#engineering au

“McLaughlin!” someone hollered and waved from a group of people crowding near the entrance of the lunch room. Rhett spotted the blond, smiling man and changed his course towards the group.

“Matt, hi,” Rhett greeted the man who had waved him over with a genuine, warm smile. He nodded to the other people in the group as well, getting a few friendly greetings in return.

“I thought you weren’t coming! Something about a scheduling conflict?” Matt asked leaning closer. He was looking at Rhett with glazed eyes and holding a beer that was definitely not his first one. He didn’t sound accusing, just curious and jovial.  

“Oh, yeah. The um… other thing. It was moved to next week. So, here I am!” Rhett lied trying to maintain eye contact with the man’s drifting gaze. Matt smiled at him and attempted to slap Rhett’s shoulder missing it and hitting his bicep instead. Rhett felt like sighing. Matt was a good guy, one of Rhett’s favorite team members, but Rhett had no interest on having a conversation with a drunken version of him.

“That’s great, man. You came at the perfect time. The party’s just getting started!” Matt hollered and lifted his bottle above his head sloshing the golden liquid on Rhett’s sleeve. A few people from the group hooted and cheered and lifted their drinks. Rhett nodded, brushed off the beer droplets and smiled tightly.

“Get yourself a drink! You’ve got a lot of catching up to do!” Matt said with a slight slur. He motioned towards the door behind him. Rhett took the offered excuse to leave and stepped inside the dimly lit cafeteria.

He immediately wanted to walk out of the room – possibly the whole party. A band consisting of employees Rhett didn’t really know was playing way too loudly and slightly out of tune. Strings of colorful fairy lights hung haphazardly from the ceiling and the whole room was drowned in tinsel. Some of the tables had been moved to the side at the far end of the room and there was a group of people gathered around the makeshift dance floor nudging each other and tittering into each other’s ears.

Rhett ignored the crowd and walked up to the buffet. He might as well have a drink since he’d come all this way. One drink, one walk around the office and then he’d go home. Link wasn’t here. Why would he be? He wasn’t exactly a people person. Always sitting alone at lunch and honestly, Rhett had never seen him talk to anyone about anything else but work. He’d been a fool to think he might find him here.

And come Monday, he would have certainly lost his nerve again.

Rhett eyed the drinks and grabbed an okay-looking bottle of beer from a cooler. He twisted the cap off and turned to go and do another round. As he was about to step out of the cacophony he caught a flash of dark hair and glasses between the aforementioned crowd. Rhett’s heart leapt and he changed course, heading towards the crowd. He’s here!

Loud laughter could be heard now and as he advanced on the dance floor, it was dawning on Rhett that it was not the nice kind. Rhett frowned and quickened his step.

A few people Rhett didn’t know by name passed him and he heard a snippet of their conversation.

“What an idiot…”

“Well, you’d be an idiot too if someone had spiked your drink!”

Heart in his throat Rhett abandoned his beer onto a side table and rushed forward pushing his way through the throng of on-lookers.

In the middle of the dance floor was indeed Link. He had on tight black jeans and a colorful button-down that hugged his shoulders in just the right way. His hair was mussed up and his eyes were closed behind his glasses that had slipped down his nose and hung crooked on his face. He was holding a half-finished drink in his hand and his lips were moving a little; he might have been mouthing the words of the song under his breath. He was dancing wildly; swaying his hips almost pornographically, the empty hand lifted above his head drawing invisible swirls into the air. Rhett’s mind only barely managed to note how gorgeous he looked before he was by his side and guiding him off of the dance floor.

“McLaughlin!” someone complained. “Let him be! He’s just providing us some entertainment.”

There were a few dirty laughs and Rhett threw the crowd a look sharp enough to cut glass.

“This is not over,” he growled and left the people muttering amongst themselves. His hand was wrapped around Link’s slim waist and they were fast moving out of the room.

“Wha – ?” Link muttered and his face tilted to look at Rhett.

“You’re okay. Don’t worry. I’ll get you home,” Rhett murmured as they passed the group of people outside the cafeteria.

Matt called after them but Rhett ignored him and pulled Link with him towards the elevators.

“Oh. Rhett. I – I didn’t think you’d… be here,” Link muttered. Rhett pushed the call button of the elevator and turned to look at Link. He seemed to be having trouble focusing his gaze; his blue eyes flitted from Rhett’s eyes to the wall behind him and then back to Rhett.

“Yeah. Me neither,” Rhett said more to himself than to Link.

The elevator doors opened and Link’s gaze jumped inside it.

“Are we going somewhere?” he asked, words tumbling out of him slowly and with obvious difficulty. Rhett still had his arm around him and he gently nudged him forward. Link moved as if in a dream, gliding towards the metal cage.

“Mm-hmm. Gonna take you home,” Rhett repeated softly.

“Oh. Yours or mine?” Link asked and giggled as if he’d told a joke. He was leaning against the wall of the elevator and Rhett was thankful that he could turn his back on him to push the button. The blush that was rising up his neck would be obvious even in Link’s altered state.

“Come on,” Rhett coaxed as they reached the parking garage. Link followed him without question, trailing behind Rhett as he strode towards his car. Good thing I didn’t have time to drink that beer.

Rhett opened the passenger side door for Link and watched as he slumped to the seat. Link’s head immediately lolled to the side and his eyes flitted closed.

“Seat belt, please,” Rhett instructed gently but Link just hummed a low sound and did not move a muscle. Rhett sighed, crouched down and leaned over Link. With a bit of grunting and maneuvering he managed to buckle him in. Rhett’s fumbling seemed to bring him to a bit and Link opened his eyes just as Rhett was backing out of the car. Their eyes met only centimeters apart, making Rhett’s heart race and his blush deepen.

Those eyes… They‘d been the first thing that had caught Rhett’s attention when he started at the company six months ago. They’d bumped into each other at the cafeteria and Link had apologized profusely even though it wasn’t his fault. Rhett barely heard anything he was saying; he just stared at those piercing blue eyes. They’d done something to him; kick started a part of him he hadn’t known existed.

After that first encounter Rhett couldn’t keep his eyes off of Link. It seemed like almost every day he noticed something new about him. How he kept mussing up his hair when he was thinking. The way his hips swayed when he walked. How his nose scrunched adorably when he was concentrating. How he sometimes smiled to himself when he was eating as if he had thought of something funny. How his collar bones poked through a particularly tight t-shirt. All these things and hundreds more crowded Rhett’s brain as Link took up more and more real estate in Rhett’s mind.

Everything about Link was fascinating to Rhett.

Everything about Link was terrifying to Rhett.

He’d never had feelings for a guy before and it took him a while to admit to himself that his feelings towards Link were romantic in nature. And even after realizing it and coming to terms with it in some way, he still didn’t have enough courage to go and talk to him. Link was something else; almost ethereal in his beauty. In what universe would he be interested in a hairy behemoth like me?

“Thank you,” Link whispered with a dopey smile, snapping Rhett back into reality. “You’re so nice to me. You’re so nice, Rhett. Have I ever told you that?”

Rhett bit his lip and tried to dampen the heat sloshing around in his belly.

“You haven’t,” Rhett said. “But what you really need to tell me is your address so I can drive you home.”

Link just stared at him with that adorable smile and nodded. Rhett frowned, closed the door and rounded the car before climbing onto the driver’s seat. It only took him a moment to get there but when he got settled, Link had already fallen asleep. His head was leaning against the window and his jaw was hanging slack. Rhett tried shaking him a few times but Link just muttered something unintelligible and pushed Rhett away.

Rhett had no idea where Link lived. For a few minutes, he toyed with the idea of going back inside and trying to find the info from Link’s employee files but that felt like too big of a violation despite the good intent behind it.

So, with no other choice, Rhett decided to take Link to his place. He could sleep off the effects of alcohol and whatever else was in his system and Rhett could keep an eye on him and make sure he was safe.

The city streets were almost empty. Rhett rolled down his window and dipped his elbow out of it, enjoying the cool night breeze. His gaze kept slipping towards the sleeping figure next to him. Link looked so serene and totally vulnerable. It was too much. The whole scene felt too intimate. It felt like Rhett had stolen this moment from Link and he was ashamed of how much he was enjoying it.

This was almost exactly what he’d wanted to happen tonight, though in his dreams Link would’ve been awake and excited to go home with Rhett. In some strange fit of self-confidence he’d decided that tonight was the night when he would tell Link how he felt about him. He’d been so ready and so certain he could finally do it.

But now the moment was gone; washed down a drain by some idiot who’d decided it would be fun to play a horrible prank on Link. Who would do such a thing? And why? Rhett had always thought that Link’s solitude was of his own volition but now he wondered if that was not the case. Rhett’s insides squirmed uncomfortably and anger flared in his chest. He was going to figure out who’d done this and make them pay.

The drive was soon over and Rhett parked the car in his driveway. Link roused as the engine cut off.

“Where‘re we?” Link mumbled and peeked out the window.

“My place,” Rhett said and got out of the car. He opened the door for Link who’d managed to open the seat belt himself this time. Rhett offered his hand to him and Link took it without pause. His palm was soft and warm and Rhett hated himself for the effect that Link’s innocent touch had on him. He felt like admonishing his overexcited dick. It’s not like that. Calm down!

“Come on then. I’ll get you some water and then you can sleep this off.”

Link followed him inside the house. He moved slowly. Rhett had to gently guide him again and when they got in, Link suddenly slumped forwards almost falling over.

“Wow there, slugger!” Rhett exclaimed and caught Link at the last second. For a moment that felt like eternity, they stood there, in the darkness of Rhett’s foyer, chest to chest. Link was holding onto Rhett’s shirt, making the buttons on it strain against the pull. He was looking at Rhett under his long lashes, his chin tilted up in the most inviting way. Rhett wanted to grab it and pull him into a kiss. Rhett wanted to take him to his bed and undress him and see if the things he’d been fantasizing about these past few months could ever measure up against reality.

But obviously he wouldn’t. Not with Link in this condition.

Link was oblivious to Rhett’s inner dialogue and he sighed.

“What?” Rhett asked and tried to prop him to stand on his own which Link refused to do.

“You’re so beautiful,” Link whispered, igniting a roaring fire inside Rhett’s belly. He felt the heat of it radiating all the way up to his cheeks that started to burn as Link’s words sank into his brain.

“You really are out of it,” Rhett said whit a forced laugh while silently hoping that Link was merely emboldened by his altered state not totally addled with it.

“No,” Link said and slowly shook his head.”No, I’m not. Well, yeah. I feel a bit funny. But I always think you’re beautiful. And have I told you how nice you are?”

Rhett’s cheeks burned brighter and he huffed a laugh.

“You might have mentioned. But I gotta get you to bed now.”

“Always wanted to get into your bed,” Link murmured and refused to let go of Rhett’s shirt.

Rhett swallowed. He must have heard wrong. Link couldn’t possibly mean what Rhett wanted him to mean. Rhett searched his face for clues, something that would tell him if it was really Link speaking or the drugs. Link just kept staring him, eyes soft and pupils blown wide. Rhett had to turn away. It hurt too much to think that this might be the only time he got to be this close to Link.

Getting him to drink a glass of water was easy. As soon as Rhett placed the chilled glass into his hand, Link promptly emptied its contents and let out a satisfied moan after the glass was empty. Getting him upstairs to the bedroom was another thing altogether. Link’s leg seemed to be losing a fight with whatever he had been dosed with and he wobbled on them, missing steps and swaying dangerously backwards. In the end, Rhett scooped him up on his arms and carried him the rest of the way.

Link’s head lolled against Rhett’s shoulder and his warm breath tickled Rhett’s skin. Rhett felt his weight in his arms, he felt the strain on his muscles and he made a point to record the exact feeling into his memories. Link felt like he belonged in his arms. It felt right even though the way he had ended up there was totally wrong.

Maybe some day…

Rhett gently placed Link’s pliant body onto his bed and kneeled down to take off his shoes. He placed them at the foot of the bed and turned to tuck him in. The sight before him stopped him in his tracks. Link had gotten up and was fast on his way to be completely naked. His shirt was unbuttoned half-way down and he was yanking down his jeans. Rhett caught the dip of his hipbones and the dark curly hair that they lead to before he understood what was happening.

“Oh! Wow, hey!” Rhett yelped and slammed a hand over his eyes. He could still hear tiny grunts and the soft thuds of clothes being thrown on the floor. Then his bed creaked and he heard some shuffling that might have been Link sliding under his covers.

Rhett ventured a peek from behind his fingers and let out a relieved breath. Link was snuggled up on his side of the bed. Messy hair fanned on his pillow and eyes already closed.

“Okay, well. That’s good,” Rhett said, voice trembling more than he cared for. He quickly picked up Link’s discarded clothes and folded them into a neat pile. He tried very hard not to think about the fact that Link’s boxer briefs were on the pile as well.

There’s a naked man in my bed! His mind screamed. The thought was not nearly as scary as the one following it. And I would very much like to be naked and next to him.

Rhett was almost out the door when Link spoke again.

“Hey,” he muttered and Rhett turned to look at him. His eyes were barely open and he was reaching towards Rhett with his hand.

“Yeah?”

“Can I get a good night kiss? Please.”

Rhett felt light-headed as he drifted back to the bed. He bent down and brushed Link’s hair off of his forehead. Link’s eyes closed and he let out a sound that could almost be described as a purr. Rhett couldn’t help but to smile as he placed the softest of kisses on his forehead. Link sighed.

“Thank you,” he murmured and then his face relaxed and his mouth opened to a tiny o-shape as he drifted off to sleep. Rhett stood there for a minute, marveling the beauty that had captured his bed and his heart. Then he slowly backed away.