White Rabbit

Note: Here we are. I probably won't put up more till at least Friday, maybe even this weekend. I'm kinda working on getting back from the after holiday reality strike. But besides that, thanks to all who reviewed, on to chapter twenty!

“It's hard to tell you all the love I'm feeling
That's just not my style
You've got a way to send my senses reeling
Every time you smile…” –Firefox

Chapter Twenty

Violet eyes widened, and before he could even begin to struggle with lessening it, Ashi’s cheeks burned brightly. Fell for? Did Garnen just say he loved him? Certainly not. He must have read into that too deeply? But what did he mean? Did he mean anything?

Within seconds, his blush darkened to the most prominent shade of pink imaginable. The only person who’d ever told him something even close to that before was Tray and…well…that really wasn’t the same thing. This…this brought out so many tumbling emotions he couldn’t even come close to trying to control them all.

‘I fell for the one who blushed all the time.’

Finally, he worked up the voice to speak. “I’d say that I’d quit forever…never whore again and turn completely away from the life I once lived…” Garnen’s gaze kept locked on him, but he held his voice determinedly steady. “…but I decided on that a long time ago. As slutty and self-pitying as you might think I am, Garnen-“ The officer opened his mouth but Ashi kept on.

“I never once held an interest in a single one of the men I bedded…until you. Despite all this though…I’ve realized it won’t matter how much I struggle to leave it behind, push it from my life, or simply ignore it…my past will always be there, as it is, whether I regret it or not. You’re comfortable with the man I can only safely be…around you…the part of me I have to push away in order to survive the life I’ve brought upon myself and-“

“Ashi…” The rabbit looked up and Garnen frowned slightly. “You know…all you had to say was goodnight. You don’t have to explain if you don’t want to get into this again…I just-“

“Haven’t you been paying the least bit of attention?” At the officer’s silence he sighed and grumbled. “What I meant was…I’ve never felt anything…for anyone…pretty much my entire life. Now…I…I don’t know what to do…and then here you are telling me you can only stand half of who I am?” He shook his head, lifting his eyes to meet with almond. “I just don’t think I can settle for half-way, Garnen. I…” He bit his lip. “But I’m not giving up…not until you love and accept each and every bit of me, past and present…because…” He held steady to the officer’s gaze with all the sincerity he could muster. “…you’re the first person I’ve met…who’s worth the effort.”

Garnen raised an eyebrow, and after a long pause, he questioned quietly. “So…I’m guessing you don’t want to sleep on the couch, then?”

Violet narrowed. “Bastard.”

Ashi’s grip pulled him further forward and Garnen needed no more cue, gladly meeting with the offered lips before him and circling his own grip behind the smaller body tightly. The officer’s hold brought their bodies into perfect alignment and Ashi gave a small moan of approval before raising his arms up and mumbling quietly as he caught the man’s neck.

“You sure as hell better come up with some follow up to an admittance like that though…”

Garnen snorted and Ashi gave an indignant squeak as the other lifted him, gripping him from behind and effortlessly raising him to hip-level. The rabbit circled his legs instinctively around the other’s waist and held all the tighter. Once over his surprise, he glared, but before he could snap out a reply, the officer interrupted.

“What exactly did you have in mind?” When the man began moving, Ashi grumbled lightly, contenting himself with resting his head on the other’s shoulder.

“I do have working legs you know…” Garnen made no comment. “Are you gonna carry me all the way up the stairs?”

“How much do you think you weigh, Ashi?” They made it to the top of the stairs and the rabbit tilted his head slightly.

“Err…”

“Almost nothing. Besides…” He shifted the smaller man more to his hip and opened the door with no trouble. “I’ve done it several times before…with you both conscious and otherwise…” Ashi flushed, but glanced away. “…so really…” Garnen lifted his hands to grip the other’s waist, and before the rabbit knew it, he was squeaking in protest yet again as the officer plopped him neatly onto the bed. “…it’s no trouble whatsoever.”

Ashi glared from his sprawled position on the bed, leaning, propped on his elbows and cheeks brightly flushed all over again. “It wouldn’t hurt you to be gentle every now and then…”

“Really?” Garnen eyed the spread form. “I thought you objected to being termed as ‘delicate’ or ‘fragile’…and could ‘most certainly handle things very well on your own’.”

Ashi flushed again, struggling to keep up his glare, but it faltered as the other followed him onto the bed, and he scrambled slightly to resituate himself properly, Garnen’s toss having left him sidelong across the bed.

“Yeah…well…I just…”

“What happened to your shoes?”

“Wha…oh…er…” The rabbit fumbled as Garnen raised an eyebrow at his bare feet, the bottoms of his usually pale skin now almost charcoal black. “The um…my…well, my other shoes were too noisy…”

“Noisy? So you escaped a drug bust, stole a motorcycle and got arrested bare footed because your shoes were too noisy? Can you even ride a motorcycle barefoot?”

Ashi snorted. “Well, can you imagine trying to ride one in hooker boots?” Garnen frowned slightly. “Exactly. Really…very impractical things heels…not to mention uncomfortable…clacky…”

The officer sighed and Ashi gave a startled pipe of protest as the other lifted his foot promptly by the toe. “Well…the case stands that your feet are filthy…” The rabbit felt his cheeks burning for some unknown reason as the man turned his foot, inspecting the soot-colored lower extremity closely, and somehow he felt as though he was being made fun of. “What were you walking on? Just gravel?” Garnen ran a thumb lightly along the arch of his foot, bringing it to an almost ballet like point and Ashi surprised himself even as he gasped in reaction.

“Garnen…” It came out a lot more breathless than he planned and the smaller man gave a tiny whine of frustration. “Yes…I suppose…gravel…”

The officer raised an eyebrow at this, the actions peaking his curiosity. “Are you ticklish, Ashi?” Violet eyes widened, but before he got out his avid objection, Garnen’s touch slid up, cresting over the smooth roof of his foot and bringing out anything but a fit of giggles as his breath caught. Ashi shuddered at the sensation and whimpered quietly.

“Garnen…what…are you doing…?”

The officer chuckled lightly, watching as Ashi gripped to the pillow behind him and letting an amused smile twitch onto his features. “Has no one ever touched your feet before, Ashi? You seem very…sensitive.” He began circling his thumb absently over the smooth crest, enjoying thoroughly as the action only seemed to increase the other’s squirming.

“Oh fuck…” Instead of discomforting him, or even disturbing him as the actions likely should have, each touch felt like sending miniature little jolts of electricity shooting straight up his leg and directly to his- He cursed. “Shit. I can’t believe I’m…”

“Can’t believe you’re what?” The question came from Garnen, but at the moment, Ashi was asking himself the very same thing.

What couldn’t he believe? That this was having such an effect on him? That he was literally writhing beneath the other man just because he was touching his feet funny? Ok, so Garnen was caressing it. What the hell difference should that make?!

Seeing the man’s previous reactions to simple touches, Garnen decided an experiment, and, with a with a simple shift in his hold, brought the a small exposed ankle to his lips; he felt the man instantly tense with another startled gasp, and it brought on a quiet chuckle.

“Oh hell…” Yup. There was definitely something wrong with him. Who ever heard of being turned on…by someone kissing your feet? Ok, so, maybe that made some sense, but not the way Garnen was doing it. It wasn’t like groveling at the feet of some king or god, and yet, though he meant to, Ashi couldn’t drag his foot away; it felt to damn good.

The kisses kept light at first, circling his ankle, trailing up over the flat top, soon though, Garnen began taking advantage of the trembling form before him. With Ashi’s foot as his base, he had a whole, long expanse of delicately smooth and slender leg before him; he took the opportunity.

When Garnen’s kisses started trailing up, Ashi found no voice left to protest, and in the end decided he didn’t want to anyway. Carlos’s baggy excuse for clothing lifted easily each time Garnen pushed it to raise further, and soon the rabbit found himself once again writhing to each touch, a great number of keening and undignified sounds escaping his lips throughout the process. Eventually though, the inevitable barrier of cloth became impossible to raise further, and the officer’s kisses halted. Ashi instantly objected.

“Garnen…”

“These…” Violet flickered down to find the other tugging lightly at his pants. “…are gonna have to go.” He flushed, but gave no protest as the other shifted, leaning up to come more fully atop him instead. “You never did explain where they came from…they’re at least ten sizes too big.” Ashi’s blush darkened and he quickly averted his gaze.

“They um…well…they’re Carlos’s…but…” Garnen raised an eyebrow and the rabbit fumbled, struggling for words. “You see…he just…I needed…well…the pants I had before…he sort of…”

“Never mind.” A kiss blocked his speech and Ashi felt eternally grateful. Not only did he escape an embarrassing explanation, but he gained in return two very impatient hands at his zip and one deeply enthusiastic mouth on his lips. “You can tell me later.”

“Ok.” He felt in no mood to argue at that point, and as the officer’s fingers lowered over the now prominent bulge in his pants, he moaned into the kiss, and began his own line of work with the other man’s top.

Before his original departure from Garnen’s house the previous night (it being now past midnight and in literal terms some time in the very early morning), Ashi had worn very little across his top, and now wore the same; two thin black straps, and little else. Those took near no time to remove.

Garnen on the other hand, wore full uniform, excluding jacket, and Ashi found himself in a rapidly lessening state of cover, while the officer remained almost fully dressed. Quite unfair if you thought about it; he made good time in remedying the problem.

As Garnen pulled the large black belt Ashi’d used to secure his pants firmly away, the rabbit tugged off tie, and undid about the first half of buttons. Without the belt, the smaller man’s extremely oversized pants slid off his bare hips with no trouble at all. This abrupt loss of clothing revealed nothing underneath and as the officer rose an eyebrow, the rabbit flushed brightly, stumbling for an excuse.

“I couldn’t exactly wear much beneath what I had on before…and I didn’t really have time after-“ Firm lips silenced him, and moments later they drowned out his moan as the close contact ground against his fully unclothed erection. Once assured of the rabbit’s inability to continue coherently, Garnen spoke up quietly against his parted lips.

“You say it like it’s a bad thing, Ashi.”

The albiri gave another small whine, but not much else. It took him a bit before he got out coarsely. “You…have on way too much clothing.” The officer smirked with a light chuckle, and began aiding Ashi’s deft and impatient fingers as they worked again with his shirt. By the time the shirt came off though, he had left that focus and turned his intent to the upper half of the rabbit’s body, previously ignored until that point.

Even with the major distraction of Garnen’s lips, teeth, and tongue on his neck, Ashi somehow managed to devoid him of belt, pants, and boxers, finally bringing them into blissfully full contact. Seconds later, he gave a single, distracted kick, sending the entire heap to the floor with a clinking thud.

“Much better…” Ashi mumbled breathlessly, satisfaction coming through his slightly airy tone and a very pleased smile curving into place as Garnen met his lips again.

“You know…you probably should have…checked that man’s pants…before tossing them off the edge like that…” Garnen pointed out between brief moments of incoherency as their kisses mingled, and Ashi raised an eyebrow.

“Hm? How come?”

“Because-“ The officer paused his speech as Ashi pressed something into his palm, and gripped it with a small frown. Lifting it with a curious expression, he bit back laughter and dropped his head to the other’s. “You just think of everything don’t you?”

Ashi rolled his eyes. “No, but someone has to think…and considering it’s just me and you…” Garnen gave a mild glare and the albiri grinned.

“Must you insult me constantly?”

“I could ask the same of you…but I’m really not that interested at the moment. Fuck me now and remind me later, alright?”

“You’re too predictable.” Ashi opened his mouth to protest but the officer quickly prevented it, stopping any hope of speech promptly with another sound kiss. The rabbit gave no objection. Soon, in fact, as Garnen readied his fingers, Ashi found himself not really caring about much of anything anymore. Only lips mattered; lips, tongue, and their deliciously heated bodies, ground together in earnest need.

“Garnen…” His fingers laced through the other’s dark, damp locks, and he gave a shaky moan as Garnen slid easily again between his lips, mimicking actions to come with his tongue. In no time, it was enough to leave Ashi a simpering pile of nothingness, quivering beneath his every move. Garnen marveled at the effects.

Ashi tasted like nothing else. His sweet, swollen lips, red from use and desire, melted into his kisses like candied sugar, as soft and enticing as the rest of him, and his trim, lithe form, practically squirming with need, nearly drove the officer to insanity.

Suddenly very impatient, Garnen slid a hand down quickly, tracing just along the base of the man’s spine before cupping experimentally at the light ball of fluff there. Ashi’s shudder came with a short, breathy gasp and Garnen felt the wriggle of response in his palm.

“Garnen…if you don’t…hurry up…and-“

Two fingers pressed in simultaneously, slipping past the albiri’s tight muscle barrier and abruptly into him with one stroke. Ashi arched instantly. The sudden action sent a stem of feeling through him and his legs spread wider by instinct, a ragged moan escaping him as he did so. The officer’s spare hand steadied his desperate hips, pushing them back down to the bed, and his head fell back with a pant.

“Good god…Garnen…” His slender form strained to buck as the other began moving again, but Garnen held him steady. “Shit…Garnen please…” It came out almost a whine now, his entire body struggling in vain to rock back on the officer’s movements. Just as he opened his mouth to protest again, a third digit invaded, and his words dissipated into an incoherent jumble.

Garnen couldn’t take his eyes off him; if an angel fell from heaven onto his bed at that very moment he wouldn’t have noticed; Ashi looked beautiful. With his chest heaving and fingers clutched tight above his head, he looked worthy of the gods themselves. An impatient and needy whimper brought him back to reality, and perfect violet vision locked on him. His response came instantly.

As soon as the fingers left him, Ashi rolled, turning to his stomach and baring his backside fully to the other. Giving a small toss, his almost shoulder-length pink curls splayed out behind him as he glanced over his shoulder, and he smirked at Garnen’s expression.

“Fuck me, officer.”

Just his tone, throaty and breathless, brought about a near uncontrollable twist of desire all through the addressed man, and when Ashi’s bent up knees spread to each side of him, displaying that quivering ball of fluff and everything that went with it perfectly, Garnen had no room left for restraint.

Firm, steady hands gripped at his waist steadying him and bracing him before the larger man’s final entry filled him. Ashi’s head fell back as a low moan escaped him, coming low and strangled from his throat.

“Garnen…”

“Ashi?” Violet flickered back to him, lidded and dark with desire; his lacy, pink lashes did nothing to veil the expression. He made only a muffled ‘hm?’, and Garnen took the opportunity to slide forward, capturing the petal soft, awaiting lips almost gently before beginning a slow, steady rhythm. He felt Ashi’s quiet, lusty moan vibrate against his lips with the movement, and growled lightly in response.

“More Garnen…” It came out as a breathy whisper, pressed over his lips between their kissing, and the albiri’s eyes fluttered shut with a shudder. “Fuck me. Hard.”

The officer’s hand slipped beneath him, splaying across his stomach and guiding them together fully. Once fully together, he spoke carefully into the soft, silky ear as it brushed over his cheek. “Have I mentioned what a lovely vocabulary you have?”

The rabbit started to smirk, and almost replied when Garnen gave a single, rough thrust into him. His words cut off instantly into some unidentifiable cross between a gasp and a whimper. The officer prepared to question in worry when Ashi got out shakily.

“Again.”

Their lips met hungrily, and Garnen did just that. It took little time to get up a pace, mutual incoherent grunts and moans fading quickly into their kisses and filling the otherwise silent room with wordless, descriptive tales of their actions.

Ashi rocked back to each press, gripping into the sheets beneath him and struggling to spread wider with every hit. Occasional mutterings of ‘more’, ‘harder’, and ‘faster’, made it into the air between moans, and each time the other gladly complied.

Long since unable to keep up the effort of turning his head around, Ashi now lay panting into the pillow beneath him, his damp forehead down and shoulders up as he braced most weight on his elbows. Garnen’s hand kept at his stomach, and somehow, it felt almost comforting, even as it guided each of their increasingly sporadic couplings. A particularly forceful hit sent a rough stem of pleasure through him and the smaller form arched, grip tightening helplessly into the already tangled sheets as his head fell back again with a sharp cry.

For a few breathless, prolonged seconds, Garnen paused, his chiseled, bare chest pressed, panting, against the smooth, sweat-slicked back beneath him, and their bodies froze there in perfect, entangled alignment. Finally, Ashi got out in a chopped, almost raspy pant.

“Move.”

And Garnen obliged. Ashi’s body felt so small, fragile, and helpless beneath him, under his control and bendable to his will. His slender, ivory smooth legs lay spread before him in almost the complete splits, though bent at the knees, and the officer marveled briefly at his flexibility before returning to other, much more preoccupying thoughts.

After the first time, the officer began hitting the same area almost consistently, and Ashi quickly lost all breath and sane thought left in him. He vaguely registered one of Garnen’s hands catching his, strong powerful fingers lacing through his smaller ones, which dwarfed in comparison. In a way though, it warmed some part of him, and even with little to no brain material left to think by, he gripped to it, gaining support and comfort from such a simple, discreet act.

Garnen brushed back at the damp pink clinging to the other’s neck, and Ashi shuddered as lips pressed there. Even with all else swarming his senses, the soft, heated touch sent tiny sparks of fire through him, and Ashi felt the beginnings of release curl in his gut. The kiss pressed lower, between his shoulder blades, and he felt a tiny, mixed gasp and groan escape him as the slick flicker of a tongue made it over the sleek, sweat streaked area.

“Garnen…oh…god….” He shut his eyes, lower lip caught roughly between his teeth as his pants came in quick succession. “God Garnen please…please just…oh…”

“Please what?”

It came so faint, but low and predatory, directly to the side of his face, and Ashi shuddered, eyes fluttering shut once before turning back over his shoulder, wide and certain as he spoke desperately.

“Please kiss me.”

Not rough, but firm, and erotically passionate; Garnen’s lips crushed onto his without a moment’s hesitation, and in that brief moment, it took nothing more to send Ashi crashing over the edge. He came hard, with a short, almost startled cry, his eyes tightly shut and lips parted as the officer continued to kiss him.

It took him a moment to come back to reality, his mind dazed, and body worn as he realized the other must have peaked with him, feeling the warm, undeniable presence of the officer now filling him, and his movements ceased. Slowly, a soft smile curved to his lips, and he kissed back. Garnen could have sworn he heard a mumbled ‘Thank you’, but at that point was really to far gone to pay much attention.

Eventually, fatigue returned, Garnen’s digital, bedside clock flashing an absurd 2:07a.m., and making sleep imperative to both exhausted men. Placing one last, slightly prolonged kiss to the rosy lips beneath him, the larger man rolled, removing himself from the smaller figure and landing with a most ungraceful grunt beside him. Ashi gave a tired giggle and a single almond eye blinked open with a cross between a glare and a smile.

“What are you looking at?” He mumbled, but the gruff attempt at an accusation came out less menacing than he meant it, and the rabbit only grinned.

“You.”

The officer snorted, turning lay on his back, a lazy hand falling to his chest as he blinked up to the ceiling. After a few moments, almond glanced to the rabbit beside him. Ashi now lay on his side, his darkened, damp bubble-gum locks clinging slightly to his fading, but still flushed cheeks as he smiled sleepily.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” The albiri’s pink lips twitched to a smirk. “You look sexy. Aren’t I allowed to look?”

Garnen raised an eyebrow, something between disbelief and appreciation crossing his features as he eyed the smaller man for any signs of sarcasm. “I suppose…”

Ashi fought the urge to laugh at his obvious distrust and rolled to his stomach, closer to the other before leaning over him happily. “I’m being serious you know…” With that, he pressed a light, quick kiss to the startled man’s lips, and tugged slightly at his arm. “Come on, move so you can sleep with me. I’m tired.”

“Sleep with you? I thought I just-“

“Hold me.” Ashi glanced back to find a flickering look of surprise pass the other’s features and he quickly flushed, hoping the dark covered it as he turned his face away. When he spoke, it betrayed none of his sudden nervousness. “It’s winter, Garnen. It’s cold.”

“Oh.”

The explanation did little to convince the officer, but gave him time to wipe away surprise from his expression. In all honesty, he didn’t mind, in fact, he enjoyed the feel of Ashi’s smaller, warm body pressed comfortingly in his embrace, so he posed no further questions, but as the sleepy, suddenly quiet albiri curled back contentedly against his chest, he couldn’t help but wonder.

As the fog of sleep quickly took over, those thoughts rapidly dissipated, and he placed an arm over the smaller form without thinking about it, pulling the younger man closer before his eyes shut.

With Garnen’s protective embrace warmly around him, and the firm, steady heartbeat to his ear, Ashi gave a contented smile as he finally surrendered himself to sleep.

Note: Bwah. I do appologize to those who tend to like seeing more of these...I know it's been twenty chapters and only two (took fifteen chapters to get the first one...five more to get this...^^;), but if you're still reading, then I'm sure you'll live. If you can't tell...I like story...not just smut. Anyway, I hope this came out alright...please give feedback...oh! And if anyone's read this far into my note, elisabeth chase is my editor, a recently published author, and a wonderful online friend of mine...take the time to check out her work! ^_^

Onto my lovely reviewers...xD

Review Replies

Trickster Kitsune: Whoo! Update! And Carlos got to feel what it's like to be used. --cackles-- I wonder what Jacques will do with him... And I wonder when Lan will be saved! But in the mean time, Carlos deserves every bit of abuse Jacques gives him. ^_^

Aww... Ashi had an angst moment! I like angst. ^_^ It usually leads to... Well... Angst induced sex. ^^; Hopefully. >_>...

Please update soon!

And you're very welcome about the review I left for your Christmas story and that I added it to my favorites list. ^^ I told you I liked it! ^__^

*smirk* Carlos...oh yes...so much fun. We'll learn a bit more about Jacques, Carlos and Lan...chapter after next. (Next chapter's mostly fluff, or second after sex drama! Oh joy...-_- ^^;)

Angst! I swear it's so much fun... *giggle* I can't tell you how loud I laughed when I saw that part of your comment. I could just imagine it being said perfectly in my head...and the way you said hopefully...that smiley is perfect there. Maybe I'm insane...but I found it hilarious. xD ^^;

Rin-Chan: I love this story! ^_____^ The characters are so great, detailed and have awesome personalities! Every chapter is full of chuckles and laughs - Ashi and Garnen bickering and squalling all the time is hilarious! XD Bunny, huh? Eee...What a cute idea! The plot is fantastic, and the metaphors, similies, alliteration are all well done!

I love this best : “I have an unconscious Albicean whore laying in the middle of my bed, chief.” - That's just awesome! And near the beginning, when Garnen is asking for Ashi's gender - "Want to check?"

So awesome! *hugs and gives you some cookies* Please update soon! I'll wait as long as I have to - till then, I'll wish that the muses are good to you and that your days have been good.

I hope your day is/has been good, while you read this, Miss/Mr. Moonstar! I'm Rin-Chan, it's nice to meet you! *shakes your hand*

See you around! ^^

A new reviewer! Oh my gosh, thank you so much! I know I probably already thanked you in my reviews somewhere, but you've no idea how wonderful it is to see your feedback. I love your story and I've seen some of your work before...and you here makes it all the more wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoy it, it really is great encouragement. And thank you (again) for the hugs and cookies! (Did I mention that your pictures were adorable? The ones of Dominic that is...I went to look at them. ^^;) Thank you again!

Falcon Beritlle: New update! Hurray! Jacques was super-cool in this chapter. I especially loved this line: "Jacques spoke so fluently, like every word simply rolled off his tongue, and yet, behind it all, his accent held the barest, flickering inkling of some ancient language, almost as dark and enticing as the man himself." Vivid, and poetic, and VERY sexy. And the scene between Ashi and Garnen was wonderfully written -- Ashi trying to go back to just being a whore, and Garnen not letting him. That emotional rescue was more important than any physical aid Garnen could have offered during Ashi's escape from Carlos. It really brings their whole relationship to a new, even deeper level.

And that's the thing about couches, isn't it? They're very...couchish. LOL!

Love,
Falcon

^_^ I'm glad Jacques continues to live up to your expectations. I hope he continues to do so! (In chapters to come that is...not in this one...^^;). (c: I'm glad you don't mind Garnen not actually getting to officially 'rescue' him this time...Ashi's independance demanded a strike of action. And yes, this chapter, though more in the next I think, we'll see Ashi struggling with that conversion...again. Because of course...he can't be a whore forever, right? xP

*chuckle* Couches...xD I was tired...it's my excuse I swear...o_o ^_^;