You'll Thank Me Later

by AMKelley

Francis is almost more than certain that if he were to approach Will right now and strike up a conversation, everything that could go wrong would go wrong. Surely. *AU, sexual content, fingering, oral sex, gentle sex*

He had been dragged to the Christmas office party, to say the least. Francis wasn't the type to go out and socialize, mostly because he was insecure about a number of things and he didn't know how to talk to people, but his best friend and coworker Beverly Katz insisted that he show up. No one should be alone for the holidays. Even if it is a crappy office party, Beverly had declared. Francis wasn't really in the position to complain, so he had no other choice but to do as Bev said.

Francis didn't really know how to dress for things like this, but Beverly assured him anything would be fine. Not until after she relentlessly pestered him to wear an ugly Christmas sweater first. Oh, and how convenient of her to have one on hand in Francis' size. Thankfully, though, she conceded after Francis politely declined a few times. Bev was cool like that. She would tease, but only to a fault. She never forced anything on Francis that he didn't particularly like.

She really was the only friend he had. Maybe this party wouldn't be so bad as long as Beverly was by his side. In the end, he just threw on some tight fitting black jeans and a maroon colored button up he wore on more formal occasions. Francis even draped a dark, similarly colored cardigan over it and finished off the look with a black tie. It wasn't anything too fancy, something he'd actually consider wearing to work on a daily basis, but it looked nice nevertheless. At least that's what Beverly had claimed. She was so easy to impress sometimes.

They ended up carpooling together in Beverly's car because Francis hadn't cleaned his out and he felt embarrassed. He knew Beverly didn't care about stuff like that, but Francis cared. A great deal, in fact. He cared how people saw him and often found himself hiding away on multiple occasions. It's one of the reasons why Francis liked his job behind a cubicle. It made him feel connected to the office space and the people around him while also being detached from it at the same time.

The drive itself to the party was quiet, but a comfortable silence. At one point Beverly opted to turn on the radio to a station that was playing Christmas music. Marshmallow World by Dean Martin was currently playing softly in the background as they pulled up to the office. Francis wondered for a moment if he still had time to back out and beg Bev to take him home, but he couldn't bring himself to speak up. Besides, he didn't want to spoil Beverly's night by being a sour grape.

Francis followed Bev up the path towards the building, stuffing his hands into his pockets to shelter them from the cold. A blanket of snow had fell from the sky earlier in the day and Francis had foolishly forgot to bring a proper jacket with him. The walk wasn't too far, thankfully, but Beverly peered over at Francis in time to see him shiver slightly. Bev smirked a little, an all knowing aura draping around her smaller frame.

"You know, I still have that sweater in the car if you're cold," Beverly offered, catching the timid side glance Francis gave her. "It's not too late to change your mind."

"Never give up, do you?" Francis inquired with an amused huff, hot breath dissipating in the sharp bite of winter air.

"I'm afraid it's not in my nature," Bev countered, bumping Francis playfully with one of her shoulders.

"I think that's what I like most about you," Francis admitted, blushing slightly. "Your tenacity."

"You're too sweet, Francis," Beverly gushed, interlocking her arm with Francis' platonically. She rested her head against his arm and hummed thoughtfully. "If you weren't so into men I would've jumped you ages ago."

"Don't say things like that," Francis mumbled nervously, making himself relax under Bev's affection.

"Why not?" Beverly challenged.

She knew exactly why not. Francis was a timid man by nature on account of his social anxiety growing up and also because of the scar on his upper lip that had impaired his speaking for many years throughout his adolescence. He didn't have much experience speaking to people other than Beverly. So every time Beverly teased or hinted at flirting, it instantly made Francis flustered.

"It embarrasses me," Francis confessed.

"What? To think that someone might be interested in you?" Beverly surmised, feeling Francis flinch slightly.

"I'm just not used to it, that's all," Francis divulged, and it was true. He never thought someone could actually find him attractive.

"Well, I just so happen to know that a certain socially awkward, dog lover from tech support has a crush on you," Beverly sing songed as they approached the front entrance.

"Will Graham doesn't have a crush on me," Francis denied bashfully, refusing to get his hopes up on hearsay floating around the office. "He hardly knows I exist."

"Sure he does!" Bev encouraged. "You just gotta approach him about it. Or at least talk to him."

Francis pulled open the door and stepped aside to let Beverly in first like a gentleman, politely refusing to acknowledge Beverly's advice by remaining silent. Francis trailed in after her and let the door swing closed behind him, jogging a little to catch up with Bev. She was small and had shorter strides than Francis, but she was quick on her feet nonetheless.

Down the hall, Francis could hear Christmas music and the boisterous cajoling of co workers that had already arrived. It was a bit jarring for Francis to hear such a ruckus coming from the usually quiet office, but it was somewhat comforting in a way. He may try to distance himself from other people quite often, but he still enjoyed the presence of their happiness every now and again. He longed to feel that same carefree joy that others seemed so easily to acquire.

Beverly reached the end of the hall and poked her head through the doorway, squealing when she saw her friend Miriam. They briefly shared a hug and exchanged a few words. It always puzzled Francis why they were always so excited to see each other because they worked together in the same department every day. Women were odd like that. They valued their friendships so much that they often made a big deal about being apart for more than a day. Francis thought it was endearing in a way, though, a little too familiar than he remembered.

He spared a look around the festively decorated office as Beverly caught up with Miriam for a little bit. The boss, Jack Crawford, had brought his pregnant wife Bella along and was currently sharing a slow dance with her. Zeller and Price, the office clowns, were over by the refreshments table eating and laughing about whatever silly jokes they were telling each other. Francis smirked a little, letting his gaze drift off elsewhere. They were a few other people milling around from a different department that Francis didn't recognize, but eventually his eyes came to rest on the curly haired man from tech support.

He was standing off to the side next to a man named Matthew whom he worked closely with in tech support. They were sharing a chat and drink over the soft sound of Winter Wonderland playing in the background. Francis never really saw Will hanging out with anyone else, so he assumed Matthew was one of his only friends. After all, Will wasn't the most socially gifted person either. That was a trait him and Francis shared apparently. Francis noticed that Will was wearing an ugly Christmas sweater the more he stared. It even had a dog on the front.

Francis mused on who the culprit behind that sweater could possibly be.

Speaking of which, Beverly had returned to Francis' side after Miriam broke off to talk with Jack and Bella. Francis hardly noticed until Beverly was pushing a drink into his hands. Francis looked down at the red solo cup in his hands, studying the suspicious liquid with a scrutinizing eye before glancing over at Bev's curious gaze. She was avidly taking sips from her own cup, wincing slightly.

"What's this?" Francis asked with a raised brow.

"Just some eggnog," Beverly shrugged nonchalantly, feigning innocence.

"Is that all?" Francis insisted skeptically.

"Okay, maybe it has a little something extra, but you need the pick me up if you're gonna make it through this with your sanity still intact," Beverly concluded, taking another drink. She noticed the hesitant look from Francis and nudged him playfully. "It's not nearly enough to get you drunk. It's just to loosen you up a little."

"I don't need loosening up," Francis claimed, drinking from his cup slowly to appease Beverly.

"You do if you're gonna talk to Will," Beverly asserted with a devious curl of her lips. "Think of it as liquid courage."

"Yeah, that's not happening," Francis reminded, sparing a glance over at the aforementioned Will Graham.

"Oh, come on. Don't be a stick in the mud," Bev complained, frowning slightly.

"I'm not good with people. I make them nervous. More nervous than they make me," Francis fretted.

"That's because you're, like, a million feet tall," Bev teased.

Francis knew Beverly only meant well and he often appreciated the way she would urge and push him to do things out of his comfort zone to make him less awkward, but the thought of talking to other men with the intention of hooking up with them still frightened him. Hell, just talking to someone he was interested in made his palms sweat. Especially when that person was Will. Despite being similarly afflicted with social awkwardness, Francis still deemed Will out of his league. Will was far too attractive for someone like him.

"How do you even know he likes men?" Francis reasoned, deciding to at least flirt with the idea of approaching Will, but only after he got sufficient information.

"How else do you think he got a raise from Jack?" Beverly revealed, gauging Francis' reaction. His eyebrows nearly leapt into his hairline and he balked at Beverly with his mouth agape. Beverly laughed. "I'm kidding! He has a Facebook, unlike you."

"I have a Facebook," Francis defended. "You the one who made me get one."

"Yeah, which you never use," Bev pointed out with a snarky tone. "Anyway, you would know that he put gay under sexual orientation or that his marital status is single if you bothered to friend him."

"Why are you stalking him on social media?" Francis questioned, slightly humored by Bev's insistence as he took a drink of his spiked eggnog.

"Someone has to keep you posted if you're too bashful to do it yourself," Beverly commented, shrugging it off casually like water off a duck's back. "Besides, he only posts pictures of his dogs anyway. Which are adorable. Are you a dog person?"

"I can barely take care of myself, let alone a pet," Francis postulated, smirking into his beverage.

"That is such a cat person thing to say," Beverly quipped, earning her a nudge this time.

"Don't you have a cat?" Francis cross-examined.

"Shut up," Bev gushed.

This made Francis smile a bit and, for once, he made Beverly blush. He was getting better at his delivery with comebacks and he supposed he had Bev to thank for that. Ever since Beverly became his friend, Francis was getting progressively better at interacting. He's even spoken to Miriam on a few occasions, mostly because Beverly had already been talking to her, but he managed to get through the conversation without making a fool of himself.

The same could not be said for Will Graham. Francis is almost more than certain that if he were to approach Will right now and strike up a conversation, everything that could go wrong would go wrong. Surely. What if Will turned him down? He didn't need to be the laughing stock of the whole office. Besides, he didn't want to make life at the office even more awkward for either of them.

"Heads up," Beverly alerted, nodding her head over towards Will who was now standing alone. Matthew broke off to mingle with someone from another department. "Now's your chance."

"I don't even know what to say," Francis stammered, downing the rest of his eggnog bitterly.

"Ask him how his night's going," Bev started. "It's not that hard to talk to people, Francis."

"Maybe not for you," Francis offered.

"All you have to do is go through the motions. Talk about his hobbies, his aspirations, or even his favorite color for crying out loud!" Beverly ranted, getting feisty now that Francis was considering to take her advice. She softened her tone when she noticed how twitchy Francis was. "Look, if things get awkward, it's not the end of the world. I mean, Will's not exactly articulate either. He'll probably be just as nervous as you. Who knows? You might even impress him with your confidence for approaching him first."

"I don't know…" Francis said slowly.

"If you don't do it now, you'll regret it later," Beverly elaborated, placing a hand on Francis' arm to console him.

"Perhaps you're right," Francis said thoughtfully, looking over at Will standing alone.

"Of course I am," Beverly boasted with a snort of confidence. "I'm always right. Now quit stalling and go get 'em tiger!"

Beverly gave Francis a shove towards Will's direction, giggling madly and giving Francis the thumbs up when he glanced back at her quickly. Francis tossed his empty cup into the trash on his way over to Will, tugging down on his cardigan to straighten himself out a little. He hadn't felt the faint effects of the alcohol Bev had slipped him until he started to move and it made his skin prickle with heat. Even more so than before.

His palms were already starting to sweat as he got closer to Will, who was distracted by the collection of CDs scattered across the tabletop. Will was absent-mindedly fingering through them curiously, not noticing he had been approached by someone. Francis stood there awkwardly, opening and closing his mouth a few times as he attempted to address the man before him. He settled on clearing his throat, knocking Will out of his trance-like state. Will raised his gaze up towards Francis' imposing presence.

"Hi," Francis mumbled with a shaky voice.

"Hello," Will responded, tugging on the hem of his ugly, bright red sweater. "Dolarhyde from Accounting, right?"

"It's Francis, yes," Francis concurred, taking some delight in the fact that Will knew his name. "You're Graham from Tech Support."

"Will," the other man beamed, awkwardly sticking his hand out.

Francis took Will's hand and shook it politely, shivering at the contact.

"How are you doing this evening?" Francis asked, surprised that he was able to get that much out in one go.

"Honestly, I'd rather be home with my dogs," Will chuckled nervously, eyes squinting slightly as he smiled. "I can't complain too much though. You?"

"I wouldn't mind going home either," Francis admitted with a shy smile of his own, subconsciously shielding his scar from Will's ever observant eyes. "Beverly really wanted me to go with her."

"Yeah, that sounds familiar," Will offered with a smirk. "Matthew insisted that I tag along for this, seeing as how he didn't want to suffer alone."

"Really? Your friend dragged you here too?" Francis inquired.

"Kicking and screaming," Will stated with a rueful shake of his head. "I don't suppose it's all bad, though."

"Why's that?"

"I guess I enjoy the company of my co workers. Or at least tolerate them enough to not immediately wanna walk outta here," Will revealed, hiding behind the rim of his glasses. "How about you? What's keeping you tethered here?"

"Bev, mostly. I'd hate to ruin her night just because I'm being a spoil sport," Francis explained, actively trying to avoid eye contact with Will as much as possible. Funny, because Will was doing the same. "Also, Beverly's the one who drove. So, even if I wanted to leave I'd be kinda stranded. Maybe that's what she intended."

"I wouldn't put it past her. She's a crafty one," Will commented, gripping his mostly empty cup tightly in his hands. "Must be quite a handful being her boyfriend."

The comment took Francis by surprise, wondering how Will came to that assumption. Nevertheless, it made Francis extremely flustered because here he was, trying to quote unquote score with Will while the other thought he and Beverly were an item. Francis sputtered for a moment, unsure of what to say to deny it.

"Beverly and I are unattached," Francis finally stammered, cheeks burning. The statement got Will to look up into his eyes curiously. "She's just a friend. My only friend, actually…"

Francis mumbled the last part, but Will's ears caught it anyway and he suddenly felt guilty for putting Francis on the spot like that. He cleares his throat promptly and tried again, voice faltering ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make assumptions about you. I just thought-" Will trailed off in a stutter, turning pink under Francis' scrutiny. "I saw you two talking earlier and, well… You're a handsome guy and she's pretty, so- You two looked really cute together is what I'm trying to say."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Beverly isn't exactly my type," Francis stated vaguely, standing his ground to stare Will directly in the eye and hoping he understood what he was saying. He had to be brave. Confident.

It was Will's turn to awkwardly stammer out an "oh" as realization dawned on him and the tips of his ears turned pink. He adjusted his glasses a few times, looking around the room for a lifeline because he was blushing furiously from Francis' honesty. Francis was the last person Will would expect such forwardness from. Was Francis trying to hit on him? Not that that was a bad thing, it's just Will wasn't anticipating it.

"What is your type?"

Will doesn't know why he said it or how in his current state, but he kicked himself the moment it left his mouth. Francis seemed taken aback because his mouth promptly closed shut. His jaw flexed and he remained silent, uncertain of how to answer that. What was he supposed to say? The truth? Because if that were the case, he'd say that he preferred quiet and cute men who had a knack for wearing glasses and generally being socially awkward. You know, just everything that summed Will up.

"I haven't had the chance to formally find that out," Francis eluded, low key admitting that he hasn't really been with anyone before.

"I personally always had a thing for the strong, silent type," Will confessed, unconsciously batting his lashes. Will shuffled forward slightly into Francis' personal space. "You look like you work out. Do you go to the gym?"

"No. I mean, I do work out, but not at a gym," Francis told him, heart pounding in his chest at Will's sudden interest. "I mostly just do the basics at home."

"I can tell," Will said, voice cracking. He wasn't the most experienced in flirting or being subtle after all. He slowly reached out and ran his hand up and down Francis' arm, squeezing tenderly at the muscles. "You're really firm. Not too big, not too small. Just right."

"Thank you," Francis stuttered, body tingling from the contact. He tried not to flex, but he couldn't help it. "Do you work out?"

"I run sometimes when I can't sleep," Will alluded, feeling hard muscle flex under his palm.

"I figured as much. You have runner's legs," Francis observed, raking his eyes up and down Will's body shamefully. "You probably have a lot of stamina."

"I have it where it counts," Will claimed, eyes twinkling with desire as his pupils dilated.

The tension between them was building up and the coy, barely hidden flirtation wasn't helping anything. The act of flirting and hooking up was so foreign to them that they were probably going about this all wrong. Not only was Francis interested in Will sexually, but he was also keen on the idea of actually dating him. Long term, preferably. Would having sex with Will before asking him out spoil his chances? What were Will's motives?

All Francis knew was that Will was clearly interested and was actively seeking out physical contact. That much was abundantly obvious.

Off to the other side of the room, Beverly and Matthew were watching the whole thing unfolding awkwardly between Will and Francis. Beverly had a triumphant smile spreading across her face, pleased with the outcome. Matthew mimicked her smirk and nudged her with a shoulder.

"Possibly the best idea we've ever had," Matthew proclaimed with a huff of laughter.

"I know, right?" Bev agreed, noticing how close Will and Francis were standing together. "It's about damn time they at least talked each other."

"You think they'll go all the way tonight?" Matthew inquired with a devious little smirk.

"Well, if Will keeps touching Francis like that…" Beverly trailed off.

Will doesn't know when he got so bold with flirtation, but Francis was responding to it enthusiastically, if not a little awkwardly. He was surprised that Francis approached him in the first place. Francis was tall and handsome and could be quite intimidating on occasion. He knew the taller man was insecure about the scar on his upper lip, but Will thought it made him more distinguished.

"So, how late do you plan on hanging around?" Will asked, smoothing a hand down the front of Francis' cardigan.

"Not really up to me. Beverly drove me here," Francis reiterated, letting Will invade his space.

"I could give you a lift home," Will offered, knowing full well what he was implying by that. He just hoped Francis got the hint and didn't feel offended by it. "Only if you'd like, of course. I understand if you don't wanna ditch your friend."

"No, that'd be nice. I think I'm ready to go home anyway," Francis answered, feeling a wave of queasiness wash over him. "Let me go tell Bev."

"Sure," Will affirmed with a giddy smile. "I'll, uh, wait right here."

Francis excuses himself and scanned the room to find Beverly and Matthew chatting it up over a few drinks. Hopefully not spiked this time with alcohol seeing as home Beverly would still have to drive home afterward. He approached a laughing Beverly and made himself known by coughing politely to interrupt the conversation she was currently engaged in. What was she talking about with Matthew anyway?

"Hey, I'm taking off," Francis announced, swallowing as if he was a child asking his mom for permission. There was a subtle smirk playing about Beverly's lips and Francis even noticed Matthew wearing the same expression. "I hope that's okay."

"Yeah! That's totally fine! I tortured you enough as it is," Beverly conceded, waving off the apology she knew was coming. "You have a ride home?"

"Yes, Will has politely offered to take me," Francis indicated, blushing a little when Beverly got that all knowing grin curling the corners of her lips.

"That's sweet of him," Bev encouraged, happy for her friend. "Well, I hope the rest of your night is awesome."

Beverly motioned Francis in for a hug, beckoning the tall man to come over and scoop her up in his arms. Bev wrapped her arms tightly across Francis' back and leaned into his embrace.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't," Beverly whispered into his ear mischievously. They pulled away and straightened themselves out habitually. "You'll thank me later."

Francis gave her a chastising look, but his embarrassment only served to make the amused expression on Beverly's face widen. Her eyes were bright with joy and she looked even more excited than Francis, since he was feeling more nervous than anything else at the moment. Matthew tried not to appear so giddy himself, but Francis saw through his façade. It's almost like Beverly and Matthew were planning something.

"Ready to go?" Will inquired, having just walked up because he was antsy.

"Yeah," Francis said, smiling faintly.

"Have fun you two," Matthew teased ominously, smirking like a know it all.

Will blushed softly, self conscious of the fact that Matthew and Beverly knew what was going on between him and Francis. Somehow having them know made this ten times more awkward. So much for being discreet. Then again, this was Matt and Bev we're talking about. Discreet isn't exactly in their nature apparently. Will simply scoffed through his embarrassment and shoved at Matthew's chest to get past him with Francis in tow.

"Remind me to murder you later," Will mumbled under his breath begrudgingly.

Francis and Will traversed down the hall in silence, not wanting to discuss the snide remarks Beverly and Matthew had made because that would just be too much to handle right now. They were perfectly aware of what was going to happen, but neither of them wanted to acknowledge it. That made the whole scenario that much more nerve wracking. Neither Francis nor Will have ever done anything like this before and seeing it for what it is only caused them to panic awkwardly.

Out in the parking lot both men shivered, feeling terribly underdressed for the evening. A cardigan and an ugly sweater were hardly efficient enough for the chilly winter breeze. Will quickly lead Francis to his car and rummaged around in his pocket for his car keys. It took him a try or two before he got the keys in the door to open up salvation, where there would surely be a heater.

Francis climbed into the passenger seat after Will, letting himself settle in the unfamiliar territory that smelt inherently of Will. Christ, it smelt like dogs and Will's cologne, or was that aftershave? Either way, the surreality of the moment was enough to get Francis' pulse pounding. Will put the key in the ignition, turning on the car to get the engine nice and heated up. He reached over towards the heater and turned it on after a few brief moments of idling his car.

The hot air being expelled out of the tiny vents warmed them up quickly and Francis let out a sigh of relief. Will took notice of that and glanced at Francis, watching the taller man rub tenderly at his own arms to speed up the heating process.

"Warming up?" Will asked, holding his breath when Francis' piercing gaze caught his eye.

"Yes I am, thank you," Francis concurred, smiling briefly. He felt his body heat slowly returning as the AC whirred and produced more warmth. "I probably should've worn different clothes. Or at least bundled up better."

"You look really nice," Will complimented, tentatively reaching a hand out to run it down Francis' shoulder and arm. "Maroon suits you."

"I could say the same thing about you and ugly sweaters," Francis countered, huffing a little.

"It's not that ugly is it?" Will proposed, looking down at himself to refresh his memory on just how ridiculous he looked tonight. "Okay, maybe it is. I really shouldn't have let Matthew talk me into wearing it..."

"I like it," Francis reaffirmed, enjoying the small blush that danced over Will's cheekbones. "You make it work."

"Well, thank you," Will gushed, turning away from Francis to hide the giddiness that twinkled in his eyes. "It means alot coming from you."

"Don't mention it," Francis said humbly, staring straight ahead stiffly.

After their brief exchange, Will shifted his car into gear and set out on the mostly empty roads. Francis gave Will the directions to his house, trying his best not to stumble over words or stammer too much. The closer they got to Francis' home, the more shaky his voice got because he was so damn giddy and excited to finally be alone with Will. He's had a crush on the Tech from work since the first day he started and now, after all this time, his deepest desires were becoming a reality. It was a Christmas miracle and Beverly was to thank.

Will pulled up to Francis' house eventually and they both sat there in silence, idling in the car with nothing but the sound of the heater and the low rumble of the engine. Will gripped the steering wheel tightly, holding his breath in anticipation as if waiting for Francis to break the tension in the air. Words failed Francis. Will being quiet didn't help either. Maybe Will was having second thoughts about the whole thing. What if Francis read the signals wrong? He couldn't have… Could he?

"Do you want to come in for a drink?" Francis offered, instincts kicking in as his brain absent-mindedly spoke for him.

"Sure," Will agreed, snapping his attention back over to Francis. Will offered a shy smile. "I'd like that."

They clambered out of Will's car and back into the cold, winter night. Will followed Francis up the walkway to his house, scanning the area all around him as he took in the sight of the antique-looking house. It was the kind of home you'd expect little old widows to live in. The architecture was decades old and the size of it was grand in scale, making Will feel instantly at ease. Will always appreciated vintage things like that. Places like this were always so much more comfy and tranquil. Will couldn't wait to see the inside of the place.

Francis unlocked his front door with shaking hands, even dropping his keys at one point. He laughed it off and blamed it on the cold, but Will knew better than that. He didn't, however, comment on it because he didn't want to make Francis uncomfortable. Besides, Will found it reassuring and endearing that Francis was so nervous, because so was he. Will's never gone home with someone like this before, let alone hooked up with someone from work, and he probably shouldn't. He figured could make an except just this once, though.

Who knows? Maybe something more could come of this?

"Wow," Will gasped when he took the first step inside. "This place is huge. How long have you had this house?"

"It's been in the family for a few generations," Francis revealed, tossing his keys on an end table near the door.

"It's lovely," Will commented, smiling.

The house was spacious and cozy in the sense that it was well worn like a pair of nice fitting slippers. It felt like home. All that was missing was a family and a few pets running around to soften up the underlying sadness that echoed quietly through the halls. Not that Will was getting any ideas… It was just a suggestion. One that Will would keep to himself for now.

"I'll show you to the den," Francis said, leading the way.

Francis brought Will to a room lined with books here and there along with a projector and some film reels. There were some Christmas lights strung up around the room, giving it a soft glow of green, red, and yellow. There was also a fireplace in the middle of the room and a small, potted Christmas tree sat atop the mantle as the center piece. It wasn't much, but Francis was the type of person who didn't expect company regularly. The decorations in this room were solely for himself and that made Will melt inside.

"Would you like me to light a fire?" Francis breathed into Will's ear, making the other man shudder.

Will could practically feel Francis' deep voice rumbling in his chest that was nearly pressed up against his back. Will got brave and spared a look over towards Francis, who stood closely behind and slightly off to the side. Their gazes met and Will was surprised to see just how close their faces were to one another. Breath caught in Will's throat, intoxicated by how near Francis is, as his voice seized up by how the taller man stared deeply into his eyes.

"Sure," Will tried to say nonchalantly. His voice cracked instead. "A fire sounds nice."

Francis walked over towards the fireplace, picking up the matches placed on the mantle, and bent down to get the fire started. Will stepped further into the room, looking all around to get a better view before finally coming to rest on the sofa near the fireplace. Will folded his hands on his lap and watched as it took Francis a few tries to get the fire going. Afterwards, Francis stood up and replaced the matches where he got them, turning around to face Will again.

"It should start heating up in a few minutes," Francis informed, wringing his hands together. "Feel free to make yourself comfortable while I make us something to drink."

Will wasn't sure if he was supposed to respond to that or not, but Francis made it clear when he hurriedly sped off towards the kitchen, ideally, to fix up a couple of drinks for them. Once Will was alone, with nothing but the crackle of fire and log, he tried to calm his nerves with a few deep breaths. He still couldn't believe this was happening. There's no way he could possibly be in Francis' actual house.

He figured Francis would be a few minutes, so Will decided to take Francis' advice and make himself at home before the other man returned. The ugly sweater with the superimposed dog on the front was the first thing to go as Will set out to make himself more appealing to his host. He draped the sweater over one of the arms and smoothed out his hair after it got tussled a little. He wondered idly for a moment what more he could possibly do to accentuate himself.

Will could hear Francis just about finishing up with the drinks and in a moment of pure brilliance and numb panic, Will undid the first top three buttons on his shirt to expose his collarbones. Surely, Francis would appreciate that sight over an ugly Christmas sweater. Will wasn't exactly the most experienced in covert seduction, so he probably approached the situation by being a bit more on the nose about it than most people would.

Surely enough, a few moments later Francis returned with two mugs in his hands, being mindful to watch his step so as not to spill them. He sat gently next to Will, juggling the mugs, and handed one to Will.

"Careful, it's hot," Francis warned just as Will cupped the offered drink in his hands.

"What the-" Will said in surprise as he inspected the drink in his hands. It was hot and the liquid was brown in color with tiny marshmallows floating around almost like it was- "Did you make hot cocoa?"

The awe and surprise in Will's tone made Francis' heart swell because Will sounded as if he was a kid again on Christmas morning.

"With a little something extra thrown in as well," Francis added, ducking his head bashfully when Will smiled dreamily at him.

Will let's the cocoa cool down for a minute before taking his first sip and his face lit up like a Christmas tree. The sounds Will made were heavenly to say the least as he moaned and hummed his approval. Francis wasn't sure if the cocoa was that good, but seeing Will enjoy himself was nice. Francis took a drink from his own mug and rejoiced in the warm feeling that coursed through his body.

"This is so good," Will raved, strategically placing a hand on Francis' leg. "What did you put in it?"

"Just a shot of Peppermint Schnapps," Francis stammered, shrugging nonchalantly as he tried not to focus on the warm hand on his leg. "Nothing too crazy."

"Well, it's absolutely delicious," Will complimented, rubbing at Francis' leg tenderly.

It was only now that Francis noticed that Will had his sweater off and his shirt slightly unbuttoned for his viewing pleasure. Francis' pulse quickened and he nervously took a gulp of his hot cocoa to occupy his shaking hands. He tried to ignore the sight of Will's exposed throat working to drink his cocoa or the way Will's hand lingered on his thigh. They sat there in the heavy silence, sipping their cocoa in front of the cozy fire.

The orange glow from the fire danced around the room and glared off of Will's glasses as he tipped his head back to down the rest of his drink. Francis finished his soon after and all that was left was the unsaid burning desire hanging between them like a heavy fog. Francis took this moment to shed his cardigan off since the heat was rapidly warming him up. He even loosened his tie a little, fully aware of Will's bright eyes following his every movement.

"Thank you for driving me home," Francis said after a long stretch of silence, staring down at Will's elegant hand.

"Thank you for inviting me in," Will countered, running his hand further up Francis' leg. "The fire, the cocoa… It's all really charming. Romantic, even."

Will shifted on the sofa to turn towards Francis, inching in closer until one of his knees was brushing up against Francis' thigh. Will had his full attention as he slid up and brought his other hand to play with Francis' tie, tugging on it gently. Someone had to make the first move and Will figured if Francis wasn't going to do it, then he would.

"Will, I-" Francis began, tongue feeling heavy as he attempted to articulate his thoughts properly.

"I don't do this sorta thing often. Or at all, really," Will admitted, blushing faintly as he climbed into the taller man's lap. "I hope you don't think less of me. I just couldn't wait."

Francis stared up at him in awe, holding his breath as Will settled in his lap fully and cradled his face in his hands. Will was stroking his thumbs over Francis' cheekbones as Will's eyes lingered on the other man's lips. He slowly brought his fingertips to hover over the scar on Francis' upper lip, noticing the way he instinctively shied away from the gesture. Francis wasn't used to people getting this close to him and he certainly was hesitant to let them touch his scar.

"Is it okay if I kiss you?" Will asked politely, feeling slightly put out by Francis' silence.

Francis could only nod in obedience at Will's request. How could he possibly deny him?

Just then, Will slowly bent forward so as not to spook Francis, letting his mouth hang just mere inches from Francis'. One hand curled around the back of the taller man's neck and beckoned him forward slightly until their lips brushed against each other. The kiss was soft and light, serving as a way to ease Francis into the idea of someone getting this close to him. The texture of the scar against Will's lips was an interesting feeling to say the least and it made the kiss all the more unique.

"You can touch me if you want," Will murmured into Francis' lips when they parted.

Tentatively, Francis reached out with his hands, letting them hover over Will's hips for a brief moment before resting them snugly against them. Will seemed pleased by the contact and bent down to kiss Francis again, coaxing the taller man to relax into it enough to open his mouth. Instinctively, their tongues sought each other out, slowly sliding against one another in an intimate tangle. Francis sighed into Will's mouth and ran his hands up the man's sides in a gentle caress.

As they kissed, Francis' hands trailed all over Will's torso, kneading at his chest tenderly and gripping his shoulders. Will let his hands drop down to Francis' shoulders as well and rubbed lightly, smoothing out the material of the maroon shirt. Will loosened the tie a little more and briefly broke the kiss to raise it up over Francs' head. Will stared down at Francis with a lust-filled gaze and set out to start unbuttoning the well-fitting shirt draped over the taller man.

Will peeled open the front of the shirt and spread it apart to reveal Francis' chest. He wasn't too impressive, which is fine since Will isn't too crazy about muscles, but the working out Francis had claimed he did at home really did show. He was perfectly in proportion for his height and Will wondered if that was true everywhere. Francis leaned forward, nearly pressing his face into Will's chest, as he shrugged off the article of clothing.

The other man was sat back on his lap, taking in the sight of Francis' bare chest. Will put his arms at his sides and motioned for Francis to return the favor. Francis reached out and undid the rest of Will's shirt with numb dexterity and sweaty palms. He was so damn nervous and it showed in the way he struggled undo some simple buttons. Will couldn't help but grin a little, charmed by how much more nerve wracking this was for Francis than himself.

It wasn't like Francis never did this before, he's been with a few people over the years, but Will was the one Francis had been attracted to the most by far. So, when he finally opened up the other man's shirt and discarded it, his heart was pounding double time to pump enough blood through his veins and redirect it elsewhere. The sight of Will and the way he squirmed on Francis' lap was enough to get him all hot and bothered. Will could feel Francis nudging incessantly against his backside, which prompted Will to press back against it even more.

Francis looked up at Will, as if asking to touch him, and pressed a hand over the spot Will's heart would be, feeling it thump sporadically. Will arched into the contact, coaxing Francis to touch him more as he rocked back on Francis' erection. There wasn't an inch of skin that went untouched on Will's torso. Will gasped when Francis tweaked a nipple and he ground ass over the erection trapped in Francis' pants.

"I need you," Will begged with a low whine. "Now."

"I don't really have-"

"I have something in my pocket," Will offered, feeling breathless and lightheaded as he rummaged around in his pants.

"Should we take this to the room?" Francis asked, being swept up in a whirlwind of suddenness.

"No, let's do it in front of the fire," Will proposed, clambering off of Francis' lap.

Francis watched as Will collected the thick blanket draped over the back of the sofa as well as a couple of throw pillows and laid them down by the fireplace. Francis stood up and followed Will's lead over to the fire. Will wiggled out of his pants and kicked them off to the side, standing in nothing but his underwear, prompting Francis to do the same. Will stopped him, however, and knelt down in front of the taller man. He tossed the small tube he got out of his pants moments before off to one side.

"Let me help you with these," Will purred, running a hand over the bulge in Francis' pants.

Francis felt hot all over, not just because of the fire, and he couldn't begin to imagine just how pink in the face he was. Seeing Will knelt at his feet gave him all sorts of lewd ideas that would soon come to fruition because Will was pulling down the tab of Francis' zipper. Will tugged the pants down his legs, directing Francis to step out of them until the man standing before him was left only in a pair of black boxer briefs.

The bulge in Francis' underwear was obscene, to say the least, but no less impressive. Much like the rest of his physique, Francis was in proportion and awfully well-endowed. Will pressed his face against Francis' groin and rubbed his cheek over the hot, harden flesh. He slowly pulled the black underwear down Francis' thighs and freed the object of his desire. Something about being aroused made Will fearless, like he could take on anything.

"So big," Will moaned with delight, wrapping a hand around Francis' cock. He dragged his tongue along the underside, making Francis shiver visibly. "I can't wait for you to fuck me with this."

It was lewd and dirty and the way Will was staring up at Francis from under his lashes was almost too much for Francis to process. Francis reached down and slid Will's glasses off the bridge of his nose, folding them and dropping them gently to the floor, to get a better look at Will's bright eyes. Will looked like he belonged there at Francis' feet with a cock in his mouth.

Will slid his mouth down the length of Francis' cock, taking what he could in one go, before pulling off with a wet cough. He did this a few more times to set up a rhythm and had Francis groaning and squirming under his ministrations. Each time Will pulled off he would twist his wrist on the upstroke, stimulating Francis as best as he could. Will wasn't very sexually active as of late, but he knew how to suck a cock in a way that had his partner coming undone.

Francis couldn't watch Will for long because the stimulation coupled with the visual was enough to make Francis want to come immediately. So, he concentrated on the feel of Will's lips and mouth enclosing around him tightly and the twist of his hand instead. It didn't help that Will was being enthusiastic about making noise. His satisfied moans echoed in his hollowed out cheeks and resonated through Francis' body in the best way possible.

Eventually, Will popped off of Francis' cock and gasped for air as his throat was clearly exhausted from overuse. He stroked his hand over the slick length of Francis' manhood, sparing a glance up at him as he licked his red lips. Francis' pupils were blown wide and he felt like he could come at any moment if Will kept doing what he was doing. Will's hand left the feverish erection and he shifted backwards onto his elbows in a reclined position, as if inviting Francis as he spread his legs slightly.

"I want you inside me, Francis," Will beckoned, panting because he was so damn hard. "Please don't make me wait any longer."

Francis nodded mutely, coming done to be level with Will and crawling up to him. They shared another deep and sensual kiss full of tongue and gentle little nips here and there. Francis hooked his fingers in the waistband of Will's underwear and shimmied them over Will's hips, revealing his dripping cock. He was so turned on that precome was leaking out of him at a progressive rate and Francis instinctively grasped Will by the cock and ran the pad of his thumb over the head, smearing the clear substance. That got Will to shudder with pleasure.

The underwear was pulled down Will's legs and discarded somewhere beside them. Will retrieved the small bottle of lubricant he left beside them on the ground and handed it over to Francis. Will had his thighs spread wide open for Francis, waiting patiently for him to give him something to work with. Will was practically aching for anything at this point.

Without warning, Francis grabbed Will and spun him around so that he was on his hands and knees. Will gasped at the speed and strength of Francis, but obediently obliged the unspoken request and stuck his ass in the air. He spread his thighs apart and presented himself to Francis' hungry stare, wiggling his ass a little as an incentive. As if he really needed to. Will felt Francis bend over the length of his back from behind, pressing his hard on into his exposed crevice.

"I want you just like this," Francis told him in a deep rumbling growl. He nuzzled slightly into Will's hair, inhaling his scent graciously. "On your hands and knees like an animal in heat."

He doesn't know where the words come from, but it has it's desired effect on Will as he keened low in his throat and clawed at the blanket beneath him. Francis popped open the bottle Will had conveniently in his pocket and smeared the clear liquid over a few of his fingers. When he was done spreading it, Francis lined up two fingers to Will's hole and pressed inward until the muscles gave way and accepted the intrusion.

Will let out a long and breathy moan as Francis' fingers filled him up and loosened him a little. Francis thrusted his fingers in and out of Will at a reasonable speed and scissored his fingers for that extra little bit of stretch. Will was pushing his ass back against Francis' fingers, whining for more until Francis appeased him with a third finger. Will chanted a soft oh fuck when he felt Francis stretching his entrance more and more.

"You're so tight," Francis commented, working Will over with three of his fingers.

"It's been awhile," Will admitted, blushing as he fucked himself back on Francis' fingers.

"You sure don't act like it," Francis observed, speaking directly into Will's ear in a deep rumble.

"I just want it so bad," Will whined, feeling the fingers leave his body. "I wanted it ever since I saw you."

"Wanted what? This?" Francis growled as he pushed himself inside Will fully.

Will cried out at the sudden large intrusion and twisted the blanket in his hands. He didn't realize Francis had slicked himself up and figured the other man must have did it while he was getting fingered. Either way, Francis filled him up perfectly, nudging and nestling his way into stimulating areas. He definitely felt a lot bigger than he looked. Will panted at how stretched he felt and his insides burned from the shift. Will didn't even notice his legs were shaking until Francis smoothed his hands up and down his thighs tenderly.

"That feel nice?" Francis inquired, giving Will time to adjust as he ran his hands down Will's back soothingly.

"Fuck yeah, it does," Will cursed, suppressing the pitiful little whine caught in his throat. "God, please move."

Francis grabbed Will by the hips and slowly started thrusting into him, being mindful to pay attention to the sounds Will was making. Most of them were favorable, so Francis didn't relent with his movements. He was being gentle and considerate with Will, not wanting to rough him up too much. Maybe in the future, though…

It seemed to be enough for Will at any rate since he was being very vocal, urging Francis not to stop. Will's body was clenching around his cock in a vice-like grip and Francis knew he wouldn't be able to hold out long before he was coming. Will felt so good around him that Francis was kicking himself for all the times he could've asked Will out. But that didn't matter anymore. Will was his right now.

Will dropped down onto his elbows and snuck a hand down between his legs to stroke himself in time with Francis' thrusting. His moans were muffled by one of the throw pillows and his back was bowed to push his ass further against Francis' cock. Francis ran a hand down Will's spine until he reached the nape of Will's neck and fisted his hair into the chocolate locks he found there. He pulled back on Will's hair tenderly, causing Will to follow the motion and recline back slightly to alleviate some of the pressure.

Francis took this opportunity to bend down over Will's pale body, still thrusting gently, and sink his teeth into one of his shoulders. Will's breath hitched and he made an uncertain noise, like it hurt him but turned him on at the same time. Francis sucked a bruise into the soft flesh of Will's shoulder, pulling his hair as his other hand came around and sought out one of his nipples. Francis rubbed his fingertips over the little nub until it hardened and perked up. Just as Francis was at the apex of his suction on Will's shoulder, he pinched Will's nipple and rolled it sharply between his index finger and thumb.

"Oh, Francis!" Will gasped from the combined sensations and came over his fist with the rest dribbling on the blanket beneath him.

Will's body seized up and Francis let go of Will, opting to return his hands back to Will's hips instead for better leverage. Will was so tight around his cock and Francis was so ready to just let it all go and get the ultimate release. Francis sped up his pace only slightly, fucking into Will's lax and sated body with ease as the man below him mumbled incoherently through the aftershocks of his orgasm.

During the next few thrusts, Francis' cock gave a jerk of interest and spasmed inside of Will's channel. Francis' breath hitched and he pulled out at the last second, opting to come on Will's back. His cock jerked as it coated the soft skin of Will's lower back, sometimes missing and getting Will on a cheek instead, and rubbed his softening member over Will's slick hole. His cock was still sensitive and every so often he would hiss under his breath when he pressed a little too firmly.

After a while, Francis got up and cleaned himself and Will up a bit. They laid down by the fire together with Will in Francis' arms as the other man rested his chin on top of chocolate curls. For a long time there were no words spoken between them, only the crackle of fire and log and the soft content breathing of satisfaction that hung heavy in the warm air. Francis idly ran a hand through Will's hair, pausing frequently to press a tender kiss into them.

"I want you to stay," Francis stated, breaking the tranquil silence.

"Good, because I wasn't planning on leaving," Will hummed happily, nestling himself into Francis' warm, strong body.

Francis huffed out a small, amused chuckle, letting his hand caress over Will's heartbeat. Will kneaded at Francis' torso, cuddling into him like a cat as they basked in the perfection of this moment. Neither one of them wanted it to end, and maybe it didn't have to? They wouldn't know for sure until tomorrow morning, but seeing as how Will was content in Francis' arms or the fact that Francis refused to let go for even a second, they weren't worried in the slightest. One thing they knew for sure was how awkward it was going to be when they finally go back to work and have to face the all knowing smirks from Bev and Matt.

They could practically hear the resounding exclamation of It's about damn time!, followed soon after by the obligatory blush of embarrassment.