taemin rested a moment on his stomach, swallowing heavily as he caught his breath. minho had been unusually enthusiastic that evening & taemin had spent more time on his knees bracing against the sheets than he was accustomed to. he pushed himself up on unsteady feet, the familiar sensation of minho’s oozing down the inside of his thigh. he bent to pick up his trousers left unceremoniously on the floor, pulled off by minho’s hungry fingers in a rush rather than the usual smooth motion of taemin’s own hand.

“leave them.”, minho’s voice ordered from the other side of the room. taemin stood & looked back over his shoulder, turning to face his master with a tired face. he didn’t question the command or comment on it, choosing instead to remain immobile until he was given further direction. in contrast to his own state, minho had pulled on his trousers & now stood shifting papers & opening drawers at his desk, the muscles in his abdomen, chest, & arms flexing with every movement & taemin swallowed back the familiar heat that built every time he was allowed to see his master’s form. though he was allowed the sight frequently, the lust he felt hit hard every time.

he waited patiently, silently, until minho finally found what he was looking for. he grabbed a pen & scratched out a note on a piece of paper, strode across the room, & then handed it to the guard just outside the door. the thud of the heavy door as it closed again echoed in the open chamber & taemin kept his eyes on minho as he walked back to him. he stopped abruptly before him, his hands in the air but not touching taemin’s skin. he seemed hesitant which was confusing: his master was not known for being indecisive & taemin himself had never experienced anything but firm determination while in his presence.

he reached up & tucked a loose strand of hair behind taemin’s ear.

“i would like you to stay the night & i would like you to feel free to decline. there will be no repercussions if you prefer to sleep in your own bed.” it was a startling request. it was true that they had grown closer & that his input had been asked for more & more, but they had all been small & insignificant things. he swallowed, thinking. belatedly, it occurred to him that his delay could be interpreted as hesitation & so he quickly replied, “if it pleases my lord.” minho closed his eyes & sighed, turning away.

to his own surprise, taemin caught his arm & held it.

“yes.” they stood at an impasse watching each other warily, uncertain now what steps to take as an unfamiliar threshold had been crossed. there was a freedom he was being allowed, a trust that the most powerful warrior in the kingdom was bestowing on him.

he realized that he had been holding minho’s arm far longer than was appropriate & immediately pulled his hand away, letting it fall to his side. minho’s hand mimicked his slave’s movements.

he smiled when he awoke the next morning with minho’s arm around his waist.

~

“he let me stay the night.”

“what?”

“lord minho allowed me to stay the night. in his bed.” eunsook smiled, a little laugh breaking through.

“that is wonderful.