By the Chains that Bind Thee (Part 7) by Fantasy Weaver

---

This chapter went through an unwanted second draft (part of it anyways) due to a problem with my PC. Did I die a little inside when my unsaved content was lost forever? No. Maybe. A little. A lot. These things happen. I pushed through. I continued onward and am still happy with this part, if a little salty that I had to write it not once, but twice. The point is, don't a let a bump in the road keep your from your goal, or some sappy sh*t like that. I'm ranting now. Anyways!

I lied! There's no haircut yet, but there is hair play, which leads to the haircut. It's a package deal, take it or leave it. Oh, it's also steamy. I'm not joking, this is pretty smutty even to my standards. It is unapologetically so. Don't like it? Why are you here? I feel like that's just a staple of my writing by now.

Part seven of "By the Chains that Bind Thee". Please read the previous parts for context.

-Fantasy Weaver.


Note

1: Some foul language ahead

2: Some adult content ahead

By the Chains that Bind Thee

Part Seven

XXXXX

For as long as Shay could remember, he had been part of the SunWoven order. As a toddler and young child, he recalled playing with his classmates, watching the Elder Mages taking care of them conjure magic toys for them to interact with. He could recall with near perfect clarity the way they were taught magic, the way they were taught to cherish the hair on their heads as a symbol of their devotion to Synn.

Elder Mages fussing with the less-than-thrilled children’s hair, getting them used to the tedious tasks of maintaining their manes, even at so young an age. He could remember going through his first passage ceremony at seven years of age, his hair already a dark blond shade from the influence of the magic that surrounded the Order. The way his hair had grown in that instant had hit him, even at that age, with an odd ache in his body, one he didn’t know what to make of at the time.

As time went on, and he learned to like his hair and what it meant, he began feeling, like many others, an attachment to it. But more than that, after every passage ceremony, he felt a further need to be…possessive of it. As part of his identity, certainly, as all SunWoven mages carry the blond hair as their arcane focus, but there was something else. An intimacy with his hair the likes of which he also felt for another part of his body.

He had seldom touched himself in his teenage years, but when he had, it had always been the usual; a hand around himself, the other, bit hard with his teeth as he tried to suppress the sounds of lust emanating from his throat. He had noticed, during these times, a sensitivity to his hair, his scalp, but had never ventured to touch it during those heated moments. Touching his hair was reserved for washing it, anointing it, brushing it, practising the elaborate hairstyles and beaded braids he knew he would need to perfect one day. Those moments…

In front of his mirror, breathing just a bit faster, eyes half-lidded with that odd sensation, he had never associated his hair with his physical pleasure. But after having met Eleos, things had certainly made a lot of sense: all his life, he had been told how precious his hair is, how sacred it is, just as sacred as his nether regions. Don’t let anyone touch you there, don’t let anyone take advantage of you, don’t play with it unnecessarily, make sure it’s clean -it could apply to one or both.

So, when he heard the words "get rid of it", Shay reacted in the most predictable way:

"Absolutely not!"

"Shay-" Eleos started.

"No! No I-I don’t want to hear it!" The young mage withdrew himself away from Eleos, pushing himself along the bed until he stood on the other side, balancing himself precariously on wobbly, bed-ridden legs. His mouth pulled back on a fierce scowl as the other tried to go around the bed. "Stop! Don’t move!"

Oras was the first to see what Shay was about to do; he had lifted his hands in front of him. "Eleos, I wouldn’t get any closer-"

Shay’s long hair, as though with a mind of its own, undid itself from the messy plait, flowing around the mage’s body with a dim glow. Runes began to appear mid-air around his raised hands.

Eleos lifted placating hands, approaching with careful steps. "Shay, I need you to listen to me."

But Shay was shaking his head, eyes wide and terrified. "It’s a joke. You’re playing with me, right? Right!?" His hair glowed brighter.

Still, the Dark Mage approached, unafraid, yet cautious. It was normal, he told himself, that Shay would react this way. He KNEW he would react this way. SunWoven mages, even ones who defect from the Order, are very much attached, if not dependent, on their hair. He spoke calmly, plainly, preparing a counter-spell if the need arose. "It’s not a joke. And it’s very important, so please, I beg you to listen first," he approached a hand towards Shay’s outstretched own, watching those sapphire gems as they flicked between their hands and Eleos’ face, "and act after."

Eleos almost touched Shay’s hand, but the young mage never gave him the chance.

"Watch it-!" Oras shouted, just before Shay released the runes.

A wave of force, with its origin being Shay, pushed Eleos at great speeds towards the back wall of the cavern. Having prepared for such an eventuality, the Dark Mage summoned his own magic into being, dark hair aglow like a twilight sky and eyes liquid silver as he conjured a defensive barrier around himself and Oras.

The interlocking spells shook the cavern walls and had the fire dancing in the hearth. Cracks appeared along the floor. Shay breathed hard, eyes focused on the settling dust, unaware of the magic, bleeding from the temple walls, that repaired the damage he had caused, crevices healing as the smog lifted around them.

Oras put his arms down, his own magic barrier flimsy compared to Eleos’ own. Eleos, whose eyes were just returning to their normal golden shade, was unfazed.

"Are you done?" He asked quietly.

Shay bristled. He would have used more of his magic to send flying daggers at the handsome man, but he was still weak from his prolonged coma, legs shaking violently as he forced himself to stay upright with every last bit of willpower he possessed. "F*** you."

"Shay, come on!" Oras cried, hands raking through his messy locks agitatedly. "Look, I know it’s bulls**t, but Eleos is right. If you go back out in the world right now, Synn is definitely going to try and get a grip on you."

Shay glared at his friend, stubbornly refusing to see his logic. "How do you know that!? I could be f-fine!"

"Really?" Oras spat. "You know better. Even you don’t sound so sure of yourself."

"I can’t believe this…" Shay struggled harder to keep himself up, his entire body shaking with the effort. Gods, if only he wasn’t so weak right now!

Eleos, still as composed as ever, nevertheless let himself show the guilt he felt for having to put Shay through so much in so little time. His eyes were haunted with shadows as he explained himself to the young mage, "I’ve said before that your hair is like a chain. The longer that chain, the easier it is for Synn to grab hold of your mind. Now, logically, using your head Shay, what can we do to break that chain?"

Shay closed his eyes hard, the ache of unshed tears burning behind his eyelids. He knew of course, what he had to do, but he couldn’t bear to think of it, let alone say it out loud. His hands fell to his sides, hair falling limp around his body as he fell to his knees, struggling to take breath.

Eleos took the few steps necessary to reach Shay’s prone form, crouching down to peer at his distraught face. Gently, his hand lifted, and with great care, he traced his thumb along the other’s cheek, willing Shay to look at him. "I need you to understand the great danger you’re in. You’re smart. You know what will happen if it isn’t done."

Shay took a cleansing breathing, eyes opening to see Eleos through tears. He opened his mouth as if to say something, closed it, then again. Finally, as he could no longer stand not knowing the full extent of what Eleos was asking of him, he whispered, "It’s just…it’s not all of it, is it? You just need to cut some of it, right?"

Pain flashed in those golden orbs. The man licked his lips, shaking his head on a negative. "No, Shay. We need to shave it. All of it."

Quiet, silent sobs shook Shay’s entire being with grief at the news. He reached for Eleos, seeking comfort, even when Eleos was the one who told him those grievous words. The man held him immediately, a soothing hand on his head, his other, wrapped protectively around the other’s slight form.

Oras, who stood awkwardly by the curtained vines, saw Eleos give him a grave look. In his mind, the Dark Mage spoke to him, ‘Oras, leave this room. Prepare the sacred spring with a barrier spell. Tell Leena and Hyacintha to help you maintain it, but don’t go into the spring’s cavern. I believe this is something Shay would rather not share with others.’

Oras, giving his friend a regretful look, answered the demi-god, ‘Are you going to do it?’

‘Yes.’ He tightened his hold on the trembling mage.

‘Then don’t screw up. Hair that long? It’s bound to hurt him.’ There was a promise in his words: of pain the likes of which Eleos would regret if Shay was to suffer in any way. Oras left the dark mage with that sentiment, exiting through the vines into the temple’s caverns beyond.

Shay heard the retreating footsteps, but was too tired to say anything to his friend as he left. In his mind, he told himself that as long as he kept a tight hold of Eleos, he could prolong his time before the inevitable. Eleos was right; he couldn’t keep his hair. No matter how he looked at it, there was no way around it. Even with some of it left, Synn would still have an inkling of control over him. If he so much as sneezed the wrong way, he might invoke the god’s wrath.

He lifted his teary eyes, searching Eleos’ own for a moment, as a realization hit him.

If Eleos is a demi-god, and Musuni is his immortal mother…the same Musuni that created the universe, the planets, the stars, their own sun…

"Eleos," he said, pursing his lips, "If Musuni is your mother, does that make Synn…?"

The man sighed at long. "My half-brother. Yes."

A terrified sound lodged in Shay’s throat, but Eleos was quick to ease his worries. "I am not my brother, Shay. I do not wish to see my mother’s creations be so terribly abused. She created humans to live freely, not shackled by a monster. And I also carry affection for humans." Here he caressed Shay’s face, a tender expression softening his features. "Some, more than others."

The other’s lower lip trembled. "Yet you would bring pain to those you love."

"No, little apprentice" he pleaded, "I wish I did not have to do this. I know how hard it is-"

"Do you?" Shay challenged, eyes brimming with moisture and ablaze with anger and sadness. "Have you ever had to sacrifice your hair, which you also use as an arcane focus? Do you know what it would mean for me to lose it!?"

A deep sadness flashed across Eleos’ golden eyes, and Shay understood before he spoke that his words had been wrong. "I do know, Shay."

The young mage started, his mind reminding him of words the mage had once said to him: that he had been a SunWoven mage. And as those words replayed in his mind, Shay felt guilt claw at his heart. "I…I’m sorry," he breathed in the quiet air, his face dropping away from the other’s, "I didn’t realize…"

His phrase went unfinished. Despite this, Eleos knew what he meant, and he leaned down, planting a soft kiss on the young mage’s forehead, allowing the beginnings of a small blush to creep onto Shay’s cheeks. "It’s alright."

He was curious though. Eleos had been a SunWoven mage, but Oras had said that, when they were children, Eleos had been posing as a spy amidst the Order. He let the confusion appear on his face, brows furrowing slightly. "You were part of the SunWoven Order, were you not?" Eleos nodded, head tilting questioningly. Shay went on, "When? Oras seemed to have known you when we were young so…"

A smile tugged at the handsome mage’s lips. He seemed almost embarrassed to admit, with a little laugh, "I was part of the Order one-hundred-and-twenty-one years ago."

Blue eyes nearly bulged out of the other’s skull. "A hundred and-" Stumped, he shook his head, mouth floundering for words. "But that would make you-"

"One-hundred-and-thirty-eight years old."

By the gods. Shay slumped in Eleos’ arms, eyes enraptured by the demi-god before him. He couldn’t be over a hundred years old. It made no sense. How could such a beautiful, powerful man be standing in front of him right now, and claim to be over a century old?

"Do you think I’m too old to be your lover?" Eleos asked with a smirk, though with genuine curiosity -and, if not a little bit of fear.

"I’m not quite sure," Shay muttered, eyes still staring at the handsome face before him in disbelief. He lifted a shaking hand, as though afraid to touch Eleos.

He was a bit shaken, now that he knew all these truths about him. And then, as Eleos’ fingers traced his own cheekbones, his jaw, his trembling lips, Shay began to understand how truly, amazingly lucky he was. This being of divine heritage, of indescribable beauty the likes of which the moon and stars would be jealous of, made in the image of a powerful man with every grace of a streaming river and fleeting night breeze-

Had chosen him.

Him. Shay. A normal human.

"I think I should be the one asking if I should really be your lover," Shay finally admitted, his voice a reverent sigh.

In answer, Eleos simply melded their lips together in a soft, placating kiss.

It didn’t last long enough to Shay’s liking, but Eleos had something important to do, and it needed to be done, for both their sakes. Shay watched, enraptured as always, as the Dark Mage’s raven hair began to glow in dark, aurora hues around them, as those pools of gold melted into the purest silver.

Runes glowed around their forms on the floor of the cavern, and before Shay could ask, Eleos said, "Come, little apprentice, we have much work to do."

XXXXX

When the aura of magic dissipated around them, Shay found Eleos had transported them to another undisclosed location. With the taller man’s help, he made for them to stand, and as they did, Shay found himself inspecting their new surroundings with awe.

The cavern where Eleos had displaced them into was a thing of beauty. One wouldn’t think they were underground, but the illusory sky on the cavern ceiling radiated magic. The illusion of the midnight sky etched itself above them in dazzling constellations streaked with scintillating blues, greens and purples.

In the middle of the large cavern, surrounded by tended gardens of iridescent flora in soft whites, lavenders and pastel greens, was a pool carved out of black marble streaked with glowing silver and gold. Upon the glowing turquoise waters were lily pads with white and deep, sapphire blue flowers, shedding glowing spores and pollen in the air around them, like millions of fireflies flitting about. And yet, they were the only living creatures in this realm of serenity and calm.

The turquoise pool was fed by a natural waterfall at the northernmost wall, the softly cascading water trickling into the spring with a tinkling sound that echoed off the walls of the cave.

Eleos led them near an area by the pool, and Shay saw a space had been prepared in advance for them. A marble table sat at the water’s edge, upon which towels had been placed for their use. A chair and a chaise longue made of silver and cushioned with a damask-printed material sat nearby.

As Eleos sat him on this sofa, the young mage took a closer look at the chair, the table with the towels, spotting that, on one end, a cloth had been placed over…something. There were objects under the white cloth, but without removing it, he couldn’t tell what they were.

Though, as apprehension took hold of him, Shay began to tremble and his mind knew, without even seeing, what was hiding under there.

He stroked his platinum hair, finding that the sleeping robe around his body did little to stave off the chill that ran through his body. The cold had entirely nothing to do with their surroundings; in fact, the air of the cavern was pleasantly warm. No, the gooseflesh of his arms was caused by other, more terrifying, matters.

Eleos, who stood in front of his smaller lover, could feel his heart ripping to pieces for the young man. He didn’t WANT to do this, but they NEEDED to. It had to be done, and yet it bought him no joy to be in this situation. It hurt to look at Shay like this; this talented, smart, usually steadfast mage being reduced to trembling and crying for the fate of the one thing he depends on as a user of the arcane: his focus.

Shay needed no reminder from him what this -the shaving of his hair- would entail for him and his magic. Most mages use arcane focuses to direct and control their magic. Without one, they fail to channel their auras properly. Even doing as much as moving a feather with their mind would prove near impossible without their focus.

If they were to remove Shay’s hair…No, it’s not a matter of "if". They had no choice. Shay would lose his focus and his magic would suffer because of it. Certainly, that in itself is cause for grief.

Though…there may still be a way for Shay.

Eleos shook his head. They would see about that once they got there.

There was however, one other particularity about Shay’s arcane focus, that being that it is a part of his body, his physical self. It is true that being able to use one’s own body parts as a focus is usually regarded as a bad idea, as the body feels pain in response to channelling magic energies. However, with hair, things get a little complicated. The hair itself feels no pain, making it great as a focus that isn’t an orb, staff or wand to carry around, but things get, well, hairy for a lack of a better term, when it is cut, especially since, for Shay, the hair is used not only by him, but by a higher force.

Hair is attached to the head, the mind, and with cutting it, it delivers great pain to its owner.

Eleos’ jaw clenched. This too, he had thought about, and had come up with a budding idea: Shay had shown before a great sensitivity to his hair and scalp (all normal, if not for the fact that he is HIGHLY attuned to touch there) and had, during their midnight tryst in the forest, been receptive to pleasure through these means.

Was there a way, somehow, to make this ordeal somewhat more tolerable, if Shay was put in a pleasurable mindset?

This was Eleos’ hope, his only one at that. He was going out on a limb that, somehow, it might work. If anything, at least Shay would have been able to relax before the ordeal.

"Eleos?"

The Dark Mage snapped out of his musings, finding Shay’s hand touching his arm. Sapphire eyes were filled with worry, and, understandably, apprehension. He gave Shay a forced smile, putting on a show of courage that he knew the young mage did not feel. Gently, he squeezed Shay’s hand in his own. "Forgive me. I was lost in thought."

Shay frowned, his eyes slipping over and over again to the cloth-covered table. Eleos had made sure the tools for the oncoming ordeal were hidden away from view, so as to not cause any further, unnecessary agitation. Still, Shay asked, with a tremble in his voice, "What’s under there?"

Shay saw the taller man’s hesitancy. There was no need to say what was hidden. His silence spoke volumes. As the young mage took an unsteady breath, and had a pitiful sound lodge itself in his throat, Eleos took his face in his hands, locking their gazes together. "This must happen. I know how terrible this seems. I know these feelings, because I had to do the same thing when I left the Order to pursue Musuni’s dream. I was alone when I did this," he shook his head, eyes boring into Shay’s own with conviction, "but you’re not. I am here."

"I can’t shave my…" Shay whispered dejectedly, his hands caressing his locks possessively, adoringly. "I can’t. I don’t even know if I can cut a piece of it myself."

"That’s why I’m here," Eleos said, brows furrowing. "I am fond of you, little apprentice, and I know from our conversations and your reactions right now how deeply you care for your hair. It’s been ingrained into you since you were born. But trust me when I say that it needs to go in order to be free of Synn." Slowly, one of Eleos’ hands came to caress Shay’s head, causing the mage to shake violently at the unexpected touch. "Allow me to free you of the chains that bind you."

Shay closed his eyes tightly.

Eleos’ hand tenderly stroking his hair felt so wonderful, even in that moment of grief. How would it feel, after his hair was gone? Would the same chills affect him? Would he ever feel the same pleasure, the same feelings?

His magic, it would lie dormant in him for who-knows-how-long, unable to be drawn out of his arcane channels, unfelt by any part of his soul. He’s never used a wand or staff, or any other implement but his hair, and didn’t know the first thing about using one. Attuning to his magic through his hair was second-nature. How would he fare without it?

He didn’t consider himself vain, but on other thing that troubled him, if not terrified him, was the prospect of looking into a mirror after having been rid of his mane. What would he see? How would he look? And if they broke Synn’s total influence on his mind, what would happen once his hair did grow back? What changes would he undergo without the magic from the Order flowing through his veins?

The alternative, of keeping his hair, was not an option. He couldn’t allow himself to be the vessel of a vengeful god; what would happen to their world if he allowed Synn to use him as a living body?

In the astral realm, when he had seen Synn’s monstruous form of fire and blinding light and burning pain, he had thought himself lost to that hellscape. Would that same hellfire rain down on the scorched earth if Synn were to inhabit his body?

He couldn’t let that happen. He had loved ones here. There were innocent humans here. Life. He couldn’t let it be snuffed out because of his selfish desire to keep his hair.

It was with great difficulty and a solemn resignation that Shay, at last accepting his fate, asked, with a voice strained with heavy emotion: "You would shave me yourself? Alone? There will be no one else to watch?"

Eleos, still cradling his face in one warm hand, bent down to softly kiss his quaking lips. He lingered there, his proud lips marking his, spreading warmth in his being through his mouth. At long, he quietly promised, "We shall be alone, and I will do everything in my power to make this comfortable."

Shay bit his lips. "…Thank you."

Eleos stood, one hand lingering at Shay’s hair, eliciting shivers from the young man. He stared at the long tresses. Shay has been in bed for a week, and it showed; the strands were greasy near the scalp, dry and brittle near the ends, and tangled in between. He could save them any more hardship and be done with it, but part of Eleos’ optimistic plan was to make this a pleasurable experience (as much as was possible, all things considered). So, he did the first thing that came to mind.

He began to undress.

Quickly, Shay turned from deathly pale to a deep scarlet. "W-what are you doing?" he asked immediately, averting his face behind his hands. Never mind the fact that he had allowed Eleos to see his manhood in all it’s erect glory before, Shay was very much NOT prepared to watch the same man who had brought him to climax strip in front of him. Especially not in this decidedly NOT lustful context.

Eleos had already removed his corded shirt and discarded it to the cavernous floor, and did not stop stripping, now reaching for his kilt, when he answered, "Undressing."

"I don’t think it’s the time for that, don’t you!?" Shay cried, flustered beyond compare.

The young mage flinched when he heard the distinct sound of heavy wool being dropped to the ground. "You see, I think you might need something to distract you from…future events."

Footsteps echoed in the cavern, and Shay felt a shiver of another kind go down his spine. He kept his hands over his eyes, the blush heating his face. "Well, congratulations, I think you’ve made your point."

The footsteps stopped right in front of the flustered man. "There’s no need to be shy."

Funny that Eleos was the one to be saying that in his current state. "Shouldn’t I be the one saying that?"

Eleos seemed to ponder the phrase for a moment. "Musuni created humans before the concepts of clothes or shame. I see no reason to be embarrassed to return to such a state."

At this, Shay found he couldn’t say anything. He took a deep breath and lowered his hands. He blinked his eyes open one at a time, keeping them well above the waist.

Eleos was smirking down at him. Shay found that there was no need for the handsome mage to be shy about his body, as it was just as heavenly as the rest of him. He was all smooth, pale skin over taut muscle; defined, svelte, with no bulk. His skin was littered with little beauty spots, forming constellations that Shay could almost trace with his hands.

He kept himself from doing so only by the sight of the man’s elegant cock. Was that too much? Could a cock be considered elegant? Certainly, he thought this one was. Funnily enough, the man was still wearing the corded leather sandals on his feet, and his arms each sported a bangle of gold and silver on his biceps.

Curious and intrigued, Shay regarded the cock and the well tended-to patch of short, dark hair that surrounded the base of it. "You have hair around it," he dumbly said, unable to say anything else.

Eleos faked surprise. "Do I? I never noticed. Does it look good?"

Shay bit his lip, laughing nervously as he looked down at the floor between their feet. Eleos smiled in turn, a gentle hand pushing back a stray lock of platinum hair from pink-tinged cheeks.

"Alright then, your turn."

"My-" before he could get the rest of his sentence out, Eleos brought his hands down and passed them under the sleeping robe, pushing it over his shoulders. "Wait, wait, wait-!" Shay cried as the man lifted him effortlessly from the chaise longue into a pair of strong arms, the robe falling away, discarded on the sofa with little care.

Shay’s face turned a deeper shade of red as he writhed around, trying to cover himself, as nude as his companion. "Eleos, I’m naked!"

The Dark mage stepped towards the pool. "Your point?"

His mouth hung open, but he found he couldn’t complain at that. Besides, being held against Eleos’ chest had butterflies filling his stomach. He let himself relax in the man’s grip, allowed himself to rest his head against his lover’s shoulder. "…I’ve never been like this with anyone" was all he said.

Eleos stepped into the spring, allowing the water to hug them in its cool embrace. He let Shay stand in the glowing waters, but kept him close; it was much easier standing in it than it was on the hard cavern floor for Shay’s still weakened body. After a moment of consideration, Eleos said, a smile in his voice, "You’re a handsome young man, Shay. I wouldn’t want to be with anyone else."

Shay smiled shyly at that, and another strained laugh left him.

Eleos watched him with his own smile, noting the heated cheeks and furtive glances. The glow from the water reflected on Shay’s skin in mesmerizing patterns, highlighting his beauty in ways Eleos wished the young man could see.

He brought himself back to the task at hand though, not one to waver. "Will you allow me to wash your hair?"

"W-what?" But Eleos didn’t wait for him to answer, as he was already cupping water onto his hair with one hand, causing shivers to wrack his body. "Wouldn’t that be useless considering my hair’s very imminent fate?" he muttered.

Eleos stopped. "There’s no need to make this a completely terrible experience, no?" He tilted his head at the young mage.

Was he…being considerate of his situation? Shay felt his heart flutter anew at the thought; that Eleos would give him a final time to appreciate his cherished hair left him near-speechless with love for the demi-god. He was in no hurry to get to the main event, in any case. If they could stay like this, submerged in the crystalline waters of the spring, the iridescence of the flora casting their features in a soft glow, for just a little longer without the hardship to follow…

He licked his lips, nodding once. "Will you wash my hair?" he whispered quietly.

The Dark Mage simpered, and made for Shay to turn around until his back faced the taller man’s chest. Warm breath grazed the shell of his ear, "With pleasure."

He trembled at the tone of voice, one that had been laced with want in a sultry murmur that left his head spinning and his heart galloping in his chest. Another of those strained laughs came from Shay. "Be nice," he said, one part apprehensive, on part hoping Eleos would not heed his words.

Long fingers caressed the soft hair, causing small trembles in the young mage. "I’ll be an angel" he teased, smirking.

Eleos turned towards the pool’s marble ledge, where deep shells -for the purpose of gathering water- and ornate, swirling glass bottles filled with oils and shimmering potions and products had been gathered there. He had spared no expense for Shay; whatever relaxing or pleasing things he could do for him, he had arranged to have happened or brought. He took one of the shells now, intent on soaking the pale mane where it wasn’t already.

Dipping water over Shay’s head, he heard the young man sigh. Shay tried to control his breathing, finding gooseflesh rising over his skin even with the minimal stimulation the cascading water provided over his scalp. He tilted his head back, closing his eyes to soak in the sensation and surrender to it.

Eleos poured water over his lover’s hair repeatedly, watching as the locks soaked in the moisture greedily. In the water under their chests, the rest of Shay’s mane flowed around them in pale, silken rivulets, brushing against their bodies with every little movement they made.

Every so often, his fingers would brush tantalizingly close to Shay’s scalp, and every time they did, the small man gave a barely audible exhalation of content.

Finally, Eleos returned the shell to the basin’s edge. He picked one of the elegant bottles and took it in hand, and, with a flick, he opened the ornate golden cap. Golden eyes regarded the long mane for a moment, thinking about how best to go about washing it. Wanting to be methodical, he asked Shay to sit on the pool’s marble ledge with his feet dangling in the water.

Shay watched as Eleos exited the spring with him, until he was positioned directly behind him. Without being told so, he pulled his soaked hair from out of the water and placed it at his back, where it pooled behind him in a heavy heap.

Eleos said nothing as he upended the bottle over Shay’s head, allowing a good amount of shampoo to pour over the locks, putting a generous amount in his own hands and rubbing them together to spread and foam the product. At last, he carefully lifted the platinum hair and, with one swift move, dug his hands up into Shay’s nape.

To say he moaned would be an understatement.

"Oh F***! Eleos, F***! Oh gods!"

…Among other colorful words.

Shay had splashed and writhed against the edge of the pool at the sudden feel of Eleos’ finger digging into his hair, his entire body quaking, his back and neck arching away from the Dark Mage. He gripped the edge of the marble so tightly he was certain his knuckles were turning white with the effort.

Closing his eyes quickly, he moaned, mouth hanging open as Eleos began to massage his scalp. The man laughed at him as he lathered his hair, but Shay barely heard him for all he could think about in that moment was the sudden awakening of his cock as blood quickly flushed the skin there. This whole time, it had laid dormant against his thigh, but now it pointed at a diagonal in front of him, like a great dragon waking from a deep slumber.

Eleos scrubbed his lover’s sensitive scalp with a smirk and allowed himself to glance over Shay’s head to look at the evidence of Shay’s arousal rising to the occasion. He gave a low, pleased laugh, relishing in the young mage’s pleasure. "You never cease to amaze me with how much you seem to enjoy this, little apprentice."

He received a non-committal grunt in reply, as that was all Shay could muster. The grunt soon turned into a deep gasp and needy whimper when Eleos began to scrub his scalp from his hair line to his crown in delectable quick zig-zags that sent sparks flying along his spine.

"Oh gods, Eleos, that feels so good…" Shay leaned his head further into those strong hands, panting as Eleos repeated the motions over and over again.

"Really? I hardly noticed," the Dark Mage teased, a sinful smirk playing on his lips as he dug his foamy hands back into the other’s nape, eliciting a sound bordering on a whine. Curiously, Shay seemed to grow needier when, hands buried deep in that platinum mane, Eleos tugged lightly at the roots. Grinning, he repeated the movement. He tugged Shay’s head back a little further every time.

Shay gasped for breath he couldn’t seem to catch, whimpering as his head was pulled back until his eyes were fixed on the ceiling when he split them open. "Mhm! Eleos, you cruel man!" he cried, just as those golden eyes fixed him above his head.

Eleos peeked over at the stiffening manhood between Shay’s legs, finding that, when he pulled, the young man seemed to grow even harder. He laughed lightly, the sound rumbling in the cavern around them. "There’s no need to pretend you aren’t enjoying yourself, little apprentice." Shay wanted to retort, but before he could, his words were cut of by a deep groan when, unbidden, Eleos’ free hand, full of suds, came to stroke his aching cock. But there was no time to lean into the sensation, for Eleos removed his hand after just a few, teasing strokes, voice whispering into Shay’s pink-tipped ears: "This beautiful cock cannot deceive me."

Shay took a few breaths, eyes turning into amused slits as one of those nervous laughs emitted from his throat again. With a directness he wasn’t known to posses on most days, and fueled by the lust no doubt making its course through his veins, he said, a little embarrassed despite it all, "Then perhaps you should -mhm- pull harder? Oh…"

Those deep golden abysses darkened with intent at the proposed challenge. One perfect brow lifted at him in amusement. "Is that so? Well then…"

He released Shay’s hair from the prison of his hands. The glass bottle of shampoo came back to his hand and with an ungraceful move, dipped the entire contents of the phial into the length of the platinum locks, dropping copious amounts into the thick mane and slathering his hands with it as well.

He threaded his long fingers back into the hair near Shay’s scalp, gathering the long tresses into them and, with a single, fluid motion, began to comb them through the entire length, pulling backwards away from Shay’s head.

"Oh F***-!" Shay shouted, his words cut off by a rather un-masculine noise that caught in his throat. He gripped the ledge tighter, eyes pinching shut at the constant pull of those strong hands. If anything, he got harder at the unnecessarily erotic feeling.

Eleos continued to pull, slowly dragging his fingers through all of that hair with agonizing unhurriedness, relishing in the uncontrolled manner in which Shay was vocalizing his love for the decidedly dominant gesture. He had to step back, he pulled, and pulled, and by the Gods he PULLED -the mane was so long. ‘He really has a lot of hair’ Eleos thought with both wonder and, deeper down, a knowing dread for what would have to become of it. He shook the thought away. ‘Let him have this reprieve. For now, all that matters-’

He released the hair with a heavy, wet smack to the floor, not letting Shay catch his breath before he repeated the gesture, with a bit more aggression, and caused a new needy cry to leave that hanging mouth with the innocent lips.

Shay sucked in a deep, guttural breath when Eleos let his hair go again and buried his demanding hands in his hair and tugged at his scalp. His chest heaved with unmet desire and, as he continued to writhe against the solid wall of Eleos’ chest, a hot pillar of lust dug at his back. Eleos’ own cock was hard and pressed against his spine while he lathered and pulled at his hair.

"Oh F***, Eleos’ please! I want…" He couldn’t say it; every word he could try to think up to express his desire to have the man was crushed by carnal delirium.

Eleos knew what he needed though, as the man urged him with his own heavy pants, "Shay, look at me."

The hands at his hair moved him, Shay’s head urged to turn around until he had to twist his body to face Eleos, who had stood behind him, looming over him with a lustful expression on his face. Shay was presented, face to face, with the man’s endowment and, if he thought the cock had looked elegant before, then now, it was a thing of unparalleled beauty.

It was like a gleaming, pale weapon; a long white spear that stood proudly from the man’s chiseled hips, tipped with pale red, flushed with blood, made by the Gods to plunge into lesser mortals.

And at that moment, Shay didn’t mind being that lesser mortal.

He panted, nearly hyperventilating with the NEED, that burning desire to have it, that wonderful weapon, an urge so strong that his mouth watered at the thought of tasting…

He breathed in the heady scent of Eleos’ sex, finding himself dizzy with his natural, clean musk, the pheromones of a lustful man causing his eyes to swim. Eleos pulled at his hair and urged him forward, and Shay shook as his tongue peeked out of his mouth to allow himself a first, careful lick at the Dark Mage’s smooth scrotum, tastebuds tingling with the clean taste of water and Eleos’ own delectable flavor mixing in his mouth.

He buried his nose in the man’s pubic hair, closely cropped but not so much that it scratched. It was a pleasant tickle along his face as he allowed himself to lick the long cock in one slow move, feeling Eleos tremble and sigh at the act. Emboldened, Shay left his shyness behind and discarded all thoughts of what was to come after this, and laved unapologetically at the appendage and it’s dangling orbs, sucking them one at a time in his mouth.

The hands at his hair tightened, and he moaned against Eleos’, hearing his lover grunt above him. He blindly reached for the man’s thigh to support himself, uncaring that lather was dripping into his eyes and down his body. Instinct was the only thing that helped him navigate the desire within him, and it led him to gathering the saliva dripping from his mouth, to position his wet lips over the swollen head of Eleos’ sex and to plunge his cock into his-

"F***, Shay!"

Eleos pulled the platinum mane in his hands and tugged Shay’s mouth off of him in one swift motion. Shay trembled something fierce and panted hard, a string of saliva breaking off and dripping down his chin as he caught his breath, eyes opening wide to stare up at Eleos in fear. Had he accidentally done something wrong?

But Eleos was panting hard and laughing at him, eyes pleased golden slits above him, like a panther staring at unsuspecting prey. The Dark Mage combed back the lathered strands of Shay’s hair from his face, shaking his head. "Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, little apprentice…"

It took every ounce of willpower Eleos had possessed to not just let Shay suck his manhood to completion right then and there, but he had to keep a level head. They had a task in need of doing, and washing Shay’s hair was only one part of that task.

"Gods, Eleos, I’m so…" Shay swallowed, sapphire eyes closing as he leaned against the hands still holding his head away from the swaying cock, his own sticking up rigid against his abdomen, an almost angry red at being left unattended.

"I promise Shay," Eleos whispered as he bent to eye level with him, "I will keep you in this state of mind while I shave you, and I will not allow you to even THINK of the pain to come. Do you want that?"

Shay gulped audibly, staring long and hard into those blazing golden eyes.

He wondered if the answer he wanted to give would make him a masochist.

…

"Yes, please."

Screw it. He would be a masochist.

XXXXX

Constructive criticism is appreciated. Constructive horniness is...expected. No date for the next part. You'll just have to edge yourself on your seat- I mean dangle on the edge of your seat. Cheers!

---