The Day After

[daniel_brown]

Going home after what had happened wasn't easy, it wasn't until after many pizza-flavored kisses and a text message threat from home that he reluctantly put his clothes back on and forced himself to say "Goodnight" - leaving his panties purposefully tucked into the sheets to be found later.

He slept deep and well, waking the next day to go about business as usual - aside from a stop for confidential STI testing - even though it was hard to keep his head out of the clouds. After settling into the team bus it was hard not to want to reach out to him.

He types out several messages - "I think I love you." "I want you so bad." "Are you thinking about me?" - and erases them all, opting for a much more neutral message.

what r u doing?

Comments

[daniel_brown]

Rolling his eyes, Danny folds against him - looking for more teenager than he usually does. "Fake girlfriend," he sighs; "parents don't care where I am tonight as long as I make sure I eat well, practice safe heterosexual sex and have the car back by noon."

He sighs audibly; "I'm planning on breaking all three of those conditions to the best of my ability to tell my parents to fuck off."

Perhaps it's teenage rebellion, but more and more it feels like he's just ready to be gone. They don't understand him, they never have, and he's finally man enough to stand up to that.

[mysticism]

Merlin's at a bit of a loss as to what to say to that. Living half his life among teenagers has taught him how extraordinarily peaceful his relationship with his mother was. (And still is.) He kisses Daniel's mouth softly.

"Let me help you out of all this stuff so you can sleep, okay?"

[daniel_brown]

There isn't really much he can say - things are what they are - but Merlin's request is more than enough to make him forget about that drama.

Danny rolls onto his back, fingers drawn to the soft length of his cock - wiping away the fluids. "Can't promise I won't make an ass of myself."

[mysticism]

"I don't think anyone can promise much of anything when they're sleeping," Merlin says gently. He sits up at Daniel's side so he can, with great care, reach down and unclip his stockings. "I'm just glad I can see a little bit more of you tomorrow before you've got to go." His eyes lift to Danny's briefly. "I mean - if that's what you had in mind."

[daniel_brown]

"Mmm..." Danny grins, enjoying the sensual luxury of being stripped.

"I was kind of hoping we'd see a lot more of each other.

I'm the morning, but also in general.

[mysticism]

"Think you'd struggle to see more of me than you have tonight," Merlin says lightly, sliding off his second stocking. "But - yeah. We will. Sit up so I can get this off you?"

[daniel_brown]

The draw of the stockings is admittedly exciting, and having Merlin close to him as he sits up to allow access to the tight basque doesn't make it any easier to pretend he couldn't keep going all night.

Kissing him before he can open it, Danny asks; "Are you hungry?"

[mysticism]

"I could eat," Merlin says, his gaze flickering down Daniel's body before he reaches to unhook the fastenings running down his back. He almost regrets stripping Daniel out of these feminine trappings, but quite honestly, he likes the man underneath just as much. "You didn't have dinner before you went out?"

[daniel_brown]

Oh, he could eat all right... but Danny silences his brain from making comment beyond a thin smirk as he leans back against him.

"That was like... six hours ago." He raises his well-groomed eyebrows, "And I've worked up a bit of an appetite."

[mysticism]

Merlin catches the smirk and digs him in the ribs gently.

"Everyone's a comedian. Alright, I need to go and wash up and then I'll see if I've got anything in the fridge that isn't developing its own intelligence."

He does actually keep his groceries fairly well-stocked, but he can be forgetful and he's only just emerging from the subsisting-on-ramen habits he developed at university.

[daniel_brown]

He'd offer to look himself, but things are still new and he doesn't want to push it too hard. Instead, he presses a kiss against Merlin's lips and offers him a warm smile.

"I'll rest up for round two." He giggles, kissing him again.

[mysticism]

"I hope you know you're going to be the death of me," Merlin says, but that's absolutely not a no to Round 2. He nips at Daniel's bottom lip and then hauls himself off the bed.

He disappears into the bathroom for the few minutes it takes to clean off the worst of everything, then snags his robe on the way out and belts it around his waist, giving Danny a little wave on the way into the kitchen.

"You're welcome to borrow some of my clothes if you can't be bothered with the tux," he calls over his shoulder. "It'll all be a bit snug, but I'm sure you'll manage."

[daniel_brown]

But what a way to go...

He definitely can't be bothered with the tuxedo - but he does pull his panties back on for the tease if nothing else. Clothing is overrated.

Intrigued, he follows Merlin's voice to the kitchen - watching him with a quiet grin.

[mysticism]

Merlin's contemplating the innards of his fridge when he hears Daniel's footsteps and looks up - only to immediately look away, smiling.

"You're a monster, Daniel. Definitely shouldn't be rewarding this kind of behaviour with food. Do you like French toast?"

[daniel_brown]

"You love it..." he grins even wider, shuffling close on bare feet.

"Sure, I'm... uh... not really picky about food." It's a blessing, given the obscene diet he has to maintain to keep his gym routine from killing him.

[mysticism]

"Understood," Merlin murmurs, and brushes a soft kiss over Daniel's mouth since he's right there. He gets milk and eggs out of the fridge and then shuts it. "Seriously, though, you have to be somewhere else while I'm doing this because you're basically naked and I'm not taking responsibility for any melted butter accidents." He tugs open his robe just enough to reveal the large white scar on his chest. "See how not fun it is?"

Sorry it's been so long coming! Stupid flu hit us hard.

[daniel_brown]

Rolling his eyes again, Danny pushes up off the counter and flashes a grin that would seem all-suffering were it not for the obvious affection behind it.

The scar, though... it draws his attention again and it's all he can do not to reach out and run his fingers over the mark. Maybe someday he'll hear that story.

"Is the sofa safe or still a distraction?"

Aah, that's the worst. Don't worry about it; I hope you're feeling better!

[mysticism]

"Sofa's fine, you gorgeous little monster. Go on." He gives him a gentle nudge with his hip and gets to work, mixing ingredients with the expert touch of someone who knows what he's doing. "Any idea what time it is?"

[daniel_brown]

He's not at all used to be looked at with that sort of adoration, let alone returning it... but he's more than willing to be gorgeous in someone's eyes.

"Mmmm, phone's in the bedroom..." he could bother looking for a clock, but that'd me taking his eyes off a fleeing glimpse of his lover before finding the sofa to sprawl on, eyes closed and body soaking in everything that had happened in the last week.

"Does it matter? Time's irrelevant!"

At least when you're seventeen and adept at existing on minimal sleep.