private PSL
Dec. 12th, 2022 10:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
srsbznss[Part of the problem with being a financial advisor, Ali realized, was that it meant he had to work. And it wasn't even the fun kinds of 'work' like stacking coins and sorting them by the quality of their gold or silver, oh no. The king had made it quite clear that any coin-counting was to be done only when requested, or outside of working hours. No, Ali had to do things like read and fill out paperwork, or run analytics on tax revenue and what kind of surplus or expenditures there were in the quarter. Or, at the very least, he had to assign all of that work to one of his several secretaries. After all, he at to at least keep up the appearances of being a financial advisor, and over the last few decades he had gotten pretty good at that. It wasn't impossible, but it also wasn't nearly as fun as counting coins.
Of course, he would get odd looks if he just sat around counting coins all day. To anyone else looking in, they did not see the fearsome dragon Aligrezoph, guardian of the kingdom's treasury. They saw Ali, a normal- albeit quirky- man who kept a very small social circle in the finance department and spent most of his days trying to keep expenditures to a minimum while saving up as much as he could. All for the kingdom's benefit, of course. It totally wasn't so there would be an even bigger pile of coins for Ali to count on his breaks.
Indeed, most who looked at Ali would just see an average-looking man. shoulder-length black hair tied back with a black ribbon, piercing blue eyes, a perpetual frown stuck on his face in most situations. A lean body that was more built for flexibility and speed than strength, and a very simple style of dress in neutral colors. He looked every bit like a stuffy accountant, though Ali would argue that he wasn't really THAT stuffy. He was just comfortable with the form!
He also would not talk about his other form under any circumstances.
On that day, Ali had an armful of expense reports with him. There was to be a meeting, and he had stayed up all night with two of his secretaries preparing these reports. With the midsummer festival coming up, the festivities had to be decided upon and paid for. And, as usual, Ali wanted to keep the expenses as low as possible. For the good of the kingdom, of course. Ultimately his team had prepared a few possible expense reports, with varying amounts spent on decorations, hiring out staff, and paying guards for keeping the peace. Any one of his plans would be acceptable, but Ali was sure that someone would complain. There was always someone who complained and called him a 'coin-pinching cheapskate', but those complaints had picked up more in recent years. Already Ali was annoyed just from the thought of the argument that would happen that day when he butted heads with a certain other advisor. Sparks would fly as usual, and these weren't the good kind of sparks.
But Ali was willing to give it a chance. As people arrived at the meeting- a meeting between the king and his dozen or so advisors in the various ways of running the kingdom- Ali worked to lay out one set of expense reports at each desk. It was only two pages of paper per table spot, so hopefully everyone liked to read!
Of course, when Ali passed a certain advisor, he had to fight the urge to make a snide comment. Instead, he just held out the two-page document to him, trying not to show too much contempt when he spoke.]
Do take care of those papers, will you? My staff stayed up all night finishing them.
[He was a dragon in hiding, not a snake in hiding, but his words still had bite to them.]
Of course, he would get odd looks if he just sat around counting coins all day. To anyone else looking in, they did not see the fearsome dragon Aligrezoph, guardian of the kingdom's treasury. They saw Ali, a normal- albeit quirky- man who kept a very small social circle in the finance department and spent most of his days trying to keep expenditures to a minimum while saving up as much as he could. All for the kingdom's benefit, of course. It totally wasn't so there would be an even bigger pile of coins for Ali to count on his breaks.
Indeed, most who looked at Ali would just see an average-looking man. shoulder-length black hair tied back with a black ribbon, piercing blue eyes, a perpetual frown stuck on his face in most situations. A lean body that was more built for flexibility and speed than strength, and a very simple style of dress in neutral colors. He looked every bit like a stuffy accountant, though Ali would argue that he wasn't really THAT stuffy. He was just comfortable with the form!
He also would not talk about his other form under any circumstances.
On that day, Ali had an armful of expense reports with him. There was to be a meeting, and he had stayed up all night with two of his secretaries preparing these reports. With the midsummer festival coming up, the festivities had to be decided upon and paid for. And, as usual, Ali wanted to keep the expenses as low as possible. For the good of the kingdom, of course. Ultimately his team had prepared a few possible expense reports, with varying amounts spent on decorations, hiring out staff, and paying guards for keeping the peace. Any one of his plans would be acceptable, but Ali was sure that someone would complain. There was always someone who complained and called him a 'coin-pinching cheapskate', but those complaints had picked up more in recent years. Already Ali was annoyed just from the thought of the argument that would happen that day when he butted heads with a certain other advisor. Sparks would fly as usual, and these weren't the good kind of sparks.
But Ali was willing to give it a chance. As people arrived at the meeting- a meeting between the king and his dozen or so advisors in the various ways of running the kingdom- Ali worked to lay out one set of expense reports at each desk. It was only two pages of paper per table spot, so hopefully everyone liked to read!
Of course, when Ali passed a certain advisor, he had to fight the urge to make a snide comment. Instead, he just held out the two-page document to him, trying not to show too much contempt when he spoke.]
Do take care of those papers, will you? My staff stayed up all night finishing them.
[He was a dragon in hiding, not a snake in hiding, but his words still had bite to them.]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-09 04:07 pm (UTC)[his eyelashes flutter a few times, letting that sink in.]
So, I should be making fun of you. [Concord, no. He smiles and leans in, kissing Ali first on the forehead, then the bridge of his nose, then on his lips, dragging that last one out with a long draw of attention and passion. When that kiss is broken, he stays close, nuzzling his nose to Ali's and speaking quietly]
That would mean much more for us, Ali. I am not against it... do you know anything of unicorn lifemates, or are you simply echoing the term back at me? [he said it once, right? It's not the way humans talk about husbands and wives, after all. It's not too dissimilar, but unicorns live a very long time and do not break their bonds, so it is much to decide on.]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-09 06:23 pm (UTC)I...
[Apart of him wants to act as obstinate as usual and claim he knew everything about lifemates. Concord is so inexperienced with mating that Ali might get away with it. But even someone as persnickety as him couldn't possibly do anything to intentionally hurt such an honest being. So he swallows, and he gives a real answer.]
As much as I am an expert in dragon mating- [Yeah he's still lying about that to save a tiny bit of his pride.] -I don't know much about unicorns or lifemates. I had assumed from your description that unicorns just don't sleep with people until they find their mate. So...
[Yeah. He had assumed that since they slept together it meant they were automatically lifemates.]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-11 08:21 pm (UTC)[Concord is sure that even just a week ago, Ali would have absolutely not believe him if he said he trusted him or held any affection. Let alone enough to fall into bed beneath him. It surprised Concord, too! This is all... very unique.]
But if you did not wish to be lifemates, it does not mean we must be. That is akin to marriage, though on a much... longer timescale. A life bond cannot be broken, once sworn.
cw: mentions of coercive breeding practices
Date: 2023-04-11 10:28 pm (UTC)It might be the dragon in him that's making it difficult to understand.]
I...you see...
[He bites his lip and glances away. He's got to give Concord the truth, even if it might drive him away.]
It's not that I'm not interested in the whole thing, it's just...complicated. While I doubt other dragons see me as a good mating partner, if one did appear and make a challenge then we would have to answer it. And if we both failed our respective fights, then...well, you know.
[Combat IS how dragons choose their mates each breeding cycle.]
And if I said no after that, then it would invite a reckoning. I don't want to destroy this kingdom because I refused to follow the rules and it made a bunch of dragons come burn down the city. And I don't want to hurt you in the process either.
[The tone is clear: he doesn't want to hurt Concord, even if the choice to hurt or not hurt is taken out of his hands entirely. Dragon mating rituals honestly don't bother him, it's just a way of life for solitary creatures like them, but he knows it can seem horrifying to people not used to it. It's why he doesn't talk about it much, along with everything else about being a dragon.]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-11 10:42 pm (UTC)I would not allow that to happen. Even if we were not lifemates, I would fight for your honor. You are of our Kingdom, you are owed my protection.
[Concord takes his duty very seriously. He's a fierce warrior and leads the armies alongside the King, who would surely do the same for Ali.]
If we bonded as lifemates, then if I were to fall in battle, so would you. I am not sure you want that. The process would bind our souls together into the beyond, so we could not die alone... It is why unicorns tend to choose only one another as lifemates, other kinds are too short lived.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-11 10:50 pm (UTC)No, no, it's not like that. Mating fights are only to defeat, not to death. There wouldn't be many dragons left if we kept killing each other over mating rights.
[He is touched though, that Concord would fight for his honor regardless of the situation. Ali is inwardly happy that such a thing will likely never happen, he doesn't want to put Concord through that. Fighting a dragon is awful, even if you are also a dragon.]
Besides, I'm not exactly desirable to most dragons, so if any came this way demanding mating rights it would be to taunt me as some sort of sick joke.
But...if it involves tying lives together, we should think more about that. There are a lot of things we need to discuss first.
[But he's not disinterested. He just wants to make sure they both understand what they're getting into.]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-12 06:13 pm (UTC)No. It would be to the death. I would need to be killed to not keep fighting.
[There is no honor in that kind of defeat, so there is no leaving him alive from it. He's also aware most dragons would underestimate him and that could easily be their end.]
Still. I am rather confused by your contradictions. Have you been desirable in the past, but are no longer? I do not grasp how that could be. You are as attractive as I've ever known you. [and that has been a while, but he doesn't know shit about dragon mating standards. Concord does presume he's just missing something, rather than catching Ali out in a lie...]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-12 08:08 pm (UTC)Of course you would, you stubborn mule.
[But the rest...well. Ali really needs to keep better track of his lies if he's going to keep presenting himself as a Casanova. He's just lucky that Concord is pure of heart and dumb of ass.]
Er, well...of course I am, my good looks as a dragon translated into human good looks.
[He's continuing to lie, he purposefully made his human form attractive. He'll even preen his hair to ]
But dragons are rather insular and don't take kindly to other species. And since I live primarily as a human now, I've missed a few mating seasons and nobody has come calling.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-12 09:50 pm (UTC)I see. That is similar to unicorns. None would come seeking me out as a mate, given I am not guarding the realm in solitude. I have prioritized the people of this land and not all unicorns see that as best. [he does, though, in large part because of the King here. He gave over the crown of this land to him and so Concord made his choice, set his priorities in line. It isn't uncommon, unicorns tends to split between protecting their lands from outsiders and protecting those who have settled. Concord just happens to be the latter, which just so happens to be the less sought out for mate seeking.]
Still, if any dragon did arrive who you scorned, I would fight for you. Regardless of our bond.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-13 01:35 am (UTC)Dragons don't really like humans either. They see them as an annoyance, and get angry at the occasional bunch of soldiers that get sent out to kill any particularly dangerous dragons. It seems a lot of mythical creatures don't like humans, huh?
[That makes them two peas in a pod, in a way. They both like humanity for different reasons, but that still brings them together.
That last bit is particularly touching too, and Ali finds himself tucking his head close to Concord's chest o hide his warm smile. Even if he just slept with Concord, he still feels apprehensive about showing his true smiles so easily. His voice gives away how touched he feels though.]
Thank you for that, Concord. It means a lot to me.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-15 04:51 pm (UTC)When Ali scoots in even closer, Concord wraps him up in both arms. A bearish hug from a man who is more like that animal in his protective spirit than most would think of a unicorn. He buries his nose in Ali's dark hair and nuzzles there with utmost affection, taking in his smoky scent. The warmth is downright addictive, he fears he'll never want to be far from Ali now that he's been so close to him. There are duties beyond this bed, after all...
Also, they're both quite sticky.]
... did you wish to bathe together? I need a wash.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-16 03:16 am (UTC)But a mess will separate them, it seems. He sighs and starts to untangle himself from Concord.]
Might as well. The baths should still be largely unoccupied at this hour.
[Most people are probably still at the festival, even if the fireworks are over.]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-16 10:27 pm (UTC)He's getting ahead of himself,]
Do you have a handkerchief on hand? [top prior: no come stuck to his chest or running down his legs. Being at least that decent before tossing back on his casual set of clothing to walk to the baths is a must.]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 01:41 am (UTC)Also, he wants to wash Concord's back in the bath. That's pretty intimate in his mind.
But Concord's question snaps him away from those thoughts, and with a bit of flourish he speaks as if it's silly of Concord to even ask.]
Of course.
[He has one in the pocket of his pants, which he goes over to pull out. Of course, when he picks up his pants he hears the two coins clinking against each other, and he smiles with a bit of warmth before shifting it to something a bit more smarmy as he hands over the handkerchief.]
Knowing how messy you are, I'll have to be sure to bring several towels next time.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 01:51 am (UTC)I would not think I am any messier than a dragon, in this way... [he scrubs off with the regimented movement of a soldier, getting himself at least decent enough to be redressed. Once he's decent, he's ready to trek onward to the baths, which weren't necessarily far from Ali's den besides the treasury]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 02:06 am (UTC)He eventually does get dressed though, only pulling on a shirt and pants for the time being. No need to dress up super-fancy when they're just going to the baths. Together. Post-sex. He wonders how many people have done just the same thing.
Once they arrive he'll indicate to one of the more secluded pools.]
Let's go over there.
[Even if someone does wander in after the festival, they're unlikely to catch the two of them far in the back.]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 02:18 am (UTC)Making it to the baths, they're likewise empties out still. Spotting the far pools, tucked away beyond walls for a bit more privacy, Concord follows. If anybody came in, they could probably hear and... adjust themselves. That is, if they return to such intimate displays as before.
Concord isn't sure he could resist, it feels like a given. He strips back down and enters the warm water with a sigh. His braid will get undone in time, for now he needs to bask a while, watch as Ali enters in after him, hopefully]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 02:32 am (UTC)So patient, in fact, that he doesn't enter the warm water immediately. He takes time to remove his clothes and set them nearby, folded loosely. Then he takes the time to untie his hair and let it fall down to just past his shoulders. Once the tie is set aside, then Ali makes his way to the water.
...carefully. The water is steamy and he has to squint a little as he feels around for the edge with his foot. He will not be falling in and making a fool of himself today. But soon enough he gets settled next to Concord and sighs as he sinks down a bit in the water.]
I should bathe more often, I keep forgetting how amazing this feels.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 02:38 am (UTC)Speaking of warmth, he reaches back out for Ali, impatient already. He already took such time joining, Concord doesn't help the urge. His large palm smooths over Ali's hip on one side and he leans in to kiss the man again]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 03:00 am (UTC)[Now there's an interesting fact: dragons take dust baths.
Ali sees Concord reaching for him, and he sighs. He has this 'Really? Again?' look on his face, but at the same time he's not saying no to the touches or the kiss. In fact, he kisses back with interest as he reaches for Concord, touching his closest shoulder.
When they part for air, Ali speaks up:]
We didn't bring the bottle, you know.
[They can still get creative even without that thing. There's plenty of soaps and oils all around the bath, they could find something suitable.]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 03:15 am (UTC)That did not stop us the first two times... [Concord reminds, breath close to Ali's mouth. He does separate after, sure that despite any desires they should probably not immediately fool around again. Isn't Ali tired? Or does he, like Concord, find himself stirring for more soon enough.
He sinks himself into the water, wanting to get his hair soaked through. While dunked beneath the surface, he can't help himself planting another kiss on Ali's navel, just to tease him some]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 11:22 am (UTC)That sounds like you have something in mind.
[But then Concord is underwater, and that kiss makes his whole body shudder despite the warm water. It's instinct- somehow- to grab onto Concord's hair when he's like that. But he remembers how sensitive Concord's hair is, and he opts to hold onto the edge of the bath instead.]
There's no way you can hold your breath for long enough to do that.
[Even if Concord probably can't hear him right now, Ali feels the need to say that.]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-22 04:19 pm (UTC)I used to have better self restraint. You make me very impatient for what is next, Ali.
[they've always had a knack for frustrating one another, but this is a whole new game]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-24 01:48 am (UTC)He grins as he tucks a bit of hair behind Concord's ear, taking care not to let the touch linger for too long, as he speaks.]
I never would have thought that I would be able to hold such control over you, you know. To make you so impatient so easily, I'll have to remember that trick.
[He says this like he's not going to get fucked so hard he'll see stars when Concord gets the chance to do that.]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-29 10:30 pm (UTC)You figured that out a week ago. [it is on his mind, if he'll be fucking Ali the way he was taken, wondering if maybe he's too hung for the dragon to dare]
And you said you like control... but are you going to let me inside you, one day?
(no subject)
From: