Work Text:
The sound of water hitting the tiled floor was peculiar. It was like the noise was entering his skull through the back of his head instead of his ears. He wasn't usually a jittery person, but Kjartan had been finding it hard to not startle when someone passed him in the hallway or started talking loudly in the next room. At least now he could hear all parts of the usual vocal range when someone was talking to him. Erasmus had been losing his temper when he had to repeat things more than once.
All the physical damage from the incident was fading away fast, but hearing took more than a few days. Kjartan had taken to the habit of tying all of his hair back to hear better. Still, he had been startled more than once during the last week, even when he was in the relative safety of Erasmus' home. There were guards posted here for the time being - he really needn't worry.
He pulled his wet hair back and sighed. The water was starting to cool down, but he had been clean for a while. The dim light of the lower level washing room was calming, and he didn't have to be extra careful with listening and dodging quiet servants trying to avoid causing trouble for him. They would cause less of it if they could make some kind of noise when they were approaching, but that probably would inconvenience them. And Erasmus.
Kjartan rubbed the water from his face, scratching his beard as he blinked open his eyes. A shadow moved weirdly against the wall, a mere moment before something pressed against his back.
Kjartan felt how his body lost all control momentarily, sight getting a heavy filter for the moment of terror as he tried to think of how he'd survive an attack like this. His hand fisted into the fabric of the offender's trousers on the side, hard enough to rip if he pulled.
Then he heard the familiar chuckle near his ear, and the warm breath of air when Erasmus blew gently some air onto his face. His hand sneaked around to hold Kjartan in place, while the other one went down to pry Kjartan's fingers off of his clothes.
"I didn't hear you", Kjartan whispered, the freezing fear he'd felt just seconds ago wrapping coldly around his words. Erasmus moved his head, pressing against Kjartan's neck. Kjartan realized that it was his pulse he was listening to, hammering in his veins like that of a rabbit's.
"I know", Erasmus said smugly. "A rare moment."
Kjartan sighed unevenly, relaxing his body with every breath out. Erasmus never held him like this, wrapping his arms around from behind and chin over his shoulder. They were usually face to face, because Kjartan's face betrayed his feelings more than his body did.
Erasmus smoothed his palm over Kjartan's chest, his stomach and onto his inner thigh. He pushed Kjartan forward, and he did so until the tile of the wall was pressed against Kjartan's chest. Kjartan had to turn his face to the side, accidentally pressing his jaw against Erasmus' brow.
Erasmus bit down gently over his jugular, the damp skin escaping his teeth. His lips on Kjartan's skin almost felt like a kiss.
Erasmus' other hand had been clasped around Kjartan's wrist, but now it let go to move between their bodies and pressed it heavily against Kjartan's ass.
Kjartan shivered, feeling himself getting hard. His body was still coming down from the slight adrenaline high, and he knew he was going to start shaking at some point. Maybe that was what Erasmus was feeling tonight.
"Long day at work?" Kjartan whispered, because he didn't trust his voice. Erasmus ground against him, hardness straining against the fabric of his pants. Maybe it was supposed to be punishing, but the adrenaline high left Kjartan barely feeling anything but relief.
"Not at all", Erasmus said in the politest tone possible.
He opened the front of his pants, lacing hitting Kjartan's skin.
Before Kjartan even realized it, he'd turned his body slightly to the side and away from Erasmus. The cardinal lifted his head up, a slightly perplexed expression on his face.
"Ahm, if we could not, with you going inside", Kjartan said, feeling honestly much calmer than he sounded like at that moment. He cleared his throat after his words, but didn’t continue.
Erasmus rolled his eyes a bit, pulling Kjartan back to his earlier position. Kjartan didn’t resist, closing his eyes as he felt Erasmus' cock against his cooling skin.
Erasmus didn't try to push it, and even kept his fingers from their usual teasing. Instead he ground between Kjartan's cheeks slowly, hands squeezing them together, until he felt lubricated enough to pick up pace.
Kjartan stroked himself lazily, his attention mostly on trying to pick up Erasmus' breathing. He had to turn his head in a very specific way for that.
Erasmus pressed his mouth against Kjartan's neck, not biting but holding his teeth pressed against the skin. Kjartan sighed and adjusted himself to be slightly lower, making it easier for Erasmus to get off.
When he did, just the clear grunt of pleasure and warmness spilling on Kjartan's lower back was enough to push him over the edge. He let go of his cock and instead lifted his arms up to rest his forehead against them on the wall as he came suddenly, the climax shaking him much more than usual.
Erasmus' hand sneaked around to take a hold of his neck. It felt like a beginning for a good choking, but Kjartan knew better than that. He was checking his pulse.
"I thought me being like this was an inconvenience to you", Kjartan shuddered. Erasmus squeezed his throat before he let go completely.
"It is. I'm firing you if you don't recover."
Kjartan snorted.