saccharine reverie

"dinner?" michael queried with furrowed, arched brows. a hand fixed itself on a loose strand of raven falling into his face. "..with me?"

"yeah, with you! i don't see no other michael in here!" chris responded in jest, with fluster clutching his words. he couldn't get a hearty read on michael's reaction, and if was honest, his insides were burning up at the thought of michael possibly rejecting his advance.

it wasn't helping that michael was kind of squirming in his seat, 'hmm'ing and 'uhhh'ing in the interim. his bright eyes were everywhere but on chris. he was also allowing a smile to tuck itself into the corners of his mouth, but chris couldn't decipher if it was one of those smiles you give when you want to entertain someone's idea but simultaneously don't have the heart to let them down. it was just that ambiguous.

"i mean.. when were you thinking?"

"whatever works for you. just tell me your schedule, and i'll be there to get you."

michael inhaled, "ummmm, i can fit it.. i mean, fit you in my schedule whenever. i'm busy, but not busy enough to not have time for you.." he was still smiling, and he read as tickled, he was.

for years, michael had always thought chris was extremely handsome, but had never confided in anyone about it. not to mention, it was a bit encumbering that lately, chris invited himself to the ranch, and if michael politely tried to tell him he was busy or that he wouldn't be home, he'd insist that he'd wait for him. everything was starting to make sense.

"are you doing anything on wednesday night?"

"wednesday.. let's see." michael's giant eyes peered up to the ceiling in thought, the idea that the chandelier wasn't properly dusted slightly irritating him. "i don't think i'm doing anything that night, no. yeah," he finally worked up the courage to meet chris' intense eye contact. "that works for me."

after chris had left, michael was left to his own devices, still trying to catch up mentally from what had just happened. there's no doubt that chris wasn't apprehensive about it, anyone would be, but the way he proposed the idea so casually.... chris was smooth, michael was smoother, but he still possessed the ability to be thrown off guard by chris' headlong bid.

he was still sat in his living room, unmoved in his position. chris had exited the room with a cologne-engorged embrace and looked over his shoulder to jokingly remind michael to be puntual come wednesday night, that this was no casual dinner and thus, cp time was unacceptable.

michael was at a loss for words. this whole time, chris had a thing for him too. he'd wondered when it all began, was it when they first started hanging out in the 90s? or when they shot the music video? when exactly did this all start, and why had they been bottling up their feelings for one another for years? and once the questions vacated his psyche, they were traded for giddiness, and the singer found himself trying to scavenge the room for the remains of chris' redolence. he always smelled so fucking good, it wasn't even funny.

fortunately for chris, he was michael's type. the singer swung both ways, thought all women were gorgeous, but with men, he had a preference that he kept confident to himself. chris was hot, indisputably, and when they were together, they complemented each other irrefutably. michael figured it had a lot to do with the fact that they shared very similar features, but michael's features were a little softer.

"that chris.." michael shook his head, utterly smashed at the realization that all traces of chris' cologne had abandoned the room. "all this time.." he muttered to himself, replaying chris' skittish expression and the way his voice was constricted by his nerves. it was something michael had picked up on in their friendship, so he had almost complete certainty that chris had to of been working overtime to remain stealth in his nervousness facially, but ultimately failed in his vocalization. contrarily, michael had done an impeccable job at concealing his respective nervousness. he worried that maybe he'd made chris unsure of his reaction, but in a way, it was kind of cute that he made him flustered.

perhaps karma was a bit of a beautiful bitch, because michael would be the one nervous for the next few days leading up to the date. chris had called, normal conversation as if to evade anything he'd want to talk about while on the date. michael found that odd, there was not even a single tinge of flirtatiousness serving the cadence of chris' voice, and because of that, he hesitated to make the first move over the phone. they didn't talk about much, and the conversations were extremely brief in comparison to normal.

wednesday afternoon finally rolled around, and michael didn't have a moment to catch his breath between hair, makeup, making sure the outfit he picked out wasn't too much and wasn't too casual, but ahh, don't wanna overthink it, he was extremely comfortable with chris to begin with. he kept asking for opinions from everyone on staff, switching out his shoes every few minutes, nearly sweating himself into another shower. truthfully, it was probably one of his best looks. everything was giving everything it needed to, hair with a feathered side part bang and fluffy layers, his usual earth toned eye makeup, nothing short of 10 spritzes of cologne, outfit was unspeakably sick, yet wore simplicity that still didn't quite border on casual. it was perfect. he was perfect, the outfit was just the cherry on top.

chris had told michael 6, but it really ended up being more like 7:30, as requested by his assistant. he showed up to the door in black slacks, a black button down with exactly four buttons undone to display his cross pendant, a leather jacket, and black gator dress shoes. his cologne overwhelmed michael, and satiated that craving he had for it just a few days back. chris was astonished at the way michael had cleaned up for him. he'd seen michael in every state possible, including sharp as a tack, but this was probably the best he'd ever seen him before.

"damn, you look good." chris shook his head, his eyes traced over michael in a way that made him want to melt into a puddle. because the dynamic had changed well, wholly between them, michael was trying to conjure up how to shift the way he spoke to chris, or if he even needed to. this wasn't overt flirting, he wasn't licking his lips or spewing out anything that would make his knees go weak. still, he had to wrap his head around the fact that at this point right now at least, they weren't just friends for the night.

"..really? you think so?" was all that michael could pry out under his blushing.

chris tilted his head and looked at michael as if to say, 'c'mon now..'. he chuckled. "yes. i think everyone would agree with me." he watched michael's eyes drop from their locking into his own and onto the driveway to defer his attention. "alright, mr. flustered, let's get in this limo and go. i'm starving like marvin."

michael sat next to him in the limo, but his eyes remained elsewhere. chris was overt with his staring through their small talk. truthfully, he couldn't shake the way michael absolutely glowed. he had always been unworldly gorgeous, but tonight, when the street lights illuminated from outside, the glow on his skin danced like diamonds. it was as if he had been powdered in glitter. chris found himself losing the jestful manner in which he normally talked to michael in collateral for a softer tone, biting back the urge to clutch the singer's hand into his own. it was just a bit too early for that.

they were immediately taken to a private entrance and into a secluded dining area, serviced right away. chris ordered still water for the table and a few appetizers, being left from the waiter with a dimly lit room with ambient music, a lounge in the left quadrant of the room to hang out in later on. michael had frequented most luxury dining establishments across the world, especially los angeles, but this was a new spot that chris had sneakily asked michael if he'd been to before, and he hadn't. it was gorgeous, and the menu looked ridiculously promising.

"anything you recommend?" michael flipped through the menu with a tilt to his head, "everything just sounds so good."

"i actually have never been here myself." chris confessed, his eyes squinted at the ossobuco and the sides it paired with. "but yeah, you're definitely right, everything sounds incredible. i'm looking at this ossobuco and wonderin' if that's gonna be the one for me."

"the risotto alla milanese with scallops is calling my name, i can't lie." michael chuckled, "and maybe amarone, but i know you don't drink, i probably shouldn't be drinking in front of you."

chris looked up. "no, no.. michael, get what you want! just 'cause i don't drink doesn't mean you can't. i don't mind, i just want you to enjoy yourself."

michael shrunk in shyness, "okay.." he smirked a little once his stomach lurched at the ossobuco's description, "are you going to let me try some of yours? it sounds so good, but i can't fully commit to it."

"yeah, and if you like it, we'll just get you a plate to go, that way you don't have to eat mine all up," he pauses with raised brows, perfect comedic timing on his words. "'cause i know you will."

michael felt himself dizzy with laughter. chris was the funniest person he knew, even when he wasn't trying. he took the back of his hand and slightly struck chris' right hand on the table, muttering a 'i will not!' in rebuttal.

once their orders were placed, chris inhaled sharply and fixed his owlish eyes onto michael intensely. "i'm sure you're thinking, why is this fool asking me on a date? especially after all these years. i wasn't fake kickin' it or nothing like that, i just didn't wanna scare you off."

"scare me off?"

"you know, when you been friends with somebody for years and years, and you got feelings for 'em, you don't wanna run the risk of ruining things between y'all. and i didn't wanna overstep and scare you away." he laced his hands together, "i don't know what got into me, but i guess i figured it was now or never, and i knew it would only be a matter of time before you'd be off the market again."

michael raised a brow. "i don't know about that.. and i also don't know that you would've scared me off, chris. even if i had said no, i think at least on my end, we still would've remained in good standing with each other." he blinked. "but.. how long have you felt this way? i'd be lying if i said i wasn't--"

"shocked. i know." chris cut him off sheepishly. "all i can really say is, it's been many, many years. i can't even really pinpoint how long. i just let it build up over time to where i couldn't fool with it anymore. i had to ask you out now, or maybe i'd never do it'."

"wow.." michael looked down. so it had been years, not within the last year. "i didn't.. wow, i wasn't expecting years."

"look, i'm just happy it wasn't obvious."

"noo, i was blindsided! honestly! you'd like an old man like me?"

chris sucked his teeth, "c'mon, mike. you not that old. i mean, you not a spring chicken no more, but you still got it, don't play with yourself like that!" he kidded. "you being older than me doesn't matter, why would that matter?"

"i don't know, i guess it doesn't." he slipped a finger across his bangs to move them out of his eyesight. his eyes landed on the comedian's rolex, then back to his eyes. "i uh.. i just.. well, i've had feelings for you too. if we're being candid."

chris' eyes receded, "you're messing with me."

"noo, i'm not messing with you at all, chris." michael divulged, "for many years myself, too. i just didn't think you'd be interested nor did i think you'd be okay with our age difference."

they sat in silence for a minute, gathering themselves at the thought that they could've been with each other for years, and time had been more or less wasted. they mutually landed on the things they could've been doing together, and why it had taken this long for either of them to make a move even when risk was on the table.

"so..i like you, and you like me?" chris broke the silence with a smirking tone. "that's what i'm hearing."

"you're right." michael pursed his lips. he nodded, then lifted the perspiring glass of water to his lips and took in the younger's disposition of processing all of this information in front of his eyes. chris looked disturbed, but not necessarily in a bad way, it was just that all this time he could've been fighting his own cowardice. he wasn't big on dating, and he hadn't dated a lot, much less men, michael was the first man he'd ever really fallen for deeply. the first person, man or woman, that had intimidated him to the extent of hesitating to pursue.

"i'm at a loss." chris uncoupled his eyes from the steamed wine clams on the plate in front of him to peer up and into michael's round eyes. "but honestly, i really do like you. i don't think it's ever been just general admiration for me. you really are.. everything."

michael couldn't help but be a bit asphyxiated by the abrupt shift of their dynamic. chris looked to be a second away from pissing himself every time they met eyes, it was so obvious now. it was as if their normal, light-hearted and joke-riddled bond had been traded for that of shy glances and unsure verbalizations. his words sat in his throat for a moment, processing what he was hearing. "everything?"

"yeah," chris' being stood still and stable, sure of himself. "i mean, it's not 'cause you're the best that's ever done it. you're just all the things i'm attracted to." his eyes scattered all over the visible parts of michael. "i've never met such a gentle, loving, real person in my life. you're one of one. and i know you hear that to the point where it gets old, but man, do i mean that."

"thank you..."

"talking to you.. i don't think i've honestly ever felt this at home with anyone i've ever known..and i'm not the type of dude that can just.. wear my heart on my sleeve like that around just anybody. i'm an open book with you, happily, you've got me open as wide as i can go."

michael reached over to place a hand to chris' wrist. "i'm relieved that i can do that for you. and you're a beautiful person -- such a special person to me, chris. i mean it. i really cherish what we have together.. i hope.. i hope i don't come across like i don't want you over or anything like that. i like having you around, i.. i love having you around."

chris relaxed into the melodious cadence of michael's voice. his voice was a lullaby of words. so thoughtful with how he spoke. it was true that behind closed doors, michael was a lot more frank, he was even quite hilarious, but still maintained his feather gentle demeanor. it was one of the reasons chris felt at peace with him around. everything about michael was delicate and diligent in nature.

their entrees arrived as they tried to conjure up their next dialogue, mutually. they'd commented on how good everything looked, and said a quick prayer before moaning into their food. chris' head jerked back at how amazing the veal was, it was so tender, it fell completely apart. he raised his fork to michael's mouth, "here."

"oh!" michael's eyes flickered up at him, then leaned forward to take a bite. "ohhhh wow.." he pressed his fingers against his carnation lips. "i'm definitely getting that to go."

"see, i knew it!" chris shook his head with the accompaniment of a knowing smile, "anyway. i love having you around, too, michael. and i would be lying if i said i wasn't feeling a way about your feelings being mutual. i just.. i just don't know what to do now."

"we date." michael presents matter of factly. "we start dating."

"like that?" chris choked. "you don't want me to at least wine and dine you a few times or nothing?"

"wine and dine me?" michael sits back in his chair, swirling his wine glass with a brow raised. "if you really wanna do that.. we can take it slow, i'm fine with that. but we don't have to go out like this all the time."

chris wasn't sure if he wanted to take it slow, truthfully. michael was just sitting there, extremely gorgeous with giant, twinkling stars emanating from his being. he was delicate and notably intimidating tonight. the actor found himself threatened with heat beneath his cheeks, constantly concerned about making the wrong move or being too forward. he finally had the chance to impress michael, but wasn't sure how to take them to the next level without correct pacing.

"i mean, i don't want to take it slow." chris admitted, folding his hands over the tablecloth. "do you wanna take it slow?"

"are you really that concerned with turning me off, chris tucker?" michael leaned forward. perhaps the amarone was getting the best of him and was starting to creep up and employ itself as bonafide crunk juice in his system. he was starting to withdraw his butterflies in his stomach to invite chris to be a bit more audacious.

"it's not that!" chris rebutted, "it's just that i don't wanna be too forward! tell me how i'm s'posed to go from being best friends with you to wanting to do some things to you. but with no intermission?"

"we need an intermission?" michael bypassed the latter comment chris made, because if had stayed on the topic of chris doing some things to him for too long, he'd flip the table over with a hard-on.

"no," chris cocked his neck, "i've been waiting for this moment for a long time. i said that. i'd be lying if i said i didn't want to be with you already. i'm just a gentleman. i can't be a southern gentleman, michael?"

the singer couldn't do anything but jut his lips up in a smirk at this. he set his wine glass down, then stickered his eyes onto chris' body. the wine was working day and night now, coursing through his system and invoking him to act on impulse. fuck, he couldn't help it. all that shy butterflies shit could be backseated. they were grown, and chris was too fine for him to play the waiting game with. it was like he was teasing michael with how his pecs were showing in the window of that button up, glistening with what he figured was an amalgam of baby oil and cocoa butter. his lips were smoothed over with lip balm too -- utterly begging to be locked on to, face clear and most likely rubbed down with shea butter. he was deliciously caramel, and michael wanted to be stuck in all of that. no lie.

"you can be a gentleman.." michael trailed off. "i don't need you to be one for me, though. especially when you look that good."

chris raised his brows at michael's vibe shift. alcohol had the tendency to do michael in. he became electric, and he'd watched the singer do some pretty wild (fun) shit while under the influence. totally out of character. but this was different. michael looked like he was on the prowl. and chris, well, he was amenable to this. "so you're saying that we don't gotta do all this courting stuff, we can really get to it?"

"well, do you want me?" michael purred.

"i think that goes without saying." chris leaned closer to the inebriated. "i don't gotta beg, do i?"

michael rested his head on his hand, leaving the other with infatuation as he leaned more and more into sultriness. "maybe you do. what do you want from me, chris tucker?"

"what do i want from you? no, i want you. there's a difference." his eyes got low after throwing a smirk in michael's direction, "first i wanna make you mine, then those things i was telling you i wanted to do to you before?" he paused, "i wanna do that."

it was only minutes before michael sloppily notified his security detail that they were to make sure nobody came into the room, not even to inquire about dessert for the pair. there was no need. michael figured that he was the dessert, seeing at chris' sweet tooth for him was bordering on hankering.

they tangled themselves into the cushiony lounge, starting with uninterrupted eye contact, their breath sitting on top of one another. there was mutual disbelief that they were this close to one another. chris cradled michael's waist, his scent sending blood rushing to places that were already intoxicated with the rush of being in chris' vicinity. michael's hand raveled in chris', their eyes deeply enmeshed.

"michael.." chris took the other's free hand and pressed it to his lips. michael wanted to melt at the warmth, the tenderness of chris' lips, the thought of them being on his own. "you're so beautiful. i don't think you understand just how beautiful you are. it's wild."

even with liquid courage in his body, michael still found himself utterly clumsily embarrassed by the compliments and affection chris was putting in his direction. "stop, chris..."

"you are! you have to know you are. you know, don't you?"

"i don't know about that."

"well, how 'bout i'm confirming that you are. you believe me?" and chris was staring at michael intensely. there was no doubt about it, he was really feeling the singer. his eyes steadied and he pressed another kiss to michael's hand.

"no, seriously. you think i'm beautiful?" the singer stumbled all over his words in a drunken stupor.

"gorgeous. i don't know how you do it, either. but i've always thought you were gorgeous."

"so are you, though." michael confessed. "and you smell so good, it does something to me."

"hmm?" chris tightened his grip on michael's slim waist. "and what does it do to you?"

"mmm.. makes me sick for you. i was sick the past few days.. i wanted to smell you again.. it's like a visceral reaction."

chris' heart skipped a little at this. michael liked him a hell of a lot more than he thought. sure, their feelings were mutual, but mutually intense wasn't expected. his eyes fell to their legs against one another, then felt himself itch under the urge to take it a step further. "can i kiss you?"

"yes..i'd like that a lot." michael felt his heart race not just at the thought of chris kissing him, but the way his cologne would stick on his skin and clothes after he did this. not only that, but chris really was a true gentleman. he didn't have to ask, and michael was going to allow him to do anything he wanted, but man was it all the more hot to have his comfort considered.

chris placed a few tender kisses on his neck, then exhaled and pressed their lips against one another. their lips chased one another uninterrupted. they were both immaculate kissers, the way their lips fit together like puzzle pieces and the pacing of the caresses was nothing short of providential. michael slipped his hands over chris' shoulders and allowed him to decrease their distance to the limit. they continued making out until chris could feel himself nursing a protesting hard-on in his slacks.

"i'm hard." chris broke the kiss. he bit down on his lips, entranced by michael's skillful kissing, the way the amarone on his breath mixed with the vanilla of his lip balm. he was delicious. you couldn't even taste the meal on his breath, he was perfect like that.

"oh.." michael peeked down at the print standing out against the dim light of the lounge. his hand reached forward, but not without looking up for a nod from chris. once he obliged, michael began to tease him, a hand cradling chris' neck as he began to kiss him once again, other hand sliding over the print.

chris moaned a little, "ooh, just.. just take it out."

michael tilted his head, and felt the heavy stare of chris fall on top of him. it was sick how beautiful michael was in every movement he made. his blowout's bouncy, glossy curls against his glowing skin, and the way his lips were permanently in a smirk at this point. it was turning chris on even more that this beautiful being was undoing his pants and greeting his member as a result.

it bounced out, and michael wasted no time in stroking from the base to tip smoothly. he placed one of his hands to chris' scrotum to massage in rhythm with the stroke of his other hand, biting down on his own lip carried by a smirk in reaction to chris letting out a few rare expletives. it had to feel good, because chris didn't curse, but he was colorful in each stroke michael gave to his throbbing dick.

chris didn't need amarone, chardonnay, or sauvignon blanc to become drunk tonight. he was drunk off of michael. he couldn't get enough, and michael was a pro at pleasure, just his luck. he threw his head back a few times, knitting his brows in focus when watching michael's magic work his dick into going rock-solid. here, before he could bust, he began to crush his and michael's lips together once more, then stood the singer up and over the couch, a kiss to his neck while he undid his belt and teased his dick against michael's ass.

"i need you so bad.." chris' voice went breathless, and he rocked his hips against the older man's ass before opening him up, a soft gasp escaping the other's lips. he entered him, going as gentle as he could manage against the hunger inside of himself. he steadied his hands on michael's hips and began to buck back and forth, and michael flawlessly joined him in flow.

chris felt shockingly good. he was a master at this, and michael cursed himself for missing out on such a good fuck all these years. he reached back and held chris' head closer to his shoulder, stopping for a kiss before resuming their lovemaking. the younger was minutes away from busting inside of him, and the way michael laced their hands together, moaned, and placed chris' hands on his waist and ass definitely didn't prolong him finishing. he was just so fucking hot, and the way he was a an expert at being a bit of a tart was making chris roll his eyes into the back of his head every few seconds. he was delicious.

"you feel so.. ahh man," chris whined, "you feel so good, i'm 'bout to bust, i can't take it anymore, michael, damn." he squeezed at the tight ass, "how do you do it? i'm sweating, you got me cussing, i swear you gotta be perfect or something."

though tickled, michael remained in his state of focus, bucking back on chris in a way that made him spill out a few 'shit's and 'fuck's, blowing his cheeks out and crying out under his breath once he was ready to come. michael rode back one last time before chris pulled out and released on his ass.

chris fell to the couch, cleaning himself up with a napkin from one of the tables and cleaned michael up in front of him. he was fucked out, but still maintained his beauty against the sweat and labored breathing. once michael was cleaned up and pulled his pants back up, he collapsed next to the comedian and rested his head against his. "mmm..how was that?"

"i'm gone have to keep you. i can't let nobody have none of that." chris' lip twisted, the breathless michael gifting him laughter in exchange. "you definitely mine now, that's for sure."

"aw, you're gonna keep me, chris?" michael teased. "not bad for an old man, huh?"

"i mean, i could barely even keep up with you. that's that dancer's endurance and agility, huh?"

"maybe." michael leaned to kiss up on chris' cologned neck once more, even his sweat was sweet. "you felt so good, i'm going to sleep good tonight..can't tell you the last time i got some."