“So, we are finally doing this?” Elkay asked as he slammed the door to his private quarters, making definitely sure that no one was following him. Arkay was already sitting on the bed, trying to hide that he was anxious. Really, they both were.
“Yeah, I think we are. Taken us long enough.”
Elkay checked the room, making sure they really were alone. Currently, his husband, who had been trying to get Elkay to sleep with Arkay since Arkay had returned to the Thantir, was fast asleep, having had way too much to drink over the last day or so. Teekay was also being looked after by a plethora of other Teekays, and Litvir was busy keeping Retvik distracted, so Elkay and Arkay were finally free to act.
“Well, you can understand why.”
“Of course!” Arkay was being optimistic. “I mean, I’ve not been here for the last 4-ev or so.”
“You know what I mean…” Elkay rolled his eyes, then started undressing himself. Admittedly, he was already rather naked, only wearing a stomach wrap and loin cloth. He had not been wearing armour since the Teekays had decided to have a multi-day long anniversary party. Arkay was wearing a bit more armour, but he was beginning to feel uncomfortable to undress as well.
“I know. Just being playful. You seem stressed.”
“Not stressed, anxious. I do not really want anyone knowing what we are doing.”
Arkay shrugged. “I get that, but, well, we’re pretty obvious… that being said… we ought to be ourselves. And we ought to be safe.”
Elkay grunted, then reached for his desk. He pulled out several rubbers, all of which were both large and thick. “Indeed. Better safe than sorry.”
“Yeah. But also…”
Arkay finished stripping, then sighed to himself briefly. As he did so, he changed shape, becoming leaner and sharper. After a few moments, Arkay revealed his more true self. His pure Synaisthyn shape.
“Huh.”
“What?”
“That was what you meant about being yourself.”
“Yeah. I mean, we’re the only two known active Synaisthyns around. We ought to actually be ourselves rather than constantly forcing a different shape.”
Elkay eyed Arkay for a moment, then sighed as well. Just like Arkay, he turned into his true Synaisthyn self. But although they looked very similar, Elkay was still quite a bit taller than Arkay.
“So… how do you want to do this?”
Elkay glanced around, clearly hesitating but also clearly not sure what he wanted. He sat down on the bed, staring at the floor.
“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to!” Arkay was doing his best to be reassuring. “It’s all up to you. I’ll do whatever you want to do. And if that means you don’t want to do anything, then we won’t do anything.”
“That is my problem. I WANT to do something. This is our chance. And I am wasting it with my indecision.”
Arkay thought for a moment, then shrugged. “Do you want me to just lead the way? I’m not a particularly dominating person in bed but I can make it work.”
“I… I guess that might work…”
Elkay settled down somewhat, then laid back on the bed. All of a sudden, Arkay rolled on top of him and pressed Elkay down, before gently kissing him.
“How about I take you by surprise instead?”
“I think I prefer that.”
Arka smiled. He kissed Elkay some more, pressing Elkay down against the bed, enjoying the taste of Elkay’s skin and sweat. But after a moment, he paused.
“Hey, Elkay, why are you clammy?”
“I am?”
“Yeah. Are you THAT nervous?”
Elkay shrugged, then nodded. “I am very nervous.”
“Why? I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I know. I do not know why.”
“Do you want me to continue?”
“Yes.”
“Alright.”
Arkay changed tactics and started licking Elkay’s neck instead of kissing him. He slowly moved down Elkay’s body. But as he reached Elkay’s (rather sensitive) stomach, it became difficult to keep on licking. Not because Arkay’s tongue was dry, but because his tongue was partially sticking to Elkay’s skin. And Elkay’s skin was even clammier now.
Feeling concerned, Arkay sat up. “Alright, something’s really wrong with you. I shouldn’t be sticking to you but I am. Are you sure you want this? Because it very much seems that you don’t want this, and how your body is reacting is making me feel uneasy too.”
Elkay snarled. “I do not know why my body is like this! I do not know what is going on!”
“Does this happen with Teekay?”
“No!”
“Did it happen when you slept with Kuta and Ret?”
“Not at all!”
Arkay frowned, then tried to get off of Elkay. But he found, wherever his skin touched Elkay’s skin, they seemed to stick together. And even where their organic armour plating was touching, they seemed tacky. And it wasn’t just Elkay’s skin. Arkay’s skin was sticky too. Realising that something was genuinely wrong, Arkay made himself ghost-like and pulled himself off Elkay, instead floating in the air.
“Alright, this is fucked up.”
Elkay sat up and nodded, rubbing himself down. Now that he and Arkay were no longer touching, their skin seemed to turn back to normal. Arkay frowned, then sat down next to Elkay but remained just out of reach.
“I am sorry, Arkay…” Elkay eventually muttered.
“It’s fine, mate. Not your fault. Now I think about it, I’m wondering if this is because we’re Synaisthyns and we just… maybe… maybe the stickiness is… how we’re supposed to mate or something… Maybe if we tried making out while shapeshifted into our casual forms, we’d be alright?”
Elkay shrugged. “I do not know. But I do not want try now. I am… unsettled.”
“Fair enough. Do you want me to leave you alone?”
“A… a little…”
Arkay shrugged as well, then got up. “No worries. I’ll leave you to it. You should go and hug Teekay. It’ll make you feel better.”
Elkay got up too. “You are absolutely right. I am sorry for-”
“Stop it. It’s fine. We’ll try again some other time when we are more comfortable. Anyway, I’m going to go hug Retvik and Litvir. See you later.”
Arkay smiled, then disappeared in a puff of smoke. Elkay stared at where Arkay had once stood, then disappeared in a puff of orange particles, teleporting himself to Teekay’s bedroom.