#stonebridge

It was late when Damien reached the door to Michael’s hotel room, he knew without a doubt that Michael would still be up. After everything that had happened over the past twenty four hours there wasn’t a chance in hell either one of them would sleep easy tonight. Which was why he had brought the bourbon.

It wasn’t the best quality but it was higher up the shelf than what he usually used to drink himself into oblivion.

Damien rapped his knuckles lightly upon the door, using the familiar knock that both he and Michael had concocted. He tilted his head, listening to the noises on the other side of the door before Michael pulled it open.

Damien held up the bottle, tilting it from side to side in order to draw Michael's attention to it. A smile twitched on the Michael's lips before he opened the door entirely.

“Scott.” Michael greeted him distractedly, a plush, white towel slung low on his hips. Water beaded on his broad shoulders, chasing down his bare chest in rivets. His blond hair still tousled and damp from the shower he had taken a few minutes earlier.

Damien’s mouth became dry as he drank in the sight, his left hand automatically closing the door behind him. He had seen Michael in various stages of undress over the years, they were comfortable being naked around each other. However, things felt different this time.  They had ever since that day in the hospital.

“Good to see you didn’t splash out on the good stuff.” Michael remarked humorously, treading towards the makeshift tea station and picking up two of the mugs. He returned to Damien who was  already twisting open the lid.

Michael held out the two porcelain mugs. Damien could see the slight tremor in the one on the left as he poured.

“Your arm bothering you again?” Damien asked, perching himself  on the end of Michael’s double bed before taking one of the mugs.

He expected Michael to lie to him, the way he had before they knew he had been exposed to the neurotoxin. However Michael met his gaze, his eyes full of turmoil before he sighed.

“Yea.” He stated, coming to sit on the bed beside Damien.

They shared a moment of silence, Damien’s brain running over the implications as Michael knocked back the shot of bourbon.

He held out his mug once more, gesturing with his free hand for Damien to fill it again.

Damien expected him to toss it down his throat again but instead  Michael cradled the mug close to his chest.

“I thought I’d lost you today.” Michael admitted quietly. Damien watched as his thumb trace along the curve of the handle. “When you fell off that train…”

He trailed off, leaving the two of them sitting in silence once more.

“It was a close call.” Damien said finally, his gaze dropping to the swill of amber liquid inside of his own mug. He hasn’t touched a drop yet, he wanted Michael to have his full attention.

“Do you remember what I said to you in the hospital?” Michael asked him quietly.

“You told me you’d rather be broken and alive then leave me here alone.” Damien reminded him, his tone sharper than he intended.

The thought of losing Michael scared him. They hadn’t talked about what had happened in the hospital and Damien wanted to remind Michael that there was so much more to live for than the military, that he was worth more.

Damien reached out, taking Michael’s mug from his hand and setting it on the floor alongside his own.

“You need to know if I hadn’t survived today, I would have regretted not doing this.” Damien murmured, his fingertips gracing the line of Michael’s jaw tipping his head up to meet his gaze.

His lips brushed over Michael's softly, his thumb ghosting over the apple of his cheek before he began to pull away.

Michael's strong hand cupped the back of his neck, drawing Damien towards him. His forehead came to rest against Damien's, their lips barely inches apart.

“Damien...” Michael breathed out his name as if it were a prayer. “Damien, what do we do about this?”

Damien exhaled deeply as he stared into the depths of those soulful eyes.

“You know how I feel.” Damien murmured against Michael's pert lips. “The rest is up to you.”