It was another late night and Ace rubbed his tired eyes, going over the lay-out of the new show once more. He was a perfectionist and Cosmo always teased him about it, but that was the way he worked. The small desk lamp spread a warm circle of light over the papers and he scribbled some notes next to the schedule meant for the roadies. The annual West Coast tour would be a strain for the three months it took and he would be glad to be back in Electro City. He would have to time it with the Cross-Country tour, which would start five months later, as well as the Ring Theater shows, which lay in-between. Sometimes Ace thought his life was pure stress and constant travel, but each night he was on stage, when people watched him perform, he felt the exhilaration race through him, the thrill, and he knew why he did it.
It was a love that was hard to define: a love of magic, of showing it as tricks to others, as illusions, and it was a way to pay back for many things.... among them for his criminal career. But most of all it was the thrill. Ace smiled and sorted through the file about their first stop: Lazarus City.
Suddenly the door swished open and he looked up, his brows rising as he discovered Cosmo. His young friend was dressed in his usual blue boxers and T-shirt he wore to bed. His hair was ruffled and he wasn't wearing his glasses.
"I thought you were already sleeping," he greeted his assistant.
"And I thought you wanted to catch up on some missing sleep. At least that is what I remember," Cosmo told him, leaning against the frame of the door.
Ace sighed. "I wanted to go over the plans again."
Cosmo shook his head, pushing away from the frame. "It's the same as every year, Ace. We did it so many times before.... it's routine!"
"Nothing ever is routine. Thinking routine can kill you, Cosmo," the older man said calmly.
Another sigh. Cosmo looked over the chaos of spread-out paper and then perched himself on the edge of the desk. He picked up a sheet and read over it. Ace plugged it from his fingers and pointedly put it back onto the desk.
"Go to bed."
Cosmo frowned. "And you pull another all-niter, acting all fresh and chipper in the morning, right?"
"I'm not acting!"
The younger man snorted. "Right." He tapped his head. "I'm the empath, remember?"
Ace shook his head. "Cosmo...."
Cosmo threw his hands into the air. "You know what the doc said!"
The magician sighed deeply. Yes, he knew. The accident from last week, when faulty props had had nearly disastrous results. Now Ace limped slightly due to the bandage around his new knee, and his wrist was mostly immobilized to give the over-used muscles a chance to heal. Still, he appeared as youthful, healthy and full of energy as ever. No lines of pain shadowed the eyes. Cosmo had nearly freaked when Ace had gone down after the explosion, and only when the paramedics had reassured him again and again that it was a minor injury had he relaxed.
He suddenly pointed one finger at the desk and the mess on it. Ace felt the concentration of magic a second before the spell lashed out and spread the papers all over the study. At his outraged expression, Cosmo just grinned.
"End of shift," he declared cheerfully.
"Cosmo! I have to..."
"You have to nothing. You need rest before we leave tomorrow."
"Since when are you the mother-hen around here?"
Cosmo smiled smugly. "Since you play the stubborn one."
Ace snorted. He gestured with his good hand and the papers flew back onto the desk, settling down. He glared at Cosmo, daring him to try again. Cosmo just shrugged and slid off the desk. He walked around the chair and stopped behind Ace, leaning forward so his lips were next to Ace's ear.
"I really don't want to go back alone." His voice was soft and husky.
Ace felt a shiver pass down his spine.
"Cosmo....."
Light fingers played over his collarbone, tracing it through the silky fabric of his shirt. Ace had shed his cape and jacket because of comfort before. Finger tips tickled his skin as they moved to the nape of his neck, caressing the pale skin. Ace felt a warm breath, then a soft kiss was planted where the fingers had been before. He shivered and goosebumps rose on his arms. The fingers slid through the short hair on the back of his head, holding him possessively for a brief moment, then the lips kissed him again, longer, sucking slightly.
"Cosmo....." he tried again.
But his assistant didn't even think about stopping and Ace felt a new shiver race through him as Cosmo repeated the procedure. The pen fell out of Ace's limps hand and he briefly closed his eyes, need surging up inside him. Hands massaged his shoulders, kneading them softly, then more insistently, and he groaned as slightly cramped muscles were worked free. Cosmo bent forward and nipped at the strong jaw of the magician.
Ace turned his head, capturing those delicious lips. Cosmo seemed to smile through the kiss and leaned forward, his angle a bit awkward. The kiss started out slow, Ace's tongue teasing Cosmo's, sucking it in. Then, as the younger man was about to retreat, the magician's fingers grasped the fabric of his shirt and pulled him forward. Cosmo moaned as he was now almost sitting on Ace's lap, his only hold the grasp Ace had on him. If he let go, Cosmo would tumble to the floor.
Hm, not such a bad idea.... The floor was always nice....
They parted, Ace's face slightly flushed, his eyes sparkling with passion and desire. Mostly desire. Cosmo shivered and licked his lips. He let his fingers knead the muscular, broad shoulders, ran them over the silky shirt, and Ace closed his eyes. He felt the hard nipples through the fabric and lightly teased them, eliciting a soft moan.
"Cosmo, I don't think...." Ace started.
Cosmo silenced Ace with a kiss. "Exactly," he told him throatily. "*You* don't think...."
Ace returned the kiss and wrapped his arms around him, his movements a bit hindered by the various bandages. Cosmo smiled evilly. At least this gave him a chance to overpower him, just like Ace always did when they were together, and he might just want to try out something....
"Listen..." Ace tried again.
Cosmo ran his fingers over his chest, the fabric of the silk shirt rippling under his touch, and he felt his hard muscles beneath them. He skipped over the nipples and saw Ace flinch. Aha! Returning to that area he rubbed his fingertips over them and Ace was torn between drawing away and wanting more. Then one hand wandered to the button at his throat and unfastened it. Another followed and then another and another.
Ace, trembling with mounting desire, watched his partner. Curiosity and something akin to slight apprehension warred in his eyes, and Cosmo smiled secretly. Ace had no idea what exactly was coming, but he was the last to resist the younger man. He had never been able to do it before... why start now?
Big mistake....
Tonight Cosmo wanted to give back some of what Ace had done for him. Their partnership, as well as their still developing relationship as lovers, was based on trust. Giving and taking... and Ace had given him so much. Each time the older man was taking the lead and Cosmo didn't protest the subtle domination. It felt good to let Ace do what he wanted, and every time he remembered those nights.... god... A tremor went through him and the memories of those wild encounters set him on fire once more. Ace pleased him, devoured him whole, and he knew what buttons to push, so to speak, but he had never let him return this favor.
He loosened the final button and slid his hands between the fabric and the warm skin. Ace sighed softly. The familiar scar tissue greeted Cosmo and he followed the path of some of the more prominent scars, feeling Ace shiver. The first time Cosmo had really seen those scars, actually taken them in, he had been shocked. Yes, Ace had had his close calls, but some of those marks were old. And the one on his back.... Ace had told him where he had gotten it from and Cosmo had felt sick and furious in one.
Now he jerked the shirttails from Ace's pants and shoved it off his shoulders. He had seen this sight often enough, but it never stopped arousing him. Ace worked out to keep in shape for the shows. Magic demanded a sharp mind and a trained body, and Cosmo liked the result -- very much. But he also felt a twinge of shared pain at the scars. There were barely visible white lines from knife cuts, a plasma burn, and the ugly scar on the back.
Shoving those thoughts aside he ran his fingers over the shoulder scar and then along the path it described over the well-muscled chest. Ace was an attractive man, handsome, beautiful.... and he was his lover. It made him proud in many ways and feel like the luckiest man in the world. There was something to Ace that made Cosmo want him, that drew him into his presence, and it was not the sex. The sex was incredible... no doubt about that. It filled him with such pleasure and desire, that Cosmo always thought he was in heaven. It was simply him. Ace. He did that to him.
Sometimes he wondered if it was also the empathic bond, but then again, no. Ace had confessed his love to him first, but it had been the magic bringing them together. Cosmo rarely thought about it more deeply because it frightened him more often than not. If magic had brought them together, could it also tear them apart?
Now he pushed his lover gently back against the chair, Ace not resisting him, and straddled his lap. Cosmo began placing small kisses all over his shoulders and neck. He took his time tasting the area around the base of Ace's neck, suckling his way up to his ear and then kissing him briefly, before returning his attention to the other parts of Ace's body. His tongue licked along the white scar on the shoulder. It was a plasma burn, the tissue spreading out like a net, getting thinner and less uneven. Ace closed his eyes as Cosmo gave it his undivided attention and when he licked along it to his right nipple, Cosmo heard him gasp.
Cosmo smiled. He ran his hands over the smooth chest, teasing flat nipples with him fingertips, watching them rise. He continued to tongue and suckle the nipples. Cosmo let one hand slide lower and Ace bit his lip as he rubbed it over the constraining fabric of his pants. He inhaled sharply, the pants becoming more and more uncomfortable. In his sitting position, with Cosmo on his lap, one hand wedged between them, he was in a rather restricted position. The younger man smiled evilly and rubbed his palm over Ace's crotch, drawing a sharp moan.
Cosmo took pity on him and slid off the lap. As Ace rose to shed his pants, he pulled him close, initiating another wild kiss, their tongues darting in mock combat against each other. Finally Cosmo pushed Ace back against the desk and the taller man bumped light against it. Cosmo's hand scooted down to the pants and Ace almost sighed with pleasure, then gasped as a hand touched him, running slender fingers up and down the shaft.
"Cosmo!" he hissed as Cosmo lightly ran his fingers over the erection. Ace's fingers clenched into the desk and he groaned.
The smile on the younger man's face told him that he was very much pleased with his reaction. Cosmo let his fingers explore him. He felt the pulsing erection in his hand, growing under him touch, taking in the warmth and strength, the mixture of softness and hardness in one. He ran his fingertips over the head, exploring it in detail. Ace moaned softly, biting his lower lip. His hands dug harder into the desk. A feeling of satisfaction, amazement and even power was ignited inside Cosmo. He crawled up and kissed his lover, Ace's kiss almost desperate in return. He let his hand close around Ace's shaft and the magician screwed his eyes shut, breathing hard. Cosmo started his manipulation of the hardening organ.
"Cosmo.... slow down...." Ace managed, the rest lost in a choked moan as Cosmo stroked him gently.
Finally the younger man let go and he saw relief and desperation warring in Ace's face. He found his reactions beautiful and pleasing and he ran his hand over the muscled body, enjoying his warm and sweaty feeling. He traced some of the muscles with finger tips and nails, feeling them twitch beneath his caress. Cosmo began tracing each pronounced curve and muscle, licking and kissing along its path, tasting the salty sweat, savoring his moans and tremors. His trail finally led him lower and lower.
Cosmo had never done this before and everything was experimental, watching Ace for his reactions and he reacted quite intensely to some stimulation. What he was about to do was something he had thought about before but had not had the courage to even consider for real. Each sexual and erotic encounter had been Ace taking the lead, Ace touching him, and Cosmo had been willing to loose himself in the sea of pleasure. Now... now he wanted to do this.
Ace seemed to suddenly realize what he was planning. "Cosmo, no, wait.... you....." he started to protest, then Cosmo's warm, wet lips engulfed his erection and the rest was lost in a hiss of pleasure.
Cosmo felt the shaft pulse in his mouth, and Ace jerked his hips toward him as he kissed his head. He knew he was creating immense pleasure through his actions. Feeling more and more bold he closed one hand around the shaft and let his tongue trail the veins, slowly, sensuously, going all the way up to his balls and then back to the head.
Ace jerked again and whimpered. "Cosmo...." he moaned.
He smiled widely and copied the procedure, repeating it. This time Ace's reaction was much stronger, his cry music in him ears. He fondled his balls, kneading them gently, and Ace's hips jerked forward again. When Cosmo closed his lips over the head once more, suckling, he gave a choked gasp.
"Wait!" he begged. "You ... you don't ...have ... Cosmo!" The last was a cry of barely restrained desire.
Cosmo closed his lips over the head, tasting him completely now, and Ace gave an unintelligible sound in the back of his throat. His presence in his mouth was a totally new experience for Cosmo, his taste strange, his warmth arousing.
Twirling his tongue over the full erection, he finally released his partner.
"Yes?" he asked throatily, aroused by it all, feeling his own body react.
The empathic waves coming in from Ace were slamming into the wavering shields and leaked through the ever-widening cracks. The older man was slowly reaching the so-called point of no return.
"What you .... are doing...." Ace whispered with a rough voice, licking his dry lips, "... is dangerous. You don't know...."
"That's why I want to learn, Ace." The evil smile returned.
Cosmo ran his hands up the inner thighs and Ace broke off, closing his eyes, his erection jumping a bit. Cosmo continued his massage and Ace tried to catch a clear thought, which was evading him. What Cosmo was doing was definitely more than he had expected. When Cosmo's mouth kissed its way up his straining erection his mind sizzled with pleasure. Cosmo might not have done this before, but he was very quickly learning what he had to do. His mind blew when his apprentice took him into his mouth again, deeper this time, suckling experimentally. Ace heard a loud groan and he knew it was him.
"Cosmo...stop! I'm... I'm too close!" he pleaded.
Cosmo released him slowly, licking once, twice, then crawled back up again and engulfed Ace's lips in another kiss.
Ace answered it deeply. His right hand ran up Cosmo's slender waist, the left, bandaged hand following a bit more clumsily. Cosmo's body had finally filled out and muscles had molded the former skinny appearance into a beautiful body. Ace's need for him was rising. Cosmo managed to disengage himself from the manipulative hands with a nasty trick. He rubbed himself along Ace's shaft and the magician gasped. He chuckled softly and turned his attention to his nipples again. He wanted to see the reaction again and starting tonguing them, suckling, twisting them between him fingertips, then scraping his teeth gently over the hard little nubs. Ace groaned loudly and tried to draw back, which resulted in Cosmo's teeth scraping over them much harder than intended. He cried out in pleasure, his erection jumping, and Cosmo made a mental note. Then he continued his experiments, turning into a real torture for his lover.
Ace in turn used his hands as best as he could to get back at him, manipulating all the parts he could get to, and Cosmo was reacting to it. Ace wanted him as much as he needed him right now, but his needs were enhanced thoroughly by Cosmo's ministrations.
"Please.... Cosmo....?" he begged.
Cosmo caressed his erection and Ace whimpered.
"What?" he asked, his own voice as rough as Ace's, tinged with a dark, evil desire. He knew he was closing in on his own climax as well. He couldn't hold back much longer.
"Please?" Ace whispered pleadingly. His hands ran up Cosmo's sides, then down to the well-shaped butt. Cosmo bit his lower lip and inhaled sharply as long fingers lightly skipped over his back entrance.
He withdrew himself from Ace's hands and the older man gave a little sound of protest. Cosmo knew he needed Ace and that he was ready to come in the next minutes if he continued like this. He let his fingers caress the straining cock and Ace yelped, hissing as he let his index finger touch the head, encountering the first traces of his rising desire.
"Oh, god, Cosmo!" he cried. "Stop this....!"
"Why?" he asked innocently.
Cosmo felt the shield nearly give way beneath the onslaught of Ace's desire.
His eyes were whirlpools of emotions and he was about to blow his last braincell. "I surrender," he groaned. "You are driving me nuts!"
Cosmo leaned forward and kissed Ace softly. "Thank you," he whispered.
He drew Ace's tongue into his mouth and they once again kissed deeply, Cosmo feeling Ace's sweaty body press against his, wanting him..... needing him now! Deciding that it wouldn't take much longer till he lost it as well, he pulled Ace forward, still kissing him wildly. Quickly and expertly, he maneuvered the taller man into the position he wanted him, Ace unresisting. Cosmo licked a wet path down the sweat-covered back and placed himself over him. He sheathed himself slowly, entering the tight, hot tunnel, using his own precum as lubrication.  He bit his lower lip again as his head slipped into him tight opening, moaning as he went deeper. Ace cried out at the entrance and Cosmo stopped briefly, but then his lover pushed back almost violently and the young man slipped in completely, gasping.
Cosmo felt powerful desire and bliss race through him, and he remained motionless for several seconds, savoring the tight embrace of his erection. Finally he withdrew slowly, then thrust again; more forceful now. He slipped his hand over the sweaty skin and toward the hard erection of his partner. Ace was holding on to the edge of the desk, head hanging between his shoulder, tremors racing through his muscular body.
"Cosmo...." he whimpered and Cosmo smiled as he deciphered the raw need.
He reveled in the feeling of his presence inside Ace, how he stretched him, his hardness in his softness. And then he began to move slowly. Ace moved with him, meeting his hips, but he knew it was too slow for him. And he wanted it faster as well, wanted more. The next time he moved down with more force, drawing a surprised gasp out the magician. Cosmo's slick fingers quickened their pace on the erection, while he was pumping in and out of the tightness he had entered.
Ace easily accepted it, pushing back, panting in need for release, and Cosmo wasn't too far behind his rising climax. Both were desperate for relief and Cosmo almost violent rammed himself into his lover. Ace's hands were clenched tightly into the edge of the desk, knuckles white, and his muscles were tense, ready to snap. Each stroke was met by a cry and Cosmo reveled in it, almost overpowered by what came through. His hands grabbed Ace's hips, holding the other man, and he remorselessly rammed himself into his lover.
When the orgasm hit, Cosmo heard his own cry of pleasure echo in the room, closely followed by Ace's loud cry as he came as well. Cosmo pumped some more time, the tightness now slick with his own fluids, then withdrew, hearing a gasp from Ace. The older man was trembling, still holding on to the desk and Cosmo, though barely able to grasp a coherent thought, briefly remembered the injuries. God, no, he hadn't wanted to worsen them.....
Cosmo wrapped his arms around the slick body and Ace almost collapsed against the sturdy desk. He moaned softly and Cosmo was briefly afraid it was because of maybe pain. He sank to the ground with him, their still slightly erect shafts rubbing against each other. Cosmo smiled at the whimper escaping his friend and experimentally ran his hand over the slick surface. Ace hissed.
So much for pain.....
"Cosmo..." he croaked.
They were both bathed in sweat and Cosmo heard Ace's heavy breathing and felt his heartbeat.
Cosmo smiled and kissed the wet, warm lips, suckling at Ace's tongue. Ace let him, twitching in the light grasp the younger man had on his erection. Finally Cosmo let go of the inviting mouth, intent on giving Ace the blow-job of his life. He was too overpowered by the emotional waves to think clearly himself, but he wanted this. Ace cried out and bucked into the warmth of Cosmo's mouth and Cosmo sucked hard and fast. It didn't take long for Ace to orgasm again and this time, the erection went soft. Looking up, dazed by the empathic bombardment, Cosmo took in the sweat-covered form of his lover, breathing hard, eyes closed, lying on the floor of his study. He scooted up again, half lying on the taller man, kissing him softly.
Ace opened his eyes, dazed and exhausted, but he smiled lazily. They kissed again, slowly, lovingly, and Cosmo closed his eyes as bliss raced through him. Ace's arms came around him as he shivered, pulling him close.
"So much for sleep," Ace whispered faintly, totally exhausted.
Cosmo chuckled, basking in the heat of Ace's skin. "Yeah..... so much for that." He stretched a bit and caught Ace's inviting lips again.
The kiss turned into a long, intense expression of love. There was nothing sexual about it, just pure love and appreciation of the other. Cosmo had his eyes closed, concentrating on nothing but the kiss. He felt Ace's strong hands holding him and it relayed such safety.... Cosmo just wanted to stay like this, never move. Their kissing turned into something long and passionate. Finally Cosmo let go of those tempting lips, still lying half on his lover, and he looked into those fascinating, warm eyes. Ace smiled and Cosmo brushed sweaty hair out of his face.
"I love you," he whispered.
Ace smiled and brushed one hand over the sweat-covered back. The bandage scraped over the sensitive skin and Cosmo shivered. "Love you," he told his apprentice, voice dark and soft.
Cosmo lowered his head and caught Ace's lips again, hugging himself close to the broad chest. His mind reminded him of just where he was, lying on the floor of Ace's study, but he didn't care. They could remain here forever, for all he cared.
Suddenly Ace's magic flared and for a brief moment, Cosmo was totally disoriented.
"Sorry," the magician whispered into his ear and pulled him close once more.
They were in the bedroom, lying on the cool blanket, and Cosmo felt goosebumps rise. Relocation spell. He snuggled into the embrace and smiled when Ace kissed his neck gently. He felt tired, but not too tired, and there was a laziness in his muscles that made them heavy.
He fell asleep like that, pressed close to Ace, Ace's arms around him, his face buried in his neck.