that's how it started, at least. recently, more often than not -- shane's been out at a different bar each night, finding some girl to bring back to his place so he won't be alone when rick decides he's tired of hanging around doing nothing and retreats to spend the night with lori. tonight would be one of those nights.

rick's already told him that he wouldn't be there, so he's shameless when he's at some club that he doesn't think anyone's gonna recognize him in -- comprised mainly of men who are all there looking for the same thing. it made things easy, there wasn't much chit-chat between shane and the man that he took home that night. honestly, he never bothered to learn his name. he wasn't sure if he'd be able to remember it, anyway, with the amount he had to drink.

it doesn't surprise him that the morning after the other man hadn't stayed by the time shane woke up. on his days off, he's started to develop the habit of sleeping in to make up for the previous weeks worth of restless nights. it typically wouldn't be that big of a deal -- but he hears talking in the other room, and that was enough to get him to get the fuck out of bed and get himself half decent before entering the kitchen.

what he walks into makes his heart fall - rick was here. talking to... whatever that guy's name was, even though shane thinks.. or, hopes, that the man was on his way out -- the damage was already done. he wasn't sure if there was anything he could say, so he looks between them both before his gaze settles on rick. ❛ … i, uh.. thought you were staying at lori's last night... ❜ it's spoken like an explanation instead of a question, and whoever that guy was seemed to sense that he should be going, so he mentions that he'd see shane around before making his exit. he prays to a god he doesn't believe in that the guy just played up the act that he and shane were old friends, or something, even if shane had bolted out of his room in nothing more than a pair of pajama bottoms he hastily put on when he realized rick might be back. || @mercyprevaild semi-plotted starter

it seemed the two of them could never go for long without having one of these petty disagreements. voices were raised, and though shane would like to say that things were different now... that he wasn't the same man, filled to the brim with rage as he was when he'd left.. that same anger fights to be known, and he wants to scream, shout at rick for how stubborn he was -- how nothing can get through to him, how he thinks he knows everything but he's still as ignorant as the day that he walked out of that hospital.

then --- he says that. it was the last fuckin' thing he expects to hear out of ricks mouth, and the bastard almost looks smug about the whole thing... there was a newfound heat that lingers within these sorts of conversations, an intensity that was never there before. even if it's precisely what rick wants, attention is brought down to linger at those pretty, pink lips.

a frustrated grunt and shanes mouth is on his -- hands coming to rest on the mans hips to guide him back and press him against the wall of the small cell they share. any tenderness he usually reserves for rick can't be found in how he handles him now, pulling back and bringing a hand up to place it around his neck.

A frustrated scowl pulled at the behemoth’s bearded lips when his boot fell into the dirt rather than crashing down on his opponents chest. He moved swiftly, more swiftly than Beta anticipated. Beta turned quickly on his heels to face the man, and when he did, a punch was being thrown his way.

It was fortunate that this intruder was so fast. Otherwise that punch wouldn’t have landed against Beta’s chest. The impact was hard enough to just barely wind him, causing the giant the grunt out and step back. He shook his head to the side once and within seconds he was leaping forward at the smaller man like a wild beast.

Nobody could land a hit like that and get away with it. Had Beta not been so annoyed, he would have been impressed at such a feat.

The two toppled to the forest floor, the Whisperer pinned him down with one hand held firmly around Shane’s neck, enough that it would leave a bruise later. He snarled out at him. “You are making it difficult to spare you.”

                  sparing him wasn’t something that shane had believed to still be an option. the first time that he was permitted to leave after beta decided not to kill him on sight, he thought it to be a one time exception. made him fight like hell now, try not to back down from the fight he’d know he’d lose. 

                  the swing back at the brute landed him here, lay flat on his back -- sucking in whatever quick breaths he could while he was pinned beneath the man above him. hands fall to either side of his head, trying to show the other that he wasn’t gonna try pulling anything else. through strained, choked breaths he tries to get out a reply.   

Rick can’t deny that he is hooked on the way Shane looks at him now. Addicted to it. Maybe even desperate for it. Always glancing over his shoulder with some hope to find the other man nearby looking a hair away from rabid. Mostly, because he knows it’ll always lead to this.

“Shit– ah,” gasping hotly into the cool air of the prison, Rick’s head drops back as sinful lips travel his neck. His hips rock into the hand cupping him through his jeans, far too tight for comfort, he’s aching to get them off but even more so when Shane drops to his knees.

His head falls forward, watching with half lidded eyes that he won’t shut because like he hell he was gonna miss such a sight. He isn’t sure who is more eager at this point and somehow that only fuels the fire. It’s spreads rapidly from his groin, every inch of him sensitive to Shane’s touch, and he groans desperate to hear Shane begging for it. He can’t remember ever feeling so wanted.

“Easy,” he breathes with a laugh, fingers soothing through Shane’s hair, noticing it damp with the heat that’s rising between them. Seconds later that same hand fumbles with his belt, then the fastenings beneath. He torments Shane all the more by dragging that zipper down slow while watching above with a devious smirk.

His teasing is shortlived, a moment later his jeans and boxers are clinging to his thighs. One hand slides up, pulling his shirt up to expose a taut stomach. His chest rises and falls more rapidly. His other hand is eager as it sweeps through Shane’s hair again and grips loosely, his voice rough with desire when he murmurs for only him to hear.

“Go on. Show me how bad y'want me.”

            it was damn hard keeping his hands to himself. though once he falls to his knees -- he does just that. rick tells him to settle down, and he leans his head into rick’s palm when his fingers run through his hair. 

            it has to be deliberate. the way he fumbles the belt, that long, slow pull of his zipper. fuck, it made him squirm in his spot - glance back up at rick and find he struggled to hold his gaze. that smug fuckin’ smirk. made it face flush, realize the position he was in. on his knees, a hand coming up to rest on rick’s calf, tug a bit on his jeans to try to silently encourage him to hurry it up. 

            cock is unsheathed, and then those fingers are back to grip a fistful of his hair.  ❛ oh, fuck, ❜  he doesn’t waste time once he’s given the chance to touch him again, one hand coming up to jerk him off while he leans forward to kiss at the base.  ❛ thank you.. thank you, ❜  it’s repeated as he pulls himself back, looks at rick while he presses a gentle kiss against the head of his cock. it never mattered what state that man was in, he was always so god damn pretty. especially like this, face flushed, breathing hitched and dick standing at attention because of Shane. Fuck - still makes his head spin thinkin’ that he can turn Rick into a whimperin mess. That it was him alone that was responsible for that gruff, husky voice that sends shivers down his spine.