Gamling placed his forearm on Hama's shoulder and stared over the shadow filled combe. The air was heavy and close; expectant. No sound was heard from behind the walls. Silently, he moved his arm until it engulfed Hama's waist, pulling him closer, so that their armored bodies touched. He caught Hama's eye and an electric zing thrilled through him as he saw his own desires echoed in his lover's eyes. Gamling clapped Hama on the back and moved away towards the stairs that led down to the caves.
After a few minutes, Hama shuffled his feet and, without looking around, announced that he would return in a moment. He walked smoothly through the shivering ranks, touching a shoulder here, and nodding there, as he left the curtain wall. He traced Gamling's footsteps, instinctively knowing where his lover would be. They had gone there often, in the early days of their youth, before a series of promotions had landed them in Edoras.
He reached the opening to the caves and stood listening to the sounds of dripping water. Further back, he knew, he would find the remnants of the Rohirrim; those too old or too young to fight, women of all ages, waiting to see if their pathetic ranks would last out the night. Hama heard a noise and turned to see Gamling waiting patiently for him just near a small out cropping. His armor lay in a heap on the cold stone floor.
"We have come full circle," said Gamling softly.
Hama went to him and put his arms around the strong shoulders. His hands roamed over the coarse woolen under tunic, feeling the sturdy muscles beneath. "When we return to Edoras you will say the same thing," Hama teased as he kissed his lover's ear. He did not want to think about the upcoming battle or the possibility that he had seen his last dawn. Moreover, he did not want to think he might have to face a dawn that did not shine on Gamling's face. Let me die, he thought, if my love is to perish this night. I pray that I will not have to continue in a world in which he does not live. Of his thoughts and fears, he said nothing.
For a moment, Gamling clung silently to him, holding on to the buckles of his armor with whitened fists. Then their lips met, beards and mustaches tickling and scratching, and their tongues danced together again and all thoughts of battles and death fled. When they broke apart, both men were gasping for breath and trembling. Gamling's hands scrabbled at Hama's armor and fumbled clumsily at the buckles. Stepping back, Hama began pulling open the buckles and laces with hands that were not much steadier than Gamling's.
The last strap slipped from its metal ring. The last lace slithered open. Metal and leather ground together and then clanked to the ground. Gamling's hands slipped inside Hama's under tunic and pulled the fine golden hairs of his lover's chest. He raked his nails downwards, over soft, sensitive skin, until they encountered the bulge between Hama's thighs. He knelt on the floor, with the hard stones biting into his knees, and wriggled Hama's hard length from his breeches. Holding the cock flat against Hama's belly, he nuzzled it gently, allowing his beard to scratch the underside as his lips and warm breath fanned it. Hama groaned softly and tugged at Gamling's reddish-gold hair.
Undaunted by the frantic pulling of his hair, Gamling continued to brush his lips up and down Hama's length, teasing his lover unmercifully. At last, he opened his mouth wide and sucked the cock deep. He gripped Hama's hips, slowly pulling himself forward, until the head of Hama's cock nudged at the back of his throat. He swallowed and moaned, and felt the thick member twitch against his back teeth. His cheeks hollowed and puffed as he sucked greedily at the cock, as if seeking nourishment. His tongue worked along the underside, stroking it and sliding softly against it.
Hama held on to Gamling's hair and threw his head back as waves of pleasure spiraled from his groin. His knees felt weak and his heart pounded in his ears. His hips seemed disconnected from the rest of his body as they rocked forward without any direction from him. Moist heat enveloped him from tip to root and left him completely breathless and at Gamling's mercy. He felt his balls drawing painfully tighter against his body, and heard Gamling's soft cries and slurps and knew his lover tasted his essence even as he tried to maintain control.
Gamling continued to suck his lover's cock, tasting him in the back of his throat, as he loosened his own leggings. His hands encountered his own engorged, neglected flesh, and he shuddered. He stroked himself in time to the rhythm he'd established with his lips and tongue on Hama's cock. He gathered the resulting pre-cum on his fingertips and parted his thighs. Slowly, he reached between his legs and pushed his finger against his tight opening, and groaned more loudly as the reluctant muscle gave way. His cries became higher pitched as the burning and stinging gave way to pleasure as he wriggled a second finger into himself. His palm cradled his cherry-pink sac, pressing them against the base of his achingly rigid cock. He scissored his fingers, stretching his opening still wider. Above him, he heard Hama grunt and knew his lover was as close to the edge as he dared take him. Quickly, he drew back his head and the cock slipped from his mouth with a soft plop. He licked his swollen lips and stared up at Hama with love filled eyes.
"Do you remember?" he began as he rocked back on his heels, forcing his fingers even deeper. He paused and caught his breath as the tips of his fingers brushed the delicate nerves hidden deep inside him. His head fell back, exposing the bulging, corded veins as he fought for control. "Do you remember our first time here in the caves?" His voice barely rose above a hoarse whisper.
Licking his dry lips, Hama nodded once, and then knelt between Gamling's bent legs. "You lay upon my cloak with your hair spread around you." He answered and then kissed Gamling's chest between his two puckered nipples. "Your legs were spread wide and I could see the tiny opening and I remember wondering how I would fit inside you; how I was to take you without causing you pain." His tongue lapped at one nipple and he felt Gamling shiver. "You begged me to take you; to ride you." His lips found a throbbing vein in his lover's throat and he sucked gently on it for a moment. "My cock was slick from your mouth. And as I placed myself at your opening you tossed up your legs so that they lay over my shoulders." He eased his hands beneath Gamling's ass and lifted him so that he could straighten his legs as Gamling withdrew his fingers from his opening. Then he slid forward and his cock nudged his lover's crack and he kissed Gamling's ear. "You were tight, almost too tight. My member bent as I tried to push into you." He reached between their bodies and lightly traced his fingers down Gamling's length, grazed over the full sac, pushed lightly at the small space between his hole and his balls, and then slipped between his cheeks.
Gamling whimpered softly. His body trembled with unleashed desire. Caught between the past and present he thrashed his head from side to side. Every touch and caress set him on fire. Deft fingers touched his hole and he spread his legs as wide as they would go.
"Your cries were so loud that I feared the men would come to investigate and find us, with me between your legs and you tearing at my scalp and screaming out your pleasure." Hama continued as he inserted both his fingers simultaneously. He pushed his hips forward and the head of his cock joined his fingers. He paused for a moment, gathering his self-control and catching his breath. "Then I was inside you, as at home as a sword in its sheath, and I did not care who came and witnessed what we shared." He thrust deeply, burying himself all at once and withdrew his fingers so that he could squeeze Gamling's sac.
Hama shifted above him, a movement so slight that his cock was not withdrawn from the tight tunnel and then white hot molten fire coursed through him as Hama touched the nerves inside him. His lover did not move as he writhed and cried out, but rather held steady, pressing harder and harder against the tiny nub until Gamling's whole body tensed.
Hama shifted at last as he felt his lover's cock twitch between them and felt cum pooling on Gamling's belly. The heavy panting in his ear told him how close Gamling was. He thrust deeply, though gently, and was rewarded with Gamling's tiny gasp. "I remember mostly what you said that day." He whispered as he scooted his knees so that they were beneath Gamling's hips. "Your words spurred me on, goaded me, and have..guided me, ever since." He thrust again, though this time not as gently.
Gamling gasped and whimpered as Hama began thrusting harder and harder into him. "Love," he screamed as his nub was struck again. His balls felt as though they were swollen to bursting and his cock flapped against his stomach.
"Yes," Hama said and put his arms underneath Gamling's shoulders, holding him locked in place. He moved more quickly now, his own desire too long pent up to allow for any more teasing or tenderness. Each thrust brought a declaration of love from Gamling's lips, just as it had all those years ago. Eager hands tore at Hama's hair and their cries echoed in the small chamber as they returned to that place they had discovered so long ago. When their last shouts had died way and both were panting with exhaustion, covered with each other's essence and contented, they heard it.
The tramp of thousands upon thousands of feet echoing over the ground.
Together, they sprang to their feet, shoved languid bodies into hard armor, and buckled on swords that had seen too much use. At the mouth of the cave, they paused and shared one last kiss.
Next in the Series: The Last March