#lycaea

                        ❝ well, i wouldn't exactly use the word easy. but, something like that, yeah.  ❞ april curls slightly further over the bar as she speaks, shoulders rounded inward. the low amber glow of joe's bar catching against the rim of the whiskey glass clasped loosely between fingers. it is not her usual drink — far too sharp for her liking, but she had asked joe for something strong, and considering most of his clientele consist of surgeons from across the way, he seemed to know precisely what kind of remedy to pour.

❝ it was all looking good. every test came back normal. there wasn't supposed to be anything wrong.   ❞ and yet, somewhere between one hour and the next, everything unravelled and her patient who should've been discharged, now lies upstairs in the intensive care unit. april exhales sharply, before tipping back the remainder of her drink in one swallow. the empty glass then striking bar with such a clang, a few heads surely turn.

the   actor's   whole   body   feels   as   though   it   wants   to   scream   from   the   impatient   anticipation   ,   waiting   for   his   lover's   next   move   as   crawls   above   him on the bed like an   animal   assessing   the   prey   before   him.   it   isn't   as   though   mason   hasn't   had   any   sexual   experience   before   ,   but   the   past experience   he's had   always   been   lackluster   ━━   quick   &   to   the   point   with   no   time   to   truly   reflect   on   whether   he   enjoyed   it   or   not.   none   of   his   past   partners   ever   did   anything   to   make   the   experience   memorable   ,   but   levi   is   the   first   to   make   him   feel   something   ,   make   him   shiver   with   desire   as   he   awaits   his   next   move.   all   he   wants   is   for   levi   to   kiss   him   ,   to   touch   him   or   do   something   other   than   just   stare   &   take   in   the   sight   of   him.   either   levi   knows   he's   impatient   &   doesn't   care   or   he's   taking   his   time   because   that's   just   what   he   wants. either   way   ,   mason   feels   his   whole   body   on   the   brink   of   destruction   ,   watching   with   wide   eyes full of want   ,   damn   near   close   to   just   telling   him , begging him   to   get   on   with   it.

almost   as   if   he   read   his   mind   ,   he   then   begins   to   feel   lips   brush   along   the   sensitive   part   of   his   jawline.   a   soft   ,   shaky   groan   of   approval   leaves   his   lips   before   he   can   control   himself   ,   his   own   way   of   expressing   how   desperately   he   wanted   this , wanted to   be   touched.   long   ,   well   practiced   hands   with   a   piano   find   a   place   right   atop   levi's   back   ,   clinging   a   bit   tightly   with   each   gentle   kiss   ,   his   nails   slowly   digging   through   his   shirt   until   they   create   prints against the fabric.   he'd   feel   bad   if   he   didn't   feel   like   he   was   being   semi   tortured   ,   forced   to   wait   as   levi   does   what   he   wants   at   the   pace   he   desires , even if it wrecks the actor below him.   ❝   you'll   be   the   death   of   me   ,   ❞   mason   rasps   ,   followed   by   a   shaky   laugh   ,   now   wondering   if   all   this   time   in   the   bed   will   mean   only   this   ,   or   much   more   ?   only   time   will   tell   ,   &   at   this   pace   ,   god   knows   when   that   will   be   ?   mason   groans   again   ,   fingers   digging   a   little   harder   into   levi's   back   ,   almost   as   if   pressing   him   to   be   closer than they already are. he's greedy ━━ he wants more of him , to feel him against him.

the   kiss   comes   seemingly   out   of   nowhere   ,   surprising   the   young   aspiring   actor   as   lips   meet   his   own.   when   mason   made   the   comment   that   he   wished   he   could   warm   up   faster   ,   this   wasn't   at   all   the   idea   he   had   in   mind.   is   he   against   it   ?   he   isn't   so   sure   ,   but   his   uncertainty   isn't   expressed   in   that   way   as he   melts   into   the   affection   ,   his   body   unable   to   resist   the   gentle   touch   of   another   for   what   feels   like   too   long   of   a   time.   levi   is   a   shorter   man   ,   so   mason   is   leaning   down   ,   almost   chasing   after   the   kiss , the taste of his lips surprisingly sweet.   much   time   passes   before   they   finally   are   forced   to   separate   from   one   another   ,   his   lungs   crying   out in pain   ,   desperate   for   air.   blown   out   hazels   look   at   the   other   man   in   awe   ,   lips   parted   in   surprise   ,   red   &   swollen   from   use.

“ oh? he speaks, ” a small glimmer perhaps, amidst the harsh stoicism that was apparently him. there was always more lurking beneath the outer shell, astarion knew that first hand. however, try as he might to make a dent, he had found attempts at conversation were rather akin to pulling teethᅳ painful and impossible when one was without patience.