#mariano

I will realistically not post for another week,,,

mariano from fuzzy horizon is nonbinary! :3

A surprise for my very good friend @crash-bump-bring-the-whump! This was supposed to be a birthday present but I write slow. Mariano is his!

No one had seen it coming.

The shadowguard had been sent away to deal with an emergency to the north- some rogue bandits with the skills of assassins who were slaughtering citizens.

They weren't here when the foreign prince threw down his gauntlet.

"Choose your champion."

The foreign prince had spoken those words thrice previously, in three different kingdoms.

"If your champion prevails, I will leave you in peace." Thrice previously, what was supposed to be a small diplomatic convoy had turned out to be an army.

"If my champion prevails, your kingdom is mine, though I encourage you to try to stop me from taking it." The warmongering prince flashed a grin. "Or you're welcome to ignore my challenge and try and cast us from your lands, if you want thousands to die."

Three different kingdoms had been razed to the ground, their resources taken, their people broken.

One had rejected the challenge and tried to drive out the invaders.

One had accepted the challenge and fought back when they lost.

One had accepted the challenge and accepted their defeat.

No one had beaten Prince Kolben's champion.

War was at stake. The Ortiz House did not take that lightly. They needed Dimitri, or Laredo, or even Izan- no one would expect a chef to be so lethal. But the shadowguard were gone. Archer suspected that was orchestrated on purpose-- he'd never seen anyone beat Dimitri in single combat. Prince Kolben only wanted to fight battles he could win. House Ortiz had to defeat an undefeated champion.

Archer watched Prince Mariano lean in and murmur something to King Ramon and Queen Lucia. Surely they were going to pick Dame Elana as their champion in absence of the shadowguard; her strength was unparalleled. They needed the best warrior in the kingdom to face this threat.

Three royal sets of eyes turned to Sir Archer.

Kissing turned to touching quicker than Ryder could process. Mariano’s greedy hands pulled at his clothes, stripping him down until he was left only in his boxers beneath him. Mariano sat, still fully clothed in his lap, slowly and subtly rolling his hips on top of him.

“You look so good like this.” Mariano whispered, hands splayed flat across Ryder’s chest. Slowly, he dragged his hands downward, resting at the Ryder’s waist.

“How do you want me?” He asked. “I can go down on you, or I can ride you.”

Ryder groaned. His hands fluttered to the waistband of Mariano’s sweatpants to dutifully untie them.

“Ride me.” He whispered.

Ryder didn’t waste time in stripping Mariano out of his clothes, focused and linear as he always was until Mariano was stripped bare on top of him.

Hips slowly rolling, Mariano worked against Ryder, grinding down on top of him as he watched him with lidded eyes. The head of his cock pressed against Mariano from beneath his boxers, straining against the thin fabric as if Ryder was trying to fuck him through it already.

“You’re teasing.” Ryder whispered as Mariano danced.

“I am.” He answered.

With a hungry insistence, Ryder reached down to pull himself out of his boxers. Strong, shaking hands gripping Mariano’s hips to stop his grinding and line himself up.

Mariano could have taken his hands away, could have pinned him and teased him for hours. Ryder knew that. But Mariano only laughed and allowed Ryder to push inside him.

“God,” Mariano whispered, his voice caught in the back of his throat. “God, you’re the perfect size.”

Ryder didn’t answer, he didn’t look up to Mariano’s ringlit gaze, he just pulled him close until he was flush against him. Slowly, he rocked his hips up into him, fluttering his eyes shut and relishing in the soft noises it drew from the man on top of him.

It was wonderful, but it was short lived as Mariano placed his hands on top of Ryder’s.

“Easy, you’re not in charge here.” Mariano whispered, rolling his hips slowly and deliberately. Ryder’s mouth fell open and his hands fell back to Mariano’s thighs. Mariano smiled softly and leaned in to kiss him. “Stay still. Let me take care of you.”

There was something about Mariano. There was something so intense and intimate in everything he did, that even this early in he had Ryder shaking and desperate underneath him.

Mariano rocked his hips slowly, eyes trained on Ryder’s expression. His movements were smooth and deliberate, like something out of a movie. Ryder watched his core roll, watched the muscles flex and tighten with every movement. He didn’t move, didn’t dare disobey Mariano’s orders to lay still and watch.

“Mmm-Mariano. Please. I need more.” He begged, voice barely a whisper. The way Mariano laughed in response sent a spark through his core; he couldn’t help but shudder.

“You need more?” Mariano asked. Ryder’s dull nails dug into his thighs like spurs. He braced himself on Ryder’s chest and lifted his hips slowly, only to guide them slowly back down. Slowly, he set a pace.

Ryder could feel those eyes on him. He cracked one eye open in time to see Mariano’s lips split into a sly smile.

“Like that?” Mariano asked sweetly. He lifted his hips again and brought them back to be flush with Ryder’s. “You want it like that?”

“Fuck, yes.” Ryder’s voice came out in a strained cry. He nodded desperately. “Faster, please.”

Mariano’s lips were on him again, tongue flickering out to lick the back of Ryder’s teeth. Merciful enough to heed Ryder’s pleas, he sat up again and braced himself against the back of the couch.

His pace was almost punishing, like giving Ryder what he asked for was some sort of curse as much as it was a blessing. And from below, barely able to process his pleasure, Ryder felt like that might be the case.

“That’s–that’s it. That’s–fuck. Mariano.” Ryder clutched at the couch cushion beneath him, bringing his free hand up to cover his mouth. Marcello had this kind of energy, Marcello had this kind of confidence; he hadn’t expected it from Mariano.

It was incredible though, and he clasped his hand tighter over his mouth to muffle the noises that threatened to escape. If any of the others heard him like this, if Marcello heard him like this again, he’d never hear the end of it.

“You don’t have to last.” Mariano said. Ryder opened his eyes to see that he was smiling down at him. “You’re tired, you’re overworked. You must need this so bad.”

Ryder made a muffled noise against his hand and Mariano laughed softly. He didn’t slow down, didn’t show mercy, he only reached down and gently took Ryder’s hand away from his mouth.

“Don’t hold back.”

A quiet whimper bubbled out of Ryder’s throat as Mariano’s words shot electricity into his core. He gasped and panted beneath him, barely able to keep his voice from breaking as he came.

Mariano covered his own mouth. Tight around Ryder’s cock as he closed his eyes and rode him through his orgasm.

“That’s it.” He said sweetly, and the first aftershock tore through Ryder. “That’s it, come for me.”

By the time Ryder’s breath returned to him, Mariano had slowed down to a gentle stop. Both of them breathed slowly, Mariano haloed by the glow of the computer screens behind him. Ryder couldn’t bring himself to be embarrassed by his lack of stamina, not when he was so tired, not when Mariano was smiling so sweetly down at him.

Mariano moaned quietly as he pulled himself off of Ryder, and as much as Ryder wanted to he couldn’t find the strength to reach for him. Behind him, the computer screens timed out and flickered to black, leaving them both in the dark.

“Do you want something from the kitchen?” Mariano asked quietly.

“No, no it’s okay.” Ryder answered, arm draped over his eyes.

“I’ll get you some water.” Mariano said, “And a blanket. I’ll be right back.”