The Paradox

Only after the very last embers of the fire had died did Alec abandon his sewing. He had been squinting in the darkness for the past hour and had pricked his fingers so many times he was certain he had ruined the tunic with blood.

He dreaded the beating he’d get for it in the morning. But he dreaded nothing half so much as what he had to do now…go to bed.

The slave’s quarters in Proximo’s villa were spacious, even accommodating separate rooms for the men and women. Therein lay the problem; since the master’s departure, the slaves had been women only, and upon his return he had brought back only Alec and Aulus.

Alec’s mind raced as fast as his heartbeat as he recalled the morning’s events and imagined what might lay ahead of him as he crossed the cobles of the small courtyard. That morning, reckless and kamikaze curiosity had made Alec lean across and kiss Aulus.

He remembered, with terrible vividness, how Aulus’ mouth had tasted, how his strong lips had responded and his thick hands had drawn his body close. All the time knowing that this kiss could be the architect of both their destructions, his traitorous memory had burned every sensation into his recollection like a fire-brand. His hand trembled as he lifted the heavy door latch.

When he crossed the threshold he immediately saw Aulus, sitting cross-legged on his little pallet, a tiny oil-lamp illuminating half his features, casting the others into shadow. But his eyes, big and luminous as ever, were full of such desire Alec caught his breath.

For what seemed like an eternity, Alec just stood stupidly by the open door. For some reason he could not obey the frantic orders of his mind, which was telling him to go to his own pallet and lie beneath the blanket. That same unfathomable reason was keeping him rooted to the spot, his eyes fixed upon Aulus’, which were blazing into his own.

“Come to me, little Alecto. We must talk.”

The guttural growl in his voice sent shivers running down Alec’s spine. He gulped, then turned and pushed the door shut, and he didn’t turn around again. It was terrifying to think of those eyes, those lustful eyes. “I…” Alec stuttered, his throat tightening and making his voice more child-like than ever. “I have nothing to say.” he finished petulantly.

“Oh, I think you do!” Aulus rapped out the response, sounding so fierce Alec whirled about on the spot. But for all that he could see Aulus was angry, there was a sort of plea in his eyes, Alec could see he had gotten himself very deep into something he’d never known before.

The young slave fixed his gaze demurely onto the floor, wetted his lips and began to piece together a lame apology, but Aulus cut across his words. “Do you have any idea what Proximo would do to us if he were to find out?”

At that, the boy’s head jerked up, incensed that Aulus would take him for such an innocent, such a fool. “Of course I do! And so have you, the number of times you’ve pawed at me at me in the kitchens, in front of everyone!” Surprised by his own outburst, Alec felt himself flush hotly, and he forced down the anger. He wasn’t angry with Aulus, he was frustrated, and so tired he could barely contain himself.

Blinking, he miss-read the look of surprise on Aulus’ face as one of hurt, and tears suddenly welled in his eyes. “I apologise,” he gasped, his voice choked up.

“No,” said Aulus, perfectly calm. “Don’t be. I just needed to know you understand the risk. Do you know how badly I want you? I have wanted you since I first saw you.”

Alecto had been a whore for almost as long as he could remember. He was well aware of the charms that had condemned him to a life of brutal rape and sexual cruelty, and he was used to being wanted. But never before had a man looked him in the eye, spoken softly and told him that he desired him, as if he had the right to say no.

And more alien still, Alec could feel distinctly the desire to say yes.

The moment of indecision was unbearable, it seemed to take hours to pass. Alec was once again frozen still, his chest so tight he could barely breath, but he was sure that that alone was not the reason he felt so light-headed.

The oil-lamp flickered, making Aulus’ eyes dance in the light. Undirected, Alec’s gaze was drawn to his lean, muscular shoulders and his strong chest, and suddenly his mind was made up.

Slowly, with his whole frame trembling uncontrollably, Alec crossed the floor towards Aulus’ pallet, all the while keeping his eyes locked with the older man’s, and his hands loosening the knot of the cord about his tunic. He let it drop to the floor, and then slipped his tunic down over his shoulders, pooling at his feet, leaving him totally bare.

Naked, he knelt just in front of Aulus, looking down for a moment, but then up again straight into his eyes, a look of blatant invitation.

And Aulus was not slow to take it. Within seconds he had reached for Alec, drawing his face to his and kissing him, claiming his lips so greedily they were soon both breathless and broke apart, panting. Aulus’ right hand had wound itself into Alec’s hair, he slid his left down the boy’s back and took one of his soft buttocks in it and squeezed gently, but hard enough to make Alec squirm. The boy arched his back, pressing himself against Aulus, who quickly enfolded him in both arms and pressed him back onto the pallet.

It had been years since Aulus had been kissed like that, and Alec had never in his life experienced such passionate and tender ministrations of lips and gentle caresses. Before long there were fat tears rolling down his cheeks. When Aulus looked up at him, Alec feared he would misinterpret them, but Aulus seemed to understand and only licked them away.

When Alec put his hands on Aulus’ chest, he found that he too was trembling, with desire and with fear.

Alec gently ran his hands down Aulus’ stomach, seeking out with quietly curious fingers the knot that secured the loin cloth Aulus wore. Aulus groaned above him as Alec let the rough fabric slide down the older man’s tense flanks and his hands moved to his hardening shaft, and groaned lower and longer as the expert fingertips traced the underside, tickling the hair and massaging the throbbing vein.

“Bite me,” Alec whispered, putting his moth next to Aulus’ ear and breathing the words so intimately that Aulus’ eyes rolled involuntarily. “Bite me on the neck if you think you’re going to cry out. Gods forbid someone hears us…” Alec’s voice was sweet, gentle and low, and his fingers continued to cup and stroke Aulus even as he uttered this warning.

“Alecto…” Aulus knew what he needed to say, but he was so breathless he could barely say it. “Alecto, the risk….ah!”

“I want to pleasure you…” Alec whispered again, nuzzling his head in the crook of Aulus’ shoulder, making his voice deliberately seductive. “I want to be with you, Aulus, so much.”

This was all the encouragement Aulus needed. He wrapped on arm about Alec’s back, using the other to support both their weights as he leaned over the lithe little slave and clutched him to his chest. Alec’s hands worked away until Aulus was hard and throbbing. Leaning back to look into his face, Alecto asked the older man, “Do you want to enter me, or shall I use my mouth?”

Aulus looked down at Alec, and then kissed him gently. “You’re not my slave, Alecto. You’re my cherished one.” He lowered Alec back onto the pallet and pressed soft, wet kisses unto his mouth, his cheeks, his neck. He caressed Alec’s body with strokes so light that the boy was soon squirming beneath him, writhing up to press himself against Aulus’ skin. “I want to be inside you, but only if you will not be hurt by it. Are you sure it is what you want?”

Whilst he spoke, Aulus kept on caressing the boy’s body, running his fingertips down either side of him and teasing him with a brush of his knuckles, and he could feel the boy writhe with pleasure, responding to every gentle touch. Aulus looked up and saw that the boy was crying again. His whole frame had suddenly blushed a very lovely pink. “Please…” he was whispering, “please…take me. Love me.”

He did not realise that Alec had bitten back his first response; which would have been to point out that he would be unlikely to be hurt, he was no virgin. But he wished he was, he wanted to be pure for Aulus. And in some strange way he almost felt that this was his first time; it was the first time he had truly consented to sex.

Seeing Aulus’ slight hesitation, Alec brought his own hand up to his mouth. Turning his head to one side, he spat, wetting his palm, and then sought out Aulus’ erection for the second time, gently spreading the warm moisture over his cock. He settled himself back onto the mattress and parted his legs, opening himself as fully as he could. Then he reached out to take Aulus’ hand in his and licked it, smearing each finger with his saliva.

The older slave certainly knew that Alec was no innocent, for all his wide-eyed charms, but he was surprised, even shocked at how forward Alec was, how expertly seductive. The paradox was obvious and hateful, the boy had a child’s body and whore’s mind. He seemed to know exactly what he was handling as he guided Aulus’ greased hand between his legs. Aulus’ fingers sought the opening eagerly, pressing one slicked finger into the little hole.

Alec lay back and made himself relax. He had thought that this would be easier than serving a master, had expected to find that he could control himself far better if his partner was willing to co-operate with him. But now he found that the touch of Aulus’ rough skin, the smell of his sweat and the sound of his breath coming in short gasps and going in heavy exhalations was drawing out an arousal he’d never experienced.

One strong finger edged into him slowly, almost shyly, waiting to feel the pressure released. Alec knew that Aulus would not rush him, would not hurt him, but he knew how to release himself and soon there was a second, and then a third finger massaging his channel.

“Oh…Aulus…” Alec gasped, suddenly bucking his hips as Aulus pressed on the little nub inside him. “Ah! Gods!…” the boy’s hair had fallen across his face, making him look dishevelled and wanton. Aulus gazed down at the beautiful little face as he positioned his cock by Alec’s opening. He waited, he left an agonising second where Alec lay waiting and feeling nothing, before slowly driving himself inside.

Alec moaned, loudly enough to scare the both of them. Aulus stopped, and the two slaves stared into each others eyes, chests heaving, pulses pounding all over them. When Aulus made his careful withdrawal, another cry escaped from Alec’s throat, unbidden, uncontrollable.

The boy bit his lip as Aulus thrust at him again, burying himself to the hilt. The sensation of him was unbearable, Alec gasped. “Aulus…please, you must…put your hand over my mouth. Don’t let me cry out…don’t let them hear. Please, Aulus.”

“I don’t want to,” Aulus protested breathlessly, sounding petulant beneath all the lust in his voice. “I don’t want to feel like I’m forcing you…like him.”

The last person wanted to hear of now was Proximo. He knew that discovery would be the death of them both. Alec was far from the sort of person to lose his reason in the heat of passion, even if he was losing control, and he shook his head. “If you don’t, we’ll have to stop…Aulus, Aulus, please…”

Reluctantly, Aulus shifted himself so he could balance better on his knees, pulling Alec’s hips up from the ground. Alec eagerly met him, wrapping his legs about Aulus’ waist. Then, supporting the rest of himself on one arm he leant over Alecto and carefully placed his palm over the soft lips.

Desperate for relief now, Aulus ground his hips hard against the boy’s ass, pumping into Alec, not so carefully now, but with the last scrap of control he could muster. It had been so long, wanting Alec and waiting, never knowing if he could ever take the sweet little body he now found below him, Aulus had dreamed of this moment many times.

While being taken from the front, Alec watched every twitch of his partner’s face, every twist and grimace. He heard the growl in his throat as Aulus suddenly slowed his assault, watched the older man’s jaw quiver and his mouth break open as he finally reached relief and spilled his seed inside Aulus.

His hand slid off Alec’s mouth. He was frozen still for a moment, before collapsing onto the boy’s chest. His cock slipped out of Alec’s hole, letting cum ooze out between his legs. Saying nothing, he gathered Alec into his arms, pulling him into an embrace.

Emotionally drained, exhausted and stunned, Alec closed his eyes and lay limply in the embrace. Aulus felt the inertness of his muscles and simply lay there, holding him gently. It seemed to take hours for reason to reclaim his mind. “Gods…what have we done?”

“Don’t tell me you regret it,” said , suddenly, his voice weary but firm. “Never tell me that.”