Chapter 23

THIRD PERSON POV

"Goddammit Bug, your feet are fuckin' ice!"

"Sorry!"

Aria squeaked out an apology, jerking away from the source of radiant warmth he'd found in Thad's shins. He tucked his feet underneath his bottom instead, hoping that he could find a way to warm them up from his own, rapidly dwindling body heat instead. Shrinking into the pillows that supported his back, he hiked up the duvet as high as he could without snatching away Thad's portion, clenching his teeth together to keep them from chattering and ruining the movie.

It was one of those days when The Elders announced that Electricity Conservation was in effect due to low stores in the solar panels, however the hell those worked. Therefore, all of the heating throughout The Society was cranked down to fifty-percent capacity.

It wasn't as torturous earlier in the day, when Society members were packed together in the corridors and Aria could layer two or three sweaters on top of one another at his Work Unit. But the temperature had quickly dropped with the encroaching night, and now Aria and Thad were huddled underneath the covers of Aria's bed as they rode out the rest of Free Period, trying to conserve what was left of their warmth... An effort that left much to be desired when a foot-wide chiasm of blanket dug a wall between the two.

Aria slipped his frozen fingers underneath the fluffy sweater that he was definitely going to sleep in tonight, pressing the ice-like digits to the much warmer core of his body. He tried his best to keep his frosty eyeballs focused on the Digi-window in front of him.

The movie was pretty shit, if both of them were to be completely honest. Just like the rest of the laughably infinitesimal collection of movies that The Elders approved for Society enjoyment, it was laden with overtly obvious displays of loyalty and devotion to their Society.

The couple on the screen were falling all over each other, praising the Soul Mate Service for their pairing with such strained posturing that both Aria and Thad cringed at the ultra-idealization of it all. If they squinted hard enough, they'd probably see hearts drawn in the couple's glazed pupils, too.

Thad huffed with crossed arms, a few curls flying from his forehead at the forced air before settling back down in place. The movie was complete and utter horse cock as far as he was concerned, and the idiotic couple who was currently running through the Arboretum, hair blowing in the wind like they didn't have a care in the world made him burn with the desire to send his knuckles straight through the Digi-window.

'Reign it in, Thad. You don't need another strike for damaging Society property.'

Smothering his desire to square up with an innocent LED panel with a click of his jaw, Thaddeus instead shifted his focus to the frozen lump of a man who sat beside him, huddled up like a hermit underneath multiple layers of fluffy fabrics. Thad's body tingled with awareness of Aria, the faint scent of metal singeing his nose hairs and driving a sense of responsibility into his brain with a pressure that felt like a drill between his eyes.

Before he could stop himself, his hands were slithering underneath the covers, reaching deep into Aria's personal space to tug his legs free from their folded-up hiding spot.

He grumbled through Aria's small gasp of surprise when the small man was yanked across the small space that separated them, and Thad grated his teeth against a hiss of discomfort when he trapped those chilled toes in a sandwich between his hands and a toasty, muscled thigh.

"Just give a guy a warning next time, will 'ya? I thought I was being fuckin' electrocuted again." Thad exaggerated, although the corner of his eye twitched at the not-so-distant memory. If Bug got hypothermia, he was definitely gonna kill someone... Preferably someone who he would also classify as a wrinkly, haggard old bitch.

A few chilly sniffles fell from Aria's pink-tipped nose, and he fought the urge to moan aloud at the heavenly warmth that finally flooded his frozen toes. "I just get so c-c-cold..." He mumbled, lips a little numb.

Thad's heart squeezed at the adorable sight, and he tried to balance out the rush of dopamine that flooded his brain with a roll of his eyes. He yanked Aria even closer then, draping the smaller man's chilly legs over his and tucking an arm around his tapered waist to allow the leeching little Bug to steal even more of his warmth.

"Wait, what are you doing?!" Aria perked up then, pressing against Thad's chest with flat palms that trembled both with the cold and a sudden bout of nervous energy. Thad just frowned, raising a brow as he stared the smaller man down as if he wasn't just attempting to pull Bug into his lap like it was no big deal.

Maybe just a little bit of innocent gaslighting...

"Listen, do you want my help, or would you rather freeze to death?"

Aria balked, eyes widening. "I–..."

"Great answer." Thad flashed a devilish smile, "So just cooperate with me here, will you?"

Aria's arms went slack with surprise and Thaddeus used that as his opportunity, tugging the small man the rest of the way across his lap and encircling him in the unbreakable hold of his large arms.

"Wait, you can't–!"

"You know, I've just about had it with your attitude. Be grateful to your savior." Thad bit back a smirk, shifting Aria's delicate form so that the little leech could siphon heat easier. "Now shush so I can watch this wonderful, very emotional movie. I was really getting into it before you assaulted me." He settled his gaze back onto the Digi-window where the perfect couple was currently engaged in another sickeningly sweet date, whereas every other sense remained hyper-focused on the weight in his lap.

Aria huffed, a pout overtaking his plump lips as he reluctantly leaned into Thad's broad chest, base physiological needs overtaking the rational thought that he shouldn't be taking so much comfort in such a mean, selfish man that his heart was clearly more than tethered to.

Chewing on the meat of his cheek, Bug's eyes fluttered closed and he nuzzled in despite his best interests. Thad smelled so good, and he was so warm – the heat of his body soothing to the deepest marrow of his bones – that it was honestly unfair. How come he got all the good homeostasis?

"Thank you..." Came a muffled voice, emanating from the place where Aria's face was shoved between Thad's pecs.

Thad's toes curled a little with excitement, and he tingled with a desire to place a kiss on the silky crown of hair underneath his chin. In the process, he couldn't help but notice how perfectly the small man lay in the cradle of his arms and lap, as if he'd been special-order made just to fit there.

'Not yet. You don't have permission,' he reluctantly reminded himself, still trying to wrap his hard head around the concept of obeying rules rather than sleuthing around or barreling straight through them.

He had to, though. Aria needed to know that Thad's change of heart was real, that he would respect his wishes no matter what, or else he'd probably live – terrified of the man – forever.

"You comfortable?" Thad asked instead, folding over the blanket from the space where Aria once sat so that they could trap heat in a bubble around them more efficiently.

How could Aria answer that question without expressing how mind-numbingly cozy he currently felt? Every limb was as heavy as lead as he melted into the embrace, curled up like a ball with his feet tucked between both of Thad's thighs.

"You're my pillow." His brain blurted, a little too mushy to work properly at the moment, and Thad immediately laughed, vibrations trickling through the places where their bodies touched.

"Oh yeah?" He teased as his palm slid up, subconsciously seeking out the place he'd previously bitten along Aria's nape, and they both quivered with a shiver once he reached it. "I charge ten credits per hour for my services."

"But I only have five credits left after buying extra ingredients for our meals..." Aria mumbled, voice muddled with a bit of sleepiness, and Thad's brow wrinkled in distaste, eyes locked on the top of Aria's brown head of hair.

Aria had been spending his own credits on supplementing their rations? Looking back, he supposed that it did make sense... a lot of the things he found in his lunches were definitely premium items from the Market Pod. How had he not noticed that before?

'Did Bug ever use his credits for anything for himself?' he wondered, a little unsettled by the realization of just how deep the smaller man's selflessness ran. He would have to fix that, he decided, as operation Spoil Aria Rotten skyrocketed to the top of his to-do list.

"Well, you're in luck. I'm running a sale right now, actually."

"Really?" Aria tilted his head up from the cavern of Thad's chest and the blankets that surrounded them, slowly blinking innocent eyes up at Thad like a subdued cat.

"Really, really. Free human radiator services, today only." He smirked, eyes drifting down to the perfectly filled-out, red flesh of Aria's lips without his conscious permission. Then, with a bold rush of desire, he added, "... But we do take tips."

"What kind of tips?" Aria curled his still-chilly fingers as he asked curiously, tucking them between both of their bodies to double the speed of warmth.

Thad's hand drifted farther up Bug's nape, tracing the delicate muscles that corded his neck and trailing his fingertips across a soft jaw until his thumb finally captured the very edge of that elusive bottom lip, one that his brain screamed at him to make shine with his own saliva.

"We accept compliments, back rubs, or..." He trailed off, hazel eyes stuck like superglue on those fucking lips. "A kiss."

Realistically, nothing much was going to come from the playful – yet sincere – plea, and Thaddeus knew that. It was a pitiful, thinly veiled beg, a desperate attempt to fulfill the desire that consumed his entire being and injected a craving to claim Bug's mouth underneath the deepest layer of his skin.

He would wait patiently. He wasn't used to it, but he would. He had done a really good job of it over the past few weeks actually, even surprising himself with an uncanny ability to keep his urges on a tight leash, no matter how hard they tried to jerk away at the resistance.

Aria's eyes flickered, just like the thoughts that raced through his brain at a million miles per hour.

'Aria...Can I kiss you?'

The words still rang in his head like a gong, loud and clear as if they were spoken aloud instead of just in the imaginary space inside his skull.

It had been both scary and endearing, watching Thad spread himself out like a red carpet at Aria's every movement over the past few weeks. He was already considered the wacko science experiment of The Society, and he refused to be yet another cog in the wheel of his own Soul Mate's sexuality experiment as well.

But he knew that the option was his. Thad hadn't made any moves to coerce him, or speed up his decision. In fact, this was the first time he'd brought up their previous conversation at all, probably since he'd been so preoccupied with focusing all his energy on treating Aria like a porcelain doll.

But at the same time, Aria would be lying if he said it didn't make him tingle with a warmth that had absolutely nothing to do with temperature, each act of kindness building a little bit more confidence in the idea that maybe... just maybe Thad really did feel something for him beyond momentary fascination.

After all, Thad wouldn't hold someone so tenderly in his lap that he didn't like them, right?

So many thoughts, so little time.

... But then again, why think about it so hard?

Aria tipped his head back further, reached up to tangle one chilly hand into the short hair at the nape of Thad's neck, and then he slotted their cold lips together without so much as another word.

Thaddeus Axton exploded.

The kiss was everything, frying every nerve only to re-build them and repeat the process in an endless loop. It wasn't electric, but more of a fiery simmer and crackle, riding their bodies in a sea of warm, comforting sparkles until the room became permeated with it and nothing else mattered. Their lips moved with the waves, undulating in a perfectly harmonious dance, as if they'd practiced it for more years than they'd ever even existed on the earth.

Dear Elders, Aria's lips were a gift to humanity, the taste of his saliva a slice of manna on Thad's tongue. They were so soft, pliant, and gave way to the feral ministrations that the larger man immediately devolved into.

Holy fuck, Thad wanted to push his luck, to flip them, to press Aria's back into the mattress and see just how deep he could shove his tongue down the smaller man's throat until he choked on it. He wanted to kiss everywhere, to bite and imprint Aria's peachy taste onto his buds until he craved absolutely nothing else.

Thad gripped Aria's sides, fingertips almost breaking through the thick fabric that covered all of that glorious, milky skin as he focused all of that barbaric energy there. He had to control himself, to keep the demon-like part of his brain from running wild and doing whatever it was that he pleased.

So, just like the man that he held in his arms, he kept the kiss delicate... or as delicate as he could manage.

But then Aria whined deep in his throat and into Thad's waiting mouth, pressing closer in search of more. And – like the gentleman he tried to convince himself he was – Thad was left with no other choice but to indulge his little Bug.

Hands slid, gripped, and tugged as Thad summoned every ounce of strength to rip their lips apart. Aria would have protested, but the keen died in his throat when the larger man hunched over his body instead, pressing open-mouthed kisses along the length of his jaw until he finally reached the slim column of his neck.

Aria leaned backward in Thad's hold, baring the front of his neck and trusting the larger man to hold him upright as he succumbed to the pleasure, the whites of his eyes the only thing visible as Thad wreaked havoc on his nervous system.

"Hopefully..." He gasped, arching his back into Thad's core, "This tip is good enough..." He could feel a similar wetness bloom between his cheeks now, one that reminded him of the time he writhed in Thad's arms on the negative eighth floor. "... For your services..." But this time, there was no pain that came along with it, only wondrous, bone-melting sensations that left him delirious.

This time, only Thaddeus.

Thad snarled, inhaling lungfuls of Aria from the place where his scent pulsed the strongest, mouthing his way down and down and down...

"Perfect..." He grumbled, more so talking to himself about the trembling man he held in his arms rather than replying to Aria's silly statement.

"Oh please, Thad!"

The whimper rattled his bones, a guttural sound ripping from the depths of his vocal cords once Thad's lips enclosed around the bite mark on Aria's nape. He was losing himself, brain much too caught up with trying to keep his rock-hard cock to himself while simultaneously fending off tidal waves of violent delight.

He was kissing Aria. He was really kissing Aria.

... Why had he ever denied himself this?

Whatever, right now wasn't the time to overthink it. Right now, he would just feel.

"Tell me what you need." Thad growled out, unable to keep his composure as his cock leaked like a faucet into his pants. He needed Aria to tell him that he could do it. He needed his permission. He needed...

"Fuck Thad, just do it!" Aria's neck almost hurt with how hard he strained to bare it to his Mate, the curse word flooding from innocent lips before he could even comprehend it.

"Need to hear it. Tell me with your words, beautiful."

Aria keened, pressing both hands to the back of Thad's head as if he could hold him in the crook of his neck for all of eternity. His eyes watered, brimming with unshed tears of need.

"Bite me!"

Thad sighed with relief.

"Thank fuck."

Like a lock to a key, Aria's words unleashed him. Canines dropped – a stunningly new development in his seemingly ever-changing physiology – and within a millisecond he was underneath Aria's skin, puncturing deep.

They clung to one another like a life preserver, hands moving everywhere at once as they tried to dig their nails into the shreds of their humanity. The feeling was beyond words, beyond earthly description, and the knowledge that Thad was willingly allowed inside of Aria's beautiful, perfect little body was more than enough to flame the fire inside of him to heights that could make even Satan jealous.

Aria's heart was a melty little puddle on the ground, and all he could do was hold on, lungs feeling much too big for his chest and mouth agape as he sobbed.

"Hold me. Please, Thad. Hold me."

Thad clutched his Soul Mate tighter, dug his canines deeper as Aria's very life essence danced across his tongue... For Aria's words spoke not just to his ears, but to his heart.

With trembling hands, he vowed.

He would never let Aria go. Not now. Not ever.

__

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