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bridge-4-wannabe · 3 months

Text

title: just a little closer (kadolin)

summary:

Yokska offers a room to Adolin and Kaladin. Kaladin thinks that means there are two beds. Adolin doesn't seem to care that there's only one.

"And there was only one bed!"

cross posted on AO3

It seemed like a joke, honestly. A ridiculous joke.

But–-

"Will this be alright, Brightlord?" Yokska asked, looking up at Adolin.

He smiled back at her, all ease and friendliness, “This is perfect, Yokska!”

Kaladin, on the other hand, was pretty sure he should say something to stop this.

Yokska chatted quietly with an ever gracious Adolin as she made the bed up for the two of them.

For the two of them.

He'd thought when she said she had a room for them she meant a room, with two beds. But, no. A room, with one bed. And a small bed at that.

He'd spent many a night sleeping in tight quarters with other men. Hell, he'd spent most of his life sleeping with scores of men in what could barely be called accommodations. He’d hardly call any of those situations intimate. Was it too intimate to sleep on a stone floor with all the men of Bridge Four? This bed would be the same, right? Instead of a stone floor it was a bed and instead of Bridge Four it was Adolin.

Just Adolin.

So maybe that analogy didn't quite work.

Adolin's harebrained scheme to bring them to his tailor had him in this current predicament. Kaladin supposed it really was as good a place to hide as any. Comfortable even, given the circumstances. Drehy and Skar had been set up in the attic with Shallan's guards. Shallan and her maid had been given a room, as had the King.

That left Adolin and himself. He'd volunteer to sleep in the attic, but it was tight as it was. And Yokska had already waved him off saying she had another room for him and the Prince. Kaladin had followed her quietly, thinking she meant two beds.

But now here he was. Faced with just one.

Yokska stepped back, after fluffing one of the pillows before looking up at Adolin and asking, "Anything else, Brightlord?"

Adolin shook his head. "Nothing at all, this is exactly what we needed."

Kaladin’s eyes widened. They needed one bed?!

"Of course, of course, anything for you, Prince Adolin."

Kaladin snorted at her obsequious tone: it was unnecessary on all accounts. He wasn't even in charge here. Yokska glanced over at Kaladin, her smile fading a little before she looked back at Adolin whose smile always had everyone else smiling too. His hair was messy, but perfect, smile always shining like the sun after a Highstorm. Kaladin shook his head. That really was not the point.

Syl appeared as a light in the air before forming into a small figure who hovered close to his head. She flew around, looking into the room before coming back to look at Kaladin who stood rather awkwardly in the doorway, a small coy smile on her small blue face. Of course she came, now . Now she didn't need to go play with some windspren. Right now she needed to tease Kaladin.

“Remember you really do need to get some sleep tonight,” she said, smiling at him.

Kaladin narrowed his eyes just barely. He didn't want to rise to any bait. He really didn't. It's not like Syl making vague (or not so vague as may be case) allusions to his attraction to Adolin was anything new.

"I will."

"Right..." she said, looking at him slyly.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Kaladin retorted.

"Yes, human mating rituals are such a mystery to me," Syl said, rolling her eyes.

Kaladin almost choked on his spit. Mating . Almighty above. Where did Syl learn to talk like this?

Yokska finally finished her simpering over Adolin then left, giving Kaladin a slightly skeptical look as she passed. He tried to return a somewhat apologetic smile. He failed.

He lingered in the doorway like some sort of ungainly master-servant unsure of what to do next. He could just leave, find someplace outside to sleep. Right?

"You could go into the room," Syl said. "Or are you afraid he'll bite? Oh. Do you want him to?"

"Good night, Syl!" he said firmly, the heat rising on his face. Did the Radiants of the past also deal with such embarrassment from their spren? Or was he a special case?

She winked at him and turned back into light, zipping off, surely to enjoy flitting around under the cover of darkness. (And likely thinking of new ways to tease Kaladin.)

"You just gonna stand there in the doorway?" Adolin asked, eyebrows raised.

"I could just go sleep in the attic," Kaladin said, meeting Adolin's eyes. Surely that would be better. Tight quarters with his brothers in arms instead of whatever Adolin was to him seemed far simpler.

Adolin rolled his eyes.

"Don't be an idiot. This bed is big enough for the two of us, bridgeboy."

"It's not about the size of the bed," Kaladin lied, "I'm afraid I might choke on your perfume, princeling."

Adolin laughed and Kaladin felt himself smile just slightly. This rhythm they fell into was almost too easy. Comforting. Kaladin almost had to look away from Adolin's laughter. That damn smile again.

If Kaladin were honest with himself, the problem wasn't even the bed. The problem was that recently, Adolin had started getting closer to Kaladin. Physically.

He didn't think he was imagining it.

Their friendship had snapped into place after both of them had been released from prison. Kaladin still didn't understand what kind of idiotic prince would go to prison for no reason, but then again, this was Dalinar's son. Lighteyed princeling or not, there was some honor in him, even as he'd seen it then. And now, Kaladin knew more. Adolin had his flaws, he was a product of the system he'd grown up in. He walked around with a swagger and confidence inherent to most lighteyes and he was a damned prince so of course it was doubly-so for him. And yet, his kindness, and service towards others remained more than what he'd experienced from the few lighteyes he'd known. And he'd never known one as much as he knew Adolin now.

And therein lay the problem. Adolin wasn't a member of Bridge Four. He wasn't a comrade or brother in arms. He was a friend. Or something like that. Kaladin didn't know exactly what. He'd never been this close to a lighteyes before. Once their mutual suspicion had broken, it had resulted in something Kaladin had never felt so easily with someone: trust. Maybe it was the duel in the arena, their backs to a proverbial wall–they'd worked well together. He'd seen Adolin's skill, the way he handled himself, willing to risk everything in that moment. Honor wasn't dead. And it wasn't just Kaladin who'd had something to say about it.

He'd fallen into a friendly place with Adolin. Both personally and in their work for Dalinar. He trusted him as a soldier. He knew that Adolin was a good person, and he knew that Adolin was always willing to act for that goodness.

But with Adolin came a type of friendliness that was maybe specific to Adolin. Or maybe it wasn't and Kaladin just didn’t have any experience with this type of closeness. Maybe he second guessed any interaction he had with a lighteyes. Or maybe he second guessed every interaction with Adolin . The easy touching, the casual violence between men that often spoke of something lingering, the Alethi and their disdain for public affection didn't seem to apply to Adolin. He’d always touch Kaladin’s arm, fingers lingering. Or put an arm around his shoulder, leaning in more than was necessary. It often left Kaladin's head spinning. So he tried to ignore it.

But now, maybe the distance that Kaladin had tried to keep wasn't possible. Even as they'd hovered above Kholinar Adolin had held his arm. Kaladin had been wrapped up in the mission, never losing focus, and yet Adolin's grip on his forearm had seared through him. It didn't feel like that when the other members of Bridge Four touched him. That touch was common, brotherly. Adolin’s touch…

Kaladin knew his reaction to Adolin's touch likely meant something else. And he really didn't think he had time for it. Not now. They had a job to do. A serious one.

But–-

He finally entered the room and shut the door. Adolin turned as he took off his shirt, throwing it into his pack. Kaladin looked away. Well, he tried. His gaze lingered for a moment on broad planes of his back. He knew the muscles underneath well, the way they worked, the way they moved. His fingers twitched at his side.

He bit his lip and looked into his own bag, pulling out a shirt to sleep in.

"So you own something that isn't your uniform?" Adolin teased, sitting down on the bed and watching him.

Kaladin took off the shirt of his uniform and changed into a simple brown linen shirt to sleep in.

"Not all of us have time for fancy suits, Princeling," Kaladin said. He carefully folded his uniform shirt and put it in his bag. He turned to Adolin who was eyeing him.

"Hm," Adolin said, considering Kaladin. He looked him up and down. Kaladin tried not to react to his gaze and instead walked over to his side of the bed. He could feel Adolin's eyes on him, even as he turned away.

"If we weren't in the middle of trying to save Kholinar I know exactly the kind of jacket I'd have Yokska make for you. Something short in the torso of a color that brings out your eyes and really accentuates those long legs."

Kaladin very pointedly stared at the pillow he'd moved and did not respond. He didn’t even know how. Adolin’s words held intent . But maybe Adolin talked like this with everyone. He probably did. Somehow that didn't make him feel any better.

Adolin got into the bed just as Kaladin did. Kaladin had put the broam they'd been using for light into his pouch. The only light that entered the room was moonlight through the window.

Kaladin lay flat on his back, trying not to mentally measure the distance between him and Adolin. Too far or too close he didn't know. But the distance between them these days seemed to be dwindling on average. He took a breath. He wished, not for the first time in his life, that he didn’t feel everything quite so intensely.

"I hope you don't snore, bridgeboy," Adolin said in the darkness.

"Shut up and go to sleep."

There was silence for a moment.

He felt the brush of Adolin's fingers against his own before the touch was gone.

"Good night, Kal," he heard Adolin say softly.

Kaladin didn't know if he responded. His entire body was consumed by the wisp of feeling left by Adolin's touch.

***

Kaladin woke up to the sound of Adolin snoring softly. He rubbed his eyes and glanced over. Adolin was asleep, facing him, his mouth slightly open. His hair, for once, looked a bit of a disaster, but somehow that just made it look even more appealing. Kaladin had the urge to run his hands through it. Maybe proximity to a lighteyed princeling resulted in madness. Maybe it was specifically Adolin. He suspected the latter.

He ran a hand through his own unruly hair, then covered his face with his hands, laying still for a moment. He took a deep breath.

A few more days of this, right? Only a few more days of falling asleep and waking up next to Adolin. He'd survived one night. He would survive all the rest. And he could ignore whatever simmered there because there definitely wasn't anything. Kaladin was definitely imagining it.

But that lingering gaze before getting into bed…that touch of his fingers before they’d slept…

He dropped to the floor next to the bed to start his morning pushups, shoving any thoughts of Adolin’s touch from his mind. Some hard work would shake him out of this. Maybe he’d do double his usual.

***

"Sleep okay?" Shallan asked, looking at Kaladin, as they both ate some breakfast a little while later.

Kaladin grunted in response. He hadn’t actually slept well which wasn’t anything new for him. He’d kept waking up, his body constantly aware of where Adolin was. Too close or too far: a question from last night that still plagued him.

He didn’t want to think Adolin had that much of an effect on him. So he pushed away the truth, pushed it over into the next room. It wasn’t something he had time to deal with right now.

"I'm sure he did," Adolin said, walking into the small kitchen, "But I didn't. Who knew he snored so much."

"I do not," Kaladin said, glaring at Adolin.

"No, you don't, but at least I got you to do something more than just grunt," Adolin said, winking at him. Kaladin’s face felt warm in response.

Shallan laughed and even Kaladin had to smile at that. Storming Princeling.

***

The next few days passed in activity and surveillance. They slowly learned more and more about the situation in Kholinar. Yet the more they learned, the more questions they had. And every night Kaladin came back, debriefed with the King, got into bed next to Adolin and wished for both nothing and something he couldn't define.

Sleep deprived though he always was, Kaladin rarely slept well. However, after the initial anxiety of sharing a bed with Adolin, he’d relaxed into the new situation well. Too well maybe. Which was why when he woke up to faint sunlight instead of darkness as he usually did, he felt completely disoriented.

Though maybe it wasn’t just the fact that he’d slept through the night, but also the warm body wrapped around him. Kaladin tensed, trying not to move at all. Adolin’s bare chest was pressed up against his back, his arm thrown around Kaladin’s waist. His face was just close enough that Adolin’s gentle snores were tickling the back of his neck.

How long had they been like this? Kaladin did not want to examine why suddenly this feeling of being secure felt so…right. Usually he hated anything that held him down even the slightest. But all night this grounding feeling, when it came from Adolin, by Adolin…

Kaladin stopped himself. It didn’t matter.

He moved slightly, trying to extricate himself without waking Adolin. He doubted Adolin would’ve cared about their–

Oh–-

Kaladin felt his ass brush up just slightly against Adolin’s very interested dick.

This was normal, Kaladin reasoned. It was morning, this happened. Kaladin was a young man himself, he knew. What he hadn’t quite expected was his body’s own response to this revelation. He needed to move away, now.

Adolin shifted slightly, tightening his hold around Kaladin for a moment and making a faintly contented sigh. Kaladin panicked at that and pulled away quickly, eyes flying up to Adolin’s as he turned around. By some luck, the Prince was still asleep.

Kaladin stood next to the bed, his heart pounding and looked down at Adolin.

“Having a good morning?”

Syl’s small voice startled him. Kaladin did not respond.

“I came back to check on you in the middle of the night and the two of you looked cozy.”

Kal cringed.

“I’m not sure the last time I saw you sleeping so peacefully…”

At that, Kaladin had to look over to where Syl was hovering. He gave her an almost pained look, not knowing how to respond. He expected her to continue to tease him but she just gave him a warm smile. Somehow, that was worse.

Kaladin sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. Then opened them and shook his head.

Time to go to the Wall Guard as he’d discussed with the King last night. No more of this nonsense; there was work to be done.

***

After a couple of weeks in Kholinar, Kaladin woke up one night, eyes adjusting almost immediately to the dark. He’d been sleeping soundly until a noise had woken him from a dead sleep.

Adolin lay next to him, moving slightly in his sleep. The languid movements, the small sounds, they seemed to Kaladin like Adolin was having a nightmare. Adolin's face was contorted in pain or was it--

Adolin moaned softly.

Kaladin felt his heart nearly stop at the sound. In the otherwise silent hour, even the small sound of Adolin's moan felt deafening. Maybe he'd misheard or misinterpreted but--

Adolin moaned again. Heat rose on Kaladin's face. He didn't think he'd misinterpreted anything. This time the moan sounded like a word. In fact, it sounded rather like, 'please.'

Kaladin felt like sending a 'please' to any god that would listen.

He didn't know what to do. Looking at Adolin in this state was almost too much: the blanket was low on his hips, his bare torso covered in moonlight. As he moved in his sleep, the blanket moved even further down, slipping to show the V of his abdomen, soft blond hairs with a few black visible and leading down to where--

Kaladin tried not to look. Really he did. But it was rather difficult when the sheets were pulled down and barely covering Adolin's clearly hard cock which was outlined through his thin, tight sleeping shorts. He closed his eyes for a moment. This wasn't happening. This was another dream. This wasn't happening, and he wasn't seeing anything.

But he opened his eyes and Adolin was still there, nearly naked and very much wanting.

He took a breath, willing his own arousal down like a dog.

"Adolin, wake up," Kaladin said quietly, gritting his teeth

Adolin's head turned towards Kaladin, but he didn't wake.

"Please..." Adolin gasped, his hand moving down his body.

Kaladin felt the heat pool in his gut further. He felt his own cock start to fill, the rush of arousal too strong to drown out his embarrassment and shame. Adolin needed to wake up so neither of them would do something embarrassing.

"Adolin--" Kaladin said, a note of desperation in his voice as he barely touched Adolin's shoulder. His skin was hot to the touch. Kaladin felt drawn to that heat, like a moth to the flame. In that moment Kaladin would gladly die of that heat.

He did not know what grave sin he'd committed to deserve this. But having Adolin so close, so needy--it might result in something not even Stormlight could heal Kaladin of.

Finally, after a moment, Adolin's eyes snapped open. Kaladin held his breath, somehow unable to let go of where his fingers were touching Adolin's shoulder. The touch was more intimate than anything he'd experienced with Adolin and now that he'd had a taste, he didn't want to go back.

Adolin's eyebrows furrowed as he looked at Kaladin and then down at where Kaladin's fingers were on his bare shoulder.

"Kaladin? Is everything okay?"

He hadn't quite seemed to process his current state yet.

Kaladin felt completely deranged.

"Okay? Well. Adolin, I'm. I can't--" Kaladin sputtered, not able to stop the words coming out of his mouth. What was he supposed to say? Why had he woken Adolin up? At this moment he couldn't remember why. It had seemed like a good idea at the time.

"Storming--" Adolin suddenly said, moving to pull more of the blanket over his crotch. Apparently he was more awake now. Kaladin cringed.

"You're just--" Kaladin started and stopped again.

"Well, this is storming embarrassing," Adolin said, not looking at Kaladin.

"Just--" Kaladin tried. "It’s too much?"

It came out a bit whinier and more questioning than he'd intended. He was a captain! He commanded soldiers! He wasn't supposed to sound like this. He wasn't sure he ever had before.

Adolin looked up at him, eyes focused and intense.

"That's what you said in the dream I was just having."

There was a moment when all Kaladin could hear was the pumping of blood through his veins and Adolin’s soft breathing.

In the dream he was just having ? That meant– . Kaladin’s brain stopped and started multiple times in succession and yet didn’t process anything. He stared back at the Prince.

"In the dream…you were just having?" he repeated, weakly.

Adolin nodded. He didn't break eye contact with Kaladin, and licked his lips slowly. Kaladin followed the sweep of his tongue with a focus and intensity he'd previously only used in battle. Something had shifted since the initial awkwardness and panic. Kaladin didn't know what. But he wanted to know. Wanted to follow it like he chased flying on the winds.

"What else did I say in your dream?" Kaladin breathed out, his eyes still locked with Adolin's.

This was a mistake, a mistake . What was he playing at?

Adolin reached up to take the hand that was on his shoulder into his own. Kaladin watched, as though entranced. He'd felt alight at the feeling of Adolin's shoulder. Holding his hand felt otherworldly.

"You didn't say much else," Adolin responded, squeezing Kaladin’s hand lightly. Kaladin shivered and he didn’t know why. (No, he did.)

"Why?"

A dangerous question. But Kaladin needed to know. He needed Adolin to say it. He didn't know what it was. But it felt like the catalyst he needed.

Adolin's fingers let go of his hand to trace a pattern up Kaladin’s arm until reaching up to gently touch his jaw. His thumb moved around to press down lightly at Kaladin's bottom lip until his lips parted just barely.

At this touch Kaladin felt like he’d been burned, branded. Just the barest touch of Adolin’s fingers on their first night in Kholinar had been enough to send him reeling. He'd always known Adolin was lethal, just maybe not in this context. But here Kaladin was, leading himself to oblivion, encouraging it, even.

"Your mouth was...preoccupied."

Kaladin almost let out an embarrassing groan at that. Instead he bit his lip and felt himself lean forward just slightly.

"I can show you," Adolin said, his eyes fixed on Kaladin's.

He was on a precipice like he'd never been on before. This was the spark, hhe'd been needing to hear.

Kaladin nodded once and fell.

In one swift movement Adolin rolled Kaladin onto his back, his lips going straight for Kaladin's.

Maybe for a first kiss it was more teeth than it should have been, more pressure than a caress of lips, but to Kaladin, who had been wanting it without truly admitting it to himself: it was everything. Pure lust and instinct drove Kaladin as he tilted his head just so to kiss Adolin deeply. His hand went up to run through Adolin’s hair as he’d been wanting to since Stormfather only knew when. His hair was perfectly soft and thick just as he’d imagined, luxurious to the touch. He moved his hand down to the nape of Adolin's neck to pull at the hair there, and he heard Adolin groan. The sound went straight to his core, heat rising in him in a way he'd never felt before.

Adolin broke the kiss, gasping, "Storms, Kal."

Kaladin made a small broken noise and chased Adolin's mouth, but Adolin pulled back slightly. He looked down at him, blue eyes twinkling in the moonlight.

"So you do want me," he said, smirking just barely.

It broke the intensity of the moment enough, and Kaladin was grateful for it. Kaladin never felt anything by halves, emotions consumed him from the inside out. After the days and weeks of confusion, denial, and desire leading to this moment, the need and desperation felt dangerously like they would consume him. But Adolin always made things better, easier. He should have known.

"Shut up," Kaladin finally bit out.

Adolin tilted his head, blue eyes sparkling.

"Make me."

So Kaladin did.

He reached up to pull Adolin's neck down towards him, crushing their lips together once more. It was a bruising kiss that Adolin returned with equal desire and desperation. Kaladin didn't have much experience at any of this physical intimacy. He wasn't exactly embarrassed about it. When would he have had time in his rather miserable life so far? But Adolin moved with such practiced ease and led Kaladin along that he didn't have time to feel self conscious. It didn't matter that he was blindly following Adolin. In fact, it made everything so much easier.

Adolin kissed him fiercely, lips pressed against his until he licked against Kaladin's lips. The first touch of Adolin's tongue against his own had him almost moaning. Storms, how embarrassing. His hand gripped tighter in Adolin's hair.

Adolin's tongue moved with purpose in Kaladin's mouth, wet and hot and perfect. Kaladin felt Adolin shift his thigh further so they were flush at the hips and--

He felt Adolin's hard dick pressing against the inside of his thigh. He felt his own pressing into Adolin's. Adolin moved so that one thigh was firmly between Kaladin's legs and it was all he could do to not buck up wildly, seeking more pressure, more heat against his rapidly hardening cock. He felt a wildness in him he didn't think he'd ever known. Even in those first moments of consciously using Stormlight he'd never felt like this: anticipation thrumming and feeling like nothing would ever be enough. Even holding Adolin like this wasn't enough. He moved his hands wildly over the skin of Adolin's back, his short nails just barely raking down.

Adolin groaned at the feeling, pulling back just slightly to breathe harshly against Kaladin's lips.

"Kal," he said, voice low, strained, almost as though he wasn’t able to get any words out. Kaladin responded by repeating his actions. He moved his hands down, down, growing confident by the way Adolin's breath seemed to hitch. Hands on Adolin's ass, he held there, gripping hard as he held Adolin down and ground up against Adolin's thigh. Once he'd decided on a movement, Kaladin always moved with intense purpose, and this was no different.

Adolin moved his lips to Kaladin's cheek, then his jawline and settled for a moment to suck at the hollow of Kaladin's throat. Kaladin couldn't help but moan this time, his hips moving up and against Adolin's thigh almost involuntarily. He bit off his moan too late, trying to stay quiet in the dark house, but he felt Adolin smile through his ministrations.

Smug bastard , Kaladin thought, but without any real venom. He was too lost in a haze of arousal and by the time Adolin moved to bite at his ear Kaladin had forgotten any momentary acrimony. He was fully hard and wanting as Adolin's hands moved up and under Kaladin's shirt, pulling back enough to wriggle the offending item of clothing off. Kaladin saw Adolin's eyes in the moonlight, gaze heavy and dark. He grinned at Kaladin before moving back down to kiss at his torso, leaving little nips and then soothing them with his tongue. The arousal was building, a thrumming rhythm expanding in his veins.

“Storms, Adolin, it’s too much. Come on,” Kaladin bit out, dragging Adolin back up and kissing him again. He couldn’t even muster up embarrassment at his words. He was too far gone now. He just needed more.

Adolin grinned through the kiss; then, sat back a little on Kaladin's thighs.

"Didn't think I'd ever hear Kaladin Stormface quite so needy," Adolin said as moved his hand down to Kaladin's trousers. His hand teased at his waistband, fingers brushing back and forth at the soft hair below Kaladin's belly button.

Kaladin groaned, hips bucking up.

"Shut up and get on with it," he grunted. He didn’t think he’d quite wrapped his head around what it was, but he knew Adolin knew.

The wildness in him hadn't receded, it only grew and grew. It felt almost like Stormlight, trapped and unable to leave his skin, building and building.

Finally, finally, Kaladin felt long, warm fingers get his trousers open, letting his aching cock spring free. He moved his hands to pull down Adolin's light shorts just enough to see Adolin's cock, the head pressing out above the waistband. Kaladin pulled the fabric down again, this time releasing Adolin's cock as well. As though in a daze, Kaladin thumbed over the head, smearing the wetness at the tip, almost mesmerized at the reaction it drew from Adolin who threw his head back, mouth open. He'd never held anyone's dick but his own, but the feeling of the velvety skin in his hand combined with the weight of the hardness beneath felt both familiar and completely foreign.

"Storms, Kal," Adolin breathed as Kaladin tried to find the best way to stroke Adolin. It was awkward for a moment and he felt unsure. It was a little dry so he licked his palm and went back to stroking him, growing more and more confident as he watched Adolin's face--every flutter of his eyelashes, the way he bit his lip to try and stay quiet. Kaladin wanted to sear this image into his memory forever. Whatever this was, he didn't want to forget this moment.

Then, Adolin pushed his hand away and shifted forward just a bit. He spit in his hand and wrapped it around both of their cocks, now perfectly aligned in a way that had Kaladin's head spinning. Adolin stroked them both quickly and firmly and Kaladin was sure he wouldn't last much longer. The pleasure rose in him like a wave, and he didn't know if he could hold it off or even if he wanted to. Adolin leaned down to kiss Kaladin again, this time messier than any time before as he started a desperate rhythm with his hips, their cocks rubbing together in a way that made Kaladin groan wantonly into Adolin's lips. The heat in the pit of his stomach was building faster and faster and he didn't want to hold off the wave anymore. His fingers dug into the hard muscle of Adolin's ass as he ground up, up. The movement was erratic, frantic until--

Kaladin stilled for a moment before he came, his entire body unable to contain the pleasure he felt, until finally the wave broke and his climax washed over him. His mouth opened in a silent moan, blood rushing in his ears, and it was only the feeling of Adolin on top of him that held him tethered to the moment in any way. His brain was only blank static. Nothing else.

His hands still gripped Adolin fiercely and through the haze he felt Adolin come just a moment later, hips stuttering, teeth lightly biting at Kaladin's shoulder.

How long they lay like that, Kaladin didn't know. Adolin was breathing heavily into his neck, body completely relaxed on top of Kaladin's. Kaladin’s hands still lingered on Adolin's ass. He ran his fingers over the muscle again, savoring the warmth of his body. The room felt unnaturally quiet after the cacophony of their intimacy, their harsh breathing almost echoing after the groans of their pleasure.

But as the fuzz at the edge of his mind receded, Kaladin felt his usual anxiety begin to creep back. He'd had sex with Adolin Kholin. He was on a mission, here, in Kholinar, at the King's behest, the King, who was just one room over, and Kaladin had just had sex with his cousin, who was also a Prince. They'd had sex, rather impulsive sex, with no conversation about anything beforehand. Adolin who was son to the man he had sworn to serve--

Adolin kissed lightly at Kaladin's neck, breaking him out of his spiral.

"I can feel you thinking," he said, "Stop."

"How can you feel me thinking," Kaladin retorted, fingers digging into the back of Adolin's thighs. He didn't really want to stop touching Adolin now that he'd started. The warmth of his orgasm was starting to fade, the sluice to his muscles diminishing. He closed his eyes, trying to cling to it.

"I can feel that usual Kaladin Stormface tension," Adolin said, "Right. Here." He punctuated each word with a kiss to each of Kaladin’s shoulders.

Kaladin huffed out a laugh, feeling more than a little insane.

It was another few moments before Adolin got up to get them both clean. Kaladin felt the loss of Adolin’s body acutely, shivering a little in the cool night air.

They’d been moving closer and closer together, and Kaladin finally knew it hadn’t been something inherent to friendship with Adolin, rather it truly had been something more. The touches were deliberate, the glances purposeful. The distance had dwindled until they’d been intertwined and now Kaladin felt as though there was a string measuring the space between them. It was taught as Adolin moved to gently wipe at the sticky mess on Kaladin’s stomach and cock. Somehow this felt even more intimate than anything they’d done before and Kaladin felt that same wildness rising in him. The only antidote was Adolin’s skin against his and his warmth nearby.

Once Adolin settled next to him again there was a moment when there remained a short distance between them. Kaladin itched to move closer. Instead his fingers reached out, grabbed at Adolin’s hand.

Adolin’s fingers immediately intertwined with his.

Kaladin didn’t know how long it took him to fall asleep like that, his hand in Adolin’s. But he knew it was that touch that kept thoughts from running away from him.

***

He woke up in a familiar position. Though this time he didn't completely panic and immediately move away.

Adolin was pressed up against his back, bare chest to his bare back. Kaladin felt warm, maybe even too hot, but he didn't want to move. Instead he settled back even closer. The warmth rose further when his body flooded with the memories of sensations from last night. The way Adolin had locked eyes with him, the way he’d pushed Kaladin onto his back, the way he’d kissed him, want and desperation combining in a passionate climax.

Kaladin’s hand went to the wrist wrapped around him, his thumb stroking the pulse point softly. He knew last night had changed him and fear of it snuck through his vessels. Still, he touched Adolin’s skin to ground himself: ground himself in a way that didn’t feel stifling anymore.

He felt Adolin shift minutely behind him, hearing the break in his breathing pattern.

“Morning,” Adolin said softly.

Kaladin grunted in response, not quite trusting his voice at the moment. He knew last night had happened, he knew it had all been real. But after all this time, the way their relationship had changed, to finally have reached this point. It was still too much. It would take time to clarify what it meant but for once, Kaladin tried not to fixate.

“Not time for push ups yet?” Adolin said, before leaving kisses over Kaladin’s shoulder.

“Why, you want to watch?” Kaladin managed to respond.

“Maybe,” Adolin said, his voice clearly indicating he did. Had this tone always been there? Had Kaladin simply been unable to decipher it. Or had he stubbornly refused to? Kaladin supposed it didn’t matter anymore. He just wanted to stay here, where it was comfortable. They’d always jumped between points in their relationship like that. First comfortable in their dislike for one another, then comfortable in their friendship without needing too many words.

So he stayed quiet, basking in the comfort of Adolin’s arms.

"Hmm, you really are quite the cuddler aren’t you?" Adolin said after a while, pulling Kaladin even closer, his lips finding the nape of his neck and leaving a light kiss. His fingers tapped out a nonsensical rhythm against the skin of his stomach.

Kaladin struggled a little against Adolin's arm, but only enough to make a show of how he definitely didn't like being cuddled. Still, he settled back into Adolin's arms.

“What are you talking about?” he protested.

Adolin didn’t answer. There was a silence in which Kaladin turned around after a moment.

Adolin’s cheeks were just barely dusted with a blush and he refused to meet Kaladin’s eyes. It was strange to see the usually confident prince looking a little unsure.

Kaladin pushed Adolin’s shoulder so he was on his back and leaned over him. His blond and black hair was splayed out on the pillow, forming a messy sort of halo. Kaladin barely resisted the urge to comb through it, to brush it away from his forehead.

“What?” he repeated, pressing a little more.

Adolin sighed, looking up at Kaladin. Where his eyes had been so playful, now there was a vulnerability to his gaze.

“I woke up a few nights ago, and you looked cold so I put an arm around you and you, well you, came closer,” Adolin rambled.

Kaladin groaned and put his forehead on Adolin’s shoulder.

“And then, I kind of just kept doing that every night,” he continued. Kaladin huffed.

“I guess neither of us have to be embarrassed about it after last night…” Adolin said, bringing a hand up to Kaladin’s hair.

“It’s not that. It’s that I’ll never hear the end of it from Syl,” Kaladin said after a moment.

“Your spren?” Adolin said, confused.

Kaladin sighed and nodded.

“She saw us one night…like that,” Kaladin said, looking up at Adolin.

Adolin’s eyes widened. “So you knew?”

Kaladin shrugged.

“And you didn’t say anything?!”

“Neither did you!”

They looked at each other, silent for a moment. Then they both laughed. Or rather Adolin did, but Kaladin smiled at least. Storms .

Adolin was beautiful like this, eyes crinkled with mirth, and in this haze of happiness that Kaladin didn’t completely understand he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the corner of Adolin’s lips.

“Come on, Princeling,” Kaladin said, pulling away. He felt like maybe he’d given too much away in that moment. He bit his lip and ran his fingers through his hair. “Time to get to work.”

Adolin raised an eyebrow at that, smirking.

It took Kaladin a moment to understand Adolin’s reaction. Then, he swatted at him.

“Not like that!” he said, rolling his eyes and blushing just a little. “We need to go talk with Shallan and Elhokar.”

“Well, now you’ve killed the mood,” Adolin said, lightly, following Kaladin out of bed.

“Good.”

“Time for push ups?” Adolin asked.

Kaladin gave him a half smile.

“Drop and give me one hundred, Princeling.”

Adolin winked at him and got on the floor.

***

Kaladin and Adolin entered the kitchen a little later, a different sort of silence between them than Kaladin had felt at any time before. The awkwardness, the fear, he might have felt at a potentially life-changing night might have bothered him more if he hadn’t guessed that Adolin felt the change between them too. He’d been gentle and open, and Kaladin knew Adolin was only ever genuine. Maybe even to a fault. Why had he pushed this away before?

Adolin brushed his fingers against Kaladin’s before walking to the table.

Shallan looked up from where she was finishing a pastry. She narrowed her eyes on Kaladin's face, studying him. He shook his hair out his eyes and went to the counter where there was a pot of tea. He felt like last night was written on his face. Hopefully it was written in a language Shallan didn’t read.

“Your face looks less stormy than usual,” Shallan said to Kaladin as a way of greeting him.

He shrugged, pouring himself a cup of tea.

She raised her eyebrows then turned to Adolin.

"Sleep well?" Shallan asked, as he sat down at the table.

Kaladin coughed into his tea and didn’t respond. Adolin’s eyes flickered over to Kaladin before he looked back at Shallan. Kaladin bit his lip.

"Absolutely."

#kadolin #stormlight archive #stormlight fanfic #kaladin stormblessed #adolin kholin #kaladin #sylphrena #shallan davar #finally made a tumblr for this purpose #fandom people tell me how to tag this fic #im new to the fandom

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