Answered Prayer

Dr. Polidori is in his room, horrified, satisfied and aroused by what he has finally just done with Byron. His mind keeps ranging back to the small scourge he keeps under his bed for moments of crisis such as this. Finally, he can’t take the internal torment anymore, and he rummages past the things that have collected under his bed for the instrument. Soon, he is reciting the mea culpa and flagellating himself. Unfortunately, it’s very hard to flog yourself quietly…

Byron opened the door quietly and watched the spectacle for a few minutes before clearing his throat.

"Ideo precor beátam Maríam semper Vírginem--" He times his blows to match the words, and Byron's throat clearing falls during a quiet moment. Startled, he drops the scourge and jumps, stifling his cry with a hand to his mouth. "My...my Lord! You startled me..." he says, quietly, eyes downcast, and bright red. He's panting a little, and his face is covered in a light sheen of sweat.

"Why are you flogging yourself, dear Poli?" Byron says patiently, folding his arms over his bare chest. He's wearing a robe, but it hasn't been tied, revealing absolutely everything.

Polidori can only stare, his mind absolutely blank at the dual prospect of explaining himself and of Byron's cock.

"Well?" Byron raised an eyebrow. "Is this just masochistic joy or are you punishing yourself for some sinful deed?"

"I--I--" he croaks, shoving the scourge under the bed, as if by hiding it he can make it go away. He's beginning to get chilled.

"Is this because we've fucked now?"

"Please leave," he says, very quietly.

"Why? Is this a private flogging?"

The statement is so absurd that Polidori gives a brief, startled burst of laughter, before collecting himself again. "I...I'm sorry if the noise disturbed you," he says, as calmly and rationally as he can.

"Answer me, Poli. Are you punishing yourself or just enjoying?"

Byron demanded.

"Yes," he says, the word coming out as a pained, reluctant gasp.

"Which one?"

"You know which one."

"Ah. What have you done this time, you sinful lech?" he smirked.

"What?" he gasps. "You--you know very well what I've done!"

"Because we've fucked? And you think you can flog yourself hard enough to punish yourself for that?" Byron grabbed the scourge from under the bed. "Would you like me to hit you properly?" he grinned like he was baring his teeth.

Polidori's eyes go wide with shock and, yes, terror...and his cock hardens, only adding to the absurdity of the situation. He falls backwards, catching himself on his hands, still on his knees.

Byron burst into laughter. "Well?"

He can only stare at the man standing over him, speechless again.

Byron raised the scourge and brought it down on Poli's back hard.

Polidori shrieks, his back arching and hands clawing as though he's cumming, his cock rising until it's resting against his stomach.

Byron chuckles, his own cock hardening at the masochist's reaction. "You like that?" he murmured.

"...yes..." he gasps, staring up at Byron, hands nearly touching the other's feet as he's on all fours.

"Kiss my feet." Byron demanded, raising the scourge and bringing it down across Poli's shoulders.

Polidori screams with wild ecstasy, and slides across the rough floor on his knees, lowering his lips to Byron's feet, kissing frantically.

The scourge arcs and connects again with his back with a wonderful snapping sound. Byron wasn't lying about being able to hurt him properly.

Polidori's hands are clenched so tightly that his nails are digging into his palms, but he hardly notices--his attention is all on the feet in front of him, and the delicious agony of the scourge across his back and shoulders. It does feel much better than when he does it himself.

"Suck my cock, Poli." Byron tells him after maybe twenty lashes. His cock is now fully hard and he can hardly stand to have Poli kissing his feet when his cock is demanding attention.

Polidori lifts himself, rather stiffly and painfully, to oblige. As satisfying as kissing the feet was, taking the engorged cock in his mouth is thousands of times better. He rests a hand on each of Byron's thighs to steady himself, braced for more blows.

Byron hits Poli more carefully now, though still hard enough that he's raising red welts across the man's back. He just doesn't want his cock getting bitten.

Polidori tries to feel Byron's muscles moving, so he'll know when the other is about to land a blow and not accidentally bit his cock off, and he's completely lost in the sensations of sucking and being expertly beaten.

Byron grabs Poli by the hair with one hand, keeping him steady in his motions and forcing his cock deeper into the other. With his other hand he arcs the flogger through the air until the tips bite against Poli's tender skin. His entire back and shoulders are red now, welts crisscrossing the area.

Polidori groans around his mouthful, arching his neck to test how far he can extend with the hand in his hair, eagerly leaning forward again to reach along the shaft, giving a stifled cry as the scourge strikes.

Byron forces Polidori's mouth all the way to the base of his cock, groaning. He bends over the other so his abdomen is pressed against Poli's forehead, the scourge reaching the other man's bare buttocks now.

Polidori helplessly wraps his arms around the other man's middle, pressing himself close, groaning in a fierce, desperate rhythm, as the scourge reaches this new area.

Byron curls the implement and snaps it over the tender white flesh, starting to cum in the back of Polidori's mouth.

Polidori struggles a bit as he tastes the unfamiliar substance, lifting his ass to meet the scourge.

Byron whips the flogger over Polidori's ass one last time as he orgasms, then drops it on the floor, pulling himself back from the other man's mouth.

Polidori screams all the sounds that had been trapped by the cock, clinging to his Lord and passionately kissing his firm stomach.

Byron chuckled, looking down at Poli with a smirk. "Feel better, or do we need to whip more sin out of you?"

"...ahhh..." he gasps, looking up Byron's chest at the man standing above him.

"Did you swallow my cum?"

"...yes..." Polidori says, eyes unfocused. He's swaying a bit, supported by Byron's hips.

Byron pulls him to his feet by a hand and his hair, helping him to the bed and sitting with him.

Polidori leans against him, head resting on Byron's shoulder, face turned to him with rather a guilty expression.

Byron laughs, "Still feeling guilty, are we?"

"Always," he says with a dramatic sigh, smiling.

Byron slapped him.

"Ah!" he cries, clapping a hand to his face, shocked. He looks at Byron with a hurt expression.

Byrrn chuckled, laying back on the bed and yawning. "Feel better now?"

Polidori hesitates for a moment before laying on his bed next to his lover. "...yes?" he says, not sure of the right answer.

"Oh Poli," the handsome man sighed. "You really should answer honestly."

"...mostly I just feel confused." He insinuates himself onto Byron's shoulder.

"So I shouldn't play into your masochistic desires?"

"Ah...I didn't..." he feels rather trapped by this conversation...although most conversations with this infernal man are traps.

"Speak up then."

"You should...do what you want..." he attempts.

"I always do," he chuckled.

"I'm glad..." he snuggles happily against the other.

September at Diodati

Polidori has finally had enough; between Byron's constant fucking, laudenum, screaming fits, paranoid accusations, tantrums, insults, threats, innuendos, flirtations, suggestions...he's through. Angrily throwing his few possessions into a trunk, the doctor prepares to leave his Lord's service.

Byron, of course, chooses this moment to appear in Polidori's doorway. "What are you doing?"

Polidori whirls, dropping what's in his hands. It, of course, happens to be a jar of leeches. He smirks at Byron's expected horror as the black creatures writhe on the floor. "Leaving," he snaps.

Byron recoils a little, lip curling with disgust. He manages to raise his eyes from the horrible nightmarish wriggling things to look at Polidori's face. "Leaving?"

"Yes. I was going to inform you as soon as I was done packing." Smiling, Polidori gathers the leeches and places them in another jar, pouring some water from his pitcher for them.

"Why are you leaving?" Byron averts his eyes, looking out into the hall as he speaks to Polidori, hardly able to focus on the conversation at hand.

Sighing, Polidori puts the jar of leeches in his trunk. "There. They're gone."

Byron goes to sit on Polidori's bed. "Why are you leaving?" he asks again, this time looking his doctor in the eye.

"Do I really have to answer that?" the doctor snarls, tossing shirts into the trunk, carefully avoiding looking at Byron; he's sure he'll lose his resolve if he does.

"Yes."

Startled, Polidori packs his armful of clothing and looks at the Lord. "You're serious."

"Of course." Byron watches Polidori pack, coldly. "Did something happen?"

"I am not one of your servants, my Lord," the title comes out as an insult. "I am a doctor. I can work anywhere I choose, in England or the continent. I see no further need to put up with your abuse." His voice matches Byron's for coldness.

"I'm aware of your ability to work anywhere. Somehow I thought you had chosen to be in my service knowing what you were getting yourself into. It's not as if I hid my reputation from you."

"I gave you the benefit of the doubt, and assumed it was exaggeration, out of respect for your title. I see that I was in error! Don't worry, I shan't be slandering your name, but I will be taking my leave of you."

"Polly-Dolly..." Byron said with a little laugh, hardly able to take this seriously. "Please."

Eyes blazing with rage, Polidori stamps over to the bed. Standing, he's not a great deal taller than Byron sitting. For a moment, it looks as though he might strike the other man, but he visibly holds himself back, taking a deep, restraining breath.

Byron takes Polidori's raised hand and brings it to his mouth, kissing it tenderly.

The doctor shivers and gasps. To his horror, he feels his legs buckle and he's suddenly on his knees in front of Byron, his hand still held captive.

Byron looks down at him, expression surprisingly serious, lifts his chin and kisses him on the mouth.

Polidori's eyes close, and he melts against Byron. When he opens his eyes again, pulling back a little, his expression is very open and vulnerable, searching his Lord's face for deceit or mockery.

"I'd miss my Polly-Dolly." Byron said softly.

The doctor leans back still further, eyes narrowed as he watches for the slightest twitch of Byron's lips, the smallest crinkle around his eyes. "...why?"

"I adore your innocence." Byron stroked Polidori's face. "I do enjoy tormenting you for it, I know it must be tiresome. But I do ...like to have you about."

Raising an eyebrow, Polidori's jaw tightens, but he gives a very small nod, leaning into the hand on his face. "Why?" he asks again, even more softly.

"Because you're not one of my servants. You are here entirely of your own volition. You could be anywhere else." he strokes the Italian's cheek with his thumb. "The only other people I see besides you are my servants and Shiloh. And I've never been sure if he knows that I'm not a figment of laudanum." he smirked.

Byron's comment draws a startled laugh from the doctor. "I'm glad I'm not the only one to suspect that..." he murmurs, more distracted than he would like to admit by his Lord's touch. He finds his lips softly parting, as though for a kiss.

Byron smiles, almost wickedly, sliding off the bed and kissing Polidori passionately.

Polidori gasps, practically crawling into Byron's lap in his sudden rush to be as close to the Lord as physically possible.

The poet practically purred, wrapping his arms around Polidori and licking his lower lip.

The doctor allows himself to be gathered in Byron's arms, moaning as his lip is licked. His eyes are rolled up, looking up pleadingly.

Byron smiled into the kiss. His fingers worked deftly at Polidori's shirt buttons, stripping the man. His kisses trailed from Polidori's mouth down his neck, wandering down his chest. He pushed the doctor onto his back, straddling him and taking his time, tasting Polidori's nipples.

Polidori gasps again, glad that he's on his back, or he probably would have fallen there, anyway. He relishes the feeling of Byron's soft, firm mouth on his nipple for a moment, before trying to push the other man away, frantically.

Byron allowed himself to be pushed away. "Are you alright?"

"I...we...you're a man!"

"You were enjoying it a second ago."

"I'm a man!" The doctor's voice is getting increasingly shrill.

"I've kissed plenty of men before."

"I haven't! And I don't intend to! I want to be just and pure and righteous, so that when I die my soul will go to God's eternal grace and love!"

Byron looked vaguely confused. "What's impure about kissing?"

"Of course there's nothing impure about kissing; when it's a man kissing his wife. Anything else is sinful and...repugnant. Especially between two men." His moral high ground is a little diminished by the fact that he's half naked on his back with another man straddling him.

Byron looked down at him with a raised eyebrow. He sat in silence for a moment, then decided to simply not reply. He began unbuttoning his own shirt.

"What are you doing...?"

Byron shrugged the shirt off, leaving it on the floor. He leaned down, pressing their naked chests and bellies together, nestling into Polidori's neck.

Polidori tenses for a moment, then his whole body relaxes. He's never felt so warm or comfortable. Comforted.

Byron smiles, kissing Polidori's neck. "Does this feel particularly sinful?"

"N-no...but that would defeat the p-purpose, wouldn't it?" He shivers, goosebumps raising along his neck.

"Oh?" Byron murmured into the man's skin.

"Sin wouldn't be worth doing if it didn't feel good."

"Are you suggesting it's worth doing?" he chuckled.

"What? No! I...I just mean that, if sinning were unpleasant, no one would do it, and the Devil would never take any souls..."

"How do you know that god doesn't make this feel good?" Byron planted a kiss on Polidori's lips.

"He does," Polidori protests, a little muffled by Byron's lips, as he tries to gently push the other man away. "Just not...like this..."

Byron stroked Polidori's curly black hair affectionately.

Polidori sighs. "You don't believe me."

"No."

The doctor smiles up at his Lord. "Just because you're morally depraved and a lost cause doesn't mean I want to be," he says, playfully.

Byron chuckled, kissing Polidori on the mouth again. "You say 'morally depraved' like it's a bad thing." he chuckled.

Polidori laughs. "Yes, I do. Apparently you do not." The doctor pauses before kissing back, tentatively.

Byron smiled, weaving his fingers through the man's hair as they kissed gently. He was fairly certain that Polidori wasn't going to leave now.

"I, ah...don't really know what to do," Polidori admits in a hushed voice, quite unnecessarily.

"Do?" Byron murmured, happily breathless.

"You know..." he gesticulates extremely vaguely toward their crotches.

Byron laughed. "I think perhaps we should leave that for another night, sweet doctor." he kissed him on the ear.

Part of Polidori really wants to protest that he feels something should really be done urgently. What that something is, he has no idea.

"You should unpack."

"Unpack...? Ah...yes..." Polidori flushes, turning away from Byron until his cheek is resting on the floor. "I am sorry about my, ah, dramatics..."

"I'm sorry you were unhappy." he kissed Polidori's shoulder. "I'll see you for breakfast."

The doctor opens and closes his mouth a few times, feeling like he should say something, and really wanting Byron to ask him to come along, or to stay, but unable to find the words. "Yes. Breakfast."

Byron stood heavily, picked up his shirt and left Polidori to unpack, buttoning up his shirt as he left.

Gritting his teeth to gather his resolve, Polidori calls tentatively after him, "My Lord?" After a moment's pause, he tries again, more certainly. "I, ah, noticed your breathing was a little laboured. When we were...so close together..."

Byron chuckled, buttoning his last button. "So was yours, Polly-Dolly."

"...be that as it may, as I am your physician, I think that I should examine you." Polidori tries to hide his blush by retrieving his shirt.

"You think so?" Byron laughed. "Alright."

"Yes. I do." Polidori does his best to look stern and not flustered. "Would you be more comfortable in your chambers, my Lord?"

"That would be nice." he said, continuing to his room, not looking back to see if Polidori was following him. Once there, he stripped off his shirt once again and sat on the bed.

Polidori swallows hard, wiping his sweating palms on his trousers, before stepping over to the bed. There, he stands in front of Byron and carefully palpates the poet's chest. "Does any of this hurt?" Now that he's become a little intimate with Byron, he's interested to find that he can feel clinical detachment and also enjoy the feeling of the other man's skin under his hands.

Byron sighed. "No, it feels fine." his nipples were hardening at the touch of Polidori's inquisitive fingers.

Not to mention other parts of him.

"Alright." Laying his ear against Byron's chest, Polidori murmurs, "Breathe in and out for me."

Byron did as instructed, breathing slowly, one arm wrapped around Polidori's back.

"Ahh...that's...not necessary..." the doctor murmurs, eyes closing as he tries to concentrate on Byron's breathing.

"Just for my balance, Polly-Dolly." he chuckled, the sound deep against the doctor's ear.

"Ah. Yes, of course." Polidori shivers as the chuckle rumbles against his ear and jaw. "Well," he says, pulling away abruptly, "you sound fine now. But I want you to let me know if your lungs or throat hurt. And I'll be keeping an eye on it."

"If you wanted an opportunity to touch me again, all you had to do was ask."

Polidori colours again and turns away. "What? No, of course not! I'm simply doing my job as your physician."

"I don't mind." Byron laughed.

"Why should you? It's what you hired me for, after all."

"I mean I don't mind if you just want to touch me."

"Oh. That." The doctor hesitantly sits on the bed beside his employer, then carefully leans his head on Byron's shoulder.

Byron grinned, stroking Poli's hair. "Sweet boy." he murmured.

"Why do you say that?" Polidori chuckles, closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling.

"It's what you are, darling." he chuckled, laying back on his bed and pulling Poli down with him.

"Darling, is it?" Grinning shyly, Polidori allows himself to be pulled down, instantly curling against Byron's side.

"Do you not want to be?"

"I would certainly rather be your darling than not," he says, wryly. "I've seen how you treat your servants."

Byron laughs. "Oh?"

"Never mind." Polidori deliberately drapes an arm across Byron's bare chest, trailing his fingers over the coarse, black hairs with interest.

Byron groaned happily, letting Polidori explore.

"...does it feel nice?"

"Yes."

Polidori rolls onto his side, bracing his head on one hand, so he has a better view of Byron. He slowly works his free hand across the poet's chest, commenting, "It's strange...I've touched you like this plenty before, but somehow it's...different."

"Different how?" he said suggestively.

The doctor misses the suggestion. "I'm not sure. I suppose because I'm touching you for...personal reasons, rather than medical ones." He smiles, lightly runing one nail over Byron's nipples.

Byron groaned. He guided Polidori's hand down to his trousers.

"Umm..." Polidori hesitates, then firmly grasps the bulge, trying unsuccessfully to think of it as an anatomy specimen.

Byron lets his head fall back happily. "Mmm, do you want me to undress?"

The doctor nods resolutely, trying not to look as terrified as he feels.

Byron unbuttons his trousers, allowing his cock to spring out.

Polidori finds himself stifling a laugh as the little fellow leaps out so eagerly.

Byron makes a face at him. "Are you laughing at my cock?"

"No! Of course not! Why would I do that?" Mostly in an effort to distract Byron, Polidori seizes the cock...and is then not really sure what to do with it.

Byron laughed, guiding Polidori's hand on his cock.

Polidori again feels that curious separation; part of him is electrified by the feeling of Byron's cock, and the other is merely interested in it as a strange part of human anatomy.

Byron sighs happily, getting Polidori's hand into the proper rhythm and then letting go.

Feeling rather like the first time he held a scalpel alone when he feels Byron's hand withdraw, Polidori loses the rhythm for a moment before beginning again on his own. He's frowning so hard as he concentrates that he looks almost in physical pain.

Byron chuckled, languidly enjoying the virginal touch on his cock. He always did enjoy deflowering men.

"It's so soft..." Polidori murmurs, almost without realizing he's speaking. "But so firm under the skin..."

"Have you never touched one before?"

Polidori shakes his head. "...not a live one...not...like this."

"Don't stop." Byron said said, curling his fingers in Poli's hair.

"Alright." Encouraged that he's not doing something horribly wrong, Polidori continues stroking, finally relaxing a little.

Byron groans happily, bucking his hips a little.

Flogging Poli

Polidori has been thinking about Byron. All day. In rather...unchristian ways. He's tried everything--prayer, fasting, studying scripture...nothing seems to help diminish the bulge in his pants. Finally, inspiration strikes. He remembers that his depraved Lord keeps a selection of instruments of torture, and realizes that they could be used for self-chastisement. He hurries to grab himself a flogger.

Byron, languidly resting on a chaise lounge with his pet fox, stroking its ears. The big ears perk up at some scurrying and he turns to catch a glimpse of Polidori bustling away from a room that he had no business exploring. Though Polidori had gotten into trouble for curiosity before. Byron smirked, shooing the fox off his lap, following his doctor at a leisurely pace.

Polidori, blissfully unaware of his Lord's new involvement, hurriedly grabs an implement and rushes back to his own small chamber. Kneeling on the floor, he rolls the rug back so that he's kneeling on the bare, wooden floor, the cracks between the strips of wood digging nicely into his knees. He remains poised for a moment, the scourge resting on his back, before he swings, hitting both his chest and back with a sharp crack! that startles him.

Byron's slow pace hurries a bit more at the sound of the flogger. He can't even imagine what he's going to find, though admittedly his first thought is of his pretty servant flogging his beautiful doctor...

Enjoying the impact--and deciding that the enjoyment must be purely spiritual--the doctor raises the implement, and again hits both front and back, much more firmly this time. He has soon found a rhythm--swisssh...crack!swissssh...crack! He is unfortunately too distracted to realize that his erection is not diminishing.

Byron watches his doctor self-flagellate for a few minutes, literally speechless. After quite awhile, he gives a low chuckle. "You're not doing it right."

Polidori shrieks, somehow managing to hit himself in the face between 'swish' and 'crack', turning it into more of a swish...cra--ahhh!

"My Lord!" the doctor stammers, stumbling to his feet, tossing the scourge under the bed as if that will somehow effect Byron's memory.

"Bring it to me." Byron held out his hand.

Eyes wide, he retrieves the thing, holding it at arm's length like a dead rat, half tossing it to his employer.

"Why are you putting on such a show, Poli?"

The doctor coughs, trying to regain some semblance of dignity. "I...ah...show, my Lord?"

"Flagellating yourself. And erect." Byron chuckled, stroking the falls of the scourge delicately.

Polidori sits delicately on his narrow bed, face flushed. He crosses his legs, trying to hide the obvious. "I don't know what you're referring to," he says, primly. His obvious fascination with what Byron is doing with his hands makes his statement less believable.

"Strip naked and turn your back to me." Byron said softly.

"What?!" the doctor cries, aghast, pushing himself back across the bed until his retreat is stopped by the wall. He's trying for shocked innocence, but his voice comes out rather husky and pleading.

"Or I could leave."

"Ah...!" Polidori gasps, helplessly. He shakes his head, not quite able to move closer, but clearly not wanting Byron to leave.

"Strip." Byron said, voice still treacherously soft.

Polidori shivers, wrapping his arms around himself as though Byron's words were an icy wind. He finds his hands fumbling for his buttons--he had stripped to his shirt sleeves for this...experiment...before he knows what he's doing. "I'm sorry if the noise disturbed you," he murmurs.

"It didn't." he replied coolly, watching Polidori undress with open interest.

Noticing the interest with a great deal of surprise--he's never thought of himself as being, well, worthy of interest--the doctor feels as though his prick might burst out of his trousers at any moment, and he hurries to finish with his shirt, tossing it on the bed beside him, leaving himself bare to the waist.

"Don't stop there."

Polidori bites his lip, trying to shimmy out of his trousers while still sitting on the bed, not trusting his legs to hold him.

Byron chuckles as he watches Poli undress this way. "Good boy. Now put your hands against the wall." he strokes his fingers through the falls of the scourge.

The young doctor shivers again, watching his master's large hands like a trapped animal watching a hunter approach. He turns, resting his palms on the wall, his trousers joining his shirt, giving Byron his back.

Byron steps closer to Polidori, large fingers stroking down the beautiful boy's back to cup his ass with a palm. He squeezed.

Polidori starts to cry out, biting his lip again to trap the sound. He feels, distantly, his cock dribbling as Byron's hands (finally) touch him.

Byron steps back from the other man, putting enough space between them so that he can swing the scourge and hit Polidori properly. The doctor was hitting himself well enough with it, but he couldn't use the tips of the falls the way they were meant to be used. He didn't feel the same sting that Byron intended him to feel. The poet took his first swing with the flogger, then let Polidori savour it.

Polidori screams in ecstasy, a good, healthy, full-throated release, hands clawing at the plaster of the wall, panting wildly.

"Different this way, isn't it." he remarked, stroking the flogger again.

"Yes!" the doctor cries, half-turning so he can look at Byron over his shoulder, his eyes wide and pleading, again enthralled by his Lord's hands running so intimately over the leather. His cock seems to throb in time to the stroking, leaving him imagining indecent intimacies.

"Why were you flogging yourself?" the larger man asked, swinging the falls again to sting against Polidori's back.

"I...ah..." for a moment, he had been about to tell the man everything, helplessly. He quickly clamps his mouth shut and gives himself a moment to think. "I was inspired by thoughts of the Saints," he murmurs, the end of his sentence lost in another wild shriek as the blow connects, and he turns his face back to the wall to protect it.

Byron delivers another blow. "Honestly?"

"Yes! What else!" Polidori screams. His thighs are beginning to shake dangerously, and he's not sure how much longer he can hold himself up like this.

"I know you better than that, Polidori. You did it out of some idea of torturing yourself for enjoying your own happiness and pleasure." Byron lifted the flogger, flicking the ends down Poli's back sharply.

"No!" the younger man protests, "no..." He shivers, harder than ever, and his legs collapse, leaving him kowtowed on the bed, forehead touching the wall. "I did it to cleanse myself!"

"From what?" Byron asked, snapping the falls over Poli's skin again.

"Impure thoughts and desires!" Polidori cries histrionically, wondering if maybe this was all he needed, to be purged by someone else...even if it was the object of his...cock.

"What impure thoughts have you had, little lamb?" Byron laughed, striking Polidori again, this time wrapping the falls over his shoulder.

The doctor screams again, this one matching his first for volume, as the new, sharper feeling of the falls hitting his shoulder registers. He's unable to answer for a moment, only able to lay there and pant.

Byron puts down the flogger, curling up with Poli and stroking the red marks he'd left on the boy's skin. "Tell me." he purred.

Polidori burrows his back against Byron's front, sobbing as cloth and hands touch the sensitive welts. He shakes his head, salty tears running down his face onto the blanket in front of him.

Byron holds him gently, kissing his hair and neck, murmuring loving things to him.

Slowly the doctor's sobbing slows, and he relaxes into his Lord's arms, all thoughts of depravity momentarily forgotten. He realizes, to his horror, that his thighs are sticky--he hadn't even noticed his climax--and he rolls away, looking helplessly at the mess, very much the lamb Byron had called him.

Byron stood, pulling Poli to the edge of the bed and helping him up, leading him to the bath. He called his servants to fill it, then climbed in, offering Polidori his hand.

Polidori clings tightly to Byron, allowing himself to be led and guided without protest. He murmurs with delight as he steps into the hot bath, curling against Byron's naked front with a sigh.

Byron continues gentling him until he seems slightly more coherent. "Little lamb." he kissed Poli's shoulder.

The doctor laughs, very softly. "...you keep calling me that." He surreptitiously scrubs at his groin to remove the evidence of his indiscretion.

"You're very lamblike tonight." he chuckled. "How are you feeling?"

"Ughnnn..." he says, eloquently, turning back to smile in a lost sort of way. "...you're being...nice..." he adds, suspiciously.

"You seemed like you might weep." he said honestly.

"I did," Polidori chuckles. "...thank you." He still sounds a little suspicious, but less likely to bolt.

"Can you tell me now, what you think you did?"

The young man nods, blushing, hoping Byron can't see his face. "I...ah...I couldn't stop thinking about you...I thought..."

"You thought you could flog it out of your mind? Punish yourself for your... desires?"

"Yes," Polidori says, sounding a little confused that Byron doesn't understand.

"That won't work, darling lamb."

"...why not?" The doctor sounds almost like a petulant child asking why he can't have another sweetie. And he's still not sure about this 'lamb' business.

"You enjoyed being flogged. You're only exacerbating your... interests."

"...no!" Polidori protests, turning his head so sharply to look at the man currently holding him naked in the bath that he almost gives himself whiplash. "No, it helped!"

"You came." Byron's hand trailed down Poli's thigh.

The doctor shivers, realizing as if for the first time the position he's in, moving a little forward in the tub. "...apparently..." he says, as if he needs more evidence before he'll admit it.

"We may have to try that again, is that what you're saying?" he chuckled.

"What?!" Polidori cries, shocked. "No! That's not what I...!"

"I wouldn't be adverse to that."

The doctor turns back to Byron, looking stricken. "...I don't want to feel this way," he murmurs.

"Which way?" Byron kissed Poli's shoulder. "Lustful?"

Polidori shudders, eyes closing with bliss, before he gathers all of his resolve and pushes the other way. "Not with a man!" he hisses.

Byron raises an eyebrow. "If you really felt that way, you wouldn't live with me, Poli."

"I live with you as your doctor and biographer! It's my job. ...nothing more."

"Did you take this job thinking that I wouldn't be seducing you?"

"Yes! Of course! Why would I naturally assume that?!" His voice is getting higher and more hysterical, and he's nearly turned around in the bath.

"You'd met me. You knew my reputation." Byron chuckled.

"Reputations are often exaggerated," he sneers.

"Was mine?" the poet asked.

"...no," Polidori admits, fighting a smile. "...even so."

"You can't tell me you weren't interested."

"I wasn't! Except as, you know, interested in working for you. And collecting your biography."

"Hm." Byron smirked, stroking Polidori's chest.

"...how do you manage it?" the doctor asks, sounding...rather distracted.

"Manage what?"

"To commit...s-sodomy." He can hardly bring himself to say it out loud.

"It's quite enjoyable." Byron laughed. "You ought to try it."

Polidori shakes his head vehemently. "It's a sin."

"It's... wonderful." he groaned.

"...what are you doing?" the doctor asks, anxiously, hearing the groan.

"Just imagining last night."

"...what happened last night?" Polidori asks, regretting it as soon as the words leave his mouth. But...

"You weren't listening?"

"Contrary to what you might believe, I do not spend all of my time perking up my ears to hear your...exploits." His blush belies the statement.

"I can just imagine you sitting in the dark of your room, listening to me fucking my beautiful servant boy and flogging yourself for enjoying it."

Polidori's lip actually trembles, and he's afraid he might cry again. He had thought all this childish weakness had been beaten out of him long ago, at school. It's rather depressing.

Byron wrapped his arms around Polidori's chest, kissing the man's neck.

The doctor sighs, and closes his eyes. He's feeling so vulnerable...and it feels so good. He relaxes, letting Byron have his way with him, at least for now. He's soon making content little purring noises in his throat.

Byron's fingers explored Poli's nipples, pinching gently. He nibbles at his doctor's neck.

Polidori's eyes widen--he's never thought about his nipples that way before, he's always thought they were rather silly and useless. But now..."ohhh..." he sighs, leaning his head back onto Byron's shoulder.

Byron continues teasing them until they're hard and erect, like little pebbles.

Polidori makes a little noise that, from another man, might have been called a giggle, watching the strange little lumps of flesh transform.

Byron starts to suck at the skin on Polidori's neck, leaving a little hickey.

The helpless boy gibbers, clutching Byron's arm in his passion, trying not to splash everywhere.

Byron chuckled. "The bath is getting cold, Polidori. Would you like to spend the night in my bed?"

Polidori hesitates for just a moment, then nods, slowly and deliberately.

"Good. Let's dry off." Byron smiled. Polidori could feel Byron's cock nudging into his back.

The doctor's eyes widen, and he tries to think of other things it could be--Byron's hand, or foot, or...he nods again, almost launching himself out of the bath, landing on the large, soft rug and grabbing towels for each of them, glad no servants are there.

Byron stands in the bath, putting out his hand to be helped out of the bath. His erect cock is proudly touching his belly.

Polidori takes the hand, throwing a towel at the Lord when he notices his observer.

Byron leans on Polidori, trying to make it seem like he isn't. He kisses the boy's temple.

The doctor smiles, wrapping a towel around himself, as well, nervously aware of his dangly bits as he shuffles away from his employer.

More Poli/Byron

Byron was writing in his room, having not emerged for a full day and night. He was in one of his moods.

Finally, one of the servants approached Polidori, and subtly asked him to check on their master. The doctor, who had been doing quite a bit of writing himself, had hardly noticed Byron's absence, and scoffed at the servants for being afraid to check on him. He knocked on the door without any qualms.

"What is it?" Byron's voice snarled from the candle-lit room.

Polidori frowns a little, but opens the door and steps inside, squinting a bit at the drastic transition from sunny hall to darkened chamber. "The servants are worried about you, my lord..."

"Why would you bother me with that?" Byron turned from his desk. His eyes were sunken and his hands were stained with ink. He was so pale in the candlelight that Polidori was nearly convinced he was looking at a corpse. "Leave me."

Polidori raises an eyebrow, a little more convinced that the servants have reason to worry now that he's seen the man. He steps closer and lightly lays a hand on his patient's forehead, capturing his wrist and taking his pulse at the same time.

Byron grabbed him around the waist with his free arm, pulling him in against his body tightly. "What is it, my little leech?" he purred.

The doctor gasps, feeling his knees go a little weak as he's pressed against the object of his desire. "I, ah...wanted to check on your health. That is what you hired me for..."

Byron pushes Polidori against his desk, standing and putting his hands on the desk on either side of the smaller man. "And what is your diagnosis, doctor?" he revealed his teeth in something not unlike a smile.

Polidori makes a small noise, staring at the larger man's chest with his mouth half-open. "Ah...you feel a little clammy, and your...heart rate is elevated...how long has it been since you left this room? Or took food?" Something about the smile is disconcerting....

"I have all the sustenance I need." Byron pushed Polidori back, grabbing him by his soft black curls and tilting his head back, exposing his neck. Byron leans in, biting the side of Polidori's neck and sucking at the flesh.

The doctor cries out and places a hand on Byron's hip, not pushing him away, just holding them both steady. His other hand rests on his lord's, the one holding his hair. He makes soft helpless noises.

Byron practically growls around the skin in his teeth, running his tongue over the bruising. He pulled back, eyes half closed with ecstasy.

Polidori groans, wavering for a moment on his feet, before pulling back and staring at Byron, hand pressed to the mark on his neck. "Are you mad?" he hisses.

"Mad?" he laughs, sitting back down in his chair. "You're the doctor, you tell me."

Polidori's jaw tightens with anger and he stares down at the older man, his legs still trembling a bit. "I don't know what you are," he snaps, "and I'm not sure I want to. You never listen to my advice."

"Come here, John." Byron chuckled, extending a hand for him.

The young doctor looks at the hand as though it might bite him, glancing up in confusion at the use of his name. "...you never call me John..." he says, suspiciously.

"Fine, leech, if you'd rather I didn't use your name. Come here." Byron looked tired, leaning back in his chair and dropping his hand into his lap.

Polidori sighs. "I'm sorry." He approaches his employer, dropping to his knees in front of him and lightly placing his own hand in the older man's lap, looking up at Byron very seriously. "I just worry about you...more than you worry about yourself, it seems," he laughs, not very happily.

Byron chuckled, grabbing Poli by his hair, gently at first, but firmly. He pulls the man's head into his chest in an odd, posessive hug. "Are you mine, Poli?"

Polidori resists a little at first, but is soon pulled up by his hair, wincing a little. "Ow. Well, yes...you're my employer..." he says, a little muffled, pressed against Byron's chest, not sure how he should respond. The doctor closes his eyes and inhales deeply, loving the rich, masculine scent of Byron.

"Are we more than that?" Byron laughs at Polidori's reaction, watching the doctor breathe him in.

The doctor squirms a bit, trying to get his head loose so he can look up at Byron. "I...don't know what you mean..." he gasps, glad now that his face is hidden so his blush won't be seen.

Byron tilted Poli's face up towards his with a gentle finger. "You know exactly what I mean, pet."

Polidori allows his face to be tilted, glad that has blush has receded quickly. He shakes his head, eyes wide.

Byron lowers his head, allowing their lips to meet.

Polidori shivers, going limp in Byron's arms, only held up by the finger under his jaw, and the hand in his hair, his lips gently parted.

Byron licks Polidori's lower lip slowly, then pulls back. "Well?" he whispered huskily. "Are we more?"

"Ahhhh..." Polidori gaps, breathlessly. "Yessss...?" The word starts as a certainty, but ends as a question. He stares at Byron's face, completely captivated.

"Do you want to be mine forever?" Byron murmured, brushing their cheeks together so he could kiss Polidori's ear.

"Yes." He answers, much more certainly. Polidori shivers, pressing his ear to his lord's lips as much as he can.

"Good." Byron stands, lifting Polidori with him, by his hair and his throat, where his fingers tighten. He drags him closer to the fire, throwing him down on the rug. He starts to unbutton his shirt.

Polidori gasps, forced to his feet, his eyes closing with delighted fear. His cock feels as though it's going to tear through the fabric of his trousers, and he blushes, hoping that somehow Byron won't notice. He lays on the rug exactly as he lands, enthralled by the sight of Byron's pale chest being exposed above him.

Byron kneels, a little roughly because of his clubfoot. He shrugs off his shirt, holding out his hands for Polidori.

Polidori scrambles to his knees, not much more gracefully than Byron, and almost falls into the waiting hands with his own, gazing enraptured at his possessor.

Byron undresses his employee, tossing his clothes away from them, then pressing him down into the fur, smiling wickedly down at the helpless, beautiful man beneath him.

Polidori shivers violently, and tries to crawl away across the fur to hid his nakedness, only to be caught and held, where he can only blush and squirm and try to cover his privates.

Byron pinned down his wrists, nuzzling into Polidori's neck to kiss and lick down to his chest. No inch of skin goes unexplored.

The doctor groans and writhes, trying to escape the hands on his wrists and testing their limits, caught between desperate arousal, need, desire, and shame. His neck is arched backwards, so he's staring at the fire behind them, eyes rolled up.

Byron's hand slid down Polidori's chest, trailing down his abdomen, following the soft black trail of hairs to his groin. His hand slid around the other man's reddened cock, squeezing gently.

"Nngh!" Polidori groans, helplessly, arching his hips as much as he can, feet barely touching the floor. His cock is already shiny at the tip.

Byron started to stroke, unbuttoning his pants with his free hand.

"Ahh!" the doctor cries, over and over, biting his lip to make himself last as long as possible, coming very close to smashing his head on the stone fireplace with every stroke.

Byron frees his own cock, pressing it to Polidori's, stroking them together, rubbing them against each other.

Polidori groans and glances down, not sure what Byron is doing. When he sees his lord's cock pressed to his, his face goes red and he bucks harder, hands clenched tightly and his cock drips several beads of precum.

Byron is straddling the other man at this point, stroking their cocks together. He's still completely in control, barely making a sound as he enjoys the reactions of the man beneath him.

Polidori makes little helpless noises, head raised now between his pinned wrists, staring up at Byron with dark, pleading eyes, looking completely terrified of his own body's reaction.

"Let yourself come, pet." Byron murmured, stroking the man's face gently with his free hand, sliding his thumb between his lips.

The young doctor is shivering as though he's in a storm, and takes the thumb into his mouth, where he immediately begins sucking with wild abandon. Within moments, his eyes widen even further and his cock begins to spurt.

As the man comes, Byron removes his thumb, taking the iron from the fire and pressing it to Polidori's shoulder.

At first the doctor is too busy coming to notice much of everything, but as he starts to empty he becomes aware of the unbelievable pain and screams, trying to push the bar away.

Byron tosses it into the fire, coming across Polidori's chest.

Polidori stares in shock and horror at his lover. He tries to press a hand to his shiny new burn, but it hurts too much and he pulls away, eyes watering, still too startled to speak.

Byron laughed, panting. "How was that for you?"

Polidori shrieks, abruptly sits up and starts striking Byron about the chest and face, looking absolutely enraged and mingling the semen coating them both.

Byron burst into laughter, trying to catch Polidori's fists.

When his fists are caught, the doctor can only glare in helpless, impotent fury at his lover/tormentor, screaming wordlessly from time to time, breathing heavily.

The laughter only infuriates him further.

"John, John, it's alright." Byron chuckles, taking him into his arms for a hug, kissing his forehead.

This completely unexpected emotion and closeness confuses Polidori into stillness, but he's still panting. He clings violently to Byron, smearing their fluids even further, tears rolling down his cheeks, stinging when they reach his burn.

"You're mine." he murmurs, kissing away his tears. "Te amo."

Polidori blinks at his lover, nodding slowly. He laughs softly. "Your accent is terrible."

"I know." Byron grins, kissing him.

Polidori grins back, after a moment's hesitation, and kisses back. He frowns at the burn, wincing. "Why the hell did you do that?"

"Now you'll always be mine." he kissed Polidori's arm just above the burn. "As long as you have this scar."

The doctor raises an eyebrow. "...you could've asked. Or told me. Or...you are mad." He kisses Byron's forehead, rolling his eyes.

"I won't argue with you. You are the doctor, after all." Byron smirked, licking some of his semen off his fingers.

Polidori shivers as he watches his lord lick the sticky fluid, turning so he can lean against his lover's chest.

"Will you be alright?"

"...yes," he says, wryly. "No thanks to you." He tilts his head back to grin up at Byron, reaching behind his lover's neck to pull him down for a kiss.

Byron allows Poli to pull him into a kiss, purring happily.

Polidori rests his head on Byron's shoulder and wraps his lover's arms around his waist, staring into the fire. "Will you come out with me?"

"Out?"

"...of this room."

"I suppose so. Is it day or night?"

"Day, terrible man. Does this room even have windows? And you should eat, as well." He doesn't bother asking to see what Byron's written--he knows the answer.

"It has windows, I just put bookshelves in front of them." he explained, standing with Polidori a bit unsteadily. "I'm not sure if I'm hungry."

Polidori frowns at him. "Why on earth would you do that? And you are hungry. Look, you're shaking. You're pale as death, you're clammy...need I go on?"

"If you must. But I won't be listening." Byron allowed Polidori to lead him out of the study, squinting in the light.

The doctor shakes a head fondly at his difficult patient, slowly taking him out of the room. "Perhaps a light luncheon outside?"

"Fine, fine. But under the trees."

"Of course. Wouldn't want the sun to find you." He rolls his eyes again. "I'm just going to...find some clothes...and put a dressing on my burn. Go tell the servants what you want, and I'll meet you outside."

"Alright." Byron sighed, getting on his dressing gown and heading down to yell at some servants.

Polidori has issues....

Polidori is reading in Byron's garden, frowning at the passing birds and insects that get too close.

Byron came down to the garden, watching Poli from across the yard for a few moments before crossing to sit next to him.

Polidori flicks his eyes to look at the object of his desire, but firmly continues staring at his book, turning pages at what he deems appropriate intervals.

"Good book?" Byron asked, positioning himself so that he was cushioned in Poli's lap.

"Yes. Very." The shorter man attempts to position the book so that he can see it around Byron, still trying to ignore him. Well, most of him is...

"Stroke my hair." Byron demanded, grinning up at Poli from under his book.

Polidori instantly obliges, gritting his teeth a little when he realizes how quick he was to comply. "I thought you didn't like what the sun did to your complexion..." He squirms, trying to get the growing lump in his trousers to be comfortable with a man in his lap.

Byron chuckled, purposefully nestling into the lump under his head. "I'm in the shade of a very good book. And somehow I doubt we'll be outside for long."

The doctor groans, trying unsuccessfully to push Byron's head aside, blushing deeply. "I--I see..." he says, clearly flustered, and rather breathy. "And why is that?"

"Because, my dear Polidori, your cock is hard as rock and I doubt you'll want to fix that out here."

Polidori stammers something, and forces his legs shut, pushing Byron off his lap in earnest. "Now, really!"

Byron sits up, putting a hand against Polidori's bulge. "Am I wrong? Would you prefer the garden?"

"Ah...what?" Polidori says, eyes half-closed, mouth parted, lips trembling like a maiden's.

"Would you prefer that I fuck you in the garden?" Byron slid up next to him, murmuring in his ear, squeezing gently.

"Nnngh..." the young doctor says, eloquently, shivering and pressing his ear to his lord's mouth.

"No answer?" Byron whispered, licking the inside of Poli's ear delicately and pushing him back on the grass.

Polidori doesn't struggle, moaning softly as his sensitive skin is licked, his face quite flushed. He looks desperately up at his tormentor.

Byron merely smiled down at him, bending over him to bite and suck at his neck, leaving red and purple marks all up and down his neck and jaw.

Polidori gasps and squirms, pushing futilely at Byron when the sensation becomes too much.

This just elicited some soft laughs from Byron as he popped off Polidori's shirt buttons by tearing the front of it open. His mouth trailed down Poli's chest.

The younger man gasps, shivering as though feverish, trying to guide Byron's mouth to one of his hardening nipples.

Byron allowed himself to be guided, taking the nipple into his mouth and sucking it ruthlessly, using his teeth none-too gently. He squeezed Poli's cock through his trousers again.

Polidori squeaks, now trying to draw his nipple out from between the teeth. He's soon distracted by the hand on his groin, grinding his hips as much as he can.

Byron switched to the other nipple, pushing back Poli's shirt. He licked this one gently, teasing it.

Polidori whimpers, gently stroking Byron's jaw, looking up at the older man with pleading eyes.

Byron sat up a bit, smiling cruelly. "Tell me what you want."

"...you?" he gasps, half-pleading, half-questioning. The smile completely undoes him.

"What do you want me to do with you?"

Polidori cries out in anguish. "Please! Please, just...!"

"Just what?" Byron laughed.

He can't bring himself to say it, so he just thrusts his erection against Byron's hand, groaning.

Byron removed his hand, putting it on Poli's thigh instead.

"Nah!" the doctor gasps, trying to grab the hand and put it back where he wants it.

"Use your words, doctor."

Polidori groans, looking around to make sure there's no one lurking in the garden. "Please...Please f-fuck me..."

"Good, very good." Byron rewarded him with a firm squeeze, then started to unbutton Polidori's pants.

Polidori sighs, relaxing. He groans at the squeeze, smiling faintly--he's still not sure that he'll be satisfied, but this is at least a good start. He can hardly keep still while his pants are undone, and he tears up tufts of grass with his clenched hands.

Byron pinned down Polidori's hips, pulling his cock out of his drawers and lowering his head to lick gently around the head of it.

The doctor cries out, arms stretched out behind his head as though they're pinned there, holding the grass for dear life, eyes brimming with tears.

Byron doesn't take Poli's cock into his mouth, but kisses and licks down the length of it.

Polidori writhes and shivers, trying to guide his cock into his lover's mouth, legs spread almost painfully wide.

Byron nibbled at the base of Polidori's cock, wrapping his mouth around just the bottom, licking upwards.

Polidori spasms, wrapping his feet (still in shoes) around Byron's neck, trying to press him closer.

Byron pushes Poli's legs back down, taking his time with his lover's cock, going back down to the base, licking even more delicately.

The younger man forces his legs to be still, making little helpless noises, his eyes mostly closed.

Byron torments Poli this way for another few minutes before finally taking the tip of Polidori's cock in his mouth.

"Agh!" Polidori cries, frantically thrusting into his lover's mouth, trying to finish as quickly as possible.

Byron pulled back. "None of that, you won't finish until I tell you to and you won't be fucking my mouth."

"Ahh...I'm sorry..." he pants, spreading his arms by his sides to attack more grass there.

"Good boy." Byron lowered his head again, this time taking Polidori's testicles in his mouth, nibbling and licking.

Polidori whimpers, a little unsure of his lover's intentions on such a sensitive place. He tries to gently shift his hips and guide Byron's mouth back to where it should be.

Byron pins Polidori down forcefully, biting the loose skin around his shaft.

The doctor moans as he's pinned, struggling for the pleasure of it. He shrieks when the skin is bitten, almost castrating himself on his lover's teeth as he tries to escape.

"Stay still." Byron murmured, taking Poli's cock into his mouth again.

Polidori whimpers, trying to sit up so he can see what Byron's doing.

Byron takes Polidori's cock entirely in his mouth, lips touching the base, the head of his lover's cock pressing against the back of his throat.

Polidori gives a long, guttural moan, grass flying as he tries not to thrust, tears running down his cheeks.

Byron sucks up and down Poli's cock for a few minutes before releasing him and sitting up. He starts to undo his trousers.

The doctor, who had laid flat again when the sucking began, sits up again at the movement. His eyes widen a little as he sees what his lover is doing, and he tries to relax.

Byron pulls Poli up, straddling his lover and putting his hard cock against the other man's lips.

Polidori relaxes completely as the cock touches his lips, and he begins applying himself to the task with relish.

Byron moans, grabbing Polidori by his hair and controlling how he moved.

The younger man shivers, trying to suck even more furiously as pressure is applied to his hair.

Byron forces the boy down, fucking his mouth, holding his hair tightly with one hand.

Polidori chokes a little, breathing desperately through his nose, jaw open almost painfully wide, but still clearly enjoying himself.

"Come." Byron gasped, as he started to orgasm in Polidori's mouth.

Polidori bucks a little, but is still not quite there. He splutters a bit around his mouthful and swallows hard.

Byron chuckles breathlessly, sitting next to Polidori. "Finish yourself."

Polidori makes a small noise and blushes, shyly covering his bits with a hand.

"I want to watch you cum." Byron told him, watching him with a smirk, his limp cock laying against his thigh, still protruding from his trousers.

The doctor whimpers and shakes his head a little.

"Do it, or I won't be touching you for weeks."

Polidori whimpers and grits his teeth. Closing his eyes, he gingerly pokes at his erection.

"Take it in your hand." Byron grinned.

Polidori clutches his cock as though it's a dead mouse or something equally vile, and squishes it a bit, frowning.

Byron put his hand over Poli's, starting to move the boy's hand up and down over his cock.

The younger man relaxes, groaning softly as he feels his lover's hand on his own, guiding him.

Byron continued this way for awhile, finally letting go of Poli's hand to see if his lover would continue.

Polidori continues stroking, so close that he doesn't really notice Byron's hand leave. It isn't long before he comes, panting, and looking rather horrified by what he's done. He daintily covers his lap with a hand.

"You enjoyed yourself?"

Polidori nods, blushing a little and fumbling to do up his trousers.

"Good. Then we'll do this more often."

"...thank you?" the doctor murmurs, sounding a little hesitant. Impulsively, he snuggles up next to Byron, looking up at his lover for approval.

Byron stood, pushing Polidori away. "I'm going inside, the sun is awful for my complexion." he gave Poli a smirk.

The doctor laughs, in a much better mood after his relief. "Shall I walk you in?" he asks, putting an arm around the other's waist.

"Yes, if you like." Byron shrugged.

Polidori leans against his lover, resting his head on the taller man's shoulder as they walk inside together.

***