After Calian's gone, the room fell silent, save for a stifling quiet that seemed to mock Wolvin's current state. The beastfolk gritted his teeth, suppressing a rage that had reached its boiling point. His body floated in mid-air, trapped in a magical stasis that rendered him unable to move a single finger.
"Damn you, Calian!" Wolvin spat in frustration. His golden eyes glared toward the stairs where his partner had disappeared moments ago. "How long do you intend to keep me trapped here alone like a wall ornament?!"
Wolvin felt toyed with. His tail itched to flick in annoyance, but the magic was absolute.
Minutes passed, though to Wolvin, it felt like hours.
Finally, Calian returned, descending the stairs. Wolvin sighed in internal relief; at least he wasn't being abandoned while floating.
However, confusion struck Wolvin as he watched Calian walk toward the velvet sofa in the center of the room. Instead of sitting in the empty spot he usually occupied, Calian sat right back in his original position, the place he had been sitting before freezing Wolvin.
Snap! Calian snapped his fingers.
The magic vanished, and gravity greeted Wolvin's body once more, causing him to land softly right onto Calian's lap.
"Why did you sit there again?" Wolvin burst out immediately, his breath ragged. "If you're rejecting me and want to keep your distance, you should have sat over there!" Wolvin pointed aggressively at the empty space on the sofa next to them.
Calian didn't answer. He simply extended his clenched right hand toward Wolvin.
"Open my hand!" Calian ordered softly.
Wolvin furrowed his brow. His irritation hadn't subsided, but his curiosity was stronger. Roughly yet hesitantly, he grasped Calian's fist. Their skin touched, warm. Slowly, Calian's fingers unfurled.
Wolvin's heart felt like it stopped beating.
Lying in Calian's palm was a gold ring. Its design was simple, without flashy gems, but it possessed a strong, ancient aura.
"W-What is this ring for?" Wolvin asked, his voice trembling. Nervousness and disbelief instantly replaced his anger.
Calian turned his face away slightly, a faint blush appearing on his pale cheeks. "Didn't you want me?" he replied, trying to sound casual but failing miserably. "Or perhaps you don't want me to propose to you? This ring... is my mother's heirloom. It is identical to the one currently on my ring finger."
Calian raised his right hand, showing a similar ring encircling his ring finger.
Wolvin froze. He stared at Calian's face intently, looking for a lie, but all he found was awkward sincerity from the man known for being dense.
"S-S-S-So... you..." Wolvin stammered, tongue-tied.
Calian nodded, this time looking straight into Wolvin's golden eyes. "I know the rules of this world. No one in this empire would marry us because we are both men. The priests at the temple would surely refuse our marriage as well."
Calian took a deep breath, then continued with a firmer voice. "So, I'll just do it for you myself. Right here. Right now!"
Wolvin fell silent, his throat tight. He could only gaze at Calian's face, which now looked so serious and... handsome.
"Wolvin..." Calian called out softly. "Do you take me to live together in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and to accompany me forever? Transcending the limits of time that I possess?"
The world seemed to go silent. For a beastfolk whose life was full of battles and violence, hearing words that soft from Calian's mouth felt like a daydream. The proposal was simple. No party, no witnesses. But to Wolvin, it was everything.
Tears began to pool in the corners of his eyes. "I do!" he cried out hoarsely. "I absolutely do, you stupid partner!"
With trembling hands, Calian took the ring and moved to place it on Wolvin's right ring finger.
However, Wolvin gently swatted his hand away. He shook his head, then offered his left hand. "Here!" whispered Wolvin. "Put it on my left ring finger!"
Calian smiled faintly. He then slid the gold ring onto Wolvin's left ring finger. It fit perfectly, as if it had been forged just for him.
Wolvin didn't want to be outdone. He reached for Calian's right hand, removed the ring worn there, and with great care, moved it to Calian's left ring finger. Now, both their left hands were adorned with the same bond.
Mwah!
Without warning, Wolvin lunged forward, kissing Calian's lips with passion. Tears of happiness trickled from the corners of his eyes, wetting both their cheeks. He hugged the mage tight, embracing the partner who was now officially his life companion.
The kiss was deep and demanding, channeling all the emotions that had been buried for so long. When their lips finally parted, both were gasping for air.
Wolvin held both sides of Calian's face, staring at him intensely. "Am I officially... yours?"
"As you can see, Wolvin..." Calian answered softly, his hand wiping the tears from the beastfolk's cheek. "That ring is proof of our marriage. Our vow. Don't you ever lose that wedding ring, or I'll turn you into a living statue forever."
Wolvin chuckled, then nodded enthusiastically.
He returned to hugging Calian's body tightly, inhaling his partner's calming scent. However, such intense physical contact triggered something else. The friction of their bodies made Wolvin aware of a change down below. They both felt a hardening sensation at their respective crotches.
The touching atmosphere slowly turned hot and thick with lust.
"Partner..." Wolvin whispered right into Calian's ear, his voice turning heavy and husky, full of unbearable sexual desire. "Can I eat you right here and fill myself up?"
Without waiting for an answer, his beastfolk instincts took over. Wolvin pushed Calian's body until he was lying flat on the sofa. Calian didn't resist; instead, he looked at Wolvin with a submissive yet wanting gaze.
Without a second thought, Wolvin spun his body around, positioning himself over Calian's chest. He lowered his face toward Calian's crotch area, while placing his buttocks right in front of his partner's face.
Wolvin quickly grasped Calian's already hardened shaft, and without hesitation, he immediately engulfed the shaft greedily.
"Ah..." Calian moaned, his head tilting back against the sofa rest. The warm and wet sensation from Wolvin's expert mouth made his common sense slowly fade away.
Wolvin's mouth work was intense, his tongue dancing on the tip of Calian's shaft, providing a stinging pleasure. However, Wolvin suddenly paused his mouth work for a moment.
"Lick it!" Wolvin commanded, slapping his own buttocks which were right in front of Calian's nose. "Don't be the only one enjoying this! Do your duty as my husband!"
Calian could only obey. He pulled Wolvin's hips closer until the beastfolk's hole was right in front of his face. A hole that was clearly visible to his eyes.
Slurp!
"Ah... Calian..." Wolvin moaned long, his body trembling as Calian's wet and warm tongue began to sweep over his hole.