Page 56 of In Darkness and Dank

“No. Forget it. I’m fine.” Kittisak kissed him.

Shu chirped again.

“I promise.”

Shu purred quietly, so it seemed he believed him.

Kittisak stretched his arms, grunting at the burning ache lingering in his muscles. “Fuck, it feels like I ran a damn marathon or something. Mmph. I think I’m gonna need a nap before we swim out of here.”

“Oh.” Shu frowned. “Kitty want go?”

“What?” Kittisak rubbed Shu’s chest, and he tried to read his expression to figure out what was wrong. “Did you… want to, ahem, pozzo again?”

Shu’s lips twitched up in a shy smile.

“How could I ever say no to that face?” Kittisak laughed. “Okay, yes. Just let me eat some of that food, rinse off this first coat of sex crust, and then we’re totally gonna pozzo again.”

“Oh, Kitty.” Shu kissed him passionately, wrapping his muscular arms around him tight. “You make me so happy. So very happy.”

“You make me happy too,” Kittisak murmured. “My beautiful creature.”

Shu beamed. “Yours, meh almae.”

* * *

They went twice more, enjoying everything one another’s bodies had to offer until the mushrooms were turning purple, and they were both thoroughly exhausted.

Kittisak was certain that Shu could have kept going, but the water was coming up the path and it was time to leave the beautiful cave.

It had been the most magical night of Kittisak’s entire life, and he treasured every single ache and sore muscle. He didn’t know quite how he made it back out of the cave, but Shu seemed to swim extra fast just to make sure Kittisak didn’t have any trouble holding his breath this time. When they emerged out of the pool in the lagoon, Kittisak could see the sun rising.

The sky was a soft orange mixed with pink and magenta streaks, and the birds were singing away as the world woke up.

Shu carried Kittisak to their fire pit, and they sat together to watch the sunrise. Kittisak curled up in Shu’s lap, using his shoulder for a pillow. He wanted to stay awake to see the sun coming over the tree line, but he knew he was doomed to fall asleep.

The satisfaction from their intimate evening was pulling down his bones, but in spite of how tired he was, he couldn’t stop smiling.

“Kitty happy?” Shu asked quietly.

“Very happy,” Kittisak murmured. “Thank you, Shu. For everything.”

“All for you, almae.”

Kittisak smiled at the word, and he wanted to ask Shu what it meant again. He suspected that it was more than just special, especially after how Bal had teased Shu about it, but he didn’t get a chance. He passed out there in Shu’s arms, utterly exhausted by their amorous adventures. He stirred only briefly as Shu laid him on the soft ground with some leaves, but he drifted off again when he felt Shu’s big arm curling around his middle.

Yeah, he decided. This was pretty much heaven.

* * *

By the time Kittisak woke up, the sun was high in the sky and it was scorching hot. Shu must have moved him because he found himself lying in the shade of the trees a few feet from shore with more leaves cushioned around him. Some of them were stuck in his hair when he sat up, yawning loudly.

“Shu?” Kittisak looked around, but he didn’t see the beautiful creature anywhere.

To his surprise, there was a fire going in the pit, and something was cooking in a big pot.

He got up to investigate, stretching his arms over his head as he headed over. He was still quite sore, but it was the kind of deep ache that made him smile. His smile only grew when he looked in the pot.

It was full of boiling water, spicy seaweed, and an entire unopened bottle of Huy Fong Foods Sriracha Chili Sauce.

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