fire & embers

I hate to be basic, but I do love a good face pairing from a popular show, so Charles Melton jumps to mind. Other than that I'm very open! Keep in mind the muse would be college age too due to the nature of the starter (them being best friends). That's about it :)

    Sutton's toes curled in his sneakers. He stifled a grin at the kisses to his neck. "Cut it out!" He admonished as the other slid his hands up his shirt. He was certain his friend wouldn't be doing this if he didn't like making Sutton squirm so much. This was a new thing between them ever since Sutton had admitted to his best friend being exactly his type. It had been game over after that. Sutton's cheeks were already tinged with the heat of his embarrassment intermingled with desire. His head fell back against the door and a groan escaped his throat. Sutton swallowed. "If you leave a mark, you're in trouble." An accusation Sutton based on history. Every time they did this there was some sort of coaxing involved. It was kind of thrilling actually. Even more thrilling than the thrum of loud music through the door reminding Sutton that there were people on the other side. People who had no idea they were in here together. People who were their friends and classmates. "I'm serious, I'll..." Sutton warned, holding back a peal of laughter as the male below tried to rub his finger over the sensitive area just above the small of his back. He couldn't think of what to threaten with so he settled for letting his hands explore too.

  It's about the time Riley chases his kiss which makes Ian realize he was right about the other boy. Knows now that Riley would go to more lengths just to fool around. Knows, by some new measure, how much Riley wants this. It makes Ian want to keep measuring. The press of Riley's body against his own makes Ian go still. Their bodies are pressed together and although they've fooled around before Ian has never been so aware of Riley against him. He tugs more tightly at Riley's hair and locks eyes with the smaller male. Breaths mingle, heartbeats clash against one another beneath their skin. Teeth graze against that pale expanse of neck and Ian whispers against it, ‘ Yeah? You want it bad? ’ Lips curl into the hint of a smile. ‘ How bad? Tell me...tell me what filthy thoughts go through your head then. Tell me how you think about it every time you see me. ’ Partly, a test, partly curiosity. Ian wants to see if Riley will keep that boldness when he's forced to verbalize his dirtiest fantasies. He also wants to know the contents of those fantasies. To know how deep that desire runs. Ian feels like there's fire there; and he wants to play with it.

  Christian's expression flattened with the look in eyes and he stared angel down. "What you mean to say is...you went behind my back, against my wishes, to used my reputation for your own gain. Despite my being clear with you what I wanted. Yes?" There was a certain disappointment in his features which he quickly hid. If ever there was something Christian was protective of it was appearances. He didn't want to give off the impression that either of them were having a bad time. Whether or not that was the case. "You're my guest, Angel." Christian said and sipped at his champagne. "And I've been getting questions that are awkward for me. Questions I was trying not to answer until we spoke." Truth be told Christian knew it wasn't as big a deal as he was making it but he'd had trouble with guys in the past. They'd not take him seriously when he said he didn't want anything that wasn't casual and he'd eventually be made a bad guy in their eyes when he reiterated what he'd always said in the beginning. Angel didn't seem the sort but that was little reassurance. "If I didn't want to arouse any more suspicion I'd take you back to the room and put you back in line." He lifted a brow, unable to help himself. "People would look then, wouldn't you say?"

    "'Scuse me," Christian gave a polite smile to the person chatting with the guy he'd invited here. "I just need to borrow him for a minute." Christian appeared respectful but it was clear this wasn't a question. He walked a few paces away with the other and tossed back a champagne flute. Christian turned and peered around them. "Have you been telling people you're my date?" asked Christian. He wasn't normally so serious but this discussion couldn't be avoided. Christian didn't want confusion. Confusion led to hurt feelings which then often led to complication. Christian tailored everything in his life to be as free of complication as possible but most especially his bed partners. "Because...I thought we were clear about this."

    "'Scuse me," Christian gave a polite smile to the person chatting with the guy he'd invited here. "I just need to borrow him for a minute." Christian appeared respectful but it was clear this wasn't a question. He walked a few paces away with the other and tossed back a champagne flute. Christian turned and peered around them. "Have you been telling people you're my date?" asked Christian. He wasn't normally so serious but this discussion couldn't be avoided. Christian didn't want confusion. Confusion led to hurt feelings which then often led to complication. Christian tailored everything in his life to be as free of complication as possible but most especially his bed partners. "Because...you're not. I don't have a date. You're my guest." He paused. "You know that. Right? There's a difference."

    A car had been sent to pick Harvey up. His eyes widened as he looked at the growing sizes of houses along their route to his destination. Harvey was gracious (but a little awkward) as one of the house staff greeted him at the door. He must be earlier than he thought because no other cars were outside with the one sent for him. Harvey climbed the stairs to a bedroom at the end of a long hall and his face brightened as he spotted the man inside. "Hey!" he tried to dial down the cheer. This was his one chance to impress these people. The invitation had come after a work party Harvey spent joking flirting with the guy before him. It was like he was getting the chance to be in the inner cirlce. Harvey's Uncle thought so too; encouraged him to go. Harvey offered the champagne bottle in his hands. "My uncle's idea," Harvey shrugged sheepishly. "Where is everyone?" He looked back down the hall from the doorway, as though to catch the sounds of other guests. "Won't they be late for the party?" He chuckled, noting the other's attire. "You will be too. If you don't finish getting ready." He must be early. No other explanation.

  There was one thing on his mind about Owen's words. "But you were going to tease me?" He let his hand drift lower on Owen's chest to his stomach. "Tease me how?" Curiosity was killing him.

    Harvey's cheeks couldn't possibly be more flushed with color than they were already but Owen's comment definitely took the gold for trying to make them. He was only this abashed now that he'd gotten caught. Before, he'd been shameless. Just as shameless as Owen's kiss. Harvey mutedly gasped into Owen's lips and his eyes fell shut as those fingers tightened in his curls. Harvey kept his eyes closed for a few more seconds after their kiss ended. He blinked them open and swallowed. His brain was rebooting and he had to collect his faculties after experiencing what he'd always assumed would just be a fantasy. Harvey's slacks were so tight it was almost painful. It seemed just sitting in the older man's lap, feeling the warmth of his body, having their lips pressed together...it was enough to rouse him fully. "I could...get you some coffee...?" Harvey asked, a tease in his words. "Um. Maybe bring you lunch or...give you a massage?" He only imagined what playing coy now would get him.

    Harvey stepped forward, his heartbeat still doing a dance in his ears, and wondered what would happen next. The grip on his hip and the gentle guidance to sit on the man's lap was unexpected but not unwelcome. It made him feel a sort of uncertainty. Even in his wildest fantasies he never imagined Owen would welcome him so readily. He still felt the shame of embarrassment over him like a cloud as he sat in Owen's lap. Though the sting of it was becoming less and less pronounced as the minutes passed. He sat straighter as he was called a good boy. He had to take a breath before he answered Owen, though. "It...it feels good," he admitted. "Except..." His cheeks were still red. His body was warm against Owen's. "Except I'm embarrassed. About how I behaved." He gathered all his courage and forced himself to meet his superior's gaze. "I feel like I made--like, a mess." He lifted his brows. "And you're being so nice about it." Harvey checked around the office even though they were the only two there. "Why, exactly, are you being nice, Sir?"

    Harvey ran a hand through his hair. He wished he had a bottle of water for how dry his throat had become. He felt a knot in his stomach like a stone had caught in it. He felt a heat rise in his cheeks. How could telling the truth let him keep his job? At best this would seem like harrassment. At worst it would seem like an intern letting his crush on someone ruin his work and interfere with the business. Who would keep an employee like that either way? How could the truth save him? Harvey knew what Owen wanted. He wanted Harvey to get real. Harvey looked down. "I'm...provoking you..." There. It was out there now. "I just want...I mean, I don't know what it is...but I just want you to have to focus on me. When you do it feels..." He trailed off with a flushed face. "You know the worst part?" Harvey gave a wry laugh. "I like doing a good job. I like to know I'm doing well." Praise from people he admired was something Harvey craved. "But somehow with you...I needed this more than I needed to do well." So let Owen fire him then. At least he'd laid it all out. It was up to Owen to get what he meant.

    Harvey had to remind himself to breathe. He shook his head. Scoffed. "You can't do this to me," he said. "You can't just put my job on the line like that!" He knew the few times he messed up had been a headache but this time he'd made the mistake of involving a report that the boss relied on. He'd only been trying to make enough trouble to get a rise out of Owen. He knew he was wasting precious seconds but Harvey was stalling. He hadn't thought Owen noticed that Harvey's behavior only occurred around Owen. He had to come up with a convincing lie. "I...don't like you." That was harsh. Also a little incriminating. As if he was messing up out of disrespect. That would definitely lose him his job if Owen was serious. Harvey tried again. "I mean---you make me nervous." Who could blame someone for being nervous? "You're...a big deal around here. It makes me nervous and I just...I want to meet your standards. Only I can't concentrate. When it comes to you. So I make mistakes." Would half truths and flattery get him out of this one? Everything Harvey said was true but it didn't reveal the intentions behind messing up. He wanted Owen's attention. "I don't how to fix that." Harvey brought his shoulders up to his ears and then dropped them. "Do you?"

    "Look, I said it was a mistake." Harvey tried to sound defensive. It wasn't a mistake. He'd incorrectly filed a report to their boss upstairs and knew what he'd been doing the whole time. Last time Harvey had been called to the man's office it was because he failed to clean up coffee he'd spilled on his boss' desk. Harvey had ruined some papers and it caused the whole day to be lost chasing down original copies across departments for reprinting. Did the man think he was clumsy? Incompetent? Harvey knew his peer had tried to minimize contact between them but he couldn't help doing things like this to get his attention. Any attention from him at all. "I'll be more careful, okay?" He wouldn't. "So...just get off my back." This was the boldest he'd been thus far. His heartbeat sounded in his ears as he tried to read the other. "If there's nothing else...?" He hoped not to be dismissed.

    "Your toys, huh?" Carter found that both hot and provocative but he wasn't going to show which he felt more of. "We're not like your average couple." And they weren't. "We never could be. Not because of what I do. What I'm trying to build." Building an empire often required sacrifice and Carter was prepared to make them all. He never imagined himself with a boyfriend because he knew that person would have to sacrifice as well. This would test them. He leaned his head back against the wall and studied Harry. "The only one fucking me...?" He didn't outright dismiss the idea. His fingers trailed up beneath Harry's shirt across his abs before dropping down to Harry's waist. "It might be bad for business. They'd see the same pair over and over again." His gaze flickered to Harry's lips and back again. "We'd have to find a way to keep it interesting..." Carter knew how to table a discussion. "Convince me you can," he teased, palm moving to Harry's bulge.

  "This a game to you?" Gabriel lifted his brows. "We fool around but you scare off the guys trying to hit on me?" He didn't want a relationship. Didn't want commitment. It's partly what made the other man attractive to Gabriel. He knew there was little chance of either thing happening between them. "Cause I hate to break it for you. I'm not a one guy at a time kind of man." He shook his head, tugging on his shirt after the other tried to seduce him. "I'm a free agent. I play the field." Gabriel gave a pointed stare. "And I don't like when guys try to block me from scoring." Then, "So, really. What's up with that?"