by Talya Andor
"You're supposed to say, 'I love you too.'"
"You already know that. Nap now. More sex and heartfelt devotionals later."
Lucas pinched his side, began to tickle him, and Soren cried out and grabbed a pillow to bring into play.
They ended up not getting much sleep at all.
*~*~*
Soren woke up with an arm slung over his midsection and the morning sun warming his face, rendering the insides of his eyelids in molten orange. He stirred, a sleepy smile taking hold as he reached up and caressed Lucas's bare arm. He wrinkled his nose at the clock. He was off for the day and hadn't picked up a shift, but he knew that Lucas was going to have to be out of bed and moving soon.
As he began to peel the sheet away, Lucas made a noise against the nape of his neck and nosed at the short prickles of his shorn hair, kissing the skin below.
"We've got to get up," Soren said. He winced and reached a hand down his body to grip at one butt-cheek.
"There's only one 'up' I'm interested in right now," Lucas mumbled, placing another soft kiss on the back of Soren's neck.
"Yeah, well, Soren's ass isn't up to the challenge." Soren squirmed in his double embrace of sheets and Lucas until he was situated on his back.
"Did I overdo it last night?"
He was beautiful, and Soren's, and it made Soren give him an unseen, besotted little grin. He wanted to reach out and rub noses with his sleepy Lucas. "I'm good."
"You sure are."
Soren wanted to stay where he was, pliant and happy and snuggled up under the covers with warm, sexy-smelling Lucas, but there were bodily needs to be attended to. Not to mention, the reminder of the clock ticking away the minutes before Lucas's shift, and the fact that the most expedient way to get Lucas out of bed would be to leave him.
With a moan of protest, Soren peeled the comforter and sheet from his body, flinching as the cold hit his skin at once.
Lucas tried to disappear under his pillow.
"Time to get up," Soren said. "You can't be late for work, Mister Shift Super."
Lucas groaned. "Rather stay in bed for another round…"
"Yeah, well, you had your last round sometime past midnight, and you'll have to wait a bit before we can go again." Soren rubbed his butt again as he danced from foot to foot on the cold carpet and searched for his briefs. They had spent pretty much the entire night in bed, and Soren had gotten exactly what he wanted—a follow-up round, this time riding Lucas for ages, as Lucas stroked up and down his body and rubbed his nipples and whispered reverently how gorgeous he was—and that morning Soren wasn't regretting it, but he was going to be sensible about recuperation time.
"Soren!" Lucas said, popping up from the bedclothes with hair sticking up every which way. "It's not all about your ass! Gorgeous as it is, there are other sex acts…"
"And none of them are on tap right now," Soren said, raising a brow. He dissolved into a grin the next instant, though, unable to keep the stern demeanor with Lucas giving him such a cutely indignant expression. He swooped down on his boxer briefs with a crow of triumph, grabbed up one of Lucas's discarded extra-large shirts and a pair of his sweatpants from the drawer, and grabbed the bedroom doorknob, ready to lay claim to the bathroom. He gave Lucas a coy look over his shoulder. "If I keep staying over, I'm going to need to keep a robe over here, or something."
"Or more than a drawer," Lucas mumbled, but he was collapsing back onto his pillow.
Soren shrugged and hurried for the bathroom; he had business with the facilities.
After washing up, taking care of other morning necessities including donning his clothes and brushing his teeth, Soren poked his head in to check on Lucas and make sure he was at least pretending to get mobile before taking himself to the outer area of the apartment. He was shocked to find Alec, Brandon, and Lisa arranged at the kitchen bar.
"You're all up early."
"Got in early," Alec said, shrugging. He reached up one hand to rub over his multi-streaked short hair, and a few confetti dots fell onto the kitchen counter.
Soren wondered if something less harmful than confetti had been involved, but was too tactful to ask.
"Lisa's got a bequest thing in Tualatin, followed by brunch," Brandon explained, setting a hand to Lisa's shoulder. "So we're up early to make it there on time. Ugh. So this is what six a.m. smells like."
"How did all of that go?" Soren asked her, remembering awkwardly that the funeral would have taken place when he was recuperating at home.
Lisa shrugged. "About the normal way, I guess." Her eyes had dark circles beneath them, but she gave Soren a smile. "No serious carrying on or family scandals, though, so I guess we should all be grateful."
"Why don't you get dressed, babe?" Brandon suggested. "I'll put your coffee in a travel mug."
"Mm," Lisa agreed, getting up from her barstool and pecking Brandon at the nearest corner of his mouth.
"Ah, coffee." Soren remembered the reason he had wandered out to the kitchen to begin with. "Is there some left? Mind if I have it?" He'd been to Lucas's apartment often enough now, he knew where to find a mug, the stash of sugar near the coffee pot, and nicked a bit of Lisa's cream from the fridge. After his first two blissful sips, he remembered the purpose that had galvanized him to get his skinny ass out of the bedroom to begin with. He set aside his mug and grabbed one for Lucas, filling it with water to heat for Lucas's English Breakfast tea.
"Say, Soren," Brandon said once Soren shut the microwave and turned to grab his coffee again.
Soren turned and leaned against the counter by the sink. He grasped his coffee mug and looked at Alec and Brandon, side by side on their respective bar stools, as he sipped at his coffee. Alec was half slumped over, one arm over his head, a brown eye peering at Soren through a fringe of hair. Brandon was still in his pajamas but he looked alert, his expression clear and focused.
"Say what?"
"Alec and I have been talking…you know, we're getting Jack off the lease soon enough, and he's not going to be a problem. He actually already turned over his keys to us. Said 'good riddance,' but that's Jack for you."
"Yeah… That is fantastic news." Soren supposed that finding ways to cope with people like Jack was an important skill to have, but he'd be much happier with him gone. As would probably everyone else in the apartment.
"What do you think about signing up on the lease and being our fourth roommate?" Brandon asked, leaning forward on the bar and lacing his hands together.
Soren widened his eyes. "Move in here?" He'd figured Lisa would have dibs.
"Yeah, we can't afford rent without a fourth," Alec said, resting his head atop folded arms and flipping his hair from one side of his head to the other.
Brandon elbowed him. "Ignore him, he hasn't slept in over twenty-four hours. The fact is, we have an opening and there's no one we think could be a better fit, you know?"
Soren rocked back on his heels. "Wow."
"So, how about it?" Alec asked. He slapped his face a couple of times and sat up straight on his stool.
"Well…I wouldn't be able to stay in Jack's room."
"No way!" Brandon said at once.
"That idea is off the table," Alec said. "We'd use the thing for storage, or something. Everyone's spare stuff, or turn it into a study space, whatever."
"Nah, man, we figured you'd move in with Lucas—if you're ready—or we can swap rooms around, or something. And with Jack gone, Lisa will probably be here full time and put in her fair share, so the rent really isn't an issue. Even cheaper if you sign on."
"Hmm," Soren said, rubbing one foot atop the other. He sipped at his coffee and smiled into his mug. "Well, I'll think about it…I need to talk it over with Lucas."
"Of course."
"How soon do you need an answer?"
Brandon tilted his head to the side and eyed Alec. Alec shrugged, slumping onto the counter again. "A week?" Brandon offered.
"Okay, thanks," Soren said, raising his coffee mug to his
lips. "Just, I want you to know I'm looking into my rooming options right now, and I can't give you a final answer. You may want to have one or two others lined up."
"All right," Brandon said, giving Soren a wave and getting up from his barstool. He clapped Alec on the shoulder. "I'd better get Lisa moving, I've still got to get showered, get something eaten, and drive all the way out to that lawyer's office in Tualatin."
"Gotta crash," Alec sighed, pushing himself up from the counter that appeared to be propping him up. He stumbled off toward the hall that led to the bedrooms. "'Night everyone."
"Yeah, good morning to you too," Brandon said with a laugh. He pointed at Soren before moving off. "Hey, think about it, okay? Talk to him. I can't speak for him, you know, but he's happier than I've ever seen him, if that factors into your decision at all."
Soren's cheeks warmed and he ducked his head as though to immerse himself in his coffee again. "He makes me happy too."
Brandon chuckled and disappeared down the hall.
The kitchen was quiet and empty for a moment. After standing in the silence to the tune of a distant clock ticking, Soren realized that the microwave timer had gone off and set himself in motion again, getting Lucas's tea ready before propping himself against the counter and finishing off his own mug.
Lucas entered the kitchen with a yawn, one hand rubbing over the crown of his pulled-back hair. "Ugh, no one's got a right to look as gorgeous as you do, this early in the morning," he said in accusing tones, hooking Soren close with an arm and nuzzling at his cheek. He spotted the mug on the counter beside them and swooped down on it. "Ah, caffeine, my life's blood!"
"It's nice to see where I rate."
"Somewhere between my next heartbeat and the caffeine that gets me there," Lucas said, before slurping down his tea.
Soren made faces at him. "So romantic. Can you give me a ride home before your shift? Unless you want me to hitch a ride with Brandon and Lisa…"
"My Soren," Lucas declared, wrapping an arm around him again. "I'll take care of you."
"You do," Soren said. He planted a kiss on Lucas's cheek.
They weren't able to linger long. After glancing at the clock, Lucas exclaimed over the time and went to grab his keys and jacket. Soren was dressed and ready and all he had to do was step into his shoes and put on his jacket. Everything he'd worn the night before had been piled into his drawer in Lucas's room.
As they walked down the stairs that lead to the lot, Lucas took his hand, threading their fingers together.
"What's going to happen now?" Soren asked.
"Now?" Lucas tipped his head. "I'll get through this shift, you'll do a mountain of homework, and we'll spend next week cramming for midterms, having sex, and taking tests."
Soren chuckled. "Cute. No, I meant…I told you I'm moving out of my parents' house, right?"
"Oh." Lucas squeezed Soren's fingers.
"I was thinking of doing it over winter break, but Brandon and Alec have invited me to move in…"
"Oh, God, they did? I'll have a talk with them, they shouldn't have done that…they should've said something to me, first…"
"Probably," Soren said, with a little laugh. "I really think I ought to hear it from you, first, on whether you want me to move in with you or not."
They came to a stop at the base of the stairs and Lucas turned Soren toward him, settling hands on his hips beneath Soren's jacket.
"I'd like nothing better than to wake up to this beautiful face every morning," Lucas said. "But I don't want to push you too fast, you know?"
"I guess I wanted to know where we're going?" Soren wrapped his arms around Lucas's shoulders, one hand teasing at the base of Lucas's neck below his hair. "What do you want?"
Lucas took a slow breath. "For a long time, it seemed to be easier to look around me and all of the things I was doing and point out what I don't want, you know?"
Soren nodded. "What do you want, then?"
Lucas pulled him close. "I want to prove 'em all wrong, all the stereotypes." He kissed the end of Soren's nose. "I want the happy ending, of course."
"My parents will be gone for a week during spring break and we're off school," Soren said, breathless. "I have a feeling we'll be up for plenty of happy endings."
"Don't get flip with me," Lucas said, catching Soren off-guard and drawing him into a fierce embrace. "I want you, as long as you'll have me. However you'll have me."
"You mean it?" Soren asked, his words squeaking out in an excited crackle.
"Yeah."
"So, where do we go from here? I mean, we don't have to decide right this minute. We should get going, we've got to get me back to my parents' house…"
"Not home?"
"Well, I'm ready to move out. It's time, you know? And with Mom's latest ultimatum…I can't do it anymore, I just can't. I need to feel safe where I live."
Lucas reached up to cup his cheek. "So where do you want to live?"
The moment seemed to stop around Soren. He couldn't nod, or move, or speak. He stood with Lucas's warm hazel eyes on him, unable to do anything but gape.
"I think…maybe it's too soon to move in with you," Soren managed, his stomach bottoming out. "Sloane has a room opening up with her current roommate leaving, I was leaning toward that."
"Sounds good," Lucas replied, drawing him into his arms. "I always want you as close to me as possible, but we'll be together as much as we have been."
"Good," Soren said, breathing deep in relief. "So drive me back to the house and get your ass to work and we'll plot out the details later, okay? You and I have a week all to ourselves to look forward to. Okay?"
"Okay!" Lucas said excitedly, grinning hard enough to make Soren's own face hurt.
*~*~*
The kitchen door creaked open and shut. Soren set his keys on the rack beside the door, turning quiet as a mouse and freezing mid-step as he realized that the kitchen was not unoccupied, despite the early hour. The fragrant aroma of coffee on the air made his stomach rumble.
Soren tried not to sigh—not audibly, at least. His mother Claire was sitting at the kitchen table in her dark blue dressing gown, a cup of coffee cradled between her hands as she bent her head over the Saturday newspaper.
"Mom," Soren croaked. "You're up early."
Claire looked up from the newspaper. "So are you."
Soren scratched delicately at the buzzed-short hair at his nape. "Um, good morning?"
"You were with Lucas again."
Now Soren did sigh, shrugging out of his coat and heading for the coffee maker. It was too early and he wasn't caffeinated enough for this conversation.
"Yeah." Soren poured himself a cup and added sugar and cream. "I'm going to be with him a lot from now on, you know."
Claire set her coffee cup down with a clunk.
Soren crossed an arm over his body, leaning back against the counter behind him, and keeping a tight grip on the handle of his mug. If they were headed for another confrontation, he was going to grab his keys and go right back out. There were plenty of coffee shops open this early where he could take a load of homework, including where he worked.
"I know," Claire said quietly, lacing her hands in front of her. "I didn't feel as though we ended on the right note the other day—"
"Was there any kind of right note possible? You told me to break it off with my boyfriend, or move out."
"Let me finish, Soren!" Claire spoke up, raising her voice, making Soren fall silent in a trained reflex more than out of inclination. "I went too far, I know that, and I'm sorry."
Soren remained quiet, furrowing his brows.
"You can date whoever you want, of course," Claire continued in that same, eerily quiet voice. Her words were measured, almost rehearsed.
Soren wondered how many hours Alan had spent arguing with his mother to bring her around to this point.
There was a pause in the kitchen while Soren stared at his mother and she regarded her folded hands with intensity.
"That's all?" Soren prompted.
"Well, I hope we can put the moving out talk behind us. We've all had a difficult time the past few days, and I think…"
"We have, I know, but I'm still moving out. I've thought about it until it's all I can think about and it's just…time, you know?"
"But, Soren…"
"You didn't think I was going to stay here forever, did you?" Soren said, trying to keep his tone light. "Come on, Mom. If anything, you're lucky—you got me an extra two years. Most kids move out when they're eighteen."
Claire began to shake her head. "No, I don't want…I never wanted you to leave…"
Soren smiled at her. "I love you, Mom. I haven't minded staying here because I haven't had something else, you know? I haven't had to get away. But now I'm growing up, and it's time."
With a sigh, Claire unlaced her hands and cupped her coffee mug again. "And I'm pushing you out of the nest."
Soren grimaced and returned to his coffee.
"Soren, I'm not…I don't want to make you feel bad about…who you are, or what you're doing, it's just that I'm worried…"
"But you don't need to be."
Claire raised a hand. "I know, and let me finish. I'm worried for you. As your mother, it's my place to look out for what's best for you, and try to encourage you to make the right choices. And I think your father and I have done that. We've done our best and I know it's time for me to let you go. It's just…it's so hard."
Soren nodded and set his coffee cup down, approaching the kitchen table. "I know it's been hard for you. Try to think how it's been for me, though. You're second-guessing all of my choices…my choices. You keep talking about guiding me to make the right choices but in the end they're mine, don't you get that?"
Claire dropped her head in her hands. "I know. I do know that, Soren. It's so difficult, though…to me it's the same as when you were a baby, taking your steps and stumbling, and I wanted to reach out and keep you from taking a fall…"
"I'm falling in love," Soren said, rubbing his hands together in a quick, nervous gesture. "I'm not making a mistake, or skinning my knee, or breaking the law. I'm not even…or at least, I didn't think I was disappointing you and Dad."