Chapter 34
Sal rubbed his eyes he couldn't remember how long he'd been sitting on the floor with books out in front of him. He'd spent a good two hours ghosting books and maps to him. Once he finally got it all to work he lay all the maps out in front of him. He found some markers in Asher junk draw. He started marking all the places where some of the more horrifying things happened. Looking at the maps he hoped he'd see something that pointed to where everything came from. He sighed and stretched. The coffee mug next to him was empty. "Well that's depressing." He said looking at the mug. Getting off the floor his legs tingled they had went to sleep on him. Rubbing them for a second he went to start another pot of coffee.
As he stood at the coffee pot he was upset with himself, that he didn't have any real answers. Maybe the problem was he'd been staring at the maps so long they look like a game of chutes and ladders to him now.
Things had gone scary quiet in the clinic and Asher couldn't help thinking that it was the calm before the storm. A shiver raced down his spine. Rolling his shoulders, he decided to take advantage of the respite and at least park his ass on something more comfortable than his office chair. Pulling the tie from his hair, he shook it out with his hand and stepped into his rooms, smiling when he saw Salvation mind melding with the Mr. Coffee machine. Not wanting to startle the ghuardian into killing him, he leaned his elbows on the counter top and arched a brow at the pile of books and the maps spread over the floor dotted and bisected with different color lines.
Salvation felt someone watching him. He looked up from the coffee pot to see Asher. "Coffee?" He asked, waiting for the coffee pot to be done, not knowing if you could pull the pot out without making a mess.
"Please," he nodded and sank onto one of the stools beside him, glancing over his shoulder at the stuff scattered on the floor. "Did you find what you were looking for?" He could tell by the lost look on the male's face that he hadn't, but he hoped that if he could get him to talk about it, maybe he could relax a little.
The coffee pot finally stopped, and Salvation poured them both a mug of coffee. He took Asher's his first and then went back to his. Leaning against the counter by the coffee pot he sipped his coffee before speaking. "No, but I did manage to pin point all the locations of all the most horrifying attacks or battles. Whatever you want to call them. I'm trying to see if there a pattern or some connection to them all. The books I haven't really read I just opened them to places that had information on the things that happened." He stopped and thought a second. "No not happened like past things like some of the demons I've seen. The last time we seen them. That kind of thing." He said looking at the pile of books. "I wish I had a Giles."
Asher held the cup between his palms, but didn't lift it. What Sal said made sense. The first thing Asher did when something he wasn't used to seeing hit the clinic was to hit the books. That last part, though, had his brow creasing. "Giles?"
Salvation realized Asher probably didn't get his Buffy reference. "Giles is the watcher and researcher on Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Or maybe I just need someone English." He said not totally sure. "Judge me all you like. It was a great show."
Asher grinned, trying to imagine Sal watching the show. There was so much to learn about him and he looked forward to all of it. "Well, we have Dane," he joked and got up to look over the maps. "I'm not a Brit and I don't know your color code, but some of the marks," He knelt down and pointed, "In Montana, I believe your mark is in the middle of the Crow res, where the battle of Little Big Horn went down. Here in South Dakota, is Lakota and where Wounded knee happened." He pulled back and let his eyes move over the map. "And down here in Texas, this line of dots mark where the Comanche cut a path through the settlers, in the great raid of 1840." He glanced up and shrugged. "We had a different version of history class on the Res."
He looked at the place Asher pointed out, and cocked his head thinking. "All Indian based." His mind started turning. "I don't think the lion could do much to help me. Other than blow shit up." He put down his coffee and went to look for a book. "World War III is going to be based on cowboys verses Indians." He said out loud though he meant to say it to himself. "Where the hell is that book?" He said growling.
"A lot of blood soaked into that ground and growing up we were told that the ground belonged to the dead. We were not to go there and no one that did, came back different. I remember the whispers of skin walkers, but I didn't buy into the superstition. The coincidence is ironic though. Makes you think." He sipped his coffee and continued to study the map, before getting up and going to his bookshelf to pull out one of the Native American history books that he collected and bringing it back to the map.
"Makes sense I know some people don't believe in the fact the earth feels, but I know it does. There is only so much she can take." Salvation said looking for one of his oldest books. "Fuck the book didn't make it through. I wonder if it would be online." He hated his laptop, but he ghosted it in hours ago desperate for answers. He hadn't set it up or anything. It sat on the floor under some maps he hadn't opened yet.
"Add in all the emotional turmoil with the pipelines and the eerie shit like the bison coming to pay homage. The weather patterns lately have been insane. It's like the earth is trying to shake us off." He shook his head and confirmed three more battle sites. He glanced up and smiled as the look on Sal's face when he mentioned going online was the same as it would be if he had a mouthful of sour milk.
A thought crossed his mind and his heart almost stopped. "This is all my fault." He said quietly. If he only had that damn book, he got out the laptop and took a seat on stool by the coffee table. He set it down and open it. He waited for it to boot-up. "I didn't believe the stories." He said going to google once the laptop was fully loaded.
Asher's brows shrugged together. "Share with the class, Sal. I'm not following." He doubted that any of this belonged at Sal's doorstep and raked a frustrated hand through his hair, keeping his growl to himself.
Sal looked at him when he growled. "What wrong? Are you okay?" How hadn't he realized Asher was hurt. He looked away from the laptop.
Fuck, he must have made the sound through mindlink without meaning to. "I'm fine. Not everything is your fault. You know that, right?"
He laughed. "Tell that to all the dead Enforcers, but what I meant was there was a story about when the buffalo went to the mountain. There is story about what happened after they all were taking into the mountain. I can't remember what it is off the top of my head."
"Did you check the AP online library?" He got up and moved beside Sal. If it's in a book and about us, Rycker has made sure it's there." He watched Sal and felt his mounting frustration. "Want me to log us in? Then you just type a phrase and it searches the entire catalog for it. The Rycker version of Google."
"No, I didn't know they had anything like that." He said looking around for a better place to sit. "We should move to the kitchen table I think. More room. If we can't find it in the morning at the meeting, we can have him look for us." Salvation knew he was on to something. And all signs pointed to them being blued, tattooed, and screwed, because of him. If all the shifters didn't already have enough reasons to dislike him, they had a good one now.
Asher followed him and pulled a chair up beside him and logged into the system like Rycker had shown him. His medical records were in one similar to this, so he felt at home once he saw everything. "Okay," He pushed the laptop closer to Sal and moved the cursor to the search bar. "Just type in what you're looking for and hit enter." He dropped his hand to Sal's thigh and rubbed the rough denim as he watched the screen.
Salvation typed in the date and the word mountain. He hoped it worked, then again, he also hoped he was wrong about all this. Feeling Asher's hand made him relax a little. Staring at the screen that seem to take forever for it come up with anything.
Asher's brow creased as he watched the words Sal chose and then they waited. he could tell that the wait was killing the Ghuardian. His mind wandered, and he wondered what kind of lore the library held on what he was. In all honesty, he didn't have a lot of information. Once it had become obvious that he wasn't like the others his tribe had shunned him and he'd finally found himself in NOLA and when he got caught stealing food from the kitchen of The Pit. The Navarros had dragged him inside. He remembered sitting there, waiting for them to call the police, or to butcher him and put him on the menu, but they hadn't. Instead they'd brought him food and insisted he eat his fill. When he was done, they'd shown him to a room and over time, he'd come to think of the Pit as home. It was a big part of why he'd gone to Med school. He owed them, and he'd promised himself that no Navarro would ever bleed any longer than they absolutely had to. "About time," Asher sighed when something filled the screen and he was pulled out of the crap in his head.
Salvation looked at the screen. "Well that was helpful. There is so much." He sighed. He started scrolling through the little snippets of information trying to figure out what one would help the most. "You'd think with all my power I'd be smarter, but sadly I'm not." He said clicking on a link. As it loaded it there some photos of the mountain and the first herd of buffalo.
Asher leaned closer to him. "What are we looking for, maybe I can help?" His eyes scanned the text and he was surprised at how much of the old lore of shifters overlapped that of his people. "You're not dumb, you're just old," he teased with a grin.
Salvation chuckled. "Well you sir are no spring chicken!" He said trying to remember fully what the book said. "When the first buffalo was taking into the mountain leaving the Indians to fend for themselves, there was something about a curse." He said trying to remember. "I thought it was all hokey bullshit, because the way it was worded that if the buffalo ever came back it would end the world."
"Such a charmer," Asher snorted and squeezed his hand on Sal's thigh. What Asher was saying sounded familiar. "There was a story that had something to do with that. God, what was it?" He closed his eyes and tried to remember. "When the last of the buffalo left the people, sadness filled the land. There was little food, the water turned sour and hope died. And so the people would suffer until the Mother once again walked among her kind, releasing the plagues that would cleanse the lands and return them once more to the people. But beware, the trickster, for he will lead them astray and rally the restless fallen to cleanse the land of all who walk upon it. Or something like that?"
"Yes!" Sal said. "And they are talking about me." He said softly. "I didn't believe it, when I first read it, because it was supposed to be instantly." He said shaking his head. He was about to reveal himself fully to Asher when he stopped. He licked his lips they felt dry as hell all of a sudden. "It didn't happen. When I came back to the world of man nothing happened. No earth shattering thing." Salvation said thinking back on it.
Asher arched a brow. "You're the Mother?" He looked Asher up and down, confused as fuck. "I'm confused, I think."
"No, I'm the trickster. I believe it had a photo that was of me or what they thought was me." Salvation said looking at the screen. "This is like trying to find a needle in a hay stack."
His brow arched. "That's bullshit," he growled although it made sense the more he thought about it. Asher was the one who ferried the dead to their resting place, or he had been before the younger generations had begun dropping the ball. Now the spirits of the dead wandered aimlessly forever, or until they were claimed by the Shadowlands. "So, what are we going to do about it?" He looked up at Sal's face and he ached at the turmoil he saw there. For the first time, he wanted to tell someone what he was, but he was afraid that it would only make things worse for the Ghuardian.
"I have no idea. I'm hoping there is something about breaking the curse in there. Something about banishment or was it repent for the blood spilled." Salvation said his brows furrowed looking for more information. "I'm sure when I bring this up tomorrow they'll want to tar and feather me. And I'll let them. If I can stop this I will whatever the cost is." Salvation said looking at Asher. "You don't deserve to suffer and either do they."
Asher shook his head and reached up to hold Salvation's face between his hands. "This is not your fault. None of it. If they try to do anything to you, then they will see a side of me that they never have before. True story."
Salvation blinked and smiled softly. "I don't want you to get hurt, because of me. Promise me you won't do anything." He said honestly.
"Sorry, I can't make that promise." Asher sighed and dropped his hands. "It's a fucking story meant to explain the hard times and give people hope, but with a failsafe built in, just in case it didn't work out right. That's ALL is is." He raked a hand through his hair. "If you're looking for an excuse to put some distance between us, then just say it. Don't use a goddamn campfire story. I've never seen you give up and I refuse to watch it now."
Salvation turned to him. "This has nothing to do with putting distance between us." He put his hand on Asher's arm. "I couldn't take it if something happened to you, because of me. I am not use to having anyone go to bat for me." Salvation wanted to believe it wasn't his fault, but it didn't track in his mind. "Well if its a bullshit story, we need to find it and debug it. And thank you." He said softly.
"Yes, let's debug it." Asher agreed. "And you need to understand, if something happens to me, it's because of my choices, not because of you. If we're together than I have your back, it's how I am." He sighed and leaned in to brush his lisp over Sal's. "And I'm not easy to kill. You mentioned before that I had secrets too. You're right. I'm not even shifter for fuck sake. They assume I am, so I go along with it."
Salvation kissed him back and smiled at how feisty the Doc was. "You're right. I will have to get used to it. Not a shifter huh. I thought so." He said pushing the laptop in front of Asher. "You seem to have this handled better than me. I'm not sure how to weed out the ones we need." Salvation didn't see a filter tab. Was that what it's called filter? His wasn't sure.
"You knew?" He smiled and nodded his agreement. "Bet your ass you need to get used to it," he growled and looked at the computer nudged closer to him. He thought for a moment before he searched for the origin of the story, prophesy, whatever you wanted to call it. "It seems to track back to a Kiowa chief named Quanah. What did you do to piss him off?" Asher arched a brow and glanced at Sal. "Okay, explain this to me. How are you responsible for making the bison leave? Maybe if we tear it apart, piece by piece, we can deconstruct it."
"I am not sure what I really did other than my job. I was the one who herded the buffalo into the mountain, and the day I did it. They humans had slaughters all the Indians horses. Leaving them to go on foot. I know some of them knew how to ride the buffalo, but not all of them were brave enough." Salvation said remembering the look on the chief's face when he told them he was taking them for their own safety.
"Okay, so you just decided to round them all up, or did someone tell you to. I mean it seems like a random thing to wake up with a hard on to do." Asher, rubbed his chin, aware of what a huge role the bison played in the people's survival, both physically and spiritually.
"No, I was told to." Salvation said. "That was my first job. To herd and bring them safely into the mountain."
Asher eyed him thoughtfully, not sure who had the authority to tell him what to do, when he always appeared to be the one in charge. "Do you mind if I ask, by who?"
"Gaia." He said softly.
His brows popped, and he replayed the tale in his head. His eyes widened. "What if it's not you at all. When the mother walks among her kind, has she had something like that happen and fuck man, think about it. The trickster. Another name for Loki. What he did caused Odin to close the doors to Asgard and therefore Valhalla. I've heard Kara complaining about how she has nowhere to take the dead."
The sins of the parents came to mind as Asher spoke. "Well it's not Loki and Odin will come down and answer for the problems they've caused. We need to find out how to fix this." He said looking at the screen. "Why does this have to be so hard?"
"It's not hard. You feel guilty, so you want to be responsible. What we need to know is if Gaia's circumstances changed and how. I've never heard of anyone saying they've met her. Not a single one. Odin, yes. Loki, too many. Even Thor. Never Gaia. Why is that?" Asher felt he was on to something and that pieces of the puzzle were finally sliding into place.
"She is in Asgard or was last time I knew." He said wondering what the story was with all that. "Probably another thing to ask Ve and Kara about. Sharing and caring, it’s the family motto."
"Okay, if we find out that fits, then we need to figure out a way to get Odin to open the door again and see if getting some of the dead, where they need to be, defuses the situation. The question is how do we make the god do that?"
"Ask nicely?" Salvation said with a shrug. "I have no idea, but I have never talked to him and I don't know him. So, I'm kinda useless in that regard. Again, might have to be something Ve and Kara can try and do. I don't think I can do to Asgard and kick the door in. Though I'd try it if it would help."
"I can give it a shot," Asher smirked. He'd never tried to break in to another realm, but there was a first time for everything. "I’m going to suggest something, and you can tell me that I'm full of shit and no, but hear me out." He glanced up and locked his eyes with Sal's that were changing color as the different emotion flowed through the male. "At the meeting tomorrow, let the families hash out their problems and figure out how to work together. If Jared was taken then any of them can be. They need to get over their bullshit and move forward to stop it from repeating. We don't know that that is related to this," he pointed at the screen. "We sit on this. After the meeting, Kara and Ve will be here. Talk to them about it and see if there's anything we can do. There's no point in painting you to be the villain before we know if we need you to fix it." He sighed. "I'm asking for one week. Let the clans work the smaller problems while we work on the big picture."
Salvation was going to protest, but he decided the Doc was right. "Okay I'll only let Kara an Ve know about it. Though if this fucking machine won't spit out the answers I want. I'm going to smash it. We may need to tell Rycker and Reese about it." He growled at the laptop.
Asher sighed, "What do you want it to tell you and thank you. If Kara and Ve have nothing, then kicking down the door it is." He grinned and then froze. "Wait. If Gaia tells you to do things, then why can't she clear this up?"
Salvation scratched his chin. "See the thing is she left me down here to handle everything once I came back. I am my own boss for the most part." He wasn't sure why that was. "I think she forgot about what she has made. I wish I had more answers. Maybe kicking the door in or blowing a hole in is the way to go. Oh, a fire smoke them out?" He said laughing, though it wasn't really that funny.
"Are we insane to be talking about how to invade the Vikings?" Asher chuckled, "I don't think we're going to find our answers in here," he glared at the laptop. "I think we need to prove or disprove your theory. My vote is to clear you, just so we're clear." He rubbed his eyes and then looked up at Sal.
"I never claimed I was sane, but we will get more answers in the morning. I saw we give up the ghost for now. We got a long day an ahead of us and we might be breaking into Asgard." He said closing the laptop lid. "Research is hard. Makes me mind turn to pudding."
"Mmm Pudding," Asher grinned and laced his fingers with Sal's.
Salvation smiled and squeezed his hand. "So now what? Other than me cleaning up the mess I made in here. Sorry about that."
"Don't be. You live here too, and I like coming home to you," he brushed his lips over Sal's knuckled. "What would you like to do. I say we worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. Tonight, we just be us, unless we get called away." He might accidentally kill the idiot that caused that, but Asher kept that to himself. "What would you like to do?"
"I forgot that, I still thinking I'm a guest here." He wasn't sure what to do. "How about you tell me what happened to your hand while I clean up." He said kissing Asher's cheek.
Asher looked down at his hand. He'd forgotten about it completely. Sal had that effect on him. "Koen bit me. We had to cauterize where he lost his foot and didn't have time to put him out completely. He was bleeding out." He sighed and scrubbed his face. "The djinn caved and took him home when he begged. Ana is keeping an eye on the situation. Hope he makes it," Asher sighed.
"He bit you." Salvation said angry. "I'll snap his neck." He said without even thinking. He wanted to protect the Doc and make Koen pay. Then realized what Asher was talking about if anyone came for him. He looked down. "Does it hurt a lot?" He asked.
"He wasn't in his right mind and I was necessarily torturing him, so yes he bit me." He smiled softly, touched that Sal cared. "I hardly feel it, forgot about it until you brought it up, but I was concentrating on you." He smirked. "Now you understand how I feel when you want to play the martyr." He slid his hand down Sal's arm and nuzzled him.
"Yes, I do and this time I'll let it go, but next time I'm killing someone." He said nuzzling him back. "So, tell me some more about yourself. I told you about my Buffy secret. Tell me something you like to watch or read that others might be shocked to know."
Asher groaned and laughed. "I watch Chopped on one of the cooking networks. Is that the kind of thing you're looking for?"
He nodded. "That is a good show. Something else come on? Oh, before I forgot I might have outted our relationship to Reese and Rycker. So, don't be shocked tomorrow if Reese gives you a hard time. Rycker thought I was hitting on him." Sal laughed. "He is handsome, but I told him I had chicken fetish."
He lifted his head and arched a brow. "You did?" It took him a moment to figure out what he felt about that and surprised was at the top of the list. "Well, you're my chicken hawk," he grinned, "And I have no shame over it." He laughed as he imagined Ryker blinking at Sal. "Ry, had to be priceless though. I think he bats for the other team, he gets all fidgety and nervous around Ana. But you're right, he is an attractive man." He nipped Sal's neck. "I like to watch the Bachelor. Is that embarrassing enough?"
Salvation started laughing. "Well whatever you want to call me I'm yours. Well it was a lot of fun giving him a hard time." He smiled. "Yes, that's embarrassing enough. Do you need tissues for it? I've never watch it. Maybe we can watch it together." He said grinning.
"No tissues," he bit him a little harder. "I think watching people self-destruct is amusing." He pulled back, thinking about that. "Not sure what that says about me. I'd love to watch it with you, we can bet on who isn't getting a rose."
"Deal, and don't peak me damn it. I have nightmares about that as it is." He laughed and then got serious. "Pissed off chickens are scary man."
"Keep it up and I'll show you a chicken," he grinned, having no idea what that meant. "You should see a pissed off Thunderbird. Lightning. Thunder. Tornadoes, Hurricanes. Luckily it takes a lot to get me riled," he teased.
"Oh, that's even worse than the chicken peaking my eyes out. Though that's happening now." Sal stopped a moment and leaned back. In his best doctor Phil voice, he said. "So, tell Asher, why are you unhappy in your life?" He knew Asher wasn't making the weather all messed up.
"Well, Doc, it all started when I started to fall for this guy, but he keeps calling me a chicken," He kept a straight face for as long as he could. "Hurtful words and he threatens to cook me."
"And how did that make you feel?" Sal said trying to keep a straight face.
"Insecure. I mean what if he does and my meat is dry?" He groaned and blushed. "That didn't sound like that in my head."
"Then he chokes on it. I mean no one likes dry meat. What's why he offered ranch, or I assume he would." Salvation said trying to not laugh.
Asher cracked up. "Everything is better with ranch." he winked.
The wink made Salvation loose it. He started laughing. "Yes, it is Doc. It's my favorite. And even if your meats dry. It's okay you gotta have lube in the clinic, right? Or I just spit on it." He said laughing harder.
"A problem solver. Another trait to that I can't resist." He shook his head laughing. He hadn't laughed this much in too long and with Sal, he did it often. It felt good. Everything about being with Sal did.
"I aim to please. I only know this cause my meat is old and dry myself. It’s like jerky, but not as good tasting. If you did attack me, you might get your beak stuck in me. It’s that tough and dry." He said almost in tears from laughing.
Asher made a face and shuddered. "Well in that case, I'll get the ranch," he teased.
Wiping his eyes Sal nodded. "That would be a good idea. Do you have bacon ranch?" He asked smirking at Asher.
"Of course, I do. Swiped a vat of it from the kitchen. It has a pump," He smiled wide and slid his hand up and down Sal's side.
"Oh, really a pump. Now you're speaking my language Doc. A big pump?" He asked licking his lips.
Asher grinned. "I don't know, you'll have to decide. Might depend the size of your hands and yours are huge," He glanced down at them and then back to Sal's face.
"They are?" Salvation said looking down at his hands. "I hadn't ever noticed. I thought I was delicate flower here with dainty hands."
"There are many words I would use to describe you and dainty, didn't make the list," He bit his lower lip and slid his palm over Sal's.
"Oh really? Like what?" Salvation said looking at Asher. "Asshole is the top one, right?"
"No," he shot him an unamused look. "Hot. Sexy. Mine," he smirked and stepped closer.
"Oh really? That is good to hear. I like the mine part best. Let's go relax in bed." Salvation taking his hand and heading to the bedroom. The mess of maps and books forgotten.
"Yes, and good." Asher smiled and followed him into the room. Crawling onto the bed, he was on his knees and tugged Sal closer, and slid his free hand around the Ghuardian's neck pulling his lips closer to nip and trace with the tip of his tongue before slipping inside and groaning softly at the heat of Sal's mouth.
Salvation groaned as they kissed, the fact Asher wasn't scared of him and man handled him kinda turned Salvation on. Not breaking the kiss Salvation got on the bed. He let his hand slide across Asher's back.
He pressed his body against Sal's, another groan rolled in his throat at the contact and he grew warmer as his slid his hand under Sal's shirt and stroked Sal's skin, his fingers spreading and pulling Sal into him harder.
Salvation pulled back long enough to take off his shirt. He didn't want to break the closeness, but his clothes we're really aggravating him. "I need to get out of this stuff." He said moving to sit on the bed with his back to Asher. He took off his shoes and stood up. Unzipping his jeans, he pushed them down. He turned back to Asher in his boxers.
Asher pulled his shirt over his head as he watched Sal undress, his eyes eating up every inch of flesh as it was exposed. He was perfect, every damn part of him. He flashed away his boots and pants and as soon as Sal turned back toward him Asher cupped his face between his palm and pulled his lips back to taste them again.
Salvation got back on the bed. As they kissed he ran his over Asher's side slowly. Asher was pure muscle. Sal looked at Asher a moment. "You're so beautiful you know that." He said hoping not to sound lame, but Asher really was something out of a modeling catalog. He always looked tan and with his long dark hair. He was breath taking, at least he was to Salvation.
Asher smiled and brushed the hair over Salvation's shoulder and stroked his bearded jaw with his thumb. "So are you," he answered honestly, leaning in to nuzzle his neck, nipping and licking his skin and groaning as his nose was buried in Salvation's hair and his scent. "I love how you feel," he whispered against his skin as his hands explored Sal's body, the hard muscle under the soft skin pulling a moan from his throat as he grew harder. Thank god, he wasn't trapped inside his jeans anymore.
Salvation sat down on the bed pulling Asher with him. "Thank you." He said holing Asher close to him. He just wanted to feel him close to him. Treasure the moment or time they had together. He looked into Asher's eyes memorizing everything he could about how he looked right now. "I love how you feel too." He said rubbing Asher's arms careful not to touch his hand that was hurt. "I'm still mad you're hurt." Salvation said looking down at Asher's hand. "How long will it take for you to heal?"
"You're welcome. Not long, it's more the bruise that hurts than the bite. I promise, I'm fine," As if to demonstrate it he slid his hand over Sal's chest, savoring the feel of him. He was mesmerized by Sal's eyes and all that he saw in them. "No need to bench me, coach," he teased.
He smiled. "I just want to make sure you are okay." Sal watched his hands as they slide over his chest. His skin goose bumped as Asher hand moved over him. "Bruised is still bad."
"I'll write myself a note that says I'm okay," he grinned. "Honestly, when I'm with you I don't even remember it."
Salvation chuckled. "Okay Doc I'll take your word for it. I'm glad I can make you forgot it." Laying back on the bed Salvation stretched out. As he did his back popped. "Oh jeez." He said. "Maybe you're right I am old."
Asher chuckled and laid down beside him, bracing his head up on his hand as his fingers trailed over Sal' side. "sorry. I like touching you and I can't seem to help myself."
"Touch away." Salvation said smiling. "It's nice it’s been a long time since anyone touched me. I like it. What can I do to make you feel better?" He asked.
Asher leaned over Sal and nibbled at his lips. "Let's pretend the world doesn't exist. It's just you and me." He pulled back to see Sal’s eyes. "Kiss me. Touch me. if you want to. That's all I need, for you to be here, with me, just for a little while."
"I can do that." He said reaching up touching Asher's face. Stroking his cheek, he smiled. "If we make it through all this I want to take you away from here for a while. To some place you've always wanted to go. Just name it and we'll go there for a week." Salvation said running his thumb over Asher's lips.
Closing his eyes, he leaned into Sal's hand and kissed the thumb on his lips, smiling. "Anywhere where only you know my name, is perfect." His hand slid over Sal's collar bone and tangled in his hair as Asher dipped his head to suck Sal's lower lip into his mouth and ran the tip of his tongue over it before her let it go and kissed Sal deep and slow. Asher moved closer wanting to feel more of Sal's skin against his.
Melting into his kiss Salvation brought his hands up and cupped Asher's face. He groaned softly as he felt his body come to life.
Asher lost himself in the feel and taste of Sal's mouth. Everything about him felt right as Asher's hands slid over Sal's body, memorizing every inch by touch. He arched a brow when he hit the cloth of his boxers. He was lost in what he was feeling, the heat racing through his veins and his nerve endings buzzing as he grew drunk on the taste of Sal. Before he realized it, he was running his hand over the cloth covering Sal's length and his hips pressed into Sal. Asher moaned.
Salvation's boxers started to feel tight. He moaned and let his hands move lower on Asher. "I want you Asher." Salvation said in a groan.
Asher licked his lips and nipped Sal's jaw, before he moved down to his neck, searching for the spot that would make the male shiver as his fingers found the opening in the boxers and slipped inside to curl around Sal's length and began to stroke him. "I want you more," he grinned, whispering his hot breath against Sal's damp skin.
Salvation moaned arching off the bed. "Damn Asher." He said as his breath catch in his throat. His heart started to race.
Asher chuckled and pinched Sal's earlobe between his teeth, "Yes?" He moved his hand over Sal's cock, tightening his fingers as they slid over the head and sliding slowly back to the base, moaning as he felt it harden against his skin. His breathing was getting heavy as lifted his head to capture Sal's lips again.
Kissing him back Salvation started pushing his boxers down. He was getting annoyed they were getting in the way.
Asher pulled his hand away long enough to help Sal shed the shorts and then it returned, his own hips rocked against Sal's hip each time Asher stroked him.
Groaning Salvation reached for Asher. "That feels so good."
"Yes, it does," he groaned back looking down to see Salvation's cock sliding through his fingers and pulling a moan for Asher's throat. He was burning for more, but didn't want to push harder than Sal would feel comfortable and they didn't have the history to tell him what that was. This male drove him crazy and set him on fire with just a look, to touch him was making Asher's blood boil.
"I haven't done this in a long time. Tell me what you want." Salvation asked in a husky tone.
"I want your hands on me," Asher answered, his voice sounding gravel filled as he tried to concentrate through all of the things he wanted to do with this male. Had wanted for so fucking long and it was finally happening. He squeezed Sal tighter in his fingers, moaning as he felt a drop of moisture leaking from the tip. Without thinking, he lifted his hand to his moth to taste it and felt his own cock kick at the taste of Sal on his tongue. Licking his palm, he returned it to Sal's length and moved his hand faster.
Salvation reached for Asher's cock, he moaned Asher's name. He growled feeling the cotton boxers in his way. "These need to go." The Ghuardian said in a growl. His own length started to throb in Asher's hand.
Asher ghosted them off, moaning as the cool air hit him and made his skin goosebump. He prayed that he didn't come as soon as Sal touched him, he wanted this to last and for Sal to want to keep him.
Slowly Salvation took Asher's cock in his hand. He stroked it slowly from base to tip. As he moved his hand on Asher he let his grip be gentle. "How's that?" He asked in a whisper. Not wanting to hurt him.
Asher arched into Sal's touch, groaning and kissing Sal, "Tighter," he breathed against his lips. "The way you like it, show me," he demanded, torn between wanting Sal in his mouth and wanting Sal's hand on him. He didn't have enough blood in his upstairs head to figure out how to do both when his entire universe shrunk to Sal's hand on him.
Salvation tightened his grip on Asher and moved his hand a little faster. Salvation didn't have a specific way he liked having sex. It had been so long he'd really forgot his likes and turn on. "This is not about me." He said trying to focus on Asher. "This is about you also. Now tell me." He said in lust filled tone.
Asher's head jacked back, "Fuck, Sal. Like that." he ground out. His brow arched as the last part of what Sal had said filtered through the daze he was in as Sal's hand moved over him. "It better be about you too," he growled, forcing his eyes open to look at Salvation.
"It is I meant to say it’s about us." He smiled knowing Asher was enjoying it. Salvation kept working his hand on Asher's cock. "I like it when you great growly it turns me on." Sal admitted.
Asher chuckled, and squeezed Sal's length a little tighter. His hand fell into the same rhythm as Sal's and Asher's hips rolled into Sal's touch. He kissed the male and growled, "I'll try to remember that."
Salvation was so close. He moaned into Asher's mouth as he felt himself start to explode. He cursed and kept moving his hand on Asher. His heart was racing, and his body started to bead with sweat.
Asher moaned when he felt Sal's cock kick and contract in his palm as he came. Knowing that he was the cause was such a fucking turn on and before he could try to stop himself he did the same, cursing in his head and growling out Salvation's name.
Panting hard Salvation smiled as he felt Asher's cock jerk and felt his hand started to get wet. Milking the last of Asher's seed from his cock Salvation removed his hand and licked his hand. The taste was amazing. He wanted to make a taste like chicken joke, but he didn't. Instead he cleaned his hand off.
Asher looked up from licking his finger to find Sal doing the same and arched a brow, wondering what they would taste like together. He kissed Sal and groaned as their tongues touched. So fucking good. Smiling against Sal's lips he tried to catch his breath. "was it as good for you as it was for me?" he joked and licked the sweat from Sal's neck.
"Yes." He said smiling. "Not to dry." He said laughing.
Asher laughed hard. "You taste better than Ranch, just saying."
Salvation laughed so hard he snorted. "I don't know about that."
"Maybe not on a salad, but here," Asher lost it thinking about what the bears would have to say about that, not that he'd ever suggest such a thing.
"Just add some bacon bits and you got a meal." He said still laughing. "Could you see the look on people face in the bar?" Salvation would love to watch the look on the bears faces when Asher told him what it was.
"I can," Asher coughed out. "Sal's secret recipe," he grinned and stroked Sal's hip.
"Coming soon to KFC." He said in tears again from laughing. "Who knew you were a comedian Doc."
"Me? This is all you," he chuckled, enjoying seeing Sal relaxed and seemingly happy.
"Don't tell anyone. I like them thinking I'm uptight cranky old man. Though I slipped up when I started giving Rycker a hard time. I think he might of his shit pants when I asked to see him in the flesh. You should of seen his face when he came into the back room."
"That would have been priceless," Asher snorted. "Your secret is safe with me and Ry isn't much for gossip."
"He'd better not be. I don't care how much techno gizmo crap he has." Salvation said seriously.
"Relax," Asher patted his hip and kissed him.
"Yes Dear!" He said smiling at Asher.
"That's better," Asher grinned and pulled down a pillow to prop up his head. "I like this."
"I do too." Salvation said cuddling up to him then he remembered he was still sticky. "Um maybe I should go shower. I don't wanna leave a mess in your bed."
"You can if you want, but I don't mind you sticky in our bed," He winked and smirked.
"If it’s not a problem when I'll just cuddle with you." He said cuddling back up to him.
"Perfect. Showers are for mornings anyway," Asher yawned, sliding his arms around Salvation. "Besides, who know what might happen during the night."
He kissed Asher neck. "Yes, who knows." Salvation at the moment started to believe things for him were going to get better. If someone like Asher could want to be with him, maybe he could really start believing in a real life for himself.
Asher smiled. "I'm glad you're here, Chicken Hawk."
"Thank I am too." Salvation said yawning. It didn't take long before both males where sound asleep wrapped in each other’s arms. Unsure of what tomorrow would bring them, but they both knew whatever happened they'd face it together.