Nic Castell (bleedingheart) wrote in the_dome, @ 2013-06-02 18:29:00 |
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Entry tags: | 03-31-2017, micah, micah and nic, nic |
Get Lucky
Who: Micah and Nic
Where: Micah’s Place
When: late evening
Warnings: NSFW
True to his somewhat word, Micah managed to leave the hospital not too long after the sun went down. Nothing new had come up, which was a relief and by the time the sun set, he didn’t have anything else to do and he was ushered none too gently out the door. And they didn’t even know about Nic maybe waiting or maybe not waiting at home. They just knew that he hadn’t left the hospital in three days and now it was time to go. So with his bag over his shoulder, he made his way home to the small place they’d helped set him up with when he’d arrived at the dome.
Once there he found himself staring at the door, not sure what he was supposed to do. He’d played it over and over again and it boiled down to three options. One, Nic could be there and waiting and something may or may not happen. Two, he could have stopped by and left the key under the mat or inside an unlocked house and it just didn’t work out that anything happened even if the effort was made to at least somewhat show. Three, and the worst, was that he might not have come by at all and Micah was left with a door that was locked and without a key to get into his house. He knew he could go back to the hospital, but he was here. Going back seemed so counterproductive.
Taking a deep breath he tried to stay calm, but felt that wave uncertainty wash over him as he reached for the doorknob. Outside of the walls of his comfort zone and the hospital he was already feeling uncertain in his skin. Why had he done this again? He didn’t really have an answer, he just hoped the door opened.
Nic wasn't super comfortable with the situation, but he wasn't going to turn down the first thing resembling a date he'd had in ages. If he'd been planning to meet Micah somewhere, it would have been one thing, but it was the waiting in his house that Nic wasn't sure about. He didn't know when or if Micah would come home, and if he did what would transpire. All he could do was hope for the best and be there to see what happened. To take up the time spent waiting, Nic set about making dinner.
The hardest part about being in someone else's house was navigating their kitchen. From the looks of things, Micah spent very little time in his own, but the basics were there and he could work with that. Spaghetti was one of his favorite things to fix, and also one of the easiest, provided that he brought the noodles with him. Grilled chicken was added in place of meatballs, because ground beef was harder to come by, but most people liked that just fine. If Micah turned out to be a vegetarian, then that was okay, because he'd kept the chicken separate. He'd also brought a bottle of wine, which he already had open, one glass in to calm his nerves.
The door did open which had Micah letting out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. It was easy to tell the place was different the moment the door was open, mostly because it smelled like food, which was beyond new. Had his place ever smelled like food? He wasn’t much of a cook, but there was definitely food. Closing the door behind himself he moved further into the house and found himself in the kitchen, staring at Nic’s back. He was there. Just in Micah’s kitchen like it was no big deal. Micah opened his mouth, but he really had no idea where to start, words and smooth sense of self leaving him completely.
Nic could feel eyes on him, which was the only real clue he had that Micah had returned home, since he hadn't heard the door open or close. He turned, facing Micah with a look of sheepish surprise, much like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Despite having a key, he didn't feel like he should be there. "I thought, since I was here, I should cook," Nic said, sure that a blush was creeping up his cheeks. "I hope that's okay. Is that okay?" He needed some kind of confirmation that he'd made the right decision, otherwise he might bolt for the door right this second.
Micah didn’t know what to say. In his head it was, ‘yes of course, I love it, is there wine for me?’ but he opened his mouth and words didn’t quite come. His fingers gripped the bag on his shoulder a couple of times and then he nodded finally. “Uhh, yeah.” He was blushing as well he realized belatedly, moving forward all at once and feeling a little jerky with it. “Should I...can I...help?” God, he was bad at this.
The offer to help, paired with the blush, was good enough for Nic. It surprised him to see Micah so out of his element, since he’d been so confident at the hospital. Either he really hadn’t expected Nic to be there, or he was just now realizing how awkward this situation was. “Of course,” Nic said with a little smile. “Would you like a glass of wine?” In Nic’s opinion, a little wine made everything a little easier to handle.
“Yes,” Micah said about the wine, dropping his bag somewhere, not even sure. God yes, maybe the wine would help. He probably needed a shower, but he was half thinking about the fact that he wanted to touch Nic and not even sure how that happened or start. This was stupid. Not because Nic was here, that part was great, but the part where Micah was supposed to do something about Nic being there.
“Sorry I just made myself at home,” Nic said as he poured Micah a glass of wine. “Do you like spaghetti? I also grilled some chicken, but I wasn’t sure what you like.” He had spent far too much time thinking about this, but now that Micah was here, Nic couldn’t think at all. In fact, he was glad dinner was already made because he no longer had the brain to do much more than drink wine and let the sauce continue to cook. Putting on noodles to boil was the most difficult task he had left. “I’m glad you came home.”
“That’s fine,” Micah said, taking the glass once it was ready. “All of it’s fine. I mean...wow.” Nic had cooked. Micah wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but cooking wasn’t quite it and he was still a little flustered from it. He’d been watching Nic’s hands until he said the last part and that had Micah glancing up, feeling that damn flush again. “Me too.”
Nic bit his lip, not sure what to say, but pleased with the compliment. It gave him a minute to take Micah in, the scrubs and the doctor’s coat, the five o’clock shadow, and the flush that crept up his neck to his cheeks. He wanted to touch him, to feel the hard planes of his body beneath his clothes and run his fingers through his hair. And yet, he didn’t even know how to start something like that. His heart was beating so hard it was hard to focus. “You surprised me this morning,” Nic admitted, smiling shyly. “You don’t normally give your house key out, I hope?”
Micah didn’t know at all what to do with Nic looking at him like that. He knew that look, he’d seen it before, but he wasn’t that great at dealing with it then, so now was no different. “Me? God no. I mean...I don’t see people outside of that place usually.” He looked around the house and shrugged one shoulder. “I think you’re the only other person that’s been in here.”
“Really?” Nic said, surprised. “You seem like the kind of guy who’d have plenty of admirers.” Including all the nurses, Nic was sure, but he didn’t know if they knew that Micah wasn’t interested. He hadn’t been aware of it himself till this morning, but it wasn’t exactly something that came up in conversation.
That got a laugh out of Micah as he shook his head. “If I do, I don’t think I’ve noticed.” That had him pausing, looking at Nic. “Did I miss...you?” He’d noticed Nic, but he’d kept that to himself. He wasn’t sure what Nic would be interested in or if it was a good idea to date a somewhat co-worker and at the same time, Micah never thought about things in terms of dating.
It was good to see Micah laugh. Laughing had a tendency to break the ice a little and they both seemed either nervous or uncomfortable. Nic liked to think it was just nerves. “Um, I was trying to keep it to myself,” Nic smiled. “I didn’t know if you were interested and I’m really not good with guys.” It was a confidence thing. Nic had spent a lot more time around girls and just found them easier to approach.
“Well at least I didn’t screw that up,” Micah said, rubbing at his cheek that felt warm to the touch. And he hadn’t shaved. Not in at least a day. “You were fine earlier,” he said, looking down at his clothes and making a face. He really did need to shower. “Can I get cleaned up and change?” he asked, not sure if there was time.
“You didn’t screw anything up,” Nic said, shaking his head with a little laugh. At the idea of Micah leaving the room, though, Nic’s stomach nodded, hoping he wasn’t running the guy off. He didn’t mind him in the state he was in, but if he wanted to change, then Nic wouldn’t protest. “Sure,” he said, “I’ll just put the pasta on. We can eat when you’re ready.”
“I’ll be quick,” he promised, finishing off his glass of wine faster than he should have and moving faster than he should to get his bag and dash towards the bathroom. Even as he did it he felt like an idiot, knowing that he was hurrying because he was nervous, but also knowing that Nic might not take it right. In attempts to get back faster and prove that he did want the other man there and hopes that Nic didn’t disappear while he was gone, he flew through the shower. After a few minutes he was back, in actual jeans and pulling on a white undershirt as he headed back to Nic.
Nic laughed a little as Micah downed the glass of wine and then set about making the pasta. It was something to do that wouldn’t leave him fixed on the fact that Micah had just run off, hopefully not to get away from him. That was the hard part about being in Micah’s house. But then the shower didn’t stay running for long and Nic had just poured himself a second glass of wine as Micah entered the room once more, pulling on a shirt. Nic’s eyes caught that glimpse of bare skin before it disappeared and then he was left wanting more. “Are the birds your only tattoos?” he asked, a clear indication of where his mind had wandered.
While he felt cleaner, Micah still felt anxious, not good at this sort of thing. The question helped giving him something to focus on besides what to do with his hands that wasn’t grabbing Nic and trying something that probably wasn’t wanted. Or that he might not do right. It had been a while. “I have this one too,” he said turning his arm to show of the cadeasus done on the inside of his forearm. “Nothing else though.”
Nic stepped closer, setting down his glass of wine as he caught sight of the cadeasus on the inside of Micah’s arm. It was well done ink and he reached out to run his thumb over it, always a little amazed with tattoos as a whole. He expected them to feel different. “Nice,” he said, his eyes ticking up to Micah as he realized what he was doing. He really needed to think before he acted, but if he started that up, he might not do anything at all.
Micah wasn’t expecting to be touched. He wasn’t against touching, not at all. In fact, the touch was like shooting sparks up his arm almost instantly and the good kind of sparks, but he wasn’t expecting it and half gasped when Nic did it. Cheeks pinking again he ran his free hand through still damp hair. “My boss didn’t think so, but I didn’t really care.” And it came in handy a few years later when it helped mark him as someone with medical training.
“Well, I like it,” Nic said, letting his fingers slowly trail down Micah’s arm before dropping away. He was so close to him that it was hard not to touch him. He almost found himself looking for an excuse to continue. And the thing with Micah, like most guys, was that he was taller, putting him far closer to Nic’s height. If he wanted to kiss him, all it would take was leaning forward, and then he could run his own fingers through Micah’s hair. “Are you hungry?” he asked instead.
The moment the contact stopped Micah could manage words and thoughts that weren’t just Nic touching him, but at the same time, he didn’t want it to stop. With nothing else to do, Micah swallowed hard and nodded. “Sure. Always.”
It was impossible not to notice the difference between the cool and confident doctor that Micah was at work and the man Nic now had before him. Nic just didn’t know why there was a difference, unless it was something he’d done. It made him nervous and afraid to make the first real move. “Okay,” Nic said softly, then forced himself to do something more than stand there and stare at the man. He was gorgeous, but Nic wasn’t helping things by drooling over him. “How was your day?” he asked, looking to give them something to talk about as he went about fixing plates.
Micah wound up going for the wine because that might help. At least a little. “Uneventful,” he said which meant it was a good day. That was better than being swamped by patients. Pouring himself another glass he focused on that instead of the urge to just make Nic stop doing things that weren’t touching him. “Lia came by to just say hi which was different. She tried to recruit me for this bachelor auction, but I would rather not.” He was babbling, words coming out faster than they should, but he couldn’t stop himself. He just needed to fill the silence.
“Uneventful is good,” Nic said, echoing the thought in Micah’s head. As someone who worked in emergency services, he knew that a quiet day was a good day, even if it could be a little bit boring. In a small community like Delphi, it was hard to answer those emergency calls, aware that he might know the person calling. “Just to say hi?” Nic asked, fixing his plate and taking a seat at the table. “Is she interested? Because you know they’d be all over you if you gave them a chance.” Nic didn’t doubt that in the least. “My friend Skylar signed me up. I kind of want to wring his neck for it.”
“Yeah, I’ve treated her daughter before,” Micah said, glad that he had an answer for that and he didn’t have to flounder about what to say. “She’s not...she’s married. Technically. She just recently re-found her husband.” And he wasn’t interested like that. Plus Lia knew his preferences. “I’m fine with them not having a chance.” That Nic was signed up, that had Micah opening his mouth. “Why would you be upset?” he asked instead, taking a gulp of his wine.
Nic knew Lia by name, having treated her daughter once or twice for things that didn’t require a hospital visit. He just didn’t recall her being married, but it sounded like she didn’t think she was until recently. That had to be an interesting situation. “You don’t want to give them a chance on you, but you think I should?” Nic asked, raising a brow, then laughed. “I just think I’ll be awkward. I’m not very good at putting myself out there and an auction seems more dramatic than I know how to handle.”
“You’d also be giving me a chance,” Micah blurted. Earlier it would have been smooth, flirtatious, but now it was just the first thing that came to mind. “Not that...I know you wouldn’t want that.” Fuck. He didn’t drink much anymore and he was starting to wonder if he was already tipsy even if he didn’t feel that way. It was just a better excuse for the word vomit than him being a moron.
“I might,” Nic admitted. “It’s more out than I’m used to being, but... I’d still want it. Not that you should feel obligated or anything, but...” He bit his lip, not sure he was helping his own situation. Nic found his own sexuality to be complicated, regardless of Skylar’s insistence that it wasn’t. He felt like, if people saw him with a guy, they’d assume that’s all he was interested in. If they saw him with a girl, they’d think the same. He didn’t want to turn anyone away, and instead ended up with no one at all. “Would you bid on me?”
“See I wouldn’t want to make it hard for you or bad or whatever even if I wanted to. I mean...not everyone is out or into that sort of public display of whatever.” Micah was still spitting up word vomit and he only stopped as Nic bit his lip, completely distracted by that like he was sixteen all over again. “Yes, of course. You won’t need it, everyone else will be all over that, but I’d be back in the back thinking of it.” He sounded anxious there, thinking of how Nic might rather someone else, or might rather just not to put it out in the open that he was interested in Micah. If he was still interested in Micah.
“I think I would rather the public display than miss an opportunity with a really great guy,” Nic said, feeling the blush take over. It was remedied by another sip of wine, which alerted him to the fact that he was sitting at the table with a plate in front of him, but Micah was still standing where Nic had left him. “You want to join me, or are you scared of my spaghetti?” he teased. That was probably the one thing Nic was confident about-- his cooking. “You know I’d rather be with someone I want than someone who wants me that I’m not even interested in.”
“Oh.” Micah had hoped that was in his head, but it came out outloud before he could stop it. Nic needed to stop blushing like the considering how cute it was. It was distracting, so much that he missed the point of the question. “Huh?” After a second though, Micah looked around and realized he was just standing in the kitchen with his wine and Nic was ready to eat at the table. “Oh! I...no, I’m...right.” Micah scrambled for a moment to get himself a plate of food and bring it back to Nic, dropping across from him.
Nic hadn’t meant to fluster Micah, but it was clear he had done so. He was still getting used to the differences between Micah now and the man he’d spoken to this morning, as this one seemed far less confident. While it made Nic occasionally questions himself, it was also comforting to not be the only one fumbling through a date. Was this a date? He was pretty sure it was a date. It was a date according to Skylar. “So,” Nic said, looking for something to talk about. There were lots of things to talk about. He just had to think of one. “Where are you from, prior to the dome?”
Micah was starting to feel like a complete spaz. He needed to get his shit together right now, but he couldn't quite get there, still nervously sticking his fork at his food. "Cleveland Ohio," he said. "You?" He actually went for a bite after asking, relieved that it was edible, but obviously pleased that it was actually good.
“New Orleans, Louisiana,” Nic answered, deciding that he would talk for a second and allow Micah to eat. “My family owned a restaurant in the French Quarter, serving Creole cuisine, so I kind of grew up in the kitchen. If I hadn’t started riding the ambulance, I probably would’ve wanted to be a chef. My brother Damon was set to take over the restaurant from my father some day.” And there was a little bit of history on his family, as well as Nic’s love of cooking. Spaghetti wasn’t something the family restaurant served, but it was something Nic could make with the ingredients they had in the dome.
Micah found himself staring at Nic while he ate, intrigued. "I would not have guessed that. Any of that." Still, he smiled and nodded towards his plate. "And I'm fine with reaping the benefits. I never really learned."
“Not even the Southern accent?” Nic asked, smiling. It wasn’t strong, but it was there. It took being around family for him to slip into speak that was almost unintelligible to those around him. It didn’t help that it was littered with French. “My grandmother was a Favrot, a more identifiable surname in terms of origin. I’d love to fix a good gumbo sometime, but I don’t know how to get my hands on some of the spices.” This was easy talk for him, cooking and family as conversation topics that didn’t make him nervous. It also kept him from thinking too much about licking the tomato sauce off Micah’s lips. “What do you do on days that you come home and dinner’s not waiting for you?” he teased.
"I like the accent. I come from somewhere where no one has one." Ohio did that. Everyone just sounded normal. He found himself wondering if Nic's accent was stronger when he first woke up. That happened sometimes. He'd very briefly hooked up with a guy from Boston during med school and in the mornings you could barely understand him. "What? I don't know. There's some non perishables around. I make a decent sandwich." He looked at this plate then Nic. "This is obviously much better."
“Thanks,” Nic smiled, twirling the pasta around his fork. “I know it gets worse when I’ve been drinking, but two glasses of wine shouldn’t be too bad.” It was on glass three or four where he knew it would come out, whether he liked it or not. Hopefully that much wine wouldn’t even be available to him or he might to something stupider than regain his accent. “So if it’s not cooking, what do you like to do when you’re not working?” Nic could think of a number of recreational activities that he’d like to engage in with Micah, but none of them were the kind of thing the man might list.
“Should I get you another drink?” Micah asked, looking towards the bottle they hadn’t finished yet. Might be close, but not done yet. He was likely to get drunk faster, not the type to indulge much or at least not since the zombies. “I don’t have much in the way of hobbies. I think the last somewhat hobby I had that wasn’t medicine or studying was sleeping with this married guy.” As soon as the words were there Micah winced, closing his eyes. That was not the thing to bring up in this situation. “So nothing. I have no life.”
“No, no,” Nic said, shaking his head. “I don’t need to get ahead of you.” Micah was on his second glass, so Nic was trying to pace himself the same. Unlike Micah, drinking was something Nic did plenty of, sometimes too much of, and he’d rather be at the same point as Micah was, rather than giggly by himself. “Well... we all have baggage,” Nic said, caught off guard by Micah’s random admission. “Was he married to a girl or another guy?” As soon as he asked it, Nic realized that was a bad idea. “No, nevermind. Ignore my stupid questions. I’m sorry about that and-- and that you went through that.”
Micah looked at his glass then finished a hefty bit of it before getting up and going for the bottle again. Maybe that would help, though he was guessing it would just mean more word vomit, but he was starting to feel enough to think that he was better than the word vomit and could overcome it even if that definitely wasn’t the case. “It wasn’t baggage. Six...Seven years ago it was. These days, it just was. I knew what I was doing at the time.” He refilled his glass then Nic’s before sitting down again. “He was one of the doctors at the hospital. Married to a woman, but it was fun. I could have stopped it, but I was enjoying being pulled into closets and shit.” He smiled weakly then went back to his food.
It was weird to relate to an experience like that, but Nic did, even if the role he’d played was more of the ‘married’ man than Micah’s role. He’d known was he was doing, as well, and knew it had to stop eventually. He’d just never thought it would end like it did. “I’ve been there,” Nic offered with a little smile, picking up the bottle and finishing it off. It was more than he should have, but he intended to keep pace, so he might as well. “If it helps, I am totally into closets,” he teased, looking at Micah over another sip of his wine.
“Everyone has haven’t they?” Micah asked, watching Nic refill his wine with a smile. “It’s just the same story over and over again. Never really changes. There’s only three variations or so.” He was babbling a little, but there wasn’t a point in stopping. If he stopped he might stop completely. “Good. That’d be disappointing if you weren’t.” Because a great visual in Micah’s head and he had to wonder if maybe he’d be able to pull off confidence at the hospital more than here.
“It’s not somewhere I want to find myself again, but yeah, I think everyone has in one way or another,” Nic said. And if they hadn’t, then they were lucky or too virtuous for him to relate to. He would have never said he wanted to meet someone that had been in a situation similar to his own, but it was nice to know he wasn’t going to be judged too harshly for his past. “You’re going to get me in all kinds of trouble, aren’t you?” Nic laughed softly. He was feeling better now, less nervous, though he thought that might be the wine. If it was, he didn’t care.
“Me?” Micah asked, shaking his head. “No, that is definitely the other way around. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten anyone into trouble...ever. Well, minus married guy, but even his wife wasn’t all that pissed at me.” He reached for his wine and took another sip. “You meanwhile are handsome and young and just...there. I’m surprised you haven’t gotten me in trouble yet.” When that particular bit of word vomit escaped Micah realized he was tipsy. Sober Micah would never say as much. Not even flirtatious Doctor Micah. Nope that was Drunk Micah saying stupid things.
Nic could feel his cheeks heating up again and wondered how he’d ever blushed so much in one night. He wasn’t used to this kind of flattery, not from anyone, yet it seemed to give him the confidence he needed. “There’s still time,” Nic smirked, holding Micah’s gaze for a moment before they flicked down to the food. He’d managed to eat all his spaghetti, and it looked like Micah was just about finished. All they had left was wine, but they didn’t have to stay at the table to drink it. “Help me clean up?”
Nic really needed to not talk like that. When he talked like that it was really hard not to do stupid things that had been in Micah’s head all day and were supposed to stay there. At the question he looked down at the empty plates and shook his head, jumping up again. “No, no. You don’t clean. You cooked.” He snagged Nic’s before he could change his mind and headed towards to the sink.
Leaving Nic at the table really wasn’t the thing to do if Micah wanted his own thoughts to stay clean, as it meant Nic was left nothing to do but continue to flirt. With three glasses of wine in him, plus a guy he knew was into him, Nic was far too confident for his own good. “If you insist,” he smiled, watching as Micah hurried towards the sink, though he didn’t stay seated himself. Nic strolled over to stand beside Micah, leaning against the counter beside him. “Do I make you nervous?” he asked. “Cause you didn’t seem nervous this morning.”
Micah cleaned dishes like any doctor would, thoroughly, but then Nic was there and he bit at his lip. “I am...Not good at this,” he admitted after a moment, glancing sidelong at Nic. “There...I am, but outside of work it’s like...I can’t.”
That was something he hadn’t considered, that Micah might be far more comfortable in his role as a doctor, within the hospital walls, than he was in his own home. It definitely explained why he preferred to sleep there, under the guise that he was too busy to leave. Yes, doctors were busy, but there were only a thousand or so people in Delphi. Nic knew there weren’t that many emergencies, as one of the few who picked them up. “I’d say we could go there, but... sometimes a little privacy is nice,” Nic said, biting his lip before resting one hand over Micah’s. The dishes could wait.
Micah almost dropped the plate. He just barely managed to set it down without breaking it, half glancing at Nic again. “I don’t know if it would help.” Maybe, possibly, but was it worth trying just to find out how awkward he was there too? “You don’t..” He closed his eyes for a moment, pulling his hand away to grip the counter, shoulders rolling forward while he shook his head. “You don’t have to stay if you don’t want.”
That was not the reaction Nic was expecting, especially since he didn’t really want to go anywhere. He especially didn’t want to leave and now his mind was spinning, not sure if that was Micah’s way of asking him to do so. “Do you want me to?” he asked softly. He knew what he wanted, but now Micah was confusing him.
Micah glanced over again and shook his head. “No. Not at all.” There was a soft sigh as he looked forward again. “But I’d get it if you did want to.”
“Really? Cause I don’t,” Nic said, chewing on his lip, a nervous habit of his. “You are, possibly, the most attractive man I’ve ever met. You’re smart, you’re kind, and you’re charming when you’re over-thinking things. And I am the king of over-thinking things.” He’d also had too much to drink. He knew that because he was saying everything that crossed his mind, something he never did unless he’d been drinking or was high. “You keep flattering me, but I think you’re out of your mind to be nervous over someone like me. You have no reason to be.”
That couldn’t be real. The things Nic was saying had Micah shaking his head, turning so his hip was against the counter and he was facing Nic. “No reason? Have you seen you?” Micah’s nerves weren’t just because of Nic, but more the situation. Being out of his element. But that Nic was who he was didn’t help matters. Reaching out he tugged at Nic’s lower lip, freeing it from his teeth. “You’re gonna wear a hole in it.”
It wasn’t that Nic wasn’t aware of his looks, he just didn’t agree that they were anything special. He’d never seen himself as someone to turn heads, at least not unless he was working the charm, which tended to be hit or miss. “Maybe we both need to look in the mirror,” Nic quipped, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip just before Micah tugged it free. It was such a little thing, yet Nic’s breath hitched. “Nervous habit,” he said softly. “Do it again and I might catch your finger.”
Micah knew what he looked like. He’d worked through it, around it and dealt with it his whole life, but he didn’t comment on that. That wasn’t the issue. It was knowing how to act. “I noticed,” he said about the habit. Tilting his head he considered the threat and shrugged. “There’s worse things.”
“It was a suggestion, not a threat,” Nic said with a small smile. He wasn’t sure what to do here. He wanted to stay, but Micah seemed so uncomfortable with him there. Except he’d also said he didn’t want Nic to go, which left Nic wondering what he was supposed to do. He could try to go back to making small talk, which had been going decently enough, but he was so very distracted by Micah that he kept wanting to touch him, be closer to him in some way. He just wasn’t sure it was welcome.
Internally Micah swore. Not because that was bad, but because that was really fucking good. In his head he smirked and gave Nic a look and asked what else he’d suggest, but in reality it wasn’t that. It was more Micah flushing slightly and swallowing hard before barely getting words out. “What else....is there?” Not even the same question. He really wasn’t impressive outside of the hospital.
It was practically impossible for Nic to know what was going on in Micah’s head, which left him with only visual cues to go off. His words didn’t even help, as Nic wasn’t entirely sure what Micah was asking. The flush, though, and the way he swallowed? Those were things Nic could understand. “Well,” Nic said, taking a deep breath. “I’m not leaving with at least doing this.” His height made it easy for him to lean in and kiss Micah, though he thought he might pass out his heart was beating so fast.
Finally. That was where Micah had wanted things to go, he’d just had the worst time getting himself there. Once they were there though, then it was a little easier to stop worrying about what he was saying and focus on what he was doing. Which meant he was answering the kiss, fingers reaching out to catch Nic’s hip and curl around it. This was definitely easier.
With all the back and forth, Nic hadn’t been completely sure that he was making the right move, but the second Micah began to respond he knew it was right. He couldn’t understand why they were so awkward before, but this was easier for him to navigate. He smiled against Micah’s lips as he felt his hand move to his hip, moving closer as he deepened the kiss. And if there was one thing he’d been wanting all evening, it was the chance to touch Micah, which meant his hands naturally drifted to Micah’s chest before wrapping loosely around his neck.
Micah drew the kiss out until he had to breathe, not pulling away as it tapered off, fingers still gripping Nic’s hip. Why hadn’t they just started there? They should have started there. “Good call.”
“Thanks,” Nic smiled, slightly breathless, his thumb lightly brushing up and down the back of Micah’s neck. They might be a mess once they opened their mouths, but at least here they were compatible.
The touch made Micah shiver, shoulders scrunching slightly. It was a weird sensation, but he was still smiling, leaning in closer. “What else?” So far it was going well and maybe the less they tried to talk, the easier this would be.
Nic raised a brow, but grinned, fairly certain he could meet that challenge. He kissed Micah again, but this time only once before moving the kiss to his jaw, then his neck. It was such a different sensation than kissing a woman, Micah’s skin soft, but just shaven. Nic nipped at the soft skin as his fingers slid into Micah’s hair, pulling him closer.
Micah hummed softly, pleased at the attention as his eyes fell shut, one hand still on Nic’s hip, but his free hand was bunching in Nic’s shirt near his lower back. He was definitely going along with that until the nip which had him pulling back as much as he could. “Careful...I can’t explain marks.” Especially not at the auction later. That would be far too obvious.
Though he stopped, Nic looked up at Micah, mischief in his eyes. “Who would you have to explain to?” he asked, his hands sliding around front so they could run down the front of Micah’s chest. They settled at the hips before sliding back up just a touch, under the undershirt and onto his skin. “No marks,” he promised anyways, not wanting that to be a reason they had to stop. He could be good if he tried.
“Everyone at the hospital who’s never seen me leave?” Micah suggested. “Anyone at the auction tomorrow?” Then Nic’s hands were under his shirt and he lost some of his resolve. “Nowhere visible?” he tried instead, leaning in to kiss Nic again.
A part of Nic, a completely irrational one, wanted to leave a mark so that everyone would know. He knew that wasn’t fair, though, since he didn’t want to do any explaining himself. If Micah didn’t win him at the auction, the last thing he needed was explaining to some girl that he had a love bite from Micah. “I can manage that,” Nic said, finding Micah’s lips again as his hand moved across his stomach. He wanted the shirt off completely, but that seemed like a big step in his head.
Micah probably wouldn’t mind the mark, but he didn’t want to go with people thinking he was in something, when honestly he wasn’t sure what it was. Nic’s fingers on his abdomen distracted him from the concerns about the ‘what’ and brought him back to the ‘what’s happening right now’. Without thinking about it, Micah’s short nails were clenching Nic’s hip, shivering into the kiss.
It was rare that Nic found himself in a situation where he was the one advancing things. It meant they went slower than he wanted, as he was never quite sure what his partner wanted. Micah was no exception, already so vague about what he was feeling or thinking that the most Nic was comfortable doing was sliding his hand over the other man’s stomach, occasionally teasing at the waistband as he went back to kissing Micah breathless.
But Nic was working hard at Micah’s nerves, so was the wine in his system, and those touches and those kisses were definitely doing the job. It was easy for him to pull at Nic’s shirt from behind bunching it up in one hand as the other traced upwards from Nic’s hip to his side. His kisses were stronger as well, each one stronger with the teases against his waist band. This was definitely going to go somewhere fast if he wasn’t careful, but at the same time, Micah was starting not to care.
If Micah was just starting not to care, then Nic was already beyond caring. it had been so long since anyone had kissed him, touched him like this, that he was already pushing at boundaries he didn’t think he would cross. At least not so easily. Nic shivered as Micah’s hand traced up his side and found his own hand dipping down to brush across the front of Micah’s jeans. As soon as he did so, he realized where things like that would take them and he withdrew his hand, returning it to Micah’s hip. “Do you want me to go?” he asked softly, breathlessly, his body screaming at the hesitancy on his part. “Cause if this keeps up... I’m going to want to stay.”
Micah gasped as Nic barely touched him, eyes opening wide to stare at him for a moment, at least until his hand moved again and Micah could go back to somewhat thinking. Strong fingers curled more against Nic’s ribcage, pulling him closer. “I already said I didn’t want you to go.”
That was a clear enough answer for Nic, who smiled as he slowly kissed Micah once more. This time when his hand dropped to the front of Micah’s pants, it stayed there, tracing up the front before squeezing gently. He felt like a horny teenager with the way he was behaving, but it felt too good for him to care.
It seemed simple enough, moving forward like that, but then Nic was actually touching him and Micah swore out loud, breaking off the kiss and letting go of Nic’s side to grip the back of his neck. It was painfully too long since someone had done that. “Not here.” There was no point in doing this here in the kitchen. He might as well make use of this house he was never in.
For one brief second, Nic thought Micah might want to move this to the hospital, for which he would have to protest. He realized a second later how ridiculous that was, that they were in the kitchen of all places, and there were other rooms that could be utilized. “Where?” Nic laughed softly, enjoying the grip Micah had on the back of his neck. If he could make Micah swear again, then he knew he was doing a good job.
Micah took a few steps back, pulling Nic with him from the grip on his neck, kissing the younger man again, at least until he bumped into the counter and had to stop and laugh at himself. He had no concept of where anything in the house was; there was no way he could navigate without looking. Forced to turn away from Nic, he settled for hooking his fingers in the soft fabric of Nic’s shirt and pulled him along that way, towards the bedroom. It might be saying too much too fast, but Nic had said he wanted to stay and it was the only room Micah knew for sure wasn’t a complete let down. And it had a door that he could close, which seemed necessary despite the fact that he lived alone.
They probably were moving too fast, but that was something Nic would deal with later, when he realized he barely knew Micah. Right now, it seemed like all that mattered was the chemistry they shared, the fact that when they stopped talking they were actually able to communicate just fine. Nic laughed with Micah when he ran into something, then followed behind him obediently as Micah led him to his bedroom. While Nic wouldn’t say so, he would have been happy in any room of the house, though maybe that was all the difference a couple years made.
The bedroom wasn’t any less sparse than anywhere else in the house, but Micah at least knew the bed was mostly comfortable, which was more than he could say for the couch. He let Nic into the room, sticking behind him and shutting the door. For a moment he just watched the other man, thinking about what came next and giving himself a moment to talk himself out of it. Nothing in the realm of ‘this is a really bad idea’ stuck though and Micah took that as sign, surging forward to push Nic’s shirt up and hopefully off.
Nic helped Micah remove his shirt, then promptly went to remove Micah’s in return. It left Nic in jeans, slung low on his waist and held up by a belt. His attention was on Micah’s bare chest, the little birds that he reached out to touch before pulling Micah up against him. The contact of Micah’s skin against his sent a shiver down his spine that went straight to his groin. He should be embarrassed, he thought, at how easily he was aroused.
Micah shivered at the touches to his tattoos, fully aware that no one had ever really seemed to care before. It helped him get lost in the moment, not focusing on anything more than his fingers on Nic’s skin before hooking in his waistband and tugging a little. “These don’t fit you,” Micah murmured with an amused smirk, kissing along Nic’s jaw towards his neck. His own jeans at least fit in the waist, but they were probably an inch too short, something that didn’t stand out as much with him being barefoot. There was no need for Nic to be embarrassed though; he was hardly alone in what he was feeling.
“No, they don’t,” Nic laughed softly, thinking that without the belt Micah could have probably pulled them off without unbuttoning them. His eyes shut as he began to feel the moment, his fingers sliding into Micah’s hair at the back of his neck while Micah’s lips trailed down his neck. It seemed like forever since anyone had touched him like this, since he’d been touched at all, and it left him feeling a drunken kind of desire that had nothing to do with the wine. His free hand moved down to the front of Micah’s pants, rubbing over the front before he went to work on the jeans, unbuttoning and unzipping. He knew things were moving fast, but he couldn’t imagine taking them any slower.
Micah had opted for nibbling along Nic’s neck, liking his fingers twisted in his hair, taking that as a good sign. The moment Nic touched him though he let out a noise, nipping a little hard somewhere near Nic’s shoulder. Somewhere in the back of his mind Micah wondered if they should be talking about where this was going and if it should go where it was headed, but that was hard to think about when Nic was undoing his jeans. That was far too exciting to ignore. So he did the only thing that seemed fair and reached for Nic’s belt to undo that.
The farther things went, the less likely Nic was to talk about anything. In fact, talking was the last thing on his mind. Rather, he was focused on pushing Micah’s jeans down, leaving Micah in his boxer briefs to the mercy of Nic’s wandering hands. He moaned at the bite of Micah’s teeth on his shoulder, barely feeling the sting, and looked back at Micah with hooded eyes as he traced a finger up his length. “Bed?” he asked, since it seemed sensible. If they were going to stand, they could have remained in the kitchen.
Micah shuddered at that half a tease, pulling back to half glare at Nic for making him such putty in the younger man’s hands. That really wasn’t fair, but at the same time, he hooked his fingers in Nic’s jeans and pulled him backwards. “Yes,” he agreed just before he backed into the bed and fell to a seated position, looking up at Nic. That was certainly a sight for sore eyes.
It was incredible how hot Micah was, sitting on the bed, barely dressed. Nic would have never guessed it possible for him to end up in Micah’s bedroom, but now that he was there he wasn’t sure what came next. In avoiding talk, he didn’t know their boundaries and even if Micah didn’t have any, Nic definitely did. A part of him wanted to crawl into Micah’s lap and kiss him stupid, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He’d be more comfortable on his knees in front of him that straddling him. Licking his lips, Nic moved closer, then ran his fingers through Micah’s hair before kissing him again.
The kiss was nice, and it helped cover that moment of hesitation that Micah thought he saw in Nic. It pushed the concern that maybe now that they were here, Nic didn’t want more than this. While he kissed Nic back, Micah worked his jeans down, amused at how easily they slipped off his hips after Nic’s belt was undone. When he broke the kiss off, he kept his head close to Nic. “You joining me?”
The hesitation had nothing to do with Micah, but more to do with Nic’s limited experience in sharing a bed with another man. He didn’t know Micah well enough to know exactly what he might want, and their relationship was so new that he didn’t want to have to say no to anything. It further proved that they were rushing things, but Nic didn’t want to stop. “Yeah,” Nic answered with a smile, kicking off his jeans then crawling up on the bed, pulling Micah along with him.
Micah grinned at that, following after Nic and leaning over him, fingers trailing up and down his abdomen before following the same spaces with his mouth. He was smiling as he worked his way up to Nic’s jaw, leaning over him, hair hanging in his face from where Nic had had his hands in it. “You are too damn tempting.”
Nic groaned as Micah’s lips moved across his stomach, his fingers continuing to play in his hair. It left it a mess when Micah came back up to meet him, but Nic thought he might even look more attractive now than before. “Me?” Nic laughed, a little too tipsy and unclothed to blush at this point. Confident fingers began to brush over the front of Micah’s boxer briefs before pushing them down and wrapping around Micah’s length. “Then you’re impossible to resist.”
“Yes you,” Micah said shaking his head though the answer fell away when Nic pushed things forward. Didn’t Nic see what he was doing. Micah was intentionally trying not to push things too far and Nic wasn’t really helping that matter. He groaned loudly, fingers gripping Nic’s side.
Nic definitely didn’t get the message that Micah wanted to slow down. Being on the bed in only their underwear sent a clear message the other direction, to which Nic was happy to meet. He smirked as Micah groaned, pleased with the reaction he was getting and completely happy to focus on the other man. Nic had always been a bit of a people pleaser and it was a trait that extended into the bedroom.
Micah wanted to do more, he really did. He wasn’t the type to just take and expect to be pleased, but it had been so long, the moment Nic touched him, he’d forgotten where he was, and how to do anything more than just hold on tight. It was a long moment before he was leaning in to kiss Nic, though it was sloppy and shorter than he would have liked. It was embarrassing, that it really didn’t take all that much to leave him unhinged. “So not fair.” The words were ragged, seemingly strained.
Despite wanting to be touched, it didn’t bother Nic that Micah lost focus, as it was a clear sign he was doing something right. He returned the kisses with a smile, snickering softly at Micah’s complaint, proud to earn such a reaction. “Who said we’re playing fair?” he asked, licking his palm before lowering it between Micah’s legs once more.
Watching that entire process made it better, which left Micah growling a little. “Who said we weren’t?” he tried, fingers finally finding Nic’s hips and the waistband of his underwear, pulling them down but not quite getting any further than that.
Nic was enjoying himself, especially the little growl he earned, though he was finally distracted from his task when Micah began to expose him. He leaned in to Micah, pressing his body against the other man’s as he kissed him again, stroking him lazily. If Micah wasn’t going to take the initiative, then Nic would, pressing his hips close enough that he could wrap his fingers around both of them at once.
That caught Micah’s attention, enough to bring him back and twisting his fingers with Nic’s. “Just what do you think you’re doing?” he murmured, eyes cutting up to Nic’s with a half grin. His free hand curled around Nic’s hip, pulling him even closer.
“Enjoying myself,” Nic replied with a lazy smile, his breath hitching as Micah’s hand joined his. He wanted to tell Micah how good it felt, how long it had been, or how much he genuinely liked the other man, but he couldn’t find words for it.
Micah nipped at Nic’s neck again, completely forgetting his own rules about no marks. Though he guessed Nic would have a far easier time explaining them than he would. “Good,” he said before starting a new pace, something sure. If Nic wanted to go there, Micah would take them there. He might be awkward through dinner dates, but he’d always known his way around the bedroom. As long as it had been, some things came back like muscle memory.
Nic hissed back at Micah playfully, not really caring if he ended up with a mark or not. If someone asked, he wasn’t ashamed to admit being with Micah, even if that meant admitting his sexuality. In his opinion, it was better to be happy with someone than silently harboring a secret. It wasn’t like he planned on telling anyone exactly what they’d been up to, no matter how much he was enjoying himself. When Micah picked up the pace, Nic cursed softly, tightening his grip on Micah’s shoulder. The man who had been so unsure over dinner was certainly confident now.
The hiss just spurred Micah on, nipping a little harder and sucking with it. It wouldn’t be a huge mark, but maybe something to see the next night at the auction. At the very least it’d amuse Micah and maybe help with the fact that he’d be out in public outside of the hospital where he was bound to be a heaping mess of social anxiety. The soft swear had the same effect, Micah throwing more into what he was doing now that he’d been given the outlet. “Still enjoying yourself?”
“Yes,” Nic gasped, kissing up Micah’s neck and nipping once at his jaw. It wasn’t just that he was enjoying himself, but that he was enjoying himself with Micah, who was hopefully there right along side him. Nic was trying to keep up, but at some point he’d lost control and it was difficult to take it back when he didn’t really mind giving it up. “You?” he asked breathlessly as he nuzzled closer, whispering in Micah’s ear.
“Mmhmm,” Micah confirmed, definitely enjoying himself, though at the same time he felt like that was obvious. Nic definitely had his hand around the proof, but he supposed he’d asked, so it was only fair to get the question in return. Needing more he pressed his hips into Nic’s grinding against him with a whole new intent. What he wanted was Nic there, too damn curious if it’d be different, what it would feel like and needing something more himself.
Nic’s breath hitched and his grip on Micah’s arm tightened, short nails cutting into his skin as his body trembled. It was becoming too much, his hand urging Micah’s to speed up, to push him towards his end. He was somewhat embarrassed about how quickly he’d gotten there, but it had been so long that being touched by someone else that every touch evoked so much more. “Micah,” Nic whimpered softly, kissing him breathlessly as his hips began to jerk. There was no turning back now, not unless he stopped completely, and that was out of the question, so he held on and enjoyed the ride, groaning as he came.
Micah bit back that hiss at Nic’s nails in his shoulder and answered every urge that Nic had for more. He assumed he’d be fine, letting Nic ride it out right up until that whimper that was more Micah’s name and Micah was lost. It was sappy, probably, but he couldn’t resist the pull that came with that, his name on his partner’s lips, needy and desperate. As a result, it was as if Nic had grabbed him on his way down and moments after Nic, Micah hit his own release with low moan. Not thinking beyond trying to catch his breath, he pulled Nic closer, nuzzling against his chin.
Nic hummed softly, pleased with the closeness, since he truly had no desire to move. He’d not even had time to worry about Micah not finishing before Micah was there himself, leaving them both to catch their breath and snuggle. Snuggling was good, in Nic’s opinion. He enjoyed all kinds of physical affection, not just those that ended in orgasm.
Micah wasn’t against it either, not when he’d been so far removed from real contact that wasn’t just formal or for work. The most he did was shift so Nic would be more comfortable, putting Micah more on his back. His fingers found the soft strands of hair at the back of Nic’s neck, stroking gently, almost idly. “You are nothing like I expected.” It was quiet, said more towards the ceiling and not entirely intentional, but honest.
If Micah kept that up, Nic might never leave, though it wasn’t like he was being kicked out. As Micah shifted to his back, Nic curled up against him, his body touching Micah’s wherever possible. His fingers took to tracing the bird on Micah’s chest, noting the detail now that he could have a closer look. “What did you expect?” he asked, glancing up at Micah.
If his skin was cool enough to blush, Micah probably would have, but as it was he just looked sheepish for a moment. “Straight for starters,” he half blurted. “Far less...knowledgeable? Maybe a little naive.”
Nic smiled, finding half that answer understandable, but the other half laughable, even if it might be true. It was hard for him to know if he was naive or not. “I’m quiet about my sexuality,” he admitted. “I worry about being judged, or that people won’t understand how I can be in the middle. I’ve only had one boyfriend and I’ve never really been out, so I can see how you could think that.”
“It’s not just you being quiet. It’s how you carry yourself. And you definitely didn’t seem interested.” Micah smiled, but it was sad. “You’d be surprised how many people are in the middle. What was he like?” It was an odd question to ask considering their current position, but Micah wanted to know what Nic was used to, especially if he wasn’t all that out or experienced.
“I didn’t know you might be either,” Nic said, glancing up at Micah. He’d been so worried about giving himself away that he’d failed to pick up on any signs of who might really be interested. The question about Dixen, about the other guy Nic had been with, was unexpected, and Nic didn’t quite know how to answer it. Micah and Dixen were nothing alike, but that was probably a good thing. “Um... He was an old friend. A bit of an asshole, actually. It was a-- a horribly unhealthy relationship,” Nic said, feeling his guilt creep back in, along with his insecurities. “I was cheating on my girlfriend with him.” Which partially explained why he wasn’t out. No one could know for other reasons.
"I don’t think my preferences were that much of a secret," Micah said with a smile. "But I didn't make anything obvious since we do work together." He carded his fingers through Nic's hair, frowning slightly at mention of his ex. Now he understood what Nic had meant about being familiar with Micah situation. "I hate that you went through that. Especially if he was a jerk."
Nic probably should have picked up on Micah’s preferences, but considering his track record, he didn’t trust his own judgement. Lately, it seemed rather that he could correctly pick up on anyone’s preferences. “I knew what I was doing,” Nic said, his eyes shutting for a second as Micah’s fingers ran through his hair. “Or I thought I did. I got caught up in it all, and everyone got hurt.”
Micah reached for Nic's chin, tilting it up so the younger man would look at him. "That's how that happens. Someone always does get hurt. But that's not the case here right?" It occurred to Micah that he just assumed Nic was unattached and now when he put his memory on the spot he could recall if Nic had specified that he was alone.
This wasn’t something Nic wanted to get into, not right now, when he should be enjoying Micah’s company rather than thinking of the past. He was too vulnerable here, the pain, regret, and guilt too clear, and he feared Micah would see it in his eyes. He wasn’t sure what Micah was asking, since ‘hurt’ didn’t even begin to cover what had happened. “They’re dead,” Nic whispered.
Micah saw it, but it wasn't something to push him away. So many people had died. So many people were hurt. He saw it every day. In fact, it helped him slip more into doctor mode, brushing at Nic's hair again. "I'm sorry. That's awful."
“But I killed them,” Nic admitted softly, his grip on Micah tightening just a touch, as if Micah might try to run away. “She got bitten and he was going to shoot her, and I... I just couldn’t let him. He made me choose.” Suddenly, Nic wished they were under the covers instead of on them, as if he could bury himself in them and disappear. He’d gotten through this conversation with Skylar because he’d been high, but this time he had nothing to dull the memories.
Even without Nic's tighter grip, Micah wasn't letting go of him. "We all did things we're not proud of, honey. We all did. Even me." He leaned in and pressed a lingering kiss against Nic's mouth, hoping to soothe him some.
The kiss did more to sooth Nic than the words did, as one who tended to believe no one had done anything as bad as himself. He was far more forgiving when it came to other’s crimes than when dealing with his own. Now two people knew-- Micah and Skylar. Well, and Zania, but she’d been there to witness it.
Micah had a feeling if they weren't careful, they slip right back into where they were before with the kissing and it was motivation to draw it to an end and pull back slightly. "When do you have to go?"
Go? Nic hadn't even thought about it. In fact, he would have stayed if Micah welcomed it, but he realized that not everyone was comfortable with that. For Nic, if he was good with fooling around with someone, he was definitely fine with staying the night. "Whenever you want me to."
That made Micah chuckle and blush slightly. "If you ask me the answer's going to be never." The bed was already better with Nic in it and Micah knew the moment the other man left he'd be showering and headed back to the hospital. It'd be too lonely to sleep here alone.
It always impressed Nic that he could make Micah blush, even a little bit, and Nic smiled back at him. “Then, if you don’t mind, I’d like to stay.” The alternative was going home and climbing into a cold bed, which didn’t sound near as appealing.
Micah shook his head as he rolled more on his side. He was likely to be just as awkward in the morning as he'd been through dinner, but if Nic wanted to stay, Micah was more than happy to have him there. Instead of saying anything else because he was afraid of saying the wrong thing he pulled Nic in for another kiss. That likely said enough anyway and now he could do so without worrying about keeping Nic longer than he wanted to be there.