After dinner, they passed a very agreeable hour in a slow, mutual exploration of each other's bodies. To Tano's relief, Eldreth wasn't at all put out that Tano came twice to her once, saying that it was both a tremendous compliment and extremely sexy.

The post-coital cuddling was wonderful enough to be its own revelation, but Tano declined Eldreth's invitation to stay the night, preferring to spend the night in his own space.

The next morning, he made a point of stopping at The Drunken Lord.

When Tano sat down at the bar, Karchak looked him over and whistled. "Well! Our little Tano has become a man."

Tano blinked in confusion. "I... have always been a man. Nothing about my gender has changed."

Karchak rolled his eyes and leaned forward, speaking just loud enough for Tano to hear. "I meant that you got it wet with Eldreth last night, didn't you?"

Tano made a face. "You're disgusting."

"Only because you hate it," Karchak shot back with a smirk.

Tano huffed and lowered his voice, not wanting anyone to overhear what came next. "Yes. Well. As I won't have to rely on my hand for the foreseeable future, I'm afraid I'm not interested in fucking you."

Karchak laughed and shook his head. "Tano, Tano, Tano," he said in an equally low voice. "I didn't say anything about you fucking me."

Tano gave Karchak a horrified look. "You mean..."

"Oh yes," Karchak replied, waggling his eyebrows.

"Wh-why would I let you do that?"

"Because unless I'm assuming incorrectly, Eldreth can't fuck you like I can. And because she's nice, and sweet, and soft. And she likes you. And I... don't."

Tano's thoughts ground to a halt as his brain got into a heated argument with his cock. Where he stood with Karchak had seemed so simple and straight-forward when he was in Eldreth's arms. But here, confronted with the reality of their mutual hatred and the undeniable sexual tension it inspired, Tano couldn't help but feel turned on as he contemplated what being penetrated by Karchak's thick cock would feel like.

Karchak knew he had Tano on the ropes and pressed his advantage even further. He crooked his finger at Tano, and - like a sucker - Tano leaned closer. "She wouldn't take you back to her office and take you over her desk while she called you humiliating names," he whispered into Tano's ear.

Tano fled.

* * *

It was almost a relief when a minor diplomatic incident suddenly became a major incident after being blown out of proportion by the morning edition of Tinora's largest newspaper, which subsequently almost caused a riot. Tano had his hands full making sure no violence erupted, and spent the next several days too busy to do more than occasionally worry about the situation his dick had gotten him into.

He knew what the smartest course of action was - keep seeing Eldreth and tell Karchak to go fuck himself. Unfortunately, his cock had... other ideas. Namely that it did want Karchak to fuck him, please and thank you, and it didn't intend to back down on the matter.

Either way, he needed to talk to Eldreth.

Tano went to the cafe practically the moment the foreign delegation left with the signed trade agreement, and was relieved when Eldreth didn't appear to be put out with him for vanishing right after they'd slept together for the first time.

"I was wondering when I'd see you," she said, giving him a bright smile.

"It's been a busy few days," Tano said ruefully.

"I can imagine," Eldreth replied dryly.

Tano was pleased when Eldreth was able to join him for a late lunch. "Any interest in coming over tonight?" she asked as she cut into a slice of egg-and-cheese pie. "Or I could come over to your place?"

Tano was distracted from the question he'd intended to ask by the sudden anxiety that he was navigating a script he didn't know by heart, the way everyone else seemed to. "I'm. I'm very interested, but..."

Eldreth's expression was gentle as she laid a hand on his arm. "You can be honest with me, Tano."

He nodded. Swallowed. "I just want to be clear that... I'm still getting over feelings for someone else. I don't know if I can get into a romantic relationship right now."

Eldreth shook her head. "That's just fine with me. I just got out of a fifteen-year marriage to an utter slime ball, so I'm really not looking for commitment."

Tano blinked in surprise at her response. "Then why... I mean. What could I..."

Eldreth shrugged, and when she spoke her tone was reassuringly casual. "You're lovely, and sweet, and surprisingly gentle, given your reputation and what you do. And I know where I stand with you, unlike my lying, cheating, emotionally abusive ex-husband. I enjoy spending time with you, and I enjoy the sex, and as long as we're both having fun I'd like to keep seeing you. But I don't expect commitment, or even want it really."

Tano thought this over, then nodded slowly. "Your honesty is... refreshing. Thank you." Then, because he was too curious not to ask. "Fifteen years is a long time. Why did you stay?"

She sighed and pushed a bit of crust around the plate with her fork. "He was different in the beginning. And we went through these... cycles. Where he'd reform and things would be good for a while before backsliding into being horrible again, and it took a really long time for me to accept that he didn't ever intend to change for good. But even when things were awful..." Eldreth smiled self-consciously. "The sex was amazing." She hesitated, before adding in a small voice, "you probably wouldn't understand."

"I want to," Tano replied quietly.

For a moment, he thought Eldreth wasn't going to answer. But then she started to speak, and he realized she had simply been searching for the right words.

"When things were going well, the sex was... It was alright. Got the job done. But when we hated each other, it was... mind-blowing. The most cathartic sex of my life, even if I usually felt like shit about myself after." Eldreth grimaced self-consciously before continuing. "Don't get me wrong, the sex we've had is every bit as good, but it's very different. When I was with him, we were both completely selfish and didn't give a shit about each other's pleasure, which. I don't know. Made knowing that he was still so hot for me anyway feel really powerful."

Tano's face must have been doing something funny, because Eldreth gave a forced laugh and looked away. "I'm okay now, though. It wasn't as awful as it sounds."

"N-no," Tano stammered. "I mean, I'm glad. I'm just surprised because." He stopped, took a deep breath, then continued in a much lower voice. "I think I know what you mean?"

Eldreth's eyebrows shot up, but her expression was intrigued rather than upset. "Really," she breathed. "Do tell."

Tano blushed, suddenly very conscious of their too-public surroundings. "I'd like to," he mumbled. "I just don't feel comfortable having that conversation... here."

Eldreth's smile was understanding. "Tonight, then?"

Tano smiled back and squeezed her hand. "Tonight."

* * *

Eldreth had a basket over one arm when Tano arrived to meet her. "I took the liberty of picking up dinner," she said, lifting the towel to reveal a freshly baked meat pie. "Hopefully you don't mind spice."

"We'll find out," Tano said agreeably.

They talked of inconsequentials until they were safely alone. Eldreth's eyes twinkled as she served Tano a large slice and watched him closely as he took his first bite. The crust was flaky and delicious, and the filling was meaty, richly seasoned, and... spicy enough to make his lips tingle. "It's good," he proclaimed. "I might have to eat slowly, though."

Eldreth smiled and dug into her own equally large slice with relish. "So," she said, a mischievous smile curving her lips. "Hate sex. Given that you haven't been human very long, I'm very curious."

Tano grimaced. "There's someone I've known for a long time. An enemy, if it's not too melodramatic to say that. We've been butting heads for ten years because... he's selfish, and manipulative, and a cheat, and a thief. So it's sort of... our job to hate each other? He tries to get things past me, and I try to catch him, and we spend so much time analyzing each other that... I don't think anyone's ever known me as well as he does.

"And before I became... this, it wasn't sexual or romantic. There was never any hint of that. But then this... this body happened, and it added another dimension to our. Uh. Dynamic. And sexuality was so overwhelming and confusing, and..." Tano realized his heart was pounding, and even with Eldreth's expression of open sympathy, it was hard to force the words out. "It was before we slept together, you and I, I mean. But we had an... encounter. Not sex, not exactly. But it made what you described sound... familiar."

Eldreth's expression was uncharacteristically serious as she waited to be sure he was finished speaking, then shook her head.

"I can't imagine how overwhelming it must be having to figure all of this out at the same time."

Tano laughed bitterly. "It has been. But." He grappled with himself, hating that it was so hard to describe feelings he didn't entirely understand. "Being with you makes me feel like it might be worth it?"

Eldreth's eyes lit with genuine pleasure, and she leaned over to give Tano a brief kiss that did much to soothe his nerves. "I'm glad."

Tano took a deep breath. "He's made it clear that he wants to... to do more with me. And. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested."

"It sounds like he can offer you something I can't," Eldreth replied calmly. When Tano stared at her in open shock, she shrugged. "If you wanted to... explore with him further, that would be fine with me. Truly." Her eyes sparkled as she added, "as long as he doesn't mind sharing."

Just like that, the weight he'd been carrying vanished, leaving Tano feeling almost giddy. "I don't intend to give him a choice."