Stephen jogged in place and waited as a bus rumbled down the street, the smell of diesel in its wake. The light changed and he resumed running in time to the music on his player. He could see Nick's place now, not too far down the road, maybe a quarter of a mile.
He smiled and nodded at Mr. Rhind-Tutt out watering his flower boxes and grinned at Mrs. Patel's grandkids as they tried to pedal fast enough to keep up with him. They raced him down the street, peeling off as they reached their nan. He waved at her and kept on running.
The stretch of the muscles in his legs felt great, but rest of his body was protesting as his feet hit the pavement. He slowed to a walk as he neared Nick's place. His heart was pounding and he drew in deep breaths, panting and sweating and waiting for his body to slow down as he cooled off. He stretched briefly on the front step, groaning as his muscles objected to the long run after shagging Nick senseless the night before, then let himself back into the house.
The watery early morning sun filtered through the entry windows as he shut the door. He pulled out the ear buds and wrapped the cord around his player, shutting it off as he walked down the hallway to the kitchen. He set it on the table near Nick's laptop and grabbed his glass from the night before. Cool water dripped onto his chest as he drank, blending with the sweat on his T-shirt, and he gulped down a second glass.
He left it in the drain and skipped every other step on his way upstairs. He smiled as he paused at the bedroom door, propping his hands on either side of the doorway. Nick was still fast asleep, an arm flung out across the empty side of the bed and a slight frown on his face.
This right here, this quiet Nick—he was just getting to know this man. But they'd been friends for over a decade before things had come to a head. It was the one thing that made Stephen confident that this wasn't all quickly going to go to hell, descending into the shouting matches and awkward silences he'd sometimes walked in on between Nick and Helen. He knew Nick, knew he could be a caustic bastard when he wanted to be, but he'd also seen him move the world to help someone, too.
Nick knew him, too. Knew he could be standoffish and reserved with strangers, that he disliked public speaking, and had a warped sense of humour that frequently got him into trouble.
Stephen didn't move as he watched Nick's chest raise and fall with each breath, losing himself in the soft rhythm as his body slowed down to match the quiet of the house and Nick as he slept.
He shook himself and stood up straight. A quick glance at the alarm clock on the bedside table showed that it was early enough he could convince Nick to stay in bed a little longer, after he took a quick shower to rinse off the sweat from his jog.
The bathroom door closed softly behind him and he quickly shed shirt and jogging pants. He ducked under the water and shivered; it was cool against his overheated skin.
Stephen stood there with the water pounding against his neck, entranced by the smell of Nick's soap as he ran his hands over his chest. It was a pale imitation, a shadow of the electrifying jolt that went through him whenever Nick touched him. Nick's smell was all around him and it made him wish Nick was awake. He finished up quickly, grabbed his towel, and briskly rubbed down.
Stephen padded back down the hall, goosebumps forming all over as the cool air hit his damp skin. He tossed his clothes in the hamper by the wardrobe and turned to face the bed. Nick was restless and breathing deeply now, close to waking up. Stephen pushed the duvet to the side and ducked under the sheet at the foot of the bed. It was blissfully warm—Nick radiated heat like a furnace.
He dropped a kiss on the ankle closest to him and grinned as Nick twitched in reaction. He kissed up Nick's leg, lingering on the smooth skin on the inside of his thigh before kissing the other knee that had moved to prop up the sheet. He slid his hands between Nick's thighs, pushing them further apart to make room for himself as he moved up the bed.
Nick's fingers started carding through his wet hair and he pressed a kiss to the hand that moved to cradle his cheek. A tug pulled him up and he crawled forward, grinning as he emerged from under the sheet to drape himself all over his lover.
"Mmmm, good morning." Nick's smile was sleepy around the edges, the wit and sarcasm Stephen loved fuzzy and blunted in the early morning quiet. His hands bracketed Stephen's face and drew him down for a long, gentle kiss.
"Morning." Stephen brushed the messy hair back from Nick's forehead, then ran his thumb along Nick's bottom lip.
"Done running around like a maniac?" Nick tilted his head back as Stephen leaned in and kissed along his jaw and down the side of his neck.
"Yes."
"Good." Nick wound his arms around Stephen and hugged him close. Stephen shivered as he let Nick pull him down until they were pressed together, Nick's warmth soaking into Stephen's chilled body. He let his head rest on Nick's shoulder, sighing with contentment as Nick pet his hair, his other hand stroking up and down his back.
Nowhere else but here did Nick treat him like he was precious and irreplaceable—everywhere else they were equals and Nick trusted him to throw back the sarcasm and caustic humour that were Nick's default settings. It was taking a little while to get used to it, but this was easier than he'd imagined. Hell, three months ago he wouldn't have thought they'd ever be in this situation, much less that it would be so comfortable and feel so right.
Goosebumps broke out as Nick's hand slid over his arse and down between his thighs. Stephen shifted, letting his legs fall over Nick's. He pushed against Nick, grinning at the groan of pleasure that escaped his lover. He propped himself up on his elbows and rubbed again, harder this time, and watched as Nick lost the struggle to keep his eyes open, fascinated with the way Nick's eyelashes brushed his cheeks and a flush spread over Nick's face and across his chest.
Nick slid his legs up until his feet were flat on the bed. Stephen groaned as he slipped forward, catching himself on his hands as he leaned down to capture Nick's mouth.
"Mmmm. Let's stay like this all day." Nick grinned as Stephen sat up, bracing his hands on Nick's chest. Nick's hands settled on his hips, urging Stephen on as he rocked slowly back and forth.
"You just don't want to face the stack of dissertations on your desk."
Nick groaned and arched beneath him. "I swear there was one about aliens seeding the planet with life."
"And I think you had a little too much to drink before trying to read them last time."
"Did not," Nick replied with a soft laugh.
"Did, too." He dropped a quick kiss on Nick's mouth before he sat back up, running his fingers through the hair that lightly covered Nick's chest.
Nick pulled Stephen's knees forward and Stephen shuddered as a hand cupped his behind, fingers brushing along sensitive skin. "Did not."
"Did, too." Stephen's breath hitched. "Oh God. C'mon, c'mon." He grabbed Nick's other hand and brought it to his mouth, pressing kisses all over before sucking several fingers into his mouth. He lost the rhythm as Nick shuddered and arched beneath him, his name lost in the groan Nick let out as he came. Stephen chased after him over the precipice; the release he found here with Nick was better than any adrenaline rush he'd found anywhere else.
Nick fell back down onto the mattress and Stephen languidly settled on top of him, letting Nick's panting lift him up bodily with each breath. He felt completely boneless, body thrumming with quiet pleasure as they lay there, hands touching wherever they could reach without moving.
He sighed quietly and shifted to drape himself along Nick's side. "Hey, you want to go to the cinema later this afternoon, after you finish reading the latest batch of crackpot theories? There's bound to be something worth mocking to watch."
Nick ruffled the still-wet strands of Stephen's hair. "Sure. Let's grab dinner afterwards."
"Sounds good. How about—" A yawn interrupted his thoughts and he grinned as he heard Nick's quiet laugh.
"Nap time, is it?"
He yawned again. "Mmmm, yeah."
"Perfect idea for a Sunday morning, I think." Stephen could hear the smile in Nick's voice as his eyes drooped closed, the heady warmth of Nick's body and the gentle motion of a hand on his back lulling him closer to sleep.
"Love you." He was barely awake as the combined exertion of his morning run and lazy morning sex conspired to put him to sleep, but he heard the words as Nick whispered them into his hair. He started to move so he could see Nick's face, but the arm curved around his shoulder held him in place, so he settled back with a kiss to Nick's shoulder, euphoric from hearing the sentiment spoken out loud.
"You realize you're never getting rid of me now, right?" He tried to make it sound playful, but he was certain Nick could hear the serious tone underneath.
Nick dropped a kiss on the crown of his head. "Who says I want to? Now go to sleep."
Stephen yawned again. "Yes, sir, whatever you say, sir."
"Oh, shut it, Stephen."
My mind is in a state
But all I need to do is change my pace
And I know there's fear to face
But happiness is found in its embrace
This time.
Thanks as always: Veronica, Alyse, and Claire.