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Gideon and Kremy were planning a carnival, but starting a carnival took cash. Even if you had a personal bodyguard and mechanic. Which is why Kremy pushed past his discomfort. Kremy had gambled in the busy old tavern for hours already. Though was it really gambling if you knew you were going to win? Players changed throughout the game. They had started playing with a tiefling, an elf, and an orc. All of them had paid Kremy well for his time and disappeared without a fight. All but him and Gid.
Gideon had been looking over Kremy’s shoulder the whole time. He admired Kremy's sly claws flipping cards. Gideon caught himself before getting too distracted. He was supposed to be a bodyguard, not a lovesick puppy. He fixed his gaze on the other participants. A goblin with a strange pet; Gideon was naturally referrin’ to the weird tabaxi monk. He also had an owlbear daughter Hootsie at his side. Hootsie had fallen asleep almost an hour ago. They didn't seem to be much of a threat.
Kremy was not delicate or weak, but his bum hip might be. The chairs were hard, with no padding. And he had been sitting for hours, accumulating a big pile of gold, silver, electrum, and copper pieces before him. The goblin was very drunk but upbeat despite losing most rounds. The tabaxi was counting his copper and called it a night. The goblin woke his daughter while the tabaxi tried to keep him upright.
Kremy smiled at the other players collecting their things. Gideon loved Kremy's smile and would do almost anything for it. But behind the smile, Gideon saw a look of fear in the alligator's eyes. Gideon leaned closer to him and whispered. "What's wrong?"
Kremy gritted his teeth. He was stuck. His hip had started aching a while back. He hadn't thought anything of it, but now he couldn't get up. Not without screaming out in pain. Quietly, slightly embarrassed, he snapped. "Gid, I'm stuck ." He looked up pleadingly, expecting Gid to look amused. And even if the situation was mortifying, Gid was looking way too horrified for this.
Shit, had the tabaxi monk done this? It was the only solution Gideon thought to what could have caused this. "What, how?" Gideon was trying to stay calm despite the panic rising in his chest. He was trying to whisper, but it came out so loud that the bartender turned to look at them. Kremy was looking down as if blushing. He murmured something quietly, but Gideon couldn't figure out what he was trying to say.
"It's my hip," Kremy said a little louder, avoiding looking up. He heard a quiet "Oh!" and a sigh from Gid. "Need a lift?" Gid asked even though he didn’t give Kremy time to answer before Kremy felt one of Gid's warm hands behind his back and the other going below his tail and wrapping under his legs.
Gideon tried being as gentle as he could. He still felt Kremy go stiff, most likely in pain. As he lifted Kremy up into his arms, the lizardfolk yelled out in shock, gripping Gideon's shoulders. "Well, I'm not stuck anymore," Kremy yelped, patting Gideon's chest. As if he was a horse that Kremy had been riding. Patting him for a job well done. But he knew his work wasn't done. So he made sure Kremy was comfortable, keeping Kremy’s hip steady. Gideon walked across the bar and started his ascent up the stairs to their room.
Kremy looked around the room over Gid's shoulder. He saw the blond bartender who had served their drinks smirking. They gave him that "Enjoy your night" type of look before winking. Kremy knew it didn't matter what they thought, they would be gone tomorrow. He'll probably never again see this bartender with a strange pattern of moles on their face, but he couldn't help being embarrassed.
Gideon had almost made it up the stairs when Kremy started squirming again. "Gid, let me go. I can walk all by myself. I've been doing it all my life." Kremy was moving his hands frantically, but what stood out to Gideon was how still Kremy's hips were. He knew walking would be painful. Gideon didn't understand why Kremy kept doing this. Sure, Gideon himself had hidden some weak spots when they had met. But it had been a few years now. They were partners, and surely Kremy didn't think that Gideon wouldn't know about his hip.
"Man, stop squirming. Someone’s gonna think I'm kidnapping you!" Kremy stopped. Looked at him deadpan and said: "No. They think you're taking me back to your room—" "I'm taking you back to our room, Kremy." " And having your way with me, Gid. "
The hallway was suddenly uncomfortably quiet, despite the muffled noises of revelry coming from downstairs. Gideon was standing dumbfounded at the top of the stairs, looking down the hallway. He could see their room door. "Well, I'm not . Does that make you feel any better ?" Gideon had tried to go for mocking but ended up sounding just hurt.
For some reason, it didn't make Kremy feel any better. Gid continued walking. When they reached the door, Gid looked at him expectantly, and Kremy gave him the key. The warmth radiating from Gid's body lessened the pain, and Kremy wasn't ready to let go of that.
Once inside, Gideon slowly lowered Kremy to the bed. One hand on his hip, and the other behind Kremy's back. Gideon had to pretty much crawl on top of Kremy to ease the movement. He had to try and keep his mind clear as his partner and object of his affections clawed his shoulders and squirmed beneath him.
Gid was clearly trying as gently as he could to straighten his leg. Kremy still felt like his leg would pop out of its socket. Gid was gently rubbing his hip, and the warmth of his hand felt nice. Kremy could feel the man's shoulders escaping his grip. Feeling embarrassed and ashamed he immediately let go, raising his hands in the air like he'd been caught. Only to look down at Gideon, who was smirking. He was sliding lower on the bed between Kremy's legs. Kremy needed to ease the tension somehow. "You're looking awfully comfortable down there. Done this before?" Kremy jested. "I can't believe this. Kremy! Was this all just a scheme to get me in your bed!?" Gid mocked. Acting like a prudy lady clutching her pearls. His other hand was still on Kremy's hip, the warmth of his hand seeping in. Then… Gid pulled Kremy’s leg down to the mattress. The heat had helped relax the muscle. It now moved with just a tingling sensation rather than gripping pain. Kremy had been distracted by Gideon’s jokes and booming laughter. He loved how Gid kept his joyous nature despite everything.
He had let out a little yelp but seemed otherwise fine. Gideon was feeling proud of himself. He moved next to Kremy and laid on his back. It was mutually beneficial that they shared a bed. That's what Kremy had said when the person at the front desk gave them a suspicious look. But it was true. They had started sharing a bed after Gideon had woken up from a dream screaming. Kremy had rushed over to him. He must have thought that there was an actual reason Gideon had screamed out in the middle of the night. Kremy had squeezed his elbow, and Gideon had practically climbed into the man's lap and gripped Kremy's nightshirt like he was drowning. As if Kremy was the only thing keeping him afloat. In the late morning, he had woken up to the aroma of Kremy's delicious cooking and the man glancing at him every other second. Verifying he was alright.
Kremy was awkwardly lying next to Gideon. Yes, the two of them sharing a bed was beneficial, from a certain point of view. The first time they shared a bed, he had been cold. Twisting and turning, wondering if he could re-light the fire. Of course, he had also thought of the man made of fire, but he couldn’t ask that of him. It would be brutal to use him like that. Then he'd heard Gid scream out. Kremy saw the man crying and mumbled something about having been cold. Suddenly Gid encased him in warmth. Kremy tried to comfort him by brushing his hair and holding him. But the man just seemed to cry even more, and Kremy had no clue what he was doing. After some time, Kremy tried to move him to a laying position next to him and ended up being grappled by him. He felt encased in warmth while Gid just kept wailing laying on him in his arms. His cold presence must’ve been uncomfortable for a man made of fire. In the morning he’d snuck off to make some pancakes.
The next night, Gid asked to share surely out of obligation, since Kremy had mentioned being cold. Kremy was too selfish to say no. On the third night, he had attempted to wait for Gid to go to bed and then sneak off to his own, but the genasi had asked if he was coming to bed. And he couldn’t say no. He felt a little guilty for stealing all of Gid's warmth to himself. He didn't usually feel guilty for stealing anything. Even when stealing from someone close to him. He had stolen his father's hat right before he left and hadn't felt guilty about it since. Kremy was weak and that's how they'd ended up here. Laying next to one another in bed.
Gideon was looking at Kremy. Wondering if he could hold him before turning the lights off. His shoulders stung from the scratches Kremy had left there and he was reminded of the way they had just held one another. Gideon felt his flames growing and his face warming up. He had been all over him and Kremy had acknowledged it . Asked if he’d been intimate with someone like that. Technically he had, but the hobgoblins didn’t count. They sat for a while in silence until Gideon broke it. “Haven’t done it before,”
Kremy raised a doubtful brow, but Gid continued. “You asked if I had been between someone's legs.” He mumbled something Kremy couldn’t hear, but he got the jist. Hmph, not so generous in bed? That surprised Kremy, considering how gently Gid was massaging out his hip. How eager Gid seemed to please Kremy when they worked together. How oddly thoughtful he could be. But what did Kremy know? Most of his sexual experiences were from a very confusing dynamic between himself and his old boss. And even if he hadn’t had his fair share of unfair treatment from Mr Garou. He’d heard all the equivalent of gym bros talking about it. Maybe like Garou and the stupid equivalent of gym bros. Gid had never needed to return any favors. “A big man like you wouldn't. I guess. Not much the kneeling type are you, Gid?” Said man looked at him confused. “What do you mean Krem? What would me being a big man have to do with that?” Kremy scoffed. Did he think he was stupid or naive?
Gideon could hear Kremy’s voice getting colder. “Always nicer to have someone do it for you and not have to do it for them” Gideon was confused. What did that mean? “Isn’t it supposed to be something you do together? Like how us sharing a bed ain’t sharing unless we’re both here and willing.” Kremy looked at him first confused, blinked a couple of times, and then his eyes went wide. Gideon realized Kremy had been talking about something else.
It did weird things to Kremy’s brain. To hear Gid use them sharing a bed as a metaphor for sex. “Yes Gid, you need someone willing,” Gideon shrugged.“So we agree, I haven’t done it.” Gideon looked like the type to be a ladies' man, but then again no one looked like their preferences. “It’s alright, I don’t much care for it either.” Kremy really had been the pot calling the kettle black. Until Gid interrupted his train of thought. “It ain’t that I don’t want it. Just hadn’t had many chances.”
“What do you mean? You get offers each time we go out!” Kremy sniped, sounding baffled. Gideon felt it was stupid, but he wanted his first time to be special. That it should mean something. He quickly changed the subject defending himself instead with. “Well, either way. You need me there when we go out.” At least, he hoped Kremy needed him there... Kremy’s expression had a quick shift, guilt flashing briefly before staring at him coldly. “If you wanna do that, I can handle myself for a few hours. I’ve done it before.” They were both on the defense now. “Well, maybe it’s different now.” Gideon snapped back, his frustration spilling over. “How did you plan on getting off of that chair without me?” Damn it! He shouldn’t have asked that! Now Kremy would realize he doesn’t need him. That couldn’t happen, what would he do without Kremy?
Nope! Kremy isn’t having this. He is his own gator and he don’t need no one. He has seen the shit that does to people. He doesn’t know how he would’ve gotten out of this situation, but he certainly won’t admit that to Gideon. So he keeps his mouth shut.
Kremy got weirdly quiet again. And Gideon wouldn’t push it. Kremy had let him this close, and he wouldn’t risk it just by getting greedy. Kremy meant too much to him. Gideon felt like he was constantly jumping between a blaze and getting extinguished. Kremy would worry and take care of him and Gideon would be blazing each time. Then he’d look at Kremy working a target. Kremy would smile at them and they never knew what hit ‘em until he was far away. And each time Gideon would feel like a fool. But he still stayed hoping that he wasn’t just another target.
So they continued lying in bed next to one another. Always wanting, but never daring to hope for more. They were both gambling men, but any loss would be much greater than the prize.
It’s safer being stuck.