by Okati, Willa
Pet and love. Rack's endearments. Things can't be too bad if he's still treating Daniel as a lover and a partner. Daniel chances getting up and crossing over to Rack, kneeling beside him.
Rack's grin widens. "There's room up here for two, you know." He scoots forward, crossing his legs.
"Are you sure?"
"Might have to wedge ourselves in a bit, but come on. I've an itch to feel you solid behind me."
Daniel isn't at all sure that they will fit, but what the hell? He gets up and tries getting into the window seat. Awkward as fuck, but he finally manages to get behind Rack and stretch his legs on both sides. Rack gives a contented sigh and leans back, resting against Daniel's chest. Daniel hides his own sound of relief and wraps his arm around Rack's waist, holding him close.
Rack is still for a moment, then chuckles. "Been a while since we've done it like that, fast and furious," he says. "Fancy having another go?"
"Yeah, I do. Maybe not this morning..."
"Oi, I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"What? No, no. I'm a little sore, but that's all." Daniel gives Rack a light squeeze. "This is gonna sound like a cliché, but you were an animal last night. That's the kind of fuck that goes down in record books."
"Mmm. Glad you were pleased. Enjoyed myself, too." Rack takes the last possible puff of his cigarette, and reaches down for an ashtray tucked between his knees. After staring at the cherry, though, he picks up his pack and uses the dog-end to light a fresh one. The smell of tar and nicotine fill the air around them. Daniel would cough, but he keeps it swallowed down even though his throat tickles.
They sit in silence for a long minute. "This isn't about Josh, you know," Rack says so abruptly that Daniel knows he's lying, or at least not telling the whole truth. "You've found a friend and that's good, yeah? He's not such a bad type from what I can tell. Took to that ink and punch like a pro."
Which are big selling points to Rack, Daniel knows. He holds Rack closer. "I figured it upset you when he got hard."
"Eh." Rack waves that aside. "Happens to more men than you'd think. Some of them notice, some don't."
"Does anyone ever ask..."
He gets a disgusted snort. "'Course they do. The gay ones, anyhow. But I always tell 'em no. I've got me a man, and I don't plan to stray."
That knowledge comforts Daniel more than he could say. "Same here," is what he manages, raising his chin so that Rack's head fits underneath it. "I'm just..."
"Worried for your pal?"
"How can I not be? He trusts me enough to come out. And for a guy like him, who jumps at every sudden sound, that's a big deal. And he trusted you enough to let you get in close and personal. I don't think he's just my problem, Rack. I think this is big enough for both of us now."
"Could be you're right." Rack smokes for a few minutes. Daniel lets him, just waiting in the silence to see what'll happen next. He is, however, surprised by what does come out of Rack's mouth. "Good thing you woke up, then. I invited him by for breakfast."
"You -- what? Rack, hey now." Daniel's more or less trapped, inhibiting his body movement, or he would have jumped up in surprise. Rack's cool hand comes to rest on his knee.
"Take it easy, pet. Just figured it'd be the kind thing to do. Let him see us both together, in our element, and he won't be getting' ideas about one or the other."
"Ideas? Oh, God, Rack, that's ridiculous. Josh knows we're an item. He wouldn't try to come between us. The guy can hardly say boo to a goose." He pauses. "Isn't that an English expression? Why would anyone walk up and say boo to a goose, anyway?"
"Got me, love. What's the time?"
Daniel shakes his head in exasperation, but he does check. "Quarter to eight. Do I at least have time to get dressed?"
"Hmm." He can all but hear Rack's wicked grin in his voice. "Might be better if you didn't. Then I can hump you in front of him and really drive my point home."
What's disturbing is that Daniel finds this more enticing than not. "Get up, smoke boy. If Josh is coming by, I'm going to be decently dressed, anyway. Did you order room service?"
"Yeah, while you were asleep. Should be here any minute. No worries about your maidenly virtue. If you're still starkers when the food comes, you can hide inside the bathroom." He chuckles as Daniel pushes at him, and pushes right back, his ass against Daniel's groin. The morning half-wood that Daniel woke with starts turning into a full frontal redwood.
"Oh, now that's not playing fair."
"Whoever said I was fair?" Rack does push Daniel's leg aside and crawl down then. "There. Now you can just go without satisfaction until we're done sharing pancakes with this bloke, eh?"
"You asshole, you did that on purpose," Daniel accuses me. "You want me to have an erection when Josh comes over."
"You bet." Rack is heading for his suitcase. He bends over, enticing ass in the air, and digs for something. "An' I want him to know that it's all for me. We clear on that?"
Daniel gazes down at his aching cock and gives a long sigh. "There's no chance we could, real quick..."
"Nope, none at all." Rack straightens up. His hands are full of something soft and silky in a rich ivory. He tosses the fabric at Daniel, who just manages to pull off a catch. He unfolds the cloth to find an outfit that matches Rack's -- boxers and robe. "You want the chains, too?"
"Rack." Daniel stands up and heads for his suitcase, to hunt for a pair of jeans. "This is ridiculous. I'm not going to look like a pornographic Bobbsey twin just to prove a point to Josh."
"Dan." The tone in Rack's voice, quiet and as close to serious as he gets, stops Daniel in his hunt. "For me. Please."
Daniel weighs the handful of creamy silk in his hands. He'd be a complete bastard to deny Rack, wouldn't he? "All right," he says with a sigh. "But we're going to look like we fell off a really gay, X-rated wedding cake."
A bit of Rack's grin returns to his face. "Well, that's the point, innit? Besides, you'll look a treat all done up in ivory, next to my red. Red! That's the color we should do next on your arm tattoo."
Those words are music to Daniel's ears. "Yeah? When can we do it?"
Rack seizes Daniel by the waist for a little raunchy bump-and-grind. "Any time you like," he says, deliberately misunderstanding. "Right in front of the room service lad, if you like. In front of Josh."
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Daniel pulls back. "I meant the tattoo."
"Yeah, that. When we hit the next convention, I reckon. You should be healed up enough for me to start in on you as our kickoff demonstration." Rack gestured at the red. "Go on and get your kit on, then, or you'll be bollocks to the wind when our breakfast shows up."
Rack's mood is changing faster than the colors on a strobe light, and Daniel's not sure if he can keep up. Stepping into the way-too-short shorts, he pulls them up to his waist, and gazes ruefully at his erection. For the first time since he's met Rack, he's willing himself to go soft. Maybe if he belts the robe... damn. The thing doesn't have a belt. "A really pornographic wedding cake," he repeats, letting the robe hang open.
"Then I want a slice." Rack sidles in for a kiss, which Daniel can't help giving him, deep and wet and hot. While their lips are still fastened together, they hear a knock on the door. It's a businesslike kind of sound, so Daniel guesses that it's probably their breakfast.
"You go answer that," he orders, stepping behind the bathroom door. "I'm not about to show off the goodies to some random bellhop."
"Isn't bellhops who deliver food," Rack shoots back, but thank God, he's heading for the door, snatching up some money from the dresser along the way. He flings open the door -- and there's silence. It goes on for a few beats, long enough for Daniel to get curious and peek around to see what's going on.
The room service guy is standing there staring, with a rolling tray in front of him covered in silver-domed dishes and a couple pitchers. One of them smells like dark, rich coffee, making Daniel's mouth water.
But behind him, there's Josh, looking embarrassed
as hell, twisting his hands together. Rack has him in some kind of eye-lock, and Daniel knows he's going to be measuring Josh, weighing him in the balance. It's a hell of a look to have thrown at you early in the morning. Not exactly fair to Josh.
He steps out, holding his robe closed in lieu of a tie. "Come on in, both of you," he directs. "The food can go on that table over there. Josh, take a seat."
Neither the room service guy or Josh seem to know quite what to do, even when directed, but room service wins out over Josh when it comes to courage and brings his cart rattling into the room. If he takes a slight, alarmed glance at the mess, well, that's his business. They'll sort everything out with Housekeeping later.
Josh steps in behind him, looking down for the most part. Rack doesn't exactly get out of either man's way, so they have to dodge past him. Josh takes a seat at the table, still looking down. The room service guy hesitates, and then says, "Keep the cart. When you're done, just leave it outside for us to pick back up."
"Ta ever so. Here, this is all a tip for you. Put the food itself on our tab."
The words earn him some startled but appreciative thanks, which Rack waves aside. "Go on, then. Sure you've got other deliveries to make. We're a hungry lot, we conventioneers." Daniel gets a look at his smile, which is almost feral. "Hurry it up, now. We want to dig on in."
Room Service makes an abrupt about-face and marches out, stuffing the money in his pocket. "Thank you," he calls over his shoulder.
"No problem." Rack reaches for the first pitcher on the cart plus a mug, and pours out a dose of what looks like really strong, high-octane coffee. "Dan, you want some? Josh?"
Josh shakes his head. "Nothing for me, thanks."
"I want some." Still trying to hold his robe closed, Daniel pads over on his bare feet and takes one of the remaining chairs. He grabs a cup and holds it out to Rack. "Fill it up to the top?"
"'Course, pet. Cream and sugar?"
"Just black, thanks." Sitting down, Daniel crosses one leg over the other and feels suddenly so much better about himself. He gives Josh an encouraging smile. "You sure you don't want some? I know you've got a java habit as bad as my own, and this smells like the good stuff."
Josh murmurs something and shakes his head. "Your loss," Daniel warns him before taking that first rich, delicious sip. It goes down like molten lava, warming his stomach and radiating out through his skin. "God, that is the best."
"Right. Coffee's good, we've got orange juice and pancakes, even a couple of muffins and such." Rack sits down with a thump. "But that's not really why we're here, is it?" He lets his legs fall open, spreading them wide. "We're goin' to talk about you and the interest you've taken in my boy."
Josh turns a darker shade of red. "I wasn't -- I mean, I didn't-- "
Rack pours himself some juice. "Go on."
"It's not like that." Josh looks up at last. "I'm not trying to steal Daniel from you. What happened last night just... happened. I didn't know I would... I mean… I...I don't usually--"
"Josh, it's okay," Daniel says.
"Hell if it is," Rack snaps. "Look here, you. I've been tryin' to figure you out since New York, and bugger me if I can understand where you're comin' from or why you're along for this ride. Only reason I can think of is you've fallen for what belongs to me."
"Daniel, I didn't. I...I swear." Josh turns pleading eyes on him. "It's not like...like -- God, if I could just finish a sentence, I could explain!"
Daniel sits back and waits. He's had to do this a time or two before when Josh has gotten rattled. Rack seems like he's willing to wait all day, so long as he gets the answers he wants. He drinks some of his juice but doesn't take the laser gaze off Josh, not giving him any quarter.
"I...I don't know where to start," Josh says after the pause has dragged on way too long to be comfortable. "Rack can...can I just say what's on my mind?"
Rack has his Diamond Eyes aimed at Josh. "Wish you would, mate." He takes a measured sip of juice. "Go on, then."
Josh takes in a deep breath. "I know Daniel told...told you that I came out to him. Right?"
"He mentioned somethin' along those lines."
"Look, this isn't...isn't easy for me, all...all right?" Josh rubs a hand across the remains of his crew cut. He's getting to where he needs a real trim now, or some kind of shape to his hair. As it is, he looks like he's going bald in reverse. Not the best look a guy can have, but Daniel hasn't mentioned it because this is Josh, and you don't just come out and criticize him. The guy's been through enough. Pushing him to get a tattoo was... well, it was different.
"Go on," Daniel encourages, getting himself a dose of the stare for his pains. He's the first to look away, taking a drink of his coffee. He can smell pancakes and warm maple syrup, just getting cold, and he wishes that this were all over with. "Josh," he risks, "you don't have to be worried. Just talk to Rack, and we'll have breakfast. Okay?"
Josh nods. His hands work against one another like he's got worry beads between his palms. "Rack, you think I want Daniel. Want him, want him."
"I do."
"Well, okay. You're...you're right." Josh makes a "hold on" gesture. "But it's not just him. I see the two of you together, and I think...I think that this is what perfection is. And God, I've been so long without anything good in my life that I can't help but want some of it for myself. You don't know what it was like over there. The noise, the smells, the sounds... it's hell." He swallows. "So I come back over here and the first thing I do is something crazy, something to prove that I'm not as much of a mess as they tell me I am. And...and I see the two of you. I see you. And I can't help but want some of it for myself." He spreads his hands wide. "I want you, Daniel. But I want you, too, Rack. Both of you."
Daniel doesn't know what to say. He feels like he's been sucker-punched. But Rack, he isn't looking surprised. He takes another sip of his juice, and says, "Thought so."
"What the hell do you mean, you thought so?" Daniel snaps, turning on him. "You thought so, and you didn't tell me?"
"Hush, Daniel. I think Josh knows this is between me an' him, isn't it?"
"I would never take what's yours. And I wouldn't steal what belongs to Daniel." Josh looks helpless. "But this is all so...so new to me. You know? I've never even...never even--"
"Done this?" And before Daniel can say anything, Rack's leaned forward and caught Josh by the chin, pressing him into a hard kiss. Daniel gapes as Josh stiffens, then moans softly and starts kissing back.
Rack pulls away. "I've heard you out," he says, measured. "Me an' Daniel, we have to talk now. Unless you fancy a cold waffle, I'd suggest you be on your way."
Josh is the color of a brick as he stands up. "Daniel, fuck, I am so sorry--"
Daniel's too numb to say anything. He shakes his head, mute.
"Don't be...be mad at me. Please?" Josh turns his eyes to Rack. "I didn't mean to...to ruin things."
"Not saying they are." Rack licks his lips thoughtfully. "Move on, if you would. My boy and I need some time to talk."
Josh ducks his head and gets up, making for the door. Neither Rack or Daniel say a word until it clicks shut behind him. And even then, Daniel doesn't know what to say.
"Well, pet?" Rack asks quietly. "What do you think?"
"I don't know what to think," Daniel answers, honest as he can be while still in shock. "You kissed him."
"I did. To show him what it was like. I'm surprised you never kissed him before. I kept waitin' for you to tell me that you'd gone and done it."
"Betray you? Rack, I'd never."
"Yeah. Figured that out for myself." Rack puts down his juice. "What this Josh of yours is askin' is for us to break him in, gentle-like. And we can say yes, or we can say no. Choice is up to you. But you know this, and know it for damn certain -- I'm not about to toss you over for him. And I reckon the same is true of you. Which makes the question: do we let him in, for a little while, and show him what all of this is about?"
Daniel's mouth opens and cl
oses. "You'd let someone else in."
"For a time. If you were willing." Rack sits back. "Like I said, up to you. An' I think I know what your answer will be, if you just give yourself time to think about things."
Rack stands, then, the old spring back in his step. "I'm gonna get dressed in something proper," he says. "Then we've got to go down and dismantle the stand, get it ready for the movers. Grab a bite of muffin or something, get your kit on, and come downstairs when you're able to." He pauses, then leans down to kiss Daniel hard, rough as last night and when they first met. "You're still mine," he growls. "Don't be thinkin' that I'm casting you aside. I know what you're thinkin', and stop right there. You belong to me. Nothing's changed there. Just... maybe we'll share for a bit."
