The Hunter's Trap Pt. 01

"So in a few more years there'll be pretty-boy Mitals all over here scaring away good game." Dennuuk went out on a bit of a dangerous limb, not knowing if Tawn was the proud and straight sort. He tried to be playful with Tawn but that eager little smile and cute way that Tawn leaned in made Dennuuk more flirtatious and much less subtle than he meant to be.

The compliment took Tawn by surprise. He'd never been called pretty before even as a jab. One part of his brain had trouble admitting how much the other part liked it. Hot rouge ran up Tawn's neck and into his cheeks. He felt how he was leaning against the warm and heavy muscle of the man's arm. His pants tightened and he tried to flex his thighs to make the blood flow elsewhere. His eyes darted away from Dennuuk's and he quickly went on with the conversation. "Well, I mean, we might just stop using ryoberry dyes. Some folks have already done that but a lot of people like it. It's a good color."

Dennuuk nodded and smiled, holding back a laugh. He followed Tawn's fluttering eyes down to the petite man's stiffening crotch. Tawn's thighs began tightening and Dennuuk could see the lithe but firm muscles of Tawn's lower half tighten. "It is." Dennuuk quickly glanced back upward. "You came all this way for that color?"

"It gets a good price but I was getting them for Plenty's End. Ryoberry Red is the town color so they like to have a lot of them."

"I'd never known. Is it a good festival down there?"

"I think so! I'm pretty involved in it though, so I'm biased. It gives my little tailor shop a lot of work."

"I'll have to go see it. It's nice dropping on a town festival for the Plenty's End."

There was a pause and silence between them as they walked the last minute up to the cabin door.

"You -" Tawn looked up at Dennuuk for a second, then looked away. "You definitely should come see it."

Dennuuk reached open and got the door.

"After you."

Tawn smiled back at him, "Thanks."

Dennuuk nodded, "Of course."

He hated to admit half of his politeness came from wanting another chance to watch Tawn walk.

It became clear enough to Dennuuk that Tawn swung his way. They might even match up on a deeper level. Sexually, it seemed Tawn liked being tied up and Dennuuk liked tying folk up. He hadn't been with anyone like that since three years back when he saved up and visited the cities. It'd be nice to come upon it organically but it was so rare it felt hard even to hope for it. He had hope for something in the night here. There was a good feeling he had about the cute, adroit little thing he was sheltering and he hoped it wasn't purely the blood flowing away from his brain that made him feel it.

Anything they did do together would have to be small. Tawn didn't seem much younger than him - 5 years maybe - but that was a lot of time you spent learning about yourself. It was clear enough Tawn didn't totally want the urges he had even though he probably knew there was no wishing them away.

While pondering, Dennuuk pulled out a large and plush fur hide and brought it into the small front room.

"Take a seat. You might wanna lie down after all that."

Tawn sat down on the wide, coal-black fur hide. It was incredibly soft.

Dennuuk's cabin was a lot nicer than Tawn anticipated. There was a small front room that led to three others. He could see into one - it was a small pantry. The other two were closed. The whole place must have been finely made since hardly any of the cold autumn night winds swept into the cabin. It had solid rune-work too. He'd expected a lantern or candle, not three light runes. The soft orange of the light runes felt much more pleasant to the eyes.

Tawn blankly watched Dennuuk shuffle through the pantry as he tried to stay upright. He felt worn out to the core and the soft fur was calling to him. He'd slipped back on to his elbows by the time Dennuuk had come out of the pantry. He made move to sit up.

"Don't sit up on my account." Dennuuk gave an easy laugh.

He put out a jar filled with water and a small basket filled with a few fruits and several slices of dried meat.

"Oh you don't need to -"

"Oh hush," Dennuuk placed a firm hand on Tawn's slight shoulder and hovered a finger half an inch away from Tawn's lips, " eat and drink. It was my trap that gave you trouble. Least I can do."

The motions were all standard for the Grinlands, touchy as they were. Dennuuk might not've made any contact with most townsfolk but he was curious at Tawn's response to being lightly bossed around.

The rouge came back as Tawn ground his legs together slightly. Dennuuk could see Tawn's mouth open just a bit and Tawn briefly bite down on his thick lower lip. Tawn's light blue eyes fixed on the finger at first and then darted around as he gingerly picked up a fruit.

"Oh, I - if you say so."

Dennuuk was trying to test Tawn but there was a part of Dennuuk that got just as tested. It had been a while since he'd had any sort of sex and seeing Tawn's thinly veiled arousal, the way his legs squeezed together and his teeth grazed his full lips, made Dennuuk feel a deeper yearning than he had readied himself for. Dennuuk took a step outside. "I'll be right back."

Once Dennuuk left Tawn lowered himself onto the furs and turned sideways to eat out of the basket. It looked like quickly prepared stuff, fruit and dried meats that had already been ready to eat. There wasn't anything spectacular about the food but with how hungry he was everything tasted great. He was also left thinking about the compliment, the thick finger left an inch from his lips, and the gentle but firm hand on his shoulder. Once again he could feel his pants tighten.

Is that really all it takes now? A little compliment and bossing around? Heavens, it doesn't help how handsome this hunter is. Even his scent is pleasant and ... masculine... Tawn thought to himself. It wasn't hard to imagine being held down by all that man and to feel all that manhood grinding up against him again. Tawn's cock had become rigid and his hips were swaying against the fur. What am I doing? Why am I so bad at hiding this? He stopped himself. Not only would Dennuuk be back soon but it was starting to hurt to get erect without release. Each time he got aroused he got harder even faster and felt even more desperate to get off.

Dennuuk returned a bit later with two pails of water and walked right by Tawn to one of the closed doors. Tawn could barely raise up from his back before Dennuuk had nudged the door open with a foot. The room was mostly filled with a fine tub and a basin along with a mirror. Dennuuk poured the two large pails into a tub.

"A-are you taking a bath?"

"No of course not." Dennuuk shook his head and picked up the empty pails. "You are."

"I don't smell that bad..." Tawn pouted slightly.

Dennuuk smiled and gave another easy laugh. "It's not that. It's a bit of a sauna. The water and some salts will help your muscles recover for tomorrow."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense."

"There's a door so there's full privacy."

"It's a lot I'm making you do..." Tawn looked at him, genuinely tracing for anything in the eyes - annoyance, expectation, anything at all negative or ulterior. He found in Dennuuk's eyes the same steadiness and gentleness that was in the hands.

Dennuuk walked over and set his pails down. "It's fine, really. Just relax." He extended his large hands toward Tawn's shoulders and Tawn found his heart pumping even though the hands were moving so slow he could easily have knocked them away or moved. They were large and roughened but they felt oddly smooth against his shoulders - like rocks at the bottom of a river that had been worn into smoothness by the current.

Dennuuk stared into his eyes and in that steadiness, there was a command that felt like magic to the primal part of Tawn's mind. Those large hands guided him downward until he was laying flat on his back and feeling those eyes burn into his. His breaths were getting shorter and quicker. "Lay back and relax for me."

Before Tawn knew it he was flat on his back looking up at Dennuuk's broad shoulders cast a shadow over him. He felt a pain in his groin that he knew was from an intense erection he could do little about now. When he laid on his back and eased his shoulders Dennuuk smiled warmly at him - a deeply pleased smile that Tawn gradually and half-nervously took on his own face.

"Good," Dennuuk spoke just above a whisper. Tawn had trouble hearing exactly what was said but he felt the eroticism in it. It was as much a pant as a syllable and Tawn found himself panting in whispers too. Dennuuk pulled his hands up from Tawn's thin shoulders and let his fingers graze on Tawn's neck. "That's a good boy." Tawn bit hard on his lower lip and let out a soft moan. He was dizzy and practically salivating. His legs were rubbing together and his hips undulating lightly. Hardly anything had been done but he felt so aroused that a heat flushed through his whole body and he could feel his cock quake and quiver against his tight leggings. His hands wanted badly to work it and to see if Dennuuk's needed working too - if Dennuuk felt like he did but the nervousness that his shame had given him kept his hands from moving.

Dennuuk picked up the pails and left again. He had to admit that was more aggressive than he intended. That pretty-boy had such an intense submissive energy and Dennuuk hadn't had a romance in so long that when he did a little to get him going he found he was getting himself going just as much. When he pulled away from Tawn to fetch more water he'd noticed how hard he'd gotten. He was practically aching to get Tawn into bed. Still, he was going to make sure he took this slow and had Tawn's approval on it.

It wasn't just that he'd be doing a wrong but that it was a wrong that sprung more wrongs. It'd leave a sweet, soft guy like that all sorts of confused and torn up. Then who knows? He might spend the rest of his life in hiding, keeping those urges locked up, doing some damn foolish things. Dennuuk had seen it in isolated hunters and even in his short time in the city and it was ugly and depressing. It killed his a mood and made his cock go soft but it was probably better he seduced like that than all worked up.

Dennuuk returned and saw Tawn lying there munching on a dried stick of meat. The pretty-boy still looked a little dazed. All the blood hadn't left his cock either and he went from lying on his side to lying on his front as soon as Dennuuk came in to hide his visible arousal. Dennuuk felt bad because that was only gonna make Tawn harder and he didn't want to tease him too much. On the other hand, it let him see that wonderful backside again. For such a small man, Tawn had two ample handfuls of ass. Tawn caught him coming in and smiled sheepishly, holding a hand up in a slight wave. It made Dennuuk grin bigger and dumber than he meant to.

After he got the pails into the tub he sealed the rune underneath with some more red clay and it began to heat the waters. He went into the pantry and found two small leather pouches. He took them both and poured some salt and a powder into the tub. The steam rising up started to smell like lavender. There was no deception in that - the smell was a side-effect of some things he used to relax his own muscles after heavy hunts and long days.

While the tub heated, Dennuuk went into the bedroom to prepare a small bed of furs for himself. He'd give the bigger one he usually slept on to Tawn.

"Hey, uh..." Tawn called out from the other room.

"Need something?" Dennuuk strode back in with one of his furs in his hand.

"I just wanted to ask what it's like to live out here - you know - mostly alone?" Tawn was still on his stomach, letting his slender legs stretch out behind him and holding up his head with his hands. He was smiling nervously and honestly.

Dennuuk put the fur on the floor and slumped down to sit with his back to the wall. "Good and bad. Like anything, really. It can be peaceful. No bad gossip or annoying people like I imagine you get in town. Nature's gorgeous too. Alo always provides food and water and what you need out here. It just gets lonely and dull sometimes. Alo doesn't provide company and games much. Cities and towns provide that." Dennuuk scoffed. "That probably sounds sad."

Tawn shook his head. "I don't think so. It's like you said, 'good and bad.' It's the same with towns." Tawn sighed. "Good and bad. Hey, do you have any games? I'll play with you."

"You don't have to."

"Least I can do."

Dennuuk chuckled. "You should take a bath first. I don't want to wear my rune out."

"Is it ready?"

"Should be close at least."

Tawn got up hesitantly and Dennuuk took it as a cue to get up and go back to making his bed for the night.

It might've all been from his troublesome desires but Tawn liked seeing Dennuuk's face. He liked the gentle but firm eyes the man had and the way he could make such a serious man smile. In a small way, it made him feel powerful and, in a bigger way, wanted. He'd invented a question to get Dennuuk back in the room and though he said to himself that he asked it because he wanted to know the answer, it was as much because of how Dennuuk made him feel. There was a light and giddy feeling in his stomach that was hard to explain. He got it every time he spoke to the hunter and he wanted more of it. Dennuuk wasn't anything like what Tawn expected. He wasn't reclusive or weird or rough. He was gentle, firm, powerful, and smooth. Tawn wanted to know more of what Dennuuk was and that desire hurt him a little inside. It was a desire he wished he had for women.

Tawn pulled off his tight clothes and found he'd been sweating more than he thought but had little space in his head to think about. He was hard as a rock and the tip of his cock was dripping thin beads of cum down his head and shaft. His balls were starting to ache but he didn't think it was wise to masturbate here. He sighed and felt even more hurt by the desires that led him to places like this - dangers like this.

He settled into the warm water. It smelled wonderful and felt even better. All the tension in his muscles started to unwind as he sunk deeper into the water and let it rise up to his chin. He rolled his shoulders and felt that some of the pain had already gone. The water engulfed his still hard shaft, circled his nipples, and pushed up against the rim of his asshole making him shut his eyes to focus on the pleasure.

With his eyes shut his mind turned involuntarily to Dennuuk pushing him on his back and to imagining those hands sliding over his nipples, down his stomach, and onto his hips. He felt those firm hands around his cock and pushing in at the rim of his asshole. The vision felt just inches away from reality and he began to squirm underneath the erotic ideas in his head. Before he knew it he was stifling another moan by biting his lower lip. His groin felt so sore that he began to rub all around his shaft and carefully massage his balls. It felt good and bad, his fingers massaging the pressure but his shaft stiffening and begging more and more for release.

He had to stop, had to pull himself back. He didn't want to cum in Dennuuk's tub. He didn't want to think these thoughts even though they were the strongest burst of pure pleasure he'd had in years. Opening his eyes, he tried to refocus on other things. Dennuuk's runework managed to draw him away. It was pretty impressive stuff that rivaled the better runeworkers in town. He'd have to ask him about it because it seemed strange to him a hunter would know common magic so well.

Dennuuk spent the time Tawn was in the tub looking for games he had lying around. He had a set of dice around that they could use if nothing else but he thought he had the board and pieces for King's Court from a while ago. He used to play it against himself and still liked to play it in town taverns when he could. It didn't make sense how hard it was to find given he barely owned anything in the first place.

He really hadn't expected all this. He hadn't expected he'd have seduction on the mind and have it taken off by an offhand remark about games. Yet here he was, remembering how long it had been since he'd played anything with anybody and feeling he wanted that about as badly as sex. He laughed a little wryly at himself. He had to admit it was starting to get lonely out here in a way he wasn't used to.

By the time Dennuuk found his King's Court set at the bottom of his small valuables trunk Tawn was stepping out of the bath. Without the sweat and with his hair pulled back by the water Tawn looked radiant. His skin had a slight pale glow to it and the swept back hair had a unique brindle pattern that moved in swirling gradients from a very light brown at the roots to a golden blonde at the tips. Dennuuk thought he was fully human at first but seeing him now figured he must've had some part Alofolk in him.

"Thanks for that." Tawn pushed some water out of the ends of his hair.

"Stumbled onto my King's Court board." Dennuuk held it up.

"It's been a while since I've played that! You'll have to help to me remember it."

"No problem." This time it was Dennuuk struggling to retain his excitement.

The two of them played and ate for a while, with Tawn lounging on the floor and Dennuuk sitting upright. King's Court was a house rules game at its core and could get pretty complex if you let it but neither of them remembered enough to make it that way. The game was about setting up little square pieces on the square tiles and moving them forward. There were three basic square pieces with each piece beating and losing to one another and a few other pieces with special rules to them. Dennuuk had the two more common special pieces. The goal was to get through the other person's pieces and find their member of the court. Once you got to their court member you won. The house rules came in how many members of the court you allowed in the game. Some only allowed the classics - the King, Queen, and Jester - but others added in the Heir, Baron, and more. Each court member had a little thing they did to change up the game.

They played for a while longer than Dennuuk meant for them too and Tawn was starting to nod off and make big mistakes by the last game.

"Let's pack it away for the night." Dennuuk said.

Tawn nodded.

"How're you feeling."

"Still a little sore. A lot better but still sore."

"Well, there's one more thing I could do for you. It's a little hands-on though."

"Well..." The directness surprised him. Tawn rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. He could feel Dennuuk's smooth palm on the back of his neck as it was nearly an hour and a half earlier - heavy and strong but controlled and careful. "I could hear it out." Tawn couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth.

"I could give you a massage. Used to give them fairly often. I understand it's a bit personal so no pressure." Dennuuk had lost his momentum. If he hadn't played the game he probably could've had Tawn in bed by now. Still, he wondered if this wasn't the more honest way to do it. "Should even help you travel come morning."

Tawn thought Dennuuk was going to suggest something else and was a strange mix of relieved and disappointed that he didn't. The rouge started to come back to him and he cursed it internally, though he couldn't tell just how bad it was. He pushed his thighs together. Another wave of pain and pleasure stirred in him as his dick hardened again while thinking about Dennuuk's gentle yet firm hands running over his sore muscles. The massage still sounded nice even without his aching wants shaking him to his bones.

"I-I could try it..." Tawn smiled nervously.