as his eyes clamped shut and his heart beat so harshly within his ears that he felt every pulse. His legs kicking out with no purchase to be found, Edward was so focused on the terrible sensation of the warm waters which encased him that his mind refused to hear anything but his heart as it pounded in his skull.

Before he truly needed it, Edward found his upper half pulled free of the water in a single fluid movement. His eyes snapped open, droplets of water falling from his long, dark lashes as his blurry vision was quick to adjust and lock back on to Ras’ face as the latter held a very placid, calming expression.

“I am not trying to harm you,” Ras reiterated and his tone was almost hypnotic as he pushed the words past the panic and into Edward’s consciousness, “and I will not allow you to drown. Listen as I place you back under, listen for the words which will never come. The dead do not linger in simple water.”

Edward took a deeper breath, desperately trying to calm himself, and his vain attempt was rewarded by Ras lowering him much slower towards to water once more. His fingers dug deep rivets into the bare skin of Ras’ forearms but Ras did not seem to mind or even notice the discomfort, so focused on the lesson which he was attempting to deliver.

This time, Edward breached the water much less violently and the one small rational part of him which never seemed to leave his thoughts encouraged him to heed Ras’ words; to attempt to relax and hear the water itself. Doing so, a sensation swept through Edward’s chest as he realised that Ras was correct and that the only noise which ricocheted within his ears was the soft, rumbling lull of the water itself as it touched at his ears.

Again, Ras pulled him free of the water long before the need to breath presented itself and yet Edward gasped like a drowning man as he once again found himself face to face with Ras’ stern gaze. Vibrating with adrenaline, the need to claw back some level of control ripped at Edward with a beastly ferality and he threw himself at Ras with a barely concealed desperation – his body pressing in flush as one hand dropped to wrap around Ras’ cock while the other steadied himself against his cool chest.

This he could control. This would give him something to feel which wasn’t the ache in his shoulders or the residual tension of his anxious limbs. This was base pleasure, something he liked, something he could control.

“Touch me.” Edward demanded; voice hoarse as his hand shifted to stroke along Ras’ already half-hard cock. At the firm command, Ras quirked a brow but his body responded without much hesitation, his hand matching Edward’s own as it dipped below the waters to circle around Edward’s cock

The difference between both men as they mutually pleasured the other was stunning. Edward’s frantic, almost sloppy, movements being offset by the much slower and tighter pace which Ras set and maintained despite how clearly eager Edward was to push for more.

“No voices.” Edward gasped, the fingers of his free hand coming to rest atop Ras’ chest – the damp hair there tickling his palm. “Thank you.”

Awaiting some wizened comment, some subtle gloat in which Ras could bask in his newest mild achievement, the shock which bolted up Edward’s spine as he felt Ras’ lips upon his own was almost enough to make him pull away. Surprise stilled Edward’s franticness as he took a moment to process the kiss.

Again, that unmistakable taste of cloves filled his mouth.

Ras was the one to break the kiss as he pulled away after a moment, his eyes darkened with arousal and his expression thoughtful and measured while he tilted his head and continued to slowly jerk his hand across Edward’s pulsing length.

“Such a sweet mouth, my emerald. It truly would benefit from the occasional rest.”

Definitely one of the more elegant ways in which Edward had been told to shut up, he had to give Ras that at least.

Minutes later, after both men had achieved their release and finally clamoured free of the luxurious waters, it was the offered kiss which sat more heavily in Edward’s thoughts than the discussion of Ras’ impressive collection of scars nor his unorthodox methods of forcing Edward to confront his pit-inspired anxieties.

Edward had always liked cloves.

x-x-x-x-x

Ras’ personal library was even more beautiful than Edward had imagined and Edward took a moment to mourn the fact that it had taken him so long to gain access to it. Book after book, many of them appearing worn and dusted by age, littered the high shelves which covered each of the walls and the reinforced glass ceiling which domed over the centre of the room allowed a tasteful view of the approaching evening sky.

As Edward entertained himself by flitting between the shelves, his expression openly filled with fascination, Ras maintained an easy position towards the centre of the room – his body folded gently atop one of the thick, comfortable mat which littered the floor. With his legs tucked within themselves, the lotus position which Ras maintained as he watched Edward shift around was about as perfect as could be as he spoke.

“With one hour left of your three days, what will you take with you, my emerald?”

“All these bracelets, for a start.” Edward replied, his tone light as he focused on checking a thick, bound tome which sat on one of the higher shelves. “And then anything I can fit within a sack. My work in Gotham grows more and more expensive by the month and finding new hidden, off-shore accounts to drain can be tedious.”

“I am pleased to have left your head on your shoulders, as impudent and stubborn as it may be.” Ras summarised, speaking to Edward as much as himself as he considered their time. “I entered this weekend looking to break that impossible arrogance and yet I have found myself quite taken with your more interesting qualities.”

Finally pausing his actions, Edward walked towards Ras’ position and remained silent until Ras had quietly righted himself – placing both men eye to eye where they stood.

“My qualities are plenty.”

“You maintained a dignity which I had not expected.” Explaining himself further, Ras watched as Edward’s intelligent gaze zeroed in on his features, reading every little motion as though trying to detect a lie through sheer observation. “Had you crawled on your stomach like a worm, offering false grovelling apologies, then I would have tired of your presence outside of when I required your physical use. Had you refused to show any respect and continue to test my will then you would not be leaving my service in such good health.”

Obviously caught off-guard by the honesty, Edward shook off the words after a moment as he allowed his lips to split into a small smile.

“For what it’s worth, I’m also glad you didn’t chop my head off.”

Sensing that this may be the last opportunity for an honest conversation before he was held true to his word and had to deliver Edward back to his life in Gotham, Ras met Edward’s gaze with his own and he allowed the full weight of his years and his experience pin Edward in place as he spoke a truth as he saw it.

“You are worthy of the Detective and the challenge which you present him. I can understand how he has yet to break your spirit in the same way he has so many others.”

Oddly touched by the comment, the validation which they brought to Edward soothed some deep part of him which did not often receive attention and he felt something in his chest crack slightly as he stored that sensation away for later consideration while Ras continued.

“The pauper returns to the life of a prince, then? Edward Nygma returns to Gotham, a city which never noticed his absence and certainly did not miss it. He returns having settled a debt and received gifts which he is free to do with as he pleases. You know, a gracious guest would leave a gift in kind.”

“And what gift would my captor like?” Edward asked cheekily, unable to help himself as the anticipation of returning to the life he knows fills his body with a thrumming energy.

Not expecting the response, Ras took a moment to think about his answer before he replied.

“Your name. That’s all.”

Blinking as the recollection of his three days trapped within this compound flashed through his mind like a series of snapshots, Edward could not hope to pin down the odd sensation which the accumulated thoughts sparked within his gut as he realised that his decision was already made for him as soon as Ras has asked for something so simple.

“Amir.” Edward confessed, his voice caught somewhere between confession and pride as the word almost seemed to slip free of that same crack which still hung in his chest. “The name my mother gave me. Amir.”

“Amir.” Barking out a genuine laugh, the amusement which filled Ras’ face as he repeated the name made him look oddly younger as it smoothed out the firm lines in his face to replace them with much less intense laughter lines. “I take back each of my playful ridicules. You truly are a prince. Perhaps your mother knew something beyond her years.”

Taking a solid step forward, Ras inserted himself into Edward’s space and internally smirked at how well Edward hid the shudder which his close proximity sparked, “I fear our business is concluded for now but I sense that a door such as this, once opened, is impossible to fully close.”

“When is a door not a door?”

Grunting as his hand dropped to circle one of the thick bracelets which still hung heavily around Edward’s wrist, Ras enjoyed the sensation of the embedded jewels against the pads of his fingers as he pressed his face in until his proud nose was able to tap the end of Edward’s own in a simple gesture which surprised Edward. His voice as steady and contemplative as ever, Ras answered the basic riddle with an equally asinine reply.

“When it remains ajar.”

“I have to admit, when I claimed to be looking forward to whatever performance you were planning, this is not what I expected in the slightest.”

Ras’ voice was as even as ever, but his face did nothing to hide its interest as he remained cross-legged on the floor of his private quarters and gazed at Edward’s figure where it stood before him. His wrists and forearms still bandaged from his earlier spar that morning, the white coverings were the only fabric to cover his body outside of the loose, stony harem pants which clung to his lower half.

“My ability to remain an enigma is integral to my whole shtick.”

At total ends with Ras’ simplicity, Edward’s costume was a work of art and something which he had slowly custom-ordered and pieced together over the course of the last month since Ras had agreed to this little meeting.

The beautiful swaths of emerald and purple chiffon which covered his legs were slit in multiple places, allowing for peeks and glimpse at Edward’s outer thighs at the slightest movement and the ends were cuffed in gold at his ankles. Golden and glittering, the thick belt which hung on his hips was encrusted with costume emeralds with the largest being reserved for the very centre which hung below his belly button.

Jewellery covered him, from the delicate golden circlet which hung in his dark hair to the bangles which circled his wrists like a lovers’ touch. However, the centre piece – in lieu of a more traditional embellished bra – was a stunning emerald necklace which was so gaudy and intricate in its opulence that it felt heavy against his neck where each little droplet sat against the skin.

It was, simply, stunning. Every aspect designed to accentuate the natural hues of Edward’s colouring and custom designed to fit against his body with perfection. It had been expensive but, if Edward gained the information which he so desperately sought from this meeting, then it would pay for itself in spades.

“Indeed.” Ras replied after a moment, his eyes slowly drinking in every aspect of the teasing meal placed before him.

“I am a prideful man, so telling me that you expect a performance puts me in a difficult position. Luckily, my natural talents are limitless when applied.”

A lie. One which fell easily from Edward’s lips and covered up a solid month of intense personal lessons, paid for in cash, and a slew of online training videos which were painstakingly followed to absolute precision.

“Then I look forward to seeing what you have in store.”

Having already placed the small speaker which held the music he wished to dance to on a nearby table, Edward turned it on using a small button embedded in one of his golden bracelets and paused to allow the music to fill the room.

The piece was one he chose personally; a gorgeous mixture of rhythmic melodies and energetic beats which ebbed and flowed with a natural cadence. Violins, qanun, drums, and an oud solo which Edward enjoyed thoroughly, it was a lovely piece and one he knew by heart at this point through sheer repetition.

“As the performer, I set the rules.” Edward stated, his eyes lidded as he fixed Ras with a heated look. “I dance. You watch. You are not permitted to touch. Agreed?”

“What cruelty.” Reclining slightly as he brought his hand to sit against the floor beside his legs, Ras’ expression was just as heated but definitely more amused as he watched Edward set his terms. “To present such a beautiful meal and not allow for a single morsel to be devoured.”

Pleased by the compliment, Edward tried to keep the joy from his stern features as he looped two of the lengths of purple chiffon between his fingers and settled into his starting position. Inhaling deeply, he waited for the correct beat to begin his dance.

Having practiced with the same dedication he showed each of his other ventures, the movements came almost as naturally as breathing as he started with his upper half. Using the chiffon for motion, Edward looped his hands in the space around him as his bare feet padded gently across the cool stone flooring in a gentle pattern; every movement sparking a soft tinkling of the jewellery which covered his flushing body.

Spinning and twirling with a measured control, Edward dipped his head and rolled his stomach in perfect rhythm with the beat which surrounded him – the drums within beating in tandem with his heart as he moved closer to Ras’ position. For his part, Ras was watching with undivided attention, his eyes drinking in the erotic sight with a greed which was unbecoming of a man of his standing.

Edward stopped as he reached Ras’ his hand falling down to cup at the shock of beard which sat on his jaw, “Remember, no touching.”

Dropping to the floor by Ras’ side, Edward sidled his body across Ras’ lap as he pressed his back into Ras’ chest. Edward ground against him for a moment, his movements matching the beats of the song as he shifted his hands in delicate gestures to swoop the chiffon in an interesting pattern. Like this, Edward could feel the heat of Ras’ body soaking into his own, particularly the tell-tale hardness of his length where it teased at his lower back, and the pull of it sparked a shiver down his spine as he slowly raised himself from his makeshift seat.

Edward, now standing once more, used the closer proximity to really showcase some of the skills which he had been so diligently working on. Bumping and rolling his hips, both men shared a dual fascination with the other as Ras seemed unable to pull his eyes from the hypnotic shift in Edward’s core while Edward could not keep his gaze from the pure desire which radiated from Ras’ slightly slackened features.

Raising one leg, Ras carefully placed it behind Edward’s ass to give him a more limited space to work with as he rolled his hips and pressed his groin closer to Ras’ face. It wasn’t breaking the rules set but there was a definite push to the boundaries which Edward only allowed because the predatory desire which shone freely on Ras’ smirking face was almost enough to break his resolve. Having only just resisted the urge to drop into Ras’ lap and allow him to ravage him, Edward instead pushed his fingers into the messy mop of Ras’ hair where it lay atop his scalp.

Before he could finish, he needed his answer.

“Are you enjoying the show?”

“A more fantastic display has never been experienced, little prince.”

“Do you think it’s worth what I want from you?”

“I imagine there is more than one thing you would like from me.” Ras replied, his voice almost chastising. “But, in terms of the point of this visit, yes. I believe I may have the information which you seek.”

Delight roiling in his chest alongside the wicked arousal, a smile curled Edward’s lips as he got the confirmation he required. No longer having to perform and unable to ignore the teasing throb of his cock, the chiffon tented shamelessly at the erotic heat within the air, Edward lowered his body until he was able to sit atop Ras’ lap comfortably.

With Edward wrapping his legs around Ras’ hips and pressing his ass into his trapped cock, Ras looked every inch the cat who had caught a particularly tasty canary.

“I will confess that I have wondered as to your actions this past year.” Ras confessed, his thick and calloused hands immediately sliding up Edward’s back as they groped the skin there with curled fingertips. “Has Gotham been kind to you, sweet Amir?”

Gasping as Ras used his name, his real name, Edward felt something foreign in his chest and he quickly covered it up by wrapping his hands around Ras’ shoulders to steady himself – his bangles clattering against Ras’ skin with a soft jingle.

“Gotham is never kind to me,” Edward muttered honestly, his focus purely on how much he planned to stay in this position until his body was boneless and exhausted, “but we can discuss that when other, more pressing, needs have been met.”