Title: Cinnamon
By: Caroline Crane
Pairing: Speed/Tyler
Rating: R
Summary: He's starting to notice the little things.

He knew about the cinnamon toothpaste. He likes the way it tastes on Tyler's tongue during that first kiss every morning, likes it even more at night when they crawl into bed together. He knew about the uncomfortable mattress that always leaves him with a weird kink in his neck, and he knew about the temperamental shower that turns cold at random intervals.

There are other things he probably should have noticed before now, because he's spent enough time at Tyler's place to be comfortable there. But it's different now, knowing he'll wake up to these four walls every morning instead of wherever they happen to end up. It's…reassuring, maybe a little terrifying too, but mostly he likes knowing that he's coming home to the same sounds and the same little defects every night.

Like the sound of the pipes rattling when the upstairs neighbors run their water late at night. There's a dog somewhere in the building that starts barking every morning at seven and doesn't stop before they leave for work, and some idiot somewhere in the complex who revs his engine too late at night. Tyler's spare key sticks in the lock, and it took Speed a few days, but he finally figured out how the trick to making it work.

The kitchen faucet drips if he doesn't turn the hot water handle hard enough, and he's pretty sure that's going to break one of these days. Tyler's kitchen is really too small for two people – not that his is much better, but there's a little more counter space and all his things, his blender and his knives and Tyler has that stuff, but it's not the same.

He's thought about stopping by his place and picking up some of that stuff, but every time he considers it he wonders if that's too much like merging their lives together. Tyler said this was just temporary – he's pretty sure what Tyler really meant was that it was a trial, a test to see if they could make it work on a day-to-day basis. And it's only been a week, so he doesn't want to move too fast, but if he's going to be here for awhile it makes sense to have his stuff around.

Half his clothes are already in Tyler's closet, and he's not sure exactly how that happened, but there's a part of him that kind of likes it. He likes knowing where the laundry room is without having to ask, likes that he parks in the same spot every day and that he knows exactly how long it takes him to get from the lab to Tyler's front door. He likes being able to let himself in on the days Tyler goes to dance class, and he likes it even more when Tyler blows off his class to come right home.

He likes stepping out of the shower to find Tyler standing at the sink, rinsing cinnamon toothpaste out of his mouth before he turns to smile at Speed. And this might be the part he likes most of all, because Tyler doesn't even bother waiting for him to dry off before he's pulling Speed close, hands on damp skin and mouths fitted together for that first taste of cinnamon.

"Morning," Tyler says when Speed pulls away, his smile still a little sleepy and Speed pictures tousled blond hair against a pillow, Tyler's chest rising and falling steadily as Speed climbed out of bed.

Part of him wishes they could go back half an hour, just long enough for Speed to wake up next to Tyler and watch him sleep just a little longer. But he'll wake to the same image tomorrow, and the day after that too. He doesn't even mind that his brother's not looking that hard for a place to live – he's got Speed's place all to himself, after all, and even though he wouldn't admit it to Matt, Speed doesn't really mind.

Right on cue the dog starts barking and Speed's mouth curves into a crooked grin as he lets go of Tyler. "I can't believe the neighbors let them get away with that."

"Could be worse," Tyler answers, hand sliding across Speed's back as he moves past him to turn the shower back on. "At least it doesn't bark all night. Besides, you could set your watch to that dog. It's kind of nice – he lets me know how much time I've got left before I'm officially running late."

"If you got up when the alarm went off you wouldn't have to rely on a dog to get you to work on time."

Tyler laughs from behind the shower curtain, vinyl rustling as he pulls the curtain back to look at Speed. "Why do you think I asked you to move in?"

Speed smiles to himself as Tyler disappears behind the shower curtain again, humming something Speed doesn't recognize in time to the sound of the water. There's a part of him that wants to climb back in the shower with Tyler, slide his hands across wet skin and chase the flavor of cinnamon and Tyler with his tongue. He knows he shouldn't, because they have to leave for work soon and if they're both late someone will notice.

It's a bad idea, but he still drops his towel on the floor and pulls the shower curtain back, heart skipping a beat when Tyler smiles like he's just been waiting for this moment. And now they really are going to be late, but even as he thinks it his hands are on Tyler's waist to pull him close, and a second later he's being pushed up against the shower wall. Tyler's hands are in his hair to tilt his head just so, fitting their mouths together and by the time they come up for air Speed's panting and flexing his fingers hard against Tyler's back.

"So is this job as your personal alarm clock a permanent thing?"

He sounds breathless, skin flushed and he's pretty sure it's not just because of the kiss. And he could take it back, make it a joke and laugh it off, but there's a part of him that wants to know. A few seconds tick by without an answer, Tyler still pressed hard against him and just…looking, and he starts to wish he had taken it back.

His hands rest on Tyler's hips, fingers twitching with the urge to push him away, or maybe just pull him close for another kiss. At least that would mean Tyler wasn't watching him anymore, studying him like he can see right through Speed. Then Tyler's smiling, sweet and amused and Speed's stomach does a weird little tap dance.

"You love me, right?"

"Yeah," Speed answers, and he's nodding like an idiot but he can't stop himself. "Yeah. I love you."

It's the first time he's said the words out loud since he was a kid, and his heart's pounding so loud that he's not even sure he actually said them until Tyler smiles and leans in to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"So we love each other, and we know now we can live together. There's no reason to keep paying rent on two places, right?"

It sounds logical when Tyler says it that way, and Speed feels some of the tension rush out of him. And now they really are going to be late for work, but he pulls Tyler close again anyway, hands sliding up his back to trace the sharp angle of shoulder blades as Tyler kisses him again. He's hard, thrusting against Speed and one hand leaves Tyler's back to push between them, closing around both of them to bring them off in slow strokes.

Tyler moans against his mouth, thrusting harder into the circle of Speed's fist and he wishes they had time to do this right. But they'll have plenty of time later – all the time in the world, Speed reminds himself as he tightens his grip just a little. Too soon Tyler's tensing against him, mouth leaving Speed's to press against his neck as he comes. That's all it takes to pull Speed over the edge, and a second later he's coming, back pressed hard against the wall and knees locked to keep him from falling.

"Okay," he murmurs when he finally catches his breath, hands stroking up and down Tyler's back. "Okay, so we make this permanent. One condition."

"Just one?" Tyler's smirking when he pulls back, breathless and amused and Speed can't quite swallow a smile.

"I hate your bed," he says, grinning at Tyler's look of mock hurt. "I don't know how you sleep on that thing, it's torture. We have to do something about that."

Tyler grins and opens his mouth to answer, but a second later he closes it and leans in to press one last soft kiss to Speed's lips. "Whatever you want."