As soon as Mister E’s speech was finished, people resumed talking, though much more slowly, as though they were considering their words.
Simon could see more than a few people pull out flash cards and read off of them. He caught more than a few partygoers formally introducing themselves to people they had been hanging out with ever since Simon walked into the room. What struck him as most peculiar was the earnestness in their tones.
“Clark, what’s going on?” Simon asked.
“Prince Chesh.” Clark corrected. “I’m afraid you’ve mistook me for someone else, Mister… ?”
“Uh.. right. Uh, Billy. Billy Gruff.” Simon said, holding out his hand as though introducing himself.
Chesh eyed the proferred hand and raised his nose, sniffing disdainfully, and ignored the offending appendage.
“Uh… okay.. right.” Simon lowered his hand.
“He may not shake your hand, my friend,” Babar said, extending his own. “But I will gladly do so! I am Babar Azmaray, you may have heard of me.”
Simon grinned and shook Babar’s hand enthusiastically. “Why yes, Mister, errm, what’s the correct form of address for a shiekh?”
Babar smiled and waved his hand imperiously. “Do not bother. The title means little to Westerners. But it lifts my heart to hear that you’ve heard of me.”
“Ah, who could forget Babar Azmaray, seasoned adventurer and explorer!” Chesh grinned. “Why, I’ve heard you battled pirates off the Ivory Coast, journeyed through the jungles of the darkest heart of Africa-”
“Slew the Kraken!” Simon interjected.
Babar let out a snort of amusement.
“Discovered Atlantis!” Chesh smirked.
“Saved Venice from a volcano!” Simon flailed his arms in excitement, getting into this. “And… and Aaaall of the whales! But there were less explosions in that movie because instead of Michael Bay directing it like all the other movies, they brought on James Cameron.”
“Well, you know how excited James Cameron gets when you start talking conservation.” Chesh nodded. “I thought you would enjoy it, being a stuffy intellectual, Billy.”
“Ah! I have movies based on my life already?” Babar’s fingers curled his whiskers.
“And at such a young age!” Simon added, guessing the angle Babar wanted to take. “How old are you, sir?”
“Why I am glad you asked!” Babar’s face lit up, eyes dancing in delight. “Yes, I’m a mere 28 years old. Thank you for asking. And you, Billy? How old are you?”
“Baah, what fun is it to give away one’s age at this masquerade ball!” Simon replied, “But I am a friend of Prince Chesh.”
“Yes, I believe we attended school together.” Prince Chesh nodded. “Isn’t that right, Billy? Which school was it, again?”
“High school?” Simon replied, confused.
“He meant college.” Babar explained.
“Oh yeah, Harvard Law.” Simon shrugged, “What college did you end up attending?”
“I attended Oxford, myself.” Babar preened. “Incredibly popular. Especially with the lads in the dorm. I’m what they call a top, and I have never failed to bring my partners to screaming orgasms. My genitals are impressive you see, and my stamina is something to behold!”
Simon choked on his drink. “Really?!”
Babar’s eyes widened dramatically, and when he spoke, his British accent sounded much more natural. “Why yes, when I got horny, there wasn’t a dry sheet in the dorm!”
“Laying it on a little thick tonight, eh Babar?” Chesh whispered.
“Let me have a few hours of fun, eh?” Babar whispered back. He turned his attention to Simon and raised his voice to normal levels. “And you, Billy?”
Simon blushed and shifted uncomfortably. “Um, yes. I myself am quite well endowed. Uh… I’m versatile in bed. I like to keep my options open.”
“And…?” Babar prodded.
“And… that’s a good thing, since I’m always looking for an ass to pound or a cock to fuck my needy hole.” Simon added, then blanched. “Uh, excuse my vulgarity.”
“Needy hole you say?” Babar stroked his mane thoughtfully, eyeing Simon up like he were a piece of meat. “Hmmm… “
Chesh shot a glare at Babar and said, “But it’s a good thing you mostly top, Billy. Heavens knows you’d never get any work done otherwise.”
Oh, was Babar hitting on him? Was that what this was… ?
He didn’t have a problem with that, for some reason. The lion-masked man was kinda handsome, now that he was looking at him. Babar didn’t look like an overstuffed sausage on closer inspection. In fact, he was looking rather robust.
But clearly Chesh knew something about Babar that Simon didn’t. Oh, all that sex! Maybe he had a VD or something.
Simon hastily nodded. “Yes, of course. Thank you for clarifying, Chesh. I do prefer topping, sorry Babar.”
“Nothing to apologize for,” Babar’s eyes had widened with almost manic glee. “Are you a hypersexual then?”
“Babar!” Chesh hissed. “Don’t push it too far!”
Babar ignored Chesh, staring at Simon intently with glittering gold eyes.
His eyes caught Simon off guard for a moment. They were gold, now. He’d thought Babar’s eyes had been grey. Had the older man been wearing contacts this whole time?
No matter. Simon had an answer to the man’s question.
“Not officially, no.” Simon winked at Babar.
He could flirt with a dirty old man, it wouldn’t kill him.
“Ooo, I like that answer!” Babar smiled, and Simon swore that the man’s teeth looked… longer and sharper, though he could just be imagining things. The lion-masked man turned to Clark. “Your childhood friend is quite interesting, Prince Chesh!”
“I do know some rather interesting people.” Chesh said neutrally.
Babar drank from his glass of punch, finishing it off. “Ah, they make the best punch at this party. It’s strong, but that juicy, tangy flavor conceals the high-proof alcohol in it. It’s a good thing drinking in it never results in a hangover in the morning.”
“Ooo, that’s a good one.” Chesh flashed a smile. “Yes, I’m so glad they figured out the right mix for the punch. Enough alcohol in it to get you drunk and loose your inhibitions, but not enough to get you blackout drunk. Why, it’s almost magical.”
Simon glanced between the two of them, confused.
What the hell were they going on about the punch for? He had thought they were shaping their characters, a fun little group session to cement their identities before they mingled with the other guests. But then Babar started talking about sex stuff. That exchange had been a little weird, too.
Simon scratched his goatee, his ear flicking anxiously.
“Uh, sorry for interrupting this engaging conversation,” Billy said. “But, uh, is there a bar inside?”
“No, just the punchbowl. There’s a full bar in the billiards room and right outside on the patio.” Babar said.
“Okay… uh, am I done? Can I go explore the house now? Mingle with the other guests?” Billy asked.
“Oh, right.” Chesh studied Billy carefully. “Yeah, you look like you’re starting to settle. Go ahead and get a drink. Just remember your character’s backstory.”
“You’re always welcome back here, Billy.” Babar winked, “especially if you need to drain those big, musky balls of yours.”
Billy found himself blushing at the lion man’s implication, and slowly became aware of a churning feeling in his balls. He adjusted himself uncomfortably.
“Babar!” Chesh’s eyes went wide. “You’ve said enough, you silly lion!”
“I apologise.” Babar smirked, clearly not sorry. “But Billy’s heavy low-hangers must need to be serviced all the time.”
Billy wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for.
In fact-he grunted, his balls aching-he might take him up on his offer later. His balls were beginning to feel awfully swollen. Man, he should have pre-gamed, milked himself so he wasn’t so horny.
“Billy, you know what, just get out of here. Run, before Babar completely ruins you.” Chesh said, gently pushing Billy Billy towards the sliding glass doors that led out to the patio.”He likes ruining newbies.”
Billy nodded and left, having to walk a bit bow-legged to compensate for his hefty nuts.
He could practically feel his seed sloshing inside those swollen orbs. Gawd, he needed a good fuck!