Cabbages and Kings
by Thamiris
The quick thrust of a long pick into an oiled keyhole. Probing flicks with a curved, smooth end, deeper and deeper, until finally, the exciting climax: a handful of sparkling jewels.No wonder Autolycus loved to steal.
And now, thanks to a few cheap locks and some underbright Sicyonian merchants, he'd be dining on roasted pheasant and Gallic wine for months to come. Not to mention a few days ahead of schedule. Even better, he intended to share a particularly smooth vintage with the hottest stud on Olympus--maybe pour some between those magnificent pecs and lap it up, if Ares'd let him.
His cock twitched in anticipation, and, eager to reward it, he leapt up the temple steps two at a time. Yeah, he couldn't wait: it'd been a few days since his last encounter with the war god, and while Ares was arguably a little on the selfish side in bed, Auto still managed to sneak in a few orgasms here and there. It certainly beat his own hand in a low-rent room off the Sicyonian docks. He'd barely paused to drop his loot-filled bag at the Thorny Rose before rushing over here to the god's shrine.
Funny--the temple doors were locked. With a shrug, Auto had them open in minutes and walked into the antechamber. When these doors proved locked, too, the thief worked quietly, expertly avoiding any telltale clicks or squeaks. A little squirt of oil on the hinges, and Auto stealthily pushed open the brass doors.
A gust of incense-scented air warmed his cheeks. Wait--not just spicy incense. Sex. He could smell it now, musky and ripe. Must be a few priests having a little private session while the god took care of a war somewhere. That was Ares for you: always busy. The guy never took a break; even when he fucked it was a battle.
Peering into the smoky darkness, Autolycus looked for a pile of red robes. Instead, he saw discarded leathers, a royal blue cloak and two pairs of shiny black boots near the altar. Even Ares' priests didn't wear leather and black boots, while he knew only one guy who wore a cloak dyed Corinthian blue.
And there he was--no mistaking that coppery hair, even in the dim candlelight, the broad back, that juicy ass...That juicy ass being pumped rhythmically, furiously, by some guy from beneath. Sweat coursed between the king's tensed shoulder blades, trickling into the crack, over the bruises on one bronzed buttock where he'd been grabbed, hard.
Autolycus kept staring, hypnotized by the shadow-light splashing over Iphicles' smooth flesh. Ok, maybe he'd had a few fantasies about Herc's hunky brother, but hell, who wouldn't? It's not like Ares wasn't satisfying him, but on the few occasions Auto got near Iphicles, these thoughts kept popping into his head. Dirty thoughts. Dirty, sexy thoughts.
Like last week, just before Auto left for Sicyon. He'd managed to wrangle an invite to a big dinner through Herc, along with a stern warning that if anything went missing, it'd be his ass. Auto spent the whole night trying to get closer to the big, delicious king, but Celeus, Iphicles' protective steward, firmly, and at times even rudely, kept them apart. The way the blond guy stuck like glue to Iphicles, Auto figured he wasn't the only one who wanted to bend the king over his throne.
Auto had no plans to steal anything, just flirt a little. He was a pretty faithful guy (not to mention still a little scared of Ares, who probably didn't take betrayal all that well), but Iphicles was damn tempting: even from across a room packed with overdressed courtiers, under the suspicious blue eyes of Celeus, Auto got the sense that Iphicles wouldn't mind getting friendly. Maybe ‘cause whenever he looked over, the king's golden-brown eyes were on him, and Iphicles'd flashed this ‘Oh yeah, I like what I see' look that made Auto's toes curl and his cock throb.
Court gossips insisted that Iphicles had a lover, a demanding one, although no one'd seen him, just the evidence: bite marks on the king's throat, bruises on his forearms, shadowed eyes from lack of sleep. And, if you talked to the right maids, sheets stiff with dried cum. A god, they figured, Apollo or Cupid. Someone young, handsome and really, really lucky, because the king of Corinth was hotter than Hephaestus' forge. Auto agreed, thinking of those plump copper curls, that swollen, fucked-looking mouth, the big, muscular body...The big, muscular body now being pounded here in Ares' temple.
The man beneath Iphicles moaned louder, his orgasm near, and his strong fingers reached around to squeeze the king's ass, pressing so hard the skin turned white, then blossomed red. With a roar that vibrated through the temple, Iphicles' lover--had to be a priest--arched so hard that the king fell back, head striking the tiled floor with a loud *crack*, but his lover, now on top of him, kept ramming his cock for the few final bursts of pleasure.
When he saw the black curls and blacker eyes, the white teeth gleaming, Auto's balls shriveled. And not an "oh, that's really sexy' shrivel, either. More an ‘oh bloody Tartarus! It's Ares!' kinda one.
Hey, it wasn't a problem. Really. There'd been no promises of exclusivity or anything. No declarations as such. Sure, maybe Auto expected a little fidelity, but what itched most is that he'd bought the god's excuses like some naive virgin. And did Ares have to enjoy it so much? Those echoing groans scratched worse than eagle claws on Prometheus' liver. It should be him inside Iphicles--oops, he meant *instead* of Iphicles...Didn't he?
For better or worse, Autolycus had an idea how to turn jealousy into satisfaction. A form of erotic alchemy: he'd try a little kingly seduction of his own and see how Mr. Big-bad-free-and- easy-with-his-favors liked his two toys playing together. Yeah, revenge. And if that meant sacrificing himself on Iphicles' cock--well, he'd just grit his teeth and do it. For hours and hours.
With a twirl of his mustache, Auto retreated into the clear night air, walking along the well-tended path behind the temple, where, as expected, he found a tethered horse. No palace guards--good. That'd make this easier. Knowing Ares, he'd be good for another few hours, using his godly powers to make sure Iphicles fully gratified him, the big, selfish bastard. Plenty of time for Auto to grab a quick drink or two.
Retracing his steps, he headed south down the wide street to a tavern. Soon Auto was swigging back a surprisingly-rich Gallician wine while he watched a quartet of rowdy merchants playing a drinking game involving dice, dirty variations of popular songs and a lot beer. Back-slapping and snorted laughter punctuated snatches of a reworked Homeric hymn:
"Ares had the biggest prick,
The world had ever seen.
Dite and Discord fought hard and quick,
For the right to lick it clean.""Dite, with her great big tits,
Lost to Discord, who was meaner.
She scratched her rival all to bits,
To win the war god's wiener."More enthusiasm than poetic skill, but it conjured a few steamy images. Ares, after all, really did have a huge cock. Attractive, too, smooth, with only a few blue veins and a full, rounded head, eternally shiny. Right now it was probably teasing Iphicles' tonsils; the god loved shoving it deep down his lover's throat, greedier for pleasure than a kid for Solstice presents.
And Iphicles was like the greatest present of them all. Auto remembered the god's rumbles of pleasure as he fucked him, the king's straining thighs and slick back as he rode that huge cock...
With a quick glance around, Auto let one hand drop from the table's scarred surface onto his thigh. Ok, technically that wasn't quite his thigh, since his engorged cock lay over it, squeezed tight against the leather and in need of relief. "You guys know the ‘Ares and the Farmer's Seven Daughters?'" he called out to the foursome. A little musical inspiration never hurt anyone.
His question earned an excited chorus of assent. The dice were set aside while all four burst into a spirited and not untuneful rendition of the raunchiest Ares ditty Auto knew. And he knew a lot; the war god inspired more dirty songs than all the other Olympians combined.
So Autolycus surreptitiously stroked his hard-on while listening to seventy uses for the god's cock (ten per daughter). He came somewhere in the mid-twenties, picturing himself and Iphicles as Xanthe and Aegina showing Ares just what could be done with two eggs, some chicken wire and a pat of butter.
Then, feeling a little sticky but on a biological buzz, Auto ordered a round of drinks for his new buddies, pushed back his chair, and left the tavern.
Still no sign of Iphicles in the courtyard behind the temple. Auto tiptoed up the steps and sat down beside one of the tall, slender columns supporting the portico. The marble pillar hid him from the light cast by the torches on either side of the door: the perfect vantage point to wait for the king. Mostly perfect, that is. The stone floor felt uncomfortably cold under his butt, and he couldn't help thinking how hot Iphicles' ass would be now, after that rigorous pounding. He imagined Iphicles behind him, squeezing and rubbing his bare ass, warming it with his hands, then his mouth, his cock.
The creak of the heavy door interrupted his fantasy, not to mention his sudden realization that he seemed to have erased Ares from the scene, and he watched the king walk down the stairs, passing close enough to touch, close enough to give off the salty smell of semen. When the door swung shut and the king's booted feet hit the atrium floor, Auto followed him.
"Hi," he said softly.
Iphicles, stuffing his cloak into a saddle bag, whirled around. His sword flashed silver in the moonlight. "If you're thinking robbery or assassination, don't. One shout and my--" he broke off, staring at the man before him. "Autolycus? Is that you?"
"In the flesh," he replied. But it wasn't *his* flesh that interested him. Not this close to the beautiful, bruised and tender flesh of Iphicles, king of Corinth. Even under the shadowy light Auto could make out the dark smudges on the king's neck, the forearms exposed by the short sleeves of his white shirt. His full lips were swollen and obviously sore; Iphicles kept gingerly touching them.
"What're you doing here? Is my brother alright?"
"Herc's fine. It's got nothing to do with him. It's about Ares."
"Ares?"
"Ares."
A long, searching stare. "Look--I've got to get back. Can we talk on the way?" Iphicles scanned the courtyard, then returned his weapon to the leather scabbard at his side. "You don't have a horse?"
Auto shook his head. "I'll be in Corinth for awhile--my stuff's at the Thorny Rose, and I only stea--borrow a horse if there's a need. I'm less conspicuous without one." Less easy to track by the local authorities, but Iphicles didn't need to hear that.
The king's sudden grin, though, spoke volumes. "I get it. Why don't you ride with me, then, and stay at the palace? Any friend of Herc's is welcome there. Especially you. Because Herc seems to like you so much, I mean. I'll send someone by later to collect your things." He grabbed the reins, mounted his horse with surprising ease for such a big man (thereby further fueling Auto's erotic reveries), and offered his hand.
The fingers near Auto's face smelled of semen, and for a fleeting second he almost took them in his mouth. Sanity prevailed, and he grabbed them in his own, placing his foot in the empty stirrup to swing up behind Iphicles.
"Hold on," Iphicles said, guiding the horse back to the street.
Auto wrapped his arms around the other man's waist. "No problem." And he meant it: the gentle rocking of the horse, which brought his cock in direct contact with Iphicles' ass, the friction from his nipples rubbing against Iphicles' back, all made Auto hornier than a herd of minotaurs. If Iphicles noticed the hard-on relentlessly poking him, he gave no sign.
The two rode together quietly through the city streets, not speaking until they'd passed through the heavy stone gates and up the hill toward the palace.
"You had something to tell me about Ares?" Iphicles spoke in a neutral, ‘I'm-not-fucking-him- why-do-you-ask?' tone.
"Yeah. You probably don't know this, but I met him a few months ago. He was kinda pissed at me and Iolaus ‘cause we turned Discord into a chicken...Long story. Anyway, by the end of a really weird day, he showed up at the carnival--"
"Carnival?"
"Don't ask. So he showed up at the carnival after we'd knocked out the chicken, and I thought he was gonna kill us for sure. But he didn't. Instead, he just laughed and laughed, before taking off with his fowlish friend." Auto felt the king's body shake, like Iphicles was trying to stifle his own laugh, although he said nothing. "Oh--did I mention that Ares transformed Discord into a *giant* chicken?"
The king gave up and laughed. "That makes more sense. But he does have a great sense of humor when he lets it show," Iphicles agreed. "Uh...so I've heard."
Hmmm...Apparently the king thought he was cute, but blind, smell-impaired and not overly bright. Not for long. He'd soon find out, too, that his royal ass wasn't the only one receiving divine attention.
Iphicles continued, oblivious. "Herc's always going on about how evil Ares is, but I just don't think he understands how the god's mind works."
"That's what I thought, and why I decided to go see him on my own. Well, that's not the only reason. I kinda had a major hard-on for him before that. I mean, who could resist that body plastered with tight leather?"
The king nodded. "And his face...No one ever talks about how handsome he is."
"Exactly. I went to his temple, hoping his sense of humor wasn't a one-off thing, and dropped a nice ivory-plated sword I stol...Uh, bought in Tegea onto the altar, then called him."
"What happened?"
"Let's just say I was right about the sense of humor," Auto said with a smirk. He waited for Iphicles' reaction. And waited...
"You fucked Ares?"
"Oh yeah! And he fucked me. And it was incredible. Hours and hours of sweating, thrusting, eye-popping sex. A little violent, a little brutal, but that's Ares for ya."
"This happened months ago, right? Just one time?"
"Yeah, it was months ago, but it sure as Tartarus wasn't once time! Every few days at least since then. Hard, intense, pounding sex. You know what he's like: insatiable. Loves to have his cock sucked for hours, his legs spread so wide you can see the tiny white scar on his inner thigh."
An even longer pause followed. Iphicles was either going to boot him off the horse, turn all quiet and pouty, or maybe, just maybe...
Iphicles laughed. "The two-timing bastard! I guess maybe you know what I've been doing for the past few hours. Did you just find out about us--Wait! He didn't invite you along to watch, did he?" He didn't sound offended--just amused.
"No way! He was playing both of us. I only found out tonight ‘cause I was planning to surprise him, and got a big surprise of my own. Not a bad one, either, once I got used to it. You looked really hot being fucked. Really hot." See how Iphicles handled that.
"You liked watching me?" Mild surprise. "What exactly did you see?"
"I showed up while you were riding him. Although no matter what position he's in, Ares always looks like he's controlling the action. And yeah, I liked watching you. You have a great ass." Auto swore the king pressed the aforementioned body part back against him.
"Hmmm...I like hearing that. Knowing you were there, watching, getting off..." He shifted again, almost wiggling.
Auto accepted the encouragement, dragging his palms up along Iphicles' rib cage until they covered the firm pecs. Feeling the hard nipples poking through the linen, he caressed them, rubbing back and forth until the king shuddered. "Are they sore?" he asked. "I know how much he likes to bite."
"A little sore, but it feels good. It'd feel even better if your hands were on my bare skin." And he was definitely thrusting back against Auto's cock.
With his nimble thief's fingers, Autolycus quickly untucked the white shirt, then again slid his hands up the king's body, only this time over warm, silky flesh. Leaning forward, he nuzzled the back of Iphicles' neck through soft hair smelling of sandalwood, before lightly stroking the hard nipples. "How's that?"
"I really shouldn't tell you this, but since we're being honest here...Ever since I first saw you, I've wanted you to suck them."
"I'd do it now, if I could," Auto said. "I'm flexible, but not that flexible. Unless we stopped for a little while..."
"We really shouldn't. I mean, I've got to get back. And then there's Ares, that bastard." But he didn't stop that gentle rocking into Auto's blood-filled cock, while his heart banged wildly against the teasing fingers.
"Yeah, you're right." He freed his right hand to lift the king's hair, exposing a line of flesh between shoulder and neck that tasted as good as it looked. As Auto sucked, still running a fingertip over Iphicles' left nipple, he barely noticed the horse'd stopped.
"It's a nice night; we should enjoy it."
"Just for a while." Auto jumped to the soft earth beside the road, holding out his hand to the king, who took it, landing easily beside him.
It *was* a nice night: under the shadow of the trees, the air scented with pine and laurel, a little damp from yesterday's rain. The blue-ringed moon pulsed silver waves into the purple sky, pulsing hot and hard, filling the ether completely, overpowering it, thrusting its rays deep into...
"Nice moon," Iphicles said.
It was such an innocent comment, miles apart from the lascivious thoughts swirling through Auto's fevered brain, that he decided maybe fast and furious wasn't the best plan. A little coy seduction never hurt anyone. "Oh yeah. I was just admiring the constellation of...Thieverius Majorum."
"I don't think I know that one. Maybe you could show it to me." His hip brushed Auto's as he stood beside him, looking up at the sky.
Auto pointed to a cluster of gold stars to the north. "That's it, there."
"I thought that was Orion's Belt."
"A common misconception. It was actually named for this famous thief, who found out his lover was boffing another guy, who also didn't know he was part of a threesome. In revenge, the two cheat-ees got together and had hot, sweaty sex."
"Sounds like a good story. But I can guess how it ends: their mutual lover finds ‘em together and kills ‘em both."
"I hear the sex was worth it."
Iphicles turned to look at Autolycus. "I can believe it. How did the thief seduce the other guy, anyhow?"
"It wasn't too hard ‘cause he knew the other guy wanted him, so the thief--his name was Autolius--started to touch Iphiclus (the other cheat-ee) kind of casually. Like it didn't really mean anything."
"Like it didn't mean anything? I'm not following you. Could you maybe give me an example?" The question came out with an admirable mix of mostly innocent curiosity, with an arousing tang of fuck-this-is-turning-me-on.
"Sure. They could be like us: outside, enjoying the night air, and the thief could reach out, like this," he extended his hand, "and pretend to swat away a bug that landed right here." He lightly scraped his nails across the king's chest, getting a nipple. When Iphicles sucked in his breath with a sharp hiss, Auto pulled away.
"Auto, I'm not sure how that'd go very far. Iphiclus might not understand what Autolius was trying to do. Maybe he'd really believe there was a bug. I think he'd need something a little more...decisive."
"Makes sense," Auto said, walking a little further into the forest, Iphicles right behind him. "But he can't go too fast. Doesn't want to scare the guy off." He stopped suddenly, and Iphicles stumbled into him. For a long (suspiciously long) minute, he felt the king's erection against his ass. To say it turned him on would be the biggest understatement since Homer, in his first draft of The Odyssey, referred to the Trojan War as ‘that little squabble over the Greek bimbo.' Iphicles, judging by his expression as he turned to face him, shared the feeling.
"Yeah, he might need some reassurance. Iphiclus could bump into him like I just did to you--let him know he's hard. That he's been hard since Autolius showed up."
"I think he'd appreciate it, Iph. Still, it couldn't happen too fast. They'd both be concerned about their shared boyfriend. Maybe they'd even start to talk about him. You know, share experiences and stuff. Like how Ares always kisses really roughly. Never takes the time for long, slow kisses; you know, the kind that leaves you practically unconscious with lust."
"Actually, I don't know. It's been awhile since anyone kissed me like that. Maybe you could show me what you mean." Iphicles paused. "So I'll be able to follow the story better."
"Right. For the story." Auto closed the gap between them, already feeling a little weak. "Put your arms around me."
The king obeyed, forearms resting on the other man's hips, hands clasped just above his ass. This brought their cocks in contact, and Iphicles' eyes closed. When they opened, Autolycus kissed him.
He tried to imitate his first kiss ever, the one he'd got at twelve from Pelias, who lived on the next farm over: lips barely touching, warm breath mingling. Back then, his limbs had quivered while his young cock stiffened to painful fullness. And Pelias hadn't had lips like these, so full and soft, like bruised peaches.
Carefully, Auto took the ripe bottom one between his own, sucking lightly, nudging the tiny valley in the center with his tongue. Iphicles growled, and his own tongue darted forward, the tip flicking against Auto's. Definitely not like Pelias; it'd taken them weeks to build up to this. And Pelias didn't have a cock this size. To keep control, Autolycus drew away, letting the night air flow cooly between them.
Iphicles' hands dropped to his ass, cupping his buttocks, and pulled him back. "I'm starting to remember about slow kisses. I'm gonna give you one; you tell me if I get it right."
"Ok," Auto said. Or maybe his cock did. At this point, it wouldn't surprise him if it did a few magic tricks, or maybe some juggling. When those bruised-peach lips again pressed against his and that hot slick tongue penetrated him, he figured his cock could probably write an epic poem dedicated to the king of Corinth. Or a play in five acts, as Iphicles' tongue flirted with his mouth, combining gentle caresses and playful thrusts.
While the king teased him, Auto ran his fingers through Iphicles' thick hair, then trailed them down the strong back before closing them over that glorious ass. Again, their cocks thudded together, and both men moaned.
"How was the kiss?" Iphicles asked at last, his panted, apple-sweet breath moist against Auto's face.
"Good," he gasped. Work, brain, work. No, that doesn't mean picture Iphicles lying back in the grass with his legs wrapped around your hips while you thrust into him. Go slow. Make it mean something. "I need to sit down," Autolycus half-lied, dropping down to the grass.
"I know what you mean," the king said, lying back in the grass in a way eye-tearingly reminiscent of Auto's fantasy.
Under the bright moonlight, Auto could see the outline of Iphicles' erection, and his control weakened again: he considered blowing him while he worked his own cock into that beautiful mouth. But at the very least, he had to fulfill the king's fantasy and suck those hard nipples. "I think," he said slowly, "that Autolius finally seduced Iphiclus by doing something their lover never did, ‘cause he liked using his teeth too much."
Iphicles' shirt, still untucked from before, came off easily. When the king lay back down, head resting on the balled-up shirt, Auto straddled him, placing his knees on either side of the muscular thighs. At first he did nothing, only stared down at the man under him, admiring the sleek, firm flesh, imagining what it'd be like to trail the head of his cock over it. Soon. For now, those tight nipples deserved his full attention.
As he bent down, Iphicles caught his arm. "Take your shirt off. That's how I see it. Yeah," he added, as the crumpled top landed beside him, "that's better."
At last, Autolycus lowered his head to lick a nipple, which puckered even more. He glanced up as the king sighed, arching beneath him, and smiled at the lust-heated face.
"Suck it," Iphicles whimpered. "He never does."
The other nipple stiffened as he lapped at it. Normally Auto'd touch them, pinching and squeezing, but after a night with Ares, this was all Iphicles could stand. Alternating between the taut nipples, licking each in turn, Auto let the king repeat his command until Iphicles reached the perfect pitch of desperation. Only then did his lips close over the shiny skin, starting a gentle sucking that had the other man writhing under him.
"Just keep doing that, Autolycus. Don't stop."
So Auto kept sucking, doing it noisily, letting Iphicles hear the wet sounds.
"Do the other one now. The same way. It feels so good." He thrust up with every sentence, holding Auto's head close to his chest.
More sucking, more thrusting, until Auto knew he'd come with one more brush of Iphicles' cock. A sudden dampness on his cheek confused him, and he wiped it away. Then he felt another, and another...
"Shit," Auto said, as a cloud burst and heavy diamonds of cold autumn rain poured over them. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear Ares had something to do with this."
Iphicles sat up, wet hair plastered to his face, and started to laugh. "This is *not* how my fantasy's supposed to end."
"How does it end?" Auto asked, pulling his shirts on as they fled the forest.
"Depends," the king answered. "Sometimes with me inside you." He quickly removed his cloak from the saddlebag, then climbed onto his horse. "Sometimes with you inside me."
"You've had this fantasy a lot?"
Iphicles helped him up. "Yeah. Actually I have. You have a problem with that?" With Auto behind him, he wrapped them both in the cloak's warm, dry folds.
Glad for the comforting heat, Auto snuggled against the king...If it's possible to snuggle with a hard-on the size of Ares' sword. "Definitely not me, but I know someone who might." His hands slid under the king's shirt, thumbs finding the still-wet nipples.
"Fuck him," Iphicles said, snapping the reins. But he kept his voice low, even under the whistling wind.
"Right now, I'd rather fuck you."
Another rumble, the purr of a large, wet cat. "I can't believe, after everything he did to me tonight, that I'm this turned-on."
"I should've stayed to watch the whole show."
"What exactly did you see again?"
Autolycus leaned closer, putting mouth to the king's ear. "You. Naked. Sweat dripping down your back, into the crack of your ass while he slammed you. Lots of panting. It was hot." He rubbed his cock against Iphicles' ass, kissing his shoulder. The other man's shudder only made him more determined to drive the king crazy. "I watched for awhile, then I went out to give you guys the chance to finish. Found a bar, had a few drinks. Jerked off under the table thinking about you and him."
"Fuck...I nearly came when you said that. Did you really do it?"
"Yep. No one paid attention. Too much booze and song to notice me spanking the ol' monkey."
The king laughed. "I could never do that. Someone's always watching me, making sure I don't use the tablecloth to blow my nose. You wouldn't believe the shit I went through tonight to escape without a platoon of guards on my ass. I threatened people. Hell, I even bribed a few to keep Celeus out of my hair." But he didn't sound all that sorry--more pleased with himself.
The conversation stopped as they neared the gatehouse. A man, handsome face creased with annoyance under thick blond hair, hurried out, a ring of keys at his waist clattering noisily with every quick step. Celeus, Iphicles' self-appointed guard dog: Cerberus of Corinth, at your service. "Goddammit, Iphicles, I can't believe you took off like that! You could've been--" He broke off at the sight of Auto huddled against the king's back. "What in Tartarus--?"
"Relax, Celeus. It's just Autolycus. He's a friend of--"
"I know exactly who he is. A common criminal. And he can't come in here. I couldn't believe you let him in last week, despite my warnings--"
"Celeus."
"Yeah?"
"Who's king? You or me?"
"Don't pull that shit on me, Iphicles," he said, but stood by to let the horse pass through the gate. "We're gonna have a long talk about this," Celeus shouted after them.
"Nice guy."
"He just takes his job as steward a little too seriously. Uh, Auto?"
"Yes, your majesty?"
"This seduction isn't just a con to get into the palace and rob me blind, right?"
Although fair, the question nicked an edge somewhere inside him. "Take me upstairs and I'll show you why I'm here. Ask me again when you're coming in my mouth."
"Sorry," Iphicles said, as he slid off the horse, handing the reins to a waiting groom. "I've had a lot of people try to use me since I landed this job."
Auto dropped to the ground beside him, then leaned forward. "I want to use you, Iphicles," he whispered. "Just not that way, ok?" About to squeeze the king's ass for emphasis, he let his hand drop when Celeus reappeared. This guy was really starting to get on his nerves.
"I've had a room set up for your...friend. How long will he be staying, d'you think?"
"It's up to him, Celeus."
Auto liked the irked tone of Iphicles' response, not to mention the possibility that the king wanted more than just a quickie. And nearly stumbled in the palace foyer, kicked in the ass by the same need. With a backward glance at the heavy doors clanging shut behind him, he followed the other two upstairs. Any regrets disappeared as he watched Iphicles' ass sway under the slick leather. So what if he actually liked the guy? With glutes like that at his disposal, he'd be willing to give up some personal freedom. The glorious ass also helped him ignore the nagging voice making awkward queries about a certain notoriously violent god.
"Where are we going?" the king asked.
For a second, Auto thought Iphicles was also trying to work through this slightly sticky situation. Then he realized the guy meant it literally.
"I'm taking him to his room," Celeus said. "You're certainly not suggesting--" His blue eyes opened wide with horror. "Iphicles, I know you like to believe you're still an ordinary citizen, but you're king. You can't pick up thieves and bring ‘em back here for some easy relief. Just tell me he's not the one you've been seeing! You swore it was a god--That, at least, we can keep fairly private. But what're the people going to think if you're shacked up with--"
Iphicles sighed. "Fine. I get the picture. Goodnight, Auto."
"‘Night, your highness. We can finish our...business later. Hey Celeus, I hope you're giving me a room with a big window. I like to watch storms, and it looks like we're in for a big one. Iphicles, you should check it out." Behind the steward's back, Auto winked at the king, hoping he caught the hint, then headed after Celeus.
They walked several miles, it seemed, through endless candle-lit hallways, up and down steep stairs. Auto swore they repassed a few of the same ones--all part of Celeus' plan to keep him confused and far, far away from Iphicles. Finally, the steward paused before a small wooden door at the end of a particularly dark corridor on the ground floor. Figures--no room with a view for him.
Celeus turned to Auto, not bothering to conceal his disgust. "If anything goes missing, I'm coming after you," he said. "And if you're not gone in a day's time, there'll be hell to pay. You're not good enough to lick the king's boots, let alone anything else. I can't believe you even got this close to him."
"Oooh, I'm so scared. It'll take more than your pathetic threats to keep me from the king. You know, Celeus, this is starting to feel personal. Iphicles isn't an idiot, and neither's his brother, and they both trust me (mostly). A little jealous, are you? You can't do much about a god, but a plain old mortal? That must burn your tiny little heart."
"Fuck you, Autolycus," he spat out. "I don't know what the king sees in you, but it won't last long, and neither will this god thing. Then he'll be all mi--"
"Keep dreaming, Blondie. ‘Cause that's the only way it's ever gonna happen between you two." He slammed the door in Celeus' furious face and heard the click as the key turned in the lock.
Hades! What a tyrannical prick. To Tartarus with him: right now a horny king lay all alone upstairs, and Auto intended to join him there. He scanned the dingy room for some make-shift climbing equipment. At least the outside walls were heavily decorated; the curves and ridges of sculpted marble made scaling fairly easy. Thank the gods, too, for the balconies, or he'd never make it.
Still, he liked a safeguard. Tugging the sheets from the bed, he tore them in the strips, knotting each end tightly together, eyes still darting around the chamber. Hmmm...That metal brazier'd be loud, but with the storm in full force, the wind howling like an angry Siren, it might work as an anchor.
With the sheet-rope secured to the brazier at one end, around his waist at the other, Autolycus unlatched the shutters and crawled out into the angry night. The lashing rain instantly soaked him, while his boots sank into the muddy ground. Shielding his eyes, he looked up at the palace wall. A few rooms showed flickering candlelight, but he'd put his dinars on the middle one several storeys up.
It took several tries before the improvised anchor hooked on the balcony's narrow railing. The first time he tugged, though, the brazier came crashing down, nearly decapitating him. He succeeded on the second throw and slowly began to climb up. Normally, he didn't like to do this in the midst of a thunderstorm, ‘cause metal anchors offered a nice target for lightning and he swung too much for his tastes. For Iphicles, he'd make an exception.
The rain turned the marble slippery, and he nearly fell once, banging his hip against what appeared to be Zeus' stern face. Ignoring the pain, Auto kept climbing. The break of balconies at every new storey provided some relief, and the cloud-covered moon ensured he wouldn't give any Corinthian lady-in-waiting a heart attack if she looked into the night. His fingers closed over a particularly round outcropping of marble, and grinned. Aphrodite's much-celebrated boobs had their uses. Looking up, he saw the king's balcony right above him and reached out, grabbing one of the short, narrow columns of the balcony. He hauled himself up, vaulting over the side. Just in time, too, he noted: the nightly patrol had just rounded the corner below.
Auto tried the door handle, and it turned easily. He stuck his head in, prepared to rappel down with lightening-speed if he'd picked the wrong room.
"I've never had anyone scale a wall for me," Iphicles said with a smile, rising up from beside the fire. He wore only a pair of loose black pants, his copper hair curling around his face. "Why don't you come here and let me dry you off?"
The pile of towels warming beside the hearth looked only half as inviting as the king's gleaming torso, and he walked quietly over Iphicles.
"Your teeth are chattering. Here, sit down."
He sat in the chair beside the fire, unable to take his eyes of the king. Moonlight sifted through tall trees hadn't prepared him for the sight of Iphicles' body. Hell, his life hadn't prepared him for the sight of Iphicles' body. Only one other guy could compare and that was Ares... "He's gonna kill us if he finds out," Auto said, or tried to say, as he began to shiver with cold.
"Yeah," Iphicles said, tugging off Auto's mud-splattered boots. "He's gonna find out eventually." The other boot joined the first beside the fire. "There's not much we can do." He peeled off the shirt clinging wetly, dropping it on the table beside him. "Unless we stop this now. Is that what you want? Is that what you came up here for? To tell me we made a mistake?"
Standing, Autolycus met Iphicles' searching look. "I came up here to spend the night with you."
"Good." He picked up a fire-warmed towel. "Then let me dry you off."
In all the dirty songs and stories he'd ever heard, Auto had never encountered a reference to the erotic potential of towel-drying. Massages, hot oil, candle wax, fetters and even zucchinis cropped up, but never the delicious feeling of a warm, fluffy white towel scraping over rain- cooled skin. Granted, the experience might not be so sexy with, say, Felafel, holding the towel, but when the strong hands belonged to a beautiful, half-naked king, it rivaled a blow-job--a theory he ached to prove. "That feels good," he said.
"What happened here?" Iphicles asked, touching the new bruise spreading above Auto's hip. "Ares?"
"No--I bumped it on the way up." When the king slid to his knees, kissing the area, Auto gripped the table's edge to keep from keeling over as his blood shot into his cock. "I bumped myself a few places," he added. "They hurt."
Another dimpled smile. "Really? Why don't you show me where?"
Part of him thought they played these games in case Ares showed up. ‘Really, Ares, I hurt myself and...' The other part thought they did it because denying their desperation meant slow, exquisitely torturous foreplay. "Here," he said, pointing at his nipple. "I scraped it somewhere around the second floor. It stings."
"I think I can help with that." Iphicles grasped Auto's shoulders, then bent his head.
The heat of that mouth caused another shudder. He watched the king's tongue teasing the nipple, circling it before it disappeared again between the full lips. Iphicles' head moved slightly from side to side as he gently stretched the skin, making Auto moan. When the other man stopped, he nearly cried.
"Where else did you hurt yourself?"
Auto held up a palm. "Here." That should calm him down: how good could it feel? He found out when Iphicles brought the extended hand to his mouth, learning the life-line with his tongue, and pleasure flashed through his nerves. Iphicles next located a nerve near the fleshy base of the thumb and licked it, raising his eyes for a reaction. He got one, as Autolycus whimpered, sinking back down into the chair.
"It doesn't take much to get you going," Iphicles noted with a grin. "With Ares, if there's no pain involved, he's not interested. This is more fun. Makes me feel kinda powerful."
"Makes me feel kinda...like licking every inch of your body until you're screaming my name." If there was an undue stress on ‘my,' who could blame him?
"So do it. Lick me everywhere."
"Is that a challenge?" Auto asked.
The king walked to the bed, then stripped off his pants. Naked, he lay back against the blue silk quilt, spreading his thighs. His cock, thick and red, rested against his stomach. "Yes."
Auto, his brain melted, let his erection carry him to the bed. Once there, however, a tragic combination of wet leather and huge hard-on halted the proceedings. A paring knife beside a bowl of fruit on the table saved him: with a few deft strokes, the offending pants fell in a tattered heap to the floor. "I'm probably the only guy who ever cut off his pants for you, too" he said, giddy with relief.
Iphicles laughed. "You're definitely the only one. You know, Auto, I've never been this amused, flattered and turned-on all at once before. I like it. Now get your ass over here and lick me."
With a bow, Auto climbed onto the bed. He tried not to stare between the king's thighs, but his eyes kept dropping as he once again straddled Iphicles' body. Their cocks brushed, and the room got silent; even the storm seemed to die a quiet death.
"Auto..."
"Mmmm?"
"I'm not...It's not going to take much. I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry. I want you to come. Just tell me when it's gonna happen so I can see your face."
"Anything you want." Iphicles folded his arms behind his head. "Anything."
Autolycus ran the back of his hand down the king's cheek, feeling the light stubble growing there. Then, using only the tips of his fingers, he tilted back Iphicles' head, exposing his throat. With his tongue, he traveled down the strong jaw, over the taut neck, outlining a collarbone, before licking a parallel track back up. He paused at an earlobe. "Iphicles..."
"Yeah?" The voice came out thick with need.
"I'm not gonna last long, either."
Iphicles arched at the words. "Knowing that doesn't help me!"
Their cocks, trapped between them, both jerked, and Auto sucked in some air, trying not to explode. Focus. Just focus. He tasted the slick skin of the king's right shoulder, then the left. "I'm so close. You have no idea..."
"I have no idea? Seeing you on top of me like this, feeling your tongue, your cock..." His eyes shut for a second. "I'm dying."
"Don't die just yet. Come for me first." He licked a tawny nipple, and when Iphicles gasped, going rigid, Autolycus started sucking. At the first splash of the king's semen against his cock, his eyes turned upward. Iphicles' lips parted, then his teeth came down, biting so hard a drop of blood appeared. Auto managed to watch him for most of it, but when Iphicles gave a final soft whimper, and whispered, "Autolycus," his body melted like his brain had.
"One of these days," Iphicles said, pulling Auto down so his head rested on the king's shoulder, "we're actually gonna have sex like normal people."
About to reply, he froze at the vigorous knock from the door. "Shit--I bet it's Celeus. I should've known he wouldn't give up this easily. Someone needs to tie that guy up and flog him. Not *you*, though. He is kinda pretty, after all. But maybe one of your guards, someone with a taste for domination."
"Don't leave. I'll take care of him. Or have someone take care of him," he added, giving Auto a quick kiss.
"He's a little pissant and I don't trust that guy. I'll see you tomorrow," Auto said, returning Iphicles's kiss before jogging naked to the window. "Oh--could you send someone down with the rest of my clothes and a new pair of pants?"
Already on his feet, kicking Auto's clothes under the bed, Iphicles started laughing again. "You're not going down the wall like that, are you?"
"I know: I'm the first guy who's ever crawled naked down a wall for you. You need to get out more, Iph," he said with a wave. "Don't let the bastard stay here long. And wipe the cum off your stomach--it's a dead giveaway." He slipped onto the balcony, closing the doors carefully behind him, before making his way with supreme care back down to his room.
Nothing worse than a cold, kingless bed, Autolycus thought, flopping around like a waterless fish on the lumpy mattress. Sleep eventually claimed him, and he drifted off to a happy vision of planting Celeus' head in a cabbage patch before spending the first of a thousand nights with Iphicles, king of Corinth.
***
Clanging pots, groggy shouts, and the smell of sausage woke him the next morning. Cursing Celeus for putting him near the kitchen, Auto rolled face-first into the mattress, nearly losing an eye to a particularly aggressive lump, and pulled the pillow over his head. Breathe steadily, in and out. Let nothing interfere with that dream of Iphicles, head thrown back as he comes...
The banging got louder.
"Goddammit," he said, lurching to his feet, using the pillow as a pecker-shield.
Celeus stared back at him through the half-open door. "Iphicles asked me to bring you these," he announced, handing over a neatly-folded pile of clothing, a pair of leather boots on top. "The rest of your...stuff," he sniffed disdainfully, "is being picked up from the inn."
Holding the pillow with one hand (no way this jerk was getting a free show), Auto accepted the clothes with the other. "Anything else? Maybe you could invite a full orchestra to play outside my room."
"Oh, was it noisy? I'm terribly, terribly sorry. I have a message from Iphicles: he wants you to meet him in the grotto behind the palace around noon."
"A grotto? Sounds interesting." Be damned if he asked this loser what in Tartarus a grotto was.
"Don't get your hopes up: it's a cave. Damp and full of bats. Definitely not the place for a seduction, I'm afraid."
Smug asshole. But *his* stomach wasn't covered with dried king-cum, so screw him. "You know what you need, Celeus? About ten years of good, hard fucking so maybe you'd loosen up a little. Now could you send someone to fill my tub--"
The request clattered to the ground; Celeus had already vanished. About to kick the door shut, he noticed a line of blue-clad servants heading down the hall from the kitchen, carrying steaming pitchers and what smelled very agreeably like sausage and eggs.
"King Iphicles sent us, sir," a maid told him, dropping Auto a business-like curtsy. She barked out a few orders to the others, who obeyed at once, then cast an assessing glance at the room, beaked nose wrinkling. "I'll see to it you get better quarters. His majesty said you were a special guest."
"You got the things his majesty sent? And the message? Celeus waylaid the girl who was supposed to bring you both."
He winked. "Celeus doesn't like me."
"There's only one person he does like," she whispered, nodding upstairs.
"You can't blame him, can you?"
"Sir!" she exclaimed, pretending to be scandalized, even though speaking with a mostly-naked guy with a cushion-covered cock. But as she turned to follow the others back down the corridor, the maid winked back. "Any problems, you ask for Egeria; I do at least as much as Celeus around here. And if you don't mind me saying, sir, it's nice to see the king with someone from this plane."
Apparently at least one maid here knew the full details of Iphicles' affair with Ares--and thought Autolycus and the king the better match. Maybe she'd write a poem about the star-crossed lovers when the war god barbequed their asses.
Or maybe not.
Tossing the clothes on the bed, he eased into the copper tub, grabbing the cake of soap resting on the small stand beside him. Sandalwood, with a hint of lemon. Iphicles smelled like that under the muskier tang of cum. Ares' cum. Thinking about the god made him think about why Iphicles set their meeting for noon. Probably official kingly duty, like hearing a court case, settling a dispute, entertaining a visiting diplomat, fucking Ares...
The soap slipped from his hand into the sudsy water. Let's face it: a beautiful, sexually-insatiable god, a handsome, responsive king...How the hell else could it end? Thrown in some forbidden passion ‘cause of the whole Herc connection, and you had a sold-out show at the local amphitheater, booked solid for months to come, bad pun intended. Who could compete with that? Even the King of Thieves had no chance against the god of war.
C'mon...a cave. Obviously dump-city. Like Celeus suggested: not the place for mind-altering sex. Ares probably had Iphicles on his knees in some silk-and-velvet pervert's paradise, with a trio of musicians strumming lyres, a bowl of peeled grapes beside the bed, a few scantily-clad servants waving ostrich fans over the happy couple.
Stepping from the tub, roughly rubbing himself down, Auto mentally flipped the bird to whichever pms-stricken Fate engineered his surprise at the god's temple last night. He'd been happy until then, he assured himself, pulling the blue shirt over his head. A little thievery, a little god-sex-- what more could a guy ask for?
Really, this whole mess was Iphicles' fault. Everything turned inside out when Auto saw him at the dinner, all pouty and seductive. Maybe if the king had stopped zinging him with those come- hither looks, *he'd* be the one bending over for Ares, and not standing here in a cramped little room soon to be rejected in a slimy, bat-filled cave by a guy too damn appealing for his own good and Auto's mental health.
Hell, he'd scaled down a wall naked for Iphicles, he thought indignantly, tugging his pants over his hips--then let out a squeal when he touched the bruised skin. All game-playing aside, he'd *hurt* himself for this fucking guy, and after all the soft looks, warm towels and slow kisses, Autolycus felt a little cheap. Yeah, that's right. Used, too. These big-shot gods and ruler-types thought they could walk all over the little guy, just step on his face with their booted feet, turn on these emotions and then...*click* He snapped his fingers. It was adios, Autolycus.
What he should do is collect a few royal Corinthian treasures and blow this ouzo-stand. Talk about perfect opportunities. Iphicles'd given him free run of the place, so why not help himself to the crown jewels? They'd know it was him, but so what? Plenty of other cities in Greece to keep him busy. Maybe he'd travel a bit, go visit Gaul or Aegyptus. Herc'd be disappointed, but Auto could always tell him he donated the money to starving orphans or horny virgins or some other worthy cause.
His new boots on, Autolycus rose to his feet, fingers twirling his mustache almost maniacally. Time to let his thief's nose lead him to the palace's brimming coffers. He left the room and set off briskly down the hallway to his left, and soon struck gold in a small salon on the main floor. Obviously a greeting room, the place gleamed under the morning sun pouring through the latticed windows.
Picking up a candelabra, Auto held it up to the light. Good workmanship, without question. Would fetch a fair price in Megara, where the pawnshops always ran out of plain-but-elegant pieces. But wasn't that a flaw there, between the two left holders? A slight discoloration? Yep. Oh well. He placed it back on the ivory table, and moved on.
Here was a nice silver box with a carefully inlaid lid. Heavy, too. Definitely not plated. But not a huge demand for boxes on the market, really. A dime a dozen. So it went back on the shelf.
He wandered through the room, picking up more objects only to reject them: the sculptor was too unpopular, Athena's carved smile too insincere, the pattern on that decorative plate too bright...
Eventually Auto gave up. Stealing from Iphicles bothered him, for reasons best ignored for now, so he stepped back into the hallway. May as well go to the cave and kill some time before his stuff showed up from the Thorny Rose. Yep, just killing time. He wasn't going there ‘cause of an overwhelming need to see the king, breakup or no breakup. Nope. Just killing time...
After quick consultation with a maid (one of Egeria's lieutenants from this morning), he located the door leading to the garden. ‘Just follow the path,' she'd told him. ‘You'll pass through the garden, then come to a forest. Walk for about ten minutes, staying on the path, until you come to a fork. Turn right and you'll be there in no time.'
Forcing himself to walk, not run, Autolycus studiously enjoyed the view. To the left, the sea spread out below, sparkling blue under the sun's gold fingers, penetrating the clear water in sharp, precise blasts of intense heat, pounding into...
Ok, obviously he had some issues with nature, not to mention a few with metaphor. But everything just seemed so sexy, ripe and full of life--kind of like his cock right now. Auto hadn't been this horny since...Ever. ‘Cause what if Iphicles *didn't* reject him? What if the king just had a cave-kink and got off on bats and spider and damp? What the hell. He could live with it.
His feet moved faster as he neared the cluster of tall oaks, then slowed. What if he walked in there and Iphicles was covered with fresh bruises, his mouth all swollen and tender like a huge cock had just slid in and out of it for a few hours? What if it didn't? What if Auto could be kissing that mouth right now, instead of wavering like a Hestian virgin confronted with a particularly plump zucchini?
Before him, the narrow path split, once side veering off toward the sea, the other toward a rocky outcropping. Every crunch of the gravel beneath his feet whispered a confusing refrain of, "go forward, you'll be hurt; go forward, you'll be happy" over and over again until he covered his ears and hummed the best bits from ‘Ares and the Farmer's Seven Daughters.'
The oldest three girls were satisfying the god with their mouths, a piece of goat's cheese and a hoe when the cave suddenly loomed directly ahead. "Here goes nothing," Auto muttered and forged into blackness. When his eyes adjusted, he noticed a faint light at the end of a tunnel to his left.
Maybe Iphicles used this place for all his romps, and Auto'd find himself in the middle of that pervert's paradise, after all. But the cool dark hallway opened up into a cool, dark room, more mausoleum than love nest. A torch fixed to one wall revealed only rough grey stone, shiny with damp, an earthen floor and a low ceiling.
Still, he could fuck Iphicles in this place if he had to...Of course, the king had to show up first. Gods! After all this, and Iphicles didn't even have the balls to ditch him in person. Probably off with Ares' cock stuffed up his ass, screaming the god's name while he spurted--
"I missed you," Iphicles said, appearing from a gloomy corner.
"I missed you, too." Being honest was a relief, so he went with it. "I've been thinking about you all morning. I thought maybe you were with Ares."
The king shook his head. "I met with some angry Sicyonian merchants. Apparently someone made off with a stash of jewels and came into Corinth. Anyway, the whole thing turned into a shouting match and they let slip that the jewels were gonna finance a war between Corinth and Athens, so the thief actually did us a favor." He grinned. "You know, I had a hard-on the whole time. I kept thinking about you for some reason and I was tempted to jerk off like you did in the bar, but I decided to save it for you."
His cock hardened. What a catch: beautiful, non-judgmental and a little kinky. "So give it to me now."
"Not here. Somewhere much better."
The shadows swallowed him, and Autolycus set off in hot--very hot--pursuit through a tunnel he'd missed in the dim light. With the king directly in front of him, he couldn't see much and gasped when they arrived in the new chamber.
Unlike the first, this room shimmered silver-blue, lit by walls of polished crystal reflecting the calm aqua water of a small natural pool at its center. On the far side lay a thick blue quilt and a small wooden chest, while the ceiling shot up like the roof in a Gallic church, ending far above their heads in long, amethyst stalactites.
Auto's response was typically poetic. "Holy shit!"
"You like it?"
"It's incredible. I've never seen anything like it. Looks like the place is made from diamonds and sapphires. And it's warm, too. How's that possible? The other room was freezing."
"The water flows in here from a hot spring somewhere deep in the hill. I come here to be alone. I don't think anyone knows about it, except maybe Celeus, who always knows everything, and one of the maids."
"And Ares."
A brief pause. "Once. It's not his kind of place. Let's not think about him, Auto. It's just you and me here." He yanked his shirt over his head, tossing it to the ground.
They stripped quickly, then Autolycus followed the king into water that caressed his body like a thousand lovers' tongues. At waist-level, Iphicles dove down, resurfacing directly before him, silver-blue beads trickling over his bronzed skin, hanging off his long eyelashes and hard nipples. His cock, thick and heavy, brushed against Auto's beneath the clear surface.
"Kiss me," Iphicles said, arms already circling Auto's neck.
With the kiss, everything collided: lips, tongues, nipples, cocks, thighs. But, wanting more, he grabbed Iphicles' ass and pulled him closer, felt the king doing the same to him. He almost fell once, stunned with pleasure, but strong arms moved to his waist, holding him up against that hard, wet body. His cock kept swelling with every thrust of the king's tongue, rubbing against Iphicles' so sweetly he moaned into the other man's mouth.
Through a silver-blue haze of lust, Autolycus danced the king to the glimmering edge of the pool and carefully leaned him back against it. Iphicles' cock stuck straight out from his silver-streaked body, begging for a mouth, but first Auto leaned forward to suck on a dripping nipple, gently stroking the other one, then licked up the water that ran from it. The actions had Iphicles whimpering and rocking against him, and Auto gave up resisting his need to taste the king's cock.
Kneeling between Iphicles' thighs, resting his hands on the lean hips, he took the swollen head into his mouth and let it leak onto his tongue. The king's cry reverberated against the crystal walls, and Auto almost hoped it all crashed down on them ‘cause he'd happily die like this, with Iphicles' delicious cock in his mouth.
But the ceiling didn't shatter, so he began to explore the curves and lines of the shaft, finally using his fingers, letting them follow his tongue's path. Iphicles began breathing so hard that Auto paused, hands still stroking. "You ok?"
"This is...beyond good. Intense. He never bothers." He licked his lips. "Is this what...Do you do this to him?"
"Usually he just fucks my mouth. There's not a lot of play, you know? This is different."
"Good," the king said, smiling.
The jealousy excited him even more, and he worked his way around the head, before returning to the slit, burying his tongue into the small opening. Frustrated, wanting more salty liquid, he sucked again on the tip. When more seeped into his mouth, Auto purred, making Iphicles shiver. Against his tongue, blood pulsed furiously beneath the skin, so he didn't take the cock down his throat, not wanting Iphicles to come yet. Not until he was begging for release.
Pushing the thick cock back against Iphicles' stomach, he drew an invisible line with one finger down the underside, another with his tongue. As he did, Autolycus wished he could see the king's face fully, see exactly what Iphicles looked like when he felt this good, and he told him so, earning him another moan from his lover.
Needing to know all of him, he kissed the blue vein throbbing near the base, then cupped both balls in his hand, bringing them to his mouth. It'd take hours to count each tiny ridge in the skin, and one day he would. For now, he nuzzled the sac, first one side, then the other, warming each with his breath, with featherlight licks.
Autolycus put his hands against the backs of Iphicles' thighs, pushing gently. The firm, round ass came into view, covered in bruises from Ares' demanding fingers. He kissed them all, gauging Iphicles' pleasure from the sounds he made. More cries as he neared the center of his body, and again he pictured how the king looked right now as Auto's tongue entered him: flushed and wanton and so beautiful.
He quivered at the thought, still surprised that touching Iphicles brought them both so much pleasure. Ares was always so demanding, organizing every act like a military campaign, that he often considered saluting the god, then asking for an honorable discharge (a joke he hadn't shared with Ares). Iphicles, however, allowed him free rein, encouraging him only with his uninhibited response.
With a palm flat against each smooth cheek, Auto spread his lover wide open, thrusting his tongue in deeper. There was no break in Iphicles' moans and his body shook, but Auto wasn't finished. Sliding an index finger into his mouth, wetting it, he then positioned it against the tight ring of muscle, easing it inside.
"Auto..."
"Yeah, lover?"
"I...I'm dying. Can't last much longer. Let me touch you now."
"Soon," he said soothingly, angling his finger to reach the sensitive spot.
When he hit it, Iphicles went rigid. "Please..."
He stroked it again, and got the same reaction. "Can you take another finger?"
"I...No...Yes...Maybe..."
"I'll take that as a ‘yes.'" But before adding the second one, Auto wrapped his free hand around the king's cock. Iphicles' body almost bent in two. "I just want to feel your cock react when I do it. Every time you react to me, I get hotter."
Iphicles whispered something indistinct when the second finger stretched him wide, and his cock jumped in his lover's hand as the two tips brushed the spot. He tried to move, but Auto shrugged him off.
"Auto, I'm serious. No more...I can't take it. My body's on fire."
The fingers began to glide in and out, and he watched the opening widen for them. Soon it'd be his cock in there stretching Iphicles, making him groan, making him come--
Then he was falling back into the water. Arms flailing, completely shocked, he dropped like a stone to the bottom, only to reemerge sputtering. "Why'd you do that?" he asked, hurt.
The king, his cock purple with blood, grinned down at him from the pool's edge. "You weren't going to stop, Auto. You know it and I know it. Now get your ass over here so I can suck your cock."
"Yes, your highness," he said, laughing. "But let me tell you now: even after my dunking, I'm still hornier than I've been in my life. Go easy with me."
"Like you did with me?" Iphicles helped Auto from the water, then urged him down on the silk spread.
"I was very easy with you. Why don't you lie back and let me show you how much more you can take."
"Nice try. But you're mine now."
"Well, if you insist." When Iphicles didn't touch him at once, Auto propped himself up on one elbow. "Whatcha doing?"
He'd pulled a small blue jar from the chest, and was pouring amber liquid into a cupped palm, then a pool of it on Auto's navel. "It's just a little oil I brought along with me. It's edible, too. Taste."
Autolycus tentatively licked the proffered finger. "Mmm...Nice. Like pears. But you taste better. Why don't you let me--"
The king spread his hand on Auto's chest and lowered him back to the ground. "Give it up. I'm in charge now."
With Ares that meant rough penetration, with Iphicles, a tongue searching his mouth while oiled fingers turned in languid circles around his nipples. Reaching between their bodies, Auto dipped his own fingers in the liquid, massaging it into the king's broad shoulders. He kept rubbing as Iphicles moved down his chest, hoping to distract his over-excited cock from the effect of that hot mouth on his nipples.
Iphicles sat up, his face and chest gleaming. Silently, his eyes never leaving his lover's, he spilled more oil on his fingers. Then, very deliberately, he caught Auto's cock in both hands, liberally covering it with oil.
Opening his mouth to warn Iphicles about the need for really, really, really light touches on sensitized skin, he moaned instead. Through lowered lids, he saw the satisfied look, saw the dimples deepen when Auto arced up as two thumbs worked the oil onto the head of his cock. And when Iphicles bent down and licked it off, Auto gritted his teeth and managed to squeeze out: "I'm sorry...for before."
"Payback's a bitch...Or it would be, but I'm suffering as much as you are. This control thing really makes me hot." His mouth engulfed the upper portion of his lover's cock just as he slipped a finger inside him.
Autolycus, who considered himself a mature man of the world, a seasoned veteran of life, mewled like a kitten in a rainstorm. Ok, time to fight back. Smearing his hand in the oil puddled on his belly, he half-rose and wiped his sticky fingers on Iphicles' engorged cock. In retaliation, the king deep-throated him, and he almost exploded.
Fumbling for the oil flask, Auto wet his hands, then tossed aside the empty bottle. Twisting his body, never freeing his cock from those velvety lips, his ass from that stroking finger, he spread Iphicles wide again and oiled him thoroughly.
His lover reluctantly pulled off his cock. "So who's going to get it?" he asked.
Auto knew what he meant. "We take turns. It's the only way. You go first."
"Yes," Iphicles said. "Oh gods, yes." Kneeling between Auto's legs, he grasped his calves, raising them high. One hand dropped and he poised his slick cock at the well-oiled opening. "I can't believe I'll finally be inside you."
His hair hung in loose curls around his face, and Autolycus could see the small blood spot where the king'd bitten his lip the night before. Hot didn't begin to define it. "Do it. Now."
Iphicles took a deep breath, then began to push, but did it with an almost cruel languor. "I want us to feel everything."
Clutching the quilt bunched at his sides, Auto let the king control the speed, fighting the urge to raise his hips and close the space between them. There was a satisfying pressure as the big head of Iphicles' cock penetrated him--almost as satisfying as the look on Iphicles' face. "Have I mentioned how fucking sexy you are?"
"Auto..." he groaned as his control slipped, sending his cock straight into his lover's body. "You're the sexy one."
On the first thrust, Auto's vision blurred. On the second, it clarified, and he saw the hazel flecks in Iphicles' dark eyes, the tiny scar over one eyebrow, the shadow of a dimple in his chin. On the third, he pinched his own thighs hard enough to bruise so he wouldn't come. Above him, sweat mixed with oil on Iphicles' skin and splattered like warm rain onto Auto's, until they were both wet again.
"Now," came the whisper, as Iphicles moved onto his back.
Empty without his lover inside him, he almost lowered himself again onto the stiff shaft, but stopped when the king lifted his hips, and Auto's cock slid against his ass.
"Inside me. Now."
He started to push, but stopped seconds later because Iphicles was too tight. "You sure you want this?" Auto asked quietly.
"I want it too much; that's the problem. I can't relax."
"Whew--that's a relief. I can deal with this. Hell, I could use a little break here." He winked down at Iphicles, who smiled...And the head of Auto's cock nudged into his ass. "Hey Iph, ever hear ‘Ares and the Farmer's Seven Daughters?'" The smile widened, and Auto gained another few inches. When he started to sing a few verses, Iphicles dissolved into laughter, and Auto's cock hit home.
"Isn't sex supposed to be serious?"
"It's not a funeral, Iph; you're supposed to have fun." Did the words leave his mouth? Things were getting blurry again.
"If you keep fucking me nice and slow like that, Auto, I'm gonna shoot some fun all over your stomach."
They stopped talking after that, eating pleasure, getting lost in it. There were kisses, light sweeps of fingers over cocks, whispered endearments. Every few strokes they'd switch positions, until another pool formed from their sweat, until the room thundered with their cries, until both came, one bursting inside the other, one spurting hot semen into his lover's hand.
After that, exhausted, Autolycus and Iphicles fell asleep, still-trembling limbs entangled.
***
Auto, snuggled comfortably against the king's softly-breathing body, was less than amused when a rhythmic knocking woke him up. "Go the fuck away, Celeus," he mumbled, burrowing into Iphicles' chest. The noise didn't stop. "Don't think I won't kill you. Stupid prick."
"It's pretty hard to kill a god," said an eerily familiar voice.
Lifting his head to peer over Iphicles' shoulder, Autolycus saw the source of the tapping: the scarily-sharp edge of a long silver sword against the crystal floor. Looking higher, over glossy black boots and skin-tight leather, past the studded vest exposing a thick pelt of black hair, he saw the very beautiful and very angry face of Ares, god of war.
"Hello, Autolycus. I see you've found yourself a new lover. And one of mine, at that."
"Uhhh...Iphicles, we have a problem here," Auto said, giving him a little shake.
The king, eyes still closed, oblivious to the very large threat behind him, gave his lover a kiss. "Mmm...I'm ready for you again," he mumbled, pressing his hard cock against Auto's decidedly squishy one.
"Look, Ares, this isn't his fault, ok? He wasn't into it at all--I forced him. Raped him. Hurt me; the whole thing was my idea."
As his lover spoke, Iphicles' eyes opened, getting wider and wider. He sat up quickly. "Don't listen to him, Ares. He's just traumatized because *I* raped him--he's not thinking clearly. This is all *my* fault."
Ares rolled his eyes. "I should fry your asses right now--especially after this pathetic display. You think I'm an idiot?" He ignored the insistent denials and continued. "I've been watching this sickeningly sweet display since it started. But I'm not going to kill you. No, I've got another way you two can make this up to me." Resheathing his sword, the god tugged out his enormous cock. A casual stroke and it was hard. "Both of you: on your knees. Suck me."
A quick glance at Iphicles confirmed his decision: heads shaking in unison, they scrambled to their feet.
"You wanna kill me, Ares, fine. Go ahead. But I'm not blowing you," the king said defiantly.
"Same here. I can't stop you from forcing me, but I've done it willingly for the last time. If anything, you owe--"
"Yes, Autolycus? What were you going to say?" The god's voice turned low and vicious as a winter wind.
Auto's affair with Ares began because he gambled on the war god's sense of humor, and won. Despite the poison-tipped daggers shooting from the black eyes, he decided to throw the dice one more time. "You've spent the last few months getting countless blowjobs from both of us, and not once did you bother to return the favor. As a parting gift, I say you do us both at the same time." Thanks to the control he'd been learning with Iphicles, not cringing wasn't too hard.
"Holy shit," Iphicles said beside him, and Auto heard admiration there, mixed with fear. "He's...uh...Dammit, he's right, Ares. Give us a blowjob, and we'll call it even."
A fireball appeared in the god's hand. He weighed it, tossed it a foot into the air, then drew back his arm. Auto gave up and cringed. Beside him, Iphicles tensed, and he patted the king's arm. The fireball zoomed between them, landing with a sizzling hiss in the clear blue water at their backs. The two men made a similar sound, almost drowning out the god's monosyllabic utterance.
"Fine."
As Ares advanced toward them, Auto tried to stop gawking, but couldn't. This wasn't possible. The god of war didn't agree to suck them both. But if by some miracle he had, then Auto'd finally get to see Iphicles' face while he came in a warm mouth. His cock hardened instantly. The expression on Ares' face disturbed him, though. He seemed...not disgusted, but not entirely pleased.
"You two need a bath first," Ares said under his breath, then pushed them both into the pool.
Just before they tumbled in, Auto swore he saw a grin lighten the war god's scowling face, then warm water swallowed him, lapping away oil, sweat and cum. Personally, Auto liked his sex a little dirty, he thought, as he bobbed to the surface, but now didn't seem the time to share this information. "You ok with this?" he whispered to Iphicles.
"Yeah," his lover whispered back. "I'll finally be able to see your face while your cock's being sucked."
"I know just what you mean."
"I hate to interrupt the love-fest, but could you two speed it up? I don't have all day, and I might start rethinking my generous offer."
At the threat, the two scrambled out, facing each other near the pool's edge, hips turned outward in Ares' direction. Their cocks, equally hard, jutted out, heads touching with every breath. Auto put his right arm around Iphicles' waist, the king his left around Auto's.
They waited.
From the corner of his eye, he saw the god stride the last few steps toward them, darkly menacing, and Auto prayed he hadn't changed his mind and hack off their heads...Or worse.
Ares stopped only inches away, and Auto snuck a quick peek at the scary, beautiful giant towering above them. But the god only dropped to his knees, tight leather squeaking, and the two men sighed with relief. When Ares's large hands closed over their cocks, and he drew the heads together, rubbing the silvery tips, the sighs turned to moans.
Refusing to blink, to breathe, Autolycus drank in the emotions flitting like shadows over Iphicles' face, saw his lover's lips part, his pupils dilate, as the god fit both heads into his mouth, lashing his tongue back and forth while his hands slowly milked their shafts, occasionally drifting down to stroke their balls.
The king's cheeks turned rosy and his tongue moistened his lips, and Auto knew the god was now sucking his lover's cock. "I could come just looking at you," he whispered to Iphicles. "You like what he's doing, don't you?"
"It feels great. But seeing you while it's happening--that's the best part. Oh, he's sucking you now. Fuck, this is turning me on. I hope you're gonna stay in Corinth for awhile, Auto. I have plans for you."
The warm mouth left his cock, returning to Iphicles. "I'll be around for awhile. I've got some business down south, but it'll only take a week at most." He brushed a stray curl from the king's forehead. "I'll visit my favorite tavern and think about you." He heard a grunt from below, and knew that Iphicles had reacted to that with a thrust down Ares' throat. "And I'll tell you all about it." The mouth returned, more insistent now, the hand moving faster.
"I'll miss you, Auto. One day I'll sneak out and join you in one of these taverns. It'll be my mouth under the table instead of your hand."
Another grunt from Ares as Auto's cock sank deep. The fingers started flying, the mouth moving so quickly it never seemed to leave, and Auto leaned forward, his lips touching the king's. They stayed like that, watching, as their bodies shook and creamy hot semen spilled into the god's mouth.
Only when the pleasure finally receded did both notice that the cum had spurted onto Ares' cheeks, too. Still on his knees, he wiped it off, then licked his hand. "I hope you two are happy."
A sudden noise, and all three turned toward the room's entrance. Seconds later, like a blond tornado, Celeus whirled into the steamy chamber, clutching the bag containing Auto's haul from the Sicyonian gig.
"Iphicles! I found the jewels! I know the merchants are exiled, but the thief should still be punished. And that thief," he paused dramatically, "is Autolycus. I thought I should tell you first, so you can have the honor of bringing him to justice yourself."
Ares rose to his full height. "Who is this?"
The handsome steward's mouth dropped open. "Ares..."
"No, I'm Ares. Who're you?"
"He works for me. But he's yours, if you want him. I'm getting a little sick of his attitude," Iphicles said with a grin.
"Yeah," Auto added, "I think the two of you would have some fun. Celeus is in serious need of some good, hard sex, Ares. The two of you'd be very happy together."
The pronounced bulge in the steward's pants was hard to miss. Being Celeus, though, he denied it. "Are you crazy? Ares is a violent psychopath! He'd probably hurt me!" The bulge grew bigger. He didn't move, either, when the war god approached him, when one of Ares' muscular arms pulled him close.
"Later," the god said, and the two disappeared in a hail of blue sparks.
Iphicles stared at the empty space. "Shit."
"What's the matter?"
"I need a new steward."
"Actually, I have a suggestion: there's a maid, Egeria. I've seen her in action, and she'd be great. I think she already does half of Celeus' job."
The king snapped his fingers. "Perfect! Well, now that that's taken care of, I have an idea."
"Yeah?" Was this what it meant to be giddy?
"Maybe we could try out the third verse from ‘Ares and the Farmer's Seven Daughters.' I've always wanted to do that."
"Yeah! And then maybe verses six-fifteen?"
"Oh, fifteen especially! And twenty-five's always intrigued me..."
"Good thing it's a long song," Auto said, and kissed his lover.
