#menace moon

It was past midnight, and you were in the break room, sitting on the couch playing on your handheld device. You should be sleeping, you knew that. Unfortunately, sleep decided to flip you the double birds tonight because you weren't getting any of it. And rather than lay awake feeling like you were wasting precious time, you decided to play some games instead.

“Knock, knock,” you heard a low voice speaking from the door.

You slowly turned you head to look at newcomer and saw dark clothes and the outline of a Cheshire cat smile. “Oh, hey Dusk.”

Despite the ever present smile, his stare was deadpan. “You look like a ghoul.”

“Gee, you sure know how to flatter.” You went back to your game.

You saw him shift closer in your peripheral vision. “When's the last time you slept?”

“I dunno... seventeen... going on eighteen hours I think?”

He plucked your game device out of your hands, eliciting an indignant squawk from you. “That's not healthy. You should be sleeping.”

“I can't, okay?” you huffed. “I've tried. I tried laying awake for a straight hour and I can't sleep. My brain won't shut up. So, I'm doing something productive. It's fine this just... happens.”

“How often?”

“Every now and then. It's not chronic. More like semi-chronic. It's not usually this bad. Some nights I have a hard time unwinding.”

His head tilted. “I could help you unwind.”

You raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Why does this feel like a trap?”

His toothy smile widened just a margin and he placed a hand to his chest. “I'm hurt. Don't you trust me?”

“I mean...” You sighed. “Yeah, of course I do.”

This seemed to catch him off guard, but only for a moment. “What if I gave you a small sample? Then you can decide if you want my help or not.”

You couldn't deny, you were just a tad curious. “Okay, I'll bite. What did you have in mind?”

Dusk sat down beside you. “Give me your hand.”

Curious, you offered your hand and he took it between his own. Your eyes couldn't help but be drawn his hands, his fingers, their design. Those were some gorgeous hands. Using the pads of his thumbs, Dusk began rubbing slow deliberate circles over your palm. Your breath hitch and your other hand squeezed your knee.

Dusk paused. “Too hard?”

“No, not at all,” you answered. You just hadn't expected it to feel so... good.

He nodded and resumed, the thumb pressing in and expanding out from your palm to the edges of you hand. When he got to your fingers, good lordy! You hadn't even realized just how much tension was in your hand until he was rubbing it out. When he offered to do your other hand, you didn't even hesitate, and by the time he was finished, you were relaxed against the couch, your hands feeling rejuvenated in ways you didn't think possible.

“Wow,” you murmured. “Okay, I'm impressed.”

“So, is that a yes, then?” he asked.

“Hm?”

“Do you want me to help you unwind?” Dusk asked. “Because from the look and feel of things, you are very wound up. It's little wonder you can't sleep.”

You shrugged your stiff shoulders, feeling a little called out. “I mean... if you don't mind...”

“I wouldn't offer if I did.”

Well, that was true enough. Dusk was the painfully straightforward sort in that way, and you appreciated him for that. “Yeah, I mean yes, please.”

His grin broadened as he smoothly shifted around until his was behind you. “Such good manners. I'll be sure to give you the special treatment.”

Your cheeks burned a little at the comment but you kept your face set, not wanting to give him any more hints he was getting under your skin.

Dusk's hands settled on your shoulders and stayed there for a few beats, as though assessing how or where to begin. Then his thumbs dug into your shoulder blades and you released an involuntary moan because your body was stiff like a pile of bricks, and Dusk's strength wasn't something to be underestimated. The thumbs pushed into the muscles again, the other fingers squeezing around your upper trapezius and another groan slipped out.

The fingers paused in their work. “As much as I enjoy hearing you sing,” Dusk said, his voice a playful whisper against your ear. “We wouldn't want anyone else hearing you and getting the wrong idea, yes?”

Your cheeks burned at the implications. Right, you were still technically at work. Anyone could walk by and hear you. So, you bit your lip and focused on staying as silent as possible. Dusk pushed again with his thumbs and pulled with his fingers, coaxing you to straighten your spine and open your shoulders. The movement brought you very close to the agent and his voice buzzed against your neck.

“On your stomach.”

“Wh-what?”

“Lay down on your stomach,” he repeated.

You took a moment to swallow before rearranging yourself on the couch, which had been recently reupholstered. Thank the powers that be for that too because you heard some disturbing rumors. Dusk gently nudged your limbs until you were positioned how he wanted. The position left you feeling oddly vulnerable. It was only your trust in Dusk that kept you from squirming in place. Though, the anticipation caused your stomach to flutter.

Dusk's hands descended on you once more, and quickly showed you that had was being gentle before. He pushed into your back so hard you gave a startled cry.

“Shh,” Dusk soothed from above you. “Not so loud.”

“You could have warned me,” you hissed back.

“And spoil the surprise?” You could just imagine his shit-eating grin. “Just relax. I'm going to take care of you.”

You breathed a long exhaled and settled back in, trusting him that he knew what he was doing. Dusk continued to knead your shoulders like dough, working his way down to your back and then lower back. Then after working his way back up, he worked on your upper arms in a manner that was brisk and professional. You bit back at least a dozen moans as you were tenderized like a piece of meat. Your smaller muscles and tendons in your neck were not spared his attention, his movements far more precise but no less intense.

You also appreciated that anytime he was about to work on a new area, he would check in with you first. Get your go-ahead before he laid his hands anywhere he felt would be otherwise inappropriate. It was rather sweet and thoughtful on his part.

After a while, it was so hard to keep track of time during this, something glorious happened. The tension and the pain gave way to an incredible relief. Your body was worked over so thoroughly that not even the thought of someone walking in and seeing you two like this could make you tense up. As you relaxed under his touch, Dusk's movements became more gradual, taking him time. He was being thorough, making sure no tense muscle escaped his notice. Your whole body felt languid and warm, soft and pliant like a rag doll.

Your breathing had evened out by this point, now and again you released a sigh of contentment when he managed to undo yet another knot in your shoulder. “Damn... that feels... really nice.”

“Told you.”

“You didn't strike me as the type to... I dunno, you're not exactly the touchy sort.” You mumbled.

“I'm not. You just happen to be a special exception.”

“Aw, you think I'm special?” you asked with a sleepy giggle.

He sighed. “A special pain, is what you are.” You felt his hands flatten and glide over your back, smoothing you out. “But you do make the most adorable sounds.”

“Shove it,” you mumbled. You gasped as his fingers unexpectedly dug in and a low moan escaped you throat. “You rat bastard.”

“What? I was just doing what you asked,” he said, his innocent tone not fully hiding the underlying impishness.

“I'm going to...” You had to bite down on your lip to stifle a whimper as he hit another tender spot. That sweet pain followed by incredible release. How was he... So. Damn. Good... at this?

“You're thinking too much,” Dusk said. “You're supposed to be relaxing. So relax.”

You grumbled but did so, closing your eyes and releasing another long sigh. It was getting harder and harder to think. Your body didn't even feel like your own anymore. Rather than bound up in cords of tension, you felt like you were drifting. From above you, you heard soft humming, and that was the final thing that lured you into slumber.