MARK WAITED patiently for Steffen to arrive at the designated tram stop. The bright sunshine made him squint but did little to raise the temperature. The air was still biting cold, but he couldn’t complain. The app on his phone told him the weather back home was gray and drizzling, so he definitely had the better deal.
He hadn’t been to a zoo since he was a kid. The last time was for a birthday party at Colchester Zoo when he was about six, before his family had moved to Reading. All he could remember was it had rained heavily and they had seen very few animals, but there had been a lot of jelly and ice cream.
Steffen stepped off the tram, looking as handsome as ever, even out of his suit, wearing a dark gray peacoat and black jeans. “I promise you will love this. You are lucky you are here during the winter months. It needs to be under ten degrees. But we must hurry.”
“Dear God, what have you got planned?” Nothing came to mind that would have a temperature stipulation.
Steffen grabbed him by the bicep and pulled him along toward the entrance of the zoo. “Penguins. But be warned you will have to be careful not to knock over the little kids.”
“Penguins?” repeated Mark, not sure if he had misheard.
He’d expected more people to be queuing, but most people with small children were skipping the ticket windows and heading straight in. Steffen was already buying tickets, or rather just one ticket, as Steffen, Mark was surprised to see, already had a Basel Zoo card. Steffen handed him his ticket. “Schnell, schnell.”
“You have a membership card. You come here that often?”
“Oh, of course I have my Abo. I’ve been coming here as long as I remember, boy and man. One of my uncles is part of the world-renowned rhino conservation team.”
Steffen’s happiness was infectious, and Mark had a spring in his step that made him feel like a small child, which reminded him about Steffen’s cryptic clue. “What’s this about penguins and kids?”
“You will find out in a few minutes. We need to get to the aquarium.”
The brisk, dry weather was a major improvement from his last visit to a zoo, as was following a gleeful Swiss man bursting with excitement. Steffen came to a halt at a small bridge outside what Mark thought must be the aquarium building. They weren’t the only ones waiting. In front of him was a cluster of small children wrapped in so much winter clothing that they were all the same egg shape, irrelevant of their natural body build.
Before he had the chance to ask what was going on, the smoked glass double doors of the aquarium opened and out came two keepers, leading a gaggle of king and gentoo penguins. Steffen grinned and waved an arm in their direction. “Penguin walk. I told you it would be special.”
Mark laughed as the penguins waddled over the bridge, two more keepers bringing up the rear to make sure there were no escapees. “This is brilliant!”
The kids made happy cooing noises, and Mark had to pay special attention not to fall over a delighted little boy who was squeaking with excitement as a penguin came within inches of him. He could understand their glee; he shared it. He’d never had the chance to get close to such magnificent creatures. The TV programs he’d seen didn’t do them justice.
Steffen looked inordinately pleased with himself. “I thought you might like it. A special treat from Basel Zoo. Am I forgiven?”
“You had nothing to apologize for.” Mark thought he’d misread Steffen’s initial reaction, and it looked as if he was right. “I’m beginning to think it should be me apologizing here. You didn’t expect me to leave, did you?”
“Not really. But you do not have to apologize for that.”
Mark didn’t want this to cause any further issue. “Well, let’s call it even. Next time I visit I’m expecting to stay over. You better not snore too loudly, or you’ll have a real reason to apologize.”
Steffen smiled. “It’s a good job that I have plenty of wonderful things I can show you, in case I do. But I hope I can show them to you without having to upset you first.” Steffen’s hand brushed his, a fleeting public gesture Mark hadn’t expected. Part of him wanted to slide his hand into Steffen’s, entwine their fingers, and walk hand in hand as they followed the penguins, but they weren’t boyfriends, and holding hands didn’t seem right somehow.
The penguins had drawn a crowd. “Does this happen every day?” asked Mark as he couldn’t help but laugh at the antics of a couple of the children, who were pretending to be penguins.
“Every day when the temperature is below ten degrees. I used to take my niece and nephew regularly, but they have decided they are too old for this type of nonsense.”
“Never!”
“They will change their minds when they are no longer bothered about being cool,” said Steffen, smiling.
“You’re not the cool uncle? That I doubt.”
“They will realize their error once they are old enough to drink, and Uncle Steffen suddenly, with all the people he knows, and not only in Basel, will be popular again.”
Mark didn’t have any nephews or nieces. His sister had only married last summer and was showing no inclination to start producing the next generation, much to their mum’s consternation. “You’ll just have to make do with being popular with me.”
Steffen looked very pleased with himself. “The magical power of penguins.”
“Absolutely.” Despite meeting at the zoo tram stop, Mark had somehow not expected to be taken inside, and he’d never have guessed Steffen’s plans included a troupe of penguins.
“Then you will think me a god amongst men when I show you the ape house.”
“You certainly know how to sweet-talk a boy.” Mark was aiming for flirtatious, but his coquettish look lost all its appeal as he skidded on a patch of oily penguin poo.
He flailed in an attempt to keep himself on his feet, but only gained stability when Steffen’s strong arms closed around him. “It appears my words have the power to knock you off your feet,” Steffen said, with a glint of mischief in his eyes.
An overwhelming desire to kiss Steffen bloomed in his chest. Thursday evening had fired his imagination, and the dreams from the last two nights had left him wanting to be back in Steffen’s bed as soon as possible. However, this was neither the time or place to let those sorts of thoughts take hold.
He reluctantly stepped out of Steffen’s grasp. It would have been nice to stay there, wrapped in Steffen’s strong arms, but that could wait for later. He just had to be patient.
“I guess I nearly went head over heels for the penguins.”
“Be grateful it’s cold—the smell in the summer from the elephants and the goats might have caused you to faint for a different reason.”
“Hey! I slipped, not fainted.”
Steffen chuckled and strode away. “Come on, Mark. You’ll love the gorillas if you can stay on your feet.”
The rest of the zoo was great, and Steffen was correct that Mark was impressed by the ape house, but the elephant enclosure was also brilliant, and Mark loved every minute of it. Steffen’s company was a major factor. Spending time with him was easy, a bit too easy, and Mark had to stop himself from making future plans in his head. Steffen wasn’t going to be coming over to the UK to visit him; he wasn’t going to be able to return the favor and show him London Zoo.
Two hours later, his nose and feet frozen, Mark agreed to leave. “It’s not a big zoo,” Steffen said as they caught the tram back into the city center.
“I dunno, it was big enough to keep me entertained for a couple of hours. But then again I can be a big kid at times.”
“I liked to see you so happy. Some adults do not know how to relax and enjoy simple things.”
“Oh, Steffen, you shouldn’t call yourself a simple thing. I’m sure you’re a deeply complicated man who happens to have a thing for penguins.”
Steffen elbowed him, and Mark had to grab Steffen’s arm to stop himself from sliding off the seat. “You impertinent British scoundrel. I should leave you to fend for yourself in the wilds of Basel, but you are lucky you have other uses.”
“Other uses? First time for everything, I suppose.”
“I’ll show you what I had in mind after lunch.”
“You know, I’m not that hungry.”
“No?”
Mark leaned in. “No, although maybe what you have in mind might help me work up an appetite.”
“Oh, that is for sure.”
They changed trams at Barfüsserplatz, switching to the number three, and Mark was thankful for Basel being a small city, because before he knew it he was once again in Steffen’s apartment being pressed into the bed.
“You have been driving me mad all morning,” Steffen growled as he unbuttoned Mark’s jeans. “You and your endearing chatter about gorillas and other monkeys.”
“I told you already,” Mark gasped as Steffen’s breath ghosted over his cock, “gorillas are great apes, not monkeys.”
“If you are still able to make such asinine comments in a few minutes, I will need to work harder to keep your mouth better occupied.”
“All talk.” Mark knew Steffen was more than capable of stealing his words, and as Steffen’s mouth descended on his hard cock, Mark had real difficulty forming a simple sentence, any chance of a witty comeback long gone. Steffen distracted him with his talented tongue, alternating between teasing his slit and the vein underneath. God, Steffen was good at this, and Mark grabbed the bedsheets as Steffen took him into his throat and the bastard hummed. All pretense of trying to hold back abandoned him, and Mark came hard, babbling and groaning nonsensically.
He panted heavily, and Steffen pulled back, his fingers gently stroking Mark’s balls. “You are delicious.”
Mark grunted. He needed a minute for the stars to abate and his breathing to regulate. But Steffen didn’t give him the chance as he stripped off the rest of Mark’s clothes and did away with his own.
Lube and condoms were thrown onto the bed, and Steffen moved to settle between Mark’s thighs. Steffen was in charge, and Mark had no concern. He was happy to give Steffen control. Within reason.
A slippery finger breached him, and he was a little surprised at the intrusion, half expecting the same elaborate care and preparation as the last time. He’d barely had time to adapt when a second finger joined the first and Steffen sucked at the sensitive skin of Mark’s inner thigh. “I cannot wait. I want—no, need—to fuck you.”
Fingers gone, Steffen coaxed Mark onto his stomach. He went, not unwillingly, with the sense that Steffen wanted to fuck him into the mattress. Use him, take what he wanted since he’d already sucked most of Mark’s ability to reason out through his cock.
Mark heard rather than saw Steffen remove the condom from its wrapper and roll it into place. He opened his legs wider to further accommodate Steffen, the weight of Steffen across his back, the feel of skin against skin glorious, but he was yet to recover from his orgasm, and his cock was trapped between his stomach and the bedsheets. Steffen had not been the most talkative of men in bed, but he was reduced to grunts as he pulled apart Mark’s cheeks. The blunt head of Steffen’s cock pushed at Mark’s entrance. A little more prep wouldn’t have gone amiss, but Mark bore down as Steffen pushed into him with one quick, smooth thrust. He tried to adapt to the intrusion as Steffen began to work his hips into a rhythm.
The angle wasn’t quite right, Steffen’s thrusts too rough to be enjoyable. It was too much. He needed to change, move this back into his comfort zone.
“Stop,” he gasped.
Steffen withdrew in an instant, Mark unable to categorize the relief that Steffen had done so. He was being gently turned over, Steffen stroking his face, staring into his eyes. “What is wrong? Did I hurt you?”
“No, just… too much. The angle… wasn’t right.” God, he wasn’t making sense. Steffen must think him an idiot. “We can try again. Let’s change the position.”
Steffen moved away. “Maybe later.”
Mark got to his knees and pushed Steffen over so he was now the one lying on his back. “I want to carry on—just let me lead.”
“Mark, you do not have to.”
Mark threw a leg over Steffen to straddle him. “I know I don’t have to. I want to—if you’re okay with it too.”
Steffen frowned. Mark guessed he wasn’t used to handing over control very often, but it would be good for him to do so.
“Answer me, Steffen, or I’ll get off.”
“I am fine.” Steffen canted his hips upward, and the press of Steffen’s cock against his buttocks told Mark that at least one part of Steffen was ready to go. And Mark wanted to get on with it. After all, this was about sex. Not love or lifelong devotion.
Mark shifted backward so he could run his fingers through Steffen’s soft pubic hair, chasing his treasure trail and causing Steffen to let out a gentle sigh as Mark wrapped his hand around Steffen’s hard cock. Checking that the condom was in place, Mark grabbed the lube.
“You just lie there and think of Switzerland.”
Mark leaned forward and took one of Steffen’s nipples into his mouth. Steffen’s back arched as Mark gently sucked at the nub while simultaneously working Steffen’s cock with his now lube-coated hand. A few strokes later Steffen was ready for what Mark had in mind.
Steffen’s body was a sight to behold, and Mark trailed a finger down Steffen’s chest, circling his belly button and delighting in the effect of his simple touch. He repositioned himself and sank down onto Steffen’s cock, taking him inch by inch, accompanied by a delicious burn, enjoying Steffen’s blissed-out expression. Slowly he began to fuck himself on Steffen’s cock. He loved the noises Steffen made as he rode him, building up the pace and setting the rhythm he wanted. He’d not realized how much he’d missed this, not sex in general, but the freedom of taking what he needed instead of going along with whatever his partner felt like. God, Steffen didn’t know what he had unleashed.
Steffen was close; Mark could feel Steffen’s thighs quiver, and with a deep, guttural moan, he came, fingers digging into Mark’s hips. His second orgasm building, Mark rode Steffen, controlling the perfect angle and depth to bring him to his climax, and Mark came in pearly white ribbons over Steffen’s stomach.
Grinning wildly, he eased himself off Steffen’s cock, dealt with the condom, and collapsed onto the bed. Steffen pulled him close so he could rest his head on Steffen’s chest. “You are amazing.”
“You’re not so bad yourself.”
Steffen’s fingers traced patterns across Mark’s shoulder. “I’m sorry for pushing too quickly to start with.”
“It’s not really a matter of going too quickly, Steffen. I’m not that into the rough stuff and giving over complete control. I’m sure other men would be fine with it.”
Steffen huffed. “That was not the rough stuff.”
Mark couldn’t tell if Steffen was annoyed. His tone was neutral enough. The words were dismissive, but that could be the language difference. Steffen’s English was very good, but it was not his mother tongue. “I’m not completely vanilla, as I’m sure you can tell by that last performance. But that’s not the way to push my buttons—so to speak.”
“Well, I suppose there are others if my extremely well-buried dominant side requires a day out.”
Others. Even though he’d used the word in his explanation to Steffen of his own tastes, the word spoken by Steffen unsettled him in a way he wasn’t expecting. He’d come to terms with the fact that they were casual, but a pang of something unpleasant hit him. He didn’t like the idea of Steffen sleeping with others while they were together. He had no right to be annoyed, and on reflection, he wasn’t annoyed—he was jealous, and he was fucking stupid to be. He needed to stop himself from falling down a rabbit hole into a world where Steffen was exclusively his, where they were doing more than fucking. Sex was sex, and he should focus on that.
“Are you all right?” Steffen asked.
“Yeah.” He slid his hand across Steffen’s flat, slightly hairy belly. “I’m more than all right.”
Steffen turned to him, his smile crooked and happy. He grabbed Mark and pulled him in for a messy kiss. Mark surrendered to it, letting his hormones chase away any negative thoughts.