Title: Invitations
Author: Perfect_Irony
Pairing: Eric Delko/Ryan Wolfe
Rating: Pg-13
Spoilers: None really...
A/N: I don't even remember which episode, but in one of them Delko makes a comment about what Ryan's apartment would look like or something...This is how I imagined that happening.
Summary: Ryan's not used to having people over from work...

***

Ryan's not used to having people over from work. Really, Ryan's not used to having people over at all, so it's a total surprise to him when he finds himself leading Delko into his apartment. He doesn't even think it was his idea to begin with, because even though he really can't remember, inviting Delko doesn't sound like something he would do.

Delko doesn't really have anything to gain by inviting himself to Ryan's apartment does he? Besides, Ryan is sober enough to know that Delko looks really fucking hot right now and that tends to mess with his ability to think with his mind instead of his dick. He's pretty much a control freak, and he rarely makes decisions like this without considering the problem in depth beforehand, but right now he's had a few too many and he's seriously beginning to doubt his brain is functioning properly at the moment.

Alcohol and Ryan really don't mix. He's somewhat of a lightweight, and he hasn't consumed alcohol in such copious amounts since college. He hasn't had enough to make him incoherent, but he's kind of hazy on a few of the details, so he figures he must be a little past pleasantly drunk. He's certainly drunk enough that he can't seem to get past the wonderfulness of scotch, and how amazing Delko's ass looked when he bent over earlier. He really doesn't need to be thinking of his straight coworker's ass. But Delko's really, well… hot, and distracting. Ryan still hasn't been able to stop staring at his lips long enough to actually pay attention to what he's saying.

Ryan just really needs to stop thinking, but he's had very little sleep in the last three days and he's maybe had a little bit more to drink than he thought, which really should be an indicator that this case really got to him, because Ryan is more than a little obsessive about controlling his surroundings, and getting drunk is all about losing control. And if he really wants to admit things to himself, it has nothing to do with the case, and everything to do with the fact that he wants to stop thinking about one thing, one person in particular. Because, in Ryan's ideal world he wouldn't be thinking about his colleague's lips or how much he wants to see what they would feel like against his own, especially in the middle of a bar when his boss is sitting next to him.

So, yeah, getting drunk may be a little out of character for him, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Apparently getting wasted didn't seem to help quell the voices in his head, because the drunken side of him seems intent on convincing himself that kissing Delko wouldn't hurt anything. But Ryan knows that it will, his pride along with his job among other things. So he tells the voice in his head to shut up, and pushes open the door to his apartment, holding it open for Delko to follow.

Delko flops down on the couch like he belongs there. Ryan wishes he wouldn't sprawl like that, because it's giving him ideas and making it really hard for him to concentrate on taking off his jacket. He really needs another drink, even more so when Delko turns to face him, his shirt riding up in the process, giving Ryan an ample view of his tanned stomach. Logically, he knows Delko is in shape, he's just never really been presented the evidence before.

The sound of Delko talking snaps him out of his reverie, and his eyes return to Delko's face. He's looking at Ryan, eyebrow raised in question. Ryan is pretty sure that he's expecting an answer.

"I'm sorry, what?" Ryan asks nervously, his face turning a vivid red color.

"I said… Nice place you have here." Delko repeats, smirking.

"Thanks." It's all he can do not to stutter, "Would you like something to drink?"

"I could use some coffee."

Ryan nods hurriedly, and flees to the kitchen. He turns on the coffee maker before slumping down into a chair, his forehead making contact with the counter with a loud thunk. What the hell had he been thinking? God, what if Delko knew what he was staring. What was he going to do now?

He was never fucking drinking again.

A hand on his arm startles him from his musings to the point where he nearly falls out of his chair. A strong arm around his waist stops him from falling and pulls him upright, leaving their faces barely an inch apart. Ryan flushes deeply, averting his eyes. He moves to step back, only to have the arm around his waist pull him tighter against Eric's hips.

Eric's hand reaches out, tracing his jaw lightly, before soft lips press lightly against his own. The contact is brief, but it's enough for Ryan to know that he wants more. He moves to deepen the kiss, but Eric pulls away, kissing him softly before moving away just enough to look into Ryan's eyes.

"Hi." The words are practically breathed into his mouth.

"Hi." Ryan smiles, bringing their lips back together. He wonders briefly when Delko became Eric in his head, but that really doesn't seem important when his tongue is down Ryan's throat. He still didn't know whether or not he actually invited Eric home with him, but somehow he doesn't really care.

***

H was babbling on about some case, and the entire table was focused on his every word, except for one person. Eric was watching Ryan. Ryan who he had thought was as straight as they come. Ryan who kept staring at Eric's lips when he was talking. Ryan the control freak who meticulously managed every aspect of his life. Ryan who was very very drunk. Eric found this Ryan intriguing. So when H made the arrangements for transportation home, Eric volunteered to go with Ryan.

Ryan's obvious discomfort, and fumbling excuses at the suggestion even made the calculating stare he received from Calleigh worth it. It also served to make Eric even more curious. He wasn't planning on taking his curiosity any further, but just something about Ryan intrigued him. He had seen Ryan in the vague; he's cute in a geeky sort of light, but he had never really taken the time to study him before. But recently, he'd begun to take notice of his obsessive coworker. Now he seemed to find everything Ryan did ridiculously cute, to the point where he found Ryan's stock of pens endearing. Which scared him even more than finding a coworker attractive because Eric did not find things cute, and he sure as hell didn't find obssessive behaviors endearing. But really all it came down to was that he wanted Ryan.

He hadn't planned on doing anything about it, figuring that Ryan wouldn't be interested. He'd simply planned on getting to know the new guy a little better. That is, until he'd spent half the night staring at Eric's mouth, and he was pretty sure that when he got up for more drink, Ryan had been staring at his ass. Which was why, when the cab got to Ryan's apartment, Eric sort of invited himself in. Ryan didn't say anything about it, but considering the amount he'd had to drink, things were probably a little muddled.

Ryan's apartment was everything he had expected it to be, and more. He didn't now how it was possible for anyone to live in a place so clean, so organized. Despite his initial reaction not to touch anything, Eric flopped onto the couch. He was vaguely aware of Ryan moving about the room, and barely held back a snort when Ryan straightened to vase on the table next to him so it was exactly in the center. He was startled when Ryan spoke, but he hid it well, along with the shivers that went down his spine at the tone of Ryan's voice. He turned his upper body, leaning back slightly to face Ryan better and made to answer Ryan's question when he realized that Ryan's eyes were focused intently on the small patch of skin visible from where his shirt had ridden up.

"Do you have any coffee?" He asked lightly, raising his eyebrows at Ryan. His voice seemed to snap Ryan out of his fixation on Eric's body, and he flushed.

"I'm sorry, what?" Ryan asked him nervously, blushing madly.

"I said…do you have any coffee?" Eric repeated smirking. He watched as Ryan practically fled the room to get away from him. He heard a dull thud from the kitchen, and Ryan muttering under his breath. Still smirking, he rose from the couch and made his way into the kitchen. He stopped in the door way, taking in the picture in front of him. Ryan was sprawled half across the counter, his head down, exposing the line of his throat, which suddenly Eric really wanted to taste. He took a deep breath, approaching Ryan slowly.

Eric touched Ryan softly on the arm, so as not to startle him. But it apparently hadn't worked because Ryan jumped, titling on the chair as he did so. Eric caught him around the middle, picking him up off the wobbly chair to prevent him from falling, bringing Ryan up against his body, close enough he could feel Ryan's breath on his lips. Ryan who was moving away, the flush on his face turning an even deeper shade of red. He loosened his grip lightly to allow Ryan to step out of his arms, but changed his mind. Eric really wanted to kiss him, and after the display in the living room, he didnt see any reason not to. He pulled Ryan flush up against his body, and raised his hand, trailing it along Ryan's jaw lightly. He waited for a moment to allow Ryan to protest, then spread out his palm, cuppping Ryan's cheek firmly and pressing his lips to Ryan's. He couldn't help but to taste Ryan, slipping his tongue into Ryan's mouth, tracing over Ryan's teeth and massaging his tongue. After several moments, Eric pulled away slightly, pressing their foreheads together.

"Hi" He murmured.

"Hi" Ryan smiled shyly, pressing their lips together again. Ryan was a surprisingly great kisser, his mouth was hot and wet. He tasted faintly of scotch and something else, and it was really really good, and Eric didn't ever want to stop kissing him. Getting to know Ryan was going to be very interesting.

***

Ryan groaned as the light filtered in from his window. His mouth tasted like week old dirty gym socks and his head was throbbing. He stood shakily, clutching at his head, and swatted at the source of the incessant beeping until it stopped. He took the time to straighten the sheets meticulously despite his state and padded warily into the bathroom, splashing his face with water and brushing his teeth. He ignored the mirror hanging on the medicine cabinet. He had little desire to find out if he looked as bad as he felt.

Ryan glanced at the telephone, eyes sweeping briefly over the living room before moving to continue down the hallway. He froze, stepping hesitantly into the living room, staring in shock at the sleeping figure on his couch. His shock lasted momentarily before full-fledged panic set in. If Eric was here on his couch that meant the dream of Eric coming to his apartment last night hadn't really been a dream. Which logically meant that he hadn't dreamt up the remainder of the night either. Eric had kissed him.

Holy Shit. Eric who he worked with, Eric who he'd fantasized about since he'd met him, Eric who was sleeping on his fucking couch, Eric who had *kissed* him. A thousand thoughts ran through his mind at once, and his breathing sped up nearly to the point of hyperventilating.

Ryan retreated back in to the hallway, stumbling blindly into the kitchen. He had to get away. What the hell had he done?

Eric had been the one to kiss him, but what if he regretted it? What if he told everyone at work? He might as well kiss his job goodbye if that happened. He would have to pretend he didn't remember. Or he could just explain it as being drunk. Yeah. He could just explain this away. It didn't have to mean anything; he could just forget about this and life would go on as usual.

His contemplations only served to compound his headache and he headed into the bathroom. He really needed some Tylenol. He reached into the cabinet and fumbled with the bottle, shaking two pills into his palm. Despite his state, his obsessive tendencies still won out and he took the time to place the pill bottle exactly as he had found it, the label facing out, centered precisely on the shelf.

He eyes moved briefly along the rows arranged methodically in alphabetical order to make sure he hadn't knocked any of the others out of position. He shut the cabinet, and walked purposefully past the couch and into the kitchen.

He sighed in relief when it appeared Eric was still sleeping, and went to open the refrigerator. He didn't notice the chair in his way until it was too late. He flailed his arms in an attempt to keep upright, but only managed to make himself look even more ridiculous before he hit the floor with a thud, the chair crashing down next to him. He groaned silently to himself and lifted up his head to glare at the menacing piece of furniture. That chair really didn't like him.

He let his head fall back down, closing his eyes. He didn't think he could get up. He was pretty sure he really didn't want to. Getting up meant facing what had happened last night. Getting up meant facing the man who was.... no longer lying on his couch. Eric was leaning against the counter, smirking down at him. Ryan groaned again draping his arm over his closed eyes, a blush spreading across his face.

Eric extended his hand to Ryan, pulling him up and guiding him to the remaining stool at the counter. Eric picked up the fallen stool, and threw away the pills Ryan had dropped during the fall. He disappeared briefly to the bathroom, returning with two new pills, before taking a bottle of water out of the fridge. He put the pills in Ryan's palm and slid the water towards him, smiling encouragingly.

Eric slid easily into the stool next to Ryan. His coordinated efforts only served to fuel Ryan's embarrassment and he turned an even deeper shade of red. Eric's grin widened and he raised an eyebrow at Ryan's appearance. Ryan's clothes were disheveled and his hair was hanging in his face. Embarrassment swept through Ryan and he prepared for the scathing comment sure to follow. Instead, Eric smirked shaking his head lightly and opened his mouth to speak.

"Good Morning," Ryan could hear the mirth in his voice, and he grunted in reply. He closed his eyes, preparing himself for the inevitable awkward conversation, running over his rationalizations one last time. The awkward conversation never came, and Ryan opened his eyes to find Eric's face scant inches from his own. Apparently Eric had made a habit of getting in his personal space when he wasn't paying attention.

His eyes widened, and he was awarded with one last smirk from Eric before soft lips were pressed to his once again. It was a chaste kiss, barely a brush of lips, but it was a kiss nonetheless. He could still feel the slight moisture and warmth even when Eric pulled away. He licked his lips, filing away the taste in his memory. Suddenly, all the worrying and careful preparations he made to deal with possible awkward conversations seemed like a waste of time, and Ryan relaxed, a soft smile on his lips.

"Definitely a good morning," This time Eric smiled genuinely at him.

Ryan couldn't help returning the smile despite the pounding in his head. Eric rose from the stool, crossing the room to place one of the pans on the stove. Ryan had a lot of experience with morning after regrets, and kissing and making breakfast weren't usually a part of that routine. He's had little experience with anything other than rejection, people often tired of his constant second-guessing, and his tendency to assume that the worst would happen. Not to mention, a lot of lovers found his obsession with having the bed exactly in place when he got up in the morning a little annoying, especially if they were sleeping.

He glanced shyly over at Eric, who was drinking milk straight out of the carton. Ryan found this oddly endearing, despite the fact that he desperately wanted to force Eric to get a glass, and rinse off the carton. Ignoring his urge, he padded into the bathroom to wash his hands for breakfast. He opened the cabinet to grasp the soap, and a grin spread across his face. There on the second shelf was the pill bottle that Eric had gotten the Tylenol from. It was placed exactly as Ryan had left it, perfectly centered, label out. Maybe he was way out of his element, but glancing briefly at the bottle again, Ryan decided that it just might be worth it.

***

This was not how Eric wanted to finish his night, especially after that fucking amazing kiss that sent shivers down his spine every time he thought about it. He could still feel the searing heat of Ryan's hands on his chest and the hard muscle of Ryan's back flexing beneath his fingertips. Eric was slowly becoming addicted to the heat of Ryan's mouth, to the feel of Ryan pressed up tightly against him.

They had eventually ended on the couch, Ryan's body curled around his own, his head tucked underneath Eric's chin. Ryan had placed a sleepy kiss to his neck, nuzzling into his throat, and then passed out.

He had everything right where he wanted it, a semi-naked Ryan, and a horizontal surface. He could feel the heat on his skin everywhere Ryan's body was pressed against his. Except that the semi-naked Ryan was also a sleeping Ryan. So instead of the far more enjoyable night this could have been, Eric was half carrying the passed out CSI to his bed. Sure, he wanted to put Ryan to bed, but he sure as hell hadn't meant for it to be alone, and it really didn't involve sleeping.

Eric removed Ryan's jeans, folding them carefully, and tried not to imagine those long legs wrapped around his hips. God, how could he not have noticed how unbelievably hot this man was. Swallowing against the sudden surge of desire, he finished arranging Ryan on the bed. Eric pulled the covers up, tucking them securely around Ryan's chest. Staring down at the sleeping man, he dropped a small kiss on the slightly parted lips and left the room. He grabbed a blanket from the carefully folded pile next to the TV and slumped tiredly on to the couch.

~*~

Eric could hear footsteps echoing over his head, and a brief thud before a high-pitched giggling reached his ears. He groaned, and covered his ears with the pillow, in an attempt to block out the noise and get to sleep. The digital clock mocked him from its place on top of the T.V. He needed to sleep, but there were so many things running through his mind. He needed to stop thinking about Ryan. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. The couch smelled like Ryan. And shit, wasn't that just what he needed right now. He couldn't even breathe without thinking about him, how the hell was he supposed to sleep?

Eric didn't make a habit of kissing his coworkers, his male coworkers especially. But he hadn't been able to help himself. All of his instincts were screaming that he had fucked up. All the possible consequences of their actions came rushing back in the quiet of the room, and this time there were no soft lips or quirky smiles to banish the thoughts from his mind.

Finding a coworker attractive he could deal with. It wasn't the smartest thing he'd ever done, but even the kissing could be explained as a drunken mistake. It was when the possessive feeling surfaced that it became a real problem.

And if he really wanted to be honest with himself, as soon as his lips touched Ryan's, as soon as he got a taste of that delectable mouth, Eric knew that he couldn't just let him go. Eric was a month long "relationship" kind of guy, and possessive feelings were not something he had very often, if ever. He was already too far-gone, and all just from two brief kisses, regardless of how desperately amazing they were.

As difficult as this "thing" with Ryan was going to be, Eric knew that there was no way he could stop now. He wanted Ryan, plain and simple. All that remained now was Ryan's reaction. He wasn't blind; he knew Ryan wanted him, could tell that much from last night. But he also wasn't delusional, and he knew Ryan well enough to know that Ryan was going to freak out in the morning. He also knew that there was little he could do about it now, and there was no need to lose any more sleep over it.

~*~

Eric awoke later that morning to the sound of someone moving around in the next room. He groaned and tried to block out the blinding light playing across his face, but gave up eventually and opened his eyes slowly. He looked around in confusion before the events of the previous night rushed back to him. He smiled slightly, and contemplated getting up and talking to Ryan before dismissing the idea. It would probably be better to give Ryan a little time to freak out and come to terms with what had happened before even attempting to speak rationally on the matter. He chose instead to watch the oranges and yellows of the Florida sunrise play across the white walls of the living room for several moments, enjoying the peaceful morning.

Eventually, he heard Ryan coming in to the room, and he let his head fall back, closing his eyes. He visibly relaxed, making a conscious effort to even out his breathing. He heard Ryan pad into the room and smothered a smirk when Ryan continued past the couch and into the kitchen. With his eyes closed, he could practically feel Ryan's presence moving about the room. The sharply drawn breath alerted him the second Ryan was aware of his presence. He tensed when Ryan stumbled clumsily back towards the couch. Cologne wafted briefly into his senses, and Eric barely stopped himself from inhaling the scent. Ryan's footsteps receded into the next room, fast enough that he must have been practically sprinting. He could almost hear Ryan freaking out.

He hadn't felt awkward like this since Danny in his freshman year of college. He was lying on Ryan's couch, and he was still nervous, like a fucking teenager.

Eric decided it was time to make his presence known, starting toward the kitchen when he heard a loud crash. He sprinted into the kitchen, only to stop short in the doorway, mouth gaping open. Ryan was lying sprawled across the floor, his eyes closed and his lips slightly parted. God, he was beautiful. As much as Eric had come to terms with what he wanted, he still wasn't prepared for the rush of possessiveness and pure desire that washed over him. He didn't know if he wanted to laugh, or kiss Ryan senseless.

Clearing his head, Eric smirked, staring down at Ryan and waiting for the fallen man to notice his presence. He admired the blush that spread across Ryan's face, before reaching down to help him up. After seating Ryan on one of the remaining stools, and righting the other for himself, Eric tossed the Tylenol Ryan so obviously needed into the garbage and sauntered into the bathroom to retrieve two more. Somehow, he figured Ryan wouldn't appreciate the ten-second rule, despite the fact that the kitchen was spotless.

He wasn't surprised to find the bathroom was just as sanitary. Unlike his bathroom, even inside the cabinets was organized, the bottles carefully placed. To his utter chagrin, even this habit seemed endearing. He made sure to place the bottle exactly as he had found it, and returned to Ryan in the kitchen.

He slid the placed the pills in Ryan's palm, setting a bottle of water in front of him. He slid into the empty stool, taking in the tufts of hair sticking randomly from Ryan's head. He smirked lightly at Ryan's appearance and greeted him casually. He was rewarded with an even deeper shade of red on Ryan's skin. His hair was disheveled and his clothes were in a similar state of disarray, and he already looked like he had been up to something other than sleeping. Added to the flush on his skin, the slightly parted lips, and the long eyelashes brushing his cheeks, and Eric couldn't help himself. He leaned forward, waiting until Ryan opened his eyes, before brushing their lips together. He shivered, heat rushing down his spine when Ryan licked his lips.

"Definitely a good morning." he murmured again, smiling contentedly when Ryan finally relaxed.

Ryan flashed a brilliant smile, and Eric couldn't help but grin back. He was pretty sure he looked like an idiot, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

***

Ryan slumped back onto the couch in the break room staring dejectedly at the pot filling slowly on the counter. A door slammed somewhere down the hallway and he winced. He'd never realized how unforgivingly loud the lab was until every single sound seemed to echo in his skull. The Tylenol from this morning was wearing off, and his pounding headache was returning. He was never drinking again.

The fact that he couldn't stop the thoughts running through his mind did nothing to alleviate the constant ache in his head. He'd thought that whatever had happened had meant something. He wasn't expecting hearts and flowers, but he figured there was at least a date in the future. Soft kisses in the morning were not part of the regret of someone making a drunken mistake.

Horatio had paged them early, something about a high profile case had come up, and he wanted all of his CSIs there. Which was really fucking great, because they hadn't had time to talk about whatever the heck was going on with them. Or figure out what those fucking amazing kisses had meant. He didn't think it had been a mistake to Eric, but after the parking lot this morning, he wasn't so sure.

Ryan wasn't expecting much in the way of a profound declarations of love, but the casual "Thanks for letting me crash man," and the awkward pat on his shoulder had left something to be desired. It was how you said goodbye to a friend, or even simply a coworker. It wasn't like they were sleeping together or anything, but a pat on the shoulder was not how you said goodbye to someone whose tongue had been down your throat the night before.

The alcohol had done nothing to impair his memory, and the events of the night before are crystal clear in his mind. Ryan couldn't forget the feel of Eric's lips, the warmth of Eric's tongue against his own, the way he tasted. The thought of it sent a sliver of desire through him, and he groaned. Now was not the time to be thinking about his male coworker.

Except that he can't get the feel of Eric's body pressed tightly against his own out of his head. He could almost feel the warmth of the palm of his back, the sculpted chest underneath his fingertips. And he was going to get a fucking hard-on in the lab. Shit.

He really didn't need this right now. Especially when it was pretty apparent that he and Eric didn't want the same things. Ryan didn't know if he thought it was a one-time thing, or if Eric simply changed his mind about wanting to be with Ryan. Maybe the call from the office had been a wake up call, and Eric didn't think Ryan was worth the risk.

Whatever it was, Eric was obviously not on the same page as Ryan. And Ryan wasn't going to make a fool out of himself to get something he couldn't have. He would just have to be strictly professional around Eric. There was no need to make a bigger deal out of this. He would just hide his feelings, and eventually he would get over it.

~ * ~

Eric was pissed. Because as much as they hadn't defined whatever the hell was going on between them, as much as they hadn't talked about commitment, that didn't mean Ryan got to flirt with some fucking "friend" of his right in front of him.

The guy was a cop, an old friend of Ryan's from patrol. He'd caught a glimpse of the perp when he escaped, and was here to give a description to the sketch artist. Who was conveniently working on another case so that the asshole had a chance to "catch up" with Ryan.

Now, Eric wasn't a jealous person and he didn't see anything wrong with a little friendly flirting. But this was not friendly flirting. This was "I want to get you into bed flirting" and if the guy touched Ryan on the arm one more time, Eric was going to have to shoot him.

He unclenched his fists, plastering a fake smile on his face and making his way over to the pair.

"Can I talk to you for a second Ryan?" he asked, barely managing to keep the raging emotions out of his voice. Ryan shot him an irritated look, but moved to follow anyway.

"What the hell was that?" he hissed when they were out of earshot.

"What the hell was what Delko?" Ryan retaliated.

"Don't play innocent with me Wolfe. What the hell were you doing with that guy?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Eric," Ryan replied calmly. "If we're done here, I really should be getting back to work"

So that's how they're going to play it. Ryan was going to act like nothing happened, like they weren't even friends. Like their relationship was strictly professional. He'd even had the fucking nerve to call him Delko. Well fuck that. He didn't need this shit. If that's how Ryan wanted to be, then Eric could play too.

"I won't keep you from your work any longer." And wow, maybe this would take a little more effort, because he can hear the hostility in his voice.

Ryan nods. "See you around Delko." His voice was strictly professional, and so was the clap on his back.

And wow, he knew they should have talked about this before they left, because Ryan is the king of over-thinking the situation, and Eric should have known the scene this morning wouldn't go over well. But they'd been in the fucking parking lot, it's not like Eric could have kissed him right there, where anyone could walk by. They needed to figure everything out before they even considered going public.

But Ryan didn't know that. Fuck, now what the hell was he supposed to do? The sane thing to do would be to wait, and talk about this after shift. But Officer Asshole over there was touching Ryan again, and Eric wasn't thinking very sane thoughts.

He moved back over towards Ryan, not even bothering to address him this time. He grabbed Ryan by the arm, dragging him down the hall. He stopped abruptly in front of a door, letting Ryan go long enough to get his balance before shoving him into the deserted bathroom.

"What the fuck Delko. What the hell are you doing?" Eric could hear the barely controlled anger in his voice. The professional tone had all but disappeared. Good. He ignored the question, choosing instead to lock the door securely behind them.

Eric stalked closer, forcing Ryan back against the door. He caught Ryan's wrists and pinned them above his head, pressing his hips against Ryan's, effectively trapping him against the door. Eric transferred Ryan's wrists to one hand, running the other lightly down Ryan's body, from his wrists down to his shoulder, until it rested firmly on Ryan's hip.

Their faces were inches apart, and Eric could feel Ryan's breath against his lips, feel the heat all along his body where they were pressed together. Eric moved forward, pressing a soft kiss to Ryan's parted lips. Their eyes locked, and Eric could see the conflicting emotions, the confusion warring with desire.

"I want you." Eric's voice was low and seductive, as he dipped his head down to nibble along Ryan's jaw. "I don't want this to be a one night thing." He continued, nuzzling into the skin behind Ryan's ear, nipping at his ear lobe.

He moved down to Ryan's neck, nudging underneath his jaw. Ryan's head tilted obediently, and he bared his neck. Eric bit down lightly, and Ryan moaned, his hips bucking. He lapped at the skin, before sucking fiercely, parting Ryan's legs with his knee, and rubbing his thigh against Ryan's crotch. He nipped at the skin again, soothing it with his lips briefly, before moving back up to Ryan's face.

"I want to be with you, to have a real relationship," Eric murmured, "any objections?"

Ryan shook his head, eyes wide. Eric smiled, pleased, and captured his lips again. Eric increased the pressure of the kiss, running the tip of his tongue along the opening to Ryan's lips, before sweeping his tongue along the roof of Ryan's mouth, memorizing the taste. He groaned, pressing his hips harder against Ryan's. He wanted to taste every inch of Ryan, but he couldn't seem to tear himself away from his mouth. It really wasn't that much of a sacrifice.

He broke the kiss eventually, panting for air. Ryan's eyes were dark with lust, and his breath was coming in short bursts. He pressed one last kiss to Ryan's mouth before releasing Ryan's wrists. Ryan's arms remained raised before falling loosely to his sides when Eric dropped smoothly to his knees.

Eric rested his hands lightly on Ryan's hips, thumb rubbing soothingly along the patch of skin just above the waistband of Ryan's jeans. He pushed up Ryan's shirt, trailing his fingertips across the heated skin he found there. He traced the defined muscles with one hand, sliding the other back down to the top of Ryan's jeans. Eric's fingers fumbled with the zipper before he finally got it down. He pushed the jeans down Ryan's hips, pulling the boxers along with them, licking his lips in anticipation. Ryan was trembling, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

Eric exhaled deeply against the erection that rested inches from his mouth, groaning deep in his throat. Ryan's hips rocked unconsciously toward him. Eric could almost taste him already. Fuck, he couldn't wait any longer. He leaned forward, taking Ryan's cock part way into his mouth, moving his hands back to pin Ryan back against the door.

Ryan's finally unclenched his fists, sliding them through Eric's hair as he suckled lightly at the head of Ryan's cock. He tongued the slit, before taking a little more into his mouth. He moved one of his hands down to cup Ryan's balls, his thumb pressing deeply into the skin behind them. Ryan groaned, straining his hips to get closer, deeper into Eric's mouth.

Eric smiled at the move, pulling all the way off and pressing a kiss to the tip of Ryan's cock. Ryan whined deep in his throat, rocking his hips as much as Eric's hand would allow.

Eric tightened the grip on his hips, and took a deep breath before taking the head back into his mouth. He paused before hollowing his cheeks and taking as much of Ryan in as he could. He ran his tongue along the underside of Ryan's cock, producing a deep groan.

He bobbed his head, sucking deeply. He continued until Ryan was writhing under his ministrations. The hands in his hair tightened, and Eric relaxed his throat muscles, lunging forward so that his nose was buried against Ryan's skin. He breathed deeply. Ryan smelled like sweat and sex, and Eric barely suppressed a groan. Returning his mind to the task at hand, he swallowed carefully around Ryan's erection. Ryan's knees buckled and soon Eric's hands on his hips were the only thing keeping Ryan upright.

"God Eric" Ryan was whimpering now, and Eric could tell he was close. His hand slid around to cup Ryan's ass. He paused his movements on Ryan's cock, ignoring Ryan's protesting groans.

He savored the feeling of Ryan on his tongue, glancing up at Ryan through his eyelashes. Eric drank in the sight before him; Ryan with his head tossed back, his mouth open in pleasure. Eric smiled, humming around the cock in his mouth, pressing his index finger lightly into the cleft of Ryan's ass.

A barely suppressed scream escaped Ryan's throat. His legs shook and his body convulsed as he came down Eric's throat.

Eric swallowed around Ryan's softening cock, letting it slip out of his mouth. He stood, hand carefully tucking Ryan back into his pants and fastening his jeans.

Eric kissed Ryan chastely, reaching around him to unlock the door. Ryan moved out of the way obediently as Eric stepped around him to open the door. He stopped before leaving, glancing over his shoulder.

"Ohh, and Ryan." Ryan's head snapped up. "I don't share well with others." Eric's voice was possessive, and equal parts desire and irritation flashed in Ryan's eyes. Desire won, because Ryan only nodded his head in understanding.

~*~

Eric sees Ryan and his "friend" later in the hall. Jackass is staring at Ryan's neck. It's taking all the control he has not to give the guy a piece of his mind, until Eric notices what he's staring at. Just below Ryan's ear is a small suspicious looking bruise. Captain Jackass glances up at Eric from across the hall. Eric looks pointedly at the hickey, and back at the man, smirking. Ryan's "friend" looks away quickly, and Eric can't help the satisfied grin that spreads across his face when he excuses himself and walks quickly away from Ryan.

***

Calleigh doesn't know how she didn't see it before. She knows she probably should have. She prides herself on the fact that she usually knows exactly what is happening in the lab. She's a trained investigator for Christ's sake, noticing things like this is her job

But she never expected to find them like this. She had no idea there was anything at all going on between them much less what's going on right in front of her eyes.

Ryan's back is pressed against the locker, and Calleigh is pretty sure that if his legs weren't wrapped so tightly around Eric's waist he would be on the floor. His head is thrown back in pleasure, and she's never seen him so uncontrolled, so wanton.

She knows Ryan hates to be out of control, but if the low keening groan torn out of his throat when Eric sucks lightly behind his ear is any indication Calleigh's pretty sure he doesn't mind it in this case.

It's obviously not the first time, because Eric seems to know exactly where to touch Ryan. Exactly how to drive him crazy. The degree of familiarity between them, the lack of awkward fumbling, or nervous habits indicates that it's something that had been done repeatedly.

She thinks maybe it's just a casual thing, a way to release the tension of the job. Casual would explain why no one knows about it. Attraction is easier to hide than a true relationship. In a relationship, there should have been some indication of their relationship. A fleeting touch, a closeness in their behavior. But there wasn't.

Except later, when Eric walks into the break room, she knows it's not just casual. Because casual isn't cause for Ryan's eyes to light up like they do, or the tender smile on Eric's face when he thinks no one is watching.

In her experience, the little things are often the ones that matter. The seemingly small details that crack the case, a stray hair found on a body, a smudged print on the side of the door. Ryan's glowing smiles and the affection clear on Eric's face are just as blatant as the position she found them in earlier. And really, she probably should have seen this coming.

***