CLAIMING HIM

"that's not what I meant cub where the heck did that even come from?" Ziesoo asked

"I just wanted to tell you that I appreciate your efforts" he was red in the face

Taekwon gazed back at him in amusement he laughed "you don't have to get all flustered about a simple question it's totally logical you know we are mates there are certain expectations that go along with that we are both adults' males we should be able to talk about these things"

Ziesoo face was flushed red "I'm not some pervert who's rushing you into bed though don't get the wrong idea"

"forgive me for being a moron right now," Taekwon said "but I'm an openly gay celestial and you're supposedly straight since you're the prince of tigers

but you don't have any problems being affectionate with me? I don't even know what your sexuality is, but you're mated to me so what are we even? do you even want me?"

ziesoo ran a hand through his hair in frustration did he want him? what a question to ask at a time like this

"I've never been straight" he admitted

"I dated girls because of my parents all right! I'm the prince of tigers what do you expect? naturally, they won't accept me being gay,

my clan hails from generations of royal pureblood celestials, very high level, I'm supposed to get mated to a future queen and continue our prestigious bloodline as the king someday so, they keep introducing me to eligible females and forcing me to date them in the hopes I'll find a female mate

they think me being gay is some kind of anomaly that will go away once I find my mate I've only casually dated females for appearance's sake to placate them but I haven't slept with any of them

I couldn't I knew I was waiting for you ok I don't want anyone else except my mate

I can't wait to see their reaction when I bring you home to them and they see my mate is in fact male they are probably going to kick me out of the clan officially

and remove my title but I don't care about being the prince I never did from the start so that doesn't matter to me I just want to live my own life

I'm very grateful at least the gods were kind enough to give me a mate I actually do want and that's you"

"I'm sorry" taekwon breathed he grimaced in regret "I don't mean to pick a fight with you" he got up and put his plate in the sink

he ran a hand through his hair shaking his head "I don't know what's wrong with me I've been feeling anxious ever since I woke up"

he sighed leaning up against the kitchen counter

"look you've already saved my life, I am very grateful to you, I'm being really stupid, I didn't mean to stress you out I'm really not good enough for you I feel burdened, to be honest," Taekwon said softly

Ziesoo came into the kitchen setting down his own plate

"you feel burdened how exactly? we haven't exactly had a chance to discuss anything past you staying here and healing so now that's happened what are you saying?"

"I don't know how to deal with this well" Taekwon replied "I'm a mess, my whole life is like a textbook case of a kid from the wrong side of the tracks, grown up with abusive parents, I was kicked out of my clan, I have no powers I am just baggage to you,

"me a nobody suddenly meeting and being mates with you, the prince of our kind someone way above my status, you're way out of my league, I don't even know what to do with you if people find out it will tarnish your reputation big time"

"It will hurt me more if you say things like you're not worthy or not good enough for me and I generally don't give a f**k about my reputation" Ziesoo replied

Taekwon's eyes dropped to the floor he couldn't look at him his own heart was pounding so loudly in his ears,

he wanted to escape but his feet wouldn't let him move when he had woken earlier he had walked out the door, he could have left and not returned, he could have run away the moment he was outside,

but his spirit wouldn't let him give up on the only chance he had now that he found his mate his heart betrayed him so he had come back reluctantly full of uncertainty and fear,

but hopeful that just maybe things would turn out well for them, he had been waiting too, longing for the day he would be rescued from the misery his life had become

Ziesoo grabbed his face in his hands lifting his eyes to his as he gazed at him reading his spirit

he knew it all his struggle and his eventual decision to return to him he was grateful he wanted to claim him even more now than before

"you are you worthy of me," he said "even if you don't have confidence right now believe in yourself, trust yourself, because there's definitely a reason why the gods blessed me with you and not someone else and I'm willing to trust and believe in their choice for me"

"well, then isn't it better if you claim me as soon as possible?" Taekwon asked hesitantly

"what?" ziesoo breathed in shock searching his eyes with his

"you should claim me before anything else happens that could separate us so much is against us already" he added flushing red

Ziesoo realized why taekwon was like this he had come back to him but he felt insecure he was looking for an assurance from him he was scared and he had every right to be

"I was almost dead by the time you found me you were already almost too late," he said softly "I don't mean to pressure or rush things by saying all this b.."

ziesoo cut him by dragging him into his arms and kissing him pinning him up against the kitchen counter

taekwon groaned he tasted so good his mates own unique flavor of mangoes cream and spice

meant just for him his forceful lips movements his warm arms around him so strong and being held tightly

his hand fisted in his hair tilting his head back the hot wet drag of his tongue down his neck

Taekwon shuddered in pleasure gasping and clutching the front of his shirt tightly in his balled hands he was so tall and much bigger than him

he felt so small in his arms Ziesoo filled his whole world

ziesoo growled, "I was going to take things slow and give you time to get used to me but you want it fast don't you?" He sucked on his ear

Taekwon shuddered goose bumps breaking out over his skin

"Answer me please!" Ziesoo groaned it was almost desperate sound of longing "why are you pushing me so hard? you're killing me do have any idea?"

"I want to be with you I don't want to be alone anymore" Taekwon admitted "I don't want to be scared and hurt anymore choose whether you really do want me or not claim me now or throw me away, don't give me hopes now only to reject me later I've been waiting for someone, anyone to save me please" he begged with eyes pooling with tears

ziesoo lifted him off his feet and into his arms without another word

he carried him to the bedroom and dropped him unceremoniously into his bed and began

to quickly strip off his clothing removing his shirt, revealing his beautiful tanned skin underneath

Taekwon sat in the middle of his bed nervously hugging a pillow watching him, his mate should be considered illegal,

he had the kind of body that looked like it came out of an underwear magazine dripping with lithe muscles everywhere Taekwon had never felt so aroused in his life just looking at a man

"um I bought some things tonight," Taekwon said softly his face turning more red than usual

"they are in the bedside drawer by your bed"

"oh what did you buy?" ziesoo asked curiously going to the drawer and opening it

inside was a bottle of lubricant an expensive kind that was meant to help make their experience more pleasurable

some condoms and a sex toy

he picked it up and taekwon blushed as the pink silicone phallus wobbled back and forth in his hand outrageously

"I don't think one of the big stiff ones would work for me" he blurted out an explanation

Ziesoo was amused at his choice of words in this situation

"let's just start with the lube first and these," he said wiggling his fingers making him turn even redder he covered his face with the pillow

"no matter what was said it all sounded dirty to his ears right now he heard Ziesoo's soft laughter he was enjoying teasing him

he put the bottle of lube and a condom on top of the bedside table as he pulled off his pants

and climbed into bed straddling him he leaned down and kissed him slowly tasting those lush lips of his the pair of them both moaning

and then they became feverish hot and hungry trying to devour each other any way they could

greedy hands and mouths driven by the special scents and flavors on each other's skin

and the power of the mate's bond that burned through them

the heat of desire and instinct to claim and be claimed

later the pair lay in bed together their skin glowing faintly in the dark of the room after bonding

ziesoo laid on taekwon his head resting on his chest listening to the steady of his mates' heart with his arms wrapped around him

while taekwon rested comfortably on the pillow's hands stroking Ziesoo's silken hair

as he drew back Ziesoo's hair from his neck gazing down at the new beautiful mating mark that matched his own

gracing his neck his fingers gently tracing its outline a crescent moon with a tigers claw scratched across it bound together

by dual-colored red and gold silk ribbon that was woven in-between each claw and then twined around the moon

it was their own unique mating mark the moon represented the celestial

the tiger claw representing their clan origins of tiger

but the red and gold silk ribbon was Ziesoo and Taekwon's own personal identifiers

matching the exact colors of their hair which doubled for their tiger spirits manes

anyone seeing their marks would know immediately they were bonded to each other now

"let's get married" Ziesoo suggested

"I thought we just did?" Taekwon answered smiling

"we did in the way of our kind" Ziesoo agreed but I also want to marry you legally and officially you are right about some things especially if our parents should decide to interfere I want to secure you by my side"

"but Korea doesn't have same-sex marriage yet" Taekwon pointed out

"the official celestial marriage registrar does thou, I have a friend there who will help us out," Ziesoo said

"but it's kind of late" Taekwon pointed out checking the time on the clock it was after ten in the night already

Ziesoo got up fixing him with a stare

"future Mr. young I'm telling you to move your sweet little ass and let's go get married right now" ziesoo growled, "why do you always argue with me? all you need to do is say yes"

Taekwon's mouth opened in shock

"get in the shower and get dressed" Ziesoo ordered him