“No.”
“Yeah.”
“…No.”
“Yes.”
“For fucks sake!”
“So, you two have known each other all this time and not ONCE did it click that you both knew Lucas?” Bonbon gaped up at them, her eyes comically wide.
“I guess not.”
Eleanor cackled, “This is too perfect!”
Lucas dropped his head into his hands and groaned. “I knew this was too good to be true.”
Cavan’s eyes suddenly went wide. “Oh shit.”
“What?” Lucas asked, peering up as the younger man slumped down at the foot of his chair.
“I’ve just realised –all those personal things you told me about Eleanor …” he trailed off, letting the information sink in.
Lucas smirked and shook his head, “You won’t ever look at her the same way again.”
Cavan glanced over at Eleanor’s insane grin directed his way and winced. “I’m not exactly sure whether that’s a good or bad thing.”
Plonking herself down on Cavan’s other side, Eleanor threw an arm around his shoulders and squeezed. “Oh, Cavan, there’s no escaping me now. I’m going to make your life HELL!”
Glancing over at Lucas leaning back in the armchair with an amused look on his face, Cavan chewed on his lip trying to suppress a groan. The older man shrugged and shook his head. “What have I gotten myself into?” he bemoaned, much to everyone else’s amusement.
“Okay!” Bonnie clapped her hands for attention. “Now can we PLEASE order food?”
10:03PM
The doorbell rang out, signalling the arrival of all the food. As soon as they’d paid and hauled all the containers into the living room, they descended upon the food like starved wolves. Lucas stayed nestled in his chair, choosing to have a napkin and a plate rather than stuffing food in with greasy fingers. Cavan sat against his armchair, nestling against Lucas’s legs. It was oddly comfortable considering that the young man had never met any of his friends face-to-face before.
There was still the unanswered questions clearly plaguing everyone’s mind. Whenever the conversation was turned away from them for a moment, Cavan reached behind himself and stroked Lucas’s ankle through his pyjama bottoms. As he reached out for another slice of pizza, Bonnie turned her bright smile towards him.
“So, Cavan, how long do you think you’ll stay here?”
Cavan froze mid-bite before shrugging. “I don’t really know,” he admitted. “It was spur of the moment, coming up here.”
“Well Lucas doesn’t have work for a whole week,” Eleanor grinned. “Maybe you should stay. Keep him company.”
Cavan blushed a little and ducked his head. “Well, I do still have work to do for Uni as you know, MISS Locke.”
Eleanor let out a cackle, “Oh Cavan! Let’s not be coy,” she winked. “You’re one of my top students, I know you could be in a coma and still pass with flying colours!”
“Somehow I doubt that, but I appreciate the lie.”
“Don’t do that, kid. She’ll torment you as soon as you think you’re in the clear,” Lucas warned from where he reclined, desperately trying to follow the conversation to keep his mind away from the fact that he had in fact no job for the next week.
A minor set-back. He’d need to call Rodrick at some point tomorrow and see where things stood. Cavan glanced over his shoulder and threw a bright grin up at Lucas. It should not have been that easy to fall even harder for the kid.
Out of sight of the others, Lucas snaked his hand forwards and gently tweaked the thick, brown hair. If Cavan noticed, he didn’t turn back around. The conversation floated around his head, from the latest TV shows, the weather, plans for the summer holidays and when Bonbon and Fletcher planned on tying the knot. All too soon, it veered back towards Lucas’s own issues and he didn’t want the attention.
“You don’t think Rodrick’s going to fire you, do you?” Eleanor asked with a frown. For the first time all evening her face was serious. It was unnerving how stern she looked in that moment.
“I don’t know what to think about that without getting more information from the police,” Lucas sighed wearily. “I can only hope it turns in my favour.”
“Of course it will,” Fletcher said confidently. “Like you said, you’ve got nothing to hide.”
“It just makes me anxious, that’s all.”
“I’ll call the police first thing in the morning,” Cavan stated, craning his head back. “They can’t not listen to me.”
Lucas gave a sympathetic look. “I appreciate it, brat, but they’ll probably just think you’re another side-piece to my collection of underage fuck-boys.”
“Ew, Lucas, must we?” Bonnie grimaced, wrinkling her nose.
“Sorry.”
Cavan rolled his eyes. “Don’t listen to the grumpy-git, Bonnie. He’s always this sour.”
The other’s snickered a little. “So, Cavan, how many nicknames do you two have for one another?” Fletcher teased with a wicked grin. He took a swig from his beer bottle.
“Only like … two or three,” Cavan admitted.
“Oh?” Bonnie grinned, leaning forward on her crossed legs. “Tell us more.”
“No, Cavan, don’t tell them more,” Lucas warned.
Cavan pressed his lips into a tight line, miming zipping them shut and throwing the key away. Bonnie pouted at them both. “Lucas, you’re such a sour-puss!”
The room was interrupted by a loud yawn from Milo, who had been as quiet as Lucas claimed he’d be up until that point. It was strange seeing the man married to his Sports Medicine teacher. He was not what Cavan would have pictured at all. Eleanor sighed with a grin, “I guess that’s our cue to get someone home to bed. We need to make sure the pups are all watered and fed anyways.”
Reluctantly standing up and stretching their aching muscles, everyone said their goodbyes and walked Eleanor and Milo out to the front door. Bonnie and Fletcher decided to go not long after, and saying they’d pop in tomorrow afternoon as soon as they’d both finished work. Lucas nodded his thanks, giving as much of a smile as he could muster and watched as Cavan took control and saw both his friends out.
Only when the sound of the lock sliding into place, did Lucas feel the tension drain out of his body. Dropping his head against the back of the chair he let out a soft sigh. “This has been the longest day of my life.”
Cavan came back into the lounge, his thumbs hooked in his jean’s pockets. “I know it’s not really that late but maybe we should go to bed?” he suggested, tilting his head towards the end of the hall. “You look as though you’ve not slept for about a thousand years.”
Lucas gave a wry grin. “You know I don’t sleep, kid.”
“Well then let me just hold you,” Cavan coaxed. “You’re welcome to do whatever you fancy once I’m asleep.”
Peering up at the brunette, Lucas succumbed instantly to the hesitant pleading in Cavan’s eyes. He had no energy to fight it, not after the draining day he’d had. Maybe, just maybe, if he fell asleep, he could wake up tomorrow morning and everything would be fine. He’d go to work like normal and that would be great. He’d see Rodrick and actually be glad to see those bushy eyebrows.
A gentle tug on his hand drew him back to the present, and Cavan’s bright eyes looking down at him with concern. “Come on,” he coaxed softly.
Lucas obliged.
His bedroom was nothing spectacular yet somehow with Cavan in it, it seemed better, brighter, and more wholesome. Somewhere he actually wanted to be. He felt almost weightless as he was guided over towards the bed and seated gently on the edge of the bed. The mattress sank under his weight. Cavan flipped the light switch and turned the lamp on, illuminating the room in a soft, hazy glow. It was instantly soothing to Lucas. He hadn’t even realised he’d had a migraine budding up inside his head until that moment. Cavan’s hands on his shoulders was an instant relief for his tight muscles.
Cavan gently massaged Lucas�
�s shoulders, coming up to kneel on the bed behind him. He leaned down and pressed a soft, ghosting kiss to his throat, letting his lips linger against the shell of Lucas’s ear. Turning his head, he caught the older man’s mouth in his own and slowly kissed him, the burn sending shock-waves through his chest. Lucas turned into the kiss, his hands sliding up Cavan’s sides and stroking the hoodie off his shoulders. Together they settled back against the pillows, aligning their bodies and slotting together to have easier access to one another.
Cavan let his jeans be pried off, feeling his bulge grow hot and urgent as he tenderly embraced Lucas. He was frustrated at being calm in that moment, however the last thing they needed was to get hot and heavy and do something they regretted.
Cupping the older man’s face in his hands Cavan leaned up, breaking the kiss. “Lucas …” he breathed. “My Lucas …”
He was in a daze. It felt wonderful. He had Cavan’s warm weight on top of him, nestled between his legs, their arms wrapped around one another. They kissed deeply and slowly; it was like being slowly set on fire and enjoying the burn. Despite the twists of fate that had led him to that moment, having Cavan there in his bed, his fingers buried in that soft, brunette hair –well, it was definitely worth it. When Cavan broke the kiss, gently nuzzling along his jaw and being the most intimate either of them had been … It made something inside him skip.
He touched the smooth underside of Cavan’s jaw.
“Lucas?”
“Mmm?” he cracked his eyelids open to look up at the young man leaning above him. “What’s up?”
Cavan smoothed a stray lock of black hair from his lover’s grey eyes. “I love you.”
Lucas was stunned. The world seemed motionless in that moment as he saw the untainted, raw emotion in his boyfriend’s eyes. It had been a roller-coaster over the last few weeks just to reach this point. All the anguish and fear that had hounded him, snapping at his heels in the dead of night seemed utterly ridiculous now because it was just so easy.
Tightening his arms around Cavan he said, “Cavan, I love you too.” He leaned up and pressed a kiss to the man’s throat. “Dear God, I love you too. So, so much.”
His kisses grew more desperate each time the words reverberated through his skull.
He loved Cavan.
He. Loved. Cavan.
It shouldn’t have felt so good to say it, to hear it, to feel it.
None of it should be happening not even to him, but it was. He was loved, so, unconditionally loved and he wanted to kick himself for ever dreaming of denying either of them this one simple pleasure. He realised, as their hands roamed freely over naked skin that Cavan was the best thing that had ever happened to him and this feeling –being loved –he never wanted to let that go. It had always terrified him before to let someone get that close to him but not now.
Now it was easy –because of Cavan.
Chapter 25
Tuesday AM
Cavan started awaking and frowned. His head felt like it weighed a ton and his brain felt fluffy. He rubbed his puffy face and tried to take stock of his surroundings. 'Am I in Lucas's room?' he thought sluggishly, trailing his eyes over the uncluttered floor and desk. 'Phew! Good … That's good.'
For a moment, his heart had lurched, fearing last night had been a nightmare and he'd wake up in his own bed. Drawing in a deep breath through his nose, he rolled over onto his other side and burrowed closer to the warmth of Lucas's sleeping body. It was comfortably dark in the bedroom, probably no more than 3AM which meant there was no reason for him to be awake.
Half an hour later he didn't feel tired enough to go back to sleep. He tried to calm his brain as he watched the older man sleeping peacefully on his back. His chest rose up and down slowly, his face as motionless as ever. Cavan had the urge to touch him and make sure he was real; his sleepy brain didn't register his hand moving of its own free will over Lucas's and squeezing softly.
"Lucas?" he whispered. "Lucas are you asleep?"
A pause. "I was."
Cavan's heart lurched. "I can't sleep."
"… I noticed."
With a deep sigh, Lucas turned his head lazily to face Cavan, but didn't open his eyes. "What's on your mind, Cavan?" he murmured sleepily.
"Nothing …" Cavan hummed. "Just woke up and couldn't sleep …"
Lucas hummed softly to himself before shifting against his pillow. "Come here," he murmured, tugging limply at Cavan's t-shirt, dragging him closer. The younger man shifted, allowing himself to be guided to lie against Lucas's chest. Lucas looped his arms loosely around Cavan's shoulders and tilted his head so that his cheek rested on top of Cavan's head.
It was a rare moment of vulnerability. Cavan couldn't help but let contentment wash through his chest. It was such a relief. He adjusted himself against Lucas's body, the low thumping of his heart echoing dully in Cavan's ear, as he closed his eyes. It was a tender moment that resonated with everything that had happened between them in the last month. Cavan was glad that he had been patient enough to stick around and find out the more loving parts of Lucas that were slowly but surely rising to the surface.
A few hours later Lucas awoke properly after having one of the longest night's sleep he'd had in a while. It was no wonder considering the events of the previous day; he'd needed plenty of sleep to fully process it. However, he could do nothing but sit and wait, as daunting as that thought was. It left him feeling jittery. Turning his head to the side, he frowned at the drawn blinds. He could just about make out some faint light coming through the lowest slat. A quick glance at the clock told him that it was nearly 6AM.
Cavan was slumped comfortably against his chest, his slow breaths ghosting over Lucas's skin. It was almost too comfortable to move, but Lucas was already starting to feel restless. Everything was churning around in his mind and he knew he'd only fidget to the point that Cavan would lose sleep and be grouchy for the rest of the day. He'd feel eternally selfish for doing something so heinous. So, instead, he unwound the younger man from about his person and stealthily slid out from underneath him.
The air outside the bed was cool and unforgiving.
Lucas hurried to the bathroom and quickly changed into his jogging attire, only pausing for a few minutes to brush his teeth before swiping up his iPod on the way out of the front door. He needed to get out and just be by himself to fully process everything. Jogging would help, movement always helped.
On the pavement outside he adjusted the ear-buds in place and turned the volume up to drown out the early-morning people commuting to work. 'I was one of them just a few weeks ago,' he thought bitterly as he eyed people sluggishly bowing their heads over cups of coffee on their way to the bus stop down the road. With a sigh, he sheathed his iPod and did some stretches, making sure his muscles were loosened up before starting on his usual route towards the park.
It would take him on the usual forty-five minute route through the park, down the back road of the high street and past the local primary school before winding back around to his flat. He set-off, enjoying the feeling of his legs pounding heavily against the uneven pavements. As he ran, he didn't do any over-thinking; he simply processed the information as basic facts;
He was being investigated by the police for having a relationship with a minor.
His laptop had been taken and he had handed over the accounts for his phone and online history.
He had nothing to hide.
He hadn't been with anyone for five years, before Cavan.
Cavan's father was most likely behind the anonymous call.
As soon as he was cleared, he was going to pay Georg a visit.
By the time he'd completely processed that list, he'd made it through the park and was already half-way up the high-streets back road. He was almost home. Drawing in a deep breath he raked his damp hair out of his eyes. He pushed himself the last leg home, stopping to take a breather. He was parched, having forgotten his damned water bottle on the kitchen counter. Glancing at his watch he
absently noted it was just gone 8AM. He stretched his muscles in the shelter of the building's staircase before heading up.
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