Unexpected love

Johnny had every intention of furthering their relationship, and it probably would have been the next step after the kiss they shared shortly after Jay left, but, as Destiny is indeed a bitch...

They were stretched out together on the bed, after Johnny had declared that, despite the fact that neither man was very bulky, his couch was not made for cuddling. Johnny was leaning back against the headboard, a folded paper held up in one hand, a pair of reading glasses perched on his nose. Ten was lying partially beside him, partially on him, and using Johnny's stomach as a table for his own book.

The room was quiet, except for the sound of their breathing and the occasional whisper of crinkling page as either turned a page. It was early evening, but after the 'breakfast' that Johnny had made earlier, neither o them was truly hungry and dinner had been postponed until Ten was done with his homework and Johnny was done with the business section of his paper.

"A waste of time," Ten muttered, breaking the solitude. He mumbled something else, and then flipped to the next page. Johnny, more than happy to distract Ten, and in turn himself, put his paper down, covering Ten's book.

"What's a waste of time, love?" asked Johnny innocently, as if he hadn't just interrupted the other man.

Ten gazed at the newspaper pointedly for a moment and then looked up at Johnny. "What is a purchase of less than one hundred shares called?"

"An odd lot," Johnny said with hesitation, grinning a little. "And a waste of time."
"Exactly," Ten agreed. "My father says that you buy enough to make a difference, and a hundred lots is a waste of time. If that's a large percent, the company is too small, and in a company that's large enough, it's-"
"Junk." Johnny broke in. He picked the text book up and looked at the page that Ten had flipped it to. "What are you studying?"

"I'm going to college for business. It was father's choice, and since he gets whatever he wants..." Ten trailed off with a shrug. Johnny glanced down, one eyebrow raised. He snapped the book shut and reached across Ten to place it on the nightstand along with his newspaper, and then he shifted them so that they were lying on their sides, chests pressed together and his arm looped around Ten's side so that he could rub the younger man's back.

"Your father is a jackass who isn't worthy of my time, or yours," Johnny said softly, pressing his cheek against Ten's. "If you had a choice, what would you go to school for?"

"Me? I like drawing and designing and constructing stuffs. If I had a choice, I'd get a degree in architecture." Ten spoke into Johnny's shoulder, his face tucked into the space between collar and neck. "But school isn't about what I want. Father is paying and-"
He broke off abruptly as he found himself on his back, Johnny's mouth covering his in a kiss, his mouth filled by an extra tongue. It was definitely wonderful, and he brought his arms up and wrapped them about Johnny's shoulder, pulling the other man closer, one hand going up into dark hair, and another running down Johnny's side to press hesitantly against Johnny's hip, just shy of moving around to touch his butt.

Johnny moved back, just enough to wink and grin as he reached his arm back, grabbed Ten's hand, and placed it on his rear. Before Ten could even blush, Johnny was kissing him again, one leg moving smoothly between Ten's, pressing their lower bodies together until his groin was pressed against Ten's hip, his thigh playfully rubbing Ten's crotch through their pants. Ten would have moaned if he could have managed the sound around the extra tongue that seemed determined to fill his mouth.

Johnny seemed determined to asphyxiate them both, and it only took a couple of minutes before Ten was pushing him away, trying to breath and arguing with his body that it was more necessary than kissing Johnny. His hand, once upon a time laying so innocently on Johnny's behind was clenched in the material of the other man's pants, pressing Johnny closer, urging the movement of their bodies. His other hand was holding a clump of brown hair painfully, though Johnny was far from complaining.

When Ten finally seemed to regain his breath, Johnny was at it again, this time using lips, tongue, and teeth to mark a wet trail down Ten's chin and neck to the top of the T-shirt he was wearing. Large hands moved to bunch the shirt up, leaving Ten's midriff bare. Johnny passed over the bunched material and began his trail again on Ten's stomach, pleased to note the surprised arching of the other man's body, the way that Ten panted and sighed.

His lips had just bypassed Ten's navel when the grip on his hair become firm and insistent, stopping him from going any lower. He looked up, the lust-glaze covering his eyes when he encountered the fear on Ten's own gaze.

He moved back up Ten's body quickly, returning to his position above the other man, one hand coming up to gently brush black hair away from wide brown eyes.

His lips smiled, even as he inwardly groaned in frustration. He kissed the younger man's cheek and drew back. "I'll go see about something for dinner," he said quietly, keeping his thoughts and emotions to himself. He left Ten on his bed.

In the kitchen, he slammed his head against the wall and groaned, reaching down to adjust the erection in his pants. He had a feeling that Ten was going to cause him more pain and discomfort than he was already in, but oddly, the thought didn't bother him as much as the look in Ten's eyes had.

Fear from inexperience he could have dealt with, except that it hadn't been that type.

He'd known Jay for years, and he knew enough about his relatives to know that they were all assholes, except Ten obviously, and that his uncle was a real bastard. However, nowhere in his memory bank did he remember any mention of sexual abuse, nor had he ever heard of anyone in the family ever being attacked. So, as far as he knew, there was no reason for that look, no reason for Ten to be afraid of what he'd been doing.

And that only left one thing for him to fear, and that was Johnny himself. Which didn't explain why Ten was there in the first place, if he was scared of him. His mind twirled those thoughts around, chasing after them with circular logic until arms wrapped hesitantly around his stomach and a cheek pressed against his back.

"I'm sorry," Ten said, sounding sincerely apologetic and worried. Johnny turned around and pulled him closer, eyes closing as Ten leaned into his embrace.

"For what, love?" Johnny asked gently, rubbing Ten's back tenderly. Standing as they were, he could press his cheek against Ten's and kiss the skin in front of his ear, and he did just that, smiling slightly when the younger man's body relaxed into him. "You didn't do anything wrong." Johnny's voice was reassuring, soothing.

Ten chuckled humorlessly, tightening his hold on Johnny and pressing his face into the other man's neck. "I wanted to make love to you. I -want- to," he amended carefully, lips brushing Johnny's skin as he spoke.

"There's no need to rush, Ten. We have plenty of time."
"That's what I'm afraid of, that there won't be," Ten admitted. "I'm afraid that if I ask you to wait too long, you'll get tired and ask me to leave. But if we do, and then you're done and have no use with me, that you'll ask me to leave."

It hadn't been what he'd expected, and it took Johnny a few seconds to completely understand what Ten was saying. The physical part of a relationship had always been easy to him, but he'd never actually had to deal with the emotional aspects. It was new, the realization that he could hold the key to another's happiness.

It scared the hell out of him. He could open his mouth and sweet-talk his way out of it, but Ten needed an assurance he wasn't sure he was capable of giving. He tightened his arms around the other man and kept his mouth shut.

Ten had hoped for a better answer, and Johnny's silence served to make the ache in his chest expand. He closed his eyes, allowing the continued embrace even though it no longer made him feel any better. He wasn't surprised to feel Johnny kissing the side of his face. He was, however, surprised when warm lips pressed against the shell of his ear and whispered, "I'm sorry."

He felt a sharp pain go through him as the meaning behind those words became clear. There were no promises, no guarantees, and it was obvious that Johnny didn't really care to try to offer him any. He wasn't worth the time.

"You're impossible," Johnny said softly, pulling back from Ten removing the other man from his embrace. "I give you a key, make more exceptions for you in a day than I've ever given anyone in my life, and you're still scared that I'm about to shove you out the door."

Ten crossed his arms over his chest, feeling like a scolded child. His upset showed clearly on his face, and Johnny sighed when he saw it.

He ran a hand through his hair, pushing the dark locks away from his face as he stared at Ten. Finally he sighed, walked over to the couch, and dropped unceremoniously onto it. "You have -keys- Ten. If it'll make you feel better, I'll have you added to the lease. I can't kick you out or ask you to leave, because, and eventually you'll realize this, this is your home now, too."

They gazed at each other as silence settled over the apartment. After a few minutes, in which it become apparent that Johnny had said all he was going to say, Ten crossed the room to the chair across from the couch and sat down. "Explain to me 'exceptions'," he requested softly.

Johnny closed his eyes and leaned back against the cushions. "I never explain myself to anyone. I don't let people come into the apartment unless I've known them at least a year. I don't take 'lovers' and I don't invite the people I want to sleep with home. No one has a set of keys except me. Staying around after sex to sleep is a 'no-no', staying around after sleeping is worse, and cooking someone breakfast in bed is the last straw. I don't chose lovers over friends, and I don't do the reassurance bit." He opened his eyes and looked at Ten. "I'm sure I'll be able to add to that list later, but that's all I can think of for right now."

Ten stared at him, eyes wide. Suddenly, even being in the apartment had new meaning. He ducked his head, face flushing under the intensity of Johnny's gaze. "Does giving your coat and gloves away and changing tires fall under that same list?" he asked.

One eyebrow raised, Johnny continued to stare at Ten. "Yes," he answered.
"Will you break one more of your rules for me?" Ten inquired.
"Depends," Johnny replied, knowing very well that if Ten asked, he'd probably do it, no matter what it was.

"Tell me you love me." Ten's tone was pleading, and he gazed at Johnny from under his lashes.
Johnny tilted his head, smiled, and opened his arms. "I love you." Ten smiled, his expression lightening quickly. He stood up and made his way to Johnny to sit on the other man's lap. Johnny embraced him, shifting them both until Ten was straddling him, head tucked under Johnny's chin, their arms tight around each other.

"Does that break another rule?" Ten asked from where he rested against Johnny.
"Yes," came the answer. "I can say it to get you where I want you, but I can't mean it."

Notes