Archive of Our Own

Felix looked balefully down at his phone as he stood on the train from the doctor's. His jaw infection had gotten worse, and he couldn't eat. They gave him some sort of antibiotics and painkillers, telling him to return if it got too bad.

“My jaw fucking hurts and all you're doing is laughing at me?” He texted Sharkface, in mild amusement. Sharkface was a terrible friend, but it was no big deal. A terrible friendship which was interesting was still better than a mediocre friendship that was completely fucking boring. “I'm never giving you a blowjob again.”

“Pretty sure you'll get over it.” Sharkface replied.

“The blowjob or my jaw?” It'd better be my jaw, Felix thought.

“The blowjob. Your jaw is only good for one thing.”

“Fuck. You.” Felix replied, tapping frantically on his phone. The bantering with Sharkface was fun; he'd picked it up again after Wash disappeared from the face of the earth and Locus simply told him to stop telling him to go fuck himself.

Felix had, on certain drunk occasions, sent angry texts to Locus, who didn't divulge anything about Wash. Sometimes, the texts took on a worried tone. Felix tried everything under the sun; Locus never took the bait. He gave up trying to read Locus after a while, realising that it was his own overestimation of himself that caused things to turn out this way.

Besides, it was hard to do so when Locus refused to meet him at all. Claimed that he was being too combative. Felix thought he was just feeling guilty, after all that deception and manipulation.

“I didn't know that it was David.” Locus had replied. “You are overreaching.”

“Sure, I'm sure you never had a hunch about who he could be. That's why there's no need to go through all that trouble to distort your voice at all.” Felix had replied. He had made the connection after reviewing all of his memories, when he sat alone finishing the crate of beer. Wretched as it was, it was still six percent alcohol, for free.

“That is an unfair accusation. I am done with this conversation.” Locus had simply shut the argument down.

They hadn't talked since.

Felix really thought that Locus had violated two principles. Felix, personally, didn't have many; he found the social norms of his own society too stifling, and the social norms of other societies too individualistic.

The first was his sense of decency. Felix was, by nature, an indecent person. But he had lines that he drew around him. Lines that were as arbitrary as social contracts, to be sure. His bar for common decency was, therefore, very low. Locus had crossed it with no effort whatsoever.

The second was his pride. Locus had trampled all over it. Felix saw, clear as day, what Locus was trying to do, and felt as if his intellect was being insulted by this rich, pompous asshole. Felix would never forgive him on this count.

Life went on, anyway.

Felix thought, looking at the relatively empty street as he walked along it, that it didn't matter what happened and how long Wash was gone. Maybe he'd died, maybe he'd lived. What did it matter to Felix?

That was the same street that he used to walk along with Wash to get to his apartment, and sometimes it reminded him of the poor sod. But, as usual, memories began to fade, and immediate reality took on more importance than the sense of loss.

What was more criminal, really, was the immense sense of ennui that threatened to consume him. Drinking alone wasn't the same. Neither was going to the convenience store nearby.

Felix wondered if he should move.

Maybe Wash went back to his hometown, Felix thought. That was better than being stuck in Armonia; he'd heard good things about Washington, the city. It was probably far more tolerant than it was in Armonia, seeing that they could get married there. Not that Felix would have anything to do with that sort of thing, unless he had a good reason to.

Truth be told, Felix was just a little envious of Wash. He had everything that Felix did not have. A comprehensive system of values, for starters. That tended to give people like that a sense of direction in life, while people like Felix drifted wherever the tides would take them.

Felix thought, maybe he should have joined the military instead when he was still fresh and young. Maybe they'd have taken him and he'd have been less bored. Maybe he'd have actually wanted to succeed instead of ringing up strangers at a dead-end job. Or maybe he'd have simply suffered under the rigid system as much as he did in school. How far he went in both institutions would depend on how long he could keep up the mask.

All of that thinking was making him depressed, so he checked his phone.

“You should see this video.” Sharkface had written. “Didn't you say that your friend was half-Asian, with dyed blonde hair?”

“When I get home.” Felix replied. He was close. “You think it's him? There's probably like three billion mixed dudes with dyed blonde hair.”

“Dunno. But you should jerk off to somebody who looks like him. Get it out of your system.”

“Go fuck yourself.” Felix sighed. This time, it wasn't funny. “With a cactus.”

“Touchy. Thought you'd appreciate it. Guess I was wrong.”

“I might, though? I'll watch it when I get back.” Besides, Felix was nearly home. Sharkface had kept him occupied well enough.

“So, what's his other half?” Sharkface wrote. “I'll see what I can find...”

“Dunno, never asked.” Felix replied. He didn't bother dignifying Sharkface with a response.

Felix wondered how identity worked for people like Wash, but they hadn't talked about it a lot. As far as he knew, Wash saw himself as both. Felix only begrudgingly admitted that he was whatever he was because of his birth and upbringing, no more, no less, but it seemed to mean something more to Wash than it did to Felix. Maybe the reason both of them got along was that they really didn't belong anywhere, or that Wash belonged to both simultaneously, neither of which really saw him as one of them.

Either way, thinking about it was depressing the shit out of him, and he couldn't wait to take off his pants and jerk off to porn. God, I really wish I have someone right here to distract me. Or at least, something to look forward to.

Fishstick's link will do, he thought. Hell, given how much I'm thinking about Washy, maybe he's right on the money. I just need to jerk off to him, get him out of my system.

As soon as Felix reached his apartment and had comfortably settled down, he opened the link. Lube in hand, tissues on the side, and bare ass on bed, he was ready.

Asian Admirer's channel. Really? Felix rolled his eyes. What the fuck is Fishstick doing on a channel like that?

“...Shit, that guy really looks like Wash.” Felix murmured. The audio turned on after a while, and Felix's jaw dropped. His hand stopped moving, as he recognised the person in the video.

It was Wash. Wash was alive, and still fucking hot. Also, still in Armonia.

“It's him. I can't fucking believe it. It's a recent upload, too?”

“Yeah, that guy runs a channel where he takes creep shots of whoever he has sex with. Makes a ton of money off 'donations'. You should try that. Why leave it to an Empire dude to exploit the local population...”

“Ugh, I know. It's because we used to belong to the Empire and they still think we're theirs.” Felix sighed. The thought was almost a boner killer on its own. Sharkface seemed to know the feeling too well. “Same thing happens in your country?”

“All the time. Fuck them. They've always been brazen. This one time, Empire sent this airplane over our skies to spy on us, and the pilot crash landed. And they wonder why we don't trust the UNSC. There's all sorts of insidious operations going on. Can't tell you about that though.”

“Fff. Morons. Can't even spy right.” They should hire me. International superspy, Felix.”Why not? What's the deal?”

Sharkface must have wanted to change the topic. “Your friend's great at giving blowjobs, though. I can see why you miss him.”

“Yeah, he's great. ...Seriously, why does this always happen to Wash? It's like, of all the people it could happen to, it shouldn't be him.” As far as Felix was concerned, it was people like Locus and just about everyone else that deserved to be betrayed. Not himself, and certainly not Wash.

“He sounds like a fool.”

“He was my friend, you ass.”

“Case in point.” If Sharkface was there, he would be smirking proudly. “Should've known better than to trust you.”

“...” Felix wasted no time typing that out. Sharkface was right, of course, but it was the fact that he said it at all that was just going overboard.

“You sure he's still your friend?”

“What?”

“He could have called you...”

“I dunno. Never got to talk to him after that. That asshole Locus could have done anything to him and I won't even know.” Felix couldn't believe that Wash would just ditch him like that. He didn't seem like that sort.

“Why don't you try seducing the guy and see if he'll help you hook up with your 'friend' again? He's got a few more videos of him, so they're shagging on a regular basis. He's boring though, the videos all look the same.”

“...That's like the longest shot in the world.” Felix replied. He browsed through the channel, watching only the videos with Wash on it. Sharkface had a point; the videos all followed the same formula, with only mild variations. Yet, the viewers lapped it all up. Felix couldn't understand why; it was so awfully boring that he could cry.

“Up to you. Your friend's cute. He should go into porn.”

“And yeah, he should. Not sure he would, though.”

Sharkface replied. “Pity. I'm sick of looking at the same guys over and over, but amateur vids are just really bad.”

“Fuck it.” Felix wrote, after a moment's thought.

“What?”

“I'm gonna try it.” Felix said. “Fucker's a creep, but he's also hella vanilla. Washy couldn't be satisfied with just that.”

“Then I'll get to see you on that channel. Nice.”

“You'd better jerk off to me, then. Or else.” Felix replied, grinning. He had nothing to lose, and everything to gain. “...You realise you could fuck me anytime, right?”

“At your place? It's shit.” Sharkface wrote.

“Fine, your place.” Felix wiggled around on the bed, surprised that Sharkface wasn't making excuses for once. Even if Sharkface genuinely had no time, Felix thought that he should make some now that he was gracing him with his attention. Either way, the way the sheets rubbed against his bare butt felt quite nice.

“Friday evening, I'll come get you. Clean your ass.”

Couldn't wait to die in a car crash, Felix thought, half-ironically. Riding on Sharkface's motorcycle was a truly harrowing experience. He put his phone on his belly and stroked his cock idly, tapping with one hand now. “On your bike? Good for you I don't care about living. Also, since when am I not clean?”

“Brown speck...”

“It was just one small brown speck! You're a grown adult man who knows what an anus is, right?” Felix typed. Topping was much less of a hassle. The entire topic was starting to turn him off, so he ignored the next text that came from Sharkface, choosing to look at the videos with Wash, instead. First things first; he had a stiffy to get rid of.

*

Wash was occupying Felix's mind when Sharkface rode in, loudly, on his motorbike.

“Fishsticks!”

“Felix.” His friend waved at him from the road. “I see your jaw has healed.”

Felix grinned and ran over to the pavement. “Yeah, the meds helped.”

“So, there's a video of you up on the channel.” Sharkface said. “The uploader said that it was a 'cute hairless Asian boy'.”

“I really wish they'd stop calling me 'boy'.” Felix grumbled. “Did I at least look good in that?”

“Hot. Like a 'cute hairless Asian boy'.”

Felix groaned. “He's the one that's too hairy. Seriously. Hair everywhere except his elbows.”

“Didn't go well, then?” Sharkface was still smirking when he handed Felix his helmet.

“Let's put it this way. The first thing that should tip you off about how fucking shitty the whole thing is that the channel is called 'Asian Admirer'.”

Sharkface laughed. “Not my fault. I've watched most of the gay videos on that site. Can't cum to something I've watched before.”

“Okay fine. Seriously, he's like every Empire guy I've ever dealt with. Dudes with fantasies of submissive Asian boys. We're not people to them, just toys. Don't get me wrong, I like being a fucktoy, but that's only when I want to, you know?”

“I know.” Sharkface nodded. “At least you came, didn't you?”

“Sure I did, but I was jerking myself off and thinking of Wash. God, if only it's easier to fake an orgasm with a dick. Listen. The guy is either lying about his age, or he's old and looks older. He wants to kiss, so I indulge him, right. Fucking tastes like my grandma. At least he let me use a condom when I was sucking him off, but he made such a big fuss about it.” Felix threw his hands in the air animatedly, exhaling at long last.

Sharkface had a look of disgust on his face as he listened to Felix's rant. “Well, he didn't include that part in the video.”

“No shit. I swear to god, the guy had it up for such a goddamn long time, which made it worse. Seriously, why do perfectly good looking Armonians sleep with him, when they can sleep with me instead?”

“They think Empire expats are rich.” Sharkface shrugged.

“It's always fucking money, but honestly, they're cheapskates. Oh, and the idea that people from the Empire have big cocks? Is a lie.” Felix blurted out. “I swear the guy was three inches. He didn't prep me at all so it stung going in, but afterwards I couldn't feel a single fucking thing.”

“Huh. It looked average on screen.”

“That's because every single one of his partner is small compared to him.” Felix stated. “Bah. I hate the Empire so much.”

“...True.” Sharkface replied. “Every time I look at one now, I think of my scar.”

“...Do I want to know what happened? Is it at least funny?” Felix prodded. Sharkface had always refused to tell him the specifics of what happened, but it didn't stop Felix from pretending that he'd never asked.

Sharkface, of course, didn't fall for the bait. “Get on the bike. Or do you need me to lift you up?”

“No!” Felix huffed, tipping his toes as he lifted one leg over it. He steadied himself on Sharkface as soon as his butt touched the seat, wiggling so that he sat securely.

“Such short legs.” Sharkface commented.

“...Shut up. Didn't he call Wash a 'boy' too?”

“He calls everyone a 'boy', I guess.” Sharkface replied, revving up the engine.

“And you're jerking off to his vids.” Felix replied, half-joking. “So you're not just shotacon, you're into NTR as well.”

“It's not NTR if I'm not dating them.” As Sharkface grunted, the motorcycle hurtled forward, leaving Felix pressed against Sharkface's large back.

Sharkface had a tendency to keep quiet when he was concentrating on the road, and the sensory experience of riding on a bike at possibly illegal, chest-pounding, heart-stopping, blood-pumping speed was probably something that probably shouldn't have excited Felix so much. Felix looked to the side, pretending that he was the one in charge of the bike.

Even though a bike was not a car, it was still not terribly affordable for somebody paying his own rent. Besides, he'd have to learn how to ride it, first.

Why should he let something like that stop him? Besides the threat of death from a single fuckup...

Or worse, being partially paralysed.

“Fishsticks! Fishy! Fish! Teach me how to ride!” He demanded.

“No.” Sharkface replied, promptly, even though the roar of wind against their helmets was loud.

“Come on, Sharky? I'll pay you with sex.” Felix had switched to his cajoling tone.

“Nuh uh.” Sharkface replied again, seeming to keep his words duosyllabic on purpose.

Felix pouted to himself. He couldn't make Sharkface do whatever he didn't want to do. However, if he could figure out what it was that Sharkface wanted, maybe he could get him to teach him how to ride a motorcycle.

Sharkface kept the bike slow again when he got off the highway, to Felix's surprise and mild disappointment. Of course, that was the smart thing to do – but it certainly wasn't the fun thing to do.

“What can I do so that you'd teach me how to ride a bike?” Felix asked, when they stopped at a traffic light.

“Hmm... Hook me up with your 'friend'.”

“Are you nuts? I don't even have contact with him yet. Why can't you want something simpler, like... I don't know, a blowjob? ...Why do you guys all want him anyway? What's the deal?”

“He's sexy. Besides, you want my cock, Felix.” Sharkface replied, as the light turned green again. Felix was amazed at how automatic Sharkface's response was to the light; it was like he was right there, fully engaged in the moment, in charge of his vehicle. It was almost hot.

Felix was glad that they were almost near Sharkface's place right then, because there was just one thing that was bugging him, which he was trying very hard to not think about.

“Felix.” Sharkface stopped the motorcycle and switched off the engine. He took off his helmet and got off the bike, getting off it with ease. “If 'Asian Admirer' is such a terrible lay, why is your friend returning to him?”

The lump in Felix's throat swelled. He took off the helmet, too, and slid down the seat carefully, until his foot landed on the floor. Sharkface at last took pity on him and held him by his arm as he wiggled his other leg off the bike. “That's the exact question I've been asking myself since I've gotten back from his place. The guy didn't even offer me anything for my cab when I said I didn't want to stay the night. Had to pay for it myself.”

“Hm.” Sharkface seemed deep in thought. “Is that a hotel, or his place?”

“His place. It's like, he didn't even have the excuse of having to pay for a hotel.”

“You know where he lives now.”

“Yeah, but it's not like I'm going to camp outside there waiting for Wash. I've got a life, you know.”

“Wouldn't think so, the way you talk about him. Wash this, Wash that.”

“Oh shut up. Seriously, I don't wanna think about Wash anymore.” Felix threw his hands up in the air as he followed Sharkface, his steps seeming frenzied after Sharkface's long strides.

“If you can't get ahold of your friend through him, torch it.” Sharkface's eyes glinted.

“It's probably rented, but I might just do that.” Felix replied, grinning at the thought. “...Somebody like him would have insurance, though. Then he'll just, I dunno, get paid.”

“Still satisfying to know his porn collection went up in flames.” Sharkface waited till Felix entered the apartment before shutting the door.

“Yeah, true.”

Sharkface's place wasn't much larger than Felix's, but it was well-furnished with unpretentious furniture. Felix was sick of looking at the boring, shabby walls on his own apartment, but it was at least home. All in all, both beat the tasteless glitz of the other apartment, typical of Empire taste.

“...Fake tiger prints...” Felix said, loudly, remembering.

“What?” Sharkface looked at him.

“He had fucking fake tiger prints on his couch. Looks like shit, like if Macklemore's stylist turned him into a couch, but cheaper.”

Sharkface laughed as he walked into the kitchen. “What a trainwreck. Did you at least steal his wallet?”

“Bah. He was like really suspicious as fuck. Couldn't do shit.” Felix snorted. “Otherwise I'd have stolen his phone and gotten his contacts.”

“Hm...”

“I did, however, suggest a threesome with Wash. Blew the shit out of his ass and made him sound like a real stud. The asshole said he'd 'think about it', though.”

“So it's not a 'no'.” Sharkface put a couple of glasses on the fridge and pressed a button.

“Anyway, I'm not going back if he's not hooking me up with Wash.” Felix watched, mildly envious as ice filled the glasses. God, Fishsticks should just let me move in or something. I'd love the shit out of this place. Plus, getting dick in the morning would be nice too. “So, Fishsticks...”

Sharkface looked at him, frowning. “Don't ruin the mood with that 'Fishsticks' shit.”

“Okay, fine. Shark? Sharky? Sharky McSharkface?”

“...Shark will do.” Sharkface replied, as the glasses clinked against each other on the bar counter. Almost as if by habit, he gracefully set out a few bottles of whiskey, gin, tonic and vodka, as well as soda.

“Sharky McSharkface?” Felix teased. “Anyway, when did he upload the video of me?”

“A couple of hours earlier.” Sharkface opened the bottles while Felix ran his fingers along the smooth, high quality stainless steel fridge.

“You know... Maybe I want to be fucked by someone who's much better than he is while watching porn of myself.” Felix leaned against the fridge, grinning widely.

Sharkface looked at him, a smile on his lips. He gestured at the bar. “Go take a seat. What do you want to drink?”

“...Vodka with sparkling lemonade?” Felix asked, looking at the combination on the counter. They were all branded alcohol. “If you're giving me a ride back, I'll do this at your place more often.”

“Sure.” The other man shrugged, pouring the vodka and sparkling lemonade together. He stirred the mixture, slid a coaster near Felix, and put the glass on top of it. “But first, we do things my way.”

“Oh?” Felix took the straw and sipped from it, as Sharkface went to the bar to sit beside him. “Like. What do you want? I draw the line at... Actually, you're in luck, considering I just hit rock bottom this week with 'Asian Admirer', my standards are very low right now.”

Sharkface snorted in amusement. “You have such little faith in me.”

“What is it?” Felix didn't think Sharkface could possibly have such horrible taste. For instance, he had a thing for red and black, but those were colours that went along quite well, as far as Felix was concerned. “I'm burnt out on being called 'boy' for the time being, though.”

“Nah.” Sharkface sipped his own gin mix. He'd finished it quickly and poured more in, stirring as he did so. “I want to fuck you to this song.”

“What song? Cheeki Breeki?” Felix chuckled. “Never gonna give you up? Bad Romance? My Heart Will Go On? You're Beautiful?”

“None of that shit. You'll see.”

“If I can't get it up, though, you'd better change the track.” Felix added, after a second's thought. “I'm really picky about the music I listen to.”

“Put it this way: it's a band that we both like. It describes you perfectly.” Sharkface shrugged.

“...Now I'm looking forward to it.” Felix grinned. He was picturing a video of himself on Sharkface's large TV, while the latter fucked him to loud, aggressive music.

“Another thing.” Sharkface said. “Pretend you don't want it.”

Felix raised his eyebrows at Sharkface. “You want me to say 'no' and fight you off?”

“Don't actually fight. Pretend you don't want it. Give in only when I've earned it.”

“Yeah, okay.” Felix tilted his head, mildly confused. He waited as Sharkface poured him another mix, still trying to picture how it'd go. It wasn't a bad thing – just new. Felix had only ever pretended to want, not the other way around. “We should try that out. You tell me if I'm doing it right.”

“You're fine with that?”

“Yeah, dude.” Felix shrugged. “Why are you asking me that like I'd have a problem with it? I thought you'd know me better by now.”

“I'm only asking you, because I know you.” Sharkface snorted. “You've got no shame.”

“Hey! Shame's good when it can get me off.” It was getting warmer in there. Felix finished his drink, and looked at Sharkface. “Can I try some of yours?”

“I'm pouring you a new one.” Sharkface replied, reaching for a new glass.

“Why don't you take a kitchen knife or something, make it more real?” Felix asked, crossing his legs at the thought. The pressure against his crotch made him feel less tense, though the tension was mainly from arousal rather than anything else. “I could like, wave it at you, and you could take it away. Heck, if you've got any clothes to give me, I'd say rip that off.”

“As if I'd trust you with knives. Anyway, I do have something you could wear, but I'm not going to rip it apart.” Sharkface said, as he passed the new drink to Felix, who sipped it cheerfully. He got up, and came back out with a couple of clothes-laden hangers. “Pick one, and wear it.”

“What?” Felix looked at the clothes. “You've got a punk fetish or something? God save the Queen, the fascist regime?”

“Liking fashion doesn't make it a fetish. You can keep them all. They're for you.” Sharkface held out a couple of bracelets and chains to go with the shirts. They were all too large for Felix, but too small for Sharkface. “These are all the smallest I can get. I didn't think the pants would fit you, so I didn't get those.”

“You're like, nicer to me than anybody who claimed to be romantically interested in me.” Felix said, eyes widening. The shirts were ripped, but in a way that made them look designer. He examined the seams; they were sewn together well, and the fabric was soft and nice. He looked at the brand, impressed. “Sure you're not in love with me?”

“Don't flatter yourself.” Sharkface chuckled. He looked at Felix again, and nursed his drink. “I just happened to think of you when I was shopping. They were cheap. Like you.”

“Fuck you,” Felix laughed. He had no pants to wear them with, but having a full ensemble would probably be overkill anyway. “I'll try them on, see what matches.”

“...I'll wait here.” Sharkface nodded, still drinking his gin and tonic.

Felix went to the bathroom and changed, looking at the mirror and wiggling his butt this way and that. His eyes widened when he put on the sleeveless shirt – it was probably meant for somebody larger than he was, and on somebody his size, to be worn with something else underneath it.

Felix grinned, pulling the front together such that his nipples and ribcage showed. He let go again, lifted his arms, and looked at himself carefully. He hated the way it made him seem so small, but at the same time, Sharkface wouldn't have to take it off; it would probably look good paired with a couple of chains, or collars.

Easy to tease. It'd look great on Wash, Felix thought. Add a nipple chain to complete the look, maybe. Have I ever seen Wash in streetwear? He always comes after work, and even his weekend clothes are smart-casual...

Felix shook his head. He smiled at himself brightly in the mirror, licked his lips, and winked.

“I look fucking amazing.” He said, aloud, putting on a leather bracelet to complete the look that the dog tags and metal chains gave.

Sharkface had already moved to the couch when Felix came out, wearing the sleeveless top with his own pants. He raised his eyebrows and looked at Felix approvingly.

Emboldened, Felix strode over to Sharkface, and sat down beside him, crossing his legs in a way that he thought was elegant.

It probably worked, because Sharkface looked down at his thighs and licked his lips.

“So.” Felix said, lifting one arm slightly so that it lay on the armrest, tilting his body to the side so that Sharkface could see his body from a three-quarter profile. “I thought I'd wear a shirt under this, but none of the shirts matched.”

“Sure.” Sharkface replied. He straightened his back with a suddenness and his voice took on a serious tone. “...Here's how we are going to do it. I will stop when you use your safe word. Think of one now.”

“...David.”

Sharkface gave him a skeptical look. “David?”

“No particular reason.” Felix replied, shrugging. A flashback: Locus giving Wash the ring. David, he called him. Don't call me that... Don't call me that. David. “Anything else?”

“If you can't say the safe word, start struggling for real. I will let you go when I feel it.” Sharkface said. “You won't be restrained. Stay still if you want what I'm doing.”

“So, I'm supposed to not want it, but you don't want me to fight until I actually don't want it.” Felix clarified, looking at Sharkface. “I've got that right?”

“Yes.” Sharkface replied, pointedly. He reached for a remote, and music began to spill out of the loudspeakers. Felix recognised the song. The guitar's quiet begin with a percussion, slowly and rhythmically gaining new life with a new sequence as the familiar drumbeat with a characteristic flair began. That voice; honest, intense.

Eyes on the TV, 'cause tragedy thrills me... It's no fun 'til someone dies.

“God, I love this song.” Felix grinned. He breathed in deeply, feeling the power of music course through his entire body.

“Knew you'd like it.” Sharkface looked down at his phone. He tapped it a few times, and gestured at Felix. “Come here.”

Felix looked back at him with narrowed eyes, amused. He scooted over, leaning to peer at Sharkface's phone. It was, to nobody's surprise, “Asian Admirer's” channel. Felix bit his lower lip as he saw himself, looking up at the camera while he sucked on a cock.

...Shit, Felix thought. I'm good. Why can't I blow myself? Ugh.

He stole a glance at Sharkface, and then back at the phone. The taller man was looking fixedly at the phone, not at him. Felix continued watching, as the video slowly progressed; he didn't like the way the lighting made him look.

“I'm cuter in real life.” Felix complained.

Sharkface looked at him from the corner of his eyes, an eyebrow cocked. “...That's all you've to say about that?”

The game must have already started, because Felix could feel the atmosphere change. He swallowed hard, looking at the phone, and then defiantly at Sharkface. It really wasn't like him to pretend to be submissive, even when he was submitting. How he appeared in the video was another matter; that was acting. “Yeah, so? You've got a problem with that, Sharky?”

“Not at all.” Sharkface said, skipping a few minutes of the video. Felix watched as his own butt appeared on the screen, jiggling as it connected with another man's hips. “You've got a nice ass, Felix.”

“Damn straight, I do.” Felix replied. He crossed his legs again, hoping to physically restrain his cock from rising too much. It simply wasn't fun if he got aroused too early; Sharkface had to earn it. “Dude, I don't want to look at this anymore.” He added, as flavour, “You're being creepy.”

“No. Wait.” Sharkface said, scrolling to the end. Felix was on all fours when the man pulled out, stripped off the condom, and jerked his seed off onto Felix's back.

“Fuck,” Felix grumbled. He hadn't known that the other man did that. “That explains why my shirt was all gross and I couldn't get rid of the smell. If I had a wound on my back, I could've caught something. What an asshole.”

“Yeah, that's just fucked up.” The casually sympathetic tone of Sharkface's voice betrayed that he was out of character for a moment.

Felix cleared his throat again. “Are we done?”

Sharkface put an arm around Felix, and scrolled to the end of the video. “Wait, just look at the way you came. You like being used.”

Felix chewed on his lower lips as he saw himself jerk off. Okay, that was hot.

Felix could feel Sharkface's body heat so close to him; from that angle, the scars made Sharkface look almost monstrous. If Felix hadn't known Sharkface so well, he'd probably have thought he looked like a Batman villain. “...So, how many times did you jerk off to that, Sharky?”

“I haven't jerked off to it yet. Not when I've got the real thing right here.” Sharkface's grip on his shoulder tightened, and Felix felt himself being held in place.

Felix could, of course, shake himself free if he wanted to; Sharkface wasn't really using any strength as far as he was concerned. But then again, Sharkface was ridiculously fit.

“What do you want?” Felix lowered his voice. He wasn't sure if Sharkface wanted him to pretend to be scared, or just reluctant. Either way, he presumed it won't hurt to seem a little intimidated. He gently pushed at him, only to rest his hands on Shark's pecs instead. “Get away from me.”

“Oh, no.” Sharkface grinned. “No, no, no.”

Amazing, Felix thought, how Fishsticks' in character even though the situation's so fake. What would Wash do? It'd be a lot more genuine if it was Wash.

“I'm not letting you go, Felix. Not until you cum for me.”

“What, just because you saw me in a porn video? It's not even taken with my permission.” Which was, technically, the truth. Felix pushed at Sharkface lightly again, leaning away.

Meanwhile, the chorus of the song was in full swing. Carnivore, and voyeur...

Felix supposed, in a way, that Sharkface was like himself. Both of them had the same base desires on some level; both of them were predators on some level.

Credulous at best is your desire to believe in angels in the hearts of men... It reminded him of Wash, and he felt his heart skip a beat as he thought of how Wash would have acted; what made him so desirable.

Wilfully naïve, Felix thought. Maybe Locus' hypocrisy matched Wash's, but in different ways.

Felix's voice took on a more vulnerable tone as he mimicked Wash. He let out a soft gasp as Sharkface's hand slid down below the sleeveless shirt, to his chest. “Stop.”

“What's the matter? You don't want it?”

Felix swallowed. The music was really contributing to the atmosphere; if not for it, and his memories of Wash, he probably would have just started laughing. Still, it was kind of hot how Sharkface felt against himself; just the right height to fuck and kiss at the same time.

Sharkface's body language, too, was amazing; he seemed so strong, so sinister... Though Felix knew him to be mostly harmless.

“Stop touching me...” Felix arched his back, trying to wiggle away from Sharkface's touch.

Without a word, Sharkface gripped Felix's cheek and pulled him into a kiss, the other hand still inside his sleeveless shirt.

Felix moaned; Sharkface's hand was big enough to span his chest; with a thumb and a forefinger, Sharkface lightly brushed against his nipples.

It almost reminded him of Locus' touch, but... Different. Less gentle. A lot more patient, more rational, and just as single-minded.

It was amazing how much one could feel from being touched. Not emotions; it was a way of communication, even rationally. Sex between friends was a language without words.

“Oh, Felix. Look at yourself, mewling like a kitten.” Sharkface whispered beneath his breath.

“No...” Felix moaned again, keeping still now, as Sharkface continued to tease him.

“Yes.” The taller man pushed him onto the couch, and Felix leaned back easily. He looked at Sharkface, wondering if he was doing it right. If he wasn't, he figured, Sharkface would've stopped and said something.

Felix wiggled lightly, pushing at Sharkface's shoulders while the other man held him by his ankles, keeping Felix's legs pinned wide. “No. It feels good... I don't want this.”

“You want it.” Sharkface murmured, sinisterly. “Look at your cock. It doesn't lie, Felix.”

“Hngh...” Felix's eyes widened, as he felt himself sliding into the role more and more. Wash would be even more submissive, and yet somehow also much more innocent. He would look down at himself, in embarrassment, and get even more aroused from it.

Felix wondered if he could pull that off: feigning innocence. He had done it to get out of things, but not into things.

He was trying.

“Please. Let me go...” Felix begged, softly now, arching his back and rocking his hips against Shark's waist. “Please, Sharky.”

“Oh?” Sharkfaced chuckled. He continued teasing Felix while the latter let out soft, quiet moans to the rhythm of the music.

By the time the song had ended and started over again, progressing slowly into its chorus, Felix was already a mess. He had stopped thrusting his hips against Shark's firm body, but he was hypersensitive and aching, yearning for more.

Part vampire, part warrior... Those controlled drumbeats, contrasting with the power of the guitar riffs. MJK's beautiful voice, part yelling, part singing.

“I don't... I shouldn't.” Felix whimpered, his eyes filling a little with tears. He wanted to be pitiful, to sound pitiful. To embody the trampled innocence of a deflowered Aenima. For Sharkface, just for him. Right then. “Sharky... Why?”

“'Why,' he asks, after making such a slutty video.” Sharkface mocked, leaning down. He began to nip at Felix's neck. “Don't even pretend, Felix.”

The Universe is hostile, so impersonal. Devour to survive, so it is. So it's always been... That was lust in Sharkface's unscarred eye; the sort of hunger that glimmered in it as if he was an embodiment of another singer somewhere else in the Empire a decade and a half ago.

Felix knew why Sharkface chose that song; they could feel it in their bones.

“Ah!” It hurts... Felix tilted his head, the way Wash would have done, so that Sharkface could do as he pleased. He wondered what he looked like below Sharkface. “I can't take it anymore, Sharky. Let me go. Please...”

Sharkface stopped. He looked down at Felix, studying him. The eye on the scarred portion of his face darker than the night.

Shit, was my acting too real? Felix wondered, looking back up. He didn't want to ruin the mood by saying anything he shouldn't. He whimpered, instead, needily, wrapping his legs around Shark's waist so that he knew.

“Huh. What's this?” Sharkface smirked, when as Felix's spread legs tightened around his waist, holding him in place. “I knew you were a whore, Felix.”

“What?” Felix pretended not to know what Sharkface was talking about. He reached down to cover his own cock, as if shielding himself from Sharky's gaze.

“You say no, but your body is betraying you.” Sharkface stated. He pulled a condom from below the couch and ripped the packaging open, before rolling it on with the tip pinched. “Relax. The condom's lubed.”

“No!” Felix protested again, although he really wished that Sharkface would at least cum inside him. It had been so long since he'd had a good fuck.

“Wouldn't do if I caught something from you, hm?” Sharkface grinned.

Fuck! Fishstick's good, Felix thought, feeling his cock twitch as his face flushed in shame. “He used a condom, too.”

“So? Who knows where else you've been.” Sharkface reached down to massage Felix's thighs, making the smaller man moan needily. “You're so soft here.”

As long as it's not my cock, Felix resisted saying.

Sharkface's cock was nowhere near as thick as Locus', but it was long and elegantly curved upwards, a little to the left. He lined up carefully against Felix's ass, pushing in slowly.

“Sharkface!” Felix moaned.

“You're still tight. What a surprise. Soon, you won't be... I'm going to fuck you loose.”

“No!” Felix shuddered as Sharkface pumped his cock, making him tremble in desire. He felt so tight when Sharkface pushed his cock in, inch by pleasurable and painful inch. He lay limp against the couch, eyes closed. “...Pull it out, please...”

“I would, but...” Sharkface said. He rolled his hips back, grinning as Felix tightened down around him. “Look, your little ass just won't let my cock go.”

The smaller man bit his lips, trying not to moan now. His eyes were still closed as he gripped the sides of the couch, wiggling his hips lightly and squeezing down on Sharkface's cock; it made him feel good, so good.

Sharkface's breathing was ragged every time Felix moved. He reached down to caress Felix's chest, now and again brushing against the tip of his dripping, wet cock.

Felix was almost tempted to give up the act, but the taunting and teasing did unspeakable things to him. “No, I... That's not true. Sharky...”

“Pfft, you're even rocking your hips on my cock. You don't even know what a slut you are, do you? Or would you just not admit it?”

Fuck, Felix thought again. Sharkface had uncanny timing, to say that just before the song reached this line: Why can't we just admit it. Why can't we just admit it...

Felix began to keen in earnest, to move his waist according to the rhythm of the music.

How many times had the song been on loop? Why was Sharkface taking so long to fuck him? He didn't know, or care. Sharkface's thrusts were agonisingly slow compared to the music. Felix wanted more; he wanted to be pounded, to be used, to be fucked until he came over and over again, oversensitive and sore.

But it was Sharkface who didn't give him what he wanted, at the same time demanding of him something else.

The strangeness of it all was immensely exquisite; Felix felt his entire body soften and loosen under Sharkface's speed. The pleasure slowly and agonisingly built up, with no end in sight.

Felix lost all sense of whatever came out of his mouth; it was probably a mix of No, Yes, and Please. He wasn't even sure if, at some point, he was begging Sharkface for more, or to stop. Either way, Sharkface kept going... Increasing his tempo, then stopping, or slowing down till it almost hurt for Felix to be fucked.

How many times? Felix wondered. How many times had the song played?

He had lost count after three; wantonly, he moved his hips to the beat while Sharkface kept still, and he stopped when Sharkface started up, like an intricate dance.

Sharkface's pounding eventually picked up speed for real, with so much control behind each thrust that Felix could felt his own body shake and his muscles pulsate. He wondered if Sharkface could feel him want him underneath that sheath.

“You want to cum on my cock. Say please.”

“Never!” Felix replied, even as he keened, even as he was wiggling against Sharkface needily and reaching down to jerk himself off.

Sharkface groaned, as Felix pumped himself to the rhythm near the end of the song. “God, Felix. A slut like you cumming on my cock, fuck...”

Felix felt his entire body tense up. “Cumming...!”

It can't be. Sharkface was pounding him through his orgasm.

“Ah! Ah! Ahh!” He moaned, louder and louder, till his own voice almost drowned out the music. “Shark!! No...!”

Sharkface kept fucking him, until he was nothing but a twitching, wet mess. The orgasm felt like it lasted forever.

Felix's eyes fluttered close as his reddened lips parted. He could feel Sharkface pull out of his used body.

Vicariously, I...

Felix hadn't realised it, but he was smiling in deep satisfaction even as he lay there, still, his legs still spread.

Much better you than I.

He hadn't realised when he'd fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion, but Sharkface had returned, and was resuming fucking him again to the rhythm of the song, this time harder and more brutally.

Felix woke up halfway through the song, his eyes bleary and his entire body still sensitive. He no longer had the words to pretend with; Sharkface had taken all he could from him, and much more.

Sharkface didn't take long this time. They both came together to the ending of the song.

The taller man finally collapsed on top of him, both of them too exhausted for either words or movement.

*

Felix was texting Sharkface on his own accord for the next few days, like a cat that had found a new human to attach itself to. Sharkface, for the most part, seemed to find the attention welcome.

“So, the Empire dude's been bugging me for sex again.” Felix typed furiously into his chat program, as he sat in the commute to his work.

“...Tell him to use natural lighting. If he's going to film it.”

Felix didn't bother to hide his amusement as he typed back, “Fuck, no. I'm just going to ask him if Wash's interested. I've got better dick.”

“Who, me?” Sharkface asked.

“...Maybe.” Coyly.

“Masturbation doesn't count as 'better dick than Sharky'.”

“Oh, fuck you. I've been getting a lot of messages on Grindr-”

“You told me yesterday that you weren't replying to any of them.”

Oh, yeah. Felix thought. He was amazed at how much he'd spilled to Sharkface everyday, but it wasn't like he had anybody else to really shoot the shit with. “...Just so you know, I'm jerking off in the clothes you gave me.”

“...Pics.”

“No.” Felix stroked his chin, and tapped on his phone. “...Maybe, if you take those pics for me and do a better job than that Empire dude.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“...Maybe.”

He could almost picture Sharkface's self-assured look with the reply: “...Challenge accepted.”