Lust and Propriety - 4. Penni and Renke

Pennicola blew his white-blond hair out of his eyes when no one was looking. He sat, back straight, hands in his lap. Proper. He really wanted to nibble one of the breadsticks in the middle of the table, but nibbling was frowned upon. He kept quite still, but his pale sapphire eyes darted from place to place. They followed a mama cat skirting the edge of the outdoor cafe, a pink kitten hanging from the mother's mouth. Pennicola watched, delighted, as the cat went back and forth, transporting several brightly colored kittens to a new hiding place. The pale-haired Unicorn itched to follow her, to see her litter, pet their soft fur, and count their tiny toes. He distracted himself a while longer imagining names for all the kittens.

Penni wasn't allowed pets.

Eventually, the Perazan had to accept that his date wasn't coming. He hadn't seen the distant cousin he was supposed to meet in years, but he had a nearly photographic memory. He would remember his cousin's coloring and crest. Honestly, it was a bit of a relief that Pennicola wouldn't have to go through with the date. His parents had set it up and made it clear that Penni's opinions on it weren't important. The regal Unicorn needed a well-placed spouse. They were already making heavy concessions by not forcing him to attempt to woo women when the young man couldn't imagine a romantic interest in anything other than men.

When a waiter came to check on him, Pennicola paid for his drink and the untouched breadsticks, thanking the server for his time and attention.

Penni knew he should go directly to the hotel his parents had reserved for him. He even started to walk in that direction. However, didn't make it a block before he thought he saw the twitch of a furred tail around a corner. The young Perazan looked around furtively, a wide grin breaking his proper facade as he hurried around the corner. He didn't find the cat.

Instead, he had found a street vendor who sold him two little blue jewels magicked to stick to skin. Pennicola's eyes were wide with happy wonder as the vendor affixed the jewels to one of Penni's cheeks, spinning an unlikely tale of magical fish whose lucky scales would turn into the jewels if the fish were tickled by a left-handed dryad under a new moon.

Pennicola believed every word.

The Unicorn was next distracted by the intricately carved woodwork around the windows of a pub. Penni traced the flowing curves with his fingers, delighting in the smooth wood, following it around the side of the building. Pennicola wondered if the carving went all the way around, deciding there was no reason he couldn't find out.

::

Across the pub was a convenience store that Renke Ruzzier frequented for his weekly necessities. He held a recyclable bag filled with bread, eggs, and different cheeses. As he exited the store, the most alluring scent wafted across the street and all but smacked him in the face with its intensity. The Nightmare had only come across three Maidens in his lifetime, but the owner of that new scent was broadcasting quite sharply. A set of heterochromatic green and purple eyes peered across the street, and then promptly frowned at what they were seeing.

"Aren't chu just the prettiest thing," mused an inebriated Unicorn out loud. "A little short for my tastes, but..."

"If she's doo shord for you, den move over," a second man, a Nightmare this time, stated as he shoved the Unicorn aside and cupped Pennicola's face with one hand.

"Dumbass," hissed the third man, another Nightmare, as he jabbed his friend on the side and placed a hand on Penni's shoulder. "S’not a she! He's clearly a he!"

"He or she, don't matter to me!" called out the fourth man, a mixed Unicorn as he gave the Perazan a sharp slap on the backside. "Wanna come have a little fun with us, sweetcheeks?"

"Oh, I’m sure the lil’ tyke does not," Renke growled as he approached the drunken group. Were they so sloshed that they couldn't tell what was right under their noses? "Yall are either morons or drunk outta yer minds to not recognize a Maiden when ya smell one."

Four variations of shock came across the drunken men's faces. The two Nightmares immediately backed off. But, the Unicorn and the mixed Unicorn leaned down to get a long whiff off the top of Pennicola's head.

"Holy Hera."

"Son of a bitch!"

"You know what? I still wanna play with him," the mixed Unicorn admitted.

"Who cares if he's a Maiden!" the Unicorn agreed.

The two Nightmares tried to signal the Unicorns to quit messing around, but the other two men were too tipsy to recognize it. One moment, they had slipped their hands beneath Penni's shirt to try to pull it off. The next moment, both men were knocked unconscious to the ground.

Renke straightened back up, cracking his knuckles as he sent a glare towards the two Nightmares that remained at the entrance of the alleyway. "Wanna share the fate of yer moronic friends?" He hissed. The two inebriated Nightmares shook their heads and tripped over their own feet as they scampered away.

Concern filled the green and purple eyes as Renke turned to assess the damage. "Alright, lil’ tyke?" He asked.

"Oh! Ah, yes. I'm so sorry you were bothered, sir," Pennicola responded as he desperately tried to smooth his rumpled skirt. There was a dirty scuff on the sleeve where the men had pushed him against one of the walls.

"Oh dear," Penni said worriedly, looking at the unconscious men on the ground. "Will they be alright? I should call a healer. Poor things. That looked like it hurt."

Brilliant blue eyes caught Renke as the petite Unicorn looked up at him, the jewels on his cheek matching the sparkle in his irises. The Nightmare was forced to push his estimate of the kid's age by a few years. Still definitely too young to be wandering around the back-ends of pubs getting manhandled, though.

"A healer for them?" Renke growled. "We should be getting one for you...are ya hurt?" He questioned as he reached out and carefully swept Penni's long, pale locks aside to look at the back of his neck. A part of him wanted to tug the shirt up from the back to see if there were any bruises back there. Instead, he walked around in a circle as he took in every part of the young man that he could see. "Don't seem too hurt...what were ya thinking?" He then argued as he motioned towards the unconscious men on the floor.

"When four drunkards try to hit on ya, ya gotta shout out loud and clear that you're a Maiden!" He insisted. "Listen, I dunno where you came from. You're clearly not from 'round these parts, cause over here we take that shit seriously."

"As I said, I'm quite well." Pennicola patted the huge man's arm and then patted it again just to enjoy the ripple of muscles. "Ah, yes. I'm from Peraza. I'm very sorry. I didn't realize there was a custom about announcing Maidenhood to everyone a person meets." Penni gave a sharp nod, smiling up at Renke beatifically. "Hello, my name is Pennicola. I am a Maiden. Delightful to meet you." The fair Unicorn bowed, then peeked up at Renke through his hair. "How was that? Did I do it right?"

The Nightmare was stunned to silence for a good moment before making his decision. "Nope, this ain't working," he said as he bent down to pick up his bag of groceries from the floor. He then held out an open hand for the Unicorn to take. “I can explain everythin’, but we can’t be out in the open like this. My place’s only a block away. Come with?”

"Certainly," Penni answered immediately, seemingly unconcerned with following a strange man to his home, his small hand dwarfed in Renke's. "If you're sure it won't be an imposition."

And that was yet another reason that Renke was uneasy. The young man seemed to invite all kinds of trouble. How the hell the tiny thing managed to survive this long was beyond him.

Renke gently led the younger man to his home. The house was a small dwelling between many others of the same size. Though it looked like it was in serious need of a paint job on the outside, the inside was quite tidy and new. The kitchen was small, but the living room was large enough for an entire sofa set. His were black velvet.

“You can sit anywhere,” the Nightmare said as he began to put his groceries away. “Want anything to eat or drink? I got orange juice, passion fruit juice, grape juice…water and milk. For snacks, I have chips, cookies, cheese n’ crackers.”

Pennicola perched on the edge of the couch seat, back straight and hands folded demurely in his lap. They itched to pet the soft ebony fabric, but he was able to control the urge.

"Whatever you're having will be fine, thank you," Penni said with a polite smile, his eyes wandering over the room. "Your home is lovely. It's very warm and welcoming."

His sapphire eyes paused at a massive wooden carving of a bear in the corner. It was intricately detailed. The bear was shifted onto its short hind legs, with its much longer forelimbs stretched in front of it. Penni shifted his head to get a better look, noticing the carved creature had a sloping back, similar to a hyena's. It had a short muzzle, parted slightly to show a carefully carved tongue and long teeth. It had large rounded ears and seemed to be looking at something very interesting above it.

"Oh, is that a carving of a Nandi Bear?" Penni asked, not realizing where he was standing and stepping closer to the carving. "I've heard they're becoming quite rare in Africa." Pennicola stroked a hand across the carving, smiling at the carefully detailed textures under his fingertips.

The Nightmare was quite impressed with the Unicorn’s knowledge. “Nandi bear, is that what it’s called?” Renke mused aloud as he came over to set a tray full of random snacks and grape juice onto the glass table in the center of the living room. “Saw one as a kid once and I didn’t wanna forget the moment, so I carved it out myself.”

However, the proud grin on Renke’s face faltered as he saw the large, wooden carving teetering downward. “Watch out!” He warned as he quickly tugged the Unicorn towards him by his elbow. The Nightmare held the Unicorn against his chest as the bear bounced once on the ground, and then quivered to a halt. “You alright?”

"Oh no! Your Nandi!" Penni clutched at Renke's chest while craning his neck to see the giant bear statue. "Have I broken it? I've surely damaged it. It's so beautifully made, I'll never forgive myself if I've so much as scratched it!"

At that slight shift, the blond’s scent teased the larger man’s nostrils. The layers of Vanilla bean, cinnamon, and apples were downright mouthwatering. In spite of himself, the Nightmare found himself dipping down to press his nose to the juncture of Pennicola’s throat and shoulders and simply took in the fragrance.

“I’m loads more worried about you,” Renke insisted. “That wood is strong. Nothin’ but age’ll weather it down...Celestials, you smell so good.”

"Mmm, wood," Pennicola moaned softly, arching forward to press his sudden erection against Renke's thigh. He took a deep breath. "You smell the best..."

The Nightmare let out a low growl of approval as he gently nuzzled the side of the Unicorn’s neck. “You can actually catch my scent?” He mused aloud.

For Renke, it had been many years since he was a Maiden. He had been told that his scent was of the bark from a royal empress tree, sensation lilac, and a rainforest. But, hell if he knew when anyone last detected any of them.

"Mmhmm." Penni pushed up on his toes to nuzzle into the tall Nightmare's neck. "Like lilacs in deep forests. Not pine...something else...some sort of heavy woods, damp and lush with growing things."

The shock in Renke's eyes shifted into a hunger that he, himself, didn't know where it sparked from. How many years had it been since anyone caught all three of his scents and was able to describe them? The Nightmare pulled back to gaze into Penni's pale blue eyes and then all but crushed his lips against the Unicorn's. Renke kissed him with every ounce of experience he had gained over the years as a reward for the younger man's accuracy.

Penni moaned, running his fingers over Renke's endless, delightful muscles. The petite Unicorn licked at Renke's lips, begging for a deeper kiss as Pennicola rubbed himself mindlessly against the Nightmare.

The Nightmare wrapped an arm around the Perazan's waist, tugging the Unicorn flush against him as his tongue dove inside the younger man's mouth to claim every inch.

Pennicola gasped, eyes wide. Renke was afraid for a moment that he'd gone too far and frightened the kid. Penni was a Maiden, after all. The Nightmare was about to pull back and apologize when the pale-haired man gave a little hop, pulling himself up by Ren's shoulders and wrapping his legs around the larger man’s waist before nuzzling his throat, peppering the warm skin with kisses.

The older man felt his pants becoming far too tight. Maiden...the Unicorn was chaste, Renke kept reminding himself. He refused to cross that threshold, as it would make him no better than the drunken men that were lured in by Penni's precious looks. "A-hem," Renke cleared his throat. "P-Penni...how old are ya?" He asked.

"Hmm?" Pennicola blinked languidly. "My birthday's not for months. Did you want to do something for my birthday? We should do something for yours, it's probably before mine." Penni licked at Renke's collar bone. "What do you want for your birthday? I could make you a cake."

The Nightmare couldn't be more confused about what to do with the Unicorn in his arms. He walked over to the couch and sat them both down, gently settling Pennicola onto his lap as he took hold of the blond's shoulders. "No, I mean how old are ya? Have you turned 18 yet?" He questioned.

"Oh!" Penni blushed, spine straightening. "Yes. I'm eighteen. And you?" he asked politely, hands resting on his thighs as though he were sitting in front of a dignitary instead of on Renke's lap.

Renke let out a sigh of relief. "Twenty-two," he responded as he gently raked back some of the blond's long locks. "You sure got a lot of passion in ya for just bein' eighteen."

"I'm terribly sorry." Pennicola's gaze dropped to the floor, his cheeks burning bright with embarrassment. "I apologize for my shameful behavior. I'm well aware of my short-comings in the area of impulse control."

"Are you like this with everyone you come across?" Renke asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That was certainly not the first precious object I've nearly damaged because of my inability to keep my tactile curiosity under control," Pennicola admitted with a quickly smoothed grimace and a tightening of his fingers.

Renke shook his head. "No, I mean like just now...with me," he elaborated. "Do you let just anyone shove a tongue in yer mouth?" He teased with a smirk.

Pennicola let out an undignified squeak, his bright blue eyes finding Renke's dual-colored ones. "Certainly not,” he responded firmly. “And I believe I was the person who climbed you like a ladder and then forced my affections on you."

Renke couldn't help but laugh, the sound resonating from deep within his chest. "Precious, I hafta admit that I dun think I want anyone else climbin' me like that," he admitted. "Are ya gonna take responsibility for it?"

"Yes, sir." Penni took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'll accept any punishment you deem appropriate."

"Have you promised yerself to anyone as a mate yet, Pennicola?" Renke wondered as he continued to run his hand through the Unicorn's hair, gently scratching the younger man's scalp.

"No, sir," Penni admitted, leaning into the touch as his eyes drifted closed and his posture relaxed.

"You think you'd ever promise yerself to someone like me?" He asked in a soft whisper as he gently stroked the Unicorn's back with his other hand.

"Oh, heaven's no," Pennicola shook his head. "I'd never dream such a thing."

"Why not?" the Nightmare urged, feeling waves of inadequacy. "Do I scare you?"

"You're very silly," Penni said with a chuckle. "You're about as frightening as a giant friendly puppy." The Unicorn sighed wistfully. "I love puppies. I used to sneak out to the kennels when I was young. My father kept hunting dogs. They were supposed to have a touch of Cu Sith in them." A sad smile touched Penni's lips. "I got banned from that quickly. They were always sweet to me, but apparently hunters can be dangerous." He shook his head, his pale hair falling into his bright eyes. "What was I saying? Ah, no. You're not frightening in the least.”

The Nightmare let out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. If it wasn’t his intimidating size, then what was it? Was his humble home not big enough for the little thing? Before he had a chance to ask, the Unicorn continued.

“It's always been made abundantly clear that my input into my choice of mate will be minimal. My parents will pair me with someone who can keep my tendencies under control." Penni continued as he peeked up at Renke through his hair shyly. "I don't believe I'd be able to behave myself well with you. I'd be touching you constantly, kissing and babbling my nonsense." The Unicorn blew a lock of pale hair out of his eyes. "Look at me, right now. Making you hold me in your lap because I can't bear to be further from you. I'm fully aware of my indecency, yet I can't seem to help myself. And you're so very kind not to point it out or scold me." Pennicola patted Renke's thick forearm. "Such a sweet fellow."

The massive Nightmare paid rapt attention to every word coming out of the Unicorn's delicious mouth. "You dun hafta go along with what yer parents say all the time, 'specially when it comes to a possible mate," he pointed out. "Stick with me and not only will ya be the owner of my lap, but we can adopt some puppies of our own."

"Really? You want to court me? Truly?" Penni's beautiful, bright smile knocked into Renke heavier than a brawler with a mean left hook. "And you'd let me sit on your lap and play with puppies even though it's frowned upon?"

"I dunno where you're from, but here in Zirao Zion, it's bad if ya don’t like playing with puppies," Renke replied with a snicker. His voice then took a more serious tone. "But, yeah...if you'd let me, I'd like to court ya."

Pennicola let out a happy squeal and flung his arms around the big Nightmare.

"You said it, you can't take it back! Promise you won't take it back unless I truly drive you away." Penni sat back, fingers dancing across Renke's broad shoulders, memorizing every delightful dip and curve of muscle. "I know my behavior can be horrendous when I forget myself. Please, just tell me if I do anything untoward and I'll correct my actions immediately. I swear it. I can be good. I'll be so good for you."

Renke lifted one of the Unicorn's hands to his lips, kissing the palm. "Would I be enough for you, Penni?" He asked softly. "Sure ya wouldn't want someone with more class?"

"You clearly have no shortage of class, sir," Pennicola said warmly, curling his fingers to stroke Renke's cheek. "If you're asking if I'd rather spend my time with some entitled fop who'd spend half his time scolding me for embarrassing him and the other half posturing to attempt to show how well-connected he is, then, no. Absolutely not." Penni lifted his other hand to hold Ren's face in his hands. "I'm discovering I quite fancy a rather tall gentleman with the hands of an artist and a heart more impressive than his rather fetching muscles."

The smile on Renke's face was genuine. "Then, I promise to be yer future mate, too," he vowed.

"I want that, so much. I know we've barely met, but I can feel so much from you. I've never felt anything like it before. You make me feel so calm and safe. I'm usually thinking so hard to control myself, but being here with you, my mind isn't spinning as it normally would. I haven't even thought about petting your couch for such a long time." The Unicorn's eyes were drawn to the dark velvet upholstery. "It does look so soft, though..." Penni's brows furrowed, pulling the bottom of the swirling wings of his butterfly crest. "But, Ren, are you sure? You hardly know me. What if I drive you mad? I couldn't bear it if you bound yourself to me and then found me distasteful."

The older man took hold of both of Penni's wrists, tugging them gently until the Unicorn's hands held the couch just past the Nightmare's shoulders. He meant for the blond to touch the couch as much as he wanted, but the movement drew that lovely face closer. Ren couldn't help himself. He kissed the Perazan deeply, his arms already dropping down and around the petite waist.

Penni moaned, his fingers trailing the soft fabric as he shifted to straddle Renke's thick thighs, leaning into the kiss.

Something about the Unicorn drove him absolutely crazy. Renke couldn't pinpoint whether it was his sprightly personality, his beauty, or his mouth-watering scent. But, he had a feeling in his gut that told him to never let go of the petite man. As one of his hands slid under Penni's shirt to gently press against the soft skin, he had to keep reminding himself that the Unicorn in his arms was a Maiden.

With much reluctance and, only through sheer will, Renke pulled away from their heated little make-out session. He was barely even able to remember why he brought Penni to his house in the first place. "Strangers...ya need to be more aware of yer surroundings, Penni," he panted and then frowned. "Keep away from strangers, and keep an eye out especially for any drunken group ‘a people."

"Hmm?" Penni blinked at Renke, a happy haze fogging his mind as he released the sofa to pet his new beau's warm muscles. Yes, Renke felt nicer than velvet, Pennicola decided.

Renke took hold of Penni's face in his hands. "Precious...you can be as distracted ‘n’ careless as ya want whenever I'm around. But, when you're out there on yer own, ya hafta promise me that you'll be more careful. You want us to be mates eventually, right?" He insisted. "Well, that can't happen if you keep getting mauled by drunks and strangers."

"I'll be ever so careful, Ren," Penni promised, drawing a little X on his chest with one finger, to show how serious he was.

"‘Round these parts, a Maiden has the law on their side," Renke explained. "So, if ya cry out for help, someone's bound to come running or will at least call d’authorities."

"I'll be sure to explain to everyone that I'm a Maiden, Ren. Then they're sure not to bother me. It was simply a misunderstanding earlier. I should have made it clearer what I am and that I was uninterested in pursuing a relationship with those men."

Renke let out a long sigh. He had a feeling that he was going to have to keep a close eye on the petite man for the rest of his entire life. "Where's your mobile? I'm gonna set my number in there as number one for emergencies," he decided.

Penni lifted up on his knees, his groin pressing to Renke's stomach as the Unicorn struggled to pull his little phone from his pocket. It was a useful technology that they'd adopted from the humans. Much easier than finding a still pool of water to call someone with. Magic made cell-towers unnecessary.

Pennicola sighed in frustration as the slim phone tumbled out of his hands to land on the floor between Renke's feet. Instead of getting up to fetch it, Penni turned himself around so he was still straddling the Nightmare's thighs, but facing away. The pale-eyed Perazan bent over, one hand bracing himself on Ren's knee and the other reaching for the device that was just out of reach, unwittingly displaying his gently rounded ass inches from Renke's face.

The Unicorn was going to be the death of him, he just knew it. Renke let out a low groan at the sight. He held Penni's waist with one hand to keep him steady. However, he couldn't help but gently caress one of the mounds with his free hand.

Penni caught his phone, and immediately forgot about its presence in his hand as he arched up into the soft touch.

"Mmmm, Ren," Pennicola purred, curving his spine.

"Rules...how far can I go, precious?" Renke asked. "Where am I allowed to touch you?"

"Ohhh," Penni breathed. "Anywhere you want. Please, touch me everywhere, Ren."

"Phone...give it here," Renke all but pleaded. He quickly entered his number and set the phone aside before tugging Pennicola's back flush against his chest. His hands slid down the sides of the Unicorn's body and then down to gently spread the blond's thighs outward.

Penni's head lolled back on Renke's shoulder as he pushed his legs wide for the Nightmare. He could have gone further if the fabric of his pants hadn't restricted him. Pennicola smiled at Ren's obviously pleasant surprise at the petite Unicorn's flexibility.

"My parents wanted me to train in a martial art, but it ended up being more like gymnastics," Penni admitted. "I've no talent for punching or kicking, but I can bend and roll quite well."

"If I were thinking straight, I’d’ve had ya take off yer pants first..." Renke hissed as his hands slid along high quality pants. "But, celestials, can I not think straight right now..."

"I-I'd be happy to take them off," Penni said quickly, shifting to rub his cheek on Renke's thigh. "I'm not big and impressive like you, and no one's ever really seen me, not since I could bathe myself. I don't know if I'm... appealing."

Renke was already unzipping his own pants for a little relief as he watched the Unicorn avidly. "Penni, you’re hot, damn edible even..." He stated frankly. "And I can't wait to see more of ya."

Penni lifted his upper body, turning around to face Renke again. The Unicorn popped the first button, blushing as his white-blond hair fell around his rosy cheeks.

"Take them off me?" Pennicola whispered.

The fancy pants were more complicated than Renke had previously thought. Granted, he had been too busy looking at them from the back rather than the front. The Nightmare fumbled a bit, but finally managed to all but rip the pants down. He was both surprised and pleased to come face to face with Penni's soft pink shaft. "Beautiful..." He whispered as he reached out to give it a gentle stroke. "Just like the rest of ya."

"Ahn," Penni cried out, thrusting into the gentle touch. "I... I want to touch yours, too. It feels so good."

This was a mistake. Renke shouldn't be going this far with a Maiden. But, there was something about Pennicola that was making him lose his mind. He lifted Penni by the hips and gently swung him down onto the soft surface of the black velvet sofa. The contrast was breathtaking. For a moment, the Nightmare simply stared at the gorgeous display with his heterochromatic green and purple eyes.

The Unicorn's pale, platinum locks splayed perfectly like a fan against the black velvet. Penni's pale sapphire eyes seemed darker. His pupils overtook more than half of the irises in desire. The fair skin was flushed in different areas, and the light blue snow butterfly crest on his forehead seemed to stand out further against it.

In contrast, Renke had wavy, dark brown hair that fell down to his neck in layers and stubble along his chin and upper lips in a 5 o'clock shadow. Though he had an average tone of skin, it appeared dark against the paleness of the regal Unicorn beneath him. They were very different, and yet, the Nightmare was quite drawn to him.

Renke kept Penni gently pinned with a hand against the Unicorn's chest. He leaned down to give him a rather thorough kiss. His tongue traced every inch of the petite man's mouth. He wanted to be the first and the last man to have ever kissed the all-too-trusting Unicorn in that manner. A part of him deep inside demanded to protect Penni from everyone and everything else.

When he pulled back, he whispered into the Unicorn's ear. "The rest of our clothes have to go, especially that fancy shirt o' yours," he urged.

With clever fingers, Pennicola unbuttoned, unlaced, and untucked until he was free of his clothing and looking shyly up at Renke. He barely kept himself from covering his tummy, which was creamy and flat, not ridged with muscle like Ren's.

The Nightmare grinned at the unobstructed view of the beautiful Unicorn as he tugged off the rest of his own clothing. "Come on," he said as he gingerly lifted Penni into his arms and walked over to his bedroom. "As soft as my sofa is, the bed's a lot softer."

Penni cooed softly in the big man's arms, snuggling against him. The pale Unicorn's hands wandered everywhere they could reach, delighting in the expanses of warm skin over strong muscle. He became fascinated with Renke's nipples and the tensing of the Nightmare's pectorals when Pennicola stroked or pinched them.

The bi-hued eyed man carefully settled Pennicola next to him on the bed, which was a challenge. "There. Now you can touch and explore all ya want," Renke explained. "But, remember that we're not going too far today."

"Where are we going?" Penni asked, starry-eyed as he rubbed his palms down Renke's chiseled stomach.

The Nightmare took hold of Penni's face between both his hands. "You're a Maiden, precious. You shouldn't give all of yourself away to a stranger like me," he warned.

"You're not a stranger," Pennicola said softly, turning his head to kiss Renke's thumb. "You're going to be my mate. You can have all of me." His smile was sweet and genuine. "I want you to."

Renke felt the heart in his chest doing all kinds of odd things. Though they had promised to be each other's mate mere moments ago, a large part of him still felt unworthy. "How about this," he began. "Let's see what your family says about it first...and if they still disagree, then we'll elope together."

Penni's face fell. "We'll have to elope. I'm sorry."

"You'd really be willing to do that?" Renke wondered aloud. "You'd go against your family's wishes?"

"Of course." Penni nodded earnestly. "I just never had a good enough reason to before." The Unicorn sighed softly. "I'll miss them, though."

Renke wrapped his arms around the Unicorn, wishing to give him all the comfort in the world. "There hasta be a way..." he rumbled as he rubbed a hand up and down the petite man's side. “I dun like the idea of you missing your family."

"It's alright." Penni pressed his cheek to Ren's chest, feeling safer surrounded by the big Nightmare than he ever had before. "It will be difficult. However, they've made it clear that I'll be disowned and cast out if I refuse to marry someone they approve of. Or they threatened to send me to my uncle until I choose to follow their dictates." The Perazan shivered and tucked himself closer to Renke. "I don't care for my uncle."

"What if I work hard to become someone they can approve of?" Renke asked. "Our royal fam, the Montcroix, are pretty cool people. If I asked to work my way up to a fancy status with them, I'm sure they'd let me."

"That might work if your family is well-placed," Penni said with a smile, perking up. "Is your father a Baronet or higher? It would be difficult, but we could work with that, if you were highly-ranked in court." Pennicola nibbled his lip thoughtfully. "If either of your parents were knighted in a way that would appeal to my parents, I might be able to figure something out. That would be more difficult, however."

A frown formed on Renke's face. "I really wish I knew...I know nothin’ ‘bout my parents. I was dropped off at an orphanage as a baby and have been on my own since a little over 4 years ago."

"Ren..." Penni's pale eyes widened, shimmering with tears. "I'm so sorry. But-but you'll never be alone again. You have me. I'll be your family... If you would like me to be."

Renke traced the side of Penni's face with his fingers. "Yeah, I'd like you to be my family," he confessed. "You're all I'd ever need."

Penni blinked away his tears, leaning forward to pepper Renke's face with kisses. The fair-haired Perazan finally pulled back with a soft sigh.

"What shall we do about my family, Ren?" Pennicola asked softly. "If they think I'm disobeying them, they'll send me to my uncle. If we simply run away, even if I leave a note, they'll assume I've been kidnapped and someone might hurt you. I couldn't bear you being harmed because of me."

“If they leave us no choice, then we'll run off together. I don't care if we have to leave the country," Renke vowed. "And if they send ya to your uncle's, I'll just come find you."

"You can't," Penni gasped. "He's not that bad with family, but he could hurt you. If it comes to that, I'll find a way to get to you." The Unicorn pressed his cheek into Renke's warm hand. "I always heard whispers about him when I was young. I still don't understand, but I believe he could be dangerous. He's not violent, but he's clever and he is quite used to always getting his way."

"I still don't think it's right for me to fully claim you so soon," Renke said as his thumb gently stroked Penni's face. "But, we could mark each other...we'd be halfway there."

"You'll have to show me how." Penni peeked up at the Nightmare through thick lashes. "I want your mark on me, Ren."

"Where would you like it, precious?" Renke asked. "If you're so worried about yer parents, it can’t be easily seen..."

Pennicola blushed, shyly taking Renke's big hand and pressing it to his pale chest, over his thumping heart.

"Will you put it here?"

A warm smile formed on Renke's face. "Only if ya place yours here," he responded as he took Penni's hand and placed it over his own chest. "Ya ready?"

Penni licked his rosy lips and nodded. "What do I have to do?"

"Try to see your crest in yer mind's eye, and then wish to see it on my body," Renke instructed as a warmth flowed from his hand onto the Unicorn's skin. When he lifted his hand, a tribal flame that was purple at the core and green at the tips resided over Panni's heart.

Pennicola squeaked, then looked up at Renke, beaming. Penni held his hand to the larger man's warm skin, closing his eyes as he felt the strong thump of Renke's heart under his hand. The Unicorn imagined his crest. He thought of each gentle curl of the butterfly's blue wings, each delicate point of the snowflake resting between the spiral tails of the wings. Penni thought of his crest upon Renke's chest, joy blooming in his own heart. Pennicola's palm tingled, making him gasp. When the sensation passed, the little Unicorn blinked his pale blue eyes open. Penni lifted the edge of his hand, revealing the curve of a blue butterfly wing resting like a tattoo against the skin. Pennicola pulled his hand away, gazing in wonder at the crest, his crest, on Renke's chest, rising and falling with the Nightmare's breath.

"Ren...it worked." He looked up at the larger man imploringly. "Is it alright? Do you like it?"

"With this, ya promised yourself to me," Renke insisted as he caressed the side of Penni's face. "To be mine as I'll be yours...I'll wear it with damn pride."

"The sweetest things fall from your lips," Penni said shyly, cheeks burning. The Unicorn licked his own lips. "I'd venture they taste just as sweet."

A smirk formed on the Nightmare's face. "You can have at 'em whenever ya want," he responded as he gently tugged the Unicorn closer. He slowly slid his large hands up and down the petite man's back.

Penni shivered, pressing himself against Renke with a soft moan. The pale-haired Perazan had little to no experience with kissing. His parents thought it was base. Though, he had a nanny who would kiss his cheeks. A few of the men Penni's parents had tried to pair him with had tried to steal kisses or worse, but the petite Unicorn had been able to avoid their advances. Penni's escapes from his suitors’ libidos were nearly always completely by chance or accident. The Perazan sometimes didn't even notice what the men were trying to do. Penni suddenly wished he had more experience as he kissed Renke hard.

The smirk on Renke's face widened when he felt the soft lips against his. He allowed the Unicorn to do as he wished for a little while longer before taking the kiss over. He went slow, kissing Penni's lips softly and gradually licking at the seam until the petite man opened up for him. His tongue then slipped inside to drag and slide against Penni's own.

A soft moan drifted into Renke's mouth as Pennicola squirmed deliciously on the larger man's lap, unconsciously rubbing against the hardness there.

Renke's hands slid down to take a firm hold of the Unicorn's hips and used it to grind further against him. The tip of the Nightmare's tongue gently stroked the roof of Penni's mouth as he pulled away. "Your turn, precious," he whispered. "Kiss me however you wanna kiss me."

"I want to kiss you everywhere," the Unicorn breathed, pupils blown wide in his pale irises.

Pennicola brushed his lips across Renke's strong jawline, then down his throat, nuzzling the warm skin and making a soft sound of pleasure. Penni rocked his slender hips, running his fingertips across broad shoulders and muscular arms as he kissed down Renke's chest. The young Perazan nuzzled his promise mark before turning his fascination to Renke's pebbled nipple. Penni couldn't help himself, his soft pink tongue darting out to give it a lick.

The Nightmare had never been more turned on in his life. A part of him was grateful that their incomplete mating buffered him a bit from the intense pleasure of the mating mark, since he was already a goner. Had it been under different circumstances, he wouldn't have hesitated to fully claim the Unicorn then and there. But, he wanted to do right by the Perazan. "I'm gonna cum if you keep doin' that," Renke admitted aloud. "Is that what you want? I can't cum inside ya, but I figure we can cum on each other."

"I want you inside me," Penni begged breathlessly, nearly rutting against the burly Nightmare's abdominals. "Please, Ren. I need you."

In spite of the fact that his second head was quite happy with the idea and pulsed in response to the sultry words falling from the petite man's mouth, Renke frowned. "Precious, we can't," he reminded. "Not until yer family understands that there ain't no stopping this."

The little Unicorn didn't seem to hear him, overcome with all the sensations flooding his body. Penni had touched himself before, bringing himself pleasure when he was alone and feeling the need. With Renke, however, his arousal and feelings were amplified. The young Perazan had never experienced anything like it. Every inch of his pale skin seemed to shiver with desire, aching with need.

As Penni rubbed wantonly against Renke's stomach, the precum-slick head of Renke's thick cock slid between the soft round mounds of Pennicola's ass. The Unicorn whimpered, suddenly feeling so very empty, burning with the need to be filled. Penni pushed down until the Nightmare's tip was pressing against his entrance.

"Whoa there, precious," Renke intervened before the Unicorn went and hurt himself. He turned them so that he could pin Penni down on the bed, cutting off access to his backside. "We can't go that far just yet. I don't even have any lube on hand." He pressed a large hand to the center of Penni's chest, his fingers splayed along his marking there. "Be still for now, aight?"

The Nightmare then shifted downwards so that he was between the Unicorn's spread legs and began to lick Penni's member in long, broad strokes before giving the pretty pink head a suck.

"Ahn, Ren," Penni gasped, fingers sinking into the Nightmare's soft hair. "You shouldn't...it's n-not proper..." The Unicorn's actions belied his words as his hips lifted, begging for more. "Isn't it a- Oh, that feels so - Isn't it a dirty thing to do?"

If the larger man weren't lost in lust, he'd have surely laughed at the Unicorn's half-protests. "You don't have a dirty inch on ya," he practically purred before turning his attention back to the petite man's length. He eagerly took more and more of the flesh into his mouth.

"Ah, is it supposed to be quite so...overwhelming?" Penni asked as he quivered beneath the larger man. "You're quite talented."

As Renke released the Unicorn's rod, his hand continued to stroke it with his thumb digging gently into the sensitive underside. "I'm not hurtin' ya in any way, am I?" He questioned.

"That certainly did not hurt," Penni said incredulously, lifting his head up to look down at his Promised.

The Unicorn's slender cock jerked at the sight of the large man between his legs. Renke's dual-colored eyes were so deep, filled with lust and affection. It made Pennicola feel warm, safe. Penni had never thought much of the stories of fated mates, how their souls called to each other and the deep feelings that would appear when those two met. It made Penni want to hug the stuffing out of the Nightmare and then roll around on him like a cat. Pennicola knew such behavior was patently ridiculous, and with anyone else the Perazan would have nipped such imaginings in the bud immediately. Yet, Penni couldn't think of Renke as doing anything more than chuckling fondly at Penni and allowing it patiently. Perhaps even enjoying it.

"You're certain it's alright?" the Unicorn asked, still rather breathless. "May I try it on you?"

The Nightmare's face became serious for a moment as he though it through. "Then, lay on your side and I'll just..." He instructed as he laid himself out in the opposite direction, also on his side. "This way, we can both do it." The Unicorn was male, just like he was. So, Renke fully trusted Penni with his privates.

"Oh dear, Ren." Pennicola blinked owlishly at the rather attractive and decidedly large member now in front of his face. "What if I'm terrible at it? What if I get overexcited and accidentally bite you? I don't want to bite your penis, Ren!"

"You're not gonna bite me," Renke stated as if it were the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. “Just use your hands for most of it and don't try to shove it all in at once. Just the tip would be enough for now."

"Just the tip," Penni murmured to himself. "I can do this. I won't bite him."

The Unicorn pushed his silvery-blond hair away from his face and leaned forward. Renke's scent, like being deep in a forest, was stronger but pleasant and so very arousing. Penni reached out and wrapped a hand around the base.

"It's so large, so much bigger than mine," Pennicola said, utterly fascinated. He gave the shaft a gentle squeeze. "It's so hard, but the skin is so soft. Oh, I can feel your heartbeat in it, Ren! I love it."

Renke couldn't help the groan that fell from his lips as Penni's gentle hands touched him. "I-If yer gonna go that far, then lemme tell ya that yours is as pretty as you are," he admitted as he gave the tip of the head of the Unicorn's member a flick with the tip of his tongue.

Penni squeaked in surprise at the sudden pleasure that spiked through him at the feeling. Pennicola tipped his head, swiping his warm pink tongue across Renke's slit, catching a drop of precum.

"You taste like honey!" Penni exclaimed in surprise, then licked again. "You're delicious!"

Renke chuckled and decided that if Pennicola was talking, then he wasn't feeling enough. So, he took the Unicorn back into his mouth and took him almost all the way down to the base, sucking hard. One of his hands gently squeezed a pale butt cheek as the other took hold of Penni's balls and fondled them.

Penni's mouth opened wide on a moan of utter bliss. The Unicorn arched instinctively into the touches. He didn't even realize that his upper body and head had moved until he suddenly found his mouth full of Renke's thick cock.

"Mmph!" Penni said in surprise, but didn't pull back. He gave the underside of the head an experimental lick, causing more sweet-tasting precum to coat his tongue. "Mmmm." The Unicorn sucked, rubbing his tongue against the underside of Renke's shaft, wanting more.

Renke clutched the petite man a little tighter as he moved rhythmically along Penni's flesh. He forced his lower body to keep still out of fear of injuring his promised mate. He enjoyed the way the shaft felt in his mouth and the way it slid along his tongue.

Penni was having a very difficult time concentrating on his work. He tried to bob on Renke's hard length, but his rhythm was uneven and he often found himself stopping to moan as the Nightmare's tongue did something clever and mind-blowing. Penni wrapped both hands around the base to cover what he couldn't fit in his mouth. The little Unicorn tried hard, though. He took Renke as deep as he could without choking, but was disappointed he couldn't swallow it all. Pennicola sucked hard and kept his tongue busy while pumping with his hands. Penni decided he would have to keep practicing to get better. The Perazan though Renke was so very sweet not to complain or scold him for his lack of skill.

The Nightmare shifted from moving against the Unicorn's rod to downright tugging the smaller man's hip towards him. The movement caused Penni's shaft to thrust inside Renke's mouth unpredictably, but at the speed of the larger man's tugs. The brunet groaned around the flesh and sucked harder.

Soon, Penni lost himself in everything. The feel of the hot, hard cock in his mouth was as wonderful as the sweetness on his tongue. He let himself go, allowing his mouth and hands to work as pleasure built inside of him. The Unicorn moaned around the rod filling his mouth, eyelids fluttering as his fingers tightened. Penni came with a muffled cry, lights flashing in his vision as his body went rigid, spurting into Renke's waiting mouth.

Nearly as soon as he had the taste of Penni shooting into his mouth, Renke came as well, without warning. He swallowed what he could and drew in a shaky breath. "Are you ok?" He asked, fearing the worst.

Penni gave a small cough, wiping what had spilled onto his cheek and chin, then licked his fingers clean. The Unicorn didn't even think of how inappropriate it was to clean one's hands in such a way.

"Hnnn," Penni mumbled, hugging Renke's leg, kissing and nuzzling his calf.

The Nightmare smiled at the sight. He sat up carefully so that he could lay in the same direction, and then held the Unicorn in his arms. "Do you have a place to stay yet?" He asked.

"Mmm," Penni blinked heavily, trying to make his brain work again. "Was supposed to get a hotel." The Unicorn snuggled beneath Renke’s chin. "Got distracted following rainbow kittens."

"Wanna stay here with me in the meantime?" Renke offered. "I just gotta set the door to recognize yer face so you can get in and out."

"Really?" Penni jerked up suddenly, throwing himself at the burly Nightmare to hug Renke, looking up into purple and green eyes. "I-I don't want to be a bother."

The Unicorn prayed he wouldn't be, that Renke would want him there. Penni hadn't thought about how it would feel to have to say goodnight to Renke and wander off to pick up his luggage and find a hotel. Pennicola wasn't sure he wouldn't have ended up bursting into tears and clinging to the Nightmare's leg like a child.

As the Nightmare glanced at the Unicorn, he was once again struck by Pennicola's beauty. The smaller man's long, platinum locks fell over his shoulder in a straight cascade. The pale blue butterfly crest on his forehead was even bigger than his large, pale sapphire eyes. Though it wasn't fully saturated, his tribal flame marking stood out in stark contrast on Penni's pale chest. He had a promised mate. Hell, he was a promised mate to someone. The brunet couldn't remember the last time he felt so happy.

When he realized that he had taken too long to reply, he cleared his throat to try to regain his composure. "Precious, I want nothin' more than to keep ya here with me."

A happy noise fell from Penni's lips as he threw his arms around Renke's neck.

"Thank you. Oh, thank you so very much." Pennicola looked up into Renke's ruggedly handsome face. "I'll try so hard. I'll be very well-behaved. I won't touch anything I shouldn't and I won't knock over any more statues. I won't embarrass you, I promise. You'll have no reason to send me away."

Renke's laughter rumbled within his chest. "I don't care if you knock the whole house down, so long as you don't get hurt doing it," he confessed.