Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Hey, Molls, Stormy's in the back is looking for you.”

Mollymauk tilted his head with a hum and put a hand on one hip. The brawny, hairy man talking just shrugged.

“Hey, I'm just the messenger,” he said. “He was looking for you yesterday, too. Guess he sees something in you.”

“Who doesn't? Thanks, Bluud” Molly said with a wink and a laugh.

He knocked back a shot, picked up a tray just in case, then traipsed off towards the back of the club where Stormy Blonde usually sat with Broody Ginger, who appeared absent. Molly wasn't sure whether he should feel safer or less safe. Rumor was the duo could be traffickers, and, while Molly had never seen anything to support this claim, he'd also never seen anything to refute it. Still, the man with midnight skin and platinum hair glanced up and stood as Molly approached.

“Kingsley,” he said with a bow of his head, “thank you for taking a moment to entertain me.”

Molly curtsied back at his stage name.

“Of course,” he said. “Not everyday people ask for me, let alone those watching from the back of the room.”

The man chuckled breathily, adding, “And might I say, you're even more lovely up close.”

“Aw, you flatter me! Why?”

The man sat again and gestured across the table.

“If you have a moment…”

Molly glanced around the club. The early time meant it was still mostly empty, so making eye contact with Bluud was easy enough. He waved, and Bluud nodded. Molly sat down across from the dark blonde, who laced his fingers together.

“My husband and I rather enjoy your dances,” he said in his slanted foreign accent. “Would you be available, perhaps, for a private performance next week?”

“Sorry, your… husband?”

The man smiled and nodded.

“We're married, not prudes. And his birthday is next week. I thought a private dance might be a good gift.”

“Er, how… how ‘private’ were you wanting?” Molly asked, neck heating rapidly from the weirdness. “Would it be just us, or did you want to watch? Is that a kink of yours?”

“I suppose it is a kink,” the man admitted. “Caleb enjoys being teased, and I like seeing him all hot and bothered.”

Caleb . Finally, a name to go with one of the mysterious men, even if it was likely fake. Molly nodded.

“So you want me to work him up and let you finish him.”

“That's an option,” the man said, his sparkling silver eyes fixed firmly on Molly. “We'd happily take more, though, if you're interested.”

Molly gulped. It wasn't that he was averse, per se, but he liked his job. No one touched him without permission, not unless they wanted Blud's hands on them. He'd only done call work twice and didn't miss it one bit.

Yet… the man was handsome. Clean-shaven, bleached blonde hair in a gentle undercut, and deep mahogany skin that looked soft over sharp, angular bones. A very, very pretty man. And even at a distance, his husband Caleb - there was something to unwrap later - also looked absolutely gorgeous. Long red hair pulled back in a messy bun, thick glasses over his blue eyes, stark freckles on pale as ash skin… He always seemed half put-together compared to his darker husband, but they matched regardless.

“It's all the same if you don't want to,” the man said, waving a graceful hand. “I'm perfectly happy watching him teased to the edge.”

“You wouldn't want to join in, Mr….?”

“Essek Thelyss. And, no, thank you,” he chuckled softly. “I'm not one for casual entanglements. I leave that to my dear spark.”

Caleb and Essek Thelyss. Caleb was common enough to be made up, but Essek… didn't sound like a pseudonym. It should be easy enough to look up and verify.

“I'll think about it,” Molly told him.

Essek nodded and reached into his jacket. He produced a small card that he handed to Molly.

“When you decide, send me an email,” he said calmly. “We can discuss things further at that point. I have my email open most of the time in case a student needs me.”

“Student?” repeated Molly, brow rising.

Essek gestured to the card, saying, “Caleb and I teach at Starpoint University. We’re scientists. Well, he’s a scientist. I am simply an over-educated mathematician.”

He snickered, and Molly smiled back.

“Is self-deprecating humor your style?”

“For both of us, yes. Caleb will usually respond that he’s but a criminal with access to a lab.” Essek suddenly frowned and added, “I just realized I could say the same, honestly.”

“Very reassuring for someone you’d like alone in your company,” huffed Molly.

“Oh, I’m certain he’s joking, and I’m only wanted for treason. I defected after realizing I was on the wrong side of a ridiculous war. I’m sure you understand.”

Molly nodded. He did understand. He could even guess, based on Essek’s accent, which war he referenced: the same one Mollymauk had fled Shadycreek to avoid joining.

And he told Essek as much, saying, “I was drafted for the Ash-Light. I came here to get out of it.”

“How strange,” said Essek, leaning on his hand. “I’m Kryn, and Caleb is Dwendalian. Funny, how you lived on the border between us.”

Mollymauk hummed, examining the business card, then Essek’s face. Molly considered himself good at reading people. He was the first to realize that Ashton wasn’t a people-person, that Jester had a crush on one of the regular patrons, that two of their bouncers were hooking up behind the bar when it closed.

Essek, though, showed nothing but patience and a hint of curiosity. The card said he had a PhD in physics, so perhaps curiosity was part of who he was. Science was basically centered around learning how and why things work, after all. Molly could relate to that. He, too, had an insatiable curiosity for what made people tick, why they did what they did. Like why Dr. Thelyss would leave his home to marry an ‘enemy’ and share his knowledge with foreigners.

There was a story there, and Molly just had to read it.

“Is that too tight?”

Molly shook his head, flexing to show Essek that he could move, albeit not very far. Even if the scarf were too tight around his wrists, it was damned soft. He admitted to himself he was glad to agree to this, even if only after telling Essek everyone knew he was at the doctor’s house and would call authorities if they didn’t hear from him by midnight. Essek had chuckled and assured him he was free to go at any time he liked by using his safeword.

Now, though, Essek ignored the plethora of thin scars on his body and instead traced one of Molly’s feather tattoos with a finger until it reached a dark purple ribbon that he followed to Molly’s chest where he’d tied it into an elaborate bow.

“You’re so pretty like this, Mr. Tealeaf,” he breathed.

“I thought you weren’t one for casual attraction, Doctor.”

“I’m not,” he assured Molly firmly, “but I can appreciate beautiful things when I see them. And you, Molly, are very beautiful.”

Molly could only imagine. Between the wide ribbon binding his upper arms to his bare torso and the scarf wound around the headboard and pulling each wrist out, he felt both like a gift waiting to be opened and one already unwrapped and eager to be played with. Essek’s gentle touches weren’t calming his anticipation any, either. His tight jeans made sure Essek was aware, too, when the doctor scanned his body with his eyes. He chuckled again and kissed Molly’s forehead, fingers carding through his hair like a hug. Molly whined at the simple act.

“He’ll be here soon. Promise,” he whispered. “He said he canc-.”

“Liebling! I’m home!”

Essek pulled away and smiled brightly, pressing a silencing finger to his lips. Molly nodded, and the dark man stood and left the room. Molly relaxed to the best of his ability and waited, listening for the couple to return. Soon enough, he could hear their gentle chatter.

“-for you.”

“What have you cooked up this time, Starlight?”

“You’ll love it, Spark. It’s pretty as you are.”

“A toad is prettier than me, lieb-.”

The door opened, and Molly heard Caleb’s breath hitch. He couldn’t help but smile, once again imagining himself tied down, covered in ribbon, one leg up to hide his erection and the other stretched out along the mattress. Judging by the way the ginger licked his lips, he must have been quite a vision.

Essek stepped up behind the much taller Caleb, kissed his jaw, and pulled his jacket off reverently.

“Now you see how you look to me,” he whispered warmly, “all tied down and longing.”

Caleb shivered. What freckles weren’t covered by his well-trimmed beard and mustache disappeared against a dark blush. 

“You’re Kingsley,” he panted, loosening his tie.

“Mollymauk. But you can call me Molly, if you want.”

“Molly… Scheisse, you’re beautiful, Molly. Essek-.”

“He’s all yours, dear. I would like to watch, if-.”

“Of course, liebling. Of course.” He grabbed Essek’s face and kissed him deeply, pulling away to say, “You are… so good to me, too good to me. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, dear, but our guest is turning blue.”

“Oh, yes, please,” Molly chimed in, nearly whining as well. “The doctor got me so wound up while we waited for you, Professor Widowgast.”

“Scheisse.”

“The safeword is ‘principal,’” Essek added.

Caleb’s hands instantly went to his belt, and Essek sat down next to Molly to watch him strip. Caleb wasted no time, pulling his underwear down with his slacks to reveal a rather large cock that made Molly swallow hard upon seeing. Essek laughed and rubbed a lock of Molly’s hair between his fingers.

“Astonishing, isn’t it?” he asked softly.

“Yes,” Molly gasped, wishing he could touch himself.

Caleb laughed, too, letting his shirt fall to the floor. He approached the bed in nothing but argyle socks and knelt between Molly’s legs. Molly gasped when he kissed the clothed inside of his knee, and his hips jolted upward.

“If I’d known such a pretty thing was waiting for me,” Caleb said, “I’d have canceled my classes altogether.”

He palmed Molly’s crotch, eyes fluttering at the desperate moan the stripper let out. He lifted his hips to press against the hand only for it to move to his ass, the other hand quickly joining it. Molly dug his toes into the bedding as Caleb kissed his navel. Essek tucked a hand behind Molly’s head and lifted it.

“Oh, you need to watch this,” he told Molly. “He’s very good at this.”

Caleb laughed into Molly’s abs, and Molly forced his eyes open. He met Caleb’s sparkling blues as the professor licked at the flap of his jeans. Then he bit the edge to pop the button free, pulled the zipper into his teeth, and dragged it open.

“Fuck, that’s hot,” Molly whimpered.

“Isn’t it?” laughed Essek, lowering Molly’s head again and stroking his dyed hair. “Caleb can do the most amazing things with his tongue.”

Molly moaned again as Caleb pulled his pants off. Essek’s hands vanished at the same time, replaced with the sound of a drawer opening, plastic crinkling, and the drawer shutting again.

“Danke.”

“Of course.”

“Essek…,” Molly whimpered.

“Oh, lovely, I’m here,” Essek said, hands returning to Molly’s scalp. “Is this good for you?”

“‘S nice,” Molly said as he leaned into Essek’s fingers.

Molly gasped as his dick felt suddenly warm. He looked down to see Caleb pull back just enough to let his hand take over applying a condom where his lips had stopped. He sucked hard on Molly’s tip then swirled his tongue around it. He looked up at Molly again.

“How many do you want?” he asked.

Molly stammered, “I, uh- fuck. Two? I need to get off, but I want you to get your money’s worth.”

“Money?”

“Figure of speech, my dear,” Essek intercepted quickly.

“Y-yeah. Oh, god, please! Please, Caleb…”

The ginger licked the underside of his dick and kissed the tip. Then he wrapped his lips around Molly's head and started bobbing slowly.

“Fuck! Ah, Essek… are you sure,” Molly gasped weakly, “it's his birthday, not mine?”

The doctor chuckled again and pressed a hand over Molly’s mouth.

“Hush, darling,” he sighed. “Caleb wouldn’t be so talented at this if he didn’t enjoy it, would you, Spark?”

Caleb moaned around Molly's cock, and the vibration pushed a muffled scream into Essek’s hand.

“Doing alright, Molly?” he asked, tracing Molly’s lip with his thumb.

Molly nodded and gasped, “Gon-gonna… come…”

“What do you think, Caleb?”

Caleb audibly popped off Molly's dick and stroked it. His face, though dipped lower.

“I am not stopping him,” he said simply.

Then he teased Molly's sack with his teeth, and Molly bucked. Essek's thumb moved from his lip to pin his tongue down as Molly moaned and warbled incoherently. Caleb moved again and sucked on the skin behind Molly's balls. Again, Molly bucked into his hand as his vision cut to white, Essek’s hand quickly moving to cover his mouth and stifle another scream. His other hand pet Molly’s sweat-damp hair.

“Are you quite enjoying yourself, Spark?”

Molly glanced down to see Caleb sucking a hickey into his thigh. His hand slid up Molly’s spent cock, removing the condom as Molly hissed.

“Oh, I am enjoying this greatly, Starlight. But I suspect you have ideas, ja?” the professor chuckled.

“Ja,” Essek mimicked. “I want a turn with my birthday boy. Molly?”

“Fuck, he’s your husband,” laughed Molly. “I’m just here for the night.”

Caleb cupped his cheek and forced him to meet his cold blue eyes.

“We still want you to enjoy this, though,” he cooed.

“Are you interested in watching, or do you prefer to be watched?”

“Dunno. I usually end up involved,” admitted Molly. “I think… as long as you’re touching me, I think I can watch…”

Caleb and Essek shared a look, communicating silently the way friends and lovers do. Caleb smiled,  pulled his hair tied out, and twisted to lie crosswise to Molly. Meanwhile, Essek slid down the restrained body and manipulated Molly’s legs so each of his feet pressed down one of Caleb’s wrists.

“Keep him still for me, lovely,” Essek commanded.

The playful gleam in the doctor’s steel eyes made Molly’s breath hitch, and he nodded. Caleb moaned, too, possibly at the pressure when Molly pushed down, though it could also have been from Essek slipping between his legs. Essek pulled some lube from his shirt pocket, popped it open, and slicked his hand.

“Have you been good this week, little one?” he asked cooly.

“J-ja. I did all my work, Dr. Essek.”

“Have you stopped daydreaming in class?”

Caleb squirmed, and Molly raised his hips to keep the ginger pinned.

“You know I haven’t, lehrer. No one’s that good,” whined Caleb.

His whimpers vanished with Essek’s fingers, turning into a wet moan. Molly’s breath caught again as Essek laid his free hand on Molly’s knee to lord over his husband.

“How is it,” he said so quietly that it was barely audible, “that all my students can focus on my lectures without thinking of my bed but you?”

Oh, this was roleplay, Molly realized suddenly. Caleb was playing a student, subordinate to Essek instead of his equal.

“Hot,” he sighed.

Essek’s movements stuttered. Caleb wrapped his legs around his waist with a gentle smile.

“I just need more attention, lehrer,” he said. “All that you can spare.”

Essek turned his eyes back to Caleb, his short quiff of blonde hair falling over his face, destroying his polished image. Molly bit the inside of his cheek to keep from distracting the man again.

This was a gift. He was only here to observe.

“Oh, I know you do,” whispered Essek hungrily. “And you are so fortunate that I can make time for you, aren’t you?”

“Ja, ja. I am so lucky you see something in me.”

“It’s potential, Spark. I see your potential.”

Caleb arched with a gasp. Essek’s hand drifted off Molly’s knee to stroke his partner. Molly watched greedily as he rolled Caleb’s foreskin down to reveal a red tip before it vanished behind his hand again.

“Now, let’s see how your focus is today, hm?”

Caleb squeaked and started muttering under his breath, reciting something Molly didn't know. Molly was too focused on his cock, anyway, watching the tip appear then disappear behind Essek's dark hand over and over and over…

Caleb panted, barely able to form words, “Zirconium… niobium… Mo-Molly…”

Essek chuckled, “Molybdenum, dear. It seems I'm not the only one who can distract you, hm?”

“Essek…”

“I'm not stopping you.”

Caleb's body tensed instantly as he came on himself and Essek's ebony hand. Molly shivered at the sight, though maybe also a bit at the cold. He was naked, after all, with no one touching him. Essek leaned down over his husband to kiss him lewdly, his painted hand stroking Caleb's hair and cheek.

“Well done, my dear,” Essek whispered. “I have one more idea, but I think you both need a break first, yes?”

“Ja.”

“Please,” Molly agreed. “Could someone…?”

“Untie our guest and clean off,” Essek told Caleb. “I'll get drinks and snacks.”

Essek rose and left the room with such grace, he appeared to be gliding. Meanwhile, Caleb sat up and shuffled to sit next to Molly. Just like Essek had earlier, he traced the ribbons with unsure fingers.

And, unlike Essek, he frowned.

“Where did you get these?” He asked, running a thumb over one of a thousand little scars.

“Clumsy, is all,” Molly said.

Apparently, not convincingly, because Caleb's frown only deepened. He moved to Molly's wrists and untied the scarf.

He didn't mention the scars there.

Molly moved to yank off the ribbons, but Caleb caught his hands. He peppered gentle kisses along the longer, deeper cuts at his wrists, then pressed them down to his stomach, folded over each other in an attempt to make Molly hug himself or something. Then he pulled gently on the ribbons, unwrapping Molly like a gift.

The razor-thin lines along Caleb's arms were hard to see against his pale skin.

“Your husband likes broken things, doesn't he?” Asked Molly.

Caleb grinned weakly, whispering back, “He takes a shine to them. He… struggles sometimes. With guilt. We help each other through it.”

“Ah.”

“Yours are… newer. A few weeks at most?”

“I'm trying to quit.”

“It's hard.”

“So hard.”

Caleb cupped Molly's jaw and leaned in to press their lips together. Well, less of a press than a brush, but Molly took care of that. He cupped the back of Caleb's neck, threading his fingers through the soft strands of fire that cascaded down his back and stopped between his shoulder blades, and pulled him closer. He probably shouldn’t have, but Molly was less a person and more a long string of bad decisions in a roughly human-shaped body.

And Caleb’s lips were so soft where they weren’t chapped.

“Not fair.”

Caleb pulled away, and Molly followed his gaze to the smirking blonde in the doorway. A tray in his hands carried glasses of water and a plate of crackers with some kind of cream on them.

“Where are my kisses?” he asked.

Caleb chuckled and slid off the bed. Molly sat up, hands on the mattress, and watched Caleb cup Essek's chin and lean down for a tender kiss. Then he picked up a glass.

“Right here,” he said, “whenever you ask, Starlight.”

Essek smiled, his adoration pouring out over Caleb as they just stared at each other. Then Caleb sipped his water, and Essek turned to Molly. He held out the tray.

“Are you hungry? Thirsty?”

Desperate , Molly’s brain supplied. He pushed that down, though and took a glass from Essek, thanking him.

“Would you like to stay for dinner, Molly?” the doctor asked.

Molly choked on his mouthful of water.

“W-what?” he sputtered.

Essek turned to Caleb, who shook his head.

“It’s fine,” the ginger said softly. “You can say no, Molly, but… this has been fun. Nice.”

“I know we didn’t really talk about it,” Essek breathed. “I just… assumed you would.”

Caleb pressed another kiss to Essek’s temple and wrapped an arm around him.

Then he said to Molly, “Essek is shy. I think he is asking to get to know you better, ja?”

“Yes.”

“You are very attractive, Molly. This is one of Essek’s… little quirks. He is not comfortable having sex with someone he does not know well.”

Essek flinched and said, “My stomach turns thinking about it.”

“I think,” Molly said slowly, “we should talk over dinner. I mean, I haven’t got plans. I… I can stay a while.”

Caleb practically beamed at Molly, and Essek immediately smiled. He picked up a cracker and shoved it to his husband's mouth.

“Eat. You, too, Molly,” he said, finally gliding closer to the bed. “You're rail thin.”

“Good for tips,” argued Molly before opening his mouth.

Essek raised a brow.

“Are you expecting me to feed you?” He asked.

“Yes.”

Caleb laughed, but Essek huffed and placed a cracker on Molly's tongue. Nothing special on its own; the cheese spread had a good flavor, and Molly made a show of his enjoyment, moaning and licking his lips.

“You said you had an idea, liebling?”

“I also said you should clean off,” Essek said darkly, feeding Molly another cracker. “You have jizz in your hair, Spark.”

Molly snorted at the crass word that so nonchalantly rolled from Essek's mouth. Caleb only grumbled and wandered out of the room.

“What is your idea, anyway?” Molly asked between crackers.

Essek hadn't blushed, not noticeably at least, until then. The apples of his cheeks suddenly turned nearly purple as he smiled deviously.

“I believe the term I read was ‘spitroast.’”

Molly burst out laughing.

“Oh, you are a dirty man under all that posh getup, aren't you?”

“I'm prepared,” corrected Essek. “And when Caleb realized I was interested in meeting you, he… encouraged that interest.”

“This… wasn't all his idea?” Molly asked, mildly surprised.

“Watching dancers? Yes, that was all Caleb. Being drawn in by the pretty boy with the purple hair simply happened. You enticed us both, Mollymauk. But Caleb was quiet until I spoke up. Now, whether that was because of my sexuality or his… prior experience, I don't know. He insisted I take the reins, though, and I do not want to disappoint him.”

“Ah. And what is his ‘prior experience,’ then?”

“I am polyamorous bisexual.”

Molly and Essek both whipped their heads towards the doorway where Caleb dried his hair with a towel. The white stripes on his chest had been washed away. He cast aside the towel to show it washed and messy, too.

“I spent time in a triad in college,” he explained as he stretched. “Strong man. Very pretty girl. Things got… complicated. Fell apart.”

He sat on Molly's other side and continued.

“I left my country after that. Met my dear Starlight teaching. Stayed loyal and content for years. Then he tells me about this kink of his, that he wants to watch someone get a rise out of me as foreplay. I explained my previous relationship, how I would inevitably bond with someone like that. We started going to shows, dances, clubs. Essek would pick out who he was interested in romantically. I would tell him if I found them attractive. You stuck with us both.”

“Romantically? Me?” Molly half-shrieked.

“You're very interesting, darling,” Essek said. “Your marks, your moves, your hair… I do so love purple, and it looks so very good on you…”

Essek cupped Molly's cheek and drew him closer. Silver eyes tinted with affection made Molly melt into his lips as they shared a gentle kiss. Essek pulled away to kiss Molly's ear and whisper into it.

“He's had my hand. You've had his mouth. Care to switch?”

Molly shivered with lust.

“It would be an honor,” he said.

“Spark, would you like to be on your back for this,” Essek asked, “or your knees?”

“Oh, my knees aren't what they used to be, Starlight…”

“Lie down then.”

Caleb silently obeyed and sprawled across the bed naked. Molly's eyes traced the lean curve of his body. Then Essek stood up, and both boys eyes locked on him. He moved slowly, taunting them, as he unbuttoned his shirt. Molly's heart fluttered in a mixture of infatuation and jealousy at the fluidity of his movements.

“What about you, darling Molly?” he asked as he pulled his belt from its loops. “Kneeling or standing?”

“Fuck, I'm just happy to be here,” said Molly.

“What are you two plotting, hmm?” Caleb piped in.

Essek hummed thoughtfully as he rounded the bed. He placed his hands on either side of Caleb's face, bracketing the ginger’s head against the mattress. Molly heard Caleb gulp as though he suddenly realized the position he was in.

“I think I'd like to stand,” Esssek purred. “The height is perfect, don't you agree?”

Caleb sputtered out a litany of words Molly didn't recognize, but they made Essek laugh. Caleb adjusted himself quickly so his head hung just over the edge of the bed, legs open and inviting in front of Molly. Essek petted his hair and glanced at Molly.

“He's always wanted to be in the middle, he says. Astrid always took the middle,” he translated.

Astrid. Another name to file away for later. Molly nodded, though, and settled between Caleb's knees.

“Lube? And condom, I'd assume?” Molly stammered.

Essek muttered under his breath and twisted to open a drawer in the side table. He tossed the requested items quickly to Molly.

“Hopefully, I got him open enough. Go slowly, just in case,” said Essek.

“Nien,” Caleb said. “I can take it.”

Molly lubed up as Essek shimmied out of his nice slacks. His dick wasn't as thick as Caleb's, but it was longer. Much nicer than Molly's, which seemed the middle ground in both regards. On top of that, Essek, unlike either of the Dwendalian men, was circumcised. Caleb moaned and tried to lick away the bead of precum on it, but Essek held him down.

“Now, now, Spark, let's get Molly settled first. I can't have you choking on me,” chuckled Essek.

Well, Mollymauk Tealeaf didn't need to be told twice. He pulled one of Caleb's legs up over his shoulder and wrapped the other around his waist. Heat rolled off his pale skin, warming Molly's soul as he lined up with Caleb's entrance.

Then he pressed in.

Caleb moaned loudly as Molly slid into place.

“Schiesse! Molly…”

“You're so warm, Caleb,” Molly sighed.

“Delightful, isn't it?” Essek cooed.

Both men answered the affirmative. Essek chuckled again and pat Caleb's cheek.

“Open, darling.”

With a whine, Caleb obeyed, letting Essek slide his long dick into his mouth. Caleb reached up to cup Essek's ass and pull him closer. Molly watched, enraptured, as Caleb's throat flexed and relaxed several times. For his part, Essek seemed completely blissed out of his mind from the blowjob. Soft gasps and gentle sighs poured from his thin lips. Then Caleb tapped his hip, and Essek pulled out.

“What's wrong?”

“Molly,” Caleb said hoarsely.

Essek frowned and turned his attention to the man between Caleb's legs.

“Did you want to stop?” He asked.

Molly shook his head, blinked hard, and forced a smile to his lips. It was Caleb's birthday, and he wanted this. Essek paid for this. They shouldn't have to pay for his body's sudden betrayal. Besides, Molly was a performer.

He could fake this for a few more minutes.

Well, he could have. But the couple stared at him with such genuine concern that his facade crumbled, and he covered his face.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “I just… I should have told you before. My gender can… shift. Without warning. I- Don't worry. I can ignore it.”

“What would help?”

“Do you wish to change positions?”

The two spoke on top of each other, really, both immediately concerned about him. Molly's stomach tightened. He peeked through his fingers. They were still there, still worried, just less. He looked down again. Caleb was pretty hard…

“Can I ride you?” Molly asked softly.

“Would that work for you?” Essek asked as Caleb nodded eagerly.

“Yeah. My femme side loves getting pounded.”

“Condom,” Caleb said, tapping Essek's hip again.

Essek nodded and reached for the box on the side table. He handed Molly another condom. He watched, enraptured, as Molly opened and unrolled the latex over Caleb's cock. Caleb whined at the contact, hips jumping into Molly's touch. Molly wet his hand with lube again and reached back to open himself.

“Look how pretty our girl is,” he heard Caleb whisper.

Molly whimpered.

“See, dear, I knew she'd be perfect,” Essek purred back. “Do you really think that other one - what was his name? - would want to be such a lovely lady for us?”

“Gem? They wore skirts sometimes.”

Molly whined and said, “A- Gem is nonbinary, too. But… they're aromantic.”

Both professors let out an “Aaah” of understanding.

“Ja, that would have ended poorly.”

“Did they quit?” asked Essek. “We haven't seen them lately.”

“Neither have we,” Molly admitted. “The madam had to fire them.”

“A shame.”

Molly smirked and removed his hand.

“You really do have a thing for purple hair, hm?” he asked.

Essek smiled blissfully back, saying, “Oh, I really do. But yours is longer. Easier to pull. May I?”

Molly shivered as he lined himself up with Caleb's dick. Then he leaned over him to be closer to Essek.

“Anytime,” he breathed.

Molly sank onto Caleb in one smooth, spine-tingling motion. He gasped at the satisfying pressure, and Essek took advantage of the moment. He cupped Molly's head, twisting fingers into his hair, and pulled him in for another kiss, rougher and longer than the last. Molly happily submitted to the affection, to the tugging of his hair, to the gentle movement of Caleb's hips against his. A hand settled on his hip. With a quick glance, Molly ascertained it to be Caleb's, his other hand still on Essek's thigh. He also noted Essek's hand on Caleb's chest, rubbing a nipple to alertness. His own hands rested motionless on Caleb's stomach.

Well, that just wouldn't do.

Molly curled one hand to scratch gently at the pale flesh of Caleb's stomach as he started rocking back on him. The other rose to Essek's shoulder, where his nails dug sharply into the doctor's back. Essek moaned loudly into his mouth and let their kiss grow sloppy. Molly greeted Essek's tongue with his own. A sudden tug at his hair pulled Molly's head back. Essek instantly scraped his teeth along the exposed throat and pulled a meek whimper from Molly's abandoned lips.

“Still enjoying yourself, Spark?” Essek asked, teasing Molly's neck.

Caleb moaned around Essek's cock. Then his hand moved to Molly's.

“Ah-ah!” Molly gasped, setting it away. “Please don't.”

“Caleb, you really should know better than to touch a lady's cock, now,” Essek scolded with a giggle. He forced Molly to meet his eye and asked, “Any other boundaries we need to know for your -what was it? - your femme side?”

With another high-pitched whine, Molly fell into Essek's chest.

“I like my hair pulled more in this state,” he explained. “And… and I like being called miss and lady and girl, but I still use he/him.”

“Apologies, darling.”

“Thank you. But, yeah. Just… try to avoid my prick. I'll still come. I have a very sensitive arse.”

Caleb, who didn't seem at all distracted, must have been listening very carefully, because he shifted to ghost a finger along the curve of said ass, making Molly gasp and tighten around him. Essek also moaned and backed away again.

“Gonna come,” rasped Caleb.

“Me, too, dear. Molly?”

“Not yet.”

“Is it okay if we finish, darling? We’ll take care of you afterwards,” Essek whispered so, so sweetly.

“Promise?”

“Of course, Moonbeam,” Caleb piped in. “We would never leave you to your own devices.”

Essek combed Molly's sweat-slick hair with his fingers and smiled that adoring smile at him. His heart felt at once too small and too big. Once again he fell into Essek’s chest.

“You two are…,” he breathed, “just something else.”

He took one of Essek's hands and pressed it to his own chest, mouthing at Essek's neck as he resumed riding Caleb. Essek gasped softly and took Molly's cue to tweak and roll his nipple. Molly nearly purred into his neck as Essek pressed him closer. Beneath them, Caleb whimpered and moaned, the noises turning high and needy as their little triangle continued fucking.

Essek snapped first, which made sense. He was the only one who hadn’t come to that point. His beautifully trimmed nails dug into the back of Molly’s neck as he grunted and twitched. Essek kissed Molly’s ear and pulled away gently, sliding out of Caleb’s mouth.

Caleb nearly sat up as he unraveled immediately as well, pumping hard into Molly. Just like Essek, he scraped his nails down Molly’s skin. His hands stopped right above the cleft of Molly's backside. Then, just like Essek, he pressed the barest brush of a kiss into Molly’s sternum and murmured sweetly in a language Molly didn’t know. Essek, meanwhile, slipped behind Molly and started playing with his hair again, making him moan at the gentle massage.

“Got him, Starlight?” Caleb asked, cleaning himself off quickly.

“Yes, dear,” Essek hummed. “What do you like, Miss Molly? How should my sweet Caleb and I ravish you?”

“Fuck,” Molly said with a shiver.

Molly encircled one of Essek’s thin wrists with a hand and freed it from his hair, prompting it instead to his neglected nipple. Wordlessly, Essek started pinching and rolling it.

“Shall Caleb get the other?”

“Please.”

The ginger settled between his legs again with a grin.

“My pleasure, schatz.”

Then he leaned in and mimicked Essek’s movements with his teeth. Molly’s eyes rolled in ecstasy at the attention, head lolling back onto Essek’s shoulder.

“Anything else?” asked Essek.

Molly hooked a leg around Caleb and panted, “Fa- fingers.”

Caleb moaned and licked his nipple. Although he couldn’t see it, Molly could feel Caleb’s hand slide under him and stroke his hole. Molly gasped and sighed at the myriad of sensations the two professors lavished on him.

“If this is what heaven’s like,” Molly panted once Caleb pushed into his ass, “I might have to clean up my act.”

“Oh, you think we’re better?” asked Essek.

“We try,” Caleb muttered into Molly’s chest. “On occasion, we even manage it.”

Essek reached around to cup the ginger’s cheek.

“One step at a time, yes?” he asked.

“Then the next and next,” Caleb replied. “Care to join us, Molly?”

Molly nearly screamed as Caleb brushed his prostate.

“Oh, fuck! Fuck me, yes, anything,” Molly whined. “I wanna stay. Please, I wanna stay… Fuck!”

Caleb pressed again, and every muscle in Molly’s body tightened, then snapped. His chest heaved as he fell into Caleb’s shoulder. Delicate hands stroked his back before guiding him into soft bedding once more. Through the exhaustion, he heard the couple continue talking.

“Can we keep him, liebling?”

“As long as he likes, my dear. I need to start dinner. Do you need rest?”

The rest was lost on Molly as sleep took him in her arms.

Chapter Text

A knock at the door pulled Essek and Caleb from their dishes. Essek turned off the tap and shook his hands dry.

“Who could that be, hm?” he asked, tilting his head inquisitively.

Caleb got to the door first and peeked through the eye hole. Instead of answering, though, he laughed and shook his head. Then he pulled the door open.

“Molly, you don- oh mein gott!”

Essek flinched when Caleb's sweet tone turned to a squeal. He gently pulled a shoebox from a teary Molly's hands and set it delicately on the table, allowing Essek to finally see the contents.

“Oh my,” he breathed, hand on his heart.

Three tiny kittens wiggled around in the container, eyes barely open and unable to walk. Caleb cautiously lifted the orange tabby to inspect it.

“Where is the mother?” He fretted.

“Car,” said Molly simply as he collapsed into a chair. “It hit… she had one… I couldn't… They'd die. And I can't… my apartment… Help.”

Caleb squeezed Molly's shaking arm and said, “Of course, schatz. You did the right thing.”

“Shall I run to the store, dear?” Essek offered.

“Ja, ja. We need milk. Nursing milk, near the cat food, and bottles. Syringes will do in a pinch, but bottles are better. They can't be more than three weeks. Not steady on their feet yet…”

“The mom was moving them,” Molly explained. “She was getting the last one…”

Essek took a moment to stroke Molly's hair and kiss his crown.

“You've saved them, Molly,” he muttered into the brown roots. “They have a fighting chance in Caleb's capable hands. Now, you two wait here. Just the milk and bottles?”

“And cheap towels,” Caleb added. “I know how attached you are to ours. Schatz, could you look for a vet near us? They should be checked over, just to make sure…”

An hour later, the orange tabby and calico slept, their bellies full, while Caleb nursed the solid black kitten in his hands. Molly checked their box every few seconds to make sure the heating pad under the new, ugly towels didn't start baking them.

Essek watched them dote over the babies from the kitchen, a strange but familiar feeling bubbling in his stomach. It visited him rarely, first in college when a friend offered to bring him lunch when he was sick. The very brief moment when an old coworker took the fall for losing government documents that Essek had “shared” with a foreign power in hope of making a breakthrough. Most recently, though, it had been a reaction to the sweet ginger with the accent who showed him all around campus and held his hand and listened intently to his every word and- And now, Molly, whose compassion wasn't even aimed at him, but at the helpless triplets he'd found near a dumpster after their mother and sibling were hit by a car.

Not that it was a sudden change, of course. Seeing the adoration and hopeful smiles he and Caleb traded over the mewling babies was simply the tipping point. No, this bubbling started weeks ago, when Molly had asked so nonchalantly if Essek needed help carrying in groceries. Such a simple act. All of them, really, had been simple acts, true, but they meant everything to Essek and his pervasive imposter syndrome.

So when Caleb's name tumbled from his lips and drew the man's attention, he reminded himself to 'go with it' once more.

“Would it be distracting,” he asked, trying hard to keep the nerves from his voice, “if I borrowed our kitten while you tend the babies?”

The shock in his husband's eyes quickly gave way to tender joy as he smiled.

“Moonbeam, I think Essek wants a word in private,” he said softly.

Molly hesitated, whispered to Caleb, who shook his head, then stood up. Essek nodded towards the bedroom, and Molly instantly relaxed.

“I thought you were mad at me,” he muttered as he took Essek's hand.

“Should I be?”

“You two are already so busy with your students…”

“We've discussed getting a cat before. Caleb just adores them,” Essek assured him. “We just weren't sure what you thought about it.”

“Why would it matter what I think?”

Essek didn't bother shutting the door. Instead, he cupped Molly's face like the delicate porcelain it was and forced his black eyes to meet his.

“You said you wanted to stay,” Essek reminded him. “Is that still true?”

Molly laughed. “Please. You two are my new addiction.”

“Then you are a part of this, darling.”

And Essek pulled Molly in for a kiss. Not for the first time, of course. Essek liked kissing Molly. He was so used to men who towered over his five-foot-flat build that Molly's inch or two put them at the same height when he wore his heeled boots. A good height for kissing. It wasn't the first time Essek poked Molly's lip with his tongue either. Yet Molly whimpered, presumably because, for the first time, their sexual buffer was in another room.

“Essek?”

“Mollymauk.”

He wiped a tear from Molly's cheek, and the dancer just melted into him.

“I don't make your stomach turn?”

Essek frowned and said, “Never. My relationship with sex is… strained. But I'm comfortable with you now. And intrigued and comforted. I'm… actually, I'm quite fond of you.”

He guided Molly to the bed and sat down. Molly, however, remained upright, twisting his fingers anxiously.

He was so much like Caleb, Essek noted. Sexually confident and emotionally insecure. Beautiful, self- destructive at times, and wanting nothing more than a place to belong. And the differences - the way he pushed boundaries, the facade of pride, the skill at subtle manipulation - well, Essek had heard once that shared trauma could be a bonding experience. If whatever messed Molly up was half as terrible as Deirta, they had plenty to bond over. All that later, though, Essek told himself, propping one leg up on a knee.

“I've noticed you and Caleb both enjoy being restrained,” he said instead.

“O-oh. Yes,” said Molly with an uncharacteristic blush. “Yeah, I love the way you tie me down.”

“Would you care to show me how it feels?”

Molly gulped. “You want me to…?”

“Bind me up, yes. Caleb is many things, but,” Essek chuckled lightly and said, “a dom is not one of them.”

“And then what?” Molly breathed.

Essek grinned devilishly and said, “Remember that harness you used last week? It has a matching blindfold.”

Molly dropped to his knees instantly to find and rummage through the supply box under the bed. The strangeness in Essek's gut solidified into arousal at Molly's eagerness, and he began working his collared shirt open.

“What do you want me to do to you?” Molly asked.

“Surprise me. I always have ideas. I need a break from it.”

“Surprise you, eh?”

Molly wiggled his eyebrows, and Essek chuckled lightly.

“No blood, no bruises. You can touch my hair, but don't pull it. Otherwise, use me as you please,” he said as he slipped free of the silky shirt. “I trust you.”

“Oh, you want me to use you, hm? You like to be someone's toy?”

Essek shivered reflexively. Caleb's reaction to the suggestion all those years ago had been so much different. Disappointing, really, but he loved the other professor dearly, far too much to let the hesitation ruin their relationship.

Okay, so maybe his suggestion to add a third was… selfish. But Caleb agreed, and their hunt brought Molly into their home. Why would he regret that? And Molly was good to them, so good to them both… vocal about his needs, bratty on occasion, versatile and a switch to boot. Everything they'd wanted when they started and a few things Essek didn't know he needed.

Molly rose again, soft harness in hand, and deftly wrapped Essek in its tight embrace. Molly buckled straps around his biceps and wrists before securing them to the bulk of the garment, clipping his wrists to his throat and his upper arms to his sides. Essek's eyes rolled back as he whimpered.

“Feeling good, Star?” Molly purred in his ear.

“Mm,” hummed Essek. “So good.”

Hands stroked Essek's prematurely white hair out of his face. He shut his eyes. Eager lips pressed against his and hesitated before pulling away. Heavy fabric settled against his face, over his eyes, and he moaned again.

“Wait right here, precious,” Molly whispered, lips brushing Essek's ear. “I need to gather a few things.”

“Be quick,” Essek panted, already tingling from Molly's confidence and light touches.

He was not quick.

After a minute or two, Essek started flexing his legs impatiently. His loose and comfortable slacks suddenly felt restrictive, and he regretted telling Molly to surprise him. In the past, his partners usually stripped him naked rather than leaving him half-dressed like this.

But this was Molly . He could trust Mollymauk, right?

The door seemed loud on its hinges as it opened. Or closed. Essek couldn't tell. There was no sound of latching either way. Something thunked softly on the side table next, and a rough hand gripped his knee.

“Caleb? Did Molly-?”

“Quiet, Star,” Molly said sharply, at least a few feet away from him. “You wanted me in charge, so you'll do as Miss Molly says, right?”

Essek shuddered again, barely managing to gulp down an aroused squeak. He nodded.

“Right, Essek?” Molly repeated aggressively.

Right. Words. A verbal response.

“Ah. Yes,” replied Essek. “Yes, Miss Molly.”

“Good. Go ahead, Spark.”

Caleb's hands moved from Essek's knees to his shoulders, pushing him to lie back on the bed. Essek bit his lip. He knew Caleb and how hesitant he was to take control, and this pseudo-domination left Essek breathless. A wiry beard and chapped lips brushed his knuckles before vanishing.

Something clicked, perhaps a bottle, as Caleb set to work finally freeing Essek from his belt and pants. Essek sucked a breath in, all the normal smells of their room suddenly accompanied by something new. It rode the line between floral and herbal. Not food: it's arrival was too sudden and too basic to be anything like that.

“Now, Star,” Molly said firmly, “when I say we're starting, you need to hold very still. If you move without my permission, this won't be as enjoyable.”

Essek moaned, “Yes, Miss Molly.”

That could mean a candle, but he couldn't smell any smoke. Besides, flames triggered Caleb's condition and were firmly off the table because of that.

“Caleb?” Molly said.

Essek heard some gentle shuffling and Molly whispering.

“...say blue, use this… stomach… sensitive areas… This one is… focus…  his thighs. Are you good to start, Starlight?”

“I'm green.”

“And your safeword?”

Essek thought for a moment, then said, “Silence.”

“‘Silence,’ then,” repeated Molly. “I’m going to sit on your chest, Essek, and your job is to do absolutely nothing, like a good little toy. When I’m finished, Red gets a turn. You will not come until we have. Understood, Starlight?”

“Ye-yes, Miss Molly.”

“Good.”

The bed shifted on either side of Essek as Molly’s smooth, lithe body climbed up him. His shins pressed against Essek’s arms, pinning them closer to his sides. But Essek could be a good boy, something he mentally repeated to himself as Molly took his hands and wrapped them around his slicked cock, that herbaceous, floral smell stronger as he got closer. Essek stifled a whimper. He hadn’t touched Molly’s dick before and was surprised he wanted that today, especially after insisting on being called “Miss.”

Not that Essek would complain.

Molly himself moaned as he held Essek’s hands tight over this length and said, “Let’s start slow, Caleb. Orange.”

“Ja, Miss Molly.”

Molly slowly pumped into Essek’s hands as Caleb did whatever. Essek held still and resisted the urge to rub his thumb along the new piercing he’d gotten in his glans last month.

Then a hot, oily hand ran up his calf firmly, and he jolted. His hands tightened instinctually, and Molly reacted just as quickly.

Essek registered the pain in his cheek before he even noticed Molly let go of him. The hand on his leg squeezed like an apology. Molly, though, did not apologize.

“Told you to hold still , Starlight.”

“I- I’m sorry, Mo- Miss Molly,” Essek panted.

“Still green?”

“Still green.”

Mollymauk must have leaned down, because his words were so close to Essek's ear they tickled.

“Just relax, lovely, or you won't get your turn.”

“Yes, Miss Molly,” sighed Essek.

Molly slotted himself between Essek's hands again and told Caleb to continue. Now that he knew what was happening, Essek easily relaxed into the hot oil massage. He still made little squeaks and moans of pleasure, though, the unrealized tension in his legs melting under Caleb's touch. His hands he kept very still. They only moved when Molly moved them for him.

“Good, like that…,” he panted as he fucked Essek's hands. “Such a good toy, aren't you? I'm gonna ruin you…”

Essek tried to ignore that this position meant Molly's cock was probably aimed directly at his face. If not for Caleb’s rub-down keeping him boneless, he wasn’t sure he’d have been able to hold so still. Then, after a minute or two, Molly sighed.

“I think we should try the blue, Spark,” he breathed.

Caleb gave Essek’s thighs a gentle squeeze before he pulled away. One of Molly’s thin hands tilted Essek’s face up.

“I’m close, Starlight. Open that pretty mouth for me.”

Essek obeyed, even sticking out his tongue. Molly’s hips stuttered then resumed in earnest.

“Hold still, lovely,” he panted. “Remember to hold still…”

Essek pulled a sharp breath just before something new touched him. Something sharp, wet, so cold it burned, just below his navel. He managed to hold mostly still for Molly, instead digging his toes into the carpet and releasing a high-pitched squeal. Temperature play hadn’t even been on his list of things to try, but he was quickly falling in love with it as Caleb - presumably - skated the ice - also presumed - in patterns across his stomach. He focused on the movements instead of Molly’s labored breathing.

“Good boy, Essek,” Molly managed to say. “You’re doing so good. My good fuckin’ toy…”

Another needy whine resonated in Essek’s throat. Caleb seemed to be ignoring how much his legs moved, which was good. His toes dug into Caleb’s pants just for an anchor. Essek struggled to keep his mouth open and not choke on saliva, concentrated so hard on keeping his hands still that his arms ached.

Molly's grip tightened over his hands, and hot, thick, bitter landed on Essek's face and tongue. Then a second and third thrust as Molly milked himself with Essek's hands. The dancer's fingertips wiped his face, making sure more of his spend made it to Essek's mouth.

“You may swallow, Love.”

Again, Essek did as told and one better. He closed his lips around Molly's fingers and licked them clean first. He also absentmindedly pulled Caleb closer to his straining length with his legs.

A gasp, then Molly said, “Caleb! You naughty boys. He was supposed to hold still!”

“Sorry, Miss Molly,” whimpered Essek.

“Ja, sorry, Miss Molly.”

With a sigh, Molly said, “How am I supposed to punish both of you at the same time?”

“But I tried-!”

A finger to his lips quieted Essek instantly.

“Yes, my lovely, you should get credit for that. It’s the sneaky tiger between your legs that’s pressing his luck, isn’t it?”

Indeed, Caleb’s body shook from snickering, and Essek assumed he wore a matching, devilish smirk. 

“Is he being a little brat again, darling?” Essek asked, dropping his feet back to the floor.

“Of course he is,” Molly growled. “He always is. Caleb, sit.”

Essek bit his lip but had to ask, “He’s got that glimmer in his eye, doesn’t he? Like we’re doing exactly what he wants.”

“He does. He won’t for long.”

Essek settled back into the soft warmth of the bedding as Molly rose. Cold air plucked goosebumps into his chest then legs as Caleb also left him. He thought about rubbing them together but stopped. He could prove to Miss Molly that he could hold still, could focus on something else until they were ready to use him again.

Not easy with Molly’s constant praise from the other side of the bed.

“I see why our dear Starlight gets the soft fabric. You do look good in leather, but I can’t imagine you behaving long in ribbon, would you?”

“Nien, Miss Molly. I am a… bad student.”

“That’s why Essek is the doctor. He can focus. That’s what makes him so good at outlasting us. Open.”

Caleb cursed in Zemnian but must have listened, because no further words left him. Instead, Essek heard low moans and heavy whines.

“Isn’t it funny, Love,” Molly asked with a chuckle, “how the easiest way to quiet our sweet Spark down is to keep his mouth open?”

Essek moaned back, “Oh, yes, Miss Molly. You’re brilliant.”

His goosebumps returned with a vengeance and a shudder. Between Mollymauk’s words and the sounds Caleb was able to make, he knew that Molly decided on the o-ring over the ballgag today. Essek twisted his fingers together in a way he hadn’t done since he was a teenager and listened hard.

Molly’s soft praise. Belts clipping into place. The brief jingle of a bell that meant Caleb’s mouth and hands would be busy. Gentle footsteps. Slender fingers lifted Essek’s chin again and unclipped his cuffs from his throat and wrists. He sighed in relief as his arms finally relaxed, directed out straight by Molly.

“Oh, look at you,” Molly sighed, carding fingers delicately through Essek’s hair. “So lovely. So tense. Do you think you can really hold still for us this time, Love?”

Essek squeaked and said, “Ye-yes, Miss Molly. I promise.”

“Good toy. Do you want to see what I’ve got for you?”

Oh, Essek did. He did, but he also loved being surprised. It’s part of what drew him to physics. Surprises meant new, fun ideas, like string theory and dark energy. And he’d seen Caleb gagged in his leather bonds before.

“Not yet,” he breathed, earning a pat on the check from Molly.

“Alright then. Just one more moment.”

Molly kissed his forehead and vanished again. Essek almost felt like he was about to float away. That herbal smell - eucalyptus? - pervaded the air. Molly’s indecipherable whispers to Caleb. The barely-there bell amid footsteps. A breathy whimper and a sadistic chuckle.

“Essek, spread your legs,” instructed Molly.

“Yes, Miss Molly.”

Essek obeyed and immediately felt Caleb between them. Then, with no warning, heat and cold engulfed his cock.

Screaming, Essek fisted the sheets to keep from moving. Caleb pulled back, moaning and licking Essek with a strangely cold tongue. It wasn’t his style, though, and the moans made Essek think Molly could be pulling Caleb’s hair and forcing his head where he wanted it.

“Did that feel good, Love?” Molly hummed.

“Shit! Yes. More? Miss Molly, can I have more?”

“Spark says you’ve never done temperature play before,” Molly said, “but it looks like you’re enjoying it.”

“Oh, so much,” Essek nearly sobbed. “The ice is… it makes it hard to keep still. Is it… is it in his mouth?”

“It is. Be sure to say if you think you’re going to come, understood?”

“Yes, Miss Mo-aaaahh!”

Caleb’s mouth was back on him, sliding down his length in a slower, measured fashion. The ice cube clicked on his teeth, occasionally dragging against Essek’s own sensitive skin. And Essek whined every time it did, but he didn’t move. He refused, doubly so with Mollymauk watching. Good thing he hadn’t said anything about being quiet.

In retrospect, he probably should have tried, because Molly suddenly cursed and pulled Caleb up again.

“Catch your breath, Sweetie. That’s it,” he muttered. “Do you want to stop? Just needed air? Okay, just breathe. Essek, color?”

“I’m green, Miss Molly.”

“Caleb, knees? Still good?” After a pause, Molly said, “Okay, I’m taking this off. Do not fight me.”

“Is Caleb okay?” Essek asked.

“He hesitated.”

“Oh, Spark…”

“I am fine,” he rasped. “Old injury. It’s not even bad.”

Essek nodded blindly, saying, “Better not to make it worse, dear.”

“And if you’re not enthusiastic, I count it as a no, remember?”

“Ja. I can-”

“I’ve got it, Sweetie,” Molly laughed. “I can give a blowjob. Same rules, Essek. Don’t move, and tell me when you’re there.”

“But-”

“If you insist , you can give me a hand.”

Essek guessed that was literal, because Caleb’s rough fingers wrapped around his cock, not Molly’s delicate ones. His other hand cupped Essek’s cheek, and he leaned into it with a sigh. Molly’s fingers danced up and down his thighs once, twice, before he kissed Essek’s tip. Essek moaned. Caleb’s thumb slipped into his mouth. Essek closed his lips around it and mimicked Molly’s movements to the best of his ability, imitating the long licking, the gentle sucking, the slow bobbing. Then Molly nipped his glans, and Essek nearly jumped out of his skin.

“Tha-that. Mol- Miss- fuck !”

Caleb chuckled next to him and said, “I think, if you do that again…”

“Are you close, Essek?” Molly asked, lips brushing his shaft, nearly ending the sentence with another superficial bite.

Essek confirmed, mind too gone to say anything in common and forcing Caleb to translate that he was, in fact, being polite. His brain was simply mush at the time. Molly licked up his cock.

“You may,” he whispered.

He gave Essek one more suck and grazed his teeth over the tip. At which point, Essek no longer held still. His legs clamped hard over Molly’s head like a rubber band snapping back into place. He did manage to keep his back pressed to the mattress, or Caleb pressed him down. Not important. The important thing was that he came so hard, he couldn’t feel his body, and his ears were ringing. His own lips moved unbidden.

“ Almighty and Eternal God, I come to the sacrament of your only begotten son… ”

“...saw God, Molly,” Caleb snickered.

“Heard God,” Essek corrected.

“Safe to assume it’s been a long time?” Molly asked. “You two don’t strike me as the religious type.”

Essek smirked and opened his eyes. One of his partners had removed his blindfold in his daze, and both hovered over him in smug satisfaction. Molly reached down to stroke his hair.

“Do you want me to take care of Caleb, Love?”

“Nn. Want to help.”

“Are you sure you can move, Starlight?” asked Caleb.

Another smile crossed Essek’s lips. He reached up, put a hand in Caleb’s hair, and pulled him down for a kiss. Kissing Caleb had become a habit after nine years together and five years of marriage. Adding Mollymauk, however, meant that the differences had to be cherished. The way Caleb hesitated before meeting Essek’s tongue with his own and cupped his cheek when Essek tipped his head. The odd comfort of stubble against his own smooth jaw.

When he released Caleb, he reached for Mollymauk, quickly banishing the younger man's pout. His eagerness to kiss made Essek's lips tingle, any earlier hesitation exiled for so many reasons that Essek bet they exceeded the counts of treason he had on his head.

Mollymauk smelled like lemon and sugar and sandalwood compared to the strong cedar and musk Caleb wore. Sometimes, on a femme day, he would wear skirts and lipstick, but this day, only gold eyeliner and his tattoos marked his skin. Lately, he'd mentioned expanding the peacock up his neck or getting something pierced. For now, the various occult ink on his arm and back kept Essek and Caleb both mesmerized.

“Schiesse, you two are pretty,” Caleb sighed as his boys parted. “My beautiful purple babes.”

“My handsome geniuses,” Mollymauk grinned back.

Essek blinked, suddenly blanking on what Caleb and Molly had in common.

“My cat daddies,” he blurted.

Molly laughed, but Caleb paled. Still naked, he stumbled out of the room. Molly rubbed Essek's arm.

“Try again, Love,” he said. “I think if I hear an older man call me ‘daddy' again, I might have a stroke.”

“Mmm… my gorgeous subs.”

“Oooh, much better…”

Molly pulled Essek so he was laying in bed proper instead of across it, then snuggled into his neck.

“I think,” he whispered, “Caleb's probably so blue by now, he'll need both of us to clean him up.”

Essek smiled and hummed, “I know I just called you my sub, but you are… just a treat when you dom.”

Molly reached up and pulled Essek in for another kiss, deep but slow this time. It felt less desperate and more… like a confession, like Molly was asking for something. Essek didn’t respond, though, outside of returning the energy. And running his fingers through Molly’s silken hair. Oh, he took such good care of his appearance, with extra attention on his hair. There was never too much product, grease, or oil; it never dried out or split, despite the coloring. Some undoubtedly called it vanity, but…

Essek’s hair lost its color when he was twelve. For a decade, Dierta forced him to dye it so he wouldn’t be teased. Only when he started his masters did he realize that she was the one mocking his appearance. He confirmed this by visiting home bald one holiday and getting immediately kicked out of her house. After that, sporting his white locks in a style Dierta would hate became an act of rebellion. It was just hair… but it was personal, wasn’t it? It said something.

They stopped kissing when Caleb re-entered the bedroom with an armful of water bottles.

“ Was ?” he asked quietly. “I was checking the kits. They are still warm, still asleep.”

Molly hummed in Essek's ear, “He is a good dad, isn't he?”

Essek chuckled and pat Mollymauk's thigh.

“Come, dear,” he purred. “It's your turn to be cared for.”

Caleb made that too-familiar face of debate between arguing or crying, did neither, set the waters down, then followed the given order. As he settled between the smaller men, Essek kissed the freckles on his shoulder, and Mollymauk nuzzled his throat on the other side.

“Aw, fuck,” he whined, a subtle shift in his pitch giving him away.

Caleb picked up on it, too, and chuckled again.

“Ah, there you are, Miss Molly,” he muttered, kissing Molly's brow.

Essek laid his hand over Molly’s as it rubbed Caleb’s chest.

“Did you want to change plans?” he asked.

“Mmm, no,” Molly said with a grin. “But I won’t complain if you pull my hair more. You’ve been obsessed with it today.”

“I’m always obsessed with your hair.”

“Any hair, really. He loves touching mine, too,” said Caleb.

“It’s intimate.”

“It’s seeexy…” drawled Molly, pulling his hand away to slide it down Caleb’s pale body.

“Especially when there’s just so much of it,” Essek agreed.

He followed Molly’s hand with his lips, kissing the fur that covered Caleb’s chest and stomach. He kissed Molly’s fingertips when he passed them on his way to Caleb’s filling dick. He could feel Molly play with his hair as he stroked Caleb to full attention and kissed the head of his cock. He gently rolled back the foreskin and swallowed Caleb’s hot length.

Essek spent some time like that, just licking and occasionally bobbing up and down Caleb’s dick. Then Molly’s hand moved to the back of his head and tugged softly. Essek gasped, letting Caleb fall from his mouth and finding it quickly replaced by Molly’s desperate tongue.

“Don’t be so greedy, Starlight,” he warned when they separated.

“Schiesse! Bitte… bitte…,” Caleb panted.

Molly mouthed around the base, kissing Essek’s fingers when they got in the way. Essek winked up at Caleb and resumed licking the shaft with the flat of his tongue. Every few times, he dared to flick the tip of his tongue over the head, which always got a curse from Caleb.

Then Molly intervened just as Caleb’s tells showed up. Low moans shifted to sharp panting, and his left heel dug into the bedding. Essek kissed the glans instead of teasing the slit, but Molly reached around to hold his head in place and press their lips together.

Essek’s own eyes rolled back to the point he swore he could see his brain. Caleb was poly, and Molly seemed to be up for whatever, but Essek had never kissed someone with another dick already in his mouth before. Less than ten minutes after reciting prayer. He whined into Molly’s mouth and licked at teeth and glans and-

And, as predicted, Caleb’s hips snapped. Essek sat up to swallow his mouthful and saw Molly do the same while Caleb fought for breath.

“That was a lot, Red,” Molly cooed.

“Ihr neckt beide zu sehr…”

Essek laughed, “It isn’t teasing if we follow through, dear.”

“Fick dich.”

Molly released a breathy moan and flopped down next to Caleb. He arched his back as he stretched, and Essek’s attention fell square on his growing dick. Essek’s also twitched in interest but not enough. He climbed over Caleb to pin Molly down with one hand anyway.

“Oi!”

“Wet these, darling,” Essek commanded, holding his free hand up to Molly’s face.

Mollymauk’s eyes widened as he whimpered, but he opened his mouth to slick Essek’s fingers with spit. Essek patted his cheek.

“Good girl. Do you want to play or just come?”

“Ge-getting tired. Just come.”

“As you wish.”

Molly’s moan as two fingers plunged into him nearly made Essek second-guess whether or not he wanted another round of his own. Between regular poundings from Caleb and Essek’s - as Dierta called them - “piano fingers,” Molly was already plenty stretched. He writhed and mewled under Essek in an attempt to get his fingers where he wanted them. The doctor clicked his tongue, released Molly's wrists, and jerked hard on his hair. Molly instantly stilled, face contorting to scream soundlessly. Essek crooked his fingers inside of him.

“There! Yes, fuck, please! Oh, fucking God!”

Essek rubbed firmly up and down the spot twice more before Molly snapped. As white spend covered Molly's tan stomach, Essek admired him. He'd certainly never orgasmed without being touched, nor had he seen such a feat from Caleb. Molly had teased that he probably could, though, given the right… stimulation.

He barely noticed Caleb reach for him to pull him down between them. Then Caleb passed around the forgotten water bottles.

“No, I wanna sleep…,” whined Molly.

“Hydrate first,” Essek commanded, “or I won't pull your hair anymore.”

Molly pouted and flipped him off but sat up.

“Eat my ass.”

“Maybe next time.”

Caleb snorted water, and the next several minutes were spent calming laughing fits and cleaning it up.

Chapter Text

“Caleb dear?”

He pulled his gaze away from the papers and towards the beautiful man in the chair across from him. Essek frowned in obvious worry.

Damn.

“Are you alright?” Essek asked, leaning over his laptop.

“I am… no. One of my students… copied their paper.”

“I'll alert the dean.”

“Please don't,” whispered Caleb.

Essek paused, and his eyes crinkled in concern.

“It’s not… is it about… him ?”

Caleb nodded silently. Essek shut his computer.

“It looks to me,” he said, standing up, “like you've become suddenly ill. I think it best we both get home and rest until it passes, yes?”

“Essek, I cannot take sick leave just because-.”

“Your mental well-being is included in your health, and I will not allow you to neglect it,” Essek said firmly. “Email your students.”

Caleb sighed but obeyed, tapping out a short message to the science department and students that he was under the weather and to enjoy the extended weekend. Then he uncapped a marker, circled the offending paragraph of copied text, and scribbled “TRY AGAIN” at the top of the paper before setting it aside, upside down.

He didn't want to see it come Monday. Or ever again, honestly.

“You really do look sick, Spark,” Essek uttered. “So pale and tired.”

“You would be pale, too, reading papers on your own past life.”

Essek helped him into a much-too-big long coat with a grim smile.

“I would, yes. I'm very fortunate that my contributions to science do not overlap with my shortcomings as yours do,” he whispered. “Let's get you home.”

Caleb nodded solemnly. A scarf brushed his cheek as Essek wrapped him up, his own arms limp and numb at his sides. He could feel his eyes glossing over as he withdrew from the present. He leaned into the soft crochet stitches. The smell of Essek's favorite lavender and shea soap, a hint of Molly's lemon sugar scrub lingering on them both. One hand low on his back pushed him out of the office, the other twisting fingers into his own hand. Every so often, Caleb felt Essek squeeze his hand, pulling him back into his body long enough to push a few steps closer to the car. Once they finally arrived, Essek helped Caleb into the passenger seat and pressed his phone to an ear.

“Hello, Kitten. Caleb and I will be home early today. Could you possibly…?”

His voice faded as he circled the vehicle. Caleb pressed his forehead to the window, hoping the cold glass would keep him grounded in reality.

Instead, a chorus of voices echoed in his head. A young woman assuring him the formula was stable. A quiet yet firm man insisting this was the breakthrough they needed. Director Ikithon saying the trials weren’t approved but they should test it anyway, however they could. On whoever they could.

Maybe he should have just done as told. Once Astrid and Eadwulf shared the results, though… Age became his primary concern. Perhaps it would work right if someone younger were subjected to it. Of course, if “working right” meant “not causing an immediate heart attack,” Bren hadn’t been wrong. And the drug had, for the most part, produced the expected psychedelic effects.

The paranoia was problematic, though.

It was… wrong. His body was wrong. His skin didn’t belong, and his arms itched with the grit and evil and wrong in his flesh. Mother and Father were wrong, shadows or demons, some sort of creatures wearing their bodies so they could get close to him. Torture him. Kill him. Or worse.

Something touched his hand. Bren whipped around, a fist raised to defend himself.

Essek barely flinched. Caleb regained control of himself and dropped his arm. He counted shaky breaths as Essek started the car and pulled into the street, right hand quickly returning to rest softly on Caleb’s wrist while he drove.

“ I’m sorry ,” Caleb whispered in Zemnian.

“ Bad past… ,” Essek stammered, then shook his head. “I cannot drive and speak Zemnian. I don’t multitask like you. Your history is a dark one, but so is mine. I promised to love you forever.”

“If I ever hit you-.”

“You would never,” Essek said smugly. “And I have no issue hitting Bren, if it ever comes to that.”

“But-”

“No, you aren’t. You’re a completely different man than you were back then. I consider Bren a separate person altogether.”

Caleb shut his eyes. He didn’t - couldn’t - think of Bren as someone else. He was Bren, is Bren, would always be Bren, deep down. Just another grad student working on his doctorate, trying to change the world… Oh, god, did he change it. The Cerberus Assembly spent months trying to cover it up before realizing it was futile, a first in the hundreds of years it had existed. Well… okay, second, but Mad Delilah had at least been tampering with the spiritual, not actual science. Her theories were bullshit at best.

“Stop scratching,” Essek warned. “Do your tables if you can’t focus.”

“Ja, uh… Hydrogen, helium, lithium…”

It was dumb, so dumb. He knew the whole table, had since he was eleven, thanks to a photographic memory. He just had to shut his eyes and read it. He could usually read the whole thing on this route, but the image felt blurry today. Harder to read. Harder to remember.

By the time Essek parked at the house, Caleb was fighting to remember what followed plutonium. Stupid place to get lost, really.

He could feel the velvet lips on his cheek and a hand tucking some hair behind his ear. Caleb stopped fighting to remember any more elements to focus on that touch and the scent of candied lemon cradling him. With effort, he started making out words, foggy and muffled like his ears had filled with water.

“...parently, I have a limit.”

“Most do, Molly darling.”

“What’s wrong with Caleb, though? What happened?”

Focus. Caleb pushed through the tunnel vision, just enough to see a pair of hands supporting each of his arms. He recognized Essek's dark skin and bright rings on his left. The lighter, softer hands on his right, though…

Thoughts crashed through his mind. No. Bad. Selfish. Coward. Weak. Traitor. Traitor. Traitor.

He pulled away from them with a whimper.

“I'm so sorry, Mollymauk,” he heard Essek say. “He's having an episode. He just needs time.”

Mollymauk. That… sounded familiar, but Caleb's brain struggled making any connections. Blurry, everything was blurry, and painful, like he’d been hit in the head with a rock.

Oh. Right.

He touched the spot about half-an-inch above his left ear, feeling for the familiar dent in his skull. A hand pulled his own away before he could press on it.

“No, no, no,” whispered Essek. “Don’t do that. We need you to stay somewhat functional, dear.”

“Don’t want to be functional.”

Essek pushed him down into soft cushions and pillows. Another person behind him held up a glass of water and a bottle of pills. Purple curls framed his face.

“Molly…,” whispered Caleb, recognition finally washing over him.

He smiled.

“There’s my magic man. Take these.”

Caleb took the glass and let Molly tip two of his pills into his hand. Essek, meanwhile, pulled out his phone again and started typing on it.

“Does pierogi sound good, my loves?” he asked.

“Mm. Ja,” Caleb hummed.

“I've never had it,” said Molly, sitting down and nestling into Caleb's hip.

“How?” Essek snapped incredulously. “You lived right between us?”

Caleb felt Molly shrug against him. Essek sighed.

“Well, now we have to order some.”

“They are like,” Caleb bit his lip in thought, then said, “that Uthodurn place you like? The dumplings there.”

“Oh, potstickers?”

“Ja, but different spices.”

“I'm getting mushroom,” Essek announced. “Caleb, beef?”

Caleb nodded. Molly and Essek discussed what varieties they had before deciding he would like pork, followed by a brief debate over sides and condiments. Molly was horrified that sour cream sauce was even a thing that existed or that cabbage was a food anyone would eat raw. Caleb didn't really involve himself in it all, instead distracting himself by brushing Molly's hair with his fingers. Soft lemon-scented ringlets twisted around his hand like ivy, solid and real against his skin. Molly's hand gave his knee a short squeeze before resuming running his thumb along the swollen joint. Once the order was placed, Essek joined them on the couch, slinging his legs over Caleb's and taking his free hand and kissing the knuckles.

“Feeling better, dear?” he asked.

“A little. Danke.”

“Do you want to talk,” Essek said slowly, “or be distracted?”

“Distracted. Please.”

Before Essek could say anything more, Molly poked Caleb's ribs.

“Do you think I'd be good at camming?”

“Was?”

“Mollymauk, that is… the same thing you already do,” said Essek. “Just… online instead of in person.”

“Yeah! It's harder to judge what people like when you can't hear them. But I’d probably have more free time. So what do you think?”

“I think you would confuse and fascinate a lot of people, Moonbeam,” said Caleb.

“I think he would out-earn us.”

Molly waggled his eyebrows and sang, “I'll cut you in if you join me…”

“Nien.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Aww, but you two are so hot…”

Essek laughed and nudged Molly with a toe.

“Perhaps,” he said, “we can spare a few days to clean out the old office.”

“And paint it,” said Caleb. “Periwinkle is nice for a study, but it's hardly Molly's best color.”

“Oh, yes. Purple looks good on him and all, but…”

“But?” repeated Molly.

“Our girl is always prettiest in red,” Caleb said, remembering the conversation from a few days prior.

Molly smiled wickedly.

“Do not wear that on camera,” Essek warned, eyes running down Molly's body possessively.

“Of course not, doctor,” Molly purred into Caleb's neck. “Some things are for your eyes only.”

Essek hummed back as he climbed further into Caleb's lap.

“Well, we should discuss those things,” he muttered back. “If you really want to do this. Caleb?”

“Ja?”

“Is there anything you don't want Miss Molly to share with the class?”

Caleb shivered at the scrape of teeth over his throat as Essek talked.

“N-nein. None I can think of. Though… Veth should help set up the computers. To make sure they’re secure.”

“Mmm, who's Veth?”

“A friend of mine from… a while ago,” sighed Caleb.

“She and her husband own Brenatto Technologies,” Essek said. “She is abrasive but very smart. Nothing gets through her security measures.”

“Oh, I can't wait to meet her, then.”

“As for my boundaries,” Essek muttered, “I want to see what you make before you post it. And no corsets.”

Molly laughed into Caleb's shoulder and said, “Goodness, you two really liked that, huh?”

“I'm just possessive. Our Spark here is the one getting hard from remembering it.”

Essek shifted purposefully in Caleb's lap. Caleb winced at the pressure and friction, proof of the truth behind Essek's words. Molly's playful little smirk grew back into that wicked grin of his.

“When will dinner be here?” he asked.

“Four-forty.”

Caleb did some quick mental math. His grip on Essek's hip tightened.

“Molly, don't,” he warned.

“We've got time.”

“Barely, at best.”

“Humor me.”

“Listen to Miss Molly, Dear,” Essek hummed. “What did you have in mind, Darling?”

Under Molly's instruction, Essek straddled Caleb's hips and undid his fly before pulling his own slacks down enough to free himself. Caleb cupped Essek's head, letting his nails scrape the short hair on Essek's neck gently. His free hand reached for their dicks.

“Ah ah ah,” chastised Molly, swatting his hand away. “I'll take care of that.”

Which he did. Molly sat next to the pair on his knees and wrapped both hands around their cocks. Essek shivered. Caleb moaned. Then Molly started stroking, and Caleb started cursing.

“You're always so quiet,” he heard Molly laugh, “until your pants come off.”

“My fault, Moonbeam,” Essek said. “I had terrible neighbors I wanted revenge against when we started dating. And that accent…”

“Hot as hell. But I prefer- this.”

Molly's thumb pressed into Caleb as he stroked upward - earning a high whine from the ginger - before rolling down his foreskin on the downstroke. Essek hummed breathily.

“I see,” he panted. “I can fix that.”

His “fix” was familiar to Caleb: talking was hard with someone else's tongue in his mouth. It had been Wulf and Astrid's favorite way to shut Bren up, too. He flickered back and forth between past and present, trying to focus on the hand holding his chin in place. Too cool to be Astrid's. Much too thin to be Eadwulf's. Everything about Essek was too thin to be Eadwulf. And Molly…

Molly could be rough when he wanted, but that wasn’t very often. In the three months since he'd officially joined their relationship, Molly usually preferred ordering others to be rough with him. His hair was so long and, unlike Astrid's, begging to be pulled. He loved running his fingers through Wulf and Essek's hair, but to be allowed - encouraged - to actively play with it delighted Caleb. Whether he was a boy or a girl, Molly wanted to be touched, something Astrid tightly controlled by comparison. Caleb put his hand out blindly to bury his fingers in his partner’s dyed locks.

“Oh, that's good, Spark,” Molly moaned, moving his hands faster along their quickly-slicking cocks. “More. Harder.”

How could Caleb say no? Essek still occupied his mouth, and Molly's hair was, if possible, even more grounding than the gentle hand at his throat. So he tightened his grip, pulling curls and a gasp from Molly. His own moans and sighs disappeared behind Essek's lips.

Di-dong!

Molly's hands vanished. Caleb and Essek both cried out in protest as their young partner stood up and wiped his hands on his tight jeans.

“I'll finish you after we eat,” he said with a smirk. “Promise! Don't come until then.”

“You are the worst, Mollymauk!” Essek called after him.

Caleb groaned, too, as Molly left. Then he tucked his head into Essek's neck.

“I tried to warn you,” he said.

“He's supposed to tease you ,” whined Essek, “not me .”

Caleb laughed and kissed him.

“He only said we couldn’t come,” he offered.

“Caleb Widowgast, if you touch me, I will explode and tell Molly it’s your fault,” Essek hissed.

“I should stop kissing you, then.”

Essek rolled his eyes and slid off Caleb to sit next to him.

“Fine.”

At that point, Molly returned with boxes of food. He glanced between Essek and Caleb, then smirked again.

“You’re just gonna eat dinner with your junk hanging out?” he asked.

“ Fuck you ,” Caleb muttered in Zemnian.

“Yes,” Essek said much more confidently. “Now, give me my food.”

Food was passed out, begged for by the trio of kittens who smelled it, denied to said kittens, and eaten mostly by the humans it belonged to. Okay, so maybe Caleb snuck one dumpling to Frumpkin, but he couldn't resist the orange tabby. Plus, he was quickly outgrowing his sisters, Ton - apparently named after a black hole - and Charm.

Around the time Caleb realized he had three pierogi left and no appetite, he also realized that Essek and Molly were whispering to each other.

“What are you plotting now, hm?” he asked.

“Moving this to the bedroom,” Molly said, voice low and hungry.

“And showing you how much we need you,” added Essek.

Not as much as I need you, thought Caleb. He pushed a smile to his lips nonetheless.

“I would like that.”

Molly smiled back and leaned in to kiss him so very softly. Essek rose to his feet, tucked his cock away, and took the food containers to the kitchen. Caleb followed him with his eyes until Molly buried his fingers in his beard and turned him back to kissing. Molly moaned into his mouth and pressed his lips closer to Caleb's. Then he took Caleb’s hand from his hip and pressed it to the tenting denim between his legs. Caleb sucked in a breath, and Molly’s tongue followed, licking at his lip before biting it and backing away barely enough for a page to fit between them.

“Feel that?” Molly whispered. “See what you do to me?”

“J-ja. I… please .”

Molly chuckled, “Be-tay what?”

“Fuck me, Molly?”

“Mmm… I think I’m in the mood for that today. Essek?”

Essek laughed somewhere behind Caleb, a breathy, melodic sound.

“Shall I bring the supplies here? It may be easier,” he said.

Molly ground his pelvis against Caleb’s, forcing a whine from the ginger. Caleb’s hands flew to Molly’s shirt, and his nails threatened to tear the fabric. He licked and kissed Molly’s throat desperately as the younger man purred over him.

“Yes. Thank you, Essek,” he panted. “I don’t think Caleb is… going very far right now.”

Caleb heard footsteps leave the room. Or it might have been his heartbeat in his ears. He hooked his legs around Molly’s waist and whimpered. Molly’s lips brushed his ear.

“You’re so pliant today, Kitten,” Molly said as he slid the buttons of Caleb’s shirt free. “You know what Essek told me?”

“ Was ?”

“He said that you’d be a needy little bitch for us tonight.”

Caleb shivered and snapped his hips to rut against Molly, his length swelling back to full hardness as Molly nipped his ear and cooed.

“Is he right, Kitten? Are you a slut when you have a bad day?”

“Ja. It… feels good. Belonging to someone. To you and Starlight.”

Molly sat up and peeled his own tight shirt off. Casting it aside, he looked towards the hallway.

“You weren’t kidding,” he chuckled. “I could do whatever I want to him right now… couldn’t I, Spark?”

“Ja.”

“He likes being told what to do on bad days,” he heard Essek say behind him. “Doesn’t trust himself to make good decisions.”

Also, he just didn't have the energy for brattiness, not with post-panic exhaustion. He didn't want to stop, either. Stopping meant thinking, and thinking meant falling back into a depression spiral.

“Want to shut my mind off,” Caleb said - begged, really - as he hooked his fingers into Molly’s pants.

“Essek, could you-?”

“Of course, Darling.”

Molly rose from the couch as Essek knelt next to it and pulled Caleb to the side for a kiss, one Caleb eagerly returned. He twisted his fingers into Essek’s longer locks of hair. Essek mirrored him, brushing Caleb’s ginger mane with one hand. His other hand, though…

Caleb felt his slacks shift and glanced down. Molly pulled his pants off him so Essek could slip his fingers behind Caleb. A slick finger pressed between his cheeks and rubbed his hole. Caleb moaned into Essek’s mouth, eyes rolling back in pleasure.

Essek's thin finger quickly became two, then three as Caleb melted into a gasping mess under him. Even after so long together, Essek still surprised him with how good he could make Caleb feel. And it only improved when Molly grabbed Caleb's calves and nearly folded him in half on the couch.

“You’re going to take whatever I give you, aren’t you, Red?” Molly breathed, and Caleb nodded. “Good. You’re so pretty under me…”

“The prettiest,” said Essek, giving Caleb one more peck on the cheek.

He withdrew his fingers, and Caleb whined loudly. Thankfully, Molly quickly replaced them with his pierced cock. The gold ring dragged past Caleb’s rim, earning groans from them both. The hand that Caleb didn’t have buried in Essek’s hair scratched the back of Molly’s neck. Molly leaned down and caught Caleb’s lips with his own as he pressed into his hole.

“A quick question,” said Essek, pulling Molly up by the hair and making him whine. “Did you want to clean up after, Caleb, or… hold onto it?”

Caleb grinded hard against Molly.

“Fill me, liebling,” he gasped. “ Please .”

Essek kissed Caleb’s temple before drawing away. In his absence, Molly leaned down closer to Caleb and finally started rocking into him. Caleb gasped and shut his eyes tightly. He felt Molly’s breath on his jaw as he grunted and moaned over him.

“You’re so hot, Spark. So hot…,” Molly panted. “Fuck. You’re fucking… so tight.”

“You should - ah! - fuck me more, then,” Caleb replied.

“God, I should. I’ve been a lady too much since we started dating.”

“Not so-ha! Something you control.”

“True… but I could have waited on the piercing. Taken advantage of being a man. If it makes you feel good,” purred Molly.

“ Yes, yes… so good… Molly… please, more. Please… ”

Essek’s laugh reached him through the pounding in his ears and backside. Then a hand - not Molly’s, as they were still pushing his legs down at the knees - brushed some hair from his sweaty face.

“Are you teasing our Spark, Darling?”

“Mad I didn’t wait for you to watch us?”

“Perhaps.”

“Sorry, Love,” Molly laughed, one hand finally letting go so Caleb could relax his leg and wiggle to a better angle. “At least you'll be here for the important parts. Pin his hands for me?”

Caleb whined again as Essek pulled his arms away from Molly. He pressed his wrists down into the arm of the couch and kissed each knuckle individually. Meanwhile, Molly’s hand rested heavily at the base of his throat.

“Now, Caleb, I know I’ve tested you before,” Molly said, “but I want to prove you can do it. I want to see you come untouched.”

“ Fucking tease ,” Caleb gasped, writhing under Molly.

“Now, now, Spark. Don’t talk back to your masters,” Essek cooed.

“Oh, is he back-talking?”

“ Shit, don’t translate that! ”

“He says that you are teasing.”

“Starli- ah,” moaned Caleb. “ Shit. Please… please… ”

Molly hummed and pulled nearly out of Caleb, the ring of his piercing settling right against Caleb’s rim.

“That’s not teasing. This is teasing,” Molly whispered.

“Ah… Mo- Moonbeam… Please…”

“Apologize.”

Caleb squeezed his eyes shut again, dampness gathering on his lashes. He tried to rock his hips against Molly, but the younger man held him firmly in place by the knee and collarbone.

“I am sorry. I- sorry. Sorry. Bitte…”

Caleb’s pleas vanished when Molly snapped back into him, fully sheathing himself in one fluid motion. Then Molly’s hand rose to just under his jaw. Caleb moaned as Molly’s fingers rested firmly over his jugular veins. He pressed softly, making Caleb’s eyes roll back at the microsecond of numbness in his brain.

“Was that okay?” Molly asked softly.

“Ja. More.”

Caleb more or less shut down when Molly tightened his grip again and held it for several seconds. Essek nuzzled and kissed at Caleb’s hairline as he kept his hands firmly in place. Then Molly released him, and he hooked his freed leg around his hips. Once Caleb resumed breathing normally - well, as normal as one getting his ass fucked could - Molly squeezed his throat again. Caleb whined, and Molly let go.

“Too much?” he asked.

“ More. Shit, I want… don't stop. ”

“Not at all. He liked that,” Essek translated roughly.

Molly chuckled and put his hand back. “I’ve never heard him make that noise.”

“He doesn’t do it often. Only when he stops thinking. Do it again.”

Molly did, and Caleb whined a second time. The high, loud, needy sound pierced the room, and Caleb could feel Molly shiver, could hear Essek’s own breathy moan in response. His cool, thin lips pressed along Caleb’s forehead as Molly’s harsh thrusts fell desperately out of rhythm. Suddenly, Molly’s hand moved from Caleb’s throat to his hair, and his lips brushed his shoulder before biting down hard.

Caleb screamed, his whole body tensing under Mollymauk. Then he was floating. His breath slowed back to normal as something touched his face. He opened his eyes to a blurry ceiling. A tissue entered his vision and wiped his damp eyes. In his ear, Molly panted heavily.

“Knew you could do it,” he breathed then kissed Caleb’s cheek.

Essek mirrored him, tossing the tissue aside. “It was gorgeous, Dear.”

Caleb hummed. His limbs felt like ooze, arms folded uselessly over his head and legs spread limp on either side of Molly’s hips. The golden-tan youth sat up, shaking out his damp purple hair and revealing sticky spend on his abs.

“Did you want a turn, Starlight?” he asked Essek.

“Would it be too much, Spark?”

“Nien. No,” breathed Caleb. “Need… more.”

Essek smiled and brushed the hair from Caleb’s eyes. “Not full yet?”

Caleb shook his head weakly. Essek grinned and climbed onto the couch behind Molly. Now that Caleb could see him fully, he noted the doctor had stripped at some point and wore nothing but his favorite sheer purple robe, open and bearing his flawless skin. His mahogany hands cupped Molly’s chest and gently rolled his nipples. Molly sighed and let his head fall back on Essek’s shoulder.

“Need me to move?” Molly asked.

“Mmm. Not yet. Caleb wants to be full,” said Essek. “I need to warm up first.”

He tilted Molly’s chin to kiss him while Caleb watched. Essek dragged a finger through the spunk on Molly’s abs. He pressed the finger to Molly’s lips, and he licked it off before the very dirty kiss resumed. Caleb shivered at the filthy sight.

“I like this. You at my back,” sighed Molly. “Next time, maybe I can ride Spark while you fuck him?”

Essek moaned into his shoulder and said, “That sounds like a mess.”

“I love it,” whispered Caleb.

Essek patted Molly’s shoulder with a quiet “move.” Molly obeyed, lifting up onto his knees so his soft cock slipped out just as Essek’s pressed in. Another pitchy whine escaped Caleb’s lips from the overstimulation. Mollymauk shifted to the floor where Essek had been, completing the switch between them.

“What would you like from me, Star?” he asked.

“Just keep his hands busy,” said Essek. “Not held down, just… Don’t let him scratch.”

Molly grinned and twisted his fingers into Caleb’s. He pulled one hand down to his face, silently telling Caleb to caress the smooth skin of his neck and cheek. Then he leaned down to kiss Caleb and - unusually for Molly - moved gently, tenderly, keeping his tongue in his own mouth for once. Essek’s cool hands bracketed his hips and pulled them closer to him. Much like the kisses, Essek moved with slow, fluid purpose. Caleb moaned into Molly’s mouth, entranced as always by the oceanic rhythm that was Essek.

Lazy sex, Wulf called it. Not entirely accurate. Leisurely, sure, but the slow methodical movements spoke more to care and affection than a lack of energy or desire.

And - unlike Wulf - Essek did not stay slow very long. He drew Caleb’s legs up around his hips, over the thin muslin of his robe and, when Caleb only moaned instead of releasing a thready whine, started really burying himself in the professor. Molly kept his mouth on him, too, swallowing down the noises that he made under Essek’s skilled rhythm. No talking. Just the sounds of sex - soft moans, slapping skin, and lewd, wet kisses.

“God, Caleb…,” Essek panted, interrupting the quiet. “Are you sure you want me to-?”

Caleb flexed his legs and said, “Ja. Fill me, Starlight.”

With barely a stutter, Essek obeyed, adding his essence to Molly’s and stretching Caleb to near-bursting inside. He then leaned down to kiss Caleb and Molly both.

“Better?” he asked.

“ Much. Thank you, darling. ”

“Good. Did you still want to hold onto us tonight?”

“Ja, please. Please…”

“Mollymauk?”

Molly hummed against Caleb’s neck, then sat up. Essek gestured to the coffee table behind him. Molly retrieved the squat, fat, and slick purple plug from it and passed it to Essek.

“Caleb,” he said, patting his cheek, “are you sure it's not too much? You've taken me blue before, but not with another.”

In response, Caleb turned to kiss Essek's dark hand.

“ Please …”

“Don’t make him beg more, Essek,” Molly said as he laid his head on Caleb’s chest. “He’s been so sweet for us.”

“True.”

With that, Essek finally slipped free of Caleb and replaced his dick with the plug to keep any spend from escaping. Caleb whined again and buried his face in Molly’s soft hair as the silicon pressed slowly into his ass. Molly moaned, too, at the sight.

“You’re gonna wear that… all night?” he asked breathily.

“Mm-hmm. Ah!”

The thick part of the plug finally passed Caleb’s rim and settled into place. He whimpered once more when Essek tugged on it to check the fit, then melted into the couch again.

“Should we get you to bed, love?” Molly asked, a hint of a laugh in his voice. “Or did you want to stay here?”

“Mmm. Bed,” sighed Caleb.

“Can you even walk?”

Of course not, he thought, rolling his eyes. His legs felt like someone had stolen his bones, his arms were heavy with exhaustion, and his guts threatened to burst if he moved too much on his own. Molly only shook his head at him, though, and held out his arms.

“Here, Spark,” he said. “I can carry you there.”

And he did. Caleb had gotten so used to his boys being as skinny as he was that he often forgot… Molly’s job gave him a steel core. Once Caleb wrapped his arms around him, Molly easily lifted him and brought him down the hall towards the bedroom. It felt- familiar. Like the times his father would take him out of the car and tuck him in after a late night adventure or the fifth-grade science fair when his little baking soda powered car won second place. He and Essek whispered back and forth just like his parents. And, when Molly laid him down in their large bed and Essek pulled a blanket up around him, the nostalgia relaxed his body even further.

“Molly and I are going to shower,” Essek whispered to him. “Get some rest, Spark.”

Caleb mumbled and rolled over, taking the covers with him. He would wash in the morning. For now, he was warm, full, and safe. Bren was only a memory, and Director Ikithon was oceans away.

He trusted the two people he loved to keep him that way.