Vitriol and Rancor finally getting down to the deed.

and learn love isn't a competition.

////////

Within the warm confines of the library, a small lamia rested in one of the chairs closest to the fireplace to keep his scales warm. Reading a book on astrology while a dictionary sat by to help him with the larger words. The crackling of the fire being the only noise past his shallow breaths, this was the only place he could come to for silence like this. Letting out a soft sigh, vitriol rubbed his skull against his wrist to try and figure out the chaos theory as none of it made sense to him.

How could everything be based on chaos and unruly choices, a thought that would probably keep him up all night if he didn't solve it. His sharp gaze flicking up at the sound of a click at the library door where a larger male stood, their eyes filling him with a sense of familiarity. "What is it rancor?" He asked gruffly, returning his gaze back to his book. Hearing the larger male approach while he shifted his weight to not look so tense.

"Maru left to do something with one of his buddies, i wanted to come see you." Vitriol huffed lightly under his breath, that was strange, rancor usually just waited for the vampire to return. "Really now." He muttered, feeling the tinge of jealousy strike his soul while doing his best to ignore it. He always had this feeling anytime the scorpion would love on their bigger companion, he couldn't help it.

He'd longed for something more between him and rancor for years before they met maru, but due to rancor's struggling to peice things together, he'd held off for so long. Yet within days, it was obvious to see rancor's affection for maru and it hurt vitriol heavily. Glancing nervously at him when he sat on the floor in front of him, vitriol leaned back. "what are you reading?" The scorpion asked curiously, looking at the picture of a galaxy on the left page. "A book on astrology..."

The small lamia responded, flipping the page and trying to focus back on reading. "astrro..logy?" Rancor repeated, looking at vitriol with a hopeful look that he pronounced it correctly. "mmhm.." Silence fell between the two as an awkward tension settled. The quiet chink sound of vitriol's rattle hitting the chair being the only give away of his uneasiness while his eyes stayed glued to the book.

His companion's voice startling him when he spoke up, gently reaching a hand up to set on the book to get his attention. "Hey.. i kinda wanted to ask if you wanted to go wander the woods with me? ya know.. like the old times?" Rancor asked a bit hopefully, making vitriol slightly squirm to fight against the puppy eyes he was giving but sadly gave in. "Fine.." Closing his book while raising himself up, he could tell from the excitement in rancor's eyes that this was going to be one hell of an adventure, sighing a bit upset.

Sneaking around all the guards and servants was fairly easy for the two so they could leave, venturing out into the woods to do whatever rancor had planned. Slithering behind the scorpion as he went on and on about their old adventures, pointing to areas he thought was places they'd been while vitriol didn't admit that they'd been going in circles and only rarely commented on going a different way. Eventually resting on a fallen tree while twirling a clover in his fingers, vitriol wondered when rancor would get bored and just want to go home to maru. The same tinge of jealousy returned, making him crumple the clover in his hand while sighing.

This seemed to catch rancor's attention and make him tilt his head, gently scooting closer to the lamia. "do.. you have any stories vitriol?" He mumbled slightly, hoping that talking would calm him. Looking up to him, vitriol looked around the clearing quietly and actually remembered the area. "yeah... i got one about this place in particular.. it was a rainy day and we where huddled up under that tree over there," Pointing across the clearing, he was motioning to a semi large dip under the tree roots that was just barely big enough to fit the two of them.

"An the thunder was scaring you to the point you stung me. Ya felt so bad that you cuddled up to me and repeated apologies for the rest of the night, heh.. felt nice to be held like that..... sometimes... makes me wish we could go back to those days.." Rancor's confusion grew as vitriol's voice began to waver, looking down to the lamia only to be surprised as tears fell from his eyes. "h-heh... how selfish is that..?" Rancor shook his head, a little confused. "i... don't understand?" Rubbing his face, vitriol sniffed while turning away.

"i know you don't.." The heavy whimper from rancor slightly echoed, him leaning closer while slowly hugging vitriol. "then please.. help me understand??" Vitriol kept his head low, trying to lean out of rancor's touch. "There's nothing to understand.." Slithering away from the embrace, rancor whimpered again. "Please vitriol, is it something i did? i use to understand you but i don't know anything anymore. Please stop being so far away.." Looking back to the scorpion, he let the remaining tears fall.

"I don't dislike maru.. as much as i try too i can't... because he makes you happy in a way i seemed to never be able to. I know you love him.. and as much as it hurts me, i know i'm not worth that title as well... i'm not mad that you like him.. hell, i've even started to love the fucking bastard." Rancor got up from the fallen tree to hug him, still confused while gingerly wrapping his arms around vitriol's sides. Gently kissing his cheek only made the lamia squirm and flinch at the affection, not believing there was any real love behind it.

"I don't fully understand what your saying... but i think i understand you now.." Rancor mumbled unsure, gently rubbing vitriol's sides and making him shudder. Vitriol gulped nervously, flustered and confused of rancor's actions. His weight seeming to become highly obvious as vitriol felt small in rancor's grasp, his tail beginning to coil up around himself. His breath hitching when rancor dipped his head into the crook of his neck, gently peppering it with kisses and licks. "s-s-stop it... i-i don-n't want your pity.."

The little lamia whined, unable to escape while shuddering lightly. Rancor's hand trailed down to rub vitriol's opening to coax out his heat, making him gasp loudly. Grasping rancor's shirt tightly with a shaky hiss. "t-that's an order ran-nngh-.." Cut off, vitriol couldn't help but lean into his desires. Not physically making an attempt to stop the larger scorpion that held him. "I'm sorry vitriol.. but i have to show you that this isn't pity.." Rancor nuzzled against his shoulder, gently running his hands along vitriol's sides.

The small lamia shuddering and panting against him, his focus slipping. "D-Damnit ra-ancor, i-i-" Hissing, he pulled together the last bit of his strength to shove down his large companion and pin his arms against his sides with his constrictive grasp. "N-Now listen damnit and listen well, whatever your trying won't magically fix things! You hardly gave a damn before now so go back to being that way! I'm doing my best to come to terms with things how they are but you making things difficult!" Rancor whimpered below him, struggling to get out of his tail.

"Just ignore me and go back to the love sick fool you where..." With his coil loosening, rancor pulled his arms free and stared at the emotional snake. His soul hurt to watch him like this, vitriol's eyes reflecting the emotions he tried so hard to push down. Rancor could see the sadness, the loneliness, the doubt and the anger. Yet despite everything vitriol did to hide it, rancor could see the jealousy in him too. He'd seen it whenever the three of them where together, when maru would snuggle up to rancor and hold him, whenever rancor mentioned maru's name was when he seen it most.

Like a dark cloud had blinded vitriol, he'd let himself drift away and nothing could bring him back down from it.. but rancor didn't want that to happened to him. Knowing how bad the small lamia could be to himself if he was alone. Rancor reached out to wrap his arms around the smaller male, trying his best to hold him close while being mindful of vitriol's flinching when he was touched. Managing to envelope him into a large hug while carefully caressing vitriol's back in a soothing manner, being careful of the hidden scar along side his spine.

"...love isn't a competition, vitriol..." Flinching back in shock, his shaky gaze flicking up to rancor. "w-what..?" His soft smile and the gentle pets along his back made him duck down slightly with a whine. ".. i never went further then cuddling when we slept because you always seemed to dislike when i got to touchy... i didn't want to upset you.. i only understood now why you where so upset after me and maru did something.. I'm not the brightest, i know that, but i understood enough of what it meant to be with someone." Vitriol was frozen in shock while his eyes where unfocused with how shaky he'd become.

All this time.. all this time that he waited wasn't only because he wanted rancor to learn but because he'd pushed rancor away to the point he'd lost his chance. His body began to tremble as he held his skull, making rancor worry as he gently held his shoulders. "h-hey.. i-its okay-!" Cut off by vitriol as he shouted, the larger male flinched. "I'm so fucking stupid!! I should have just told you how i felt!! I should have just been open with what i wanted!! I should have just been like maru!!"

Letting out a hitched sob, vitriol leaned against him while softly repeating how stupid he was. Rancor tried his best to comfort him before he finally gulped down his own doubts to talk. "V-Vitriol.. i love you for how you are, y-you don't have to be like maru to prove yourself..! H-He may have been my first.. but i can can be your first.. for everything. w-we don't have to compete with each other. i-in fact, this can be my first time w-with you. so its still a fresh experience..! s-so you don-n't- a-ah!?"

Cut off from his rambling, vitriol had dragged him by his hood to get closer. "s-shut up and just fuck me.." he demanded, making rancor's eyes widen before the restrains broke. The years of built up sexual tension catching up to the two boys while finally being able to release the fears holding them back from each other.

//////

When Maru returned home, he went to find his two boys who where both sound asleep in the bed they all shared. The two enveloped into each others hold while they both smelled heavily of each other and their actions to the point even those with a weak sense could tell what they done just by the scent alone. Vitriol's neck and shoulders where littered in bruises and bite marks while rancor's back was badly clawed, yet despite this they slept soundly. Maru smiled softly, leaning over the bed on rancor's side to softly mumble. "Seems you finally got through to him." Softly kissing the sleeping scorpions skull, he leaned further to do the same to the small lamia who for once.. didn't flinch. Leaving his two boys to sleep quietly with a smile on his face.