Archive of Our Own ^beta

Shar was leaning against a tree, waiting for his friend to return to him. After all these years, it was finally happening. And he hated it.

Not her. He knew Tamani loved her and he hoped to Goddess that she loved him too. How couldn't she after all? Shar would even admit that she was a good person, that he actually liked her. It had been so long, he was almost guaranteed to care about her.

No, what he hated was the trouble she'd brought with her. Of course a part of him had known, had always known, that their plan wouldn't go down without complications. But then Tamani had gotten hurt, and this little voice in Shar's head had wondered if he should have stopped Tamani from ever talking to her.

Of course that was a stupid thought. They had needed Laurel to know who she was - that was the whole point of the plan - and Tamani never would have been able to stay away from her once she did. Shar wanted Tamani to be happy, with her. He knew it was all his friend had ever desired out of life. If he could do it all over again, he wouldn't change a thing, deep down he knew that. Goddess, he was the one who had pushed Tamani out from behind that tree, the very first time Laurel and him met again. He smiled to himself at the memory. Tamani had been so blighting nervous, which was a nice contrast to his usual arrogance if Shar was being honest.

And yet, here they were, and Shar was afraid of what more was to come for them, and for Avalon.

"What's gotten you looking so worried?" a familiar voice broke through his train of thought, and he looked up to see Tamani walking towards him, that little half-smile perfectly in place.

Shar wiped away whatever worry had been visible on his face. "Just trying to figure out how I'm ever going to make you realize your place."

"How can I when you're the one who trained me?" Tamani retorted.

"See what I'm talking about?" Shar said, trying very hard to keep a smile from his face. He knew that it was hopeless and that Tamani could see right through him, but better to not make it easy on his friend.

Apparently Tamani disagreed though, because he just raised an eyebrow, and Shar knew the gesture so well that he couldn't help but laugh. He would never admit it out loud, especially not to Tam, but he secretly really enjoyed seeing how much his pupil had gone to imitate him over the years.

"So, how was Laurel?" he asked instead.

Tamani got that look into his eyes that he saved just for her. "Good," he said with a smile. "She's good."

"Glad to hear it." Then, before he could help himself, Shar added, "Don't let her walk all over you."

With a dramatic sigh, Tamani rolled his eyes. "She doesn't." He shoved Shar's shoulder and grinned. "You're just jealous."

Shar barked out a laugh. "Right. I have a beautiful wife and daughter. Give me one reason why I would be."

"Because I'm cute."

"Laurel might call that cute but I call it arrogant," he grumbled.

Tamani smiled a little at that, and Shar knew exactly where his thoughts had gone off to. He grabbed the younger faerie by the arm and pulled him a little closer.

"Stop brooding about her. Give her some time, she'll come around." She better, otherwise Shar and her were going to have a problem.

"I know," Tamani said defensively, but he didn't pull away. Neither did the pensive look disappear from his eyes.

Fine, Shar thought to himself. Be like that. The last few weeks had been hard enough as it was, and Tamani was going to relax, whether he liked it or not.

He straightened and put a step forward, keeping his hold on Tamani's arm with one hand and lifting his chin with the other. "What did I just tell you?"

His friend grinned. "When do I ever do what you tell me to?"

That stubborn asshole. Shar had to admit it, he did know how to play this game, and how to play it well. Eager at the prospect, Shar thought to himself that if Tam wanted games, he could have them.

Without further warning, he spun them both around and slammed Tamani against the tree. "Maybe that should change."

Tamani didn't reply but his hand had taken a hold of Shar's shoulder, and the sparkle in his forest green eyes told Shar that his distraction was working. They were standing so close that Shar would have had trouble thinking about anything else himself. He allowed his hand to slide down to the back of Tamani's neck.

"Then change it," Tamani challenged.

With pleasure, Shar thought. "Burraidh," he mumbled before he pulled Tamani in and crashed their lips together.

Tamani opened up for him instantly, tongue searching Shar's, hands pulling him closer with the same fierce need. Goddess, Shar loved these kisses, all impatient and wet and sloppy. He loved the way Tamani tasted, like the moss that grew near the river where they had spent so much time together. He finally let go of Tamani's arm and instead his hand roamed down to grab his ass. The groan that escaped from Tam's lips was enough to make him half hard already, and he pressed a knee between the other's legs.

That was apparently the sign for Tamani to wrap his second arm around Shar's neck and jump him, smoothly locking his legs around Shar's waist as he had so many times before. His mentor caught him with ease and kept him pressed between the tree and his chest, mouth not faltering for even a second. Tamani's hands were grabbing at his hair and Shar reacted by biting his bottom lip, hard.

"Fuck," Tamani cursed against his mouth, and Shar couldn't help but grin.

"That's the general idea."

Tamani mumbled something about lame jokes and him being a smart ass but was already kissing him again. Easily supporting him with one hand, Shar brought up the other to intertwine his fingers with Tamani's hair. Pitch black, thick and soft, he loved to roam his hands through it, and he knew for a matter of fact that Tam loved it too. The evidence of that was hardening against his stomach at that exact moment.

If there had been anything holding Shar back before, that wiped it all away. He thrust his hips forward, and Tamani let out a satisfied laugh in response.

"I thought you didn't think I was cute," he mumbled. "Your cock seems to disagree."

Shar answered with a wolfish smile. "I still don't think you're cute, but I never said anything about you not being hot."

He left Tamani barely enough time to clack his tongue before Shar kissed him again, and again, and again. There were days when he thought he could do that forever. Now, he wanted more though.

Apparently Tamani was thinking the same thing because before Shar could make a move, the other sentry's fingers moved down, to the hem of his shirt. Shar pressed against him even harder in approval, silently encouraging him to go on, preferably fast. When Tamani's fingers crept underneath his clothes and touched his stomach, a shiver ran down his spine. He knew Tamani had noticed it too because his pupil kept his touch light as a feather, teasing him with occasional tender caresses in all the right places. After all those years, Tamani knew his body better than Shar probably did himself.

He remembered the first time they had done this like it was yesterday. Separated from their partners for such long periods of time, it was pretty common for all the sentries to seek company in each other's arms sometimes, but with Tamani... From that very first time, Shar had known they had something special going on, and neither of them had been with any of their other colleagues ever since. Admittedly, being Tamani's first in general had awoken a possessiveness in Shar that wouldn't have liked any of the others coming close to him anyway. He was Tamani's mentor, in every sense of the word, and he loved that.

"Hurry up, would you?" he muttered against Tamani's lips when his fingers slowly moved to the waist band of his pants.

It wasn't the same type of love he felt for Ariana, or that he knew Tam felt for Laurel. What they had with each other stemmed from years of friendship, unconditional trust, and being stuck with one another four seasons a year. It had flourished in these woods and that was the only place where it would ever see the light. They both knew that, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

Tamani shifted his mouth to corner of Shar's and started kissing his way up his jaw while he moved his fingers back up. Shar groaned in a mixture of frustration and arousal and dropped back his head, hoping his partner would take the hint.

He did, and his lips on Shar's neck made him decide that it was time to move things along a bit faster. He dropped Tamani back to the ground and grabbed the hem of his shirt to take it off of the gorgeous chest he knew was underneath. Tamani automatically lifted his arms as he pulled the fabric up and over his head. Shar tossed it to the side, then made quick work of his own shirt. As soon as he had thrown it off, Tamani pulled him back down by the neck for another hungry kiss and pressed their bodies together again. Shar closed his eyes and slid his hands down the lean muscle of the other man's back for a moment, appreciating the soft skin beneath his fingers. When Tamani's hand dropped as well and found its way to Shar's ass, his cock twitched, and he didn't know how long he would be able to hold back anymore. It didn't help that Tamani was just as hard and so incredibly close to him.

Tamani let a sigh escape, and his breath tingled Shar's lips when he whispered his name.

Throwing all caution aside at the sound, Shar took a hold of his hips and turned him around. He barely noticed Tamani had to hold onto to tree to prevent himself from falling over. Shar just moved his hands down, slid off Tamani's pants and took a second to admire how perfect his ass was.

He put a hand into his pocket and took out a glass vial. After popping the cork, he coated first one and then another finger with olive oil. He always kept it inside his pocket so that it was already lukewarm, and Tamani loved that.

"Shar," his friend repeated in an impatient voice, and he smiled.

In response, he used one slick finger to trace Tamani's spine, and when the young faerie gasped for air, he had to close his eyes to keep from letting out a satisfied sound himself. He wanted in so badly it was starting to become almost painful.

He managed to keep it together though as he slowly ran his finger down to the creak of Tamani's ass. When Shar reached his hole, he turned his hand and immediately curled a digit in past the muscle. Tamani hissed softly, and the way he clenched around Shar's finger for a moment made his cock basically beg for attention.

As he pushed his finger a little further in, he loosened his own pants with his other hand and turned the vial over. The oil dripping onto his head made him groan, and Tamani slightly pushing back against him only added to his excitement. He dropped the vial and started caressing himself while he placed a second finger at Tam's entrance. Closing his eyes in satisfaction, he pushed in further as he continued to rub the oil all over his cock.

The thought of what would be next was enough to make him speed up a bit, and Tamani's breathing became heavier as Shar stretched him open. "Oh yeah, that's it..." he muttered, sliding a third finger in.

Tamani moaned loudly, and Shar couldn't help but thrust into his hand. He quickly pulled his fingers out, placed his hand on Tamani's hip to hold him in place and lined up. When he finally slid in and Tamani tensed up for just a short second, he actually had put a hand against the tree to steady himself.

"Shar... Yes..." Tamani whispered, and the man placed a lingering kiss on his shoulder.

As he pushed in deeper, his other hand moved to Tamani's front and took a hold of his cock. Another aroused groan made him give a light squeeze, and Tamani thrust forward. Once Shar was fully in, he braced himself for a moment. Then he pulled out a little and immediately slammed back in, knowing exactly how to hit Tamani's prostate. Tam gasped for air, and Shar repeated the motion, letting his hand slide along his friend's cock. Once he'd found a rhythm, he closed his eyes again and sped up. With every thrust, Tamani moaned a little louder, and Shar could feel himself getting closer.

"Come on, Tam," he whispered in the younger faerie's ear. Shar wanted to feel him coming so badly he hurried his strokes even more. "Come for me."

Calling out his name a final time, Tamani obliged, and his ass clenched around Shar's cock, sending him over the edge as well. As his orgasm shot through him, Shar couldn't help but let out a cry himself and he leaned against his partner for a moment. They were both breathing heavily throughout the aftermath and it took Shar a while to get himself together and pull out. With the olive oil and cum all over the place, they were one big mess.

Tamani turned around in his arms and gave him a slow kiss. When he pulled back, there was a glitter in his eyes. "We should probably clean up a little. Want to join me in the river?"

Goddess, yes. Shar smiled at him and raised an eyebrow. "Beat you to it?"