Title: A cup of tea...
Author: Dee
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 6513
Pairings: Gil/Nick
Characters: Gil Grissom, Nick Stokes
Warnings: AU Fluff…as always!
Spoilers: None…mentions of Grave Danger…but everyone’s seen that, haven’t they?
Disclaimer: In my dreams they are like, totally mine!
Beta: murghy31, jayceepat and podga for their invaluable help in the Americanisation of the fic and their insightful comments, which I may well have ignored! I thank high_striker for his wonderful icons. I am indebted to them all. Any errors are mine.
A/N: Just a little tale of a break up and then, maybe, reconciliation…with make up buttsecks!! (Maybe!)

“I haven’t got any more to give, what you see is what you get – take it or leave it.” Gil held his arms out to emphasise his point.

Nick looked him in the eye for a few moments. Then took a huge intake of breath, drew himself up to his full height and spoke. “I’ll leave it.”

If Gil was surprised at Nick’s words, he hid it well. Perhaps he’d been expecting this after all.

“I’ll just pack some stuff and get out; I’ll come back for the rest, when I can.” Nick sounded business-like and the tone of his voice surprised Gil.

No; the tone shocked Gil. But Gil kept the thought off his face, which remained impassive.

Nick left their living room and walked upstairs to their bedroom. Gil could hear him moving around; Gil still hadn’t moved from the spot where he’d made his pronouncement.

Over the last three months that they’d been living together in Gil’s townhouse, they’d had a number of arguments. They’d had fast and furious spats, usually…no, always, followed by fast and furious sex. Often, fast and furious fucking. If they couldn’t get along during normal ‘living’ conditions, the sex made up for it; they had both the appetite and stamina for an adventurous sex life. They played it out to the full.

Gil thought about this and smiled to himself, Nick was posturing; he wouldn’t leave. They’d be rolling in the sack within the hour. He was confident.

He made his way upstairs and into their bedroom. The room was empty but he could hear Nick in their bathroom. On the bed lay several piles of different clothes and three pairs of shoes. Nick’s duffle bag was unzipped and ready.

Gil frowned at the evidence. Was Nick posturing? Would he be backing down this time? A hint of panic hit Gil in his gut. Nick emerged from the bathroom, zipping up his toilet bag. His face was pale and he looked…devastated. Gil’s gut twisted as if it was gripped in a vice. Nick was leaving. He really was leaving.

“Look; I said some things…..”

“….you said them and meant them. I’m going Gil. This is the end of the road for me…for us.”

“Oh, come on Nick, we’ve had fights before and made up.”

“Yeah, we’ve made up, but we haven’t actually resolved anything, have we? Just put ’em back on the shelf to take ‘em off another time. This time you gave me the answer; you’re not going to change….which is fair enough, your prerogative. But, I’m not willing to put up with it…or you, any more. You said I could ‘take it or leave it’, and I've given you my answer.”

“Nicky….”

“….don’t. Please don’t. I'm done with it…okay?”

“No, frankly I’m not okay. What’s bought this on? We’ve managed before, despite what you say.”

“No, we haven’t, we’ve just brushed everything aside. You, we, can’t keep on doing that, you have to address the problems and that’s what I tried tonight…and you gave me your answer.”

“I’ll say anything when you’ve backed me into a corner.”

“No, you said what you think. You’re not going to change. Well I’m not prepared to do all the changing. I’m not going to be the one that always gives in; there’s only one side in this relationship and that’s your side and I tow the line.”

“That’s unfair; I’ve made lots of concessions…..”

“…what, exactly, have you conceded?”

“Well. I let you move in here for a start. I’m not used to sharing my space.”

“You asked me to move in with you. My place is way too small; God, it’s a good job I didn’t lease it, must have known this was too good to last.”

“If it’s been ‘good’, then why are YOU ending it?”

“What else have you conceded?”

“I….I. Okay, I can’t think of anything off hand but….”

“There isn’t anything you’ll be able to think of Gil, because you haven’t. Not one thing I can think of.”

“You’re being melodramatic, Nick. Come on, stop playing games.”

“Games? You think this is fun? You think….no, wait, I suppose you probably do, since you’ve conceded nothing, done nothing to adjust to me – just expected me to adjust to you, and you know what, that’s exactly what I have done, changed me to what you want of me. You haven’t changed one iota.”

“I've learned to live with someone, I've never done that before, for anyone else Nick, ever.”

“It’s not enough Gil, I’m sorry, but it’s just not….” For the first time Nick’s resolve wobbled and he was about to tear up. Damn his emotions. Why couldn’t he be more like Gil Grissom, a cold fish? That was unfair, but he was past caring.

“Exactly how would you have expected me to change?” Gil sensed a weakening of Nick’s position and went straight for the jugular. Of course, if Nick really wanted to leave him, he’d let him, but, but…. Did he want to be alone again after the last few months, sharing with Nick had been the best time in his life? But, was Nick saying that he hadn’t been sharing, just taking. Oh, God, it was possible, he didn’t have any terms of reference.

“It’s the little things; you know, since I’ve lived here we’ve never had a steak or chili. Now I’m not saying I don’t like your tuna steaks, or your pasta dishes, or whatever, but even when I cook you always want what you like…and if I've ever suggested something I want, you’ve got a million reasons why it’s not doable. You say I can have a steak ‘when we eat out’.

“Since we’ve been together how many concerts have I been to with you…classical…always classical, and I've never complained or refused. When I wanted to go see Elton John you said go with someone else; I wanted to go with you, we’re supposed to be ‘partners’. That’s what people ‘together’, do. And, I’ve never listened to one of my CDs since I moved in, but yours play ALL the time…Wagner?

“How many times have you taken me to an exhibition or museum that you were interested in? How many times? Then last week when the rodeo was in town and I wanted to go, you said you were too busy – go with someone else…you suggested Bobby, because he’s Texan and would like that stuff. I don’t like half the stuff you like but I always went with you because I thought that was what partners did…..

“Jesus Christ; I sound like a downtrodden housewife; you know what, that’s exactly it, isn’t it? You’ve been bullying me…not deliberately….” Nick stopped Gil from speaking by holding up his hand. “...I know you haven’t done any of this with malice and forethought, but you’ve done it without thinking, without taking ‘me’ into the equation. Apart from the sex we’ve nothing in common. It’s best to finish it now. No one knows about us, it’ll just go back to like it was before.”

“You think I could go back to that, Nicky, having been with you, having you in my life? You know I've never lived with anyone except my family, and the dorm guys at college, and even then I had my own space. I admit to all your charges. I’m guilty. In my defence Nicky, I didn’t know. It never crossed my mind, I was happy to have you here. Really very happy; you must know that. But you should have called me on it; why didn’t you?”

“I don’t know, really.” Nick sat down on the bed, seemingly defeated. He laid his elbows on his knees, fiddling with the toilet bag he still held.

“I do.” Gil dropped to his haunches in front of Nick. “Oh, Nicky, you like to please; you don’t like upsetting people. I know you’ve taken a back seat when other people have been pontificating about things. You know answers to questions but let others take the credit. You’ve been doing the same with me, haven’t you?”

“I don’t know what….”

“….Nicky, you’re right.” Gil was speaking quietly and gently to Nick. “I have bullied you…not consciously, I don’t think, I hope not anyway. But I know how you are and I've taken advantage of your easy going ways. Why did I need to change when you would just mould yourself to me and my ways?”

Nick’s wide eyed look – his eyes swimming with tears – made Gil gasp. Is it true you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone? He’d have to work hard at this; he didn’t want to lose Nick.

“I’m so sorry Nick. Will you forgive me? No…no, don’t forgive me, I don’t deserve it…let me show you that I can change, please. Give me a chance? Just one chance, I promise I can change. I've got to if I want to keep you, haven’t I?”

It was the word ‘promise’ that did it for Nick. He so vividly remembered Gil asking him to ‘promise’ when he was in…‘there’. Even though, for many months following his rescue, he’d believed he’d dreamed that Gil had been sitting on the lid of the…..

Nick’s tears fell and he began to sob. He fell forward into Gil, knocking Gil sidewards from his position, crouching in front of him. Gil recovered his balance and moved closer to Nick by kneeling on one knee and enveloping him in his arms.

“I’m so sorry, Nicky. Please give me a chance.”

“Don’t hurt me Gil, please don’t hurt me, I can’t take it anymore. I can’t take all this shit anymore. I’m going to fall apart, God, please don’t hurt me.”

Gil was stunned by Nick’s plea. He had no idea, no idea at all, at just how fragile Nick was; the whole Gordon episode and then his daughter and his own complicity in keeping the facts from Nick. He thought Nick had recovered, he really did, and now here he was, Gil fucking-know-it-all Grissom piling on more shit, more agony on shoulders he’d thought were broad enough.

Gil held Nick tightly in his arms as he sobbed. Gil was unaware of his own tears, rolling down his cheeks; if he’d known about them he’d have been hard pressed to remember when he’d last cried.

“Nicky, oh, Nicky, shhhh. I won’t hurt you, I promise. I promise; let me keep you safe. Let me try to keep you safe; will you let me, sweetheart? Will you? Shhhh.” Gil was rocking Nick, gently, in his arms. The storm seemed to have abated.

“Nicky, hey, look at me. Look at me.” Gil took the toilet bag from Nick’s hands; he’d been squeezing the life out of it. “Will you stay and let me put it right? Will you? I’ll understand if you want a rest from me, but you will come back to me, won’t you?”

Nick nodded. He looked at Gil. “I’m sorry; I kind of let it all come tumbling out. I’m okay. Honest.”

“Honestly? I don’t think you are Nicky. And, I know that I've been a major contributing factor to all of this but I want you, Nicky. I really do; I’m not about to let you go without a fight, but I've got to change and you’ve got to help me. Can you…will you do that for me…for us?

“But you’ve got to do something else for me Nicky. You’ve got this stuff that you need to deal with, you know, about what happened. It’s my fault entirely, I should have asked, I should have taken care of you…and I didn’t.” Gil was aware of his tears now.

Nick looked at Gil and nodded again. “Can I stay; I don’t really want to go?”

“Oh, God, Nicky, of course you can stay. I didn’t want you to go in the first place, but if you do need some space, you can go back to your old place. But, I want this to be your home. Hey, why don’t we sell both places and buy a bigger place; more space for us…look I’m at it again…telling you, assuming you want these things. Call me on it, please Nicky, you must.”

Nick nodded once more but this time accompanied by a huge sniff. He smiled a shaky smile. “I thought that; that we should sell both our places and buy somewhere else, our place, not yours or mine, ours.”

“That would be good. Here, use this.” Gil pulled at the edge of the sheet on the bed and offered it to Nick to wipe his nose and face.

“God, no. Here, let go.” Nick pulled himself up and away from Gil and disappeared into the bathroom, to reappear moments later with the roll of toilet tissue. He pulled off a row of sheets for Gil and then did the same for himself. Gil had hauled himself onto the bed, his knees complaining audibly at the assault. Nick sat beside him and they both blew their noses vigorously and noisily. They looked at each other and smiled.

“Nick, I’m sorry.”

“Man, you’d better be; I’m not going through all this again.”

“I wouldn’t want you to, but there are…..”

“…..I know. I know. I was going to up my visits to the shrink. I think I was worried about us, and I've been having those nightmares again…the one where Gordon and Kelly are with me in the box, breathing my air, using it up.”

“Jesus, Nicky; all this does is make me more of a bastard…”

“….you’re not a bastard….they were the bastards. You’re just a little rusty on your social skills.”

“How can something be rusty if I haven’t ever had them to get rusty? I've never cared enough before. I haven’t.” Gil added as Nick smiled.

“Yeah, well I should have called you on it, but I’m just as bad, I've never been in a live-in relationship before, but I do have my BIG family experiences to fall back on, unlike you.”

“So, you’re staying?”

“Yeah.”

“Thank you, Nicky. Do you want me to move into the spare bedroom…..”

“…NO. I want you with me.”

“I was just thinking you may want to cool down a little.”

“I’m cool. Don’t want to be alone.”

“You’ve got to help me big time here, Nicky. I want you to make me a list of all my shortcomings. The ones you’ve observed in our relationship. What?”

Nick was laughing, shakily, but still laughing. “Like I’m perfect.”

“You are, sweetheart; to me you are.” Gil ran his fingers down the side of Nick’s puffy face; still damp from his tears.

“What’s with the ‘sweetheart’ thing?”

“Don’t know, just appeared. You okay with it?”

“I like it.”

“Good.”

“A list?”

“Yes. You mentioned those things. I can learn this. That’s what people do, isn’t it; learn how to behave in a relationship. Hit and miss…but ’miss’ in my case.”

“You’re very handsome, you know?”

“What? What has that got to do with anything? Anyway, I’m not.”

“You are. Do you know that I love you?”

Gil took in a huge breath and his eyes teared up again. It was his turn to nod.

“I used you Nicky. I used that love; I didn’t think you’d leave me, if you loved me. But you were going to leave, weren’t you?”

“Yeah, I was, if I could’ve made it out the door. I didn’t know if I could walk past you, or not. You know what, Gil? We’re hopeless, the pair of us.”

“I can’t disagree with that. But, hey, maybe we could be two halves of one whole. Together we work, apart we don’t.”

“That’s romantic.”

“Is it? Good lord. I didn’t intend…no, that’s wrong. I didn’t think it was romantic. But if I can say something like that then I could become romantic, with practise.”

“I think you could; well, you are romantic already, in odd ways.”

“I am? I am. Right. How?”

“Well you held me, just now, when I was upset.”

“You were upset because of me, because I told you to leave.”

“No, you gave me the option to leave. I chose to leave.”

“Okay, so what else?”

“You were going to let me wipe my nose on the bed linen.”

“It was handy.”

“You picked up on my problem with the…kidnapping…again.”

“I don’t think that’s romantic….it’s neglect, I should have done that before now.”

“I think we’ve cleared the air though, don’t you? I’m just as bad as you, I think, in the opposite direction. You being bullish, me being submissive. God, don’t mention Lady Heather at this point, will you?”

“You mentioned her, not me. I would never entertain being part of her world. It fascinates me, but as a bystander not as a participant. But I did forget something.”

“What?”

“To tell you that I love you too, more than I've ever loved anyone in my life before, and I could never be without you…not now.”

“Wow.” Nick whispered. “That is romantic.”

“It is isn’t it? I think I can get used to this.”

“Do you want make up sex?”

“God, Nicky. Are you up to it…and I don’t mean that in an erection sense, I mean in the emotional sense?”

“I think I’m up to it in both senses to be honest, Gil. I like sex. I like it a lot and like you making me come and I like you coming on me, in me…”

“…Nicky…”

“You know, it makes me feel powerful, I think I’ve got you, have you to myself, when you make love to me. You’re mine and I hold this power over you…do you know what I mean?”

“Oh, yes. You do hold that power Nicky, I’ve never felt so complete before.”

“Half complete, together we’re the whole, remember?”

“I remember. I want to make love to you. But I want you to be certain it’s what you want and need right now. Do you think a cup of tea would be better? Just now?”

“A cup of tea? A cup of tea? Are you okay? Have you lost your senses, Dr Grissom? A cup of tea?”

“It was only a suggestion.” Gil chuckled at how quickly Nick had recovered. He couldn’t ever afford to become complacent; he’d come far too close to losing Nick today. He looked into Nick’s eyes, so recently tear filled they were now lust filled. He had to look closely to see the edge of his brown irises, since the blackness of his arousal had almost obliterated the chocolate coloured eyes. He leaned forward and Nick leaned towards him, mirroring the movement.

When their lips met, they could taste the saltiness of their tears, and the heat of their skin. The softness of their lips and then the wetness of their tongues as they very gently touched and licked at each other.

Nick suddenly increased the pressure forcing a moan out of both of them and their tongues forgot the gentle caress and fought for entry into each other’s mouth. They both won. They pulled back to catch their breath. Nick moved in to kiss, nibble and lick Gil’s neck. His teeth tugged at Gil's ear lobe and he used the tip of his tongue to lick around the shell of Gil’s ear. It was a perfect ear and Nick loved it.

He moved his lips around to the front of Gil’s neck and kissed his windpipe. This usually made Gil shiver…there it was. Nick pulled back and smiled at Gil. Gil took Nick’s face between his hands and rubbed his thumbs over Nick’s cheekbones.

“I’m sorry I said ‘take it or leave it’ to you, Nicky. I would never cope with you leaving me, never. You need to kick my ass.”

“’Kick your ass’? What about ‘lick your ass’?”

Gil groaned. “Lick it…please.”

“When I get ‘round there…do you still want a cup of tea?”

“No…I want you…only you, Nicky, all you, all the time….”

“That can be arranged.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s get rid of these.” Nick pulled Gil’s tee off and tossed it over his head and off the bed, then did the same with his own tee. He also pushed his neat piles of clothing, which he’d intended to pack, off the bed.

He sat over Gil’s body running his hands over Gil’s smooth skin, Nick pushed Gil back on the bed and then moved in for the kill, so to speak. His previous mood lifted, yet again, by the body of his lover. He could never have left this, he would put up with whatever shit Gil threw at him, just for these moments.

He latched onto Gil’s left nipple and sucked and licked and bit until the brown nub was as erect as it could possible get. Nick twirled the tip of his tongue around and around as Gil lay pinned to the bed by the weight of Nick. Nick pulled back and smiled and then assaulted the right nipple in the same fashion.

Gil groaned. Writhed. Moaned. Twitched. Gasped.

All these actions conspired to make Nick even more intent on giving pleasure to Gil. He moved back up to Gil’s neck and kissed and licked and nipped at the skin. He was careful not to mark him. He had no desire to give a physical display of ownership. Despite everything, he thought of them as partners, equal partners.

Gil would make an effort to change; he knew he would when he was called on his behaviour. Because he was a fair man; Nick knew that he was; he hadn’t been deliberately selfish, just unaware of how to give and take. But he always learned his lessons well.

Nick pulled away again and looked at Gil. He smiled down at Gil.

Gil ran his fingers over Nick’s chest and rested on both nipples but Nick stopped his hands.

“No, don’t, I want to do this…I want you to know what you’d be missing….”

“Oh Nicky, I know, believe me, I know.” Gil looked up into Nick’s face, seeing a smirk.

“That’s an evil look, Nicholas Stokes.”

“I was thinking that I bet you’ve learned a lesson today and you will try and change.”

“I will...” Gil’s explanation was cut short as Nick gave his erection a substantial squeeze. Gil’s ass lifted off the bed. “I do learn from life’s lessons, well I try, I always try, you know that, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do.” Nick undid his belt and just pushed his pants and briefs down to mid thigh. Now he was kneeling between Gil's legs. He undid Gil’s jeans and pulled them and his boxers down to Gil’s mid thigh. Both erections bobbed up and down at the release and the movement.

Gil's was glistening with leaked fluid and Nick reached and ran his thumb over the head spreading the natural lubrication around the head and foreskin of Gils cock. Gil took several deep breaths as Nick gently rubbed the head. Nick then moved the foreskin back and forwards a little. Each time the skin went backwards the head was completely exposed and a little more fluid leaked.

“Come inside.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Gil was more inclined to be a top than a bottom. Nick didn’t mind, but he did like to penetrate occasionally. This would be a good time to reassert himself, show that he could be as controlled as Gil.

Nick pushed himself off the bed and rid himself of his shoes and socks and then his remaining clothing. He then helped Gil remove his remaining clothes, these clothes joining the already untidy heap on the floor.

He then reached over to the nightstand drawer and retrieved the lube and a condom.

“No condom.”

“Really?” Now Nick had let Gil ride bare back before, but Gil had never let Nick.

“I want to feel you, nothing else.”

“I can live with that.” Gil shuddered at Nick’s voice. It had become a quiet growl, almost, but not quite, indecipherable with his Texan accent.

“Nicky….”

“Shhhh, no more talking, I gotta concentrate.”

Gil thought, while he was still able to, that Nick’s concentration levels had very probably improved about a thousand percent.

Nick went back to kissing Gil; enthusiastically devouring Gil's mouth. It was, in turns, wet and sloppy and then firm and demanding. His kisses went from Gil’s mouth to his neck. His arms, the crook of each elbow, his wrists, and his fingers were sucked and licked. Each arm; each hand.

Gil's chest was stroked and kissed, his nipples teased back into erect little nubs, Gil writhing at the pleasure mixed with the desperate desire to beg Nick to stop and then beg him not to stop. On Gil's belly, the initial impression was that it was soft fat but beneath that layer the muscles became evident. Nick pressed his fingers into the flesh and kneaded and inflamed the nerves, before he descended on Gil’s belly button.

All the time Nick had studiously ignored Gil's erection. Bobbing around near Nick’s face and, more importantly, his mouth, it was becoming more and more engorged and less pliable, ejaculate oozing from the head, forming a little pool begging to be licked, pearlescent in the dim light of the bedroom.

Gil groaned and sighed and mumbled – sometimes loving words to Nick and sometimes obscenities. He was the vocal lover, Nick the quietly intense man.

Nick made his way further down Gil’s body; kissing the junction between leg and groin. Still ignoring the erection that was being pushed in his direction at every move he made. Nick’s nose, nestled in Gil's pubic hair; the curly hair that made Nick laugh, since he couldn’t believe that it was exactly the same, in colour and curliness, softness and density as Gil‘s head of hair on full view to the world.

It was a clear favourite of Nick’s as his nose pushed the hair around and he smelled the bodily smells of Gil. So familiar; the faint smells all mixed together. Soap, sweat, muskiness. Nick chuckled as Gil tried using his hands to redirect Nick to his cock - to no avail. Nick would go there when he was good and ready and not before. What was his purpose? He remembered…he wanted Gil to know what he’d been in danger of losing.

The only problem with all of this was that Nick himself was becoming needy. His own cock ached at the sensations he was feeding it via his senses of touch and smell and sight.

He sat up and looked at Gil, who’s eyes were pleading and his murmurs were desperate ‘pleases’ under his breath.

“Turn over, Gil. But if I catch you rutting against the bed clothes I will not be very pleased and will withhold further pleasure. Understand.”

“Mmmm…” Was all Gil could manage, but his eyes displayed desperation…and lust; he’d try his very best to behave.

Nick sat astride Gil’s ass and massaged his shoulders; digging his fingers into the knotted muscles he found there. Gil hated and loved this with an equal passion. The hurt would banish his cock’s urgency, but only for a few minutes. It would return when those relaxed muscles signalled their pleasure to his cock. Nick kissed the nape of Gil’s neck, causing Gil to buck up and find some relief in pressing his cock into the bed.

“You’ve been warned.” Nick leaned forward and whispered into Gil’s left ear. Of course, that only incensed his cock further.

How come, Gil wanted to know, everything was connected to his cock. He let out a chuckle as he remembered what a woman had once told him. ‘The centre of every man’s universe was his cock’. She’d been right. But he quickly forgot to remember anything - except Nick’s assault on him, around him, over him, everywhere.

Nick kissed down Gil's back and let his own cock just nestle between Gil's ass cheeks. Gil had a magnificent ass. It was plump and firm and was made for Nick’s cock, which slipped back and forth. But, he had to stop that; it was too much, but Gil groaned his displeasure at its removal.

And, in truth, Nick was fast approaching his own limit. He needed to be inside Gil. He needed to thrust. But, he had promised to ‘lick’ hadn’t he? He mustn’t renege on a promise. He slid further down the bed and parted the wonderful ass cheeks with his fingers, and exposed Gil’s anus. It was puckered and brown and Nick let out a little chuckle when he saw that it was twitching in anticipation.

“If I didn’t know better Gil Grissom, I’d think you were a man whore.” He whispered.

“Wwwhat?”

“Shhhh.”

Nick’s mouth was close to Gil as he’d uttered the rebuke and Gil felt the hot air of Nick’s breath momentarily before the wet lick of Nick’s tongue. He couldn’t stop his body from lifting off the bed and his tortured ‘aaaarrhhhh’, could well have been construed as a result of exactly that – torture.

Nick licked the opening and pushed his tongue against the muscle. The taste was indescribable and to Nick’s chagrin, though he loved Gil and loved doing this for his ‘man’, it was not his most favourite occupation. But, it was worth a little personal discomfort to elicit such a wonderful response and for preparation for his penetration; the very thought of which now caused him to buck his erection against the bed, his stomach or his knees or whichever was closest.

He continued to lick while Gil pushed his ass up into Nick’s face. When Nick needed to take a breath he pulled away and sank his teeth into Gil's right ass cheek. Gil’s sudden shout of pain, was cut short when Nick licked the abused skin. Nick leaned over for the lube and squirted a sizable amount of cold lube straight onto Gil’s anus. Gil really did jump at that.

“You bastard.” He managed.

“Yep…that’s me.” Nick massaged the lube onto his fingers, it very quickly became hot. He pushed his middle finger of his right hand into Gil. Gil immediately pushed back onto it. Nick smirked and thought, ‘man whore’, to himself, and, although he had no idea from where he’d conjured up the phrase, it seemed appropriate.

He pushed the finger back and forth a few times and each time it went in Gil moved back to meet it; he then added his forefinger alongside it and this time when he pushed in he held it there and twisted his fingers, coaxing the muscle to become more pliant. He also located Gil’s prostate gland and rubbed the fingers over it, just a little to further inflame Gil. Nick had to be careful now, because overstimulation would cause Gil to come there and then without further….manual stimulation.

The few strokes he made caused Gil to lift his lower body completely off the bed and present his ass for the taking. Now it was decision time. Did Nick want to take him now, like this? Or should he roll him over, back onto his back and take him from the front. Both had their pros and cons. But now, Nick decided he wanted to see his lover. He wanted the eye contact. He wanted to see the love as well as feel it.

He pulled his fingers out to an audible groan from Gil.

“Turn over now, babe. I want to see you.”

Gil struggled to turn as he was lying between Nick’s legs, but he did and they locked eyes.

“I love you, Nick.”

Nick nodded and for an absurd moment thought he was going to cry. He did cry sometimes when Gil made love to him but usually when he was penetrated, the physical feelings were so intense.

All Nick could do was soundlessly say the words to Gil, who smiled at him and acknowledged the unspoken words.

Nick pushed Gil’s legs up and back; Gil pulled a pillow from the other side of the bed and, hauling his ass in the air, shoved it, unceremoniously, under his ass. While holding onto Gil’s legs, Nick tried to position his cock at Gil’s entrance. It was bobbing up and down and not getting anywhere.

Gil, desperate to continue where Nick’s fingers had left off, reached down between them and grasped Nick’s cock, positioning it himself. The moment the head of Nick’s cock found purchase, Nick pushed and lodged the head inside Gil. Gil took a deep breath and bucked upwards, securing the invasion.

Gil was sufficiently open and lubricated to make the journey easy. Nick pushed slowly, but steadily, breathing heavily, his eyes, screwed tightly shut and then open wide, watching the progress of his own cock as it became imbedded in the man he loved.

Without a condom for the first time, Nick was almost overcome with the sensation. That condoms were supposedly undetectable was obviously a blatant lie perpetuated by the companies that made them. He could feel the heat, the tightness, his own blood pulsing in his cock, or that could have been in his ears, he wasn’t actually too sure, since this feeling was all over him. He had to be careful here, one false move and it would all be over.

He thought about chemical symbols, his usual ‘stand by’ on these occasions. But that was no good. He thought about his old kindergarten teacher, the old dragon, his second ‘stand by’; she was no good either. His last resort was guaranteed. Sara. It worked. He breathed deeply, with his eyes closed for a few moments, and then opened them looking down into the face of his lover…smirking, knowing exactly what Nick had been doing, regardless of the subject matter.

Nick pushed one last time and his tight scrotum was pushed against Gil's ass. He was as deep as he’d ever be. He stayed still a little while as Gil’s muscles worked him. Gil’s erection had flagged a little, but was coming back up.

Nick pulled back out just a little way and he started rocking backwards and forwards. With each rock, Gil's cock got harder and prouder, and then Nick pulled out a little and thrust back in. They gasped together. Nick did it again and then again, each time a little stronger and each time pulling out a little further. Within half a dozen thrusts Nick was, pulling almost all the way out and then pushing back. It was growing in intensity.

He desperately wanted to stop and rest so he didn’t come and he equally desperately wanted to continue, faster. Harder, faster and then come. Shoot up into Gil’s body. Feel the tightness, feel the heat, the intensity of the fire in his belly, in his balls, in his cock.

Gil was rocking beneath him and the rock hard erection of his lover was hitting his prostate now, with every thrust in it smoothed the little gland and with every withdrawal it inflamed it. Gil was going to come without touching himself, but he wanted Nick to touch him, to add to the pleasure. He grabbed his own legs where Nick was holding them.

“Fffuck meee…jerk meee…..Nicky…..now…..ah……” This was whispered but shouted and gasped out, all at the same time.

Nick grasped the cock hard and as he did so lost his rhythm as he started to come; pumping Gil’s ejaculation out of him as he pumped his load into Gil - as together as they’d ever been.

His cock was losing its load into Gil in such a heated explosion that his stomach muscles were contracting in time with the pulsing of his cock. His balls tight and squeezing their contents out.

Nick was very nearly overloaded with pleasure, but was aware of his own agonised, ‘aaaggghhhh’ each time he spurted.

It was the same sound Gil was making as Nick held onto his cock. His hand tight over the skin, furiously pumping and then slowing as Gil's fluid came up in an arc and then down onto his own chest. Nick gently coaxing every drop that Gil was willing to give up…

Nick bent forward over Gil, unable to stay up straight. His forehead found Gil's chest and it rested in a steak of Gil’s cooling semen. Nick chuckled a very timid little chuckle; he had no energy for anything more.

Gil let his own legs drop. The change of angle moving Nick’s deflating penis and causing a few extra twitches of fluid to be forced out.

Nick groaned. He pulled his hips back and his cock fell out of Gil with an unseemly ‘plop’. Neither man cared.

Nick fell to the side of Gil, his head resting on Gil's chest. Their legs entangled. Gil put his arm around Nick and leaned down to kiss the top of Nick’s head. They rested in silence, apart form their heavy breathing.

“I want to become a bottom.” Gil whispered into the hair beneath his mouth.

“Don’t mind sharing.”

“That’s a deal then.”

“Yep.”

“You need to shower Nick, as soon as you can.”

“God, let me rest.”

“You can call me ‘Gil’.”

“What…oh, very funny. Not.”

“Hot water and soap on your poor little dick, Nick. That rhymes.” He laughed. “Come on, no condom, increased chance of infection, minimised by a hot shower and a good soaping.”

“Man, we just fucked our brains out and you can talk like nothing’s happened and make me get up. You’re so keen on a shower you go have one. Nick and his dick are too tired.”

“Come on, I’ll help you.”

“Oh, two minutes, please?”

“Two minutes, no longer.”

Nick was persuaded to get up and take a shower twelve minutes later, but only because he was sticky and it was cold sticky. This man sex was a messy business, there was no disputing that.

“And by the way Nicky, what, exactly, is a ‘man whore’?” Gil wanted to know as he dragged Nick to the shower.

“You are that man.”

Nearly The End

Epilogue

Five days later

Nick arrived home form the gym and as he went to open the front door of the townhouse he heard the distinct thump of a bass. It was coming from inside the house; Gil's house.

As he opened the door, his ears were assaulted by one of his favourite sounds…it certainly was one of Big and Rich’s albums….probably their ‘Horse of a Different Color’. There was also the smell of something spicy being cooked.

He meandered into the kitchen, moving with the music. He found Gil engrossed in a book…a cook book. He was stirring some concoction in a pan on the stove. He looked somewhat harassed.

“Hey, Nicky. I’m thinking that cooking chili really needs flair and originality to concoct the dish, rather than the rigid discipline imposed by a cook book. I think you’ll have to give me some pointers. What do you think?”

“I think you should turn off the stove and bend over the counter………now”

The Very End